Awash Lounge

This was my first time having Ethiopian food and I was not disappointed! I ordered beef tibs with rice. The beef was very cinnamon-​y but not very hot. The owner stopped by and brought us hot sauce which definitely fixed that problem for me. She also brought us njara, a pancake-​like bread that tasted a lot like curry. I think the njara was my favorite part. She explained that she had only owned the restaurant for about 10 days and she was planning to remodel the place and revamp the menu. I hope she doesn’t change the lunch menu because I thought it was great! It was very inexpensive — my total bill with tax was only $ 11! I was also very impressed with the large selection of vegetarian options.

The best Ethiopian food I’ve had in a very long time. I loved the njara and I’ll be going back there. I recommend everyone go there to try their food.

I came here with a group of five friends, two of whom «Know» their Ethiopian food. This was my first experience with the cuisine, so I can only give my beginner’s evaluation. I think that regardless of how wonderful the food could hypothetically have been, the atmosphere itself and lack of décor kill the possibilities for Awash. It is dark and dingy, but not in a way that gives it charm the way some dive-​bars are able to pull it off. Not, it just feels flavorless, abandoned… no décor whatsoever, and it was uncomfortably empty, even at dinner time. The waitress herself seemed friendly and brought the food out quickly. I had started with a green salad which, even as green salads go, was awful. The veggies were not fresh – tasted a bit like they had been dethawed. We ordered the vegetarian platter (you can choose what dishes you want, I let my friends order since i had no clue) which as I learned always comes served on top of injera, that crêpe-​like, sourdough-​reminiscent bread made of teff that is the national stable. You also get a side of injera, in case you needed more to mop up the sauce, rolled up. I particularly liked the spiced lentils.
An underwhelming visit, the price at least was reasonable and the service fast.

Good food and service. Fit the bill. The vegetarian combo was good and the spices were just right.

If I could give this minus stars I would.
I’ve never had Ethiopian food and this was my first and probably last time.
— it took over an hour to get a diet coke, over half hour to be served tap water.
— our waitress spoke no English
— she brought appetizers after the main course (which we had to as another waitress to check on since it had been over 100 min since we placed the order)
— she forgot to place my entrée order after coming back to get a new entrée order from me since they ran out of what I wanted (she came to let me know this an hour after I ordered)
— the chicken entrée for $ 13 was half a wing, a boiled egg and gravy. We asked if this was really all the food and she laughed at us and walked away.
— I have never had such a bad restaurant experience

Horrible service and food
Have eaten at many Ethiopian restaurants in dc and this was disappointing
Waited 45 mins to get water and never got remainder of drinks
Chicken dish had one egg and half of one wing
Never got our lamb dish and the appetizers were soggy with a taste of 2 year old oil
The food that we did get was below mediocre .
Don’t waste your time
Much better Ethiopian restaurants in dc

I have to say I was a somewhat skeptical at first. The place looks a little run down. It was kind of empty except for a few fellows who looked like they were regulars there. Later in the evening I think some guys were smoking hookah. We ordered some tea, veggie platter, a lamb dish and some beers. Everything was pretty delicious. The lady who worked there was very attentive and very nice. So, all and all we had a good time and really enjoyed the food at this place.

Not quite sure how this place stays open. I’ve lived near it for 3 years and have seen probably 2 tables with people actually eating. Mostly just a cabbie hang out. They do have a lot of TVs and play football games yet no one is there.

One of the few places available in Adams Morgan where you can get 1) a hookah, 2) a beer, 3) food and 4) outdoor seating with good service. The hookah was decent but the guy in charge was great and when we told him that we didn’t really like the flavor of the shisha combo, he took it back and changed it no questions asked. Quite the happy contrast to other bars in the area where you would be met with some indignant attitude for the same small request.
We also ordered an Ethiopian beer which was fine, not really anything to write home about, but fun to say you’ve tried it none the less.
The food was decent too, but as I have no basis for comparison since this was my first time trying it, I’ll leave it at that. If nothing else, you get to try something new and eat with your hands!
Overall, I’d go back. It was nice sitting outside, smoking hookah & people watching.

Don’t know about the food coz we were too full. Was looking for a nice outdoor hookah place and found this. Had the best hookah for $ 20

Love this place! Delicious. Cheap. Cool atmosphere.
The vegetarian platter rocks. They keep bringing back more and more injira until you are so full you can’t breathe.

I don’t care what people say I LOVE THIS PLACE. Maybe I’m crazy but I like this place better than Meskerem.
I’m only giving it four stars because my SO got sick once… but I’m partial. I must have an iron stomach.

My bf had never experienced the magic of Ethiopian food, and Awash was a really good choice of restaurants for him to have his first taste.
We stopped in for a late dinner on a Saturday night and there were tons of other diners and people at the bar that were Ethiopian (a very good sign). There were tons of cabs parked outside (also great sign). I was rather amused by the big crowd huddled around the bar excitedly watching Canadian football (considering that I hadn’t previously known that there was such a thing).
On to the food — since the bf was a newbie, we decided to split the meat and veggie samplers. It proved to be a lot of food for two people and we wound up with leftovers.
Most of my favorite Ethiopian dishes were covered by the samplers and my favorites were the the Kitfo (I’m really glad that it was cooked, raw meat kind of freaks me out) and the Yemisir Watt (red lentils in a heavenly berbere sauce). I wasn’t really loving the green beans, which seemed canned or the tomato salad (a matter of personal preference, my bf liked it).
The atmosphere was nothing fancy, whatsoever, but the food spoke for itself and was affordable.

I’d go again for their outdoor seating, but our waitress barely spoke a word of English.
The food was decent though, and their happy hour was quite generous.

Awash was a great spot to start New Year’s Eve.
The atmosphere was very casual — there were TVs everywhere tuned to both kinds of football.
We ordered the meat and vegetarian samplers. They didn’t seem to have tibs wot, which was disappointing, but they did accommodate my request for kategna (toasted injera soaked in berbere — delicious). That’s something Meskerem couldn’t do.
The food was flavorful and spicy. Both the carnivores and the vegetarians at the table left very satisfied. It was a great way to (almost) end 2010.

My second goat curry meal in 24 hours and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
Ethiopian curry is more of a thin soup but what it lacks in substance it makes up for in flavor. The sourness of the injara vibed with the spices in the goat really well and the pieces they gave me had marrow, which if you know whats up, is the best part of an animal. Trust me on this one.
I watched the USA Ghana game there and it was funny cause a lot of the dudes there are supporting ghana but it was a good vibe with the sort of friendly sports joshing that makes watching the games in public so fun. They all told us that team usa did a good job and they’d see us again in 4 years. and they will

I wanted to try Ethiopian for the 1^st time ever, but knew absolutely nothing about it at all, whatsoever, except that a few friends of mine seem to like it. I chose this place based on the other reviews for it, and the fact that it’s only a 5 minute walk from my apartment.
Because I’m a vegetarian, and I know nothing about this type of food, I chose the vegetarian sampler. You can probably already guess that I was unaware of the whole no-​utensil thing. I didn’t want to be tacky to I looked up on my iPhone real quick what to do, and got the 411 on how to use the Injira. I have a LOT to learn… for starters getting the Injira/​food ratio correct. I ate way too much of the bready stuff and it made me full very quickly, too full to finish the real entrée, which was pretty tasty. Also, I wish I had written down the names of the food or something. Maybe someone out there can hook me up as to what’s on the vegetarian sampler.
The atmosphere was pretty good. The server was friendly, but not forthcoming with the water refill, ever, and also left me hangin at the end for about 10 minutes before the check drop.
All in all, though, I will be back… after I try all the other Ethiopian places in the Adams Morgan first.

Pretty standard Ethiopian fare. Didn’t blow me away but it was tasty. A little spicier than the other Ethiopian places I’ve been to in DC. Happy hour prices on non-​Ethiopian beers on the weekends is pretty awesome. Prices for food are reasonable, service is friendly.
So if you’re in the mood and in the area, give this place a shot.

I’m not an expert on Ethiopian food but what I did have here was pretty good. We got the vegetarian combination platter and the meat combination platter, and this was *way* too much food for two people. In the future, I’d probably get the vegetarian platter and one individual meat dish. The service was good (I think the waitresses are twins — I had to do a double take and I’m still not sure) and the restaurant was clean and not too busy.
My main complaint was that the credit card receipt had my full credit card number. In today’s day, there’s no real excuse for that. If you’re paranoid like me, bring cash.

I love Awash.
The people are fantastic.
The prices are very reasonable.
And I will probably name my first child Tibs.
Seriously, I’ve been in Adams Morgan for over a decade, and I’ve eaten at a majority of the Ethiopian or Eritrean places in the area. Awash is easily the best.
Go here. But don’t take my chair on Sundays.