This latest visit on 10/30 was a disappointment. The portions have suffered significant shrinkflation and the reduction in quality does not do enough to offset the reduced quantity. We have been loyal customers since 2007 but I think we will look elsewhere for Ethiopian food in the future.
Esperanza G.
We celebrated my friends B Day last night at Dukem. The service was excellent. The ambiance was ok. The food is another story. I ordered the lamb chunks that were more the size of pellets. Dry as a bone and hard. I asked for no jalapeños and got some mixed with chopped tomatoes. My dish was just lamb pieces and chopped tomatoes on flat bread. My girlfriend ordered fried fish that was inedible as it was rock hard overcooked. The bill was $57.00 a person for this!!!! I had a glass of wine and the price was modest. I certainly had much better Ethiopian food at my neighbors home and at work. Will never return to Dukem it is not worth the price.Eppie G.
Kasidy D.
The food was very mediocre and cold for it'a expensive price. The portions are also very small- expect to leave hungry.
Kathryn O.
I was told when traveling in DC I must try Ethiopian food, so I stopped in here and was very glad I did. We ordered a combination platter, beef spare ribs and Dukem kitfo. They were all fantastic and flavorful. The staff were all very kind and attentive, and explained everything. It's a cute kind of hole in the wall place, not fancy, and the music was pleasant and not overpowering. I enjoyed the experience and the food.
Steven N.
This was my second visit to Dukem. The combos we ordered were reasonably good. However, the service was awful. We waited for nearly an hour for our food, and parties that came in after us were served before we were. It was super irritating. Moreover, the check was surprisingly expensive. Given the wide range of really good Ethiopian restos in DC with good service, I'm not sure we'll come back.
Missy B.
I arrived to DC late one night and as I was scouring Uber Eats for a late night dinner, I noticed several Ethiopian restaurants. I'd never had Ethiopian food before (San Diego isn't exactly known for its Ethiopian fare) so I was very curious and made myself a promise that I'd try it before I left. As luck would have it, the next morning in my Uber to my conference, I struck up a conversation with my friendly driver who just so happened to be from Ethiopia! I told him I'd never had the food before and asked him for some rec's in town. He immediately said Dukem and told me it was one of the most authentic he'd had outside of Ethiopia!No brainer, the next night I convinced my adventurous boyfriend to try out Dukem. We started off easy with a couple of veggie sambusas and then ordered blind using only the dish descriptions to guide us. I settled on the Ze! Kitfo and my boyfriend went with a combo platter that featured Minchet Abesh, Melasena Sember, & Lamb Wot. First off, the Injera is unlike anything I've ever eaten before in my entire life. I absolutely loved the texture and was impressed by the ingenious elasticity and absorption that lent itself so well to the entrees. We had fun eating with our hands and tasting each little pile. I must say, I hit the bullseye with me Ze! Kitfo - it was spicy and the seasoning (!!!!!!) WHERE HAS THIS BEEN ALL MY LIFE?!I knocked a star off for the ambiance, the decor was a little chaotic. But overall, I couldn't have asked for a better 1st timer experience!
Shay F.
Dukem has been one of my favorite Ethiopian restaurants since 2008 but it's not the same experience now. I had family in town so I emailed to get a reservation and they responded immediately. We sat on the patio, which fits larger parties. We ordered 4 different dishes. 3 of the 4 were good. However, the glasses they brought with ice for the sodas had debris. They brought new ones and those also had the same black debris. Thus, I asked for straws and had the kids drink directly from the can. They also brought us the wrong drinks but that was an easy fix. Four people were working the section but none of them were dedicated to a specific table, which is why I think they made some mistakes. The portion sizes are also noticeably smaller. I'm still a fan but I would not go back to the DC location. Despite the missteps, the waitresses were polite.
Dan A.
Has been some time since I've been to this Dukem (we usually go to the one in Baltimore.) It was quiet around 12:30. We found out they recently restarted their lunch service.Entrees come with a cold salad so if you want some of the cooked veggies and vegetarian Wots, the 5 or 7 item Vegetarian combos are good options.We ordered the Dukem Kitfo (7), Dukem Special Tibs (2-Lamb), and Vegetarian Combo (33)Kitfo was excellent with just the right amount of the spiced butter mixed in. There was a mix up with our Tibs order as we got Beef instead of Lamb. Another batch was made and we liked the Lamb (tender) more than the Beef. Vegetarian combo had a good mix of Lentil and veggie dishes and all were delicious. This was more than enough for 3 of us and we took a good amount home.Service was attentive and upbeat. Tsehay took great care of us! The last time I was here it was for dinner and they were busy and I remember a band was scheduled to play later. They have made some changes/renovations since and looks like they will cater more to the dinner/evening crowd. They have a market next door where you can pick up Injera, spices and Meat to name a few. I also like their outdoor seating area but too hot to enjoy that now. That said, if you want a quieter spot for lunch, Dukem fits the bill.
Mark N. T.
I was Googling restaurants in the DC area. Many people say " The Ethiopian restaurants are good!" I found this restaurant near my cheap hotel.When I opened the door, the manager said" Are you picking up food for some delivery?". Of course, I am an UberEats driver in Houston. But today, I am here to eat! LOL. It seemed that Asians were not their regulars, I guessed.I opened the menu. I had no idea. I asked a server about food. She brought beef and injera. I didn't see any silverware, so I guessed that everything was some finger food. I tried.I was watching a Youtube video about " How to eat Ethiopian food". I did my best. The injera was good. It was a great cultural experience for me in DC. You can try it!
Tansy W.
This place was pretty average. Not bad but there are def better Ethiopian places out there. Cheap wine list though and liked that there was plenty of availability on a Friday night (we made same day reservations but it wasn't needed - the restaurant was completely empty).
I finally tried this Ethiopian restaurant after living in the area for 5 years. First, I will say I have never had BAD Ethiopian food in the area, so my palette may not be the most adept at knowing whether the food is exceptional or not. Overall, the food was excellent I ordered the combination number 26 and goden tibs to share. I had never had goden tibs and they were excellent, although a little on the fatty side. However, service was off. After our food arrived, our waitress disappeared and all she gave us were napkins and an extra plate of injera. We saw other tables had individual plates but those did not come with our entree. She came back about 5 minutes later with them. Usually, it would not matter much but in my opinion, you have to eat the food when it arrives at the table or else the injera and the food on the platter gets mushy and rubbery. We also waited a very long time to get the bill (which is not itemized). Other reviews have mentioned cleanliness and I would agree. I would come again and sit outside or order take out because the food was tasty, just not sure I would sit inside again.
D. C.
BEWARE!!!! Overcharged us and didn't give us an itemized receipt. Always ask for a detailed bill as they will try to cheat you out of money. Shady operation and staff.
Justin P.
Food is mediocre and the service is awful. Although an Ethiopian place, customers of color are outright ignored. So strange. Never returning to this place.
Melissa T.
I'm not sure why this place has so many negative reviews. It's our go-to spot for Ethiopian food. We get the veggie platter, it's very flavorful, fresh and consistenly delicious. Also a great price and the portions are huge - can easily feed 2 with the veggie combo. Friendly service and fast take-out.
Naomi R.
Very tasty. Great service. Flavorful food. Covid precautions including outdoor dining!
This latest visit on 10/30 was a disappointment. The portions have suffered significant shrinkflation and the reduction in quality does not do enough to offset the reduced quantity. We have been loyal customers since 2007 but I think we will look elsewhere for Ethiopian food in the future.
We celebrated my friends B Day last night at Dukem. The service was excellent. The ambiance was ok. The food is another story. I ordered the lamb chunks that were more the size of pellets. Dry as a bone and hard. I asked for no jalapeños and got some mixed with chopped tomatoes. My dish was just lamb pieces and chopped tomatoes on flat bread. My girlfriend ordered fried fish that was inedible as it was rock hard overcooked. The bill was $57.00 a person for this!!!! I had a glass of wine and the price was modest. I certainly had much better Ethiopian food at my neighbors home and at work. Will never return to Dukem it is not worth the price.Eppie G.
The food was very mediocre and cold for it'a expensive price. The portions are also very small- expect to leave hungry.
I was told when traveling in DC I must try Ethiopian food, so I stopped in here and was very glad I did. We ordered a combination platter, beef spare ribs and Dukem kitfo. They were all fantastic and flavorful. The staff were all very kind and attentive, and explained everything. It's a cute kind of hole in the wall place, not fancy, and the music was pleasant and not overpowering. I enjoyed the experience and the food.
This was my second visit to Dukem. The combos we ordered were reasonably good. However, the service was awful. We waited for nearly an hour for our food, and parties that came in after us were served before we were. It was super irritating. Moreover, the check was surprisingly expensive. Given the wide range of really good Ethiopian restos in DC with good service, I'm not sure we'll come back.
I arrived to DC late one night and as I was scouring Uber Eats for a late night dinner, I noticed several Ethiopian restaurants. I'd never had Ethiopian food before (San Diego isn't exactly known for its Ethiopian fare) so I was very curious and made myself a promise that I'd try it before I left. As luck would have it, the next morning in my Uber to my conference, I struck up a conversation with my friendly driver who just so happened to be from Ethiopia! I told him I'd never had the food before and asked him for some rec's in town. He immediately said Dukem and told me it was one of the most authentic he'd had outside of Ethiopia!No brainer, the next night I convinced my adventurous boyfriend to try out Dukem. We started off easy with a couple of veggie sambusas and then ordered blind using only the dish descriptions to guide us. I settled on the Ze! Kitfo and my boyfriend went with a combo platter that featured Minchet Abesh, Melasena Sember, & Lamb Wot. First off, the Injera is unlike anything I've ever eaten before in my entire life. I absolutely loved the texture and was impressed by the ingenious elasticity and absorption that lent itself so well to the entrees. We had fun eating with our hands and tasting each little pile. I must say, I hit the bullseye with me Ze! Kitfo - it was spicy and the seasoning (!!!!!!) WHERE HAS THIS BEEN ALL MY LIFE?!I knocked a star off for the ambiance, the decor was a little chaotic. But overall, I couldn't have asked for a better 1st timer experience!
Dukem has been one of my favorite Ethiopian restaurants since 2008 but it's not the same experience now. I had family in town so I emailed to get a reservation and they responded immediately. We sat on the patio, which fits larger parties. We ordered 4 different dishes. 3 of the 4 were good. However, the glasses they brought with ice for the sodas had debris. They brought new ones and those also had the same black debris. Thus, I asked for straws and had the kids drink directly from the can. They also brought us the wrong drinks but that was an easy fix. Four people were working the section but none of them were dedicated to a specific table, which is why I think they made some mistakes. The portion sizes are also noticeably smaller. I'm still a fan but I would not go back to the DC location. Despite the missteps, the waitresses were polite.
Has been some time since I've been to this Dukem (we usually go to the one in Baltimore.) It was quiet around 12:30. We found out they recently restarted their lunch service.Entrees come with a cold salad so if you want some of the cooked veggies and vegetarian Wots, the 5 or 7 item Vegetarian combos are good options.We ordered the Dukem Kitfo (7), Dukem Special Tibs (2-Lamb), and Vegetarian Combo (33)Kitfo was excellent with just the right amount of the spiced butter mixed in. There was a mix up with our Tibs order as we got Beef instead of Lamb. Another batch was made and we liked the Lamb (tender) more than the Beef. Vegetarian combo had a good mix of Lentil and veggie dishes and all were delicious. This was more than enough for 3 of us and we took a good amount home.Service was attentive and upbeat. Tsehay took great care of us! The last time I was here it was for dinner and they were busy and I remember a band was scheduled to play later. They have made some changes/renovations since and looks like they will cater more to the dinner/evening crowd. They have a market next door where you can pick up Injera, spices and Meat to name a few. I also like their outdoor seating area but too hot to enjoy that now. That said, if you want a quieter spot for lunch, Dukem fits the bill.
I was Googling restaurants in the DC area. Many people say " The Ethiopian restaurants are good!" I found this restaurant near my cheap hotel.When I opened the door, the manager said" Are you picking up food for some delivery?". Of course, I am an UberEats driver in Houston. But today, I am here to eat! LOL. It seemed that Asians were not their regulars, I guessed.I opened the menu. I had no idea. I asked a server about food. She brought beef and injera. I didn't see any silverware, so I guessed that everything was some finger food. I tried.I was watching a Youtube video about " How to eat Ethiopian food". I did my best. The injera was good. It was a great cultural experience for me in DC. You can try it!
This place was pretty average. Not bad but there are def better Ethiopian places out there. Cheap wine list though and liked that there was plenty of availability on a Friday night (we made same day reservations but it wasn't needed - the restaurant was completely empty).
Restaurantji Recommends
I finally tried this Ethiopian restaurant after living in the area for 5 years. First, I will say I have never had BAD Ethiopian food in the area, so my palette may not be the most adept at knowing whether the food is exceptional or not. Overall, the food was excellent I ordered the combination number 26 and goden tibs to share. I had never had goden tibs and they were excellent, although a little on the fatty side. However, service was off. After our food arrived, our waitress disappeared and all she gave us were napkins and an extra plate of injera. We saw other tables had individual plates but those did not come with our entree. She came back about 5 minutes later with them. Usually, it would not matter much but in my opinion, you have to eat the food when it arrives at the table or else the injera and the food on the platter gets mushy and rubbery. We also waited a very long time to get the bill (which is not itemized). Other reviews have mentioned cleanliness and I would agree. I would come again and sit outside or order take out because the food was tasty, just not sure I would sit inside again.
BEWARE!!!! Overcharged us and didn't give us an itemized receipt. Always ask for a detailed bill as they will try to cheat you out of money. Shady operation and staff.
Food is mediocre and the service is awful. Although an Ethiopian place, customers of color are outright ignored. So strange. Never returning to this place.
I'm not sure why this place has so many negative reviews. It's our go-to spot for Ethiopian food. We get the veggie platter, it's very flavorful, fresh and consistenly delicious. Also a great price and the portions are huge - can easily feed 2 with the veggie combo. Friendly service and fast take-out.
Very tasty. Great service. Flavorful food. Covid precautions including outdoor dining!