Letena

Lucky for me, Letena was one of the first restaurants I went to when I moved to DC last year. It has become my most consistent go-to. My boyfriend and I always split the Veggie & Meat Samplers 1 — maybe one day we'll branch out, but haven't needed to yet. The food is consistently delicious, the staff are warm and attentive, and we can always walk in and sit right down. Great spot!!

Probably my favorite Ethiopian restaurant in the entire United States as of now, especially because this place has amazing food, excellent service, and a totally gathering-friendly atmosphere and pure cleanliness. I cannot find a single factor that I wanted tp provide constructive comments about. My entire experience was extremely positive. I really loved the fact that they had a meat sampler that allowed me to have a bit of everything, so I got that, and managed to have a combination of kay siga (beef stew in spicy berbere sauce), goat wot (braised goat stew), gomen bèsiga (seasoned collard greens cookied with beef), mushroom dulet, and timatim salad, all placed on a gigantic piece of injera ready to be feasted! And then of course, the classic doro wot (chicken stew) and alicha siga wot (beef stew in mild curry sauce) are just plain hits, really tasty. The kik wot added a very nice plain flavor that would lower the spice level of both the alicha siga wot and the lamb. Together with some injera, it was simply perfection. I also have never come across the kategna before! Toasted injera coated with berbere and seasoned butter! I have never had injera cooked that way because it was almost like the Ethiopian equivalent of our rice: never eaten alone. But man, it tasted amazing! I would really commend everything! Absolutely amazing food!

I had the pleasure of trying their meat sampler plate. The plate was a great, and featured a variety of meats such as beef, lamb, and chicken. The beef was particularly tender, and the lamb was rich and flavorful. All the meats were served with a side of traditional Ethiopian injera bread, which was perfect for scooping up the flavorful sauces. The service was great and the staff were friendly. I would highly recommend this restaurant for anyone looking to try authentic Ethiopian cuisine, and especially their meat sampler plate

I moved back to DC in May of this year and Letena has become a staple in my eating out rotation. From the moment you enter the establishment to the moment you leave, you’re surrounded my good energy and a passion for food. The staff members are friendly and always make me feel at home. The food is equally deserving of praise, with their lega tibs, chicken tibs, and yemisir wot being my absolute favorite dishes at Letena. They allow you to customize the spice levels, without sacrificing the ultimate taste of the dish. Whether you’re in DC for the weekend or a long-time local, do yourself a service and visit this establishment.