Dama Ethiopian Restaurant Pastry & Cafe

The restaurant itself is okay, not as big as it looks from the outside. Service, super slow! Not rude service, just slow service. There were only 4 tables and one waitress and she was not in a rush. They also do NOT have a kids menu just FYI. So instead we ended up ordering pasta for our daughter, yeah, not good. I guess you don’t go to an Ethiopian place for pasta but still, it’s not that hard to make meat sauce. We tried ordering her the chicken sandwich but they were out of chicken… really?! I know we had a huge storm last weekend that dumped 2 feet of snow on us but most places are back up and running like nothing ever happened… not this place I guess. They didn’t even have ice! What made up for it all was the food, it was actually really good. We got the lamb tibs and vegetarian combo. Just another FYI, when you order lamb there’s a $ 1 added charge that is not listed on the menu. Oh, and when you’re ready to pay the waitress brings the credit card machine to your table and has you type in the tip amount right in front of her… awkward! That should probably change but whatever.
Bottom line, I’m happy something different (and good) finally opened within 5 minutes of me so I’ll definitely be back.

Food is AMAZING & the prices are reasonable! Their portions are huge & super filling! One dish was enough food to eat all day. Leftovers still taste great too! Very friendly service & nice atmosphere. I will definitely be eating here more often.

Came here with a co-​worker for lunch.
They just opened about a week ago. I was so excited to hear that Dama was opening another restaurant. After trying Dama in Arlington for the first time, I fell in love with the quality of their food. This is one of my favorite Ethiopian restaurants. Parking is much easier at this location. It’s spacious inside and I love the laid back vibe.
Upon entering, we were warmly greeted and our server was the sweetest. She was knowledgeable, friendly, and attentive. We shared a Vegetarian Combo and Mitad Tibs (Cubed Lamb). It comes with as much Injera as you can eat. Everything was seasoned and cooked to perfection. I love their Injera, super soft with a nice chew. The employees who helped us out at the bakery section of their restaurant were also super friendly and wrapped our goodies neatly to go. Definitely try their pastries and coffee, absolutely delicious!
So glad this place opened up not too far from our clinic.

Dama Ethiopian Restaurant Pastry & Café just opened this past Saturday, taking the place of a previous Korean-​Japanese restaurant. The hubs and I was waiting in anticipation of the new restaurant that would come in. I was pleasantly surprised that it was an Ethiopian restaurant, as who doesn’t love Ethiopian food?! We stopped by on the way home, noticing that there were patrons inside! This family-​owned and –operated restaurant is a branch of their original location on Columbia Pike, which has been around for about 13 years. The menu offers breakfast items, entrees, lunch options, sandwiches, vegetarian options, pastas, and desserts. I tried a ‘Dama Special Yeshini Tibs,’ which were strips of sirloin beef, sauteed with onions, jalapeño peppers, and Ethiopian spices — I requested these to be dry and extra well-​done, and they came out perfectly! The tibs were not too mild, but pretty flavorful, with the sauteed onions and a kick from the jalapenos. The injera was soft and spongy, and there was also a side of fresh dressed salad (with fresh chunks of tomatoes and jalapenos) and some awaze (hot chili paste). It was a solid meal! In the back of the restaurant, there is a bakery case, in which their baked goods are delivered from their Columbia Pike location. I tried their baklava, a Christmas muffin, and a bag of Dabo Kolo (a crunchy bread niblets that is subtly seasoned with chili flakes) — I suggest in going to the Columbia Pike location for their desserts, as some of the items were a little dried out. The restaurant itself is bright, cheery, and I absolutely loved the framed prints that decorated the place. The owner/​staff were all super friendly — Ms. Amsale, Ms. Fitse, and Ms. Jula — all super sweet and super kind! :D I’d love to come back and try out their breakfast items as well as their other Ethiopian delicacies. A great addition to Annandale, check this place out! :D
+‘Dama Special Yeshini Tibs’ with a side of awaze sauce
+bakery located inside
+ask for Ms. Amsale, Ms. Fitse, and Ms. Jula: D
+friendly staff! :D
+plenty of parking in private lot