Sheba Ethiopian Restaurant — Restaurant in North Bethesda

After sharing my nonsensical experience with my family and friends, in hindsight I really should have taken pictures to show the difference between the wrong order that I received and the new order that they made after I said several times that I just wanted my money back.

On Saturday, May 28th, 2016, like I have done countless times before, I stopped in to place a take out order in the afternoon. I get home (30 mins later) to find that two of my three orders (2 Kitfo and 1 Doro Wot) are far from what I asked, the meat was raw !!!! That's how it is traditionally eaten, but we always ask that it is cooked well done. I was highly disappointed, sure I could have popped it on the stove and cooked it myself, but that is not the point of ordering take out; so I called them to let them know and they said to come back and they would make another one.

As I get there, that's when the nonsense began. My new order was not even made yet, I had the owner look at what I brought back and she had the audacity to tell me that it was well done. I clearly disagreed and noted that the meat was not well done, it was raw! She said she would just go cook it some more and walked to the back. I got the attention of a server and immediately asked that she stop the owner from doing anything other than just give me my money back. The owner came out and said that they don't issue refunds for food that was taken home. I said "what you gave me is not what I ordered, so I want my money back please. I don't want you to fix it or make a new one, just give me my money back." She retorted back with "Well you already said that you wanted us to make you a new one so that is what we're doing. It will take 10-15 mins, please have a seat." I had lost my appetite and noted it and said I no longer wanted any food, I just wanted my money back so I could go home. She said she can't give me my money back because I took the food home for an order that was right, and that it's their policy. I have never heard of such a ridiculous statement.I clearly stated that I again did not get what I ordered, I lost my appetite and simply wanted my money back. She was adamant that I was not going to get my money back, that they would now have to trash four orders of food and so I was not getting a refund, my only option was to take the correct order, which was night and day from what i brought back- cooked vs. raw.

Would you eat food from someone you just had a fight with? Yes a fight because we went back and forth for quite a while with our voices elevating with each passing minute and customers looking at the interaction. IT WAS NEVER ABOUT THE MONEY, IT'S ABOUT THE PRINCIPLE. I never spent less than $40 from this place, the most was over $100 in a single order. Fighting over getting a $30 refund is trivial to me. They made a mistake, tried to convince me that raw meat was cooked and then because they were going to throw away all this food, I was not to get my money back. I made a very fair proposition to the owner- "Give me my money back and I will come back another day, if you don't my family and friends will NEVER step foot back in this place." She stuck to her decision that I was not getting my money back and suggested that I take the new order home, which of course I was not going to do because you broke my trust; so why should I trust that you ethically made my food after we just fought?

Anyway, you lost lifetime customers and we will simply take ALL our business elsewhere. As a restaurant owner, you should know that unfortunately on a daily basis, you are going to have mistakes and food will be trashed unless you donate it to someone that wants it so long as the food is safe to eat and not messed with.

I wish I felt better after writing this, but I just cannot wrap my mind around this type of customer service. I highly recommend people go elsewhere, if they do not want to...

This is my 1st time trying Ethiopian Cuisine. I Googled Ethiopian Restaurant near me & this one popped up. I called them & asked if they delivered & the man said I would have to go thru "Bite Squad" (Food Delivery App). I Googled it & they have a very nice presentation way of ordering (minus the Yummy Photos that are on the Restaurants Website). The Prices were a bit expensive for the quantity of Food I got....maybe they specialize in Quality over Quantity. Anyways, the "Bite Squad" website had a VERY NICE ORDERING PROCESS which showed a LIVE STATUS BAR of the processing of my order!!! (Just like Domino's Pizza Tracker). Since I requested the 2 normally Spicy Dishes to be made MILD, my order took a little longer to prepare. (Which means each order is probably made Fresh to Order which is GREAT!). The deliver guy was nice & surprized I gave him a $5 tip.....maybe because they ADD so many Extra Taxes & even a Tip on the Original Bill!! The Food was Hot because it came in very nice delivery containers. The Injera Bread on the Top was Nice & looked Spongy. The Bottom Injera Bread that all the good was sitting in was however VERY SOGGY & I didn't like that part much. The Food was indeed prepated Mild & tasted like it was made with quality ingredients....I ordered the Beef & Chicken Sampler, Bambusa & Baklava.....that came up to $39!! I shared half with my Mom who too thought this was a "New & Different Taste". I probably will like to try actually going to eat in their Restaurant next time & get some advice * recommendations on what are the Best Combinations to order. All in All, I just had to try this Ethiopian dish because I'm studying the Ethiopian Language "Amharic" & wanted to see how they ate. It was OK....except for the added Taxes & prepaid Tip added & then mentioning about Tipping the Driver. I'd...

Dear Sheba Ethiopian Restaurant Team,

I recently had the opportunity to dine at your establishment for lunch, and while I appreciated the overall experience, I would like to express a concern regarding the pricing.

I ordered a dish that was listed as $14 on your menu, but when I received the bill, I was surprised to find that I was charged $22 instead. I inquired about this with the server, who explained that the pricing variation was due to it not being a weekday. To be honest, this explanation left me somewhat perplexed.

I believe that pricing should be transparent and consistent for customers, especially when it's subject to day-specific changes. The lack of clear information about this on your menu left me feeling somewhat dissatisfied.

I would like to suggest that you consider improving the clarity of your pricing structure and ensure that customers are aware of any variations based on the day of the week. This would not only enhance the overall dining experience but also contribute to building trust with your patrons.

I want to emphasize that the quality of your food and the ambiance of the restaurant were commendable, and it's clear that your team is dedicated to providing a great dining experience. I sincerely hope you can address this pricing concern to maintain and improve the positive impression you make on your customers.

Thank you for your attention to this...