Lesaac Ethiopian Cafe — Restaurant in Silver Spring

If I could give zero stars, I would—without hesitation.

I’ve given Lesaac Ethiopian Caffe two chances, and both times were absolutely awful in different, yet equally unacceptable ways.

The first time, the server insulted me—not just in a rude or dismissive way, but with clear disrespect that left me and my wife shocked and uncomfortable. From the moment I walked in, the atmosphere felt chaotic and disorganized. Service was painfully slow, even though the place was literally empty for Sunday brunch . I waited far too long just to be acknowledged, and when someone finally took my order, they seemed rushed and uninterested—as if doing me a favor. The service was incredibly disorganized. Dishes were brought out at completely different times, leaving everyone at the table either waiting awkwardly or eating alone. When I politely asked the server if she can bring all the orders together, she insulted me—yes, insulted me—as if I had no right to make such a basic and reasonable request. The food itself? A total letdown. What was served barely resembled authentic Ethiopian cuisine. The injera was dry and stale, the wot was bland and lukewarm, and the portions were insultingly small for the price. It’s hard to imagine how a restaurant that claims to serve traditional dishes could miss the mark this badly. I should’ve walked away right then and there, but I decided to give them a second chance, hoping maybe it was just a bad day.

Unfortunately, the second visit was even worse. After a deeply underwhelming meal, I politely asked the server to pack the leftover food to-go. Instead, she threw it in the trash—without a word of explanation. It was blatant and disrespectful.

Beyond the unacceptable service, the food itself is mediocre at best. On both visits, the injera was dry and poorly fermented, the stews lacked flavor, and nothing tasted fresh. Combine that with slow, dismissive service and outright disrespect, and there is nothing redeeming about this place.

I’ve enjoyed Ethiopian food at many places, and I know what a warm and hospitable dining experience should feel like. Lesaac is the complete opposite. You’re treated like a burden, not a guest.

Save yourself the disappointment. There are plenty of excellent Ethiopian restaurants in the area—this is not...

I ate here about a year ago when I was visiting family and really enjoyed the Kitfo sandwich so was looking forward to eating here when I came back in August 2023. I went there yesterday to eat with my family and was quite shocked at how much the place and service has deteriorated. There is a terrible smell and the toilets are very dirty. The whole place needs a good clean. We ordered our food which wasn’t that complicated but the waitress only brought two of the orders and two were missing. We waited and waited but nothing came so one of us went to the counter and asked where the rest of the order was. She came to the table and asked what we were missing. We explained and apparently the two other orders weren’t put through. She asked us if we still wanted it. We said yes we do but we won’t be paying for the orders that were not brought to us. Another waitress came over with an attitude and was trying to argue with us even though it was their mistake. No apology other than it was because the waitress was a trainee. The owners of this restaurant please ensure your waitresses are trained well in customer service. In other restaurants if this kind of situation arose, the first thing the manager would do is apologise and say we will bring the food straight away and won’t charge you for it. Not here. The waitress wants to argue with the customer. Please owners of Ethiopian restaurants take note. Customer service is part of growing your business. I for sure won’t be returning nor...

Very Poor Customer Service and a Filthy Environment!!!!! See pictures for detail. I have been going to Lesaac for more than four years. The food is always great, but the customer service has been getting worst every time I go there. I think it's under new management these days, and there is ZERO customer service. The waitresses don't even greet you when you arrive. They give you the menu, take your order, and disappear right after that. Another waitress brings the food after several minutes, and no one will check on you the whole time you're in there. Even to pay a bill, you have to get up and ask for it. Another big reason I'm writing this review is that the last time I was dining in, there were flies all over the food. We couldn't even eat our meal probably and didn't finish it. The waiters noticed this and asked if the food wasn't right. I mentioned to her that there were flies all over the food, and we couldn't eat it. She looked at me and walked off without saying anything and brought the bills like I said something offensive or insulted her. By far, this is the craziest customer service I ever encountered in my life. I don't think I would ever go back again.

Owner/Management: Please train and manage your employees properly. Even fast food restaurants provide some level of...