Letena Ethiopian Restaurant

4.8

102 Reviews

$30 and under

Ethiopian

Make a booking

2 people

11 Mar 2025

7:00 pm

Booked 2 times today

Vegetarian-friendly
Charming
Neighbourhood gem

Letena is a farm-to-table Ethiopian restaurant serving dishes made with natural, premium ingredients. Located in the heart of Columbia Heights, Washington DC, Letena is a family-owned destination centered around authentic, quality Ethiopian food.
Owner Yamrot Ezineh opened Letena’s doors in October 2016. Yamrot and her team love welcoming new and old friends to enjoy Letena’s delicious, fresh food. Their goal is to make the unique experience of Ethiopian food approachable for everyone, from vegetarians and vegans to meat-lovers alike.
Letena’s original Ethiopian dishes have won accolades from various publications and review platforms including Food Network, Washingtonian, TripAdvisor, and Yelp.

Private dining

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Additional information

Location
3100 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20010
Phone number
(202) 733-4830
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Ethiopian
Hours of Operation
Mon–Thu, Sun 12:00 pm–9:45 pm Fri, Sat 12:00 pm–11:00 pm
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Parking: $1.50/hr, Target/USDCA Shopping Center
Payment Options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Executive Chef
Abay Mengestu
Delivery & takeout
Order direct

Yemsir Wot***USD 19.50
red lentils stewed in a spicy hot sauce served with tomato salad
Kik Wot*USD 18.50
yellow split peas, simmered in a flavorful mild sauce served with beets & potato salad
Shiro**USD 18.50
ground and spiced chickpea stew served with a side of tomato salad
Gomen*USD 17.50
sautéed collard greens, onions, ginger & garlic served with a side of kik or yemsir wot
Cabbage*USD 17.50
cabbage and carrot stew served with a side of kik or yemsir wot
Tofu Wot**USD 18.50
sliced tofu stewed in berbere sauce served with a side of azifa
Carrot Wot**USD 17.50
minced carrot stewed in savory and spicy sauce served with a side of mushroom tibs
Mushroom Dulet**USD 18.50
chopped mushrooms in a spicy mix served with a side of kik wot
Mushroom Tibs*USD 18.50
stir-fried mushroom with onions and peppers with a side of yemsir wot
Fasolia*USD 17.50
green beans stew served with a side of kik wot

Vegetarian Samplers

Add samosa with our samplers / $3 each

Sampler 1USD 19.50
yemsir wot, kik, gomen & tomato salad
Sampler 2
yemsir wot, kik, gomen, cabbage, shiro, mushroom tibs, beets and potatoes & tomato salad
- Minimum 2 PeopleUSD 19.00
Sampler 3
yemsir wot, kik, gomen, cabbage, fasolia, carrot, shiro, mushroom dulet, mushroom tibs, tofu wot, beets and potatoes & house salad
- Minimum 2 PeopleUSD 22.50

Seafood

Asa Tibs*USD 19.50
cubed tilapia sauteed with onions & tomatoes with a side of carrot wot
Shrimp Gulash*USD 21.50
shrimp stewed in flavorful tomato/berbere sauce served with a side of cabbage

Beef

Kay Siga Wot*USD 20.50
beef stew in flavorful berbere sauce served with a side of cottage cheese & tomato salad
Alicha Siga Wot*USD 19.50
beef stew in a mild curry sauce served with a side of yemsir wot
Gomen-Besiga*USD 19.50
seasoned collard greens cooked with beef served with a side of yemsir wot
KitfoUSD 18.50
freshly minced and seasoned beef served raw or cooked with a side of gomen & cottage cheese
Lega Tibs**USD 20.50
cubed ribeye stir-fried with tomatoes, onions, jalapeños & rosemary served with a side of yemsir wot
Derek Tibs*USD 21.50
crispy pan-seared tenderloin with onions, tomatoes & jalapeños served with house salad
Chef's Signature Tibs*USD 21.50
cubed tenderloin beef cooked with chef's special zest served with a side of Letena salad

All Your Meats

Chicken

Doro Wot*USD 19.50
spiced chicken stew served with hard-boiled eggs, a side of cottage cheese & house salad
Chicken Tibs*USD 18.50
chicken cubes sauteed in garlic, ginger and tomatoes

Lamb & Goat

Lamb Lega Tibs**USD 20.50
lamb cubes, onions, jalapenos, tomatoes & garlic sauce served with a side of yemsir wot
Yebeg Wot*USD 19.50
braised lamb stew in a mild onion & garlic sauce served with a side of tomato salad
Goat Wot**USD 22.50
braised goat stew in a flavorful berbere sauce served with gomen

Meat Samplers

Add samosa with our samplers $3 / $4 each

Sampler 1USD 22.50
doro wot, Alicha siga, gomen-besiga & house salad
Sampler 2
doro wot, alicha siga, gomen-besiga, lamb stew, kay siga served with yemsir wot & house salad
- Minimum 2 PeopleUSD 22.50
Sampler 3 Letena Journey
Samosa, doro wot, lamb stew, goat stew, fish tibs, beef lega tibs, yemsir wot, fasolia, letena salad & house salad
- Minimum 3 PeopleUSD 24.75

Extras & Sides

Regular InjeraUSD 2.00
Gluten-Free InjeraUSD 3.50
Seasoned RiceUSD 4.50
Side of Veg StewUSD 6.50
Side of Meat StewUSD 8.50

End It with Desserts

TiramisuUSD 9.50
letena's own Amaretto and cof ee flavored layers of ladyfingers, mascarpone custard & walnut liqueu
Chocolate Lava CakeUSD 9.50
molten chocolate cake served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream
Banoffee PieUSD 9.50
soft and crunchy cracker crust, soft caramel, slices of fresh banana topped with whipped cream

What 102 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8

4.8 based on recent ratings

4.9Food
4.8Service
4.7Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Quiet

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Letena Ethiopian Restaurant offers a "delightful and delicious experience" with "incredible" food and "friendly, welcoming" service. Guests rave about the "vegetarian options" and the "wonderful dining experience." The "cozy" atmosphere and "thoughtful" staff create a memorable visit. Many recommend Letena as the "best Ethiopian food" in DC.

102 Reviews

E
ET
Washington DC1 review
3.0
Dined on 4 January 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Value for money wasn't there. It wasn't exceptional enough to pay that cost. Ridiculous pricing for Ethiopian food pretending to be on gourmet level and it wasn't. It was good but not great that would have justified the pricing. Charging per person is unheard of except in Georgetown and this was not on that level either (also one is usually informed by wait staff, it's just written on confusing sampler description). We ended up with too much food anyway. Not coming back for sure.
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L
Lynda
Cleveland2 reviews
5.0
Dined on 4 January 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Letena was a winner from start to finish. The servers were friendly and helpful, the food was delicious and well-presented and the ambiance was just right. We got the veggie sampler and our granddaughter ordered the beef tips. Both were outstanding. Bravo!
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S
Shantanab
Seattle7 reviews
5.0
Dined on 12 December 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Always like going to Letena in DC. We were a group of 9 and our server was lovely- she took care of us and helped us in selecting the food
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M
Meghan
Greater Boston5 reviews
5.0
Dined on 1 November 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
This was my first time at Letena and it was excellent! Will definitely be back. My table shared a platter and each item was delicious. The restaurant smelled amazing when you walked in the door. Servers constantly kept my water full.
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K
Kate
Greater Boston2 reviews
5.0
Dined on 1 October 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Had a genuinely wonderful time here! Everyone there was so kind and attentive and the food was amazing. 15/10 experience. :)
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Richmond1 review
5.0
Dined on 31 August 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great food and kind staff. Would recommend to anyone who loves Ethiopian food
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P
Priya
Washington DC1 review
5.0
Dined on 31 August 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Letena is our family's favorite restaurant in DC. We have been going there from the time it first opened. We love the food, and are so glad to have many vegetarian options. We usually order yemisir wot, doro wat, lamb tibs, carrot wat, mushroom. They also have gluten-free injera. The ambience is cozy, and lively. Above all the hospitality is fabulous. All staff is friendly, and like to serve this wonderful food to the guests.
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CM
ChrisM
Washington DC1 review
5.0
Dined on 14 July 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The chef's signature tibs, shrimp goulash, and veggie platter were unforgettable! You must try all of the veggies!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Cleveland1 review
5.0
Dined on 14 June 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Everything was delicious! Our server was great and so knowledgeable about the food. Great dining experience.
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j
jillr
Washington DC3 reviews
5.0
Dined on 13 April 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We will definitely be back. Best Ethiopian food I’ve had in a long time.
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FAQs

Letena Ethiopian Restaurant offers delivery in partnership with Postmates. Letena Ethiopian Restaurant also offers takeaway which you can order by calling the restaurant at (202) 733-4830.

Letena Ethiopian Restaurant is rated 4.8 stars by 102 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people

11 Mar 2025

7:00 pm

Booked 2 times today

Google Map for Letena Ethiopian Restaurant

3100 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20010

Additional information

Phone number
(202) 733-4830
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Ethiopian
Hours of Operation
Mon–Thu, Sun 12:00 pm–9:45 pm Fri, Sat 12:00 pm–11:00 pm
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Parking: $1.50/hr, Target/USDCA Shopping Center
Payment Options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Executive Chef
Abay Mengestu
Delivery & takeout
Order direct

Letena Ethiopian Restaurant

Make a booking

Private dining

Additional information

Start

Appetizers

Samosa*USD 9.50

Kategna***USD 10.50

Letena Salad*USD 9.50

Salads

House Salad*USD 7.50

Timatim Salad**USD 7.50

Beets & Potatoes*USD 7.50

Azifa*USD 7.50

Entree

Plant Based Entrees

Yemsir Wot***USD 19.50

Kik Wot*USD 18.50

Shiro**USD 18.50

Gomen*USD 17.50

Cabbage*USD 17.50

Tofu Wot**USD 18.50

Carrot Wot**USD 17.50

Mushroom Dulet**USD 18.50

Mushroom Tibs*USD 18.50

Fasolia*USD 17.50

Vegetarian Samplers

Sampler 1USD 19.50

Sampler 2

Sampler 3

Seafood

Asa Tibs*USD 19.50

Shrimp Gulash*USD 21.50

Beef

Kay Siga Wot*USD 20.50

Alicha Siga Wot*USD 19.50

Gomen-Besiga*USD 19.50

KitfoUSD 18.50

Lega Tibs**USD 20.50

Derek Tibs*USD 21.50

Chef's Signature Tibs*USD 21.50

All Your Meats

Chicken

Doro Wot*USD 19.50

Chicken Tibs*USD 18.50

Lamb & Goat

Lamb Lega Tibs**USD 20.50

Yebeg Wot*USD 19.50

Goat Wot**USD 22.50

Meat Samplers

Sampler 1USD 22.50

Sampler 2

Sampler 3 Letena Journey

Extras & Sides

Regular InjeraUSD 2.00

Gluten-Free InjeraUSD 3.50

Seasoned RiceUSD 4.50

Side of Veg StewUSD 6.50

Side of Meat StewUSD 8.50

End It with Desserts

TiramisuUSD 9.50

Chocolate Lava CakeUSD 9.50

Banoffee PieUSD 9.50

Overall ratings and reviews

Review summary

FAQs

Does Letena Ethiopian Restaurant offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Letena Ethiopian Restaurant restaurant rated?

Is Letena Ethiopian Restaurant currently accepting bookings?

Make a booking

Additional information