We went as part of the Groupon. Pros: Loved the flavor of the beef Tibs and we had a nice amount. Cons: I don't know how they can justify the price of the Doro Wett. $13.99 for a chicken leg and a boiled egg? And it is the only chicken dish. Also, we asked for greens which looked like a spoonful and so we needed another order... For two women. Seriously? I eat at very expensive restaurants and none offer portion sizes as small as Merkamo. I might go back for the Tibs but they need to think about the portion sizes if they are to survive. People don't eat at establishments from whom they feel taken advantage.
Review Source:I came here because of a Groupon. I've never had Ethiopian food before, so this would be an adventure. Reading the previous reviews, we ordered the veggie platter and the beef tibs. It was also highly recommended by the waitress.
Both dishes were delicious. The veggie platter was very tasty and had lots of different items to choose from. The beef tibs was also delicious. I would definitely go back there again, especially for lunch, since they have lunch specials. Â The only thing is that we were there around a happy hour time, but they only have happy hour on Thursdays, other than that, the drinks are a bit pricey. So we stuck with water.
Very enjoyable first Ethiopian food experience, and I would definitely come back. Â Loved eating with my fingers also...probably the only time I wouldn't get scolded by my mother :)
I've been here a couple of times and have been very happy every time. I always get an order of sambusas which are delicious and spicy but they have run out of them before and I wish more than 3 came in an order. The vegetarian platter is beautiful with a colorful array of vegetables with excellent seasoning. The beef tibs had a mild spiciness and good flavor with a good portion of meat. The staff were really friendly and always made sure we had plenty of injera. Definitely crave this place pretty often and would recommend for vegetarian friends.
Review Source:Went here last night for the second time with my husband, and it was as good as we remembered! We loved the kitfo the first time, so we ordered it again, and loved it again - well spiced and rich flavor, and a very generous serving!
We also tried the doro wett, which came in a very flavorful, spicy-hot sauce, we like heat with our food, but it might be too much for some palates. My only complaint was that there was not a lot of chicken with the dish (just one drumstick).
The service was friendly and attentive. The waitress recommended a delicious Ethiopian beer, and our water and injera was constantly replenished. The restaurant itself has a quiet, romantic ambiance. Several people near us got the beef tibbs, which looked and smelled wonderful, so we will be trying those next time... and there will definitely be a next time!
This is by far my favorite Ethiopian restaurant that I've been to, it used to be Meaza, but Merkamo has taken over the top spot. I always get the veggie sampler, all the selections on the sampler are all excellent. Beef Tibbs seems to be my usual as well, it's a bit dry, but the seasoning is great.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone who wants to try Ethiopian restaurant.
Giving Merkamo 3.5 stars now.
Decided to come back here because my mother in-law wanted to try Ethiopian food and we didn't feel like venturing out into DC the night before Thanksgiving. This time I had a better experience. We got the Doro Wett again, just because it's the only chicken dish, and then the Lamb Tibs and Vegetarian Platter for 2. I was still disappointed with how much chicken you get in the Doro Wett (one chicken leg). However, the lamb tibs and vegetarian platter were very good. Our server was also great about keeping our injera basket full. So, if I'm too lazy to go to DC, I will come back here for the tibs and vegetarian platter.
I have only tried a few Ethiopian restraunts in the area and this is the first one that I have to make  a return trip. We like to try new ethnic foods and we had not found an Ethiopian place that we want to return to. Merkamo is the expection.
The food was wonderfully spicy. We had their signature beef dish and my mouth loved every bite. The staff was really friendly and helpful when it came to making our choices.
We had a nice dinner here on a Saturday night. There was no wait and it was not crowded, but we did go early so it might have picked up later.
The ambiance is just OK, the benches and chairs are not very comfortable and the tables are a little small but it suited our purpose, which was a quick, early dinner before a movie.
The menu is not extensive by any means. There is one appetizer choice, a few beef choices and a few pork choices. That said, what they do offer all looked fabulous and smelled delicious. We had the vegetarian and were both pleased. The Yemiser Wet was not spicy, so if you are hesitant to try Ethiopian because you don't care for spicy, this might be a good choice. They were more than happy to bring a selection of spices to the table that we added to out dinners to kick up the heat.
The wait staff is excellent, very attentive and friendly. The waitress came over and asked me if I wanted more at one point because I mowed through my dinner so quickly. (ha!) They were not stingy with the injera and she made sure we had a good supply at all times.
Overall, I would rather have a few items done very well on a menu than a whole lot that are only OK, so this is not a problem for me. We will still be heading to Zed's but it is nice to have a local alternative.
Ethiopian food in Springfield is a wonderful thing, because I'm sick of the pho and roasted chicken offerings now. I've always loved Ethiopian food. The overall communal eating concept and how it encourages friends and families to eat at one table, the delicious spices, the understated demeanor of the people--all really great hallmarks to this culture's epicurean experience.
I have no major complaints about the food. The sambusas that are my go-to appetizers were good. An order comes with two, which you can either get as vegetarian or with meat. Rarely, if ever, will the meat options be pork at an Ethiopian restaurant. Beef, chicken or lamb.
Everything else was just plain okay. It was hard to pick out a superstar from their menu. The beef tibs, I guess, would be the closest to that. The meat was mostly tender and moist, though probably cut a little smaller than what I've usually seen. Because of this, some of it came out a little dry.
The service at any Ethiopian restaurant will move at a leisurely pace. It's just not a place that's conducive to dining within an hour or hour and a half, even. You are not necessarily discouraged from just lolligagging for hours there. Our table arrived around 630 pm and didn't really start moving towards the door until around 10 pm, at which point a DJ was setting up.
I recommened Merkamo. Frankly, it's the best Ethiopian offering in Springfield. (Eeeeh, it's the only Ethiopian offering in Springfield.)
Solid Ethiopian foods :) Â I got the beef tips (dont know what thats called) and it was not very spicy, but good quality meat, and fabulous flavor.
I got a side of cabbage which I LOVED. Â Its a little out of the way for me, but I will definitely be back. Â
The atmosphere is pretty bland, but the bathroom is HUGE and really clean. Â On a Friday night the tables clear and a DJ sets up- lights go down, music goes up, and my old ass went home.
My sister lives in Springfield and noticed the opening of Merkamo with excitement. Â My other sister (that makes 3 of us) talked about going for dinner without the kids. Â It's so hard to make that work. Â So when my youngest sister came into town (making four of us) and also wanted to go, we decided to call and see if we could do a take out lunch. Â We ordered six meals and got enough to feed an army. Â
While at the restaurant waiting for the food, my sister and I enjoyed a glass of the honey wine at the bar made of granite. Â The wine was lovely - not too sweet and refreshing. Â The interior of the restaurant is modern with clean finishes and dark colors. Â Even the bathrooms had a modern feel to it (loved the sink). Â It felt adult and definitely not a place I would have brought the 8 kids we had.
When we arrived home and opened the containers, we found all the food arranged on the bread which was wonderfully spongy (more like a pancake-but not sweet) that soaked up all the flavors from the food on top. Â There was another piece of bread on top so when you opened the take out container, it was like opening a present. Â Each of us liked something different the best. Â I enjoyed the Merkamo Kitfo the most. Â The meat is incredibly rich and the spice powder that come with it should be an option on everything. Â I loved it. Â The Gomen Besega was also yummy. Â The meat was so tender and the bread soaked up all the greens juices making it's bread "plate" one of the best. Â
My younger sister enjoyed both the Lamb Tibbs and the Doro Wett. Â I, personally, preferred the Beef Tibbs (as have other Yelpers). Â If I had ordered the Doro Wett as an entree in the restaurant, I would be disappointed. Â True to reports here on Yelp, there is only one chicken leg and an egg in the dish. Â Because we had so many dishes to try, I didn't care much. Â The sauce that comes with the Doro Wett was definitely one of my favorites, but there should be a thigh and leg or two legs at that price. Â I recommend the red lentils over the yellow if you enjoy spicy. Â My kids liked the yellow lentils and cheese on the bread. Â The yellow lentils were mild and the cheese creamy. Â These came as sides on several of the meals. Â
Overall, I thought the food was very good. Â My fist foray into Ethiopian food was a success. Â I'll be back for more:-)
Like Erin B. and so many others, I was the guest of a Groupon-er. I can't recall which day of the week my visit was on, but I do remember being surprised how slow business was at about 7pm, though things did pick up a little later.
The waitresses here are very sweet and polite, but fail short of having the whole package in terms of service. I think they can handle 1 or 2 tables at a time at best, anything over that results in drinks that never come or several return trips to clarify an order. No major points of here though.
Food took a while to arrive, so this is surely not ideal for a fast meal, but it was worth the wait. I had the Vegetarian Sampler and my counterpart the Lamb Tibs. Both dishes were served together on one plate. The food was great!
Parking is plentiful given that it is located and a shady strip mall. If you park near a light or where you can see your car from inside, I think you should be in good shape.
Tip: Not a first date worthy place. I imagine it'd be weird to get to know someone while sharing a plant of hand eaten food with them.
I love Ethiopian food. In fact, I think I'm part Ethiopian (and West Indian, Mexican, Spanish, Greek, Thai and Indian to name a few others). Â So i was excited to find this little gem tucked away in Springfield near my parents' house. It's soooo nice to have an option other than american food, pizza or chinese food when you want to eat out locally. Â
The menu is very simple, but I don't think that's a bad thing. I'm all for doing just a few things really well. Â I LOVE the beef tibs. I'm not a big beef fan, but this dish is so delicious (I prefer lamb generally, but the lamb tibs aren't as good as the beef tibs). Â
I can always go for doro wat, but as others have said, it's surprisingly small (yes, one small chicken leg). Â So we generally get the veggie sampler which is huge and delicious (along with the beef tibs). Â
I've tried the appetizers and they are worth skipping...so you can add an extra glass of honey wine which is absolutely delish and goes perfectly with the meal.
Melkam Megeb!
We had a meeting in Springfield and needed to eat lunch right after, so we googled nearby restaurants. We found this place, and took a look at their website. It looked really nice, and they had a vegetarian sampler plate, so we decided to give it a try. We walk in, and the first thing we notice is that the place is full of Ethiopians. That's a great sign! We were immediately seated and given menus. My husband and I (and our 4 year old son) split the vegetarian sampler. I got a little worried when I saw that no one in the restaurant had gotten their food yet, but then all the food started coming out. Ours took less than 10 minutes. The platter was huge, and our server pointed out what was spicy, so my son and I could avoid it. I don't know what all the veggies are called, but there were yellow lentils, green beans & carrots (my favorite), potatoes, greens, something spicy that looked like sloppy joe's, and some cabbage. It was all excellent! I thought my son would love eating with his hands, but after about 10 minutes he said he didn't like it. Oh well. I thought service was great, and the food was as good as any DC Ethiopian food I've had.
Review Source:Found out about this place through Groupon and, based on previous reviews, glad I waited to go to avoid the Groupon crowds. Â When we got there for an early (5:30) dinner this past Sunday, there was only other table. Â Three other groups had arrived by the time we left.
First of all, the service was excellent. Â The waitress was very nice, food came out at a reasonable pace, and there was no significant delays in getting and paying for our bill.
Secondly, the food was good. Â Pretty much exactly what you'd expect from above average Ethiopian restaurants. Â The menu is small though, but has the basics like sambusas, dora wat, tibbs, kitfo, and a vegetarian sampler. Â We started with the sambusas, which were just okay. Â The beef tibbs and vegetarian sampler more than made up for it though. Â Injera was good too. Â The portions were generous and we had plenty left over to take home. Â Prices were decent, but not cheap.
Overall, so happy to have a good Ethiopian restaurant so close to home and will definitely be coming back.
Very interesting to see a self-described modern bistro take on Ethiopian cuisine.
I love Ethiopian food. Homestyle, traditional stuff is fantastically delicious. So take this review with a caveat: I'm not from Springfield, and I am comparing this experience to a host of other Ethiopian restaurants, not just in the DC area.
Merkamo produces some divergent results. Their Doro Wot was promising, but ultimately disappointing. If I'd never had it before, I likely would have liked it better. Unfortunately, the addition of some sort of flavor to it (red wine? plum? still wondering about that.), cut down on the berbere spice and rounded out the flavor too much for me. Again, other people may well find it fantastic and I would highly, highly encourage people to try it.
Also, the prices on the vegetables seemed to be quite excessive. We only got one vegetable side with two entrees, which is bizarre. Even then, it was just a very small dollop of chickpeas.
The Gomen Besega, on the other hand, was fantastic. The meat and collard-green combination was delicious and mild. It was the standout dish of the evening.
The space was modern and tasteful, and shied away from cliché. The service was fine for us, even on a Friday night - unlike other reviewers who were crushed in the Groupon rush.
All told, I really appreciate Merkamo and what it is trying to do. If I lived in the area I'd be there frequently. But I'm basing my review on compared to other Doro Wot I've had in the DMV area and the parsimony with their vegetables, I was disappointed. Aside from that, I highly encourage you to support this restaurant. But if you're choosing from a variety of places, try Dama in Arlington or the U-Street area in the District.
My wife and I went to Merkamo last night for an early dinner. Since this was our first time I can't really speak to the consistency of the place but our meal was excellent, inexpensive, and the service was great. The place itself is a bit plain on the inside but it has a nice feel to it and the food is the real star. Don't be put off by the fact that the restaurant is located on Commerce Street in Springfield...it's worth going.
My wife and I shared a meat dish called Tibs and a vegetarian sampler. They put it all on one platter for us which was very thoughtful of the waitress. A beer, two dinners, and a nice time for about $34 without tip.
Make the trip and you'll be glad you did.
My wife and I visited for dinner last evening. Â In addition to our waitress, the owner (we assume) stopped by and explained some of the menu items. Â He recommended a vegetarian & kitfo combination since we were first-timers. Â He was quite helpful answering our questions about unfamiliar words on the short but focused menu.
A short while later the food arrived with the vegetarian dishes distributed around the edge of a large piece of injera flatbread. Â The waitress spooned the tartare-like kitfo into the center. Â Rolled up injera flatbread was provided with which to pick up and eat the meal - they'll give you more if you need it.
There was plenty of food for two people, and we enjoyed nearly everything. Â The spiced kitfo, lentils, and collard greens were especially tasty. Â Eating the salad with the injera was a bit odd because the salad was familiar, but eating it with the bread was not. Â The cabbage was fine, just not as tasty as the other components. Â All in all I enjoyed the quite spicy kitfo the most. Â I was a little hesitant to try the raw meat, but with the owner's recommendation I gave it a go. Â I was very happy with it -- it was warm, not cold, and quite spicy which agrees with me. Â It was something I've never tried before, and I believe it was done well. Â I'll go back for it.
We also had a piece of baklava which was enjoyable and lightly sweet.
My wife told me that the owner's mother does the cooking, so this is the real deal. Â The food was delicious! Â I'm happy to have another delicious dining option in Springfield. Â Give Merkamo a try -- you'll leave happy.
I can only echo what other reviewers have written, to let readers know that the place hasn't improved over the past two weeks.
The site is clean, well-maintained, and sparsely decorated. Â I went there for dinner and was the only customer in he restaurant. Â During my meal (approximately one hour), two people arrived and picked up takeout orders.
The menu is very limited, much more so than any other Ethiopian restaurant I've been to.
The service staff are quite pleasant and solicitious. Â They spoke English quite well (unlike other reviews may have reported). Â However, the service was appalingly slow. Â For example, after removing my plates at the end of the meal, I waited over 10 minutes for the check to arrive. Â During this time, I watched the three waitstaff sitting at the bar, doing nothing. Â Over time, they did write up my check, but it was in bits and pieces over the ten minute span.
The portions were also very small. Â I ordered the Doro Wett (chicken in onions, berbere, and other seasonings). Â It arrived, what must have been either a half of a wing or a very small drumstick, in an appropriate sauce. The wing/drumstick had been hacked; the lower portion of the bone and accompanying meat were missing. Â On the side was a vegetable mix, perhaps 3 to 4 tablespoons in all. Â That's it; in all the restaurants I've been to (Ethiopian or otherwise), I've never received such a small serving for a main course. Â If the injera wasn't so filling (a good quantity was supplied), I'd have needed a second dinner afterwards.
In all, I can't see going back. Â And unless things improve dramatically to make a visit truly enjoyable, I don't think they'll be around long enough for me to have the opportunity to do so.
We've been here three times since the restaurant opened, and have found the service to be very inconsistent. The menu is fairly small, but the food is tasty and on par with most other Ethiopian restaurants in the area.
We ordered the Ethiopian honey wine the first two times we came here, and it wasn't until the second time that we realized they charge $9 for a glass. While alcohol is always marked up, a typical bottle of honey wine costs $10 at retail, so this was a huge mark-up; most Ethiopian restaurants charge $5 or $6 for a glass.
The last time we went, service was horrible. It was fairly laid back during previous visits, but on this instance, it took forever to get anything fro our waitress, and the restaurant only had a couple other patrons. This was before Merkamo offered their Groupon deal, too. Not only was the waitress new, but she barely spoke any English, and could't answer simple questions like what the difference is between the basic kitfo on the menu and the "house" kitfo. Worse, we specified that we wanted the kitfo we ordered raw, and after the waitress expressed surprise, we explained that we love Ethiopian food, and always order the kitfo this way. She acknowledged our remarks, but when the food came, the kitfo came out partially cooked. The waitress did ask us if it was okay, but given how slow the food came out, we didn't want to send it back and sit for another half hour.
We didn't eat dessert during our prior visits, but on the third, the waitress proclaimed how amazing the baclava was that they had. She said it was unlike most "sweet" baclava served in the United States, so we gave it a try. Sadly, there was nothing special about this baclava at all - it was just as sweet as any other, and no tastier.
We're glad to have a decent Ethiopian restaurant in Burke, but if you don't mind traveling a little further, you can get Ethiopian fare that's just as good, for cheaper, and with better service, elsewhere.
Thankfully we reacted to Groupon as well, but after the crowds. Â Subtle modern Ethiopian decor. Â Service was friendly...when I asked about their tej (Ethiopian honey wine), I was offered a nice tasting....which led to an order as it wasn't too sweet (closer to the real thing). Â While the menu was limited, the Gurage kitfo was outstanding. Â As a former Peace Corps volunteer and USAID employee working in Ethiopia for 10 years, finding the real thing in the US is a joy. Â The kitfo at Merkamo did it. Â They even offered "kocho" -- a bread made from the root a of a false banana plant. Â While kocho may not be the next hit on the culinary scene, the fact that it was offered was a plus. Â There are lots of Ethiopian restaurants in the northern Virginia/DC area, when you want authentic kitfo, this is the place to go.
Review Source:2.5 stars.
Merkamo has only been open a few months. Â It's a small, family run restaurant. Â I don't want to low-ball them prematurely. Â I don't want to deter locals from checking it out. Â I want independently owned and operated joints to survive in this comforting economic climate of ours. Â But................
Merkamo was *packed* when we arrived, and it seemed everyone else and their mom was also there with their Groupon.  The joint was slammed, and they just couldn't keep up.  I think this perfect storm of circumstances -- being new and being overcrowded -- could explain why the service we received (and witnessed) was so disorganized.  We were never given menus, so I had to go ask the hostess after several minutes of sitting and staring at an empty table.  The party behind us waited over 10 minutes for their check to come back, and when it did their credit card was missing (which meant another 10 minutes of waiting!).  The couple next to us had to get up and get their own water at the bar.  We waited nearly half an hour for our lentil sambusa appetizer.  I finally asked the manager to check on the order.  Two seconds later he was dropping off *beef* sambusas at the table.  Which we realized only after taking a bite, a bit of a distressing discovery for someone who avoids meat.  Since no one came back to the table until they were bringing our entrée, we just 86ed the app.  Service was one misstep after another on our visit.
Adding to the experience, the ambiance was so loud and chaotic it felt like sensory overload torture. Â There is nothing to absorb sound in here. Â So the numerous infants wailing and shrieking, drunk patrons booming laughter, and sporadic clapping (to keep time with the booming laughter?) reverberated in the sparsely decorated dining room and echoed off the hard floors and walls. Â It felt bone-penetrating. Â Some throw rugs or drapes (or sound-proofing panels on the ceiling, just sayin') would do WONDERS in this sleek and minimalist space.
The food was decent.  The menu is very small and very limited (one appetizer, one chicken dish, a couple meat dishes).  Husband and I split the vegetarian sampler which included little dollops of six different veg on a bed of injera with extra injera on the side.  Half the veggies were fairly bland, but the other half were absolutely delicious.  We loved the yemiser kik (spicy red lentils), kik alicha (chunky yellow split pea), and the fosolia (wonderfully savory green beans and carrots).  For $23.95, however, we expected a bit more food.  Considering a single meat entrée will run you $15 at most, the price point on the vegetarian sampler seems disproportionately expensive.
It's great that Springfield is diversifying further. Â It's wonderful that in our current economy small businesses are still opening. Â I want to give Merkamo the benefit of the doubt and blame the poor service on their newness and jumping the Groupon-gun before they were ready for crowds (and the benefit of the doubt that half these reviews -- mostly filtered -- aren't spammed, but I'm skeptical...). Â I wouldn't make a special trip back here, but if you live in the area Merkamo could be a great option once it really finds its groove.
Ok people of the suburbs, here's something new, exciting, and never been seen before in Springfield: Ethiopian! On Commerce Street at that. If you know Springfield and know Commerce, then you too would be surprised that it's not a new Mexican place instead.
The restaurant is wide open, seats are well spaced (f.y.i. the booth seats are not cushioned), well decorated with pieces I can only assume are from Ethiopia, and even a bar area. Thankfully, we were the only ones there for a late lunch, so we got the waitress' attention all to ourselves.
Started off with the Sambusa, which if you are familiar with Indian "Samosas" will notice they are the same thing. Tiny, triangular, fried, pastry dough stuffed with spiced minced meat. There are only 3 pieces and they're tiny, they are good, without a doubt. However, I don't think this particular item is worth what they charge for the amount given.
We split the beef tibs for lunch. Good, but not as spicy as we had hoped...even after dribbling their spicy red sauce all over it. They also served us the tibs hot off the skillet and onto the injera in front of us.
All in all, great service, good atmosphere, and yum food. It's a great addition to Springfield!
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