Konjo Ethiopian Food

If you want a meal that feels like a hug from someone’s wise Ethiopian auntie, Kanjo is the place. I ordered the vegan platter with lentils and cabbage. The lentils were rich and soulful, the cabbage perfectly seasoned, and the gluten free injera was so soft it could easily double as a love letter from the motherland. Also, do yourself a favor: ask for their house-blend spice. Trust me. It’s the kind of seasoning that makes you rethink every meal you’ve ever cooked. Pick some up to take home—you can gift it for the holidays, bring it to dinner parties, or sprinkle a little on your weekday meals when you need instant joy. It’s basically edible gold. Kanjo, thank you for bringing Ethiopia’s warmth, flavor, and spirit straight to the table. I’ll be back—probably sooner than expected.

This was my first time trying Ethiopian food, so I decided to visit Konjo in the Edgewater food court. The setup is very straightforward — you order through a kiosk/tablet, enter your phone number, and they text you when your order is ready. Easy and convenient. I tried the Chicken Tibs Plate with Misir Wot and injera. The chicken was on the spicier side, almost like a cousin of Indian-style chicken curry, which I enjoyed. The injera flatbread was soft and filling, with the bubble texture showing it had been fermented. It did have a noticeable sour taste — I’m not sure if that’s how it’s supposed to be, but it was interesting to try. I also ordered a sambusa for $3. It was a deep-fried pastry with a lentil/pulse filling, but the shell was a bit oily and on the harder side, so not something I’d go back for. Just a heads-up that there’s a credit card surcharge and a public improvement fee added to the bill.

We ordered a plate with lamb and beef, and it was so spicy it was barely edible. We thought that the flavors were a bit odd and unfortunately both my husband and I got a food poisoning. We were excited to try Ethiopian food but that was a terrible introduction to the cuisine.

I discovered Konjo several years ago, and have eaten there many times. Their Lamb Tibs was my favorite. However, the last two times I have eaten there, the Lamb Tibs has been terrible. One time it was totally not spiced at all. The lamb was a dull grey color, and had absolutely no flavor at all. When I presented it to the guy behind the counter (circled in the photo), he said, “Yeh, I think they forgot to add the spice”. He did not apologize, he just gave me a ramekin of the bright red spice. I tried adding it to the lamb, but since it had not been cooked WITH the lamb, it tasted horrible. I dumped it in the trash and left angry and frustrated. I reached out to the owners of Konjo via their website, but they never responded. I avoided the place for about 6 months, but my craving for Ethiopian food got the better of me and I went back. I again ordered the Lamb Tibs, and this time it was properly spiced, but in the entire serving there was only two small pieces of lamb — that’s all ! I was again very disappointed, and I will NOT give Konjo another chance. They have disappointed me too many times, and I will never go back.