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I have absolutely loved Ethiopian Food since the age of 6. I am an avid Ethiopian Food eater and any time I can get the chance to try new Ethiopian restaurants I am there in a New York minute whether it be by myself or with friends. Today I recently tried Zoma which is near my new home in Harlem. The only reason I had high expectations of this restaurant was because of other reviews online. I will be honest, in all my seven years of living in NYC I have only come across ONE!!!! Ethiopian restaurant that satisfied my quench for the rich spices and palate orgasms that Ethiopian food offers. Zoma has several factors going for it as an establishment including locale, atmosphere, price point, and service. I ordered the shiro dish with a side of cabbage and potatoes and my dinner was in fact quite good despite my doubts. HOWEVER, I still remain a loyal Massawa (121st and Amsterdam) fan. I have been eating Massawa's Ethiopian food for seven years now and they have NEVER let me down with the taste of their delicious shiro. The zoma experience was too gourmet for me. They have oven warmed towels for you to wipe your hands before eating. They are only open from 5pm- 11pm, whereas Massawa is open around the clock. There was no one in the restaurant when I ate there aside from one couple- Massawa is always packed. They do not have an individual vegetable combo on the menu- Massawa has individual and shared. Their shiro didn't come with a side... the side has to be ordered in addition to the meal. Massawa's shiro comes with two sides and a salad. The price point was fine but I did not like the fact that I was not able to get my two sides for the same price. I surprisingly was almost unable to finish my meal at Zoma (nice sized portions) and sometimes I completely devour Massawa. The staff was extremely friendly, whereas the staff at Massawa is a bit too laxed for my liking. Overall Zoma was a great experience but all Ethiopian food in NYC pales in comparison to the experience of devouring special shiro with alitch and collard greens at Massaw. My experience at Columbia University turned me on to a hidden gym in the city and I will never cheat on them again ;) Zoma is great but MASSAWA is much better! If you want aesthetics go to Zoma... if you want authenticity go to Massawa!

my favorite gem in the city. let me tell you, i travel across lands to indulge in this savory goodness. as an ethiopian, i can say that zoma is the most authentic ethiopian cuisine in the city. additionally, the atmosphere is sublime. the decor is flawlessly and refreshingly uted. however, the main draw of zoma is absolutely the FOOD. fresh, delectable, and highly pleasing. and not to mention, great VALUE.

I love Zoma. I've been to Zoma many many times and I keep going back. The food is, by far, the best Ethiopian I've had in NYC. Favorite dishes are fassolia, misir wet, doro tibs, zoma tibs, shiro wet. Its also the nicest atmosphere you'll find for an Ethiopian restaurant. Harlem's on the rise!

My friend wanted to try ehtiopian in the city for ied mubarrak so I did a menupages search and found Zoma. The food is good I recommend the combo meal for parties with more than one person. The service is a little slow so don't go there starving but it is a nice, quiet place to dine. And it's open sort of late. Bon Appetit

Loved the nuance of spices in the various foods. Likewise, the experience of communal sharing of it was enjoyable. I would, however, recommend not going too late at night, as the street life can be a little bit edgy.

Friends and I went to Zoma for the first time last month and it was great. Maybe it was b/c it was a weeknight, but we did not have the service issues some posters experienced. Service was gracious and prompt, but the best thing was the food. I was really surprised at how much I liked the injera since I've had it before in other places and did not enjoy it as much. At Zoma, the injera is fine. I had the tibs wett, collard greens, misir wett and the azifa salad and loved the intricacies of the spices. Hearty portions. Didn't get to try the honey mead this time but definitely will when we go back soon!

Comfortable atmosphere, yummy food, friendly service. A real neighborhood feel. We plan to go back again. Don't miss out on the Ethiopian honey wine.