Solid Ethiopian with generous portions, especially for the veggie sampler. I'm giving this four stars because it's in a weak neighborhood for food; it's quite good for the area, but I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here. The food here can't stand up to any of the top Ethiopian place in the bay area, like Walia, but if you're in this neighborhood, there aren't really any better options for the portion size and money regardless of the cuisine. Teo tastier, but you'll pay twice as much. You can get a tastier meal at Tortellino or Azalina's for the same price, but you'll get two thirds or half as much food. You can get food that's almost as good at Corridor, but it's going to cost a lot more because you're paying for the trendiness and "atmosphere", etc. The service is always quick and friendly. And, if you want to chat with friends, this place isn't trendy enough to have 80 dB music, so it's easy to have a conversation. read more

Moya - Veggie sampler plus doro tibs - Ethiopian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Great service. Delicious vegan food. I've been here several times and I don't even live in the city.

Love this place! I used to come here with coworkers a while back and it's really great to see them still going post-pandemic. Growing up in the area, I don't feel like I've ran into many Ethiopian places so this was a nice venture away from the norm! We got the veggie sampler, and the kitfo (beef) served over teff injera. I ordered extra injera since I'm a carbs gal, don't @ me. Served on a giant platter was a beautifully organized set of food. I'm an odd ball so I went around the circle trying everything individually and MAN -- this is the kind of food that really puts a smile on my face. Everything was spiced, season, and distinctly flavorful. I'm a fan of spice and we got medium but I think we could have turned up the heat just a pinch more. Thankfully they had chili powder handy. + the nice woman that worked there hooked it up with some extra injera (again I think she got the vibes lolol) Sometimes I really feel like San Francisco gets grimier everyday - specifically the SoMa area that Moya is in but they really make their mark - like an oasis in a desert. I'll definitely continue to come back! read more

Moya - Veggie Sampler and Kitfo - Ethiopian Near Me - San Francisco, California

I got the vegetarian sampler and Doro Tibs with a medium spice as well as there absolutely delicious Injera bread. When I came to pick up my order to go the lady told me that she put in some extra injera and when I tell you I don't know what was extra I mean it came with such a deliciously large amount. She also threw in a sample of the chickpea stew they make and it's top dollar! I highly recommend eating here. It's a small establishment making for a cozy maybe six tables? Two people per table you could squeeze in a third. 100% hands-down I would give it 10 stars if I could. When I gave her my name and she told me the order was ready I watched her take my food right out of the pan and put it into my to go containers. It took about 20 minutes but I ordered over the phone and by the time I got there it was being poured right in front of my eyes :-) read more

the vegan sampler remains one of my "go-to"s, as it has everything that i like at a reasonable price. you know it's going to be a good meal when they hand you the container and you can feel the heft, sometimes you can turn it into two meals. will be coming here as long as they are open. read more

Very tasty and filling! Probably the best tasting Injera bread I've had at an Ethiopian restaurant. Fluffy, spongy, and not sour. Very casual establishment. read more

Pretty good non-pretentious gem on 9th. Injera was excellent, also veg. combo and spicy mushroom/tofu tibs! Shiro was was tasty but maybe too smooth and rich for my preference, but idk what true Ethiopian style would be. Takeout servings were good, we got several meals out of it. But very nice to have reasonable, tasty Ethiopian available in SOMA! read more

After giving me freebies twice, I'm compelled to write this review. Every new Ethiopian place I try in SF now, I always get the kitfo and the vegetarian sampler to get an idea of the restaurant's spices and seasoning technique. I think Moya and Tadu make the best kitfo in the city, but they're very different. I think Moya is more traditional with lots of ayib cheese, berbère powder on the side, and some sort of red spice (Mitmita perhaps?) to dip the meat in. Tadu incorporates the spice into the meat only. Anyways, Moya will end up edging Tadu out because while Tadu is delicious, they're a bit inconsistent (I try to order medium rare when getting delivery, but sometimes I get well done or raw, really runs the gamut). But Moya has been consistent so far. I really like the collard greens. Plump and juicy. Alicha tikhil gomen is good too, but I wished they used adult carrots instead of baby carrots; baby carrots have too much sweetness so it overpowers the potato and cabbage. Lentils were good, but nothing extraordinary. However, the first time I ordered from here, they gave me a free large Mexican coke and the second time, they gave me a whole portion (instead of a side) of the collard greens. Little things like this once in a while will make anyone a loyal customer. In conclusion, delicious kitfo and collard greens. This is a great staple dinner from any Ethiopian place, but Moya makes some of the best. read more

The food here is delicious and so flavorful. We ordered the veggie sampler to be able to try a bunch of their different stews and braised veggies as well as the siga tibs (a beef dish). It was served with a basket of Ethiopian flatbread which is a little tangy and pancake-like. All of the dishes paired so well with the flatbread and it was fun to be able to try so many different things. I'd definitely come back and recommend Moya to anyone looking for a good, humble meal. read more

We had an amazing experience. The owner was super accommodating and helped us celebrate my birthday with so much ease and joy. We loved the food and are looking forward to coming back. We highly recommend this small but worthy restaurant! read more

A counter service little Ethiopian joint in SoMa. Much more exciting and authentic than those Asian-lite fast casual joints trying to be the next Chiptole chain. Perfect for when you want a quick fit-fit fix without making a big formal outing with friends. Siga Tibs w/ Collard Greens: This is a hearty just right kinda lunch for a rainy day. A generous amount of beef, in fajita sized chunks. More of a stir-fried texture than stewed, so it's got a firm chew. Lots tender onions and greens and spices to really add some nice flavor. The fit-fit is served on the side (i.e. not under it), which kind works because the under fit-fit usually gets too soggy by the time you reach it. read more

Moya - Fit-Fit - Ethiopian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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The owner, Fana, is the nicest woman and it is truly a pleasure to order from her restaurant. I called to place the order and had few questions, she was happy to explain to me the difference in dishes. My husband picked up the order and started to chat with her and she gave us free generous sample of one dish that we did not order. The food is incredible, so flavorful, rich and absolutely yummy, I cannot wait to order again - we tried all the vegan options which was the vegan sampler - Red lentil stew, yellow pea stew, collard greens, potatoes, carrots, green beans and cabbage, mushrooms tibs, tofu tibs and shuro - roasted ground chickpea stew made with 15 flavorful spices which I think it is my favorite if I absolutely had to pick. I am so happy to be able to support local business, the food was so so good that we called her back to let her know that her food was finger licking good and she told us that it was made with love and for sure was able to taste the love in her cooking. read more

Very delicious vegan options and very good portions. The people there are very kind. Worth it every time

Pros: * Location is really convenient - almost a hidden gem * Good seating. Good vibes, elderly lady who runs the restaurant on her own (I think) Cons: * Food is spicy, despite asking for mild/medium * Takes a good amount of time to arrive * It's expensive! read more

The injeras are made from teff which is a BIG plus in my book. They were perfect. The place is clean and comfortable. This is a place where you order at the counter and they bring you the food, not a place where a wait person takes your orders. Additionally, you get your own water, so I'm never sure how much to tip when they make a single visit to the table to bring the food. I ordered the Chicken Tibs, extra spicy. They didn't skimp on the onions or the portion size, which was a plus. But they were not very spicy, which was disappointing. They were salty. read more

Ordered delivery for lunch through UE, and food was packaged well and thoughtfully, with the à la carte entrées in their own generous packaging and the injera on the side. Haven't tried 100% teff injera (listed as the gluten-free option at other places), so opted for 3 extra orders (reading this back, 3 sounds like overkill, but the concept of there being "too much" injera is just...no) to go with each of my 3 entrees (misir wot, gomen, and siga tibs). However, I believe I received one 100% teff injera, and the rest were the regular ones (at least going off the texture and look--the one I believed was all teff was darker, less spongy). Wasn't an issue at all, since I don't have gluten sensitivities, and just wanted to try out the more robust, traditional version. Was also surprised to see an additonal order of rice and a half order each of kik alicha and atkilti wot. There was a note written on the lid to their container, but got mostly erased by condensation/travel. What a mystery! Unfortunate since it was probably something really considerate about substitutions in regards to the all-teff injera request/upcharges not being fulfilled. At least, that's what I'm projecting. Either way, was a wonderful surprise since I didn't go for the combo plate, which I consider my usual litmus test. Got it anyway, so thanks so, so much. Really appreciated it! Some discrepancies between the dishes I saw available on the UberEats menu and the one I saw online. Tried to order for pickup on their own site for lunch on a Wednesday, but the place showed up as closed until dinner, so went through Uber instead. Otherwise, would have ordered through the restaurant's own system to save them some $$! Was bummed to not see kitfo available on Uber at the time, but I understand if it's easier to just keep the staples. Kitfo is one of my hands down, top five favorite dishes, and based off all the deliciousness and care I received in my order, I have a very good feeling about Moya's kitfo. Will be around for dinner soon! read more

Moya is a great find for delicious Ethiopian cuisine. For lunch we had a veggie sampler that included red lentil stew, yellow pea stew, collard greens, potatoes, carrots, green beans and cabbage as well as chicken and beef dishes were tender, full of flavor, and had the perfect amount of spice. We scooped everything up with their amazing injera bread. My favorites were : -Doro Tibs: Stir fried chicken marinated in a white wine sauce w/onion, tomato, garlic and berbere -Siga Tibs: Stir fried beef marinated in a red wine sauce w/onion, garlic and berbere -Kik Alicha: Yellow pea stew made with onions, garlic, turmeric and special spice mix -Misir Wot: Spicy red lentil stew made with a slow cooked chili sauce. I enjoyed the meal so much I had leftovers for dinner and lunch the next day and loved every bite. Per their advice, I put the injera in the freezer and just defrost it when you're ready to eat and it tastes perfect. Moya is a cute, cozy place with indoor seating, plus delivery is available via DoorDash, UberEats, etc. Per the owner, their entire menu is gluten free (the injera bread available with or w/o gluten). read more

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I LOVE moya! It's my favorite spot in SF and I am so glad they are open again during COVID 19. Black family owned by the nicest folks. Delicious food. I loved everything we got and that doesn't happen often when I go out to eat. Misir wot, kik alicha, vegan beef tibs. It suits my vegan roommate as well and we are repeat customers. We got everything for around $27 and the three of us were super full after. read more

Moya - So much injera Vegan beef tibs Misir wot Kik alicha - Ethiopian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Best shiro in San Francisco and generous portions! An absolute must try if you enjoy Ethiopian food.

After praying+calling several times with no answer since COVID, SUCCESS THEY WERE OPEN TODAY!! Apparently they just re-opened yesterday! I believe they're open 5-8 pm now. Their credit card machine was down today too so we paid in cash (you can use Uber eats if you don't want to use cash). They have a little window at the front of the store where you can pick up your order. We ordered the Vegan Beef Tibs and Vegan Combo with just the Misir Wot and Kik Alicha. Excellent, as always. Came with a heaping amount of injera, too! The total was $27. read more

Moya - Vegan Beef Tibs and Vegan Combo with just the Misir Wot and Kik Alicha - Ethiopian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Five great reasons to eat at Moya!: 1. Delicious 2. Vegetarian choices galore - not just "options" - I'm talking half the menu! 3. Friendly owner 4. Black-owned business 5. Very convenient after a workout at FitnessSF MidMarket, or before a show at Oasis. (If you go in between the gym and Oasis, hit me up, you and I need to know each other) read more

Moya - Veggie sampler and mushroom tibs! - Ethiopian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Got the vegan sampler on DoorDash and it was delicious. The spice has just a little kick which was nice.

I love payday - who doesn't?! It means I get to indulge on a nice, table for one lunch. There was a new yipster "all-day" restaurant that I wanted to check out but they only open for lunch on the weekends. Umm ok, so plan b? My Yelp bookmarks. I've had Moya bookmarked for years (before they had relocated due to a fire) so it was time to finally knock this bad boy off my list. Sadly, Yelp led me astray on this one and I'm really surprised by all the 5 star reviews for Moya. The food is mediocre at best and the service is cold. It isn't exactly cheap either ($20 lunch w/ no beverage) so it's hard to overlook both missteps. Maybe it's raters' bias because there's so few Ethiopian restaurants in SF? Moya is a cafe with counter service only and you order at the register from the chalkboard menu which has no listed prices. What's up with NOT listing prices?! But, since I paid with a credit card, Square emailed me an itemized receipt. I ordered the Doro Wot ($13.50), an Ethiopian Chicken stew that's the national dish of Ethiopia. It comes with yellow lentils, a side salad, chopped tomatoes, and brown rice or injera. Opted for the brown rice with a side of injera (+$2): http://bit.ly/2xqwewt. I received injera instead of the brown rice so I had a huge portion of injera. Not a big problem. While Ethiopian cuisine doesn't have a strong presence in San Francisco, I've tried a handful of Ethiopian places and the food here is weak in comparison. The chicken drumsticks were dry and the spices seemed to be toned down for the American palate. Per their menu, it's suppose to be "SPICY!" but it wasn't. It was a scotch over mild. Usually, I'm sweating and my snot runs from the robust Ethiopian spices. Not here. The accompanying lentils were undercooked, hard, and flavorless, while the salad dressing was too sour. The injera, the spongy, sour flatbread was fine. It had the proper texture and just the right amount of sourness. I can see why so many people complain about the service at Moya. Granted, it's not some fancy, Michelin starred place but there's a certain amount of courtesy paying customers should receive. The staff is not friendly and seem like they don't want to be there. I had called earlier in the day to check if they were serving a particular item that day and the lady I spoke with seemed annoyed that I even called. Then, while I was waiting for my order, two customers were waiting in line to order and the person cooking who is also the cashier passed by them several times with no sense of urgency and ignoring their presence. Pretty rude IMO...a simple, "I'll be right with you" would have been the proper thing to do. It's counter service so these things can be overlooked but NOT when customers can only denote a 20%, 25%, or 30% tip when paying with a card (didn't see an option for "custom tip") . I always tip but I didn't appreciate being forced to tip a minimum of 20% for a counter service especially since they weren't nice. IMO, more appropriate tip options for counter service is 10%, 15%, and 18%. Can't say I would recommend Moya to anyone, even for convenience. For legit Ethiopian food that will make your snot run, served by an earnest owner, go to Massawa in North Beach: https://www.yelp.com/biz/massawa-restaurant-san-francisco-2. read more

Moya - Doro Wot: Ethiopian chicken stew, lentils, salad, injera | $13.50 + $2 extra injera - Ethiopian Near Me - San Francisco, California

My 2 friends and I stopped by for dinner before our show at the Orpheum, and what a delight! We got the veggie sampler with beef, and we all had that moment of flavor ecstasy with the first bite. Service was fast, food was filling and well priced, and we are so delighted to support this hidden gem with the friendliest staff. Will be back! read more

Moya - Veggie sampler with beef - Ethiopian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Their veggie combo is good. But not happy with last night's order: I tried the Mushroom Tibs & Shiro. ** They REALLY need to re-work the recipe for the mushrooms...senselessly swimming in oil & disappointingly NO flavor to compensate for those added calories! I should've drained them. [Woke up feeling not-well. I'm now sitting in cafe, with a non-ending rumbling tummy from that greasy mess. Hella embarrassing]. Shiro also lacked flavor. Overall--- I'd expect thath the "specialty" dishes would taste better than the standard veg combo, especially since they cost more. Bummer. read more

Just came in for lunch today, and had to write a review right away because their food was that good! Food is a 10 out of 10 good! Got their veggie platter and their sega tibs (beef) with house injera. Everything tasted super fresh and well spiced. Also, their injera bread was super soft and fluffy, so you know its freshly made. The owner was super nice and would definitely come again! read more

Got the veggie platter for lunch! Huge portions and great variety. Would love to come back another time!

COME HERE ASAP!!! A lovely and absolutely scrumptious Ethiopian spot. The owner is compassionate, so insightful and skilled (in and outside the kitchen y'all this womxn is a straight OG bad ass). Affordable prices. Generous portions. Good quality, healthy food. I literally can't help but inhale the vegan combo. Like gone. The food is that good!! Well seasoned. Depth in flavor. Wtf are we waiting for!! If there's ever a time to support your local business (and a black owned, womxn owned business at that :), it's right now!!! read more

The best Ethiopian restaurant in San Francisco and the only one that competes with Oakland's. Great flavor and portions.

The food was delicious and the service was wonderful. I never knew mushrooms could be so delicious.

Fantastic Ethiopian food. Had the beef tibs and the veggie combo. Wow, the veggies in particular were amazing. I don't often care about veggies...I eat them to be healthy, but hardly ever for taste, but these were really delicious. They were full of flavor, moist, and the perfect amount of spice. The beef tibs were pretty good too, and the thin bread was perfect to scoop up the food. I'm not an expert on Ethiopian food, but out of the 4-5 times I've had it, this place was my favorite. read more

The veggie sampler is very good and is a great portion. Great option for a vegan lunch! The place is comfortable and has a very nice owner/staff. I would definitely drop in again for lunch if I was in the area. read more

Moya - Veggie Sampler - Ethiopian Near Me - San Francisco, California

AMAZING WOW SUPERB Best Ethiopian food I have had, to date. The vegetarian combo is delicious and has a wide variety of dishes and flavors. I really appreciate that they have Gardein, tofu, and mushroom proteins for the tibs so you can go full mock-meat or stick with WFPB. And they have full teff injera which is 100% gluten free! ***I highly recommend the shiro, veggie combo, and mushroom tibs*** Also I saw the lovely lady-owner making the injera FRESH so you know they didn't just buy it in East Bay!*** tag: vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, whole foods plant based read more

Moya - Veggie Sampler & Mushroom Tibs - Ethiopian Near Me - San Francisco, California

This place is no Tadu, but I'd been wanting to try it for awhile. It's more of a café where you can get work done, but I stopped by for a quick me-time dinner before socializing with friends on a Friday night. The process for ordering is straightforward. There's a simple menu posted above the counter, and you order at the cashier before getting your number and finding a seat. I decided on the kitfo, which is essentially raw meat with the standard injera and house salad to complement the flavor. The plate is a decent amount of food. Actually, it was much more than I could finish, but it was pretty good! After awhile, I couldn't stomach any more raw meat, so I gave up and called it a day. Initially I wanted tibs, but they only had chicken. It's a dimly lit café and has a very low-key vibe. I saw people come here on a chill date and to catch up with friends. Very versatile location. It doesn't compel me enough to come here again, but there's decent food and doubles as a café, which is awesome! read more

Moya - Kitfo - Ethiopian Near Me - San Francisco, California

The best injera and wot I've had in the Bay Area. The owners are so welcoming and nice, the service is amazing, and the food was perfection on a plate. read more

Moya - Veggie sampler was delicious! - Ethiopian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Such a nice place for a unique dinner with extremely generous portions. The first time we came, we got the veggie sampler with the beef tartare- quite a bit of raw meat for 2 people but we pretty much managed to finish it off. The second time we got one of the chicken dishes which was also flavorful and excellent. Love the injera (bread), and highly recommend getting the veggie sampler to try a bit of everything! read more

Moya - Veggie Sampler, beef tartare - Ethiopian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I love this place. Their veggies sampler is my go to, with teff injera. Great for groups with gluten/dairy/meat food restrictions.

Excellent almost fast food. Had the veg sampler and the chicken with mushrooms. Enjoyed everything.

very generous portions and reasonable prices but very bland. perhaps I am just used to a different style but this did not resemble any of the Ethiopian food I have eaten anywhere. read more

Moya is back after its incendiary experience on Folsom over a year ago when it suffered the unlucky fate of an out-of-control, four-alarm fire. Jamie W. and I were lucky enough to try the place in its early days, and we really enjoyed the fresh ingredients and cordial service of this Ethiopian eatery (see review below), so we were sad that chef and owner Fana Alemayehu and her three daughters had to close their business and move. Luckily, one year later, they have been able to start over again in a location not that far away - 9th Street near Mission - where they are more likely to get more foot traffic and hopefully Twitter lunch-hour overflow. I came by alone after work last week. The new space feels a bit smaller and more generic, but they've warmed it up with their native artwork. The takeout menu with the tiny font lists the same appetizing dishes I remembered from their first place with plenty of their gluten-free injera to go around (see photo). Injera is the spongy flatbread that may look like remnants of a yoga mat but is actually handmade from teff with an unusually vinegary flavor. I like it. Since I'm eating less red meat these days, I honed in on the $11.95 Doro Wot, which is a dish consisting of a couple of chicken drumsticks and a hard-boiled egg all slathered in an Ethiopian chili stew. I usually stay away from chicken-and-egg combos simply because of the implied mother-and-child allusion. Seriously. I just think it's weird to combine poultry at different stages of its life on one plate. But I got over it since it was tasty nicely complemented by a side house salad and the injera (see photo). One interesting twist is that you have to say you want it "family-style" if you want the food served more traditionally on the injera fully rolled out on a platter. Otherwise, you get it Western style on a regular plate. On the side, I also went for a $3.95 bowl of Kin-Che, a couscous-like rice with a buttery taste that probably didn't help with my personal curbing of the carbs (see photo). Fana serves sandwiches and stews to go in addition to the mid-priced entrees. The lamb of the Ye Beg Wot appears to be gone from their menu, but they now have chicken breast, steak tartare and tofu options. Listen, she and her family are very nice and obviously close-knit. Friends of theirs came by while I was eating, and you can just tell. You should definitely give Moya a try in their new digs. They obviously went through a lot this past year, and I think it's great they were committed to staying in SoMa instead of moving to the 'burbs where rents are likely cheaper. If you haven't tried Fana's homestyle Ethiopian food, you need to give it a go. FOOD - 4 stars...still the same flavorful, homestyle Ethiopian fare served up before their relocation AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...a bit more fast-foody than before but warmed by their artwork SERVICE - 4.5 stars...very nice people TOTAL - 4 stars...Moya is back and here to stay, I hope read more

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