This place was the best Ethiopian restaurant I've ever been to, and I've been to a lot of them. First off, gluten-free injera. NO where else has this. As a person who is sensitive to gluten, this is really great since I can actually enjoy Ethiopian food again. It's been so long! The food is great. We ordered a vegetarian combo, buzena tibs, and ye beg tibs. All were excellent, fresh, and perfectly salted and not overly spiced. Just a perfect balance of flavors. They also served a good variety of beverages including Numi Organic Teas. Service was excellent and attentive and the staff were all very nice and kind. The bathrooms were clean. We'll definitely be back! read more

Why aren't there more people in this place? It has a great homey feel, prices are good (maybe a little steep if you're eating only meat dishes), and the food is solid. My friend and I split a veggie lunch special and the lamb tibs which were delicious. I understand that if you compare the food to all the Ethiopian places in the East Bay maybe Moya doesn't stand out. But it exists, and it's here in SoMa, and I appreciate that! I just got back from eating lunch here and we were only one of two parties in the whole restaurant at 12:30PM. I think this place is good enough to deserve a bigger lunch crowd than they are getting. So, if you're hungry reading this right now, trying to figure out where to get your lunch in SoMa, please give Moya a chance! read more

YUMMMMM-MY. Yes, it's that good that the word deserves a hyphen (and extra M's). I'm traveling on business in SF, and a colleague raised this Ethiopian place. I've only recently become acquainted with Ethiopian food, and this was a wonderful second place to try. Close to Market Street but a hole-in-the-wall place. It resembles a tiny fast food cafe, but it's completely legit. A woman appears to run it by herself, and this seems to be her bread and butter. We shared the avocado toast (included chickpeas, which was a nice Ethiopian touch) and a veggie platter with chicken. I only wish I could have wrapped up the food for a yummy breakfast with eggs...but alas, I'm traveling. read more

I am so pleased to see FolSoMa proliferating east of 7th Street (Folsom Street's little corridor of great restaurants is adapting FolSoMa nomenclature, if you're scratching your head at that word). I have been excited to eat at Moya since I first had a taste a month or so ago at an Urban Solutions community get together co-hosted by Moya and Fondue Cowboy on the other side of Russ Street. A mother and two daughters, who are incredibly warm and welcoming I might add, have been pouring their souls for nearly a year into getting this space fixed up and opening for business .... you know you want to cheer for their success!! I am cheering for their success, and will be telling friends to give Ethiopian food a try. This is a fun place to eat - you get to eat using an Ethiopian bread to scoop up the veggies/meats of your entree. It took me a few torn pieces to get the hang of it, but I was soon sopping up and scooping my entree with the best of them. I tried a lamb dish. The funny thing is that the meat wasn't all that hot - and even mentions in the menu that the meats aren't necessarily well done. It was very tasty, spiced up with some great natural flavors. I think the real triumph at Moya is the selection of vegetarian dishes. I tried the mushroom dish this go around. It was served hot, and it was simply excellent! I need to try a few more, but my gut tells me that you cannot go wrong with the Vegetarian entrees at Moya. I wish the ladies of Moya nothing but the best of success with their new restaurant. My boyfriend and I will certainly be back for lunch and/or dinner to further explore the menu and help support this new addition to our neighboring FolSoMa restaurant corridor. read more

I never had Ethiopian Food before, but I would go back in a heartbeat. Moya is a lovely little Restaurant with a good atmosphere and very friendly service. My friend and I were skipping through the menu whilst waiting on our other friends and I mentioned I did not know what to expect. The waitress overheard us, came over and started explaining Ethopian Food. she also recommended 2 of the dishes - one meat and one veggie. She sounded very convincing so we decided to order the recommended Shuro and the Ye Doro Wot. We also ordered Kifto and Misir Wot. All dishes were served with salad on a huge pice of Ethiopian bread. It smelled delicious (spicy and rich in flavors, texture similar to Indian food, but slightly less layers of spiciness/richness) and looked wonderful. Once the bread was brought we started digging in. My fav was the chicken marinated in lemon juice. I simple could not stop eating it. The meat was cooked to perfection - falling of the bone the minute you touched it. The raw beef was delicious too, very filling though. My friends loved the Shuro - fairly spicy but irresistible. We got to try three different versions of food, and I recommend the real deal - it tastes like dark bread - mhhhhh. All in all it was a successful evening - very social - eating family style from one big plate with your fingers, great & friendly service and extremely reasonable priced. read more

The most striking thing about Moya compared to other Ethiopian restaurants is that it was very clean. Most other Ethiopian places that I've been to are very delicious but not exactly a neat freak's paradise. Moya is both clean and delicious. We have been here twice, and both times we ordered a vegetarian combo and Ye Doro Tibs with chicken - shared, of course. Both were very good. I highly recommend getting an order of the vegetarian combo because it gives you a chance to sample many different dishes. Another positive differentiator of Moya over other Ethiopian places is their attentive service, especially when bringing over fresh injera, which we always seem to run out of several times. I will definitely be back! read more

This was my first time eating Ethiopian and Moya popped my cherry gently. Like a true virgin I wasn't really adventurous and started with the gursha, which was my favorite dish. We picked 2 entrees and the ye doro wot was tender and the ye beg tibs was sweet. I asked for spicy ye beg tibs but I didn't find it spicy at all. Maybe I should have asked for super spicy. If you are value conscious the portions are huge and on top of that the injera which is given with every order is very filling. Service was friendly and efficient. Our server sensed we were inexperienced and had plenty of patience with us. The one drawback is the lack of alcohol and dessert. I really could have used a nice red for my lamb. read more

We were super excited to find an Ethiopian restaurant only a couple blocks away from our apartment so we had to give it a try. You order at the counter and then take a seat. The walls are covered with beautiful murals and some look to tell the life story of the owner which I thought was really cool! The food was great, plenty of injera and great portions. The service was friendly and the food was served up super quickly. To move this review to a 5 star here is what the restaurant would need to improve upon: play some cool Ethiopian music (no music was on while we were there), make sure the bathroom is not out of order, and perhaps add the carrot-green bean dish (unfortunately I don't know the name - and I'm just bias because this is my favorite Ethiopian dish - but all the other Ethiopian restaurants have it and I LOVE it so much! Ok end of my little rant..) Keep up the good work, Moya! read more

This is the cuuuuutest place. A couple of friends and I were going back and forth about where to eat. We've been to most of the places in the neighborhood and we just decided to start walking. Luckily, we passed by this restaurant and saw it had opened! We were greeted by a very friendly group of people working there. It turns out (after talking with the owner and her daughter), it's owned by a single mother who clearly kicks butt and takes names. We ordered a chicken dish (Ye Doro Tibs) and the vegetarian sampler. It was all really, really delicious and different. The price was great, too! 3 of us ate for less than $40. After the meal - I asked if they had anything not posted on the menu that was on the dessert tip. She brought us a few pieces of this breakfast-y flatbread-y stuff with honey (sorry I don't remember the name of the dish). It wasn't on the menu, so I don't know that they would offer it to everyone. Regardless, I was super impressed with her willingness to go out of her way to find us something sweet. All in all - AWESOME experience. I hope this place does well. Will definitely be back very soon. read more

I love this place! We generally get the Veggie Sampler and add Siga Tibs (the Doro Tibs is also out of this world). Between the delicious food and friendly staff, Moya has become one of our favorite spots in SF. read more

Moya - Vegetarian Platter with Doro Tibs (Chicken). Our favorite combo! - Ethiopian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Awesome food with awesome service to go with it! Many people think only the meat-eaters have fun at Ethiopian restaurants like this one, but as an almost- vegetarian myself, I can say whole-heartedly that you will not regret eating here If you are a vegetarian!! The veggie combo gives you a good amount of each of the typical Ethiopian vegetable dishes which I believe are the most delicious of this culture's food. For those of you who are into meat, though, the doro wot is phenomenal, as is the kitfo (its raw meat but just keep an open mind!). As an Ethiopian myself I have often been disappointed with the food at Ethiopian restaurants because they are never authentic, but this restaurant is the REAL DEAL!! Give it a try and you will be thankful :) read more

Moya - doro tibs! - Ethiopian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Amazing food. Especially for vegetarians. Quick service. Variety of exotic flavors I was able to get a nutritious dish which had 4 meals into one read more

I don't give out 5 stars unless i mean it and I do. Gluten free injera, veggie sampler (of course) spiced so deliciously. And super friendly staff. The restaurant itself is a bit cold feeling with the warehousy vibe, but the food is too good to care. read more

not so great neighborhood but a fantastic lunch spot - their berbere sauce is not too spicy and the injera is spot on. They give you huge portions so you are really buying for two meals. I would recommend doing a take out as this place gets insanely hot inside! I am happy I found a nice Ethiopian place for when my craving hits read more

Meh. I got the doro tibs and it wasn't anything special. I was expecting some sauce with the chicken but it was pretty bare. Not spicy at all even though I asked for spicy. I need to find a better Ethiopian place. read more

Fresh and tasty with a spicy kick in the pants! Food = 4.0: I met my cousin for lunch at Moya and we shared the spicy red lentils and the spicy chicken (doro tibs). Each came with a small salad and two small relishes. We also got rice and injera bread. The lentils and chicken were super flavorful and they had nice heat. Portions were pretty fair. Next time, I will order the vegetarian sampler, which looked enormous! Service = 3.5: You order at the counter and they bring the plates to you. The ladies working the place were very nice. A half star bump for being able to pay with Square. Atmosphere = 4.0: This space is way better than their previous space at 6th and Folsom. Their first location was consumed by fire but as they say, "Everything happens for a reason." Thus, this new, clean and better location on 9th in the SoMa! read more

It's been ages since I had Ethiopian food--probably 15+ years ago. Clearly, it's been too long. Clean, cozy, and yummy smells are a winning trifecta in my book! The food was delicious...I shared the veggie combo and it was PLENTY of food. Tasty injera too, and a gluten free option is available. Also loved the friendly service and strong coffee. A definite winner! read more

One of the best Ethiopian I've had yet!! It's a cafe style so it's kind of informal. You order in the front and then they bring out your food. I got the veggie sampler for a lunch special and it was soooo much food for such a good deal! About $9 for my plate of salad, red lentils, yellow lentils, collard greens, and this potato/carrot/green bean/cabbage thing. Very tasty! The injerah was also super soft and didn't brittle up like it normally does! I'll be back to try the meat dishes! read more

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

Cute little place- we stopped in before catching Newsies at the Orpheum Theatre. I love ethiopian food- eat it all time. I hadn't been here before- and I was a little disappointed to see that they don't have a liquor license... no honey wine! They did have gluten-free injera, great for the hubby, and the vegetarian combo platter is what we ordered. It was good, but not as flavorful as I would have wanted. read more

After a long search for a good Ethiopian place in the bay, we finally found Moya. This place is authentic, delicious, and with great service. The food is so good, we always get a take away for the week besides what we have at the restaurant. read more

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

So SOOO GOOD!!! I got the veggie platter and the steak tibs. The steak is great but the veggies shine! I had an audible reaction to every bite. Not to mention the injera was perfect...sour and spongy. This is the best flavored Ethiopian food I've ever had (I've eaten Ethiopian in Chicago, Southern California and new to SF). Moya has a new customer for life. Love it! read more

Moya - Veggie platter to go - SOOO GOOD!!! - Ethiopian Near Me - San Francisco, California

We ate at Moya last night, and the food was solid, not spectacular. They lost a couple stars for me with their split yellow peas and collards which were both pretty bland. Also the lamb (Ye Beg Tibs) was a little tough. I didn't mind this so much because it was my husband who ordered the lamb so it wasn't a big deal to me. The spicy red lentils, however, were excellent and the carrots and potatoes were tasty, too. All around it was okay, but I guess I'm spoiled by Little Ethiopia in LA. FYI you can't walk 20 yards in Oakland or Berkeley without passing an Ethiopian restaurant. If Moya were in the East Bay it would have a hard time competing. read more

We live in the neighborhood and are wondering why we have not been here since. It was my first time eating Ethiopian food and I must say everything was excellent. I love the fact the place is a family business. I had the Kifto dulte , vegetarian combination and ye doro wot. Everything tasted fantastic. There was enough food for 2 more people. Our waitress even gave us a few items to try for free. Looking forward to going back again. read more

Dinner at Moya is a bit more quiet than during lunch time I would assume. They are cafe style, you order - pay -sit down and wait for your food. Which works nicely if you are with a friend and worrying about how you are going to split the bill. Their selection was extensive, they give you the option for family style. Which means you can order all the food you want and they will join everything together onto one plate. We wanted to order this beef dish and the lady who worked there (who was the cashier, cook, waitress) asked us if we have had Ethiopian before and when we said yes asked if we had that dish before. Recommended that we tried another beef dish, because she explained that this dish takes some "getting used to" and to be safe if we wanted to enjoy our dinner should order something "safer". That works for me, much appreciated that she points this out dispute how busy she was cooking and doing all of these things at once. We went with that and the mushrooms, and it was all very delicious. The thing with Ethiopian food to me is, I can't have that much. But that results in an unhappy tummy, who wants more food. Well that's what happened after finishing our meal, we were still hungry. We ordered two entrees, normally we would be full so we came to the conclusion that portions were on the smaller side and for each entree to be about $10+ for a cafe this is on the pricier side. Though what makes it unique is obviously that it serves Ethiopian food, fast but in no way does it compromise quality. read more

I adore Moya. The food is excellent and the people who run it are kind. I order different dishes every time I go based on the company, sometimes with vegetarians, sometimes with meat eaters. The menu is flexible this way. Order one order of injera and ask for forks. Eat the remainder of the food with the injera on the bottom of the platter. Personal fav is the vegetarian platter and the doro wot. My favorite place in the city to get Ethiopian food. It's centrally located, takes square and it's worth it. read more

Before I discovered Moya I was sure that Oakland and San Jose had the only good Ethiopian restaurants in the Bay Area, but now I've found a place that can satisfy my cravings in San Francisco. The two best things about Moya are the kitfo and the injera. The injera is all teff, so it's gluten free and a gorgeous color. It's very flavorful and sour. The kitfo is only served raw and is incredible. I'm not as big of a fan of the veggie combo or doro tibs. read more

I used to eat here 4-5 days a week when I worked nearby, getting the Doro Tibs every single time. Big portions, healthy options (you can substitute brown rice for injera no charge), all around GREAT. read more

I really liked this place. The food is damn good. Probably the best Ethiopian food I've had. Certainly the best I've had in SF. Also, the people are super, duper nice. The space itself is not sceney; and they don't serve alcohol. But taking it for what it is, it's a great spot. We'll definitely be back. read more

I would say just totally fine Ethiopian, nothing too special. They don't ruin anything but don't master anything either. Everything tasted ok with no standouts. Wouldn't return but wouldn't say don't try it if you're craving Ethiopian. read more

Ethiopian restaurants are popular for their veggie fare and in this regard Moya did not disappoint. Their menu boasts plenty of veggie options, the staples of any good Ethiopian place -- a veggie combo and shuro, and even a tofu dish! I ordered the veggie combo (vegan) with my date, and we both left full. I look forward to coming back again and trying the shuro and appetizers! Service was super friendly, food tasty (misir wot was my favorite) and prices very reasonable! Good injera and being open for lunch earns them bonus points. A few new-restaurant kinks but I have no doubt they will be worked out. Having an Ethiopian place downtown is going to be very satisfying for my taste buds but very dangerous for my pocketbook. :) read more

Popped in here on the way to see an event at the Thrill-peddlers on 10th We had the vegetarian platter It was enough for the two of us and we really liked it. Especially the spicy red lentils I love the crepe like bread and also the collard greens, the dh not so much. He like the yellow pea dish. read more

Very tasty vegetable sampler. Satisfied my craving for Ethiopian cuisine. The only problem is they don't offer any samplers for the meat dishes. I wish they offered an option to add on a small portion of meat dish to the veggie sampler for $2-$4. Would be well worth it. I asked but they wouldn't allow it. read more

I left a review for this restaurant before that addressed the practice of them charging for injera. They must follow their Yelp reviews and considered my points valid, and they began providing injera with the meals. Charging for the injeras was my only real complaint as it was tantamount to charging for chopsticks in a Chinese restaurant or a fork at any other restaurant. I'm happy to say that their business model for charging for the injera seems to have improved to a more reasonable model. I will say that they are great on customer service here. My boyfriend's iPhone was dying, and they allowed us to use their iPad charger from their iPad/Square/register setup. This is going above and beyond. Thank you again for adjusting the charging for injera to complimentary with a meal. read more

Ok so I not a fan of Ethiopian food at all so I am probably not the best person to be writing this review. We came here for a coworkers birthday dinner and he happens to love Ethiopian food which is all that matters right? The food was a bit spicer than I would have liked and the sourdough bread that was soft was just weird! It looked the skin to me and the whole time I was grossed out by it. Again because I was not a fan of this food I didn't like the place but for people who are fans it is probably not a bad place! The place itself is on the smaller side and you order at the county. Not in the nicest or cleanest place in the city but then again hey which place is in the city? read more

Everything about my experience at Moya was great. This was the first Ethiopian I have had in the Bay area, but it is better than my other experiences, even when I was living in the DC area. The staff was very personable and spent time explaining how to eat Ethiopian as well as suggesting dishes to the people in my party who had not had Ethiopian before. Our sever even explained some of the cultural significance of different dishes. The flavors were rich and not overpowered by heat. The sauces had a great mixture of savory and spicy, and were not overly greasy. The injera was fresh and of perfect consistency. We started with the ye timatim fit fit, which was a fresh and lite salad, perfect for introducing those new to Ethiopian food to the injera. The vegetarian combination was very good. The gomen, collard greens, was a stand-out as far as the vegetarian dishes. The Moya Special Kitfo was full of a great herbal flavor that I couldn't quite figure out. The ye doro wot was also delicious, and even better when mixed with a little of the ayb (home made cottage cheese) as suggested by our server. The interior is new and clean, with ample seating available when we arrived for an early dinner at 6:30pm. The surrounding area is not very residential, so there was ample parking on the same block when we arrived. I am definitely excited to go back and sample more of their menu. By interacting with the servers, cooks and owner, you can tell that they work hard to make delicious "home-style" Ethiopian food and very proud of the product. read more

Our family tried Moya for the first time this weekend and the kids loved the DORA TIBS and eating with their hands. The staff was family friendly and immediately pushed two tables together to accommodate us. The food was good and served QUICKLY. The veggie sampler, an order of the Dora Tibs, and an extra order of Injera bread was the ample for 2 adults and 2 kids. Really, an Ethiopian restaurant should have a sink outside of the bathroom area so patrons can quickly and easily wash their hands before the meal. Dealing with the bathroom key (understood as it is SOMA) and only one bathroom is not very efficient. read more

The sight of stony grey, spongy, aerated, injera bread rolled on a plate is motivation to plot a course on GOOGLE maps and head outside. If it's a few blocks away, I'll just do a YELPY and see what the vibe is....I know, not exactly road less traveled, throw caution to the wind, stuff that adventures are made of but..when I am salivating over menus on the web and my tummy needs filling...I don't like to take too many risks. I know, got to live on the 'food' edge more. VEGANSAURUS rated MOYA as ^swear word^ delicious, 'Moya rules' . Enough said. My coat was flying behind me as I attempted to get dressed and walk down the street at the same time. Skill. I walked down Folsom to 7th, past some rather 'interesting' bars. I'd railroaded my foodie pal into eating an early dinner (for Glen it was a late lunch/early dinner...a linner? Well..we accepted the word brunch didn't we?!) The restaurant only had one couple tucking in when we arrived. More arrived whilst we scoffed. We ordered the vegetarian combo (yes, 'tis vegan), a buffet/taster plate. Five dishes spooned on Teff - a nutritious Ethiopian grain..Wiki tells it. gluten-free, injera bread. The salad was simply chopped toms and lettuce but dusted with white pepper - usually pet hate of mine, but..it worked, I was converted; a stew of carrots kale; slow cooked collard greens; yellow split peas in garlic & spices and split red lentils in Berbere sauce. I also called ahead (obsessive planning!..but they ask for 30mins notice) to get them whipping up some Shuro (ground garbanzos cooked in garlic & Berbere sauce). Vegansaurus said to order it and slather it on everything as it was like liquid butter... The injera was good..perfect in fact. A texture like nothing else. The palate of dishes in the veggie combo? I enjoyed the salad..actually I enjoyed EVERYTHING. The red split lentils were worthy of a trumpeted fanfare and mini indoor sparklers..yey! The other dishes were good but my socks were not blown off, tic-a-tape did not rain from the sky and I did not take to the floor to perform three somersaults, air straddle splits and a triple salto in celebration. Hmm, I'd go again.. but I'd gorge (and you do gorge..they are GENEROUS portions) on the spicy misir and an injera or two. I'd save my dosh for spending on a sweet vegan goodie from Rainbow Grocery on the way home and give the Shuro a miss too ..it didn't rock my boat..more of a gentle nudge from the wake of a passing ship., ok, ok, you knew what I meant. Plus points; the food was brought out in minutes, the cooks/server seemed (quietly) proud of their food. Minus; they currently only take cash BUT they do have an ATM read more

More Moya. Take a traditional Ethiopian platter. Swap the injera house baked sandwich bread. Inside put a generous portion of chicken with just the right amount of kick. Prepare smooth house drip coffee for those of us who need a kick. Together they gave me delicious reason to come back for a second visit. read more

This place was amazing; clean, welcoming and run and owned by two women. I loved that it was a family run place. For two of us, getting the teff injera (which is actually what injera is supposed to be made with; many places cut the teff with flour; teff is also gluten free!) and the all veggie platter, it was a grand total of $23. We didn't even finish it all and we were stuffed...... The food was colorful, flavorful and just amazing....can't wait to hit it up again! read more

First, they need to take a new photo and update their Yelp listing; the current photo is of their previous restaurant location. Their new spot is brand new and simplistic. Their food has been wonderful and has been my choice twice this week along with many people from our office just a couple yards away. My only recommendation thus far is that because you eat w/ your fingers I feel they should have MUCH better napkins and/or wet wipes to use. But hey, they have only been open 3 days, so I'll cut some slack and see how everything works out in a couple months. KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!!! read more