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Meskel
Categories: Restaurants Ethiopian Restaurants African Ethiopian, African [Edit]
199 E 3rd St(between Avenue B & Avenue A)
New York, NY 10009
Neighborhoods: East Village, Alphabet City
(212) 254-2411
- Nearest Transit:
-
2 Av (F)
Essex St (J, M, Z)
Delancey St (F)
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 3 pm - 11 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
76 reviews for Meskel
Review Highlights
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"The honey wine was delicious." In 13 reviews -
"The injera was perfect; spongy and warm and filling." In 31 reviews -
"The collard greens were really delicious." In 7 reviews
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- A Yelpy Insight: Vegetarians go nuts for this spot. See more places they like.
76 reviews in English
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Review from Uma K.
Manhattan, NY
5/14/2012
This is my FAVORITE Ethiopian restaurant in Manhattan. I've tried quite a few of them, and this place feels like home. Every time I go, I always get the Vegetarian combo. The string beans are my favorite, kind of sweet and tangy, and are perfect with the injera. A note about the injera: it's AMAZING. It's always soft, and tastes like it was just made (and then cooled). Usually, whenever I go to an Ethiopian place, the injera is hard and either too sour or too bland. This place has the perfect texture, and the perfect tang.
Atmosphere wise: it's a tiny place, with so-so service (it's clearly run by a small family), but I find that when the food is as delicious as it is, I can forgive these small grievances. Sometimes the music is irritatingly loud, but I'm sure you could ask them to turn it down if you wanted.
Beverage choices are limited, but the honey wine is okay. Really, just go there for the food, and then party it up in Alphabet City for the rest of the night! -
Review from Laura W.
4/27/2012 1 Check-in Here
I've been here several times, and I've always been pleased. It's casual, with very good Ethiopian food.*
I always share one of the platters: the food comes in small scoops on top of the Injera- a spongy flatbread. My only complaint about the food is that since many of the meats are stewed with the bones, small shards sometimes find their way into the dish. Some caution is warranted.
They could also work on the ambiance a bit. There's a lack of music in the dining room- although some of cooks music wafts out of the kitchen. The overall appearance lacks charm... although that has not prevented my repeat visits!
*I've only ever tried one other Ethiopian restaurant, but my taste buds were pleased. -
Review from Astra G.
I have very mixed feelings about Meskel:
The options at this place are more limited and they did not have any gomen/collard greens to my dismay.
However, the food was very tasty. I don't know if it was because I was really hungry or because they had really good flavors, but the food was notably flavorful. The injera however I thought was a bit floppier and thinner than other Ethiopian places and not as sour. They may be cutting their tef flour with wheat flour. Since it as so thin our injera on the bottom of our plate was so soaked it was hard to pick up without falling apart into mushyness. Despite this, we completely finished everything on our plate.
The beer I ordered was skunky, which was the only beer option available. I do like though that it was an Ethiopian beer and not an American beer.
The inside of this place seems like it may of used to be a pizza joint. There was also only one server with a good amount of other people there.
And why is this restaurant is cash only!? How can this place be cash only if the entrees are $11.00 to $17.00? We had to run to an ATM after the bill arrived. There is no mention of this (at least we didn't see any) anywhere on the menu or on the storefront. They should not leave this important information out.
The morning after I woke up with dull pains in my stomach and felt like I may need to vomit. My mind quickly went to a review by another yelper who spoke about being sick after eating the lamb...and I had eaten the lamb. WTF is this? Why does this place make people's stomachs turn? This is not right.
So even though I thought this place had great flavor, because of the many pitfalls I have to give a 2.Listed in: NYC Ethiopian
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Review from Darby M.
Manhattan, NY
1/5/2012
Although the service was good, and the food was edible,(or so I thought) nothing can forgive the violent food poisoning my friends and I got from eating from this place.
I still cannot eat solid food, and every time I picture the place, I get sick. STAY AWAY! -
Review from Jenny G.
Brooklyn, NY
2/25/2012
Nice little Ethiopian cafe with a small but delicious vegetarian menu, and good honey wine & injera. Staff is always friendly and welcoming. Honey wine is good. I only wish they had brunch hours, for those days we have to be in town early.
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Review from Natalie V.
New York, NY
3/7/2011
I have had plenty of perfectly average Ethiopian that was still edible and never thought "bad Ethiopian" was possible, till now.
We ordered a combination of two meats and three vegetables. Beef and lamb -- both equally horrifying in their toughness and complete lack of flavor. Neither of us wanted more than one bite.
The green beans were dry and chewy. They tasted like they had been spooned out onto a plate and left out for hours. The carrots mixed in with the chewy green beans tasted like they had been marinated in honey.
Both of us love lentils in bebere, so we got two orders of that. It was the most edible thing on the plate, but still not good. To top things off, the injera that we got with our order was cold.
I really wanted to love this place because it is just a few blocks from where we live, but alas, it wasn't even average enough to keep on our rotation. -
Review from Alison C.
10/17/2011
"I really want to go out for Ethiopian food," I kept hearing one of my friends say. So, after about the third time, a few of us decided to just add one of these dinners to our calendars. I did some research and discovered that Meskel supposedly served some of the best versions of this cuisine in Manhattan.
So on that fateful evening, we met at this cozy cafe, which was located on a quiet block and maintained a real neighborhood vibe. Our server was extremely welcoming and helped us navigate through the foreign menu. We started off with a bottle of their Honey Wine, which was bright yellow in color and possessed the perfect hint of sweetness. We then decided on the few items that we wanted to share, since this cuisine was all based around sampling dishes off of a large, circular platter.
Before our tasting buffet arrived, we divided up an extraordinary Avocado Salad that included tomatoes, green peppers, and onions mixed with their house dressing. The tart vinaigrette had a citrus note to it and reminded me of something used to season a ceviche. This "salad" was actually more similar to a guacamole than anything else; it was not what we had expected, but certainly not a disappointment.
Once we finished the starter and our curiosity was peaked, we sat on the edge of our seats awaiting our indulgent feast. We received an overloaded plate of Ethiopian bread that looked like a moist dosa. It was very spongy and perfect for scooping up the delicious stews that then arrived. The Yebeg Alecha was mild in spice and contained cubes of lamb that had been marinated with butter and then sauteed with ginger, garlic, and curry. The meat contained a few tiny bones and was a bit dry, but the sauce was hearty and rich, which compensated for any lack of tenderness. The Special Chicken Tips, however, were extremely tender. The chicken was served on the bone and was well-seasoned with garlic, tomatoes, and onions. It was finished with a mild, native awaze sauce. The pureed Collard Greens were the addictive highlight of the plate. They had been infused with Ethiopian spices such as garlic, onion, and ginger. Lastly, our communal plate also included some spectacular Curried Lentils.
Meskel's food and decor allowed us to feel comfortable with our adventure into this unknown culinary territory. I was glad that I had tackled yet another cuisine that I could cross off my bucket list and thanked this charming spot for helping me complete the journey. -
Review from Ann B.
New York, NY
3/14/2011
The restaurant itself is small and intimite. Despite this, we did not have to wait at all and were seated immediatly. It is a comfortable place and has a relaxed atmosphere, almost comparable to your own home. But its appearance is slightly ran down looking, I'm not sure if this is the look that is intentional? The menu is small, which did make it easy to decide what to order, considering this was my first Ehiopian experience.
We both had the sampler entree, which allowed us to try 5 different dishes.
The pork sample was the least of our favorites, it was boney and grizzely, with very little lean meat. I would not order a whole serving of this for that reason. Its flavor, I did like, but would enjoy if there were more lean meat.
There were two beef sample, one came with cabbage, which was good.
The other was comparable to beef stew, it was tasty.
The other two sides comprised of lentils, with a texture similar to hummus. One was yellow, and largely blande. The other was a red / orange color, was was extremely tasty. This was my favorite sample.
The dish was served with bread that looked allot like thin pancake, but was not sweet, but was bitter almost. There was no cutlery given, nor was any offered. The service was friendly and timely. The honey wine was delicious. The prices of the food menu is resonable, the sampler dish was $15.95 I believe, and the portion was by no means big. Glasses of wine start at $5 and up to $7 per glass.
I am interested to try another Ethiopian restaurant to see how this place compares. It was certainly an experience! -
Review from sunita s.
New York, NY
12/20/2010
I have never had ethiopian food and I know very little about the cuisine (except that it uses red chili powder which is a big winner with me).
So I went to Meskel with an open mind (and a willing stomach). I have to say that the one word that comes up when describing the food is "comforting"...something all that soft, airy bread I guess.
We had the injera with a mixed spicy salad to start and it was really moist and savory. As mains, we ordered a bunch of things that were all served together in a giant steel platter over a layer of aforementioned soft (it's called injera?) bread. The collard greens were really delicious. We had two types of lentils and I liked the darker spicier version. The chicken (curry?) was also yummy and perfectly cooked without being dry. We also ordered a whole fish - it was a tilapia and served with a very spicy green chili sauce, heavenly!
To top it all off, Meskel is incredibly affordable, the bill came out to 20 per person (incl. wine!)
two thumbs up -
Review from Daryll H.
New York, NY
Updated - 11/14/2010
In the last few years, they have:
- removed the weird little hut and expanded their seating (good)
- stopped their BYOB policy (bad)
- added ethiopian beer! (good)
- removed said ethiopian beer and now only have really bad bottled beer (bad)
- still have great food, friendly service, and usually no waiting for a table (great)
Dear owner people: If you read this, please replace your entire beer selection. If you had great beer, I would be there twice a week.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/11/2008
This place is pretty badass. The only other Ethiopian place I've eaten at was in DC, and I remember… Read more »
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Review from Mary C.
8/2/2010
I wasn't sure how I felt about Ethiopian food. The last time I ate it, I ended up with a stomach ache. I wasn't very fond of it, but I'm a stubborn foodie! I refused to believe I would dislike a whole cuisine. I grew up on weird foods w/various textures, smells, and parts of animals I still don't know today!
So I looked up Ethiopian restaurants and decided on Meskel. I dragged my boyfriend along, who is not a foodie and is very wary of ethnic foods. The foodie in me - dislikes and will break him.
As we enter the small intimate restaurant, we are greeted by a very nice lady. She was our hostess and waitress. There was only 2 other diners in the restaurant. My boyfriend looked at me like he was entering some torture session. He didn't like the smell. I thought it smelled good. It smelled like real food. Not burgers and fries.
I loved the beautiful Ethiopian art hanging on the walls. I notice most Ethiopian restaurants have beautiful pieces of art. From paintings of everyday people to hand made quilt like thingies?
We ordered the sampler plate. I was so enthusiastic as I showed my boyfriend the injera and how to break and scoop. I ate it like it was the most delicious thing to touch my lips. I LIED! I couldn't let him think I didn't like it. I ate and ate and said "have some more! it's good!" Inside, my tummy was aching. I think it's the sourness from the injera? I don't know! But my tummy isn't accepting it!
I guess I just have to accept that don't like it =( -
Review from viviane v.
Sausalito, CA
11/8/2007
I've eaten here about four or five times and every time I finish the meal I vow to get online and yelp about it, but then I get really selfish. What if the place starts hopping? What if I can never get a seat? But then I worry about them closing since every time I've been there it hasn't been packed. So here I am.
I must rave about the vegetarian combo plate. First off, their injera bread is by far the best injera bread I've ever had. It has a great texture with plenty of give before you rip a piece off. It tastes fresh, as if it were just made. It's presented rolled up, like ace bandages (and it's fun to roll out and eat).
The Misir Wat is nice and spicy. The tikil gomen is bar far the best cabbage I've had at an Ethiopian restaurant. The fosolia, a dish I never had before, is outstanding. The only dish I'm not a fan of anywhere, the collard greens (gomen collard) is nice, but always the one that I leave behind.
The service is weird: The food comes out pretty fast, the waitress is good with water and asking if we need more injera, but when you're done eating, she leaves you alone for a while. Good if you just want to hang and talk, but if you need to leave flag her down or get up and find her.
Overall, a fantastic place that blows all the other restaurants I've eaten at (Meskerem, Queen of Sheba, Ghenet) out of the water. -
Review from Christopher I.
New York, NY
5/31/2008
Disorganized thoughts on Meskel:
"Wow, this place has the tiniest bathroom in NYC...I could wash my hands while I'm on the pot! Impressive"
"Damn, we really should have followed the waitress' advice and ordered one dish per person." (we ordered more--know that combination plate does not mean bigger)
"This music rocks." (usually stuff like Fela Kuti and Mahmoud Ahmed)
"That lady is so nice." (waitress here is very sweet)
"This food is great."
Finally, the other great thing is you never need reservations. There's always a seat, even on Saturday nights..it's not because the food isn't wonderful and homey--it definitely is! -
Review from maria m.
3/13/2010 1 Check-in Here
One word: delicious!
I've been here several times since moving to NYC a few years ago. Coming from DC and having spent time in East Africa, I was hard pressed to find an authentic and tasty Ethiopian restaurant that would become my go-to. And this is just that place.
My friend and I split the lamb chunks and the vegetable combo-- yummy chickpeas paste (shiro); deliciously, flavorful collard greens; slightly spicy and undeniably flavorful red lentils (I think); and a couple other tasty vegetables. The lamb was delicious and flavorful, though a bit overcooked. The injera was as expected, if not better. My friend commented that it was a lot better than the injera she had else where. It wasn't as sour or bitter, though injera is usually a bit sour and the taste is definitely acquired.
I had a glass of Tej, which is the authentic honey wine, and that was just as I remembered it-- light, slightly sweet, definitely refreshing. The waitress mentioned Tej is sometimes enjoyed as a dessert wine. I had mine with dinner, but I like the idea of enjoying it after the meal. Maybe next time...
In the several times going and even last week, I've never really paid mind to the decor. It's simple, it's clean, and the place is tiny. But the food is clearly what keeps folks like myself coming back again and again. Though my friend and I were the first people there, around six on a Thursday evening, the place filled up as time went on.
I highly recommend this place for people who have had Ethiopian before, and those who haven't. It's definitely one of my favorite cuisines and this place does it very well. -
Review from Erez H.
LONG ISLAND CITY, NY
1/9/2012
It's a good small Ethiopian place. Nothing fancy, but very charming. Good food. I don't know what we ordered but in the end it's just a lot of tasty sauces on top of Inerja bread. Treat yourself to some Rum Cake and Honey wine.
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Review from stephanie t.
Brooklyn, NY
1/6/2007
I was so happy to find out about Meskel. New York totally lacks Ethiopian food, especially downtown, and Meskel fills this gap beautifully.
This is a typical great food-not so great service below 14th St restaurant. I went for lunch and had the lamb tibs, which was DELICIOUS. The portion size was huge, esp. for $7.50 (dinner is more expensive), and was served with three dollops of vegetable side dishes, and plenty of injera. The greens were particularly bright and flavorful.
This meal made me extremely happy, and I would not hesitate to go back. The only negatives were that It took us a while to get water and napkins as well, but the staff was friendly and helpful. -
Review from Namrata A.
New York, NY
8/19/2007
Meskel, though between Avenue B and A I believe meaning a bit of walk, is by far the second best Ethiopian place. Though it is small it is cute and accomodating. The staff is attentive and friendly. The food is delicious, reasonably priced, and the honey wine is amazing here. I would recommend Meskel hands down and would have it any time I'm downtown. Ethiopian food downtown: MESKEL for sure!
UMM..SCRATCH THAT
UPDATE: Their menu has become more expensive, limited, and they are stingy with injera bread. I think I'd opt for Zoma as the BEST Ethiopian in NYC. AND you cannot use a CC. WTF? -
Review from JNM J.
Manhattan, NY
10/29/2011
Worst Ethiopian I have ever had, not to mention the food came out cold and the lighting was poor
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Review from Nicole R.
New York, NY
5/11/2009
Oh, Lordy. This place sucked. I LOVE Ethiopian food so much that this place actually angered me. If I'd been in a movie (or a reality show) I definitely would've flipped my table over before leaving.
We ordered 2 entrees and had them served together. Bad idea. We ended up getting 1/2 of each entree...so my friend and I basically shared one serving of food. The lamb had so much bone in it, that it completely ruined the dish and the experience. The injera wasn't warm. The lentils came out looking like baby food...no texture, just slush. The honey wine was good. Guess what? Honey wine tastes the same at every Ethiopian restaurant.
Doesn't come close to Ethiopian Restaurant on the UES...it's worth the cab ride to avoid this disaster. Bigger portions, no wait, better food, better music. I wish the Delicious Food Police would confiscate this location from Meskel and give it to ER. -
Review from Nobbi L.
6/25/2007
I've had Ethiopian food in many places. I was visiting from SFO with my nephew who's from central WI but still a foodie and has had Ethiopian food many a places. He thought it was the best he's ever had and I really thought it was excellent.
So for you Ethiopian foodies in Manhattan, try this place. Have the Kitfo raw.
And if you come to the San Francisco Bay area go to Messob and to Cafe Collucci in Oakland. (No, I don't own any stock in those places.)Listed in: Ethiopian Restaurants
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Review from Athena C.
I haven't had any Ethiopian food in NYC and this is my first time although I had them in DC several times.
Meskel is a tiny and kind of shabby restaurant on E. 3rd st. The service however, was very friendly and attentive. We tried several meat with their bread and they were all pretty good. The marinate was savory and bread was just abundant and fluffy.
The only complaint I have is one of the meat was kind of dry compared to the ones I had in DC. -
Review from alice t.
Brooklyn, NY
5/3/2007
Good stuff! I arrived around 8:15 on a Wed with my friend and we were seated immediately. The place has high ceilings, is painted yellow, and overall is really cheerful and pleasant. Only one guy on staff.
We ordered sambosas (like samosas, but with ground beef or lentils), the vegetarian combo (great variety) and we asked for the beef/lamb combo with just lamb and chicken, because I don't eat beef, but something definitely got lost in the translation. Oh well, you definitely take a chance when you order off the menu. The combo appeared with the lamb dishes and some of the vegetarian dishes. We had also ordered the sambosas with lentils and they came with beef instead. I sucked it up and ate one (didn't hurt that it was delicious) but I am pretty lax in my no-red-meat rule. Other people might have found that a more difficult mistake to rectify.
Everything was great except I found the lamb pretty chewy and you had to tear the meat right off the bone. The vegetarian dishes were all delicious. I LOVED the injera (my friend calls it "nerf bread"), and they brought plenty of it. The waiter came over and spooned some sort of extra stuff onto our plates at some point, which I always appreciate.
My only complaint is that the service was pretty inattentive- we were the only people in the restaurant and it took forever to get our plates cleared and get the check, as well as the various mistakes with our order. They were busy with takeout orders, which probably means the locals are big fans of this place too.
Total with appetizers, 2 entrees, 1 glass of wine was $40 including tax and tip. Totally affordable. Definitely recommended for a random weekday dinner. -
Review from Jim D.
New York, NY
2/12/2008
Ethiopian food is very unique - you don't find it in very many places. Here in New York, there are a few restaurants. But Meskel is the "homiest" of them all, in my opinion. The restaurant itself is small, but the portion sizes (especially if you decide to do take out, which they do offer...) can be quite large. I really enjoy their Tibs wat here (spicy beef), and the lentils are good too.
The enjera bread is very filling, as it always is - but here it seems spongier than usual. I still like it :)Listed in: My Neighborhood
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Review from Andy G.
Manhattan, NY
12/16/2008
I just wrote a scathing review for Cascina, so now I have to undo that negative mojo by telling you all about one of the best Ethiopian meals I've ever had. It was here at Meskel and we ended up here by mistake. I thought I was going to a different restaurant in the EVil.
Anyway, we got there early-ish on a Friday (was on a date) and each ordered a sampler (one veggie, one non-veggie). The mustard greens were spectacular, the yellow lentils amazing, the meat was perfectly seasoned, tender, and perfectly cooked.
I definitely recommend this over ANY of the other ethiopian restaurants in Manhattan. -
Review from Nils J.
San Francisco, CA
3/18/2009
For ethiopian in New York? Not bad. Doesn't really compare to DC ethiopian, but then again, pretty much nothing elsewhere in the states does.
TINY space, but good prices and pretty tasty food. -
Review from Adam B.
Brooklyn, NY
2/23/2009
It's low-key and relaxed and may be the finest Ethiopian food I've ever had. And I've had a lot. And it's never good.
I'm sorry, I feel really ethnocentric but I'll just unload anyway:
Look, from the footage I've seen, Eastern Africans ain't exactly the zaftig type so I'm not sure why I insist on repeatedly trying their food. That pancake always has that rubbery feel that, apparently, someone finds appetizing. And yes, Meskel's is authentically rubbery so, huzzah on that count.
The curries and rice other "main dishes" are OK. meaning: edible. Brown, mushy, and edible.
The place itself is small and cute though and the service is nice. So, in essence, I guess the only thing against the Ethiopian restaurant is the Ethiopian food. -
Review from C C.
San Francisco, CA
9/20/2007
Not bad but I've had better. I actually give it 3 1/2 stars but since I can't show that, I figured I'd round up.
The restaurant IS cozy but quite small and I felt a bit cramped. Our table was against the wall/window and it was hard getting in and out of my chair because part of the wall jutted out and the chair only moved so far.
They play nice ambiant music and the service was friendly. I thought the menu would have more to choose from. I ordered the combo plate. It came with 5 items: I really liked 2 of them (the lamb and the other item was yellow -- I'm guessing garbanzo beans?), 2 were ok, and the last 1 I didn't care for. I really liked the spongy bread.
Overall, it was still a pleasant experience and I would try it again. -
Review from Karin B.
Brooklyn, NY
6/3/2008
No sambosas?! How's that possible? It's like no spring rolls at a Chinese restaurant--or no penne at an Italian joint.
Crap-ass wine. Wah.
Still...beautiful, attentive server, unlimited injera and deelish miser wat.
If you like Ethiopian restaurants, you'll enjoy the food, warm atmosphere, and service at Meskel. If you've never tried Ethiopian food and find yourself hungry in the East Village, try Meskel. Just stick with the beer and you'll be fine. -
Review from dave r.
New York, NY
12/31/2008
Ethiopian is always a fun cuisine and tends to always bring back fond memories for me since i LOVE to eat with my hands :-)
It was great being in Meskel - last night the mother was cooking and her daughter was serving - now that is home style style!
We tried almost everything on the menu here are my recommendations:
Veggie: Fosolia (THIS WAS AMAZING - favorite of the night - could not eat enough!)
Meat: Doro Wat and Special Tibs....mmm yum :-)
also if you are into VERY sweet wine go for the traditional Ethiopian honey wine - it was a but sweet for my liking - but my brother and friends seemed to enjoy it! -
Review from Kate T.
New York, NY
4/21/2009
Yum! Delicious and authentic Ethiopian food! I love that this place feels like a restaurant would feel in Ethiopia rather than like a restaurant that is trying to display its Ethiopian-ness. The decor is simple and functional. The food is amazing and filling. (I always go for the Vegitarian Platter.)
Unfortunately this place got is liquor license recently so it's no longer BYOB. The wine is resonably priced, but the selection may leave you a bit disapointed. -
Review from Betts C.
4/30/2009
So good! I could be into Meskel all the time if I lived closer. The food is not overpriced by any means, and the injera is really delicious and fun- better than any fork I've been around lately. We devoured all of our food incredibly quickly, and the variety of flavors was amazing. I'll say that I don't have great amounts of experience with Ethiopian food, but I was thrilled with the offerings at Meskel.
It's a very relaxed atmosphere, and I didn't suffer from the less than great service to which others have referred. Though she was definitely busy and less attentive as the place filled up, my friend and I never felt ignored. Instead, it just felt like we weren't being rushed out the door.
The wine selection isn't huge, and if you like honey wine, theirs is great. If you don't like pretty sweet wine, then don't try it. No wine options are expensive and most are South American, so they're pretty good. Just not a huge variety.
I would recommend the Vegetarian Platter for a trial of the various veggie options, and the lamb is phenomenal (although warning, there are bones involved). We didn't try the other meat options, but if the tenderness of the lamb is at all telling, they'll be pretty remarkable. -
Review from Anna C.
7/9/2009
I've been here twice with the bf recently, and can't stop that craving for Ethiopian food! I am hooked!
We ordered the same thing both times, so I can only speak for that: the vegetarian combo, which basically includes samples of all their vegetarian offerings. I absolutely love the flavor and spices in the entrees, which all tasted very much like homestyle cooking--as if they were stewed in pots for hours.
We had both of our entrees combined on one platter, which came to us as a a layer of injera, dotted with the vegetarian samples. They also served it with a plate of injera, sliced and folded.
To be honest, i wasn't sure what exactly I was eating since it was all just portions of mushy, saucy food, but I loved all of it. The bf's personal favorite were the collard greens, but I was a fan of the two "yellow" samples--I think they both might have been chickpea-based. The injera is also surprisingly filling. It doesn't look like much when the food is brought out, but believe me, you'll leave with a full stomach. Thankfully, it's filling in a good way. I don't feel completely weighed down after eating this. It's not very greasy or heavy, just very flavorful homestyle food.
The only reason I'm taking a star off is because the service is quite slow. I think that might perhaps be a cultural thing though, because my experience at the only other Ethiopian restaurant I've been to was similar. So maybe i'm the one who deserves to lose a star, because i'm being a stereotypical impatient New Yorker? Oh and I wasn't a huge fan of the honey wine. It was aight. -
Review from Carlie D.
Brooklyn, NY
10/27/2009
My friends and I have a sunday food group that we endearingly call "our gastroleachery adventure." This past Sunday we headed to the East Village and tried out Meskel and I must say that it wasn't bad but as the star rating shows, I've had better.
When I lived in Seattle we would go out and eat Ethiopian food every once in a while and try out various spots. There was one place in particular that I will not forget when it comes to Ethiopian food.
I wanted Meskel to remind me of that place in Seattle. Sadly, it did not. It was ok and it definitely was not amonst the worst things that I have ever eaten. I just didn't think there was much flavor or consistency. Maybe I will someday find good Ethiopian food amonst the masses of restaurants in New York... -
Review from Mike W.
Long Island City, NY
1/19/2008
Believe it or not, last night was my first taste of Ethiopian food! And this was not a bad place to finally try it out.
We arrived around 8 PM and were seated right away. The place was full by the time we left, but we got there before the rush hit. It didn't take us long to settle on the combo platters (1 veggie, the other not).
The food was delicious (especially the lamb), and surprisingly filling for the apparent portion size. I attribute this to the spongy injera bread, but it could just be that the huge platters made the portions look smaller than they are.
Next time I'll probably try the lamb dish, some apps and one of the odd wines they had on the shelf in the area where our waitress sort of watched over the diners. And there WILL be a next time. -
Review from Corrie W.
Upper East Side, Manhattan, NY
2/8/2008
I really must disagree with the majority on this one. I had family visiting, and due to a running joke that NYC is the most awesome city in the world because you can get Ethiopian food in the middle of the night, I decided to bring my aunt and uncle here for dinner. (I would have gone to my tried and true Ethiopian spot Ghenet, but it was San Gennaro).
Apparently, this place used to have a BYOB policy, but had recently acquired a liquor license. When we asked for a list, we were told to walk over to the counter to take a look. O...K...
Small is fine, I have no problem with small, but that does not give the place carte-blanc to play musical chairs with our seating. We were first moved from one table to another pushed together, uneven table (which is annoying when you are sharing food that has to balance on that unevenness). Not even ten minutes later they came over to grab the extra chair from our table (which was covered in coats and shopping bags). OK - I understand doing what's needed to seat as many people as possible, but there were other tables that had empty chairs. Do I smell Mid-western discrimination??
The food was pretty good and although we had ordered a large combo platter, and another side dish (all veggie), we decided that we wanted more. We placed our order, asked for another glass of wine, and had our food brought out - in a takeout container. I don't know about you, but at this point, we were laughing about the horribleness of the situation, especially my aunt who is very much about decorum. Needless to say, we explained that we were planning on eating the food there, and they plated it for us, but we had crossed the line. This had truly become an unforgettable night...for all the wrong reasons. -
Review from Jon T.
Massapequa, NY
1/5/2010
What a treat on a cold winter's night - delicious Ethiopian food!
My friend and I shared a Timatim Fitfit (pieces of injera mixed with chopped tomato, green peppers, onions and vinegar) as an appetizer. We both loved it.
For my entree, I chose the Ye Beg Alecha (tender pieces of lamb marinated with butter then sauteed with ginger, garlic and curry). The inerja was soft, spongy, delicious, and the perfect edible tool for picking up the lamb, mopping it in the delicious sauces, and stuffing it in my mouth! My friend was very happy with her vegetarian combo.
I haven't had Ethiopian food in a few years, so I'm no expert, but it was delicious and inexpensive, so I'll be back. -
Review from Jeff C.
3/2/2008
Injera spongy sourdough bread is yummy. How can you not enjoy eating with your hands? Great place to surprise someone =)
It has been referred to by my coworker has 'bad Indian food' but I beg to differ. Yes, the food is mostly mush but good mush at that. They serve alcohol there now too. No reservations needed since it's empty most of the time. Don't know why.
Decor: casual, unpretentious -
Review from Beth P.
NY
6/13/2007
Went for the first time last night. We were the only people there when we arrived (We had very good service!).
We ordered the Lentil sambusa appetizer which was really good. The we shared the Vegetarian Combo plate. It was nice to be able to sample all of the dishes. Next time, I think I would order the Tikil Gomen (cabbage, potatoes, carrots) and the Miser Alceha (split lentils), which were my favorites from the combo plate.
It was a perfect amount of food for 2 people to share and the bill was less that $20. That's what I'm talking about!!
Plus, it's fun to wrap the yummy food up in bundles with your hands into the injera; it feels like you are doing edible arts-and-crafts.
I have to say, it wasn't as good as my favorite NYC Ethiopian place Abyssinia (R.I.P.), but I will certainly go back. -
Review from Jessica S.
Brooklyn, NY
3/29/2008
Not crowded on a Saturday night at 8pm in the East Village? What's going on?! In fact, our party of four were the only people there. The place filled out a little as the night went on. I'm not sure why the word's not out on this yummy spot, but happy to have the place to myself.
The food was pretty tasty - bread was done well and we got a number of dishes to share (came out on a huge family style platter). The beef was good, the vegetable combo platter was very good, and the various sauces etc, were done right. The lamb was my one disappointment. Portions are relatively small, but they will provide additional bread if you ask (and that stuff is good!).
Seating is at tables rather than traditional Ethiopian style. There are about 8 tables, so it's not great for parties larger than 4 or 6 at most. Intimate but not fancy.
Service was ok. Decor was ok. Prices reasonable. All in all a good spot for casual dinner before heading out for drinks, but probably not the best Ethiopian in the city. -
Review from Veronica N.
New York, NY
2/28/2010
Came here Friday night, pretty empty except for another group due to the snow storm. Restaurant is a very small spot with dim lighting. Waitress was very friendly and informative, bringing us to the warmest table.
Me & the date started off with the Beef Sambusa appetizer, came out piping hot but the beef filling wasn't as flavorful as I had hoped. Then we shared the Meskel Combo, which came with a little bit of everything. The Injera was fresh & spongy, however, it was lacking in fragrance & was room temperature instead of warm/hot. I did notice the menu offered bottles of wine at the $20-25 range which is always a plus.
Overall, nothing really blew my mind away. The ambiance of the restaurant is not as good as Meskerem Ethiopian Cuisine but the Injera is definitely better. Still on my search for great Ethiopian!
