Queen of Sheba

A Royal Feast for the Tastebuds, Sans the Times Square Tourists! Diving into the Queen of Sheba's menu is like embarking on a culinary expedition to Ethiopia without the jet lag. Nestled comfortably away from the neon chaos of Times Square, this spot offers a refuge for your soul and stomach with its scrumptious spread of Ethiopian delights. Let's talk about the bread, the unsung hero of the meal. This isn't your ordinary dinner roll; it's injera, a spongy miracle that's part superhero, part utensil, and fully capable of mopping up every last drop of flavor from your plate. With a subtle sour kick that'll tickle your tastebuds, it's the perfect sidekick to every dish. And oh, the chickpea stew! It's not just good; it's "call-your-mom-and-tell-her-you-finally-ate-something-healthy" good. But the real treasure is the veggie combo--an edible mosaic of six or seven stews that turn your plate into a painter's palette of colors and flavors. Opting for delivery? Fear not! Queen of Sheba's delights arrive at your door as if they've just been whisked off a stove in Addis Ababa, defying the laws of takeout by remaining as vibrant and tasty as they are in the restaurant. So, if you're looking to escape the tourist traps and dive fork-first into a whirlwind of spices, give Queen of Sheba a ring. Your tastebuds might just crown you king or queen of the dining room.

My apologies to the queen for forgetting to review this place all these years. I remember when I first moved here, QoS was a godsend for my Ethiopian fix when all the other decent spots were an hour away--esp. since they delivered on Seamless. Portions were big, flavors were bigger, and prices were affordable. I just came back here with some friends, and well, times have definitely changed at the palace. The queen's got some nifty tablet menus now with lots of glossy menu photos, but the prices are heftier and the portions are noticeably smaller. Worst of all, the flavors were muted: too much butter, too little berbere, and the injera was too soggy and not sour enough. Sigh. Out of the Taste Of Sheba combo, the best dishes were the Menchet Abesh Wot, Yebeg Alecia and Doro Wot, while the worst/blandest had to be the Gomen Wot, Ater Kik Alecha and Tibs Wot. But at least the alcohol is still affordable.

Had been craving Ethiopian food and this place hit the spot! It's a small, cozy restaurant great for a relaxing meal and good conversation. I got tibs wot which was absolutely delicious and came out with veggies for more well rounded flavors. My friend got the vegetarian sampler and enjoyed it as well. We were filling up quickly on the injera and had to ask for forks halfway through the meal so we could finish the food and ease up on the edible spoons/forks. We also ordered honey wine which was tasted exactly like it sounds.

Quaint place, super clean and barely any wait for tables. Food was decent. I've had better Ethiopian food before with more options. The meat sampler was decent though some items were way too oily. Cocktail was average as well. Service was good. Staff was very sweet and friendly

Little spot tucked away in midtown! Walk in and you will immediately be greeted by a wave of amazing scents and spices. Place was not too crowded when I came on a Monday evening and continued to have available seating up until I left. Tried the vegetarian and meat sample platters, which was a great way to eat a variety of dishes. The portions were HUGE though, so I'd recommend sharing a sampler between 2 people and maybe getting another small dish on the side. The meat sampler was spicier than the vegetarian one and many of the meats tasted quite similar to me. My personal fave were the collard greens which I normally hate. The entire platter came on a big sheet of injera which soaked up a lot of the sauces and flavor and was amazing and fluffy. There was also plenty of injera on the side to use to eat the sauces. We weren't given utensils so I'm pretty sure you're supposed to eat with your hands. The food was definitely a lot easier to eat with hands; however, the smell of the spices is very difficult to wash off (I tried dishwashing soap and regular soap many times), so be warned (or give me tips on techniques).

I lived in hells kitchen for 3+ years and was a pretty regular here & at meskerem (now closed.) Ethiopian is 'interesting' when you first try it, but quickly grows on you and them becomes a craving. Ive now moved to South Carolina and (shock!) there aren't many Ethiopian options nearby, but frequent visits back to NYC allow me to satisfy my craving. I do love that in 15+ years, the restaurant hasn't changed all that much, the menu not seemingly at all, but they've stepped up the game with iPad menus and electronic pay options. The place is super authentic and you feel like you've stepped straight into Africa. This time, it was for Doro Wot and my weight in Injeri. I wasn't feeling , so got the hot tea, which was absolute delish. My friend went for the cabbage wot, which is always a strong choice. I also highly reco the samplers if it's your 1st time so you can try a little of everything. It's an acquired taste, but one I'm so glad I have in my life. Cant wait to go back soon!!

Great food, ambiance, and service. Very authentic and delicious meal, but the timing is definitely a bit slow. Came here for work lunch alone and entree took about 45m, not many bankers come here mostly older people, dates and actual Ethiopians. Would 100% recommend on a non rushed day

I absolutely love Ethiopian food. I regularly try restaurants all over the country and enjoy authentic meals in people's homes. The food at Queen of Sheba was horrible, and went right in the trash. I hate giving bad reviews, but this meal was sloppy and totally lacked flavor. It didn't appeal to our eyes or taste buds. On top of that, the person who answered the phone when I initially called to place my order was brass and rude. I will never order from this place again.

If you're looking for some great Ethiopian food in Hells Kitchen, you must check out Queen of Sheba. The food has consistently been wonderful. We love ordering the veg and non veg platters for the table to share. The lentils, veggies and meats cooked in flavorful spices combined with the Injera (lentil crepes) is truly a perfect combination!

Came into town craving authentic delicious Ethiopian food and Queen of Sheba did not disappoint. They had all my favorites: doro wat, lamb tibs, lentils, collards, etc. Restaurant was empty when we went on a Thursday evening but there was a steady flow of takeout customers the whole time we were there. Drinks were weak but tasty. Waitress was kind and helpful. The place could use a good scrub down and some better lighting but it's the middle of NYC with sidewalk seating!

Came to NYC for a concert and a play. Craving Ethiopian and this place fit the bill. Food was tremendous, the Sheba meat sampler let us try a ton of stuff and the flavors were big! Service was just a tad slow but the food was worth it and very reasonably priced. We will be back

Felt sick right as I was eating the platter -- came with a bunch of meats and bread, but wasn't too hot as it came out, thought it'd be hotter. Unfortunately, I did not have a good night after that, but did eventually feel better. Given that experience, I will probably be avoiding Ethiopian food for a while. Also the staff there were very slow and practically did not see our table the entire time.

Every dish here was completely different from the rest. The meat is perfectly cooked and the flavors are fantastic. The service was quick, and the vibes were perfect for a casual but delicious meal.

Really bad attitude and very rude. Food was good but everything was cold, even some dishes which were supposed to be warm. But the service really spoiled the experience. They can't understand English and even we were patient they were getting irritated. They will automatically add 20% gratuity so that someone cannot punish them for bad service

The menu is huge and a bit overwhelming, it's best to just jump to the samplers. We had 3 hungry adult men in our group so it turned out that one of each of the two samplers was more than enough. And since there is only a little overlap between the two samplers, you get to try many different items that way. Taste Of Sheba Sampler: My favorite of the two samplers I tried, probably because it's so meat forward. The Tibs Wot and Bozena Shiro were the tastiest to since they used cubes of meat that carried the spices so well. Everything else was tasty though and paired so nicely with the injera. Though the hard boiled egg in the Doro Wot was a bit challenging to share among 3 people; it got really messy when we were picking it apart. Sheba Vegetarian Sampler: Also offers a nice variety of dishes to try. Runs the gamut from stewed lentils to fresh beets. Didn't feel as hearty as the Taste of Sheba Sampler, but that's probably the meat-lover bias in me. I did like having enough people in our group so we could try both.

Went there for dinner with a friend. A nice little space. Seems like it was family ran business. The lady seemed nice. She kept checking up on us. And also replaced our glasses when we said the water seemed unclean. Not a lot of options for food and they were out of a few dishes as well. Ordered the egg entree. I absolutely loved the bread that came with the food. The chicken was a little smelly but the gravy was amazing with the bread. Would recommend if you wanna try out Ethiopian food.

After watching a Broadway show, I took my mom to Queen of Sheba. I'd been meaning to try out this food spot considering its proximity to my previous apartment. We chose an outside spot. I think the service is all right. I thought the waitress's demeanor could have been friendlier. If there are two of you, do bear in mind that a minimum charge for sharing a dish (I believe it's $25?). So with an entree, you'd have to get specific dishes greater than that amount, or get an appetizer. We ordered Sambussas which not only sound like samosas but are very similar in taste and presentation as well. Interestingly, we had a lentil Sambussa, which isn't your typical ingredient for a samosa. They were both tasty, but it may feel a bit too oily (it's deep fried, yes, but it's not just soaked in). The doro tibs, with chicken/tomato/onions, lettuce and cucumbers, is served with Injera. It's a really filling dish that can be shared with two. The taste is there. The chicken is moist and well cooked. Injera is nice. But it's not a cheap dish. I feel like prices have been bumped and maybe it's just me not being used to the new normal. They did ask us how we liked our meal several times, offering more injera, which was nice. So that has to be pointed out.

If you don't like salt and prefer your injera in tiny triangles, this might be perfect Ethiopian food for you.

No frills spot for Ethiopian! The service was ok (good but we were pretty much left alone unless we flagged the waitress down). It was super easy to get a spot on a Weds evening. I'd never had Ethiopian food before, but the food was great and it was all super flavorful. We got the huge mixed plates which came with a variety of dishes to try on top of some injera bread. Of the vegetarian and meat dishes, the veggie dishes were my favorite!

It's ok. Bland compared to other Ethiopian spots around the city. But there are literally no other options in the area for Ethiopian food so what are you going to do without traveling either up towards Harlem or down to the village?

My friend and I shred the sampler platter and we were both extremely full at the end since we got 2 extra plates of injera with it :D Highly recommend this place to people who want to try Ethiopian food!

Nice family-owned Ethiopian restaurant with a variety of vegetarian and meat dishes. Service was good and the restaurant was clean and full on a Thursday evening. Menus are all iPads. Sheba Vegetarian (vegetarian combo) - $22, some of the dishes included lentils, split peas, beets, potatoes, carrots, collared greens, and cabbage Taste of Sheba (meat combo) - $32, dishes included beef, chicken, lentils, and more I loved getting the combos so you could try a bunch of dishes. My favorite was the lentils (misir wot) but everything was genuinely delicious.

Had been craving Ethiopian food, and really was just in love with this place. Had the best Ethiopian in Israel and was looking for something here. They were amazing. The staff was nice. We ate every single bite of our two meals because we hate to waste. She came out and said she was the cook and she loved our appetites. In my head I'm like Yes ma'am, that shit was fire. But I just kept saluting to her talent with my Pepsi lol. They are so sweet and took us right before our lunch break, I felt so bad and told them I'd wait but they kept insisting and I felt bad to go back and fourth, it was funny. Definitely try the platter that has a little of everything. Wash your hands before eating, it's hand food, get used to it!!! So breathtaking the culture. The bread is the best and has a shot ton of probiotics that are like crack for the micro biome if your gut. You can't go wrong. I had the shits after but that's cuz I'm not good with spice sometimes, but this is the most healthy, most flavorful food. Just do it.... No questions asked

The food is actually pretty great. The Talad Wat and the Tibs are all tasty and on point, as with the vegetarian options. For take out, Ethiopian I'd actually highly recommend it. For sit down though, while they do have hand sanitizer at each table, they don't provide towelettes, and the tables themselves aren't particularly the most sanitary looking + the space is fairly cramped. During Covid especially it probably wasn't a great idea to eat indoors with your hands. Now, it's probably safer but still a bit concerning based on just the overall sanitation of the space. Long story short though, this IS a place for food and the food is quite good. Not sure if it's halal, but its one of the best Ethiopian take out places around. Food quality wise, I prefer it to Bunna cafe. However, as a place to sit down, I'd actually say stick with Bunna Cafe.

Some of the best Ethiopian food I've ever had. The injeera includes wheat which we're not used to. In NC, it's 100% teff. I actually like this mix better. Four of us had the Seba platter, vegetable platter and an extra order of Chef Special Tibbs. Every single item was superb - equal to better than what we get in NC. Service was very good.

A friend wanted Ethiopian food so we went here. Waited at least an hour to receive food. Prices are very high, quality of food is poor. If you want to share an entree they charge you $5 more. Everyone in my party felt sick after eating. Photo shows what I ordered and how little of it I ate. The rest was thrown away.

AMAZING!! My family has had Ethiopian a lot out of state and this was a great little escape from the NYC chaos. The platters were incredible as always (just as good or better than other places of the same cuisine). The chefs special beef ribs were SO DELICIOUS. Such a perfect addition to the meat and vegetable platters, I highly recommend. Those 3 were the perfect combo for four adults. The only thing that felt different than other Ethiopian restaurants was the Injera. It was delicious but is definitely less sour (easier to like for Americans) than most injera I've had before. It is a Tef and Wheat blend instead of full Tef. Personally I couldn't stop eating it, but sometimes that can be difficult if you eat too much injera, you can get too full before finishing the actual dishes. Also, this was much less spicy than most places so a good started for people new to Ethiopian cuisine but if you want spicier/authentic maybe try another place or request more spice/Berbere! We didn't try that but it was still delicious! The atmosphere and ambiance is about the same as other authentic Ethiopian places so don't let the other reviews steer you away! Very cozy and a nice server. Just let them know what you need and they will get it for you.

Delicious, authentic food. I highly recommend this fabulous restaurant. One of my favorites ! Try the Vegetarian Combo or any fish entree.

This place was okay. I love Ethiopian food and this place just was not quite as flavorful as other Ethiopian food I have had. I really wanted to like it because I love the concept of the veggie sampler. They had at least 3 or 4 different veggie dishes served on the injera and extra injera to scoop up the dishes. It looked so pretty and fun when it came out, but it just wasn't that flavorful. I remember there was on part of the sampler that was really good, I just can't remember the name of that specific dish that was really good. We didn't try any dessert because we got too full, so I can't say if the dessert was notable. With covid they have done a good job with the outdoor seating, so that was fun, and the drinks were pretty good. The staff were all very nice and good about wearing their masks with covid and really tried to make everyone have a positive experience.

I have been eating here for over 15 years. Great food and service. If you can sit at the authentic tables, it is great fun for a romantic dinner or group of 4.

Exceptional food! Amazing portions! I ordered delivery, and the food came warm and bursting with flavor. It was enough to share but I had no one so left over for the next day was a no brainer

If you never had Ethiopian food you are in for a surprise. It is different than what we expect but I think thats the beauty of it. It is everything we eat on a daily basis, just in a puree form. It was corn, beef, chicken, collard greens. I loved my first time experience, the food was really good! Some meats were spicy, mild and one had a different sauce that was delicious that both my friend and I were like oh my god haha. We are grateful to the wonderful ladies who helped us with the menu and choosing a dish. Then also explaining how to eat the sampler. We also had the lentil sambosa and the red sauce is spicy but good combination with the lentils! Thank youuu

A warm welcome by the host and was delightfully accommodated on a Thursday night with no reservations. The vibe was cozy and authentic. It was our first time trying Ethiopian food and I must say it was for sure an experience; one I would try again? I am not sure. We had the beef Sambousa to start which was very good - I really enjoyed the spicy kick to it. It is similar to Samosa without the potato. For dinner, we had the Taste of Sheba Sampler with Awaze Tibs which was my favorite. Overall, a pleasant experience and one that should try, at least once.

The service was okay. The waitress was friendly, but not very helpful/patient when it came to questions about menu items I was unfamiliar with. The food itself was overall good. I think the veggie dishes had great flavor and I couldn't stop eating them. However, the meat dishes were a little bland and lacking spice/flavor. Additionally, we ordered the Kitfo and the waitress did not ask how we wanted it served. We were expecting it to come raw as that is how it is normally served. Instead, they had cooked the meat and there really was no flavor to it so it was very disappointing. The injera was good and overall the veggie dishes made the meal enjoyable. The portions were a bit small compared to other places and were quite pricey too. A combination / sample style platter would also be nice.

Just plain yummy. Relaxing delicious Ethiopian, a cold beer, and quiet enough for good conversation. Reasonably priced. All good!

Everything was delicious, unique, great recommendations from our waitress, excellent service- will definitely go back again!

Came back during COVID and had a pleasant experience. I still prefer the Ethiopian up in Harlem but this is probably the best place in midtown. Got the Taste of Sheba and the veggie sampler, which was a great mix. The meats were a tiny bit spicy as a heads up but still good - my favorites were the two yellow dishes (one was cabbage and the other maybe chickpeas?) and the light brown sauce in the bottom right corner of the photo I posted - not sure what it was but it was delicious! Also liked that they had more than just honey wine. Ordered a Pinot Noir which paired well - and it was a generous pour!

I'm a lover of Ethiopian food! Back in college my freshman year roommate was Ethiopian and introduced me to this cuisine, so I know what good Ethiopian food is. I've been eating it for a very long time (18+ years). I was visiting New York this past weekend and my friend and I stayed in Hells Kitchen. We both enjoy Ethiopian food - she's now vegan, but I had looked at places with vegan options and added this to list of places to try for the weekend. The ambience was nice. It's very quaint and cozy. I was impressed with the modern digital menus! The service was good, but we didn't really love the flavor of the meal. I got the awaze tibbs and she got a veggie platter. For appetizers, we both got sambousas (lentils for her and meat for me). They were ok, but somewhat bland. I guess we're used to the authentic flavors we enjoy in the DC area. There is a large Ethiopian population with so many restaurants. The prices were higher but this is New York so that was to be expected. I really wanted to like this place more, but even the injera didn't have that taste I like. I probably won't be back here! And they only accepted cash. Not sure if that's in general or just that day!

Delicious food and great service. We ordered the samplar combo and the salmon. Simple decor and the locals eat here. Will come back soon.

If you're in Hell's Kitchen and dying for Ethiopian this is an ok choice. Everything is meh/ok...nothin is amazing. The decor is tired and ignored. The service was friendly-ish but we felt a bit ignored like the decor. We had to ask for our initial napkins several times. No hand washing towelettes at all before the meal which is sort of gross because Ethiopian you eat with your hands. The food is "ok" not awful not amazing...it was ok. We ate it all but we were hungry.... the portion size is ok...not tiny but not generous either. Also there was a weird interaction with a less then friendly hostesss when we walked in. I made a reservation on line using a reservation app. The hostess said we don't use that app. So I showed her on my phone the restaurant and the reservation. She again said we don't use that reservation app. So I said ok....either way do you have a table, and then she said yes and sat us down:.. ? So I'm not even sure why she was protesting regardless if they had a table? Made no sense. With a few tweaks, and some love this place could be. 5 star joint. To the people of Queen of Sheba/ go to Bunna Cafe in East Williamsburg and see how it is Really done. Take notes and apply it to your restaurant.

This was my first time trying Ethiopian food! My friend has been a bunch of times so I followed her lead. We got the sampler platter which is for sure the way to go! It is a lot of food too, so suggest splitting with someone! They brought out enough of the wraps for each person and even brought us some more! The lamb dishes I think were my favorite! But the cabbage was also to die for (we had to switch that one out for the chicken dish because of some allergies we have)! I loved how flavorful and different each one was. Our waitress was really kind. Overall a great meal!

Of all the Ethiopian spots New York has to offer this is not one to venture out to. Drinks are a hard pass (wine and cocktails alike). The food was edible but left so much to be desired especially if you were trying to satisfy a craving. Most of the meats had the same flavor profile, the vegetarian option had three of the meat accompaniments so it wasn't really worth it. The injera was a bit thick, had a overwhelming pungent vinegar smell and the flavor was a bit off. It was tangy but idk I can't quite put my finger on it, just that it overpowered the entire meal. Overall I'd have to agree and say this is a hard pass.

Super slow service. Our tap water arrived an hour after we did. The food was good but definitely not worth the wait.

Came here with a large group for my birthday celebration. The food was delicious and they took care of us extremely well. We had about half the group sharing a large plate of several orders, and then other people ordering separately to accommodate gluten free, vegetarian, etc. The stews (doro wat, yebeg alicha, awaze tibs) were flavorful and the salads were crisp and refreshing. The Cosy Konjo coffee was too sweet for my taste- will stick to Ethiopian beer next time. Would definitely come back!

Came here on a weekday evening to celebrate my friend's belated birthday. We were seated right away in their outdoor seating area. There is no indoor dining here. For appetizers, we shared the Timatim Fitfit and Kategna. The amber toast of the Kategna was delicious with the right amount of crunch and spice, albeit slightly greasy. The tomatoes, peppers, onions, and citrus kick from the Timatim Fitfit was a fresh surprise. For the main courses, we had the Doro Wot and Chef's Special Tibs. The Doro Wot came with two juicy chicken drumsticks, but the amount of spicy stew that was piled on top of it drowned out the dish for me. The lamb shoulder from the Chef's Special Tibs was just dry. The service was very nice and prompt, but the food just didn't live up to my expectations.

Such a fun evening in Hell's Kitchen with amazing friends and wonderful food and service.

We went for a casual weekend dinner - the was no wait and the server / bartender greeted us right away. The first thing I noticed was that the restaurant lighting was a little dingy - everything looked clean but a couple of pieces of furniture looked broken, and the general ambiance could be a little more put together. But we ordered the sample platter which is definitely big enough for two people if you're not super super hungry and that came right away. I loved the concept of the sampler platter which allowed us to try a good portion of their popular dishes on their menu. I thought the food was tasty and the service was friendly. Good experience overall

We are big fans of Ethiopian food and when our usual Ethiopian spot was closed one night, we found Queen of Sheba. Excellent food and reasonable prices. It was a bit dark and the tables were very tightly packed in, so it wasn't the most comfortable atmosphere, but we would go again.

A hearty Ethiopian sampler platter in Hell's Kitchen! A unique food experience to share with friends to show the range of New York cuisines

Review is for delivery, which arrived quickly Would really recommend the vegetarian combo. My favs were two of the darker lentils. The collared greens were also very good but on the spicier side. The chicken and egg on the Doro wot were cooked perfectly but unfortunately the surrounding stew was VERY oily... after a few bites we couldn't eat the rest, so took the chicken and egg out and ate that part. Sad because the outer curry is usually our fav part Also got a few apps which were good. Wish the sambusa came with a dipping sauce... the injera portions are huge. Would try the vegetarian (or specific sides) again and would try to eat in to get the experience.