Cafe Himalaya

78 E 1st St, New York
(212) 358-0160

Recent Reviews

Dennis Peery

Went here based on the recommendation of a local. I must confess I really hadn’t a clue what to expect with Tibetan cuisine. While the service and atmosphere were only average, the food was good. Sadly I can’t even tell you what we ordered as we went of the numbers on the menu, but we had a good assortment of food with some fun flavor profiles. If you’re in the neighborhood it’s probably worth a shot.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 4

Service: 3

Monika Lindner

Delicious food!!! Soooo good! And flavorful! Would like to have this little restaurant where I live!Vegetarian options: A lot of vege dishes ?

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 4

Jing Shu

First time trying the bocha Tibetan tea, and it’s kind of cool. It’s very buttery and a little bit salty, never had this kind of drink before. I also liked the pan fried veggie momo.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Myriam L

the food was amazing. we got the sha momo, dofu and the fried noodles and they were all so tasty. would highly recommend

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Aastha B.

Small, friendly, and priced well! This place is like that nice hole in the wall joint which you've probably walked without much consideration. Go in, get fed, be happy! Portion to price ratio is damn good for NYC. Full of flavor and spice .. if that's your thing.

Harika Komandoor Ranganathan

Went here at 830PM on a Saturday, waited 10 min to get a table for 4. Was surprised that we didn't have to wait longer.Food : 10/10. We got momos (veg, chicken), one curry and the veg noodles option.Service : no long wait, food came out quick and was deliciousAtmosphere : it's the perfect hole in the wall restaurant with gorgeous paintings of the Himalayan ranges.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

simon monniere

What a TREAT to eat here. Truly a pleasure. The chili chicken - delightful. Chasha momo - divine. And the avocado salad #9... absolutely sensational.If I could live in this restaurant, I would. But unfortunately, they're closed on Mondays

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Walter Miguel

This is the real deal. Authentic, delicious Tibetan food. The momos are so good they could easily be a hit in Kathmandu. Dishes rich in spices and flavor. Good prices. That surely explains its popularity, be ready to wait for a seat. Well worth the wait. Highly recommend it.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Pankhuri Sinha

Love the place. It’s our favorite !!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Johnny Novo

In a world where we are now wearing ski goggles that operate as a computer-iphone hybrid to stack on to our reality, it's always refreshing to go to a restaurant where the host is frantically writing down names with a bic pen into a small notepad. The current tech boom kind of lost me at the apple watch, as I found it way too overwhelming to get texts to my wrist ahahaha.I pulled up to Cafe Himalaya fresh out of the steam room hungrier than a 2008 Kobe Bryant, willing to do anything to prove he doesn't need Shaq to win a ring. On a Friday night at primetime, I was told by a short Tibetan looking host/waiter/food runner/busboy hybrid it was a 15-20 minute wait. He was doing it ALL in there shoutout to my boy.I couldn't help but smile when we sat down, as time seemingly hasn't changed this place. I've never been to the Tibetan region of the world, but I can only imagine this is what it would feel like. The dining area of Cafe Himalaya is one 700 sf room (ballpark) that consists of about 20 war torn two tops, a handwritten chalkboard of popular menu items, old pictures of the region littering the walls, and a smell that just feels like you have teleported out of nyc and straight to the Himalayas... not that I've been to the Himalayas but.... a man could dream can't he?We put in Ruthang Momo soup, Chasha Momo, Sha Momo, Chicken Curry, and the Shapta.Everyone kept saying momo this momo that, but momo is just a Tibetan dumpling so don't be intimidated. People just love to sound sophisticated and cultured like that smh… BUT THE MOMO WAS ABSOLUTE HEAT OH MY GOODNESS.I'm still dreaming about the momo soup, which at $5.99 is a mf STEAL! Inflation buster territory. It was 4 traditional Tibetan beef momo in a light broth with some veggies that packed a flavor that warmed my soul. I can't stop thinking about it. Wherever I go I've been seeing that bowl of Ruthang momo soup.....The other 16 Momo (8 beef, 8 chicken) we ordered and demolished were also delicious, but the beef was dubbing the chicken. I feel like everyone likes beef better than chicken though haha. But what do I know? Don't let me tell you how to live your life.My Shapta, which was traditional Tibetan spicy beef w/ veggies and a side of rice, hit the spot as well. Just quality food packed with flavor but not in an overwhelming way... and was a beast portion size for $15.99, albeit not inflation buster territory.The interior here was one of the coziest environments I've been in in the city. Although it was packed, I felt like I could take a breath. Places with character like this calm me down a bit and take me out of the hustle bustle of nyc that can chew you up and spit you out if you're not careful. Alright, I'm doing the most now but I really do love this place.One of my favorite things about nyc is that you can live here for years and never go to a place like this. They are just sitting there, waiting to be found. Hell, I never even thought about Tibetan cuisine until this place haha. But I learned, and I will now proceed to tell everyone with two ears about Momo until they ask "Wait, what's Momo?" just so I can feel superior and say "WAIT.......YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT MOMO!?!?!"Thank you, Cafe Himalaya. Thank you, Momo.IG @jnov_Tiktok @jnov__

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Ruthang Momo Soup, Shapta, Sha Momo

Johnny N.

In a world where we are now wearing ski goggles that operate as a computer-iphone hybrid to stack on to our reality, it's always refreshing to go to a restaurant where the host is frantically writing down names with a bic pen into a small notepad. The current tech boom kind of lost me at the apple watch, as I found it way too overwhelming to get texts to my wrist ahahaha. I pulled up to Cafe Himalaya fresh out of the steam room hungrier than a 2008 Kobe Bryant, willing to do anything to prove he doesn't need Shaq to win a ring. On a Friday night at primetime, I was told by a short Tibetan looking host/waiter/food runner/busboy hybrid it was a 15-20 minute wait. He was doing it ALL in there shoutout to my boy. I couldn't help but smile when we sat down, as time seemingly hasn't changed this place. I've never been to the Tibetan region of the world, but I can only imagine this is what it would feel like. The dining area of Cafe Himalaya is one 700 sf room (ballpark) that consists of about 20 war torn two tops, a handwritten chalkboard of popular menu items, old pictures of the region littering the walls, and a smell that just feels like you have teleported out of nyc and straight to the Himalayas... not that I've been to the Himalayas but.... a man could dream can't he? We put in Ruthang Momo soup, Chasha Momo, Sha Momo, Chicken Curry, and the Shapta. Everyone kept saying momo this momo that, but momo is just a Tibetan dumpling so don't be intimidated. People just love to sound sophisticated and cultured like that smh... BUT THE MOMO WAS ABSOLUTE HEAT OH MY GOODNESS. I'm still dreaming about the momo soup, which at $5.99 is a mf STEAL! Inflation buster territory. It was 4 traditional Tibetan beef momo in a light broth with some veggies that packed a flavor that warmed my soul. I can't stop thinking about it. Wherever I go I've been seeing that bowl of Ruthang momo soup..... The other 16 Momo (8 beef, 8 chicken) we ordered and demolished were also delicious, but the beef was dubbing the chicken. I feel like everyone likes beef better than chicken though haha. But what do I know? Don't let me tell you how to live your life. My Shapta, which was traditional Tibetan spicy beef w/ veggies and a side of rice, hit the spot as well. Just quality food packed with flavor but not in an overwhelming way... and was a beast portion size for $15.99, albeit not inflation buster territory. The interior here was one of the coziest environments I've been in in the city. Although it was packed, I felt like I could take a breath. Places with character like this calm me down a bit and take me out of the hustle bustle of nyc that can chew you up and spit you out if you're not careful. Alright, I'm doing the most now but I really do love this place. One of my favorite things about nyc is that you can live here for years and never go to a place like this. They are just sitting there, waiting to be found. Hell, I never even thought about Tibetan cuisine until this place haha. But I learned, and I will now proceed to tell everyone with two ears about Momo until they ask "Wait, what's Momo?" just so I can feel superior and say "WAIT.......YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT MOMO!?!?!" Thank you, Cafe Himalaya. Thank you, Momo. IG @jnov_ Tiktok @jnov__

Where's WeeWoo

Quality spot. Small, compact location but service is very fast and they turn over tables quickly. The food was flavorful and filling, I also got the tropical smoothie which had chunks of lychee in it. We got 2 entree’s and 2 apps, for lack of better words, and each plate came with rice. Chili paste on the side if you want more spice! Their menu is labeled for GF / gluten free items so easy to identify. Large menu with lots of options for picky eaters. I got the chasha shamdey and shapta, some of their most popular items and for good reason. Friend got the Ruthang Momo and Gyathuk Takpa and loved their food as well.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Ruthang Momo Soup, Shapta, Gyathuk Takpa

Kim

Meals are decent. Service is meh. Beware of their 4% surcharge on credit card transactions.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 4

Service: 3

Amogh Gharpure

Food is tasty and not oily.The flavor sets in the mood and you can enjoy the interior mellow vibe. I recommend this place for dinner.Chasha shamday is special.We were 4 people each 35-40$ per person cost along with starter, drink and sweetdish.Please reserve the place in advance

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Luksha Shamdey, Chili Chicken, Curry Chicken, Sha Momo

Preyas Shah

Fast service and Delicious momos!! Had vegetable momos!!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Tsel Momo

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