Gojo Ethiopian Restaurant — Restaurant in Phoenix

I'd give it more stars for the food which was tasty and seemed fresh, but the service was terrible and we will not go back for the service alone. I like various ethnic cuisines and I am used to some cultures not sharing the American definition of service. I accept this. The issue with this restaurant was beyond an acceptable cultural difference though. And I have been to other Ehtiopian restaurants here and in DC and the service was much better. There were only 4 people in the place, a table of 3 already done eating and a single man who may have worked there or been there to see an employee. The staff was not slammed or busy. Our experience started off well enough, we seated ourselves and ordered drinks. My son ordered a salad. It and the drinks came out in a reasonable time. The salad was very fresh (impressively so) and delicious, as was the coffee. Soft drinks are served in cans. I have an allergy to a certain family of mushrooms. I asked the waitress what kind of mushrooms were in a dish and she did not know so I requested the mushroom dish be served on the side and not on our main injera. Our plate arrived and I grabbed a handful of food and it ended up being the mushroom dish I had requested be served on the side. Thankfully it was white or baby portabellos which are safe but I was upset that as the only people there, this simple request was ignored. Since I had already taken a bite, I figured all I could do was wait to see if I reacted so we kept eating and I did not have any more of the mushrooms. The restaurant was not air conditioned so it was uncomfortably hot, possibly a fan was running but it was almost as hot inside as outside. After dropping off the food our waitress never came back. We were not served water. With a 12 ounce soda, a 4 ounce coffee and a 4 ounce glass of wine at our table in a 95 degree restaurant we were left to our own devices. The waitress was in back (possibly she was also the cook). Finally we were all very thirsty and uncomfortable so I got up and went to the back to ask for the check and water and she brought 1 glass water to our whole table. We shared it. We had to do similar to get a box for left overs. It made the experience less than enjoyable.

Overall the food was tasty, the salad was very fresh and this might be a great place to get take out from. I would not want to go here with a date or friends though because of how hot it was and not bringing us water when we sat down or checking on us after the food arrived.

Pluses were:

Food seemed fresh Food tasted good Bathroom had very detailed hand sanitizing procedure poster on the wall Tables were clean Place was big

Negatives were:

Lackluster service Restaurant was not air conditioned Did not bring water to the table or check on us Dirty door handles and floor edges and grime in obvious places that...

Wow, just got back from eating there. Live 10 blocks away and read the reviews. The bread basket Sarah brought out with my main dish, the meat and veggie combo, had what looked like rolled washcloths. When I picked it up, it felt rubbery, when I looked at the other side, it looked like a sponge, so I figured since there were no knives and spoons, this is what I was suppose to eat Ethiopian food with. So I tore a piece off and scooped 1 of the 8 or 9 samplers on the huge silver platter. I was immediately amazed at the silky texture of the injera, or spongy Ethiopian tortilla. The food was absolutely flavorful. As for Patricias comment about the lady who is the bartender/waitress, she was kind of in the back quite a bit, had to ask for water, and my overall perception of her was she was kind of shy, not much of a waitress. But seeing as she speaks little English and was probably born in Ethiopia, she has a different culture than Patricia. I wasnt really offended by her and I will definitely go back for the food alone. It was astounding. Oh, I left the restaurant forgetting a to go order I had placed, The Waitress ran out the door and hollered at me that I forgot my to go order. I think what Patricia is really looking for is a maid. She gave a really bad review for a very good hole in the wall restaurant. 5 stars hands down...

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Gojo in Phoenix. I was looking for an authentic Ethiopian meal, and I was not disappointed. The meat combos were delicious, and the injera was perfectly soft and spongy. The service was also excellent, and the staff was very friendly and helpful. I would definitely recommend Gojo to anyone looking for a great Ethiopian meal.

Here are some specific details about the food and service:

The meat combos were a great way to try a variety of Ethiopian dishes. I had the meat combo and all of the dishes were flavorful and well-seasoned.

The injera was perfectly soft and spongy. It was the perfect vehicle for scooping up the stews.

The service was excellent. The staff was very friendly and helpful. They were happy to answer any questions I had about the food.

Overall, I had a great experience. The food was delicious, the service was excellent, and the prices were reasonable. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a great Ethiopian meal.

Here are some additional tips for dining at an Ethiopian restaurant:

Injera is traditionally eaten with your hands. Don't be afraid to get messy!

Ethiopian food is often quite spicy. If you're not a fan of spicy food, ask your server for recommendations for milder dishes.

I...