Zomsa, El Cerrito CA

Dining at Zomsa was an absolute delight! The Laphing was wonderfully spicy and tangy, a great way to kick off the meal. The Wai Wai Chatptey was a lovely surprise, mixing crunchy textures with savory flavors that kept me coming back for more. Both the Chicken Jhol Momo and Buff Jhol Momo were comforting and flavorful, with a broth that was rich and aromatic. The Sukuti Bento Box was a fantastic mix of tastes and textures, making for a very satisfying meal. Each dish showcased the quality and authenticity Zomsa prides itself on, making it a must-visit for anyone looking to explore Tibetan and Nepalese cuisine.

Prices don’t reflect the food quality, other restaurants with similar food are MUCH better and to be honest the service here is less than welcoming. Our server (or owner) was constantly hanging out with his friends smoking cigarettes with what seemed to be his friends in front. He was definitely not concerned about our experience and every time he came back inside we’d get blasted with smoke, I like to support local businesses but this one I will not!

Authentic Nepalese food. Loved (wai wai chatpatey) Nepalese bhel, made with dry noodles and sarson oil. Also liked strawberry lassi. We didn't like subs items, but that's not their fault, just not suited to our palette. Service was excellent, offered us extra daal. Very small family feel at this place.

Zomsa Restaurant is a hidden gem for authentic Nepali cuisine! The Nepali sukuti bento box is a flavor explosion, offering a perfect blend of spices and textures. The momos are simply divine – steamed to perfection with a delicious filling. The attention to detail in every dish showcases their commitment to authenticity. The cozy atmosphere adds to the overall experience. If you're a fan of Nepali flavors, Zomsa is a must-visit. Truly the best sukuti bento box and momo in town!

So, I will preface this by saying that I don't know what authentic Nepalese food tastes like so my 3 start rating is probably just personal taste buds' preference. The pakora were wonderful. I didn't care for the sauce that came with the momos, and the chow mein seemed to have spaghetti noodles which was odd to me. I prefer the Chinese style noodles in that dish. Bummer too because I love Nepalese chow mein usually.it was a miss for us, but I am glad we tried it and definitely encourage you to try for yourself.

Hands down the best Nepali restaurant we tried so far in the bay area. We got buff jhol momo (top pick), chicken steam momo, chicken choila bento, syabale, pork chowmein and sukuti bento. I feel like sukuti bento could be better but everything else was super authentic. Would recommend!

Long overdue review. I have been a regular at Zomsa since they opened and have seen them grow. The food here is mouth watering and very close to what we actually get in Nepal. If you are here- definitely try out the Nepalese items they offer like sukuti, choila and of course momos. For momos I’ve tried the buff jhol momos- which were juicy, the meat was so tender and cooked to perfection. I have a lot of complains with restaurants serving over cooked momos. The sauce (jhol) is definitely one of the finest in bay area. We also tried their pork chilly which was again very good but on the spicier side (as the name suggests) but they do ask you for your spice level and we tried medium. We would go for mild next time on the pork chilly. The service is fast, the wait staffs are really attentive, knowledgeable and super nice. We went on a Sunday afternoon and it was not so loud. Perfect ambiance. The complex has amole of parking spots as well. If you are in the area definitely go for their momos and if you are on a little adventurous mood- go for the other authentic spicy Nepalese items.

Definitely a good one. Most Nepali restaurants offer a variety of native dishes but they tend to be very Americanized. I found their food close to being authentic (wouldn't say just like in Nepal but very close)

I would say.their momo jhol needs a little work- was missing the kick you would expect.

Overall great experience.

I love trying out different places but this place did not even come close to meeting my expectations. Food was abysmal. Me and my friends were extremely extremely disappointed with the food and the service as well. I would highly recommend other Nepalese/Tibetan places nearby where you can get quality food for the price you pay. We ordered Goat sekuwa which was chewy, undercooked and not at all what sekuwa should be like. MoMo was average, the sauce was flavorful but the filling lacked any punch.

Food were expensive plus its was worst experience. Goat sekuwa was with bone with oil fry are you serious Momo was full of dough only Looks like they don’t want to operate their business longer.

"Zomsa restaurant deserves a resounding five-star rating for its incredible Nepali cuisine. The sukuti bento box is a true standout, with tender and flavorful dried meat that melts in your mouth. The momo, a Nepali dumpling delicacy, is simply exceptional, filled with a perfect blend of spices and served with a delightful dipping sauce. The chowmin, a classic stir-fried noodle dish, is packed with savory goodness and generous portions of vegetables and protein. Every bite is a burst of authentic flavors that transport you to the heart of Nepal. Zomsa restaurant is a must-visit for anyone craving an unforgettable Nepali food experience. "

5️ for the food and 2.5️ for service, decor and clean. Definitely got potential. See you next time.

Kid friendly! They brought out French fries complimentary and almost immediately without us even asking for my Toddler. They gave us an unbreakable plate for him and when he threw his spoon on the floor they immediately picked it up and washed it for him. Very attentive and thoughtful service. The food was delicious too with tons of vegetarian options. Highly recommend!

The food was not great. We liked the thukpa and phingsha, but everything else including momos were average at best. I've had Nepalese food before multiple times, and this just wasn't up to par.

The worst part was the chicken in the chow mein and chilli chicken. It was completely dry, tough, overcooked, and likely old. It was closer to jerky than freshly cooked chicken. Panda Express would have made better chicken. I've had frozen dinners with juicer and tastier chicken. It was really disappointing. The rest of the food wasn't as bad, and some members of our party liked what they ordered, but overall we were disappointed at the quality of the chicken.

Once we got the bill, we were left feeling that this restaurant is very overpriced for what it serves. It's a shame, because the service, location, and ambiance is pretty good. The only thing that let our experience down here was the *quality* of food.

Scorched goat gristle, crumbled top ramen and cold potatoes, all saturated with salt. I will not be back.

An impressive array of vegan options (4/5 Green Stars)
I would highly recommend trying out this Himalayan restaurant in El Cerrito. There are plenty of options for vegans and vegetarians and the quality every item we ordered was very high. I’ve had versions of each dish before but was impressed with Zomsa’s versions and rate Zomsa as one of the best Himalayan restaurants around. The Aloo Tikki (crispy potato cake with mint and tamarind sauces – vegan, $6) was a great start. The Vegetarian Jhol Momos (dumplings filled with kale, butternut squash, mushrooms, and spices, served in a sauce made from cashews and peanuts – vegan, $14) were really good. Often vegetarian dumplings have forgettable fillings, but I found these momos to be very thoughtfully made and satisfying. The Vegetable Thakali Thali was a great combination of several items that each added to the meal (veg curry, lentil soup, pickled daikon, sautéed mustard greens, and a papad – vegan, $17). Impressed by how satisfying these vegan dishes were – you wouldn’t even notice that the entire meal was plant-based.

I’m giving Zomsa 4 out of 5 Green Stars for social and environmental impact, for these reasons:
• Even though there are several meat dishes, I was impressed by how much of the menu is not just vegetarian but vegan. More than a dozen main courses are vegan, along with several appetizers. Adopting a plant-based diet is the top thing you can do to mitigate climate change and deforestation, besides avoiding animal cruelty and the negative impact of the meat industry on society.
• Local beer is available on draft, mitigating packaging and transportation impacts.
• The restaurant used to emphasize the use of organic ingredients, but I suspect that the prices became too high to sustain this in El Cerrito. Appreciate the effort though and hope that they still use some organic ingredients, when possible.

Truly Authentic Nepali Taste run by a family,
I would highly recommend, if anyone who are not Nepali, and want to taste real Authentic taste of Nepali food.

Great food with excellent customer service. Would highly recommend to get delicious Nepalese cuisine.