I actively dislike injera, and feel absolutely ZERO shame about it. The real shame is that the stuff on top is mighty tasty, but I can’t remember the last time my PIC could convince me to go for Ethiopian. He loves it.
Is Somtum Der still good? I went there well over a decade ago and loved it, but things can change, obviously.
It was a short stint living in DC a long time ago that propelled my desire to learn to like Ethiopian food! It was all the rage amongst my peer group (young and poor.) That said, my tastes have expanded quite a lot since… 1993 
Do tell!
For me its the injera - I really dislike it which ruins the experience; the flavors of the stews and veg in the few Ethiopian meals I have had have beenpretty good.
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Injera can take a bit of getting used to. But its flavor is designed to be meld with the stews and vegs’ flavors.
Here is my Aurora Cafe thread. Short version: Qlwa with beef, add the spinach. Ga’at. Foul. I swear next time I go I will branch out.
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I guess I had no idea how polarizing Ethiopian food and specifically injera was!
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Same. I love injera.
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I really like Ethiopian samosas/ sambusas.
I realize there is a lot more to Ethiopian food than platters with injera.
I think most cuisines have some lovers, some indifferents, and some haters.
I was shocked when a friend I had roomed with on ski trips for years told me she disliked Mexican food. I can understand someone avoiding spicy food because they can’t handle spice or have ulcers. She wasn’t willing to join me for a meal at a restaurant so I went to the Mexican restaurant alone and ate at the bar. And she went to some regular place serving grilled salmon and Caesar salads, raved about it, like I missed out on something. (I went there the last night, I had not missed out on anything).
In my circle and in my family, the easiest cuisines for a group of 6 or more for dinner are Thai, French, regular plain American (whatever that is, I won’t bother defining it), soul food, Greek, and Italian.
I have recently met people who really dislike Greek food and Lebanese food, so there’s that. LOL
Since I tend to be the organizer of dinners, and I don’t like emails that go around and around for weeks as people decide when and where to meet, lately, I send out 3 suggested restaurants, with their links and menus, and ask my friends to tell me which one they want. If they don’t like any of the 3 suggestions, I am happy to go whichever option they suggest instead. Done.
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Pure Thai Cookhouse is a good Thai on 9th Ave which would be in the OP’s price range - we have had tasty dishes there over the years. Its not big though so you should reserve if you decide to go there. https://www.purethaicookhouse.com/dinner But there are quite a lot of thai places around town, including in Elmhurst Queens where there is a large community - if you use the search feature you will find some suggestions from people who are more uptodate than I am.
There are egyptian fish places like Abu Qir in Astoria which could be a novel adventure for your group
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Most Mexican restaurants in the US are little more than a Taco Bell with a liquor license.
And most Italian places are like Olive Garden, but with personality.
I avoid all those places, so I am not surprised your friend does too.
Well, that’s quite the generalization.
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I have never been to Taco Bell, but still.
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I assume you have never been to California
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Hyperbole will get you everywhere… or nowhere 
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Either rage bait or you need to get out a little more often lol
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She is a Torontonian raised in a small city called North Bay.
We were in Montana, at Big Sky.
The Mexican restaurant I visited was quite good, the highlight of food for me that week. It served dishes I crave that I cannot find in Canada. It was located about half way between Bozeman and Big Sky.
The place she liked, I could probably find the menu. The same menu you see in every resort town across the USA and Canada. Caesar Salad, grilled Salmon, Steak, Grilled Chicken Breast. It’s fine for what it is.
(I guess I found the other Mexican food hater)
I wasn’t going to touch the Italian part of his comment.
To be fair, I’ve yet to have Italian food in the US that compares to any Italian food I’ve had in Germany — but there are certainly plenty of good Italian restaurants all over the US that are better than OG. Of course, that’s about as low a bar as it gets.
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