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    After 12 Cafe

    3.6 (18 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

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    Jessie A.

    The customer service was great the people are very nice but it took them too long to make my order , it was very hot inside they should work on the AC unit for the workers atleast .. I ordered a cassava leaf with jollof rice , the rice was very mushy not the greatest and the soup was too oily I couldn't finish it , I wouldn't order jollof rice here anymore they give you a lot but from the taste of it a wonder why they give you so much.

    Violet S.

    I meant idk what else to say, I tore this up lol I haven't been here since 2017. Still tastes the same, It's soo good

    Egusi and fufu
    Emily P.

    First timer to this food. Ordered fufu and egusi. AMAZING!!!! The person working was pleasant and helpful. We also bought the crunchy peanut butter bars (unsure what they're actually called) in containers to the right of the ordering window. It was sooooooo good! Forgot to picture that but we ate it up fast.

    Jollof Rice with chicken & goat meat
    Sheba D.

    This is a small cafe that's easy to overlook. I had been to the plaza it's in, and never noticed it until sometime in the summer or fall of 2019. I'm glad I took a chance on trying it out, and I haven't been disappointed yet. My go to dish is the jollof rice, I haven't tried other foods, simply because I'm not familiar with them. Wait, I did have a chicken patty that I devoured before I got home. I had my jollof Saturday, and it was so fresh and tasty that I really didn't want to share any. I requested mine with chicken and no bones, and although there were a few small pieces of bone that did not interfere with my enjoyment of my jollof rice. No complaints at all, and they even included pieces of goat meat on the side, which my grandson loves and calls chicken. I appreciate the friendly customer service, and I will continue to support this business. I may even try some other dishes one day.

    Jollof rice with goat Meat and 2 suya kebe

    All I have to say is looks can be deceiving! The food is so good and flavorful! Staff is lovely and there is a small African market inside.

    a fried fish in a styrofoam container
    SolaFide 1.

    Everytime we visit we must come here for the fish, ginger beer, Bennie cake and chin-chin, and lastly the ground nut cakes. It's a small store and it's easy to miss, buy the food is great and the people are nice as well.

    The market.

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    5 months ago

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    2 years ago

    Food is amazing!!! The service is great also, my favorite is the cassava leaf with white rice!!! Been coming here for years.

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    Chez Dior

    Chez Dior

    4.3
    (207 reviews)
    3.5 mi
    $$

    It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't the best. I've personally had better Senegalese food than this…read more The service wasn't that great either. I ordered the: Fataya Beef 5/5 Tiebou Dine White, Wékh (fish & broken rice) 3.5/5 Dibi (jollof & lamb) 3.5/5 Cassava Leaf 3.5/5 Juices hibiscus and ginger 5/5 Overall I'll keep trying other African spots. This won't be my top pick. The price was like $24.99 for each entree and I feel like you can get other nicer restaurants in the area for better pricing and quality. Coming from one West African to another. The food doesn't have any spice a mild flavor. They give you pepper sauce on the side. The ambiance is very casual!

    I was excited to try this place out as I haven't had Senegalese food before!…read more I ordered the okra soup and the ginger juice. The juice was great, the ginger tasted of great quality and was very spicy, but was mellowed by the pineapple. They sell other juices in bottles at the counter as well. The food on the other hand was a little disappointing. The okra soup came with rice, the soup, and a small dish of pepper sauce. The rice was very hard and dry, which made it difficult to chew. The flavor of the soup was okay, but there was a lot of bone fragments and a thick layer of oil on top, which I wasn't a fan of. The pepper sauce was very good though, it was extremely spicy and had an addicting flavor. If they sold a jar of it, I would buy it. If I came again, I would try their other juices, but probably skip the food.

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    Chez Dior
    Mafe
    Mafe
    Outside

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    Prime Restaurant

    Prime Restaurant

    3.0
    (28 reviews)
    3.5 mi

    Food: The first time I came to prime 3 yrs ago & I ordered suya and I was quite impressed. I…read morebelieve it was ~10 for a big white square container filled up & I felt that was a decent amount for the price. Flash forward to this week when my friend ordered me door dash from there & I could not believe my eyes. We bought ($23- bobolo & ndole, $13- suya, $7 plantains, pictures below) For how expensive the food was you would expect it to be in a large quantity; but that wasn't even the annoying part. My issue was I felt like it lacked the authentic Kmer taste. Almost as tho the chef rushed through the meal. Keep in mind, I grew up with my grand mom in Cameroon & we're bayangi so I know how good food taste. The meat was cut in huge pieces & not boiled all the way. The ndole was practically a watered down peanuts soup. The bobolo wasn't done nor was the plantains. The suya did taste good & well done 10/10 but they cut the portion size in half & increased the price; so the meal wasn't worth the money we spent in my opinion. I understand inflation & I normally don't mind paying for stuff but it has to at least taste GOOD! Keep in mind, this was my experience maybe yours might be different. I know I def won't be referring any of my friends there for their food! Night life: I've been to prime countless times for night life & tbh it's a hit or miss. Def come with a good group of friends so y'all can vibe together. Beware the crowd, is mostly older folks & if you're a girl then big stomach men will def hit on you. Go somewhere else if you're looking for a younger crowd. I like Cameroonian & Afrobeats music & I go out to have fun regardless of who is in the room; but I have friends who say it's gives Kumba vibes lol so they rarely come there for night life. They also have hookah available. my friends seemed to like it but I can't speak on it cuz I'm not smoker. Overall: there's always enough parking, quiet & safe neighborhood. If you go during the day, they do a good job of keeping the place neat & decent customer service. Night time, the music is very loud so you'll have to speak louder to talk to a server. Note: Police normally lurk the area & the speed limit is like 25 so be careful, then again you gotta be careful in this entire America so. I've posted many pics & vids below. Hope it helps.

    Randomly stopped here looking for suya. The suya was perfect. The customer service was great too…read morePrecious was a pleasure to meet.

    Photos
    Inside of Restaurant
    Inside of Restaurant
    Suya
    Suya
    Outside of Restaurant

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    Outside of Restaurant
    Jolloff Etcetera

    Jolloff Etcetera

    3.2
    (117 reviews)
    1.6 mi
    $$

    Ah ah so THIS is what we are doing now in the DMV? A whole WEST AFRICAN BUFFET??…read more Listen ehn, I have been to Jollof Etc before for regular dinner so I already knew the standard of food there is not play play. But seeing them attempt this buffet concept for Valentine's Day, Easter Sunday (when I went), and now again for Mother's Day this Sunday? I actually respect the initiative Everybody is always shouting rubbish this ____, and rubbish that ___ meanwhile OUR OWN cultural foods are sitting right here in Silver Spring looking delicious and full of flavor. When I say all the staples were THERE, I mean THEY WERE THERE Amala Moi moi Pepper soup Jollof rice Fried rice Everything hot, fresh, flavorful and tasting like somebody's mother entered that kitchen with warning And can we discuss the drinks please?? Non alcoholic but SWEET, refreshing and pairing perfectly with all the food. Very family friendly atmosphere too. You can bring auntie, uncle, cousins, everybody Now let me tell the truth small because you know I don't lie for reviews The wait time? Hmmm. Table organization? They can improve that one too because people were kinda just standing around confused at moments. BUT no wahala this is still a new venture for them and honestly I can already see the vision. The most important thing for me? Their service was AMAZING and they accepted feedback very well instead of doing attitude. That part matters. I actually want to see this succeed because we need more innovative African food experiences in the DMV that push our cuisine to the forefront instead of acting like only tacos and burgers exist outside Jollof Etc Silver Spring, Maryland

    Terrible service. No greeting, rude staff, and $32 for mostly rice with only three tiny pieces of…read moremeat. Not worth it!

    Photos
    Valentine's Day, Easter Sunday, and upcoming for Mother's Day
    Valentine's Day, Easter Sunday, and upcoming for Mother's Day
    Jolloff Etcetera
    Jolloff Etcetera

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    Elmina

    Elmina

    4.2
    (168 reviews)
    7.9 mi

    This was my first time trying Ghanaian food and Elmina was such a great introduction!…read more I started with a Fresh Strawberry Martini which I really enjoyed. For an appetizer, we ordered the Crispy Okra Fries and it came with a burnt leek and onion ranch dipping sauce. I don't eat okra very often, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked them! The ranch was especially delicious and paired perfectly with the fries. For my entree, I had the Hamachi collar. It was absolutely delicious and the portion was much more generous than I expected. It also came with what I believe were plantain chips. They were fun to snack on alongside the fish! I also got to try my friend's Crab Fried Rice and it was excellent. It reminded me of a flavorful Thai fried rice and I kept going back for another bite because it was so good!

    I finally made it back to Elmina for dinner! I first visited over a year ago for brunch and vowed…read moreto return to try the dinner menu. Mission accomplished...and they absolutely delivered. The restaurant was slightly busy on a weekend evening, but I am not surprised. It's clearly become a go-to spot if you're looking for a modern, upscale African dining experience in DC. The décor is still one of my favorite parts of the restaurant: clean, contemporary Ghanaian elegance with an open kitchen that lets you watch the chefs at work. My friends and I always order family-style so everyone gets to try a little of everything, which means we rarely leave with food envy. The appetizer: the fried okra. Whew! Light, crispy, perfectly seasoned...dangerously addictive. I could've easily eaten a whole basket by myself, lol. The branzino was my favorite entrée of the night. Perfectly cooked, flavorful, and also very addictive. We also ordered the crab fried rice, and honestly, I enjoyed that more than the jollof duck pot. The duck pot was good, but I'd definitely order the crab fried rice again first. The tomahawk steak was okay. Good, but it wasn't living up to its price point, tbh.. My mocktail was refreshing and exactly what I needed with the meal. One of the highlights of the evening was getting the chance to meet Chef Eric Adjepong from Top Chef. Such a cool surprise and a nice way to end the evening. I'm so happy I came back. Sometimes you revisit a restaurant and it doesn't live up to your first experience. That wasn't the case here. Elmina is still doing its thing!!!!

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Oysters
    Oysters
    Fante Fante fish

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    Fante Fante fish

    After 12 Cafe - african - Updated July 2026

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