Ordered fufu, chicken egusi soup, and jolloff rice. Was not overall pleased. The egusi was not edible and it is disappointing because they give such a generous amount. Service was pleasant. As for ambiance, they are attached to a market and the smells seep into the restaurant which is very underwhelming. The jollof rice was the saving grace of my meal. read more

I've tried other African restaurants but this was the very first I tried and I'm still hooked! Parking could be better. The seating area in the back deserves a better presentation, but the food? 10/10. Now, usually when I go I ALWAYS get the collard greens. They taste fresh, flavorful, has a nice crunch, and a hint of spice. The guy who owns the restaraunt with his wife is so sweet. I enjoy seeing him each time that I come in. My first time here was in 2013. I'll always come back. read more

Don't forget about the northern half of Eat Street! Just because it's not trendy doesn't mean it's not good. In fact, I'd argue that since none of their time or budget goes into bells and whistles, the good is actually better than the fancy places. The Jolof Rice with chicken is solid and I'd recommend it highly. If you're here in the summer, you might see his two little daughters running around, it's pretty cute. FYI, he makes the food from scratch, so if you're short on time, I'd advise ordering ahead otherwise it's about 15 mins of waiting. read more

Akwaaba Restaurant - African Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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I am in town and noticed a heavy African population so I searched for restaurants near me and this restaurant came up. Parking: Street Make sure you are going into the location that says "African Market because there's a different restaurant located right next to it. The restaurant is located at the back of the market and once you walk through, that's when you will see the restaurant sign. Atmosphere: Low lighting and dated. The bathroom is down a hall and you will need a key. The bathroom needed some TLC. There wasn't any hand towels or soap. Uggghhhhh!! If I can't wash my hands, how are they? There was another bathroom so I lead myself to believe everything needed to wash hands was in there because I was really looking forward to trying the food!! lol! Service: The Gentleman was nice and helpful. Food: I ordered the chicken potato greens to go however you could sit in but I wouldn't. The food was making the car smell sooo good! I couldn't wait to get back to the hotel, get comfortable and chow down. Once I was able to, I opened the platter and they give you a good amount of food. The white rice was cooked just right. The chicken was tender and the potato greens tender and flavorful. I was pleased. Overall, I will go back. I would like to try their cassava leaf. Enjoy! read more

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Delicious. I had the fufu with chicken soup and the chicken jollof it was so delicious. Reasonable price for the taste delicious.

The food here is so good we keep coming back me and my wife come here at least 3-4 a month! The potatoe greens are to die for. The service here is fantastic too just pre warning just call ahead because it will take a while and the location is kind of bad... but if you can pass that your getting a 10/10 meal read more

Very good tasting food, great service, the restaurant had many organic products to choose from and great brands I will most definitely be a frequent visitor. read more

The potato greens are soooo good! Service could definitely be better the food is neverrr ready at the expected time.

The food wasn't what my husband and I expected and it took longer than we were told. We decided to try this place out in our first night visiting the city. It was in a not so good area so when my husband went in to get his food he didn't even turn off the car because he wanted to be in and out. We arrived 5-10 minutes after the time that we were told our food was going to be ready and it wasn't we had to wait about 15 minutes. I'd say look for another restaurant. read more

Akwaaba Restaurant - a meal in a styrofoam container - African Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Make sure you get price before you order because they try to up the price especially if they know you are not from around I got charged 20 dollars for a meal then an extra 5 for the salad that come with meal then I asked to see price I was told that was old price on the register that checks people out on the regular. but couldn't get a price list and the register shows the meal cost 20$ read more

I really hate to give Blk owned businesses an unpleasant review, however, I would be wrong if I didn't warn folks. My son, girlfriend and I dined here a few yes ago. My sons girlfriend bit into her food and blood was dripping from her mouth. We sifted through the food to find big and small pieces of GLASS. We called 911, fire department came quickly. Management said that we put the glass in the food!!!! Crazy!!!!!! You couldn't pay me to eat there. read more

It was snowing heavy outside yesterday, and I trudged through it to grab a plate of food from Akwaaba, a neighborhood West African restaurant tucked in back of a grocery store so narrow and nondescript that one might pass it 100 times and not notice it's a business; it has the look and aura of a place no one is supposed to find. Sometimes the person working the cash register is the waiter is the cook. Very pragmatic, if a bit offputting. Everything about the place declares "don't eat here." And yet, the food has been delicious the four times I've been. I'm obsessed with African Fu Fu, and their spicy okra and spinach stews. The meat is slowcooked, succulent, plentiful. The spices are not overwhelming, though the dishes are a bit saltier than I prefer. This is West African food on a block that features a couple of East African joints, and the cuisine is quite different, so take careful stock of the menu before you order. The dining room has the ambiance of a school detention hall. I strictly order to go. The cashierwaitercook yesterday looked just like the rapper Kurupt, and he had oversized hands that made his spindly body look all the more cartoonish. It struck me on the way home I can't say for sure whether I feel deep empathy, love, disdain, or terror for other people. It was cold, the streets were a mess of filthy snow mush, and urban life seemed as bleak as the sky was overcast. And yet, and yet, and yet: once I got home and unwrapped my meal, that delectable spinach and meat stew and fu fu took the edge off the world. Akwaaba serves food hearty and delicious enough to absorb your focus. In that sense, they're cooking up a special kind of comfort food. Give this place a try at least once. read more

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I'm a fan of any restaurant that sits in an antiseptic, windowless, rectangular room hidden behind a tiny unassuming grocery store. This is West African food, as opposed to the two Somali (East African) restaurants less than a block away). I'm no judge of West African food or whole baked fish, so I won't attempt an actual review. Check it out, it's clean and friendly. read more

I was craving Cameroonian stew, but couldn't find any around town. The closest thing I found was Nigerian / Liberian food at a few small restaurants. I decided to start with Akwaaba. This place is kind of a restaurant, but not quite. There is no host/ess or waitstaff. It's not clear where the "restaurant" is or how to order. Here are some instructions: - - - - - - - Go inside the store labeled "African Market." Ask the person behind the cash register on the left where the menu is. This person will lead you to an empty back room that looks like a half-finished basement with tables and random things stored there. You'll see two poster-sized menus. Every item has a picture, but no prices are posted. A picture of the menu posted in Jan 2014 is outdated. See my pictures for the current menu. Tell the person who works there what you want. They will disappear into a closed-off kitchen and cook your meal. You can eat at one of the tables or order take out. Pay at the cash register at the front of the store. - - - - - - - I ordered the goat stew with rice, which came out to an even $12. This order is about 2.5 meals for me. But...there is going to be a lot of extra rice. (Think ~2 portions of stew and ~6 portions of rice.) Next time, I think I'll need to order two dishes to match the amount of rice that's given. The goat stew was spicy, rich, and tasted like it had been slow cooked for the day - though I wouldn't say the goat meat was tender. There were some bones in the stew and I even got to taste a little bit of marrow. You'll also find some goat skin and cartilage. Watch out for sharp bone pieces! I am giving this place three stars because the food is solid, but there are so many things that doesn't make this place a restaurant. And it seems like this place is primarily a small convenience store with one aisle of dried goods and two freezers. I hope the owners consider improving the menu and giving more attention to the restaurant part of the market, considering how much unused space they have. So much potential! read more

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Call ahead to avoid long wait time - aside from that this is the BEST West African cuisine I've had in the Twin Cities. My favorite dishes are the tilapia, goat meat stew and okra stew. The potato greens are also delicious. I tend to order attieke instead of rice with my meals and I order fufu with any stew (sometimes with greens). The people are kind - the venue is unassuming but 100% worth it every single time. read more

Calling Akwaaba a "restaurant" is stretching things a bit. It's basically a small banquet room in the back of a storefront (see photos). The hours its open are... well, let me be kind and say "intermittent". The atmosphere is "church basement". Nonetheless, Akwaaba should be on every curious gourmand's list of places to try. Ask in the store facing Nicollet, and they'll tell you to knock on the kitchen door. If the kitchen isn't open, you can always go to one of the other restaurants within a half-a-block (notably, Tibet Kitchen). The food is described as "West African". My cook/server was from Guinea. Quite different from the East African cuisine (Somalia, Ethiopia, etc.). I've eaten here several times over the years, and haven't liked everything, but haven't regretted trying anything. Usually, me and my companion are the only ones in the room. Most recently, I had the Spinach (with meat). A large bowl of flavorful spinach and chicken. Delicious, if salty. Comes with a large plate of rice and a small bit of hot sauce. The hot sauce is VERY hot. I'd recommend going in a small group of flexible people. Order a bunch of different things, to taste, and order more of the stuff you like. The service is friendly and reasonably fast, but they're bringing the home country here so don't expect click-your-heals attentive servers. read more

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I have had West African food countless of times and when comparing this to others W. African restaurants in the US in terms of authenticity and quality, I give it a 3/5. When factoring that this is one of the very few west African restaurants you can get in the twin cities, I would rate it higher at 4/5. Like others have said, just do a take out. The dining experience is non-existent and not pleasant with the market attached right to it and this being all the way at the back of the windowless room. Place your order and wait .... My favorite and regular to go orders are:- 1) Pounded Yam - which goes well with Egusi soup and your choice of meats and I prefer goat meat. This is essentially the "mashed potatoes" of that region and the accompanying soup can be either Egusi (some sort of crushed seed I believe) or an Okra based soup or regular tomato based soup. When I got it, they unfortunately only had the tomato based soup. 2) Jollof rice - this is a variation of Paella rice in the west African region with their unique blend of spices. This comes with a mix of different meats in it and was a tad greasy. Both dishes are very filling and should serve two people with left overs. Try to finish up the pounded yam in one sitting though, it's better fresh. The food has flavor but if you want that pepper-spicy kick, add some of the 'hot-sauce' which they will give you in small containers. It takes them 25-35 minutes to prepare these two, so just keep that in mind if you are pressed for time. Perhaps phone in your order - i should try that the next time. read more

Akwaaba Restaurant - Jollof rice (left) & Pounded Yam + stew in the center. - African Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

We took 12 returned Peace Corps volunteers to dine here. Despite asking for a couple days' notice for large parties, the owner was incredibly gracious with our last minute request and accommodated our party with only a day's notice. The platters of food were hot, brimming with flavor and reminiscent of all the dishes they remembered. We had okra sauce, fufu and pepper soup, attieke, cassava lead, aloco (fried plantains), collard green sauce and kill of rice. (I'm sure I missed something.)The service was perfect and they even had palm wine! We highly recommend this restaurant, tucked in the back of an African goods store. Explore both and appreciate a little more about what makes Minnesota so special. read more

Food was decent and would've gotten a higher rating from me. Unfortunately my mother and I both got food poisoning after consumption. (:

Lady was in a rush and gave me my fufu very Sticky, made me think she just gave me it not fully done. Didn't like the food either. read more

Akwaaba Restaurant - Fufu, cassava leaves and okra - African Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Food is really good. The place is filthy though. They need to super clean the whole place. It should not smell and look dirty where people are ordering and eating food. read more

Honestly we got to do better as a people *I say this because I am often disappointed by the service provided in a lot of African restaurants in the twin cities* I was especially annoyed with the service at this place! I called (about 5 times ) and an hour ahead for a relatively simple order and only to get there and they didn't have my order nor did they have some of the food I ordered. Once at the restaurant I just saw them ignoring incoming calls wahhh I waited what was supposed to be 10 minutes , which turned into 40 . Am I not paying for this food? Really confused. Am I not giving them business ? By the time the food came out I was sooo over it . I calmed down and when I got home and tried the food, it was good (I guess). I had ordered Jollof rice (beef) , plantains and goat meat stew. But all in all - just goes to show how much service matters - really hope they can turn that around and when they fully open again it's better. read more

It was ok. I got the cassava leaf, the spice level was really good considering I asked them to make it extra spicy. The cassava leaf had a different taste to it, and was dry compared to how it usually is. Think I'll give them one more try. read more

Tucked away at the back of a tiny West African grocery this restaurant seems like a cross between someone's personal dining room and a roadside diner. Very friendly service and tasty food. Don't worry about the lack of spit and polish...the ample portions of flavorful West African food will make you forget that. We had individual servings of plantain and fufu then shared bowls of okra, palm butter stew and spinach. The okra came with what was either beef or goat. The palm butter had ham while the spinach had chicken and beef. We will definitely come here again. read more

I will admit, the venue does seem a bit sketch when you first get in. It's located at the back of an African store that's nestled between two east African restaurants if I'm correct. It definitely come across as a little family run place, but the the waitress who serves us was very friendly, something that I think is always huge. Foodwise, my party got some fufu, some palm butter soup and some tomato and goat stew. I have to say the food was pretty dang good, very flavorful, well seasoned and just in general, awesome. As some one from the Caribbean with West African heritage, I have to say, this place grades out. read more

Convinced some people to try it with me. Walked about 10-12 blocks to get here. NOTE: it is in the back of an African grocery so it's not easy to find. Very modest place. We asked for several dishes family style and it was PHENOMENAL! Peanut soup, jollof rice, collards, spiced tilapia, all delicious! Give this place a chance and you'll love it! read more

One of the strangest dining experiences I've ever had. I ate in, but I'll probably get it to-go next time. Like other reviewers have said, the dining room is spartan, but I like the art that they have on the walls. If you're adventurous, you won't mind, because the place, by any estimate of the clientele (the cook spoke mostly in French to the other customers), is extreme authentic. If nobody is there, knock on the door on the left when you walk in, and the cook will take your order. I got goat stew with rice, and it was $13. The stew was fantastic, very spicy and meaty and especially good on a cold November afternoon, but it was a little too close to lukewarm to have been perfect. I heard a microwave alarm several times in the kitchen, which makes me wonder if they re-heat the food for each customer. For stews (and there are several on the menu), I don't mind this, especially since they improve after a night in the refrigerator. There's no way that I could make it myself. Had lunch cost under ten dollars, I'd have given five stars. But it was very good and a pretty big portion, so I'll give a recommendation and four stars. I think this may be the only West African restaurant in the Twin Cities, and I'm very happy to have tried it. I'll be back. Some guy recommended the palm butter and palm wine to me, for what it's worth. I googled a lot of the dishes and found nothing, perhaps because of the idiosyncratic spelling ("thieboudienne" is rendered sans the "h" on their menu). read more

Yes, it is a clean & friendly place tucked behind a store front. However a word of caution to ask for the prices before ordering. We were the only patrons dining-in the entire evening (2+hrs). We ordered our meal off a poster with color photos of various dishes minus the prices. I didn't ask the prices of the dishes (my regret) so was odd at the end of the meal at the check out counter of the store when she flatly stated the total was $35.22. But I was never given a bill stating the actual breakdown of costs. My friend ordered a Jollof rice plate with 2 chicken pieces and small portion of beef on a bed rice while I had a very simple dish of cooked chopped spinach (no other veges or meat) served with a plate of plain white rice. In addition we ordered one whole fish on the side, a small bottle of malt beverage along with a $3 utensil). Odd that both of the dishes were both $12 each even though mine was just a simple bowl of cooked spinach, rather oily at that, the fish was $6 and the drink was $2. My friend, from West Africa, stated she could have cooked a much higher quality meal with less oil. The rice was not basmati rice. We were not impressed with this restaurant. They will need to make some changes if they plan to remain a viable business. read more

Superb! Definitely a low-key venue which makes the experience that much more true. A great group of people that all were checking in on us to make sure we had an enjoyable time and good experience. So much food and such a reasonable price. Will definitely be back for another fun adventure! read more

They would not accept the valid restaurant.com voucher. Must be using it to sucker customer in, very disappointing and dishonest. Was looking forward to a good meal. read more