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    Alke Cafe

    4.3 (6 reviews)
    Closed 4:00 pm - 1:00 am (Next day)

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    ALKE CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Live music
    Happy hour specials

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    Alke Restaurant and Coffee Bar's Skimpy $17 Chicken Yassa Entrée with Only 1 (One) Drumstick!
    Mike R.

    Alke Restaurant & Coffee Bar (per their website, maybe a.k.a. Alke Cafe) looked like a nice venue to have a bite or cocktail, part of a series of new African-inspired cuisine restaurants opening in Harlem outside of the W. 116th Street corridor. Given my other positive experiences and excited to try Alke out, discovered that, despite being a "Coffee Bar" that's open (again, per their site) "From Sun Up, to Sun Down," the earliest they open is 3 PM. (From my estimate, 3 PM is approximate sunrise in New Caledonia, about 8700 miles away!) Noted it offers a Monday Stand-up Comedy Night, but decided to go for the Wednesday Trivia Night. By far, things did not match up to my expectations! (Note - And not because of the Trivia, which was fun.) Since it was the evening, I held off on getting the coffee but ordered the Chicken Yassa, listed on their menu as an entrée with a caramelized onions and lemon sauce on a bed of rice. Although Alke's online menu listed Chicken Yassa as $12, it was corrected on the restaurant's menu to $17. I didn't think too much since I recognize typos happen and/or prices change. See pic of what I got! While Alke's dish was well-prepared and delicious, it seriously had only 1 (one) drumstick and an ice cream scoop size portion of rice for $17!!! Outrageous! What a RIP-OFF!!! Considering the person in the table next to me ordered the wings for $12 and later received 8 wings, I couldn't believe that they served me an entrée portion. When the waitress, who is also Alke's owner, came with the check I asked her how long it was opened... apparently 8 months. I mentioned to her, while my food was delicious, how outrageous it was to get only one drumstick for an entrée. She replied something about food costing money and the trivia was for free to participate. (7 teams played, plus they gave away $50 1st prize and $25 2nd prize.) I responded it could have had at least two drumsticks! She was absolutely unapologetic and obviously lost. Did she reduce the portion from the every other day size because the Trivia costs something?! Seriously! There are options if the numbers don't work out: either charge for Trivia or don't give as big prizes, or whatever... but don't skimp on what is presented as a main course portion, especially when the bill for that alone with tax is $18.50! Given her response, I regret also automatically giving any tip! Of course, I recognize how hard it is to open a restaurant and build a business. Who knows? Perhaps she's strained by the rent. Given Alke's limited hours, perhaps she's running it as a one person show which I understand would be a struggle. (Which is why I give it two stars not one.) Nevertheless, Alke's owner has made a place that's a total lost opportunity! The space is warm and inviting with stone walls, exposed brick, and white ceiling beams that also (1) is a couple blocks from Central Park and (2) has limited competing restaurants in an immediate radius! Plus, the tasty Chicken Yassa she served me was at best (not really) an appetizer portion, yet again her menu lists it as an entrée! $17 for a single drumstick and a tiny portion of rice? Seriously? If the portion was anywhere either close to entrée size or sized/priced proportionally as an appetizer, I'd be going back. I live in the neighborhood and could have been a regular, but not if she's going to try to pass off anything like that small as a meal! There's no excuse - even if Alke's owner informed me (which she didn't) it was Silkie or Golden Chicken she procured downtown at The Tin Building market! (See my review.) Beyond that Alke's owner by leveraging all the advantages of its location, especially with better weather ahead, could benefit from opening earlier, if not as an actual place to get morning coffee or weekend brunch and with reasonable lunch specials, to get people to try out their food, build their customer base and revenue stream. Regardless, her response to my feedback killed it for me, even if I noted the wings or sliders might be a better deal - I'm not going back, even to try its $15 cup (unbelievable) of Ethiopian coffee (which is served with some sort of Ethiopian snack). An absolute shame! I go out of my way to support a good local business in my neighborhood, but given the disappointing response from Alke's owner truly unfortunately this won't be one!

    Good vibes and a great time!
    Aurora L.

    Amazing! Went here for a poetry night for my husband's birthday. Another organization was hosting but we had such a beautiful experience! The food was delish and the drinks were good! I love that they have non alcoholic options for those of us that don't drink. Also if you haven't tried their coffee you need to that was the highlight of my night soooo tasty! The ambiance was great, very comfortable and overall the service was amazing. It felt super welcoming ! Oh and btw Central Park is across the street so really cute date idea if you want to take a little stroll and unwind.

    Chicken Yassa

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    B&D Halal Food

    B&D Halal Food

    4.4(119 reviews)
    4.1 miChelsea, Midtown West
    $

    Cuisine: 8 Service: 6…read moreDecor: 6 Value: 10 Overall: 9 What an amazing meal for such a wonderful price! If I lived nearby, this would easily be one of my regular stops for a quick bite. Nothing fancy, just delicious food for an unbelievable price. When you walk into this large spacious "cafeteria" with steam trays, it looks clean and quiet. There was a lady at the cash register that wasn't too helpful, but I guess the communication barrier played a part. At $8.99 per pound, you can really fill up here for an insanely good price. My favorites have been the beef dishes and therefore often skip all the chicken items. However, feel free to make a plate anyway you like. At the end of the day, I'm sure it'll be great.

    This review is for the second location that recently opened on 9th Avenue, near 42nd Street…read more I have had food from this African style self-serve takeout several times, and the food is very good. The spicing can be quite different from other styles of cuisine, but whether or not you like it is a personal decision. I liked most of the food that was offered. I found the baked chicken to be excellent. The stewed chicken and the goat dish were also very good. Vegetables are all excellent...from greens to cabbage to carrots...all are delicious. The whole fish has a distinctive strong taste that took some getting used to...perhaps a lot of paprika and red pepper, but I'm not really sure...certainly a nice portion size. Staff is very friendly and hospitable. Highly recommended.

    Photos
    B&D Halal Food
    B&D Halal Food
    B&D Halal Food - Whole Baked Red Snapper

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    Whole Baked Red Snapper

    Teranga Harlem

    Teranga Harlem

    4.7(165 reviews)
    0.4 miEast Harlem
    $$

    We stopped by Teranga as hubby had been wanting to try this place and so we took a walk uptown as…read morethis is close to Mt Sinai and we had appointments nearby. This spot is located inside an African museum. It is a small place when you walk in. The food is all cooked and laid out on trays. I asked the attendant what is the best dish and he asked if I want spicy or not. I said no spicy and he made the chicken bowl recommendation. The bowl was delicious ! Rice was cooked al dente, chicken juicy, beans so tender and topped with plantains! I have not been a fan of plantains but this one was delicious. And flavor profile was strong and hearty. Hubby loved the bowl too. This time we shared one but next time he's getting his own! We will def take a trip up again next time!

    My fiancé and I decided to get some take out on a rainy day and have always wanted to try Teranga…read more They have a very user friendly ordering system in their website which made it easy to place our orders and make them exactly what we wanted. My fiancé ordered a Yassa Yassa Grilled Chicken Bowl and I ordered a custom bowl. The delivery was very quick and it got to where we were faster than I expected which was a plus. Service was very good! I got a call saying one of the sauces I wanted was out unfortunately but they were helpful in providing me with alternatives. The Yassa Yassa bowl was very delicious, full of bold flavors, and a beautiful contrast between the spicy aromatic jollof, the sweet plantains, and the tangy onion sauce. The chicken in this bowl was definitely a little overdone and could have used more flavor. For my custom bowl, I got a chicken suya bowl with jollof as my base, plantains and the kale stew (Efo riro ) as sides and initially wanted the peanut (mafe) sauce which they were out of so I also tried the yassa or onion sauce. My bowl was absolutely delicious! Same bold flavors as the first bowl but the chicken was juicy, tender, and well spiced. Made all the difference! Both came with a nice chimichurri like spicy sauce called rof which I really enjoyed since it added a spicy, herbal, bright kick to the bowl. This place has amazing flavor and is very filling! I love the fast casual nature of it and how nourishing it feels. This is basically a Chipotle but West African inspired. The portion of meat was very generous in each bowl which was nice. The jollof was amazing! Highly recommend trying one of their suya meats since the seasoning is incomparable! Will be going back again for more bowls in the future.

    Photos
    Teranga Harlem - The Jollof Seasonal Bowl

    The Jollof Seasonal Bowl

    Teranga Harlem - Nigerian wall art

    Nigerian wall art

    Teranga Harlem - Delicious recipes (lots of gluten free and dairy free ideas!) and that boat all the way from Senegal

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    Delicious recipes (lots of gluten free and dairy free ideas!) and that boat all the way from Senegal

    Pikine - Senegalese Restaurant

    Pikine - Senegalese Restaurant

    3.9(124 reviews)
    0.3 miHarlem
    $$

    Excellent service! Good food. Great location. LOVE the educational map of Africa!…read more The only reason for docking a star is the jollof was not the best and the lamb was a bit less juicy than preferred. We were an odd party of 5 and it was packed inside - they played Yahtzee with a couple parties who didn't yet have food and were seated at larger tables for their small party just so we could sit. Then, moments after a table left they moved us and merged tables so we could comfortably dine. This was so intelligent and comforting imo. Most managers/owners would be afraid to do that, but when you're dealing with mom & pop cultured businesses they make you feel a part of the village so make it work for everybody to eat & enjoy. They handled it professionally and with respect to the customer as we listened in to how they managed. They were fast, helpful, on it from entry to exit! I appreciated the cushioned seating. The fresh ginger juice was amazing especially after all the singing we'd done. They were helping us pronounce the dishes and the presentation was nice. The portion was large enough for leftovers. While they were out of most menu items and handling a large catering order, it seems they're popular for a reason and I'm happy they're doing well. Go, enjoy!!

    Found parking in front and went inside during peak dinner hours. The inside was dimly lit and has…read moreplenty of seating. The dining area was packed and there were lots of people. The ambiance was loud and there were also tv playing. Once we sat the waiter came over and gave us menus. everything looked great and prices were awesome. We got their recommendations: the dibi lamb and dibi chicken with our choice of a free side. we got white rice and vermicelli The lamb was cooked good and the hot sauce was fantastic. The Chicken was a bit burnt but very juicy nonetheless. It was my first time trying Senegalese food and i am looking forward to coming back here! Very flavorful and nice staff i really like it! Come here when you're in the area A+

    Photos
    Pikine - Senegalese Restaurant - #1 dish on the lunch menu . Fish stew with vegetables over rice

    #1 dish on the lunch menu . Fish stew with vegetables over rice

    Pikine - Senegalese Restaurant - Chicken with exotic rice.

    Chicken with exotic rice.

    Pikine - Senegalese Restaurant - Thiebou Djeun (Rice w/ Fish including cabbage,carrots, yucca and many other vegetables)

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    Thiebou Djeun (Rice w/ Fish including cabbage,carrots, yucca and many other vegetables)

    Tatiana By Kwame Onwuachi - Curried goat patties

    Tatiana By Kwame Onwuachi

    4.4(611 reviews)
    2.4 miUpper West Side
    $$$$

    We were lucky and were able to get a prime timer reservation the day of! Just keep refreshing resy…read moreand you might get lucky if someone cancels. The interior decor was very modern and chic. They also had outdoor seating which also match the vibe. It was 100 degrees out so luckily we were able to sit inside. Our waiter was very nice and attentive. Though it seemed like he was trying to oversell us on everything. But everything was delicious. I only got 2 photos but we had 4 dishes. Okra, Lamb ribs, crab and oxtail patties, and wagyu pastrami. My favorite bite was the crab and oxtail patties. The two sauces were to die for. And our waiter have us their special hot sauce, which was amazing on everything. The pastrami was also amazing. Its definitely more on the expensive but its worth to try at least once!

    Ok, so I finally made it to this NYC hot spot, and I've got soooo many thoughts…read more 1) Reservations are impossible to get (unless you got some secret sauce that I do not currently possess). If you want to get in, arrive at 4:30 and wait in what will surely be a line to be one of many walk-in guests. We arrived at 5pm, and in 15 minutes we were in and lucky for us replacing someone who dropped their Resy. 2) The restaurant is beautiful, with an open dining room so you can literally see everyone. Very posh and perfect for socializing. I really enjoy the marble table tops and comfy chairs. Since there's always a bag involved, hooks on the underside of the tables would be nice. The bathrooms were clean but a little dim for my liking. 3) There were plenty of N/A options for this sober sista and I would recommend the Mile which, as its name indicates, has a bit of a kick. We ordered 3 small shares and 2 large shares and 2 desserts for 2 people, and it was more than enough food. For small shares, we ordered Goat Patties (A), Cod and Cornbread (A+) and Fried Okra (A). The mains were the Oxtails (A) and Fried Branzino (A+, but be careful for the tiny bones) both with rice and pigeon peas (A+). It was all delicious (though perhaps a bit overpriced. I know I'm paying for the entire experience, but $54 for a plate of oxtails...mmmm, I'm not so sure about that). For dessert, we did the Bodega special (B+) and the Rum Cake (A+, GET THIS!). Our server Neo was knowledgeable and attentive. And the entire wait staff, and hostesses were wonderful. All and all, it was a fantastic dining experience and I'll definitely fight my way back in for another experience in the future.

    Photos
    Tatiana By Kwame Onwuachi - Inside (my view)

    Inside (my view)

    Tatiana By Kwame Onwuachi - Bodega special

    Bodega special

    Tatiana By Kwame Onwuachi - Mama Duke's Shrimp

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    Mama Duke's Shrimp

    B & B - My sampler dish for about $22.

    B & B

    4.4(208 reviews)
    4.3 miChelsea
    $

    Cuisine: 9 Service: 7…read moreDecor: 4 Value: 9 Overall: 9 I am not an expert in West African cuisine, but all I can say about the food here is, "Holy shit! It's good!" The setup inside this dimly lit restaurant had a bunch of steam tables offering various beef and chicken dishes, a handful of rice options, and a bunch of salads/fruits. Having no idea what we were looking at, we asked the friendly owner for some advice. After some contemplation, two of us made a plate with all beef over some jollof rice, and another with basically all chicken items over a different type of flavorful rice. We knew it was too much, but our goal was to figure out what we would come back for. Honestly, I did not enjoy most of the chicken because it's sitting in steam trays getting overcooked. Not saying they were terrible, but it all fails in comparison to all the great beef offerings. OMG! You really can't go wrong with any of the beef dishes. My cuisine rating is really based on the various beef items, the yummy veggies, and both amazing rice. The current price is $10.99 per pound regardless what you fill your box with, except a couple of items. We filled our two boxes with about 4lbs of food. Obviously too much, but we got to try many things. No doubt I will be back asap for round two.

    Dirty, disgusting and rude staff. Was grossed out to the point where I couldnt even eat. the…read moreoutside is filled with tuns bikes from food delivery drivers as this must be a hang out of theirs. feels like there is something more going on to this place then just serving food.

    Photos
    B & B
    B & B
    B & B

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    Alke Cafe - african - Updated July 2026

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