Cuisine: 9 Service: 7 Decor: 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. read more

Dirty, disgusting and rude staff. Was grossed out to the point where I couldnt even eat. the outside 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. read more

First time I tried this place I fell in love, I never had African food before, I was just walking by and was hungry and decided why not. I try to come here at least once a month. The food is INCREDIBLE when it's fresh, otherwise like some users say it is buffet style so sometimes the food can be sitting out for a while so it can overcook on its own but that's not on the kitchen. RICH and complex flavors that hit home. It's definitely a hole in the wall, lots of foreigners there from Africa hang around but they're all nice and treat you like everyone else. read more

All these years later and I'm still coming here! Service is a 10 and the Ambiance is a 10. I love this place and I am a regular here (almost daily) i come for the wine and great company. The food is hit or miss so I dont really eat much here but the drinks are always good! read more

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Love how it's buffet style and you just pay per pound, but for someone who hasn't been here before or isn't familiar with West African food, it can be pretty confusing. Nothing has labels so it was a lot of picking things based on vibes. Objectively, I don't think you can go wrong with any of the options, but what you like/prefer may vary. Personally I wasn't a big fan of the okra stew (it was a sensory thing), but the rice and beans and the peanut stew were amazing and the best thing I tried. I wasn't a big fan of the fufu: it was looser and stickier than I'm used to and I prefer the ones I've tried from other places. But overall I would definitely come back to try more things. read more

B & B - African Near Me - New York, New York

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This was something I really was excited to try in New York. I walked in and it's a pretty tight restaurant, and you can definitely tell this is legit. Plenty of African drivers were eating here and many popped in and out. What's interesting coming here is I really have like 0 knowledge of African food besides fufu and jollof rice. When you walk in there's literally just a hot bar like buffet with tins and boxes above it. You literally just grab the size of container you want and put the food you want in it. You pay per lb here. There was an extensive amount of options which I had no idea what majority of them were, and the biggest problem is there are no labels in any capacity. I did ask the cashier like what she recommended/good, but she kind of just pointed and didn't really help much which ehh. I ended up copying somebody near me's order a bit and grabbed a variety of two different rices, some stew, 2 vegetables, and then what I thought was like beef. Came out to about $13. They do have beverages in a fridge that you can add onto your order. I sat down with my food and just started trying my order. It was very flavorful, but I simply had 0 idea what the hell I got. The vegetables were fresh but then the other veg I got was like collard greens that weren't bad. The stews were really good! Spicy, deep rich taste not gamy but just tasty eating it with the rice. The biggest surprise was the meat...I grabbed liver and I don't like liver. But I ate it all . That's my fault for not realizing it was liver. Great place was kind of hot in there too since it's cramped and you're right by the hot bar. I just really wish there were some labels telling you what the dishes are, or come with someone who knows what is what. read more

B & B - African Near Me - New York, New York

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I can't say what I had because nothing on the buffet is labeled. People who usually eat here don't need labels. If I lived in NY, I would be one of those people. I had some beef, fish, chicken, and turkey with rice, greens (probably cassava), and okra. I have nothing to complain about! There was so much more on the line but I couldn't justify eating that much food. Note that there's not much seating and what there is was full of regulars. read more

B & B - My sampler dish for about $22. - African Near Me - New York, New York

All features of this place work together perfectly. I found myself liking this restaurant more than anticipated. The service team delivered warmth alongside careful attention. The meals are prepared with skill. Great meals and an enjoyable time. read more

The staff went above usual efforts. They serve numerous types of dishes. The team was fantastic! The dishes were reliably good, I should point out. This restaurant is a worthy local choice. read more

I vow to review B&B at least once per decade. Everything is good, but the dishes are unlabeled so I can't provide a ton of details. There are generally several kinds of chicken, as well as peanut sauce and cassava leaf sauce. Lamb is often available. Even though the meat gets most of the attention there's a surprisingly respectable salad collection. read more

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Their cooking methods stay true to generations-old techniques. I promote this restaurant through word of mouth. The staff's friendliness forms lasting connections. They source fresh ingredients, season well, and cook everything properly. Impressively tasty!!! read more

I've dined at many establishments, but this service is unmatched. The kitchen creates delicious meals at reasonable prices. This restaurant maintains good vibes everywhere. The team stays focused on customers, provides answers promptly and delivers excellent service. The spot is well-situated and we plan to visit again. read more

After staying away for years, my third visit here was worth the wait. This restaurant might become your first choice. The staff maintains their high quality consistently. Quality on the plate and at the table. The place amazed me with its offerings. read more

This restaurant ranks highest in quality. Staff members keep watch over dining experiences. Laid-back dining spot. Their charges are reasonable and food freshness is clear. I plan to revisit shortly. read more

I'm amazed by the food during my initial visit to this restaurant. Employees performed without error! The cooking remains impressive and the service stays professional. You can see care in the visual presentation. If my travels bring me nearby, I'll visit again. read more

This is the second African place I've been to in Chelsea. I tried b&d so I wanted to give this one a shot. I asked the workers and customers what certain plates were but they couldn't give me a proper name. I got the jollof rice, this yellow rice, this fried baked chicken, corn meal ball, the spicy chicken and this yellow chicken. The yellow rice was tasteless and was not a fan at all. The jollof rice was flavorful but it was not fresh and so I caught a lot of crispy bad pieces of rice. I got three pieces of chicken. The baked fried chicken was decent. A little flavorful but nothing unique in the taste. The spicy chicken was indeed spicy as it had a ton of peppers and red sauce on it. The yellow chicken was very tender and was good but it also did not have anything special to it that would differentiate it from other cooked chicken. I came around 7 pm and it was pretty busy but unfortunately most wasn't very fresh. I think it was a tad bit expensive for 2 pieces of chicken and rice and a dough ball for $15. I heard they had jerk chicken but unfortunately did not see any here. I think currently I'd give b&d the edge read more

B & B - $15 plate - African Near Me - New York, New York

I'm surprised by the food quality during my first time at this spot. The establishment feels rooted here. The taste profiles here are inventive. The service team exhibited outstanding professional awareness. This restaurant surpasses expectations. read more

I count the days between visits to this favorite spot. The employees handle special requests gracefully. Good restaurant for a night out. This spot delivers on food quality. This place deserves your quick attention! read more

This place earns absolute marks. Their kitchen delivers uncommonly good food. Restaurant workers offered acceptable care. Every dish satisfies, every server helps, and every price point works. I suggest experiencing the menu. read more

This great spot happens to be just blocks from my new place. Many options with staff who care about your experience. The positive atmosphere extends everywhere. Their food consistently satisfied, to be clear. This spot delivers unmatched cost efficiency. read more

I'll be honest, a three star review is kind of harsh. 3.5 is more accurate in my opinion. I only had one major problem with this place and that is the price tag. It cost about $10 a pound. My food came out to that much. Taste wise, it was great! Although the rice wasn't fresh which is the problem with these types of places. Nonetheless I really enjoyed what I had. The chicken I had was the standout, very delicious. Unfortunately I couldn't tell you what kind of chicken it is. If it came out to less than $10 then my review would've been 4 stars. I intentionally made a small plate and was surprised it came out to $10. If I were more hungry I'd probably have to spend $15+. I felt like I didn't get a lot of food for what I paid. Now I'll admit I'm not well versed in African cuisine, I don't know what's what. I just grabbed whatever looked good to me. I could see someone who is more knowledgeable about the dishes have a better experience. Despite the price tag, I wouldn't mind coming back. Although there's a similar place nearby that I found better. read more

B & B - African Near Me - New York, New York

Hungry, in the streets of NYC me and my friend ran into this gem. We were not expecting this at all... We walked in here and looked at all the amazing food this place had to offer. Were suppose to do take away but couldn't resist and made our plates here. The food had tons of flavor. A lot of flavor. Has to be probably some of the best food I have ever had. A solid 5/5 from me. read more

B & B - Buffet - African Near Me - New York, New York

People expect perfection unreasonably. The entire personnel displays genuine congeniality. This place cooks food properly. You'll notice the current design balanced with cozy elements. We plan to revisit during our next stay. read more

African food buffet style. Just 2-3 tables. Best to take it to go. The place looks like a corner Bodega but all the shelves removed and buffet stations put in instead. The price point is good. Less expensive than other buffet style in the area. Just becareful of what you pick. There was just the 1 lady at the cashier so no one is around to explain what everything was. Nothing was labeled... my friend got 2 pieces of meat that looked like a dry beef stew but turned out to be liver lol. Everything I picked, looked good and tasted good Something i picked was spicy but I still ate it while fanning my mouth LOL read more

B & B - a bowl of food - African Near Me - New York, New York

Total confusion immersion if you are not familiar with food from this region of the world. I thought I was fairly conversant, but that ended when I walked in - a resplendent, overflowing buffet with no labels and unfamiliar scents, to-go containers for me to fill as I liked. I just chose what smelled good. Something with okra, something with what looked, but not tasted, like little artichoke leaves. Something with goat, I think. Who knows? Most things definitely had that crayfish undertone common in a lot of West African stews. Nothing had a familiar flavor, but I really enjoyed most of it, and it was very cost-effective. I would absolutely go back EXCEPT that there was one dish that must have had a dish break in it or something. Little pieces of broken glass every other time I took a bite. This made me paranoid about eating more of it lest I tear up my esophagus/stomach (and generally eating broken glass just probably isn't a great idea). read more

The food was good here! A couple things I didn't realize in advance that I wish I had known and that made it less good to me: - With Ethiopian cuisine, I adore the vegetarian dishes - lentils, split peas, greens, etc. They had none of that. There was rice and sides, but none of my staple vegetarian main dishes; only meat main dishes. - someone said it was homemade versions of Ethiopian food and that was my experience, which meant it was different from what I was used to seeing on the menus at Ethiopian restaurants. Also it was really, really tough to figure out what I was what, especially in terms of what kind of meat the various meat dishes had. Other things to know: - Someone mentioned in a review in a review I read that it's a hangout with Lyft / Uber drivers. That underestimates it. When I went, it was packed with all men - I was the only person who wasn't a guy in the whole place - just fyi. - The containers you put your stuff in all have lids, so it's easy to take things to go for carryout - When you check out, if your order is to go, they wrap it thoughly. And don't touch the cutlery - just ask for it and they'll give it to you (don't just grab it) - Credit card is accepted read more

Always a hit! Love the variety of flavors from countries in Africa as well as dishes loved by the Caribbean and American diaspora

If you need something quick, cheap, and delicious, 100% choose this over a fast food/chain restaurant. You get a takeout box and fill it up with whatever you want from their hot food bar and they charge by weight (7.99/lb when I went 2 months ago). There are SO MANY options and every single thing I got was delicious. I mostly chose meat dishes so there were like 6 different kinds on my plate... huge variety of flavors but all of them so tender and tasty. I'm not really familiar with African food so I can't comment on authenticity but I'd highly recommend trying this place if you're in the area! They also have quite a few tables and chairs in the store if you want to eat it right away (would recommend). I went on a huge snow day so it was pretty empty but seems like other reviews say it can be very packed normally. read more

B & B - 1.5 lbs - African Near Me - New York, New York

My boyfriend LOVES African food and we have limited options in the Bay Area so we had to try B&B when traveling to NY! It gets VERY BUSY around lunchtime. We were there at 2 PM on a Tuesday and the entire restaurant was full... It is cafeteria style so you buss your own food. There are two rows of hot and cold foods for you to choose from. You pay per pound ($7.99/lb). There are special dishes like the fried tilapia which was priced at $10 per whole fish. I would first look around before putting anything on a plate because by the time I was done with just ONE row, my plate was almost all full of delicious stewed meat and broken rice/spaghetti.The highlight was the jerk chicken, spicy and extremely flavorful. I would make sure to pick up sauce from the stewed meats or heap on the sauces at the end of the rows! Spice = Life. Drinks were cheap, priced at $1.50 per can. Everyone ate quickly and were in and out in under 30 minutes. Excellent food; we will be back again! read more

B & B - Stewed meats, jerk chicken, spaghetti, broken rice, and some salad for lunch! - African Near Me - New York, New York

The food here is sooooooo fresh!!! My man and I popped in on a Sunday night. Everything is served buffet style and sold by the pound. There's an array of container sizes to choose from. Pick your container, take it to the register to get weighed, pay for your food and go. Doesn't get much easier than that AND they're open late. Until 4am on the weekends. You have the option of sitting inside or taking your order to go. Everything I had was good....My man literally cleaned his plate which is very rare for him. I'm taking off one star because the plastic top to seal your container is behind the register and only applied once you've paid. I understand the logic but I'd prefer covering my food myself as soon as I've plated all of my selections. read more

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Amazing west African food. It's probably a good thing I don't live close to this restaurant; I'd be fat within a year. Very friendly staff.

B&B is a self-service buffet. Delicious array to choose from. Definitely a restaurant in the neighborhood worth dining in or as a takeout.

Piping hot and fresh every time. So many options to choose from at very affordable prices. This is a great place to try the cuisine for the first time as they have many options to choose from. Love the potato and cassava leaf soup. read more

This place is open 24/7. The buffet is FULL of the best and greatest foods of W Africa & the Caribbean. When I'm in the area, I eat here as much as I can. I have been in NY for 4 days, 3 nights this trip. I've come here 4x this trip alone. This place is like all my culinary fantasies came true. You name it, they have it. It's delicious, high quality.... omg!They even have all the bottled drinks! From pineapple ginger to ting. My two grievances.... the rice is old if you get there past 8p. Not so old that it's not palatable. But... old, still. And there is NO dessert. Nothing sweet exists here at all. So, you'll have to go elsewhere for your full of that. read more

B & B - African Near Me - New York, New York

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I have legitimately been watching this place for a while. I've have been checking it out from afar and lusting after a taste of their food. I'm now going to warn you that this is about to get a little out of control, take your PG-13 warning and stop now if you can't handle the heat. Can you handle it? I sure can handle it!!! Let me clarify, this place is a plain, hole in the wall buffet that has a long seating area. In the center of the place, you will find the treasure trove of a buffet. So you actually are invited to feed your greediest of desires. Grab a container and serve yourself. Bring your fare to the counter to get it weighed. They give you a cup for water, a spoon, fork and knife to dig into your plate. I was filling my mouth slowly to sample all of the flavors and textures. Not all items are labeled so I welcomed the idea of using my tongue and tastebuds to explore. ((Shudders)) I stopped short of licking the styrofoam plate. I think it was really obvious that I was enjoying the food as two random patrons sat with me to break bread in unison. Staff is friendly, they have a variety of beverages and the price is right. There is an atm and a well-maintained bathroom onsite! read more

B & B - Little bit of everything...forgot to get salad or dessert. Too full anyhow - African Near Me - New York, New York

Food is fantastic. Bathroom is the filthiest, most disgusting in NYC!!! Please guys, clean up your bathroom. I don't want you to get shut down... read more

How to enjoy West African cuisine: 1. Plate up your stewed meat and vegetables. Jerk chicken can be dry, I'd go for stew. Chicken gizzards and kale salad are amazing. 2. Choose a starch. They have many flavors of rice and grains, fufu, and spaghetti! 3. IMPORTANT but easy to overlook: At the end of the table near the register there are several hot dishes with different sauces. Cassava leaf sauce, potato leaf sauce, peanut sauce. These sauces are pure magic and transform your plate. They are equally good poured on top of everything, mixed into your stew, or eaten on the side. You can have an oxtail stew with cassava leaves, or a creamy peanut sauce on your chicken. 4. To torch your mouth, reach to the middle of the table for a small scoop of the last sauce: pure scotch bonnet pepper. (Optional but recommended.) The food here is incredible and they are constantly swapping out fresh trays of everything. I wish the interior seating were nicer but what can you do. Go eat here!! read more

Hot damn! Every bit of expectation I had, this place met. When you think buffet style- yes, but so much more! A ton of meat, sauce, stew and rice options. Gotta love that! The only thing is- not everything is labeled and some of the things that do have labels aren't accurate. But seriously you can't go wrong with anything that you get. If this is your first experience with African cuisine, try everything, it's very authentic and so damn delicious! The prices are also extremely reasonable- I filled up a big box of food and only spent $13.00!!! The food could have been spicer, but who cares?! Every bite was freggin amazing! read more

B & B - A little bit of everything- totally delicious, totally satisfied! - African Near Me - New York, New York

B&B is a hole in the wall type of restaurant which serves Halal African food buffet table style. The place is very casual. A mixed plate is $8/lb. There is a salad bar, various meats, fried fish, and rice. Food was decent but there was less variety than some of the similar restaurants in the area when I went. The flavored/meat rices were a bit too salty. I enjoyed the stewed beef with carrots and potatoes. The meat was soo tender and fell off the bone. The potato salad with tomatoes was also great. read more

B & B - Mix plate ($7.99/lb) - African Near Me - New York, New York

Quality 24/7 spots are hard to come by, so B&B is a gem. This African/Caribbean place is pretty low-key, as most pay-per-pound steam table restaurants are. People seeking an upscale atmosphere and food presentation need not enter. No, seriously. Don't come. They might up the prices. Many of the dishes aren't labeled, so let your eyes and nose take the lead here. I just lined the bottom of my container with rice and beans, then dumped various meats and stews on top, so everything kinda blended together in a hodgepodge of delicious saucy goodness. From what I recall, the peanut sauce was great, as was the okra stew. The jerk chicken was tender and quite spicy. I don't remember if I tried any cassava leaf sauce, but either way, I'll be back for it next time (if it's there). They also have curry chicken, goat, baked chicken, etc. My order came out to $12, but then again, I was a beast who got almost two pounds of food. If you come during your lunch break, beware of the inevitable food coma that will follow. It'll be absolutely worth it though. read more

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