The food was so good! The drinks were also. Our server gave us recommendations Abe explained some…read moreof the items we were unfamiliar with. The aesthetic is so fun and not what you would expect. So glad we bumped into this place!

Finally got an opportunity to dine here. Ive had the food catered before and this time I was able…read moreto try in house. The establishment itself is quite dated. The awning outside needs refurbishment and inside furniture is not updated. It's dark inside, almost like a night club. Perhaps it is sometimes. I did not like the decor, it was a little run down and honestly did not match up to the prices. The service was also disappointing. I felt that staff lacked a bit of professionalism and they rarely checked on us. The plates are huge. That is a plus. My partner ordered the goat and I tried the red snapper. I think one plate is big enough to share. I like the spinach, but everything needed a bit of salt. While the red snapper was coated in a lovely tomato and red pepper gravy, I felt it made the crispyness of the fried fish disappear and it was kind of soggy. Maybe you can ask for the gravy on the side. The food is not bad, but given the physical establishment and the service I wouldn't return.

food - service - ambiance on 100%!…read more thank you GG for not only being stylish with her beautiful stacks of jewelry, but being so attentive with our table. thank you to the rest of the staff for your wonderful service :)

Amazing food! Great atmosphere! We love GG and we will be returning soon to try more items!read more

Spice Kitchen is a great choice for when you want suya, or the spicy kick or West African food. I…read morerecommend the shrimp or salmon but the chicken and beef are solid choices, too. I get spinach, corn or plantains for side dishes. I'm not a fan of the Jollof rice. The portions are a good value. Give it a try!!!

I ordered the half beef, half chicken suya plate with rice and spinach as my sides. The taste of…read morethe food was amazing. The Suya has a subtle but lingering spice. The place is Next to the CVS in a very active retail center, but the orders are filled quickly on site.

(This review is for a delivery order so does not include any detail on service / ambiance)…read more Delicious Ghanaian food in the heart of U Street! I've been wanting to try Ghanian food for the longest time, so when I saw Appioo on UberEats, I just knew I had to put in an order. I got their grilled red snapper with a side of fufu and banku (two traditional paste-like Ghanian dishes; fufu is a starchy dough made with cassava and plantains, while banku is a slightly sour fermented version made with cornmeal and cassava). The red snapper was perfectly grilled, with a delightful char on the outside and super crispy skin, but flaky, tender flesh. It was served with a light, refreshing tomato sauce, and shito / black pepper sauce. The shito was incredibly rich, with a great spicy, smoky, and umami flavor. The tender fish and flavorful sauces went wonderfully with the two sides, with the fufu serving as more of a blank canvas (and therefore a great way to let the natural flavors of the fish -- or the deep, smoky, spicy flavors of the shito -- shine). The banku was perfectly tangy and just the right amount of funky, and it was great with the fish on its own. Everything from Appioo was incredible! I can't wait to sample a few more of their dishes, hopefully from inside the actual restaurant.

Went here for the first time tonight and it did not disappoint! This was my first time having West…read moreAfrican food and I will definitely be coming back for more. I had a platter with chicken, egusi, jollof rice, and plantains. It also came with a very small salad on the same plate. Everything was so so delicious and visually appealing. Our server was very friendly and provided great service.

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!!!!

I booked Elmina through a Chase Sapphire Reserve "Curated Dining" experience. Apparently, the…read morecuration involved someone shrugging and saying, "Yeah... this'll do." The exclusive experience? Still looking for it. Unless "being seated at a regular table" is now considered luxury. The food was so meh at best. it felt like the chef had recently lost a custody battle with salt. Every dish looked like it had a story to tell, but unfortunately that story was, "I peaked on the menu." The service wasn't terrible. It also wasn't particularly present. Imagine if customer service was replaced by a series of occasional cameos. For the price, I expected memorable. It was memorable, just not in the way the restaurant probably hopes. On the bright side, the conversation at our table was excellent, mostly because we spent the evening trying to guess what each dish was supposed to taste like. One star. I'd say I'd come back if Chase curated it again, but fool me once... Next time at least get the water right. Geez! It's like a desert in here.

I got the pleasure of learning about Calabash and experiencing their Ghanian cuisine on a Sunday…read moreafternoon and I thoroughly enjoyed. Calabash African Cuisine is an intimate and cute establishment that offers great customer service. And the food, the food was absolutely delicious! I ordered the Suya and Waakye, which took my tastebuds back to the delicious dishes my second family always cooked for festivities. I also got the opportunity to try my friend's entree, which was the Banku with the Peanut Soup. Needless to say, the food was flavored and cooked perfectly. Whenever, I'm craving some goodT Ghanian food, I'm glad that I now have a go to... Calabash.

Typing this while in emergency room with friend who has a severe peanut allergy. We asked the…read moreserver several times was there any peanuts in the seasoning and he said no. My friend started to react after eating the suya and I had to rush her to the emergency room. The only reason we found out about the peanuts was because I made the server go ask the chef about the peanuts after her reaction . This was something that could be avoided if they took the time to put her health and life first.

I was in town for the weekend Looking for live…read moreentertainment and stumbled upon Lydia's. Its a small cozy environment. 2nd Saturday is live music. FutureBandDC played and killed it. We sat directly in front of the band and speakers. Id suggest pushing tables back a bit. We ordered from the late night menu. Pls note after 10pm the menu is limited. We ordered the honey hot wing and fries as well as the jerk wings. I assumed the jerk was grilled and it wasn't. They were very spicy if you like spice. We didn't order cocktails. The jerk chicken sandwich was kinda small and Chicken thighs are used. The overall vibe was decent and the price wasn't bad at all. I would visit again

Lydia on H is a cozy Afro-Caribbean restaurant in Washington, D.C., offering a unique fusion of…read moreMalawian and Caribbean flavors. It's a small but quaint spot with a mix of booth and table seating, making it a nice place for a relaxed dinner with friends. As a picky eater visiting for the first time, I kept my order simple with wings and rice. The wings were the highlight of the meal--crispy, flavorful, and well-seasoned. The rice, however, was disappointing. It was dry and lacked seasoning, and I found myself wishing it had at least a little butter and salt to enhance the flavor. The mocktails were delicious and complemented the meal well. The atmosphere was warm and inviting. The music was at the perfect volume--easy to enjoy while still being able to carry on a conversation without shouting, which made for a pleasant evening with friends. Our server was attentive, friendly, and made us feel welcome throughout the meal. One small note: the ladies' restroom was clean but very small and narrow. It had a hook-and-latch style door but no place to hang a purse, which would be a nice addition. Parking on H Street is always a hit or miss, so plan accordingly if you're driving. Ratings: * Food: (3/5) * Atmosphere: (3/5) * Service: (4/5) * Dinner with Friends: (5/5) Overall, Lydia on H is a pleasant neighborhood spot with friendly service, tasty wings, and excellent mocktails. While the rice missed the mark for me, I enjoyed the company, the conversation, and the relaxed atmosphere. I would consider returning to try other menu items.

Everything was all I expected. Great service…read moreWaiter very attentive A/C was on high (a lil too cold for me) Overall experience "10"

Swanky cool modern restaurant in the Salamander Hotel. This place was so good I went there twice in…read more2 weeks. First time- no reservations but dined early and sat at the intimate bar. Loved our server Ivory. Second time- reservations and sat at a beautiful marble table. Both times we had cornbread à la carte because I always love cornbread. And this place makes a DECADENT cornbread with lots of butter. Also had the gooseberry rum cake both times - it's just absolutely amazing when served warm with a crusty outside and soft cake inside and the light cream! The mains and bites varied but all are tasty. I liked the branzino a lot. Highly recommend! It was a great dining experience and wonderful flavors! Can't wait to come back!

Everything was phenomenal. Highly recommend this place. The Jollof with beef skewers knocked my…read moreshoes off. Amazinggggggggggggg. Also, try the Shrimp & Avocado salad best everrrr!!!

When I came to this restaurant for the cassava leaf back in February of this year, it was not…read morereally flavorful cassava leaf, but it was tolerable. However, tonight's take out of the same dish was horrible! Who dumped the entire container of salt into the cassava lead? Chef or whoever cooked tonight must a smoker because their taste buds are ruined!!! I was so hurt when I got back to my Airbnb and was ready to enjoy the food ans share with my son who loves cassava lead as well! The plantains were stale and hard. The grilled or smokey chicken was good but I couldn't really eat it because I could not mix it with the cassava lead stew. I noticed a review from last year said the same thing I did about the severely salty cassava leaf. Please do better with regular quality checks and a chef who knows African seasonings have nothing to do with saltiness. If the cook used salt fish in the stew they are supposed to boil the salt fish or dried fish until it is soft enough and then pour out the salt water, not add it to the stew!! Do better! Please! We want to you succeed in your new venture and we don't to get high blood pressure from heavy handed salt in the process.

The food was really good. The service was amazing the person who is in charge of the service is…read morereally kind and a nice person! And the ambiance was great! Clean space very friendly environment.

My first experience with Ethiopian cuisine at Keren was such a memorable one. The staff was…read moreincredibly friendly and welcoming, and the surrounding neighborhood felt vibrant and full of life. We walked into a cozy, intimate space and were lucky to grab a small table for two by the window. Since it was our first time, we asked for guidance in choosing something authentic. Our server pointed us to the left side of the entrée menu, and we followed her lead. We ordered the special tibsi with chicken and the special shiro served with enjera--a traditional chickpea dish presented in a clay pot. Both dishes came with spongy enjera, which you tear and use to scoop up the food by hand. It made for a fun and immersive dining experience. The food was rich and flavorful, and we truly enjoyed everything we tried. Midway through, we did ask for forks as the enjera started to feel a bit heavy for us, but it didn't take away from the experience. Overall, I'm a fan and excited to explore Ethiopian cuisine more--maybe even closer to home next time. Highly recommend Keren if you're looking for something delicious, authentic, and welcoming.