Stop reading Yelp reviews and go here already! No, but really, I had to get on here and put a good word in. I love peanut stew and had never tried this place, so I went on a solo mission to check it out... Everything I had was perfection! I ordered goat peanut stew, 8oz fufu, and a side of jollof rice. I am fed!! This restaurant really cares about what they put on the table and their staff were super friendly (and helpful-this cuisine is new to a lot of customers!). If it's your first time trying West African food, I'd say you're in VERY good hands. read more

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Gold Coast is located in an unassuming spot on a busy street in First Hill, but you should not just pass this place by. It is absolutely worth a visit! It doesn't look like much from the outside, but when I walked in I was absolutely astounded by the airy high ceilings and welcoming interior. We were seated immediately and started perusing the menu, which has something for everyone but is not so large as to be overwhelming. They even have a couple of vegan or vegetarian options -- not a ton, but a couple. I visited on a Friday evening and was hoping to try one of their cocktails, which look quite appetizing on the menu and on their sandwich board outside. However, the bar was closed, which is surprising for a Friday evening. I don't need a cocktail to enjoy a meal, so it wasn't a huge deal, but just know that you might not be able to bank on the bar being open. We shared an order of their fried plantains to start, and then I had the jollof rice with suya short ribs, and my dinner buddy had the suya burger with a small side of fufu. Their fried plantains are gooooood. Sticky sweet and easy to consume in large quantities. There were more included in my dish and I was not mad about it. My jollof rice plate had a huge scoop of jollof rice, a few pieces of suya short rib, some fried plantains, and a small amount of a cabbage slaw-style salad. The jollof here is top tier, and I really like when they use broken rice for jollof like they do here. Suya short ribs were cooked perfectly, tender, seasoned well. I could've eaten three more of those. I will say that suya here is not that spicy compared to my past experiences. The slaw was good, and I honestly wish there'd been a little more of that on the plate to balance out all the savory richness! My dinner buddy really enjoyed her suya burger, she devoured it in about three minutes flat. Service was quick and attentive, and aside from some technical difficulties during the paying process due to our server being new, everything went off without a hitch. The food here is so good, and I still really want to try their cocktails, so I will be back. Hopefully the bar is open next time! read more

Went here to try fufu for the first time. It's a cozy, spacious restaurant. The server was very welcoming, generous, and happy to share her knowledge on the food. The food came out at a great pace and everything was perfection! The hand pies were incredible. Flaky and flavorful. I would go back for those alone. We ordered fufu, egusi, jollof rice, and goat soup. The flavors were incredible, and the textures were phenomenal. It was our first time trying fufu and I thought I would struggle to swallow the food without chewing, but it was easy to break the habit. The Fufu, paired with the entrees, was incredibly delicious and satisfying to eat. We rounded the night out with some dessert. The puff puffs were a very different flavor than I expected. It was a delightful surprise from the expectation of regular fried dough. Can't wait to come back sometime! read more

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Came here for lunch and really enjoyed trying something new. We tried the jolof rice. Staff was friendly read more

Gold Coast Ghal Kitchen - African Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Wow what a treat. Lovely all around, from food, service, ambience to decoration. Looking forward to going back again to try more dishes. the 25 min wait for the whole Bronzino was totally worth it. In fact with hush puppies and the goat soup, we needed the time to get ready for the feast! read more

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Everything we had was delicious. I was so happy with all the things we tried. They have a large number of vegan options relative to other places, including African and west African spots I've visited, which is so exciting! The server was super helpful in giving recommendations and answering all my questions. The vibes were really cool - this feels like a trendy spot but also a place that's embedded within the community too. The best way I can describe it is that you feel like you're sitting in a modern restaurant but you're getting delicious home cooking. Highly recommend and will be back! read more

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I'm so happy we finally made it here. It's been on my list for a long time. As everyone says, don't be deterred by the outside, once you step inside, it's so welcoming and warm. The space is really open with high ceilings and great vibes. Everyone we interacted with was lovely. The menu is great. There were lots of options for all tastes and preferences. We had the veggie hand pies. They were great and the sauce on the side was the perfect accompaniment. Our entrees were amazing too. I'd never had waakye and was really pleased with all the flavors. And then we finished with puff puff which was fried dough with sugar. Delicious! We'll be back! read more

Gold Coast Ghal Kitchen - Vegan Waakye and Jollof Rice w/ Suya Chicken - African Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I've had a fair share of West African cuisine, and I'm glad I did because there is not a lot of those cuisines compared to Thai, etc so whenever I see a place that offers this category of cuisine, I got to try it. Some dishes can be an acquired taste but there's always dishes that cater to everyone like the jollof rice. We got the cassava leaves and red red to try, and we got it takeout for our plans. Cassava leaves has fish and chicken inside, and it is a fairly hearty dish. There are a lot of bones so be careful consuming it. Red red is a vegan dish with black eyed peas, and there are plantains to supplement the dish. This one is well spiced and delicious, but on the lighter end portions wise. Takeout experience is mixed. On one hand they make everything to order to ensure freshness that I appreciate, but on the other end, the server was confused and thought that we didn't even place any order and took a bit of back and forth for them to eventually prepare the dish. This is after placing the order 45 min prior, so it was not the most optimal. read more

Gold Coast Ghal Kitchen - Cassava Leaves, Red Red - IG @bougiefoodieboi - African Near Me - Seattle, Washington

We stopped here while traveling and were not disappointed. The ambiance was high class and the waitstaff were friendly. The food was excellent. Would highly recommend. read more

I went to the restaurant at around 5:30pm. It truly kinda looks closed from the outside. You enter and it's a cute restaurant and I was the only patron. I got immediate service by a very polite employee who walked me through the specials. I got the Suya and Jollof. The food was delicious and I will 100% be returning. However if I was to nitpick, they don't have a real happy hour - it's $3 off the cocktails which is just not a real happy hour. Also food was delicious but the suya was intensely light handed on the suya seasoning and had zero spice. It is also quite pricey for the portion. The plantains were great tho read more

Gold Coast Ghal Kitchen - Sit - African Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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I can only speak to the food because my spouse ordered takeout. West African Cuisine is coming to its own in the Pacific Northwest. I have eaten at many establishments and had the great experience of spending time in Senegal to get a sense of West African spices and flavor. One thing is notable: heat level. In Senegal, you can get the food with as much or as little spice heat as you like. In fact, some dishes are simply served with spice heat as standard. The Pacific Northwest has a much different spice heat tolerance and it's much milder than one would ever find in various countries in West Africa. Now, take out was simple and easy, but one dish requires a greater prep time (Branzino). I had the Branzino. This grilled fish was well seasoned and the plantains were fried well and the cassava was served in a ball. I have had variations on this same dish from other African places, and was surprised with how dry all the items were. Typically, the juices and flavors are amazing, but this was different. I'm far from an expert on African cuisine, but I know the spices and flavors and I was disappointed. I asked a chef at another African restaurant once about heat and spice and he told me that they prepare the food two ways, the Africans who want spice and heat know to ask, but the establishment has to cater to the local palate. I'm obligated to go back and ask for the spicier version of this dish to see how it differs. For now, I will have to rest with the food being ok but not impressive. This is what I would call the safe zone for those who want to try West African cuisine but are afraid of spice and heat. read more

Gold Coast Ghal Kitchen - Branzino, grilled with grilled veggies, fried plantains, and cassava. - African Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Been meaning to try west African cuisine for a hot minute and finally came to try it. The restaurant itself is in the middle of first hill, so it's just street parking. Not impossible, but I got stuck on all the no turning, no parking streets, so was a bit confusing haha. The exterior looks kinda like it's closed, but it's open! There was a little sign outside and we called to make sure lol. Interior is really cute and clean. We came at ~4:30 and there was only one other group there. We were sat immediately and greeted. Since this was our first time, I asked the server for his recommendations and ended up getting everything they recommended. First, the peanut goat soup with fufu. The soup is super super flavorful and a fun consistency with the added okra. The goat pieces are either super tough or tender, so that wasn't great, but the tender pieces I had were flavorful and delicious. The fufu was fun as well. Good side to have with the soup. Second, the jolof rice with beef. The beef ribs were so delicious and tender. They're just the right amount of spicy. The rice was good too -- I like a good tomato rice. Some grains of rice were a bit too hard for my liking though. I especially loved the plantains in this dish. They were so sweet and the edges were perfectly crisp and caramelized. Lastly, I had the sobo to drink. It was so so good! It's a spice heavy hibiscus drink and it's so refreshing and sweet and spiced. Would like a whole jug to take home thank you haha Service throughout our meal was really attentive. The servers checked on us a few times to make sure everything tasted good too. Overall, really great experience here. Some tiny tiny notes but otherwise, a great addition to my restaurant roster. read more

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Liberian flavors in the heart of Seattle! I found this absolute gem while in town for a graduation. When I called to make a reservation, the owner herself, Tina, picked up the phone. I told her I was visiting and wanted to reserve a table for four--she was incredibly kind, warm, and accommodating. She had us all set when we arrived and welcomed us like family. As a proud Liberian, I knew exactly what I wanted and ordered a variety of dishes for us to share family style: Fufu with peanut goat soup Cassava Leaf with rice Jollof rice with chicken Grilled Branzino with Banku The portions were generous, more than enough for the four of us, and every dish was bursting with rich, authentic flavor. If you're feeling bold, ask for the extra spicy sauce on the side. You've been warned. The cocktail menu was impressive too. I went with the ginger pineapple drink, and it was the perfect balance of sweet and spicy. For dessert, we tried both the sweet and spicy puff puff. Trust me, get both. Tina takes incredible pride in her business, and it shows. She checked in with us throughout the meal and has clearly poured love into every detail--from the service to the artwork and ambiance. Ambiance: 10/10 Food: 10/10 Service: 10/10 If you're in Seattle or planning a visit, do not miss this spot. Come hungry, come curious, and come ready to be welcomed like family. #LiberianFood #SeattleEats #BlackOwnedBusiness #SupportLocal #TasteOfLiberia #HiddenGem read more

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As a southerner, I think I know a bit about greens. Good Coast might have the best greens in WA state if not the entire west coast. Staff are super friendly as well! read more

I was looking forward to trying this as I haven't tried west African food before! We came on Saturday night around 8 pm and were able to get a table. They didn't seem too busy. This is tucked away from the busy Capitol Hill. The menu is on the smaller side, which I prefer as it's not too overwhelming. I got the wings to share with a friend and the jollof rice. The jollof rice was so flavorful, with lots of different flavors working well together. I thought the portion size was pretty good for the price. One thing I didn't like is the mandatory 20% added to the check, I would prefer that being included in the price of the dish. But, overall it's nice having this unique place in Seattle! read more

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We came to watch the world cup game and the place was packed and lively. Food was really good! Staff is kind and helpful. read more

Gold Coast Ghal Kitchen - Waakye (waach) and makoma spritz - African Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Gold Coast Ghal Kitchen in the First Hill neighbor serving West African cuisine is phenomenal! With roots in Liberia and Ghana, Tina, the chef, owner, and waitstaff, gave us a brief of the menu before we ordered and graciously spent time after our meal chatting about the seasonings and spices of her home countries, some of which are mailed to her from her family. This is our first exposure to West African cuisine, and we thoroughly enjoyed all four dishes we ordered. I particularly appreciated the complex flavor profile of my main dish - waakyé. The place is charming, decorated with African artworks. There is a small paid lot behind the restaurant; otherwise, it's street parking only. The Food: Waakyé, $24 - 5 Stars Menu: Black-eyed peas red rice, beef stew, spaghetti, shito (black pepper sauce), fried plantain, gari, cabbage slaw, topped w/ soft-boiled egg Tina said this is normally a breakfast dish, and this is her favorite food. The best ingredient is the dallop of shito, a Ghana black pepper sauce. This sauce ties all the ingredients together. This dish is eaten after stirring. SO GOOD, such complex flavors! The distinct foods worked surprisingly well together. It's like a warm, hearty salad, except it is a complete meal. This dish somewhat reminds me of the Burmese tea leave salad (except this is obviously a hearty meal). Both have exquisite and unique flavors. Jollof Rice with suya flanken short ribs, $26 - 5 Stars Menu: Rice stewed in tomato sauce and aromatic spices with suya flanken short ribs, *shito (shrimp & fish pepper sauce), apple cabbage slaw, fried plantains For those not-in-the-know (me), the rice is the star of the plate, not the protein. Tina said everyone has their own secret recipe for the rice. So, my photo should have been rotated with the rice at the front. The ribs are perfectly marinated and cooked. Again, a delicious and hearty dish. Hand pocket, beef, $13 - 4 Stars Menu: Flaky pastry filled with seasoned ground beef or veggie Their version of the meat pie (aka empanada or samosa) is perfectly seasoned, baked, and with a cilantro aioli. Simple, flavorful, wonderful! Peri Peri Wings, $16 - 4.5 Stars Peri-peri is made using the African Bird's Eye chile, a hot pepper that's a close relative of the tabasco pepper, except much spicier. The sauce has the chiles, lemon, pepper, garlic, salt, onion, etc. I don't know what their recipe is (obviously), but it certainly is flavorful. These wings are unbreaded, perfectly fried to a golden crispiness, and impeccably seasoned. Yum! read more

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Honestly the food was disappointing and fell flat. Giving this honest feedback so the owner can improve. I got the jollof rice and suya ribs 1- food took too long to come, inspite of most people ordering the same dish 2- rice was under cooked, and burnt ish 3- ribs weren't flavorful and barely had a hint of suya seasoning. 4- the plantains also looked too dark on the outside and barely cooked as well on the inside My friend got the Afra chicken with the jollof rice and the chicken wasn't cooked all the way. They were nice to replace it . Puff puff was burnt on the outside read more

One of my first times having west African food and no disappointment in sight! We had one of the handpies, the fish, and the egg. Great vegetarian/vegan options here, and great service at an approachable price. The environment was very calm and well curated. Can't wait to come back and try the mushroom dish! read more

Stopped by this small quaint spot in Forst Hill and was very pleasantly surprised! It was a casual yet modern ambiance with a bar as well in the restaurant. The staff were very friendly and welcoming. Of the food, we started off with the fried plantains and then tried the short rib with rice jollof as well as the waache. The jollof was good though a little greasy, but the short rib was fantastic with excellent seasoning. The waache had a really good beef stew that complimented the rice and beans. Portions were good too. I'd be back here to try new dishes or come back for the short rib alone! read more

Gold Coast Ghal Kitchen - Rice jollif - African Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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This restaurant is a slept on hidden gem in the First Hill neighborhood. Its presence is humble, for the windows are tinted and there's minimal signage identifying the location. But once you walk inside, you're welcomed with vibrant West African expression and hospitality. We visited in August, 2025, and the menu showcased authentic dishes from Ghana and Liberia with options such as fried plantain and Liberian pepper soup. To start, we ordered two well balanced cocktails, the Yaa and Ama. For apps, we got the kosua ne meko (boiled egg) and peri peri wings which were the best peri peri wings I've eaten (sorry Nandos). For mains, the whole Branzino came with cassava pearls, two pepper sauces, and fried plantains, and the short ribs with jollof rice, plantains, and a light salad. Everything was a beautiful showcase of flavor and texture, and we savored every bite. Overall, the ambiance was comfortable, the service was very friendly and welcoming, and I will recommend this spot to all my friends who come to visit. read more

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This might be one of my new favorite spots in Seattle. Everything was awesome: the delicious food, attentive service, lovely cocktails, and good vibes. We got the jollof rice with beef short ribs and the waakyé. Everything was so flavorful and delicious with a nice spicy heat. The portions are very generous as well. The homemade ginger pineapple soda and mango ice cream with a sugar crumble was also a highlight. Don't sleep on this place! read more

I'm not an expert on West African food, but I love eating at Good Coast Ghal. The place is small, and you should make reservations if you are coming in at 6-7 pm. The decor is lovely. This is an excellent place for vegans and vegetarians to enjoy a night out. There are a number of vegan options on the small menu, each clearly marked, and there are (cheaper!) vegan options for most dishes. I love the jollof rice, which comes with short rib. The hand pies are craveable. And the red red is hearty, flavorful comfort food. They have a unique selection of cocktails and non-alcoholic drink. I highly recommend the homemade pineapple ginger soda! Service is slow but attentive, and this would be a good place for a date or to catch up with an old friend. read more

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www.goldcoastghal.com How I heard of this place: A few friends had heard good things about this West African restaurant and suggested it for our latest dining adventure. This was my first visit, and certainly not to be the last. Type of cuisine: West African. More specifically, Liberian and Ghanaian. "I want to share my cooking and my food with you, for whatever you might be celebrating. I fuse West African cuisine and piquant spices to create delectable new flavors, ideal for savoring at your celebration." - Tina Fahnbulleh, Chef/Owner. Ambiance: Unassuming and simple, the space lacks the abundance of decorations and covered wall space as is often the case in Seattle. We loved the simplicity of the space, allowing the food to speak for itself. The unmarked exterior makes it easy to simply walk by, especially if one isn't paying attention to the small sandwich board on the sidewalk, where listed is the specials of the day. Inside, the colorful upholstery on the wall side bench running the length of the establishment hints at West African vibrancy. Otherwise, the space is mostly stark and white, including the walls and tables. Even the staff are soft-spoken and leave you to yourself/your party without bother, pretense or efforts to turn tables quickly. The ease in the vibe and the unpretentiousness make it feel cozy and safe. What I ordered: We started with one beef and one veggie hand pie/empanada with cilantro aioili ($12 each). We also had two pineapple ginger sodas ($7 each), one jamaica ($6) and waters all around. For our main entrees, the four of us shared Jollof Rice ($26) - rice stewed in tomato sauce and aromatic spices with suya flanken short ribs, shito (shrimp and fish pepper sauce), apple cabbage slow, fried plantains. Branzino (MP) - grilled, whole, bone-in branzino, fried plantains, sauteed bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, red pepper and LIB green pepper sauces, served with attieke (casava couscous) or banku. Waakye (wah-che) ($24) - rice and black-eyed peas, beef stew, spaghetti, shito, fried plantain, gari, cabbage slaw, soft-boiled egg. And finally, Potato Greens ($14) - yam leaves stewed with dried crayfish, smoked fish, chicken, spices, onions, peppers. We ended our meal with the only dessert on the menu, Puff puff/kala ($10 each) with seasonal fruit (mango) and habanero compote dipping sauce. What I loved: My favorites of the meal included the spicy and flavorful jollof rice and it's accompanying flanken short ribs, which were perfectly prepared and delicious in taste. A close second, the branzino. The fish was crisp and slightly charred on the outside and wonderfully flaky on the inside. Luckily there was someone in our party who de-boned it and served us filets like a pro. Third among our favorites came the Waakye. Leftovers the following day, echoed our favorites, and the flavors came through so abundantly. Why I loved it: The food is exceptional, the service friendly and quiet, the space unassuming yet welcoming. Cost: Average read more

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I love the concept, especially bringing West African cuisine to Seattle and being vegan friendly, but felt like I had a mixed experience with both excellent dishes and others that fell flat. We had the potato greens, waakye, and wings. The wings were crunchy, but lacked flavor and did not have much spicing. I had a similar opinion of the waakye - which had a very similar taste profile to beef rendang funny enough, but then made me make the comparison to how much more flavorful local Malaysian restaurants are for the price point and similar beef-based stews. The beef was really overcooked. The black eyed peas in this dish tasted a bit underseasoned as well. The potato greens, on the other hand, were delicious. But I think they leaned a bit too heavily on bringing in a lot of oil into the dish - the greens were swimming in oil, which felt a bit too much. Paired with the rice, it was delicious though. We tried to order dessert too, but there was a problem in the kitchen prep and it wasn't an option that day. The service was really friendly. I really wanted to like this place but I felt like there were a lot of rough patches during this visit (which was our first). It felt like there was passion lacking in the kitchen, like not checking ahead of time if the dough rose enough for the dessert or doing a taste test on the waakye to recognize the meat was overcooked to the point where it was difficult to finish the dish. Seattle restaurant biz is tough, and maybe it's even tougher creating a hit out of a restaurant based on cuisine that's not well-represented here. I hope they can do better, but our visit was a bit disappointing especially given the price point of a moderately upscale restaurant. read more

I suggested with place with my family on vacation, the place was beautiful I loved all the decor. The owner of the restaurant came out and explained a lot of the menu to us which was great and she was so nice. The food tasted sooo good I'd love to go back there again before my vacation ends!!. read more

Gold Coast Ghal Kitchen - Vegan egusi with fufu - African Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Gold Coast Ghal Kitchen The food at Gold Coast Ghal Kitchen was amazing! Very tasty and well prepared. The owner/chef was so nice and the service matched her caring heart. You can tell she loves what she does and has a heart of GOLD!!!! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS PLACE!! My order: attiéké (Grilled whole Branzino bone-in Fish) Jollof Rice & beef hand pie My Review: The food was EVERYTHING. Y'all this was my FIRST time eating Branzino Fish and all I can say is...I WANT SOME MORE PLEASE!!. The beef in the hand pies was seasoned to perfection!! The atmosphere: I LOVED THE SPACE!!!!!! VERY FRIENDLY CARING CALM COOL SPACE Overall Score: 9/10 read more

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What a blessing of a meal! My friend has been wanting to try eguzi and fufu for months, and unfortunately West African restaurants are not easy to find in Seattle. So glad we found Gold Coast! Everything was wonderful, from the attentive service by the owner, to the cute interior and most spectacularly the food. We shared Eguzi with fufu (definitely add the fufu) and Jollof rice with Suya chicken which comes with plantains and cabbage and apple slaw. Both were phenomenal with so much flavor! The chicken was super tender and falling off the bone, and I want to swim in Suya (or at least buy it haha). Gold Coast is open for lunch on weekends now, and the owner said they are testing out being open until 1 am on Fridays. Parking isn't easy because it's First Hill, but well worth circling the block a few times or paying for a lot. read more

Gold Coast Ghal Kitchen - Eguzi with fufu- incredible! - African Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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The reviews are correct. This place has a great vibe and great food and mocktails (sorry - forgot to take a picture of those). The Jollof rice with short ribs had a bit of a kick, super tasty rice and perfectly cooked sweet plantains. The slaw eased the bite and added just the right amount of sweetness. Oh...and the shito (shrimp and fish pepper sauce) was killer. We will probably buy a bottle next visit. The Branzino was delicious and being served with two different sauces was great. We loved them both. I will admit though, that we were not a big fan of the attieke (cassava couscous). We will ask for rice when we order it again. We also ordered the hibiscus tea and the ginger lemonade. Both were soooo good. Easy five stars! read more

Gold Coast Ghal Kitchen - Jollof rice with short ribs. - African Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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We had a good time here! Staff was really nice in giving us good recommendations as to what to order. Fufu was soft and melts in your mouth. The lamb stew was yummy, as well as the fried plantines are so good! read more

Gold Coast Ghal Kitchen - African Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Super authentic and delicious, the food is all amazing! The comfortable decor and relaxing music are perfect. We are planning to eat here every weekend Service was sweet and accurate and quick. This gem was a wonderful find. read more

Gold Coast Ghal Kitchen - The hours - African Near Me - Seattle, Washington

This was such a good date night dinner. I felt educated about the cuisine and never has an education tasted so good. Our soft drinks were great to sip on and the apps were a great start to the meal too, specifically the pate. But the best parts were definitely the entrees. The jollof rice plate and the peanut goat soup were both so unbelievably flavorful and had so many components it was just my brain flipping through one great flavor after another. I really liked the okra in the stew and I think there was fufu in it as well. I haven't had it before but I love the almost mochi-ish texture. At first we thought it was potato before we realized that couldn't be right because it was so much better. And the jollof rice was so well seasoned, the short ribs so juicy, and thank goodness the cabbage was there to delude me into thinking this was healthy. Jkjk it was great though to add a nice lightness to the bite. read more

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It's one of the most flavorful West African foods in Seattle! Portions were big enough to share with four people including a dessert. The Waakye was so good you could lick the plate! It's in the sauce that made this dish delectable. The Goat Peanut Soup was nutty and delicious. The Jollof Rice, rice stewed in tomato sauce and aromatic spices with short ribs was perfect. The Puff Puff for dessert was the right choice to end our sumptuous meal! The restaurant has beautiful paintings and artwork on the walls. And our server was very engaging. Definitely will come back and have more Ghanaian cuisine! read more

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Food was well seasoned, fufu was nice. Portion sizes are big and had plenty to take home for leftovers. Got the red red and vegan waakye, only critique I have was that the oyster mushrooms in the waakye were overly salty. Would also have been nice if it came out hot, was more room temperature when served. read more

Gold Coast Ghal Kitchen - Fufu, red red, waakye - African Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I have been dying to try this place so I arranged to meet my friend from Ghana for dinner here. I figured I would come with an expert in West African cuisine so I could fact check the flavors. I didn't need her to tell me i was eating the most flavorful and interesting plate I'd had all year but she did confirm it was legit authentic. I had the jollof rice main and it was a symphony of flavors! I will be thinking about this dish for days! My friend ordered the goat peanut soup with fufu and said it was very authentic. I tasted a bite and thought it was wonderful. We also tried the palm wine, which hits many different taste buds and was unlike any thing I've had before (in a good way), and the Orijin beer which is actually more like a cider than a beer (on the sweeter side). Our server was delightful and explained many of the dishes to us with thoughtful detail. We arrived early (4:30pm) on a Wednesday but it was pretty busy by the time we left just after 6 so it might be wise to make a reservation to be safe, especially if you are coming in as more than a 2-top. Pros Explosively memorable flavors Fun and inviting atmosphere Friendly service Cons Seattle parking read more

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I went there for my birthday tonight and needed to share this before I collapse in bed cause I am still so full. I really want to eat my leftovers( it was that good) but physically cannot.. Lol too full, still and its many hours later. I grew up with a Ghanaian best friend and his mother fed me a lot over many years. I can vouch for this stuff being the real thing. I knew I was in heaven when I walked in and smelled it and it smelled of just the right spices to take me back to Mrs. Nicco- Annan kitchen. The decor was cheery, fresh and spotless. I can't think of another single thing wrong with the experience except that it's not next in Kent where I live. Also I spoke to the owner, a lovely lady and shared my story with her and it was exactly the experience that I needed to have! People support this place and these wonderful people, they deserve to survive and thrive and the food is awesome... read more

Damn. This place deserves a ton of love. I took my 60 year old east coast, white white family. They hadn't tried west African food before. It was the highlight of the trip for everyone. The food was amazing and the staff was so nice. The dj was playing Afro beats and the vibe was so cool and lively. I'll be back anytime I'm in Seattle read more

Gold Coast Ghal Kitchen - Chicken wings - African Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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customer service was great, attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. the branzino was perfectly cooked, smoky and flaky! THE JOLLOF, pretty good. just the right amount of spice! plantains were sweet, just like i like them. definitely recommend trying whenever you're in the area. read more

Gold Coast Ghal Kitchen - Branzino - African Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I ordered carry out. I really appreciated the kind service. I ordered the jollof rice, suya, and veggie hand pie. I would not recommend the veggie hand pie. The crust was not flaky or buttery, and the filling was just sautéed potatoes- no actual veggies beyond what I would guess was onion and tomato sautéed with the potato. The spicing was bland. The jollof and suya was a good portion size. I liked the combination of spices, but the volume felt so muted/light-handed. Some people in their reviews have said this meal has a "kick" to it. I would say more like a gentle tap on the shoulder. Considering the lack of west African food in Seattle, I would say this is probably the best you can get, but I was really hoping for more. I have a friend who owns a very popular Ethiopian restaurant in Seattle who has lamented about having to turn down the volume on his food because of complaints from patrons in this city, so maybe an accommodation has been made given the audience. read more

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This is a tough review for me to write. We were really looking forward to trying out this restaurant. As a general rule, we tend to like every style of food we taste -- and we've tried foods from across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, etc. while there some that are not our favorites, there have been very few foods that we try and just don't like. Sadly, it pains me to say that West African cuisine may be one that we just don't like. I'm rating this two stars as a result. I want to make clear that this is my opinion, and may be a result of my wife and I just not vibing with West African cuisine generally as opposed to this restaurant's rendition in particular. But at the same time, I want to be honest. We shared two plates: vegan egusi, and vegan waakye. Vegan egusi is, per the menu "melon seeds, spinach, palm oil & peppers with oyster mushrooms." We got it with the fufu, which is plantains that per our server said is kinda like mashed potatoes. We just didn't like the vegan egusi with fufu. Full stop. We were hungry, and couldn't finish it. There was a flavor that we couldn't pinpoint that borderline repulsed us. I'm not sure if it was the oyster mushrooms, although we've had oyster mushrooms in the past. The flavor reminded me of "old socks." It reminded my wife of something earthy and foresty, "but in a bad way." Either way, though, it just wasn't something we liked. The fufu was better, but also wasn't our jam. I love plantains, and thought it would be mashed like our server suggested. But it was more rubbery and spongey, giving it a weird texture that made us gag a little bit -- too chewy, like you're eating something you're not supposed to be eating. The vegan waakye was better than the vegan egusi. The vegan waakye is listed on the menu as "rice and black-eyed peas, vegan mushroom stew, and green pepper sauce, spaghetti." It's a bit of a strange mashup, truth be told. We finished the vegan waakye. (If our experience with the vegan egusi were like the vegan waakye, I'd probably rate this place three stars, and chalk it up to, "get the flavors, it's just not our thing.") The drinks were better. Definitely they need to add some mocktails. However, the server suggested the "solo/sobolo/sorel/bissap/jamaica" drink (hibiscus-flavored drink), and it was seriously amazing. I'm not partial to hibiscus, either! Rojo's Mexican Food in Pioneer Square has a Jamaica drink on their menu, but it is too sweet. by comparison, this drink was perfectly sweetened, and had a depth of flavor that I haven't had before. Definitely this needs to be rolled into a mocktail somehow. Service was ultimately average. There was one person working the front of house, one person working the back of house from what I could tell, and a woman on her computer who didn't seem to help out at all. The space is relatively small, and there were maybe four other parties when we visited. It took the one person working the tables three or four minutes to acknowledge our having come through the door. And once we were seated, it took them a good ten minutes before they took our drink orders. However, after that service improved. Drinks and food came out fairly quickly. Moreover, the server was incredibly enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the food, and had a great personality. (Presumably not West African, either -- he was a younger white guy.) Ultimately, again, we were bummed. We love supporting local restaurants, and particularly enjoy trying out new cuisines. This one just didn't work for us. I suggest everyone try this once -- you may find that a new type of food that is something that has been missing from your life! However, I would caution that it may not be your jam, as was our experience. read more

Gold Coast Ghal Kitchen - Vegan egusi with fufu - African Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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