This place is 2.5 rating…read more Fried shrimp: Adequate. Standard size. Flavor was average. You will need a glaze or dipping sauce to enhance what little flavor it has. Fried sweet and sticky wings: The sauce was a good flavor. I can't imagine the wings being good plain because the sauce is the total flavor profile of the chicken wing. The wings had a nice crunch but something was lacking. I'm not sure if it was how it was prepared, the freshness, or maybe the seasoning or lack thereof. Strawberry cake: Purchased two cakes (stupidly). Both were bad but even more so the strawberry cake. The cake was stiff, dry, crumbly, and stale. I had the food delivered so when I saw the container I can tell it was refrigerated. I thought perhaps if I just sit it out for awhile some of the moisture would come back and regain softness but no it didn't. Avoid their cakes if you see it refrigerated. Unless it's on a cake stand / plate it's not worth the gamble with your money. I don't know how long they've been refrigerated or when they were baked. Potato salad: The first bite all I tasted was water. More bites it was just on the bland side. Fried whiting: Fine. Not too thin. That's what I was most concerned about when ordering whiting and it became the least issue with the meal. Fried rice: meh Jollof rice: I feel like the peas and carrots were just edible ornaments. Much like the green sprinkles they had on the chicken and mac. No real additive to the flavor of the dish and I personally didn't care for it. I mean it gave it a different texture in some parts and color but I rather good food than aesthetics. The rice has a spicy kick to it fair warning. I can't speak on the authenticity but I thought it was better than their signature fried rice. Mac and cheese: I don't believe it should've been called mac and cheese. I tasted no cheese. When I think mac and cheese I think southern mac and cheese which is cheesy, has sharp cheddar cheese, and soft noodles. This had none of that. It was like eating a side of stiff rigid mac noodles that was boiled in some seasoned water earlier in the day and now is being served later in the day where it's just stuck together room temperature elbow pasta.

I ordered their Lemon pepper wings, Mac and cheese, a Red Velvet Cake and Oreo Cake, and I want to…read moresay everything was delicious, they did not miss a beat, especially on the wings and Oreo cake, I'm ready to order again.

The place knows how to make ordinary meals special. Every dish was a new adventure. This place…read moremaintains cleanliness and its owners are kind, helpful and direct. This restaurant delivers impressive service. I'm thinking I might return.

This spot creates perfect experiences. Quality food. Particularly attentive service team. They…read moreselect quality ingredients and serve substantial amounts. The place sits in a perfect position too. This restaurant delivers an uncommon experience.

I had the egusi with pounded yam. It was delicious. I got beef as my protein and it was rough but I…read moreexpected it to be. They're a little pricier than my normal go to place but the food might be better. I tried the vegetable stew and I think I will get that next time. So flavorful. The ambiance was very casual, looks more like a to go place. The service was pretty good no complaints.

How would I rate my experience? Unique. 9ja is a Nigerian place but they are fine with English so…read moreyou can visit and ask as many questions as you like. Do ask. Please ask... First impressions: Small urban place. Free Wi-Fi a plus. Smoke alarm battery going off a minus. Family setting a plus (toddlers roaming the dining room and kitchen). You can get your order in or to go. I got mine in and watched as they hand-washed and cleaned bowls and utensils. Some of those became mine. I got a mix of efo elugusi and efo biro, which were two of the three starters they had today. I watched as they assembled the bowl and... put it in the microwave. No no no. Sigh. As the dish neared completion I perused the fridge, grabbed a bottle of Nigerian imported palm wine, and dug in. What looks like bread is probably the pounded yam. You tear off a bit and dip in the spicy yummy starter. I found there was a perfect proportion - my last bite of each came together. Well executed. Less well executed is the Assorted Meat. That is Nigerian for "large pieces of inedible cow parts, not actual cuts of meat". (I heard people saying no meat with their order, now I know why.) I ate the tripe (not cooked tender, but passable and unique), passed on the cow skin and couldn't eat the tendon if I tried. But otherwise, nice and flavorful and spicy. Do note that it's spicy here. All done, I washed my hands in the washing bowl (what's a "sink"?) and paid. Verdict: Probably really really authentic. Not the ingredients I expected but I love authenticity, so I'll give it 4 Yelp stars instead of random Unique Stars. Next time I'll work on the fish entrees instead of "assorted meat".

Love it!!! Very tasty. Expensive though. $22 for egusi soup or efo riro soup with 4 piece of meat…read moreis crazy. Service is fine but better to call in advance. Ambiance is better than before... Still best efo riro or egusi i have had.

I bought an fufu and egusi with fish and beef and that was the worse that I have had…read moreThe fish and the beef was real hard

I've never experienced African food like this before. It was very spicy but quite delicious. The…read morerice and beans were steaming hot and the chicken was soaked in this spicy oil of flavors that you can mix with the rice and beans. The lady was sweet too.

Good food , great service, and nice ambiance ! I would always recommend . You all should come dine…read moreand wine !

Great food and excellent service. The suya was flavorful, well-seasoned, and cooked perfectly. The…read morestaff were friendly and the atmosphere was welcoming. Portions were generous and everything tasted fresh. Definitely one of the best spots for suya in the area. I'll be coming back again!

Went to 44th & 2nd looking for a different food truck. It wasn't there, but this truck was so I…read moreordered bc I didn't have a lot of time to pivot and decide on alternate plans. Although the truck says they accept card, they very much didn't want card. They asked for cash app and Zelle. I don't like logging into my bank apps while out and about so I offered to pay cash which I fortunately did have on hand. $25 for one plate. That's crazy pricing. They also didn't give me a proper container - it was mismatched (rounded lid, rectangular base) so it couldn't close. I'm glad I hadn't bought it to eat for a later meal. I was going to take it to a park to eat but i ended up just stopping at a nearby bench because it was hot and I couldn't close it. I ordered a drink at the start but when they gave me my food, I asked about my drink and they said it would be another $3. I'd paid in cash, got no receipt, and the truck had no pricing advertised so unfortunately I can't say whether I got charged for a drink never provided. I think I did though looking at their physical location prices. Food wasn't bad, but not good enough to offset $25, mismatched container, potential attempt to double charge me, etc. the lady before me was also upset with what she received. Definitely won't be going back. Also while I was there I saw them wiping off a knife by wiping it onto a (gloved) hand and then smearing said hand against trash bag. Questionable hygiene.

there is spicy food that is good and there is spicy food that is just spicy no flavor…read more Unfortunately this place is all spice no flavor. I got the spinach and chicken and the lamb and rice and it taste like I opened up a bottle of black pepper and just dumped it in my mouth. I am used to African cuisine Trinidad Jamaican and the spices but this tasted like somebody was mad. I try to stick to my people in the business so this one has to do better. The young lady behind the register with the beads was very professional and very nice. The woman who came out to put the food in look mean unpleasant didn't speak she acted like I was in her way when she was putting the food in maybe she is unhappy.

Maybe it was because I came by at dinner time but the buffet food looked like it had been sitting…read moreout for quite a while. A lot of the fried items were dried out. I had to eat on the go, so I opted for easier to eat items like the black-eyed peas, goat stew (it was more of a mash), and rice with veggies. None of the foods really stood out. Instead the oil from all three kind of mixed together in the to-go container. Maybe I would have fared better had I been able to try the meals that required a sit down with a fork and knife. The owner is serious about cleanliness though! He made sure everyone using the buffet washed hands at the sink. I think I will look elsewhere next time.

I got the suya bites. They didn't taste like suya, just well seasoned steak. Delicious just not…read moresuya. Ordered lychee martinis. Roland was super nice and sweet. He made wonderful drinks and was a gracious bartender. The entire staff was friendly and the layout of the restaurant is nice. I didn't get to try anything else but I'll come back next time I'm in Newark.

Took my Mom to see the Alvin Ailey show in NJ and Swahili Village was right across the street! The…read morelocation is PRIMETIME! We loved every bit of our time together at this restaurant. The music and ambiance was lovely, and the servers were amazingly attentive. The food was mouthwatering. We shared the Red Snapper and had the sauce on the side. The curry fish nuggets had a lovely coconut flavor. Our drinks were celebratory indeed. If you're ever in NJ for a show at NJPAC, go across the street and check Swahili Village out!