As a native of west Africa and craves for my native food when I'm in another state for work, came across this location. I did order my first meal by Uber eats, which was pretty tasty but small portions and I decided to visit for takeaway. Still nothing changed, the portions of it was so small and a little pricey, food was tasty. Everything in NYC has comma in it. Shops was decent, mainly for takeout only, suya was good, egwusi soups was okay, vegetable soups didn't taste that good, lacks seasoning. Fufu was tiny! I will definitely order some dishes again, service was excellent, my waiting period was not long compared to other African restaurants in the neighborhood. Location was great and waiting area looks clean / organized. See ya next time. read more

Mama Philo’s African Cuisine - Lunch at mama philo place - African Near Me - Elmont, New York

Not really good, my bowl was half full and my egusi was watery and the meat not too fresh.

Really tasty food! I enjoy their food. Easy on stomach and tasty. Not too spicy medium spice Egusi and fufu was a bit sticky but really good! Recommend! read more

I heard good things about Mama Philo's & made a note to try it out & to my surprise when I saw it on UberEats, I ordered it. I've never had African cuisine, so this was my first time & I was excited to try it. I ordered the meat pie, which was very good & fulfilling even. It's similar to a beef Pattie, however the pattie tasted very similar to coco bread which is what a beef pattie comes with if you choose to have it. I also tried the Egusi Soup (goat meat) with pounded yam. The combination together works very well. There was no overwhelming heat, it was well seasoned & the pounded yam was the perfect portion. Now the pounded yam alone has absolutely no taste, however it's meant to be eaten with the Egusi Soup. I've ordered twice from here & want to make my way to the restaurant to see how it is on the inside, however I have no complaints. I also like that they wrap the Egusi soup in Saran Wrap just in case it gets tilted or the bag goes upside down while being delivered. I always appreciate restaurants that take that extra step to secure the delivery. read more

Mama Philo’s African Cuisine - Pounded Yam - African Near Me - Elmont, New York

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Holy damn. I found my fave Nigerian spot in all of NYC!!! Don't walk but run to this small woman owned take out spot and enjoy really authentic and delicious Nigerian delicacies! There are a couple of tables to sit and eat at but they truly pack it with a lot of love and care that you can wait the time to eat it at your home. Everything was packed so that nothing would spill during transit and a lot of it even stayed hot in the 25 mins it took me to get back to my place too! Yes, I WILL travel for good food! The beauty of Nigerian food is that a lot of it is vegetarian/vegan based and so it's great for omnivores, veg lovers and all that in-between. Their Egusi soup is flavored perfectly and the consistency is just so that eating it with their pounded yam or fufu just hits all the right spots. Their jolloff rice was spicy enough and the stewed goat meat was tender and unctuous. The meat pies they offer reminded me of the countless ones I would eat from the roadside vendors when I visited Nigerian so many years ago. This spot is clean, efficient and everything is made to order so nothing tastes freezer burned or stale. Definitely give this spot a try and there won't be any regrets! Eat local! read more

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The staff was helpful with recommending dishes on our first visit and the fufu and egusi soup was so good. Rice for the jollof rice tasted a little overdone for me but otherwise would come back! read more

Based on my experience, this restaurant deserves your visit. Employees showed remarkable problem-solving abilities. The prices make sense given the quality delivered. The service team was excellent and the vibe was just right. This restaurant has me looking at my calendar. read more

The egusi was just Not ok first I watched the lady heat up the food in the microwave Wich was unbelievable because It tasted burnt the egusi had no flavor at all it just tasted burnt the fufu was cold wish it was heated up instead of the egusi you know but it's unbelievable why is the egusi heated up?! Why is it not in a pot what if it's old food very pissed but overall the food is not that tasty but for my first time I rate it 5/10 the lady was very nice and the goat was good and the chicken the lady was funny and kind she helped a lot felt like it was act the mood was good music was nice place was clean was very small and empty seemed like nobody was liking this place definitely go to Brooklyn for better food overall food was okay not the best and definitely not for people who never had fufu and egusi GO TO AFRICA OR NIGERIA TO GET BETTER FOOD PLEASE!!!! read more

FINALLY! Nigerian food worth talking about without driving all the way to Brooklyn or Manhattan. I saw an ad on instagram for this restaurant I believe and decided to save it, only to rediscover it on a desperate Sunday night. With only half an hour left til the store closed, they still took my phone order of egusi soup and fufu and jollof and goat meat with the warmest customer service. I show up (ample street parking) and was so hungry that I decided to keep ordering and she continued to fulfill my order with a smile. The restaurant was spotless and bright. You can see straight into the kitchen and freezer. There were a couple of tables to eat if you choose to eat in. And to top it off, the lady who took my order was so sweet that even if the food wasn't amazing, I felt blessed to be in her presence. Yes, she was that nice. But the food was amazing. Starting with the fufu and egusi soup with mixed meat, the portion was large and it was delicious without swimming in palm oil. I ate the entire thing in one sitting at 9, went to bed at 10, and didn't experience any heartburn. Never have I ever! The meat was tender enough to bite into without fighting. I couldn't ask for anything better. The next day, I reheated the jollof with goat meat and to my pleasant surprise, the rice still tasted fresh, properly seasoned without being over salted and a beautiful color. The meat was also tender enough to eat and it comes with a side of mixed vegetables. The goat suya was more meat than seasoning and not super spicy. The meat pie was doughy with a tasty filling. And the puff puff was on the sweet side. I've been telling my friends about this place since I went. Writing about it is making me hungry. I cannot wait to go back and try more of their menu read more

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For $21.00 dollars you don't get a bang for you buck , food was not good over price then it's was 4.50 for plantings read more

Mama Philo’s African Cuisine - African Near Me - Elmont, New York

First and foremost, I would like to say i'm happy there's actually an African restaurant in Long Island. I was annoyed at the fact the closest ones was in Brooklyn and Harlem but anyways The restaurant it's self was small but clean. I ordered my food on door dash and just picked it up so I didn't have much communication with the staff but the communication I did have however they were nice and well toned. I felt as though the portion sizes were appropriate, it's very filling and for 20 dollars, it was worth it. I loved that the soup wasn't too spicy and over bearing. It was just right and very flavorful. I'll definitely be back god's willing, and I recommend it. read more

Mama Philo’s African Cuisine - Pounded yam ( fufu ) & goat egusi soup - African Near Me - Elmont, New York

I ordered through Uber eats for pickup. I got jollof rice with chicken, fried rice, plantain, egusi soup w/fish, and efo soup with chicken. The food was fresh, packaged neatly, and the flavor was good. I would've liked more soup and stew for the price. It wasn't the best African food I've had, but overall I was satisfied. The restaurant is clean and the customer service was good. I'll definitely return. read more

Mama Philo’s African Cuisine - Jollof rice, egusi soup w/fish, fried rice, efo soup w/chicken, jollof rice w/chicken, and plantain - African Near Me - Elmont, New York

OMG! This food is top tier 10/10! We were heading to another spot and saw this on our drive, and decided to pull over. We got the egusi with fish, jollof rice with chicken, and pounded yam! The food was so well seasoned and freshly made. The man at the front was so kind and friendly. He chatted with my mom and made her feel comfortable. The place was clean and has tables if you want to eat in the restaurant. We will definitely be back! read more

30$ for bland plate of food in a freezing cold restaurant with poor service. Never again

Although the pounded yam was great, the okra soup was inedible. It tasted off. Also, the meat pie was super dry.

Ordered off uber eats last night, okra stew with assorted meat. I received barely any stew, 1 cow fooot and a large white meat that looled like cow or pig skin, def wasnt any meat, definately paid extra for nothing, they couldve at least pit a piece of chicken in there. This was the second and last time. Dont waste your money folks they obviously like cheating their customers. Honestly if they had competition they wouldnt be chatging people 20 for barely any food, especially when the food is sooo bland. I know no west african is spending money here. read more

Delicious African food and definitely taste authentic but I wish they gave more meat for the costs that you're paying. I only got 4 pieces of goat meat, with majority of the plate being jollof for $20. A little too pricey for the food you get but all in all, was tasty! Still really happy to have more African spots on this side! Please Mama philo, please give us some more meat, it's so good! read more

Mama Philo’s African Cuisine - $20 for Jollof Rice with Goat Meat. Only 4 pieces of goat :( - African Near Me - Elmont, New York

I loveeeee Mama Philo's the food is fresh and taste delicious. I was honestly surprised when I saw some of the bad reviews. The customer service is amazing and feels at home. This was my 5th time eating there and each time the experience gets better. read more

$75 straight in the trash. Yes, that's it pictured in the garbage can! It tastes like it's been in the fridge for weeks, then heated up. The audacity! If you're looking for Nigerian food, this is not it. Please travel a few more miles in the westward direction where you can find good real Nigerian food. I'm so mad we wasted $75 here. The 3-5 star reviews are fake for sure. read more

Mama Philo’s African Cuisine - $75.00 straight in the trash. What a waste. Like it was in the fridge for a week and then warmed up. The audacity! - African Near Me - Elmont, New York

Tik Tok made me do it... LOL! I've been wanting to try for months, goat egusi and fufu. I looked up reviews of African restaurants in my area which sells it and this one came up. The food came hot (I had it delivered from UberEats) and quickly. The goat egusi was very flavorful, the right amount of spice and the pounded yams was soft. Eating it with your hands just takes it to another level which I didn't mind because you get a sense of closeness to the culture. The goat egusi and fufu is definitely something I would try again from this restaurant. read more

Mama Philo’s African Cuisine - Goat egusi and fufu (pounded yams) - African Near Me - Elmont, New York

I dined in at the restaurant. Ordered 3 dishes & 2 sodas. When we went up to pay, they told us the total was over $90. When we asked why the bill was so high, they said the prices went up for each dish, they just didn't update it. I didn't want to fight over it and paid for it, but this is a scam. Never had an experience like this ever in NYC. read more

I ordered through ubereats because I live about 30ish minutes away and always wanted to try african food. The dish I've been dying to try was their egusi/pounded yam (fufu.) I bought the egusi with chicken (they give 2 huge drum sticks), I am so happy with my experience. I assumed I'd love the chicken more since that was something I was more familiar with but the egusi (melon seeds) was the star of the dish. Next time, I think I will just get the egusi itself with no meat! Pounded yam (fufu) tasted like flavorless mashed potatoes which went very well with the egusi. I absolutely loved this dish. I also ordered the jollof rice with chicken (2 huge drumsticks) and .. omg divine. It was AMAZING. i loved it. I shared these two entrees with another person who also fell in love with the dishes. Both were 10/10. My only complaint is the meat pie because it was leaning towards the drier side & the dough was very thick but because the larger entrees swept me off my feet, it made up for the meat pie (it did not taste bad, just did not compare to egusi/jollof rice.) read more

Mama Philo’s African Cuisine - Jollof rice with chicken / egusi with chicken & pounded yam (fufu) / meat pie - African Near Me - Elmont, New York

This was my first time trying this place but I wanted to experience Nigerian cuisine and it was excellent!!! I ordered fufu and egusi soup, suya and jollof rice and it was all great. The food was seasoned but not to spicy and the staff were pleasant and friendly. I will definitely be eating here again and would recommend it again. read more

Never had Nigerian food so I cannot compare to anything else or tell you what it was supposed to taste like. I will say that it was not for me. The pepper goat was very gamey, I was grossed out. Having eaten goat before from Indian restaurants, it is perfectly seasoned and does not have that rank, gamey taste to it. This one did and I couldn't finish my food. The fufu also known as pounded yam goes with your food and it is like a big ball of dough. Its flavorless and serves as being eaten with other dishes that has sauces in them. Although the food and lack of flavors is not for me, I am giving a 4 stars because the person who answered the phone was very sweet and the packaging of my to go order was very neat and they took great time packing it nicely. read more

Sooooo good. Especially the okra soup and the egussi soup!!! Staff is extremely friendly and accommodating

First time trying African Food & I was a little disappointed. I'm obsessed with seafood and African food mukbangs so I decided to try this spot since it's close to me. The jollof rice was really good , the chicken stew as well. The Egusi soup was more egusi then soup. It had an acquired taste to it. Not bad but could've been a little bit more seasoned. I also ordered the ogbono soup (not in picture) & it tasted like soap. The pot they used must've had left over soap burnt to the bottom because the taste was very protruding. I would love to try this spot again but I am a bit nervous that I'll have the same experience. Overall the food was 5/10. The best dish is the Jollof rice & chicken! read more

Mama Philo’s African Cuisine - Egusi Soup With FuFu - African Near Me - Elmont, New York

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I have been dying to try African food. There's this delicious place in Elmont called Mama Philo's African Cuisine. It's a tiny place, 3 tables, no bathroom I could see but oooooh is this authentic. I got the Egusi and goat soup (it's thick) and you eat it with fufu. (No utensils) You rip off a piece of the fufu (which is like the consistency of uncooked pizza dough, but edible) and dip it in and scoop up the food. They brought me a bowl of water to wash my hands. I had asked them for a second spicy dish to try and they recommended this meat dish you eat with rice. They gave me a fork for that. It's lots of cut up meats (including gelatinous cow feet, which is sort of kind of weirdly delicious, albeit slightly hard/chewy to eat at times, but I'm adventurous, so why not?) and it's got a sauce of tons of different peppers. It was really spicy and if I could just take that sauce home, I would!! The owners could not have been more gracious to me. Explained everything. So, if you want authentic African food and want to support a minority owned business, I highly recommend this place. I'll definitely be back. And, I'd say this is more of a take-out place just from the set up. -- at Mama Philo's African Cuisine. read more

Mama Philo’s African Cuisine - This is the fufu, the egusi soup with goat and the top dish is cut up meats in a very spicy sauce that they will serve with rice. - African Near Me - Elmont, New York

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Ordered my food through a delivery app; even though the driver took longer than expected, my good was delivered hot! My first time trying egusi soup- really tasty and delicious. The fufu was perfect. Loved the stewed chicken and jollof rice. Food wasn't greasy and the spices worked well with each other. Definitely will order from Mama Philo's again. read more

Sooooooooooo i recently visited my mom and decided to give this place a try .... and let me tell you it was sooooooooooooo goood ... i had the spinach with fish and pounded yam..... ughhhhhhhhhh its toooooooo goood ! Fresh and tastyyyyyyy ...unfortunately they dont deliver to westbury cause if they did i would order every day !! Can yall expand how far uber eats deliver ??cause i need yall to deliver to me ! Thanks lol read more

Food was decent. Portions were small but flavorful. Customer service needs improvement. Rude and not very appreciative of patronage. Noticed restaurant and thought to give it a chance not again. read more

It was good. The Jollof was great! If I'm ever in the area I will definitely stop by.

This review is based on my experience from this past Sunday. I'm warning all my fellow Africans to avoid this place. This evening, I ordered Egusi soup and pounded for my niece for $19, 2 goat soups for $30, $15 each, and an additional pounded tan for $4. I don't find their food to be appetizing. My niece likes the Egusi, so when she begs, I can't say no. For reference, this would be my 3rd time ordering from this place. Each time, I've ordered no less than 2 pounded yams and spent no less than $55 before taxes and fees. The 1st time I ordered from here, the Ogbono cost $20 and it was less than a cook spoon full and it tasted funny. I was extremely upset, and ended up disposing of it. I spent $86 before taxes and fees. Yesterday, I ordered goat soup that came with rice for $15, 1 extra pounded yam for $4 and okra soup with pounded yam for $20. This evening when my food arrived, it was missing the rice and the additional pounded. I had to run out so I figured I'd call the restaurant, notify them of the missing items and swing by to pick it them up rather than calling Ubereats for a credit. A gentleman answered and I mentioned the missing items to him. He tells me the goat some, that's a handful, doesn't come with rice. The person packing the order made a mistake. As for the pounded yam, he had to check the receipt. He came back with the wrong receipt from door dash. I explained I had ordered through Ubereats. After he had located my receipt, he said he had to verify with the person who put the order together. The person in the back tells him they placed 2 pounded yams in the bag, he tells me. I asked him if he felt the driver might have stolen one of the pounded yams then? He responded by asking if I felt the person packing the order was lying, to which I responded, "yes." "Because," I said, "that would mean you think that I'm lying." He started to argue with me. I stopped him, told him I would call Ubereats for a credit, and that I would NEVER do business with them again. He said "okay, good" and disconnected the call. I can say this...if they continue to cheat and steal from their customers, they will NEVER be successful. I hope this post prevents someone else from the experience I had tonight. read more

I myself am Nigerian and this is not reminiscent and doesn't even hold a candle to real Nigerian cuisine

Really sweet staff. Jollof rice and Egusi made to order. Fresh and delicious! Eat here once a week when I don't feel like cooking myself!

Easy to find... highly recommended... Authentic food from my initial experience.. Tasty food and great customer service!

If I could chose zero stars I would. I went there on a Monday May 8,2023. They opened at 3:00 and I arrived at 3:15. The first indication that I shouldn't order was the smell. It smelled like old stale cooking oil and not freshly cooked food. I said to my granddaughter are you sure you want food it smells weird. She said yes because she really wanted Suya. So I ordered her Suya and Joloff rice. It is sold a la carte. Both items came in small separate containers. The Suya was $18 and the Joloff was $9. Plain rice without any meat or additives for $9. However, let me be clear; I will pay for quality food without complaint. Unfortunately, nothing about this food was of quality. The Suya was bland and dry. I tasted it and was disgusted! It tasted like left over left overs. That explains why it did not smell like they had cooked any food that day. If you want African cuisine this is not the place to get it. I wish I had taken a picture to show. I was so annoyed that I told my granddaughter to just throw it away before she gets sick. read more