My review is for takeout (delivery) as I haven't yet dined in. So I can't speak to ambiance, seating, etc. I've had it twice this year and both experiences have been good. A favorite is the Peanut Butter Chu and Chicken Afra. And for my dinner crew, there werent any major complaints. Flavor was there and quality. The one thing was around the desserts. Because we ordered via third-party app, I think the cake was subbed for whatever was available and not specifically we ordered. But not a major miss. Overall, delicious food and good portions. If you're in the Takoma Park area and having a taste for some warming West African cuisine, definitely check them out! read more

See all

Went to Mansa Kunda on a weeknight and it was pretty much just us at the restaurant, although a ton of people came in for order pick up. From the moment we walked in, the service was great and you can tell that they care about their customers. The African decor is also very beautiful! Something fun to look at every corner. As for the food, we got the Okra Soup with paneer and fufu, Chicken Chu and Jollof. It was my first time trying fufu and I really enjoyed it. I had a recent dental procedure that prevented me from being able to chew so it was honestly the perfect meal for me, as traditionally you're supposed to swallow the fufu. My husbands chicken chu was very flavorful and totally new to us. As for the jollof I felt it was lacking a bit of flavor and the grains of rice were a bit too el dente for my personal liking. I have had jollof at other places that I liked a bit more. Overall great spot! I love trying new West African restaurants and would recommend this to others! read more

See all

The food was great. All the dishes were super flavorful, the beef was a bit tough but everything else was great. The service is abit slow however, they only had one wait staff when we went. There's plenty of seating and pretty casual. I'd comeback again for some west African foods again. read more

See all

Highly recommend this spot! My absolute favorite item on the menu was the Veggie Shitto Flatbread...it has plantain on it and it's heavenly. Come hungry, because the portion sizes are generous, you definitely get your money's worth. The service was attentive and friendly, and the ambiance is adorable (drums as chairs? Yes please!). Here's what I ordered: * Shitto Flatbread - 5/5 (must-try) * Olehleh Black-Eyed Pea Tamales - 2/5 (not my fave) * Jollof Couscous - 5/5 * Yassa (Fish) - 6/5 (seriously, it was that good) Can't wait to go back! read more

See all

this restaurant has been on my list for some time and i'm glad I finally got to try it. It is definitely in a cozy neighborhood spot with small owned vibes. The decor was super intentional (the chairs are drums) and pleasant to look at. On a Friday evening, a couple of tables were occupied, but nothing too crazy. We sat at the bar so got serviced pretty quickly, but the bartender was also the server on the floor. I ordered the lamb with jollof rice and the beef patties with bissap + ginger (not pictured). I enjoyed my meal and unfortunately had no leftovers to take home with me. The beef patties were OK, kinda oily and I would have loved spicier/creamier sauce with them. Loved checking out this neighborhood spot! read more

See all

This place is located in a neighborhood where the parking is almost nonexistent. Their lot holds 4/5 cars. I was able to park a block away on a side street. The vibe here gives cafe. Very cozy, great music(Afrobeats), less than 15 tables, bar area holds about 10 seats, and there's an area in the front with a sofa and table. Anyway, including myself, there were 3 other parties there so my food came out quick. I started with the fish pie(think empanada). They were delicious. The flavor was amazing and I think the fish was croaker. I was only able to eat one because I wanted to save room for my meal. I ordered the jollof with chicken. Everything was flavorful. They give you two chicken thighs which were very tender. The sauce was delicious! I've tried many variations of jollof and although Nigerian jollof is the best(hahahah!), their jollof wasn't bad at all. The portion was plenty so I was able to take half home. Their prices are very reasonable as well. I'll be back for sure. read more

See all

Well unfortunately they were not able to serve alcohol on the Day of our visit, but fortunately I was mostly there for the peanut butter chu. All three in my party got it and it was really yummy. The chicken that came in it was nicely tender. Great portion size and great price. I took home a whole second meal, and a piece of peanut butter cake to go: the cake is also amazing! The homemade desserts are beautiful. We also tried house made ginger juice and hibiscus juice. The ginger juice was strong on ginger. The hibiscus juice tasted to me like sweetened, iced hibiscus herbal tea. Service was kind and friendly. it is necessary to signal to get a server to stop by, though. read more

See all

Called this placed several times and the phone doesn't even ring, so we drove to the location and it was closed. However, it shows as being available on yelp, but the restaurant is closed and not operational. read more

Really good Gambian (West African style) cuisine in the middle if Takoma Park. Interior is very cozy (has African drums for chairs, exposed brick walls and color artwork ). Menu was extensive with desserts, various drinks and traditional fare. We share a vegetable turnover appetizer. The 2 turnovers were very crispy and flaky, stuffed with cabbage, carrots, onions and an array of spices. It came with a spicy dipping sauce. For my entree I chose the yassa with tofu. The stew was both tangy with a little kick and consisted of lemons, peppers, onions, cauliflower and carrots. It came with white rice. Very flavorful and delicious. My companion had the benachin (jollof rice) with tofu. He also enjoyed his dish. Will be back to try other things. read more

See all

10/10 MINUS NOTHING!!!!! The food was so good. I had the meat pie, Okra soup and pounded yam. The service was also excellent, and the food was served in a timely manner. The inside decor is NICE, very authentic with African drums as bar stools. So unique. There were parts of the restaurant that looked a bit outdated (near the kitchen area) and I didn't like that the restaurant was located in the middle of a residential area...very odd. Overall, it was still a 10/10. read more

See all

Great food and service. We had the akara, meat pies, afcha lamb with jollof rice, potato salad, beignets, and hibiscus ginger juice. Everything was delicious, well seasoned, and full of flavor. Emily our server was new but did a great job tending to our large party. We also loved the decor and photos from Gambia! I'll be back here again soon read more

Mansa Kunda Restaurant - African Near Me - Takoma Park, Maryland

See all

Well done! Gambian eatery in the Takoma Park & Silver Spring area. (Down the street from WAU) Went on the weekend, evening hours, not too busy. Spacious seating, good for groups / individuals / couples. Parking is available in front of the restaurant (street parking) or the side of the building. Beautiful decor inside. We were seated promptly, our order taken shortly after. The food arrived piping hot. Filling portions and I took my leftovers to-go. Not too pricey, in comparison to similar area restaurants. Check it out. read more

Mansa Kunda Restaurant - Fish Aku Okra - African Near Me - Takoma Park, Maryland

See all

The owner was serving but the food was not very tasty. I would not go back again. The furniture also needs an upgrade. read more

Excellent desserts .. the baobab cake is in the top 10 desserts Ive ever had. Please note this is a dense, not too sweet cake that is decorated with dates and has baobab seed powder which gives a citrusy flavor. The ginger turmeric cake is also the bomb. We had the massage chicken which was fine and generously portioned. When next we go, however, I'm skipping entrees and going straight to dessert i.e. several slices of cake. read more

Food and Ambiance was great... the jollof rice is top notch, plantains, red sauce and peanut butter stew were also great. Service was a bit slow but, the food was worth it read more

First visit to this place to celebrate my nephew. He had the curry chicken and rice with a beef pie. I enjoyed the veggie pie with jollof couscous and oxtail soup. We were the first to be seated and Mr. Hatib made it feel like a private luncheon until a couple of people arrived to pickup takeout orders. Love the Afro-Caribbean music. The atmosphere was relaxing and the artwork above our table was captivating. read more

See all

Always a vibe when I'm here - it just feels like home in Mansa Kunda. The art, the service, the food - it feels like I've transported to West Africa and sitting in my friend or Uncle's living room. I love the Peanut Chu and the Chu - today I got the Chu with fish - I've always gotten it vegetarian but never again. The fish was crispy and perfect with the Chu, seasoned and VERY flavorful. I always love the huge chunks of amazing veggies I also got the Akara Fritters - these are yummy too remind me of Jamaican dumpling. I love supporting Mansa Kunda and know you will too. NOTE: Parking has gotten really challenging over in this area over the last couple years - more shops in that little area so walk, get there early, or plan to get there another way. read more

Mansa Kunda Restaurant - African Near Me - Takoma Park, Maryland

They have the best customer service. Unfortunately, I never got a chance to order any food because a stench immediately met my nose that was clearly not food being cooked and I immediately left. read more

On a visit to DC, we decided to try Mansa Kunda. I'm so glad we did! Food/drinks: Everything we ate was tasty, with very generous portions that could easily be shared between 2 people. Solid thiebu djen (benechin, or Senegal and Gambia's national dish); it was delicious, authentic, and gluten and dairy free with no modifications! An order of plantains was a whole plantain. Bissap and ginger juice topped off our meal. Yum all around! Next time I might need to save room for their very good looking cakes... Service: I typically don't go to African restaurants for the service experience. I enjoyed interacting with the main person (I wish we'd exchanged names), who is from Gambia; he was friendly, helpful, and patient. We did need to flag someone for the check. Ambiance: Cute! The chairs repurposed talking drums. Each table was similar but unique. I enjoyed the atmosphere. Tip: Be prepared for long wait times. I was there with friends and felt like the food was worth it! read more

Mansa Kunda Restaurant - Benachin (Traditional) Jollof Rice with fish. Yum!! - African Near Me - Takoma Park, Maryland

Food is good. They did not have a full bar, but the food and service was good. i've gone there a few times and would go back. Their Jellof rice is really good. read more

What a fantastic find! TLDR: Happiness is a pile of Affra Lamb. We drove all the way from Virginia to visit a friend and wanted to grab lunch before heading home. Yelp said this place was nearby, and the reviews looked good, so we decided to try it. They had just opened, and we were their first in-person customer of the day. The owner was more than happy to chat with us and make recommendations since this was our first time eating West African cuisine. We settled on splitting an appetizer, the Accara Fritters, and a main course, the Affra Lamb. Both were excellent. The fritters were remarkably crisp, with a delicate flavor. The accompanying habanero chili sauce also had a mild flavor that went well with it. The lamb was absolutely delicious (and I'm not usually a lamb fan). It had a rich, smoky flavor and a wonderful texture. At the owner's suggestion, we substituted rice for the potatoes, which made for a nice accompaniment. My only caution is about the "spicy sauce" that comes on the side. Unless you are seriously into drinking ghost pepper juice, you'll want to keep it away from your food. I tried a tiny bit on a fair amount of rice, which was enough to set my mouth on fire. And, it turns out I can't even brag about having tried something that's ghost pepper-relate. The sauce is made in-house from a habanero pepper reduction. The good news is, if you like VERY spicy sauces, they might be kind enough to sell you a bottle of it. There's off-street parking in front and along the side. For a bit of fun, sit where you can see out the front window and watch as people use the repurposed payphone out front. read more

Mansa Kunda Restaurant - African Near Me - Takoma Park, Maryland

See all

First time here, visiting the DMV area. The ambiance was lovely, warm & inviting. The service was very personable, pleasant & professional. The food was delicious, aromatic & well portioned. As an added bonus they brought free sample of deserts to our table and others! They no longer serve alcohol, but the ginger & hibiscus juice was superb! The price was reasonable I will recommend to others and will look to eat there again when I'm in town read more

See all

I recently visited Mansa Kunda Restaurant, and it was an amazing experience! The food was flavorful, with fresh ingredients and generous portions, while the warm, inviting atmosphere made the whole evening even better. Follow my IG account for Curated Google Maps list for brunch, happy hours, rooftops, parks, wineries & more in the DMV area: @yourdmvbestie read more

Ambiance was great. Our server was super helpful in helping us decide on what we should order. Food was amazing as well!! read more

Mansa Kunda Restaurant - Plasas Beef with FuFu - African Near Me - Takoma Park, Maryland

Enjoyed a meet and greet dinner here. Warm inviting space. The host had pre ordered a variety of dishes for us to try. Fish w jollof rice Plantain Flat bread w fish Chicken yasah and rice Ginger drink It was tasty and savory. read more

Mansa Kunda Restaurant - African Near Me - Takoma Park, Maryland

The decor and the ambiance was nice to start with! We did come at a time when they had no liquor license but the food more than made up for it! The chicken Yassa was incredible! read more

Incredible food and service. First time having west african food and our waiter was so helpful and the food was absolutely incredible.

The drum chair and stools are unique and remarkable. I had the fish pie which was very tasty and flaky. I also ordered the afra with chicken. Unfortunately, I was served couscous instead of potatoes which are listed on the menu. The chicken was DELICIOUS! They weren't serving alcohol during my visit, but we had a great time. The patio space is really nice. read more

Mansa Kunda Restaurant - Fish - African Near Me - Takoma Park, Maryland

Flavorful food and attentive service. The decor is beautiful. I visited on a slow/quiet evening and enjoyed having Ali's quick service. The jollof and fish was not spicy but thr flavor was bold and very tasty. The veggies were tender and could've been its own meal with the onions and sauce. I look forward to trying their vegetarian options. I've fallen in love with Hibiscus Cake. It wasn't overly sweet and the hibiscus flavor wasn't tart - it was a cool, moist slice of perfection. I want to say the buttercrean was made from scratch but I'm not sure. Either was it was delicious and I'd go back for just the slice alone. It was clear that this is a neighborhood favorite as a few regulars dropped in to pick up ginger juice and food while chatting with Ali. This is a cool place for a solo dining session or groups. read more

See all

What an amazing experience! The owner was incredibly kind and charismatic, making us feel welcome from the start. The food was delicious, and the place was beautifully designed with thoughtful decor. read more

I would say 2.5, so those like me who have much much more sophisticated West African palete if you will, the rating will be low. I did order their sandwich which was useless, i ordered their Akara fritters was not good. I ordered jollof to go, not bad at all. Now at the restauraunt it comes smothered with their stew, not a personal preference since that can tend to overwhelm the dish. Jollof in on itself is stew based. Pinneapple ginger drink was not good as well. Glad i swung by, not sure a repeat is in my future. read more

The customer service alone impressed me. The beauty of the restaurant and tasty food is amazing as well.

The owner was a jerk. Was very dismissive towards me like he didnt want to take my order. Couldnt even look me in the eye. Like what did I do to you to receive such an attitude? And not sure how a customer ordering as much as they want off the menu is an issue and they should be made fun of for that. Shouldnt you be happy that they're buying a lot from your restaurant? The appetizers were tasty but did not like the entrees after a few bites, had weird after tastes and I've had plenty of West African foods. Also a lot of filler (starchs) and not on enough meat in some of the entrees. Also no alcohol??? So maybe alcohol should be removed off your menu before people show up and are tricked to believe they can enjoy a drink ? read more

The food here is good. I am very familiar with this type of cuisine and it meets standards, absolutely! There's a small parking lot directly behind and besides the restaurant, and the portions are VERY filling. We started off with fish/meat/shrimp pies for the table and the sorrel/ginger juices were good! read more

See all

A household favorite for delivery. Herculean proportions. I love: - Jollof rice - I don't know how they infuse so much flavor! It comes with your choice of protein: I love the chicken. - ginger juice - it's very concentrated and puckers up your lips - hibiscus cake - colorful and indulgent read more

Mansa Kunda Restaurant - Jolllof rice with chicken - African Near Me - Takoma Park, Maryland

See all

The food is good. We recommend the ebbeh, benachin, pankeet, fried plantains, and shrimp shito flatbread.

My friend and I came here after our shift in the middle of the day for our "second lunch". I can say that this food was incredible. It looks like small amounts but I swear you just kept digging the spoons into the bowls and it was never ending! It was spiceful but not spicy! I requested their spicy sauce and added that on my own and it was perfect! You don't have to add too much because it packs a punch! The owner was also hilarious! I'm excited to come back. read more

See all

I visited Mansa Kunda on a Saturday night for dinner, and since we made a reservation were seated almost immediately we came. It seemed like there was about a 15 minute wait for people that showed up without reservations. One thing that immediately stood out to me was the ode to Western Africa exhibited around the restaurant, from the drum chair details, displayed sculptures and pictures, down to the food taste and quality. We started with the Akara as an appetizer, and that was so good! I had this growing up in Nigeria and can say that it was very similar in taste as to what I had back home. Next, I ordered the peanut butter chu, which came with fish, white rice, and some carrot and cabbage mixed in the peanut sauce. This dish was not only delicious, but was also quite generous with the portion size. I was also asked by my waiter if we would like a side of hot sauce and I'm glad I decided to try that because it was very hot and flavorful! I ended up asking if I could get a little more to go. Note that the hot sauce is pretty hot, so I would advice to only try it in small portions. The one thing that could have been better was the wait time to be attended to by staff and have your dishes be served. I thought it could have been more efficient if 1 or 2 more waiters were also working on a busy Saturday night. Other than that, it was so amazing. After our meals the staff stopped by to chat with us a little and made sure we were satisfied with the food. This is a great place to stop by for lunch or dinner, alone or with friends! read more

See all

I love the decor. The chairs were made out djembes. The food was delicious. I got the chicken benachin.

Let's start off with the hospitality as soon as I walked in the doors, I was greeted with a warm smile from the hostess/server. She immediately seated me at the bar because I was ordering a to go order. I told her she could take the couple that walked in after me, but she insisted I go first because I was there first. When I was seated the hostess offered me a beverage on the house and it was absolutely amazing. It was a fresh hibiscus and ginger drink commonly known as sorrel in some cultures. It was truly refreshing after my hour commute from my job in VA to the restaurant. I was greeted soon after by the owner who was as equally amazing and personable. I placed my order with him and honestly, it didn't take super long for my food to come out piping, hot and fresh. I ordered six meals, one beef with Jollof rice, one oxtail stew with white rice, and four fish with Jollof rice. 3 of the fish dinners came with a gravy sauce that was really flavorful and out of this world. I believe it was tomato, herb, and onion based. The last dish was just a fried croaker with plantain on the side. For appetizers, we ordered the fried fritters known as akarra. In addition we ordered plantain and oleleh which is a tamale. Lastly, for dessert if you have a sweet tooth I recommend the hibiscus and coconut cakes which were made in house. Because the hibiscus ginger beverage was so good I ordered 4 bottles to go as well. One thing I will say is the value and quality in my opinion were great. Each meal was filling, flavorful, and I didn't feel like I got cheated out of meat. The meat and fish were portioned well. I will be back! My family throughly enjoyed the food. My mom was happy with her birthday meal! The ambiance is casual and relaxed. The restaurant is cozy and located in the downtown area of Takoma Park, MD. Hopefully the parking gets better because this restaurant is definitely worth having around. Such a neighborhood gem that I will gladly travel to any chance I get. read more