If you want a fully authentic experience tasting some of the best cuisine of West Africa, check out this restaurant. We make it an annual trip each year we visit NYC AND it's always hot and delicious. If you're looking for a fancy set up, this is not your stop. Walking into New Ivoire transports you to a small cafe in Abidjan, the smells and sounds of French and Bambara mixing among the patrons. We pwere warmly graded by the owner and a table is found for us quickly in the small crowded room that made up New Ivoire. We had attiéke with fried fish and the ever present staple of fresh onions and tomatoes, along with dried okra sauce and plakali (similar to fufu see the photo) and salad. The salad was dressed in a light and delicious vinaigrette. The soup was beautifully flavored and complimented the sour taste of the plakali beautifully. If you go to a restaurant such as this one, and you are not from the continent of Africa, you are a guest in this space. Keep this in mind as you enjoy this small sanctuary for Ivorians and other West Africans to appreciate a bit of home in NYC. read more

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Delicious. Every bite. Ordered the lamb jollof and the lamb was plentiful, tender and delicious.

The negative service reviews seem off-base to me. Every component adds to the taste experience. The staff handles all aspects of service properly. Great atmosphere. Genuinely tasty. read more

Make New Ivoire your next stop on your carnivorous culinary quest. While this 24/7 restaurant offers stews, chicken, a variety of fish and Ivorian Djolof rice dishes, I ordered the lamb shank or gigot with fries. For $28, this will satisfy all your cravings for savory meat and easily beats any steak frites deal I have seen in any of the boroughs. New Ivoire is a humble looking place that should not be overlooked anymore. It's located just west of 119th and Park Avenue in Harlem. You walk in and place your order on the left, then take your seat among four or five rows of tables on your right. If you speak French, that would be a plus, but English will certainly do here. The clientele are decidedly men, but women and couples are certainly welcome. I had the feeling after one visit, I was always welcomed by the people who work here and dine here. There is a flat screen in the back to the right of bottled water and a refrigerator case full of sodas (self service to be added to your tab later), one of which is Vimto, a sparkling fruit punch flavored soda that is popular in African countries and apparently among some Muslims who drink it to break the Ramadan fast. I'm no expert on Vimto. I looked it up. Try it out for yourself. About fifteen minutes after sitting down, my gigot and frites arrived. I wish I had taken a picture. The Gigot was actually two lamb shanks, plus the fatty end cooked well done. The preparation was either by grilling or under the broiler or finished under the broiler. It was a bit overcooked in temperature in my opinion and I would have preferred a medium temperature, but grilling meats across the continent of of Africa is a thing and anyone who has been to a few countries in Africa knows grilled meats is a big thing. Our brothers and sisters in Africa cook generally to a well done temperature. The well done lamb shank also rendered out a lot of the fat and the fatty end was the benefactor, with crispy burnt ends that excite the palate like we find at many a barbecue restaurant. Yes, this meal offers something for the steak and barbecue connoisseur and for those who prefer a little extra flavor beyond beef. Anyone who has been to Keens for their mutton chop or a Greek restaurant with their traditional lamb shank would be right at home with this lamb shank at New Ivoire. Next time I would request that they prepare the Gigot to a medium or medium well temperature at most and that would be my only recommended change. Otherwise, it's a massive serving on a large oval plate, served with some diced raw onions with their sharp acidity to break up the savory indulgence. I should not forget the large round plate of crinkle cut fries accompanying the oval platter of meat. The fries were good. They are served with no salt or pepper, which leaves it up to you to decide how much salt and pepper you want to shake onto them. You'll be given a bottle of ketchup, but I felt the ketchup would mask the flavors of the meat and opted just for salt on my fries. They are not the most crispy fries and will not remind you of frites in duck fat, but let me remind you all this is costing you $28. Again , I wish I had captured it in pictures. Add the Vimto, and my total was $33. So eat the fries and be happy. They are plenty good and I probably took home half of the Gigot and frites presented to me, an excellent value, one of the best I have experienced in all the boroughs. Yeah, I'm happy and very happy. While there is lots of noise at the many steakhouses with lunch specials and other places focused on one version or another of steak frites, stop by New Ivoire and let their lamb shank be the item that brings you back for more to taste the rest of the menu. I am confident you can order with confidence from the full range of the menu at New Ivoire. The Red Snapper is the only item on the menu at the Gigot price point and everything else is lower, with most items around twenty or less. I paid in cash upon leaving and do not know if credit is taken here. New Ivoire is clean. Don't let the humble appearance deceive you. All table surfaces were clean, as well as the stainless silverware, cleaner than most places with loftier price points. Service is not overly friendly, but very respectful and prompt. New Ivoire is one of those places you encounter in NYC and wonder why have you not been there, why is it kept a secret... Well I'm putting it out there with a well earned four stars! read more

I'm a huge fan of Senegalese cuisine, this was my first time ordering grilled fish from the Ivory Coast & it's not at all similar to my favorite Senegalese dish, theibodien. This is a small hole in the wall restaurant, there are a few tables to sit and eat in. There were a group of African men chatting & eating while others were waiting for their orders while parked in front. My order was to go, and it was ready in 10 mins. I ordered the grilled while fish. The fish here was basted with a sauce on the grill so it's recieved wet and moist, like a BBQ & it comes with a side of onion & tomato in oil, which I didn't much care for at all. It's a boney fish with flavorful skin, it's not spicy but comes with a spicy sauce on the side which I enjoyed. I ordered a attieke & sweet plantain to go with. The attieke is a grated cassava dish which was served plain, flavorless with a Maggie cube in the center & the plantains were fried. I found both the sides to be disappointing. I didn't enjoy eating the fish without a side, the flavorless oily onion & tomato sauce doesn't go well with a moist fish, and it didn't pair well with attieke or the already oily fried plantains. I wasn't sure what to do with the Maggie cube, I crumbled it on the attieke to give it flavor but it was too salty. I washed the meal down with a bissap drink with cost $4 & was very sweet. The total meal for nearly $40 & needless to say, this experience was not enjoyable for me. I believe in supporting minority family owned local businesses, and I do hope to maybe come back and try another dish from their menu that perhaps will be more to my taste. Happy Yelping! read more

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Avery unassuming front, but deceptive to the quality of the food and service. We had a friend from Benin visiting, and she located this spot to have lunch. The menu is written on a whiteboard (or printed for takeout). Our friend made the orders for us; a whole grilled whitefish, grilled tuna, stewed goat, and couscous, salad, fried plantains and the African ground Yuka "Atticke" as sides. The portions were generous - we had to have several take home containers (plan accordingly). Most of all, our West African guest clearly gave a 4-star approval of the meal. In spite of the "B" condition , we opted to dine in. Sometimes , this is the adventure that we all need to take; open minds for a serendipitous, if not authentic , dining memory. read more

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DELICIOUS. Such unique and delicious flavors to mic and match. I got some sort of variety plate and omg its so good

food is good. the service is prompt. the atmosphere leaves little to be desired so brace yourself. the food is delicious and well prepared but it is a hole in the wall by every stretch of the imagination read more

Insect flies buzzed all over the place; lots of loud men sitting around talking at the top of their voices. Doesn't make good for non-Cote d'Ivoire clients to go there to enjoy the meal at all. The plate set in front of me was unclean, with remnants of previous food on it. Food was tasteless and un-fresh. Worst cous-cous ever had in my life [and i have had many from many countries]. Meat was over-fried and refired to an extreme rubber crisp. Not even teeth could penetrate; neither was there and gravy/sauce to make for a tender eating of the meal. Only gave it a 2-star due to the side dishes that were 'just OK' enough. Won't try this place again. It was a total MISS! read more

My 1st time here after a recommendation & I must say that this was a complete waste of $18. I ordered jollof rice & lamb Dibi that was most definitely the hardest lamb I've ever eaten, not to mention only a few pieces actually had meat for $18 I didn't even get bread &/or salad with it.. nvr again.! read more

Ordered lamb with jollof rice. I was ok with the small portion of lamb and significantly larger portion of jollof. It came with a deliciously very spicy sauce and spiced onions. The jollof wasn't as great as other West African jollof. I'd recommend take out instead of dine in. Next time I'd try something else on the menu. read more

New Ivoire - Lamb - African Near Me - New York, New York

This restaurant is dope. It's a real shame Manhattanites focus so much on downtown when some of the island's best treasures lie in Harlem, including New Ivoire. New Ivoire caters to the Ivorian community of NYC, and my friends and I were the only table of non-Ivorians present when we went for dinner. My kind of place. The grilled fish is some of the best I've had from my experiences with NYC's West African restaurants. The fish had some of the tastiest cheek I've ever eaten. Another must is the peanut stew. Simply delectable. Their cassava, plantains, and jollof rice sides are all 5/5. Their lunch specials look amazing, but I have not tried them yet. PS: If you are in the market for a Côte d'Ivoire national football team jersey of Drogba, there is a guy who hangs out here who can hook you up. read more

New Ivoire - Business card, grilled fish, and peanut and okra stew - African Near Me - New York, New York

A line of taxi cabs forms a fortress in front of New Ivoire, a line that stretches down the block and gets even larger as day turns to night and midnight hungers need to be fixed. This 24-hour joint is obviously popular with the West African cab drivers in the city, and I would definitely rather see them sitting here having friendly conversations instead of avoiding them on the street while biking. They sat around large tables alternating their attention between the food, the rambunctious conversations, and the soccer channel on television. The owner would sit with them at times, giving the place a very friendly local feel. As newcomers we did not stand out at all though, even if my spotty French was not quite enough at times to describe what I wanted. At lunch, the restaurant has a rotating menu of three or more items, different on each day. The following two items were available on Mondays. The sauce arachide ($10) was very similar to other West African mafes, but had a more subtle approach to its peanut sauce, allowing other flavors to surface and creating a splendid soup for its beef. Served with a heaping plate of rice, the dish is definitely more than necessary for lunch. Another choice for the sides was a plate of yuca that appeared in couscous form. The owner recommended it with the second dish, the sauce Claire dindon ($10), and was spot on. It's a soup with turkey and tomato, but spiced with pepper and very oily. Both dishes brought back great West African memories with a small colorful pepper in the center. I also grabbed what appeared to be a homemade lemonade ($2), and expected it to be infused with something sickeningly sweet like vanilla. What I found though was in addition to this insulting sweetness a strong burning ginger was in there, which I could not finish despite the great taste. read more

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The only thing I regret is that I didn't have enough appetite by the end of my Harlem/West African food crawl to eat more here. Everything about this place is the real deal. If you're like me and you live for authentic "ethnic" food (the more obscure, the better), New Ivoire will be a dream come true. It's raw, bare bones and populated with honest-to-goodness West Africans (Ivorians?) speaking honest-to-goodness West African French. I felt like I was actually in the Cote d'Ivoire, minus the shaky political landscape. It was divine. The staff are friendly and welcoming, chatting easily in their native French with the locals/regulars, then switching to English for "outsiders" like me (though I actually do speak French, haha). No one bothers you, no one rushes you, food comes fast and fresh. And the food! We got the Attieke with a (free) side of spicy fish sauce to share and wow! It was so many things I love in food. Light, fluffy couscous mixed with tangy, zesty marinated vegetables. A bizarre little spice cube that melted nowhere near as fast as it should and the fish sauce combined to make an incredibly savory dish, the likes of which I have never tasted, and I've had a lot of West African cuisine. If you're not afraid to venture up to Harlem (and seriously, why would you be?), you MUST come here. Harlem offers a lot of West African cuisine, mostly Senegalese, but as far as I know, this is the only Ivory Coast restaurant in the city (or vicinity of the U.S. of A). Here's the unique Manhattan experience the guidebooks will never tell you. Don't miss it! read more

Pros: Portion size is ridiculous (see pictures by me) Authentic feel Cons: Food is extremely oily Spotty service (I asked if there was cous cous kinda of side, instead of rice, and the owner said no -- but while waiting for my food, I saw two folks having this) Overall, this place has 3 stars from me, because it offers something new. When you see native folks eating here, you know it is legit. read more

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Let me start by saying that I am born and raised Ivorian and this place is one of the most authentic ones in NY. The food is consistently good. Like many African restaurants in the city, service can be hit or miss. However, I found that food is served faster than at most other places. The staff is always nice and they actually pick up the phone! The restaurant itself is okay. It has the décor of a fast food joint more than an actual restaurant, but it is more or less clean. There is always good (African) music and it's never too busy. I've always found a place to seat and I've come at all hours of the day or night. Oh yeah, it's open 24/7! Isn't that amazing?? Prices are slightly higher than other African places in the area; the average meal is about $15. Overall I would recommend this place if your priority is the food. I removed one start because of the rest. read more

Well, one of my many hair stylists often orders from here and shares it with her patrons. Their Poisson Grille is out of this world!!! Make sure you don't forget to order a side of couscous and Aloco (fried plantains with this awesome tomato/onion sauce) Trust me, the combo is great. As a matter of fact, I plan to stop by after work to pick up dinner tonite :o) read more

A friend recommended me to this place. Initially, I was excited because Ivorians (in my opinion)make the best Poisson braise and aloko. I have to say I was a bit disappointed. We got to New Ivorie around 7:30 saturday night, we walked in assuming a waitress will great and seat you- not so much. My boyfriend ask the lady at the cash register, "Where can we seat"? She responded in french.. "Yeah, whatever". Leaving us to seat at the only vacant table that was wasn't clean. While waiting for someone to take our order, we noticed the menu's in a pocket attached to the side of the table. Though, knowing what I already wanted, I grabbed a menu that was dirty and sticky - eww. After about 10 minutes looking around, a man came to take our order. The usual for us, poisson braise, aloko and salad. Luckily, our order didn't take no more than 10 minutes to come out. I was EXTREMELY disappointed. It was the smallest tilapia fish ever. The onion slaw on top was disappointing as well, small proportioned, dry and not much flavor. The aloko ( sweet fried plantains) were dry and flavorless also. The salad was pretty boring, the vinaigrette was one note. I did like the side mayo and hot sauce.. thank goodness for that! My bf did like the music after they got it to work. Bob Marley's greatest hits how could you go wrong. Overall, I don't ever plan on going back and I wouldn't recommend it. I've experienced far better. $16 for a tiny fish. No way! Looking for great west african food.. Try - La Save, African Kine or even Patisserie Des Ambassades read more

New Ivoire - Menu - African Near Me - New York, New York

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Did not care for the grilled Talapia fish, was bland and they threw onions and peppers on top which must of been for decoration because it had no flavor. I would not be spending my money there again, and their very expensive too read more

I don't want to call this meal 'a life changing experience,' because that sounds too dramatic, but the dinner I had at New Ivoire Restaurant comes pretty close. I've been meaning to check this place out for weeks, but I kept coming up with excuses not to. Too late/hungry/drunk, need to just grab something quick. Real nonsense. So last night I find myself in the position to pick where I wanted to dine on my birthday. Of all the fancypants restaurants (and it's restaurant week after all!), I instead chose to stick close to my pad, but venture away from the usual burrito joint (it was however, a hard choice to make, after my male companion and I had a long discussion on the merits of Italian cuisine.) So, we ventured out to New Ivoire, nervous, about to lose our Ivoirian-cuisine virginities. When we arrived the place was very busy, lots of cabbies, all talking amongst themselves loudly, over a TV blaring some dance show on BET. Totally. Awesome. We took a table in the corner and excitedly poured over the menu. I had a serious dilemma in deciding what to order. I really wanted the fried tuna, because tuna is the most delicious fish to ever swim the seas. But i really like my tuna raw, I kinda hate cooked tuna. On the other hand, I could get the grilled lamb. In the end I decided to be bold and get the tuna, with a side of frites served with their own spicy home made ketchup. (In hindsight, I would have gotten something else, but I do have a serious french fry addiction. They were damn good fries, too.) My companion ordered the wednesday lunch special lamb with brown rice. We also both ordered their 'homemade ginger drink.' It was a very sweet lemonade with a strong (very spicy!) ginger flavor. I couldn't believe what a good digestif this drink was! Really tasty as well, though I would cut it with seltzer to make it a bit less sweet and easier to drink. My tuna was really fantastic. It wasn't breaded, just seasoned and thrown right in the oil. This resulted in a very crisp outer layer that was salty and delicious and not overly greasy. The center of the tuna was well done, but it wasn't at all dry. I absolutely loved it. This tuna really taught me that you can cook fish, it just has to be done the right way. I liked my dish, but I loved the dish my boyfriend ordered. The lamb was tender, the rice was beautifully seasoned, just the slightest bit oily with the fat from the lamb, and browned. The texture was lovely, a bit sticky and starchy on the outsides of the rice, but still firm. I had never tasted food like this before. It was fantastic. I was blown away while eating my meal, I couldn't stop commenting on how good the food was. Through mouthfuls of ginger drink and frites I blabbed on and on and on about how much I loved what I was eating... a bit like what I'm doing right now. read more

Where else can you go and get a whole fried fish, delicious sweet plantains and a super spicy sauce that will spill all over your coffee table for 12 bucks? This place seriously rocked, they take credit cards, and they're always crowded with people. I got the poisson grille, a riz gras and the poulet braise for my boyfriend. My fingers were covered in oil and spices and deliciousness when I got home. The fish was well seasoned and the tomato onion topping (with some additional lemon from my fridge) cut the richness quite well. I'm in love with the riz gras and he liked the grilled chicken. You get SO much food for such a little bit and they're so accommodating. I want to go every week but it was a bit difficult carrying all that stuff back! I'll post pictures later. I got the attike and it came with a maggi cube dead center. I giggled. read more

The most delicious grilled lamb and fish you'll ever try, so good that I ordered from here two days in a row.

This is restaurant is really in the middle of no where! Some where in Harlem on the east side you will stumble into New Ivoire Restaurant! Food straight from the Ivory Coast..this is the real deal. My husband takes me here quite often when he craves home food.... The food is fresh, and you get tons of it for $10 or $12...its not fancy...alot of local Ivoirian cabbies head here to get their espresso and poisson braise (baked fish) with atticke ( a type of cous cous) here! It's really good for the price, and the owners are super friends and service is great! so if you are looking for some no fuss French Ivorian food this is the SPOT! read more

Came to this place because La Savane ran out of the grilled fish and I really wanted fish. Ambiance The place is pretty divey as some people mentioned, but that didn't bother me much. I actually liked the energy but there is a shelf area behind the counter that's visible to patrons, and it could really use a cleaning.. it kinda was ODee dirty in that area, and pretty junky looking to be honest.. lol. They should straighten that up for real though. Food The fish was a tad oily and wasn't seasoned as well as I would have liked. But it wasn't bad. It was just ok. I think the fish at the other place is better. The joloff rice was great though! It had the mutton pieces in it which gave it a great flavor. I dunno what the other guy was talking about.. it does taste different from other joloff but I enjoyed it. maybe the person who didn't like it came on an off day.. Price This is so affordable for what it it is. Can't go wrong. Portions are HUGE and you get your money's worth. Would I go back? For take out joloff sure! read more

Was initially encouraged by the womens soccer game on TV, the tamarind drink in the fridge, and the nice neighborhood feel... and all of the 5-star reviews. Ordered the lamb. My serving was 50% fat, 40% bones, and 10% meat. Is it supposed to be like that? Also had some tomato/onion sauce on white rice - liked the flavor but it was very oily. Don't know how I also ended up with a plate of couscous - complete with an undissolved bouillon cube! What do I do with that? This place was over my head for sure - is it me, or is this a case of the Emperor's New Clothes? Nice people and happy customers everywhere. Waitress, guy behind counter - both great. Fun conversations happening outside, lots of people chowing down inside. I felt like I was in an alternate reality - my food was really kind of rough to take - made me feel like a wuss even though I've eaten street food all over the developing world (including Northern Africa). So, I guess if you're even the slightest bit lame around real authentic African food, like it turns out I am, don't kid yourself. Go somewhere else and let the true fans have their spot. The place is likely to draw extreme reviews: those who love it and those who don't understand it. read more

Have gotten food from here several times. My husband who grew up in Ivory Coast first took me there. The cuisine is very authentic however the restaurant is yucky. Its kinda a little dive where you would not want to stay and eat. We have only had take out. The issue is that its inconsistent in quality. I will admit that my review is colored by having had food from practically all the African restaurants in the surrounding neighborhood and a husband who knows what he is eating because it is his heritage. Positive is that it is open 24 hours for when you get hungry at 2 am. read more

This place is the worst for delivery. I ordered my food and the lady asked for my address she said nothing about the driver not coming into the building. After waiting an hour the driver calls to tell me his is not coming into my building. That I need to come outside. I explained to him that I have kids and I can't leave my apartment and he replied that he is not coming into the building that I need to come outside. He was very rude and nasty to me. I will never order from here again and I will be sure to let everyone know about these people. By the way I never got my food No one trued to rectify the situation. read more

I highly recommend the grilled fish with either attiéké or aloco. The ginger drink is awesome too. I personally thought that the prices were a little bit high for how casual the restaurant is, however the portions were generous. When I arrived the place was mostly filled with Ivoirien men, but that added to authentic feel. read more

This is a hole in the wall BUT I can't get enough of this food. The fish in several dishes is addictive!! I'm not African but this is the best. The food is never disappointing. read more

If you're driving thru Harlem in the middle of the night. lets say 3am in the morning & you're craving African food, this is the best place to stop by to get a big course Ivoirrienne meal. What I love the most is that its 24 hours. Only in NY!! I had the Poisson Friet et Attieke avec aloko (Fried Fish with Attieke & Sweet Plantains for those of you who doesn't speak french) It was good & always good. Fish is always moist. Its not a place to sit with ur friends or go on a date. Its just a take out spot to order & go. And of course like most african restaurants, they only take cash read more

Love their food. Probably the best Ivorian food I've had in harlem. The riz gras is a personal favorite.

You can't go wrong with the couscous and mutton. Absolutely delicious. Prices are also reasonable. Definitely try the ginger juice. It is amazingly refreshing. If you are familiar with food from Africa especially Morocco or Senegal you will appreciate this restaurant. The only cons are make sure you request that your lamb/mutton does not have a lot of fat on on it, if possible none at all. The place is small and has a disgusting bathroom. read more

Love! Love! African food especially if it feel like home (note I am not African). I was very excited to have found a place close to my job. I haven't had African food since I moved from the Bronx to Manhattan. So I am expecting to have this great meal AND it wasn't great at all! I had the Lamb. It was not seasoned at all. NO flavor just meat. I am glad they gave me spice for it, but still did not make a big difference. That meal did not work. Maybe if I go again (not sure if I will) I will order fish (who can go wrong with fish ) . The woman who took my order was not as friendly, BUT I have experienced this at many African restaurants. Bottom line: Nice and comfy: not packed after 3pm (I went at 3:30pm): fast service: Food OK. (not the best I had ). read more

so good !!! love it here always visit every we come to nyc we visit. thank you for amazing food.

Finally got around to trying New Ivoire a few weeks ago. (The times I had tried to go by in the past, they'd always been closed.) It turns out it was well worth trying again. They do a mean potato leaves stew here. Prices are a bit higher than at some of the other Harlem West African restaurants, and for me, getting to New Ivoire is something of a pain because it's a bit out of the way, but I will be sure to go back. Update: They need better quality control. Another potato leaves serving included the hard part of the stems that any good cook would have discarded before using in a dish. Whoever was in the kitchen apparently was too lazy to remove the stems and just tossed them into the food processor. Very bad form! read more

Some of the people who gave this place bad reviews clearly do not know any West Africans, or have not had an authentic experience eating their food and being in their cultural spaces. To the guy who expected to be served as he sat down, said the food was impossible to eat without using your hands, and didn't know what to do with the magi cube... Really? If you want an American experience, GO TO AN AMERICAN RESTAURANT!!! That said, I went with three Malians who had previously shown me the proper way to dine. You approach the counter and let them know if you're ordering for there or taking out. They don't approach you first, especially if you don't even speak their language (French or a local African dialect). We opted to eat there. I let them order, which was 2 huge helpings of attieke, chicken, and a fish. The food was authentic, delicious!! Flavorful (BTW, crush the magi cube and sprinkle it over the attieke) and yes, a little messy (Malians eat with their hands in their country). The atmosphere (west African men filled the place) would be weird for outsiders, but again, going with someone from the culture helps. The price was reasonable. We paid about $45 to feed four of us. For those saying it is pricey, my guys got a good deal as ordering for a group and sharing is the best way to get to most value out of your meal. Remember, African culture is communal. To be honest, I love that they cater to folks from their culture and could care less about the random person who only wants to come in and judge but not learn. It's hard to maintain authenticity in a space where another culture (American) is dominant and expects everyone else to conform. read more

Wrongly reported as 'Closed'. I live in the neighborhood and just had my lunch from there now.

If I could give more stars I would. The goat sauce, the smoked fish and sauce, the poission braisee was amazing amazing amazing. We ordered take out and it was the most fantastic! We will be back in person soon! read more

I work around the corner from this place and usually stop in when I am feeling in the mood for a little something different for my taste buds. This place is usually packed with men sitting with friends and chatting, apparently having a good time. I think the clientele are mostly Ivoirian (I think that is the correct term) which adds to the authentic feel of the place. Overall, atmosphere is ehhh seeing as the place is pretty cramped with generally uncomfortable seating. Food is pretty tasty with LARGE portions. I once ordered tuna with the rice pilaf, which was absolutely delicious. However, I made the mistake of eating the entire dish in one sitting which is a huge feat as anyone would know that has ever ordered a dinner entree here. The result: SALT OVERLOAD. I spent my night drinking water non-stop and immediately regretted my gluttony. It seems like the cook tends to season the food with TONS of salt and this is coming from someone that generally doesn't shy away from a little sodium. Anyway, I've been back several times since and just make a point to control my inner fatty and never attempt to eat a whole dinner entree. Would recommend to anyone for a taste of food that is unique from what is typically available elsewhere around Manhattan. read more

I ordered broiled fish 4 time and ended up with grilled fish ! 4 times!' I think it might be intentional!! I drove from farmingdale, which is an hour from this restaurant! Very disappointed! read more