The food at Ruth's buka never disappoints! I've been coming here for years and I'm yet to find a dish I don't love. The quality of services compliments the food they serve. read more

Not gonna lie yall..... i'm literally picky as hell and have tried many different places with similar food and this by far is the best!!! the spinach was good. The rice was good. The beef was good. The fish was good. The turkey wing was good. EVERYTHING WAS GOOD with good customer service at that!! read more

Loved the food!! So so tasty!! Also great vibes with Emmanuel! My friend and me bought as much as we could . Amazing service all round!

I love this place so much. If you've ever wanted to try Nigerian/West African cuisine, this is definitely the spot to hit up. Emmanuel is so kind and helpful, his positive energy is truly one of a kind. You can really tell that he and his staff are passionate about what they do and are incredibly hard working. The food is genuinely some of the most flavorful and authentic that the bay area has to offer. I had the Fufu and Egusi as well as the Ayamase (my favorite). I've also had the Jollof rice in the past. Each dish was seasoned and spiced perfectly. The Fufu was soft and perfectly cooked, it pairs well with the Egusi soup which is rich, slightly spicy and full of flavor. The Ayamase, a green pepper stew, was spicy in all the right ways with a bold peppery kick. I will be coming back every chance I get to try every thing on the menu. read more

Ruth's Buka - 10/10 - African Near Me - Oakland, California

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For the longest time, I've wanted to try Nigerian food, especially fufu. We happened to be in the area and found this place, which is both a grocery store and a restaurant. The ambiance isn't very appealing, but I came for the food, not the decor. The gentleman who helped us was very kind. When I told him it was our first time trying Nigerian food, he took the time to explain the menu and make recommendations. We ordered the egusi soup with fufu, and it was absolutely delicious. The flavors were rich, comforting, and unlike anything I've had before. If you're curious about Nigerian food and don't mind a simple setting, I would definitely recommend giving this place a try. read more

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Tried Nigerian food for the first time and wow... I ordered the egusi soup with fufu and the ayamase with rice and both were absolutely delicious. Easily a 10/10. The flavors were so rich and layered. You can tell everything was cooked with real care and seasoning. The egusi with fufu was hearty and comforting, and the ayamase was incredibly flavorful. Fair warning though, it is SPICY. Think Serrano pepper level spicy. If you like heat and bold flavor, you will love it. First time trying these dishes and I am already looking forward to ordering them again. Service was excellent and everyone was so kind! read more

We drove from Marin to try Nigerian food for the first time. As soon as we walked in we had a warm welcome by Emmanuel. He was so lovely. We had the egusi and fufu and jollof rice which were all delicious! It was such a nice experience over all. More people who own businesses could learn from this beautiful family. Please go and support and connect with them. read more

Ruth's Buka - Egusi and fufu - African Near Me - Oakland, California

Made the drive all the way to Oakland because I've been dying to try fufu and egusi soup! After doing my research, we settled on coming to Ruth's Buka. It's a market that also has a deli, and we arrived a little after opening and barely missed the rush. The food was a bit pricey for the portion size, it was about $5 for the meat pie and $25 for the egusi soup. The flavors of the egusi soup were so cohesive and delicious though! This was my first time trying African food so I have nothing else to compare it to, but there was a lot of depth and nuttiness in the dish and the chicken was also super tender. I had to knock some points just because there is very limited seating and space as it is a very small corner store, and the meat pie had very little filling so I would probably not get it again. As the egusi soup was the focus, I recommend coming to try! read more

Ruth's Buka - Egusi Soup with chicken (comes with fufu), meat pie - African Near Me - Oakland, California

The food was amazing! This was my first time trying Nigerian food and the food did not disappoint. I'd give the food a 9/10 everything was full of flavor. Service was decent, it's more of a grab and go family restaurant. Which mean the atmosphere is basic as well. I will definitely go back for food. read more

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My best friend and I stopped by Ruth's Buka on April 11, 2026. It was a rainy day, and we were craving West African cuisine. The restaurant is tucked inside a small grocery market, with a tiny cafeteria-style dining area. We ordered egusi soup with fish, jollof rice, fufu, and plantains. The egusi soup was flavorful, hot, and smoky, with a texture and flavor reminiscent of bitter melon. The portions were generous, giving us plenty of leftovers for the next day. The staff were very kind and clearly passionate about what they serve. Definitely one of our new favorite spots. read more

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Delicious with friendly service. Everything tasted fresh, high quality, and just like I remember from childhood. So glad we made the trip. read more

Ruth's Buka - Egusi Soup, fufu, plantain, jollof - African Near Me - Oakland, California

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I finally got to come here to get takeout after thinking about it for literally years! It did not disappoint. The price point is on the high end but with that being said, there aren't too many options for this type of cuisine and I'm sure it takes quite some time to cook it and procure the ingredients, too. It is located on a street corner and after walking in, my daughter and I were warmly treated by Emmanuel. He was so lovely and helpful in recommending items. I definitely knew I wanted to try the egusi and fufu. The taste was right up my alley! I want to say the fufu was made from potatoes. The texture was wonderful, and I know it's not traditionally chewed but I enjoyed the texture and chewing it. It was more bouncy than I expected - like a cross between mashed potatoes and mochi. I asked for ogbono but there was okra soup which Emmanuel said was similar. He suggested I have it with the fish. Now this dish for me was very reminiscent of something in my own culture due to the dried/smoked fish and dried/smoked beef. For us, we typically keep those in separate dishes and also load them with chilies so I'm not sure if the flavor was for me since it was a mix of the two, however, I did enjoy eating the pieces of fish. I also wanted to try the cow skin because that's just something I really love, and I very much enjoyed the spicy and savory flavor of the sauce. It was perfectly tender as well. Emmanuel also suggested I try the akara which is a type of bean fritter, and I thought it was delicious. I just wish it was still crispy. He said it's not normally on the menu but that they made some this weekend. The vibe I felt inside was very comfortable and the dishes are served cafeteria style. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed it! read more

Ruth's Buka - African Near Me - Oakland, California

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I went to Ruth Buka around 7:ish PM and tried their fufu and egusi OMG, I am completely obsessed! From the moment we walked in, the vibe was warm and inviting, and the food did not disappoint. Every single yumminess was packed with flavor. I came with my sister and her boyfriend, and it was so fun sharing the dishes and trying everything together. The fufu was amazing soft, perfectly textured, and paired so well with the sauces. Honestly, I love everything I tried. You can tell they really put care into their food, and it shows in the taste. My sister is the only one in my family who likes trying new things with me (lol), and she absolutely loved it too, which made the experience even better. Service was friendly, the atmosphere was cozy, and the portions were generous. I'm definitely coming back soon to try more dishes this place is a hidden gem! If you love flavorful, authentic food and want to try something new, Ruth Buka is the spot. I can't recommend it enough! ( sorry forgot to show the fufu ‍) read more

Ruth's Buka - African Near Me - Oakland, California

Finally got to try some Fufu and Egusi! I've been wanting to try this for soooo long! This restaurant is on the corner of a street, so parking is street. Usually, you'd park around the residential area. Service was great! We went during one of the busier hours since it's near dinner time, but we received great service! We got Jollof Rice & Plantain, Chicken plate and egusi soup and fufu! You do get one complimentary fufu for each order of egusi. The seasoning for both food was amazing. My friends and I enjoyed it a lot. My favorite was the plantains. Delicious. The chicken was tender , the beef was not as tender and was harder to chew. But the flavoring was still good. Overall, I really enjoyed the food and service from this restaurant. I would definitely recommend for people to go. 10/10 would come again! read more

Ruth's Buka - Jollof Rice and Plantain, Chicken Plate and Egusi Soup with fufu - African Near Me - Oakland, California

Service - they were very, very nice. Staff seemed happy to have you frequenting the business. Ambiance - it is a café/buffet style restaurant combined with a store. Food - I ordered the egusi and my daughter order the okra soup. We both added been to our food. We also order plantain (they give you a large portion) and the puffs. Sadly they did not have regular fufu, so we were given the wheat one, which is a brown yellow in color. I was disappointed but im down to try something new, so we gave it a shot. Food is served cafeteria style. Not my favorite way to dine, as i always find the food is often lukewarm, but we walked in and decided to give it a shot, especially considering we were in the Bay Area from Fairfield. Our total bill was $66 and some change. I don't feel like the soup portions were indicative of the cost, being that the egusis itself, was $25.00. The okra soup was very very spicy We like spicy but this was beyond our palate. It was very rich and savory in appearance, but the spiciness made it difficult to pick up on whether it was flavored well or not. We were not able to eat it. Sadly, the egusi did not stand out. It was bland, lacking in seasoning and left me unsatisfied. It was also lukewarm, but I like my food piping hot so it may be fine in temperature for others. The beef that we added to our soups was extremely tough and got painfully stuck between my teeth until I was able to pry it out. It also had no flavor to it. Perhaps if they had marinated it and let it slow cook until it was tender... Wheat fufu had a texture that I couldn't get into. I would have preferred regular fufu, but they were out. Again the staff was extremely pleasant and for that, I give 4 stars. Three for the staff and 1 for the food. I met a gentleman there who said he loved just about everything they offered. We all have different palates. This just wasn't suitable for us. The puffs were good just cold, so when I get home I will toss them in the air fryer. read more

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First time trying Nigerian food, loved the Fufu and the Jollof Rice plate. It's a fair price (around $20-23 a plate) and it comes with a lot of food/sides. Very flavorful and seasoned, the fish was flaky and tender and very delicious. Also of the Jollof plates have the options of different choices of meat between chicken, beef, and fish, and i think the fish or chicken would be the best options. Would recommend either calling ahead to ask for their availability as they do tend to run out of certain dishes by the end of the day, or try to order earlier for lunch. We wanted to try the Egusi but they were out of it. You can order online easily for pick up, and the staff there are very friendly. We also tried to Okra soup and it was good but it does have tripe in it so just be aware since it's an acquired taste and it's not listed on the menu. Next time i really want to try the Egusi, but the side of fufu was amazing it was everything i thought it would be it's so soft and pillowly. I think overall the quality and amount of food is very good for the price read more

Ruth's Buka - Fufu - African Near Me - Oakland, California

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when i tell you they're about to know me on a first names basis! the flavors are out of this world. i get the egusi soup (with beef) + fufu. kinda what everyone gets but i've been eating it like for 3 days straight because i am OBSESSEDDD. if you're a bay area native you already know east Oakland has some real gems but for me this takes the cake. not only are they super friendly but it's more like an express place where they have everything laid out so u can order and go! lmao i came in the next day and she said, "again??" i said "GIRL YESSS!!" Me personally i love good food and everything i ate has not disappointed me yet. and i still have more food to try. So if you like different cuisines and you have a diverse palette i would DEFINITELY go here. go head and give em your coin cause they deserve that!!! They're like family!! read more

Wow so happy we found this spot! Owner is so welcoming and friendly! You can tell he really loves what he does and his customers. We got the jollof rice, plantain chicken plate & egusi soup with extra fufu! Food was sooo good! Really flavorful and has a perfect spice. We can't wait to go back and try more items on the menu:) read more

Ruth's Buka - African Near Me - Oakland, California

Went to pick up some Nigerian food today. It's located inside maybe a small grocery store? The service was nice. The food is out but nothing was labeled. I wasn't sure what all the dishes were. Some I knew but wasn't comfortable with saying what I thought it was because I could have been wrong. Everything I ordered. The chicken and beef were too dry for me. The rice was smokey tasting. read more

Ruth's Buka - My entire order - African Near Me - Oakland, California

A few months ago, a patient recommended Ruth's Buka for African food and told me to get Jollof rice. Took me a while and drove across the Bay but I got here and it was worth it. I got the Jollof rice, plantain, chicken, an order of the puff puff, and a side of plantains. The rice is not too spicy with a Smokey flavor. The chicken was juicy and paired well with the rice. The plantains were not too sweet and not too oily. The puff puff were the perfect appetizer for the meal. My only regret was I should have gotten more food. Emmanuel was very nice and accommodating and the place was clean and welcoming. I just wished it was much closer to where I lived but it is definitely worth the drive: read more

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Very good service & food ! Full of flavor and spice . We got the egusi & okra soup with goat, veggies & jollof rice. read more

Ruth's Buka - African Near Me - Oakland, California

Came to this delicious restaurant today with my sister, we had no idea that it was tucked away less than ten minutes from her house. We had the egusi soup, efe riro, fufu, meat pie, vegetables, and turkey wing. Both of the soups we had with the beef which was incredibly hearty. The depth of flavor in both the egusi soup and efe riro was wonderful. Incredibly savory, lots of umami and the texture of the fufu complemented the dishes well. My favorite between the two is probably the egusi but the efe riro I would definitely get again. Of our appetizers I loved the vegetables, so tasty yet so simple definitely get them to go with your meal! The meat pie was also yummy, I liked dipping it in the soups haha. Everyone at the restaurant was so kind, we got to meet Ruth and Emmanuel. Special shout out to Emmanuel for being so kind and excited for us while we enjoyed the food. Love that this is a family run establishment and they are the sweetest folks. The restaurant also has a small market in the back where you can purchase ingredients. The restaurant is cozy, welcoming and will absolutely be coming back. Every visit I do back home now, I'll be sure to stop here. Sending all of my friends to come try this place and maybe stop for a birthday dinner :) read more

Ruth's Buka - Egusi Soup, Efo Riro Soup, Meat Pie, Side Vegetables, Fufu, Turkey Wing - African Near Me - Oakland, California

I had the jollof with beef, and wow, it was absolutely delicious! I'm definitely planning to go back. The rice was bursting with flavor and savory goodness, and the plantains were super sweet. Plus, the beef was incredibly tender. read more

Ruth's Buka - Jollof, plantain and beef - African Near Me - Oakland, California

We had egusi and banga soups with fufu. The food was excellent. Highly recommended! Everyone working there was so nice. One of the most friendly businesses I've ever visited. read more

Ruth's Buka - Egusi - African Near Me - Oakland, California

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"Consistent poor service. Waited 15 minutes for service today before being acknowledged. The staff consistently acts unprofessionally and seems to care only for 'neighborhood' regulars, disregarding new or infrequent customers. I spend $100+ when I come here, but I will not tolerate being treated poorly. Customer service training is severely needed." read more

Tried a bit of their beef, plantains, and jollof rice plate for an Afrobeats event and was pretty satisfied. The rice was spicy, but I thought the beef could be more tender. My absolute favorite were the plantains. They had a crispy caramelization on their edges that made them extra addicting. It was a bit pricey at close to $30, but I hear the portions are larger at their physical store. Everyone I've encountered said they were regulars there and everything is good. I'm inclined to believe them so far. read more

Ruth's Buka - Beef, plantains, and jollof rice - African Near Me - Oakland, California

Emmanuel was so attentive and informative with serving C2's first time at Ruth's. Everything was 10/10 and so delicious, we will be back for more. Recommend enjoying the food while it's hot and fresh, but it is limited seating. We came on a Tuesday and they didn't have any puff puffs though. Overall will be coming back! read more

Ruth's Buka - Egusi Soup with Beef - African Near Me - Oakland, California

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SO GOOD this was my first time trying Nigerian food and now this is going to be a craving. The food was great, it was a little busy, but they were able to help me fairly quickly. I got the egusi stew with chicken and fufu and it tasted incredible! I love savory foods and it was a cooler day so it hit the spot. I got the jollof rice and plantains on the side and the portions were so big so I'll have plenty of leftovers (I'm actually so happy to have more for later) Great food, good people working there, its so worth it read more

I had such a great experience here. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, and the hospitality really stood out. Emmanuel and his niece were incredibly kind, helpful, and genuinely funny, it felt like being welcomed by family. The food was amazing. It smelled so good through the bag that I couldn't even wait to get home. I literally ate it in my car because I had to try it immediately and I ended up finishing it because it was that good. Fresh and so flavorful! This was one of those experiences where everything just hits: the food, the service, and the overall vibe. I'll definitely be back and will be recommending this place to others. read more

Emmanuel is very welcoming and fun to talk with. Since this is our first time eating fufu, he guided us so well on what to order. Their food is savory, tasty, and authentic. The fufu is so smooth and perfect for the african dishes. Its healthy but doesn't sacrifice the taste. Ambience is also homey and clean esp their restroom. Definitely recommend this African restaurant. Btw were from Reno and is going to the Weeknd concert and were looking for an African Food to try. read more

Ruth's Buka - Jollof, plantain and Turkey, Egusi, Fufu - African Near Me - Oakland, California

Best food I have eaten in a long time. It was almost addictive, so I went within two days to buy the same things. My favorite was moi moi and jollof rice. They had the collard greens that was delicious as well. Service is pretty quick. Ambience is OK. I got it to go and I enjoyed it at home. read more

It's beautiful to witness the restaurant's journey. Quality food. Quality service. The grocery-market addition is very convenient. read more

Ruth's Buka - Bought Egusi, Fufu, and Puffpuff - African Near Me - Oakland, California

I had the egusi soup with chicken and pounded yam...it was decent. This place was recommended by a few people and most admit that I was disappointed read more

My first time trying fufu and beef/fish egusi soup (the fufu came with the egusi soup). Also first time trying jollof rice (came in a combo with beef and plantain). The food was amazing! But if you want beef and chicken, you gotta come in earlier because they run out. The beef was amazing in the egusi soup. The service was great too, everyone is nice and friendly ambiance. So this would be a great place for people who want to try African/Nigerian cuisine for the first time. I highly recommend this spot, great experience here. Parking is a bit tricky since it's in a residential area. Had to park in the neighborhood right next to the restaurant. read more

Ruth's Buka - Egusi soup with complimentary fufu included - African Near Me - Oakland, California

excellent Nigerian food. Emmanuel is so kind and is great at recommending dishes if you are not well versed in west African cuisine (like me!) and the place in general is so welcoming! I had the jollof rice with beef which was delicious, and my friends had the egusi soup with chicken and fufu. everything was so yummy! will be coming back here. read more

My wife was craving okra soup and fufu, so we looked around for local spots and found Ruth's Buka on Yelp. The photos and reviews looked great, so we decided to give it a try and we're so glad we did! From the moment we walked in, we were greeted by a super friendly gentleman with an awesome beard. He was very welcoming and helped us choose what to order, even suggesting the perfect meat pairings for each soup. We ended up getting the Egusi Soup with beef and the Okra Soup with chicken. Each came with a side of fufu, though we accidentally ordered an extra one for each. No regrets. Both soups were absolutely amazing, some of the best we've ever had. We also ordered the plantains, which were flavorful and perfectly cooked. Before leaving, we were told about the Puff Puffs, so we grabbed some to go, and wow. They were warm, soft, and comforting, like a fresh donut but even better. Three big ones for just $2, totally worth it. Overall, this place was a 10/10 experience with delicious food, great service, and good vibes all around. Highly recommend Ruth's Buka if you're craving authentic, flavorful food. We'll definitely be back! read more

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Incredible. Super friendly staff. Smoky, perfectly cooked jollof rice. Great flavor on the chicken and beef skewers.

Really delicious Engusi and Fufu which I enjoyed trying for the first time. I also got the chicken to go with the Jollof which was very flavorful. The service was wonderful and fast how I was able to receive my food. I definitely will be back to try other things on the menu. read more

Basic steam table hole in the wall spot with just a couple tables. Jollof rice was very flavorful and smokey. Egusi soup was well seasoned and just the right amount of spice. Chicken was decent. Bit pricey for a grab and go, but still worth a visit. read more

Amazing service an amazing food with great spices. They had a great variety of foods there for all types of people.