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    Samoha African Cuisine

    3.4 (51 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    Order Samoha African Cuisine Takeout or Delivery

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    SAMOHA AFRICAN CUISINE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Happy hour specials
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Samoha African Cuisine

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    Fufu
    Zender C.

    I visited Samoha Restaurant yesterday and I must say the égusi sauce ( melon seeds sauce covered a fish cooked in a savory tomato sauce.) The flavors were rich and authentic. I have had several African dishes and this Egusi is delicious. My husband loves puff puff ( fried dough with a dash of nutmeg). The food was delectable. The server was attentive and courteous. I advice you to order ahead of time. Be adventurous try some African dishes. Visit Samoha restaurant.

    Egusi with goat and fufu. Jollof rice with plantains and beef.
    Aleeza L.

    If I were you... Try something you don't even know what it is. Yelp was showing me MyBlackReciept and that made me wonder what African food tasted like. Luckily Charlotte has African restaurants. I looked at the menus and was completely lost. "Egusi", "fufu", "jollof"?! What is it?? Delicious. Took a leap of faith (and trusted in the Yelp reviews and Google) and tried all of those things with goat and beef. It was reminiscent of Caribbean food and Ethiopian food. Deeply flavorful and hands-on. Be prepared for fatty meats and bones (that's how you know you got some flavorful cuts of meat! ). I have nothing to compare the egusi (melon soup) with but I can tell you it's not a soup like you're thinking. It's more like a thick curry with crumbles that reminded me of egg or firm tofu. Fufu was what I imagine bland gnocchi dough to taste like. Im excited to try another set of entrees from this place! Support small businesses. Support black businesses. Support Charlotte.

    Dry Egusi!

    I ordered Egusi and fufu like I do from any African cuisine I go to! I got it with chicken! The chicken was dry! The egusi tasted pasty I did not like it at all very unsatisfying. Then I call for a refund they hung up on me twice with no resolution being as though I don't even live in charlotte I can't just come back up there! truly disappointin!

    Suya! Make sure you sprinkle it liberally with spices and eat with the onions. Wish the onion pieces were bigger.
    Angela A.

    So, I'm Cameroonian by way of being married to a Cameroonian and 43% by DNA. I know this food is Nigerian but I find that Nigeria being so close to Cameroon and being that my husband was almost born there, is my 2nd favorite country when it comes to African food. My daughter was at a salon a few miles away and someone mentioned this place because they were waiting on an order from here. I looked it up on yelp and though there were no pictures or detailed reviews, I gave it a shot. The place is clean, and laid out well with the food visible and mostly all dishes were labeled. The staff member was very attentive and answered all my questions and even let me sample the jollof, the egusi, tripe and spinach because I struggled to decide. Not all things can be sampled, it's not Costco or Sam's so don't expect a free meal. LOL! The jollof was okay, the tripe had a nice texture but too strong of a tomato flavor and the egusi needed maybe just a tad more oomph and pepper. But It's tough when you're used to a certain way and for me that's Cameroon style. But I decided on the suya which are seasoned beef skewers with a pepper powder blend that you sprinkle on and eat with the red onions that come with the order. The suya pepper is PERFECT! The beef was tender but still with a good chew to it. I also got the spinach soup with fufu and cow foot. She picked out two perfect pieces and it was cooked so well. Not too tough, not too soft. The spinach soup just needed a tad bit of salt which can be done easily if you prefer. It's always good to not over salt your food! The fufu was a good sharing size and it was done well. No complaints! I will definitely trek over to the other side of town for this because I don't think Ballantyne has any African restaurants. Or do they? I brought it home to eat and heated a plate up for my husband and he said it was really good and he really enjoyed it. The suya was $9.99 for 4 skewers The spinach soup which comes with either rice or fufu and your choice of meat (chicken, fish, beef, goat, tripe, cow foot or a combination) the goat and combo is a $2.00 up charge. So that meal costs $12.99. They do have lunch specials as well and sells wings and fried fish if you don't want to be as adventurous. Definitely check this place out. Thumbs up for me! That is all!

    Fried Plantain, goat meat, beef. Jollof Rice Lunch Special
    Jerome C.

    Samoha has been around for a few months here in the Charlotte area, but their food is absolutely delicious. As a veteran Nigerian food enthusiast, I enjoy coming to this spot as their food is fresh, flavorful, and delicious. The Jollof rice is cooked perfectly and has the right amount of spice, the plantains are not overcooked, and the versions stews you can choose from compliment the Jollof nicely (Goat, Beef, Hen, Tripe, and oxtail). If you enjoy Egusi (melon/spinach based stew) you'll like the way it's prepared here, and the Aya Mashi is I need very spicy. Overall this place was good experience and the owner is very accommodating.

    Egusi with Fish , Fufu
    Jessica C.

    One thing I have learned from my friends, you can't use your hands. We door dashed this for lunch and when I tell you it was delicious! The egusi and fish was flavorful and filling! I definitely had enough food for liking. They were out of suya and gave us stewed goat instead which was so hot but so good! I will be ordering again soon!

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    2 months ago

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    4 months ago

    Very good Nigerian food. The servers are very friendly and helpful. The restaurant is clean

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    9 months ago

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    6 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    3 years ago

    I had a takeout order of egusi soup and white rice, let's just say it didn't make it in the house. So good!

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    3 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    2 years ago

    I get egusi soup (stewed beef) with fufu. The flavor is great. Portions are lacking.

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    4 years ago

    No worth your money. The position of food is so little for how much you pay. I would rather drive across town to royal African.

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    7 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    4 years ago

    I wanted to eat something different other than American food, not sure of what I'm eating but it's good

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    5 years ago

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    5 years ago

    This restaurant is okay. I may have tried it on an off day but it wasn't as flavorful as I was hoping.

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    6 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    5 years ago

    Food was really good but the portions were VERY small! Wish I would've taken a picture. I'd return bc the flavors were good.

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    6 years ago

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Samoha African Cuisine

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    3.4
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    Came here for lunch with a group of 6 for lunch. We ended up getting 4 dishes with 2 sides each…read moredish, 4 mocktails and 2 soft drinks. When parties are 6 or more a 18% gratuity is included in the bill our total was $110 which for all the food we received was a pretty good deal. Everyone left full and there was still unfinished rice. The service was good, just note that they operate on Caribbean time so the food does take a little bit more time. The waitress did check in here and there, but if you needed something extra it did take time before she circled back around to our table. The place was not full when we went, but during a packed house, I imagine you will need to pack your patience. All the food was prepared fresh and was very good. The jerk chicken had just enough spice to feel it, but not overwhelm you. The stewed chicken was nice and flavorful and a good dish for someone to dip their toe into African/Caribbean cuisine. The jollof rice was very tasty preferred this over their rice and beans a nice little smoky flavor very well sliced. The oxtail was flavorful and melt off the bone. Plantains they served were the sweet ones, I prefer the unripened plantains but these were prepared well if you like the sweet variety should enjoy these plantains.

    We had barely left the restaurant before the experience started going downhill. I ordered a spicy…read moreginger drink, but after bringing some of the drinks, the waitress said she would return with my ginger beer. I corrected her and explained that I ordered spicy ginger, not ginger beer. Two minutes later, she still brought ginger beer. When I reminded her again, she responded with attitude and finally said they didn't even have spicy ginger available. I asked waitress not to add chicken, okra soup came with chicken in it. To make matters worse, my son specifically ordered his steak well done, yet it arrived pink inside. The okra soup was actually good, but the jollof rice was terrible. We spent close to $250 on food, and the only thing that was truly enjoyed was the okra soup. On top of that, there was a $34 service charge added, while tax and gratuity were charged separately as well. Overall, this was a very disappointing experience, and I personally would not recommend this place to anyone. I definitely will not be returning. Visit at your own risk.

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    Royal African Cuisine

    Royal African Cuisine

    3.2
    (31 reviews)
    3.7 mi

    I was craving African food and since I was close to this location at the time and didn't feel like…read moredriving far, Royal was our choice. Let me say that we were not disappointed with our choice. Nothing fancy about the dine in area and it would have been nice if they had some nice Afro beats music playing on the televisions to create a more lively atmosphere. Many restaurants miss the mark when they ignore the atmosphere of their space and people aren't walking into a lifeless environment. Hope they take time to focus more on livening up the place. We sat ourselves as they seemed to be short staffed and after about 5 minutes or so we asked for a menu and after another few minutes we got one. There was no host at the host station and it looked like 3 male staff members were holding down the fort. We ordered fast because we were sooooo hungry. We hadn't eaten since breakfast and it was about 4:30pm and we just kept looking for our food to come out but was reassured it was on the way. Wasn't an unreasonable amount of time but we were so hungry it seemed longer. The food! We ordered egusi soup/stew, okra soup/stew and bitter leaf soup/stew with fufu for each. And then later ordered some suya to take home to hubby. My daughter gave the egusi a 5/5 and I gave it a 3.5/5, the okra stew with chicken and beef was sooo delish, I was trying not to do a happy dance in my chair. And the bitter leaf, as its names states, is bitter but not overwhelmingly so, at least for me, and it had great flavor! The fufu texture and taste was perfect. Many different countries have their take on each of these dishes so don't go in with a specific country in mind and judge it based on how you do it in Cameroon or Ghana, etc.. Go in expecting a version of these dishes that taste good, is served piping hot and loaded with two meats of your choice. I chose tripe and beef in my bitter leaf and chicken and beef in my okra stew. We packed out leftovers and ordered suya to go. The amount of Suya you get for $17.00 is not worth it. It is literally a handful and it could be juicier and a better cut of beef but with the suya spice added followed by some onion it was decent. And since they give such a small amount they should consider not putting it in a full size take out container and maybe consider upping the quantity especially with the cut of beef they use and the price. That's the good, the not so good and the not so ugly. Overall, the food was on point and we enjoyed it very much. Some minor tweaks with service, ambience and portions and this place will be even better. I'll be back. That is all!

    So this place is hidden away. It was packed when I arrived, but it is for a reason. I had the…read morefufu and egusi (of course). The Egusi soup was delicious, but I was a little thrown off by the taste of the fufu. Not to say the food wasn't good, but it just threw me off as a new taste since I've had fufu from other African restaurants. I always get the Jolof rice because I am a country girl, and I have to add extra carbs to my vegetables. It was soooooo good. I probably don't eat right since I always have to eat my Egusi or vegetables. The chicken was delicious too, but I think the Southern African American in me was missing something, lol. With all jokes aside, the food was delicious, and I truly enjoyed it all. I need an hour to get some African cuisine where I live now. Oh, I can't forget the service. Even though we had to wait an hour (yes, you may want to call and pick up rather than sit there and eat if you don't have patience), the vibe was friendly. The lady tending to our order was very kind and friendly. She preferred Jolof rice, and we had some jokes when she came by to check on us as we waited. If you are in the area, this is a great place to stop by. Come on a day you aren't in a rush (but don't hold up a table either... you know who you are). That way, you can dine in. You know the experiences are always better when you can dine in.

    Photos
    Discolored meat and something uni
    Discolored meat and something uni
    Royal African Cuisine
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    African Kitchen

    African Kitchen

    3.2
    (21 reviews)
    2.6 mi

    So I ended up cheating on ZOWEES (N TRYON)…read more for this "African Kitchen" only because zowees was closed. This is the Cassava Leaves Sauce & Steamed Rice absolutely DISGUSTING. This isn't no real african place. 0/10. SO dry and taste like it's been out all day. DO NOT buy here. Taste like DIRT.

    We were at a Nigerian conference and they didn't have Nigerian food so we went looking. Called a…read moreplace about 45 mins before close for pickup. At first the young lady on the phone didn't want to take the order. After a little coaxing, she did. My girlfriend ordered veggie soup with beef, a meat pie and jollof. On the phone, at the end, the girl repeated back the order, but kept saying Egusi soup, which we kept clarifying back to veggie. We showed up, paid the money and got out food. When we checked it, it was egusi soup not veggie. We called that out and the girl stuck her head in the window and said she was the one we talked to and we were wrong, we had in fact ordered egusi soup. We did not. She promised she wouldn't make it right and invited the person who was out front to come back and make it himself. He excused himself and went back there. After not very long, her attitude had changed and she was calm and not so spicy. I think I know why... I have never ever EVER had food so salty. It was the worst food I've had that I can remember. Each dish (except the meat pie) was over salted. I'm pretty sure the young girl did it for revenge. Over salted jollof, over salted chicken, over salted plantains (didn't think that was possible), over salted veggie soup. Meat pie (pre-made) wasn't over salted - but was mostly dough and not much beef. Just terrible. I would hope those flavors are not the norm. If so, please know that good Nigerian food is not that salty. If the young lady did it on purpose, man - reconsider that hire.

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    Mouth watering Suya

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    Mouth watering Suya
    Red Sea Restaurant & Bar

    Red Sea Restaurant & Bar

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    I have long been wanting to try East African cuisine, and decided it was high time I pick a…read morerestaurant in the area and go for it. There were a few worthy entrants, but after reading reviews and looking at photos, I decided Red Sea would be the place I go to experience these new flavors. Located along Monroe Rd in a stand-alone building painted green and blue, the restaurant definitely appears a bit dated but to me that adds to the charm. I don't think any everything to be shiny and new, I'll go for tried and true when it comes to local restaurants. I went in on a weekday between lunch and dinner, so it was pretty quiet, but I noticed in addition to a fine looking bar, they have a small stage which suggests they sometimes host musical acts. I'd love to come back during one of their busy periods so I can get a better sense of the vibe, but on this particular day I was there solely for the food. The only thing I knew going into this experience is that Ethiopian food is typically served on a large piece of bread which I've come to learn is called injerna. The bread is a sourdough and has a spongy texture. Now I wanted to try different things so I got a combo platter that came with chicken, lamb, veggies, and a hard boiled egg as well. When they serve it, it comes with another piece of injerna and the idea is that you use the second one to tear away pieces and pick up your food with it. I confess that I tried my best to eat it the authentic way, but eventually I found myself getting frustrated and asked for a fork. Like chopsticks I'm sure it takes practice. The platter is a was massive, an absolute feast that could easily feed two people. I loved it, but eventually had to get a to go box. It was ambitious to take that on by myself. Overall my first experience has me hooked and I want to try more. I can't speak to the authenticity, but people in the city seem to rate this place very highly so I think that speaks for itself.

    With apologies to the other Ethiopian restaurants in the area, I picked Red Sea for dinner because…read moretheir Yelp page had the best food pics, and rightly so. Red Sea provided exactly the type of experience I wanted, including decor, atmosphere, friendliness, and of course the food. In the background, behind a door on the side of the restaurant, there was a second area where you could hear people playing snooker. At one point in the evening, the woman who seated and served us also roasted coffee beans at a little station in the corner, then she walked around so that the smell penetrated the entire restaurant like incense. What a cool thing, and something I've never experienced at any other Ethiopian restaurant previously. It's such a simple thing, you'd think it would be more common. The food was, of course, delicious. You could order individual foods or combo platters, and the combo platters were very well explained. This was one of the few Ethiopian restaurants I've visited which included beets on the menu both in the vegetable platter and as a side. Each person gets one gigantic piece of injera, so little worry of running out (there is a charge for extra). Tej is available by the bottle and glass, and several brands of beer are available. I would classify Red Sea as a hidden gem and definitely a place to dine.

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    Lamb, chicken, and vegetable combo platter
    Lamb, chicken, and vegetable combo platter
    Tej is available by the bottle or by the glass.

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    Tej is available by the bottle or by the glass.

    Samoha African Cuisine - african - Updated July 2026

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