Finally got an opportunity to dine here. Ive had the food catered before and this time I was able to try in house. The establishment itself is quite dated. The awning outside needs refurbishment and inside furniture is not updated. It's dark inside, almost like a night club. Perhaps it is sometimes. I did not like the decor, it was a little run down and honestly did not match up to the prices. The service was also disappointing. I felt that staff lacked a bit of professionalism and they rarely checked on us. The plates are huge. That is a plus. My partner ordered the goat and I tried the red snapper. I think one plate is big enough to share. I like the spinach, but everything needed a bit of salt. While the red snapper was coated in a lovely tomato and red pepper gravy, I felt it made the crispyness of the fried fish disappear and it was kind of soggy. Maybe you can ask for the gravy on the side. The food is not bad, but given the physical establishment and the service I wouldn't return. read more

Swahili Village - The Consulate DC - Goat Fried Sweet Plantains - African Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The sheer ambiance and service of this restaurant pushed this from a 3 to a 4 star. This is definitely, more on the fine-dining end- which I was not aware of. Our waiter was so charismatic, helpful, and kind. He even turned up the music in our corner of the restaurant upon request! The food was generally good, just a bit on the drier end. Even the stew wasn't really soupy. So if you were trying to mix some rice with some stew, you basically got cake on your plate. Regardless, everything was seasoned to absolute perfection. Also, don't know if this matters but it may matter to some- though this is an East African Restaurant, the menu is slightly more Kenyan than Ugandan. Something to keep in your expectations when visiting! read more

Swahili Village - The Consulate DC - Literally I forgot what this is called. - African Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The food was so good! The drinks were also. Our server gave us recommendations Abe explained some of the items we were unfamiliar with. The aesthetic is so fun and not what you would expect. So glad we bumped into this place! read more

Swahili Village - The Consulate DC - African Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This was my first time having Kenyan food, which shares similarities with Ethiopian and India cuisines. We opted for the small platter, which was plenty for 2-3 people. While the food was unique and flavorful, my main concern here is the poor service. It was relatively empty on a Saturday night, which is already a bad sign. Furthermore, the staff still took a while to come and did not explain the menu to us. This is totally fine for a casual place, but given it brands itself as higher-end African dining, I need the service to be up to the bar. read more

Swahili Village - The Consulate DC - African Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Update: The server was tipped with cash while the bill was charged. The server was asked for a paper receipt. The receipt showed an 18% gratuity was automatically included. We are disappointed the server didn't mention that when he received the cash tip. I don't recall seeing a note about the gratuity being included on the menu. Next time I will look for it. I usually tip more than 18%. Guessing that will be my upper limit when I return. This cost them a star on my review. It's a shame as otherwise it was a 5 star and experience. First Review: I was treated to a DELICIOUS Kenyan meal last night. The grilled goat with an herb & veggie relish, dark green cabbage, plantain, grilled chicken, creamed spinach (not shown), and a warm "cooked" ginger lemon spicy non-alcoholic tonic on a cold night were perfect. Very nice setting with soothing African music. Swahili Village in downtown DC will see me again! read more

Swahili Village - The Consulate DC - Grilled Goat and more! - African Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This restaurant bar is fantastic and a gem to the kenyan community. There isn't large signage on the outside but it's easily located. As soon as you walk in, you'll be greeted by a server. Our server was fantastic, patient and knowledgeable. I love the kenyan sausages but they didn't have any that day so we got samosas and chicken wings for our appetizer. Both were fantastic and well seasoned. Drinks are very pricey but the location is in the city. Fountain drinks shouldn't be $8 for a 12oz glass that's mostly ice. Regardless it was still good. There were 5 of us and we couldn't finish the large shareable plate it was a lot of food. The goat meat was exceptional! Unfortunately the kachumbari tasted very old or cooked so we didnt enjoy that. We also needed more ugali. I highly recommend this business if you'd like to try kenyan cuisine. read more

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I came here on a weekday and found some street parking. It's a very large restaurant with good music. The service was so-so. It wasn't very busy but the server took a long time to come around. Onto the food, the beef stew was so delicious along with the plantain and jollof rice. Very flavorful and filling. I was able to take the leftovers for lunch the next day. Despite the spotty service, I'll definitely be back. read more

Swahili Village - The Consulate DC - Beef Stew - Nyama Mchuzi, Jollof Rice and Fried Sweet Plantains - African Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Omg genuinely loved their food. I would come back again!! Everything I had was seasoned well and cooked well. Service and staff were friendly. Place got pretty busy around dinner time. read more

Swahili Village - The Consulate DC - African Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Overall, 3.5/5 but bumping it to a 4/5. Good value, and the food was hearty, rich and delicious. Especially if you have the inKind app, Swahili Village is such a good bang for your buck. The reason why I docked 1.5 stars is because our service was really slow this past Sunday evening. There was a bigger party ahead of us, but it was ridiculous to wait almost an hour for food to come out. Our server did not tell us in advance, and she only informed us of the delay when we asked her after ~30-40 minutes of waiting. Fortunately, my friend and I were just yapping and catching up, so it wasn't nearly as bad of a wait. We've had really good Eastern African at a restaurant in Detroit before, so we were curious how Swahili Village would compare. We shared two entrees between the two of us with a couple of additional sides. Each entree comes with one side, but we might have misunderstood our server, so we got four sides total thinking each entree came with two. OXTAIL STEW - 40 Yum!! The stew was so thick and savory, cooked with a variety of chopped vegetables and spices. The oxtails melted in my mouth with its perfect mix of tender and fat. This went perfectly with the jollof rice. I would recommend mixing the two together for a comforting combination. This was good, and I'd order it again. "MBUZI KAANGA" | GRILLED GOAT - 40 The goat meat was grilled with some onions. It had a nice charred flavor and a bolder gaminess (not in a bad way since I like that) than lamb would have. While it was flavorful and delicious, I thought it was way too fatty. The piece I ate probably had more fat than meat (rip my arteries). My friend enjoyed this one a lot, though. "CHAPATI" | FLATBREAD * Came with the entree I personally wasn't the biggest fan of the flatbread's texture and thickness. I only ate a small chunk before focusing on the other food in front of us. "SUKUMA WIKI" | COLLARD GREENS * Came with the entree Surprisingly, this was pretty plain in terms of cooking and seasoning, but I enjoyed a lighter side to go with the heartier, denser flavors. It's not my favorite, but I would recommend it if you are looking for something mild to balance it out. JOLLOF RICE - 9 The rice was flavorful, cooked with tomatoes, onions and spices. This is their most popular side, and I could definitely see why. It is the perfect carb to enjoy with the entrees or on its own since its already lightly-seasoned. SPINACH - 9 The spinach is creamy, sauteed with coconut milk. It's rich and fatty. How could anyone not enjoy this side? I liked it a lot and thought it went well with the rice or on its own. The food at Swahili Village is good and worth the price. The long wait was probably a one-off, so I'd still recommend the restaurant to those who want to enjoy East African cuisine. read more

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My go-to spot for authentic African cuisine! I'm a regular here and always order the same thing because it's just that good. The beef suya is perfectly seasoned and grilled - those spices are incredible. I pair it with the jollah rice, plantains, and spinach, and it's the perfect combination every single time. The plantains are always cooked just right, and the spinach has great flavor. For appetizers, the samosa with sweet chili sauce is a must. It's the perfect way to start the meal - crispy on the outside and the sweet chili sauce adds the perfect kick. The service is always great and from the time you hit the door you hear African music that is inviting. If you haven't tried Swahili Village yet, you're missing out. Consistently delicious food that keeps me coming back! read more

I had been craving Kenyan and South African food for a while. Since I was this area to attend a Yelp event at silver mirror facial bar, I decided to give this a try. This is located in the basement with great ambiance. Nice music and the host greeted us very well. Great music and vibes as well. As we got seated, a group just walked by us angrily stating that they had waited 20 minutes and they never received any service. However, our waiter served us immediately. Unfortunately, the set of menu he gave us had some of the pages missing. We asked for another set of menus. One of them was fine and the other has some sections missing as well. Also, one of the menu stated that they add 17% service charge while the other menu stated they add 20% service charge in the bill. Pretty inconsistent information. Let's get to the food. We ordered Swahili basket. Bhajia was delicious. Nice and crispy. Samosa was good too. Not a huge fan of the sausage so I didn't eat any. For entrees, I ordered oxtail curry with fufu and chapathi and my husband ordered lentils with 2 sides. I got my order and my husband got his two sides. We waited for 20 minutes and asked our server why my husband didn't get his lentils. He says he never took the order for the lentils. It was surprising to us as my husband was very clear with his order of entree. Lentils finally arrived. All the food tasted very good. I really wish the manager paid attention to some of the things to make our dining experience worthwhile. There's no excuse for a restaurant of this standard to have inconsistent menus. read more

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First time trying this spot and the food was really good. The suya was tender and you could tell it was grilled, though I wish it had a bit more seasoning. I ordered the "Mother Land" cocktail--it was very strong but still sweet and enjoyable. Unfortunately, the service was a big letdown. Our server wasn't attentive, barely checked on us, and put our order in incorrectly. I ended up waiting a long time for my partner's food, and by the time it arrived, mine was cold. The space itself is super cute, I loved the afrobeats music and the overall vibe is great. While the food was good, I just wish the service had matched it for a better overall experience. read more

Swahili Village - The Consulate DC - The motherland and Cabernet (red wine) - African Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I frequently pass this place when on my lunch break...judging a book by its cover, silly me! Our office holiday party took place here last minute (long story), and we were all pleasantly surprised. The ambiance was welcoming and accommodating. The music was awesome! The service was good and timely. The food was so flavorful. This was my first time tasting Kenyan food, which is not so different from west Africa cuisine--my heritage. read more

Swahili Village - The Consulate DC - Fried Tilapia, plantains and jollof. - African Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I've had Swahili Village on the list to visit for at least a year and I am so glad that I got to celebrate my birthdate at this establishment. It was such a good experience! The ambiance was given what I needed it to give to celebrate another year of life, the service was exceptional, and the food was absolutely delicious. Everyone at my lunch/dinner thoroughly enjoyed their meal, which made me super happy. I had the samosas and the red snapper with jollof rice and cabbage. The jollof was just how I like my jollof, flavorful and not dry. The portion size of each dish was a good amount and the food was seasoned well. I also sampled the suya which was cooked perfectly. Needless to say, I was not disappointed at all! Swahili Village made a fan out of me and I now know when I'm craving some good African food, just where to go! read more

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Came here for lunch on a weekday. I was the first sit-down customer. It was completely empty. You have to walk down some narrow stairs when coming in. It took a while to grab someone's attention. The restaurant is spacious. I can imagine it being bustling during an event or on busier days/peak meal times. I got a beer, beef, stew, and fufu. The fufu did not feel fresh--more like microwaved. I don't know if this was due to a different type of fufu that I was unfamiliar with, but the texture was not stretchy at all. It was a brittle paste that crumbled. It cannot pick up any of the stew. The stew itself was hearty and flavorful. The meat was tender. I gave up halfway and ate my stew with a fork and ate the fufu on the side. The meal itself was filling and I could easily eat this for two meals if I could take it home. My server was friendly but I only saw him at the beginning. He helped me with his recommendations. However, it was hard to flag anyone down after that. All in all, given the high price point and the disappointing fufu, I don't think I could recommend Swahili Village. read more

Swahili Village - The Consulate DC - Beef Stew - African Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I was visiting DC and decided to check out an Afro-carribean dining and stumbled Swahili Village. It's located on M street and when you arrive you walk downstairs and are met with nice afrobeats being played. We had reservations and were immediately seated even though it was only 2 members out of 4 of our party present. What was disappointing is that we didn't get attended to at all which was confusing. Typically, the server should come around and offer water, drinks, etc no matter if your party is complete or not. We were finally attended too after 15min of sitting and coincidentally when the other 2 members of our party arrived. For drinks, we ordered the homeland and the flaming margarita. Both drinks were good, nothing special. Then we ordered the samosas for our appetizers. It was flavorful and arrived very warmed out the fryer. The dough was thin and crispy with lots of meat packed inside. Definitely would recommend. For entrees, 2 of us ordered the tilapia "samaki" filet and the other 2 ordered the suya beef. Most of our sides were the jollof rice, plantains and red beans. The filet came with coconut which was cooked well with flavorful sauce. The suya beef was nicely tender, flavor as well. I enjoyed the red beans especially mixing with that with my plantain. The jollof was good too. I'd recommend everything we had for anyone visiting this restaurant. The portions were pretty decent too; we had leftovers to take home with us. Overall, this is a nice restaurant with good vibes, specifically good music. Stays open to 2AM on a Friday so you can just chill and catch a vibe with the music if you'd like. read more

Swahili Village - The Consulate DC - Outside - African Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I've been coming to Swahili for years and have never left disappointed! It's my go to spot to put people on to. The food is amazing. I've had a lot on their menu and feel pretty confident in giving recommendations. Swahili is an East African restaurant, mainly Kenyan, with a West African twist. My go-to meal is the samaki fillet which is fried tilapia bites in a rich and creamy coconut curry. You can either get it with their jollof rice or chapati which is similar to naan bread. My only caveat is that the jollof rice is not like the traditional west African jollof but it is still a good base. Their plantains are also always ripe and cooked to perfection. Their suya meat is also really tasty and great to have when looking for a quick bite. Their entree portions are large and extremely filling. The type of vibe you get from Swahili can defer depending on the day and time. I've been there for lunch when it's more chill or right after work where they have a decent size. But the night time festivities is like no other. There used to be a point where by 8 or 9, Swahili was the spot to go to for good vibes and good food. It was always packed and barely any room, so you would have to sit at the bar area which was also always a fun time. In recent months, coming to Swahili on a weekend can be a hit or miss. We came on a Friday night recently and was shocked at how empty the place was. We chucked it up to it being a rainy day but when we went to their competitor, we were surprised to see more patrons there. Swahili is at a cross roads where they have better food but their customers have migrated over to a new spot that provides the "vibes" more. It will be interesting to see what steps management takes to get their customer base back. read more

I stopped by Swahili Village for a bite, and I'm so glad I did! Maraki was incredibly helpful--she recommended a few great options and made me feel totally at ease ordering from the vegan menu. I went with the Maharagwe Meal, and wow... it was so good I almost ordered a second plate! The flavors were rich, comforting, and perfectly spiced. If you haven't been yet, you should definitely check them out--especially if you're exploring delicious plant-based options! read more

Wow! What a vibe this place is. I didn't expect it to be contemporary modern inside. It was clean and I thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere, the music, and people. Food - Only got the samosas and it was good! I love how different cultures have their own version of samosas and this app did not disappoint! Drink - The Tropical, tequila drink was fun and strong! Maybe wished for more than a splash of pineapple, the flaming lime added a nice flair. Dance - Not much of a dance floor, you dance by the tables. The people around me didn't seem to mind and they all looked like they had a fun time. My wish, maybe a dedicated dance floor to see all people having fun. Venue - They have tvs of music videos, I assume from Africa and I LOVED IT! It was the vibe and music that made this place an enjoyable experience. Overall, my Jamaican and Malawian friends loved this place, friendly people, waitress was kind, and etc. Would def come back one day. read more

Swahili Village - The Consulate DC - African Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This was my first time at this location. It was an uneven experience with a nice vibe and cool music. The first menus delivered had no entrees listed and stated that the service fee was 17 percent. The second set of menus delivered was missing the "sides menu" so we had to trade menus. This menu stated the service fee was 18 percent. While we were ordering two groups left because their tables never received service. When our order came, one entree was missing, but the two sides were delivered. They rushed out the entree, but by then my companion had finished his meal. The food was delicious. The collards were a little bland, but the food was delicious. When the bill came it had to be recalculated because the side and the main entree were at different price points. Also, the service fee was 18 percent, not 17 or 20 as stated in the various menus. Maybe it was simply an off night. read more

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Service was so good and the suya was so tebder and juicy. The sangria was my favorite cocktail read more

Swahili Village - The Consulate DC - Entrance is so beautiful! - African Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I went in not knowing anything about Swahili food. Boy was I in for such a great surprise. Without any exaggeration, this was one of the best meals I've had in my life thus far. I enjoyed every single dish and bite! I ordered a variety of dishes to try multiple protein options. To start, I ordered the Chicken Wings. They came out extremely quick, perfectly cooked and seasoned - very moist and yummy! For beef, I got the Nyama Kaanga; the 2 sides I chose were the sweet plantains and spinach. The beef was cooked to perfection (medium rare, as requested) and tasted phenomenal! The spinach was cooked in coconut milk - such a superb combination. The plantains were fantastically extremely soft. For goat, I got the Goat Supu, available only on the weekends. The soup was bursting with goat flavor, even before I had a piece of goat in my bite! Flavorful with a hint of spice - exceptional. I also got the oxtail stew with chapati flatbread and mokimo. Overall, the experience, from service/ambiance, to the delectable food, was outstanding. I will be returning 10000% and will now try even more Swahili restaurants. Note that all tables are charged an 18% gratuity, regardless of party size. Also, ask for their hottest hot sauce! read more

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Deliciousness - 3.5/5 Happiness - 4/5 This is a swanky looking restaurant that serves an exciting menu of African cuisine. I took my kids here and they enjoyed it as well. After being warmly greeted after coming in, we were quickly seated in a comfortable booth. The food ranged from decent (the veggie dishes were a bit disappointing overall. The lentils and peas were both a bit bland and over-dry) to very good (the lamb chops had a great sear and spice, the steak tacos were nice and tender, and the fried salmon was excellent (who knew you could fry salmon!)). But everyone at the table agreed the rice jollof was the star of the show. A good amount of heat, and the rice itself was fluffy and warm (and I feel all too often restaurants serve rice that is either luke warm or feels like it's been sitting around for awhile). That said, this place is expensive indeed. One thing to note is that they charge you for the water... $6/bottle. If you're going to do that, please tell me first because if I've got to pay for liquids, I'd rather it be something more fun than water. While I enjoyed the meal, none of the dishes were so good that I thought they merited the high price. But I still enjoyed the uniqueness, service, and especially the rice! So it's definitely worth a visit. read more

Swahili Village - The Consulate DC - Beautifully grilled lamb. - African Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

So let me just start off with the fact that the food was delicious -- it just took over an hour to get it. We went to celebrate a friends birthday on a Saturday night, and they were very busy. Our waiters was someone who normally serves as a bartender. He would take orders and make drinks all at the same time. He was kind, but I could tell he was doing more than he could handle. The vibes were pretty loud so I would recommend if you're open to a lounge vibe while eating. I had the curry goat, rice and spinach. The curry was delicious, the rice had a heavy amount of cloves if that's your thing, and the spinach was tasty but a bit mushy in texture. Overall, not bad. I would go again during a less busy time to have a better experience. read more

Swahili Village - The Consulate DC - Curry Goat - African Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Tried Swahili on Uber Eats after helping my friend move some boxes and wow! SO impressed. I really wanted to try Fufu after seeing many mouthwatering Tiktok Mukbangs. We paired it with the chicken, steamed cabbage, and samosas too. The sauce for the samosas SLAPPED! Everything was packed with flavor and super comforting. We even ate with our hands, as is traditional with Fufu. It felt right and made the meal that much more fun. Will definitely be ordering again! read more

The drinks are the best. I often get their margarita that they serve flamed. I have never tried their food, but again the drinks are always great. And the service is always prompt and attentive. They bartenders always offer suggestions for new items. Lastly, the dimly lighted place plays great Afro beats and is nicely decorated. read more

Great music. Good food. Great vibe. Very Vibrant and chill. MUSIC AND GOID FOOD for sure. Management professional and courteous. read more

Swahili Village - The Consulate DC - Samosas- DELICIOUS - African Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Wanted to try this place based on some recommendations from friends. It's so close and convenient and open late that it was very high on my list from the beginning. Here are the things that we tried: Appetizer Chicken wings: a bit hard but tasty, the sauce that came with it was very good Goat meat bites: excellent The selection of cut for the goat was very good, very little bone and all meat. Flavored quite well. The meat is a little on the chewy side but overall good Goat meat entree: was essentially the same thing as the goat meat appetizer which was good but certainly something that I didn't want to repeat if I had realized that it was the same as the appetizer I selected Beef stew colon excellent I especially like the gravy that it came with was very flavorful. Each entree comes with two sides which I'm going to put down below Chapati: very good Jollof rice: excellent Plantains: very good Corn / polenta: okay Dessert Chocolate cake: excellent Mango moose excellent They do charge an automatic 20% gratuity Parking is on the street and if you go late enough it's usually pretty easy to find for free They have pretty late hours which is a nice plus. I like the ambience of the place everything is very clean They play really nice music and it's a little bit of a club five but it reminds me of being on the continent The major gripe I have with this place is the way they plate things. Although the food is good they dump too many things in one plate and I think that they would be better served using different dishes of different sizes that were a portioned appropriately. If they did that then the dining experience would be a lot more pleasant. The price is definitely a bit high but I think for the quality of the food it's it's okay. I think I would be willing to give this place another try. I was overall pretty happy with the experience read more

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My food was super good. The samosas and Suya was very tasty. I would return and nice customer service. read more

Swahili Village - The Consulate DC - Samosa - African Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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What a beautiful venue! Decorated with so much intention. I would go back for the food and vibes, but wouldn't order any cocktails there. We didn't like any of the ones we got. Waaaayyy too sweet. But the food, ambiance & service === Devine!!! There were 4 of us, I think. We got the goat, oxtail, whole fish (snapper I think), and me (being a bad African that night) got chicken and fries!!! LOL. My family made fun of me the whole night for ordering the most American dish. But the chicken and fries were delicious!!! And they weren't making fun of me when they decided to steal my fries! I tried everyone's plate and it was all good!!! Great Kenyan food! Great African vibes! I would highly recommend if that's what you're looking for. We knew we were in for a treat when the party in front of us (who said they were Kenyan) were back that night after eating there the night before and loving it so much! Love that. Check this place this out! Well done, Swahili Village team! read more

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Nice restaurant. Good music and a photographer floating around to capture pictures. Ordered the mango mojito each was very tasty, however the Tamu was extremely sweet. The curry chicken, Pilau Rice and spinach was great! The red beans were ok, I prefer them a bit more tender. The only thing I didn't like was the many stairs to get into the restaurant. read more

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Delicious food but the prices are a bit steep! I've been the original location in Maryland years ago but wanted to try this one in celebration of Ghana Week. It was two of us so we ordered a few items to share. Nyama Choma Bites/Suya, Tilapia "Samaki" Filet with collard greens and jollof rice. We also ordered fried plantains but the restaurant must have forgot to pack them. We ordered our food via UberEats and the prices were so high. Mind you the restaurant is already expensive in terms of the portion size. read more

Swahili Village never disappoints. I've dined here for dinner and lunch on the weekend. The service has been consistent with a friendly and attentive wait staff. They're always playing good music and sometimes have a DJ. For appetizers I'd say skip the Swahili basket and go for the fritters only. The sausages and samosas are just okay. The chicken wings were good. For the main course I have yet to be disappointed. I've tried their goat dishes (always tendered), their snapper, and the lentils with fufu. Every dish is flavorful and prepared well. They are jollof rice is also really good. Their dishes don't tend to be spicy, so if you need a little kick, be sure to ask your server for some pepper sauce. read more

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I had such an amazing experience at Swahili Villiage! It has been on my list for a while to attend and I finally made it! I met a few coworkers there for happy hour/dinner and it absolutely didn't disappoint. Please be prepared that parking is rough! Pay attention to the times on all the signs because you don't want to get towed. When walking in, please be mindful that you need to go downstairs so be careful ladies with your heels. The staff at Swahili Villiage are super nice and super attentive. We were seated immediately, and someone was ready to take our drink orders. We ordered the tropical splash cocktail, the infamous chicken wings, and a side of jollof rice. Everything was absolutely delicious! Other orders at our table included the lamb chops, oxtails everything was absolutely delicious! I cannot wait to go back! read more

Swahili Village - The Consulate DC - Jollof Rice - African Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Always a great time when stopping into Swahili Village. It's a great spot for drinks at the bar and great food. I usually order the same thing which is Suya Nyama Choma with Spinach and Jollof Rice. The meat is always tender and full of flavor and pairs well with the equally flavorful rice and spinach. They also offer a very good and spicy homemade hot sauce that takes (as someone who loves spice) it to the next level. A little goes a long way. In addition to the good food, the service is always great with friendly staff, greeting you from the moment you enter the restaurant area. They also have great music so what may start off as a chill night to grab a bite to eat can easily turn into a night of fun. Great food, drinks, music and vibes. read more

Swahili Village - The Consulate DC - Suya Nyama Choma Spinach Jollof Rice - African Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Loved this restaurant! Beautiful ambiance, upbeat afrobeats music with a lounge/bar area. The service from the waiters were exceptional. The food?! amazing and flavorful. I did a to-go order of the lentils dish with jollof rice, spinach and a side of plantains. In the process of carrying my food, the bag tipped, so excuse the presentation. I promise you everything was yummy! Definitely will be returning back. read more

Swahili Village - The Consulate DC - Lentils/Ndengu - African Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We went with a large group of friends on their recommendation. We have never had Kenyan food before - we loved it! The atmosphere is beautiful and relaxing. We were seated in a separate room in the back due to our large party - they accommodated quickly with us when we added a few people on. The food and drinks were phenomenal, flavorful, fresh, and delicious. 20 percent forced gratuity which is frustrating because although are waiter was good for the most part, service was VERY slow. It was also very expensive, entrees around 30 for the most part. Definitely get the chai tea! read more

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Very happy with my first delivery order form Swahili village! Here's why: Food: - The goat with tomato and onion sauce was delicious. I was salty about the price, but honestly, goat is hard to do well and it was not gamey and very satisfying! -The nyama choma (grilled beef) is very good (and I say this as a suya lover). I will be ordering this next time! - Plantain were yum!! I could eat these all day. Service: Excellent! I put my allergies into the food delivery app. Not only did they actually read the note, they called me twice and helped me modify my order! Why not 5 stars? - The veggie sides almost all have chicken stock in them, which I'm allergic too and wouldn't have known without their call. (It doesn't say this on the menu so beware!) - Also, the fries were coated and likely not gluten free; I didn't think I needed to flag that so was disappointed I couldn't eat them. Wish they would put allergen info on the menu! I'll be returning! I bet the experience would be even better in person. read more

Such a fun place. I've been to the one in dc and beltsville so far and both have quality food and service. The team is all Africans from different counties which I loved. The food was BOMB.com. We tried the Swahili Basket to start (not pictured but delicious nonetheless) and I got the Red Beans/Maharagwe with jollof and spinach as my main course the first time I went which is pictured and delicious. Since then I've gone back and tried suya/nyama choma, beef stew/nyama mchuzi, salmon, and plantains. Each dish has not disappointed. There's maximum flavor in each bite. The vibe of the restaurant is fun - you have people dressed up and dressed chill. The music is great. Not sure if they have a live dj every weekend but the one I saw played a good mix. Overall a great place for date night, a celebratory meal, or just to hang with friends. read more

Swahili Village - The Consulate DC - Red Beans/Maharagwe - African Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Food was great, and I loved the energy of the host, and server. The ambiance is great and perfect for date night.