Happy Holidays everyone!! So look I'm leaving one of my gigs, I see big people in & out of this…read morespot. It has a now open sign...I go in!! **Spolier Alert** I found some STAMPED West African Food!! Let's GO!! . Where I am: @titosspicehaven . Location Reviewed: 900 4th St, Laurel Maryland . Menu Includes: *See Website* www.titospicehaven.com . Items Reviewed: Their #4 Tilapia Meal (with baked whole Tilapia topped with peppers, onions, carrots, with a side of plantains, mild sauce, & coleslaw $30). STAMP!! Tender fish, well cooked, & STAMP that HOT mild sauce!! The plantains...DELICIOUS!! Their #1 Jollof Meal (with a spiced drumstick, Jollof rice, & plantains $23). STAMP the Jollof!! Spicy, & well seasoned! The Chicken was LIKE THAT!! A mild, & thick sweet sauce!! Their Egusi Soup Meal (Egusi is leafy greens, seasonings, & meat served with FuFu-pounded yams- you use to sop it up, this one came with seasoned goat meat $27). STAMP!! Spicy Egusi, fluffy FuFu, & perfectly seasoned spicy goat meat!! Their #8 Tito's Bean Special (pounded beans with plantains, & goat meat $27). STAMP!! Their Zobo Drink (A Hibiscus drink $7). STAMP!! Refreshing, superfresh, GET THIS!! . Customer Service: On Point . Online Navigation: Easy . Parking: DECENT . Recommendations: Get everything I STAMPED!! . Accessibility: They are equipped for those in wheelchairs, & those that are differently abled. . Music: YouTube-Backyard Band Pocket 5 Stars=STAMP 4 1/2 Stars=LIKE THAT 4 Stars=DELICIOUS 3 Stars=DECENT 2 Stars=PASS 1 Star=NAH #Bigschlimsreviews

Very Unprofessional. The Owners son Bolu is bad for business and they have him handling business…read morematters. He's a young out of control hot head. I paid for their event space for my bday party and the night before my party he told me there was a outage. He told me that it wasn't getting fixed until the next day a couple hours before my event and he wasn't sure. It didn't make sense to me. He rebooted somewhere else for half of the money I paid him and less time than I was contracted for. I paid for my event from 10pm to 2am. And when I was in the new event space that owner came n told me Bolu only paid for up to 1am. I was so furious because I had to pay $150 extra to have my event to 2am. And when I spoke to him about it after my event he cusses me out and called me names. I went to tito spice haven to speak to the owner, his parents and no one was there. The business is CLOSED. Thats when I realized that they didn't have the business anymore in laurel. And instead of telling me that, he rebooted my event somewhere else 31 min away, I lived 7 min for tito spice haven. Very Bad for business and I see why they are closed down. ​This is the worst experience I've ever had and I've never felt so disrespected in my life. He robbed me, lied to me and cheated me. No wonder they are Closed down. And he never gave me back the extra 150 I was conned into paying for my event that I already paid for. They are Theifs!

I found out about this place because I attended a Yelp event earlier in the week and luckily I was…read moreon that side of town so I decided to stop by and grab lunch. I ended up getting two beef patties, which were extremely fresh and delicious. There was also a food bar you could choose from in all of the food look extremely tasty. I also got a pineapple ginger drink, and it was extremely delicious. The service was fast and it came with a smile and since it's a takeout, the ambience was OK, there wasn't any music playing and inside was very clean.

I got the brown stewed red snapper and had high hopes it would be tasty but nope...meh. I was so…read moredisappointed!! It was prepared yankee style - no flavor no kick in spice at all!!! It might as well been cooked by Asians. Those that know, to properly cook snapper - slits are cut at an angle to rub in the seasonings - that was not done so the snapper was VERY bland. The bland sauce didn't help - I don't think they had scotch bonnet simmering in the stew at all - it appeared seasoned but nah just specks on the surface. I'm quite mad as this was dinner and for almost 30$ take-out is egregious work. Also, why are Caribbean spots stingy on the plantains - which aren't expensive - they only gave me 2 pieces. FTR...it would've been more rice & peas but I asked for less (a carb thing).

My family and I tried this new Miss Toya's location for the first time recently for a Sunday…read moredinner. The restaurant was surprisingly empty, but the service was exceptional. We were celebrating my dad's birthday and our server brought out a sign that said "Happy Birthday Dad" for the occasion. He was kind and courteous throughout the meal despite also bartending at the time. The food was rich, but quite tasty. Everyone loved everything we tried - from the spinach dip appetizer to the various entrees. Everything was seasoned really well and cooked to perfection. My partner commented that the roast chicken was really moist and juicy. My sister got the fried chicken which was sooo crispy and packed with flavor. My salmon (pictured) was a hefty portion and really flavorful. Nearly everyone had leftovers, which definitely justified the pricing. If you like bread pudding, don't skip dessert! That dessert was one of the best I've had.

Takeout experience was not good. I arrived to see the hostess mopping up a mess on the pickup…read morecounter that apparently came from my order. She said"the kitchen" messed up packing my order but instead of sending it back, she "fixed it". Honestly it seemed like she was trying to get me my food on time, but management should have been called to solve this problem and ensure I didnt leave the restaurant with collard greens missing all their juices. I didnt know what exactly happened with tje packaging, so since I was told the problem was "fixed", I took my food and left. The worst part was the deviled egg appetizer. Another casualty of the kitchen, apparently. It looked unappetizing when I got home and opened it, and the crab topping that I paid an extra $3 for gave off a very strong smell (reminiscent of the kitchen of a seafood restaurent) and also appeared wet. I'd guess they took crab straight from a can, put it on top of the eggs, and covered it with old bay seasoning. Very disappointing. Sadly these were not the only issues, as the collard greens themselves were bland and a little tough. There was also a wooden stick in my greens?? Not sure why. Although the catfish was fried well, that's the only satisfactory thing about this experience, and everything else ruined it.

Even though the ambience might need a little summer sprucing, the service was amazing and the food…read morewas amazing. My son loves the food. He said to give them five stars because of how their Fofo taste. I like it as well.

Please read! I wish I would have read reviews before ordering that afternoon. I cannot believe I'm…read moreeven writing this because I wanted to support this business . I ordered the jollof rice with tilapia on Sunday, and the fish came undercooked and watery . Not long after eating, I got painfully food sick for two days. I won't be ordering from Zion Kitchen again, and I hope they take this seriously before someone else ends up sick too. I

Stopped by Swahili Village with a group of five after taking a pottery class at Moonlight Studios…read morenearby and it turned out to be the perfect way to end the evening. It's only about a five minute drive away, so the location worked out great. This was everyone's first time trying Kenyan food and we were all blown away. The flavors were rich, comforting, and beautifully balanced. We ordered several appetizers to share and then entrees including the salmon, oxtail, goat, and snapper. Everything at the table was delicious. Our server Diamond was wonderful. She was warm, helpful, and really guided us through the menu since we were new to the cuisine. Her service made the experience even better. Such a great introduction to Kenyan food and a really fun group dinner. We will absolutely be coming back.

Several reviews were mixed for Swahili Village so we decided to give it a try. Stopped in the Rhode…read moreIsland location. Unfortunately, it was disappointing. Started with a Margarita cocktail which was $16.00 and terrible. Low grade tequila and store bought margarita sour mix. Service was very slow and one of the mangers was drinking and having a long conversation with the bartender. We decided to try the Jollof Rice and Suya bites. The rice was very bland. The Suya had some flavor but seemed to be missing something. I decided to take the leftovers home but unfortunately the Suya bites got very hard overnight so were not enjoyable the next day. Since eating out is pricey you may want to choose a different restaurant to try.

The owners stay harassing me while I dance and kicked me out on Juneteenth. I don't think they like…read moreblack people coming to their establishment and will be going to city hall about the mistreatment I've received here on multiple occasions. I've had my phone stolen off the table while I was reserving it and was dancing in front of my belongings. The man that stole it, proceeded to call me to the front door to come outside and retrieve. I've never been through anything like this and I'm from New York. These people are rude to American women and only like African women to patronize the place. Also, I called to order food and just cause I spoke English and said good evening, I was told, " why am I saying good evening?" It's always a back and forth with the owner. I have no relation to him and don't know why I'm being treated with such disrespect as a women. Juneteenth was my last straw and I will not be taking the disrespect from other men here in America that don't know how to treat American women. It's sad and I feel very sad that I have to deal with this in my own country,

Food is good I've had the pepper soup, egusi and okra which are my faves. The red snapper is famous…read morefor being fried and smothered with peppers. Wings are always a go to, wish they had lemon pepper. The bartender Hilary is the best, she basically is the face of the place there almost everyday and is really nice to the people. The only upset for me is the decor, you can't tell this place has been around for a long time. It's a good spot to grab a good drink and eat some authentic African food. Happy hour is really affordable but it's only from 7-9. There's also a band that plays a couple times throughout the week.

The closest thing to authentic ivorian dishes without having to deal with visa application, flying…read moreacross the Atlantic Ocean and suffering occasional bad food in airline cabin food. Ivo Restaurant has relocated to this new address with an upgrade to their service. The food is, without question, consistently good, the menu is comprised of sauce graine with oxtail( palmnut stew), sauce arrachide with oxtail (peanut sauce) and the famous ivorian Kedjenou (chicken and vegetables cooked under pressure for optimum flavor). The grilled tilapia and fried plantains is a flagship but there is so much more to discover on the menu.. You can either dine in in a comfortable environment or do a take out of anything on the menu. My only recommendation for carry out would be that you find a better sealed container for the stews and sauces. Carry on with all the upgrades. 4.6 out of 5

For this week's effort to support local businesses, our food delivery app recommended a brand new…read moreWest African restaurant called Ivo that is located in the Hyattsvile Regal Theater complex across from the Mall of Prince George's (aka PG Plaza) The cuisine is from Ivory Coast, specifically. I ordered braised fish. I got the entire fish from head to tail. It was massive! The fish was very succulent and tasty. Not dried at all and well seasoned but NOT overseasoned! It also was not salty or greasy and oily! A PLUS for someone watching their cholesterol. It was very KETO friendly because it was served with an onion and diced cabbage slaw and a tomato based pepper sauce on the side. The fish is really bony however but the bones were very thick so you could avoid choking on them if you're not used to eating bony fish. The portion is so large it could feed 2 people! By yourself, you could arguably divide up eating this fish into 4 meals: You could eat this for lunch, dinner and then lunch again and a snack! For $18.99 you also get to pick a free side! I got the plaintains and we got plenty in the small carton that came in the bag. This is a steal of a price compared to what other area Afrian restauants charge for a full entree. It arrived super fast (like under 20 minutes) and was piping hot and fresh! I will definitely order there again especially bc they are so close to where I live. By the time I ordered in the evening, most of their most popular dishes were sold out so that tells me this place is a hidden gem that has already been discovered by locals who are keeping it quiet and to themselves. And for that reason, I will skip blabbing about them in my Next Door app but will help them out by giving them good reviews in Uber Eats, Postmates, Door Dash, Google Biz and Yelp and Facebook.

Ok Yelpers, all hands and hungry mouths on deck‼…read more From the guy who made Amigos in Laurel 2LiT4CincodeMayo, with my review, but they were doing amazing all by themselves anyway... I'm bringing you another hidden gem!! This one is still hidden because well, I don't see you here yet ... I had a hunkering and craving for Suya, that I just couldn't Shake, and I knew this spot was new and made a U turn....skurrrrrt before heading home on an empty tummy tank‼ let me tell you, I'm glad I popped in, the manager was on deck and made my Suya fresh and hot, I also got the jollof rice as a side, the Suya was perfect, and if you know Suya the trick is to get the right, rich and flavorful chewiness and tenderness colliding, the manager even served me up a few puff puffs for patronizing the business!!! I felt like a winner today, for sure. Don't forget the spicy and I mean SPICY pepper sauce for to dip your meat in, as you know I don't eat food to eat food, I eat the food to eat the sauce, but let me warn you, if you do t know west African food, and I mean home cooked right from the mother land, you better get hip, they have flavor and SPICE AND ITS NOT FOR THE WEAK, bruh! this spot is right across the street from Dematha high school and if the football coach knew what's good and need them boys to get some pepp in their step, he'd intro them to this place, protein packed ehummm (to the weight lifting coach)but I digress, everyone else, this spot "GOT NEXT", it's and Afro Paruvian combination menu, someone definitely had a bright idea, perfect for this region to combine two of the most poppin culinary delights in these streets. Come and get SOME!!!

Warm customer service and deliciously seasoned, juicy, and fall-off-the-bone chicken. Super solid…read moresides as well, with freshly fried yuca, melt-in-your-mouth spinach, and excellent jollof rice. Hubs and I split the half chicken and three sides and it was a perfect amount of food. They weren't that busy when we went around lunch on a weekday, but that's probably because they just opened up and perhaps folks don't know about it yet. Worth a visit for sure! Looking forward to going back to try the suya and other menu offerings.