My friend and I decided to work our way through the NYT list of Portland's top 25 restaurants. First up Akadi. Delicious! Big portions so come with an appetite and plan on taking some home. We had the plantains, the goat stew and chicken. If they say it is spicy they mean it so order accordingly! The seasoning was balanced and super yummy. The service was attentive and easy going. I thought the prices were good, especially for the amount of food we received. The only thing I didn't care for was the volume of the live music. The music itself was saxophone jazz and it was good, but Lordy it was extremely loud. I will be back! Maybe ask to be seated further back from the stage read more

Akadi PDX - Poulet Choukouya with Attieke - African Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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We were so happy to try Akadi and get a taste of West African food. We came as a family of 6 and ordered many things to share. We started with the chicken wings which came with a dry rub that was overly salty. The fried corn fritters were delicious, had a lovely touch of sweetness that the kids loved . The peanut stew was delicious, nutty, savory and complex spices. The goat soup came as a clear broth soup with so much goat flavor, we loved the cabbage that soaked this in. This was by far the spiciest dish we ordered. The pompano fried whole fish was flavorful, well cooked, and a good dish to share. The black bean shosho was fantastic, personal favorite - buttery beans, great with the sweet plantains. Each dish came with a side grain and so on a whole, we had white rice (not plain white and surprisingly flavorful), the couscous (not our favorite), and jollof rice (not as flavorful as we hoped). The restaurant keeps playing video ads recommending purchasing a bottle of their Akadi pepper sauce. We did really ejoy this sauce but were disappointed to find that it is not sold at the store currently. Our server told us to go buy a bottle at New Seasons. Only after being in touch with multiple New Seasons did we find out that apparently there have been production issues and so they have not recieved any stock for at least 6-12 months. Again - disappointing to not just be told this at the restaurant and sent on a wild goose chase. Overall, we found the service quite awkward. Our server told us he returned six minutes from when we sat down, thought we should have our order. However not being familiar with the food, we asked him to introduce us to the menu and he seemed put off and responded instead with "what questions do you have?." He also told us nothing was spicy aside from the goat stew (at least not true for the kids) and also did not come back for a good ten minutes to let us pay at the end of the day (we had to flag another server over). read more

Akadi was a great first experience! The Wing Trio is a must!! The suya wings were my favorite, super crispy, crunchy, and perfectly spiced. The nokoss wings were saucy with a nice touch of sweetness, and the green tamarind wings had a fresh, herbaceous flavor that reminded me of pesto. The jollof rice was also excellent. The grilled chicken was soooo tender and juicy with a delicious smoky flavor. They know how to cook chicken right! I also tried the fufu with egusi. It was earthy, gritty, and interesting to try, but just wasn't for me. The staff were awesome, patient, and great at explaining the menu. read more

Akadi PDX - Wing Trio - African Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Everyone there is so nice and helpful. The atmosphere is pretty chill, not too much noise, and tables aren't squished together. They have a bunch of live plants, which are beautiful, and paired with cute hanging lights, like you're out on a patio. The food was amazing! My first time here, I hadn't eaten West African food before, and the flavors and spices were so nice. I also recommend the fufu. It's like a "bread" that you dip in the sauce. Very filling, and I took some of my meal home. My family also really enjoyed their meals. We all loved trying something new, and a lot of people had positive reviews of it. You can find parking on the street or there's a lot to the left of the restaurant just across the street. Side note, if you're wanting to go on Juneteenth, make a reservation! It fills up quickly. read more

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I've wanted to try fufu for so long and was so happy I finally got to try. The texture is kind of like mashed potatoes but more dense. I thought the egusi stew was alright. It had a smoked/burnt flavor that I didn't like but it's just personal preference. The star of the show was def the jollof rice and the suya wings. Another thing to note was they had live music playing which I thought wasn't necessary considering how small the restaurant was and how loud the music was. My friends and I had to talk really loud to hear each other. We were also charged a live music fee at the end ?! Didn't like paying for something I didn't ask for nor did I enjoy having the live music there. read more

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My boyfriend and I stopped in for dinner before a night of dancing. I had my heart set on the fufu but learned it was not gluten free. I ended up getting the whole fish with plantains. The fish and plantains were very flavorful and would recommend. My boyfriend got the jollof rice dish with chicken. The flavors and spice stood out and would also recommend. The dishes overall were good and the service was a little bit slower. I do recommend reservations. read more

Akadi PDX - African Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Visited their brick-and-mortar store for the first time and had a really good time! Ambience was amazing, fun, friendly, and colorful. Inside is filled with plants and lights. The high ceiling made the space super open. Food was delicious too! We got the Wing Trio and the Goat Stew Jollof Meal to share with a side of Fufu. Everything went super well together. I particularly love the Suya Wings in Tamarind and Mango Sauce. The sauce of the Goat Stew was also flavorful but the meat itself was rather dry. Overall, not bad though with all the sides that it came with. Incredible staffs all around. You definitely get what you paid for. Come hungry cause their portions are huge! read more

Akadi PDX - Goat Stew Jollof Meal - African Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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We visited again to try a few more things and Bakari made sure to take good care of us. We ordered the knokoss wings, the tamarind wings which were sweet and sour. We ordered the samosas beef, the okra stew with corn fufu, hold meal with the pompano fish. We also enjoyed a few mocktails. The Kumasi, Bourke and the bissap lemonade. Bakari is extremely attentive and patient server. We look forward to coming back! You might need to call ahead and make a reservation because they are getting quite popular... read more

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Came here with my husband on our last night visiting Portland. Bacari was our server and he was very friendly and kind. Made us feel at ease immediately. We came on Thursday night so there was live jazz which was incredible. Let's get into the Food, (everything came out fast! ) Nokoss wings: Whatever sauce is on top is addicting! Very aromatic and very flavorful, enjoyed it a lot, will be thinking about these wings for a while. Goat stew and jollof and plantains: note, I am Nigerian so (I am biased lol) my expectations were very high. The Goat was tender, plantains very perfect, and stew on the sweeter side. Jollof wars out of mind, i appreciated the simplicity of the rice and stew. Poulet Braisse: 1000/10, seasoned, tender, filling. Definitely would order 100x again. We do not have this in Nigeria and I'm very jealous. Overall, as a fellow West African, I was really proud to see an African restaurant not only doing really well but being a pillar of the community. I saw they host a bunch of events from Jazz to poetry nights and etc. Well done to the lead chef and management, keep making Africa proud read more

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Holy smokes. This place blew us away. Excellent service. Very helpful with what to order. So much flavor packed into every bite. Def will be coming back. I'm so full it hurts.. in a good way. read more

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This was our second time coming in. We loved the first time we were in. I had been craving the egusi stew for ages and we finally made it back in. But unfortunately we weren't as impressed as our initial visit. We had reservations for 7:15, showed up at 7 and stood by the entrance waiting to be checked in with the staff. A staff member was available and came by at 7:15, and then we were checked in. Though had to wait till 7:25 to be seated. I got the egusi goat stew with a side of fufu, and the bouake drink. My partner got the jollaf rice with goat plate. These were both dishes we ordered in the past and loved. This time around the jollaf rice was heavily more tomato seasoned, and the goat was saltier than what we remembered. The egusi stew as well was more salty. I ordered more fufu on the side to eat more with the stew. The drink however was delicious. It was a coconut milk and tamarind syrup zero proof drink. Overall I recommend to get a reservation because there were so many people with reservations at the same time as us who weren't seated yet either. read more

Akadi PDX - African Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I've been wanting to try this place for a while, and it was everything I thought it would be and more! A friend said that this space used to be a brewery, so it had a loftier feel than I was expecting, but I think they've done a good job of making their space their own. Lots of plants, and earthy tones, and African decor. We made a reservation since it was a Friday night, and I'd highly recommend doing that. The place was consistently busy. I like that the tables are spaced out nicely so you don't feel like you're intruding on other people's conversations/space. The service was great. Our waiter was extremely kind and had the right balance of checking on us while allowing us to enjoy our dining experience. The order to receiving food speed was also really good. We had a mix of carnivores and vegans in our party. One that that's really nice about this place is that there are plenty of standard, vegan, and gluten-free options. If you're low-carb, this place not be the one for you. Our party ordered: - Jollof with tofu - Tomato stew with tofu - Jollof with tilapia - Peanut stew with chicken Everything was fantastic! My husband had the fish and it was unbelievable -- perfectly cooked and very flavorful. I had the tomato stew and couldn't get over the fresh, deep flavors. It has the right kind of heat level to it. The other people in our party also thought their dishes were really good. read more

Akadi PDX - Jollof with tilapia - African Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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I want to preface this review by saying that maybe west African food is just not my favorite. It's very carb heavy and not a lot of variety. I ordered the appetizer sampler platter, which was my favorite. The dipping sauce was good. I loved all the plantains that were included in the dishes. We ordered the peppered fish plate, which was my favorite of the entrees. Also ordered poulet choukouya. For stews ordered the peanut butter one, mushroom one and chicken. The stews I probably wouldn't personally order again I felt like they didn't have a lot of flavor. Also ordered Djeli Mango cocktail. The seasoned lime with that was tasty. read more

Akadi PDX - Djeli mango cocktail - African Near Me - Portland, Oregon

My friend and I were in town for a concert and came across Akadi mentioned in several videos on social media. I've had African food several times, but this was her first time. I feel like we got lucky because we did not have reservations, and were able to get a table without a long wait. We were sat at a table with a couch, which was not my favorite having to sit kind of awkwardly to eat and be close enough to the table. We're both tequila drinkers so we both opted for the Djeli Mango which was delicious. Not too sweet, strong enough to know the liquor is there. I also ordered the Suya Wings as an appetizer and which were also amazing. For the main course, I ordered the jollof rice with chicken and my friend ordered the brouchette champion with root fries. You know how they say if no one is talking, that's how you know the food is good? That was us, silent at the table. I'm typically not a fan of unknown sauces on my food, but everything on the plate was SO good. I was so upset when I got full and couldn't take the rest home since we ubered there for the concert. My friend and I travel together pretty often and this restaurant is one we both still tell everyone about. She even said they were the best mushrooms she's ever had. I can't wait until I find myself back in Portland to be able to go back to Akadi! read more

Akadi PDX - African Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Great service and food, especially the namesake Akadi sauce! Our group of 4 had a Saturday dinner reservation, and it's a good thing we did because the place was almost completely full the whole time we were here. We had all been looking at the menu before and many things caught our eyes, so we decided to order a bunch to share. We got the Appetizer Platter, which came with 3 flavors of wings, plantains, yucca fries, and a beef and lentil samosa. We also got an order of beef samosas on the side, which was absolutely the move because they were fantastic. Everything on the appetizer sampler platter was fantastic, I could've just eaten this and been happy. For entrees we shared Red stew with chicken, Beef Brochette, and the Jolof Meal with lamb. There wasn't a crowd favorite here and most of us actually favorited something different, which is a testament to the goodness and consistency. One thing that was an around the table favorite, aside from the apps, was the Akadi Sauce. We had meant to buy some there because we noticed that they sold it. Unfortunately we forgot to, but we were lucky enough to find it in a market the next day and got 3 bottles to bring back home with us. read more

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Food was amazing. Chicken so juicy and corn fritters were so addicting. I came on a Friday at 5 and they were out of quite a few things on the menu but the service was great. read more

Be sure to make a reservation or call in advance to order as they get pretty busy. I stopped by during a weekday and they were still pretty full. The outside is a little unassuming as I didn't realize it was such a big space that can even host some events. I didn't dine in this time around but just took the order to go. I would say come when you're not in a rush or have a reso as it was a little challenging to get their attention at first as nobody was at the front when I visited. If you can't decide on wings I would recommend getting the wings trio. The wings here are MASSIVE and definitely fall on the spicier/saucier side. They're not your regular wings. haha. We also ordered the jollof meal with lamb shank because why not!? The rice was super flavorful and the lamb shank was tender. Both items did get a little messy to eat so be sure to have some napkins close by. We may have over ordered for two people but we defintiely had some leftovers. Didn't get to try the drinks this time around but would be keen to come back and try some other items! read more

Akadi PDX - African Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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I don't have much experience w/ African food besides Ethiopian but this is my favorite African food so far I've tried. We had a fried pompano fish and a goat stew and some chicken wings. I think the fish was my favorite but everything was pretty good. The fish was rich and buttery and came w/ plantains & Frufru (kinda like fermented mashed potatoes but from cassava). There's a good amount of meat but you gotta work for it so if ur on a date and don't wanna look like a savage maybe don't order it. The wings we got were the green ones (forget the name) they were aight but I wished I picked one of the other flavors. The goat stew was in a tomatoey stew so I didn't like it so much bc i don't like tomato soups that much but the goat was very tender it comes w/ jollof rice which for the same reason i don't like so much cause the tomatoeyness. But still good overall. My one complaint, which I didn't bring up at the time just cause I think it wouldn't have done anything is that when we came in on a Tuesday night they had a live saxophonist playing which was kinda cool but also annoying cause we had to shout to hear each other across the table and when ordering to our server. But then we were surprised by a $10 live music charge on our bill at the end. And that was already after we had given a cash tip to the musician. I was bothered it wasn't mentioned beforehand bc I honestly would've preferred no music and $10 off my bill. The service was polite but besides taking your order and bringing your food they don't come to check on you. However they are usually keeping an eye but you need to wave at them. read more

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We decided to try Akadi on a random Wednesday during our visit to Portland, and I am so glad we did. I had never experienced West African food before, but had heard wonderful things, and this restaurant truly lived up to the excitement. From the moment we arrived, we felt welcomed. The atmosphere is inviting and beautifully decorated, and the staff were attentive and kind. It set the tone for what turned out to be one of the most memorable meals of our trip. Parking was also very easy, which made getting there stress-free. We started with the sampler platter, and I can't recommend it enough for first-timers. 1. Nokoss (parsley/garlic/lemon) - fresh and vibrant. 2. Suya (dry rub) - rich and bold. 3. Hibiscus Ginger - tangy and unique. Not only was it flavorful in its own unique way from the outside, the wings were cooked to perfection and were flavorful down to the bone . For our entrees, we tried the red stew with chicken and corn fufu. The stew was hearty and comforting, reminding me a little of Filipino kaldereta, which made it feel both familiar and new at the same time. The fufu was unlike anything I've had before--soft, creamy, and fluffy all at once. It's something you have to try to really understand, and Akadi is the place to do it. We also ordered the poisson frit (fried fish) fried to perfection--crispy outside, tender inside..the kind of fried fish where you can eat the bones. This was seasoned beautifully, the texture was perfect, and it came with a beautifully balanced, tomato and onion relish..super refreshing. Another highlight was the lamb jollof. The rice was aromatic and flavorful, paired with a refreshing kale salad, and the lamb shank itself was so flavorful & tender. To drink, we had the Bouaké, a mix of coconut water and homemade tamarind syrup. It was creamy, refreshing, and reminded me of a lighter, more elevated version of Yakult--comforting and nostalgic but new at the same time. We also tried the Gnamankoudji (ginger pineapple & citrus), which had a wonderful spicy kick that was both energizing and refreshing. Overall, this was such a beautiful dining experience. Every dish was prepared with care, every flavor felt thoughtful, and the staff made us feel right at home. If you're looking for an unforgettable meal, especially if you've never had West African cuisine before, Akadi is a must-visit. If you needed an excuse to come to Portland, this might be it. I'll be posting a review on TikTok @karlocuesta read more

Akadi PDX - Lamb-Fish-Red Stew & FuFu - African Near Me - Portland, Oregon

One of the best restaurants in Portland by far! It was easy to get a reservation and the food was well worth it! I got the jollof rice with lamb shank and it was really well flavored I could remember the taste for days! Also the workers were super friendly as well! read more

Akadi PDX - Jollof rice with lamb shank - African Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Akadi is a masterclass in West African flavors. I've been thinking about this meal since the moment I left. If you are looking for authentic, soul-warming West African cuisine with a great atmosphere, this is the spot. Goat Stew & Jollof: The goat was incredibly tender and simmered in a rich, deeply savory stew. Pairing it with the smoky Jollof Rice and fresh slaw made for a perfectly balanced plate. Fried Plantains: Honestly, some of the best I've had. They were like very sweet, perfectly fried bananas--soft, caramelized, and so good. Frufu (Corn Fritters): These were a highlight! They had a great texture--crispy on the outside and soft in the middle--and the sauce they're served with adds the perfect hit of flavor. 3-Flavor Wings: We tried three different seasonings, and every single one hit the mark. The dry rub was bold, and the sauced versions were bright and flavorful. The atmosphere is vibrant and welcoming, made even better by the live music playing in the background. It's the kind of food and energy that feels like a hug. Everything felt fresh, intentional, and made with a lot of heart. read more

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Akadi is one of my favorite restaurants in PDX. Everything is a 10/10 their appetizers, entrees and cocktails. They have great vegan options as well! They have very friendly staff and a cute interior. Definitely recommend coming here! read more

Akadi PDX - Jollof Enoki - African Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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We made reservations for dinner on a Thursday evening. The space is large and set up a bit randomly, but the vibes are good. Our server was kind but service was very slow. We split the appetizer platter, the chicken peanut stew with fufu, and the jollof rice meal with chicken skewers between three people. It was a perfect amount of food as the portions are generous. We enjoyed trying these items along with our drinks (the Kumasi and the Bamako). Overall, I thought the food was good but I do not feel a strong urge to return to try any other items on the menu. read more

Super delicious food and friendly service. My only complaint is that the live music was a little loud for the room, at least if you want to have a conversation. read more

Booked my reservation a week in advance. The restaurant was full, but it's not crowded. It feels like there's a lot of open space. Live music playing "Our God is an Awesome God!" Wings were awesome! read more

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This place has been in our list for long. Food here is pretty good. Do try wings (Suya and nokos). Jolof rice with fried fish was mind blowing. Rice is full of flavour and must try. Okra stew with lamb shank was good, but the taste may not work for everyone. We did try few drinks (non alcoholic), it was just fine Overall very good experience. Do try it out . Reservation is required read more

In town for a trip and was contemplating where to go for dinner when I realized I was enjoying wine across the street from Akadi. Did my cursory review of the restaurant's Yelp and decided it was a go. Wthelly happened Atmosphere: Dimly lit and intimate with art hanging it looked like a great date night spot. Came alone on a Thursday and it was pretty busy. Service was slow but I think there was only 2 servers. The Food: The plantains and kale slaw were the best things on my plate. The fish was just ok, not sure if I'm used to the loaded flavors of Nigerian and Liberian jollof but Akadi's legit tasted like a microwaved Uncle Bens Spanish rice pack. Im disappointed. read more

Akadi PDX - Jolof plate with Pompano as my protein - African Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Some great African food and I hope it matches what you'd eat in Africa.. this is my first time trying this place and I wasn't disappointed. We had an appetizer of suya chicken I love the crisp and kick it hard with it, which holds a lot of good flavor. The entree was jolof rice with grilled checked, which didn't hold back either... very pleased. Flavors hit every spot and crunch of chicken and that rice hits. I highly recommend you guys check out this place. If you've never tried African food before it's not bland or boring as some people may think if they haven't tried it. read more

I really loved the spinach curry. It was so rich and delicious paired with rice. I would honestly come back just to eat the soya wings 1 million times over again. The beef samosas were also so good and the sauce that it came with was addicting. read more

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It's my friends and I, first time here! We really loved it as for our first time! The food was really yummy and the service was immaculate and I love the ambiance! I love how spacey and homey feeling they have here! :) definitely would come here again read more

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Great service, delicious and interesting food, and an overall great time. I was there for a birthday party, which went really nicely. There were wonderful hors d'oeuvres and great entrées. I guess I used the world great three times in this review. All I can say is I would come back. The menu is wide and can accommodate vegetarians, gluten-free people and meat eaters alike. Everything was good about this place. read more

Just WOW! I came here with my cousin's family, and we got the appetizer platter to start. I loved all the items, especially the empanadas -- they were so flaky and buttery and had great flavor. I liked the two different plantains and the sauces that came with them as well. I had the Kumasi mocktail, Jollof plate with oxtail stew and loved it all. Everything was so flavorful and the oxtail melted in my mouth! My only wish is that we saved enough room for dessert. The service was so friendly and welcoming! read more

Akadi PDX - Jolof oxtail - African Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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wings were great. they were flavorful and delicious. the other dishes had an ok flavor. it seemed like the quality didn't really match the price. each dish was a bit pricey so we had high expectations but these dishes didn't meet them. we also got a $10 fee of a live performance. we didn't know this and felt a bit surprised at the end when they gave the check. it's a spacious place with nice decor. only came here because of social media but we wouldn't come back again because we don't think it's worth it. read more

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Loved it here! The food was delicious w/ full portions, and the menu has so many interesting options. Friendly service and chill atmosphere. Will be back. read more

Akadi PDX - Fried chikken (oyster mushrooms) with yucca fries - African Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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We loved everything about this place. The epinard grille was on the salty side but with the corn fufu was SO good. The chicken poulet choukouya was super tender and seasoned so well that it was definitely the highlight of the night. Can't wait to come back to try other things! read more

Akadi PDX - Poulet choukouya with Alloco - African Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Such a unique place for dinner. The food is yummy & the ambiance is great for a chill dinner out. read more

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I had a family of 4. We had the appetizer plater, the tomato stew with fufu(egusi was sold out) and the the joloff plate. The only thing we enjoyed was the dry rub wing, everything else was overpriced and seasoned as if it was from chillys or a school cafeteria. Very overpriced for the experience we had. Service was nice at first but then our server had a bit of an attitude. The environment was very cute and unique but it was extremely hot and humid. I was so excited to try but ended up disappointed, I will not be going back. read more

Came for dinner with family and had a wonderful time. We were seated promptly at our reservation time. We ordered the appetizer platter, jolof plate with fish, detail and chicken ground nut stews. The wings were well spiced, the samosas were super flaky and tasty with the provided sauces. We loved the plantains both plain and spiced. The rice was very flavorful and great with the fish. The oxtail and groundnut stews were delicious. Service was super friendly, we mentioned it was a birthday celebration and were comped a plate of puff puffs and happy birthday played by the live saxophone musician. The restaurant is one big room, lots of tables with a stage for live musicians in the corner. The room is converted into a club after dinner service. One of these days we'll come back for that! read more

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The food was delicious. Get the suya wings and jollof with fish. Skip the peanut lamb stew unless you're a lamb lover. The food was amazing and there was a jazz band playing from 6-9pm! We were lucky to be able to walk in, but recommend making a reservation if you can. The lady working the front was kind to help us find a table when we walked in at about 5:30pm. read more

Akadi PDX - Eating on the couch enjoying the jazz music - African Near Me - Portland, Oregon

To experience this location is to experience love on a plate and in an establishment. The ambiance is a chill vibe with vibrant art. Very open space, they have nothing to hide and everything to share. The service was top notch. Provided great suggestions with rationale, continued to check in and made sure for those of us having our first West African experience were having a great experience. The food was top tier. Super flavorful, great portion sizes. We each took our first bites and the table became silent and emotional. For us, it was like being touched by our ancestors internally. Highly recommend. 10/10! The 5 stars does it no justice. read more

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