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    Amala Joint

    4.6 (27 reviews)
    Open 10:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

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    Amala Joint - A True Taste of Naija If you've been craving authentic Nigerian flavors that hit your soul, Amala Joint is the spot. From the moment I walked in, the aroma of rich spices and slow-cooked stews told me I was in for something special. I ordered the amala with gbegiri, ewedu, and assorted meat, and let me just say: PERFECTION. The amala was soft, warm, and just the right amount of stretchy. The gbegiri was silky, the ewedu had that traditional slippery texture that hugged the amala beautifully, and the stew? Whew deep, peppery, and packed with flavor. Each bite was a throwback to home-cooked meals in Nigeria. The assorted meat was generous and well-seasoned tender cow foot, spicy tripe, juicy beef everything cooked to perfection and soaked in rich, red stew. They don't skimp on flavor or portion size. Customer service was friendly, and the atmosphere felt like a neighborhood kitchen with Naija pride. Whether you're Nigerian or just love African cuisine, Amala Joint will transport your taste buds straight to Lagos. Highly recommend for lovers of bold, traditional West African flavors. Don't walk RUN for that amala!

    Fufu
    Ritodhi C.

    I've been dipping my toes into the underrated cuisine of the African diaspora lately, so decided to make the drive to this unpretentious cafeteria-style Nigerian spot outside the loop. I think it's mostly frequented by regulars because the young lady behind the counter seemed a little surprised to see us walk in. There are no prices on the in-house menu, but the main plates range from $15-$20. Some of the flavors are certainly acquired tastes that will challenge unaccustomed palates, but overall I would give my experience a 3.5/5. Jollof Rice w/ Chicken - the prototypical West African rice dish which consists chewy granules stewed in a slightly spicy and sweet tomato broth. It was fragrant and mellow in taste. The chicken itself was well-cooked and juicy which some beautifully crispy skin. Egusi - a traditional soup made from ground melon seeds, stock, leafy vegetables, and meat. The taste of this dish was more challenging for me and featured funky, nutty, and earthy notes. There were off-cuts of meat and offal mixed in; the cow skin was chewy but didn't add much flavor and I'm just not a fan of tripe in general. I have had versions of egusi that I really liked, but this one wasn't my favorite. Goat Stew - this was probably my least favorite dish. The meat was overcooked to the point of being leathery, and the bone-to-meat ratio was less than ideal. The flavor itself was decent. Our "swallow" of choice with the above was fufu, or pounded fermented cassava, which was like a bouncier and milder form of mashed potatoes that clings to all the spicy sauces and stews. The staff took good care of us and I would definitely come back to try some of their other recommendations.

    Okra Stew
    Gerald T.

    This was my first time eating Nigerian food from a restaurant and it was delicious. The dishes are made to order so don't be turned off by the wait. Will definitely return to try other items on the menu.

    Egusi Soup (goat) and Fufu (pounded yam)
    Chanel J.

    Ayyye my first try of Nigerian food and I'm thinking why did I wait so long?!?!??! The Egusi soup and fufu was dancing on my taste buds! It's quite delicious and spicy. I added goat which was an up charge, but the options were beef, tripe and fish(I believe). The restaurant was clean and they had a picture menu but no prices. My Egusi with goat meat and fufu was $24 I am not sure if that's market price but it was steep to me. However with that taste and the added health benefits (Egusi is high in fiber). I'm not mad at it and I will continue to explore the menu and cuisine.

    Eugsi with goat meat and fish with FuFu
    Dutchess C.

    My first time here and first time trying Eugsi with fufu. One with goat meat and fish. First I was greeted so warmly!!! I was absolutely shy ordering because I didn't want to mispronounce the name but she knew what I wanted and helped me out making a choice. Racing home to try it, and goodness! I love it! I don't know what I was scared of but this is absolutely delicious! I will come back to try another dish, but I'm for sure getting Eugsi with Fufu to goooo! A must try! Thank you!!!!

    Eforiro, pounded yam, and Tilapia Fish
    Maria B.

    The restaurant is located in a little shopping plaza which looks a little sketch at first glance, but I'm giving 5 stars because Amala's joint was the perfect experience. I'm a fan of Nigerian food and have eaten at about 6 different Naija spots in the Houston area, but their service was by far the best. The first thing I noticed when I walked in was how clean and tidy everything was. Sanitizer and hand soap at every table and they bring a bowl of water with your meal so you can clean your hands. Also, the dining room didn't smell heavily like food, which was nice since I had somewhere to be afterward. I had Efo with pounded yam and tilapia. Y'all!!! It was soooo good. Perfect level of spice for those that can't handle too much heat, but enough for those of us that really enjoy the kick of peppers. The tilapia was perfectly cooked. A little crisp on the outside, soft & flaky fish on the inside. The ladies that took care of us were absolutely sweet. If you're still reading stop and go to Amala's Joint for some bomb food!!

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    2 months ago

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    3 months ago

    Amazing food and the owner is extremely nice. They sell Jolly Jolly Bread too, Ambiance is very homey and comfortable

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    2 years ago

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    Adeline M.

    Thank you so much for patronizing us . Be blessed

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    11 months ago

    Amazing food, better service. I will sleep happily after coming as the portions were very filling.

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    4 years ago

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    Adeline M.

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    1 year ago

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    Adeline M.

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    4 years ago

    Love their food and their jollof rice is always bussing or their egusi soup. I love going there to eat.

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    Fabaceae African Cuisine

    Fabaceae African Cuisine

    4.2
    (81 reviews)
    13.1 mi
    $$

    I placed a pickup order through DoorDash yesterday at 5:31pm and never received any food. When we…read moregot there at 6:00pm the owner said they were closed due to a catering order and that he canceled the order on DoorDash even though it said on the app that it wasn't, we went back and showed him and he assured us it wasn't canceled and then drove off. When I woke up this morning and checked DoorDash it said that the order was picked up at 7:37pm and my card was charged $60, which is honestly too much for 2 soups and 2 appetizers. Also on top of that the location was sketchy, had no visible signage, and was dirty. Would not recommend this place at all if I could give negative stars I would.

    Went for dinner and it was everything I expected and more! The owners are a sweet couple who…read moreprovided great service and were very helpful with the menu. I shared the fufu with egusi soup with stewed goat added, the Stewed Hen, Moin Moin, & Jollof Rice, and the meat pie with a friend and it was plenty for both of us. The fufu with egusi soup was super delicious with a spicy kick that I loved (7/10) . The plate was the star of the meal. Everything from the stewed hen, to the rice, to the greens were all so well seasoned and I truly enjoyed every bite (8.5/10). The meat pie was also delicious with a savory filling and the pastry was thick and buttery but surprisingly not overbearing considering the pastry to filling ratio (8/10). Overall the food was awesome and seemed quite authentic. Would definitely come back to support this small local business!

    Photos
    Entry to their new location
    Entry to their new location
    Egusi with goat meat
    Egusi with goat meat
    Faba location Behind the Greater Texas building at the read of the plaza

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    Faba location Behind the Greater Texas building at the read of the plaza
    Bantu House

    Bantu House

    4.7
    (23 reviews)
    15.6 mi

    Absolutely awesome place . I arrived on the weekend and was greeted by one friendly lady who took…read moreour orders. Egusi and fufu , one order of fried rice and one order of plantains . Everything was delicious I will definitely recommend... Loved the African decor as well which reminds me of my times in West Africa. Extremely pleased

    I recently had dinner at Bantu House with my daughter. I am not very experienced with African…read morecuisine outside of South African restaurants and a few Ethiopian-style places, so this was a very new experience for me. Overall, I found the food to be very flavorful, well seasoned, and unique. My daughter and I actually ended up liking each other's meals more than our own, so we switched plates, which worked out well. We also ordered a few extra items, including wings and yams. The pounded yam was interesting and very different from anything I usually eat. It is probably not something I would go out of my way to order again, but I am glad I tried it and now understand a little better how it is eaten. The one disappointing part of the visit was the ordering experience. The young man who rang us up was polite, but he was unable to make any recommendations. He said he had been working there for about three months and still could not really suggest what to order. For someone like me, who is unfamiliar with this type of food, recommendations would have been very helpful. I would have appreciated some guidance on the most popular dishes, common choices, or what first-time customers usually enjoy. That said, the owner was extremely kind. She came out to our table, spoke with us, and helped explain how to eat some of the food we had ordered. I really appreciated that. She came across as a very sweet person, and based on her hospitality alone, I would come back to support the business. This style of food may not personally be my cup of tea or something I will crave often, but I respect the flavor, the care, and the local business behind it. I would give Bantu House four stars. It could have been closer to 3.5 for me personally, mostly because of the lack of ordering guidance, but the owner's kindness and the quality of the food pushed it to four.

    Photos
    Cute place!
    Cute place!
    Bantu House
    Lunch specials at Bantu House!  Jollof, Egusi, & more with sides & meat for just $14.99. Mon-Fri, 11 AM - 2 PM. Don't miss out! #Cypress

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    Lunch specials at Bantu House! Jollof, Egusi, & more with sides & meat for just $14.99. Mon-Fri, 11 AM - 2 PM. Don't miss out! #Cypress
    Dupsy's

    Dupsy's

    3.5
    (31 reviews)
    16.4 mi

    HIGH QUALITY FOOD!! Hot, Fresh, Authentic African Dishes…read more EGusi is full of flavor!! Top in Houston. The Peppered chicken takes it to another level. The sauce on the chicken Super Rich in flavor... this is Fresh Chicken nothing leftover. I could tell everything was freshly peppered. The Jollof is Exactly what it should be. Truly Well Prepared it's Perfect!! I uber eats and food was smoking hot with 35-40 min delivery !!

    UPDATE: I was finally able to visit this restaurant in…read moreperson. I read the reviews but wasn't deterred by the negative comments since my food delivery experience was positive. I walked into the clean, chilled ambiance building and felt completely lost. I had no idea that it's a contactless experience. The order must be placed electronically prior to arriving or at a kiosk upon arrival. Once you've placed your order and paid for it, you take a seat and wait to be notified via text message. When your food is ready, your text message will direct you to a locker number which will go to and unlock by clicking on a link provided in your text message. Thankfully, there was a kind Harris County Deputy who was also visiting for the first time and patiently worked with me to make sure I was able to place my order. I think the concept is innovative here in the U.S. (been going on in Asian countries) and could really take off. However, there should be available signs with directives posted both outside and inside of the building. The food was just as delicious as it was the first time. Please don't let the negative reviews deter you from giving this restaurant a try.

    Photos
    Jollof Rice Egusi Stew with Poundo
    Jollof Rice Egusi Stew with Poundo
    Egusi Stew with Poundo, Peppered Chicken (4 Pieces), Not Spicy
    Egusi Stew with Poundo, Peppered Chicken (4 Pieces), Not Spicy
    Jollof Rice

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    Jollof Rice
    ChopnBlok - Montrose

    ChopnBlok - Montrose

    4.5
    (435 reviews)
    15.5 mi
    $$

    ChopnBlok has done no wrong on any of my visits and at this point...I'm convinced they just know…read morewhat they're doing. From the welcome as soon as you walk in to the attentive staff and delicious menu options, I've consistently had a great experience here. Now if there's a patio, you already know where you're going to find me! I almost always choose to sit outside, and one thing I REALLY appreciate is that the service doesn't change because you're on the patio. I'm still checked on and given the same attention as if I were sitting inside. Patio people matter too! Lol The **Ikoyi Shrimp and Coconut Chicken Bites** are favorites for us. They're seasoned and cooked so well, and honestly, you could probably point at something in the Small Chops section and walk away happy. There isn't a dedicated kids menu, so I usually let my little one make a meal out of the smaller bites and she's a happy camper. For my main, I've ventured around the menu and tried different dishes, but somehow I always find my way back home to the **Golden Bowl**. Smoky jollof, curry, chicken, veggies and plantains all working togetherand every time I order it, it tastes just as good as I remembered. At this point, recommending ChopnBlok is easy. **Good food, good service, good patio vibes. I'd recommend this place over and over again.**

    This place was super packed during Saturday lunch, so I highly recommend making a reservation…read more Luckily, the host was able to squeeze my friend and I at the bar. Despite how packed and busy it was, the bartenders were super attentive throughout our entire visit. I ordered the following: 1. Coconut Chicken Bites: There was barely any coconut flavor. I would say this appetizer can be skipped as there was nothing particularly special about it. 2. Golden Bowl: Super delicious and easily the best dish I had here. Every bite was packed with so much flavor. I would definitely order this again! 3. Greens & Tings: This had a very smoky flavor, and the chicken was incredibly soft, tender, and tasty. Overall, I'm glad I got to try this restaurant, especially since it was my first time having West African cuisine.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Course 2 - Citrus Smoked Chicken w/ Native Fried Rice, Scallion Masa Pancake & Seasonal Pickles
    Course 2 - Citrus Smoked Chicken w/ Native Fried Rice, Scallion Masa Pancake & Seasonal Pickles
    Oga Palmer add tequila

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    Oga Palmer add tequila

    Amala Joint - african - Updated August 2026

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