I had been wanting to try fufu for a long time, so I decided to check out Bissap Baobab. The restaurant has more of a cocktail lounge vibe than a traditional dining spot, with eclectic decorations that make the atmosphere fun and unique. The service was friendly, but nothing extraordinary. Unfortunately, they didn't have fufu--which was the main reason I went. That was definitely a bummer (and a bit confusing, since it's such a staple dish). On the bright side, the food I did try was tasty. The fish, Senegal's signature dish, was fried perfectly, though it could have used a bit more salt. The rice tasted like it might have been a day old, and the sauce reminded me of marinara more than anything else. read more

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I haven't had much Senegalese food, so I was really excited to try this place. I was lucky enough to score the last order of the Ceebu Jen ($26), which is the national dish of Senegal. Just a warning that this fish has bones in it -- I'm used to eating fish like this, but some people may not be. The fish was super tender and the outside was nice and crispy. However, this dish was lacking lots of flavor. The fish didn't taste seasoned and there was no sauce to add anything additional.The jollof rice felt the same as it was lacking a lot of the tomato and spice flavor. My friend felt similarly about her dish being pretty bland too. Overall, I may be willing to go come back here again to try a different dish, but the place was lacking some of the flavors that I was expecting. read more

Bissap Baobab - Ceebu Jen ($26) - Senegalese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Y'know this wasn't the first time I tried the West African food served here. During the pandemic, I took advantage of the takeout food at the now-closed Little Baobab because I was a fan of the Afro Tacos and Tabouleh Salad. After missing my window for trying their Downtown Oakland location, I finally tried the main restaurant on Mission one evening when it wasn't too crowded. They were preparing for a show in the adjoining room because most of the staff was focused over there. I decided to start with a refreshing libation, the $10 Tatu (Hibiscus Margarita) which was served in a tall highball glass (photo: https://yelp.to/wwNXykbzWw). For my main, I went with one of their most popular dishes, the $18.75 Poulet DG (Chicken General Director), a Cameroonian dish that mixed tender chicken parts with mixed vegetables and plantain slices in a spicy curry sauce. Accompanied by rice, it was quite flavorful in a uniquely tropical way (photo: https://yelp.to/8MpyaCPYCh). I was pleased enough with my entree that I decided to go for dessert. I wanted something on the lighter side, and the $8.25 Tiakri did the trick. It was a tasty yogurt-based mix with quinoa, agave, and mixed baobab fruit (photo: https://yelp.to/aPQKCRI0Ua). It made for a refreshing end to my meal, and I'm glad they still serve the Afro Tacos here. FOOD - 4 stars...unique West African dishes with familiar flavors AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...tables a bit crowded together SERVICE - 4 stars...friendly and informative TOTAL - 4 stars...a nice change of pace in the Mission RELATED - Exploring the Mission? Here's my collection of places I've patronized and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2NHtst6 read more

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Amazing!!! Speechless :) Super small but cute interior, with extremely friendly waiters and delicious food. Food takes a little bit to come out, but very much well worth the wait!! Came with a large group and was able to try a bit of many dishes. FOOD: Fried Plantains (7/10) - Decent fried plantains, sweet and a great way to start the meal. Fufu (10/10) - Fufu here was BOMB! Went perfectly with everything here!! Yassa with Chicken (8/10) - Super delicious gravy and the chicken was cooked so tender and paired very well with the white rice Mafe with Akara (8/10) - Akara was fun to try and the sauce paired really well with it. Drank up the sauce after too! Gombo Saff with Lamb (9/10) - Loved the Okra in this and the sauce and lamb were cooked beautifully Seafood Coco with Prawns (7/10) - Reminded me of a Thai coconut curry, but still overall very delicious! Ceebu Jen (9/10) - Delicious tender fish on top of jollof rice - both the rice and the fish were amazing! read more

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Was excited to try this place since I heard so much about the food. Initially came here for DJ Purple's Dance Karaoke on Thursday nights. I came a little bit after 9 PM and the employee told me the kitchen was closed. I asked when the kitchen normally closes and the employee behind the counter just shrugged her shoulders at me, so...I guess it depends? In general, there seems to be a lack of communication amongst staff. Twice I've ordered and they told me something was not available, only to find out later that it was. Anyways, came back a second time during their normal dining hours and ordered the lamb dibi combo plate with jollof rice and yassa (onions marinated in Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and herbs). The lamb had a nice charred flavor but was overcooked based on how dry and how difficult it was to cut. The yassa was very flavorful and went well with the jollof rice. The portion sizes are on the smaller side, especially for a $20 platter. I ended up ordering a pizza elsewhere after (I'm such a pig). They have an interesting mix of alcoholic concoctions that feature their hibiscus, tamarind, and ginger juices, but definitely on the weak side. I think I've ordered two separate drinks here and haven't felt a thing. The staff also don't seem to be familiar with any other cocktails aside from what's on the menu. Even though the service is not that great, I love that Bissap Baobab provides a welcoming space for musicians of all backgrounds to perform. I'll continue to stop by on Thursday nights to support DJ Purple as it is a great space for dancing and music. I'll just stick with the non-alcoholic drinks. read more

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Went to Bissap Baobab with my buddy, who really wanted to try their Senegalese food. I was in town, and yeah, I was game. Let's do it! The menu looked amazing; we even thought about going back today for their Carnaval brunch. My friend got the ginger margarita (Tooni), and I got the hibiscus one (Tatu). They looked gorgeous. Super refreshing, nice base flavor, but we couldn't taste any alcohol at all. For apps, we had the beef pastels and plantains. The pastels were tasty, but tiny! And I don't know why they had sauce on them--the menu didn't say anything about that. The plantains weren't sweet; they needed a couple more days to ripen. Onto the mains. The Chicken Mafa was okay, nothing special. I got the Ceebu Jen, and that was a disaster. Seriously, the presentation was nice. I expected a fillet, but got this tiny, bony thing with a huge fried head! The veggies were cold, and the rice was bland and greasy. After microwaving it for ten minutes, I ate some, but left hungry and ripped off. And the menu didn't say anything about bones in the fish! They took a drink off the bill, which was nice, but I wouldn't eat there again. I'd go back for the music, though. read more

Bissap Baobab - Tooni and Tatu - Senegalese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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We got the fried plantain for appetizer, akara mafe with fufu and ceebu jen with jollof rice. We liked both dishes! The portion was also big. The owner(?) explained the menu to us and the staff was friendly. This place also hosts other events like meetups and music nights and the tables are spacious . Good introduction to Senegalese food. read more

Tonight we visited, ate dinner here & WOW was I pleasantly surprised. We chatted with the owner who was a friendly and a chill guy. We sat down and ordered pretty quickly bc the menu is small. Everything came out in a timely manner, all together. The food was most definitely tasty and super flavorful. Everything had seasoning, spice and depth of flavor. I was not super impressed with the fufu but everything else was so good. I will highly recommend this black owned business! read more

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I recently went to Bissap Baobab with my beloved. I first experienced here at a recent Elite Yelp event and enjoyed it very much. First things first the service and hospitality is superb. You couldn't ask for more kind service and hospitality which really makes all the difference in dining out. The ambiance here is awesome. Bissap Baobab has a wonderful atmosphere and vibe overall. Now onto the food and drinks. I went with the ginger juice and enjoyed it very much. For the entrees we ordered the Yassa which is marinated onions in savory sauce with vegetables. We had it Akara which is tofu and plantains cooked together and a side of rice. We also ordered Mafe with Akara which is tofu and plantains cooked together and a side of couscous. The tofu was really good yet the respected curries were so so and could have been better. It seemed like we just were getting tofu and side of grains with a tiny bowl of curry. Decent yet could have been better with more veggies. Still solid and exceptional service along with hospitality. Terrific ambiance and the food could have been better. read more

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There is a lot to do here besides enjoy great West African food. Bissau is know for their dance scene and deep display of various cultures and ethnic background. Each week, you will find different live events whether it be music, dance classes, or just dancing in general you are always in for a good time. The service moves fairly quick as on event nights they tend to get very busy so they do their best to get your food at in a timely manner, though it can be hard to catch them in larger crowds, but that is to be expected. The pastels came out hot and crispy and the shrimp is very well seasoned, though they seem small you are given a great amount of the combo plate so there is enough to fill you up. The side dishes are amazing as of course, the plantains are so well cooked and are a great side dish or even an appetizer if you feel it necessary. The owner has put a lot of time and though into everything here and really has a passion for bringing the community the very best of what the mission has to offer. read more

Bissap Baobab - Senegalese Near Me - San Francisco, California

I was super pleasantly surprised here! I came without expecting much and the food was so good. Good: - The seafood with tilapia was amazing - I didn't think I'd like it as much as I did considering I'm not usually a fan of seafood, but the curry sauce + the jolof rice made a combo that I couldn't stop munching on! - Portion sizes were perfect for what I could finish in one sitting - The staff were nice! Bad: - Pretty noisy place, still good for catchups with people - Took some time for the food to arrive Overall I enjoyed the food here a lot, the ambiance not so much but I'd come back just to try out something else! read more

Bissap Baobab - Seafood Coco - Senegalese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Came here for a comedy special at 8pm. They were so accommodating and so nice and quick about it! The ambiance of this place was fantastic! Great place to host shows, get some drinks and chill. Vibe is on point read more

Ambiance It's pretty loud and the tables are kinda crowded together. The decor is pretty simple but cute. Service Attentive enough, however, it was hard getting refills of water and they give you really small water glasses. Food My friends wanted to check out the karaoke, but we also wanted to try the food, since it seemed interesting, but I found the portions were really small for the price. I got the lamb mafe with jollof rice and a side of plantains. The plantains were great, soft and sweet and the dipping sauce was also nice. The lamb, however, was very dry and overcooked for my personal taste. The meat was chewy and kinda tough. The dish and the rice was flavorful, it was just the meat that i wasn't a fan of. Karaoke Starts at 9pm on Thursdays and it's so fun! The only issue i have is the bar. I think this place would really pick up if they had bartenders that know how to make decent drinks or all the basic ones. I've found the drinks are not only weak, but they're so sweet. You can have a couple of drinks and not only are you not drunk, but you've sunk a bunch of money on sugary, watery booze. Unfortunately, I end up drinking elsewhere, then coming here and maybe having one drink. I'd love to spend my money here, but i can't justify the price. read more

I had been looking forward to trying their Ceebu Jen (only available on the weekends.) As far as I know, this is the only restaurant in SF that offers it. Ceebu Jen (also spelled Thieboudienne, Thiebou Djeun, or something that sounds like that) is jollof rice, earthy vegetables (yucca, carrot, cabbage) and fried fish in a tomato-y sauce. I've had it elsewhere and jt was amazing...but here, it was just ok. The portions of jollof rice and cassava were generous. The fish itself tasted good, even if it didn't have distinct seasoning. But everything else was rather mid, sadly. The fish, while it had a good flavor, was not that substantial of a portion and was mostly bones and skin. (I don't mind bone-in fish...but this one seemed like it was over half bones.) The jollof rice had a nice color, but not a lot of taste. The cassava was on the starchy side. The pieces of cabbage had the hard stem in them. The sauce was my least favorite part of it, it was thick and goopy. It tasted like ketchup mixed with sweet and sour sauce, then watered down. That said, it was still ok, it wasn't terrible. It satisfied my craving for Ceebu Jen. But if thus was the first time I tried it, I probably wouldn't have tried to find it again. read more

The food was excellent. I liked that it was slapped and strong but not overwhelming. The service was great. The waitress would make sure we were doing well and make great recommendations. The vibes were good. It was a very comfy space. Today, they had a dance party, so if you like dancing and good food, I highly recommend it. read more

Bissap Baobab - Hibiscus Juice and Ginger Juice - Senegalese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Akara is typically described as black-eyed peas fritters, but in the hands of the talented chefs at Bissap Baobab, it approximates the shape and texture of well-fried tofu. This meatless protein can take the starring role in most entrees, from more traditional mafe and yassa to innovative fusion fare like afro tacos and dibi wraps. I couldn't resist the promise of okra stew, which absolutely did not disappoint. Paired with comforting fufu, which I'd say is quite like stretchy mashed potatoes made from pounded cassava, it's a must-order. The spices are bold yet nuanced, applied with care and purpose. Don't forget to ask for the hot sauce, which has a serious habanero punch, but also sweetness from roasted red peppers, onions, and garlic. This stuff is downright addictive and should seriously be bottled for sale. I know I'd stock up in a heartbeat. It's unlike anything else in the mission, which is really saying something for the hyper-abundance of restaurants in the area. There are so few places to find West African food, let alone a restaurant with such a wealth of vegan options; this place is a real treasure. read more

Bissap Baobab - Akara with Okra Stew and Fufu - Senegalese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Lovely spot that's open pretty late and has live music all the time! There's always something good going on here. The fish and the fufu were particularly good! There are some very delicious vegetarian options as well! read more

Bissap Baobab - Dibi combo plate with fish, Yassa, Fufu, Aloko (plantains) - Senegalese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Would love to have enjoyed this place based on previous reviews......but after making a reservation 2 days in advance via Yelp....corroborating information from Google....and being asked to verify my reservation twice.....when we showed up it was closed. And appeared to have been closed for some time. Not sure what the story is.... read more

The chicken with the fufu is amazing. Had the shrimp too and joloff on the side. The place is nice and if I would have came later it would have turned into a night club. I know it used to be on the other corner but this bigger place serves them well. read more

Bissap Baobab - Chicken with fufu , shrimp and joloff - Senegalese Near Me - San Francisco, California

I was here for a comedy show hosted by local comedians. I had a hibiscus margarita. It's a chill spot for a date. FYI, Bissap Baobab is a local Black-owned business! read more

Bissap Baobab - Senegalese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Huge place with fun menu. The cocktails are excellent. Really sweet bartenders. Fast service. Live music and dancing Sunday nights! read more

Bissap Baobab - Senegalese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Fun and lively place for Senegalese food and for a change of pace from the popular offerings on Mission Street. We tried their yassa, mafe, poulet DG, and the aloko fried plaintains. Our server recommended lamb as the choice of protein, and I see why. For all our lamb dishes: juicy and not gamey, which is always a win when it comes to lamb. Lamb was a little inconsistent on texture with some bites being extremely tender and others more tough but worked well with the stew type dishes. The service was very friendly. Just FYI the restaurant was very loud. We were practically screaming to hear each other at some point, but I believe the restaurant turns into a dance club later in the night so that checks out. read more

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Amazing food! Amazing acts! Amazing people! Serving delicious Senegalese food along with excellent music performances and dance events; this place is a treasure for anyone in the Mission. I usually get the chicken mafe, but honestly, anything you get here is pretty flavorful. Thank you for making SF such a great place to be. read more

Bissap Baobab - Chicken Mafe with Jollof rice. - Senegalese Near Me - San Francisco, California

I was originally excited to try out the food here, however after eating I was a bit disappointed. The fish in the ceebu jen felt overfried and was a bit on the drier side. The flavor overall was okay but it didn't particularly impress me either. I tried some of my friend's lamb and jollof rice and the lamb felt overcooked and the rice to be bland. On the other hand, the portion sizes here were generous so it ensured that we were full. read more

Bissap Baobab - Ceebu jen - Senegalese Near Me - San Francisco, California

My friend recommended Bissap Baobab as a place for us to catch a meal before a show at Z-Space and I was hyped to try Senegalese food in the Bay. My first experience with it at Chef Marie Claude's restaurant, Teranga, in Boston was excellent. Bissap Baobab was just okay. I made a 6pm reservation which was pointless, because when I walked in, no one greeted me. I asked a woman sitting at the counter if I should seat myself and she replied, "I would." I grabbed my own menus and sat at an empty table outside. When my friend arrived, the waitress came and took our orders. I basically created a non-alcoholic drink for myself since there weren't any available on the menu and my friend took her first drink back, as she disliked it. As for the food itself, it was quite tame on flavor. The plantains were excellent as an appetizer, but simple. The entree left much to be desired. The mafe was poured over the meat, which took away some of the crisp the meat had. The lamb was definitely overcooked, and the jollof rice was super dry and kind of bland. Mixing everything together made it edible, but this wasnt the best meal. The servers were kind and professional, but this was a MUCH more casual experience than I expected. Eh. read more

Bissap Baobab - Hibiscus and ginger juice. - Senegalese Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Very good food and colorful space. I'm planning a visit for the entertainment. I'm told it's very fun.

This review is specifically a thanks to Bissap Baobab and Agua Pura for a great night. I hosted my monthly event here with my amigas because we love dancing and supporting Latinas (Agua Pura is an all femme salsa band led by a Latina.) If you love salsa dancing and great drinks, check their calendar for future events. read more

Went here for dinner Friday night. Absolutely the best meal I've had in quite some time. My mom and I got the hibiscus and the ginger juice, both were great. The food we ordered was delicious. The server was super friendly and attentive. We were there right when they opened, so we listened to the band warm up, they sounded like everyone was in for a good show. Definitely will be back! read more

Came here on a thursday afternoon for dinner after suggestion by a friend, and it was great! If you've never had West African (Senegalese) food before, this is THE SPOT to try. Super authentic and welcoming, there's a bar for drinks, tables for dining, and even an open space for dancing and music with occasional performances that you can drop in! The servers are super welcoming and give great recommendations and explanations for each dish. Fantastic ambient environment and service with native decorations aside, the food was amazing. We had the Yassa with jollof rice, chicken & akara, Mafe with fufu and chicken, and the pastelles with feta and spinach. All of the dishes were great! The jollof rice was fantastic and flavorful, fufu soft and hot, akara was sooo good (just like tofu!, MUST TRY as a west african classic imo) and the sauces were all delicious. Would highly recommend, especially for vegetarians and friends alike to try :) read more

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very cute vibes with a dance floor but service was kinda slow and the food was just so-so. got a chicken gambo saff and they gave me a lot of chicken but it was pretty dry. the okra stew was good though read more

Bissap Baobab - Gambo Saff - Senegalese Near Me - San Francisco, California

This is a cute little restaurant amongst the chaos of Mission street. We came here because our original dinner plans didn't work out and we were rather pleasantly surprised. We were seated promptly on a Friday night, which was much appreciated. The ambiance is a little clubby since there is a dance hall next door. The service made up for that as it was prompt and friendly. We got the Dibi, Mafe, and Banana Flambé, which were all tasty. I loved the fried plantains. The portions and flavors were perfect. If you are looking to try something new in the heart of the Mission, I highly recommend checking this restaurant out. read more

Came here on a random Thursday. Made a reservation on Open Table but they had plenty of tables available upon arrival. The service was friendly and fast. The food was tasty, my first time trying this type of food. They have live music playing at nights in an area with couches. Seems like people like to come for some drinks and music but I definitely recommend checking out the food as well! read more

Bissap Baobab - Poulet DG - Senegalese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Food is amazing, flavorful and a good portion. Big open area. Service was okay. Overall fun times in the Mission! Wish they played music earlier. read more

Marco is phenomenal! We celebrated our graduation here and it felt like we were with family. Marco took care of all our needs. The food was delicious the DJ was on point and the service was 10/10. Thank you thank you thank you! read more

A true community gem. The food is incredible, everyone that works there is sooo nice and the vibes are GOOD. I've gone both as a patron and as an event planner for my workplace. They were incredible to work with and made the night a huge success. Everyone should support Marco and the whole Bissap Baobab community- especially now that they have their liquor license! read more

Bissap Baobab - Senegalese Near Me - San Francisco, California

Don't get the fufu! I don't know what happened to their fufu, because it used to be so good. But I ordered about 6 this weekend because I was making Egusi, I know I should have taken a picture because I swear they sent us mash potatoes, the fufu looked seasoned which I've never seen. Was very disappointed read more

The food was really good. We got seafood prawn coco and it was spicy but yummy. The yassa sauce is really good. Would recommend the lamb yassa. The ambiance is great here. Some nights they have live music. When we were there it was jazz night. The service was very friendly. We ordered a second dessert a little late and it took a long time to get the dessert; however, the waiter later apologized and provided a dessert on the house. We were really appreciative of the gesture. It is hard to find parking. Would recommend coming here for yummy food and good music. read more

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Ordered the chicken with fufu .. one portion of the yam was undercooked and hard . And the rice was cold .. chicken gave a bad after taste.. I suggest going in before door dashing it . Just because stuff like this ! read more

Marco and his team are incredible to work with, amazing hosts, and even stronger community builders. Thank you for opening your restaurant doors to our school community, and helping us throw the party of the year! The catering-style food was incredible! Our guests were full and very happy. The space is *large* for San Francisco, and lends itself perfectly to community events and fundraisers. The walls are covered in art and bright colors, high ceilings, and so much space! Working with Marco and the team felt like being with family. We look forward to working with you again next year! read more

The Dibi combo with fish and jollof rice is da bomb! Marco, the owner is so sweet and welcoming. I love the warm, colorful ambiance and chill African music. I have been busy Shazamming the tunes to add to my listening library at home. read more