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Buka West Africa

3.7 (9 reviews)

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Tokunbo Aka TJ J.

So we stumbled upon this spot and decided to stop by because it was an African joint, and we were pleasantly surprised to see it there. Oh my, we found out it's an extension of the Buka restaurant in Brooklyn, also on Fulton Street, which is a bigger spot with no outside seating area. They sell a few items like Jollof rice, puff-puff, suya, chicken, and fish, along with drinks. There is a fish market next door where you can purchase fresh fish, and they will grill it for you at Buka for a fee. The Jollof rice was nice, slightly spicy and smoky. Delicious and well-made, with seasoning on point! The fresh salad with grape tomatoes and cucumbers was a perfect complement. Since we don't eat meat, we had the salad with the rice to go. We will be back to try the fresh grilled fish at this spot. It took me back to our local Buka experience in Nigeria: some tables and chairs, good music, positive vibes, and the aroma of delicious food being prepared while sitting outside. The puff-puff was delicious, as a lovely appetizer or dessert. Service was nice with Carlos! Met one of the DJ's named Roxanne, she was quite nice! The owner, Lukeman was very welcoming and real cool. Check them out!

entrance lots of space

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AKWAABA RESTAURANT

AKWAABA RESTAURANT

4.2(49 reviews)
2.4 mi•Prospect Lefferts Gardens, Flatbush
•$$

Cash only! I must mention this first. No delivery either and…read morethis place is strictly take out. Saw locals coming and going so I am excited to enjoy this! 1. Waakye and stew with spaghetti with meat 2. Jollof and vegetable with fish 3. Peanut soup/okra soup 4. Fufu and Banku Service was great. I will phone it in next time to shorten the wait time. Quiet ambiance will lots of love and care going on in the kitchen!

Aunthetic Ghanaian food that's conveniently located in Flatbush, which is lucky for me. It's a bit…read morestrange for the area, since the neighborhood is predominantly Carribean, but thankfully Akwaaba graces us (the name itself means, "Welcome", in Twi). I was told you know it's a legit place since inside, there's hanging one of the most common Ghanaian house decorations, the wall mat with the famous woman smiling from ear to ear, holding a vessel and a large bowl. This place is definitely a hole in the wall, resembling more of a closet on the side of a building than an actual eatery. It's cash only, be prepared, and also you might have to ring the doorbell since the guy isn't always there attentive waiting at the door. Prices were fair for what they were offering. We got the Banku with okra soup and Waakye with goat meat. Both were legit, according to my friend, and reminded him of home so much that he closed his eyes. He said we definitely need to go back.

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AKWAABA RESTAURANT
AKWAABA RESTAURANT - Fufu and Okra soup with goat meat (first option on the menu)

Fufu and Okra soup with goat meat (first option on the menu)

AKWAABA RESTAURANT

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Akara House

Akara House

4.8(39 reviews)
1.4 mi•Crown Heights

I came on a rainy day right at 11:30am when they open, and the owner was still getting things ready…read morebut kindly offered to rush my veggie sandwich order. Unfortunately that meant the bread got the microwave treatment instead of proper defrosting and toasting. If you've ever tried microwaved frozen bread, you know the texture I'm describing. The crispy honey bean (akara) burger itself was quite tasty. The patty had a crispy exterior and creamy bean paste interior, dressed up with vegan cheese, mayo, lettuce, tomato, and pickles. It's a nice alternative for vegetarians who dislike fake meat substitutes. They don't purport the beans taste like anything but beans. The jollof rice completed the meal. It had a rich tomato base with great depth of flavor that made everything feel more substantial. The owner was genuinely sweet about the whole rushed situation, and based on reviews, I know this is the kind of place that shines under normal circumstances. This is primarily a takeout spot with a few high-top tables by the window if you want to eat in. I'd definitely give it another shot during regular operating hours when they're not scrambling to accommodate early birds.

STEPH JUDGEMENT: A unique vegan fast food experience…read more I'd read about them in the New Yorker and was intrigued. A vegan Nigerian fast food joint in Brooklyn? Why not! We'd never had Nigerian food but were game to try. We took a bus to a decidedly unglamorous part of town, to a humble storefront with a couple of small outdoor tables. Inside was very small, with just some bar seating by the window and a bench. We were a bit early for the lunch rush, so had the place to ourselves. The nice owner came out to greet us and take our order. The hubby ordered the Classic Akara Burger, which was their signature deep fried honey bean fritter patty on a bun with tomato, lettuce, cucumbers and vegan mayo. It was good but a bit bland. My Oyster Mushroom Wrap with bean fritter pieces and veggies had more zip, courtesy of their Nigerian red sauce, and was quite sizable--I really enjoyed it. It was a very hot day and they had no AC inside (just fans) so we opted to eat at one the outside tables, which turned out to be much cooler and quite pleasant. If you're vegan/vegetarian or just curious about what Nigerian flavors are like, I'd say it's very much worth a try.

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Akara House
Akara House
Akara House

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Ghenet Brooklyn

Ghenet Brooklyn

4.0(571 reviews)
0.6 mi•Gowanus, Park Slope
•$$

they serve ethiopian beer & have happy hours! ask about the specials!…read more great spot, HUGE portions. keep that in mind, please share with your guests. everything is reasonably priced too. good service. for an app we got the chicken Sambusa. this was good, but i wanted more! spice level - be careful. they also give plenty of Injera for the table to share, besides what your food is served on. end or begin your meal with one of the teas. they will not disaapoint.

It's been awhile since I've tried Ghenet. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality and quantity…read morethis past week. The injera bread was very fresh and delicious. I always get a combination dinner. This time I tried the Siga Wett beef stew with Ethiopian spices - very delicious! Spicy but not too spicy. Ethiopian food can be addictive, years ago I was definitely into eating a lot of Ethiopian. New York City has some great Ethiopian. If I were a tourist here, it would be on my list under "things to try." Or at least to try once ! I also had 2 vegetarian dishes - the Shiro Wett and the Messir Wett. The Shiro was made with beans. The Mesir was made with lentils. I've had the Shiro and Mesir Watt many times before - both at Ghenet as well as other Ethiopian restaurants (Awash Ethiopian on the upper west side). I think Ghenet has some of the most flavorful dishes in the city. They don't overdo it - just the right amount of spicy hotness. Overall, my favorite dish from the combination platter was the Shiro Wett. It had a light touch of smokiness that went really well with the beans. Very filling and delicious with the injera. I wish they offered fitfit salad - the menu has Ethiopian tomato salad but there are no photos of it on the online menu. There are photos of some of the other menu items but not all. I think they'd sell more stuff if there were photos since not everyone is familiar with all of the various dishes. Just a thought.

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Ghenet Brooklyn
Ghenet Brooklyn
Ghenet Brooklyn - Veggie platter for 3. More than enough and amazingly delcicious.  Outstanding injera.

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Veggie platter for 3. More than enough and amazingly delcicious. Outstanding injera.

Native - Platter for 2. Jollaf was amazing so was the goat and snapper

Native

3.4(109 reviews)
2.1 mi•Bedford Stuyvesant, Bushwick

Very cute spot with delicious food! Everything we ordered was very tasty. The only downside was…read morethat the music was extremely loud, so it didn't feel like the most intimate place for a date. They also offer hookah, which was a nice touch and added to the overall experience. The drinks were okay. I felt like they could have used a bit more alcohol, as they tasted more like juice than cocktails. That seems to be a trend at a lot of restaurants these days. Overall, the experience was very enjoyable. The atmosphere was cute, the food was excellent, and we had a great time. Thanks for an amazing meal!

Overall, I would give Native 3 out of 5 stars. The ambiance is definitely the highlight. I would…read moregive the atmosphere and decor a 5 out of 5. The space is beautiful, has a great vibe, and the staff was friendly and welcoming. They also offer hookah, which was a plus for us. Parking can be a little challenging since there is no dedicated parking. We had to circle the area a few times before eventually finding street parking, so I would recommend giving yourself a little extra time. We happened to visit on a night when they were hosting an event, and unfortunately, the music was extremely loud. It was difficult to have a conversation or really enjoy the atmosphere, and that was my biggest complaint of the night. I understand that the volume may have been because of the particular event happening that evening, so I would not necessarily judge the restaurant entirely based on that experience. I would definitely give Native another try on a regular night. The ambiance, friendly staff, and hookah make it worth coming back. I would just prefer to visit when the music is at a more comfortable volume.

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Native - Beautiful entryway

Beautiful entryway

Native - Cake slice for the bday girl.

Cake slice for the bday girl.

Native

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Joloff

Joloff

4.0(252 reviews)
1.0 mi•Bedford Stuyvesant
•$$

My friend told me this place has delicious food and she did not lie to me!…read more I had the mafe jeun and the flavors were flavoring! The peanut butter flavor isn't overpowering and the wasn't spicy. I enjoyed the chunks of carrots as much as I did the fish. It's a great combo and a satisfying meal! I tasted some of my friend's meal, the yassa jeun and the onions are delectable!! Overflowing with flavor! I'll try that dish next time! The jollof rice was fantastic! I prefer jollof that isn't smoky and this hit the spot. Good tomato flavor and soft, well-cooked rice. I also got the ginger drink and it's made with for real, real ginger. Like for real, for real! I felt healthy as I drank it! I definitely recommend this place and be patient when you order because the food is worth the wait!

We happened to be in this part of Brooklyn for the concert in a small park by my son's band, and…read morehappened to notice that there was a Senegalese restaurant nearby. Since we've never had Senegalese food, the decision to go there was no brainer. The interior of the restaurant looked like an art gallery, with paintings, carvings, handicrafts and photos from Western Africa. An old man (the owner?) received us. He recommended several vegetarian options for me, but I already had my heart set on the Okra stew. He then asked if I wanted Okra Tofu? I asked him if people in Senegal consumed Tofu? He said no, but customers had requested it, so they put it on the menu. (Who comes to a Senegalese restaurant and asks for Tofu?) I told him to not give me anything outside an authentic Senegalese diet. A few minutes later he came out of the kitchen to tell me that there was not enough okra stew left to form a main dish, but he'd offer whatever was there as a free side dish for me. So I went with his suggestion of Mafe Legumes (vegetables stewed in peanut butter sauce), while husband asked for the Senegalese national dish of Tiebou Jeun (baked fish). For the accompanying starch, I chose Funio, the Western African staple grain (again introduced by this wise old man). We also ordered Nem Legumes - vegetable spring rolls (I'd call them samosas :-)). Husband asked for a ginger drink. The ginger drink tasted like pure ginger juice (sweetened a bit of course) - it would certainly cleanse one's palate and warm one's stomach. The Nem Legumes were nice, but the winner was the stewed tomato dipping sauce that came with them. Our main dishes were served on large dinner plates. The portions were so substantial that I ended up packing half of my stew home, after stuffing myself unusually full already. There were chunks of yam, carrots and cabbage on my plate, flavored in a creamy and well-seasoned peanut butter sauce. But the winner was still the Okra stew - spicy, tangy, tasty. I also stole some Joloff rice off my husband's plate. It was another surprisingly delicious treat! His fish looked like a portion of a big carp, with quite a bit of bones to pick out (we don't mind fish bones, having been well trained in certain Asian cuisines :-)) Our bill, presented by a young waitress, came in a little basked covered by the broad hem of an African lady in a beautiful dress. The old man passed out table and said "oh yes she collects for us." For a meal of one appetizer, two mains, and a drink, the price was super reasonable!

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Joloff - The bill collector

The bill collector

Joloff - Okra stewed in tomato sauce

Okra stewed in tomato sauce

Joloff

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Buka West Africa - african - Updated October 2026

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