I have been to Bukom Cafe at least a 1/2 dozen times. Yesterday had to be up there with one of the worst dining experiences I've had. Ordered: suya, pepper soup, jollof rice + a glass of water. I NEVER go the glass of water I asked for at least 3 times. Took over an hour to get the soup, which came out with fish and not the goat I asked for. The lukewarm temperature of soup and rice (that seemed to not be cooked). Everybody seated in the area (downstairs) where I was had an issue with their food. Folks couldn't get hot sauce, drinks weren't what they ordered, complaints about food, long waits to pay their bill. How do I know this, I watched as I sat for a long time waiting for my food. I got so tired and frustrated I grabbed my jacket to leave and my food finally came as I started to walk away from the table. To make matters most, when I asked for bill that had the nerve to come with a service charge on the bill for a party of one, server seemed annoyed I did not tip. The hassle of making this place a destination visit with the limited parking on the streets, further makes it not worth it. I gave two stars because other meals I have had were solid, but service is not their orientation. You're not going there for even decent service, because you won't get it. I'd reluctantly visit again. read more

The food was truly amazing! The stew was so sweet, one of the best I've tasted! The suya and moi moi was delicious as well. I will definitely be back to try more items next time I visit DC! read more

Bukom Cafe - The platter! Jollof rice with plantain, stewed beef and chicken wings. - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The food was stunningly delicious. We tried a number of tasty entrees, however, the Aflao Salmon was my personal favorite. And I do not like salmon! The side rice complimented wonderfully. Beverages were diverse, with my wife enjoying an African Mule. The service was impeccable, and the ambiance and vibe was palpable. Easily the best dining experience we had on our trip from Minnesota, to and through North Carolina, including the Outer Banks. Would definitely recommend to anyone. read more

I bought Waakye and it was very disappointing. one spoon of stew, very dry chicken and it was just not good. I was there years ago and it was good but I'm not sure what's happening at the moment. read more

Bukom Cafe - It's suppose to be Waakye - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Solid African restaurant. The food is delicious and flavorful. The drinks are also pretty good and they have outdoor seating read more

Bukom Cafe - Eugsi - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

My bf (Nigerian) & I enjoy trying new places. We usually do, Japanese or Indian but for this vacation I decided we branch out to different types of restaurant not in our region of North Jersey. This was quite hard seeing how we stayed in Chinatown, DC but when I tell you it was worth it! I was very nervous about the spice level (based of stereotypes) but it was actually perfect, seasoned well & all 20/10 would recommend. We both at the Aflao Salmon, I had jollof rice & he had pounded yam. For drinks we had the African Mule & African Connection both very good. Due to COVID there was no hookah or love music but it was beautiful day to be outside. If your ever in DC this will be a great place to check out, there are a bunch of different spot in the area too. ENJOY! read more

See all

Ordered pickup. Service was friendly and everything was packaged well. Ambiance looked like any other dive bar however I was only in there for about 30 seconds. I tried the egusi, fufu, and bokum wings. The egusi with goat was missing SEASONING.. salt and spice. I can't imagine this is how it's supposed to be. The goat was very tender and there was plenty of meat in the container BUT, again it lacked seasoning. Very disappointing. The fufu was good. A plain starch for dipping. There's a lot of hype around the bokum wings but I don't understand why. They were fine. Nothing made them feel special. Seems like a random item added to the menu to please folks who don't want to try new things. The wings also lacked seasoning. There was a small side of sauce which was almost just enough because I used it sparingly. It wasn't even filled all the way. I don't understand the hype. Overall I don't think it was worth $49 which doesn't include the 20% tip. It's pretty expensive especially a meal that's made for one person. I was really excited to try it out. I'll stick to suya guys in md. read more

By far my favorite place to eat! I've been coming here since March 2018 and have been bringing friends ever since! It's a small lounge type of restaurant in the heart of Adams Morgan with such vibrant energy. The bartenders Kojo and Joe are always so kind and full of smiles and laughter. Bukom usually has a live band every night. So much fun! And it brings in people from all different cultures to drink and be merry! My FAVORITE FAVORITE FAVORITE dish is the Okra Soup with Fufu At this point, because I've tasted majority of the menu, the Okra is my go-to dish. If I don't order it for my entree, I've got to order it to go for lunch the next day! I would recommend asking which dishes are spicy if you're not big on spice. Some are spicier than others. Over all, a great place to eat, hang out, and explore African culture. Highly recommended and the prices are VERY reasonable for DC. And tell them Liza sent you! IG: @ilove_liza read more

See all

My friend called in an order and was just about ready when I arrived. Strangely, they didn't ask for his name or number on the phone. When I arrived, I had to tell them what he ordered. It was also very loud inside. I had trouble communicating through my mask. We got Two egusi soup, one with fish one with goat meat and two orders of beef suya. The beef was a bit tough but great flavor almost coated on. Tasted great with the tomato and onions. The egusi soup might just not be my thing and I respect that. I don't want to judge it since it was my first time tying it. It was nice and rich, well filled with the respective proteins. The pounded yam was ample for the dishes too. Overall, a good experience but would try another dish next time. read more

See all

Stopped by for cocktails and their sweet African vibes. As I walked through the door the music was pumping! My body immediately responded and hit every beat on command. The cocktails were okay. What stood out for me was the bathroom. I went to the bathroom and walked out without using it. The bathroom still looks like it did ten years ago. Please revamp your ladies bathroom. It's not a good look. I did dance the entire time until my friends were ready to go. African and Reggae music definitely resonate with my soul. Also ten years ago the food was amazing. I didn't order food this time and don't think I probably will the next time. But the music is a vibe! Gave three stars for the music. read more

I went to Bukom Cafe tonight and the food was excellent. The shots were $11 and the shot was so little what happened. The service was excellent. The band needs a little more work! It's way to loud and I couldn't talk to my friends. All in all I had a great time! I will be back for the food, not the drinks! Water with lemon for me!! read more

I was really hoping to enjoy the food here. I ordered Jollof rice with goat meat. The whole meal lacked salt. I had to get salt from my hotel and add to the meal . I really hope this is not a common trend with this restaurant read more

Great food, drinks and staff. Everything on the menu is fantastic. My go to for cassava and suya. read more

Bukom Cafe - Cassava with jollof rice, Suya, Fried Plantains - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

3.5 stars If you're looking for a spot in Adams Morgan to get your Reggae mix fix and also get some GOOD West African food, then this is the place for you. Super crowded on a Saturday night. Bukom Cafe has your usual dranks at normal DMV prices. They have two bars-a larger one up front and a smaller one in the back near the restrooms. Not really my scene, so I'd give the downstairs/"club" portion 3 stars. Headed upstairs to take a peak and saw people eating food that looked delicious. Decided to order the Red Snapper entree (whole red snapper deep fried with salad, plantains and rice.) for $15. OoOoOo this dish tasted soooooooooooo yum! The red snapper was super tasty and finger licking good. The salad, plantains, and rice were a nice addition to the meal. Food service upstairs could be a little slow and you might have to flag down a waiter. Other than that, 4 stars for their food. read more

Bukom Cafe - Red snapper. - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Unworthy This shit Was 17$ And They gave me the smallest mount of fufu This Was Very Lazy Made. read more

Bukom Cafe - Cassava Leaves - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I've been to Bukom Cafe pre and post renovations. Before it was more traditional decor sporting African designs. Now it's more modern looking. I think it has more seats now. I went with a group and we ordered a variety of meals. I can't remember who got what as it was a month ago but everyone liked their choice. I found it a tad pricey as I know other places with similar offerings with bigger portions for less but it's in primetime Adam's Morgan which has high rents so I get it. There was a snafu at the end on paying for our meal. The server instead of separating our bills like we asked and he agreed, at the end of the meal asked if we could scan the QR code for the menu and ring up our own orders which confused the kitchen and the managers. We worked it out. It was probably a rookie mistake but this place has been around a long time. Maybe it's under new management or have new post-pandemic processes. I don't know. What I know is that their food is good and if you've never had West African cuisine before, give it a shot as they know what they're doing and they do it well. Just forgive little missteps if you see them because this is rightfully a staple of the neighborhood and I hope it is around for a long time. read more

I went for an early dinner on a weekday, so the place was relatively empty. the bartender immediately greeted me and offered me a menu. my food came out quickly, and was expectedly flavorful. I ordered the egusi with a side of fufu; the goat was so incredibly tender. definitely worth another visit my next time in DC. read more

Bukom Cafe - egusi - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Great night! This will be my new spot in Adams Morgan. My food was excellent. Very good service(hard to come by these days) good vibe overall. Highly recommend!!!! read more

Met friends who were in town for a convention. Read reviews and decided to try, hoping that the volume of the music would not be overwhelming. We were wrong. Cute place. Small, packed friendly bar as you enter. One other table of diners. That should have been our first clue. Food was absolutely scrumptious ( especially chicken yassa) but very slow in coming. Spotty service. We noticed lots of takeout orders. Music was good but terribly loud. We all left with headaches. Food good enough for takeout but not a positive dining experience. read more

Could have been better to me-- I ordered go UberEats and it took hours and hours to come literally. I finally get it and the cassava leaf needs seasoning. Once I did it that was good. The goat in the pepper soup could have used some seasoning again not very flavorful. The best things were the stewed beef, fish and jollof. That stew was very flavorful. I wouldn't eat here again though the wait was horrendous. The egusi was a absolute 0/10 there was no saving that one read more

Amaaazing place! I had the Egusi with got and it was phenomenal. I complimented it with plantains and jollof rice. The food was hot, flavorful and the meat was tender and cooked to perfection. I highly recommend this place. The service was phenomenal as well. read more

Bukom Cafe - Egusi with Fish or Goat - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

My friend and I are relatively new to the DC area and we love trying new foods and cuisines. I was looking for a west African restaurant and Bukom was one of the search results that came up. I had my heart set on trying fufu so I was super excited. The service at Bukom was great! The waitress who took our order was very nice and even the bar tender and another employee came by to check on us. (They make strong drinks but I'm not complaining :D) We ordered the wings to start and they were juicy, tender, and crispy on the outside. The sauce that came with it was tangy and a little sweet so it was a nice flavor combo. Next, we split a main dish which was the oxtail and of course got it with fufu. OH MY GOSH! The oxtail was so tender and fell right off the bone and that sauce was delicious. The fufu was everything I expected and more! For those who have never had it, the consistency reminds me of gnocchi except you tear it apart from a big ball and use it to sop up the sauce. I could eat that all day! Anytime I'm looking for west African food I know where I'm eating! Next I want to try the peanut soup. read more

Bukom Cafe - Oxtail with fufu - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

A great place to be. Good African cuisine. Good customer service. Nice and friendly people. I will visit again. read more

Food hit the spot !!! Casual environment with some afrobeats in the background loved the food! Tasty will recommend and come back !!

I didn't get to Afrochella, but I did make it to @bukomcafe to eat...so I'm not the least bit upset. DO NOT let the surrounding coffee shops and cookie joints in Adam's Morgan throw you off. This place is a hidden gem and they have some amazing food. They provide amazing service and the vibe inside is great too. They play good music and they also have a DJ some nights. The name of the dish in my picture is Red Red. Its Fried Croaker, Black Eyed Pea Stew, and Plantains. The Mama's Wings are banging too. They have everything on the menu from goat to fish to chicken to oxtails. I believe I will be giving the oxtails a try on my next visit. Definitely looking forward to making a return trip very soon. read more

See all

Ordered the egusi with goat. Dish came right out, like not even a 5 minute wait. Was absolutely delicious! Only desire was that there was a little more meat but other than that it filled me right up and was very satisfying. Waitress was very pleasant. Also got my bill quickly as well so that I could get right into some local nightlife. I have to say given how quickly the food came out, how tasty, filling, and satisfying it was, how nice and efficient my waitress was, and how soon I was able to get on with my night, I have to say this was one of the best dining experiences I've had. read more

I had my favorite dish - pounded yam and egusi. Not as good as mom makes it but still good enough for my appetite. My date had the jollof rice. We have had better but it also was good enough. The meats though! They were no typical "African party" meats. They were succulent! Now talk about cocktails! They had several that looked so appetizing but I ended up with the shakara! I wanted more and more but since it was day time, I made peace with just one. The service was also good. I am not sure about the service during busy times but I was satisfied. I plan to be back. read more

See all

Great food. You are getting quality and quantity. The atmosphere was lovely and they had live music.

Had to get my fix recently. The craving for W. African food hits hard sometimes. I wasn't disappointed. Egusi with fish, jollof rice, and plantains...everything was delicious and served fresh & hot. Hot pepper sauce and tomato sauce are the perfect additions. Still haven't figured why this place isn't as packed as it used to be ‍ Old faithful, I'll be back time and time again! read more

Bukom Cafe - Egusi with fish, jollof rice, and plantains. My fav meal! - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Had a fantastic meal at Bukom Cafe! Really strange that the rating isn't higher since the food was delicious and the waiter was incredibly nice. Personally, I really liked the relaxed, casual environment although I could see it being slightly intimidating for someone visiting for the first time. I had the pepper soup, jollof rice, and a side of greens and felt totally comfortable that nothing contained gluten (a HUGE factor for me with dining out). I've honestly been craving the food almost everyday since I ate there last week. I think I found my new go to spot in Adams Morgan!! PS. I went during the Nigeria World Cup game and the crowd was so fun and energetic! I've heard the nights they have music are a similar vibe. read more

Bukom Cafe - West African food during the Nigeria game...gluten free feast - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Food is real good. They have a selection of African beers which is a major plus. When they're open, it's a good spot to go. That kitchen knows what it's doing. read more

Bukom Cafe - Pepper Soup - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Everything about this place was great! The bartender was very friendly and the very attentive to us. We ordered the nja pepper soup? Suya, and moin moin for appetizers it was so good! We ordered 2 more bowls of pepper soup. For our entrees we got the red snapper and egusi with goat meat. All I can say is wow! I've been to plenty African restaurants all across the country but this place really met my standards! 10/10! Everything was great here! Whenever I'm in DC I'll be sure to come here read more

See all

Amazing food and service! I had the Nja pepper soup (spicy), moi moi, fried snapper and the suya. They are great options to get as appetizers! The bartender made sure I had great drinks and was happy at all times! Great spot for young millennials (especially Africans)! read more

My girls and i came here on Friday to enjoy the live band and have some drinks. We had a great time, great atmosphere, and met great people. The wings are sooo amazing omg and soo crispy. The sauce was to die for as well... Saturday my girls and i decided to come back again to have some fun and eat. I had some cassava leaf and it was soo tasty and spicy just like i liked it. The service was really great as well. We found a new chill spot to come enjoy a night out on the town!!! read more

I went to this place as recommendation. I decided to go with what I thought would be red stew fish, but tasted nothing like red stew. The jollof rice had carrots and peas in it , I was thinking what in the world rice and peas in jollof rice...nonsense! The rice was a bit soft and my plantains were just about mushy. The worse was the fish was fishy if you know what I mean. Not sure if I ordered to early in the day or I just got them on a bad day, not sure but I definitely won't be back. read more

Whatever you do, DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT order delivery (on postmates) from Bukom Café. The AMOUNT OF TIMES I have placed a delivery order with Bukom that they have gotten wrong has far exceeded 4 times. I would even say it is closer to 5 or 6 times. How can you send someone Egusi soup with no fufu? How can someone request fufu and you give them rice or pounded yam? How can someone request pepper soup with goat and it not be delivered?!!!!!! And when I call to ask to have fufu delivered, nothing?! It is a shame that they can't get their deliveries correct because their food is alright. If you have run out of something, why not contact the customer and let them know so that they are not frustrated when they receive it? Where is the professionalism and the respect for the customer? How so very disappointing and unacceptable!!!!!!! Bukom cafe will not be receiving my money again. read more

The food is amazing here! I came with a small group and experienced a buffet of all the traditional foods. Thanks for a tasty time! read more

Bukom Cafe - a variety of food items on a table - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We finally visited Bukom Cafe after trying to get there for years & were not disappointed. We ordered Red-Red, goat pepper soup, suya, moi-moi and meat pies. For the Red-Red the fish and plantain were really good, the beans tasted a little older but were still flavorful, the pepper soup... I loved the balance of spice and flavor , the moi-moi was very flavorful as well... but the suya was hands down, the absolutely best I've had in a long time!!!! It was so flavorful and tender! I wish they were closer... my husband and I continuously contemplate driving back just for that. I tell you if it wasn't fur the need to parallel park, I would've made that trip again on my own, but I'm a country girl... can't parallel park to save my life. The day we went there was only one gentleman working the restaurant and I give him great respect because he handled things in a timely and efficient manner. We'll be back soon read more

See all

Had the Wache and goat meat. It was good Wache seemed like it was not fresh but the goat meat was awesome. The moi moi was one of the best I have had. The atmosphere is a typical African restaurant. Low key and traditionally decorated. Overall I would recommend this to non-Africans. One of the key things is that the food was not spicy at all, a common mistake with African Resturants. Overall not terrible, the plantain was great though. read more

Bukom Cafe - First time trying this let's see what the hype is about. - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The food here is good. I can enjoy various authentic West African food dishes from here. I can enjoy certain dishes here West Africa along with music art and community. read more