There's something about this place and sharing the experience with Africans (Sierra Leone and Zimbabwe) that makes it magical! Hosting my adopted family member and his best friend was already a treat. However, we unanimously decided to share a meal and instinctively ended up here. Great flavor, friendly service, and a festive environment as a Steppin' event was occurring! Watching everyone dance and have fun made it even more enjoyable. Absolutely recommend trying this, especially if you're a fan of African cuisine!!! read more

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Ordered fish egussi, fufu, chicken yassa and jollof rice. Everything was ok but nothing was stellar. I have definitely had better African food elsewhere. The jollof rice was lacking the flavor I'm accustomed to; it was pretty bland and a bit oily. The chicken yassa was the star but the portion was quite small for the price. read more

Food was pretty good. Nice environment and decor. May return not sure but I would recommend..

I haven't been here in over 3 years .They have maintained quality and consistency over the years. Hands down they are the best place to get Egussi in all of North East Ohio. I happened to be in the area on a Saturday afternoon, the atmosphere was vibrant. The dj was playing for a steppers set. They do this every third Saturday. I was with my husband and we danced to a Couple songs and enjoyed our meal. We will be back with friends a great date night. read more

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I go to Choukouya all the time and thought it was a great idea to host my birthday dinner there. I called two weeks before the date to confirm if they could accommodate our party of 22 people and Shay confirmed they could. I called the Thursday before my event and was told again that they could accommodate us and that they were looking forward to seeing us. The day of the event (two days later), my husband and I get there 20 mins early and we were greeted with "oh you guys showed up?" When we inquired what the server meant she stated that the owners bet we weren't coming and directed staff to not prepare for our party. Well, sure enough all members of our party showed up and tables were not ready. We did not have glassware or full silverware for everyone, but instead we were given paper cups and members of our party had to use plasticware to eat. Throughout the evening the server came back and took drink orders, but did not make our drinks because the food was "coming out faster" than she expected. Several people in our party did not get their main entrées or their entire order. Mind you, we had one server for over 20 people AND she was also the server for the entire restaurant. The manager/owner was there but "didn't have time" to assist her or even come over to the table to speak to us about the disarray that was happening. Instead, he offered four bottles of wine which was nice but that didn't make up for the fact that people didn't get their food or drinks (this includes basic soda orders). The peek of the evening was that when we all got our bills the server forgot to remove her not so professional nicknames including but not limited to "Titty girl, Dreads, Glasses, Ponytail" etc from our checks to remember us. Though the server was kind and it wasn't her fault, it really put a dapper on my view of this restaurant and I am very disappointed. In total our party brought in close to and probably over $800 and we weren't taken seriously especially given it was the first time some of my party had been there. The worse part is that another restaurant was ready for us and we could have gone there but I chose Choukouya and I am sad to say that I regret it. read more

Food was absolutely disgusting!!!!! And I love African food!!! The man next to me sauf the same thing as well and sent his back and he was as African!!'n arrived home and my stomach was upset all night!! read more

I'm from west Africa so visiting this Nigerian restaurant brought back memories from home. I was very excited to visit. A friend treated me to dinner which was very nice. NIGERIAN FOOD (5/5) -- I ordered and shared the Egusi soup and Eba with a fellow Yelper, Angelo. My friend and fellow Yelper Gabby ordered lamp chops with jollof rice. We all also ordered meat pie to share. Everything tasted absolutely delicious. I really loved their Egusi soup with Eba. It was VERY authentic and it tasted the same as it would in Nigeria. It had the melon seeds and leafy vegetables in them. I recommend this meal to anyone. SERVICE -- Excellent. The waiter er had is a friendly man who is originally from a country in West Africa and he spoke French. The restaurant wasn't too busy when my friends and I arrived (we did arrive earlier for dinner though, around 4:30pm). They play African music and they have a small bar as you walk in. I only rate this restaurant a 4/5 rating because I hardly give 5/5 ratings until I've been to a particular establishment many times. Since I've only been here once and I have not tried a majority of the food options, a 4/5 rating is fair to me. Overall, I will be definitely be back here because they offer authentic Nigerian/West African food. **** - 74/150 total reviews in 2023 - 625 total overall Yelp reviews - Reviewed on 25 June 2023 read more

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Great place to experience African food. Spacious enough to seat 150 to 200 people. You will enjoy great African music as well. Prices are moderate. read more

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I was looking for something new to try and came across this place. I do not eat meat so all my dishes were veg friendly. The man behind the bar was fantastic. He was kind and helpful. Our food came out fresh and very hot. The portion sizes are large. The prices are comparable to other restaurants. They offer a full bar menu as well. The veggie pie reminded me of an empanada. It was very good. Most of the dishes could be served vegan. They do offer a few specific vegan dishes to ease the vegan mind. The dishes all appeared to be a bit greasy, but that might be related to the style of cooking. Over all, they flavors were well balanced and tasted really good. read more

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Fun experience, amazing food, and great service. Flavors were so vibrant and delicious, the lamb was tender and fufu was amazing read more

Choukouya Resto-Bar - Mocktail - African Near Me - Cleveland, Ohio

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I came here last week for my 23rd birthday because I have been dying to try Fufu and Egusi, and it was PHENOMENAL. The food tasted like absolute heaven. I will definitely be coming back to try more things. Our waiter was SO sweet too. He was so kind and very helpful, he made us feel welcome there. The vibe inside was amazing too! Beautiful art all around, the seating was wheelchair accessible, wonderful music, just absolutely amazing. This was the best birthday experience I ever had. 20/10 read more

My experience at Choukouya was good for the most part. The food is really good and flavorful, we had the Snapper and Lamb chops. The menu needs to be updated though, as everything is a la carte The service was alright, very friendly but not super attentive. The ambiance is decent but there was no heat and on a -2 degree night heat is very much needed. It's too cold to not have the heat on. read more

The food is amazing, if you can stay up long enough for it to come out of the kitchen!! This was my 4th time coming here. The first time, I had an issue with missing a considerable portion of my takeout order. That was red flag number one. We returned on a few more occasions and only got drinks. On this occasion, I arrived with a party of 4 at 10pm to this not so crowded venue. Put our drink order in and waited 1/2 hour for them to come out and to subsequently be able to place our order for entrees. After about an hour wait, 3 of the four dishes came out. We were told the last dish was on its way multiple times before it finally arrived...along with our bill. It had been an entire additional hour before the last dish came from the kitchen. I told the server that it wasn't even worth bringing out at this point because our evening was over. The clock had struck an entire new day as it was about 12:15 am at this point, and everyone at my table was falling asleep. I asked if he could comp our bill for the extensive wait time, and was told no. He informed me that he couldn't do anything. I asked if there was a manager on duty, and he said I could speak with the owner. I waited about ANOTHER 5 minutes and our server came back and stated the owner said it was nothing they could do about it. I asked why he didn't come to our table to talk to me and was told that he wouldn't. What type of establishment is this?? He told me that I could go and talk to him myself, so I left my table to go speak to the owner of the restaurant, who was literally 10 feet behind our table at the bar. When I spoke to him, it was clear that he and the server were not on the same page because he gave me a completely different story. He mentioned the last dish takes more time. But an entire two hours??? This was a seafood dish with salmon and scallops. I don't know of any recipes for these ingredients that takes two hours to make! Regardless, I explained that if this was mentioned when I ordered, I would have opted for something else. So to sum it up, they took over two hours to prepare and bring out one of the dishes we ordered. They brought it out after everyone else at the table had finished eating. The server ended up boxing it up and bringing it out with our bill. They refused to comp me for it. I told them I didn't want it and they politely took it back (boxed and all) and removed it from my bill. I understand this is a small business whose owners are not originally from the Americas. Regardless, this is not how customer service works here. The lack of consideration for the experience had here is unacceptable, and the resolution was ridiculous. I wouldn't dream of coming back to this place, and would warn any would be diners to avoid at all costs. There are far more establishments in the area where they leadership actually cares about their patrons experience. read more

Went there for dinner, ordered my food, it took an hour to get out food, my issue is how quick our server was to get our order but was horrible with updating us on the status. He actually seemed irritated. I really try to be courteous, but don't blow me off when I'm spending my money. The atmosphere is good, but service needs some training on etiquette. read more

Incredibly tasty. I enjoyed this food so much. Truly I can't believe I sat there that long and stuffed my face the way I did. I ate like a hungry goat. I ordered the Egussi with chicken. I had Eba (fufu) and Jollof rice. It was so delicious. The staff was very nice and the vibe was comfy. I'll definitely be returning with more friends! Oh and get the sauce on the side because baby, your bootyhole gone be on fire! read more

Choukouya Resto-Bar - Me and my girl celebrating my birthday - African Near Me - Cleveland, Ohio

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I asked for med spice level! Was way too spicy to even eat. I told the waitress I didn't want the soup because it was too spicy and she said she couldn't take it off the bill. I asked to speak with the manager she said she didn't have one. Then when we were ready to go she took my soup and poured trash in it not even giving me a chance to take it home with me, because why wouldn't I take it home if it was $22 & I couldn't get a refund! My bill was $41 and all I ate was a salad and water!! I Will Not be coming back! Save your money people! read more

This place is a hidden gem ! The food was delicious and so very authentic it brought me back to my days in West Africa! They're happy hour is delicious and the service was great. The ambience is inviting and looks like it accommodates a large group if need to be. I will definitely be coming back again. read more

Choukouya Resto-Bar - Tilapia - Poisson Braise Red Snapper - Poisson Braise Attieke - African Near Me - Cleveland, Ohio

This place is a hidden gem. The restaurant has events most week days, which can be found on their social media pages. I went on a Wednesday for dinner. When you enter, note that it is seat yourself. I did so and waited for about 10 minutes before being greeted. It was 6 pm and the staff was still arriving so our server was also the main bartender. The menu is expansive and covers dishes mainly from west Africa and has European influence throughout. It's a bit confusing to read but any questions I had I asked the staff and they answered very nicely and willingly. I tried several dishes with plantains, jolif rice and fufu as starches. I would return to try more dishes! It's awesome that Cleveland has a restaurant that offers foods from West Africa, that's made by folks from there and that is owned by people from there. You should really give this place a try! read more

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The food is so appetizing that I recommend this place. The service and the atmosphere is as you like. The waiters are so respectful and fun that I want to be present every day. Also the music is classic allows a good digestion. do not wait, take the key of your car and take a ride. read more

The food was great the serving size was good for sure. Everything is al cart, so you are buying separate which is ok. The atmosphere was inviting, and the music was nice. I don't have a problem with going back but I will take cash and not give my card. The young lady behind the bar tried to charge me for dine-in service when I got my food to go. She never handed me a bill the owner had to come hand me my bill. I went and got cash for them it seems the young lady tried to tip herself 10.00. I have no problem with tipping specially if you are doing your job. Even if you do a poor service, I have no problem with tipping you, but you cannot try and make someone pay a tip for a to go order. read more

My take out order took over an hour before it was ready and I was the only food order they had for sure. There were two bar patrons and loud 90's type music playing in the dark restaurant which has a stage and bar area. Fufu ball was large and soft and dipped well into the peanut soup which was greasy, savory, and had a bit of sweetness. The goat in that was mostly gristle and bone. The winter melon soup REEKED of feces. I mean it smelled like actual poop. I thought it might be the goat but the goat and peanut soup didn't reek so I have no idea what happened but I couldn't even swallow a bite because the nasty taste and smell were so strong! The jollof was basically tomato sauce tinged rice. The African donuts were small hard crispy balls with tiny soft centers and basically mildly sweet without any specific flavor. They needed a sauce badly. The degue was like a sweet cream but had bits of something like millet in it. The bits were exactly in texture like sausage crumbles in a sausage gravy and were hard to enjoy. The pommels lyonnaise were fried potato slices with some moderately spiced sautéed onions. Meh. read more

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Dear Yelpers, This little spot has the vibes but beyond that, you'll be left with an underwhelming feeling. The service for our party of 9 was handled by a newer waitress which made the hour wait to order almost unbearable. When our food finally came, it too left much to be desired. The Uncle Ben's rice used for "jollof" rice was the tipping point. If you still venture to this Afro-centric establishment, the fish or lamb is your best bet. Make sure to bring your ear plugs if you come at night. Would hate for the house DJ to blow you away with his deafening tunes Your friendly neighborhood foodie read more

Choukouya Resto-Bar - Catfish Fillet w/ Jollof rice - African Near Me - Cleveland, Ohio

A bit less than impressed than I thought I would be, considering I love trying new foods from different countries and regions and continents... And on top of that, I don't think I'm picky. The struggle is that I don't know if I didn't like my food because it had a (perhaps traditional African) seasoning/flavor/herb that I personally didn't like, or if it was prepared poorly. If it was just some thing I personally didn't like the flavor of, then obviously that's a me-problem. But if it was them making it really badly then that's a them-problem. All I know is that I ordered the Egussi with beef, which came recommend. It arrived lukewarm, tasting of bitterness (like that flavor when you burn vegetables), and over cooked & tough meat chunks. Very unpleasant. I had leftovers, and I threw them away. Someone else ordered the red snapper dish, which I did have a bite of, and I think that showed more promise. With my experience of my dish, the cold building, dirty toilets, serving everything on paper plates, use of plastic utensils... I won't be a returning customer. The prices of the place really does not match what you're getting here. UPDATE: Just had a thought... Maybe they are using paper plates and plastic utensils because of Covid-19? read more

Came from out of state , and was not disappointed. The waiter made us feel comfortable and the food was delicious . They have Great music . It's a vibe . My 3 year old loved the fufu with egusi and beef . read more

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Check this place out. My husband and I stopped by based on yelp reviews and we loved it. We got the chicken in peanut sauce with foo foo (such a hit!) which is basically steamed plantains that you dip in the sauce and the large plate appetizer which is stewed lamb and chicken with veggies. Everything was delicious and the decor inside was fun, too. We also loved that the owner/chef stopped in on us a few times to see if we had questions and help explain to us how to eat the foo foo (we needed it) Be prepared to wait a little while, because they make everything from scratch. Sit back and enjoy the fun decor and lively music, close your eyes and you could almost be in Africa. read more

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The pepper soup was tasty but seriously oily. It was equal parts soup to oil, 4 pieces of meat on the bone that was mostly fat, and about 5 thin slices of pepper and onion (combined). For $15 it had very little substance. The lamb stew was seasoned nicely and had a nice kick to it, though there was nothing in it. Minus 1 star for leaving us hungry despite a hefty lunch price tag. Minus another star for ridiculous slow service. We did not even eat in! They took our order over the phone around 11:30 and told us 30 min. We showed up on time and still had to wait another 35 min! They couldn't have been busy, and they had been open since 11 so there's really just no excuse. Also note that their website's prices are inaccurate. The lamb stew clearly states $12 but we were charged $15. read more

I got the collared greens and fufu and IT WAS BUSSIN. The server Rita was so nice and informative! 10/10. Can't wait to go again. read more

Choukouya Resto-Bar - Eba - Fufu - African Near Me - Cleveland, Ohio

If you're looking for traditional African fare, this fine establishment repoing the Ivory Coast and additional West African flavors is the spot for you. Personally I like the seafood dishes, but the soups and sauces, meat pie, rice dishes and others are equally on point. Outside of the food, the service is friendly and helpful to newer samplers of their food. Top it off with entertainment on the weekend and you will really enjoy your dining experience here. Enjoy. read more

They do not miss on flavor and presentation. Easily one of my top 5 restaurants in Greater Cleveland.

Came back again and it was delicious again! This time I brought friends from Congo and Cote d'Ivoire, and they were excited as well! My Ivorian friend said it tasted like he was back at home. read more

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West African food lover's delight! This gem shares space with a tax office and liquor store. You might miss it if you don't listen for the loud music and smells of Cote d'Ivoire, Benin and Cameroon (and a few others!). As far as I know it's the only restaurant representing West Africa between New York and Chicago. I'll be back for another round of meals to try other items. The meat pie was good, but a shade oily. The goat N'dole was slightly salty and the goat meat chewy on occasion. But, it was tasty and more than enough for two meals with the mega ball of fufu. The music was loud, but ok if you're alone. The bar was stocked with items that seem popular with the clientele. Well worth a drive for a slice of West Africa in Cleveland. read more

On December 25, I and my friends drove to this restaurant based on the online information that the restaurant was open. I was disappointed to meet a closed restaurant after driving for 48 minutes. Please always give the correct information. Thank you. read more

This was my second time visit this restaurant. They are on to something GREAT! The food comes out hot, flavorful and the portions served are great. I surely hope this place do not get too comfortable and start changing how they began. When I see plates come out of the kitchen; the plates are presented with a clean presentation. Served with CARE! It's not sloppy nor is it thrown together just to get orders out. Can't wait to come back and try something else. read more

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Very nice atmosphere. Tuesday night I visited they had a comedy night. Very nice crowd. Funny host and comedians. Owner very nice. I will definitely be back. Island feel . read more

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Very tasty Poulet DG and great meat pie. Very warm and welcoming service. Glad we are here.

The presentation of the food was amazing, but the actual food was not very tasty. The plantains are good, the rabbit was over cooked and under seasoned. Best thing was the hookah, but maybe I caught them on a bad day! I've heard great things about this restaurant, I may try it again one day. read more

This is African food done right. Welcoming hosts. Excellent ambiance that you would proudly dress up to throw down. Food:aromatic experience that pre-excites the palate. Taste of food is delicious and you immediately feel ike you touched down in west Africa. Portions were African sized and sadly too much for this man to finish without taking a break. Keep up the great work. A true gem. read more

The food is good the music was very enjoyable. The decor was fine except the mirrors were not clean and it took away the nice decor. Seasonings were good. The chicken was fresh and cooked perfect. We had to use plastic for utensils because of COVID. All food was quality and handled with care. They need help but so does every restaurant these days. read more

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Food was so delicious. I had a dish from Cameroon and another dish which seemed Nigerian which was delicious. The fish was season so perfectly and there was a very large serving. My only disappointment was the jellof rice which I remember being much more flavorful the last time I had it in Houston. I will definitely return to try all the dishes though read more

Choukouya Resto-Bar - Cameroon dish - African Near Me - Cleveland, Ohio

I'm actually being pretty generous with the two stars. I like the food. Anytime I order, I get the egussi soup with two sides of pounded yam and a side of jollof rice. But the last few times I ordered from here, they've killed me on SOMETHING. This time really pissed me off and made me not want to order from them again. I did not get the two sides of pounded tan I ordered. But instead of them just taking it off my bill because maybe they ran out of it at the time, they decided to just go ahead and add an order of plantain. So not only did I not get the two pounded yam I ordered, they still charged me for the pounded yam, gave me the plantain I DID NOT WANT, and charged me for that too. And then I had to run around through hoops just to get a refund. Never again! And this is just the most recent time. So many times I've placed the same order, and just didn't get the items I ordered. But I looked past it before because I really like the egussi soup. This was just the last straw for me. Money wasted on a meal I can't even fully enjoy read more