Best African food in Brooklyn! Hands down- the Pounded Yam and Egusi is so addicting. I'm not born eating African food but after I ate here I am in love with Suya and Egusi. Yum yum yum 10 out of 10 read more

I went there a while back. This place really good Egusi and Fufu melts in your mouth. The lady don't bother you or anything blunt and straight forward. Recommend! read more

The food here and service here is really good, reminds me of home, definitely a returning customer read more

Festac Grill - African Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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This restaurant was everything I needed to fix my nigerian food craving. We made the long trip from uptown Manhattan and it was worth the train ride! The service was unexpectedly quick - we received our order within 15 minutes. The ambiance was typical nigerian restaurant, I felt like I was back in Lagos. read more

Festac Grill - Egusi with goat, tripe and cow foot. - African Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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I ordered my food to go. There was only 1 staff member taking orders and also serving. I can see how this place can be slow on a busy night. I came on a Saturday mid day. My attempt to pre-order prior to arrival wasn't reliable so I ordered when I arrived. The meals for the day were already made except the Jallof wasn't ready which is why I went with the white rice. No Asaro. I wonder WHEN they will have that? -Egusi stew with pounded yam w/assorted meat- There is way more stew than I needed and I am glad that I got 2 orders of the pounded yam. I enjoyed this a lot. Could have used more pepper. -White rice with Buka stew- They didn't use the best rice or maybe I just don't like how they cook their rice. The stew itself had good consistency but needed more salt which is surprising. -Moi moi- This was okay. I ate it eventually with the rice and stew. Next time I will stick with the stews and swallow dishes. I have a few more I would like to try. read more

Okay for start off it's a lounge a nice clean space at first was Alil nervous cuz it's tinted windows so the entry kinda looked weird but once I got in I see they do hookah they got a bar area and a nice seating areas everyone there the women in there was so nice so Humble so sweet and welcoming to the culture in they food the wait was really short I sat down I ordered and my food was out within 5 mins in that order this is my first review and I felt it was definitely earned they egusi soup I got it with goat only and pounded yam and omg was it purely mouth watering and delightful everything was flavorful for my first time trying it they even asked how did I enjoy it and what I liked best I had to tip big and they didn't even ask or pry for it or made me feel like I have too which I loved most definitely recommend this place for any new comers or first timers read more

Festac Grill - Egusi soup with goat meat and pounded yam - African Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Definitely enjoyed this meal. Hospitality was amazing and I was taken care of. Great flavor and filling. Small setting but good to grab a meal. Would come back read more

Festac Grill - Egusi w/ Goat & Fufu - African Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I've had Nigerian food my whole life and this place is CORRECT. Okay, so it's far as hell. Lol we came from Queens and the reviews for other Nigerian food were not so good. So, we made a trek. Thank God we did. My dad was determined to eat isiewu that night. And we were all content. Started with suya, which at $10 was a little overpriced to me but still good. Then a small order of plantain was fried just how I like it (not too ripe). The goat pepper soup serving was so much that we took some to go! And then the isiewu which we took home and ate the next day was worth the $20. Small place that was packed with locals at 9pm, afrobeats in the air, and good food and service. Will definitely be back if I'm in the area. read more

Consistently good food. I've had the pepper soup, efo riro, jollof rice, okra, and goat stew. Everything tasted fresh and delicious. Pickup service is quick. read more

This place has got to be the friendliest Nigerian restaurant that I have ever gone to. Service was quick and professional. The portions are HUGE! The choices are infinite. Not to mention the food is fantastic. I have been to Nigerian Restaurants in Houston and Austin Texas and Seattle Washington and Festas Grill stands out. read more

Walking into Festac Grill takes what can only be described as a large leap of faith. It is tucked into a small building a little more than a block away from busy Atlantic Avenue, with windows tinted almost to the point of opacity. On my first visit, the day was hot and the sun so bright that it took my eyes a full 30 seconds to realize I had walked into an empty room. This was slightly reassuring since I probably appeared to be a person without sight feeling his way around the dark room. Since the windows are tinted so dark, hardly any of that sunlight makes its way into the interior. Lagos is home to a large Guinness brewery, and the beer has a special place in the country, so as my eyes were still adjusting, I ordered a bottle and waited for words to appear on the menu in front of me. Many West African restaurants are steam tables, allowing you to look over the day's options and select what looks best. Festac is not this way, and the menu is not at all informative for the uninitiated. My experience with the cuisine is limited, so I pestered the lady for information about different dishes. Unfortunately the answers were not so extensive, so I fell back to some tried and true favorites and vowed to come back with more research and dive further into the menu. Despite generically reading "African & American Restaurant" on the awning outside, Festac Grill is truly specialized and thoroughly Nigerian. The television is tuned to Nigerian Television Authority, the walls are adorned with Festac '77 posters, a festival that took place near Lagos celebrating world black arts and culture. The town the festival took place in is still called Festac Town, is a federal housing estate, and most interestingly is the origination of a majority of the fraudulent emails you receive out of Nigeria. I could not resist ordering a suya ($5), a type of beef jerky that you find on the streets at night. You can find it in beef, fish, or chicken varieties, but the only one on offer here is beef, which starts on the dry side with subtle flavors but quickly grows on you as you continue to gnaw. I was in the mood for something spicy and had good experiences with goat pepper soup ($8) at other restaurants, so I decided on it for my meal. This is some serious stuff, almost as if a goat was hacked up and thrown in a pot, heavy on the offal. The soup is supposed to be this way, despite versions in Clinton Hill being almost exclusively accessible chunks of meat. Dive right in! As I was struggling with all the entrails on my first visit but thoroughly enjoying the spicy stew, the restaurant started to fill up with other diners, who all ordered "soups" served with a generous ball of fufu. For my second visit, I invited a friend originally from Nigeria and was excited to go after these dishes on the menu that are called soups, but are not liquid for the most part and are eaten with the fufu, your hands, and nothing else. My previous attempts to eat with this sticky ball have not been my proudest moments, so learning good techniques was also a benefit of this day. He ordered the egusi soup ($12), a name that actually refers to the seeds used to thicken the sauce. You can have a variety of meats or seafood with this dish, but this version seemed to be a combination of beef and goat, again heavy on offal. I chose the edikaikon ($15), which for whatever reason comes with the highest price tag in the soups section. This dish is made with fluted pumpkin leaf, and is mixed with a heavy dose of goat offal, like usual. I was lucky enough to receive my Fufu 101 class when I started fumbling around trying to pick up enough food for a bite. The first good hint is that you always roll a small enough ball not more than one bite, never bite off a piece from a larger amount. It helps to wet your hands before starting, as Nigerian pounded yam (there are several other options to choose from) is especially sticky and this helps prevent it from staying on your fingers. After rolling the ball, make a small indent that will act as the scoop. Use your thumb to push a good amount of the soup towards your fufu and press firmly. The mistake I was always making was trying to pick up the food with it, like you might with a piece of naan. Feeling confident, I proceeded to each as much as my stomach allowed. The ball weighs about as much as a brick though, and feels like one when have eaten most of it, so definitely keep your ball size down as much as possible. The small restaurant has a tiny bar tucked into one corner and is an enjoyable place to sit and have a few drinks after or instead of a meal. That sun is going to melt your eyeballs anyway once you return to the real world, so you might as well linger until it goes down. read more

Festac Grill - the front of an african american restaurant - African Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Worse Nigerian food I've had. I like nothing but the suya and that wasn't good either. Does not deserve it's rating

This was a gem in my neighborhood. It's been difficult finding authentic African cuisine in a predominantly Spanish-speaking area, so I was really excited to have found this place. I ordered jollof rice and pepper soup. It was delicious, as I expected. The portions are plentiful (As most African dishes are), and I wasn't disappointed whatsoever about my meal. Everything was great... service was fast, and the staff was very attentive. Thank you Festac! You will be a staple on my takeout days. read more

it was so tasty sadly I couldn't dine in because of COVID but the food is always delicious every time me & my husband come to NYC, they have different dishes to choose from honestly the Best Nigerian food ! You won't be disappointed. read more

Festac Grill - Jollof Rice & Meat - African Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Great soup but you'll never get it! Horrible experience with ordering. It's really disheartening that no matter what time of day I order I have to cancel my order because they don't have ewedu but never remove it from their website. Come to the conclusion I just can't order from here any more. If you don't want to make a specific item you should remove it from the menu. And they also hung up on me when I called. Very sad had high hopes for this place. Do not recommend read more

The photo doesn't do it much justice. This was pretty good Nigerian food! My husband and I really enjoyed our egusi. The goat meat included was delicious. I don't eat the other meat, but my husband said it was good. The plantains were just okay, probably my least favorite thing in the meal, but they weren't bad. read more

Festac Grill - plates of food on a table - African Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

This place has amazing food! Everything is super delicious. The fried goat is a little dry but alas not everything can be perfect. However, this place probably has the worst customer service I've ever experienced in my life. It takes a while for your order to be taken and takes even longer for the food to get to you. The waitresses are extremely rude and makes you feel like your presence is inconveniencing them. Also, even paying them took a while read more

This place is sooo good! The okra stew is amazing! I order from here about 3 times a month. They are always fast but they do sell out sometimes. read more

How I wish I had pictures! It would be so much more effective to illustrate the incredibly idiosyncratic wall hangings at this Nigerian restaurant in Brooklyn's Outer Rim. Sure, I can tell you about the two foot poster of a topless African woman with a newborn suckling on her left teat above the words "Mother's Greatest Gift," but a visual representation would be much more vivid. There are just enough pieces of visual flair to distinguish Festac, to distract the eye from the standard-issue pleather and plastic chairs and square hard-tile floors. Besides pro-nursing propaganda, the walls are decorated with prints of famous African-Americans - including Martin Luther King and Malcolm X - and Nigerian vistas. At the base of an unused fireplace are two decorative urns, each nearly five feet high and adorned with a series of gold leaves, pastel flowers and decorated shells that impress students of Rococo architecture. And behind the counter sits a picture of the Nigerian president, Goodluck Jonathan. Every other side light bulb has been replaced by a black or neon orange light, illuminating the room and the pieces to a brightness something just above candlelit. Festac's menu is authentic to the point of being useless for someone sampling Nigerian food for the first time. Suya, jollof rice, egusi, dodo... it didn't help much in clarifying what to order. "We're going to need some help," I said, leaning over the take-away to counter the owner/manager/sole waitress on this Saturday evening. Thankfully, we were one of five customers on this particular evening, so were able to spend a few minutes debating how to introduce ourselves to the food of Africa's most populous nation. I settled on the fish pepper soup, my roommate for a fish over jollof rice. After 10 hypnotic minutes of pondering the miracles of lactation, an almost comically-literal version of my requested dish appeared. In the bottom of a steaming ribbed ceramic bowl sat an entire fish, covered in a brown pepper sauce. Thanks to the Internet, I knew the brown flecks to be not Sichuan pepper or peppercorns but grains of paradise, a Western African spice. Since eating the fish required de-boning and finding small chunks of meat, each bite had a perfect amount of the slightly acidic sauce. At one point, I dipped a spoon in and tried to take a bite -- a mistake, as the true spice emerged during an entire mouthful. Little morsels , along with occasional sips of Heineken, ensured a pleasant experience (the more traditional choice, Guinness, seemed too heavy for early on Saturday evening). When my fish was just a pile of bones and brown liquid, the restaurant's proprietor returned to our table. I complimented her on the cooking, and explained that this was my first time sampling the cuisine. "You can really handle spice!" she exclaimed, her tone a couple of notches more animated than you would expect when discussing tilapia. I expressed my disappointment that I couldn't sample suya, the Nigerian take on meat kebabs, in this case covered with crushed peanuts. The owner told me to come back Friday, when the restaurant hosts a special "Suya Night." She said sometimes they even had a DJ come spin Nigerian music and there's a bit of dancing. "And this Friday, we have something very special," she said. Then she grinned. "It's so special, it's a surprise. I will not tell you what it is. You are going to need to come back with your friends. Tell them there will be a surprise." And no, she did not reveal what is going on in five days. And I do have a strange urge to return to Cypress Hills after dark to find out what exactly this woman and her restaurant's menu of fish in bowls might have waiting. read more

I ordered via Ubereats so I cannot speak on the location or customer service but I got my food in a reasonable amount of time. Everything was hot & tasted fresh. I had egusi soup, pounded yam, efo and jollof. I am not currently eating meat but next time I will probably try the goat and fish. Everything was good, the servings were large. I will order again for sure. I just needed a little more spice. Everything had a slight kick but it tasted as if they may be catering to the American palate. I will request more heat in the notes next time. read more

This place gets 5 stars because I am Nigerian and understand how Nigerians operate. If you were of any background, you may give it a 3.5 or 4 but not a perfect score. I say this because sarcasm is imbedded in the language and natives mean no harm by it. Upon entering, my dad asked, "What do you have," to which the lady responded, "Food." We laughed because it was funny but if we were at Peter Luger's or elsewhere that would've been an inappropriate response. On to the food, it was good. Let me begin by saying the portions are heavy, like you will eat swell. I ordered jollof rice with crocker fish. It was good! Not too spicy and not too mild, just right. And oooh that fish was so sweet. I enjoyed the different African songs playing in the background giving an authentic feel and that the news was still on to inform us world news. I appreciate when things aren't so western focused. Overall, awesome place. Food - 5 Service - 5 Ambience - 5 (I love the outside awning and Nigerian designs). Price - 4 read more

I had goat pepper soup and Suya. I was great, tasty and the warm woman taking my order and I had a good laugh too. I stepped in checking out the foreign menu as I hadn't ha a chance to visit Africa yet. After checking in et al I gave the doorman like bell a couple rings to be greeted by a warm young woman. I began to mention my research on Suya and my wanting to try it and she immediately began laughing.."your eyes, your eyes" she said mid laughter, "your eyes look so excited!". I was excited to have it and i was not disappointed. So proud of East New York for this. #brooklyn read more

This place was very good to eat. I had the fried rice and goat stew and it was very well done. I also had the snail, which if anyone knows is a great Nigerian Appetizer. I also finally found the pastry chef that worked at Buka, he is definitely in Festac Grill's kitchen because the meat pie was just fantastic. The location was very small and intimate and the service was very good until it go crowded (Friday Night). Overall as a Nigerian dinner, i enjoyed it. It was setup very much like the Buka restaurants in Nigeria. Well Done Festac Grill read more

Festac Grill - two bottles of beer on a table - African Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Love coming here to eat. my go to Nigerian cuisine. my favorite is the Asaro and fried fish. and i love their meat pie

I'd never had fufu. It's like a fusion of mashed potatoes sticky rice and injera. Fabulous to mix with spicy meats and curry. Such a fan!

I walked in here and sat down expecting to be served. That was not the case at all I had to find the menu myself then order on thr counter. The lady I ordered is very rude. Was not greeted at all. At least a welcome to the restaurant will have been nice but no. I ordered pounded yam and ewedu and it cams with mixed meat. When she served me the food she was talking somebody on her phone I don't understand what kind of customer service that is. The ewedu was very bland the pounded yam looked like something they microwaved from the freezer. I also had to go serve myself to get water out of their so-called freezer that wasn't even working because the water wasn't cool at all. I realized that the people that she knows she asked them what drink they want to get then she'll get it for them. I had to go get my own drink myself I if I ever decide to return to you New York which I probably will not I will never come to this restaurant again the customer service is non-existence read more

This has been my go to for years, the food is great, authentic, tasty, comforting and always right. The staff is friendly and inviting. The environment is very cool and is good for big parties or an intimate meal. I love the Stew, Ogbono, Egusi, Vegetable Soup, Snails, Pepper Soup let me just say the whole menu. There's always parking and plenty of good conversation. The prices are awesome too! They have Palm Wine as well, so what are you waiting for? read more

I visited Festac from Long Island. It was my 1st time eating Nigerian food and it was delicious. I had the Pepper Goat Soup & Jollof Rice w/ Mixed Meat. I am so stuffed. The Star beer taste like Heineken which paired nicely with the Pepper Goat Soup. read more

Best Nigerian restaurant in the city, however I wouldn't recommend it if you aren't African or it is your first time having Nigerian food( Buka is better suited for Naija newbies) But I love the flavors and the cooking here, everything tastes like something my Aunty would make. If this place was closer to me, I would def be a regular. That goat stew chile *raises hands*! read more

After walking past this place every day for 3 years I finally had the courage to go in. I ordered the goat pepper soup which seemed like something I would like considering my Jamaican background. At $15 which I would normally find pricy it was delicious!!! You get way more goat than you would get anywhere else. But be warned!!!! if you can't stand the heat of the pepper then this is not for you... However I love the challenge and will be back read more

I used to hype this place cos their food used to be so good until recently ...pls stop microwaving leftovers and the Moi Moi is too stale ...the buka stew was clearly leftovers ..we deserve better !! read more

I am Jamaican. I cook Nigerian food and know the dishes very well. The food here is very good. I wish I could rate the food and the customer service separately. The music is authentic. The vibe is decent. I always eat fish when I go as I am allergic to meat. The first time I went we made that clear. Kay was our server. The kitchen ignored our request for fresh stew with no meat. I knew the stew had meat when I tasted the first spoonful.my husband.confirmed it tasted like goat. It was too late. By that night I was terribly ill. When my husband (100% Nigerian) called the next day to bring in to the attention of the owner a man answered and was sooooo rude. He told my husband "God bless what u r saying" which is a way of saying "no one believes what you're saying so whatever". My husband was very upset. He called back later that day and asked to speak with the owner...because ONLY AN OWNER would care about their business enough to take this seriously. He explained what happened and she apologized profusely. The apology seemed very sincere. He informed her that it is important in America to not make mistakes like this as they take allergies very seriously here and if it were someone else she could be in plenty trouble and possibly facing a lawsuit. She appreciated the heads up. Needless to say we did patronize them again. We had Kay again. we made clear my allergies again.. And the food was great. We informed her of the first time and she, too, was very very sorry. ..and they got it right every time after the first incident. This is the ONLY reason I am giving them 4 STARS!!! The Customer Service: IT IS HORRIBLE!!! The only ones that are nice there is the owner and Kay. My God! They act like they are doing you a favor. I have to wonder if the owner reads her reviews. Her food is awesome but the service is TEN thumbs down!!! GBAM!!! read more

Thor food reminded me of that true Nigerian food I used to have back when I was a child in Lagos. The fried rice tasted so good although it was a little crunchy on sone parts. The goat meat pepper soup was perfect. This kpomo and other hard cow meat parts were so soft and well cooked. Overall I enjoyed my visit and also the waitress was funny and interactive. The only down was when we were trying to leave they took forever to bring the check and taking out the plates. read more

Authentic in flavor...portion sizes remind me of the aunties and uncles who tell me "I'm too skinny" then would insistently encourage me to add more to my plate. I had the moi moi with plantains and red stew on the side (I don't eat meat and didn't feel like eating fish close to 10pm). If I could I would have drunk the stew by itself. ..that good. Anyways, I wish they would deliver and prepare some of the stew without meat. Other than that, no real compliants. read more

Festac grill has one of the best west African cuisine, they had a wide array of delicacies (African delicacies) to an African this restaurant has it all. the food was good and the atmosphere was relaxed and homey. i enjoyed the experience A lot read more

I had the Jollof rice with Goat meat. The food had a nice flavor and the spice was on point but the meat was to tough. The meat was overcooked. My friend had the same dish and her meat was practically falling off of the bone. So I can't make an overall judgement about it maybe I just was unlucky. One thing I can say is that the service was very poor. Even trying to pay for my food was a hassle. Overall my experience was not the best one. I would not come back here. read more

I needed to create an account just to leave a review of how bad the establishment. The customer service was so bad. it took 2 hours of waiting for the food I ordered, for the server to announce she forgot to give the order to the cook. I also ordered some appetizers (suya and dodo) as well, when I first ordered she said sure, coming right up. After 30 minutes she mentioned that it was being prepared and it was coming right up. After 2 hours, I was told by the SAME SERVER that they did not have suya left. What?! I had a friend with me as my witness. I was shocked and left angry and hungry. I was excited to try this place because I've heard great reviews and I've tried Buka and Amarachi. But never again! This place is trash. Can't even comment on the food because it never showed up or they ran out. I kept ringing the bell and it always took forever to get some attention yet the the restaurant was EMPTY. the server too busy listening to music in her earphones to pay attention. read more