Just updated with pictures of food and front of the restaurant for pictures of some ambiance. The…read moreowners and staff are fantastic. You hear lots of French here from staff and customers interacting.

It's really rare to find West African food, but surprisingly Lynnwood has a spot like this. Bantaba…read moreis a small restaurant serving up West African cuisine. Knowing what I know about African food, it is made with love and takes a lot of time. I took my partner here after we went roller skating and it was much needed. We ordered the fried plantains, afra chicken, afra lamb, and I got a pineapple Fanta to drink. The chicken was juicy and tender. It fell right off the bone. The lamb was a bit though and I thought it was gamey, but my partner really liked it. I'm also not really a lamb person. Both dishes were sauced up with onion, paprika, and a mustard sauce. It was quite flavorful and was served with rice. The fried plantains were a bit sweet but they complemented the meats. Such a hidden gem!

5 star Phenomenal! The food was AMAZING! Some of the best African food I've ever had and I've been…read moreeating African food since the early 90s! I ordered the Fataya Pies (seafood , beef) and unlike a lot of other restaurant meat pies these were super moist & juicy! The flavors were unmatched!. I appreciated the fact that I was able to order a mix of the 3 choices! I ordered the Oxtail Stew for my entree and I thought where has this oxtail stew been my whole life! You know it's good when you start patting your feet and humming! Needless to say, I really enjoyed my meal. Customer service was equally impressive! Love the ambiance & artwork! The owner is an absolute Rockstar! If you're looking for African food, Heritage African Restaurant is the place to go!!!

I ordered delivery from Heritage African Restaurant via Uber Eats, and it did not disappoint! Even…read morewith the drink and fries not being my personal favorites, the fish alone makes this place a winner. Everything arrived fresh and hot! * The Fried Tilapia: Absolutely incredible. It was fresh, cooked perfectly, and super flavorful. I completely fell in love with it and will 100% order it again. * The Sides & Drinks: The French fries were just okay... I probably could have passed on them. I also tried the Bisap/Wonjo (Hibiscus Juice); I honestly didn't really know what it was, but it just wasn't for me or my taste buds. I'll 100% be ordering delivery again, but honestly, I really look forward to going in person next time to check out the vibe and try some of their other dishes and drinks!

I was pleasantly surprised, walked in did not know what to order. They recommended a couple of…read moredishes spot on definitely go again.

Came in for an early dinner…read more Hibiscus Drink: A refreshing drink that tastes similar cranberry. Jollof Rice with Chicken: Very well seasoned spread. Quite pricey for how little protein you're getting but you're paying more for the Jollof rice. Onions had an incredible zang and spice to it. Service was adequate. Took a bit for someone to come out after I rang the bell. I'll definitely be coming back when I'm in a chicken afra carving.

Food safety should be the number one priority for any food business, and Jollof Hub failed to…read moredemonstrate that. Don't get me wrong, the food tasted amazing, the portion sizes are great, and the price was justified. However, the negatives outweigh the positives for this restaurant. Me and 3 other people came in, and the store was empty. We ordered 3 okra soups, 1 with chicken, 2 with lamb, and 1 jollof rice chicken plate. The first plate took about 40 minutes to come out, which was an egusi soup to which we had not ordered. We still had to wait longer for all of our food to come out. Upon my food arriving, I noticed there was a hair in the Saran Wrap of the fufu, making contact with my food. Because we had already waited so long for our food to come out, I didn't bother to mention it to the worker. Comparing Jollof Hub to Pass D Jollof, this place has better portion sizes and better pricing. It was $26 for okra soup that includes protein and 2 portions of fufu whilst PDJ charges $34 for okra soup, you have to pay extra for protein, and 1 portion of fufu. That said, I don't think I'd come back here due to the food safety issue.

Rating: 3.5 Stars. Rounding up to support a small business…read more Jollof Hub West African Cuisines in Shoreline is the third west Africa restaurant in our area that we visited. It ranks the third out of the three (sorry). They focus on Gambia, Senegal, and Nigeria. The west Africa region has their own set of spices that are uniquely flavored and so delicious. Their meats are perhaps cut traditionally - coarsely butchered with lots of bones (again, sorry). The interior of the restaurant is modestly decorated with tables that can support a group. The service is very kind though his English is limited; I did more googling afterwards to answer my questions. Business was very slow, not much take-out orders, either. One server covered two tables plus two takeouts during the time we were there on a Saturday night. I hope business picks up. They have their own parking lot with more spaces in the back. The Food: Lamb Afar, with vermicelli, $23.99 - 4 Stars The meat is very well seasoned and tender. It is difficult to sort the meat from the bones. Just be aware this is more of a hands-on dish vs a fork and knife dish. Serving size is so gigantic that hubby didn't finish, which is a rare phenomenon. This may have been a 3.5 Stars dish, but due to the portion, rounded up. Benachin (Jollof rice), $22.99 - 2.5 Stars I asked the server which is his favorite dish, and he named this one. The Jollof rice recipe is commonly the focus and signature of a restaurant or of a household. Both their rice and the meat are drier than I expected. We have had better versions of the Jollof rice elsewhere. I would have preferred more tender meat also. Most of this went home to be modified (which turned out great!). Meat Pies, $7 - 4.5 Stars I have found meat pies at West African and at soul food restaurants. I personally enjoy the seasonings used in the West African versions better. These are impeccably seasoned with a kick and perfectly fried. I preferred this dish over my entrée for sure.

Great food, decent prices!…read more I was seeking something beyond the typical food offerings while on my way to the airport, and this was my chosen spot. I'm not very familiar with African food, and the menu items were mostly unfamiliar to me. Even so, I'm thoroughly pleased with my take-out order (ugali with beef that also came with a couple sides: a little salad and lentils with cooked greens of some sort)! It was maybe a 15 min wait for my food to be prepared after ordering, but it came out hot and flavorful! I look forward to coming back again.

The food here was awesome. Friendly service answered my questions because I didn't know what to…read moreorder. The lamb shank was delish. I came here for lunch not knowing what to expect. Very chill atmosphere. Not many people here for lunch on a Thursday. Honestly I will be back next time I'm out in the area for work! The coffee is also decent and cheap compared to what you'd get in Seattle. The beans are ground fresh which was a plus. Big portions as well. Almost didn't finish everything on my own.

Amazing everything was absolutely perfect With the delivery…read moreon time everything was perfect

Got to veggie combo and it was delicious. Veggie combo is great to share with 2 people…read more We also got one of the meat dishes and really, it didn't add anything for me. I should've skipped it. The meat was kind of dry and chewy. But all the veggie dishes were great! Would come back again for the veggie combo - well flavored and delicious.

Safari Njema is an awesome spot in Columbia City that produced the most memorable meal that I've…read morehad in recent memory. The restaurant is a short walk from the lightrail station, tucked into a small row of restaurants just off the main drag. What I'd recommend you do is to either come at a very off-peak hour, or call ahead and place your order when you're on your way in. This is very much one woman's passion project, and so there is pretty much one woman cooking in the kitchen at any given time, even when it is busy. So, if you just roll up at peak dining hours, you will end up waiting quite a while for your food. It just is what it is. I don't have much patience for waiting, and I am supremely prone to hanger, so why then do I still really like this place? Because all that passion and love that she puts into her cooking -- you can taste it. It's been weeks since my visit and I am still daydreaming about the meal I had there -- a whole fried fish which was reduced to a pile of sucked-clean bones by the time I finished with it, the silkiest collards I've ever had, and the mountain of savory rice, all sprinkled with the tangy, mouth-watering house made hot sauce. I don't know what she seasons that fish with but I licked it off my fingers shamelessly. I visited with a friend who is a regular there, and so I got to visit the kitchen and chat with the owner after our meal. You can tell how much she cares about using food to bring people happiness and show people how good Kenyan food is.

One of my favorite meals of the year!…read more My partner and I wanted to try something we haven't before and we were lucky enough to be in south Seattle where we don't get to visit often. We decided on trying Kenyan food which we had never tried before. We were really glad we made this stop! Before getting there we were really set on the Samaki and we decided on getting it wet fried when we realized that was an option. The service was incredibly kind and we could tell that each dish was made to order with care. The samaki came with two sides and it was completely shareable which made it very affordable too. We were really happy we got the wet fry option because The curry that it came with was amazing. We were so happy with all the rich and colorful flavors. The restaurant itself is pretty small but offers a good number a seats. We will happily be back soon.

It took me a while, but I started loving Ethiopian food a lot more and started appreciating the…read morecuisine the more I had it. It's hard for me to compare Ethiopian restaurants here just yet since the cuisine isn't something I have to often still, but it's definitely been quite good the time I've had it. This is no exception either. The platter was quite large and I enjoyed almost every thing on it. I don't know the names of everything still, so sorry for my ignorance, but both the meat and veggie items on the platter were very good. There's nothing special about the egg, but for some reason, it hits different with that sauce here. So freaking good! Service was friendly, but the place was pretty dark and dreary. Definitely has more of a night scene vibe or just a dive bar kinda vibe. There is a bar attached in another room close to the back. So maybe it use to be a bar and the design of the place just hasn't changed. The restaurant did feel very wide and spacious. Possibly for a dance floor or something. Anyways I had a good time and food was delicious.

We decided to try this place out when we visited Seattle as we were craving Ethiopian. The ambience…read morewas not great, the lights were full and not crowded for a Saturday. Veggie combo (4 stars): There were at least six delicious sides to the injera. The lentils were fresh and delicious. Loved the authentic food. I wish they let us replace a few veggie options with meat options.

A hidden gem tucked in First Hill! Even if you've never had West African food, don't hesitate to…read moregive it a try as their lovely team will gladly introduce you to their menu. This is a must-stop for me whenever I'm in town and they are just consistent. If you're new to the food, I'd start off with their hand pies which is an empanada graciously filled with spiced ground beef. If this doesn't fill you up, start off with the Afra chicken or short rib. Both will come with jollof rice, which is cooked in tomato sauce and spices. Nice bite to it and you can keep eating with the heat. I could eat a whip bowl of this rice alone, that's how good it is! The meat is well-seasoned and perfectly charred for crispyness, but not dry! All of this pairs really well with a refreshing, bubbly ginger beer. Service is welcoming and the staff are happy to answer any questions and provide suggestions. It's a small team, so be patient but know that it's worth the wait. :) The place is bright and has plenty of space for a dinner dates or family/groups.

Gold Coast is located in an unassuming spot on a busy street in First Hill, but you should not just…read morepass this place by. It is absolutely worth a visit! It doesn't look like much from the outside, but when I walked in I was absolutely astounded by the airy high ceilings and welcoming interior. We were seated immediately and started perusing the menu, which has something for everyone but is not so large as to be overwhelming. They even have a couple of vegan or vegetarian options -- not a ton, but a couple. I visited on a Friday evening and was hoping to try one of their cocktails, which look quite appetizing on the menu and on their sandwich board outside. However, the bar was closed, which is surprising for a Friday evening. I don't need a cocktail to enjoy a meal, so it wasn't a huge deal, but just know that you might not be able to bank on the bar being open. We shared an order of their fried plantains to start, and then I had the jollof rice with suya short ribs, and my dinner buddy had the suya burger with a small side of fufu. Their fried plantains are gooooood. Sticky sweet and easy to consume in large quantities. There were more included in my dish and I was not mad about it. My jollof rice plate had a huge scoop of jollof rice, a few pieces of suya short rib, some fried plantains, and a small amount of a cabbage slaw-style salad. The jollof here is top tier, and I really like when they use broken rice for jollof like they do here. Suya short ribs were cooked perfectly, tender, seasoned well. I could've eaten three more of those. I will say that suya here is not that spicy compared to my past experiences. The slaw was good, and I honestly wish there'd been a little more of that on the plate to balance out all the savory richness! My dinner buddy really enjoyed her suya burger, she devoured it in about three minutes flat. Service was quick and attentive, and aside from some technical difficulties during the paying process due to our server being new, everything went off without a hitch. The food here is so good, and I still really want to try their cocktails, so I will be back. Hopefully the bar is open next time!