The hype is real. We came to this dining hall and saw this large line. I didn't know what it was for until we left. I looked it up and supposedly they've gotten a lot of publicity from TikTok. I figured, I want to try it. It's new. Waited in line with everyone else and wow it was so worth it. It was so good. Portion size was great. It's essentially Chipotle style food which I loveeee! Highly recommend. Make your way here if you're in the area. read more

Stopped in for a quick bite recently. Service was friendly and knowledge. They were very patient I chose my proteins and veggies. The bowl is a nice serving size. I got the goat with onion, cabbage, fresh tomatoes and jollof rice. I got the aioli sauce as my sauce topping. It was so good and savory. Very hearty. I'd definitely stop in again! read more

Jollof Bowl - African Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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I finally made it to Jallof Bowl! There was a line when I arrived, but it moved pretty quickly, so it wasn't an issue. If anything, the line made me feel like the food had to be good....and it was. The service was great. The staff were friendly, in good spirits, and offered helpful recommendations. I ordered a bowl with half rice and half spaghetti noodles, plus goat and chicken for protein. The rice was very flavorful, while the noodles were a bit more mild at first--but interestingly, I enjoyed them much more the next day. There are a lot of options for toppings, including red onions, corn, pepper sauce, tomato base, and other veggies. Since I don't really like spice, I wasn't sure what to add to make my bowl more saucy, but getting extra tomato sauce on the side along with their suya (spicy mayo) on top ended up being a great choice. There's a seating area just a few feet away, so I was able to sit and enjoy my food right away. The restaurant is located inside Charm Market, so you'll need to go into the building to find it. Overall, I was really happy with my experience and would definitely recommend stopping by if you're in the area. read more

Jollof Bowl - African Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

They're calling this the Chipotle of jollof, and honestly, the comparison makes sense, but with one major difference: they actually load up your bowl. No skimping on the fillings here. I got the noodles with goat, yassa onions, corn, plantain, and suya aioli. My friend went with jollof rice and basically the same toppings. We both cleaned our bowls. The flavor combinations are bold and layered in a way that feels intentional, every component earns its place. The portions are generous, and you leave genuinely full. Fair warning: there is a line, and it moves on the slower side. This isn't your in-and-out fast casual experience. They also seem to be handling a high volume of Uber Eats orders, and the people ahead of us were ordering four or five bowls at a time, so factor that into your timing if you're in a rush. One heads-up for first-timers on the location: you actually have to walk through Watershed, the restaurant at the front. Head toward the back, go through the glass doors, and you'll find yourself inside Cross Street Market. A little hidden, but absolutely worth the effort of finding it. I will definitely be back.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ read more

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When I saw this restaurant on TikTok, naturally I had to check it out for myself. With all of the positive comments and hype about the food, I was quite underwhelmed, however, by my experience. Pros - good variety of bases, proteins and toppings Cons - very limited street parking -the staff was not overly helpful - all proteins were not available (no goat or lamb) - portions were mediocre as compared to a similar restaurant such as Chipotle ($18 for a bowl here vs $10 for a bowl there) - $2 upcharge for a tiny scoop of diced plantains was definitely not worth it I had a shrimp bowl with jollof rice and all of the toppings. I can't remember what my son had. Unfortunately, the food was just okay, nothing special or memorable. I may try this place again if I'm in the area, but I would not go out of my way to do so. read more

Jollof Bowl - Veggie jollof bowl - African Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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I tried the lamb with jollof rice, corn, onions and tomato's. I thoroughly enjoyed my first experience. Next time I will mix it up and get more herbs on my bowl so it's a balance with the spices. Pro tip: the coleslaw was a game changer. read more

Jollof Bowl - African Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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I waited in line that wrapped around a few corners in heels for a minimum of 30 minutes and paid good money for...some really good food and some pretty good service and I'd probably do it again sans the heels. It was my first time here and I thought they would be over rated, underwhelming, and rude. However, I was pleasantly surprised to be treated kindly and received a generously heaped, nice hot bowl filled with classic African flavors with a twist. I tried the perfectly seasoned amd tender goat and chicken suya bowl with everything. Mouth watering, balanced flavors that complimented eachother instead trying to fight for dominance. The wait was worth it and Im looking forward to coming back read more

Jollof Bowl - African Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

The Jollof Bowl is easily one of the best fast-casual spots in Baltimore right now. They're branded as "African food meets Chipotle," but honestly, they blow Chipotle out of the water. And it's not even close. The jollof rice and the noodles are both top tier. Perfectly seasoned, rich in flavor, and way more exciting than your typical rice bowl base. The chicken is always cooked right, and the sauces take everything to another level. Every bowl I've had has been packed with flavor from the first bite to the last. There's almost always a line, which tells you everything you need to know. Even so, they move fast and keep things efficient, so you're not standing around forever. If you're in Baltimore and haven't tried The Jollof Bowl yet, you're seriously missing out. This place sets the standard. read more

As soon as I saw this Jollof spot on my timeline I made plans to give them a shot!! A Chipotle'ish style Jollof spot?? Nobody is doing that except for them!! Let me tell you...it's worth the trip to Bmore!! . Where I am: @thejollofbowl . Location Reviewed: 1065 S. Charles St., Baltimore M.D. inside of @crossstmarket . Items Reviewed: STAMP!! Their Pre-Fixed Jollof Bowl ($15.99 with corn, spicy slaw, plantains, suya beef, tomatoes, & aioli, sitting on top of a bed of Jollof rice). The beef was actually tender, mildly spicy, a savory jollof, & sweet plantains!! STAMP!! Their Build Your Own Bowl ($15.99 with Suya chicken, corn, red onions, Yassa onions-grilled & sauced onions, peppers sauce, & plantains sitting on top of a bed of jollof noodles). Slim...these Suya spiced noodles are a hit!! Flavorful, spicy hot with the pepper sauce, & sweet plantains!! LIKE THAT! Their Build Your Own Wrap ($15.99 with white rice, grilled shrimp, onion, & groundnut bbq sauce). Tasty shrimp, & sauce, but I should've put jollof rice in this!! STAMP!! Their Passionfruit Ginger Beer ($4 non-alcoholic). Fruity, carbonated, & tasty!! . Customer Service: On Point . Parking: Rough. . Recommendations: You can't miss with any one of their bowls. . Accessibility: It is wheelchair friendly, & it's differently abled persons friendly. 5 Stars=STAMP 4 1/2 Stars=LIKE THAT 4 Stars=DELICIOUS 3 Stars=DECENT 2 Stars=PASS 1 Star=NAH #Bigschlimsreviews read more

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We had to try the "African Chipotle " and we were not disappointed! You choose your base, proteins , and toppings + sauce. We both started with half jollof rice and half jollof noodles for the base. I went with chicken, and my boyfriend chose lamb for protein. Plantain as a topping is +$2, but to me it was worth it. The portions are huge and the price is reasonable. Service was great and there's plenty of seating in Cross Street Market to enjoy the food immediately. 10/10! read more

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This spot definitely didn't disappoint. A do it yourself jollof spot. With noodles, rice, bowls, or wraps. Yea it was worth the drive to Baltimore. I got the custom bowl with half noodles and half rice. Half chicken and half lamb. Yassa onions (delicious stewed onions). Stew (tomato base), corn, red onions, soya aioli. I got their pepper sauce on the side (it packs a punch, so be careful). Everything was delicious and flavorful. I also got a wrap with beef and shrimp. With a lot of the same toppings. If you like it saucy, they charge $1.00 for extra sauce. But besides that. Everything was excellent. Go to cross street market and check them out! read more

Jollof Bowl - Lamb and chicken jollof bowl with noodles and rice. - African Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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I arrived as soon as they opened on a weekday. The line began forming relatively quickly. The person preparing my bowl was very friendly and patient with my questions. I ordered a bowl with goat and the food was phenomenal. Very tasty. Worth the price. I got 2 meals out of this. I will definitely return and recommend them 100% read more

Jollof Bowl - Bowl with goat, half rice half noodles, plantains, slaw, aioli mild rub, red onions, tomatoes. Delicious! - African Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

I've been meaning to visit this venue since I randomly walked through Cross Street Market and saw it there - I was full at the time, but very interested. So I returned. I leaned heavily on the server to make decisions. I wanted to try everything to be on the safe side and the entire staff seemed to chime in. I don't recall everything that went into my bowl. I went with beef (steak?) and had both the jollof rice base as well as another base made of noodles. I added a lot of toppings (pretty much everything available) and I asked for extra spice. Checkout was easy and I was soon taking my meal home. And everything in that bowl was amazing. Both the jollof rice and noodle base were excellent, as were all the toppings. The beef (steak?) was a little well done for me, but I bet I could easily swap in another protein or do all veg. I absolutely intend to be a return customer. read more

Jollof Bowl - African Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Good for them. They recently moved to a larger kitchen in the same market. Food is great. The customer service is good. I always get the combination. I don't know what they put in it, but I always ask them to make it the way they recommend. It's usually very spicy and I'm okay with that. I visit maybe once every 2 weeks or so. I highly recommend. line is long, but it moves quickly. It's kind of a chipotle type of set up. Get the noodles AND rice read more

Drove all the way from Rockville to Baltimore after seeing a Facebook post about this spot, and let me just say... it was 100% worth the trip. We weren't disappointed at all. First off, I love the whole "Chipotle-style" concept where you build your own bowl. Being able to add a little bit of everything makes the experience even better. My bowl had jollof rice, goat meat, slaw, corn the works and everything was well-seasoned and incredibly tasty. The jollof rice was just right. Not too dry, not too soggy perfectly cooked with that rich, flavorful depth you expect. Now let's talk about that goat meat. Explosive. Tender, juicy, and packed with flavor in every bite. It truly stood out. And the ginger beer? Whew. Very gingerly in the best way. You can absolutely taste the real ginger. It had that bold, spicy kick that lets you know it's the real deal, not watered down. The service was also great. The server was friendly and welcoming, which made the whole experience even better. And honestly, the price wasn't bad at all for the portion size and quality. You definitely get your money's worth. Overall, this place lives up to the hype. If you're anywhere near Baltimore or even if you're not it's worth the drive. I'll definitely be back. read more

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Jollof Bowl has been a very good experience for me. I like the build your own bowl concept. Traditionally, West African takeout (and dine-in for that matter) is served very simple and straight forward, often very one note with no complexity and very few sides. Normally, you'd get your starch and protein, with very few optional ingredients to add depth of flavor to the meal. However, at Jollof Bowl, you get to choose from a variety of toppings to accompany your base and protein, such as plantains, tomatoes, corn, and onions. You can also choose from a variety of sauces which is unlike any West African dining experience I've had. The jollof rice and proteins taste like and resemble a Nigerian recipe. They've incorporated the right amount of smoky flavor into the jollof rice. Another unsuspecting menu item is the jollof spaghetti (noodles) which I had not eaten in decades and was pleased with their recipe. In fact, my last couple visits I ordered 1/2 jollof rice and 1/2 jollof spaghetti. The spaghetti could use more seasoning, however, if you layer on one of the sauces they offer it should do the trick. Getting extra stew at West African restaurants is sometimes a pain to request, but I'm glad at Jollof Bowl they understand that sauce and/or additional stew should be a standard option. I'm more of a minimalist, so I usually do not order any of the sauces they offer, but extra stew is an entree option which in my opinion should be standard issue. I do wish they would allow you to mix proteins to make up one serving (i.e. half and half) rather than charge extra for additional protein. I hope this is something they can consider as the business expands. The customer service is good and the way in which the food is showcased in the display case looks fresh and hot. Overall, a delicious meal and ingenious modern West African concept. read more

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The food was incredible! It was full of flavor and a great portion size. I was so excited that I didn't get a picture but trust me! Worth the go! read more

My goodness.. I had heard great things about the spot, so I had to check it out myself and it didn't not disappoint. The bowl was flavor bomb and each ingredient added more and more depth. I'm OK with spice but the suya aioli really mellowed it down. Service was fair for an assembly style food stand. The food hall itself was pretty quiet for a Saturday night so there was plenty of seating for our group. read more

Jollof Bowl - Bowl with half steak/noodles and half chicken/rice - African Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

I was REALLY REALLY excited to try this place. I was in the area snagging free books with my friend at the Book Thing of Baltimore and my friend and I came here after. I ordered half jollof rice and half spaghetti, suya beef, and then spicy slaw on the side. I also got the passion fruit ginger drink to complement my drink. My food was SOOOO GOOD. The spaghetti and rice was GASS. The suya was delicious. My friend got chicken and it was sooooo good, I definitely need to get chicken next time. There are so many options for sides and sauces to add - I didn't know what to pick. My biggest critique is that I would like them to have toppings that are cooked/warm. I chose not to get any toppings. My friend got corn and it was cold. I do think they should swap their current toppings with steamed corn, sautéed onions, etc. We spent about $21-22 for a bowl and a drink, and with the amount we are paying, I feel like they should fill our bowl up more. Everyone was super nice and cool. Service was smooth and quick. There was a decent line when we arrive but it moves fast, we probably waiting about 10 mins but that's not too bad with how long the line was. This place is in the food hall, so there's plenty of seating to eat. I would definitely come back when I'm in the area and try a different combination. read more

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This time everything was fresh and delicious. The bowl lasted for two meals and a snack for me. read more

Jollof Bowl - This was delicious. Rice, spaghetti, chicken,yassa onions,slaw, corn, fresh tomatoes, red and sweet onions. Everything was fresh - African Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Heard nothing, but good things about Jollof Bowl so I had to check it out! Jollof Bowl is like the West African version of "Chipotle". They serve plantain, jollof rice, jollof noodles, a variety of meat choices, veggie medley for the vegetarians, suya slaw and other bowl toppings and sauces. For your base, you have the option to choose from jollof rice, jollof noddles, mixed greens or half n half. The food was tasty and flavorful. The service was fast, however the music can be too loud to hear what the server is saying. Overall, this is a great idea of the establishment to create for those wanting a taste of West African food in a bowl. read more

Jollof Bowl - Grilled Chicken and Lamb Bowl and Veggie Medley Bowl - African Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

I saw a lot of reviews of this place on social media and they all were good. I went on a Wednesday night at 7pm an hour before closing. I expect there to be a long line because of the reviews I've seen, and there wasn't. I ordered the jollof rice bowl with lamb. I see why they are calling it the west African version of chipotle. My bowl was so good! The flavors were there and my taste buds exploded. For those who don't like spicy they have option to make it mild and super spicy. The employees were very good at explaining and helping me decide on which items I wanted to put on my bowl. I also enjoyed their excitement. They offered taste test of the sauces and also put some on the side. I will be back for sure. read more

Jollof Bowl - Jollof rice bowl - African Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

First time trying Jollof Bowl and it was amazing! I ordered a bowl and picked the jollof rice as my base (amazing flavor) the grilled chicken bowl as my protein and added the fried plantains and yassa onions topped with yussa aioli. MAN it was flavor explosion! Everything was cooked very well! I was impressed about thr chicken because alot of times, restaurants will over cook it ir undercook it. Not here! The chicken was SO juicy! I will definitely be back here. Second bowl everything was the same except the protein was the lamb! Again absolutely delicious! There was no spice so it is definitely palatable for kiddos. 10000% recommend. It is inside of the market place so you have to find parking and then inside is a plethora of other restaurants. Definitely recommend if you haven't gone already. Service animals only allowed for the Marketplace, For both bowls it came out to $36 I believe. Give it a try if you havent. Happy Yelping read more

Jollof Bowl - Grilled chicken jollof rice bowl with fried plantains, yassa onions and suya aioli - African Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

I love Jollof rice!!!! I could eat it everyday all day!!! Everything was sooo fresh and flavorful. We came on a busy Saturday. The line was long but it didn't take long at all to get to the front to order. The grilled beef and lamb was soooo good! Mouth freaking watering. Everyone was friendly and certainly helpful. I'm going back ASAP! The stand was in a food court like place with multiple businesses. It was so clean. read more

Jollof Bowl - Beef and lamb(protein) with jollof rice and spaghetti(base)slaw, plantains, corn, pepper sauce and spicy suya(toppings) - African Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

We were highly disappointed based on all the reviews. Got the rice which was over cooked but had a good smoky (party style) taste, got beef but it had no flavor at all, corn was corn, the spicy slaw was good and probably was the best I've had in this area, and the plantains were sooooo hard- had to remove them. We added the spicy Suya seasoning which was good and spicy and helped make the meal worth it. I won't be returning but great concept overall. read more

I had to find out for myself what all the hype was about. This spot is definitely the African Chipotle except better! Your base bowl is $15.99 and worth every penny. I ate half of my bowl and was full. I really wanted to try everything because it looked and smelled so good. I chose my base of 1/2 jollof rice and 1/2 jollof noodles. My protein shrimp and paid extra for the lamb. Excellent choice on my part :) My toppings were plantains, Yassa onions, corn, and fresh tomatoes. This was dressed with the Suya aioli and stew. I could not wait to get home and devour this bowl. My whole car was fragrant with all of the spices used in this dish. The first bite was like a flavor bomb in my mouth! The cubes of lamb were super tender and the shrimp was cooked perfectly. Now, prepare to wait because because the line is loooong passing a few restaurants, but they move pretty fast. The hold up is indecisive patrons. My suggestion is while you're standing in the long line look at the menu and decide what you want so there won't be any additional hold up. I went around 6 on a Saturday and there were a few things sides and sauces they were out of which was disappointing but my bowl still slapped! read more

Jollof Bowl - Menu - African Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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More like 3.5 i tried it a couple of months ago when they first opened as someone who is Ghanaian i do know my West African food, for what it is, its decent. I did enjoy the jollof spagheti tho.. read more

Located in Cross Street Market so parking can be challenging. Yet, it's worth the effort. The food is fresh and seasoned well. I had the jollof rice and chicken. There are different sauces with varying degrees of heat levels. I selected the peanut sauce, which was mild and tasty. The other toppings include tomatoes, corn and onions. I got them all. They also had plantains for an up charge. Overall good food. I'll be back for the jollof noodles. read more

The food was amazing. Portion sizes were very generous. The workers were very helpful and patient with all of our questions. I would recommend Jollof Bowl for a must visit. read more

I've never had jollof noodles before! There were a little sweet, but the proteins (I chose beef and added shrimp) and the spicy aioli sauce balanced it nicely. Customer service was on point too. read more

The food here is truly addicting. I've tried every combination whether it's lamb or chicken, noodles or rice. Everything is so insanely good! Never skip their suya aoli and spicy sauce! read more

I would give this establishment a 3 because I don't think the food was horrible, but I will say I was expecting more flavor. As a Nigerian, I expected something close to authenticity but I didn't get that from the jollof rice at all. I also felt like the protein choices could have been seasoned better, you do have the option to add "suya pepper" to your bowl, but again it lacked the authentic taste. The "suya pepper" had more of a cayenne pepper taste than anything. Overall, the staff were pleasant and I do like the build your own bowl concept on West African food. read more

We made a special trip from NJ and went the day after Thanksgiving. It was pretty slow when we arrived. We ordered two plates... one with rice, goat, and slaw, and the second with noodles, lamb, and tomato. Both came with yasss onions. The pepper sauce was delicious but SUPER spicy. The noodles tasted like plain spaghetti, which I wasn't a fan of. You can't see the side options because they're completely covered, and while they'll tell you the selections, asking for guidance on what pairs best with what we ordered felt like pulling teeth. I just wanted more information, but it wasn't given. Lastly, the young lady at the register wasn't very friendly and definitely had an attitude. Will I be back? No. Tried it, over it read more

The best way to put this is..... it's African chipotle. They have jollif rice and jollif noodles that you can make a wrap or a bowl. Food was delicious, the lamb and goat was tender. You can also mix noodles and rice. Quick service and the food court is clean. Please understand that their spice level is insane. You've been warned. read more

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Great service. Amazing portions. Really liked the house made ginger drink. Highly recommend!

I waited over an hour at The Jollof Bowl in Cross Street Market -- and it was absolutely worth it. The energy was unreal: Afrobeats playing, people smiling and dancing in line, and the staff moving with real pride and rhythm. You can feel the love in the air and in the food. I got a rice bowl and a wrap for around $42, and both were packed with flavor -- smoky, spicy, and perfectly seasoned. The owner himself was behind the counter cooking and serving, which says a lot about the passion behind this place. Easily one of the best new food spots in Baltimore. Highly recommend! read more

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As a furloughed employee I decided to take the drive from Frederick to Baltimore to check out the hype. I was disappointed. I tried the half jollof rice/noodles topped with chicken, shrimp, corn, and sautéed onions. The rice was dry and lacked flavor however, I highly recommend the noodles. Now to the protein, the chicken was bland and could have used more seasoning. The shrimp were soft and mushy with no flavor. There were quite a few toppings and I chose corn and onions. The corn tasted like it was just taken out of the can and the sautéed onions were meh. The pepper and suya aioli sauce were okay. Expect a wait due to the hype and everyone wants to try it out. I waited in line 23 minutes however, the owner and staff were friendly. When you know the flavors of West African food you know and this was not it. read more

Jollof Bowl - Half rice/noodles topped with chicken, shrimp, sautéed onions, corn and raw onions. - African Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Once again tik tok has overhyped another restaurant. I'm starting to think these food review are accepting payola. Need less to say, I visited for the first time and was completely underwhelmed. I got there as soon as they opened and had no problem parking. I got a shrimp bowl with jollof rice and noodles with all of the toppings. I also added the Aioli and whatever the shakey stuff was for a dollar. They gave me plenty of shrimp and everything else so no complaints there. Overall the food was just okay to me. I may or maybe go back. The rice was a little on the hard side so I would just get the noodles. The service was bare minimum in customer service. Not totally rude but not welcoming at all. read more

The food was savory and plentiful , the service was quick and excellent and the ambience-what can be added to the Cross Street Market ambience? This is some special rice!! read more

A friend and I tried this today after hearing the reviews on TT. The staff told us this is Liberian style Jollof rice. I'm accustomed to Nigerian Jollof rice. Service was quick and fresh rice was just put out. The beef was cooked hard- not sure if this was the intent or it had just sat too long. Regardless, it was dry and chewy. The spicy slaw and yassa onions tasted very good. The rice was ok- looked like a short grain rice and was decently seasoned. read more

Jollof Bowl - Jollof rice, Jollof Noodle, shrimp, plantain. - African Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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