Ah ah so THIS is what we are doing now in the DMV? A whole WEST AFRICAN BUFFET?? Listen ehn, I have been to Jollof Etc before for regular dinner so I already knew the standard of food there is not play play. But seeing them attempt this buffet concept for Valentine's Day, Easter Sunday (when I went), and now again for Mother's Day this Sunday? I actually respect the initiative Everybody is always shouting rubbish this ____, and rubbish that ___ meanwhile OUR OWN cultural foods are sitting right here in Silver Spring looking delicious and full of flavor. When I say all the staples were THERE, I mean THEY WERE THERE Amala Moi moi Pepper soup Jollof rice Fried rice Everything hot, fresh, flavorful and tasting like somebody's mother entered that kitchen with warning And can we discuss the drinks please?? Non alcoholic but SWEET, refreshing and pairing perfectly with all the food. Very family friendly atmosphere too. You can bring auntie, uncle, cousins, everybody Now let me tell the truth small because you know I don't lie for reviews The wait time? Hmmm. Table organization? They can improve that one too because people were kinda just standing around confused at moments. BUT no wahala this is still a new venture for them and honestly I can already see the vision. The most important thing for me? Their service was AMAZING and they accepted feedback very well instead of doing attitude. That part matters. I actually want to see this succeed because we need more innovative African food experiences in the DMV that push our cuisine to the forefront instead of acting like only tacos and burgers exist outside Jollof Etc Silver Spring, Maryland read more

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I wanted to love my experience and I didn't want to make this review. However, the portion size was absolutely disappointing and disrespectful. I have African friends who have fed me well throughout the years and this is the portion size you would give an infant this is not what you would serve someone from your home let alone a business that you are making people pay full price for. It was also bland (the chicken) and over-seasoned (moin moin) and I'm just so disappointed. I want to give an honest review and share my experience and I don't want to talk bad about a business from our people, but this is what I got. The chicken was beautifully roasted, but lacked salt. I'm very sensitive to it, so for me not to taste it was alarming. The moin moin was overseasoned and the amala soup was less than half a cup! This looked like leftovers just added at the end of the day or a kid's portion. I wished I contacted the restaurant about it once I got it, but thought I'd be able to let it go. read more

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Customer service at the Hyattsville Jollof Etc. location is abysmal. Foluke, the receptionist/hostess, is extremely rude and unprofessional. She lacks basic manners, phone etiquette, and respect for patrons. She even hung up the phone when I called to confirm an order that I had called in and paid for in advance - an order of $200+! Even if it was $2, you don't address anyone patronizing your restaurant in that manner. I would recommend trying the Silver Spring location where the receptionist/hostess is far more polite, respectful, and committed to finding a resolution. read more

Terrible service. No greeting, rude staff, and $32 for mostly rice with only three tiny pieces of meat. Not worth it! read more

Jolloff Etcetera - Terrible service. No greeting, rude staff, and $32 for mostly rice with only three tiny pieces of meat. Not worth it! - African Near Me - Hyattsville, Maryland

I've been here twice so far and I think it's going to be my new regular for Nigerian food. Other close by restaurants just don't have the flavor and spice that this place packs into their meals. So far I've had their moi moi, meat pie, goat meat pepper soup, jollof rice, okro/ogbono and puff puff. The moi moi and meat pie 20/10. Their meat pie has a nice kick to it that I really like. The pepper soup was excellent. Their jollof rice however was mid to me in my opinion. The okro/ogbono was so flavorful and nice, I just wish the soup portion sizes were bigger. I didn't like that there was a huge piece of meat that took up the space of most of the plate. Other than that, honestly really good food that I will be coming back for. I ordered to go btw, so my opinion is based on that. I can't speak much on their service since I didn't eat inside. read more

service was terrible! i pre-ordered for pick up off their website AND paid but apparently my order never came through, so when i got there it was not prepared like the website/ order says it was. this was fine as I thought it could be a little mix up in the system until they refused to help me with refunds and stated that it was my fault though i checked multiple times and even got an emailed reciept for it. in a rush for something very important i had to leave, but i called back the restaurant again when i got home stated again that i paid for my order, the money was taken off my card, i got a reciept for my order, i ordered off their OFFICIAL website they one they advertised and connect to their business but the worker who answered the phone started complaining BACK to ME that the restaurant is very busy and that they do NOT want to help. their attitude was horrible and they didnt even try to disguise it, when asked they answered in an annoyed and frustrated tone though i did ask in a very nice and simple manner so the situation wouldnt escalate, and i was put on hold mid conversation for 20 minutes, during that time i did ask for the worker multiple times. hanged up after the 32 minute mark. maybe the restaurant was overwhelmingly busy or the worker was having a bad day or maybe they forgot about the call, i didnt like the way i was treated and refused service after asking for it. never even got my refund, my money went through, order reciept on website said confirmed. i spent over 200$ there hoping to try real nigerian food for the first time with my friends, even starved myself the whole day to prepare myself for this and only this meal. very disappointed im only 16 and wouldve never complained like this because i never thought it would be a big deal but i just cant stand the worker, i felt degraded. it was also a bit dirty for a buffet when i came in, i hope they do change out the tins of food and clean them more than once a day. go if you want i recommend not to, service ruined my whole day couldnt even eat anything else because i was so mad. so much more i could say read more

i am only taking the time out to write this because it needs to be known and hopefully addressed . I'm disappointed due to the potential this rest has based on the quality of taste definitely not service! This is unfortunately the second bad experience I've had with Jollof Etcetra (silver spring) one dating just a little over a month ago. I ordered chicken and egusi and the girl who greeted me was very rude, she never looked at me while interacting with me! very short and snappy only to receive my chicken and it taste like they cleaned the pot with fabulos! it was very offsetting and unbearable. Food taste like cleaning product. so this time to avoid the unprofessional customer service and chemical tasting food I ordered over the phone and ordered something very simple.. two orders of fufu.. called 20 minutes ahead.. arrived and was told it wasn't ready and to wait 10 min. I waited 10 min and was told it still wasnt ready... this went on for an entire hour. I ordered over the phone at 5:48 and didn't receive my order until 6:55... truly unacceptable.. I expressed my grievances at the restaurant and no one seemed to take the concern seriously so I feel a review should help read more

waist of money i don't know if the kitchen was closing and they got lazy i paid $20 for two stale pieces of pepper snail that's taste horrible would not recommend!! read more

Jolloff Etcetera - African Near Me - Hyattsville, Maryland

I ordered uber eats from this place. It took soooo long for the food to arrived and when it did, we quickly noticed that they forgot half of the order. It was really frustrating after already waiting for so long. The jollof rice was very smoky but still pretty tasty. The mixed meat that accompanied it was full of bone so I didn't bother with it. The plantains were okay, and the puff puff was cold and super greasy. I can't see myself ordering from here again. read more

Meat pie tasted so good I ordered and the service was fast, ambiance was clean I recommend this restaurant

I've ordered from this place twice now, and both times the customer service was an absolute 0/10. The first time, I let it slide because the food was good, so I decided to give them another chance. Big mistake. This time, I ordered goat meat and politely asked the lady if I could have some pepper sauce on the side. She replied with an attitude, saying, "It's already spicy." I said I understood but still wanted the pepper sauce, and I even offered to pay extra if needed. Instead of simply helping me, she looked me up and down like I was trash, then picked up the phone to take someone else's order--completely ignoring me. At that point, I told her straight that the customer service here is terrible every single time I've been. Another customer in the restaurant even noticed the treatment and tried to calm me down. I walked out and will never return--no matter how good the food is. read more

I enjoy Jollof Etc., especially their ogbono soup -- it's one of my favorites. However, the food quality is really inconsistent. Two weeks ago, I had the moi moi and it was delicious. But when I ordered it yesterday, it was clearly microwaved, and it came out hard and tough, which was very disappointing. The jollof rice is okay, but it was too smoky for my sons to enjoy. Considering the price -- $5 for a single serving of moi moi, which is just beans -- I expected much better quality and consistency. It's frustrating to pay that much only to get something that feels over-microwaved and not fresh. I really want to keep supporting them, but I hope they can focus on maintaining the quality of their food consistently. read more

Jolloff Etcetera is a gem! Their jollof rice is packed with flavor, and the portions are just right. The staff is super friendly, and the atmosphere feels warm and inviting. Definitely my go-to spot for a taste of West African comfort food! Follow my IG account for Curated Google Maps list for brunch, happy hours, rooftops, parks, wineries & more in the DMV area: @yourdmvbestieFollow my IG account for Curated Google Maps list for brunch, happy hours, rooftops, parks, wineries & more in the DMV area: @yourdmvbestie read more

This is supposed to be a freaking beef sharwarma with sausage and yet no fucking beef just coleslaw and sausage. No beef just coleslaw for freaking 20 dollars each read more

Jolloff Etcetera - This is supposed to be a freaking beef sharwarma with sausage and yet no fucking beef just coleslaw and sad. A total mess - African Near Me - Hyattsville, Maryland

I came here one day after a long day because I was craving rice and stew but I did not feel like making it myself. This restaurant is located in a busy plaza and parking can be an extreme sport with the amount of double parkers blocking everywhere. Further, I would say to be vigilant as they are a few weirdos and creeps lurking nearby. Inside the establishment was very drab and lackluster but I guess when you go behind the curtain where folks are dining in, it is dim in that area. I ordered my food when I got there which was my first big mistake. There was a significant amount of people there including people in line and people waiting for their food. The line was also slower than I expected. The staffers were pretty depressing to interact with and slow moving. I finally ordered my food and went to sit in my car as they cautioned me that my food would take 25 mins. I felt like that was slightly excessive but I also understand Nigerian food takes time. Well unfortunately, I waited more than double the time the girl had given me. I was literally there for an hour waiting for my food. I was highly irritated. Finally I get my food which was: Ata din din w/ white rice- the white rice was a 0/10, overcooked and had that sour parboiled rice scent that I hate which was nauseating and almost sent me over the edge. It also looked like they scrapped the bottom of the pot as some spots were brown. But the ata din din was 11/10, chefs kiss! They warned me that it was spicy and that's exactly the spice level I hoped for. Not for the average person so BEWARE...perfect for me though. I loved this dish so much that I would order it by itself and just make my own rice. I ended up ordering the dish on another occasion and the rice was slightly better and the sauce was less spicy than the first time, but still so good. The beef and the tripe were perfectly cooked and had the perfect bite. Plantains- 6/10, very mid Meat pie- 6/10, kinda dry, I cannot lie Fish pie- 0/10, I can't pinpoint it, but something with this was not agreeing with me and I had to throw it out. Ultimately, the ata Dindin was the star of the show and that's why I will remain a customer but I will definitely be ordering an hour ahead moving forward if I'm not ordering on uber eats! read more

The food is good. The portions got smaller just like everywhere else. The portions down price is up, but other than that the food is good.

Very disappointed, I got the Eguisi Soupe ( Sorry if i spelled it wrong) With goat. The soup taste BURNT, I couldn't even finish it because it was just unpleasing. It was like eating burnt popcorn. I'm not sure if they realized it but they burnt that batch. Only meat they had was goat which was super tough. I seen a good amount of reviews but i was very disappointed in this meal. read more

This is my favorite west African restaurant probably in the DMV for Carryout. It used to be najia cafe but sometimes it's a hit or miss with them. However this spot only hit no misses. I get jolloff rice of course, ata din super hot but so good. And engezi beef Anyway the people get you in and out. I love that type of customer service in and out. Only thing is the food kinda pricey so I go only once two weeks read more

Really bad I'm a big fan of jollof rice as well as goat meat. This place is a little bit confusing because they have a takeout area which seems to be very popular and I can understand why to some extent as well as a sit down venue which is near the barbershop. I chose to do the sit down place after standing around in the takeout place. In the sit-down place I got the jollof rice with plantains and goat meat. Let me start out by saying that I've had excellent jollof rice and this definitely was not it I'm not sure what the flavor profile they put into it but it definitely had a odd chemical butane kind of odor I didn't dig it. The rice was cooked well but the flavor was just awful. It was not spicy at all It's definitely not even close to the jollof rice I've had at some of the Nigerian parties I've attended. The goat meat was god-awful. I really like good goat meat but they gave very very small pieces of go full of fat and bones, the Yelp reviews were spot on with this. On top of the the meat itself was cooked horribly more like a combination of fibrous chewing gum. I have never had goat meat this bad in my life. And it hurts to waste food but I ate as much of it as I could. The one redeeming quality was that there was a pretty good piece of bone marrow that I got out of it. The plantings were the best part of it and one piece was not thoroughly cooked. Lot of the other reviewers have commented on the service. Yes definitely there is a lot of problems and issues here. For one they don't honor the Yelp check-in. Not just that but the attitude was extremely terrible. The woman who sat me down literally through the menu on the table. Nobody brought water They attempted to put utensils directly onto the table and there is no place setting. Any kind of decorum that you expect at a typical restaurant it ain't happening here. I'm not sure who this will cater to but I don't even think the immigrant class will tolerate this which is probably why they flock to the takeout area. That being said the one girl who I encountered at the takeout area was extremely nice and showed me where the sit down area was. Parking is free and in a parking lot. The price is really bad for the value of the food. ambience in the restaurant is really irritating. Maybe if you like this kind of music it is loud and boisterous and from some of the other diners who I observed nobody was listening to it but we're trying to talk all over it. And at sometimes the stereo blasted it even louder. Overall I'm glad I tried it but if I want my African fix I know other places that deliver much better quality. read more

I walked in. The man at the counter looked at me and treated like "wtf are you doing in here?" I walked out! I'll NEVER go back!

I can't believe I wasted $71 tonight on that garbage! The food was absolutely disgusting, I couldn't even eat it. What a waste of money on such terrible food.food very bad food bad soup read more

Best west African food I've had in the DMV! Jollof Rice, and Edikaikong Vegetable Spinach w/ grilled fish is my go to order!

ordered beef suya and it was overcooked to my personal liking; was then offered a "remake" but being in the restaurant industry and the texture of the meat when my "remake" was given back it seemed as though they just reheated or it some sort.. either way I'd probably for sure almost never visit again unfortunately. $20+ gain for them as as loss for me.. no biggie read more

This is a Nigerian spot and the food is actually good, but sometimes it isn't as fresh when it is later in the day. I still like to order and pick up food from here. read more

Jolloff Etcetera is located off 450, close to the St. Mary School and Church. I have been here several times and thought to share my most recent experience. I would say that a big standout in the menu is their Jollof rice, which tasted smoky like a "party Jollof" that many Nigerian partygoers would recognize- this dish is very much worth a try whenever you stop by! There are also many other options on their menu, ranging from appetizers such as suya (spicy but amazing, watch out), pepper soup, isiewu, etc. I have also tried their okro/Ogbono soup, which was very tasty and is usually paired with a swallow of pounded yam, garri (eba), or fufu. Other souls that are served in this establishment include Oha, egusi, bitter leaf soup, to name a few. The service hasn't been very consistent. In the past I have experienced very minimal customer care and support, but my most recent visit was quite delightful as I had a younger staff member attend to me with more patience and positivity. Stop by for the food and culture. read more

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Food was well seasoned and spicy. Exactly what I was looking for. My first time trying African food.

Worst place ever. Decided to only give us rice with barely my chicken. Plus, my brother is allergic to shrimp. Don't go to this place if you want your service wrong. read more

Jolloff Etcetera - African Near Me - Hyattsville, Maryland

So had food from here few weeks ago....was a waste of money. The chicken was tough inside the egusi soup, so had to throw away. Was very overcooked. read more

This place has terrible customer services, the food is prepared poorly and incorrectly then when they are told they don't even make way to correct the issues. Ordered rice and chicken, chicken burnt black. Everything is bad with this place except canned drinks. Please don't waste your time with this place! YOU WILL BE DISAPPOINTED! KE read more

I was looking forward to some authentic and delicious African fare, but I was extremely disappointed, to say the least. The jollof rice smelled of a burnt pot and tasted as such. My friend got the goat with their rice, and it was 90% fat and bone, and that isn't an exaggeration. I got the chicken with mine (they only had baked chicken available), and though the chicken was decent, it was dry. We also ordered a beef pattie that was flavorful but dry, as if it had been under heat lamps the entire day. The plantains looked like plantain chips because they were completely dried out. Not one drip of moisture resided in those plantains. If you're going to be named after such a delicious dish, please at least be decent in preparation and taste. read more

I would recommend this place to others, especially if you enjoy authentic African dishes however, the customer service is SO low. Beware. I actually want to single out only two of their female employees because I don't understand why they are the ones answering the phone/coming in contact with customers because it's a disappointment all the time. they don't smile, they don't welcome you in, and they are not pleased to serve you. It truly makes me feel like my money is not good here. The plantains are a hit or miss (never really ripe), the meat pies/patties sit under the heat lamp for hours at a time, puff puff is ALWAYS stale (never right out of the grease) it's always a must that I go home and heat my food up (I live on the same rd as the restaurant) IN ADDITION you have to ask for utensils. You have to ask for clarity if all of your items are in your bag OR ELSE. read more

Great food no complaints. Customer Service is slow so order in advance. Will order again read more

1. Do not order online. Their system isn't working. 2. The prices online isn't the same as in the actual restaurant. Expect an increase. 3. Time to wait for the food is ridiculous. 4. Last but not least... RUDE. RUDE. RUDE. Customer service does NOT exist. Please Go to Queensway instead!! read more

Jolloff Etcetera - African Near Me - Hyattsville, Maryland

I paid $20 for this . Two pieces of smallllll chicken. Never again. The picture looks better than it actually does in person. read more

Jolloff Etcetera - Jollof rice and fried chicken - African Near Me - Hyattsville, Maryland

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This was amazing. Very amazing . As far as the pepper soup The Jollof is good we all like different versions of that stuff. read more

Well, This is a really cute place. The service is nice. The food is another thing. I pay attention to demeanor and behavior so I know how to go into situations. My family and I walked in for the first time today not knowing what to get. We decided and ordered. Yall nothing is under 16.00 except the small sides that are 4.00. So, to be clear, this is NOT an affordable place to take your family. Maybe you and a friend but not your family. Don't bring more than you and 1 more person to manage the prices. The things we wanted, they did not have, the prices are not on the take out menu. I'm guessing once we saw the prices he knew people would walk away. Aside from that, it was very empty with a lot of take out orders and they told people they did not have anymore of what they ordered so they walked out. Yall the way I was ignored so they could converse with each other was stupid. Like gurl, take my MO ey and shit up flirting like I haven't been waiting on you. We left after paying to get something cold on t j is beautiful hot day and when we get back we had a sweet treat. They owner spoke to the guy in his Army uniform and spoke for a few. He told the cashier to give him and his friend 50% off. Like bruh, how honorable but I been in your shop, getting disrespected because I'm african american and not just Nigerian tryna spend a little money and you could have the decency to speak and sY hello but we got a mean mug and a fuck you head nod. I spent 99 and some change to get segregated by culture and wait 45 minutes. African Americans, be mindful. Just because we skin folk, don't make us kin folk. Aside from that I might continue to order from here but you will never see me go to pick it up or visit again. The food was basic goodness at best and over spiced. Someone must have been upset. read more

Great restaurant good service high prices A little dish organized on the call in orders cjust wish they wouldn't but bones in the spinach read more

This place stays busy all day. The Jollof Rice is a 10/10. The chicken was good as well. The plaintain needed a little more ripening before it was cooked in my opinion. All in all 5-star African cuisine. read more

Jolloff Etcetera - Jollof Rice, Plantain, & baked chicken - African Near Me - Hyattsville, Maryland

I order a soup from DC location and the driver waited about 1 hour 20 minute. so I got my soup about 2 hours later and the food was nasty.

Not only did they give us old, spoiled, smelly meat pies, their food is overpriced for small portions. We called them immediately and she said sorry! how do you just say "sorry"for selling spoiled food???? They're going to get people sick!!!! Do not purchase food from there! I spent $90 on trash ass food. I'm disgusted and extremely disappointed. read more