Horrible food, horrible service, and horrible people…read more.. They have never once had the correct order ready... I love Nigerian food, but these guys are jokers

Wanted to treat hubby to some cuisine from his culture and so we went here. It's a long distance…read morefrom home but it was a mild weather day in December so we decided to make the drive on 12/9/24. We ring the bell and a young boy let us in and we sat down. It was awhile before someone came to tend to us but as my husband was explaining to me, in the African culture, you go to them to tell them what you want, not the other way around. They were in the back busy cooking and preparing, there is a open window where you can order. We got to meet the owner who the restaurant is named after, Anayo. He was awesome! I wanted to order the fried rice or the coconut rice but those are large orders for several people which are only for call in but they don't indicate that on the menu. I got to order the last meat pie they had and OMG, I'm still dreaming about how good it was! I ordered the jollof rice and told them mild spice but it was still a bit too hot for me but in Nigeria, that is how they spice their food, LOL. It comes with goat meat and fish. I loved the fish as it was flavorful, crispy and delicious! I will make sure to order that fish again. Hubby got the Nkwobi made with cow feet, scotch bonnet pepper, onion, palm oil Spinach and seasonings. It was so hot but he enjoyed every bit of it. Anayo told us that they have only been open for 1 year. I hope they continue and thrive. I got to taste a strawberry yogurt drink that they had in the frig that was in a 1 liter container. I really enjoyed that also. You get the bill after you pay - they told us our total for us to pay. Not used to that but they aren't the first business that I've experience to do that. Area was very quiet that evening. Thank you Nayo's - see you soon!

This place is great . The food is wonderful. I drive 35…read moremiles to come here and eat their spaghetti and baked chicken. I love the Somalian tea. Mohomed the cashier & server is great today . Great customer service and they give large portions of food. This place never disappoints . I love this place and the people that come here to eat are always very nice too.

Great low-key spot for somali cuisine in the old town area. The staff were super friendly, and lots…read moreof the patrons seemed to be regulars. I split a meal with the friend, we got the chicken dinner and two samosas. The portions were great and we were both satisfied. Rice was delicious, the yellow split peas were great as well, and the chicken hit the spot. The samosas were just okay, I enjoyed them but would probably get something else next time. We got milk tea which wasn't too strong so it was fine to drink at night. Overall, it was a nice spot. I would really love to come back and try the lunch menu sometime!

Good and great service! This was my first time trying Senegalese food, I enjoyed the Chicken dish…read morewith the onion sauce. The rice could have been better by itself but everything together was great.

Yassa was my introduction to Senegalese food, and I'll be honest, you're going to wait a while for…read moreyour food. The customer service was okay, but nothing really stood out. Now, the food is a different story. I ordered the fufu with marinated beef, and they have hand sanitizer at the table so you can eat comfortably with your hands. The dish was a 10/10. The beef was extremely tender but still had a nice, firm texture. The seasoning and spices blended really well together. It had a little kick, but it wasn't overpowering. Overall, if you come here, come for the food and set your expectations accordingly when it comes to the service. Despite the wait and average customer service, I would definitely come back for this dish alone.

Everything was great. The food was outstanding and the atmosphere was delightful. The service was…read moreexcellent.

Upon entering the restaurant we were seated at a table that hadn't been wiped down as evident by a…read morecup of water and basket for silverware on the table. Clearly there are cultural differences present right away. No biggie. We were seated right away. We ordered red snapper... Cooked to perfection and fresh and yummy. Lamb dibi the lamb was a bit charred and not super tender but still good. Portions were good for us. I believe that a hungry person or a grown man could easily clean a plate. The juice drinks were good kinda sweet but I don't do sugar at all so I had to water it down. I observed a little kid come in with bread being carried in his bare hands that I hope wasn't for a patron. There is an African shop next door that has nice items...I really liked the mudcloth coats and hoodies. Free street parking. Customer service 4.5 Food 4.25 Bathroom Cleanliness 3.75 Restaurant cleanliness 4.0 Price $$

I rarely leave reviews, but this place was worth it. I was traveling and got stuck in a winter…read morestorm, and this place made my whole evening. The food was so fresh and taste, so authentic. I had to call the restaurant to thank them personally for being open, and being good quality food. 10 out of 10 recommend.

Demera was an excellent introduction to Ethiopian food! Since it was our first time, the staff was…read moreincredibly friendly and attentive, taking the time to answer our questions and make recommendations. The food was absolutely delicious and tasted incredibly fresh. It struck the perfect balance of being healthy while still being satisfying. We ordered a platter that didn't look like it would be very filling at first, but it was more than enough food. I would definitely recommend Demera to anyone looking to try Ethiopian cuisine, whether it's your first time or you're already a fan. If you're planning a date night in Uptown, this is a great place to start the evening, then head across the street to the Green Mill for live jazz and cocktails. It makes for a fun night out!

I love Ethiopian food and this is one of the small number of well-known Ethiopian restaurants in…read moreChicago. Need anything more really be said about it? The spicing is not shy, the meats are good, but as is so often true the vegetables are the star. The yellow lentils and the collard greens are probably my favorites. The spiced tea is good too. The service was adequate but neglectful, the QR-ification of the menus annoys me. And if we were in Washington DC or something we could have nice debates about how this place rates against many excellent competitors, but in Chicago I will just say that it is good, and if you like Ethiopian food you will come here sometimes.

Service was kind and took the time to recommend favorites for first time visitors. We has the…read morechicken and veggie pastel and the chicken curry and rice. Pastels were flavorful and the skin super light and flaky. Chicken curry was very flavorful, not dry. Tou could tell the chicken was cooked and charred on an open flame. Ambiance was a bit quiet but we went on a random Thursday afternoon. I would live to see more people come here and experience what they have to offer. A good friend who is a frequent customer recommends the fish fillet, and I would come back to try the sweet fried plantains.

Love this place! Great spot for senegalese food, the space is pretty lowkey but they've dressed it…read moreup nice. Staff are super friendly as well. I've tried the chicken pastel, cebbu yap, and thiebou djene. The cebbu yap is probably my favorite so far, but everything is delicious. The rice is super flavorful, the sauce is rich. Hope to be back soon!

Lovely host, authentic Moroccan fare (I loved the lamb!), in quaint rooms. Incidentally, the fact…read morethat the restaurant is divided into several separate smallish rooms means the restaurant is always conversation-friendly, a definite plus for people who want to enjoy their food together with a good dose of talk! Remember, BYOB!

We came to Shokran because of the overwhelmingly positive reviews and drove in from the suburbs…read morespecifically for Moroccan food. Unfortunately, we left really disappointed. We ordered the tagines, and the tagine pots themselves arrived at essentially room temperature--the server was carrying them comfortably with his bare hands. The food inside was only warm and tasted as though it may have been reheated rather than coming from a slow-cooked, piping-hot tagine. We've had Moroccan tagine elsewhere where removing the lid revealed sauce still actively bubbling, so the difference was striking. Here there was no sizzling, bubbling or even a particularly hot vessel. The flavors were fine, but overall the meal was just...bland and underwhelming. Maybe we caught them on an off night, especially given how much other diners seem to love this place, but based on our visit it wasn't worth the drive into the city.

The best suya I've had in Chicago! The portion was HUGE with plantains and onions and everything…read morewas seasoned to perfection. I called ahead but still had to wait a little while but it was definitely worth the wait. The owners were super sweet and accommodating. So much food for such a good price!

I love it. It's always good to go and support family and the food and ambiance is amazing !read more

The restaurant made half my order incorrectly when I ordered from UberEats. With that being said,…read morethe food was still delicious. I would have loved to try the goat but maybe next time. The fried fish was definitely my favorite part. Food: 4/5 Price: 4/5 Experience: 3.5/5

African people please get it together. There is a viral Tiktok video on the problems of dining with…read moreAfrican vendors and everything is true. The food is tasty. I will give them that. But everything else is horrible. The prices are outrageous. Way too expensive. Customer service is non existent. Rude people. The fact that it takes forever to receive a meal is unforgivable. You would think they slaughtered the goats in the back, how long it takes to receive food. I hate that I like the food and get a craving for it, because I know the hassle it will entail. My husband refuses to go to the restaurant anymore because of the shenanigans that happen every time he showed up in the past. West African people are really embarrassing themselves. At least the Ethiopians have customer service.