There are good places, there are great places, and then there are places where the food is truly transformative. This tiny unassuming African spot on the Main Street in Springfield is one such establishment. If you asked me where the very best grilled chicken I could have is I would point you here and tell you to ignore the fact that it was African, if you asked me for the very best African food I would say there are many great places and this is one of the absolute best! Karen, the owner and chef and Emanuel her brother are kind and well versed in hospitality, a fact that her formal and informal training will prove if you are fortunate enough to meet them. The spices, the smells and the flavors are what Africa is known for and the first thing they will tell you is that everything is cooked to order so don't expect it to just be ready but I promise you it's worth twice the amount of time (it wasn't too long by the way) and you truly feel as though you have been invited into their home. With no hyperbole this is not just some of the very best African food I've had it's some of the very best food I've ever had and I cannot wait to return. read more

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There is a long wait. They do cook everything fresh, but they ran outta the red snapper. Too much garlic on the food. Ordered branzino. It was fresh. But all I could taste was garlic. They use a lot of garlic on everything. It was a one and done. If you enjoy garlic, then it's for you. Restaraunt itself smells bad. It's not the most hygienic place. It's very a mom and pop, hole in the wall kinda place. I wouldn't dine in because of the smell. read more

Went here because we were looking for a spot to eat after going to a spa in the neighborhood. Food was delicious-it took a few minutes as it was made to order, but my word. Got the grilled chicken and jollof rice, it was so good, I was looking to arrange my next visit. Glad we went here before the remodel. read more

My first venture into African food and it definitely wouldn't be the last! My boyfriend and I came here on a Friday night and ordered fried tilapia and suya lamb. - Suya lamb: 5/5, wow!! absolutely gushing with flavor and the onions were perfectly cooked and sweet.. got to dip it in more suya pepper which was A+++ - Fried tilapia: 4/5, nothing to write home about but still super flavorful - will try to get grilled next time! Of note, the food took some time for it to get to our table (around 40 min), but we read the reviews ahead of time. I would recommend to call ahead if you want your food from kitchen to table ASAP. I don't blame them though, there is only 1 chef in the back and she is working her magic on all the food. The server was also so friendly and made us feel welcome even though it was my first time trying this cuisine :) highly recommend - ty for reading! read more

La Braise African Grill - Fried Tilapia - African Near Me - Springfield, New Jersey

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Tilapia whole. Any of the fish whole is amazing even delivered. The sauce is illegally hot. Only use on fish if you try it first

I did not try this place, walked in and walked right out. Online looks really good but place was not sanitary so I didnt bother

Delicious food. Lamb Suya worth the stop. Kedjenou chicken nice and spicy. Friendly service.

Came here for lunch with a work place associate. I'm not familiar with African food. I ordered the grilled lamb and my work amigo got the Tuna. His Tuna came with cassava as a side. I ordered the yellow rice to accompany my lamb. we each also got the ginger pineapple drink. the food was excellent. But, it took really long for the food to come out because it was cooked fresh. for me everything with tip was around $36. really pricey for lunch. but I'd still come back. I want to try the chicken next time. when paying found out they make Senegalese food. we can call ahead next time if time is an issue. read more

La Braise African Grill - grilled lamb - African Near Me - Springfield, New Jersey

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Every time I come in town coming here is a must! Hands down some of the BEST food I've ever ate! I would give this place 100 stars if I could. Please give this restaurant a try you will not be disappointed. The yellow rice , grilled sea bass and chicken are smack lips good! As well as the sauces that comes with the food. I don't know the names of them, they are all good and some are spicy. The owner really makes everything with love and she is super sweet! This is more of a take out spot so I would suggest ordering your food ahead of time plus the food is made to order so I can take a while depending on what you order. read more

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This place shot onto my "must visit" list, I don't even know how, but I figured my next visit to Maplewood would get me some delicious and unique Ivorian (Ivory Coast) cuisine. It's right in the middle of little downtown Springfield, which is perhaps a bit of a pain to get to but that's the town's problem, not La Braise's. I want to start with the closest to 5 stars: the food. It's a very small menu, and the chicken stood out as the easiest selection (that or fish). There are also crepes and other desserts, whatever they have made today that hasn't sold out. The chicken was spiced excellently in a purely Ivorian way, cooked perfectly, and the green sauce paired perfectly. I wish the portion was a little larger; I ordered a half-chicken, expecting the size I find in the Ironbound, only to find that it is more hen-sized (and hence the deliciousness). So if you're hungry, order yourself a full-size chicken. The attiéké (cassava) side made up for that, very filling - somewhat like grits, but a different base and taste. The side red sauce went into that, since cassava is rather dry without a sauce to pair. Perhaps that was the intent, but I don't know, I just tucked in once the food was delivered. And the homemade juices? Très bon. Stepping down from the food, you can see my photo of the interior, and unfortunately that's most of it. Only 2 tables, both taken when I got there, and a little sidebar where I squeezed myself in. Tiny bathroom, clearly minimizing space. Tiny kitchen in the back, and maybe that's why the menu is so limited and it takes awhile to prepare food. Consider takeout. So yeah, the other factor here: be prepared to wait a bit. Which is fine. But my wait wasn't really attended; no glass of water for example. I did not take issue with this, but you might, so hopefully this prepares you! If you have kids who want food as soon as they enter a restaurant, you should place an order 15-20 minutes before you arrive. I will say that once I spoke to the woman behind the counter, things got a lot nicer as I recognized the food's origin and we started conversing in French. I was welcomed back to continue practicing, and perhaps I will take them up on that. :) read more

La Braise African Grill - My dinner: half roasted chicken, hot sauce (green), cassava - African Near Me - Springfield, New Jersey

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The kitchen serves meals that highlight the quality of fresh ingredients. The restaurant environment feels intentional. Their cooking shows more skill than expensive restaurants. Team members demonstrated refined service and professionalism. The spot delivers outstanding quality! read more

Outstanding flavors. We tried this place (takeout) tonight for the first time and I almost wanted to call the chef to thank her. The chicken! The sauces! The rice! So great. read more

Amazing African spot. The cuisine is mainly Ivorian (Ivory Coast) with some Cameroonian influences. 1) I got the half grilled chicken with yellow rice. It was fantastic. The spices here are for sure unique and the chicken was juicy and well seasoned. 2) I recommend the Bissip drink, which is a hibiscus infused drink popular all over Africa, especially West Africa. 3) The restaurant serves Halal meat, if that is your dietary preference. read more

La Braise African Grill - The restaurant serves Halal meat if that is a diet you follow. - African Near Me - Springfield, New Jersey

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Lovely little "hole-in-the-wall" (but nice and clean) type spot serving what is presumably very authentic food from the Ivory Coast, Ghana, etc. The family run spot was hospitable and our group were surprised by how tasty and spicy (in a good way) the dishes and accompaniments were. The slow-cooked grilled lamb was a big hit, and the roast half chicken was also aromatic and flavorful. If you're a purist about fish being cooked traditionally and not being fillet-ed then this place will hit the spot too. The heat in the dishes was sharp but can be managed by not using too much of the hot stuff that's accompanies the meal. The ginger drink was amazingly strong but helps cut down the heat very well. Surprised this place hasn't gotten much recognition, perhaps because of the ongoing construction nearby... but you get the sense this is one of those for only those in-the-know until word gets around about its authenticity and flavor. It can be a bit slow compared to other restaurants but we get the sense that it's because much of the food is only prepared upon order which can take a bit of time. Our hosts were super friendly - even encouraging us to savor the meal without utensils as is traditionally served. read more

EXTREMELY SLOW - Don't eat here if you are already hungry, in a rush, or have somewhere you have to be afterwards. Based on other reviews that said that they were slow and that you should order ahead even if you dine-in, I called an order in at 4:45 on a Friday for a soup to dine-in and a grilled chicken to go, and was told it would be 45 minutes. I arrived after 30 min and they said the soup was ready and the chicken was not, which was fine, though it took another 15 min for the soup to be brought to the table after that. After an hour, the chicken was still not ready and they had no estimate on when it would be ready. When I told them I had to go, they said that they hadn't started the soup until I walked in and that there were a lot of other orders in front of me; I get the impression that they just put the chicken on the grill at around the 1-hour mark after I ordered it. The restaurant was empty and only 1 other person showed up to pick up a small order while I was there, so I can only imagine how much slower it would be during prime dinner hour. The soup was very flavorful and tasty, though very spicy - they may want to mention in the menu description that it's spicy. The description also says it is cooked with vegetables, but the veggies are pureed, and it's more like chicken in an orange soup broth. I suspect the grilled chicken is delicious, but I didn't get to eat it and had to leave to go to a meeting without the dinner I had planned to have ready for my family. They have multiple signs up in the restaurant telling delivery drivers and customers "DO NOT RUSH US!!" so I suspect that you just need to go in ready to spend a lot of time waiting. read more

This restaurant is by far the BEST African restaurant in the area. Their grilled chicken is delicious. The Kedjenous is incredible. The Suya of Lamb is great for those who like lamb. read more

The food is AMAZING!!!!!!! The service is OUTSTANDING!!!! The ambiance is very cozy ! I definitely recommend this place 100% read more

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One of the best meals I've eaten in a long time! The owner and staff were extremely sweet and caring. They make the food to order so it's fresh. Loved the lamb, whole grilled red snapper, plantain beignets and rice. The spices were so unique and unlike anything I've ever had. Hope to come back when we in the area. read more

Beautiful and fresh food in a squeaky clean cafe. Home style fare from Ivory Coast with generous portions and thoughtful presentation. Authentic and healthy - don't sleep on this hidden gem! read more

La Braise African Grill - Chicken, attieke cassava couscous, fried plantains. Perfection. - African Near Me - Springfield, New Jersey

BEST FISH WE HAVE EVER HAD. The whole Bronzino was amazing. It is stuffed with a fresh sauce of aromatics and herbs and then grilled. They also serve food with a collection of sauces that are so unique and delicious. We also had the grilled chicken which was also terrific. Everything is made fresh and to order, this is the way good should be. read more

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So good! Go check them out went here for lunch everyone please follow me on TikTok & ig : zoetoldme for a full review on this restaurant read more

La Braise African Grill - Chicken - African Near Me - Springfield, New Jersey

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Grilled chicken skewers were flavorful and moist. Whole red snapper was grilled perfectly. Attieke was good. The 3 dipping sauces went well with the food. Service was friendly. read more

The food is very good, and the owner is so friendly. Highly recommend the place if you are in the area. Try their sea bass and the lamb.

What a surprise! Close to home, super friendly staff. Home cooked food inundated with flavor and as spicy as you want it. Simple surroundings but clean and welcoming. I had the chicken soup! Like none I have ever experienced: well-seasoned chicken and hearty. My husband had the whole fish--OMG--a feisty fish, with popping seasonings, every millimeter of the fish was full or taste! You must go and sample. We will be back! read more

It was my first visit. I ordered a couple of chicken sticks and a beef empanada, which I was surprised to see on the menu. The empanada was good, but not great. It was (obviously) unlike one based on a Latin cuisine, the pastry was very good, and the beef filling was a bit lacking in flavor - although nice whole peas. The grilled chicken sticks were delicious! very tender, full of flavor with good char and smokey taste, while remaining juicy and tender. They couldn't have been cooked better. There were only a couple cherry tomatoes on each stick. If they add maybe one more tomato in the middle, and a few pieces of onion, it would be tremendous! read more

Delicious! You can't go wrong with anything on the menu. A true neighborhood gem. Takeout or dine in. BYOB. read more

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Food is HALAL and SOOO fresh and yummy. Owner is SO kind and caring, very clean! If I can give the food 10000 stars I would, I ordered the half chicken spicy, a side of sweet plantains, and their hibiscus juice. Everything was amazing and fresh. Also its gluten free! I will be back read more

This little African place is winning over my taste buds dish by dish. So far I've tried the whole tilapia with attieke and plantain fritters (amazing, all of it) and the ham & cheese crepe and they were all so delicious. I can't wait to go back to try the chicken, lamb, and beef dishes, and the other fish dishes too. And the donuts! This is fantastic home cooking made with love, and a really welcome addition to the food scene in Springfield, which could use more diversity. I'm so happy this place exists! read more

Food, service, and ambiance was 10/10. The guy who served us was super nice and the food blew us away. Perfect flavoring and had leftovers too. read more

The Food is tasteful, fresh and great portion sizes. The service from the staff is friendly and inviting. I would definitely recommend.

Just left this place. Was at Short Hills Mall and decided to yelp dinner and found this absolute gem of a restaurant. Read the reviews and called in my order (though was 10 minutes away) and headed over with husband and two toddlers in tow. Super simple, homey, "hole in the wall" restaurant. It was a bit uncomfortably warm inside and we asked if they had a fan they could turn on and they promptly brought one out for us. Noticed a lot of people coming in to pick up pre-placed orders. There were two others dining in. Food did take about 20 minutes or so to come out, but man was it DELICIOUS and worth every minute of wait. We got the grilled red snapper, whole chicken, grilled lamb and two orders of yellow rice. Everything tasted so good and the flavors were so unique. We quickly devoured our food and the 2.5 and 4 year old toddlers enjoyed the food as well. Definitely going back for a delicious "home cooked" meal. read more

I'm so glad I found this place. I wanted the red snapper but it was going to be a long wait. I ended up getting branzino instead. So many bones so you have to eat it slow but the flavors are incredible. The rice is amazing. My lips are tingling from the spices of the sauces. It's a splurge but it's worth it. Also the bissap is so refreshing and sweet but in a good way. I wish I bought two. read more

I've been looking for a nice Ivorian restaurant and this place did not disappoint. We ordered the grilled chicken and fried tilapia. Everything is freshly cooked and the plantains were sweet perfection. Looking forward to eating there again. read more

La Braise African Grill - African Near Me - Springfield, New Jersey

I have been meaning to stop in since they opened but I moved out of state. I finally got to experience the food and was so happy I did. The food was cooked fresh and was great. I had the chicken, plantains, steamed broccoli, with rice and my friend had the skewers. Portions and taste were on point. I quite enjoyed the onions and tomato toppings. Donuts were yummy too. Karen was super friendly and sweet, she had us sitting comfortably on the side as we waited. Great ambiance, personnel and food. Would definitely return, this is a huge asset for downtown Springfield!!! read more

La Braise African Grill - Half chicken, basmati rice - African Near Me - Springfield, New Jersey

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Not fancy but great food and service at very reasonable prices. Check it out! Grilled chicken, grilled fish, plantains and crepes were mouth-watering. read more

We wanted to try something different and this delivered. The flavors were delicious. I had the half chicken, fries (hand cut), and a side of plantains. The sauces it came with were excellent. There was clearly a lot of thought and love put into it. The portions were generous. Will definitely return. read more

Food is excellent! Service excellent! Ambiance was nice but not a lot of seating. It was a great experience!

I knew nothing about this restaurant when I found the menu on google, but my Thursday night dinner group took a chance, and we are glad we did. One of the best dinners we have enjoyed in a while, and Karen is a welcoming and wonderful hostess. We ordered 3 entrees (the spicy whole chicken, lamb, and grilled bronzino) along with several interesting sides. More than enough to feed 4 former college athletes! Delicious, and creative seasoning for the meat and fish. For dessert we went with a non-typical order for us: a plate of homemade donuts, and we were rewarded with a sweet and satisfying dish. read more

I was staying in W. Springfield with a friend for a weekend training and wanted to find an interesting place to order dinner. We happened upon La Braise, a restaurant that offers food from Côte D'Ivoire. I called Karen, who seems to be the owner/chef, who said she would personally deliver our food to our hotel. She came in about 40min and I met her outside the front door. Karen was absolutely beautiful and sweet...and...then the FOOD! We each had ordered their 1/2 grilled chicken with sweet plantains and a side of steamed broccoli. The perfectly seasoned chicken came with sides of braised onions, a killer yellow HOT sauce, and a smoky red sauce. The layers of flavors were so perfect and opened up taste buds in my mouth I had forgotten about! We were saying we would like to make a separate trip across Manhattan to this area at some point in order to eat in the restaurant and to see Karen again! Thank you Karen for your great food and special service. read more

Delicious! We got the lamb and tuna and enjoyed it throughly. The owner cooked everything to order and was super sweet. Definitely recommended. read more