I admit I have had the pleasure of enjoying Sam & Tara's food in their home as well as in our own. Aside from being wonderful people and dear friends they are both super talented people in many respects. One of these talents is certainly in food, another is in hospitality! The restaurant is fun. The colors, the music, the smile from Sam at the bar all welcome you in to this awesome experience. Although we ate prior to their liquor license being issued - WHICH IT IS - nothing was missed. We ordered every appetizer on the menu and were pleased. The portions were ample and the quality was on the mark. I loved the Samoussas and the Bonbon Piment the best. My wife and friends were big fans of the Sarcives. For dinner my wife and I had the Boeuf Bourguignon and didn't leave a morsel. The flavor was bountiful. Our friend enjoyed the Lamb and my son the Ragu. It was great. Dessert finished us off and the Corn Cake was our choice. Love, love, love it! My recommendation is strong. Give Maloya a shot and you won't be sorry. Yes, Sam and Tara are close friends of ours and I think the world of them. However, that has no impact on the fact that this place is a home run! read more

Stopped by this unassuming hole-in-the-wall on a visit to the Gecko Gallery (highly recommend), and I'm glad we did. For all my geographic geekery, I know next to nothing about Reunion Island and the former French empire--I'm glad this visit slightly changed that. Slightly. The food is reminiscent of Caribbean and other cuisines where African ingredients and cooking styles were influenced by the spice trade. Think hearty textures, palm oil frying and tropical fruits. We started with the Assiette Creole to maximize appetizer sampling. The Samoussas came with both tuna and pork/lime filling--both were scrumptious, but the pork/lime was in a whole other league. I wanted to bathe in it, it was so tasty. The platter also came with Sarcives, a small pot of boneless BBQ chicken thighs bites that was sweet and juicy. And the last app was the Bonbon Piment (spicy lima bean fritters), which were like zesty falafel bites that I wanted to keep popping in my mouth forever. For entrees, we got the Cari Ti'jacques Boucane, a comforting spicy pork belly and jackfruit curry that didn't skimp on flavor. The accompanying rice and beans were unusual, with an almost earthy flavor. But it was the Espadon Massalé, perfectly poached swordfish in a complex sauce of tamarind and spices, that blew our minds. In fact, there aren't enough adjectives in the English language to describe how good it was, so I'll just use this made up SNL word: scrumtrulescent. It was unbelievably scrumtrulescent. For drinkies, try the L'Ispahan for a refreshing bevvie of lychee, raspberry, rose, ginger, almond, lime, soda, or the Pour les Pompistes if you prefer a coconut water and tropical fruit medley. They were a tad too sweet for me, but patient imbibers can just wait for the ice to melts a little more. We were the only diners there for most of our meal and had the undivided attention of the one lone front-of-house staff who might also have been the cook too? If so, extra kudos to him. Or as I imagine they say on Reunion Island: les kudos. read more

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Everything was yummy. The coconut vanilla shrimp was surprising and delicious, the salad was a winner too. They seemed to be out of stock on several beers and wines, and one poor guy seemed to be serving the entire bar and front of house, so service was a bit patchy. Not too expensive. Some nice cocktails. read more

Maloya - Coconut shrimp, sausage ragu - French Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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The tuna samousas were pretty good but they were smaller than expected like cocktail size. The rougail sauciesse with rice and lentils were delicious, and I'm surprised they served silverware out of a vintage-looking can. The inside of the restaurant felt a bit cozy, and sauce to meatball ratio was pretty good. I wish the portions were larger though especially for the appetizers. Overall, it's a nice addition since finding Reunion food in the US is pretty rare. read more

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First time trying food from Reunion Island. My friend suggested this place - prior I have never heard of Reunion Island. Their cuisine is a blend of French, African, and Indian. As soon as you walk in, you immediately feel the relaxing ambiance with the colorful wall decoration. It was quite empty on a Saturday afternoon we didn't have to make a reservation and was able to get parking in front of the restaurant. We got a couple items to share family style: - appetizer platter 7/10 - pork sausage ragu 8/10 - tamarind swordfish 6/10 - vanilla coconut shrimp 10/10 The appetizer platter is fun because you can pick 4 items from the appetizer menu. We got a mix of tuna & cheese samosas, lima bean fritter, and salted cod. The tuna samosa is my favorite. The swordfish dish doesn't taste very fresh. The fish was tough and felt overcooked. I do enjoy the unique tamarind sauce but this dish was very mediocre. My partner really liked the pork sausage ragu - the spice combo was delicious. This dish tasted very homey. The highlight for me was the coconut vanilla bean shrimp. At first I was thrown off by the sweet sauce, but once paired with flakes of cilantro - it really enhances the freshness of this dish! The portion size of the entrees were kind of small. You're definitely paying for the unique sauce. The four of us actually went to another restaurant for a second meal after eating here. If you don't want to restaurant hop, definitely recommend ordering more dishes than usual! read more

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Visited Maloya the other evening and thought it was decent! It's a French/Creole restaurant and I was looking forward to the experience as there were items that I had never had before. I had scoped the menu online prior to going and I will say that the menu in person is much larger, particularly the cocktail list. The cocktails are mostly rum-based. I tried one that was supposed to have soda in it but when it arrived it was flat which was off-putting. It didn't feel too balanced in my opinion. They have a selection of appetizers and the entrees are all around $25 and are one person portions. It isn't really family-style dishes. I opted for the pork belly/veggie curry and my partner opted for the lamb dish. We split the salad as an appetizer. The entrees are served with rice and a small pot of your choice of beans (believe it's kidney or lentil, we got one of each). Overall, I felt that food was good! It had a home-cooked vibe which I really appreciated. Not too salty/oily/heavy. I will say that the portions are a bit small. For the price and presentation of the food I had hoped for a bit more but overall a unique experience! read more

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The owner here was so sweet - very cool to hear about the origin of this restaurant. Food and vibes felt homemade, like visiting an old friends childhood home and being fed by mom. They have good options for vegetarians and pescatarians as well - I enjoyed the shrimp Lots of rums from across the world to try, including from reunion! read more

Maloya was my chosen spot for a birthday gathering for me and my party of 8. We called in advance for a reservation with no trouble and got seated right away once we arrived. The interior of the restaurant transports you to Reunion Island, away from the hustle and bustle of NYC! The walls are adorned with landscapes of islands and mountains that you can find in the vicinity of said island which added to its calm and soothing ambiance. Service-wise, the restaurant seemed a little understaffed as it took about 20-30mins to get our orders taken, with waters following soon after. We ordered drinks first and then food, a bit worried that our large order would be taking some time. However, we were pleasantly surprised to have our food and drink served not too long after placing our order. Unfortunately they were out of the pork belly and the stewed beef dish. The appetizers and entrees were all delicious! We got one of each appetizer, the shrimp, swordfish, sausage, and lamb leg entrees. The swordfish was nothing short of fantastic, with great flavor and savoriness. The sausage and shrimp were tasty as well, with the sausage having a mild yet deep flavor. The lamb leg sauce was yummy as well, but the meat proved to be a little tough and overcooked. Appetizers were delightful as well holding perfect crisp and crunch. A small note is that the entrees could have been a bit hotter, as they were near cool when they arrived at our table. Overall, while my party and I enjoyed the food and atmosphere, I think this place is more suited for small parties as the portions are not exactly family style. I recommend this as a good date night spot or even a quick stop in for some nice cocktails! read more

Maloya - Salade Creole, Samoussas - French Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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French restaurant with roots from the island of Reunion which is located off the coast of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. They have a huge rum selection. The menu is mostly French influenced along with some African and South Asian nods. I'd say the most similar cuisine would be Haitian. They have an appealing list of cocktails with lots of rum based ones. I had two. The first was the Pompistes which was a very fruity and tropical drink. The second was their Ti'Punch which used a distinctive rum that tasted more herby and botanical than sweet. The bartender was informative and helped me decide which drinks to go with. Food wise, we started with a fried sampler which included little samosas filled with tuna, cheese, and potatoes along with cod and potato fritters. The samosas used a filo like dough which made the exterior very thin and crispy. It ate more like a borek than a samosa. I liked all the fillings while my wife preferred the potato one. Fritters were crispy and filled with a whitefish salad like filling. Salty and crispy. The exterior had a falafel ball texture to it. A very nice 'snap'. A dish you'd expected for Southern (Louisiana, Mississippi) restaurants. We had a few drinks, so we decided to have a hearty plate to balance things out. We opted for the beef bourguignon. Tender and soft beef along with equally soft and tender carrots. Rich savory gravy that was more aggressively seasoned than French good typically is. It was served with a heaping of rice to absorb every bit of gravy. Service was friendly and informative. The pacing of the food was reasonable and the bartender prepared the drinks quickly. We were able to walk in on a Tuesday evening and grab seats right away. read more

Very good. Great rum selection. Great food. Good date night spot or drinks after work.

We had such a fun time at Maloya: delicious runs to sample, tasty food, cool room. Sam, the owner/bartender, took us on a rum Journey that took us across the French diaspora and beyond. Lively playlist of African pop played as we sipped and dined. Customers streamed in and congratulated Sam on his being in business for a year. Here's to that and to many years to come for this delightful eatery in Bushwick. If you live in the neighborhood, I strongly suggest you pop in to Maloya. read more

Maloya has the potential be a cute neighborhood gem as the food and ambiance are wonderful. While the food is delicious, I will say the portions felt a bit small and not the best presentation. The service was quite slow but the server who was also the bartender was friendly and attentive. I hope the food can be served in a more timely manner. I live really close to Maloya so I'll give it another try in a few months. read more

My two girl friends and I were eager to try this place and its Reunion Island inspired menu. We got there right when they opened at 5, and sat at the bar. By the time we left - around 7pm-ish - almost all the tables were full. We couldn't decide on an appetizer, so we got the sampler (which had a much more sophisticated name, but I'll butcher it). It was delicious!!! The cheese samosas were so good that at the end of the night, I ordered another order of them to go. For the main course, 2 of us had the beef stew and the third entree was the house made sausage. Everything was spot on! Meat was tender, well flavored, and we all liked how the sides came out family style to share. It's easy to tell that the food is made from the heart and with quality ingredients. For desert, I just had to try their seasonal Ginger ice cream (also made in house), and the yucca cake. It was the perfect amount of spice and creaminess, and the two surprisingly paired really well together. They are expecting their liquor license any day now, so in the meantime we tried the mocktails... oh my gosh! I hope they keep them on the menu! Our waiter was the owner himself, and he was very attentive and informative - explaining the history of Reunion Island (which, admittedly, I knew nothing about) and its culinary influences. A pet peeve of mine is waiting for my water to be refilled, but the owner never let my glass get even close to half way. While that is something small, it is appreciated and to me it shows their attention to detail and service. We are already planning to come back to Maloya for our next girl's night. read more

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Finally got around to this spot in the neighborhood! We really enjoyed the decor, music, and overall ambiance. The employees were all friendly and attentive. We had a nice chat with the owner about what Réunion island is like, sounds like a dream. To start the meal, we ordered the appetizer sampler platter and got two different samosas (ham and potato + cheese and scallion), the salted cod, and the Lima bean fritters. For the mains we got the swordfish massalé and the coconut shrimp. Then finally for dessert we got the corn cake with passion fruit. The standouts were the samosas, especially the cheese and scallion. They were super light and crispy, and the filling was so good. Personally, I think that the salted cod fritter was a bit too salty, but I mean... it's salted cod so if that's your thing, go for it! The Lima bean fritter felt a little dense, kind of like a falafel. Maybe some sort of pickle situation could elevate the cod fritter and Lima bean fritters? They just felt a bit heavier compared to the samosas. For the mains, both the shrimp and the fish were cooked perfectly. Personally think they both needed a bit more salt, but the sauces were really great with the rice, especially the massalé. The mains do come with Lima beans or lentils. We think that these need more seasoning as well. They felt like a bit of an afterthought and ultimately we left them alone. The dessert had great flavor, but just wish the corn cake was more moist! Overall, we had a great experience and would come back. We think that a few small tweaks could really make a big difference. Looking forward to it! read more

Super fun bar and restaurant! Very cool vibes and love the decor. I highly recommend getting the coconut vanilla shrimp, it might sound weird but it's really good and it was featured on the new york times!! love it and will come back! read more

Maloya - Coconut Macatia lamb - French Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Stepping into Maloya is like finding a London telephone box in Brooklyn--unexpected yet instantly comforting. With grandparents in Mauritius, the Réunion cuisine served here transported me straight back to Indian Ocean flavors with remarkable authenticity. The rougail saucisse arrived with a harmony of spices as precise as Big Ben's timekeeping, while the rum selection flows as richly as the Thames after rainfall. Each samoussa crackles with flavor memories, the bonbon piment as lively as a Notting Hill Carnival dancer. Owners Lebreton and Gruszkiewicz have created a slice of island magic that makes this British expat's heart swell like a well-risen Yorkshire pudding. For anyone missing Indian Ocean cuisine, Maloya is nothing short of culinary homecoming. read more

It's all very good, the food, the drinks, the service, everything! The thing where you get to try 4 different appetizers it's definitely the way to go. Lots of delicious rum cocktails. The main with the shrimps. All the deserte. It's a beautiful space read more

Maloya - French Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

The food is goood, y'all! My party of 2 went for Sunday dinner. Heads up for patrons: service is more French style, and/or "island time" i.e. not the usual American pace. This was part of the overall intimate charm. Sam the owner was tending bar and was the sole service staff that evening. He spoke with us at length about rum styles and sourcing - and he was equally attentive and conversational with other parties. Overall, a beautiful setting to enjoy fantastic food. read more

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Came here with a group of friends and had the best time! We started with some cocktails--my personal favorites were the Coco Démodé and Le Bushwick, but you honestly can't go wrong with any of them! Everyone in our group loved all of the drinks they had. We went for the appetizer platter which was really delicious! Special shoutout to the cheese samoussas--they're some of the best things I've ever eaten, I could down three plates of them. We also sampled some of the other samoussas, plus the bonbon piment (spicy lima bean fritters) and boulette morue (salt cod/potato fritters) which were all super tasty! I went for the champignons bourguignon creole for my main, which was braised portobello mushrooms and carrots in a red wine sauce. It was soooo good, and for a vegetable dish, very hearty and meaty! All of the mains are served with a side of rice and beans, that came out family style for us to share, which we really enjoyed. For sides, definitely try the rougail citron (spicy and citrusy) and rougail dakatine (tomato and peanuts). We finished up with one of each of the desserts (baba au rhum, gateau ti' son, gateau manioc)--again, all delicious. The ice creams that paired with the two cakes were especially good! The service was all around great too--one of the owners is from Reunion Island, so definitely chat with him if you're interested in hearing more about it. All in all, we had such a nice time at Maloya, and we really can't wait to go back! read more

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We had a fabulous experience at Maloya the other night. First off, our waitress Marie was so charming and helpful, and a Réunion Island native to boot! Then came the French Creole food. We started with the appetizer sampler, and got cheese samoussas, cod fritters, and lima bean fritters. All unusual and tasty. For mains, we asked our waitress for recommendations. She said everything was great, but the housemade sausage both reminded her of her grandmother's version, and this sausage's spice mix wasn't easily found in the States. So we ordered that and the braised lamb leg to share. So good! The sausage was delicious and the lamb so tender. We split the goat cheese mouse and corn cake, yum, but somehow the star of the show was the ice cream. Really thick, rich mouthfeel, I don't know if it was housemade but I'd come back just for this! We didn't get a chance to try the rhum or happy hour, but when we're back in NYC again we will most definitely return here. Don't pass this one up! read more

As a new restaurant, my hope is that this place eventually finds its footing as our first visit was very much just okay. The vibe itself is fine, I understand what they're going for in the way of French Creole but I'm not sure they committed quite enough to the decor for the theme. The menu is fairly small, which isn't necessarily a bad thing but I found that the main course options lacked a bit of variety. We started with three of the samoussas, two cheese and one pork. They were pretty standard, not terribly interesting, but the dipping sauce was nice. The lima bean fritters was probably the highlight of the night. With our meat main courses, we opted for the lentils which weren't the most interesting flavor profile but the dishware was interesting. We also added on the squash which was not worth the $8. Service was pleasant and attentive, but probably on the easier side as we were one of two tables on a Friday night. read more

Great atmosphere! Drinks were amazing & the price reasonable. Worth the hype. I am definitely coming

Came here for dessert and a nightcap and everything was amazing! The drinks, made for us by the lovely owner, were so unique and the Gateau Ti'Son was perfectly balanced with combava ice cream. I'll definitely come back for dinner next time. read more

Really fun and unique spot with incredible service! We had the assiette creole (assorted platter of small bites) and the camarons coco vanille (shrimp with coconut milk). Would love to come back to try the drinks and more of the menu! It was awesome to try food from the island of Reunion. read more

Maloya is a delicious restaurant with a lovely ambiance and great service! All the cocktails we tried were delicious - standouts for me include the dirty "martini" and the Gibson Maloya complete with house-pickled red onion (the wine menu also looked great). We started with an appetizer tray with two kinds of samosas and fritters - my personal favorite were the tuna samoussas. I got the Rougail Soucisses (homemade sausage) with lentils, which were delicious - I'm usually not a sausage person, but you can tell how much effort and care is put into these house made dishes. The unexpected star of the show for me was the dessert - we sampled the corn cake with ginger ice cream, the kefir lime vanilla ice cream, and the rose lychee raspberry sorbet. They're all housemade and unreal delicious. If you're looking for a unique cuisine you can't get anywhere else in the city, you've gotta check them out! read more

Maloya - Desert: corn cake with ginger ice cream, kefir lime vanilla ice cream, rose lychee raspberry sorbet (all homemade) - French Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Went with my boyfriend last night and everything was truly amazing. As they wait for the liquor license, we enjoyed 2 delicious mocktails to start. We started with the cheese and aligot samosas which were both delicious. We then moved on to the poached shrimp and the Tartiflette Creole which was probably our favorite thing we had. So so amazing. Finished with the corn cake dessert which was refreshing and hardy but not too sweet. Absolutely recommend trying this place before it blows up and you have to wait an hour to get in. read more

What a lovely place for dinner! I had never heard of Réunion Island before and read about the restaurant recently. The menu looked interesting so we decided to give it a shot. The drinks were inventive and well executed. And all the appetizers and mains that we tried were delicious and memorable. Prices were quite reasonable as well. Fabulous server - gave good recommendations on both food and wine. We'll be back!! read more

Went with some friends tonight, and we're so glad we did! The owners are so warm and knowledgeable. You can tell they are really passionate about food, and creating welcoming, cozy space. The food was absolutely incredible, and even though there are no cocktails yet, we did get to try and mocktail, and now I'm super excited to see what they do with the bar! Overall, a really exciting and delicious addition to the neighborhood, and I can't wait to go back soon! read more