Nailah's kitchen
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This is the best dibi lamb I've had! My first introduction to dibi lamb was at a Malian restaurant in West Philadelphia in the early 2000s. Since that time, I rotate between poisson and dibi whenever I get Senegalese food. West African restaurants are a dime a dozen in Philadelphia, but a lot of the food is just ok, with many of my favorite restaurants changing hands over the years and after COVID most of the food is meh at best. I recently had dibi at the gold standard for Senegalese food in Philadelphia and was disappointed. Fortunately, I have been able to order poisson and dibi from a Malian woman near me and I can make a passable version in a pinch. Two weeks ago, a friend posted on FB that this was the best meal she had ever had. As this was someone I know to have a breadth of experience with food, I was intrigued by the recommendation. So, while attending a conference in the area, I decided to give it a try. Unlike the Senegalese restaurant I recently visited in Chicago, this place was nice - the furnishings, decorations, and even the restroom was modern but authentic. The customer service was also refreshing. As soon as he set the plate down I knew it was going to be spectacular. There was a glorious aroma wafting from the lamb (which I'd ordered spicy), the plantains weren't glistening with oil, and the yassa condiment was a unexpected treat. The lamb was tender, seasoned to perfection and honestly I was so enamored with the food that I texted my friend to concur with her assessment. I was stuffed but didn't want the meal to end and I didn't want to leave. When I finished, I went to wash my hands and when I returned to the table I was disappointed that I had eaten it all. It was truly an outstanding meal with remarkable service. I wish them longevity and success because I intend to return with my family so they too can experience the deliciousness.
My gf was really craving African food on our way home from NYC so we stopped here for dinner. It was good eating on my part! I ordered the Dibi lamb with the red jollof and plantains. They served two sauces with it and they were both delicious. The lamb was grilled well and tasted great. The jollof was good but I was expecting broken rice since it's a Senegalese restaurant. I'm a fan of Liberian jollof so it didn't have as much of a jollof flavor as I typically have at home. The plantains were delicious and not too oily or over fried. The service was good. I believe the man working there was the owner and he was kind and helpful with the menu and what was available that night as they had sold out of a couple of things. The food didn't take too long to come out which was nice. The ambiance is open and casual. There's Senegalese art on the walls and it's very much painted like Senegal inside. It was a nice touch compared to other African restaurants we've been to. If you like African food or haven't tried it yet, I recommend coming here. It was good and had a lot of food on the plate.
Honestly not bad, definitely authentic. I'm West African and I've eaten tons of Senegalese food throughout NYC. I'll say although authentic not my favorite spot in Maryland. It might be what I ordered though. It seems the lamb is the better option here. The fish I ordered wasn't juicy and packed with flavor as I like it to have. I ordered the whole snapper. The plantains were pretty good, but same not my favorite. Food: Fried whole red snapper fish (Yassa fish) 6/10 Dibi lamb 9/10 Plantains 7/10 Ginger beer 10/10 Service I will say the service and ambiance was great!!! There aren't a ton of quality West African spots in regard to ambiance so this place passed the vibe check. Parking There's a very very small parking lot behind the building. It fits like 4-5 cars. There's tons of street parking, but you might have to walk a bit. It wasn't super busy on a Sunday night. I'll go back and try the food again. Next time I'll order the lamb.
I was blown away by how amazing Nailah's was when I went last week. Let's first start with walking in and the atmosphere. Nailah's was extremely clean and the staff is amazing. This has to be one of the cleanest restaurants that I have ever been to. The staff were beyond friendly and helpful with the menu. The atmosphere was very calm/chill. It did start to get busy around 9pm on a weeknight which I believe meant they stayed open later than most restaurants in the area. The gentleman who sat us whom I believe was the owner was extremely friendly and helpful with us navigating the menu. We ended up ordering the Dibi Chicken with the seasoned rice and the Dibi lamb and plantain. We were advised to have the spice on the side because it was very very spicy haha. The food though was so flavorful and great portions. We also ordered the Bissap drink which was yummy. I don't believe they serve alcohol or allow it just an FYI. We did take half of our meal homes and honestly it was even better than it was the first day. I can't wait to go back and am craving jt again already. I would love to have them cater an event for sometime in the future! Don't sleep on this gem !
The fish was yummy and I wished I had tried their drinks with ginger in it. That's right up my alley. I missed that. This place had glowing reviews but when I went there, they were short staffed and one guy was doing it all. He was clearly working hard. For me, it looked like it was still trying to recover from covid, short staffed, plastic small water bottles, plastic cups, empty bar, etc. The food was presented beautifully. I ordered the lamb and it was seasoned nicely, good portions, but a little dry for me. The plantains were not super ripe nor green. The fish ordered by my friend was delicious. I wish I had ordered that. Added in response to the owner: I'm sorry I DID NOT say anything to do with race. This is quite untrue. Perhaps you misheard. I love African food, culture and people. I love diversity actually as I am Mixed myself. I was specifically looking for an African owned place or as close to authentic African, I could find. I told you my guest was from Africa and I wanted to take her some place special. I am not from Baltimore, so I did not know the area. I do have an obligation to myself and readers to be honest. If I rated this higher, it would discredit my own reviews of very nice places I have rated 4 or 5 stars to because of my own personal experiences and standards. I did say I was bougie to try and be kind as I saw you were working very hard and place blame on myself. By some standards I am, because my health depends on it. For example, I can not drink hot water out of plastic. No one should. The chemicals from the plastic leaches into the water and it becomes micro plastic which our bodies can not digest or expel easily. It becomes an endocrine system blockers and can be problematic for some people. I described myself that way to be kind and take onus that I do have my own set of particularities. The bill for two people was around $65 and for that price, I expected my meal to not be dry but I understood, it was a rough day and lamb is an expensive cut of meat. I still left a tip. Also, for someone else, it's perfectly cooked. I like lamb medium not well done. I have no idea why you brought race into this. I was literally coming from a black owned large event with a friend who is black. I would have still gone back to this place for the fish and to try again but your response makes it very hard to do that. I do love African food. I think many people would enjoy this. I simply like lamb not well done (on the rare occasions I eat it). (I did remove the section about the food next door because I thought that should be a separate review from this post.)
Nailah's has never been a miss for me. Authentic SeneGambian food, that is seasoned to perfection, hot pepper(optional), and onion sauce that you can put on everything! We had to call a few times, and leave a message on Yelp to make sure the dining room was open. Once we confirmed that both the dining room and carry-out were open, we headed straight there. The owners and staff are very welcoming and friendly. The restaurant is very clean, and pleasantly decorated. The food is excellent! I would only increase the meat portion on one or two of their chicken dishes for the cost. I almost always get the mechoui (lamb shank), seasoned rice, plantain, and a bottle of bissap. The food is delicious, beautifully presented, and always worth the trip!
Incredible and unique fancy restaurant with food done well, currently masquerading as a takeout place. Senegalese food is well spiced. I asked for mild which worked out well. I'd also suggest going in expecting to eat with your hands. Sure there are forks and knives, but they were not made for food like this. The lamb was incredible. Fatty, flavorful and filling. One order could have fed two people. Plantains had crispy edges. Two sauces came with the meal and I'm not sure what they are, they did provide flavor explosions with a bit of heat. Best when the dining room is open. Schwarma sandwiches might be a good to go option. Don't forget the Senegalese juices. I got the ginger pineapple in a bottle which had lots of fresh ginger.
My family had a good time here. Very neat seating areas and yummy food. Yassa chicken 8/10 for me!! The staff are sweet and helpful
This is me, my daughter and my husband's favourite spot to eat African food. This is the best food (West African) in Maryland. They have treated us so kindly I don't understand why they don't have more people when we eat but their restaurant looks beautiful. I love this place and I always tell people about it. I hope that they are able to Stay open and open a place closer to us. Oh, and this place is so clean.
OMGGGGG!! I have had some pretty amazing food from all cultures, but Senegalese cuisine very well may be one of my favorites! I am so upset with myself for passing this restaurant on multiple occasions without stepping in to give them a taste. Silly me! The food at Nailah's Kitchen was very, very good! The portions were unbelievable for the price of their dishes! I couldn't even wait to get home to dig in, I basically devoured my grilled salmon in the car! The flavors and spices were perfect! Wonderful combinations of sweet, spicy and savory married together skillfully! My husband's lamb was equally tasty and this is coming from a woman who isn't the biggest fan of lamb dishes. Their bottled juices were also quite tasty. The sorrel was different than what I normally order from Caribbean restaurants, but it was a welcomed difference. I will be retuning very soon to try other items on their menu!
24 days ago
2 months ago
The food at Nailah's is delightfully simple and straightforward -- perfectly grilled meats served with soft rice or sweet plantains. I loved the grilled chicken and lamb -- juicy, well-seasoned, and cooked just right. The tilapia was a bit underwhelming, mainly because the fish itself has a bit of a muddy aftertaste. Pair it with a sweet and tangy Bissap -- a vibrant sorrel and pineapple juice -- and the whole meal easily scores an 8.5/10. I also really liked the cozy wooden hut vibe of Nailah's Kitchen. The restaurant is spacious, with plenty of tables and chairs, and the red, green, and yellow lights make the whole place feel just as colorful as the dishes they serve. Service was okay, but it's definitely a spot worth visiting for the food. read more
1 year ago
This is the best dibi lamb I've had! My first introduction to dibi lamb was at a Malian restaurant in West Philadelphia in the early 2000s. Since that time, I rotate between poisson and dibi whenever I get Senegalese food. West African restaurants are a dime a dozen in Philadelphia, but a lot of the food is just ok, with many of my favorite restaurants changing hands over the years and after COVID most of the food is meh at best. I recently had dibi at the gold standard for Senegalese food in Philadelphia and was disappointed. Fortunately, I have been able to order poisson and dibi from a Malian woman near me and I can make a passable version in a pinch. Two weeks ago, a friend posted on FB that this was the best meal she had ever had. As this was someone I know to have a breadth of experience with food, I was intrigued by the recommendation. So, while attending a conference in the area, I decided to give it a try. Unlike the Senegalese restaurant I recently visited in Chicago, this place was nice - the furnishings, decorations, and even the restroom was modern but authentic. The customer service was also refreshing. As soon as he set the plate down I knew it was going to be spectacular. There was a glorious aroma wafting from the lamb (which I'd ordered spicy), the plantains weren't glistening with oil, and the yassa condiment was a unexpected treat. The lamb was tender, seasoned to perfection and honestly I was so enamored with the food that I texted my friend to concur with her assessment. I was stuffed but didn't want the meal to end and I didn't want to leave. When I finished, I went to wash my hands and when I returned to the table I was disappointed that I had eaten it all. It was truly an outstanding meal with remarkable service. I wish them longevity and success because I intend to return with my family so they too can experience the deliciousness. read more
My gf was really craving African food on our way home from NYC so we stopped here for dinner. It was good eating on my part! I ordered the Dibi lamb with the red jollof and plantains. They served two sauces with it and they were both delicious. The lamb was grilled well and tasted great. The jollof was good but I was expecting broken rice since it's a Senegalese restaurant. I'm a fan of Liberian jollof so it didn't have as much of a jollof flavor as I typically have at home. The plantains were delicious and not too oily or over fried. The service was good. I believe the man working there was the owner and he was kind and helpful with the menu and what was available that night as they had sold out of a couple of things. The food didn't take too long to come out which was nice. The ambiance is open and casual. There's Senegalese art on the walls and it's very much painted like Senegal inside. It was a nice touch compared to other African restaurants we've been to. If you like African food or haven't tried it yet, I recommend coming here. It was good and had a lot of food on the plate. read more
Honestly not bad, definitely authentic. I'm West African and I've eaten tons of Senegalese food throughout NYC. I'll say although authentic not my favorite spot in Maryland. It might be what I ordered though. It seems the lamb is the better option here. The fish I ordered wasn't juicy and packed with flavor as I like it to have. I ordered the whole snapper. The plantains were pretty good, but same not my favorite. Food: Fried whole red snapper fish (Yassa fish) 6/10 Dibi lamb 9/10 Plantains 7/10 Ginger beer 10/10 Service I will say the service and ambiance was great!!! There aren't a ton of quality West African spots in regard to ambiance so this place passed the vibe check. Parking There's a very very small parking lot behind the building. It fits like 4-5 cars. There's tons of street parking, but you might have to walk a bit. It wasn't super busy on a Sunday night. I'll go back and try the food again. Next time I'll order the lamb. read more
I was blown away by how amazing Nailah's was when I went last week. Let's first start with walking in and the atmosphere. Nailah's was extremely clean and the staff is amazing. This has to be one of the cleanest restaurants that I have ever been to. The staff were beyond friendly and helpful with the menu. The atmosphere was very calm/chill. It did start to get busy around 9pm on a weeknight which I believe meant they stayed open later than most restaurants in the area. The gentleman who sat us whom I believe was the owner was extremely friendly and helpful with us navigating the menu. We ended up ordering the Dibi Chicken with the seasoned rice and the Dibi lamb and plantain. We were advised to have the spice on the side because it was very very spicy haha. The food though was so flavorful and great portions. We also ordered the Bissap drink which was yummy. I don't believe they serve alcohol or allow it just an FYI. We did take half of our meal homes and honestly it was even better than it was the first day. I can't wait to go back and am craving jt again already. I would love to have them cater an event for sometime in the future! Don't sleep on this gem ! read more
5 months ago
1 year ago
3 years ago
The fish was yummy and I wished I had tried their drinks with ginger in it. That's right up my alley. I missed that. This place had glowing reviews but when I went there, they were short staffed and one guy was doing it all. He was clearly working hard. For me, it looked like it was still trying to recover from covid, short staffed, plastic small water bottles, plastic cups, empty bar, etc. The food was presented beautifully. I ordered the lamb and it was seasoned nicely, good portions, but a little dry for me. The plantains were not super ripe nor green. The fish ordered by my friend was delicious. I wish I had ordered that. Added in response to the owner: I'm sorry I DID NOT say anything to do with race. This is quite untrue. Perhaps you misheard. I love African food, culture and people. I love diversity actually as I am Mixed myself. I was specifically looking for an African owned place or as close to authentic African, I could find. I told you my guest was from Africa and I wanted to take her some place special. I am not from Baltimore, so I did not know the area. I do have an obligation to myself and readers to be honest. If I rated this higher, it would discredit my own reviews of very nice places I have rated 4 or 5 stars to because of my own personal experiences and standards. I did say I was bougie to try and be kind as I saw you were working very hard and place blame on myself. By some standards I am, because my health depends on it. For example, I can not drink hot water out of plastic. No one should. The chemicals from the plastic leaches into the water and it becomes micro plastic which our bodies can not digest or expel easily. It becomes an endocrine system blockers and can be problematic for some people. I described myself that way to be kind and take onus that I do have my own set of particularities. The bill for two people was around $65 and for that price, I expected my meal to not be dry but I understood, it was a rough day and lamb is an expensive cut of meat. I still left a tip. Also, for someone else, it's perfectly cooked. I like lamb medium not well done. I have no idea why you brought race into this. I was literally coming from a black owned large event with a friend who is black. I would have still gone back to this place for the fish and to try again but your response makes it very hard to do that. I do love African food. I think many people would enjoy this. I simply like lamb not well done (on the rare occasions I eat it). (I did remove the section about the food next door because I thought that should be a separate review from this post.) read more
Business owner information
Mohammed A.
I'm not surprise of your review I expected it because of the…
2 years ago
Nailah's has never been a miss for me. Authentic SeneGambian food, that is seasoned to perfection, hot pepper(optional), and onion sauce that you can put on everything! We had to call a few times, and leave a message on Yelp to make sure the dining room was open. Once we confirmed that both the dining room and carry-out were open, we headed straight there. The owners and staff are very welcoming and friendly. The restaurant is very clean, and pleasantly decorated. The food is excellent! I would only increase the meat portion on one or two of their chicken dishes for the cost. I almost always get the mechoui (lamb shank), seasoned rice, plantain, and a bottle of bissap. The food is delicious, beautifully presented, and always worth the trip! read more
Incredible and unique fancy restaurant with food done well, currently masquerading as a takeout place. Senegalese food is well spiced. I asked for mild which worked out well. I'd also suggest going in expecting to eat with your hands. Sure there are forks and knives, but they were not made for food like this. The lamb was incredible. Fatty, flavorful and filling. One order could have fed two people. Plantains had crispy edges. Two sauces came with the meal and I'm not sure what they are, they did provide flavor explosions with a bit of heat. Best when the dining room is open. Schwarma sandwiches might be a good to go option. Don't forget the Senegalese juices. I got the ginger pineapple in a bottle which had lots of fresh ginger. read more
7 months ago
2 years ago
1 year ago
1 year ago
This is me, my daughter and my husband's favourite spot to eat African food. This is the best food (West African) in Maryland. They have treated us so kindly I don't understand why they don't have more people when we eat but their restaurant looks beautiful. I love this place and I always tell people about it. I hope that they are able to Stay open and open a place closer to us. Oh, and this place is so clean. read more
OMGGGGG!! I have had some pretty amazing food from all cultures, but Senegalese cuisine very well may be one of my favorites! I am so upset with myself for passing this restaurant on multiple occasions without stepping in to give them a taste. Silly me! The food at Nailah's Kitchen was very, very good! The portions were unbelievable for the price of their dishes! I couldn't even wait to get home to dig in, I basically devoured my grilled salmon in the car! The flavors and spices were perfect! Wonderful combinations of sweet, spicy and savory married together skillfully! My husband's lamb was equally tasty and this is coming from a woman who isn't the biggest fan of lamb dishes. Their bottled juices were also quite tasty. The sorrel was different than what I normally order from Caribbean restaurants, but it was a welcomed difference. I will be retuning very soon to try other items on their menu! read more
2 years ago
1 year ago
I've not yet had the pleasure of actually eating at this establishment. There's the nicely decorated sit down restaurant portion and a basic, yet very clean, carryout order space to the back of the building, seemingly accessible to patrons only from the outside (meaning I don't think there's a service door for customers between these two spaces). I've ordered a lamb shawarma wrap two times now from the carryout area of Nailah's, the latest visit 2/12. I was happily greeted by a man at the register, as with my last visit. Placing and paying for my order was a quick, painless process, after which I sat in one of the available waiting chairs. The food was ready to go within 10 minutes and I took it with me. As far as my shawarma wrap...well, I'm glad I don't live close to Nailah's because that wrap is addictive! The lamb is always tender and well seasoned, the vegetables used are fresh, and the French fries in there add a special something I have yet to put my finger on, but know I love. I inhaled that wrap in no time, already thinking about the next one I'll have when I'm in the area. There will MOST DEFINITELY be a next time! read more
Oh. my goodness. How have I gone so long not knowing we had a Senegalese spot as delicious as Nailahs?!?! Seriously yelpers, you need to check this spot out. They currently offer takeout and delivery as part of their COVID precautions, but they have a large indoor eating space as well. Their website is currently down but you can look at their menu through Yelp or Postmates. Parking for the restaurant is available on the side of the building in the alley as well as on the street. They have two doors so make sure you go to the far left one when facing the restaurant. Their menu is pretty vast with plenty of lunch and dinner options as well as your classic Senegalese drinks and desserts. I ordered ahead (highly recommend) and got the Bissap drink, thiakry dessert, lamb wrap, Poisson with casava and nems which are like egg rolls. Because it's a whole fish it was ready in 25-30 min, which is why I highly recommend you order ahead. Pickup was a breeze as there was only one person waiting for their food and they have a nice open space to pickup your food. There's a case right by the register where you can choose your drinks and desserts along with descriptions of each. The food itself smelled amazing and if I hadn't been sharing with a friend, would have ate in my car. The spices are perfection and the heat levels were just enough to get your nose running but not burn your mouth (y'all know what I mean). Everything and I mean EVERYTHING was amazing. My friend and I ate this food so fast we were left wishing we had ordered more. All of the dishes came with sauces and best believe we saved those sauces for later use. I honestly can't rave about this spot enough. Yelpers should run, not walk to get some of Nailahs cuisine. You won't regret it. read more
8 years ago
6 years ago
This is one of my favorite places to eat. The food is very tasty with large portions. I usually get the Dibi Lamb but have also had the Poulet Braise and Lamb Peanut Butter Stew which are equally as good. Don't get the stew if you're not into curry type of textures for your food :-) I can't really describe the flavors if you've never had West African Food, but I guess you could say it's more like dry rub seasoning? (My whole family is from the West Indies y'all and my man is Ghanaian. So I've been eating this type of food all my life and it's hard to put into words :-/ ) They also have Sorrel (Bissap) which is hibiscus and ginger juice...a huge plus because that is a personal favorite of mine from back home Overall though, I highly recommend giving this place a try if you haven't already read more
4 years ago
Be prepared for an unusual meal. This is not just an average night out. This is transportation to another land. I had the lamb she had the guinea fowl. read more
3 years ago
My friend had been raving about this place so I was very excited to try it and now that I have a understand why! The fish fatayas we got were delicious and well seasoned. My friend got the Dibi Lamb and I got the Poulet Braise and they were both seasoned thoroughly. The lamb was much better in my opinion it was very tender but the chicken was not bad, it could have been juicier but the flavor was good. It is a very casual spot good for a quick dinner. The service wasnt the best but it looked like they may have been understaffed that day. Regardless I would 100% recommend. Excited to go back to try more! read more
Business owner information
Mohammed A.
Thank you for the wonderful review
3 years ago
3 years ago
I have been coming to this restaurant for year even when they were located at their previous location . Over the year the quality and taste of their have been A one . I highly recommend them some of the best Senegalese food I have ever had . My top 2 are the salmon & lamb platter . You really can't go wrong with either of them . Amazing rice and vegetable medley accompanied with platter . I want to try the rest of the menu but I never get to it . You will not be disappointed. Pack with flavor . Due to covid Indoor dinning is cl read more
3 years ago
Amazing ambience, large portions, and most importantly - immaculate quality and flavor. The lamb maffe was our group's favorite, however we also tried the chicken with jolof rice and lamb shank dishes which were also great. We also had their ginger pineapple drinks which were so fresh and felt like a complete detox. 10/10, a must try if you're in the area! read more
4 years ago
SO GOOD. Fish was so crispy and fresh on the inside. Lamb was so rich and creamy. Portions are large read more
2 years ago
I love love love this place. I always go down there and always get the dibi lamb. Portion size is amazing. Th service is wonderful! Never a wait time the aesthetic is calm. Just a wonderful experience. read more
5 years ago
Went to Baltimore for an overnight trip and came across this place. Was super pleased with the service and food. The Poisson Braise was crispy and flavorful, and the Dibi lamb was juicy and perfectly seasoned. We ordered a Mangue juice which was very sweet but great paired with the savory dishes. Would definitely recommend this place to anyone that's in the Baltimore area!! read more
4 years ago
3 years ago
This restaurant hosted my party of 30 with room to spare. The food here was amazing, they were able to service our food in a timely manner. The drinks were very unique and delicious. The meal that I not only had but would like to highlight is there's salmon season rice. The vibes and atmosphere of this restaurant is amazing. read more
2 years ago
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More info about Nailah's kitchen
5722 York Rd
Baltimore, MD 21212
Rosebank
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(443) 449-5462
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Ask the Community - Nailah's kitchen
Greetings, We cannot reach your establishment with any of the numbers listed. We would be traveling…
Sorry you could not reach us but we are open 6 days a week Tuesday to Sunday the phone number is 443-449-5462 Best
Is this restaurant closed, I've been calling and the phone is off?
Hello no we are not close the phone numbers have change. Please call. 4434495462 Thank you.
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