Very cute spot with delicious food! Everything we ordered was very tasty. The only downside was that the music was extremely loud, so it didn't feel like the most intimate place for a date. They also offer hookah, which was a nice touch and added to the overall experience. The drinks were okay. I felt like they could have used a bit more alcohol, as they tasted more like juice than cocktails. That seems to be a trend at a lot of restaurants these days. Overall, the experience was very enjoyable. The atmosphere was cute, the food was excellent, and we had a great time. Thanks for an amazing meal! read more

Overall, I would give Native 3 out of 5 stars. The ambiance is definitely the highlight. I would give the atmosphere and decor a 5 out of 5. The space is beautiful, has a great vibe, and the staff was friendly and welcoming. They also offer hookah, which was a plus for us. Parking can be a little challenging since there is no dedicated parking. We had to circle the area a few times before eventually finding street parking, so I would recommend giving yourself a little extra time. We happened to visit on a night when they were hosting an event, and unfortunately, the music was extremely loud. It was difficult to have a conversation or really enjoy the atmosphere, and that was my biggest complaint of the night. I understand that the volume may have been because of the particular event happening that evening, so I would not necessarily judge the restaurant entirely based on that experience. I would definitely give Native another try on a regular night. The ambiance, friendly staff, and hookah make it worth coming back. I would just prefer to visit when the music is at a more comfortable volume. read more

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Love it love it love it love it love it love it love it love it love it love it love it!

I've heard a lot about this spot, and i came for brunch with one of my friends. We went around 330 pm on a Saturday, and i was pleasantly surprised to see how empty the spot was. There was a dj playing, and maybe 2 other tables besides ours. The place was gorgeous. The ambiance gave very instagram / tik tok cutesy with the neon signs and beautiful decor. Now to the food... the steak and eggs were good. We decided to keep it simple since neither of us have had African food to decide on anything that wasn't American lol. So we played it safe and went with the steak and eggs brunch option. With the brunch special it's $55 for an entree and unlimited mimosas for 90 mins. They gave us two towers. It was just two of us and we made sure to finish them both. We left feeling good and cute. All in all , I'd definitely return and try some of the African food. See pics below read more

Native - Mimosa tower - Lounges Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Moi moi: love the texture of these beans. The most flavorful way I've ever had beans! Shocked actually, but unfortunately I think this side dish is the best item in my entire order though. Jollaf rice: got the smokiness and warmth immediatley. It was very dry though. I was expecting a more balanced/moist rice but at least the grains weren't hard. But I do appreciate how I can taste and feel the spices. Egusi: I unfortunately was getting bitter notes. Kind of ruined the entire dish. Didn't look fresh either--I could see the soup's leftover mold from a previous container. The fufu ratio was way off too, but I acknowledge that may be just because they're giving more in case. Chinichurri sauce: this is how all chimichurri sauces should taste. A highlight of the entire meal. While I did enjoy a couple parts of this meal, I wish it were the actual main entrees. read more

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The decor of the restaurant made me feel like I was transported to Lagos lol. The esthetics of the restaurant were beautiful and I loved that the servers were also diverse and provided good service. I made a reservation for a party of 4 on a Friday night and we were seated promptly. The drinks were strong and everyone loved their food. One star was removed for the suya wings because they were salty and the jollof rice was really spicy, not for the faint of heart. The venue definitely has a lounge feel to it and made me curious to see how it is later in the night. This was a great birthday dinner experience. read more

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This place is so underrated. The vibe is actually amazing. It is right on Broadway and every time I go it is never crowded, which blows my mind because it deserves a packed house. They have themed nights Monday through Friday, the food is on point, and the drinks are strong and good. It is a West African restaurant and they also have a location on 125th Street. Mondays are karaoke night and it is always a good time. More people need to put this spot on their list. read more

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Visited for the second time over a year apart. First visit I came purely for vibes, this time dinner and vibes. While a few minutes late, I was still able to be seated after my entire party arrived. Parking in this area is rough so I suggest planning accordingly. Live DJ was present, playing new tunes, old school hits and ofcourse afrobeats. Black owned Nigerian spot and the menu, decor and vibes reflected so. Lots of good energy, dancing and music. Definitely a loud environment more geared towards a good time versus intimate conversation but it was also getting to be late night. Might be more tame before 10pm. No complaints with waiter service. Drinks came out within reasonable time and she was polite and attentive. The Jallof rice is what we came for and it did not disappoint at all. Cooked to good temp, seasoned well and appropriately spicy. We also ordered the suya beef which was just alright, not spicy like we expected but seasoned well. While the jallof rice outshines the suya beef, the pairing made for a great meal. I'm not one for left overs but I took some home and ran back to it in the morning. We took our time eating, drinking and chatting and did not feel rushed at all. Will likely be back if I'm ever in the mood for Jallof rice and it'll be on the recommendation list should anyone ask where to get some jallof. SN: Hookah also available for purchase. read more

Native - Lounges Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Long overdue review, but this spot has become one of my go-to places in Brooklyn. Whether I just want to vibe, have a celebration dinner of some sort, or do a cute date night, it's always a vibe. The food is really good, especially if you like spice. The drinks always hit, and the hookah is 10/10. The manager, Princess, who I met the last time I was there, was extremelyyy warm and welcoming. Meeting her was such a delight and made the space even more memorable. 10/10 would recommend to anyone and everyone! read more

Stopped in for food and drinks after exploring the city and we had a great time. We had a table in the back and the service was amazing from the time we walked in to the time we left. The wings were great, the drinks were shaken well, and that was some of the BEST hookah I've ever had. (I love hookah so that means a lot) They also came and sung happy birthday and gave me a slice of delicious red velvet cake (my fav). I would honestly go here every week if I lived in NY. Can't wait to explore their menu more next time I'm in town. read more

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This restaurant was very nice, it took a while to get the food but when me and my crew did get it, I can say it was worth the wait. Everything was perfect from the drinks, game night, vibes and food. I definitely recommend you go if you're close by!! read more

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Ehhh. It was decent but nothing extraordinary. Pepper soup was ok. Jollof with mixed meat was ok. Definitely not authentic. Pasta was good. They didn't have the frozen colada I wanted. Service was a bit slow... read more

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The food is delicious, it's always great to have a taste of home. Every time I've gone there, I've had an issue with the bouncer at the door because of a water bottle in my purse--he acts like a TSA agent with a chip on his shoulder. It's a huge turn off before even getting inside. The dining room is lovely, but the music is a little too loud for just a dinner. Perfect for a turn up, though! read more

Native - Lounges Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I didn't get a chance to visit the actual restaurant, but I ordered this through Uber Eats, and it was absolutely amazing! I added a side of chimichurri, and it was so good. I'm the type of person to look at reviews and review pictures, 1000 times over, so I was hesitant before I ordered from this place since I didn't receive any recommendations. I just had to write a review for those who, like me, check reviews. I'm pretty familiar with Nigerian food so this review is authentic I promise. Lol read more

Native - Smokey Jollof Rice w/ Grilled Salmon - Lounges Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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I didn't get a chance to visit the actual restaurant, but I ordered this through Uber Eats, and it was absolutely amazing! I added a side of chimichurri, and it was so good. I'm the type of person to look at reviews and review pictures, 1000 times over, so I was hesitant before I ordered from this place since I didn't receive any recommendations. I just had to write a review for those who, like me, check reviews. read more

Native - Pan Seared Salmon and Smokey Jollof Rice - Lounges Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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I don't like to leave negative reviews but I do want this business to improve and I would still go back again and give it another try--improve the rating if it's better the second time. My friends and I went back and forth on whether it was 2 or 3 stars. Ultimately what made us say 2 stars overall was because of the lack of accountability. It has potential but they need to work hard on the cons. Pros: - food was tasty - drinks were really good - music was good Cons: - service needs work, the server was nice but took 20+ mins to greet us and it was empty in there (came during Sunday brunch hours) - entirely too long wait time for food. It took about an hour and a half for our entrees to come and by that time we had to rush to eat bc I had an activity scheduled after - appetizers coming after the entree - manager and waiter clueless as to why this is an issue - they kept mentioning why we weren't drinking more and taking shots bc it was my bday, I thought that was a little weird The manager passed by to check on our table and I said everything tasted good but the food takes a bit too long to come out, she just smiled and switched the subject. No apology, no excuse...just ignored it lol. They are trying to be upscale, they offer sparkling/still water, the decor is cute, etc but it doesn't have the upscale work flow so it causes a clash bc as a consumer we're used to restaurants doing things a certain way and you can tell this work flow needs more effort. read more

Placed an order on door dash. The restaurant had my dasher call me and put one of their employees on the phone. The employee claimed that my order had been "stolen", then she hung up on me. I was unable to get in touch with them. Evidently, they simply canceled my order. After waiting over 3 hours. read more

I love the African Theme in the restaurant, ive been twice. My first name is from Africa. I love the scenery and the great customer service. I cant wait to visit again. read more

Native - BLACK BUSINESS MONTH - Lounges Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I visited this establishment yesterday and was automatically charged an 18% "gratuity," which was described as company policy. I asked the waiter about the charge, and his response was that I would need to speak with the manager. At no point before ordering or being seated was I informed that an automatic 18% gratuity would be added. I was dining with my daughter and wanted to show her a good time, as it was her last day in NYC before returning to college. The following day, I called the restaurant, spoke with the manager, explained the situation, and requested a refund. I was told that the wait staff mentions the charge before seating guests and that it is listed on the menu. The wait staff never mentioned an automatic gratuity, and I did not see this disclosure on the menu. Because transparency matters, I have filed reports with the appropriate New York City and New York State agencies. No customer should be subjected to undisclosed mandatory charges. read more

Native - Native Receipt - Lounges Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

i waited 2 hours for service on my birthday and it wasn't even crowded. Then they brought out some oxtails half cooked my tooth pick wasn't even working it was bananas we were so tired we took the food to go and to top it off they offered birthday drinks for free but it was a lemon drop that taste like lemonade i love the original native this one needs work but it's very IG friendly if you want pics read more

I have seen Native posted in a few friend's stories online and I've also heard good things about it. A few nights ago, I made reservations for a Galentine's dinner for a party of three. Native is a beautiful, trendy style restaurant that serves Nigerian food- DELICIOUS Nigerian food. Neither of us girls had much experience with food from that part of the African diaspora. We decided to mix things up by ordering familiar dishes alongside the unfamiliar. After our very patient, super cool server Femi, answered all of our questions regarding spice levels and textures, we placed our orders. Suya spiced chicken wings, a chopped goat appetizer, grilled beef with Suya spice, saucy red snapper and sweet plantains. Excluding the goat, which was more fatty than lean and wings that didn't excite us, every dish was PERFECT! The plantains were a hit. I have never tasted plantains that were so flavorful. I ordered Jollof spaghetti with chicken as my main course and it was scrumptious. The angel hair spaghetti was seasoned to perfection and prepared with the best parts of a half roasted chicken throughout. Food was great. The restaurant is beautiful and it was decorated pretty for Valentine's/Galentine's day. The DJ was amazing, spinning all my fave hip hop and r&b sing-alongs. I mentioned that we had a bday girl at our table and a group of gorgeous ladies came out with all the glitz and glamour and a slice of decadent, dark chocolate cake to share. Overall a near flawless experience. When a friend asked to wash her hands, she was presented with a wooden bowl with fresh water and towels to dry. We were impressed and excited to be treated to that part of the authentic Nigerian dining experience. My only NOPE with Native, was the hookah portion of the night. The hookah is pricey, refills are expensive and they will not fire up your coals once they've gone cold. Overall, Native was a top tier night out. I will be back! read more

Native - Dinner at Native is done. - Lounges Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Food is real good, ambiance is nice, but very loud, tip is automatic, but the service is very poor.

Where do I begin? This was hands down the most dysfunctional restaurant experience I have ever had. Service: Our food was ordered at 9:30 and didn't arrive until 12:10, nearly three hours later. Completely unacceptable. On top of that, we had to ask multiple times for water and didn't receive any for the first hour. The servers were also carelessly tossing drinks onto the table with zero regard for the guests. Food: When the food finally did arrive, it was dry and frankly disappointing in flavor. Not worth the wait by any stretch. Also two of my guest didn't receive their food. When asked about it, the hostess responded "the kitchen is closed". You make up your mind about what they you about that service. To top it all off: We weren't even given the chance to order dessert- the hostess was already pushing the bill while people at the table were still eating. I'm typically someone who gives restaurants a second chance, but this experience has completely put me off from this location. A word of advice to management: if you cannot accommodate a large party, please say so upfront. Your guests will respect the honesty far more than a miserable three-hour ordeal. read more

Native Restaurant and Lounge is a vibe! This is my second time here, but first time actually trying food. They have plenty of options for Nigerian cuisine and a pretty decent drink menu as well. I ordered a Moscow mule type of drink as well as the suya chicken quesadilla which I enjoyed (nice presentation). I was also able to try other food items that my friends ordered including the chicken wings. The wings were nice and hot but a bit overly salty in my opinion. I also tried the jollof rice and red stew with beef. The beef tasted pretty tender however the actual rice was hard and very crunchy which I was not expecting. I'm not much of a hookah smoker but I do think there hookah equipment is very unique where you can blow smoke toward the tower and glows as holographic images. read more

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I was looking for a really good Egusi and was highly disappointed. My egusi consistency was horrible and there wasn't an abundance of goat for the 33.00 plus dollars spent and portions were smaller than many places. The paste was flavorful but the flavor wasn't quite right and there was absolutely no soup/broth. The service was fast and the pounded yam was great - but that's about it. read more

Native - This was supposed to be Goat Egusi .... - Lounges Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Service from the bartender was amazing, got us a table to eat at when the food came out. The jollof was great had a nice smoky and spicy flavor to it. Will definitely be back read more

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The two stars are for the food, which I enjoyed. The three eliminated stars is for the extremely poor service. Upon entering the restaurant at 12:30 pm to set up for a brunch for 1:00 pm for 15 people, we were told we would have to wait until the manager arrived. While waiting I asked for a cup of hot water. I was told they don't serve any hot beverages but that I can purchase one down the block. Once our party arrived it took 20 minutes for the waitress to come over and take our orders. I was the first to order. This detail is important to know. Everyone ordered. The drinks began to come out 15 minutes later. Fast forward another twenty minutes and four orders of chicken and waffles come out. The other eleven orders are not ready. The menu states the chicken that accompanies the waffles are wings. Well everyone got something else but wings. When it was reported to the manager, she stated with an attitude that's what they serve. My friends stated that they then need to give people what they order or fix their menu. They never brought out wings and people had to eat the chicken that what served. One of the managers comes over and lets those know who ordered fish that it would take another 30 minutes to be done. She suggested they get wings to hold them over. I asked if she was going to comp the wings and she was adamant that she would not be doing that. She responded with such an aggressive attitude. Her tone was harsh throughout brunch. A few minutes later, she comes back and says the fish would be out soon. A few minutes pass by and another dish appears but not my burger. Now five people are eating. Miraculously the several fish dishes come next. We had to remind the staff that items ordered were missing. Many people ordered a side of jollof rice. I'm pretty sure they forgot. The jollof rice came out and then, hallelujah, my burger. The manager who was assisting the waitress came over asked if we needed anything and I said it would be nice to have hot water. She said she has no way to make hot water. I said so you don't have a clean pot and water. She said with an attitude that even if they did, they have nothing to serve it to me in. I said you can just add it to my cup as we had to go to the corner store when we arrived to buy hot water. A gentleman comes out to ask the 15 of us how things were. We all said the food was great. I made mention the service was horrible and that he could read about it later on Yelp. This man came back no less than four times to apologize for our unsatisfactory service and stated he was hired to fix the issues. He wanted to know the occasion for the larger party and we attempted to explain we were sorority sisters and monthly patronize a black owned business for brunch. He had some confusion and told him that we were members of the same international sorority our vice president of the United States belongs to. We are all college educated women of a certain age and believe in buying black but also believe in getting quality service for our money. He must have told the manager what I said because now she was trying to figure out how to get me hot water. This should have been the case two hours ago when I disclosed I have cancer and just had chemo a few days ago and my stomach was a little upset. Now her attitude became a little softer. The manager brought me hot water at the end of our dining experience. The gentleman came over again before we settled the bill to apologize again and assured us that our next experience would be different. Everyone told him we would not be back. We noticed this establishment has a difficult time handling a large party. We had a reservation for 15 people, so they knew in advance. They were very attentive to the other patrons which were significantly younger and who seemed to order a lot of appetizers, endless drinks and hookahs. The music initially was pleasant until some random girl started to hook up a karaoke machine over our table. She asked if we had ordered karaoke but we let her know that would be a negative. They even tried to charge us for karaoke at the end. Well there is so much more I could say but I think readers get the idea that my experience was less than stellar. read more

Native - Brunch burger with wrong rice - Lounges Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

This review is well overdue. I definitely recommend Native and so glad I visited recently for the second time. I've only visited on Friday nights. Once for my Birthday and another recently out with friends. Both experiences were good. The pros: food was great. Drinks good and a apparently they have a happy hour. I arrived to late to experience. The DJ was spinning the tunes. Vibes were good. People enjoying the music, dancing in their seats and some smoking hookah. There is also entertainment on Some Friday nights. Cons: seating is a bit too close to each other. The wait staff was a bit all over the place but not rude, just need a little more training. Definitely will be back to try more dishes and more vibes! read more

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I loved my experience at native! Was extremely happy I could go and have some Nigerian food that was actually pretty good and spicy! The portions were large and I had a great time while dining. I sat at the bar was well taken care of! Drinks are very good and strong lol ended up having some with others who joined later. Beautiful restaurant and nice chill atmosphere. Can't wait to come back... read more

The server ola were horrible he took the order since 3:15pm never came back to check on the table it took 2 hrs before the food to come out just to be wrong. Will never go back service suck. read more

I was told that this is the sister restaurant of Lagos Times Square. It definitely exceeded my expectations! I loved the vibes. The DJ Was The BOMB! So good that I had to ask for her Instagram. There was an interactive dancer she was beautiful & engaging. The waiter was very attentive. I ordered Lamb chops with roasted potatoes. Both were bomb! I was eating and dancing it my seat the whole time lol this place was a whole vibe can't wait to go back. I can't wait to try Lagos as well! read more

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So this place I want to try out for the first time his black on I love supporting my people, but I must say I do not trust places when you have grass walls and LED lighting is always something that's gonna go wrong. The deck is beautiful. the ambience was OK. The music was so loud in the place that I could not hear the person that I was with across from me. That is a big problem. This is a place to eat is not a club. Understand you want the party vibe that's cool, but you still wanna hear the person you came with. I should've known better when I walked into a restaurant that asked for ID usually that happens when you get to the table and you order liquor, but they was given more of a club night. The clubs are across the street and down the block not this place shouldn't be. Not only that it took forever for a waitress to come and just ask us for food so I was turned off by that the hookah smoke. I was a little turned off by that one thing I could say the food was great. The food was delicious, but the service suck with kind people if that makes sense. read more

Food was nice and hot when it came to the table and customer service was cool. Decor was pleasant and calm.

This is a cute little brooklyn spot with an excellent vibe and beautiful people. If your looking for somewhere with great music like afrobeats and soca this is it! The food was a solid 7/10 ai think the midtown location is slightly better The dranksss 9/10: would def come back for that Service 10/10: I had no complaints our server was nice and accommodating and overall we had a great time read more

Native - Fridays - Lounges Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Food is insanely good, ESPECIALLY the wings. So many items have such a variety of flavor. Good drinks and service too. Love the atmosphere and plenty of space. But honestly it's the food that drove me to post a review. read more

Amazing service. New restaurant and lounge. Opened within the past two weeks. Adam was our waiter and gave us a tour of the place, prior to seating us for dinner. There is a lot of seating, so I am looking forward to seeing what the place will look like once crowded late night with a DJ playing. Definitely looking forward to coming back once they are able to serve liquor next week. For appetizers, we ordered the beef suya. It had great flavor throughout. I would definitely order this again. For entrees, I ordered jollof rice with beef and a side of sweet plantains. I enjoyed the jollof rice and beef but I wish I was able to add more pepper to my food. The sweet plantains were perfect. I didn't finish all of my food because I was full, so I took more than half of my meal to go. I would have preferred if when packing my food the plantains weren't included with my entree container, but rather that they would have had their own separate container. My friend got the egusi soup with goat and pounded yam. He said it was really good and he enjoyed it. I tried it and liked it as well. For drinks we got virgin piña colada and zobo. They both were frozen drinks. I thought the zobo would have been in liquid form, so it was really nice having it as a frozen drink instead. Both drinks were really good. I would order both again. I asked if there would be dessert in the future and was gladly informed yes. They said that there will be different options, including puff puff. The decor was really nice throughout. Adam turned on the music for us in the lounge area so we could hear the sound system. The sound system was great. There are also TVs in the lounge area. There is one unisex bathroom. All of the staff were super friendly. I look forward to returning! read more

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This is my review of native located in Brooklyn. This Afrocentric restaurant uses West African and American food with a full bar in the front and a hallway that leads to a larger seating area in the back. You can also make a reservation ahead of time to avoid waiting for a table. The DJ played Afrobeats and there was an option to order a hookah for your table. For food, wordered mac & cheese, fish tacos, lemon pepper, wings, and sweet plantains. We didn't order drinks but the food was perfectly seasoned and portioned. The servers were attentive however, our waiter had a lot of tables so there was a long wait to pay for the check. Overall I would write this experience and 8 out of 10. read more

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Absolutely remarkable food and service Probably some of the best food I've eaten in a great time. The vibes and ambiance was amazing too! Loved the music selection as well. Will come again honestly speaking , 15/10 read more

Native - Stewed chicken and goat Nigerian Fried Rice - Lounges Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Native Restaurant is like the Brooklyn version of Lagos. The music was really good but it's not a place if you're trying to have conversation because it's really loud. They do have hookah but it's $50, pretty pricey compared to what I'm used to. Service is really slow, it took over an hour to get our food but the food was tasty. read more

Native - Caesar salad - Lounges Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Red stew Salmon was cooked to perfection. Lamb chops were mediocre though. Nice Caribbean music playing in the background. Very cool lil spot read more

Native - Red stew salmon, pasta, and lamb chops - Lounges Near Me - Brooklyn, New York