Great ambiance, nice staff, but not my favorite cuisine! If I were to come back it would be because a friend wanted to, but not myself. I don't like the fact that hookah is available, as that is not pleasant. read more

Native Harlem - African Near Me - New York, New York

No host as you walk in , no one around to sit you , we went straight to sit by the bar , Not sure how long they've been open but they might need help with EVERYTHING! Staff looks confuse and lost . Dinner starts at 4 ! Can't even tell who's the manager or the employees smh read more

Oh my days, this is my new favorite restaurant in Harlem! Such a great place for a girls dinner, solo evening, or date. EVERYTHING is beautiful from the decor, food/beverage presentation, place settings, people, etc! We started with cocktails, watermelon margarita please! Make sure to ask for your watermelon animal as a topper, I received a rhino! We shared the salmon fish tacos as an appetizer; 3 tacos stuffed with goodness. We both ordered the escovitch (snapper) served with rice, pickled vinegar sauce, and thinly sliced banana chips all served on a wooden plank. The best part of this experience was the service and the people. From the hostess kindly greeting us to my new favorite server named Itoro who provided amazing recommendations, the manager ensuring checking in to make sure everything was to our liking, and the attentive wait staff that wiped our table down each time they removed plates/glasses from the table. Please note, this is a very nice establishment and they want to keep this integrity within the brand, so there is a dress code. We made reservations on OpenTable, appropriate attire is explained, and you have to accept the dress code terms. On Saturday evenings they have live shows on the stage from circus-like performances to concerts. For those that are feeling fancy, Native provides a VIP room with couches to celebrate living life! read more

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I would have given this place way more stars because the food ultimately (when we FINALLY got it) was very delicious, the DJ was fun, the live music by NuFamlee was amazing and the decor was beautiful . But when I go out to spend money, I don't want to experience idiotic lapses in service. I asked for an espresso martini and was told by the server that they don't serve those...so um what is this on your menu??? read more

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... Food delicious, ambience excellent, servers and staff extremely accommodating ... however, the music is just way too loud to have a conversation ... experienced this issue in a group dinner at a large table, and just last night at a two person window booth. One should not have to yell your order to the waitress when she's standing right next to the table. read more

Absolutely unimpressed. The ambience is beautiful, but the food is subpar. The DJ was great. I had the steak. Absolutely disgusting caps lock on disgusting The lobster mac & cheese have two pieces of lobster. And disgusting mac & cheese tasteless. We also have the spaghetti lobster shrimp. I just had 2 teaspoons of the spaghetti and I immediately put it down. Bland. I am so highly unimpressed. The waitress was really nice. So as far as the stars, I'll give it two stars because the ambience was good. And I had some strawberry margarita tequila, which was good. So that's why I'll give it to Star but honestly for the food I would give it one star. Absolutely would not come back for food. read more

Native Harlem - Casamigo tequila - African Near Me - New York, New York

We waited for almost an hour to be seated. Our drinks came quickly and tasted good. We ordered our food about 20min after we received our drinks. Waited almost 30min to be told what we ordered (oxtail) they didn't have after the waitress told us we were in luck because they still had. We went on and ordered salmon instead. We were given complementary drinks on the house due to not having what we first ordered. The fact that I had to ask for utensils killed me. This might be a good vibe for bar life but that's about it. read more

Whenever possible, I try to support our people in their businesses. However the service my family and I received was subpar. First of all even with the reservation we stood for 45 minutes. There was a 90 minute time period for service. That's how long you can sit before they try to kick you out. We received our drinks after 40 minutes. The waiter brought orders no one at the table requested. As well as not bringing orders people requested. In order to make good for the lack of quickness with bringing orders, lychee martini was provided on the house for the wait for the food. It was someone in our parties's birthday and we made the staff aware twice however, no Cake or sparkles came out. Instead, we were rushed and told that they needed to clear the table for the next party and we were told "it is not their fault" that the 90 minutes passed, even though there were delays in us getting our food and not being serviced for our parties birthday accommodations. As we were leaving we saw another group receive sparklers and cake. Very lack luster but I can't say I'm surprised read more

Native Harlem - Other people receiving birthday accommodations - African Near Me - New York, New York

My husband and I went on a Wednesday for our wedding anniversary. It was open mic night. The gentleman sang some nice tones. I was grateful to be sitting closer to the front door. The traditional soups were good. My Eguisi was salty so I could not eat it. If you enjoy spicy food this is the place for you. read more

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Let me begin by saying that the establishment is absolutely stunning. From the moment I walked through the door, I was impressed by the beautiful décor and the elegant center stage that truly elevates the atmosphere. I visited for brunch around 2:00 p.m. and ordered the shrimp and grits, pancakes and eggs, the snapper with jollof rice, as well as the bottomless mimosa. Based on the ambiance alone, I anticipated that the food would be equally exceptional; however, I was unfortunately disappointed. The pancakes were extremely dry and lacked flavor, while the eggs were decent but only lightly seasoned. The grits were very soupy, was not seasoned at all !!!, and did not have the expected texture, the shrimp perfectly cooked seasoned well with a light char , it was enjoyable and the highlight of the dish. Overall, the food did not meet the expectations set by the restaurant's beautiful presentation. On a positive note, I want to express my appreciation for my server, whom I believe was named Itoro. She was incredibly attentive, kind, and professional, despite managing several tables at once. Her service genuinely enhanced my experience. Would I return? Not for the food at this time, but I would certainly consider coming back for the excellent customer service and possibly the drinks. Overall, I would rate my experience a 6.5 to 7 out of 10. read more

My crew of four rolled into Native Harlem on a mission: try Nigerian food for the very first time. Our only training? TikTok clips of people blissfully dunking fufu into egusi and declaring it the best thing ever. Armed with that extremely academic research, we were ready. The Food Adventure: Egusi with Chicken: The stew itself was COMPLEX: rich, nutty, spicy, and creamy in that earthy way that makes you feel like you've done something good for your soul. The chicken, however, was... let's just say it had seen some things. Tough, chewy, clearly what our grandma would call "soup chicken" (good for broth, not chewing). My jaw got a workout. Jollof Rice : Smoky, spicy, slightly sweet. Bit too much for us simpletons. Escovitch Red Snapper: Topped with pickled carrots and onions, plus plantain chips on the side. Had a strong vinegar punch that gave me flashbacks of sweet-and-sour pork but minus the sticky sweetness. More "bright and tangy wake-up call" than "mall food court." The Vibes: The front-of-house staff were wonderful; warm, welcoming, and kept checking if we liked spicy food like they were low-key worried about us. When we confessed it was our first time trying West African food, our server looked both intrigued and slightly concerned, like, "Y'all sure you're ready for this?" and we were not... I'm not saying the food was bad but it was not just in our typical flavor profile and what we were expecting. Native Harlem also has a dress code (no streetwear/athletic wear), which we absolutely did not know about. Luckily, it was early and we just came for food, so they let us in. But by 5:30 PM, the place was already serving looks. Everyone was dressed like they were about to walk a runway, and here we were--four clueless food explorers, staring around the room like, "Wow... everyone is gorgeous." Final Thoughts: Food: 3/5 (good, but our newbie taste buds weren't ready for the full spice-and-flavor complexity) Vibes: 4/5 (party energy, Harlem glam, and beautiful people everywhere) Service: 10/10 (patient with our rookie questions) Would I come back? I don't think the food was for us but maybe it is for you. Our culinary adventure may have broken off more than we could handle. read more

I was excited to try Native in Harlem, but unfortunately, the experience was disappointing from start to finish. Our server wasn't knowledgeable about the menu and had to repeatedly go back to the kitchen to answer basic questions. Service throughout the meal was very slow. I had to ask twice for a water refill. The manager came by once, but by that point several service issues had already happened." Then, "Flies started circling the table, and one even landed on my food. I requested a fresh replacement to go." When I asked for a fresh replacement to go, the server tried to take away the original dish before bringing the new one, which made us uncomfortable. We also waited about 10 to 15 minutes just for a to-go order, then had to wait again for the payment machine. At that point, I just wanted to leave. I genuinely wanted to enjoy this place, but the service, cleanliness, and overall experience really fell short. read more

Native Harlem - African Near Me - New York, New York

Food and drinks were spectacular Hard to find the entrance because they don't explain that from Instagram post that attracted me to visit this place Entertainment was splendid! read more

Love the atmosphere but. Now firstly, the music was wayyyy too high you need to be able to atleast have a conversation, then the prices were wayyyy to high, i mean $32 for steak and eggs come on. The pounded yam was wayyyy to small and if we wanted more we have to pay an additional $10, the Nigerian brothers i know would not be happy. It is a shame because i love that fact that it is Nigerian owned (i believe?), and the bottomless mamosa was great, but unfortunately We will not be returning to this restaurant there are way to many other options in Harlem. read more

I met my daughter at Native Harlem for brunch, and the experience was a mix of good food and some confusion. I arrived early but couldn't figure out how to get inside from the street. The main door looked closed and under construction. After asking around, someone told me the entrance was actually through the movie theater , take the escalator up to the second floor. Not exactly intuitive. Once inside, no one greeted me, so I made my way to the bar, which was quite a walk from the entrance. The bartender was friendly and made me feel welcome while I waited. When my daughter arrived, she ordered the chicken and waffles, and I had the steak and eggs. Both were tasty and well-cooked. One surprise was the extra charge for condiments. I asked for hot sauce and was told it would be two dollars. It became our joke of the day , when my daughter asked for a straw, I said, "Careful, that might cost five." Overall, Native Harlem has good food and a nice vibe once you're settled in, but the entrance confusion and small upcharges make it a place I'd visit only if I'm already nearby. read more

I've been twice, the second time I went on a Friday night with my girls. This time I was completely sold the music is Afrocentric and Caribbean. They have a DJ and live entertainment. The ambience is beautiful great decor great spot to celebrate your birthday. A nice date night and ladies night spot! Service amazing and everyone is beautiful and well dressed. Food was great loves everything that we had. If you haven't visited yet, it's a must. I will be going back again and again for the vibes. PS for my hookah smokers they do have hookah and make sure you dressed when you come here!! read more

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Came here before they officially opened. They were having a Ghana Independence brunch day party and it was LIT! Food was really good and drinks were too. Music and dancer on the stage was DOPE. Looking forward to coming back. read more

I was very excited about trying this restaurant for my friend's birthday dinner. First of all the bartender was amazing Jazz. Very nice and made great drink. I definitely recommend the bar. Then we were seated for dinner. This is where things took a turn for the worse. First our waitress was nice but she was the only person for a lot of tables. When we were seated it was a long time until she took our orders. Then the food came and it was good. But the portion of the fried calamari was very small. Then we ordered the suya and the powder which is part of the suya never came. We ordered our main course and this is where dinner took a turn for the worst. My friend ordered the stew and this dish comes with pounded yam but they brought out the stew with out the yams. So I'm not sure how that happened but we understand so we asked for the yams. This took about twenty minutes and when we complained to the manager he said he would tell the waitress. The waitress was bombarded and no one would bring the yams. My friend's food got cold waiting for her yams. Then when we told the manager he said he could wrap it up for her. Then we get the bill we had to wait another 45 minutes after we asked for the bill. When we check the bill they charged us for the suya powder which they never brought and for a cake which never came out.The manager came to say hello but he did not help us when we told him about the problems; he was nice but nice doesn't get the problem solved. He should have comped my friend's dinner and helped the waitress when we complained about the service. Also the cake came out when we were leaving and it was delicious. We order cheddar cheese for the burger and again this came out when the burger was already eaten. I believe the kitchen is downstairs and this might be the reason why there was such a delay but they need to figure out a better system because it is not working. The restaurant is beautiful and the food is good but the service is horrible and I can not recommend this restaurant. If you must go then go for happy hour and sit at the bar because Jazz was amazing. read more

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Great vibe. The food was good and the drinks were great. The staff were very nice as well. We made a reservation and didn't have a long wait at all. We had a great time. There was music to vibe to while eating that kept us entertained. The music was a little too loud where I could barely hear what my friends were saying at the same table. But I enjoyed the experience nevertheless. read more

Great experience and dining at Native 125th for upscale African food. I ordered the braised oxtails with jollof and cabbage and it was amazing although a bit spicy. However u can adjust the spice levels pay attention to your menu concerning spice levels if u don't like anything too spicy FYI. Over everything was great and the staff are super friendly and attentive to guest. read more

Native Harlem - African Near Me - New York, New York

Went with a party of 6 to celebrate a birthday with 2 members of our party...Ambiance and decor is mid upscale elegance and the vibe mostly positive withe really good music played by the dj....Now where it went kind of sour was the long wait for our server to return from time to time to check up on our table Incase we needed more drinks had questions etc .etc. as well as waiting for the check among other things.....in their defense, it seemed very busy at some point so we kind of assumed our server was quite busy ..but at times we would see our server at an adjacent table and wondered if they would ever look our way to see if we needed anything else but no....Then we didn't realize that we went past the 2 hour reserved seating policy and one of our family members was approached by someone who stated we had to leave because we went pass the maximum reservation seating time....it was explained to them that we were waiting at times for service and to receive the check among other things.....The food although good lacked flavour/seasoning and some of the meat were slightly dry....We are still willing to give this place a second try as it was the first time my family and I went there and to celebrate two birthdays but I think for now, we will just continue to go to Lagos. read more

The decor of the restaurant is very beautiful, however, the placement of the chandelier in front of the stage partially obstructs the view of the performer. In addition to the chandeliers poor placement, there were also two artificial palm trees on the stage that also blocking the view of the performers. The food looks amazing. I had suya on both my visits and I really enjoyed it. On my next visit, I would like to try the ox tails. The service is very, very slow but friendly but what really turned me off, was the scanning of IDs at the door and searching of bag along with a pat down. I have not seen this at other restaurants/lounges. read more

We had a reservation for 7 at 6:00pm. Arrived on time and had to wait for a table. No napkins, utensils, water. They didn't have the drinks that were on the menu. Sorry it's hard to support a business with such stuff going on. Not to mention the food. Wac and cheese, no lobster which was ordered, the goat meat was all bones. Honestly it was not a great experience. Sometimes our people accept anything and they know this read more

Food is good . However service sucks take too long for everything... smh it wasn't even crowded at all. The hookah takes forever too. read more

AAAAAhhhhhhhhhmazingggg!!! Ambiance, service, food, entertainment all 10 outta 10!! Will come back with friends and family. read more

Food is 5/10 Service 3/10 Price 3/10 The establishment had no heat mind you it's below 10 degrees outside. Had to eat with our coats on. Management was terrible. Would not recommend. read more

The atmosphere is amazing. This is a beautiful please from one corner to the other. The food was very good from the burger to the wings, very good. Our server was really nice but not up to the standard one would expect from a place like this. We will be back. read more

Went here for the first time recently and the decor is beautiful. The menu and decor reminds me of Lagos down in Times Square. Not sure if it's a sister restaurant or not but either way it's a vibe in here. The smoked goat appetizer is the one! If you love spicy food order that! The oxtail was amazing and my date had the jollof with the beef and that was really good as well. Our drinks were strong just how we like them. A great time! Also they will id and pat you down at the door so leave your negativity and your gun at home! read more

Native Harlem - Essence of excellence - African Near Me - New York, New York

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This place is an absolute jam! The ambiance simply beautiful. You want to get dressed up and go out and not feel over dressed, this is it. Several beautiful photo apps. Spacious but cozy with a romantic setting if you wanted it to be. Now the food, was absolutely great. I ordered curry goat (forgot to take a pic) The best goat I've ever tasted (yes better than my own that good) the meat was so tender. The right amount of curry. Those oxtail were good as well but not better than the goat lol. Everyone enjoyed their food. Thumbs up from all 6. Our server name was Jenna (hope i spelled it right) EXCELLENT service! Attentive but not suffocating. She knew her menu, she was on point with the drink menu. BTW my margarita was excellent (hats off to the bartender) it was prefect. Not to strong or sweet, just right. We also enjoyed several appetizers. Mambo and Jerk chicken, Sliders, Basmati fried rice (melt in your mouth flavorful) Fish Tacos. Everything was good. 6 of us dinned during happy hour. Appetizes, several Drinks & Entrees we were full and mellow. Best part we didn't feel like we broke the bank! read more

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Jaz my bartender, Sharene the serene hostess all provided impeccable and personable service. It made for a most enjoyable experience. Will, must return. The Ambience and the view was divine! One important point for information sake. Native is located on the second level of the Magic theatre complex. If you are familiar with Harlem you know where that is, otherwise you can get twisted trying to find it. Oh and the food is on point, and Happy hour is from 12pm-7pm. Good time, great place! read more

Native Harlem - African Near Me - New York, New York

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Came to Native Harlem dressed in a clean, tasteful Luffy cosplay(after BKCC--vest closed, Banana Republic shorts, and definitely within bounds of a refined, creative style. The posted dress code says no hoodies, gym wear, flip-flops, etc.--none of which I had on. Still, I was denied entry. Meanwhile, someone in full sweat gear and a woman in a catsuit that barely covered half of her were allowed right in. So it's not really about the dress code--it's about who they feel like letting in. If a clean, stylish look inspired by anime gets denied but clear violations walk right in, that says more about inconsistency and bias (against black men no less) than "refined atmosphere." Do better. read more

Native Harlem - The "rules" - African Near Me - New York, New York

I am here for a birthday dinner and have now been waiting 39 minutes for a 10pm reservation. Everytime we ask the for an an update there isn't one. read more

The food and ambiance was 8/10. Got very busy as it got later in the night . If you are looking for a good place to eat and vibe out this is a place for you! R&B night on Thursdays (KARAOKE & games) read more

Native Harlem - Suya Wings 7.5/10, good wings but SUYA peppa wasn't that strong - African Near Me - New York, New York

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Experience the vibrant flavors of West Africa in the heart of New York City! Come savor elegance and tradition on every plate. This restaurant is the definition of culture. From the absolutely delicious West African cuisine to the upscale lounge atmosphere, to the lively performances this has everything you need for a Friday night. You know a place is authentic when you see patrons of the same ethnicity. I absolutely love seeing the customers in their beautiful garments enjoying and sharing the culture they hold dear to their hearts. The live entertainment includes dancers, stilts, African drums and aerial shows that literally kept me for hours after my food was done. The hookah was smooth, the drinks were delicious and I'd deff recommend checking them out. So save this for your next night out and be sure to join me for more NYC Foodie Adventures Native Harlem 2319 Frederick Douglas Blvd, Harlem, NY 10027 @nativeharlem 21+ After 7pm Reservations recommended What We Had * 125th St Asun * Salmon Fish Tacos * Owambe Jollof Rice * Escovitch * Egusi Soup w/ Chicken * Pistacio Cake * Native Punch * Take Me Away * Harlem Lychee * Banana Fall on You #nyc #nycrestaurant #newnycrestaurant #westafrican #westafricanfood #NYCEats #WestAfricanCuisine #FineDining #upscaledining #upscalerestaurant #lounge #nyclounge #upscalelounge read more

I would NOT recommend this place AT ALL!! The customer service was horrible and the chef was even worse!!!!!!!! We had a table of 12 and 7: the table of 12: 5 of my family members received their order wrong, burnt, raw or 2.5 hours later!! guest 1: ordered the salmon dish. The center of the salmon was raw, not even undercooked! guest 2: ordered the Joloff rice with fish. He received chicken and then had to wait an additional 30+ minutes when most were done their food, Guest 3. Ordered the jerk chicken and it was BURNT. (See photo) It was-so burnt , it was the color of the black plate it was served on. She traveled on a 4 hour flight to celebrate her brothers birthday and not eating the main course. And they offered her "a shot" as compensation!!! How insulting!!! We arent 20. We were there celebrating a 50th birthday! Guest 4: his meal, oxtails arrived 2.5 hours later ..... 5 min before dessert was being served. When it arrived it was cold!! I guess they forgot it somewhere in the kitchen. We asked them to heat it up, they must of forgot and didn't come back for over 20 minutes!! We were ALL done our food. Had they found the cake, the cake would have been served before his main course . (He also flew into town to celebrate his brother!) Guest 5: The manager said he'd get a vegan dish made. When it arrived it was mushy beans and inside was a boiled egg. We told the waitress and she said there was no egg in it. LIKE I DONT KNoW WHAT AN EGG LOOKS LIKe. I showed the manager and he was upset as well. The FINALE if it could keep going downhill: we had brought in a cake and they couldn't find it. We waited 35+ minutes for them to locate it and ALL the guests were ready to go after a sub- standard dining experience that we all PAID a nice amount for with a total party of 19!!!! We dine out often at fine establishments and this was extremely disappointing!!!! This was ZERO stars!! HORRIBLE SERVICE and DINING EXPERIENCE!! With no compensation or warmth!!!! read more

Native Harlem - BURNT, DRY Jerk Chicken dish and 2 sides. The Guest left with her plate like this as it was not appetizing!! - African Near Me - New York, New York

Well the food was good and the service was good. It is exceptionally LOUD... dont think you will hear. The salmon tacos were delightful but they tried to make us pay for the comedy show after we spent $600! I would come again but perhaps on a different night. read more

I just came back into town and noticed a new restaurant has opened in Harlem, which is a popular tourist area. I called them after seeing a recent review where someone said they were turned away because of their appearance. When I asked, they told me there's a dress code--CHIC attire. They Should've definitely chose a different location. If you can't get in Native, go to the Renaissance hotel for a great drink with African American culture. The people there are pleasant and beautiful Honestly, they're likely to lose a lot of business with that policy. Tourists typically dress comfortably so they can explore and enjoy everything Harlem has to offer. read more

The atmosphere was AMAZING. The service was also very good but timing and scheduling probably not the best. Came without a reservation which was my own fault. Downside was the wait for a non reservation dinner. I was told 30-45 minutes and I'm still waiting in the lounge after an hour and 20 minutes. Being told people are paying when I'm still waiting 20+ minutes after that... Very annoying. The people around me in the lounge are ANNOYED and MAD. Definitely kills the vibe on top of not getting a table for AN HOUR. Probably would only recommend if you have a reservation DAYS in advance. 2/5. read more

I visited Native on Saturday, August 16th with a party of two. While we were promptly greeted and seated upon arrival, the service quickly went downhill. After sitting at our table for about 15 minutes without any acknowledgment from staff, we had to flag someone down to ask who our server would be. Eventually, a young lady came over to take our order. We also asked for water--what we received was hot, so we opted for bottled still water instead. I ordered the calamari as an appetizer and the Native Burger with just the patty and the bun--no toppings--plus fries. However, when the food arrived, I received only the patty--no bun, no fries. I notified a staff member that the bun was missing and waited an additional 15 minutes for it to arrive. When it finally did, the inside was toasted but the outside was cold. I asked to speak with a manager and was introduced to Cathy. Unfortunately, she was dismissive and carried an unprofessional attitude during our interaction. When I explained my concerns as a first-time visitor, her response--"How would you like me to rectify your issue?"--came off as indifferent and lacking empathy due to her tone and delivery. I simply asked for a properly toasted bun. By then, my patty had been sitting for over 30 minutes and was cold. Cathy's attitude and body language made the situation worse. When she attempted to take my plate, I asked her to leave the patty, as I was uncomfortable with her demeanor. I did later speak with another manager, Kwame, who was respectful and genuinely tried to make things right, and I appreciate his effort. However, by that point, the overall experience had already been soured. This visit was deeply disappointing. Between the long waits, incorrect order, cold food, and unprofessional service from management, I left with no desire to return--and I certainly wouldn't recommend Native to others based on this experience. read more

A group of us went last Saturday night (12/13). Beautiful ambiance and the food was delicious. The DJ was good too.