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    Sambou’s African Kitchen

    4.4 (79 reviews)
    ModerateAfrican

    Order Sambou’s African Kitchen Takeout or Delivery

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    SAMBOU’S AFRICAN KITCHEN ATMOSPHERE

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    Take out order of Egusi and Fufu at Sambou's African Restaurant. It was delicious!
    Yolanda S.

    After refusing to eat at Sambou's for well over a year due to the high price/small portion size and the aggressive tip solicitations - I decided to stop for egusi and fufu. This time I was pleasantly surprised. My portion size was larger. And the fufu ball had been reduced in price down to $6.00 instead of $10.00. I also was not pressured to tip by the new server like I was by previous servers. My meal was to go. I ordered it online and picked it up. So I increased my rating to 4 stars. The only negative would be the egusi was not as fresh as I would have hoped (I could tell by the texture). But it was still very good.

    Chicken Yassa
    Reyna F.

    Delicious food and definitely something new and different. Very nice, clean, and classy restaurant. The staff was very professional and helpful with explaining the entrees. The owner was so nice and introduced himself to our group. The head chef even came to our table too. 10 out of 10 experience and we will come back!

    Salmon Yassa & Hibiscus juice
    BJ J.

    (9/10) I came to dine in for lunch while passing through from Atlanta. They had 1 host/waitress on staff for the dining floor at the time. She was timid and perhaps new, but very polite. Served me well while handling multiple guests. I will say the service and staffing does need improvement, it can't just be 1 server. And I had to really ask a lot of questions for her to engage me in learning the menu. I also was sat before a larger group, but they got attended to before me. Slight blunder, nothing major. I think the server is new and overwhelmed being by the lack of additional hands. She was carrying out to-go orders, answering the phones and had about 5 tables. Take care of your staff. That's my main piece of constructive feedback for leadership. My appetizer followed by my entree came out fairly quickly. Maybe took 10 - 20 minutes all together, well worth the wait. These are curated homemade-style meals. Don't come here expecting a chain restaurant experience. I had the meat pie starter and Salmon Yassa with Hibiscus juice. Absolutely delicious! I wish I ordered more to go! I'm so glad I stopped by. And I was pleasantly surprised when my bill came, with an 18% tip it was less than $40. So the complaints about price don't make sense to me. For what you're getting in portion and quality, the price is very reasonable. Good hospitality all things considered and lovely dining experience, food is very well prepared with love and extremely flavorful. This is now on my "must visit list" anytime I'm in the Jackson, Mississippi area.

    a plate of food
    Rachel L.

    First time dining at Sambou's African Kitchen , having Egusi soup and fufu for the very first time, and I'm more than excited!! We didn't realized how big the entrées were, so we ordered 3 entrée, and an appetizer for two We started off with the meat pies, the stuffing reminds me of beef vegetable soup, without the soup. Delicious!! Loved the spices used, the fried dough was so flaky, not oily at all, definitely ordering this again. For our entrées we got the oxtail and shrimp, jerk chicken, and egusi soup. Oxtails were big, and juicy, super tender. Mash was buttery, and thick whipped, that mash alone was like two huge sides. Jerk chicken was also fall off the bone, I cannot get enough of these spices, and they were the perfect amount of heat. That rice and cabbage is a must!! If I get an entrée that doesn't includs those sides, then I'm ordering it on the side. Egusi was different for the both of us, first timers, but it's definitely good. Wasn't what we expected, I thought it was the okra soup He and I love okra so we kept looking for it, that dish is called fufu there, so now we know! This had chunks of tender beef, that seems like it was slow cooked for hours, same with the ox tails! Can't wait to come back and try some other dishes. Heard the curry was amazing too. Not sure why it didn't let me check in. Added a menu for yall. https://www.facebook.com/sambouafricankitchen/

    Joiya A.

    The only place in Mississippi that I know of that serves African dishes. Nice ambience and the staff was great! Food was definitely 10/10. I ordered the egosi soup with fufu and a side of plantain, and their hibiscus tea as my beverage.

    Menu
    Dawn M.

    My sister, niece and I stopped by Sambou's for lunch Saturday. It was the first time for us to try Gambian food. Let me start by saying our server was doing her best. She wasn't the fastest but was knowledgeable of the menu, which helped us. Food came out hot and fast though. We ordered the fufu, meat pies, and black-eye peas fritters as appetizers. I didn't care for the cassava but loved the stew. I ate it by itself. The meat pies were excellent. Very spicy with a really great crispy crust. The fritters were tasteless. They were more of a vehicle for the sauce but I don't want to get them again. For entrees we ordered the curry chicken and the Gambian jollof rice. Both dishes were very good. I had to decide between white rice or couscous for the curry dish. I don't like either but I'm glad I went with the white rice because the dish came in a large bowl and the curry sauce on the rice set it off nicely! I only tasted the rice of my sister's jollof but it was good. She ate it for breakfast and said it was really good. We both ordered juice pouches. She got the ginger and I got the sorrell. I loved the sorrell. It was light and refreshing. We enjoyed it and my sister is looking forward to our next visit when she returns to Jackson.

    Paquita M.

    I decided to try Sambou's after a post on social media. I enjoy African cuisine (I've honestly only eaten Nigerian cuisine.) I have never experienced Gambian style food until today. There is a noticeable difference between the cooking/flavoring styles but I truly enjoyed my first experienced with Gambian flare. The service was nice and welcoming from the waitress who quickly seated me at lunch. The establishment just recently open but surprisingly it was not too busy. After being seated, I order about five minutes later. I ordered: EBBEH ($12.95) Soup made with shrimp, cassava, palm oil, chili peppers, lime juice, various herbs, and tarmind. FUFU Ball ($12.00) Doug-like mashed cassava (Yuca) WONJO (SORREL JUICE) ($3.50) Made in house using dried hibiscus flowers. The ebbeh was delicious with a very intense taste. It is hearty and filling even without the fufu ball. There's a spice to the soup which is not overwhelming and is balanced well against the fufu as it doesn't carry a taste. The hearty soup had three pump shrimps (yes, I counted, I always do!) The order came to my table hot and fresh which is awesome. There was plenty for me to bring home and eat later. The wonjo (hibiscus tea) is not your average "hibiscus tea from Starbucks" its full of flavor and very sweet. It's delicious but sweet with a smooth velvet like finishing. Overall, I know I'll be back plenty more times especially if the service and taste of food remains as stellar as it was today. The prices range from $12 and up for a meal/meal choice item and there's daily specials that start around $25 and up. Don't worry about the prices because your servings are plentiful and you'll definitely have something to take home.

    Beef patties
    Eric G.

    Bottom Line, Up Front: This place is AMAZING!! Best Jerk Chicken I have had in years and best beef patties ever! Curry chicken was also very good. This is not fast food. Be prepared to wait for your meal after order. The wait will be worth it! Trust me! TLDR: After hearing about an African restaurant in Jackson, I knew I had to check it out on my next visit. As I have a number of African friends and have had really good African cuisine, I was skeptical that it would be well represented in Jackson. Boy, was I wrong! The first thing that got my attention was the presence of Jamaican Jerk Chicken on the menu. Wait! What? Ok, I'm game. So I ordered the Jerk Chicken, which came with rice and peas and the traditional cabbage and carrot mixture, and my mom had the curry chicken with the same sides. Yeah, I know! I came here for African food but instead ordered Jamaican. What can I say? Jerk is my litmus test for ethnic restaurants. We also ordered the beef patties, as appetizers and ginger drink (not to be confused with ginger beer) and sorrel. I was a little disappointed when the waiter informed me that the sorrel had no ginger in it but I could mix the two drinks. Hmmm. Insert side-eye here. I know how to make sorrel and no ginger is a red flag. Regardless, I gave it a shot. It was interesting to see that they provide the option of ordering a single drink or a pouch, which appears to be the equivalent of two glasses of drink in an actual plastic pouch with a twist top that you can easily carry with you. Pretty ingenious idea! The appetizer beef patties arrived after about 10 mins and we cut them open to see what was there. I was accustomed to, and expected, a premade, commercially available Jamaican patty with a smear of meat in the middle. What we got, instead, was an obviously homemade pastry, steaming hot and packed with meat. The smell was positively entrancing! One bite revealed not only seasoned meat but very well seasoned meat with chunks of sautéed onions and peppers. Without question, this is the best beef patty I have ever had! Our main dishes came out about 10 mins after the appetizer and were also steaming hot so it seemed they were freshly cooked. After trying the cabbage mixture that came with the entree, I was initially blown away with the flavors and the texture. Usually, Jamaican restaurants don't put much effort into seasoning the cabbage mixture because the meat is the star. Not so at this place! The cabbage was extremely well seasoned and cooked al dente so there was a slight crunch to the cabbage and carrots. With that pleasant surprise beginning, I moved on to the rice and peas. Again, perfectly cooked and the coconut aroma raced up my nose, beating the wonderful flavors to my tongue!. By now, I'm completely astounded so I just had to dig into the chicken. Three for three, the chicken was tender and moist, smothered in a good quantity of jerk gravy. The smell of pimento was rich and the spicy kick of the scotch bonnet pepper that I am ever in search of sent my taste buds into blissful overdrive! From the first to the very last bite, I was in flavor heaven and my vocabulary was reduced to melodic hums and Mmms. If there was any disappointment from the experience, it was the sorrel and ginger drink. While very well balanced with flavor and sweetness, the sorrel was not as rich and concentrated as an authentic Jamaican sorrel should be and the missing ginger punch that normally leaves a hum of heat at the back of my throat was sorely missed. Likewise, the ginger drink was somewhat lacking in ginger concentration, but, to be fair, it is not advertised as ginger beer so there is that. Overall, I was completely overjoyed to find a restaurant of this quality in Jackson and I hope the chef and owners prosper and stay a looong time! I'm coming back for the Jollof rice next time and I expect it to be just as stellar an offering.

    Pancake balls, complimentary appetizers
    Jay W.

    The food was really flavorful and delicious! The service was very attentive as well. Bamba and Micheal the servers were very nice and knowledgeable about the food and culture! The ambience is casual yet sophisticated. You feel welcomed as soon as you walk in with Afrobeat music playing and West African aesthetics throughout the restaurant. This is great place to try something different and equally delicious that not places in MS can offer!

    Front of restaurant..
    Vivy H.

    Jackson, MS has a James Beard Semifinalist!! Pleasantly surprised to have a culinary treat so close to home. Food is nice and spicy. If I wasn't exhausted, I would have stayed and dined in. Tried buffet to try many of their dishes.The place is lovely w/ prompt service.

    Exterior
    Kim L.

    Sambou's African Kitchen opened 5 months ago and wow wow wow. This place should be packed. The atmosphere, the quality, the kindness, the service and the music. Our server Lamin was very attentive.Top Tier and Just pure love. Please support this restaurant, it's so worth it and reasonable pricing. We had the Egusi soup & fufu, Curry chicken, gambian meat pies, wonjo juice, ginger juice and it was all so delicious. You can smell the spices on entry, I was in heaven. I'm going back very soon. Although I came during happy hour and inside there were only a few of us the DoorDash orders were none stop. This place is awesome. They care about their business and product

    Curry chicken was awesome! Very flavorful! Had just enough spice but not overpowering if you aren't a spice fan.
    Susan S.

    My family and I just left from eating here and it was amazing! Our first experience eating at an African food establishment but it won't be our last. The food was superb!! Our server was the only dining room employee working so he was busy but he handled it very well. The dining room is very nice!! Clean and set up very neatly.

    Oxtail dinner with cabbage and rice.
    Angelica A.

    One of the best restaurants in Jackson, hands down! The service, ambiance and dinning experience here is phenomenal. I definitely recommend the cabbage and oxtails!

    Great night out!

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    The food was delicious and flavorful! I had a meat pie, jerk chicken, rice and peas, cabbage, plantains and a ginger drink.

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    One of the best restaurants in Jackson. It can be hard to find, but it is excellent. Get the oxtail!

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Sambou’s African Kitchen

    Afrishoppi Kitchen - Egusi with fufu. I paid $16.70 with tax. The egusi was good and spicey although watery. The fufu tasted weird.

    Afrishoppi Kitchen

    3.0(3 reviews)
    3.2 mi

    The PROS. THE EGUSI…read moreWAS HOT, SPICEY AND FLAVORFUL. (Although watery, with a super small portion size not equal to to the cost and it did not have a variety of different meats like I'm accustomed to. - this is further explained below.) WONDERFULLY CLEAN SHOP WITH A LAID BACK ATMOSPHERE. The shop was very clean and the owner very hospitable. The restaurant had a very nice environment and immaculately clean restroom. The CONS. SUPER SMALL PORTION SIZE FOR THE COST AS MENTIONED ABOVE. THE PORTION SIZE I RECIEVED SHOULD HAVE BEEN AROUND $8.50 OR $9.00. CERTAINLY NOT $16.70. I feel cheated. I had so many places to spend my money at and I chose this restaurant and although the egusi was good I could have had a much more filling dinner elsewhere for $16.70). I've had Egusi in Atlanta, GA, Dallas, TX, Houston, TX and Memphis, TN and for the same cost you get considerably more (I have pictures. Check out my other reviews). When I picked up the bag it weighed very little. Egusi and Fufu are heavy type of foods. The fact the bag weighed so little was my first clue that the portion size was much smaller than i was use to and it wasn't just the egusi. It was the fufu ball as well. ONLY CHICKEN. NOT A MIXTURE OF MEATS LIKE OTHER AFRICAN RESTAURANTS. The egusi only had one piece of chicken. There was no beef. Or pork. Or Fish. Typically egusi comes with a mixture of meats. This was a disappointment. WATERY EGUSI. I HAD TO POUR SOME OUT. I can't stand watery egusi. Yet that's what I recieved. I had to pour out a substantial amount of liquid. THE FUFU TASTED LIKE IT WAS RANCID. IT WAS GRITTY WITH A STRANGE VINEGARY TASTE THAT WAS EXTREMELY OFF PUTTING. THE SMELL WAS PECULIAR TOO. I COULDN'T EAT IT AND ATE THE EGUSI WITHOUT IT. IT WAS THROWN AWAY. I have no idea what this FuFu was made out of but it was the strangest fufu I've ever eaten. The restaurant owner should really stick to the white fufu which is standard. This fufu tasted awful. Like it was rancid. It smelled weird. It had a vinegar taste to it. I couldn't eat it and ended up throwing it away after a few bites.

    Not sure if this is a norm because it was my first time trying it here but the Fufu was gritty and…read morenot smooth. I also ordered the egusi soup with chicken. It was also gritty and the portion was small compared to the price. I usually order from Sambous which is right up the street. I ordered just before closing so maybe that was it but I was not satisfied with this dish. I will be trying something else at a later date. I included a picture from both restaurants as I did eat it from here because I could handle how gritty it felt eating the Fufu and egusi soup.

    Photos
    Afrishoppi Kitchen - This is what the front of the restaurant looks like. It's even cuter inside!

    This is what the front of the restaurant looks like. It's even cuter inside!

    Afrishoppi Kitchen - This is Moi moi, a traditional snack made.of black eyed peas (protein) with all kinds of deliciousness.

    This is Moi moi, a traditional snack made.of black eyed peas (protein) with all kinds of deliciousness.

    Afrishoppi Kitchen

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    Sonny's BBQ - Burnt ribs

    Sonny's BBQ

    2.9(60 reviews)
    10.3 mi

    I was so excited that the hotel was next to this BBQ place. I walked the short distance downhill to…read morethe restaurant. I had my heart set on brisket. It was a "fasteraunt" (fast food restaurant). No one greeted me when I came in. People were sitting and waiting. I thought I had to order my food and then go sit down. I waited a bit before someone acknowledged me. I guess she could not tell I looked "lost" cause she just asked if I was ready to order. I ordered and asked her if I just seat myself and someone would bring me my order. She said yes, and we will call your name. So I took a seat at a table, and then I saw people come in and wait at the podium to be seated. A server walked past me, and on his way back, I stopped and told him it was my first time, and I was not familiar with the process, but I ordered food, and I wanted to eat in. He told me he would take care of me, and he did. He was very nice and helpful. He brought my food when it was ready. Okay, now for the food. Y'all know by now that I always order extra to have lunch and dinner for the week. I ordered "pick of the pit" (3 meats) with some ribs, double brisket, mac and cheese, and green beans, and it came with a corn muffin. My mouth was watering. I got my food and started to dig in. I had to try the corn muffin first. It was a little dry and looked burnt or maybe just old. I totally forgot to ask for sauce on the side for the ribs, but it was okay. The ribs were moist and tasty. Now for my favorite meat. . . the brisket. . . Sadly, I was let down. The brisket was cut very thin, and when they heated it up, it became very dry. I could hardly eat it. I was choking on it; it was so dry. I peppered up the green beans and ate them. I took the mac and cheese and the ribs back to the room for later. Let me tell you, my ribs didn't look as yummy as the ones in the picture.

    I was so excited that the hotel was next to this BBQ place. I walked the short distance downhill to…read morethe restaurant. I had my heart set on brisket. It was a "fasteraunt" (fast food restaurant). No one greeted me when I came in. People were sitting and waiting. I thought I had to order my food and then go sit down. I waited a bit before someone acknowledged me. I guess she could not tell I looked "lost" cause she just asked if I was ready to order. I ordered and asked her if I just seat myself and someone would bring me my order. She said yes, and we will call your name. So I took a seat at a table, and then I saw people come in and wait at the podium to be seated. A server walked past me, and on his way back, I stopped and told him it was my first time, and I was not familiar with the process, but I ordered food, and I wanted to eat in. He told me he would take care of me, and he did. He was very nice and helpful. He brought my food when it was ready. Okay, now for the food. Y'all know by now that I always order extra to have lunch and dinner for the week. I ordered "pick of the pit" (3 meats) with some ribs, double brisket, mac and cheese, and green beans, and it came with a corn muffin. My mouth was watering. I got my food and started to dig in. I had to try the corn muffin first. It was a little dry and looked burnt or maybe just old. I totally forgot to ask for sauce on the side for the ribs, but it was okay. The ribs were moist and tasty. Now for my favorite meat. . . the brisket. . . Sadly, I was let down. The brisket was cut very thin, and when they heated it up, it became very dry. I could hardly eat it. I was choking on it; it was so dry. I peppered up the green beans and ate them. I took the mac and cheese and the ribs back to the room for later.

    Photos
    Sonny's BBQ
    Sonny's BBQ - Beef Brisket Lunch

    Beef Brisket Lunch

    Sonny's BBQ - Restaurant Decor

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    Restaurant Decor

    Sambou’s African Kitchen - african - Updated May 2026

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