Loved the food!! So so tasty!! Also great vibes with Emmanuel! My friend and me bought as much as…read morewe could . Amazing service all round!

jollof is smokey! Meat is Juicy and tender! plantain is sweet and succulent!!!!!!!!!!read more

Alloko Garden is one of many restaurants cooking out of Jingletown Eats, a ghost kitchen and food…read moredelivery distribution center identifiable by the painted bird on the storefront. I had already planned to visit Jingletown Eats to pick up donuts from Mochill for Yelp Elite Week, so of course I had to take advantage of the opportunity to try a new restaurant, Alloko Garden, as well! I ordered the Shoukuya (whole grilled chicken) and Alloko (plaintain fries) for $30. Both were so delicious! The chicken was juicy and well-marinated, and came with a flavorful tomato and onion topping. The plaintain fries were fun to eat and paired perfectly with a spicy, salty dip, which the website describes as a prebiotic sauce. Having no other point of reference, it reminded me of Chinese fermented bean paste. The only issue was that I didn't receive the salad that the whole chicken set should include. Looking back at the different options, only the whole chicken comes with a salad, so I can see how this mistake could happen. After making my own veggie side, the Shoukuya and Alloko ended up being enough for four servings, which is a great deal. I would absolutely recommend Alloko Garden to anyone craving or wanting to try West African cuisine!

Man! This was some yummy food and a blast from the past. As…read morea returned Peace Corps Volunteer who spent 2 years in Ivory Coast back in the 1990's, I was thrilled to see a local restauranteuer surface who could re relate some of the flavors that tickled my taste buds back in the day. Not to hate on its neighboring countries, but after travelling widely in West Africa I concluded that Ivory Coast has a truly rockin' and superior food culture. I'm vegan aspirational but my partner is not, so to increase his buy-in, we ordered Shokouya Cancanan chicken. The half chicken, accompanied by delicious grilled onions and tomatoes, was a generous portion of robustly seasoned, plump, fresh and perfectly cooked chicken. I love that they only use "happy chicken" as I call it--cage free, hormone free & antibiotic free--which assuaged some of my flesh eating hesitancy. The side dishes were just as I recalled: attieke, a marvelous cous-cous-like starch made of ground, fermented, then steamed cassava, was tangy, springy, and performed as expected in hand. (In hand?, you ask? Why yes, the "real" way to enjoy attieke is to scoop up a small handful with your right hand, scrunch it up in a ball, then dip it in a sauce or accompany it in this case with a bit of tender chicken.) It gives a taste and a mouth feel like no other. Then there was the alloko, which is a generous portion of chunks of fried plantain "doux," or sweet plantain. In Côte d'Ivoire you would likely enjoy these as streetfood, in my opinion best consumed after the heat of the day had spent itself and you were walking with your companion to take some fresh air before turning in. A street vendor would hand you a pile of these wrapped in a piece of newspaper, accompanied by a blob of paste composed improbably of fermented dried fish, ground chili pepper, oil and the omnipresent Cube Maggi. The marriage of sweet banana, spicy, umami, salty...made my toes curl just as I did 20 years ago! well, you can experience some of that magic with Alloko Garden's alloko. Each chef has their own recipe for the alloko side sauce and I suspect the proprietor, Monsieur Tohouri, uses less heat and less fish and more natural ingredients than the MSG-fest that is Cube Maggi, for us Oaklanders than he might have grown up with. But this healthy non-volcanic version more than gets the idea across and my partner, new to alloko and its accompaniments, understood that the idea was delicious. We both loved that instead of omnipresent plastic, this alloko (& attieke) came in a biodegradable paper box. Because he was temporarily out of one other dish that I'd hoped to sample, Mr. Tohouri kindly added a dish for me called fonio arancini, which are kind of hush puppy type doodads made of a grain I didn't remember encountering in my village, fonio. Even 20 minutes after picking up from the storefront in Jingletown, the fonio arancini arrived home still delicious in all the ways grain plus a dunk in a deep fryer can be: hot and crispy on the outside, warm and almost pudding-like on the inside, with a warm umami awesomeness from the cheese mixed with the dough, and a yummy dipping sauce alongside. According to the article I read in Berkeleyside, this fonio is part of an interest Monsieur Tohouri has in increasing the economic base in Côte d'Ivoire. First step is creating market demand. I say, bring it on!! Although we were ravenous after a four hour bike ride that day, both BF and I were satisfied after this feast. I know this is the first of many trips to this place. I feel so fortunate to have an authentic source of Ivoirien cuisine in my back yard, and with an emphasis on the health of the food chain, the planet, and the humans both producing and consuming the cuisine. I ordered and picked up directly from the storefront because I'd read somewhere that restaurants lose something like 40% of the price charged, to the delivery company (uber eats, grub hub etc). As the prices were very fair given the generous portions, this means a really tiny profit margin for the person doing all the work. What I didn't realize would be an added benefit was meeting the actual proprietor, the chef himself! Monsieur Tohouri came out to hand me my food, thus completing the awesomeness of the experience. How often in this disseminated and impersonal world do you get to thank the actual person who feeds you? My overall assessment: five thumbs up!! Merci bien Monsieur Tohouri!

This is a hidden gem we found! It's located in a business building with a great view of the water…read more Order at the counter first and pick a table to sit indoor or outdoor. I ordered the rice plate with chicken and eggplant which I appreciate that I have the option to choose both. The grilled chicken and eggplant had tasty charred flavor which paired so well with the rice and the salad. It's definitely a great go to place I want to come back again and again!

Nice location and ambience. Friendly staff…read more Decent prices. Overall a good experience.

Little small hole in the wall. 2 tables inside…read more If you're looking to try fufu, this is the place. Oxtail wasn't burnt and had good amount of meat on it. The egusi soup has a nutty flavor to it which I enjoyed. Fufu was soft, simple, delicious. *not pictured Jollaf Rice: has a little spice to it but not too bad!

Got harassed while trying to eat here. Didn't feel safe and…read moreleft immediately. Thankfully my order wasn't put in yet cause their card machine was broken. Employees did nothing to help. Recommend just ordering online and picking up. Paper menu in the restaurant has no prices listed either.

Love Jollof Kitchen! I go every month on first Friday in Oakland for the veggie plate. I put my…read morefriends on and all they talk about is when we're going back! Service is always great and super quick. The flavors with just the jollof rice are amazing, full of flavor in every bite. It tastes just like my friend's mom back home so I will forever appreciate the food.

I had the pleasure of meeting the owner/chef of Jollof Kitchen and you can taste the love the food…read moreis prepared with. The flavor is fortified and complex in the mos delicious way. It is undeniably low and slow build and development of flavor. It's the bite you take and your entire body experiences it! I can not say enough about how delicious the food here is the rice is cooked to perfection it is not over or undercooked it is bursting with flavor, the chicken is tender falling off of the bone. Chef Kimmie is guided by the ancestors in her preparation of this food from the gods.

Good food. They treat the customer right with a better service. The Ambiance is unmatched.read more

Omg best food ever.!!!!!!Try it u won't be disappointed!!!…read moreI'm obsessed with the waffles. I ordered 7 orders of them a few times so I would be able to eat there food for breakfast the whole week :) Warning it may take a while to get your food cuz they're is usually a lot of customers, but it's well worth the wait!

Gluten free alert! We love this fresh, flavorful and delicious food! Gluten free injera is hard to…read morefind. And this is the best around! What to get? We have a hard time picking just one dish, so we get the samplers. I love every vegetarian item on the sampler. And my husband loves all meats - chicken, lamb, and beef. I've tried quite a few dishes, and have never been disappointed. My husband and I have been coming to Enssaro for over 15 years and have grown to adore this restaurant. The staff are friendly and attentive, and the food is fantastic every time!

My fav Ethiopian dish?…read more Doro Wat (bone-in). With a side of Kitfo and Misir Wot. Cuz, I can't just choose one dish. I love Ethiopian food - the bold, rich spices AND the heat gets me feeling all types of way....including heartburn. The East Bay is known for their top-tier Ethiopian and Eritrean food so I'm slowly starting to explore the options here. Plan A: Café Colucci's patio was closed. We headed straight to Enssaro where we were warmly welcomed by the family behind the place, including Coco enjoying her golden years on the couch. F O O D - Requested spicy for all dishes * Kifto: Ethiopian Tartare ($24) IMO Ethiopian tartare over French tartare all day, every day! The finely minced raw beef is mixed with clarified butter and spices, creating a rich, savory flavor that's balanced by the sour tang of injera cutting through the meatiness. Served with ayib (crumbly, mild cheese) and gomen (earthy sautéed greens). Despite not being spicy, it was bomb. * Meat Platter for One ($20) - Doro Wot: Spicy Ethiopian Chicken Stew - Mildly spiced, just wish the drumstick was more tender. - Beg Wot: Lamb Stew - Mild earthy flavor, good for those who are sensitive to spice. - Bere Beef Wot: Spicy Minced Beef Stew - Most flavorful of the three meats, savory with a mild heat. Think Ethiopian bolognese. * Misir Wot: Red lentils cooked slowly w/ Ethiopian spices ($20) Deeply savory with a warm, earthy spice (not spicy). The lentils are nicely broken down to a thick, creamy texture with a bite. Seemed kinda pricey for the portion tho. Platters are served with lightly dressed garden salad and a basket of spongey, tangy injera. S E R V I C E Welcoming, gracious, and attentive. Staff kept our water glasses filled and kindly packed our leftovers. A M B I A N C E Casual, low-key. It was a rare 85 degrees in April day so the covered front patio offered welcome relief. Overall, I wished the food had been more boldly spiced and brought more heat, nonetheless, we still enjoyed the meal, especially the kitfo...GET IT!

I would give 6 stars if I could; this food is incredible!…read more I'm from NYC, I love Ethiopian food; I have eaten it for years in different places and this food is the most flavorful Ethiopian food I have ever had! I truly wanted to lick the plate. Abby, who is the owner and is so lovely and sweet. This is my new Ethiopian spot in the Bay!

Very good food and service once again!…read more Will come back again. A bit cold but was okay once they turned on the heat lamps.

Love this spot the people are super friendly and have little holiday events. Kitfo and Chicken tibs…read morewith veggie platter is our go to. Have been eating here for 7 years and it's consistently tasty. Honey wine and their teas are also great.

Addis Ethiopian Restaurant was such a great experience. The food was rich in flavor, fresh, and…read moresuper comforting you can really taste the quality and seasonings in every bite. Everything paired perfectly with the injera, and the portions were filling and worth it. The service was also friendly and welcoming, which made the experience even better. If you're craving Ethiopian food or want to try something new, Addis is definitely a spot I'd recommend. I'll be back fr fr