Yassa African Restaurant Reviews

I loved the plantains, rice and lamb plates. Please, when you come to Chicago, don't miss the incredible senegalese cuisine! And the family that owns the place is just AMAZING!

İve been going since 79th st. The food now is terrible and they need to contact the original cook her food was wonderful. Now cabbage was undercooked fish and rice under seasoned. Gravy on top was inedible. Won’t be back. Call back original cook

The food here is delicious. I will definitely make this one of my MUST-Eat places whenever I'm in Chicago.

Who would think that combining peanut butter and tomato paste/tomato sauce would result in a savory sauce that will have you wanting to go and propose marriage to the cook? Yassa is the place to go to if you want some authentic African eats!! I have visited a couple of African countries and was unaware that in the world of West Africa’s staple Jollof Rice there is actually room for Couscous!! I was pleasantly surprised to see it on the menu so then I ordered my Lamb Maffe, I got half Jollof Rice and half Coucous. I should have ordered all Couscous - it was wonderful!!! I was introduced to Jollof Rice while living in Ghana and I judge all Jollof Rice based on their standard. It may be fantastic to the untrained palate, but my taste buds say so. Don’t get we wrong, it was good, but it lacked the cinnamon and cloves that I am accustomed to in MY rice. Yassa got 4 Start because of the rice and the very overcooked plantains, other than that, the food was plentiful and the lamb succulent! Please check them out, you will be glad you did.

We ate at Yassa after reading about Senegal at the Field Museum. It is amazing. The service is flawless. The food is extremely flavorful. They guide you through the choices and you will experience a food adventure. Fun. Family friendly. Off the track but safe.

We had dinner here and had a good time. The waitres helped Us and recomended food. They serves African food with chicken, fish, schrimps and sheep. The prices Are approximately 25 $. They also have their own juice produced by them.

We stopped in to get a bite of African food since this was the closet one to us (most are located on the north side of the city). The male host was friendly and seated us immediately however the hostess wasn't as warm and welcoming. We ordered salmon patties and men for appetizers and they were quite tasty. Unfortunately our main entrees left much to be desired. I ordered curry lamb and I was given tough, burnt old pieces of meat that took away from the flavor. In addition to that, it was full of grease which wasn't appealing. My partner ordered lamb chops and they were tough as well and weren't flavorful. The only item that we found flavorful on our entrees was the djolof rice. Parking: Non-metered street parking Seating: Ample

Really great family run Senegalese spot on the #3 bus route. Super easy to get to if you're staying at the convention center - just hop on the bus in front of McCormick Place and get off at 35th. Take out or eat in. If you've never had West African food go for the mafe or yassa fish - one is a peanut stew the other a french inspired onion/mustard marinade - both are delicious. Great music in the background - the neighborhood is fine to take the bus in a and out of.

First time eating Senegalese food, My wife had a rich tasty stew and I had the recommended chicken that did not disapoint. Generous portions and very nice employees.

I loved loved loved the food. My 1st time here and 1st time having Senegalese. I had the Dibi Lamb with plantains and it was soooooo good. It was a wait for the food but its worth it as they took great care in the preparation. Staff helpful in food suggestions.

Yassa was any easy choice for my friend and I who spent over 2 years in West Africa (not Senegal though) and consequently we speak French conversationally so this was an extra treat. We arrived to the realization that I had lost my mobile phone en route to restaurant and my friend is still using an old 3G iPhone which was essentially worthless. As we tried to solve our problem, the owner came out to offer his opinion and use of his newer iPhone. After a few minutes he went inside and his daughter came out to help. Then finally two out-of-town folks who just ate at Yassa did the same all to no avail. We had excellent table service as well. Such friendliness and helpfulness is typical of West African cultures. We both ordered mafé sauce (ground nuts) for sentimental reasons which comes with goat on the bone. Eating by hand is common. To start we had juices: 1) bissap, a red drink made from Hibiscus flowers that is tart like cranberry, and 2) baobab juice from the fruits of this iconic African tree. Bissap is very tasty as was the baobab (my first time) which I cannot describe the taste. Quality service, excellent food, and great atmosphere at Yassa; thanks. To the owner and his family, merci beaucoup à toute la famille, vous êtes très, très gentils ! À la prochaine

Easy parking just outside of the restaurant on King Drive...1 hour parking Monday thru Saturday. I ordered the Dibi chicken and it was fantastic! Very similar to jerked chicken...sides of cabbage and plaintains...and they have sorrel juice! We will be back soon!

Great place to eat. The food had a lot of flavour, and the prices were very reasonable. I'd definitely recommend this place!

I've been eating at Yassa for years now, and finally realized that I've never reviewed it. Although I've eaten and enjoyed food at a number of African restaurants, I have to say that Yassa is the best West African food that I've had to date. My go to dish is the Yassa chicken with Djolof rice and aloco (fried plantain). Not only is this dish delicious, but it makes me happy. I love the flavor, as well as the onions and olives that are incorporated into this dish. For lamb lovers, there is also Yassa lamb, which is also phenomenal. Although the owner is Senegalese and has magnificent Senegalese dishes, his wife lived in Côte d’Ivoire, and so there are Ivorian dishes like Sauce Graine and Atieke (Ivorian couscous) - on the menu. My family normally can’t agree on one restaurant, so I’ve driven to as many as four restaurants in one night to try to appease everyone’s taste. They absolutely love Yassa. We love eating family style, so we can order different foods to share. Don't worry about not being able to pronounce an item on the menu or feeling lost because you're not familiar with the food. Both the owners and servers are very helpful with assisting dinners with navigating the menu and making recommendations. One evening diners at the restaurant received a surprise when one of the servers brought out a meat dish that was served in what looked like a paper bag. All diners were offered a portion of the dish. It was so delicious that we asked where it was located on the menu, and we were told that it was something that the owner just made up. Wow! With that said, everything that I've tasted here is very good. I would highly recommend Yassa for anyone who would like to give West African food a try, or anyone who is a connoisseur of West African food. It is authentic and oh so good. You can also expect to hear French spoken occasionally between the owners and staff.

Found this lovely restaurant online and we are so glad we came here! Our waiter Issac allowed us to try some of the delicious natural juices (my favourite was the Baobab) and he really looked after us. We started with an entree of Fataya (spicy as but worth it!). I ordered the Maffe and it was beautiful and creamy with the lamb melting in my mouth! My friends ordered the Thiou curry with chicken, the Yassa Chicken and the Brochette chicken. Huge portions that were delicious! The only advice would be to let them know if you don't want it too spicy, but mild and they are happy to accommodate. I would definitely recommend Yassa for the friendly and warm atmosphere (especially for us out of towners) and the scrumptious food!

Our group had a terrific experience last week at Yassa. Food from Senegal was new for all of us. The service was outstanding and the staff was really helpful in teaching us about the food and drinks available. Everything we tried was very good. It was a great evening and experience. Very momorable

My husband and I went to YASSA and we thoroughly enjoyed our meal. My husband had the lamb stew & djolof rice I had the dibi chicken, steam cabbage & plantains. Soooo good we are ADDICTED!!!! lol. Only $32 enough food for 2 days!

Friendly atmosphere catering to all people. The food was good, even though it took a little long to be serve. I would recommend to anyone who want to try some african cuisine.

Loved the Jollof, Yassa Chicken and Fufu (+ginger drink). Good music and big portions, so we also enjoyed it the next day!

Found this restaurant through the Bronzeville Chamber of Commerce and wish we had known about it earlier. Excellent food--exceptional even. Lots of flavor and plentiful. Yassa Chicken one of the best I've ever tasted (including what I had had in restaurants in Senegal) and the plaintains are outstanding. Ginger juice and bissap are nice additions to the menu. The lamb was also tender and flavorful. Love the traditional dessert with millet as well! Beautiful space, service is friendly and welcoming, and parking is plentiful. There is nothing not to like here.

We asked Yassa to cater and event for us. We went in, sat down with them discussed what we wanted and ordered it. The day of the event they showed up on time and the food was perfect We had the curry chicken along with the Yassa fillet side Aloco. Highly suggest the fillet, cook perfectly, and it was delicious. both entrées we order with a side of rice. All the food was delicious and everyone loved it.

The location has an open and inviting atmosphere. The selection is vast and the variety has something for everyone. I tried several apps since it was my 1st visit. Everything was great, especially the eff rolls!

If you are unfamiliar with African cuisine, this is the place to go. The owners are natives of a Senegalese tribe who bring flavors of their homeland to Chicago. The waiter nicely allowed me to split my appetizer order so I could try two that caught me eye. The first resembled a spring roll, but one was to wrap it in lettuce and carrots and eat with the sweetish sauce. Good balance of flavors. The second was heavier in texture and was served with one of the hottest pepper sauces I have experienced. The heat obscured any flavor. I was nearly filled from the appetizers alone when my lamb entree arrived. It appeared to be a lamb shoulder which is not a favored cut. However the seasonings and preparation made it delightful. Two sides accompanied the entree, and I chose a spiced rice that was a bit dry. The plantains provided a welcome, familiar flavor. The social scene: old white lady venturing into a historically African American neighborhood must have seemed odd at first. The host thought I was list until I told him I was there for lunch. Most of the other patrons warmed to me after a while and, as usual, I had no level of discomfort or fear. Indeed when the owner arrived he was most hospitable...The African way.

Stopped in one day for a cold drink. Ordered a Ginger pineapple drink. Didn't know that they added lots of ginger juice to the mixture. What a kick I received. But I loved it. Went back on another day for another drink and decided to try the food. Delicious! Very healthy portions. Will go back the next time I visit Chicago

We were visiting Chicago for a few days and wanted to try food that we don’t have available near home. We have tried eastern African fare before but sought out this spot because they specialize in western African cuisine. We read up on the types of spices and cooking styles and ordered a little of something in every category. Oh my goodness, they blew our socks off! I have never experienced some of these flavors and anyone who loves food or thinks of themselves as a foodie must come to Yassa. We had the fataya for an appetizer, yassa fish, dibi chicken, djilof rice, aloco, and a honeydew pineapple juice. I can’t say enough about how great it was to experience such new flavors. We can’t wait to get home to try working with the special spices and methods in our own kitchen. The people were friendly and the atmosphere was relaxed and unhurried which suited us just fine.

We were driving along S King Drive and just happened to spot this restaurant. Very good food, decent prices and prompt service. It's quite large with some great artwork displays and seemed quite busy that weekend with couples and families as most of the patrons. I had the yassa chicken and my boyfriend had the yassa fish (yassa is a caramelized onion sauce). Delicious! We both had sorrel beverages. The portions were huge and we were stuffed when we left there was no room for dessert - couldn't eat anything else for the night! LOL!! Great neighborhood spot!

Senegalese goodness in Bronzeville. The lamb is delectable, maffe style or their signature dish. You will love the jollof rice. And do not skip out on the bissap, hibiscus or ginger drinks....a perfect complement to any entrees.

Food was delicious. Drinks were amazing. Service was outstanding. Plaintains were cooked to perfection. Lamb was scrumptious. Honeydew pineapple drink was so good we got a jug to go.