I really enjoyed my experience at this restaurant. It feels like a little piece of Africa 🌍 just hidden in Takoma Park. The hosts are really friendly and the food 🥘 is superb and made with love. I had the local chubujen with some fish and some ginger juice plus the hibiscus drink. It all felt like I was back home in Africa, warmed my heart and my stomach. 😆 There’s indoor and outdoor seating so it’s perfect for some family fun, and great for get togethers. I will definitely be visiting this place again soon.

This was hands down a 5/5 experience. I’ll start by saying Hatib, the owner, was so kind and confident about his menu. He helped guide me and my vegan friend through the menu. We ended up ordering Che Bu Jain with Beef and the Yassa with Tofu and wowwww. First off, as a non vegan, I have to say the Yassa with tofu is some of the best food I’ve had to date. This is a plant based/vegan paradise as the owner is a vegetarian that has carefully crafted a menu that seamlessly has delicious vegan and non vegan food. The Che Bu Jain was also a 10/10. This restaurant is a gem that I regret not discovering earlier. The owner is kind, and deeply cares for his customers, culture and cuisine. The ambience of the space is also amazing. It’s a great place to do work or just hang out. I’ll be here regularly and I hope this review is your sign to come visit. Bonus, the owner is a phenomenal baker with both vegan and non vegan desserts.

Hands down one of the best dining experiences ever. Absolutely loved everything, and there was a lot! All the food here is halal. The ginger and hibiscus juices are best enjoyed when alternating sips..so even if you are on your own, order both! I have forgotten the names of most of the things we ordered, but maybe you can figure it out from the pictures. The lamb was amazing, and i don't even like lamb! The special jollof rice was on point, and the chicken stuff was pretty decent. The carrot (i think) and blueberry cakes were also to die for! Service was also amazing, albeit a little slow.. but that perception might be driven by the fact that we had to rush to some place immediately after... Don't forget to check out the phone booth outside. The birds be calling... Overall a very pleasant and memorable experience - Totally coming back for more! Quick edit: turns out i got distracted by the food when it arrived and ended up totally forgetting about taking pictures... so just ask what's good from the server - they might say everything though..and they might be totally right.

Delicious and authentic West African food. They lost their liquor license and are unable to serve alcohol at this time. We liked everything we tried. Relaxed, casual atmosphere.

Everything was so delicious! There isn’t a picture of ALL of our food because we were too impatient to eat. But the vibe was great, the music amazing, and it was such a lovely down to earth vibe there. I loved the menu too. It was a great place to bring friends and family and just gather and eat. Also, parking was a breeze. So there’s really no reason not to go.

Wow, first and last time here (8/22/23)I ordered two entrees (palasas w/fish) and I called to confirm if hot sauce would be placed in the bag. The person who answered the phone seemed frustrated that I called to confirm this (which should have been my first sign) and stated “you don’t have to call for this , you could just include it in the app). I choose to call because although one may request hot sauce (even with in person orders) there’s still a chance you may not receive it. When I finally received my order the oil and sauce was all over the bag which got all over my clothes (I am nurse practitioner) on duty. I called to speak with the manager and the owner answered and spoke very aggressively to me stating he’s the only employee at the store. You do not take that out on customers. He then stated that “ obviously the Uber driver spilled it”. It is not obvious to a first time customer and to me it seems as if poor packaging was used. The food had so much oil in it, I felt sick after one bite. Due to the owner’s nasty customer service, I will not be returning or ordering again from this place !

Wow!!! I've never quite been to a restaurant quite this authentic, yummy, and modern! Usually if the décor is high end, which it is here, the food isn't that great, but this place offers both!!! And excellent service to top it off!

Sincerely appreciate that they can make nearly any dish vegan! Have been a few times now and everything is always so delicious. Service is great and the outdoor tables are also a big plus!

This restaurant did not disappoint from the initial phone call to the last bite! I was skeptical of ordering third party due to reviews so I picked up myself and I’m glad I did . The staff were personable and attentive . The patrons were pleasant and clearly communicated their satisfaction with Mansa Kunda. Supporting black business was intentional and the icing on the cake . I ordered the plantains, chicken jollof rice , meat pie, and Afra chicken . Everything was flavorful and fresh! The professionalism and cultural draw of website was a great indication of the culinary experience I was about to embark on . You MUST try this restaurant. ( you’d think they were paying me for this review ! No- it was just THAT good!)

Another DC hidden gem! Beautiful unique atmosphere, delicious authentic Senegalese food made with high quality ingredients, food made fresh, super friendly service, very welcoming!!

Nice area. Comfortable setting; cool for a date night or family dinner. Food is good , great vegan options. Although online they say they have wine, they do not serve wine. Service is okay, only one server if the spot is busy not sure how good service would be. Overall a good experience will return.

Im conflicted in my review because the place was beautiful, the staff friendly and the music lively. The weekend before I went, my coworker went there and said the food was amazing. When I went there: the rice was half over cooked and half undercooked, the grilled meat was cold and not really tasty, the peanut butter chicken was ok, the cassava/ potato leaves dish was lacking flavor. They might have had an off day and I'll have to give them another go one day. I was really wanting to love this place.

I am from the West Coast and was brought to the restaurant via my daughter. Since my first meal I have come repeatedly because I can't get enough. Let me say as an African-American who has dined in the finest restaurants from Africa to America -- Mansa Kunda is hands down the best African / Senegambian cuisine in the North, South, East, or West. I ate every morsel and crumb on the plate. Compliments to the talented and gifted chef and the wonderful owner, Mr. Ali whom is always welcoming and kind. I hope many people will be able to experience the supreme tastefulness of the food and its exquisite artistic presentation.

I had a very delightful experience when I visited Mansa Kunda Restaurant yesterday evening. When I entered the restaurant, I was immediately impressed by the decor, which made me reminisce about my travels to Senegal and the Gambia. The menu has several appealing dishes, and we chose Yassa with fish, Oxtail Stew, and Jollof Rice. The portions were large and the food was delicious. For dessert, we had toasted almond bread pudding and blueberry pound cake with a blueberry glaze, and I was pleasantly surprised when they added a candle to my cake and sang happy birthday to me. The service was awesome. I highly recommend this restaurant, and I look forward to visiting again.

If you want a taste of Senegambia region, the home of Jollof, then Mansa Kunda is quaint, African aesthetic with delicious cuisine for your palate.

Excellent food! Best jollof rice! Wonderful atomsphere! It was a pleasure to dine here. Eating African food can be challenging when you are vegan but all their dishes are vegan friendly. So my husband can enjoy his meat and fish allowing us to eat together. We definitely will be back when we are in town.

Food is delicious. Restaurant is decorated beautifully. Staff is polite, attentive and professional.

I have been a few times and absolutely love it. The food is authentic and delicious. The staff are friendly and efficient. Mansa Kunda has an amazing ambiance. The chairs are drums. How cool is that. A must experience.

Food was delicious! Service was excellent! Will definitely visit again! Recommend highly!

This was my second time at Mansa Kunda. The food is delicious. My sister and I ordered the vegetable pies, meat pies, and akara fritters. The appetizers were amazing! My sister had beef with jollof and I had paneer with jollof. We loved our food. I also had the hibiscus juice.

Great food!!! We ordered the national dish with chicken and rice and the peanut butter curry dish. Also had the banana leaf tamale appetizer. The flavors were AMAZING. Beauty decor as well, overall lovely experience for our family, will be back! My only thing to be upfront about is that it is not fast food. They are making it fresh, and good stuff takes time. Totally worth any wait.

Great food, atmosphere is out of this world, and the customer service is absolutely astounding. Without a doubt, we will be going back for another comforting meal. Love it!!! You will not be disappointed!

Quaint restaurant. Service was fast. We ordered peanut butter stew with chicken which is served with some rice and the Gambian joloff rice with fish. N Both were delicious. I definitely recommend it.

The place is nice and the food looks delicious. I ordered the beef Peanut Butter Chu, but I received a cold Chicken Peanut Butter Chu that was no less than 3 days old. I was so disappointed. I drive over an hour for the food. The Attieke was decent tho. I will give it another try.

Food was excellent! Service was awesome. Only open for carry out right now . This was first time trying food here . We had the oxtail soup w/fufu, plantain, shrimp and fish pies the Ebbeh stew which is seafood based, toasted almond bread pudding, upside down pineapple cake and was blessed with a complimentary taste of jollof rice. Everything was amazing, the flavors were amazing. I wasnt a fan of the bread pudding, it was a little different from old fashioned American style-more like a cake. On the positive side, if you don't like overly sweet desserts, this was very light on the sugar. More than enough food...we are sitting here stuffed and still have some left for later. We were treated very well. We will definitely be back again. Also, not everything is avail on the menu at this time so pick a back up just in case.

Dinner for 5. We were the only customers and there was only 1 person working. He was the greeter, waiter, cook and busboy, all in one. They serve large portions. Food was decent, although I prefer my native Nigerian jollof rice. I got the blueberry hibiscus bread pudding to go. Can't wait to try it!

This restaurant is charming and very friendly. The decor is great and it's nice to have it as an option in the area. The food is really tasty and the fresh ginger juice packs a pleasing punch. The only issue with the food was that the chicken was quite dry, though flavorful. And if you can't take spicy (we mean really spicy) stay away from the hot sauce. Tears were shed from a few drops. Parking is not particularly easy right near the restaurant. Kid friendly.

Really cool place and great service! Really liked the fried plantains and akara fritters!

My friend and I loved our experience at Mansa Kunda! Yes I said experience because the tasty food, beautiful art on the walls, bar stools made from large drums, great cultural conversation about the origin of jollof rice (Senegambian) with the server and I believe owner, was more than you normally expect from a night out for dinner. We had fried plantains which were not greasy like some I've had in other places. The benachin (jollof meal) had the best jollof rice I've ever had. FYI I'm an American but I've had jollof from both a Nigerian auntie and a Ghanaian friend! I also had a very yummy shito flatbread with fish. Oh and the desserts were amazing! Most were gluten free and vegan. We tried 4!! I can't wait to bring my family and friends!!

A friend and I visited the restaurant for the first time. We would have rated the restaurant 4 stars, as the food and atmosphere were good, however, we couldn't help notice that staff were not so friendly to us who were the black minority while staff displayed friendly disposition with their white clientele. A few occurrences throughout the evening put a damper on our experience.

Just ordered 70 bucks worth of dinner. I read reviews of food establishments before I try them out. Was craving authentic African food. Reviews convinced me to jump in and ordered..and ordered I did.. a lot of dishes. I must say..I was expecting to be wowed . It didn't happen. The goat stew, I could literally count the number of goat meat pieces ..watery, full of chunks of potatoes and carrots. Had to add salt to taste. It was horrible. The fish in sauce...neah,... the ginger drink, I was expecting bottled ginger drink. This wasnt.Order of coke, not included in delivery. . In a nutshell, I won't be ordering there again, nor refer any family or friend.

Our book club had a wonderful dinner and discussion. The food was delicious and unique and interesting. The art work was just as interesting as the food. I had peanut stew and FuFu it was delicious and I highly recommend this dish. We had an assortment of appetizers and desserts they were all amazing.

Such a great experience here, will most definitely come back! I loved the atmosphere. The food was so fresh & delicious!! All of the meat was cooked to perfection, every single thing we ordered was a hit! I believe it was Hatib that helped us & he was lovely! 😊 Can’t wait to come back to try more, HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!

Portion are extremely small and they use cheap fish. Taste okay...

We've been here three times and will continue to patronize this restaurant. The two gentlemen are pleasant. We've tried the veggie patties, Afra, Benachin, Ebbeh, curry chicken, traditional jollof rice, dessert and coffee. The portion size is perfect for sharing. Excellent as leftovers. You feel full but not heavy.

I have been here twice. Each time the food has been excellent, hearty, and very satisfying. I live south of Springfield VA and travel all the way to Silver Springs for this place. It is worth the distance and traffic! I highly recommend Mansa Kunda!!! (It is so good, each time I ordered an extra dinner to take home.)

I went for a business lunch meeting. The food was exotic and delicious. Cool weather comfort food. All the platters I saw coming out of the kitchen were heaped to the sky with food. Very generous portions. Unless you are a big eater, you will have take home. I want to go back and start working my way through the menu!

Let me just say that this is not your ordinary African restaurant. The food is AMAMZING!, from the portions to the presentation, service, and the taste of the dishes will have you questioning your decisions in choosing other restaurants. The atmosphere is fantastic for dates, meetings, and a bite with friends and family dinners. For those of you who are into art or African art, you will find Mansa Kunda intriguing. You just have to experience this place yourself !! Not to mention how AWESOME the owners and staff are!!!! All I know is I will be dropping by every time I am in town!!

We came to this spot for dinner. my friend recommended this spot. Well, it was a winning. The crew welcomed us with a smile and we had a great feeling. The food was just great. We had a great time and we shall definitely come back again. we highly recommend this place.

The menu and service were ahead of our expectations. We really loved the atmosphere of this restaurant. Fantastic spot to take the family out for dinner.

Really enjoy their food. Their jollof rice is so unique yet traditional and addictive. The cassava leaf is so good. Clean establishment although many colonizers lol. Great customer service, great menu. Ali was especially professional, kind, warm and can COOK. He taught me about his culture and shared some info about the food that I would have never guessed. Please check them out , you wont regret it.

We read the great review in the Post and my wife chose it for her birthday dinner. The portions were huge, very unique flavors, and quite delicious! I especially appreciated how clear the menu was about gluten free and vegetarian options. And there were lots of choices.

Just ok. This is the 3rd time we’ve ordered a variety of foods and each time I’m more disappointed. As far as I can see the best things are the grilled lamb and the hot pepper sauce. Prices are high so we won’t order again.

The african food is great! Try the homemade juice made out of ginger ?

Delicious food! Quality customer service! Beautiful setup!

West African fine dining!

Good, authentic SeneGambian food...and you get the real 'jollof rice' here, which is known as benachin/cheb from the region it originates.

Absolutely garbage. This food looks authentic but it’s no west African food. They burnt cartilage on a grill and served it up as grilled lamb. It’s like someone went to the butcher and asked for rocks because they can just trick people into thinking it’s west African food. The service and the decor are great though.

Great food. Great service. Great atmosphere. Positively my new favorite spot. :-)

If you like African food you will like the food, I guess. Would be GREAT if they gave a taste profile in the description, I liked all the ingredients in the description of the Ebbeh I ordered but it was so sour/tart I had to send it back. They gladly replaced it with a chicken sandwich which was ok. NOBODY in my party liked sitting on makeshift drum chairs... Very friendly servers and when we asked them to turn down the TVs it became a nice atmosphere.

Certainly a spot worth stopping over, the food is great and well prepared, the prices are convenient and it is constantly clean here. 5 stars.

One of my main places to eat. awesome location, well organised, and very good service. 5 stars!

Decor was great, food tasted good, but customer service was very lacking. Went with a party of 10. 2 people in our party did not get the correct meat/ side they ordered. One person's drink was spilled enroute to them. The food took long to arrive, the manager was very condensending when we were attempting to sort out a billing concern.

Great food, very nice staff, consistently fantastic character. They charge fair prices and the food quality is awesome. 5 stars.

Great west African food a a must try!

Great food, great atmosphere, and even better service.

Excellent , variety of deserts perfect the meal

I placed two orders and I was upset when I got my order. The portion of each order were so small that I didn't even feel it in my stomach. The price of each order was over 20 dollars. That food was nasty at least the pepper was good and so hot that drank 5 bottles of water and 4 cups of milks.

Tried this place before with my friend and I am obsessed ever since. I enjoyed the awesome vibes and fresh food and beverages. Keep up the good work.

Western Africa specialties in a unique nicely-decorated restaurant

My friend and I got the veggie pies appetizer, benachin with chicken, and chicken curry. The portions are extremely generous - we each got half a chicken and a mound of rice - but we ate all of it! One main course and app would've fed us but we couldn't stop eating. The benachin is very salty (soy sauce?), which I love. Perfectly cooked chicken falls apart on the fork, buried under a layer of spiced carmelized onions, accompanied by jollof rice (source of much of the salt). The curry chicken was also perfectly cooked, high quality meat, fragrantly spiced. It's not "spicy" in the sense of chilli / capsacin, but extremely tasty. The veggie pies were hot, crisp, and delicious when slathered in chilli paste (again mostly tasty spicy, not all that hot). Will definitely be back.

Wow!!! Food was great!!!!

Fantastic, delicious, food. Beautiful afrocentric decor. Great ambiance and atmosphere.

Excellent dining experience and staff!

Great time here with friends for lunch..had the chicken with grilled onions and couscous. Everything was flavorful and my friends also enjoyed their meals. Also got the Hibiscus ginger drink which was delicious and reminiscent of Zobo. Service was a bit slow but pretty good and we got complimentary drinks and beignets to make up for that. Really loved the decor and set up as well..Will definitely visit again

The service, food, setting, decor were all wonderful. I look foward to dining at Mansa Kunda Restaurant again.

Thank you Mansa Kunda! My birthday surprise dinner was amazing! Great variety and plenty of refills. And thanks for the cupcakes! #supportyourlocalrestaurant A bientôt!

I just ordered takeout from Mansa Kunda yesterday and the food was incredible. The vegetable pies were delicious and everything was so flavorful and full of spices. I'll definitely be ordering from them again soon. Can't wait to be able to hang out at the restaurant once lockdown is over.