This restaurant just opened and was looking forward to giving it a try. I stopped in with a friend after an event to get a couple of drinks. The place was very nice and we sat at the huge bar. We had a very nice bartender but I forgot her name. I started with the red sangria and it was very tasty. I finished with the lemon drop martini because they didn't have any espresso for the espresso martini. They had a dj blazing really good music as well. I really enjoyed my time and will be back for dinner.

I am rating this spot a 4.5 on aesthetics and location only. Was in the area and happened on this spot and decided to grab some quick drinks. It was early on a Wednesday, so not busy at all. Grabbed a seat at the bar for after work drinks and chats. I ordered the Tropical Splash ($12), which was like a creamy rum punch. It was delicious and strong. The mango puree was a nice touch. Overall, it was a lovely first experience. Beautiful restaurant with an exquisite feel. Definitely a great place for date night, or casual hangout at the bar. Great location near the Prudential Center and staff greeted us warmly. Definitely will be returning for the African food, everything looked and smelled amazing.

The food here is AMAZING!!! If you're stopping by in Newark you need to try this place. We had the platters which came with so much food. The chicken wings were crispy and flavorful. The steak was juicy and tender. We also had a variety of greens which was also good especially with the potatoes. You cannot leave without having the mango mousse it's that good. I loved how clean it was in there and I loved the atmosphere. I cannot wait to come back again the flavors were melting on my tongue.

Ambience and Staff definitely deserve 5 Stars. Cocktails were strong enough and tasted great with some unique options. Quantity and Quality of the dishes we ordered was pretty good but I felt some of the items were heavy on the salt or lacking - not a deal breaker since they tasted good enough when mixed with the sides Wouldn't mind visiting again. Note: I wouldn't call this place pricey but it is definitely on the higher end given the inconsistency in quality. Also, the deals they offer aren't that great. Cocktails during Happy Hour were 20% Off but add 20% Gratuity by default even when seated at the Bar so not that much of deal 🤷🏻‍♀️

New restaurant in the area with great potential. Came here with a few friends. We started at the bar for the happy hour specials then grabbed a table for dinner. The bar tenders were friendly. There was however and inconsistency I'm drink taste and presentation depending on which bartender made your drink. But they are new so just growing pains. We saw the same growing pain issues with the service at the table. 1 guy introduced himself as our server but then never came back and a lady started as our server. We asked her simple questions (ie there was a sign on the table that said ladies night on Thursday ask your server about it. We did and she had no idea what it was) we also asked a few questions regarding the menu in which she wasn't sure either. But think it's just oar for the course of being new. The food was good and they give generous portions. I'd return.

Hands down the best food I've ever tasted! Even the drinks and desserts were delicious. The ambience and vibe was amazing. The staff is friendly and kind, all of us had an amazing experience. I'll definitely be back again and again. It felt so homely and inviting we didn't want to leave. Swahili Village is the best. You have to experience for yourself to understand. By the way, I got all the praise for taking my family and my lady there for her birthday and having such a great time.

The best part of this restaurant for me is the cleanliness & decor. For any special gathering you’ll be sure to impress your guests with their 5 star seating arrangements. Everything is brand new & clean. The bar is upscale & nice & serves all top tier drinks (great drink menu to go with it)… I know Kenyans & this is what they love (art & beauty) & Swahili village is no short of art & beauty within the restaurant… FOOD is 10/10. I am not as adventurous with foods as I would like to be & they have something on the menu to cater to all. Service was great, Ana our bartender treated us like family & i can’t wait to come back

This place is as amazing as the original location in the DMV. The red beans, the spinach are to DIE for. The goat is amazing, the samosas are amazing. The only thing I didn’t care for too much was the wings and plantains but they were not bad. It was a little slow but I believe they were training someone. Staff was super friendly and nice. The building is MASSIVE, I can see some great events being hosted here. Looking forward to coming back!

Had a show at NJCPA, literally a 4 minute walk. First time eating here. 5:30pm reservations. Beautiful African, world decor. Nice vibes and music.our waiter Bradley gets 5stars all by himself. Delicious superb food We had Red Sangria Lamb 3 big pieces sides Spinach with coconut milk Jollof rice Goat stew Mbuzi Kaanga Collards Flatbread Chapati Mango mousse cake Yummy Yummy 😋 😍

Amazing experience at Swahili. I booked a table for 8 guests to celebrate my aunt’s birthday and we had the time of our lives. The decor and ambiance is beautiful. They payed special attention to the birthday girl & even upgraded us last minute to the VIP room. There happened to be a DJ on site for that day, he played a nice mix of music and even gave her a birthday shout out. The food was delicious our fav was the Lamb chops with Jollof rice & spinach. Everyone loved the food. The service was exceptional I would highly recommend then for any special event you may have.

I want to love this place so bad. The food is great! I am Jamaican. So, the standard for authentic food is has to be high because our cuisine well known. Swahili Villages food is really good. There is nothing that my family and had there where we felt that the dish was modified to fit an uncultured pallet. I have been there twice. Once in the evening on a weekday and once in the evening on a Saturday. During the week, the food was better than good. The dinning experience was okay though there was some noticeable wait. Our waitress was attentive and hospitable. Unfortunately, our Saturday visit was not very good. We had a reservation and arrived 15 minutes before then. We witnessed another party that was a walk in that had one more in their party than we did get seated before us. When I asked the host about our reservation, the person who seemed to be the manager escorted us to a sitting area and let us know that our table was being cleaned. To me that made no sense. How could a party that is similar in size and a walk-in get seated before a party with a reservation. When seated, we did not get a regular menu, only a laminated paper that had a QR-code. After a half an hour of waiting we decided to leave because no one checked in with us, offered us water, or any consultation for the wait. Even when leaving, no one checked in on our family. Our reservation was for 4:30 pm well outside of peak dinner hours. I was disappointed to have to wait that long and that we had to eat dinner elsewhere especially because we intended to enjoy a nice dinner for my husband’s birthday. Because of our second experience I would be hesitant to recommend Swahili Village or revisit. If so, I would recommend visiting well outside of peak hours to see if the service experience would be better.

First time there last Sunday after the Monica show. Was very nice atmosphere. My sister and I had two Different dishes and ironically we liked each others food more than our own. I plan to return on a date night. My server was great by the way.

Had an amazing time. We dined on a Tuesday evening for date night and the ambience was amazing. It’s so beautiful and spacious inside. We started with the wing appetizer and the flavors were sensational for everything we selected. I chose the baked salmon, jollof rice and cabbage and bae had the Lentil stew, cabbage and fufu. We were more than satisfied! My favorite part of the evening was the saxophone player coming to our table to serenade us, the music was outstanding!!!

Food was delicious. The waitress was so nice and her service was commendable. prices were also affordable. We ordered tilapia fillet and goat curry. and Loved the Tea Marsala! Definitely coming back to this spot when am in town.

We were directed by our hotel security to this place never had Swahili food got there music was good so we ordered food and drinks however the waiter took too long they brought our food without utensils we had to ask then waited, ask for water waited again. Most restaurants give you water upon being seated. Food was a bit salty besides that I will definitely try it again.

Swahili Village is pure vibes! I’ve been to the location in DC, three times, and was excited to see if the Newark location would measure up. It definitely did! The Newark location is new and looks beautiful. I was also impressed by the food, as it was flavorful and the drinks, which got me all the way together!! I ordered the flaming Margarita (as always) and ordered the red snapper and lamb chops. Perfect volume music is played in the background which gives the restaurant a light lounge feel. I highly recommend paying this restaurant a visit. Perfect date night spot too!

WOW what a good place. Nice ambiance, great authentic food from Kenya (a Kenyan took us here) just across the NJPAC. Excellent service and large portions. The goat was great. Everything was great. I liked the local beer. There is a bar area, too. I'll go back.