Really great food and overall a wonderful experience coming here! This was our first time trying Congolese cuisine, and the owner was really friendly and helpful in giving us recommendations. The flavours were fantastic and everything was very well made. I especially loved the beef stew and fufu. I can see why Serge Ibaka loves this place so much, and definitely check this place out if you are in the area. We are coming back to try more things for sure!

We saw this place but mostly closed. Finally, they're now open for 6 days and longer hours. Food is delicious. Lots of African flavor and variety of cuisine. Some I never had it before. The seating area is small and basic. Service is fair but takes a long time to prepare meal since they don't do frozen. Compared to the amount, the price is high. It's okay for occasional meals but not regular.

The food is delicious and large portion! Plantains are my favourite. Puff puff is not in my pic but yummy too!Ma Yve is very kind and patient to explain what I have ordered (Congolese cuisine is new to me 😄) Overall the food and service are exceptional. Will come back to try fufu and kwanga next time!

Worth it! My first time trying Congolese food. Got the half chicken and beignets. The slightly tangy sauce from the tomato and peppers was a good mix with the charred smokiness on the grilled chicken. Definitely get beignets to end your meal if you come here. You will not regret it! Not too sweet - just the right amount of savoury with good crunch and soft filling. Very kind people who took the time to explain to me over the phone what to expect with my dish even though they were busy. They did warn me that it would take a bit of time too, so I was totally cool with it. Ordered from Skip the Dishes. Good value for the amount of food and kind people. I will be back for more!

To start, I walked in and the place was completely empty & no menu. The owner/chef is very friendly. She said the menu is only available online. I ordered: soso na beignets (chicken and beignets), Ntaba (grilled goat) & side of kwanga (yam wrapped in banana leaves and steamed. Beignets were my favourite. Crunchy on the outside and sweet and soft on the inside. The goat was slightly tough but it had amazing flavour. The chicken was tender and juicy. Kwanga is savoury, soft and goes well with the meats. It was my first time eating authentic congolese food so ofcourse I ate with my hands to get the full experience.

My first time trying Congolese style food i was very impressed. You could tell there was an experienced person behind the scenes who has made the food many times before and perfected the way they make it. Recommend for anyone looking to experience something new and great food. 👍

The fufu na fumbwa was delicious! The texture reminded me of kare kare and laing (filipino dishes) which surprised me. The owner was a wonderful person and eating her food made it hit close to home but with a different twist. Well done Ma Yve Grill! I definitely recommend this restaurant if you're hoping to try authentic African food :D Much love, Yvette <3

First time having African food. Just ordered takeout and haven't even tried the food yet, but the owner is so kind and pleasant that I had to give 5 stars just for that

Despite having to wait for quite a bit even though we called in to order, the food was amazing! Great portions, great flavour, and great customer service. 5/5!

Excellent service and food at Ma Yve Grill. As a foodie, I've tasted some of the best cuisine from around the world and I can honestly say that Ma Yve Grill is on my top 5 list of favourite restaurants in Pickering. I thoroughly enjoyed the Soso na Beignets - translation in english; chicken and beignets. The grilled chicken was seasoned and cooked to perfection. Ask for the light sauce on your chicken 👌🏾 I can see why Serge Ibaka loves Ma Yve Grill, he knows good food! I'm looking forward to visiting again and tasting his favourite dish which is the Fumbwa Kwanga na Ntaba.

This was a great experience, the owner was so passionate about the food! We tried fufu, beef stew, spinach, goat curry, pondu, kwanga, Beignets and the fried plaintain. We loved the the beignets they were so crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, the beef curry with the fufu was tasty, just the right flavors, the spinach was lightly spiced and we loved that with the more spicy meat dishes.

This was my introduction to Congolese food and I was not disappointed. The owner was extremely friendly and very helpful with explanations of what went well together. The food was hearty and delicious as well. Would definitely recommend!

Was passing by the area on my way to cottage country and was really craving some African food. I have also been wanting to try more African peanut stews. I ordered beignets (similar to puff puffs) and a spinach peanut with this starchy item in banana leaf (I forget name). Both were delicious! I hope to try more. The lady who served me was so nice and explained how the stew is usually eaten with this starchy item. It was my first time trying Congolese food as the closest I had was Nigerian food. She really seemed to take pride in her food and great customer service. It's so nice to have diverse delicious food in the area. Thanks!

I wanted to treat my friend to traditional Congolese food; Ma Yve was accommodating with the order, she walked me through the best selling dishes. It was my first time trying this type of food and I got to say it is one of the best meals I have had. The Fumbwa was my favourite and something that stood out from the menu. Thank you so much for the love you put into your food!

Food was ok but definitely overpriced for what you get. You go to dine in and it's empty but they tell you that you're meant to call ahead of time?

Food is amazing. I ate it before I could take any photos. Been here a couple times for takeout every time food has been on point only issue I have is I can’t go more often.

We ordered a lot of food there, 2 items that i really recommend are chicken grill and biegnets (fried round bread)

The food is amazing and Ma Yve is always very friendly and accommodating. If you're craving Congolese or Zambian style food this is the spot.

May 27, 2023. I came from a funeral and im so hungry. Its around 2:30pm and i saw this restaurant while driving. Im hungry and excited to try African food for the first time. The owner is friendly, she's nice, even mentioned that Biyombo and Ibaka tried her food before. So im so confident and it increased my expectation. I ordered Kwanga and grilled goat. Kwanga is good but the grilled goat is so terrible, ITS A HARD AS RUBBER "LITERALLY". I have no choice but to finish it coz i paid like almost $35 and i am so hungry. Definitely that meal is not worthy worth $35. Probably wont visit again.

The lady was super nice and friendly! Food was excellent especially the beef stew. Only thing is it was slow to come out so I'd recommend calling and ordering in advance.

Very interesting and tasty quisine. Owner is a very nice lady who took the time to assist us and explain the dishes.

The people that run the restaurant are so sweet! This was my first time trying Congolese food and I will definitely be back. I got the fufu and the ngombe and it was great.

Great service and nice staff. The owner has high professionalism. Keep up the good work.

Tried West African/Congolese food for the first time today. The only small negative about the experience was that we needed to come and remind them our food was there and already ready (they said they’d phone us), but such is life when you’re busy. Now onto the food- the beignets are as good as the rest of the reviewers say. The best donuts in town! Those were so filling, it was almost hard to fit in the saltfish and kwanga, but these were delicious as well. Thanks to the owner for recommending kwanga as a side as it soaks up the tomato sauce with the fish perfectly :) a hidden gem in Durham and we can’t wait to go back!

Absolutely WILD food. Chicken: fire. Rice: fire. Beignets? incredible. First time ever going to this place and blew me away let me tell ya. They even helped bring all my food out to the car 👀

Yummy African food... This place is small, neat and tidy. Ma Yve is a super nice lady Great place.

Great food, service and nice people overall. My go to for a reminder of African food taste! Highly recommend.

I cannot get this place out of my head! This has been one of the best meals I’ve had in months. I’ve been looking to try African cuisine and I am extremely glad I stumbled upon this little gem. The flavours are incredible and the value is well worth it. I ordered the Ntaba (goat) and Fumbwa (veggies in a peanut butter sauce) along with Fufu and Beignets and everything was delicious. The goat was cooked perfectly and the veggies had incredible flavour. The beignets were crispy and slightly sweet and the fufu was fun to eat and a great carrier for the stew. If you’re ever in Pickering, do yourself a favour and try something new. You will not be disappointed in the slightest.

The best African food I’ve had in Canada. So much flavour, fresh and hearty. A

5 star Pondu (Kassava Leaves stew), the makayabu ( Salted fish in sauce) had grip and was well cooked. The plantain was fried to perfection and the chicken was grilled well. Thank you for your service Ma Yve. It made our Oct 16 event so perfect and everyone carried the food away because it was too delicious. If you have to order or try anything here try the pondu, and the makayabu.

The sosa na beignets has some interesting flavours. One recommendation is to offer to debit or credit for payment instead of only cash or e-transfer