Iyanze Bar And Cafe
Iyanze Bar And Cafe is a welcoming Uptown destination for Nigerian comfort food, with regulars praising smoky jollof rice, spicy tender suya, rich egusi and okro soups, fufu, plantains, and generous portions that are ideal for sharing with extended family. First-timers appreciate the friendly staff and sample platters, while the vibrant, clean setting suits groups and live-event nights; however, reviews are mixed, with occasional complaints about cold or inconsistent food and slow phone service.
What 579 diners keep saying
verbatim, from Google
“The best..😍😋 Update- 2026, no longer the best, if im honest its actually nasty(after trying multiple times, and consistently getting nasty food) I hate to say it, but 🙅🏾♀️. No longer worth the pretty penny you'd spend.”
“First time trying west African food and was such a great experience. Staff was super friendly and food was amazing. Would recommend!”
“The service at this restaurant was really good. The place is really clean and I can imagine when they are having a live event it would be fun. The food was delicious. The portions are pretty large. I got the okro soup and fu fu. It was made perfect and delicious. I also had to try the Egusi which was also good. I couldn’t leave without trying the Jollof. I had it with chicken and fish. To top it all off their drinks are really good as well. Thank you and I will return again,”
“I usually only stick to one place for egusi & fufu cause multiple times I ordered from different places it was trouble but today I didn’t feel like driving all the way south from north & I usually just ride pass this place but today I’m like let me just try it out and what can I say the food was phenomenal for the price & the portions for me as well. And I only spent 15 all together & that price included the tip I enjoyed it so much I had to personally call the restaurant myself & tell them what I thought 😁I surely will be trying again soon! It was such a honor to experience west African food.”
“The young man serving was very friendly and gave lots of free samples. It should’ve been a red flag that the stewed spinach was cold though. The non-spicy fried fish was cold and dry, though it had a good flavor. The rice was OK and seemed fresh and the plantains were good. But I stopped eating as I read the other reviews with similar concerns about the food. I’ve made it 24 hours without getting full-blown food poisoning, but it can take several days before symptoms start. I was visiting Chicago from out of state, and I did feel a bit ill halfway through my drive home. I hope they can improve their food handling practices because I’m sure it’s delicious when fresh.”
“I bought Ofada rice from Iyanze tonight and it was spoiled. When I got home, the rice was gooey/drawing and had a foul smell, so I couldn’t eat it. This is a serious food safety issue and could have caused food poisoning. I tried calling and got no response. I paid $12 and I’m requesting a refund ASAP.”
“Bolat African Restaurant exceeded my expectations! The food was absolutely delicious and smelled amazing. Every dish was full of flavor, and my guests couldn’t stop talking about how much they enjoyed it. Even those who had never tried African cuisine before absolutely loved the food! The quality, taste, and presentation were outstanding. Thank you for helping make my event so memorable. I highly recommend Bolat African Restaurant for any special occasion or catering needs!”
“Our go-to order is mild-ish egusi stew with extra beef tripe (shika?) also in a red sauce and the perfect blend of chewy and soft, PLUS FUFU!!! Great place to bring extended family and hang out with beers and some nice platters. But that fufu and stew to go- mwuah!”
“This was my first time trying West African cuisine and the lady greeted me and gave me a sample platter of things to try and I had a great experience. Definitely will be back here!”
“The service was really good, food is great! Every single one i tasted was amazing. Bidemi’s was very welcoming and sweet, would definitely go back there!”
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