Reviews
Eaten out here for years, back when it was called Robert’s Cafe, right up till last year, but I haven’t visited at all this year. It’s a safe bet for when you’re starving and you’re within that area of town. Neat.
I’m a fan of David Adjaye’s works but that bias aside, everything about the architecture, interior decor, exterior decor right down to to the carefully picked, placed and reshuffled items on display make the place a work of art in its entirety.
The food’s not bad, as well, however, the only time I had plantain here it certainly did NOT look anywhere as nice as what you have up here in one of the photographs! I was given itsy bitsy slices of soft plantain which were mainly black. The only thing that stopped the small serving from being burnt to a crisp was that they were really soft and the oil that they were fried in was obviously liberally poured.
I like their cocktails. Back on the decor. I like all their furniture pieces and the basket lamp holders above the exterior bar. I think the entire building and its ambience does it more, for me, than the food.
I like the food here. Tasty and the portions make sense. Always feel stuffed half way through.
Every time i’ve gone there has has been a good decision. Solid building, nice design and tasteful interior and exterior decor.
I’ve found the food that I have had there to be nice most of the time but the service can be just a tad slow especially when, surprisingly enough, it comes to bringing the bill.
It was a muddy journey getting to Tivoli Gardens. I was very pleased to come across the place, however, for it’s right around the corner from me and i’d been looking for a place to chill nearby. :p.
The staff were quite pleasant and the place very neat however, because of some of the construction and finishing, e.g the exterior sills of the windows which one can see clearly from the entrance, one gets the feeling that either substandard materials or substandard skills (or both) were employed in the construction and/or finishing. This is a pity for when you look past that, it really is a beautiful space with care taken to design around the existing trees that shade the well maintained swimming pool beside the gym, and the tree that the balcony of the first floor was designed to accommodate. I must comment on the absolutely lovely flowers planted there! The strip of lawn (carpet grass and, being a bit of an avid gardener I know how difficult it is to care for this type of grass) is well kept and the flowers obviously, painstakingly watered. Some yellow ones in particular were beautiful! Lots of space for different groups to have different activities at the same time. When I had dinner there one night, I found it to be quite serene and the different coloured lights reflecting from the buildings opposite (Oando and Radisson Blu) created quite the pretty backdrop.
The food i’ve had there has been nice. Their peppered gizzard, fries, semovita, wheat, vegetable soup, ogbono, croaker and goat meat aren’t bad at all. Not what I would swoon over, but definitely not bad at all. Also, the fish was quite fresh. Nice ambiance. A good place for a quiet, romantic date or a place to unwind after work. Never stopped by on a Friday though I’m aware they host barbecue and live music nights on that day of the week.
It was really nice. Decent environment, lovely ambiance, perfect interior decor.
Parking was a quite a hassle, though, as it is with many other places in Lagos. 🙁 Drinks were good, I had a long island iced tea. I had the grilled halloumi cheese starter which was delightful, as was the tomato soup which my date had.
I found the main dishes to be rather anti-climatic.
All in all it’s probably a nice place to go for lunch but not for a dinner date. ..at least in my experience.It’s a very beautiful place. The first time I went there, was because I had gotten a review from this site. And then, in less than 3 weeks I got an email that I had won a gift certificate to eat here again!!!!! 🙂 Thank you soooooo much. I had the chicken pops for starters, which tasted like heaven. Very crunchy on the outside but quite tender on the inside. For the main meal, I had the fish fillet with herbs sprinkled on it, which was even better than it looked. I can not quite remember the name of the drink, but I do know it was strawberry. Kind of like a daiquri. All in all, it was the perfect way to end a long week. Thank you very much naijamadeeasy for this!
I’ve had their sausages (all five types) mainly with their fried yam chips and I must say, they were delicious! I have also tried their curry and Mango Soup with chicken and found it to be quite tasty, as well. I wasn’t enamored with the lamb chops. The spaghetti carbonara was lovely.
Most of their meals are generously portioned and one’ll leave there stuffed!
Consistently good steaks which is often a rare thing in Lagos. The steaks and lamb shanks are well done and yes could be looked at pricey however do you want the quality? I can recommend either the Tomato Crostini or the Fritto Misto for starters and for a surprise try the Jack Daniels steak!
Quilox has been around for a while as a bar and nightclub. The atmosphere and ambience didn’t really do much for me so i never really frequent the place. Do note that the party do start quite late at Quilox. Gets pumped up after 12, close to 1am. Pretty quiet before then.
Of late, i noticed that they started decking up the outdoor portion of the compound and saw that it was a restaurant that they were setting up. Reckon it was worth a shot, so off we headed for dinner. Not sure if the restaurant arm was new, but it most certainly only captured my attention now.
The entrance to the restaurant is off to the side of the club and i have to say, it isn’t that impressive. First off, you can smell the sewage right when you enter. Not sure if i caught this on a bad day, but it was most certainly very unpleasant. The stairs lead up to the outdoor section of the restaurant and though it looks nicer to sit in the outdoor section, the smell chased us indoors almost immediately.
The menu offerings are a mix of African and continental dishes and i feel almost cheated because the selection is different from the menu that they have cited on their website. Some items are listed, but not all items were present. Menu was still quite comprehensive, but definitely not as extensive as the one cited on their site.
Overall, as you can see from the ratings, not a good experience. The food took ages to get served up. There were 4 of us at the table and the first 2 dishes came about 35-40 mins into the service while the other remaining 2 took a further 30 mins. It is quite insane to have to wait over an hour for the food to be served, and the restaurant wasn’t even busy. If the cocktails were delicious, that might have bought them some time, but nope….. cocktails weren’t great.
The only saving grace for the night is that the mash potato side was actually pretty good. The fish (which took over an hour) was quite decent and fresh, but not the tastiest. This earned them one heart, but there that’s pretty much it.
Like the nightclub and bar, unfortunately, i wouldn’t be frequenting this place anytime soon.
Rhapsody transits from a restaurant to a night club right about 11pm… Didn’t use the word transform because really the atmosphere remains pretty much the same, just that the music, which is already loud to begin with gets amped up and the lights get dimmer.
Rhapsody is quite a consistent hit for the clubbers as the music is quite good. The bar forms a big highlight of the club. Decked on both sides with high chairs, you’ll be enticed by the range of alcohol that is stocked up. There is also a range of cocktails that they offer. Only downer is that there isn’t much of a dance floor, you’ll see people just dancing around the tables. It can get quite annoying as you have to look out for people walking past half the time.
- Circle Mall, Lekki-Epe Expressway, 5th (Jakande) Roundabout, Lekki, Lagos21 Jan 20173.0
So, it took some time, but Lekki finally got its own Rhapsody’s now. One thing that Rhapsody’s does well is the consistency of the decor and ambiance for their outlets. They have always maintain a nice comfortable loungy ambiance and this newest outlet is no different. With full length glass windows, I actually think this is the best, decor wise, among the 3 outlets. It allows for natural light during the day to flow through the restaurant, giving it such a clean and easy feel. The signature Rhapsody’s bar is the first thing that you’ll notice in the space. I’ve always liked how the bars in Rhapsody’s look, they make it the centerpiece of the whole space.
Decided to give this new kid on the block a stab for lunch and reviewing the menu, they have also kept that consistent across the outlets. The drinks and food items are the same, so don’t expect any new inventions.
Unfortunately, the youngest of the bunch can’t quite match up to its predecessors. Started out well in matching up on the decor and ambiance, but the experience starts to falter when it gets to the food. It was so disappointing! The BBQ wings were “scrawny”. Hardly any meat or flavor on them. The beef and vegetable curry stew was so bland.
I will not be back here for the food, but i gather that the drinks and partying will still be quite good. It is after all a Rhapsody’s
The compound that Samantha’s bistro is situated in isn’t the best reflection of the eatery, as it looks rather run down. Tucked in the corner, it is such a stark contrast – Samantha’s bistro is so pretty! Walking into the space, the first thing you’ll see is the pretty bar, with all the alcohol neatly decked out on the wall. Sooooo Enticing! I am a sucker for pretty and well stocked bars!
The waiter was quick to set us at our table and aptly…. facing the bar. We were swiftly handed the menu and the little chalkboard of the daily specials! Daily specials gets me excited!! it’s like discovering a limited edition little secret.
Reviewing the menu, there was an entire 2 pages dedicated to cocktails and drinks…….. AND… another 2 pages dedicated to BURGERS! OMG! AAAAHHHHHH!! Heaven! In Heaven!! The menu covers quite a wide continental selection, from meat grills, pizzas to burgers. Vegetarians…. Fret not, they do cater some options.
Overall, it was a really good dining experience. The waiter was very friendly, but there were a couple of boo-boos in the service. We had to re-pick our smoothies 3 times, because we were not informed of unavailable items. Out of the 6 smoothies options, 4 were not available because bananas was not available. The specials of the day also stated “Mushroom and Leeks Pasta”, but when my pasta came, Leeks were definitely missing. Informed the service staff, but they seem unsure about the case of “missing leeks” as well. On the bright side, the cocktails and Burgers saved the day! The daiquiri i had was lovely! The burger buns was fluffy, light and wonderfully toasted! The patty was cooked perfectly moist.
I would definitely head back again for the burgers and cocktails!
Arty Farty with a total African vibe sums up Bogobiri! I adore this place! It’s rustic and oh so unique! Perfect place to catch up over coffee or get some quiet time to yourself and finish that book you’ve been lugging around in your bag for over 2 months now (Yes, that’s me). Bogobiri is a boutique hotel that has an accompanying restaurant and events space. Open Mic Thursdays at Bogobiri are a must go! For you brave ones, sign up to perform!
To set it right from the get go, Bogobiri is more an experience where you soak in all the arts and funk, so with that mind set, don’t expect too much from the food menu and offerings. The furniture and art pieces seem to be placed together to allow you to relax…… somewhat like a spa, but warm and fuzzy. By the way, sometimes, the air-condition in the public spaces don’t work. Just the way it is…. all part of the experience.
So, like i said, don’t expect anything much in terms of food offerings. On the worst days, more than half the items on the menu are not available, but when they do have, do try the Pepper soup. It’s fiery but flavorful. One of the best pepper soup i’ve had.
For Events though, SPOT ON! They know how to hold a good event, so do look out for upcoming acts from their website. Like i said, Open Mic on thursdays is a must go and this is a staple. Don’t bother with the cocktails or wine selection though… Stick to beer and you’ll be happy.
- 1415 Adetokunbo Ademola Street, Victoria Island, Lagos21 Jan 20175.0
This is a little piece of Mexican Heaven! Decor is chic, classy and funky all at the same time. From the entrance, the first Crossroads experience that you’ll have is the Bar… and my oh my, it’s a pretty bar. This definitely wins the bar at Rhapsody hands down. I love how the high chairs are all decked out in different earthy tones – a Mexican twist on a chic classy bar.
Right next to the bar, you’ll have a nice cozy lounge section. Again, they kept the ambiance perfect. Lights are dimmed but not dingy dim, music’s volume is comfortable… In fact, they had a live band jazzing up the place on the Friday that we were there. The place looks so warm and cozy throughout. Then I realized, it was the wood paneling on the walls. It brings such a warm feel to the whole space.
The restaurant is on the lower deck inside space, with the same decor transcending throughout the space. However, the restaurant somehow, comes across rather sparse. Not that the decor wasn’t good.. it just came across more empty. Nevertheless, still really pretty.
Service was immaculate. We were greeted very warmly by the waiting staff and were promptly shown to our table. Drinks and Food menu were similarly very swiftly handed out. All testaments to good staff training. Starting with the drinks menu, over 4 pages of cocktails…. YUMZ! There is of course, frozen margaritas, then you’ll get Mexican cocktails like Cuba Libre…. So well done Crossroads! Nailed the drinks! The array of food selection equally did not disappoint. There’s the typical Guacamole starters and more such as Tortilla soup which really showcase their focus on Mexican cuisine.
Absolutely nothing to fault throughout! The food was SPOT ON! Mexican food can have the tendency to be very oily and heavy, but Crossroads delivered dish after dish of absolutely bliss! The tortilla chips that they served up with the Guacamole was divine! It was light and tasted so fresh! Made me cringe when i thought of the ones at Bottles. The Tortilla soup and Beef meatballs that followed were perfecto as well. The best highlight of the night was the Burrito and Chimichanga! The Carne Asada (Beef) was sssooooooo tender! It was light, fluffy and tasted so so so so so fresh! Throughout the meal, the waitress was 100% attentive and on point. This really topped up the whole experience.
A place selling just pancakes? In Nigeria? Really? Had… To…..Go… Check…. It… Out! (Don’t know why i typed it like that….. #sodramatic)
Not sure what to make of this place when we first got there. There wasn’t any signage and for a moment, we were worried that we found the wrong place, until we saw a small-ish red and white signage that read Pancakes Hub. Located at the back yard of an office building, the environment is definitely not pristine and looks rather roughed up. The atmosphere though, with the warm and friendly chirps from the owners and the staff, definitely made up for it.
There isn’t much to the menu and they are not trying to do anything extensive beyond what they promise… Good pancakes and smoothies to go along with it. It does make for quite an interesting story on how they came about, particularly one brave enough to have a business model based around just pancakes, which to be honest, isn’t the most staple-to-go-choice for a meal, particularly in Nigeria.
Long story short, the birth of Pancakes Hub is the brainchild of Mr Alex-Oni and his wife who wanted to prove the possibility of starting up businesses in Nigeria with a small capital. So backed with years of experience in Investment banking and creative culinary skills, the Pancakes Hub was conceived.
The pancakes were FLUFFY!!!!!! We were given a chocolate chip and 2 plain pancakes and both were YUMMILICIOUS!!! We tried both the regular maple syrup and the chili topping. Was a little hesitant about having Chili with pancakes, but darn…! The spicy and sweet went so well along with the fluffiness! Who knew?!?!? The side add-on chicken was good and flavorful, but could have been softer. Scrambled eggs that were served up with the pancake platter was decent. Wish that they had other side options like bacon or salsa relish for more savory palates.
Definitely worth a visit! Also good news that they are definitely working on delivery options, so stay tune!
Nestled almost at the end of Admiralty Way in Lekki Phase 1, i also gave up looking for this place as i was weighed down by traffic and hunger. Not the best combination to be stuck with on a hot sunny afternoon.
Nevertheless, finally spotted this tiny cafe and it felt like i found an oasis in the middle of a hot scorching desert. Needless to say, the first thing I wanted was a nice cold drink and was recommended the “Green Clean” juice. Thankfully, the cold refuge didn’t take too long to get to me and i ravaged it with such need. You must be thinking… oh my, why so much drama in this write-up? Getting into the Game of Thrones mode i guess.
Anyway, i digressed, the cafe itself is teeny-tiny!! There are 3 tables max that is arranged in a rather “school canteen” kind of fixture. More a place you either do really really REALLY quick meals, or just order take-out. In my 45 mins there, i counted at least 2 take-out requests.
The menu selection, as the name of the cafe suggests, is a take on healthy eating. An eclectic mix African and continental delights such as spicy snails, grilled red snapper, pepper soup to couscous, whole wheat pasta and quinoa. It’s quite an interesting menu, which healthy smoothies and juices to boost the selection of healthy delights.
The juice was delightfully fresh and i gave it extra points for getting served up quick. The red snapper though…….. took a while…. I should be grateful that they are preparing it fresh, but it did take a while and unfortunately, it came uncooked as well. And there goes another wait for a properly done fish. The second try at the fish was good though. The red snapper was fresh and the accompanying couscous was yummy. Flavors were good, but wish the service was much quicker. In a cafe, where seats are so limited and people are pushing for delivery or take-out, time is really the essence.
Definitely can see potential in this place and would come back again to try other stuff on the menu. I’ll be smarter next time around though and will call and order ahead.
A definite MUST TRY! Tarragon Restaurant is the accompanying restaurant of the Culinary Academy. Headed by Chef Tiyan Alile, everything about this restaurant is quaint, beautiful and oh so enjoyable.
Right from the decor of the restaurant, the ambience is very warm and inviting; Perfect for a lovely romantic night out or a night of casual dining with the ladies. Definitely fitting for the fine dining market that they are targeting.
The menu is kept simple, but you can see the exquisite effort that has been placed in each one. For example, a simple tomato soup has been transformed to a blend of tomato, capsicum with infused basil chili herb and Saffron. Just reading the description makes one salivate.
Absolutely a delightful night! Right from the drinks down to the desserts. Tried the Sexy Lips cocktail and it was delightful! Perfect balance of the spiciness and heat of the whiskey to the sweetness of the apple juice. We had soups for starters and picked the Tomato and Butternut Squash Soup. We were in for a ride! The tomato soup had delightful layers of flavors, while the butternut squash had an awesome surprising punch! The spiciness of the cumin was perfectly balanced with the sweetness of the Onion Crinkle and it was creamy and so lovely!
We went with the Beef and and Atlantic Pompano for mains….. and the rollercoaster of flavors continued. Everything was seasoned to perfection…. and mind you, the service was absolute spot on as well. The first fish that was served was slightly underdone and the chef was prompt to step out of her kitchen and set right out to rectify any issues. It is not hard to see what got her so successful. Her attention to detail and service is exactly what would keep me coming back to this restaurant.
And i’m not even done with the desserts yet! We had the trio of Tarragon desserts and it left us scraping the plates for more! In particular, the creme brulee was TO DIE FOR. No idea what was used to create the nice balance of heat in the Creme Brulee but the layers of flavor was exceptionally good and interesting.
Needless to say, we would most definitely be back again. Really wish the portions were bigger. The night left us yearning for more.
From the outside, you’ll hardly realize how pretty the premises of this restaurant would be…. and right from the moment you drive in, it is so so very cozy and pretty. They most definitely have put in so much effort into the decor of this restaurant. Literally an Orchid House, as right from the car park, you’ll see orchids being hung all over.
The outdoor section looks like a little secret garden, with a pretty swing, lushy greens and bush huts. In evenings, they added pretty lights and the ambience is sssoo sweet, serene and pretty!!
The menu is definitely Thai, with the usual suspects of Pad Thai, Tom Yam Goong and somehow Gyoza (Japanese Dumpling) made it way in the menu as well. The most impressive dish is definitely the Tom Yam Goong Soup! It was fresh, flavorful and served up in pretty white bowls. The Gyoza wasn’t great, but that’s not really Thai, so you can’t use that as a gauge. The Goong Ob Woon (glass noodles with prawns) was flavorful, but slightly over salted. The green curry and Pad Thai were decent, but it felt like it needed a little more flavor. We also got lucky as they had Mango and Sticky Rice for desserts available! Never thought i would find that here…. IT WAS YUMMY!
Overall, would definitely come back again. Service was great, Food was good and ambience is amazing!
China Town Restaurant serves both Chinese and Thai food…. confused yet? Lol! This restaurant is the epitome of Chinese/Thai Takeout Restaurants, where the food is literally fast and furious as in it’s piping hot. As I’ve subtly mentioned above, don’t expect any ambiance whatsoever. Food orders get taken, swiftly prepared and boom… Ladies and Gentlemen, here is your meal! This being said, this place is PERFECT for a quick lunch outing.
Food here……. has way too much monosodium glutamate (MSG) for me. It’s tasty, but it sure don’t taste healthy. Aftermath of food from this place makes me down a whole 1.5L of water. Regardless, i find myself craving the occasional tom yam soup, spring rolls and the chow mein. It’s so good and yet so bad for you! Sound familiar?
Bistro 7 is a casual comfortable dining spot that serves good hearty brunch and lunch meals. With options to dine both indoors and outdoors, Bistro 7 is a versatile venue which also caters to private parties (subjected to minimum spend). Food selection is geared more to the continental cuisine, from pasta to chicken cordon bleu.
Favorite dishes include the mushroom cappuccino soup, Chicken Corden Bleu, the Feta Rolls and pasta. Always comfortable to come around for a meal, but note that the quality of the dishes can be rather inconsistent. Might just be my taste buds being cranky on days.
Indigo to me……. is the answer for Tandoori/Tikka meat lovers. This restaurant serves one of the best chicken tandoori in Lagos (in my humble opinion). From the outside, the restaurant looks nothing spectacular and you might even drive past this place a couple of times not knowing that it’s a little gem of a restaurant hidden inside. Although the restaurant is small, the decor is pretty and it’s pleasant to have a nice quiet meal. Do note though that if there’s a big group that the restaurant is catering to, it can be rather noisy as the noise tends to be trapped inside the restaurant space.
If i haven’t mention yet, the chicken tandoori/tikka is a MUST TRY! The Handi Gosht (lamb) is really flavorful as well. Goes perfect with Naan. I do like the dahl makhani here as well. Although, if i were to compare (which i am), the menu at Viceroy has more variety and options. Hence 1 less heart for Indigo…. but the food is still YUMMY!