I have been to this restaurant 3–4 times(first at the end of 2023 and most recently in January 2026) Every time I’ve visited, you feel welcome when you walk in, whether you have a reservation or not. That said, reservations are recommended because there are not many seats, so walk-ins are really a matter of luck. The owner is very friendly and the location is nice, right in the city center, and because there aren’t many good African restaurants in Tokyo, it’s a great when you’re craving it. The waiting time for a dish(also side dishes like plantain ) is around 40 minutes at a quieter time, and can be about an hour when it’s busy. It would be nice if the staff could mention, even with just one sentence when taking the order , something like “It’s busy right now, so it will take about this long,” Also, if customers wait a long time, there is no update unless you ask, and no acknowledgment like “It’s coming soon” or “Thank you for waiting.” After visiting 3–4 times over these years, I realized that this often happens, not just on one or two occasions. The 500 yen table charge per person is normal and acceptable, but if customers are going to wait, it would be much better to offer something small like otooshi or another little snack as a gesture of appreciation. Even if that isn’t done, at the very least, communication about waiting times should be improved, both for dishes and at the end when asking for the check (as it sometimes takes 10–15 minutes before somebody coming to you and able to pay). From my experience and seeing it by other guests. I find it a bit disappointing that this has become the norm at the restaurant, and not really mentioned about it a lot. Overall, it is a nice restaurant with great food, drinks, and a good location. The owner and the staff are welcoming, but better communication and a small gesture to appreciate customers during waiting times would really improve the experience.❤️

Tldr: bad service and unwelcoming atmosphere. I was quite taken back by the amount of times the owner said “this is Japan, not China or the US. We don’t do here in Japan.” The sole reason is that 1. I asked for water in the end 2. I asked whether he has shito sauce (to which he told me only Chinese eat like that.) Having family member in Japan, being able to converse in Japanese, and travelled here since youth, as well as spent time in Ghana (perhaps, in Nigeria, is different? Well if so, i’m enlightened.), I have never encountered such an experience. Not to say that such attitude is racist to ethnic chinese or someone who perhaps he assumed was first time in Japan, it certainly make one feel very unwelcoming. Also, 500 yen cover charge with no お通し food, that is a first too. Lastly, I would appreciate an itemized receipt which was not offered nor at least inquired. That is all.

Really cool African place in Shinjuku. Owner is a very cool African gentlemen that mixes the nicest cocktails. Food was tasty too, had the fish soup and chicken stew and both were both tasty rich and flavourful. Expect the service to be slightly slow as the owner makes everything from scratch upon order.

+3

Esogie - a place where you can enjoy authentic Nigerian cuisine and great service. The owner & chef comes from Nigeria and does a fantastic job helping people understand how to eat Nigerian cuisine, as well as, how Nigerian food is made. He’s so easy to talk to that it makes you feel at home! I had the Jollof rice and it tasted genuine - just like the rice I had at parties back in Nigeria. Spicy, slightly hard texture, full of flavour & seasoning…delicious! Will definitely be back!

+3

Lunch visited ¥1,200 lunch with cocktail ¥880 Food was great and service was really good too! When we got the bill, the staff was overpriced. It seems like the staff had difficulty calculating the bill. The restaurant was quite busy at weekend lunch time! Also we ordered a appetizer which didn't serve in the end so we needed to cancel it. Exciting experience that eating the authentic African meal with hand :-)