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Swahili Village OTS, Newark, NJ
animated flamesBooked 18 times today

Swahili Village OTS

4.4 (393)
$31 to $50
African
2 Center St, Newark, NJ 07102

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM

About this restaurant

  • Good for groups
  • Great for creative cocktails
  • Lively
Coming Soon!

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Fine Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    African, Bar / Lounge / Bottle Service, East African
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Wed, Sun 11:00 am–1:00 am Thu–Sat 11:00 am–3:00 am
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Executive chef
    Chef Alfredo Hernandez
  • Catering
    www.swahilivillages.com | 202.798.7701
  • Private party facilities
    www.swahilivillages.com | 202.798.7701
  • Neighborhood
    Newark
  • Cross street
    Corner of Center Street and Mulberry Street
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Public transit
    NJ Transit, Light Rail, Amtrak
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Dancing, Delivery, Entertainment, Full Bar, Late Night, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 393 people are saying

Swahili Village OTS reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.4
4.4 based on recent ratings
  • 4.5Food
  • 4.1Service
  • 4.4Ambience
  • 4.1Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Essex

    Innovative

  • Essex

    Lively

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Swahili Village OTS offers an enticing "taste of Africa in New Jersey" with "excellent food" and "wonderful service." The ambiance is lively, featuring music and stylish decor, making it a great spot for events. Despite occasional slow service, the "large portions" and flavorful dishes make it "worth it!"
393 Reviews
  1. Barnie

    New York City3 reviews

    3.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    I came with a group of 8 because I wanted everyone to try African food. We were warmly greeted and seated in the back room near the bar by two very kind ladies. The atmosphere was welcoming, and service started off well. Our waiter took our food and drink orders, but unfortunately, there were a couple of issues. I ordered the grilled goat based on the waiter’s recommendation, but I was served the stew goat instead. Since I had an event to attend afterward, I didn’t have time to send it back. The dish was okay, but not what I asked for. Also, one of my guests ordered a drink that never arrived during our meal. When we noticed it was still on the bill, I asked the waiter about it, and he ended up giving it to her to go. Overall, the staff was friendly and the vibe was good, but the service could use some tightening—especially when it comes to order accuracy and follow-through.

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  2. Phoebe

    New York City1 review

    3.0

    Dined on May 20, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    They honored my reservation even after there were so so many changes. They are so Amazing for this. There was a delay with getting our food order out. The appetizers came out at a decent time though. The chapati was soft and quite delicious, the salmon bites were so flavorful and the platter that we ordered was enough to feed our large table. The pilau though as a fellow African, needed some meat in it to add more depth and the rice could have been cooked a little (more soft). Overall, a lovely experience of flavors. Thank you to our server, he was really nice and did his best to check on our table.

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  3. Mattye VIP

    New York City86 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 17, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We enjoy the dining experience. The food is good and the wait staff very nice. We've eaten here a number of times. It is a very good please to have dinner when you are going to an event at NJPAC

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  4. Elena

    New York City15 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on May 17, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    I cannot believe that I have not experienced this spot sooner. To quote my nearly 11yo, "Oh my WOW"! I was looking for a place near NJPAC, for a before show dinner and fortunately came across this spot on Yelp. The service, the ambiance, the music, the cocktails, oh and the food were terrific. Portions are generous, every bite is full of flavor and our server was attentive and knowledgeable. Really 4.5 stars, definitely will go back.

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  5. Kim

    New York City5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 9, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Get ready to eat! Excellent food wonderful service. We were a party of three we decided to get the platter. Best decision ever. Could’ve fed Five. Delicious drinks. Everybody was happy.

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  6. Michael

    New York City1 review

    1.0

    Dined on May 7, 2025

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 2
    Waited for along time to get service… Food was a little cold…Service could have been better…

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  7. Vincent VIP

    New York City6 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on May 7, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    Overall, a good experience with good food and a pleasant environment. But the service was slow and not very attentive.

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  8. Yvonne VIP

    Greater Boston62 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 28, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Nice taste of Africa in New Jersey. Welcoming bar scene, easy for single diners.

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  9. Patricia VIP

    New York City13 reviews

    2.0

    Dined on April 19, 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 1
    Music was much too loud even after we advised staff. It took an hour to receive our dinner from when we entered at 6. Such a great location, I don’t think I’ll be back…

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  10. Anthony

    New York City5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 19, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Good night out. Service was exceptional while the atmosphere was energetic. Some of the drinks were not to my liking but the flaming margaritas were great. Food was decent, but large portions at a nice price

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FAQs

Swahili Village OTS offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (973) 494-7379.

Swahili Village OTS is rated 4.4 stars by 393 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. New Jersey
  4. Essex
  5. Newark

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Google Map for Swahili Village OTS

2 Center St, Newark, NJ 07102

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Corner of Center Street and Mulberry Street
  • Neighborhood
    Newark
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Wed, Sun 11:00 am–1:00 am Thu–Sat 11:00 am–3:00 am
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    African, Bar / Lounge / Bottle Service, East African
  • Dining style
    Fine Dining
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Public transit
    NJ Transit, Light Rail, Amtrak
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Chef Alfredo Hernandez
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Dancing, Delivery, Entertainment, Full Bar, Late Night, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine
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