Mama Wale’s Rice

I can't tell you how my eyes lit up when I stumbled across Mama Wale's. The food is delicious--the egusi soup was really wonderful, and the jollof tasted like something my mother-in-law would make. The service was also great--they were generous about offering samples and recommending dishes. Please support this restaurant. Truly lovely, and a rarity among local eats. Highly recommend.

Trash management and food. Glad they closed down. The crappy service and attitude always peaks its head in the food. Good riddance!!

I was really looking forward to trying Mama Wales, but unfortunately, my experience was very disappointing. As a Nigerian, I know what authentic Nigerian food should taste like, and this just wasn't it.I ordered the jollof rice with chicken, fried rice with beef, a small side of egusi soup with pounded yam, and a beef meat pie. The beef meat pie was decent--I'd rate it a 7.5/10. However, it came with a side of stew that didn't taste like traditional Nigerian stew. It had a strange sweetness and felt more like a random sauce than anything familiar.The jollof rice was a big letdown. It wasn't spicy at all and lacked the depth of flavor I expect. I'm also not sure what kind of rice they used, but it didn't seem right. To make matters worse, the chicken was chopped into small breast pieces--definitely not typical for jollof rice--and covered in that same red sauce from the meat pie, which I really didn't enjoy.The fried rice was no better. It was bland, with none of the bold flavors Nigerian fried rice should have. The beef, again, was chopped into small bits and drenched in that same red sauce. It was frustrating to see the same sauce pop up everywhere.The egusi soup was the most disappointing part for me. I don't even want to go into detail because it made me sad. At this point, I don't have much more constructive to say, so I'll stop here.Overall, this place didn't deliver authentic Nigerian food vibes, and I don't see myself coming back.

My favorite place to get egusi and fufu. The best I've tried. The egusi is flavorful, and not fishy like most egusi I've tried. You also get an option for spicy or no spice. My son picked up for me so I can't comment on ambiance or service yet. But it was easy to order and food was made fast for pick up. I can't wait to come back and try their other dishes.

Incredible Nigerian food! I'd never had Fufu, so it was so fun shaping the pounded yam to the right scooping size. My husband and I got the Fufu, egusi, wings w/ fries, and jollof rice. The stew was with goat and the flavors were so rich and yet so balanced. The goat probably needed to be cooked slower because it was a little tough but the flavors were everything. The wings were also delicious! The sauce was everything for me. Kind of garlicky but sooo flavorful. I also got the zobo drink which had pineapple, hibiscus, and ginger. I'd never had a drink where ginger didn't just overpower the whole taste before. This drink was refreshing and the ginger was aromatic and not overpowering. The jollof rice was good, very reminiscent of the red beans and rice I grew up off of. I'd probably skip the rice bowl next time and stick with the swallow foods. The inside was cute and I loved the Nigerian flags everywhere. The food takes a minute but the service was stellar. I want to try the eba and Amala meals next!

First time trying this dish and it was really good! They served the egusi soup with a generous amount of chicken and the pounded yam was really soft (we asked for med spicy but it wasn't spicy at all) will definitely be back to try other dishes on the menu when we're in the area

I'm so glad I found this GEM MaMa is so kind and welcoming and her food is DELICIOUS if you enjoy good food with a kick of spice, this is worth a try. Nigerian food for the winLOCATED IN THE MORENO VALLEY MALL FOOD COURT

Not sure if they are open anymore. Their website says they are moving to a new location and will be open at their new location soon but their website still allows online ordering. If you call, the phone just hangs up on you after two rings. My guess is that they're the latest victim of Mission Grove's super high rent. If anybody happens to be in the area and can see if they're still there or already shut down while finding a new location please post. Thanks.

I have been DYING to try fufu and it's been almost impossible to find. The food is delicious. This was my first time trying any sort of African food and I fell in love with it. The service is self-serve, but the cashier is knowledgeable and able to guide you on what to order as a first comer. The ambiance is ok, it's more diner than it is restaurant. But you're coming for that fufu!

First time trying out an African restaurant and I'm very impressed with this place! Their rice bowl was well done and had good flavoring and their fufu dish was great as well. The food seemed pretty authentic and the service was friendly and helpful as well, answering all our questions. Will be visiting again!