Steaming Pots

We were seated 15 minutes after arriving. Another 15 minutes passed before our food and drink orders were taken. The yucca fries were dry and greasy. The egusi stew just tasted like straight up fish. The oxtail was 95% fat and the meat that was present wasn't even tender. I'm sorry I don't even understand how this restaurant has 4 stars. And after all the terrible food and service, the woman at the front was pissed that we didn't tip. I'm sorry but I didn't even eat the food. You're lucky that I even paid. I won't ever return.

This place was amazing cuisine for African food. The Ambiance was very beautiful. The owner came out periodically to check in on guests to ensure they were taken care of. The Garden Egg Stew was very good. Efo Riro was amazing, had to be my favourite.The fries went well with either stew and was good by itself Both drinks were excellent, my favourite had to be the pineapple and ginger. If you don't like spicy drinks then i recommend the mango. Overall everything was more than enough for two people. I highly do recommend this place if you haven't already!!They did only have one bathroom.

I could eat the shito and banku all day, and the boiled egg and hot sauce complement each other well. Adding the pepper stew to the snapper for an extra $2 was a great decision. The snapper and tilapia options are priced the same at $7, with tilapia being the default choice if not specified. However, the whole snapper with banku meal has some drawbacks, including the fish being fried but not seasoned, and having a bitter taste near the gutted area. This issue applies to both fish entrees.

How they managed to take a third of the largest continent in the world and fit it inside a restaurant on Water St. in Tampa we will never know. As an African American eating the dishes from Steaming Pots makes our need for spices and flavor make sense. The flavors are layered to perfection and everything compliments each other. Not gonna lie I wasn't expecting much from the fried meat pie, you know every culture has them empanadas, patties, and pasties.... I was so surprised by the depth of flavor in the pie! Then I tried Efo Rio for the first time DELICIOUS. I've had Puff Puff from them before but the addition of the coconut and spices took it to another level. The staff literally walked up to each table and were on standby in case anyone was new to eating West African cuisine. You can legitimately feel the love they put in the food and the collective pride the owners take in their establishments through the decor. This to me is another Tampa Gem!

The food was great, but needed way more spice. We asked for it medium spicy, but the Egusi was mild at best and the ground nut soup had no spice. Everything came out super fresh, and I liked the ground nut soup better out of the two. It tasted like peanut sauce with tomatoes. We got goat in both which was cooked perfectly. The service was good, but everything was a bit slow since they don't have many staff. 2 fufu entrees, rice, and a soda came out to be $65. A good meal overall, but nothing crazy for the price.

I love exploring new food, but I think maybe I hyped this up in my head too much. For the price I paid, I feel like I was gypped. lol. For reference, I've never had African food so maybe it's just me. I thought everything would have been spiced more? I ordered one entree mild and the other extra spicy and tasted zero spice in either. I also asked for extra meat for both which I believe was an addition $5 each and I don't know that I got extra protein. The chicken was 70% bone. The beef had a lot of chewy parts. The peanut soup itself was delicious and amazing with fufu and that was probably the most redeeming part. Efo riro (veggie stew) my husband liked more. It's very spinach forward, which was really all I got. Maybe it would have been better if I dined in, but two soups, one side, and a banku came out to $83! I ordered takeout and picked up. Inside looked very clean and the lady at the front was friendly. Not sure I'd try it again unfortunately, but I'm glad I did.

Hands down and eat the best of West ALKEBULAN foods in the Tampa Bay area. Just wish they had various locations.

This place is a gem!It's a small little spot from the outside but probably a much bigger restaurant than expected inside. It's decorated wonderfully and the decor aids to the overall experience.Today I got the Jollof Rice with fried beef. It was flavorful, fried to perfection, and tender. I've had many dishes here in the past and the 3 pepper and ground nut soups are both also amazing. I've never had a bad meal here. I highly recommend!!

This is only the second time I've had fufu and egusi and I will just say it was soooo good, the only reason they don't get a 5 is because I ordered takeout and came 30 minutes later and still ended up waiting another 30 minutes there. The fact I'm still giving a 4 after the wait should show you how good the food is.

My first time trying west African food & they have set the bar very high. I am excited to try more things on their menu so I will definitely return. Everything was amazing: cool inviting restaurant atmosphere; friendly & patient service; and delicious food. Pepper soup might be my new favorite food. The goat meat was so tender. The broth was spicy but not overwhelming to my tastebuds because I could still taste a lot of great flavor. It was fulfilling without leaving me feeling heavy. The fufu was also nice. I liked it better the next day when I didn't have goat meat, I just ate fufu with the broth. Sorrel juice wasn't too sweet and nice contrast for my spicy meal. Puff puff- It was almost like a donut. It had coconut and cinnamon. It would go great with a warm drink like coffee. It was a little dense (not too much- it's still delicious) so one is enough for one person.