Kilimandjaro Restaurant Menu

  • Appetizers
  • Sandwich
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Side Orders $4
  • Dessert $2
  • Drink

Healthy Meal suggestions for Kilimandjaro Restaurant

  • Appetizers
  • Sandwich
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Side Orders $4
  • Dessert $2
  • Drink

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  • Julie W.

    I really wanted to love this place but my experience here was very so-so. The most frustrating part was being repeatedly told that whatever we had wanted to try was out for the day - this was before dinner hours, too! Why even have a menu? After a few futile attempts, we finally gave up and just asked what was actually still available. Ended up with a chicken dish and a lamb dish. To be fair, they both tasted fine but were nothing spectacular and just not what we'd wanted. I'm still looking forward to returning for the other dishes, but probably won't try again for dinner.

    (3)
  • Lydia B.

    I live in Kilamandjaro. I've been eating there since 2008 and I haven't stopped. I go there so much the owners can recognize my voice over the phone. I even had my graduation dinner there! My favorite dish is the Fish Yassa. It's so good I could eat the seasoned onions by itself. If you want appetizers definitely get the beef patties or plantain. The grilled chicken and Dibi chicken is good too. Great spot for a date night or just hanging out with friends. It's also a BYOB. People of all races enjoy their food & if you try it I can guarantee you'll find something you like.

    (5)
  • Nardo R.

    Excellent west African cuisine.Senegales or Guenie ( I believe Fulani). If you like Carribean food you will like it.The owners used to run a Restaurant around Drexel that closed down called Fatu& Fama or something like it years ago.I was in a cab that was driven by a guy from Gunea and when I mentioned to him about how good that restaurant was he told me they have open another one so detour to Kilimanjaro :) ordered over the phone some fish with rice. Lady over the phone quickly took my order but didn't give me any selection.Was a little bummed that I got a fried trout with bones ( preferred fillet fish) All I all food tastes fresh and delicious.Restaurant is tiny but clean and cozy. Food is excellent but customer service needs some work.Can't attribute it to "cultural difference" because I have been to many places including Africa.The girl working the counter seem to have incorporated the attitudes of some of unsavory females of the area and there was a dude working there wearing a white wife beater . WTF:) All in all , I would still get a take out but won't dine in.

    (5)
  • Pamela M.

    So I was very excited to try this place out as it came highly recommended by a friend. I tried to order several items on the menu which I was told were not available.... I kind of had a blank stare because it was around 5 p.m in the afternoon and I began to wonder what the dinner service would look like..... After being unsuccessful at picking items directly off the menu I started to use Pictures from Yelp to point out what I wanted to try.... Turns out they didn't have it. I ended up settling on a chicken dish with brown fried rice apparently they did not have the red rice... I found the food to be rather salty! While I liked the flavor of the rice it was too salty to enjoy. The chicken was a little on the tough side and tasted as though it had been pre-made. The portion size was also off as it was not even the side of a quarter chicken. The meal was not balanced as there were bit no vegetables, a slice of tomato and a slice of cucumber. Also I would have appreciated some gravy. Well the question is, will I return? I think not. I would not drive from New York City for this, I would rather opt for a local option. I really had wanted to try the red rice but alas something are not meant to be. Also I didn't like that they only had tilapia fish. A shout out to the lady who took the order, she was very patient and helpful as I navigated through a menu which did not reflect what was truly available. She is the reason for two stars instead of one.

    (2)
  • Jeff H.

    Kilamandjaro is often labeled as the most accessible of all the west Philly African restaurants. That's mainly because of its location very near to the University of Pennsylvania campus and rapid transit. It is also colorfully and attractively decorated on the inside....although they could use some new seating as a couple of the seats and banquettes were torn. The food here is very reliable....although not spectacular. I recently enjoyed a maafe lamb and rice dish here. The peanut sauce was excellent ... and made even better when I requested hot sauce. The lamb in the Maafe, however was not of the best quality in my opinion - a little too much fat and bone at the same time. Service was competent but my water glass was never refilled after I pretty early on finished the water. All in all a solid University City African restaurant that has a little room for improvement.

    (3)
  • Tuff Cook E.

    My favorite Senegalese restaurant Le Bercail closed down. WAH. So I decided to try here. This food was good, but not as good. And their customer 'service' leaves much to be desired - a problem we also had at Le Bercail. We all chalk it up to 'cultural differences', but my guess is that's why Ke Bercail closed- because their food was transcendental, but the service really brought out the French in them. I probably would've given this place 4 stars if I didn't have better senegalese elsewhere. Ive dropped in 2x because they are right next to the wine and spirits. they do not have a take out menu. This would cost them about $2 to get a bunch of them, photocopies of the regular menu would be fine. This is the signpost to show they really do not care that much about customer service. So I call and ask if they are online anywhere so i can see a menu. I could not understand what she said after a few repeats, so i asked what was popular and she gave me a 'how should i know, depends..' answer. So i found them on menu pages and made another call back. When i ordered the Senegalese chicken she said 'with what?', i said 'i dont understand' she repeated 'with what?'. Again i said i didnt understand. She then growled 'it comes with a side'. I said 'oh ok i didnt know that, it doesnt say that on this listing' (and later saw that it doesnt say it on the menu either). so i picked couscous, and chicken roti with vermicelli as a side. She didnt ask my name or tell me how long it would take. I tried to order a shrimp dish, but they were out of all shrimp. so i show up after about 25 mins and say 'i ordered chicken roti and some other chicken dish...' and she looks at me like i'm an idiot. i say, well i the person on the phone didnt give me an order number, or ask my name. "that was me" she says,.... well, ok, then you must know my order. she says it will be 'right up'. i wait on a chair in the corner under the big screen tv showing sports, and rap music over the speakers. there are some cute, crooked pictures, and nice colors. small but quaint. Definitely unpretentious (like your soda comes in the can). 2 kids, presumably the owners or someone that works there, were running in and out of the tables the whole time. Maybe everyone there knew them, seemed like people did all know each other. if i was dining in, this would have annoyed me. after 1o mins - i told them i would wait outside. The chicken dishes were the same, i didnt know what to order (and i dont like lamb). i could not tell the difference between the 'roti' chicken and the 'senegalese' chicken. Both were tender, and juicy and had a lot of meat. I couldve used more sauce, and more grease/oil. The other restaurant i loved smothered the meats with sauce- which was useful because they too had very bland sides. Im sure its just 'how they do it', but to me the sides were useless and we did throw them away after trying to eat them. You can see from the pic, the couscous is literally just superdry couscous with nothing on it and they give YOU the bouillon cube to crumble on it. Umm, no...i would like you to prepare the food!! The vermicelli also was not cooked with flavorings but had a dollop of the same onion sauce that was on the chicken, and that saved some of it. It ended up being about an hour for our 2 dishes. The place did have about 4 tables of people. The total was $25, a deal really, but according to the menu both dishes were $10.. so i don't know where the other $5 came from. But they did not seem like they would be receptive to my questioning so i didnt even ask. I know customs are different, and american's version of customer service is very different. Senegal is part French, and it shows. They are not very friendly with nonregulars and dont seem to care about repeat visitors or if you are happy. just not a good vibe, but decent food.

    (2)
  • Pourio L.

    Wow, I started this review over a year and half ago and never finished writing it. Good thing I remember how good the food was. Kilimandjaro is by far one of the most unique and great tasting restaurants in the Philly area. I've never been to Africa but having traveled all over the world, I can imaging this is pretty authentic dishes. The portions are generous and the drinks they had were interesting (to say the least). I went with two other people and we all ordered something different so that we can have a taste of each other's plates. They were all really good. Only my friend's drink was weird but I guess it's a matter of opinion because she really liked it. Service was good though rather slower paced. Most of the people who worked here at very limited English proficiency so I'm going to chalk it up to cultural differences that I'm sensing here. Make sure to call in advance, the time of when they open varies and Yelp nor their website is correct and they're both different. Parking: Small shared lot or metered street Price: $12+ per person Wait: 20 mins

    (4)
  • Charles W.

    Best African restaurant in town ,my 2nd time to visit kilimandjaro restaurant but they food blow my mind, so authentic I think I will move around this restaurant to be able to come everyday.

    (5)
  • Besie B.

    Dined here this evening and the food was absolutely delicious!! I had the lamb chops with a side salad. I also had plantains and bissap. The service was pretty good and our server was friendly. My companion had the sautéed shrimp with a side of Senegalese rice and peas. Very good selection as well. The only drawback I would have to say is that the place is rather tiny so there may be a considerable wait to be seated. I will definitely return despite that fact however and I will share my experience in hopes that others support this African dining gem.

    (4)
  • Lakeshia J.

    First can you say amazing? No you can't because the food is in your mouth and feel like this is heaven I've finally made it. The seasoning is on point or pot much not to little. It's juicy and rarest and all a round great. The fiber drink has now become my favorite and I'll be on a search in Cali for it. Its not too sweet and not too spicy. The couscous reminds me of achake (hope o spelled it right) but I think I like this better. Oh and don't get me started on the prices! They're seriously the best I've seen for African food. Seriously though the food is THE BEST African food over tasted. This is going to become a staple when I come back to Philly definitely glad I came here during my little trip from Cali. If you're in Philly or just visiting go to this place!!!

    (5)
  • Tara I.

    Delicious food. I had the red snapper and rice. SLAMMING! Service is suspect. Restrooms are TINY. Space in the seating area is minimal. Despite this, the food exceeded my expectations. So fresh and full of flavor.

    (5)
  • Jay F.

    This place is a Philly Staple! The best thing is the lamb but depending on who cooks it. The service is why I didn't give a 5 Star review but the food is really great. It wouldn't hurt to be a little more helpful as far as the wait staff. There was chocolate lady who is very sweet and on the cash register from time to time.

    (4)
  • Jack M.

    Had an excellent meal here. Expect the service to be pretty slow, but they were gracious and friendly. I got the chicken brochettes (French for kebabs) along with the Senagalese rice. Both dishes were good. The chicken was outstanding. It was clearly thoughtfully marinated and grilled to give just the right amount of char. This is some of the best chicken I've ever had. Delicious. The rice was great as well. It was a short grain served tossed with peas and carrots. Cooked in a fermented bean. It tasted like soy a little but that could simply be due to my palette being unaccustomed to African cuisine. Having been dissatisfied with Ethiopian food in the past, it was a pleasant surprise that this west African fare was quite appealing and not too foreign for my admittedly westernized taste.

    (4)
  • Arthur C.

    Few I know in West Philadelphia have heard of Kilimandjaro, and I'm not surprised. Its exterior is nondescript, and the restaurant itself is situated adjacent to the local liquor store. However, upon stumbling upon its Yelp page I knew I had to go. The restaurant has no frills to it, with minimal decoration outside of some African art decorating the walls. The menu is also very simple, helpful given my lack of exposure to African cuisine. Simply put, the portions are generous. I ordered the Poisson and received an entire grilled tilapia which I paired with a side of steamed vegetables. Meanwhile my friend received a half rotisserie chicken. His side of rice tasted great, resembling couscous. The theme of the meal was certainly spice, as a variety of spices were used to season the rice, chicken, and fish. It's a good thing we didn't order more, because the entrees were more than we could finish. This was a shame as the rest of the menu looked very appetizing as well. Kilimandjaro also a lunch special and serves as a BYO. If you are in the area and ever feel a little bit adventurous, this place is certainly a good place to try.

    (4)
  • Bamidele F.

    I love this place!!! The food is fantastic! Any time you visit any African restaurant, and it's consistently filled with Africans, then you know you're getting the real deal! Their jellof rice is absolutely stellar! As many west Africans will tell you, bad jellof rice is the absolute pits, so I'm glad Kilimandjaro does it so well. Actually, I expected nothing less since Senegal is the birthplace of this special dish. Everything I've had hear has been delicious. The service here is also very much on point. The staff is always so pleasant, and you get the feeling that they really appreciate you being there. I usually stop by when feel a strong craving for some Nigerian food, and can't make it back home to NY for some home cooking. Kilimandjaro never disappoints! 5 stars!!!

    (5)
  • C H.

    I had high hopes after seeing this place on Philly FYI but the service was horrible. I placed a take-out order after asking the girl at the counter for recommendations. I explained I was a first time customer. I watched customers come and go while mine took forever. I tried two dishes in case I did not like one. Unfortunately neither was worth the wait. The lamb dish was so over cooked and dry it actually shriveled up. It didn't have any spice or great african flavor. The fish dish was bland and not worth the price considering the amount. They did however provide plenty of rice. Two heavy full containers. Won't be back.

    (1)
  • Caroline J.

    The food is delicious and the portions are huge. Steamed vegetables came to life with spices, and even the couscous (which I normally find to be dry and flavorless) was pretty good. My entrée was an entire grilled fish topped with sautéed onions and a generous side of vegetables. It was GOOD. And to boot, it's BYO and located next door to a liquor store. That being said, I would recommend this place for take out only. The restaurant is smaller than a nail salon, and there is only one person working the entire front of house: seating, serving, and take out. We were in the restaurant for about an hour before we got any food (30 minutes spent waiting in a corner by the soda refrigerator for a table, and then 30 minutes at the table waiting for our orders to come out). Aside from being seriously hungry after such a wait, we also had a show to get to, so it all ended up being a bit stressful in the end. At least we had wine!

    (4)
  • Camille M.

    The food is AMAZING, but their service is garbage. I will always credit Kilimandjaro for beginning what is sure to be a lifelong love affair with Senegalese cuisine. The flavors were amazing and addictive, and I've already started scouring Yelp reviews in search of something similar that's closer to home. Kilimandjaro has nothing to offer in the way of ambiance or service. There is not decor to speak of, and their table layout seems very inefficient. The waitress was very scatterbrained. We waited for everything: for our table to be cleaned, for menus, for our beverages. Everything takes a while because they are very busy and short staffed. We ordered the fataya to start. It took an eternity, and when it did arrive, we were not provided with plates or utensils. They provided a stingy, half short glass' worth of hot sauce. I would have been annoyed had these beef patties not been some of the most delicious I've had in my life. I held my tongue and waited for my entree. It took approximately 45 minutes for our main dishes to come out of the kitchen. That may be the longest I've waited ... ever. I had the fish yassa and my boyfriend had the senegalese chicken. I requested the cous cous, while he requested the brown rice. She absolutely refused to make any amendments, which was weird, because my cous cous dame in a separate bowl and we ended up trading once the food arrived at the table anyway. But, the food was mind blowing. The spices were very strong, in the best way possible. I'm not sure who had the better dish, it may have been a toss up. Either way, I walked out of their with a new respect and obsession for Senegalese cuisine. Tips for dining here: Come here when you have a good amount of time to kill, and are in no rush to be anywhere. Order take-out if possible, or call ahead if it's not possible to place your order and alleviate wait time. Get ready to enjoy a culinary trip to Senegal, and an incredible meal.

    (3)
  • Boyang Q.

    The food here is really one of a kind, especially for someone who did not have a lot of African food style food...The shrimp appetizer is great. For most dishes, the way the meat is cooked and served gives you a feeling of the African wilderness: the Poisson(fish) and poultry are char/grill as a full body and tastes amazing. Their African style juice is also very special and highly recommended. One star off for the service though. I requested ketchup three times and the waitress, obviously too busy managing the whole place forgets my sauce every single time!

    (4)
  • Anthony J.

    This place was great! Definitely had no idea what to expect as I'd never eaten Senegalese food before, but my friend and I are adventurous eaters and thought we would give it a shot because of the crazy good Yelp reviews. If you don't like onions, you may not like this place because there are lots of onions involved...but I love onions so it was right up my alley! I got the Chicken Senegal (?) and it was really moist, well cooked, and covered in a delicious blend of onions and some peppers. I got it with a side of spicy brown rice which I'd say is a must get. My friend got the tilapia and it came out as the whole fish, but she really enjoyed it. We shared the fried plantains and that was a great appetizer. Overall, if you are looking for something fun and different go check out this place. Portions are HUGE and will definitely produce leftovers. Also, take cash because they don't take card!

    (4)
  • Olivia K.

    Came here for a BYO Friday night and was very pleasantly surprised. The place is very small so probably not good for large groups but for groups of 3-5 it's a nice place. For only $12 I got the lamb chops with a side of fried rice. The meat was tender and portions were large. The place is BYOB but they don't have a cork screw so make sure to bring your own.

    (5)
  • Jinsol L.

    I think that the saying "don't judge a book by it's cover" would apply to this establishment. On the outside, Kilimandjaro doesn't offer much for a grand impression, with an unpretentious sign that marks its location next to the giant liquor store. I doubt I would have thought to check it out, but my boyfriend wanted to take me since I grew up in Africa and have actually climbed the namesake mountain (although it's spelled Kilimanjaro, without the "d"). However, as soon as you step in, you'll find a small but truly charming cozy interior with African furnishing (including background music videos) and comfortable seating. We weren't too familiar with the menu, but we ordered a tilapia and a chicken. They both came with sides, so we asked for steamed vegetables and cous cous. The food took some time to come out, but while we were waiting, we got the ginger juice, which was amazing! It has a really strong unique flavor of tangy/spicy/sweet that I'm not sure if everyone else would appreciate as much as I did, but I would still recommend giving it a try, especially if your throat is sore because it can feel like a remedy. When the food came out, we were amazed at how the entire tilapia was on the plate - the ENTIRE thing with head and whatnot. Similarly, a full half of a chicken came out, in addition to the large sides of steamed veggies and cous cous (which make for great combinations). Everything we had was phenomenal - succulent and flavorful! Not to mention, the portion sizes were very generous - definitely great bang for the buck! To top it off, the hostess/waitress was very friendly and approachable, applauding us at the end of the meal for being able to finish the large quantities food. Overall, 'twas a surprising delight and I'm looking forward to coming again!

    (5)
  • Traci G.

    We were looking for a BYO in West Philly and saw this place with great reviews on Yelp. We're not very experienced with West African food but were excited to try some new fare. This place did not disappoint. The food was delicious! We started with the fried plantains. I highly recommend. The dish is a wonderful balance of sweet and spicy, with the sautéed onions complimenting the plantains perfectly. I had the chicken yassa with an upgraded side of fried rice ($2 more). Hubby had the lamb shank gigot and our son had the beef brochette (kabobs). Everyone was very happy with their choice. One note on the beef- it was prepared medium-well which was fine with my son, but if you prefer your beef less cooked, I suggest you ask the server or skip the beef altogether. Son had the ginger drink with strawberries which was very good as well! The restaurant is small and it was very busy on a Sunday night but the service was good. I read reviews that it's a bit slow, but we don't like to rush through our meal anyway so it was spot on for us. The only hiccup was that they staggered bringing out the main courses with quite a bit of time between the first and last course served. But our server was apologetic and we just used the opportunity to sample the dishes one at a time. I would highly recommend this place. We will certainly be back!

    (4)
  • Sara N.

    The ambience of this cash-only restaurant leave a lot (A LOT) to be desired, but that is the small sacrifice you must pay for the eye-opening yassa chicken, a meal that will have you Googling to learn more abut Senegalese cuisine because you will want to come back to Kilimandjaro and frequent their menu.

    (4)
  • Lina Z.

    What can I say, they have amazing food here! You get the experience of eating the whole fish and the flavor was very unique and tasty. Only downside it's that you'll have to be patient, they take their time in making the food.

    (5)
  • Ashley T.

    I would give the food five stars however the service wasn't well. I got the lamb chops and fried rice it was amazing. Yet me and my be waited about 3 hrs for our food I understand they were busy and it was only one woman serving, I just think I would be beneficial if they had more staff.

    (3)
  • Peaches A.

    5 stars for food, 4 stars for service. We were surprised to see such a small/unoccupied restaurant for such a high rating but the food definitely lived up to the high expectations. Unfortunately there was no chawarma that day, but everything we ordered was absolutely delicious. They only take cash!

    (5)
  • Chanyeghea A.

    Nice food but the tall girl who works there got stickin attitude and I think she shouldn't be there. I will never go back

    (2)
  • Andrew D.

    My favorite restaurant in Philly. I have been a loyal customer for almost ten years now. The quality has remained consistent throughout all of those years and I'm still discovering new menu items to try. Some highlights: Yassa -- a lemony chicken or fish stew with the best onions ever; grilled lamb or chicken dibi; and brochette kebabs. So much and so awesome food, it's worth the sometimes slower service. A very good introduction to West African food.

    (5)
  • Ron C.

    I am not very familiar with African food and was not sure what to expect, but this was fantastic! Delicious! The tilapia was a whole fish perfectly cooked, tasty and crispy. The chicken Senegalese was half a chicken with a great sauce and was just FAB. The Yassa chicken was cut up chicken in a delicious stew with a slightly spicy onion sauce and was equally great, the swarma was delicious with great filling (although it was a bit strange being in a tortilla shell). As other reviewer's have stated, the exterior of this place belies what is inside. It doesn't look like much from the outside but inside it is homey and comfortable in Rich colors comfortable seats although small. Service was fine, no complaints in contrast to some commenters here - very friendly pleasant and prompt (this isn't fast food!). Just to be clear, five stars does not mean this is a five-star restaurant, only that it perfectly delivers on what it promises. We will definitely be back, and already looking forward!

    (5)
  • Ha R.

    I had no idea what Senegalese food was, but I love to try new ethnic cuisines and we went on the rave Yelp reviews. We were not disappointed! The menu is not helpful (Chicken Senegal is described as "Chicken with Senegalese sauce"), but our waitress made wonderful recommendations. We had the Grilled Tilapia and the Yassa Chicken. Every bite of the Tilapia was perfectly spiced, tender, and moist. I was poking the last bits of meat from those fish cheeks. The accompanying plantains were delicious as well. The Yassa Chicken came with a spiced brown rice (definitely worth the $2 up charge over plain white rice) which was worthy of being eaten plain, with a spoon. But paired with the chicken and the wonderful concoction of cooked onions and peppers in a savory sauce? Magic. If you like spicy foods, ask for hot sauce to be brought to the table. They will bring a Senegalese hot sauce that appears homemade and is nothing like tabasco or habanero sauce. I asked for seconds and slathered it on everything. For our second visit, the waitress recommended the Dibi and Senegalese Chicken, and I can't wait to come back! One final note: this is not for the picky diner. You can't be squeamish about fish skin or chicken bones, or bits of fat and gristle, but if you love good food that sticks to your fingers and bones, you will be in heaven!

    (5)
  • Kenneth T.

    The food was amazing. We had the Senegalese chicken and whiting. We are surely going back to try more on the menu. I only gave three stars because the place wasn't very clean... The tables were kind of sticky....okay....very sticky.... And the service is not so great. The waitress took our drink of order of water three times. THREE TIMES! The fourth time we ordered cokes and they came right up. Funny. Other than that, the food is awesome and I'd recommend everyone give it a try. Good food, good prices, good times.

    (3)
  • Nyota W.

    There is a special place in my heart for BYOB. I'm so serious. This is a cute little restaurant. I don't think more than 20 people can be seated here at a time. They also don't take credit cards. I had the lamb chops and tasted the fish. My lamb was a bit tough, but great flavors. I also ordered a ginger infused drink. I enjoyed and had enough food in my plate to take home leftovers. It's casual, laid back and enjoyable. I will certainly come back.

    (4)
  • Profession P.

    Kilimandjaro delivers great Senegalese food consistently. I try and come here once a week and usually have the Peanut Butter Sauce, Rice and a glass of cold Sorrel to drink. If the food wasn't well worth the trip to 43rd and Chestnut then perhaps the homely feel of this place made possible by the staff should be enough to trek here even in the cold depth of winter. For someone new to this city it is a most welcomed compliment to a great meal. I also recommend the flavorful grilled fish, and the Ginger Juice (sweet). The television is almost always on in the evenings and I appreciate it most when it's looping Senegalese music videos with artist in traditional Senegalese attire. Other times it's tuned to a station displaying International football. I have come here with parties of 4 and have been comfortable. I have also witnessed parties of 12 on a Saturday be accommodated by combining tables. I have come here alone as well and have had fun staring at people on their dates or families trying Senegalese food for the first time. The Artwork and colors on the wall provide a warm feel to the place and the customers range from White, Asian, African American, to African. They do not take credit or debit, but the have 3 ATM's on the same block as the restaurant. The one in the fast food Chinese take out has the lowest Service Fee. GKE

    (5)
  • Salima C.

    This place is almost too good to be true. Fair pricing, large portions, friendly staff, I couldn't believe it. In this day and age where a lot of restaurants objectives are to cut corners and get over I usually expect to either pay a years salary to get a good meal or pay little and HATE the experience. This place is a Tripple threat I wish I could live in their kitchen.

    (5)
  • Mark H.

    Food is AMAZING!!! Perfectly cooked and seasoned. The service on the other hand? Well, when you ask for a glass of water three times and never receive it and thirty minutes later you're still waiting for an appetizer that'a been ordered but then they suddenly don't have it, it's s a bit disappointing to say the least.

    (3)
  • Andres L.

    I honestly have no idea what kind of cuisine this place falls under but it is good. I had the Chicken Senegal (I think) and had some of the Tilapia. Note both dishes are huge in portion. It's a good size chicken and the whole tilapia. The sides it came with were pretty good as well. Definitely worth trying if you're in the mood for something different. This will hit the spot.

    (4)
  • Albert S.

    The food is incredible. Had the grilled Tilapia (given whole) which had these wonderful spices. The meat was moist and tender. Tried to pick every piece I could off the bone. The sautéed green beans (side) were really good. The service was fine and not as bad as I've heard in some reviews. My wife had the lamb chops which she said were a little tough, but still good. We both had the ginger juice and mango which was excellent. Just they right amount of ginger spice and sweetness. The price can't be beat. Excellent meal for the price. Would recommend to anyone.

    (4)
  • Akisha J.

    Excellent!! Ive been here several times and food is always good.. service is always quick. I keep getting the grilled tilapia because its sooo goood but maybe next time Ill get something else!! And the ginger drink is amazing!! My only complaint is that it's cash only :/ It would also be nice if it were a BYOB

    (5)
  • Yoko T.

    I came here for the first time for a lunch date with my husband. Everything was delicious! Super impressed by the quality and value! We got the grilled tilapia from dinner menu with sweet potatoe fries on the side, chicken yassa from lunch menu and fried rice. Soooo good! Will definitely come back for more!

    (5)
  • Cynthia X.

    I came with a large group and we tried almost most everything. I have to strongly recommend all of the Yassa Philly series. You can choose the meat and they will cook it in a red curry like sauce with onions, very tasty! As other reviewers mentioned, if you like whole grilled fish, then definitely try it here! The lamb chops and the roasted chickens were also not bad. For sides, plantains, cous cous and sweet potato fries are all good choices. They ran out of Senegal rice, but apparently that is a must try according to my African friend. For dessert, they have a millet and yogurt mix. It's actually quite large and heavy so get one to share. Definitely a great surprise in West Philly!

    (5)
  • Valerie P.

    I had dinner here with 3 friends last night. This place seems to be very busy on the weekends, but when we went on Monday evening there was no wait. The restaurant is BYOB, so I picked up a bottle of wine next door --- also there is a small parking lot available within the plaza. Between us we ordered the Chicken Yassa, Chicken Senegal, and Vero Shrimp with plantains, brown rice, salad and ginger juice on the side. Everything was very delicious, but we all agreed that Chicken Yassa was the best dish. This is one of my new favorite restaurants in the area, and I recommend it to everyone!

    (5)
  • Kamaria O.

    The food was ok. I didn't think it was as amazing as everyone says it is. I had chicken, fish, fried rice, plantain. I think because a lot of the food is similar to what I cook at home and it was just decent I didn't think it was anything to talk about.

    (3)
  • Catherine C.

    I love this restaurant! My favorite dish is the grilled tilapia which comes with a side dish. I usually order the fried rice which pairs perfectly with the fish. I also order a side of plantains which comes with yummy onions. The tilapia is so soft and juicy and usually I can share this dish with another person plus one or two side dishes. The fried rice is a little spicy and is lightly crispy. The plantains are sweet and the onions give it a nice kick. The beef patties are really yummy too. The restaurant is small, but once you get seated the food comes out pretty quickly and the servers are super friendly. I also like ordering the ginger juices!

    (5)
  • Reva S.

    Byob (with liquor store on the same strip of shops!) and the food is so so good. Head -on tilapia and the chicken were favorites with our group of 6. The decor is sort of thrown together, but the great food makes up for it in spades.

    (4)
  • Sherise S.

    Came here for the first time a few years ago and had a rice dish that I couldn't care less for. But I was craving some African food a few days ago and I decided to give it another shot. This time I was sold! I tried the grilled fish with vegetables and plantains. It was so good I came back the very next day for another. The fish was crispy outside, flaky inside, and seasoned to the bone! The fish is covered with sautéed onions in a tasty sauce that I could not get enough of. The plantains were sweet morsels that complimented the fish. The service is friendly enough but they seem preoccupied with personal conversations. Like others have noted, the wait can be rather long but is definitely worth it.

    (4)
  • Niana K.

    This meal was the highlight of my trip to Philly. I can't speak for everything on their menu, but I highly highly highly recommend the marinated and grilled tilapia. For $12 during dinner, you can a whole tilapia and a generous portion of whatever side you want. The tilapia was cooked perfectly with some caramelization on the skin, and the steamed vegetables as well as the plantains had the right amount of bite to them. Absolutely delicious. I wish we knew it was BYOB before we came. Can this place get any better? Sweet staff, cozy place, amazing food, happy food baby.

    (5)
  • Dian P.

    My favorite restaurant in Philadelphia. The owners and workers are so friendly, they make you feel like you're visiting an old neighbor every time you come. The food is to die for. I love the grilled fish and dibi lamb with a side of white rice. The place is super cozy, it might get crowded sometimes. This is a byob place. Warning; most of the food contain bones. Its never a big deal for me but some friends i brought are terrified of eating meat around bones.

    (5)
  • Angela B.

    I absolutely love this place. Consistently great food for a great price! BYOB and the wine and spirits is next door. Try the grilled Talapia with the pickled onions. The plaintains are good when they're sweet and the spicy rice is great!

    (5)
  • Anitra B.

    Simply AMAZING! Funny cause as I write this review I'm here in the restaurant waiting for my order! GO TRY IT!!!!!

    (5)
  • Etaniel B.

    I visited last evening after a recommendation by friend and reading the very good reviews. I've always loved Senegalese food/people/culture. I LOVE this restaurant...small, authentic Wolof vibes, playing popular contemporary West Afri sounds. The servers were pleasant and listened well. Being vegetarian, they were more than accommodating. I was stuffed at end of meal. The friend with me was stuffed, too. This will definitely be a restaurant that I will visit again for the food, people and vibes!

    (4)
  • Bruce B.

    I had been hearing about a nice African restaurant in West Philly, and I finally made it there to give it a try. Kilimanjaro restaurant is located in West Philly in the University area. Killamanjaro is located in a strip mall with free parking, however the lot was full and I had to park around the corner. Even though I parked down the street and around the corner, immediately upon leaving my car I could smell the unmistakable spices of African food! On my way to the restaurant, I went into what the army calls a quick step. The aroma was intensified inside and I sat down in a quaint little dining room with high hopes. The server was a very nice young lady who brought me the menu. After looking over the menu it became clear to me that this was food from the country of Senegal, which is puzzling to me because Kilimanjaro is in East Africa. I had already tried many of the items before at other spots, and one dish called Yassa Philly caught my eye. First I want to tell you that I never order anything that seems out of place and not authentic on a menu. To me its like ordering a Philly cheesesteak in Cheyenne Wyoming- You are rolling the dice! However I did not listen to that voice, and I sure wish I would've! I ordered the Yassa Philly with beef, the presentation of the dish was beautiful. The plating of the meal was excellent, the rice, the vegetables and the Beef smothered in a spicy savory Yassa sauce. The rice was unmistakably African and the vegetables were cooked to perfection. But when I try to taste the beef, I couldn't cut it even with a steak knife. The cut of beef was so tough, with so much tended and gristle, my American teeth were no match for it. Just about then the server walked over to my table and asked how the food was. I told her that the beef is very very tough, she just nodded and walked away. I really wanted to like this place, but how can you ignore a complaint like that and walk away? Even though the beef came out caveman style, I would like to give it another try and stick to my old conventional criteria for ordering food.

    (2)
  • Margo v.

    Wow, what a great place. Nothing fancy here, but the food is perfectly prepared, perfectly spiced and DELICIOUS. That wait staff are gracious and efficient. We were in a large group and we received great service and felt right at home. I can't wait to go back again.

    (5)
  • Katie L.

    Had a pretty nice dinner here with a friend the other night. The atmosphere was friendly & welcoming, and service was quick. We sampled the Poulet Senegal with couscous & cotelette d'agneau with rice. Next time, we should definitely order some vegetables since there's not much else besides onions on the platters. That being said, the onions were delicious and well spiced. The chicken was moist and excellent, but the lamb was somewhat dry and more fatty than I would have hoped. Overall, we had a nice meal and would definitely go back. Plenty of parking, too!

    (3)
  • Tyneisha M.

    I love this place ! The food is delicious! I got take out from here with my friend who is from (Burkina Faso) and he stated that this was the best African food in the area. This has been my only experience with African food and I am now a regular customer and order at least a few times a month. I also introduced my my friend from Rwanda to it and she loved it as well. Dibi Lamb, Brown Rice and Plantains are my favorite YUM

    (5)
  • Peach T.

    Use think it was good until I received a spoiled lamb platter last night and when I called them to inform them they thought I wanted a refund but no because i am a pregnant woman and can get Salmonella position to my child so refund can't pay for a hospital bill she was so rude my husband took phone from me cause he thought it was man yelling at me very disappointed please be careful because could be fooled from the coverup they really should of at least apologize to me

    (1)
  • Aron N.

    The food was just perfect, we ordered two type of fished, both of these were perfectly made, delicious, just superb. The location is not elegant, but it's neither an expensive restaurant. The service is friendly, flawless.

    (5)
  • Benjamin J.

    I came in here with pretty high expectations because of the Yelp reviews. Sat down, ordered the yassa fish and the Sengalese rice off of other Yelp recommendations. 20 minutes later, I get my glass of water. Whatever, not a deal breaker. But waiting another 30 minutes to get my food absolutely is. I don't care if this is Momofuku on Christmas, you don't make a customer wait 50 minutes to get their food on a weekday night with one other table ahead of them. So my food gets here and at this point I'm starving enough that I'd considered running to a foodtruck and just eating there. As low as my standards were at that point, they somehow still managed to make my food mediocre. The Sengalese rice was a plate of salty, small-grained rice with literal pieces of vegetables thrown in. I'm talking an individual kernel of corn. i don't even know how you manage to get one kernel of corn, did they literally take a can of corn and say, "welp, would be a shame if we didn't use this last kernel of corn, might as well give it to this rice"? The fish was grilled and just overwhelmingly blasted with pepper. It might have had some other flavor to it, but none was tasted past the sensation of being punched in the face by the cumulative pepper import of the last 500 years. I'm assuming they burned my fish on that grill for the last 40 minutes and the pepper was a last ditch attempt to hide that, because it hid absolutely everything. There might have been some vegetables in the gravy, but frankly it all tasted like pepper and I'm not willing to go on the record saying that that they were vegetables just from the texture. Other people have had really good things to say about this place, so maybe I was just an absolutely extreme aberration, but I'm not willing to go back in there and find out. Try at your own risk.

    (1)
  • Monica L.

    PROS: Consistently really delicious, generous portions, cozy atmosphere CONS: Slow SUGGESTIONS: For the winter, order the ginger juice warm! It takes a rather long time for you to get your dishes (since they are super busy and lots of people order takeout), but once they bring the food, the party's on! To beat the cold, we ordered the ginger juice warm --- and it was delightful and definitely heated us right up. The storefront looks unappealing from the outside, but it's actually quite well maintained and comfortable inside.

    (4)
  • Kemi A.

    I haven't been here to eat in over 4 years so I decided to come because I was craving Senegalese food. I came on a Friday night and I expected it to be a little busy but my overall experience with a bit disappointing compared to my last time. For a Friday night a lot of the items on the menu were not available and I was surprised because it's Friday night you would think they would be stocked for Friday & Saturday night guests versus Tuesday night. Our service was also very slow and that may have been because the server appeared to be working alone. I'm not sure. We spent 3 hours there not because we were eating and enjoying but because we waited at least 40 minutes for appetizers to come out and then things just very slow overall. I would say don't come on a Friday night. I think next time I'll just go for the lunch and maybe just order out.

    (3)
  • Namita G.

    Good experience and great food

    (4)
  • Adam P.

    First encounter with non-Ethiopian African food = great success. Since moving to West Philly, I had been dying to try Le Bercail or Kilimandjaro and see what this type of food had to offer. Ended up trying Kilimandjaro first thanks to easy parking and ginger juice. As promised by Yelp reviews, the ginger juice is essentially pureed ginger and water. And by that, I mean it is essentially crack for people like me who LOVE ginger. So good. I tried the Yassa fish, which is an entire tilapia 'sauteed' (pretty sure it's pan-fried based on how crispy the outside gets) topped with delicious caramelized onions. While it is a bit of an adventure to debone this bad boy, the tender and flavorful meat of the fish is worth working for. This is undoubtedly one of the best fish preparations I've ever eaten. My mom tried the dibi lamb chops, which were surprisingly juicy without being fatty, but I can't say I'd order anything but the Yassa fish after this experience. Gonna get to Le Bercail soon and see how their food compares, but Kilimandjaro definitely knocked this one out of the park. Get there!

    (4)
  • Cass A.

    I'm pretty sure they cast some kind of spell on the grilled fish because it is nothing short of magical. And the prices are unbeatable for sit-down service. A word of advice though, I'm not sure if this is a style of the cuisine, but they are sometimes a little heavy on the raw onions. I like onions myself, but if you are used to we'll cooked onions only you might want to ask them to only use a little (the server is always really nice!) I have tried almost everything on the menu and I am seriously impressed by everything they serve. Bring a bottle of wine and enjoy yourself. Despite the outside, the atmosphere is pleasant. And don't worry, this isn't the type of food that's "for the adventurous only". Even the pickiest will find something they like.

    (5)
  • Alberto S.

    Great food! The grilled pork kebab were perfectly done and delicious. The red snapper was also outstanding. They served up a nice thick red snapper which was enjoyed! Very reasonably priced. Saturday night and the place was BUSY!

    (5)
  • marc e.

    Totally fun. Great food. Friendly service. As authentic as can be ( I think). Yassa fish and ginger juice are my new fav food combo Don't forget to ask for the house hot sauce!!! ( it's a strip mall ethnic restaurant so don't think white tablecloth but think finger licking good and family friendly. )

    (5)
  • Beef M.

    When I ordered the fish, I didn't expect a whole fish, head and tail on. Regardless, I was delighted! Had to resist the urge to tear open my takeout in the car because it smelled so good. The fish and spiced rice were so so so tasty. Amazing flavor... 5 stars.

    (5)
  • Erik P.

    Fish, fish, fish! Wish I knew the secret to how they cook it. Good sized portion enough to share between 2 people, comes with a side of salad. Didn't try the lamb but one of our friends had it and it was just Ok. The fried plantains were pretty good as well as the bissap.

    (5)
  • Mehrnoush S.

    Food is excellent, and very cheap for the quality and quantity! And, the waitress was the politest, sweetest one ever. As the other reviewer had said, the Yassa fish is phenomenal. Be careful, meals are really big. Share!

    (5)
  • Erica M.

    Our meal was incredible. We both commented that the flavors were unlike anything we have had before. Truly phenomenal. I enjoyed the lassa fish and my fiance enjoyed the Senegal chicken. We are self-proclaimed "foodies" and my fiance said this was one of the best meals he's ever had. The fish and chicken were both cooked perfectly, and the flavors were just spot-on. The plaintains were delicious. The ginger juice was also really interesting - I'm glad I tried it, and I'm also glad we shared a glass because I couldn't drink that much of it. Definitely give it a try when (not if) you go.

    (5)
  • Brie P.

    I've been here three times and I have never been disappointed. So far the Yassa with shrimp is my favorite.

    (5)
  • Isaac M.

    Had a great time at the West African/Senegalese restaurant called Kilimanjaro's... The food has an authentic, exquisite taste of African cuisine and the atmosphere is quaint and spacious, Even though it's located between 44th and 45th and Chestnut in a swanky strip plaza next to a Smoke Shop and a Fine Wine & Spirits store in Philadelphia, But it is a cool oasis, hideaway of epic proportions in terms of food wise, As a ethnic, gourmet "foodie" you'll love this place and the menu contains delicious dishes, Everything from Lamb Shanks to Grilled Fish served with vegetables on a bed of white rice, Brown rice and rice pilaf/couscous, etc... The Menu varies. This spot is exceptionally the place to be to enjoy some tasty West African cuisine with some great Bissap, Ginger, Ginger/Mango juice, etc.. To die for, Indeed!!!! So If your ever in the West Philadelphia area, Then stop on over to Kilimandjaro's!!!

    (5)
  • Shereen C.

    WARNING: DO NOT EAT HERE IF YOU DON'T LIKE GOOD FOOD. Kilimandjaro is my new favourite place. I want to eat there every day, every meal. Never had Senegalese food before, but if this is what it's like, I love it. DO NOT COME HERE & ORDER THE YASSA FISH unless you want a delish dish! A whole grilled fish, with a hearty sauce piled on top, made of onion-garlic-lemon-pepper-mustard-carrot, according to the menu. The fish is still moist, but crispy on the outside. Savoury and scrumptious and very very satisfying. Dibi Lamb is good -- it's grilled lamb with sort of an onion salsa on top. Tasty. Lots of lamb. Poulet (Chicken) Senegal is a crispy fried half chicken, with an onion-based sauce, similar to Yassa, but different. The dark meat is juicier than the white meat. Homemade Ginger juice is sweet & very gingery, with a nice kick. yum! Service is charming and friendly. It's quietly attentive, not in-your-face. One person in particular seemed to anticipate our every need. YOU SHOULD NOT GO TO KILIMANDJARO unless you want large portions of delicious food at great prices, great service. Please don't go there and fill up all the seats! I can't wait until the next time I'm back.

    (5)
  • Jacquelyn N.

    LOVE LOVE LOVE this place. I try something different every time I come in and it never disappoints. My most favorite menu item is the Senegalese Chicken. It was simple, juicy, and completely delicious. The food is relatively healthy and I always feel super full with there portions or have to bring some home. Price is just right. Decor is cute, staff is nice, and it's a place me and my husband can agree on (thank goodness!). Good vibes and great food!

    (5)
  • Adam J.

    I have yet to be truly impressed by any of the African restaurants I've been to. While my meal here was fine, overall, I can't imagine returning. For appetizers, we split beef patties and plantains, which were both quite good. The entrees, though, were not as great. My whole fish sautéed with onions and peppers and served with a side of rice was decent. My girlfriend's dish, however - stewed lamb with okra - was completely inedible. The server was very nice, however, and took it off the bill without us asking. My friend got the roasted chicken, which he said was quite good. The ginger juice had a decent flavor, but was incredibly sweet. The restaurant itself was fairly unremarkable, although the service was fairly good.

    (3)
  • Jar K.

    Average. Ginger-ade was the best thing we had. Wait for food once ordered was around 30 minutes. Food was heavily salted.

    (3)
  • Ayana P.

    I love you Kilimanjaro. You are so chill and unassuming. That's what I admire most about you... And your awesome food too. I haven't been to Kilimandjaro in a while. I've been going for a few years now and it never gets old. I've only had their fish dishes. Plantains are perfection and the red sauce over my rice--- mm mm good. It's as good as the Ghanaian food I ate while I was there. Writing this review is making me want some now. Good God Kilimanjaro!!

    (5)
  • Yi Ting C.

    Get the grilled fish, it's amazing! Moist, succulent and spicy tilapia is served with your choice of a side. I had the salad, which was good and simple. The restaurant is located on a strip mall and I was a little skeptical about this but the food was good and the staff were pretty friendly. Try the bissap drink, which is good but a little sweeter than at other places I've tried.

    (4)
  • Bob B.

    Great food. The owners and servers are obviously from Senegal, so I trust that the food is just as authentic. Can't wait to go back for more.

    (5)
  • Eli A.

    Amazing food at this University city African restaurant. The Dibi chicken,samosa, and fish is just the best. I have been coming here for over a year. The Wolof Senegal rice is the best rice I have ever tasted. I would strongly recommend you to try this African restaurant.

    (5)
  • Brian D.

    If I could inject the fresh ginger juice directly into bloodstream, I would. The shopping plaza this place exists in is unassuming. The ambiance inside this place is fairly straight forward, with not a lot of polarizing vibes either way. The food is excellent. The service is, too. Everything was cooked to perfection and at a very agreeable price. Fair warning on the pork chops: H U G E. Best way to eat them is to just pick em up and dive in. You're hands will smell like deliciousness for a day or two afterward. My first time meal equation was as follows: Fresh ginger juice + fried plantains + whole Yassa fish + grilled pork chops = 1 happy couple on date night. Give it a whirl! It's really close by Local 44 as well, which is definitely not a bad after-dinner move.

    (5)
  • Brian L.

    This place is absolutely amazing! The staff are so kind, courteous, and just overall amazing. Food is priced well. This is a gem in west philly. Sketchy at first, but completely worth it! One suggestion is the Tilapia. Hands down amazing!

    (5)
  • Monet E.

    Dear foodies, Kilimandjaro Restaurant will blow your mind with it's unique flavors, textures, and spices. It is an amazing restaurant that specializes in West African food. I have been twice thus far, once during the summer before I moved to Arizona, and just two weeks ago when I visited family on the East Coast for the New Year. The peanut sauce is delectable, the Yassa Fish is out of this world and even the rice is filled with flavor and vegetables. Their homemade hot sauce is spicy and flavorful. I love this place. It is absolutely amazing.

    (5)
  • Hyon Ju P.

    Food is good, have been twice but go only when you have nothing planned afterwards. Service is sloooooow and often can't accommodate even a dinner for two if they already have a semi-large party. People are really nice though.

    (4)
  • Jan K.

    I have never been to Senegal. but have eaten homemade Senegalese meals. This place makes stuff like your mom would if she were an EXCELLENT home cook. Spices and sauces are exotic, but not unfamiliar. A must try app is the meat patties (still shining with oil from the deep fryer, HOT and spicy. The Grilled Tilapia I had appeared whole (including the head) and was quite succulent, but not particularly filling. Fortunately, my wife's half Senegalese chicken was more than she could eat, so with the help of my huge order of red fried rice, I went home full. Daughter was not so adventuresome, so beef Brochette suited her just fine (along with a huge order of plantains.) Service was very friendly and English is spoken well (though French is appreciated.) When we went the TV was on to a soccer game, and lots of local French-speaking Africans were cheering on their respective teams. This is no doubt the kind of experience you would have a continent away, right in a convenient West-Phila strip shopping center (with free parking.) It's small, so try a slightly off-hour, Service takes the amount of time cooked to order takes, so order a delicious Ginger Juice and be patient. You will be rewarded.

    (4)
  • Nisha G.

    Best plantains ever. I always order the Yasa fish with fried rice. Great authentic African cuisine.

    (5)
  • OhSnapItsPelolo S.

    On a quick breakaway to philly - man brought me to this gem from when he used to live in Philly years ago. You could miss it because its stuck in a little shopping mall. Dont miss it. Everything was fresh, delicious and amazing. Fresh ginger juice, Bissap (amazing), nice salad with egg, rice spiced perfectly fried (literally the best Ive ever eaten to date), fresh grilled tilapia (he ate half of mine and his), sauteed vegs, and bomb spiced plantains - should've also gotten the dibi but was stuffed as is. We even went back again on our way up to NY the next day to grab some plantains and rice for the road, would've gotten a jug of the juice if we could! People were friendly, warm and attentive, very comfortable vibe like home. Prices are great. Will definitely stop there anytime we are down by Philly.

    (5)
  • Lenny Z.

    This is the real deal African food. It was awesome. From the moment we walked in, we knew we found the real thing. The atmosphere beamed of African culture, from the decor to the natives who worked there. It's a nice small cozy spot too. We started off with some beef paties. These are not like what you might get at a Caribbean restaurant or in the frozen section of the super market. They're on the smaller side, a lot less greasy, and a lot more tasty. We were both interested in the Poulet Senegal, a chicken dish, but when we found out it was not boneless, we asked if the the traditional African sauce could be combined with the Brochette, a boneless chicken dish, which was served kebab style. And, we got what we asked for. The food was delish. In addition to the entree being so enjoyable, the side of fried plantains was great too. And, it was so much food for such a great price. We will definitely be back.

    (4)
  • Nina B.

    My boyfriend and I love this place!! The yassa fish is my fav. Juices are great too, hibiscus and ginger mmm mmm mmm.

    (5)
  • Qinnan L.

    After reading all the rave reviews on Yelp, I invited a few friends for a small birthday party here. I was expecting great food, and I have to say I was a little disappointed. The portions are humongous, as everyone described, but the flavoring was lacking. I ordered Dibi lamb chops, which seemed overcooked. The plantains, too, were dry and unflavorful. My friends who ordered the tilapia and Yassa fish were really happy with the fish though, although they weren't impressed with the red rice, which tasted essentially like fried rice. We also ordered a round of hot ginger juice to warm up from the cold outside. The juice has a nice kick, although it's difficult to take more than a few sips. The service was a bit slow but good enough. Overall, I wasn't impressed and probably won't try the restaurant again, which is disappointing considering my high hopes for the place.

    (3)
  • Woo K.

    While Kilimandjaro might not look like much from the outside, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of food served. While the service was a bit slow, food seems authentic and makes up for it. Would recommend this restaurant for anyone willing to try new cuisines.

    (4)
  • Dave K.

    The yassa fish came out in a bowl with a heaping serving of salty gravy sauce and sauteed onions. The fish itself was cooked perfectly, but unfortunately the bottom of the bowl was all oil and I was left picking pieces of fish out of an oil soup. This left a heavy, greasy feeling in my stomach for the rest of the night. The plantain appetizer was fried goodness and the ginger juice was extremely potent, but delicious. There was a pleasant spiciness to the juice and I want to say that I got a slight buzz after drinking half of it. Overall good tasting meal, execution needs improvement. Best part....they are located in strip mall with plenty of parking.

    (3)
  • Girish K.

    Tried an African place for the first time and absolutely loved it. The service is a little slow but its totally worth it, I guess they cook everything from Apps to entree's from scratch. A must for food connoisseur who loves to try different cuisines, food is very reasonable and cash only.

    (4)
  • Nisa E.

    The menu is full of delicious seeming options, for meat eaters. If you are vegetarian, there are not a lot of options; you will need to make a meal of sides. The food I had was ok, the portions are generous, I wish they had more to offer vegetarians. Otherwise, the place is a dive, but the staff is friendly, nice seeming people.

    (3)
  • Lori J.

    This place should be on Diners, Dives and Drive-ins. Its a dive. Bring friends. Get the poisson grilled. Try the coktail. Thats how they spell it. AND its ginger juice and hibiscus tea. Huge portions. Also, because it is what it is, you should know that when you order the beef patties even though it says ... #4 $1.50 for a beef pattie, they will bring you 4 and charge you $6. Your friends can eat the others.

    (5)
  • Senta C.

    Friendly, authentic, hot and spicy. We have started with the roasted plantain as an apetizer (YAY), ginger juice, and we had a Yassa fish/chicken as a main dish. Meals are delicious, geneorous, priced reasonably. Wish we could have tasted the whole menu!!!

    (4)
  • Ilana R.

    After reading some great reviews, I finally made it here tonight! Food was amazing, definitely reminded me of my mother's cooking. Love that our waitress was so helpful in recommending anything she thought we would love and spoke French with other patrons coming into the restaurant for dinner! The spicy sauce served with the beef patties is definitely tasty but super spicy!!!! The patties were delish! I highly recomend it...definitely expected different, wait was not long at all - we were in and out within an hour and some.

    (5)
  • Kia D.

    I wanted to take my husband to a late lunch/early dinner for his birthday, something new and different. I turned to yelp and everyone seemed to point me in the direction of Kilimandjaro...well we were not disappointed. Yes the place is in a quasi-strip mall but who cares??? The availability of parking allowed me to give them 3 stars. If you live in or frequent Philadelphia, you are aware of the parking issues in University City and they can be a pain in the backside. Enough about parking, let's get to the food. Ahhh the food, it was truly amazing! We ordered the Vero Shrimp and Plantains as an appetizer. The shrimp were moist, plump, adequate size and tasted very fresh. The plantains are the best I have ever had. I ordered the Mafe, which the hostess/server politely told me how to pronounce the name. I think it is rude to just point at a menu. My husband ordered the Sauce Feuilles and we both ordered the homemade ginger juice. I loved the food! I love the price; total bill came to $37. I cannot wait to go back and try other dishes. This is a great find, thank you fellow yelpers and thank you Kilimandjaro.

    (5)
  • Shakila M.

    I went here with a large group in search of West African food and was pleasantly surprised. Granted, there's not much in the way of veg friendly fare, but I left full and happy. I ordered 3 sides and ended up with a ton of food. The plaintains with an onion sauce were very nice. The steamed vegetables also had a nice flavor. But my favorites of the night were the fried rice and the ginger drink. The rice was nicely spicy and the ginger drink was sweet, with just the right amount of ginger. My fellow diners also enjoyed the chicken yassa and lamb dibbi. The restaurant is not very big and can get crowded, but the service was very pleasant, albeit not speedy. There's lots of take out traffic of the West African variety, which I took as a good sign. Also, the meat is halal. I got that straight from the owner's sister. I'm adding this to my list of great, cheap places to eat in the cut.

    (4)
  • Ashley L.

    GET THE GRILLED TILAPIA and FRIED PLANTAINS. No questions. You won't regret it. Best eating experience I've ever had in university city.

    (5)
  • Sameeha R.

    1st time here me and the hubby absolutely love the food....we tried the lamb, rice, chicken, stream veggies, plantains(which could be a little more sweeter),and there little triangle shape beef patties everything was good!!!...The customer service was beautiful as soon as we walked in the door we were greeted....the air conditioner was down so it was hot but the waitress kept apologizing for that, that was cool.....I highly recommend this place....

    (5)
  • Adam F.

    Kilimandjaro is a bit of a hole in the wall, but the decor is very nice inside. I believe it is Senegalese cuisine, and the flavors are awesome. Start with ginger juice or the other fruit juice - very addicting. Must try the meat patty appetizer, whole fish, and the lamb chops. Plantains are delicious as a side. Don't be afraid to try this place! A true hidden gem in University City.

    (4)
  • Gerard Z.

    The waitress messed up our order. There were some flies in the restaurant. Service wasn't great. But, the food is absolutely delicious, so I don't care. Definitely not for a light meal: beef patties, fried whole fish, lamb dishes are all great. Great BYOB.

    (4)
  • Pratik A.

    Awesome food, awesome service, tilapia fish is the best and loved the kitchen made ginger juice....best place for first time African food

    (5)
  • Desiree K.

    I can't begin to describe how delicious the food is here! I've had everything on the menu...multiple times! The Dibi lamb and the grilled fish is my favorite! The food is great but the service is slow so don't go if you're on a time schedule. You will not be disappointed trying anything on the menu. It's very small and hot inside but it's a small price to pay for great Senegalese food.

    (4)
  • G C.

    One of my favorite new places in Philly. Up there with Cafe con Chocolate. The focus is on great food, not pretension. Very nice server and warm atmosphere.

    (5)
  • Alan M.

    This place is for real. The food and service are over the top. The price can't be beat and the portions are large.This is one of my stand byes.

    (5)
  • Katarina M.

    Good food. We got the buffet for 10 people (it's a minimum of 10 people, for $15 per person, and well worth it for the variety, quantity and quality of food), which is actually not on the menu as an option, and she was surprised that I knew about the option, but was very sweet in allowing us to partake (that was the whole reason we had come!). Buffet comes with salad (good dressing, I want to say a ginger-based dressing, and with hard-boiled eggs is a plus for me), fried rice (not like Chinese fried rice at all...it's just the rice w/ no veggies), plantains with some sort of sauce (good sauce, although I was annoyed at myself that I couldn't place the flavor...wonder what it was...I prefer my plantains a little bit sweeter but they were good), chicken (wish there was a higher chicken to onions ratio, but it was tasty, if not a tad spicy), lamb (good if not a bit fatty), and fish (two whole fish...my first time filleting a fish...very delicious!). Also comes with a pitcher of each drink (I forget the names, but I believe one was a ginger drink and one was a sweet tea), very very veryyyyy interesting/delicious/unique drinks! *note: "Buffet" might not be the best way to describe it...It is NOT all-you-can-eat. It is just one big platter/pitcher of each item that is enough for everyone to have a decent portion of everything. Also ordered the "beef patties" (like little beef empanadas) for appetizer. They were delicious, but a bit pricey in my opinion. Service was lacking, and though it was pretty packed with people coming in and out for take-out, they easily could have checked on our table more. There's the star off for me. There's only maybe 5 or 6 tables total (we took up a whole side of the restaurant with our party of 10). I'll definitely be coming back.

    (4)
  • Dare A.

    Been here a few times now and love it every time ...be sure to try the lamb chops ...delicious

    (4)
  • Ernest S.

    Holy moly. How the hell do they keep things so reasonably priced here? The lamb dish that I ordered had a huge stack of lamb. It tasted a little gamey, but I don't mind that, and overall it was really good. I've also had a grilled fish dinner here that comes out whole. I didn't enjoy this as much as the lamb, as I wasn't very good at getting the fish off the bone, but it is a healthier food option. Plantains are a good side, but get the quinoa, which is some of the best I've ever had.

    (4)
  • Gracie N.

    The small strip mall where this restaurant is located and the area does not do this place justice. For anyone reading this review trying to figure out if the food really is African: the answer is yes. If you've never had Senegalese food before it's actually different from Ghanaian or Nigerian so please do not come expecting the same. Once you enter the place you are greeted by a friendly face and seated immediately. We ordered our food and took it to go. The only downside I may add is the fact this place does not take cards: only cash, but I was prepared for that after reading someone's review. The place has both booth and table seating and everyone there seem to enjoy their food. The prices and the portions were more than fair and generous if you ask me. I can't recall if the place is BYOB or not though, but I will try to take a photograph of the menu on my next visit coming shortly. If you plan on coming to the place with a large company I think it can be done; you just might want to call and give them heads up. This is one of those places were you can tell the locals come and hang out.

    (5)
  • Zachary G.

    I wanted to like this place, and I did, although not as much as I wanted to. We got four dishes for $47 and it fed six adults, with leftovers, so the price was right. The food was good. I've had better West African, however. The lamb was kind of tough, the mafe was good, the yassa was...not the best, although good. I'm not a huge fan of the fish dish, theboudienne, so I'll recuse myself on that. The ginger drink was good but too sweet. Still, the food is quality and the prices are low. I don't know the neighborhood, so I can't compare it to its competitors, but if a place like this existed in Princeton I would eat here all the time. I imagine Philadelphia has more options.

    (4)
  • Biggie F.

    What Shereen C said. This place is so good and so much fun.

    (5)
  • Lailaa S.

    One word Delicious everything we ordered I had grilled lamb& couscous with a side of steamed vegetables the service was very good our server recommended dishes we ordered them and weren't disappointed had ginger juice As a beverage quite good I like this place so much I plan on visiting it at least once a week. I went there this past Monday I had the grilled talapia it was Reeaallly Good never had any so good if you like fish order it you wont be disappointed

    (5)
  • Sarah Q.

    Stopped in for dinner one night after walking past Kilimandjaro for months, and I'm glad we did. The waitress helped us pick out some great dishes. The ginger juice is awesome, very spicy! Overall, good prices, good service.

    (3)
  • Nashira H.

    I found out about Kilimandjaro online a few months ago. Last week I was thinking of places for my 21st birthday dinner; I wanted it to be relatively close to Penn's campus and nice but not expensive to the point of inconveniencing people. I remembered Kilimandjaro and decided to go with them because of all the great reviews. The morning before the dinner I went to the restaurant to make sure they could accomodate my party at the time I had planned. When I saw how small it was I got a little nervous, but they were fine with my party of 12 (it actually turned out to be only 10). The dinner was last night, and it was unforgettably amazing!! After pondering the menu for a while, we decided to go with the buffet (fish, lamb, chicken, salad, rice, plantains and drinks for $15 per person). They only take cash, so 3 of us ended up walking to the CVS on Locust. When we got back, everything was on the table. All the food was delicious. None of us was particularly skilled at cutting a fish but we managed and it was quite tasty. I could only try one of the drinks though, the bissap, because the other two had pineapple and I'm allergic. Our server was very careful to make sure I knew the bissap from the iced tea (they look very much alike). Overall, we had a wonderful time. Everyone kept asking how I found this place; only one person in our group had been before. The food and ambiance were perfect, and the servers were extremely helpful and efficient.

    (5)
  • Marc M.

    Kilimandjaro strikes again! We hosted a guest this weekend from California and we took them here [as we do all friends/guests now] and the food was just knock-out good! Portions are huge but above all the food is just GOOD! Gracious staff makes it worth while too.

    (5)
  • Basant N.

    Love, love, love! This is probably one of my favorite restaurants. Its not like everyday you can find a Senegales place! Kilimanjaro had a good selection of meals with a decent price. I mean where else can you get a juicy rack of lamb chops for 12 dollars? Or their half rotisserie chicken for a similar price. And how about their hibiscus iced tea. It reminds me of home. And their appetizers such as the beef patties, spicy with great flavor. Not to mention their sides. The plantains are a must as well as the cuscus. I've been to Kilimanjaro a dozen of times and I have not been disappointed with the food. I would give this restaurant a 5 but there is one thing stopping me and that is the service time. Be prepared to wait a long time for dinner. I would say this place has gotten a lot more popular since I first started dining there a year ago. The wait time varies and can be as long as 40 min. My suggestion maybe call in ahead of time your order or call and see if they are busy because seating can be limited.

    (4)
  • Jen S.

    Friendly staff and a great meal. We came with a large group and they offered us a "buffet" for 15 a person. It was amazing... whole platters came out to our table with chicken, lamb, whole talapia. They had a ginger drink included which was spicy and a little too sweet but it was tummy to try. Note: no alcohol allowed, but it was ok because we enjoyed the food so much.

    (5)
  • Al I.

    They don't accept restaurant.com certificates even though it's advertised on the website. The manager pointed to a pencilled-sign at the front door that was barely readable. We really enjoyed the food there though, great value for the huge portion and taste. We ordered the beef patties (4 pieces for $5) and it was delicious, very similar to empanadas except for better shells (crispy but not hard). The fried tilapia is my second favorite fried tilapia in the city. We got fried plaintains and fried rice as side dishes for our entrees and were very happy with them. The ginger juice was definitely interesting and worth trying. The service was a bit lacking, but overall, recommended for the food!

    (4)
  • Ryan H.

    Just visited for the first time last night, and they have amazing food, atmosphere, service, and you can't beat the prices! If you're looking for authentic African flavors and dishes, this is definitely a must! The fish is absolutely perfect, the chicken is delicious, and the owner's Senegalese rice is out of this world. the owner also makes her own ginger juice which is absolutely outstanding. I've never had African food before Kilimandjaro and simply put, it was an excellent experience. We'll definitely be back soon!

    (5)
  • Margari M.

    This restaurant is one of my favorite places, but you have to love some spicy food. I've tried several things on the menu and still have a way to go. I'm a big fan of the fried rice, Dibi chicken and lamb chops. They also cook plantains to perfection. The waitress will let you know if they are not ripe, so you won't have any sad surprises. If you love onions, you'll love the Yassa fish. We've taken out of town guests to this neighborhood who have been to West Africa and Senegal and they absolutely adore it. One of the fun experiences is watching the Senegalese music videos playing in the background. Don't forget to try the ultra spicy ginger juice or the super sweet Kilimandjaro ice tea. The prices are really reasonable. You always have leftovers enough for an entire meal. I've never been to Senegal, but I'm dying to go. The staff is always friendly and they give us a warm welcome whenever we come. If you are weak of stomach, then come prepared for tums or something of that sort, because the food is worth it!!

    (4)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :11:00 am - 12

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : No
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : No
    Good For : Dinner
    Parking : Private Lot
    Bike Parking : No
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : No
    Outdoor Seating : No
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : Yes
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : Yes

Kilimandjaro Restaurant

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