Bennachin

A Flavorful Hidden Gem in the Quarter Bennachin is a quiet, laid-back spot that serves up rich, delicious flavors straight from Gambia and Cameroon — a welcome and refreshing break from the usual French Quarter fare. The atmosphere is cozy and unpretentious, with a real sense of warmth and authenticity. I had the chicken with spinach and rice, and it was absolutely perfect — tender, flavorful, and deeply satisfying. You can tell the food is made with care and tradition in mind. One of my favorite parts? The waiter casually playing his favorite music videos on YouTube on the TV. It added a personal, relaxed vibe to the meal that made the whole experience feel even more special. If you’re looking to try something different and delicious in a calm, comfortable setting, Bennachin is definitely worth a visit. A true hidden gem!

Tiny hole in the wall place, really good food. We are vegetarians and had never had jollof rice before, so we thought to give this place a shot. Also a bonus that they have a vegetarian section on the menu! The bennachin was the highlight. Loved the flavors and texture of the rice. The plantains were ok. Great experience overall.

This was my first time tasting authentic African food and I was so excited to try fufu for the first time. I was not recommended to this restaurant but I found it on google. I was looking for something different to try for my short trip to New Orleans. The restaurant is easy to miss when driving by but when you walk around the corner on Royal Street, you can smell that delicious food. They had the menu displaued before you walk into the restaurant. They have many selections even vegan options. When I walked in with my parents and brother, I told them it was very homey and welcoming. It felt like I was at an aunt’s or grandma’s house. There was one guy servicing us and a couple other people and he was very kind. Now for the food! I got the Egusi Soup with Beef and Fufu. My parents got the red beans and rice plate and the Jamaican Chicken plate. My brother got the plantains. The Egusi Soup? 12/10! They even give you an option of spicy, medium, or mild. Beef or no beef. It was so delicious! My parents liked their meals too. My brother ate half the plantains before we even left the parking lot. I will be recommending this restaurant to family and friends!

It's a little difficult to find while you are looking for parking, but the food was savory, a little spicy, and that was after asking for no spice, and overall, it was very pleasing. I would definitely go again.

Absolutely a gem! first meal of the year on New Year’s Day at lunch and this didn’t disappoint at all. Visited with my local buddy who lives in NoLa and my other mate who was traveling to hang with me and although there were street closures due to that incident a few hours earlier, it was lovely to find that the restaurant was open albeit understaffed with just one lady bussing and waiting tables. It took about 30 minutes at minimum for the starters to come out followed by the main plates but it was certainly worth the wait.

Incredible food with a nice warm atmosphere. Never have I felt the need to leave a review before but that’s just how good it was.

Bennachin!! Very cool joint to grab some West African Food!! I was dating an adventurous soul at the time that wanted to show me the taste of another continent in our own backyard and this place did not disappoint!!

My husband and I had dinner here and we loved it! The food came out piping hot and was hot throughout the entirety of the meal (which is what I prefer). We loved the atmosphere, it’s like we stopped by our Auntie’s house and had a meal.

Stepping into this restaurant was akin to stepping into West Africa. The chefs and owners are honoring their African cultural roots within this restaurant, by way of the cuisine and surrounding elements. The black eyed pea fritters (akara) were so tasty and appetizing! On the plate there was a light side of tomato sauce which added some great warm and lively touches to the dish! I took my time with this appetizer, in an effort to savor the flavors. The main dish (Ndolè) was out of this world!!!The beef was seasoned so well, and it was honestly nice and juicy!/ It was cooked in ginger sauce and the spinach added a nice touch and balance, as it is a healthy green vegetable. The coconut rice was like nothing i've ever tried before, so light and fluffy, fragrant and altogether tasty! The sweet bread helped cool my mouth down with the tasty spiciness of the dish. The service was on point too! What a treat and New Orleans gem! I am thankful for this restaurant and experience! Cheers!

A lot of intriguing options on this menu. I chose the sisay singho, baked chicken leg and thigh served with fried ripe plantains, sauteed spinach, and coconut rice. Very tasty. The plantains were exactly as advertised and the way I like them. The sauteed spinach was rich and delicious, and the rice was flavorful. I don't know how to describe the seasoning on the chicken but it was a good complement for the rest of the meal. The restaurant is small, the service good. Overall, a solid experience. I'd like to return to try additional food on the menu!

Stopped at this unassuming African restaurant for a snack. It was a small place with just a few tables; my waiter Aki (sp?) was full of a generous spirit and very attentive and helpful. I had the black eye pea fritters and their smoked Turkey gumbo. The fritters were impressively fluffy for being 100% black eyed peas. The red dipping sauce was fresh and just a little bland, but the Gumbo is some of the best I've had in the city. Many assume that New Orleans would be great at gumbo and crawfish, but I haven't found this to be the case; even Revolution's 'death by gumbo' (supposedly a standard) tries a bit too hard. I have no doubt that the chefs at Revolution have the ability to make a great gumbo, it's as if they tried a bit too hard though. However, Bennachin's gumbo was different with a deep smoke flavor from the smoked Turkey wings and an okra taste that only be recognized as such if you are familiar with boiling down Okra until it disintegrates. When you do this it thickens the gumbo and imparts an unmistakable flavor that should be essential for every gumbo base. It wasn't overly dark where you start to get a burnt taste, and not too thick. It had a wonderful aroma and a perfect amount of spice. A true comfort food. I requested to enter the kitchen and chat briefly about the gumbo preparations and compliment the chefs which I found to be extremely welcoming and I trust that I conveyed properly how much I enjoyed the gumbo. I look forward to returning to try some other items.

So this is a hidden gem in New orleans- we were visiting city for a long weekend and was tired of eating all the fried food- This place has the most yummy healthy options right in middle of Bourbon street. Great food and best service- Portions are always very generous. One of the best african food ,i've ever had. MUST try in New Orleans.

They have some vegan options, so we decided to try them out for dinner after our other choice for the night proved infeasible. First time trying Gambian and Cameroonian cuisine, so that was somewhat exciting. We were seated right away, but it took about 15 minutes to have our order taken, despite being reassured that he'd come to us soon. We were about to leave when he finally took our order. We got: -Black-eyed pea fritters ($8). These seemed like donuts but without the sweetness, or much saltiness or much seasoning in general. What saves this is the tomatoey dipping sauce served with it. Decent appy, but not terribly exciting. 3/5 -Lentil soup ($9). The picture looks bland, but this was anything but: salty, with a nice sort of gingery, crunchy character to it. Really liked this soup. 4/5 For our mains, we split: -Jama Jama ni Makondo / Sauteed spinach, fried ripe plantains, and coconut rice ($18). -Kone ni Makondo / Black-eyed peas in onion and tomato stew served with coconut rice and fried ripe plantains ($18) The sauteed spinach was like creamed spinach, and you get a lot of it to accompany the coconut rice. The black-eyed peas were much more flavourful than I've had them in soul/creole food, being cooked in a lightly spicy, tomatoey sauce. Quite tasty. The fried plantains on each plate went with the rice really well, adding a light sweetness and different textural element to the plates. Quite nice. 3.5/5 Other than the slow service, this was a nice experience. Worth a visit if you're curious about this kind of cuisine.

i love the food here! the staff is always so polite it's a real hole in the wall spot but always worth the trip to the quarter. the food comes out just like the picture. the food is very authentic even the spicy is not so over bearing you can't taste the food. we had an over all good time and will be back.

We went to Bennachin on March 13th the waiter was so sweet and the style of the restaurant was very in keeping with the theme of the food. We had the Cope Ni Cone, the Fufu, Apricot Lamb and the Cope Ni Makondo. Everything was so good. But I really enjoyed the spices of the Cope Ni Makondo.

Unfortunately the food was poorly seasoned and tasted very bland. I wouldn't recommend if you're looking for authentic African food. The service was great but unfortunately the food was not worth it.

From walking in the door I just knew the food was gonna be amazing. The service and atmosphere were great. The food was fresh, seasoned, and it came out steaming! I love when you can see the steam coming off the plate. Def will be back, I ordered have my order picked out. And yes I got the Fufu; loved it!!!

Great food! Couldn't ask for better service or ambiance. I had the fish and it was the best in the area.

Very informal casual place. Food took a while to be served but tasty. We ordered the African jambalaya with tilapia, it was good! The Jamaican jerk chicken was very yummy too. The vegetarian dish was ok. Good service and ambiance!

Came here because I really wanted to try fufu and it didn't disappoint! I got the egusi soup with fufu and it was delicious. The server was very kind, and the atmosphere was great. Everything felt very authentic

I have at least one meal at Bennachin every time I visit NOLA! They have delicious food and a variety of vegan and vegetarian selections. The staff is always friendly and helpful, the atmosphere is calm and delightful.

Bennachin offers African style food inspired by Gambia and Cameroon with offerings that include vegan and carnivore options. Bennachin opened up back in 1992 and has grown a dedicated local following along with being discovered by tourists looking for something a bit different in the French Quarter. Bennachin has definitely been among New Orleans favorite ethnic food options and when you're in the mood for something a little bit different from the typical offerings in the New Orleans area Bennachin can offer some good options to satisfy your cravings. Overall this is an interesting place with many good options for some food you don't typically find in the area. My video review of Bennachin Restaurant is here: https://youtu.be/t9LJFg7LQbE

Was in the mood for African food and came across this restaurant. A small cozy place with roughly 10 tables tucked within Royal Street. I ordered Nigerian Egusi Soup, akara, fufu and wonjo zinger. Roughly $30 for everything. The wait time was about 10 minutes from ordering to delivery of food which was dine in. The akara was hot and fresh simply delicious. The egusi soup was a first for me and it was just okay. Spicy but not overpowering but the beef was really tough and strong as was the spinach/dandelion greens. It gave off a strong earthy aroma that I did not care for. The wonjo zinger was a nice refreshing drink not too sweet or thick as soon of the others I've tried. Overall, I enjoyed the visit and food. I'll definitely try them again and give it a second try.

I walk by Bennachin on the reg but never gave it a try but yesterday decided it was time. It's a small local place so I'm not thrilled to give a less than stellar review but the food just wasn't interesting and dare I say bad. My vegetarian entree wasn't cheap about $18 which was a lot for some cous cous cauliflower and broccoli. I only ate about 5 bites and had enough, I ordered medium spicy and while it was spicy it had no flavor almost like they used frozen vegetables, and maybe they did. The shrimp dish ordered wasn't much to talk about either. While the man taking order was nice he wasn't efficient forgetting my drink and one of the sides we ordered (and at the time we were the only ones in the establishment). I won't be back.

Service and food were great! This is a small little restaurant in New Orleans. Several dishes are able to be made vegan.

A good choice at the calmer end of the French Quarter. With multiple good vegetarian/vegan options we enjoyed our well seasoned, reasonably priced dinner. In the background of this smaller comfortable restaurant we also enjoyed the music of West Africa. Everything we ordered was good; starting with the Akara (black eyed pea fritters). For the Baham, the ginger sauce was ordered spicy and it was perfect; neither overly hot or timid..perfectly complementing the vegetables. My partner ordered the Bikai curry mild and again, it perfectly complemented the vegetables. The meals did not need alcoholic beverages to complement them; although I believe you can bring your own if that is important to you. Call first to make sure I'm right about this. Especially for vegetarians, definitely try to enjoy a meal at Bennachin while in New Orleans.

This is one of the worst meals I've ever had. I'm not one to write reviews, especially negative reviews, but if I can prevent someone else from having the negative experience we had, it will be worth it. The food was tasteless and the meat was so tough it was hard to chew. Extremely disappointing especially when there are so many great options in this city.

We were recommended this place at the swamp tour and it was amazing! The restaurant is super cute and everyone was so friendly/kind! The food was AMAZING! One of my new favorites in New Orleans and such a gem! If you are in the French quarter, you should visit! It will not disappoint.

Very nice service and good is amazing people in the restaurant are nice and people tried to give up their seat for us it is amazing in New Orleans

good African food worth the try and price is affordable. Good location as well.... No parking tho

No wait that's good friendly staff that's good. Didn't have to wait long for food and ambiance was nice. The dishes aren't done traditional Gambian or Cameroonian style and we are West Africans. The Thiéboudieune was done with fillers which tasted like the store bought. Senegalese Gambian fish never served like that. Flavor was OK. Best and only dish of my parts that were enjoyed were the drinks, fish pie, and okra soup. I saw many Mzungu happy with their dish and maybe that's who their main customer is but Africans will know the difference.

This was one of the most delicious meals I've ever had! Highly recommend this place, I got the Cope ni Makondo. The chicken was juicy and the glaze was savory, I got it mild and it had a good kick. Bread was delicious, so were the plantains, and received a hefty amount of rice. Everything tasted fresh!

This is a cute little spot. I got takeout, and it was good. I appreciate how many vegetarian options they have. I also like that you can order online.

Amazing food and service!! They have great vegan options, everything was so delicious we ate there 2/3 nights of our trip to New Orleans and we just might go back tomorrow. The fried plantains are the best I've ever had and our server was very welcoming and friendly! The vegetarian entree with black eyed peas and rice was my favorite :) Will definitely be back!!

My heart breaks as I write this because the food was 4.5 5 star worthy but the service was terrrrible for dinner. Small spot with humble authentic west African ambiance in the restaurant. All our dishes were super flavorful and obviously made to order. We had the black eyed pea fritters, Jollof rice and Ndole both made vegetarian- hearty portions that left us both happy and full. Red zinger tea was too sweet for me but still good. Waitress was sooooo uncomfortably dismissive- we felt extremely unwelcome, there was not even a smile or eye contact throughout our whole meal. Given this is a unique spot featuring a cuisine that's probably new to a lot of patrons, it's such a shame service didn't match quality of food.

One of my favorite meals we had in NOLA. A smallish, no frills spot with a cozy inside, TV playing, a kitchen u walk past to get to the bathroom. Perfect vibes. It was my first time trying gambian/cameroonian food and i really enjoyed. The kone ni makondo black eyed peas and the bikai ni curry were so good together. My personal fav was the curry, it had such a nice flavor and i recommend it w the cous cous and spicy!!! Lovely with cayenne pepper sprinkled. The entrees come with small rolls, incredibly soft, that u can soak up the sauce with. And if ur meal doesnt come w fried plantains, why not order them!! The type of meal you are just deeply satisfied w after.

Bennachin was a really nice find in the French Quarter! This was my very first experience with West African cuisine and this family run restaurant was absolutely great. I love plantain based dishes that I have tried in other ethnic cuisines and therefore I ordered the Doh Doh (the fried ripe plantains). The plantains were really well made and served with a tomato based sauce. The quantity of plantains was plenty and they serve you enough for you to be able to share it with your table. In addition to the plantains, I had the Sisay Dourang for my main meal. Sisay Dourang is a boneless chicken dish that is made in a roasted peanut sauce served over rice. The flavors were unique and I felt very full and satisfied after my meal. In addition to this, I was also able to try Fu-Fu (Pounded Casava) that my friend ordered and it is amazing that they were able to have this very authentic West African dish on their menu. Another great thing that Bennachin does is that they can make some of the dishes they have Vegan which allows for Vegan friends to also have plenty options to choose from in the menu. Definitely would like to come back in the future!

I've been wanting to try Egusi soup for a long time but being Vegan it seemed I would have to make it myself until I found Bennachin. Crazy thing is I'd been here before years ago with a friend of mine because it was her favorite place to eat. Needless to say the vegetarian options are amazing and I love going. The food is always hot, served to order, and service is good! The jollof rice is amazing too. 10 out of 10!

We used to live around the corner from Bennachin when it was located in Mid-City. My favorite NOLA restaurant hands down. Simple yummy food, and Afrobeat music. What else do you need?

I've never had African dishes before, this was so delicious. Right amount of sweet, spice and savory. If I could fly back to NOLA just to eat at Bennachin again I would.

Great gem. Everything tastes fresh and very flavorful. The price is fair also long with great friendly service.

I love the set up of Bennachin! They have a table set up near the window that's facing Royal street, so you can people watch and enjoy your meal (similar to dinner in a movie, but in a less socially accepted way). There's limited space on the inside, but they do have large tables, so a small groups are welcomed! They have lunch specials priced at about $11 a plate. I ordered the plantains, black-eyed peas, coconut rice, and a roll (can't remember the name of the dish). They have multiple vegetarian/vegan options, so the dish will not have any meat, but all of the savory flavors are PRESENT! try one of them!! The plantains were the first to go!! They were sweet and soft--they practically melted in my mouth. The light stew from the black-eyed peas in tomato based and tastes great with the rice. The roll was SOFT and perfect! The waiter was very nice and gave us peppermints with out bill. It's understood that street parking in the French Quarter sucks, right? I parked about two blocks away in the free, 2-hour parking, residential area. The meter maids are very active on that street, so beware!

Never had African cuisine...but I was feeling adventurous and thank god for trying new things! Right!?!? After consulting the friendly gentleman inside...thank you for your patience sir...I went with #18 ndole....beef, spinach, coconut rice, fried ripe plantains, dinner roll. Delicious! Think...amazing, substantial, filling, home cooked meal...it was very comforting...didn't feel/taste commercial at all...the sort of feeling you have with an amazing pot roast! Lol I will be back....soon!

This place was absolutely awful. Food was bland, yet oversalted. Sauteed spinach and broccoli we're basically sitting in pools of salt. The Apricot lamb had no flavor (was supposed to have ginger and garlic sauce). Was clear that the meat itself was also not seasoned. The akara had no flavor. The plantains were served covered with the same tomato sauce the akara was served with. Here's the kicker: my wife and I spent the next few days ill from food poisoning! What a way to ruin most of our vacation! Additional points: service was subpar and the restaurant was super hot inside. New Orleans has some tremendous food and restaurants. This is not it. Avoid this place.

Lousy food, bad customer service. We didn't like one of our meals, and they refused to take it off the bill. However, it did not say no refunds on the menu. And It was not posted in the restaurant or that we couldn't return a meal. The meal in question was the Apricot lamb meal, which was ordered with coconut rice, instead it came out with couscous and no apricot flavor anywhere. My daughter cut a bit off of the lamb, just to taste it and we immediately called him over. The old guy that took the order proceeded to yell at me and stand next to the table and stare at me. Then tell me about karma. Not the way to treat a customer, Karma is now called YELP and reviews.

If you're in the area and are looking for really good African food, I'd highly recommend that you try Bennachin. They have excellent options for vegetarians and the shop was cozy and had beautiful interior design. The wait was a little long though, it seemed like they had just one person attending to all the tables that day. We sat with couple by the window (with their permission of course) since it was taking a while for us to get seated. The food was completely worth the wait. I wish there was a Bennachin's nearby where I live. Next time I'm in New Orleans I will definitely pay this place a visit. Thank you!

What a supreme spot in the sense that it is small, but very welcoming, chill, cheap and delicious! And boy oh boy, so many vegetarian choices for a vegetarian looking for West African cuisine. We also had enough food for a whole other meal the following day. It's freshly prepared, so the food will take a while. The African herbal tea, was delicious, and I don't know what they do to the ice tea, but I wish I could buy them bottled as well. I have not had many successful experiences of ordering iced tea in New Orleans, but the ice tea here made me think that Japanese Oolong tea married a barley tea and had a baby! It was so delicious and very thirst quenching. I highly recommend this place for its ambience, warmth and delicious food.

This place is a gem!! Delicious authentic food with lots of delicious vegetarian options and very friendly staff. One of my favorite places in NOLA so far :)

The food was great, enjoyed it with my oldest daughter that was visiting from Alaska.

This is a gem! The food was so very flavorful and delish. I cannot believe this was my first time here. We definitely will be back to try another plate! The beef, spinach, coconut rice and fried plantains we're on point! Kudos for making it through the pandemic!

First time trying this restaurant. Good size portions, a little pricey, but good customer service. I ordered the chicken and broccoli and rice, mild. Will def. return.

I enjoyed this place and they have good menu, the recipes are simple but have good flavor. Meat rice, vegetables and spices. They have many combinations. Don't let the fact that is a African recipe dissuade you. This is a flavor adventure worth trying. I had the the Beef and kale with ginger and plantains dish. It was good the beef was slight over done. But all my family said their chicken dish #33 was really good on flavor and mixture. I'd your paleo like my brother then they just add some extra broccoli. I will be back for another taste of African food.

So why would I back to Bennachin Restaurant? It's easy. I got a warm greeting as I walked into this small cozy restaurant on a Monday morning just after they opened their doors. Taking a seat, I explained to my server that it was my my first time trying this cuisine. I really appreciated that he took a couple minutes to walk me through the moderately priced menu, placing some emphasis on the $10.95 Daily Lunch Specials. I choose the Cope Ni Cone which is a simple West African dish of boneless white chicken chunks with broccoli florets sautéed with a mild ginger sauce. It's served over white rice with a sprinkle of cayenne pepper to bring the heat up to the level of your choosing. It comes with a fist sized roll which was very fresh and soft. Now the first few bites of my Cope Ni Cone were almost bland tasting but the heat and flavor built up as I worked my way through it. In any case, it was a healthy, delicious and filling meal. I also got a hot cup of Barajambo tea ($2.50), which was a flavorful compliment. I passed on dessert as there as only one waiter on the floor and he was really getting popped by about 11:30. Maybe I'll save that for a future visit. My first African food adventure was a good one so I'm giving them 4 Stars. A Few Things You Need To Know: It's a small restaurant seating about 20 people. Go early if you can. The menu is very vegetarian friendly. They don't serve pork but beef, chicken, lamb and seafood options are all available.

I stopped in on one of strolls through the fq and got the Sisay dourang/boneless chicken and it was some of the most delicious chicken and gravy over rice I've ever had. I also got the black eyed pea fritters w/red sauce. Light, fluffy and tasty. I'd definitely recommend this place

Rarely have I ever waited longer to try a restaurant, as I identified it as one of the few vegetarian-friendly places in the French Quarter on my first visit to New Orleans some years ago. It was much what I'd hoped, a small hole-in-the-wall place on a quiet street but not far from any other area in the Quarter one might be wandering in. I was quite happy to try a sandwich based on fried black-eyed pea patties; falafel is delicious, and Indian fried lentil creations are delicious, so I don't see why every cuisine doesn't try frying whatever beans they have handy. The tomato stew it came in was flavorful, and the baguette it came on very New Orleans. A ginger drink I got on the side was just that: very strongly gingery. It's not a quick meal, but it's also not too bad in price for where it is. I've tried to visit before and found in closed during business hours once without explanation; a big no-no for me, and something a weary traveler would do well to check on before visiting. That being said, having finally visited I was quite satisfied.

Love the authenticity of the food! Best fufu in the city and their coconut rice is mouth watering!

A tiny spot with some interesting food. Any time I spot a cuisine I have never had (or had only once or twice) I am probably going to drop in and try it. We had lunch here and it was very tasty. The fritters and jama jama were delicious. The crowd was pretty light for our lunch visit. Service was great.