Hakuna Matata Kitchen & Bar

Been waiting for this place to open!!! Right on the NW corner on 12th and H street this beautiful restaurant sits. I’m so impressed with what they did with the interior space here, they did a really good job. The service here is amazing !!! The server, host, bartender, and owner/chef all lovely people!! Now the food— it was amazing!! The grilled beef was just incredibly flavorful and the beef Samosas have soooo much flavor! Everything was delightful! The portion sizes are more than generous and I can’t believe the value here! I hope they stay open for a long long time. I can’t wait to come back and try everything else they have to offer! Thanks again to everyone at Hakuna!

They have been in a soft opening for about a month now so they still have some kinks to fix. Which is ok. Better to start building and getting feedback now. I had the goat. There are two on the menu so the none spicy one. It comes with coconut rice. The rice was really dry not the best coconut rice I’ve had and I’ve tried a lot from different African restaurants. The goat was tender/seasoned well. My friend had the same order. They were out of a lot of other stuff when we got there. We made reservations for 7 on a Friday so interesting that they were already out of stuff on Friday night there was only one other party in there. Ambiance is cool music is nice but depending on the crowd it could get loud very quick. This couple showed up towards the end of our meal chatting with the bar tenders and it was LOUD. My friend is soft spoken so I couldn’t hear her at all. I could see this being an upbeat/loud atmosphere on Fridays when more folks learn it’s open Pricing is reasonable. With tax we each spent $33 we didn’t order alcohol though

We were really happy with our whole experience here. It was a quiet Wednesday on the early side. Our server was pleasant and chill, knew a lot about the food, food was excellent and well timed and prices are reasonable for the quality. The only thing was they were out of several items on the menu but that didn't stop us. Definitely recommend!

Very excited for this long awaited addition to the neighborhood. They hosted us as a party of 15+ and each dish was freshly prepared and very tasty. The service was very responsive to dietary needs and questions. We were sad to see Cusbah go, but many of these East African dishes have an Indian flare, so it will be one of our new go to places on H.

Been to many African restaurants in DC but the FOOD here is definitely the best I’ve ever had. Make it a must to ask for the goat stew!!! It’s delicious😋😋😋😋. My partner had the fish___ he love love loved it!!! 5 stars from me!

We visited Hakuna Matata Kitchen & Bar on H Street during their soft opening. It’s a laidback spot featuring chill Afrobeats. Shout to owner Paul and the crew, Nesto and Amelia, for being super friendly and welcoming. The goat stew and fried whole fish were both awesome. Their wine list has some cool South African picks, including nice Chenin Blanc. The mango ice cream is definitely worth a try. Looking forward to being back soon after the grand opening.

The food was absolutely amazing and the overall ambience of this addition to H St was much needed! Honorable mention: Kayla who provided exceptional service and went beyond expectations. Run to Hakuna Matata Kitchen & Bar!

This is an African resturant, I just received my food. I did come close to closing and I didn’t taste me food yet, was told I have to take it home which is cool with me. What puzzled me is this business is managed by a White woman who doesn’t fit the vibe and energy of the space which is the strangest thing for me and it makes me question this places authenticity. I hope this place gets it together but already they are making bad decisions.

Stopped here for cocktails and I already want to come back for some food. The restaurant itself is super cute and quaint with an awesome outdoor patio. The cocktails were delicious, definitely recommend the Sautisol. Bartender was meticulous in making our cocktails and was super friendly. I hope this becomes a permanent staple on H street.

Had an early dinner at Hakuna Matata before a show at the Atlas. I was excited to try this new place and was curious since there weren't any food reviews or many pictures online. I'm very glad that I chose this restaurant! First, the food was delicious and flavorful! It also came quickly. The two of us shared the fried whole fish in coconut sauce. The sauce was amazing, as was the pepper sauce that came on the side. For sides we got the sukuma wiki (collard greens) which were fresh and perfectly cooked-- flavorful without being overly spiced. The greens were allowed to be the star. We also shared the mchuzi wadengu (yellow lentil curry) which could have been a star all on its own and went nicely with the white rice that came with it and the fish. We also had a side of fried sweet plantain-- wonderfully sweet, perfectly fried and not oily. We both got the refreshing hibiscus-ginger drink. Not overly sweet and a perfect blend of the hibiscus and ginger. For dessert, we shared the custard cream and I got the masala chai. I was surprised when the generous bowl of warm vanilla custard, that tasted like a warm hug on a cold day, came with two yummy slices of pound cake on top. The chai was perfect (for me)-- not overly sweet, and very peppery-- which left a lingering feeling of warmth in my belly. Sorry, I was too distracted with actually eating to get pictures of the custard/cake and chai. The service was a bit disorganized, which is not unusual in a new restaurant still trying to find its feet. But all the servers were friendly and accommodating. The chef even came out to greet us and ask how everything was! All in all, I will definitely go to Hakuna Matata again. I'm hopeful that they will start to better promote themselves and that the wait staff will settle into their roles.

currently hakuna matata is in their soft opening stage, so with that, they are still working on a few things like hours of operation && other items. what a great time && it's super cute inside! i didnt go further than the bar but i definitely let my eyes wander. amelia (the foh manager) was super sweet and was willing to let us get a drink although they were closing in 10 minutes. they allowed my friends to come inside && meet me too. so i cant wait to go back and try their food (which i heard is amazing)!