Teranga African Restaurant

My 12 yr old daughter and wanted to celebrate Day 3 of Kwanzaa (Collective Work and Responsibility) by patronizing an African restaurant. Teranga had great reviews on food atmosphere and service, the reviews were spot on. Our host greeted us upon entering, we selected our own seats (near the window). This Sunday evening brought in diners, the place was packed yet seating was available upon entry. Our 1st time we ordered 1 main dish: Chicken Yassa that came with 2 sides, we had the jollof rice and futu and 1 drink Bissap. This was enough food for 2 and we had a little left over. Our food was delicious, came out hot and served without delay. We were served by the Owner Pierre Thiam, and I'd like to acknowledge this gentleman's hard work and commitment to his business and culture. We will return for the great food and genuine charm. We recommend Teranga for anyone seeking to experience authentic African cuisine.

Teranga African Restaurant is an absolute gem! I’ve eaten here twice now. The food is fresh, flavorful, and beautifully authentic, the kind of West African cooking that warms your heart. As a West African myself, every bite brings me back to the dishes I grew up with. The Yassa Chicken is tangy and perfectly seasoned, the Dibi Lamb is tender and smoky, and the Fataya is one of my personal favorites, crispy on the outside with that delicious spiced filling. Don’t miss the fried plantains, couscous, Jollof rice, and of course the fish dishes, which taste just like home. What makes it even more special is the hospitality, and customer service with passion and humility. You can feel that love and authenticity in every plate and every interaction. Highly, highly recommend.

I had such a wonderful experience here! The food is very, very good – full of flavor, fresh, and beautifully presented. Every dish tasted homemade with so much care. The staff were welcoming and friendly, and the atmosphere felt cozy and inviting. If you’re in Chicago and want to try authentic Senegalese cuisine, this is definitely the spot. I’ll be coming back again and again!

Yummy! Get the ginger drink and the Yassa. The lamb dishes were so good. The service was so nice. The starters (fataya and Accara) were both equally good. I would definitely get them again.

Excellent food at Teranga! The quality of food was great, the service was excellent and the portions were right. Elhadj is a great host. We took the Yassa and Mafé and were delighted. We are happy to have African hospitality, culture and food around the corner 🙌🏼

Teranga's food and service was really outstanding. I thoroughly enjoyed the sides, especially the cabbage and vermicelli. Everything was spiced to perfection. The owner is very friendly, as well! Not pictured: Bissap. This beverage was so tasty!

First time trying Senegalese food and it was delightful! I was recommended the dibi dish and my oh my was it delicous! Great service and great atmosphere! Highly recommend this place!

Delicious food, warm hospitality. A friend and I tried the Mafe Chicken, Soupe Kandia, and Yassa Red Snapper. Everything was bursting with flavor, especially the Soupe Kandia and the fish! Great variety of sides as well, including white and Jollof rice and plantains.

Dinner at Teranga was an absolute pleasure. The food was wonderful. Hospitality (more than just service) amazing. Atmosphere friendly and comfortable. The appetizers were great. Fataya (like an empanada) was flaky and the the filling (which included salmon, but didn't have a fishy taste) was wonderful. The accara were a highlight and should not be missed. They are black-eyed pea fritters. Fluffy and light. Great tastes. I never had anything fried so lightly as this. The appetizers were both served with two sauces which were great. One was very hot- (4 on a 1-5 scale according to ElHadj, the owner and host) - perfectly enjoyable. The other was sweeter and full of onions and tomato. He called it a 2 on his scale. Both complemented the appetizers beautifully. Mains were generous portions of stews of different types. Well, stews might not be the best description. I had Soupe Kandia, with a base of okra (frankly l, I couldn't distinguish the okra because it was cooked so well into the dish). It had shrimp and lamb, and lots of marrow bones . The description on the menu doesn't do the dish justice. If you enjoy lamb stews, you'll love this. Our friend had the Yassa with tilapia. It came out with a whole fish and she worked through the bones to enjoy a wonderfully cooked fish with a great traditional lemon-mustard seasoning. I wish we were in picture taking mode. It was beautifully served. My partner had the Mafe - a peanut based stew with chicken. She enjoyed it and has a lot left for lunch today. All the entrees came with a choice of sides. There is a great selection-including white rice, Jolloff rice, couscous (2 types ), plantains and more. They had sold out of the Joloff rice earlier due to a large order). The white rice was actually the only disappointing part of the meal for me. A little dry and lifeless. But it went well with the stew anyway. The African drinks were refreshing. I had a ginger drink which tasted like it had just been squeezed from fresh ginger root. Tasty. I was surprised to learn that a Teranga was very new. It looks beautiful and is very comfortable. I almost hate to leave a good request because I'd like it to be able to stay the way it was. ElHadj told us he wants it to be a very friendly place and he certainly made it friendly for us. I hope he is able to handle the eventual crowds because the food and style will attract more as the word gets out. Get there soon before there are lines out the door!

We stopped in at Teranga during their soft open so the entire menu wasn't available but all I wanted was some yassa and I got it lol This is a lovely space right across from the Bryn Mawr red line stop; the food was good and the service was even better. My plantains were a little too charred but I'm not tripping on it! Come get you some delicious Senegalese food - you won't regret it!

The food was actually so so sooo yummy!! I am such a big foodie and took my friend here to try the food and cuisine, and this really did make both of our nights so magical! The place is also so very beautifully decorated, and the service was super quick! The owner of the store is also such a great person, I would 100% recommend and will def be frequenting this place

I've tried the rum punch and side car and they were both delicious. I've tried the jerk chicken tacos, Rasta pasta, seafood pasta and they were amazing. I've even tried the shrimp egg rolls and the cabbage and shrimp were well seasoned. I've been to the restaurant twice in one week. Please try them out.

I'm new to Senegalese cuisine, but the food was delicious for an Irish| German American! I liked the heavy pungent essence of my Lamb Curry. A very different curly than an Indian curry. The menu is in SenegalI with a lot of small print explanation in English, so bring you reading glasses! Oh, and Chicago size portions, one entree is enough for two.

My interaction with the owner has been a pleasant experience and I intend on trying this establishment again! I love Senegalese food.

This was a fabulous experience. My first time eating African food & by no means did this place disappoint. The curry dishes were great. Fruit drinks were awesome. & the star of the show were the black eyed peas fritters. Cuisine is exactly what one should look for when being introduced to their culture. As far as the atmosphere, it's quite cozy. Not too spacious, so it'll never feel crowded & our host Elhaj (sp?) Was oh so accommodating. One heads up though. Their peanut stew (which is what I came for) is their most popular dish, so they were out of it when we arrived. But Elhaj stepped up & made a fresh batch for me to take home at the end of dinner ON THE HOUSE. Highly recommended place to dine.

This place was amazing! Outside of Ethiopian food, I haven't found many great restaurants serving sub-Saharan African cuisine in the Midwest. Teranga is exceptional though. I loved the atmosphere, the friendly service and the outstanding food.

.I was there on only the 3rd day that they opened. They did not yet have their full menu but they did have the lamb, tilapia and red snapper. I love lamb and had that. I have never had Senegalese food before. They did a fine job on the lamb. I also had one of their wide range of special beverages. I had the ginger. It was very strong, a definite sipper. I like ginger and will have it again. The prices were about $2 more than I usually spend but I don't ever find lamb on the menu and it is a more expensive meat and their portions were generous. Next week they get in the other meats like chicken and beef. They will also have peanut sauce. I must try that as it is one of my favorite foods. I am also looking forward to the fufu as it is my favorite African side dish. I chatted with the owner. When I bragged about Vietnamese coffee and he told me that Senegalese coffee is not like any other including spices. I am excited to try that next time and there will be a next time