Chez Malou Bomboka — Restaurant in Ixelles - Elsene

Non-Local and exploring foodies beware!

As a person of African descent I try not to criticise too much African establishments that may not have the resources to better or improve service or food. Chez Malou has opened a takeaway, bar and renovated the original space. They have the resources to do better but don't.

Service - is non existent. The waiters make you feel like you are inconveniencing them for being there, wait until dishes are on the table to tell you that a main dish ordered is not available. They walk around giving preferential treatment to regulars and friends while ignoring tables of newcomers ( a demographic chez malou should be profiting off of especially being in the expat centre).

Toilet situation - I'm not sure how a food establishment in this covid economy is allowed to run with no running water for customers to wash their hands. Worse is watching the waiter who will handle your food, use that very toilet with full knowledge that they will not have washed their hands.

Food - waiting 1.5hrs for basic at best. 60% of your minu comes drenched in salad cream. Not sure which African country this practice comes from.

There are plenty of other African restaurants to try in Belgium. Save yourself the hassle...

It was my first time going to this restaurant.. As one don't know what to expect during this covid time and past experience with some restaurants that you get served after 1 hour, I and my friends decided to call ahead to make reservation prior to our arrival. And I made it clear when making the order via phone that we are eating there!! Only for us to arrival 30 minutes later, we through the entrance check, they gave us seats and then the drama begins 😀!! First we sat for about 20 minutes before they brought the menu card for the drink. Then someone came, asking again what food! ( At this i was confused) as they saw the order placed via phone and then about 15 minutes later another worker came saying every order made via phone are takeaway 🙄. But they didn't mention that and it wasn't written on their website. We asked hence we didn't know about that what can be done? He said the food has been prepared over an hour ago , and at this point, we have equally spent an hour there waiting to be served a drink. Finally they said they will see what can be done.. it was an...

Hey everyone. There are a lot of negative reviews on here and I would like to ask everyone to please calm down. I want to give my own personal thanks to ‘Chez Malou Bomboka’, because they taught me so much. First, patience: the longer it took for our food to arrive, the more at peace I felt. The tea I ordered, which never came, taught me that things don’t always work out in the way you might expect! Multiple times our neighbors, fellow customers, demanded and pleaded with the staff to bring our food to us, and I just sat there silently, smiling. Breathing. Taking it all in. It was amazing. I learned to live in the moment today, to appreciate what I have, and to not expect something just because you ask for it...