African Lounge — Restaurant in Paris

I long hesitated to give a review for this place after visiting many times but now I feel compelled to do so. The place itself is nicely decorated with an Afro theme and the food is good although overpriced for what they offer (not even staters to munch on as many restaurants with this price range do). The main issue with Africa Lounge is lack of staff training thus rendering the service highly unprofessional. 1 or 2 waitresses do stand out as efficient but overall the majority of them including the ‘host’ need basic hospitality training. From fingers inside the glass to touching server-ware and the host drinking straight out of the bottle from the bar etc… This place suffers from what I would call Nepotism and flagrant favoritism. You can clearly tell that they have their ‘people’ it’s alright but come on, don’t make it so obvious that your other clients actually notice :) Sometimes it feels like a battle to get what you reasonably want even during off peak hours. They would sit you in the most uncomfortable table while 10 others are left open. Tables are so close to one another that you feel confined in your moves plus service is pretty slow. But let’s go back to the Nepotism issue: mind you we go there in groups of 2 or more and never pretend to ask for special treatment. We have witnessed some odd treatments by the staff but the worst of it personally, was when a waitress who had started taking our order, after we were seated abruptly stopped after seeing new patrons she obviously knew, walked up to them, sat them, took their orders and then came back to us. To make a long story short, that evening everything went wrong with our meal that came out… ONE HOUR later even forgetting the appetizers we ordered and making a mistake on the order. “Why do you return” would you ask; Convenience! as they stay open throughout the day and like I stated earlier the food is decent although overpriced. We stopped going there now as we decided it wasn’t worth it anymore because management clearly does not care as they have a clientele who obviously are not as regarding when it comes to service quality. No need to make this longer but I wish the owners could realize that they need to step up their game or keep on deceiving new customers as many...

Reservation was at 9 PM, and we were seated shortly after—things started out looking très bien. But then Parisian dining took a hard left turn into “Bienvenue à the Twilight Zone.” Despite multiple reminders, our drinks didn’t arrive until almost an hour later, showing up at the same time as the food, as if we’d signed up for some avant-garde “Dinner and Drinks Experience” where you have to guess which was supposed to come first. The service? Let’s just say, if there was a French word for “bare minimum effort,” these folks would’ve perfected the art.

And then there was my “gin and tonic,” which arrived as a lukewarm glass of gin accompanied by a classy little sidekick—a can of tonic. Apparently, here in Paris, I’m expected to be my own bartender. Honestly, I think I made the drink faster than our waiter could say “bonsoir.” If this was their way of adding a DIY element to fine dining, I guess I should’ve been grateful they didn’t hand me a skillet and tell me to finish cooking the fish myself.

The food was okay, but by the time it hit the table, I was already halfway to learning French just to write a complaint letter. Maybe the dishes lost their flavor somewhere in the scenic detour from the kitchen to our table, or maybe my appetite had just surrendered, much like the service staff. Overall, not exactly the romantic Parisian dining experience I’d hoped for—unless you’re into long waits, DIY cocktails, and a side of existential dread. Bon...

I visited African Lounge, located at 20 bis Rue Jean Giraudoux, 75116 Paris, on April 22, 2025, around 8:00 PM. The restaurant looked nice, and I was excited to try African cuisine during my trip to Paris. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a deeply disappointing experience.

There was a tall Black waiter (the only English speaking waiter) who treated me with shocking disrespect. As a first-time visitor, I wasn’t aware of the reservation rule, but I was still offered a table. Despite that, he was unnecessarily rude and dismissive toward me, while treating other guests with friendliness and professionalism. It felt deliberate, especially because I didn’t speak French and he clearly knew that.

I ordered white rice and ribs, along with what I believe were lamb chops and a side of jollof rice. But the poor service completely ruined the meal. At one point, he even wiped down my table while I was still seated — without a word or excuse — yet I saw him politely excuse himself before doing the same at another table.

To make matters worse, when I was leaving, I struggled to open the door — he saw me and ignored me completely. I had to ask a customer for help, and thankfully, he stepped in kindly.

It was a humiliating and terrible experience. I won’t be going back to African Lounge Paris, and I’ll be telling everyone I know to avoid it. No one deserves to be treated that way, especially in a...