Maroccaine Restaurant and Bar — Restaurant in Lagos State

Maroccaine - restaurant, lounge, club.

Warning: this place is addictive.

Expect a mature (male, 35+) crowd.

Situated off Ligali Ayorinde Road in VI (the road leading straight to Oniru Beach), parking is along the street, there is very limited wheelchair access and it is not a place for kids.

The first time I visited Maroccaine, I had mixed feelings. I was taken aback by the set up - a collection of several corners merged as one place, with dim lighting and a plethora of TV screens akin to a sports bar.

It was a Wednesday night, certainly not one of their busy days, and it was about 30% occupied. I have a few guys who visit this place weekly, with the kind of dedication that will make churches green with envy, and I wondered…why this place?

However, the shisha guy assured us that it was a different atmosphere on weekends.

I visited again two days later, and I &felt the vibe, spirit and soul of Maroccaine.

He wasn’t lying, I was hooked.

Imagine a compact packed club, with pure glee and energy radiating from every corner. Middle-aged men and younger dudes dancing with unbridled joy. The music insanely good, the ACs chilling (despite the crowd), fun seekers pouring in non-stop hoping to find some space to stand…at least.

The decor here ranges from vintage to contemporary, gothic to mundane. However, it is original in concept and a tad bewildering. Skull-like contraptions, a toy helicopter, a large fishing net suspended from the ceiling, Bob Marley paintings, etc.

It is a pricey place with an extensive e-menu viewed on a tablet; the cheapest bottle of whiskey - Jack Daniel - is about N50,000. The classic Jameson (green bottle) is N54,000. The seafood pasta I had cost N16,000 but I have to admit that it’s one of the best I’ve had anywhere.

I recommend visiting this place, as an individual or in groups, on weekends - when you will enjoy the atmosphere and energy the most. If you prefer it quiet and solitary, you can...

I enjoyed my entire experience here. We had gone from work to Ntyce but the vibe was off so we decided to use Google maps to find a spot and it led us to Maroccaine. I love the ambience, stayed at the rooftop and it was lovely. I'm ijaw so I appreciate anything that gives off water,sea vibes. Our waitress was sweet, attentive and helpful (helped me select my cocktail). Drinks came almost immediately and food came like 7mins after that, which is great considering how lagos people will use 2hours to prepare wings for you. Overall I enjoyed it and would definitely return.

So I did return and my second time was definitely not the charm. Everything was wrong. Our order took forever to come, we were on our way out when the waitress came to call us back in. The pizza we ordered was trash, couldn't eat past a slice and I was really hungry that evening. Expressed our displeasure to the waitress and she just stood there staring at us. Nah, my friend asked for coffee black with no sugar, just lime. They added...

General: Maroccaine is a lounge sited on Akin Ogunlewe at VI, Lagos. It's owned by some Lebanese guys who have been in Nigeria like forever. It caters more to the middle-aged crowd who appreciate gentle music, good food and somewhere to relax with a pretty lady. Good: Cool location - not too hidden and not too open. Close to Silver Fox, a gentleman's club, should one need a change of scenery. Atmosphere can be counted on to remain the same, so no confusion here for those who know what they want. Friday and Saturday nights provide for mature clubbing. The food is very good. The waiters are friendly enough, no complaints there. The toilet is kept reasonably clean. Bad: Hmmmmm... well, some might consider the decor a bit tacky; I would have preferred some toned down colours myself, it being a lounge and not a club. The food is on the...