Yakoyo Abula Joint — Restaurant in Lagos State

Yakoyo Abula Joint: A Review

Yakoyo Abula Joint, located on Ogunlana Drive in Surulere, is a popular destination for authentic Nigerian cuisine, particularly its famous amala and abula. The restaurant has a reputation for serving delicious, affordable local dishes in a clean, though often bustling, environment.

Ambiance and Vibe

Yakoyo has recently moved to a new building across the street from its old location, and the change has brought a more modern, organized feel. While it maintains the "buka" style of open kitchens and a lively atmosphere, the new space is larger and features an air-conditioned upstairs seating area, which is a major plus. The environment is described by many as a good blend of a local eatery with a more upscale feel.

Food and Price

The star of the show at Yakoyo is undoubtedly the amala. Reviews consistently praise its incredible softness, which pairs perfectly with the traditional ewedu and gbegiri soups. The goat meat and assorted proteins are also popular choices.

A key highlight is the affordability. A portion of amala is very pocket-friendly, and you can get a filling meal for a very reasonable price. This makes it a go-to spot for both a quick bite and a larger meal with friends.

Service and Experience

The staff at Yakoyo are generally described as friendly and efficient, especially the counter staff who are well-organized despite the high volume of customers. However, be prepared for long queues, especially during peak lunch hours. The restaurant is very popular, and the crowd is a testament to the quality of the food.

It's a "no-frills" kind of place in that you go there for the food, not necessarily for a quiet, long dining experience. Some reviews mention issues with the cleanliness and functionality of the restrooms, which is something to keep in mind.

Final Verdict

If you're in Surulere and looking for some of the best amala in Lagos, Yakoyo Abula Joint is a must-visit. The food is delicious, the prices are fantastic, and the new location offers a more comfortable dining experience. Just be ready for a crowd, especially...

[The first thing that thrilled me when I got into yakoyo was the exchange of cash for tallys, POS and funds transfer is not accepted here. (At least when I was there). It's a properly organized place and it has sections for different things; rice gotten outside, swallow at the entrance and meat in the hall. 👌🏽 The food 🥰 it's really good food, the salad is great too and they serve big portions. The toilet is not so great but it's really clean. Overall it's good value for money.] - Old review

Recently went back to yakoyo over a year after my last visit. They no longer have the tally system, I hear it was stressful to keep up with that. They use cash and pos payments.

The whole setup has changed for the better that is. Things are now a lot more organized than it used to be. It still attracts a large crowd, so try not to get upset with the line as you would still be attended to as soon as possible.

The sitting area is a lot better than the last time I was there, a lot of improvements on their part which was really good.

The only problem I had was that someone from the back of the line was going to get served before me and I definitely wasn't having that. There's a queue for a reason. Other than that no problem

The food is still great. Jollof rice was a little oily tho but still sweet 😁 the meat was so tender and properly spiced, didn't have to struggle with it. Their amala with gbegiri, ewedu, assorted and ogufe is still bae. The porridge is legit 🔥. The asun is 🤤🤤 costs 700 for a portion. They have a lot more food options now the plan is to try them all. Overall it's actually an affordable place to eat.

With a #1,000 budget and cutting your coat according to your material you could...

I got there and noticed they have a lot of traffic. I observed people really enjoying what they were eating especially from their facial expressions. All varieties of food was available and that's a green mark from me. I came for the generally publicised Amala, gbegiri(bean soup) and Ewedu. They water took our order then went inside to dish the amala since it was being cooked in a hot aluminium pot so that it doesn't get cold; when she came out, she asked us for our preferred protein we selected and she added it. We moved to pay point and made our payment but before that,.............wanted to let you know that the lady that served us was in a mooooooood. I don't know if she was fatigued from so much work or she was sick; couldn't place my hand on it but she transferred aggression to us all through her service she didn't give us chances to make our choices since it was our first time and we wanted to explore their menu she kept on making faces at us whenever we were trying to finally make up our minds and for me that's a turn off. She would end up spoiling the owners business with that negative behavior. Overall, I really enjoyed the meal and the amala (Dried Pllantain swallow) was...