Noflaye Beach — Restaurant in Dakar

2nd or third time there. Food was good. Had the Lot brochette (monk fish), small portions for the price but it’s a beach dive. They have to cover the costs of the seats people take up that barely order anything. And these people take up the good seats, all day. Good seats don’t indicate they are comfortable. Pretty much the most uncomfortable seats you’ll find anywhere around. Also ordered the niçoise and grand dauphinois. All good. Unfortunately the service was pretty bad. Sure it was Sunday at 5 pm and who wants to work at that time. Our waitress sure didn’t. Couldn’t get her attention if I fell down and choked on the fish skewer I ordered while loosely holding a 100 dollar bill in my right hand. She was super busy humming to herself while wiping down cutlery with a pretty dirty dishrag. A few forks hit the ground in the process. Hope mine wasn’t one of them. We also ordered some drinks, I would have had some more of the tequila had anyone come back to ask. Since no more drinks were offered we decided to leave. Still could not get anyone’s attention to get the facteur. I bet I could have just walked out. This place wasn’t even busy. Most of the clients were kids at the beach and their parents nursing some fries or a bottle of water. Some random single drinkers staring at their phones and the staff, mostly congregating around the bar, next to a painting of Obama. I ended up just going to look for the cashier and pay out. The cashier was super friendly, maybe he was the manager. I wanted to tell him how uninspired my time there was, but that would have taken more time in the restaurant, and we just wanted out. Can’t say there was anything extraordinary about the place to warrant a return visit. Food was good, but why bother getting aggravated by the lack of service when I can try a new place where the staff will try to work for at least a tip. I know tips are an American thing. And as this is a culturally French area likely no one tips, hence the perpetuation of bad service. Places I have been back to, here in Dakar, where the service was good, and I tipped, always welcomed me back. Didn’t get that feeling here unfortunately. Too bad I really wanted to try the swordfish ravioli and the fruit salad.

In my last review of this place, dec 2020, I noted the super uncomfortable chairs too! Lol. And the worst margarita I’ve ever had. Not much...

I must commend the gentlemen in the kitchen. They are really putting in a lot of good effort to serve good food. The food was great, the service was ok, and it was good value for money. The chairs, however, are very small and uncomfortable, the table had no space for one to stretch their legs. The sand in the middle makes absolutely no sense to me, it makes the place look unclean. No wonder when people come and they see the lights and set up next door (the jungle), they leave to go there. I think NOFLAYE BEACH has a great spot there, they just have to redesign their setup. This is a new year, so give...

This is a very nice place to get away from the noise of the city without having to travel! Although it could really use a touch-up and the attitude would be enhanced by appropriate music, it is a fun place for dinner. I highly recommend coming before sunset and at high tide, which I was lucky enough to do! Watching the surfers was a great way to pass the time while waiting for my order. The food and service are good, albeit not great, but the place is very casual, which makes it more relaxing than other restaurants...