Southern Suya — Restaurant in Tucker

We wanted to try something different tonight. We started to go to Desta, but enroute, ran across Southern Suya on google maps. They had pretty good reviews, so we decided to check them out. We got there around 7:00 on a Saturday night. There were a couple of people waiting for to go orders and one man sitting in the dining area. The lady at the counter directed us to seat ourselves. We took our time perusing the menu determining what to order. Having never been there, we had some questions, but the counter lady, nor anyone else stopped by our table. After about 20 minutes, just as we were wondering if we were supposed to order at the counter, the lady came over and apologized, acknowledging that she had forgotten about us. Ok, so no BS-truthful, I can appreciate that. So, I had a question about the egusi stew-what is the assorted meats? Cow foot, beef, and something else-which they were out of. She also, at that time, informed us they were out of wings and burgers. Cool, we had no plans on either. We inquired about ordering one entree-oxtails, for my 11 & 7 yo girls, who don’t eat much. My wife wanted to know if it would be enough for both. I was certain based off my experience eating oxtails at various Jamaican restaurants around the metro area, plus, as I said, my girls eat like birds. The lady (counter/waitress) said that it might be enough with the rice and cabbage. Well, they were out of rice and peas, so we went with the coconut rice. Just to be on the safe side, I ordered suya beef as an appetizer. My wife ordered peppered goat with jollof and plantains. Our drinks came then the app of suya beef. It was tasty, but a bit spicy for my girls. Soon after, our entrees came out. My egusi stew was not what I had thought based on various YouTube videos. I suppose there are many different ways it can be prepared but I thought the meat was going to be in the stew. Instead, it came on the side. The egusi itself was quite flavorful. Actually, it was delicious. The meat, on the other hand, was inedible. I have eaten cow foot in both African and Jamaican dishes before. What I had was just a bone with a little gelatinous fat on it. The beef was so dry it crumbled. It literally was like beef jerky that had sat in the refrigerator overnight, dried out, then was reheated. It was bad. Very bad. Likewise with my wife’s goat-some pieces were just way over cooked and dried out, but some pieces were perfect and tender. The oxtail was prepared nicely, but it was a little on the small side, to my surprise. I did ask about the beef I was given and was told that that is how it is supposed to be. Well, sorry, if I beg to differ. I have eaten beef prepared in different cuisines from around the world. I have never been served burnt, dried out, inedible chunks of beef and been told that it was purposely prepared that way. I would have given 2.5 * if half stars were an option. Ultimately, I rounded down because three * , to me = pretty good. Three out of five is pretty solid, I would definitely return. I’m not sure that I would definitely return here. They did remove a charge for something from the bill-I’m not sure exactly what. Anyway, if I do return one day, I will try one of the chicken dishes. I passed by a table and wished I had...

Myself and my daughter came to eat food. Someone brought the food out. NO HAIR NET. When my daughter opened her food. There was hair. We immediately. Told the lady who was now standing outside. This woman tried to argue down. There was no hair. My daughter asked for her food to be remade. She didn’t touch it at all! They manger told us they are a four star restaurant. No one ever found food in their food. PROBABLY BECAUSE THEY TRUSTED THIS PLACE AND NEVER PAID ATTENTION. Myself and my daughter. We check food first. So a man come to the phone and continued to argue. At this point we asked for a refund. They said it would refund immediately. The same way the card was changed immediately. Ten minutes later still no refund. They continue to say they would file harassment. How? If we just trying to get refund. *Crazy part is, we only just wanted food remade from the beginning. She said just wanted to eat. We’ve come here many times. But, we are lying and harassing? I guess the customer is not right here. Also my hair and my daughter. We have locs and they are red. The hair was black and gray. So Please check your food. We we’re just trying to be safe.

In response to the reply.*So I guess you guys are nasty and unprofessional. *What company uses emoji’s replying to a former customer. Showing the ignorance. First hair is red. *Second we harassed you guys for what? Our money back after refusing to right there wrong? We tried to explain what happened. *+Also what hungry person, drives 10 minutes to your establishment. To get their nice hot food. That was not touched. *Not even one bite. What would we get out of that? Please explain? Also you guys put a man. Cursing us out us out. Two women.We then, just asked for a refund. Let me go back and see if you guys responded to your customers three and six months ago.Thanking them for their review? Or do you only reply to this review? Again, y’all do not value customers. *My daughter ate there plenty times. No problem. Again please explain. *Why a person wanting to eat drive across town. After we already stopped and got food from somewhere else. (For me) But, she just had to come there Because she wanted that particular food? Pay not touch the food AT ALL and just asked for new food. Because she wants to be healthy and safe. During a pandemic? Big furry steering wheel! What a joke. Still waiting for the refund. We did notify the health department. We also contacted BBB. Customers again check your food! to the owners. Do better. People give y’all their hard earned money. Learn customer service. Oh, yes we kept calling back you guys had our money and she had no food…. Hello Karma. I wish your company...

Never have I had such a horrible experience with simply trying to place an order. I called in wanting to get some information about the traditional AFRICAN dish Jollof Rice. Because I have only had this dish twice, I wanted to confirm how the dish was prepared. I detailed my previous experiences for context purposes only, not as a comparison, as the information given to me by the owner, with whom I was speaking, was not clear. Being that I am not cultured in African dishes, I did not want to assume that the preparation of this dish would be the same from restaurant to restaurant. I simply wanted to get an idea of what I was ordering. As I began to ask questions, I immediately got the impression that my questions were annoying the clerk/owner. I asked for suggestions for newcomers of African cuisine and was told that it’s up to me. A simple suggestion would have been nice. While speaking with the owner, I made the mistake of categorizing this restaurant as an African restaurant. Although it is listed as a West African restaurant on yelp and most of the dishes on their menu resemble that of traditional African cuisine, I did not know that saying “African Restaurant” would be offensive. The owner told me that I was “pigeon holeing” her restaurant by classifying it in that way. The sheer and utter confusion that I felt after hearing this was beyond me. I came to her with the utmost respect for the culture that she was representing. I made it clear that these dishes were new to me, I asked questions rather than making assumptions all because I wanted to understand the dish only for her to get offended that I thought of her establishment to be an African restaurant. It is a privilege for one to have so much knowledge of their deep rooted and true culture that they can open a restaurant based heavily off of dishes from that culture. As an African American woman who has zero access to trace my lineage all the way back to Africa with 100% accuracy I found it to be extremely disheartening that the owner of this restaurant would have such an issue with being classified as an African restaurant considering what a privilege it is for that even to be an option. That title should be met with pride, not offense! A lesson in tact and humility would be a great service to this company. In these difficult times it’s so sad that this restaurant would punish customers who choose to support them over every other business that we pass up in their favor. Attitude and service are just as important as...