Suya African-Caribbean Grill

How is this place not 5 stars. Best spot in the uptown area to get some fresh heathy food and they don’t even advertise as healthy because it’s so delish!
They’ve got skewers and salads and grilled corn and plantains! I’ve had the wraps too, which are basically the plates in a wrap. Cannot recommend enough. Ike’s is a few doors over so it can be a difficult decision but Suya wins almost every time. I’d give them 5 stars just for the food, but the lady at the counter is always lovely also.
You want to come in earlier in the lunch hour though (they run out of spicy beef patties which are basically the bombest thing ever).

My lunchtime go-​to once or twice a week, Suya offers tantalizing flavor combinations, grilled meats, wraps, and salads. The chicken wrap with mild sauce is my favorite. (I never order mild anywhere but it is so flavorful here that I am a fan.) The sauces are unique and I haven’t had anything quite like this in all my travels.
I’m giving a four as opposed to a five as the seating is limited, and the exhaust hood doesn’t do a great job of removing all the smoke from the premises. Call ahead to place orders at lunch time as they get crowded.

Love this place. Every-​time I’m there I’m shocked there isn’t a line out the door. The food is amazing and at a great price. You have to try it.

This is a solid four-​and-​a-​half stars but I will desist from rounding it up to five. They did blow away my expectations but then I wasn’t expecting much to begin with, which is not to take anything away from the fare that is served here. We walked in expecting yet another kebab/​skewer place with the usual fixings (not that there is anything to complain about kebaberias).
K went for the beef skewers’ meal while I opted for the chicken, both with the namesake Suya pepper seasoning. We both got the steamed vegetables side, while she opted for the seasoned rice as the second, and I, the roasted potatoes.
The chicken was tender and well seasoned. It wasn’t exactly the juiciest skewers but they weren’t dry either. The house aioli went perfectly well with those tender pieces of chicken, and especially well when wrapped up in the slices of pita bread and red onions.
However, the steamed vegetable was the veritable sleeper hit. It was served hot, wrapped in foil and seasoned with a spice mix that made it unlike any side of steamed vegetables I’ve ever had. It was simply delicious! And I would strongly recommend this to each and every patron that chose to walk through those doors. The roasted potatoes were skewered halves with sear marks, and were very well executed.
We chose to wash down our food with the «Ting Orange Juice» and the «Ginger beer» respectively. I loved my ginger beer and would have it again.
I look forward to coming back soon!

I had the salmon with corn cob and a potato. The salmon is tasty but it felt overall short of fully satisfying. I think I probably needed to order more food to feel full. For what I paid Id prob try something else.

Bland unremarkable food. Me pass.

One of my go to spots for lunch in the Uptown area. Healthy choices are pretty limited so glad to have Suya nearby. The menu is pretty small with a couple of meat choices (shrimp, chicken, beef, fish) and sides (corn, potatoes, mixed greens, rice, etc).
I can’t say I know much about African or Caribbean food, but the food itself is delicious. The chicken skewers were tender and the jerk seasoning was flavorful. The mixed greens were okay (not sure if there is supposed to be a dressing). The grilled plantains were a nice way to end the meal.
Overall a good place to go for a quick, healthy meal. The food has always come out in less than 5 minutes after ordering, which is much appreciated for workers in the area with limited time.

I finally got to try this place after I’ve been wanting to come here for a few months now. Having had real suya in Nigeria, I have been craving for another taste.
FOOD:
The suya here is FANTASTIC! It tastes really similar to what you get back home. My only complaint (and the reason I’m not giving this place 5 stars) is that two skewers is not enough. I ordered a meal (with 2 sides) and a la carte to share with my husband and we were both still hungry afterwards.
SERVICE:
The server/​griller I had was great. He was very helpful and even gave me additional suya seasoning when I asked for it.
The food came out fast (I asked for take out) and it was served extra hot.
PRICE:
I expected a bit more for what I was paying. Granted, $ 8.25 for a meal is pretty cheap, but I should feel satisfied.
I’d definitely come back here though and order more next time. It’s hard to find a great suya place.

This review is long over due!
I simply love this place, both this location and the Berkeley location are really good.
I typically get either the shrimp combo or the chicken with rice (the best) & salad and it’s always great.
If they were on caviar I would be so excited bc delivery of this goodness would make my life.

Pretty darn good! Sometimes its a wait .but always Fresh Delicious food!
I’ve only ordered the Chicken Skewers w/​corn on the cob, rice & side salad… Good Stuff

I was told to try the beef skewer lunch combo by a co worker. I picked the rice and corn as sides. I was not let down. The rice was fluffy and matched good with the skewers. The side sauce worked well when added to the rice or just the beef. The corn was some of the best I had. The staff was very nice and friendly. They even gave me a free cup of a cranberry and cucumber juice. The food came out fast. After eating I wasnt overly full nor starving. I will be going back to try more items as they have more skewers and sides.

Jerk chicken was very tasty, light and a nice twist to a traditional Caribbean entrée. However, the chicken tasted nothing like jerk chicken. The chicken patty was piping hot, flaky and had great curry flavor.

Oh hello amazing chicken wrap. Stumbled into this place the other day because I was starving. What a surprise. And, what an amazing hidden gem. I ordered the wrap and a corn on the cob. Everything was so fresh it looked and tasted like it was straight from a garden. All for $ 10 — totally going back. I wish I would have discovered this place sooner.

I am a huge fan of this place, eat it roughly three times a week. Not only is the food amazing, but the customer service is superb. The food is simple, yet flavorful!
I’ve tried many of the items offered, but typically go with the beef wrap.
Aside from my order being inaccurate a few times, I have nothing to complain about!
Get some!

I’ve never really sought out African Cuisine, after a mediocre encounter with Moroccan food. I’m not too sure what African cuisine really even means… But as I was passing by this little joint on my way for lunch last week, I noticed the decent line inside the small restaurant with pictures of refreshing looking salads and skewers. I decided to give it a try, and being the modern day basic hater of waiting, I called in after glancing at their menu. The menu is small, but gives you lots of customizable options with the sides. I went for the jerk chicken with grilled corn and salad.
The chicken was superb with just the right amount of spice and kick, generously served up on bamboo skewers. The salad was fresh, but I think they forgot to give me my dressing, so I ended up eating greens on greens, which I didn’t mind. The corn was cooked well, but it was a little cold, I’m guessing they don’t reheat it to order. But overall I was very satisfied at the quality and taste of the food, and at 8.95 for the meal, I was very happy with my decision to hit up this little joint.
The food’s quick, as with most of the lunch spots in Oakland, the food was ready in 5 minutes after I put in my order over the phone. Overall, I plan to return, but next time for the entrée salad with some prawns!

Pretty good Carribean food for lunch. The grilled tilapia is flavorful. The steamed veggie is a bit too overcooked and spicy for me. Very friendly staff. Like the Caribbean music here.

Beef– dry. chicken– dry. Well seasoned though. Small portions. Curry chicken (empanada) was delicious though, for $ 3.50.
Service was ok. You order at the counter then find a seat. Small place.
People from nearby businesses come here.

Let me start off by saying that I LOVE Suya in Berkeley! I have referred so many people there and have eaten there countless times, it’s one of my favorite spots in Downtown Berkeley. The Oakland location I will never go back to.
Firstly, the guy taking orders and cashing people out is definitely not a conversationalist by any means. When my friend tried ordering the salad with tilapia he just said no, and she asked why, and he said «we just don’t do that». Fine. But the interaction was weird and his approach wasn’t friendly. Then we said we wanted two waters. He asked it we wanted water bottles and we both said no we just want tap water. Well, he charged me for two bottles of water. When I asked why, he just said sorry. No suggestion to refund me for his error. I told him that he clearly asked us and we said no, we want tap water. All of 30seconds pass between our water request and when I got my receipt yet he just looked at me dumbfounded like there was nothing he could do. So I had to take the two bottles of water along with the tap waters.
Check out the picture I just posted titled as «Butterfly Salad», image #59. I was about halfway through my salad and I found a very color butterfly (moth?) in my salad. I would say it is about 2 inches big. Very disgusting!!! I brought it to the counter and said I wanted my charge completely refunded. The same guy looked at it, took my plate and put it on the counter behind him then continued to fix other plates for other guests. I was standing there, like what? Hello? Then he looks at me and says I can’t do it for you, I need to get someone. His whole presence was very strange and irritating. I had a huge bug in my food and that didn’t seem to be a priority or a concern. Eventually another gentleman came out and refunded my check and said sorry.
I switched offices to downtown Oakland and I was excited to be close to another Suya, but now I will be taking my lunch business elsewhere. To places with employees who are friendly, will fix their mistakes, and will check the cleanliness of food before serving it.

Times like these make me wish Unilocal allowed you to give half stars. Really, I would give this place 2 ½ stars, but since it’s not possible, I’ll be nice today and give 3.
I already didn’t have high hopes for this place based off of the menu (2 thin meat skewers for $ 6? Jamaican Patties for $ 3.50? — go to NY and you get them for $ 1), but with great reviews and a line too long for me to wait at La Bonita (amazing Mexican food place next door) my hunger took over and I decided to try it.
I ordered the spicy chicken skewers meal which comes with 2 grilled chicken skewers, and two sides of your choice. I chose plantains (one of my favorite dishes!) and a salad for a little over $ 8.
The skewers were cooked good and the spice on it was tasty. There was a sweet sauce (similar to asian sweet sauce that comes with pot stickers or egg rolls) that accompanied it; wasn’t very good with the chicken so I passed on it. The salad was a typical mixed greens salad — didn’t expect much so it was fine.
The plantain, the item I was actually most excited for, was horrible! It was one long piece served on a skewer, probably a bad idea because the inside was over cooked and it tasted like an old cold mushy banana. Though I got the meal, please note that the plantain alone (as a side) would have been $ 2.50! I wasn’t tired, I would have probably went back to the restaurant if I had paid for that separately.
Overall the place was «meh». I’ll pass on visiting again.

Suya is a great addition to the Uptown dining scene. i imagine that it is a lunch/​takeout favorite of people who work nearby because it is a casual joint that serves tasty food at a reasonable price. I typically go for a more upscale place when dining out but I like it for takeout.
My book club was thrilled with the selection of skewers. You can choose jerk or Suya seasoning. Suya is pretty spicy which I like. Both the chicken and beef are delicious. The plantains are pretty fabulous as are the empanadas.
The staff is very friendly, patient and helpful.
Fresh, delicious food at a reasonable price in a clean, well appointed location. If you like spicy, definitely check out the Suya spiced versions. Recommend!