Lake Chad Café

So I came here last week to buy a friend some shrimp poboy and red beans and rice. It smelled really good. So I received an invite to return. here I am today and let me tell you this place is amazing. The cook has several hats she is queen, hostess, cook, bartender… everything she touches is gold. I ordered the tilapia and a love potion which is a green drink that is very healthy but tastes buds were singing. Everything complimented each other, the spices and hot sauce was exotic. The owner is very nice and funny… I felt right at home. This is a great place for parties. group gatherings and networking. I recommend here if your in the neighborhood… come here first!

I really hate to be the person to give this place suck a horrible review but it needs to be done. First things first, the good. I had a shrimp po boy and it was delicious. The flavor a flowed together so perfectly. The plantain was done well also. I also enjoyed the live music the band was killin it!
Okay that’s all the good I’ve got for you. Now to the not so good. First things first, we were sat outside… Not a problem it was a beautiful day! What we didn’t know is that about every 5 minutes a huge vent kicks in and blows everything over/​off the table. At this point the joint was packed so we had no where to go and sucked it up. I ordered a tequila with salt and lime on the rocks. He brought me lemon. When I asked him for lime again, he brought lemon again. We had to ask for the green one. I understand language barriers so whatever, no biggie. Multiple times we tried to order drinks and my gf was told that they didn’t have that item available. I ordered an appetizer, it wasn’t until my food came and we asked about the appetizer that he said «oh we’re out of that». It would’ve been nice to know cause I would’ve been able to order something different. The po boy, though delicious, was mostly bread so that was unfortunate. Then there is the kicker! We were ready to leave but service was slow as it was so busy, so we asked him how much our food was. He then proceeded to add up the pricing without tax out loud in front of us so we could leave cash. It came out to about 21 so we had to drop 40 and wait for change. When he came back to give us our change he gave us 5 and some change… When we asked him for the rest of our change he said that we were wrong and he gave us the right amount. When my gf asked for a printed receipt he flat out refused to give us one. He ended up giving in and giving us correct change. It was a nightmare. I would love to go back because I know crazy nights in service exist but the money thing just left a bad taste in my mouth. I wouldn’t tell someone not to eat at lake chad but I’d definitely tell them to be careful.

Holy smokes, this place is PHENOMENAL. Last night, my friend and I headed in there at 10 pm post-​climbing. We ordered hibiscus mojitos — stellar, if it wasn’t a work night I could easily have put back eight of those babies– as well as two Senegalese dinner specials.
The food was made fresh, and although we were starving, it was unquestionably worth the wait. The first dinner was a lamb stew in a ground nut sauce with okra and other veggies, and the second dinner was a herb-​encrusted fish with cassava, yam, and cabbage. That was honestly the best fish I have ever eaten in my life — I went back and picked through the bones twice!
Very authentic African ambiance — having spent chunks of time in Gabon and Ghana, this place quickly and happily reminded me of what it was like to sit back and relax in Africa :)
To top it off, the service was excellent. We conversed with both owners, who served us with kindness and warmth. They were genuinely interested in engaging with us as people.
Will I go back? I wish I was there now!

Loved it! Friendly staff, great drink and good food… Definitely coming back soon. Often!

The service was excellent — very prompt and friendly. I feel bad giving such a low review because they were so nice. The problem was the food! We both ordered sandwiches (different types). It was so gross neither of us could eat it and I still feel sick every time I think about how it tasted.

This is a Hip West African Hot spot you can hold meetings in the back of restaurant in the comfortable lounge. You can eat in main area listen to music throughout the restaurant. Happy hour is amazing with the prices on drinks and food. The staff is great and Felix the owner is a pillar in the community.

This place is really great. An amazing old Seattle soul band called Septimus plays there every Thursday night. They’ve been together for 40 years! Food and drinks are excellent. The family that runs the place is super friendly. Highly recommend frequenting this place. Great location.

This place is fantastic! Great drinks and food. Plus they have fast wifi, *live* music, and often show movies or documentaries. Very cozy and versatile space, whether for a group to grab drinks and food or for one person to grab a coffee and sandwich and work on their laptop for a bit or even a work meeting if you are in the area.
Food: I have had the seafood plate twice now and a catfish po’boy. The seafood plate has lightly breaded and fried catfish and shrimp with fries. Delicious! Perfectly fried, not greasy at all, which is hard to do. I usually hate anything fried, but their food has been consistently delicious here and non-​greasy. Po’boy was delicous, too! Great, crispy bread, deliciously breaded and fried catfish. Yum. They have an oxtail soup special on Tuesdays that I haven’t been able to try yet, but can’t wait to have that, as well as a few other unique dishes that sound delicious as specials.
Drinks: The drink menu is great too! Lake Chad Café has its own housemade raw ginger concoction as well as a housemade hibiscus drink (both of which taste delicious with a bit of vodka.) This housemade ginger drink lends itself well to mules and several different mixed drinks on the Lake Chad Café drink menu, but is also good on its own! I just love this place. They have a great coffee, local wine, and beer selection as well, but I have found it hard to stray from my raw ginger-​based drinks thus far.
Entertainment: Great live music and documentary/​movies. Currently, every Thursday at 7pm, they show «Wheedle’s Groove» a documentary on Seattle’s forgotten soul of the 1960s and 70s, and then after the documentary, Septimus (one of the bands from this era that is still together and playing) plays LIVE at Lake Chad Café! Very cool!
Try them out! You will not be disappointed. There is nothing like this place in the area.

Lake Chad Café is a cozy, intimate café and meeting space. It looks like they haven’t been opened too long.
I went for a drink after a long walk up Jackson. I tried the iced tea which was sweetened but not too sweet and tasted house-​brewed. Very tasty and perfect refreshment for my trek back.
The woman who helped me was very friendly. They had Bob Marley playing on the speakers which I can get behind!
Loved the vibe of this place. It looks like people come to work and have meetings in the back room. They have live music, too.
I can’t wait to come back and try more items!

Great place! Had the privilege of taking photos of the shop for Felix. He made me a drink, free of charge! Really nice environment, a fun place to be, the owner is very personable and fun to talk with. Definitely worth a visit!

I first went to Lake Chad Café– formerly, «Plaza Dome el Obrero” — during the Jackson Street Jazz Walk in April 2014. The event there was a great spoken word and vocal jazz set, and the space was so well accommodating that I knew it would be a great new addition to the neighborhood. Since that night, the place has been available for the hosting of music shows, organized events, and parties with friends. I have been delighted with its growing list of dance, music and cultural events that the owner Felix assured me is only getting started.
The coffee is delicious, and the beer and wine selections are probably the best on Jackson street and it can rival anything offered in the Central District. What’s more, Felix is a charming host. He’s fun to chat with, since he’s such an interesting human being. This place is a truly diverse and multicultural spot. And he has a knack for those little touches in offering hospitality that can’t be found at other places (e.g., Starbucks or Broadcast)
Not only was he attentive to my needs, but also he’s open to suggestions as to how he can offer the best hospitality, which seems the natural knack of Felix and all who work here. Furthermore, his lounge area offers the most comfortable seating and the café features some of the better views of the Bay from Central Seattle. Finally, word has it that he’s willing to host public film screenings and events such as the World Cup. Comfort and good times are to be had at el Obrero!