Bala’s Bistro
Traditional African and American Cuisines
Traditional African and American Cuisines
Bala’s Bistro is a traditional African restaurant in Memphis, Tennessee, known for its wonderful ambiance and wide variety of delicious and diverse cuisine. Our mission is to delight our guests with flavorful cuisines from around the world. We specialize in African and American cuisines, serving the very best of both worlds to our customers. No matter what you are craving, be assured you can find something you would enjoy in our diverse menu!
African Cuisine
African Cuisine
African cuisine is as diverse as its vast continent. Combining the freshest ingredients, the fastest and friendliest service, and the best dining experience possible, we offer you the best at Bala’s Bistro.
Our famous signature dishes are carefully chosen to represent the best of African cuisine. Whether you are looking for vegan food or authentic home cook dishes, Bala’s Bistro has always something to meet your cravings. Stop by Bala’s Bistro for lunch or dinner!
American Cuisine
American Cuisine
Bala’s Bistro also serves delicious traditional American favorites, such as freshly grilled quarter-pound beef burgers, gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches with a variety of savory fillings, and grilled or fried chicken with a sauce of your choice.
Catering
Catering
We offer catering services for all manner of events! Our expert caterers are reliable, professional, and always on time. It is our priority to exceed your expectations. Be it weddings, birthday and anniversary parties, private events, and more. Let us host your next event, be it a wedding, birthday, or anniversary, and give your family and guests a delectable experience they’ll never forget!
Meal Preparation
Meal Preparation
People with daily restrictions can trust us with their meals. If you are trying to lose weight or simply want a convenient way to prepare your own lunches and dinners, Bala’s Bistro offers prepared meals to go. Available 7 days a week, Bala’s Bistro’s meal prep menu is the perfect solution for anyone who wants to experience our unique and robust flavors anywhere!
Contact or visit us at Bala’s Bistro to learn more about our various meal prep options.
STARTERS
STARTERS
BEEF FATAYAS $7
3 Spicy Beef Stuffed Pastry Dough fried to perfection. Served with a Spicy Onion Relish and our signature Boom Boom Sauce.
HOUSE SALAD $5
Iceberg Lettuce with Onions, Tomatoes, Cucumber Relish, and Cheese. Served with your choice of Ranch, Boom Boom Sauce or Spicy Honey Chipotle Sauce.
ADD GRILLED CHICKEN $4, ADD GRILLED BEEF $4 OR ADD GRILLED SHRIMP $6
DINNER SIDES
DINNER SIDES
FRIED PLANTAINS
JASMINE RICE
JOLLOF RICE
BISTRO FRIED RICE
COUSCOUS
ATTIEKE
PLANTAIN FUFU
HOUSE FRIES
SWEET POTATO FRIES
$4
$3
$4
$5
$4
$4
$4
$2
$2
VEGETABLE OF THE DAY
FRIED OKRA
VERMICELLI
SIDE SALAD
SIDE GRILLED SHRIMP
FRIED SHRIMP
$4
$4
$4
$4
$6
$6
EXTRA SAUCE $.50
EXTRA SAUCE $.50
BOOM BOOM
SPICY HONEY CHIPOTLE SAUCE
SPICY HONEY
PILl PILI PEPPER SAUCE
BISTRO SPECIAL EXTRAS $.75
BISTRO SPECIAL EXTRAS $.75
ONION RELISH
CUCUMBER AND ONION RELISH
SPICY ONION RELISH
GRILLED ONIONS
DESSERTS
DESSERTS
CHOCOLATE CAKE $4
CHEESECAKE $4
BEIGNETS $3
A fried delicacy served with your choice of Cinnamon or Powdered Sugar.
Additional $1 for Caramel, Strawberry or Chocolate Sauce
VANILLA ICE CREAM $3
BAVERAGES
BAVERAGES
BALA’S BISTRO FAMOUS HOUSE MADE DRINKS
16 OZ. BOTTLES - $3
HOUSE GINGER JUICE
HOUSE HONEY GINGER JUICE
HOUSE LIME GINGER JUICE
HOUSE TURMERIC GINGER JUICE
HOUSE HIBISCUS JUICE
HOUSE HONEY HIBISCUS JUICE
HOUSE COCONUT BAOBAB JUICE
HOUSE BAOBAB FRUIT JUICE
HOUSE TAMARIND JUICE
HOUSE GINGER TAMARIND JUICE
HOUSE DRINKS BY THE GALLON - $20
HOUSE GINGER JUICE
HOUSE HIBISCUS JUICE
HOUSE LIME GINGER JUICE
HOUSE TURMERIC GINGER JUICE
HOUSE TAMARIND JUICE
20 OZ SOFT DRINKS - $2
COCA-COLA
DIET COKE
FANTA ORANGE
SPRITE
DR PEPPER
SEAGRAM’S GINGER ALE
MINUTE MAID LEMONADE
DASANI WATER
SMART WATER
*Consuming raw or undercooked meat, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of
foodborne illness
The Best of Both Worlds: Gallery
The Best of Both Worlds: Gallery
Bala’s Bistro brings Western African to Memphis, Tennessee. We serve traditional African and American cuisines with the freshest ingredients and the best customer service. We also offer catering services for various events and meal prep for lunch and dinner. Check out our gallery for our food selections.
Testimonials
Testimonials
This place should be on Yelp's "hot and new" list!
There isn't an African restaurant that caters to other African countries. Outside of Ethiopian there is mostly African/Mediterranean style eateries.
Bala's Bistro is a very unassuming spot near the corner of Raines and Airways. If you turn the corner too fast, you'll almost pass it. It's a basic little restaurant; clean and the counter helpers are lively.
This is my second time eating from Bala's. I've not ever dined in, but I will at some point. The place is open from 4pm-10pm. This is awesome because any eatery with real, cooked food is already closed or is near closing at 8. So if you decide at 8:30pm that you want African food, you can get it. They also serve simple American food as well(wings, burgers, catfish). This is a good balance because of the demographics. It serves the people in the community and one day they may actually come in and try African food instead of ordering wings!
I know the place is going to expand and include foods from other African countries. It will be welcomed.
All the food was good. The first time I had the okra stew with seafood(basically seafood gumbo) with fufu. Their fufu is made from plantain instead of yam, so I wasn't expecting the taste, but with paired well. My mate had the lamb stew and saffron rice. He really liked it and was impressed with portion size. This time I had what is in the photo. The spinach was a little salty, but with the sides I had, it balanced out. The hibiscus drink and the ginger drink are good, but too sweet. I wonder if the person who makes the drinks also cooks the spinach!
This is a pretty long review. I feel lazy now, so forgive any typos. There are bound to be a couple.
- Calinda D.
- Calinda D.
Me, my husband, and our 7 month old daughter went to Bala's lastnight and we LOVED IT! I had the Red Snapper, sweet potato fries and jollof rice. The Red Snapper was cooked to perfection, was well seasoned and was topped with cooked onions that were well seasoned with a little spice they paired very well with the Red Snapper. The sweet potatoe fries were very tasty and the jollof rice was perfectly cooked with a BANG of flavor. My husband had honey spicy wings and sweet potato fries. I didn't taste his wings however his sweet potatoe fries were drizzled in the spiced honey sauce and it gave his sweet potatoe fries a BANG. Next time I would definitely get that sauce on top of mine. The customer service was GREAT, from the sweet lady at the front who brings your food to the table, the chefs at the back who step out if the line gets lengthy and helps out to Bala himself who comes to greet and speak with every guest. Bala was very kind, passionate about his food and personable! Check Bala's Bistro out! We will be BACK!
- Andre H
- Andre H
I was looking to switch up eating the same type of cuisine so I ran across this restaurant. Saw that it received great reviews, so I gave it a try. I must say that it was very very tasty and the food was made to order. I ordered the oxtails with jollof rice and plantains. I haven't eaten much African cuisine but I'd imagine this place tops the cake. The prices are a bit high but the quality and taste of the food makes it worth it. I'll definitely be returning!
- PloKi S
- PloKi S
Don't let the outside or area of town turn you off, this place is amazing and worth trusting my words! Staff was super friendly and helpful. Everything we ordered was super delicious! We started with the appetizer sized lamb stew. An amazing stew with large chunks of tender lamb meat still on the bone. Great tomato base, loaded with veggies.
I had the catfish dinner with fried okra and seasoned fries. The catfish is some of the best I have found in the area, and there are a lot of places selling sub-par catfish. Not this place... proper amount of breading, great seasoning, and really fresh. The fried okra are whole okra, battered and fried like the normal okra you're used to. I've never had okra that's not been chopped into small bites, but this works really well. Seasoned fries were good as well.
The wife had the grilled bone-in lamb steak with jasmine rice and fried okra. The cost is well worth it, there is more than $15 worth of lamb - she had leftovers even after sharing with me. Seasoned well, juicy and cooked to perfection.
Give this place a try!
- Teresa F.
- Teresa F.
I was managing 23 kids while writing my last review and realized my post was full of typos! We had an amazing time and loved Chef Bala, Aïcha, Marry and Mady!! It's a wonderful family business that really gives back to the community
- Bridges K.
- Bridges K.
I've been waiting for a restaurant serving authentic African food and I've finally found it. We had the lamb stew and the oxtails with fufu, jollof rice, spinach and plantains. The food was delicious and plentiful. My only complaint would be that there are items that are available to order, but not on the menu. It was only after I saw photos on Yelp that I knew to ask about the oxtails and spinach, neither of which were on the menu. Great food in an unsuspecting location, but worth the trek across town.
- Crysta Michele
- Crysta Michele
I'm late posting my review but I'm so happy that I found the hidden gem: Bala's Bistro. The food is so good that I drive nearly 30-40 minutes just to come here. The establishment is very clean which is a plus and their staff is professional, kind, and knowledgeable. They also give you a very nice portion of food. I've had their seafood okra stew as well as their lamb stew and both were extremely delicious. Their jollof rice is prepared a bit different from what I'm used to but it's still just as delicious. I would just like to thank the staff for being hard workers and making each visit memorable.
- Deloris Millner
- Deloris Millner
First I would like to say my friends have been here 3 times without me and I called them yesterday to make them feel bad.. So the guilt made them invite me today and it was worth the wait!!Thank you ladies!!! Let me add the daughter of my closet friend had already been as well and you know she had to join us today as well, but as always we had a great time.. The service was great and the chef/owner was so friendly.. They allowed us to be loud we had a awesome time 11:35am- still here Love these ladies We pick the best food
- Shawn Patterson
- Shawn Patterson
If you are a vegetarian or vegan this place is somewhere you should go for a filling meal that isnt just the hollow mush that other restaurants offer. The vegan kimchi wrap was flavorful and filling and comes with sweet potato fries. Wonderful!
- Darah Patterson
- Darah Patterson
I've been here twice and have been spoiled both times. The owner is so hospitable and so are all the other employees. There is usually African or other music from the diaspora playing creating a lovely vibe. The food is delicious. I've had the lamb stew, ox tail stew, salmon wrap, vegan wrap, and begniets. The jollof rice and plantains are excellent as well. I can't get enough honestly. The portion sizes are hearty as well. You won't be hungry.
- Belinda Jackson
- Belinda Jackson
Went there for dinner to celebrate my sister’s birthday, the food and service was excellent
- Jon
- Jon
A charming West African restaurant that serves delicious food! I recommend the hibiscus juice in addition to the quality meals!
- Shavon Collymore
- Shavon Collymore
I came with my school and we received excellent service and hospitality! They were so kind and the food was AMAZING! Wish I could give it 10 stars!
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
Get in Touch!
Get in Touch!
Learn more about Bala’s Bistro in Memphis, Tennessee. We serve traditional African cuisine as well as American favorites. We also offer quotes and estimates for our catering services and prepared meals to go. Contact us about our food selections. We change our menu every season, with new and improved dishes that you can try.
Contact Information
Contact Information
Inquiry Form
Inquiry Form
Service Areas
Service Areas
Memphis, Tennessee and Surrounding Areas