Was not impressed. Â May not be bad for Gaslamp but not good enough for me. Â Went there on a Friday afternoon during ComiCon happy hour and the ceviche was horrible, the quacamole was mush and white wine my girlfriend had was likely old and bad. Â Just not going to give this place another try.....left and went to Cafe 21.
Review Source:Came here last Saturday night for some dinner & pre-gaming prior to the bars.
Service: Fantastic!!! The waitress was awesome, very knowledgeable about the menu, the manger came by to check-in on us, our waters were always full and our drinks never got low, at the end of the night the Chef even came out to see how we liked the meal. Â Incredible, Incredible service.
Food: To top off the great service the food was top notch, fantastic, amazing!!!
We had: Kumiai, Fanny Bay oysters --both were incredible
App: Ahi Mango Poke --so tasty, very fresh, awesome
Entree:
Sea Bass: huge portion, perfectly cooked, incredible flavor, nice roast of the skin
Salmon: huge portion, incredible flavor, perfectly cooked.
Sides:
Tomato and artichokes --great flavor, nice grill
Brussel sprouts -nice roast
Drinks: great wine selection, awesome martinis
This place is great for a date, a group, a couple of friends --I highly highly recommend it. Â Awesome food and service --what more could you want.
I've been DYING to go to Spike Africa so was excited to finally make it there last night. Â I don't know if it was the Yelp check in that did it (I HOPE NOT!), but we had the most fantastic service I may have ever had in my life. Â Even though we had a weird long wait from being seated to being noticed, everything from that moment on made us feel like VIPs. Â
The manager asked if a server had been to see us and we said no and so he took our drink order. Â The waitress came right by to bring us the specials menu and said she'd be right back with the drinks, and she was. Â We placed our order, including the free BBQ chips and dip that come when you check in to Yelp.
Literally, our food was out in like five minutes... luckily it came before the chips even or I might have over-eaten! Â I'm not a huge fan of BBQ chips, but these are actually really good and even better with the dip, BUT this is a huge order and I didn't know that my lobster roll came with chips, too, so it was overkill. Â The lobster roll was on a nice toasty, buttery split topped bread and came with a big piece of butter lettuce and is topped with avocado... Â I have to say, one of my favorite things about living in California is like everything comes with avocado! Â East coasters would be horrified, but it was TASTY. Â I didn't really get any jalapeno on it though. Â We got sort of a double dip of lobster roll, because they also brought us an amuse of lobster roll lettuce wraps with a berry vinaigrette.
The husband had the fish and chips and said they were delish. Â I really liked the lobster roll, but when I go back, I want to try the whole fish!!!
I could NOT pass up the habanero coconut chocolate mango dessert. Â OH MY GOD. Â That was so delicious. Â I will tell you, though, I could NOT eat that by myself. Â It is a totally two person dessert. Â SOOOOOO good. Â The spice is really subtle, but you can feel it as an aftertaste and it's perfect with the chocolate covered coconut balls, balanced with mango ice cream and fresh mango. Â YUM YUM YUM!!!
Throughout it all, our server was very attentive without being annoying at all. Â We felt very special during our visit and we will so be going back for more. I was dying to try the crab hush puppies and the ceviche and the whole fish... Â okay, almost everything.
The ambiance is interesting. Â It's kind of a modern industrial feel. Â They don't have a lot of booths, so if you want one, you might want to request it if you make a reservation in advance. Â I did check out the back-story of Spike Africa on the website and still not sure the connection, but I like it.
RECOMMEND!!!!
Ate here during Day 2 of San Diego Comic Con 2013 and had the time of my life. The seafood purchaser walked from table to table, showing off some fresh red snapper (which was one of the Comic Con specials). I didn't pay it any mind at first, but when I saw the size of the dang fish along with the side dishes (corn succatash + potatoes, yummy!) I had to spring for it. The fish was served deep-fried and whole, which was a bit of a messy dish (especially when you're in cosplay like I was), but I would absolutely order this dish again if I have the chance. It was seasoned just right and cooked to perfection. Everything about this dish was amaze-balls...
As for the restaurant's service, couldn't possibly be more friendly and enthusiastic. Definitely A plus all around and well worth every penny. Will definitely return for more.
I love this place! The atmosphere is upbeat and casual, the food is fantastic. I had the Lobster roll, oh my, so delicious. My husband had the fish and chips, good portions and beautiful mahi mahi fish. For dessert we had habanero coconut bites with mango ice cream, amazing. Definitely will eat here again.
Review Source:Have you ever been to a restaurant where the Chef is happier cooking the delicious food than you are eating it, even though it is the best meal of your life? Â Well this is the place. Not only will he chef it up but half the time you see him delivering the deliciousness too! Last night he showcased the beautiful fresh fish by walking around the restaurant... It was awesome! Â Besides the fact that they have a great chef, Spike Africa's does everything right. Â The entire staff is always on point and the management team has this place running as smooth as porpoises. Finally a seafood restaurant that has great concept, great food, great atmosphere, and guarantees a delightful dining experience every time.... Oh yeah and the bar rocks, so dont feel obligated to just go in and eat. Â It has a great patio to be able to chill and drink and watch all of the excitement on 4th street and Broadway.
Review Source:Let's start by saying there aren't that many good restaurants in downtown San Diego, but among the better is Spike Africa. Unlike many of the other businesses around town, the decor is contemporary and stylish and the menu offers something for every level of palate. Â
The menu is offers a wide assortment of fish dishes and some chicken. Â I opted for an asparagus salad with Burata cheese and oven roasted tomatoes with a balsamic reduction to start. Â Overall the dish was balanced and tasted great, but there was one thing that bugged me. Â The server delivered the plate piping hot, which meant that the Burata cheese melted on top of the veggies, giving the cheese a rubbery consistency. Â The best part of Burata is the creamy goodness and that was lost. Â I also had the rock fish with buttery rice and coleslaw. Â The fish was cooked perfectly, but was seasoned with too much pepper. Â The rice and coleslaw were good. Â
There are a few things that the management of this restaurant should look into changing to make the experience better:
1. Stop bringing out plates that are so hot you can't touch them. Â I would rather my food be a little bit cooler then get burns on my fingers because the plate is too hot.
2. Time the food service. Â Don't bring out the entrees until the apps have been completed.
3. Serve the table together. Â Twice our table of four got served separately. Â It would be very nice to receive all our food at once so we could all start eating together. Â
4. I love the idea of parading the fresh caught fish through the restaurant in theory, but in practice it doesn't really work and is kinda gross. Â No, I don't want to see where my food is coming from.
This place was awesome! Â Service was great, food was great. Â Location was just OK - it is not in the center of the Gaslamp district which meant a bit of a walk, but walking is good for you!
To eat we had:
- Garlic bread: definitely the most garlicy garlic bread I've ever had. Â My husband and I both loved it.
- BBQ chips: yummy! Â served with a tasty side of some kind of ranch-ish sauce which was really good.
- Boiled shrimp: good as it gets!
- Crab Hush Puppies: good, but not as good as I expected them to be
- Burger: my husband loved the burger and said it is one of the best he has ever had!
I really loved the service though. Â I loved that they walked around with all of their fresh fish and showed you the quality of what you'd be eating. Â It was really fun and different. Â The decor was great too. Â Highly recommend!
Ate here alone one fine evening in San Diego seated nicely with a view of the NBC building.
Ordered the albacore tuna grilled to perfection, which was absolutely delicious and satisfying. This dish came with an excellent coleslaw that contained cranberries, raisins, and other goodies. I also got a seaweed salad, which was also excellent.
The waiters were very nice and one even told me about a Yelp deal they were having so I went for it and ended up with free homemade kettle chips, which were also very good. I even took some to go since the portion was massive.
I would definitely recommend this place to anyone who can afford it. Â I was very impressed and my palette was immensely satisfied.
You really can not beat their Happy Hour. $1 oysters are an awesome incentive to go. The service was great and the staff was friendly. I was seated pretty quickly. I've been a few times for that and one time for dinner with my girlfriend. The sea bass entree and the ceviche appetizer are also delicious. I would recommend this restaurant for people who like fish.
Review Source:Yelp has steered me in the right direction... again!
Famished and just in time for happy hour, we were quickly seated in a fairly empty restaurant (4pm). Â
As usual, we over-ordered being that our stomachs were growling and everything on the menu sounded good.
BBQ chips w/dip - overall decent and nice, since it was free with check-in.
Kuimai oysters - small oysters (my favorite kind), clean tasting and fresh, $1/ea - HH
Garlic bread - 2 large halves of garlicky, cheesy, crispy goodness!
Barramundi seabass - cooked very nicely, great texture, fresh, perfect with the brussel sprout side.
Fish and chips - Large pieces of firm fish, and not overly battered like most places. Â
House margaritas - Strong and good!
The service was exceptionally friendly and fast.
Our whole experience was great... everything we ordered was delicious! Â We will definitely be back on our next visit to SD!
My boyfriend and I visited during happy hour on a Friday.
During this time we officially discovered that we are NOT fans of oysters (but at $1 each we had to try!). Â However, everything else that we had was great! Â
The beer prices were pretty good, especially for downtown, though the selection could be better. Â My boyfriend enjoyed his fish taco (despite not being a fan of mango salsa) and the fried shrimp. Â We both LOVED the ceviche... Some of the best we'd ever had.
The service was good, everyone was friendly, it was a pretty nice building in a great location. Â It was surprisingly empty at 5, but definitely picked up right before happy hour ended at 6:30.
If you are a fan of seafood (though they have other options!) and are looking for a place to eat in downtown San Diego, I would definitely recommend it.
My favorite thing about this place is that every fifteen minutes or so, the chef brings his latest catch (or buy from the local seafood market) around to your table so that you can see what he's cooking up in the kitchen. Â I love that the restaurant encourages this kind of connection with food sources.
My BF and I were staying in downtown SD for 4th of July weekend, and we came here on Saturday for brunch around 11 AM. Â I was in the mood for fresh seafood, and Spike Africa's came up on Yelp, so we decided to try it. Â We were seated and served immediately, and we had a very enjoyable experience. Â The interior of the restaurant is clean and spacious, with wooden floors and high ceilings and windows that face the corner of 4th and Broadway, giving the whole space an open, airy feeling.
We ordered a dozen Chilled Jumbo Shrimp, which at $2.25 each, were not cheap, but we decided to splurge. Â Those shrimp were firm and sweet and cold and served on a bed of ice in a metal bowl with slices of lemon and fresh cocktail sauce -- the perfect appetizer! Â Also, because we checked in on Yelp we got a free appetizer of fresh-made barbecue chips with onion dip. Â My BF loved them, but I wasn't crazy about them.
My BF had the fish tacos ($11) and I had the half salad and clam chowder ($10) from the lunch menu. Â My BF's tacos were good -- fresh catch of the day topped with pico and guac inside flour tortillas. Â I ordered the blueberry vinaigrette with my salad and I would definitely recommend it -- it was tart and made my lips smack! Â The chowder was interesting; it wasn't creamy like I expected. Instead, it was in a savory, almost clear broth, with celery and potatoes, but there was a whole lot of clam flavor, and I ended up really enjoying it. Â I had wanted to order the lobster roll, but it came with jalapeno tartar sauce only, and I was worried that it might be too spicy for me. I wish they made it with regular tartar sauce or mayo.
The service was also prompt and attentive and our waiter -- I wish I remembered his name! -- was really patient with our questions and special requests and attentive to our needs. Â We had a great experience here and would definitely return; I would love to try their happy hour -- $1 oysters!
Look past the weird name, as this is a great restaurant. It is on the edge of "nice" Gaslamp Quarter, but we had a thoroughly enjoyable experience here.
The food was great -- we recommend the sausage and clams, scallops, ahi mango poke, ceviche and fresh shucked oysters; we don't recommend the roasted garlic bread. We were a large party, so we had several waiters, and they were all great. Their homemade chips are really tasty as well.
Overall, this is a great place for groups, and especially groups with young kids. We went really early, during happy hour, and the sparseness of the crowd was nice.
BRAZIL VS. SPAIN GAME.
TWO FLATSCREEN TVS.
$1 OYSTERS DURING HAPPY HOUR.
HEAVEN ON EARTH NO RUSH HOUR MOVIE HERE!
clean, open, huge bar plenty of selections from the liquor department.
I got like four compliments on my half sleeve, some even while pissing in their urinals, what is it with SD people and asian tattoos? they fux with the yakuza or what? whatever, not trippen..
happy hour 330-630 $1 oysters.
no that wasn't a typo.. from 330 - 630 the oysters are $1..
stop reading my review you're wasting time, put your pants on and GOGOGO!
I went here on a Saturday night around 8pm. My friend and I sat on the patio. I got the mustard salmon with a garden salad and she got the the scallops with a Caesar salad. We both got drinks too--vodka/soda and wine.
The vibe was cool and relaxed and the patio was nice. Also, the food was very, very good. But, I couldn't give 5 stars simply because of the portions and the price.
My salmon was $25 and literally came with a piece of salmon over 5 asparagus spears. The scallop dish was $23 and came with 4 scallops again over 5 asparagus spears. Mind you we swapped our sides for asparagus and it is downtown San Diego. But, our bill ended up being over $100 for two people. Also, the wine is not poured with a heavy hand whatsoever. Maybe I'm just being cheap right now haha but that's just how I feel.
Happy hour til 6:30 every day?? Score!
So...we walked by on the 4th of July at around 6:10 and it looked pretty empty inside, but when we got to the door it was crowded with people waiting to be seated. The hostess didn't seem to know what she was doing, and it was a real bottleneck. She was on her own, so it wasn't like she could refer people to someone to seat them; she disappeared for a while to seat people way in the back. When she got to us she was very friendly, almost too much so, since we just wanted to get seated and out of the way. We didn't have a reservation and at first she told us we may have to wait (which seemed odd given all the open tables) but then she seated us at one of the empty tables. Ha. Ha. Anyway...once we got seated the service was pretty good. Normal, I'd say.
We got the free BBQ chips with check-in on yelp and split a mahi mahi taco and had some drinks (all still during happy hour). The margarita was a little weird to me. I'm not sure what exactly was off...too sweet AND salty? Really couldn't put my finger on it. The chips were pretty good and the onion dip wasn't too strong. At first I found it bland but it grew on me. I'm not normally a fan of BBQ and was hoping they'd be less sweet, but they were what BBQ chip fans would expect. Smoky and sweet, and nice and crisp. The taco was pretty expensive, even at happy hour prices, IMHO, but the flavors were great.
I ordered a lobster roll and substituted fries for chips since we already had chips. My fiance got the clam and sausage pasta. Our waitress was very sweet and kept apologizing about the time it took for food to come out (which really wasn't THAT bad), saying that the kitchen was slammed. Oh, also, they were out of oysters, which bummed us out, since that was one reason we came here. Lobster roll and oysters, PLUS they were only $1 each (compared to $2.50) for happy hour! No wonder they sold out...
Anyway, I'm not sure if they forgot out entrees or not; our waitress asked how we were and if we wanted anything else and we were like..."uhm....we ordered entrees..?" and shortly after she brought out my lobster roll. The bread was awesome and while at first it didn't look huge, there was a good amount of lobster on it. It was very tasty, but since I kind of inhaled it I don't feel like I have a right to try to describe it. It was good. I was buzzed. I would have to go back and try again...darn.
My fiance's pasta also didn't look like a very large portion (large compared to most oversized portions places give, I guess) but I think it was filling enough. I tried some and it was citrusy and light, which I like. I had a cosmo at some point in there, and it was the strongest one I have ever had. I had mixed feelings since it it's like "oh, that's so sweet of them" but then, also..."omg, I can hardly drink this". Yeah. That sentence made sense.
Overall we had a good time, and I would like to go back to try the fish and chips, oysters, and some of the other apps.
Took the whole family here plus mother-in-law. Â Very friendly service from the moment we arrived. Â Although they seemed to have a "new" bartender since we had to send our margaritas back, but she doused them with gran marnier and they were suddenly wonderful.
The food: Â Hush puppies and ceviche apps were great. Â My kids really loved those puppies. Â The fried fish tacos were bangin'! Â The swordfish was good, fish & chips slammin', barramundi seabass cooked perfectly. Â But the real shocker was how sickly good the butterscotch pudding was! Â Who even thinks "butterscotch pudding" ever in their life? Â Shit, I'm thinking about it now. Â I seriously doubt any African I come across will have noshed on a bowl of that sweet decadence, but if Spike says it's African then call me Kunte Kente 'cause that pudding is the business.
The ambiance is a cool modern meets Pottery Barn with ample natural light flooding the restaurant. One of the staff showcased a freshly caught tuna that was 1/3 of my size (!), which I really appreciated as someone who's never gone fishing.
I ordered the shrimp po' boy. The remoulade and the pickled onion worked well with the battered shrimp. However, they were housed in buttered toast which made the actual picking up of the sandwich impossible and my sandwich fell apart. I ended up eating the sandwich with a fork instead. I also thought that the buttered toast was unnecessary and heavy given the battered shrimp as well as the homemade chips... which was a pity since the homemade chips were deliciously seasoned with various spices.
Still, I would return to Spike Africa's because my party very much enjoyed their dishes and I very much appreciated the fish of the day being grilled barramundi (unfortunately, I spaced out when one of my party was inquiring after the fish of the day and ordered the shrimp po' boy instead). I've never seen barramundi on any other seafood restaurants and it was cool that SA highlighted the yummy, sustainable fish. Can't wait to try the other fish dishes here.
If spending time in the Gaslamp and you want to have seafood, I cannot think of a better place to go. Â The food here is great. Â The oysters are outrageously fresh. Â One evening the chef came out and we talked about that. Â Apparently they go through so many of the Kumai oysters that they are in the ocean less than 2 days before they're in your mouth. Â I totally believe it too. You know fresh when you taste it. Â Everything here is fresh. Â The prices are great and the portion sizes are very generous unless you're talking about the lobster mac and cheese in which case the portion size is enormous!
Review Source:This restaurant is now one of my favorites in San Diego. Right when I walked in I had a feeling I was going to have a great experience. I came here with my family, and we got seated in a big booth right in front of the kitchen. Our server was great and the service was fast. We ordered oysters and ceviche as appetizers. Both were delicious! Another bonus was the extra potato chips we got because we checked in here on yelp. The potato chips were unlike any other potato chip I've ever had. They were light and crispy goodness with the most tasty dipping sauce (heaven).
The restaurant has a taco Tuesday special and from that I ordered the crispy mahi mahi taco and the grilled mahi mahi taco. Each taco was different, but they both tasted great.
As our dinner came to an end we were pleasantly surprised with a complimentary dessert. Spike Africa's chef Paul presented us with a yummy chocolate, coconut, mango concoction and some vanilla ice cream. He gave us this yummy dessert because of where we were seated, right next to the kitchen where he was asking for orders. My family and I were not disturbed by the noise, which made the dessert taste even better. Overall my experience was great and I cannot wait to come back!
This place was an all around wonderful restaurant. From the moment we walked in all the staff there managed to greet us and say hi. I got complimented on what I was wearing by the staff at least five times -which really makes a girl feel good when she's had a bad week.
I had the barramundi with butter rice and a side of the house made tartar sauce and citrus butter. OMG!!!! Melt in my freaking mouth. Sea bass is hard to cook to perfection so many restaurants let me down when I order barramundi but Spikes excels at everything about this dish!
My husband had the swordfish and the Mac seaweed salad. The salad was unlike anything we have tried. Two great dishes combined into one. Clever!
We cannot wait to go back!
Keep up the awesomeness Spikes!
Pro: Service was great! We had a reservation for a large group and the two servers were wonderful.
Con: Personally I felt the food was average and I was disappointed that they only had one locally caught fish on their Fresh Catch Menu (rockfish). I had some oysters that were fresh and flavorful and ordered the yellowtail which was extremely over cooked with under cooked brussel sprouts. Other's in my party said that there fish was over cooked as well. All in all I probably wouldn't go back, there are a ton of great restaurants in SD so no need to go back to this one.
The food and service was 5+ stars, our waiter was extremely attentive, the manager stopped by to make sure everything was good and the food was superb.
We were seated in the back room, which is a little "cheap" from a decor style, I think the lighting was just to bright. Â
Service & Food 5+ stars ; backroom seating ares 3 stars ; next time going to try and sit in front room by the bar.
I had some fresh fish here, but I wanted a better experience overall. This restaurant has great potential. Â But it lacks the little things that could make it great.
The decorum is slightly more modern than Ye Old Frying Dutchman. Â Black and white photos of some seafaring adventurer adorn the walls. Â Is he Jacque Cousteau? Â Hemmingway's cousin? Â Why, no, it's Spike Africa himself! Â I didn't even realize that Spike was a man who inspired the restaurant until the end of the meal when I asked about an oddly decorated bottle, which was also Spike's idea. Â It would be nice if Spike's story were woven into the dining experience. Â They could at least place a visible paragraph about him at the top of the menu.
The cocktails were better than average. Their red sail is like a Moscow Mule with strawberries.
People either love or hate the ceviche. Â I am one of the latter folk. Â There's nothing but fish with tomatoes and cucumber here. Â There is not nearly enough lime juice. Â And no shrimp. Â It's simply too watered down and boring. Â It may be its own creation, but it's not ceviche. Â Luckily, the accompanying guacamole was very good.
The fish fillets are fresh and large, but they could use some more window
dressing. Â If I'm spending more than $24 for a dish, I'd like to experience something more than a drive thru menu. Â Fish is an expensive, elegant, and precious gift of nature. Â It should be treated as such. Â But here, ordering the fish fillets is like ordering off an In-N-Out menu. Â Meat. Â Choice of sauce. Â Done. Â No introductions. Â No foreplay. Â Just straight to the point.
Perhaps feeling blunt and rugged is part of the intended experience. Â For the Seafood Simmer is one bare and expensive bowl of blue collar stew. Â While described as similar to Cioppino, it is a poor man's version. Â It comes in an aluminum bowl more suited for our four legged friends. Â The tomato broth tastes of tomatoes paste, cayenne, coffee, and peat. Â This is a quick-and-dirty man's stew with zero elegance or complexity.
Perhaps I was supposed to enjoy it and eat it like a brute, for the wait staff gave me no crab fork, no spoon, no bowl for shells, and no wet napkin. Â There was neither pasta nor bread for dunking. Â These are the small things that differentiate taking a meal and dining.
Perhaps the staff was not trained to know these things. Â Our waiter seemed to have only the most rudimentary knowledge of the menu and could not make any firm recommendations. Â Again, small improvements in this department could make a big difference. Â
While this restaurant has the potential to shine, it seems to be a little diamond in the rough.
**Bar review**
My friend and I sat at the bar and I had the spiced pear gimlet. It was pretty good. I think it was around $10. It took a while to come out though because I think they forgot about it and we had to remind them. I also thought the check in offer was rather strange, "A high five from management?" I asked the waitress if this was really the offer and she said yes. I didn't redeem. If I'm ever in the area I may give the food a try.
Visited San Diego and stumbled upon this great happy hour in downtown. A fun mix of professionals, friends, and couples with an inviting atmosphere. $1 oysters and $4 margaritas were a fav on the happy hour menu.
Also a big fan of the $4 black bean dip and $6 ceviche. Why must I live so far from such amazingness?! No complaints at all.
I was in San Diego in March for a night with friends on my California vacation and was put in charge of selecting a restaurant for our group for dinner. I discovered Spike Africa's via Yelp! and I'm so glad I did. I was a little nervous when we arrived on a Thursday night and it was fairly empty. However, the reviews did not lead me astray - I got the fish & chips and the butterscotch pudding. Definitely the best meal of our trip. Everyone raved about their entrees. The only downside was it took a little long to get refills on our drinks, but the waitress was apologetic. I'd definitely visit there again and recommend to friends!
MUST TRY:
Fish & Chips
Butterscotch Pudding
Side note: We missed it, but it looked like they had some great Happy Hour deals from the ad on our table.
I'll say it. BEST grilled fish taco I've had yet in San Diego. Leave the fried ones to South Beach, and Fish Shop. Why? Something happens when you bite down on it. Something magical. Soft doughy shell, tangy dressing, fruity mango salsa, and a perfectly fresh DAILY cut of grilled yellowtail. It's like I bit into a unicorn. Apart from the fish, it's all in the magical dressing. It's hard to describe what it tastes like in words, but literally felt like I was being hugged when I bit into it. It was like a warm, bubble bath of Yum-sations. A rush to my brain. Artful, colorful abstract presentation.
Dollar-oysters at happy hour: ice cold, fresh, well-presented and proportioned. Served on a steel-chilled ice plate with sprigs of sea greens over the ice, fresh lemon, and cocktail sauce. Thats all you need. Your hand goes numb when you grab the dish to move it. Thats how ice cold fresh it is.
Margaritas were refreshing, well poured, and almost creamy. Very light. $4.
Happy hour is the way to go.
Owner/manager learned it was my birthday and poured me a good shot.
And I was gonna give this place 5-stars before all that!
Fabulous new place, I went twice in one week! Spike Africa's is NOT African food, for those of you who might see the sign and think that. Spike Africa's is basically the mothership for anyone who loves eating sea creatures--which, my husband I do. I've been twice now, and here is the lowdown:
If you check-in on Yelp it says you get a high-five from management but you also get a free bowl of their homemade BBQ chips and onion dip. That was a cool surprise, I was just looking for my high-five! Haha.
Oysters--$2.50-3.00 each (or $1 each on Happy Hour menu) very very fresh, and delicious. Taste like they are right out of the ocean. We tried two kinds, from Fanny Bay Canada and Kumuai Mexico. Both yum.
Lobster roll--$17. Sounds kinda spendy, but you get a HEAP of lobster for that price. Fresh avocado, jalapeno relish, chips and broccoli coleslaw that is amazing.
Fish and chips--$14. Mahi mahi battered in a very delicate coating, this was some of the best fish and chips I have ever had. Crispy non-greasy fries, delicious and we'd definitely order again.
Costa Rican Yellowtail with roasted tomatoes and grilled artichokes (and broccoli slaw.) I ordered this rare, with the pesto sauce on it, and although it was okay/good I would not order this again. Not sure why, but when I cut it with my fork there were some stringy membrane-like things that kind of turned me off. Flavor-wise the pesto was delicious and spicy, maybe this was just not meant to be ordered rare.
Good drink menu, I had a great Spicy Bloody Mary and a Hefeweizen draft, and my husband tried their Shark Attack 9.5% ale and loved it.
In any case the menu is extensive and I look forward to going back for their happy hour specials soon!
Current at this restaurant, waiting for my dinner to be served at 10pm.
Let me tell you the details: called around 7:45pm to ask about the wait for a table for 2. Front tells me 8:30 would be the best time to come by given there's a 30 minute wait. Cool, we'll be there.
We arrived at 8:20 and checked in. 10 minute wait. Okay acceptable. But actually got seated at 9.
Ordered immediately after being seated And I'm still waiting for food at 10:20...
Finally...sweet redemption! The cheap ass double strap sandals I bought from the Payless that used to be in this location have finally been vindicated by Spike Africa's. I felt like I practically robbed them after getting such a small bill from their brilliant happy hour.
We had $4 um-yaz-ing mahi fish tacos, bomb ass barbecue chips, dollar kumaia oysters, $2 fireball shots (yeah really), $3 Fernets, and some pretty fantastic bar service from our boy David (Daveed).
Spike's reviews really do speak for themselves. I'll be hitting them up first thing every time I get back in town and yes, I definitely bless the rains down in Africa. <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DRdBcfRhzzAA&s=b37a3d83b6b146e500992a48fdb627deca1b8ab4e464b50354c29701ece151a4" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/w…</a>
This review is short and sweet... errr, I mean fishy!
The fish tacos are now on the happy hour menu so I gave those suckas a try. At $4.00 each, sure there are better deals in town for a fish taco, but how does that saying go? Oh yeah, you get what you pay for. A monster piece of grilled mahi-mahi folded in a soft tortilla, a entire leaf of butter lettuce and topped with guacamole and a mango salsa. Dangerously delicious! I picked up my taco and commented, "damn! These things have some weight to them!" They aren't messy and spilling all over the place either. Possibly the perfect fish taco?
Until someone else steps up to the plate, this taco is winning the race.
And yes, I've tried South Beach, El Zarape, Mariscos German... the list goes on.
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