rjpeltzsteele

Extraordinary place. East & West African & Caribbean selections I crave and never would expect in U.S. I had a scrumptious plantain cocktail. Afro-Carib mixology? Brilliant!! I could go back and try something else every night of the week. And Chris & staff could not have been more warm and welcoming. Diversity of diners--black, brown, white--,a testament to multicultural success.

Meghan O'Keefe

This restaurant is absolutely spectacular. When you walk in, it’s so cozy and both the decor and everyone working is incredibly welcoming. There is a great drinks menu and on the reverse side, a really interesting wine list. Then comes the hard part, choosing what to eat! We wanted to try everything but I guess we’ll just have to return in the future. The pepper shrimp had great flavor (and a lot of heat) which the cassava puffs tempered. And they had a curried goat special which was unbelievable. The goat was so tender and the flavors were perfectly melded together. We ended with the rum cake to go and it made a perfect treat later on in the night. This was a fantastic meal and we can’t wait to come back to try more!

Gina Torres

Umana Yana is a fantastic spot that truly captures the essence of international cuisine. Umana offers an authentic taste of the Caribbean with vegan, gluten free, & vegetarian options. The cozy, family-style ambiance adds to the overall experience, making it a must-visit for anyone craving a culinary adventure in Upstate, NY. I have attended their last 3 Jazz brunches. Make sure you reserve your table to elevate your dining experience and secure your table! It’s a highly recommend spot and can get busy!

+3

Bruce Wayne

Let me start by saying this cute brunch spot is BYOC (Bring your own cake) we celebrated a friends birthday and the hostess was very accommodating. Food was very fresh and well made. They also have a separate vegan menu

+1

Kat Samedova

I was in town, and I really wanted to try Ethiopian food, and so we found this place. First impressions were great. The atmosphere was artsy and fun, and the service was great. We were immediately seated. We both ordered mocktails to start, I had the pineapple cosno, and my mom had the Caribbean Shirley. Both were very good and not very sweet. We started with the yucca balls, yucca fries with both jams, and the steak satay. The steak satay was my favorite thing there. The flavor was super rich and umami with a great ginger flavor throughout. The yucca balls were very flavorful with the spices, and the texture was great. The yucca fries were a bit fibrous at times but had a great flavor. Later, we ordered the injera plate with chicken and an egg, and it was very good. Some flavors weren't for me, but others were. My mother enjoyed everything. I guess we just have different palettes, but nothing was bad to me. My favorites were the chicken and the lentils. The eggplant was also very good but pretty spicy. We ordered extra injera to eat wothz and ended up taking leftovers home. For dessert, we had the cassava pudding thing, and I forgot the name. But it was very good. The flavor was a bit similar to a sweet potato casserole with nice warm spices and a sweet floral jam on top. It was very enjoyable. I also had their cola, which was also very good. Overall, it was a great experience. It was a bit pricey, especially compared to other places, but the food was worth it. I'll be back to try more food!

+1

Douglas Liebig

So happy we decided to go here! The Garlic Ginger Steak Satay appetizer was fantastic! The meat was perfectly cooked and very flavorful. I ordered the Red Curry Fish Tacos without the aoli and they were fabulous! The fish was moist and tasted amazing. Will definitely have them again and soon! The Ethiopian Injera Plate with Chicken doro way was special, definitely a must try. The different items on the plate were extremely flavorful with a rich depth of flavor. There was a little heat, but not to much at all. Very much looking forward to many returns, including trying their weekend Brunch!

Marum Sadiq

My table of 2 ordered the yucca puffs as an appetizer, which were well seasoned, soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. For our main dishes we ordered the red curry fish tacos and the injera plate with chicken. Everything was super tasty, and fun to eat. I think my favorite part of the meal was the fish tacos. This was a great experience because everything tasted amazing while also being easy to share. The servers were very kind and attentive as well. I enjoyed the experience of eating here and will be back again for sure!

Dzina

I’m vegan of 14 years and not a fan of eating at non-vegan places but seeing that this restaurant had a separate plant-based menu and wanting a break from the sandwiches from the nearby vegan places, I decided to try this place. I was pleasantly surprised by the abundance of flavors and options. My non-vegan companion also ordered from the plant-based menu and was wowed. We are definitely coming back when in the area again to try the rest of their plant-based menu - I just wish they opened earlier than 5pm on the weekdays. I don’t rate non-vegan places five stars anymore but I’m really grateful for their effort to make plant-based eating more accessible.

+1

Sai K

The food options were good but the flavors were all somewhat muted, we were expecting more authentic flavors and spices. Our biggest issue was the noise. I think we went on a night where the DJ was present, and it was impossible to have a conversation without being interrupted with loud sounds. It was hard to even hear the wait staff. I recommend going on a non-DJ/music night if you are interested in actually talking to the rest of your party.

Drena G (Noir)

It’s a local eatery that relocated a door or two down the road from a former location. I do like the idea they have… the ethnic foods in this less than ethnic area. However, they run out of food often and that’s annoying. I went a few days ago for brunch and they closed early for a staff meeting. Like ok.. y’all close early on Sunday anyway- you could have waited until after hours to hold that meeting. I found it to be unprofessional to me. I also ordered takeout here and the bags ripped. Luckily I was at my front door or my $35 plate of food would have been on the concrete. Unfortunately they do have roaches roaming around their establishment, so keep that in mind. The drinks are ok. I’m a champagne/wine kinda woman.. I did enjoy their tropical mimosas during lunch. Lunchtime they have drinks half off, however this is only on Saturdays and I’m not sure if this is a limited time deal or not. We went to brunch a few weeks back… my honey said the French toast was undercooked. So he didn’t finish it. I felt the biscuits were too thick as well as dry. The gravy wasn’t flavorful enough to cover up the ignore the thickness. It is relatively cozy inside so call ahead if you’re planning to sit down and eat with more than 2 people. The seating is a little odd as well. They do offer outdoor seating if you’re into that. The food is good for the most part. I do miss their old menu, but I understand change happens from time to time. Overall, I would recommend you at least try their food. Idk about sitting down to eat though... I‘ve done it. But it’s your choice. Happy eating my loves!

+18

Viina Starr

An acquired taste, not your normal cuisine. African Asian Caribbean style which is amazing, just have to try different things off the menu until you find something you like. Mac n cheese had hair in it and when mentioned staff got upset n said I was stupid while stating I didn’t have to pay after I offered to just pay for my drink and Cole slaw which the Cole slaw was good and the drinks were good. I mentioned that my son n I were not a fan of the rice as I didn’t like the rice nor the Mac n cheese however my son did like the Mac n cheese until he found the hair. She offered to replace the rice with coconut however I refused because I don’t eat coconut rice. So I offered to pay for the drink n slaw n I was rudely told you don’t have to pay for anything so I kindly left. I had a horrible first time experience but I would recommend trying it for something new just not my type of restaurant

S Cooper

We went for the “jazz brunch” which I didn’t see why we needed reservations for. It wasn’t busy AT ALL. The Jazz..well let’s just say it was a playlist off Spotify or something. We anticipated live music. You’re greeted by this thick, dingy curtain as you walk in..and our waitress was ok, she didn’t introduce herself and she filled our glasses half way. The place needs a bit cleaning too. And the entree prices were average for what you would pay now..(expensive) but our desserts were $12/$14 dollars! And I received a sliver corner piece of bread pudding. Very EXPENSIVE. The only good thing I would say was the food was DELICIOUS! Other than that, we will not be back. The one in the plaza is a “go to”