Eat · Haie Vive
Poulet bicyclette grill, Haie Vive
Grilled free-range chicken, a Benin favourite: lean, firm and best with pâte or fried plantain; order it whole for two.
- Free-range chicken
- Grilled over coals
- Order for two
- Order: Grilled free-range chicken
- Table seating
- Walk-in window: 12:00–14:30
- Cash only
- Menu with prices on Voykit
Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.
Rules in force · 11Nine African countries on this site have no trip line bec…Carry an original yellow fever vaccination certificate on…Bags stay at the hotel or in the car
- Africa ↗When a route touches a yellow-fever country — even a transit of 12 hours or more — keep the original yellow card (ICVP) in your hand luggage; health desks and airlines can refuse boarding or entry without it.
- Africa ↗Nine African countries on this site have no trip line because governments advise against travel; several others have no-go regions. Read your government's advice for every country on the route before paying deposits.
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- Cotonou and Porto-Novo ↗Travel in daylight, use a car with a driver, and avoid motorbike taxis unless you have a helmet.
- Cotonou ↗Cards work in a few hotels and supermarkets only: carry XOF in small notes and change money at banks or hotel desks.
- Cotonou ↗Bags stay at the hotel or in the car: large bags in Dantokpa and on the street draw thieves and slow you down.
- Cotonou ↗Motorbike taxis (zémidjans) are common and crashes are frequent: use a car, or ride only with a helmet.
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Map & directions
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Plan
Open now, when you can walk in, what to order
Go now?
Open?
Hours not published
Easiest walk-in
12:00–14:30
Reservations
Walk-in, no reservation
Paying
Cash only
Per person
XOF 5,000–7,0002026 estimate · check
Walk-in windows
A walk-in lunch is only planned as primary when your arrival lands outside the “impossible” window.
Your first order
- Poulet bicyclette, grilled (whole)Serves two with sides.XOF 5,000–8,000
Menus and prices change; the board on the day wins.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
On the ground
How to order, tip and pay, allergies, and booking
Tipping
Unlike in the US, no tip is expected here.
Allergies and diets
- NoVegetarian · A grill; sides only. · say: “Je ne mange pas de viande.”
- AskHalal · No certification.
Paying
Cash only
- Fix the price before it goes on the fire.
- Agree the price of a whole fish or chicken before it is cooked, and keep the receipt.
Booking
- Booking
- Walk-in, no reservation
- Reservations
- Not taken
- Note
- Walk-in; call ahead for a group.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
Map and nearby
Where this place is, how to get there, and what is around it
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Nearby places
Eat nearby
More detail
Everything else we know about this place
How to order here, in full
How to order here
The order of play at the counter or table, what to say, how much to order and how to pay.
No shared language? Point at the dish or a photo of it. For a printed menu, translate a photo of it.
What to say
| In English | Say or show | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| How much is this? | C'est combien ? | seh kom-byen |
| It is too expensive | C'est trop cher | seh troh shair |
| Not spicy, please | Pas pimenté, s'il vous plaît | pah pee-mon-tay, seel voo pleh |
| Grilled fish, please | Du poisson braisé, s'il vous plaît | dew pwah-son breh-zay, seel voo pleh |
| Hello | Bonjour | bohn-zhoor |
| Thank you | Merci | mehr-see |
Portions and sharing
- Poulet bicyclette, grilled (whole): Serves two with sides.
Extras, condiments and what costs extra
- Extra sides: Charged per plate — Confirm sides when you order.
Paying and tipping
Unlike in the US, no tip is expected here.
- Fix the price before it goes on the fire.
- Agree the price of a whole fish or chicken before it is cooked, and keep the receipt.
At the table
- Eat where turnover is fast and the food is hot; a busy stall is a safer bet than an empty one.
- Bottled water only, with the cap seal checked; ice is a risk if you do not know the source.
Paying, diet and allergies
Paying
The reliable method.
Diet and allergies
Yes means there is something for you; ask means possible with care; no means go elsewhere.
- Vegetarianno
A grill; sides only.
Show: Je ne mange pas de viande.
- Halalask
No certification.
Who it suits, booking and the kitchen
Who it suits, booking, closures
- How to book
- Walk in or call.
- How far ahead
- Not needed
- Dress code
- Casual.
Show the kitchen
Tap a need to get a large screen you can hold up to staff. The wording is the guide’s; a helper who reads the language should confirm it if your allergy is serious.
Comfort, facts and cons
Hygiene and comfort
- Seating
- Chairs at tables
- Kids
- stroller: ok · Easy for children who eat chicken
- Access
- step-free: partial
Hygiene
- Make sure the chicken is cooked through and served hot.
- Bottled water only.
Facts
- Reservations
- Not taken — Walk-in; call ahead for a group.
- Capabilities
- food · seated_rest
- Getting there
- By car to a roadside grill in Haie Vive · ~5 min walk
Cons
- Free-range chicken is tougher than farm chicken and takes time.
- Cash only; the grill may need a call for the price.
Dish glossary
| On the menu | What it is | Order it how |
|---|---|---|
| Poulet bicyclette | Free-range chicken. | Ask for it "bien cuit" and give it time. |
Price check
- locals pay
- A whole bird runs about XOF 5,000–7,000.
- tourist price
- Visitors may be quoted XOF 8,000+.
- rule
- Fix the price before it goes on the fire.
| Extra on the table | Typical charge | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Extra sides | Charged per plate | Confirm sides when you order. |
Deep dive
Questions, alternatives, and where our facts come from
Questions and answers
Questions and answers
How long does it take?
Allow 30–40 minutes; order first, then wait.
Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk
What is poulet bicyclette?
A local free-range chicken, leaner and chewier than a farm bird, usually grilled over coals.
If it is closed or full
Nearby alternatives
If it is closed or the line is too long
Places without an authored walk are ranked by straight-line distance × 1.3 at 5 km/h (3 mph)3 mph (5 km/h).
All places to eat in Cotonou, with filters →
Used as a seated rest node in Cotonou in 4 days.
Sources
- officialUK FCDO foreign travel advice: Benin
- secondaryWikivoyage — Cotonou
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Source: Price per person
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
Prices are 2026 estimates from the menu or the price line on file. Check on the day.
Source: Opening hours
Source: Best time
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
The easiest walk-in window or the quietest hour in this guide. Crowd levels are desk estimates, not counts.