safari njema seattle wa

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Welcome to Safari Njema Restaurant

At Safari Restaurant, our goal is to bring the joy of food expressed through the unique cuisines of East Africa. Come in today for a taste of Kenyan Cuisine.

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5041 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118  Tel. 206-723-3058

Safari Njema

east African food

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Jane Kagira

Safari Njema was started in June of 2020 by Jane Kagira, head chef and owner, who has been trained in the culinary arts at Le Cordon Bleu.

She is well-experienced in cooking, and managed a restaurant in Kenya, where she grew up. Jane’s passion has always been to cook, and she strives to make every guest’s dining experience special.

YELP reviews

Fried Tilapia

Beef Samosa

"We're interested in East African food. Found this place where the food is very good. Of course it takes long to prepare the fried tilapia, pilau, chicken and vegetables. Service is slow like in the home country. But the atmosphere makes up for the wait with interesting characters who speak in tongues familiar to our ears. If you can make time it's a good journey to Safari restaurant."

"Really appreciated that the food was all super rich but not at all oily; its so nice to enjoy a fun meal out without the tummy ache* Affordable too! Would absolutely return for more :)"

Fried fish was great. Jane the host was fantastic."

"The food is unique and absolutely slaps."

Fruit Salad

"Beautiful and Delicious"

CONTACT & LOCATION

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5041 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118

Hours of Operation

Monday: 11AM-10PM

Tuesday: Closed

Wednesday: 11AM-10PM

Thursday: 11AM-10PM

Friday: 11AM-10PM

Saturday: 11AM-10PM

Sunday: 2-9PM

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Safari Njema Restaurant

Ratings and reviews, location and contact.

This is the best restaurant I’ve had in Seattle so far! They have a ton of vegetarian options. I ordered the vegetarian meal with samba, matoke, and terere. Everything was good but the matoke is AMAZING! The yellow sauce that came with my meal was... the best sauce I’ve ever tasted. This place is definitely worth a trip to Columbia City. More

Just walking around Columbia City neighbourhood our first night in Seattle and saw Safari Njema. It was a great first meal in Seattle, got us out of our jet-lag lethargy through the delicious and generous food (and ginger drink) and the warmth and good humour... of the owner. We felt our vacation had really started, and on the right foot, too. Great value, also. More

We couldn’t be happier to stumble across this little gem! There is a bit of a wait for the food but worth it because it’s super fresh and made from scratch. We asked for recommendations from the staff who helped us make a platter which... was great value and we brought home leftovers. Highly recommend giving this a try!! More

Located in an older strip mall off Rainier, it’s tough to find if you don’t know it’s there. Food is excellent, portions generous and very inexpensive. Owners are lovely, gracious and proud of their cuisine. Two areas of improvement: ventilation is terrible; my eyes were... burning from normal cooking smoke in kitchen, and all of my clothes, coat, hair smelled like the inside of a fryer when I got home. Second, was the wait - one cook, one waitress (they may be the owners) We waited almost 2 hours for food. It was a full house that night. We were not in a hurry so we enjoyed being there. More

I found this place by accident and I'm really glad I did. The spicy peanut sauce dish I had was wonderful. And the salad was excellent too. The drink I got, hibiscus something, is refreshing too. A bit sweet, but very refreshing.

Ate at Safari Njema last night with twelve friends...not only was the food delicious the woman serving was delightful. The fish was delicious, so well seasoned and cooked. Others enjoyed the goat or the chicken. The cabbage was delicious, not on the menu, so be... sure to ask for it! This was a terrific find for someone that enjoys a good meal. More

We got in there just before they closed and still agreed to seat us. The staff was very nice and welcoming. The menus were straight forward and simple. I ordered the Kenyan tea which came in a big cup, but tasted just like chai with... milk and was delicious. I also ordered the Talapia with chapati and mixed greens. The fish was very well seasoned and came with the head on too. I was surprised by the portion sizes - very large. Everything was very good and I would definitely come back here again. More

I decided to visit this joint thanks in part to the high reviews it had on yelp. I arrived a bit early and decided to wait till it opened at 2pm. The meal tasted much better than I anticipated. I will recommend the tilapia with... rice , plantain and greens. Will definitely be coming back soon. More

After many excellent Pacific NW meals, we (a family group of 6) decided to try something entirely different for lunch in a family-run restaurant we happened to drive pass in a neighbourhood with lots of African shops. It is a causal place but the service... was great. The friendly and helpful server suggested we ordered a family plate, 2 meat (except fish), 2 starch, and 2 veg. We picked goat and chicken, chapati, mashed potato & corn (green colour), collard & spinach, cabbage. The ginger drink was to die for, especially the hot one. We were given a cup of the special healthy herbal drink to try which is supposed to be good for you. It has a very pleasant spice favour, made of fermented millet, very rich and sooting, definitely tasted like something for good health. We loved the veg. dishes. The chicken was in some sort of curry sauce, tasted real good. The goat dish was a little bland, but the super home-made hot sauce gave it a good kick. We were so happy with our discovery that we convinced the rest of our family to cancel our farewell dinner in a Chinese restaurant and order take-out from Safari. We especailly wanted our folk to try the very special ginger drink and the bananas starch dish. We were sold a big jug of ginger drink at a discount price instead of transporting 9 cups of hot ginger drinks in our own cookpot. Only wish we live in Seattle (we are tourists from Ontario, Canada and Singapore) so we can visit the restaurant often and try other dishes. More

Right next to Flying Lion Brewery so we went next door and ordered Samaki with Pilau and Sukuma Mix. It was deep fried Talapia in coconut curry, basmati rice with exotic spices and collard greens and spinach. It was really good and nice people running... the restaurant. Visit pubsgrubbeer.com More

Unfortunately it took almost 2 hour for them to bring us our food. So when our food eventually arrived it was cold. The food was delicious but disappointingly cold and took forever for them to get it to us. I recommend this place because it's... delicious but it don't think it's a place to come unless you have 3 hours to stay. More

I loved my experience at the Safari Njema Restaurant went there with a loved one he actually is the one who took me, the food was amazing I really enjoyed all even the Hot Ginger. The Owners and Wilson were so nice, friendly as well... as welcoming as tho I had know them for years. Actually they are now like family to me and I will return my next visit as I live in Dallas, Tx. Thank you much so for the wonderful experience it was truly a blessing! Excellent Service. More

I ordered the tilapia with ocra and was really impressed! The hot sauce and coconut sauce were delicious as well. The portion was huge and the staff was very friendly.

Never been to Kenya, but can believe this was authentic food. Wait staff was very patient, but also eager to make sure we felt welcomed & knew how to proceed. Three of us had the goat --- very good. Fried fish got rave reviews. Beef... also very good. Spinach and collard green side was spectacular. Kenya spongy bread side was a hit with some. Next time I'll order the fish that comes with a lovely side dish of coconut curry and two kinds o f hot sauce. More

SAFARI NJEMA RESTAURANT, Seattle - Restaurant Reviews, Photos & Phone Number - Tripadvisor

• Service: 4.5
• Atmosphere: 3.5

Safari Njema Restaurant

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• Seattle, Washington /
• Safari Njema, 5041 Rainier Ave S suite 107

Safari Njema

At this restaurant, you will be offered African cuisine. A lot of guests point out that waiters offer good fried fish , tilapia and beef here. Taste tasty flija and perfectly cooked doughnuts . It might be nice to enjoy delicious beer . A lot of visitors order great ginger tea , coffee or juice .

At Safari Njema , you can order dishes as a takeout. The hospitable staff at this place can demonstrate how much they value their visitors. The fast service is something these restaurateurs care about. According to the reviewers' opinions, prices are fair. The cozy atmosphere may make you want to stay here for a bit longer than you've initially planned. 4.2 is what this spot got from the Google rating system.

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Safari Njema Restaurant

Ratings and reviews, location and contact.

This is the best restaurant I’ve had in Seattle so far! They have a ton of vegetarian options. I ordered the vegetarian meal with samba, matoke, and terere. Everything was good but the matoke is AMAZING! The yellow sauce that came with my meal was... the best sauce I’ve ever tasted. This place is definitely worth a trip to Columbia City. More

Just walking around Columbia City neighbourhood our first night in Seattle and saw Safari Njema. It was a great first meal in Seattle, got us out of our jet-lag lethargy through the delicious and generous food (and ginger drink) and the warmth and good humour... of the owner. We felt our vacation had really started, and on the right foot, too. Great value, also. More

We couldn’t be happier to stumble across this little gem! There is a bit of a wait for the food but worth it because it’s super fresh and made from scratch. We asked for recommendations from the staff who helped us make a platter which... was great value and we brought home leftovers. Highly recommend giving this a try!! More

Located in an older strip mall off Rainier, it’s tough to find if you don’t know it’s there. Food is excellent, portions generous and very inexpensive. Owners are lovely, gracious and proud of their cuisine. Two areas of improvement: ventilation is terrible; my eyes were... burning from normal cooking smoke in kitchen, and all of my clothes, coat, hair smelled like the inside of a fryer when I got home. Second, was the wait - one cook, one waitress (they may be the owners) We waited almost 2 hours for food. It was a full house that night. We were not in a hurry so we enjoyed being there. More

I found this place by accident and I'm really glad I did. The spicy peanut sauce dish I had was wonderful. And the salad was excellent too. The drink I got, hibiscus something, is refreshing too. A bit sweet, but very refreshing.

Ate at Safari Njema last night with twelve friends...not only was the food delicious the woman serving was delightful. The fish was delicious, so well seasoned and cooked. Others enjoyed the goat or the chicken. The cabbage was delicious, not on the menu, so be... sure to ask for it! This was a terrific find for someone that enjoys a good meal. More

We got in there just before they closed and still agreed to seat us. The staff was very nice and welcoming. The menus were straight forward and simple. I ordered the Kenyan tea which came in a big cup, but tasted just like chai with... milk and was delicious. I also ordered the Talapia with chapati and mixed greens. The fish was very well seasoned and came with the head on too. I was surprised by the portion sizes - very large. Everything was very good and I would definitely come back here again. More

I decided to visit this joint thanks in part to the high reviews it had on yelp. I arrived a bit early and decided to wait till it opened at 2pm. The meal tasted much better than I anticipated. I will recommend the tilapia with... rice , plantain and greens. Will definitely be coming back soon. More

After many excellent Pacific NW meals, we (a family group of 6) decided to try something entirely different for lunch in a family-run restaurant we happened to drive pass in a neighbourhood with lots of African shops. It is a causal place but the service... was great. The friendly and helpful server suggested we ordered a family plate, 2 meat (except fish), 2 starch, and 2 veg. We picked goat and chicken, chapati, mashed potato & corn (green colour), collard & spinach, cabbage. The ginger drink was to die for, especially the hot one. We were given a cup of the special healthy herbal drink to try which is supposed to be good for you. It has a very pleasant spice favour, made of fermented millet, very rich and sooting, definitely tasted like something for good health. We loved the veg. dishes. The chicken was in some sort of curry sauce, tasted real good. The goat dish was a little bland, but the super home-made hot sauce gave it a good kick. We were so happy with our discovery that we convinced the rest of our family to cancel our farewell dinner in a Chinese restaurant and order take-out from Safari. We especailly wanted our folk to try the very special ginger drink and the bananas starch dish. We were sold a big jug of ginger drink at a discount price instead of transporting 9 cups of hot ginger drinks in our own cookpot. Only wish we live in Seattle (we are tourists from Ontario, Canada and Singapore) so we can visit the restaurant often and try other dishes. More

Right next to Flying Lion Brewery so we went next door and ordered Samaki with Pilau and Sukuma Mix. It was deep fried Talapia in coconut curry, basmati rice with exotic spices and collard greens and spinach. It was really good and nice people running... the restaurant. Visit pubsgrubbeer.com More

Unfortunately it took almost 2 hour for them to bring us our food. So when our food eventually arrived it was cold. The food was delicious but disappointingly cold and took forever for them to get it to us. I recommend this place because it's... delicious but it don't think it's a place to come unless you have 3 hours to stay. More

I loved my experience at the Safari Njema Restaurant went there with a loved one he actually is the one who took me, the food was amazing I really enjoyed all even the Hot Ginger. The Owners and Wilson were so nice, friendly as well... as welcoming as tho I had know them for years. Actually they are now like family to me and I will return my next visit as I live in Dallas, Tx. Thank you much so for the wonderful experience it was truly a blessing! Excellent Service. More

I ordered the tilapia with ocra and was really impressed! The hot sauce and coconut sauce were delicious as well. The portion was huge and the staff was very friendly.

Never been to Kenya, but can believe this was authentic food. Wait staff was very patient, but also eager to make sure we felt welcomed & knew how to proceed. Three of us had the goat --- very good. Fried fish got rave reviews. Beef... also very good. Spinach and collard green side was spectacular. Kenya spongy bread side was a hit with some. Next time I'll order the fish that comes with a lovely side dish of coconut curry and two kinds o f hot sauce. More

SAFARI NJEMA RESTAURANT, Seattle - Restaurant Reviews, Photos & Phone Number - Tripadvisor

• Service: 4.5
• Atmosphere: 3.5

Safari Njema Restaurant (5041 Rainier Ave S, Seattle)

677.3 mi • Black-owned • African • West African • Info

5041 Rainier Ave S Ste 107

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Seattle, WA

Open until 8:30 PM

Featured items

$3.64 • Thumb up outline  100% (3)

• Beef Samosa $3.64 • Thumb up outline  100% (3) Fried filled with savory mince meat and spices.
• Veggie Samosa $3.12 Fried filled with savory mixed vegetables and spices.
• Bhajia $6.24 Thinly sliced potatoes coated in savory batter and fried.
• Fried Potatoes $8.32 Fried potatoes with flavorful seasoning.
• Goat $23.92 Popular
• Add To Lunch Special Chicken Or Matumbo $7.28
• Kuku (Chicken) $18.72 Dry-fry by default. Stewed or curried for $2.99 extra.
• Samaki (Fish) $22.36 Deep-fried by default. Can be steamed. Wet fry for $2.99 extra. Popular
• Matumbo $18.38
• Mbuzi (Goat) $20.80 Dry fry by default. Stewed or curried for $2.99 extra.
• Lunch Special $11.44
• Ng'ombe (Beef) $20.80 Dry-fry by default. Stewed or curried for $2.99 extra.
• Vegetarian Meal $18.72 Your choice of samba, pinto beans, black beans or githeri.
• Coconut Sauce (Extra) $2.00
• Hot Sauce $2.00 Habanero based hot sauce Popular
• Hot Sauce (Large) $13.52 12oz mason jar of habanero based hot sauce
• Hot Sauce (Small) $6.24 6oz jar of habanero based hot sauce
• Fish $12.48
• Chicken $10.40
• Beef $11.44

Kenya cuisine

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• Food & Drink

The best tilapia I’ve ever had is at Safari Njema Restaurant in Columbia City

Columbia City's Safari Njema Restaurant — and its owner and chef Jane Kagira — is a delight. Patrons travel from far and wide to taste her Kenyan dishes.

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To the casual passer-by, there is nothing terribly remarkable about Safari Njema Restaurant in Columbia City. Located in a small beige strip mall off Rainier Avenue South , it’d be easy to overlook if you weren’t looking for it. But you’d be missing out.

Beyond its modest storefront, it is quite remarkable, indeed. Safari Njema Restaurant’s owner and chef Jane Kagira , for one, is a delight. A vibrant woman with a knack for storytelling, Kagira is the type of person who will generously spend 40 minutes chatting with a reporter about her life and restaurant as the lunch rush ramps up on a busy Friday. And she is the catalyst for all the other nice things about the restaurant: its fabulous food (particularly the tilapia, her signature dish), its gravitational pull on diverse communities and its role as a space where people can feel at home.

A lot of hours go into this. She’s up at 7 each morning preparing for the day, then works from the time the restaurant opens at 11 a.m. until after 11 p.m., some days until 1 a.m., before heading home. Her one day off is Tuesday, when the restaurant is closed.

It’s tiring, but it’s a labor of love. Kagira, who grew up in Kenya working in her mom’s restaurant, said she had long hoped to have one of her own someday. So after working as a caregiver for many years in Washington, D.C., and Seattle, and feeling the ticking of the clock, she went to Le Cordon Bleu’s cooking academy in Tukwila, where she graduated in 2009. She found this space in Columbia City in 2010 and bought it, with financial help from a friend. After taking a few months to fix the place up, she opened up shop in May of that year.

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Now, patrons arrive from far and wide — some travel from Vancouver, B.C., specifically to eat at her restaurant, she said. She recalled one recent visitor from Amsterdam who arrived straight from the airport, luggage in hand, after happening upon her restaurant in a Google search. And, with the bright paintings by Kenyan artists and posters of Kenyan presidents (past and present, plus one with the Obamas, titled “Uhuru at White House”) on the walls, “w hen Kenyans come, especially those that are homesick, they say, ‘Oh my gosh, I feel like I’m just in Nairobi,’ ” she said.

All this is a lot to manage for one individual, of course. She’s run the restaurant with her husband and two of her three kids since it opened, and has also hired a few part-time employees. But even so, the long-term sustenance of the restaurant is up in the air.

“ I don’t know how long I can keep doing this, because I’m aging,” said Kagira, 56. “But at least, I’m wishing to have another four years.”

All the more reason to pay the restaurant a visit, stat.

The food:  The restaurant presents five main entrees to choose from: ngombe (beef), mbuzi (goat), kuku (chicken), samba (veggies) and samaki (tilapia), each of which comes with your choice of starch and veggie sides. Options include a fluffy pilau (basmati rice steamed with spices) that I could and would eat on its own; ugali, a white, soft cornmeal block meant to accompany the more flavorful dishes on your plate; chapati, a Kenyan flat bread (a bit drier and less greasy than the variety in Kenya, according to a dining companion who had lived in Nairobi for a period of time); and matoke, a starchy green banana dish in currylike sauce, Kagira’s personal favorite.

All are Kenyan dishes, and Kagira tries to keep them pretty true to the flavors back home — though she adds her own touch, having developed and taste-tested all the recipes herself.

Beyond the main dishes, there is a selection of appetizers, including madazi (Kenyan sweet bread) and samosas; various cakes for dessert; and a variety of nonalcoholic drinks (the restaurant is halal).

Don’t miss: The deep-fried tilapia was the crowd favorite in my dining group, and quite possibly the best tilapia I’ve ever had. The tender fish was encased in a crisp skin that was shockingly tart and tangy, a tantalizing zing to the taste buds with every bite. Only bones were left by the meal’s end.

The pace: Fast food, this is not — expect to earn your meal with patience. Our table waited about 45 minutes before our food arrived, but it was all worth it once we dug in. Our server was uber polite and courteous, though a little scattered, and forgot to get us our samosa order. That’s OK; we were, by then, fully stuffed.

Prices: Mbuzi with pilau and the sukuma mix (collard greens and spinach) ($10.99); samaki with ugali and matoke ($12.99); and four orders of chapati ($2 each) amounted to $31.98 before tax and tip, a steal for feeding four.

Safari Njema Restaurant

Kenyan ; 5041 Rainier Ave. S. (Columbia City), Seattle; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday and Wednesday-Saturday, 2 p.m.-10 p.m. Sunday, closed Tuesdays; 206-723-3058

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Safari Njema Restaurant

5041 Rainier Ave S, Seattle , Washington 98118 USA

• Independent
• Credit Cards Accepted
• Not Wheelchair Accessible
• More in Seattle

Learn more about this business on Yelp .

Reviewed by S T.

I had the curried chicken, cabbage, chapati and ugali. Everything I tried was amazing. The chicken was so tender and flavorful. Can't wait to go back and try the curried goat and samosas. The... Read more

Reviewed by Dana T.

Food is amazing amazing amazing. I always end up getting the fried fish. It comes with two sides that you can choose from, my favorites are the pilau and collard greens. Ugali is fun for a... Read more

Reviewed by Lawrence L.

Another Columbia City gem. Safari has a decent range of choices, and the chef said she'd make some vegetarian curry for me next time. Delicately seasoned with a decent hot sauce on the side. The... Read more

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• Sun - Sat: 2:00 pm - 10:00 pm

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• Safari Njema Restaurant

Safari Njema Restaurant in Seattle

5041 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118-1946, Seattle

• Vegetarian Friendly

Restaurant Hours

08:00 - 17:00

00:00 - 17:00

Questions and answers

Get an answer, ask a question, do you have halal meat.

Honestly i can't tell you yes i never eat the meat,i only order fish😋but u can call and ask👍🏼

Do you have ugali

Do they deliver food.

Not them personally but you can through one of the delivery services.

Bashir Hassan

I truly enjoy the food and hospitality that I receive from this joint. The Tilapia with corn meal is my to go dish and the soup is magnificent.

Food was very good. I really enjoyed it. I recommend the Safari Restaurant. Zoey Nash

Jose G. Mantilla

We had come here several times and the food was great. However, this last time we came for my wife's birthday since she loves the fried tilapia. Unfortunately our food took 3+ hours to come. My dish hadn't come at all by nearly 10 pm! Hence my 2 stars. Never coming back.

CAUTION! Wait time is so Damn long, I suggest calling and making your order to also confirm if there's everything you need, they'll take your order then come back after 35 min and tell you whatever you ordered ain't available.So why am I giving them 5*? The food is amazingly good and the owner pretty social.

Toaster Spoon

Great experience, and friendly owner. She took time to offer recommendations and also offered me a sample of their ginger drink. My favorite part of my meal was the greens. will I return? absolutely.

Paul George

Great little place in columbia city that serves east african fare. The highlight is the fried tilapia but the goat dishes are great options as well. While there is a separate section for veggie lovers it is the meat and fish which are amazing here. Service is a bit slow so expect to wait. A great idea to get around this is to place and order here and go grab a drink in the flying lion pub next door and the food will be delivered to you there - we ate our delicious meal while sipping on craft beers!

One of the best Kenyan food I've had in a long time. Everything tested amazing. The service was slow but the food was worth it

Michelle Herman

My mother and I ate here and our expectations were wildly exceeded by the flavor and quality of the food. We loved every dish we ordered as well as the reasonable prices. The service was not fast (~1 hour for food) but we were in no hurry. This is a wonderful place to come for a relaxed dinner, but not for anyone on a schedule. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming and I look forward to the next meal I can eat here.

Norrynn Karis

Karibuni ndani. Best place to have Kenyan food. The music & staff wonderful...

Jacob Miner

Safari only has a few items, but all of them are delicious! The restaurant fills up pretty quickly.  We had the ngombe (fried beef cubes) and samaki (fried tilapia).  The matoke (green banana fried with onions and spices) is incredible!  The samosas are a great combination of fried dough, beef and a little spice.

Muhsin Farah

This a very good place, customer support is top notch and they are all very professional and the the food is beyond exquisite, it can’t be described with words you have to go and see it yourself in addition to that they have the best tea but be sure to order before the food or you won’t be able to drink it after😉😉😉😉😉😉

Jwan Brooks

Great food. Love the fish and goat!! The owner is so pleasant and nice..

steve nganga

Great staff! Very healthy food!Excellent service! Best fish ever!

Connie Arvie

Normally the food here is amazing. I had it for the first time a few years ago. I went back today and it wasn’t the same. Fried fish was soggy with lots of oil, rice was oily and gummy and the greens had no flavor. I knew the prices would change which is totally fine. Before it was around $24 for two meals and today I paid $35 which again is fine but the food was not good. I’m sad because I really liked this place but now I might not go back.

Edward Amartey-Tagoe

I totally enjoyed the food and I liked that there was free parking available. The ambience offered customers the opportunity to experience a bit of East Africa. Food was affordable and the server was courteous. I recommend this restaurant if you are considering trying out Kenyan food. Good for dates or group dinners.

tigist fitawok

If you want a fast service and reliable order, I wouldn’t recommend this place.

Rachel Kroft

Goat curry and that spiced rice. Yum!!

The fish have the best test and the wettress she is the best

Joi Itapson

Lovely place with a great atmosphere, delicious food and generous portion sizes. The wait time for the food is more than worth it. 10/10 will definatly be eating here again.

Mary Gorski

I never review reataurants, but I was compelled to write on this one. I must say the food and atmosphere was incredible, very welcoming, friendly, and positively delicious. I have never had Kenyan food before but this was absolutely awesome. My whole family went so we tried everything except for chicken, and it was great. The samosas as well were fantastic, although the personal favorites of the night were goat, spinach and greens, and the pilau. The only reasons i give four instead of five stars is that our water did not get refilled, and the entrees took a little long to get out. However, totally worth the wait, and i'm sure the water was a waitstaff fluke. Overall it was an aweaome experience.

Sean McDonald

My wife is kenyan and we go here whenever we want to treat oursleves. This is real kenyan food. The talapia is amazing.

Tina Ndegwa

I love,love,love the food!Very friendly staff,great experience.

Shamyl Zakariya

Slow service but amazing food

Such delicious food and clearly made with love! Really generous portions of complex sides. The ingredients taste really fresh. Not that I'm in expert in kenyan food, but I think this is pretty authentic.

bhavya udayashankar

Don’t go here if you’re looking for good Kenyan food. The veggie version is just microwaved peas and carrots. Waited 45mins to eat this. The fried potatoes were good though.

Dan Restivo

My favorite restaurant in Seattle. Everything on the menu is delicious and the chef is wonderful and kind.

Camren Von Davis

Best dinner in the neighborhood? It’s very possible. You might wait an hour after sitting down to get your food. But the lack of any kind of a hurry at all is part of the charm. My bf and I like to sit at the communal table in the middle and bring cards to play while we wait or chat with the other people that sit at the communal table. The whole tilapia is my go to. I could honestly eat it every day. The collard greens and the flatbread are also on point. The samosas rank in top 5 samosas I’ve ever had. And the price point is so good for what you get that it’s almost cheaper than going to the grocery store (def cheaper than hot bar at pcc!). This is the spot! I almost don’t want to leave a good review to keep it a secret, but honestly it’s so good.

Cathy Shiko

I have visited this place acouple of times.Service is slow and it's always smokey but the food is good until last week when i ordered chapati and samosas.When I got there,the lady asked if wanted hot sauce,no greetings no nothing.I said I was there to get my chapati and samosa.Chappatis didntook good and the samosas had too much uncooked dough.For this reason I gave one star but I could give a zero rating if I could.

In town for work. A co-worker and I decided to eat dinner here, and the food was amazing. The friendly staff make the atmosphere pleasant. Looking forward to returning and trying more of the menu items.

Laura Bensona

We couldn’t be happier to stumble across this little gem! There is a bit of a wait for the food but worth it because it’s super fresh and made from scratch. I found this place by accident and I'm really glad I did. We asked for recommendations from the staff who helped us make a platter which was great value and we brought home leftovers. The spicy peanut sauce dish I had was wonderful. And the salad was excellent too. The drink I got, hibiscus something, is refreshing too. A bit sweet, but very refreshing. Highly recommend giving this a try!!

Kariuki Maina

Authentic Kenyan cuisine served by a true professional. Moreover Mrs Jane welcomes you warmly and ensures all your needs are met. Thank you.

The fish with the rice is delicious. Felt like my home place as the food looks similar. You will get good coffee and tea too.

Lovely owner and delicious food!

Serena Shung

Mmm, such great food and really warm atmosphere and service. Very affordable for the quality and location with hearty, delicious vegetable portions. The goat was mouth watering. One of our best experiences eating out in Seattle.

Morgan Ferguson

So good! We got the goat and the chicken and they were both tender and well seasoned. Loved it.

Jaesun Easton

Long wait time but Wonderful food! Well worth the wait

It's worth the drive especially if you like fish. My girlfriend had the fish which is one of the most popular dishes they have, she liked it but be ready to deal with bones.I had the beef, which was alright. I found the mix veggies a little too oily for my liking, the mashed peas were interesting.We both loved the cabbage, but the corn bread was too blunt. We also had teas which were good.All in all, it's a good value, good taste and it seems authentic.

Norlaila Toulas

The food was pretty good. I liked the tilapia and the samosas. The spinach side was a little too salty for my taste, but the goat and lamb was cooked perfectly. We waited almost an hour for the food because they were short staffed, but the host was very friendly and gracious. And the door bell was the most annoying thing ever. It wasn't just a simple door bell that rang every time someone entered or exited, but rang a multi-tone tune. I hope it dies a very slow and painful death in the near future.

Love African food. The fish is the best. Ask for the cabbage, it is not on the menu.

Seattle Forge

Lovely. The prices are quite reasonable for what you get. Simple menu.. pick a main and two sides. The portions are generous and the flavours are excellent. I had a pineapple juice with ginger that was massively refreshing. Also the staff is warm and charming. I'll definitely be back.

Taylor Wang

We went here for the first time today. Fair warning, they get super slammed on Friday nights so make sure to order ahead. But the food is so worth the wait!! Amazing, everything we got was so delicious, not to mention the heaping portions you get. Absolutely coming back here.

Easily the best Kenyan food I've had outside of Kenya (plus the decor rocks a strong Nairobi vibe). Service was incredibly friendly. Some of the reviews mentioned long waits but I got my food in under 15 minutes. Will definitely be going back! Note: if you're a mzungu (white person) I'd recommend staying away from the ugali, it's an acquired taste.

Mahamadoul Hafizou Souley Malam Moussa

Good food!Wait time could be improved, maybe by hiring.

Great Kenyan food and the staff is extremely friendly. I also like that location has parking so it's really convenient.

Tracy Ayuku

Oh my God! The food was AMAZING! The service was a bit slow but the food was well worth the wait! The best Kenyan cuisine in Seattle, hands down!

Very clean restaurant. Food is excellent Kenya food. Traditional like I am been back in Kenya. Very very friendly staff .. they help me with the menu my God I love the food.. my fiance is from Kenya I will have to bring her here one day. I give this restaurant a 5-star rating. Friendly staff very clean.. excellent foods

Friendly owner and delicious food. She explained the different dishes and all that we ordered was tasty! If you want to try something different then I recommend this restaurant!

Amol Thorat

Their signature dish, the fried Tilapia is awesome. I only with they controlled the salt levels. While the food is great, the atmosphere inside can get stuffy and smoky. When I went there the cooking was on and the oily smell and smoke was everywhere. Pretty less ventilation I guess.Owners are incredibly helpful and explained to me what I should expect from each plate.The parking is very sparse and streets are always crowded. Food might take some time to come but it's all good. Extra points for photographs from Kenya!

Happy Quest

Quality food served with alot of love.Delicious food from the restaurant. I have never regretted visiting again and again.Thank you Safari!

Reginald Lingard

Food is excellent just expect a wait. We learned to call our order in ahead of time. On Fridays that could mean two hours. Saturday was not so bad. The fish is the 💩💩💩💩💩

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