Karibu Grocery & Deli

The samosas are fantastic. Fresh and a little spocy flavor added with the sauce they come with makes it delicious! Somali spiced tea and samosas made for a great afternoon snack! Great reviews for the gyros and safari rolls but nothing is not great! Visit THIS Karibou for a great meal! It has a small store as well as very fresh halal meat for sale that is amazing!

Karibu is a hidden gem! The food is always fresh, flavorful, and made with care. The customer service is excellent—everyone is welcoming and respectful, and you really feel appreciated as a customer. The store is clean, well-organized, and consistently reliable. Highly recommend Karibu to anyone looking for quality food and great service!

I had a bad experience with this restaurant today. The food I ordered was reheated with lemon inside, one of the sauces was extremely water down the green one almost solid, the amount of food for the price was lacking too. Wouldn’t not recommend.

I had a good experience here. I stopped by cause I was in the area and this place was highly rated. The place was very clean and bright making for a nice lunch atmosphere. They have patio seating available as well and big windows to people watch or watch traffic while you eat. They do have a small grocery section but it was pretty bare. The lady who took my order was very friendly and had some nice recommendations for food. She was correct on what she told me to order I was not disappointed. If you are near the area and enjoy East African food definitely stop in and give them a try.

Some regulars recommended the Philly. Blew me away, one sandwich was enough for my friend and I to split. I love the free refills! Went back a 2nd time, got the Safari Roll. Went back 3rd time, got a combo of chooza and suqaar. Both were good. I preferred suqaar. 4th time, tried the Wild Safari. Delicious!

I had a great meal of goat and rice. Nomad Ari. I will eat here again.

Omg, the food here is so good. I want to try everything. Even my teenager liked it, so it's kid-friendly. She had the burger, and she said it was especially good even before she had the outstanding sauce. I had the safari roll (chicken in flatbread), and that was SO good. Somali tea was exceptional. Very reasonably priced, so I can come here often. I'm adding this restaurant to my favorite restaurants list.

Stopped by this place a little after opening on a Friday for lunch. The best part? I loved that you could order something adventurous and different or you could order something simple like a burger too. I ordered the Suqaar which came with steak, veggies and Somali rice. It was really good and it was a good amount of food for about $15. I also got a can of soda for a $1. A couple of my friends ordered too. One ordered Sambusas/Samosas which were 3 for $5.90 and another ordered a burger with fries for $12.99. They also have some grocery items you can purchase. The worst part? We did have to wait about 30 minutes for our food. We were hoping to dine in but then we were running late and when it finally came out, we had to pay to go. The good thing was the meals already came in to go boxes so that made it easier to just take it to go. I also am understanding of the time because there was only one person working the register and cooking the meals. When we got there like at 11:38am, the place had just opened at 11:30am and they already had 5 people there. Then you add our 3 meals so I guess the 30 minutes wasn’t terrible. Plus, the gal working was super nice too. I’d go back for sure though.

Delicious food and tea and wonderfully helpful staff! We wanted to bring samosas and falafel to a holiday poluck and asked for guidance. This place delivered, even providing an ingredients list when asked so that those at our party with food allergies could enjoy the food as well. We will be back!

Once visit with best friend he recommended me the food was delicious super fresh and Halal we ordered Lamb sandwich and chicken wings I really enjoy food and there ambiance real African and modern culture mixed but beautiful very professional staff and welcoming Highly Recommend

I've been a customer for over 5 years, the food is absolutely delicious, the Staff is very Kind and Friendly. And the Overall Experience from how clean the Restaurant is and how spacious it is can be noticed very quickly. Try the Philly sandwich, Choza chicken Sandwich, Gyro Fries, and the burger.!! Trust me you'll love it.

If you work near the Capitol, lunch spots are hard to come by and it is doubly challenging for vegetarians. I am happy to add Karibu to my take out repertoire. They make a delicious dish called Wild Veggie that is carrots, peas and spinach over rice. Spicy but not too hot! I wish they had more vegetarian options but this is a great start.

Delicious food wonderful costumer service I really love their Philly Cheesesteak with fries that that special sauce they always add it's soooo good

It was quiet, not very busy today. Also the first time here. The food is very good! Clean restaurant.

Nomad's ari their specialty goat meat dish.. is pretty good. Some of the Meats are fall the bone goodness and some were pretty tough (which I did not mind). Over all the flavor are great and pair well with their rice which taste and looks amazing! The sauces are good too I prefer the green one which is a bit Spicer then the sweet red one. Chooza chicken is good and so is the Naan and samosas. The Naan tasted more of a pita to me and the fillings inside the samosa was similar to that of a pastes both still arssuringly good. Come check this place out, Be sure to grab some beverages on the way out.

My only complaint is that someone wanted to watch TV so I had to listen to some insipid talk show. But the food was really good, with good portions, in a nice new building in a convenient area.

This little eatery and grocery has really yummy East African takeout food (they also have eat-in normally, but have suspended it for COVID). We ordered sambusas, as well as the "Chooza Chicken" and "Suqaar Beef" meals. All were pretty good. We especially liked the sambusas; the red dipping sauce that came with them was delicious. The chicken was also really, really yummy. However, the beef itself was just so/so, sort of tough and with lots of tendons. The rice and veggies that came with both were very good. Service was fast and very friendly (took less than 10 minutes after ordering to get our takeout), parking was easy, and prices are super reasonable!

They don't have many groceries, so it's more like a restaurant/cafe/coffee shop. The tea is homemade and delicious and they set out a carafe so you can have refills. So far I've only had a side dish of garlic naan and a side dish of yellow rice. Both are great. The outside of the building is a red, hip modern eye-catching color. The inside is clean and well-lit with regular and high tables. They have indoor and outdoor seating and my most favorite is that Wednesdays at 6 p.m. is chess night where anyone at any level can play. If you have your own chess set, bring it otherwise they have two chess sets and some people bring their own. It's a family run operation and they are very nice.

We were visiting from Nj and heard so much about Somalian food in MN. I decided to go for the chicken and rice and my husband got the lamb with rice. We also chose to try the samosa. The food was absolutely delicious. Super flavorful, spicy, tangy. The meat was so well done ! A place to visit

By far the best gyro I have ever had! Hot fresh and just downright tasty! The tzatziki sauce was so good on the gyro, it reminded me of El Greco Greek restaurant in my hometown back in Oklahoma, the owner was from Greece. Karibu's gyro beats El Greco's by a landslide! My partner got the Philly cheesesteak and he loved it! Their food is definitely made with love. Give Karibu a try, I promise you will not regret it!

I love this place. The Chooza chicken is flavorful and juicy. The red sauce is sweet and pairs so well with the chicken and vegetables. Their staff are very welcoming and willing to answer questions about their menu. The prices are reasonable. It's counter service ordering and pay at the register. They have coolers of drinks and a small section of grocery items. The building has great light inside and when the weather is nice they have patio seating. The service is quick so it's a great spot to meet for lunch. I would recommend it for meeting with friends or a casual meal.

Love when things come together perfectly! We were on a walk in the area and wanted to find a simple place for a quick bite to eat. Saw this cute place that seemed to have great ambience from the outside. Wasn't sure whether they would serve lunch or if there would be seating...Yes to both! I had a Gyro and my husband had the Sahara Roll. Both very good. As we sat there I was reading reviews on Yelp. I regretted not ordering something with Somali Rice since people raved about it. That will be our next visit! I was also reading about people loving the Samosas. I had never heard of them. It's a deep fried pastry dough filled with spicy beef and veggies. I overheard a customer telling the owner that he works at a brewery just down the road and his coworker brought in some Samosas from Karibu and he had to come over to get more. That sealed it for me. I went up to order one. No regrets. They were fried perfectly and had a wonderful flavor. The owner brought the one I ordered plus an extra one "on the house." If you want to find a family owned establishment with local flair this is the place for you. The father, son and daughter were all so friendly to us. Made us feel welcome and right at home. There have been a few places in my life where I've felt that the owners take a real personal pride in their business. This is a lovely place.

Just had a fantastic lunch. Karibu (pronounced Care-E'-boo) means "welcome" in Swahili. The owners (family) from Somalia serve up fantastic American and Eastern Africa foods, prepared fresh to order. I had the Sambusas. Best I've had. Don't be fooled by the sign - it's a grocery AND deli. The owners are super-friendly and the food was delicious. There's indoor seating; please check this St. Paul East-Side proud establishment.

Finally went to try out Karibu and ohhhh boy i should have done it sooner. Ordered the wings and Philly cheesesteak. All of it was super delicious and the wing sauce was amazing the wings were huge. Philly cheesesteak was super good and had perfect taste. Im definitely coming back. This place will not disappoint. :)

What a beautiful deli and market on the East Side of St. Paul. I love the diversity of restaurants and shops on Payne Ave. Karibu offers a variety of grocery items (mostly dried goods), tea, rice/meat entrees, and Italian ice. My girlfriends and I dined in on a Tuesday evening. The staff were so friendly and welcoming. The establishment was beautifully decorated and inviting. I had the vegetarian dish which had a decent sized serving. This co sister of rice and seasonal veggies. There was no spice in this dish. I love heat! I added the hot sauce provided. There is only 1 vegetarian option on the menu. My friends had the chicken which they really enjoyed. The prices are great and the portions are decent. Karibu has indoor and outdoor seating. Parking was easy as they have their own parking lot. Support locally owned businesses!

1st of all cooking Goat is an art i've been to many places only to be disappointed... but this spot right here... Fresh!!! Fried Goat meat, onion, garlic, assorted peppers. + Sambusa Karibou Grocery & Deli Too

We went in here on a Thursday night around 8:15 PM. Some people had just ordered and we ended up ordering the sambosas , the Philly cheesesteak, and the chicken tandoori pita sandwich. We got both of them has meals, one with rice and one with curly french fries. There are no pictures because I was so hungry and the food was so delicious!!I really really enjoyed everything that we had, there was seating inside and outside in the room waiting for our food another 4 to 6 people came in and some we got takeout and some of it at the restaurant. There's also a great option that they are open until 9 PM because some of the places on the east side of close early. Looking forward to going back out again soon!!

I've driven past this deli many times but never stopped in. I regret not trying this delicious food sooner! The spices were so different to my pallet I wasn't sure at first if it was heat or spice but I knew I enjoyed it. The sauces were fantastic and rice blended perfectly with the entree. Granted, my stomach wasn't used to this type of food but I still plan on coming much more frequently!

Metro Worse Somali Restaurant I ever been to! Restaurant food was cooked so disgusting.

We were so happy we stopped here on our quick weekend in St Paul. The owner was so welcoming, and the food was delicious and unique. We ordered the Chooza chicken and Suqaar Beef and also tried the Somalian tea and sambosas. I'd get all of those again. I also got some Kenyan coffee from the market area to take home. The vibe inside is very friendly, the decor is colorful and all from Africa, and the owners are excited to share their culture with you which I loved. Give it a try!

Giving this place a 5/5 stars wouldn't be enough to describe my experience at Karibu. As you can see from the photo, I demolished this Philly cheesesteak and forgot to take a pic before hand. From the warm atmosphere to the stellar customer service. When I walked in, I was greeted and asked what I wanted to eat, I was indecisive and hesitant given that it was my first time at Karibu. While speaking to the employee, they told me their best sellers as well as what goes well together. I got the Philly cheesesteak and WOW! What can I say, it was amazing. The way the cheese melts into the bun and the meat, the green peppers and onions cooked to perfection. Not to mention meat is halal! If you are in the mood for a feel good meal, for any occasion please stop by Karibu. You will not regret it :)

The food was delicious! I look forward to going back and trying the other dishes. I rate it 5/5! Kick of spice is where the heart is something different. The cooks are also very friendly. Says the kind of food they have is Somalia and Kenya mixed. The rice is superb and also drinks are self serve. Do give this place a try!

I've heard great reviews for Karibu and decided to try it out. My wife and I ordered Sugaar and it was excellent! I ordered pick up and the aroma that filled my car had my mouth watering. Service was very good too.

BRUH EAT HERE. What a friendly place I'm dead. Also delicious as all heck. We got sambusas to share -- yum obviously. I got the Nomad Ari -- goat, rice, peppers, onions. It's to die for. Just show up and order it. Thank me later. My mom got the veggie dish and was like upset it was so good, and my cousin got the chicken one and same reaction (we all ordered from the East African specialties part of the menu). They've got a mild and a hot sauce and they're both SO good. Freaking yum. My aunt got a burger and fries which was also good she says. The tea and coffee were also a delight and the whole experience was fantastic. They have great outdoor seating so you can die of happiness outside in the sun. What else could you possibly want??

I've been here twice now on my lunch break. Today I had the Suqaar and it was fantastic. Last week was a gyro with fries, also very good. Service is very friendly and the food is cooked fresh to order. The server encouraged me to try the goat next time I come in, and I'll definitely give that a shot next week. The food is fresh, with exceptional flavors. I'm not sure what was in the red sauce that came with the suqaar, but it was REALLY good. This is really a gem of a spot.

What a great lunch! We had the goat rice bowl. The goat was very tender and the rice was very flavorful, full of cardamom and a subtle curry. I had a samosa which was light and flaky, delicious! We also had a sweet crepe . They were out of a couple of the appetizers I wanted to try because someone had bought them all already! I told I told the chef that next time I would call ahead and put a couple on hold for myself. Everything was incredibly fresh and made to order. We asked her for some hot sauce and heard the blender whirring because they were literally making us fresh hot sauce right there. The food was fresh, seasoned well and delicious. A great lunch, I'll be back for more East African specialties.

A new place and the food is great. Portions were good. Nice patio for outdoor dining. The grocery part seems like a work in progress. We'll go back again

Now this had recently opened and I've been waiting! Nice little grocery/ deli joint. Im mainly here for the food lol. This is my second time already lol. Had to come for more of their nomad's ari. It's an east African dish that comes with goat meat that's been cooked with onion, garlic, green peppers, cilantro, and Somali rice. It also comes with either mild or hot sauce. Of course I got hot. I also had gotten their sambusa's also was tasty. Go try it out!!

Great food. I came here with a friend of mine first and then I came with my family because the food was so good. Definitely check it out if you are in the mood for some good East African food. I would recommend it to anyone visiting the Twin Cities

Thanks to yelp for helping find this gem ordered the suqaar and damn it was really good. The space is very clean and organized which is rare for most somali grocery/Delis so this was a pleasant surprise. Since my school doesn't have food on campus I'm glad I found this deli ... this is my new go to spot.

Goat dishes are hard to find. Sometimes they are too boney. The Nomad Goat bowl was meaty and seasoned just right. Only took a minute to get to my table too.

very good place to eat! i would totally recommend it so much if your in the area! Spicy Beef is so good ! not too spicy either!

Their burger is literally the best I've ever had. The East African dishes are a wonderful, spicy adventure. Spiced tea is sweet and warming, with traditional spices. The space is sunny, open, inviting and friendly. Plus, off-street parking! What's not to love?

My first visit. Had the Chooza chicken. Fantastic. Will definitely return. Nice vibe and pleasant/friendly people.

Love this place! A real gem! The fries are scrumptious and so are the entrees. The staff is super friendly and accommodating too!

I've been to Karibu at least 10 times. Their food is amazing, fresh, and tasty. They have a few standard American food items but I highly recommend their Somali rice dishes. They have chicken and vegetarian options but I highly recommend the goat dish, Nomad's Ari. If you've never had goat or like goat, you'll LOVE this dish (it tastes like mild lamb). The main staff are brother and sister and are both kind, warm and welcoming. Their location is warm, sunny, friendly. If it's cold and sunny out, warm up with great food and a neat atmosphere! They recently won the Payne/Arcade Business Association Award and it's very much well-deserved. If you like Afro Deli's food, you'll love Karibu Deli's dishes as well!

Wow, an amazing spot. Stop reading and just go. Food was amazing, people super friendly. Good for takeout or there are a few tables. I've had the chicken kooza (I think) and the Safari Roll (kabob meat in a flatbread wrap). Both stunning. And the sambusas..... super delicious! Worth a trip but thankfully I live close enough to walk.

Best East African food In the area, especially considering there isn't too many in Saint Paul. Quality food had the gyro and suqaar which were both phenomenal. We came in late and there were more than happy to serve us. Good people and quality food couldn't ask for more!

And yet another great meal from this place. Of course I would expect nothing less from this outstanding place. The food, service and people make you feel special. A must try.

My husband and I love this place. The sambusas are heavenly. My 9 year old always goes for the burger and fries. It's convenient take out when I'm coming home from downtown St Paul.

Had a delicious lunch here! Members of our group tried almost their full range of dishes and all enjoyed their lunch. Count yourself lucky if you live close by.

Delicious and inexpensive! We bought take-out, and enjoyed it at home. The sambusas are to die for, but the goat curry was also amazing. You can get a sweet not-very-hot sauce and/or a VERY hot sauce--fun to try. This is Somali home cooking by a real Somali mom.

After driving by Karibu Grocery & Deli regularly for the last year, I finally stopped by - and I'm so glad I did!! I picked up lunch for my partner and I to take over to Saint Paul Brewing, and was impressed so by the customer service, quality of food, and bright cheery atmosphere. Swing by next time you're in the neighborhood, you won't regret it.

the best food. philly. by far the best meal ive had in a long time. everything fresh. even the ketchup for my fries. i would go out of my way to eat here any day.

10/10 all I have to say. The spices from the Philly Cheese steak and the crunch from the fries really makes your day. Also the setting of the place makes the whole experience worth while.

Amazing people, and Amazing Food! By far there Philly Cheesesteaks are the best I have ever eaten. Highly recommend it.