Rafiki Restaurant and Lounge

We enjoyed our second visit to Rafiki (friend), where every opportunity is made to Karibu Rafiki (welcome friend). On both of our visits, everyone has been welcoming and gracious. As we entered, we turned to the left to the restaurant. Turning to the right takes you to the lounge. On Friday night, it was packed. A few months earlier at lunch time there was just a few in the room. For dinner, we enjoyed Tilapia, Chicken and Goat dishes. The presentation was excellent and the flavors were wonderful. At my lunch visit the collard greens were the best I ever had. At dinner, the flavor was not to my taste, but good. There is no dessert menu, which to my sweet tooth as disappointing. When we reheated our leftovers from the large proportioned dinner, the food was almost as good as dinner the night before. We plan to return to Rafiki for lunch or dinner soon.

I had to call the restaurant back multiple times to get an answer. The chapati tasted old and stale, like it had been sitting out for three days. The mandas were equally disappointing. I paid $45 for my meal, and it was terrible. When I called in, no one was available to help me. They eventually said come in to the restaurant to speak to the manager. When I asked if I could speak to the manager over the phone, the guy said that there was no manager present or available. So, why would I come back to the restaurant, which doesn’t make any sense. He could have offer to have the owner or someone call me back. Bad food and bad customer service!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A Taste of Home Right Here in Kent! 🇰🇪❤️ From the moment my family and I walked into Rafiki Restaurant and Lounge, we were treated like VIPs! We kicked things off with some delicious sambusa and Kenyan sausage—flavor-packed and perfectly spiced. For the main course, I had matumbo, sukuma wiki, and of course, ugali—the holy trinity of comfort food! And to top it all off? Kenyan chai and mandazi for dessert. Just chef’s kiss! 😋☕️🍩 Special shoutout to Purity, who was an absolute gem. Her warmth, service, and smile made the whole experience even more memorable. She’s truly an asset to the Rafiki family. The owner Solomon and his amazing wife Nancy even came out to greet us and chat—it felt like visiting old friends. The vibe, the music, the décor… it all made me feel like I was right back in Nairobi city. ✨🇰🇪 Rafiki is not just a restaurant—it’s a whole vibe. I’ll definitely be back. Asante sana! 🙌🏾

My family's first time trying East African/Kenyan food, and everyone, including my toddler, enjoyed it. The server who took my order over the phone is friendly, answered my questions and helped me choose the sides. The establishment is half restaurant and half bar. Turn left after you enter through the door to get to the restaurant part. Here are food we tried: Rafiki basket (3 appetizer combo) - mandazi (fried bread, slightly sweet) is my favorite, followed by the samosa (beef filling, kind of oily) Samaki WA Nchuzi (fried whole tilapia with sauce) - the sauce is not spicy, bright with lime and tomato. Mbuzi Kaanga (goat stew) - some bones as expected. Goat meat is tender and flavorful, though portion isn't that big. For sides we tried the collard greens, Ugali (white corn mash, very dense, not my favorite) and chapati.

Amazing food, amazing friendly service, did i mention the food!!! I will be back. Absolutely delicious

A Kenyan friend took our family of 9 people out to eat here around 2pm on a Saturday and we were blown away by what a great experience it was! We started off with the samosas and sausage— ask for their habanero sauce if you like a little bit of extra spice bc it added such a nice touch to everything we ate. Then we had the fried talapia, wet talapia, chicken curry, two beef dishes, two goat dishes which came with plenty of starch and veggies. Everything was extremely well flavored and came out so quickly. I don’t like goat meat but was surprised by how well seasoned and cooked it was. It wasn’t gamey or chewy at all! I also ordered their Kenyan tea which was similar to chai masala tea that I’ve had at Indian restaurants. Our server was so attentive and professional bringing us everything we needed in a very timely manner! Cannot wait to try more dishes :)

Oh my goodness we walked n and Purity gave us such a beautiful smile. Walked in with Representative Huldah Hiltsley, our very own Kenyan congressman visiting Seattle. If you’re in Seattle and looking for special Kenyan food Rafiki is the best place to be. Mike keep what you do best; feeding us

The service at this restaurant was truly outstanding—Purity went above and beyond to make us feel welcome, and her warmth and attentiveness made the experience unforgettable. Nancy, the owner, is such a great soul, and her passion is reflected in every detail of the place. The food was incredibly special—each dish was a heartfelt reminder of home, rich in flavor and authenticity. This isn’t just a restaurant; it’s a comforting taste of home away from home, delivered with genuine care and hospitality.

My family's first time trying East African/Kenyan food, and everyone, including my toddler, enjoyed it. The server who took my order over the phone is friendly, answered my questions and helped me choose the sides. The establishment is half restaurant and half bar. Turn left after you enter through the door to get to the restaurant part. Food: Rafiki basket (3 appetizer combo) - mandazi (fried bread, slightly sweet) is my favorite, followed by the samosa (beef filling, kind of oily) Samaki WA Nchuzi (fried whole tilapia with sauce) - the sauce is not spicy, bright with lime and tomato. Mbuzi Kaanga (goat stew) - some bones as expected. Goat meat is tender and flavorful, though portion isn't that big. For sides we tried the collard greens, Ugali (white corn mash, very dense, not my favorite) and chapati. Overall a good first experience. We want to come back to try other dishes.

This review is for food ordered via uber eats. I had the goat stew/goat fried and cornmeal with collard greens. The food was outstanding! Very flavorful. The goat was not gamey at all and very nice with the cornmeal as i used it to soak up the sauce. The collard greens were the best i have ever had, and this coming from the perspective of having grown up in Atlanta Ga with southern greens. No trace of bitterness and the greens were garlicky and buttery with some aromatics. Would love to try this place in person next time.

This was my first time trying out Kenyan food and this was such a good experience. Loved the menu, I was surprised that Kenyan food has so much Indian influence. Samosa, roti, chapati just sounded super familiar. I went for fried Tilapia and it was delicious. I don't have the necessary skills to eat the fish cleanly but I still enjoyed the meal. The green that came with it was also superb. This was my first time trying corn based ugali. Unique experience. Highly recommended place to expand your flavour profile. The service was super nice. The ambience was more average. The ambience is the only reason I couldn't give this a solid 5. But it's definitely 4.5.

Food: Ordered Samaki Kaanga (Dry Fish) - The fish was well cooked and well seasoned. It was crispy and moist. Came with a side of chapati (and asked for gravy on the side), this was delicious. The slightly chewy texture and dipped in the gravy was such a great combo. Ordered Nyama Kaange (Beef stew) - it was moist, the meat was a little chewy and tough to chew, however the flavor of the stew helped. Service: They were friendly and our dishes came out in a reasonable time. Ambiance: It was bright and open. Overrall, it was a great experience as a first timer trying Kenya Food for the first time.

This restaurant pleasantly surprised me. Don't be intimidated by the exterior of the business. From the outside, it looks like a sports bar. That's because it is -- kind of. Half of the business is a lounge/bar. The other half is separate to the left of the business and is a chill, standard restaurant. The servers were nice and more importantly, patient. They have no problem explaining the dishes to you. If you haven't given African food a try, give this place a shot!

I still love the music and the food here. The restaurant is still five stars for the food and for the most part the customers are cool. The usual ups and downs of people being people HOWEVER there is a dramatic downshift in the staff etiquette. The female servers are EXTREMELY rude to female patrons. Poor service ranges from simply ignoring single-appearing ladies, to acknowledging them THEN ignoring them for male customers , even worse so - the pushing and shoving they do to get from the bar to the table is ridiculous. Two visits ago only the male server would take our orders and we tipped him well but a female bartender came up every time to remove the money- we let him know so he could get his tip. They could see the money under the bar mat from across the bar but not us to serve us like magic! This last time we did not deal with the bar to ensure a good time, my boyfriend got our drinks. Still, one short wider female server repeatedly beelined for my friend and I every time she served the nearby table, intentionally pushing past us and spilling drinks on my friend for no reason. I made room to make sure it was just an accident. It wasn't, she still chose to go closer to my friend and push her while she danced with someone. This behavior is unexplainable, unnecessary and unprofessional.

Always great service! The staff are friendly and welcoming. I have been going here for 5 years. Recommend others to go!

Went in on a Sunday evening, which was quite busy. Finding seats despite the peak hours was easy, and a server was available in real good time. Starters were brought not much longer after we ordered, but the main course took a wee bit too long. Staff was quite friendly, they seemed understaffed as well. Food was absolutely delicious, despite the long wait time. Was advised to call ahead of coming to get your order started especially during busier times.

This place is awesome, the ambiance is really good on a Sunday brunch. Service was excellent to say the least, our server Purity was the best. It all gave me a very nostalgic experience. I ordered and had the chance to eat my favorite meal from back home and it didn't disappoint. Well done, 5 stars well deserved.

Food was delicious but service sucked. Girl at front counter was not friendly at all and made me feel like I had no business being there

I swear this place has the best music and they know how to their drinks right! We showed up late after the restaurant was closed but the appetizer menu was still open. I gobbled down the Mandazi and their chicken wings with those fries! I literally want to go back to try their main dishes if the appetizer are just that good. The samosas are spicy but have a good taste to them, I could only get through half before my mouth started burning haha. Their service is an example of "service with a smile". It's quick, friendly and you get your food and drinks fast! They make great mixed cocktails. I had a margarita and it was perfect! It is far from where I live but I would love to return!

The security at the door is lazy asf he don't search people what if someone get in with a gun or knife and he is not professional

Most of the food was just okay, but the meat in the goat stew was very tough (must've spent a full minute on some bites) and the collard greens barely had flavor. Our waitress was nice, but slow (and there were only 2-3 other groups). Good ambiance, but the booth seats were so far from the table, I almost fell off trying to eat.

I usually don't complain but this experience begged to be exposed. First of all, if you want nyama choma (charbroiled/grilled meat), this is not the place for you. The meat was overcooked on the stove top which caused it to be tough and dry. Small servings as well. False advertisement on their part. Second, long wait times for food and drinks. They then got one of our drink orders wrong and when we asked for the correct one, they charged us for both drinks! The wrong drink was barely touched. Will not be returning and cannot recommend it to anyone. Go elsewhere for better food and service.

Food was yummy! Jerome was very hospitable. Definitely would come back to eat & to check out their lounge on the weekends.

Good spot. Great service and the food too though music was too too loud to have any meaningful conversation, the space is limited so getting a spot to sit is tricky .

Samosas were on point, like a Decimal!!! Will review the rest of the food upon arrival home and completion of assignment. Those red hoodies 4 employees weren't inclusive enough for me to consider purchasing; Red. Last time I checked, Kenya has 4 colors.

Great food, excellent and very proffesional service, and a nice calm and warm ambience to dine in. Would definitely recommend.

The wet fish had some of the best sauce I've ever tasted. I also got the greens and flat bread. Greens and flat bread are delicious, especially together.

This is a little hidden gem in downtown Kent, WA. We happened upon it after leaving another place of business. The staff was very friendly. The atmosphere was very comfortable. I was there with friends and family, this is important because the wait for meal was a little slow. Our drinks came fast though. We were able to relax and enjoy each other's company, catch up on our life. For this we did not mind that the meal didn't come in an instant. Quality time together is just what we needed, the great food made it all the better.

Will actually steal from you. I came here to meet up with a friend and try new food. They did not ask if we wanted to pay together or separately; they just dropped the check. Not a huge deal, but they did a 50/50 split instead of splitting by entrée. I only remember this because I felt spending $27 and change (tip included in this total) was steep but was relieved it wasn't at $30. That is until I was looking at my statements and saw I was charged a flat $30. They overcharged and did not leave a customer receipt on purpose so I can't go back and fight it

Flavor is almost there. We stopped in right at opening on a Monday. They didn't have samosas, so technically we couldn't try the sample basket, which has all the appetizers. We did have the sausage and maandazi. The maandazi tasted stale, not fresh. However, the sausage was delicious. My boyfriend got the fried fish and I got the grilled chicken. The chicken was very moist and seasoned well. The pilau was lacking some flavor. The fried fish also wasn't the best we've had, it was pretty good. The service seemed nice, it wasn't busy at all but we did have to flag down a waitress every time we needed something. Overall, not bad. I would recommend the sausage and the grilled chicken.

I've only been here once because a friend invited me. The food was great. That was my first time eating Kenyan food and it made me want to study about the Asian (India to be specific) influence in their cuisine. It's a lounge that's used as a club at night. It's best to go with someone due to the interior design and ambiance. You can order to go too. The only downside was, my order wasn't complete. I noticed it when I was miles away from the place. You can go as a family in the day time. I wish there was a parking nearby, I would've stayed a little longer.

Am visiting this place for the first time from California & heard so much about it, so was super excited, the place is clean and presentable, BUT, my dad, sister and her husband who leave in the area ordered our food but to our disappointment, we waited for the food for over an hour, the food sucked & to make matters worse all our food came out COLD, poor! Poor! Service. I hear the club apart is fun? i surely hope so cause at this point, I need to be convinced about this places

Great food. The collard greens are the best I've ever had. Too bad the service was really slow even when there was barely any customers.

Service above and beyond from all the staff including Geoffrey. Can't even attemp to explain the amazing aroma and flavors of this food everything from the curry, samosas flat bread, beef and rice down to the collard greens were amazing!!! We will definitely frequent more often couldn't do this review justice the food was too amazing to explain. You have to go and enjoy and experience it for yourself.

Lunch with my dude near my place of employment. Something different turned out to be something amazingly good and seasoned well. We listens to music and enjoyed our grilled lamb, collard greens, samosas, rice and grilled beef. I understand they also have a night life of entertainment.

The food is a hit or miss. Sometimes it's wow and other times it's a waste. The staff is also hit or miss depending on who's working that day. I'd def choose safari food over this place if safari wasn't so far.

Oh my gosh! Very ethnic and tasty food. We ordered the goat stew and dry fish with pilau and Kenya's version on naan bread influenced... it was extremely tasty and yummy. Better than 99% of the Indian restaurants we've eaten. Their samosas are meat filled version and yummy. It's small and busy, not the fastest service but it's because they cook their food when ordered! Extremely worth every penny. No complaints. Bonus: Ann our waitress was very informative about the menu and broke it down to what is popular, recommended, best and paired with sides. She's awesome! Our plates were empty and fished deboned! Will return! 100 stars.

Tried this out for lunch last Sunday and I wasn't disappointed! It was fairly quiet inside and relaxing. Servers were polite and prompt. I've never had food like it so I was excited to try anything. I got beef stew with a flat bread and stewed collard greens. So good!

Came here with some friends because we wanted to try Kenyan food. The food here is amazing! Loved what my friend and I ordered. I order the chicken curry (I forgot the actual name) and my friend ordered the fried basmati rice (also forgot the actual name). We got the samosa as a appetizer. It was soooo good! Definitely order this when you go there! The chicken curry was very good. A little on the dry side but still it had enough sauce to balance it. My plate had their collard greens and Kenyan flat bread. The side were great also. The fried basmati rice had pieces of beef mixed it. It was very tasty. I included a picture my other friend order; Samaki Kaanga (Fried Fish), from what he told me it was very good. I believe this is the restaurant's famous fish. To try I ordered the Kenyan beer Tusker, I mean who can say they've had beer straight from Kenyan without actually going there. It was a lager and tasted like Budweiser. I would recommend this restaurant to people who have never had Kenyan food. It was a great experience since it was our first time.

The food was good but price was way overpriced for what you got. That reason for 3 star review price should be lower. I had chicken curry.

I love this spot. Very clean, cute atmosphere, pool table, dancefloor, and some fire food. The greens were to die for, i need the recipe please. Id give this 5 stars but the dj they hired needs help. ever heard of bpms bro? Plus why only the slowest reggae and 0 afrobeats? Seriously is he pulling up cassettes? Wtf. Get someone willing to tun up just a lil. Esp if they gon show up 30+mins late. Make sure he gets this review too plz.

This place is amazing and good I've been a few times and the ladies that work here are the best..

Service was slow. The waitress messed up our order, while she apologized and promised to not bill for the mess up, the item still showed up on the bill. She told us the manager would come to talk to us but we waited for 45 min for the manager to show That said, the atmosphere was great with an awesome vibe. Will come back but hopeful for better service.

I ordered the samosas over the phone when I got there they were ready to go. The samosas were great and the taste was delicious. The place I usually go to makes there's bigger and uses a different type of crust. But these were just as good with the squeeze of a lime

Awesome Fried Tilapia! This place is an Authentic Kenyan restaurant. Chapatis, samosas, sukuma, ugali...all so good! Takes awhile so give it to time. You won't be disappointed! So, we were in Rafiki this past Sunday. I ordered Chai And when it came there was a yucky skin on top the tea because the kitchen scalded the milk. Then when my fish arrived it was cold, and overcooked. The Ugali was reheated, which made the texture similar to rubber. My sekuma was cold. My best guess is that whoever usually runs the kitchen takes Sundays off and preps a great deal of food to used in their absence. I don't feel that is the best idea when the fish plate is around $18. Still, the staff here are so sweet. They give great service! Next time I will ask for fresh fish and Ugali, and explain the situation. I just wanted to be sure and update my review based on my experience. I'd still go back.

We spontaneously picked this place after driving by it. If you like ethnic food at all you will love this place. Even though we looked like fish out of water, the staff was polite and the food was delicious. First time I have Kenyan food but not the last.

This has to be the most disorganized restaurant I have ever been in. It took 1 hr and 30 minutes for us to get our food, there was only one server and everything was slow. The food was decent but not worth the price. There was an up charged for food that came in very little portions. Just a mess I would not recommend.

Stopped in for a late lunch and the place had 4 people in it and two wait staff working. Took a seat, got our drinks and placed our orders right away (one appetizer and two entrees off the menu). We didn't have any special requests or changes from the menu. 30 minutes later, no food (not even the appetizer) drink glasses were empty but at least I could see my waitress. Yes, her food looked delicious since I could see it as she ate her lunch at the bar. After my wife exchanged some glances her way the waitress brought my us a basket of hot towels and told us the food was coming right up. 20 minutes later our entrees arrive and the waitress asks us if there is anything else. We ask about out appetizer and she says it's coming and walks away. No offer to refill our drinks or anything. Now, the food although it was warm there was nothing that explained the wait. The collard greens were the best and everything else was forgettable.

Easily the best place to find Kenyan food in Seattle. The sausages, samosas and fish were to die for.

This was a gem to find that gave us a taste of home. Great Kenyan food and pleasant service. They are a bit pricey but the portions are huge!

Rafiki is a very ambient restaurant. One feels at home far from home. Waitress Grace is very charming lady and I would recommend to tip her well.

This place is a gem! Food was amazing and staff was super friendly. Food may take a while but it is worth the wait. Everything was fresh and cooked on the spot. Would highly recommend!

An awesome place to bring friends! Great wings, fries, and drinks :) I'm always here until close !!

Super sweet server (Mimi) . She did so good and is so friendly. Good food but slow service .

Great food real as authentic as it gets to the Kenyan cuisine. Their Samosas yum pricey but good. Maadazis great also on the pricey end. Stews, great well seasoned. The greens (sukuma wiki) too salty I'll pass. I will definitely try a few more items but so far so good Food still good the chapatis are not consistent. They used to be great but I think a different person is making them now... they are huge, uneven and tasteless.

Irene you are awesome! Great service. Fabulous food. I had the goat and it was marvelous. I had the collard greens and the Kenyan flatbread all were fabulous.

First time I've been here! I want to support local businesses and I just found out about this joint. I ordered the Philly cheesesteak (personal favorite) and the grilled beef. Both were delicious and portion sizes were plentiful. The staff were very friendly and accommodating. Will definitely continue supporting this business in the future!