Safari Njema

Very nice ladies that cook and serve you. I like the ginger drink they have cold. We are having goat curry stew and beef curry stew with fufu and rice with collard greens. Be prepared to wait for your meal. Lots a people order food to go from here.The goat is to die for and the meat pies are heavenly

First time trying this and it taste good! The cabbage had a sweet butter smell and it’s great with fufu. Goat was also soft and juicy. Service was super slow tho, we waited for 25 minutes to get our plates. The utensils were not clean but they changed it for us.

I love this place because of the food. Authentic East African cuisine with a rustic atmosphere, that is reminiscent of a laid back setting. The personnel is kind and respectful and listens. You might have to wait a bit for your food, and the best way is to make a call and order 30 mins while planning the trip. It is not a Michelin restaurant but it is sure just a genuine local, “ungentrified” spot. It is surrounded by gentrified neighborhood and hopefully this spot won’t be pushed out of business.

Love this place. I was craving some Kenyan food and this place hit the spot. I dined in on a slow night with only 2 people working. The service was SUPERB! Our waitress was polite and made genuine conversation without hovering over us. The food was amazing, almost like home. My husband who is American said it was the best fish dish he ever had ( he ordered deep fried samaki). The only critique I have is that it took quite a bit of time to get the food. But given that it was a slow night with only 2 people working ( the chef and the waitress), I understood. The food was worth the wait. I will be back again!

We had the goat curry with basmati rice and kachumbari. The food played together very well. The rice was a beautiful gold. The goat came in a bowl and was of a soup texture and smelled wonderfully of spices. The salad also came in a bowl and tasted very fresh and crisp and spicy. Also on the side was some orange stuff that was very spicy, but since it was on the side, We could decide how much of the spicy dip to use. I used a lot until my face got sweaty. Would highly recommend and will definitely come back the next time we are in town.

The food here is delicious, Seattle you’re lucky!! I‘ve moved to Miami but I went to Safari again on my last work trip in May, first found this place after an intense hike with a friend 10 yrs ago and the fried fish and goat is incredible. Yes there’s some time to cook it but good things come to those who wait. Was just thinking about Safari and realized I haven’t posted my review so doing that now, I highly recommend!

The owner is nice but her workers are very slow. I had to come back because I forgot to order the kachumbari, a Kenyan salsa, and it took a half an hour for them to give me. That is so ridiculous, it was already made, all they had to do was put in a container it seems like they were doing it on purpose, I don't know why. Next time, I'm not tipping them anymore and I will raise hell, I know it doesn't take that long. I would give 5 stars but the wait time is so long I took of 2 stars. Get it together.

I wanted to like this place, I really did. But it just didn't work out. The food took extra long to come and when it did, its not that it was bad, it just wasn't great either.....i'm disappointed, I really did want to like this place. But alas!

First time having Kenya food. The fish tastes amazing. It's crispy and has a touch of acidity from the lime. It makes me nostalgic. In my hometown, there is a similar fried fish dish. Will definitely come back sometime in the future.

Can't believe it's taken me this long to get here! Been wanting to come for a couple years but finally came in and I will definitely be coming back after this first visit. Food is made from scratch by one woman who takes the orders and cooks at the same time so don't expect anything to be fast, just enjoy the ambiance and flavors. Highly recommend the cold ginger drink as it packs a punch! Asked for the wet fry tilapia not knowing what it meant and and I'm so glad I did! I think dry fry would be without the delicious tomato sauce they put on top of the fish which really made the dish for me. The owner/chef is extremely welcoming and kind and you can tell she puts love into this food. Can't wait to come back and try more of the side dishes as they all looked so good. Warning: I came with 3 people and we all got our own entrees and shared. My fish alone was enough for two more meals after so come hungry or order a bit less!

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 different texture but is pretty flavorless. The goat curry is also a top pick for me! Beware if you're dining in... THE WAIT IS FOREVER! They're always so understaffed, unfortunately. I wish they had more resources. It's such a shame that the food is so amazing but folks probably get pretty turned off by the wait. I think the last time I was in, we ordered at 7:05pm and got our food at 8:00pm. Left around 8:45pm. Was just thinking we should get Aunty Jane and the whole restaurant some front of the house folks, or even on one of those restaurant optimizing Gordon Ramsay shows I want everyoneeeee to come eat here, so make sure you come at an off time so that the wait isn't too long. It's not a bad idea to hop next door to either Flying Lion for a beer or Full Tilt for dessert before dinner :P Truly if the food was just meh and service was like this, I would give this 2 stars. But Safari Njema has 4.5 stars for a reason... their food is damn good.

Food and customer service was top tier! It was my first time trying fufu and it did not disappoint! The lady who took my order was very friendly and recommended me to try the goat curry next time. I will definitely be coming back!

Awesome food had a lot of flavor and tasted fresh. Great service Small restaurant, good for party up to 4.

Food: AMAZING. Bursting with flavors and spices. Service: Depending on the day, can be normal (10 min); can be slow (15+ min) Order the matoke and the goat side. The goat is so tender. The matoke was really good too. Kind of reminded me of yuca. As for what to avoid ordering, I thought the chicken was kind of dry. Sukuma (collard greens and spinach) was a bit too salty. Came here twice for pickup and dine-in

This is one of the first times I have actually had Kenyan food, and I enjoyed opening my eyes to a lot of unique dishes offered here. My friend and I were fairly hungry so we got some appetizers - beef samosa, veggie samosa, and bhajia, as well as 2 entrees - samaki with pilau and Sukuma mix, and mbuzi with ugali and tz zege. Appetizers: the beef samosa and veggie samosa were great. I love the fact that a lot of cuisines have their take on these samosas. Here, the samosas themselves were not too spicy or salty, but their house spicy sauce that has some ginger in it amplified these samosas. The bhajia is thinly sliced potatoes, which tasted somewhat like fried potatoes / fries, but they were hearty chunks of potato. Entrees The samaki is tilapia, flash fried. We opted for pilau which is a spiced basmati rice and Sukuma mix which is collard greens and spinach. The mbuzi is goat, where we chose ugali (similar to grits) and tz zege (omelette potato) for our sides. We decided that the goat be prepared in curry, which is an additional charge, but it allows us to try both the dry and wet preparations for the respective dishes. The tilapia is very flavorful and crunchy, and they already pre-squeezed the dish with lemon juice (which can be good or bad depending on if you like lemon with the fish). The rice is well spiced and the Sukuma mix is very fresh and nicely salted. The goat curry is also full of spices, though fortunately not really spicy, and pairs well with the ugali as it did not have too much flavor. The tz zege is a very filling side and is of good value as it is one of the pricier sides but it is complimentary as one of the 2 sides when you order the entree. They prepared it to my liking as the eggs are cooked to medium. Service is somewhat mediocre. It is understandable (and I did not dock a star off for this) that food comes out very slowly, about 30 minutes minimum, as there are just 2 workers operating the entire restaurant. However, I'd have liked if they gave the water (it was free, even though they gave water bottles) shortly instead of much later, and if they gave us utensils and plates sooner than later, as we were waiting minimum 15 minutes for it so that we can fully enjoy the appetizers without making a mess. These small touches of service would have made the dining experience much more enjoyable, but regardless, I am a fan of Kenyan food in this restaurant.

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 collards and spinach (Sukuma) were the highlights. I'm always down for some greens. The mixed veggies were just right. Ugali is a starchy mix not unlike grits or fufu but Kenyan style. Very filling and enough to take home. Not pictured is the cold ginger drink, which is not too sweet and refreshing. The chef is cook and hostess; they do a lot of take out. Friendly and good to chat with which is always a plus. Everything is made fresh, so be prepared and patient. Good things take time :)

This review is quite late but to this day I still think about that fried tilapia in coconut sauce! You HAVE to try it! I grew up not too far from here and let me tell you, Columbia City is no longer the Columbia City of my childhood. I'm happy to see the plethora of businesses thriving in this area, and next time I may spend an extra hour or two solely in this small complex, which also houses a Full Tilt and Flying Lion Brewing. We came early with a visitor from out of state in tow (there were only a couple of orders in front of us) and ordered to-go so we could have a picnic at Seward Park. Everything was well made and seasoned perfectly from the beef samosas to the greens and veggies to the fish. But the star of the show was the fish, which was crispy, fatty, sweet, and slightly acidic thanks to the lime. Every bite was the perfect bite. We descended on it like vultures after the first taste and picked it clean down to the bones. Of every meal we ate during our guest's visit, this was the best. I can't wait to go back since I missed that they also have dessert. Highly recommend!

Some of the best food I've ever had in Seattle, a true hidden gem! It was my first time eating Kenyan food and I'm very impressed. The curry is a proud entry in the genre with beautifully tender chunks of goat. It was bone in, which I don't care but is authentic. The fries are big meaty hand cut potato wedges, with a habanero dipping sauce- this is a great restaurant for spice lovers. The kachumbari is a salad that reminded me a little of pico de gallo, it was good but got outshown by the other dishes. The portions are large and easily make two meals for me The woman behind the counter is the SWEETEST. It's the kind of personal service you used to get at Italian restaurants that you rarely see in Seattle or anywhere else these days. I cannot recommend this place enough, go there, they deserve all the success in the world

Ashamed to say it's taken me this long to try Kenyan food, but this place is SO DELICIOUS. Hands down the best food in Columbia City and quickly making its way up to my all time favorites. I had to physically stop myself from saying "wow" after every bite. We waited about 40 minutes for our order of Tilapia and Goat curry. Now I'll be honest and say venturing beyond any protein outside of the standard beef, chicken, and pork is me trekking into extreme foreign territory. The unfamiliarity alone would offset a good experience but the goat curry was amazing and cooked to perfection... like actually perfectly. So similar to beef with a subtle gaminess and seasoned with the perfect blend of spices. You HAVE to get this with the Pilau Rice. I could eat three plates of that alone. It is so good. The Tilapia was so good with the curry sauce. Next time I'm trying it fried. The sides dishes really made this meal for me. There is a perfect contrast of flavors. The stir fried veggies add a bit of freshness, collard greens with spinach a bit of savoriness, and the green mashed potatoes with some boiled corn pieces in it. Everything compliments each other so well. I would highly highly recommend

So yummy! That fried fish is irreplaceable. I crave it every week. It's citrusy, perfectly cooked, peppery, the sauce is amazing. the pilau and collard greens are also delicious. I'm always amazed I finish the whole dish in one setting, but it's impossible for me not to. Also got the beef samosas. Delicious!

I'm so glad I gave this small business a try. It was my first time having Kenyan food. My fiance and I shared the Samaki (fried tilapia) with terere and chapati. We also had a white Kenyan coffee, which was infused with chai spices and milk. The tilapia was covered with craveable seasoning that reminded me of Takis chips. I highly recommend this spot.

The Ngombe was delicious, the Ugali done just right. Highly recommend the whole fish. Of course get the Chapati. Skip the mixed vegetables. Add the sakuma if still hungry. Definitely recommend for dine in!

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 ginger drink was also delicious!

First of all I wanted some Wally first time trying it but the people I went with had always eaten Wally. The Wally was to wet. The cabbage was a bag of Cole slaw cook. The chicken curry was watered down no seasoning. I have to say the beef was good with the rice. The service the lady was friendly but it took a good 45 mins for the food to come out so I'm giving this place a hands down.

I so enjoyed this new eating experience. This is a Kenyan restaurant in the heart of Columbia City in South Seattle. [disclaimer: without the menu, I can't communicate the Kenyan name for the items on my plate. I apologize in advance for any offense] Atmosphere: friendly and kind to a newbie. It's was an unique experience to be in a restaurant that all of the staff was from the African Diaspora. The conversation and the different languages was so special. Food!!!! Excellent...no complaints. The fried fish was amazing!!!! I just was to eat that with the bread. Wait time: we waited 45 mins for our meal. We were Warner in advance that it takes a long time to be served so we were prepared. But 45 mins is a long time. It was worth the wait - the food was so good and the conversation was great! So warning ...you will be waiting for this good meal. I'll definitely go back.

I've always wanted to try food from East Africa, and today, I finally got to do so!! For my drink, I ordered a Kenyan black coffee...And OMG is it strong, but I like my coffee black. It was a huge portion (Trenta size), and I decided to add half the sugar that came with it, so that it was not too acidic. For my appetizer, I ordered Mandazi and fried potatoes...The Mandazi had the right amount of sweetness and the perfect texture of a donut. As for the fried potatoes, they were a little spicy (especially as I saw a multitude of crush pepper seeds in the dish), but its combination of onions and garlic and spices helped to make a great flavor, to blend with the spiciness. For my entree ordered the Stewed Goat with sides of Salad and Ugali...The stewed goat had an amazing combination of what tasted like tomatoes, garam masala, cumin, garlic, onions, and other spices, and the goat was perfectly braised to tender melt in your mouth texture. The salad was awesome, as the oily vinaigrette was a great addition to the lettuce and onion and carrot combination. The Ugali was amazing as well, as the cornmeal was flavorful and was able to act as a starch to soak up saucy foods (e.g., curry) (much better than my attempt to cook Ugali, at home [where I used ground popcorn kernels, instead of white cornmeal]). The only things I would change are: *Service...I was at the restaurant for a little over an hour because it took long periods of time to to receive my drink, my appetizer, and my entree, each...The waitress said that this is because I ordered at the place, as most customers order their food before arrival. Next time I go, I will place the order online, before arrival. *Ambience...Safari Njema is unfortunately right next to a sports bar that blasts its music loud. In fact, it is so loud, that at every bass in music played in the adjacent sports bar, the Safari Njema gets vibrated like an earthquake...Which can be bothersome and painful for those inside the restaurant (Safari Njema), especially when they had the misfortune of sitting at the rightmost wall (like I was), which was basically touching the loud sports bar. I suggest for Safari Njema: *Installing soundproofing technology and/or asking the sports bar to do the same. *Asking the sports bar to turn their music down, and emphasize how Safari Njema get vibrated hard, every time there is a bass in the loud sports bar's music. Anyways, this place was AMAZING. In the name "Safari Njema", the word Njema--Swahili for "good"--labels this restaurant right...Mkahawa ni njema!! Tuonane Tena, Safari Njema.

Absolutely delicious food and super nice chef and wait staff. This tiny place attracts everyone from retirees to goth girls. If you're looking for a hearty meal with great flavor for very little money get here early. Kenyan food is a rare find in any city. We're fortunate to have it here in Seattle. Make sure to have the yellow sauce on the side. I think it's scotch bonnet or piri piri. ‍

First time trying Kenyan food & I must say I am super satisfied! I ordered 2 of the most popular dishes SAMAKI (tilapia) & MBUZI (goat) which comes with 2 sides. I got the Pilau (basmati rice) & Sukuma Mix (collard greens & spinach) for both proteins. The portions are huge for the price, I literally paid under $40!! I recommend calling in ahead for pick up at a certain time. Food was done on the dot, by the time I brought the food home the fish still retained its crispiness & everything was still warm (Columbia city to Fairwood). Samaki (fried tilapia): CLEAN which is my biggest thing about fried fish. Big, crispy & nicely seasoned with a hint of citrus flavor! Came with 2 sauces 1 was spicy & the other was a coconut. MBUZI (goat): I thought it was super flavorful but I just wish it was a bit more tender! I'm very familiar with goat so the bones doesn't bother me like it does to others. Pilau (basmati rice): DELICIOUS. FLAVORFUL. FLUFFY GOODNESS. Sukuma (collards greens & spinach): MUST GET. Super appetizing & addicting! Perfectly cooked! Service was amazing, the lady is super friendly & welcoming! She explained to me what the sauces were for & made feel even more excited to try their food! If your looking to venture out & try different culture foods I would highly recommend trying this place out. Can't wait to try other dishes, I'll be back!

delicious we got the goat and tilapia to share with a few sides and everything was amazing. we also tried the sour uji at the chefs recommendation which was so unique and tasty. we also had the goat broth which was a little spicy and very tasty.

This place is an unassuming gem - great homemade-style Kenyan food that is traditionally prepared. We went as a large group of friends so got to sample quite a few of their foods and all were delicious and carefully prepared. I had been craving greens - their collard greens are great. And omg - the crispy pan-fried whole Tilapia?!? Ah-mazing!!! Super crispy and flavorful on the outside and moist and delicious on the inside. We also had their goat curry (nicely prepared and not too gamey), vegetable samosas (spicy and yummy), and the ugali (a thick grits-like porridge that you eat with the other foods.) Then fo drinks I tried both their cold ginger tea (thick, sweetened with brown sugar and super gingery) and the hot chai (nicely spiced with cardamom and ginger; you add your own sugar.) Overall it was a great meal and we'll definitely be going back!

This place is DELICIOUS. My friend and I shared one entree which was the perfect amount as the portions are quite decent. We the goat with the added curry, pilau, and kachumbari. The goat was cooked perfectly and the curry really warmed my soul. The pilau (spiced rice) paired so well and the kachumbari was similar to a salsa actually. I've never been here before and I'm so glad I decided to check it out!! We did have to wait 45 minutes for our food on a Saturday night (8pm) but so worth it.

This place is in my top 3 Seattle restaurants. If you're hesitating over the reviews that say the food took forever to come out - Last time I was here, it was just one woman doing EVERYTHING. Cooking, taking orders, serving, cleaning. So bring your damn business and this amazing woman can hire some wait staff! Haha. I come here and get the tilapia every time. The wet fry is the best way to have it. It is just amazingly delicious, perfectly fried whole tilapia with a delicious tomato curry on top. The flavors are incredible, complex yet simple and harmonious. Comes with three sides of your choice. The price for everything is just amazing. You can easily split it between two people. Every side I have tried here is so insanely delicious. I have taken everyone I know here and they're always impressed. A friend of mine has also tried the chicken curry and it's amazing too. That tilapia though, I can't order anything else! It's too good. The owner is so nice and I always like to tell her how much I enjoyed her food and she always smiles so big.

West African restaurants are few & far between- because Seattle. I love how there's so many options for any diet from carnivore, to pescatarian, to vegan. Safari is a kitchen style restaurant inside of a plaza with slightly scary parking spot lines. The interior is modest yet heaven smelling. Auntie at the register also answers the phone & cooks. The ugali slaps! If it's your first time it's a starchy, thickened grits dish great for soaking up the sauce from other dishes. All the samba (veggie) dishes are awesome, I just get what is recommended. The house hot sauce is bright tasting, almost citrusy, acidic yet not overly spicy. Highly recommend! Call ahead for take out, be patient with waiting since everything is made with love, do NOT bring an affectionate date or auntie will throw dagger eyes & tut tut the romance. Full Tilt is next door for dessert. Perfect spot to introduce friends to.

I am a huge fan of this place, the food is absolutely amazing. If you go during dinner time you will have to WAIT a very long time. Luckily, you can call ahead to eat there. Last time we went we called an hour in advance and once we got there only had to wait 45 minutes for our food. Some people were waiting a very long time. Luckily, I knew of the wait going into it so it did not bother me at all. But for future reference try to call ahead at least an hour in advance maybe even more, but trust me the food is worth it. You will not be mad after waiting, itll be the most worth it wait you ever had.

This place is AMAZING! My partner and I ordered some appetizers and shared one entree. I really loved the beef samosa we got - on top of the large portion, it was fried to perfection and the beef filling was so flavorful. The fish meal was also very delicious. My partner said it was probably one of the best fish he's ever had in his life so far. It's hard to tell in the picture, but the plate is giant! The fish comes with two side dishes of your choice, in which we got mixed veggies (spinach + collard greens) and rice and both were to die for. The fish was so crispy and super tender when bite into it. I'm not sure what seasoning they use, but it was so good that I wish I could buy it. It had a strong lemon flavor and goes perfectly with the fish! As others pointed out, it did take them a long time to get our food ready. But it's so worth the wait! If you are not in a rush, make sure to stop by here. You will not be disappointed!

Food was delicious and I wish I could've given them 5 star, but the food took about 2 hours to get to the table. We even ordered ahead and called in. I wouldn't even say they were that busy either. I would suggest the rice because it was very flavorful. Overall, I enjoyed the meal, just wished it got to our table sooner.

Ordered curry chicken, beef, salad, and story fry. Everything was absolutely amazing! Ginger drink and ugi drink were delicious! Highly recommend! (The owner was very friendly too!)

I was already a super-fan of this restaurant before the fellas decided to add it to the list! Why? My Kenyan cousins can season the heck out some food, and make you burst your britches with their generous portions! I am back for that fried talapia! We also came for that goat, greens and their wonderfully seasoned rice. Can't forget the warm ginger tea! REAL TALK This place is another one of those gems in Columbia City What I love most is the warm and soothing smile of the sista that always greats us at the counter. They can take their time preparing that food, but MAN... They do it so right!

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.

Jump off main street Rainier and go on Safari, past the uninviting parking lot entrance to stake out one large Trophy dinner plate! Leaving after dusk all the business lights beautify the space, masking in darkness the earlier blight of the lot. Trust though no matter what time of day you visit, its so worth moving past those pangs of uneasiness. The simple menu covers 4 main proteins, fish, beef, chix, goat, served with a starch and veg choice but delights in both flavor and portion size. And the owner, so upbeat and welcoming, offers up fresh choices as you work through the menu. Both the boneless chicken and pan fried goat were crave worthy though could of come off the grill a tad earlier. Uniquely spiced, as are the veggies okra and collard and spinach, you are in for such a treat! (Okra and Chinese Spinach from market today, as well as cabbage were off-menu options today). The pilau was oily but good and the chapati less dense and oily would knock it out of the park, but no real complaints here, we cleaned up! We chose the Fresh decaf Ginger tea on menu today, when we asked about the flavor profile of the health tea; a chai. The ginger was opaque syrupy sweet and also lemon tart, so addictive. Add a little more hot h20 to make it just right. When in town next, we will be back on Safari!

This is by far the best hidden gem I've found in 2019 by a landslide. The food is cheap (Columbia city is usually pricey), amazingly delicious and authentic, while sporting huge portions. The service was warm and welcoming, and the staff & customers were mostly African with their local accents - great sign the food was about to be amazing. I tried a variety of dishes & drinks and they were all so unique in it's own way. Goat: 5/5 Super flavorful and moist, but the only caveat was the meat to bone ratio was poor - standard for goat Fried tilapia with curry on the side: 4/5 The tilapia had a great crisp shell and it wasnt dry, with a citrus heavy flavor on the coating. Pilau: 5/5 this side starch dish had a surprising amount of flavor, it reminded me of Indian biryani. Ugali: 2/5 this side starch had a really odd texture, dense moist flavorless cake. Doesn't really fit the menu description and its nothing like cornbread. Sukuma mix: 5/5 this side veggie is a combination of spinach and collard greens, with a faint citrusy & cumin-y note. Cabbage (not on menu): 5/5 this house side veggie was recommended to us by our server and I was not disappointed. It's like an African Cole slaw without the mayo. Uji brown health drink- 3/5 this funky drink is fermented dough that ends up with a plum tasting thicker drink served cold. Interesting and worth a try! Supu-mteta soup: 5/5 this is a savory goat soup served in a mug. This stuff is so flavorful I would totally make a soup out of this with some noodles, meats and veggies. Overall, this spot is my favorite restaurant in the area so far, and I'd highly recommend checking it out! I'd definitely come back to try the other offerings on the menu!

I had the goat with a side of pilau and sukuma. I also had the uji health drink (cold). Everything was tasty. The goat was seasoned well, and though it wasn't "fall off the bone," as some other reviewers have described, it still tasted fresh. And for the price, it really can't be beat. Would definitely come back if I am in the neighborhood again!

I will sing your praises to the moon forever. The stewed goat is life changing!!! The flatbread/roti reminds me a bit of scallion pancakes. And the collard greens are so tender, savory and slightly sweet. I also heard the rice is very good so I will try that next. The auntie who manages the front is so nice and made me laugh and smile. I will be back very soon!

I am still 100% in love with this place its like every time I go I try new food and meet new people that are so entertaining and welcoming. The food is amazing and the staff if so friendly. Me n my sister meet some nice guys that shared there meal with us and chatted us up as we waited for are order. I love it here

Came here after the sea fair. Tried the goat and chicken, both of which were amazing. Especially the goat, it was delicious and full of flavor. My only qualm is that the goat had way too many bones. Got cabbage on the side. That just smelled amazing. I'm usually not a fan of cabbage, but this cabbage was epic! There's a brewery right beside this, and the nice lady actually brought it over there for us. I could see that a lot of folks were getting tilapia. That looked yum as well. So I come back here and try that.

Very unassuming gem hidden away in Columbia City. Friendly folks. Very reasonable prices. Amazzzing food. Went with someone who grew up in Kenya and they gave it a rave review. We're excited to go back soon. Standouts were the refreshingly spicy/sweet flavor-explosion African Chai and the Mandazi which was the best "beignet" I've had in years. Take it home and cover it in powdered sugar and it's just like ones you'll get in New Orleans. Yay for interesting new food options!

This place was a pile of disappointment. Aside from a ginger drink that was absolutely delicious things weren't working during my visit. We waited an hour and a half for our dishes and when they came they were just so so. We didn't get an apology from the team there and the restaurant was freezing cold. There is a giant hole in the ceiling and they brought food out in random order. The beef was very dry and the goat had a lot of large fat pieces and bones.

Good food but the food comes out slow, so call and order ahead. Really nice and friendly staffs

ALWAYS love eating here! The temaki (tilapia) is the absolute best and the customer service is so great. Lovely people, amazing food. 100/10 will always recommend and eat here when in the area.

New to Kenyan food, but hell yes. You can't go wrong exploring the menu. Fortune favors the bold. Turns out, I love Kenyan food. The way meals are put together resonates with me. Meat. Grain. Plant. Grain comes with spicy sauce. Food for two meals. Meat: goat is always tender with good cuts. Grain: It's going to be a polenta, rice, pilaf kinda deal. Delicate and hearty at the same time. Usually with a bright respectably spicy sauce. Plant: I always get greens because greens go with everything, but you can go beyond me. Basically it feels like spartan fine dining. Also right next to a brewery so drink in the parking lot while they prep your food.

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.

Man, I wish I had liked Safari Njema Restaurant much more than I had. We came here for dinner on a Friday night, excited to try Kenyan food for the first time. When we walked in, we weren't sure if we needed to wait to be seated since we didn't see a sign or see any employees other than one lady at the register; so we waited in line at the register to order. Until she asked if we were dining inside (which we were), she told us to get a seat where she would take our orders. But when we were trying to find a table to sit at, all of the tables except for a long, middle table was dirty. The tables still had plates, cups and food scraps all over the tables, seats and floor nearby, so we were left to find the cleanest table among all the mess. And by the time she came to take our order it was a good 15 minutes of waiting around. We soon learned that she was the only person working the entire dining room, taking orders and cleaning the space while someone else cooked the food. Service was slow - only because there was not enough staff to help out. I ordered the goat entree with chapati and cabbage, as recommended by the employee. The cabbage isn't on the menu, but she indicated that it was a house specialty, so I went with it. Unfortunately, we waited nearly an hour for our dinner and I can't say the food was worth the wait. The portion of the goat was very small, as the pieces had a lot of fat on the bones versus meat. That was disappointing, especially because the pieces of goat meat I had were delicious with the natural juices and tender texture. I would've liked much more of since it was so tasty! The chapati, the Kenyan flatbread was dry and the cabbage was simply, A-OK. It wasn't anything special as it was shredded cabbage, tossed in a vinegar dressing. I wouldn't recommend these sides. The housemade hot sauce though is something very unlike anything I've had before, as it had a sour yet spicy taste, which I enjoyed. Try it! In the end, I'm not sure if I ordered the wrong dish or what, but I wasn't wow'ed by my meal, as I thought I would be. It does have potential to do so though, as the food I did like was very tasty. Portion of the goat was just too small and my sides were lackluster. Hopefully in my next visit I will like my food much more and there will be enough staff to alleviate long waits and the other fellow staff.

This is our favorite restaurant in Seattle, by a mile. We find that the food takes some time to prepare, so we often order and go next door to the Flying Lion for an hour to have a pint or two. Set your expections, and you'll be rewarded. Oh, and don't miss out on the matoke.

Ordered two takeout meals here during lockdown. Ordering over the phone was quick and easy and they tell you how many orders are ahead of yours. Food: We ordered the fish two ways, fried and curried. The fried tilapia was very juicy with a marinated flavor and a hint of citrus. We absolutely cleaned this to the bone. The curry fish does not have an Indian or Caribbean flavor, it was a tomato heavy sauce but it was also delicious. You get two sides per entree, one veggie and one carb. We had the collard greens (delish), salad (basic - skip for something else), chapati and Kenyan cornbread, which was like grits cooked into a cake shape. Enjoyed both carbs - they were unique and complimented the food well. The cornbread will go butter if you get an entree with a sauce. Service: Staff was super friendly. I called a couple days before to ask a couple questions and they were more patient and pleasant than a lot of places are on the phone right now. In person they were just as nice. We will order here again and have recommended it to friends.

Legitimately the best food I have ever tasted in 24 years. I spent several weeks deciding if that were the case and I do believe this restaurant has it all. Nothing is short of immaculate. I will come here every time I have a visitor. Amazing prices. GET EVERY APPETIZER!

My hubs spent some time teaching in Kenya when he was a youngin', and was excited to discover this authentic, charmer of a restaurant, tucked in next to a small brew pub and Full Tilt Ice Cream in a small strip shopping area. We ate super early on Saturday eve, first ones in, and the owner/chef with the million dollar smile greeted us like old friends. She even gifted us a shared bowl of simple but tasty soup while we were waiting. I'm not much of a goat lover (except the real fuzzy kind, while they are still frolicking around) nor so much meat in general, so we shared the deep fried whole fish, accompanied by Ugali and Sakuma, the white maize cake, and luscious greens (collards and spinach i think), and the mixed sauteed cabbage and onions, which were velvety and melt in your mouth tender. The fish came with a little cup of coconut curry sauce. The fish, while beautiful, golden and crispy, needed a bit more flavor for my spice hungry palate, but that is likely not the traditional way to serve it. We passed on the Chai and desert fried beignet type doughnuts, but next time we are IN! What a wonderful experience! The only thing that could have been improved was our young server, who seemed checked out and kind of oblivious to checking back, clearing the table, or even to remember to smile. All that said, this was a tremendously beautiful meal and fun experience. Thank you!

The owners were wonderful and the food was amazing!!! I loved the Mbuzi (goat!) (who knew?!?!) the Samaki (Tilapia) was light and lemony and perfect. The Matoke (green banana dish) was terrific and the Kachimbri (tomato, cilantro, onion and cucumber) salad was perfect. The Chapati (like Nan) was delicious and perfect to pick up the food with. We will definitely be back!!