Rafiki’s Grill
367 Valley Ave, Birmingham, AL, 35209
Rafiki’s Grill Menu
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Address :
367 Valley Ave
Birmingham, AL, 35209 - Phone (205) 942-0700
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Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 2:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
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Rosie O.
If time is of the essence, take off a couple of stars. Otherwise, Rafikis is a great option if you enjoy the ethnic food scene. The service is always friendly, but invariably slow and a little offbeat. It's just part of the character of the place that offers some really good food. Samosas and stews are great. Flatbread is delicious. Homemade cooking. Just don't be in a hurry!
(4)Wes C.
Let me start off by saying that I am thrilled to have such diverse options such as this when eating in Birmingham. I echo what the other reviewers have said and will add that the food is great. There are a lot of curry flavors in the dishes and this guy loves curry. The goat stew, samosas, and flatbread were great. That said, the decor and service aren't all that great. Don't get me wrong. Everyone is SUPER nice and eager, but that only goes so far towards service. I have been twice and orders were wrong both times. Waitresses often brought incorrect numbers of items (such as napkins or extra plates). Requests for items went unfulfilled on both occasions. The wait times for appetizers and entrees was extremely long both times. I saw food going to tables that arrived after us while we were waiting on appetizers. That said the food is solid four star quality. The restaurant IS in it's soft opening state and I expect these issues to be ironed out. While I love the idea, I'm not going to give it five stars because it is unique to this area. However, I wholly recommend trying this place out.
(3)Dale S.
We decided to give Rafiki's a try after reading good reviews. What you read about the poor service is true. There were only 2 tables occupied, yet our water glass ran empty twice. The food was OK, nothing exceptional. We ordered samosas as an appetizer, they came out 10 minutes later & were lukewarm. My wife ordered the beef stew, it had a nice flavor but the beef was a bit chewy. I ordered the lamb stew but ended up with the grilled lamb...after waiting 20 minutes, I didn't want to send it back! With some proper training to the wait staff & proper procedure implemented in the kitchen, Rafiki's could make a go of it. Chances are good I will never know either way.
(3)Misty F.
So happy we came here!! Read a local blog that said it was a hidden gem. Me and a friend from work came and loved it. We ate meat Samosas, African sausage and for entrees we got Ng'ombe Karanga (beef stew) with Chapati (African flatbread) and the tomato onion rice and also Kuku Choma (grilled chicken) with Pilau rice and Sukuma Wiki (sautéed greens). Loved it all and definitely coming back. Staff friendly and I hope everyone comes here.
(5)Grace G.
Great food! Loved it! I came here while on a visit to see my sister and we got here quite late and there was no one in the restaurant. The owner still opened the kitchen, took our orders and served us. All-in-all I loved the experience.
(4)Michael P.
So, to start at the very beginning: I visited with 3 other co-workers for lunch, around 12:30. There was no one there. No patrons, no staff. We looked around for a few minutes, and the lone staff person came in through the front door (maybe he was hanging out at Wendy's next door, I don't know.) Anyway he seated us, was very friendly, and told us about the menu items. All of us like food different from the normal meat and three in the south, and wanted to see what African Cuisine was about. We opted to order a starter, so there was a combination of of Samosas and African Sausage ordered. We shared, and as a whole found the Samosas to be bland to our spicy palette preferences, but the sausage was good. Our group ordered Mbuzi Karanga, Mbuzi Choma, and Kuka Choma. A variety of sides were ordered, including the Chapati (flat bread), Sukuma Wiki (greens), and Mboga (cabbage). Over all, I think the cabbage came out on top as the favorite. Most of the food was rather bland to us; we are used to North American, European, Asian, and South American food. Not being used to the lack of spice in African foods, i think this meal was lost on us. While not to my palette, I do need to try this restaurant again. There are not any options for African cuisine in Birmingham, and restaurants in this location do not last (this is the 3rd in the past 5 years). I think the food is good, but not to my taste. Maybe another try will help.
(3)Emily C.
Decided to try this place with a friend in lieu of getting some Vietnamese. And oh my goodness! I hope this place is here to stay. Ordered the grilled goat with a side of tomato/onion rice, salsa, and the flat bread. I've only had goat once before and it was bony and unappetizing, but that's not how they cook it here. It was wonderfully tender on the inside, but had that good crispy grilled taste on the outside. Also ordered a turkey samosa, of which I could have eaten fifty more, especially with that dipping sauce. They have a full bar but a pretty standard beer selection. $2.70 for a Red Stripe - can't beat that! I can't wait to come back and sample more things on the menu (which is not super extensive but they have only been open for a month, so I hope they can grow and add more!) Note: This place took over the building that used to be Coffee on Valley. It's very spacious inside!
(5)Mollie B.
This was our first foray into African cuisine (besides Moroccan) and it left much to be desired. The wait staff was very friendly and welcoming with a casual vibe. The samosa appetizer was flavorful and authentic tasting where as the African sausage could be compared to a corn dog. We tried both the goat and beef stews. Flavors were there but the goat meat was mostly tough and inedible where as the beef was very tender. The sides (seasonal veggies, sautéed greens and flat bread) were fresh tasting and seasoned pretty well. The only problem was that the grocery store sticker was left on a piece of pepper and cooked with it. That definitely raised some questions. I would give it another shot but I don't see myself craving it anytime soon.
(3)Janeka M.
Last night I ate Samosas, Mbuzi Karanga (goat), Kuku Choma (chicken), Sukuma Wiki (greens), Chapati (African flatbread), Tomato onion rice, and chocolate cake at this great spot. It was very good and had a wide range of favors going on in it... Also the staff was very nice and down to earth.
(4)Tyler N.
Went for dinner last night, had a great time! Great service, great food! I went to Kenya in July of this year and was fairly familiar with the menu, everything I was expecting was surpassed. All my favorites from Africa I was able to once again enjoy, we will be back! Looking forward to their "barbeque" on Saturdays.
(5)Karen M.
Been here twice. The food is pretty good. The service is awful. Both times, the restaurant, which probably holds about 100 people, had 2-3 tables, and we were there for at least an hour and a half. The last time we were there they were out of goat stew.
(3)Janece M.
Overall, I feel like Rafiki's Grill has made a noble effort to fulfill a largely absent culinary market in Birmingham. There are nearly no other African restaurants in the city and I commend the business for trying. However, I've had great Ethiopian, Nigerian, and Kenyan cuisine in the San Francisco Bay Area, Washington, D.C., and in Atlanta, GA and this effort just did not leave me inspired or salivating for more. The décor is minimal and has African art touches sprinkled throughout the dining area and they also have a bar that lines the right side of the dining entrance. My table of three sampled the following menu items: the Veggie and Meat Samosas, Mbuzi Karanga (Grilled Goat), Kuku Choma (Chicken Stew), Sukuma Wiki (Collard Greens), Chapati (African Flatbread), Tomato Onion Rice, and a piping hot and large piece of chocolate cake. Most of the meal tasted bland (especially the meat items). The best items included the veggie samosas, collard greens, tomato onion rice, and the chocolate cake. Rafiki's also has a decent Ladies Night Special on Wednesdays that features bottled beer for $3 and mixed drinks for $6.The staff was very friendly, attentive, and was extremely helpful with explaining the menu options. I would only return for the service and decent veggie options.
(3)Nick B.
Rafiki's... Yes like the character in The Lion King! This African cuisine is something that you must give a try! It's great to continue to add some variety in metro Birmingham. The decor includes atmospheric lighting, and some light African decor. There's a full bar as well as an upstairs with two semi-private lounge rooms with tv's as well. There's also a stage downstairs that I'm told on weekends hosts live music. This place is very new, but the food is authentic and should win you over easily. To start, the Somosa appetizer is so delish! I've had the beef and turkey and both are very good and make you want to keep ordering them. I'm a saucy guy and the authentic sauce served alongside the Samosas is a treat as well. As for entrees, I've had the goat stew and some of the grilled chicken dish also. Very pleased with the flavors of both. I've had a number of sides also (spiced rice, potatoes, greens etc) and nothing bad to say.
(5)Lee C.
I decided to try this place in lieu of our standard Chinese at the Red Pearl down the road. When I entered the room, I immediately liked the atmosphere. Open room with nice seating, and very interesting clientele, with many Africans there. The African decor was attractive. We were seated in a reasonable amount of time. The servers are really nice and helpful, but aren't in a hurry. They did take time to converse with customers. It took a while to order, get food, get drink refills, and get our check. It is a relaxed place. My bill was a little messed up and I never got my samosas I originally ordered. The menu isn't particularly exotic, but was interesting. I ended up having a fish dinner with "dirty" rice and cabbage on the side. It was good but not excellent. I was fascinated by some of the other selections and hope to go back to try them. I hear some of the other dishes are more notable. The beers are reasonably priced. And, to give you a sense of their relaxed attitudes, they close whenever they run out of customers, which can be well after midnight. I hear they have had music shows go until late in the night, like 6AM before. This could develop into quite a great hangout. I will return!
(4)Stephanie M.
We had a great first experience here! We were greeted warmly and seated instantly. Charles went through the menu in detail and highlighted the specialty items. We tried a lot of things and enjoyed them all! Veggie and meat samosas, African sausage, goat stew, chicken stew, cabbage, greens, rice with cardamom, and chipati. (Don't worry, there were 4 of us) The atmosphere of the place was unexpected. It's not your typical restaurant vibe. Feels more like going over to someone else's house - very low key and casual. Everything was great! Check this place out!
(5)Jessica G.
The food and service was great! I got the goat stew. I don't think I left a drop of food on my plate.
(5)Darby J.
Driving up to this quaint restaurant I was very satisfied at how at home I felt. My first steps into the restaurant I was greeted by the owner with a big smile and I was promptly seated. The restaurant itself smells angelic. I got my appetizers which were the meat samosa (oh lawd yesssss) and the African sausage (someone bring me a healer because that delicious sausage done broke me). My main course was the Mbuzi Karanga which is a goat stew. The meat was tender and delicious. It was quite the belly rubber (something so delicious you subconsciously rub your belly). My father had the Mbuzi Choma which to was delicious. I had no problems of any significance other than the fact that I was in pain from eating to much. The staff was nice and the food was delicious. The owner said that they will be opening their outside grill soon and serving the meat of of skewers Brazilian style. I am definitely coming back as soon as I can.
(5)Terry C.
Well, folks, if you're reading this all I can say is you must be looking for some really good shit, cuz this place doesn't seem to be in the business of selling food. On second thought, they probably don't sell anything. We (an adventurous party of six) walked in around 7:30 and waited awhile by the reception podium's sign "Please wait to be seated." And waited. And waited. Finally, a woman showed up and told us to "just sit anywhere!" Hmmm.... Ok. Not a great start. We put a couple of tables together, there was one other table of four people and a couple of guys at the bar - that was all. We got our menus, the (apparently) only waitress asked us what we'd like to drink. I asked what African chai was, or plain chai, and was told "no tea!" No iced tea, not unsweet tea, not sweet tea - it was a choice of water or Coke. (Not looking any better ...). Ok, we got our water - finally, 15 minutes after we sat down said waitress arrived to take our order. (We were slightly confused at this point - we'd just been talking amongst ourselves about leaving because we felt ignored.) We asked what we could get reasonably quickly - we were getting hungry by now. We were told that grilled dishes would take longer, so we avoided those and asked for things like the goat stew with chapati bread. So - we settled in and waited. And waited. And waited some more!! The people at the other table left, and - finally - after another 30 minutes had passed (45 minutes total) we had had enough and walked out. The "waitress" didn't seem concerned - rather blasé in fact - and she was only out six waters. "Your food will be ready soon!" she told us. Yeah - right. We told her it was obvious she didn't want our money, kept walking and chose another nearby restaurant. Be warned - be very warned! Steer clear of this abominable excuse for a tax write off. You're welcome!
(1)Massimo F.
We went there with the best intentions, and left pretty happy about the first touch with this unusual restaurant. The place look like a mix between a bar and a dinner, and the result is not such a great compound! Style apart, the food is something different and quite frankly is actually good! Wait staff is very inattentive, but they try their best. Nice "different" restaurant, maybe you should give it a try!
(4)John Mark D.
My friend and I tried this restaurant on a whim after looking through the diverse international options in the Homewood area. We had never heard of this place so we decided to give it a shot. Turns out that they are still in a soft opening phase and they have maybe been open for about three months. That said, I think there are some things that I will mention in this review that have an opportunity to get worked out the longer they are open. You can tell this is a brand new place because the decor and vibe are not completely pulled together yet, nonetheless it's a great space. I started with out the samosas & African sausage. I could have ordered ten of those samosas, they were so appetizing. My friend and I split the sampler plate which was the perfect amount of food for two people. The grilled goat was very tender but didn't have a lot of flavor. The grilled chicken stew was definitely my favorite and I would love to try some of their other stews. I wasn't a huge fan of their cornbread but would love to try to the flatbread next time. Service was a bit slow but I think it's nothing they can't work out for the future. Waitresses were very friendly and helpful. All in all it was good enough to leave me wanting more. I see a lot of potential here.
(3)Brian C.
Rafiki's is a great new addition to the Birmingham dining scene and is highly recommended. Lively African music and an incredibly friendly staff creates a relaxed atmosphere that makes you feel right at home. It was my first time to eat East African food and wasn't too certain what to expect. The menu is filled with many of the same dishes you find in an Indian restaurant. Pilau rice, vegetable samosas, flat breads... the owner is Kenyan and explained that East African and Indians shared many foods and cooking techniques but that the African dishes tended to be not as spicy. We started with vegetable and meat samosas which rocked the house. They were served with a sweet hot sauce. The pastry was perfectly cooked and the fillings were hot and flavorful. Overall the group liked the vegetable samosas better but each were great. We had five in our group so we were able to sample a really good cross section of the entrees and side dishes. I had the goat stew... I won't even try to remember the African name. It was like a mild Indian vindaloo dish. I simply couldn't have been better. The meat was tender and delicious. We also had grilled tilapia, a beef steak, grilled goat and a chicken stew. The chicken stew was also absolutely wonderful. Probably the most interesting of the side dishes was the corn bread. It's a thick, dense ball of softy, doughy corn meal... on it's own, a little bland but PERFECT for dipping in the stews. We also had rice dishes, collard greens, mashed potatoes, and flat bread. Everything was great, the service perfect... we can't wait to go back.
(4)Harriet F.
When I saw the sign saying, "Rafiki's", I knew "rafiki" means "friend." The service lived up to the name. The staff was pleasant. The people actually look happy. They help to create a relaxed atmosphere. Sometimes, the atmosphere is too relaxed. This is not a restaurant to visit if you are in a hurry. The three times I have visited, the food took longer than estimated. But, when the food came... well, that is my favorite part- the food. The food was everything and ultradelicious. I don't eat meat, so I can only comment on the non-meat items. The lentil soup (is so tasty, there were several layers to the soup. The taste changed and changed and left me wanting more.), the samosa (what a kick- very spicy)- wow. The cabbage is some of the best cabbage I have had and it doesn't taste like any other cabbage I have had before. I wasn't crazy about the collards, but they were not bad. Just not for me. In a community where everything is starting to taste the same, Rafiki's offers a welcome change. The food is fresh. The atmosphere is unique. The pepole are African. After my first visit, I went back the next two days in a row. The only reason I am not there now is that I am out of town. I dream about those samosa. Not the best I have ever had, but the spiciest, for sure. SERVICE- great, but, as noted, slower than I would like FOOD- delicious, spicy, fresh, easy to eat PRICE- I found the prices reasonable; especially for specialized food SETTING- I have an African aesthetic, so I am okay with the attempt at decorating. I think there is more to come. The place could be a bit cleaner (sweep the floor regularly and vacuum the upstairs), but the bathroom is clean and overall, I am pleased and feel at home at Rafikis. I am thankful for something different in Birmingham and am happy to support a Black-owned business. I am a fan.
(4)Derek B.
If I could break this rating down I would give it a 3 A-OK on 'interesting and tasty food options' but a 2 on service/ atmosphere. The food options were unique on the Birmingham scene- that I appreciated and enjoyed. The atmosphere of the decor was uninspiring BUT not a problem if everything else was good- but it wasn't. It seemed as if no one was in charge the day and our server, who was nice, could not make a recommendation for me and spent most of her time talking to co-workers at the entryway to the kitchen, even as our drinks sat empty for an extended period. We were going to order additional ones but gave up. That particular night I was there three elementary school aged children who clearly belonged to someone who worked at the restaurant were immensely annoying. The children were LITERALLY playing chase around the restaurant (downstairs and upstairs), complete with near misses and squeals and screams. Twice at least the chase came within literal inches of our table, one time one of the kids stopped right next to me (inches) and yelled at one of his playmates. That night anyway, I felt like I was eating it on a village playground. The only time I have ever had that experience was at Chuck E Cheese with my nieces. In retrospect, it would have been a much better experience as take-out. It could have been an off-night for them and the manager or owner may have since corrected the problem, but I probably won't go back any time soon.
(3)Curry T.
This place is amazing. The goat stew is delicious, the tilapia was perfectly cooked, and you must have a go at Mt Kilimanjaro. Can't wait to go back and try the rest of the menu.
(5)Uncle F.
The only reason I gave it a three is time. LOTS of time. Don't go here if you have other things coming up on your schedule. That said, the food seemed worth the wait. I arrived about ten minutes before the rest of my group, which totaled eight people. The friendly and kind waitress asked if I would like to order a drink while i waited. I asked for the masala chai. (We will come back to this.) The rest of the group arrived, and placed drink orders. We waited quite a while for the drinks, which arrived after we had ordered appetizers. (The chai finally came out with the rest of the drinks.) I had heard the samosas were quite good, so most of us ordered one or two. I ordered a vegetarian samosa. (Again, we will come back to this.) A friend ordered a cup of soup and a samosa as her meal. About 30 minutes after we ordered appetizers, three samosas came out- but not the ones for the rest of the table. My friend's 'cup' of lentil soup- more like a bowl- also came out. I tried some, and it was very good. After another half hour or so, the rest of the appetizers arrived. (By this time, my friend with the soup and the samosa had entirely finished her meal.) I got not only my veggie samosa- which was light and delightful- but also a turkey samosa. Some time later, our meals arrived in a couple of waves. The grilled goat I had was dry but rather flavorful. My friends next to me had the stewed goat, and proclaimed it magnificent. The flat bread was thick, chewy, and quite delicious. Everyone seemed very happy with the food- but very unhappy with the speed of service. From the time the main group arrived, we spent about two and a half hours there. For most of the time we were there, we were the only people in the restaurant. I fear if Rafiki's can't make some changes, it may not do as well as it should. I say 'as it should' because I found the food to be quite pleasing. If they can master getting apps and meals out faster- and closer to at the same time- Rafiki's will improve drastically. I, For one, hope that happens.
(3)Eileen P.
I really liked the food and atmosphere of this restaurant. It was a quiet restaurant with helpful waitresses. My husband ordered the lamb shanks and he enjoyed them, i ordered the soup and liked it as well. Service was quick.
(4)Parker M.
It was awesome!!! I love the food love the people. Service is a tad slow but in true Kenyan fashion. Food is so worth it. I recommend the stew
(5)Lauren S.
Skeptical when this opened in a building near my office where restaurants can't seem to survive, you yelpers convinced me to try it with my sweetheart. Thank you! Groovy laid back atmosphere with simple tasteful African appointments and indoor porch seating, enjoy friendly service with a smile and perfectly sweet tea. The samosas are so good that just one won't do. Do yourself a favor and get the stack. None like it in Birmingham. We both ordered the goat stew at yelpers suggestion and were pleased. Great flavor and very tender, though will likely try something else next time. The pilau rice and fried bread were fairly good as well. The samosas, tea and service were enough to bring me back to try more. Hope they make it! I'll do my part.
(4)Grant M.
After reading about Rafiki's on a local food blog, my fiancée and I decided to try it tonight. We were both so excited that an African restaurant had opened in Birmingham, and we planned a date night around it. Unfortunately, we were both underwhelmed. After being seated by a friendly server, we ordered an appetizer of three meat samosas and an African sausage to share. These came out quickly. The samosas were crispy and flavorful, and the sausage was awesome. For our entrées, I ordered the grilled goat with sautéed greens and rice with tomatoes and onions, and my fiancée ordered beef stew with white rice and African salsa. We assumed that this would all come out fairly quickly since the appetizers came out so fast and because there was only one other table being served. We were wrong. After we waited for a little over an HOUR -- with our server coming by every few minutes to apologetically assure us that our food was definitely coming out -- we were finally served. The goat was good. The rice was decent. The greens were amazingly flavorful. According to my fiancée, the beef stew was good but not that different from your run of the mill American beef stew. She also reported that the African salsa was all but flavorless, and her rice had a disagreeable texture. The portion sizes were also too small, as we both left somewhat hungry. To be fair, the other table being served was a large group, so I understand that the kitchen was probably backed up. On the other hand, since this was the ONLY other table with customers, I feel like the kitchen should have been able to handle everything better. By the time we got our food, we were both so irritated that we couldn't enjoy it. I hope that the service improves because I really want this restaurant to succeed, and I would like to go back eventually, but we will not be returning for the foreseeable future.
(2)Trey N.
The food here was fantastic. We had the sampler platter with goat stew and grilled goat. The greens, rice, and flatbread were all very good. Goat stew was delicious. Samosas were a great appetizer. The service was attentive but appetizers took too long and almost came out with the main dish. Otherwise, very good all around.
(5)Tracy N.
This was the first time I've had Kenyan but both my husband & I really enjoyed it. We arrived shortly before 2 on a Sunday so we had our choice of seats. There was a 2min wait for the table as the 2 waitresses on staff at the time were either just serving food or on their way to serve it. Even though the wait was short the waitress apologized profusely for the wait. We decided to share the Sampler Plate so that we could try a variety of foods. We had wanted to order the goat stew based on other reviews but unfortunately they were already sold out. We ended up with chicken stew & grilled goat for our entrees and African salsa, sautéed greens & chapati for the sides. The food came out very quickly after ordering and there was minimal wait for the food. The flavor of the chicken stew was delicious. While the some of the goat was on the dry side, eating it with the African salsa made it much better. The African salsa was somewhat reminiscent to pico de gallo and was very refreshing. The chapati is something I've had before and was very authentic having that slight touch of sweetness that you expect. The sautéed greens was my favorite part of everything we tried. The turnip greens were cooked perfectly to a bright green color and they had a tomato and garlic sauce on top of it. Overall we had a great experience and will definitely go back. For anyone new to Kenyan food, I'd recommend trying it as all the flavors seemed familiar and there was no off-putting flavored/tastes that you can sometimes get when eating ethnic food.
(4)T Ann C.
3.5 stars. I wish I could give this place the full 4 but there are some things that must be fixed. First, the good: 1. Accomodated allergy sensitivities. We had family in from L.A. and we wanted to share one last meal before they traveled back home. I had this spot bookmarked and when my sis called about accomodations for my nephews allergies: soy, nuts, dairy, etc. the chef assured us he could make it work...and DID. My nephew was able to enjoy his meal without falling ill. 2. Friendly staff. Our waiter was very nice and upbeat. Even when I gave him the business about the issues I'm about to get to, he remained friendly and professional. It was hard to be mad at him. 3. Good food...great in some cases. I had palau rice, chapati, greens, and cabbage. All pretty good but especially the rice. It was rich and tasty with cardamom pods, etc. The veggies were very fresh and not overcooked. My aunt loved her talapia, my sister loved the stew. Mom raved about the African sausage, and even the chicken fingers tasted/looked handmade. 4. Cleanliness. Rafiki's is open, airy, neat, clean. Kudos for having a clean lavatory. I cringe at having to step into any restroom during a meal. My stomach is weak as frack! No dry heaves here! BUT...my bro in law, mom, aunt and myself got our food as the other four people in our party were HAVING THEIR EMPTY DISHES cleared. I am usually very patient but I had to find the guy and ask if he had forgotten us. He assured me the cook was working on it. This didn't make sense when someone was eating a chicken finger meal and someone was waiting for one, my veggie platter consisted of sides two folks in our party had on their plates, etc. I had ordered a samosa. It came out last when I reminded our server and asked him to take it off the check. He assured me the chef was making it but it arrived room temp and damp as if it had been sitting to the side definitely not fresh out of the fryer. I tried the meat filling and it was decent. Would've been great hot but I didn't want to risk another 20 minute wait. My daughter ordered chicken stew but got goat or beef. The waiter apologized yet again (there were several) but she decided to keep it since it tasted good. There have been a few businesses in this location that folded. This place is serving somewhat unique fare and might make it if they get the kitchen together in terms of timing and coordination. They also need a better way of taking orders if screw ups come so easily. I hope they step up so they can prosper. My sister said she'd be back if she visited from L.A. (one of two foodie paradises I've lived in) but I won't be back anytime soon. With only a handful of customers in sight we had too many distracting issues. ***The music was also very loud in our section and made conversation difficult. After several reminders our server turned it down. Not a review factor for me but worth knowing.
(3)Warren V.
We had a wonderful experience, great food, great service, and the kids loved it! You have to try the chabati and the samosas.
(5)Matt H.
Yeah, there's a wait for the food. But the food is legitimately good. The grilled goat had great flavor and was cooked to perfection. Salsa and rice didn't disappoint. Flatbread was added on the house and thankfully so, because it too was a treat. The staff maybe slow, but they were exceeding pleasant to interact with. We'll be back, for sure.
(4)Caleb G.
Legitimately great. You absolutely must go- the food is great and the staff is awesome. I had the Samosas, sausages, beef stew, flatbread and rice. Fantastic, fantastic food.
(5)Heather P.
Excellent food! Excellent service! Highly recommend! It's good to try something different for change.
(5)Carson L.
The vegetarian menu items are excellent. Highly recommend the seasonal vegetables. They are not, however, always open until 2am. Been by several times after midnight and they were closed.
(4)Brock O.
Fantastic. I ordered the grilled goat with African salsa and flatbread and it was amazing. I neglected the beer menu as I was there for lunch, but they have a full bar as well and are open until 2 am!
(5)Melonie P.
I went to Rafiki's last week. The food was absolutely fabulous as was the staff. The "made-from-scratch vegetable samosas were excellent in both flavor and texture. Shortly before leaving, The owner, Charles, arrived. He introduced himself and I complimented him and wished him well. The only drawback is the wait time. Although they weren't busy when I went (under 12 diners), it took a long time to even receive my appetizer and another wait before my meal arrived. It was a vegetarian meal with pilau rice, greens, vegetables,yum, yum, yum, and a chapati. The chapati wasn't too good, like it was put on the griddle before it was hot enough. Everything else was excellent.
(4)Susan W.
I had high hopes but this was nothing like other Ethiopian food I've had. They didn't have Injera, the food was plated in an American style and lacked the rich flavors that I was hoping for. The goat and beef stews were tender but lacked spice and needed salt. The cabbage side dish also needed salt and was greasy. The African salsa is just pico de gallo and also needed salt (and better tomatoes) the portion sizes on the sampler plate were tiny, though my friends got entrees which had better serving sizes. The meats that were not stew were all dry. The chapati was greasy and didn't have much flavor. The fried dough from the appetizer menu that's actually a dessert had no flavor and was served on top of a pile of whipped cream which was weird. The Mount Kilimanjaro dessert was tasty but small for the price and was mostly whipped cream. Our server was a sweetheart but the service was exceptionally slow. I had high hopes, but this isn't it.
(1)