Best food I've had in Santa Fe! Get the combination plate! Goat and chicken curries are incredible. The chickpea stew is mouth watering too

Looking at vegetarian options, this restaurant came up. We were intrigued because it combined African and Caribbean. Turns out this place showed up on one of the food tv shows and the chef won a James beard award. That's intriguing. The place is nice inside, fairly big, and also has a shop selling spices, cookbooks, and items from Africa. The only weird thing is that the cushions on the booth we were in sunk kind of low which left us at a weird height to the table. There were plenty of vegetarian options, many of which were vegan. And an assortment of more traditional meats that you'd find in the Caribbean style of cooking. We got a tofu curry which was pretty nice. Just a hint of spice but tons of flavor. We had the jerk tofu sandwich (a little spicy) and the hummus sandwich which were served with a mix of lemon and cumin fries. We had one member of the dining group that got jerk chicken, which she loved (but I didn't try). I was glad we stopped in. read more

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Underwhelmed. And I wanted so badly to like it. The first bad sign was that the oxtails came with a knife. You should never in life need a knife for oxtails, but the knife was warranted because we indeed did. What meat there was, was tough and entirely lacking in flavor, to include the gravy they swam in - which had the barest HINT of spice. Another reviewer got it right when they said it's generous to claim the dish is accompanied by a side of collards. There was a sprinkling of chopped, nearly raw collards and a chunk of mofongo. Perhaps the food is better when the chef is actually in the kitchen, but he definitely wasn't back there on this day. My husband's Coke was flat and the Jamaican hibiscus tea was mouth puckering. The ambiance was nice - loved the bazaar - and the staff friendly, but unfortunately that's the best that can be said. read more

Excellent food, quiet atmosphere when we went, as the loudest noise I heard was the soft thud of a fridge door from the kitchen. Patrons were all soft spoken and music was low as well here, which was a very nice contrast to the often loud music of other restaurants in the area. Food was a pleasant medley of spices and sweetness. Cannot recommend this place highly enough, their jerk chicken was fall off the bone. It reminded me of Jamaica but it was honestly better than when I was there. 10/10! I forgot to take photos we devoured the food we ordered so quickly! Vegetarian combination platter was also something my partner loved! So great for vegetarians too! read more

Really recommend- off the touristy area but was recommended this restaurant from a local and loved it!! Defs spicy food and full of flavor-I personally can't handle too much spice but let the staff was soo helpful with recommendations. Overall huge location with tons of seating and traditional food. We enjoyed a feta/ pomegranate salad and oxtail. I was able to eat some of the oxtail not in the broth. Really nice, mid priced, and wonderful service. A very delicious experience with large portion sizes- can't recommend enough read more

Jambo Cafe - Caribbean Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

Our third time at the restaurant and the food seems to improve every time. Restaurant is clean and comfortable and the staff is very attentive to all the diners. Many different African dishes are on the menu and every one of them is better then the last. Do yourself a favor and come here sometime! read more

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This is the unique food that my guy and I love to find on our travels! Sadly, we didn't make it in time to dine-in, but we did order some food to go. I got the Kenyan Style Beef Kabobs and my guy got the Caribbean Goat Stew. Both dishes were crazy delicious! We both decided the goat stew barely beat the kabobs as the winning favorite. The kabobs were seasoned beautifully with the pomegranate sauce. The goat stew just fell apart and melted in our mouths. Incredibly sad we can't come back to this place on a regular basis. This is insanely good and I hope everyone who reads this review gets the chance to experience it! read more

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One of the best African meals I've had! Not only is the food exquisitely packed with flavor, but the ambience here is perfection. The rooms are filled with beautiful decor and if you're interested, you can visit the adjoining gift shop for something to call your own. This is where we came across the owner, who is super friendly, and struck up a conversation with him. He regaled us with stories about Guy Fieri and the TWO times he was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. For reference, these are the dishes we ordered (all of which were top-notch): - Coconut Chicken Curry - Banana Leaf Wrapped Island Spiced Mahi Mahi - Ethiopian Chickpea Berbere Stew We also paired the above with a nice Spiced Hot Chai to drink. :) read more

Great service, incredible food, comfortable patio. Everything was delicious but I want to try more . read more

July 25 2024 Came here twice within our one week stay in Santa Fe. Located in a shopping center several miles from the old city center. Sit down place with good ambiance. $12 crab cakes were decent with crab meat tasty. $22 combination plate has just OK chicken curry, but didn't care for the too gamey goat stew , nor the too sugary chicken peanut stew. The $20 jerk chicken was good and flavorful, but not as good as Back a yard chicken in Campbell CA, probably because they did not marinade the chicken in the jerk sauce overnight. Good change from the everyday Mexican food of Santa Fe of burritos, enchiladas, and tacos. read more

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Excellent flavors. When I remember flavors of Africa, be it west, north, east, I find those memories here. Add some Caribbean into the mix ? Hell yes. The texture, the flavor, all on point. It's hard to review near perfection. Service with a full dining room was great. Speed of food service was excellent, good job chef and crew. Salute form one to another. read more

Jambo Cafe - Combo platter and brisket sandwich - Caribbean Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

Today my wife and I went for an early lunch. It wasn't busy. The young lady that seated us was not attentive. We waited for a long time for the waitress to come over and were about to leave when she showed up. When we mentioned it and she had an attitude which persisted. We also had to wait a long time for our food. Mine was ok but my wife's plate was cold. Perhaps because the AC was so cold that it was uncomfortable during the wait. We have had many good meals over the years but the service was always mediocre. I don't think we will go back. read more

I love love the food at Jambo, but the service is getting worse. This is my fifth or so visit, and the chicken peanut stew is always amazing! Highly recommend. The service on the other hand...slow doesn't begin to describe it. It took the hostess several minutes of us standing in the entryway to seat us/notice us. Then the service kept walking by our table without acknowledgment or comment for 15+ minutes before our initial greeting/offering water. Jambo service has always been on the slow side, but this felt so pointed that we almost left to go somewhere else. Especially because our servers section had many empty tables. read more

Absolutely delicious! This was my second time eating Jambo, my first being a takeout experience. Sitting in the restaurant was fabulous! Our server was lovely- so helpful navigating the menu and giving us suggestions. I was with two friends and we all enjoyed our food sooo much. We started with the crab cakes, it only came with two so we split them up but they were loaded with flavor. We each got a different drink on the menu, all were excellent. My mango ginger lemonade was loaded with ginger and was so nice on the belly. Our entrees came out fast, were very generous portions and once again delicious! We tried the date chocolate cake which came warm, and the banana cream pie both were amazing. I praise them enough- so worth the hype! read more

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What a pleasant surprise to find this gem on my trip to Santa Fe. If you want to satisfy your carribean food jones, Jambo is the place. I had the combo plate which was goat stew, peanut chicken stew and lamb stew. Everything was delicious. My hubby had the jerk chicken and he practically licked his plate. Said the chicken was so tender it fell of the bone. Granddaughter had the chicken coconut curry, which was so much food she couldn't finish it. Her mom had the beef kabobs. The service was swift and efficient. Ambience was nice, just the right amount of crowded and noisy to let you know it's a popular place. All in all, the only complaint I had was they were out of oxtails. I highly recommend this place read more

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The Brisket wrap was really good with a lot of brisket! The sweet potato fries was very crispy and perfect. So were the chicken wings. And the harissa sauce. Nice African woven hangings. Next store sells African items. I heard that the restaurant owner support communities in Africa so kudos to him. read more

Jambo Cafe - Chicken wings - Caribbean Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

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The ambiance was unique. The staff were friendly. I got the combination plate with chickpea, goat, and lamb stew. This was something that I hadn't experienced before. The flavors were amazing!! Wonderful presentation. This will definitely be a go to stop when in Santa Fe. read more

First time coming here, and I had the red carpet rolled out! Jambo Cafe is world renowned! Chef Ahmed Obo is world renowned and is from Lamu, which is an island off the coast of Kenya. This restaurant has been featured on the food network and Guy Fieri has visited. I was greeted with warm and welcoming customer service and seated promptly, despite the restaurant being jam packed. My thirst was quenched with a delicious Mango and lemon ginger juice! For my appetizer I had the crab cakes! Doused them with scotch bonnet pepper sauce and enjoyed the fresh veggies that came with it! Yum!!! The flavors were divine. For my main course I had the beef kebabs. Juicy and cooked with love! The potatos, greens beans, and arugula added to the steady fire of flavor! I needed to satisfy my sweet tooth after all of this goodness. So for dessert I ordered a Jamaican rum pecan pie, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Good gracious! I wanted to jump up and holler for joy! This was the perfect way to end the evening. Divine deliciousness! From the authentic decorations, to the rich experience, it feels like you are in an African country. Check this place out! Cheers! read more

First time coming here and as soon as I walked in I was impressed. I was greeted by the staff and sat down at a table in the center. It seemed to have just opened for business and already had a lot of people seated to be served. There was beautiful African art and decorations throughout the restaurant that I found myself getting lost in. What a nice touch. They had nice music playing in the background which gave it that African vibe. Plenty of food options for everyone along with the ability to take your food togo. The staff who waited on me was nice and didn't keep checking on me in an annoying manner. The restrooms were clean and well put together. I enjoyed my food and thought it was well seasoned. You could tell the Roti was freshly made and made in house. I would definitely come back. read more

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We continue to be impressed with this cuisine and how well it is executed. Today I want to say that the flatbread is excellent--very like a huge tortilla, but the best tortilla you will ever taste! The seafood stew, specialty of the day, was devoured by the two of us. Service by Ronald was solid too. read more

This place is a gem. The staff were fantastic. The setting was quiet, intimate and welcoming. The food was absolutely delicious!! I had the cinnamon dusted fried plantains, oxtail and sautéed spinach! It was all incredible!!! I strongly recommend this place without reservation. So very good!! read more

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The food, the staff and the products for sale are all top shelf fun and wonderful! The approach to the food was delicious, pomegranate barbecue was great! Everything was fresh and Yummy. After eating, I spent some time checking out all the artisan made crafts and chairs, tables and cultural items... very fun scene read more

Jambo Cafe - Store sign - Caribbean Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

The first time I've had Jambo was 14 years ago on my first trip to Santa Fe, I remember having the combination plate then. This was before Yelp days and I didn't get a chance to document my experience but thankfully I still had the photos. We came back for another taste this time visiting Santa Fe. Nice decor! Ooof it is soooo good! We had the oxtail, the mahi mahi, another combo plate and the Kenyan beef kabobs. Everything was so tasty!! My favorite was the oxtail stew! The service was great but I just can't stop thinking about how tender the oxtails were! I have never made African food but I was so intrigued that I went back the next day to buy the cookbook and a packet of the curry spice. Unfortunately for me the chef wasn't there to sign my copy, but that just means I have to come back when he releases the next cookbook later this year. read more

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Ambiance is vibrant and culturally distinct. Wednesday night was busy but waitstaff was attentive and timely. The food was delicious and the presentation was excellent. read more

Jambo Cafe - Caribbean Spiced Slow-Cooked Oxtail - A+ - Caribbean Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

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I had a nice lunch here. All servers are quite attentive and friendly: couldn't ask for better service. Butternut squash soup was pretty delish and I liked their stuffed phyllo app, too. For my combination platter, I chose lamb stew, chickpea stew and chicken curry. Flavoring was spot on but the meats weren't particular too fresh. Also their rose wine was more on the cheaper side of things. Coconut cardamom flan was a nice touch and a fitting way to end my meal. read more

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Me and The Hubs were visiting the area this past May and had lunch here one of the days we were in town. In a nutshell, the food was excellent. We each started with a cup of the Curried Black Bean and Sweet Potato Soup (excellent). For entrees, I had the Beef Kabobs (marinated beef tenderloin tips with herb garlic saffron potatoes and sauteed haricot verts topped with a pomegranate sauce) and The Hubs had the Ethiopian Chickpea Berbere Stew (cooked in an Ethiopian spice blend with chickpeas, fingerling potatoes, and collard greens. Served with rice or roti). We both enjoyed our entrees and were stuffed afterward (what were we thinking ordering all this at lunch!!). Anyway, the reason I'm not rating them higher is because of the service and seating. Starting with the seating. There are three or four booths in the back near the kitchen entrance and restrooms. We were seated at one of those on a mid-week lunch day when there were plenty of tables in the front of the restaurant by the windows. Normally, I protest and ask for another table but The Hubs was starting to get annoyed at me on this trip already for being 'high maintenace' so I decided to just go with it. But why put us there in the first place? Service. Our server seemingly had no interest in serving us. I tried to be friendly, but she didn't engage and did the bare minimum to take our order. Or maybe just didn't want to be at work that day? Who knows. I'm not asking for a BFF, but being a little friendly wouldn't have hurted. read more

Amazing food! This restaurant has fusion food you wouldn't expect in this region. Everything is fresh and flavorful! We tried multiple dishes and everything was incredible! You won't be disappointed! read more

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Friendly staff. I got the crab cakes and jerk wings. The crab cakes were light and delicious. They were cooked in corn meal like salmon patties which kind of threw me off. The dipping sauce was delicious as well. The jerk chicken did not give jerk. It was more like a peanut sauce with a bit of allspice. I didn't like them. It was worth trying the food. Would try other dishes. read more

Per our waitresses recommendation, we split the Caribbean Spiced Slow Cooked Ox Tail, and it did not disappoint! I recommend pairing it with a side of rice or roti, we opted for the latter. The sweet potato fries were a little burnt, but the harissa lemon fries hit the spot! The house-made mango ginger lemonade was the perfect refreshment for the hot, sunny day we dined. If I could do it again though, I'd get it to-go. Overall, wonderful food. In hindsight, more of a dinner spot. read more

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I've heard really good things about Jambo and was very excited for the opportunity to check them out. You'll find them in an unassuming strip mall area, but once you walk in, you're definitely not feeling like you're in Santa Fe anymore. They have a gift shop conjoined with the restaurant. The menu is rather expansive with lots of options and lots of flavor. I started off with the cinnamon dusted plantains, which were amazing. we got some of the jerk chicken, which had some very flavorful beans and rice and also topped with a few plantains. Overall, the food was very good. I would've had room for dessert because they have a couple very interesting options. Service wasn't the best, we never got refills and it felt like we were constantly having to flag people down after long periods of waiting for things. read more

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Tried the lamb burger with the mixed fries basket today for lunch, plus a cup of the soup of the day. Everything was seasoned to perfection! Waitress was sweet and very helpful. We love the atmosphere here. read more

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OVERALL In search of something unique and that I had never tried in Santa Fe, NM, I found Jambo Cafe scouring Google Earth like I usually do. From their Yelp page, they pride themselves in offering "Pan-African and Caribbean cuisine in a vibrant, spacious setting." Definitely add this place to your bookmarks. RATING BREAKDOWN Food: 4 | Service: 5 | Ambiance: 4 | Price: 3 PARKING There was ample free parking in the plaza lot. LOCATION/AMBIANCE The Jambo sign was easily visible from Cerrillos Road. When I walked in I noticed a podium so I waited for the host/hostess. The restaurant was at about 75% capacity at around 8PM. I was immediately guided to the back to the takeout area which was viewable from the entrance. Splashes of African & Caribbean decor accented the walls and ceilings. Takeout orders aren't announced when they set them on that back counter. You just have to keep checking the tickets to see if it's yours. THE GRUB Kenyan Style Beef Kabobs (kebabs) were just under $23. This dinner entailed "marinated beef tenderloin tips with herb garlic saffron potatoes, sauteed haricot verts topped with a pomegranate sauce." They threw in a couple of bone marrow pieces in my to-go box. The tanginess of the pomegranate sauce was a bit intense alone, but it complemented the tenderloin cuts extremely well. I'd definitely go back to try other dishes unique to Africa. LITTLE YELPER'S CLUB I don't recall seeing a kid's menu or any children in the dining room for that matter. SERVICE The crew was all very welcoming & friendly when I walked in to place a takeout order on 2/16/2024. MY FAVORITE PART... The beef kebabs dinner. NOT SO FAVORITE PART... They would not answer the phone during my three attempts. TIP Definitely order the kebabs medium rare or rarer as their beef is very lean. read more

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Jambo Cafe is a FAVORITE in Santa Fe NM who is owned by an incredible chef - Chef Ahmed Obo. I remember when he first started, the small restaurant, seating was sparce! The FOOD was amazing and only increased in mouthwatering (imaginary) dishes, with specials each afternoon/evening. Jambo's was a place I could NOT STAY AWAY FROM. And on my birthday, he set up a delightful celebration at the bar, with all kinds of specially made veggie dishes; Who goes out of their way for a customer when owning a restaurant. AS Chef Ahmed Obo grew, he extended the restaurant next door to the closed beauty shop and STILL STAYED OPEN IN THE ORIGINAL RESTAURANT. Most did not know Ahmed was expanding; and what a delightful surprise, more people more DELICIOUS FOOD. Ahmed started a Food Truck and still to this day, both expanded beautiful decorated with exemplary service are all going strong. Was this enough? NO!! Ahmed opened a shop several doors down in the center in College Plaza Shopping Center Address: 2010 Cerrillos Rd, Santa Fe, NM 87505 All African clothing, drums, musical instruments and more. Ahmed's journey is one of Heroism, Valor and daunting courageousness!! Nothing would stop him. Ahmed had some parties to celebrate his 4th to extended years where I met his two children, the most polite well mannered and spoken of children; Ahmed expect superlative not only in his food, work also the highest degree in his family. This emulated in his children as they gleefully smile about their schooling and for coming careers. The next time I will take some more recent photos, for Yelp was not a primary "commenting" venue and knowing Ahmed and his imaginative mind, he has grown exponentially and there will be much more to share in story form, and delicious food. If you perchance are in Sante Fe NM, make Jambo's a MUST GO AND EAT several times while visiting and do walk 50 feet to his African store. Ahmed "might share" his incredible life story with you, who supported his entire family by fishing, and then coming to the USA!!! read more

The food was delicious!!! Also server was friendly and service was great. We had the oxtail and we also did a combination plate with lamb, chicken, and peanut chicken. We will be back!! read more

We have had several friends recommend and we finally got up to Santa Fa to try it! Service was quick and very friendly and helpful with recommendations! Love the vibe of the inside, the chairs we sat in at our table were very comfortable or at last I thought so. We got the coconut tofu curry and the East African coconut lentil strew. We got one with rice and one with roti! Both were delicious, enjoyed the roti and the rice side and both complement either dish. We also go their Jamaican rum pecan pie, yum!! The flavor was amazing my husband also said they gave just the right amount of ice cream too. Overall I would go back again and would like to try more things! read more

Jambo Cafe - So good we forgot to take pictures - Caribbean Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

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The entire experience was perfection. From the kindness of the staff to the delicious salad, kabobs, stews, and chocolate cake, Jambo lifted our spirits and satisted our tastebuds and bellies. Thanks everyone! read more

For a town that already is already blessed with a slew of eateries serving great versions of the native New Mexican cuisine and a number of superb higher-end restaurants of various sorts, Santa Fe is almost piling it on with this excellent pan-African place. Jambo Cafe is off the beaten tourist path in a nondescript shopping center on teeming Cerrillos Road, its storefront sort of looking like another big-box store along with Office Depot and Burlington Coat Factory. Inside, though, is a pleasant and convivial--and quite large--restaurant doing great things with a wide range of equatorial and tropical cuisines. (The chef is a native of an island off the coast of Kenya, which evidently makes for a stew of influences.) Given my relative lack of familiarity with much of this cuisine, a combination plate made good sense: Chickpea berbere stew (Ethiopian) and Island Spice Chicken coconut stew were both fragrant, tasty, and hearty. To be honest, though, both could have used a modest flavor bump. But the Caribbean goat stew absolutely crushed it and kind of left me wishing I'd ordered that as my sole entree. The goat stew had deliciously concentrated flavor and was among the two or three best things I ate in a great week-plus of New Mexico eating. Served with delicious roti. We also had the Savory Stuffed Phyllo appetizer, which seemed high at $14 but was a massive portion--a couple of big spanakopita-like numbers filled not only with spinach and feta but also black olives, red peppers, and chick peas, and served with a little salad. That was pretty great also. There are some nice bottled hot sauces on the table to spice things up even more, if you are so inclined. Highly recommended. read more

Jambo Cafe - Combination Plate--(l-r) Island Spice Chicken Coconut Stew, Ethiopian Chickpea Berbere Stew, Caribbean Goat Stew - Caribbean Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

I grew up eating African as well as Caribbean food in Jersey City, NJ. I heard that Jambo is "amazing" and "out of this world". I honestly thought it was okay. Something was missing in the food. It didn't pack any punch of complex flavors that I was used to growing up. I tried Jambo three times, but each time I was a bit disappointed. Don't get me wrong, Jambo is not bad. I think it is a good introduction to African cuisine. So if you've never had African food before this is like the mild version that's a nice and easy intro to the cuisine. Try it out for yourself. read more

I was blown away by my first experience at Jambo Cafe when I ordered the lamb burger. The lamb was very tender (medium!) and tasty and the bread was very light. The flavors just melded together super well! I got salad instead of fries and was pleasantly surprised by the quality and ingredients of the salad since it included feta, chickpeas, olives, tomatoes, and red onion. This dish was ~$18. More recently I tried the jerk chicken salad, a soup of the day (crab coconut), and the island spice coconut peanut chicken stew. I was disappointed in the soup (no crab pieces and no crab flavor) and let our waiter know, so it was taken off our bill. The jerk chicken salad was a great portion and delicious with a decent amount of chicken. The peanut chicken stew was not as complex as expected, and very peanut-forward and rich. I thought it was tasty enough, although I would've loved a vegetable to go with it. Service is alright and friendly, although sometimes slow. This spot gets busy! I think the prices are a bit high though, with most entrees close to $19+. All in all, I think this is one of the better restaurants in Santa Fe and would definitely go for the lamb burger again! read more

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This place hit on all levels. Tasty food. Excellent service. Friendly patrons. Ok, it is in a strip mall, and so a bit lacking on ambiance. All three stews that I got had distinct flavors, and all were quite tasty. Our server was there when we needed him, always with a great demeanor. Note, we arrived fairly early on a Wednesday night, and it was already filling up. There was a bit of a line to get seated, but only a couple of minutes. However, I suspect that 6pm on a weekend might result in a wait. We ordered cardamon coconut flan for dessert. Quite good and tasty; definitely some coconut flavor in the custard and some cardamon flavor in the caramel. Our waiter comp'd the flan, because I guess our food was delayed. Still seemed to be fast service to us! If you are looking for something other than Mexican/New Mexican/Fancy, this is a great alternative! Oh, and the roti is simply spectacular! read more

Jambo Cafe - Peanut chicken, Berbour chickpea, and goat stew. And, amazing roti - Caribbean Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico