Well, we did have a reservation, but 14 of us descended on this out of the way gem. Our group of work mates wanted a social visit and a great meal. When we arrived the table was set, the filtered water already on the table. We straggled in but the service was there, in spades. Only look up and one of the hosts were at your side to answer a question, provide a drink, or change an order! With 14 different meals to prepare they advised it may not All be ready at the same moment. They came to ask if we preferred to have the meals kept warm for simultaneous service or if we would rather have them served when ready. I don't recall such a courteous question before. The food was amazing, the service exceptional, the space was great for a group visit (sorry to other patrons, we may have been a bit loud?) and the location, off Memorial Drive is on the bus route and Walking distance from the Franklin C Train station in Short Pants Plaza. There are other wonderful shops in the plaza, but I HAVE to commend the food... even better the next day was the small bit of left overs...the portions were perfect! read more

The food was absolutely fantastic. I've never had anything like this before. I would come back here every month if I wasn't here on vacation. I would recommend this place 1000%. read more

My family and I were in town on Sunday evening and decided we wanted to enjoy east African cuisine. We found the restaurant decor to be very tacky. The rest rooms were very unclean and not maintained at all. The food was not at all what was expected. I would not recommend this place. read more

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Came here with my colleague. She was right this place is pretty good. I loved it. I got the beef ribs and they were amazing. Well I got it mild. SO good. Well the sauce makes a difference. The portion is huge. I wasn't expecting it that big for $16. I also tried the mogo fries and they were not bad. Great service. It was funny how I made a reservation for lunch. They are usually not that busy during lunch time and I am guessing its because of their location. Most people are at work at to get to this restaurant, you need to drive. Overall recommend coming to this place. read more

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I loved the place. Nice atmosphere, polite and helpful staff and the quality of the food was awesome. The food has some East Indian touch and it was really good. Unfortunately because I went there with coworkers, I couldn't take pictures. I definitely recommend this place and I'll definitely go back there! At least to take some pictures and more info! :) read more

Loved it! The Masala Mogo (cassava fries) were so delicious. Cute decor and overall, perfectly spiced, yummy food. Great service too. read more

I ordered to go on doordash. I got the Zanzibar mix, ugali, and ribs. All were good except the ugali which was hard and doesn't really have a taste and didn't pair well with the rest of the food. Generally I'm not too fond of those types of foods. Probably won't order that again. I got the fusion sauce on the ribs which was so good. I loved the combo of the sauce with the charcoal on the ribs. The Zanzibar mix is really good but wish was warmer with the delivery. I like the crunch with the soup. Unfortunately, 15 minutes after I ate, all that food went right back up so I can't help but think something was wrong with it. I would probably not come order from here again and if so, would proceed with caution on what I get and prbbaly stick to in store eating. read more

Safari Grill - Zanzibar mix, fusion ribs, ugali - African Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

Came for lunch randomly today, and I'm very glad we did! the decor is pretty wild (animal print everything - love it!) and it's bigger than I expected - lots of room, nice & bright with lots of windows. even though it was an odd time of day, there were lots of other tables seated. The menu was a bit crazy, so many items, but we chose a couple dishes to share - Afrique Mishaki with pili pili chips (a platter of chicken skewers and corn and amazing fries, $18) and Viazi Na Koliflaa (roasted cauliflower with vegetable rice and roti, $12) and there was definitely enough food for the both of us! So good! All of it was delicious. Service was friendly & attentive, and our server was great with explaining dishes and was kind enough to let us know the cauliflower dish came with rice so we shouldn't bother ordering another rice dish! that was nice! Can't wait to go back and try more! read more

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Definitely one of my favourite ethnic food restaurants. It has gotten pretty expensive since I started going here to eat. Prices have literally doubled in a few years. Make sure you call to make sure they are open during this Covid times! read more

When you walk in to Safari Grill there is no doubt where you are, zebra print on the walls and on the tables with splashed of red to confuse the senses. The night I went the place was packed! Ordered the BBQ platter, halibut korma and okra curry. All seasoned medium/one chili. Foodwise the curries were on point. Korma was delicious, creamy and you could taste the pistachios and cashews. I love okra but have a great fear of cooking/cleaning it. So when i saw it on the menu, I ordered it and it was fantastic, spicy.. Although, I question the one chili/medium system they have in place, the okra was really spicy but the BBQ was not. Sadly the BBQ was not so good, dry and a bit cold I was thoroughly disappointed. The kebabs were like chewing on jerky, chicken was dry and if you don't eat the piri piri fries when they arrive, well, they're just soggy fries. I'll come back for the curries and I'd try the beef ribs but there's no "winner winner chicken dinner" here... read more

Safari Grill - African Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

great food however the menu was a qr code only. some physical menus would have been appreciated

A family favorite, this Indian/African influenced restaurant offers some traditional dishes I grew up with. Safari offers great East African barbecue dishes, curries from Africa such as KukuPaka(a coconut cream chicken curry) is a must to try. My usual order is Mogo(fried cassava) Kabob(fried meatballs) BBQ Ribs(marinated beef barbecued) and Pili Pili Chicken (saucy deep fried Cornish hen served with masala fries, curried corn) and top it off with something awesome "gengeni chicken" which is fried chicken pieces with chilis and cabbage. Theirs deserts are great but we rarely order them as we are always full with our meal. This place is a must try and experience, the ambience is filled with African themes, and art. Enjoy Africa! read more

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I love the ribs and the mojo. You can order the spiciness you want. Its soo good.

Kids enjoys the safari atmosphere with the zebra printed chairs and tablecloths. Food was good, service was a little slow. Enjoyed having the different sauces to add to your meal ( cucumber yogurt, spicy cilantro, and two other varying levels of hot sauce) read more

Safari Grill - Biringani- eggplant dish - African Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

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Good food. Was a little surprised that it seemed to be mostly Indian food. We went expecting something a little different and ended up just ordering one of the thali dishes. It was quite tasty. I would have given it four stars but the bathrooms were a bit funky, which always makes me question the condition of the kitchen. But the service was great and the food, as I said, was very tasty. I didn't find it as different and creative as I had hoped when I went in looking to try African food. But I would definitely go back if I'm ever in this part of the world and want good Indian food. read more

So you want Indian food, but perhaps a bit more than just 'butter chicken' and want to try something different? Head over to Safari Grill! This East African restaurant is amazing. It serves Tanzanian / Kenyan food, which is very similar to Indian food. It looks like a safari in there, with its zebra tablecloths, and exotic dishes. We tried their masala mogo, goat curry, okra and other delicacies. Everything was well-spiced, expertly prepared. Nothing was overly spicy, or overly greasy. They were served in pretty platers and we ate everything up, needless to say. The restaurant was big, so it looked like it would hold big groups well. It has made it onto my 'regular' list of ethnic restaurants! So much more on that menu I want to try! Review #22 of Yelp's 30 Day Challenge 2012 read more

Review #7 of Yelp's 30 Day Challenge 2012 I love it when restaurants stay open passed a normal lunch hour. It means that when a friend invites me to partake in short ribs at 2:30 in the afternoon, there's a place for us to meet! Thanks Safari Grill. How does a girl describe this place? Zebra print. EVERYWHERE. Wallpaper, table clothes... and turquoise napkins. Yep. Zebra print and turquoise. Even the spotlights right under the bar were turquoise. Right down to the grass hut roof hanging above the bar, the decor is aptly themed for a place named Safari Grill. On a Wednesday at 230, it wasn't busy. Maybe 2 other tables in the entire place. In such moments, you're either destined for good service because no one else is around, or you're destined for crap service because whoever's on shift really couldn't give a flying-yelp about being there with so little traffic coming through to earn them their tips. Safari Grill is of the destined for good service service. We were well taken care of and no one forgot about us because they got busy taking care of other things in the mean time. Onto the food... I was headed out for dinner that evening, so I stuck with two appys. The short ribs are highlighted as the best item on the menu, with shoutouts to a few local celebrities who've also claimed to love them. And since this is the dish I was invited out to come try, I thought I'd better order it. You could easily share a platter of the short ribs with another, there's enough there. You can order them in a variety of flavours and levels of spiciness. I mustn't have read the fine print, because I didn't specify anything here. Just asked for the ribs. I'm not sure exactly how to describe the flavour other than what the description suggests - a mixture of African spices and sauce. I also ordered the bhajyas - fried potato scallops in a special house batter. These were great to try with all of the different little sauces that came out with our appys. I also nibbled a bit of the masala mogo - deep fried cassava with crushed tomatoes and spices. Enjoyable. I was too full to opt for any entrees or dessert. The only other item that fit itself between the appys was some chai tea. Nothing like a little warmth on a blustery winter day to fill the cracks between digesting food. Prices are incredibly reasonable for what you get. Food's tasty and plentiful. It's a safe bet to conclude I'll be sampling more from Safari Grill's menu... like from the Safari BBQ! Also, it's extra cute that Safari Grill uses quotes from local reviewers to shout out some menu favourites :). read more

What can I say? Terrific butter chicken, wonderful naan bread, and a really cool dessert ! The name of which escapes my wee brain right now.... The atmosphere is pretty nice, lots of windows, but a little crowded. The servers were very attentive even though it was a busy time, we were checked on regularly. Its a very nice change of taste as it is a fusion of north african and indian cusine. I will certainly be back to try more of the menu. read more

Pros- Big portions, excellent food, service, Cons- Variety, Décor The restaurant is a little gem. Highly Recommended! My family members each have different conception of value and differing tastes. Some like upscale restaurants, others a chain restaurant, while others want to try something new. Somehow we landed on Safari Grill and everybody was very pleased, enough so to repeat it multiple times. Basically, Safari Grill is African/Indian Cuisine. Dishes consist of 1) meat/vegetables, 2) sauce (generally a curry type) and 3) carbohydrate (naan, rice, cassava). In my party of 9 we tried many things and everything was excellent. The portions were quite large, enough so, that we were able to make 2.5 lunches from the leftovers. Service was excellent. There were only 7 or so other occupied tables during our visits. Prices range from $13 to $25 with mains averaging around $17 The restaurant itself is on the smaller side and is decorated with a tacky zebra/safari theme. Much like the sun, don't stare directly at the zebra print, or you will suffer eye damage. Otherwise it is inviting and can multitask as a casual/ sophisticated/ romantic/ business dinner type of place. If you are not a big fan of curry type of food, there are only a few things on the menu for you to eat. One family member had the chicken melt which was said to be good, but not great. All types of vegetable, goat, lamb curries were excellent along with the chicken skewers and cassava fries. Be cognizant of the spiciness of dishes, 1 (out of 3) peppers was good enough for me. There are other cheaper places for curries in the city, but I am happy with this place and will return. read more

The food is great, but the service is atrocious. I had made reservations for a very special holiday 2 weeks in advance. I asked them repeatedly if they could accomodate us and the significance of the special occasion. They assured us they could. Then after everything was planned , Safari Grill called me on the EVENING of to cancel. They said they were closing early that day and they couldn't accomodate us. Moreoever, the manager did not seem in the least bit worried or apologetic. He rudely said "we can't take you. sorry" I will not be going back there again. read more

I would have to say this place is really great. You definitely have to be open minded and want to try something new. My boyfriend and I went here to try something new we had no idea about the menu or type of food that they served. We were at a loss looking at the menu when our waitress showed up and explained what everything was her opinion on the flavour and she couldn't of been more helpful. She was sweet, attentive and the food was delicious! The decor is great as well as the view. I recommend the coconut curry chicken dish and the lamb vindaloo! Portions look small but they are definitely not! The fries are tasty as well. Check it out you will be surprised how much you like it! read more

Up until now, the only exposure I've had with African dining has been Ethiopian. Given this, I was happy to discover a restaurant in Calgary offering a different style of East African cuisine. Safari Grill is located at the edge of NE and SE Calgary just a brief walk from the Franklin LRT station. The restaurant specializes in grilled meats and curries with authentic East African flavours. The menu is large and varied, with options to satisfy everyone including a wide range of vegetarian dishes. On my first visit, I wanted to try as much as possible so I (along with my guest) opted for the Forodhani Platter which contains beef short ribs, a half chicken, and skewers with prawns, beef, and chicken. Each of the five components was flavoured differently using various dry rubs. To complement the meats, we were provided a quartet of sauces including yogurt, chutney, a brown sweet sauce, and hot sauce. I most recommend the beef short ribs, which are tender and savory. The platter did not come with any sides, but there are many available a la carte. With this, we tried the spicy corn and the garlic naan. I was happy with the naan, which was large and nicely grilled, but I was disappointed in the somewhat bland corn. On a future visit, I'd like to try a curry dish with which they recommend ugali, a traditional corn based dish not unlike mashed potatoes. read more

Finally able to go to my favorite restaurant for in person dining! Love love this place! Food is phenomenal. I have missed you Safari Grill

The food here is really flavourful and authentic. Service is good and friendly. Price is decent with good portion. Overall highly recommended!! read more

Safari Grill - Safari fusion ribs & masala mogo ( deep fried casava in special sauce) - African Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

The Mogo is spectacular. The ribs and meatballs are top shelf. They make a great Falooda too!

Atmosphere=Amazing, Staff=Friendly, great service! Food=Large plates, super flavourful, worth every penny. We will be back! And have already recommended this place to our friends and family! read more

Have to get the medium beef ribs and beef mishkaki skewers!!! This place has been a staple for my family for as long as I can remember and we regularly go here and recommend this restaurant to our family and friends. read more

Nice decor and service was good. My wife had the BBQ chicken, with masala fries, it would have fed us both and it was nicely spiced. I had the coconut chicken curry with rice and naan the sauce was delicious, slightly different than standard east Indian curry. Would definitely return. read more

Safari Grill - Zebra prints abound. - African Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

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It was a wonderful experience to eat here! Even had African beer! Try this place for authentic African grub :)

I ordered a few dishes for take-out. Unfortunately, when i arrived home I discovered that the samosas were burnt. I called the restaurant back to inform them. The owner refused to believe me and called me a liar and then told me to bring them back as proof. I was so taken aback by his blatant rudeness and hostility. No apology, no offer to replace the item. The rest of the dishes were very mediocre. There are far superior East African cuisine eateries in Calgary than this place. Do not waste your time and money. read more

Love this place, food is always great. Was in for dinner with the family and had the mixed thali and barbecue platter. The food was hot and tasty. Had the chai tea which we like because it is not sweet. Overall a great time. Great value particularly nice for larger groups as you get so many nice platters to share. read more

This restaurant was one of the best. Food was amazing, hot and fresh. They come out as they are ready so you can start. Instead of having the dishes wait and get cold. A definite must try!! read more

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The ribs are great, we usually get a few plates of suicide ribs (my eardrums are burning just thinking about them), the chicken curry is great also and I love their 4-variety sauces that they place on our table. If you want the hottest (and best) ribs in the city, stop by Safari grill and try them. read more

Safari Grill is my go-to gem in Calgary for unreal flavours and a remarkable experience. Ali treats all of his guests respectably and features an unparalleled menu fit for five stars from John Gilchrist! The African short ribs and goat vindaloo are my absolute favourite dishes. Sop up the sauce with cheese garlic naan and you will die and go to heaven after your dinner. But don't die just yet...eat the house-made coconut and pistachio ice cream and then die satisfied. read more

Came with a large group and got the chance to try quite a bit on the menu, including the vindaloo, butter chicken, kuku paka, safari grill, masala mogo, and some of the spicy meat tray. The overall impression from the group was that the food was lacking in salt and was somewhat bland. The vindaloo in particular lacked flavour, which was quite disappointing. It also wouldn't hurt the decor to cut back on the zebra/leopard prints everywhere. read more

My first visit to this location has guaranteed this spot as one of my favourite places in Calgary for exquisite cuisine. My wife and I had the kebabs to start the evening combined with the coconut sauce and a platter of delicious sauces to go with it and we were thrown back by the rich flavours of the sauces, specially since the coconut tastes like it was just grinded in the kitchen. This starter was followed by the ribs, seafood, chicken and beef platter which to me it was the best mix of meats combined with the best types of curries imaginable, paired with the cassava fries and it is simply a dish to die for. We have now found or favourite spot in town and will be going back many times over. The staff is sincerely nice to customers, the décor has an authentic feeling and the overall vibe is ecstatic and electrifying. read more

Safari Grille has a wonderful lunch special called the Karibu Lunch Special it's less than $10 and you get a vegetable curry, a meat curry, a piece of Tandori chicken, rice & naan. There are usually 3 or 4 curries to choose from in each category. Nice attentive staff and quick at lunch. read more

Came here for lunch and loved this place as soon as I walked in the door. The safari like ambience is really funky and instantly puts you in a good mood. I started the meal with some fusion ribs and got them hot. They were pretty spicy, but in a good way. Then each of us got the lunch special where we could choose between a beef vindaloo or butter chicken and a variety of vegetable based curries. I ended up getting the butter chicken and eggplant. Each platter came with a piece of tandoori chicken as well as rice and naan. The naan was very soft and delicious. The lunch special here is literally a steal of a deal and at such a reasonable price point, the food here is 5 stars, for sure. read more

Visiting here from Toronto with the family. We heard good things about Safari grill. We ordered spicy mogo, ribs, and a couple of other items. Food was good. 4 star for sure. Service however was not so good. I wasn't impressed that the bill already included a 15% tip. I usually tip based on the quality of service from 10-20%. I didn't appreciate this part especially since we were only 6 people. I can justify a tip for a large crowd but not for 6 peiple at 3:30pm. If the food was out of this world, we could perhaps overlook this. read more

Really enjoyed Safari Grill! We had the meat platter and the samaki (fried fish) - the portions were HUGE, which made it a little difficult to sample the dishes. But they were quite delicious. The masala mogo (fries) at the beginning were a bit dry, as was the ugali. Wish I'd gone for the chapati instead. read more