Medium sized restaurant with seating for about 30. Owner is friendly and takes the time to provide recommendations, explaining what each dish is and what would be nice to try based on your preferences. He also enjoys talking about himself and his experience at the restaurant for the past 16 years and the other stuff he's done before it. On the table comes with 4 different sauces that you can use during the meal. There are indian and african dishes on the menu, catering to both vegetarians and meat-eaters alike. There's an entire section dedicated to grilled meats, and even a meat platter that you can split. A subset of our group ordered an african thali platter along with the simba grill platter. The thali platter came with Ugali. Having never tried it before, it was an interesting experience. As described, it was tasteless on its own and is meant to be eaten with curry or other flavouring. The curries that came with the platter were great. The grill platter comes with various different offerings of BBQ, including wings, beef mishkaki (cubes of beef), chicken mishkaki (cubes of chicken...), and spare ribs, along with some salad and fries. It is a great way to sample each option to see what you like. We also ordered some ice cream, which is said to be homemade It is definitely very different from the stuff you'd get wholesale, and a single bowl comes with a large serving. It's a bit out of the way if you don't drive, but it's a good place to stop by. read more

Food was great, kid friendly, Karim and his wife are the owners and are great hosts. Fresh food, loved the ribs, and mushkaki. The ugali and chicken curry reminded my husband of back home. Best East African food. We were there this past weekend with our 3 boys- they loved the food- mogho and kababs were a hit with them. Finger licking good food :) fresh passion juice was great. Picked up some bouyi, paan and snacks from there as well read more

Simba Grill - Ugali and chicken curry - Indian Near Me - East York, Ontario

I hosted a young man from Tanzania, Africa. We were looking for a restaurant that represented his country and/or food. This is the only restaurant that came up in a google search and it was local to my home and it did represent his country and food. The google reviews were correct. Not much in terms of decor and it was over priced. As well this restaurant also serves East Indian food. So not a pure African restaurant. On the upside: the owner was very pleasant, friendly, helpful and explained the foods to me very well. As this was my first time eating "African" food, I have to be honest; I did not find it overly flavourful. On the downside: the owner kept suggesting I order the platters to experience a variety of items which I appreciated, but not the over inflated prices that were attached to them! I think he realizes he has the monopoly on this specific type of African restaurant and can charge whatever he wants because he has no competition. And the decor is lacking, the place felt cheap. We had 2 appetizers (Mogo and a Somosa $4 each), Simba Grill Platter ($22), Ugali ($8.50), 2 drinks ($3 each).. so with tax the total was $52 + tip = $60. A lot for two people in my humble opinion. read more

Simba Grill - the platter with chicken, steak, wings, salad and naan; side plate was the mogo which are kind of like chunky french fries. - Indian Near Me - East York, Ontario

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THE place for East African food. The atmosphere is authentic, the food is delectable and the friendly owners are like family! Love, love,love!! read more

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This is THE spot to get excellent fusion african/indian street food. We will be back, I'm sure, again and again. Support this wonderful place where is owner is friendly and helpful with any questions you have! Great food, great local business! read more

I had the pleasure of trying out this delicious cuisine this weekend. We ordered a 3 person share plate, that came to $17 per person. It came with 4 types of appetizers: -Mogo -Daal Bhajia -Beef Samosa -Meatballs Then a main platter with 4 meats: -Chicken and Beef Mishaki - cubes of seasoned meat -Beef short ribs -BBQ chicken wings And spiced fries, cabbage salad and a pop for each person. The dishes weren't spicy hot, they were flavourful and spiced. There were 4 dipping sauces: Tamarind, Coriander, Pepper, Coconut. The owner was stellar and explained the dishes prior to serving us. Amazing, friendly and welcoming service! It was a wonderful experience. I'd come back for the mogo, samosas, fries, and beef short ribs. I recommend trying this out! read more

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You want to have the greatest taste of east african food this is your place. The food is amazing and the stuffs working here are just the best and Ms Karima is the GOAT(Greatest of all time) read more

I'm visiting family here in the Toronto area from California after many years of Covid lockdown, and they took me here for a nostalgic taste of Tanzanian food. It was a nice trip down memory lane, I had muhogo, mishkhaki , Kababs, ribs and chicken ( combo plate). The food was on point, very authentic tasting, and I met the very pleasant owner and service staff was efficient. I had a delightful experience there and recommend it to both former East Africans and anyone looking for a great African food experience. read more

I came here on the recommendation of a few friends who had been and hey, when does one turn down the chance to try out african/indian cusine? This restaurant was a bit of trek for me being a little out in east york but it was worth it to try something different. Simba's grill is based on tanzanian/kenyan cooking which is a fusion of indian and traditional african grill cooking. There are curries and there are mixed grills that feature meat as the star. This place is bit of hole in the wall, not fancy at all but the service is friendly. Note that the meals can take awhile to prepare, usually 20-25 minutes tops so come with a patient mind as everything is prepared to order and the cooking is done by an elderly couple. Now the food, the samosa's are tasty here the meat samosa's are nicely spiced and come in a lighter pastry than usual samosa's sorta like filo pastry. The casava fries were extremely addictive, sweet cruncy sticks of starch. And the bbq ribs here were amazing for dry ribs. Crunchy, crisp and the sauce or rub on them tasted fantastic. They have an interesting selection of fruity african/middle eastern soft drinks on hand as well to wash everything down. And there are daily specials for meat, curries and samosas-everthing under $10. A good place to try tanzanian/kenyan cooking, only shame is that it's quite far. read more

Having travelled to East Africa (Tanzania in particular) many many times, I have always been craving the fusion african/indian street food that is so common there. I had heard about this place from some friends so finally we made our way to Simba Grill. The inside is small and cosy with enough seating. Colours and photos surrounding the little restaurant are all memories of East Africa. The menu has a lot of choice and all the favourites that I was craving! If you know african cuisine, you know it consists of a lot of cassava. So of course, we had to order the fried mogo (cassava) which is absolutely delicious especially with the sauces they give (pili pili, amli/tamarind, coconut and coriander chutneys). We also tried the beef samosas (these are much different than usual samosas and infact my favourite type - smaller and crispier with a meat and onion filling), the kababs (exactly the same as the ones you get at tea time in African tea shops) and lentil fritters which were perfect! We had the mixed grill plate which consisted of the beef and chicken mishkaki (bbqd cubes), bbq ribs, bbq 'sekela' chicken with wings and masala fries. I honestly felt like I was in Tanzania as the food brought back so many memories! Everything was absolutely delicious!! They are open til late so we went around 10.30pm which I feel affected the service a little as the workers seemed quite tired and were not as attentive. Also, the mishkaki felt a little dry and salad was quite simple so that could definitely be improved. Other than that, I will definitely be back when in Toronto again! They even have Kassata (african ice cream) and traditional local foods such as ugali with fish! Definitely worth visiting if you want to try something new... even just a plate of mogo is worth it. read more

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We went out for our monthly dinner date with friends and the 5 of us were not disappointed with this restaurant. We agree with previous reviewers that the place is small but welcoming, service was friendly and helpful. Based on the server's recommendations we ordered the Mogo (fried cassava thick cut fries) served with 4 different chutneys/sauces and Daal Bhaji (lentil dumplings). The cassava was fresh and served hot, the sauces were interesting, one spicy, one tangy with tamarind, a coconut based one and a hot green chili sauce. The dumplings were a bit bland. The mixed grill platter was inconsistent, the ribs and chicken wings were excellent, well flavoured, tender and moist. The chicken cubes on the other hand were dry and tasteless. On the other hand the African Thali mixed plate was a hit, the fish was fried perfectly, not greasy and served with a smooth spinach curry. The bean curry was a bit thin and lacked flavour. read more

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Mixed feelings on this one. My husband liked it far less than I did. I thought the food pretty tasty. We are generally very forgiving when it comes to service, but the service here was a bit lacking. To give the owner credit, we came just at open along with a couple of other groups, and he didn't have any help for half an hour. That said, we were the first group seated. One other group was seated soon afterwards and two other groups seated maybe 5-10 minutes later. We were the last group he took orders from even though we were ready to go within minutes of sitting down. We were the only group with kids. I don't know if that was a factor or not. Business owners would do better to serve the groups with small children first. Small children are whiny and impatient. Prices are high, but the portion sizes are huge. One disappointment for me was that the food really was a take on Indian. Yes, it is African but the dishes are heavily Indian influenced. We were a little disappointed by that because we wanted to try something truly unique (for us). We did order the cassava fries to stave off the whiny kids. Those came out nice and fast and were really good. We also ordered the grilled chicken plate (for the kids), prawns in spinach curry, and the coconut curry fish. The first two dishes were excellent. Well prepared and delicious. The prawns in the spinach dish were huge and beautifully cooked. The rice is amazing too. It was made with saffron and cardamom so had a lot of flavor. The coconut curry was not very good at all. It wasn't spicy and the flavors tasted oddly muddy (for lack of a better description). It was very rich without having any of the flavor we usually associate with a good curry. Dinner took a long time here. Be prepared. I don't recommend it if you have small children. read more

I RECOMMEND: the beef samosas at Simba Grill- they are the kind I've grown up around, distinct in their own way. Very meaty and hearty. There also lots of other treats and meals available. The website is great. Someone mentioned Simba's is overpriced and I agree. Another yelper commented that these are not traditionally African but rather Indian dishes. Couldn't be more wrong. Nyama choma, Ugali and some of the other dishes are only typical of East African cuisine. Tanzanian food is heavily influenced by Indian flavours/dishes because of the long standing presence of Indian Tanzanians so it's ignorant to not see the beauty in this gastronomical blend. So if you're new to this- Don't knock the labels, just open up and try it out. If you're not- It's not quite a taste of home but it's cheaper than a flight out, right? EXTRA TIP: One thing is for sure, this place is shabby so order take out. The space is off-putting. I'd give it a 4 star otherwise. read more

Great food and my east African friends are surprised that this is not more known within their community. Probably cause of location, we travel from Mississauga to come eat here and it is well worth the drive read more

Food is over priced and takes about 30 mins minimum. The owner is incredibly unethical - he charges tax (obviously) and puts the cash right into his pocket (doesn't even ring it up in the till and you'll notice he has two cash registers ...) he doesn't tip his staff so don't bother leaving him a tip, otherwise that's 28% extra in his pocket. Of course you want to tip the waitress, so tip her directly. read more

If you want authentic African food, this is the place to go. This is hands down the best African place i have ever tried in terms of the food, which was absolutely delicious! My wife, someone who has an extremely keen sense of smell and who doesn't eat beef at all was plowing in the kebabs they were so good. We all had beef samosas and they might have been the best thing of the night! I have never had such perfectly crispy samosas in my life and this is coming from someone who lives in a Pakistani family. Another fantastic dish was the mogo pilli pilli, the sauce they give you with the mogo is to die for! It's so spicy, but its a perfect blend with the mogo, something that's more dry. My kids and my wife went crazy for it. The only downside to the restaurant is the space. When there are more than five families, there's no where to sit and you have to wait outside which I'm sure is frustrating in the winter. The price was fairly expensive, for 4 dishes was 50$ so don't come here if you are on a budget, but still an amazing place to go. If you like African food this is the place to go. I hope you enjoyed this review. read more

Unethical owner is something I've heard from a number of people, although I didn't experience it in my one visit. Way overpriced. Hideous decor that needs serious maintenance. It's a hole in the ground without the benefits. The naan is grocery store stuff, not tandoor naan. Had the mixed grill special and it was dry, poor meat quality. If this is the kind of food you want, I've enjoyed Fahim Kabab (Steeles and Middlefield). read more

Second time here, food is delicious, closest you will find to kenyan cuisine, beef ribs are a must try well marinated and soft, friendly owner and staff.. read more

My wife has been sharing with me her desire for us to go visit Tanzania, her main argument wasnt even the beautiful ocean or the safari but actually the food !! Since my visit to Simba Grill I am totally convinced and looking forward to visit Tanzania ;)! I recommend anyone who wishes to make their taste bud visit tanzania to go to simba grill as an appetizer before a real journey in the Eat of Africa read more

Having been born in Tanzania and being of Indian heritage, I decided to get together with some other Indian friends from similar backgrounds to take a walk down nostalgia lane. The good times stopped there. This little restaurant owned by a man named Sultan, who seems to rely exclusively on people's yearning for the good old days to over look the awful service (I had to get up 4 times from our table to help myself to drinks and cutlery) and the awful food. The type of food has been described well by Deanna W. in an earlier review. On this visit, we found the food to be Mishkaki (Kebobs on skewers) to be dry and none too fresh. We also ordered Ugali (a traditional East African staple) which has the consistency of mashed potatoes. The Ugali was nothing like I remember it and the red bean soup which is a traditional counterpart to the Ugali seemed to have been recently pulled out of the fridge and micro-waved into life. Similarly, the mogo (or cassava) was lacking in taste and crispness which it should have had. None of the five of us enjoyed our meal and left as soon as was civilly possible to find another restaurant to fill our bellies and lift our disappointed spirits. read more

This place is good fun! the problem I have with the westerns worlds influence on indian food is that it tends to be fairly oily (in india, even the north, i never came across such greasy dishes as we get in the west!) but not here! the combination of african influence (tanzanian to be exact) and south indian, simba grill is the exact kind of meal that leaves you walking away filled and satisfied, not bloated and sluggish. the owner is also really lovely and friendly and his wife makes some incredible dishes! so go! try it al! and have fun! read more

Food is tasty, but slightly overpriced in comparison to the portions they give out. Apparently the owner of this place doesn't 'go the extra' mile to make their customers happy. Ordered boneless ribs, came with side of spicy fries and salad. Asked if they could instead forgo the spicy fries and in exchange provide much more salad, healthier choice. I mean salad can't be that expensive right? Gotta be cheaper than potatoes? Well I think not, waiter says he's unable to fulfill my request, little conversation later states that these days no one worries about their health. That made me laugh, think he hasn't been paying attention to what's been happening the last 15 years. read more

The best place for kababs, mishkaki and curries. Fresh food and always ask for specials they sometimes have pilau or biryani.

I've never been a fan of samosas but these are the best vegetable samosas I've ever had. Could eat them for days. Haven't tried any of the East African dishes yet, still making my way through the curries but haven't had one I didn't like. Owner is very friendly, portions are large, and very reasonable prices. Would definitely recommend! read more

Quintessential hole in the wall restaurant run by an older couple. Seating capacity is perhaps 20. Food is Tanzanian (new to me) -- a mix of African and Indian influences. I ordered a thali which included fried fish, spinach and bean curries, ugali (like polenta), and some sort of chutney. It was tasty and plenty to eat. That ugali is filling! Fellow diner Thilo had a daal curry with rice. It was ordinary and modestly portioned, but inexpensive. He also had a masala tea, which was excellent. From our small sample, you shouldn't hesitate to order more expensive dishes, you get your money's worth. read more

I recommend the fried mogo and the kebab. By no means a beautiful ambience- it's a shabby looking restaurant with good food. It's East African/Indian cuisine and prices range from $4.50 for a plate of fried cassava (which is one of the best in the city) and $5.50 for a plate of kebabs which are also delicious. Food is fresh and made to order so give yourself some time. read more

I have been to Simba Grill on a number of occasions. They have a whole selection of east Indian/African food. I would completely recommend this place to anyone wishing to try something tasty and different. The food is very reasonably priced, the portions are generous and the people are great!!! Some of the dishes I would recommend are the Mishkaki (Souvlaki) - both beef and chicken, the beef ribs are great, the mango shake / lassi is very good, and off course, the masala fish - quite good. I also agree with the previous posting - the masala chai (tea) is excellent!!! Have fun dining... read more

We drove an hour to try this restaurant. When our food came, we found a hair in our dish. We approached the server about it and she was very confrontational, defensive and rude implying that the hair was mine or my friend's. The hair was a different colour than ours and different length. She finally agreed after complaining, to take the dish back and replace it, however told the other tables beside ours of the situation, which is very inappropriate. When she returned with our new dish, she then told us we were disrespecting her by telling her there was a hair. What kind of restaurant argues about a hair found in a dish?? If it was a bug, she would have said we planted it there too!! She also claimed to be the owner when I asked for them. Not only was she disrespectful, she lied and the staff kept giving attitude. At the end of dinner I insisted on paying, as we are customers and ate the dishes we ordered regardless of the hair we found. She however thought the hair was a ploy!! This restaurant OVERALL IS HORRIBLE WITH POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE SKILLS AND NOT TASTY FOOD. Not worth driving an hour away to encounter what we experienced tonight. read more