Review Safari Grill - Calgary

we ordered this food last night and i cannot stop thinking about it. everything was cooked to perfection and the flavours were amazing. portion sizes were great and pricing is extremely cheap for the amount of food you get. if i could rate this restaurant 10 stars i would!

Good flavour, however at $55 for a platter with just meat is not worth it especially now a days. Maybe pictures for dine in looks like a bigger portion? That's mainly the reason we ordered, first time ordered from this place.

Very unique and delicious BBQ. This is not a restaurant for vegetarians. We had two dishes, chicken curry and the Safari Grill BBQ platter. The sauces that went along with the BBQ just upped the flavour enough to not take away from the seasonings that were already on the meats. Service was very good. We came for a late lunch and spent two hours enjoying the meal. I will most definitely go back.

This place is awesome, the food is so good. I will 100% be back many times. We got a mixed grill, chicken skewers, naan and vegetable rice. Sorry I can't recall the actual names. The vegetable rice is really nice, better than most rice I've had. The mixed grill was really tasty, meat cooked to perfection. Service was great, two girls and a girl in there, all really friendly. I assume the guy was the owner, he was super friendly and welcoming. 100% recommend.

Loved the nostalgic flavour! From the food, ambience and Swahili talk. Excellent food and service. Will be back for sure!

Got delivery from here a few weeks ago and it was really tasty! We ordered a few entrées and a platter, each dish was better than the last. I have to say I am still dreaming of the ribs, they were outstanding. Can't wait to go in and dine in. I need those ribs again!

We ordered the Forodhani platter. It came with 2 skewers of chicken mishkaki, 2 skewers beef mishkaki, 1/2 chicken, 1/2 pound ribs and 2 skewers shrimp. Also got masala chips and naan. It was delicious, but not what you get at Forodhani in Zanzibar. All the spices were tandoori.

Literally the best food I’ve ever eaten. I drive 3 hours from Edmonton at least once a month for the sole purpose of eating here, and it is worth it every time. Cannot recommend Safari Grill enough.

We went group of 6 people me and my Friend we eat samaki , forodhani plater, chiken karai, and masala muhogo, we wanted Some wine but the Waitress didnt seem to have much knoledge about wine therefore she quickly called her Boss who helped us to find get Some wine the owner was very Nice. The food was amazing and the service was excellent because of That we gave them extra tip after the 15% gratuity. And for Sure i am looking forward To go back at Safari grill again

I have been to Safari Grill several times,including for lunch today. The owner served us today and he has always been exceptionally polite and accomadating. The food is great and the decor is fun and interesting. I have been here with both large and small groups and I would recommend Safari Grill as a wonderful culinary experience.<br/>Exceptional!<br/>

If I could give less than 1* review I would. A negative would be more appropriate. The food was good, and that’s about it. This is by far the worst service I have ever experienced. We went with friends, we were 3 couples and two children both of whom were very well behaved. Our orders were very simple and we asked the server to add it as separate bills. Each couple ordered the Fordhani platter and naans and rice. That was all we saw of the server other than when bringing the food. We did not have water. The food was very spicy and due to the lack of service we actually had to take the water bottle from the next table over which we quickly finished and there was no replacement. Same time the server came out with our to go bags, all of our foods were mixed up in containers. We found ourselves sorting through our food like scavengers. When we were done, we had to go up to the counter to ask for our bill which was not provided. The owner just punched in the number pressed ok and I just had to enter my PIN number. No idea what amount I was paying. Same with my other two friends. I asked the owner for my bill and that’s when I noticed that an 18% gratuity was added to our bill. At first I questioned very politely, the owner himself got very aggressive and said what’s the problem? That’s when I got angry and told him the problem was the lack of service. Instead of addressing my complaint he just walked away. That’s when my husband got involved. At that point the owner became a lot more aggressive, especially with me. My husband actually had to step in front of me. I was pretty angry as well with his complete lack of respect or care. He told us we should learn to read the menu and it says that more than 6 people gratuity is automatically added and that they don’t split the bill for people, they did it as courtesy to us (seriously???).<br/><br/>The last 3 times I have been there, I went with my brothers and the service was completely different. Reason being is that they host their corporate dinners at Safari Grill so of course the owner knows how to behave when a large tab is in question. Of course I told my brothers and needless to say they are less than pleased. Definitely not going there again.<br/><br/>My advice is make sure to read the convoluted fine print in the menu in a dark ambience when you go there next time - because you know that’s exactly what people want out of their dining experience.<br/><br/>*attached photo is the response written by the owner.

Safari Grill is a great place for very tasty exotic meal choices at an average price for a good restaurant. Interesting, unique and comfortable ambience with great service. The boss is a quiet humble guy who can recommended excellent dishes. I'll often make the trip from SW Calgary for this special dining experience. If you want something unique and impressive for a business lunch or a special night out with a date or friends, this restaurant is definitely one to choose. One of my favourite places to eat in the city.

Amazing place with amazing food! I extremely recommend this place to everyone, they have the most delicious food and the most friendly environment/service. I would definitely go there again and again..

-delayed sub par service <br/>-some dishes way under salted <br/>-food is over hyped <br/>-presentation of dishes sub par , with some kind of cabbage salad with every dish <br/>- filthy bathrooms <br/>-Masala fries tasted like tomatoes sauce on fries <br/><br/>Prices do not reflect the quality

This place is one of the best restaurant I've ever been in Calgary. They have the best customer service and the most tasty food. All the workers there are extremely friendly. Moreover, their food is personally my favourite type of food. I totally recommend everybody to go check this place out, I'm sure you won't regret it.

This place is overrated. The service is poor with one server serving 10 plus tables and the owner is uptight with attitude. If you are looking for east african cuisine that is better then try Africana or Tiffin Curry and Roti House. We have had a bad experience twice now and decided never to step foot again in this place.

I was referred to this restaurant by a close friend of mine and it was a blessing! I went with my family and we ordered beef fusion ribs & mogo to start with. For the main dish we had prawns coconut masala with rice and naan. I must say the food was very delicious. I have not had such food that would satisfy your hunger in any other Indian or Indo-African restaurant. It was served hot, staff was very friendly and the ambience was also very welcoming and cozy. Worth the price we paid for. Definitely going back!

I've been here before but I just started on Zomato and wanted to put my 2 cents in. We started with the Mogo, extra crispy of course and only way to have it. I don't remember the portions being this large, but was enough and crispy. We then ordered the hot beef ribs, I don't like the taste of meet so I settled to try a couple. We ordered the Chicken and it of course was my favourite when I ate meet. My date of course let me have a bite or two until I could taste the meat. I then ordered the fried tilapia and it was delicious as always. I don't normally eat Tilapia but fried fish anything is always a winner.<br/><br/>I've been coming here awhile now and although my diet has changed, there are still many options for me to choose from if you don't eat meat.<br/><br/>If you like crocodile they have safari kabobs on the weekend.<br/><br/>Service is friendly as usual. They should have finger bowls at the end though, cause no one eats with cutlery here.

Went to this place based on the high ratings but didn't love it. Got the beef short ribs, as that's supposed to be the best, the pili pili chipsi and the kuku paka. Everything was alright, but there's definitely better curries in the area for much cheaper. The ribs were alright, but nothing about the food stood out. <br/><br/>The server forgot to put in our order so it took 45 minutes to get our food in a relatively empty restaurant and the starters came at the same time as the main. <br/><br/>Side note: the menu is huge and has a number of long web URLs that link to reviews. I found that funny. <br/><br/>For two people it cost $50 and the portions aren't big. We won't be back.

Awesome food! I really appreciate the vegetarian section on the menu, it can be hard to find a place that has a decent selection for people who don't want to eat meat. They did give me the wrong order, but doesn't matter, it was still really yummy! Definitely recommended for anyone looking for something a little different

God bless you and your establishment. <br/>

Man I love the beef short ribs. I could eat two orders by myself! This place is quick and the food is very tasty. Also try the masala mogo!!

An amazing experience. My brother brought us here for dinner during Mother's day. The whole family loved it. The server was very helpful and very informative because it was our first time and we pretty much didn't know what to order. The suggested dishes were very tasty and full of flavors. The wait time wasn't so bad at all considering how busy they were. <br/>Highly recommend this place.

The food tasted good for being overcooked, burnt lamb chops and hard halibut. The sauces were nice and the sides good. The atmosphere is good, it encompasses the theme of the restaurant nicely. The service was so-so. It wasn't worth the price for sure, I would've felt much better about safari grill if the dishes were $7 cheaper.

Excellent food, great service. Try the sweet and spice ribs.

Great food. Great service

Was the November dinner club pick<br/>Every dish was great<br/>Ordered Masala Mogo, Samosa as starters and individual entrees, no complaints. Also knowledgeable on wine list.<br/>I would return.

Food is expensive considering the portions have reduced. Disappointed

There's only so much good food can do here when the owners service is horrible. I'm surprise by how many comments here states that his attitude and service needs improvement. I thought he was just having a bad day when I came on Friday evening with my wife. Awesome food

Excellent Food & Service. It was my first time at Safari Grill they have lots of variety and such a big menu ! Best african Food ever .& its not all about the food the Service is also really great ! they make you feel like you have know them forever . definitely going back .

To Yasum 812. With all due respect. You also have to learn manners when eating at a restaurant. In behalf of Safari Grill, I apologize again for giving you your table late because we did not expect other customers to stay longer than usual. We are trained to have patience, understanding and respect towards customers but we expect the same from the customer. You may also want to stop calling your servers using your index finger and learn to say please and thank you otherwise some of them will refuse to go to your table. I am just a mere server who is voicing her opinion so forgive me if you feel that this message is hurtful or offensive. <br/>That is all and thank you.

The owner gets stressed out when the restaurant gets busier on sat nights, he was rude, service was not great either, he and his staff need to go on a customer service skills course

Amazing African food. I had an amazing experience at safari grill. The food was out of this world and the service was very professional. The staff was very friendly and I felt welcomed. I have been to many African restaurants in various Canadian cities, but nothing beats the food at safari grill. I highly recommend their 'masai goat ya rift valley'. Five stars!

Unimpressive Service. Just read a reply from the employee, to another reviewer, to do some research on African food before going to an African restaurant.... Dear Mr. employee saying even the right thing in a wrong way may devalue the words. I personally found your reply very arrogant, and that tempted me to write this review because I had the same experience with you!<br/><br/>I went there during lunch, and was not that familiar with the African food. That's why I was asking some questions regarding the menu, what type of food, what is the the quantity, what side does it come with etc. etc. The way the waiter replied to my questions gave me the feeling that I went there to beg food! As I was paying for my food I have all the rights to ask before I order. But it seems like, asking some innocent questions pissed him off and his attitude was like I made a sin by going to his restaurant. Moreover, there were only 3-4 people at that time and the restaurant was not busy at all. A very common courtesy over here is to ask your customer if everything is fine, or if he needs anything else. The whole time the waiter was giggling and gossiping with the fellow waitress, but didn't even bother to come to the table and ask if everything is fine. I silently finished my food and left. I found his attitude totally rude and unwelcoming.... and I might not be a restaurant owner or employer but as a frequent restaurant goer, know very well about restaurant etiquette and manners.<br/><br/>I won't go to this restaurant again for sure, but I hope this comment will help other customers to get some good service. And Dear Mr. Owner please don't find this review as a personal attack. I wanted to share my experience with you as a customer, and I believe you would also like to get some feedback on your service..... as it helps you to improve your business for sure! <br/><br/>Thank you and have a good day! :)

Excellent food!!! We ordered a lot of food for the table and were pleased with all of it! Wings, pili pili fries, bbq chickens, butter chicken, lentils, eggplant, rice, roti, salmon, salad. All amazing. Only thing that I would not order again was the beef vindaloo the beef was very chewy/grimey <br/>Overall amazing experience. Great servers, cool atmosphere. <br/>Tusker beer is highly recommended along with castle. <br/>Looking forward to going again !

We took a group of 20 people to the Safari Grill in March 2014. The food was incredible, the service was excellent. The ambience in the restaurant is amazing. Plate presentation is fabulous. A must go!

I'd return. Food was tasty enough....I didn't make the selections so would be willing to try it again and give it another go. I can't say that anything was spectacular but then again....I need to do more research

Great new tastes. We've driven by this place so many times and finally decided to try it. Dinner began with a mango lassi - it was as thick as pudding. We started with two appetizers - masala mogo and beef short ribs. I really liked the crispy cassava and the sauce! My husband had the masai goat ya rift valley complete with rice and rotti. I had the malai korma with chicken, rice and naan. Very enjoyable. The service was great and the owner stopped by a couple of times to check on our meal. We will definitely be back to try other dishes.

Went for lunch before Christmas with coworkers. Food was amazing and service friendly. I am sure we will all be back. Ribs are a must try!

So good!. Amazing place. Have been eating here for over 15 years on a weekly basis. True comfort food. great value for cash. the owner is there everyday taking pride in his product, have a tusker sit back and enjoy! must try the beef ribs.

Simply superb. Great service with a fast lunch menu or take your time having supper there. Try the halibut!

With all do respect sir! This is a resturant with good food but horrible service from the owner himself. It's sad to see this. I enjoy the food here minus the wait. But every time I come here for the food, it's also a headache and a hassle. My family and friends have decided not to come here anymore from now on. It's not worth it. I'd rather go else where to enjoy my dinner with friends, or family! Not to enjoy a plate of food that climes along with terrible service on the side. Also just because every time I come here and I don enjoy the owners service, (and be clearly knows it) I will be happy to spread the word about him. Just order take out so that way you don't have to deal with him for long (hopefully, if the food doesn't take long) and you can also enjoy your food else where with no headache or hassles<br/><br/><br/>-----02 Nov, 2013-----<br/><br/>Awesome food! But service from the owner himself needs an inprovment. Sat down, ordered some appetizers. 10 mins later, a table of his friends sat next to us. I guess both tables ordered the same appetizers because they got it first before we did..... Srsly? If your going to give your friends special treatment over your customers then go ahead but infront of my face like that?! This coming from the owner is so disrespectful, we came there as customers to pay for our food, we are not here to beg for food! You must have some guts to blunty to do that infront of us. We didn't come here for dinner to feel disrespected and have our meal. We came here to enjoy a meal!

Loved the meal...tandoori chicken...really the best ever...their "fries" were not my taste but second time I went ordered the coconut rice. Perfect. I received great service.. the chicken plates have just the right heat...large portions also at a reasonable price. They have take out too which is good. ps get the pop and you will see some magic. I give this place five stars for sure.

To D Kainth. First of all, I apologize for your so called bad experience at safari grill, although I would like to inform you of our customs. At safari grill we believe in giving our customers time and space to decide on what they want, as well as we are available for questions, but you must understand that you leaving the menu open results in a server in assuming you're still undecided, this is the case in most casual restuarants, or in any kind of restaurant by that matter. We are a EAST AFRICAN restaurant, meaning our naan is NOT tandoori style, but is hand made here in safari, and is grillled, as I have told you that when you asked if our naan were tandoori. I believe you would benefit greatly from doing a little research on African food before deciding on coming to an AFRICAN restaurant. I'm aware that not everyone will have the same taste in food, but insulting our restuarant and possibly preventing new customers from having their own experience here at safari grill, is nothing more but sabotage of our reputation. <br/>Thanks for you time.

BAD BAD FOOD!! Went for supper tonight at around 530 pm.. The place was deserted.. And stayed like that until we were done at about 7! The service is non existant.. No body greets you. You are given the menu and left with it for about 15 minutes... We ordered an appetizer and 2 entree's.. we were half way thru the appitizer when the entree's were plated on the table.. food lacks taste and pure effort! the nan is from a bag! the ones you get in grocery store.. is burnt from the sides and sweved to you! no one came asking how the food tasted until we were done eating.. Terrible experience! Would never go back or recommend to go there!

"Feels like home". We took my father-in-law here during father's day because he used to stay at Tanzania. He loved it specially the Samaki(deep fried Tilapia fish) says it "tastes like home"

Amazing food. My brother in law swears by this place. The family decided to all go and try out this amazing restaurant we always hear so much about. He was right the food is amazing everything from the samosas, ribs, right down the my favorite the coconut curry chicken. Presentation is great and the atmosphere is relaxed. Safari grill became one of my highly recommended favorites that it's a must have a few times a month.

I am soooo impressed!! The food is cooked and presented with great care and the flavors are so fragrant and unique. The portions are big too. Awesome decor, really modern and you can tell that the owners have pride in their restaurant.

Food good, Service needs improvement. Value not quite there.. I generally like Safari Grill. Love the ribs, mogo and kababs. I do find that the value is not quite as high as I'd like. The amount of food you get for the price is modest - EG the masala fries (are fries really that expensive?). Heart patients should be warned - loads of salt in some of the dishes, but it is also the nature of the items.<br/><br/>One thing I think they can improve on a lot is the service. They don't really talk that much. This is a huge part of the experience.<br/><br/>EDIT: I read some other reviews saying the waitress was very good. Recalling, I believe I've always been served by the owner, who is a guy. Perhaps the hired help is better at this stuff than the owner.

Very cute little place with a nice atmosphere. Service was helpful and friendly. Food was delicious! Wish I could have tried more dishes.

Excellent quality of food. Took my team out for a celebration luncheon.<br/><br/>The food was excellent and flavorful. Catered to those with a mild and hot palate.<br/><br/>We were served by the restaurant owner. Only suggestion: Would be nice to have the server/restaurant owner explain the dishes we ordered when he was placing them on the table. A few of us seemed lost with the 10 dishes we ordered .... all looked so exotic and delicious.<br/><br/>The decor went well with the theme of the restaurant and the restaurant was clean. The bathroom is in need of a renovation.<br/><br/>Overall, excellent meal.

Worst place ever. I left my glasses on the table. I came back in one minute later and they claimed they didn't have it till I raised a stink and they found them in the garbage.

Yum!

A friend and I were searching all over for an Indian restaurant on Sunday and couldn't find one open anywhere so we decided to try Safari Grill. Best decision ever! We walked in and were amazed by the decor, zebra print, elephant paintings, it was all so authentic it seemed! We were greeted right away. Sat at the table and had water instantly. The waitress was able to answer all of the questions we had and was helpful with our decisions! We started out with the chicken samosas and though they weren't my favorite the different sauces we got made them delicious. We ordered the coconut chicken curry and the kuku masala (I think that's what it was called). And oh wow! The flavors! So good. I would highly recommend this place to anyone. In fact I did, I told almost everyone I saw that day after that they HAD to try it! Will be back soon to try more!

Great food! Exciting atmosphere, zebra print everywhere! We had the goat vindaloo, coconut curry shrimp, vegi samosas and chocolate lava cake with pistachio kulfi. Highly recommend!

Chicken Livers!!. Just tried the new maini (chicken) at safari, it was amazing! This is a must try dish.

Something New. Looks like Safari has finally expanded their menu with new many items to give the menu more items to choose from. Great service as usual at a reasonable price.

Just tried safari's original Ndizi na Nyama, it's an amazing dish! It reminded me of Dar-Es-Salaam

Mdosi! Great food...best restaurant in town..great food...absolute ambiance....unreal staff....I recommend this restaurant to everybody who likes to enjoy the world class food!!!!!

Amazing Food!!. Safari Grill has some of the best food I have ever ate, the Ribs are amazing, I was tempted to try everything on the menu it looked so good. Amazing service!!!!!!<br/>defiantly going be coming back!!!!!!!!

Great. We both really enjoyed the food and the room.

To AKS. Sounds like you are trying to get away with not paying for the food you ate. Shame on you. This Restaurant rocks! Love the food and atmosphere! The Staff has always been pleasant, courteous and fair. I will continue to frequent this Restaurant and highly recommend it to everyone that has good taste in food.

Great!. Excellent customer service, great flavour. Many options to choose from. Been there four times and will continue going. It's a fantastic place. :)

My Last Meal Would Be Here. The food was AWESOME!!!! <br/>i cant help myself from going back to safari grill..<br/>whenever i go to safari i am so impressed on the service...<br/>smiling face and friendly people.

Absolutely Fantastica. I was there last weekend and the food, decor and service is absoloutely fantastic. The Samaki fish has to be the best fish i've had in canada. It truly reminds me of home and the service was awesome too. 5 stars all day.

I was there today, the food was great and surprisingly cheap too. The owner was super friendly with me and my colleagues. The funny thing is that as the name goes, it actially does remind you of the kind of service you will get if you were on some vacation, you know the traditional music, people and relaxed too. Okay thats enough. Its a very good restaurant. I give it 5 star.

Food was nice but the owner's attitude and customer service focus could use a LOT of improvement. They got our order wrong (prawns instead of beef, and one of our party is allergic to seafood) and he acted like it was our fault. Then he tried to slide in extra charges at the end. Stay away!

To good for words! Go there...go there right now!

Butter Chicken. Awesome ...came down here for lunch for a meeting and it was very good.

No Shortage Of Flavour. Great eclectic place with zebra prints and Bollywood music. Heavily spiced and extremely flavorful menu. The ribs starter was excellent (one of their most popular), and the Serengeti platter and Tandori chicken were outstanding. Food served very hot (temperature wise) and with bold spices. Friendly and helpful staff made it awesome.

Ok decor great food good service I would totally recomend this place some of the menu items were unavailable but the BBQ platter was yum

It was a fun night exploring exotic cuisine with our friends, Moe and Caleb. Big thanks for Moe for introducing us to such a cozy, lovely restaurant. We enjoyed the yummy food very much. What a great find!

My understanding of African cuisine is very strong use of spices and lots of grilled meats.  Perfect for the carnivorous me!

There is a strip mall, at the corner of 28 St. SE and Memorial Dr.  It is nondescript, and full of ethnic food proprietors. A Jamaican cafe, a Middle Eastern cafe, a Filipino cafe, and Safari Grill. The mall has an interesting name, Short Pants Plaza. I’m guessing it is named after all the tropical cultures that have set up shop within. After five hours at the climbing gym, I was ready to polish off some serious eats.  A short drive down the street brought us to the Safari Grill. Being seriously hungry, the three of us shared the Spicy Kuku Bite (chicken in tempura batter with a sweet and spicy chili sauce) and the Mboga Combo. This was a combination of vegetarian appetizers: fried cassava, samosa, round potato scallops fried in batter and fried lentil balls. It came with dipping sauces: mild green chili, hot red chili, tamarind, yogurt sauce and coconut chutney. It reminded me of the dipping sauces from Tiffin, across the street. East African cuisine tends to feature inspiration from

My friend Anh *loves* Safari Grill so much that she sometimes goes there multiple times a week. Since I like to pretend that anything in the SE is "far", I had never heard of the place, let alone been there, but made a mental note to go someday... As Anh continued to gush about Safari Grill on Twitter , along came a dissenter. " Tiffin is WAY better than Safari Grill!" Mason declared . Anh couldn't fathom how any place could be better than Safari Grill, so she organized an eat-off, and invited some of her foodie friends (including me) to play. We managed to hit both places in one night as they are conveniently located kitty-corner from each other on 28th Street, just off of Memorial Drive. Anh had obviously organized eat-offs before; prior to going to the restaurants, she combed through both menus to find equivalent items that we would taste. Then, she made scoresheets where we rated the items based on presentation, v

Decked out in earth tones, zebra print and Bollywood videos on the flat-screen, it’s a comfortable space for sharing east African and east Indian food.