Safari Grill

The owners are from Somalia and Kenya, so you're getting a mixture of African food with some Mediterranean favorites. The restaurant is simple, more thought is put into the food than the décor itself, my kind of place.

The owners are extremely friendly and welcoming. You order at the counter from the menu on the wall. Choices include vegetarian plates, gyros, suqaar plates (saute cube of different meat options and with vegetables), chapati (unleavened flat bread or roti), breakfast items, salads and a few African dishes. Most items are under $10.

Our gyro and suqaar plates are large and delicious. Our favorite was the flavorful gyro meat with a large portion of rice and assorted vegetables. The plates all come with a side salad. I'm already looking forward to coming back and trying other items on the menu.

Edit: I have now eaten here or from here 3 times. First visit as described below for breakfast, second a quick stop for a gyro to-go and third for a lunch with my parents.

The gyro was nothing at all like a Greek gyro but was very tasty nonetheless. The meat may have been pre-cooked and then warmed but the veggies were fresh cooked and the wrap nicely crispy yet foldable. I did have a few minutes longer wait than I would expect but not to a large degree.

The lunch with my parents was very good and showed more of the variety of the food. We had beef and goat suqaar (my father said the goat was quite tender with no chewy bits), chicken, biryani rice, spinach with honey (too sweet for my father but my mother liked it), Kenyan tea with milk, breakfast chicken suqaar (different than the lunch/dinner mix) and injera bread. The injera here was slightly sweet and much more crepe like than the injera at an Ethiopian place like Queen of Sheba. It was great with the savory chicken but would also be at home with a sweet something like jam or nutella. My leftovers even re-heated pretty well the next day although fresh is better.

________

This is a brand new little restaurant serving up delicious African and some Mediterranean food. The owner is Kenyan-American and the entrees are mainly regional dishes from East Africa (Kenya/Somalia/Tanzania/Uganda region) which is an area whose cuisine is influenced by India.

This is a no-frills place in terms of the decor. It is clean and bright though and a large TV was tuned to the news to start the morning.

Now about the food because that's what is the star of the show here:
Breakfasts (East African style) are $8 and the meat entrees are paired with hot tea (a perfectly flavored chai), injera or chapatti bread, and soup.

Today we tried the chicken suqaar which is chicken pieces quickly simmered with green and red bell peppers, tomatos and onions with fresh lime to squeeze over it and the beef suqaar ordered plain for my friend who doesn't eat onions and peppers (too plain for me but he raved about the flavor of the beef). We also enjoyed some icy cold mango juice.

Lunch and dinner entrees also feature beef and chicken suqaar, plus chicken steak, beef steak, chaptatti with stew, fried corn with beans, and more; all served with rice or noodles, soup and salad. Prices top out at $12. A vegetarian selection includes different breads and grains with stewed vegetables and greens.

The Mediterranean options include falafal, gyro plates or sandwiches, kababs.

Portions were more than fair but not so huge that we couldn't clean our plates (well, I did have to take some chapatti and soup home for later).

They take credit cards but had some trouble with the service this morning so a quick ATM stop covered the meal in cash. Even with a 30% tip for the particularly friendly service and the detailed explanations of the regional origins of the food, we were still just at $20 for two.

Recently had lunch with my wife and we loved the food. The flavors of North Africa are so varied and diverse. We had the Chicken suqaar and the Kata kata. Affordable and delicious. The owners are lovely and gracious.
I'm eating my leftovers as I write this. Check this little place out!

Tried this neighborhood restaurant for the first time tonight, and I'm only sorry we waited so long. I had the chicken suqaar while my husband had the beef suqaar. Other reviewers have done a good job summing up these dishes. We both thoroughly enjoyed our meal. The chicken was flavorful and spicy enough to get my sinuses going just a little. Staff were friendly and provided great service. And the prices are more than fair, especially for the amount of food. Check it out!

They only take cash but this place compares to Baraka near downtown. The Kenyan spaghetti and chicken quarter thighs are the most amazing thing there. The lady there cooks each meal fresh. This is a hidden gem.

Literally all I can say is "Wow" this one of the flavorful meals I've had in a long time.

My wife had the sugaar beef dish and I the goat. The meals came with small salad and sides of spinach, beans, coleslaw and red and yellow peppers.

The rice and goat was tastiest I've ever had.

Also try the Chai Tea as it will be one of the best you'll ever have. :)

Muhammad (the owner) was so nice and carried a warm and inviting conversation about the different items on the menu and neighborhood.
I plan on visiting this restaurant every chance I get as there are many more items I look foward to trying.

I'm so glad to see a new restaurant option in Beechmont.

The other reviewer did a great job detailing the menu options. Service was friendly and attentive. The food was fresh and full of meat and veggies. I ordered the beef suqaar and my two dining companions each ordered the chicken suqaar. The meals came with sauteed spinach and a thick veggie and tomato stew, full of carrots, lima beans, and zucchini. The dish was also served with seasoned rice or briyani. Everything tasted fresh, homemade and was well-seasoned. Our server asked if we wanted hot sauce. I was the only taker and brought a homemade green chili sauce that was made with hot peppers, vinegar, and salt. The serve said he mixed it with oil to tame it for me. A tiny spoonful went a long way to liven up my dish.

If you are looking for a new international option in the south end, this is an excellent option. Fresh food and kind service make this a winning new south end dining destination. We will be back.

1st time ever, but love trying new places. Easy to find plenty of parking across the street. Food was good staff was friendly couldn't ask for anything else. Will return when back in the area. I had the beef suqaar. At the end of the day it was nice to eat authentic food.

This was my first visit to this recently opened restaurant. There are a number of Kenyan and Somali dishes as well as a few Mediterranean items like falafel. I was really excited to see that they had quite a few different vegetarian/vegan options the menu, including Ugali-- a cornmeal mash served with with several different vegetable and beans-- all very well seasoned and super fresh. My meal included a salad and a drink, all for $9. The owners are super sweet folks! Highly recommended!

I went a while back in April and my experience there was amazing. I had the beef saqaar and it was delicious. The food here is not overpriced and it is very authentic. The lady who took our order was very inviting and friendly! I will be returning at some point to try other dishes!