Eat · Central market (Soko Kuu)
Khan's Barbeque
Grilled meat and skewers served in the forecourt of a car-spares shop after dark: go on an empty stomach, expect a queue, and treat the wait as part of the show.
- Grilled skewers after dark
- A car-spares yard, not a restaurant
- Queue is part of the experience
- Order: Grilled skewers (mishkaki)
- Tables and stools
- Walk-in window: before 19:00
Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.
Rules in force · 12Nine African countries on this site have no trip line bec…Carry the yellow fever certificate on every leg of a mult…Uneven pavements and traffic
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- Tanzania ↗Carry a yellow fever certificate if you arrive from or connect through a risk country such as Kenya or Ethiopia; see a travel clinic about malaria several weeks ahead.
- Tanzania ↗Plastic carrier bags are banned; leave shop and duty-free plastic bags behind before you arrive.
- Tanzania ↗Light aircraft between parks and to Zanzibar have strict baggage limits, usually soft-sided bags only and a low total weight (often around 15 kg); confirm the limit with your operator.
- Arusha and Kilimanjaro ↗Book safaris and climbs only with a licensed operator you contacted directly.
- Arusha ↗Uneven pavements and traffic: bags go from the car to the hotel door, never on a walk.
- Arusha ↗Street touts sell safaris and souvenirs: book safaris only with a licensed operator you contacted yourself.
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Map & directions
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Plan
Open now, when you can walk in, what to order
Go now?
Open?
Hours not published
Typical wait
30–45 min at busy times
Easiest walk-in
before 19:00
Reservations
Walk-in, no reservation
Walk-in windows
A walk-in lunch is only planned as primary when your arrival lands outside the “impossible” window.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
On the ground
How to order, tip and pay, allergies, and booking
Tipping
Service is usually on the bill already; unlike in the US, don't add 15–20% on top.
Allergies and diets
- AskVegetarian · Very limited: this is a meat grill by design. Chapati and a side salad are the only options if available. · say: “Sina nyama, tafadhali.”
- AskHalal · Not confirmed by Voykit; ask staff directly on the night. · say: “Ni halali?”
Paying
- Count what lands on the plate against what you ordered; it is easy to lose track in a crowd.
Booking
- Booking
- Walk-in, no reservation
- Reservations
- Not taken
- Note
- Walk-in only; no phone bookings taken.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
Map and nearby
Where this place is, how to get there, and what is around it
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Nearby places
Eat nearby
More detail
Everything else we know about this place
How to order here, in full
How to order here
The order of play at the counter or table, what to say, how much to order and how to pay.
No shared language? Point at the dish or a photo of it. For a printed menu, translate a photo of it.
What to say
| In English | Say or show | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| How much is this? | Bei gani? | bay GAH-nee |
| The bill, please | Bili, tafadhali | BEE-lee tah-fah-DHAH-lee |
| Hello | Jambo / Habari | JAM-boh / hah-BAH-ree |
| Thank you | Asante | ah-SAHN-teh |
Paying and tipping
Service is usually on the bill already; unlike in the US, don't add 15–20% on top.
- Count what lands on the plate against what you ordered; it is easy to lose track in a crowd.
- Tipping: Not expected at chai stalls; round up drivers; safari guides and camp staff are tipped separately at the end of a trip.
At the table
- Ask the price before ordering meat by weight: nyama choma is rarely priced on a printed menu.
- Busy grills with fast turnover are the safer choice for freshly cooked meat.
- Bottled or filtered water only; avoid ice unless you are confident of its source.
Paying, diet and allergies
Diet and allergies
Yes means there is something for you; ask means possible with care; no means go elsewhere.
- Vegetarianask
Very limited: this is a meat grill by design. Chapati and a side salad are the only options if available.
Show: Sina nyama, tafadhali.
- Halalask
Not confirmed by Voykit; ask staff directly on the night.
Show: Ni halali?
Who it suits, booking and the kitchen
Show the kitchen
Tap a need to get a large screen you can hold up to staff. The wording is the guide’s; a helper who reads the language should confirm it if your allergy is serious.
Comfort, facts and cons
Hygiene and comfort
- Air
- Open-air: hot at midday, wet in rain
- Seating
- Tables and stools
- Kids
- kids' menu: no · stroller: poor · Late, crowded and smoky from the grill: better for an adult evening out than a family dinner
- Access
- step-free: yes · Ground-level open forecourt; uneven surface underfoot
Hygiene
- Meat is grilled fresh to order over charcoal; eat it hot off the grill rather than left sitting.
Facts
- Reservations
- Not taken — Walk-in only; no phone bookings taken.
- Capabilities
- food
- Diet
- vegetarian: none · gluten free: unknown · halal: ask
- Getting there
- Taxi to the workshop forecourt, central market side · ~5 min walk
Cons
- Long queues once word gets round on a given night.
- Open-air seating on plastic chairs among the spare-parts shelves.
- No printed menu; you watch the grill and point.
Dish glossary
| On the menu | What it is | Order it how |
|---|---|---|
| Mishkaki | Marinated meat skewers grilled over charcoal. | Order by the skewer; ask for a mixed plate if you cannot decide. |
| Chapati | Flatbread, usually ordered alongside the grill. | Ask for extra if the table is sharing. |
Price check
- locals pay
- A plate of skewers with chapati runs a few thousand shillings a head (2026 estimate); confirm the board price before ordering.
- tourist price
- No separate tourist price reported, but confirm the count of skewers before you pay.
- rule
- Count what lands on the plate against what you ordered; it is easy to lose track in a crowd.
Deep dive
Questions, alternatives, and where our facts come from
Questions and answers
Questions and answers
What time should I go?
Arrive before 19:00 to avoid the worst of the queue; go later and you may wait 30–45 minutes for a table.Arrive before 7:00 PM to avoid the worst of the queue; go later and you may wait 30–45 minutes for a table.
Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk
Can I pay by card?
Plan on cash in shillings; card acceptance has not been confirmed by Voykit.
Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk
If it is closed or full
Nearby alternatives
If it is closed or the line is too long
Places without an authored walk are ranked by straight-line distance × 1.3 at 5 km/h (3 mph)3 mph (5 km/h).
All places to eat in Arusha, with filters →
Used as a seated rest node in Arusha in 4 days.
Sources
- secondaryWikivoyage — Arusha
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Source: Price per person
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
Prices are 2026 estimates from the menu or the price line on file. Check on the day.
Source: Opening hours
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
Source: Best time
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
The easiest walk-in window or the quietest hour in this guide. Crowd levels are desk estimates, not counts.