Eat · Giraffe Centre
Carnivore Restaurant
A large barbecue restaurant on Langata Road known for all-you-can-eat grilled meats carved at the table: go for a long lunch or early dinner, book ahead and skip it if you eat little meat.
- All-you-can-eat grilled meat
- Set price
- Book ahead
- Order: The nyama choma feast
- Table seating
- Walk-in window: after 14:30
- Queue risk: 12:00–14:00
- Bring cash
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…After dark, take a hotel-booked or ride-hailing car door …
- Africa ↗When a route touches a yellow-fever country — even a transit of 12 hours or more — keep the original yellow card (ICVP) in your hand luggage; health desks and airlines can refuse boarding or entry without it.
- Africa ↗Nine African countries on this site have no trip line because governments advise against travel; several others have no-go regions. Read your government's advice for every country on the route before paying deposits.
- East Africa ↗Carry the yellow fever certificate on every leg of a multi-country trip: Uganda and Burundi check it for all arrivals, and a stop in Kenya or Ethiopia makes the next border ask for it.
- East Africa ↗Advice for Ethiopia, Somaliland, Eritrea, Somalia, South Sudan and the Congo border areas can change within days; read your government's page the week you fly and before every regional flight.
- East Africa ↗Price park, reserve and permit fees before comparing lodges: they are charged per person per day, often with VAT, and are fixed whatever bed you choose.
- Kenya ↗Apply for the Kenya eTA only on the official portal (etakenya.go.ke) at least 3 working days before you fly; lookalike sites charge double. Most African passports have been exempt since 2025.
- Kenya ↗Book a travel-clinic visit several weeks ahead; ask about malaria prevention and check whether a yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for your route, including transits.
- Kenya ↗Plastic carrier bags are banned; leave shop and duty-free plastic bags behind before you fly in.
- Kenya ↗Light aircraft to the parks have strict baggage limits, usually soft-sided bags only and a low total weight (often around 15 kg); confirm the limit with your operator and leave a hard case in Nairobi.
- Nairobi area ↗Safari flights leave from Wilson Airport, not Jomo Kenyatta International: confirm which airport your ticket uses and allow for the ride between them.
- Nairobi ↗After dark, take a hotel-booked or ride-hailing car door to door; do not walk between clusters or with a phone in your hand.
- Nairobi ↗Rush hours (roughly 06:30–09:30 and 16:30–20:00) can double any ride: plan one cluster per half-day and never a tight connection.
More
Map & directions
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Plan
Open now, when you can walk in, what to order
Go now?
Open?
Lunch and dinner (check)
Busy this hour
Estimate by hour below
Easiest walk-in
after 14:30
Reservations
Reserve ahead
Paying
Bring cash
Per person
KES 4,000–5,5002026 estimate · check
Walk-in windows
Tip
Format
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
How to order
- Book a table and arrive hungry.
- Meats are carved at the table; say when to stop by lowering the flag on the stand.
- Ask the price and what is included before you sit.
Tipping
Sit-down restaurants: about 10%, less than the 15–20% US norm.
Allergies and diets
- AskVegetarian · Limited; call ahead. · say: “Sili kula nyama.”
- NoVegan · Meat-focused.
- AskHalal · Not certified; ask. · say: “Sili kula nyama ya nguruwe.”
- AskGluten-free · Ask.
- AskNut allergy · Ask.
- Not on fileAllergy · Say it before the first serving. · say: “Nina aleji ya ___.”
Paying
Bring cash
- Ask what drinks cost; they add up.
- Cards accepted; keep cash for tips.
- Tips of 10% are usual when there is no service charge.
Booking
- Booking
- Reserve ahead
- Reservations
- Taken
- Note
- Book ahead for evenings and weekends; groups need a reservation.
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.
- 1Book a table and arrive hungry.
- 2Meats are carved at the table; say when to stop by lowering the flag on the stand.
- 3Ask the price and what is included before you sit.
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 it? | Ni bei gani? | nee BAY GAH-nee |
| Too expensive, a bit less? | Ghali sana, punguza kidogo | GAH-lee SAH-nah, poon-GOO-zah kee-DOH-goh |
| The bill, please | Naomba bili | nah-OHM-bah BEE-lee |
| I need help | Nahitaji msaada | nah-hee-TAH-jee m-sah-AH-dah |
| Hello | Habari / Jambo | ha-BAH-ree / JAHM-boh |
| Thank you | Asante | ah-SAHN-teh |
Extras, condiments and what costs extra
- Drinks: Add to the fixed price — Ask for a drinks menu.
- Service charge: May be added — Check the bill.
Paying and tipping
Sit-down restaurants: about 10%, less than the 15–20% US norm.
- Ask what drinks cost; they add up.
- Cards accepted; keep cash for tips.
- Tipping: Round up for a driver and tip a guide or an animal-park ranger in cash.
- Tips of 10% are usual when there is no service charge.
At the table
- Eat hot food and skip raw salad and unwashed fruit if your stomach is sensitive.
- Order nyama choma by weight and confirm the price before it is cooked.
- Drink bottled or filtered water only.
Price and paying
- Typical spend
- About KES 4,000–5,500 per person (2026 estimate)
Paying, diet and allergies
Paying
Accepted.
Visa and Mastercard.
M-Pesa (check).
Diet and allergies
Yes means there is something for you; ask means possible with care; no means go elsewhere.
- Vegetarianask
Limited; call ahead.
Show: Sili kula nyama.
- Veganno
Meat-focused.
- Halalask
Not certified; ask.
Show: Sili kula nyama ya nguruwe.
- Gluten-freeask
Ask.
- Nut allergyask
Ask.
- Allergynot on file
Say it before the first serving.
Show: Nina aleji ya ___.
Who it suits, booking and the kitchen
Who it suits, booking, closures
- How to book
- Phone or message ahead.
- How far ahead
- 1 day
- No-show / cancel fee
- Check the policy
- Dress code
- Casual; smart-casual for dinner.
| When | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Public holidays | check before you go | Hours vary. |
| Reopening dates | check before you go | Confirm it is open. |
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.
Hour by hour, with queue times
Quietest listed hour: 12:00 (busy).
- 12:00busya short wait is possible
- 13:00heavyexpect a line
- 14:00busya short wait is possible
- 18:00heavyexpect a line
- 19:00packedexpect a long line
- 20:00heavyexpect a line
Desk estimate of crowd on a weekday; weekends and public holidays run one level higher. Not live data. No line length is on file, so waits are in words.
Comfort, facts and cons
Hygiene and comfort
- Restrooms
- Restroom on site · accessible restroom: check
- Seating
- Chairs at tables
- Kids
- kids' menu: ask · stroller: ok · Children's price may apply
- Access
- step-free: partial · Garden paths; confirm
Hygiene
- Choose well-cooked meat; skip raw salads if your stomach is sensitive.
Facts
- Reservations
- Taken — Book ahead for evenings and weekends; groups need a reservation.
- Capabilities
- food · toilet
- Getting there
- Langata Road, by car · ~2 min walk
Cons
- A fixed-price feast is heavy and expensive; check the current price.
- Not suited to vegetarians.
- Hours and reopenings change; confirm.
Dish glossary
| On the menu | What it is | Order it how |
|---|---|---|
| Nyama choma | Grilled meat. | Tell the waiter which meat to skip. |
| Dawa | Honey, lime and vodka cocktail. | Ask for it with less sugar. |
| Ugali | Maize staple. | A side. |
| Kachumbari | Tomato and onion salad. | A fresh side. |
Price check
- locals pay
- A fixed-price feast is the norm; the price is the same for locals.
- tourist price
- Tourist-focused; prices are high for Kenya.
- rule
- Ask what drinks cost; they add up.
| Extra on the table | Typical charge | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Drinks | Add to the fixed price | Ask for a drinks menu. |
| Service charge | May be added | Check the bill. |
Deep dive
Questions, alternatives, and where our facts come from
Questions and answers
Questions and answers
What is included?
A set menu of soup, meats and sides; drinks are extra.
Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk
How long does a meal take?
About 90 minutes.
Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk
Do I need a reservation?
Yes for evenings and weekends.
Is it worth the price?
For a big meat meal, yes; skip it if you want a light lunch.
If it is closed or full
All places to eat in Nairobi, with filters →
Used as a seated rest node in Nairobi in 4 days.
Sources
- secondaryWikivoyage — Nairobi (eat)
Was this useful?
Add Carnivore Restaurant to a day
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.