Check out the most overrated restaurants in Nairobi, as voted by many diners. From subpar dishes to inflated prices, explore why these spots fall short, with a touch of personal experience in each place
8. Alloy Bar and Lounge
Alloy is basically where your food appetite goes to die. It’s more ambiance than essence – ordering food is a rookie mistake. I mean, it’s a bar, so we should’ve known the food wasn’t the main attraction. The only thing they seem to nail is laser tag. No complaints there – can’t undercook a laser beam, right?
Based on the average Google ratings, this place is far from overrated, unless you’re taking advice from influencers who slap a 10/10 on anything with decent lighting. Trust me, it’s not.
The reviews speak for themselves – a tough 3.6 stars from just 100+ brave soldiers who fought through their meals. If they ever hit 1,000 reviews at this pace, well… let’s just say it won’t be pretty.
It’s definitely not the diners hyping this place – it’s got to be the “influencers” who are always influencing the wrong things; and let’s be real, they’re probably getting paid to promote it or they review just for ambiance. There’s no other explanation for all those glowing 10/10s, which is a major contrast with non-biased Google reviews
They seem to miss the mark on just about everything, except ambiance, which is the one thing they get right. The food? It’s impressively bad – somehow both overcooked and undercooked. And the service? Let’s just say it’s consistently terrible. Nothing compensates for the kitchen disaster.
You’d think, “Okay, but it’s a bar, so at least the drinks are good, right?” Nope. The cocktails are basically watered-down regret in a glass. So, if you’re hoping for redemption at the bottom of your glass, think again. Even the drinks can’t save this place.
7. Artcaffe Gastro Bar
I’ve covered Artcaffe Gastrobar in a separate review, so here’s the short version: a gastro bar is supposed to serve decent food, better than the usual terrible bar meals.
By calling itself a gastro bar, it’s basically shouting, “Look at me! I’m not like those other bars; I’m superior, I’m better!” Ironically, the food here is just as terrible as in any bar and any Artcaffe Café, maintaining its not-so-proud legacy. If you enjoy Artcaffe’s food, it might just mean you’ve never tasted anything better—and we totally get it.
As if the subpar food wasn’t enough, they also throw in a side of discrimination. Apparently, expats are the preferred clientele here.
One patron noted that the wait staff ditched them to serve the favored guests who just walked in. I witnessed this myself at the original Artcaffe Gastrobar in Westlands Square. There’s a new one at Imaara Mall along Mombasa Rd, where I doubt there are many “preferred clientele,” so you might escape discrimination there—but I’m guessing the bad food is still a consistent theme.
Read More: Artcaffe Gastro Bar Menu, Pricing & Review
6. Red Ginger
Red Ginger is, in my opinion, the definition of average Indian food. Not average in a bad way, but in a “why all the hype?” kind of way. There are plenty of Indian spots like Open House, Mint Shack, Barbeque Nation, Mayura, and Clay Oven that are just as good, if not better.
Yet somehow, everyone acts like Red Ginger is the holy grail of Indian cuisine. Look, there’s nothing wrong with average food, but what really kills it for me is the terrible service. For the average native Kenyan diner, you basically have to beg to be noticed, and that’s what I can’t stand.
It’s the same vibe you get at Artcaffe Gastrobar – that subtle discriminatory energy that inspired me to write the very article you should check out after this: Discrimination in Nairobi Restaurants: It’s Time We Talk About It.
Red Ginger might be the most overhyped restaurant on the Kenyan internet, and when you see who’s doing the hyping, you’ll understand.
Cultiva got a lot of hype too, but at least there it’s deserved. I can give a nod to that place.
The two stars I gave them are for good pricing and okayish food, credit is given where deserved.
6. The Carnivore
If you’re up for paying tourist prices for average local food, by all means, visit the Carnivore. I get it—it’s iconic and world-famous, and everyone wants to say they’ve been. Sure, they used to serve game meat, but since the 2004 ban, you’re looking at farm-raised ostrich and crocodile, which hardly scream “wild.” Plus, you can get those at other places like Fogo Gaucho, where the meat is not only cheaper but a bit juicier. The Carnivore? Mostly dry.
And let’s talk price—KSh 4,800 for a buffet? Sure, it’s all-you-can-eat, but that’s steep. Fogo Gaucho does the same thing for KSh 3,000, with unlimited sides, salads, and desserts. At the Carnivore, it’s just unlimited meat—so if you want to pay extra for dryness, go ahead.
Read More: The Carnivore Restaurant Nairobi Review, Menu & Pricing
5. Yunion
Yunion just opened at GTC Mall, joining PILI, a family-friendly Halal restaurant. Yunion’s thing is all-day brunch, which makes it stand out—because why limit brunch to mornings when you can drag it out all day?
Their menu? It’s like a world tour gone wrong—Indian, Mexican, American, Persian. It doesn’t commit to any one cuisine. It’s like they threw a dart at a map and picked dishes at random; just throw a bunch of dishes together and hope for the best.
The food? Let’s just say I had brunch there, and it wasn’t awful, just aggressively average. The waffles and pancakes were so dense like made of concrete instead of dough, and even the chicken something hard to mess up was a letdown here.
But it’s a new restaurant, and like all new places, it’ll take time for the pots and pans to settle in and the chefs to figure out what they’re doing. Hopefully, Yunion will get it together because the rest of the place is quite nice.
3. Mercado
As the name implies, Mercado is a Mexican restaurant, but the only thing I can fault it for is the food. It’s not bad or terrible—just about as exciting as watching paint dry. It’s highly rated and affordable, which is a plus, but I’ve definitely had better Mexican food at places that don’t even pretend to be Mexican.
So, if you’re in the mood for an “okay” meal, Mercado fits the bill—just don’t expect fireworks tacos and burritos.
2. Honey & Dough
Honey and Dough was voted the most overrated Nairobi restaurant so you know I’m not being personal here, never been there but that is what everyone agreed on, possibly the reason why they “closed down” or just rebranded to the present-day Botanica
Read More: What Really Happened to Honey & Dough Nairobi?
1. Ankole Grill Kilimani
Overpriced food that’s barely tolerable, and the drinks? Even worse. I consider this place the most overrated, simply because it’s ridiculously expensive for what I’d call average food at best. The 4.5-star reviews baffle me—personally, I’d struggle to give it 3 stars. I have no idea why everyone seems to love it, but in my book, it’s officially crowned the most overrated.
The service? Slow and terrible in my experience. They get orders wrong most of the time, charge you an arm and a leg, and their steaks? Doneness is a suggestion, and seasoning is an afterthought. I’ve only tried the Kilimani branch, and while I can’t speak for Kitisuru, both locations are rated equally high for reasons beyond me.
In short, just average food at not-so-average prices. Ankole Grill is the last place I’d recommend for a grill joint. If you’re after good steaks, try The Local Grill at Village Market or Grill Shack at Westgate. Both are better options, and you won’t feel like you’re being robbed.
It’s not even that great, but it seems to hold the title of “the nice restaurant” for some reason. I’ve never been impressed. You’ll pay a lot for portions that seem to be on a diet themselves.