This is a review of Java House which is a chain of cafes throughout Nairobi and other major cities. It is by far the most mainstream and established coffee shop. At least every neighborhood and mall has a location.
Java is not just a cafe, but a restaurant cafe; as it also offers a diverse menu for everything from breakfast, brunch, and lunch to dinner. This makes it more relevant and it is always packed at all times
A Summary of Java House Ratings
All aspects of Java House will be rated individually and a final score will be the average of everything.
Ambiance Score: ★★★☆☆(3)
Value Rating: ★★★★★(5)
Food Rating: ★★★★☆(4)
Service Score: ★☆☆☆☆(1)
Java House Locations
Nairobi CBD: ●Mama Ngina, ●Uniafric, ●Kimathi Street, ●Standard Street, ●Monrovia Street, ●Embassy House, ●Phoenix,
Malls: ●Two Rivers, ●TRM, ●Garden City, ●Green Span, ●South Field, ●Airport View, ●Capital Centre, ●ABC Place, ●Ciata, ●Galleria, ●Junction Mall, ●Prestige Plaza, ●Rosslyn Riviera, ●Westlands Square, ●Highway Mall,
Places & Neighborhoods: ●JKIA, ●South C, ●Lunga Lunga, ●Mbaghathi Way, ●Waiyaki Way, ●Agha Khan Dr, ●Adams Arcade, ●Yaya Centre, ●Parklands Rd, ●Gigiri, ●Hurlingham, ●Karen, ●Reinsurance Plaza, ●KMA, ●Lavington, ●Lenana Rd, ●Valley Arcade, ●Nairobi Hospital, ●MP Shah, ●Shell Kilimani, ●Gertrudes Muthaiga, ●Kileleshwa, ●Orbit Place
Pricing & Value
Rating: ★★★★★(5)
Pricing: ＄-＄＄, Affordable.
You can have a decent meal and get full with a budget of under KSh 1,000, which is a good value seriously, I couldn’t find one overpriced thing, thus the 5-star here
Food quality is okay and so are the portions. Don’t get me wrong portions are not by far the most generous, but they are decent to at least make you feel like you ingested something.
Menu & Food Score (ToasterMeter)
ToasterMeter is just my goofy scale of rating every food or drink item at different restaurants, nothing too serious here but I’m serious about it.
Below is at a glance summary placement of each item ever tried. A detailed review of each is just a couple of scrolls below
Food & Drink Review By Item
Java House food game is just good enough and better than most average cafes of its class. Their food is consistent at different times and branches, like you know what to expect and the flavor profiles are balanced.
1. Coffee & Beverages
Rating 7/10
Now coffee is the main reason why Java exists, I’m not a coffee snob but I find it good enough; it tastes like coffee. This didn’t stop me from making a post on 10+ Common Types of Coffee Drinks: Know Your Coffee
You will get most of the coffee drinks discussed in that post at Java House and get even more customization. Lemme stop talking about coffee before I embarrass myself further
The breakfast menu is good and big enough with decent options from bakery to hot beverages and any sides you would like
Drinks are good and I would recommend most milkshakes, especially salted caramel, and fruit juices tho are not that good.
2. Samosas
Rating: 6/10
Their giant samosas are pretty average and probably one of the iconic things about Java House. You choose between beef and chicken, and beef is the better of the two
On the giant samosas, yes they are big but they are hyped for the size, they don’t taste that outstanding, just okay; they are however kickier upon a squeeze of a lemon wedge.
Read more: The KSh 280 Java House Samosa is Overrated
3. Loaded Fries
Rating: 5/10
Loaded fries are probably one of the worst menu items I have ever ordered from Java, yes these dries are literally loaded with everything necessary but the cheese, cheese is non-existent so they don’t qualify as really loaded fries to me,
Read Full Review: Java House Loaded Fries Are a Joke
4. Pastries
Pastries are normally a miss for the most part, there is nothing to write home about, they are just not good especially if you have had better elsewhere.
Croissants are just a mess and I hesitate to call them croissants. They have zero flakiness in them. If you want real deal croissants in Nairobi then you should check out Le Grenier à Pain a French Bakery that is in Riverside, Gigiri, Westlands and Kilimani
Read: Le Grenier à Pain Nairobi Menu and Restaurant Review
The cinnamon roll tasted off and was a little different from the standard cinnamon roll, was dry in some places and soft in others, didn’t taste very homogeneous, plus didn’t have those good flaky layers, Artcaffe has better equivalent pastries if you really into these.
5. Others
Their to-go ice creams are okay and the cookies are excellent, so good almost as good as the Subway ones.
Burgers are well done; you don’t get the luxury of choosing the doneness level if you care for that but they are actually decent.
Cake slices are good, but they lack variety, good thing they are on sale most of the time; buy one get one free type of thing. They are creamy and moist, probably better than any cake slices you will ever get from a supermarket bakery section
The Dawa Drink is perhaps the best thing to ever come out from Java House
Read More: The Java House Dawa Drink is Actually Epic
Ambiance & Atmosphere
Rating: ★★★☆☆(3)
The atmosphere is as average as it gets and almost non-existent, particularly in the older branches located in the Nairobi CBD.
On the other hand, the newer branches boast a contemporary and appealing design. However, there’s a consistent overcrowding which takes away from the overall ambiance.
The furniture quality is just average. While it’s suitable for gatherings, the seating arrangements feel cramped and the entire vibe is just overhearing other people’s conversation especially since overcrowding is inevitable.
Service
Rating: ★☆☆☆☆(1)
Probably one of the worst services every time, regardless of the branch. Starting with the insane wait time, and waitresses with a touch of attitude, Java House is really nailing it in subpar service.
Expect average service at best( if fate smiles on you). I can sum it up as get a seat and you will wait up to 10 minutes before a waitress ” notices” your existence and approaches you to take your order, and you will have to wait up to 30 minutes to have your order ready. Java House is the last place you should visit if you’re starving
Final Thoughts
Rating: ★★★☆☆(3)
The final score fates Java House as an average restaurant cafe. Just like all restaurants, there isn’t a perfect one, it is normally a pull between the good and the bad
Summing up the experience, the food is average to okay, the value leaves wallet content, and the menu has a wide variety.
The ambiance, however, seems to have missed a step, residing in the realm of ‘just okay.’ Now, when it comes to service, well, let’s just say it deserves an encore in improvement and serious help
