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 & Dishes
Rating: ★★★★☆(4)
Java House Food Review
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
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
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
Pastries
Pastries while okay and average for the most part, there is nothing to write home about, they are not good and not terrible just as average and neutral as they are.
The cinnamon roll tasted off and was a little different from the standard cinnamon roll, the croissant 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.
Ambiance & Atmosphere
Rating: ★★★☆☆(3)
The atmosphere is lacking and almost non-existent, particularly in the older branches located in the Nairobi CBD. They are just beat up and have seen better days.
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 and outdated. 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 offerings and disappointments.
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 really starving
Also, they have preferential treatment; since some people( especially whites ) will come later and get attended to while you wait there patiently like a dog.
Maybe it is just company policy to profile customers or just a waitress’ thing because foreigners are accustomed to tipping them so I understand why that is so
Wi-Fi is available at most branches but kind of unusable especially at peak hours and charging outlets are limited, but seriously why would you use public WiFi?
In conclusion, I would say Java House service is really wanting, crippled infact. Probably one of the worst in modern civilization, from everything moving at a pace slower than a sloth, garnished with waitresses who act like they are doing you a favor by serving you.
UPDATE: ( Feb, 24) Java House service has slightly improved over the past months, still wait time is unreasonable, but at least they care to collect feedback, and the waitresses insist on it, (meaning you will be served better prior so that you give a good feedback) which is so unlike the classic Java House experience.
I’ll be back to update the rating when I truly feel like they have improved
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
