The Carnivore Restaurant

About

The Carnivore is Nairobi's legendary open-fire meat restaurant, famous for serving game meats on giant Maasai swords. Expect the smell of woodsmoke and slow-roasting meat before you even reach the door. Ideal for first-time visitors or anyone celebrating something worth remembering.

The Carnivore has fed Nairobi since 1980, and its reputation is fully earned. The concept is simple: waiters carry swords loaded with roasted meats directly to your table. They carve and serve until you surrender by lowering a small white flag. The menu rotates but often includes crocodile, ostrich, and Boer sausage alongside beef and lamb. The open-pit fire at the center burns through the entire service. Portions are generous and the pace is unhurried. The setting on Langata Road puts you close to Nairobi National Park, which adds a certain logic to the experience. Groups eat well here. Solo diners and couples do too. Go hungry and allow at least two hours.

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