The Safari Grill

First time there was a great experience and enjoyed the food. The service was just perfect and the waitress was very helpful and explained to us their menu very well. I loved the food that I had ordered! A southern burger, so good and juicy meat with lettuce, tomatoes, green chile, cheese and to top it off avocados. My mom ate a Mishkaki Skewers, she choose chicken and it came with the slaw that was also very different but good! To top it off I ordered a coconut and mango ice cream and I gotta say, best ice cream by far. This place very good totally worth the try to go and try it! I also found out they have wifi, catering and delivery. Which for me is just perfect and I can’t wait to go again!

If I could give this place more than five stars, I would. I walked in here right as they were closing, I got confused on the hours, but Noreen managed to squeeze me in at the last minute. And I’m glad she did because I had one of the most heartwarming experiences of my life. I’ll start with the food first, I had the beef skewer tacos with cassava fries. The meat was so tender and flavorful, this place definitely knows how to use their spices. This is the part that will stick with me for the rest of my life. Noreen sat down and had dinner with me and she opened up herself to me and now I know why the food was so delicious, she and her son cook with passion. She walked me through the history of the restaurant and how they started off as a food truck first, what they expect for the future and some of the difficulties that comes with running your own restaurant. I’ve never had someone be so open and honest about life that it made me think of all the things I took for granted. She’s a hard-​working and passionate woman and I couldn’t of asked for a more perfect evening. Thank you, Noreen, I am forever grateful! :)

Lucky me to find this gem. I stumbld in this humble place by accident, but was pleasantly surprised. The owner and staff were get at explaining the food and we’re very helpful, but the food was even better. We Tried the beef mishkaki, gyro and the short ribs. The food was great, we will definitely be back soon

Well worth the 7 mile route deviation (road trip!) off of I-​40 for a unique lunch. We started with the samosas (1 chicken and 2 southwest) I had the steak skewer tacos and hubby had the steak Mishkaki Skewers. Curry corn! Yum. Only complaint– the Diet Dr. Pepper fountain drink didn’t taste quite right. Excellent customer service.
Note: They will be moving to a new bigger location very soon.
We will be back next time we drive through NM.

First and foremost, the service is personal and exceptional. It feels as if you’re visiting friends rather than going to a restaurant. The food is amazing. The veggie samosas are made of dreams and the chicken ones are just as fabulous. My infant son loves the curry corn. And I love mixing it with their rice bowls. It is a place I go to again and again.

This place is still amazing! It’s consistent… which is what I seek when I try restaurants. The samosas are delicious and hot. All of the meat dishes are tender. The safari burger is top notch. It’s tasty and huge! I recommend adding cheese. The curry corn is SO good. Try the inferno sauce. Everything here is SO delicious and made with passion. You can taste the difference. Plus, you don’t leave feeling disgusted and weighed down like you do at many restaurants. If you haven’t tried it… I’m not sure what you’re waiting for. Bill, the owner, is there and he will school you in the food.

Tiny place but REALLY BIG FLAVOR!!! Will so be back to the West side of town for this little gem!!!

Meeeehhhhhhh. I was disappointed. While the samosas were tasty, the gyros were definitely lacking. Everyone at the table thought they were a bit greasy, dry, and lacked flavor.
I may go back and try something else from the menu. I did like the cassava fries – nice paleo option!

Pretty wonderful. As others have noted, it’s not traditional African, rather Tanzanian/​New Mexican/​Indian fusion food a breed all of its own. I got all 3 of the samosas to start (Each was delicious, but the southwest was a particular favorite). I also got the Chicken Skewer Tacos with the yucca fries. All had well defined flavors and were cooked perfectly.
Of special note is the kindness and passion of the people behind the counter. They love their food and they want you to love it too.
Only thing that I thought was a bummer was that the iced tea was on tap. This is really only a small nitpick but for people like me a little goes a long way in that regard. I always love when unique spots like this have a unique iced tea to go along with the food.
I’ll definitely be back next time I’m in town.

Very unpretentious place where your treated like good friends. The influences of Tanzanian, South African, New Mexican and especially Indian are very unique and totally tasty. If you like food that is drenched in flavor (other than salt & pepper) you will be in heaven here!
If you’re looking for something different that place has what your looking for at great prices, too.
I had the Safari Bowl, with marinaded shrimp and beef, wonderful. Filled with yummy rice and curry corn.

Chips and Salsa was great. The chips are the ultra thin type like at Chili’s and they come sprinkled with this amazing seasoning. You dont even need the salsa, which is also good.
Also tried the Somosa Mix and it was ok, nothing special in my opinion.
Got the Steak Sandwich with Yuca fries and it was awesome. The Steak Sandwich is pretty much the tacos only with a bun instead and the flavor was truly great. Yuca fries also have the same seasoning as the chips and great when dunked in the sauce that comes with the sandwich. Yuca fries taste pretty much like regular fries, but also similar to purple sweet potato fries.
Also friend got a side of Fried Okra (also came with that seasoning) and that takes Okra to the next level.
I will be back for an order of chips and salsa, steak sandwich, yuca fries and side of fried okra.

Went here for lunch today and had amazing food! One of the owners, Norleen, sat us down and explained everything on the menu! She made recommendations and made sure we were given the best food! We had samoas, skewer tacos, curry corn, Indian fish and chips, and yuca fries! Wow!!! All made fresh and from scratch! So good. Can’t wait to go back and try other dishes! Norleen was a sweet lady who sat with us and chatted about the history of the restaurant! Support local food!!!

My husband and I were in the area around lunch time, and decided to give this place a try, and we were so happy we did. The owner was so friendly, and her son was our server. Very knowledgeable about the menu, and really wonderful at explaining exactly what to expect to someone who hasn’t experienced «East African Indian Cuisine.» Wow, do yourself a favor, EAT HERE. So good.

Finally!!!
i am always in search of good food from the Indian subcontinent diaspora. As people from the subcontinent have travelled, they have absorbed the flavours of their adopted homelands, combined them with their own cooking sensibilities and traditions, and created foods that are unique and tasty. For this reason, I was excited when I first heard of the Safari Grill, serving food from Tanzania, which is influenced strongly by a history of migration from India.
While I have been hearing wonderful things about this restaurant ever since it opened, until Thursday evening, I had not had the chance to eat there. And it was not for lack of trying. The first time I tried, I wound up getting lost in the maze of parking lots for corporate chains that surround this local restaurant. The next two times, I made it there, only to find the restaurant closed for the day. I was beginning to thin that it was not meant to be.
But it was!
At the urging of my dining companion, who raved about the food and the friendliness of the owners [“They remembered me and even made me a delicious veggie coconut curry even though it was not on the menu”], I made one more effort.
And thank heavens I did.
After making my way through the seemingly endless parking lots [I must be doing something wrong here!], I found the restaurant. Upon entering, we were greeted with friendly smiles and an expanded selection of local brews.
We started with an appetizer sampler, consisting of veggie samosas, calamari, and friend okra, accompanied by a variety of sauces. I loved me their inferno sauce, which is made from a combination of thai and habanero chiles– I put it on everything I ate.
For my main entrée, I had the Indian Style Fish and Chips. The Fish is actually a perfectly grilled piece of salmon. Again and again, I have been to restaurants, even fancy ones, and found my salmon to have been overcooked, which is, as far as I am concerned, one of the deadly sins. However, this salmon was perfectly grilled. Flaky on the outside, and juicy and pink on the inside. Sublime. I had with the fish the curried corn, which was a tad one note for me– until I spiced it up with their inferno sauce! My companion had the gyro and the daal. The daal, in particular, was delicious. I appreciated the whole mung beans in it. Highly recommended.

Not sure what the fuss is about. I had chicken skewers which were certainly tasty but not enough to rave about. I had the creamed corn — an acquired taste apparently. My husband had the short ribs which were meh at best. He wouldn’t eat them. The food and «ambience» were not enough to bring us back.

Amazing customer service and amazing food. I highly recommend this place. It’s different than what most people are use to and that is a good different. Amazing place for family and friends to hang out.

Great customer service and delicious food! Seriously though, the food is absolutely incredible! I especially love the chicken skewers. Also, the entire staff is super friendly and very attentive. Safari Grill is one of my favorite restaurants in the ABQ area by far.

We walked in and were immediately greeted by a enthusiastic individual (owner/​chef). This started what turned out to be a very good lunch experience. He explained the menu selection and asked questions to provide some advice. We started off with samosas, per Unilocaler advice. They had a great southwestern flavor and will definitely be something I crave in the future. The fried zucchini was satisfying along with the samosas. We then moved on to the mashkaki beef skewer and the curry corn. The beef was tender with a nice flavor. The curry corn was everything we expected and more. I can see why this side dish was recently featured in the local food magazine. Support this local restaurant and give it a try.

Need something new and different to do on a Saturday night after getting your drunk on? Instead of the usual drive through burger duo, elevate your fried choices and hop on over to the Safari Grill. You know, after the drink has gone, the old taste buds long for a bit of fried anything and there is nothing better than a mouth full of deep fried goodness from the Safari Grill. So many choices and so little of the night left, but, I made the best of it. I went for the Triple Platter, Sizzling Calamari and just to balance it out with something not so deep fried, I picked the Curry Corn (think cream corn). I thank myself for coming up with this idea, just fantastic.
The Triple Platter included veggie samosas, fried okra and some zucchini chips bigger than a baby’s fist. Pretty honkin’ big. All were fried to perfection. The samosas were absolutely wonderful, crisp and flakey, veggies inside were so flavorful. Three different dipping sauces were provided — don’t ask, I don’t know. All I know is that they were all good. Fried okra was good especially after I drenched it in Ranch dressing. Anything is good in Ranch dressing – my finger… anywho… The breading on the calamari was just the right consistency and so mouth-​wateringly tasty with the spiciness of red pepper. Now, the pièce de résistance was the curry corn. It was so sweet and delectable with red and green peppers. The creaminess of the curry produced such an abundance of goodness in my mouth, I didn’t want to swallow. Nice and hot right off the stove or microwave, whatever, but perfect. I loved it, could have picked it up and poured it down my throat.
And to top it off, I met the owner, Bill, who was so gracious and humble. Go see him, he’s a delight too. Safari Grill along with Bill deserve your attention even if you don’t have your drink on. Wonderful, beautiful food.

Unilocal provided us a great choice again!
We were passing by Albuquerque on a road trip and decided to stop by here for lunch following the amazing reviews. We got the veggie samosas and fried okra for appetizers — both excellent choices — the samosas really reminded us of samosas in india. Two of us got the veggie burger with the cassava fries and curried corn and really liked them. We also got the veggie special of the day with the tortilla and pilaf rice and the veggie tacos and were delighted! I’ll definitely go here again if I happen to be at Albuquerque!

Ok, so, this has been one of my hardest reviews I have had to write. It’s been really hard to decide 4 or 5 stars, but my review will explain why it dropped instead of gained the last star. Me and the hubs planned to go when we heard it was possibly closing soon. We have both worked in some local spots, and one of those places closed on us, so we know the struggle and stress and pressure of being in that boat. Walking in there is only a few tables and few bar stools, nice, I like small and cozy. The art on the wall and the animal statutes everywhere were really neat looking. The owner came to seat us and walked us through the entire menu, she was super sweet. We ordered an appetizer and each an entrée. The food didn’t take very long at all to come out, it was hot and fresh and very delicious. Everything came out as ordered, small mix up of our sides but that wasn’t a problem as we were sharing everything anyways so we can taste it all. We ordered the appetizer platter with 2 beef samosas, tamadoori wings, and zucchini chips. The chicken safari bowl with fried okra, and the beef tacos with curry corn, than took the pudding dessert home. My favorite part was the wings, my least favorite was the corn. Now, onto why this place dropped the star. I get it, it’s super stressful right now if your that close to losing your business, but you shouldn’t ever let your customers see it, or at least try not to let them see it. We heard an entire conversation about the hardships right now as we waited to order, and about how the waitress took a break without telling anyone. It made us so uncomfortable. Honestly if it were not for the event to help out, we would’ve left. The conversation was being held within 20 feet of us, and again, I get it, but maybe consider going outside to take a call like that. Would I go here again if it stays open? Yes certainly, but I would only order it to go. I’m glad I saw the atmosphere, it’s cute, but I rather just enjoy it in my own home. The tortillas get soggy kind of fast in the tacos, so if you order to go maybe see if you can just have them on the side.

So GOOD! We were there for dinner a couple of nights ago. The owner of the place was there and she was the one taking care of us as we had an awesome dinner. We started with the samosas (beef, chicken, veggies) and they were delicious. So flavorful and crunchy and just fantastic. I ordered the safari burger — so flavorful and juice. My friends had the tacos and the skewers which were just as great as my awesome burger. Definitely going back. Definitely a gem!

Walking in, one would never know the culinary delights in store. The food is fantastic all around with an amazing blend of spices and quality ingredients.
We started with the marinated chicken Samosa, which was crisp and delicious. I ordered Indian Style Fish and chips while my companion went with the beef skewer tacos. The fish was fantastic with an excellent tomato and curry flavored sauce, while the tacos were terrific. The skewered beef had a beautiful flavor to it.
We also tried an order of the Curry Corn. Best. Corn. Ever. This is the first time in my life I have ordered corn and said «wow» after tasting it.
Best of all, this is an inexpensive eatery, so as easy as the food is on the tongue, it is also easy on the wallet.

I should have revisited sooner. My first visit wasn’t much to write about, my second though was top notch.
With their unique blend of spices the fried zucchini is worth having anytime. Perfect amount of breading. At first I though my serving of salmon was a little small, maybe 6 ounces, but for less than $ 10 it turns out to be an ideal portion. The slaw on the side was zippy, tangy, with just a touch of heat.
Granted, they don’t have a great location, but its worth the time to find this little gem and try ’ out.

We were originally heading to Five Guys when we spotted this gem out of the corner of our eye and since they had craft beer, this place won out. Am I glad that it did! It’s small but personalized and the staff couldn’t have been more friendly if they tried. They were so eager to suggest different plates that I might like. We wound of trying the Samosas (DELICIOUS), had the short ribs (PERFECTION), and the bowl with fried okra and yucca fries. The flavors within the dishes were stellar and I don’t recall the last time I thoroughly enjoyed every course of a meal quite so much. There were so many unique flavors that melded together making it a really unique cuisine adventure. After speaking with the owner, I found out that they’re in danger of closing so if I ask you anything, fellow Unilocalers, it’s to come to this restaurant and SHOW SOME LOVE. Not only is the food spectacular and made with love but it’s a great business with honest people running it. I already am planning my next trip back.
Also, they have a Gofundme Page here:
Help Support, please!

AMAZING!
I definitely recommend people to stop by and try the food here! Ever since I walked in I had a smile on my face. The food is very delicious with amazing flavor! The attention they give you here is very unique, I have never gotten this type of attention at any other restaurant. Definitely worth a visit!!!

Amazing, amazing place!!! I started off with the Samosas — incredible! All the flavors are THE BOMB!!! Try the assortment. The sauces are equally amazing! SO DAMN GOOD!!!
The chicken Skewers are INSANE!!! The flavors are incredible!!!
I’m addicted to fried okra, and this was the best!!!
I LOVE THIS PLACE!!! I’m trying to be really «strict» with 5 star ratings, but this place is the real deal :-D

I was reluctant to review Safari Grill because of the fear of others finding out about this wonderful gem in Albuquerque. I have literally driven by this restaurant hundreds of times and had no idea of what I was missing!!! Beware it is a bit small (although they now have patio seating) so if you have a large group grab their take out.
The staff are SO nice, informative and helpful! The aroma from the kitchen can be smelled in the air of the parking lot drawing you into an amazing meal!
The sangria with Samosas was a wonderful start to our meal. Plus the chips and salsa are not your normal chips and salsa (in a good way)! I don’t even think you need the salsa because the chips are great alone. The African Short ribs melted in my mouth. The flavor and care put into these ribs was noticeable and appreciated! You must ordered these! Plus the Curry Corn is a nice blend of Indian and African cuisine. The Mishkaki Skewers of chicken and beef with the cassava fries amazing! The chicken and beef were seasoned and grilled to perfection! Plus the dipping sauces are a great addition to the proteins!
The Safari Grill is the perfect fusion of African, Indian and New Mexican culture, flavored and cuisine! I have been thinking about the food since we left there which says a lot about the food. This place is definitely one my favorites right now! Super small business and a local family by trying Safari Grill and becoming just as addicted to their food as I am!

WOW.
This place is out of this world delicious with customer service that matches. I try to eat here one a week.
Recommended:
Mamosa
Ribs
Chicken
Fish and chips
Mmmmmm my mouth is watering just thinking about the food.

I had a Groupon for this place because I wanted to check it out and boy am I happy that I did! The food here is AMAZING — a wonderful mix of Indian, North African and New Mexican — probably a few more spices thrown in there for good measure. My boyfriend had the sliders and the meat seasoning reminded me of my grandmother’s Greek meatballs. I had steak which had been marinated and cooked on a grill, inside a pita bread with slaw and fried okra — to die for! We also started out with an order of Samosas and I have to say they were some of the best I’ve ever had.
They have a beer and wine license and one thing I love about this place is that they carry local beer and wine! Way-​to-​go Safari Grill! I love a restaurant that supports local industry.
The service was truly some of the best I’ve had anywhere and they were completely attentive and helpful the entire time we were there.
So peeps — I highly recommend this truly yummy hole-​in-​the-​wall. Their prices are decent and they have an amazing variety. Go out and try anything on the menu and I bet you will love it!

From the moment we walked into this eatery to the time we left I’m sure there were smiles on our faces.
The aromas in the air from the food being prepared to the amazing and friendly staff one cannot go wrong when chosing their next meal here.
The waitress was the sweetest I’ve ever had: explaining the history of their food and describing their main dishes helps put one at ease while reading through the menu.
We tried a few appetizers and dishes so that we could share.
Samosas, tandoori chicken wings, short ribs, beef skewers, curry corn, veggie rice pilaf and one cannot forget to try cassava fries! Delicious!
Amazing and delightful vibrant colors and flavors!
We were not disappointed! Next time we’ll add dessert!

Fun destination on the west side… We live in the valley (not a ton of selection when it comes to eating out) and found this place on a recent trek across town to peruse the costumes at the super savers thrift store. My hubby thought it was a african cuisine kind of place… maybe sit down with white table clothes… hopefully with some Ethiopian type cuisine… we were probably just remembering the inside of the old Bombay grill which used to inhabit part of the building and most likely both of us were hoping for a reincarnation of that interior with real african food.
Alas, no. The Safari Grill is a much more casual kind of place with a menu featuring sandwiches and a few specials. We both ordered the «skewer tacos». Mine a mixed beef and chicken, both spiced well and quick to deliver! The hubby had the shrimp and seemed to enjoy the dish fine.
I like the self serve drink station… but I was charged for water. No biggie. The server way very peppy and quick to offer suggestions on the menu… was surprised that we have actually heard of «gyro meat» and «samosas» and «cassava»…I guess many of the clientele there have not? I don’t know. Anyhow the food was good and we will most likely return to try a few of the other interesting fusion menu items.