So let me just start by saying the portions here are GENEROUS. And when I say generous, I mean generous. We ordered two meals to split between two people and I think we had 8 meals between the two of us. Anyways, the restaurant itself is super easy to miss. Its right off of Cleveland Ave and if you aren't familiar with the area, you can drive right past it without noticing. Google maps does help but if you're like me and have no idea what "on your left in 1000 feet means" then best to try and look out for the sign and be prepared to make a u-turn. There is a small parking lot out front but again, very easy to miss, especially in the dark. As it is still COVID times, I can't rate the interior dining experience. I do have to admit, it didn't seem like the nicest area but the best food always comes with a journey and a story. We parked, went inside and were greeted with a wide array of tantalizing scents. The staff was friendly and had our food ready for pick up. Basic COVID measures were in place, masks, social distancing, cleanliness. With our food they included soda and bananas, more on the bananas later. We also got a couple cups of soup, so protip, ask for soup if they have some! So we took this behemouth bag of food home and finally sat down to try it. I'll start with the soup, it was such a great flavor. Heavy on the goat/lamb flavor if you've ever had that but not in any overwhelming way. It was just so flavorful! The chicken kalankal also was just bursting with spices and was a great accompaniment to the yellow rice it came with. It was a very warm dish and very reminiscient of South Asian curries. The goat cubes were also delicious, fairly tender and again all those spices and sauce was very well soaked up by the rice. There are bones that come with the goat cubes so if you aren't used to eating things with bones, be careful cause there could be little pieces here and there. Overall, the food was amazing and I'll definitely be coming back to try more dishes in the future. So about those bananas. My friend and I, being ignorant, had no idea whether the bananas were dessert, appetizers, whatever so weren't really sure how they fit into the meal. However, I do have one friend who told me he eats bananas and rice so I tried a piece of the banana with the overall dish. It actually worked really well, the sweet creaminess of the banana balanced out some of the spices from the meat very well. Whether or not I did the right thing is up to y'alls interpretation. Anyway, this was a very long review but in summary, Darbo is a great restaurant to try if you want some flavor heavy food. Also ensure you come with an empty stomach cause you can eat a meal for days! read more

Darbo’s - Chicken Kalangal Our Famous Grilled Goat Cubes - African Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Made a LONG DRIVE and wanted to eat in . Get here and it's TAKE OUT ONLY . I had tried calling the number on Yelp earlier and no one answered No where does it say take out only . Taking my business elsewhere and my tik tok live stream . So disappointed read more

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A friends and I stopped in on a voyage to eat more internationally. Our first crack at Somalian food and it was A1. You have to go in here and leave behind your American standards.... You are given a styrofoam cup full of a delicious vegetable soup, pineapple juice and a banana, yes, a banana. The soup alone is worth a trip back. After staring around at other diners we realized the banana was to be eaten with the main dish. It really cools your mouth after using the spicy red sauce. We got the lamb dish and the goat dish, both were awesome! The one complaint we have is the flies. There are just too many options to get rid of the nuisance. Other than that, friendly service, good food, we'll be back. read more

Darbo’s - Our Famous Grilled Goat Cubes - African Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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On Saturday we decided to knock out the letter "D" in the alphabet challenge. I knew where we were going to go for this one from the start because I have wanted to go for YEARS. For lunch we made our way to Durbo which is a Somalilan restaurant on Cleveland Avenue and it was delicious. When you drive by Durbo (which I did twice before I found it) it doesn't look like much. It is just a brick house tucked back off of a busy road between 2 repair shops. The internet calls it Darbo but the sign out front says Durbo so that what I am calling it. On my third time past I pulled into the parking lot and called to see if they were allowing dine in. Once it was confirmed we headed in and grabbed a table in the corner of the empty dinning room. In a few mins someone popped out of the back and saw us sitting there so immediately brought us some menus. We started looking at the menu and next thing we know the server was back with 2 cups of a scalding hot cardamom tea. Less than a minute later he made his way back with a pitcher of pineapple juice and then just after that came back with cups of a broth style soup in a cup. Once we had all of these items he stopped to ask if we were ready to order. It is just the wife and I but we always order meals for the table instead of individually so we went with the goat curry and their house special, goat with rice. We had never had goat before so it was 100% a gamble but worse case there is always fast food on the way home. "When in Rome" and all that. When they brought our entrees out it took 3 trips to bring plates for us, 2 giant heaping plates of rice, and the entrees. This was clearly going to be WAY too much food but that is what trying new places is all about, right? Now lets talk about the quality of the items from start to finish since there are SO many things. The cardamom tea was very refreshing once it wasn't the temperature of the sun but neither my wife nor I are fans of cardamom so we set it aside. This was very clearly a personal taste as you can tell that it was a quality tea. The pineapple juice is absolutely something incredible that I had never had with a meal before. It managed to complement EVERY single aspect of the meal from start to finish. We ended up drinking the whole pitcher because it was SO good. I am not sure what it is cut with to make it so good but we tried picking up some pineapple juice from the store on the way home and it wasn't even in the ballpark of Durbo's. I thought that the tea was hot but the temperature that the soup was served showed that the tea was just childs play. It took me a solid 20 mins of stirring and blowing on it to get it to a reasonable temperature, at which point I destroyed it. The soup was a broth, that I am guessing was goat broth, with green peppers, onions, and bits of goat in it. I am not generally a soup fan but I would gladly eat this any day of the week. I want to tell you that I was very hesitant to try this place because my wife isn't generally a fan of curries and the spices of the African region. We started by trying the curry and she discovered that she didn't like this curry either. I went ahead and tried it over my rice and thought that it was a very quality curry but it was very tomato heavy curry and I am not a fan of that. This was another item where you could taste the quality but it didn't fit our personal tastes so we decided to split the goat with rice between us. After the wife not liking the curry I was pretty worried that she was going to hate everything and be mad about the decision. She took one bite of goat over the rice and her eyes widened, she looked up at me with giants eyes, and said "mmmmmmmm". I was so relieved that I can't express so I dug in. This meat was AMAZING. It was tender but still had substance. It had spices that I was not able to identify in the least but it made my mouth very happy. We decided that this was a great decision and we dug in. To speak to the meal sizes we were able to finish this one entree spplit in half between us. We had to box it up and we took it home and polished it off as a snack. When they brought us bananas with our silverwear I was a little confused but they told me to put it into my leftover rice when I was done and eat it as a dessert. It was such a great idea. It combines with the savory rice to be a very chill palate clenser and sweet at the end of the meal. We got all of this food and the experience for $29 plus tip. I am not sure that I have ever had a better value for my money at a restaurant before. Overall I would give this place a solid 9/10. If you can look past the dingy exterior and make it into the building then you will find an absolute delight of a restaurant. If you are looking for something different in Columbus then I highly suggest stopping by Durbo. You won't regret it. read more

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My husband and I went here and had a great time conversing with the staff and trying Somali food for the first time. The food was so delicious and I couldn't stop eating even after I was full! Definitely would recommend! read more

Darbo’s - a plate of food on a table - African Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

One of the perks of living in Columbus is amazing ethnic restaurants like this. All of their food was incredible. So after you order your meal they have an amazing broth soup and chai tea on a table close to the kitchen. Both are incredible and things you must try. They also bring out pineapple juice in pitchers and it was actually real juice with pulp in it! As for food I ended up getting the curry goat and my wife got the grilled goat. Incredible flavor. Huge portions. Watch out that the goat has chunks of bone in it. The meals come with a huge plate of rice and plantains. They make their own hot sauce as well...and yes it is deceptively spicy as it has a green and creamy color. And every meal is under 12 dollars. This place is a steal! The owner is very friendly and mentioned he's owned this place for 10 years and has had the same cook the entire time. Definitely a place we'll go back to! read more

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The sign says "Durbo," but you're in the right place. Park... along the side, in back, wherever. And go in the side door- I couldn't get the front one to open. Inside, basic but clean. It's an old fast-food place, I think, made more homey now. Pretty standard Somali menu, with goat, chicken, etc. I stuck with something I like, curry goat. It came out fairly quickly: a deep bowl of tender goat, bone-in, in a flavorful but not-spicy stewed sauce. Tastes great, but there was more bone and fat than meat. I asked for rice and got a huge plate of vermicelli, tender, with carrots and peas, plus a small green salad. They bring pineapple juice and a banana (perfectly ripe, saved for lunch at work.) Service was good but minimal. It's a large portion for about $10. Why three stars? Well, it's "good not great." I've had better Somali food at several places in Columbus, and there are lots of interesting options nearby, so I doubt I'll be back. read more

Darbo’s - Curried goat with "rice," salad. - African Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Darbo is another gem of a restaurant that I would not have discovered on my own if it weren't for Yelp. So thank you Van S. for suggesting this wonderfully divey Somali restaurant. It's located in North Linden,on Cleveland Ave. right before Morse Rd. Not exactly the most prosperous area, but don't let the neighborhood or the restaurant's humble appearance dissuade you from dining here. Humble in appearance, but rich in flavor and hospitality - that's how I would describe Darbo. Alie (sp?), the restaurant's sole host, was extremely friendly, helpful and quick to offer food recommendations. He also kept our pineapple juice pitchers constantly refilled and even offered more rice for my entree. The excellent service combined with his infectious smile made for a wonderful dining experience. As far as the food goes, everything was delicious and portioned generously. I ordered the chicken kalankal, which came with a huge mound of Somali rice and a side salad. The chicken was well-seasoned with spices and super tender. It also had a bit of heat, which I really enjoyed. The rice was pillowy soft, long-grained and reminded me of biriyani with peas, carrots and corn mixed into it. I had a bite of my friend's curry goat, which was fall-off-the-bone tender and very delicious as well. read more

Darbo’s - Curry goat - African Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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I'm giving Darbo 5 stars mainly cause their free soup is off the chain. But for $5 bucks I got a vegetarian meal and it included rice with potatoes, a side salad, free amazing soup, free pineapple drink, a banana... All that stuff for $5 bucks. Crazy right? I love Somali rice and drizzle a little bit of the soup on top is where it's at! Chicken Kalankal is my new favorite! read more

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One of the great things about Columbus is the number and diversity of African restaurants. There is something for everyone, and in most cases, multiple options for any number of styles. If you are a little dubious about heading into a modest-looking African restaurant, know that you are going to be treated right. Darbo is no exception. The building is modest, but clean and bright. There is a TV showing football (soccer) news, and the staff are super friendly. There is complementary soup (!) and tea available near the kitchen, so you can enjoy a little goodness while you're waiting for your meal. The staff here are super-friendly and welcoming, and are quick to answer questions or make a recommendation. They also give you a complementary pitcher of juice if you're dining in. We came here for dinner, and were immediately greeted and seated. When I asked, "what's good today?" our server immediately asked what kind of food we liked (meat, rice, etc.) and told us, "don't worry, I'll bring you the best food!" We ended up with Chicken Ala Diabla (spicy chicken legs with rice and salad), Curry Goat, and Chicken Kalangal (grilled chicken). Feeling like something more American? They have regular grilled chicken, and chicken, beef and fish sandwiches. Everything was done nicely, and all the sauces brought out the flavors of the veggies and proteins, that all-day simmer you want in a stew or brushed over your grilled meat. HUGE portions, too - you know you've got two meals coming to you, and my diabla was just as good the next day. Yet another great Somali restaurant on Columbus' list. read more

Darbo’s - Lunch & dinner menu - African Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Absolutely amazing food, portions and service at a reasonable cost. The chicken shawarma is mind boggling good cannot recommend enough. Everything we got was delicious read more

This place is a hidden gem of Columbus. I wanted to try something new and my boyfriend took me here. For some reason it's called Darbo but the sign on the building says "Durbo's." We decided to get the KK chicken and curry goat. They have pictures of their food on the wall above the counter if you don't know what to get. Since this was my first time eating African food I can't judge the authenticity, but I can tell you that the flavors are rich and comforting. I love stews so I preferred the curry goat but both were still delicious and I want to come back and try other dishes soon! Along with your meal when dining in, you get pineapple juice, bananas, hot tea, and soup! Yay! The pineapple juice was really sweet and I wouldn't normally drink it, but it was a surprising fresh contrast to the hot food. The tea tasted like there was cinnamon in it and was also sweet. I soup tasted strongly of the goat that was in it, I really liked it. There was a man that was working when we were there and he friendly and was happy to see me try their food. read more

Darbo’s - KK chicken in front, curry goat in the back! - African Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Back in February my husband and I started the Alphabet Challenge (visiting a local restaurant for each letter of the alphabet). For "D" we came to Durbo and had the Goat Curry and the Goat with Rice. Delicious soup to start the meal and the pineapple juice was incredibly refreshing. I loved the Goat with Rice but didn't really care for the curry- but I don't usually like curry so it's a "me" thing and no fault of the restaurant. My husband absolutely loved it. I had never eaten goat before and was a little nervous but it looked and smelled amazing when they sat the dish in front of me and I dove right in. It was incredible. I also don't know what was in the cup of soup that we were served but I loved it (once it cooked down enough to eat- it was served so steaming hot we had to give it a few minutes). The staff was so friendly and the restaurant was very clean and comfortable. I cannot recommend them highly enough. read more

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The portion sizes here are huge! The food a wonderful flavor, give it a try... the meal I ordered came with curry rice, grilled onions and peppers and tons of fried goat. Also got a banana and bottle of water free.... read more

Darbo’s - Fried Goat - African Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

I believe fate and/or destiny led me to find Darbo today. For lunch I was looking for something in particular I just wasn't sure what yet. I pulled out my phone to search nearby restaurants on Yelp. Easton after Easton spot comes up which, unless I need to quickly get back to the office, just isn't me. From there I relied on instincts and my gut to guide me through this lost and confused moment in my life. I immediately head to the Northland area prowling down Cleveland Ave north to south. "Been there, been there. Crap, I shoulda turned down Morse Rd." Now entering Linden, I'm beginning to lose hope until I drive by a restaurant that catches my attention. "Did that sign say African and Italian restaurant? What a head turning combination." I pulled into the small parking lot. I sat nervously in my car profiling the establishment: nondescript, minimal signage, ethnic (in this case African), matching clientele walking in. With it being a cold and snowy day I knew behind those doors would be some form of warm stewy goat goodness. Check, check...double check. "I think this is the one". I head inside. The sign says "Durbo", but the Yelp site says "Darbo" as does some of the items in the restaurant. I walk to the counter and look over the menu items displayed with pictures on the wall above. I ask the lady working at the counter for her recommendations. Sensing my anxiety facing such a crucial decision, she matched me to the goat curry with curry rice and pineapple juice to drink. Oh yeah, about the "Italian" on the exterior sign - they have two pasta dishes on the menu, otherwise it's Somali fare. I sat myself down in the clean but minimally decorated dining area. They're certainly not looking to create any ambiance outside of "sit and eat here" which is just fine by me. I noticed on a table alongside the wall are complimentary tea and soup for patrons to help themselves to. The tea was well spiced but a little sweet for me. I believe the soup was made with goat stock, with slivers of white onions, and fat/oil globules floating on the top, but otherwise well strained. It was a bit salty, but still tasty and best of all free. I was brought out a small pitcher(!) of pineapple juice, a banana (because why not?), and hot sauce. Shortly thereafter my food arrived. A heaping mound of curry rice on a plate with a small serving of salad. In a separate bowl was a generous amount of curried goat. The salad was just iceberg lettuce with a vinaigrette. It was a nice contrast, but nothing special. The rice had a rich curry and almost buttery flavor. The curry goat filled the void I was looking for - bone-in chunks of semi-tender goat in a thick rich broth. It actually had a little less of a curry flavor than the rice, and relied on a complex blend of herbs and spices. I can't point out all that was in there, but I believe cloves were included. The hot sauce was unnecessary for added flavor, but was still nice. It had a slight sweetness and was a little hotter than what I would call medium. I was checked on twice by the very pleasant staff to make sure everything was to my liking. I was never handed a bill, nor did I order from a proper menu, so when I walked up to the counter to pay I fully expected a $15+ lunch for the sheer amount of what was included. She rang it up and it was only $11!!! All said and done I was guided by some mystic force to a great meal at a great price, at a fast restaurant that had nice and helpful people working in it. read more

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Met fellow Yelper Arvid for dinner. He picked this place based on several glowing reviews (thanks Van!). It was close to seven, and we were the only seated patrons during our stay. However, there was a steady stream of call ahead/take out orders being picked up. Darbo's building, and location, is rather plain and nondescript, but I'm glad we looked past that. The combination of very flavorful, well cooked food and the excellent customer service were all right on par! Ali, the gentleman working when I arrived, was a sweetheart. Personable. Friendly. Accommodating. He sat us and gave us time to decide what dish to try. Yes, as other reviews have stated, he brought us out each a banana and pineapple juice to wet the palate. I was pumped to try some goat, so I picked their Curry Goat dish. Hugh ass portion of meat and veggies! The large plate of rice was the perfect accompaniment. No problems getting it not spicy. I also tried a bite of their Chicken Kalankal, which I loved the spices used in that entree, too! read more

Darbo’s - Curry Goat with Somali rice!! - African Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

This food is really, really good. And one of the guys was really nice-- he made sure to let me know there was free tea and soup (the tea is great-- sweetened and a little spicy!). read more

Darbo’s - Grilled Chicken Steak, so good! - African Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Humble off the beaten road spot but worth a visit for sure!!! We ordered curry goat and curry chicken and had plenty for 2nd meal next day! The place was acceptably clean but could have used attention to the restroom. I would have given 5 stars but we had to fight off a fair number of flies - I think they had the door open for an extended time to invite them in!! Staff was friendly n efficient- loved the complimentary pineapple juice and banana!!!! We would definitely go again. Don't expect ambience but do expect good food at super reasonable prices. read more

The food tastes awesome. The portions are humongous, but what takes the cake are the complimentary stuff, you get free tea, soup and pineapple water. This is a great place to visit. Ambience is not great but the food more than makes up for it. read more

This place is awesome! Great food, great hospitality, great service. Ignore the location and go inside to enjoy the good food. Our group tried a lot of dishes and they were all impressive and very affordable. The curry beef kalenkal was delicious, and a huge portion that comes with your choice of curry rice or Jabati. I got the rice and it was tasty. The curry chicken was also amazing. The grilled chicken steak was juicy and flavorful! The kk beef kalenkal was also awesome. The service was pleasant and very attentive. Complimentary pineapple juice, tea, and soup are great as are the free bananas. Come check this place out, you won't regret it! read more

Darbo’s - Curry beef kalenkal! - African Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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There was a spiced tea and soup available to diners. You must try both. The spiced tea is sweet and had a wonderful kick to it. The soup was perfect for that cold day. I started off with the goat curry and as it was great - very meaty, vegetables still a little crispy, and the sauce excellent. Ended up getting an order of the grilled goat and the chicken to go. Tried the chicken when I got home and it was excellent. And You get a lot for the money. read more

Darbo’s - African Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

This was so delicious, and the owner/waiter(?) was so, so nice. Totally charming, and we will definitely be back. I think it would be a great place to bring out-of-town guests to show them what great African cuisine Columbus has. Even our 6-year-old had a great time. read more

Came because of the reviews being decent. Never going back because the experience was just stupid. I felt totally ignored and was offered honestly basic terrible fish. I tried to ask for the vegetarian meal I thought they offered but was ignored and instead offered a smaller portion of way overcooked, small and hard to eat pieces of salmon fillets I could find in better condition at the store in the frozen section. What did I pay for? I still don't know. My friend loved the lamb so this place is probably great for everything but the fish? If I didn't feel cheated, I would give this place 2 stars. We definitely didn't even get the soup that's supposed to come with every meal. read more

Extremely rude staff and owner. Never got my order. They don't seem to be interested in selling any food. Makes me wonder if the restaurant is a front for other nefarious activities. read more

The beef Kalangal is amazing! It is my favorite dish here with all of the cooked veggies with a bit of raw onion mixed in for some crunch and texture with tons of rice soooo good! I had never had Somalian food but I am so glad I found this place. The portions are huge and the service is always amazing. I tried the curry goat here as well which is served with a ton of rice and the curry has an amazing flavor. I highly recommend this as a must try here in Columbus. read more

My favorite Somali restaurant ever! All (probably most I'm not sure) of the food are $11, and the portion is large that I've never finished my meal in every single time I go there. You'll also get a complimentary jug of pineapple juice, and there's free soup and tea as well. read more

Darbo’s - African Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

The food was delicious and they provided us a place to pray. They were very friendly and great with my son. I particularly liked the beef stew, even over the chicken dish Try the tea..... Simply amazing. Don't let the looks of the plane fool you. The food surpasses any expectations of what you might expect when you get in there. read more

I loveeee coming to this place. The portions are worth the money, they're very friendly, and the food is delicious. The area of course is shady, but from the times I've been there, I've felt safe. The menu is affordable, and definitely worth the portions they give you. read more

This place is amazing. The goat is really delicious. We love coming here the service is very friendly.

I've never been to a place like Darbo Restaurant, but I can't wait to get back. I knew, or had been informed I should say, that the cuisine was a fusion of Somali and Italian tastes- which I did not and do not understand historically, culturally, or gastronomically, but I approve. The joint and its staff were friendly and welcoming, but the place was not very lively custom-wise, save for a brief period when some very excited young men came in to chat with the staff. I ordered the KK Beef Kalenkal which, pardon me, sounds like a Nintendo character. What it is, is, some sort of eerie magic wherein the clouds of heaven are harvested, infused into a cow, and turned into a food that has to be tasted- and wept over- to believe. Spicy, beefy, saucy... and full of "noodles" that were like strips of pita bread. Bread saturating in the sauce?! FUCKING. INGENIOUS. It took what would have been a great meal to dip bread into and turned that shit up to twenty-three. WAMMMMMMM Another nice touch was the free pitcher of pineapple juice. I can't really describe how nice it felt to be handed complimentary and delicious juice, without even asking for it or expecting it. It was very inviting. I have to remember to make someone take me back here. I need to relive my experience. Just writing about it is making my stomach go coyote. read more

Darbo is my favorite restaurant in all of Columbus. Last time I was here, about a week ago, I had the goat stew. I've had pretty much everything on their menu, and it's all good. I don't recommend goat stew if you're looking for spicy, though. It's clean, well decorated, and has the best tea in the world. And the tea is free, by the way. A meal here comes with a pitcher of pineapple juice. The servings are gigantic, the meat succulent, and the flavor jumping off the plate with spicyness. My friend always asks for maximum spicy, and they will prepare it to the level you want. The owner is friendly and jocular, and there is always community around. The time before last, there was a Somali gentleman hauling away trays of food for a graduation party. You know the food is good when those in the know are paying to have it at home! read more

In my (admittedly) limited experience with African restaurants I've found that they tend to be kind of stark: Harsh lighting, institutional-looking walls with just a few decorations to remind patrons of home, and functional (read ugly) furniture. Darbo, on the other hand, feels almost warm and modern inside. Add their really slick website to the mix and you end up with a Somali restaurant far more inviting to outsiders than most of its peers. That said, I've lived right up the street from Darbo for a couple years and have been meaning to try it that entire time. I'm not sure why it took my until tonight to finally give it a shot, but I'm glad I did. The service was on the slow side, but the food was good. While I was waiting for my order (I got carryout) they offered me the soup of the day. It was really impressive. It was some sort of light broth with some sort of short grain (couscous maybe?). For the life of me I couldn't figure out what the flavors in it were, but they were deep and complex. I couldn't decide between the Chicken KK and the Shawarma Chicken. Luckily at Darbo's prices, I could afford to try both. The two dishes combined could easily have made three of four meals, so I'd definitely say the portions here are generous. Chicken KK, I'm finding, is one of the most texturally satisfying dishes known to humankind. Even when the chicken is a hair tough (like Darbo's was tonight), the pleasantly chewy texture of jabati soaked in that red almost gravy-like sauce is is enough to redeem it. Having only had KK once before, I'm not entirely sure how this stacks up, but if pressed I'd probably have to say this wasn't as good as the KK I had at Banadir just because the chicken was a little over-done. The shwarama chicken was really different than what I'd come to expect from this dish. First, instead of pita they use jabati. Second, the chicken is in some sort of red sauce. Third, it had mayonnaise on it. All that said, the dish works really well. Jabati lends itself very well to sandwich making, and the red sauce and mayonnaise played well off each other. Unfortunately, like the KK, the chicken was a little tough, but in spite of that I can see myself developing a serious Darbo shawarma chicken habit. It was an excellent sandwich. With all the Somali restaurants on Cleveland Ave I haven't tried, I can't really say how Darbo stacks up against them. But, based on my experience tonight, I'd definitely recommend Darbo to anyone curious about Somali food, read more

Darbo makes me excited about Columbus, and about eating. The food is smashing, amazing, excellent. We ordered a lot ("That is going to be a lot of food, sir!" "Yes, we'll take some home!"), and almost ate it all. Chicken kalankal on a plate of canjeero bread. Tandoori-ish salmon that the salmon eater in our party (ok, my mom) said she'll "have just a bite" of, but ended up swallowing whole. Everything is fresh off the grill, and they don't skimp on ingredients. And it's not just the food. Perhaps the best brewed beverage I've ever tasted, a spiced milky tea, is available, all you can drink, free with your meal. (I think I drank enough of it to make this meal a loss for Darbo. Sorry.) If the food and the milky tea were not enough, the staff are utterly friendly, kind, and patient, and will explain everything to you without condescension. And you can have a shamefully opulent feast for two people for about $20 (or a more reasonable meal for two people for under $10). A business idea for someone: steal Darbo's chef (sorry, Darbo), make the accoutrements more into a fashionable theme restaurant, hire some old Somali guys to tell traditional folk tales to the patrons, set up shop in San Francisco, and sell these entrees for $20 instead of $8. If I knew anything about running a restaurant, I'd do exactly that. For now, I'll give Darbo five stars, and keep coming back. Darbo has wifi, so you can write me an enthusiastic note of thanks while you eat. Far from Columbus now, I am still dreaming of that tea. read more

Where to start? I was immediately greeted at the door by two employees. I asked for a menu and they thought I was new. That explain to me I could get soup or tea for free while looking over the menu. I grabbed some soup and we made small talk. They told me I should get the chicken and steak that it's really popular but I told them I wanted a goat and a lamb meal. That made their day! The food needless to say was delicious! The soup and the tea were both amazing and I'm really contemplating buying that for home. The goat meal had a little barbecue sauce on it that really changed the flavor. The lamb was made in a tomato based sauce that I had never had but it was delicious. Their rice was just okay it's not really seasoned the usual way that Somali rice is. I'll definitely pass on that next time. But everything else is absolutely delicious and the service was wonderful. Thank you for a great 1st experience with you. Sorry I can't include photos by the time I thought about it we were almost done eating! read more

Darbo is my nominee for best Somali restaurant on this often-overlooked part of Cleveland Ave. It actually serves Ethiopian and Italian dishes in addition to Somali, but the fact of it being a Somali restaurant is unmistakable. While it looks sort of like a dentist office from the outside, the interior is a small, clean restaurant with distinctly African decor. I can't comment on the breakfast menu other than to say that it is highly intriguing. My companion and I sampled a salmon dish that was perfectly cooked and seasoned with a marinade I couldn't quite place, as well as the Ethiopian dish of chicken and vegetables in a spicy tomato sauce on Injera (pancake). Good, hearty food, and none of the greasiness you find in a lot of the Somali storefronts in this neighborhood. There was a pot of excellent chai in the seating area that you could help yourself to, and they will bring a pitcher of either water or sweetened pineapple juice to your table. The entrees were around $8 and the beverages free (I think). Darbo is definitely worth seeking out for a new experience. If you're there for breakfast, let me know how it turns out! read more

Heard about Darbo from a friend who said it was "delicious, cheap & a must-try". I promptly checked Yelp for reviews & among all fantastic reviews, Matthew B's very much entertaining description of KK beef Kalenkal not only convinced us that we just had to go to Darbo but now! So we headed out there this past Sunday with great expectations & we were not disappointed! The restaurant looked like it was converted from a brick house, the inside was painted in bright orange/yellow. Just as I read, a pitcher of pineapple juice was brought to us which was refreshing & perfectly sweet! While we weren't offered milky tea, our waiter offered us veggie soup - it was lentil based soup, perfectly seasoned & velvety smooth in texture. We ordered grilled chicken steak with curry rice & of course, we just had to order KK beef kalenkal! The food was brought out within minutes, we were impressed with such speed! KKBK was just as described... Magic cloud & infused cow & all... LOL! Think beef stroganoff on crack - jabati strips were textural stars & provided wonderfully chewy bites soaked in what I think was tomato based sauce elevated by mixture of mysterious and delicious spices. Grilled chicken steak & curry rice were even better! Curry rice was well seasoned & flavored on its own, now add strips of well marinated & grilled chicken (that resembles Indian tandoori chicken but boneless & better) to your bites, now we are talking about ultimate orgy in the mouth! Portion sizes were huge & there was just no way we could finish everything. When I came home from Darbo, despite being completely stuffed, the first thing I wanted to do was attack the left overs, LOL! All that food for about $8-$9 each, I really struck gold! I just wish I had found this place sooner! read more

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Well, I came back to Darbo, as promised. This visit was pretty much the same as last time, so I figured I should elaborate on some of the finer points I didn't' mention in the last review. The atmosphere is hit and miss. On the one hand, its quite cute inside. Looks just like the website - bright yellow walls, natural wood accents, nice art, spacious tables. On the other hand, both times I've gone its been so quiet and empty! It seems that a lot of customers get takeout. A little music would really help it seems less 'dead' - or maybe a TV? I ordered different things - zigni canjeera and goat stew. The zigni was excellent. Spicy veggie and meat stew, topped with a boiled egg, and served on a soft bed canjeera bread (which is similar to Ethiopian anjera). The goat stew was pretty disappointing - chucks of goat meat on the bone, floating in a thin, flavorless broth, joined by a few pitiful bites of white onion and green pepper. Go for the curry goat instead. They serve a spicy condiment in red bottles on the table, and I wish I had asked what it is called. While it is pretty spicy, it has a distinct flavor as well. Be adventurous and give this a try! AND, Darbo has breakfast, starting at 8am. Gotta come back for that... read more

Very nice people! Stopped by on my drive up and barely got here in time. Luckily i called ahead of time to place my order and they were gracious enough to let me sit and eat while they were cleaning in the other side of the restaurant. Really good wholesome food filled with flavor. I got the chicken kalenkal. Last time i got the beef strips and they were great. Don't miss out! read more

Been wanting to write a review on this place! I found this place the first year I moved to Columbus and have gone frequently. Shout out to Jama who works there & Luis in the kitchen (un latino en la cocina =P). The servings will never let you down. The pricing is as easy as it gets - basically $10 across the board. Order the food to go, and you won't be disappointed. My favorite is the Curry Goat. I love my big portion of rice with the small cool lettuce w delicious dressing - would love more of that! Besides what you order, you get the free soup that they have by the TV which is nicely seasoned. On top of your order and the soup, you get a pitcher of amazing pinneapple juice which I assume comes from a carton from a local market because those Dole pinneapple juice cans from concentrate never tasted this good. Finally, to top it all off.... you get a free banana! What a way to go out. Im telling ya, in the words of Yelp, "Woohoo! As good as it gets!" read more

I went to Darbo with a friend of mine and we were simply blown over, both by the food as well as the service. The free goat stew was extremely tasty. For the main course, we had ordered curry goat, with rice and jabati. We washed it all down with pineapple juice which was so sweet and refreshing. The portion sizes were huge and I had trouble finishing up the food on my plate (which literally never happens) and the bill was around 10$ only (Yeah ! It's that cheap !). Note: Please do not judge a book by its cover. The restaurant has minimalist decor but the food is just mindblowing. read more