John L.

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.

Jessica L.

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!

Brad R.

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!

Mark K.

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.

Arvid Y.

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.

John M.

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!

Donna O.

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.

Janelle A.

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.

Angel L.

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.

Van S.

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.

Ashley B.

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....

Gwen W.

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!

Jen J.

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!).