This was my first time going to a Somali restaurant and I immediately fell in love. The people were nice and friendly and the portions were a good bang for the buck. The food was so good I was crying tears of joy as I ate it everything was seasoned and flavorful. On a whim I tried the ginger tea, it sent my tastebuds on a wonderful flavorful journey. I walked out of the restaurant full, and angry. Angry that I hadn't tried this place before and that the rest of Columbus doesn't know about this lovely place. My friend and I were talk about this place weeks later it was so good. read more

Ginevra Cafe - Lamb shank - African Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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If I can give a 0 I would. Ate chicken that was uncooked. Just disgusting.Just ridiculous. Wasted my Money. read more

It was our first time having Somali/Mediterranean food, and overall we were pleasantly surprised. Every meal is served with what we believe was Chickpea Zucchini Soup before the meal and a banana after the meal. For our main course, we had a variety of chicken, lamb, and steak and either basmati rice or spaghetti, all of which were seasoned and cooked nicely. This was definitely a unique experience, and we are glad to have been able to try it. read more

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shitty restaurant. wouldn't recommend it. small portions and the staff are disrespectful

Well, I'm a fan of goat meat. And this is a new restaurant on Grubhub, so I ordered. The online menu lists the goat shank as falafel, so I kept my fingers crossed. But yes, it was goat after all. I appreciated that the goat didn't come with bones inside the bites; this meat, you cut off the leg bone. The meat was done to perfection and I found myself gnawing the bone after the meat was gone. Mine came with a huge portion of rice and a spicy, flavorful broth, a small salad and an even spicier sauce in a tiny container that didn't need to be bigger. Avoid it if you can't stand heat -- I dumped it on my salad and was glad I did. While my meal was delicious, the rice flavored with wonderful spices I can't identify, I ordered mine with corn meal, not rice. So a swing and a miss there. The online menu is very limited, but if the rest of the offerings are as good as this, why expand it? The limited choices and the mix-up on the order are the only reasons I'm giving this restaurant three stars instead of four. I'll order again. read more

great great great service and wonderful food!!!! it was also really clean and the food is top notch!!!

Columbus is home to the second largest Somali population in the U.S., and I went here the other day and ordered the Osso buco, and got a bag of kac kac and halwa. Unfortunately, by the time I got there (around 7 on Sunday), they were out of lamb. With osso buco, you get several pieces of tender beef, some soft potatoes and large carrot chunks. You also get a few fresh vegetables on the side. It came with a huge container of delicious rice (seasoned with saffron, I think). This was at about 11 bucks, which is a pretty good value. This dish wasn't anything super special, but it was good and substantive. The bag of kac kac, which are soft, tasty Somali-style biscuits/cookies/donuts, was 2 dollars, and the bag of halwa, a sticky, gooey, fruity-tasting treat - similar to Chinese niangao (sticky rice cake) or Turkish delight - was 1 dollar. The kac kac were very delicious, and the halwa, although a small piece, was phenomenal. The osso buco was pretty good and tender, and I liked the rice a lot. All of this also came with a nice banana on top. Although I got take-out, the actual restaurant was nice, and they have a bookshelf full of interesting books about community empowerment (among other things - I saw a book about cardinals) right by the front door. Great atmosphere, and a friendly and helpful staff. If you live in Columbus and have been wondering where to find Somalian food, come here, and then come back to Morse road for more. Morse road is a treasure trove of ethnic food, and it's a shame to look past it. OVERALL: Great food, Lots of rice, Tasty, Cheap. Somali Food, nice atmosphere. read more

Ginevra Cafe - Osso Buco: sort of a beef stew tasting dish. About $11, and it came with a big thing of rice. Nothing special, but tasty & good value. - African Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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I was too busy for a lunch break the other day, but my colleague went out and got Ginevra's and made the entire cubicle row smell of fragrant saffron to the point that I couldn't stand it. I had to go and pick up dinner! I ordered the chicken suqaar, which is served with a side salad, a side of lentil soup, and a bottle of water. I also ordered a sambusa, a piece of halwa, and a soda. Of course, I had the joy of meeting the owner Ginevra, who had to have a bit of fun at my expense -- he told me my total was $89! I laughed, and asked if it was because I was white, which he found hilarious. I asked if he could give me a better price, and he said yes, let's do $15 instead. I said I could do $15 for all of that food! It was more than enough to make three meals out of -- plenty for my boyfriend and I to have a hearty dinner plus just enough for me to have for lunch the next day. I ate the sambusa on the way home. It was easily the best sambusa I have had (if not the best savory parcel I've ever had, and I am a huge fan of samosas): it was big, it was full, it was flaky and it was spicy. The chicken suqaar was delicious, though I could have used a little more heat. Next time I will be sure to ask for more spice! There will definitely be a next time. I am certain that I will be going back to Ginevra's and recommending it to my friends! read more

Ginevra Cafe - chicken suqaar with saffron rice and a side salad - African Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

We LOVE this restaurant! So many yummy foods -- some of them really spicy hot. My husband likes the hottest, but I stick to the medium. The staff is so very nice, particularly the owner, Jamal (sp?). Yesterday was our third visit. Each time we are there he stops what he's doing to chat and offer suggestions, always adding a little extra (try this!). We had to tell him to make sure to charge us for the extras. The modestly priced meals, which include entree, also include soup, salad, rice (or one of a couple other choices), bottled water and fruit. We also bought 10 Samosas ($1 each, SO GOOD!). We have so far each had 2 meals and have at least another meal each left, and 6 more Samosas. Give it a try. read more

What a fantastic place. The owner, Ginvera, is was so hospitable. I went to lunch here yesterday with some clients and co-workers. We told Ginvera, "Just feed us what your family would like to eat, and keep it under $12 per person." What a feast. Goat, lamb, chicken, fish, rice, spaghetti, injera, Somali chai... everything was delicious, and we felt like we were dining at Ginvera's home. I thank God for the Somali community and for the way immigrants have saved the Northland corridor. Have lunch or dinner at Ginvera, and thank him warmly for being a part of something really good. read more

This is yet another Somali restaurant in this little corner of Morse Road. And compared to the others that I've tried, the food here is pretty good. But first the service. The woman who waited on me was as nice as she could be. Really, really nice. They didn't have a huge selection on the menu (on the wall behind the counter) so I chose the penne (definitely not Somalian). It came with a small salad and some small cubes of beef. The penne was okay but the beef was cooked almost to the point of being dried out. It was edible though and well spiced. The bill for the meal was $8.00. That's pretty darned good and if I'm ever in the mood for this type of food, you can bet I'll be back. read more

We were brought to Ginevra by my uncle's invitation while vacationing in the city. He proclaimed it as the best Somali restaurant in the city and after trying the juicy and tender Sumuni and Ossobicco we were believers. The tea is also amazing with the right mix of spice and sugar. We were brought here again on a separate breakfast invitation where we tried the liver and beef suqaar, again we were blown away. Place is modestly decorated but clean and the staff friendly. Defiantly worth a try. read more

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My mother and I have celiac disease and must avoid many different types of foods, including but not limited to gluten, corn, soy and other gmo products. We first ate here with a big group of friends from around the world, when were waited on, we told them about our sensitivities, and they were nothing but kind and welcoming about it, they cooked our food separate and and my mother and I rested well that night. To this day my mom and I eat here regularly, the staff is nothing but welcoming and kind and it is just an overall amazing atmosphere to eat in. Because this restaurant has amazing customer service, is allergen friendly, and is so delicious I give them 5 well deserved stars. read more

This restaurant is amazing. The lentil soup, goat and lamb family style dining is the way to go. The portions are huge and the meat melts in your mouth. The staff is friendly, courteous and helpful. Found it by accident while looking for the African Paradise Restaurant. Wish I had accidents like this every day. Prices are surprisingly low. We will be back. read more

This is one of the best restaurants in Columbus that I have visited. I love going to them. The food is so good! It's always fresh and seasoned well. read more

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Great goat meat for lunch and hefty portion. People are nice and ambience is OK for the type of food. Overall great experience and will come back again to try other dish. read more

I feel bad giving this such a bad rating, but how can I properly rate a restaurant when they refuse to seat us, serve us, and just stare at us like we don't belong. I've tried a handful of various food all over Columbus, including other Somali places and never was treated so poorly. Even my hubby who is Arab was looked at funny and shunned by the owner/server/waiter/cook...we don't know, they wouldn't acknowledge us even when he politely asked if it was seat yourself. We even went over to the "family" section since I am a woman to be respectful of the custom variance..but still, nothing. Too bad as I grew up in the area and was ready to support a new local company. guess my money is of more value elsewhere. read more

Omg today I finally tried their chicken and rice..and when I say it was delicious, words can't even begin to express how good it was!! I typically buy just the sambose and tea however today I decided to try their chicken and rice.. the Best so far! I can't wait to go back and order more.. even my daughter ate half of it and we still had more food left.. great portion size.. read more

The taste was good, however me and Two of my buddies all got food poisoning a day after. The meat must've been spoiled.

This place is disgusting and dirty. I asked for chicken and they gave me some mystery meat? There was a hair in my food. It's just unsanitary not to mention I paid $12 for something I didn't order that was inedible. This place should be shut down by the health department ASAP. read more

Who cares about ambiance? This place has delicious food and friendly, welcoming staff.

Fantastic. Huge portions, attentive staff, delicious food. The beef suqaar is especially good.

The food here is special. I have never tasted rice like I did at Genevra. The prices and portions are excellent. When I'm in the mood for a drive to columbus, I make sure to pick up dinner from Genevra. Excellent somali food. read more

My first experience with Somali cuisine. Chicken Suqaar was phenomenal. Beef samosa are delicious as well. Excellent presentation of the dish. read more