Jambo Cafe is absolutely amazing. Along with the incredibly flavorful food and nuanced Caribbean and East African dishes the servers are personable and very attentive. The owner, Mr. Obo Spent time with us just chatting and getting to know us. My husband felt like he was home with the flavors he grew up with (he is Ethiopian and lived in Kenya) would highly recommend! read more

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Super great enjoyed everything Good selections and you can do vegan with the menu Go read more

Was in town for a business trip, took a day to explore Santa Fe and asked a local for a "must eat" Santa Fe Classic. He's answer was a resounding "JAMBO'S!!" And BOY! Did it not disappoint! First of all, the atmosphere just can't be beat. It's nice, clean, and you immediately feel at home with the knowledgeable and friendly waitstaff. They don't rush you and are more than willing to talk you through the menu if you need clarification. The owner came out for a bit to greet everyone and from the what I saw of him greeting regulars, it's not a rare occurrence. Now let's talk FOOD: I ordered a cup of the soup of the day, black bean soup, and some jerk chicken as an app. The jerk chicken was so good and just the right amount of subtle spice that excites me but doesn't leave me chugging water. The real winner of the apps though? THE SAUCE. I could quite literally drink whatever the sweet yellow sauce is. The Harissa Lamb Sandwich is large, in charge, and soooo worth the money. Mixed fries, sweet potatoes and cumin dusted standard potatoes. Also good. I loved everything about this restaurant and will probably be raving about Jambo's for a very, very long time. And will absolutely come back every single time I'm in New Mexico. read more

Jambo Cafe - Black Bean soup (soup of the day), Harissa Lamb Sandwich with mixed Fries, and Jerk Chicken Wings. - Caribbean Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

I was here with two friends, one of whom I often share multiple dishes with. We shared coconut chicken curry and Caribbean goat stew. Both were excellent, although I wasn't entirely sure how to deal with the goat meat that was still on the bones. Choice of sides was rice (I don't like rice) or roti, which I loved, and was nice to dip in the curry or stew. Just remembered that we started with savory stuffed phyllo, which I loved, both the flavors and the textures. We were there on a weekday for lunch and didn't need reservations. read more

One of the best meals in town. The pistachio goat cheese salad is epic level. Harissa fries are a must.

We were visiting meow wolf and were hungry for lunch and decided to explore a place nearby. Menu sounded good We didn't have to wait to be seated We had lot to choose from on the menu but if you ordered the combination plate you get the chicken, goat and lentils ( best of the whole menu) but we would have missed out on their roti( the highlight of the menu) if one of us hadn't ordered the mahi mahi. The tofu curry of just ok( wouldn't recommend if you want a truly Kenyan experience) Servers were good and polite read more

Jambo Cafe - Roti - Caribbean Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

This place is great. We placed an order over the phone for take out. We misheard and picked up the order late. So late the business had already closed, and they waited for us after closing. The food was delicious and expertly packaged. We will definitely return and check out their shop next. read more

Jambo Cafe - Combination Plate - Caribbean Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

Delicious food!! Immaculate service!! I love the vibe!! Try it you won't be disappointed. read more

Your tongue feels neglected. 9 out of 10 tongues agree that they don't get enough flavor. Now you can finally give your tongue the excitement it craves! At Jambo, the flavor goes up to 11. Each dish radiates its own brightness with warming spices and playful combinations of sweet, tangy, and a little bit flirty. You're tongue hasn't had this much excitement in years! Now get that tongue back in your mouth. You're drooling. There's only one thing you can do to satisfy your mouth right now. Go to Jambo. read more

Love this. The food's truly authentic African and delicious. The place is usually full.

This restaurant was one of if not the best restaurant I have been to in a long time. This was definitely one of the best places to visit in Santa Fe if you're ever there. The food was so good and well prepared that it made me wanna go every day while we were there. But we couldn't because we have to make sure that we go to every place to experience all the different food places in Santa Fe. I highly recommend this place as a must stop if you're ever in Santa Fe. Chef Ahmed has definitely turned this place into a messed up. I highly recommend the oxtail for anyone that wants to try something new or an old favorite if you're familiar with oxtail. I truly enjoyed this dish. The next thing I would highly recommend is a spiced chai tea latte. Even though we didn't eat there several days in a row I did go back several days in a row just to get the spice chai tea. Again if you're ever in Santa Fe make sure you stop here! Also, the staff were very friendly and helpful with the menu. read more

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The food was delicious! Our server was great! It had such a great vibe! It was crowded but you could still have a conversation at your own table. No one was on a phone. Everyone was engaged in their friends! Just a wonderful experience! read more

This place is so excellent. We had the Kenyan kebabs. We also had the combo plate with peanut chicken stew, and lamb stew. It was delicious. Great service. Wonderful setting. Highly recommended! read more

Jambo Cafe - Kenyan kebabs on the right and combo plate on the left. - Caribbean Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

Loved our experience here. I recommend a reservation! We had heard it gets very busy for dinner by 7:00, so we arrived around 5:30 [without a reservation]. Had a 20 minute wait for a table for our party of 3, but it wasn't a big deal to us. The menu has a wide selection of dishes and we had fun choosing items to share. We loved the encrusted goat cheese salad, the salmon salad, as well as the entrees of ox tail with greens and the mahi mahi with black rice and bokchoy. The key lime pie with chocolate crust had a nice tartness without being too sweet, which was a perfect way to top off our big meal. The service was outstanding at every point, and while the restaurant was quite full, the noise level never got so loud that it was intrusive. We will definitely be back. Only item we didn't much care for was the crab cakes. A little too heavy for us. read more

Check your food order before you leave if you're getting take-out. They staple the bag shut. When we got home, food was missing. What we did get was good not great. Decor was nice. Attitude was sullen. Kinda reflects on the food prep I guess. read more

Have you ever wondered exactly how many days you can eat Mexican food in a row? The answer for me is three. Three days. After being in New Mexico for three days we started to get Mexican-fooded out and a friend who happens to live in Santa Fe suggested Jamba Cafe. Six minutes from our Airbnb in a small strip mall, I was not expecting much and we were still full from lunch (New Mexican portions do not mess around). We arrived to a large, packed restaurant proudly showcasing many TripAdvisor awards and whatnot. The decor is cute and there are fairy lights lining the wall. Being North African I appreciated an African Fusion restaurant...I have never seen one before. As we were full I ordered the soup and my friend ordered the North African Lamb Burger. The soup changes daily and apparently the owner of this restaurant consistently wins a soup completion. The server recommended the seafood soup and it did not disappoint. Hands down this has been my favorite meal in New Mexico and I want to come back before we leave. It was so good I ordered an extra side of pita bread in order to savor the soup longer, and my friends know I usually eat pretty fast. I had the leftovers for breakfast with toast (I know I'm weird but it was that delicious). The owner at some point came by to say hi which was nice. We had a long chat about our hone countries. Our server was Eamon (sp) and he was hilarious and fun. Wishing this place was in NorCal not in Santa Fe! read more

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(4/27/22 Visit) This was my visit to an African-Caribbean Fusion restaurant and it was an amazing experience. I went with coworkers who had tried the place a week before and raved about it. The restaurant is beautifully decorated and has a comfortable, upbeat vibe. Our server was friendly and so helpful with all our questions. We started with the Coconut Shrimp with a Lime Cilantro Mango Sauce and Cinnamon Plantains that had a Pineapple Curry Sauce. These appetizers were so good and the sauces are so flavorful. To drink, I had their refreshing Housemade Mango Ginger Lemonade. For my meal, I went with the Combination Plate which is choosing 3 Entrees they have listed. I figured it was the best way to try as much I could off of this menu. I got the Chicken Curry, the Chickpea Berbere Stew, and the Peanut Chicken Stew all over Rice and includes Roti (a flatbread). My dish was great, it had wonderful spices and again, so much flavor, I can't say enough how good it was. My coworkers had the Oxtail and Lamb Burger. They too were in awe of how much flavor their meals had. I tried the Oxtail and it was so tender. The Lamb Burger came with Lemon Fries which were so good. For dessert, yes we were full but had to experience dessert! We got the Coconut Cardemon Flan and the Date Coconut Chocolate Flourless Cake- you will want to save room for it. I will definitely return on my next visit to Santa Fe. read more

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Excellent food and calm atmosphere. I really enjoy the jerk chicken wings as the meat literally falls off the bones! The hot spiced chai with their signature pecan pie is true luxury! read more

Jambo Cafe - Pecan Pie and Spiced Hot Chai - Caribbean Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

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Delicious one of the best restaurants I've been in a while. Next time I am In Santa Fe will go back read more

Lamb burger was fantastic and the goat stew was really good too! Will definitely go back and would get the burger again...and again!

I struggled with this review and it is more like a 3.5 star if Yelp had 1/2 stars. When we visit Santa Fe, our diet consist of Spicy red chili so we were thrilled to find Jambo Cafe. As soon as you walk in the door, the spices fill your lungs and in a very good way. The restaurant had a DIY African vibe and the staff were friendly. The place was packed. Our order took a long time and the waitress apologized several times. When our food arrived, it was room temperature. We ordered the chicken wings based on other Yelp reviews. Room temp wings are no bueno. These are baked and I prefer fried or grilled to get a crispy skin. Not sure if it was from the preparation or sitting, but we pulled off the skin which had all the rub off to eat the wings. You do you - but I would pass on these. They ran out of oxtail. I got the Kenyan style beef kebabs. It was a generous portion and cooked perfectly (I let the chef choose the temp) with a good flavor. The pomegranate sauce was sweet, but good with the meat. A+ My husband ordered the combo plate which is the way to go. Goat stew - I found the meat gamey and the stew bland Chicken curry - meat was tender and a perfect balance of spice A Peanut Chicken Stew - meat was tender, but this was not a balanced dish. It had one note ( super peanut), but lacked acid. We took home a banana and coconut cream pie - I have had better. Worth coming to eat, but room for improvement. read more

For a good taste of African and Jamaican food, this is not to be missed. I'm not big on spicy food and I found that many of the dishes were much too spicy for me. However, if you are like most Santa Feans, you will be delighted with the taste of Jambo. I gave Jambo 3 stars because of my taste buds and because I thought the lighting was a little too dark. They do takeout which works best for me. read more

Great spot, beautiful vibes and super friendly staff. Oh and did I mention the PIES?!?!! read more

Jambo Cafe - Key lime pie heaven - Caribbean Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

The yellow sauce that goes with the plantain is sooooo good. Honestly everything tastes good. We had the yummy soft rotis, chicken curry, lentils and goat curry with rice. Highly recommend. Every time I'm in Santa Fe, this is a must eat spot. read more

Absolutely incredible food! Best meal in Santa Fe! The server, Kyle, was super knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the menu. He made fantastic recommendations! The owner/chef visited our table. He really cared about our experience. I can't speak enough of this amazing place! The flavor and art put into the dish creations are a delight! read more

Jambo Cafe - Ox tail and kabobs - Caribbean Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

If you like great food and trying new cuisines, this restaurant is worth a visit to Santa Fe. It has amazing food located in an unassuming strip mall. Everyone at our table enjoyed their meal. I had the peanut coconut chicken stew. It was very peanut-y but I really liked it. It had a balance of spices. Our table favorite was the chef special, fish encrusted in pumpkin with red rice. The red rice was cooked to perfection. The goat stew is also tasty if you are a little adventurous! We had a birthday at our table, and the whole restaurant staff came together with drums and singing. That was cool! Give this place a try! Also go to the next-door African goods store. :) read more

Jambo Cafe - Peanut coconut Island Spice Coconut Peanut Chicken Stew - Caribbean Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

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The food was a flavor bomb in your mouth! Everything was so good! Wish I live here to make this a regular experience. What a surprising find in the land of mex, mex, new mex! The front of the house needs to up their game to match the cuisine. The host doesn't make the guests in front of them, his guest. He just want to move them along. When sitting in a seat that let the sun beam in my face from the parked cars outside, staff acted like they had no answer. I placed my menu in the window and solved the problem. Let's be prepared TOMORROW when your next guest has this issue. But still the food was great! read more

Ditto, ditto and more dittos. Say what?! Well everything positive that has been mentioned in other reviews about Jambo Cafe are all true, AND THEN SOME. My pallete is still dancing from the terrific flavors I experienced two days ago and my mind is still craving to go to Jambo Cafe. So what about Ahmed Obo the person who founded Jambo Cafe? Ahmed hails from Kenya and Ahmed told me his mother had the biggest influence on his life and cooking techniques. The Lamu island where he lived has culinary influences of Arabic, European, and Swahili, but I also detect some Influences of the country of India. Boy are we blessed to have Ahmed Obo here and setting up shop at Jambo Cafe. He is able to keep prices surprisingly competitive as he has a great spot but he put his investment in the BOH and the sourcing of ingredients. He opened Jambo Cafe in 2009 and has not looked back. He has a food truck called Jambo Hapa (Jambo Here) and may start delivery soon. Please do that Ahmed. Kudos on all we had for dinner and what we also wanted to eat but there was no room at the Inn (our stomachs). He was coy about his spices used so how he does it can only be guessed at once you try the items. Jerk chicken wings (none better so look out Buffalo and the Anchor Bar where the Chicken Wings were created in the mid 1960's.) Goat stew must be tried.... better than any and you should not be frightened to try it. Lamb....ahhhh. better than anything in Morocco. Ahmed please give me the recipe for the Moroccan marinated chicken kebabs, north African Lamb burger, or the curry coconut encrusted tilapia. Loved the cinnamon dusted plantains, and dessert options were great as well. Better yet, drive your Jambo Hapa food truck to South Carolina park it outside my place for a month, set up a table and 4 chairs, and serve us lunch and dinner and I will be your number one food truck customer. Love the concept of African/Caribbean cuisine. Mail me your cookbook if you cannot drive Jambo Hapa to South Carolina. Ahmed, penda chakula chako na mbinu yako kubwa ya maisha. (Ahmed, love your food and great approach to life). VINO GENO. read more

Jambo Cafe - Ahmed sharing stories with us. - Caribbean Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

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Even in Santa Fe your Afro-Cuban/ halal needs can be met! Nearly all the starters are Gluten free if that is your thing, and almost all the meat is halal! Seriously good food! The service was quick and simple. The atmosphere was as if we had traveled to another place in the world, I would never have guessed we were in New Mexico. With all of the spicy green Chile around it was relieving to have some unique spiced food, speaking of the food let's get onto that! We started with the North African spiced lamb burger (the best food we had, I'll get to that) and the jerk chicken wings (which were good) then we had the combination plate, coconut curry chicken, and the goat stew: all three were great ideas prefer either one or just the combo plate to get the best feel (as it does as the name suggests, combine the best options) Ok, the lamb burger... yo, I don't know what they did and I don't want to know, it rocked my face. The bun was just perfect. The lamb was nearly flawless. The flipping season that I do not understand, had me thinking, "now why aren't all burgers like this?" Yes, order the lamb burger. Don't be deterred but the American style food at this ethnic restaurant they gotchu covered. read more

Jambo Cafe - Caribbean Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

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I've went there last Saturday night because it was rated well on Yelp. That was our first mistake. After waiting 30 minutes to be seated, we were then ignored. After another 30 minutes, are order was taken, but nothing arrived for the next 30 minutes. As we were getting ready to leave the food finally arrived. The Jerk Chicken was well seasoned, but the portion was small for the price. The Mahi-Mahi was served burnt as was the rice. For $82 we felt ripped off. If we didn't have a movie to go to 20 minutes after the food was served we would have sent it back. Very disappointing. Tim C. read more

Excellent food with an extensive menu, nice ambiance and very friendly staff. Can't recommend this place enough. My only caveat is that if you order the crab cake appetizer with plantain it's a little small for $10.95. read more

Jambo Cafe - The restaurant area. - Caribbean Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

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When you walk in the smells are just fantastic!!! The food was incredible and I can't wait to eat here again! Many vegan options !!! read more

Glad we stumbled upon this unassuming restaurant at a strip mall. I had the pleasure of having the special, Coconut Barbecue Caribbean Seafood Stew with multi grain rice & garlic collard greens. It is similar to cioppino and very delicious. Hubby ordered Chicken Kabob. Although it was a solid dish, he preferred mine over his. We also started with Savory Stuffed Phyllo, a sweet & savory light appetizer. I very much wanted to finish dinner with Key Lime Pie. Unfortunately, it was just made and still in the process of cooling down. We had the Mango Cobbler instead, but it tasted more like peach than mango. Overall an enjoyable dinner, decent service. This strip mall has plenty of parking, where Petco is located. read more

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The smell was amazing as you walk in, food is just as good as you'd guess. Got the hummus platter and jerk chicken and plantains! Amazing. read more

Jambo Cafe - Jerk chicken and plantains. - Caribbean Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

Excellent in every way. Unique Caribbean flavors incorporated in many vegetarian options. read more

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I ordered the curry coconut encrusted tilapia and it was the best food I've had in a long time. I would've expected to pay $$$ for this quality of food but it was under $20. Highly, highly recommend. read more

Jambo Cafe - Curry Coconut Encrusted Tilapia - Caribbean Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

This place has so many options, it's crazy. We tried chicken coconut curry and lentils. They were both really good, lots of flavor. The fried plantains we very tasty, sweet, crispy and with some flavor sprinkled on top. There are many other dishes I want to try out next time we are in town. I wish we had one here in Nashville. read more

So incredible. We were in Santa Fe 4 days and 3 nights and came here twice. Also bought the spices to take home with us. Chef is super nice as is everyone who works here. Can't wait to come back some time but for now we are enjoying the spices on our salmon and chicken in Scottsdale. read more

Loved their food. The spot we got seated was a bit chilly though. This place is very popular.

The oxtail is a must! Wonderful service and personable staff! Will always be a favorite of mine!