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Photo from the business website (Carnivore) · Used with permission of the business
Carnivore
Beast of a Feast — Nairobi's open-pit meat institution
- Nyama choma
- Grill
- Groups
- All you can eat
- Tourist classic
Signature
Known for
- Meats roasted on Maasai swords over an open charcoal pit
- The paper-flag all-you-can-eat ritual
- Table-side carving until you call it
- Ten minutes from Nairobi National Park's main gate
The place
About Carnivore
Carnivore has roasted meat on Maasai swords over a charcoal pit at the entrance to its Langata dining hall since 1980. Carvers work table to table until you lower the paper flag; the fixed-price Beast of a Feast covers soup, salads, sides, sauces, unlimited meat, dessert and coffee. A vegetarian menu is offered. Ten minutes from the Nairobi National Park main gate.
Destinilo's take
Carnivore is the most famous restaurant in Kenya and it makes no attempt to be subtle about it. A charcoal pit dominates the entrance, meats ride in on Maasai swords, and carvers circle the room until you surrender by lowering a small paper flag. The rough beams and banqueting-hall scale are pure theatre, but the grilling is genuinely good — ask for the cuts as they come off, take the sauces seriously, and pace yourself through the soup and salads rather than filling up early. Touristy, yes. Also still worth the drive out to Langata.
On the menu
What to order
Beast of a Feast
Unlimited carved meats
SignatureBeef, lamb, pork, chicken and rotating specialities carved at the table.
Soup, salads and sides
The set feast opens with soup and a spread of salads and vegetable sides.
House sauce selection
A tray of sauces built to run through the different cuts.
Dessert and coffee
Included once the flag comes down.
Vegetarian menu
Vegetarian feast
A separate set menu for non-meat eaters at the same table.
Bar
Dawa
Honey, lime and vodka — the Kenyan bar standard, and a Carnivore staple.
Reviews
What people rate it
4.3
4.38,420 reviews
- Mentioned often: Meat selection
- Mentioned often: Dawa cocktail
- Mentioned often: Groups
Practical
Opening hours
- Sunday12pm – 11pm
- Monday12pm – 11pm
- Tuesday12pm – 11pm
- Wednesday12pm – 11pm
- Thursday12pm – 11pm
- Friday12pm – 11pm
- SaturdayToday12pm – 11pm
When to go
Late lunch after a morning game drive, or dinner from 6pm when the pit is at its busiest.
Amenities
- Groups
- Parking
- Full bar
- Live music
- Card payments
- Reservations
- Vegetarian menu
- Family friendly
- Events
Before you go
Good to know
- Format
- Fixed-price all-you-can-eat; lower the paper flag to stop service
- Service times
- Lunch 12pm–3pm, dinner 6pm–9pm, venue open 12pm–11pm daily
- Price
- Around KSh 4,800 per person for the Beast of a Feast, drinks extra
- Groups
- Built for large parties and tour groups — book ahead
- Getting there
- About 4km from the Nairobi National Park main gate on Langata Road
FAQ
Carnivore, answered
How does the Carnivore all-you-can-eat work?
You pay a fixed price and carvers bring skewers to your table until you lower the paper flag on the central tray. Soup, salads, sides, sauces, dessert and coffee are included.
How much does Carnivore cost?
The Beast of a Feast has been advertised at around KSh 4,800 per person, with drinks charged separately.
What are Carnivore's opening hours?
Daily from 12pm to 11pm, with lunch service 12pm–3pm and dinner service 6pm–9pm.
Does Carnivore serve game meat?
The menu centres on farmed meats — beef, lamb, pork, chicken and rotating specialities — rather than protected wild game.
Is there a vegetarian option at Carnivore?
Yes, a dedicated vegetarian set menu is offered alongside the meat feast.
Is Carnivore near Nairobi National Park?
Yes — roughly 4km, about ten minutes, from the park's main gate along Langata Road, which makes it a common post-game-drive stop.
Format, service times and pricing verified against Tamarind Group's Carnivore pages and recent guest reports. Source. Last verified 2026-08-06.
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