Bambino - Kitchen & Bar — Restaurant in Nairobi

Overpriced, overhyped and basic

Let's start with the pluses. Service was good. Our waiter, Stephen was top notch. The restaurant had a great ambiance.

For starters, we had the ajillo prawns, adobo chicken wings and beetroot carpaccio. The portions were tiny. I found the prices to be exorbitant in comparison to the food presented before us. I'm a seafood lover but I struggled with the prawns. I found that the prawns had an after-taste that churned my stomach, so I only had one piece.

For the mains, we had the braised pork belly, grilled lamb chops and roasted latin chicken. Sides were Cuban rice, triple cooked fries and mashed potatoes. The food was okay, as I said - basic and nothing to write home about. I ordered the pork belly but because I'm lactose intolerant, the waiter informed me that the jus contained dairy. I assumed they would bring my food with an alternative, dairy-free sauce. Instead my food was served dry which was disappointing. When I requested some sauce, I was informed it was impossible to get some as all sauces available contained dairy. My friends ordered dessert - big time chocolate and the cheese cake were both a hit.

As a takeaway, one of us ordered the Lomo Saltado pizza. The pizza arrived with the crust burned and black. I understand that some people like their crusts that "crisp", but this wasn't something my friend specified. We requested a replacement which was given to us. In the end, we spent 30,000 KES (approx $300). For that amount, I expected better service, more variety and alternative options for those with allergies. I was lucky to have the presence of lovely company which made the night beautiful, but I wouldn't go...

Beautiful Space, Good Service—But a Major Hygiene Fail at Bambino

I had high expectations for Bambino, and at first, it seemed to deliver. I went for a quick lunch with my son as I had heard great reviews from a friend.

The restaurant’s aesthetics are stunning, the service was quick, and the welcome was warm—all the hallmarks of a great dining experience. But unfortunately, what happened next completely overshadowed all that.

I ordered a salad, only to end up with a long, thick woolen knotted thread in my mouth—something I literally had to pull out before choking on it. It was one of the most disgusting dining experiences I’ve ever had, and I immediately lost my appetite.

What made it even worse was the restaurant’s response—or lack thereof. The manager never even came to apologize and instead walked around like this was not part of his role. The only acknowledgment I got was from a waiter who casually said “sorry” and told me I wouldn’t be charged for the salad—as if that somehow made it okay. No sense of urgency, no concern for how dangerous that could have been, and certainly no reassurance that they take food hygiene seriously.

I couldn’t eat anything after that and ended up throwing up the salad. The fact that no one seemed particularly shocked makes me wonder—has this happened before? And what if it had been my young son who accidentally ate it? That’s not something I even want to imagine.

Bambino may have great decor and service, but food hygiene and customer care are absolute deal-breakers for me. Until they take these issues seriously, I wouldn’t recommend...

The food was so mediocre. I went for the unlimited sushi menu on wednesdays. I don't even know where to start. I get that there's a rush on that day but still. the service was mediocre. the waitresses were overwhelmed and not agreeable except for 2 of them (unfortunately forgot their name). when the food arrived? disappointment. first of all, it was so cold and hard to eat. 2nd and main problem, it was (respectfully) odious and so bad. The sushis (if I can even call them as such) were terrible. the rice was not cooked properly and was hard, they were trying to make the most money and decided to give us poor quality, we could barely taste the proteins. aside from the fact that it was poor quality, it was also just not good. it tasted like nothing and was not gastronomy at all (because yes, bambino calls themselves a gastronomy restaurant). 2800ksh per person and we literally had to beg for the waitress to bring more sushis (which is not really an issue anyways because the sushis were terrible). And thirdly, and last but not least, we were seated next to the bambino sign and there was a HUGE RAT there behind the dried (read dead) flowers. it was there for the entirety of the diner and my table along with the tables next to us, could barely eat or speak. that was DISGUSTING I have eaten at bambino before (not on Wednesdays but a la carte) and the food was honestly great that's why this was a shock to me and a clear attempt at making money of off customers. if I could rate it, it was honestly a 2/10 (2 because the mocktails were amazing...