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Talisman: Restaurant Reviews

320 Ngong Road, Nairobi 00502, Kenya
+254 705999997
Website
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Ranked #1 of 247 restaurants in Nairobi
Price range: $20 - $30
Cuisines: Seafood, Continental, Eclectic, Fusion
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Restaurant details
Good for: Families with children, Romance, Doing business, Outdoor seating, Special occasions, Entertaining clients
Dining options: Breakfast/Brunch, Lunch, Dinner, Reservations, Delivery, Late Night, Dessert
Description: Recently reopened after extensive renovations, the Talisman is located in Karen just on the outskirts of Nairobi in an old colonial building among lush beautiful gardens. Relax either indoors or outdoors or outdoors on our beautiful patio. Chef Marcus Mitchell, who has trained in France and Spain, brings his own unique touch to each dish and has gained acclaim for his fabulous continental and fusion menu. Talisman's service team is also renowned for its hospitality.
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201 reviews from our community

89% Recommend
    126
    53
    14
    4
    4
Rating summary
    Food
    Service
    Value
    Atmosphere
Date Rating
There are newer reviews for Talisman
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Bristol, United Kingdom
Reviewer
5 reviews 5 reviews
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
“Hidden Gem”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed February 6, 2013

This is a great Kenyan restaurant hidden away in the corner beside the shell garage on the Ngong road into Karen. Excellent value traditional Kenyan food and plenty of it , you cant go wrong.

  • Visited January 2013
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 4 of 5 stars Atmosphere
    • 4 of 5 stars Service
    • 4 of 5 stars Food
Was this review helpful? Yes
See 4 more reviews by Nige B for Nairobi
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
J C, Public Relations Manager at Talisman, responded to this review
February 7, 2013
Thanks for the kind words. We're glad you enjoyed your visit. We're actually across the street from the Shell (for those looking who can't find us) and up Ngong Road just a bit. Come see us when we reopen after our renovations this March!
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ottawa
Senior Contributor
29 reviews 29 reviews
8 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 12 cities Reviews in 12 cities
7 helpful votes 7 helpful votes
“Marcus the best chef in the whole of Kenya”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed February 4, 2013

I have had the opportunity of eating at this fab resturant many times...the food is tops...service is the best...for anyone visiting Nairobi the Talisman is a must do it will make your visit to Kenya memorable....Congratulations Marcus on your award well deserved

  • Visited January 2013
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Atmosphere
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
    • 5 of 5 stars Food
Was this review helpful? Yes
See 7 more reviews by carol w for Nairobi
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
J C, Public Relations Manager at Talisman, responded to this review
February 6, 2013
Wow--we're blushing! Thanks so much for the kind words, and we're very, very proud of Chef Marcus and his Top Chef award. Hope to see you here again after Talisman reopens with an even more amazing ambiance and a gorgeous kitchen worthy of our chef. All the best!
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Dublin, Ireland
Senior Contributor
27 reviews 27 reviews
13 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 15 cities Reviews in 15 cities
14 helpful votes 14 helpful votes
“Good food, nice ambiance”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed February 1, 2013

Some friends and I ate here while on a brief trip to Nairobi. I really enjoyed it. Had a few drinks at the bar area beforehand, which was nice. Menu had good variety, the staff were all very efficient and polite, and I really liked the ambiance and environment. If I ever go back to Kenya, I'll make the effort to go again.

  • Visited December 2012
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Atmosphere
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
    • 4 of 5 stars Food
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
J C, Public Relations Manager at Talisman, responded to this review
February 2, 2013
Thanks so much for taking time on your short trip to add a visit to Talisman. We'd love to have you again on your next visit, especially as we're renovating and building a brand new kitchen, which will make Talisman 2.0 even better. Come back any time!
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Nairobi, Kenya
2 reviews
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
“Over rated, service disappointing always”
2 of 5 stars Reviewed January 27, 2013

I have been to Talisman at least four times. Every time I have found the service slow to the point of annoying. Beyond the play ground equipment and being open to having children around it is not such a great deal for kids-the chairs are impossible for them to sit in, no kids menu and the slowness of food arriving is a deterrent. The decor is nice and food ok, but not worth dragging yourself out on Ngong road on the weekend.

  • Visited December 2012
    • 2 of 5 stars Value
    • 4 of 5 stars Atmosphere
    • 1 of 5 stars Service
    • 3 of 5 stars Food
Was this review helpful? Yes 2
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J C, Public Relations Manager at Talisman, responded to this review
January 29, 2013
Really sorry to see that you've never managed to have a stellar experience after four visits--that's got to be some kind of record, as we really pride ourselves on our food and our service. We're closed until March for renovations, but we'd love to have you back when we reopen. Please ask to speak personally with Chef Marcus, as he'd like to make sure you everything goes smoothly for you. We look forward to seeing you again and trying our best to give you the full Talisman experience.
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Nairobi, Kenya
Senior Contributor
43 reviews 43 reviews
14 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 14 cities Reviews in 14 cities
19 helpful votes 19 helpful votes
“Nice restaurant on busy Langata Road”
4 of 5 stars Reviewed January 26, 2013

Talisman is located on Langata Rd which is a nice surprise since Langata is always crowded with matatus, bus stops and shoppers. But once you get into the Talisman you feel like you are in bush garden surrounding by beautiful flowers, plants and trees. The restaurant itself is always busy especially with expat community in Karen. Talisman has a small but crowded bar and beautiful patio where you can dine under the stars. Food is very well waiters are very helpful and knowledgeable which is a nice thing since you do not get quick service in most restaurants in Nairobi. They have their own parking area. If you live in Karen this probably will be your one of the dining destinations.

Visited December 2012
Was this review helpful? Yes
See 17 more reviews by WorldTravelerZV for Nairobi
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J C, Public Relations Manager at Talisman, responded to this review
January 27, 2013
Thanks for the kind words, and we're delighted you enjoyed our ambiance and service. We're actually located at 320 Ngong Road, which is around Karen Roundabout from Langata Road--just in case any readers are confused trying to find us in the future. ;-) Come back and see us after our renovations are complete in March. We'll have a lot of great new things to show off!
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