The best bars in Karen Nairobi – 2023

The best bars in Karen, 2023. Karen, beloved Karen, populated by trees, wild animals and a ton of inebriated expats. Hey! You know all those bored housewives gotta do something. Petite, innocuous, on the edge of town, Karen is packed full of some of the best bars in Nairobi, some well known and some a local secret. So where are the best bars in Karen 2023?

The last few years has been rough on the Karen bar and restaurant scene. (The Purdy Arms, Marula, Mercantile , Kengeles and J’s have all shut down). And whilst no amount of grief counseling will ever replace the loss felt by the disappearance of Purdy’s, there are some decent places to eat, drink, dance and generally act nothing at all like a responsible 47 year old.

To prove it I took this withered old lady body on a pub-crawl a few weeks ago and hit the best bars in Karen.

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Best bars in Karen Nairobi 2023

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Under The Swahili Tree

I used the term ‘bar’ loosely, as Under The Swahili Tree is much more than just a place to drink. It’s a family-friendly restaurant by day and a cracking night out by errrr night. One of the best bars in Karen, there’s always something happening at UTST: massive band nights, theatrical performances, quiz nights, sushi evenings; even on the quieter nights, there’s always a good crowd and upbeat atmosphere. Under the Swahili Tree has a huge cocktail list, and a competitive wine list with some of the most reasonable prices in Nairobi for excellent imported wines, courtesy of SoloVino. Their menu will fill those late-night hunger pangs with incredible rotisserie pork and chicken, huge burgers, enormous kebabs, and samosas. Head over to their web page and check it out yourself. Under the Swahili Tree is a firm fixture on the Karen party route, but a great place to head over during the day with a stack of activities for kids, too.

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The Organic Farmer Market – Marula Lane

I mentioned SoloVino earlier, which introduces a neat segway into the Organic Farmer Market on Marula Lane (not to be confused with the KSPCA Farmers Market on Langata Road). While not a bar in Karen and only open on Saturdays, Solovino and various other vendors have established this as THE place to be in Karen on a Saturday afternoon. If you are looking for a place to sip wine, shop, eat excellent food and let the kids run around, then this is the spot. Solovino has a bar where you can while away the day or sample their wines to buy and bring home. There are tons of food stalls serving cuisine from all over the world, craft stalls, a kid’s playground and other bars selling beers and cocktails. It’s a great way to spend an afternoon.

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The Talisman Restaurant

The Talisman is a Nairobi institution which serves some of the best food in town. I love this place, simply love it, but I’m not alone. Packed with tourists by day and locals by night. The food and service are unbeatable in Karen. Their regular menu features things like Pork belly (out of this world, marbled with fat, rather than great globby blobs of it), fillet steaks with butternut mash, 5 spiced tuna, an amazing Eiffel Tower of a burger, and proper fish and chips. It has a large vegetarian menu: ginger teriyaki tofu, halloumi & vegetable fritter, raw pad thai with grilled tofu and lots more. A sushi menu with all the usual favourites (try the coconut tempura prawns) and specials which change weekly. The last time I went to the Talisman I had the most amazing risotto of my life. It was artichoke and king prawn, filled with all the flavours of the sea, the perfect consistency and texture. I’ve since had a dream about it, it was that good. However, this is a best bars in Karen blog and not the best restaurants so be assured that when the plates are cleared the Talisman offers suitably revoltingly raucous evening. The bar inside is packed on the weekend, and a couple of times a month they have a DJ which has geriatric old men side by side with Karens’ bright young things on the dance floor.

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Axa Bar and Grill

Axa Bar and Grill is located on Bogani Road. It’s kept its head down so far, being part of the Off-Road Adventures motorcross centre, but Karenites have found it, and it’s starting to boom. The beauty of this best bar in Karen is good pub grub style food, a good selection of wine, beers and cocktails and a humungous screen for sports. I went to a RWC game recently, and it was bursting to the seams with thrilled sports fans. My kids ride bikes, and its also a great spot to hang out in the day; the screen shows sports all day. There are bean bags and comfy chairs just made for flopping on.

Que Pasa Bar in Karen

Que Pasa is one of Karen’s hidden gems on the best bars in Karen, list. It’s so hidden that for over a year I thought it was just a place that sold pizza and spit roast chicken. Tucked away in Karen crossroads shops, the unremarkable entrance opens into a cavernous space that’s a hotpot of fun and dancing. Now I’m going to hold my hands up and admit that every time the time I go there it’s past midnight, so I can’t vouch for early evenings, but late into the night the tables and chairs are pushed aside to make a dance floor and the place is vibrant and alive; a melee of outrageous dancing and split cocktails. Yep, it’s a fun place to end a night.

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Matteos

Matteos has been a staple restaurant in Karen since it opened its doors a few years ago. An Italian family runs it, so it is true when I say it serves authentic Italian food. The original restaurant is housed in the prettiest sunbird-filled gardens, but now newly opened is the Matteos bar. The owner has installed an enormous marquee filled with twinkling lights and fluttering palms by night. It feels more like Mombasa than Nairobi. This bar in Karen is a bonafide drinking venue with enormous screens to watch sports and a fully catered bar. Nights go on late, and you can always order one of

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Hemingways

For a cocktail with a view, you could do worse than head to Hemingway’s. This 5* restaurant feels more Bahamas than Nairobi with its plantation-style architecture, gushing fountains and manicured gardens. I love to head up to the balcony on the first floor and drink wine and cocktails in elegant surroundings. A balm at the end of the day, a million miles away from the rumble and tumble of my kids.

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Karen Country Club

Karen Country Club is a members only bar, but provided you know someone there it’s pretty easy to get access. They have three bars on site, but the best of them all is the sun downer bar with views over the Ngong Hills and the prettiest golf course of them all. They do a mean cocktails list, lovely long gin and tonics and a full range of beers, spirits and wines. Karen Country Club has a sophisticated feel, populated by well-heeled Kenyan folk, so put on your glad rags and watch the sky turn tangerine and the stars come out

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Asmara

Asmara isn’t strictly a bar, its a rather nice Eritrean/ Ethiopian restaurant but it makes the list as its serves the most killer margaritas I have ever tasted. All the cocktails are fabulous, the pizzas are yummy and there is a great little playground outside for the kids. I doubt very much you are going to be dancing on tables here, but it’s fabulous for a lazy afternoon supping drinks in the sun.

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Boho Eatery

Another bar that isnt a bar.. although it does have both a bar and an entire VW Camper Van dedicated to selling the best cocktails ever. Rhubarb gin has never tasted so good. Boho Eatery is one of the best restaurants in Nairobi, serving Vegan and Veggie food as well as meat dishes. It’s cocktail menu is just as good as the food and its a simply gorgeous venue. Open late only Thursday to Sunday, Boho is a wonderful Karen bar that’s intimate and refined rather than devilish and debauched.

Read my blog on Boho Eatery here

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Other bars in Karen

You may also want to try the following bars. I haven’t been so I can’t review them but if you go and you love (or hate) them then let me know and I’ll add to the list.

• RE-Bar – Marula Lane
• Club Legend – Ngong Road
• Pub Grub and Bistro – The Hub
• The Galamoro Bar and Grill – Kerapon, Karen
• The Legend – Ngong Road

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