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Talisman Restaurant Reviews, Nairobi

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Talisman

320 Ngong Road, Nairobi 00502, Kenya
+254 705999997
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Cozy up to the fire and enjoy selections from our fusion menu!
20 visitor photos
Ranked #1 of 250 restaurants in Nairobi
4.5 of 5 stars 208 Reviews
Price range: $20 - $31
Cuisines: Seafood, Continental, Eclectic, Fusion
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Restaurant details
Good for: Child-friendly, Romantic, Business, Outdoor seating, Special Occasion Dining, Entertaining clients
Dining options: Breakfast/Brunch, Lunch Spot, Dinner, Reservations, Delivery, After-hours, 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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208 reviews from our community

88% Recommend
    129
    56
    15
    4
    4
Rating summary
    Food
    Service
    Value
    Atmosphere
Date Rating
Cape Town
Senior Contributor
21 reviews 21 reviews
8 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 10 cities Reviews in 10 cities
10 helpful votes 10 helpful votes
“Did not live up to the hype”
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 17 June 2013 NEW

We visited Talisman on Friday night and it was a bit of a disappointment given the great reviews received on TA... The service was friendly and efficient, great. However, the fact that the kitchen closed at 22:00 was a bit strange given the fact that the entire place was filled to capacity around this time (we arrived at 21:20 and... More

Was this review helpful? Yes
See 12 more reviews by mkoeleman7 for Nairobi
J C, Public Relations Manager at Talisman, responded to this review
18 June 2013

Thanks for the feedback. Our kitchen hours are given on our website and on our Facebook page. The kitchen closes at 10pm Tuesday to Saturday and 9pm on Sunday. Our bar remains open past kitchen closing times, of course, and we always have a full crowd on weekends, as Talisman is a popular gathering place for locals. If you'd like... More

Carlisle, United Kingdom
Senior Reviewer
10 reviews 10 reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
“Recommeded”
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 9 June 2013

We had a lovely meal here and the staff were attentive, bring us an outdoor heater when they noticed my daughter shiver. We enjoyed our night and would go back.

Was this review helpful? Yes
See 6 more reviews by Myra68 for Nairobi
J C, Public Relations Manager at Talisman, responded to this review
15 June 2013

Thanks for taking the time to leave the feedback, and we hope to see you again soon. Try us on a sunny day so you can enjoy the warmth of the patio! More

Hawaii
Reviewer
5 reviews 5 reviews
3 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
5 helpful votes 5 helpful votes
“Consistently good...”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 1 June 2013 via mobile

Highly recommended... Have had breakfast, lunch & dinner here and it's always good. Knowledgable and helpful staff, good wifi, lovely ambiance, great wine list... I could go on, definitely worth a visit whilst in Nairobi... Keep it up...

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J C, Public Relations Manager at Talisman, responded to this review
3 June 2013

Thank you for the kind remarks. We'll be introducing some new breakfast options soon, so we'd love to welcome you back to try those. It's always a pleasure to see familiar faces. More

Nairobi, Kenya
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
“a good place for weekends”
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 30 May 2013

Last weekends (25th may,2013) we 5 friends went to talisman ... it was like a long drive to Karen and after reaching there we all found that its really worth it .. i just love the place .... Food was good but will not say excellent ... and price is high specially soup one Tom Yum Goone cost 950 Kenyan... More

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J C, Public Relations Manager at Talisman, responded to this review
31 May 2013

Thanks very much for taking the time to leave your comments. We're really working hard to improve wait times, and we're always interested in hearing how you enjoyed the food and what we can improve. Hope to see you again, and we're glad you felt it was worth the drive to Karen! More

Nairobi, Kenya
Contributor
11 reviews 11 reviews
11 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
“Excellent as usual”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 27 May 2013

Had another excellent meal at Talisman - always delicious and pleasant atmosphere with good service. Pricey, but worth it.

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See 8 more reviews by dszim for Nairobi
J C, Public Relations Manager at Talisman, responded to this review
31 May 2013

Thanks very much! We really enjoy seeing repeat customers and look forward to welcoming you again. More

Nairobi, Nairobi Area, Kenya
Senior Contributor
22 reviews 22 reviews
10 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 7 cities Reviews in 7 cities
6 helpful votes 6 helpful votes
“Good ambience”
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 27 May 2013

The restaurant is set in an interesting "banda"... The food was excellent, the wallabi steak is a good try for steak lovers. The ambience is also very good in the serene environment and there "jikos" for a cold night

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See 8 more reviews by Michael W for Nairobi
J C, Public Relations Manager at Talisman, responded to this review
31 May 2013

Thank you, Michael! We're delighted you enjoyed our setting and the steak. We'd love to see you again soon! More

Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya
Contributor
13 reviews 13 reviews
10 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
4 helpful votes 4 helpful votes
“Still the best in Nairobi...”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 24 May 2013

The best ambience in Nairobi, relaxed outdoor and indoor areas for dining. Ate here during Thai Week and the winning dish was the duck curry; a quarter duck served on the bone with a rich and spicy red Thai sauce, ginger, lemongrass and pineapple. As a regular visitor to the Talisman I've realised it's easy to become complacent when faced... More

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See 6 more reviews by Bushpig1 for Nairobi
J C, Public Relations Manager at Talisman, responded to this review
25 May 2013

Thanks for that ringing endorsement of Thai Week! We're enjoying our ventures into new foodie territories and are delighted that you came along for the ride. We'll be sure to pass your compliments to the chef, and we hope to see you again soon. More

Leicester, United Kingdom
Contributor
16 reviews 16 reviews
12 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 7 cities Reviews in 7 cities
19 helpful votes 19 helpful votes
“Delicious menu. Lovely location.”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 16 May 2013

We've eaten here twice now & both times enjoyed delicious, freshly cooked and creative meals. The wasabi hollondaise is an inspired idea. The smoked trout chowder was thick and tasty. Both the porcini & smoked salmon tartlets were divine! The chef is not only incredibly talented but also very friendly and accommodating. I strongly recommend a visit!

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See 2 more reviews by SunGods for Nairobi
J C, Public Relations Manager at Talisman, responded to this review
19 May 2013

Thanks for taking the time to post this lovely, detailed review. We're always glad to hear which dishes made a hit, and we're delighted you enjoyed the atmosphere as well. We look forward to welcoming you back! More

NC
Contributor
13 reviews 13 reviews
6 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 9 cities Reviews in 9 cities
11 helpful votes 11 helpful votes
“Excellent atmosphere and food”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 14 May 2013

This will be a restaurant you daydream about. The interior and exterior are seamlessly united and fireplaces and braziers are in every corner lending an unpretentious cozy yet open feeling. The tables are outfitted with oil and vinegar sets, salt and pepper containers and flower vases all from Kitengela glass. The wine and liquor list appear complete and the food... More

Was this review helpful? Yes
J C, Public Relations Manager at Talisman, responded to this review
15 May 2013

We are truly delighted that you enjoyed our warm atmosphere, the food and the service (Alphonse is legendary around here). It's our pleasure to welcome you any time, and thanks for taking the time to leave a review on TripAdvisor. Cheers! More

Nairobi, Kenya
Senior Contributor
38 reviews 38 reviews
27 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 14 cities Reviews in 14 cities
5 helpful votes 5 helpful votes
“Excellent”
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 8 May 2013

Visited Talisman with the family after an unusual month-long gap since our last visit. The food was super - it was just like really good home cooking. Combine this with the rustic atmosphere and you have a place that you can keep on coming back to. My only complaint this time is that the service was poor (compared to my... More

Was this review helpful? Yes
See 5 more reviews by Nadeem N for Nairobi
J C, Public Relations Manager at Talisman, responded to this review
11 May 2013

Thanks for the kind words about our atmosphere and menu. We're proud of both and hope to see you back again soon to enjoy them. We've hired several new staff team members and are in the midst of training for all, so we apologize for the slow service. We're working to improve that and appreciate the feedback. More

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Talisman
320 Ngong Road
Nairobi 00502
Kenya
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