One of the more interesting and favorite restaurants we tried in Santa Fe. Very large and diverse menu consisting of African, Caribbean, Moroccan cuisine. Also had hummus and Roti. We got the combination stews and black bean deep potato soup. Fresh made roti and rice came with the stews. Also had the black bean sweet potato soup- good. The Jamaican pecan pie was tasty served warm with ice cream, but not extra-ordinary and very sweet. I would eat there again.

Friendly staff. I got the crab cakes and jerk wings. The crab cakes were light and delicious. They were cooked in corn meal like salmon patties which kind of threw me off. The dipping sauce was delicious as well. The jerk chicken did not give jerk. It was more like a peanut sauce with a bit of allspice. I didn't like them. It was worth trying the food. Would try other dishes.

Did not expect this coming from Los Angeles to New Mexico. Hands down I'm stopping by ANYTIME I'm passing through the town. Wish I could give the chef a kiss on the forehead. Perfect fall off the bone Jerk Chicken wings. Host were amazing aswell and there's a cool gift shop next to them. Thanks for having us

The first time I've had Jambo was 14 years ago on my first trip to Santa Fe, I remember having the combination plate then. This was before Yelp days and I didn't get a chance to document my experience but thankfully I still had the photos. We came back for another taste this time visiting Santa Fe. Nice decor! Ooof it is soooo good! We had the oxtail, the mahi mahi, another combo plate and the Kenyan beef kabobs. Everything was so tasty!! My favorite was the oxtail stew! The service was great but I just can't stop thinking about how tender the oxtails were! I have never made African food but I was so intrigued that I went back the next day to buy the cookbook and a packet of the curry spice. Unfortunately for me the chef wasn't there to sign my copy, but that just means I have to come back when he releases the next cookbook later this year.

I had a nice lunch here. All servers are quite attentive and friendly: couldn't ask for better service. Butternut squash soup was pretty delish and I liked their stuffed phyllo app, too. For my combination platter, I chose lamb stew, chickpea stew and chicken curry. Flavoring was spot on but the meats weren't particular too fresh. Also their rose wine was more on the cheaper side of things. Coconut cardamom flan was a nice touch and a fitting way to end my meal.

Jambo Cafe is a FAVORITE in Santa Fe NM who is owned by an incredible chef - Chef Ahmed Obo. I remember when he first started, the small restaurant, seating was sparce! The FOOD was amazing and only increased in mouthwatering (imaginary) dishes, with specials each afternoon/evening. Jambo's was a place I could NOT STAY AWAY FROM. And on my birthday, he set up a delightful celebration at the bar, with all kinds of specially made veggie dishes; Who goes out of their way for a customer when owning a restaurant. AS Chef Ahmed Obo grew, he extended the restaurant next door to the closed beauty shop and STILL STAYED OPEN IN THE ORIGINAL RESTAURANT. Most did not know Ahmed was expanding; and what a delightful surprise, more people more DELICIOUS FOOD. Ahmed started a Food Truck and still to this day, both expanded beautiful decorated with exemplary service are all going strong. Was this enough? NO!! Ahmed opened a shop several doors down in the center in College Plaza Shopping Center Address: 2010 Cerrillos Rd, Santa Fe, NM 87505 All African clothing, drums, musical instruments and more. Ahmed's journey is one of Heroism, Valor and daunting courageousness!! Nothing would stop him. Ahmed had some parties to celebrate his 4th to extended years where I met his two children, the most polite well mannered and spoken of children; Ahmed expect superlative not only in his food, work also the highest degree in his family. This emulated in his children as they gleefully smile about their schooling and for coming careers. The next time I will take some more recent photos, for Yelp was not a primary "commenting" venue and knowing Ahmed and his imaginative mind, he has grown exponentially and there will be much more to share in story form, and delicious food. If you perchance are in Sante Fe NM, make Jambo's a MUST GO AND EAT several times while visiting and do walk 50 feet to his African store. Ahmed "might share" his incredible life story with you, who supported his entire family by fishing, and then coming to the USA!!!

This place hit on all levels. Tasty food. Excellent service. Friendly patrons. Ok, it is in a strip mall, and so a bit lacking on ambiance. All three stews that I got had distinct flavors, and all were quite tasty. Our server was there when we needed him, always with a great demeanor. Note, we arrived fairly early on a Wednesday night, and it was already filling up. There was a bit of a line to get seated, but only a couple of minutes. However, I suspect that 6pm on a weekend might result in a wait. We ordered cardamon coconut flan for dessert. Quite good and tasty; definitely some coconut flavor in the custard and some cardamon flavor in the caramel. Our waiter comp'd the flan, because I guess our food was delayed. Still seemed to be fast service to us! If you are looking for something other than Mexican/New Mexican/Fancy, this is a great alternative! Oh, and the roti is simply spectacular!

I've heard really good things about Jambo and was very excited for the opportunity to check them out. You'll find them in an unassuming strip mall area, but once you walk in, you're definitely not feeling like you're in Santa Fe anymore. They have a gift shop conjoined with the restaurant. The menu is rather expansive with lots of options and lots of flavor. I started off with the cinnamon dusted plantains, which were amazing. we got some of the jerk chicken, which had some very flavorful beans and rice and also topped with a few plantains. Overall, the food was very good. I would've had room for dessert because they have a couple very interesting options. Service wasn't the best, we never got refills and it felt like we were constantly having to flag people down after long periods of waiting for things.

Tried the lamb burger with the mixed fries basket today for lunch, plus a cup of the soup of the day. Everything was seasoned to perfection! Waitress was sweet and very helpful. We love the atmosphere here.

OVERALL In search of something unique and that I had never tried in Santa Fe, NM, I found Jambo Cafe scouring Google Earth like I usually do. From their Yelp page, they pride themselves in offering "Pan-African and Caribbean cuisine in a vibrant, spacious setting." Definitely add this place to your bookmarks. RATING BREAKDOWN Food: 4 | Service: 5 | Ambiance: 4 | Price: 3 PARKING There was ample free parking in the plaza lot. LOCATION/AMBIANCE The Jambo sign was easily visible from Cerrillos Road. When I walked in I noticed a podium so I waited for the host/hostess. The restaurant was at about 75% capacity at around 8PM. I was immediately guided to the back to the takeout area which was viewable from the entrance. Splashes of African & Caribbean decor accented the walls and ceilings. Takeout orders aren't announced when they set them on that back counter. You just have to keep checking the tickets to see if it's yours. THE GRUB Kenyan Style Beef Kabobs (kebabs) were just under $23. This dinner entailed "marinated beef tenderloin tips with herb garlic saffron potatoes, sauteed haricot verts topped with a pomegranate sauce." They threw in a couple of bone marrow pieces in my to-go box. The tanginess of the pomegranate sauce was a bit intense alone, but it complemented the tenderloin cuts extremely well. I'd definitely go back to try other dishes unique to Africa. LITTLE YELPER'S CLUB I don't recall seeing a kid's menu or any children in the dining room for that matter. SERVICE The crew was all very welcoming & friendly when I walked in to place a takeout order on 2/16/2024. MY FAVORITE PART... The beef kebabs dinner. NOT SO FAVORITE PART... They would not answer the phone during my three attempts. TIP Definitely order the kebabs medium rare or rarer as their beef is very lean.