Waiter was lovely and food was delicious with a worth it price. Will be returning!
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I wanted to try something that I hadn't eaten before, so I went with African food. I did not know what to expect when I went in. There was a really nice vibe in the restaurant. The host was really polite and was smiling all the time. I had the Nyala special and Kuku Na Nazi.
Kuku Na Nazi was a chicken dish, full of spices, that came with couscous. I was blown away in the first bite that I had. The chicken and the curry had amazing flavors. The chicken was cooked beautifully. There was an exceptional mix of spices which gave the chicken an amazing flavor.
Nyala special was a beef stew that was served a mix of vegetables and Injera. Injera was sort of bread that came with it and I had never had anything like it. It had a different texture from everything I've ever had. It completely soaked the curry and the flavors from the beef and when you eat it you get all the juices and the curry with the bread in your mouth. It was just amazing. I thought the beef was a bit too heavy for me. There was a lot of oil and the beef itself was chewier than I would have liked.
Overall it was a great experience to try the new cuisine. I would definitely recommend you to go and give it a try. They accept Zomato gold, so you will get a complimentary dish depending on what you order, so that's always good. But I should warn you that the portions are huge so order accordingly.. :P
Nyala deserves to be packed out every night; but it is really good to be able to just rock up with some wine and have a great meal. If there are three, or more, people I would recommend the mixed entrees/dips, the meat combo and the vegetarian combo. If you only have two then go for the mixed entrees/dips and the two meat/two veg platter. It gives you a great combination of flavours. We eat here often and have never been disappointed. The atmosphere is great, the waiters terrific, the food always good and the prices very reasonable. If they have the music on Saturday it is well worth the extra $2 as well. If you ring them and give them a heads up you can have gluten free Injera as well. What I really like is the food is spiced for taste, rather than heat, but they do have dishes that can blow away your tastebuds if you want to. The waiter will be happy to guide you.
Trying African food for the first time, walked in with zero expectations 💁🏻♀️
LOVED:
🔸The amazing price vs value on the banquets! If you're going to order the banquet, you better be HUNGRY!
🔸The soft fluffy mountain bread was amazing with the dips and if you had any spare, perfect with the main curries as well 🤤
🔸Tasty sizzling lamb dish, love my lamb in chunks, great flavours
🔸Having a fresh salad was the perfect balance with all the different curries we had on the table
🔸The coconut chicken curry was my personal favourite, very creamy and coconut-y, LOVE IT
🔸The word Baboutie 😂 but more than that, it was also delicioussssssss, I was a little skeptical of the sultanas but it wasn't even something I noticed. Tasty tasty tasty!
LIKED:
🔸So glad we could take away the leftovers because we got greedy and ordered WAYYYY too much
FEEDBACK:
🔹Generous serving of ice cream but at the same time I wish there was something a bit more to it
Had a lovely dinner at Nyala. We loved the combo plates that allowed us to try different dishes from across the African continent. Excellent quality, rich in flavour. We will surely be back!
This place has a great setup in the heart of Fitzroy.
It’s on the the first level and after taking the stairs I first thing I realised was how spacious this place really is, it was raining outside and we sat on the table right next to the window overlooking Brunswick st so it was of a romantic setup.
Now with the food we ordered the meat combo and the first chicken main from the menu(no entrees). They were both delicious, the meat combo had a variety of flavours that made me feel I was having the full extent of what the place has to offer and I was very happy with it.
We were so satisfied after our meal that we were just talking and having a beer there and they treated us to a complimentary dessert, such a sweet thing to do on their part and for that gesture we can’t wait to go back again and will surely recommend.
Great vibe! Great food!
We got the entree combo and the mains combo, so much food and so yummy. The flavour combinations were very different so you felt that you were getting a full scope of what the restaurant had to offer. It’s a great exotic experience, made me want to visit Africa.
The staff/owners are lovely, just being around them and chatting made me feel calm.
Dined late on a Saturday and found it was quiet and intimate. Asked the waiter to choose a selection for us. Less than 5 minutes later we were presented with four dishes on one plate.The Nyala Special (beef) was the hero, very tender and comforting. We were very impressed with the food and value. Four dishes, salad, rice, and injera for $30 which fed two hungry hippos. Only negative would be that the food was just warm but will be back for sure. Still talking about it today so its left me wanting more.
Very pleasant place. My husband and I went for dinner and the place is relaxing and romantic, music was very soft. Food was tasty and potions were very generous. Prices were reasonable too. We liked the place very much . I strongly recommend this place.
Decent first floor setting and lovely service and food. Excellent flavours and variety. Not sure how authentic the Ethiopian food served here is but whatever was served tasted very good. Pleasant service and reasonably quick turnaround times too. Only thing I can fault is the difficulty in parking. Highly recommended
I’ve been coming here for many many years and the service and quality of the food hasn’t been compromised. Great space for an intimate dinner or a big group. Whenever we bring family or friends here, everyone is impressed.
We loved the food here. Such a broad variety of tastes. Some eat vegan, some had meat dishes, all enjoyed their meals. We will certainly bring friends here for a new experience.
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Thank you so much to Ermias and everyone at Nyala, you absolutely made our end of year Christmas party amazing. If anyone is planning an event and you need a venue, then Nyala is seriously the place to book!
The restaurant/table was decorated beautifully and the food, omg the food was out of this world delicious.
Nyala is completely onpoint the menu is packed with scrumptious, tantalizing culinary delights, so many delicious, fresh, flavorsome combinations and the ambiance is warm and inviting.
The staff were all absolutely fabulous! We received a warm, friendly welcome and excellent service throughout the evening. The service was attentive but not too intrusive. Our delightful host Ermias offered us some delicious recommendations from the menu.
I read someone’s negative review on Google suggesting ‘Every single dish was tasteless’, wow I would strongly recommend that you get your taste buds and your negativity looked at! Perhaps you were just looking for a free meal??
This was my first visit to Nyala and I asked myself ‘seriously why haven’t I been here before’???
Verdict - 11/10
Went here for the first time and loved it. Cute and quaint and relaxed. The lovely waiter is cheery and happy to give recommendations. We literally tried every dish on the menu and while they were all utterly delicious the vegetarian options were just out of this world!! The ful, gomen and keke-wot were mind-blowing flavoursome. Will definitely be back :)
This is a large place - perfect for entertaining a group of friends. Food is good and the host was non intrusive. We enjoyed our meal and had a great dinner! We will be back soon.😊
Such friendly service and loved the decor of the place
The meal portions were huge and the amount of meat was also a winner.
The bread and dips to begin were a real treat.
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Ordered:
Mixed combo entree: any 4 combinations of dip and entree ($14)
🥛 Tahini
🥔 Lentils
🥐 Sambusa: savoury pastries from Ethiopia, filled with spice mince beef, served with spiced, timatim sauce
🍇 Baboutie: south African specialty made from mince beef, fruit chutney, sultanas, almonds and other spices
Ethiopian Platter: any 4 meat and vegetarian dishes with salad. Served with Injera ($25)
🥗 Futari (v): Cabbage, potato, carrot & seasonal vegetable cooked with mild spices, topped with coconut milk.
🥗 Gomen (v): Freshly cooked silver beet and potatoes with garlic, Ginger and other spices.
Beg Tibs: Marinated and spiced lamb sizzling cubes sauteed with fresh tomato, rosemary and white wine.
Nyala Special: Traditiona Ethiopian stew, rich with flavour - lean boneless beef, finely chopped fresh ginger, garlic and homemade peri peri (chili) with other spices to taste. Served with futari - a mix of vegetables.
Review:
As can be plainly seen, there's a opportunity to try a ridiculous amount of food for an insanely affordable price. We couldn't finish our food and came to almost 20pp. Food is definitely different from what I've tried before. There's different combination of spices, flavours and textures but it's definitely fun to try.
I'd like to warn you that the food is somewhat spicy - so be aware.
As mentioned in other reviews, there seemed to be one main gentleman in traditional wear manning the tables. He was friendly and was able to help us with our meal selection!
Would definitely recommend talking to him if it's a little out of your comfort zone.
This isn't a high traffic restaurant, so if you're nearby and feeling a little adventurous you should definitely give Nyala a go.
First time I’ve tried an African restaurant and I swear these guys did not disappoint. Great customer service and the food was amazing and not at all pricey. I will be back
Located in the heart of Fitzroy, the entrance of the restaurant produced a narrow set of stairs which we climbed up to the next floor and opened up into a spacious restaurant. The decor had lots of dark wood and African images scattered throughout. With no air conditioning on a hot day, we sure felt like we were in Africa! The staff were super friendly. And when I say staff, I mean just one person who was managing the whole floor! However he seemed to be really on top of everything and was super friendly and accomodating. He talked us through some of the African beers they had on their specials board so we ordered a couple of them and a bottle of Taylors Cabernet Sauvignon.
Pretty decent dinner here, slightly overpriced for Ethiopian however and the injera isn’t authentically made from 100% teff grain as it should. Overall not bad
Went there with a group of 6 on a Friday night, surprisingly not as busy as we thought. Great African vibes as you walk in but beware on a hot day as it didn't look like they had air-conditioning.
Onto the food. Only get the banquet if you're starving! Portions were generous and the food was declious. I'm from South Africa and tried their Baubotie - not 100% authentic but close enough and very tasty! 👌🏼
Did I mention you can also byo? Great place for a relaxing night out.
I'm writing this review after a month of my visit, so quick note on that.
As I saw some positive reviews in Zomato and few recommendations from my colleagues, I went ahead to try out myself this Ethiopian restaurant. Finding this place was easy but parking was a nightmare. It's located amidst busy roads and it's all paid parking on the streets, even on weekends.
We climbed up and it was a spacious dining hall and impressive decor. Most amazing part was the welcome and attention to details on making things around Ethiopian like.
Food was good with ample portions sufficient for two. Food was rightly priced. Liked the hospitality of staff on explaining stuff in food and it's ingredients. Of all I liked the most was the Wine, it actually gave a finishing touch and aromatic, tasty experience for the spicy food we were having.
Liked the Lentil curry and Ingira. Would definitely visit again. And to add another point, I felt the food is more healthier than the pizza and burger.
Best Ethiopian outside of the western suburbs! The Nyala special is what you want to get here. Great place to go with a group. Their injera is really good and the prices are reasonable.
Long time hidden fitzroy Gem... Delicious food that rivals similar cuisine in the west! A must visit for locals and tourists alike... Lovely warm service. Super authentic and passionate food... pay them a visit!
This is one of the best restaurants I have ever been very nice service Very good food. Nice welcoming warm people I look forward going back there 10/10
I just went here on the weekend for dinner. I liked the atmosphere. It was busy, the lamp shades and pictures on the wall along with the high timber ceiling and fans gave it that warming and traditional feel. Customer service was good. The food was OK, just average, tasty but nothing stand out. I tried the mixed vegetarian option and the traditional injera bread or more like a pancake. The injera was cold, I think it was meant to be served that way but again nothing to write home about. That said the overall experience was nice, I would probably go back and try something else on the menu :)
What a food adventure for me! It was the second time I had African food and the memory from the 1st time was fading. I brought three of my friends to go try this one out as we were happened to be in Fitzroy. To be honest we were not quite sure which part of African food they were serving. All I can taste feels more like southeast Asian curry. But I loved it!
The waitress was nice and welcoming. I definitely will be back to try something out next time.
Excellent service and food was delicious too.. I would definitely go back there again. The food was uniquely presented with mouthwatering east african flavours. If you're looking for a place to get introduced to east african food then its the spot.
The food looks good, smells good and tastes great. What more could I ask for? Okay yes maybe the counter with the statues needs a dust, amd my beef was a little chewy but that is the way I had it in Africa so it was nice to have it again.
A warning however to those who don't like spicy hot food. If they say spicy, believe them. The spicy chicken is an example of this, the beef was more mild but still had a nice little kick. But that spicy chicken...well it really lives up to its name. I love spicy so all ticks in my book.
Excellent. Friendly service, interesting decor, sizeable portions and absolutely delicious. Would definitely recommend this place for w casual dinner.
decor authentic and relaxed. Food very tasty. Great to have a menu that isn't "same old....". Great value with BYO, but in house wine options are excellent and also great value. I don't understand why some restaurants draw such a crowd just because they become "on trend" when they offer poor value. Yet gems like this are under the radar.
I loved the ambience here. very traditional layout. The owner served us and he was extremely friendly and a pleasure to talk to. I ordered the mixed vegetarian selection which i thought was fantastic. I've eaten at quite a few african restaurants around melbourne and always felt that their vegetarian dishes lacked a bit of flavour, especially when compared to the meat dishes. Not here. The vegetarian dishes were amazing and so flavourful. I loved the spicy lentils.
Good hidden gem on Brunswick Street. Check out the platter and the 'Tafach mooz' - the dessert. The service and the owner is so polite and warm. Delish!
If you are new to African food order the meat and veg combos. Two combos are for three people. Great food. Awesome service. highly recommended.
Amazing cuisine and perfect serving sizes. The atmosphere was exactly what I expected from a restaurant of such esteem. I will definitely be returning
Service was fantastic! We ordered a combo of dips, a combo of entrees, and a combo of mains. The dips and entrees were delicious, I especially liked the Baboutie however the mains were a let down. I might just have dips and entrees next time :)
We booked the venue out for a 21st birthday celebration on the Friday night. We had roughly 70 guests and Nyala did NOT disappoint.
The atmosphere was brilliant and the service was first class. From the entrée to the main meals, the food was fresh and all of our guests were pleased. The restaurant manager ensured every one was satisfied and constantly engaged with the guests.
If you are looking to book for a function or even thinking of trying out Ethiopian Cuisine for yourself, Nyala has my vote.
I am not a stranger to Ethiopian food and will definitely be sending my friends and family in that direction!
I've been to Nyala one time and it was an amazing experience. That was my first ever eating African food. Service was so friendly, food was awesome; what else could I ask for more? I ordered the Nyala Special and Meat Combo, both were super tasty. It was so rich in spices, maybe can be a bit hot for some people but I love spicy! Definitely will visit again soon.
Great value AND BYO which is awesome. The food is all tasty but nothing is overly amazing, except the bread! Could eat that injera til the cows come home. When asked whether we wanted mild or spicy, we had to go for mild because my dining companion was a pussy. Would return to get around some of their spicy dishes, and to just sit and eat a basket of bread to myself.
Sooooo yummy!!!!
Walked past this place by chance, so glad be felt like being spontaneous.
They sat us straight away and we had our drinks within 5 minutes ($7 beers)
Service was friendly and super attentive.
Food was incredible with heaps of options for sharing. We shared a mixed dip plate and a mixed meat plate. Both were fresh and bursting with flavour.
Will be dining again soon.
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We visited Nyala on a spontaneous urge to try African food. Getting an impressive 4.3/5 narrowed our focus on Nyala in Fitzroy. We went upstairs and noticed alot of families were eating with cutlery. That was instantly a red flag. Rule 1: African food, no matter what part of the amazing continent, food should be eaten with hands.
As we continued to our seating area, we sat down we noticed there was only 1 waiter/server, so we thought food consumption : food waiting ratio will be off. The wait wasn't as bad thankfully as we had some dip brought to us instantly. Food then came right after. It was okay, lamb was tough, injera was brought separately which leads me to Rule 2: Injera should be warm and sauces should be placed on top of injera, whereby we devour it accordingly.
The venue was super cold, food was average, service was great. All-in-all it was just below par. Its more of an modernized version of African dining. If you're not ready to try a REAL african experience, then come here cos it could be a stepping stone for the real thing.
Tonight we went and had the most amazing meal! We chose 2 combo plates. Split pea, Lamb, chicken, beef dishes with salad and injera bread. Probably a bit too much food but we couldn't help ourselves! We also had Great African beers that were perfect with the spice of the dishes! We feasted and it was fabulous 😍 Great service. Top quality food. Great place to visit! Good prices too. Will be back again and again!
Had dinner at Nyala Restaurant last night, and although I've eaten here several years ago, was pleasantly surprised how enjoyable the food was. Had the 3 meat combo and a vegetarian combination. Lots of different flavors. The restaurant is upstairs and therefore quiet and relaxed. Also had the sweet banana desert and Ethiopian coffee, which finished off the meal well. The French Sauvignon Blanc on the wine list was very pleasant as well, match the food. And great service.
Great service and friendly staff ! I have never had African food before so I have nothing to compare it to but I know when I taste good food! And this was excellent. Plus it is vegetarian friendly and there is a lovely ambience to the venue ! All in all it was a Very good experience!
The taste sensation in this simple, clean food was out of this world. Our group of 16 shared the $33 banquet and I have never seen so much food arrive on a table! We ate our fill and took home 8 takeaway containers. The only downside was that the beer options were extremely limited and the drink service just a little slow, but the staff were really lovely and the food was amazing.
Really cool place to try out. Good place to go with friends to share. The food had really great flavour and wasn't too spicy. Enjoyed the atmosphere as well.
We came here at 3pm and thought we might have been too late for lunch but the staff were happy to have us. The waiter was so friendly and helpful, and the food was delicious!
Walked in here without looking at any reviews because we were in the area and wanted to try something different.. It wasn't disappointing .. AT ALL.. The injira here is less fermented but tastes really good. The beef stew and sizzling chicken was so flavorsome.. The best African place I've tried.
The decor is tasteful, not overpowering; the music soft; the service smiling and accommodating. No, you’re not on the Serengeti, but hey – we’re on Brunswick Street! And what better way to try a new cuisine than get the mixed combo of everything, right? Right! Read all abut our new food adventure by ↓↓ clicking the link below ↓↓
Great food great service nice place to have authentic African food!! Injera delicious and the combo meals are real value for money.
Best meat dish, I would say is the Nyala special chicken (spiciest dish on the meat menu) and the silverbeet is delicious !!!!!
Definitely recommend. Won't be disappointed.
Had a wonderful dinner at Nyala on friday night. Delicious and abundant platters of food, great service and really friendly staff. We all were so full at the end of the night and left the restaurant raving about what a terrific night we'd had. Good vegetarian options too.
Brilliant value and wonderful food. Great African food served with well made injera. There may be some better African food in Melbourne, but none are better in value. BYO wine
If you never had African food before, Nyala is definitely the place to try it for the first time.
Lovely place, nice African food. Would recommend it to anyone
Service was prompt and efficient. Value cannot be faulted. The dining room is nicely decorated without being too theme-y.
My friends and I shared the mixed vegetarian entree and seble plates with injera. The entree portion size was just right, as was getting two seble plates to share between three. Whilst I enjoyed the meal, I felt that the injera was lacking some of the characteristic sour ferment and the four vegetarian mains were all a little under-seasoned.
Exceptional!!!. Just an exceptional exceptional meal!! Great value for money, great food and great host. Don't think twice; try it!!! We loved it
Went here last night. Possibly the best African cuisine that I have tried in Melbourne. Friendly staff, the food came out quickly, reasonable prices and most of all the food was great. I highly recommend this place to everyone. Also, try the Ethiopian beer.
Faaaarking love it. Service with a smile, fantastic food, warm service.
What more do you want. Probably my favourite restaurant this side of brunnie street
See you guys soon
Unique curries, quick service, great atmosphere. Light and airy upstairs restaurant with high ceilings, lots of space and great summer vibes, although there was hardly anyone there when we went so that probably contributed. We both got 'taster' type meals- one vegetarian and one meat- and all the curries were interesting and unique- and spicy. The staff were quick, relaxed and helpful (and tolerant of my questions about the spices in the dishes). Now we know what dishes we'd like to get next time we go in! Oh, and the booze was cheap and meal very reasonably priced. A great alternative to the restaurants packed along Brunswick St.
Amazing! I don't leave reviews very often, but this place deserves one. The service was great and the food delicious and flavourful.
Taste sensation. I had my first experience last night and the food is to die for. The mix of flavors and spices will astound you.
The service was super friendly and helpful too. We felt very welcome.
If you love hot food try the lentil dip. Other stand outs were the puff pastry with some sort of capsicum dip and the chicken curry.
I'll be back in no time.
Great flavours, entree was delicious and both mains were equally as good! African beer was also a nice change :) will definitely be back!
This restaurant is an absolute gem on Bruswick Street, a must do with the most amazing African flavors!
First time trying African. After talking about trying some new places around town with my friends, we all realised that none of us have tried nor even considered finding a good African restaurant to give a shot. We came across these great reviews for Nyala and decided it would be a good place to start.
So we came in one Sunday evening and got one of the banquet options and everybody was pleasantly surprised. Each dish came out in a very timely manner, the wait staff were really nice and friendly and most importantly everything tasted great.
My one negative with the banquet option is that with the mains there wasn't much to break up the spices that accumulated with each dish. This may have been our own misunderstanding and we probably should have asked the staff about it or just harden up a little perhaps? Apart from that tiny negative this was an overwhelmingly positive experience and has opened our group up to an entire new continent of food options.
African Delight. This is the first time African food has passed my lips and Wow! Nyala was a fantastic introduction! Really tasty food, fresh and bursting with aromatic flavours. We had a fantastic selection of both meat and vegetarian dishes washed down with a bottle of Merlot, perfect!
I have happy face. When I eat the pudding
So delicious and yummy to me.
My friend ask me: why you smile so happy
I say, because delicious feeling in my tummy!
Good bye!
Tasty African. Marvelous full flavoured African food, the curries aren't to heavy either. Friendly staff and not to busy make this a winner for a last minute dinner. African red wines are also very nice
I love it here!! The food is completely amazing- every chicken dish is fantastic.
Delicious, home cooked comfort food, perfect for winter nights. So satisfied with the generous portions and authentic African food. Lovely staff and reasonably priced. Love the injera bread and meat and lentil curries. A must try.
Tasty food and great atmosphere. Nyala offers a diverse range of African dishes and the place really caters for vegetarians too. I was surprised at how many people there were dining in this hidden gem! The food here was full of flavour and not too heavy, which was my main concern for the curries we ordered. I highly recommend the injera, the spongy flatbread was so fluffy and I couldn't get enough. I also enjoyed the chicken coconut curry very much. Apart from that, I wouldn't order anything aside from the mains because the entrees were small in portion and the mains alone definitely hit the spot. Although the food took quite a long time to arrive, it was definitely worth the wait and the quality of the ingredients can easily be realized through the great taste of food.
Delicious food & super friendly staff. Had a really lovely lunch here today with a friend. Our waiter (possibly the owner?) was incredibly warm and friendly and went out of his way to make our visit extra special. The food was super tasty - I had a vegetarian plate that had tastings of four different dishes and came with a generous serve of fluffy, delightful injera bread. I was so full but kept eating because it was so delicious! Will definitely be coming back again and highly recommend Nyala to those who haven't been!
Great dinner but the dessert needs attention. Fabulous mains, dips and entrees representing value for money. Also nice, relaxed settings. However the dessert was a notable disappointment (banana dessert contained far too much butter and both the texture and presentation need work.
Mains: 8 out of 10
Dessert: 3 out of 10
Spicy!. Came with a large group for a work Christmas breakup. Very generous with their dips, flatbread, and curries with couscous, yellow rice, and spongy amazing injera (less sour than others I've had)! A touch spicier than I would normally have my food, but delicious and warming...and did I mention the injera???? I would definitely come back, and maybe ask for a larger serve of injera to soak up the spiciness...and because that texture was so damn good!! And such great value for money!
Went here for dinner with my boyfriend and it was lovely! It's a bit hidden but the atmosphere is really nice and it's like a hidden gem on a busy street. Very kind staff and DELICIOUS food, lots of options for vegetarians. One of the best meals I've gone out for in a long time. Get the injera!
Unique world food - an African cuisine experience. Pros: some interesting curry-like dishes and herbs and spices we had never tasted before. Cons: it was not well publicized that there is an additional fee for the privilege of having a live musician present - naturally we happy to pay but this was not well communicated in advance. Wir: perhaps... Personally this is something i would definitely try at least once.
Amazing food. I was lucky enough to be treated to a meal in this amazing restaurant when visiting melbourne recently. The staff were very attentive and the food was delicious. The vegetarian meals were AMAZING. I wish I could eat here all the time. I highly recommend everyone tries this restaurant. Very goid value for money and the kids meals were huge. Thanks so much for an amazjng experience.
Nyala is one of the better African places. The injeera here is not quite as sour and strong as the one at the Abyssinian - and it's more palatable! The chicken curry was delish and so was the plate which came with four different vegetable stews in one! I doesn't disappoint. The server was very lovely and looked every bit the part in traditional African wear. Definately a must-try especially if you haven't tried African yet!
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Second time, still good. We were introduced to this African restaurant by some family who visit frequently.
My first visit was several months ago to find a very unassuming entrance to what was a delightful meal.
I took a group of us yesterday and enjoyed it just as much. It's a lovely setting if you venture upstairs. The staff are attentive and helpful. There is a nice selection of African beers.
The food is awesome. All three kids devoured their chicken, but the serving size was ridiculous (one would have fed three, for $12). Our favourite entree was again, Babhouti (?sp) a tasty mince with sultana and almonds - better than it reads.
The coconut based chicken is awesome, as was the chili-based chicken. Lots of vegetarian dishes - all good. Again, serving sizes are very generous for the price.
Will be back. I gave back their 20% VIP cards, I would feel guilty paying any less. For the second time in a row, we encouraged the diners on the footpath to "DO IT!" as they pondered the menu. Do it!
Tasty food:). This is the first experience of eating African food. I went with my wife and ordered virtually almost every main course available except for one and tried most of the entrees. The combos option is brilliant because you can try different varieties in one go.
Look out for Baboutie, Domeda, and Nyala special in particular.Reasonable price, kind owner, good location, good food. You should definitely try!
Yum Yum Yum!!. Went with a group of 8 not knowing what to expect. Was pleasantly surprised at how yummy and value priced the food was! The service was great too. Going back definately in near future!
Plenty of food, that taste fantastic. Nice service, cool african vibe. Will be back.
Move up!
WOW.... $105 to feed 3 people with left overs...!!! flavours were awesome, friendly, fast and very smiley service... Will be back...
Absolutely delicious! Fantastic flavors, cooked to perfection and lovely service. Highly recommend for mains the nyala special (beef) and the chicken with spices. The entres - you can't go past the eggplant dip, the samosa type dish and the minced beef, almonds, fruit. Amazing! Byo is a plus too :)
Great Food, Friendly Service. I work overseas and come back to MEL each year for my annual vacation to visit family and friends and, when I do, I always like to visit Nyala for some great Ethiopian cuisine. This was first visit since the restaurant relocated to its new venue further down Brunswick St but happily its strengths remain in spades: full flavoured food at reasonable prices in a relaxed atmosphere with friendly service. As a vegetarian, there is plenty of choice and the injera is among the best I have ever eaten anywhere. What more could you want in a dining experience? Highly recommended!
Had a lovely experience at nyala. Waitress was accommodating and helpful. Meals were enjoyed by all. Large servings too which is always a plus!
Great place. The last two reviews must be amix up as nyala does not serve any breakfast menu & the place is no grotty clean well set up decorated lights very inviting serving delicious african food tusker beer & south african wine.
Popped my African cherry. Went here for my birthday last year with my parents, one of whom is vegetarian. Funky atmosphere and staff were friendly and attentive. Ordered a variety of dishes, no trouble finding vegetarian meals on the menu. I was pleasantly surprised by the spiciness of some of the dishes and was delighted by the injera, traditional Ethiopian bread, spongy like a pancake but savoury like bread. Accompanied with our meal we had local African beers, one of the few places I've seen South African Savanah's on sale. Definitely enjoyed the experience and will be going back with friends, only those that enjoy a bit of tang to their tastebuds!
We are regulars and is it any wonder! The food is awesome and the staff friendly. The Nyala Special is not to be missed.
Cozy place. The tusker beer was absolutely smooth. Great service - warm n friendly. Food was delicious. We were a big group and were well looked after. Sure to come again.
FoodingAroundMelbourne
+4
Party in my mouth. Times have changed since I fist came her 2-3 years ago. Once I finally found the restaurant, our group was very impressed. Nyala has moved up the road to the 'trendier' end of Brunswick street where you need to fight off hipsters for a car park..I thought they all rode bikes?...anyway, I digress. The waitstaff are friendly and helpful, even picking a broad selection of mains to have in our buffet.
The food was tasty and spicy, although not overly so. the meals came with everything a good buffet should; meat, veggies, meat, rice, couscous, meat, dips and meat. Mighty delightful evening.
Two enthusiastic thumbs up.
Outstanding. I can't speak highly enough of my experience with this restaurant. The food was excellent, and the service was quite good... until I realised, a couple of days later, that I'd left my hat there, and they mailed it back to Sydney free of charge! In my book, that ticks the service into the 'excellent' category as well.
But the kicker: This was the first restaurant I've been in the world where I ordered Ethiopian food and didn't have to send them back three times for more injera—it came with enough in the first place! Amazing!
Deep Roots. What an experience. Intense flavours and variety of tastes. The service is good and the prices are very competitive. Recommended
The food at Nyala was fantastic. Some really interesting and tasty meals on offer......everything we ate was delicious. Our only gripe?.....was the peculiar choice of entertainment.... A young bloke playing a keyboard.... It was so odd to see & hear in an African restaurant???? Like going to see Barry Manilow do the opening act for Slip Knot! Too weird!!
Delicious food, very authentic... You even get to experience famine before you eat! :-)
- TheImpatientRacist
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Decent food, terrible experience (second visit was more successful). Generally speaking, anything not relating to the food, I'm not too concerned about. However, the service at Nyala was so bad that it ruined any possible enjoyment of the food.
I'll explain:
I was seated at about 7:35pm on a fairly busy Friday night. It took between five and ten minutes to bring a menu (let's say 7:42). I figured out what I wanted pretty quickly and gave my order to the waiter (lots of tasty stuff on the menu so I ordered the combo entree and the meat combo main) at 7:45. My drink was brought over about five minutes later (about 7:50), along with a knife and a soup spoon.
I don't mind slow service (particularly in a busy restaurant) but when I saw another table that had ordered after me being served their entree I had to ask where my food was. This would have been about 8:10. About five minutes later the waiter brought over a bowl of dips and a pile of mountain bread with an apology for the delay. I hadn't ordered it but presumed it was a peace offering for the delay. I picked at the offering, but they weren't too appetising.
Around 8:30, I was brought a plate with three meat dishes on it along with a bowl overflowing with roti. I'd never eaten at Nyala before, but none of them resembled the entrees I'd ordered. I asked the waiter where my entree was - he said this was my entree. I responded that the food didn't look like my entree and he said he'd have to check.
He wandered off and a woman returned telling me that she was sorry and that the waiter was "new" (she repeated this three or four more times before I left). She picked up the bowl of roti, apparently aware I hadn't ordered it. I asked about the entree and she offered to cancel it - I accepted that kind offer. Now that I had an inkling that there'd been a giant cock-up, I pointed out that I hadn't ordered the dips & bread either.
At this point, I was still armed with a dessert spoon and failing to get any attention, I had to go searching for a fork. I asked and was brought one.
I had a vague inkling that there should have been some rice to go with my meat, but I didn't bother asking. A few minutes later the waitress came and asked me if I wanted bread, rice or couscous with my meal - I asked for the rice.
As noted, the restaurant blamed a "new" waiter for the screw ups - I contend that is a reason, not an excuse and furthermore, I believe that it's pretty ordinary to blame a poorly-trained waiter for their mistakes.
No allowances for the experience were made at the register.
The food was okay. Not great, but nicely prepared.
The real shame of all this is that I probably would have enjoyed Nyala and visited again had it not been for the service.
If you do visit, make sure you don't get a "new" waiter.
UPDATE December 2014
So, after staying away for two years I decided to give Nyala another shot. This time on a quiet Tuesday night and with a mate. Service was prompt (although there wasn't much else going on) and the waitress was friendly. Food arrived quickly and the correct dishes were delivered.
Entree was the Baboutie and the Abeba Gomen. The Baboutie (mince meat with sultanas and nuts) was very tasty but the Abeba Gomen (deep-fried cauliflower) sounded better in the menu than it was on the plate. It was okay, but I'd skip it next time.
Mains were the Kuku Na Nazi (chicken/coconut curry) and the Nyala Special (beef stew). The Kuku Na Nazi was pretty tasty, the chicken well-cooked and ready to fall apart on the fork. The Nyala Special was a bit disappointing... the sauce was quite thin and the meat fairly tough.
So... I might give the place another shot and try some different dishes sometime.
Great service. I really liked this place when it was down the rough end of Brunswick street. The maitre d' was so charming and the meals always amazing! Haven't been since they relocated.
Blown Away. Never had African food before, so thought I should try here for a bit of a change of pace. So glad I did. This is the eleventh restaurant I have eaten out at in Melbourne, and thus far this has been the best experience: very good value, absolutely amazing food and extremely friendly service. Cannot possibly reccommend any more than I am. If you haven't tried here yet: do so.
Quiet ambience which was well lit and furnished with African decor. Ordered the mixed entree/dips which was amazing and huge. Be sure to go for the cauliflower entree and be sure to grab a friend to help you out! The banana dessert was also really creamy and lovely if you're a big fan of cream cheese and cinnamon with a twinge of sourness.
Beg tibs is amazing w injera!!!!
Fantastic!!. Truely a hearty warming meal to be had here, very filling and fully satisfying!
Bring back that African feeling. My second visit to this African restaurant, but first at the new upstairs location. We ordered the banquet and loved all the food and it's variety of flavors which included breads, dips, chicken, lamb, beef and salad dishes. We certainly were not leaving hungry. The cinnamon infused coffee was not really to my liking, but at least I gather it was authentic African, much like the great food. The beers to boot were also African.
Minor criticisms- our waitor was pretty ordinary/ new. Also the place has lost a bit of that edgy African local feel in what is now a newer and bigger (and upstairs) location.
I will still return. Definitely worth visiting.
Always Amazing African!. I love this place, every time its been fantastic food, great service, something different for a great dinner and night out. So tasty and amazing spices used in the dishes. I've recommended this to others and heard great feedback from them. the BYO is appreciated!
Delicious tasty dishes , very fast efficient service , great night out will definatly return and spread the word
Yum!. We ordered the dip combination, and the vegetarian main combination, and both were great! They allowed us to sample all the different flavours, which was perfect as we hadn't been to many African restaurants in the past.
The food was fresh and of good quality, and the flavours different and tasty. The service was top notch, and I thought the decor was nice (although someone else here thought it was tacky). I recommend this place, especially for those who are indecisive, as they have the choice of having a taste of everything!
Love it. Excellent service and food! I loved this place. Can't say I'm an African food connoiseur, but I will definitely be going back. Very reasonably priced and something a bit different.
I greatly enjoyed this, very clean, positive staff FANTASTIC flavors!!!!
Had a booking for 12 and decided to go for the banquet. Glad we did as it was great to taste a bit of each of their delicious dishes. Staff were very friendly and polite. Food was fast and more than enough to feed 12 people. Would recommend Nyala Restaurant to anyone that is interested.
Nice place. I went here for the Shout the Horn event the other night, not having been before and not knowing what to expect. I didn't think they'd actually have food from all over Africa, but guess what, they did! The food was deliciously spicy and there was a nice range of vegetarian options. I wasn't a fan of the battered cauliflower, tbh, but everything else was beautifully flavoured. It did take a while to get the waiters' attention, but when we did they were very helpful. Nice background music as well. I'll be going back!
African Virgin. This was my first African food experience, and I've got to say I liked it. Simple food with very interesting bread. The decor was a little tacky but the food and service was great.
Always Looking For Treats
+4.5
Amazingly delicious!!!. Dinner here was so delicious. Highly recommended. Awesome!! Make sure you have the lamb!!
Will be going back soon for sure.
Service was fast and we didnt wait too long to be seated being a group of 7. The food was delicious considering i havent had african food before. The room was decorated with handpaited portraits and statues of african women. The illustrated lampshades were really unique.
As an ex South African I got a real kick out of finding classic dishes from home like bobotie and milk tart. Absolutely delicious! And really cheap
Good meat dishes and entrees. The baboutiewas delicious. However the traditional breads were stone cold which tasted weird.
Very nice. Friendly service, there are lean options for those watching their weight, excellent aromatic spicy food. If you are afraid to explore don't be, you won't get any tarantula legs in your stew. Also the African beers are delicious!
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Ethiopian Extravaganza!. According to my basic research, Nyala African Restaurant has been in existence at its home in Brunswick St, Fitzroy, for about 20 years. You don't stay in business for that long if your fare is sub-standard because, believe me, word of mouth can make or break a restaurant. This was my first experience of African food, but I can safely say that it won't be last. The food was not extravagant fine dining in the tradition of French Cuisine, but the flavours of the food leaves a permanent imprint on your tastebuds and keeps you wanting more.
We started with the trio of dips (cost $10.50) - being Tahini, Deberja (Eggplant) and a Lentil dip. This is served with flat mountain bread, and is truly delicious. Each is distinctive and flavoursome. Also for entree, we indulged in the mixed entree (cost $12) which consisted of Sambusa (meat filled crispy pastry), Baboutie (minced meat served with fruit chutney, sultanas and nuts), and Abeba Gomen (fried cauliflower dumpling). Once again, these dishes were flavoursome and addictive.
The main courses consisted of the Nyala Special which is a beef stew served on a hot metal plate, and the Beg Tibs (Lamb). Both dishes cost $19.50. Each dish was filled with spices and falvours which lit up my tastebuds and left me wanting more. The mains were served with curried vegetables and Injera which is basically a pancake. The bar consisted of mostly South African and Ethiopian beers. The service was fast and efficient, and the decor was colourful and inviting.
For what was my first experience in African dining and cuisine, I had a thoroughly enjoyable night which was very well priced. I will most certainly be back and will happily recommend this restaurant to friends and family. One of THE best meals I have eaten in my life.
Food good, service slack. We went for the banquet. Dips were yummy (not enough bread supplied), the entree was different and good, the mains were tasty curries and plenty of meat, vegies, rice and cous cous supplied. Very well priced and I thought extremely good value for the amount and quality of food. Only disappointment was the service - slow, forgot drink orders, didn't take away empty dishes to make room, didn't supply fresh cutlery etc etc. Good thing the food makes up for it!
Amazing African. I could eat this food forever. I can't wait for my next visit to Nyala.
Delicious food and very good service and so much food definitely going back
What can I say? just a perfect first experience that will keep me going back many times to come. Brilliant food, warm atmosphere and inviting staff made it a memorable experience. Try the combination entrees. You won't be disappointed!
Something new. I didn't know what to expect, but I was not disappointed. The food was simple, flavoursome, and extremely filling. Stuffed myself silly. Very enjoyable.
Tasty, but I remember it took a while for the food to arrive at the table.
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