Nairobi’s Bar Scene Rivals Any Major Capital’s—and These Spots Prove It
No capital city does adventure quite like Nairobi, Kenya. With a national park bounding with life inside its city limits, a sanctuary for orphaned elephants, and the second largest mall in East Africa, Nairobi doesn’t need cocktails to lure tourists. But the city’s dynamic bar culture rivals that of any major global capital, and the world is taking notice.
Unlike in other cities, where the best bars tend to be clustered in downtown areas or specific neighborhoods, Nairobi’s buzzing cocktail scene is sprinkled across the city. Exploring its richness can feel like a scavenger hunt where, in unexpected corners, there are bars mixing indigenous fruits, herbs, and spices with local spirits.
With so much to see and taste, the only question is where to go and what to try. We tapped local experts—Richie Barrow (an award-winning African hospitality leader), Shiela Birungi (founder and managing director of The Living Rooms), and Will Ekisa (brand manager and ambassador for Procera Gin)—to share their recommendations for the very best places to drink in Nairobi.
Hero Bar
Limuru Road
East Africa’s most awarded cocktail bar also happens to be Nairobi’s first speakeasy. Located on the ninth floor of the Trademark Hotel, Hero Bar’s manga-style menu and emphasis on African ingredients and spirits result in a regionally specific bar that’s impossible to forget. Decked out in graffiti by local artists, this open-air sky lounge also houses East Africa’s only dedicated cocktail lab, where bartenders have access to equipment like sous-vide machines and dehydrators for R&D. (This year, 50 Best ranked it as the best bar in Africa.)
I was a repeat customer at Hero and got to hang out with some of the bartenders before I left Nairobi. Cocktail highlights included the savory Plantain Old-Fashioned and the complex Elixir of the Gods, complete with lacto-fermented spiced local watermelon.
When you visit, make sure to read the story at the back of the menu. Local artists are featured regularly to share illustrations that depict social and political issues that are currently affecting Kenyan citizens. The comic in rotation during my visit was about one of the darkest moments in Kenyan history: the story of “Pastor” Paul Mackenzie Nthenge and the 400+ victims of his starvation cult.
Jekyll & Hyde
Westlands
Located in the Westlands of Nairobi inside a strip mall, Jekyll & Hyde is the kind of place you might want to visit without the kids. Imagine if Morticia Adams was a bar, and that bar had a sprinkle of BSDM vibes. That’s Jekyll & Hyde. Owned by Elenora Vassiono (or Lele), this moody, playful bar is known for its burlesque nights and live music, as well as its boundary-pushing cocktail menu. Make sure to order its namesake, the Jekyll & Hyde: a bold bourbon-forward reinvention of the Stone Fence featuring homemade apple tepache and cider. Other highlights include the Ophelia, a riff on all things pear (pear soju, gin, and liqueur), and the Mami Wata, a cocktail “inspired by the Trinidad Sour and a tribute to African spirits and bold palates,” says Birungi.
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BangBang
Village Market
A five-minute walk from Hero Bar is BangBang, a Thai restaurant fueled by Kenyan ingredients like local lobster, snapper, and mangoes and a brilliant cocktail menu to match. Tucked away in the heart of the Village Market, BangBang is warm, cozy, and stylish—the perfect place to grab a drink before round two at the Maasai Market. Shamim Ehsani, the co-founder of Tribe Hotel Group, which includes BangBang, notes that the coasts of Thailand and Kenya have similarities from climate to ingredients, so creating a menu that explores those connections made perfect sense. Cocktail menu standouts are the Yellow Corner, lively with notes of Thai chili and yellow bell pepper and a sour pucker, and the Owie, an herb-forward Kenyan-style mojito. Pair the latter with the succulent Lobster Pad Thai.
The Living Rooms
Central Business District
Nairobi has expanded significantly in recent years, which has created unique districts on the outskirts of the city, where creatives have flocked. Some bars are trying to bring that authentic, arty Nairobi flair back to the city center. Enter The Living Rooms, a vibey “day-to-night social club” with a craft cocktail bar and picturesque rooftop. It has become a frequent hangout for local creatives, fashionistas, and artists, in part due to its classic cocktails. Barrow strongly recommends the Gin Fizz, and that you arrive early in the evening so you can grab a low bed in the common area and listen to live music after sunset. “The Living Rooms is more than just a bar and creative space; it’s part of a movement to bring back nightlife into the CBD [Central Business District],” says Barrow. “Come for the art, and stay for the vibe.”
Beit e Selam
Westlands
In Amharic, Beit e Selam means “house of peace,” and that is exactly what owner Zelalem Teklewold aimed to emulate with this pretty, elevated restaurant and bar, which spotlights continental African cuisines, cocktails, and craft beers. Don’t miss the cocktails made with Procera Gin, a hyper-local gin brand based in Nairobi—specifically, the Mutarakwa G&T, garnished with local juniper berries and specialty tonic. Ekisa appreciates the convivial spot’s “calming retro vibes, music from generational vinyls, and traditional dishes with a futuristic touch.” (Spend a clear night on their romantic open-air terrace, and see a splatterwork of stars.)
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Cultiva
Karen District
For an elegant farm-to-table experience where the menu items are literally being grown around you, come to Cultiva. Cocktail ingredients are sourced from the grounds’ multi-tiered garden that you can explore yourself, drink in hand: it’s basically an open-air greenhouse, with a killer eco-conscious drinks menu. Cultiva also has one of the most exciting non-alcoholic drinks menus in Nairobi. Try their spirit-free lacto-fermented sodas flavored with lemongrass or local watermelon and basil, or the spiced purple corn mocktail. Definitely make a reservation before arriving. Bonus: It’s within a 15-minute drive of an Elephant Orphanage and the Giraffe Center.
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