NATIVES SPORTS BAR AND GRILL - Nairobi

The boys needed to meet and re connect face to face; it had to be face to face since a full decade had elapsed before some laid eyes on each other. The air was filled with anticipation and the venue had to be an airy place with plenty of freedom to chat away our years of absence. The lots fell on Natives along Thika road Nairobi.

View from the main gate

The location next to the Gumba junction is so convenient you cannot miss it from either side of the highway since it is next to the flyover that connects the traffic from both sides of the superhighway. The nice security guy at the main gate, in well straightened uniform and clean boots, chats me up as he peeps into the car and allocates me a parking token. Another member of his team leads me to a vacant parking spot in the humongous parking area just at the entrance. After parking he welcomes me to the place and tells me, I will enjoy the dance.

The welcome leaves me excited, at the entrance there are other security personnel in dark fitting suits frisking each patron professionally as we enter the establishment. They welcome us in impeccable language and demeanor. I am taken aback by the sheer size of the club. As far as my eyes can see, people are dining, I am pretty convinced this is the eatery with the biggest client space in the city. The sitting areas are spacious unlike the tiny Nairobi clubs where you have to touch your neighbor's back whenever you leave for the Johns. They even have a real tent pitched in the middle serving as another restaurant with optional buffet service.

The African setting is amazing and the several bars strategically placed all over from right at the entrance give the place a colorful touch. Being a sports bar, a dozen big screens dot the walls and corners with the European matches beaming live from every angle with speakers chanting cool music to the whole institution from one Dj hidden in some music box. After tracing my buddies in the myriad of mini restaurants and bars, we order our drinks, this place has got it right in terms of staff; the waiters are as many as the clients, hardly half a minute passes without a waiter passing by our tables and in they operate so swiftly amid the great masses of revelers. Kudos to the management for that, I have not seen such efficiency in large establishments anywhere, these people got it right.

For a city club, this place has very fair pricing, though they will charge you if you ask for warm water, the warm drinks are warm and the chilled drinks come truly chilled, many of you will appreciate that convenience. They lacked honey when we needed it though but there lemons were fresh.

 Everyone seems to mind their own business as we laugh our throats dry, seems like the culture here, everyone knows what brought them here and do not pry into your lives, very good for those meetings that you do not want your boss to hear of, unless of course the boss attends his here. And when you arrive mind your own business.

Men do not meet in the absence of goat ribs, so we asked for several kilograms, still very fairly priced for Kenyans, two hours later the sizzling chunks are served by this cute nice girl, name withheld, who kept the boys entertained as she made rounds ensuring we were comfortable. I have no idea what they did to those ribs but it was worth the wait; served with Ugali that did it great additional  justice. Fingers were licked literally and the platters almost licked as well. 

The lit gangway and the dazing lights

 By the time anyone noticed the passing time it was deep into the night having exhausted, the laugh reserves in the body and wives calling to find out where there men were. This place will drain your pockets and you wont regret it, I know I did not. The sporty feel will follow you out with the multicolored floor lights confusing your brains