The other day someone asked me if I thought the Grand on the Beach is the place of the season and after thinking about it I said yes. So it’s important for me to get this review out to you. I’ve been twice, once for lunch and once for dinner, so that combined with my review of the Grand in Camps Bay should give you a good overview of the place of the season.
I’m impressed by what they have managed to do with a shed, because that’s basically what it was. To take a large steel wharehouse and turn it into something that is visually appealing and has ambiance and character is an achievement. They have focused their money and energies on what is important and ignored things which aren’t that important. As you walk in your attention is captured by the awesome, huge bar that runs the length of the venue. A very interesting and unusual bar counter is framed by nicely lit shelves holding liquor behind the bar. Then you turn briefly to the right and see the huge 24 seater table in the middle of the place, surrounded by smaller tables and at the end is the kitchen hidden from view by a large pizza oven. Turning to the right, you look through the big steel doors and see the view in the picture above. You won’t be able to stop yourself walking outside to survey the scene.
They shipped the sand in and have created a private beach which a beautiful blue sea horizon. The sea is often filled with boats adding to the composition of the image which will stay in your mind long after you have left and may well be a stage for some pleasant dreams one night. They have resisted the urge to pack the beach with tables and chairs, with only a few tables, chairs and couches, the beach retains its integrity.
When I went for lunch we had a table on the sand which was novel but I think I prefer terra firma so would elect to sit on the actual veranda next time. There are tables with attached benches on the sand which would be a better option. Although when I was there one of the table capsized as they are not properly supported. On my second visit I noticed that they now put bricks under the benches to prevent similar incidents. The beach seems to be quite protected from the wind, but it did get breezy when I was there for lunch.
Once you’ve spent some time there and are no longer overwhelmed by the awesomeness, you start to notice the small things like the rusty steelwork, etc. But it really just adds character and authenticity to the place. They also have a boutique selling clothes and other things as you walk in. There is plenty of space that is unused and I didn’t see anyone using the plunge pools. It could almost be a day club, where you could go and use the recliners and drink cocktails, catch some sun and cool off in the plunge pool. Maybe that is the vibe they are heading for once they are confidently serving the current tables they have.
The food and the wine list are the same as the Grand in Camps Bay. Both are short but good quality. For lunch I had the ceasar salad (R70) as a starter, which was quote nice although fairly plain lettuce cut into very large pieces, so not elegant by any means. For mains I had the steak which I had been wanting to try and it was very good. My dining partner enjoyed her caprese salad starter and calamari main.
We did have some issues with our lunch. We had booked an outside table but they gave it away before we arrived. They did make a plan though. The service was a bit sketchy to begin with and they had no beers other than Corona. But on my second visit, things were much better. I went with a part of 24 for dinner and we sat at the big table in the middle of the restaurant. The waitress suggested we have a set menu with platters of food rather than ordering a la carte. This was obviously the best option as I doubt any kitchen will be able to bring out 24 dishes in reasonable time. They started us off with some pizzas. This is the one menu difference between the Grand on the Beach and the one in Camps Bay, the beach one offers pizza. It’s a long rectangular pizza cut into squares and there are only two options, one is a margarita (R100) and the other has some toppings like anchovies, olives and artichoke hearts (R120). It’s a simple pizza but tasty and with a nice thin base. Accompanying the pizzas were some salads, also simple but with fresh ingredients. We also were given nice bread rolls at the beginning.
For mains they brought platters of the fillet, chicken and kingklip, with bowls of chips and veggies as sides. It was all delicious, even the kingklip was nicer than the one I tried at the Camps Bay Grand. There was no dessert included and the total price was R170 per head. Quite steep but it was an awesome evening. Most mains are over R100 anyway so to have two courses at R170 is not unreasonable.
Our waitress that evening was on the ball, she handled our big table with no problems. The managers are pretty jacked so issues that may arise are soon dealt with and in a positive way. You need to get yourself to the Grand on the Beach, it’s a great venue and a good dining experience. Spoil yourself. Go!
The Grand on the Beach
Beach Road, Granger Bay
Tel: 021 425 0551
http://www.thegrand.co.za/
Comments
58 responses to “Grand Cafe and Beach review”
Spot on…. wicked spot. Definitely find of the season. Worked well & will definitely be returning. Staff were friendly, efficient & insightful. Food out the top draw and, well.. as far as the setting goes…. remarkable, rivals anywhere in the world…
Grand Cafe & Beach gets a big thumbs down. The slowest & worst service in Cape Town. After being utterly ripped-off for bottle of Tokara red wine they then have the gall to serve it in plastic glasses….
Myself and two friends wanted to have a joint birthday drinks ‘do’ at the New Grand Beach Cafe. So we thought we would try it out for dinner one night 8 weeks before our bday event. We arrived to be told that even though our name was on the reservations list our booking was cancelled…? we were angry but managed to argue our way onto a table and enjoyed a nice meal. We made the booking for 30 people 8 weeks in advance. In the mean time I had visited about 4 times and each time I’d had a bad experience. Either the service was bad and intrusive or we were place on a table in direct sunlight with no offer of shade. I even asked to be moved into an inside table but was told they need to set the table for a 7pm reservation.. it was 3pm. The week of our party I made sure my friend called to confirm. We arrived on the night only to be told that our booking had been cancelled again and our function area given away. This time we were unable to even state our case. We were simply told sorry they couldnt help. After many angry words we were finally told that the VIP area at Pepenero had been booked for us and that Grand Beach cafe would pay for us all (30 people) to get there in cabs and be given some bottles of champagne… We were not stoked but wanted to salvage our night so we accepted..the Cabs never materialised. We arrived at Pepenero to a warm greeting and some free champagne, the VIP area was the bar. A waitress brought platters of food which were were delighted to receive and ate. At the end of the night we were asked whom would be paying the food bill? we didnt understand. No one had asked us for an order. The food just arrived as we assumed the Grand was making amends. It turned out that The Grand staff member that had dumped us on Pepenero had told Pepenero and I quote ‘I have a group of 30 that have lots of money, they want food and lots of drinks'(!!) so Pepenero took the liberty of ordering 10 platters of sushi on our behalf and expecting us to pay! I have NEVER had such shocking hospitality and customer service experiences in my life. The Grand is full of rude idiotic staff and is completely disorganised. They will also lie straight to your face regarding bookings when the booking is right there in front of them! Even though Pepenero was delightful to us, what person assumes people want food, then orders it without consulting them? Both the Grand Beach Cafe and Pepenero have guaranteed that 30 Cape Town residents will be making sure all their friends and family know the terrible experience we had with both establishments and I can guarantee we will never be visiting again.
Had lunch at the Grand yesterday. Bloody fantastic. Service was spotty to say the least but the waiting staff were nice to us when they did serve us and there was a wedding on the beach so we knew to chill and not expect on demand service. It was blazing hot, the drinks icy cool and I think it will go from strength to strength. They know their current weaknesses – come winter they will be focussed. What are they going to do in winter?
Hi Disgruntled
I have read loads and loads of bad reviews about these guys on all the food blogs but if Dax had a good time then surely we are all wrong:)
Restaurants cannot get away with this its absolutley outrageous, we should all boycott this place and its other “establishment” in Camps Bay.
There seems to be a trend here but the lemmings that go to be seen and dont care about the food and service will prevail like normal
Daz (relaz with daz)
Only been once and, bar the awesome location, I can’t say that I was impressed.
I made a lunch booking for a group of 8 ten days before. I called 3 times during the course of that week to confirm the booking, and to increase the numbers. Each time, I was told all was in order.
On the actual day, I was running a little late, so my friends arrived before me. To my total mortification when my friends arrived, the hostesses said there ‘was no booking’ under my name. Nevertheless, they seated us inside which was a bit dissapointing given that I had made the booking in advance. The hostesses were reportedly rather rude to my friends, and made one of my friends stand outside when she said she was joining a table of friends who were already seated.
When I took up the issue of the ‘non booking’ with the hotstesses, they were snotty to say the least, saying that it’s not their problem, they are ‘just hostesses here’ and that I should take it up with management. It sounded like a rather well rehearsed line, and I suspect I’m not the only one to have had this experience.
The food – so so. Nothing to write home about in my opinion. Limited menu and not that inspiring. Local cap classiques are totally overpriced.
It’s a great location…but that’s all really. I would think twice about eating there again.
Shocking Service, rude hostesses, invasive waiters. Good luck for the winter is all I can say because there appears to be many displeased Capetonians and they are what keeps the restaurant industry afloat in winter!
I have been hearing a stream of negative comments about Grand on the Beach, which is unfortunate. My experiences were good, but there is obviously a problem. If any of the stories above happened to me I would be fuming.
When I mentioned that feedback had been negative, I suddenly received a bunch of positive comments as well. So, it seems to be luck of the draw as to whether you will have a good time or not.
I’d say keep your expectations low, but check it out because it deserves a visit even if it’s to see what they have done with the place.
Absolutely loved the place!!! At last a gorgeous utterly sophisticated venue on a beautiful beach in Cape Town near the Waterfront. Fabulous decor in exquisite good taste. Huge bowls of red roses everywhere, the place was packed and the service was good. Obviously my new favourite place in Cape Town!
What a shame that these other folks had such a bad time, I realy cant believe that, and as a restaurant owner in Cape Town myself, I am horrified at the misrepresentation of what happened.
I happened to be there for this whole affair. If anyone ever treated my staff the way this customer did, I would have booted them out the door! She arrived 2 hours late for her booking, which I distinctly heard the hostess telling her, and then screamed obscenities and filthy language at not only the hostess (who amazingly stayed calm) but also all the rest of the staff. Despite this behaviour, the staff still made an arrangement for a VIP room at another establishment, gave them a couple of bottles of bubbly to appease them, and offered to personally escort them there, taxi fare on the house. Despite all this and the effort made by the incredibly accommodating hostess (don’t know her name… blond bob), to see this woman and her friends then slander the restaurant in all media forums is, frankly, unacceptable behaviour, and downright disgraceful.
My friends and I thoroughly enjoy the Grand Café and we will continue to enjoy great food, service and venue at the best hotspot in Cape Town.
I have to agree. I went there and had the most amazing time!!!The hostesses were incredibly welcoming and helpful, the food was delicious and I absolutely loved it.
It sounds like some people just have bad attitudes and will create problems wherever they go! I will definitely be going back!
I recently went to the Grand Cafe at granger bay and I have to disagree with Tracy and Tony…I wasn’t overly impressed!Although the setting is exquisite and truly draws the crowd, the rubble in the entrance creates a shabby look and the parking is atrociuos. Furthermore, overpriced wine and pizza; obnoxious management and ignorant waitrons were the order of the day. As far as Tony’s comment on the above customers “disgraceful” behaviour, surely as a restaurant owner yourself you would have to understand that the customer is always right and if the restaurant really screwed up as disgruntled claims, then this is something that the Grand needs to seriously think about…such an experience will leave a bad taste with anyone…i’d give it a 3 out of ten…and that’s being generous!
Tony, thanks for filling us in on the other side of the story. There is always more to it and it’s a pity we don’t get to hear both sides more often.
What a beautiful place.
The food was great, the views and setting absolutely gorgeous, interesting location, pity about the parking lot but well positioned none the less, the yachts from the Power boat club really add to the European feel, truly nothing else like this in Cape Town.
We really enjoyed our late afternoon lunch, could have done with more heaters though after the sun went down.. nice place to go relax, have an easy going meal and some good wine, amazing dessert platter! Mix of people also pretty sophisticated, though judging from the other posts, and reviews, a lot of sensitive egos to contend with in conjunction with the usual bumps and shortcomings of a new restaurant.. all in all a pleasing experience,the staff all seemed to be working hard. The few niggles where vastly overshadowed by the views, our fantastic waitress and the grand’s unique style on offer.. not to mention the delicious food!
Would be great if they had a Jazz band for sun downers..
Walked there from Sea Point for a sundowner at 5pm on Sunday afternoon (24 Jan) to be told that they are closed between 4pm and 6pm to prepare for the evening bookings. What a pity!!! What a disappointment!!! What a waste!!! Such a lovely venue and you can’t have a sundowner drink…
So we went next door to our usual, the Radisson, which is always fantastic. The sofas on the sea edge are wonderful. And this time our drinks actually arrived in reasonable time. I have accepted the exceptionally slow service for their exceptional view and exceptional value for money, ie cheap cocktails for a 5-star hotel.
In December, we had dinner at the Grand on the beach for the first time. The service was bad and the staff were constantly moving furniture around. My guest was returning to the UK the next day, so when the 3 whales obliging popped up infont of the restaurant, she was so blown away that we were prepared to overlook anything!
We ventured back there on Tuesday for a family farewell with a sense of trepidation, as I had been the one to recommend it. I had not specified that I wanted to be outside and it was a beautiful evening. The staff immediately accomodated us by moving a table onto the deck. One of the managers, Justin, made sure that the service was much improved and their salmon pizza was outstanding.
What ever reason you go there for, you have to admit that the setting is one of a kind and you have to take your hat off to whoever had the idea in the first place, whoever found such a magical site and whoever made it all happen. I, for one, am grateful to them for giving us such a fabulous venue and for making Cape Town an even more special place to come and visit.
I emailed the Grand to ask about opening hours, and received a very prompt reply to say that are indeed closed between 4pm and 6pm every day to prepare for the evening shift. However, if you wish to have just a sundowner drink, you can after 6pm, ie no obligation to have a meal. So, I’m looking forward to getting there one of these days, the setting on the beach is about high time in Cape Town. Always amazed me that cafes tend to open on noisy streets whereas in many cities on the Mediterranean, cafes on the beach are plentiful.
Finally got to the Grand on the beach yesterday, being Saturday afternoon, and I am pleased to say, I have found a piece of heaven.
The setting is tranquil and exquisite, with yachts and tankers providing an interesting backdrop. The mood is Cafe del Mar, and their very strong cocktails transport you instantly into a very happy place. I had the Ginger Rogers (about R48 I think).
Prices are up since you reviewed it. Margarita pizza is R120, add artichokes and it’s R150. Salmon pizza is R200, and seafood pizza R500! Can’t say it’s good value ito food, but given the setting, you can’t beat it. The margarita pizza was very tasty although the base could’ve been crispier. The chilli in olive oil and garlic in olive oil are tasty condiments.
Service was a little weird. We arrived and the two hostesses who met us at the door told us that there was not one table available outside. It was stuffy inside, so we took a walk outside and saw loads of empty tables albeit in full sun. Immediately a waiter asked us if we had been helped, and gave us a choice of two different tables outside but in the shade. Those two hostesses almost lost out on the business from three people, and the opportunity for us to tell others how wonderful it is.
What astounded us was that it wasn’t packed. (Admittedly, we liked it that way!) Where were the hoards of people taking in this piece of paradise? With hostesses who turn away people when tables are available, you might surmise that to be the answer.
I hostess at the Grand and we are always given strict instructions to only allow walk ins to sit inside if the restaurant is fully booked, the tables outside were all reserved and once people are through the door the waiters assume that they have reserved a table. This is why we have had problem in the past with people arriving and no tables being available. It’s not a matter of turning people away, we have to make sure that the people who have actually taken the time to make a booking are accommodated. The weekends are generally booked up so it’s always best to make a reservation about a week in advance.
Good to see the restaurant is finally responding to the endless bad reviews its just a pity its just the “hostess” and not the manager…
I appreciate the hostess’s response, and it does make sense. But… THUMP! That was me falling from my little piece of heaven.
Went there again on Sunday night, rather by accident because we wanted to go to Camps Bay, but you could barely drive down the main strip due to the crowds. So we turned around and landed up at the Grand on the beach at 8.30pm. And what a perfect night for it! (It was that incredibly hot night.)
This time the hostess was wonderfully welcoming and said to choose anywhere on the beach.
But the point of this post is: they have a long way to go to getting organised.
We waited forever for someone to bring us a menu, after asking several times and much to the hostess’s exasperation, because she tried to get a waiter for us. The waiters/waitresses wander around the beach, but ignore any attempt to call them. Then our food arrived before I had even ordered my drink — I had asked for a drinks menu, and the waiter simply disappeared until the food arrived. The reason I had asked him for a drinks menu was because I wanted a white wine, but he didn’t know what was on offer other than “chardonnay” and “sov… something”. Eventually I went to the bar and ordered and waited for my drink.
We had also asked for the garlic and chilli condiment. That never arrived. Again, I went to the hostess (because our waiter was nowhere in sight) and she arranged it for me — but also at a very long wait. I watched while she had to go to the kitchen to get the little bowls filled, and wait and wait until they found her some ingredients. Surely condiments are something you have lined up and ready to go?
Going back to her response in this thread re waiters assuming you’ve booked an outside table? Surely, if you’ve booked a table, the hostess would show you it.
My feeling is they have no system. And I hope it won’t be the demise of the place, because it’s a special location and it should be packed and pumping, particularly on a perfect night where Camps Bay was bursting at the seams, while this place was not.
We were there over the weekend for the first time. It’s a great venue and setting. But the food is very average and the service poor.
Our first problem was the parking and reception. The parking area looks like a 4×4 track, and we had to negotiate over building rubble and through dust to get to the place. We stood around at the entrance for some 5 minutes before somebody was able to help us to a table. Although we booked we were placed in a corner where everybody bumped into our table until we asked to be moved.
The service is poor and we only managed to order 1 drink in the time we were there. That might have been a good thing because a bottle of Graham Beck sparkling wine costs R380.
We manage to order food but after that we only saw the waiter again after we had to ask 3 times for our bill.
We’ll leave this one for tourists to get ripped off.
I was of course impressed with the decor and location, but felt utterly ripped off for my meal. I looked at the mains menu and while it seemed on the high side, it was acceptable with most main courses coming it at about R120. I ordered one of the dishes of the day, which they tell you about, not write down, but I presumed that pizza would be around the same price as the other courses. The pizza was R250!!!!!!! The coffee was about R14 which is normal, so I am guessing that they plan to hit unsuspecting guests wherever they can – they must know full well no-one would ask the price of a pizza, so they load it on in the hope of cheating unsuspecting victims. I think the owners must be thieves.
I have been to the Grand at the Waterfront 3 times and vowed never to go back. First time took my son in law from London. It was revolting. The Caesar salad which Dax said was nice was an Iceberg lettuce cut in half with some sauce thrown over it. The second time I went to a bachelorette and tghey got the tables mixed up – there were about 16 of us – prebooked and they couldnt get that right. Food was lousy. 3rd time I was taken by a colleague who says he has fantastic meals there. It was o.k. I had calamari on one occassion – Willoubys is better. Had Sugared salmon on another occassion. It was raw and had Norwegian salmon on another occassion. The service is shocking. I think its a rip off and the only nice thing about the restaurant is that when you go there the first time you are in awe of the mand made beach. Dont think they will do very well in the winter!
Went to The Grand for the first time yesterday for sundowners. Was really impressed by the layout of the place. It was a warm winters day, and to feel as if you are on the beach in the middle of winter is awesome. Although was not impressed by the over priced wines. But I thought that maybe the service would justify the price as one would would expect at establishments such as these.
The service was terrible!!! We decided to switch tables with a party who got up to leave because it was warmer in the sun, and although we were just there for drinks nobody came to clear the table, with the salt and pepper still left on the table from the previous party. When the waiter came to take our order I decided to order a glass of white wine, my friend then suggested we just order a bottle. We agreed. The waiter appeared about 10mins later with a single glass of wine for me and then 5 mins later came the bottle. We asked for an ashtray 3 times from 3 different waiters, and waited a good 35mins before it actually came.
In my opinion, The Grand is a nice place to have a cocktail but I wouldn’t even spend my mommy there having dinner. There are many other restuarants in Cape Town that offer fine dinning, spectacular views, and excellent service.
I went to the Grand Cafe yesterday for a quick lunch, i had never been, so i thought why not go and have a look. It was really only ok. I think the place would be better off being a day time beach bar or something similar with people having cocktails on the beach in summertime. I wouldn’t really go back there to eat – the food is totally overpriced for what you get. PS – don’t wear any nice shoes as they will get full of sand as mine are today 🙂
Thanks for the feedback Claire. There seems to be a strong pattern emerging, one of disregard for patrons. That sort of thing does not thrive in Cape Town, we shall see how it ends.
Intrigued to see the initial positive comments which came from Dax and Tony – who are clearly in this industry and were obviously spotted as people who’s opinions count and hence got the service that is expected….But such a majority of bad experience is the truth of the matter. Sorry to say – great venue but will vote with my money and my mouth to any future people sugesting to go there and say absolutely NO WAY NEVER AGAIN. pull up your brooks guys the SH** it showing.
Its amazing – so many complaints – including mine YET the Grand is full all the time and people still rave about it. I wonder how they would have done this winter had we had a winter. The weather has been so gorgeous that I am sure they have been full all the time. I still think its awful and wont go back there again – maybe just for a rip off drink !
God. So much whining. Lets be clear. It’s overpriced. Food is marginal. Service is patchy to non-existent. Managers are self-entitled. check, check, check. So. Ok. Don’t go. Please don’t go. Really. DONT GO TO THE GRAND. See you there later. Hypocrites.
I went to the Grand beach last week; what a stunning venue! Food was average and yes- is without any doubt overpriced for the quality. I asked for some mayonnaise, and what I received was the cheapest mayo I ever tasted! The place is great for sun-downers; nothing more…
I cycled past the Grand restaurant around lunch time yesterday. Campsbay and most restaurants were packed. The Grand looked rather empty… sign of things to come?
I will go back to their beach venue; but just for a drink, I guess.
I have to agree with Claire. During the World Cup I friend had a party for 250 people at the Grand Cafe and Beach and paid a coule of 100.000 Rands. I suggested the venue. And did I regret this. Gail is a totally unable event manager – on top of being unable also very arrogant. Luckily dearest Justin was there and save the night. Gail left a 10.30 – maybe that was good in the end.
I will be giving this place a miss and am happy to learn from the mistakes of others.A seafood pizza for R500?!Is there Creme de le Mer on it or perhaps a family of abalone?!
My 2 cents worth – find the Camps Bay Grand not that inspiring and the waitrons very poor. The Grand on the Beach is amazing. Love the pizzas – enough to share one between 3 people! The wine is always ice cold – and the house wines are perfectly drinkable. The venue is drop dead – pure white sand and views of blue sea across the bay. Have spent many a lazy afternoon here. Its a one of a kind place and am quite happy to pay a few more rands for the experience. Its much cheaper than flying to the south of France for a similar experience…..
I had my engagement party there in April and it was perfection. Food was super, service was awesome, drinks never stopped flowing. I really couldn’t fault it. It was really nice way to show off CT to family and friends while the sun went down.
However the other two times I have been there in a smaller group for food its been pretty substandard!
Cant find a better place for posh sundowners though!!!!
While the setting was lovely and food nice, I will never return. I was pregnant and feeling queasy in the mid-Feb heat and the hostess wouldn’t let me sit at the bar to wait for my party / have a glass of water (I didn’t know under who’s name the table had been booked) – shocking & snotty service.
Dax, out of all your reviews I think that the Grand has had SO MUCH publicity from us all even though most of us think its lousy food, lousy service, lousy prices. They dont need to advertise what with all the advertising were all giving them. I think we should all stop going there and then see what happens. Maybe they will pull up their socks. I am following you on Twitter too but sometimes I dont know where the places are that youre talking about!
Rene: I think eventually, when everyone has satisfied their curiosity, the support will die down and they will struggle. In the mean time, perhaps they will wake up and do something.
Re Twitter, normally you can Google the place or just ask me on Twitter….
Wish me luck, i have no choice but to there for dinner (was invited so i cannot exactly say no), but i will be sure to post a review as soon as i can – they had better be warned 🙂
Well the waiters looked extremely nervous all the time (maybe it’s just my imagination??)and i want to know how they justify the ridiculous prices of the food! (Considering what you get) There’s also a very cold atmosphere and no vibe. My opinion, not worth going again.
Was there again yesterday and it was pumping. Setting is amazing but food is uninspired. I have to say thought he bar men were really giving in socks – hats off to them as they had d LOT of customers to satisfy!
What a way to celebrate a birthday! Long table at the Grand on the Beach, great friends, delicious pizzas and bubbles! Awesome service from Chris throughout the evening and brilliant entertainment from Shen Winberg. It was as usual packed to the brim and everyone was dancing, laughing and thouroughly enjoying the most definite start of Spring! Thanks to the Grand team for a great memory.
Just wanted to mention to Tamara…the R500 pizza is pretty spectacular and worth a try…around a meter long and def enough for around 4-6 people…R500 divided by that…not too expensive for a pretty awesome seafood delight!!! Don’t diss it before you try it…that’s my feeling with most things! While all criticism is valid, we lose out on so many awesome experiences just by blindly following others subjective opinions.
I am a Capetonian, and honestly, the Grand is by far my favourite restaurant in Cape Town. Their service might not be the best in Cape Town, but the splendid view and feel of the place allows you to relax while you wait for your drinks and food. I’ve been there very often and have never experienced a service that needed complaining about. Their amazing food is worth every cent!
They are a new restaurant and will only grow. Best of luck to them!
I will see the Grand soon!!!
After all this I was quite curious to see for myself… and I had a great evening, nice atmosphere, setting is amazing, food was good (I had the steak which was served super quickly). Service very average though (we waited a long time to get the menus). will go back, there is nothing like that in Cape town, you feel almost in Europe.
The only reason Dax did not like this place is because he thought he was some famous food critic and waltzed inot the place only to find that they treated him like they would to any normal customer. Dax is no famous food critic…he is just some overweight bald man that hit has hit his midlife crisis early which kind of explains his search for stardom.
Hi Da8,
I don’t know you or the critic of you, nor why he is offended by you.
But I just wanted to say that I find your blog very useful and that I intensely dislike public mudslinging – generally says more about the slinger.
Best wishes! Please keep your food crits happening!
Hi Dax – I ditto everything that “M” has said. In fact I am following you on Twitter too even though I cannot seem to be able to send you a message. I find your blogs interesting. I am not fat nor am I a bald man nor have I hit my midlife crisis- I am the opposite of all of the above but I find THE GRAND overpriced, the service is SHOCKING and the food not good and their drinks a rip off. I would only recommend it for drinks if you dont mind being ripped off.
@Neil; don’t know who you are but there is not need to be offensive and childish, especially since you are on Dax’s own site.
I’m sure that he doesn’t think he is a celebrity & demands people fall to his feet; but he obviously knows more than the average person. Even if he did not, he is entitled to give his opinion whether you or others like it or not.
If you don’t like what he has to say don’t read his site.
I’ve been there 3 times myself over the past year & it’s not impressed me at all. But others have had good experiences so it doesn’t really matter.
@Rene Just tweet Dax asking him to ‘follow you’ on Twitter and you will be able to send him a direct message 🙂
Tried tweeting but you cant tweet him unless he follows you!! Still struggling with twitter need some followers. Dax if you are reading this I follow you on Twitter so please follow me – “renetjieh”
Dont you think its about time everyone gave other restaurants a chance as opposed to all this heavy advertising for the Grand at Granger Bay which is lousy!
The Grand is doing a ’round the world’ promotion for winter. Each month they have a menu inspired by another country. May was Italy and they asked me to come and test the June menu which is France.
If you look above you will see many negative comments and some positive comments about the Grand after my initial review. I’ve personally only had good experiences there. They have not invited me to review before this occasion, so all 5 or so visits were paid for.
So, while I appreciate many people have had bad experiences, I can only report on what I have experienced.
I was keen to see what the Grand would be like in winter. Obviously we know it’s a magical summer venue but in winter, is there anything to attract people? In fact, considering it’s in a warehouse, it should be particularly uninviting in Winter.
Well, surprisingly it’s actually quite cosy. Obviously the big doors leading onto the beach are closed so it’s just the warehouse, but it doesn’t feel big and cold, by contrast it’s warm and inviting.
They have gone to some effort for this around the world promotion. We had can can girls and a dude cruising around playing the accordion. I think there is a reason for the promotion, the place was not very full at all.
I’m not sure how the menu works, because it says at the bottom that the French menu is R260 per head or items can be ordered individually. But if I add up the most expensive items from each of the 3 courses it only comes to R240. Unless I substitute the cheese platter for a dessert, then it’s R265.
There are 2 options to choose from per course. Leanne, my hot and intelligent dining partner (she told me to say that) and I had each of the options. I had the onion soup (R55) and she had the snails (R60). She loved the snails, I thought the soup was pretty average.
For mains I had the duck l’orange (R140) and she had the beef stew (R110). It is half a duck, so quite generous, as was the stew portion.
Dessert was apple tart (R45) and creme brulee (R40). The mains were pretty average and the desserts below average.
To be honest, if I was going to eat at the Grand I would rather order from their normal menu because I quite like their usual dishes. I certainly wouldn’t go to specifically have the French menu.
Viva Grand Cafe ! it is truly inspirational and representative of a beautiful and creative Cape Town.
Wow! All I can say is thank you from the bottom of my heart Grand, you made my sister’s engagement party utterly wonderful. I was a bit nervous after reading the reviews on Relax with Dax but decided, due to the gorgeous setting, to go ahead with organising my sister’s engagement party here anyway. From the minute I sat down with Rika to discuss the details of the party I knew we were in good hands. She not only took all of our wants and needs to heart but dealt with them so efficiently and quickly. I knew we were in safe hands. The weather was a worry so she happily reserved an area outside under the thatched lapa for us as well as an area inside in case the weather turned bad. Both areas were decorated beautifully. We had white couches outside and sooo many red roses and buckets of ice and blankets. The food was incredible, especially the prawn pizza and tempura prawns were delish. Most importantly, the waiters that were allocated to our area, Brenton and Yegan, went above and beyond for us and not one guest had an empty champagne glass, they brought blankets when guests were cold, they served food, and chatted animatedly with guests…everything they did was so efficient and seamless! What incredible service from them! Thank you Brenton and Yegan. When it got cold around 9pm we moved inside to our designated area (and Brenton and Yegan brought in all the food and drinks and glasses for us). We had lovely couches and tables and candleabras and yet more red roses inside and the night continued fabulously. Sadly when the evening came to an end, I asked one of the staff to call a taxi for some guests and the taxis were there within 2minutes. All I can say to Rika, Yegan and Brenton and the whole Grand Granger Bay team is thank you for your wonderful service and all the love you put into making my sisters special occasion perfect!
Hi
Does anyone have any idea what it would cost to hire out the Grand for a wedding reception?
Does anyone have any feedback on weddings there?
Thanks 🙂
When I enquired a year ago it was R220k for venue + food (3 courses + canapes with no variations on their choices!) for up to 150 guests (might’ve been up to 200 guests, I forget). Excluded alcohol.
Best to call and ask.
We tried to have dinner there on 26 Dec but they were closed for a wedding.
I had wanted to something nice for a good friend who was going threw a hard time. I had my birthday at The Grand and me and my friends use to eat there a lot. We were in a hurry so we just order two ice creams with chocolate sauce. It was hot and we thought that would be the quickest and the something nice. When we order, our waitor than gets rude with us for just ordering that. What should we have done? Ask for a bottle of Don with it? So we just left it and thought okay maybe his just tired. Than we get unwashed cutlery. Not joking there was still tomato sauce under my friends. Ive seen cleaner things grow in my garden. When we asked for clean ones our waitor got angry and walked away. We ignored it and just relaxed. We were sitting under a umberalla and than our waitor decides to move it to a empty table. No one asked for the table, NO ONE was waiting for the table!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So there we sat baking like two lobsters. The cherry ontop was when he brought out the ice cream…. He spilled half our sauce onto our plates and his was of rectifing the situation was to remove the paper servate. Ummm I did order half a damn cup of sauce? Are you trying to say I am fat? Best is when we wanted to pay, the bill got thrown at us and the waitor walked away…. Wow so anyone wanting to have a great day rather go to spur, I swear you’ll atleast won’t walk out of wanting to burn the place down.