Bukhara Cape Town CBD — Restaurant in City Centre

The first time we went there, a couple months back, it was like a magic carpet ride, in all manners of speaking, for which I regret not having left a review.

This Sunday past we took my family for a late lunch just after 2:30pm, after having spent the week raving about the restaurant, but the experience and service was very disappointing.

We had a bombastic waiter who shouted "how many are you" at the 4 of us from across the restaurant, while waiting for a table to be cleared by the friendly front of house staff. The waiter then first asked us whether the front of house team member told us he, the waiter, will be serving us, before advising that he's the one to speak to for "everything, including any complaints at Awara". Odd that he included the word "complaints", since we were not remotely irked prior - just surprised that we ought to have known by way of prior announcement that he was going to serve us.

Drinks took quite a while to arrive, one after the other, not together, and unlike prior experience at Awara, no notice was given that the Masala Tea one of us ordered, will arrive only after they've served the main course. Every time we enquired about it, we were told another 5 minutes, as it's made in-house.

Service was then split between 3 people visiting the table including again the front-of-house team member, food, as per the drinks, were delivered split up, an extra nan that was not ordered, were brought to the table twice, with the curries all waiting in front of us for more than 5 minutes while we awaited the arrival of the rice that should accompany it to be served. This I presume happened because the waiter was too intent on listening to his own voice while talking over us at the time of ordering, so it meant the extra nan was ordered with the kitchen, instead of rice.

Needless to say, we didn't order desert. The start of the macho waiter's chat with us resulted in us skipping starters too. It was my 40th birthday lunch and I regret the visit.

Your only saving grace for this visit, is that food was once fully served, as with the prior visit, delicious, and the only reason for 2 stars overall.

Please do better. We've experienced your A-game before. And also like we did just the night prior at your sister-restaurant around the corner, Haiku... a night, the 8th of July 2023, which we'll remember and...

• ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5 overall) • ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 for food) • ⭐️ (1/5 for service) • ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5 for atmosphere)

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5

I had mixed feelings about my recent visit to Bukhara in Cape Town CBD. While the food was genuinely enjoyable, the poor service and average atmosphere left a lot to be desired. Here’s a breakdown of the experience:

🍛 Food – 4/5

The highlight of the evening was definitely the food. We tried the butter chicken, lamb vindaloo, and paneer tikka masala, all of which were rich, well-seasoned, and full of authentic Indian flavours. The naan bread was freshly made, warm, and perfectly fluffy – definitely a standout. The portion sizes were fair, and the flavours were bold without being overpowering.

👎 Service – 1/5

Unfortunately, the service was a major disappointment. Staff seemed inattentive and disengaged. We had to wait a long time just to place our order, and even longer for someone to check on our table. Basic requests like extra cutlery or drink refills took multiple reminders. It felt like the staff was overwhelmed or simply uninterested – either way, it had a noticeable impact on the overall experience.

🪑 Atmosphere – 3/5

The interior is stylish but lacks warmth. The space feels a bit cold and impersonal. Lighting was a bit too dim, and the music (or lack of it) didn’t help set much of an ambience. It’s not the kind of place you’d want to linger for too long, although it does look smart enough for business dinners.

💰 Value

Given the quality of the food, the prices are somewhat justified, but the poor service makes it hard to feel like you’re getting full value. For the premium pricing, I expected a much smoother dining experience overall.

⸻

Would I return? Maybe – for takeaway or if I knew the service had improved. The food is worth a revisit, but the overall experience needs refinement, especially in...

Honest Review of Bukhara

I have been a loyal customer of Bukhara for years, both dining in and regularly ordering takeaway. I often bring clients there because I love the food and the restaurant’s reputation for quality.

Tonight, however, I was extremely disappointed. I ordered my usual selection of dishes for a dinner party, including the prawn curry that I almost always order. When I opened the dish, I was shocked at how small the prawns were. Not only were they tiny compared to what Bukhara usually serves, but they were also tasteless. At R480 a portion, this felt like a complete let-down.

I immediately called the restaurant to alert them. I spoke with Johan, the manager, and explained that the prawns were not up to Bukhara’s normal standard. Instead of taking my feedback seriously, Johan argued that these are the prawns they “always use” and that they were the correct size. I eat this dish regularly—I know what to expect, and this was certainly not it.

When I asked Johan to go and check the prawns himself, he offered only a brief apology and insisted that he has been at Bukhara for 20 years and knows what he is doing. Unfortunately, that came across as dismissive and defensive. An apology without action or acknowledgment does not solve the fact that my dinner party was tarnished.

As a loyal and regular customer, I felt mistreated, disrespected, and ripped off. Bukhara is expensive, and I happily pay for the quality and consistency. Tonight, I did not receive either—and the manager’s rude, dismissive handling of my complaint only deepened my disappointment.

I truly hope Bukhara takes this seriously, because while I have loved the restaurant for years, experiences like this make me question whether I can continue to recommend it to my clients...