Mama Africa — Restaurant in City Centre

Disappointing Reservation Experience and Subpar Service

I recently made a reservation on the restaurant's website for a farewell celebration for my friend. I clearly stated the purpose of the reservation and my desire to have a celebratory experience. Unfortunately, the restaurant failed to deliver on several fronts, leaving me extremely dissatisfied.

First and foremost, upon arriving at the restaurant and informing the receptionist about my reservation, I was surprised to find that she did not check any details with me. She didn't ask for my last name, phone number, or booking number to confirm the reservation. Instead, she randomly assigned us to a table, completely disregarding the booking process. This made me question the purpose of making a reservation online in advance if it was going to be ignored.

Furthermore, the service during the meal was subpar. Our waitress lacked sufficient knowledge about the menu. When we asked questions about the different combos listed, she simply responded by saying she needed to ask the chef and would get back to us. Meanwhile, she kept pressuring us to place our order. It was frustrating to be urged to order without having a proper explanation of the menu options. This lack of expertise and guidance from the staff greatly impacted our dining experience.

To make matters worse, the portion sizes of the food were disappointingly small, and the taste was far from enjoyable. The dishes lacked flavor and did not meet our expectations in terms of quality. It was truly disheartening to have such a lackluster culinary experience.

Adding to the dissatisfaction, when we received the bill, we noticed that a 10% tip had been automatically included, without any prior discussion or consent. This further highlighted the restaurant's disregard for customer preferences and left a sour taste in our mouths.

Overall, I cannot recommend this restaurant based on my experience. And wonder how could this restaurant gained so much good review. I never wrote a negative review before, but this time I really want to let fewer people fall into this trap. knowThe lack of attention to reservations, insufficient menu knowledge from the staff, unappetizing food, and the imposition of an unwarranted tip make it clear that this establishment falls short in providing a satisfactory...

I will never go back or recommend it to anyone else.

Service: The service was WAY to on top of us at the beginning that we struggled to even have a chance to read the menu. At the end, we asked for our check and a box three, maybe four times, and were waiting forty minutes before we got them (during which time some drummers came around and got added to our bill for 50R per person). The only positive is that I think they really are trying to cater to tourist expectations. PLUS: though I planned (reluctantly) to give a tip on the card machine, I hadn't written it on the receipt (which I had never done at any other restaurant in Africa, though I almost always tip around 30%!) so when someone finally came over with the card reader, she scoffed at me for not writing in a tip! I almost scoffed back and asked whether she deserved one after ignoring us for forty minutes and asking three times for the check!

Food: I gave it two stars because I think they were fairly authentic representations of the dishes they attempted. But, several dishes were unavailable and while we tried several dishes, only one of them was reasonably edible, two were only tolerable, and three others we did not finish. (And I haven't failed to finish a plate of food given to me in several years at least...). Plus, the cocktails are loaded with sugar, and my wife ordered an african herbal tea, but come to find out that it is loaded with sugar too.

Atmosphere: two stars because they tried, but the vibe is very inauthentic. It's a tourist trap and not an authentic vibe.

My wife and I were not pleased, and rather quite frustrated by the whole, way overpriced, never to be repeated experience. Try something else. Try Addis on Cape--THAT is a PHENOMENAL experience, friendly & attentive (but not pushy or overbearing) staff, extraordinary food, a wonderful atmosphere. I would give them six stars if I could. It was a highlight of...

It was an unpleasant night. I'm a gay man and I went with my boyfriend and they put us at a tiny table, even though there are other larger tables available. Other straight couples arrived after us and sat at bigger tables even though they were also in two people. They served us water in simple glasses and for other couples they were served in glasses. As a small starter they served us only two small pieces of bread with sauce, but for a straight couple who were next to us they served six loaves of bread. That doesn't make any sense... I felt badly treated. I wouldn't return to this restaurant. It seems that they are treating better those who can give a higher tip, it is very clear how Arab customers are better treated to the detriment of other customers. It was an unpleasant night. I'm a gay man and I went with my boyfriend and they put us at a tiny table, even though there are other larger tables available. Other straight couples arrived after us and sat at bigger tables even though they were also in two people. We had to do a real juggling to eat at such a small table... it was terrible. They served us water in simple glasses and for other couples they were served in glasses. As a small starter they served us only two small pieces of bread with sauce, but for a straight couple who were next to us they served six loaves of bread. That doesn't make any sense... I felt badly treated. I wouldn't return to this restaurant. It seems that they are treating better those who can give a higher tip, it is very clear how Arab customers are better treated to the detriment of...