Fireroom Montecasino — Restaurant in Gauteng

Being from George, Western Cape, and visiting for the first time, we were really looking forward to a great evening—especially as we were joined by friends from the UK and family from JHB who had been before and highly recommended it. Unfortunately, our experience didn’t live up to the hype, and things quickly went downhill.

Upon arrival, we were taken to a pretty much closed-off upstairs room where the heat was stifling. We asked the waiter about air conditioning, but were told there wasn't any. Instead, he switched on a huge industrial fan next to our table, which caused a blast of wind and an overwhelming noise for the rest of the evening. It wasn’t comfortable, to say the least.

From there, the service deteriorated very quickly. We were Table 86, booked for 19:00 on Friday, 11 April. I won’t mention our waiter’s name, but we raised valid concerns with management multiple times, so I trust they know which table this was.

Our waiter was very dismissive from the start. Simple requests like ice for our wine took five attempts before arriving. We asked for normal tap water for the kids but he dismissed this request and brought them bottles of still water. When we asked to order a few starters first, we were told we had to order mains at the same time. When we said we weren’t ready, we were told—and I quote—“Well, I can’t guarantee you’ll get any food then.” This wasn’t explained further, and it left us confused and frustrated.

To be fair, the starters we eventually ordered were excellent. But the mains were another story. There were 13 of us, and:

1. Meals were served at completely different times—so much so that one guest eventually cancelled his order as everyone else had already finished eating and he didn't want to eat his meal in front of us by himself - the whole point of dining with friends and family is eating and sharing in the experience together!

2. Three dishes arrived ice cold, one of which was sent back, other just eaten as they were hungry and didn't want to wait another 30 minutes.

3. A meal that was meant to be flambéed was served without the promised touch, no explanation given as to why.

4. More red wine was ordered but never brought. After repeatedly asking for it, the manager eventually came and told us that particular wine was sold out.

5. And the repeated requests for ice? Well, we gave up on that after being ignored repeatedly.

Midway through all this, I found a manager in hopes of salvaging the experience. While he tried, the issues persisted. Then, to top it off, our original waiter came to the table and very publicly announced to everyone that someone had complained about him—and that he would no longer be serving us and left. This unprofessional approach was shocking, especially considering how patient and polite we had been throughout this ordeal.

In fairness, the food that did arrive warm and as expected was very good. But the overall service was simply unacceptable. Given that our bill was close to R10,000, we expected a far higher standard of hospitality and professionalism.

Sadly, based on this experience, I can’t see myself returning—or recommending...

We decided to visit Fireroom Monte on the 1st of Feb for date night. We were seated at a really nice table, and that was the only good thing that happened all evening. We had our food and drink order taken, and our food arrived a short while later, a Korean Fire Stir Fry and the flaming jalapeño sushi.

We had to wait 10-15 minutes for a waiter to pour sauce and light it. We then had to wait another 10 minutes after speaking to 3 separate waiters for cutlery, chopsticks and a soy sauce bowl (which never arrived). The stir fry is NOT what you have on the menu, and we had to call for a manager from another 3 waiters. He eventually arrived, and said that the recipe for the stir fry had been changed. If that's the case, update your menu! They're two distinctly different dishes. Bryan, the manager, then said he would return and take an order for a replacement meal. We also ordered a coke, yet he never returned to our table, not to bring the coke nor to take an order.

The coke, which we had also ordered from yet another waiter, never arrived.

This service was disgusting. We were treated like we weren't wanted. My partner is a Queen Monte Casino card holder, and we visit (apologies, used to visit) your restaurant often.

I spent R216 last night on an awful and embarrassing meal. We had to go to another restaurant to have our meal as we left your shop hungry, thirsty, and FURIOUS.

For Bryan, the manager, to speak to us the way he did, sarcastically and condescendingly, was appalling. He offered no help, gave no help, and it felt like he intentionally decided to treat us like peasants. I wonder if he saw us as the type of customer who can't afford to eat at your restaurant. We arrived at your shop straight after watching cricket at the Wanderers, and I was in shorts. If you have a dress code, you should post it in front of your shop. The second manager we spoke to, seemed friendlier, but yet again handed us back to Bryan, who then made me wait another age to settle the bill, which I feel should have been cancelled altogether.

To charge the prices they charge, to give disrespectful service with sub-par food is honestly despicable. How dare the managers and waiters treat customers in this way. I am still absolutely furious, with their inept waiters who kept passing us on to other waiters, to Bryan for his contempt, and with the menu designers and managers for not communicating your dishes correctly. To ignore us, and make us feel like we were unwanted, is a loss of two very loyal guests, and our families, colleagues and friends. Furious.

This was also the email I sent through over a week ago to Fireroom Monte, to which I have had no response, and I stated I wouldn't be posting online, however as NO RESPONSE has been received, online my review goes.

And I am...

Very disappointing experience at the restaurant. Booking system is an absolute mess. They prefer not to look after loyal customers. You must just put your name down and wait like a begging animal in the front. When we were eventually seated it took our waiter forever to find this tablet that would show us what to order. I ordered Dim Sum only to be told 20 minutes later that the Dim Sum is not available. My wife's order for her starter went in first for something as easy as Edemami Beans but due to all the confusion the order came last. Then we had issues finding our waiter who would just disappear. Finding him was like inconveniencing him and when we queried why he disappeared all the time his attitude changed completely to one of indirect anger. My wife ordered prawns with lemon butter sauce and you have to wonder if the chef tastes the sauce and if they actually make a fresh batch of sauce daily or it's just some brand bought in bulk because the sauce was overly lemon meaning the prawns had a terrible taste. All you could taste was bitter lemon as opposed to the lemon giving the flavor and taste it was supposed to. Worse was still to come - i ordered a fillet which is cooked at table but the waiter carries my plate to me - the plate that already has sauce draped over it with the mash and trying to carry 3 things at once he puts his thumb and finger on the inside of my plate meaning his thumb goes into the sauce that's in my plate and then he just flambe's the meat and puts it on top of the sauce that his dirty thumb was just in. And im supposed to eat that. Not a cheap place with the total meap coming to over R2500 and if I had a choice I would call the bank and reverse that bank debit to my card as this was a horrendous experience. You can never see the owner at the restaurant and he is clearly making too much money to worry about his customers or the quality of food being served that his time and attention seems elsewhere. Not worth the money spent or the frustration to get a table. WILL DEFINITELY NOT RETURN OR RECOMMEND ANYONE TO GO TO. TRY OTHER RESTAURANTS WHERE THE OWNER ACTUALLY CARES OR APPEARS AT THE RESTAURANT. A...