MAMASAMBA — Restaurant in Gauteng

Extremely Disappointed and Deeply Upset – A Warning to Fellow Vegetarians I had been wanting to visit Mamasamba for months, and finally, on Sunday, 3rd August, my husband and I decided to give it a try. Sadly, what I hoped would be a memorable lunch experience turned into a nightmare that left me feeling,sick, and extremely upset. When we arrived, the restaurant was quiet — barely three tables occupied upstairs. We were introduced to our waiter, Edwin. I made it very clear to him that I am a vegetarian. He acknowledged this and seemed to understand. We placed our drink, starter, and main orders. The service was disappointingly slow. Drinks took ages to arrive, and the food even longer — nearly an hour. My husband ordered Chicken Bao Buns and Lamb Carnitas Tacos. I ordered Jalapeño & Corn Croquetas and the Achevichado Veg Roll. My husband's main was initially incorrect — it was brought to the table by another waiter, after informing the waiter they fixed it once we pointed it out. However, my biggest shock and heartbreak came when I realized — only after paying close attention— that the sushi I was served was not vegetarian. It was drenched in sauce, which masked what it truly was. I only discovered the truth when I checked the bill and noticed I was charged for the non-vegetarian sushi (R215). When I questioned this, both the waiter and the manager came to the table. They initially changed the bill to show the vegetarian sushi, then brought a third version removing the item completely — finally admitting I was, in fact, served the non-vegetarian roll. Their apology, while offered, meant little in the face of what had happened. This is not a minor oversight. For someone who has been vegetarian for over 16 years, this is a complete failure in kitchen and service communication. The physical toll was immediate — I left the restaurant feeling sick and eventually threw up. The stomach cramps followed not long after. Mamasamba may be stylish and modern, but this experience was completely unacceptable. A simple apology and a voided bill don’t make up for the emotional and physical distress I went through. Vegetarian deserve to be heard, respected, and served correctly — not disregarded and harmed through negligence. I will not be returning. And if you’re vegetarian or have dietary restrictions — I urge you to think twice before going here. Gosh as i post this i honestly want to throw...

There has been alot of buzz around all the new and funky spots opening in Rosebank. Mamasamba being one of them.

I love any place that is funky, quirky, different and even better if they have a stunning mural on the wall.

We stopped for a quick bite to eat, so we didn't get to fully explore the menu.

Captain and Keith took good care of us bringing our food and drinks. They do take a bit long, even though it was quiet. That seems to be the trend lately for most places. Service is always quicker when busier.

Interesting menu, I wasn't sure what I was feeling for, and then something immediately called for me - Maya-Mi Roll (Salmon, prawn, pickled white ginger roll, topped with fired wagyu, miso mayo and sesame togarashi) but at R170 for 4 pieces I was not spending R380 (8 pieces) on sushi only to be hungry later. Don't get me wrong it was damn amazing, the taste, the texture and the Wagyu on the outside absolutely draws you in... But pricy. That along with a Senor Collins cocktail (Grey Goose, Elderflower syrup, mint, fresh lime and soda water) R115.

We also ordered the Salmon Volcano Salad, (Marinated Salmon, Avo, Teriyaki lime slaw, black rice, salmon roe and Nori) we were told its a smallish portion, but we said we'd try it, also at R185. Tasty, fresh ingredients and of course it had to have my favourite greenery adorning the top of it. 🙄 The drink of choice was the Michelada (A spicy & savoury bloody Mary, with a lager top) R110.

To share we tried the Jalapeño and Corn Croquettes (rojo sauce, chilli oil, lime queso fresco). This was the only item that had no flavour to it, which we did give our feedback. Everything else was good, even the drinks, but be prepared to pay if you going to have alot of mix and match items, and the drinks. We just did a quick stop.

Decor is fab, the bar section upstairs has such a fun vibe. Especially the moving art 'Mural'. I didn't know that it changes - and it blew my mind. Love it. Love it. Love it.

At least the next time I pop around, I know what I'm in...

The only thing this place has going for it is the atmosphere and beautiful decor. The service is beyond ridiculous, and your waiters have no etiquette. We were being served by Jabu. He didn’t even introduce himself to us, he just came and started handing us menus. Then after ordering, we were kept waiting for no less than 20 minutes just to get the first round of drinks. After giving us the drinks he disappeared for 40 minutes, we had to take it upon ourselves to find someone who could help with round 2. After eventually being assigned a new waiter(who also didn’t introduce himself) we ordered wings, they too took forever to be served, and when they eventually came, they were absolutely NOT worth the wait or the money we paid for them. Spur makes better wings! Also, Your smoking section is LITERALLY by the entrance, if someone is nonsmoking this set up is completely inconsiderate because as you walk in, you are greeted by cigarette smoke at the entrance. When the bill came, Jabu charged us double on an item that should have been billed once, so even the attention to detail is non existent with your staff. If you guys only care about your regular customers and don’t want new business, categorically state it at the door so people know not to waste their time and hard earned money at your restaurant because this was my first experience there, but I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt, I AM NOT IMPRESSED AND WON’T RECOMMEND THIS PLACE TO ANY OF MY FRIENDS OR FAMILY. I might make it my mission to deter anyone I know personally from visiting your establishment. The weakest link are your people, so train your staff to do better or they’ll...