Mustang Sally's Pub & Diner — Restaurant in Gauteng

I guess I had a high expectation hearing all my friends rave about the Diner. Despite the fact that it was already a busy time at 17h00 on a Saturday, and we had to wait a while for a table, I was still excited to try the food. We didn't wait that long either. The waiter was friendly and immediately suggested that we try the signature cocktails when we asked what he suggested we drink. They looked sooo good! But they were huge! We ordered crumbed mushrooms for starters which was nothing exceptional but nice and crispy and warm and melted the tartar sauce which was exceptionally good, crammed with bits and pieces of texture. I had the Miss Piggy Pork burger with potato wedges, and my friend had the Variety Wing Basket with thick cut chips. The wings: 3 different sauces, peri-peri which was nice and hot and very tasty packed with flavor. Blue cheese sauce was a bit sweet but not too bad and then the BBQ sauce that was absolutely great. The thick cut chips was crispy and hot. The burger: the wedges was cold and tasted like it was left out for a while. The meat on the burger was chunks and also cold! If I could, I would prefer it shredded a bit more, like I expected it to be after reading it was shredded on the menu. There was some cracking on the heap of wedges, but unfortunately they were also cold and obviously made a while before we ordered. We sat next to a couple that ordered the ribs and a beef burger, I noticed that she had a complain about the burger and asked her what happened. She said that the casings between the patties have not been removed before the griller cooked them... I looked over to the burger and saw that the lettuce at the bottom of the burger was soggy and wilted. It didn't look appealing at all. After complaining the waiter brought her a new and more appetizing burger. The ribs looked like a mountain of blissfully sticky love, and I instantly regretted not choosing it. We didn't stick around for desert, but the ones that flew past our table to the other tables looked really creative and generously indulgent. They looked fun and were freshly prepared. Overall the feeling of the diner/pub was electric and vibrant with people laughing and enjoying themselves. The food and beverage menu was huge with a lot of variety that was awesome for a Diner menu. I was clearly disappointed with the plate I received, and felt that the hustle and bustle of a busy service hour should not affect the quality of food you produce. The kitchen manager will definitely have to step up. I will return to try something else, for sure. Maybe one of the desert milkshakes that looked so very enticing, and give them a chance to blow me away like they did my...

So we decided to hit the gautrain and head to Hatfield to check out Mustang Sally's Pub & Diner.

It was definitely an experience going by train and walking back to the station. We booked for lunchtime, thinking that it would be really busy considering the rugby that day. Only to find that on arrival they dont have any TVs in the restaurant, hence NO rugby to watch. So it was kinda chilled and lots of families coming in and out especially for Milkshakes. They post all these "specialised" themed milkshakes on their facebook page which you can request.

It's quite a big space with a bar section for over 18s, and the milkshake side for the kiddies as well as an extended seated area with alot of Marilyn Monroe pics all over the walls. The menu wasnt as big as I was expecting but had a decent selection.

For drinks I started with the Mango and Chilli Daiquiri, it was soooo refreshing I loved it. My sisters had the Elderflower Cocktail and Flying fish. They have a good selection of drinks btw.

For starters we each ordered something to share. The portions are very generous I.e. the Jalapeno Poppers, Peri Peri Wings and the Crumbed Mushrooms, all served with fries that's dusted with a yummy spice except the mushrooms. Ps. The Peri wings really kick butt and everything was delicious.

We considered our options for mains as the starters were big, so we took takeaways. I didn't know what to order so I took the Mixed Basket to try the Corn dog, Mac n Cheese Balls and Ribs with Onion Rings (as we had enough chips) and more Jalapeno poppers. My sisters took the Pulled Pork Sandwhich, and the Beef and Bacon Burger with Guacamole. Sadly the mains were a big miss. My sister broke her Steak knife cutting the burger 😱 and the patty was not too great to be brutally honest. As for my basket, the ribs were disappointing, you couldn't even call that a rib. More like 3 portions of a riblet, and the mac n cheese balls didnt do it for me either. I enjoyed the onion rings and the dipping sauce.

I'd definitely go back for drinks and starters, and maybe the milkshakes and waffles. The mains, not so much.

Our waiter Tony was very sweet, and it was nice that they removed the inedible burger off the bill.

As for the decor it is bright and funky and very retro. The kids will LOVE...

I visited Mustang Sally’s Pub & Diner with high expectations but left quite underwhelmed. While the establishment has a moody, dark interior that might suit a pub vibe, it’s not ideal for families with young children. There’s no designated play area, making it a less-than-comfortable stop if you're out with little ones.

Several food items listed on the menu were unavailable, which was frustrating—especially when decisions were made based on those selections. Transparency or updated menus would go a long way.

To top it off, there was an unexpected 10% surcharge added to the bill, which wasn’t communicated upfront. It might be standard practice in some places, but customers should be clearly informed beforehand.

The most disappointing aspect was the shift in service attitude. Initially, staff were polite, but that friendliness noticeably disappeared once it became clear we were only ordering milkshakes. The manager was particularly curt and dismissive, which soured the whole experience.

Overall, Mustang Sally’s could benefit from more consistent hospitality, better menu management, and a more welcoming environment for all customers—regardless of...