The Bell Tavern — Restaurant in George

What a disappointing visit. We booked a table for Father's day (which I am glad we did, because when we arrived most of the tables were reserved).

The menus on the website are unfortunately out of date (see images in post for up to date meal options).

The food was tasty, but the service was really a let down.

We were seated at our reserved table (our waiter seated us). Halfway through our meal, another waiter brought another 3 x guests to our table, to tell us we were sitting at the wrong table (the table right next to us was still vacant, and turns out was our allocated table. I am not sure what the waiter was hoping for, if the two groups to wrestle for the rights to the table, but we managed to amicable agree that the newcomers will, in fact, take the vacant table.

When ordering our food, we realised that the printed menu on hand did not match the menu on the website (there are a few different places where a few different menus are listed). The most recent one (we could find) included some vegetarian toasted sandwiches (cheese, tomato, pesto) and a walnut and lentil bolognese. Neither of these were available on the menu anymore. We could find 3 x starter options, but - Hopefully any human being of moderate eating habits would understand, a start portion is not a meal. We were somewhat disappointed when the kitchen told us no - they can't make us the toasted sandwich from their old menu, but suggested we have some mash potato and a side salad instead. We decided to cobble some of the starter plates together (which, though tasty) only served as a bit more of a disappointment as we were served with a plate of tomato, cheese, and bread topped with pesto (which felt suspiciously like the thing they told us they could not make). Nevertheless, the restaurant makes the rules.

Once our meal was done, we had to keep hunting for our waiter, who seemed to have forgotten about us (the restaurant was at most 1/3 full, counting inside and outside). My father in law was never offered a second drink.

We staked our plates on a corner of the table in (hopefully) a clear sign of being done - But had to go searching for the waiter again to request our bill.

15 minutes later, we were still waiting to pay, and had to go looking for the waiter again in order to pay - so that we could leave.

It's a beautiful setting, and the food all round was good. Even without the veggie meal options (let's face it, a lot of restaurants don't bother), the poor service was really what disappointed us. On 1) Father's day, 2) without a full restaurant, and 3) being one of the first tables they had - It should have been something that would have brought us back for more. It's a historic little place, right up our alley. None of us left feeling any reason to come back...

Sorry guyz but a "tip" is for good service...there was NO service. A very pleasant and smiley young waitress showed us our place and took our order and that's where the service stopped...no options were given on the food order...our food arrived the portions were ridiculously small for the price charged, the chips you could count on 2 hands...no condiments where given we had to source our own from used tables, no one came back to us to ask how the food was or do we require anything and no one refreshed our glasses after repeatedly walking past and smiling at us ( we had to stop her and ask ) No music, not atmosphere? The restaurant had 3 tables including us, not busy? So please don't be surprised when you get a R25 tip on a R500 bill. I blame management for this for not doing their job by checking their staff or not giving proper training, it should be team work? I see this now way too often where establishments are quick to charge top dollar but not give the service or...

Under new management obsessed with the history and legacy of Knysna’s smallest and it is said oldest tavern which was possibly going to shut. Once a hunting lodge, now a favourite amongst regulars and it’s going to stay that way. The waiting staff are legends with people returning year after year to see their favourite waiters. The menu includes options for the hungry or platters to share. I made several trips to the Bell and found that it became my default. The new management team all are veterans of the kitchen, having worked in some of South Africa’s top establishments for 30 years and keen to keep The Bell, The Bell but improve on the food variety, quality and consistency as also the staff morale as this is indeed a team effort which is set to become a finely tuned machine focussed on people serving people. I highly recommend the Old Cape Salmon dishes or just the ever satisfying Steak Egg and chips. It’s a lovely setting with an interesting history with deep...