The Mad Italian — Restaurant in KwaZulu-Natal

I’ve worked in hospitality for years, so when I go out to eat, I notice the details most people might overlook. My girlfriend and I went in thinking we were going to order steak, but before I could even open the menu, Hayden guided us in a way that just felt right. It wasn’t pushy at all — more like he picked up on what we truly wanted deep down. He suggested the seafood platter for two, and the way he explained it had us both nodding along. It was exactly what we were looking for without even realizing it.

Hayden was genuinely kind, funny, and attentive in a way that felt effortless. He made my girlfriend and I feel completely at ease, like we were being looked after by a friend. You can see how hard he works, and it’s the kind of natural talent that really stands out when you’ve been in the industry yourself.

But what made this place so special was the entire team. Every single person looked out for one another and for the guests. Whether it was someone topping up drinks and ice , checking in with a smile, or just keeping the whole floor moving smoothly, you could feel the teamwork everywhere. It never felt like one waiter doing it all alone — it was a real team effort, and that’s something rare.

The seafood platter for two was absolutely fantastic — generous, fresh, and cooked with care. From the calamari to the prawns to the fish, everything tasted spot-on. Pair that with the warm, homey vibe , it made for one of those perfect nights out where everything just clicks.

All in all, my girlfriend and I felt taken care of from start to finish. Hayden deserves a special mention for his natural skill, and humor but the whole staff deserves credit for creating such a welcoming and professional environment. As someone who knows how tough this industry can be, it’s inspiring to see young people working this hard and making guests feel...

My son was going through an 'Italian phase' and we've been meaning to come to The Mad Italian for about 2 years now. Finally made the trip today and was so disappointed at the service that we received. 😔

We are a family of 4 and ordered 5 meals - a pizza, pasta, steak and 2 kids meals. The steak alone cost about R270 and was so hard that we couldn't cut it. When we told the waiter, he said 'sorry but how is everything else?' and then asked if he can put it into a take away box. 😯 I was so surprised at that response as it's not usually what happens when you complain about a meal. After a while I called him back and asked what their protocol was when someone complained about a meal. He said they give them a complimentary ice cream. 😐 I expressed my disappointment at that, as I expected to have the meal that we ordered redone as per our initial request.

When he brought the bill to us he apologized and said he asked the manager if they would consider redoing meal and was turned down. We were also so surprised that the manager didn't come to check what the problem was or even just apologize.

Nb. we didn't take the steak home although we paid R270 for it and was uneaten. We didn't get the complimentary ice cream 🙄. And we still tipped the waiter more than 10% because we're not rude people 😊

Other than that, the pizza was good, the pasta was okay, and the kids seemed to enjoy their meal. We didn't get a teaspoon with out hot drinks and sadly we won't visit there again.

There was a friendly gentleman that asked if everything was okay but left before this happened. I'm not sure if he was the owner? If he is, I do hope he gets this review so they can improve their...

Very mixed feelings about my visit this evening. I made reservations earlier in the day and requested indoor seating, to which I was told was possible. On arrival, we were given a outdoor seating. Although we had a heater nearby, our table was nearest to the entrance and it was a cold, windy night, so the draft made sure we were never warm. When questioning this, the waitress who took my reservation gave me excuses (along with an apology) of "you're not the only person who didn't get indoor seating." and "we're fully booked tonight". My gripe was, if you couldn't accommodate me inside, why did you give me the option to choose indoor? When I requested to speak the manager, the owner swung by and didn't want to listen to my issue I raised with him and referred me back to the waitress that gave me the reservation. All I received were excuses with the apology. I wanted accountability.

After that left a sour taste in our mouths, we tried to make the most of the evening. Our orders were pretty slow (but the restaurant was full so I can understand that). Our waiter was superb though and was very attentive which we really appreciated. He even got us complimentary Italian Kisses for a hot drink order that was missing some cream which he forgot to tell us they had run out off.

The food was good. But not superb like previous visits.

Overall, I'm just really disappointed with how the staff and owner dealt with our reservation and my query of the issue. It's sad to say, but I won't be recommending this place to anyone...