Clay Café @ Maggies Farm — Restaurant in Mogale City Local Municipality

I’ve been a loyal visitor to various Clay Café locations since 2020, typically going once or twice a year because it’s always been such an enjoyable and creative experience. However, my recent visit to Maggie’s Clay Café on March 30th, 2025, was unfortunately the worst I’ve ever had.

The visit itself was lovely — my mother and I enjoyed the atmosphere, and the food was excellent. However, the customer service following our visit has been extremely disappointing.

After our session, I received an email with a link to track the status of our items. My mother’s piece was marked as ready, but mine continued to show “in the firing process.” After about 4 weeks of no updates, I sent a WhatsApp message to inquire, but received no reply. I then followed up with a phone call and was simply told that they were still working on it.

By week seven, with no changes to the online status, I sent an email to follow up. The response I received blamed public holidays for the delay — which I might have understood if not for the fact that my sister, who visited the café on Mother’s Day weeks after us, received her items just one week later. This inconsistency is unacceptable and quite confusing.

Finally, on May 28th — eight weeks later — I called again. The staff member I spoke with had to call me back because she couldn’t locate my items. Eventually, I was told they were at the café, ready for collection. Not only was I never notified via email (as I had been promised), but if I hadn’t repeatedly followed up via email, WhatsApp, and phone calls, I likely never would have known they were ready at all.

To make matters worse, when I collected the items, they weren’t even bubble-wrapped, unlike what I’ve experienced at other Clay Café branches.

This experience was incredibly frustrating and disappointing, especially given how much I’ve enjoyed Clay Café in the past. I will not be returning to Maggie’s Clay Café, and while I am not someone who usually leaves negative reviews, I felt compelled to speak up in this case. The lack of communication and poor follow-through are simply...

I’m supremely annoyed by this place. First of all, the service is not good, and I know other people who’ve said the same. We find ourselves always waiting a long time for a waiter to take our order. But this isn’t what bothers me about this place the most. It’s the final result of the pottery that irks me. Their glazing is terrible. Three times now I’ve collected pieces that are glazed horribly and have weird marks and rough patches as well as bubbles all over. The quality is awful. They also broke my brother’s plate, claiming it was “the heat of the kiln” but I don’t buy it. The girl wrapping the plate even admitted that it was probably a staff member who handled it roughly. My brother spent three hours painting this plate, and “the kiln damaged it”. So this must clearly be a regular occurrence if you’re claiming that the heat broke it, thus you’ve got a problem. I’m human and I understand that accidents do happen, but take better accountability for it or take precautions so this doesn’t happen again. Yes, you may compensate by giving a voucher, but that doesn’t buy back the time and effort put into something. Also, if you’re wanting your items in a hurry, don’t bother. I waited a month to collect, but when I’ve gone to others, I’ve only waited two weeks. So needless to say, I’m not driving this far to receive poor service and then proceed to wait a month for items not even glazed well, or perhaps not even in one piece. It’s a shame, because the place itself is lovely. But I’ve unfortunately...

⚠️‼️DIDNT EXPECT THIS FROM CLAY CAFE

We had booked a table for approx 14h00. We arrived and the problems started.... Nobody knew abtvthe booking...they then made a plan outside and eventually got a waiter to help us.

Waiter took our order and I specified I hate slap chips ...only crispy fries 🍟... We ordered the margarita for the kiddo and Niclaus pizza with brisket sandwich for us.

Midway the waiter drops our table and sends a bar tender to help us. He brings our food...brisket sandwich cold....and the fries 🍟 RAW...LITERALLY NOT COOKED

Both pizza bases were not the usual oven baked crispy as we experienced before...first signs of the food losing its quality....

He says they taking it back and will be back in 3 to 5.mins..

We waited and eventually just ate our meal without the fries 🍟...

10mins after we finished our meal the fires arrived ...again slap and not crispy..

Waiter apologizing and manager saying the chef is struggling with the fries today..🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️ What type of chef can't get a basic portion of crispy fries right‼️

We literally got the bill.and left...

⚠️‼️I mean even our clay crafts took 20mins to source ...just bad organisation and management. What is the purpose of putting your number on the craft then they search like headless chickens to fi d it..simple register with shelf number keeps things in order...not rocket science🤷‍♂️🤦🏽🤷‍♂️🤦🏽‼️

I must say after reading the reviews we didn't expect this experience...

Not sure we will be back nor recommend to.anybody to...