La Perla Restaurant Cape Town — Restaurant in Sea Point

After having made a booking a day prior, upon arrival we were told there was no booking in our name. The hostess dismissively directed us to a table (as if they were doing us a courtesy by allowing two 25 year olds to eat at their restaurant). Upon being seated, our waiter impatiently took our drinks order whilst trying to remove the excess cutlery from the two other open seats at the table). About 10 minutes later we received our drinks but our waiter was apparently too occupied to take our food order. After another 40 minutes of waiting (with no one taking any orders) I walked up to the manager and asked if I might be able to pay my bill and leave (I didn't even bother to try and call a waiter). They seemed to have suddenly found our booking, admitting they had given it to other customers. We were then asked to return to our table so we could be "looked after". I did not take them up on the offer.

I offer the following advice to potential future patrons of La Perla: No matter how formally you dress, bring your neglected grandmother or distant aunt in order to be taken seriously and will therefore perhaps receive some form of recognition and service.

-Make multiple bookings to ensure at least one will be written down and a table prepared for you. (Don't worry, they would have probably already filled the other ones you booked by the time you get there)

-Upon arrival, demand to speak to the manager. Immediately let them know you are very serious about eating there. You will otherwise be left to the mercy of waiters that would rather decide to serve the bigger tables, with the supposed bigger tippers than your own.

-However, my final advice would be to simply avoid the establishment entirely. If you are unconvinced, please peruse the other, numerous negative reviews.

To La Perla I say, no doctor from our hospital (or at least will we strongly advocate for it), including myself and my boyfriend, will ever enjoy the subjective, dismissive, and arrogant service you have to...

A comedy of errors? Going by many reviews here, not the case. Servizio scioccante La Perla. Vergognatevi!!! (Shocking service La Perla. Shame on you!!!).

You book and request an outside table (2 pax). Non are available they tell you, "we are fully booked outside". When you walk in less than 10 min. later, you notice four open two seaters outside. After again requesting, we are seated outside. A complimentary bread basket and butter arrives very promptly. No napkins, no salt & pepper, no olive oil or balsamic. You place your order. A mere few minutes later your starter arrives with the mains.You request all the condiments and some extra chillie. Again all arrive promptly, but chillie comes minus a spoon. You again ask for serviettes or napkins. What follows is a juggling act to fit two plates and some bruschetta onto a miniscule two seater table. You find your calamari and vegetables are ice cold and although your side order of French fries are hot, it looks colourless, like it had skipped the fryer. Half embarrassed I send my plate back (a halfhearted apology followed from the waiter). A bowl of fresh French fries arrive, this time complete with an appetizing golden colour. By the time your calamari (the same plate) returns, it is searing hot from having been placed under a salamander, your partner already finished her meal.

The bread was lovely and the food was of an acceptable quality and very tasty. I personally do not like large portions, but these were small for Cape Town standards.

This establishment requires a serious wake-up call. No matter how good the food, I for one prefer to spend my hard earned money where the basics are done right. Thankfully the Cape Town restaurant scene is very competitive and there are loads of choices. There is a reason why Il Leone, Magica Roma and A Tavola reign supreme as Italian establishments, whilst La Perla is merely a shadow of it's former self when it reigned supreme in the...

We came for a light meal and drinks, was honest to the hostess about our intent. There were many tables open, yet we were put at the table at the entrance door where you walk out. There were 5 tables open at the front of the restaurant, with the open beach road view, and we were told we would be moved if a table opened . While we sat there for an hour all those open tables were never occupied, and the one table that was occupied, the people left as we sat down, was never cleaned in the time we sat there. So the whole front of the side of the restaurant was open while we sat there, we would not have taken away any potential business. We had a drink and we did end up having a starter, but we decided to end our experience with you guys there. By the time we left, the tables were still empty, table with the occupants that left when we sat down, still not cleaned. We asked the hostess why we were seated at the back when the front tables were empty the whole time we were there . We were told. Drink tables get seated at the back, but we can speak to the manager if we want to. Guys. The restaurant was empty outside, rather seat your drinks people at the front with a time limit, than make your restaurant look empty, don't tell people you will move them when tables will be available, when 5 tables were unoccupied for more than an hour, with one not cleaned while we were there. There is a new restaurant/drinks place opening up right next to you, and your game should be up. It's not the first bad experience we have had there, and if if this new place brings it, you guys are going to have a hard time. So after more than one try, we...