Cattle Baron Stellenbosch — Restaurant in Stellenbosch Local Municipality

When we moved to the area a few years ago we tried out many restaurants and the Cattle Baron on the R44 was one of our favourites. We even convinced our family and friends to have New Year’s Lunch here in 2017 but the experience was less than satisfactory for most who joined. We vouched for the service and quality of food but were disappointed by both on this occasion. Since then we have visited only a handful of times, hoping that the service would improve. One of these visits included my husband and I being moved from our table to accommodate another guest’s request to sit there. We accepted without complaint as we had only just received drinks and were not settled in yet. Another dinner left us less than satisfied but we put it down to an off night on Cattle Baron's part. Last night we decided to give the establishment one more try. We arrived at 18h30 without a reservation and were surprised and grateful to be seated immediately. We were shown to a comfortable booth. All was going well, drinks arrived and we made our order (both choosing ribs) About 15 minutes later and just as our food arrived at the table, one of the waitrons came over to tell us to move to another table because guests had arrived who had requested our booth and there had been a mistake made. Our food was in front of us and we said no initially as this was unacceptable and we couldn't understand how they were willing to put other guests needs above ours. We were told we would have to move and finally gave in and agreed to avoid any further confrontation. The whole situation was highly embarrassing and many of the guests stared on as we were removed from the area and seated at a small and cold table on the other side of the restaurant. We informed the server that we were extremely unhappy with the way things had been handled and then as we began to eat our ribs, we noticed that our food was cold. All of it. We were told the manager would be over shortly. 5 minutes later that manager came over, apologised and said she would like to offer us dessert on the house. We are not dessert eaters generally so this did not impress us much. I informed the Manager that it was not acceptable that we had been forced to move after receiving our food and also that she should have been the one to make the request, not the poor waitress who we had never seen before and who was clearly out of her depth and mortified to be having to inform us. Our reheated food arrived back at the table 15 minutes later and although the plates were piping hot the food was still a luke warm. We just got on with it, wanting to get the meal finished and leave. We were not offered any further drinks and needed to ask the manager for another drink for my husband. The chips we were served tasted like fish/ old oil, the rest of the meal was average, nothing to write home about. Once finished with our food we were finally offered dessert again for which we declined as we are not big dessert eaters but were feeling pressure to choose something. It was a bizarre situation. We declined again and asked for the bill. Another 10 minutes passed with no service and finally we decided we would go directly to the cashier as we were not being shown any attention. I was at this stage too angry to communicate and left the venue to get the car and wait for my husband outside. The manager informed my husband that she would be able to offer us his 2 beers on the house, an insult rather than a gift for the shocking service we had received. A poor attempt to amend the situation. He did not argue and started to right down the tip he would be giving. The waitron questioned the tip mentioning that my husband had not considered that the 2 drinks had been removed from the bill so his tip should reflect a percentage of the full amount including the drinks. In all my time as a waitress for 6 years when I was young, or any meal I have had at a restaurant, I have never seen guests treated like this. We will never be...

The waiter took quite a long time getting our food order. We were chatting when she came.

I ordered the Madgascar Pepper treated Rump steak medium rare with salad..without looking at the menu. Forgot to use the word "blackened", but did use the word "treatened".

When she came with our food I saw my steak was just a normal steak with some pepper sauce on a dish. I called her and asked her to please bring a menu...I then showed the the treatment just below the steaks and said that that was what I wanted. She made as if getting the order wrong and the fact that I will now have to wait was a minor mistake, "sorry". I told her that she should be the one confirming that her understanding of the order is correct. She said she wont take long and took my plate.

She arrived about 5 minutes later with exactly the same steak with chips very black and some alcohol or someting in a jar wich she then throws over and sets it alight. Impressive. I was scared that the treatment would have made my stake not to be rare anymore, but when I cut it it is obvious that they had not cooked it further. I took a taste and it sort of tasted like charcoal. ..and no taste of any whole peppercorn crust or any spices...just bland. She came and asked me if everything is ok...because of the scene earlier I did not want to upset everybody s evening, I told her I am fine, and poured the pepper sauce over the steak and ate the steak with the sauce. The sauce was quite pleeasant.

By the way I never got my salad.

I was to regret it later. I woke up at about 2 o clock in the morning with a body aching and wanting to throw up. I went to the bathroom three times this morning with diarrhea.

The bill was R700 for two people (including the tip) - I always tip, but that was the worst R700 I have spent in a long time.

I cannot help wandering if they did something to my steak when I asserted my position, my partner is fine and she also...

My husband was feeling for a steak and I wanted to try a new spot and after a couple of web searches we picked Cattle Baron in Stellenbosch. Upon entering the esteemed Cattle Baron in Stellenbosch, one's expectations are immediately heightened by the promise of a culinary delight, and indeed, the kitchen does not disappoint. The Chateaubriand fillet steak is a testament to the restaurant's reputation, cooked to perfection, each bite is an amazing journey through rich flavors and expert seasoning.

However, the service initially fell short of the food's standard. The waiter assigned to our table seemed disinterested, providing minimal attention and assistance when inquiring about menu options. We were met with a response that it’s a really busy night and she’ll come back when we’ve decided what we want when asking about some of their signature dishes. This lack of engagement was further compounded by the poorly allocated seating, which subjected us to a constant stream of disturbances from passing patrons.

Just as the evening seemed to be marred by these setbacks, Kenny, a beacon of hospitality, came to our rescue. With his proactive approach, he not only found us a more comfortable table away from the hustle but also took the time to walk us through the menu's highlights. His recommendations for future visits were insightful, adding a personal touch that truly redeemed our dining experience and left us keen to return to try out other options.

While the service at Cattle Baron may have its inconsistencies, the exceptional quality of the food and the potential for outstanding service, as demonstrated by Kenny, ensure that this establishment remains a notable destination for those seeking a fine dining experience in Stellenbosch.

P.s. There’s a beautiful seating area outside if the weather allows, with a garden space and jungle gym for kids if you’d like to...