Fool's Gold Social Bar — Restaurant in Stellenbosch Local Municipality

I am utterly disgusted and disappointed with Fools Gold. They are unprofessional, racist, and treat people with zero respect.

We were three coloured people just trying to enjoy our night. We arrived at 21:15, and after about an hour my fiancé went outside for a smoke with a white friend. When they returned, the staff demanded that only my fiancé pay an entry fee—even though he was already inside. The manager even came onto the dance floor to pull him away while we were dancing, just to force him to pay.

I asked why the white friend wasn’t also asked to pay, since both of them had stepped out. The answer was clear: unfair treatment. To make matters worse, all the black staff were working outside, while only white staff were behind the bar. This says everything about the kind of place Fools Gold is. No one at Fools Gold took responsibility or even tried to fix the situation. Instead of enjoying our night, we left feeling humiliated and unwelcome.

We ended up at Punked, and the difference was like night and day—the vibe was great, and the staff treated everyone with respect. Fools Gold will never see my face again.

The name says it all: Fool’s Gold—fake, cheap, and not worth it. I strongly recommend that people avoid this place and rather support venues that actually value...

I genuinely had one of the best burgers ever at Fools Gold recently. Their smash burger is packed with flavour, it’s a proper smash burger with two Pattie’s, juicy and perfect thickness as well as seasoned to perfection. I’ve had a lot of burgers in and around Cape Town and this one definitely takes the cake. The brioche bun was fresh and the sauce that comes for the chips was also insane. Like damn shout-out Fools Gold they cooked with this burger. I also had the loaded fries on another day - the chipotle crema and added Pulled Beef and which came at an extra cost- but sooo well priced and really generous portion. This is my new favourite restaurant in Stellenbosch. The ingredients are so fresh. Not an overly complicated menu which I really like too. Always a vibe, immaculate service with really friendly staff. Music is always on point. Lots of specials during the week are also such a plus- their cocktails are spectacular too....

My experience at Fools Gold left a sour taste. I came with my friend group and the only black friend in our group was treated like a suspect the moment we arrived. The bouncer questioned him like he was trying to sneak in — double-checking ID, demanding to know if he was “with us,” and staring him down like he didn’t belong there.

We thought maybe it was a one-off — until we saw how he was treated the rest of the night. Cold service, side-eyes, and not a single apology or acknowledgment when he said something. Instead, a staff member told him, "Maybe you’re just reading too much into things."

That comment sealed it. Classic gaslighting, making someone feel like they’re imagining a real issue. I don’t care how trendy or popular this place is — if they can’t treat all guests with respect from the door to the bar, they’re not worth your time....