The Commons — Restaurant in Western Cape

It’s not often I feel cross enough to review whilst still sitting in the restaurant but I’m so appalled at the rudeness of three out of the four staff I encountered.

Service was slow, but ok, the person (man) serving us was pleasant enough. But when initially asked about the menu details and vegan pastries the young woman behind the counter was very unfriendly and defensive - and I was purely enquiring if all the pastries were vegan. I thought no more about that.

Then, when our second drinks arrived (we had a coffee and a hot chocolate and pastries to start with), they were stone cold. The first drinks had been fine, so I went back to the counter - and the kitchen is open to the counter area - and I asked politely if the drinks could be popped in the microwave to warm up. I didn’t ask for new drinks or complain, simply asked for them to be warmed up. The man and woman in the kitchen (both doing food prep) both looked at me with filthy looks, didn’t acknowledge me other than that or speak at all, and then smirked between themselves, looked back at me and ignored me. (The waiter then came and took the drinks and warmed them).

Hardly ever have I felt so unwelcomed - purely for a simple request.

The staff need training - or maybe this is the vibe this place is trying to cultivate? A ‘we’re better than you’ approach?

I notice that a month ago someone else posted that the host was very rude, so I guess that this is a deliberate policy or they just don’t care.

Dreadful. Such a shame as the...

Posting this as a friend of someone (they are way too nice) who had a deeply disturbing experience at the Commons recently. They went to meet friends for a casual drink and bite to eat - not to attend the gig - and were confronted with verbally and emotionally abusive behaviour from the man managing the door that night. He kept insinuating they were trying to sneak into the gig for free, even though it’s always been normal practice to sit on the balcony without a ticket while a show is on - something I’ve done myself many times over the years. Plus, the show was not nearly near it’s start time.

What should have been a warm, familiar evening turned into a distressing encounter that left them shaken. This is someone who’s been a loyal supporter of the Commons since it opened - showing up regularly for music, coffee, and creative work.

It’s heartbreaking to see a place known for community and connection lose that sense of care and respect in how people are treated. Experiences like this really matter. Please hold your staff accountable for this disgusting behaviour. It’s moments like this that reflect the everyday aggression that fuels the broader crisis of GBV in our country. Needless to say, I won’t be returning - and I’ll be encouraging others in my community to reconsider their...

My friend and I love to try new spots all over Cape Town. This time we chose The Commons. I follow a gluten free diet for health reasons and saw Buckwheat and blueberry pancakes! Naturally I was excited to try them.

They looked amazing, but as I dug into the food I couldn't help but notice a burnt taste. Low and behold every, single, pancake was burnt at the bottom. It assume it was stacked that way so that you wouldn't notice the burnt side.

While the hostess apologized and said she will tell the chef (who did not apologize) she almost seemed annoyed that I mentioned it. You would almost expect to get a fresh batch or a refund. I ate around it but 3/4 or more of the pancakes were burnt. As a I work in the food industry myself, I would never ever ever serve that to a guest.

In the end we waited a bit to see if anything would be done to remedy the issue. Nothing was done. We left and I bought a delicious snack at the coffee shop downstairs.

It's a pity, I would come back for the cat, maybe the books, but...