Beach House Zanzibar — Restaurant in Shangani

We just went there today after a trip to town and despite the fact we just wanted to get out of our own hotels, we went to have a nice atmospheric end of the afternoon with the kids. But it was all over very disappointing and a very unpleasant experience. We ordered two different ice cream variations, which sounded nice in the first place but started already with total confusion of the waiter by exchanging vanilla flavor to spices (cinnamon and various other) and we were assuming already there might be an issue later on. One ice cream came out to be a scoop on a soup of whip cream/ caramel sauce/ deep frozen (but not cold) berries. It was the saddest presentation of a nice description. The second one turned out to be an even more tricky order, first the waiter went out to deliver a scoop of plain ice cream without anything that was supposed to be. Plain scoop for almost 5€!!! Then he magically found another few crumbs of cookies which was supposed to be “homemade ice cream with chocolate chip cookies”….. come one guys. After talking to the manager they said: no, we can’t give you discount for something we didn’t deliver. (Service on point here…;D ) but they offered another dessert. Nutella cheesecake (accompanied by an off taste) with coffee ice cream. I mean, it’s not hard to point out that coffee ice cream is not for kids. So even that was hard to imagine and think twice before delivering this dessert to some 6 year olds. Anyways. This place needs to seriously step up their game in Zanzibar if they want to have satisfied customers. With a water for 3€ (which is normally 1€ in other very high standard gastronomies) you have to offer and deliver more, it was such a disappointing experience. And service wise even worse than a local bar. Sorry guys, not recommending to our guests and not...

Well, i was a guest of this place pretty often for over two years. But, looks like new manager of the place decided to end it. Today with my group we came to visit. Security at entrance started to make problems. Told us we cant sit in terrace. Why? They wasn’t sure. Than they noticed i came with small poodle in bag. Same one i was there before. They said no entry with him. We asked for manager, because he saw him few times before. Surprisingly, he said he cant do anything. Security makes decision. Not him. Bigger surprise is that all restaurant is full of stray cats disturbing all guesys(really a lot) - and they are no problem at all. My small dog that all team knows as super calm is suddenly an issue for him.

Its really hard to understand what happened. Clearly manager just want to survive there for as long as he wants but truth is since he started over a month ago this place became empty, food makes delays, staffs are disorganized and ask to pay cash for positions not mentioned on the bills. I think management should read last reviews to see, since he started its going wrong way.

It was for me, best restaurant in Zanzibar. For now? I will avoid it as long as current management will stay there. Enaugh is enaugh. I was just kicked out...

Avoid if you have any dietary requirements.

I have been vegetarian for almost 30 years. I ordered vegetarian starter and main courses. My main course contained chicken despite it saying it was vegetarian.

The restaurant admitted the chef made an error by putting chicken in the meal and gave my partner and I all our food and drinks for free but that doesn't change that I ate meat for the first time in 30 years due to a chef who doesn't care about client's dietary requests. My moral choice not to eat meat shouldn't be at the whim of a chef. What other changes is he making? Who gave him the right to challenge my choices of 30 years?

I asked if they would serve a Muslim pork and the waitress said no, but why was my choice not to eat meat for 30 years not respected in the same way? Do they respect allergies? What restaurant in the 21st century does this? How many people who ordered vegetarian food were also unwittingly served meat by a chef who doesn't care?

I have lived in multiple countries and continents and I have never experienced such a thing. Worst dining experience of my life. The fact that it wasn't an accident is utterly...