Review Marika's - Cape Town Central

We had a wonderful meal and evening here. The food was outstanding and the homely and friendly service superb. It is the perfect size restaurant to hire out for a private function. The deck outside has amazing views of Table Mountain. There is street parking in the area. As the restaurant is situated up a set of stairs, it is not wheelchair accessible.

Been here over the years at least 5-6 times now. Every time our food is delicious, authentic and the staff are always friendly. We always feel like the meals are truly "homely" and the portions are always generous. You can see that everyone involved loves the business.

Great selection of Greek food, share different mezes or choose from a solid selection of main courses. Portions are very generous, friendly staff in this cozy restaurant with the feeling of a family run business. Good ambience with nice open balcony outside. Remember to book a table. Great wine selection with budget sensitive options available. The owners care about their customers so you won't be disappointed.

What a lovely place. Pitched up for dinner in a stormy night so we couldn't sit outside with this amazing view to the ocean harbour and table mountain in a laid back small restaurant. Service is great and so is the food. I would only come back for the mussels. Best I ate so far. Owner also super friendly. Want a real neighbourhood spot? Go there.

Greek food with a different take to the usual offerings. Tasty generous and decorative presentation. Prices value for money in my opinion but I eat out often. Good service. Not sure if there is another option but its an upstairs venue. Street parking only. I would suggest the local eateries get regular car guards rather than leave patrons to run the gauntlet. Definitely worth a visit for a generous delightful Greek styled meals.

Laid back atmosphere, homely food, great view and friendly staff...

I've known this place from when it was in Camps Bay. Family run, proper home made Greek food. Sometimes service can be a bit slow but the wait is always worth it. Order any extra serving of feta to take home. Best!

Fantastic food great ambiance. Excellent service. Loved it

Food is amazing. Prices are great. Small cozy friendly atmosphere. As with any Mediterranean establishment I would not advise going if you don't like loud noises. We make noise and we like it like that. 😁

It was my first time to Marika's, and what a wonderful discovery for me it was! This is a place I want to be a regular at! The food is hearty and wonderfully executed. The halva ice-cream was magnificent!! It's a personal, small, intimate family Greek restaurant. Don't even try getting up there on a Friday night without reservation...we were just lucky. This is the city restaurant that would make me use Uber from the northern subs for! Try their wine pairing days!!! Something I will return to a LOT from now on.

Hidden gem in the city! Absolutely delicious, home-style food and a great selection of tapas. Service received from our waitress was average, but the incredible food made it worth the visit.

Great atmosphere - cozy and inviting. Great food, if you want tapas or a main, everything is great value for money. They also have a A good wine selection.

This is a gem of Greek cuisine in Cape Town! Our second visit and we so enjoyed all the delicious flavours! The meze (5 choices for R220) was a lovely shared starter, recommended!

Lovely people running the restaurant, great service. Our Greek dishes were very tasty. Problem with a fish dish was rectified to everybody's satisfaction.

This little gem serves the best Greek food in Cape Town and never disapoints! Service is warm and on point and every dish we've tried has been amazing. Leave room for the bughasta (sp?) - lemony semolina custard with lots of cinnamon baked in buttery crunchy phyllo.

Relaxing and inviting terrace restaurant. Great authentic and flavourful greek food. Their tzatziki is the winner. If you're not sure what to have, the mezze platter where you choose 5 mezzes allows you to experience a wide range of what they have to offer. Also, a mezze platter is perfect to share between two people. Great local Greek getaway.

A well known Greek spot in the heart of Gardens! If you’re in the area and craving some Greek I’d highly recommend, typical restaurant setting nothing fancy, if you opt for the Giro it is massive and delicious!

Referred by a friend who said this is the best Greek place in town. <br/><br/>I ordered the Anri burger ended up without the bun. The reason why was “ cause they run out of buns”. I think its very unprofessional, they should have come to me and ask me if i would still want the burger without the bun or order something els. The waiter was even making fun that I can have my bun afterwards. Who wants a dry bun after you finish your patty.<br/><br/>My overall experience is that its a nice place, nothing much to talk about. The patty was okay, liked the tzatziki on top of the patty. Have been to better Greek restaurant with better service.

I have been dying to try Marika’s for quite some time and finally got around to it. My initial impression of this restaurant was not good as we were greeted by a very unfriendly waitress. <br/><br/>The owner of the restaurant then took over our table, which completely shifted my view! <br/>We ordered the lamb souvlaki and calamari - I must say that the calamari was really really good!<br/><br/>The overall atmosphere is relaxed, and the couple that own this restaurant are truly wonderful. They will do anything to ensure you are comfortable and happy. You could almost say you were having dinner at home!<br/><br/>Overall, it was a great evening out - but wouldn’t be back in too much of a hurry.

Such a cosy restaurant with stunning views of the mountain... but the food leaves much to be desired for. <br/><br/>Had dinner with two other friends. I decided on the lamb main with two sides (potato wedges and the pasta rice). My friends decided on the mezes and had the baby marrow fries, meatballs and the calamari. The calamari literally took more than 40 min to arrive (I honestly think the waitress forgot to put this order through), but probably was the tastiest dish of the evening (with the potato wedges coming a close second). The food is generally bland and under-seasoned (some more salt, lemon & oregano would've been appreciated). <br/><br/>The service is a hit and miss. The couple, who I believe are the owners, are very sweet. The barman is very friendly. The waitress... well she is the only waitress on duty, so I guess she can be forgiven for her mishaps. <br/><br/>Maybe I'll return for drinks on that stoep when the weather is warmer.

We had a wonderful meal here as part of a christening. The fact that we were with a Greek family made the experience even more worthwhile. The food was all served Meze style and was fantastic as was the ambience. We will definitely return.

Lovely owners and waiters. The food is just the same as the one I had in Greece. Not necessarily the best one though. The fried tentacles are as gummy as the ones they hang on strings in Greece to let them dry. So I would say it tastes original but not great. There are two better greek options in town that go a step ahead in food's taste.

Great family-style restaurant! Having this a stone's throw away from our house has really been a delight. We usually get the platter with haloumi, calamari, hummus, and then make up the rest with whatever we might fancy. The aubergine is also wonderful. <br/>Great for a ladies night dinner!

We had a truly fantastic experience at Marika's last night. The service is slick and the vibe relaxed and friendly. And all staff exude the warm and genial spirit of greek hospitality. As for the food! Our meze platter was a smorgasbord of tastebud delight and our mains delicious. As good, if not better, than you'd get in a greek home. Indeed, with the well-priced bottle of fabulous Marika's Merlot, and a full moon rising over the terrace,  we could've been on an Aegean island. A wonderful meal in all ways!

Scrambling to find a last minute reservation before seeing a show at the fugard theatre, Marika's was able to accommodate us. I'd passed the restaurant, situated above a 7/11 on buitenkant street, but never thought to visit because it does not look that great from the outside. But this is one of those 'do not judge a book by its cover' situations.<br/><br/>The service here stands out as really friendly , and you can tell that the staff are happy. While the interior may seem a bit haphazard with its mismatched side plates , it kind of adds to its rustic charm.<br/><br/>My boyfriend and I both ordered the lamb yiro, I chose the kritharaki (aka rice pasta/rissoni /orzo) , and my boyfriend chose wedges as a side. Our friend had the chicken yiro, with the Greek peasant salad that looked lovely with a generous amount of feta!<br/><br/>My yiro was really great. The lamb was not too fatty and it was a great big portion! My boyfriend's wedges... wow. Guys, these wedges are on point! I have never had crispier wedges ever. Not anywhere. My boyfriend did say he thought the wedges could have been cut smaller to have a better ratio of crisp to fluffy potato, which I feel is fair and valid. But wow, you will not be unhappy ordering these - I definitely stole a few from his plate while my kritharaki cooled down a bit. But not to feel as if I had gotten the short end of the proverbial stick when it came to sides, my kritaharaki , coated in the most delicious pomodoro sauce, was a winner too. Huge portion for a side (couldn't finish it myself) would definitely recommend it. <br/><br/>Somehow the boyfriend found room in his stomach for dessert and ordered baklava . I had a small taste and it was good. But I am not a huge baklava fan so it did not wow me personally, but he enjoyed it.<br/><br/>Only critiques are the following:<br/>●table felt quite sticky even though I saw the waitress wipe it down -think they're just really old<br/>●it is really windy and we were seated by the door so whenever anyone came in there would be this huge gust of wind which was quite disturbing and unpleasant. I would definitely ask to be seated away from the big glass doors when making a reservation.

We've been eyeing this place out on The Entertainer App and were so happy that we decided to try it! The gated entrance up some dark stairs outside a corner cafe may appear dodgy, but once you get inside, the happy vibe, friendly service and generous portions of greatgreekfood (one word!) is proof of the Mediterranean hospitality.<br/><br/>Decor is not the focus, although it certainly reminded us of similar rooftop restaurants in Athens.<br/><br/>It was a busy night and the kitchen got my order wrong, but the waitress' quick response and sincere apology smoothed it over. <br/><br/>Anyway, G's portion of Pork Ribs was big enough for him to let me nibble along while they corrected it. My Lamb Giro was enormous! I should've taken half of it home, but couldn't stop munching! What really impressed was the thin wrap around the delicious filling.<br/><br/>We look forward to going again soon, even of there is a colony of bergies sleeping opposite. This is Gardens, after all! ☺

Quaint venue , very good service , had the 5 starter special , we swapped the fried huloumi for grilled , big mistake as the fried was melt in your mouth , the grilled very average. We had the chicken , probably one of the smallest spatchcock I've seen , the lamb taste was excellent however very small portion. You must have starters if you are hungry

Best Greek food ever! Come hungry if you want the Giro (Greek wrap) or lamb burger (on pita). I tried the mousakka and it was the best I've ever tasted. The aubergine was cooked to perfection and that white sauce was out of this world. Then there is dessert. Halva ice cream all the way. Also very friendly service. Best to book as it gets busy.

Truly authentic greek with no frills!<br/><br/>Warm atmosphere inside, friendly staff, really delicious food in big helpings and reasonably priced.<br/><br/>Love it

Went to Marika's tonight. You walk upstairs to a charming little restaurant that immediately screams Greek. The service was prompt and attentive,sometimes annoyingly so. The menu was simple but adequate, it was missing a little extra punch that would make it out of the ordinary. I had the lamb giro and my girlfriend had the lamb burger. They were both delicious, the giro was more of a guilty pleasure with chips and the works inside. The burger had all the right combinations however I think the patty wasn't homemade which is disappointing from such a homely restaurant. Overall it was a good experience. And would recommend it for a cosy and relaxed night out with good food. On a side note I would recommend this place for private events as they have an ideal setup for up to 90 people. <br/><br/>Lekker, lekker.

The restaurant is quite small, but with a nice buzzing atmosphere. We shared the Spanakopita starter. I had the grilled calamari and the other 2 had the baked lamb and baked prawns. All of which were very tasty and the portions are not small!<br/>The rice pasta and potato wedges they serve with the mains are really good.<br/>I will most certainly be back for an authentic Greek meal & experience.

What started off as an average pleasant experience quickly turned into a nightmare, when we politely sent back a dish we felt was overcooked and cold. The other meals were fine. We were still billed for it and requested to speak to the manager Frank, who quickly became defensive and aggressive, refusing to listen to our complaint or plea for a compromise. His anger escalated to the degree, that he refused to even listen to us and threatened to lock us in if we didn't pay. We then tried to call the police, who never pitched.<br/><br/>Thats not exactly the kind of treatment one expects when going out to dinner and spending hundreds of rands worth of food. We'd paid for everything else, but his angry, bullying approach made us dig our heals in.<br/> <br/>We stood up to leave, my partner made it out the door. Frank ran after him and grabbed and yanked at him. I tried to follow, but he then went for the door, trying to trap me inside, but I made it out too. With that he went for me, shoving me against the door frame. I am a petit woman and don't weigh more than 46kg, where as Frank is a giant. I had no chance. Some of his kitchen staff had been ordered up while we were still inside and they punched my partner, pulled at him, pinned him against the wall. It was unbelievably traumatic, am still shocked as I write this. That a simple evening out can turn so badly. <br/><br/>We were surrounded and the gate was held shut by one of the kitchen staff, so we couldn't get out. In the end, after I broke down sobbing from utter helplessness, we threw down the money. <br/><br/>The worst part is that not a single patron in the restaurant came to find out what was going on, they just watched as we were bullied and humiliated. This is the country we live in.... you are on your own...<br/><br/>In my panicked state, I did manage to film some of the drama. This experience has had huge consequences for both of us, on a trust level towards humanity. But we are not defeated and are taking the necessary legal action.

In the last two months I been at Marika's about 4 or 5 times, it's brilliant!! The service is good and friendly, the food is fresh and made with a personal touch, if you have a bed experience, unlikely due to the place, but rather your own issues!! It feel like home. I'll definitely recommend it to anyone!!!

STAY AWAY from this place! The manager and his staff recently physically restrained and beat some friends of mine because they had sent back a meal - one they barely touched - because it was poorly prepared. When it came time to pay they were billed for it, then, trying to explain to the manager that they wouldn't pay for the one meal that was bad and had been returned, he became violent, locked them in the restaurant and set his staff on them, physically abusing and beating them till they paid, in fear of their lives! These two people are gentle, wonderful average folks, with children and families that care for them. They simply stood up for their consumer rights. What kind of customer service is that! We are all in shock that such thuggery can exist in the service industry in Cape Town. A case has been opened and further steps will be taken. STAY far away!!!

We had a private function here. It is a typical greek family restaurant. The food was typical greek food and good. The carrot birthday cake was excellent.

Flipping tasty food.<br/>Yes, the service is overwhelmed at times but the food more than makes up for it.<br/>Can recommend to anyone sitting on the fence about going.<br/>Try the lamb Grio!

You are not a customer when you enter Marika's, you are a guest that has stepped into her world of Greek Cuisine. The food is just sensational. Marika makes everything fresh and you can tell is made with love, as corny as that sounds, that is a rarity these days. The portions are generous, the atmosphere is enjoyable. 5 stars always

We were visiting Cape Town over the festive season, driving past this restaurant we thought it looks very inviting.......and that is where it stops !!!!After booking a table ( and had friends as our guests ) as they were fully booked ( silly season ),we arrive there at around 8.30 pm..........immediately the waitress told us the food takes a little longer than normal, after teasing her about the time frame, she said around 40 / 50 minutes ( there are also a laminated paper on the table explaining this. We were told corkage is R 25 for the first bottle and R 75 for the ones after that........no problem with that. We ordered our starters which came within the time frame of 40 / 50 min....and then disaster strikes........our main meal was served at 11.15 pm............without an appetite at this godly hour we ate the meal and politely asked the waitress seeing that we waited so long, we thought if will be a good gesture from management to waiver the corkage off our bill.........the worst thing that we could have done..........Frank came to our table and ask what was the problem. After telling him that the food took exceptionally long and we thought it will be nice of him to take the corkage off the bill seeing that we very calm about this unaccepted service, he had the nerve  to tell us how dare we finish the food and then ask for a discount ....to my knowledge wavering the corkage and discount is two different things. He was VERY unpleasant and told us this is how he runs his restaurant and here guests waits for their food .....sorry for him........there is NO EXCUSE for bad service, food taking two and a half hours and an owner that does not know how to speak to his clients. Therefor........never never never again will us or any of our large circle of Cape Town friends ever visit this restaurant.....we wish them luck !!!!!!

Visited this Greek restaurant for the first time which is situated above a 7/11 on the corner of the road. Unfortunately the service was dismal but the food was very good which made up for the extremely slow service. We ordered a meze platter to share with a good selection of vegetables, dips and hummus. I recommend trying this place as it is quite authentic.

Really lovely rooftop spot... Fabulous authentic Greek food, good service. Calamari, chicken livers, meatballs, baked lamb all excellent... Fried halloumi superb.

Super little surprise. A quaint space with lovely people. All the food is fresh and lovingly prepared. We particulary enjoyed the grilled calamari. I wanted to try the pickled calamari but was told that Marika hasn't made any for a while....nice to know that it's made in the kitchen and not brought in. All in all a lovely experience and we will be back to try more of the menu.

Always a lovely food experience at Marika's, such a warm and homey environment. I love the meze platter, which consist of calamarika, halloumi saganaki, hummus, keftedes, spanakopita, tiropita and pita bread. It was so good, definitely my favorite Greek spot.

We love going to marikas. We had a craving for greek food and in this heat i wasnt cooking a thing so we went out for a mezze platter and boy was it yum! You can never go wrong with tsastiki and hummus or calamari and meatballs. Although the service was relaxed we really enjoy the homely and welcoming feel of the restaurant. Its not 5 star but the food is incredibly tasty and the pricing incredibly reasonable!

waitress did not know menu. Food cold and not very good. 1 visit is more than enough. Slap chips in giro looked like bacon rinds and tasted of onion? Thank goodness there were no belly dancers <br/><br/>

Great Greek food, excellent service. I've now been twice & really enjoyed it. The menu isn't fancy but the food is tasty, with tapas like fried haloumi, proper Greek salad, dolmades etc. I like sharing lots of small plates but there is plenty on offer for big appetites as well.

What lovely Greek restaurant. My first time here and I was absolutely amazed at how good all the food looked. My burger was absolutely divine!!! I want to go back for more. Higher than highly recommended!! Delicious all way round and service was great too. You have to go if you haven't been!!! Yummy!!!!

Really brilliant Greek food Very generous portions Friendly service Everything we tasted was delicious Great lamb, calamari, haloumi and potato wedges. Will be back<br/>

Underwhelming experience at Marika's where the quirkiness borders on inappropriately unprofessional. The food was good - nothing special, but done well enough with good portion sizes and prices. Service was a little too laid back for our liking.

There is nothing wrong with this restaurant at all. Nice atmosphere, good service, good food, fair prices. I think if you live around the corner it's a real gem.

This is our regular spot. We keep going back for the great food, cooked my Marieka herself, and the welcoming staff. We always share the mezzo platter and load it with seafood. Don't miss the potato dip and fried zucchini.

The giro took me back to Greece. The lamb was tasty and plentiful, although a little pricy. The only concern I had was that the tiropita had cheddar and parmesan as opposed to the traditional feta only.

Delicious traditional Greek fair. Very friendly authentic service. I had an assortment of mezes to start (haloumi, calamari, fried Aubergine, tsatsiki, meatballs and pitas) and the chicken kebabs (which were moist and flavoursome) and Greek salad.

Service was non existent, Giro was more like a Gatsby with slap chips in it, too much salad and too little meat. The corkage policy needs to be more specific as we were 4 families on 2 tables yet the first bottle was R35 corkage and second R75. So the explanation was 1 bottle at R35 per party, thereafter R75 per bottle, does this mean if we book the restaurant out you can only bring 1 bottle at R35 corkage? No rush to return to this place😰

Delicious authentic Greek food! I shared the Mezze platter; we chose dolmades, haloumi, meatballs, calamari and spanakopita, with a greek salad on the side. I'm usually not into the whole tapas vibe, often thinking I'll still be hungry afterwards. But the platter was generous and filling. Dessert was halva ice cream and baklava, which was very sweet, but good. Would definitely go back to try some of the other mains!

Simple and delicious food served in huge portions ;) <br/><br/>I would recommend the Halloumi Giro which is a Pita wrap filled with tzatziki, salad and chips - I have named it the Greek version of a Gatsby! Note the chips, as I then made the mistake of ordering wedges which ended up being waayyy too much for me and therefore I would rather suggest to choose the salad instead.<br/><br/>Our waitress was friendly and food was served promptly.

Marikas is by far the best Greek restaurant in town. Their meze is out of this world and very reasonable when shared with a group of friends.

Marika's has such a great vibe and friendly staff, my partner and I are becoming regulars. It's well priced Greek food with large portions - a lamb shwarma could feed two people and that side salad...wow. Gotta love that feta. Parking can be a pain but it's totally worth it. I would recommend them everytime.<br/><br/>But seriously though. That lamb shwarma.

I was asked by some friends the other night for supper at Marikas...I have never been there before and all I can say is WOW!! This is an intimate little gem in Vredehoek and the food was just superb. Their giro shwarmas are HUGE and most of my friends had those and couldn't even finish them. My Mousaka was also great and the greek rice that accompanied it was fantastic. Their Mezze starters are also delicious and great for sharing. This is truly a great little place and I shall definitely return!

Very friendly mellow place - could be a good local spot. Service is very very slow on busy nights but the food is good with strong traditional Greek flavors. Some of the mains are a touch expensive though.

Terrible service, food was below average for price. One visit is possibly enough... They did allow my dog to come with though, and with enough wine anything tastes good I guess? They struggle when the restaurant is full and more waiters are definitely a need. That said everyone had a good experience for the one time.

It's a nice local - super mellow vibes and good food (admittedly we just had some mezze, but was very good). The pricing is reasonable and the service was friendly and personal. Ya, cool friendly mellow vibes.