Review Vista Bar & Lounge - Cape Town Central

5 stars all round. What a lovely experience. Friendly staff, lovely ambience, and excellent food (we had the high tea). Would highly recommend giving this place a visit! I will definitely be back.

I've visited vista multiple times and have had a different experience every time. One part of the experience that stood out was the service of the staff. Absolutely impeccable (most of the time) from a warm welcome to little conversations that make you feel like you're at home, you can relax and you have nothing to worry about. I'd been to 5 star establishments and their restaurants before and some definitely have something to learn. The attention to detail from the temperature inside, the scent, the sounds and placement of furniture just sets this establishment apart from the rest. A great escape from the buzz of the V&A waterfront and the city while still being right next to it's heart beat in this luxurious oasis. I'd love to give 5 stars but I'm yet to be blown away by my experience.

Absolutely amazing and decadent. Had a great time and what an experience.

I can absolutely recommend the high tea experience at The One & Only. Great service, beautiful melodic piano music, a fab selection of savoury & sweet treats and a tea selection that complimented the whole experience perfectly. Seriously... try the berry tea! Thank you for making my mother's birthday one to remember.

Ordered their specialty which is ( yes , you read it correctly) hake and chips. The hake was perfect. White and flaky, not oily . Also had really exceptional oysters with an Asian noodle salad. Setting is great.We had to call for service 3 x times . So service could be faster.

Wow. What an awesome experience. Celebrated my Lovely Daughters birthday at the Vistor Lounge at the One and Only and Only in Cape Town. The ambience was awesome, the food was excellent and the service was the best we have experienced. Our waitor was Mr Sakhele. Wow, this young man is an asset to One and Only Vista Lounge. Thoroughly enjoyed our experience. Highly recommend this place to both locals and tourists. CAN ONE AND ONLY PLEASE GIVE MR SAKHELE THE WAITOR AT THE VISTA LOUNGE A BONUS.. THIS GENTLEMAN WAS JUST GREAT AND HE WAS PASSIONATE ABOUT HIS WORK..

Excellent service, excellent food, stunning views, everything is perfect. Vista Bar and Lounge @ The One & Only is la crème de la crème. Without a shadow of a doubt, the best experience I have ever had.

A BIG up to Solo and Musa at Vista Bar and Lounge at the One and Only Hotel Cape Town after a really bad experience at Vista Lounge the last time we were there, Solo invited us back for cocktails and snacks and I must say a big thank you to Solo for inviting us back last night and thank you to Musa who was the best host for the night making us feel welcome and at home at the Vista Bar and Lounge we started with the Earth Cocktail which was amazingly refreshing and unique with its crumbled flake chocolate which is cleverly called edible sand, and with yesterday being World Chocolate Day it was very much enjoyed by myself and my best friend and for those who are reading this the price is reasonable at R160 per cocktail and I will definately recommend this and the other amazing cocktails on the menu at Vista Bar and Lounge! We look forward to visiting Musa and his team again soon where we will once again be treated like VIPs!

Just stop for an afternoon snack. In the atmosphere. The service was great. People were great and we really enjoyed the couple of hours of relaxation. I had the most wonderful papaya salad!

Absolutely brilliant services from Vista Bar last night. My wife and I decided to go to the One&Only and the service we got was phenomenal. Waiters were knowledgeable and polite. There was a young man by the name of Nabiel if I'm correct, he looked like the manager on duty. He immediately made us feel as home. I have seen him before at another establishment and he never seems to disappoint. We've been to Vista before but we can definitely see a huge change. His one of your greatest assets to the business. Hold on to him. He will be the next GM in the making. We'll be back soon. Regards Nick

We stopped by for a light dinner. Aubrey, our waiter was excellent. The food; great presentation and delicious. Scrumptious vegetarian options for my wife and stunning views to enjoy. Will definitely recommend.

Beautiful design and scenery paired with some really decorative cocktails

Great views and very friendly service with top notch ingredients. Try and get Elton as your bartender, he is a true mixologist and will make you concoctions off the menu!

Elton and Ashley at the bar are the best. Always friendly and I can sit and chat to them for hours.

Peaceful ambiance. Light meal was very satisfying and honestly the best chocolate milkshake I've had all year.

The best high tea experience we have ever had! Yes it is expensive, yes the bubbly is R100 per glass but OMG... great savories and a lavish spread of sweet offerings. The surroundings are fabulous and the service excellent. The pianist even played Happy Birthday to my son as they brought our a special Birthday plate for him! Highly recommended for a special occasion.

I just love the ambience of this place. Its tranquil and relaxing. We have often visited here as a friend from overseas stays at The One and Only. Drinks and coffees are served with little eats which adds a nice effect. However the prices are RIDICULOUS! I understand that it's a five star hotel but one cannot justify R85 for a very basic regular size chocolate milkshake or R55 for a small cappuccino.

This is just our favorite gem to visit in Cape Town. O my gosh, the view of Table Mountain sitting in the lounge is incredible. We always order cappuccino and every time we receive a big bottle of cookies and honey. That all for R38! The kids ordered cocktails and that is always a work of art. The staff is kind and the environment incredible. This is a must do while in Cape Town

High tea’s are always fun as I love trying all kinds of flavored tea's.<br/>I enjoyed this one as the service was impeccable and I indulged in so many different sweet treats ,would definitely recommend this Afternoon Tea for a birthday or special occasion.

What an experience!!! Went there for a friend's birthday. Initially I dreaded cos of the price. But once I got there, it all made sense. The service was 5 star. Tried different teas and that was great since I'm a teaholic👏👏👏. I was really impressed and will definitely go back🌸

To celebrate my friend’s 21st, me and her went to the One & Only for the afternoon tea buffet and were completely oblivious to the fact that our booking coincided with the Royal Wedding. Simply put, it was a resplendent affair! For R325 per person, you can eat as many sweet and savoury treats as you want while enjoying the hotel’s wide selection of tea and coffee. Although they were delicious, the sweet treats overwhelmed me completely and I found myself requesting a glass of Chardonnay. A standout for me was the staff: they were so attentive and I must say that our waitron, Ncumisa, was beyond phenomenal!

Had a birthday high tea here. Can I say I indulged! Lots of options of eats and teas, tried various teas but the ones that stood out are caramel and orange spice. The ambiance here is top class as expected, but there is something about a Sunday that makes it all come together. I enjoyed the treats, and couldn't stop munching over the 3.5 hours. This was the first time doing a high tea and the standard has been set! 😁

Who doesn’t enjoy a spot of loose leafy tea with and amazing view of table mountain. The service the staff offer is professional and friendly and embodies that South African hospitality that we as a country are known for. I’m a huge fan of king proteas and seeing them dotted all around made me very happy. <br/><br/>Onto the food and drink. I’m a huge fan of loose leaf teas and tea infusions. I had my eye on the minced berry tea but after ordering turns out they didn’t have stock. I opted for the lemon infusion instead and later in the strawberry rooibos, both of a high quality. Food wise the nibbles are divided into a tray served savory platter and a get it yourself sweets table. Hands down the quality, presentation and creativity in each sweet treat trumps anything on offer on the savory plate. No offense to people who work hard to present a solid savory spread - but all the flavors kind of mesh into one and everything seems to be a derivate of pie pastry. I’m also a pain when it comes to presentation so if you are going to be all fancy about crustless cucumber fingers then please make sure there is actually no crust on the two fingers provided and that the cucumber actually goes from end to end on the sandwich. Little details like that add to the premium feeling of the tea. Sweet treats wise - I cannot commend the pastry chef enough for the stellar job. Interesting flavour combinations and surprises inside treats and well as the flawless presentation of each individual treat is simply outstanding. <br/><br/>Coming back I would definitely skip the savory to be honest and if I’m really going to be a pain I would say the crockery could be either more dainty for the high tea grandeur feeling or super rustic using local ceramics showcasing the talents of South African locals giving an interesting spin on the not so classic tea provided.

Pure class , from the moment you step out of your car and walk into those majestic doors.what I like s about this hotel bar is that they know their regulars and that for me goes beyond any service expectations.Alcohol pricing is not too expensive

One of my favourite High Teas in town. I love the fact that coffee type drinks (not just teas) are also included in the price. I would have however loved a wider savoury selection. The sweets are not as expansive as what you get at the Mount Nelly, but all in all, very yummy! My favourite were the milktart macaroons - so so very good!

We had the most amazing afternoon tea yesterday. The staff are very friendly and go out of their way to make your experience enjoyable. The quality and selection was superb.

A surprisingly chilly day in Cape Town and decided to attend high tea at the One&Only. The selection of teas were varied though I stuck to Earl Grey. <br/>The selection of the sweet buffet was extensive with every item being delicious. My favourite a were the macaroons which were crumbly and soft with great flavours. The staff would bring you savory items on request and the mini quiches were ideal for a cold day. <br/>The staff were friendly and attentive and I felt right at home while I got lost in a great view. I will definitely visit again.

I moved down to Cape Town nearly 6 months ago, and my boyfriend has constantly told me about how amazing this place is.  We finally had the chance to go there together this past weekend. Sadly, they have changed their menu so they don't have the past, present, and future drinks, but you can still order stuff you want as a special request. I was quite bummed about that as I was really keen on trying the future drinks!  As we walked in, I felt as if I was living the life of a celebrity. This by far has to be one of the best bar and lounges I have been to. Our waiter was extremely friendly as well which is a definite plus. Our drinks did arrive quite quick and were rather tasty. If that wasn't enough, they gave us some snacks: black olives and chips (similar to Dorito's Sweet Chili ones) which was a major plus in my eyes! All in all it was a wonderful experience and I cannot wait to come back!

Came here this afternoon for the afternoon tea. It was nice and I enjoyed it although I do think it could be better. There was only four types of savories on offer but the little chicken pies were divine and probably my favorite thing on the whole table. The sweet treats were nice but nothing spectacular, and I thought the lemon-curd filled eclair was a bit of a cop out as the cupcakes were also filled with lemon curd. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a nice relaxing afternoon although I wouldn't say it's the best high tea you can go for.

The One & Only.!!!<br/>A restaurant that you have to visit.<br/>You definitely will receive a first class service.<br/><br/>We had ordered a cream cupcake and a chocolate mouse cup with hot chocolate which was all very delicious.<br/><br/>Our waiter was friendly and the surroundings behind you are magnificent.

There are some words in the Afrikaans lexicon that just cannot be translated - words such as "gatvol", "lekker", "ja-nee"....Anyway, where am I going with this review? Well, I was at the waterfront and decided to treat myself to one of their signature burgers while enjoying the magnificent vistas😀.<br/><br/>Sadly, the burger I ordered was one of the kakkest ones I've ever had-and this in a 5* establishment nogal😬. I opted for the slider option but it was a dry, insipid, unimaginative mish-mash served on a plate. The less said about the chips, the better. Come on guys- at these prices you should be wowing the customer, not riding on the coat tails of your reputation! Service was a winner though.

My mother came down for a girls weekend and we headed here for an afternoon high tea. From the moment we got to the security boom, courtesy and warmth was the order of the day. I can't say enough how wonderful ALL of the staff are here. There was a lovely selection of sweet and savory items and plenty of teas to choose from which arrived in delightful little pots. Off the top of my head, I'd like to commend Benjamin, Ash, and Joshua for being particularly delightful hosts.

Hosted a breakfast here recently and had a Continental buffet.<br/>The venue is really outstanding, pristine, beautifully decorated and well serviced.<br/><br/>We had a variety of teas, coffee, fresh fruit juices and a smoothie. There were these delicious little spinach quiches, salmon roses with avo, carefully sliced fruits, date & nut cookies, scrambled egg wraps. There was a disproportionately large selection of breads, pastries, croissants, Copenhagen. These were a bit on the dry side. Butter and pate would have been a good idea. Otherwise a very tasty breakfast in a world class venue.<br/><br/>Magically Nick

Completely average, overpriced and pedestrian, that sums up our experience. We had high expectations of the high tea at the One & Only and left severely disappointed. The variety of savoury food on offer was quite very limited, no typical cucumber sandwiches on offer (or any sandwiches), just a few deep fried pastries, some stale bread with a red pepper paste, and a few other average finger foods that wouldn't be out of place at a corporate function serving cheap canapés. The sweets also sorely missed the mark with dry, hard cakes on offer and a few bland desserts that weren't worth the carbs or price tag. The only decent items were the fridge cheesecake and eclair, which had a decent choux pastry but bland filling. The ambience was also average, no music, no piano, just the sound of people jostling about; you could be mistaken for sitting in an airport lounge. Mediocre service rounded off a lousy afternoon. At R295 per person I could think of many other places to spend the afternoon with better food and ambience. If you've had high tea at any established, well known hotel in the world, this falls drastically (and embarrassingly) short.

Breathtaking View, Beautiful Decor, Great Service & Quality Food! <br/>I love everything about the One & Only, I thoroughly enjoy all my experiences there and have never been disappointed with the quality of food.<br/>The afternoon high Tea buffet has an amazing variety of lovely baked goodies & delectable snacks. <br/>Your tummy will feel satisfied just as your mind, body & soul will feel relaxed! <br/>

My favourite afternoon tea in Cape Town 😍 My boyfriend took me here over a year ago and then I took my best friend back 3 months ago to celebrate our graduation, and they were just as I remembered- very high standards of food, service and ambience 👌 I love their selection of bottomless teas and coffees. Their pastries are set out on the buffet and the savouries are plated and served to your table but also bottomless. Out waitress was very patient, friendly and attentive. This place exudes charm and class, as you have your afternoon tea with lovely views of the canal and mountain. I think it would be best to make a reservation but they do accommodate walk ins.

Strolled into the Vista bar after a dinner with friends. Decided on hot drinks as it was a chilly night. I had a cappuccino and Sashen had an americano. I preferred his americano to my cappuccino as it was very milky. The biscotti on the side was delicious and service was lovely. A little slow but extremely friendly.

Love this place! The bar-men are always extremely attentive and are always willing to please especially when you ask for them to make you a drink that would suggest you have. The prices are a bit steep compared to the other drinks in the vicinity but worth it and the food is completely delicious. Cafe type food not completely good for dinner but lunch is definitely good for this place! Prepare to turn out your pockets for a good cocktail and finger foods.

Oh my goshhhh!! We ate so much that we felt ill! 😱😱😱 the sandwiches are 😍😍 while the sweet treats were good, the savoury snacks outshines it! There is an extensive tea selection and coffee too, which are uncapped 😊

It was a cold rainy Sunday afternoon and I was in Cape Town for a short break. We couldn't decide what to do as the weather was miserable and then I suggested we should go for drinks to The One and Only. The hotel is beautiful and the view from the Vista bar is lovely. Our waitress was friendly and promptly handed us menus. I must say the menu is interesting and I love how creative they are with the cocktail menu taking you on a journey through the evolution of past, present and future variations of their cocktails. Naturally I decided to go with the future and ordered a Cape Town Cosmopolitan. I was not disappointed, it was refreshing. It has strawberry and jasmine foam which was heavenly. The snacks of crisp and dried fruit was a nice touch. To top it all off there was a band consisting of a violinist and guitarist playing beautiful music.

Was looking for something to do on a cold rainy Cape Town afternoon, and drinks at the Vista Bar fit the bill perfectly. I've lived in Cape Town for almost 5 years and I've always wanted to at least check out the legendary One and Only hotel even if I wasn't able to actually stay there. The bar, lounge and foyer area are really stunning and really impressed me. I ordered a Honeyed Foam Mojito, a creative take on one of my all time favourite classics, absolutely delicious! As an amazing extra we got to watch Acoustic Element give a live performance in the bar which created a fantastic atmosphere and was the cherry on top of a great afternoon! Can't wait to visit again😁.

It's hard to find things to do when the weather isn't on your side in Cape Town, but drinks are a good option. We decided to try out the Vista Bar at the One and Only. The lounge has a fantastic setting overlooking the mout that leads out to the ocean. I ordered the Future Mojito aka Honeyed Foam Mojito, made from Barcadi gin, fresh lime and apple juice,topped with a mint and wild flower honey foam. Absolutely different and delicious compared to the classic Mojito we all love.

We went to the One and Only for an early Mother's Day High Tea. The view from the Vista Bar of Table Mountain is stunning and our waitress was friendly and attentive. One is given a plate of savoury items which were all freshly prepared and delicious. The sweets table was overflowing with cakes, biscuits, scones, koeksisters, meringues, nougat, meringues and many other delicious treats. I especially enjoyed the chocolate brownie biscuits and the cheesecake. There is also a large selection of tea and coffee options included in the price (as well as hot chocolate) to ease the sugar overload. I would definitely recommend this to anyone with a sweet tooth!

My first visit at the Vista Lounge -One&Only. It was a lovely spread off sweet treats. Really enjoyed the views, live music and quality of the treats. I hope to go again.

One & Only is one of my favourite places to go for high tea. They have a range of over 30 different types of teas to try with a table full of delicious sweet treats and desserts to indulge in. I tried the Chinese blossom tea / blooming tea which has become my favourite. The flower blooms in a matter of minutes whilst the tea infuses with the water. My friends and I definitely enjoyed the high tea whilst listening to the musician/singer in the background creating a great atmosphere.

Had an amazing experience for High Tea recently.  Food was amazing, and the huge variety of teas you can choose from were awesome, didn't have one I didn't enjoy.  The gents playing on the Violin and the Guitar were out of this world too, and definately tied the whole experience together.  Service was a little lacking in terms of finding our waiter every now and then, but otherwise would highly recommend it

Went for high tea and was thoroughly delighted. The cake was absolutely delicious and the variety was perfect. Your tea/coffee and cake is all included in the price and you can have as much as your tummy can handle. In addition to the cake each person gets a savory plate which was wonderful. There's no shortage of treats. <br/>Honestly such great deal for money and great quality staff and food. <br/>The venue is beautiful and I would suggest going on a weekend, you won't be disappointed.

By far the best high tea I've ever had, beautiful scenery and delicious food. The savouries were slightly stale, but the sweet things were amazing.

A very private and considerate affair, I truly enjoyed my cocktail experience at the Vista Bar & Lounge...<br/><br/>Having spent the whole day in the Cape Town heat, a group of us just wanted to get away from the crowds of Canal Walk and just have a moment of relaxation...<br/><br/>We were accommodated very well at the Vista Lounge, making sure all 8 of us were seated in a private outside decked area over looking the hotel owned water features... <br/><br/>The selection of cocktails was brilliant, although arguable pricey, but had a wide variety of variations of classics and new twists to original drinks. And they tasted fantastic.<br/><br/>From a cocktail perspective, you definitely paying for what you get, with friendly, fast and helpful staff, I will definitely be making my way back there before I head back to Johannesburg...

Beautiful entertainment (duo band) non existent waitress / customer service, very average milkshake. Manager promised to call us back for a complimentary but never did. 3 stars for the view of the mountain and the entertainment was brilliant.

Cannot fault the view and ambience here, very chic and high brow. Their selection of cake, desserts and sweets was varied and well crafted. The only thing I didn't like from the sweet buffet was their macaroons, crunchy rather than soft and chewy. I also wish they would've had the Cape Malay koesister rather than the Afrikaans koeksister, it is Cape Town after all. <br/><br/>My other bug bear is you're served a plated selection of savory bites, none of which were spectacular, good but not amaze. I would've preferred having the savory selection as part of the buffet instead.

With an extensive menu of delicious cocktails, friendly service and one of the best views of Table Mountain, the Vista Bar at the One & Only is the perfect place to go for sundowners in style!<br/><br/>This was by far the longest list of cocktails I've ever seen offered at a bar - which makes it so difficult to choose! But our waitress was very helpful and explained to us exactly what each drink was. I ended up with a Cirocopolitan - a pretty strawberry and lime based cosmopolitan cocktail finished off with a gorgeous strawberry foam and served in a margarita glass. <br/><br/>Our drinks arrived quickly and our waitress really took very good care of us, being ready to take our orders and refill our snacks. I really did feel like I was being treated like royalty!

I recently went for high tea at One & Only. I was impressed by the service, spectacular venue & selection of teas (there are also a few coffee options). They didn't have many savoury vegetarian options (for my friend) but the sweets were truly decadent!!

I recently took my mom to the One and Only for high tea, and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Incredible location and view, wonderful selection of teas and eats, and amazing service. Also one of the more reasonably priced options, at R215 per person. Highly recommended.

Their high tea was really amazing. They have a large selection of Nigiro teas (from Origin coffee roasters). Their flowering teas were really delicious but my favourite tea was the Forrest Berries. You are allowed to have as many cups of tea, coffee or hot chocolate as you would like as well as choosing from a wide variety of savoury and sweet foods to choose from. <br/>I booked there for my second year anniversary which was lovely as they greeted us with a beautiful arrangement saying "happy anniversary"

The high tea is just fantastic. There is a wide variety of savory and sweet treats on offer. It's a great place to host a birthday party, baby shower or just a get together with the ladies.

Popped in for a drink after dinner. I have been here a few times before dinner when going to Nobu and Rueben's. We sat down in the lounge and got no service, so after a while we went to the bar. Barman was great and we got menus straight away. Snacks were brought a few minutes later. The bar itself is stunning and it feels like you are away. Here is a tip if you haven't been on holiday in a while and can't afford to get away, go to hotel bars. It really feels like you are away from the familiar. We felt that last night and it was awesome. International hotels in Cape Town do that "away feel" well. I already had half a bottle of wine with dinner so I asked for singles, the barman poured me doubles. So I walked out the place with a smile on my face and 2 free shots of vodka in the gut. #winning. I had good times there last night with my stunning wife. Took a trip down memory lane with Absolute Mandrin and Raspberry vodka. :)

We attended the Vista Bar & Lounge for a business meeting, and we were blown away... we didn't want to leave! The One & Only Hotel is the epitome of elegance and luxury, and that is demonstrated in every element of the hotel, including the bar. We stayed for cappuccinos, and saw there were several other 'business' meetings happening in the area - it's perfect because it's elegant but still comfortably casual.

Great venue to stop in to have a bite and a coffee in the Lobby of possibly Cape Towns finest hotel. <br/><br/>The food is great, the vibe and atmosphere are both exceptional as well the service outstanding. <br/><br/>They also offer a High Tea for those with a sweet tongue, great for birthdays or special occasions. Always find visiting Visa Lounge really enjoyable. Worth a stop in if you're at V and A Waterfront. <br/><br/>

We have visited Vista bar on a couple of occasions for drinks with friends, but the real treat came when we tried their high tea. What an absolute treat. They have a massive selection of sweet and savoury treats buffet style for you to completely over indulge in, as well as some of the most exotic teas which are not only interesting but also tasty. The staff are extremely well trained and are very knowledgable when it comes to the tea selection. This is definitely a great place to do high tea!

I've been for many of high tea, so you can trust me when I say this was nothing short of perfect. A wonderful selection of tea to choose from, presented in the cutest cast iron pots, the venue has an intimate and homely feel, spaced out sufficiently, making you feel as though you had the venue to yourself. The cakes were absolutely scrumptious, and had me returning for more. It has a gorgeous view of the mountain and the staff are so very accommodating. It's perfect for some quality time with your significant other, or a catch up sesh with the girls.

We visited the venue as part of a function and enjoyed the High Tea. I must say that although the food was yummy, the service lacked a little. It was really hard to flag down someone for coffee.<br/><br/>Would like to go back to experience it on a more one on one basis to really give it more fair review.

This is my favourite place to go for high tea. The spread is amazing and the view of table mountain just makes it that much more special.<br/><br/>It's really worth the visit and you won't regret it! I have the fondest memories thinking back to the delicious macaroons and chocolate éclairs with real gold leaf on and the most amazing cheesecake you can imagine!