Review The Commissary - Cape Town

The Shortmarket Club in Johannesburg was a delightful dining experience for the start of our SA trip! I’d recommend the Japanese pancakes, oysters, and prawn rolls from the starters —each dish bursting with fantastic flavors. But the star of the show was undeniably the the main course Herb Crusted Beef Fillet—a true highlight of the meal. The service was friendly, though it did take a bit longer at times. Since we’re on vacation, the relaxed pace wasn’t a big concern for us. The restaurant had a pleasant setting that added to the overall ambiance. The Shortmarket Club is definitely a spot worth checking out while in Johannesburg!

We were fortunate to partake in a nice evening, where our choice of indulgence led us to the captivating world of cocktail tasting, paired seamlessly with a well curated tasting menu. As we embarked on this gastronomic adventure, we found the culinary offerings to be, regrettably, somewhat lackluster. The dishes, though competently prepared, fell short of capturing our palates with their under-seasoned profiles and a sense of culinary creativity that failed to ignite our senses. However, it was through the impeccable service rendered that the evening truly shone. The staff members, with their attentiveness, knowledge, and unwavering commitment to ensuring a memorable experience, elevated our visit to new heights. Their expertise was evident in their ability to guide us through the intricate world of mixology, expertly crafting and presenting a series of exquisite cocktails that delighted our taste buds and enthralled our senses. Each libation, a masterpiece in its own right. While the culinary aspect left room for improvement, it is important to acknowledge the commendable efforts of the dedicated service staff and the undeniable prowess displayed by the mixologists. Their commitment to excellence and their unwavering passion for delivering an extraordinary dining experience contributed significantly to the overall enjoyment of our evening. Given their exceptional service and the truly exceptional cocktails on offer, we left with a sense of fulfillment, eager to explore the myriad possibilities that awaited us on our future visits, in the hopes that the culinary offerings would align with the heights achieved by their liquid counterparts.

The food was okay. Nothing I'd remember 4 months from now. The service was outstanding - really friendly wait-staff, really amazing front of house... all in all, it was a fun night out but not something I'd recommend to a true foodie

This was the best restaurant/food experience I have had in SA so far. Service, decoration and food was all amazing. My partner and I both had the 5-course tasting menu. Flavours connected so well together and the menu was very well balanced. Every course was delicious and eye catching. Will be back for sure! Highly recommended.

This is the best restaurant I have ever been to in South Africa. We had the tasting meal and literally every single dish was a 10/10. The flavours came together so perfectly. As a pregnant woman they had vegetarian alternatives for some of the food I cannot eat. The vegetarian alternatives were so yummy it did not feel like substitute dishes. The staff were well coordinated and at no point did we feel neglected. The team worked well together like a well oiled machine and every single waiter had extensive knowledge about the dishes. The ambience is very very pretty. Loved the plant wall. Definitely coming back again.

Celebrated Cape Town chef, Luke Dale Roberts, has finally opened a restaurant in Johannesburg. He is famous for the Test Kitchen and the Pot Luck Club. With a welcoming reception outside the restaurant, the enormous Red door conceals the the restaurant interior. The staff was amazing. The service is so speedy. The staff share the tips/service charge. So the service is so smooth and slick. All waiters help all tables. Winning formula. No waving at your waiter necessary. The food was delicious! Delicious! Delicious! I can’t wait to get back there. From the complimentary bread, to the oysters, to the lamb curry, to the fish dish and desserts. The presentation of the oysters was quite an experience. The night was perfect. Every aspect was perfection and so effortless.

Unreal experience!!! Staff, food, pairing, atmosphere, EVERYTHING just awesome!!! They made a birthday so so special!!! Can't wait for our next visit!!!

It's difficult to chose between this and the Pot Luck Club in Cape Town. Both restaurants execute every single element of every single dish to absolute perfection. In my opinion they both share 1st position for best restaurant in the country. Flavour, balance and execution. At this level, the best value for money IMO.

Such a lovely fine dining experience. Food was exceptional. They even have a special vegetarian menu (and not just one or two dishes). Even the meat dishes that the rest of our group had was so flavorful. Service was also great! Recommended wine pairing was 👌🏽👌🏽. Highly recommend. 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽

What an amazing fine dine restaurant. The service from the waiters and the manager is top notch. The pina colada oysters 🤩, pepper crusted fillet out of this world (celeriac crisp ke di lays), the gnocchi was just OK, Thai style pork belly was amazing and the Line Fish was OK. There is an interesting story about the butterflies and the view is beautiful. The whiskey sour was perfect.

Shortmarket club Couldn't resist the urge to do one last outing before 2023. We had the 5 course tasting menu, there was good balance between red meat and sea food. Definitely worth a go for either a special occasion or just feed your curiosity. The shout out course for me was the oysters, beef tataki and the fillet. Btw the cocktail menu was pretty great as well, I tried the non alcoholic versions of those, very refreshing and tasty. Review below: Overall: 4.7*: Had a great time with the tasting menu and the a la carte menu also looked really good as well. Decor: 4.5*: One thing I will say about Short market club is that they could've done a bit more in terms of the restaurant's overall decor. Just a bit more pazazz. 🤌🏻 Service: 4.7*: The team at the restaurant was really attentive and provide good service. Value: 4.7*: I rather think the menu is very acceptable for the price.

Extremely amazing experience. Went for a dinner date and really enjoyed the service. I must say, I've had quite a lot of dining experiences in johannesburg and I think so far, The Shortmarket Club had the best service. The environment was clean and elegant. Not too complicated aesthetically, just simple and elegant. I was however a bit underwhelmed with the food. But I will definitely give it another shot. It wasn't terrible but I can't say it was great either. I'll definitely give it another shot based off just the service alone.

We went to the Shortmarket Club for my boyfriend's birthday dinner. The ambience and decor are great. This is a nice and intimate venue so I can see why booking is required. When booking I also had to pay a booking deposit but this was added back to the bill at the end. The experience was amazing. The waiters are super attentive and focused on making this a memorable experience for you. Up front my BF was wished happy birthday and we were offered complimentary champagne. The waiter also advised that we can ask for longer wait times between courses as they don't want us to feel rushed. I loved this as most restaurants of this calibre tend to make you feel like a number. Service remained impeccable throughout. We started with the bread basket which was so tasty. The basil salted butter with Japanese sweet buns was nicely balanced. For starters we had the leek tart and tempura calamari. Both dishes were sublime and packed full of flavour. For mains we had the T-Bone and sezchuan chicken. The chicken was cooked perfectly and the umami flavours so well balanced. The T-Bone came with dauphinois potatoes which were buttery and soft and a delectable bone marrow jus. For dessert, the spiced banana was really nice but a touch on the sweet side and a little low on the peanut butter. The chocolate fondant was perfection. All in all an amazing experience and we will definitely be back for more. The 3 courses of a la carte and drinks cost around R 1000 per person. A worthwhile price for the quality and experience.

Excellent service, good food and ambience. Went with a group of 10 pax For starters I had the oysters A++ - the plating has drama and engages the senses For mains I had the fish, it was good. Good sear on the skin and carefully prepared. I enjoyed the asparagus the most. Dessert, I had the brownies and honestly it was the low point of the meal for me. I wish I hadn't had it. Great coffee.

This is a true premium dining experience. I wouldn't call this haute cuisine, but it certainly is food made with great skill and talent. I loved the quality of the wait staff, everyone was impeccably trained and attentive, a rare occurrence in today's dining landscape. This place is hella expensive, but it's worth the splurge.

Shortmarket Club is one of the best restaurants we have ever been to. The food is absolutely fantastic. The terrine was the best we’ve ever had anywhere, and we get a fair few of them in Europe where we’re visiting from, so that’s saying something. For the mains we had the lamb and the springbok, both were really out of this world. Technically, everything was cooked amazingly well and flavour is at the heart of the food here. This restaurant really is Michelin Star standard. We really can’t fault it... The food, wine and service are all top notch and the decor is stunning. We’ll definitely be coming back!