Review Mariner's Wharf - Hout Bay

Absolutely delicious food and gorgeous views (especially if grab a table outside). We ordered the seafood platter for two and snoek with chips. The latter was not on the menu but our very helpful waiter, Michele, made a plan. The food arrived promptly and was not just a feast for the eyes, but for the tummy as well. There is also a wide range of wines available by the glass.

Looking for the most incredible fish...then this is the place to be. The fish is so delicious fresh and tasty. The service is so quick and the staff are so friendly and helpful. Place is also very neat and tidy. The views are magnificent.

It really felt like I was on a ship ambience having gourmet meal with a view . The service was amazing as the waiters dressed in sailors outfits , definitely deck seating my favorite 😍 staff welcoming and friendly. Pricing cost effective. Freshest fish ever and menu tasteful.

This authentic restaurant is intentionally a little rough around the edges. Creating an atmosphere of a real fisherman's hangout straight out of times past. It has incredible details in its decor and amazing views. The service was incredible as well as exceptionally flexible and accommodating. The best part of all is the food. This was by far the best seafood I've ever had in my life. Buttery, saucy, and delicious. I had a classic fried hake and chips with prawns on the side. It's a must...

The real fish and chips. The batter used was soft and flaky. The service from the waitress was even more impressive. Enjoyable lunch experience on a weekday, sitting outside with views of the beach, yachts and mountain. The seal decided to pose the minute I took out the camera. Lol.

We didn’t stop to eat, we went there to see the view, and I came across a sea lion.. at first the boy who was with him was friendly and kind, but when he finished the presentation with the animal, he charged ZAR 50.. I was forced to give the money, I was scared because he seemed irritated

I had a good time, but feel that the food can be a bit better! I ordered a platter and everything was soaked in a butter sauce. I would rather prefer the sauce on the side. But good service and great experience in Houtbaai.

You don't come here for the food, you come here for the atmosphere. My childhood was some days spent buying and baiting crayfish traps from the harbour here and head to sea at daybreak to fish. To say the least the breakfast was humbly delicious, ample, fragrant.. we highly recommend an orange juice demi sec champers mix with oysters.. followed by choice breakfast fish, egg, toast selection. Please note, there is no bacon.. you can live without it for a while.. after all you're next the sea side! The history is much to take in and regard, so take your time and enjoy the marvellous cosy atmosphere. Outside you're greeted by a very personable sea lion who's a sucker for attention. Don't feed him mind. To conclude, a lovely Hout Bay bucket list foodie spot with rich historic décor.

After 15 years visited the restaurant again. Still the best seafood!! From the oysters to the yellow line tuna special of the day. 10 out of 10! Staff everything!

The place is a true delight for seafood enthusiasts. The generous portions of fresh fish, perfectly battered and fried to a golden crisp, make for a mouthwatering experience. The fish retains its natural flavor, and the crispy exterior adds a satisfying crunch. The picturesque setting of Hout Bay Harbour enhances the dining experience, providing a charming backdrop for enjoying this classic dish. The attention to quality ingredients is evident, and the friendly staff ensures a warm and welcoming atmosphere. For those craving a classic and well-executed fish and chips experience, this is a standout destination. The combination of superb taste, quality preparation, and a scenic waterfront location makes it a memorable spot for indulging in this beloved seaside dish.

I have always loved visiting this amazing place. We got disabled parking, had a fantastic meal upstairs and enjoyed the music very much! Don't think twice! It's especially nice that it's located outside of the main town area and there is a lovely beach area if you want to frolick in the water.

Quality fish near the ocean is what you will get at this restaurant. We were seated quickly and our server was amazing. He gave us a recommendation of the most popular fish and It was absolutely delicious. I paired with their cold draft beer 🍻. I would have preferred crispy fries but the meal was actually what I was looking for. Thank you so much for a great first time experience.

Going to Mariners Wharf is one of our regular Sunday drives and we just love it. The food is always fresh and amazing. The staff are friendly even though they are most of the time rushed off their feet. Mariners Wharf is a vibe on its own, from the seagulls , (always on the lookout for bits of food ) to the seals doing tricks on the jetty. I love the hustle and bustle of this place. People strolling along, eating ice cream cones, just enjoying the ambience of this stunning environment. You can see Chapmans Peak in the distance and the harbour beneath and it makes an awesome sight. It can get quite busy especially on a Sunday, making going onto the jetty a bit tricky but it’s all part of the vibe. I do find it a bit concerning that the seals which are wild mammals, are so comfortable with humans and that they get used to being fed by the man who’s does tricks with him. But I guess this is just part of what people comes to see. 👌

Located on the bay, how can you get bad location? It's just beautiful. The food in the restaurant on the upper floor is really good but a bit overpriced.

Reading through reviews see lots redundant ‘scenic’ ‘picturesque’ words all speaking of seagulls eating chips from your hands, seals showing off, turquoise waters, fish market et cetera. Not so many pure comments on how fish really cooked and tastes, on service, most importantly reviews around about fish menu since ‘Mariner’s Wharf’ should speak all about being 100% a mariner’s place. Well not anymore. It certainly was, that’s their heritage and background. Nowadays it’s more a local guides’ best reviews place, paper-perfect storytelling restaurant for international tourists mixing up with locals (from anywhere in the country ie. local tourism) altogether sipping at the holy graal of a typical fish restaurant. Well, till some point. Let’s start saying the ‘wharf’ turns to be more an Harbour (docks) delivering fish (mostly frozen) to restaurants in town. Big names, companies, numbers. Besides, there’s a local fish market sourcing locally yet variety scarce. Angel, hake, cape salmon, lobsters that’s it. The rest mostly frozen and dispatched from abroad. When it comes to menu, at the restaurant, lack of choices prevails and food prep mostly redundant (grilled or fried) to accompany slow service, touristy price. For those who seeking more genuine atmosphere downstairs at the historical mariner’s corner, expectations won’t get that much. In particular across festive / summer better skipping it. There was a time when the sushi restaurant (shut for years now) around the fish market was one of the best in town, same time when the fish market itself was rich in variety and fair in price. At the Mariner’s Wharf what you get now, after queuing 30-40 minutes avg, gummy calamars, grilles hake and oily chips. Besides, such big / crowded place does not recycle properly (officially they do) on the real the amount of garbage spread around the wharf and in waters massive, mixed up humid with cans, glass, et cetera overall make the experience waaay less genuine than they sell. Four marks, seriously? Too generous in the aim of good will and good hope…

You can't visit Cape Town and not have Fish and Chips. Inexpensive meals including a huge family pack. The foods was delicious and the service was exceptionally fast. All in all good for in a street side setting overlooking the docks.

Visited Mariner'sWharf 11 years ago and the again on the 16/05/2023 and amazingly it is exactly how we remember it, from the stunning views to the delicious food! The food was everything we remembered it would be - freshly made, coated and seasoned to perfection!👌My son who wasn't hungry ended up eating all my calamari🤣 The entertainment was vibey and the walk to the ships was so relaxing. A must see for young and old.

Take the Red Bus, City Sightseeing Bus from the VA Waterfront to Hout Bay, and plan to have lunch at the well-known Mariner's Wharf restaurant with great views of the bay. Step inside and be transported to a life on the ships in days gone by. The Fish and chips are always a great option. Do also try out some of the seafood platters and meat dishes on offer. Service is friendly and helpful. Nothing is ever too much effort. Afterwards, walk outside and find your red ride back to town.

Love coming to this Take away shop. Been so many times and never had a bad meal there.

The best . The food was excellent l had the best prawns l have ever tasted in my life. Best service great food all of the food was really excellent will recommend this place to anyone ☺

Even as a child; the memories of an outing to Hout Bay are intertwined with thoughts of the fantastic food, unfortunately our last experience has left us very disappointed. Pricing is exorbitant. One would be prepared to pay such inflated pricing if the food was of an exceptionally high standard and quality but this is not the case. My fried fish was completely overcooked and bone dry. A smallish piece of fried fish and chips R115.00. ( I have been to superb restaurants where a bigger piece of fish cooked to perfection with a variety of sauces is less than R100.00.) The oysters are not fresh from a tank, and another person in our dining party had an off oyster. We are fortunate enough to frequent some pretty remarkable restaurants on a regular basis. Our experience was certainly not value for money when we compare the other meals we have enjoyed at other establishments. I doubt we will return.

25th of October, my family and I visited The Wharfside Grill in Houtbay. We, coming all the way from Mossel Bay with so much excitement had a terrible experience with an incompetent and rude senior Manager and the food was awful. After expressing ourselves to the waitress she went to the Manager. To my understanding a Manager needs to resolve those issues at had preventing it to escalate but instead gave us the head offices details. As a paying client with managerial experience of my own felt that the manager did not come with any direct solutions to solve the situation at hand except to unwillingly replace the deep fried king klip that was drained in so much oil. Telling my husband "you know that the fish was deep-fried sir" To us that was an insult to injury. The rest of the food was also very unpleasant, our fish was tasteless and the calamari was like rubber but yet my family had the decency to attempt to eat the food but unfortunately we couldn't due to the food lacking flavor and the plate it self lacked presentability. Exiting the restaurant, we agreed to tip the waiter and pay for our drinks as we hardly ate or finished the food as it was sickening. I insisted that the manager takes my number if he would want to resolve the situation differently, but the manager reacted with a raucous attitude not only towards my family but in front of other seated and incoming customers. The manager walked away and came back insisting I take his business card, resulting in us leaving with a bad and bitter taste of a beautiful place.

The best seafood platter I have ever tasted! Try it with the lobster tail end lemon butter sauce. You won't regret!!

Has pretty good seafood pasta here. Service is fast

This is an institution in Hout Bay. Unfortunately, the place is in serious need of a revamp. The kitchen is managed by cooks that serve some of the most horrendously prepared seafood. Overcooked, oily, tasteless garbage. They have no idea what they're doing. I will never return. The service is slow. Food quality bad. More like prison food than anything worth paying for. Super disappointed.<br/><br/>Feel sick to my tummy and have buyers remorse.

The service received at Mariner’s Wharf was excellent with very friendly staff. However, the salmon pasta that I ordered was very bland and not too tasty. The sea food curry on the other hand was super delicious with lots of sea food in it, their portions are very filling and worth it for their price.

We had a very pleasant experience at the upstairs area at Mariners Wharf , the waiter was very friendly and attentive. The food was very good and I would definitely recommend.

The takeaway seafood place is amazing! Calamari strips nice and tender, prawns heavenly and even the chips are crispy and fluffy. Cannot wait to go back.

Took the City Sightseeing Tour bus and got off here.  I had originally wanted to walk a little down to The Lookout but after a rather queasy bus ride because half of the trip from the City Centre we were caught in the traffic jam and the start stop motion gave me a tad bit of motion sickness and I was not up for walking.<br/><br/>Nevertheless, was greedy and decided to order the Seafood in a box meal which per the picture at the price of R195 was decent value.<br/><br/>The hake fillet was freshly fried and was soft and juicy on the flesh and the batter was crispy and greasy (just the way I like it).  Also included were 5 prawns which were also deep-fried so I could just scarf down the whole prawn heads, shell and body.  They also had 3 deep-fried "crab stix" and a truck load of slaap chips!  Of course there were calamari strips battered and also deep-fried.  <br/><br/>I only managed to finish all the seafood save for one crab stix and 3/4 of the chips.  If I didn't still feel a little queasy from the bus ride I may probably have finished most!<br/><br/>Case of bitten off more than I can chew I think!<br/><br/>But nevertheless, the quality of the food was really good.

Beautiful scenery. Chips are great but unfortunately we were so disappointed with the price we paid for the portions of food that was served. They are clearly out to get the tourists with these prices...We will definitely not return. Thank you!

Welcomed with a cold embrace, but great venue with a beautiful view. <br/><br/>Disappointed with the food for the price you pay. One would think that a simple fish and chips would at least be served with a nice tartar or home made sauce, but rather it came with All Gold tomato sauce and an unfriendly waiter. Going downstairs, you can order the same at half the price.<br/><br/>In general, the service etiquette showed by waiters, resemble that of the restaurant - or lack thereof. It is a jewel, but in my opinion requires some attention.

What a gem. Never dissapoints. From the beautiful scenery, to the cute meals and friendly service. Had a lovely breakfast, perfectly cooked, and one of the most reasonably priced in Hout Bay area. Highly recommended! *5<br/>

It's busy with chats, laughter and enjoyment. The service is good - effective, but I would like to experience more passion/excitement from staff (?). The menu is very basic, which is can be great (!), but dishes are overpriced and very little flexibility allowed (salad vs. chips). Our meals were very oily (mine burnt in old oil) and as for a salad as an alternative for chips, I could have had a bottle of wine for less... such a pity, use to be a favourite "land mark eatery"

Definitely every cent worth. By far the greatest fish and chips I've had. Crunchy soft butter fish, perfectly fried chips, great portions of calamari and a whole lot of goodness in your mouth.

Had the most terrible experience, was rather quiet for a Saturday, had to wait 20 minutes to even get a drinks order, by which I had to go and order my drinks myself only to find five waiters standing around at the door not attending to anyone. Ordered fish and chips and for the chips to be substituted for a side salad instead, of which they couldn’t accommodate my girlfriend. In the end went to dunes for a much friendlier and more pleasant experience.

Mariners does not pretend to be anything else than a great old school seafood spot. There is no pretense or specials that are designed to give any wow factor. Just great seafood and dishes packed with punch. My recommendation would be the Mariners Curry . A mix of delicious seafood in a broth that is easy too yummy.

After looking forward to returning to Mariner's Wharf after a lengthy amount of time, I was truly let down by really poor (or actually non-existent) service. I was told to sit anywhere on arrival and found a seat in the busiest part of the restaurant, where I sat and waited for 10 minutes before a waiter sort of glanced in my direction where I then had to get his attention to request a menu and a drink. Needless to say another 5 minutes passed with nothing forthcoming and I decided that with such pathetic attention paid to me as a customer I decided to leave. Really disappointed and annoyed by such a lack of care to a returning customer. I won't return after this instance.

Amazing seafood. I had the seafood platter to share with lobster - so fresh and succulent. I asked to replace the starch with a side salad and I must say, I was quite disappointed. It was not fresh at all. The waiter was thorough in providing a quick and efficient service. Would have given them a 5 but that salad did not do it for me. Their menu is quite vast, so it caters for everyone.The view and vibe on any given day is amazing. Loved the experience. Would I go back? Definitely.

Always busy and popular with tourist. Not on my list for great food but one of those places you have to experience at least once. Simple hake and chips is good. Go for the experience specially when you are in the area.

It was worth hopping onto the Red Bus to come have fish at the Hout Bay harbour! My friend said that it’s the best fish and chips he’s ever had, so of course I had to give it a try. We bought a parcel to share( because our visit to Hout Bay was short) but it was so filling. <br/><br/>PA he was right, it is the best fish and chips ever.

My mum has such fond memories of Mariner's Wharf when she used to visit Cape Town with my dad, so it was definitely on the to do list when she was down here. <br/><br/>We decided on the family box meal and it was definitely value for money! The fish was just fried and hot. Only downer is that the family doesn't come with prawns which I quite liked in the mixed seafood box.<br/><br/>Also the place was quite empty which made ordering food and finding a seat a dream!!!

Good food but service has been slow the last few times. I am also not entirely sure that the pricing is equal to the quality. Overall, it is good and recommended when in Houtbay.

Being a joburger anytime I come down to CPT it is a must to come here for some seafood.<br/>Utterly disappointed at the service of the waiter, he never bothered to even introduce himself to us, had a smart ass attitude when being asked what dishes comprise of. <br/>I ordered the mussels that were meant to come with a butter garlic sauce.<br/>Upon arrival I could not even locate any sauce,and was told by the waiter it is at the bottom.<br/>I proceeded to look for the sauce which I did find, however it could not be classified as a sauce since it had split- which means the contents of the sauce garlic and cream were floating on a sea of oil.<br/>I mentioned this to the waiter, but like I said he had a smart ass attitude, and told me that's how it's always served not realising that he's basically saying that the restaurant constantly serves split sauces, which is concerning if that is the case.<br/>The prices are also exorbitant, which I didn't mind paying till I realized I'd be paying for a split sauce.<br/><br/>Suppose the place is a hit or miss- simply just try your luck; although I think my luck with this place has run out. <br/>

This is a pleasant, busy restaurant overlooking Hout Bay harbour. Even though it was busy, it was still a peaceful getaway from the crowds outside. The waiters were extremely polite and well trained and the seafood was really tasty.<br/>My only complaint was that prices seem to be aimed at tourists and are therfore higher than they should be.

Another one of those Bucket List items.......eating fish and chips on the outside terraces at Mariner’s Wharf, Hout Bay. There’s a relatively limited selection of options to choose from and the prices are steeper than elsewhere but the view and vibe on a beautiful summer’s day guarantee a memorable event.

Excellent value for money. #seafood comes in a box<br/>In the box: #crayfish, #snoek, #calamari, #prawns, chips<br/>There's enough to feed two people. There's more calamari than chips. The staff are very friendly and always helpful. The old fashioned #ginger #beer here is excellent. The food here is fresh. Good selection of beers and ciders to choose from.<br/>Love coming back here always. And what a nice #view to enjoy while you dine.

Mariner’s Wharf possibly serves the best seafood in Cape Town. I have been there a few times and have always enjoyed my meals there. The prices are reasonable, portions are descent, and the food is very tasty. The waiters have good knowledge of the menu and provide a very good service. I really love this restaurant and I will definitely be back.

Decided to take a trip to Hout Bay, which obviously includes good old school fish and chips for lunch! <br/><br/>The place was quite busy when we arrived but service was quick. The prices were higher than expected but understandable due to it becoming more of a tourist attraction over the years. <br/>We opted for the classic fish and chips which tasted really good- slightly on the oily side but still quite tasty. <br/>The seating area had a great view of the shoreline and there was a large flock of seagulls which were flying around (some people attempted feeding them). It was quite busy but luckily we found a table. <br/><br/>So if you're looking for a quick(but tasty) Fish and Chips spot, then Mariners Wharf is the place to go!

One of the better seaside fish and chips places in Cape Town, albeit not my favourite (they're both in Kalk Bay). The calamari is really good here!<br/><br/>Side note. The queues are crazy long and tourists from the city sightseeing bus hop off here too. So be prepared to wait.

This place is a family favorite on the weekends! And it makes for such a treat after a long drive to Hout Bay! <br/><br/>This takeaway joint is located just under the Wharfeside Grill restaurant. The vibe is super casual and relaxed. There are loads of large wooden tables to sit in and they are undercover too. Word of warning though, it's always windy so being a jacket with you. Tourists on the red bus stop off here too so it's usually busy and packed with people especially during weekends and holidays. <br/><br/>Food-wise it's great. The place is right by the ocean which means that apart from dining with a view, you'll know that the food you've received is super fresh! The food is served in cardboard boxes and beverages in plastic cups. We like to order a few options and share amongst ourselves. We usually go for the hake/chips and calamari/chips combos, washed down with tea, coffee and/or hot chocolate. <br/><br/>There are usually musical entertainers playing, a curio shop and a food store to visit all nearby so be sure to check those out too during your trip!