Review L'opulence - Johannesburg

Very nice but pricy

Coz i want to work there

Decor is really stunning, safely tucked away in the heart of Mandela Square. Our waiter was really great and the food didn't at all disappoint

A very enjoyable meal here at L'opulence last Sunday afternoon. It's a wonderful experience, the food is amazing, as well as the ambience and the wine :-)

We had a very enjoyable meal here at L'opulence :) tucked away in Nelson Mandela square with an interesting decor and vine and slightly too loud music, our meal was very good. To start with I had the Karoo lamb pie which was good not great, and the taco which was fresh and compact and filled with flavour and very good. It is worth noting that the most impressive dish we had was definitely the friend prawns, I would go back just for them, incredible taste. I also had the salmon and chicken satay and that was fantastic too, salmon incredibly fresh and tasty and it really was such a good few tapas meals served quickly with a smile. The pudding was a slight let down, not a very good shortbread. But overall a good dining experience

Went to this place on recommendation of some colleagues, as I'm in town visiting. First of the place is small which explains the extending into the hallway of the mall, but apart from that I really like the vibe it gave off where you come and hangout there for the rest of the evening. We had dinner off the tapas menu, I had the Hong Kong ribs(ribs fell of the bone and u didn't struggle), and the Argentinian beef which I really enjoyed as the display was a bit off the top but was well presented, regardless the old was good. There was a Dj playing some nice old school rnb, which gravitated towards modern newer music. Place had a good crowd, decor as well, and what was supposed to be just dinner ended up being a nice Pratt night for us and we left at 1am lol. Service was good and on point, will definately give this place another shout on my way back to Joburg before I come back to the US.

L'Opulence is a very lovely fine dining restaurant during the day and a fun vibe during the night. I love the events hosted there after hours. The music is amazing, pricing is worth every cent and the service is efficient and friendly. It's a good place to let go and destress after a hectic week. The food is delicious and the portions are just right! I always have such an awesome time at L'Opulence! Keep it up guys

L'opulence is a fine dining lounge with the best tapas I have ever tasted. The vibe u get while dining is absolutely magical and sets the tone. I would go there any time to have lunch or dinner. <br/>

Perfect ambiance, perfect food, perfect venue, perfect staff, simply opulent.<br/><br/>L'Opulence for me is a great place to get a delicious meal and boogy. <br/>Their food pairing events are amazing, creative and fun. I recently attended the women's day event and it was a ... way to spend my day with my ladies.<br/><br/>My favorites off the menu are the tapas (absolutely everything off the tapas menu tastes like heaven), The Salmon Sushi stack (it tastes as good as the way it looks), Karoo lamb pie and Soft shell taco is a must try for all.<br/><br/>The staff are all friendly and welcoming, I will definitely be coming back and will recommend this place to all my friends and family. Its a great venue for a night out, hearty meal or any special occasion, they go above and beyond to tailor to your needs .<br/><br/>The only disappointing thing is that I did not get to take pictures of the well presented and delicious food. I will definitely be coming back for round two with my camera ready.

I went to L'Opulence for a friends birthday dinner and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. I really enjoyed the food and music. Would definitely go back again!

Great place to be if you want to enjoy a night out or simply relax.<br/>The ambiance is phenomenal. The music is nice and its not only hip hop and rnb.<br/>There's a great variety of dishes you can choose from. The place is beautiful, nice decor . I suggest you try it out.<br/><br/>

I was pleasantly surprised with my experience here. The chef did a wonderful job with the food. Presentation, taste, textures were all to perfection. The atmosphere is very elegant and private, yet relaxed and enjoyable because of the caliber of staff. The waitresses are speedy with their service and the hostesses are most welcoming. It is the perfect place for business lunches, private dinners and to show Johannesburg off to visitors :-)

L'Opulence is tucked in a perfect surrounding in Mandela square away from the busy malls, dreadful traffic of people, some where more private  for those who just want to have a good time with friends or family , good meals and good music. Great atmosphere ,great service and very comfortable.

An amazing experience. I went with my family and we had so much fun. The food was well prepared and the service was exceptional! I would recommend this for a relaxed networking evening with friends and family!

Spectacular. Absolutely loved everything about his place. ;) best chill spot early evening and late night. It's the only place I truly enjoy.

What a lovely set up for after work drinks or a little bit of dancing on the weekend. Great service and music will have you wanting to dine there all the time. Do try the burj khalifa cocktail and the wings tapas. My personal fave. <br/><br/>Sophistication at its best.

L'Opulence is very confused about what it is trying to be. Firstly its located in an arb passage way that I didn't know existed. You are surrounded by shops. There is nothing really opulent about it. This is best suited to night time visit as the glaring décor is not suited to the day and its normally quite empty.<br/><br/>The menu is small, doesn't change and is expensive considering it is tapas.<br/><br/>Chicken taco: clean fresh flavours, bland and needed a sauce.<br/><br/>Haloumi: Loved the flavours in this, very little haloumi for the price.<br/><br/>Trio of sliders: These were yummy, not really comparable to those given at burger places.<br/><br/>Prawns: Didn't like the batter, prawns weren't cooked properly and the dip tasted like soap.<br/><br/>Lamb pie: Bf liked the lamb pie, I would have preferred more mash and the meet shredded instead of cubes.<br/><br/>Chicken wings: The basting and sauce didn't go together. Didn't like the taste of these.<br/><br/>Salmon stack: essentially deconstructed sushi, loved the battered avocado. Would rather eat normal sushi than this. Way too much rice to other ingredients.<br/><br/>Chicken satay: didn't enjoy this as the chicken were big cubes of meat.<br/><br/>Overall average food at very expensive prices. I believe this is more a drinking place but I really don't understand why anyone would want to drink here.

Luncheon at L'Opulence <br/><br/>I came with no expectations at all, which is the best thing cause the results of getting mega disappointed were narrow down to zero.<br/>I had ordered beef fillet, which came with some zesty yet mint like guacamole which was puréed to perfection... It complimented the beef. <br/>Wish they had asked whether I'd like it medium rear or well done, it totally slipped my mind and so I settled with medium rare which was a new experience, cause I've been wondering why people enjoy medium rare.<br/>

I had an awesome time at L'Opulence this past weekend with friends. Initially went to have a few day end cocktails but ended up trying their Gourmet Tapas which were masterfully made and very delicious. I'd recommend their Classic American Chicken Wings, Argentinian Beef Brochettes with Crispy potatoes and the Soft Shell Chicken Fillet Taco. These were very tasty and went down well with drinks.<br/>The service was also friendly and intricately attentive.<br/><br/>We hadn't intended to stay long but we ended up being out till late, as we witnessed our dining experience transform into a mature, vibe filled lounging. I must commend them for the smart and sophisticated use of the legacy corner, which gives a modern day feel for dining.<br/><br/>We ended up inside, enjoying more drinks by the bar, good music and mingling amongst a mature, like minded crowd.<br/><br/>If u're looking for a great time out, good food, intricate service, this place was worth every dollar!

Was really surprised and overwhelmed by the combination of tapas and cocktails. An absolute feast and serious attention to detail by manager who was present the entire eve watching over us. Highly recommend.

I had an exceptionally good time at L'Opulence. The food was amazing! I had a Groupon voucher and I must say it was value for money. Our waiter Michael was just fantastic. They brought out starlights and shooters for my partner who celebrated their birthday there.<br/><br/>The setting is quite small and can get quite busy so booking in advance is highly recommended. The lovely ladies at the front were also very friendly. I do however feel this establishment is not family-friendly. Also, the music was not a completely five-star-dining genre.<br/><br/>Nevertheless, what I particularly enjoyed most was the food. It is just delish! I didn't enjoy my dessert so much. I had a Dirty Diana - thoroughly enjoyed. Overall, this exceeded my expectations! Larry Arendse

What a disappointment L'Opulence turned out to be! We went as a group of 4 and had a reservation for 7:30. At first, we were unsure we had actually arrived as the restaurant is mostly just tables in a corner walkway in Sandton City. We were surrounded by shop windows which really took away from the feeling of opulence this restaurant is trying to convey. There were only two other tables occupied when we arrived and it seemed as if the restaurant had been hastily put together. The inside portion (visible in all pictures) requires a minimum spend of R 1500 so we passed on that. We ordered Tapas and the portion sizes were dismal. Tiny wouldn't even begin to describe it. The food was beautifully presented, tasted okay but nothing spectacular. They had very few non-alcoholic drinks available. I wouldn't call this a fine dining experience. It's a night club that sells pretty food. Don't go hungry, you will not be satisfied.. We eventually opted to go elsewhere.

Very good food, well spiced. Very attentive staff. I needed a late snack and it's the only good kitchen open late in Sandton, but it turned into a bit of a revelation. Very cool place.

Came here for a friend's birthday dinner & we were treated to a 5 course meal... <br/>For 1st course we had scallops which were divine<br/>For 2nd course we had pork loin served with Red cabbage which had a vinegar taste to it it was very good<br/>For 3rd course we had beef fillet with a potato & puréed carrots which was the best of the first 3 dishes<br/>For the 4th course we had a mini Mezze platter which had mozzarella, camembert, brie, salami, olives & bread which was also amazing. <br/>For the 5th course we had a cheese panna cotta & its true that they saved the best for last, it was amazing. <br/><br/>Had a truly amazing food experience & the waiters are very on point

Really enjoyed the fòod. I went with a group of friends and got to taste everyones food and everything was delicious. I enjoyed my started the American style wings. The ostrich fillet main is also a must try, all the meals are very affordable. The drinks were very expensive though.

What an utterly superb fine dining experience at what I (wrongly) assumed to be just another cocktail bar!<br/><br/>Often, friends and family ask me where I would recommend as a 30+ ago group hangout (like mine), but still somewhere with a vibe that they can really dress up for. I just found that spot in Sandton last night! FINALLY :) (and its food is superb)! <br/><br/>Creative, delicious, combinations of ingredients on each and every dish make their food hard to beat. This spot surprised me and in a good way last night, so much so that it is hard not to rave. <br/><br/>L'Opulence have an affordable pairing evening that they host once every two weeks and last night was their Remy Martin (fine champagne cognac) pairing. Not only do you get to learn all the intricacies of the drinks being showcased but you also get to meet a very upmarket and like-minded group of professionals at these events which is really a huge value-add for me. <br/><br/>Onto the food: We started by pairing the Remy Martin VSOP with Amuse-Bouche: warm camembert with baby fig, red wine & raspberry reduction. <br/>Then it was onto the Three Ways with Mushroom: three completely unique dishes prepared using just mushrooms. Mushroom baked on Cep puree, wild mushroom soup with truffle foam and pickled Asian mushroom salad. <br/>For me, this is the most appealing and well-conceived Vegetarian dish. My taste buds didn't know what hit them! The winner of the three for me, without a doubt, was the wild mushroom soup with truffle foam though. <br/>Rely Martin's 1738 Accord Royal was then paired with L'Opulence's Signature salmon sushi stack: black and white sesame rice, julienne cucumber, warm panko avocado, wasabi mayo and teriyaki. This was my top dish of the evening and in my opinion what they did with their crispy panko avocado just took the textures involved in the dish to the next level! <br/>Next we took a turn to their Argentinian char-grilled beef brochette with zesty chimichurri and some of the most deliciously crispy potatoes that I have ever eaten. The seasoning on them was sublime! <br/>Last, but certainly not least we ended off the evening with a chocolate, Kahlua and coffee mousse. <br/>This was a food journey that certainly did not disappoint but even the plating was on point! <br/>The difference between good and great is presentation and L'Opulence had it! <br/><br/>Is this my first 5/5 in Sandton - yes. I will let the pictures speak for themselves. <br/><br/>*Recommendation: Would I eat there again? YES. Again and again and again! I highly recommend L'Opulence. <br/><br/>Full review to follow soon..

I thoroughly enjoyed a large variety of tapas here. <br/>Everything from Argentinian beef fillet brochettes, served with a chimichurri and potatoes, a sushi salmon stack topped with a panko avo and served with wasabi mayo, Hong Kong Barbecue, honey, soy, prune and ginger glaze ribs (the best ribs ever), Tiger prawns with a panko, coconut and 5 spice crust served with a coriander and lime mayo, coriander crusted ostrich fillet with port jus and wilted baby spinach and cinnamon butternut fritters to mushroom arancini and a slow braised karoo lamb pie with an amazing truffle cauliflower puree.<br/>The dessert was a Frangelico parfait served on cinnamon shortbread with hazelnut praline and a chocolate, Kahlua and coffee mousse.<br/><br/>Also try the city themed cocktails - different flavours and absolutely enjoyable!<br/><br/>This may be a lounge, but the food is top quality. Its a pity the lounge is situated in a forgotten corner of the mall... <br/>I suggest going there anyway, it is too good to miss out on!

If you are looking for a fine dining experience with Tapas.... this is your spot! Whether out with friends or date night, this place is just the best. Although a bit pricey, the food is fantastic providing an array of different flavours and tastes! Best Tapas I have had in a while! Beautiful setting, friendly staff, flawless presentation of food, and the service was fantastic. Went on a date night and just loved it. Will definitely be back soon.

I had the pleasure of dining at L'opulence on Saturday. It was amazing. This was my second visit and will certainly not be my last. I had the ribs, sushi and beef. Hands down, the ribs were my favourite, the meat fell right off the bone and they tasted amazing. Each dish had a twist to it, definitely not your average tapas. Without a doubt these tapas have been elevated to gourmet status, I commend the chef on a job well done. I love my cocktails, and I was not disappointed. I had the Tower of Pisa and my friend had the Burj Khalifa which of course I tried despite his protests...I was in cocktail heaven. I also the the Taj Mahal but being a girl who likes sweet things, the Tower of Pisa is what I would go for. The only depressing thing is that i discovered this place right when I am leaving Joburg...I will definitely be back at happy hour :-)

Stopped by Thursday evening for dinner. I was bit skeptical to do so especially with the bad review I read on this site, however I'm glad I went with my instinct. The place is small in a section of Nelson Mandela square, the decor I do love especially for a place they say is a spirited lounge, to which it is. If you are someone who does not like upbeat and loud music then this isn't for you. My friend and I tried a few dishes the ones that I most loved was the agrentianin beef and the Hong Kong ribs as well as the lamb pie. The way the dishes are prepared and served is amazing and I guess each dish has a different story to tell, but I loved. I didn't even have enough space for dessert but I will definately be back. The service was good rurisang was very attentive to our needs and was able to explain a few things. We stayed a little longer than expected because of the music and the vibe that it creates, I would definately recommend this small quaint little place as there is still more of the menu I would like to explore as well, so far so good

This is a tapas style restaurant at Sandton City. Let me start with the good stuff- the food! We enjoyed all our dishes, I particularly liked the lamb pie with cauliflower purée and the tempura tiger prawns with lime mayo. Enjoyed the desserts as well. The food is well presented and the service is fantastic! The two qualms I have with this place: it's a tiny area in an awkward place in Sandton City with tables put in the mall aisle and that the drinks menu is crazy overpriced (an average bottle of wine is like R500)

Some friends and i wanted to try this new place out as it was advertised in the magazine as a spirited lounge. the place is quite small in the mall but they extend out to the walkway of it to create more space. anyhow menu was interesting as it seemed like it varied from places all over the world. i tried the ribs, good lord!!! is all i can say never have i had ribs that fall of the bone with an asian twist to them, its a pity i couldn't try other dishes on the menu as i had the ribs twice. i had the ribs and the lamb pie. my friends recommended the sushi stack, but overall have to say the presentation of the dishes looked awesome. as the night turned the music got louder as they were playing old skool rnb, which i must say we did enjoy as a group. the vibe was chilled and mellow. service was also decent but the ambience the place created was awesome, we ended up staying until late because the DJ playing the music would allow us to leave. great place for mature audiences to chill and hangout. will definitely be back for more action lol....love the place. PS their cocktails are a bit pricey but definitely worth trying . i had the LAGOS....

This is easily the most disappointing resturaunt experience ever. I was there for a birthday dinner a week ago, and we all agree that this resturaunt fails to deliver in an epic way. <br/>Firstly starting with the definition of opulence: great wealth or luxuriousness.<br/>"rooms of spectacular opulence"<br/>So barring the fact that the restaurant is partly located in a walkway along closed shops in NMS, I find it quite amusing how their house red for R500 a bottle is a cheapie that I would've opted for as a broke student. These guys need to take a wine course... Porcupine Ridge for R500 a bottle is a joke. You'll never find such a disparage between price and value as you would get here. <br/>Service was uber slow! We were all seated by 7:30, orders were finally taken for starters and at 8:30, starters arrived at 10, mains at 11 (with s time lag of about 30mins between when the first person was services vs the last), dessert after most of us called it quotes at 12:30. There were two waiters it seemed for the entire venue which is ridiculous on a Saturday night, when asked the one didn't hesitate to blame it on the kitchen.. And the cheap UNopulent black serviettes that the waiter was so kind to lay in front of us AFTER the fact was laughable. In other words the table was only set after 1.5hrs into our arrival. <br/>Food was ok, even though my lamb pie arrived burned crust...<br/>I was there for a birthday event: They punt themselves as an events place but we could barely hear each other above the badly d'jed (badly synchronised playlist) music let alone interact and make speeches. It somehow morphed into a nightclub before its time.<br/>The name is very ironic and quite honestly over sells itself.<br/>To sum it all up, a lot of us agrees that it was definitely top of the worst restaurant experiences ever.

L'Opulence is one of those few places in Johannesburg that manages to make the transition from restaurant, to lounge, to club, all in the space of a few hours. I've been invited to several of their events on both Thursdays and Fridays and have been impressed every single time. L'Opulence's tapas menu is full of unusual pleasant surprises, with a personal favorite being their amazing ribs, cooked to perfection every time I've had them (which has been on an almost weekly basis since they opened). Their cocktails are fantastic, and they truly do embody their name by offering patrons complimentary chocolates when they receive their bills at the end of the night. With a range of seating options from intimate chesterfields to long tables for larger groups, L'Opulence is setting the standard for excellence in Sandton hospitality.

Joined a group of friends with Deloitte's lifeclub. Fantastic food, I had the Yakatori chicken for starters, ostrich fillet for mains and ended off with the Frangelico parfait. Enjoyed it all so much. As if the break away from studying wasn't proven to be well worth it, we were all still taken by surprise to see DJ Fresh (5FM) playing top tracks to get us all dancing. Incredible Thursday night to say the least.

Exquisite experience. The food and drinks were amazing. My first visit I went solo for lunch and then I returned to meet up for drinks with friends. My favorite item on the menu is the sushi stack. I was impressed with such attention to the combination of flavors! Great attention to detail. Great ambiance. The servers were also attentive,  I will definitely be back!

We went here yesterday for one of our friend's birthday dinner celebration. Knowing they are serving tapas and will be partying afterwards, I already ate a few before we left the house. Can't miss the restaurant as the loud music was already playing. We ordered the sushi stack, the tiger prawns and the soft tacos. I really enjoyed the soft tacos, a nice fusion of Asian and Spanish. Even though I love sushi and enjoyed it, I just thought the sushi stack is like a big sushi with a nice fried crispy avo that you have to eat with fork and knife, not much more special about it. The prawns are also ok, nice and crispy. They were playing some old 90's music and as the night goes played new ones.

Had been looking forward to visiting this place for a while but sorry to say it was a colossal disappointment, the starters were average tasting and the portion sizes for the mains were quite disappointing but the food tasted ok, nothing great or memorable. Desserts were a hazelnut ice cream parfait and kahlua coffee mousse which turned ice cream on a biscuit and choc mousse in an espresso cup with a kahlua poured over it rather than a kahlua flavour infused mousse. I think the biggest disappointment was that the reataurant was fairly empty but the service was poor and the table a couple meters away from us received good service yet we had to repeatedly ask for the waiter to take our orders etc. Overall the stunning decor creates a high expectation along with the exhorbitant pricing(R40 for a castle lite😱) however the food and service just do not match up.

This new trendy spot to eat, drink and meet is truly amazing. Here you can enjoy excellent food which is beautifully presented in a relaxed and inviting atmosphere. This restaurant truly exceeded my expectations and I will definitely be returning with all my friends.

I can't rave about this restaurant enough. We eat out a ton and have been to the best restaurants in the country and this easily compares. The decor is mind-blowingly glamorous and the food is just too divine for words! Try the mushroom dish, the lamb pie and my son said his sliders were the best he's ever had!

wow i have to say the food blew my away. lovely presentation, the sushi stack OMG great combination of flavors, pricing i must say is not that bad. my recommendation is the sushi stack and the ribs(they just fall of the bone so tender). will definitely be back again, so worth it. THE decor AA+++

<br/><br/>Love the surprise of the Gorgonzola center... My tastes buds are awakened this evening. The presentation is stunning...this is a perfect choice to have if you are vegetarian

I was invited to the launch of L’Opulence – Sandton’s finest meeting place by day and spirited lounge by night. Patrons can expect luxury, refined wines, gourmet trendy tapas and exceptional service. <br/><br/>With décor inspired by the heights of Dubai – the ultimate lap of luxury – L’Opulence is the epitome of indulgence in the heart of Sandton in Nelson Mandela Square! Rich navy and gold finishes create an environment suited to those with a particular preference for living an opulent lifestyle. <br/><br/>The menu is all about tapas. Their chic, simple and contemporary way of catering sets the lounge apart from traditional eateries. L’Opulence Executive Chef, Mark Hoberman, has created the perfect trendiest tapas menu for the venue – a veritable feast of sophisticated flavours, modern and varied options – complimented by fine wines. <br/><br/>The menu combines traditional tapas favourites like halloumi and given it a new spin by pan frying it with smoked chili and roasted sweet pepper dressing, charred garlic and herb crostini to modernise and spice things up. Other favourites include the salmon sushi stack, with black and white sesame rice, julienne cucumber, warm panko avocado, teriyaki and salmon caviar. The mushroom arancini, melted gorgonzola centre with smoked tomato compote and basil pesto, pine nuts and essence of truffle is out of this world; the smoked tomato sauce if off the chain. <br/><br/>For those with a weakness for sweetness, the Frangelico parfait, hazelnut praline and the Kahlua chocolate mousse will go a long way towards hitting the sweet spot.

I've been seeing the pics of L'Opulence on fb and instagram and just had to check it out. My hubby and I went through for dinner and we were not disappointed. The ambience was stunning the waiter was so professional and explained the menu in detail. This is a classy spot that I will definitely be frequenting.