Review State 5 - Johannesburg

Awesome place, great food, awesome service. Brilliant child minders too. Pizzas are just plain fantastic. Really enjoyable evening was had by all. Definitely will go there again.

after seeing some reviews mentioning slow turnaround times, i came here expecting a bit of a wait for everything. we decided that seeing as we were up early, we would try go for breakfast for the first time since our son's birth (2.4 years). what a pleasant place. it was rather busy at 10am and there were kids all over the play area. the service was spot on (missed our order for a hot chocolate, but when asked the waiter ran away and appeared with it in a few minutes). the food was good and i feel like even though the breakfast things were real nice (i had the mothercuppa breakfast), i really liked the toasted ciabatta that came with it. they people watching the kids while the parents eat are fantastic and aren't just standing around and twiddling their thumbs, they actually interact with the kids who are playing. we felt comfortable enough to let our son play in the play area without having to worry about him getting hurt or running away or being abducted. sitting next to the play area was fun for us too, as watching the kids play around there was like an entertaining tv show. the food is nice and not overpriced (R99 for my breakfast, which was the fanciest one there i think). the coffee is good too, which is another bonus, because food places often fall flat when making coffee. we'll definitely pop in again when we get a chance.

Nice environment. Nice play areas for kids. Great service. Average food. I had the speciality pizza and it was OK but did not come across as a speciality. Parking is an issue during busier times.

Excellent service and food, great prices, awesome menu for kids too! Will definitely be back.

State 5 was a pretty decent place to have some food. We were welcomed and assisted immediately and seated at a table outside. There were quite a few flies around us, but they didn't bug (heh) our table yet. The vibe of the place was lovely. Relaxed. We didn't feel rushed to order at all and took our time looking at the menu. Received our drinks very fast. Food did take a bit longer to arrive, but our waiter apologized for it in advance. Unfortunately our pizza came with ingredients we asked our waiter to leave off. Not a trainsmash though. Easy enough to take off ourselves. But someone with allergic to something would've had a bad time. However I'm sure they'd have no problem to accommodate someone with food allergies. Prices are decent. Service is friendly. And the kiddies play area looks quite decent. Children playing there definitely seemed to enjoy themselves. Saw two child minders and they had their eyes on the children nearly the whole time we were there.

What a great experience thank you for the kind service and delicious food!

Great place to take kids so you can have a break, good coffee and food but can take a while before food gets to your table have been a couple of times and it is always the same slow to get orders to table so normally have cold pizza. Milkshakes are good and play areas are nice.

Amazing service. Friendly staff Loved the atmosphere.

Fantastic coffee. I'd recommend the cold brew coffee. I had a chicken wrap which was extremely tasty. It is a family restaurant so if you'd prefer a quiet meal maybe give this a pass.

Had breakfast there with friends. Good food. Great entertainment and supervision for children. Felt at ease letting the little ones play in the play areas.

Good place to take your kids, child minders. Food is good, milkshakes and coffees are great. Service could be faster.

Real kid zone! Plenty of activities for your children while you have a cup of coffee or eat with family. Diverse menu which gives you verity of choices from.

Delicious food. Awesome kids area for slightly younger kids and a great painting zone. Definitely worth a visit even if it’s not around the corner, it’s worth a drive.

We went out for breakfast and the service was really bad. The waiter placed our order, when the food arrived we didn't have cutlery, my Son's burger patty was still pink so I sent it back. Then we waited almost 30 minutes for someone to come ask if we need anything, that is when I wanted to ask for the bill and eventually got up to ask for it inside myself. The food was okay but the service was a big let down. The special where you order a breakfast and get a free cappuccino? I had to pay for my cappuccino. The only nice thing was the Childminder was friendly. When we left the plates and glasses was still on the table. What should happen is once you're done eating someone will take it away to the kitchen. Wasn't asking for a 5star restaurant service, it's just the small things which counts the most

State 5 has a great ambience and we enjiyed the service of the friendly waiters. The menu spoils you with choice and we enjoyed pizza’s, wraps and their own home made ice tea! What I do recommend is that they keep the playground for the kiddies (which is lovely) a bit cleaner and get someone to sweep there so it looks a bit more inviting. But we were there late afternoon so maybe thats to blame? They also have a stunning changing/feeding room for the mommies!

have eaten brekkie here before and it's great: food, service, music is tops. Stepped out my normal zone and had a Potato Rosti bfast(it's got AVO!!..not my fav). It was amazing. the layers of rosti, bacon, avo, poached egg and sour cream came together amazingly. New experience for me(avo in food) but really really blew my tastebuds. Highly recommended

Because allowing minors to drink alcohol on your premises, get drunk and then be rude to other guests is never cool... And please don't blame the parent - your establishment your responsibility

We have been here since 1230pm. The service is slow. The waiters look and act like they are on their last feet!!! <br/>1. We ordered Mac&Cheese for my 8 year nephew and we got Mac & butternut!!! <br/>2. Our meals have finally started arriving at 10 minute intervals!

Great place to take the kids to play. Nice and secure. Pricey craft options though.Coffee is decent but if you going to eat, be prepared to wait over an hour for your food. And don’t bother complaining to manager, they just tell you to give them 2 minutes and nothing happens

We stopped by for a casual lunch with the family earlier today. The place was recommended by my sister due to the kiddies play areas and her previous experience. Service was slow throughout and the food seemed to have taken forever to arrive. On a searing hot day we opted to start with some virgin cocktails (Mojito, Mango Ginger Daiquiri and a Berry Rosemary Daiquiri) which were good, alcohol isn’t served though you may BYOB and they do offer to bring your cocktails to life which is a nice touch. I am a sucker for the words “slow cooked” and “pulled” and was thus impressed by the menu. We all had sandwiches, the State 5 Steak, Siracha Chicken and Pulled Pork. The portions were decent and sandwiches were accompanied by fries though the excess cheese in all overpowered the other flavours. The kiddies play area is great and there are child minders which is always a plus, if seated outside you can take comfort in being able to see the kids at play. I will probably give it a second chance, maybe pizza next time and carry some beers to wash it down.

This is a nice place to take the kids on a lazy Sunday afternoon, you can relax and they can play 😁<br/><br/>We had some pizza and finished off with desserts when we visited - the pizza was ok not the best I ever had but the bread pudding was definitely one to go for!<br/><br/>They have a range of their own coffees which can be purchased on site so something you should definitely try out, the flavor range is quite diverse and great.<br/><br/>The atmosphere is wonderful, something you can add to the list if you like me are always looking for kid friendly places that you can enjoy as well.

Very disappointing meal. Asked for crispy bacon which I got but rosti was overcooked and inedible and the soft egg I requested was hard. Waitron offered a <br/><br/>nother egg but I'd lost my appetite by then. My companion's so called scrambled egg was just eggs swished on a grill, not proper scrambled eggs at all. I'd have been appeased if they'd taken the cost of a drink off the bill but we were charged full amount for very poor food. Won't go back.<br/><br/><br/>

Great food & good coffee but waiting 1h30 min for food!! Had the Eggs Benedict with bacon which was delicious, started off with a flat white coffee. Pity about the slow service.

On Monday I stopped at State 5 for their breakfast special ... 2 eggs, bacon, toast, chips and roasted tomatoes.  PLUS a fabulous cappu - all for R40!<br/><br/>It's a lovely spot sitting outside under the trees and smelling the pizza wood fire ...  I ordered a double shot cappu thinking I'll have to pay extra.  I didn't have to and boy, it was deeeelicious!<br/><br/>For the breakfast, I asked for scrambled eggs.  It came with 2 baked eggs.  Sigh.  But they took the plate back and changed it.<br/><br/>Lovely spot for kids and a little shop where kids can paint ceramic ware while parents sip something hot or cold.

This might be a swing and a miss, unfortunately.<br/><br/>We immediately decided to try out State 5 when we heard they are people that take their coffee seriously. So serious that they actually have cold brew coffee, that's right, COLD BREW. Not coffee with ice, but actual COLD BREW. That definitely scores them some points<br/><br/>The food wasn't bad. Nothing spectacular though. We had The State 5 Open Sandwich, Lemon & Herb Chicken Salad, and Chikennaise and Avo Pizza. Everything was okay, but also kind of bland. Really nothing to write home about.<br/><br/>Atmosphere was all over the place. Outside it is nice and social with areas for kids to play as the adults can sit under the shade of the trees and keep an eye on the little ones. Inside it is dark and uninviting really with all the tables and chairs half cleaned and also unstable. We sat at 3 different tables and all of them seemed half way in the grave, to be honest.<br/><br/>Now the service was quite bad. Our waiter was eager to get us drinks but after that he slowed down. Took long to check up on us, always eager to go somewhere else, and even after we asked him to bring out the food at the same time, he still took a while to bring us a cold pizza.<br/><br/>A place like this got our attention because they specialize in coffee, but their coffee was sub par. The normal cappuccino was just okay, nothing wrong with it, but not something we will go back for. This made us very hesitant to try the cold brew though. Luckily that was delicious, so thumbs up to that.<br/><br/>TTT’s rating out of 5: Food - 3 | Service - 2 | Atmosphere – 2  | Coffee - 2.5 | Value - 3<br/><br/>State 5 gets an angry stare from Two Tasty Tummies

Food and service very disappointing. We've been here before and had a much better experience. Restaurant floors and tables were dirty and kiddies play area are not well maintained.

A lovely venue for kids to run free while minders and parents keep a watchful eye. An extensive menu from traditional breakfasts, pastas, pizzas, pregos, burgers and salads. Not forgetting those who are vegetarians or banting, there are some wonderful options. They are licensed too. Our waiter Dave was excellent but fell prey to a very slow kitchen, our order arrived beautifully presented and tasted amazing but took a really long time. Luckily we were in no hurry so were patient. Sadly the table next to us threw a tantrum on this very point and walked out, with another table grumbling to their waiter when paying. An area that management could address as a great stop and if this busy in winter, it's going to be a real challenge in summer as a stunning venue when warmer, a real oasis for parents with younger children.

Surprise birthday breakfast, <br/>Surprisingly good restaurant as well, service not perfect.<br/>Had me one of the better cups of coffee I had in a long time, it was tasty, warming and didn't need any sugar. Pretty much the perfect cup of coffee.<br/>Ordered the eggs Benedict, poached eggs perfect, hollandaise tasty and creamy with good bacon, was served on ciabatta instead of English muffins which drops it in my rating.<br/>Really enjoyed my breakfast and will be back, just have to remember it's a kid friendly place with a play park so it gets noisy.<br/>So get here early for a great cup of coffee and a good breakfast.<br/>Update:<br/>So we tried it again in 2018 and the service is now non existent, ok it is busy but no sign of any food for the last hour so this will be my last visit here.

Nice setting with kids activities.staff friendly.ordered their house burger and was great. Wife on the other hand didn't enjoy her pull chicken wrap. Was dry and very less filling. Nonetheless, will definitely be back again.

Whenever we try a kiddie friendly restaurant, we try not to expect too much from the food. We opted for the burgers 🍔 and they were actually pretty good. The kiddies choices are pretty predictable and we also opted for the burger. It was ok. The venue is fab as the little ones can get lost in the many play areas available to them with child minders. This allowed us to indulge in a gourmet shake, orange and chocolate, a little sweet but perfect for those with a sweet tooth 😉

At the centre of a cute collection of health and art shops you will find state 5. It is clearly designed to be child friendly with their playground and can become very very noisy at times. The service was good, nothing to complain about. The food was also ok. I had the Cajun chicken Flatbread which was a little dry and my friend had the butternut wrap. I'm not sure either of us would order them again. The Freeza was delicious though. Definitely keen to go back and try some other coffee options.

Great, secure play area for kids split into two age groups (below 3 and over 3). Lovely extensive cafe-style menu. Freezos and the wood-fired pizzas are divine. Service isn't consistent however it is quite a relaxed vibe and most kid's orientated restaurants don't have the best service unfortunately. My new favourite kiddies' restaurant!

Nice place for kids to play. Service was weird, I am not sure if they ran out of menus or are in the process of rebranding, but their menu was a barely legible photocopy, made me wear my glasses. We had a state 5 burger which the partner thought was ok, j had the roast chicken salad, which on the menu I don't recall reading that the chicken was shredded but it was served as so.<br/><br/>The children pizzas were burnt and the unburnt part not very tasty

Slow brewed ice coffee is awesome.<br/>Great value for money.<br/>Usually when you order ice coffee it is very small i.e. Mugg and Bean<br/>At state 5 the ice coffee is served in a jam jar and you can really enjoy the taste.<br/>Syrups can be added, but not necessary.<br/><br/>Did menu had a wide range of choices.<br/>Tried the yiro.<br/>Was really good.<br/>Another time I tried their chicken pasta, also very good.<br/><br/>Price is quite reasonable.<br/>Seating outside is well shaded and staff are very attentive.

Best omlette EVER!!!!!!!!!!! <br/>GREAT atmosphere <br/>Terrific staff and service <br/>Manager friendly and welcoming <br/>Will definitely be back <br/>Highly recommended

<br/>Sunday lunch and not busy at all but waited 50min for a prego and wrap...<br/> <br/>Asked to speak to the manager-Heather- who took just as long to come and then still rolls her eyes at us and mentions so many reasons why they are delayed because it's "busy"... please! Save it for the birds <br/> <br/>Don't recommend at all.

We were at State 5 yesterday for a family lunch, the service was so slow AND to top it all the pulled lamb was off, it had a stench like you can't believe.  We did ask for the Manager who said she would take it off the menu but really wasn't fussed about it in the least

After one of those amazing nights you crave good takeaways🙈<br/>This was something we had to try. The prices aren't bad at all and service was fastish. One thing is the atmosphere can lighten up your mood but it is a family venue so I don't recommend popping in for a sit down lunch after a heavy night on the town but for take aways you'll be happy with the food quality 🙈🍳 so a suggestion try the lamb yiro, ask for extra chillis and it already comes with chips... you'll be recharged on the couch in no time 💪🏼

Unfortunately we were there on the first morning that they took over from previous owners. And is was terrible. Waiter staff did not even know what was on menu. We ordered 4 different meals....and we all ended up getting similar wraps! Because they had nothing else. But they didn't even come tell us. We just got these warps. Also they do not give fries with any of their meals, i mean how much is it gonna cost you to add 1 potato to a meal. I found them overpriced. And the food bland. I hope they have upped their game since opening day. Wont return soon. And it's a pity because it is such a nice venue. At least the drinks were nice.

I had breakfast here with friends and was not really blown away. The service was slow and the food was OK. I was also left a little perplexed when the answer to my request for spinach in my omelette was that they only have raw spinach... 😐 but the space is nice and it's not a bad option for peeps with kiddos.

Delicious lunch today. Greek and American flavors incorporated into yumminess. Best part is they have coffee on tap, I mean really. Service is great and this place is located in a center that you feel a little out of the city, which is cool. Try the pulled beef sandwich, it's incredible. The coffee is strong, so make sure your and addict before dipping into one. <br/><br/>