I love the setting! It is very relaxing. Been there three times this week at different times - each time the food was good, nicely presented and tasty. The waiters were friendly and the service was good! A hidden gem in our city! Yay to the "new" management!
Excellent service, very nice atmosphere and Awesome staff. I would recommend it to anyone anytime. Oh and the Cakes are to die for.
It was absolutely fantastic. The service and food was outstanding. Relaxing atmosphere. I live in Springs and will definitely recommend this restuarant and will become a regular client of theirs.
Awesome place for the whole family and the food and service was excellent!
After a sunday morning buffet with family in celebration for my father in laws birthday.This place is definitely a hidden treasure
I visited the Blue Crane yesterday for the first time. I have lived in Pretoria for nigh on 30 years and have driven by many times.
The breakfast and the coffee was excellent and the service was great too. The waiter was most attentive without being "in your face".
All in all......a wonderful experience and YES..... I will be back.
I will recommend it to everyone. It was my first visit but definately not my last visit. Its also food for your soul. Love it.
I would like to write a special thank you to Johan and his team at Blue Crane restuarant for exceptional catering of our corporate eventm at short notice. The food was amazing, the presentation superb and the quantity just enough. I would highly recommend their service to anyone wanting exceptional, reliable catering.
Had a lovely breakfast here with the hubby. The scenery is lovely. Away from the hustle and bustle. Staff were friendly and efficient.
The breakfast was traditional good. The bacon, mushrooms and tomatoes were good quality and well worth the price.
Great scenery....peaceful and quiet. Good food, I loved the Oxtail.
Beautiful hidden gem on the side of a little dam and bird watching park.
Had the delicious Sunday Buffet- food fit for Kings!
Friendly Staff and management. Can’t wait to try it in the evenings as well after seeing the cool bonfire area.
I have been to Blue Crane a few times over the years and my ratings have fluctuated. My latest experience was very positive...I have always enjoyed the fact that it's hidden away from the road and you can relax and look out over the water to watch some birds. The food quality has varied. Me and my beautiful Natalie enjoyed a great lunch...food and service both excellent. I had the chicken burger and my Natalie the Chickpea salad accompanied by a glass of Middelvlei Free Run Pinotage...so delicious. Nice place to come and relax. I would suggest to patrons though to not feed the Blue Crane that comes looking for food.
Was invited here for a birthday breakfast and unfortunately it was during load shedding. This did not stop them from still serving a very good breakfast. What I liked the most about this place is the tranquility and the view overlooking the dam with all the birds etc. service was good and would definitely recommend this place. nice place to get away, relax and have a good meal.
We had a Sunday buffet
What a surprise with the food tasting like home.And Johan the owner walking around asking everyone if they are having a good time and if the food is good!! Ambience is mos the best in town
The bar upstairs is the official Liverpool fc supporters club hangout. Be sure to join for a Liverpool game, the atmosphere is spectacular and will leave you breathless, especially during a big game. The food and drinks are impressive!
The carrot cake is amazing! Make sure you try that !!
I had the pleasure of having my 30th Birthday Celebrations at The Blue Crane Restaurant & Bar on Friday evening.
Oh what a lovely service did I get, from the event booking and throughout the preparations. The food was delicious, my guests can barely get over the mushroom sauce that was served.
My thirtieth Birthday Celebration was awesome, thank you Blue Crane.
Are you the come dine with me person? This will be a great place for you. I enjoyed the food and drinks at this place with its lovely African deco and lovely people.
Johann Willem Meintjes
+3.5
A great view, friendly but a bit slow service. Noisy over the weekend with the kids playground. But with kids it would be a dream. Intereating menu.
This place is something out of the ordinary... love the 'lodge'-feel. Situated next to a green belt and dam it kinda feels like holiday.. I decided on the Barn Owl breakfast consisting of poached eggs on a Ciabatta with Cheese and parma ham... it was very nice and the coffee was also good and fresh.. The reason for scoring only a 3.5 is that I personally feel that R80 is a bit much for what you get... Otherwise I enjoyed this one.. The French toast on the other hand was very good if you like something a bit more sweet..
The Blue Crane Restaurant in Brooklyn is a special experience. Nestled in the Austin Roberts Birdpark, the restaurant gives you a sense that you left the city bustle behind and is somewhere in the veld. The decor is classy and contemporary with an African influence and gives you a lodge feel. Service sometimes a bit slow but always with a smile. Today I enjoyed their Barn Owl breakfast with poached eggs on Ciabatta with Emmentaller & parmaham drizzled with a Bréanaisse sauce. Points scored: Most certainly the settting, service and decadence of their food. Well prepared and tasteful. Points deducted: when you pay close to R100,00 per portion you expect to get volume. This felt short and didn't equate to value for money to me. Overall impression: Yes, loved it. Go! Now! Stefan Schrage
Great place awesome service. The place is a stunning bird century.
The staff is friendly and efficient. Loved the fact that this place is secluded and not many people know about it. It gives you a chance to just relax and enjoy the view with a good meal.
Great service.
We had dinner at the blue crane, food was good, but not special. As main we had the lambs curry and the kingklip. The curry was ok-ish. The kingklip was good.
Coffee was nice😉
Beautiful ambience indeed. quite a drive out but worth it.My mum especially enjoyed it and still asks to go.We enjoyed a buffet breakfast here and it was lovely.
The blue crane restaurant is well located in Brooklyn. The best seating area for me is outside on their decks with a view of the dam. I really love the tranquility of the place.
Service staff are pleasant.
We had an office function here awhile ago and it was ideal! Their buffet breakfasts include healthy and traditional breakfast options.
Great value for money especially for large groups of people.
Absolutely beautiful view. The snail pastry was divine as was the chicken, but the pork schnitzel mediocre. Wine selection quite vast. Sevice was fantastic. Chiraag Simão
This is an awesome place for the Sunday breakfast (brunch for us) buffet! Peaceful and relaxed atmosphere, good food and coffee, friendly waiters. If you're a nature lover and enjoy bird watching, you will enjoy it!
The Blue Crane restaurant is perfectly located if you want to gaze out over the dam to where the birds are nesting while having a nice lunch. There is even a play area for kids. Atmosphere is great. Food and service were great. Recommended to visit and to spend so time there. Suitable for business or social events.
Beautiful setting and view in the city yet feels like a game reserve.
We had the Sunday buffet and was the best we've had. Fresh and tasteful. We'll be back!
I had a great time @the Blue Crane restaurant. Food and service was lovely. I also really enjoyed the bird sanctuary. I will definitely come back!!!!!
A lovely view with delicious food!
I had the open croissant and my mom had the french toast.
Friendly service and a beautiful view of the bird sanctuary.. what more could you ask for?
Will definitely return!
A fantastic place with some of the friendliest staff around. Have some fantastic fresh cake and the presentation was fantastic. The coffee was fantastic and enjoyable as well and wow a piece short bread to go with it. The view from the downstairs deck was fantastic. Will be going back there again.
We sat overlooking the dam at the top. Milkshakes were good, food also good and well priced. Service was a bit slow. I think the view and clamness will draw me back and hopefully the food will blow me away next time :)
Took Granny to Blue Crane for a light lunch.
Unfortunately we hadn't booked so we did not get a spot next to the water, but still got the "feel".
Service was very good, and the meal good. Granny had the Prawn Salad which was great. My Caesars Salad was ok.
Next time I will definitely book a table next to the water to watch the birds.
I had an hour or so to kill between meetings, and really enjoyed this restaurant, with kids running and playing on the jungle gym. I had a wrap, with chicken an pine nuts, and I have to say I was impressed with the amount of nuts on my plate. Enjoy a little outside time, close to nature in the centre of a busy area.
Great food with a great view and good service. I highly recommend stopping by and trying the chef's specials. Lalalalalala 140 characters BOOM!
Love it! Awesome breakfast spot and the Papaya Chutney is amazing. Great for families (My kids went crazy over the 150 year old tortoise in the play area). Excited to see the new braai boma. Will have to check out the Buffet and Bateleur Bar soon.
Blue Crane still is a firm favourite in Pretoria and will be for many years to come. This is a little jewel in the centre of the Capital City and as they form part of the Austen Roberts Bird Sanctuary, the ideal setting for a well deserved wind - down.
Service is good and they served well presented meals. Good coffee and huge slices of cake make this a definate winner. If you've never been to Blue Crane - WHY???
Went there for Sunday lunch. With no booking made, we were seated outside under the trees. It was very nice and relaxing to sit outside. Unfortunately it was in the smoking section with a couple at the next table smoking. Being there with a baby, that was a bit unpleasant, but they soon left and problem was solved. Only had the main meal buffet for R160. There were adequate choices from sides to meat for all tastes. The chicken pie was especially tasty. The sides were fine. Garden salad an butternut and sweet potato dish for non carb eaters. Serving dishes were quite empty while I was dishing up, would have liked it to have been replenished more often. But all in all we had a good meal and a relaxing time. Would go back again,perhaps on another day to sample their other dishes as Sundays are buffet - only days.
Had the Sunday buffet. Very nice lamb on spit and other meats. Nice atmosphere and nice location. Had the main meal only option buffet and is good value. Friendly waiters. Will visit again.
Blue Crane has been totally revamped and is under new management. With a new boma area it creates a tranquil outside bush feel. The food is great with a nice variety. Quick coffee overlooking the dam with Blue Crane birds or a romantic dinner, either way it is a good option
Hit up blue crane at around 8:30 this morning for some brekkie with the girlfriend. For starters, the location is fantastic. If you're into birds or small wildlife, its great. We saw plenty of birds, and even a bunny. It was however, really freaking cold. One of the waiters brought us a heater straight away because the table by the fireplace was reserved. I'm not too sure how things usually work at blue crane, but this morning there was a buffet. I was hungry, so I ate: one croissant with ham, Camembert cheese, and some kind of Swiss cheese that was beautifully salty but mellow. One nutty bran muffin with jam. Some fruit. A coffee. Some mango juice. A bacon and egg croissant. A slice of milk tart. And a brownie.
The croissants are fantastic. The staff is attentive and friendly. And I'd really like to try out a few things on the menu at some point.
I can recommend blue crane for breakfast on the Sunday of the 26th of July 2015. Other than that, you should probably find out for yourself.
Very nice restaurant, good food and good drinks. Super fun place to have a few drinks with friends and just be laid back. Staff is helpful and always smiling.
Initially we used to think the entire area was a park but we eventually found out about a lovely gem within the park. We went in for a bite and found the food to be amazing when we found out they also prepare a buffet we organized for my grandmother's 80th birthday to be hosted there it was lovely for the entire family the kids played with the ducks at the lake, some of the couple's took walks in the park it was a peaceful venture the entire family enjoyed. The food was also amazing I had one of the best malva puddings
Very good restaurant had Mother's Day lunch there, it was a buffet lunch, very good. Staff are very helpful and helpful. The butternut soup was so tasty. The oxtail and chicken pie was really good. The oxtail was so well made it just fell of the bone. Vegetables were also delicious, I just think the mixed veg need to be spruced up a bit. Pudding was very good and just the right finish to a good meal. Must go worth a visit.
Awesome night at blue crane. Great food. Great vibe. Owner made sure that all our needs were met. Will tell all my friends to come to the blue crane. Thank you guys.
Cornelius Janse Maritz
+5
I have visited the Blue Crane Restaurant often since the new owners have taken over and did some renovations mid 2014. It is surely one of the trending social hotspots in Pretoria these days.
I thoroughly enjoy their fantastic-, innovative-, handmade- and freshly prepared meals. In addition, the food always arrives without delay.
The upstairs bar is a great place to meet up with friends and it really comes alive at night - Even on week nights, with some local talent performing on Thursday evenings.
What makes Blue Crane exceptional and unique is the diversity - From social gatherings to romantic dinners to business meetings to functions of all kinds (including weddings) to live events with some South Africa's biggest artists (Koos Kombuis, Francois van Coke and more), Blue Crane can accommodate anyone and meet their standards on a personal level.
Hats off to chefs Johan and -Nico and their dedicated team!
Very impressive place to eat! In a peaceful environment surrounded by nature while being in the middle of the city. Staff and food was excellent
Blue Crane is nestled in Austin Roberts Bird Sanctuary, which is one of the most beautiful parks in Pretoria. I ordered an open boerewors sandwich, while my girlfriend ordered a standard ham & cheese toasted sandwhich. The toasted sandwhich wasn't on the menu, but they gladly made one for her when we asked if it would be possible. The food tasted good, but not fantastic and the he service is quite slow, but friendly.
I would recommend Blue Crane if you are in a relaxing mood and not in a hurry, or if you would just like to escape the city for a little while. Definitely take your binoculars, bird book and camera with if you enjoy birdwatching, as there are many birds to be seen. Also make a visit to the bird hide, which gets you closer to the birds. I enjoyed the wildlife more than the food, but had a pleasurable experience overall.
This establishment is under new management. My husband and I had supper there on Saturday evening 26 July 2014.
We had a cosy table next to one of the fireplaces. Crispy bobotie springrolls with homemade chutney for starters, followed by Hennie Goosen's Karoo Afval (Tripe and lamb knuckles)
The food was delicious and the portions generous.
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