What a fabulous find! Marcel you are a wunderkind of Note. The yummiest food, the impeccable service, the music, the decor, the surfer bar � all makes for a Hemingwayeaque magic. See you super soon.
Super impressed with this place. Walter, our waiter was great and very friendly. Food was excellent. Prawn curry is phenomenol. One of the managers, Dylan, had a tequila with us. Great vibe! Will be coming back again and again
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This was my first ever experience of Cuban food. So this review might be slightly lengthy :)
So, as it’s widely known, Cuban cuisine is a blend of Spanish, African and other Caribbean cuisines. They are not so heavy with the spices but do carry a lot of variety in food. “The Royale” was my first experience with Cuban food so i had no idea what i was in for. But as it was selected by my "foodie-friend", I knew I was in safe hands :). Cuba is a country which is well known for its colourful nature, be it the streets, their food, the people – everything with respect to that place says only one thing - "Relax and Enjoy". So "The Royale" actually keeps up to these expectations.
Ambiance - the place is easy to spot - thanks to the large "red sign" at the entrance. As soon as you enter, on the left side you will the second sign -"it’s Good". The place is pretty large. Designed wonderfully keeping in mind the Cuban exteriors and interiors, you will find all of it in one place. Straight ahead is the bar where you can start off with the tequila shots to loosen yourself. Middle area is decked beautifully with colourful wallpapers and lights that are very catchy and instantly puts you in a happy and fanciful mood (evident because my friend started swaying left to right on listening to the songs - Happy High :P ). There is an outside smoking area which is designed like the streets of Cuba where you can see street lights, the furniture is exactly how you find outside on the street cafes and it’s a whole new world when you compare it to the inner one. We decided to take the inner booth as it was more comfortable for our lazy bums.
Food - The menu is short and sweet - so it keeps in mind that you are not here to rack your brains like how we do over large menus and ultimately end up getting confused, but to have a chilled out relaxed time with your loved ones :). We started off with the "Sliders - chicken, pork and beef". There are small burgers with amazing fillings inside. Hands down, the favourite was the beef one which had the perfect beef patty. Accompanied along with it (the second in command) was the "Chicharron de pollo" - this dish is simple yet amazing. It is just crispy fried chicken bites served with homemade mayo, but sometimes it’s just the simplicity that makes something amazing - and this is the perfect example for that. For drinks, please do try the "extra special long island ice tea" which is very strong and instantly takes you virtually to the Cuban street :P. I went for 2 of them back to back and it was super nice :D.
For the main course, both of us decided to stick to the authentic Cuban food. I went for the "Ropa Vieja" which is a traditional Cuban cuisine which is a shredded beef dish made with tomato curry and served with Sofrito rice. I am personally not a fan of too much tomato in my dishes (as it makes it sweet), but the meat was so well slowly cooked and the sofrito rice was just perfect on the palate. The portions are huge. Later on when i was actually reading about this dish, i came across an interesting fact – “Ropa Vieja” literally means “old clothes.” People call it old clothes because the shredded beef looks a little ragged, like old clothes :P. The other Devil with me challenged the "Cuban Chicken" (despite my warnings of its spiciness and hotness) - and she went down :D. With every bite, came a gulp of appletizer to balance the spice. I did try the chicken and it was just amazing. I could taste the charcoal flavour in the chicken and the meat was very well cooked considering it was the baby chicken.
To the end the amazing meal, we both took the "Almond Waffle". The waffles were huge and paired perfectly with the ice-cream. Despite having food filled up to our throats, we demolished the huge waffles and "white flag" (defeat) was declared against the food :).
Service: The staff is dressed impeccably in Hawaiian themed shirts and are very polite. They offered us a booth of 4 even though we were just 2. They knew their dishes well and were quick to respond to any query that came from us.
I must say the first Cuban food experience was amazing and i thoroughly loved it :)
Would definitely love to visit again - but this time it will be more tequila shots and less food :D
Cheers !!
My all-time favourite Joburg gem. There classic daiquiri is incredible, the ambiance is so vibey and the food is sensational! Crushed potatoes, burgers and gorgeous dips are my go-to options!
Wow, I really cannot fault this place. Everything perfect. From the decor to the drinks to the food. I'd recommend getting a burger (it might have been the best I've ever had) or the Cuban chicken. The waffle with homemade ice cream is compulsory after your meal, it's delicious. Overall, The Royale is the best decision you'll make.
Every bloggers dream come true. You won't be able to stop taking pictures of this trendy spot!
You really feel like you are in Colombia! Cigar bar, waiters dressed up. This place becomes alive after 5! Birthday celebrations everywhere, big groups coming in together. Food is interesting but it's more about the vibe. Expect to get tequila if the owner is around. Loved it
This place is absolutely amazing! Although the menu is small ,the food they serve is delicious. There isn’t even a need to make a bigger menu. The cocktails are too die for (warning:once you start you can’t stop!) lol. The staff are so friendly, so accommodating and so efficient! It’s so stunningly decorated and so spacious. We went there last night for my boyfriends birthday and it was truly an amazing dining experience. I highly recommend this place. we will most definitely be back!!! A special thank you to Nila for organizing everything as I requested. Xxx
Obviously first and foremost, a great place to take photos. It’s beautiful and the theme is carried well throughout. The cocktail menu is small but impressive, arriving with some potato skins for the table to snack on. Would recommend and return. Service was friendly and accommodating.
My husband and I visited The Royale on a Thursday evening and we loved it.
This Cuban restaurant is beautifully decorated and serves up some amazing cocktails.
Service is top notch - our waitress was efficient and friendly, which made our experience a lovely one.
My husband ordered the squid and I had ordered the mussel pot. I highly recommend the squid dish. It is perfectly prepared and is full of flavour.
The Royale is definitely one to try, with its unique vibe and authenticity.
This is definitely somewhere worth going to! The decor is beautiful, the service was attentive and friendly and the food is just incredible. Probably the best ribs I’ve eaten in a long time. My friends had the burgers which were also something special. We will definitely be back!
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If you want a break from crazy Johannesburg life, step into The Royale on a Saturday afternoon and you'll feel like you're dining in Cuba.
Going to The Royale was a spur of the moment decision, I was in the area, I was hungry, so, why not? When I first arrived I was a bit disappointed to see the outside of the building... It didn't seem like there was much happening but when I walked inside I was knew I was in for a good time. The music is just the right fit for the theme and the perfectly mismatched coloured walls made me feel like I've just arrived in Havanna.
There is not a major selection on the menu, which makes deciding what to eat so easy! The complimentary potatoe skins were a good little nibble and the Cuban Fried Chicken I ordered was a sticky heaven! My only complaint about my dish is that the rice was a little bit dry but regardless of this it was still full of flavour.
All the staff were extremely friendly and helpful. Overall, an amazing atmosphere where people from all walks of life can come in to have a Cuban indulgence!
Loved everything about this beautiful little restaurant! The service was incredible as well as the food and beverages. Will definitely be going back again soon! 🍹
"The Royale Bar/Restaurant exceeded all expectations! Outstanding cuisine, impeccable service, and a chic atmosphere. A true gem!"
The food and drinks are affordable and the service is good. It can get very packed in the evening but that’s expected because it’s more of a social restaurant. It’s a chilled place to go for a good night out with friends. Have been here a few times and really enjoyed it.
Great vibe and decor. Not an extensive menu but definitely items I want to go back and try. The mussel sauce was amazing and I could have drunk it up. The bread was delicious as was the side of potatoes. The beef was tasty and homey. Very nice drinks selection.
Amazing place with airy, cuban vibe that almost makes you nostalgic about you to-be travels in South America.
Great Sandwiches and good cocktails. Staff is friendly and on the ball, and dressed in great floral shirts. Prices fair.
Lovely white Bougainvillea and water cooling on the outside, the Royale has a vacation vibe.
Excellent atmosphere, service and food. Cuban inspired menu, drinks menu is therefor Rum heavy. The menu is simple and the food delicious. I had the burger on my first visit and pork belly on my second visit a few days later and enjoy both dishes. Beautiful place for a Saturday drink and lunch.
The Royale is a decent place for a vibe. The food is okay. I wish there were more non-alcoholic drink options on the menu or options at all.
The prawns were raved about. The starter portion is good value for money.
It was very busy tonight and the waitrons were a little frazzled because of this I won't be too harsh that they were inattentive.
Here it goes down! You will dance till your feet hurt. Lots of loving people and you might be lucky and bump into someone you know in there.
Marthinus van der Merwe
+5
Havana ooo nah nah!!!
Vibes to live by, food to die for, and atmosphere that can raise you from the dead!
I was at The Royale with a group of friends and had such a blast!!
The waiters were very good, the food was tasty, but most of all the atmosphere!! what a great place!
Tumelo Sardock Magongwa
+4
We went there for drinks. The atmosphere was great. The patrons were friendly and so were the staff. Just a note, it does get quite packed so a reservation is advised. We couldn't get any seating but luckily some kind people let us join their table. Overall not a bad spot.
24/7 Positive vibes. Restaurant at the top, "club" at the bottom. The atmosphere welcomes everyone, reasonably priced menu, average R150-R200 per person.
The bathrooms are a miss though. I'm not a fan of unisex bathrooms. But some may enjoy it 😋
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