Fred & Max

Loved this place, we were passing by and came across this gem of a coffee shop on steroids!. Food and service was fantastic. The setting is fantastic!. We will be back!

Fred & Max: Somerset West
Date: Wednesday, 20 December 2027

A friend of mine was raving about this hidden gem, a burger joint in Somerset West so I just had to go and experience it myself.

We decided to try the CM Burger and 'The Yes Sir' Burger.

1. CM Burger: R99
Wait for it, a deep fried chicken mayo patty topped with tomato, onion, chilli, peppadew and sour cream sauce. This patty was so 'flippen lekker' you don't even need the rest of the toppings. I don't know how they do it, but it was absolutely divine! Crispy on the outside, juicy in the inside. The bun itself was toasted but you could still feel that it was not a fresh bun. It was difficult to cut through so I just ate the bottom part of the bun. Still chewy but the patty made up for it. The burger is accompanied by onion rings, sweet potatoes and your choice between American style fries or a salad.

2. 'The Yes Sir' Burger: R105
Beef patty topped with camembert, pancetta, avocado and homemade sweet chili sauce.
I appreciate the fact that restaurants make their own patties and not serve their customers store bought patties. What I loved about this patty is the fact that there was so little fat in it. The mince was so clean that I am taking the risk to say this was extra lean mince. My digestive system thanks the patty maker! The balance of onion was great but the hand was a bit heavy on the coriander and salt side. It reminded me a lot of a 'boerewors' taste. I had to finish my beer quite fast to quench the 'salty' thirst. All in all you can not actually taste the toppings that accompany this burger but eating it separately is a different story. Maybe a heavy hand is needed for the cheese man, you can never have enough cheese, man...

Recommendation Do's:
1. Go on Wednesdays. Burger special, buy any 2 burgers for R150.
2. If you are up for something new, try the CM Burger.
3. If you don't like toasted buns like me, ask the waiter for a fresh bun. Each to their own.
4. Book a table. It can get quite busy.
5. Try the 'Plain Jane' Burger at R75. Let the patty speak for itself.

Recommendation Don'ts:
1. Not exactly child friendly. Didn't see a kiddies menu but I think kids can share a burger.

Waiters are friendly. The owner greets all his guests. Great personal touch. All in all, great place, great vibe, just a burger joint you want to go back to with friends and enjoy an ice cold beer and burger. I will definitely be back to try the 'Mr Lamb' Burger. Please make sure there is Jack Black on tap...;)

I've been to Fred&Max Somerset West twice. With the first visit I didn't book but was quickly helped and they carried in a table for us. We ordered the Elgin Burger after taking a while to decide. The beef patty is amazing, grilled to perfection. The toppings weren't particularly prominent in taste but it was a very good burger. The salad I chose instead of chips was great, complete with rocket, feta and cashew nuts👌🏼 And the sweet potato wedges were amazing as well as the sauces that accompany the meal.

Second visit:

We decided to go for the Wednesday burger special (2 for R150) and were not disappointed. We were greeted at the door and when the manager (or co-owner, I'm not quite sure) saw us he greeted us as he remembered us which was pretty cool.
We decided to try two different burgers opting for the young & the brave (nacho encrusted chicken) and the Yes sir (beef patty, pancetta, Camembert, avo). Once again the beef was the winner, but the chicken was very interesting with the nachos quite prominent.

For dessert we found it difficult to decide between the affogato and the coffee king cone so we eventually opted for the cone because of the interesting sound and look of it. It's not something I'll order again as the ice cream was a bit more like frozen cream and crumbled a lot.. not sure if that is how it is meant to be.. also a bit expensive at R39 for what you get.. I expected a bit more in terms of taste. Next time I'll try the affogato instead.

Another visit done & dusted: This time we enjoyed some live music on a Friday night. We simply came by to try one more of the burgers on the menu as we were on our way somewhere and usually try to make time to stop at Fred & Max.
We ordered the affogato which includes a shot of whisky (with vanilla ice cream and espresso). It was good and recommended if you like whisky but not something I would order again.
Burger wise we ordered the Blues Burger. I expected a bit more biltong but in saying that it might have been overpowering to have too much of it. The blue cheese sauce had a good taste, not too strong. Not my favourite burger of the ones I've tried, but can see how it could be someone's favourite. Once again I must also mention the friendly staff👌🏼 Always feel welcome at Fred & Max:)

Really cool atmosphere! Staff is really friendly and helpful. Some good coffee. They have some cool events with specials during the week. Interesting burger menu that is tasty. Worth a visit!

A very relaxed yet trendy place to eat, drink and enjoy coffee. It's got a Cape Town vibe with all kinds of alternative delights like poached eggs on pancakes and...wait for it...deep fried bacon! Very cool staff who are happy to organize breakfast past 11. They have live music on weekends too. So next time you're in S-West, pull in! #Fan

Tried out Fred&Max for a nice early breakfast on Saturday morning after reading and hearing good things. Staff who greated us were very hip and extremely friendly. Coffee was okay and the food very good. Only real problem was that I still left there leaving a bit hungry. Overall great exoerience and will be back