Butcher Shop & Grill (The), Johannesburg

After years of being out of the country, we were looking forward to the great steaks we remembered at The Butcher Shop. This is the opinions of five patrons who ate at multiple steakhouses during our stay from JUne -AUgust 2010- The steaks at the grill house were disappointing in terms of quality , flavor and value. The service was good, food was average , ambience ok, value poor.

All starters are ZAR 40.00 - 70.00. Watch out for SQ pricing on menu though - you will pay R480.00 for a prawn starter - more than tripple the price of any main meal on the menu. It borders on unethical and is totaly rediculous compared to South African prices. The negative comments about arrogance of management and service fees not correct on this website was also experienced when addressing this matter

Nice place for a dinner or lunch. The food was excellent with a unique taste. Of course order only steaks. The cellar guard is an good and kind guy worth thw visit. You will find the best options of South African wines, don't forget to try the pinotage.

1.You are not able to have a glass of tap water with ice free but have to buy bottles of water. 2. Watch out for the maitre De who comes to ask what wine you would like, without a wine list, and then recommends a bottle of wine costing R405-00.

Our evening was ruined completely by the experience we had at the Butcher Shop. Opposite from earlier visits, all elements were awful hre. Sewrice was rude to say the leats, the food was terrible, and the meat sometimes felt like it should have been discarded. forks were thrown on the table, and mangers completely discarded our complaints. We will not return. This was referred by KLM-staff who frequently eat here and will unlikely return now as well. Not recommended to others. Visited on Sunday may 3, 2009.

After ordering two glasses of wine, my friend left the table to go down to the cellar to buy some bottles of wine to take home. During that time, the waiter refused to serve me two glases of tap water, saying it was the "Rules of the Restaurant". When I asked to speak to the manager, I was told he was "manning the desk" and that I would have to go and see him. When I did, I asked why they had this policy, since we were clearly already going to be paying guests, not freeloaders who were ONLY ordering tap water. He told me it was purely commercial, as they have rent and salaries to pay. I reasoned that we were already paying, but he refused to serve tap water anyway. When my friend returned from the cellar, he'd ordered R2000 worth of wines which were being prepared whilst I told him what had happened. We decided to leave the restaurant altogther, and unfortunately will not return, on principle. It's a shame, because the food is generally good - I am a regular customer at the Wine bar and the Butcher Shop.

You get a lot of value for your money spent -- compared to Europe & America. Reservation recommended to be granted seats. Lovely beef and an excellent variety of wines. Was in SA for 4 days and had supper there 3 nights + 1 lunch, a sign for how much we liked the place. Think 99,9% of the waiters/es are super, yet we got ripped off by one of them lying about service fees.

i like everything about this place. it is really the best steak house in all over the world. i would like really if i can everytime visit this lovely restaurant

I only have to say one word to describe how i felt in such a place and this word will say it all, i'm sure you'll agree. OUTSTANDING !!

The cuts of meat, combined with a wide selection of wine, makes this place worthwile. Initially one of my favourite restaurants; however the arrogance of staff and especially senior management made me delete the restaurant of my list of places to go.