Addo Cattle Baron Grill & Bistro

After a long, rewarding day in the Addo Elephant National Park, we stopped at the Cattle Baron for late lunch. Our waiter was fantastic! Attentive and entertaining. The food was great, too.

Did not have junior burgers for kiddies. They gave us the wrong food. Order chicken strips and got fish fingers. But it was rectified and we will definitely be coming again

My son went onto the website about the restaurant which gave amazing reviews. When we arrived there the menu was less than grand. The Springbok rack, which we were very interested in, wasn’t available and by their own admission it hadn’t been available for a very long time. The waitress volunteered that “maybe it should removed from the menu”. The toilets were dirty, taps not working properly and soap dispensers broken and/or empty. To think that the catering staff dealing with food may not be washing their hands after using the toilet “facilities”, is very disturbing. There is only one toilet for mothers or fathers to engage in a baby’s nappy change, which also doubles as a disabled toilet, and on several occasions they were used by the women staff; when addressed there was a verbal apology in English then a discussion in Xhosa with a colleague nearby followed by laughter. The toilet roll holder in that same bathroom was broken and the toilet roll was hanging. The orders weren’t correct especially the rib eye which was very rare almost a blue steak in lieu of medium rare. They arrived without the accompaniment of vegetables which was on the menu. Creamy spinach and butternut, and the portion was minimal. We actually had to request it and they appeared surprised. The vinyl bench chairs were worn and frayed. Personally I would not recommend the restaurant to anyone. As a proud South African, I was embarrassed that foreigners were subjected to this display of South African “Hospitality”. I also felt that the friendliness was not genuine but on show for possible tips. This is a genuine review I have photographed the evidence.

This steak meal was one of the absolute best meals I had during my trip to South Africa. The garlic compound butter was a phenomenal addition and the chips were fantastic!

A Must-Visit Dining Experience in the Heart of the Wild. After an exhilarating day spotting elephants and other wildlife in Addo, the Cattle Baron was the perfect way to end our adventure. The setting is warm and elegant, with just enough rustic charm to remind you that you're still deep in the Eastern Cape bush. The steaks are absolutely world-class—perfectly aged, expertly grilled, and served with delicious sides. I highly recommend the Chateaubriand, which adds a touch of flair to an already unforgettable meal. The wine list is well-curated with excellent South African selections, and the service was friendly, professional, and attentive without being intrusive. Whether you're staying in the park or just passing through, Cattle Baron is a hidden gem that delivers fine dining with a local twist. Highly recommended

Cheekily decided to skip a night's braai due to the rain, and had steak at Addo's Cattle Baron. A shout out to Nomtha who gave us the most amazing service with the sweetest smile - we weren't in her service area but she came by when we were looking for help with the wine and proceeded to be responsive and communicative and soon brought our wine opener and then food! I loved her initiative and can-do attitude. Now, the food. We have amazing beef in SA, and I love it without any basting. This time, I asked for the peppercorn style, with pepper crust and the green pepper sauce, and we asked for a medium rare on the fillet and the ribeye. The fillet arrived well done, the ribeye arrived medium. The ribeye was much tastier, though the texture of the fillet was tender. The pepper crust and sauce was enough to make up for the kitchen's inconsistency. My advice, don't fuss about the doneness here - enjoy the quality of the meat, maybe try the pepper crust (to cover up any faults).. bring your own wine (low corkage fees), and just enjoy being in SA with the quality of meat and wine that brings a smile on your face!

Reagan gaves us the best service, he kept checking us and made sure that our food was fine. Thank you

Really excellent food, and really really good service. Reagan was our server and he was fantastic, very responsive and good natured which made our dining experience all the better.