fable

Having visited well over a hundred bars in Cape Town, I can confidently say Fable is unquestionably the best. I'm a regular here, and for good reason. What sets this place apart is the bartenders – they truly know their craft. They're not just mixing drinks; they understand the spirits, the techniques, and they're genuinely passionate about sharing that knowledge. Every conversation about cocktails here is enlightening. Fable has given me countless exceptional experiences, and it's become my go-to spot whenever I'm hosting friends. If you appreciate proper cocktails and expert bartending, this is where you need to be.

I love it here! They really standout for their cocktail innovation, staff are super friendly, and the sets are generally geared towards millennials, which makes it such a great spot to have a good drink and listen to my favourite tunes from yesteryear.

Cool and tasty cocktails. If you like a drink with a bit of a gimmick, then you'll love Fable. Service was very slow, got the wrong items multiple times at our table of two. The place was only at around ¼ capacity. Staff appear to be joking around with each other more than checking in on customers😅 We ended up getting 20% discount and two free shooters due to the slow service and constant mix ups. I will be making my way back to The Drinkery when Im in the mood for cocktails instead❤️

After hearing countless glowing reviews about Fabel’s signature cocktails and mocktails, we decided to leave the fine dining restaurant we were at to end our evening with a few drinks there. Unfortunately, the experience was far from what we expected. We arrived at 4:22 pm and were greeted by Josh, the owner, whose manner came across as unnecessarily condescending. He informed us that the restaurant was fully booked and only opened at 4:30 pm, instructing us to wait outside “to avoid playing musical chairs.” Despite this, we were handed menus and offered water just a minute later. We were told we could only be seated at the bar areas, either inside or outside, raising the question of why we weren’t simply welcomed and seated there from the start. When we inquired about the drinks, Josh described a “theatrical” selection, which turned out to mean little more than a paper mâché cover over the glass. Both drinks we ordered were disappointingly flat in flavour and presentation, a stark contrast to the hype surrounding the place. To make matters worse, despite being told the restaurant was fully booked, it never reached full capacity in the two hours we were there. The only redeeming part of the experience was the staff. They were friendly, attentive, and genuinely welcoming , the complete opposite of the owner’s demeanor. Their warmth and professionalism are what saved the restaurant experience, making you actually want to spend your money and try new drinks. We later visited Yatai Restaurant down the road, where we were warmly welcomed, without a reservation, even though it was noticeably busier. The atmosphere was inviting, and their watermelon cocktail was both “theatrical” and flavourful, delivering exactly the kind of experience we had hoped for. It’s worth noting that, from our vantage point upstairs at Fabel, it was clear that Josh’s warmth and hospitality are selectively applied. Some guests received an enthusiastic welcome, while others, like us, were made to feel unwelcome and out of place. For a restaurant with such high acclaim, the lack of consistency, courtesy, and genuine hospitality was profoundly disappointing.

Such a cool experience! The drinks were great, each one came with its own creative storyline and they were even interactive, which made it so much more fun!!!!! The whole experience was engaging and genuinely memorable.

Loved this place. Came here twice during my stay because cocktails were amazing (see attached 👻🩸), vibes great, and services was lovely. Will def be back next trip.

Pricey but worthwhile. If you're looking for a place to have cocktails or drinks with friends that are themed and fun, Fable is the place to go. Each drink has its own fable attached, and the showcasing of the drink is also fun and adds to the atmosphere! Definitely something everyone needs to try.

We came as a group of 8 women on their ladies half priced cocktails night excited for our Fable cocktails. We were told by 4 different people which cocktails were on special and each waiter told us different answers so we were confused by the end of the night, luckily the manager heard our queries and gave us all of our cocktails half priced by the end of the night so thank you for that! The cocktails were delicious, we just hope there’s less confusion next time.