The Athletic Club & Social

Very nicely decorated restaurant with a great cocktail list. To go downstairs in the evening to watch the Jazz shows you’ll need to book. Also book in advance if you can to reserve a spot! Very delicious food and drinks! Would have come back if we didn’t discover it at the end of the trip!

The atmosphere at Athletic Social is really lovely — cozy, stylish, and a great place to unwind. It’s a little dark inside but it’s not a train smash. Unfortunately, the drinks didn’t quite live up to the setting. The whiskey sour was super watery and not at all what we’re used to; even after sending it back, it still didn’t taste right. The pornstar martini was also pretty average and lacked the rich flavor and balance we expected. On the positive side, the tapas were much better! The octopus was absolutely delicious — tender, flavorful, and perfectly cooked as well as wonderfully combined with the dip. The lamb had a great seasoning and paired beautifully with the fresh salad and soft pita. Sadly, the lamb itself was quite chewy, which made it a bit disappointing overall. There’s definitely potential here — the vibe and food have highlights — but the cocktails could use some serious attention.

Went for a drink before closing. Beautiful two floor venue with bars on each floor. The selections was great and the barman let me try some of locally distilled gin! Its a great place to visit on any day of the week but heard that weekends get busier with many DJ's playing...

The best part about Winter in Cape Town, is the Winter Specials. We did the 3 course Winter Special and it was definitely value for money. The hostess gave us a warm welcome and ushered us to a dimly lit table. We each ordered a glass of white wine. Once we received our glass, we were abandoned by our waiter and made to wait forever to put our orders in. We had to eventually flag down another waiter to come and assist. For the starters, I had the Ricotta dumplings. I was expecting something different but nonetheless it was very flavourful and filling. My friend had the Calamari. She did not enjoy it as they were bland and underwhelming. For the main, we both had the lamb. The lamb was as delicious as it looked. I wasn't a fan of the chips on the sides, they could have chosen another side. For dessert, I had the orange almond cake which was okay, it was citrusy. It came with a scoop of ice-cream that complimented the cake very well. My friend went for the chocolate cake and vegan ice-cream, again she was underwhelmed and did not finish her dessert. Overall the dinning experience was underwhelming and left less to be desired. I think this place is better suited for drinks and dancing.

Atmosphere was amazing. Sat outside on the balcony, but was a bit loud due to the road passing past the place. Cocktails were absolutely amazing and the food was good too. Could highly recommend this place to anyone. When I left it became quite busy.

We hab the best night ever in here. Mava played an incredible vinyl set, full of the best soul songs ever made. Drinks were great and vibe also. Will come again for sure!

We went here several times while we were in Cape Town. As well as the main dining room on the ground floor there's a bar with a balcony upstairs and a room with live music in the basement. Service is friendly & efficient. Food is kind of Greek-influenced (Greek Salad, Kleftiko, Moussaka) and everything was very tasty. We were having so much fun we didn't notice that all the other guests had left and the staff were trying to close the restaurant! The manager had to have a quiet word with us :-) Lots of drinks (four bottles of wine, many, many cocktails) and the bill was ZAR 9000 for seven people ($75/head).

Went to the Athletic for some live jazz on a Thursday. The basement was packed, but everyone was comfortable. The music sounded great and the drink options were plentiful. Great place to go if you really enjoy live performances in an intimate space. The bar on the ground level has a huge selection of drinks as well, but ordering them from the smaller downstairs bar is allowed.