Brooklyn >
Madiba Restaurant
Recommend this business?
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At a Glance
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100% ambiance
“there was also some pretty cool stuff around with the decor.”
100% dessert
“would also highly recommend the bread pudding for dessert.”
81% drinks
“It took us forever just to get menus, drinks had to be begged for to arrive, and food was WAY overpriced, but tasty.”
86% food quality
“can't vouch for whether this place represents the authentic tastes of home longed for by transplanted ex-pats, but the food I had was fine, if somewhat over-priced.”
75% menu variety
“The service was friendly and helpful, since the menu was new to me.”
83% overall
“Although, the prices may be considered to be on the steep end--especially in the neighborhood--it is a nice place for a quiet, homestyle dinner on a Sunday night.”
0% return potential
“We will return, but will stay away from the expensive drinks.”
76% service
“All in all I'd say that if you're in a hurry for a quick and efficient meal you might be happier elsewhere but if you enjoy a leisure meal in a very friendly atmosphere then you'll probably be hooked.”
60% value
“think its in really poor taste to charge a cover for the music when you are going there to have a nice dinner and spend significant money - come on - this is Brooklyn!”
60% wait time
“The service was unexplicably slow, considering that the place was almost empty.”
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Madiba Restaurant
From The Owner of Madiba Restaurant
Tips for Madiba Restaurant
February 19, 2012
Delicious Food ... but overpriced.
I, too, love the food at this restaurant! Everything I have ever had here was really good, and I'm trying to eat my way thru the menu.
The decor is "unusual" - I presume it's meant to be authentic to or remniscent of South Africa.
The service has always been prompt and helpful.
My only gripe is that it seems expensive to me, considering everything else. $20 entrees that are relatively small is just out of reason unless you really love the food.
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Heart
December 16, 2011
i am obsessed with this restaurant..
I love the food. I love the adorable/knowledgeable staff. I love the location. I LOVE this restaurant.
i also LOVE bringing my family and friends from out of town here!!!
it's wonderful. i've only ever had one less-than-perfect experience with their food- but that is because i am EXTREMELY picky. :)
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Heart
November 12, 2010
Thieves!!!!!!. SO I went there 3 times... each time the service was pretty damn bad (nice people but just couldn't get their stuff together). Food was ok but expected much better. Then they charged my friends credit card TWICE!!! It was nothing we could see at the time because the CC receipt was for $71 but when she got her bank statement they rang it through twice! After several unhelpful phonecalls with them we went back there to square it away and when the girl rang the CC through to take it off she took it offline so it never even took it off her card! (that WASN'T a mistake because we bought a drink on my CC while waiting and it was certainly online then!) The owners brother, Dennis, apologized and gave us 1 free drink and told us to come back 2 days later and he'd give her gift certificates since she was coming all the way from Williamsburg to fix it. When we went back he was nowhere to be found. The man helping us said he knew nothing about it and looked at us like 'sorry, i can't help you'. I had to suggest to him that he call Dennis to get this straightened out and when he did call him Dennis played dumb. My friends bank account ended up getting overdrafted because it didn't come off of her card when they "rang it through" and we ended up leaving with no gift certificates and her having to file a claim with the bank to have them investigate the situation so they could clear her of all the overdraft fees that had accrued. I understand accidents happen but when they do they should be handled properly... and all 4 people we dealt with in this situation were total idiots and tried to pass it off to someone else. Deffinitely not going back!!!
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Heart
November 07, 2010
Home away from home!.
My friend and I went to Madiba's in search of a little taste of home...and that's exactly what we got!
The food was excellent, friendly service-just like in SA, great background music and decor! The food did not arrive promptly like it would if you go to all-American Mc Dee's, but if you want to have a South-African experience, you should expect to be served on "African time!" Sit back, relax, sip on a Savannah and just enjoy the ambiance!
We enjoyed the Proudly SA products that were for sale! (Bought half of it) Funny though that our "Ouma-rusks" and "Cream-soda" was packed in "I heart NY bags!" Any "Checkers" ;"Pick 'n Pay" or "PEP" bags coming for future visitors?
this place is AYOBA! Loved it
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Heart
June 13, 2010
save yourself for a better service and meal. I went to the restaurant around 5pm on Sunday. A half of the place was empty but the service was a way too slow. The wine was bad, the lamb was overcooked and the waiter didn't bother to check with me about food and drink. I couldn't even find him when I was ready for a check. It was a second time visiting this place. I wish I wasn't too hungry and it wasn't pouring when I walked by the restaurant.
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Heart
May 20, 2009
Great food. The giant prawns were incredible. The service was friendly and helpful, since the menu was new to me. Beautiful decor, casual outdoor dining, a jewel in my neighborhood. Great place to bring out-of-towners.
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Heart
August 27, 2008
If you want something different, go to Madiba!. Wow, what a unique experience Madiba was. I love this place. I went on a friday night, first there happy hour was the most festive i've ever experienced. Live music and it was a lot of fun. The service was great and the drinks were phenominal. The food was the most amazing experience. The restaurant itself was very natural and had a rustic feel to it. I love that I'm in Brooklyn and can actually venture out for a true South African experience. I will definitely recommend this place to my friends and also for those people wanting to leave the hustle and bustle of the city. this was truly a unique place to have a friday night dinner.
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Heart
July 12, 2008
Don't go. Do not waste your time or money. Terrible service for just OK food. Waited an hour for dishes that never arrived. Atmosphere is the only thing it has going for it at this point.
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Heart
June 08, 2008
over priced.. Over priced- four little somosas for $10. Small piece of fried fish with a lot of french fries for $14. Rice with a piece of broccli and some lentils for $14. weak drinks. Medicore food. Absolutely a waste of money and a waste of what could be an enjoyable night out.
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Heart
June 02, 2008
ONLY IF YOU HAVE A FEW HOURS TO SPARE. Service was terrible. 45 mins wait WITH a reservation. Food took over an hour to arrive. Pity, the place looked like it would be a great experience. Never again.
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Madiba Restaurant
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