Ratings and reviews
4.0
RATINGS
Food
Service
Value
Atmosphere
Food and ambience
Local cuisine, Bar, Seafood, Vegetarian Friendly
Does this restaurant have live music
Details
About
Seafood restaurant and bar on the beach
CUISINES
Bar, Seafood
Special Diets
Vegetarian Friendly
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch, After-hours, Drinks
FEATURES
Takeout, Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Parking Available, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Free Wifi, Table Service, Live Music
Contribute
4.0
312 reviews
Excellent
126
Very good
121
Average
46
Poor
10
Terrible
9
Lizzie B
Bristol6 contributions
May 2021 • none
The Casbah restaurant is attached to the Casacabana beach hotel, and while staying there you get your breakfast served every morning right by the beach. The breakfast has locally made bread, which is really good - we brought some away with us!
They serve food all day, and you can wander in off the beach to have an assortment of drinks and food. The seafood is of course really good, it being sourced fresh, and you can watch the women carry on their heads the huge buckets of fish from the fishing boats as they stride across the beach to the market to sell.
The staff are welcoming and accommodating - they got me herbal tea especially for my breakfast. When we first arrived we wanted a snack and had the stuffed crab starter which both of us enjoyed, and I would recommend.
The local dishes are really worth a try, and the portions are quite large!!
It is a relaxing and friendly place to be, while watching the world go by!
Written 8 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
robert p
Thank you so much for the great review.
Written 23 September 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
dorischristina2015
Hamburg80 contributions
Jan 2022 • none
We went to Casbah for dinner during our stay in Vilankulo. Only to get the drinks we had ordered it took 40 minutes and on top of it we were told - after 40 minutes.there was no possibility to prepare Margaritas...When they came the Mojito tasted mostly of oregano and the capirinha as if they had left out the sugar.
We waited all in all for over an hour for the food which at least was served at the same time. However, the seafood pasta was very oily, the spareribs did not taste like spareribs and the cannelloni were very soft.
Written 9 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
robert p
SORRY!!!. End of busy season lethargy amongst the staff. Our pork ribs are done the Balinese way and are usually delicious by all accounts.
Written 12 January 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Christian Dietzen
Pretoria1 contribution
Jul 2022 • couples
It was only after reading a recent review regarding the service at the Casbah that I felt motivated to give my opinion. Firstly there is no debate over the fact that they serve the very best food in town. On the perceived negative side- I too have waited for up to an hour for my food even when they weren't busy. My advise to anyone going there is; relax and enjoy the fantastic setting and realize you are not racing the other rats to beat the 5 o'clock traffic anymore and by the way I have had the Canneloni and it does come with a mushroom sauce drizzled with truffle oil. Absolutely delicious!.
Written 6 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
manjelito
Thank you!. You get it.
Written 15 July 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Perly B
Zimbabwe1 contribution
Apr 2022 • none
I was there with my family 4 adults and 2 kids, the BARMAN took our orders the moment we sat down at precisely 5.15 pm after 45 minutes only did my drink come and it wasn't even what I requested in the first place. I asked for the drink that came in the coconut shell which he said he could do...it came in a glass. the excuse is it's not coconut season. If that wasn't bad enough after waiting for 1hr30 for the food I ask the BARMAN where my food was and he says "did you order ?" this man forgot to place my order and totally ignored the fact we were there? he didn't even apologize, he said to give the kitchen another 45 minutes to get our food but in the meantime, he would get us the plats for the kids who were growing extremely restless. The plates never came btw. only to take it up with the manager whose excuse was "we didn't confirm the order" as if that made any sense to anyone. The barman must have forgotten our order a second time cause the manager said to give them 45 MORE minutes and all we ordered was chips and the seafood platter, which when the food eventually came at 8 pm tasted bland. I felt belittled considering we were the only Black people in that restaurant. We watched many people get served, finish their food and walk away. The manager even quarrelled with us before we could even get a sorry out of him, and am convinced the barman was drunk if not even both of them.i can't believe this place ranks so high.
Written 10 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
manjelito
I was shocked to read your report on the bad service you received at the Casbah.I am the owner and for medical reasons I could not be there over the busy Easter period. Suffice to say that if had been there
this sort of thing would not likely have happened. The barman who took your order is new with us and still on probation. This is not the first instance where he has forgotten to send an order through to the kitchen and he has been advised to fly right or ship out. That said- please accept my humble apologies for the experience you were subjected to. We are renowned for our food and its a pity that you were unable to enjoy your experience here. Kind regards.
Written 9 May 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jessica L
3 contributions
Jan 2022 • family
Did not have a good experience. Arrived at the restaurant around 2.30pm and the wait already received us with an attitude but because it was a reference from a friend that said the food was amazing we decided to stay. We were 4 adults and 1 kid. They said that the starters would take 30min but it ended up coming after an hour. The main dishes which were changed more than once because they were always coming back to the table to say that it was finished and we needed to pick something else. So we ended up all choosing prawns which they said it would take only 10min and for the kid just just chicken and fries.5.30pm and the food did not come yet we had to go to the counter to say that we no longer want any food, they only managed to give us the chicken for the kid we paid the bill and we left. Very disappointed. Going back home to see if we can manage to cook something
Written 9 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
robert p
I humbly apologise- I arrived just after you walked out.. My son- who is not qualified took your initial order and I understand you were joined by some friends later on who also ordered prawns. 7 plates in all. Unfortunately the first order never reached the kitchen and the waiter only twigged when the second order came in. Sorry- It was the end of a busy Xmas season and everyone was showing wear& tear.. Warm regards.
Written 12 January 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
heather a
Okehampton4 contributions
Jun 2022 • none
Ordered lunch which took 4 HOURS to arrive! Then they only sent out 2 of the dishes as we'd threatened to leave if something didn't turn up soon. The fries were stone cold, the Portuguese burger was barely warm and when the rest of the meals came out, they weren't what we'd ordered. The cannelloni was supposed to come with a blue cheese sauce and it came out with mushroom sauce and looked like road kill, so that was sent back. The waitress was rude. On checking our bill with the record we had been keeping, they had overcharged us on the drinks.
The only pluses I can give them is the amazing view, clean toilets and free wifi.
Written 3 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
manjelito
Thank you for taking the time to review The Casbah. Unfortunately this type of thing always occurs when I ( the owner) am not present. I know that this is no excuse and there is management in place who should be doing there jobs to ensure this doesn't happen. However we do have days like this where we unexpectedly do 6 times our normal turnover and then the wheels come off. Occasionally we are the victims of our own success . If you look at all our recent reviews you will notice that the bad ones come during the very busy periods I.E December, April . This July we had a particularly large (again unexpected) influx of holiday makers from South Africa.
I honestly strive to make us the best in Vilanculos and it pains me to read about bad experiences where customers have to wait an inordinately long time for orders to come out.I can only offer you my apologies and thank you for the positive comments you made. Warm regards.
Written 5 July 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Shaina Z
7 contributions
Jan 2022 • family
They took 5 min to come to our table.
We order food at 2pm and get that on the table at 3.50pm.
The food was normal .. nothing special .. and came cold ..most of the food was cold. The waiters didn't show up on our table to ask if everything was ok or if we want more drinks ..
Terrible service..
Written 9 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
robert p
Sorry to hear about your no experience. I know we can't be making excuses as a professional establishments but sometimes the waiters are working on auto pilot towards the end of a very busy season. Please accept my apologies.
Written 12 January 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
p0ppy2018
London11 contributions
Aug 2022 • family
With a beautiful setting right on the beach it is no hardship to wait a little for your food . By no means fast but not absurdly slow, the food is worth the wait.Benny’s homemade Piri Piri sauce makes the best chicken in town , with his caipirinha s a close second. The grilled fish and seafood pasta are also excellent.. The matapa is a wonderful introduction to one of Mozambique’s national dishes.
Written 9 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rebeccakb5
Illovo11 contributions
Jan 2024 • couples
The location of this restaurant is stunning, but the service is not only atrocious, but one staff member was also incredibly rude.
The food is average for its price and compared to other spots in Vilanculos. It arrives cold and very late.
This is a great pity as it has the potential to be the best spot in town due to its location.
Written 7 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Robert Parker
Hi Rebecca- Thank you for your review. Fact is; We are the best and most popular restaurant in Vilanculos and therein lies the problem- come December and we are overrun with tourists and the staff battle to cope sometimes. We are renowned for having the best food in town. Did you ask to speak to a manager or myself the owner? We have a zero tolerance policy for staff being rude to customers and I would love to know the name of this particular staff member.
Written 9 January 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Linda S
2 contributions
May 2022 • none
The perfect beach holiday restaurant. Great service , excellent prawn curry, magnificent views, cold beer, hot sun and warm sand! Spent hours watching kite surfers having fun out at sea. Don’t miss this when you go to Vilanculos!
Written 24 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
manjelito
Thanks so much for your review.
Written 26 June 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
NRI1989
Muscat30 contributions
May 2022 • solo
Rob is an angel running this wonderful property on the beach for past 21 years. I had some good burgers and local food. Prawn Matapa was just so delicious. They also accept Bitcoin. Spent 2 days just eating here. Wonderful view.
Written 31 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
manjelito
Thank you!!!
Written 1 June 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Amanda M
Paris77 contributions
Aug 2023 • couples
These really are the best prawns in Mozambique....if not the world....Lucky enough to have traveled extensively these were the best ever! Benny's Piri piri sauce is a game changer. The ambience so chilled service friendly and efficient and more importantly non intrusive....heaven for those who want excellent food without ego no frills just quiet consistency....We had brussel sprouts, Rissoto balls, king and tiger prawns. Calamari, fish burger, stuffed crabs and cocktails....All excellent ....Great place...
Written 27 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Della C
4 contributions
Jul 2023 • couples
Delicious seafood. The tastiest crab and king prawns ever had. If I could I could try the whole menu.
Written 19 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Robert Parker
Thank you. Sure you agree. Our food is worth waiting for.
Written 21 July 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Vacation23277519633
1 contribution
Apr 2023 • couples
This was our favourite place in mozambique. It has the very best prawns period. Mojitos were to die for. Its location is perfect, right on the beach.
Written 18 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Caryl Vicary
3 contributions
Oct 2022 • none
Positioned on the beach, and a 20 minute walk along the beach from the Vilanculos Beach lodge . We had yummy prawns!!
Written 9 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
manjelito
Thank you!
Written 11 November 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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