7 years ago we came back and back to this wonderfully atmospheric restaurant in an old town house (or houses) purely on the strength of the best cuisine we'd had in South Africa. This time around the atmosphere and service were just as excellent but the food was only just above average. We suspect too many covers and not enough... more

Consistently good food, great service in a beautiful, historic building which is full of charm and atmosphere. We dined at Five Flies at least 4 times this winter (yes, their winter special is a drawcard) but we would not have returned had the food or service not been tops. A lovely, interesting menu cleverly constructed and always a pleasure to... more

Having spent two weeks travelling around the Western Cap I will admit that we had a high expectation of food in Cape Town. Five Flies was recommended by a friend who had visited the year before and by people we met in Cape Town. The food was not good at all - some dishes were not heated through or drowned... more

The Five Flies is an excellent place, overall. As the combination of two original small buildings, the various rooms have different character. I liked the courtyard with a glass roof, myself. For dinner, I had hunter steak salad, Springbok Wellington, and chocolate gateau cake. All were wonderful; the salad was flavorful, the Wellington pastry appropriately flaky, and the cake not... more

Located in the heart of Cape Town in a beautiful building with a rich history, this venue is always a pleasure. Service and quality of food is consistently good. The experienced team serving is young and energetic. Both the courtyard bar and the upstairs lounge are great places to enjoy pre or post dinner drinks. The wine list is good... more

We ate here twice recently. The 1st time as part of a group of over 100 the 2nd with 2 friends. Both times were excellent. You pay a set price for 2 or 3 courses with some extras available. Very good choice, we sampled both fish & meat and were not disppointed. Worth checking their website as it is very... more

Nice ambience and atmosphere with various people. Old, hip, families etcetera. Drink in the bar to recommend. Sadly we had to wait far too long for our booked table but then the service was swift and efficient. The ambience and atmosphere was better than the food though but all in all well worth a visit. more

Five Flies had been on my list for a while but it seems to have dropped out of restaurant guides recently. We were there on a Tuesday for lunch, so probably not the best time to find a happening scene. The old building has plenty of character but the food is oddly presented and definitely there is better to be... more

We went to this restaurant based on a recommendation, although I had read a review that the restaurant has declined from its previous excellence. We agree completely with the review. The calamari appetizer had the dressing at the bottom and so the top part of the watercress had no flavor. Even then, there was something missing in the dressing. The... more