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The Rock
Review
About
Features
CUISINES
African, Seafood, European
Meal types
Lunch, Dinner
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options
FEATURES
Accepts Credit Cards
Free Wifi
Full Bar
Outdoor Seating
Reservations
Seating
Serves Alcohol
Table Service
Location
Does this restaurant offer free wifi?
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Hours
Open until 8:00 PM
Sunday
12:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Monday
12:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Tuesday
12:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Wednesday
12:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Thursday
12:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Friday
12:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Saturday
12:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Contribute
4.1
5,361 reviews
Excellent
2,630
Very good
1,397
Average
758
Poor
336
Terrible
242
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Alessia A
12 contributions
Oct 2024 • friends
We stayed here one evening, you have to (just in case) book on the website paying $10 deposit per person which will then be deducted from the final bill.
The place is wonderful, but I recommend going there during the day, for lunch or for a drink because with sunlight it is a different story!
However, we were greeted by a very nice Italian guy (restaurant manager) who also helped us choose the dishes on the menu explaining them one by one!
The menu is extensive, prices are medium-high but in line with what is served, really good quality with fresh fish!
We had a great meal with live music in the background, in my opinion an experience to do in Zanzibar
Automatically translated
Written October 29, 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.
Lorna B
Sonning on Thames211 contributions
Aug 2024 • family
The location is what makes this venue - it’s worth going for a time where you can see the restaurant so 4pm or 6pm.
There’s a bit of a wait to get people over the short distance in the boat and be prepared to get very wet! This is not a venue for long trousers and dresses as we found out. Two of our party did have to sit in wet trousers and shirt so not very comfortable and the two men were frantically bucketing water out of the boat in the waves!
Once over it’s much better - there’s an outdoor area for photos and a nice place for a glass of wine to start the evening. The service is efficient as you only have 2 hours to eat and return. That said it was friendly service and we placed our order and received the dishes from a pleasant team. The cashier at the till rather than bill from the waiter does feel a little fast food service rather than nice restaurant but it’s no doubt managed for efficiency rather than service.
Two of our party tried the Rock special and there was plenty of food, grill led fish of the day was tuna and it was on the dry side and one had a steak. All were reasonably served and enjoyed.
It’s definitely expensive for the quality of the food - so don’t go there expecting 5* standards or if you want an incredible meal - it’s reasonable quality in unique surroundings.
It was a very good one-off experience overall - we wouldn’t repeat it, but we’re glad we tried it!
Written August 24, 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.
Bar
World130 contributions
Sep 2023 • couples
I honestly went with low expectations, thinking that only the picturesque place was what they could contribute... which I was completely wrong. Just accessing The Rock is an adventure, if the tide is high and there are waves the boatman will take you against the current (advice, don't get too fancy, you can get soaked with a single wave). Our reception was unbeatable, the owner welcomed us in perfect Spanish and was very attentive to all the tables. The place is like something out of a Disney movie, but the food is UNSURPASSED. Even when I think about the ravioli stuffed with crab and spirulina I get excited... Two soft drinks, a starter, and two main dishes of pasta with seafood was a total of approximately 80e, in my opinion, it is very worth it!
Written September 16, 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.
Alexandra S.
53 contributions
Aug 2023 • couples
The restaurant has a very nice location and it was nice to enjoy our cocktails on the terrace before we went in for dinner. We knew beforehand that the dishes were significantly more expensive than in other restaurants. The menu is also available online. Because of the prices, we went there with the expectation of good service and delicious food. There are enough staff there, but they were not very attentive. We had no napkins and expected to be asked if we wanted a glass when we ordered a beer. So we had to drink from the bottle. The staff did not ask us whether we wanted anything else either after the meal or when our drinks were empty. So we had to be active when ordering.
You shouldn't go there if you're very hungry. The dishes are very manageable in terms of quantity. Culinary-wise it was not a highlight. My dessert "chocococco" was not sweet and did not taste of coconut. It was an icy mass.
Written August 17, 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.
Ксения Б
18 contributions
Feb 2025 • family
Didn't expect sightseeing in a restaurant. Threw an extra glass of wine to the bill. Ice cream was brought in without fruit, counted at $10 versus $13 for marked on the fruit menu. Very unpleasant.
Some people liked the dishes, some didn't. But the exact same can be ordered for half the price at any random restaurant on the island.
In the end - taking a picture makes sense. Lunch, overpay.
Automatically translated
Written February 20, 2025
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.
Chi Liu H
Amsterdam2 contributions
Jan 2024 • couples
Reserved via the site. They have 2 hour shifts. It's small, so it fills up quickly. Took a tuk tuk from Paje. $8 on the square instead of a taxi $20 from the hotel. After 20 minutes you will be dropped off at a parking lot where there is a private entrance to the beach. If you say that you have made a reservation, you will arrive at the beach where you will of course first have to pass goods on display before you can go to The Rock. A small rock in the sea that is completely occupied by a small lounge with a staircase that is accessible from the beach via a paved path at low tide, but at high tide by a boat that takes guests back and forth for free. Inside you enter a small room where an estimated 80 people can eat and behind it a small terrace with some seating and lounge facilities. Service is clearly instructed and very friendly. The menu is not very extensive and certainly not cheap for Zanzibar. The order was taken quickly. Mojito and Passion Fruit Mango Juice, Fish Carpaccio, Fish sticks, Lobster Tagliatelle and Gnocchi. And a bottle of water. The drinks arrived quickly by Zanzibar standards, as did the starters. The drinks consisted largely of sparkling water. The carpaccio was beautiful and tasted great too. The fish sticks were dry and the taste was ok, but not great. The follow-up court took a long time. People sitting around us got their food even though they had come later. After we saw some startled reactions from a distance, our food arrived after an hour. Disappointing. Pasta with small lobster turned out to be pasta with very small pieces of really small lobster, which had also been cooked to pieces. The sauce certainly did not consist of fresh ingredients and it was unimaginatively placed on the plate without any garnish or adornment. The gnocchi was nothing special, with few shrimps and tasted a bit mealy. The portions were so large that we did not need a follow-up course or dessert.
Overall, the experience and ambiance were ok. The food is not special and for the price of $125 it is totally overpriced. The service was friendly and helpful. The next shift comes after 2 hours. We arranged the same tuk tuk back.
Written January 10, 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.
nigel Firman
Thank you for sharing your detailed feedback about your experience at The Rock. We appreciate your insights and take all comments seriously as we continuously strive to enhance our guest experience.
We're glad to hear that you found the service to be friendly and helpful, and that the ambiance was satisfactory. However, we sincerely apologize for the delays in receiving your main courses and the disappointment with the quality of some dishes.
Your remarks about the fish sticks, lobster tagliatelle, and gnocchi have been noted, and we assure you that your feedback will be shared with our culinary team to address areas for improvement. We value your honesty, and it's crucial for us to understand where we can enhance our offerings.
We apologize for any inconvenience caused during your visit and appreciate your suggestions. If you decide to give us another chance in the future, we'll be dedicated to providing you with a much-improved experience.
Thank you for your feedback, and we hope to have the opportunity to welcome you again.
Kind regards,
The Rock Team
Written February 3, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
DRS
Nxuba169 contributions
Dec 2024 • family
The unique location of the restaurant is the main attraction. We had an outside table with a lovely view of the actual rock foundation and low tide puddles. The service is very efficient and friendly. The Seed to seed salad was definitely worth a full star by itself and of exceptional fine dining value. A flavour explosion in one salad, presented in an edible bread basket. Our main courses was a bit disappointing. The steak was very bland and tough, not exactly like a South African rib-eye.
Written January 11, 2025
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.
Tracy M
35 contributions
Mar 2024 • friends
The Rock is undeniably a stunning location, offering a beautiful view that makes the setting truly special. However, while the atmosphere is a major highlight, the overall dining experience left much to be desired. The food was decent but not exceptional, and given the prices, it felt overpriced for what was offered. Unfortunately, the dessert didn’t stand out either, so I wouldn’t recommend it.
Additionally, while it’s understandable that the restaurant is popular and requires a reservation, I didn’t appreciate the timed dining experience. The constant pressure to finish within a set time made the meal feel rushed, and it didn’t help that there were staff members closely observing throughout. It really detracted from the experience, making it less enjoyable than it could have been.
Overall, while the setting is beautiful and the restaurant is certainly a bucket-list location, I wouldn’t return due to the high prices, lackluster food, and the rushed atmosphere.
Written January 9, 2025
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.
Kobalindestar
63 contributions
Aug 2024 • friends
Well, with all the hype and glory surrounding this place, you’d expect the meal to at least be the best food you had all month! It wasn’t even the best food I had that day! Yes it’s really cool to see a restaurant on a rock in the ocean, and to take a little dingy to get to your meal, but it’s a tourist trap that is greatly overrated. We drove 2 hours to get there and then immediately got our butts soaked in the over loaded dingy. Cheers to the crew for taking us out, it’s not an easy job. There is no organization on the beach, just everyone pilling on to the boat to attempt to get to the restaurant on time. Someone should be there to check reservations. I thought to myself, surely all these people don’t have reservations to eat in this tiny restaurant! Well, they did! It was packed! I’m sure there are nice views but you only get to see them from wherever they seat you. No options to move around as it is shoulder to shoulder. The food was a joke. Honestly. We had the fish carpaccio which actually had wonderful flavor but presentation was nil. We also had the calamari with polenta which was presented beautifully but missing flavors. I wanted the ribeye but they didn’t have it (only 5 or 6 options for mains and you are out of the best one?). I had the steak on a stick which must have been all of 50g of meat. My husband had the lobster and they gave a plate of 2 small lobsters, so I guess they can’t source fresh mature lobsters. The desserts were beautiful and tasteless! It’s Italian-run and they can’t make a decent tiramisu?? The cake was completely dry! That’s not tiramisu! Wine list was lacking also. Seems they cater only to cocktails. The menu on the website was not the same as inside.
So in the end, I recommend if you want to see the rock, go to the beach and take as many photos as you like. There are cute shops and even a boutique hotel with restaurant, which potentially tastes a lot better! Don’t waste time going in to The Rock. It’s not worth it at all 😔
Written September 2, 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.
Matt D
Bristol11 contributions
Aug 2024 • family
Total rip-off of a tourist circus. We had to wait for over an hour to get a boat across due to the high tide so we only arrived at 5.15pm for a 4pm reservation. What we didn’t appreciate when we got there was that they wanted to ensure we were still off the rock by 6pm in readiness for the next booking! Prices are sky-high, costing us as a family of four in excess of $175 yet we were rushed to our seats, made to order food straight away and received it within ten mins followed by the bill in no time. Totally spoilt what should have been a nice occasion given the location. Food is very average which added insult to injury. Don’t bother in my opinion as they don’t value the customer - you are simply a cash cow.
Written August 22, 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.
Marina_Fermin
Geneva228 contributions
Mar 2024 • family
We went for the first service at 12:00 as the tide had not yet started so we were able to walk there.
We appreciated the atypical setting and the kindness of the servers, however we were disappointed with the meal which we found far too expensive.
The dishes and desserts are presented in an original way. We have comments to make on some:
* Lobster and couscous stew
- $31.00 - good
* Steak on the stick - $34 - good but not enough meat so overpriced
* Green Tanzanite, their signature pistachio tiramisù - $13 - appetizing at first but after the 3rd morse I already can't take it anymore because it's too rich.
* Chocolate salami and vanilla ice cream - $11 - interesting presentation but this dessert is also too compact and after a few bites you can't get enough. The vanilla ice cream is ordinary, not enough taste, no visible seeds. Too bad there are plenty of vanilla pods in Zanzibar!
* The Rock's coconut tiramisu - $12 - good - it's the lightest dessert and was unanimously acclaimed.
After the meal we had planned to stay on the beach and swim there but we changed our mind. It was too hot and there was no possibility of shade and there was too much seaweed on the beach probably due to the tides.
To conclude, the detour is worth it for the place but the price of lunch was too high. This was the most expensive meal we had on the island! Maybe it would be better to go there for a drink (if possible).
Written March 8, 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.
Franz R
Germany4 contributions
Aug 2024 • family
The location is certainly a unique selling point. But that's about it.
The food was completely overpriced in the
Compared to significantly better restaurants on Zanzibar, the dishes served small portions and unlovingly. Taste ok, but no highlight either.
Added to this
That eat clearly cooled to the table.
That was it. We're lukewarm and for $8
If you already call these prices , then you expect top dishes and top service. Unfortunately, this was not the case.
So clearly: it is NOT worth it!
Automatically translated
Written August 22, 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.
Wanida A
2 contributions
Dec 2023 • couples
Disappointing and very expensive
Extremely expensive place.
A starter that had to be accompanied by a sauce, no sauce was served without warning us.
The seafood is simply cooked over a fire without any spices or effort put into the dish.
Go there because the setting is magnificent but don't eat there, it's not worth it.
Written December 29, 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.
Irmina F
3 contributions
Jan 2024 • friends
"The Rock" restaurant is terribly overrated... the service was terrible, I asked for coffee and a wine list three times... my friends got their drinks and I was still waiting, I got my drinks together with the main course, which was about 30 minutes after ordering.
I don't understand what the problem was... The steaks and fries were OK, a steak on a stick can be compared to a cheap kebab. We were looking forward to visiting The Rock, counting on an unforgettable taste experience, but we were very disappointed.
Written January 4, 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.
Luciano Passariello
12 contributions
Jan 2025 • couples
This restaurant is famous not only for the beauty of the place, which almost seems like an enchanted corner, but also for the exceptional quality of its dishes and hospitality that manages to make every customer feel special. The service is impeccable: the staff is courteous and always available, with an honorable mention for the director Mario (Campano Doc), who with his knowledge of raw materials and preparations adds a unique touch to the experience. His ability to describe the dishes is so detailed that it almost seems you can enjoy them with the description alone! Live music is another element that enriches the atmosphere without ever being intrusive. In summary, a gastronomic and sensory experience that truly achieves excellence. Highly recommended!
Automatically translated
Written January 23, 2025
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.
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