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Ratings and reviews

RATINGS
Food
Service
Value
Atmosphere

Mentioned in

  • Unique Restaurants Every Traveler MUST Visit | TripAdvisor Blogtripadvisor.com
About
The Rock Restaurant, in Michamvi Pingwe on Zanzibar Island, is an extraordinary restaurant, located in a unique position, on a rock in the middle of the Indian Ocean. The contrast of the unspoiled natural setting, down played decor and design vs the international standard food preparation and presentation is as novel and rewarding as its location. Serving up to 14 tables, all facing a wonderful terrace on the Ocean, the restaurant is connected to the mainland by boat, within high tide, and reachable by foot within low tide. It is also easy reachable by sea if coming by boat from an excursion. Perfect for a romantic dinner for two, or for a memorable evening with friends or family, it is open
PRICE RANGE
$10 - $40
Special Diets
Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options
Meals
Lunch, Dinner, Brunch, Late Night
CUISINES
African, Seafood, Mediterranean, European
FEATURES
Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Waterfront, Beach
Reviews (4,912)
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2,467 results
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LanguageEnglish
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Traveler rating
1,184
617
368
171
127
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All reviews lobster tiramisu tempura pineapple ice cream low tide unique experience once in a lifetime boat ride stunning location small boat visiting zanzibar unique restaurant indian ocean enjoy the view amazing views the east coast
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Reviewed yesterday

Best place for a unique birthday dinner. Loved the seafood, drinks, service, the views etc. A must do while in Zanzibar!

Date of visit: May 2023
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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.
Reviewed 6 days ago via mobile

Outstanding food and service. The view was incredible and ambience was second to none! Really lovely place to eat :) Thank-you!!

Date of visit: June 2023
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Reviewed 1 week ago

What an amazing place to be! The moment I stepped in I felt like a warm bath from the team. extremely hospitable and always that smile. I have been there 3 times to experience the experience of different times. That was an experience to do....18:00 -20:00 is great for sunset (be on the beach half an hour earlier and enjoy yourself). Going there with the boat was already a party. The food is delicious. Grilled octopus is my favorite. I ordered a chocolate cake in advance that was delicious! Can possibly be taken in a doggy bag. So many thanks and love to all of you sweet team! Of course I will come back thanks for having me !!! Love MilliMore

Date of visit: May 2023
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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.
Reviewed 1 week ago via mobile

Absolutely stunning restaurant, friendly staff. Unbelievable views good food quite well priced for Zanzibar once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Date of visit: May 2023
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Reviewed 1 week ago

So great place to be! Great food, great people, great amazing place! We will definitely visit again!

Date of visit: May 2023
Helpful?
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Reviewed 2 weeks ago via mobile

I loved every minute of the 2 hours we were there. Had reservation for noon and we walked up to the building as there was no water around it. By the time we got out had to get on a boat to get back to...the shore. I was amazed by the whole experience of low tide and high tide. The view from the restaurant is gorgeous. Enjoyed the meal while overlooking the turquoise water. Ordered the rock special and there was so much food for 2 people. It was my first time eating octopus and it's definitely not going to be my last. Ordered the coconut tiramisu based on previous reviews and it lived up to expectations. That was an afternoon well spentMore

Date of visit: May 2023
Helpful?1  
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.
Reviewed 3 weeks ago

Visiting The Rock and eating in the restaurant was an amazing experience from every aspect. For the really innovative but in the meantime very delicious and classy food, for the incredible location that reserves various view of the beauty of the sea and for the...fantastic company of Reddy, who has transmitted to us his passion of the "cuisine" and of living in Zanzibar. You really cannot miss it, if you are in Zanzibar.....:o)More

Date of visit: March 2023
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Reviewed 3 weeks ago

Exceptional location, no doubt! Friendly manager. No running water in the bathroom to wash hands. I understand this was probably an unfortunate temporary situation but there were about 40-50 guests and the only one toilet was not flushing! The managers should come up with an...alternative solution. My guess is that water outage could be a recurring situation at the restaurant and telling the guests going to the bathroom “yeah we have water problem” was not really helping.More

Date of visit: May 2023
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Reviewed 4 weeks ago

Ok food, but nothing special, extremely large portions (quantity over quality). Fast service but no personal touch or relaxed feel. Busy and enclosed so didn't feel like we had the opportunity to walk around and appreciate the setting sipping a cocktail as we had expected....Lovely idea but not somewhere I would go again or recommend to go out of your way for.More

Date of visit: September 2022
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Reviewed April 30, 2023

We went when the tide was out and were able to walk right up to the restaurant. It’s really a sight. They greeted us and had us seated quickly. It was a very sunny day but for a place with no air conditioning it was...pretty chilly inside. The food was GREAT but the portions were small. Our food came out quickly. We were really in and out lol. It’s a little tight in the dining area as you can imagine to maximize guests. They have a seating area in the back that’s got some sunlight and a gift shop up front. I would go back especially when the tides in just to see the difference. The only thing I didn’t like was the flies they were uninvited guests and annoying. But you are essentially eating outside so …More

Date of visit: January 2023
Helpful?1  
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.
Reviewed April 25, 2023 via mobile

Amazing food and especially the coconut tiramisu is to die for. The owner was super welcoming and friendly. During my trip I came back here 3 times and every time was super pleased with the service and quality of food

Date of visit: April 2023
Helpful?
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.
Reviewed April 24, 2023

Nice ambiance. Great entrees. Exceptional customer. Expensive birthday cake. We walked in and road the boat back.

Date of visit: April 2023
Helpful?
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.
Reviewed April 11, 2023 via mobile

The best family dinner ever! Sunset with table outside with amazing view. Everyone super enjoyed all the dishes and our kids couldn't stopped eating and wanted our food as well. A memory for life, thank you Reddy with staff!More

Date of visit: April 2023
Helpful?2  
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, Owner at The Rock, responded to this reviewResponded April 19, 2023

Thank you for sharing your wonderful experience at our establishment! We're thrilled to hear that you and your family had a fantastic time and enjoyed the beautiful sunset view from your table. It's always great to hear that our customers enjoyed our food, and we're...More

Reviewed April 11, 2023

Michelin stars quality food paradise. An outstanding dreamy location in Zanzibar to experience in full the magic of Indian Ocean semi-diurnal tides - I was happily surprised myself by plenty of crabs all around at the base of the restaurant! The very best lunch of...my life with friends and family. Special thanks to Reddy and all the lovely crew for their top class service. Highly recommended!More

Date of visit: April 2023
Helpful?
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, Owner at The Rock, responded to this reviewResponded April 19, 2023

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience at our restaurant! We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the Michelin-star quality food and found our location to be dreamy and magical. It's great to hear that you were pleasantly surprised by the abundance...More

Reviewed April 9, 2023

Very nice location and the view is excellent. The food was very very nice. Best tuna stake ever. Worths all the money spent.More

Date of visit: May 2022
Helpful?
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, Owner at The Rock, responded to this reviewResponded April 19, 2023

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us! We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed our restaurant's location and excellent views. We're also delighted to hear that you found our food to be very nice and that the tuna steak was...More

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Questions & Answers
Ask a question
MODO73
September 24, 2022|
AnswerShow all 5 answers
Response from Laura H | Reviewed this property |
I would say about $50 US however I'd make sure you know the type of car you are getting... The roads are rough and the comfort of your ride is directly linked to a vehicle with good shocks. If it's significantly less the... More
1
Vote
globtrottreuse
December 19, 2021|
Answer
Response from saramN3151IU | Reviewed this property |
They have several tables on both sides of the restaurent, but you need to book your table in advance. So, I wouldn’t recommend going there without a reservation.
0
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O M
November 10, 2020|
AnswerShow all 6 answers
Response from OlgaExplorer | Reviewed this property |
If the tide is low you can walk, if it is high there is a small boat, don’t worry about the tide. If you go for dinner you need a reservation usually, unless it’s not busy due to COVID.
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THE ROCK, Pingwe - Michanwi Pingwe Bch - Menu, Prices & Restaurant Reviews - Tripadvisor

Frequently Asked Questions about The Rock

Yes, The Rock is taking precautions against COVID-19. A full list is available within the "safety precautions" section of this page.

The Rock is rated accordingly in the following categories by Tripadvisor travelers:
  • Food: 4
  • Service: 4
  • Value: 3.5
  • Atmosphere: 4.5