The Garden Shack in Swellendam

Absolutely amazing food and vibe !

The best fish prawns atmosphere absolutely first class

Brilliant chance meeting led to dining here. Excellent seafood menu. A winter visit so great fires keeping the shack warm. Very interesting and varied sections. Beach and garden themes- very relaxed and creative.

They have the best cheddamelt schnitzel!

Had a lunch there, the main meal to the pudding everything was really really good. I would definitely recommend if you are a lover of seafood. It was sooooo yummy 😋

Absolutely a must go to restaurant in Swellendam!! You wont be dissapointed!

Very nice and cozy And the food was great

Food good and the owner hosts are the heart of the place.

We had a really great dinner there. The fish was delicious and service was great. Will be back.

Awesome setting, food, people and vibe. The husband and wife team is amazing. The best seafood I had in a long while...

The best Irish Coffee ever!

I not only visited Sid and Des ( ownersjust over a month ago and have over the past 8- 10 years, when they were still operating out of a caravan, never had a less than satisfactory, seafood meal. We have visited the Garden Shack many times since then and have also eaten seafood at venues all over our coastline and are yet to find a better seafood meal. Stay blessed and keep up the superb cuisine

Utterly delightful restaurant. Delicious fresh fish and great service 👍🏻

Great little spot for lunch with simple but really well cooked fish. The tables for 4 outside in the garden are the best highly reccomend

Raining outside..... but warm and toasty inside! Such a great experience!! Lovely people, fab Hake Curry and Chowder. Log fire and great lay back sounds all adds up to a REALLY nice evening. Sid the waiter did a brilliant job making sure we were looked after 10/10👏👏👏

Best sushi and freshest seafood in the Overberg!!!Try the seafood platter / chowder / calamari --- value for money!!The owner makes the food himself. AND it is kid-friendly 🤗

Ordered a hake & calamari combo a few months back. Wasnt something to remember, but maybe it was just a bad day.Want to give them a second chance sometime and maybe have some sushi too.For now, its a 3.Will update once Ive tried again.

We popped in for a lunch over the December/January holiday. It was such a great find! The sushi platter was amazing. Seafood platters were plentiful with a great variety of choice. Décor was charming. Set in a beautiful nursery with lots of spots to explore (my girls enjoyed wondering around looking at all the garden fairies).

Stopped for a quick lunch on our way to Plett. Delicious Hake & Chips in a great setting.

I must say I was pleasantly. Doesnt look like much from outside, but kids enjoyed the sand to play in. The sushi was really good.

Sushi 🍣 to die for.What an excellent evening! 🌟🌟🌟Our grandchildren want to go back tomorrow night.

Quick stop on our road trip for a sushi snack. Wish we ate a full meal because it was delicious and the vibe was awesome.

Excellent food and atmosphere Des an exceptional hostess, kid friendly will recommend to everyone

Great seafood served in a wonderful garden and beachshack environment. A real hidden gem and well worth the journey, from anywhere! My 9yr old daughters comment that they would be the first to get their Masterchef appron is the ultimate accolade.

Really good seafood, didnt last long enough for photos .... will definetly be back.

Unique experience that is a must-do when in Swellendam. Beach sand floors and casual dining, combined with delicious fresh seafood and sushi make it feel like youre at the coast rather than in the mountains.

Hidden gen of the Overberg! Best seafood ever. Stunning vibe and very laid back-just the way I like it. Well worth a visit.

This low key, nursery-turned-seafood restaurant offers clientele a delicious combination of fresh seafood options, all enjoyed in a truly unique environment. Well worth the visit.

I must confess, my family and I were bit sceptical at first about this place. But wow, the food was so amazing, the sushi was to die for and general atmosphere created by the owner and lovely staff was so welcoming. Thanks to Petronella our waitress for making our stay in Swellendam memorable

Great place!Funny, very cozy seating. Nice people and good food. Especially the sushi was good!

Simply the best seafood. Passing through or staying close by? DO IT! Absolutely perfectly battered and cooked fish, prawns, mussels and calamari. Awesome atmosphere and special place.

Delighted to find such good seafood in Swellendam of all places. Wonderful experience as well.. Friendly owners made us feel very welcome.

Firstly, The ethics of the host really is disappointing. I bought something from her and she gave me a different and much higher price than she initially wanted for the gift(the sticker she put on as the price. Otherwise, the milkshakes look lovely, but taste very basic. Not worth the R60. The atmosphere and venue is beautifully setup though. Love the beach/garden vibes. The seafood is the best you will find in Swellendam atleast.

Friendly and welcoming staff. Gemma, the live-in house cat is adorable. Comfortable and pleasant ambience as you are surrounded with the green of the garden.I highly recommend this place for families or groups wishing to take a rest from the searing heat at noon.

THE BEST seafood platter we had in years!! Owners are very friendly, fresh seafood that melts in your moth with a warm atmosphere. Would give them a 10 out of 10. Must visit when stopping in Swellendam!

Love this family friendly restaurant. Always stay way longer then we need to! So cozy. Food amazing and those milkshakes,!!

Fun, quirky, fantantasic food and friendly people. Thank you!

Wow Wow WowPerfect deck table overlooking the garden and all its beauty.The sound of seagulls and the ocean with the sand under your feet.Then the Food that is bringing everything you would expect when you read seafood platter for two.Lots of flavour and freshly caught fish made to perfection by Sid and served by Desiree, what a team.Will definitely see us again

The best seafood restaurant! The vibe just has you relaxing and forgetting time. Before you know it hours have passed. Des & Sid are fantastic hosts! Thank you, thank you thank you for an amazing experience every time!

One of the best seafood restaurants you can find. The food is prepared fresh. Each dish is a melt in the mouth experience. Sydney is the owner and chef and takes pride in his cullenary creations The husband and wife team makes this a truelly exceptional dining experience. When in or near Swellendam, be sure not to miss this restaurant. Operational hours must be confirmed and bookings is essential during peak season. Highly recommended.

This place is a quirky place to visit and my family visited it for lunch on my dads birthday. They open at 12 and have a selection of freshly prepared seafood, written on the blackboards along the walls (no menus), which may change due to availability of fish. The hake we had was fantastic, fresh and tasty. The staff were very friendly and kind, their customer service was very good.What I hadnt noted before arriving, is that they only have seafood, so if you do not want seafood I would not go recommend coming here. They have a selection of cool drinks along with an expected selection of beers and cider.The actual place has a very informal feel, with a sandy floor and a garden surrounding, hence the very appropriate name "The Garden Shack".I enjoyed my time here and recommend it for a good quality seafood lunch.

Visited Swellendam a few weaks ago and diacovered this little gem. The best seafood I have had in the past couple of years and they are not pricey either! I highly recommend a share platter with the cheesy garlic roll.

A little oasis in the middle of town. Lovely food and hosts. I can recommend the hake curry. Gem of a place.

The garden shack is a unique seafood restaurant with a beach theme 150 km from the actual beach!From the moment you enter through the forest like nursery you get a sense of something special.Sitting at one of the tables with seasand surrounding you,you may be forgiven for thinking you on some exotic island hideaway.Then the food arrives.I had the Calamarii dish,which is always my choice at any seafood venue.Well Sid ,the owner chef,dishes up the most succulent and tender calamari I have ever tasted.The chips were crispy and free of the oil so often found in other venues.Sid and Des(His wide and co owner)have created an atmosphere here that is so lacking in the hospitality industry:A genuine interest in the well being of the clients.Thank you for a wonderful mealI Wii be back!

The highlight of this restaurant is undoubtedly the wonderful owners, Sid & Desiree. I had the yellow tail which was grilled to absolute perfection, fresh, tender and absolutely divine. Pity Google does not allow a score of 6 out of 5.

Wonderful experience. Great seafood on the beach without actually going to the shore. We had a hake with a twist, cheddar melt. Truly unique and excellent taste.

Lovely, fresh, no nonsense seafood. Surprisingly "beachy-feel" even when one is an hours drive away from the beach. A very nice down to earth eat out. The hosts are very friendly and accommodating. Make sure you book

They hosted a ladies night. A group of about 30 ladies, we sat at tables withbour friends, and enjoyed cocktails while eating various courses of seafood olatter. It was very enjoyable and the food was tasty. Cocktails were fun. The decor is like a beach, with sea sand on the floor and a fireplace. We will support the next ladies night too.

Best seafood in Swellendam. Relaxed atmosphere , feels like your at the beach.

After reading the promising reviews we visited The Garden Shack with the family and we had a great evening! The restaurant has a beachy vibe with a fireplace (in winterand the minimalistic interior makes it feel like a night at the beach in Swellendam. The seafood is fresh and deliciously prepared and the owners made us feel warm and welcome. The price / quality is really good and we bought a nice plant from the nursery to take home. We would love to visit again and definitely recommend The Garden Shack to others who appreciate an authentic family restaurant!