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Die Damhuis

Seafood South African
Location Pointer 32 Beach Road Melkbosstrand
4.7
(7824 reviews)
R
Menu
Favourite

Attributes

  • Child Friendly
  • Outdoor Seating
  • Sunsets
  • Wheelchair Friendly
  • Fireplace
  • Pet Friendly

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Menu
Favourite

The Damhuis restaurant officially opened its doors in 2009 and comprises a series of interconnected sections, including the Fishermens Tent, die Voorhuijs and die Stampkroeg, over 1000 square meters. Dedicated to offering a dining experience that will make guests want to immediately book for another meal as soon as they leave, the passionate people at the Damhuis know what it takes to earn the coveted “culinary hotspot” title. But it wasnt always the brightest jewel in Melkbosstrands crown.

The Damhuis came into existence after it was built by Christiaan Brand using cow manure, sand, hay and whale bones (part of the restaurants walls are unplastered so that guests can view the original walls) around 1785. Brand and his family were the first residents in De Melkbosch (Melkbosstrand) and originally used the building as a ‘visschuur (fish barn) where fish were cleaned, salted and dried.


Next to it was a boathouse where fishing boats and nets were stored. The ‘visschuur later became known as the ‘damhuis – named after the dam right in front of the house. This dam was the result of a fountain that still springs crystal clear water to this day. The fountain still exists on the property. The tarmac road – the present Beach Road, however, has long since covered the dam.

Over many years, the building evolved from fish store to private residence, and with more and more urban development the natural spring fed dam, right in front of the Damhuis, had to make way for the current Beach Road. However, the natural water spring is still very much alive on the property.

Today, more than 200 years since Christiaan Brand and his family stayed here, the Damhuis has been declared as a National Monument and still stands proud as Damhuis Restaurant with its rich history and heritage along the beautiful seaside of Melkbosstrand.

Opening Hours

  • Monday CLOSED
  • Tuesday 09h00 - 21h00
  • Wednesday 09h00 - 21h00
  • Thursday 09h00 - 21h00
  • Friday 09h00 - 21h30
  • Saturday 09h00 - 21h30
  • Sunday 09h00 - 21h00

Reviews (7824)

4.7 out of 5.0
Based on the past 12 months
Food 4.7
Value 4.6
Service 4.8
Ambience 4.7
  • Heinrich d. Dined: 1 day ago
    4.3
    Food 4.0
    Value 5.0
    Service 4.0
    Ambience 4.0

    Reviewed on: Mon 27 Jul 26
    Big portions of quality food in a historic setting with good service by the staff

  • Pieter S. Dined: 1 day ago
    5
    Food 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Service 5.0
    Ambience 5.0

    Reviewed on: Mon 27 Jul 26
    Service was good. We enjoyed the food. Can recommend Damhuis.

  • Ulrika M. Dined: 2 days ago
    5
    Food 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Service 5.0
    Ambience 5.0

    Reviewed on: Sun 26 Jul 26
    Lovely 70th birthday celebration for my Dad

    Die Damhuis responded on Mon 27 Jul 26:
    Hello Ulrika, How lovely that you chose to celebrate your dad with us. I hope he felt properly spoiled and that you all had a wonderful time together. Thank you for letting Damhuis be part of such a special family occasion. Hope we see you all again soon.

  • Tracy-Ann C. Dined: 4 days ago
    5
    Food 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Service 5.0
    Ambience 5.0

    Reviewed on: Sat 25 Jul 26
    Fantastic evening all around. Thank you.

    Die Damhuis responded on Mon 27 Jul 26:
    Hello Tracy-Ann, Thank you for spending your evening with us. I’m so glad you left feeling this way, and I’ll pass your lovely words on to the team — they’ll be pleased to know they helped make the night such a good one. Hope to see you back at Damhuis again soon. The Team

  • Avril S. Dined: 2 weeks ago
    3.5
    Food 3.0
    Value 3.0
    Service 4.0
    Ambience 4.0

    Reviewed on: Tue 21 Jul 26
    Die Damhuis is a firm favourite for Birthdays & celebrations, being close and quaint. Always disappointed to find the "baked" cheesecake, (as always specified on menu), to be a fridge one, more so a deconstructed fridge cake (pile of dry crumbs and bit of cheese mousse) which I did not enjoy. I personally found the generous amount of rich Feta cheese overpowered my Caesar salad, the chicken was tough and I was glad I only ordered half a portion, otherwise everyone was happy, thank you :)

    Die Damhuis responded on Mon 27 Jul 26:
    Hello Avril, Thank you for taking the time to share this, and for choosing Damhuis for so many birthdays and special occasions. I’m glad the rest of the table enjoyed their meals, although I can understand why your own choices left you feeling disappointed. I appreciate you sharing the detail, and you’re very welcome to email me directly at stefan@diedamhuis.co.za if you'd like to share more about your experience. We hope Damhuis will continue to be part of many more happy celebrations with your family.

  • Felicity C. Dined: 1 week ago
    5
    Food 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Service 5.0
    Ambience 5.0

    Reviewed on: Mon 20 Jul 26
    It's always a pleasure visiting Die Damhuis. I had the Eisbein, which was perfectly cooked. The other family members thoroughly enjoyed their meals too. 😊

    Die Damhuis responded on Mon 20 Jul 26:
    Hello Felicity, It’s always a pleasure having you and your lovely family with us. I’m so glad lunch was another good one for the books. Thank you for coming back to Damhuis and for leaving such a lovely review. Hope we see you all again soon.

  • CLIVE C. Dined: 1 week ago
    4.3
    Food 4.0
    Value 4.0
    Service 5.0
    Ambience 4.0

    Reviewed on: Mon 20 Jul 26
    Just 2 points. It is disappointing in this day and age, that upmarket establishments such as the Damhuis still allows smoking INSIDE that great little bar you have on the roadside. It is bad enough that it is allowed in the patio area. We had to move out yesterday as 2 inconsiderate smokers lit up in front of us. Smokers should have to go outside to smoke. As it is, this smoking area is linked by a large open hatch to the kitchen and to the eating area - on a previous visit I complained about the cigarette smoke smell drifting through to our table. Please at least ban smoking inside the bar area. Secondly, I know canned music can add to the ambience of the restaurant, but too often it detracts. Luckily the music was turned off halfway through our meal which was great. As a rule, the busier the restaurant is, the less you need music trying to force its way into conversations.

    Die Damhuis responded on Mon 20 Jul 26:
    Hello Clive, Thank you for taking the time to share this, and for your continued support. I understand that being seated near people who are smoking can affect how comfortable the dining experience feels, particularly when you would prefer to enjoy the space without it. The bar area and adjoining patio are designated smoking areas, but I do take on board what you’ve said about how the smoke has affected you on more than one visit. Your thoughts on the background music are also appreciated. We use it to add to the atmosphere, although I understand that what works when the restaurant is quieter can feel quite different once the room becomes busier and conversation naturally takes over. Thank you for sharing your views so clearly. I’ll pass them on to the team as we continue looking at how guests experience the different areas of Damhuis. We hope to welcome you back again soon.

  • Joané V. Dined: 1 week ago
    5
    Food 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Service 5.0
    Ambience 5.0

    Reviewed on: Mon 20 Jul 26 (Guest left no comment)

    Die Damhuis responded on Mon 27 Jul 26:
    Hello Joané, Thank you so much for your 5-star review. We really appreciate you taking the time to rate your experience at Die Damhuis, and we are delighted to know you enjoyed your visit. We look forward to welcoming you back again soon.

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