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5 Best BBQ Restaurants in Johannesburg (2026)

Independently ranked by our review of ratings, reviews and reputation · How we chose

Thorne Savarin
By Thorne Savarin, Culinary Explorer · ✓ Data verified July 2026 · 8 min read

The best BBQ restaurants in Johannesburg are dominated by a handful of grillhouse steakhouses that have logged well over 15,000 Google reviews combined, and the top three are separated by barely a tenth of a star, so the real question for a booking tonight is less which one grills best and more which branch, which room, which occasion.

Short answer: The top-rated grillhouse in Johannesburg is Trumps Grillhouse and Butchery at 4.6 stars across 4,463 reviews, the deepest track record of any grill restaurant on this list, tied closely by The Grillhouse Rosebank (4.6, 4,089 reviews) and Falcon Peak Spur (4.7, 2,678 reviews) for casual family grilling. Expect to pay roughly R400 to R900 per person for a proper steak dinner in 2026.
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Johannesburg's Grillhouses Compared

# Business Rating Reviews Best for
1 Trumps Grillhouse and Butchery 4.6 ★ 4,463 Flagship steakhouse / 33 years running View ›
2 The Grillhouse Rosebank 4.6 ★ 4,089 Flagship location, since 1994 View ›
3 Falcon Peak Spur 4.7 ★ 2,678 Family grilling / downtown location View ›
4 The Grillhouse Sandton 4.5 ★ 3,402 Sandton branch / business dining View ›
5 The Grillhouse Melrose Arch 4.5 ★ 2,421 Melrose Arch branch / special occasions View ›
5 Best BBQ Restaurants in Johannesburg (2026)

Our top picks, reviewed

Trumps Grillhouse and Butchery logo
#1 Overall🕑 Open 7 days

Trumps Grillhouse and Butchery

4.64,463 Google reviews

Trumps Grillhouse and Butchery sits on Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton, run by the Martin brothers for over three decades and built entirely around South African beef, from the wagyu ribeye to the tomahawk. It operates its own butchery and biltong shop on site alongside the restaurant, and it also runs a curated South African wine cellar. It's the deepest-reviewed grillhouse on this list.

What people praise

  • Reviewers consistently praise the wide selection of cuts, right up to the wagyu ribeye
  • Named waitstaff get repeated shoutouts for attentive, unhurried service
  • The onion rings and jalapeño salsa sides come up as unexpected standouts
  • The biltong store attached to the restaurant draws its own praise

Worth knowing

  • Central Sandton location means parking can take some planning during busy periods
Reputation scorecardrank in Johannesburg
Rating4.6 / 5
Review volume4,463 · 97th
Confidencevery high
Recency6 weeks ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown74% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: It has the biggest review base of any grillhouse in Johannesburg after more than 30 years on the same square, which makes it the safe default for a special-occasion steak dinner.

Website Book now+27117842366 Directions

Nelson Mandela Square, 5th St &, Rivonia Rd, Sandton, 2196

The Grillhouse Rosebank logo
#2🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

The Grillhouse Rosebank

4.64,089 Google reviews

The Grillhouse Rosebank is the original branch of The Grillhouse Group, opened in 1994 and now Johannesburg's longest-running premium steakhouse alongside its Sandton and Melrose Arch sister branches (both also on this list). It runs private dining rooms for corporate and family functions and stocks an extensive wine and spirits list.

What people praise

  • Reviewers repeatedly rank steak here above other steakhouses they've visited across Johannesburg
  • The fillet on the bone gets specific, enthusiastic praise
  • Table turnover is fast even on busy nights, according to multiple reviewers
  • Private dining rooms suit business meetings and celebrations

Worth knowing

  • One detailed review flags a mismatch between the fine-dining setting and how a birthday request was handled
Reputation scorecardrank in Johannesburg
Rating4.6 / 5
Review volume4,089 · 92th
Confidencevery high
Recency4 weeks ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown71% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: As the flagship of a three-branch group with over 4,000 reviews here alone, it's the pick if you want the original room rather than the newer Sandton or Melrose Arch locations.

Website Book now+27118803945 Directions

1, The Firs, Hyatt Centre, Oxford Road & Biermann Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg, 2196

Falcon Peak Spur logo
#3🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

Falcon Peak Spur

4.72,678 Google reviews

Falcon Peak Spur, in the Carlton Centre in Marshalltown, is a branch of the Spur family-restaurant chain, serving flame-grilled burgers, steaks and ribs alongside breakfast and kids' menus. It's built for casual, everyday grilling rather than a formal steakhouse night out, and it's the most centrally located option here for anyone downtown.

What people praise

  • Highest rating of any grill restaurant on this list, at 4.7
  • Staff are repeatedly named and praised for warmth, even during busy shifts
  • Family-friendly setup with a kids' menu suits groups with children
  • Breakfast service extends the grill menu beyond dinner hours

Worth knowing

  • One reviewer notes a staff member visibly unwell but still working, suggesting inconsistent staffing coverage at times
Reputation scorecardrank in Johannesburg
Rating4.7 / 5
Review volume2,678 · 82th
Confidencevery high
Recency2 months ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown85% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: It's the pick for casual, family-friendly grilling in the CBD rather than a formal steakhouse experience, and its rating is the highest of any grill restaurant here.

Website Book now+27113315888 Directions

Carlton Centre, Shop 228, Level 200, 150 Commissioner St, Marshalltown, Johannesburg, 2107

The Grillhouse Sandton logo
#4🕑 Open 6 days/wk↩ Responds to reviews

The Grillhouse Sandton

4.53,402 Google reviews

The Grillhouse Sandton is the second branch of The Grillhouse Group on this list, located on Alice Lane in Sandhurst and celebrating over 29 years as an award-winning steakhouse. Alongside steak and ribs, the menu runs to salads, chicken, seafood and vegetarian options, with an art-deco dining room, a large spirits selection and a well-stocked wine cellar.

What people praise

  • Reviewers specifically call out the ribeye as some of the best steak they've had in Johannesburg
  • Private dining rooms are ideal for business meetings, per multiple reviewers
  • The décor and lighting get consistent praise for atmosphere
  • Secure underground parking is available at this branch

Worth knowing

  • A handful of reviewers note inconsistent front-of-house attentiveness on busier nights
Reputation scorecardrank in Johannesburg
Rating4.5 / 5
Review volume3,402 · 87th
Confidencevery high
Recency2 months ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown66% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: It's the business-dining pick among the Grillhouse branches here, with private rooms and a Sandton address that suits corporate bookings.

Website Book now+27117836132 Directions

11 Alice Ln, Sandhurst, Sandton, 2196

The Grillhouse Melrose Arch logo
#5🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

The Grillhouse Melrose Arch

4.52,421 Google reviews

The Grillhouse Melrose Arch is the third branch of The Grillhouse Group on this list, sharing the same menu and steakhouse concept as Rosebank and Sandton but set in the Melrose Arch precinct. Like its sister branches, it runs private dining rooms for functions and celebrations and offers a kids' menu, which the other two branches don't.

What people praise

  • Reviewers describe standout service for special-occasion bookings, including a detailed birthday dinner account
  • The ribeye with pepper crust and the beef fillet both get specific praise
  • One of the few Grillhouse branches with a kids' menu, per the group's own FAQ

Worth knowing

  • At least one reviewer reports a steak sent back for being overcooked, then returned still undercooked
Reputation scorecardrank in Johannesburg
Rating4.5 / 5
Review volume2,421 · 76th
Confidencevery high
Recency3 months ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown68% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: It's the Grillhouse branch best suited to marking an occasion, with reviewers specifically praising how staff handled birthday requests, though cooking consistency reports are more mixed here than at Rosebank.

Website Book now+27104461911 Directions

Melrose Arch, H20 & H21, 38 Whiteley Rd, Melrose North, Johannesburg, 2076

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How we score

Every number on this page comes from public Google data on the date shown, not from opinion or payment. Rating is the restaurant’s live Google star average. Review volume is how many customers have rated them, ranked against other Johannesburg grill restaurants. Confidence weighs the rating by that volume, so a rating backed by thousands of reviews carries more weight than the same rating from a handful. Recency reflects how recently people are still reviewing. No business can pay to change these numbers.

How much does a steak dinner cost in Johannesburg? (2026)

Pricing at Johannesburg’s grillhouses depends heavily on the cut and the branch, with the family-style Spur running well below the premium steakhouses. Based on per-person prices shared directly in customer reviews:

JobTypical price
Casual grill meal (Spur-style)R100 to R300
Mid-range steakhouse dinnerR300 to R500
Premium steakhouse dinner (wagyu, tomahawk)R600 to R1,000+

Ranges compiled July 2026 from price-per-person figures reported directly in Google reviews for the restaurants above. Wine and cocktails are typically billed separately and can add significantly to the total.

Serving all of Johannesburg

These grillhouses cover Sandton, Rosebank, Melrose Arch and the Marshalltown CBD, the corridor where Johannesburg’s steakhouse culture is concentrated. Searching for a BBQ restaurant near me? Every listing below shows a live phone number and directions so you can find the closest option fast.

What to ask before you book

  • Do you take reservations, and how far ahead should I book for a weekend dinner?
  • Is there a private dining room available for a group or a business function?
  • What cuts are available beyond the standard menu, and is wagyu on offer?
  • Is there a kids’ menu if I’m bringing the family?
  • Is secure parking available at this branch specifically?

Frequently asked questions

How did you choose these BBQ restaurants?

We started from every grill and steakhouse restaurant in Johannesburg with a public Google presence, then ranked by rating, review volume, consistency, and recency. See How we score above.

Are these rankings paid?

No. Rankings come from the public Google data in the scorecard. A business can pay to be a Featured Partner, which adds a badge and top placement, but that never changes another business’s score or position on the underlying data.

How often is this updated?

The data carries a verified date (July 2026 on this page). We refresh listings periodically so ratings and review counts stay current.

What’s the difference between the three Grillhouse branches?

Rosebank is the original 1994 flagship, Sandton is set up for business dining with private rooms and secure parking, and Melrose Arch is the only branch with a kids’ menu. All the branches share the same core menu and wine list.

Is Falcon Peak Spur a proper steakhouse?

It’s a family-restaurant grill rather than a formal steakhouse, serving flame-grilled burgers, steaks and ribs at a lower price point, with a kids’ menu and breakfast service that the premium grillhouses on this list don’t offer.

The bottom line

Trumps Grillhouse is the safe default with the deepest review history of any grill restaurant in Johannesburg, while Falcon Peak Spur is the better call for a casual family meal on a smaller budget. Whichever you pick, book ahead for weekend dinners.

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