The Shebeen Pub & Braai

Charlottesville, United States

4.2

Open now

20 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards
Free Wi-Fi

Contacts

QR code, vCard

Telephone:
+1 434-296-3185
Website:
www.shebeen.com
Address:
247 Ridge McIntire Rd, Charlottesville, VA, 22903
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
0.5 miCAT 11186 Bus Stop
0.6 miCAT 11129 Bus Stop
0.6 miCAT Bus Stop
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Bussiness info

Takes Reservations
Yes
Delivery
No
Take-out
Yes
Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Good For
Dinner
Parking
Private Lot
Bike Parking
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes
Good for Kids
Yes
Good for Groups
Yes
Attire
Casual
Ambience
Romantic
Noise Level
Average
Alcohol
Full Bar
Outdoor Seating
Yes
Wi-Fi
Free
Has TV
Yes
Waiter Service
Yes
Caters
Yes

Today

Today 7:00 am – 2:00 am
Open now
Local time (Charlottesville) 13:41 Saturday, 31 May 2025

Business hours

Monday 7:00 am – 12:30 am
Tuesday 7:00 am – 12:30 am
Wednesday 7:00 am – 12:30 am
Thursday 7:00 am – 12:30 am
Friday 7:00 am – 2:00 am
Saturday 7:00 am – 2:00 am
Sunday 10:00 am – 11:00 pm

Description

Specialties

The Shebeen Pub & Braai is our little piece of Africa in the heart of downtown Charlottesville!

Our Shebeen, styled after the Cape wineries, offers unique food in an engaging setting.

At The Shebeen Pub & Braai we present you with South African hospitality. Our menu reflects the multiculturalism of the Southern African palate. From spicy African peri-​peri sauce and Dutch farmer’s Boer sausage to pub-​style fish ‘n chips, you will explore a cuisine of surprising diversity.

Allow us to host your next dinner party, or simply meet your mates in the pub for a pint. We will blend exceptional fare with a comprehensive event planning and management if you’re interested in our catering services. Our commitment to local and seasonal ingredients and our passion for special events, allows us to do what we love every day.

We look forward to having you at The Shebeen Pub & Braai!

History

Established in 2003.

In 1999, as an undergraduate at The University of Virginia, Walter Slawski set up a catering company focused on serving organizations associated with The University. By the time he completed his bachelor of arts in economics, catering had stolen his heart. In tribute to a magical African childhood and to satisfy his growing love affair with food, he opened The Shebeen Pub & Braai in March of 2003.

Meet the Business Owner

Walter S.

Business Owner

Graduate of The University of Virginia, from Woodberry Forest, from Africa. In love with food, entertaining, Africa and my daughter. Started catering as an undergrad, graduating to full service restaurant in March of 2003.

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Nearby

Near this location:
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243 Ridge Mcintire Rd
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20 reviews of The Shebeen Pub & Braai

No registration required
Place rating: 3
Reston, VA
Oh shebeen… I have very mixed feelings about this place. The food is great but the poor service is really hard to overlook. Don’t get me wrong, the staff is extremely friendly but their organization skills need some major improvement. We went during Valentine’s Day and they were extremely unprepared for the rush. They forgot to bring the bread (which I shamelessly asked for 3 times) and forgot our appetizers. The food is above average and I would highly recommend the shepherd pie and the Durban chicken! They have specials every night for dinner so if you’re a local, I would recommend going on a day where they have specials. But beware, their service does need some improvement and I’m hoping they get it together! Fingers crossed.
Place rating: 3
Charlottesville, VA
Let’s start with. the food is amazing. Unfortunately
6 times as a consumer the service has been dreadfully slow :(
Place rating: 5
Charlottesville, VA
Shebeen is a breath of fresh air.
For someone from a small midwest town, African cuisine was something I hadn’t ever tried prior to moving to CVille, andI feel like I’ve been missing out my whole life. The spine-​tingling flavor-​combinations and aromatic, sensory-​delighting plates I’ve received here are something I look forward to no matter how many times I’ve attended.
Meals come accompanied with homemade bread and great service. I can’t recommend it enough.
Place rating: 5
Charlottesville, VA
Great breakfast! We went on a frigid Saturday morning about 8:30, had the place to ourselves, and had a wonderful meal. The host/​waiter was extremely warm and welcoming. We started with «bowls» of steaming hot coffee, and then I had «the English», and my wife had the corned beef hash and eggs. The food was very prepared — the eggs were very fresh and perfectly prepared, the corned beef hash was fantastic. We will most definitely be back!
Place rating: 3
Charlottesville, VA
Have had dinner at Shebeen several times and the waitstaff is always friendly, décor is nice, and food, though fairly basic, is good. Huge salads, and some interesting flavors going on with the more South African dishes. We’ve taken our kids here a few times and it’s a good spot for families.
Place rating: 4
Houston, TX
The Shebeen is a «South African inspired» restaurant, so it might not be 100% authentic South African food. More like South African/​American fusion maybe? Either way, the place has character and the food is great! As a pescetarian, the Shebeen had plenty of options both for me and my carnivorous boyfriend! I thought about the blackened tilapia, fish & chips, and sadza cakes (a vegetarian option), but ultimately settled on the sop & grilled cheddar — a South African take on soup and grilled cheese. The soup was a curry corn chowder, and the grilled cheese was a Gouda with heirloom tomato on wheatberry. The grilled cheese was unremarkable (the bread was a little soft for the grilled cheese preparation, and so it lacked the crispiness of a great grilled cheese), but the soup… The Soup. MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM. I could eat a bowl of that everyday. My boyfriend had the lunch durban spiced chicken, which he quite enjoyed as well. I was just visiting Charlotteville, but if I lived there, I’d be a regular at Shebeen.
Place rating: 5
Charlottesville, VA
One of our favorites by far. I actually had to cut my husband off one month from going another weekend because we love the food so much! Outside space is also amazing!
Place rating: 5
San Antonio, TX
Shebeen is one of two restaurants in our constant rotation (Bang! being the other). The food is always excellent although I find it hard to stray from the Durban Chicken and the spinach salad with their homemade Dijon dressing. Atmosphere is great… You’d never imagine you were in a strip mall if you didn’t know you were :-).
I agree with some of the comments related to the service. We have been seated without water and they have forgotten our bread a few times (don’t EVER let them forget the bread — it is beyond fantastic). That said, the vast majority of the time we have had excellent service so 5 stars anyway.
Place rating: 5
Jarratt, VA
Tonight I’m at Shebeen again. This is probably my 5th or 6th trip here. Every time I am pleased. Tonight, at the strong recommendation of my server (who is from London) I ordered the Shepard’s Pie. It was proceeded by the pub salad and the Malay Bay Curried Corn Chowder.
The salad is really a modified Greek salad with a great homemade Greek dressing. Plenty of cheese and olives. Really a good salad with sweet pepper supremes.
Oh my, the Curried Corn Chowder was out of this world. Just the right balance of curry, coconut milk, sweet corn and potatoes. A wonderful soup to wake up the taste buds.
And let me tell you about the Shepard’s Pie. The plate arrives with a quart crock that is full of smoking hot deliciousness covered with brown gravy. Shebeen seasons ground lamb and covers it in parmesan mashed potatoes and thick hearty brown gravy. They bake it to perfection and serve it surrounded by steamed veggies. The pie is sweet, slightly salty, and full of flavor. It is possibly the best I’ve ever eaten.
You won’t go wrong with a visit to Shebeen.
By the way, if they say something is spicy or hot, believe them.
I should mention that the servers and service is excellent and they have a great bar, should you be looking for a new wine or a pint of draft.
Place rating: 5
Charlottesville, VA
Interesting, fun décor. The menu has lots of diverse options, including many unique African dishes as well as mainstream American dishes. Everything was delicious!
Place rating: 4
Charlottesville, VA
The only reason I hesitate to give 5-​star is because it took them a little more than 30 minutes to bring our food.
We sat outside at the smoking area and ordered fish&chips and shepherd’s pie. I must say fish was a bit too dry and didn’t have any taste to it; however, shepherd’s pie was delicious!
We also ordered Cape Malay Curried Corn Chowder, very rich and spicy, along with sunrise Irish cocktail, and for dessert we went for caramel brulee and chocolate ganache samosas.
Chocolate ganache was alright though I was new to its taste, and caramel brulee was average.
Overall, we paid $ 30 each, which compare to its quality and atmosphere was a decent price.
Place rating: 3
Norfolk, VA
They have the tools. Menu. Atmosphere.
Service was weak. New waitress, too many tables…
Food was tasty but over worked and ignored, perhaps (fried items a tiny bit scorched, some items a bit cool).
A single visit doesn’t make a reputation we will be back! So much potential!
Place rating: 5
Washington, DC
Staff & owner, Walter, were super friendly, hospitable and had the rugby and soccer matches on… perfect day!
As for the food… eat as many of the wings as you can! They are spicy, deliciousness that I will dream about! The hammies were a crowd pleaser as were the satays. Coffee was amazing and served beautifully. The beer was also top notch. Ask Zack for a mimosa — you won’t be sorry!
Place rating: 4
Arlington, VA
This place is a gem! Home to the best shepherd’s pie I’ve ever had — I can’t get enough of the slightly-​burnt cheese on top, à la French onion soup. The samosas are delicious as well.
Place rating: 4
Charlottesville, VA
Came here during an event hosted by my grad school so we were served buffet style. Everything was amazing though! The meat was super flavorful, the veggies were crunchy and all the sauces were so savory! A lot of the food tasted very similar to Indian food flavor-​wise. Two thumbs up for great food and plenty of parking. One star down because I really don’t like restaurants that are so dark it’s hard to even see who you’re eating with.
Place rating: 5
Woburn, MA
One of the only South African place I have ever been to. Can vouch for authenticity of the food here. Very flavorful, very delicious and definitley worth the wait and price if and when they are very busy. Have gotten the Peri-​Peri Chicken wings which are bomb, and got the Durban Spiced Chicken, both times, does not dissappoint. a good mixture of food textures, warmth of flavors and spiciness. The mango chutney is delicious. Pairs well with the dish and good enough that you can lick you plate clean.
Highly recommended place if you’d like to try something exotic when you are in Cville
Place rating: 5
Morgantown, WV
Hidden in a strip mall behind staples is this nice bar with some good food. The bartender knew everyone by name and what drinks they liked as soon as they walked in.
I had the Durban chicken and yes it was good, but let’s talk about those «grits» which were amazing. The brochette was good too. I was glad I walked the extra distance to give this place a try.
Place rating: 4
Gainesville, VA
Home away from home. Boere woers very good, just like home. Restaurant itself was very clean. Will be back.
Fish & Chips gets the 4 stars rating… definitely prebattered and frozen and over priced for that reason.
Place rating: 5
Haverford, PA
**Stop 1 of 7 on the Taste of Virginia Charlottesville Food Tour**
This is a hidden gem that I fear too many people pass over due to its close proximity to the downtown mall. My girlfriend and I came here on a food tour, and I’m so happy we did because the food was AMAZING. The interior is decorated with a South African theme, with an indoor and outdoor bar area (the outdoor bar area has swings for seats at the bar), and a spacious and cozy inside.
We both tried the Durban Spiced Chicken ($ 19) which was chicken breasts skewered on sugar cane, spiced with annatto, coriander & cumin, served over mealie pap (South African grit), with a side of spicy voodoo sauce and mango chutney. The chicken was cooked perfectly, and while I’m not a huge fan of grits, these grits were exquisite (it tasted closer to cheesy mashed potatoes). The best part of the meal was the sauces we were able to try — the mango chutney and voodoo sauce were delicious and complimented the chicken very well. The voodoo sauce was spicy without sacrificing flavor, and the mango chutney was good enough to just eat with a spoon.
In sum, a really fantastic restaurant that shouldn’t be overlooked. We will definitely be back here.
Place rating: 2
Orlando, FL
I came here when visiting my brother who lives in Charlottesville and I was excited to try it being that I’ve never had South African cuisine. I got the mussels which looked absolutely mouth watering but the taste didn’t match up, I’d rather have the frozen kind you can buy at the grocery store. I only ate half because the taste was beginning to make me feel nauseous.
Also, the service was terrible. The server wasn’t attentive and their register is poorly placed right near the front door and the server thought it would be okay to leave our check with our cards sitting right out in the open by this register where anyone could walk by and walk straight out the door with them.
The best thing about the overall experience was the wonderful bread they give you before your meal, probably the only reason I’d come back.