Tjing Tjing House

A Rooftop Bar That Earns Its Reputation in Cape Town's Most Competitive Drinking Scene

If you're choosing between Tjing Tjing House on Longmarket Street and heading straight to the waterfront bar circuit, go to Tjing Tjing House first. Cape Town's City Bowl has quietly shifted the city's nightlife gravity away from the V&A; Waterfront, and Tjing Tjing House at 165 Longmarket Street sits near the centre of that shift — a multilevel venue that draws a crowd looking for atmosphere and cocktails rather than sea views and tourist-facing pricing.

The energy here reads as Cape Town at its most socially mixed: after-work professionals, visitors who've done their research, and a younger creative set who treat the rooftop as a default meeting point. The sound level climbs through the evening, which is worth factoring into your plans. For a group of four or more, that ambient noise becomes part of the draw rather than a problem — conversation flows naturally when there's enough of you, and the space handles larger tables better than most bars in the City Bowl. If you're coming as a pair hoping for a quiet catch-up, earlier in the evening gives you a better experience than arriving after 9 PM.

The format suits groups well. A multilevel layout means your party can spread across the space, and the rooftop tier , which has made Tjing Tjing House a reference point among Cape Town bar-goers , gives you a vantage over the Bo-Kaap rooflines that most of the waterfront venues simply cannot offer. For a group occasion, a birthday drinks session, or a pre-dinner start to the night, this works more reliably than a single-room bar.

What's changed in recent years is the venue's position in the wider conversation about Cape Town drinking. A wave of strong cocktail bars has raised the bar across the city, and Tjing Tjing House has kept pace by holding its ground as a go-to for atmosphere rather than repositioning purely around its drinks program. The crowd has evolved with the neighbourhood , Bo-Kaap and the lower City Bowl have become more deliberately social, and Tjing Tjing House benefits from that foot traffic.

For the explorer-type visitor to Cape Town, this is a useful stop on a broader evening that might begin here and move to dinner in the City Bowl. It pairs well with the neighbourhood rather than standing apart from it. Check our full Cape Town bars guide for how to sequence your evening, and see our full Cape Town restaurants guide for dinner options nearby.

Reservations: Easy to book; walk-ins are generally possible but rooftop space fills on weekend evenings, so booking ahead for groups of four or more is sensible. Dress: Smart-casual is the norm; the crowd skews put-together without being formal. Budget: Pricing sits in line with mid-range Cape Town bar expectations , this is not a budget option, but it is not premium-tier either. Getting there: Longmarket Street puts you within walking distance of the City Bowl's main restaurant cluster and a short Uber from the V&A; Waterfront.

How It Compares

See the comparison section below for how Tjing Tjing House sits against Cape Town's other main bar options.

Pearl Picks , Also Worth Your Time in Cape Town

• Asoka , a strong alternative in the City Bowl for a different pace
• Cafe Caprice , the go-to if you want Camps Bay beach proximity with your drinks
• Planet Bar , hotel bar polish if you prefer a quieter room
• Cassette , a tighter, more cocktail-focused option for smaller groups
• Our full Cape Town hotels guide , for where to stay nearby
• Our full Cape Town wineries guide , for day-trip winery planning from the city
• Our full Cape Town experiences guide , for building the full itinerary
• Sin + Tax in Johannesburg , for reference if you're also visiting Joburg
• The Wine Shop by Caraffa in Pretoria , a wine-led alternative if Pretoria is on your route
• Bar Leather Apron in Honolulu , for international context on craft cocktail bars worth planning around