I booked well in advance from Melbourne, when the weather was fine and the reviews great. Sadly, upon arrival, the menu had changed and so had the chef. The Japanese influenced menu was bland and bizarre. I have been to Tokyo and have experienced 100% better fare. Micro banh mi, raw scallop, a slice of house cooked bread, a plate of chopped up tomato, a slither of steak and a forest inspired dessert with rock made from yeast (apparently). These are just a few of the underwhelming dishes from the oh so long list of meagre morsels prepared for your dining pleasure. Something I prepared earlier (while under the weather) at its best? Make up you're own mind if your happy to gamble. I though the entire experience was obnoxious. My dining companion clearly was utterly unimpressed and I felt disappointed leaving the venue nearly $500 worse for wear. Also be aware of someone lurking around the corner, quick to take your view of each dish. read more

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Dinner for one while traveling to Auckland for business from NYC.  My neighbor on the flight suggested I try Euro, I should have listened to him.  How does a restaurant of this supposed caliber not have any toilet paper in the restroom?! Menu at Clooney never seems to change based on other reviews.  I chose the 5 course (NZD 120), which included a king fish tartare (yuzu was so overwhelming and too sweet, took two bites and didn't eat the rest), local snapper with sea beans and an abalone / squid ink sauce (tepid, sauce is grainy and again, way too much citrus for an otherwise beautifully prepared snapper), duck with beets (duck well prepared, but nutmeg / cinnamon / clove was the only thing I tasted), lamb rump (delicious, best thing on the menu). Alcohol:  tried the White Negroni to start, delicious.  Ordered a glass of the Destiny Bay, of course served at 80 degrees (I asked them to chill this, came back at 79). Meh. Service:  Attentive without being annoying.  That's why this is getting 3 instead of 2 stars. Overall, meal was mediocre compared to really amazing degustations / tasting menus in the world. My lunch at Ortolans was much much better (and cheaper). read more

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Excellent food and service. Most everything tasted really good and the presentation was very nice. Only the wagyu was a bit tough to chew. The flavors all meshed well within each plate. Also tried the blue duck vodka which was smooth and a bit sweet. And the Te Rere Shiraz went well with the meat dishes in the meal. The duck was probably my favorite of the courses. read more

Clooney - Modern European Near Me - Auckland, AUK

Amazeballs. Great place, great atmosphere, great service, great food. Clooney eloquently puts everything together to give you a real dining experience. Of all the fine dining restaurants I've been to Clooney was definitely the most comfortable. The chairs, couches really are extremely comfortable, tables are huge so you actually have more than enough space for your plates and glasses. Lighting is very comfortable and pleasant to look at. The caramelised butter with bread here is to die for, wagyu tartare was amazing, I had the kingfish and blue cod which were both cooked to perfection. No complaints really. On top of the knowledgeable and helpful staff, Clooney is highly recommended and I would definitely come back again. read more

Clooney - What i see when i look up - Modern European Near Me - Auckland, AUK

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Really theatrical setting of the restaurant. The dinning area is stage for both food and you. Good for small intimate groups or date night. Food materials are incredibly fresh. A few 7 course options (vegetarian options available ) are the exact as on their websites. Presentation of the food is also gorgeous . Extensive selection of local wines for paring You can also make up your own 3/4/5/7 course meal from menu. Personally I really liked all the seafood and lamb. Less with vegetable course (although side salad is refreshing and nice ). Definitely worth experiencing . read more

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WTF happened? Luke B.'s review is spot on. Jakob Kear, what hippie curse did you lay on Clooney? We so energetically were rooting for you. We paid ~$500 NZD to have our hearts broken. Most notorius of the courses were the slice of sourdough and bland "kefir" butter, a bowl of what basically is cauliflower porridge, another bowl of tofu skin, and those bits on corn left after you slice the kernels off the ear sprinkled on top, a cheap sliver of sirloin, an oversalted slice of call-it-what-you-want-but-it's-really-just-eel-jerky-to-me? They used the same presentation bowls throughout. That ice bowl is an embarrassment. Same with that bowl of green moss that was used to present two different courses and had bits of food from the previous course. REALLY? I feel so bad for the sommelier, Jared (sp?) and his team (you get the only star for this review), who thoughtfully curated pairings and did their best to highlight the good in each presentation. Good thing we had other wonderful things planned for NZ visit and that we've had great meals north and south before this experience because I'm struggling to forget I spent this amount of money to be disappointed. In your interview posted here: https://www.clooney.co.nz/jacob-kear-the-new-head-chef-of-clooney-shaking-up-aucklands-food-scene/, you said you want "to simplify things" and that you"believe the whole molecular gastronomy style is a thing of the past." I look forward to seeing this happen for real and wish you the best of luck. That chewy eel course was the exact opposite of what you've described. You may have strayed from using "foam" but you instead subjected us to eating a salty wallet. P.S. As if this sadness was not enough, this dinner was meant to be one of the highlight meals of our honeymoon trip. Tony promised us (over a few email exchanges) a table that would give us a better view of the kitchen in action. We were seated closest to the entrance instead while the table described remained available until we paid the bill and left. When we asked at the time we were seated if we could get the table we originally asked for, we were essentially told, higher profile people were sitting there. Message received but hey, thanks for the consolation cake. #bringDesHarrisback read more

I loved the interior of Clooney. Elegant lighting, round tables with black thread curtains, the quietness... The list can go on. I started with two cocktails ($18 each) which were simple but delicious. For mains, I had a Beef tenderloin (with sun choke, verde, veal sweetbread & fuille de brick, $46) which was simply amazing. Clooney doesn't use the common sauce with its steak. This creamy green mousse like sauce goes perfectly well with the tenderloin. Sorry the photo I took here was too blurry to show. My partner had Market fish (with amphire, horseradish, native sea weed & clam juices, $45) which was still good with refreshing dressings. Well I was not planning to leave this place without trying their dessert so we chose Baked valrhona dulcey, popcorn, date & banana ($19). The white chocolate in the middle was simply melting in our mouth. It was a bit of shame as the date paste had a touch of ginger which I didn't particularly enjoy. But the rest of the elements disappeared quickly. Wow, what a wonderful night. Would love to come again if my bank account allows :p read more

As I drew back that big black door I knew I was in for something special. Tucked away down the back of Sale St... It's like entering Narnia for food. Protip: arrive early and have a cocktail at the bar. Its cozy and the menu is very smart and the drinks are delicious! The simple industrial exterior doesn't give much away but inside the high vaulted ceilings and the swish mysterious dividers with big generous round booth tables. Everything down to the cutlery and plates sets this place apart from your standard dining establishments. I spent the day tossing up between the à la carte and the tasting menu... only to be presented with a fourth option of a 5 course tasting menu... (opposed to the 7 or 9) having stupidly opted to bring my car I wasn't able to pair each dish with a wine, instead I opted for the first glass and the third which ended up being solid choices with Escarpment Riesling 2010, and Navarherreos Albillo 2010. There wasn't a single dish or execution that wasn't perfect. Beyond perfect even... The highlight for me was the signature duck dish. But beyond the menu we had to indulge in the truffle dutch fries which was big thick fluffy pomme frite loaves served with the lightest delicate aioli. Which came out with the lamb... and that together made for a truly outstanding dish. What I loved the most is that normally about two thirds of the way through a tasting menu I wonder if my eyes are bigger than my stomach... Clooney has that fine balance down perfect. I felt totally ready for dessert after the fourth and the pace for service between dishes was ideal. The dessert blew my mind... I'll be the first to admit it sounds a little pretentious "deconstructed pineapple cheesecake with coconut and spiced ginger base" but what came out was the fat lady singing the perfect top note that blows out all the champagne glasses without any remorse. I don't think I'll ever look at risotto the same again... or pineapples... the menu completely undersells the experience. Donate a kidney, pick up that assassination contract... whatever you have to do to make this happen... just go... its worth it... I promise! read more

We were extremely disappointed with the food and change of direction. I have been to this restaurant 7 or 8 times, and could previously say that it used to easily be my favourite restaurant in Auckland. However, due to them recently changing their longstanding Head Chef, the menu has undergone a radical change and it no longer resembles the place I used to love eating. Whilst the service, cocktails and decor are still exceptional, the food is now a little on the bland side, the dishes are tiny compared to what used to be served (leaving us hungry after multiple courses) and very overpriced for what was put in front of us. I have never complained about the price before because the food was previously outstanding, however this menu is lack-lustre. Gone are the amazing bold favours and they have taken a huge step backward from the place it USED to be. And before the rebuttal comes that their change of direction was to go towards a full-on Japanese fusion style, as opposed to the previous contemporary fusion with flare, and I just don't appreciate the flavours, I can honestly say I spent over 2 years living in Japan and am intimately familiar with great Japanese food - and this isn't it. So I'm not just feeling let down on the loss of the previous menu, but suffering from major disappointment over their attempt at the new. I cannot begin to describe how sad we were to see the direction they have taken and we will not be going back as long as this new menu is in place. I'm afraid they are currently trading off their past glory and reputation, and a serious wake-up call is required. They've just lost a major fan and repeat customer. read more

Such a wonderful place. 5 stars customer service. Food was great. Lovely table and comfortable chairs. Everything was great. Highly recommended. read more

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Clooney is very much fine dining at its best. The setting is theatrical, with dark and dimly lit spaces separated by curtain walls. The menu offers several choices, from a la carte (which I opted for) to 5 or 7 course set menus. Saturday nights are reserved for degustation only. The service is top notch here, drinks arrived effortlessly and the food was delicious. Each plate was expertly prepared with seasonal and exciting flavour combinations. In between courses there were also complimentary tastings and palate cleansers from the kitchen. Definitely the sort of place I would recommend for a special occasion. One of Auckland's finest. read more

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Our Eight Year Wedding Anniversary called for something special and so we went to the one place that does it for my Wife and I. Clooneys. New Chef - New menu - New outlook!! While I loved (and miss) their old menu/chef, the new dishes served were "a whole new world of flavours" and an elegant mixture of surprises and deliciousness! You have to be up for something different (if you've been before and are comparing menus) and totally approach it with a new zest because after - it was a totally different style of cuisine and culture than the previous. I (We) loved the textures flavours and presentations of each course. We ordered the 3 course a la cart BUT got a whole heap of extra "snacks" which by the end was actually very filling. Maybe a few very subtle changes could've been made to a couple of dishes to really hit home the vision (which I suggested to our waiter - lol) but it's always appreciated when you're able to see and feel the chefs love and passion on his plates which I felt I received as a customer. My Wife's coffee wasn't so good BUT we totally dug the special layered chocolate cake we received as an anniversary treat. Chocolate always wins a ha. Always a pleasure and a beautiful experience which is hard to find in my small Big city of Auckland! read more

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There is one thing I hate about Clooney and it isn't even about the place itself. It is how everyone calls it 'Clooneys', plural. It's Clooney with no 's' guys! For f*cks sake, get it right! So, as you have probably been able to deduce from the above, if that's the one thing I hate about Clooney, the place must be pretty damn good. It is. The only reason I don't rate it 5, is because I have a weird thing about rating things 5 stars. I would give Clooney a solid 4.5 from the experiences I've had. I've dined with vegans and had them make up special vegan menus, I've just had drinks, I've just had desserts, I've had full meals, I've been to parties there. I've pretty much done it all. The food is, as to be expected, on a very high level. The cocktails are fantastic. The seating arrangements are perfect. There are these moveable dividers between tables made of fringing. They offer privacy without feeling like you're separated from the rest of the patrons. The architecture is pretty bloody good. If you go, anything you order will be good so I have no recommendations. All I can say is make sure you visit the bathrooms because they are super nice and even the most snobby will appreciate the design. read more

I guess with a name like 'Clooney', it evokes a sophisticated guy with grey hair. This place certainly is sophisticated - we could not afford to come here normally, we just came with my wife's work and the bill was on them. Clooney is something special, a bona fide exquisite dining experience. We had our own booth which meant we all felt more relaxed and it made for a better evening. The service is excellent and made the dining experience that bit more special. As regards the food, it is superb. I got a beef fillet which came with truffle and it was melt in the mouth. My wife got the gnocchi which came with egg yolk and she said it was the best she'd ever tasted. By all means come here but bear in mind that the entrees are priced between $20 -$30 and the mains are all over $40. It's expensive but is a very memorable night out. read more

Clooney - Gastronomic grandeur at Clooney. - Modern European Near Me - Auckland, AUK

I made up the numbers one night recently at Auckland's five star restaraunt Clooney It's a stylish space with black slashed curtains subtley dividing the comfortable booths as tables. It was just as well i wasnt starving to death, however, because allthough very well prepared it really was one of those posh dinners with an exquisite large plate and an equally exquisite but conversely small meal in the middle of it... well, at least if you order the fish anyway. Excellent service with our waiter going the extra mile in terms of explaining the menu and taking the time to show us around made for a memorable experience. Next time I might give the degustation a go. read more

This is definitely one of the nicer places to eat in Auckland. It was quite dark though but on the other hand it is quite private behind the curtained off tabled areas so nobody is watching you. You can eat in sophisticated privacy! We ate foods we wouldn't have normally eaten elsewhere. Great to see some decent whiskeys on the menu! Would go back on special occasions, as it's one of those special feeling restaurants. read more

I was excited when my friends surprised with a birthday dinner at Clooney, but I'm sad to say (and don't tell them!) that the food was a let down. Dining out in Auckland, especially at the top places, is expensive, so I think value for money has to figure into the experience. I had the lobster entree, pork main and dark chocolate dessert. The dessert was the best of the three, but still just good, not great. Now to be clear, it was a fine dining experience and I can't find fault with anything but taste. The service was superb and the waiter was so charming and excellent at describing the food that our table of 6 went from ordering one dessert to ordering 6!But if I am going to pay $45 for a main, I want heaven on a plate. What I got was a decent feed that didn't taste any better than what I get at my favourite cheap and cheerful Asian places around town. And some of the combinations just didn't work. The lobster had crispy pork fat on top, which was repeated on the pork main, but had no flavour of pork. And while the lobster was beautiful, as were the beans and pea tendril sauce, there was too much bitter lemon that threw it off completely. The pork dish was very nice, meat cooked well, but accompanied by a gel-like sauce and weird creamy brown stuff, both of which were flavourless. And except for the miniscule amount of crispy skin, the pork belly was bland. Dessert was the best course but not $26 worth . I liked my Clooney experience but I expected much, much more from a place that is a top rated, high end Auckland restaurant. And for the money, I certainly want more taste. read more

Decadent. A place for special occasions and one that never fails to disappoint. The seven course degustation is beautifully presented and you get a little treat to take home at the end of the meal. Surprise of the night was the optional dish of Comte cheese with black garlic puree and black garlic infused loaf. Simply heaven! read more

Top notch - easily one of the best restaurants in the city. Auckland is spoiled for dining options and Clooney is a real winner amongst them. The industrial space has been fitted out beautifully and the booth dining lends itself to intimate dining for groups (large or small). The food is expertly prepared and tastes amazing. The service is always attentive and friendly. It's a definite place for special occasions! read more

The high ceilings, leather-covered booths, sparse aesthetic, no tablecloth on minimalist circular tables and impersonal service make Clooney seem more like more like a dark quasi-glamorous fine-dining place shoe-horned into an airport lounge. The maitre d' needs to be more vigilant, but the food provides some consolation. A kombu broth's complex flavour was inveigling, the beef main was simply superb showcasing a heft, perfect seasoning and controlled meaty fullness paired with a delicious barbecue emulsion and Jerusalem artichoke puree. A scallop tasted more of the grill marks emblazoned on it and Eel beignet keenly channeled wood smoke, however sorrel ice-cream was a bewitching concoction, complete with inspired fruity associates. Pricey at $150 pp for 7 course tasting. Better success rate in the food and warmer service would amply benefit this place. 3/5 = Good. Full article - http://www.upnworld.com/restaurant/view/id/48/title/Clooney read more

Clooney - Interior - Modern European Near Me - Auckland, AUK

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Upscale fine dining in a very quiet and nice place restaurant is in a re designed warehouse which makes a great atmosphere. The food is Devine and the service is up to the restaurant standard. Dessert is just outstanding. Keeping memories for months. An awesome place to go with your lover or also for business diner. read more

I wanted this place to be good but sadly it's a poor attempt at a fancy and inventive restaurant. Your food will look pretty but will taste more boring than an amateur hotel caterer who's finally decided to call it in. All food lacked proper salting, spices, and even appropriate temperature. We attempted to leave between courses 2 and 3 but our waiter beat us to the punch delivering the unwanted and unloved food. This restaurant could be so much more if it took a step back and focused on food and not pretension. read more

Yes it is worth it. Just come here. It is Romaric, perhaps overpriced but when you start eating you will forget all of that nonsense and enjoy yourself. read more

We ate here about 6 months ago on vacation. We've been talking about writing a review for it ever since. Wow! What a phenomenal experience. We had a larger, jet lagged party and called ahead to see if they could expedite the tasting menu a bit. The staff was very accommodating and friendly. Our sommelier was incredibly knowledgeable (can't remember his name, but he was from Bordeaux!) Overall, an absolutely incredible experience. Great staff and amazing food, too! read more

I had heard great things about Clooney so I guess expectations ran high. I found the atmosphere rather "industrial" for my tastes. The string curtains weird. The service where people pop up from behind you through the curtains puzzling. Food was a strange mix of flavours which I didn't enjoy. Bill was very high for what was delivered ( $1350 for 4 people with wine). We had started with sparkling water which the wait staff kept on bringing without asking. I know I am sounding very negative but this was my experience. I have had way better meals in Auckland for way less money. I for one would not return and recommend anyone else to go to the multitude of better restaurants to be found in Auckland these days. Mike read more

AMAZING! We did the tasting menu with wine parings. I would love to return to Clooney - perfect vibe, drinks, cuisine. Thank you for delivering a flawless experience. read more

The degustation was perfect. Unobtrusive yet attentive wait staff. Easily my favourite restaurant in Auckland.

Wanted to like it. Really wanted to like it but ..... really really didn't. Three v good friends who dine out a lot, locally and internationally. I've never been to Noma but know I would be so disappointed if it is anything like what is happening at Clooney these days. House cocktails should have been the warning. How can you ruin a cocktail - Clooney have worked out how. Tasting menu - no menu - just guess at what is being presented. 14 courses - small, Japanese influenced and lacking texture, flavour variation, punch. And with several of the courses - inedible. Highlight was the confit salmon but everything was soft, no crunch to go with, nothing to cut the richness. Disappointing- lamb. Should have been way better but unrendered fat is inedible. Worst course (and there were several contenders) the seaweed sorbet with citrus flesh finely sprinkled on top. One taste and an audible no escaped. The waiter agreed with me. Dessert - black sesame aerated chocolate. I know you can but should you? I think not. Overall it was just one long note, no temperature variations, no crunch, no texture, no flavour. I hoped the wine would kill the taste of food ... it tried. Three people, 14 course degustation, 4 glasses of wine & 4 cocktails - $696.00. Service was good but the chef needs seriously to reconsider his menu. It's a no from me. read more

My husband and I went here for our wedding dinner with my parents. We are from the USA. So I might be blinded by the circumstance, best day of my life happens to be in NZ. Regardless, Clooney really met our expectations. There were only 4 of us and it definitely felt intimate with a very quiet and dark but elegant atmosphere. The menu was a little hard to understand if not pretentious; we are very adventurous with food and did not know about a quarter of the menu or condiments. That being said, the waiter was extremely helpful in explaining what we didn't understand. Walking here from Prince's Wharf is doable but sort of a trek, and we put my parents in a cab to get back to the hotel because the resto seems to be in poorly lit industrial area before we took off solo on foot to hit the gay part of the city 20 minutes walk away. read more