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    El Humero

    4.2 (21 reviews)
    Open 11:30 am - 9:30 pm

    El Humero Photos

    EL HUMERO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

    Recommended Reviews - El Humero

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    Reviews With Photos

    Grill view from our stools at the front
    Christine L.

    I only found this little gem because a friend of mine posted delicious looking pics on Instagram. After seeing them and then looking the place up I decided I must try it for myself. So yesterday my Mom and I had ourselves a yummy steak lunch. El Humero is located down a little alleyway in Takapuna off of Hurstmere Rd, that contains a string of small restaurants and eateries. It was busy for Monday lunchtime, which I always take as a good sign. We sat at the bar area on stools, which for me was a little uncomfortable as I don't like not being able to sit back, but turns out every seat in the place is a stool so it wouldn't have mattered anyway. We were given menus and had to put our bags on the floor as there aren't the usual hooks underneath. The menu is pretty extensive, and pretty cheap in terms of a steakhouse. My mom and I both got the popular eye round steak. Hers with arepa and guacamole, and mine with yuca wedges and Colombian sour cream. It took quite a while to come out as there is only one guy working the grill area, but it was fun to watch him so I suggest sitting at the bar if you can. My steak was delicious and huge. The fat was well grilled so you could easily eat the whole thing if you had enough room (I didn't). The sour cream was very tangy like it had lime juice mixed in and it went well with the yuca and the steak. My only disappointment was when the server brought our plates over she tipped mine and it spilled steak juice all over my bag, which of course was on the floor since I couldn't put it anywhere else. I really hope they install hooks for this very reason. Other than that the meal was awesome and the grill master was fun to talk to. You can tell he knows his stuff. By far the best place I've eaten since being in New Zealand.

    Alex D.

    Holy smokes... the beef short rib is absolute heaven. Tender, smokey, meaty goodness chargrilled to perfection. And those cassava fries... delicious! I'll admit, I'd never heard of cassava before but the chef tells me it's a root vegetable that thrives in the hot countries around the equator. He even showed me a picture. It looks a lot like a parsnip. Anyway, they twice cook their's. First boiling them in a vegetable stock and then deep-frying them for that added crunch. I also highly recommend their empanadas, which are made with corn as opposed to pastry (I wonder if this a regional thing?). They're filled with potato and slow-cooked beef and are incredibly moreish. As for vegetables.., well, do potatoes count? No but seriously, they're not big on them. Their main dishes do come with a side salad that's a-ok but nothing to write home about. Also, heads up these guys are still waiting for their liquor license. It should be coming the next couple of weeks but until then it water or soft drinks!

    Sandra K.

    I stumbled upon this newly opened eatery in Takapuna's new laneway, Fortieth & Hurstmere. Nestled alongside Dante's Pizza and Bird on a Wire, El Humero offers traditional Colombian bbq, large cuts of meat are skewered and cooked over manuka flames, grilled over coals or slow cooked until tender. I tried a couple of entrees - the beef pinchos (grilled skewers with onion and capsicum) and empanadas (filled with pulled beef and potatoes, encased in a cornbread style pastry). I also tried the guacamole and a chilli, tomato sauce. All freshly made and delicious. Lots of choices for mains on the menu with the added bonus of being able to choose one side dish and one sauce. I'm keen to try a traditional schnitzel dish next time. The staff are very friendly and happy to explain the menu. I hear there's even Colombian beer on the way to add to the experience. I'll be back.

    A splash of colour to stimulate the appetite!

    Alex and I had a lovely shared lunch here, last Sunday. We were warmly greeted by the staff and engaged in conversation about the menu. After ordering, we chatted away at the bar. The atmosphere was strangely relaxing, even though we were seated amidst a cacophony of activity! The noise from the chefs at work, the laughter from nearby tables and the vibrant folkloric sounds playing in the background, seemed to just add to the charm of this place! As for the food - I'm a fan! The pulled beef empanadas are delightful. They are made from cornmeal, which sets them apart from the other South American flour empanadas. These guys know how to heat things up - just right, too! The Ají sauce made from diced tomatoes, cilantro, chopped green onions, lemon juice and, of course, ají or habanero peppers, works brilliantly with their grilled meats, empanadas, and arepas. Their black pudding sausages where, however, my favourite! Succulent, moist and full of texture - simply the best! I can't wait to go back for more!!!

    Pearl L.

    Was recommended by a South American that this is the best authentic South American restaurant so come to check it out. Thought was bigger place from the pic. Both waitress and chef are ladies and seems from there. I like the beef the way they grill tastes good can't remember others . Overall is ok but maybe not a must try particularly for the South American food as the menu is quite simple same for lunch and dinner.

    Mixed platter of entree

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    4 months ago

    We had an excellent dinner here this evening: house made chorizo, beef empanadas, arepas, and slow cooked beef. Very nice beer list as well

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    7 months ago

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    2 years ago

    10/10 for food, service and ambiance. Would highly recommend for awesome lunch/dinner.

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    3 years ago

    Simply amazkng, the atmosphere and the food. Takes me back home to southamerica with the great quality meat.

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    9 years ago

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    10 years ago

    Popped in here for a Saturday afternoon late lunch. Great ambience, outstanding food. The mains looked like big portions. Will be back.

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    Review Highlights - El Humero

    The pulled beef empanadas are delightful.

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

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    Hog Heaven Louisiana Smokehouse

    Hog Heaven Louisiana Smokehouse

    2.9(16 reviews)
    8.7 kmNewmarket
    $$

    Live jazz & BBQ is one of my all time favourites combos but until recently there wasn't really…read moreanywhere in Auckland doing both on a nightly basis... that was until Hog Heaven opened a couple of months ago and started serving plates of smokey barbequed meat lathered in sauce. Yum! A group of Yelpers and I went for the first time on Sunday night, just in time for the live jazz at 6:30pm. Turns out it was also the NRL final so they had the warm up game (maybe the Junior Warriors) playing on a massive pull-down screen behind the singer....take note sports lovers. I couldn't go past the pulled pork with coleslaw and green beans. It took a little while for our meals to come out and when they did most of us noted that they weren't that hot but it didn't bother me too much as the pork was tender, drenched in sauce and super flavoursome. The coleslaw was ok - it reminded me of KFC coleslaw and the green beans were cooked well. The serving size was smaller than I expected but I am probably just used to the HUGE serving sizes in the States. What was a little off-putting though, was the filthy fish tank on the bar counter and the greasy finger marks all over the front door... I'd imagine it'd be difficult to keep the glass clean with half your customers demolishing ribs but I think these little details are important! I might wait a few months but i'd like to go back and try some of their other New Orleans dishes like gumbo and cornbread.

    Hog Heaven is a fairly new restaurant that has opened up in Newmarket. They are a 'traditional…read moreLouisiana smokehouse' serving up smoked meats, seafood and freshly made pizzas. Three of us went to Hog Heaven a few weeks ago on a Tuesday night after seeing a 'cheap Tuesday' movie across the road at Event Cinemas. We had bought a Grabone voucher for Hog Heaven and and looking forward to dinner. Upon walking in, we first noticed the decor and really liked it. Although the lighting was dim, the wall decor really made up for it - think American wall prints, drink posters, plus fresh flowers on picnic style wooden tables, and condiments served in glass coca cola bottles. Hog Heaven immediately reminded us of the diner in the True Blood series - it had a similar feel to it. Another cool aspect was the open kitchen at the back - you could only see some of the food preparation and cooking, but it was nice that it was all open plan. All the chefs were women, which we thought was unusual compared to most restaurants in Auckland. We first started with an entree of 'Corn Bread Loaf' stuffed with corn and jalapeños ($6.50) which we shared between three of us. We all agreed that it was extremely sweet, almost like pound cake. We also could not taste any corn or jalapeños. It definitely tasted more like a dessert rather than an entree. We then ordered mains - 'Smoked Sausage and Chicken Gumbo' with celery, okra pepper, bacon, onion and white rice on the side ($15). I have never tried gumbo, so was unsure what it was meant to taste like. It was quite a small portion, but the meat was very tender. However, it was far too rich for me and I almost couldn't finish it. I would not order it again. My other friends ordered the 'Pulled Pork Sandwich' served with fries ($12) which was average and the fries were overcooked. Lastly, the 'Smoked Beef Cheeks' ($21.50), which were the highlight of the night. They were cooked well, the meat tender and had a nice flavour. We were all too full for dessert, but were okay with that. Usually, I am excited about dessert, but nothing really stood out. We were hoping for some Pumpkin Pie or something similar, but they only serve 'American' brownie and ice cream... On a higher note, the service was good. We did not have to wait long for our meals, our water glasses were always topped up and asked if we were enjoying our meals. These simple things lifted my rating up for Hog Heaven. Overall, a few hits and misses. Personally, not my style of food, but a certain type of person would enjoy it. I am unsure yet whether I would dine at Hog Heaven again, but in the meantime I will continue to try out other new restaurants that are opening up in Auckland...

    Photos
    Hog Heaven Louisiana Smokehouse - Live music from 6:30pm on a Saturday!

    Live music from 6:30pm on a Saturday!

    Hog Heaven Louisiana Smokehouse - Condiments in coca cola bottles

    Condiments in coca cola bottles

    Hog Heaven Louisiana Smokehouse - Pulled Pork Sandwich with Fries

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    Pulled Pork Sandwich with Fries

    Chowon BBQ Buffet Restaurant

    Chowon BBQ Buffet Restaurant

    3.0(1 review)
    7.7 km

    Chowon officially marks my 3rd Christmas in a row, eating out at a Korean restaurant. It was…read moreunintentional, I swear. When I spent my Christmas week in Auckland, I didn't realize most businesses would be closed (especially the day before Christmas). I went to Auckland with the mindset of having New Zealand cuisine (whatever that is). After circling around CBD on Christmas for what seemed like hours, trying to resist Korean and halal food, my mother and I finally kept heading south to see if there was anything mildly interesting--but ended up giving in when we saw the amazing $20 AYCE Korean barbecue deal. It seemed too good to be true, but it was. For the price of $20 NZD, it is a complete bargain from where I come from (where you pay upwards of at least $30 USD with limited options). This place is small and quaint and resembles a cheap Asian restaurant--doable if you don't care for decor. It is all self-service and DIY. The selection is great--they have such a great variety of different meats, like pork loin, pork belly, lamb, kalbi, to name a few. No complains since they had all the kbbq essentials. I also loved that they offered a few Korean staple dishes, such as kimchi and japchae, and they even had greenshell mussels (though quite limited), which everyone fought their way through for. All was going well and it was becoming a good experience for a dinner we did not anticipate at all. My mother is traditionally Chinese, so she likes steamed veggies. Because the grills had to have foil sheet changed, my mother put a new sheet over and thought she could try cooking a lettuce leaf with a small amount of water. An older Korean man (whom I assume is the owner) saw this and started going berserk on us and pulled a staff member in, yelling in Korean. Of course, this caused most of the restaurant to turn heads on us but we had no idea what he was so angry about. The staff member kindly told us that we shouldn't cook the veggies on the grill, as the water might leak through a hole in the foil sheet and damage the grill, but I'm pretty sure the oil the meats excrete may do much more harm. Other than that scenario, I had no problems because I was very full at the end. I will say that the meat batches were inconsistent--they would bring out frozen meat and fresh meat interchangeably.

    Gengis Khan

    Gengis Khan

    4.0(1 review)
    0.2 kmTakapuna
    $$$

    From meat, vegetables, sauces, salads, breads and soups, to pancakes and ice cream, the buffet…read morespread at Gengis Khan has got to be one of the most extensive I have seen! As the name suggests, it's named after the Mongolian warrior, Genghis Khan. The food itself isn't Mongolian, but apparently this is how Genghis Khan fed his army after a brutal battle. Fun fact, huh? The basic concept of the Mongolian BBQ is simple. First, you fill a bowl up with raw meats (namely chicken, beef, lamb, and seafood), vegetables, sauces, oils and noodles. I'm not too much of a meat expert but I thought their meats were of fairly good quality. Then, you take it up to the chefs manning the huge hotplate in the middle of the restaurant, and watch them cook your selection to perfection (hey, that rhymed)! There is also fried rice and white rice available, as well as garlic bread, baked root vegetables and soups. For the vegetarians out there, not only do they have a wide range of vegetables that can be cooked by the chefs, there are plenty of fresh selections at the salad bar. To round your meal off, you can get the chefs to dish you up a pancake. If you ask nicely, they might even be able to make you one in the shape of Mickey Mouse. The pancakes are probably my highlight of the dining experience - super fluffy and they also have a variety of toppings and ice cream which you can put on them. The downside of this place is that it is quite small and it does get very busy. There will be times where you have to wait a while for the chef to cook your meal - my longest wait was nearly 30 minutes! Overall, the atmosphere of Gengis Khan is exciting, although a little noisy at times. Considering that you can eat all to your heart's content, the price is quite reasonable. It is a casual, family-friendly restaurant, so it's definitely more suited for family gatherings. I frequented this place quite often during my high school years, but I feel like I've 'grown out of it'... mainly because most of their patrons are either families or large groups of teenagers. Just make sure that you go hungry!

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    Gengis Khan
    Gengis Khan - Unique yum style of cooking

    Unique yum style of cooking

    Gengis Khan

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    Elliott Stables - Nasi Lemak from Lepak Malaysian restaurant- this was our fave meal of our whole trip!

    Elliott Stables

    4.4(90 reviews)
    7.0 kmAuckland CBD
    $$

    Awesome vibe at this food court. They're also open later than the neighboring mall food court on…read moreElliot Street. Variety of options, including Thai, Singaporean, Mexican, burgers, and Japanese. We got the Singaporean food and fish and chips. Both were great!

    A lively, energetic food hall with tons of variety and a unique vibe that somehow manages to merge…read morethe Asian street market scene with a cozy European pub feel. Location is excellent- right in the heart of the CBD - and the food is all excellent! We loved it so much we ate here several times on our trip. The space is huge with plenty of small, intimate tables or large family style tables if you're feeling sociable. The building is one of Auckland's historic buildings dating back to 1910 and the space is decorated so nicely. Definitely a great spot to relax and hang out. The seating in the core is totally British pub style with dark wood tables, benches, and dim lighting to add to the ambiance. The seating around the outer rim is lit with skylights above and decorated like the streets of Europe. And all around the walls you'll find some really fun neon Asian street signs - such an interesting mix and makes it really fun. Our fave restaurant is Lepak. They serve up Malaysian deliciousness and our fave dish was the Nasi Lemak - coconut rice, chicken curry, nicely fried egg - fabulous!! We got this several times and it was consistently excellent. We also tried their chicken satay, Malaysian milk tea (hot), and mini curry puffs - all of it was lovely - highly recommend! Our second fave is Bao Baby Bao - their buns are soft and delicious- especially the Angry Bird Bao which is like a mix of bao buns and trendy hot chicken. We also tried the pasta carbonara from De Niro on one visit - it was just ok, a little heavy and a tad bland but otherwise ok. The Asian food genre is definitely the way to go here imo. Prices are pretty reasonable, especially by US standards - and the quality is definitely there. It gets pretty packed but we always found a seat easily. Staff were all welcoming and friendly. They have large, clean bathrooms but I'm not sure about the parking situation since we walked from our hotel in the CBD - it's a very walkable city.

    Photos
    Elliott Stables - Love the unique vibes - it's like a lively Asian-street-market-meets-cozy-pub!!

    Love the unique vibes - it's like a lively Asian-street-market-meets-cozy-pub!!

    Elliott Stables - Delicious Nasi Lemak from Lepak Malaysian restaurant - our fave meal of the trip!

    Delicious Nasi Lemak from Lepak Malaysian restaurant - our fave meal of the trip!

    Elliott Stables - Angry Bird Bao from Bao Baby Bao - SO GOOD!!

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    Angry Bird Bao from Bao Baby Bao - SO GOOD!!

    El Humero - latin - Updated May 2026

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