OMG!!! Best barbecue in the world! We are from California…read morein United States and came here five years ago. We were greeted with a smile and it got even better from there. The ambience was perfect ... but OMG the food was absolutely amazing! There were so many choices, we tried to taste them all. Talk about being in barbecue heaven, from the greens to the to the brisket to the ribs to the cornbread to dessert...everything was delicious! Today we arrived in Auckland, five years later, with only one item on our itinerary, and it was to come to Morepark BBQ. Our mouths watering in anticipation of returning to our favorite barbecue restaurant in the worldI only to find out You're closed on Mondays. Not able to partake in the heavily experience we had on our last visit was disappointing but definitely rekindled our smiles! Thanks for the memories. Will be back to see you in our next visit to Auckland!

Best BBQ on the island; convince me otherwise! Clint and Ryan are real pit bosses who provide a…read morefriendly, authentic and very warm environment to dine in. Go grub down on the good stuff if you are close by, you will not be disappointed.

A truly authentic Chinese experience in Auckland New Zealand. I consider myself to be a connoisseur…read moreof Chinese food based upon what I've had in multiple places in North America.The restaurant itself was family oriented. The owner was very attentive explained to us via pictures each of the meals and what it look like to make sure we understood we're ordering. Who does that? I had the lamb with noodles and my partner had pork fried noodles, the thick kind rice noodles. The quality of food was just absolutely amazing. This was truly authentic Chinese cuisine. The portions were so generous and neither one of us could finish our meals. The owners were so nice polite, attentive. If you're in Auckland, New Zealand in the CBD, I would say this is a must go restaurant for anybody.

Wow! Simply stunning!! One of the best roast duck I've had! Can't believe I could find such a…read moredelicious roast duck during my short stay in Auckland. Service was friendly and the manager/owner (male) was fun to talk to. Glad that we dined in here. Thanks bbq king!!! - Elaine

Absolutely chuffed that not only has Southern style BBQ made it to NZ but that it's as good as the…read morebarbeque I've had in both Texas and Memphis. Bareknuckle BBQ does it all - ribs, brisket, hot wings, pulled pork. Why's it so good? Well, firstly because they've shipped home the mother of all BBQs from Texas, a massive, 16ft smoker but, perhaps more importantly the owner, Jimmy knows how to use it. The meat has an incredible smoky flavour but is still deliciously tender, which is hardly surprising considering Jimmy drove around Texas learning off the famous pitmasters before opening up shop in NZ. Currently you can sink your teeth into Bareknuckle at their pop-up at No.1 Queen St but I'm crossing my fingers and toes that they'll have a permanent location soon. Until then, keep up with their menu and locations on their Facebook page.

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...

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.

Buffer style BBQ but not many selection. No lettuce to go with BBQ pork. Meat not marinated. No…read moredessert options.

DELICIOUS! You simply cannot beat $20 for all you can eat Korean food in Auckland. Pricing aside,…read morethe quality of food is really good, especially for a buffet. They have a nice handful of meats for grilling and also several really good pre-cooked meat dishes that are just packed with flavor, as well as some other options including tofu and soup. They also have quite the variety of Korean sides as well. I liked this place so much, I went back again a few weeks later, and would have continued going back had I stayed in NZ longer or heard about it earlier in my stay! Definitely a place you will want to check out!

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!

DELICIOUS STEAKS!!! Remarkable and Memorable…read more Food: -Scotch Fillet (Ribeye-medium) comes with a side salad and chimichurri all is Mouthwatering & Delicious! 5/5 -Parrillada (Lamb, Pork Belly & Flank Steak) very good choice. This also comes with The Scotch Fillet was the star of night! Seasoned and cooked perfectly Service: Very Friendly and Helpful! Atmosphere: it's inside a food hall and has a nice sleek interior, cozy feeling! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!! Worth going if you're in the mood for Argentine food! Easy 5/5

They do things properly over charcoal and they've got a great indoor/outdoor space, plus they're…read morequite quick with the good. Yet I have middling feelings, mostly because while I enjoyed my parradilla, I wasn't amazed by it either. The beef was an okay cut, but had to be cut very small less it be too chewy. Pork was probably the best part of the meal and a massive portion, while the lamb was... I really wanted to like it, but it didn't have the wonderful seasoning and flavor I was hoping for. Seemed almost more like it could have been pulled lamb than the lamb chop I was hoping, so maybe it's just my expectations being off? Wine list is solid and the service is pretty good. 3.5 stars seems right.

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.

Located in the Ponsonby Central, this is one of the many choices you have of places to eat but you…read morehave to go here! How often is it that you get to eat delicious arepas!? And also have your choice of 3 different arepas and a TON of fillings?! Yeah, that's why you need to give this place a go. Fast and friendly service and I'm glad we got a chicken arepa and a beef arepa (my son of course just got the plain cheese filled arepa) because they were such a nice compliment to each other. The beef was soooooo soft and it was just overflowing in the arepa! Same with the chicken, very generous with the fillings here! We also tried the cassava fries with the mojo sauce and wowwww, these were just delicious! I wasn't sure what to expect but it was so good. About the same consistency as a fry but the taste is different - yummy different tho! And the sauce! I would've loved to take some of that home yummmm. Even tho you have so many choices here at Ponsonby Central, be sure to stop over here at Olas!

Excellent Arepas in the middle of Ponsonby Central Market! Tender meat, flavorful sauce, and a…read morewonderful atmosphere. You can come here alone and sit at the bar or with a group of friends and chill for a while. Very authentic restaurant! Would recommend!