Seafood Spaghetti - Spaghetti el dente, sauce good with a little spice, prawns & mussels soaked up the sauce, squid didn't & was rubbery & tasteles... 3/5 Special Pizza - dough base very average, crust was chewy, hardly any tomato & mozzarella on the base (see photo), toppings hardly any ham or chorizo (see photo) therefore not so special... 2/5 When it was in Newton, we ordered the same a few years back & gave it 4 stars in Zomato... No 2.5 so gave 2 stars due to the disappointment of the special pizza... Disappointed... read more

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I recently came here (the Mt Eden branch) and found the spaghetti carbonara was quite average. The customer service was lovely though, staff were very attentive and made sure waters and food was okay. The ambiance was fine, very casual and busy. If I came here again I would try another dish on the menu. read more

Everyone knows Italians can be loud. I'm not trying to be racist or stir up some Italian/ New Zealand uprising. Italians are very passionate and expressive. Couple this with the football on the TV, a busy kitchen and a popular restaurant, things can get a bit rowdy. But fear not! Take your belle by the hand and lead your sweetheart to the outdoor seating under garden lights. What is more romantic (and cliché) than garden lights and Italian food at sun down? No one is going to turn down delicious pasta dishes and a carafe of red wine will obviously have to accompany that. It would be rude not to. Highlights include fantastic mojitos and a very clever Loyalty Card (which I will say nothing more about). read more

Gina's Italian Kitchen - Italian Near Me - Auckland, AUK

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We love Italian we frequent 'Little Italy' for fine Italian cuisine in Auckland. Whanau Living hosted by Stacy Morrison featured Italian cooking, impressed by the show hubby and I went last night to test the experience. Greeted by a chair blocking the front door we made a call to see if they were open. Yes. We were the first to enter. Olives with shaved lemon zest and olive oil not sure the olive oil was quality, however, the highlight of my meal. Rich Italian flavours in the pasta dishes thoroughly enjoyed by both hubby and I. Garlic bread for me must be made with real Garlic not paste. Serving staff...We had a newbee, once he learns the ropes of serving he will be a golden asset to their team. We had several servers. One Johnny come lately the head waiter attended to hubby by giving him a spoon for his pasta and a refresher towel for his fingers and hands. Guess I didn't need a spoon in his eye or a refresher towel. I prefer a bowl of lemon water to dip my hands. Hubby asked a passing waitress for more refresher towels she bought 2. Serving team need training and suggest the newbee be given the head waiters job. Nice heavy Italian accents and not bad looking either. Music of Andrea Brocelli set the ambience nicely. 100% food experience enjoyed and will go again. read more

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As an authentic "foodie" who can legitimately claim to have indulged in the finest Italian meals from NYC to San Francisco, and many a place in between, I here today vouch for the excellence of Gina's bill of fare at its new location in Mt. Eden, being already a bit of a destination locale of culinary variety. Only two weeks open I can testify that the authenticity and exquisite tastes of the chef's production was right up there with the best of the world's great cities, the meal and the wine offerings. I am delighted to discover Auckland has such an amazing Italian restaurant. And Veronica (clearly the one in charge) is jubilant, hilariously charismatic and runs a tight ship. My sincerest compliments to all! read more

They waitress was really bossy and Had an attitude because we didn't know the "real" ingredints of the italian dishes. We asked them half a left over pizza to go and they smashed it into a box. Terrible. read more

Living behind this place is absolute torture because eating there regularly is absolutely outside of our budget, but the amazing smells drift through our window all night. Having been several times now, we've only had one bad experience: my partner ordered a pizza that had an unusually large amount of hair cooked into the cheese. Mine was fine, but they offered to give us both for free. Which seemed like a good idea, but boyfriend insisted on paying anyhow. Their pizza is fine, I think their pastas deserve the higher praise though. For an occasional lunch (daily deals during lunch hours on weekdays!) I can grab a mushroom pasta that's outstanding. For awhile they did $5 calzones for lunch, which the boyfriend was a huge fan of, and they've got a wonderfully fruity red sparkling wine I can't seem to find anywhere else so I enjoy a glass there when I can. All in all, good food. And once I needed mushrooms for a cookout at home and didn't have time to run to the grocery, and the kind staff at Gina's sold me a bag of fresh mushrooms for a couple of dollars. Neighborly! read more

Haven't been here in many years and it was fantastic. Hilarious and entertaining on a Saturday night given the birthdays and hen's parties so if some dancing shirtless men is going to bother you you might want to take a pass. Had the calamari and it was delicious along with their hand made chicken ravioli which rates among the best handmade raviolis in Auckland and they stuffed crust spinach pizza. Service was friendly, price was reasonable and food was super tasty. read more

We ate at Gina's last night, I'd been recommended it by a friend but had also read some poor reviews so wasn't sure what to expect. Unlike other comments the service was good, not over the top but our waitress was friendly and attentive enough. The pizza bread was excellent and a great starter, I had the lamb ragu which was delicious and not a huge portion but definitely enough. My partner had the steak which again was a decent portion and apparently was good. We decided to share a dessert, the profiteroles were good but they were small and only 4 which I didn't think was value for money. Overall we enjoyed our dining experience and would come back. read more

Have you ever had a hankering for lasagne on a Saturday night? As lasagne enthusiasts, we were excited to see an Italian restaurant just up the road from us. We ordered to take away, and $34 later for 2 x lasagne, there was a lot left to be desired. Lacking in consistency, texture, flavor and general attention, the lasagne could have been heated up by any flight attendant. Won't be going back, once was enough. read more

Had dinner at Gina's recently while visiting friends in Auckland. I really wanted to like this place but what a bad experience! 1. The server was brand new, so I won't necessarily fault him. He may not have been trained well or have been used to serving at a place with a big dinner crowd. I'm very sympathetic to that, but it was truly bad service. In restaurants I've worked, a more experienced server would keep an eye on newbies on their first night. This didn't happen and we were very neglected. No one visited our table to check on us and we had to summon other servers when we needed attending to. 2. I ordered the seafood risotto. It sounded good on the menu and had nice presentation, but sadly it was kind of disgusting. It was mushy, drowning in liquid, and very bland. What a waste, I cannot recommend this dish at all. 3. One other friend ordered the gnocchi, and the kitchen substituted scallops for mussels (which he is allergic to) without any notice. When we pointed out the mistake we were told that the recipe has changed but they haven't gotten around to changing the menu yet. Fine, it happens, but it would have been good to know that before ordering. I can't speak to how good the dish is, only that it is not as described on the menu. 4. The only one at the table who really enjoyed his meal ordered the pizza, but it was delivered almost 15 minutes after the rest of the entrees. It did look very tasty. The establishment offered us free desserts to try to make amends at what was clearly a series of screw ups. I appreciated the gesture, but we were dubious of the food by that point. I really wish I could have had a 4 or 5 star experience like others have. I just kept wishing I had ordered a pizza, or a dish recommended by another Yelper, or anything Gina's does well. The atmosphere is so charming and the portions are a good value, but I doubt I would give it another try even if I lived in Auckland. read more

I wish there was an option for 4.5 stars for Gina's. It's always been on my to do list so when a voucher popped up on Grab One for a 3 course dinner for 2 for $65 I jumped at the chance. We went on. Tuesday, later in the evening so it wasn't busy at all. I have to start with the service which was fantastic. Constantly had water on the table, a good amount of time between courses and every course we had cutlery and napkins replaced. Plus professional and friendly waiters - you don't get that combination a lot these days. We had a basic Italian red table wine to drink and it was nice and light. Not much more to say about it. For starters we had the antipasto platter and calamari. The platter was great. Prosciutto and a chorizo type salami with olives and feta. Only two pieces of bread. But that's probably a good thing. The calamari was pretty average though - quite tough and overcooked. We both had the chicken thigh for the main and it was fantastic. Tender, juicy and flavoursome with a good portion size. Desert was a tiramisu and the other option which I don't remember. Tiramisu was to die for. Overall - the only reason I didn't give 5 stars was the food could have been slightly better. Don't get me wrong though - I'm definitely going to be back here. read more

We recently checked out Ginas new premises at 161 Symonds Street and are relived to report that none of what is great about Ginas has been lost in the move. This place is bigger than the last and has a bar area and courtyard out the back. Now normally I would passionately detest (yes that much) a restaurant with big screen tvs but Ginas' teles are almost wholly dedicated to "the beautiul game" so that's ok then. Italy and football go hand and hand and my 10 year old boy is a future soccer star so I'm all good with that. But about the food.... Ginas is the template for every other good Italian restaurant in Auckland. The service is frantic and your meal may be frisbeed the length of the table in the interests of a speedy delivery. I have been here for girls' nights, birthdays (a recommended destination for the single ladies on their special day or heck, any day) and as on this last visit, date nights. Everything on the menu here is fantastico and I usually order the Capreze Salad and Spinach & Ricotta canneloni however I notice they have changed the menu since I was there a few months back. It all still sounds amazing and Ginas is the kind of place who have no problem leaving the meat out of something or changing a menu item slightly to suit. The drinks list is pretty much perfecto and the Pizza Bread with Garlic is my favourite way to start a feast. As I am writing this I'm already looking forward to my next visit to sample that new menu.... read more

Gina's is a bit of an institution in Auckland, especially for groups of women! In fact, I have to admit that I even dated one of their Italian waiters a while back, after meeting him whilst out for dinner at Gina's!! They are passionate about Italian cuisine and it shows in everything they do, from the food to the wine to the wait staff to the presentation of the restaurant. I haven't been to their new location yet but when they were just a little further up the street I went too many times to count. Two dishes have always stood out - the spaghetti mare e monti which is prawns, chicken and mushroom in a creamy marsala sauce (deeeelish) and their mushroom lasagne - which I've just checked and doesn't seem to be on the menu any more but imagine layers and layers of mushrooms, creamy bechamel and oodles of cheesy mozzarella. I'm sure the bolognese lasagne is just as good. read more

I finally got try try this place, heard lots of good reviews from friends and family. We booked ahead as it was a special occasion. Being a long public weekend, fellow diners commented on how they had never seen it so quiet. The hardest thing for all of us was choosing what to eat as there were several options worth exploring, and that was only the entrees. We ended up with a selection and shared amongst us. There was even a harder decision for mains, I was constantly changing my mind even with the waiter standing next to me after taking the others orders. We all agreed that both the Entree's and Mains were very good. Not too filling, but overall you left the restaurant with full and content stomachs. The girls quite enjoyed their cocktails too. For us in good ole South of Auckland, it was well worth the trip, I would gladly do it again quite soon, especially on a Saturday night when I hear that the staff put on a little entertainment show. If you enjoy Italian food then this is a must, if you don't then you should try it............. PS If you can get a table out back on a hot summer's evening, it's so more refreshing !!! read more

We discovered this restaurant while searching for a place for dinner the day we arrived in Auckland. It was crowded and convivial, with several tables full of people having a great time. We ate here all three nights we were in town. The environment is funky, with brick walls and a concrete floor. The owner,Italian, and his wife, Polynesian, are friendly and welcoming. The hostess is a young Italian woman who greats you loudly and smiles constantly. The food is excellent. All the pasta is house-made, and is served in generous portions, cooked al dente. The sauces are beautifully seasoned, and my seafood pastas were generously filled with shrimp, calamari, and mussels one night , and meatballs the next. The raviolis were plump and plentiful. Sauces exquisite. Portions generous. We had an arugula salad with shaved parm and a lemon vinaigrette and loved it. It was generous enough for us to share. The wines are good, but I'm not that picky so shouldn't even talk about them. I enjoyed my sauv blanc. Service is fast and attentive. The owner came and sT with us on our last night and who,e we never felt rushed, we were walking back up the street in 90 minutes. Everyone is very friendly. We recommend Gina's without reservation, which, by the way, we never needed. (The place is big and when we wandered in on Saturday night of the busiest weekend of the year, when all the tables were filled with celebrants, we were seated immediately.) read more

Thank god for Gina's. What a great, authentic place. The staff is friendly and enthusiastic, and occasionally shirtless. Definitely go if you have a birthday, or a love for real Italian! There's a nice little outdoor area too. read more

Not really a fan of Italian food so maybe that reflects my review but the pizza I ordered was fairly pricy for what it was. In this day and age where you can buy a pizza for $5 spending $15 for a pizza at Gina's is definitely not worth it. There were 2-3 very small slices of sausage on each slice so near the end I was pretty much just eating a very expensive piece of bread. read more

Been here three times and every time as good as the last, very impressed with the care the team took with my 9 year old and making my wife's birthday dinner fun and entertaining. Excellent food, excellent service and value for money 10/10. read more

Food was delicious and had great flavour. Was a bit disappointed with portion sizes, but it's a risk you always take when you eat out. Was a bit awkward getting a table, our table was right behind another couple, so we shuffled our table over so we could get in without accidentally sitting up and hitting the person behind us. And we were also squeezed in between them and a door. The taste of the food made up for all the awkwardness. Just would have preferred more than 5 meatballs with spaghetti meatballs.. read more

How do you say 'bad food' in Italian? The service was admittedly good for a starter, a lot better than the starters they served that night unfortunately and the mains even worse! Presentation? No, you don't serve pasta in a sauce pan. Never wished to be home eating cheese on toast more that night... Service- 3 Food- 1 Presentation- 1 read more

Worst drama's with final bill. Staff cannot add up a split bill which ended up in serious discrepancies with the bill. Don't bother asking to split the bill. Worst experience in Auckland. read more

Gina's used to be a much smaller restaurant further down the street, but its popularity was such that more space was needed. The vibe though is still much the same. The original Gina's was a cheerful, slightly rowdy place and the new one has managed to bottle that. The food is accessible Italian fare - pizza and pasta, done pretty well and reasonably priced. The service isn't always the most prompt, but they make up for it with the happy vibe. The shirtless singing waiters are always a treat for birthday girls! read more

Had a horrible experience at Gina's Symonds street. The background music was crazy laud clubbing music! A skinny waitress with duck voice and thick weird accent served us. She was very impatient during ordering and she dropped our order on the table and left without say anything, and after 30 secs someone else put a spoon in our dish and walk away...wtf?! The restaurant wasn't full but we waited at least 30 mins for our main!! And during the dinner the staff adjusted room lighting for at least 3-4 times.The food was average, and in the menu my order claimed to have scallops and shrimps but when its arrived I only find shrimps. The worst restaurant on my list, and will never visit it again. read more

What can I say? The best atmosphere of any restaurant in Auckland, and the food is pretty good too. I had the asparagus risotto which was perfect, and the scallops were the best I have ever had in any restaurant ever. But we are always welcomed and looked after, and our family always come here when we are together in Auckland. bravo! read more

Heard about the pizza so decided to bring the family. It started offf bad with very tough calamari and then we were disapointed in the pizza as the bases were like cardboard. We did stay for desert but headed to Mission Bay for icecream read more

Gina's Express Lunch Offers are from $12 from 12pm to 2pm during the week and have an attractive menu to chose from, with generous portion sizes. They have a nice ambience and the staff are friendly and helpful when it comes to choosing the wine that would go well with the pasta. This is my go-to-place for lunch especially during the cold winter days! read more