I was seated. By my choice. And the waiter was from the ATL. Yup. So he gave me great tips. And also let me try the beers he recommended. I sat out side in the patio. Looking out at the water. Very peaceful and beautiful scenery. I ordered the fish and chips. And it came with a garden salad. So great plate. 2 big pieces of fish and steak fries. The salad was great. Not sure if the dressing. But it went well with the salad. Very well balanced. I had their popular APA. And then told him to surprise me. And that beer was similar to a Sierra Nevada. So I was well pleased. I came here for a late lunch. Just been behind on time. But I'm on holiday. So it doesn't matter. The atmosphere here is grand. Lots of people eating mainly on the patio. Such a beautiful day. Sun out drinks out. They do have umbrellas for the protection of a bad time. Sunburning and drinking is not a great time. I didn't have the dessert. So you will have to ask the waiter or lol at another review. But they sounded great. But had to leave to catch a boat. My over all expectations and experience was great. Lived up and surpassed. I would come back here again. And when I say that. I mean. I'm planning another trip back. read more

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Visited on a Thursday evening, and it was indeed the busiest place on the north wharf (one of the reasons we picked it). We ordered the Thai salad, spicy pepperoni pizza, seafood risotto, and ended it with their white chocolate ice cream. ....the white chocolate ice cream was the best part of the meal. LoL? To be honest, the risotto had good flavor, but the clams and muscles in it were over done (chewy). The Thai salad and the pizza were just okay. After seeing what other's ordered, I felt like maybe we should definitely have ordered the fries. Oh well... read more

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Found the mains nice but nothing outstanding. I had the lamb with duck fat roasted potatoes, the bulk of the dish was potatoes and while they where nice they were nothing that couldn't be cooked t home. I might be showing my age but the noise level was annoying. Large bar area. Great service, appreciated asking my group of ten the chance to get our manis order in before the really large group next to us. read more

Jack Tar - Lamb - Gastropubs Near Me - Auckland, AUK

I love Wynyard Quarter, so it was only natural I made my way to the funky Jack Tar. I have spent both days and evenings here and I am always impressed. In the evening they have great leaners outside that have a fire place inside of them, very cool, and a great way to keep warm on those chillier nights. The most recent time I have been here it was just before they were open, around 11.15am. I didn't feel the service was that accommodating. Having worked in hospo before I understand you need to set up before you can start your day, however it would have been nice if we could have sat down and waited until opening time at 11:30am. In saying that, after being seated and ordering a delicious pizza and some pork belly bites, the food made up for our first impressions. The food is always delicious, and the drinks are always in top form. I would recommend coming to this bar if you're in the Viaduct area. read more

Jack Tar - Jack Tar in Wynyard Quarter - Gastropubs Near Me - Auckland, AUK

I'm a big fan of Jack Tar, we started coming here more than a year ago when my baby was about 3-4 months, we hadn't been to any of the new restaurants along the Wynyard Quarter strip. This is the one we chose and for 2 reasons it looked pretty funky and they had booths. I was never really comfortable breastfeeding in public and never breastfed on a normal restaurant table - they were just way too open for me. But what is great about Jack Tar is that the booths are really nice and private, so mothers do come to this place if you don't really like breastfeeding in public. Often the booths are full, but you can request one and they let you know when one comes available. The only time we didn't get the best service, we let the head waitress know who quickly fixed the problem and we even had free drinks on the house. We have been back to Jack Tar over 10 times and even after the first visit they remembered us, we always receive fabulous service and they food is reasonably priced and very good portions, often we would share 2 meals between 3. The BBQ chicken nibbles, spicy pepperoni pizza and chicken burger are all really good. I really also love the interior, its like a done up warehouse so it has a cool and relaxed feel to it, the music is also pretty cool. This place is one of my favorites. read more

Jack Tar - pizza and chicken nibbles - Gastropubs Near Me - Auckland, AUK

Of the strip of new waterfront restaurants that opened in Wynyard Quarter a couple of years back, Jack Tar always seems to be the most popular. It's a gastropub in an old red-painted shed that takes pride of place smack in the middle of the North Wharf promenade. Jack Tar enjoys some of the best harbour views in Auckland, and there's never a shortage of people dining al fresco on sunny afternoons. Head inside, and they've done a lovely job of retaining the old shed while adding modern touches. The food is standard gastropub fare - fish and chips, gourmet burgers and the like - and for the location it's very accessibly priced. The service isn't always great - the waits are often long, and they annoyingly insist on taking your credit card upon entry to stop you from running off without paying. But I can forgive that - in some ways you might just say they're a victim of their own success. As a whole though, if you want unpretentious food and a good beer with a nice view and space for plenty of mates, you can't go wrong at Jack Tar. read more

Jack Tar - Gastropubs Near Me - Auckland, AUK

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Rating my breakfast experience... we had the Florentine and breakfast bruschetta (added mushrooms), a juice and coffee. All were very good and presentation was nice. Friendly staff and plenty of outside seating available. read more

Jack Tar - Gastropubs Near Me - Auckland, AUK

Having tried the dinner as well as breakfast I am am impressed with the quality of food they serve. As a gastro pub the menu is fairly basic but excellently executed. Huge fries which are delicious and big portion sizes. read more

Jack Tar - Big Breakfast - Gastropubs Near Me - Auckland, AUK

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I have been to Jack Tar more than a couple of times and have yet to have a good experience there. Today we spent a good 20 minutes trying to wave down a waiter to take our order and then another 40 minutes waiting for food. We were conscious that the restaurant was busy because it was Friday lunchtime and had asked the waitress what the wait time for food was because we had meetings coming up. She had firmly replied 15-20minutes. We ended up having to wolf down our meals in 15 minutes before running back to work. Food-wise the serving sizes are large but the quality is definitely below average. The seafood risotto was almost soup-like, not quite worth the $29. Fish and chips fish batter was much too thick and the tartare sauce needed a big flavour kick which was disappointing as it would be the perfect dish to go with Jack Tar's 5-star location right on the harbour. read more

Stopped in here for a late lunch on Sunday and had the slowest wait ever for extremely average almost cold food. At 2.30pm there shouldn't be a 50 minute wait for a steak sandwich served almost cold and a beef burger served very over medium rare. Couldn't be bothered sending it back to wait even longer so we ate what was edible and left. Tip to the wait staff....don't try and take someone's beer they haven't finished and then when they say "I haven't finished that" pull a rude face and roll your eyes. Secondly...when you bring the substandard food to the table please check if there is cutlery before disappearing into the stratosphere, never to be seen again. Loved nothing more than watching our already cold food die even more while we waited for someone else to appear. Save your time and money people, there are far ''better places to eat in the Viaduct. As new residents to the area this place will never see another dime. read more

Have eaten here a couple of times in the past few months. It always seems busier than any other place in the Wynyard Quarter. Great place for a few nibbles & drinks on a sunny afternoon. Vibe is pretty vibrant and relaxed for dinner as well. Enjoyed the items on the bar snacks menu more than the pizzas we had for dinner tho. Service is a bit hit and miss depending on how busy they are, but I was never left waiting for too long and it was never hard to get someone's attention. Think I prefer it as a drinking place more than an eating place but wouldn't hesitate to stop in again when I'm next in the area. read more

Fish doesn't get a whole lot fresher than at Jack Tar. It's caught in the morning, taken off the boat outside the restaurant, sold in the fish market behind the restaurant, and served up Al Fresco overlooking it's former home. Given there were no free tables during our visit we were surprised to be served quickly and efficiently. Our waiter warned us that the main courses were rather large and we were full without dessert without feeling gluttonous after a fabulous fish and chips and seafood risotto. It's fashionable location in Wynyard Quarter suggests the pricing would be inaccessible but our check was very reasonable. read more

Jack Tar - Gastropubs Near Me - Auckland, AUK

The place and location are for sure awesome. When sunshine is there the wharf and its terrace are just the perfect place to have a nice glass of wine and some tapas or starters. Don't expect fine food, but the burgers are really huge and tasty and the rest of the menu is actually pretty tasty, the pizza are nice and pasta are well portioned. It's a bit of upscale pub food without going to low. Bottom line a good experience, nice place to be and an overall good menu to go with sunshine and the drinks. read more

Jack Tar - Delicious tacos - Gastropubs Near Me - Auckland, AUK

Jack Tar becoming an iconic feature of the water front of Auckland... The fries are not to be missed.. Plenty of pavement space for sitting and eating and people watching ... The chocolate brownie warmed and gooey and so another one ordered. read more

Jack Tar - Order two... - Gastropubs Near Me - Auckland, AUK

Jack Tar offers a great selection of food, from salads to massive burgers. The caesar salad was alright but others I was with said the burgers were really good. The serving sizes are really generous and make the price easier to swallow. The service is a bit slow but maybe they were just overwhelmed on a sunny Saturday. When the sun is out I recommend nabbing a table out front with the view out to Devonport and Rangitoto, but you better be quick as these tables go fast! read more

After reading previous reviews I was a little nervous about eating here. We were in a group of 10. A few of us arrived just before the others. The waitress did seemed a little impatient when she asked us twice if she could get us drinks while we waited. I rather have been asked twice than not at all. I chose the Wild Mushroom pizza, others had varies dishes. Most people were glad they had not eaten earlier due to the size of the portions. Everybody seemed to enjoy their meals and nobody complained. A fellow diner who had been here before said she noticed an improvement overall. The final waiter was attentive and checked several times if there was anything else we needed. He even made a little sculptures out of the take away leftovers. I would come here again :-) read more

Something about North Wharf doesn't do it for me. Maybe it's the wind or maybe it's because it was developed in a flash before the RWC, during which the area was absolutely cranking and now, comparatively, it seems to devoid of atmosphere. That being said, Jack Tar seems to have stood the test of time (just to be clear, we're talking about two years here, not 20) and when we went on a Friday it was packed full of corporates letting loose after work. Ordinarily, this isn't my cup of tea but we were off to an exhibition in Silo Park and in desperate need of a drink and a quick bit to eat. Having not eaten here before we kept things simple, ordering a bottle of Pinot Gris (the name of which escapes me) and a couple of pizzas to share. The pizzas were below average for me. The bases reminded me of frozen pizzas, you know the kind you get at the school tuck shop - not doughy and soft but not thin and crispy either. The tomato sauce lacked any depth of flavour and our Margarita was devoid of fresh mozzarella. I will admit, the prosciutto, basil and mushroom pizza faired a bit better - the salty prosciutto definitely helped out in the flavour dept. We also ordered a side of chips, which I am happy to report were crispy and perfectly salted. Why then 3 stars you ask? Well, because, having a few drinks harbourside at Jack Tar on a calm, summers evening is rather enjoyable - my only recommendation would be to eat before you arrive! read more

We had a wonderful time there celebrating my friend's birthday. The food is nice and my favorite one is the squid and the lemon chicken. The squid is very fresh cooked. And the potato below the chicken is my favorite. However, the sea view is the best part!!! Also the staff are nice and helpful!! read more

Jack Tar - Gastropubs Near Me - Auckland, AUK

Nice salads, pretty excellent beef burgers. Beautiful location at the waterfront with plenty of outdoor seating. I liked the squid salad, excellent dressing though the fried squid could have benefited from a bit more spice. Unfortunately no pepper mill and salt at the tables. read more

Located at the Viaduct precinct, Jack Tar is just across the walkway from the Harbour. The menu has a nice range of meats, seafood and veg options. The food was pleasant. I had a snack of fish and prawns in garlic butter, but had trouble tasting the garlic. My friend chose the snack salt and pepper squid, and alas, the same thing, lack of saltiness or pepper. read more

I've been to Wynyard Quarter for a drink after work before, and it seems like everyone flocks to Jack Tar. It has more of a bar/pub feel than the other places along the strip, which are all a bit more like restaurants, and almost make you feel obliged to eat there. The atmosphere and location are great, and I recently they have an outdoor courtyard on the Jellicoe St side as well as the outdoor tables facing the water and the comfortable indoor booths, so lots of different areas to choose from depending on your mood. The drinks are good, not too expensive, and the pizza is good too. Just be prepared to wait a while if their busy or the waitress gives your pizza to the wrong table by mistake. read more

Jack Tar - Gastropubs Near Me - Auckland, AUK

Quick lunch visit in the rain today. Service was fast and friendly. Food was, unfortunately, average. Chowder with 'fish', 'prawns', 'mussels', and 'scallops' - was mostly just mussels. decent enough flavor but more pub food standard than restaurant quality. Greek salad with chicken - the chicken was overdone and hadn't been trimmed very well. Nothing to write home about. Small things, easily fixed. read more

Enjoyed a fine lunch in the sun and on the wharf overlooking Auckland Harbour. A more extensive menu than other restaurants and eateries in approximate location. At 11.30am either many restaurants were still setting up, limiting options, or transitioning from the breakfast to lunch menus. My buddy enjoyed a pulled pork burger with fries while I opted for the slider combination of pulled pork, beef burger and fish with fries. Both meals were quite substantial and filled an empty stomach. Cafe lattes complemented the meals. $NZ53 for lunch not too bad. Many other restaurants in this location of Freemans Bay, Wynyard Quarter. Thanks for lunch and the scenery! TYVM! read more

Went to this place on the mother's day for the first time. Food tastes horrible, seriously overpriced. We ordered fish and chips, lamb, taco with fish and a bunch of snacks. The snacks are ridiculously over priced, they charge you $10 for a tiny handful of nuts - and literally it's just nuts which is bought straight from super market! It has barely any flavors at all! Fish are just ordinary fish and didn't look fresh and taste very plain. The beer tastes OK, but quite expensive. The waiters had cold faces and reacted like robots. Food were served very slowly and we had to bug them a few times. The only positive side is the kid's meal which has decent size and matches the price. Overall experience was poor in general, will never come back to this place. read more

I ordered garlic bread, the chicken avocado burger, a weekly drink special, and a negroni. Garlic bread is pretty hard to mess up, so that was fine. Drinks were average. The burger was bland. Every single piece of it was bland. I had maybe one bite where I got a hint of flavor from the chicken. The real issue, though, was service. It took us over an hour and a half to receive our main dishes, despite ordering the same time as our appetizers which came in 15 minutes. We received a discount but between the food and having to rush to our next destination, this was not a good experience. I'd consider two stars if any part of this experience was even slightly above average, but all of it was slightly below. read more

Never been to a bar before where after being ignored for 10 minutes while waiting patiently, I was then told after I ordered a cocktail that they weren't serving them because they're too busy! Not that they didn't have what I wanted but they just couldn't be bothered to serve it. Service fail! read more

A very good spot for a cold cider on a hot day. The bar style food we had was simple but good so certainly no complaints there. Amazing for people watching also with everyone wandering around Wynyard Quarter. read more

Good shrimp linguini past along with Chicken sandwich for my wife but as usual for NZ, service was forgetful and slow. Go self service vs table service. read more

Great Spot in Auckland City. Great Atmosphere with a very Rustic Decor with good food to cater to the needs of a private dinner or work function. read more

Good food; good service; one can't ask for more. My daughter held her engagement party here and the management was very accommodating and attentive. The quality of the food was superb based on the feedback from our happy guests. Would definitely go back for more! read more

We used to often go to Jack Tar once a month for after work drink. They have a really good selection of wine and beers (including Little Creatures beer) and their tapas plates are pretty good too. We loved the "jug of fries" and the salt and pepper squid. The ribs apparently are good too but really messy so I stayed away from them. I've been here for dinner before too and had the fish n chips (adventurous I know) but they were also delicious. This place is great for groups because it's really spacious and has plenty of space indoors and out. It can get a little cold outside when the wind picks up though. read more

45 minute wait between when you order food and it actually arrives. Nobody told us when we ordered. Absolutely ridiculous, avoid this place!

A little bit disappointed with the portions, still really yummy food. Had the lamb loin with duck fat potatoes couldn't taste the duck fat all that much but the red wine jus was delicious. For the price of the meal I was expecting to be wowed with flavours atleast. Awesome customer service however just the food was a let down read more

Terrible service, rude staff, 3rd time trying this place today, and the last time, never again!

Very good service and atmosphere. Good quality food have been often and not let down. Kids enjoy very much. Great fat fries. Great burgers, good portions. Kids love the chickens wings and pizza. Good beer selection etc. Can get busy but usually find the service pretty good. read more