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...

This is a real gem. Found this place when going to the supercheap next door. The full rack is a…read moredecent size and cooked to perfection.

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

Four of us went for dinner on a Friday night. Atmosphere was a little quiet but picked up as the…read morenight went on. Service was good, very fast and attentive staff Nice variety of Colombian cuisine I would go back but you need to be on the right mood.

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

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.

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.

We came here as my other half's work was having thier Xmas lunch here. There was so many of us…read morethat we took up the majority of the tables in the restaurant. Bad aspect of this was that they ran short of plates actually sitting out by the buffet for you to take for your food so you had to ask eventually when you needed one. Good thing about it being so busy was that they cleared the tables of any dirty plates very quickly, but not return so fast... The selection of food to choose from was really good , both cold and already cooked,and though plates could be lacking there was always ample food to choose from when you went up for 2nd's or 3rd's...etc.. A couple of grills , as there is, per table is good enough for a full table of people The atmosphere is good within ,plenty of parking outside and it is kid friendly if you have them. Amongst all the Korean BBQ places i have been into in Auckland i would reccomend this one first. There may be better out there, just i have not been to them yet. Enjoy!!

Anyone who knows me, knows how deep my love for Korean food runs. I am perpetually asked where the…read morebest Korean bbq in Auckland is, and regrettably up until this point I've only been able to shrug my shoulders in frustration. People have suggested other places and they are OK but nothing has really fully lived up to the standards that I am used after having the real deal back in Korea for so long. Well I am ecstatic to report that Red Pig, end to end is the real deal not only in Auckland but perhaps in all of NZ (yes I know what a bold claim that must be!). The meat selection is what you would expect but the quality of the meat is quite high. The price is reasonable but if you are expecting the same level of gluttony from a bbq buffet you will be disappointed. I would recommend one serving of meat per per person for 4 people and under. For over 4 people you could probably order a bit less that 1 serving per person. The meat is only 1 part of the experience, they have both stonegrill (for porkbelly), and charcoal options (for most of the other cuts). MOST importantly the side dishes and accompaniments to the cut of meat is different and they have paired them genuinely. The staff are super friendly and helpful and genuinely interested in catering to the non-korean crowd which is a BIG PLUS. For most first-timers or novices, Korean bbq can be a bit intimidating but certainly this is not the case at Red Pig. Another plus is that they have a decent menu of other Korean mains as well, so for those who are not keen on bbq or vegetarian they will have options to enjoy as well. I stridently recommend their seafood pancake! I was very impressed by their extensive Korean alcohol selection and even was able to try a peach soju which is waaaay too drinkable. As if the experience couldn't be more genuine, there's even a Karaoke bar next door! Let's just say this is the closest I've felt to Korea in an incredibly long time! LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!

Yay this place is a gem!…read more Thanks to the lovely Rebekah M. for recommending this place and walking us Korean newbies thru the memu. With the happy hour special dinner and drinks came to $25 per person which is a steal considering how much we ate. Staff where friendly, on hand to help with the charcoal BBQ in the middle of the table and explaining the drinks menu (you have to try Soju a kinda flavored rice wine). Funky pop music set the scene and a handy spot to store your bags under your seat so they don't get in the way. It was the side dishes that came with the BBQ meat that really made the meal sing from flavor packed Kimchi, fresh salads, pickles and lettuce leaf to make a kinda taco with the BBQ meat everything was fresh and tasty.

A casual, all-you-can-eat buffet restaurant. Oh, but it's more than that! You can put together your…read moreown delicious mongolian dishes, adding whatever sauces, veggies, meats and salads you so desire. Then watch them toss it over the fire pit! It's seriously exciting! And then they have lovely ice cream and pancakes for dessert. Well, you can imagine how I rolled out the door of this place - never eaten so much in my life! Just goes to show this is really tasty food and an all round good experience. Watch your plates pile high, your food cook and laugh with your friends as you enjoy a competition of who can eat the most plates of food. Just be careful the chefs don't give your masterpiece to someone else - it's hard to keep up with who's who on a busy night!

All you can eat!!!!! Can you beat that? Certainly not when the food is good, affordable and you…read morehave a few mouths to feed! At Gengy's you grab your dish and heard around the obstacle course popping whatever you want into your bowl. There's meats, salads, sauces, oils, spices galore. Then you take this over to the awesome 'cooking pit' where someone slaps all your selections onto a hot plate and cooks it for you. This is an opportunity to see how good of a chef you would be. Personally I found it took me a few times to get the hang of it. My first few plates were such a mish mash of flavours it was hard to know what was going on. After you have stuffed yourself to the brim with mains there is desert. Pancakes and ice cream and chocolatey sauces. And again... all you can eat!! Wear your elastic pants and go with an empty stomach!