Being a big drum and bass fanboy and spending many eardrum-piercing nights at the old Fu Bar under…read moreQueen street, I was always a fan of underground venues, so when my friends and I found out about Code after Fu closed down, we though, sure, why not? Let's see if it recaptures that filthy, dirty, punch-the-bass-so-hard-it'll-drop-the-roof-on-you experience we craved. And to start with, Code most certainly did this. To their credit, they don't play the same top forty tracks as a lot of other clubs around town, and the music is really what I'm here for, but these days it's become less of a place to really enjoy the music, and just another sweaty box with way too many posers. Maybe I'm old and jaded, I don't know, but while it's fun to venture down every now and then, it's not on my must-do list for a Saturday night.

Code, code, code. What to say about this magnificent joint... My guilty pleasure…read more This club is the dirtiest of dirty and I enjoy coming here as a change from my usual 1885 or when I want to dance to grimy music and not care about what I look like. The music is great - always up to trend and dancey. The first rule of Code is that you must never admit to any one that you are going there or you will be judged for eternity. Or you have to at least say you are going there as a joke. It is comprised of about 89% guys on the hunt for girls. Code is certainly not classy but it IS fun. The stripper pole is a nice touch too.

Ink Bar is the pierced, tattooed and slightly dangerous sister of Coherent. These two bars often…read morehave joint events so you can flirt between them both (and I shouldn't have to explain the play on words with their names). Ignore the almost shabby entrance from K road and get down the stairs to this awesome little bar. You will find that you like it as rough and as dirty as her. (I'd like to mention that I have ended my metaphor with the previous paragraph because it may be misconstrued when I say it's a tight but comfortable fit down there.) One of the best clubs Auckland has to offer with heavy, pounding bass and staff as hyped as you are. Couches, courtyard, intimate dance floor directly in front of the DJ- a great place to catch some house, techno and sometimes international artists. I am a big fan of seeing Aural Trash play here, although sometimes a small lake can form in the smoking area if it has been raining.

Ink Bar is not, as the name might suggest, somewhere where writers meet up and discuss camus over…read moreespressos and whiskey on the rocks. Instead, it is one of the dirtiest places in Auckland - and I mean dirty in the good , Clint Eastwood on a bender kind of way. Ink plays host to a wide range of electronic music, forming a sort of spiritual home of Auckland's not-quite-commerical dance sound. This means you can catch international acts who haven't quite broken through here for as low as five dollars if you get lucky. They have a cool smoking area with bamboo and an open ceiling, and if Coherent is open you can walk through between the two bars. Well worth penciling in as a bender destination.

Great new live venue. Awesome staff who know their drinks. Has an outdoor area with views of the…read morecity. I had a fun night of live music and interesting folks, recommend to all.

Cool "underground" venue. Came here to see a great DnB DJ, which I enjoyed very much. The drink…read moreprices are reasonable, typical club prices. There is a lot of room. There is NO COAT CHECK, which was annoying, but at least no one stole my coat. Nice staff.

Stopped in around 9pm and was sat right away. Was a bit cautious due to some reviews however they…read morewere amazing. From start to finish. Orders the scallops and lamb chops and they were delightful. I wish I had more space to order another round of both. lol The gentleman who assisted me, informed me of a few items that were no longer on the menu from customer feedback and one item they were out of. The scallops were cooked perfectly and sooo juicy. The lamp chops had a great cook on the outside and lovely medium inside. The edamame along with paired nicely. I ordered the truffle mashed potatoes which also were seasoned well. I liked the Al La cart option since I wasn't going to do the all you can eat. Overall good experience and I'd return if in the area.

Fantastic service! The service was top tier, the only problem I had with this place was the food…read moresadly. Maybe it was a bad day or the kitchen was understaffed, but the meat was overcooked to more than well done for a medium rare steak and the oysters were not fresh at all. I think it was just a bad day because I have heard great things from them.

The first time I went to The Hangar is known as one of the best nights of my life. After living in…read moreWest Auckland for most of my life I had never found the idea of clubbing in my hood as appealing or exciting. I had the worst expectations about neighborhood bars but oh boy The Hangar changed my perception. I went there with a couple of my friends on a Friday night to enjoy my friend's last night in New Zealand. When I got there I was surprised that there was a line and wondered what the fuss was all about, but then I heard the music and that is when my night officially began. By the time I got to the front of the line I could not wait to get inside and shake my tail feather! The music was just right and DJ Manchoo was spinning the right tracks. What I love the most about The Hangar is the crowd, the music and the drink specials. Everyone there is out to have a good night, whether they are wearing their heels or rocking their jandals. The outside where they are seats for those that want to still hear the music but have a chat and smoke, the inside is where the dancer floor and bar are located and at the entrance a few tables for those that want to hear the music but also want to sit and chill. The Hangar is a perfect spot for those that cannot be stuffed looking for parking in the city, plus the different events throughout the week make it a place for everyone to enjoy themselves

Only ever went for a few drinks and a dance on weekend nights - however this time I went for lunch…read morewith my partner and daughter. Food was to die for, service was IMPECCABLE (to the male and female who brought a drawer of toys to my daughter - made my heart melt seeing my daughter so happy!! Thank you!) Price is reasonable, music was perfect, atmosphere quiet but just what we wanted :) We are definitely locked in loyal customers and will be recommending to everyone!

Every Wednesday 1885 hosts Jazz in the Basement and it is truly a treasure trove of pure awesome…read more Impeccable wine, beer, whiskey and cocktail menu as well as an array of leather love seats to settle into as the live jazz washes over you. And let it wash, and wash and wash all over you. Seems like the upstairs is very different from the basement and likewise with the weekday vs the weekend. Besides the live jazz the Rogue Society gin martini with anchovy stuffed olive was hands down one of the best I've had in Auckland. HIGHLY RECOMMEND! I even loved the mailboxes of paper towels in the loo... it's all in the details!

Every now and again I like to hit the city and go big, really big. I plan my night out with mates,…read moreand it is always a success; we go to the right places at the right time. But ever since 1885 opened, it has changed the game plan a bit, purely because we don't want to be left on the outside looking in. This is the kind of bar where you need to do a bit of homework before you attend. If there's an event on at Vector, then you need to be there before the show ends, otherwise you're not going to get in. So needless to say 1885 is popular, and you need to dress up to get in, and you'd want to anyway, as you'll be rubbing shoulders with the rich and beautiful. Who am I kidding, if you hang out at 1885, you are the rich and beautiful.

I've been to Flight Lounge a few times as part of the Frenzi Bar Crawl and they always, always play…read morethe same music. I'm not talking about the same type of music (that would be fine) I'm talking about playing the exact same list of songs in there week after week; it gets very dull after three weeks, believe me. I was hoping this was just because it was Bar Crawl night but I went there quite late last Friday night and the music was still the same! It also really annoys me that the toilet area is really cramped. There's barely enough room for about two or three people in there, let alone when a 150 strong crowd descends in there of a Thursday night and all the girls are queuing at the same time. I also wish there was some sort of outside seating area too, as the club is in a basement, it can get really hot in there. The good thing though is that I have always found the bourncers and bar staff to be really friendly, which is a welcome relief compared to some of the more upmarket palces in the CBD.

I have been to Flight Lounge many a time since it first opened, but only once recently. It's…read morelocation is pretty handy to Pony or the Britomart bars, but a bit of a hike from the viaduct if you're wearing heels. Also it seems to be a bit of a late-night venue and since I'm normally in bed by 11 I'll leave the kids to it. The decor, music and crowd seem to have changed little in the last few years. They play some good tunes, serve some nice drinks and have some pretty people partying in nice surroundings. Not a bad spot.