The Nation's Clubrooms is a relatively new addition to the range of bars located in Skycity. This…read moreone was built as a sports bar specifically for the Rugby World Cup, and is very much rugby themed, supporting the Auckland Blues. I like this pub because it's very clean and very large, with ample seating and no matter where you decide to sit, there will be a TV screen for you to view. What more could you ask from a sports bar? A betting machine you ask? Well it just so happens that they have a TAB section in the corner, complete with betting machines or a human who works for the TAB if you prefer to bet that way. Drinks and nibbles are pretty expensive here though, so you had better win your bets on the sports or at the casino next door.

One of Auckland's newest sports bars and about as good as they get! The Nation's Clubrooms is sort…read moreof hidden away on Level 3 of Skycity, but it's well worth finding once you're finally there. It's big, it's clean, the range of beers and pub grub is extensive, and there are more TV screens then you can shake a stick at. You simply won't find many sports bars that are this plush and well appointed, and perhaps owing to Skycity's extensive sponsorship of Auckland teams, the place is simply littered with memorabilia from the Blues, the Warriors, the Breakers and the All Blacks. There are also certain perks coming here as a Breakers fan. Skycity sponsor the team, so the fans sometimes get free drinks when they come here to watch the away games. Not bad!!

My first night in Auckland, I stopped by here for dinner when I saw they had a $42.94 NZ deal for…read moreSouth Island Lamb Rump. The interior was lively with plenty of seating. Found a quiet corner to dine solo. I ordered the Lamb Rump with garlic butter, which came with Bacon and Peas, and a side of Smashed Truffle Potatoes. This was absolutely delicious! The Lamb was cooked perfectly, melt in your mouth tender, well seasoned, with a nice crunchy skin. The Potatoes were satisfyingly crispy, mouthwateringly in a flavorful sauce and spices, featuring strong taste of true truffle. Garlicky peas with bacon was a wonderful combination. When I saw Sticky Date Pudding on the dessert menu, I just had to get it. This was served with butterscotch sauce, candied walnut, and ice cream. What an indulgent, sweet, mouthwatering masterpiece! The Sticky Date Pudding was chewy, moist, with notes of caramel and warm spices. Walnuts added a delightful nutty crunch. I poured the butterscotch sauce over both the Sticky Date Pudding and ice cream, which brought everything together beautifully. Service was good. Waitress was personable and everything came out in a timely manner. Such a wonderful meal here!

Great atmosphere! Great service!…read moreFriendly staff. Definitely a must go place. Only had drinks however the food looked delicious

The old Chances has been transformed into a modern pub and TAB…read more Enjoyed the Sunday Roast and a few cold ones with my good mate.

If you like being a bloke, you'll like it here. If you like spending time with blokes who like…read morebeing around other blokes doing blokey things, then you'll love it. Okay, I don't like sports. So I would never rave about a sports bar. But do they all have to packed with testosterone? Well, I guess so. If only they played interesting sports, like ice skating, rhythmic gymnastics, or show jumping, well, that might be quite nice. Or even better, how about a bit of Project Runway? That's a kind of sport, surely...it's competitive, isn't it? Really, there's nothing much here for me. They don't even have any especially tempting beer. And I love horse racing but I would never want to come here to place a bet, because where's the excitment of televised sport? It completely baffles me.

Back in the day Fort Street was a dump of a street, the sort of place you'd scurry down at 3am on a…read moreFriday night on your way to the White Lady hoping to not get mugged. Since then, the Council has done a bit of surgery on it - it's now a 'shared space' street - sort of repaved, pedestrianised but cars are still allowed on it... Point is, it's a nicer place to be now, and the businesses along here have done well out of it. Case in point is Right Track, the local sports bar. It's now got a great outdoor area to chill in with a beer, and the flags in the street (added for the World Cup) sort of beckon in a way. It's now a great place to catch the big game if you can't be there in person and you still want to get off your couch and make a night of it!

We went to the Grey Lynn Tavern because someone had called it "The GLT" and wanted to believe that…read morethere were still places in town where you could get a cheap handle of beer. I went along with it, cringing, expecting to hate the place. So let me be fair, there are a lot of well-sauced locals in this place, and try as they might, they can't help but gawk at the awkward hipsters heading to the GLT for the laughs. But the place itself is nice to visit - it's unpretentious, the drinks are cheap and the calibre of karaoke singers isn't actually that bad.

Having lived off Dominion Road most of my life it is somewhat of a travesty that I had never been…read moreto Bar Eden until last year. Located above the Glengarry's on Dominion Road, Bar Eden is a locally renowned sports bar and pool hall. My sister has been meeting her friends there most weekends since she turned 18, and I can see why. Though not a very flash joint, Bar Eden is a really relaxed place to meet up with groups of friends and have some fun playing pool. As with most pool and sports bars, Bar Eden is a bit seedy, but when you get to know the staff (and the regulars) everyone is actually really nice and it can be a really good time. Bar Eden have both big and small pool ball tables, depending on your experience level as well as shuffleboard tables, TVs to watch the game on and a full bar. Next time you're in Mt Eden and fancy a casual night with your friends, give Bar Eden a go.

In my opinion, the best place to head after or before a game at Eden Park. It doesn't pack out like…read morethe ground level pubs in the neighbourhood, as it has a far greater floor space. It also offers pool tables at a great 6 dollars an hour, as well as shuffleboard, darts, and the pokies if you fancy a flutter after watching your team destroy the other one (or to pick up some cash to drown your sorrows.) They play anything that Sky Sport is playing, and are happy to change to whatever you'd prefer, as there are plenty of TV's around to show different games. There's also a free jukebox, so its a good place to just go on a weeknight and play some pool with your friends.

The 1 Up TAB and Sports Bar provides a rare combination in the Eastern Bays area…read more The bar provides well-priced beer on tap, numerous television screens and TAB facilities, pokie machines and usually plentiful seating for the number of patrons present. The staff are very friendly and the bar usually has a vibrant, sociable atmosphere - with many of the patrons being frequent regulars. If you are lucky enough to be there for races on a busy Saturday afternoon, the bar usually shouts chips from the fish shop next door for DIY chip sandwiches, a nice homely touch. Parking is easy, just on the street down Upland Road, and there are numerous options for food nearby to keep you punting all day.

Located on the popular Wynyard Crossing in Wynyard Quarter in Auckland, New Zealand, Good George…read moreNorth Wharf is a satellite location of the popular Good George brewery based out of Hamilton. It was pretty quiet when we passed by it after it had opened, but it became a lot more busy as we stuck around to drink a pint of their Hefe (NZ$17)...it was good, super drinkable. I ended up picking up a six can of their popular Ale: Pacific Left Hand Break (NZ$15). The bartender was super friendly and she let me try samples of the beers that I was considering. Definitely worth a stop-in if in the area.

Good George Brewing is one I had heard a lot about on a previous trip to New Zealand. Despite that,…read moreI never got to visit the brewery nor try many of their beers. On a recent visit to Auckland visiting other beer bars nearby, I noticed Good George had a taproom and restaurant in the Wynyard area of the city - a new area of apartments, offices, bars, and restaurants right on the water. Good George North Wharf has a great view of Auckland Harbour and is on many walking/biking paths, the trolley, and with lots of parking nearby. On my visit, I came in the afternoon and opted to sit inside as it was kind of a cold and gloomy day to be outside. Regardless, they have lots of outdoor tables and heaters, perfect for small parties or large groups. Inside is larger than it looks, with big tables, bar seating, and smaller high tops; half the restaurant has less of a view as the bar is in the middle but I assume some people will like the more intimate area for watching sports. Restrooms are clean and upstairs, easy to find. The kitchen is open to the restaurant so you can see the chefs preparing meals. It's kind of quasi-table service as well; you seat yourself and can order at the bar, or someone will come ask if you'd like to order. All the staff here were friendly and aimed to please - talking with a manager I learned this was another bar then taken over by Good George during the pandemic and never really given a proper chance to open. It's open now and seemed popular even on a weekday afternoon. Their beer menu is immense and features all their core beers, ciders, plus wines and mixed drinks. One thing I was happy I asked about was limited drafts; they had quite a few which complimented having some of their core beers out. I opted for a flight (or tasting board as seems to be the norm there) of six lighter beers while I relaxed and watch people go by. I had a second tasting board to round out the beers, really only skipping the sour and ciders. They even gave little tasting chips to go with the beer. I had a great experience here. If you're a beer fan or just need a cozy place to take a break from the city, this is a great option.

A typical local bar, with a very comfortable atmosphere. Rock up in your shorts and jandals, or…read moreyour jeans and T-shirt to have a relaxed low key drink or a couple of games of pool. The staff are friendly and the locals are plenty. There is also a gaming room if that's what you're in to. Be warned the place is very "rustic", which gives it that authentic pub feel but may not be what you are looking for in a watering hole.

If Harley Davidson and the Marlboro man were ever to enjoy a beer in New Zealand, then Mavericks in…read moreGlenfield would be their bar of choice. Situated at the top entrance of the Glenfield Mall, Mavericks is an old school tough guy bar. The kind of bar where you play pool, drink beer and waste away the morning. Okay, it is not as rough as I make it out to be, and it is quite enjoyable to visit. I often catch a few frames, an ale or two and converse with great company. The great thing about Mavericks is location, location and location, as I can walk home after a long night. Not that I do this often...

Fantastic happy hour for Bonvoy members (which is free to join). I was able to score $10 glass of…read morewine and $10 bar bites! We had the pork belly sliders and the chicken bites. Both were delicious and great for the price. After HH, I stayed for a Margherita pizza and more wine. The pizza was thin crust and tasted fresh. Only thing that was interesting to me was the inability to order the same HH wines after HH. The selection switches out. Service was really great and friendly. It started off rather quiet for HH but began to fill as time went on. Plenty of seating options and trendy decor.

VISIT: end of February 2020…read more This was a pleasant surprise as we ate here probably every day of the 3 that we were in town. I typically shy away from restaurants that are in the hotel because they tend to be pricey. We felt, for Americans, that this was decently priced and that each time we ate here, we got a different meal FOOD WE TRIED: - Chicken and vegetable dumplings - Prawn and chive Gyoza - Arancini - 55 day aged beef brisket sliders - Seafood Risotto - Spaghetti with mussels, snapper and prawns The sliders, gyoza and spaghetti with seafood was VERY good. I wouldn't order the dumplings again, but I always forget that chicken dumplings just aren't the same as pork and/or shrimp. The Arancini was a bit disappointing in flavor, maybe just a touch more salt would have been helpful and same thing with the flavor of the Risotto. The seafood was cooked perfectly, but the sauce on it just wasn't as flavorful as I would have liked, for a risotto. Service was always great with the staff always helpful with recommendations. We were very happy to have access to this restaurant during our stay the Four Points