This place just seems terminally unnecessary to me. Why do suburbs have malls? To collect all the…read morechain branches they need in one place so people can do their shopping without having to go to town. What suburb doesn't need that? Town. Queen Street is just one long mall already, why would you bother to put another one at the bottom of it? And not even a good mall. Tiny, crowded, it feels like there wasn't enough room for it to lie flat so they sort of piled it on top of itself. With the possible exception of the Warehouse (and it'd rank low on a list of Warehouse branches, ordered by range and quality), there is nothing here that you can't get at multiple other places in town. And town has sunlight, which very few malls can boast, especially not this one.

If you've ever been to Melbourne and enjoyed the arty, old fashioned atmosphere of the malls, you'd…read morelove this part of Auckland City. Just off Queens & Custom's Streets, Queens Arcade is for those with slightly vintage, classy tastes, with plenty of shiny hallways filled with boutique shops. I suspect its logo with the Queen on it gives away its slightly superior air to the rest of Queen Street, but not in a pretentious way. More inviting for a good old window shop of some of the finest products you can find. The tea rooms are a splitting image of some I saw in Melbourne, just calling out to be explored. There's a chocolate shop, jewellery stores, fashion shops and the last of the few record/DVD stores, Marbecks, to enjoy.

So interesting to visit the Queens Arcade…read more The historic arcade is actually a combination of three buildings. The south arcade is a combination of the Victorian Darby's Building constructed in 1909 and the A.B. Donald Building which was built in 1863. The Arcade was completed in 1929. The completed arcade featured marble, fine woods and beautiful storefronts. Today, it is a shopping arcade filled with shops. Go up and down the escalators to get a closer look. Make sure to go to the rear of the arcade to see the display of New Zealand flags. Not as interesting as the Royal Arcades in Sydney or Melbourne, but nice for a short stop while exploring Auckland.

This is a large mall where the Kmart was located…read more It reminds me of a typical mall, but with larger department stores that cater more to you every day needs. They have a Kmart for clothing and department items, and a Woolworth for grocery shopping, inside the mall! They also had some of the typical mall shops of namebrand clothing, a food court, and downstairs a little convenient store, kiosk, and even a massage parlor! I could've easily stayed here all day and explored for hours on end!

An American mall that we wouldn't have stopped and except we were so hungry I couldn't find…read moreanything opened near the museum. We took the escalator up to the eatery food hall. We had chicken & salad, it was just okay. There were many American chain stores @ some New Zealand as well. It wasn't too busy the week before Christmas.

Little High Street used to be much more fun, but we can't wallow in the past. There's still good…read moreshopping to be had in here, especially of the vintage and reworked vintage variety - think Tango, Smoove, and Smoove Reworked Vintage. And there's plenty of cuteness nearby too, like Pencil, which is just outside on High Street. If you're not into Asian fashion though, the choices are a bit limited and I never find myself browsing outside my comfort zone of the abovementioned vintage trinity. It would be great to see some exciting little local designer shops set up in here, rather than the cheap, mass-produced stuff that fills most of the mall at the moment. I don't want CBD shopping to turn further into a series of shops offering knock-off handbags, synthetic shoes, and clothes in nothing-natural fibres. I'd like a bit of originality and ethically-produced in my shopping options, please.

I first discovered Little High Street when I was in high school. A secret wee gem tucked between…read moreHigh St and Queen Street, it is accessed via the second floor of the Whitcoulls building or from Durham St East, opposite the Blue Dude swimwear store. Little High Street used to be relatively unknown and was home to up and coming New Zealand designers, however over the years this has changed quite drastically and now largely consists of Asian clothing stores. Smoove is one of the exceptions, and actually takes up two of the stores on the Street. If you're in to rock, vintage and street-type clothing and accessories, definitely make sure you pop down to Little High Street and check out Smoove. Mezze Bar is also located on the Street by the Durham St entrance and is a great licensed cafe/bar that does fantastic iced coffees and has a great lunch menu.

Wow, what a great find! Latin America Family Day Event…read more Discovered this event while just walking around the area. Quality/Quantity - Many food booths, see pictures. Shopping booths for my wife; I just like to eat. :) Atmosphere - Live festive music. Cool decor. Service - Good, everyone was friendly and welcoming. Price - See pictures as it depends on what you buy or eat. Owner Comment - Glad we were able to visit, thank you!

Dear Chancery lane ,…read more What happened to you ? You used to "be" the place to be and be seen ,but sadly you are now the poor long lost cousin to that hip child britomart ! I hope you get your mojo back cause I remember having a very good steak there . With the random stores and mish mash of eateries it's time to get it together! Yours regretfully, A concerned Yelper

This a quaint small mall with all the essential amenities and few fashion stores. You can find a…read morevery well stocked supermarket called New World which attracts most of the customers. Outside there is a post shop, key cutting service and dry cleaners and inside a stationary shop. Feeling sporty? Hot the upstairs gym 360 which has just been refurbished. Health wise there is a medical centre attached and large Unichem pharmacy. The Health 2000, eyewear store and walk in massage store are always busy as well as the low cost hairdresser and the more upmarket Rodney Wayne's. You can get low cost mani and pedis with free wifi at ProfessioNail. There is one clothes and accessories store for infants called Hatch opposite an older ladies fashion shop and even a DVD store. Great handy mall close to the beach!

I am a fan of St Kevin's Arcade, a very big fan! I love the crowd that attracts the arcade, it's…read morenot people you would see anywhere else in Auckland. It is people who are interesting, lead interesting lives and are extremely friendly. Each time I have gone to have a coffee at one of the cafes in the arcade or gone to check out the thrift shops, I have always talked to someone about life and everything else in between. My life has seemed so boring and dull after talking to these people. I love the arcade, as it is under stated, different and beautiful. The coffees served at the cafe at the end of the arcade on the right side are absolutely amazing. The cafe also serves some gluten free and a menu that consists of almost all egg everything. Egg lovers, this is heaven for you. The price for everything on the menu is reasonable, plus $4 for a big slice of freshly made carrot cake is a steal! Apart from the cafes and interesting characters, St Kevin's Arcade also houses some amazingly quirky thrift shops. They are worth a peep!

Such a cool place. A half a dozen restaurants to choose from. We stopped at a place that had…read morevegan pies. Sooo darn good. Fabulous atmosphere.

The Strand Arcade is a very thin corridor of shops that has a nice kind of Victorian feel to it,…read morewith hanging signs and the odd ornate decoration. This classiness ends with the stairs leading down to the foodcourt however, which is a Spartan white-tiled affair. It's not a bad food court though, and a good option if you work in town and want a quick, tasty lunch. Of special mention is the South American / Middle Eastern place, which not only has delicious food - burritos, kebabs, lots of variations on steak - and massive portions, but also has one of the nicest guys behind the counter that I've encountered in a long time. Not only was he really friendly and welcoming, but he was also helpful in a way that seemed genuine rather than sales-technique. My girlfriend ordered a vegetarian enchilada and he suggested she get a burrito instead - he reckoned for a vegetarian it was heaps more food for the same price. It's that sort of helpful friendliness that loyalty gets built on. We'll be coming back to him again.

Arcades offer a different type of shopping experience, usually small boutique stores that make a…read morewelcome change from the usual chain stores that are everywhere. This arcade however is devoid of anything really decent with the exception of the mini mart at the end and the hair salon. These are all small businesses, clothing and skin care mostly with a cafe and a sushi place thrown in for good measure. There is also a food court below ground. Don't go down there. It is in the bowels of the earth because if there is a hell, that would be their food court. It is horrible. A friend of mine took me down here a few years back. The memory still haunts me. It is dirty, I saw cockroaches. If you cannot see the ratings, there is a reason. I saw a few D's, so I am not exaggerating about the state of this hole. I felt like I had to disinfect my coke zero can before drinking from it. Very unpleasant, I can't believe my friend ate from down there, did she have a death wish? You have been warned, unless you want a side of a trip to Auckland hospital, do not go to this food court.

Aside from its food court, which has a great multi-cultural variety to tickle your taste buds, the…read moreshopping at the Atrium is asian-centric to the max. The well laid-out mall contains wonderful independently owned businesses: high-class fashion, cheap and cute numbers you admire on your Korean classmates, and merchandise from the oriental corners of the world. Some of the shop owners are truly lovely, and others will ignore you the entire time. My friend found everything Hello Kitty she desired, another found Super Junior band stuff you can't get in NZ, and I've found some sophisticated clothes that actually fit my petite self. It's a different mall for those tired of the same old styles, and perhaps a slice of home for Asians living in Auckland.

The Atrium on Elliot Food Court is a staple mid-town pit stop for anyone looking for a great…read morevariety of cheap eats. Unlike other food courts in the CBD, the Atrium has always been bright and clean, with decent places to sit and eat, and with a busy, happy vibe. Here you'll find all the usual suspects - Indian, Korean, Chinese, and Malaysian cuisine, along with sushi, kebab, and bakery places, as well as more exotic stuff like Halal Indonesian. There are also other cafes, restaurants, and food stalls dotted around the Atrium, selling everything from shaved ice and cupcakes, to fresh-squeezed juice and gelato.

They have heaps of free parking, and stores. They're right across the road from the warehouse, and…read morea massive toy store. They're food court is decent, it has a greek, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, KFC, McDonald's and Moa's nest, which is a bar and restaurant. They also have a further 3 cafes and 1 coffee bar. This mall is brilliant if you have kids. They have a creche (a childcare facilty), so you can quickly get your errands done, or just have a little break. They have cry-baby sessions at their cinemas, these are movie sessions that mothers can take their children to where, if baby cries, you don't have to leave. They have two parents' rooms, private rooms where you can change or breast feed baby. Their bathrooms are awesome, and also very clean. Another plus for this mall, is that their parking has one of the best lay outs I've come across. Something to note though, if you go late night shopping at K-mart, be sure to park near their entrance, because the rest of the mall closes, so it will be a mission to get back to your car otherwise.

No matter where you go in this world, there's one thing that doesn't change -The Mall. Money has…read morethe ability to make everyone the same, if you have it. The Starbucks here doesn't do the App rewards but there is free wi-fi, which is great if you're googling the Foreign exchange rate so you know what you're supposed to get at the banks or exchange stores. Compared to American Malls this place is pretty average.But I really love the fact that at the food courts here - you can leave your tray and rubbish on the tables and the attendant will take care of it for you. The Movie theatre here is a great place to waste time.