My sister in law organised a dinner for 10 of us. We had a set menu that provided more than enough…read moreto eat; with various shared plates as the starter and 3 types of pizza as the main. And it all tasted great. They have Boundary Road beers (in bottle and on tap) which I'm a fan of the NZ Pale Ale and Porter. Others in the group had the Mr Toms Wine Carafe, a very easy to drink red. The staff were very helpful & communicative when making the booking and were polite and attentive when we were eating. Definitely planning on going back and recommend trying them out.

Food was delicious…read more May be the best cocktails I have ever had. The bartender put a lot of focus in attention to detail in making the drinks. They were so good that we ended up trying about 8 different cocktails. Definitely would recommend stopping here.

Very cute, chic, urban dining area. I especially like the fact that it's on the second floor and…read morethere's an outdoor dining area. The outdoor area is equipped with a very convenient awning; I know because they used it when it started to rain. It was nice not having to move or getting rained on! Their kale, apple, mint smoothie is to die for! Chips and poutine was great. Meatballs were ok. 10/10 would go back

This is a relaxed and comfortable eatery, upstairs in the Queens Arcade. My companion and I arrived…read moreclose to the time that the kitchen would close, but they welcomed us in and explained we would need to order quickly. We enjoyed a delicious salad of roasted cauliflower, goats cheese, edible flowers, lentils and greens. It was colourful, fresh and very enjoyable. There is a lovely outdoor patio, also plenty of indoor seating. The atmosphere is calm and we did not feel any pressure to leave, which was appreciated. I would come again.

Absolutely amazing service & food quality is spectacular We felt welcomed and met nice people while…read morewe dined here.

Wow, the best steakhouse in New Zealand. Hands down. We went to many other steak restaurants, but…read morethis place was the best. When they brought out the raw meat platter, we knew right away what we wanted! Wagyu beef and lamb chops. Unbelievable!!! But their appetizers were amazing. The bone marrow was so good that I picked up the bone and I wanted to suck all the juices (I didn't.) and the raw oysters were amazing. So good that my kids had more oysters for dessert. But the way they cooked the steak, it was delicious. I highly recommend this steakhouse. It's a must if you're in Auckland.

Great, GREAT place to have tapas Spanish cuisine! This restaurant is nice and quaint, very Spanish…read moreflavour with styling and great food! Our start to dinner was a bit bumpy with a dire alarm evacuating two buildings... but quickly resumed service upon coming back in (about 25 min outside waiting for fire dept to clear call)! We ordered several tapas to share for four of us, which was plenty! The ceviche taste very fresh and the mixture of all the juices and citrus explodes in your mouth! The calamari was freshly fried, not rubbery at all and was light to the taste. A perfect blend of fried, yet light and not oily. All of the food paired great with red wines we ordered. The chorizo taste amazing with the meat being juicy and seasoned just right! We were not disappointed with anything in the menu. Ambiance was great and service was great!

We were wondering up and down K rd. looking for something a bit different. Dropped into Carmen…read moreJones and were very pleasantly surprised. Happy hour had 500ml draughts at $10. We started off with the Chorizo and fried bread. A simple, but very tasty bit. Continued with more small plates. Had the Bombas- crunchy potato with meat and a great horseradish sauce. Had the hummus for Syria -a great blend of hummus, fried lamb and fresh salsa. The last item was a Spanish fried cheese on bruscheta. A fantastic place to eat al fresco right on the sidewalk!

It's quite rare these days to go to a degustation - let alone a Chef's Table Degustation. Paying so…read moremuch for a meal, there's the expectation of stellar food - which sometimes explains the hefty sigh that would follow an overdone steak. Or the chance of having that knowledgeable but icy waiter who makes me mirror it in the most awkward stretched-smile-kind-of-way. A super special occasion or a yearly treat would justify going. For me, it was to reward a hardworking momma who had been busy looking after an energetic ball of cuteness, otherwise as known as my nephew. Euro had revamped their menu late last year into a gluten-free dining experience that promises the same indulgent flavours without the dreaded food coma afterwards. This new food ethos echoes the recent food trends of healthy eating and people being more educated and aware of what they are ingesting. I'm all for it, dining out and less guilt. We were seated on bar stools along an L shaped table around the kitchen, giving the allusion of watching a private chef at home. Our two chefs were brilliant - boisterous with happy energy that rubbed off on the 10 guests. Everything was explained as they cooked. I could ramble on about each of the 10 dishes but you can check out my full blog for descriptions. At first I found the food almost bland, especially when I faced the greenness of the cucumber and kale sauce in the second course. But after my tastebuds adjusted, I realised I was used to the expectation of the overly salty and seasoned food when dining out. My first surprise was the red pepper egg in the Red Tomato Consomme which pops gently when you pop the whole thing in your mouth. These flavours were light but tasty - there wasn't the overload of flavours, just clean and fresh ingredients. As the courses went along, the flavours got more heavy and food more creamy and dense. We weren't served any form of carbohydrates until the 7th risotto course -although faux spaghetti was spotted before that, which was a dream accompanied with the quail breast. The big perk of a Chef's Degustation is that everything is well personalised. Before serving the wagyu, the chef promised one of our well-built male diners that he will most certainly be full after the degustation, otherwise she'll personally make him a burger. The wagyu, while looking tantalizingly small, had my taste buds going from the moment it started searing on the pan. I cannot resist it, I am a carnivore. Eating at Euro, you'll observe the use of fancy glass gadgets and liquid nitrogen smoking up the kitchen. It's more like a show than any other dining experience I've had. Even when one of the irreplaceable expensive contraptions broke, the chefs were calm and made do with something else. Huge ups for keeping it together and thinking quick on their feet! At the end of the night, we were even given an extra course - cake pops along with a personalised chocolate message to each of our guests. Whilst my sister in law's one read "Happy Birthday", I got a cute one which said "Just Because". To round off the night, a mini burger was delivered to the male diner for being a good sport, even though he insisted he was full. Needless to say, I loved it at Euro. Princes Wharf hasn't got the pulse of Federal Street, or the glam of Britomart. But understated elegance has always been what attracts the business people that come here for their after work drinks. Don't be intimidated, change up your dining scene and head down to this area for something special.

Euro is one of my first picks for a special occasion, the food is always melt in the mouth yummy…read moreand there is always a nice ambiance especially if you get one of the outdoor tables. When you can get the bluff oysters it's a must super plump and creamy with some champagne before your meal is utter perfection. The breads come with a smoked paprika pork cream in a tube which is something unique and if you don't finish can take home with you. Stand out dishes I have experienced are the rotisserie chicken, eye fillet, chicken risotto (best I have ever had) and pork belly. Euro is also good for special events such as Melbourne cup day, where they pack out the place and serve a 3 course meal whilst having the races screening, TAB on site and dancing after, foods not quite up 2 standard on these days but understandable considering the large number of people.

The Merchant is a great spot to get a bite to eat while waiting for a movie or after a day of…read moreshopping at the mall. The vibe definitely matches a pub - you can watch sports on the tvs and some nights they have live music. This night, I had the buttermilk fried chicken and added on bao buns with lettuce cups to make it a meal. The chicken is super crispy! On chilly nights I recommend their special drinks menu (boozy coffee or hot chocolate) as its the perfect thing to warm up!

Me and my work mates come here every Monday for their quiz nights. Probably been going strong for 2…read moreyears? Unfortunately the quality of the food has been steadily declining that we actually try to avoid eating at that place. Today I ordered the entree sized crispy pork belly, there was no crackling - crackling was chewy and not crispy, the pork itself was slightly dry which was a shame because the flavor was quite nice. The menu said it comes on a kumara puree, which somehow turned into potatoes on my plate... And was cold. We really do want to like the merchant but unless they put some love into their food... They will be possibly be losing a frequent customer..

By far the best restaurant out by Half Moon Bay marina. Great setting, friendly and easy going…read moreatmosphere and pretty decent food. I often drop in for a coffee and a breakfast. Portions are good and if I'm not too hungry, big enough to share. Do not order their Poke Bowl - extremely terrible. Everything else is good though! Good beer selections and photogenic plates. Would definitely recommend!

Wonderful setting and best fish and chips we have had…read more Waitress (Nitee)was very helpful with perfect wine selection

Several months before we started our cruise, we had already arranged to spend a few days in…read moreAuckland after disembarkation. I knew the location of our post-cruise hotel and looked up several nearby eateries and convenience stores in the CBD. I was fortunate to find Odettes Eatery, among other restaurants and businesses, across the street from our hotel at the City Works Depot. We had an early breakfast on board before disembarking. Still, when I mentioned eating lunch across the street at Odettes Eatery to my sisters and husband, they heartily agreed to the restaurant's Mediterranean and North African menu. It was peak lunch hour, but we managed to walk in, where we were welcomed and seated by a cheery hostess. Within a few minutes, our friendly and happy server, Jacob, came by to introduce himself, suggest thirst-quenching beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), and describe menu items we weren't sure about, given the menu's limited descriptions. It took us a few minutes to decide on our meals while Jacob piqued our interest with his suggestion of their thirst-quenching Honey and Ginger Lemonade, along with glasses of iced water, giving us a little more time to decide. FOOD: -Flatbread Lunch Special (Gurnard with Romesco): two large strips of golden-fried panko-coated cod-like textured topped a wood-fired flatbread slathered with smoky, nutty, and slightly spicy Romesco sauce. The crisp, fried, panko-coated fish was complemented by lightly dressed, fresh, shredded cabbage and herbs. I asked Jacob to identify the type of fish used in this dish, as my family and I thought it might have been cod or monkfish, but Jacob said it was locally caught gurnard fish. My older sister practically single-handedly devoured this lunch special, but I was happy to have tasted a bit of the crisp fried panko-coated fish. NZ$29/NZ$39 incl beverage -Seared Snapper, Greens, Wild Rice, and Soy Green Goddess: The grilled pieces of fish were "buttery" moist, delicately sweet, and their firm white flesh flaked well. The mild-tasting fish was enhanced by a squeeze of freshly grilled lemon and lightly dressed greens. I preferred the grilled preparation to the deep-fried gurnard. NZ$46 -Chips: My husband and eldest sister zeroed in on the chips, AKA thick-cut, deep-fried potatoes, after reading their accompaniments of berbère, honey mustard, and curry leaves. Although I shared my seared snapper with them, I barely got two pieces of the crispy, on the outside and soft, fluffy, interior, deep-fried chips before my husband and eldest sister stuffed themselves. NZ$16 -Chargrilled Chicken Skewers: The three skewers of chargrilled, juicy, and tender chicken had been seasoned with paprika and turmeric. The chicken skewers were accompanied by toum, a Lebanese garlic sauce, and a few guindillas (Basque Spanish pickled chili peppers). My husband and eldest sister shared the chicken skewers and chips as their meals, exclaiming they'd return for more during our additional 3-day post-cruise stay. NZ$45 -Green Salad: This simple family-sized green salad of green leaf lettuce leaves, radicchio, and sliced cucumbers and radishes was lightly dressed with a semi-sweet, floral, and rich-tasting muscat vinegar and olive oil. This green salad was refreshing, healthy-tasting, and very shareable. NZ$16 Everything about Odettes Eatery from its flavors, food presentation, excellent and friendly service, comfortable ambiance, and value, to me, warrants a 5-star rating from me. They were so good that we returned for lunch with our New Zealand friends.

We just arrived into town and needed a quick bite for late breakfast…read more We were so happy to find Odettes because the food was fantastic. The flavors were outstanding and food presentation was unique. Staff were friendly and service was spot on. The outdoor seating was lovely. We noticed the indoor environment was beautiful as well. Definitely great place for food and coffee!