Now this is a proper British style pub. Instead of the usually boring beers that every pub has,…read morethis place has a great selection of boutique beers on tap; I think that's probably one of the best things about this pub. Well the food is pretty decent as well. They serve hearty dishes of traditional English cuisine, complete with mushy peas and everything. I had the bangers and mash from here and it was pretty tasty. Coupled with a smooth, creamy beer and I was a happy man. This pub is also located right next to the water; a pretty great location. And the prices are quite cheap. However, the staff weren't all that attentive; one seemed to be doing all of the work and serving customers while the two other girls were just chatting, meanwhile the line at the bar increased.

Great local pub with mix of regulars and people stopping by. Has garden bar area, inside lounge…read morealso with fire which would be good in the winter. Nice selection of beers, food was excellent and great kids menu quality which makes a nice change for pub food.

Another Irish pub right? Nope, The Faltering Fullback does away with the dark wood paneling and…read morebrooding atmosphere of a typical Irish pub- and they are sorely missed. The Faltering Fullback has squeezed itself into an old Kingsland bar space, so still has all the polished concrete and low-ceiling look, with none of the characteristic flavour of an Irish pub (other than sagging flags). Your choice of seating is a small and unappealing deck on the road or a cricket-blaring sports bar interior. They offer some decent English/Irish meals specials but the waitresses composure faltered when we decided to share a plate. (She redeemed herself later by fixing a poorly poured Guinness.) At least Kingslanders get to celebrate St. Paddy's without heading "all the way" into the city.

The Fullback (I'm not going to use its full, naff name) is a newcomer to Kingsland, replacing what…read moreused to be the Bond Street Bar. It's still much the same physically, but with a change of name and ownership comes a new lease of energy. They have various $10 specials for food during the week. On the night we went it was a burger and chips, and it was very tasty and generously portioned - a pretty good deal for the price. Drinks weren't too expensive either. The outdoor seating was obviously the place to be, although as the weather gets colder the inside will probably have a bit more appeal. On a late summer afternoon it seemed a little dark in there, though. Much better to sit out the front and drink a beer while the city life goes by.

This review is for The Landing restaurant which has a clearly identified vegetarian menu section…read morewhich makes it very easy for us vegetarians. It is appreciated. It was really hard to decide on what star rating to give, largely because the location is so perfect it almost totally overwhelms the negatives. With something of an upscale yet welcoming vibe, we arrived midweek without a reservation and were promptly seated indoors at a window table. A window table with a perfect view of the river and woods, very relaxing. Service was ok. A little slow but not a big issue. The big issue was the food. Not that it was bad, it was just not good. It was ok. I had the chickpea veggie burger which lacked taste and was very dry, even with the aioli. Partner had the Pan Fried dumplings, 5 dumplings that were ok, again very little taste. Neither of us were impressed by the food, a real shame. We had high hopes for the Earl Grey flan desert which sounded interesting. Again, it was just ok, without much taste. Beer, wine, and the coffee we had with desert were all good. Would we go back? I don't know.

We were on a Auckland tour of the sites and the driver recommended this place…read more The food was okay, the service a little slow. The oysters were boring, the fish n chips were pretty good, loved the small salad that came with it. The scallops were undercooked.

This is a great bar for small private functions, or a place to meet up before a fun night at the…read morecasino. Lots of comfy seats and places to chat while enjoying a drink. I got the barman to make me a variety of non-alcoholic cocktails and he was very happy to oblige, and they were delicious! As the night went on, a dj played a bunch of (wide-ranging) hits to get the crowd dancing. They weren't a particularly pro dj but it was all good fun anyway.

We went to this place last night and had some fun times. This bar attracts people of a slightly…read moreolder demographic so, most of us being in our 20s, we were probably the youngest people in the place. In saying that I really appreciated the fact that we could just dance in a group of girls and not be hassled by skeezy men (which inevitably happened in other bars) in fact the people here were incredibly friendly and non-threatening. There was plenty of room on the dance floor and the DJ was playing OK music even if it did feel like an 80s throwback night. I think this is a good place to head along to if you're spending your night in Sky City. It would be a great meeting place because you have a great view across the lobby.

The Powerstation is the perfect venue for gigs and concerts. Though plenty big enough to host…read morepopular bands and musicians, it is still small enough to maintain an intimate atmosphere and enable you to really connect with whoever it is you're seeing. Despite not being located in Auckland CBD, or being a high-priced venue, The Powerstation attracts all sorts of performers and musicians, including international heroes like Band of Horses, Rita Ora, MGMT and local favourites Six60 to name a few. I first went to The Powerstation as a young teenager for a dance-type party that was regularly held there, and even back then tickets sold out fast and the line to get inside went around the block. Nothing has changed - The Powerstation is still known for its great atmosphere, ample bar, good sound system and acoustics and fun dance floor. If you ever get the chance to see a live act perform at The Powerstation, don't hesitate - buy the ticket and have a great night!

Many nights of my youth were mis-spent here and I can't even begin to tell you how excited I was…read morewhen I heard a few years back that they were running 80s Nights on Fridays. That never quite seemed to pass and I was never too sure how it would quite work anyway. Now the Powerstation is back doing gigs but sadly I'm older and the mosh-pit has lost its appeal. In fact, I recently got my Band of Horses tickets refunded when they moved the venue from the Town Hall to here. I probably would have kept them if they'd given me a discount but when you pay what you do for concerts, the venue matters. The Powerstation is a totally fine setting for medium sized standing room only gigs, particularly when full. If the crowd is a bit sparse then the whole feeling can be a bit sad. It particularly suits loud grunty bands but perhaps that is just my personal history skewing my view. On the plus side it's intimate and oldies like me can still find a few seats upstairs if you're lucky. It's a big black space where bands play, and it has a mezzanine floor and two bars - there's not much more to say.

Food is traditional pub fare; simple, hearty and large portions. This is not gourmet dining and if…read moreyou detach from your cheffy ideals it is good pub tucker. The Steak & Guinness pie is a favourite of mine (pie & pint - can't beat it) but the burgers are also good - not had a disappointing meal here, nor have I ever left feeling hungry or wishing I had gone elsewhere. This is pretty close to a traditional kiwi pub. So set your expectations there and enjoy it. Good music nights - especially if you are a grown up. I enjoy it as a quiet lunch venue and as good place to stop off in the evening. The service works, but don't expect a frivolous "and how was your day". This is an authentic place - staff are friendly but not intrusive. The Barrel Inn has a large and loyal patronage - it is special to those who love it.

The food is great. But the vibe is unfortunately terrible. We asked the owner himself twice if he…read morecould put some music on and he literally flatly ignored us. We went on Sunday lunch time to celebrate St Paddy's day. Understandably they had nothing on for the day but they had cricket on and even when the game was done he bluntly ignored our request. Unfortunately won't easily be going back there.

After ten years on the strip, cabaret restaurant venue Finale closed its doors last year…read more Thankfully the place has been kept as a cabaret venue, just with a name change - Encore. This is the kind of place where you get a waiter and entertainer wrapped in one. You'll also get dinner and a show wrapped in one as well - a big buffet is on offer, and once you've eaten you can sit down to acrobatics, drag queen performances and singers. But don't think this is just for friends of Dorothy and Ms. Gale herself, this place should appeal to corporate groups and hen's nights too.

I went here as part of a hen's night group, like I imagine 80% of the visitors to this place have…read morebeen. It was a slightly odd experience, being surrounded by woman simultaneously shrieking with delight and making slightly off-colour remarks about the performers, but the performers were all very good; they've obviously done this for a while and knew exactly what they were doing. This place has had a change of management since I went there, so hopefully some of the more disappointing aspects of my visit have been changed: Wattie's tinned fruit salad is not "fresh fruit salad" and likewise, frozen veges may have been steamed but are a long way from freshly prepared vegetables. It was a pretty dispiriting dinner for anyone not partaking of the carvery meats.

If you are looking for a little old fashioned va va voom, then look no further than Bee Bee Bloom…read more (This rhymed unintentionally). A professional Burlesque performer, this chick has it all. Looks, personality and of course masses of talent! Burlesque is an art form all of its own. Not just scantily clad women cavorting around on a stage, Burlesque is all about capturing a sort of tasteful sensuality. Bee Bee Bloom is available for everything from private functions, hens parties and classes. Just think about how stoked your man would be if you branch out and hired this lovely lady for a private showing in the privacy and comfort of your own home, maybe for a Valentines or Birthday treat. Not just for the guy though, Bee Bee Bloom is available for Hens parties as well, which is where I encountered her services. She came around to one of my friends places and taught a big group of us the art of seduction. It was so much fun, and she made it a really unintimidating experience for the uninitiated and I even learned some moves to take home and surprise my boyfriend with!