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.

Great vibes and beautiful decor, I thought this was one of the nicest bars I've been in…read more It feels like a quaint, old school library inside, with bookcases and large armchairs. The outside area is speckled with fairy lights, making for a very attractive invitation to any passersby. The live music was just amazing, as those who were performing had oodles of talent! I had some potato cubes with dips, which were pricey, but nice. It reminded me a lot of Northern Steamship on Quay St, but with loads more space to breathe. Definitely recommended! :)

When this place first opened a few years back it was immediately super-cool. Part of the Macs Brew…read moreBar stable, the designers have again done a sterling job on the now-familiar upside down retro lamp and chair combo. I don't know where they find their cool stuff but I wish I did. We had one of the nippers in tow on our last visit on a Saturday afternoon but truth be told, like most bars funnily enough, it's not really for the kids. The bloke had a beer and I had a cocktail because it sounded delicious and involved mint (Nuevo Colada - most excellent and I'll have another thanks very much). On other occasions I've been here in big groups and I think that's where the Neighbourhood comes into its own. It is loud and raucous and sadly (or not, depending on your POV) something of a pick-up joint as the night rolls on. There is a DJ, even on Saturday afternoon but the sound selection on this latest visit seemed a bit random with no real mood or theme. I guess for me the Neighbourhood sums up the best and worst elements of Auckland bars. Looks good, slick service, nice products but really just a bit too cool for its own self. The patrons range greatly in age and urban tribal affiliation but be prepared to have every pair of eyes size you up as you walk in through the front courtyard. Why people? Are your companions that boring? I'm not really into the see and be-seen scene but I do like the feel of this place in summertime - it is literally cool which is of course a good thing. I'm just not that keen on the other patrons.

Whenever we're out in Ponsonby, we always end up going to PSC. I'm not even sure why, it's not…read moreparticularly great. In fact, it's always packed and a nightmare to get to the bathrooms, which are at the very back of the bar. It's saving grace is the music. It's largely hip hop and RnB but think old school classics as opposed to Chris Brown. For me, PSC is a late-night destination and I almost always order G&Ts so it's hard to comment on the drinks but the bartenders are speedy and friendly enough! It wouldn't say it's a must visit but if you're keen for a boogie and you're on P.Road, it's worth a look.

"PSC" as the locals call it is the closest thing to a "Grown n' Sexy" crowd as i have found in…read moreAuckland. Definitely not an 18+ crowd. The music was tho! If you love 90's RnB and Hip-Hop in a danceable, 2-step vibe, more so than fist-pump, table jumping manner. Auckland has so many beautiful and thick women and they were all here. But it's still more of a standing/talking/vibing bar-that-plays-music than a club-club. I would go back, especially to start off the night, but maybe not finish it...unless I was on a Bumble Date that I thought might be wifey. All in all, good fun. Standard drink prices around NZD $10/ea

I want to give The Wine Cellar a few props from the perspective of a door bitch at gigs. We are the…read morebitches who take your money - we put silly insignias on your wrist and hand you cheap EPs. Getting a gig together at The Wine Cellar is easy - the bar staff are really friendly people who don't seem to mind when the door bitch once again forgets a pen. Rohan who runs the technical side of the shows clearly loves making people sound good and takes his work seriously enough to do an excellent job of it. It's also massively cheap to rent the place - $100 for a PA and Rohan.

Awesome cosy venue for a gig. I saw Tiny Ruins here and although I wasn't in quick enough to get…read moremyself a seat on one of the couches, I love that they have them and that there's still plenty of standing room as well. Very intimate music venue, cool character and just a neat space. One downside is that if you haven't been before and don't know where you're going, might be a little hard to find. Down some stairs and through a non-descript side door you'll find it. The bar area is separate to the couch-filled room, which is nice in some ways but then of course if you're all comfy in your arm chair and don't want to lose your seat you'd better hope your friend doesn't mind getting your drink for you!

I've said it about The Wine Cellar and I'll say it about Whammy too - this place treats bands (and…read moretheir respective door bitches) incredibly well. Booking a gig at Whammy (or The Wine Cellar) is done through Rohan, a professional sound tech who will make your band sound pretty gosh darn good. He'll do it for $100. Get 6-10 paying people through the door and you've broken even already. Accommodating about 150 people more than Wine Cellar and starting later in the evening, Whammy is the place to go if your band wants to be late and loud. Doorman Will is a massive boss as well - about as courteous as a man who deals with drunk idiots can be.

I'm embarrassed by how long it took me to realise the pun in the name…read more Whammy bar is like a lot of music/performance venues: the quality of your experience here is directly related to what's on. Good band: good night. Crappy poser art-noise: bleeding eardrums and regret. It's a gamble, but a fun one to make. Whammy has all the requisite dive bar trappings - low ceilings, awkward stairs, an unassuming entrance. The crowd is your typical fashionable scene, but not too teenage to make you feel old - although again, this depends somewhat on the band playing. They don't just have bands playing, I've seen poetry recitals and comedy here. But the best times to be had are the rowdy live music nights, when the energy's deafening and everyone's bouncing off the ceiling.

On our last day, it was just non-stop rain as we were killing some time before heading to the…read moreairport. We walked nearby our hotel to My Bar, a tiny place with more outdoor tables (although obviously not the best place to sit on a day like that). Heading inside, we were greeted with a cozy place; mood lighting, exposed brick, wood floors, and tiny table nooks along the wall. The bartender was friendly and got us some drinks. They have a full selection of hard drinks, but I was here for the beer. They have six tap handles, all from the larger breweries of the country. I chose a flight of three. We slowly sipped our drinks and listened to the rain. Prices were reasonable, it was definitely worth a few minutes for some drinks!

Great bar! Stopped here one night & sat outside. Relaxed, friendly service; beer was great. Had a…read moreramen dish from a restaurant next door. Liked it so much, went back the next night.

This is my partner's fail-safe go-to-after-work pub. He loves it because it is exactly what K' Road…read moreis all about: unique, friendly and just the right amount of grimy. He says it's because it reminds him of the pubs in our hometown in the UK and I don't think he's wrong. I've only met up with him a few times in here but I too think it's a great little place. The staff are always really friendly, there's a great selection of beer (including their home brewed lager) at a reasonable price and there's always been ample seating during after work hours. They've also got a really varied selection of live music and events on every week so there's enough to keep you entertained (the pub quiz in particular is usually a winner). I've not eaten in here but the food on the menu always looks really intriguing. They've got a really wide selection of vegetarian and vegan food and things that are just a little out of the ordinary.

Stopped here for a quick hello with a friend who knows Simon. Very welcoming, friendly person he…read moreis. You can tell right away he cares for his customers and his bar. It was early in the day so definitively not ready for a full on session but a cold cider was perfect. The bar is massive with prime corner real estate! Plenty of seating at the bar, tables just behind along with benches running along the windows. If it were my local, I would be there on Sundays just to people watch and pass a few pints. There is also a chef in the kitchen, with a menu broadcast on chalkboard above the bar. Live music and other fun activities await weekly. Another plus to this bar is that there is a genuine Italian espresso machine. The brand escapes me, but it is one of only two in all of New Zealand! He said it makes a mean espresso and for someone who loves coffee this is an invitation to return.

I have heaps of memories of Studio, most of the fuzzy, but some clear enough to base my review on…read more I personally think Studio is a great music venue for medium to large size gigs in Auckland, and they always attract some of the best, Netsky, Dub FX, numerous house and trance gigs that filled a gap left when the St James was closed. The big main room has a great sound to it in my opinion, and for those times when you're lucky enough to snaffle a VIP ticket, the upstairs room's a wicked place to watch over all the revelry like a Greek god... On K road... So not quite the same. Still, great venue!

The Studio is situated on Auckland's K Road, which makes it very central and easy to get to…read more It is small in size but this is a silver lining because it makes for great, intimate gigs. I saw Ellie Goulding there in October last year, and it was such a nice change from the now common place arena shows. And yes, Ellie was awesome, and I had no complaints with the sound quality. So if your fav band announces a show at The Studio, I suggest you get there with bells on (or Dr Martins / your concert going shoe of choice).

Claddagh's in a nice Irish pub that's off the main road and out of the way, so you can enjoy an…read moreafternoon pint without the garrulous office types. It's as dark and calming as any Irish pub should be, about the colour of Guinness inside the bar. Or escape into the airy courtyard, enclosed with brushwork fence. This area looks better at night with it's dainty little fairy lights and minus the moving trucks in the background. The relaxed but respectful service is by far the bars best feature. The staff go beyond the standard salutations and engage in friendly conversation with customers, without interrogating them or becoming unprofessional. Platters coming out of the kitchen look enticing and are handled with skill by the waiters. A couple of days later, there wasn't a trace of the St. Patrick's Day carnage and the sunny courtyard only held the sound of an Irish fiddler. Fantastic.

I have to say most of the Irish bars in Auckland are pretty decent when it comes to evoking pubs…read moreback home in Ireland. The Claddagh is quite dark inside but this gives it a bit of atmosphere and you can feel your blood pressure lowering when you sip a Guinness in this mellow environment. If it wasn't for a friend who took me there one night I might have never noticed this place as it's down a lane off Broadway in Newmarket. I suppose having it as more of a cult bar is better than something more mainstream like Father Teds. An Irishman judges a pub on the quality of the Guinness and I have to say it's pretty darn good in here. The staff are really nice which makes you feel at home in every sense of the word. I actually often forget this place is here until someone mentions it and then I am happy to return.

I always get really excited when a band I love announces they are playing at The Powerstation. It's…read morethe perfect mid-sized venue. Not too big that it feels empty, or the sound is too tinny, and not so small that you're spending the whole time frustrated at people's hair in your face. I've seen a number of great bands here ranging from pretty mellow music to raging nights. There is a seated circle around the top, which numerous musicians see as a challenge. By this I mean they scale the stage and clamber their way around the whole of the top of the venue while belting out a tune. Awesome. There is a pretty large bar at the back of the venue so you can float in and out of the crowd for drinks before, during and after the show. There is also a little area to the side which they use for merchandise sales. Great venue, good times

I've been to a few smaller gigs at this venue and I must say I quite like it. It has an upstairs…read morebalcony part where there are seats to chill out and watch the stage from above, or you can hang out down the bottom closer to the action (and the bar). That's the beauty of a small place like this; the bar is never too far away. I saw Shihad play here and the sound inside the Powerstation was deafening. I could barely hear for the rest of the night. The venue is located on the outskirts of the city centre, but it's all good because Galbraith's ale house is directly opposite. Not a bad idea to pop in there for a few quality beers before the show (because you'll be drinking crappy beers for the rest of the night).