My wife and I ate here during a recent visit to Auckland. The food was excellent--we ordered the mixed grill mussels platter and ribs, and everything was delicious. We were really enjoying the food, atmosphere, and service from our waitress. The reason for the lower rating was an interaction we witnessed involving a tall, bald staff member. An older Asian group was seated near our table. A few moments after they sat down, several additional members of their group sat at a nearby table without first checking with the hostess. The staff member approached them and explained that the table was reserved and that other guests might be arriving. While the request itself seemed reasonable, the way it was handled was not. He spoke very loudly and aggressively, to the point that the entire restaurant turned to see what was happening. The group appeared embarrassed, stood up, and left the restaurant. As Asian visitors ourselves, the incident left us feeling uncomfortable. We understand that restaurants need to manage reservations and seating arrangements, but customers should be treated with courtesy and respect, especially when a simple explanation would likely have resolved the situation. It's unfortunate because the food and the rest of the service were excellent. This would have been a 5-star experience otherwise. I hope management addresses situations like this more professionally in the future. read more

Great vibe in a historic alley. Beer selection is vast and the food is delicious. Oftentimes these brewpubs don't focus much on the food, but that was not the case here! It was my last meal in Auckland and I was not disappointed. Mussels were fresh and meaty, the rump steak was perfectly cooked and the chips were spot on with a crisp exterior and soft creamy interior. Staff is super friendly and handles the lunch rush like pros. Highly recommend! read more

Let's start with Jacob--he was incredibly nice and attentive, setting the tone for a great afternoon. The food was absolutely amazing! It was my first time visiting this restaurant, but definitely not my last. Highly recommend! read more

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Hubby and I are visiting Auckland and today is our last day. We stopped at the Occidental for lunch after souvenir shopping because it was near our hotel. My husband got the special rump steak with chips and a beverage. And I got the lamb shank. It's a pub with the traditional pub atmosphere. At 2:00 in the afternoon, the place was almost empty and service was excellent. Hubby thought his steak was okay but not stellar. It was a good deal for $25 for a 17 oz. piece. My lamb shank was wonderfully seasoned, even if a tad overdone. This place is well known for its large and phenomenal mussels, and we saw a few plates being served. (Unfortunately, we don't like mussels.) Our bill for two was about $65. read more

The Occidental - Lamb shank - Belgian Near Me - Auckland, AUK

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Great local vibe with hearty portions of New Zealand specialties. We had the local craft cider which was delicious. I had the venison pie and SO had the Flemish stew with stomp. My pie was served with mashed potatoes and peas. A LOT OF FOOD!!! Would definitely recommend!! read more

The Occidental - Venison Pie - Belgian Near Me - Auckland, AUK

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We wandered in for a quick bite. The interior is open and has lots of windows. We chose a pub table with a window to people watch. We ordered a beer and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, which came out promptly. Our server was lovely and efHubby decided upon a lamb pie and I had the steamed mussels. The lamb pie was AMAZING! The mussels had good flavor (I enjoyed the garlic cream sauce) they were a bit chewy-I wasn't able to finish them the portion was so large (and that was a half). read more

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The friends were looking forward to mussels and were completely satisfied! We walked down from our hotel and lucked out on an inside table. I tried the Belgian sausage, husband had fried squid, and the friends had three different kinds of sauces. Everything delivered hot and delicious. Despite the noise inside our server was knowledgeable and helpful with us tourists. Although we're not familiar with Belgian beer the bartender also helped with tastes until we found the one we liked. Definitely recommend. read more

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I CAME FOR THE MUSSELS & I DIDN'T ACCIDENTAL ON THE OCCIDENTAL!! I've been coming here since 2014-ish.... The mussels is the reason i'm here. its been my first visit back since the pandemic. Did they change their mussel vendor or something?!?! The meat on the mussels used to match the size of the shell... Now, they're little rinky-dinks! So sad! You could tell that they just drizzled the sauce on the mussels and not actually stir-fry it in a pan together, (See Picture attached to review). Sauce was mediocre and was at room temperature. I'm really disappointed with the quality and level this place has become. All our other dishes were good. But, you can make anything good if it comes out of the deep fryer... The ambiance hasn't changed. it still has that 1770's colonial feel. Our Server was amazing! She recommended to Earl Gray infused beer. Absolutely Refreshing!!! I should've written this review pre-pandemic. it would've been 5-stars ALL-THE-WAY! read more

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Lots of variety in their menu Mussels are fabulous Friendly Staff Warm cozy atmosphere read more

The Occidental - Lamb Shank - Belgian Near Me - Auckland, AUK

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An amazing spot to stop and enjoy the cocktails and fresh food. Matteo is an awesome server and a wealth of information. Highly recommend. read more

The Occidental - Belgian Near Me - Auckland, AUK

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Very loud and crowded bar restaurant. If you want to select between probably 50 different beers this is the place for you. Food was fair.

Very popular venue with plenty of outdoor seating. Nice selection of Belgian beer. Mussels were outstanding. The NZ stew was hearty but on the salty side for me. Our server was awesome. Enjoyed it! read more

This lively, Irish pub restaurant saved us from a downpour while walking around the city. The restaurant vibe was lively and energetic. The beer and food were both delicious and filling. If you are looking for an upscale environment, the Occidental is probably not the choice to for dinner. If you want a good meal and lively ambiance, it's definitely where you should be. read more

Good place. Great service. Was a little bummed since we came for oysters and muscles, but they were out of oysters. We got a bucket of muscles that were pretty good. The thing that knocked my socks off was the lamb pie! read more

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Fantastic beer selection and great food. The head waiter or greeter took my name, we had a table and a great evening, and he remembered my name at the end of the evening and asked if we had a great time! THAT was impressive and contributed to a great evening read more

Tucked away on Vulcan Lane off of busy Queen St is The Occidental. This was storied to me by several in my company as a MUST TRY. They were correct, as it absolutely DID NOT DISAPPOINT! If you're a beer drinker, who wouldn't love a Belgian Beer Hall? But the unsung story is the food! They have wonderful appetizers and then, the pièce de résistance, the Mussel Pot! You can have the mussels prepared in a number of different styles. I ate here several times and I cannot say that I have a favorite -- they are all just darned good. The NZ Green Lipped Mussels are nearly as big as my hand, as you can see. This is a wonderful place and one that I return to on every trip. You should add it to your list of spots -- even if you don't like beer. read more

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I had heard from family The Occidental was worth a visit, so I made an effort to stop by one rainy afternoon. I loved this part of the city, lots of little walking streets more akin to Europe than New Zealand. One of these streets had quite a few little bars and restaurants. I'm told the mussels here are fantastic, but I came on a full stomach just looking for some new beers. The Occidental is a Belgian beer bar. It feels old, with high ceilings, lots of wood accents, and brass accents. They have a few dining areas with small and large tables, high tops, and bar seating. The beer menu is large with a few fresh draught taps and a huge cellar of bottles. When I travel by a general rule I only drink beers local to where I am. Thankfully sitting down and talking to the bartender, I learned two of their Belgian style draughts (a pils and an IPA) are locally brewed! The bartender said the name of the brewery is a secret, but said they like having a few local beers on. I purchased a full pour of one, and he gave me a small size of the other for free. Conversation here was fantastic, talking about beer, the city, and culture. The clientele looked like a mix of tourists and locals who enjoy the finer things they serve. This is a great option for a hot soup, cold beer, and warm place to sit out of the rain. For Untappd users, they are a verified venue and have a local badge for you to collect when you visit. read more

Fun atmosphere, a Saturday just after lunch and service was prompt. Food & beverage were quite good.

the steamed green lip mussels here are plump and cooked to perfection. the portion is great and they have many options to choose from for sauces. the lamb pie is packed to the brim with tender lamb and the pastry is perfectly golden. both portions were filling and the price is very affordable. last order for kitchen came at around 9:15. place is very large and could be good for both small and big groups. the service was a bit inattentive since it was very busy, but the food came at a decent time. i would definitely return. read more

The Occidental - steamed green lip mussels, lamb pie, garden salad - Belgian Near Me - Auckland, AUK

Great Belgium beers and food menu. Loved their Lamb Pie and Mussels. The place has a great relaxing vibe with a mix of locals and traveling guest. read more

We tried the seafood pot, salt & pepper squid and Lamb pie, fish of the day, and fries. The seafood pots were flavorful and filled with mostly mussels, one crab split in two, couple of shrimp and clams in a flavored broth. Mussels are the only shellfish I don't care for or I would have gotten it. I did try a mussel and the broth. The squid was like our breaded calamari rings. It was very good, came with a tiny salad and fries on the same plate. This was a lite meal for NZ23.00. The seafood pot was 34 NZ dollars plus tip, if you add. They don't tip in NZ or Australia, normally. The fries were good, served with mayonnaise. The fish was reported as tender ( they refer to it as shark although it wasn't actual shark, they use different names for fish than we are accustomed). So overall, all dishes were consumed with pleasure. The cost is expensive for the dishes comparatively. The back booth was very hot and uncomfortable since it has a window directly from the hot kitchen blowing into the booth. We had a large party and the only large table. The atmosphere is typical pub style, nothing impressive. Great place if you love mussels. I would prefer somewhere that offers several choices of pots. It's a may or may not return place for me. read more

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Husband and I shared a 1/2 bushel of Lobster Bisque mussel pot, a Apple Chili 1/2 pot, and a Grilled Platter of mussels. We went on Mussel Monday so it was cheaper (which definitely allowed us to order a lot). And all the mussels came with a BIG basket of fries. The meals were so fresh, juicy, with amazing sauces. I was smothering my mussels in the sauce, dipping my fries in it as well, and slurping mussels with sauce in the shell still. I'm glad we picked this place since they had the largest variety of mussel pot choices! The mixed platter had some good ones on it, but most were greasy and the toppings took away from the fresh mussel taste. We wish we just got a different 1/2 pot that wasn't coated in breadcrumbs or cheese. I wanted to eat here again on our return in Auckland, that's how amazing they were, but we didn't get a chance : ( Definitely worth a visit. With super friendly staff, and efficient! They have people in and out and tables ready. read more

The Occidental - Lobster Bisque 1/2 bushel (more than enough), and a platter of grilled (super greasy) - Belgian Near Me - Auckland, AUK

Absolutely loved this restaurant. The food was delicious; we enjoyed a salad and fish and chips. They had sooo many beers to choose from and a full bar. I had my first Cherry Kriek beer and fell in love. The service was kind even with how slammed they were when we went to visit. The ambiance was lively and fun. Would definitely come again for a drink. read more

So many fellow coworkers have been here and recommended it to me. I was anxious and a little apprehensive about trying it. I was afraid the mussels would be too large and too chewy. However they were just the right size for me and perfectly cooked. Went here last week with 2 coworkers. I ordered the steamed mussels in lobster brandy bisque. Wish there would have been twice the amount of broth and some bread to dip it in. Fries perfectly crispy and mayo/aioli dipping sauce perfect. Friends both ordered the grilled mussel assortment. Very nice presentation and I might order that next time. Good beer & wine selection. Attractive waitstaff too. read more

Decent mussels. Some really great pieces. But some pieces didn't seem as fresh. Good beer. Good vibes. Fine service. Busy so need to be aggressive but as you would expect for a place like this read more

I'll start by saying this is the only negative review I've ever left on Yelp. I just really don't want other travelers to have the same experience we did if they're going here for NZ Mussels! My boyfriend and I had one last day in NZ before returning to the US. We had EXCELLENT NZ Green Mussels while in Queenstown at Captain's. We saw this Auckland spot had positive reviews, and we were excited to make this our final stop before our flight to the US. I had the lobster & brandy bisque mussels that were served in a shallow dish and could have had more sauce on them. The sauce was also not especially flavorful. My boyfriend ordered the tomato, red wine, chorizo, and fennel mussels that had more flavor than mine and a larger pot. This chips weren't very salty/flavorful. We were doing okay on our initial tastes of our dishes, but then my boyfriend found a pea crab in his dish. After he found the second one, he didn't want to continue eating them. I was getting grossed out by the pea crabs he was finding in his pot, and then as that was happening my fifth mussel didn't chew up. It had a rubbery texture, and I had to spit it out. A week later I'm still so grossed out thinking about this! We spent the next few hours praying we didn't have food poisoning for our 12 hour flight to LAX. Luckily no food poisoning! But I LOVE seafood and was just so disappointed by our mussels experience here. Servers were friendly and attentive. My boyfriend and I mentioned we only had about 45 mins because we had to get to the airport and our food came out quickly. This seems like a popular and fun hangout spot, I just wouldn't recommend going here to eat NZ mussels and would highly recommend going elsewhere if you're craving mussels. read more

The Occidental - Belgian Near Me - Auckland, AUK

Good place with character, many options for beers and tasty side dishes. This is a hidden gem spot read more

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We stumbled into this place for early supper using the Yelp app. We were looking for a place for some steamed mussels for dinner and got very lucky. So we were here on a Monday and were delighted to find out there was a special on mussels from 6pm - 10pm. Mussel mania Monday!! Woooooo! We could not have been happier with the choice. The resto was busy-ish so we were waiting a bit to get someone's attention so they could seat us. After 5 minutes of standing around, they told us we could seat ourselves so we took a table on the small patio out front. My YEA and I each got the solo (1 kilo or 2.2 pounds) for dinner and it comes with small frites and mayo. We decided to get the creamy white wine garlic sauce and the lobster & brandy bisque. Both are tasty choices. The white wine and garlic is classic and delivers on the clean flavours that you would expect. The lobster brandy bisque definitely had that lobster flavour in the deep orange coloured sauce. The green-lipped mussels here are gigantic and tasted really nice. They weren't overcooked and had that springy meaty texture to each of them. We were so full at the end and very satisfied. There was more than enough mussels to spare. Overall, we really enjoyed the mussels here and the variety of sauce selections for your steam mussels dish. I would recommend this place for their mussel mania Monday special for sure! read more

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New Zealand Green Mussels. Period. I've tried the Thai Curry and Coconut Cream, Lobster Bisque with Brandy and the Garlic, Parsley and Onion flavors for their steamed mussels. The first two are really good if you like big flavors and the last one was clean tasting. $23.50 a kilo or $18 for half. The pots come with a side of chips or salad upon request. Service is friendly and the food comes out relatively quick. It gets busy in the evenings, especially Mondays since it is half off mussels. They're known for their Belgian beer selection so have fun perusing through the extensive menu of brews. PS: Free WiFi! read more

The Occidental - A kilo for $23.5. Comes with chips or salad - Belgian Near Me - Auckland, AUK

I read the reviews and came in for the mussels since NZ is known for it. We stopped in for lunch. Order the streamed mussel, bread plate and vegetable. Mussels were good, however fries were over salted, and vegetable were old and dry and was probably left out too long. The butter from the bread plate was rock hard and needed to be warmed a little to be used as spread. Place does look great as a pub, but we didn't drink any alcohol. For what we ordered, the bill came out to $45. read more

The Occidental - Streamed mussels, bread plate and vegetables. - Belgian Near Me - Auckland, AUK

The seafood were pretty good, such as mussels and oysters. Oysters were especially fresh and tasty actually. Even I did not like oysters very much, I still enjoyed it. Beer-wise, we ordered IPA craft beer, which was pretty okay. Steak and ribs were so so, nothing special. Food-wise, I'd suggest sticking to seafood only. Price is a little high, not too friendly actually. Overall, it's a okay place to grab some beer with oysters with friends. 4 stars are a little high, I think it's about 3.5 stars. read more

The Occidental - Mussels - Belgian Near Me - Auckland, AUK

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I had the mussels with creamy white wine and garlic and an order of oysters "rockerfeller". The mussels were fine but the broiled oysters were raw. I like oysters Rockefeller because the oysters are baked or broiled. If you don't like eating raw oysters, careful with the ROCKERFELLER! The beer battered might have been a better choice. read more

The Occidental - Steamed green lipped mussels with creamy white wine and garlic and oysters "rockerfeller". - Belgian Near Me - Auckland, AUK

Should you find yourself strolling the streets of downtown Shenzen between the hours of 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. on a Monday ... I'm sorry did I say Shenzen? I meant downtown Auckland ... Anyways, should you find yourself on the non-financial side of Queen Street between the aforementioned hours, I highly encourage a visit to The Occidental Belgian Beer Cafe for a pot or two of mussels. Monday is Mussel Mania at The Occidental, when a 2 kg pot goes for NZD28.00, a 1 kg pot $15.00, and a half kg pot is priced at a mere $11.50. These are very reasonable prices, especially if you are visiting from almost anywhere and are converting almost any other major currency. If you are in fact here to tour our fair country, and have read somewhere about the quality of the mussels, then allow me to convey with a reasonable degree of certainty that it doesn't really matter where you get them from. They will be good by virtue of the fact they are New Zealand mussels, and New Zealanders seem to instinctively know how to prepare them. The Occidental is no exception to this rule. What you will be looking for, then, is ambiance, and that is why I recommend to you The Occidental Belgian Beer Cafe. It's situated half way between Queen and High Street on Vulcan Lane, one of those cool alleys that will remind sophisticated and knowledgeable travelers of the cafe-lined alleys the city of Melbourne has perfected. The interior is hardwood-y and Parisian ... I mean Brussels-ian, with evenly spaced mirrors and vintage art posters en français adorning the walls. The Occidental is the kind of place you'll want to unwind in on your lunch break, or pop into following one of those three hour long city walks. There's an outside seating area, which normally I'd encourage people to take advantage of, but honestly the inside is shady and cool during the summer, cozy and inviting in the winter, and the interior is just a nice place to be. Also, be weary of outside seating on an incline as you might get a rocking table. read more

The Occidental - Two pots. Complimentary fries. - Belgian Near Me - Auckland, AUK

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I have been here frequently around 10 years ago remembering how great the mussels were so I was super excited to come back. My friend and I came here on a Monday 6pm and the place was packed had a beer at bar and somehow scored a great table by the window. The customer service was great the place had a great vibe. We ordered the white wine mussels and curry mussels, the were good but I remember the sauce being more of a broth last time I was here instead of a thick sauce so I was disappointed since I use to use bread to get every last drop of broth and this was richer than expected and served with fries. Not sure if I will be back for mussels. read more

My daughter and I stopped at the Occidental this past week for lunch. We really enjoyed her rissoto and my bagel BLT. Service was fast and friendly, pricing was reasonable, and after we left and were about a block away, we were amazed when the waiter caught up with us to return the backpack I'd left behind. Great food, marvellous staff. read more

A popular haunt for tourists wandering Auckland city or for hard working business folk slipping off the radar for a few moments, The Occidental has been in it's great position on Vulcan Lane for years. In fact it boasts that in 1999 it became the first truly authentic Belgian Beer Café in the southern hemisphere. Hand the proffered food menu to your companion to choose a platter or mussel pot while you get started on the Magna Carta Fermenta- over 100 Belgian Beers! The epitome of schadenfreude is a huge glass of Hoegaarden, a sole busker playing and a swarm of suits going their different directions. Unwind here and treat yourself. read more

The Occidental - Belgian Near Me - Auckland, AUK

Selected this place after reading the reviews and I must say, it didn't live up to the reviews. The shellfish pot was very generous with lots of mussels. Mussels were fresh and meaty but the sauce was bland and disappointing! The grilled mussels were ok. I have had better elsewhere! The atmosphere was busy and servers were attentive. However the food was a let down. read more

The Occidental - Mixed grill mussels - Belgian Near Me - Auckland, AUK

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This is a really great spot to grab a bite and I would recommend it if you don't have dietary restrictions. My only issue was that I have some food allergies and there weren't many options that were gluten-free and vegan. I would go back again to see if the menu changes, as my husband enjoyed his meal. read more

The worst schnitzel ever, and I have had schnitzel all over the world. It should be thin and crisp, not just breaded chicken

We enjoyed the food here and the service was spot on despite how busy it wAs. We noted that it was a very busy place, and sure it's on teh CBD of Auckland but not all of the paces were busy. Highly recommend the fish n chips and mussels are always a must! read more

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