The seafood soup was so plentiful I couldn't finish it. The wait staff was friendly and helpful…read more It was fun to watch the rugby game on the tvs as we enjoyed our meal. The fireplace was cozy and inviting. Thank you.

I had been to this restaurant in Orewa 8 years back and still looks the same with all ship anchors,…read morepictures and a massive steering wheel which greets all diners. The staff are very friendly and the new owner Wendy was really nice. It is located in Orewa town centre with heaps of parking nearby. The wine list is extensive and not too expensive. For mains we settled for fish of the day which was a fresh snapper and spicy chicken, sides were salad and fries,

I was walking to the Urban Sanctuary along the bay so I looked for good restaurants in the area…read more This restaurant had great reviews and a high overall ranking. The dining tables were filthy and the whole time I was there they were not cleaned. I had the grilled snapper which wasn't bad but didn't overcome being served on disgusting, dirty tables and the topper was there are no bathrooms since the upstairs dining area is closed.

good fish and chips, quick service. a little divey but ive found those to be the best bang for your…read morebuck! pleased with my meal

What a delight to enjoy fresh local oysters and mussels with a nice local white wine. AJ is so…read morewelcoming and professional, please say Aloha to him from me . After a full day in the hop-on hop-off bus then a ferry to Devenport, I really enjoyed chill-axing here and the food...wow. See pics and enjoy the eye candy.

Expensive. Fish and chips were ample but too greasy to finish. Had better for less. Nice…read moreatmosphere

Delicious, fresh oysters. Fun, fast service for take away (near or far). Lovely place that is easy…read moreto miss, so drive slow and enter carefully-they're busy! Lovely place on your way to and from the lovely beaches nearby.

A very easy to miss spot if you aren't actively looking for it while heading into or out of the…read moreTawharanui Marine Reserve for tourists. We were lucky our snorkelling instructor whispered into our ears about this place because it was so worth it. The small shop sells fresh shucked oysters out of their oyster farm. They were so fresh and tasted of that clean and pristine NZD waters. We decided on a dozen oysters as a snack for the two of us before heading into Matakana proper to find a more substantial lunch. They have bigger plates should you be more greedy. Hehe. They have more than enough different garnishes for your oysters from spicy, sweet, salty, and other. We settled into the little table underneath a few of the trees on the lot and just delighted in slurping up each oyster. The oysters were medium sized and really sweet. We really recommend stopping by here in you are in the area. It's a gem.

Jac's trading is a great local for lunch or dinner. They have great lunch specials, the monteiths…read morebrewing range on tap, and signature cocktails. Every night has a different special: Friday is "fish n chip" night and Tuesday has 50% off dinner mains. Outstanding service and a cool atmosphere.

Very busy at 6.30 on a Wednesday, we tried to book but they told us they only had one table free…read moreand they kept that for walk-ins - so we moved out asses pronto and got over there to claim it! Really good choice of seafood dishes; we had the market fish (red snapper) in a ginger and garlic sauce, just delicious, melt in the mouth stuff. They were a bit short on dairy-free desserts, but we had the sticky toffee and date without the ice cream, which managed to fill in those few small holes that remained. We're booking again for the weekend! Three times we've eaten here. Definitely our favourite place in Auckland.

On our second-to-last day of roaming around Auckland and discussing the costs of owning a home in…read morehistorical or modern redeveloped areas with our New Zealand friends, Geoffrey and Margaret, they brought us to stroll around Wynyard Quarter, a waterfront area located on Auckland's Waitematā Harbor. They showed us the modern architecture, focused on sustainability, public spaces, restaurants and bars, and vibrant marina living in this redeveloped harbor area, which had quickly become a destination for tourists and locals. From the Jellicoe Harbor Breakwater built in 2020 to calm the waters for race boats and supporting yachts since Auckland's Waitematā Harbor hosted the 36th America's Cup, we could clearly see the cruise port from where we disembarked and the city center. Geoffrey and Margaret insisted on showing us the waterfront and promised to take us to a seafood restaurant. We mentioned that we love eating seafood, but were "preserving" our stomachs for casual, comfort, or unfussy food because we had been eating gourmet cuisines over the past 17 days while in Australia and during our cruise. We were thankful that they understood our request and dropped us off at our hotel to freshen up for dinner while Margaret made the reservation for an early dinner. We returned to the Wynyard Quarter's waterfront to Swashbucklers seafood restaurant, where we immediately felt comfortable with the vivaciousness of the hostess and server. We started our meal with icy-cold Peroni beers while sharing the tasty steamed mussels and garlic bread. Our server mentioned their fresh catch of the day was a snapper, which I adore, so I ordered it while my husband, Geoff, and Marg ordered the Fish & Chips, which we were told was a signature dish to Swashbucklers. All the food was flavorful and well-prepared. We were mostly impressed with the quality, quantity, and flavor of the steamed mussels. My husband gushed about the crispy, light-battered fish and the excellently textured chips. I enjoyed the tender pan-fried snapper with garlic butter, and complemented the fish with a slice of garlic bread. We'd love to return for the camaraderie, flavors, and flavors at Swashbucklers. 4.4 stars

After our first day of bicycle touring in New Zealand from Auckland to Huntly, we arrived on Main…read moreStreet tired, thirsty and VERY HUNGRY! After walking up and down Main Street, eyeing the restaurants and deli shops as if they were prey to a pack of wolves, there was only one shop which stood out from the rest of the crowd. The fresh seafood on ice, fish & chips, and smoked fish of the day drew me in. There's seating indoors and outside. This is a fish market, don't come here for ambiance or a romantic dinner for 2... or 3... or 4. The decor is the meal, laid out fresh on the counters by the purveyors of this fine seafood establishment. The owner and staff are very helpful, answering questions from customers who are either ordering to eat in or to be freshly packed for home. Taking a seat on the curbside table, we started on the smoked fish of the day. The white flesh of the smoked fish has a firm texture, stronger flavors and medium to high oil content. The anticipation was over when the family size platter of Fish and Chips arrived. The no-frills little chippy shop serves up chunky pieces of moist white fish against a crispy batter. The batter here is better than most chippy shops we've had in New Zealand, generally underwhelming and greasy. The mountainful of chips are crisp and firm. The fried battered oysters and scallops are a good complement to the fish and chips. The family size fish and chips platter was affordably priced. The standout of the meal was the Kina. If you're always on the lookout for the ultimate uni/sea urchin experience on your travels, don't pass up a chance to try the New Zealand version of the spiny shelled creature. Kina has been a part of the local Maori diet for hundreds of years. Having ordered one from the counter as my "dessert" and brought out to our table, an elderly Maori passing by gave a recommendation to eat the dark seedy liquid around the roe. The owner had recommended against the idea, explaining most Kiwis find the taste of the dark liquid too bitter. After separately a few pieces of the roe from the dark liquid inside the half opened Kina shell, the roe was fresh, had a soft texture, and slightly bitter compared to Japanese sea urchins. I tried a small taste of the dark liquid with a roe, and as warned it was indeed very bitter, enough to scrunch up your face. Try the Kina roe on its own. The five star rating for this shop was mainly due to our hungry stomachs after a day of cycling, the affordable and generous portions, the friendly staff, and the Kina experience.

Loved it!!! Had our first meal at Depot after arriving in…read moreAuckland, New zealand. The food was absolutely delicious. Every bite is unexpectedly delicious. We had falafels and the roasted eggplant. The sauces are amazing. We ended up ordering more of the same dishes as they were so good. We are going back for dinner tonight with friends as we have to try more of their dishes. The service was warm and friendly. The atmosphere was relaxed and dining al fresco was great at lunch time.

My friends and I went there for my last day in Auckland. We went around lunch time and we were able…read moreto get seated very quick. The ambiance was still so chill and not as packed because it was early afternoon, which was nice. The staff again were super friendly and answered any questions we had. Sadly, we didn't get the fish sliders because they were sold out! But we did get some of the same dishes I had ordered before but got oysters as well. The oysters were fresh and tasty, especially with their vinegar sauce. My friends also loved the charred eggplant and a couple of them don't really eat eggplant. The crispy potatoes were so good! The truffle wasn't too overpowering and they were perfectly crisp. The steak was super tender and juicy and the wedge salad helps cut the fat and compliments the steak as well. Can't wait to come back to Depot. Already miss it so much!

Still great fish and chips!! Ordered the snapper, garlic butter chips, salad for $18 and a thick…read moremilkshake for $6 with no regrets. They do charge for tartar sauce and ketchup separately and fish portions seem smaller than the pre-pandemic days, but the prices didn't raise too much. Will always drop by whenever I'm on this side of NZ.

Didn't have many expectations going in since it seemed like a regular fish & chip spot. What…read moreattracted us was the family friendly ambiance and the affordable prices! There's ample seating and a fish & chip meal is only $6! I got the Snapper burger meal ($10) and the buns taste super fresh and warm, not stale. The sandwich was super filling. Everything here comes in generous portions and you will not leave hungry! Would recommend if you're in the area checking out cathedral cove :)