Oysters, lamb ribs, charcuterie platter, squid linguine with clams - rabbit rilettes and duck tongue fried like popcorn...Exceptional service...never rushed...really felt like we were in our favorite casual restaurant - anywhere in the world. I feel like I am giving out a lot of 5's in Auckland - but with such incredible service, its hard to move off that when paired with divine food. read more

Loved it here. The price is incredibly fair considering the quality of food. We sat at the chefs table and it was impressive to watch them work like a fine tuned machine. We had the potato skins which were awesome We had the pork tacos also awesome We don't like oysters but we tried the grilled ones and those were pretty good too. White bait sliders were really good too. Everything was really tasty but no reservations so Come early because it fills up fast read more

For coming for the first time to New Zealand, all the way from Sweden, we went to the first restaurang that popped up in Yelp. I understand now after have eaten there why it was the first proposal. The food was fantastic, with a really amazing relaxed atmosphere. We were sitting in the bar eating and the staff was so helpful, filling up glases all the time and taking care of their guests. It's extremly popular so be in time or take a drink while waiting, they do take care of everyone! read more

Delicious food, good portions, and excellent service. My only caveat is that they only have 3 or 4 tables with chairs that have backs--all their other seating are high stools. (I came here with my elderly grandfather. Luckily a couple with one of those tables was leaving and flagged us while we were deciding where else to go.) We ordered the lamb ribs and Hapuka sliders, and an iceberg wedge to share. The lamb was very tender and well-spiced, with tasty fat but still meaty--I highly recommend it! (The iceberg wedge was a nice compliment to it.) The Hapuka also tasted very fresh and was a good, light meal. read more

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Food, service and atmosphere was outstanding!!! We particularly liked the sliders and fish tacos.

When in Auckland, do not miss this iconic spot. Important Chef Al Brown is the energy behind this delicious spot. Go there and taste great seafood and more! Great staff too! read more

Superb breakfast. Cramped inside with small tables, but the muesli, breakfast sandwich, and donuts (a little too heavy to be proper beignets) were all awesome, and the service was quite decent at such an early hour. Parking in the area isn't cheap, but that was expected, and the papaya (I think it was papaya?) topping with the donuts was friggin' good. read more

Depot is owned by the truly magnificent Al Brown, who is as famous for his hotspot Depot as he is for his great Kiwi cookbooks. I've been along to Depot a few times now - never for a full meal, always for something small and quick. Hapuka sliders. Hapuka sliders are the greatest thing about this place. If you head along there and are partial to a bit of fish, get these delicious little morsels. They are truly the best. If you would like something a bit more hearty, choose the squid ink linguine & 'Cloudy Bay' clams with hand-cut pasta - impressive to look at and to eat. Gorgeous restaurant, delightful food, great atmosphere. Win all round. read more

Seriously the best meal I've had so far in my Auckland stay. Turns out the hostess was on our same flight from San Francisco to Auckland. She sat us right away at the bar with a full view of the kitchen. We got so much food... Lamb, tacos, potato wedges, seafood pasta, and wine! All for a very reasonable price. I was shocked I wasn't charged more. Everything was so delicious and tasted so fresh. read more

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I approached Depot for the first time on a busy Tuesday night, but the word busy is what gets this restaurant going. I was given a seat just inches from the kitchen and I was hooked watching a very talented team of chefs cook amazing meals at an amazing pace. The farm to table and fresh atmosphere is garnished with great drinks and incredible staff. You are sure to find many things on the menu that will suit your fancy and the portions are the perfect size with a few oysters and the hummus and bread to start. Look to the kitchen the next time you are there and watch the machine grind its' gears from plate to plate throughout the night, giving impeccable service and taste. Thanks again to the chef who took great care of me, sharing insight to his life and his food. read more

First of all thank you Yelp for leading me to this place!as soon as you approach this place, you will see that it looks different from all the others. Great attention to the dining area and the possibility to eat at the bar (great for solo business travelers like me!). I had a few plate from the small plate menu, everything was extremely tasty and well presented. You server will even organize customer made order and the right proportions so you can enjoy most of what's available on a single and reasonable order. A bit disappointed by the lamb ribs as it seemed to be THE one to get, my level of expectations was set too high. Nothing to complain about the taste but too much fat! I will go back and have more to see if they deserve a 5 stars! Must go place if you are around ! read more

Depot - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Auckland, AUK

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We came here on our last night in Auckland and were impressed. It's got a nice feel to it, the meals are fresh and the staff are friendly without being perfunctory. Passed by a few times during the week and was interested by how busy it was, looked them up online and found myself intrigued. It's opposite the casino, but don't let that dissuade you. It's doesn't have that sometimes nasty casino vibe to it that some of their internal eateries can have. While neither of us is an oyster fan, there are plenty of other options on the list. Try it out, well worth the effort. read more

Depot - Wahou tacos - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Auckland, AUK

Having had no breakfast after a sleepless night, 11am had me starving for comfort food. Healthy comfort food. I headed for Bolaven in Mt Eden Rd. This was my fifth visit. I had breakfast there on Monday and have had three lunches and a dinner over the last couple of months. Each meal hit the spot and today's was no different. I had rice and pulled chicken soup. The bowl was filled to the brim with rice, chicken, sliced spring onion, celery, bok choy (could have done with more green) in a delicious, silky broth topped with a poached egg. A side of delicate blue dishes held rough-ground peanuts, pickled ginger, dried onions, chilli flakes and a wedge of lime. The addition of these to the soup added that perfect mix of hot, sour, salty, sweet that zings your tastebuds awake. Delicious. read more

I love the Depot, it's my favourite place. I can never fault the food, wine selection or the service. On this visit it was very busy for a Wednesday night and we were told for 2 of us there would be a 45 minute wait. As there was no room to drink there we headed over to Bellotta. We didn't even get down the first drink and we got a call about 10 minutes later that there was a table for us. We ended up having exactly what I had at a previous visit, the NZ meat board with salami, lomo and popcorn duck tongue served with a fig crostini I love, mustard and mini gerkins. It's the most amazing antipasto platter to graze on. For mains we shared the Crisp Freedom farms pork hock with salsa verde and creamy mash with a side of potato skins. All perfect! It's such a shame we were too stuffed for dessert as I had wanted to try the Jelly tip which I saw sitting on the pass. If you go you must try there sugar pie which I have had before twice - it's devine! read more

This is the second time I've been here. This time I there was just two of us. We came in because it was a Sunday night at 9:50 pm and it was open late. We were seated inside the restaurant right away since there wasn't too many people. The last time I came we had a group of 7 it was prime dinner time and we sat outside. Both times we had excellent service. The wait staff is super knowledgeable about their menu and are willing to help you with choices. They're also extremely friendly. You can tell they work as a team and enjoy each other. We ordered the skirt steak which came with a lovely side salad with a ranch like dressing that was SO good and fried sweet onions. We also ordered the potato skins that had slivers of cheese on it and the squid ink pasta with clams which I just love. It's a little pricey but the food is great and the service is excellent. All I can say is that I had a lovely meal and will most definitely go again. read more

My husband and I stopped in on our last night in New Zealand. They did not disappoint. It was early, so we were luckily seated right away at the bar. The bartenders were super friendly and provided great service. The wine and whiskey selections were great. We had the oysters, fish tacos and King fish belly with cumin eggplant. All were delicious. I highly recommend you stop here while in Auckland. You will love it! read more

Great customer service. I tried the fish sliders and it was an excellent choice. They were made to perfection.

One of our most enjoyable places to eat and experience while in NZ for a couple weeks. What made this so cool was the whole experience. It's in a vibrant area near the Skycity Complex with lots of traffic and mix of folks. Next it's laid back in attitude and atmosphere but on top of the dining experience to make it fun all around. Like the guy you know who spends half the day making his hair looked perfectly messed up, The Depot has lots behind the scenes that makes it work for the better of the diners. No reservations so you want to be there. We were able to grab a couple seats at the bar and immediately were befriended by a true Irish bartender who guided us through both our drinking and eating session. First he saw we were struggling with all the great small plate choices and offered to set us up with a "tasting" of both ours and the houses favorites. We went with it and got treated to about an hour of non-stop delights including brisket and snapper tortillas (different orders). The brisket was tender and well sauced but like with everything at the depot, the add ons in the tortillas including the greens, cream and subtle Mixtures that blended great together. True full bite experience with the whole is defined by perfect parts. Next we had fish sliders. It was some local fish I can't pronounce but cod like on light bun with again great sauce. Next was a decadent beef marrow dish with toast and a great onion/parsley salad that cut the incredible richness of the marrow. Finally we finished with some great lamb ribs that changed my mind about lamb gaminess. The whole trip I learned that lamb in NZ is nothing like the states. I now crave it. The other part of experience was the drinking part. My wife is very picky about cocktails and our Irish Star made a couple of Cosmos that she adored. Not too sweet and hand shaken and orange rinded right in front of us. I regret I can't remember his name but the Bearded Irishman should be his name. Enjoy this place and the environment. read more

Depot - You have arrived at one of best places in Auckland - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Auckland, AUK

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I can't get enough of this place. 1 hr wait on a Monday night. Should have planned better! But, here we are... Waiting in the cold Auckland weather, 50 F. Coming from Hawaii with 80 F year round, this is extremely cold. What can I say? The things I do for delicious food! Great service from the staff and great food. read more

Food was interesting and delicious. We had the meat tray, sliders and cold beer. One star off because it was a little dirty.

Best squid ink linguini I ever tried. Fresh clam just taste wonder. Use bowl, not a dish. Kiwi style I guess :)

Great vibe and amazing seafood. Rest of menu (non-raw bar) less interesting. Would def come back but sit at the bar or in the back

Great food and great staff!!! Our server gave us great places that we can go visit in the city. I can't wait to come back and visit Auckland! :) read more

This is as good as it gets for Kiwi food. Depot is an outstanding place to dine. That is if you can get a seat. No booking needed. And please if you take a seat outside you are going to need a credit card. Food: Its share joy to taste simple food packed full of flavour and love all from around New Zealand. The sugar pie is like my mum makes it. Service: Just ask and they are there. Excellent service. Thanks Al and the team at Depot. It's a real joy coming and eating at Depot. read more

Excellent food and fantastic service! They happened to be out of some oysters but the bartenders were able to suggest something similar right off the bat. Really quality fish and the wine selection is all local. read more

This was our first meal in Auckland! Luckily, a table outside opened up as we arrived and we snagged it. Our lunch included potato skins, squid ink linguine with clams, charred asparagus with chorizo, and the snapper tortillas with slaw. The food was very flavorful but there wasn't much to fill up on for the vegetarian at the table... Our server was decent. The place was really bustling during lunch. read more

Amazing atmosphere, food and service! We love all the fish on the menu and enjoyed octopus, fish tacos and fish belly! Delicious!! Could be a bit busy and hectic in there but not to be missed! read more

Hyped beyond it's only average actuality. Probably a 3 if it wasn't for the expectation bred of the celeb-owner-therefore-must-attend bunk. I don't like being negative, but when potato skins and sliders are points of culinary deli-hype as opposed to the fact that they are just a scrimp-serve ... you know the hype is exceeding the delivery. Sliders? What? Food where effort is made is very good, but pricey per serve content, and no better than most other gastro-caffs-n-bars. read more

Excellent service! The different variety of dishes was a great. Awesome place to experience Kiwi dishes! Oysters were probably the best we've had out of all the other places we ate at. Continue the great work! read more

Anyone who would give this place less then 5 stars is....... The oysters were plump, briney and their secret sauce just took it over the moon. The bone marrow was soft, rich and a half order could still satisfy two. This is my first night in Auckland and the food at Depot was spot on. I ended with the squid ink pasta with clams in a wine sauce. Just an absolutely wonderful meal. I washed it down with a Nautilus Rose champagne.... perfect. read more

The food was delicious!!! We absolutely loved our server and all of their recommendations. The wine and beer list was good too! My favorite dish was the tartare. It was so good that we almost ordered a second round. The lamb was good but our piece was a little fatty. I highly recommend checking this place out. read more

Great mix of tasty tapas. I'm gluten free, egg free, shellfish free - and was able to find enough foods to fill up on. We had a big party and shared a ton of plates. Definitely recommend this place for seafood lovers! read more

On a holiday in New Zealand from the US, I stumbled upon Depot on Yelp and gave it a try based on the high ratings. They don't take reservations and have somewhat long waits for dinner...but it's worth it! Skirt steak was delicious! Served with a habenero mustard, onion straws, and a wedge of iceburg lettuce. It was seared to perfection! Brussel sprouts and potato skins were also pretty tasty. Not good for groups, but if you want a trendy place with good food, then given Depot a look! read more

The cocktails are great, the food is better, the owner is a complete boor. My girlfriend and I were in the middle of enjoying our meal when we saw one of the staff openly mocking a well-meaning customer. And then continuing to mock him. And then looking at us to join in. We didn't know who the guy was until we started flipping through Depot's cookbook and discovered he was Al Brown, the restaurant's owner. As we tried to finish our meal, we watched him continue to throw his weight around and make fun of other customers until we finally couldn't stand to look at him any more and left. So go if you like, but I prefer restaurants where the owner has at least a passing respect for his customers. read more

Depot is da bomb! What more can I say - cool vibe and really busy all the time (as a result of being busy you can wait a while from 6-8ish to get a table) the food is fresh and the meat just falls of the bone! Nothing can beat their fish sliders though I could have a tray of them on their own. Also make sure you save some room for dessert because they are gorgeous!!! It is a great for any occasion. Lots of 'trendy' places come and go and Depot has been consistent since it starts - ohhh they also have an Oyster bar ! get into some of that! read more

Yes x 1000000. I was one of the lame few who had never been to Depot. (Who am I seriously) so my other half finally took me. We ordered everything that looked delicious which meant we had enough sharing plates for 489 people and there was only the two of us. All food was so good that we were upset when we were full. Genuinely panicked. We had to keep taking breaks because the thought of not finishing the amazingness was stressing us out. Anyway thanks Depot it was perfect. The service was so good we decided two of the waiters were now our friends and the food came out quickly and everything tasted like heaven crumbs. We also sat outside and it was warm on a freezing night with a good buzz for people watching. Remember to order everything and set yourself a food challenge where you sweat and become close to tears but can't let Depot down as the food is so damn good. read more

This place deserves the title of Best Bistro in Auckland. You can't make a booking, so be prepared to wait. If you're lucky, you'll secure a spot near a heater outside for a pre-dinner drink. I like to get a table way in the back of the restaurant, near the kitchen so you can see everything coming out. We chose a selection of share plates - the hapuka sliders with preserved lemon mayo which are amazing, the lamb ribs, their infamous skirt steak with tobacco onions, iceberg wedge and habanero mustard and the pork hock. Also, a steaming hot cauliflower cheese straight from the wood oven. For dessert I had to try Al's take on a jellytip, after all it's jellytip July and it seems everyone's getting in on it. It begins with a thin biscuit base, hokey pokey icecream, passionfruit jelly on top then a good coating of chocolate, delicious and a bargain at $8. This place consistently gets it right, staff are helpful and friendly. Also, if you're ever wanting an early coffee break in the city, I can recommend their freshly made beignets with a passionfruit curd dipping sauce. read more

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Some of the best food I've had in ages! Came here on a Wednesday evening with four other colleagues, was pretty packed by the wait staff made room for us. Had the best waiter ever who took care of us the whole night, we let him decide on the food - and he did not disappoint, each dish was fantastic. The potato skins and street corn were the biggest hits - def recommend this place! read more

Phenomenal food, phenomenal service, phenomenal oysters, phenomenal atmosphere, phenomenal everything. We actually couldn't think of a single critique after an exquisite meal at Depot. I will be dreaming about those oysters, fish sliders, squid ink pasta, and poached tamarillo for years to come. read more

There are a medley of positive reviews singing praises for Depot - and with good reason! Depot has to be in my top three. The service is amazing, so friendly and never rushed even when it's packed. I have been multiple times and never, ever have I been disappointed. Tonight we went for the sliders - something I always get when I am there. They were just as delicious as ever, perfectly buttered bread with the succulent fish in between. The gnocchi.... is what dreams are made of. It came with divine pumpkin puree, goat cheese curd and what i suspect was fried kale. I hate kale but am willing to become a convert just for this dish. The chicken, Israeli couscous with aubergine was stunning - the combination flavours are insane. Chicken was perfectly tender, a difficult feat especially with the chicken breast. And how could I forget about the drinks! Try a southside, or the passionfruit and elderflower cocktail, or anything else the magical bartender whips up - every drink is perfectly balanced. If I could, I would give this place ten stars!! read more