We had a good meal at the Merchant some months back, they had a movie deal with the nearby Albany…read morecinema that we took advantage of. A good meal plus movie tickets right? well we went there again on Saturday and decided to grab a non-movie deal and look at them with a critical beady eye. I'm pleased to say that even without the movie deal the merchant turned out okay. Leading in with the decor, its an interesting blend of 90's outdoor and 70's indoor, I honestly felt like I should be donning an ascot and suffixing each statement with 'like, man' the atmosphere was really relaxed though, lots of people soaking up the sun and a quiet indoor feeling. The food was good ... not great value for money to be honest, I had a grilled chicken burger at $19 and my wife had three corn fritters at $17(!?) .. Food was well presented and the fries came in this 'mini wire deep fry cage' which was cute. The staff were friendly and the service actually pretty good. I'd recommend it for a classic pub lunch in a 1970's bachelor pad, like totally man.

The Merchant is a great spot to get a bite to eat while waiting for a movie or after a day of…read moreshopping at the mall. The vibe definitely matches a pub - you can watch sports on the tvs and some nights they have live music. This night, I had the buttermilk fried chicken and added on bao buns with lettuce cups to make it a meal. The chicken is super crispy! On chilly nights I recommend their special drinks menu (boozy coffee or hot chocolate) as its the perfect thing to warm up!

Bring on 'Trivial Pursuit', 'Who wants to be a millionaire' and 'Weakest Link'; I will win, I know…read moreeverything. Or so I thought anyway. My general knowledge is great, and I'm a formidable force in any general knowledge quiz, plus expert level in sport and geography. This is all great for fun with family and friends, but as soon as you widen the competition, the more difficult the questions become. Joining some friends, we entered a quiz team for the Tuesday quiz nights at New Brew Bar in Rosedale. The questions are far removed from your general quizzes, these guys are professional, and they prepare a good night's entertainment. The questions are tough, and you need a well balanced team to answer from the variety of testers. Our team consisted of a chef, a writer, a traveller and two sports fans. This came in handy, but we were still left reeling when it came to naming Lindsay Lohan's exes. Darn, they make it tough, and our formidable team finished a respectable third. Not bad for a first night out, considering the regulars have teams much bigger than ours. New Brew is a great spot to enjoy after work drinks, or simply enjoy a night out with friends.

$18.50 for a glass .. yes a glass of wine not bottle and then the table we sat at was all wobbly…read more Bloody ripoff and to be frank this sort of thing is becoming the norm in New Zealand less service less quality and you are charged the earth for it

A little game pub by the road. Easy to walk in, sit down, just go to the counter to order something…read moresimple and fresh, it won't let you down. A couple of seats lay out at the bar counter, however, something unique come up to your mind. People have their names at the back of the chairs to mark their special seats. I have seen people saved the half of drink at the bar, this is something first come to vision. Old ladies and men rush in and out, then you will realize it is a game bar in the end. Order fish&chips, they will help you bring takeaways. Yes, why not have some chips pairing larger beer on a warm Sunday afternoon?

The Thirsty Frog is certainly not the most attractive wine bar in the world. I get where they were…read moregoing...frogs are green, it's called The Thirsty Frog but still that doesn't you have to douse the entire exterior of your bar in lime green paint. Exterior aside, I actually like The Thirsty Frog. Milford was in dire need of a wine bar and this place fits the bill. It offers great wines by the glass and there are plenty of tasty morsels to nibble on whilst you sip away. I particularly like that they have a constantly changing selection of French cheeses on offer. This place is great for after-work drinks with friends or as a pitstop on your Sunday afternoon walk with the dogs. Santé!

Although this might be a pub, do not be fooled. We have gone…read morehere twice just to eat the Classic American Cheeseburger. The best burger in Auckland in my opinion. They use Angus beef for the pattie, crunchy tangy pickles, mustard, cheese and all those combined to make the best flavour combo that hits your mouth. If you are looking for a really good burger and home made fries then you have to visit Macs Brew Bar.

UPDATE TO MY RECENT UPDATE. No Really!…read more Soooo because we really, really liked the vibe here we came back. Thank goodness Imi was here and she rocked it! Just a charmer and just outstanding. Not only did she hook up our spillage friends but she made great suggestions for dinner and drink. OBTW there was live acoustic guitar (on Sunday from 3:00 pm until 7:30!) There was a couple in the patio and they brought their sweet dog. She (the dog) recognized our crowd as doggie people and she (again the dog) came over and butt snuggled with our clan while her (again the dog) mommy and dad finished their dinner. So cute and so one of the things we LOVE about Takapuna Beach! Had the fish and chips and a nice merlot ...... Yes I know. Stop it! Anyway it was great. My spillage Friend had the veggie gnocchi and it was great. She also got dessert - its the Mousse. Omg! I won't describe it the way she did but it was complimentary. ;) Looked awesome and she loved it. Other folks had the steak and chips M-O-N-E-Y! Solid evening, great food, and Imi was AWESOME. She Rocks! We'll be back! Thanks Imi! Don't tell her you know this but its short for Imogen) but nobody other than her SO calls her that. No really don't tell her!

A typical local bar, with a very comfortable atmosphere. Rock up in your shorts and jandals, or…read moreyour jeans and T-shirt to have a relaxed low key drink or a couple of games of pool. The staff are friendly and the locals are plenty. There is also a gaming room if that's what you're in to. Be warned the place is very "rustic", which gives it that authentic pub feel but may not be what you are looking for in a watering hole.

If Harley Davidson and the Marlboro man were ever to enjoy a beer in New Zealand, then Mavericks in…read moreGlenfield would be their bar of choice. Situated at the top entrance of the Glenfield Mall, Mavericks is an old school tough guy bar. The kind of bar where you play pool, drink beer and waste away the morning. Okay, it is not as rough as I make it out to be, and it is quite enjoyable to visit. I often catch a few frames, an ale or two and converse with great company. The great thing about Mavericks is location, location and location, as I can walk home after a long night. Not that I do this often...

Sugar works is a small cozy bar where the interior kinda feels like a home living area (with a bar…read moreof course). Came on a wednesday night where there was live music (guitar/vocalist doing covers of a range of songs, some folk/indie/John Mayer) although I'm not sure what nights live music is available. The food here was actually pretty good considering what I thought I was walking into from the outside. The prices were a little bit on the high side but none the less the quality ensured that we got what we paid for. Service was great, wasn't too over the top, and it was a small place so the waiter could easily see if anyone needed anything. The only downside is that there's only one dining table indoors (which has a great view) making it a little hard to have a few plates of tapas at the couch seating area where the tables are quite small.

My friend and I were due for a meet up and wanted to try this new place. Sugar Works looked like it…read morechanged a residential house with a deck to a bar eatery, which was cozy and neat. We ordered Prawn tempura, Pork belly and Steak sliders ($14-16) along with some cocktails. Pork belly came out burnt and salty so we had to send it back. The manager came to us and apologised which was pretty nice and we were served with a better one soon after. Other food were okay but nothing really was special. We like our cocktails sweet but here it was rather strong for us. However the environment was so nice and cozy we really enjoyed our experience. Loved the bathroom was luxurious with actual towels instead of paper towels - environmental!!! But wished the food were more unique.

A good place for football match watch~ the beer is rather cheap while the cocktail is so-so…read more Any way a good place for sports-loving friends gathering!

We came here as a group for their Quiz Night - thought we would switch it up from our regular quiz…read morenight at the Merchant. I was ordered the angus beef burger and was I surprised or what?! Comparing it to the Merchant, their burger was much nicer and better value for money :) On top of my head I think the Merchant is around $21 and the Dark Horse was charging $16.50 (includes fries). The only problem we had was the tables are really close together - really hard to maneuver around. Will probably go back in the future :)

The old Chances has been transformed into a modern pub and TAB…read more Enjoyed the Sunday Roast and a few cold ones with my good mate.

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.

The Velvet Gypsy is an amazing place!!! Amazing specials every night of the week and great food…read more There are two sides of the restaurant (one quieter and sleeker, the other lively and facing the beach). The decor is awesome and keeps in line with the name of the place. Everyone looks like they are having an amazing time. I saw a huge age range - groups of 20 and 30 something as well as families and older folk. They also have a great range of food and beverages. We got the 2/$20 gourmet pizza special and both were delicious!!! We will be going back for steak night and the summer platter. Love this place!

This is a cool place to go in Browns Bay, its got 2 faces, one that faces the beach and one that…read morefaces the road. On the Beach face it has some comfortable lounge chairs and bar tables to admire the beauty of Browns Bay Beach and its more for eating. The street face is more of the bar side and yes the drinking side. We came here this week and had Pizza and some drinks, we received really good service and the pizza was pretty good too. They have a pretty good menu with a variety of tasty sounding dishes. During the day you can come and have lunch, and later in the evening dinner, then they come alive after dark for drinks and dancing. I will be back soon.