Jim R.

We decided to end our two weeks in New Zealand with something special and The Grill suited us perfectly. They are a high end steak house serving a variety of cuts from grass-fed to grain-fed to Wagu from Australia, an assortment of sides and a bunch of fresh shell fish in a sophisticated and stylish spot just off the lobby of the grand hotel in SKYCITY. Our French waiter was a real professional with superb service without being stuffy and water and wine glasses kept full-definitely 5 star service. The food was perfectly prepared and very flavorful. With the steaks you can choose any of four sauces served on the side (I got red wine jus) and 4 compound butters (I got garlic and parsley). The ala carte sides were small for the price but we tried whipped potatoes with a rich gravy (on the side), soft tender carrots and crisp green beans-all excellent. For dessert we chose a light and crispy apple tart that was served with vanilla ice cream and served warm from the oven-not too sweet and a nice finish to the meal. Their wine selection is excellent although a bit steep on the prices but we enjoyed a great Cabernet blend from Waiheke island that was a real treat. With food and service this good, there's not much to criticize. For a memorable meal, give them a try. Highly recommended

J C.

Restuarant seems always to be crowded. Waited till after 8pm and got a table on the 2nd floor area. This section of the restaurant was plain and uninviting. If you have a choice of where to be seated avoid the 2nd floor. We Felt like We was eating in an old cafeteria. Waiter had a lot of tables and demanding patrons. He did an excellent job. Waiter had to run up and down the steps all night long and deal with a few rude drunk men. Steak was good but I have had better. Solid 4 overall but not excited to return.

Claudia C.

Food is absolutely fantastic but I can't give it 5 stars si ce the service was slow and very very spotty ; the music is loud and out of context for this kind of place and it was most certainly not a "luxurious " dinning experience. We had the bone in filet , the mac and cheese , the mushrooms and the cos lettuce. Skip the lettuce , all sides are 12 and you get the less for your money with that deal. Order the carrots instead. The mushrooms are tiny too. Only 3 slices. Seriously !! I would have loved to try some cheeses but they were not on the menu and no one offered us any ... trying to flag down the waiter was to much of a hassle to bother. In the end , it wasn't as outrageously expensive as we thought but not as wonderful as we thought wither

Cherilyn D.

We arrived 10 minutes before closing for lunch but they generously welcomed us and served us. We just wanted to have some appetizers. The steak tartare (prepared at our table) was delicious. Tasted like no other tartare we've had. The king crab legs were precut and made eating it that much better. Great service. Delicious food. Nice atmosphere.

Alex D.

The best steak I have eaten in my life. Period. Perfect cooked, incredibly juicy waygu rump served with an array of herb butters and sauces, duck fat potatoes chips and cabbage & parmesan slaw. We dined in the private dining room at The Grill on Tuesday night and had a fantastic evening. The service was brilliant - water and wine constantly topped up, meals delivered at the same time and to the right seats, despite being a large table, and cutlery perfectly reset between courses - they operate like a well oiled machine and I suppose at the prices you pay to dine here, that's what is expected. Just a minor complaint - when our host was giving a speech between courses the waiter kept coming in and not shutting the sliding door fully, which with a rowdy Blues team dining outside was rather distracting! That being said, even when the door was closed it offered little soundproofing, making the private dining room, not so private. Still, a very minor complaint... If you're wanting to devour a top notch steak at an up-market restaurant, I think you'll be hard-pressed to find better in Auckland.

Amanda G.

As you enter the opulent two-level dining room, you'll find the open kitchen to your right, and a small bar on your left. The Maitre'D greeted us warmly, and we were told that there should only be a 15-20 minute wait if we were happy to wait at the bar (having chanced our luck without a booking.) The 2 bartenders were very friendly & accommodating, having a laugh with us and offering samples of the by-the-glass wine list. 20 minutes flew by as we admired the impressive wine cellar displayed vertically on the walls, complete with a sliding ladder to reach the really pricey plonk! The Grill is known for its extensive wine list, and there was an ample choice of wines by the glass as well - definitely a great place to impress the vino fan in your life. We were shown to our upstairs table, which looked out over the mezzanine floor to encompass a great view of the raw bar & kitchen area. The poor chef who was stationed out the front spent the entire night shucking oysters to order & preparing sashimi; great fun to watch though! The menu is a 3 page extravaganza with sections headed: Raw Bar, Cold Cuts, Starters, Mains and Butcher's Block. The focus is definitely on meat, although seafood is also a highlight, especially selections from the Raw Bar. A truly international line-up of delicacies such as Alaskan king crab claws, Queensland prawns and Osetra caviar line up next to NZ kai moana stars like Cloudy Bay clams, Milford Sound crayfish, scallops and Bluff oysters. But let's make no bones about it, the meat is the star of the show in this restaurant. Let me list the ways you can indulge your primal appetite: You can try it raw as Steak Tartare, cured as Serrano or Bresaola charcuterie, smoked as Pork spare ribs, slow-roasted as Lamb shoulder, to share as Suckling pig, in a bun as a Wagyu burger, and that is just to name a few, without even mentioning the extensive steak selection from the Butcher's Block! We started with two meat-lover's entrees: I had the insanely smooth Duck liver parfait with Pedro Ximenez jelly and toasted brioche, while the Ultimate Carnivore lived up to his name by ordering the Wood Grill Ox tongue, served with lemon & horseradish cream. It looked like a very long tongue on a plate, and I am reliably informed it was delicious, and the accompaniments brought out unique flavours. He will apparently be trying this at home. My parfait was unctuously smooth and rich and paired beautifully with the slightly sweet, crispy brioche. For mains we couldn't go past the "Study of Beef" to share. Our friendly waitress informed us that the selection of the chef's 3 favourite cuts of the day included a Wagyu sirloin, grass-fed eye fillet and a Scotch fillet. When quizzed further on the Wagyu, the very knowledgeable Maitre'D answered all our questions about sourcing of meat, cut selection etc. The 3 sauces we choose the accompany our meat were Chimmichurri, Red wine jus and a Miso hollandaise, as well as a side of broccolini with olive oil and slivered almonds. And of course, Sean's famous duck fat fries. The Wagyu was The. Best. Steak. Ever. Because of the unique cut - the Maitre'D had explained it was a combination of sirloin & other cuts - it had been sous vide before being finished on the grill. The flavour was incredible, the texture sublime. The other steaks were fantastic too, but now I know why people rave about Wagyu! The Miso hollandaise was my pick of the sauces, while the Carnivore rated the Chimmichurri. The fries were everything a fry should be: crispy-crunchy on the outside and fluffy & flavoursome in the middle. All matched with a stonking glass of Pinot Noir. There was no way we were fitting in dessert after devouring that amount of meat, so we left with the sweet taste of Wagyu still lingering. I will be returning to The Grill, I will be recommending The Grill, and I suspect I will be dreaming about The Grill.

Cecilia W.

Recently, I met a new friend who blatantly refuses to have beef on his plate. Why?! Having gone back to Asia to see New Zealand beef and lamb labelled so proudly on menus, I was just offended the overseas visitor didn't want to try steak right here in NZ. As an unabashed carnivore, I've always had my eye on Sean Connolly's The Grill - known for their succulent steaks that make you never want to eat a regular piece of steak again. Even before the restaurant opened, it was well under the public eye for the reality show Under the Grill, which documented Connolly's journey to opening the multi-million dollar restaurant. From their gold embossed logo, the chocolate brown leather seats, to the succulent cuts of meat served on wooden boards with heavy artisan steak knives - The Grill is masculine, it's luxurious. The downsides to this popular restaurant was like too many contemporary or fine dining restaurants, lights were dimmed to a minimum with candles flickering across your faces. Seats, while comfortable were a bit too close to our neighbours - and too many times, I caught the eyes of my neighbours staring at my food. There's nothing like filling your whole stomach with cheese during the first course but I gave in to the amazing sounding combination of haloumi and honey. And fair enough, the generous dousing of honey across the crispy top layer of haloumi was heaven upon first bite. For my more health conscious friends, the salmon gravlax was also an easy win. The salad was crispy and zesty and wrapped perfectly around the salmon. Being much more comfortable slicing through a juicy steak than cutting meat off a bone, I was pleasantly surprised when the meat fell cleanly off the bone. Presented on a bare chopping board, I did not once put the knife down as I continued to slice more and more of the tender beef, oozing with meat juices. My companions' mains of wild venison chilli was sadly in no way to match the short rib that I had in front of me. In a casserole pan form filled with beans and chilli, the main could have belonged more rightly on a mexican menu with tacos to match. And of course, every cut through my own steak was a cut through their hearts. It's the stage in course meal where your stomach tells you that you've had enough but the dessert menu whispers sweetly through your thoughts. Of course, you wouldn't normally go to The Grill unless you're there for a special occasion, which is always the excuse for ordering that extra side of duck fat chips and slathering on that rich butter. And the meal is not complete without dipping your spoon into some form of sweetness. Maybe it was the heftiness of the meal before but I reminisced more of The Depot's sugar pie next door for their nonchalant simpleness. Or maybe age is catching on and I'm starting to lean more towards uncomplicated and clean flavours than stark decadence. You can be guaranteed a brilliant cut of steak at The Grill - it's time to convince my friend to give NZ beef a go before leaving the country. You'll be promised a rich decadent night out. Their Grilled For Time menu is worth mentioning, for 2 courses for $35 or 3 for $45 if seated before 6:30pm. Otherwise you could easily be spending $60 on one main alone once you've decided which side to go along with it.

Phillip Y.

Our son invited me and my wife here to The Grill on Federal Street recently for a Father Day's lunch. I selected the Sunday Roast from the Menu. I honestly have to say that it was simply the best piece of steak I enjoyed in yonks!! It was so juicy and yummy !! The PortaBella Mushrooms side dish I selected complemented the meal wonderfully. Best of all, being Father's Day, my meal was "free"!! I have no hesitation in recommending The Grill for an enjoyable fine dining experience!!

Tresna L.

We visited for the lunch time special. During the month of June it was $29 for a eye fillet served with double cooked duck-fat chips (!) and a miso hollandaise. Plus a glass of wine. Yes, a mere $29! With a side of broccolini, this was a perfect lunch. Now let's take a moment to reflect upon the steak. It was, quite simply, one of the best I've ever had. Eye fillet is often boring and not my usual choice. This particular one was incredibly delicious, amazingly cooked and perfectly tender; our knives cutting the meat as if it were butter! With lashings of the miso hollandaise and mustards we were in steak heaven. There might have been eye rolling. The servings of chips were overly generous - we easily could have shared just one - but again they went great with that hollandaise or covered in malt vinegar that came in a cute bottle on the table. Service was very proper, complete with white jackets, lots of checking if we were okay and serving wines by the glass table side. It's dark, moody and serious inside - perfect for important businesses dealings. At night time I imagine the interior lends itself more to romantic dates when you really want to impress. The regular menu is by no means cheap, but having experienced the "economy" version at lunch time I would happily cough up more cash for an evening meal.

Mark G.

Okay, for those of you that already know me, I'm steak-n-ribs guy, honestly .. I'm simple in my tastes and critical of whats put in front of me. They say a man's home is his castle, well you can take a man's home away as long as you don't touch the steaming steak in front of him. So obviously the Grill is high on my list of destinations. This is an amazing place, a great meal .. But worth it's pricey tag? On that I am somewhat on the fence. The decor is not that impressive, very old world polished wood with a set of simple sleek lines. We were seated quickly, the place was busy and the wait was longer then I would have liked, but I suspect that was the anticipation. The service was impeccable and friendly and after a small entree the main dish arrived. The steak was delicious, I will not disguise that, the thick cut potatoes in duck fat (aka, chips) were also great, that crunch of excellence.. Mm-mm... We skipped dessert and went downstairs to the only downside of the evening, the bill. I won't lie, the entree, main, service and handling were amazing, but the thing is .. I've had a few better steaks .. in pubs ... for $35. The Grill has a reputation, a quality and an atmosphere that only the Sky City Grande can really pull off well, I would highly recommend it as an experience but mileage may vary on the value-for-money stakes/steaks.

Victoria C.

3 years ago I ate at the Grill & have since been running around telling everyone that they served me the best steak I've ever had. So I was a bit nervous returning tonight, but I'm pleased to say that the quality was just as good, if not better than 3 years ago. Located in one of the casino hotels, The Grill feels like an old school mafia restaurant (low lighting, waiters in white, ladies order first). The menu is pretty classic with a whole page dedicated to steaks, a raw menu, a sides menu & other mains. From the raw menu we ordered the sashimi platter & it was incredible - easily some of the freshest & most delicious king fish, salmon, tuna & snapper I've ever had. From there I had a grain fed eye fillet & my bud had a grain fed sirloin. Both were cooked to medium rare perfection & came with the most incredible array of sauces & butters (miso hollandaise, red chimichurri, green peppercorn, red wine jus, two butters I can't remember & a choice of three mustards (so much choice!!)). We shared duck fat chips (perfection) & a crisp green side salad. We also had a cheese platter & a couple of cocktails each (we're on holidays...). Though the food was absolutely perfect, I think the best thing about the Grill is the staff. Our waiter walked through the menu with us, answered all out steak, cheese & cocktail questions knowledgeably & patiently. He even brought over every cheese they had on a giant board for us to have a look at. The produce is largely sourced locally in NZ, with a list of producers in the menu & the quality shines through in the taste. The price is really reasonable for the quality too which is a bonus. So, it looks like I'll spend the next three years running around with the Grill still firmly at the top of my steak list.

Heather S.

Ambience was meh... the interior is nice and dimmed but just too noisy. Service was meh... Our server wasn't too helpful in helping us decide what to order. There was also another staff member that was friendly but kept interrupting and including himself in our conversation. Most of the food we ordered was also meh... the duck fat fries tasted like normal fries. The oysters were fresh but bland. The study of beef was just ok. A solid 3 stars. However, we enjoyed the STEAK TARTARE so much that I don't mind coming back here again.

Marie C.

Wow - this is the word that sums up this amazing place. We went there on Fri night and the whole experience was amazing. We were warmly greeted when we entered and escorted to the bar while we waiting on our table. The atmosphere is relaxed, with low lighting and simple decor. We had 2 amazing cocktails - a side car and an apple and vanilla mojito. The effort that went into making them was obviously worth it because they tasted great. Next we went to our table and ordered a bottle of Chablis. You could nearly swim in the wine glasses they gave us, they were huge!! For starters we had the scalloops with venison black pudding, and the smoked pork spare ribs. The presentation was simple but beautiful (see pics). The scallops were cooked perfectly, and the meat from the ribs was just falling off the bone - so tender. For mains we ordered the rib eye aged on the bone steak and crayfish with garlic and pernod butter. Duck fat chips and a tomato salad made up our sides. I cannot fault any aspect of this meal. The crayfish was delicious and only a tiny bit of the sauce was needed as it was just perfect even without adding it. The tomato salad was made up of different types of tomato with some basil, so fresh and simple. The steak was HUGE, but also perfectly cooked and tender. We had no room for dessert so I cannot comment on how good that would have been but I can only imagine it is amazing also. This is an expensive restaurant, and I must admit that had I asked what the market price for the crayfish was ($150), I would not have bought it. Im glad that I didnt though because it was an amazing taste sensation. If you are celebrating something special, or just trying to make up to someone special for something (like not buying a Xmas present.....or Valentines present), then you definitely cannot go wrong with this place.