Alright so this bar really surprised me with their food. Yeah, yeah drinks are important, should be…read moregood price/value and service should be great. All that I'm kind of expecting. What I don't expect is getting served an awesome steak on (what appeared to be self-made) mashed potatoes with a side of salad for 20 (!!!)$. Blown away. They also had a nice weekly schedule and we were able to come see the open mic night. Great way to entertain your guests. Check it out everybody!

This weekend I spent my Saturday on Portland's sunny back porch, drinking Governers and stuffing…read moremyself silly with their tasty offerings...bliss, I tell you! I'll admit, I had never heard of Portland Public House before this weekend (I've just moved back from overseas....gimme a break!) but now that I have I imagine I will be back here on the reg. It has this hard-to-beat, carefree atmosphere, which makes it ideal for chewing the fat with friends on a lazy afternoon. Not to mention, the staff seem genuinely chuffed when you tell them you love the place, and the food is fresh and delicious. When we went we sampled the crumbed prawns, the fish sliders served with a liberal smothering of tartare sauce, wedges with lashings of sour cream and chives and fall-of-the-bone ribs served with a rustic slaw. Whilst the dishes weren't overly complicated they were packed full of flavour and had been prepared with care. Apparently they have a lot of gigs here too - the details of which can be found on their FB page - but personally, I am just hanging out for another sunny weekend so I can while away the hours on that back deck of theirs!

Always extremely welcome for our little local. Staff go a long way to make you feel welcome and the…read morepizzas are incredible - they still stand as some of the best pizzas me, and my family have had. Drinks are varied and have a good range for price. Highly recommend to anyone.

If you live in Orakei, there aren't a lot of options for dinner nearby. You can jaunt over to…read moreMission Bay, or head into the city, but if you just want to enjoy the cool night air and grab something convenient, you are very limited. Pinchos boasts a cute, semi-covered outdoor patio with fire heaters to keep you toasty, if the wine doesn't do that for you. They've got a menu of pizza, tapas, and seafood dishes. The bartender is very friendly, and the smartly dressed patrons at the bar are usually keen to converse with a friendly face. I just came here for takeaway, since we were planning a rowdy night in at the flat. They only do takeaway pizzas, but they're pretty nice. For $10, you can get a basic pepperoni or tomato & basil. I decided to go big, bc I was famished and craving prawns, so I paid $20 and had a nice prosciutto and prawn pizza. I'm not a very big appetite, so I was able to get full off of half and share the other half with some other hungry party guests. I'd prefer to pay $10 for their takeaway pizzas rather than $5 for a dominos, so I'll be back for just that! I do wish they offered more on their takeaway menu than just pizza though.

Citizen Park is like a quirky, modern, all American diner. There are glowing neon signs, gingham…read morehalf curtains across the windows, giants shelves of kitschy Americana (think football helmets and model planes) and of course, baskets full of mustard and ketchup. Maybe it's because I've just moved home from America but I absolutely love it! We came here on a Sunny Sunday arvo to catch up with friends over a few quiets. The outdoor area here is huuuge and with several long tables with bench seats it is the perfect place to catch up with a group. It must also be said they have done a great job of making the outdoor area as sheltered as possible and they even have a retractable roof for when it inevitably starts raining (this is Auckland after all!). As for the drinks, both us girls where in the mood for a refreshingly, cold beer and opted for a jar of the Monteith's Pilsner ($8). I thought the list was pretty reasonable in both price and variety although I do think they could do with a few more boutique beers on the list as opposed to the usual mass produced varieties. The boys on the other hand were nursing rather significant hangovers and were in need of a drink of the non-alcoholic variety. ASAP. They ended up settling on a Sweet Alice; a strong cup of Kokako filtered coffee with condensed milk on the side. Heaping the rather generous serving of condensed milk into their coffee both of them seemed pretty chuffed with their decision. All in all this is a very pleasant way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon and I am looking forward to coming back soon to try their rather tasty looking menu.

I came here for the first time the other night, had been meaning to, always looks so inviting, the…read morebig brass gates to the private park for citizens dining under the strings of lights. It was, I liked it, plus they have outdoor heating. Often it can be hard finding places that accommodate groups of citizens, you can here. Large tables and a menu meant for sharing (depends how close your citizen friends are), Citizen Park would be perfect. Cool bar, good enough selection of drinks, they do coffee too. Don't be shocked when you see the beer missing from the menu, it isn't on there so ask the lovely wait staff. Gluten free options are available. Based on my experience you can request variations to menu items to fit your dietary requirements. I was impressed with my salad which not only looked good but tasted amazing. Greens with thin sliced mango, cherry tomatoes, micro greens and walnuts with a vinaigrette. Friendly staff, good surroundings, indoor and outdoor seating options and a decent menu. I'll be back, with a bigger crowd.

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!

Wow, what a great find and excellent service. Sofie (waitress) provided attention to details…read more Richard suggested the tasting that comes with garlic bread. Agree with other reviews on the America burger, very authentic taste. Seasonal salad was great. Will definitely come back when we return to the area. Thanks Mac's Brewery for a great afternoon lunch with some refreshing brews.

Lovely, eclectic ambience! Was walking along the harbor area and stopped by for a pint. The servers…read moreand bartenders are very friendly and knowledgable. I sampled a few local beers. I love to have the local drink when I travel and they helped me find the right one! I didn't have food, but the menu looks darn good. The crispy calamari salad and pulled pork sandwich in particular caught my eye. Relax in the back with your brew on the comfy couches!

Great place and awesome house brewed beers! The mussels are literally the best I have ever had,…read morefresh, fat and nicely seasoned.

Just in NZ from US Short walk from hotel found Empire's. Had…read moreavocado and edamame Guacamole plus loaded fries. Margaritas to drink. Excellent place good people and food

10 dollars for a steak and chips. Why not. And all I have to do is buy a drink. Apparently this…read moretime they are the suckers. I came here for lunch. Actually I was looking for a beer. I had just walked in to the city from Mount James. Because an older gentleman had told me " it's such a beautiful day to walk". So I did. Yup about 4 miles. Lol. He sucked me into it. Lol. So an hour and 20 mins later I made it. And I needed a good beer. And they have me many to sample before making a choice. They even had Lagunitas. I was shocked to see that. And the other import was Guinness. So props to them. I did order the Steak and chips. With peppercorn sauce and blue cheese. It was a good steak. Made to order. Mid Rare. Yes. That's how I row. No greens here. I'll have to double up next time. But they did lead me in a direction for more drinks.

Another great Yelp recommendation thank you! Nice Mac beer selection (amber was my favorite) and an…read moreextensive and delicious menu. I did like the option of being able to order bar munchies or a full dinner. First night I dined here I ordered a steak and salad and was not disappointed. I ordered medium rare and it arrived as requested. Service was prompt and friendly. Not in the mood for a pint or bottled beer there is a full bar to assist. My hosts planned a happy hour the following night and we ordered appetizers. The chicken bites were great. The pork bites were kind of dry but were excellent to absorb the beer ;^) . Love the squid App!. All in all a nice local pub to catch a game, have bite, and a bit to drink.

Come into this place for a hot meal the atmosphere is tremendous friendly waitresses and the music…read moreis great while waiting on meals quite a busy restaurant il get back to you with the verdict of dinner lols

A cool place to try if you're looking for an ascetically pleasing happy hour spot. Located up a…read moreflight of stairs in a bustling are of the central business district, Fort Street Union has a cool open plan with indoor and outdoor space. The outdoor space doesn't have much of a view, but the there's a nice vibe and a cool summer breeze. I went with a friend I met who was also traveling. We stopped in for a quick drink. They had $5 Heineken bottles and $5 Soho rosé or Sav. Didn't have food, but it was an interesting specialty pizza focused menu. Inside is just as trendy as the rooftop space combining industrial with natural finishes. They have bathtubs as planters and a good number of pool tables. I'd frequent this place if I lived there.

With lots of character, this is surely a spot to try if you are a rooftop lover and can get a spot…read moreon the rooftop side :) The drinks are good, and the happy hour deals are super attractive. The staff is super nice. It is on the top floor, so watch for it on fort st! Downsides- Went there for the rooftop concept, but did not get a seat outside. We asked to wait and were told it would not be possible, so we went inside (which is very pretty too but not what we came for) and asked to be re-seated when a spot opened, but they never came back. Foodwise, options are good and priced pretty well. However we ordered a Bruschetta and ended up with a pizza with tomatoes and onions. It was good, but definitely not bruschetta... Overall i'd give it a 5 for the service and concept which are awesome, and if the food was true to the description & if we had had a spot outside!