Grill bar in Wellington

“We had the absolute pleasure of being looked after by Tapan at Jardin Grill, and he truly made the entire experience exceptional. From the moment we arrived, his warm welcome and genuine attentiveness set the tone for the evening. He struck the perfect balance between professionalism and friendliness, making us feel both valued and comfortable. Tapan’s knowledge of the menu and recommendations were spot on”

“Enjoyed the complimentary breakfast buffet whilst staying at the James Cook hotel- we are a family of 7 so that helped us save a lot. Staff are great and welcoming. They have the best pancakes freshly made to order. We did have dinner one night where kids got to eat free with every paying adult but I found $65 to be quite excessive for the quality of food. Service was still great though:-)”

“Incredible meal and lovely night out. The service was superb, and food amazing. Considering we had 14 (I think?) courses, what was nice was having the space to feel like relaxed at dinner. We have done plenty of tasting menu's and sometimes you feel like you can't have a conversation without someone popping over and interrupting with something. It can't be easy to get the balance right on this! Wine menu also great, not the biggest selection - they probably don't have the storage space - but they were all super interesting and we enjoyed trying the tasting flight. We were asked what out favourite dish was and it was impossible to pick - it was all delicious.”

“It was an excellent culinary experience. The owner was extremely welcoming. The Indian food as well as the lamb was amazing. I highly recommend stopping by. The menu was very diverse, so, if you have a group that has difficulty finding a restaurant, this may be the place for you. The interior was nice and kept clean.”

“The best ramen I've found in Wellington so far - hearty flavourful broth, perfectly soft-boiled egg, thin juicy pork ... Well worth the exploration up the mysterious stairs for the authentic vibes and chill J-Rock playlist. Definitely gonna start taking friends and family here!”

“we absolutely loved this place. it was recommended by a co worker as a meat place, but in my opinion I enjoyed better other things. I enjoyed the tempura oysters and the croquetas , incredible tasty. the dessert was also perfect. The meat was good, but personally I don't enjoy when the put so many sauces to what in where in my opinion the main flavour should be the meat only. In the menu it did say it would have a sauce, but I thought it would be on the side! and they actually put 2 different sauces !! way too much! The environment and service were both up to point and the restaurant had a retro European feel which we loved. We are definitely going back for more , sooner rather than later ! (sauces on the side this time)”

“Absolutely flawless, perfect 5 stars! Despite arriving quite late, around 8 pm, I was greeted warmly by the staff, all with genuine smiles. The restaurant's atmosphere was cozy and spotlessly clean, with plenty of seating available. The menu was impressively extensive, and the staff graciously guided me through the options with clear explanations. Opting for (Hainanese) chicken rice, I was pleasantly surprised when it arrived promptly in just 5 minutes. The presentation was stunning, and the taste surpassed all expectations. The chicken was juicy and bursting with flavour, complemented perfectly by the fresh and crispy fried onions, freshest sliced cucumber and the subtly tangy soy-based sauce. The homemade chili sauce was also very authentic and a delightful touch. The accompanying chicken soup was also delicious and showcased the freshness and quality of the ingredients. At $22, the meal was not only delicious but also amazingly good value. Both the attentive waitstaff and the friendly chef made me feel incredibly welcome, leaving me eager to return. With so many enticing dishes left to try, I'm already looking forward to my next visit.”

“Awesome spot!! Cheap drinks, 5 dollars for a variety of drinks, shots, wine, bourbon, etc and dancing! The food is really good too. I ate the prawn pasta and they were not stingy with those prawns, so I was super excited to experience that deliciousness as I am a seafood lover!”

“The grilled pork on rice was absolutely incredible. It was seriously the best I've had in the city. I also grabbed some spring rolls for an appetizer, and they were a delicious way to kick off the meal. Overall, a fantastic experience. Great food, friendly service”

“Amazing service, the food was incredible and $2 coffee whaaaat 2 means and 2 coffees $50 we'll definitely be back.”

“I really like burger and salad here. excellent service!”

“Outstanding service and food. My partner and I came here because we were looking for a steak house within the Lower Hutt area to try. We were blown away with our rib eye steaks and desserts. I loved the mushroom sauce which came with the rib eye steak. For dessert I had the lemon tart which was delicious!! My partner had the Whitakers chocolate dessert; he loved it! It was too rich for me, but if you’re a sweet tooth you’d love it!”

“Went to watch the AB France game here last night . Great bar, good atmosphere, friendly staff and a nice platter to watch the game , would recommend”

“We had our wedding reception here and it was AMAZING! The functions manager, Chyanne has been amazing during the early planning, to figuring out the last minute details. They been very accommodating for guests who had dietary/allergies, and the staff that night were fantastic for making sure our reception was amazing! Would recommend and will come again for outings ”

“Lovely last minute dinner on a rainy night. Wonderfully looked after by the team (Riley?) Was particularly good, and made us feel welcomed. All three courses and the cocktail were yum”

“We had such a wonderful evening at Dillingers. The WOAP burger was delicious, nice cold beer and excellent quiz! A wonderful Tuesday out.”

“Love coco's - it is one of my regulars. Coco the owner is a fabulous hostess - she always remembers your order and is super friendly. Their menu is a hidden gem with something for everyone.”

“We rocked up a little late but great service (with a smile) greeted us. Wonderful atmosphere and warm on this windy winters night. Bottle of Cloudy Bay sauvignon blanc topped it off.”

“We had our wedding at The Waterfront in March 2025 and couldn't be happier with our choice. Zara was involved from the start, bringing a calm, professional approach that made the planning process easy and stress-free. Her communication was excellent, and she used her experience to ensure everything went smoothly. She even took on extra tasks like printing and setup, allowing us to focus on other aspects. The staff were outstanding—proactive and attentive. Our guests raved about the food and overall atmosphere. We highly recommend The Waterfront for any event. They've set a new standard for hospitality on the coast, comparable to the best in Auckland or Melbourne. Keep it up & thank you for everything!!”

“We used the function area for a 21st recently.The service and food were outstanding. Staff were very responsive and keen to make our evening as enjoyable as possible. Communication was excellent and the food platters were huge and extremely good value for money. Highly recommended and would hold another event here in the future.”

“Best place for Tui b4 bus trip home”

“Absolutely outstanding all round! Highly recommend this place! The service was amazing, it's a beautiful restaurant and the food was to die for! We both had burgers as part of the burger night deal and they were so delcious. We also had the arichini as a starter and couldn't fault it. Thanks for a lovely night team! We will be back soon for sure!”

“My aunty and her sisters came here for dinner last night. She asked me to write a review bc she's not on Social Media. It was quiet but my aunt liked that bc they could chat. The lady who served us was lovely. She always let us know what was happening w our food. Loved her service! The kai was "smashing" so one of my aunts said. That one had the burger chicken. My aunt, Luana, thought the caramized steak was beautiful, she almost licked the plate and the salad was crispy and delicious. We were so full, we brought our puddings home. We had chocolate ice cream parfait w golden kiwi. Beautiful! We will definitely be back again, compliments to the chef and the lovely waitress!”

“Nirpesh (manager) was really good and accommodating. Service was excellent and the food was exquisite. Beef cheeks, squid, burger, chicken parmigiana were all top notch”

“Great location, the were able to accommodate all 30 of us, and the space worked really well for 13 kids in our group! Everyone enjoyed the food, my wife and I went for the schnitzel which was a decent size, and came paired with really nice coleslaw salad an sauce. I had the chance my son's fried chicken which was delicious! there was a lot going on for a Sunday, as they had salsa dancing and the music was LOUD! we didn't mind, but some in our group made a comment as they couldn't hear each other. I'd say it's a great place with very nice atmosphere, and they have great food and fantastic service, will definitely come again.”

“We had a function at Flamingo Joe's and it was really excellent. Nice food (set menu), very reasonably priced and great service. They accommodated all dietary needs and were super flexible. It's a fun venue with a lot of atmosphere - we booked out the restaurant space which was perfect for our needs. Highly recommend for any functions at all, both in terms of value for money and for a good night out on the waterfront.”

“We very much enjoyed our dining experience at Lone Star Petone. The food was excellent and the servers very friendly.”

“Such a cute wee Japanese restaurant with extra friendly and extremely polite Japanese staff serving you. Food so delicious. Great value for money using First Table - makes eating out affordable, especially when you have a giant teenage boy to fill up! This is my second time visiting Arashi in two weeks becuase I loved it so much the first time.”

“Got here and there's only one guy working, alarm bells start ringing. They were NOT warranted. Despite working by himself the guy got our food to us in pretty quick time. The food was spectacular! The wife had the cheese burger with was quite sizeable! I had the Roadhouse burger. Both came with fries which were well cooked. The aioli that came with the fries was super tasty and not just overpowered by garlic. As for the burgers, WOW! Perfectly cooked patties, crunchy coleslaw, tasty sauces. I was joking with the wife that I could have easily eaten the triple Roadhouse to win the cap. I could not have. The patties are huge! The venue? Very comfortable seats well decorated as an American Roadhouse would be. Very happy guy working behind the bar. I can't fault anything about this place. We will definitely be back!!!”

“While waiting for a friend to arrive, I popped in to have a drink and ended up staying a few hours more. Great drinks. Great service. I didn’t want to lose my spot so one of the staff saved my table for me while I used the loo. Great location. Great prices.”