Review Mekong Baby - Auckland Central

Mercari Limited

Oh baaabbbyyy! We had a fantastic long lunch. The service was consistent and attentive. We had several dishes to share and all were very, very good. The crowd were all having a great time around us.... in fact, we enjoyed everything so much we stayed for an extra bottle of wine. Will happily revisit anytime we have the chance

T Trifonoff

Beautiful place with nice atmosphere and friendly staff, our lovely server was happy to give us recommendations on food. The apple tart with salted caramel is genuinely the best dessert I've eaten out anywhere, it was perfect!

Corinne Coutinho

We celebrated my birthday at this restaurant. It's a fusion Vietnamese cuisine. The restaurant is quite chic and very popular. Although we went there for lunch mid-week, it was full with several large groups having a great time. We had a great time...the service was friendly and attentive. The food was delicious and we polished off every dish we ordered. I would recommend this place. 👌

Lakshmi Dhana

We had pleasant experience. The food is asian fusion. The popcorn prawn is a must have. It was spicy n crispy. The madras chicken curry with yoghurt had close resemblance to South Indian traditional curry. Black pepper chicken stir will tingle your spicy tastebuds. Good service.

Dozer Ponsonby

Great restaurant. Awesome quantity and bug portion! Love the place.

Ms Tuipulotu

Great times had here with my fellow colleagues. Gawjizz & adorable settings within this cute & cosy space. A great range of deelish meals in the Banquet options with lots of flavours that tickles the tastebuds indeed.

Linda A.

Delicious flavourful dishes in nice ambience. Food comes out incredibly fast and the staff is very attentive. Every dish was full of flavours and full of umami!

Becky Celia

Just the most amazing restaurant. The food is stunning Southeast Asian fusion, every dish we had was mind blowing! Highly recommended the popcorn prawns, dumplings & pork belly. Service is so friendly & attentive. The most reliable restaurant in Auckland

h bax

So far the best "small sharing plate asian" restaurant we've eaten at in Auckland! So good we came twice within a month! PROS +++Asahi beer +++ Gochujang hot wings (a must!!) +++Lamb spare ribs +++Shrimp noodles +++ Awesome cocktails +++ Service and wait staff exceptional CONS -chicken curry a bit underwhelming (and I'm been very fussy I know!)

pardis kardavani

My friends and I had a fantastic dinner at Mekong Baby! The restaurant had a great atmosphere and the food was really tasty. We tried several dishes, including the Madras Spicy chicken curry, which had a wonderful flavor but was very spicy and didn't have as much chicken as we expected. The black pepper chicken was amazing, but it had chicken skin on it which wasn't pleasant while eating. Despite that, the flavor was incredible and I would definitely order it again. Our favorite dish was probably the pad See Ew - it had a great portion size and tasted delicious! We also ordered desserts, and the apple and almond tart was my personal favorite. The coconut sago was beautiful and the chocolate and hazelnut mousse cake was very rich - perfect for sharing between two people. Overall, we had a great time at Mekong Baby and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for tasty food and a nice ambiance.

Nessette

Went here for a friend's birthday, food was so amazing and awesome customer service. Really recommend this place. Did not have photos of food coz we were so mesmerized by the food and wanted to devour it immediately. Will definitely be back here.

Sheryl Gartner

Some of the best Asian food I have ever tasted. Authentic- real leaves and spices floating around in the food. Music was a bit loud that evening. Friendly service. Great decor- 3 private rooms looked amazing too. Will have to come back. Highly recommended

Teresa Kaori

I had my birthday lunch today with my girlfriends. The service was stunning and the foods were yummylicious.

James Wilkinson

Food is great, amazing vegetarian options too!

Sam L

Wow, this is my new favourite restaurant! The waitress was so brilliant, listened to my allergies, totally got what I said and relaid it to the chef, who cooked the BEST meal I have ever had out. Tasty, vegan, GF and allergy friendly, it was the Tofu veg dish with turmeric and garlic and was divine, (and only had a small adaptation for my allergies).My husband had the beef pad see uw. He loved it. It was cooked to perfection, fresh and the veg and meat were flawless.Great atmosphere in there, nothing was too much bother for the staff, The decor was great, clean toilets and even the other customers were all lovely. The whole place was fantastic.LOVE IT and will definitely be going back with the rest of my family, (there is also a lovely kids menu too).

Makira Cornish

Enjoyed an early dinner and drinks with a friend last week at Mekong Baby. It was my second time there and it did not disappoint. I was greeted by a lovely young man (I think the manager) who was very welcoming. The staff were very friendly and helpful. The food was amazing and so were the cocktails. Highly recommend the pork belly and the jungle baby cocktail, it was my favourite of the four I consumed that evening. Will definitely be back!

Monica A

Awesome service. Great food and cocktails, pricey but worth it.

Keziah D

First time at Mekong Baby, and I was completely surprised by the version of Asian fusion cuisine we received. The flavour combinations were unexpected but definitely well received, and the drinks...wow. I purchased one of their spicy cocktails (aptly named "venom"), expecting a hint of spice in an otherwise flavourful drink. Once again, Mekong Baby surpassed my expectations and I was left with a VERY spicy drink, which unfortunately left me unable to taste much else of the drink, but it was definitely an experience I won't forget. The staff were amazing. We had a waitress named Aria (who apparently no longer works there) who was attentive, funny, and very genuine. Another staff member, I believe his name was Manesh, who was the liason person between the wait-staff and chefs, came to check on us and suggested the apple and almond tart for dessert. He was charming and very right - the apple and almond tart was complex in flavours and absolutely delicious. The only downsides would be that I found the braised pork to be slightly too sweet and the prawn cakes to be lacking depth of flavour. The curries were lovely, as was the view of the kitchen. Would go back for that tart!

Paulus Post

Our first time at Mekong baby was a great success. Manish looked after us and made us feel really special. His wine recommendation was spot on. And then the food, that was spectacular. We took the Let's Eat! options so we got a fantastic sample across the menu and every dish that came out looked and tasted fantastic. I am so happy I chose this venue for our anniversary - thank you Mekong Baby for making our evening such a special one.

TheMʌverick

Once them doors fly open at midday Mekong is booming! Me and my team came here for our Christmas break up and secret Santa gift exchange, luckily we had a table booked and the staff, although they were completely swamped maintained their composure gracefully as more & more bodies poured through the doors. The food is exceptional! We ordered every big plate on the menu except for 2 of em. Everything was seasoned and cooked flawlessly, the perfect blend of traditional & contemporary flavours. I've had pork belly cooked every way you can think of but the pork belly here is a cut above the rest - stewed in a rich, sweet and spicy sauce until tender served alongside a tangy asian slaw. I'm struggling to think of a more balanced dish. The guy below saying nothing was seasoned probably had his tongue removed because everything I ate was flavoursome and more. 5☆

Stephen Parsons

Just really underwhelming food. Nothing was seasoned, we were told things were going to be hot, as in the raw papaya salad...it was just bland and sweet. Most of the foods tasted the same to be honest....we ordered a wide variety of the appetisers....the Tuna Betal dish....we couldnt work out if the tuna was cooked, from a can or deep fried....the bao buns were probably the best thing we got, though again really sweet. Chicken wings, sweet and syrupy...crispy pork, hate to say it but was just sweet and tasted like everything else we ordered. Sorry guys, we came a few years back when under previous management and we loved it....cant say we would come back again for the food. Our waiter was friendly and good service, but the food lacked interest and variety.

Nick

Had a great experience. We thoroughly loved every dish that we ordered and we had a lovely experience. The beat tasting dish was the the red beef curry. The wok fried noodles were also amazing. Definitely a great restaurant. Strongly recommend it.

Sarah

Awesome food, great service, lots of gluten free options. Highly recommended!

Maesian

OMG the pork belly was to die for!! Food is Asian Fusion and every dish was delicious. I also liked the marketfish dish and the soft shell crab green thai curry.

G

Excellent food here. Everything tasted wonderful. They were more like sharing plates but two big and two small plates were enough for 3 people. Very flavoursome, great service and vibes.

Chan Can Eat

Their pork belly and lamb ribs are seriously to die for! Their papaya salad is pretty amaze too! I’ve always loved Mekong. It’s slipped a little in the overall experience the last 2 times I’ve been, hence the 4. But I can’t give anything lower to my once favourite restaurant. Still a very yummy meal. So I would definitely recommend

Salmaan Toor

Excellent food. Very creative. We went with the lunch special where you and your dining partner share 5 courses. Each course complemented the other. Would definitely come back again. Service was excellent as well.

HJ

Definitely a must do on Ponsonby road! Three star dishes worth trying - Braised Pork belly (four large sized pieces) caramelised chilli and Asian slaw, beef tartare and if you like a flavoursome curry then go for the Goat curry with coconut and lime.. be sure to get some roti and rice on the side! And if your vegetarian the Yellow curry with tofu and pumpkin is good. The waitstaff staff were good and the duty manager was friendly and accommodating during our visit. The only fault of the night was the arrival time of our dishes. There were 10 of us at our table and half of the table received there’s well before the others.. with major food envy and feeling even more hungry the distance between the dishes felt like forever. Other than that.. the atmosphere and interior is really nice and they have private rooms available for larger groups - perfect for special occasions.

Dini

Food was beautiful. Lots of it too. Decor was stunning, service was good and drinks were lovely!!

Susan

Service bad. Waited more than30 min for drinks.

Phoebe Aukuso

It was ok. Received a voucher to eat here so took my 2 young ones out for dinner aswell. All of the dishes did not come with rice and it was a bit heavy on the pallet ended up taking the left overs home. Bar stools were a bit too tall for my little ones aswell which became a pain while trying to enjoy a meal. But it was ok.

Guilty_eatsnz

Hmm not too sure what to say about the experience here. The overall flavours were pretty good, but the service kinda had ruined it. Not sure if it's only me, but I would expect a >$30 curry dish to come with rice, or if not, at least told that wasn't the case. However, neither happened. My friend did order a side of rice (he wanted 2 bowls 🤣), which came with my boyfriend's curry dish. Because of this, we assumed the rice had paired with my boyfriend's dish as my friend's curry didn't come out for another 20 minutes. When we asked the waiter the situation, apparently we were meant to order the rice as a side, and that the rice which came with my boyfriend's dish was meant to be for my friend who hadn't received his curry for another 20mins..... the waiter sorted nothing out afterwards and we were kinda left dumbfound... Was disappointed since I quite liked the dishes and drinks here, but don't think I'll be returning again.

Aj Maglaqui

I love Mekong baby. Their customer service is outstanding always. As well as that, there food is amazing. They have the best pork belly so if you love pork belly this is the place to go too! I also could not recommend the apple tart dessert enough, it is heavenly and hands down one of the best desserts I’ve had at a restaurant! I recommend 10/10

Anisha Jogia

Worst service ever! I don't think I've come across another restaurant in Auckland that has such appalling service. We booked a table two weeks in advance and tried to add 2 extra people and they simply did not accommodate this or suggest any alternative. We were even happy to wait till extra space was available and the manager simply said they would refuse our whole table if we did that. He was so rude, literally told us not to come and did nothing to provide a solution. Never going back.

Veronica Anne Tavo Fulivai

Ordered pork belly and one of the pieces was a small size , I called the waiter n asked why isn’t the pieces all equal n she did nothing about it for $29 not worth it ils still hungry ! it’s a shame my fave dish but it had to disappoint me iv also bring a lot of friends n introduced them here !

Aurora Lim

Came here on Friday evening for celebration. The sirloin and curry are so yummy . Very busy and packed at that time so reservation is recommended. I need to go back to try their signature pork dish.

Teresa Lee

Mekong Baby has amazing food! I love the red beef curry, madurese goat curry and braised pork belly. The service is also fantastic every time.

Rao

I really wanted to like this place because fusion is life but this just didn't click. I didn't really get a fusion feel for any of the curries and our lamb was just too strongly spiced (star anise if I'm not mistaken). I'll probably give it another go and try a few other dishes. Service excellent

Ana

Came here during lunch for my partner's birthday. A large restaurant with a cool, artsy vibe to it. Service was great and food was delicious. It is on the pricey side but you do get what you pay for: delicious food with high quality ingredients. Definitely worth it. We had the pad sew (the best one I've ever had), the sashimi, hot wings, sticky pork and vietnamese prawn rolls. Everything was a stand out except for the vietnamese rolls. Had the Miss Saigon cocktail and it definitely left me wanting more! I noticed there were a couple of private dining rooms so definitely a good place to host a dinner! Some restaurants provide a small, surprise birthday dessert to the birthday person which I think would be a nice addition here considering how much customers spend. But this doesn't take away from the whole experience (plus I think you're allowed to bring a cake yourself which makes up for it but don't quote me on it).

Kate.mcpherson123

Mekong Baby is my top restaurant to go to whenever I am in the mood for something a little more high end and fancy. The pork belly and the fresh mango salad are incredible.

BelaIna

Friendly staff and one of the best services done in Auckland by any restaurant. The food was extremely tasty and in the right amount. Loved the decor and interesting environment. It’s not the typical Asian fusion place you go, it’s better!

Brendan Chun

AMAZING. Not only does Mekong Baby innovate new ways to embrace South-East Asian fusion cuisine, but they are also one of the main protagonists in making Ponsonby a foody’s haven. Their curries are an absolute sensation. They’re so rich in flavour, yet interestingly refreshing as well. The one I present to you here is my favourite - the Madras Spicy Chicken Curry with potatoes, aubergine and a fantastic yoghurt that gives an amazing kick. Each spoonful with just the tiniest amount of that yoghurt made my toes curl. Even their lighter options are so sophisticated, I’m sure you could make a sensational meal out of them. Their Vietnamese Prawn Rolls (as photographed) are so scrumptious, healthy and totally guilt-free! Their team is super friendly and they have a great atmosphere. Check out this sensation in Ponsonby!

Saasha

Possibly one of my favourite restaurants in Auckland. We came here as a celebratory lunch and the food was delicious. Staff are nice and atmosphere is perfect for a celebration.

Lina K

Just amazing. The service is amazing, the food is amazing. We had the Let’s Eat menu which let’s you sample a little of all the tasty delights. It’s a lot of food. Arrive hungry. Everything was just lovely.

Kieran

The Pork Belly is the tastiest thing you've had in your mouth since that Tinder date you had last week. The rest of Mekong Baby is made up of the usual South East Asian balancing act of sweet, sour, spicy and generous helping of umami. These guys are consistent, they do it well. An Auckland institution that deserves whatever accolades it gets. Going into the details of each dish is pointless, they're all punchy little numbers that have you wanting more and leaving you with a new found reluctance to share. For the fellas, 10 points if you can find the bathroom without asking a staff member.

Larissa Edwards

Best food, best service, best atmosphere. All round best everything, my absolute go to. I can't fault any of the food. Pork Belly is too die for.

Flippynz

Recommeded by a collegue who visited. Spacious venue with street side seating as well as indoor seating. The lamb ribs are a must try super tender but coated in a very crispy coating which i think is a good texture combination. The herb relish it came with could be finished off with a spoon its so good. The main was the madurese goat curry. while not much to look at the base curry is packed with flavour and the goat also very tender. They only give you a spoon and thats all you need. Beer and wine selection pretty decent

Arjeezy

Great food and ambience with friendly staff! Will definitely be going back to try more of their dishes. Wait times were also minimal considering how busy they were

Anna

First time at Mekong Baby last night and was very impressed with their food. The pork belly was a highlight and would highly recommend. Between 4 of us we ordered - two small plates and three large with rice. The portions are generous and we were all well feed. Unfortunately what lacked was the service. The service was shocking. The waiter was not attentive. Literally waving our hands around to order a bottle of wine. The waiter didn’t explain there was two portions of rice in one bowl. We had two instances where two different waiters came to ask us to clear our plates when there was still food left. I think simply a bit of training will transform this review to a 5 because I highly enjoyed the food.

Jasveen Kaur

One of my faves. Never fails to satisfy. Get the madras chicken curry, be prepared for the chili to blow your face up but it’s delicious! The cocktail menu is also amazing.

Hana

Love this place, their food never disappoints. We’ve dined here a few times and the food is absolute perfection, highly recommend the pork belly and the papaya salad to enjoy together. Only let down is the seating, the indoor dining space can sometimes be likened to a food court atmosphere with tables being rather close and it being quite noisey. The cocktails also take quite a while and although they’re delicious I would recommend going for a beer or wine so that you can enjoy your drink with your meal.

Sarah Katherine

This is my favourite place to eat in Auckland. Everything about it is just PERFECT. The cocktails are incredible, and the wine list is interesting, keeping even visiting wine connoisseurs on their toes! My recommendation is to come into Mekong for the banquet menu, and just let the guys and gals in the kitchen feed you. There’s so much food that at some points you think you could quite happily stop eating, but the dishes just get better and better! I no longer eat meat, but have considered taking a break for a night just to have the pork belly again. It is unbelievable. Look out for the fish curry and the beef skirt noodles too, yum yum. If you haven’t been, highly advise you to get in on this restaurant’s action!

Bayley

Couldn’t decide what to eat so went with the banquet where the chefs pick for you 😍 so many delicious things we would never have tried, and an insane amount of food for two people. All curries are a huge highlight. Great cocktail menu as well. Definite 11/10

Samantha Gemmell

Love Mekong baby! Had the let’s eat option and it didn’t disappoint! Please make sure you are extremely starving if getting the let’s eat option as they give you a selection of around 6-7 dishes. I can’t even remember how many dishes there were but it was a lot. Portions are also very generous

Tania Mannotra

Great asian fusion food, my favourite was the Sashimi. Me and my friends tried the “Let’s Eat” $65 pp from the menu. Everything was full of flavour. Lamb ribs were super tender and delicious. Salads were great too!!! Service was impeccable. Drinks were yummy. Ko Phe Li mocktail was refreshing. Overall great experience. Would definitely go back. Highly recommend the “Let’s eat”.

Tina Cherrall

This is more a review of service. After dining for dinner Sat night as a group of eight, we were extremely put off by waitress R. and her unfriendly attitude. Firstly we were told that our food would not be coming out at the same time as our table was too big with eight people. Understandably for a busy Sat night but the table behind us also had eight people and they were all eating meals which had been delivered together. Secondly there was confusion over a cake fee which was $25 (i admit that was our fault for not checking how much the fee was when booking) this was cleared up by another waiter who was very friendly. Thirdly we were charged for rice that never arrived to the table and the waitress decided to argue the point when we clearly never got it (she was convinced she had seen it on our table) The problem was her attitude towards us which ruined an otherwise lovely night. We ordered a range of dishes and pork belly was a higlight along with the seafood dishes. Possibly wouldn't return after such poor service.

J Wong

First time eating at this place. Food was okay, a little too sweet for my liking but that’s just personal preference. My review is not really about the food but the service. My partner and I ordered two mains, two starters and rotti bread. Anyway, we had a lot of left over and wanted to take away what we didn’t eat. We were told that they do not do take away. I was a bit surprised as it’s the first place I’ve been to that don’t provide a take away container. One of the main waitresses tried to blame the new waiter that served us by saying that he should have told us that they don’t do take away at the beginning. I told her that it’s not the waiter’s fault, as I wouldn’t expect anyone to say they don’t do take away, as it’s kind pof a given that people would ask for take away containers if they can’t finish their food. The waitress then said that it’s a health and safety thing that they don’t do take away anymore as they have received many complaints about people getting food poisoning... now I wonder whether it’s their food that goes off quickly or the containers they used to provide are low quality that would contaminate peoples food.. Anyway, if you go, make sure to order just enough that you find finish.. otherwise you’ll be wasting a lot of money for average food. We paid close to $90 and we probably only ate $45 worth of it.

Mili Goswami

Okay I will provide my most honest review of this place. It was our first time at Mekong Baby and I had heard a lot of good things and raving reviews. So I was quite excited about dining here for my birthday (1/11/2018). I’m not too sure if I’d downright say it’s good or bad but rather list out the good, bad and ugly and leave you to judge. The good: It’s nestled in the beautiful suburb of Ponsonby and let’s be real who doesn’t like going to Ponsonby? It’s got a nice vibe to it and the staff are quite proactive and tend to your needs immediately. The price is quite reasonably given the menu is designed to share. Note: it’s always best to book a table. The bad: I’m not a big fan of noisy restaurants. I get that open restaurants can get noisy with a decent crowd throughout the night but that’s more of a me preference thing. They have very limited choices in their menu. A couple of seafood options, one or two meat options and a vegetarian. This may sound like a lot but when you’re looking at the menu it really doesn’t feel like a lot. The ugly: Whilst I enjoyed the prawn cakes for someone who doesn’t do seafood, I hardly enjoyed my main. I ordered the Pad See Ew with beef brisket. For starters I found it to be very salty. Second, I found it very dry. I think if you are ordering the pad see ew I would recommend adding a curry or some side dish. When the dish was brought out I was told it was pork rather than beef but I think that was a slip of the tongue because that meat was definitely beef. Needless to say I didn’t enjoy my food much. I would love to give Mekong Baby another go and try different dishes now that I know what to expect.

Shruti Gudadhe

Here goes a shoutout to one of the finest #restaurant s that I have come across in #auckland @mekongbaby in Ponsonby.. wonderful #ambiance mouth watering food and amazing staff.. I had a slow-cooked lamb shank and Madras spicy chicken curry with Mekong baby’s roti bread. Loved the portion Size as one curry was good enough for atleast two people! Also their spiced cocktails are out of this planet. A must visit place. #staytuned #theindianinauckland

Kathi Schofield

Just on our way home from Mekong Baby after dinner with another couple and had to do a rave. Mekong Baby has surpassed our already high expectations. Our waiter was amazing, attentive, knew the menu and catered for our individual needs (eg Greek yoghurt because I’m a wuss with chilli). And the food!! I recommend the Pork Belly (generous portions of crispy skinned cubes with lovely Asian slaw and sauces to die for) and also the Hapuka. Deserts rendered us speechless (which is saying something, s’cuse the pun). Pictured is the Chocolate hazelnut mousse cake with raspberry sorbet. There was nothing to fault and everything to praise tonight. Thoroughly recommended!

Brenda_a

Had a good time in mekong baby. Cocktails are outstanding, food is quite good as well. Some young waiters is really nice and friendly, but the waitress (looks like the manager), looks quite angry while doing the service, havnt had such bad service for a looong time, feel like I own her money. Otherwise i will give them 5/5.

Shenée Geaney-Jones

The food here is amazing! The flavours are so strong yet work together perfectly. I had the Pad See Ew and it was amazing. The meat melted in your mouth and I could eat it forever! My friend had the massaman curry which was rich and creamy. The only thing you need to be mindful of is that this place doesn’t do doggy bags! So definitely don’t bite off more than you can chew! Definitely will return to try out more.

Dee

This place is truly a gem! The ambience was great, the staff were friendly and helpful and don’t get me started with the food! They are delicious and well balanced, well presented, with affordable price range! The concept is sharing food which is great because you get to try different type of food. We tried the prawn cake, betel leave crab, quail egg dumpling, wagyu lemongrass betel, hot wings, prawn roll, balinese chicken, madras chicken curry, grilled angus sirloin, roast duck, roti. Everything we tried were perfection! Delicious, well balanced and fresh. Don’t forget to try the apple walnut tart in the end!!! The tart base is buttery and the miso butterscotch sauce just yummmm!!! I could just lick the plate clean! Thank you sooo much for looking after us so well and producing such great food. Very happy. Thank you.

An30nz

WOW!!! All I can say really!! Absolutely AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!! Pork Belly was succulent, kingfish sashimi was mouth watering, and this coming from someone who doesn’t enjoy pork or fish! 110% 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

Charmant_lady

I've been here thrice and it never fails to disappoint... Food is awesome, my favorites are the papaya salad and the braised pork belly. For dessert, I loved the apple and walnut tart with miso butterscotch ice cream. I will definitely be back to this place...😊

Jenny Da

Mekong Baby is located in Ponsonby and is one of the most popular restaurants along the road. They serve Asian fusion dishes and unique cocktails to match, with a lively atmosphere where sometimes it’s hard to get a table! I love the selection of dishes from here, especially the beef cheeks and papaya salad. They also do a really good roti! Downside is, you can’t takeaway what you can’t finish... every time I come here there’s always food leftover and it’s such a waste because we want to try so many things on the menu.

Brett

Food was amazing. Went with a group of 12 and had the $75pp set menu, they bought out heaps of food, all which were very delicious . Reasonably priced and great atmosphere. Will be back.

Annie Low

Went there for team dinner with my colleagues!Was greeted with warm hospitality and staffs were very friendly. We had banquet menu and everything was so yummy! Especially their braised pork belly!! It’s so crispy on the outside, the meat are extremely juicy and tender! Definitely the BEST pork belly I’ve ever eaten in my life. DELICIOUS! 5 stars for their Miss Saigon cocktail!!🍹 it’s sour and very refreshing! HOT WINGS is a MUST tooooo 5 🌟 for that!!! Not forget to mention their RED BEEF CURRY is super tasty too!! Overall I had a good experience & I will be back soon for the cocktail and pork belly!!

Paris Allan

Came in for a special dinner with Dad, the service was shocking from im guessing it was the owner he was Maitre'd and he just seemed he didn't want to sit us because we didn't make a booking, after we walked to the table ourselves and didn't get seated, we then looked at the menu and decided to get the ' Lets eat ' and as soon as we mentioned it the owner was like um its going to take 2 hours in a rude manner. So then my dad and I decided to choose a few things to share, he then said oh no thats way too much food? I used to work in a restaurant for 5 years and you should be up selling and not speaking to your customers rudely. We order the food and the food was amazing, 5/5 for the food. Once we finish we were still starving and so we went to order with this really nice french waiter and then the owner rushes back over and tells him to go away and points in a direction and said "he's new he can go". My family and I owned restaurants and when customers come in to your restaurant you are suppose to treat them like they are coming in your home for dinner and make them feel welcome and leave happy. Sad to say wont be going back here because the service. The service makes the whole experience... If the food was average and the customer service was amazing I would 100% go back to the place because you enjoyed your time.

Ken Hendricks

Great ambience. Ordered the red beef curry and braised pork belly. Both were very very nice, the beef was slow cooked very well that made it melt in your mouth. Good experience!

Natalie

Had an excellent dinner here with workmates recently. We had one of the function rooms and had the banquet. So much food we couldn’t eat it all, and we’re big eaters! Pork belly to absolutely die for - everyone was talking about it the next day! Will definitely be returning.

Madeleine Crossan

Delicious food, but sub-par service. Waited 5 minutes before we asked to be acknowledged and when we made ourselves known for our booking we were told our table wasn’t ready. Drinks came out 15 minutes after food was served.

Matthew Yang

Extremely kind French people served us extremely overpriced vietnamese/indian food. Felt a little better when we saw a little Asian lady chef walk by.

Jennifer Wilkins

My family had a fantastic dinner here for my son's birthday (17). The food is exceptional. The goat curry is not to be missed. Service fast, friendly and unrushed. Reasonably priced. Good wine list. Busy place, relaxed, mid to upmarket, lovely vibe.

Moore Annette

So far not good they mucked up booking by 2 hours seat at bar ruins family dinner. We made booking a month in advance and confirmed booking. We kept getting run around ... 15 minutes speal. The manager's performance was very poor. Food was ok a lot of fatty meat. I would not recommend going here

Z

We booked well ahead for a birthday dinner based on someone else's recommendation. Over half of the group arrived on time, the rest arriving up to 10 minutes later, only to be told that we didn't have a booking, so we showed them proof, which they said would be investigated. That was it. We booked there for the banquet meal at $65 per person. They made our party of 9 adults and 3 children wait for 2 hours for a table, just because of their error, and only offered a few appetizers as way of apology, which did not sate the hunger. Of course we had fasted in anticipation of a huge meal! Then they took the unemptied plates away without even asking if we were done. They didn't even give birthday girl a free drink, nor anyone any kind of discount. No actual apologies heard until near the end of the night from 1 of the wait staff, never from the manager. It wasn't like we could relocate so many people to another restaurant at such short notice.. They only had fried rice by the way of kids food, and offered no recompense or even any empathy for the whole situation they put us in. The food itself wasn't bad, but wasn't too great. Definitely not worth the price paid. The lamb ribs were decent, as was the small crab dish, and the chicken - if you like spicy. The pork belly pieces had a really good sauce, but consisted of 75-100% fat - almost no meat, which was echoed by most of the table. The ice cream they served was about a teaspoon per person, not even with the sago was it enough to offset how heavy and rich their chocolate mousse is. They needed a bit more. They had a big team, but only 1 or 2 of the staff were friendly the entire time, almost no smiles. I am all about the customer experience, love (good) food and enjoy dining out, and it was VERY sorely lacking here. Can safely and honestly say, THE worst restaurant experience I've ever had, and that includes a time a waiter accidentally dropped a drink on me, or even the well undercooked poached eggs and oily undercooked hash brown I was served as breakfast in LA. At least they were friendly, and very apologetic, and made up for their error, unlike this place, which has left a very bad taste in our mouths..

Alexander Tupou

DON’T WASTE YOUR TIME GOING HERE! ! We booked 3 weeks in advance for 10 people 3 children for a birthday dinner at 6:30pm. Then had to wait 2hours at the bar, because they stuffed up our booking. We didn’t get served food until after 9pm. We didn’t finish our dining experience till almost 11pm and that was purely on wait time for food. We were all so hungry as soon as the food came out it was gone. No apologies or sincere remorse was given at all. We were given 3-4 small complementary entree dishes. The portions were tiny, the quality was mediocre. I could get better service and food from kfc. We were all highly disappointed and would never recommend this place to anyone. There was no discount given to our meals other than the free entree dishes at the bar. But he made an exception of not charging us because we were one person short. Wow..... What a great birthday dinner. Thanks Mekong baby for the worse dinning experience I’ve ever had.! The only plus was a handful of nice staff members which was absolutely NOT THE MANAGER 👆🏽

Linlin

A friend booked us into the Opien Den. We had our own private space and feasted on the Reed Southeast Junction Menu. My goodness me, the lamb ribs were divine. They were soft and tender on the inside and beautifully crisp on the outside. The whole menu was amazing just so good and will be dining back here for sure! Highly recommend.

João Plácido

What an experience! Different flavors, textures and feelings. Vietnamese prawn rolls for a small beginning, the Balinese chicken and the roast duck for main and apple pie and chocolate mousse for desserts. You want your mouth and mind to be blown away this is the place. Very friendly and helpful staff and an amazing Asian/art deco design. Extremely recommended.

Holly Swallow

Been dying to try this place forever, and read reviews that this place is a must. It didn’t disappoint - despite the rude man who saw us in. Our waiter Jonny was great, gave us amazing recommendations and was entertaining. We shared; Lamb ribs 5/5 - so tasty recommend!! Prawn rolls 5/5 Soft shell crabs 3/5 Squid 4/5 - Rice crepes 3/5 Roti 5/5 Pork belly 5/5 - must try. Best I’ve had. Not fatty Yellow curry 3.5/5 Mango salad 5/5 Hazelnut mouse 4/5 - quite rich but delish Apple tart 5/5 - best thing I’ve tasted. Need a jar of the sauce! Sundae 3/5 - nice ice cream but could be better Definitely will be coming back here again! It’s up with competitors in the same Asian fusion restaurants, and the menu has great variety for vege, and gluten free which is awesome! Thanks Jonny we’ll be back!!

Michelle Chua

Restaurant atmosphere is amazing. Perfect for dates. Staffs are very approachable and friendly. Love how they really look after their customers. Customer service is really important and they did a really good job. It took 10-15 mins to wait for food and I think it’s just a nice waiting time for food. I had the pork belly, chicken and another dish which I forgot all their names. I will definitely go back to try other dishes

Forkingfamished

This is our fourth visit and the other 3 visits have been great. This time however we didn't think the food was up to it's usual standard. In the past we have got the $65 set menu which turns out to be much better value than ordering A la carte. Entree's were OK - we got the Steak tartare which was tasty as was the Kingfish Sashimi but the Soft shell crab did not have a lot of crab and we found it hard to share it between three people, so didn't think that was good value for money. In the mains the Crispy Skin Hapuka was nice and the fish was crispy but with the Braised Skirt Steak we struggled to find three pieces of meat to share between the three of us who were dining. We did think the service was very good and our waiter never left our water glasses empty and dirty plates were whipped away quickly. We like the fact the food is properly spicy rather than the usual bland nod to chilli you get at a lot of other places. It was nice but I suppose the overall opinion was it was a bit over-priced for what we got and there are lots of other places doing similar food at a cheaper price. Probably worth a 3.5 but couldn't get it to accept the .5

Gavin Ng

This has got to be the best restaurant I’ve been to. The food was simply amazing. The menu is a mixture of different Asian cultures with a European touch. Service was outstanding and the wait for the food was short. Only criticism I have is that it can be a bit noisy but definitely won’t stop me from going back.

STRADS

After having booked a table on a Sunday for lunch, we arrived on time. We had the quail egg dumplings, Wagyu & lemongrass grilled in Betel leaves, duck breast with pickled pear, and a salad with shredded mango, young coconut, king prawns & crispy prawns. I loved the quail egg dumplings. The salad was refreshing - though I like fresh prawns to be completely deshelled. Wagyu was minced, though it was not described on the menu. Duck breast, came in 3 pieces, was lovely. Coconut sago with ice cream & puffed black rice, as a dessert, could have been sweeter. Plating was excellent. The high rating was well-deserved. (Food - 4.5/5; Service - 4/5; Ambience - 3.5/5) Visited on 29 April 2018

Moli Nhem

Went to this little place with friends and decided to take my husband there for his birthday. Food was good overall, the pad see ew was a bit to salty for my liking. Customer service was a bit of both, our waiter was really friendly and helpful but the other waitress who gave our food could have been a bit friendlier. Person at the bar who took payment could have been nicer. Food 4.5 stars, customer service 3 stars.

Zohara

Came here on a weekend for dinner with workmates. The food, the ambiance and the service of the place is awesome. Ordered the green fish curry, prawn sides, lamb chops, duck curry and all the dishes were amazing. Definitely a place to go to for a weekend chill and enjoy.

Happy Tummy Adventures

Awesome food and Superb Service! I think I found my favorite Restaurant in AKL! Food was divine and the service was amazing. You’ll never be disappointed. Tried a lot of items on the menu and everything we had was really good. I highly recommend that you try the fall-off-the bone Spiced Lamb Ribs, the tender&tasty Braised Pork Belly, and the Goat Curry. And don’t forget to have the Apple & Walnut Tart for dessert too! Thanks to Jonny for the awesome service! He’s very friendly attentive. He also gave detailed descriptions of the items on the menu and recommended a few options/ Just shows that he really knows what the restaurant is selling and he’s got a good taste.👍🏼

Hero Valeroso

I went here with a couple of mates without a reservation and did not have to wait that long to get a table. The whole dining experience in Mekong was amazing. All the staff was really nice and helpful. The highlight of our night was our server Jonny. He really knew what he was doing and does a really good job while he's at it. He deserves credit for making our night awesome. For their food I really liked their Lamb Ribs (highly recommended) and Pork Belly which is so nicely matched with their Mekong Baby pure lager.

Frances Juinio

My favourite restaurant in Auckland. Favourite dishes - caramelized pork belly, goat curry, mango salad... actually there isn’t anything on the menu I wouldn’t eat. Also, amazing service and great atmosphere.

Matadors

Mekong baby in Ponsonby has a modern and busy atmosphere. Asian fusion style menus with truly mouth watering flavours packed to the brim. Some of the dishes go a bit too heavy with the sweet and sour. Pricey to try a variety of dishes.

Kesh.d

Love Mekong baby!! I think it’s my 4th visit now. Great cocktails, great service and delicious Asian fusion food! We had more food than this but forgot to take photos as we dove into them retry quickly! Roasted Duck Masaman curry is another fav!! 👌🏽👌🏽👌🏽

Kimberly Westerlund

The food here is so flavourful it's worth going in a group and ordering their $65 banquet menu so you can try a lot of their dishes. The cocktails/ mocktails are great also besides the cocktail called the colonist unless you like strong drinks. Sadly they don't do take away so eat as much as you can.

Vince Wang

Food worth 5 stars but service is negative score. Very pushy and zone out staff. My friend came into the restaurant and the staff were chatting rather than lead guest to the table. Remember last time been here for colleague's fair well lunch. My colleague asked about vegan options but the waiter says "read the menu". Price tag is definitely not matching with the service.

CocoOnFire

We had no reservation just walk in, a lady greeted us let us seated by the bar, we waited for 30 minutes, a friendly bartender help to lead us to our table. This time only 2 of us, but we want to try as many dishes as we can. We ordered 4 entrees and one main...lucky the friendly waiter stopped us there while we were trying to order more and it was just right. We started with a quail egg dumpling, only ordered one, it's light and refreshing. The Spice Duck Breast was a bit tiny (the waiter already told us but we still wanted to try), comes with ginger and mayo, something different. Crispy Rice Flour Crepe is like a Vietnamese dish, this one added extra filling like mushroom and taro etc, use sambal instead of fish sauce, a different kind of taste. Prawn Cakes .. feels like a Malaysian dish (my Malaysian friend also reckon, comes with extra mild sweet chilli sauce. Crispy Skin Snapper my friend love the most, comes with sweet sticky port ... delicious, it supposed to be Hapuka but this time used snapper.

Jess Marsden

Mekong is probably my favourite place to go for dinner! The prawn cakes, soft shell crab and pad Thai are my favourite things ever! The only annoying thing would have to be how busy it is. But the environment is really great.

Cleo

I've been to Mekong Baby about 3 times now and it never fails to exceed my expectations! The caramelized chili pork belly is a must have, and I'm a huge fan of the fish curry with roti! Great service and super delicious cocktails. Would visit every day if I could!

T W

Food was good. Awesome service from Thacko and Duncan. However, the experience was a let down overall and will not be returning or recommending to anyone anymore due to the unprofessional behaviour from someone who is meant to be a manager. He was rude and abrupt and not just to me but to my poor guests. Will not be dining here anymore.

Priyanka D'cruz

Worst customer service. We were a party of 6 booked a table for 8.30pm. Arrived at the restaurant by 8.15pm to allow for any drinks at the bar before moving onto our table at 8.30pm. We also informed the main person in charge we were here and he said he would call us once the table was ready. 8.30 came and went. Finally asked one of the guys with a white shirt (guessing one of the managers?) about our table. He replies- " I'll check up on that" and walks out of the restaurant. Had to wait until 9pm before we were seated at our table. No apologies from any staff whatsoever. The food was the only good thing. But honestly the bad service really ruined the night. Never returning again.

Izabella Pinker

Favourite place in the world, and Liam makes every experience so enjoyable. Miss Saigon is the go to also the crab betel leaf, apple and miso tart it’s all so good. Try the goat curry!

Lizzie

A great meal. The calamari and pad se ew were delicious and a fantastic vibe in the restaurant. Our waitress was super friendly however the hostess was a little dismissive towards us when we arrived. Would go back and would love to try more off the menu!

Marie Smith

Can I give this place a negative number???? My partner booked us a table a few months ago, and I must say I was absolutely DISGUSTED by how management were treating their staff. It's a shame the food was so good, because I was absolutely put off by how these poor kids were spoken to. What on Earth is up with everyone shouting all the time?! It puts out such negative energy into the restaurant, and do not even get me started on what I saw taking place in the kitchen. I am an ethical meat eater, so naturally I asked if their meat was free range, and I was utterly disappointed to find out that it wasn't. Seriously Mekong? I can't believe you are charging that much $$$ for meat which is not even free range!! It's safe to say I will not be coming back here.

Valerie Ma

Nice vibe and food but the curry is too salty for me😂😂 beef is really good as it actually melted in your mouth. Cocktail is absolute a highlight and I like my Cuba libre with stolen dark rum. Quail egg dumping is a must and if you like strong flavour food, this is the place

Dale Spencer

Great quality food attracts the crowds and Mekong Baby has enjoyed being awash with Ponsonby-ites for a number of years now. All time favorite is the pork belly and the crunchy, taste sensation that is the green papaya salad...delicious! It’s rowdy and it continues to shine

Antoniette Santoro

I come to Auckland for work every 3 months and I ALWAYS make time to visit this fab restaurant. It rivals some of the best Asian Fusion in Melbourne. And that is a big call. (I’m talking Chin chin, rice paper scissors, cookie). Today at Mekong i ordered the fish and pork main. Omg! Wow! I had an afternoon of work ahead of me so was unable to indulge in the fab cocktails this time. Next time. Maybe tomorrow before I fly. Not ruling out a return visit 😝

Louise Ngaei

Some of the best Thai food I’ve had in Auckland. Often heaving, there’s often a wait (even if you’ve booked) but the service is great & the food is worth the wait! Great bar service too.

Eilish Emery

My friends and I came here for dinner not long ago and we ALL agreed that the curries we had were hands down the best curries we have ever had! Please try the Yellow Curry - most amazing flavours and the presentation is so colourful and inviting. Love the decor, drinks and service. Will definitely be back!

Hana

Mekong Baby is my favourite wee spot if I am venturing into the CBD. It’s got a cool, quirky vibe, ample seating after their wee facelift & a great menu! The cocktail list is impressive! There is something for everyone. And if you’re a gin lover - they have a great selection. Food is always cooked to perfection, and although the service may not be the best in town, I can’t fault the place as they do everything else so well! Would recommend trying the Yellow Curry & the Braised beef skirt.... & a chilli mojito of course 😉 You have to book with this place - it’s always busy!

PK

This place is a hidden gem.Food is amazing with spicey fusion flavours.Papaya salad wad so yum.Bettle prawns were good but cold.Lamb was so moist and spuce was just right.Roti bread is a must .Service was great and cocktails were very tasty.

E T

We were fortunate to have been able to make a booking for 8 people on New Years Eve and ended up in a private snug. The Chef prepared our banquet and it was certainly a fine feast. The food came out regularly and was sublime, with each dish a delicious combination of subtle tastes - some were spicier than others .. yum!! We had superb service from all of the staff, in particular from Duncan who looked out for one of our party who had food sensitivities - thank you Duncan. Yes, someone commented earlier that is a noisy restaurant, we didn't mind that, as it is noisy because it's popular. The lighting was dim which I personally prefer and it just added to a great ambience. It is the sort of restaurant you can go to dressed casually or dressed up. It has a well deserved reputation for superb food. The staff genuinely seemed to care that we had a great night - thank you everyone. It's difficult to choose the most favourite dishes - I loved the sushimi, crab cakes, squid, fish curry, mango salad .. everything- thanks Chef!!! We'll be back!! Happy New Year everyone at Mekong Baby. 10/10.

Diogo Reck

Awesome place! Great environment, friendly service and delicious food. Been there with Asian friends, had five dishes and everything was great. My favourites were the chicken, super crispy skin and nice spices and the duck breast (entrée), with refreshing vegetables. Basically what attracted me the most about Mekong Baby is that they balance the ingredients so well that when you try the dishes you feel there's nothing missing.

Aimee.

I’ve been here a few times now and I can confidently say that I am never disappointed at this restaurant. The food is Asian-fusion, however most dishes are very authentic and full of flavour and seasoning. The desserts and super cute and well presented. Great location too.

Alana

Possibly the worst service I have ever experienced. One waiter was extremely rude. Waited over half an hour for drinks to arrive while staff stood around chatting. Table was never cleared. Food was way to spicy!! Extremely disappointed :(

Stephanie Kourti

Food was tasty and drinks were good also. But a little bit on the pricey side, and didn’t help that you couldn’t take away when portions sizes were so big!

Thao Nguyen

Perfect! Thanks for hosting a wonderful night out for my girlfriends and I. Food was outstanding -fragrant, tangy, bursting with flavour! Great ambience. Excellent service. Everything we look for for a memorable night out. No wonder the place was buzzing. We will definitely be coming back.

Ashleigh Michelle

Amazing food! We had the hot wings, prawn cakes and the duck dish. The hot wings were definitely our favourite. It tasted Korean style and was the right balance of spicy and sweet. Service is efficient and professional. Our dishes came out in good time as well. I'll definitely be back to try their cocktails (it's a great atmosphere for weekend drinks)

Benedict Uy

We had a fairly large group and opted to share plates for the whole table. The waitress was really helpful in suggesting food to go with and portions. One of the biggest issue was that most of the dishes were quite spicy so some people weren't able to eat much. Another issue was that the dishes were meant for sharing for four so it was a bit awkward for larger groups to get some of the dish to try. Favourite of the bunch was the tartare. Nice flavour and textures. Amazing service and tasty food.

Isabella Penrose

I really liked this place went there for my friends 16th. The atmosphere is great there is a nice warm feeling you get when you enter but not good if you prefer quite spaces. Started with a mocktail called 'river sipper' it was really good would recommend however I had to add some water as it was a bit too sweet. Between the five of us, we ordered three mains (lamb, curry and pork) and three or four sides and then three desserts to share. The main that I would recommend would have to be the slow cooked lamb shoulder, I could have eaten that myself it was so nice. The meat was really tender and well cooked. I would also suggest getting the roti bread if you are having curries as it is really good. All of the desserts were great too, my favourite being the coconut sago. The total was around $225 for the five of us. Overall the service was pretty good considering it was really busy.

Hester Gabrielle Colmar Pierard

Been here twice now and both times got the famous pork belly 😍 it’s to die for and just melts in the mouth! Very rich though so recommend sharing with another person as you get four big squares of it . Tried a lot of dishes from here also and all are very tasty! The mousse tart is also so smooth and lovely! Photos are of slow cooked lamb shoulder , madras spicy chicken curry, and salted caramel Sunday.

Sades

So disappointed in the service here. We waited for 50 minutes and our main meal did not show up i went and asked what was happening as i couldnt get the attentionn of any waitress. I found that they had not put anything through. The waitress was then extremely rude and walked over to us, did not apologise just said "is there anything else you want to order" i told her we had already ordered as i had told her collegue just before, she then straight away made it out as if we were lying about ordering the dish. Why would we order roti bread without a curry?? She then charged us for the roti bread and when i questioned it she gave us the worst attitude. Im not one to complain but she should not have treated us like this as if we were lying to start a problem. If you make a mistake, you apologise! That simple. We are paying customers!

TonyF3

As always, friendly service, hip atmosphere and Fantastic food!!!! Had the calamari as appetizer and crispy hapuka and pork belly for main. Perfection!

Minzi

Tasty Food! Nice green curry fish, but they did not do takeaway for some reason. If I cannot finish it, and I pay for that. Why I cannot take it.

Zainab

I would highly recommend the green fish curry if you can handle some heat; generous portion size too. Service was efficient and the staff were friendly.

Yuting Yin

Had a memorable night here to celebrate my friend’s birthday. Food was delicious and well presented, service was very impressive, especially they helped me to hide the birthday cake that I have brought over and served it beautifully in a plate. When 5 staff presented the cake onto table and sang the birthday song for us, my friend was quite surprised.

Fairy-Anne Glenn Guiang

The place, food and staff is amazing. We had pork and that was mouthwatering. The goat curry was perfect as well. Being asian, i love that Mekong Baby offers variety on their menu that will please almost all sorts of people.

Katrina O’Shaughnessy

Friendly staff, GREAT atmosphere and DELICIOUS FOOD! This restaurant is a great venue for catching up with friends, work colleagues etc The food is very fresh and staff very friendly and attentive Highly recommend you visit when in the area. You won't be disappointed.

Zhang Bin

Been there for dinner with friends. All dishes are awesome and super delicious. I was enjoying with Hapuka and pork one. OMG it's so delicious. I definitely will come back.

Michelle M

The pork belly is to die for! We also had the lamb shoulder which was incredible too. A great place to go for an end of week dinner. Possibly not for an intimate dinner as it's quite a busy, noisy restaurant but that's not a big deal otherwise.

Stu

I came here for a work dinner with 12 of us. We had a banquet type meal with a taste of everything off the menu. 3 entrees, probably around 12 mains and a dessert. The food was fantastic! Absolutely loved it and will definitely be back. The food ranged from mild to very spicy, which I enjoy on occasion without being a huge fan. This was the right level of spice for me. Much more and it ruins the flavour. The highlights for me was a salt n pepper entree and the pork belly main. Staff were a bit disorganised with drinks but nothing too major. We had a variety of servers and one eastern european struggled with english but we got there in the end. Ambiance was good, although we were a bit too close to the fire and they turned it off for us. Best Asian in Ponsonby in my opinion.

Mojo Jade

delicious duck curry, authentic papaya salad with mind-blowing heat, tender but springy fish cakes, excellent roti, tasty drinks, i think everything on the menu is good. staff are always like 'oh how was your meal' with a grin, because they already know your gonna say its so good.

Jeffie

The mrs was recommended this place by her friends, so we went. The ambience is warm, slightly dim but very noisy. The service is just a little below your usual standard but could be accounted for being a busy night. We had the wok fried squid, crispy rice flour crepe, spiced lamb ribs and Vietnamese prawn rolls. Everything was brought out in good time and was delicious. The stand out dish for me was spiced lamb ribs. We also had Bangkok iced tea and a tea house tipple, both were great. I recommend this place for the food but not for the ambience and/or service.

Emily Tse

My family and I will never go back again! The waitress that serviced us was rude. Food was below average. While we were there we felt unwelcome and rushed.

Samantha Addison-Saipe

Mekong Baby delivered top quality dishes. Service was snappy (for a group of four) and the wait staff were happy to inform us about plenty of vegan alternatives, allowing us to order several entrees and main dishes which all arrived promptly. Food was well presented and tasted relatively authentic. I recommend the rice flour crepe with tempeh and mushrooms, that was delicious. Only con I can think of is the noise in the place, as they seem generally quite busy (even on a Tuesday evening - be sure to book in advance). Overall a relaxed, yet classy restaurant with faultless service.

Gold 25% OFF(JOEFIS) Joe F G

I went with my grandad this time and we ordered hot wings, soft shell crab and the pork belly. the hot wings was perfect it wasn't too spicy and wasn't like the spice wasn't there, my grandad tried it and loved it too. I tried some of my granddad's soft shell crab and Its spectacular it was soo delicious I kinda had most of it😉,and then came the pork belly I only had 1 1/2 of it because I was soo full but it was crispy and sweet and was just simply the best pork dish I think I have had. If you asked me what was the best dish I couldn't tell you because everything was divine so just get everything😂👍

Icyicy Guo - 25%OFF GOLD Membership Code: ICYI7584

I went back twice now. First time we had the banquet menu $65pp, and the amount of food was just TOO much. So the 2nd time we ordered ourselves. The food was great, very tasty~~ Cocktail was also great~~

Happy

The food at Mekong baby is amazing.I have been here twice and I had great experience. I love their drinks, its so cool to watch the staff to prepare the drink while you are waiting for it. Sitting area is good but the enterance area of the restaurent is very noisy and you havectalk so loud to talk to the person sitting right next to you. But it's good if you sit at back and enjoy good food and talk with your friends.

Dxlche

The food here is delicious and the service is great too. We came here on the recommendation of a friend. The soft shell crab is worth as well as the pork. The plates are small and designed to be shared so it will be better to bring some more friends along and split the bill.

Joan Blackburn

I celebrated my Birthday 2016 here. My husband brought me here where he booked in advance. I'm not a fun of pork but when I tasted their crispy pork, it automatically converted me to a pork lover. Thanks for the great experience!

Karen Huo

Friendly and attentive service, really tasty food! I really enjoyed the night and the ambiance of the restaurant. Can't wait to try other things on their menu 😋

Justin Boswell

Great cocktails and quite an inventive food menu. Suited towards sharing plates, match it with an espresso martini and you're set for a good evening.

Mina Dervishi

Went there for the first time the other night and the food was great! The staff were amazing as well as the food. Was good to see that it was busy even on a rainy winters night. Great place - will be coming back for sure!

Carmen Franich

One of my favs 😁 just two of us so we ordered 2 smalls being prawn cakes with dipping sauce and some.sweetcorn type fritters . They were great and came with dipping sauce to make yr tastebuds dance . Mains were pork belly and salt and pepper squid. The squid came with the best dipping sauce and the pork belly ...well words don't give it justice..nothing was said just heaven in yr mouth and the look of satisfaction. If anything it felt rushed as if to make for the next.couple who had booked but we were in our happy place with full tummys 😊

Steve Hall

A good night out, had heard good things about the pork belly here, and finally got along to try it. We ordered the wok fried squid, pork belly, Sweetcorn fritters, prawn cakes, and two of the ice cream sundaes. The favourite of the night was the pork belly, sticky and sweet and caramelised. definitely lived up to the hype :) Could have ordered more. The corn fritters were nice but a bit gooey inside still. enjoyed them though. The dipping sauces with meals were really nice, and the tamarind one (think came with the corn fritters) was spicy and amazing Place was nice and service was good, although maybe a little rushed. A table for two was quite small and not so much room for putting all the plates on No big deal though, just had to stack or remove as others were emptied. The sundae ice cream was real good, but the lemongrass jelly slightly on the rubbery side and not hugely strong tasting of lemon grass. I didnt know what to make of lemon grass jelly with icecream but glad I gave it a shot, was a nice combination. A little noisy but overall it delivered ;) Total bill for meals, one beer and a cocktail was $115 which I thought was pretty good for a night out with good food

Chef Nishant

Really good food and service. Specially the tuna was just served as I wanted. One of the best Asian restaurant in town. Highly recommend to all the Asian food lovers.

Joanne Guilford

On a recent visit to Auckland my husband and I were recommended to eat at Mekong Baby in Ponsonby Road by three different people, unprompted. Needless to say, our expectations were HIGH. What can I say we were wowed instantly by the whole vibe and atmosphere of just entering the restaurant, staff greeted us warmly, helped us with wet items of clothing, due to being caught in a heavy downpour of rain. We were promptly seated and then the real food experience began. We were fortunate to meet the owner /chef Dominique, who helped us choose a selection of food as we had no idea what to order as this style of food was unknown to us. The wine was much easier for us to navigate :) A very comprehensive and impressive wine list I might add. We LOVED every single mouthful, one flavour explosion after another, and the food just kept coming. We sampled the King Fish Sashimi, Wok Fried Squid, Wagu and lemongrass, Beef Tartare, Quail Eggs on Betel Leaves, Spiced Lamb Ribs, Braised Pork Belly with Asian Slaw, and finished with Apple and Walnut Tart with Buterscotch Icecream. Without a doubt this was a memorable meal, we cannot wait to go back! 7 Stars out of 5 !!!!!

FoodLab

Great food and great atmosphere. Staff are very friendly as well. Although I hate the fact that in NZ food is never served all together, at this place they go around this and they tell you in advance that it's not. Would def go back again in the future. The Madras curry was amazing.

Rhea Kirstienne Chang

The food is amazing! We ordered wok fried squid, spiced lamb ribs, braised pork belly and smashed green papaya salad. All of them were delicious and beautifully presented. I just wish their tables are a little bigger to accommodate our orders. Haha! The service was great as well, very helpful for a first timer like me. The interior and the feel of the place is nice too. However, it was really really loud that night as the place was full (take note, it was a Wednesday). Not that it bothers me, but if you're out with someone and needs to have a good conversation, this won't be a good place. Overall experience was awesome. Will be back definitely. 😊

MAYA　

I went to Mekong Baby with two of my friends. It was fully booked even for Tuesday night and I knew why after eating food here, I had had Lamb for my main dish. The dish itself was not too big too small, just a perfect amount, a little bit cheaper than the mains in other restaurant. I don't know Thai people eat Lamb, but whatever it is, it was fabulous!! succulent, juicy,perfectly cooked. It has also lots of local beer selections. We loved it and come to this restaurant again.

Mysticmojito

We came in one eve for a birthday meal, and on the most part the staff made it special. Cocktails were nice, but don't order offer off-menu, general cocktail knowledge at the bar didn't seem so great... but the drinks menu is pretty good so you shouldn't need to (my friend just particularly likes a Mai Tai). Ambience was nice, inviting and cosy but... cool? Pretty low key food, that had really fantastic, interesting flavoursome, which was really the highlight- fusion pulled off really well. Lots of nice things to try.

Al Kumar

Yeah Baby! oh behave. This place just rocks. Great atmosphere and very welcoming staff. The fusion food is to die for. We had prawn cake and spicy wings for entree and Madras chicken for mains. Serving sizes are good as well. The chefs have come up with such perfect recipes with balanced and unique flavours you wont get anywhere else. Highly recommend this place to anyone.

John Bound

Average at its best - The problem is the clutter of tables and the odd seating of this restaurant. There is no regard to people's privacy and no regard to intimate dining experience here. Were thoroughly disappointed with the service staff's lack of attention to smaller tables. Food was average compared to the other asian-fusion restaurants in ponsonby. So not a overall great experience as others write of it.

Victoria Jenner

Good food. We had a set menu so there was heaps of things I wanted to try that I didn't get to. There was too much food and $65 was a bit pricey. The pork was yummy as most of the meals. Only let downs Som tum too sweet not authentic, same as cocktails- too sweet. They don't spilt bills. Will come again though.

Claude VanDamm

A girls dinner here left us full and very happy!!!! We pretty much ordered almost one of everything to share but the goat curry was effen amazing! Awesome to have the open kitchen to be nosey, great wine selection! Only only downfall was the one bill per table.

Melissa

Came here for my 23rd birthday dindin and I was pleasantly surprised because I'm usually pretty skeptical about fusion food - Not every place can do it well but this was one of the places that did. Ordered a range of dishes - Duck Larb, Crispy-Skinned Hapuka, Wagyu & Lemongrass grilled in Betel Leaves, Madurese Goat Curry, Roti Bread, Betel Leaf Crab Kaffir Lime & Chilli, Spiced Lamb Ribs, and Wok Fried Squid. There are so many options on the menu that it's easy to cater towards the needs of different people. What people like and don't like will depend on their preferences (clearly). E.g My mum liked the Wok Fried Squid but I didn't, while my brother liked the Betel Leaf and Spiced Lamb Ribs but noone else did. However, the two that everyone liked were the Duck Larb and Goat Curry! They went well together with rice 🤤 Highly recommend those two.

Leonardo Law

I love this place! Staff have always been accomodating. They make pretty nice drinks. There is also brown rice as a healthier alternative. We cannot wait to come back again!

Penguin93

Food was amazing, decor was divine, service was average. The braised pork belly was beautiful, as was the pork larb salad. We also had the kingfish sashimi was lovely and firm, with a light coconut cream drizzle over it. The service was ok - everyone was very polite and warm. Would definitely go again.

Shazza

Been here last Saturday. We went in an awkward time (3pm ish) but still managed to have nice late lunch. The staff member recommended to have roti with the meal and that was perfect recommendation! Rotiself was pretty well made and because dishes had bit of strong flavours (it was bit salty for me) to have alone, but they were perfect with roti. Overall very enjoyable place :)

Foodlover

My girl friend and I went to Mekong baby for dinner on Friday night and OH MY GOSH!!! The food was amazing, the service was great also. We ordered the kingfish sashimi and hot wings for entree and then the braised pork belly and goat curry for main!! Could definitely go there again! ☺👌 vibe was great !!

Gigio T

The place is great, but the food can be quite inconsistent. We have been there a few times and used to order the same food items, such as the Lamb shoulder and Pork Belly, and we noticed the sauces, flavours, and even portion sizes, kept changing each time. I understand changing the garnish and salads to seasonal ingredients, however, why constant changes to each item? Sometimes it tasted fantastic, sometimes tasted alright, and sometimes bland. As a result, we stopped going there.

Annabel

Such amazing food and service! Best food!!! Flavours are amazing!!! Nothing like I have ever had before so authentic and original! Highly recommend Mekong Baby :)

Moggie

When the waiter asks if you have any dietary requirements - that is a good start. However it went down hill after that . We were specific on 'No Coriander'. We ordered four dishes the first one was covered in coriander, this was quickly remedied with apologies. Thats fine but when the next one arrives also with coriander that is inexcusable. For the few of us who detest coriander please sort your act out. If you have serious allergy be very careful.

Laurie540

Fantastic experience. The food was amazing, service was good and restaurant had a nice ambience. With 6 people we had 3 small dishes, 3 mains, 1 side and 1 salad to share, and 6 desserts. Standouts were the crispy Hapuka and pork belly mains and the apple&walnut tart dessert. Incredible. Very nice cocktails too. Nothing to fault.

LAC

Cocktails here are delicious. The food has so much flavour. The Crispy Rice Flour Crepe with the chili jam was heaven. The dish was a favourite among most people on the table. Also can't go wrong with their papaya salad. One of my favourite Asian restaurants in Auckland

Husk Creative

Christmases at Husk is always a bit special and 2015 was no exception. Seven of us trundled along to Mekong Baby, South-East asian fusion at Ponsonby (seeing a trend here, guys?) to have a taste of their banquet menu. We loved sitting in their private booth tucked at the back — huge red velvet curtains framed the curved blue couch (lots of bum-shuffles to get to the middle), a spherical paper pendant hung inches from our heads. It was cosy, but comfortably so. Perhaps the cocktails helped. The 12-course meal was luxurious, with abundant aromas and portions. We asked for a couple of breaks between courses to open our gifts (Husk Christmas tradition involves the exchange of a few of our Favourite Things) and brainstorming just what situations would require those mysterious curtains to be closed (mafia assemblies? Romantic rendezvous? Dancing customers on the table with the paper pendant on their heads?). Anyhoo, we digress… Watch out for the spiced cocktails, because they really mean it — Lou and Emilie's Venom (chilli, vodka, ginger, palm sugar, chilli, lemons & honey) packed a punch, if you're the type that likes their throats on sweet, icy fire — get it. If not, the Hanoi Cooler with gin, pineapple, ginger and rose promises a soothing accompaniment for the spicy dishes. Each plate is served on beautiful sea-green glassware, and just when you feel you've eaten something that's your favourite of the meal, you'll surprised by the next one. Reserve time to get through the whole menu, we spent around 2.5 hours there — and savoured every mouthful from their Crab & Kaffir Lime Canape down to their Coconut Sago with Rich Ginger Chocolate mousse. Needless to say, we cradled our food babies home. MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE. Check out our individual comments here: husk.co.nz/lunches/mekong-baby-december-2015

Annie

Came here with my parents to check it out before my sisters Hens night meal and OMG!!!! Everything was SO tasty, bags of flavour & perfect size portions. We had Crab & Betle Leafs, Crispy Pancake, Beef Skewer Baguette & Crispy Squid for starters. The lemongrass beef in the baguette was so fresh & tasty! Mains we shared the Duck Massaman Curry and Braised Pork Belly.... DO NOT come to Mekong Baby & NOT have the Pork Belly!!!! It was probably one of the best things I've ever eaten.... the meat was juicy & what ever they coat it in was insanely moreish! Add the sauce on the plate & you may just find yourself zoned out into food heaven. We also had sides of Roti - and these weren't just any old roti... Best I've ever had! They were so good, we ordered extras to have with our dessert! Desserts again we shared. Apple & Walnut Tart and Salted Caramel Icecream Sundae. I tell ya what - it was like food sex! The shortness & butteriness of the tart pastry was insane - the butterscotch sauce was light, not too sweet but so full of flavour. Can't wait for the Hens night!!! TOP TIP: Order the Apple & Walnut Tart, ask for extra butterscotch sauce & order Roti with it. Dip ya roti in the butterscotch sauce - you won't regret it! 😍

AppetiteBliss

Love this place! We enjoyed everything we ordered... 2 things, i believe the side Roti serving is based on how many per table.. notice we only had 2 and the table next to us had 3 pieces- there were 2 of us at our table and 3 next to us! Price remains the same so felt a lil unfair. Another thing is there is a time limit to your booking so it does feel like you have to eat in a rush. Nonetheless, will still be back for more as the food is delicious!

Elena Ching

A popular favourite in Ponsonby serving up delicious fusion asian food. We had the hot wings to start. The waiter wasn't kidding when he warned it was hot. Deep fried chicken, crispy with sticky spicy sauce, this was hot wing heaven. The pork belly was also divine. Crispy exterior, tender meat and a rich sticky soy and chilli sauce, this is a must for pork belly lovers. The goat curry was also excellent. The goat meat fell apart and the curry was great with jasmine rice. We couldn't resist dessert but of all dishes, this was a bit disappointing. The pannacotta had a great wobble to it but the pandan flavour was light. I would have preferred a punchier flavour. Service was friendly and efficient. The waiter was knowledgeable and made good suggestions. The restaurant was buzzing and had a great atmosphere. Be sure to make a booking. This place is busy!

Angel

Not sure if this is normal but all our food was so spicy we could barley eat it, also had quite small portions for the price you pay. atmosphere was nice! Service were good, Woudnt rush back here though

Aleana Fernando

*didn't get to take any food photos as the lighting was very dark Absolutely love this place. Went here with my group of friends for dinner and it was very busy but luckily we had a reservation so did not need to wait for any tables. 5 of us got the 'little bigger' dishes and two got salads. They were all very well portioned which is good because they are kinda on the pricey side but not surprised since it is in Ponsonby. We ordered the Balinese Chicken BBQ, Roast Duck - Massaman Curry, Smashed Green Papaya salad, Prawn salad and I got the Madrese Spicy Chicken Curry.All of us had a bit of spice in our dishes maybe except the salad. My friend found the Papaya salad very spicy whereas I did not when I tasted it so it is depending on your spice tolerance. I think out of all the dishes, the dish I got was the spiciest one however having a fairly good spice tolerance it was not that bad for me, so if you do not like spicy food I would not recommend this dish or otherwise asking them to make it less spicy if they even do that. They were all very delicious and full of flavour. If you are ordering a curry I would recommend ordering at least one portion of rice per person since you get a lot of sauce with it.Their roti's are super delicious but I expected a bit more or at least bigger ones since they are $5. The staff were friendly and were able to provided good service to us and the food coming at a reasonable speed especially being very busy. They were able to give us water very quickly since we went through around 6 bottles of water. I would definitely go to this place again as a nice treat or during a special occasion. Highly recommend.

Tyler King

Perfect food, drinks and service. This place really is as dope as it's hyped up to be. The duck curry was fire, the braised pork belly was even better. The mousse pie was crazy. The only draw back is its inhabited by pretentious yopros, however if you can overcome the debilitating company, you'll have a great night.

Jason Andrews

The pork belly is incredible, they don't trust their patrons so they demand you show a credit card and they hold it when you dine here, just incase you run off(if you're Caucasian you're fine) they don't allow doggy bags if you order too much so take a container if you know you won't eat everything

Sam Smith

This place is 110% one of the best places I have been to eat in Auckland! We went here as a large group and got the $65pp function menu and it was delicious!! Amazing quality and quantity, value for money and the staff were outstanding. Highly recommend eating here

Raymond Tiong

Mekong Baby serves flavourful South East Asian food in a fun yet elegant atmosphere. Overall, I was happy with the quality of food. I'd say it's a bit better than Madam Woo. The prawn cakes were nice, but a little floury in some places. Standout dish was the pork belly – 4 pieces of very tasty meat. The green fish curry with broccoli was nice but nothing special. It was quite spicy after a few bites and doesn't come with rice. Cost us $72 for two patrons (including $8 for still water...!). One annoyance I had was the booking system. Apparently, they don't take reservations between 7 and 8:30. It can get pretty crowded so you may have to wait or have a back up for dinner in Ponsonby.

Lang Ea

food was great - very tasty full of flavor. its may be a bit stressful for the staff due to how busy the restaurant is, however they still need to focus on their service a lot more.

Elena Olive Fanene

Is very pricey but the food is amazing we tried a variety of foods and all were very high quality and delicious it's definitely worth it and the non alcoholic drinks are amazing the service was also very fast was a great dining experience

Jenny Ingram-Tung

Love love love this place. This was my first time at Mekong Baby. The food was tasty, the salad were fresh, light, full of flavor. There is no children's menu but our kids enjoyed the rotties!!

Love The Experience, Love The Brand.

Great menu. Lovely service. Eating upstairs which was nice but couldn't see the food. Not really my thing but I just like to see what I'm eating. Nothing bad to say apart from the smoke alarm when off for 5mins. Not the best note to finish with. Lol. Desert to come.

Hangryman

I will never go back - They are not very accommodating if you have food allergies. Very noisy atmosphere - Very average food quality for price.

N

Service at this restaurant is shocking. Had to ask 3 times for water at the table. We opted for the Feed Me menu $60 a head. 3 hours later, and multiple requests for when the next course would be served, we finally left the restaurant. Would not recommend, however if you are willing to suffer through the service and slow food, then the only redeeming fact is that the food is yum.

Fi Smillie

Food was delicious here! Came with a group of 7. Service was fast and efficient, atmosphere was great and music wasn't too loud that we couldn't hear each other. There was even a separate area where girls or guys could do their hair or makeup before heading out later! Highly recommend the pork belly. Not what I'd ordered but I tried it. Amazing!!

Fiona

Gorgeous food, interior design and service. It was a fun experience trying the dishes, great place to go with a bunch of friends and share/try quite a few things on the menu. They also have a stylish bar and delicious cocktails.

Elouise

Absolutely fantastic! Have been a few times and each time the food, and service were great! Oh and the wonderful array of cocktails! Can't go past the apple and walnut tart yummmo!!

Monique Roberts

Love the atmosphere here the bar guy was helpful in selecting a cocktail and food was good. Enjoyed my wagyu beef and loved the coconut sago black rice. The only let down was the wait staff, they seemed a bit rushed although it wasn't busy.

Flay Loo

Really not as good as expected, both food and service were below average comparing with the restaurants in the same price range. The waiter is not very professional at all and Balinese BBQ chicken was over cooked.

Ethan Liaw

coriander haters beware, as all they fish are garnished with it!!! Second time here and hand down my favourite fusion restaurant in Auckland. Came with the whole family so we got to try a lot of different food here. We had summer spring roll, lamp chop, pork belly, bamh mi,green curry with dish, red curry with duck and spicy deep fried chicken. My fav were the lamb, pork belly and bamh mi. The lamb was well braised and deep fried with a light crumble on the outside. 5/5 for the flavour and texture; I could eat this all day with their Mekong Pilsner! Pork belly I would suspect it's Cooked the same fashion as the lamb. I don't even like sweet sauce with my food but still a 5/5 as I can fault this dish. The bamh mi was fresh with basil and abundance of fresh mint. It had a nicely seared beef which was pink in the middle, and is all bought together with a nice sauce wrapped in a crunchy yet soft baguette.

Alwayseating

This is my go to in Auckland, fresh, clean Asian flavours at its freakn finest! You have to have the Pork Belly main with slaw it's off the dam chain, tonight we had the pork belly salad, prawn cakes and cocktails. The staff are the best in town, servcie is super fast and the venue is 10/10 and the food is always 100% consistent.

Patriz De Leon

Went here for lunch on a Saturday with my husband and a friend. Interior is nice and ambiance is good. The bar is at the center with tables and high chairs surrounding it. We ordered Vietnamese Spring Rolls, Prawn Cakes and Hot Wings for entree. Both the springs rolls and prawn cakes were good but I like the hot wings the most! The sauce was both sweet and spicy and the chicken itself was crispy outside and tender inside. Definitely getting that again next time we visit. For mains we ordered Braised Pork Belly, Balinese Chicken BBQ and Papaya Salad. The salad was nice and tangy with a hint of fish sauce. The chicken bbq is very tender though I found it a bit dry on it's own but tastes well with the sauce. And of course the pork belly was the star! Service was good too. Food went out fast and staff was good in refilling our glasses. Overall, this is one of the best asian fusion restaurants and will definitely come back to order the hot wings and pork belly!

Larry

Mekong Baby is a complete experience when it comes to dining out. Service is always spot on, ambiance is great and food is consistent. In ordering food, work your way up from small dishes to bigger servings. Always start with the betel leaf to awaken your palates. Then, maybe the sashimi. Always have the shrimp and pork melon salad on your list. Finish off with a finale of caramelised pork belly. Make sure you have rice or roti to clean up the sauce from this dish. This is a basic order selection that will surely make you come back!

Cee

Out of this world delicious food!! The banquet menu is the best because you get to try an array of meals and it was all fantastic. Courses are spaced out well too to enjoy the ambience and your company. Drinks were delicious too. Everything was well presented and it's a great place to go to. Service is attentive as well.

Rohit Adarkar

Had been here after the first day of blueprinting for a project. Best way to ward off the stress. Small place but very good food. We were 5 of us all of different nationalities. We had goat, duck, chicken and fish. The goat curry was very spicy but I liked it the most among all the dishes.

Annemarie M

This place is fantastic ... And the food is amazing every time we've been here. The "let's eat " set menu is stunning.... The food just keeps on coming... About 9 different courses.... And that Pork Belly is simply divine! Cocktail menu is interesting with a range of unique cocktails... We love this place!!

Anastasia Lee

Before I can say anything, they do a really good job organising their staff and managing their time with the amount of customers they have. I am impressed! Very friendly service team, and they introduced their restaurant to us very well, and also explained how the restaurant works too. The food came out faster than expected which was very exciting, however, because they all came out at the same time, getting that "perfect Instagram picture" meant waiting for the others but that did not really bother me. Overall, amazing food and a great atmosphere. One thing that bothered me was how loud the restaurant was with the customers talking, but that is something they cannot control as everyone seemed to be having a great experience.

Eonapeony

Really enjoyed dining here! Have had the fried squid, papaya salad, lamb ribs, red beef curry and roti so far and boy were they all scrumptious! Their mocktails leave you craving for more! Disappointing part was i think the roti comes in quantity based on number of people at your table. There were 2 of us so we got 2 pieces, and the table next to us had 3 pieces as there were 3 of them! I believe we paid the same price for them. On the pricey side, but with the quality and service being top notch, can't really complain much. Would be happy to return to try the other items on the menu in the future.

Cristina

Wow! What a great place to dine in. Don't know how they cook the food but it's pretty damn good. Loved all the dishes we ordered and cannot decide which one I liked more.

“Dailee” 25% Off Zomato Gold

Been here about half-dozen of times now (birthdays, anniversaries, pre-wedding) and we always order their banquet menu $60pp. So worth it! You get gazillion of yummy explosion to try and you left feeling satistied at the end of night. Every food is being presented so beautifully and the taste is on-point. I have tried all three different banquets, all so divine but my favourite would be 'Crossroads to Indo Chine' menu. Their papaya/mango salad packed the punch, the pork belly is every so crisp. The only thing, for me personally the food is a bit on the saltier side (need rice/roti as accompaniment). Cocktails are ah-mazing, Bangkok iced tea is my fav (could get quite expensive after 3 glasses or so $15 each). Service is a hit on quiet times and on busy times is a miss, I feel they always in rush to clear your plates/glasses althought there may still be little food left/small sips left. Always book in advance if you can and we love that they have option for private room without the additional cost. I couldn't recommend this place enough and will be back for more I am sure!

Stephy_NakiGirl

Mekong Baby has to be one of my fave Asian fusion restaurants. They have less changes in their menu than other places (would be good to see some specials using seasonal ingredients), but what they do, they do very well. I've tried most of the menu, and haven't been disappointed once. Tonight we met after work for a celebratory dinner so cocktails were on the menu - Miss Saigon & Red River Delta. Not cheap or large portions, but very well made. Served with herbs such as basil giving a delicious aroma too. Also a good range of beers & wine too. We decided to head straight into mains although the entrees are very good. Favourite entrees include the prawn cakes, beef skewers, squid & pork rolls. Mekong Baby is all about sharing (as is the trend these days), but we weren't into sharing tonight each having a fave dish that we wanted to devour. We ordered the lamb shoulder - tender & melt in the mouth; pork belly - 4 generous pieces with a herb slaw & vinegar that you pour over (lip smackingly good); crispy hapuka & sweet sticky pork - seems like an unusual combination but it really works; and the pad see ew - definitely one of the best we've tried with well made noodles & tender beef. The beef was served on the side at the request of the vegetarian (no issues from the staff) so they could enjoy the balance of the dish. For dessert was the trifle & Ginger chocolate mousse. Decadent but very rich. Service tonight was good - it can sometimes be patchy & indifferent but we were well looked after for most of our evening.

Sia Tulia

food amazing...just disappointed that cant take doggy bag?? Very strange. But one of the best restaurants we have been to in Auckland and we have been to many. Every dish superb. Will return

Mark Greene

Very nice food. Not the usual fare at all. All the food had a great mix of strong tastes. I loved the Asian influence Hapuka. The duck curry was lovely with fresh pineapple and chilli. Service was a bit slow.

Anna Petchell

Always amazing! And this time was as good as every other I know I will be 100% satisfied and so will all the people I take Always a hugely popular place with incredible food ! Thanks for being awesome Mekong!!!

Kiwi Foodie 123

Dined here soon after opening and wasn't very impressed. However, went again last week with a large group. WOW - this is the best Asian dining experience I've had in Auckland. Had various dishes with stand-outs being the corn fritters, goat curry and duck curry. The service was slick, fast and friendly and splitting the bill at the end wasn't a problem. Fantastic all round experience and we will be back!

Lilly Christine

I have been here a few times so I thought I would write something about it. Mekong Baby is AMAZINGGG! The food is always so fresh and delicious! The restaurant its self has such a cool vibe to it and the waitresses are super friendly and welcoming. Its always busy on Friday and Saturday nights so booking in advance is a must! Ive had almost everything on the menu and nothing has disappointed me yet. I always order the Vietnamese Pork Rolls for an entrée and the Pork Belly for a main, the pork belly is a favourite!!!! It is quite expensive as are the drinks as well but defiantly think its worth it for the quality of food you get.

Vivek Katial

Went here for lunch and the food was REALLY GOOD. Auckland has got some real nice Asian food joints lately and Mekong is definitely on the list. We got the Vietnamese rolls and then the lamb and braised pork belly for mains. The service was a bit off, one of the staff members was very lazy and it felt like they didn't want to be there. Another issue was the price! Came out to be over 100 dollars for "casual dining" that at lunch aswell. Tania Li

Debbie Sugrue

Ordered duck curry tonight with sides of greens . All food was amazing. The service was incredible from bar staff and waitresses however the lady who was responsible for seating customers was so rude. Overall the experience was great we will return for sure 👌🏽

Farshid Hakimi

Came down here on Sunday specting to be quiet however it has been super busy. Amazing customer service we had from a half Maracan /Italian We had 12 dish set We had some chiken salad,fish,green curry fish?some see food,chiken Chilli, beef ribs some more food and desert My favorite dish were chiken Chilli and pork belly. They were perfectly cooked and tasty. Their cocktail are pretty amazing too. Must recommend

Peasant

One of the best restaurants we have been to for a very long time. The cocktails were excellent and so was the food. We just had entrees (7 of them) and every one was a stand out. I don't often give reviews like this but this place is exceptional. Going to go back before we leave for home

Mia Hendrix

Today I enjoyed one of the set menu's here. It was close to around 10 courses that were shared with our table. The food was Stunning and there was plenty of it. I'm terrible with spice but only had to avoid a couple of dishes which I was impressed by. The chefs are clearly very talented, I trusted in them and tried things I've never had before such as the kingfish sashimi and it was Delightful. I believe it was $60pp, definitely worth it! Cant wait to go back to sample the regular menu.

Hayley Turner

I really enjoyed my dining experience here. The place is great, the decor colourful and funky and the food really nice. Service was good, the bar man helpful when I was trying to decide on a cocktail. What a great venue.

Philip Doyle

Mekong Baby oozes style and funk from the prints on the walls to the plates on the table, they really have set the tone of Southeast Asian fusion perfectly. Tonight was my second time back at Mekong Baby which I was excited for after having such a great first time; they did not let me down! The service was on point with the wait staff asking if we had been before, I explained I had but the others had not, so she went over the menu and the fact that the menu is designed for sharing. The wait staff were also able to provide us with some recommendations as well as coming back to check everything was okay and topping up the water (even filling our glasses which we thought was fantastic service; keep it up!) all without interrupting us or us even noticing they were there. Now to the food, we started off with the hot chicken wings; all I can say is they are simply to die for! I had these last time and they're what brought me back!! Be warned a little spicy. We also had the beef skewers which were tender and full of flavours, not quite what I was expecting as they are more like sliders but all the same delicious. We followed this up with the duck Massaman curry, this was mouth watering; the duck delicate and beautiful with a creamy sauce which you didn't want to end, the sweetness from the pineapple and the crunch from the peanuts gave texture and flavours to the dish. Last but not least the roti bread, the textures of the bread make it all the better and is unlike anything I've had anywhere else and compliments the curry fantastically (although ability to order 3 would be good, rather than by 2s). Overall our experience could not have been faulted, well done to everyone at Mekong Baby!

Sarah Young

Food was of high standard! Great wait staff that helped to advise meals to share between 6 people. Food came out relatively quick and was gorgeous! Food was also absolutely Devine and would come back for the pork belly any time!! Price was pretty good for 5 mains, 2 entrees, 4 desserts, rice and roti for less than $50 each! Highly recommend.

Monique Porteous

Totally addicted to this place! Been here three times in the past month and I just can't get enough 😍. The location is awesome (just a little bit down from the madness that is ponsonby central) and the interior is to die for. The south East Asian vibe of this places translates from the furniture to the food. The staff are pretty nice but nothing to write home about (super small critique). If you love Asian flavours but can never pick one cuisine, this is the place for you! Everything is cooked beautifully to how it should be and the quality of ingredients is clear across every plate that is served. The best thing about Mekong baby? THE COCKTAIL LIST - it's to die for 😭😍💕🍹. Definitely check this place out next time you're in the ponsonby area!

Aniva Huang

Probably the best south East Asian fusion restaurant I've tried. Such a beautiful menu and everything was so fresh. The cocktail menu was innovative and delicious

Andi Jandal

Mekong Baby does everything right, which sadly means it's impossible to just walk in and expect a table. Their food is both delicious and interesting, a harder feat than you'd imagine when so many restaurants seem to jump on the 'cool food item of the moment' bandwagon. The cocktails are fabulous. The service impeccable. No complaints whatsoever from me. I only wish other restaurants cared about their customers and producing innovative high-quality food this much. The manager is friendly, accommodating and down to earth. I haven't found another Auckland restaurant where you're so well looked after! Mekong is unpretentious, yet oozes cool. I recommend: Pork belly, papaya salad & the apple tart is out of this world delicious! If you're after a cocktail, the Hanoi Cooler is a favourite, but really their cocktails are all quite sublime. Book a table. You won't regret it. Mekong Baby is crazy busy for a reason.

Kennyg

Wow! Absolutely fantastic! In my opinion, the best restaurant on Ponsonby Road at present! The food is delicious - Slow cooked lamb dish was absolutely beautiful! Don't come here for a quiet night out thou.....this place pumps and does get incredibly loud but simply unbeatably! Go!! .......go now! .......don't delay! U will love it!

Rojas

Mekong Baby is probably one of my favourite Asian fusion restaurants in Auckland. I've come here a few times with friends and have always enjoyed great food and service.Their kingfish sashimi is always fresh and melts in your mouth and pairs well with the sauces. Their duck Massaman curry is one of the best I've had, soft succulent duck with juicy pineapple in a mildly spicy sauce. The quail egg dumplings are quite unique and served with a some type of leaf that you eat along with it. Would definitely come coming back.

Philip Reeve

Lunch on our final day in Auckland and wandering into this busy humming restaurant. Really quick and friendly service and a good explanation of how the place works (shared plates). We ordered a range of dishes - larb, summer rolls, rice, roti, ribs and were not disappointed with anything. Larb was outstanding. Just a few hiccups with teh food (forgot the rice and roti, brought an incorrect dish) but swiftly remedied, Only disappointment was the roti which was tiny and reminded me of the frozen rather then fresh, Easily offset by the other dishes though - just would not order it again.

SHIKA 🍇

I came here for my work Xmas dinner last year. It was my first time coming here so I didn't know what to expect. We had a set menu for us so there was a selection of meals that were being served to us. But first of all before I start talking about the food, I have to say the customer service this restaurant had was amazing. I was pleased at the way they served us and explained to us what every meal was and what each meal had, as some of couldn't eat certain things, and the ones who could not eat certain things were given an alternative which was awesome!. We were a large group, probably 27 of us, and I have to say every single one of us were impressed! Every single meal we had was to die for! I'm a foodie myself and I've been too so many reataurants that some food that I eat are just average to me. But everything that was served to us was absolutely exceptional. I wanted to keep eating but couldn't because I was so full and wanted to leave space for the food that had to come. I love every single thing in the set menu. The detail, flavour and texture of each meal was amazing. I have to say this is one of my favourite restaurants now and I will definitely be returning. Mekong Baby is a great place to visit and I can't wait to visit them again. ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

Jaffa

Great cocktails and atmosphere but let down but slightly slow service and the roti bread! Went with a larger group which is always difficult when ordering the chefs choice- at $60 each there was an a abundance of food and courses and is amazing value for money! Just make sure everyone at the table eats everything... As was difficult with one person who didn't eat red meat and one who doesn't eat fish. The chefs selection gives you the chefs best choice for the day and we had 4 courses plus dessert which offers a range of items from their menu. The papaya salad and pork belly were stand outs for me. We specifically asked to have the goat curry which was good also-but for me who loves a good flaky roti bread they were a little thick and stodgy for me... But good to soak up curry! Will go again but will order personally choices next time.

Alix

Mekong baby is probably my favourite restaurant in Auckland. I love every dish. We keep going back for more!! Pork belly - best I've ever had. Atmosphere and service is impeccable

Saber Xie

Came here with friend for his birthday with 10 people so got the banquet menu, he ordered Red southeast junction - 10 foodies plus 2 desserts. Food was so tasty, finishing every plate within minutes. Definitely will come back!

Miss Alesana

We had dinner here with my friends for our Christmas catch up. We arrived on a busy December evening and our table was not ready yet. We were offered a bar leaner to order some drinks and chat while we waited. We didnt have to wait for long and were seated thereafter. Our table was next to the kitchen. We didn't mind except it got very hot. The service overall was excellent. Despite being busy and being about 8 of us we didnt have to wait at all for our meals to come out. I had an entree as I had eaten earlier. I ordered beef skewers unaware it was actually a bahnmi. I actually love bahnmi so I didnt mind - except it was very spicy! Overall a great atmosphere, a little noisy on a busy night but I'd go again. My friends enjoyed their dishes and apparently the desserts are amazing - I'd go back to try them on an empty stomach and on a night where I am not more interested in the bar menu.

Wendy Mitchell

We had heard a lot about this restaurant about its good dishes. A group of us (6) had dinner just before xmas. The food was as good as other thai restaurants. But the service has left a lot for improvement. The waitresses there were pretty up to themselves, who made us feel they were doing us a great favour by us dining. When we asked to pack up some leftover we were told they didn't do doggy bags. To me this restaurant is not known for its good food but for arrogant. Never again!

Rohan

We were thinking ti visit this place from last few day and today we visited Mekong baby. I must say food was amazing at this place. We order some entree and mains to share. Spicy chicken with lettuce and dikon wrap was delicious, caramalised pork with vinegar was tast and pork was cooked very nicely. Fish and pork with dikon with asian sauce was star dish and was meltin in mouth. Do bisit and try some nice asian fusion dishes. Desserts were amazing as well as lemongrass parfrait with coconut and chilly gelly was amazing. Highly recommended.

Gaeth Al

Very delicious food. The entrees were amazing. We tried the prawn cakes, chicken wings, short ribs and a beef baguette thing. Only down side was the service, maybe they were too busy but it was all over the place. Eg. Entrees arrived and sat for a few mins before we got our individual plates and cutlery, and we had to ask for them. We kept having to ask for everything basically.

Mrspotandmrlid

I've had the Vietnamese pork rolls twice and I guarantee I will get them again and again- bursting with tender pork, loads of fresh veggies freshly rolled in rice paper these are the perfect summertime dish. We also had the duck larb which was super tasty very well balanced. The chicken wings were a hit with Mr Lid lightly battered drenched in a sticky spicy sauce, and the green papaya salad with a chilli hit was delightful. Over all we really enjoyed our meal- it is not a normal complaint but everything was really fast making it a super quick lunch not quite the long leisurely lunch we had planned for.

Grace Macalincag

Have been here a number of times & the food is always delicious! Our faves were the Khmer Beef Skewers, Braised Pork Belly & the Roti. I did find the Papaya salad slightly chilli but for the others, they could handle the chilli. The service was awesome! The waitress even went to get me a toothpick for my lychee when she saw that I got to the end of my martini. As well as placing our floral tea into a tall glass so we could watch it open. Definitely appreciated these little things which helped to make a great experience =)

Richie Chewy

Top spot at the corner where it used to the GPK pizza back in the day but this time it's Asian fusion with a kick ! It's always busy and need to book in advance as we have been turned away in the past or had to wait over half an hour at the bar, this time just after Christmas it's only a 5 min wait which was perfect ! We had the lamb ribs and the famous duck curry which always hit the spot :-) the rice for two portion didn't look big enough to for two so we ordered another one immediately when served. It also took awhile for the mains to be served but well worth the wait. We also washed it down with the yummy and strong cocktail , blushing dragon and beer with honey on tap. We were so full and did not have enough room for desert so called it a night... Overall, great food , ok service and nice atmosphere / vibe - highly recommended and will be back soon !

Ivan Koay

Went for dinner a couple of nights ago having been here once before for a quiet lunch previously. The vibe of the place was great but the hectic nature of the dining room meant that the service was a little lacking compared to our previous visit. The food was excellent as remembered from our last visit.. we had a selection of small dishes which included the pork rolls, prawn cakes and beef skewers. All were tasty with good flavour combinations from South East Asia but the portion sizes were slightly disappointing especially for the beef skewer which turned out no better than a 'sub-like' sandwich. The salad selection of duck larb and shredded chicken were both decent sized, tantalising on the palate with the slight hit of heat especially with the larb that made it one of the better larb dishes that I have had and equivalent to anything you would get in Thailand. Our mains of green fish curry - light, nicely spiced and perfectly balanced; braised pork belly - great crunch of the crackling with sticky glaze and the surprising pad see ew - a surprisingly pleasant combination of noodles and braised beef and our favourite main, left us with just a little room for dessert The sundae was pleasant especially when combined with the lemongrass jelly while the praline had some nice taste combinations but didn't blow my socks off The service was what made the dining experience slightly lacking.. maybe due to the business of the place that night but waiting about 20mins from being seated to being offered the menu and water and another 30 before the table got asked for the order was slightly disappointing. Once the orders were in though, the dishes did come at a reasonable pace. Though being asked repeatedly about orders of drinks that were meant for other tables did make me wonder if there was any numbering system or organisation with the wait staff. Overall not a bad meal but maybe a place to visit when at a low season.....

Max Sobels

Nice decor, casual vibe, nice staff and exciting food! Really enjoyed dining here and would recommend to others! Just get in before it gets too busy!

Sue Bon

Went with a large group last week- our booking was bumped an hour, set menu was a rip off for the price, food was unevenly distributed across the group, poor wait service, no sign of any apologies.I would not go again and neither will anyone else from our group.

Mat

For a couple of days my friend was quite assertive on dining at Mekong Baby, so tonight we decided to come here. From the moment we approached this restaurant we noticed that the atmosphere was busy and energetic. We ordered the prawn cakes, Khmer beef skewer baguette, the red beef curry, roti and rice. Prawn cakes: possibly my favourite dish of the night! Loved the creamy texture of each bite. Khmer beef skewer baguette: quite smelly but tasted delicious! Red beef curry: the beef was very soft and pulled apart with ease. The flavours were quite unique. It was nice, but I don't think I would order it again. Roti: average, I've had better. Overall, nice experience with food and service. However, I noticed customers who dine here can be quite aggressive and rude for no reason?!? which kind of ruined my 'holistic' dining experience.

Bigfatdada

Amazing lunch last week. We loved the Betel Leaf, Crab, Kaffir Lime and Chilli (top) and the Roast Duck Salad with Lychee. My favourite dish was the Crispy Skinned Hapuka with Sticky pork. Sooo good. I'll let the photos do the talking.

Pedro K

Not going to be back there again. I was expecting a perfect food and service by all this reviews. They could not even handle few tables on quite sunday. Price too expensive for what i have recieved. I know its ponsonby but still ripp of comparing to other 100 restaurants in ponsonby Not my place. Sorry

Sophie Rachael

Delicious food and wine.Great service.Had the set menu, huge amounts of delicious food for $60.Had a really lovely evening, though I find the food over-sugared.... Every course was sooooo sweet.Some times it's nice to taste the sourness or flavours and spices... Atleast leave the sugar out of a couple dishes or sauces! Still was full of flavour, dont get me wrong!Also not sure they change the menu much?I was there for my work Christmas party last November and it was the exact same thing/set menu!It was packed on a Thursday night so I dont think my complaint or thoughts mean anything at all!:)

Brunchalicious

Bustling hip and exotic! Food is fresh , spicy and unique. Not suited for a quiet private conversation at least not on a Wednesday evening. Great for people watching and obviously one of the places to be seen! If that is not your aim... And it wasn't mine... Still go for the yummy food!

Travels4Food

Stunning melt in your mouth duck curry packed full of spices. The roti is flaky and buttery and soaks up the curry beautifully. Fresh and tangy green papaya salad balances the heat well.

Donna&Shane

We popped in here for a quick dinner to try it... It was on a Sunday so luckily we got a table ok as it did start to fill up after us! If you like coriander and chilli then this is the place to come. A must try are the prawn cakes... Yum...The hot wings are hot! The lamb ribs were tender and the shredded chicken salad very tasty and abit spicy too! The crispy Hapuka was delicious... Very generous portions but we did share the trifle afterwards and yum great way to finish our meal. Excellent service. Will definitely be back for more....

Erica Huynh

The food is very nice and the restaurant design is very beautiful! All the staffs are friendly and helpful as well! Will definitely come back here for lunch!

Berna

First time having dinner here. The atmosphere and the staff was really lovely. Def would recommend this place. And of course I will come back to try more dishes. The prawn cakes and the vege pork rolls are my fave so far!

J.T547

I have come to Mekong Baby a few times and each visit has been exceptional. The food comes out very quickly and is fresh and bursting with flavour. The pork belly and the green fish curry were stand outs for me. Great atmosphere and service Highly recommended for any type of evening!

Wanderlust

We got the Hot wings, beef tartare, the special which was roast duck with mushrooms and greens, Asian mixed greens and some drinks. In total just over $100 which was good as we were very full. My favourite dish was the duck special, the duck was perfectly cooked, and the mushrooms were very good. Close behind that was the beef tartare delicious and fresh. We were sat outside because we didn't book, but they kindly seated us and popped the heater on. Very bustly environment, possibly a bit rowdy for the time of day (patrons doing shots before 7 on a Wednesday). Service was efficient, friendly and helpful, we had a lovely French waitress who was brilliant from the get go.

Flora

Everything I tried here is fantastic, and every time it never fail to please. The dishes are mixed Asian flavor and European presentation.Calamari for starter is fresh and yummy. you will love pork belly and duck curry if you uv it with steamed rice. lamb shoulder is juicy. fire chicken will make you on fire because it's extreme hot. the staffs there are friendly and helpful. please make sure you make appointment before you go as it's really popular!

Laura Hunt

Amazing. Seriously. When my bf and I walked in I instantly knew I'd enjoy my night. I was surprised at how busy it was for a Wednesday night, there were people everywhere and the beautifully decorated room was filled with talking and music. Definitely my kind of place! From the start the service was great. The woman looking after us was bubbly and full of energy, which made me excited about things to come. The food. Wow. We ordered two small plates - Vietnamese spring rolls and prawn cakes, and two bigger plates - the pork belly and massaman curry. I was shocked at how fast the food came out - so make sure you're hungry on arrival. Between two of us this was the perfect amount of food, the portion sizes were very generous. The rolls were fresh and delicious, I loved dipping them in the hoisin sauce. I also couldn't get over how good the prawn cakes were. These together were the perfect start to the meal. Next came the pork belly - I was expecting big things due to all the ranting and raving about it I had seen on zomato... Honestly I was not disappointed. Oh my goodness... Every bite was a melt in your mouth burst of flavour, no pork belly I've had before can compare. Last came the curry, it was spicier than I had anticipated but still every bit delicious. I loved everything. I was so gutted that after all this we were just too full for dessert, but I guess I'm just going to HAVE to go back :p

Kat M

We visited Mekong Baby on Sunday for a staff dinner. The food itself was great, however there were many faults with the service that ultimately left us feeling disappointed. Firstly we had to wait around 15 minutes just to get the attention of a waitress to order drinks, and after we'd ordered (for four people) half the drinks arrived after another 15 minutes and the rest took about 25 minutes and we had to ask where they were. For food we ordered; fresh spring rolls, prawn cakes, sashimi and hot wings. Mains; fire chicken, roast duck curry, Asian stir fried vege, lamb shoulder and pork belly. The meals were all delicious and full of flavour and spice (bar the prawn cakes which we never even got but were charged for). The only negative about the food was the hot wings were a bit too sweet and sticky as if they were had just had a bottle of sweet chilli poured over the top, and the duck in the curry was pretty tough. We asked for the small plates as an entree to share, and the larger plates after we'd finished. They did not tell us that they bring things out as they are ready, which meant we received the spring rolls first, next dish (main) 10 minutes later and everything else came out after that in 5 minute intervals. There was not even nearly enough room on the table for everything and we had to rush through the smaller plates to make room for everything else on table. By the time we finished everything we realised we hadn't had the sashimi which we asked for, this was brought out after we'd finished everything. The service was extremely lacking, it seemed as if the waitresses were unaware of the basics such as listening to orders, refilling drinks or even smiling!!! We had to get their attention every time, and they would take 1 persons drink order after we asked, and then walk off without taking anyone else's order. The service and issues with missing dishes/drinks really put a damper on what should have been a really awesome evening. We realised after we got home that the prawn cake dish had never arrived and we were still charged for it. It seems as if Mekong Baby is more focussed on the volume of people coming through and getting the food out as quick as possible, rather than the quality of the experience for their diners. At over $300 for shared dining between 4 people, we were definitely expecting better. I wouldn't return for dinner unless the service improves.

Gidz Khalifa

Well done Mekong you are doing a marvellous job here ! exquisite food and great range of Asian cuisine! these guys are busy for a reason and they know how to do food good! make sure you book in advance otherwise you may be disappointed

Melissa Pond

Lovely Thursday lunch. Little cold at this time of year out front but nice to sit outside. Ribs as a starter were fantastic melted off the bone and loved the crunch. Duck curry had amazing flavours let down little by legs could have been more melt in your mouth like the lamb ribs.

#1

This place has an interesting look and feel, a fusion of fine dining and a modern bar. Service was overall quick and staff was communicative. A couple of dishes fell significantly short of cosmopolitan expectations.

Sgnz

Not recommended at all. Had the vietnamese veg roll and the veg crepe and fire cracker chicken. The roll had a bitter taste, the crepe had a sauce with it which had a rubber band in it (I complained and all that was done was the sauce was changed and the person serving us said sorry), and the chicken was so chewy, had to leave the whole dish. Bad experience. Evening got spoilt.

Sarah Parke

Wow! Went on a date here and the food by far was outstanding. The wine they gave us with the food worked incredibly well. The staff were so friendly. I can't wait to eat here again #gidschallenge

Tina Harrison

We went there for my daughters 21'st today. The staff were amazing I think we had the most excited wait staff in creation. I had enquired about the opium den but hadn't booked it, when we got there they had booked it for us. The food was amazing came out at a perfect place and so much of it!! The drinks were fantastic, the one that wasn't liked was taken and replaced. The chilli mohito .. Omg!! We had the crossing to indo chine banquet unbelievable, my girls who didn't eat chilli loved the hot wings, we got nervous that the fire chicken was coming after.... But the hot wings were hotter and devine Will be back and thanks to the staff today best wait staff I've ever had!

Pearl

We arrived at Mekong with a reservation for 10 people. We were there celebrating my friend's birthday & I really had no expectations for mekong baby. Firstly, our waitress was a bit rude. She told us the "rules" of the restaurant namely that food comes in no particular order, everything can be shared because portion sizes are big & that they don't offer takeaway. So far I wasn't really liking my experience. We ordered cocktails. I had the spicy lychee which was quite gingery but nevertheless strong. The braised pork starter was excellent. Crispy pork skin with succulent meat. An absolute winner! The beef curry was the best dish of the night. Simmering spicy flavours with slow cooked beef pieces that fell apart with the slightest touch. So good! The food was a 10/10. I didn't find the portions to be huge as proclaimed by our waitress but I dismissed it as portion sizes can be subjective. Also, my friend had baked an amazing cake for her birthday which we had brought to the restaurant to eat after we finished dinner. We asked the waitress to put it in the fridge while we ate the delectable Vietnamese food. We then proceeded to pay the bill, stomachs full & sated especially after eating cake that my friend had made. Alas, we discovered something really wrong with the bill. They charged us 25 dollars as "cake price" just to keep a cake in their fridge! Another guest at our table who's a manager at a reputable restaurant explained calmly to our waitress that other restaurants definitely don't charge a "cake price" especially for something that we bought ourselves. Our waitress seemed to be pretty annoyed & sulkingly removed it from our bill. I would highly recommend mekong baby for their amazing fusion food but they definitely need to figure out their customer service & train their staff well because even the tiniest things can be a dampener on customer's moods. I would still go there for the amazing food.

Edmond Young

Second time coming here and it was better than the first. Came here for Father's Day and the service was still top notch. Had the papaya salad, goat curry, hapuka, pork belly and pad see ew. The in-laws were impressed with the flavours and presentation. Needless to say we all enjoyed ourselves.

Nathalie

Love Mekong baby! Always busy but staff are very quickly and friendly. Great fusion flavours and price range. Portion sizes were also great! My fav would be the pork belly and their duck curry. Plenty of choices for drinks and they make the best cocktail!

Disha

This place is buzzy and a complete care taker. The cocktails- Mekong Mary and Ginger Mojito are fabulous. Some great retreat for your palate if you like Asian flavours with a twist. The fascinating vanity parlour is the highlight- it's so quirky decorated with rich violet colour. Totally recommend this for a nice feast with mates or just for a quiet romantic dinner.

A Tale Of Two Tummies

Food ordered: Prawn Cakes Braised Pork Belly Kaffir Lime & Ginger Chocolate Mousse Steamed Jasmine Rice Bill: $50 Big tummy: To start off with, I would have loved to give Mekong Baby a higher rating, but there was a bit of a shocking mix up with the dessert (more on than later) which lost them a point. We had been meaning to try MB for a while now after hearing so many good things about it, and having finally been able to get a table, the majority of the meal lived up to the hype. We were greeted immediately by a friendly waitress who guided us to our table and continued to tend to us and engage us in conversation until we had left the restaurant. Five stars for the waitress. The food itself was everything we expected and more. The prawn cakes were absolutely divine and impossible to fault. For the price, they were actually surprisingly portioned and we were comfortably able to share it between the two of us. MB is famous for their braised pork belly and it's not hard to see why. It is quite simply the best pork belly in Auckland. Sticky, sweet... perfectly complimented by the salad on top... it is quite simply deliciousness redefined. Again, the portion size didn't disappoint either and we were able to share the dish between us. If the night had ended here, I would have happily given MK a 4.5 or 5 star rating. But sadly, there was a bit of a hiccup when it came to dessert. We originally placed an order for the apple and walnut tart with ice cream, but after an unusually long wait nothing had arrived at the table. In the end the waitress came up to us (notably it was of her own accord too... no prompting was required, which really highlights how good our waitress was) to advise that the kitchen had actually run out of the dessert and would have had to start from scratch to make a new one. Considering we'd already waited quite a long time, we simply didn't want to wait for the dish to now be made. If the kitchen had advised our waitress earlier we might've been able to order the dessert we wanted, but sadly there appeared to have been a breakdown in communication from the kitchen. Very disappointing end to an otherwise exceptional night. We will definitely return to give MB a second chance though and to hopefully try the apple and walnut tart we wanted. Little tummy: My boyfriend finally managed to get us a table at MB, after we'd heard so many great things about it, so admittedly we turned up to the restaurant with high expectations. After the first few dishes, it became pretty apparent that the hype is justified. The entree of prawn cakes, for me, was the highlight of the night. I might be biased, because prawns are my favourite, but they were seriously out of this world. The pork belly was delicious, though I wasn't a big fan of the accompanying salad. I largely left that to my boyfriend who will eat anything. The only thing that really disappointed me with our experience was the confusion regarding our dessert. As a dessert aficionado, I really had my heart set on the apple and walnut tart, so having to settle for another dessert due to lack of communication from the kitchen was a rather disappointing way to end the meal. Sadly, we ended up ordering a chocolate mousse instead that just didn't quite cut it for me either. I found the mousse to be too sweet and it was a bit hard. Really not what we were looking for in a dessert. Overall though, we would definitely be willing to come back to MB... the prawn cakes are worth it alone!

Louise MacNaughton

Yummy starters and awesome quality of food but after tasting everyone's food it all started to taste very similar. Definitely worth the price, huge portions and lovely attentive wait staff :)

Tanya Kerr

Every time i've come here it's been absolutely divine. I love places with sharing plates because it means more variety which gives mekong mega points! The food comes out super fast and they always have an assortment of sauces to go with each dish which makes for a flavorsome meal. The meat is always cooked perfectly. The cocktails they offer are delicious and unique. Places to sit outside and people watch. I've only come here when it's been quiet but I am very keen to see what the vibe is like during dinnertime because the space is open and would create an energetic atmosphere. I would recommend this place for sure!

Katia Collins

This restaurant has a great ambiance to it. The service is good and it has a nice feel to it (you'll have to make reservations beforehand though). It's always packed and that's understandable: if you try one thing, make it the braised pork. It is AMAZING. My life has never been the same since that pork. The chicken wings are delicious as well but very spicy so be warned if you have low spice tolerance. Overall a great place!

Shannon Stensness

Food was absolutely amazing, went there for a birthday and had banquet of 13 courses and every dish was delicious, the pork belly was mouth watering and I am definately going back

Adam Jumaiat

Well worth a visit. Probably the best south East Asian in town. Had the crab betel leaf for beginners and roasted duck for main and both dishes were absolutely divine. Good service although a little slow, very friendly and advisable. Will be back

Julia Nguyen

Been to restaurant on my friend's birthday. We all think the food here is really good and it could be one of the best Vietnamese restaurant in Auckland. Personally I quite like their braised pork belly and smashed green papaya salad :) Food is little pricy but staff is friendly and food tasted good so we were happy what we paid for.

Iris Peng

Pork belly and fire chicken are definately the two amazing dishes that I would reorder for next visit. Also a relaxing place for friends gathering.

Jamie Lyons

We arrived and it took some time for the staff, who seems disengaged, to seat us. However once seated our waiter was attentive and the food arrived quickly. The shredded duck salad with red nam jim was our highlight. Mekong Baby is the type of place you'd want to return for, as when you order you never really know what you're getting, but the dish always lives up to it's expectations.

Russel Dias

Ive been here twice now and and both times I was absolutely blown away. The food is delicious and the place has a really cool atmosphere. Its definitely one of my favourite restaurants in Ponsonby. Staff were lively and full of energy. Very knowledgable in regards to the menu. As far as dishes go, my favourites would definitely be the prawn cakes and the braised pork belly!!! Both are must trys!!!

Georgia Forde

Been here multiple times and it never fails to impress me. Great service, wonderful atmosphere and fantastic food and drinks! Ideal for sharing lots of dishes so you get to try all the delicious food they have to offer. The green fish curry and the yellow tofu and pumpkin curry are hands down the best curries I have ever tasted! The papaya salad is also a must try! Definitely recommend as a top eat around Auckland!

Sam Nouri

Great service from Cara and the team. Excellent food and a lively, vibrant atmosphere that was both classy and fun. I would highly recommend the "let's eat" option, A nine course meal with vastly different dishes including salads, seafood, pork belly and more. Will definitely be returning!

GideonMarisa MasterchefNz2015

Amazing food and outstanding service, the head chef has got everything on this menu spot on! The busy atmosphere is testament of the quality of the dishes being served up!

A

Incredible ! The flavours are like nothing I have ever tasted, this place has great atmosphere. Would recommend trying the pork belly! the service is outstanding and can't wait to return. Highly recommend

Natalie Janet

Great food, service and advice when ordering. I am gluten free and was able to order a number of things to share with everyone and we found that every dish was outstanding. The Wagyu was a true highlight though. Highly recommend this place.

SS

The food, service, decor, ambiance everything is 10/10!! Seriously couldn't fault Mekong Baby if i tried. We tried a couple of items between two of us and all were spectacular. We ordered the prawn cakes, the mango, sticky pork and prawn salad, the wok fried squid and the braised pork belly. For dessert, we had the apple and walnut pie I definitely recommended the pork belly - it's beyond amazing. Words can't quite explain how delicious it is. The salad was refreshing and tasty and I can't wait to try the rest! The prawn cakes were actually surprisingly amazing. Not something I'd usually order, but my friend insisted and I'm surely glad we did! Service was great! They surely do know their stuff and know exactly what to recommend. They sure do have great personalities! I must also mention that food comes out reaaaaallllly quick so make sure you're hungry when you order!! Seriously can't wait to come back 😊

Amber McIver

Love Mekong baby. Their shredded chicken salad and pork bellie us amazing. The only issue is you have to plan and book in advance rather than walking in. Always full which is a good sign.

Dave Son

Really cool spot always improving and the staff always deliver it really speaks for itself on a great level with its food and drinks list don't think you would be disappointed if you tried it!

Pia Crawford

Great atmosphere, friendly staff and vibrant flavours! Mekong Baby is one of my local favourites for a meal or just popping in for a drink. Ponsonby's best.

Judy Chhy

Awesome atmosphere! LOVED the food, fusion food with authentic roots from Asia. We ordered the spicy chicken and if red beef curry, the chicken was a really memorable dish nice flavours and packs a punch in your mouth. It's not too spicy but gives enough of a kick everything on the plate was there for a reason. The curry also had delicious flavours to it too. We ordered mock tails aswell they were very sour which I absolutely love! Overall everything I ordered I finished with a smile on my face. I will defs be back soon!! And the ladies bathrooms look amazing!!

Seamus M.

Mekong baby is really good!! I fell in love with this place through instagram. My sister and I were very excited to go here, as we saw photos of their food. Mekong is the best Asian fusion restaurant I have been to. It is at the top of my Asian fusion list - I don't think I would go anywhere else for Asian Fusion but Mekong Baby. The food is really good. We ordered quite a bit - curries, braised pork, fish with sticky pork, roti, rice and spicy chicken and other dishes. The most outstanding dishes was the braised pork it is to die for, best braised pork belly I have had! I would reorder again. The fish with the sticky pork was very nicely cooked and the sticky pork topped it off. The curries were amazing too. The roti is really good too. All the dishes we had were yummy!! It was worth the triple digit price, as the dishes have many divine flavours and the meat is cooked to perfection and the salad were juicy full of flavours. ---- Recently been back food still amazing! Service was much better, friendly and kind staff.

Louise

Teenage favourite restaurant & didn't disappoints. Tried the beef curry for the first time just melted in your mouth. Crab beetle leaves never disappoint but I thought rice paper rolls were a bit too cold - like they'd just come out of the fridge. A must go to restaurant.

Natasha Kapoor

I went to Mekong Baby with a friend few months ago and it was a great experience. The décor and ambience is very well done, eye catching without being overwhelming. Food was fantastic too. I would recommend the roast duck, so yummy!

Blaine Stevenson

Mekong Baby is such a treat. Went along last night with my partner and family and most likely had too much to drink but that was just because I was enjoying myself too much.

Duncan Galletly

If you were honest it would be hard not to like Mekong Baby. Billed as a “clever recreation of South East Asian fusion”, I’m not certain what is actually being recreated. I only know that the fit-out is very clever, the place is very popular and the food is delicious. I’ve been several times, the last on a wet Auckland Sunday evening. Despite the weather Mekong was maybe three quarters full. It was warm, cosy and the flurorescent glow under the bar, coupled to the green walls and large mirrors lent it a classy feeling. We had three cocktails and seven dishes to share between three. The cocktails : Elderflower martini: A reasonably gentle saki/gin concoction with mint and elderflower. The elderflower wasn’t too forward and the saki/gin I thought a littl awkward. Rose and Lychee Martini: - rose with gin, lychee, lemon and grapefruit bitters. Again reasonably gentle - good, well balanced, and pleasant. Snow Kiss: Mint, lychee, vodka and bubbles. This was the most assertive, perhaps given a cutting edge by the presence of the bubbles. This, I thought, was the most moreish. Food : Kingfish sashimi: Gentle flavours – would definitely reorder. Pork cheek and clam salad: Ok but probably wouldn’t. Hot wings: Powerful eye watering sweet chilli – I loved them. Would definitely reorder. Beef tartare with (?)sous vide quails egg: - gentle, not the easiest thing to eat with chopsticks. Possibly reorder. Vietnamese pork rolls: Heavy on the salad but nice – would probably reorder. Roast duck salad with lychee and cucumber: Good, plenty of duck, good flavours. Would probably reorder. Wok fried squid. – Crispy, flavoursome – would definitely reorder. We were perfectly happy sticking to the cocktails and sparkling mineral water. But a reasonably good selection of interesting spirits as well as bitters. The only cider wasn’t a cider. It is called a pear cider which isn’t a cider it’s really a perry – the fault of the manufacturer. Cider is made with apples, pure and simple. It would have been good to have a real cider on the list. The wine list seemed OK but reasonably pricey - $75 for the cheapest pinot noir. Service – odd, slightly false, and clearly there were some negative issues going on between staff. It was fast and at times perhaps a little too much so. Mekong is a class act. Great interior and ambience and, tapping into a South East Asian treasure box of punchy flavours it can’t go wrong. Date night: Definitely Kids: Older kids, yes OK for an older demographic: Yes Music (can I have a conversation?): Good Foodies: Yes Groups: Definitely Birthdays etc: Yes Value for money: Not a cheap eat but its OK for ponsonby. Recommended

Bindu Sethuram

Our first time at Mekong Baby....what a pleasant and exciting experience! Highly recommended for people who love food bursting with so many flavours and love to share! The bustling energy of the place is very upbeat. We had a very charming waitress who was very friendly and very helpful with recommending popular dishes and suggesting quantities for our table of 3. We ordered the Kingfish Sashimi and Wagyu beef in beetal leaves for starters and both were very nice. For the mains, we ordered the Caramelised Pork Belly, the Hapuka with Sticky Pork and they were all flavoursome and fabulous. The meats very tender too. My favourite would be the Wagyu Beef and the Hapuka with sticky Pork! We should have stopped at that, but because we were so greedy and wanted to experiment more, we ordered and an extra Red Beef Curry with rice. That was beautiful too, but by then we were so overstuffed and could not even attempt any of the unusual desserts on the menu that we were also looking forward to trying! We will have to come back again!! Thank you Mekong Baby, great job!!

Mariamjafer

I'm a huge Asian fusion fan and Mekong Baby is honestly the best Asian restaurant. The food is full of flavour and every meal is beautifully presented. My all time favourite meal there is the prawn, pork and mango salad. Seriously delicious because just as you think you're getting too much of that rich yet delicious pork that tangy mango cuts through it and give you that little burst of sweetness. As a starter are usually order for my whole table as I know the menu inside out. I always order the wok fried squid it is absolutely a must have a specially with the spicy nuoc pham source that accompanies it. Another personal favourite is the spicy chicken wings: beware, when they say spicy of the menu they really mean spicy it is honestly so hot but if you can handle it, you will love it. As far as drinks go I always order the Ko fi lee as it is a great refreshing drink that can really help you if you've eaten something a bit spicy. Altogether I think Mekong Baby is probably one of my favourite restaurants. Not only is the service fantastic but the food is very worthwhile and makes up for the prices. Not to be missed and highly recommend if you're in the Ponsonby area, also great for big groups. A bit pricey but well worth it!

Lena Guo

Was very excited to try this place. The food was amazing, full of flavour. We ordered two salads and two small plates between the two of us. It was more than sufficient. The highlight of this dining experience was the mocktails, we ordered a chilli and ginger mo-no-ni and ko phi le both were delicious. However the only let down to this experience was the service. The staff was nice but did not seem friendly or very welcoming. Overall experience was great.

Jess Pendergrast

Mekong Baby is always full of energy and has a fantastic atmosphere. They are another restaurant doing fusion cuisine well. I have been there a couple of times for dinner and loved it every time. The food is always full of flavour and it’s a great place to catch up with a group of friends. Since we were celebrating a birthday, we decided to start with a cocktail. I can’t remember which cocktail I had but I do remember it being really delicious. They have a huge variety of cocktails to choose from so make sure you try one. The menu is packed with lots of options so it’s a good place to go if you like sharing. I love their roast duck, lychee, cucumber, red nam jim salad ($20) as it’s spicy and packed with lots of flavour. I have also ordered the betal leaf, crab, kaffir lime and chilli entrees ($6 each) and they were pretty small so I wouldn’t purchase them again. From the dessert menu I had their kafir lime and ginger chocolate cheesecake ($13). I love anything with ginger and chocolate so this was definitely a hit for me. The service is sometimes lacking and both times I have been we have had to wait awhile for the food to arrive. However the food and cocktails are good so they are still worth checking out.

Where.iate

Lovely restaurant, lovely atmosphere, lovely food! Bustling with energy, this place really lifts your mood up as soon as you walk through the door. Although on a Friday night, it was already full by 630pm, and a table indoors would be a bit of a wait, we opted to be seated outdoors right next to the heater. It was a chilly night, but at our corner table with the heater directly facing us, it was rather hot and there was no wind at all! How perfect. We ordered the Madurese Goat Curry - absolutely devine! One of the best curries I have ever had. If you love goat, I would highly recommend. We also ordered the Crispy-Skinned Hapuka with Sweet and Sticky Pork - a wonderful dish and the thin bits of pear really brightened up the dish. We should have listened to our waitress and kept it at that, as she did say the mains are on the larger side. However, we also ordered the Wagyu and lemongrass as a entrée (which arrived last). It was kind of like Wagyu in sausage form. Kind of wished we did not order that, mostly because we were too full by then to enjoy anything else! Almost forgot to mention, the roti was beautiful! All in all, really enjoyed my experience here and would return again.

Lisa Whyte

I was pleasantly surprised with this dining experience. There are a few fusion places around and when I viewed the menu online I wasn't that thrilled. But they did surpass my expectations. I had shared Vietnamese pork rolls as a started and shared the small squid and Pad See Ew with braised beef skirt as a main and both were delicious. I also tried the braised pork belly and it was to die for. I may just return for the pork belly.

Lauren Cluff

Absolutely devine! Have been a couple of times with a big group of friends and we get the banquet menu. Excellent value for money! You get so many delicious dishes and each one stands out. They are spicy dishes but that suits us. You leave super full and satisfied and won't be disappointed!

Girlygirl

Just had dinner here with friends was outstanding. Kingfish sushimi, pork Vietnamese rolls, squid then pork belly and slow cooked lamb shoulder dessert chocolate and lime mousse, apple tart and coconut and ? Icecream. Flavours amazing great service and reasonably priced also. Return being planned already!!!

Nick Stuhlmann

One of my favourite restaurants in Auckland! Love the food, bang on point. The menu is flavoursome, unique and diverse. Service is great and staff are friendly.

Pooja Pamula

Amazing food, great service.....banquet options were splendid......loved the quail egg, goat curry and pork belly ..... can't wait to go back .....

Kirk Sweeney

This place came highly regarded so my partner and myself were quite excited for this one. Wagu - was delivered on the plate as a sausage, nice flavour but not the greatest texture. Pork cheek - this was probably my favourite dish, the flavour of the pork cheek with the salad and dressing was an awesome combination. Don't know why clams were on the plate though, they were under seasoned and chewy. Lamb rib - the cook on the lamb rib was perfect, the only let down that the sauce and salad were under whelming. They should visit lucky Buddha to see how it should be done. Duck curry - we were expecting a thick creamy curry, with delicious and well cooked duck. The sauce was quite watery and didn't have very much depth of flavour. The fat wasn't rendered on the duck and the chunks of pineapple were too big and seemed like an after thought. Pad see ew - this dish was nice enough, but nothing special. Salted caramel coconut sundae - upon reading this on the menu I was expecting coconut ice cream with a caramel sauce, but it was just 2 flavoured ice creams with a tasteless jelly. The praline was nice but overall was pretty average and not what I would call a sundae Chocolate, ginger and kafir lime mousse - this was extremely rich and quite dense, was more like a ganache. It had a Browne base which has big chunks of ginger in it which was over powering. The only lime was in a tiny bit of cream to the side of the plate. We ended up taking the coconut ice cream from our sundae to eat with the mousse as it was so sickly. Overall we were disappointed, the meal cost $170 and was on a similar level to the $30 Thai I had the other day. Don't believe the hype.

Poricasol

This place never disappoints me. Great service and atmosphere. Braised pork belly and goat curry both have lots of flavours and fragrance but also just with the right amount. It's my regular spot in Ponsonby. Highly recommend.

Julie

My bf and I came here for dinne on our first anniversary. Staff were friendly and I enjoyed the food so delicious and the serving was huge which was a bunos, lovely surprise for our first time in the this place..I already told my bf we definitely be going back here. However, when we finish our 3 course meal my bf when to the toilet while I was just waiting in our table, one of the staff member start clearing that table which I didn't mind but what pissed me off that he just sprayed the table without even saying excuse me...I was very disappointed I looked at the guy really pissed off and see if he will get the idea that he was being rude. .he just looked at me and keep spraying like wtf dude I am a payiny customer..we paid couple of $$ that night for our food and drinks and how dare you do that..so rude. No manners at all..didn't even apologize. Because of that actions of one of your staff we never came back.

CD

Beautiful south east asian-fusion food here. A must try is the pork belly, amazing flavours and just heavenly. Every time my bf and I go, pork belly is a must for us. The salads are great too, very flavourful and fresh. Overall a great place to enjoy a lovely lunch or dinner, however sometimes service can be a hit and miss

Franck Hesse

Been here once with the family. Not a big choice of kids dishes and all is spicy. Definitely worth it on a date or with friends, but not with kids.

Don Shrimpton

We've heard about this place from friends and they raved about it, so we thought we better try it for ourselves. We came Sunday night approx. 6:30pm, there were approx. 20 - 30 diners already and we managed to get a table for 2 adults and 1 toddler without any reservations (very accomodating). All I can say is that we were so lucky we got in 30mins early before the dinner rush, which started around 7pm. The place was practically full when we left about 8pm. I would suggest to get a booking before you come. The waitress we had was most helpful and attentive. We ordered 2x small beginnings (the squid and the lamb ribs), 1x little bigger (pork belly) & 1x happy endings (coconut sago). Stand out dishes are the lamb ribs and pork belly for us. They are to die for and must try when you visit this place. The meat was so tender and moist and the flavour combinations are outstanding! (my words don't do it justice - you have to try them). The coconut sago with puffed black rice was different, but delicious and refreshing at the same time. My only dislike was the puffed black rice. I see where they are going with it in terms of flavour, texture and colour, but a number of the black rice was a bit too hard to eat. The squid was average, but still delicious. Overall we had a great night with great food. We will definately be back for more. Highly recommended when you are in a look out for a "social type" dinning venue.

Toni Wilson

Food at Mekong Baby was delicious, I'm always a fan of restaurants that encourage sharing plates; everything I tried had excellent flavor and was cooked perfectly. I don't recall any food being left behind on the plates when we were done. The restaurant was full and had great atmosphere, service was fast and friendly!

Vitale Eti

After reading a few not so great reviews and then experiencing MB for myself, I give this estab. a 5. Yes it was packed and yes we waited a little while for our food, but this was to be expected and well worth it. We just ordered a couple of bottles of wine and caught up w. each other before our feast extravaganza. The staff were great and were nothing but courteous and helpful. Before dinner we had cocktails, I had the Inner City Dragon and Chilli and Ginger Mojito (warning! for those of you who don't like too much heat, these cocktails aren't for you!) I loved them.! As a group of 8, we proclaimed "let's eat!" As per the menu instructions and for $60 pp, got a banquet of something like 9 courses, plus desserts. Definitely the best choice! We were w.out a fuss, also able to swap out the green fish curry for the wok fried squid. RED SOUTHEAST JUNCTION BANQUET We all left feeling absolutely sated. @ -Betel leaves, crab, kafir lime & chilli -Kingfish sashimi, green nam Kim, coconut & basil -Crispy chilli spiced lamb ribs, coriander THE BEST DISH -Smashed green papaya salad, roasted red chilli, prawn floss, peanuts, snake beans, cherry tomato & lime -Braised pork belly, caramelised chilli & soy, asian slaw NEXT BEST DISH -Wok fried squid, nuoc Cham, Vietnamese mint -Madurese goat curry, lime & coconut -fire chicken , pickled daikon, cucumber, iceberg -Pad see ew, braised wagyu skirt, Kai lan, rolled rice noodles, crispy shallots -Jasmine Rice & roti DESSERT -Coconut sago, vanilla ice cream, puffed wild rice -Kaffir lime & ginger chocolate mousse DELECTABLE and even though online it say one bill per table, we all got to split it and pay separately. As a side note, because my wife always notices. The amenities are very cool and very clean. ?

Myles Mulder

Well u don't have to wait long for a meal here. 10 min and our food was already hitting the table ?? Staff were friendly and knew what to recommend "pork belly" oh my god! Yummo!!

Larissa Denton

WOW WOW WOW!!! I haven't had so many original dishes served up to me in years! Literally! This food was SO deeply flavourful I nearly wept with joy. It warms my heart to know there are still chefs in Auckland that are passionate enough about food to serve up such delights. If I could give more than 5 stars I would. THANK-YOU Mekong Baby...I am in love with dining out once more!!!

Aucklandfoodlover

Must try : Kingfish Sashimi for entrée and Pad see ew One of my favorite restaurants in Auckland. Good ambience and great selection of food. Pork belly is good too.

Rong Shi

Another exotic option presented by the same owner of Moo Chow Chow and Blue Breeze Inn. Full flavor of the East, not for the weak palette, infused with a modern plating and a trendy deco. Although my cocktail fail short compared to my companions' yummy mock-tails, the pork belly is definitely my favorite with four sides of crackling - four times the love! The vinegar cuts through the oily taste and brings refreshment to the dish, amazeballs. The Papaya salad is also a must like always. Overall a good continuation from the previous success of the same owner.

Ross Matthews

Went on a Thursday night, was in a large group so had the upstairs to ourselves. Would have preferred to be less excluded but logistically I guess that wasn't possible. Got the set menu, there was so much food. Too much but I guess that's not a bad problem to have. However the food was great, loved it just wish I had known there would be so much so I could have paced myself. Overall was great, food was the highlight. Would recommend!

Sarah Jane

Mekong Baby is an absolute favourite restaurant of mine. The decor is divine ,with seperate areas for groups ,great bar,and outside seating. I always like to start with the Betel leaves and then move on to the bigger dishes Sticky pork belly ,goat curry fresh spring rolls,braised beef and Bok Choy,its all divine,I haven't found found a thing on this menu I dont like .Theres also the option to get the just Say lets Eat,$60 per head and the food just keeps coming.. And the cocktails are fabulous two. Definately one of Aucklands best ..

T!N@ss

Two words...Pork belly ✋????????☝??????????➕✔️? (and a whole lotta emoticons!).

Julia Foster

My 2nd visit even better than the 1st, fantastic food , great service, a seamless experience..cant wait for the 3rd visit.. Oh and one last word.. Porkbelly

UltimateOmNoms

There’s something satisfying about finding a restaurant that ticks all the right boxes, at least in my books. Fusion cuisine has taken New Zealand by storm, and let’s be honest, there’s more misses than hits. Weird combinations of ingredients like blue cheese dumplings had me quite apprehensive about any self-labeled Asian fusion restaurant. In comes Mekong Baby in Ponsonby which had been recommended me to me many times by chefs and serious foodies. Walking in, I already took a liking to the interior. It was spacious with plenty of different seating arrangements for group dinners or date nights. The decor was young and trendy, the essence of what Ponsonby is about. To start, we each had a betel leaf with crab, kaffir lime and chilli which was so moreish and delicious, it set the tone and an eager expectation to try the other food. Absolutely go with people who love to share dishes, it’s a good excuse to order just about everything on the menu. The braised pork belly was SO good. A juicy succulent pork belly with crispy crackling is so rare, let alone be it so bouncy and full of flavour. I don’t even normally like pork and it was my favourite that night. Accompanied with caramelised chilli and soy with an Asian slaw, it balanced out the carnivorous element. The beef tartare with nashi and yuzu mayo was a beautifully presented dish. Mixed together, it was very creamy and the nashi crisps gave it a lighter balance. It was mellow and enjoyable but I felt like it could have incorporated some punch through the flavours or different textures. Another favourite was the prawn, sticky pork and mango salad, with the highlight being the sticky pork. In my opinion, you can’t go wrong with a mango salad, and the prawns and pork complemented each other so well. All the elements are quite sweet though, so maybe that’s why we didn’t have a craving or room for dessert afterwards. The crispy rice flour crepes were probably the only let down. It wasn’t crispy when it arrived and the fillings of mushroom and fried tempeh were mild in flavour. I’ve started to train myself to eat chilli and I had to add copious spoonfuls of the chilli jam in attempt to rescue some flavour in the dish. Overall, I can’t wait to find the excuse to go back again. It’s a perfect venue for group dinners or celebrations because if you book in advance you can secure a private dining area. It has a vibrant and exciting atmosphere and the food is varied and adventurous. Thank you Mekong Baby for rescuing Asian fusion in Auckland!

Adeline

Love this place. Great atmosphere, lovely food, awesome service and yummy cocktails. The spiced lamb ribs is a favourite of mine - still tasting it on my tongue weeks after! :) We also ordered the pork belly (ehmagerd, the cripy skin is just to die for - melt in your mouth delish), crispy hapuka skin (it was okay, hapuka is not a fav dish of mine) and kailan (crunch crunch... just the way I like it). For drinks, I had the spicy lychee cocktail and my friend had a Bangkok tea cocktail, they were both cool refreshing. We would have ordered desserts too if we hadn't feasted like pigs on 4 mains! Be sure to order several wee plates to share so you can have a taste of everything. Service was commendable - our waitress was very helpful (in explaining how things work) and funny too - lovely girl with an American accent. Food arrived really quickly so that was great as we were hungry as. Lovely place, great for chilling out with your girlfriends and loved ones. Trust me, it's awfully hard to get a high rating from an Asian like me who's always cynical about 'fusion food' - but this really hits the spot!

Monica

Mekong Baby sits on the slightly higher end of the overdone, illustrious flurry of Asian fusion restaurants hitting Auckland. Taking inspirations from the Southeast, the menu showcases an array of tantalizing options; and how could we resist the pork belly. It was almost as good as the one my mum makes. The meat was exquisitely tender, flavour sweet yet tangy from the caramelised chili and soy well infused and the Asian slaw a fresh finish. Also bigger than it looks. We devoured the heart of palm salad, again flavourful to the brim and an exciting mix of ingredients, however was stingy on the salmon. Service began amateurishly, perhaps due to the zeal of the night, but did improve while I admire the exotic oriental decour. Cost wise is what you make of it; we frugally and happily spent $47 between 2 but if you're feeling affluent, triple digits it may be.

Kellie Lee

I'm personally a huge huge hugeeee fan of Asian Fusion and when I saw the menu for Mekong Baby, I knew I had to try it out and boy did it exceed my expectations. We went on a Wednesday night with a reservation at 6 when it was still relatively quiet, but it soon got busy and became a full house in less than an hour. p.s. I really loved the setting and atmosphere of the place, it was buzzing with energy but at the same time I found it a good place for date night too :DThe waitress, Cara ( AMAZING WAITRESS!) gave us our menus and took us through the most popular and her favourite dishes, resulting in us ordering the special crab dish, the braised pork belly and the mango salad. Pork Belly : holy schemoly words cannot describe how amazing this dish is. Like there's amazing, and then there's this !! perfectly cooked with a crispy outerior surrounding a melt in your mouth interior, glazed with a sticky sweet sauce ugh it was definitely the dish of the night! HIGHLY RECCOMENDED Mango salad: This was close to being my favourite dish ! The amount of mango was defintely generous ( which was refreshing ) and the little sticky pork bits went well with the prawns and the freshness of the salad! CRAB: This dish unfortunately, was a wrong order as the waitress had told us it would be stir fried not deep fried, however it was taken off the bill due to the misunderstanding. Wouldnt reccomend this dish at all! All I could taste was batter :( was grateful the restaurant was so understanding haha DESSERT!! We ordered the coconut sago with the puffed wild rice and if you are a fan of these south east asian puddings, I'd defintely reccomend! the sago was deliciously accompanied by the crunchy texture of the rice and the sweetness of the ice cream! one flaw i would pick on would be that more ice cream would have made the dish 10/10 as the sago was quite flavourless by itself, but it was overall a good finish to an amazing meal. Thank you mekong baby you've really done yourself proud :) would definitely return to try more of the menu

Philippa Bannerman

We dine at Mekong Baby a lot and I've decided it's the new favourite! The restaurant is large, busy and buzzing with atmosphere. The food is a true taste experience - bursting with zing! The sashimi is fabulous with a unique twist, perhaps lemon and coconut. I also love the Vietnamese rolls, chicken salad with coconut and grapefruit, papaya salad, pork belly, and the goat curry is a must! Great owner and maitre de. Sometimes the wait staff need a rattle along, perhaps not as experienced as some places.

Marilyn Moore

Great restaurant and great food and drink. This was our second time here the first time we had ceviche and 2 curries all were delicious and 5 out of 5. This recent visit it was a group of us and we had the banquet meal which is $60/ head, we were absolutely stuffed by the end of it and a great way to taste a selection of their menu. There were a couple of dishes not to our taste but majority was delicious, again the ceviche was a highlight. ..probably the best I've tasted, the ribs, pawpaw salad and rolled noodle dish was also great. They lost a point for service which was friendly but a little disjointed and we had to regularly remind them to bring drinks they had forgotten, also when the dishes were placed on the table there was no explanation of what it was which would have been helpful seeing as it was all a suprise what we were getting with the banquet ....at one stage I asked the waitress what a dish was and she said she didn't know as it was her first day....exceptable but she probably should have gone and asked and come back to tell us. Other than that we will definitely be back and after doing the banquet meal we know exactly what to order.....ceviche, ribs, pawpaw salad and duck curry, yum!

Chloe-Mae

Been here a few times for lunch and dinner and I am obssesed- after hearing John keen ate here I was like I have to try this and went back 2 times that week as i was in love- there beef pad see yew is amazing- the bettle leaf dumplings are even better I think we nearly tried everything in the menu and was thrilled with it all. Fingers crossed I get to go back soon, prob one of my fav places to eat in Auckland- ohh and the cocktails are to die for how could I forget to menchion them

J

This is one of my favourite restaurants and I love dining here. This restaurant is specifically great for sharing food with many people as the menu is created and called "sharing plates." Although the food is pricy, you can order a wide range of food to share between your friends so that you can experience the different foods that Mekong Baby has to offer. This has become a favourite amongst my friends and I. The flavours are strong and is definitely one to never forget. The atmosphere is great, the waiters are young, friendly etc. the dim lights are another great aspect of the cute, alternative restaurant. The food is of the best quality and in every dish, the food just balances. I highly recommend this restaurant for a party or large get together as the sharing plates are perfect for this type of event. I've been here multiple times and each visit gets better and better, exploring the menu. Many options to please all. Mariamjafer

Alex Wong

Wonderful cosy seating, with just the right amount of light for all those wanting to take Instagram pics. Food portions are made to be shared, whilst a little on the smaller side was packed with flavour and cooked to perfection. We rocked in without a booking on a Tuesday night but thankfully the staff were accommodating enough to find us a big table, staff were also attentive and nice to deal with. Top dishes we tried was the Pork Belly which we could've easily ordered multiples of but perhaps on the next visit and also the prawn and mango salad. All around great outing and wonderful dining experience

Seth Loch

Had the "let's eat" option where they bring their best dishes. We all got soo full at one point that we haven't even received our mains yet. Highly recommend this place if you like Asian fusion

Tony Edelsten

I had the pleasure of coming to this restaurant with my wife. It was a first time we visited and we were both amazed with the decor and the food of this fine restaurant. The most memorable dish of the night was the pork belly. This has to be one of the best meals I have every had.

Heartshrooms

I must admit, I was not a fan of fusion cuisine until Mekong Baby. Whilst the menu sounded appealing, I was still feeling rather apprehensive with dread at the thought of the typical Asian fare that had been revamped for different palates while losing its essence in the process. Upon entering, the warm tones in the decor instill a relaxing and easygoing vibe, making this a great place for all occasions whether it be large group gatherings or casual/ intimate dinners. To drink, I ordered the Ko Phi Le (Jasmine tea, Lychee, Rose, Lemon, Green Apple) which I found pleasant but too subtle for my liking. Between the three of us, we ordered a variety of dishes to share: Betel Leaf Crab- tasty little morsels with a slightly pungent flavour, and surprisingly fibrous texture. The salmon roe on top were refreshing and delightful bursts of flavour in the mouth. Beef Tartare- My first encounter with tartare of any kind, and I fell in in love. Despite expecting it to be squeamish and slimy, it was actually more creamy and moreish in texture with the nashi strips providing a welcome zing. A little more nashi or crunch would have been nice as there was a lot of creaminess going on from the mayo, egg yolk and beef itself. Crispy Rice Flour Crepe- This was not crispy sadly, and the safe dish of the night. The crepe itself was lacking in flavour on its own but saved with copious amounts of the chilli jam. If you are after something filling though, this would be the one as the tempeh (which resembles half taro, half firm-tofu?) gives it substantial depth. Prawn, Sticky Pork & Mango Salad- A beautiful, vibrant salad where all the elements complemented each other and it's a type of dish where you can mix and match with all components to get various mouthfuls of surprises. This was very close to being my favourite dish of the night! Braised Pork Belly- definitely the star of the show! Whilst perusing previous reviews, it seems that if there is a signature dish of Mekong Baby, it would be this one. Despite being more of a seafood fan, I was converted into a carnivore tonight. Sweet, succulent, juicy- the pork belly was by far the most tender, most moreish, most flavourful piece of meat I had eaten in my life and I'm still dreaming and gushing to friends/ family about it even now. DO try it if you haven't yet, I'm already planning my return visit. Overall, Mekong Baby is a fail proof choice with a variety of options for all taste buds. I wouldn't take this as an indication of what Vietnamese food is like though, despite being Vietnamese myself, I was unaware of its influence apart from the minor visual appearance similarity of the Crispy Rice Flour Crepe to a Banh Xeo. All the dishes we tried were flavour explosions for the taste buds with lovely and knowledgable service from the staff.

Chasing A Plate

When I made the booking for ML’s birthday lunch in November I was dead keen on getting a table at Mekong Baby. Reminiscent of Chin Chin in Melbourne this joint is one of a growing number of newish restaurants on Ponsonby Road (Orphan’s Kitchen and Blue Breeze Inn were also on my radar but time didn’t allow for a visit) and I’d heard and read good things. I figured that it being Saturday lunchtime the restaurant would be humming. I was wrong. I had forgotten that Aucklander’s are more inclined to brunch at cafes rather than lunch at restaurants, aside from a dependable few like Prego for instance. So I walked into an empty restaurant at 12:30pm and immediately wanted to bolt. Too late- ML and PL were already on their way and time was too tight to head somewhere else. By the time the others arrived there were two other tables in the vast expanse of restaurant. It was not what I had envisaged. The lack of diners aside, the staff made us feel very welcome and were reassuringly at

Alex

Amazing service from the wait staff and the variety in food and taste was superb! It is expensive however, but I guess that's what you get in a place like this!

Hemi Kukutai

Great food but unfortunately service was very poor. There was no record of my phone booking I had made earlier that day although the wait at the bar was very quick, no wait staff came to ask if we needed drinks or if we wanted desert but the food was incredible.

Anthea Stein

Not a good experience at all. We were a group of 10 people of which 9 of us ordered at the same time. Food came at varying times & we had to go to the front desk to get knives. One person waited for about 10 minutes to receive a chair as he joined the group later. The watron seemed unsure about getting another chair, so we resorted to asking another watron who obliged almost immediately. The amount of food was adequate but certainly cannot compare to the tasty food at Blue breeze or Moo chow chow. First & last time to Mekong Baby!

Richard Matthews

Every time I've been here I've enjoyed it. The food is simple and delicious and the cocktails are a revelation. They know what works for them and they've got it down.

Trin

LOVE this restaurant! Best Asian Fusion restaurant I have ever been to. Friendly staff and can't really fault anything! We had one of the set menus with 14 different dishes. We got to try a bit of everything. Definitely recommend the pork belly, papaya salad and Vietnamese pork rolls. If you love spicy food, you have to try the hot wings. Definitely won't go down easy! Will definitely go back.

Food For Thought

I am sorry to say but whilst the food is outstanding, the service is just appalling! We were greeted with a pretentious manager who felt like they had some kind of power over the world over where we would be seated! Although there were 6 waiters and only 10 customers, we still had to go to the bar for our drinks every time........just sloppy and especially at those prices!!! Nope not for me again! Blue Breeze wins hands down on every level!

Angela Trigg

Good meal. Nice atmosphere. I found a few of the dishes a bit salty, especially the hapuka. J love salty food but this was over the top. Tartare was good but would like to have been able to taste more of the beef.

David Parussini

First time here this evening with a mate after wanting to try for a long time, the 630 sitting suited and we never felt rushed as the food arrived very quickly despite the growing number of patrons. We had a mix of the small and large plates to share, the standout dish for me being the goat curry - our only concern was the table for two we were seated at struggled to cope with the number of plates that arrived and we had to "lose" the bottle of water and a couple of other items. Initial uncomfortableness when seated of the tables being too close to each other quickly disappears as the vibe and busyness of the restaurant takeover. Good attentive service as well..will be back to try other interesting and yummy sounding items from the menu. 31st Dec 2015 - finally revisited and great to see Mekong Baby has maintained their high standards, had an early dinner with a friend visiting from Melbourne and in spite of not being able to book (advised they were full..) was told an early arrival (5:45 as it turned out..) would guarantee no issues..so we were sat in the bar area which was ideal (when we left at 7:30 the place was humming and I'm sure it was going to be a massive night..). The food was Delicious..shared a couple of starters and 3 x "mains" (with rice)..the standout dish was the kingfish sashimi however I thought the crispy skinned hapuka/pork dish was a close second and the prawn cakes, lamb shoulder and "fiery (?) chicken" damned good as well. No room for desserts, and we washed the meal down perfectly with a couple of Kirin's for me and some organic craft beer for him. We are reasonably good eaters and felt the servings were reasonable for quality food. Service was also personable and informed, couldn't ask for more really...I won't wait another year to revisit, great stuff!

Claire

We were a group of 8 and decided to do the banquet meal. Food came out really quickly and we had already finished the starters before we were served drinks which wasn't great. Otherwise, food was awesome. Pork belly, kingfish sashimi, papaya salad and fire chicken were the stand out dishes. The sago dessert was also a winner.

AngeLi

Vibrant place and great food. The manager and the staff connects with their customer which is a good thing. And allow me to say that the braised pork belly really hits the spot! :)

Linny

I have been here a few times, and honestly because the pork belly is so delicious I can't stop my craving for it! If it weren't so bad for me I could eat it more often! As always, the service is impeccable. We were greeted warmly when we entered and was so consistent throughout the whole evening we didn't even have to pour our own water! My friend thought this was a bit creepy but everyone else in our group was impressed with it. The food is amazing, I can't say I can fault any dish, however I do think some of them they could tone down a bit of the spice (I did ask for this as well but it still was quite spicy - and I can eat a lot of spice!). The best deal in the house is the $60pp for a shared group option. I don't know how they decide what dishes came out and it seemed like the dishes went on forever! We were stuffed and then they asked us if we wanted more and of course we wanted to try more! Then when it was time for dessert they asked us if we were too full which the response was we are never too full for dessert! We left feeling so full and definitely happy with our experience there. I think this place is one of the best dining experiences in Ponsonby!

Frank

Awesome restaurant in the heart of P Rd, rated extremely highly by everyone I talk to and also from my own experiences. If you want great service and beautiful food then look no further, it's Asian fusion at it's finest! Perfect for large groups where you don't have to worry about ordering, you can simply get the chef's selection. Staff are amazingly attentive and chilled, food tastes superb and the decor is fantastic - definitely should be on your list if you are hitting the strip!

Gen Middlemiss

Have been here a few times now! Me & my partner loved the calamari & the goat curry the first time we came! Also the iced tea cocktail was super good aswell with all the fruit in it! The girl serving us was nice & friendly & was interested in talking to us, which was quite funny. My 2nd & 3rd visits were also amazing. Food comes out rediculously fast, service can be a little dull at times but I guess that's because everytime I've been they've been packed! Definately recommend!

Clarke Bovaird

had a lovely afternoon at Mekong today! after getting a fabulous cocktail recommendation and nice friendly service. food was yummy the prawn cakes were delicious and same with the coconut chicken salad! I will be back

Olive Lady

Fabulous Feast. I took a group of 12 and we had one of the banquets. An amazing variety of tasty dishes with fabulous flavours. We were all very full when dessert arrived. Interesting decor and several seating options. We were upstairs which was quiter than downstairs as the place was humming. Very efficient service and well trained staff.

Tania McRae

This local is loving the new Southeast Asian addition to the Ponsonby strip. Mekong Baby hasn't failed to impress, whether as a twosome or a large corporate group. The dining experience is what you would expect of Souteast Asain food, fast paced and dynamic, however done artfully and more suited to the upmarket crowd it attracts. The food is consistently good with well balanced fresh flavours, and quality ingredients producing dishes that are presented well and taste great. Personally I can't go past their curries, always amazing and served with the option of brown rice, can't get enough! With their very well put together wine list and service that is always attentive and friendly, it's a must do in Ponsonby. Enjoy!

Graeme Clarke

Awesome lunch today today! Great service and the squid was some of the best I've ever had!!! Will definitely be back

Amelia Story

This is a place I'll be spending my summer days at, the cocktails are to die for and the staff are efficient at keeping them flowing....looking forward to a dinner date there next week!

Sarah

I came here with a group of friends and we had the Wagyu, Kingfish Sashimi, Vietnamese pork roll, braised pork belly, duck pineapple potatoes curry, pad see ew. Every each one was delicious and I strongly recommend the pork belly. The Miss Saigonz cocktail was to delicious too and worth a try. One thing that put me off was when we finished our meal and we were just chatting, the restaurant manager came and told us that we needed to leave as they needed to seat other customers but that they'd let us sit longer if we ordered desserts. I think we had ordered enough food and drinks and definitely think we deserved to be seated a bit longer! I think they don't care about customer service, it's all about let's make the most money!

Jamie Foster

Exceptional value and quality I've been there a few times with friends more recently with a tinder date. She loved the place it was a really successful night.

Faroe3456

Food was incredibly tasty and well presented and portion sizes were reasonable. Will definitely be back with more friends so we can try more plates.

Food Adventures With AnnaJ

A friend and I went to Mekong Baby for lunch on a saturday. The staff were very attentive right from the staff, very friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. Started of with cocktails which were very good. Everything on the menu sounded so delicious!! We ordered three dishes to share; squid, pork belly and pad see ew, with a side of roti bread. I loved the sharing style of food. Squid was yummy, crispy and light with a delish sauce. The pork belly was very tasty but awkward to eat and we both agreed it needed to be served differently. Pad see ew was probably my highlight but the beef was a little dry and needed more sauce. Overall all we were very happy with our food but it did come out very quickly and we felt a bit rushed.

Will Wood

I thoroughly enjoyed the food and wine and the staff were really helpful. Always seem to be able to get a table pretty easily for a place on ponsonby road.

Courtney @ A Food Awakening

I was really excited to take the BF to Mekong Baby after coming for a cousins 21st Banquet dinner. I had been raving about how much I enjoyed the food and that we had to come back. However we were poorly disappointed by almost the whole overall meal and experience. We came on a Sunday evening around 8pm so it was rather quiet and there were at least 4-5 waiters working. We thought this would be great the service would be quick and efficient. The original waiter we had to begin with was friendly, though we didn't see him again after he took our order. All the dishes were served promptly after ordering. The best thing we ordered was the papaya salad. Great flavour and texture and refreshing. However it went downhill from there. We had ordered the jungle prawn curry and what we thought would be a thick sauced dish was pretty much an oily soup with overcooked prawns. The reason we ordered the roti which were actually really yum was to dip them into the curry but as you can see the "curry" was very unappetising and the pic shows the evidence that the fat hadn't been skimmed. If the prawn curry is more of a soup then the explanations on the menu should be clearer or the waiter should explain the dish upon ordering it. The fire chicken was nice and the heat was great but it was super oily and greasy. Once we finished all the dishes it took 45mins before someone finally cleared our dishes and asked whether we wanted dessert. We thought this was odd because there were hardly any diners by that stage but still plenty of staff walking past us, who we at one point saw them taking pics of themselves and eating in the open kitchen. Also no one took the time to ask how the dishes were. When I went up to pay, again the maitre d never asked how everything was, as I waiting to explain our disappointed but he never asked so I couldn't be bothered with complaining. Overall I was poorly disappointed with the food and service and wished I was welcomed more pleasantly the same others have boasted about previously. Rating Food: 4.5/10 Service: 3/10 Value for Money: Average 262 Ponsonby Road, Ponsonby Opening Hours: Tues-Sun 12pm-Late

Reema

Very spice,nice chicken worth driving there :)

Steve Caplan

I took a group of 10 to Mekong for a celebration. The table was great and plenty large enough for our team. Our waiter was very fast to get us a drink and new the wine list well . The food was quick to arrive and there was certainly plenty of it. All of it delicious , perfectly cooked and well presented. In the end we actually had to ask the waiter to stop as we were all too full to eat any more A great night and a great place to take your group. Will be back !

Paul

A perfect mix of authentic Vietnamese cuisine and a urban ambience that works for lunch or dinner, very few places can make the crossover, Meekong does… and it does it well. Its rare to find staff who can anticipate your needs without being overbearing, even rarer is a wine list that compliments the cuisine without being overpriced, but then again, Meekong is a rare baby!

Leslie

Was very disappointed that your meat isn't free range… you're meant to be a high class restaurant yet can't even serve meat that is a wee bit more expensive… Even Mc Donald's has a free range menu… shows were you guys stand. My vego meal was ok to say at the least. Thank god the service was good!!

Gus

I value food quality over service, which is lucky because the food at Mekong Baby was excellent overall and superb at times. The waiter service was a bit slow and it almost felt like he was new to the job, but he tried his best. The food on the other hand was top drawer. We asked to be served a selection of their best dishes and I enjoyed it all. The green papaya salad, the prawn pork and mango salad, the fried squid and the fried chicken (super hot!!) were all excellent, the coconut sago dessert was soooo good and the perfect way to cap off the meal. On paying we had no trouble splitting our bill three ways. I would go back to eat that food again, come to think of it I thought about going back for lunch!! 4.5 stars for me

Katherine Nordmeyer

The food at Mekong baby is delicious, I've been there 3 times and have loved it each time. It is tasty & well cooked and you can't really go wrong! The manager's service however is severely lacking, in contrast the waiters were great. I'll give you the main points on my latest experience below: - Upon arriving for my booking of 12 people I requested an extra seat for one more last minute person. The manager told me that he didn't have any seats (period) then just looked at me as if I should make the 13th person disappear. Only after I suggested I turn my guests away did he then run upstairs and get another seat within 30 seconds, I guess he did have more seats. - After this (before eating) I spoke with the manager about splitting the bill & the refund of my $200 booking deposit. He advised that splitting was no problem and I would receive my $200 refund at the end of the meal. - When we did go to split the bill, suddenly the manager treated us like this was the most difficult thing he'd ever have to do & we were being a major pain in the ass for him. In my experience managing POS systems, this is not difficult at all, it is called customer service. - The same manager allowed us to split the bill, but refused to refund my $200 because it was too difficult. He advised that my credit card details were on file (why was my payment information being stored for future use without my knowledge?!) and he would arrange a refund on the upcoming tuesday in 4 days because it was 'all too difficult' for him. - The following friday, I had not received my refund so called Mekong Baby. The person I spoke with said she was aware of my case, took my CC details again, told me that they were not being held on file and promised an immediate refund. However she neglected to explain why no one had called me to arrange my refund after it was not processed as promised. I guess they go by the ethos 'you win some, you win some' or 'finders keepers'. - Once again the next Wednesday I had still not received my refund and called back. This woman was more apologetic but really just wanted me off the phone, I actually think it was the same person I had already spoken with. After giving my CC details to her another time she promised the refund would go through. I made her email a copy of the receipt through because I was sick of their false promises. Overall, the managers & admin staff give this eatery a callous impression and by the end of it, I was left chasing them for 2 weeks to get my money back. This is really unacceptable and I fear a less persistent person than myself would have been $200 poorer for having eaten there. In addition, they are very willy-nilly with people's sensitive credit card information. This should be taken securely & processed immediately. Not written down or stored for any purpose, I get the impression that my details are scrawled on 3 post-it notes lying around their restaurant for all to see. This restaurant has the potential to be great if only they would become upfront, real & reasonable people instead of the lazy and rude staff I found them to be. I understand that a booking of 12 people can be quite a handful so I tried to clear everything with them beforehand, but they just moved the goalposts when it became too difficult. This was a special event for our families to celebrate a milestone but unfortunately I'm left thinking about the deficiencies of Mekong Baby, rather than the lovely meal shared with family & friends.

C Myers

I was looking for somewhere interesting to eat on our last night in Auckland, and came upon Mekong Baby. Loved their website and thought, well, if their food is as good as their site I'm booking myself and my partner a table. When we arrived we were given excellent service and the menu explained to us. First course was the kingfish sashimi with nam jin sauce ... now I am not normally given to superlatives however we were instantly transported into gastronomic heaven. Second course was the goat curry, tender and wildly delicious. Third course, and out came the Wagui (sp) beef - yet again our culinary senses went into another strata of culinary ecstasy. Round Four was the braised pork belly and we were still savouring each mouthful, although granted our bellies were now becoming a bit porkish too. Since we arrived home we've been regaling our friends about Mekong Baby and so enamoured were we with their sushimi, we attempted something similar ourselves. Let's just say 'something similar' is about as close as we managed to get. So we're definitely going to be back for more of those unforgettable and elusive flavours.

Sean Appleby

My recommendation would be to come with three or more friends/family, this will ensure you can sample more items from the menu. The food is a 10/10 actually cannot remember the last time I ate somewhere were each dish that came out was better than the one before it. Stunning food. The barman was friendly and made solid cocktails. The service was friendly. Came here for my brother's 26th birthday and everyone was blown away. Drop whatever dinner plans you had make a reservation you will not be disappointed.

Neil

First time experience was through recommendation from regular Mekong Baby diners. A great choice; loved the food well chosen from a good menu, enjoyed the atmosphere and we were well looked after by sharp and attentive staff. Went back one week later and just as good!!!

Nicole Obrien

This review has been edited Below is an outline of our initial experience. Since then I have been contacted by the restaurant owner. Mr Parrat has been incredibly professional and charming in attempting to make up for our initial experience. He has apologised for the issues we had, and expressed his disappointment. He has acknowledged that things were not handled well. As we have already booked another venue we are unable to attend for our function, but he has offered for me to go for a complimentary lunch in an attempt to make up for our experience. I appreciate his efforts to find a solution to our problem and take the reviews from his customers seriously. You cant really ask for anything more than that. Thank you! We have been to Mekong Baby before for functions organised by other people. The staff somethimes have a dismissive attitude, drinks can take forever to come and the wine we ordered by the glass had clearly been open for a long time. A lot of the food on the banquet menu is very fatty and/ or fried. However, the evenings were always quite good fun. They can seat big groups of people together. There is tonnes of food to keep even the heartiest of appetites happy and the atmosphere is pretty energetic. And although the food is oily the flavours are great. Foolishly I decided to host a function there that I organise on a yearly basis for 30 people. I made a booking for their largest function room on Tuesday this week by going into the restaurant in person and speaking to the staff who took all my details and made the reservation. Today I have been rung to tell me that we cant have the function room as it is already booked. Nor will they seat us in the restaurant as we want to come at 7pm and not 6:30. Despite another member of staff telling me on Tuesday that we could take the function room or be seated in the restaurant. Really, the biggest problem is the attitude of the manager Lindsey who doesn't seem to think she has done anything wrong by cancelling an already made booking for 30 people. And also seems unwilling to accommodate our booking in the restaurant at 7pm after their screw ups. The rest of the restaurant is full she tells me - for 2 and a half weeks from now in Ponsonby. I just don't believe her! The sooner they sort out their attitude the better.

Kacie Stetson

My partner and I went to this Viet/fusion eatery last night. I had read that some found the staff rude, but we were happily greeted and seated. Our waiter was enthusiastic and relatively attentive, at least as much as he could in a very busy restaurant. We ordered a ginger pepper mojito (amazing) and a pepper margarita (quite good) which were served promptly. Then, we ordered the betel leaf wrapped crab small bite, a shredded chicken and coconut salad, lamb ribs and wagyu app. I'm a big fan of anything betel and found the crab app (a bite sized filling of crab and veg wrapped in a crisp betel leaf) to be a great palate awakener, a spicy snap of flavor right off the bat. It was only $6 and worth it. The chicken salad was solid, refreshing and grew on us as we powered through it. Then came the revelation of the night, the lamb ribs. Morsels of crisp, perfectly seasoned and amazingly tender lamb, flash crisped, falling off the bone, perfectly complemented by chili, fresh herbs and lime. AMAZING! We then had the wagyu wrapped in betel. A bit of a let down as the menu didn't state it was ground wagyu. It came out, a Viet answer to Dolmades. Good and solid, but not as revelatory as the lamb. We finished with palm sugar/coconut ice creams. Yum! Overall, a really nice experience. We want to go back and try the pork belly.

Nathan Muller

Great Food! Great environment, a massive step up from the previous restaurant there. Went with the Duck Salad, it was amazing! Great wine selection, and plenty of room, I will definitely go back again.

Jasbir Kaur

I have been to Mekong Baby 3 times. Twice with my company and once with my friend ....love the food and the staff ! I would highly recommend it ! The food is amazing, I love the chicken salad and pork belly and the staff Dom is very good.

Miss Kiki

I have been here twice now and both times the food was really good. My favourites have been the Braised pork belly, red beef curry and the Duck Massamam. The reason why I am not giving a five star is because I find the service to be a tad arrogant, and also the seating times annoy me, what if I want to eat and drink all night? Not here apparently.

White

Very good enjoyed every single dish that came out and the cocktails which were recommended by the staff were totally suitable. Nice relaxed environment which was a good way to start a night out in Ponsonby, Didn't have a reservation either but was still able to get a table. Thanks!

Billy The Kid

I was recently in Ponsonby with friends and we had to go looking for a place available that didn't require that we booked a week ago. Mekong Baby looked the best so we went there (apparently they always keep a certain part of the bar available for walk-ins so that was us). Found the staff do be really nice and helpful and i liked how the food was made for sharing so you don't have to much food jealousy. Pork belly was amazing as was something else which i can't remember. Yeah all in all it was great and had such a cool atmosphere that while i was just out with a small group it felt like we were somewhere we could have fun and eat good food (winelist was really good too and i'm a total wine snob).

Gill Lawrence

We took the club committee for a quiet (the secretary called to check) meal to say thank you. The noise was deafening just from conversation, the ingredients were very low quality, fatty and rubbish and the rice was disgusting! A drinks order got missed and when the lady came with it and said it was free since the order had got messed up she neglected to say it would still sneak its way onto the bill. Nice decor but without good ingredients and service this is definitely to be avoided.

Meagan R

I must confess that I was a bit wary of eating here due to the "hype" about the food by a few of my workmates who have been here before. Lets just say I finally got around to visiting this place a few weeks ago with a few colleagues and I had the best Fusion Asian food ever! The meals were reasonably priced too and it worked out to just $60 per person including drinks and desserts! The best way to eat here is to order a number of big and small dishes and to share everything amongst the table. Also keep some space for the yummy sago pudding! I will definitely eat here again!

Cristina Magni

I went to Mekong Baby to celebrate my birthday with a bunch of friends. I made no reservation and more friends than what's I expected turned up. Maître De was absolutely delightful and offered to place us in a stunning private room. Our waiter Louis looked after us with competence and with a friendly smile. We ordered a variety of dishes to share, from a refreshing prawn, sticky pork and mango salad to a green fish curry with okra and choy sum. The braised wagyu skirt with rice noodles disappeared from the table a bit too quickly, so that we had to re-order ASAP. I am a mojito lover by nature but the Mekong Baby twist with ginger and chili is now my best friend in Ponsonby Road. A must try. The virgin version "chili and ginger mo-no-no" is perfect if you're a light weight. Spicy enough, not too sweet. This place is a 10 out of 10: Intriguing recipes on the menu, good cocktails, friendly staff and cool ambiance. From the lightening to the music and the restaurant décor: Every single detail is well looked after to create an atmosphere which is classy and sexy at the same time.

Catherine Ellis

Ok so two stars may be a bit harsh but this place really lets itself down with its service style and we felt very unloved. We did enjoy the food, especially the quail egg dumplings which I had had before, and despite the terrible review from someone else on the same night (8 March) we found the maitre d' professional and welcoming. We didn't have a booking when we arrived around 6.20pm and were not aware of the two sitting policy - though this was not an issue for us as we had to be out by 8.15 anyway. The menu is set out as: Small beginnings (suggesting that you share and enjoy these first) then: Something bigger followed by Happy endings. Not so! We were surprised when ALL our food arrived within 10 minutes! Since when does the kitchen control the dining experience as was the excuse given to us (and to other reviewers I note). We love the sharing element and have loved our social eating experiences in Vietnam and South East Asia but it only works with care and attention to the guests. Most of the staff seemed pretty competent so perhaps less rush and more love then you might be onto something great and long lasting. Worth a mention is when my husband told the girl on the till that the service style had spoiled the experience, she said “how lovely.” That illustrates my point that you are just not listening!

Ethan Tey

The worst restaurant experience that I have ever ever had - Mekong Baby on Ponsonby Road, Auckland. The attitude of the restaurant manager, waiter and owner were so rude, aggressive, unprofessional and arrogant. I just couldn't believe how we all have been treated. I had been there once before with friends and find the ambient and decor of the restaurant rather chic and modern, but the service was sort of hit and missed. However, the revisited experience last night was an absolutely horror!! There were 12 of us. 5 people wanted to go for A La Carte. 7 people wanted to try their degustation menu which is $60 per person. On their printed menu, it stated minimum 4 people and nothing else! The waiter who took our order was so unprofessional and rather rude telling us that we can't have their degustation menu because it needs to be the entire table. So we compromised the situation and suggested him that we could split our big table into two groups. One side is having A La Carte and the other side is having degustation menu. Sound reasonable, right? But he said we still can't do that without a satisfactory explanation. He called the restaurant manager (female) who was so cocky yet unfriendly and again told us that we can't have the degustation menu without a satisfactory explanation. Then she started accusing my friend. This is so terrible! Remember, their menu didn't say it has to be the whole table!!!! The whole situation was getting ridiculous and out of hand. I felt that we were all being bullied and intimidated! Then the restaurant owner (male) came to us with that rude, arrogant and aggressive attitude and told us the same thing. He said we all have to leave or he will call the police!!! Wow... What on earth has just happened? Where did these people learn about hospitality and manners?? We are the customers who want to have a good dinning experience with friends. But we were inappropriately abused and threatened by their misleading menu. I felt so disappointed with the manager and owner who could not resolve this to our satisfaction. Naturally, we all chose to go elsewhere. Who wouldn't? Don't waste your money on this restaurant. Unless you enjoy being bullied and humiliated. There are plenty of other great eateries on Pönsonby Road and most have courteous and friendly manager and owner.

Mezza

We arrived without a booking on an extremely busy Saturday and somehow only managed to wait 5 minutes for a table. Looked like we were going to have to wait an age for our orders to be taken, but luck struck again and we were blessed with an efficient waiter. We ordered the coriander and chili ribs, which lacked a bit of flavour however, they were so tender! Our main to share was the Goat Curry. Seems that Lady Luck was with us again, as it was fantastic! Simply melt in your mouth meat in a flavoursome gravy. OMG BIG TIME! My cocktails were tasty, spiced lychee and miss Saigon. Seems like a very trendy place for drinks. Safe to say that we will be back for the goat curry!

Jack O'Neill

Service was great, the waitress was attentive and kind, and not afflicted by the arrogance that some of the staff are known to show. She suggested a wine that we both enjoyed, and things were looking great. The food however, was a different story. For a restaurant that portrays itself as fine dining in Asian cuisine, it was anything but. We ordered the pork belly first to share, for $28. It was nice, but nothing special. The meat wasn't the best quality, and there were only five small-ish pieces making it hard to recommend. The red curry we ordered second. We couldn't even finish the meal, only making it halfway through before asking the waitress to pass our comments on to the chef. The curry sauce was so over salted it was inedible, while the meat was fatty and tasteless, and added nothing to the dish. The waitress returned the dish to the chef, with our expectation being that something had run amok in the kitchen. The chef believed it to be fine. A sad reflection of the food quality. I never expected a discount, or even a replacement dish. This is also the first time I have ever posted a review of a restaurant. I will not be going back, for $30 a main you can find a lot, lot better.

Catalina Espinoza

A group of 3 walked in on a Friday evening - no wait and served immediately by a friendly waitress. We ordered drinks and appetizers - I recommend the prawn cakes and quails eggs which both hit the spot. For main I ate the heart of Palm salad which i could not recommend enough! Unfortunately one of the only negatives was the fact that my friend (who was unable to finish even a third of her meal) was not able to take her leftovers home. A silly rule that makes this place seem more pretentious than it actually is. Stick to serving amazing food - the rest will take care of itself! You should go here!

Kirstee Nadin

Absolutely appalling. The service was haphazard at best and rude at worst. The food was average with everything tasting the same after about the 3rd dish......... Chilli with a side serve of chilli! Does the chef not know any other flavour? We ordered the $60 pp banquet for 8 only to be told we couldn't select from the menu and the chef would decide what was served. I will commit this restaurants name to memory and ensure that I never set foot in here again!

Linda Walsh

Unexpected 'Ladies Lunch' - I was working in the area but my friends were on holiday so I suggested somewhere close as I had to return to work. Sat outside in the sunshine and enjoyed an assortment of Wok Fried Squid, Papaya salad and Pork Belly with lovely Brown Basmati rice. Everything was delicious - the Pork Belly "to die for". Each dish was accompanied with a delightful sauce. The combinations were perfect. Staff extremely helpful and attentive - suggesting we start with a couple of dishes and if still hungry can order more. Finished with a delicious "Happy Ending" of Lime-Papaya Meringue Pie. Definitely want to return soon to try other dishes and some of the cocktails which sounded exciting. A definite must to try when in Auckland.

AndrewAs

Exciting, fun and vibrant - and that was just the cocktail list! We had an excellent night there recently and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Maybe it was because of the interesting cocktails before dinner but the place seemed to be all go. The food and the service were all spot on - and even the staunch kiwi bloke that I am managed to enjoy some dishes I wouldn't normally, I loved everything that came out from the kitchen. And man it was fast service for a packed night. All in all everything came together perfectly. Thanks for a great night guys, I will be back.

Stephen Rogers

If I could give this experience less that one star I would. The food wasn't bad, nothing to write home about though. We were reminded at every opportunity that we needed to leave by 8.15pm, even though we had not finished our drinks. If you are after excellent food and a good chat with friends or family avoid Mekong Baby like the plague. If however you would like to be rushed through your meal and treated by the wait staff as an inconvenience, this restaurant is right up your ally. We will not be returning.

Adele Taurau

Had a dinner at Mekong Baby as a Christmas celebration with friends. The food was delicious, lots of it, and really enjoyable. However, was unaware of the 2 sittings when I made the booking until the restaurant rang me back advising me of this. We made our booking for 6.15pm, had a delicious dinner but was always aware of how we had to leave by 8.15pm. Food arrived very quickly probably due to this. Apart from that, Mekong Baby is a great restaurant and will go there again, but will book for the 8.30pm sitting.

Foodie

This was the second time and last time we will be going to Mekong Baby, I was reluctant to go as the service was very average the first time around. There was a group of us and someone had booked so we went. We had a table upstairs, there was 10 of us. The waiter was so rude, did not want to be there and thought far too much of himself. Everything was hard, it was like we were putting him out just being there. A dish arrived that my partner did not order and was bought up by another waiter. We said that was not what we ordered and so it went back to the kitchen. He then came up and told us we had ordered it and that it would be sent back to us. It arrived 10 minutes later to the table cold and it was on our bill at the end of the night. He was so rude to us I asked for his name - John (not sure if that is his name or not, maybe ask not to have John serve you if you go. Food was only OK. I mentioned my experience to a guy at work who had the same experience with the staff, maybe he was served by John as well. The service was appalling and the food was very average.

Linda Pope

Walked in by chance on Friday afternoon with a client from Brisbane. Each mouth full was a treat. The flavors and taste sensations were divine. The sashimi was to die for. The atmosphere and service were spot on. We will be back asap.

Frances Little

Twice in one month, two totally different occasions and both absolutely superb. Early October, private room booked, birthday celebration planned, 10 guests and not sure what to expect. Started with cocktails at the bar so many choices and all of them great, love that chilli in a cocktail, only way to start the celebrations! On to the private room and dinner - subtle flavours, sensational tastes, hard to decide what was the favourite - 10 people we all had our own. Mine - prawn, sticky pork and mango salad, very hard to beat that combination, prawn cakes with sweet chilli dipping sauce, you can forget any other cake you have ever had - so flavoursome. Other raves from the birthday group were crispy chilli spiced lamb ribs with coriander, fire chicken, goat curry, and the kingfish sashimi. Service was superb, dishes served without interrupting the flow of conversation, friendly and informed staff - great suggestions made on wine matches. Thank you Mekong Baby for making a special occasion even more special and lots of fun. The second visit, yesterday, a business lunch. Staff realised we were working and didn't intrude other than to take orders, bring our orders and let us get on with it quietly. Yum we got the work completed over prawn cakes -again! Wagyu beef and Lemongrass, Crisp Rice Flour Crepe with tempeh, mushrooms and chilli jam. I realised this time just how substantial the portions are at Mekong Baby, it's a great feed. In summary a perfect spot for a night of fun and celebration, and also a quiet business lunch, well fed and watered on both occasions.

Pene Milne

This was fantastic dining when I went there for my birthday. Not only was it authentic food with great atmosphere, the food was fresh, fast & delicious. Great wine & cocktail selection, great service, highly recommended.

Tina Harris

Cheeky girls night out!!! Toss up between Mekong Baby or Blue Breeze, and cocktails won in the end. So we headed down to Mekong Baby arrived around 8:30pm to find the place absolutely chocka!(Saturday night) So we played it smart and put our names on the waiting list and then proceeded to camp out at the Cocktail Bar... the great décor and ambiance was electrifying, sipping on our sublime drinks we scanned the room for eye candy.... And Oh boy :) even the staff were good looking...eventually we were seated and tried some of the sharing plates the food was really good (and we are fussy chicks!). Thumps up guys! This place has a great vibe and we'll be back....

Henry Page

Went for dinner to Mekong Baby last night with work friends. Service was friendly and efficient, drink orders taken quickly and served soon after. "Highlights" We had the betel leaf crab and pork rolls for an entrée - they were both divine! Followed by the Green Papaya salad and a duck salad - both brilliant. Stand out dishes of the night were the Caramelized Pork Belly dish and the Goat curry - lovely tender and very tasty...Great food, lovely restaurant and great service. Would definitely go back.

Annette Johnstone

First and last time at Mekong Baby! Went with friends last night (4 of us) for a 6.30pm booking. The atmosphere was buzzing, albeit noisy. It was not until we were seated at our table that we were told it was re-booked for 8.30 - there was no advice on this when the booking was made. Had we known at that stage we would not have taken it. Finished dinner and heading home on a Saturday night at 8.30pm is not something we do. On the recommendation from our very helpful waitress we ordered 3 appetisers, 3 mains, bread and rice - a perfect amount, and very tasty but because EVERYTHING arrived at once we had dishes piled on top of each other and we found it difficult to manoeuvre the dishes to share the food in the way the waitress advised that "things were done here". Some of us still had wine in our glasses when what appeared to be the head waiter approached our table and TOLD us we had to vacate the table for the next booking. Unfortunately his people skills (or lack of) came through loud and clear - we felt like naughty school children being sent out of class. Needless to say we were less than impressed and it was unfortunately the young girl at the desk who took our money - $264 for a 2-hour wonder - who took the brunt of our frustration. We won't be back - none of us - and won't be recommending to any of our friends who also like fine dining.

Maggie Fung

Extremely poor service! Staff made mistakes but didn't apologize. Then I saw staff talking among themselves, rolling their eyes, pulling funny faces and talking about the customers they were serving. Unacceptably rude!! And the fact that the restaurant was so busy and they took their time to catch away.... Food- I had better! All of 8 different dishes we had, only one was great. The others were so average... I had two cocktails, and they tasted like juice... Very disappointing. Will never return!

Shelly Gray

I arrived at mid day for a quick lunch, and already the restaurant was filling up. Had a delicious Papaya Salad..a recommendation from a staff member. Was not disappointed. Amazing flavours in this salad! Was tempted to have a lunchtime cocktail...some delicious cocktails on the list, and several tables were ordering them! Next time for sure... Great friendly staff, fast service, and delicious salad..I will be back for more soon.

Rosalie Fischer

I 'dined' at Meekong Baby last night for a friend's birthday dinner. There were about 10 people at our table and it was a busy Saturday night. The atmosphere was brilliant and the food that did come out was absolutely divine. Everyone at my table enjoyed their meal and had a great night. However, my meal of Lamb Shoulder of which I was really looking forward to, never arrived. As the meals all come out at different times, I just assumed it would be coming and initially didn't want to cause a fuss. My side salad of Iceberg Lettuce hearts arrived so I picked away at that waiting for my meal to arrive. When everyone else had nearly finished their meal, I asked the waiter if mine was coming. He looked confused, came back from the kitchen and said that it hadn't been cooked but it was definitely coming now. There was no apology. 30 minutes later it still hadn't arrived. I asked another waiter about my meal. He seemed shocked and very apologetic. He said he would do his best to find out what was going on. He never came back. The first waiter came back 20 minutes later and informed me that the kitchen had cooked my meal and it had been taken out. But I'd never seen it. I expressed my disappointment and dismay. He came back from the kitchen again and finally told me that it the meal was not coming. The waiter still did not apologise and took no responsibility. It was now 10.45pm so it was a bit late to order a new meal. My table was almost ready to leave! On paying, I asked to speak to the manager. I informed him of what had happened. He briefly said sorry and let us have one drink off our bill...but only because my partner asked. All of this was made so much worse due to the fact that I'm 5 months pregnant and by 11pm all I'd had to eat was a lettuce salad! My Mekong Baby experience was a sorry letdown. I ended the night, satisfying my hunger at Burger Fuel.

Fleur

We randomly thought we would try this restaurant, seated and orders taken. Two of us got our meals and then finished our meals, at least 10 mins after the two of us had finished, the third finally got their meal with no apology from staff. As we went to pay we were then told that the meals came out at 'chef's pace', we were left to pay over $100 for meals that we could not sit down and all eat together. Disappointed. Never again.

Melanie Vermont

We arrived Thursday night @ 6.30 hoping we might fluke a table. The restaurant was fully booked but we were able to sit in the bar. This was a great choice , the menu is the same , the atmosphere was very buzzy , ambiance an easy 9. Standout dishes were the betel leaf entree and the pork main , stunning flavours. Even for such a busy place we found the service faultless , the very tall wine guy of Italian descent was charming and attentive.

Jo

We really wanted to try Mekong Baby but have pretty much given up after the terrible customer relations. We tried at least five times over several weeks to make a reservation but could never get through to a person. We left a message with our booking details, one month in advance, and assumed we would be ok. On the afternoon, we popped in to check all was ok and we're informed 'no, if you didn't hear back from us, you don't have a reservation.' We asked why it was seemingly impossible to book, and why our message one month earlier had not been received and acted upon? The arrogant male we spoke to just shrugged and said sorry they'd been having some problems. We asked if we could double check whether our reservation had indeed been made, and were told 'no sorry, our reservations guy is not here and only he can check.' How blooming ridiculous and how completely arrogant! I have to say with such a non- customer centric attitude, we're giving up on Mekong Baby and spending our money elsewhere where the service is better.

Dorothy Rowe

We three decided to try out this relatively new restaurant for our most recent girls’ catch-up night. On phoning to make a reservation we were informed that Mekong Baby operates a two sittings per night policy and we were given the choice of arriving at 6 pm or 8.30. 8.30 is later than we care to dine on a week night. 6 pm is too early given the need to navigate the rush hour traffic and search for parking (very difficult) in Ponsonby. A reservation time of 7 pm was agreed with the person on the phone who made it clear that we would need to vacate our table at 8.30 and we would be welcome to arrive early. Keeping this in mind we managed to arrive at around 6.30 pm. Upon announcing ourselves to the maître d we were reminded of the requirement to leave at 8.30. The waitperson who attended our table reminded us of this also and continued to mention it at every opportunity during our time there. This message was repeated at every interaction with staff. We lost count of the number of times we were told when we had to leave and, during the evening (if you could call it that) the departure time was advanced, firstly becoming 8.15 and then, at 8.10 we were told our time was up and the bill was plonked on the table. We hadn’t finished our drinks and were told that we were welcome to take them to the bar but they needed the table, thank you! I deplore restaurants where the diner is left dangling through slow service. No problems here with Mekong Baby. The service was pleasant, efficient and lightening fast. Our first courses arrived within 5 minutes of placing the order and dishes were removed while we were still eating. As we queued at the cash register to pay we noticed three other empty tables in the dining area we were in and no-one appeared to be waiting for them, or arriving. Curious! The cash register space is squeezed between a table and the counter and wait staff were constantly pushing past us. There is a way of saying ‘excuse me’ that really means, ‘get out of my way’. By walking an extra two or three paces they could have walked around the table and avoided the crush. We enjoyed the food and the décor was modern and stylish (but with no reference to Asia). We were not given an opportunity to have desert. We are regular restaurant attendees and not naïve. We understand that a restaurant table is a revenue generation centre and they do not make money by having people linger over a glass of water. There are subtle ways of moving patrons on. There is nothing subtle about Mekong Baby. From the time we arrived we felt rushed and uncomfortable. The insistence on timekeeping and repeated reminders became unpleasant and we felt unwelcome. We did spend $200 in an hour and a half! I think Mekong Baby needs to understand that there is more to running a successful restaurant than the food and décor. There is a reason it is called the Hospitality Industry. In Auckland’s highly competitive dining scene there are many restaurants where this is well understood. The Mekong Baby experience is one we won’t be repeating. We took ourselves elsewhere and spent another $100 on deserts and drinks. Mekong Baby could have had this revenue if they had tolerated us just a little longer.

Rachel Huband

I went their for the first time for lunch with a friend and I have to say was 'blown away' by the food. We had Kingfish Sashimi which had the most amazing sauces drizzled on top; hot & sour; deliscious. Then we had the Lamb Ribs which were so unique in that they had their bone in at the end of the rib but otherwise the meat was completely off the bone and encased & crumbed & came with a spicy dipping sauce; melt in your mouth; devine! Following this we had the Goat Curry which was sublime; lightly spiced but the most amazing curry sauce. We didn't drink any alcohol as she had to go back to work but all 3 dishes were so memorable; I can't wait to go back and try some other dishes. Only problem with this place is it is very hard to get through to the restaurant by phone to make a booking!

Kirsten Crossan

Went for dinner early on a busy Saturday night with a large table of 8. No one was prepared to take the lead and order for the table so we left it to the kitchen and went for the $60 trust the chef. Was great value for money, we couldn't believe how many dishes we got and there was plenty for everyone! great way to try lots of different things. Betel leaves and quail eggs were both yummy, squid was fantastic. Kingfish was delicious. Papaya salad was yummy, but spicy and nothing exciting. Pretty plain, wouldn't order again and would have been great if it had come out with the pork. Table all declared the Pork Belly as the best pork they've ever eaten. Was delish! Fire chicken was just that "fire" and over half the table were unable to eat it so odd choice to give a table. Those who liked the heat enjoyed it but also said it was far to spicy and would have preferred something else. The green curry was nice but needed more flavouring, the sauce was slightly watery. Have had better curries in Thai restaurants. Service was some of the best I've experienced, nothing was too much trouble and wait staff were able to answer all our questions for the kitchen. Drinks are pricey, $10 beers is steep. Over all it was a great night, keen to go back and try the cocktails and have pork again!

Doris Day

Went for lunch with a couple of friends Friday - great food and service and getting a table was no problem this place is big so plenty of seating busy kitchen full of chefs going for it - the only thing I thought was a bit on the nose was the $10 draft beers .

Robert Steele

Busy Friday night, a large group, our own fault for a mistake on booked time. But they accommodated us until a table came up. Superb food, beautifully displayed, a wonder to eat. Superb service, probably even better than that, from the highest to the lowest, nothing too much trouble. Great ambiance and warmth, would go again in a flash.

Sam

Dined recently on a busy Friday night. The food was excellent value for money and service excellent. Quick with the meals. Waitress accidentally cleared a half drunk cocktail and they were more than happy to replace it without any arguments etc.. Very obliging staff and very yummy food and cocktails. Great quick meal with friends.

Michele Wade

Went to Mekong Baby for first time last night a group of four the early sitting. Excellent fusion food, attentive staff, busy atmosphere, unpretentious! Loved it! Great menu and cocktail list. Will definitely be back but will go to the later sitting so can stay longer to try more of the cocktails The Miss Saigon was so good! The servings were generous and the Sago pudding was to die for!

Rosalie Bay

We had a great evening at Mekong Baby. The floor staff are well trained, friendly and efficient and we felt very welcome. The food was excellent, including a fantastic green papaya salad with peanuts and prawn floss, a beautiful goat and coconut curry and spicy lamb ribs. The servings are quite generous so we couldn't do justice to the menu. I want to go back to try the slow cooked lamb shoulder and the prawn, pork and mango salad. I wasn't keen on the fire chicken, it seemed one dimensional to me, but my companions liked it.

John Todd

WOW Dined last night this was superb Great Decor Great Service , although a little glitch to start with Wine prices at realistic pricing levels Dined on Vietnamese Roll, starter a superb fresh spring roll filled with crisp veggies and marinated chicken great dipping sauce Main was Spicy Chicken which on staff members recommendation was very spicy, the chicken strips were not spicy but the salad with its Asian dressing was too die for , hot and spicy , could have eaten it all night magnificent fusion Dessert on staff recommendation was sago pudding , again superb served cold with little toppings and ice cream Great Coffee All in all excellent

Luke Fisher

We tried Mekong Baby for the first time on Saturday night, a group of us that enjoy great restaurants a lot.......all I can say is wow !! what a fantastic atmosphere, the food was outstanding, some of the best fusion I have tried, the great service made for a truly unique experience, we will definatley be back :-)

Jennifer Austin

Wow. The food was sublime. We thought we would give it a whirl as it was once upon a time not so long ago our regular haunt - GPK. But owner Dom has completely reinvented this restaurant, hired mostly new staff, but kept his star chef Ben and the result is stunning. The décor, staff and ambience are all fabulous. But there's no doubt who the real star is ...... the food. It's just divine. Mind you the cocktails are pretty amazing too I had Rum Sun it was smooth - best cocktail I've had in years. Dishes come out as they're ready and are generally shared and its all the more exciting for it. You get to taste a wide range of delicious dishes. Asian fusion from along the Mekong River - the menu combined a variety of exotic styles including curries, divine roti, Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese and Cambodian dishes (and probably more) We had the pork belly - absolutely to die for. Goat curry WOW so tasty, lamb dish - very tender super yummy and beef along with prawns, and Vietnamese rolls (all fabulous) and not nearly enough roti (order double it's so tasty). It was a Tuesday night when we went and it was packed and deservedly so. But we got a table straight away. The powder room is quite something too by the way ladies. We've recently eaten at Jervois Steak House, Cibos, Industry Zen, Euro and would have to say we enjoyed our dinner here the most by far. But we paid a good deal less. The prices are reasonable - hopefully they'll stay that way and we can eat here often. Mekong Baby is quite sensational - we'll be back.

Peter Brown

OK - let me first state I'm a fan - having been four times now. But went last night (two couples) and was disappointed...and very annoyed. The food was still excellent but MB is starting to suffer from its own success. Went to the 6.30 sitting and it was like being ushered into cattle yards. Ordered 4 entrees, 3 mains and a couple of sides...and they were all delivered at the one time. When we asked for the procession to be slowed down we were told "Well, that's how it comes' - there was not a single inch of spare space left on the table...even the waitress exclaimed 'Heavens, Where am I going to fit this next plate'. And the waiter asked us on at least 4 occasions - in rapid succession - if there was anything else he could get us...code for "OK - you've eaten now can you get up and go...please'. If I was there with clients (which I have been in the past) I would have been furious....and the bill arrived before we even received our desserts. For the $400 price tag it was an exceptionally expensive takeaway meal. A great concept, different flavours and dished from along the Mekong River. Food was excellent, and variety very good. Large servings and, if you are a fan of spicy, you wont be disappointed. Impressed enough to re-book for a 5 person client luncheon. Recommended

Grace Hall

Was finally given a chance to try Mekong Baby when it was announced that our mid-year work dinner was going to be held there. Having had fantastic experiences at MooChowChow and Blue Breeze Inn, I knew I was going to be able to tick off three from three. The place was packed but the service never faltered. Each dish was as delicious as the next, though the pork belly was a clear favourite. The cocktails were exotic and delicious, the interior was fresh and inviting, and the bathrooms were appropriately fancy with a posh powder room for the ladies. Drinks at the office prior to dinner meant that no decent photos were taken of the food, but I can say with ease that this is a place you must check out. Whether you're on a date, catching up with old friends, or going out with your colleagues, Mekong Baby accommodates all.

Lisa Edgar

Mekong baby is one of my favourite places for group dining. Not only do they offer 3 very unique private function rooms with fantastic banquet set menus to choose from, their unique decor and ambiance accommodates all sorts of occasions from casual drinks to intimate dates. The well executed South-east Asian fusion menu paired with an adventurous cocktail list treated us well last Friday night. We started with an array of drinks and starters. My favourite was the kingfish sashimi drizzled with coconut paste. The smoothness of the coconut cream accented the sweetness of the fresh fish nicely. It was divine. Everytime I dine at Mekong baby I order the smashed green papaya salad. The subtleness of the chilli and lime accompanies the fresh fruit and greens beautifully but the heat from the chilli will eventually build and awaken your senses. This salad has a wonderful crunch to it, great by itself or as a side - a must try. As for the mains/big plates, we ordered the braised pork belly, duck curry and fire chicken. By this stage I was getting way too full! The braised pork was cleverly presented in battered cubes stacked on top of each other and sprinkled with Asian slaw. It was a bit dry for my liking but definitely unique and looked amazing on the plate. The chicken wasn't as 'firey' as I had hoped but I loved the option of enveloping it with the crispy iceberg lettuce and a few tangy strands of pickled daikon. The Duck Curry was deliciously creamy and lovely poured over rice, soaking up all the beautiful peanut massaman sauce. The only disappointment of the night was the Roti. Slightly too sticky and didn't pull apart the way I like it. I also thought it was a bit overpriced at $5 per dish (2pieces) Gosh, I love the cocktails here. They really carry through the Asian influences with drinks creations involving ginger, chilli (yes! In cocktails) and lychees. If you are in the mood for cocktails, make sure you try Mekong Baby. Highly recommend!

Tessa Hall

Love this place! We had the lamb shoulders, pork belly, fire chicken and prawn and mango salad. All beautifully presented and amazing flavours!

Fridayu

We visited Mekong baby for a family lunch on a warm day and wow my mum loved the place. She couldn't help taking pictures of the restaurant. The place was spacious and i guess it needs to be as it probably gets busy around the evening. For mains we ordered the Wagyu beef, Fire chicken and the Madurese goat curry. Wagyu beef was superbly succulent that melted in your mouth. Fire chicken lived up to its name and was one of my favourite dishes of the lunch. It was the right mix of being spicy yet fresh. The curry reminded me of fresher take on curries you get in Asia which is a definite thumbs up. All in all Mekong Baby is Fusion Cuisine done right!

Flyingkiwi

Having scheduled a catch up lunch with my Mother who's freshly back from spending my inheritance for three months, I thought it only right and fitting I got to choose the venue. Luckily for us it was a dreary Thursday lunch and there was no issue in taking a table straight away. The decor is indeed inobtrusive and vaguely drawn from the Mekong rather than being OTT. It reminded me of the colonial hotels in Yangon. There were only another three 2-tops in so we made our own atmosphere. We prefer to share and pick so the menu was perfect; each dish was modest for the price and the bill crept up but all was delicious. The kingfish sashimi was replaced by tuna and all the better for it; the lamb ribs are very rich but very moreish. The wok fried squid was particularly good, the Vietnamese mint was deep-fried as a garnish which was innovative. The oyster omelette was a little bland; the oyster component was more of a paste than individual oysters; from frozen perhaps? The betel leaf with crab had a little too much fish sauce but this was toned down by the dinky roti. Very much in the plus column is the way my peanut allergy was attended to - completely without mishap or drama. Another fusion restaurant down the same road had me seeking medical attention on the second tasting plate after a very long discussion of the seriousness of anaphylaxis! I'll return to Mekong to try the dishes we didn't get to.

Bill Smale

After dining at Mekong Baby with varied experiences i have to say this time is definitely my last, there is no problem with the food generally but the timing of delivery in my experience is just not good, but my last experience takes the cake, it is the worst experience i have ever seen displayed by a manager in a restaurant, i live in the area and we dine out several nights per week. On Friday night we had arranged a booking for a group of people to have dinner for a birthday, after we arrived we sat at the table and waited for someone to attend to us but nothing happened for half an hour so i went to the bar and purchased some wine and others bought drinks, the waitress was very short with us when we tried to order and told us we had better hurry up as there was another booking coming in for the table later. The Menu clearly states that you are required to have 4 people to have the set Menu, we had 7 people who wanted the set menu so we wanted to order the set menu for 7 people and the rest wanted to have other dishes, as we were all at one table we were told that this was not possible, no where on the menu does it say the whole table is required to have the same order. We were told that if we were at separate tables they could accommodate us but this was not possible at one table even though we were at a big long table and had suggested the ones wanting the set menu would be at one end and the others at the other end, the attitude of the waitress was bad but when the manager came out he was something else,we were told he would no longer serve us as we had wasted too much time and he wanted us out as he had another sitting for the table and that they would not have enough time to serve us, he told us to leave, in all the years dining out both here and overseas i have never experienced such an un professional and aggressive attitude of a so called manager, if he worked for me he would not be working any longer, it is very interesting reading other peoples review of Mekong Baby, it is very clear that they have a problem in this area and need to deal with it.

Patric

EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTING! We were totally disgraced, one of the most horrible experiences ever in my life stepping foot in this restaurant on my actual birthday dinner. My friends & I were absolutely fine until ordering food for the evening then the drama kicked in as the waiter said we cannot order the set menu. The fact is we’re feeling irritated just seeing his negative facial expression saying he needed to check with the manager. It’s like come on guys, we’re here for a happy experience and paying customers! Then the manager came and she wasn’t helpful either … The menu said we must have 4 or more people so we can order the set menu but it’s a completely failure which really frustrating and the boss came as well which made it worst and he’s so rude to my friends. He actually said he will call the police but we make no faults, but just wanting to order the set menu. It’s a disaster!! I’ll never ever set my feet back again to this restaurant, and totally not recommend this type of place for dining. Also the fact is I have already checked when I made my booking that the receptionist did say we can order the set menu or a la carte. But it’s completely failure, what a horrible time! We don’t want any trouble, we still settle our bill of what we have consumed. Well, if you’re a clever customer who want to enjoy a great time, this is NOT the place to go. End of story. Peace

Amy @ My Dining Journey

The increase and development of modern Asian cuisine in Auckland has been going strong and with restaurants like MooChowChow, Cafe Hanoi and now Mekong Baby, the variety of Southeast Asian inspired restaurants has increased substantially over the past couple of years. These types of eateries which draws inspiration from countries such as Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand is increasingly popular due to the incorporation of a wide variety of different ingredients and flavours. Mekong Baby, located at the previous GPK site on Ponsonby, was packed with people when we arrived. Considering there were only a few decent restaurants opened on a public holiday in Ponsonby, we ventured inside, in attempts to see if we could get a table. Sure enough, after waiting 15 minutes at the bar with a refreshing cocktail, we were shown to our table. Our meal started with expensive dumplings which despite the hefty price tag at $6 each, were delightful. Minced prawn wrapped around a runny quail egg, lightly fried with a thin crisp outer coating, this delicate dumpling is served over a spicy coconut samba and topped with chopped peanuts. The prawn cakes with sweet chilli sauce, another item from the small beginning section of the menu, could have benefited from a longer frying time to ensure a more golden coating but these cakes still tasted great and they were packed with large pieces of prawn. The prawn, sticky pork and mango salad was my favourite dish for the night. The contrast of the sweet sticky pork with strips of sweet mango was perfect and a great way to highlight the different flavours and texture. I especially enjoyed the drizzle of chilli oil which added a nice interest to the complex flavours. We decided to get something a little bigger, so my sister opted for the braised pork belly. Looking nothing like a typical pork belly, the dark golden coating protected the chunks of pork, keeping the quality of the meat tender and succulent. The dressing of chilli caramel and black vinegar had a syrupy sticky texture and the harmony of flavours were amazing. The duck massaman curry ($32) was the best value of money. Unlike other duck curries at Thai restaurants where they serve you a few slices of duck, the Mekong Baby version had over four large portions of juicy duck breast and thigh and the richness of the coconut cream and chilli was scrumptious. The bits of roasted peanuts provided a nice crunch and the pieces of pineapple added a refreshing sweetness to the curry. We ate this with roti bread and steamed jasmine rice. Fusion has never been my cup of tea, but the authentic flavours and ingredients used by Mekong Baby is more like a clever recreation of the different cuisines rather than an awkward attempt at fusion. The dining room and bar had a lively vibe and the service was attentive and efficient. They have several gluten free and vegetarian options which is a growing trend and I'm excited to take my friends here in the near future! For more reviews, please check out my blog - http://mydiningjourney.wordpress.com