Review Number 5 Restaurant - Auckland Central

The restaurant was intimate and gave us the best culinary experience we’ve ever had. The service, ambiance, and food were all spectacular. We did a customized tasting with wine pairings and the beef carpaccio, Kingfish, Burrata, and Wagyu hanger steak were some of our favorites. The wine pairings were expertly matched as well. Also, don’t skip dessert! We can’t say enough positive things about our experience and would recommend to anyone.

A hidden restaurant delivering delicious fine dining dishes, featuring local produce and ingredients! All dishes are very well thought out! The kingfish was firm yet melts in your mouth, and the beef cheeks were so tender and soft that you don’t a knife ! Fantastic service and great view of the city as well.

Wow, what a fine dinning experience. Very delicious fusion dishes. Highly recommend tasting set menus with wine matching. Definitely much visit again.

Absolutely DELICIOUS food , staff were very accommodating and looked after each and every need that we wanted , premium food , the flavors were extraordinary , Jack topped up my glass at the perfect time after I'd finished the glass , the waitress was amazing , she had perfect manners and told me exactly where the bathrooms were , my experience here was stunning I will without a doubt be back here again as I would like to try a few more of the dishes , the cocktail with the salted coconut was a beautiful flavour I had never experienced beforehand , Jack had told me the first cocktail may not be to my taste if I wasnt more used to a flavour profile, he then mentioned I might like (and named some cocktails) I chose and I never looked back after taking my first sip , absolutely delectable experience, please once again send my compliments to the chefs , omg the bread and whipped butter at the start was AMAZING flavour profiles went perfectly together

Awesome restaurant for small group. Quiet and cozy environment. Good quality service and tasty food.

Had the 5 course, Amazing experience all around, nice quiet delicious place for some quality time, great service too

It's actually 4.5 stars we want to give as we thoroughly enjoyed our dining experience there. The food tastes amazing- not over powering with heavy seasoning/sauce, but finely flavoured, so you can actually enjoy the gourmet ingredients. Maybe the portion of dishes wasn't quite enough to feel fulfilled. But overall we loved the food, and willing to go back.

Good quality food with obvious thoughts put into the plates. However it lacks creative spark as compared to other fine dining restaurants. Also the portion was extremely small for the price. Some details were off, for example all wine varieties are served in a uniform glass rather than specialised glass for each wine variety.

1st time there and will redo the experience for sure! Passionate executive chef guide us through the meal and for the wine choices. Amazing sourdough bread! The swede carbonara was so light and tasty! Outstanding sorrel dessert with a perfect balance of flavours! Thanks to the team, we will be back for summer menu!

Superb. The waiter added immensely to the experience with a very knowledgeable account of each aspect of the food. The layers of flavour were excellent - we will remember the olive, the pork belly and the strawberry dessert for a long time. Thank you for a great evening.

Beautiful restaurant. Staff very polite and attentive to needs. When making the booking for our party we asked if they could cater to someone who has a auto immune disease who can't eat lactose soy or gluten, they said they will cater to everyone.The food tasted great and the variant dishes were just as good in taste, presentation and thought. Wine selection was excellent for the meal. Enjoyed our night there. Will definitely go back when returning to Auckland.

Really enjoy the food over here. I am very surprised about this restaurant first time we came over because of friends give us voucher then this is the restaurant I come over every months. Food over here is super tasty if you want to try some flavor you never experience before . This is the place to come. Also the service is very nice as well. Very sweet place for date and family dinner.

Ambience plus if you want a leisurely meal and the chance to talk. Carpet and soft decor: you can actually hear! Classic food to a high standard. Lovely service. We enjoyed our meal here as always. Would go more often if the menu changed more. Not huge for vegetarians but you can eat, and they are obliging.

We were six people dining and had the five course degustation menu. Delicious, every single dish was outstanding, sure one of the best meals we ever had. And the service was impeccable, the manager was very knowledgable about the wines and recommended great matches with the dishes. We will be back. Cheers!

We visited with a grabone voucher for the 5 course degustation menu. It was absolutely amazing. The atmosphere and decor was lovely, staff excellent, service timing was just right and food was impeccable. The fig entree and cured salmon was just brilliant. Some times when you use a voucher you are made to feel a bit second class but not here. We where treated as normal customers which we really appreciated. Thank you!

We often dine at Number 5 for a special event. The last one was a 'big number' birthday and we booked the upstairs dining room for 20 guests. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the evening, and the setting, the service and the food and wine were excellent ... as always.

Romantic atmosphere, great service and scrumptious dishes

Loved this place. A small charming place with very friendly staff. Loved the food. Great flavours and excellent presentation. We were made to feel so comfortable. Quite place to soak in the flavours and enjoy the company. Will be going back

Amazing food experience, enjoyed the 5 course testing menu!!! Friendly staff! Lovely ambience! We celebrated our anniversary there, definitely highly recommend it

came here on a 5 course deal with my husband food was good friendly wait staff the venison was both our favourite but dessert was also amazing

Came here on a Grabone voucher for a 3 course meal. The dishes were portioned relatively well and presentation of the food was outstanding. Each dish was balanced nicely in terms of flavour and texture, however I wouldn't go as far as to say that it was anything particularly special. I liked how nicely spaced each course was, giving us time to appreciate and digest. It was a little bit difficult to get a hold of a waiter at times so we would be left with dishes in front of us, but no forks to eat with and it would have been nice if someone would have topped up our water.

Service was okay as there was only one waiter and food was amazing! The place had a lot of mirrors and was very spacious. Price is more on the $$ side but food is worth it!

Had a corporate event here. The food was good and service is good considering we took a lot of tables. <br/><br/>Friendly staff, but not sure about the total cost. <br/><br/>Service: 4/5<br/>Food Quality: 4/5<br/>Food Quantity: 4/5<br/>Presentation: 4/5<br/>Price per person: XX

We came here on Valentines for the Valentines menu. The entree (ceviche) was pleasant and light. The squid was meant to be pan friend but disappointingly looked and tasted more boiled. It was rubbery and chewy. The steak was delicious, especially with the pea purée. Dessert wasn’t too memorable. What was memorable though was the extra $50 on top of the food that was for two small glasses of champagne. For some reason I thought it was free.

Food at very high quality. Excellent wine list. Service was at top notch. Knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly. Highly recommended. Can't wait to come back again.

This place is excellent. For a discerning diner with a sensitive palate. Goat cheese salad and chocolate ganache both 10/10, hubby raves about his blueberry sorbet and prawn starter and lamb Main . Service is excellent, surroundings a bit bland, I would love to dine here again! Over all 9.5, highly recommended

Got a deal from GrabOne. The dinning experience was overall pleasant - great atmosphere, good portion, service was quick and efficient. The scallops, beef short ribs and dessert were awesome.

Got a deal from Grab One, had a wonderful time. Love the dinning atmosphere & great service. Will definitely go again, highly recommend this place.

Oh my my my! Degustation GrabOne on a week night. Not a new building or a contemporary decor by any means but the restaurant exudes old world charm and elegance. The service was prompt and friendly. The food was well balanced, beautifully presented and just delicious. Most enjoyable dinner. Would visit again without question.

Another wonderful meal at Number 5. We can never go past the degustation menu which is regularly updated. Staff are knowledgeable and helpful, the building is charming and full of character and the food is simply outstanding.

Food is so good! Staff very polite thanks for showing us wines that compliments each dish. Very nice place for couples to enjoy a nice quiet fancy delicious meal.

Very private. At first it felt too mature for my liking but as the night went on, it was more relaxed! Our waiter was brilliant, guttered I didn’t get his name but he’s the Irish/Italian waiter with the New York accent, he was the best!! My husband & I enjoyed most of our meals. I wasn’t that keen on my main which was the fish of the day. My desert was ok but my husbands was better lol - go for the trifle! Def dune there again 👍🏾

Thoroughly enjoyed the 5 course degustation. Perfect portion size and full of flavours. Looking forward to going back and try the others dishes.

The restaurant had a great atmosphere, very eclectic pairings. The service was great, quick and efficient. It's vegetarian friendly and has a good portion size. Overall it was a great experience and we would definitely go again.

Quite a lovely place, the waiters were lovely and very French. The first course of carrots was very tasty. Second course was good. Third and fourth were a big let down with my duck so undercooked, it was inedible.<br/>The dessert was the best part of the evening, just brilliant!

Been here for a few time having degustation menu. The food has always been good but not exceptional. Went there last night and had a 3-course set menu instead. I had cured salmon, market fish and sorbet. Each course was very refreshing and flavoursome and I enjoyed every bite of it.

We recently visited this restaurant whilst staying in Auckland and we were very impressed! Service and food were excellent three of us were dining and we all had the Confit duck leg as a main and it was perfect we all enjoyed.

One of the nicer looking restaurants. The atrium is quite nice with a few chairs around a fireplace. The dining area itself also quite small but comfortable. Ambience was really nice as was the service. <br/><br/>The menu wasn't too extensive but there were a few items that were really interesting. I went with the short rib. The food was nice but there wasn't anything that stood out for me. Beef was tender and juicy. <br/><br/>Nice place for a fancy dinner.

I've been past this place a million times, never giving it a second a glance but me and the mrs are "doing a tour of degustations" and this place is highly recommended so we had to check it out.<br/><br/>The ambience is warm and slightly quaint inside with class running throughout. The tables seem to be strategically placed so you don't get that crossover with other patrons, giving you a sense of separation which is nice. Service is your usual standard and more here but I wouldn't expect anything less from a place like this, they definitely deliver.<br/><br/>We had the 7 course degustation with a couple of cocktails. Every course was excellent and delicious, timed perfectly and they even squeezed in an amuse-bouche (which was a clever and decadent fresh oyster with a lemon sorbet) and a satisfying pre-dessert.<br/><br/>Much appreciative of them catering to our time needs, the sitting we had can be done in two hours or if you're not in a hurry (which we weren't) they can stretch it out without nagging you about needing the table after you. <br/><br/>Great place for a top degustation and/or a romantic dinner.

Love this little place..Excellant service and great wine list...Lamb was cooked to perfection and fish was really yum..Strawberry dessert was fresh and wonderful finali!

Nestled in the middle of concrete suburbia is this little gem. Upon arrival you instantly feel warm and relaxed, the lovely servers seat you promptly and run through the menu. We have the 5 course degustation menu which was absolutely amazing. My only issue was that the first 2 courses were very salty. Devine food though and can't fault the service. Would definitely recommend and will be back. Thank you very much!

Lovely restaurant. Knowledgeable and friendly staff and good food. Menu resently changed so a bit surprised as it was different to what was on the website, no worries or concerns.<br/>Would definitely visit again.

Currently having the degustation at Number 5. The service is amazing, the staff are really nice and great. the food is also amazing. The food servings is a bit small for the degustation, leaving some space for all the meal. Love their food. The main dish that my mom got was a lot.

Had a three course meal on a Grab One voucher. The service was very good - the food was nothing short of outstanding. Fantastic presentation, flavoursome and plenty of food. Great atmosphere too. Will definitely be returning.

Best food <br/>Yummy <br/>Nice ambience <br/>Beautiful environment <br/>Great service <br/>Beautiful table layout<br/>Good location<br/> Will come back again and would like to have a good meal again.

We revisited Number 5 for a special family celebration after a lapse of several years; its still as great as we remembered it to be.  On a cold wet winter night, it was warm and welcoming  and the service was absolutely excellent; attentive, friendly, knowledgeable and discreet. The wine list is extensive and superb and the staff were very helpful about what to choose.  Our group  pronounced their starters, mains and desserts all sublime.  We give Number 5 City Rd 5 stars and we will be back soon!

I have been to No. 5 many year me ago so I still remembered the intimate atmosphere and professional services so I decided to revisit this Auckland establishment to see if it still maintaining its former glory. I have to say the experience was OK- nothing special yet nothing wrong with it. In today's Auckland restaurant market, it has to be really special in order to make to the top list.. Also, Number five's frequent discounted promotion might be a sign that it's struggling to be competitive without offering special deals.

Spot on for service but not quite on the food.<br/><br/>I had 5 course degustation deal as a gift from friend. I expected the food to be good from the price and restaurant standard. However I left the restaurant disappointed.<br/><br/>1st -tomato and watermelon gazpacho - It came with 2 prawns and some frozen watermelon in tomato consomme. I like frozen watermelon.<br/><br/>2nd - citrus cures salmon - Not too bad but couldn't really taste citrus on salmon. I like marscapone on it.<br/><br/>3rd - roasted duck breast - Duck cooked well but the portion was so tiny! And it was little salty from feta cheese and sauce that came it with. The puree was good though.<br/><br/>4th - venison loin - Venison cooked well but I don't know what they cooked/glazed beetroot with.It was so salty!!! <br/><br/>5th - chocolate cremeux - Favorite of the night, dark chocolate went well with sour sorbet. Really yum!

Been here 3 times in the last 6 months with the grab one specials<br/>Service is top Knotch and the food beautiful could be slightly bigger portions but flavours were great

Went there for the 5 course degustation on a Thursday night. Its a small red building at city road which opens upto a relatively big space once entered. Inspite of having made a reservation, we had to wait for 10 minutes. This can be disregarded as the restaurant was all booked for pretty much all slots hence tables needed to be cleared. <br/>Upon entering we were asked if we had the booking and what were we having. Our server led us to our table and gave us the degustation menu. Not that it matters too much, but the menu was printed on an A4 sheet of paper. <br/><br/>Menu for the night:<br/>-TIGER PRAWNS, BRANDY with WATERMELON, TOMATO, BASIL<br/>-CITRUS CURED SALMON with MARSCAPONE, LIQOURICE, VANILLA INFUSED CUCUMBER<br/>-ROASTED DUCK BREAST with APPLE, PARSNIP, FETA, MINT<br/>-VENISON LOIN with WILD MUSHROOM RISOTTO, GLAZED BEETROOT<br/>-VALRHONA CHOCOLATE CREMEUX with ALMOND NOUGAT, CHERRY AND CHOCOLATE SORBET<br/><br/>The tiger prawns was a cold dish. 2 massive prawns. Perfectly cooked. The salmon was not my desired taste as I am not a fan of raw fish. But the star of course 2 was vanilla infused cucumber. The duck was medium rare and was melt in mouth. The pairing with feta made the flavours shine. I asked the venison to be done fully. This course again did not do wonders for me although the risotto was creamy and highlighted the beefy mushrooms. The star of the experience was the dessert. Absolute delight. One scoop of chocolate cremeux complemented by another scoop of cherry sorbet. Accompanied by pieces of glazed chocolate and a measly piece of almond nougat. Each and every spoonful bursted with flavour. <br/><br/>My company had the same meal but with wine paired. I would not comment on how it went as I did not get the first hand experience of the wine pairing. As for the food. It was good if not great. <br/><br/>The ambience did not impress me much. It seemed the tables were laid to a makeshift place. The servers were polite and explained each course. Kept refilling the beverages just on time. <br/><br/>Pricewise: On a usual day its $129 per person for a 5 course degustation. One might be able to find deals on grabone/groupon which work out way cheaper. Wine pairing is an additional $60 per person.<br/><br/>Comebacks and returns: I'd say no. Would prefer to try some other degustation. After all its an experience.

The deep purple and white decor finished with elegant cutlery and crockery makes it known you're at a fine dining restaurant. Service is prompt but the staff were slightly cold and lacked enthusiasm. <br/>The food was great. The duck parfait was quite strong but smooth and creamy. My only complaint would be that the ratio of parfait to bread wasn't even so I had parfait left over. The pork belly was fantastic. Beautifully cooked and nicely paired with apple and carrot flavours. The dessert was also very delicious and well presented. Lovely combination of citrus and white chocolate; a refreshing end to the meal. A very classy restaurant but not my favourite fine dining restaurant in Auckland.

I have been to Number 5 many times now and it is always such a treat and lovely. Tonight I had the Duck Ravioli and it was beautiful. The sizes of the meals are perfect and even though with my tiny tummy I still can't finish them I don't feel like I'm wasting much. The flavours of the dish were beautifully complimentary and there was so much duck inside the ravioli it was well balanced with the pasta. For dessert I had the deconstructed Black Forest gateau and it was lovely. It was really yummy and the cherry sorbet was a particular highlight. The service was really good and the waiter was very attentive and responsive to our needs. I always enjoy Number 5 such great food, good service and lovely ambience.

The ambiance of this boutique restaurant was elegant, understated and utterly pleasant. I'm glad I dressed up before dining here! I had the market fish, which was snapper that night--done just right and complimented well by the wine match recommended by our very polished waitress. Definitely try Number 5 if you're feeling a bit fancy. <br/>Sarah Forsyth #g4

Very accommodating staff with excellent knowledge of wines. Our four course meal was good but nothing overly exciting. We did have a lovely time even though one of our courses was almost cold when it reached the table. It was very busy at the time and perhaps the food was held up in the kitchen. I guess the excellent service and ambiance made up for the shortfall in quality. We will return and try Number 5 again in the future.

This dining establishment has never disappointed - even with the Grab One voucher! We dined here last night and once again experienced impeccable service and amazing food. Included in the menu was Salmon, beetroot soup, duck, beef cheek and Chocolate Tart. The degustation courses were served at appropriate intervals and the wine and water was constantly topped up without our prompting. I love the quiet and cosy ambience of this wonderful old homestead.. The carpet subdued the noise - I so wish more restaurants had this. We have dined here many times and hope to visit again soon.

We had the degustation menu and really enjoyed it food was great and service was just enough. I would recommend this place for intimate nights very romantic setting. Lovely reminds me of old restaurants back home in Scotland. Classy.... One down side is the toilets they just don't meet the standard expected this is why you only get a 3.5!

Went on a Friday night with the grabone voucher. The 5-courses meal menu was set so we didn't need to worry about anything when we arrive. Food was served not long after we settled down. <br/><br/>Food:<br/>The food was decent, although I couldn't recall anything particularly amazing in the set menu. Funny thing is, I liked the scollops entree and the trio mushroom risotto but not so amazed about the main-- Beef brisket. The main was pretty average as the meat texture was dried up probably due to its beef brisket, the mash potato was however the highlight of the main. <br/><br/>Service:<br/>The waitress and waiters did come and ask us how we find the meals and filled our water cups. However, just after we finished our dessert they took our plates and literally I was about to have a sip of water, they asked us to leave as they said there's ppl still waiting in the lobby.. I felt very rushed and rude, I understand they had other bookings but I paid to enjoy both the food and the atmosphere too. <br/><br/>Overall: <br/>It is a good place for fine dinning and couples who want more private atmosphere. However I personally would be reluctant to visit again if I didn't get the vouchers. Or maybe I would try a different main next time to give it another try.

Can't see how this food bar can maintain a 4 rating. Forgettable place had i not ever had such a salty fish on my one and only visit. Food was over salted as if to hide an odour or taste. Others who have been had better experiences but for me the money I paid id prefer to go to the 8 in the Langham across the road for a better night or splashout a little more for the French Cafe further up the road.

Went here with four friends for their special 5 course degustation menu. There are no bad things to say about this restaurant. <br/><br/>All courses were presented absolutely beautifully, all came out at the exact right time, and all plates were amazing! Each plate was absolutely heavenly and left us wanting more.

Canadian Prime Minister. What A Huge Disappointment!<br/><br/>First, we are familiar with fine dining both in NZ and internationally so we think that<br/>our observations are well considered.<br/><br/>We had been told to try the “Number Five” very generous offer for the Five Course<br/>Degustation Meal. We arrived at 7.30pm to be greeted by the owner. However, she<br/>said that we had booked for 8pm and we would need to wait for our table. We<br/>thought this was strange because we always book dinner tables at 7.30pm.<br/>Anyway, not an issue, we didn’t mind waiting.<br/><br/>We were standing at this stage in a very small entry area (door opening to the wet and windy<br/>street). There were  two armchairs. The owner asked if we would like to wait for our table there or wait at a large<br/>table in the restaurant.  We chose the latter. A very pleasant, very young but  very inexperienced  waitress<br/>approached and asked if we would like water. We said “Yes please”, and I also ordered a beer. The waitress seemed nervous and rushed away to fine a more senior colleague who returned to take my order for the beer. <br/><br/>Time is now 8.05pm. The owner approaches ; “To be honest” she says, “We are short of tables because at the last minute we were asked to accommodate the Canadian Prime Minister for dinner and we have reserved a large number of tables for him and his entourage”.  “Not to worry”, we say genuinely and politely, “These things can happen”.<br/><br/>So,  here we sit, my wife and I, feeling somewhat conspicuous at a huge round table in the middle of the dining room, surrounded by other diners all eating their meals. Also,  no more then five feet from where we were seated was the bar  to which the aforementioned junior staff carried ( presumably from the kitchen)  one or two plastic  tubs full of soapy water. We were intrigued! Tubs in position they then began to wash and polish the cutlery. Right in front of us! Don’t forget this is a Five Star establishment. In the end the Canadian PM was a “no show” so at about 8.30pm we were allocated a table as another couple  vacated. The owner went home without a further word to us.<br/><br/>Our table was positioned right next to a very high and wide window (circa 1800s).There were no curtains. The windows were totally bare which meant that for the remainder of our evening we sat in clear view of the cleaners in the foyer of the next-door office building mopping floors and carrying black plastic bags of rubbish. Nice! Did I mention that this is supposed to be a Five Star establishment.?  We also had to ask the young staff to turn ‘their’ music down. The were very polite and were happy to oblige.<br/><br/>Now for the good news. The food was absolutely superb! Beautifully presented, adequate<br/>quantity and with doubt a wonderfully exciting meal. Thank you Chef!!<br/><br/>It came for us to leave. By this stage we were  more than a  little disappointed, so disappointed that I decided to check the bill.  There was a charge of $11 for sparkling water. A tiny charge but once a patron is<br/>already disappointed then it’s easy for them to progress to annoyance.  We were now conversing with a senior member of the staff to whom I said; “We did not order sparkling water”. “Yes you did” she says. “ Our waitress would not have served it if you had not ordered it”. (Remember the inexperienced youngster who served us when were first seated!) So, we are at first disappointed, then annoyed and now we are plain  ‘hosed off’. We stare at the waitress and politely wait. She then says, “Okay then I will take the money out of my own pocket and pay for it myself”. An unbelievable response! I reach for my wallet, I take out the cash I give it to her but I say I will never pay for it on the bill. The waitress declines my cash offer, and removes the water from the bill. <br/>Note; This encounter has been civil and polite, no huffing and puffing  no rolling of the eyes. None-the-less we leave very unimpressed.<br/><br/>As for the Maître De, he appears to be very unhappy in his work both on the phone when booking and in person.<br/><br/>(At the table next to us three American women arrived to dine. They were staying at the<br/>Langham next door.  When it came time to leave we heard them discussing a ‘tip’. They refused to leave a ‘tip’ such was their displeasure in regard to the service.)

Went to Number 5 on Friday night with a voucher for Mid Winter Xmas 5 course meal. Not sure if people who were unhappy about the size of their meals were big eaters because we left having had perfect amount of food, any more would have been too much, and we had no sides.<br/><br/>Entree was Duck Liver Parfait - absolutely delish, would have eaten a tub for the rest of my meal if given the chance, but then I wouldn't have had the opportunity for the Duck served with Potatoes, Peas, Baby Onions and Bread Sauce. Worth going for this alone. Stand out dish of the menu and one of the best meals I have ever had. Sauce was amazing, onions were perfectly matched for the flavour of the dish and the little bits of duck bacon were to die for.<br/><br/>Dessert was good, not too sweet and overpowering as the whole menu was quite rich and the Mulled Wine a perfect way to finish before going back out into the cold night. <br/><br/>Great service and even better food from start to finish.

Would not go back. We waited 45 mins for our dessert and after asking how much longer it would take after 30 minutes no one come back to us with an answer. Food was average. We also did the wine pairing with our seven course meal and about 5 of the 7 wines were from the same vineyard. When we asked why we were told it was a promotion they had on at the time with the vineyard so not based on which wine actually complimented the food which was supposed to be the whole point. We had our wine spilled twice by the waitress and they didn't even offer to change the table cover. We also had to ask what the food was a couple of times so we knew what we were eating with one answer being just venison. People were also sweating as it was so hot and a few people including myself opened the windows and even had to go sit outside to cool off. Well over priced for what is offered and service was bad.

My family and I had a 5 course degustation at Number 5, food was nice however portions were TINY!! Like laughable size.. I understand a degustation is small but many courses so you get to taste everything but when paying a lot for dinner you would expect to leave feeling satisfied, but we were starving when we finished! And we ordered sides as well. I would say the kebab shop next door probably get lots of business from Number 5 customers.. If we were to return we would definitely order off the regular menu.

We always enjoy our visits - great ambience, attentive staff and wonderful food<br/><br/>Top marks for the Duck and Akaroa Salmon - yum

Came here for dinner with the Mr for our anniversary. The food I have to say was perfect. I can't fault a single thing. The Mr and I decided to share entrees so we could each try. The chicken liver parfait was set in front of me and at first bite I wished we hadn't decided to share - it was melt-in-your-mouth divine!<br/><br/>The other entree we had was the Venison Carpaccio - a rather interesting mix of flavours; in addition to the thin cut meat there was licorice, cherries, hazelnuts and cocoa. This was a dish for the more adventurous so I ended up giving the rest of my parfait to the Mr as he is more on the safe side but the Carpaccio certainly wasn't offensive - in fact, I finished the entire plate even though licorice isn't normally my favourite. It somehow just worked!<br/><br/>We had been considering trying the degustation menu so decided to slot in an additional entree in between entrees and mains that caught our eye to share. This was the Spring Peas. Sounds boring but wow!!! Best thing I have tasted in a long time! Even the Mr who is a carnivore through and through loved this vegetarian dish that was immaculately presented and had the perfect mix of flavours.<br/><br/>The next round was mains - steak for him, duck for me. Mr loved how there were two different cuts of meat on his plate and I enjoyed the duck with its crispy skin immensely. While we were pretty full by the end of that (having devoured every morsel!) we decided we should give the dessert menu a try. While the Hot Chocolate Pot was calling out my name, we went with the more sensible panna cotta which turned out to be a perfect dessert to end a meal such as this one; it was light and contained fruits. Just beautiful.<br/><br/>The wait staff were very attentive without being overbearing and I couldn't fault them at all. They could see we were after a little privacy without losing the ambience of fellow diners and seated us at a quiet table with a view. Mr chose a whisky from the liquor trolley and the staff kindly bought the bottle over when requested so that he could take a photo of his 'new favourite' so he could purchase a bottle to add to our domestic collection.<br/><br/>I would recommend this venue to anyone; this meal to celebrate our anniversary will not be forgotten! Perfect location for a romantic dinner/special occasion.

We celebrated our engagement here 10+ years ago. He must have been sure of my answer with a chauffer, rolls Royce and dinner at Number 5 booked.<br/><br/>Forget the detailed analyses you'll read below - this is a top notch restaurant that is passionate about food and cares about your dining experience. If you are looking for a special night - book a table.<br/><br/>Mr S had a tasty pea entrée - followed by the beef and me the lamb rump with pinenuts and dates on a bed of pumpkin (as you can see - MUCH more attention paid to my own food!)... We shred a selection go 2 cheeses - accompanied but caramelized walnuts, pear poached in saffron and a delicious chutney... the complimentary port was just divine... beautiful aroma and taste... perfecto!!!!<br/><br/>There is a reason they have been doing this for 25 years. Great service, divine food and even a complimentary port with our cheese to mark our 10 year anniversary. Thanks for a wonderful night!

We made a rash decision to purchase a voucher deal for this establishment like Silver A's review.<br/><br/>1/ First of all the food was very nice.<br/><br/>2/ There was very little of it (we had the 5 course) through the voucher that was on the coupon site. <br/><br/>3/ The wait between meals was below par by the time you got your next meal or more frankly your tasting you were forever hungry for the whole night , my wife and I and 6 others all ate there and have never left a restaurant ever in my life feeling hungry after waiting approx 3 hours and spending $400 bucks on food and that's with our discounts. and ordering the cheapest possible wines on the menu two bottles and a soft drink that came to $280 All of us would never go back very disappointed would never recommend Number 5 to any one unless you hated then or wanted to play a practical joke on them.<br/>4/ My advice is don't bother with this place, the sad thing is that the food (nibbles) was great, if there was a more of it and quicker service.And especially with the discount vouchers not sure whose saving here your clients or you on the food quantity after looking around and seeing whats on the plates of other customers.<br/>5/ The waitress we had (French) was very hospitable and friendly top marks for her alone. You had class. 5+++<br/>6/ There is two restaurants in this building one is ""Great"" however Number 5 very disappointing.

We made a rash decision to purchase a voucher deal for this establishment. Firstly, our background - we eat out in Auckland a lot, we love to experience fine dining and 5 star food and service. Coming from Europe and being used to Michelin stars, we are real foodies.<br/><br/>When we saw a voucher deal for Number 5 we were apprehensive about purchasing it, as selling vouchers to get customers in can be a bad sign that a place that should be doing well is not turning over what it needs to in order to survive as a business. And one always has to ask why.<br/><br/>However, we decided to give the Number 5 deal voucher a go, hoping we would be in for a pleasant surprise!<br/><br/>By March, we had forgotten we had purchased the voucher deal, and once we realized it was about to expire, we booked a table for a Saturday evening. <br/><br/>We were looking forward to trying the degustation menu (which we hoped would be delicious) and as we had some reasons to celebrate, a couple of bottles of Bolly (like there has to be an excuse)!<br/><br/>We walked into the restaurant and were almost bowled over by several staff members. We were not greeted or even afforded a smile or acknowledgement. A bad sign, it was the type of welcome one would expect at a road side 'greasy spoon' where the staff are over worked, under paid and under trained. Not good! We should have listened to our gut instinct and turned around and walked out there and then.<br/><br/>When we were finally noticed, we were ushered upstairs by an irritated looking maitre d, once again without a smile or any sort of cordial welcome. Absolutely useless and unpleasant maitre d, he is clearly in the wrong job.<br/><br/>Once upstairs, we were seated by the maitre d in the corner. Upstairs in this place is 'the cheap seats' but I think it's reasonable that you would seat your voucher customers in the cheap seats, so I have no complaints about that. Unfortunately for us we ended up in the cheapest of cheap seats tucked away in the corner farthest from the window. But that's ok, someone has to get that table right? No complaints, but after feeling so unwelcome in the first instance, it kind of irked us that we were seated here.<br/><br/>We were starting to become apprehensive and uneasy about the evening ahead at this stage. The warning signs were there, the giant neon writing was on the wall!<br/><br/>Next, quite a sweet waitress came to ask us if we could present our deal voucher. She was only doing her job, but we wondered what kind of place we had come for a meal in, what kind of clientele does this place attract? Do people really eat and run here? Are we really being asked to pay before our meals? We have never experience this before so we actually genuinely did not understand what we were being asked for. Hmmmm.<br/><br/>Note that we has not been offered a wine menu at this point. We were offered water and not a drink yet were expected to show the voucher. <br/><br/>In addition, we had to ask twice for the wine menu. Goodness knows why the maitre d did not give this to us when he seated us.<br/><br/>The maitre d then showed a couple in, and seemed to be giving them a choice between tables. The couple opted for a table by the window. My partner watched this unfold and we had a brief discussion about why the other couple might be offered a choice of table. Personally I don't know why, but I feel it might be because we were not recognized as a couple since we are 2 women, and perhaps the better tables were being reserved as romantic tables. Who knows, maybe that couple were not having a deal voucher menu that night.<br/><br/>At this point, before we spent $170 on a bottle, we decided that we could not tolerate such abysmal Fawlty Towers-esque service and we left and took our cash elsewhere (into Peter Gordon's pockets to be precise). We left leaving our bottle of water untouched.<br/><br/>We eat out too often to waste our time in places where the service is worse than mediocre when there are so many better places out there, where the staff CARE about their customers experience, and where the staff know that if they give their customers a great dining experience, the restaurant will get repeat business and recommendations.<br/><br/>The odd thing is that Number 5 clearly needs the repeat business, or they would not be trying to put bums on seats with voucher deals. <br/><br/>Unfortunately I cannot review the food, but the menu looked reasonable, and we were looking forward to trying it.<br/><br/>My advice is don't bother with this place, unless you hear they have over-hauled their front of house service.<br/><br/>The sad thing is that the food could be amazing, but with service this bad, the kitchen will be over shadowed. <br/><br/>Give Number 5, or should it be -5, a miss.

We had a Xmas function here. It was my first timeback after a couple of years but I found the food and service to be of a suitably high standard. No.5 won't push the culinary boundaries, but they don't pretend to. If you want well executed tasty european inspired food, with excellent wine, in a quite setting with good service give this restaurant a go

Had a deal voucher for Number 5.<br/>Very pleasant evening. Good ambiance, tasty food - although portions were quite small.<br/>Waiting staff friendly and attentive.<br/>Would certainly go back.

My husband and I took a business client to Number 5 late Nov 2012. It is truly a 5 star restaurant. The menu is diverse enough to satisfy most diners. The wine menu is extensive and I found the staff extremely knowledgeable and able to suggest wines that were perfect for the courses we ordered. The food was wonderful. Our guest was very impressed with his courses as were we. The restaurant itself is an absolutely beautiful and historical space to dine in. A relaxing ambience and clearly happy diners around us completed a fabulous evening out.<br/>The lovely owner and ALL the wait staff were wonderful to us and I cannot recommend this restaurant highly enough. We have eaten recently at another "high profile" restaurant and were very disappointed there, not so with Number 5. We will most certainly be back.

I went to Number 5 Restaurant in Nov 2012 to celebrate my wedding anniversary thinking that we would enjoy a lovely evening together, it turned out to be far from that. We were greeted by a ratty lady that was rude and incourteous. We had the degustation menu which was appalling. The meals were a disgrace to say the least, the service was so bad that after the third course of total bad food and lack of service we had enough. Each meal item took over 35 mins and when arrived was cold, undercooked and well crap in all honesty. Anyway when the third course arrived that was enough ... We put the cash on the table and left only to be chased by owner swearing at us in front of her customers ..........never seen that before! Anyway we left and were still hungry, we went to our favorite place and had a fabulous time and meal. Give Number 5 Restaurant a miss big time, there are a number of fine dining restaurants around that live up to their name in terms of food, service and delivery and most importantly customer care!

I felt compelled to sign up and leave this review after reading a very good review for Number 5 over the weekend.<br/>We have eaten here many times over the last few years (mainly with a voucher for degustation) and never been disappointed.<br/>So we were delighted when friends invited us to go A LA CARTE.<br/>From reading other posts it seems obvious that the service is not something they pride themselves on, and that has always been evident. My main gripe this time was, if you smoke, chew some gum, we don't want your stink near us.<br/>On to the food. Snapper starter looked stunning, and the fish was so delicate, but there was no synergies to the dish, and far too much salt. Style over substance I'm afraid.<br/>The tried and tested Chicken pate and rabbit were not to their usual standard. A slightly tarte taste in the chicken made me question how old it was, while the rabbit had bone and no seasoning.<br/>Duck leg was burnt on the bottom and chewy, while the breast self sauced the dish with blood seeping out every where.<br/>My beef looked great, but was charred on one side and almost uncooked on the other and pretty chewy.<br/>The lamb was under cooked and not rested.<br/>However the fish main was excellent, lovely flavours.<br/>Again we questioned the freshness of the food, when the cheesecake came out with a soggy base and firm jelly.<br/>We've had the chocolate before but was different this time and really not even worth a mention.<br/>A totally disappointing night, which was why I was so surprised to read a great review on the same dishes we shared a few days later.<br/>So we will not be returning to Number 5. A new chef and some new ideas, but as the old saying goes if it ain't broke din't fix it.<br/><br/>Thanks Martina<br/>We didn't speak to your waiting staff as they were sadly not interested in us or our experience.<br/>I have seen a few negative reviews on a few different websites recently so perhaps your menus not as well received as you think.<br/>I appreciate your comment, but there are too many good restaurants out there to waste time on ones who are just going through the motions.

We dined using the deal vouchers for the five course degustation menu.<br/><br/>I made our booking for dinner to celebrate a 40th birthday back in July and received confirmation of my booking by return email at that time. When we arrived for dinner, there was no record of our booking and it took for me to show the person who met us upon arrival, the physical copy of the booking email to convince him that we actually had a booking, which he accepted upon seeing the email.<br/><br/>The staff then frantically bundled together a table setting for six in a space that would not seem to normally hold six people as we were cramped into a corner which required the waiters to squeeze around us to serve us.<br/><br/>My expectation was that because I had booked such a long way in advance, and because I had expressed that we were celebrating a special birthday, that we would have been sat at a better sized and better positioned table, rather we felt 'shunted in' at the last minute.<br/><br/>Our waiter was excellent, and did a great job of making amends and serving us throughout the night, though had to shuffle around a cramped table.<br/><br/>The food itself was good in flavour, though all of us expected more than three small slivers of venison for the main course, especially as I looked around the restaurant at the serving sizes of other diners receiving main meals. I hope that this was not as a result of the deal vouchers which I have read reviews online comment about.<br/><br/>I raised my concerns directly with the restaurant after our experience, which unfortunately they have not responded to as they indicated they would.<br/><br/>Overall, while we made the most of the evening and enjoyed ourselves, unfortunately Number 5 did not live up to either our expectations or the hype, and given the other fine dining restaurant choices around Auckland we are unlikely to return.<br/><br/>**Following the original review above, we have had correspondence with the owner which we have not been happy with, and have refused the offer of a complimentary meal based on her response**

What an awesome evening out. Deal voucher - Degustation menu... Wow! Impeccable, friendly and knowledgeable service and wine recommendations. Every course was delicious and just when you thought it couldn't get even better the next course was even tastier. Yes I may have still been slightly hungry at the end but I have a voracious appetite and that wasn't what the evening was all about. Can't recommend this restaurant highly enough for a special evening out :-)

Although not a favourite, I'd still recommend giving this place a go, the food is a little on the pricier side but the ambience and atmosphere makes up for it. the old Victorian style building gives a warm feeling and the staff are all very friendly and prompt.

Sad but true, smaller portioned meals than others at different tables for deal vouchers. Would not bother with restaurant that adhere to these con techniques in the future. Unaddequately cooking technique ruined the meal for us, dry food and overcooked food. Lovely reception though.

We tried Number 5 last night and had an exceptional evening. We started with fresh oysters which were amazing followed by the 5 course Degustation menu...each dish was memorable and the service impeccable. We'll definitely be back &amp; would highly recommend Number 5.

A flawless fine-dining experience in central Auckland really. I visited recently with my partner for our anniversary and it suited well as the ambiance is private, very comfortable and the expert service struck exactly the right balance.<br/>I highly recommend the varied Assiette (assortment) of Beef and indeed the beef and lamb dishes are standout.

Love this place! The decor, the food (always try the degustation menu divine!) and the wait staff are attentive but not in your face! They have the knack for good timing in taking away glasses/clearing out plates in between meals.

It's been awhile since I have been to Number 5, I was not disappointed the first time and this time was even better. The food was outstanding and wine was great. It is so good to go to a place were the staff are so friendly and knowledgeable. They really know their stuff when it comes to matching the wine to the meal. I will be back and sooner rather than later.Well Done Number 5 and thank you for a great night.

Eaten here many times but not for a while, but friends booked us in for new years eve.<br/>First class food and the matching wines were excellent.<br/>The clear winner was the beef main course which was outstanding. so many elements from the animal and all ate beautifully together. The lemon meringue dessert was the perfect ending.<br/>One small gripe was that they were very busy but the two older ladys at the bar still had time to stand there chatting all night. That said "Manny" was fantastic and really made the night for us.

Well as a long time patron of this (my favourite) restaurant, the last few times I have been to dinner here I have been so disappointed.<br/>The waiter (a young gentleman) told us they didn't have it and I must be mistaken because he had never heard of it. I opened the wine menu and surprise there it was on the menu. It arrived warm! We then waited and waited, then and someone came to take the glasses away and asked if we would like our bill?<br/>We kept having to ask for things i.e. cutlery, someone to actually tell us the specials and even to take our order. We would have been served by about 4 different wait staff, as no-one could actually be bothered with proper service and were too busy running around.<br/>We eventually asked to speak to someone in charge but didn’t bother as the so called manager/waiter was chatting a way with young lady.<br/>So disappointed that our favourite restaurant seems to have disappeared!!!!!

This is one of our favourite places to go to spend some discretionary cash and indulge our appetite for delicious gastronomy.<br/><br/>I particularly recommend the degustation menu. I tried it one season and I'm still desirous of more.<br/><br/>The favourites - the items which stay on the menu - are good. My experience with the changeable items are various.<br/><br/>One time I had Beef Wellington. I wish I could have more of it.<br/><br/>One time I had whitebait. I made better whitebait plate myself.<br/><br/>Service is excellent, always.<br/><br/>Verdict: I need more money to spend at Number 5.

Hands down the best lamb I have had and that is saying sometyhing! (Lamb and steak is all i ever order). Cute romantic views and friendly staff helped but the food was a great standout for me!<br/><br/>Love your work number five!

Not been here for a while, but wont be leaving it so long next time. Enjoyable from start to finish.<br/>Very friendly relaxed service(from a very young duo) and great food made for a great night out and left my table wondering why there were only 10 people in on a friday night.Big fat scallops and tender venison capaccio where the choice from the entrees, while duck and beef were devoured for our mains. Brave choice to use a cheaper cut of meat in a restaurant of this standing, but it was really nice.Best of all was the desserts, outstanding. Come on Auckland get behind this great little Bistro.

Went here on a Saturday night for a birthday dinner. Lovely decor, great service and a very extensive wine list. Being a beer drinker there were limited options - three to be exact but it made a nice change having wine instead. <br/><br/>Starters were excellent, especially the carpaccio. Mains were good, though a fellow dining partner did find the lamb to be a little chewy and had a bit too much fat on it. <br/><br/>Desserts were amazing. Definitely recommend the Lemon Curd Cheesecake and the brulee. <br/><br/>So 9/10 for food, 9/10 for service and 7/10 for price.

not the best restaurant in the world - when looking for high class flavor - try sidarts around the corner - wine list is wonderful and the staff are the best - 2 out 3 isn't bad - i will come back again

My partner and myself treated ourselves to a wet weekend in Auckland. We were faced with a challenge for enjoyable a meal out that wasn't Asian or deep fat fried products. To our surprise we were recommend to number 5 from another top end restaurant.<br/> So there are people in business that know the meaning of networking...<br/>Saturday night and a late booking, so we had to take one of the last available tables. Our hosts for the night were very attentive but perhaps a little eager at times, mainly with constantly returning to fill our water glasses and breaking up conversation flow. Overall, service-wise, we enjoyed our banter with the waiting staff.<br/>Surroundings at "Number 5" were very pleasant and quite a contrast to other Auckland dining establishments. Loved the open fire and relaxed environment on a cold wet night.<br/>Our meals were created using very traditional menu items. We felt it lacked a little excitement. We both felt our cuts of meat could have been of better quality, but what we did receive was cooked to our requests.<br/>Value for dollars, the entrees and mains were both quite generous in size.<br/>We once again have enjoyed a great weekend in Auckland and will continue to hunt for that special dining experience.

Always a good meal at Number five our steaks were excellent if rather large for our modest English appetites. The starter of Venison was superb we would never had ordered but for the recommendation from the waitress. As for wine the lady really is the best I have had some amazing wines over the years and have never been disappointed. Probably mean not giving last star.<br/>Tony Buckingham

Been here many times and never fail to be impressed.Great service from knowledgeable staff, beautiful food(I personally love the duck entree that the last reviewer disliked. Always a good night out. My favourite in Auckland.

lovely little place - was enchanted by the decor. Tables with lots of room, which is fabulous. Service could have been better - when asked if we could move to the window seat, we were told "i do not have enough time to re-set that table", even though another waitress kindly moved us later on in the evening.<br/><br/>Had the duck entree - pretentious and so sweet it could be classed as a dessert - quite foul. The mains and desserts (black angus, pork, fondant and brulee) were just fabulous though.<br/><br/>service needs some sprucing.

Number 5 has a great atmosphere and exceptional service with wonderful staff who are always attentive (but never overly so). I have a number of food allergies and a gluten intolerance, and it is never a problem to cater for those. The menu is always divine, with great options for vegetarians.