Review Botswana Butchery - Auckland, Nz - Auckland Central

First time customer, greeted with a cleaver stuck on the glass door, clever and a standout matching the restaurants theme. The restaurant has a comfortable atmosphere. If you are lucky with the arm chair..... sink in nicely. The steaks are cooked perfectly. The dishes are off a generous portion. The service was brilliant. All in all a great experience with wonderful company. Price..... As expected.... At the top end.

We went here for a family dinner, the service and waiter were amazing! The sides and starters were delicious, highly recommend the gyoza. Everyone enjoyed there meal, however one person requested there steak blue and it came out a bit overdone. The manager dealt with this very well and gave us a discount on the steak.

Lovely food, amazing service, & friendly staff. The lovely lady at the till even gave us an umbrella as we were leaving so we could get to our car without getting soaked in the pouring rain! Such a great experience! 10/10 ❤️

Five full star reviews can allude to different scenarios. In this case, it means that I'm absolutely blown away by how good this restaurant was. First off, the steak was tender and delicious, cooked to perfection without being overly raw or over cooked. Also, the decor throughout the restaurant echoes that of a premium, high-end lounge. The cheerful staff also perfectly delivers the wonderful Kiwi hospitality. For those who want to try the authentic Kiwi steak experience, Botswana sure is a great choice (It's also conveniently located right in the Ferry Building) !

If you are looking for an amazing experience with your significant other or to spoil someone on a special occasion this is the place to take them. You are greeted by two friendly ladies (Sam), in fact all the wait staff are friendly and helpful. The have good knowledge of the menu and pairing wines with the food. I have had the Peking duck a number of times and absolutely love it. The flavour are rich and the meat is tender. The chicken liver pate is also a must try. It’s smooth and creamy. I just wish it came with more crostini. I am a big fan of gyoza and couldn’t reside these. They were finished off with a quick hit deep fry which I think finished them off nicely. The meat inside was tender and flavoursome. My husband always has some variation of the steaks they have on offer. The meat is always cooked exactly how he asked for it. Side are ordered additionally. There is an extensive wine and cocktail list. I highly recommend this restaurant if you want to spoil someone.

Gorgeous spot, very chic, perfect for special occasions/office dinner & drinks. Second time going, partners birthday this time. Service was stunning and they were so thoughtful for bringing us a complimentary birthday desert. Steak wasn't as melt-in-your-mouth as it was the first time I went, slightly disappointing. That said, it could've been a one off because everything else was delicious. I'd go back again :)

Did not try their main, only the soup. The French onion soup and creamy mushroom soup was good. The service staff was very attentive, warm and friendly. Recommended.

Food is fantastic - the chefs know their stuff. Steak is cooked to perfection, sides are drool-worthy and the selection of sauce is impressive! The table service is lovely and waitresses incredibly attentive. Cocktails are great. Note that if you are travelling from overseas, you need a physical passport to be sat at a table - even if just for food. We were not told about this until we got to the door and told to “run back” to the hotel to get them. Completely happy to comply (it’s the law) but it’s a simple matter of adding this as a note for international travellers to the booking confirmation email, if you have any interest in offering a fine dining experience.

Loveliest dinner we had in Queenstown. Though my wife and I didn’t have a reservation, they kindly seated us in the private room with a fireplace. We ordered the beef tongue and octopus, both of which were very delectable. I had the venison tenderloin and my wife had the salmon. The salmon was buttery with crispy skin, and the venison had an excellent sear that preserved the tenderness. The waitstaff were extremely helpful in guiding us through the impressive menu. Excellent food that’s well worth it and a must try after a long hike or ski run.

an exceptional meal with exceptional service. peking duck for starters was a personal favourite, as was the pork belly.

First time for my partner and I at this iconic restaurant on Auckland’s waterfront and a decadent lunch in store. We visited on a reasonably quiet Saturday, which made the amazing waiting staff even more attentive to our every request. Knowledgable about food and wine pairings, which was an added bonus although something you would expect in this fine dining environs. The entree of Peking duck was delicious and enough to share while leaving room for the mains. Fried chicken was my partner’s choice, with a smooth mashed potato. I plumped for the Wagyu cheeseburger. Not basic by any means, with the burger so well cooked. Both were amazing and the wine accompaniment enhanced the overall flavour. I certainly recommend the Two Hands Sexy Beast Cabernet - a memorable name and a mouth-filler in reality. Dessert rounded the meal off with the Vanilla Pannacotta and Raspberry Chocolate Marquis both wonderful and high on presentation. The Marquis chocolate was of high quality. Outstanding experience, delightful menu and exemplary staff. We’ll be back soon…

Lovely food, amazing service, & friendly staff. We came here to celebrate our daughters graduation and I am so pleased we did, everything was five star and we will certainly be going back. Highly recommend

Great place to celebrate special occassions. Love their steaks,lamb and oyster. The lamb is cooked to perfection.

Went there for a birthday dinner and got one of the best services we've experienced! Loved the food (too full to stand up in the end) and even got some dessert on the house with a nice 'Happy Birthday' greeting! We loved our waiter of the night and the red wine (Esk Valley. Hawkes Bay, Syrah) was excellent. Definitely coming back!

Not bad, great location, meals were good

BOTSWANA BUTCHERY, you heard it here first. It was excellent customer service , felt like I was treated like the Queen of England. The first appetiser was the soft shell crab and it was f*#%$/? delicious, it was definitely my fave. The steak had a a Smokey flavour, it wasn’t super soft where it just melts but it was still delicious. Mac n cheese was pretty god damn good, was definitely fancier than your average. The dessert however wasn’t spectacular, the brownie is not your classic moist brownie. It was more crumbly and it was described as very “chocolaty” in the menu but it felt more like a hard caramel slice. But that’s okay hey, was still worth it. Oh on another note their wine servings is pretty worth it. It’s not like a drip of wine for $50000000000 million dollars. They give you a decent pour which made the experience even more fun.

Nice location on the wharf, all the meat dishes were great, a little pricey though

Went here for a work function and loved it so much I had to come back to have it again. Amazing menu, everything is fresh and tastes wonderful with prompt top notch service. Highly recommend the Salmon tartare,. Enjoy!

We arrived with high expectations having been previously satisfied patrons. And indeed, our welcome, ordering experience and pre dinner drinks were all excellent. As too were our entrees - mine a delicious tomato soup with a morsel of crayfish. Sadly however, our mains were all cold - including one seafood dish which probably should not have been served. The remainder of our party had ordered a variety of red meat which, though cold, were palatable. As was his prerogative, one diner sent his $50 steak back for re-heating (but wouldn’t this turn medium rare to medium?). Personally, I considered the waste factor had every diner insisted on a fresh meal. It would have been a tough decision for service staff whether to deliver cold food, and I suspect the chef was unaware it happened. It would certainly not have happened had the patronage been notable regulars. Overall we had an enjoyable evening with friends, but the mains were disappointing. Desert was great.

It is fine dining and food was nice, first time here and the staff is very helpful and did attend to our needs, table of 9. Dishes are nicely presented, a really big drink list with loads of wines. Would come for special occasions.

Had the best steak of my life at this restaurant. I still think about it. It had the most amazing melt in your mouth flavour and didn't have the slightly Metallic flavour that some steaks have. I wish I could remember what kind of steak it was!

Came here for lunch with the family and I got the Botswana Fried Chicken. The chicken was cooked so well and came with potato puree, chicken jus and horseradish slaw. All the flavours went so well and it was such a good quality meal and you could tell it was made with love. The menu has a lot of variety and there is so much to choose from. The service is so good and the ambience is so clean and lovely. I would definitely recommend to come here and I'd be back for sure :)

Wonderful seating arrangements.. especially the outdoor seating.. excellent bar.. and the steaks are super yummy.. done to perfection.. staff can be a bit more responsive to complete the fine dining experience. Starters did not disappoint me either.

Came here for an anniversary dinner, with high expectations after having a wonderful experience at the Queenstown establishment. I was however, disappointed with the food. The restaurant itself is dark, and intimate. The waiters are really lovely and attentive. The wine and cocktail selection is really fantastic as well. The food for me, was just average. Nothing fantastic to rave about, and nothing horrible. Most of the meat on the table was overcooked, and they didn't have any Lamb Shoulder which was disappointing as this was #1 on our list. I could have justified the price if the food was up to standard, but unfortunately on our visit, the chefs just fell short. 3 stars for their awesome staff.

Came here for Father’s day with my family and family friends for lunch. My meal was delicious and was presented quite nicely as well, my virgin mojito was delicious and the interior of the restaurant looked amazing and suited the theme of a butchery very well. I’d recommend coming here for dinner instead of lunch though. But still happy with my meal.

Service is fantastic - attentive and not overbearing. The food was pretty good, we had the salmon tartare to start, followed by steak and scallops. Recommended to get two sides as the steak comes on its’ own, ended up one too many. The mushroom sauce was noms. Agree with previous reviews it’s on the pricey side, but then again not many restaurants have throne chairs for one special person at the table!

Pretty average for the price honestly. Probably won’t come back ever again. There are much better places to go to that are either similar in price or cheaper.

Place is right in the heart of Viaduct in Auckland CBD. Nice view of the ocean and Cruise ships (if there is any) Love their choices of Cocktail drinks. Food is just so-so. Just right. Nothing special for me personally. A place where you’ll only go once and never comeback. A bit pricey as well for the taste of food that they serve. Maybe i’ll go back for fhe cocktails but not the food.

Friendly staff and incredible food! My fiancé and I booked here for a little engagement dinner celebration and the food was just what we wanted! Best steak we have ever eaten! Cooked to perfection!

Went for a birthday dinner with some friends.<br/>Very nice atmosphere with a very good inner design, lights and music.<br/>The shell crab, the eye fillet with mash potatoes and the salmon are especially good.<br/>But I believe it is quite expensive for what is offers.<br/>

While waiting for our ferry, we made a stop here for breakfast. The ambience outdoor is relaxing by the jetty. My friend got the eggs Benedict which were yummy. My raw salad tasted good but I expected more ingredients in it. Coffee was average.

I came here to celebrate Mother's Day a while back however was quite disappointed. To start with my table got the bread selection, this was very basic, cold white bread which really wasn't worth the $15 we paid ( for 4 servings). The main however was  nice, I shared the "Threesome of Beef" with my brother, however I wouldn't say it really filled either of us. Overall I was not impressed as the bill was very expensive for a very average meal.

We had our firm's Christmas function here<br/>It was a fabulous night<br/>Had what was almost a private room upstairs<br/>The champagne flowed<br/>The food was high quality as was the service<br/>Superb location in the Ferry Building

Wouldn't normally rate this place like this, but with the ever increasing wine prices, and consistently revolving door of staff, eventually something would go wrong.  Although handing over $36 for 2 glasses of supermarket friendly wine, kicks me in the back pocket, it was the lack of service and attitude of a new waiting staff we were surprised by.  She took the order incorrectly, and when corrected her face dropped.  Then my partners glass of wine finally came and it was significantly less than mine.  Eventually I got her attention, and asked that we have the same amount- with that she snatched the glass away, disappeared and came back with the glass more full, but I thought she was about to throw it at me.  Off she stormed.  Not one word was said...a few grunts, but no words. Off to pay the bill and the eftpos machine asks for a Tip? You're havin a laugh BB!

Nice view & comfortable seats<br/>Average food, not really an economic choice<br/>Friendly staff, but sooooooo slow, 30 min to get the order, another 30 min for paying

My dinner started with selection of bread, followed by rack of lamb, finishing with a chocolate fondant. What I like about Botswana Butchery is that they fundamentally lean towards the traditional. If the listed menu does not appeal, one can select from a list of cuts/meats and fish, sauces and sides to customise a plate. Clearly, the chef also had impressive cooking skills since all the dishes came out superbly cooked. Both lamb and fish seared just right, pink where it should be, charred in the right spots and delicious as hell. I was very impressed with the texture of the chocolate fondant, because it was soft and pillowy on the outside with the right amount of gooey inside. Only one forgivable downside was the slightly undercooked portion of the lamb, close to the bone. But I reckon that’s because the pieces were different sizes, so only the larger piece was afflicted. Decor is the usual swanky metro restro-bar style but I must praise the use of butcher knives as handles throughout the restaurant. And because I was impressed, the prices pinched less.

Very Nice restaurant, but food is a bit average. Had wagyu steak, it is just a normal scotch fillet. I do not know why it is called wagyu. Maybe my explanation was a bit high.

We came here as a big group... lovely restaurant great location/views.<br/>Awesome selection to choose from:<br/>We started with<br/>Breads -ok<br/>Pork & prawn Dumplings -nice<br/>Scallops -nice<br/>Oysters natural & buttermilk battered -delicious <br/>Mains:<br/>Eye fillet -everyone enjoyed<br/>Hapuka -yum<br/>Lamb cutlets -delicious , big portion<br/>Entree sized Prawns -yum<br/>The Bok Choy was delicious as a side, chips and duck fat potatoes were ok<br/><br/>Expresso Martini-DELICIOUS

next time I'm back in nz. this is the first place I wana eat at! I ordered eggs bene with extra hashbrowns. and also got a mocha which the waiter told me that they make a bomb one and .... they did indeed. I cant stop thinking about it! best breakfast and coffee I've had! hashbrowns was different to usual but delicious and crunchy! eggs cooked to perfection. i love the way the place looked and felt too! so beautiful! service was great too! cant wait to come back for that bomb ass mocha doe 😍

Went there for dinner, the food just normal, service is okay, environment okay. The price tho, way too expensive, not worth at all. Will not go back ever again.

After all the amazing reviews we’ve read and having a superb evening meal here a while ago we decided to try lunch. Seating was comfortable and the outside tables a great place on a summer afternoon. Service was attentive to start but the meals were slow in arriving considering we were almost the only people there. The bread we had to start was nice. My husband asked for a medium/well done steak but the waitress wanted to make it medium. It arrived cooked as requested but was dry. Thank goodness for the tasty mushroom & cognac sauce. <br/>My Sth Island whitebait fritter was nice but not spectacular. The slices of white sliced bread you buy for sandwiches was a surprise - I expected something a bit better. Presentation couldn’t have been simpler - as I plate at home. <br/>Food was average but I expected so much more considering the reputation and past experience. No better than a suburban cafe such as Coffee Club but a lot more expensive. <br/>Toilets weren’t clean, I didn’t go but was told if I needed to I should find somewhere else. <br/>We won’t be rushing back.

Menu looked awesome so we gave it a try. Awesome ambiance and nice location. For entree we had the salt and pepper squid which was amazing but for $21 we were expecting a bit more than 7 small squid slithers but i can't fault the flavor beautifully cooked in a light fluffy batter. For mains we ordered the duck main which in my was way overcooked but good flavours and we also had the wagyu sirloin. I ordered the steak med rare and turned up rare and the fat needed to be rendered more. I ate the steak rare but wasnt particularly impressed with it, it was $43 and no sides and you had to pay an extra $3 for sauce which was a joke. We also had the duck fat potatos which were very good and cant fault them. The waiter was great and general service was good. Overall pretty disappointed for $130 we were expecting more food and a undercooked and overpriced steak didnt leave a good taste in my mouth unfortunately and definatly wouldnt go again or suggest it to anyone.

Came here for dinner..Food was really nice. Service was great. The waiters paid so much attention to your needs. Great place, would definately come back again

Came here for breakfast with my wife. I had avocado on toast with poached eggs and my wife had eggs Benedict. Eggs were over cooked and hard and coffee was cold. My wife visited the toilet and said they were filthy with no paper. She told the manager on duty who rather than apologizing and sorting it out, told her to rather go elsewhere. Not a great experience. We won’t give it a second chance.

Loved it , plenty of great options on the menu , I went with the 350gm Scotch cooked perfectly. The sides are sensational. Be sure to leave space for dessert.

Espresso martinis are absolutely to die for! BUT had to wait about 40minutes for our table although we booked the table for particular time, then we waited AGES for our starters and a little longer for the mains... The food was really delicious but I wont be rushing back as it turned out to be a very expensive night out with the babysitter fees because of all this waiting around.

I'd heard a friend raving about their menu and the buttermilk oysters in Queenstown so I was thrilled to discover there was another restaurant in Auckland. I decided to pop in for an early little dinner treat (I was casually attired) and ordered a glass of NZ sav blanc and 6 of these mysterious oysters I'd heard so much about. The staff greeted me warmly and treated me so kindly. I took a comfy chair and watched the comings and goings of the harbour while totally indulging in a selfish-solo hour all to myself. The wine was delicious and ..... ohhhhhh those oysters! simply divine! with their three little sauces. What a treat! I would recommend going there for a longer evening.... I will definitely get dressed up and make an evening of it when I’m next in town. Thank you to the lovely staff and the young French waitress who made my brief visit such a pleasurable experience with her conversation and professionalism.

i had only ever been here for cocktails before, but yesterday had peking duck and duck fat roast potatoes, and it was sooooo good 😍 couldn't fault anything. service was great, we will definitely be back! 🦆

I have wanted to try Botswana Butchery since it first opened in Auckland - but I haven't been back in the city so hadn't had the opportunity. Service was a bit slow to start but improved greatly as the meal went on. The slaw was the surprising dish - it was extraordinarily good. The beef was cooked perfectly and the right size for me. A great place to enjoy some meat when your in town

Came here for an early Mother's Day lunch, the wine was great and the waiter was really helpful. Although the food not so much, we ended up getting the steak platter and at $130 I would have expected the cuts to be a a lot nicer. Meat was over cooked and the sides were nothing to brag about. ( don't bother with the mushrooms) I've heard a lot of people rave about this place but I don't think I'd go back.

Very few places make me universally smile after a meal! Our first visit to Botswana was an exceptional experience from the front house service, the extremely considerate staff, helpful cheery waitor, up class decor and amazing food that makes you want to savior every bite. Ordered the eye fillets with some duck fat potatoes and pineapple dessert along with one of the best lattes I've had. If you're looking to eat a large meal would not advise the starters but go for the amazing filling sides! Also I've never tipped before but felt it was warranted for this experience. <br/><br/>10/10 will come back again!

Beautiful food with beautiful venue and service to match. The lamb is AMAZING (the leg of lamb to share) . Service is faultless, Always polite, friendly and with a sense of humour. Honest review when it comes to desert choices of there favourites, with beautiful interior. Always a nice time

Dined here on the 28th of March 2017. Second time was not as good as the first. I don't drink and usually find restaurants are very poor at accommodating non-drinkers however Botswana Butchery take it to a whole new level. Ordered diet coke and they were incapable of serving it with fizz. The waitress poured the 3rd attempt right under my nose, mercilessly driving the bubbles away as I pleaded with her to leave me the bottle.<br/>For starters I had the squid which was bland and rubbery.<br/>Thankfully the dining experience was redeemed by an excellent eye filet, served to perfection.<br/><br/>

Good spot with absolutely delicious food BUT....<br/>1. Quite pricey and <br/>2. Very small portions on some plates.<br/><br/>The seafood was excellent and the salads as well. <br/><br/>We were quite disappointed we had to wait for 45 minutes for our food and we were given some stupid excuses. (1 out of 4 meals took more so they not serve anything)<br/><br/>Service was friendly but I will no be going back as I am not happy to spend $50 on a steak or fish main course and have to wait for so long as well.<br/>

Standouts liver parfait, either one of the snapper, and eye fillet. Food tasted alright, not exceptional. Beautiful space with a romantic ambience; waitstaff can offer good food and wine choices.

This place has become our regular pre-ferry fuel up point. <br/>With impeccable service, an awesome wine list and a well excecuted menu, this place is more than just a waterfront restaurant.<br/>The bar team also know how to make an awesome martini.<br/>Thoroughly recommend.

I last came here with a couple of friends during Auckland Restaurant Month 2016 where they had a special $55 two course meal (Entree and Main). From the Restaurant Month menu I ordered the Venision Tartare (Entree) and the Ostrich  Fillet (Main). When the 'main' arrived I was highly disappointed as they effectively served us their Ostrich Fillet listed under their STARTER menu.<br/><br/>Prices of each item from the standard menu are:<br/>Venison Tartare - $24.95<br/>Ostrich Fillet - $26.95<br/>Total - $51.90<br/><br/>As you can see from the math above - I effectively got a little ripped off. Despite that, the food was good but far from impressive given the price range that this restaurant operates at.<br/><br/>The service was pretty average. When the waiter came to check on us he interrupted us very abruptly whilst my friends and I were in the middle of a conversation. Basically just checking on us as a formality and no sincerity.<br/><br/>In conclusion, the overall experience left such a  bitter taste in my mouth that overwhelmed any good flavour that came with the food.<br/><br/>TLDR version:<br/>I do not recommend this restaurant. For this price range and overall experience, you're much better off elsewhere.

Astonishing taste of all dishes ordered, well prepared entrees and mains, great butchery selection, one of the best grills in Auckland. Full wine lists to select, a wide range of liquors as well. If you fall into a dilemma, the well-trained waiters will help you out. <br/><br/>The only thing to improve is the waiting time, it should serve faster especially for big table. <br/><br/>

Had a look at their menu online and it looked great, so a group of us went and thought we'd check it out. The place is nice, the waitress who looked after us was awesome(couldn't remember her name) and the menu looked great. its best to call them to see if they have the actual cut of meat you want etc. A couple of us were interested in getting the Dry Aged Steak, Grain Fed only to be told they didn't have any. For starters we got the Oysters and Peking Duck, no point getting the Peking duck due to low quantity and also it seems like it was roasted too long and became like a 'pulled duck' instead. I got the Rib Eye on Bone, the outer part of the steak was cooked too well, but as you cut into the steak it became medium (like I ordered), the roasted garlic that it came with was very nice, I'd still go to The Grill on Federal St for a steak, as I reckon they cook much better for a very similar price.<br/><br/>Down side: Service was average, a bit slow.Steak didn't come with any sauces/butters which were $3 extra each!!. Every other place I've been to came with options of butter and sauces. Sides were average.<br/><br/>Reason for the 3 star rating: Comments from the 'Down Side' Section. Also I booked our table online for 6.15pm, I spent almost $500 to dine at this place and one of the waitresses that we hadn't seen all night told us we had to leave because there was another couple wanting our table and they had booked it, she was quite rude about it as well. It wasn't our fault that you couldn't accommodate for customers waiting, quite disappointed at that, Not the best experience.

We dined here for dinner, as we were interested in trying out another fine dining restaurant in Auckland. I had previously been to Botswana Butchery in Queenstown twice and wanted to see how the Auckland location compared. The service at the Auckland location was not nearly as attentive or friendly; perhaps given the much larger size of Botswana Quay Street West. We'd didn't have to wait long for our meals, but getting the attention of any waiter to get the bill at the end was a mission. The restrooms on the bottom floor are super awkward, there is only one bathroom, when you first enter the room the door shuts behind you and you are essentially waiting in a dark cubby hole if the actual toilet is occupied. This is was one of those places that people recommend for a special occasion and based on our experience it is not worth the price as the food, service and ambiance does not compare to other fine dining restaurants in Auckland.  Having recently dined at the French Cafe and Cibo, Botswana does not deliver. This is not to say, that overall our meals were not pleasant. The starters were definitely the highlight of our meal. We ordered the Five Spiced Chicken Liver Parfait (if you've read our other reviews- yes we are obsessed with chicken liver parfait) and the Venison Wellington. The liver parfait was good- however we can't get passed how it is such a sub-par version of the French Cafe's equivalent dish.  The Venison Wellington was delicious and we were impressed with the colourful plating. Mains were such a disappointment. Their meat dishes should be their stand out dishes, and they most certainly were not. The Coastal Lamb rack was so bland and boring- it could have been served at an average hotel restaurant. The beef eye fillet and braised short rib was a lot better, but still nothing special. We also ordered two sides, the creamed corn and cheddar cheese croquettes and green beans  with macadamia nut dressing. To our surprise the beans were saturated with melted cheese which ruined it. The croquettes (whilst they didn't say they came with a sauce) really could have used one. Once again pretty bland.  We shared for dessert the creme brulee which was pleasant.  Overall this review is pretty negative, it is coming from our perspectives where we have been to quite nice fine dining restaurants and are comparing Botswana to these as it bill's itself as a fine-dining restaurant. Even still, I don't know if it was due to ordering different types of dishes but the Queenstown location was much better.

This place is close to the ferry terminal in Auckland from where I take the ferry home. I have been here for lunch once , ordered chargrilled lamb fillet with feta , lamb was cooked perfectly , was a bit expensive but the experience was worth it with a great view facing the harbour.

Went for lazy sunday lunch. Service was on point. If you get a table facing the harbour, ferries will come and go so a bit of excitement for kids. Not the cheapest but food was VERY good. Would come back here for sure.

Went with work mates for a leaving party. Dinner was good. We had a selection at the table. The Hapuka steak was good with prawns. The eye fillet was tender. The gnocchi was good too. The service was really good as well. Desserts were tasty as was the special coffees we ordered with them. Would go back.

Been 4 times, always enjoyed the food and the staff, very knowledgeable and helpfull. A bit pricey but very good quality and fresh food. The cellar is amazing and decor is on point, nice people watching on the wharf at lunch haha

I went here with 4 friends on Wednesday night. We had high expectations of Botswana. My duck  was amazing and all the meals came out extra fast, however the atmosphere & environment was really uncomfortable, lighting was much too bright. When we got served after being seated the waitress speed through the specials a little too fast & didn't even say hi. The second waiter was much better though. The fit out was also not as expected. Felt like we were in a hotel lobby half the time and the toilets were run down and staff on the floor didn't seem to care that I was looking for the toilet for a while. Other than that, the food was great!

This place is not cheap, but if you want to treat your-self and somebody else with a very fancy and tasty dinner, then this is the right choice. Great views and very convenient parking just a few meters away.

Disappointed for the price should have been special food. Would be OK gastropub food but for classy restaurant prices food not up to scratch. Think they need to spend more on ingredients and get more creative with them while they are at it.

Lunch with a view! You can enjoy your meal with the view of the port. I tried the sashimi, onion rings, chips and creamed corn, leek and cheese dish. The sashimi were so fresh! I definitely do recommend the creamed corn, leek and cheese side dish to the cheese lovers as well! It was so satisfying. The wait time for the food was reasonable too! It's not too busy so you can enjoy a nice and quiet lunch.

had a meal with 7 persons in the party.  next day, i had to go to toilet three times after mid day.   one other person had same effect.   <br/>it was the butchery which gave me the shits and that's the truth.   i was the sober driver for the evening and had one glass of wine.<br/>eat there on 11 december 2015.<br/>dean jones.

Great location，but average food and service. They had an interesting twist with chicken liver which topped with cranberry sauce. That was absolutely the star of the night. On top of that I find the rissoto just below average. The presentation of every dish is pretty eye catching，whereas the portion might be too small.

The place is so warm and inviting<br/>Great bar selection and some really nice wines <br/>The food menu has some rally nice options<br/>We loved the eye fillet <br/>The desserts were the best part of dinner <br/>Service was good !!!<br/>

Recommended for fine dining. Good food, good ambience. Their Peking Duck and Eye Fillet were awesome. It takes some time to get the foods served, but it's always worth the wait.

We came here for my boyfriend’s birthday after reading rave reviews. I will begin by saying that the staff were very nice (despite the waiter not knowing what a few things were on the menu), the entree was delish and the wine was yummy. However, the mains were lacking...my lamb was extremely chewy - I had the Botswana “Osso Buco" - and my partner’s pork belly was dry. Admittedly we had high expectations, but it is fine dining after all. I emailed to give the restaurant our feedback, but they never even bothered to acknowledge my email. I wouldn't recommend this place based on the disappointing mains. Expected a lot more!

Stunning restaurant and wonderful service. Botswana butchery is head and shoulders above a lot of restaurants in Auckland. The dining experience is complimented by the amazing food! they have really elevated steak to another level of fine dining and everything about the place screams "exquisite"! #g1

Whenever I get asked where my favourite restaurant in Auckland is I always say Botswana Butchery! The food is insane....and the service is amazing! Our waitress was super knowledgable and onto it, my family and I were very impressed!<br/><br/>The Peking duck starters were delicious, so tender and flavoursome. We also had some of the duck fat potatoes which were so good but could've been slightly crispier! <br/><br/>I had the confit duck leg and I have to say it was the best duck I ever had. Cooked to perfection! Was so tender and juicy, honestly it was amazing. <br/><br/>I also had a dessert which was the real star of the show....best dessert I have EVER had in my life, and I have had a lot of desserts!!! Unfortunately this dessert is no longer on the menu, it consisted of warm chocolate sauce, salted caramel, and hazelnut praline. Blew my mind. Would definitely be back to try other desserts on the menu!!<br/><br/>If you're looking for an amazing fine dining experience, then I would most definitely recommend Botswana butchery

Came here for a lovely dinner. Awesome location, beautiful interior and lovely meal! Had the scallops with pork croquettes to start and they were delightful! We ordered the ribeye on the bone for two with a few sides and dessert too. Really recommend!

Very nice! Beautifully cooked eye fillet steak and the sides are fantastic. You must try their onion rings... Best ever. Will definitely be going back.

I had lunch here today with my girlfriends - incredible. Sat in the sun with a few bottles of Moēt, the food was divine. The service was superb. So happy!

Went there on a Friday night for dinner with two friends. The decor and atmosphere indicated fine dining and the wait staff who were mostly young French guys, were attentive. It was the food that underwhelmed. I had the Osso Buco crumbed pave with lamb backstrap, pumpkin puree, pearl onions and gremolata. It cost $44.95. The lamb which was the dominant feature of the dish was presented as medium rare strips of ... well ... lamb. It was a bit chewy and fairly underwhelming, the Osso Buco was tasty but contained with a small crumbed loaf (the pave), there were a couple of tiny onions a small smear of pumpkin puree and the gremolata lacked balance tasting mainly of parsley, with no discernible garlic or lemon. The dish should have been called Lamb Backstap with an Osso Buco pave, not the other way around.<br/><br/>My friend (a vegetarian) had the entree dish Baked Filo Goat's Cheese with Shaved beetroot, pistachio nut crumb, pea salad and cabernet vinegar dressing. It cost $22.95 and one of the few vegetarians dishes on the menu (yes I know not the best restaurant choice for a non-carnivore). She enjoyed it, and it was probably the dish on the night. We also ordered the selection of market caught Sashimi with wasabi,<br/>organic soy, pickled ginger & yuzu sauce. It was also an entree dish and priced at $25.95. Again a fairly small and plain dish for the price. Our final choice was the entree sized Peking Duck with cucumber, carrot, spring onion salad, steamed pancakes, and hoisin; costing $26.95. This was probably the most disappointing of all the dishes. A small pile of shredded duck, 3 pancakes and small piles of grated, carrot and spring onion and a small amount of dipping sauce. Very average and incredibly over-priced. <br/><br/>The menu also includes a range of steaks of different sizes, priced between $35.95 for 200gms and $49.95 for 450gms. The only thing with these is it costs another $2.95 to have any sort of sauce or dressing with it (for that amount why bother charging??) and then you have to order sides/vegetables/salads separately and these are priced between $7.95 for fries (really??) and $9.95 for a salad or green beans. This adds nearly $13 to the price of the steak.  We ordered the spinach side dish but my vegetarian friend complained it tasted of meat juices.  I suspect it had been sauteed in a pan that had previously been used to cook meat and not properly cleaned -- hey Botswana Butchery chefs, vegetarians don't like their vegetables to taste of meat -- maybe separate cooking arrangements might be the go to keep the vegetables from being contaminated.<br/><br/>I think there are many other choices out there that do the same thing at a much better price. Hard not to feel a bit ripped off.

Ate here for dinner, 29/8. Service was average, not too friendly, no conversation - meals were placed at our table and that was all. Very small portions and was average entree, average main. We each had a different dessert - lemon pie and chocolate mousse - but they looked identical. Would have been fuming if we were to pay full price.<br/>Some suggestions: 1) Move the front counter further away from the entrance doors. Its too close to the front door and was far to crowded and cold. 2) Clean the bathrooms. 3) Have your wait staff initiate conversation and a good idea also to check on how things are with the meals, etc..

I really like this place but it is quite expensive (defiantly caters to the tourists) but my duck was cooked beautifully and I really enjoyed it.

Decided to try this place after a good review from a colleague. Came here after work on a Thursday with some friends. Ordered the entrée caramelised Atlantic scallops, mains beef short rib, coastal NZ lamb, desserts panna cotta and affogato. Food was well presented. Flavours very well balanced and tasted very moreish. The only flaw was the lamb; the rump and double cutlet was slightly overlooked. Service was great and ambience very pleasant.

Arrived at your restaurant for a family celebration, I was pleasantly greeted by every staff member who walked by, this is were the great vibe of this place begins. I was offered a drink as soon as I was seated. From what I can see this is a very well organised place, menus out, drink orders taken, patient waiter.. From our orders taken starters were prompt and delicious mains all arrived together. Every dish looked delicious and my scallop starter was<br/>Amazing. I chose scotch fillet with blue cheese sauce, Perfectly cooked to order and delicious sauce. My tables glasses were never left empty and and our waiter was always close by. Everyone had a great memorable night. I will be back and will be bringing my friends. Thank you.

Loovveee yes love this restaurant! Customer service was excellent, food was delicious and memorable. Decor and ambience of restaurant rich and comfortable. Bellini was delicious! And that's rare to pull off from previous Auckland restaurant experiences. If there was a heart button I would be pressing it! Was a delightful night and experience :)

Pricey, but I adore the atmosphere and service here. The food is vibrant and wholesome, a great selection of NZ wine, and a very comfortable and relaxing atmosphere.

Meat... meaaaattt! A great menu but the steak and sauce is their specialty and they haven't let us down ever. Impeccable service either at the table, the bar area or outside near the ferries. Do try alternatives to the steak as the menu is littered with gems of al varieties and the overall experience is perfect.

I have heard great things about this place and the Queenstown sister restaurant has rave reviews but the two times I have visited here I have left a little deflated. That isn't to say I haven't enjoyed the meal I was served or that I could fault the service but it seemed to be missing something that I can't quite put my finger on. <br/>Overall a good restaurant in a nice location ideally suited to a business lunch or family celebration.

Obviously a Restaurant that is taking the piss. 200 gram Fillet stated as the supplier listed on the menu was far from it. The 200 gram was more like 140 gram from raw weight. The duck fat potatoes were simply deep fried in canola oil. The Bernaise was bad and 2 glasses of Pinot Gris that i asked to do a house option cost 41.00<br/><br/>A desperate owner trying to rip people off...<br/><br/>Service shocking

Average food average service great setting very pricey. Much better places in Auckland than this for the same sort of food they are offering. If you go try the lamb joint shared option it is the best. Make sure they carve it for you though so it is ready to eat. Easy to get to. Have a drink in the bar first.

I had the wagyu rump as a main and the mandarin cream cheese mousse for dessert. Overall the food was exquisite and the sides that we ordered for the table all tasted wonderful. The staff were friendly and the food came out relatively quickly too. <br/><br/>The only concern I had was that the mojito drink that we ordered had two little flies in them (could've been from the mint or the limes in the drink). And that the dessert that I ordered had a little piece of hair in it. <br/><br/>The food and service would have otherwise been exceptional but for such an expensive place, there shouldn't be little mistakes like that.

Very average food but service was fine. Had to wait just under an hour for our meals. Disappointing. Wasn't willing to wait another hour for dessert however would recommend the gelato place next door.

We enjoyed lovely food mid week while fairly empty. Unfortunately because it was quiet, the staff was more interested in chatting than keeping our wine glasses full. <br/>Or maybe a waiter in training? The Butchery is for meat lovers. Extensive menu with an outstandingly well selected wine list to match. I'd go back.<br/><br/><br/><br/>

Food was pretty average for a restaurant of its kind. The waitress we had was terrible. Way too many mistakes made during service and billing on her part. Worst part, she made it look like it was our mistake.

Great service, nice atmosphere. The tables were a bit close to each other where we were seated tonight. The French onion soup I had tonight was too sour and the texture was a bit too watery. My friend's sashimi was fresh but the portion was abit small for the price charged. Our mains came with nothing and sauces, sides and even butter was charged by the item. Our opera house dessert was average. Overall, service was great but food was average given the price charged.

Horrible. This place gave me severe salmonella. My partner and I came here a little while ago to celebrate. The service was alright, the matre d' was very receptive and offered to take our coats. The food was appalling. We had ordered a duck(chicken?) pâté to start with it was ridiculously underseasoned, we pretty much douced every bite with salt. Because this place is known for its meats we decided to order meat dishes. Veal and steak eye fillet. The portions were ridiculously small for the price. It came with no sides so we had to order those separately. The meat was not medium rare, it was a bloody mess when I cut into it. I felt quite sick soon after and left. 2 days later ended up at the emergency triage with severe salmonella. One where the doctors say the bacteria leads back to fecal matter. Even if this place didn't give me salmonella I would still not return. The food does not live up to it's name. Waste of a good cut of meat and money.

Went here on a Sunday night. The setting is beautiful, really liked the old-style seating and large tables. The staff were very friendly and knowledgeable when asking about things on the menu (one even took a photo for us!). The detailing was very cool with little meat cleaver handles on doors and the shape in windows etc. We ordered from the Butcher's Block (where you order just your meat then sauces and sides separately) and got the scotch fillet with bearnaise sauce, eye fillet with blue cheese sauce and fillet mignon with red wine jus. All were cooked perfectly and were very tender and delicious. The sauces were all really tasty too. For sides we shared crumbed onion rings (very crunchy & yum), potato puree (good classic mashed potato), duck fat potatoes (golden, crunchy and delicious cooked with thyme), ham, cheese & dijon croquettes (also delicious), mac n cheese with bacon (very cheesy, very good), green beans with macadamia dressing (loved the crunchy nuts on top, the dressing was light which was good as it didn't overpower the beans) and the beetroot, feta and parsley salad (beetroot was tasty - had a slight red wine flavour, and the feta was salty and creamy). Overall loved the food and atmosphere so will definitely be returning :)

You never fail me apart from getting my mushroom sauce order wrong sometimes. Perfect place to go. It is the only place I take my lovely girlfriend when she has been nice to me for 10 days i a row. Honestly 10/10 food woudnt go anywhere else for a steak.

Fantastic restaurant! Wonderful staff, ambiance, decor and food! Really enjoyed everything about this place! The salt and pepper squid is to die for!!! Xx

I have eaten here before and enjoyed my meal. We arrived and the girl serving us was in a long conversation with a friend who may have worked there. So we were standing, waiting to be served for a few minutes. Surely personal conversations can wait. We booked for 8 and the table wasn't ready till 8:20. No big deal though. The menu contains no bread to start off with which is usually standard i would have thought. Anyway we ordered entrees, mains and sides and all were superb. The service was also very good. However on the menu it says "service not included". Last time I looked the restaurant was in Auckland, New Zealand not New York. On the whole it was a good experience and i would probably go back again.

I am noticing a trend with "fine dining" restaurants in Auckland. These places call themselves fine dinning restaurants , look like fine dinning restaurants, smell like fine dinning restaurants but don't have the food to match! I went to Botswana Butchery with three colleagues for lunch on a week day. I found this place pretty average although, I really liked the atmosphere here. Given the price, I had pretty high expectations and I can safely say they were not met. I had the goats cheese filo parcel which was served with salad and beetroot. My companions had the Caesar salad; burger and sashimi. I noticed all the portions were small. now, we all know fine dinning restaurants serve small portions as a rule. That is usually because the food is rich and full of flavor. These dishes were nice but they weren't what you would call fine dining dishes. My goats cheese filo was yummy but at 5cm squared, I was disappointed. The beetroot was too crunchy but the dish did have nice flavors. My companions enjoyed their meals but agreed that they weren't blown away. Three of us had the crème brulee for dessert which I must say was very good! The service was ok but again, not good enough for a place like this.  Although this place impressed me more than their upstairs neighbors Harbourside, a lot more effort needs to be put in here.

Oh my were to begin... 14 of us went here on Saturday for my works Christmas Dinner Thank You off my boss. From start to finish this was not our best experience and trust me we have had some fantastic experiences elsewhere over the years. Our Entrees was a set menu emailed to us and recently updated for Spring/Summer. To start with 10/14 of us had the chicken in cos cups... not in lettuce cups as described nor was it described on menu as posh kfc bites as our party experienced much to there disgust. So mains eventually arrived 2 of us had Market fish, not the best even my local takeaways fish has more flavour. My husband was served the wrong steak so had to wait 6minutes while his was made in which time the veggies and potatos were cold when his steak arrived and wasnt offered hot sides. The medium steaks arrived medium rare, the rare were more medium rare, well done was medium so we gather for a meat butchery restaurant the meat cannot be cooked as ordered. The desserts arrived mostly chocolate fondants, more like chocolate flat cakes our bosses fondant was a triangle shape and deeper like a fondant should be while everyone elses was flatter than a cupcake... myself and another party member ordered the wildberrie creme brulee etc.. which came as a vanilla creme brulee which was nice, but i bit into the sorbet/ice cream which i immediately hated as it was coffee!! This is neither what was advertised or what we ordered.... when we gave feed back to our really nice waitress she was very apologetic and said she would find out what happened. Which she never did tell us why, we were told she has spoke to manager and complimentary teas and coffees will be served. That was a nice gesture, but were was the manager to come across and apologise for our awful dining experience and the longest wait we had for meals. Our boss paid alot of money per head and also for the 4 bottles of wine and othet drinks purchased and alls she was given in return was a free coffee. This is not gr8 service from a restaurant we were recommended too and the wimpy manager just let a quiet lovely waitress apologise. This is such a shame, we have worked hard all year and our boss likes the finer things in life for all her hard work and this dinner was not the best. Will not recommend to people....

We went to this restaurant having had a good experience several years ago. All in all had a terrific meal. The service was great, although a little tough to get attention once it hit fully busy mode. The meals were excellent, with the steak perfectly cooked, and the side plates were also right on the money. Could not fault the experience this time round.

I had high expectations of this restaurant and was very disappointed. The oysters were good but $$$$ and the peking duck was bland and served with pancakes that were too thick and bready and to be honest tasted like they had just come out of a packet.  I had the tuna for the main and whilst the fish was ok the salad it is supposed to come with was literally vermicelli noodles with 3 peanuts, no coriander and a very small amount of papaya with very little dressing - I could make better at home for 1/4 of the price.  The desserts were also average, not bad but not great.  The best thing about the evening besides our dining companions was the service which was excellent.  For the price of this place there are comparable places nearby that are much better.

Always good service and good food. Love the atmosphere too. Lovely place

Its Ok went there late one night good food service staff were Ok I found the late night getting to and from my hotel a little on the scary , I found that there were not many people there I like that so I would like to return sometime .

Dinner for two - food was succulent and wine matched perfectly. The oysters as a starter were awesome, then a filet mignon with mushrooms along with baked potatoes cooked in duck fat was delightful !<br/>Yes the bill was on the top end, but left with fond memories :) <br/>Ps : the service was exceptional ... worth it !

Went here with my partner on a whim; we had read all of the mixed reviews and decided to try it out regardless.<br/><br/>The food was amazing. My partner and I ended up eating 3 courses because it was that good. The pumpkin soup entree that I had was probably the best pumpkin soup I'd ever tasted, the steak was cooked to perfection. The desert for myself (affogato) was average but my partners (lemon curd) was nothing short of amazing.<br/><br/>The service we received was second to none, it truly was fine dining and our waiter was constantly looking after us. He also was extremely knowledgeable on the menu.<br/><br/>We will definitely be back.

Went to dinner at the butchery, they first of all told me we didn't have a booking however I then showed them the email confirming we did that was on my phone. <br/>We were then seated at a table however the waitress didn't hang around to take an order. <br/>Other tables arrived after us an there orders were taken before us. <br/>Our starters arrived 45 minutes later, they were OK. For the main we both ordered the pork belly and to say it was average would be an understatement, the crackling was like a jelly and the meat under it was gelatinous and quite unappetizing. <br/>we didn't bother with dessert as we had both lost our appetite.

Really nice food - and worth what we paid. The drinks were great - my wife is pregnant so cannot have alcohol, so they made an amazing mocktail for her which was not on the menu. Service was very friendly and very quick.

Excellent food and ambiance. It was a busy Saturday evening and we had outstanding service esp from our waiter who was French. We could not fault the food and service...will definitely be back. Worth every single cent...keep up the good work!

My husband and I are just 65 and took a trip to the Viaduct today, 4th Feb. The boat trip in and out was lovely and a refreshing "free" ride for a change. We strolled for a couple of hours around the Viaduct, had lunch, but had to wait for the ferry back to HMB at 3.30, so thought we would sit and have a wee drink. The fly in the ointment was that unknowingly (and too late) I had paid $25 for a glass of Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir - apparently the most expensive amongst four offered - at a STAGGERING $25 PER GLASS.........<br/><br/>We live in Howick and have probably done the whole rounds of restaurants, both BYO and otherwise, but this takes the cake.......<br/><br/>The only sympathy that the staff could offer was that I chose the most expensive ! <br/><br/>Well, sorry, but if that's not taking the piss for tourists and especially locals, then........ <br/><br/>Come on Botswana, butcher your meat by all means, but please do not butcher our wallets. <br/><br/>We are very, very disappointed at the outrageous price for this glass of wine. We shall never return.

We visited this restaurant Friday night as a group of ten. We liked the location and decor and mostly our meals were well received. The lady at the entrance was lovely, however as per some other reviews it took some time to order and meals arriving. Our waiter ... appeared very disinterested and didn't add any value whatsoever to our evening so that was a let down and certainly noticed by all.

The worst caesar salad I have ever had - MacDonalds would be better. Bad coffee too. Not sure who they are trying to attract here. Not the corporate lunchers obviously. Service was fine but food pathetic. Very disappointing experience.

Went for lunch to celebrate graduation. Thought it would be a social lunch and the menu was promising but the food was very average for the price. Had me wishing we had gone to a good Chinese or a cafe I knew would be good. Lunch cost about $100 for two with one alcoholic beverage so I expected excellent food. It was bland and not really worth it. The desserts were excellent and the chairs very comfortable but I was looking forward to great food.

Went there for dinner for the first time this month. Was quite excited as I had never been to a "flashy" restaurant before. The place was stunning visually and our waitress was very accommodating and helpful. We ordered our mains and at the same time we thought we might as well get some bread just to nibble on while we waited for our meal. The bread turned up 20 mins later, it was really nice but I was starving so it didn't last long. The main turned up over an hour after we ordered it, I was going to eat the tablecloth I was that hungry. The food however when it did arrive was delicious, hence the 3 stars otherwise they would have got less. Loved our waiter, he made up for the long wait. As nice as it was, don't think I would go back.

Went there dinner last month. Was a reasonable meal, waiting staff a bit boring. Nice inside, Maître d was excellent. Would go back though.

A group of us came here for a celebratory lunch today as we liked the location/view.<br/><br/>Throughout the whole meal, we had to call the waitress at least three times before she came to our table. She even frowned at us then looked away to serve another table. Upon our request if we could change tables, before our food came out, the waitress coldly refused. Then a while later proceed to let another table move.<br/><br/>One of our side dishes (fried onions) came out with the spoon inside the food. We had to clean the spoon ourselves and asked for some paper towels, which the waitress flung onto our table and we had to clean up. The food was average. We ordered two of the lunch burger options as well as the peking duck, sashimi and several other options. The steak in the burger was overcooked, the sashimi poorly presented (thrown onto the plate) and overall the food was bland. Additionally, halfway through clearing up our table before dessert, she just stopped and we were left to wait.<br/><br/>Eventually, when we pointed out how rude they were being and how we were being constantly ignored, the waitress protested that she was doing her best… though would that explain things such as her frowning at our direction and why the food was being served with the cutlery thrown into the bottom of the food? When someone in our group pointed out she should make more of an effort with her service, she proceeded to verbally attack everyone dining personally and snapped at us about whether we had jobs and what type of jobs they were and walked away. No surprise that we ended up not having dessert here.

This place was excellent from the minute we walked in the door we were treated like royalty. The food was outstanding and the waiting staff impeccable. My wife and I had one of the nicest experiences to date and after a terrible dining experience at another restaurant this was a breath of fresh air, first class, well done we will certainly be back...

This is not great value to begin with - good food, but expensive. Our waiter messed up our order resulting in our sides arriving after we'd finished our main. We got an apology but no discount on the bill. We won't be going back.

Went here for Xmas Eve dinner this year and was pleasantly surprised! Staff were all so welcoming and friendly - willing to make a joke and go the extra mile. I am from the hospitality industry so this is high praise haha! The food was delicious - yes it's expensive, and yes the servings aren't the biggest, but it is a fine dining restaurant! I left feeling more than satisfied and would happily recommend this place to anyone. Obviously known for the steaks, but the fois gras is delish too, as are all the veges. <br/>FANTASTIC!

Went there for a friends birthday.<br/>Food was OK - nothing spectacular.<br/>For what you got was expensive. If you order a piece of meat - that's all you get. Extras for sauces, and portions were small.<br/>Waiting staff were pleasant but for the money you pay you're better off going somewhere else.

Christmas function for a large group.<br/>At $260 a head (food and drink) we expected a bit more. We weren't served our entrees till after 90 mins, not surprising when the average bottle at the cheap end is between $70-$90 and they wanted us to drink up so to speak. Many meals served to the wrong person with no real apology. Sure it's Christmas and the place was frantic but 5 star prices deserve at least 4 star service.<br/><br/>Views are excellent no argument there. Probably would have gone 4 stars but the argument with the manager who simply didn't care and offered no form gracefulness meant we will never be back.

(Review from visiting Aussie) I've been to Botswana Butchery in Queenstown more than once &amp; it's in my top 5 best restaurants of this type in the world (&amp; I travel a lot and eat out often). I finally got a chance to try the new restaurant in Auckland this week &amp; I was delighted! The food was sensational - in particular the slow roasted shoulder of lamb lived up to its reputation. Steaks were outstanding &amp; sides were delectable. The wine list is excellent and wait staff made a great recommendation on the Pinot Noir. I don't understand the bad reviews on the food for this restaurant as I found it on par with Queenstown. On top of this the service &amp; staff were fantastic and looked after our group of 6 without a hitch. They even kept the bar open for us very late as we were the last to leave after many delightful after-dinner cocktails. We had a fantastic night and I'll definitely be back!

Great views do not make up for the mediocre food.<br/><br/>Peking duck was beyond crispy, way overcooked. Foie gras was really unappealing in colour and appearance and disappointing in flavour. A side of potato croquettes was very bland, poor even, and the side of canned beetroot with a few pieces of feta plain lazy.<br/><br/>Very disappointed and would not return.

Forget the old reviews - The staff here are really good!!! and the food was amazing!!! It was my partner's birthday (had not made this known when I made the booking) but she got a candle in her desert and the waiter sang happy Birthday. We were treated to brilliant service and waited for nothing. Recommend for a special occasion!!!! Only thing different to the Queenstown one is the view!!!

$32 for a slab of tuna (sides are extra) so pretty expensive but the service was the best I've had in a long time. Love the big armchairs too. What a treat!

I dined on Monday 9th July with a visitor from London. Lovely building and the service was nice and friendly but the dinner itself was disappointing. Sirlion for my guest was rather fatty so deemed ok, but hardly something for an overseas guest to rave about. I had the fillet with anchovy butter, which based on the taste, the anchovys' must have been on school holidays. The sides of duck fat fries weren't much better and the steamed vegetables were over steemed. I visited the toilets before I left which quite frankly were little better than a public toilet, rather than a high end restaurant, and pretty much a disgrace. All in all, pretty poor. After having dined in the Queenstown Botswana Butchery a few times and always raving about the place, the Auckland one is no comparison.

Went there on a Monday evening where there were plenty of people inside and the atmosphere was very nice. A lovely old building on the side of the pier so the location was very good. The service was friendly and easy to be found and also was really easy going which I like. Our mains were disappointing to say the least. My wife had the duck which I think was meant to be an Asian style duck but was lacking in any kind of taste. I had the pork dish which again had no real kick. The sides were fine. The dessert we shared were doughnuts which was delicious. Wont go back for awhile as there is a lot more places to try out.

What a shocking experience. Expensive and poorly trained staff. The somellier (wine waiter) was "in a meeting" when we asked to speak about wines over $150. Unavailable to see customers. Everything is extra from sauce to sides. The steak was ok but the deserts were terrible. At least our friends were good company. What a disappointment. Stay away. $600 for 4 people. The French Cafe is cheaper and a 5 star restaurant. Rating Bostwana Butchery Auckland 1 star is being generous.

Botswana Auckland has been on my list of restaurants to try after a great experience in Queenstown 3 years ago. The dining room was beautiful and although a large space, we felt had a very intimate atmosphere. Our drink orders were taken quickly and our waiter was very knowledgeable about the wines and what would match well with what. However it took another 20+ minutes for our food orders to be taken, I did try and catch the wait staffs eyes and looked longingly at others dishes that were brought past but to no avail. However once ordered our entrées come out quickly and were delicious, I had the Sashimi and it was excellent, my husband had the Peking Duck which was divine our friends both enjoyed their meals the Oysters and the Salmon tartare.We all had the eye fillet that was cooked to perfection, and shared various sauces including Béarnaise and Horseradish and Green peppercorn. Personally my favourite was the Horseradish we all felt the béarnaise lacked some flavour.<br/>The sides were divine – the Onion Rings and Duck Fat Potatoes were the best we have tried (Inc ones at another top notch Auckland eatery).<br/>After being very full already we shared a Banana Crème Brulee which was delicious and topped off a very enjoyable evening. <br/>Although the wait staff were slow on taking our food orders to begin with they were very attentive and friendly for the remainder of the evening.<br/>I would definitely recommend Botswana and plan to come back soon. It is a pricier dining option however the portions are large and cooked very well.

Not a destination for good food and great service. <br/>Nice new fit-out but everything else is totally underwhelming.<br/>Sashimi not fresh by at least 3 days.<br/>Ahi tuna worse than average.<br/>Pork a total non delivery on menu description<br/>Service not of a standard expected for prices charged, no management level apparent<br/>Poor comments from me regarding food quality not dealt with well but still charged at full price<br/>Will not return or recommend

After dining at Botswana Butchery in Auckland various times in the last month I have to say that I am very confused about all the negative reviews that have been going around. My dining experience at Botswana has been fantastic every time. <br/>The Cadrona lamb is simply delicious and the service is always exceptional. <br/>The bar is also amazing! I love everything about Botswana. <br/>I dine out 5 nights a week so am an experienced diner...

Having been recommended after friends dined in Queenstown, I was extremely apprehensive about booking this restaurant due to the poor reviews (overall). However I called the restaurant and actually spoke to the Executive Chef, who assured me that all the issues around waiting staff had been resolved. As it was a special birthday with my family and we were travelling from out of town, I wanted everything to be almost perfect!<br/>Well.....the food was exquisite, from starters through to mains and dessert, although the general consensus was that the prices from "The Block" were pretty expensive with all the additional add ons. The major issue that let the whole evening down was our waitress. We didn't think that she was actually trained as a waitress she was so bad! No personality, not friendly, and over the period of over two hours she didn't once ask if our meals were alright and if we needed anything else. You guys really need to look at your staff training. Auckland water front is so competitive, and I for one will NOT be returning to this restaurant, even though the food was really good.

My partner and I dinned at Botswana Butchery on a Friday night. We booked an early table (1830) so the restaurant was still reasonably quiet when we arrived.<br/><br/>The key to the evening was the upstairs table that had an excellent view out to the ferry loading area.<br/><br/>Service was excellent. One of the waiters gave some very accurate advice on both the meal and wine. <br/> <br/>We had entrees (French Onion and some Chicken disk (forget the name)) and both were excellent. Our mains were also delicious - although steaks is their forte the menu is comprehensive and will suit most tastes.<br/><br/>Personally I had the Scotch Fillet (not on the bone) with a wine jus. Perfectly cooked.<br/><br/>All round an outstanding experience and we have already recommended Botswana to a number of our friends.

Disappointing. The best I can say was: the seats were comfortable and the sides were good (Although, note, creamed spinach is NOT wilted spinach with cream, read a recipe book). Very average service, very ordinary steaks, and staff with a lot of negative, sulky attitude. Come on guys, look at your prices, they may fall for this in Queenstown, but Auckland expects more. Before I came, I heard you described as "Invercargill food with Sydney prices", I'm afraid I can't disagree. Try harder.

Despite the poor reviews which I read before making the reservation, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised.<br/><br/>Arrived on time but the table wasn't ready, aware of the bad reviews for service I was primed for action. As we were not short on time I was happy enough to be directed to the bar. The fit out must have cost a fortune and it was money well spent. The bar area is great and we relaxed and enjoyed ourselves while waiting to be seated.<br/><br/>After a couple of drinks, which took longer than they should to get out, we were offered another table but chose to wait for our table to become available (it was in a better spot). After 45 minutes it became available. Which given the fact the head of house told us they were in the process of paying 15 minutes after we arrived seemed a little fanciful. But we weren't in a hurry so weren't bothered.<br/><br/>The food was all spot on, from the steak to the duck to the liver and the kidneys. We were a group of four and while some dishes rose about others the food couldn't be faulted.<br/><br/>The service with our French waiter was good. All in all a very pleasant evening. A little pricey, but hey it's a great location and the fit out must have cost a small fortune. Despite some poor reviews on this site the place was busy.<br/><br/>Worth a visit to make up your own mind.

I have lived all over the world and I have spent way too much money in Resturants...<br/><br/>The VIEW from Botoswana is the best in Auckland for people watching.<br/><br/>The interior design is rich and makes you feel like you are in a very speical place.<br/><br/>The food is the best I have eaten in forever.<br/><br/>I am a regular. At first the biggest let down was the service however it has improved a 100% in the past week or two.<br/><br/>I have opened countless businesses over the years, with every business I opened there were always teething problems.<br/><br/>What I love about Botswana is that management are mainly South Islanders.<br/><br/>People from the South and yes I'm a bit bias as I was born in Invercargill tend to be in my opinon lovely kind hearted folks who will take the shirts off their backs if need be to help you.<br/><br/>For this reason I have hung in there and am seeing the rose of the resturant world come into full bloom..<br/><br/>For this reason alone I rate them a 10..

We ate here last night, and to be honest after all the bad reviews, wasn't sure what to expect.<br/>We were told the wait would be a half hour, so had a drink in the bar, and about 10 mins later we were told there was a table as someone hadn't turned up, great!<br/>The barman was very helpful on recommending wine.<br/>The service was good, although the french waiters English wasn't great.<br/>All and all great night, the food was superb, only gripe, a little pricey, even for the viaduct.

We took our Australian clients to the Botswana Butchery in the first week of opening and while not one to normally write reviews feel compelled to do so as they certainly don't deserve the beat up they are getting. The food was delicious; our Australians especially enjoyed the white bait entree and melt-in-the-mouth steak and I loved the tuna with the gorgeous lemon dressing. The ambience is amazing and the staff very friendly and helpful.<br/><br/>There were a couple of blips in the service which were very quickly acknowedged with free drinks when an apology would have been more than sufficient. It seems to me they are a victim of their own success as everybody I speak to seems to be trying them out rather than going to their usual haunts. But as a professional operation I can only assume they will be getting a handle on this very soon.

Unfortunately the complete experience was terrible.<br/><br/>Our greeting was cold. <br/><br/>Our waitress was very uninformed (throughout the entire evening). <br/><br/>The wine suggestions were very uninformed also.<br/><br/>Where we were seated in the middle of the restaurant, I was against a pillar with electrical sockets beside me, meaning I couldn't quite sit square to the table and our guest opposite me was in the corridor and bumped EVERY time other diners or wait staff passed.<br/><br/>The food was soooooo very disappointing... then to top it all off, the woman whom we paid was incredibly rude.

I enjoyed a lovely afternoon at the Botswana Butchery with a friend recently - it was a beautiful crisp day and we were warmed by the sun with views to the harbour, which made for a lovely backdrop to our dining experience. <br/>I looked for guidance with the menu, as my knowledge of meat is pretty limited. I was well looked after by the service staff who explained the different dishes to me and their recommendations were spot on for my wine and food choices! It was just delicious - I am still thinking about the Wagyu beef - and the banana creme brulee was nearly a religious experience. <br/>It was a really special afternoon for me - I was with a dear friend, my youngest daughter had just started school and the friendly service staff made for a memorable occasion.<br/>10 out of 10 - or as the ratings on this site go, 5 out of 5! I would love to go back and will attempt to save more room for dessert :-)

Took my family and by comparison had eaten at Jervois Steak House the week before. By comparison service was charming, efficient and attentive. A whole lot more down to earth that aforementioned which can tend to be pretty snooty.<br/>Prices for meals are absolutely comparable to prices paid throughout the city - steaks are being sold this way in at least three places I can think of where side dishes are additional.<br/>Food was delicious and well prepared exactly to our requirements. Venison was amazing.

I've eaten here twice since it opened, and I am kind of surprised by the vehemency of these negative reviews.<br/><br/>Overall I had a great time here, the food was on both occasions - delicious. I had a fantastically juicy Wagyu burger for lunch, the Chicken Liver Parfait is also great. A standout was an incredible banana creme brûlée - which I might not have ordered had the waiter not said it was really special and worth trying...he was right. <br/><br/>We had good service, only one hiccup over where to pay the bill - and yes an arrogant barman who seemed to have forgot what he was there for (Service!)...<br/><br/>The location is fantastic, especially sitting outside or upstairs with a view of the harbor, the decor is spectacular and really glam. A nice change from all the rustic 'gastro pub/mechanics' styling that is so trendy right now.

A very bad experience.<br/><br/>The greeting was warm on arrival and then it was down hill from there.<br/><br/>Once seated we were then served by very poorly trained waiting staff. A number of basic questions were asked about items on the menu..like how is the fish of the day cooked..and they couldn't be answered. When we finally got through the "faulty towers' part of ordering another waitress appeared and asked us if we wanted to order dinner. One of the guests asked if they could have a bun before dinner, which was totally forgotten about and then half way through entrees a large plate of sliced bread arrived with side plates for everyone.<br/><br/>The food itself was nothing at all special, we have often had better at restaurants half the price.<br/><br/>One diner at our table of four asked about a sauce to have with the fish and they were recommended bernaise which duly arrived...interesting. Two of us decided to have the lambs fry, which was close to raw inside and very bitter in flavour. Again had far better for under half the price. Now don't get me wrong, we are happy to pay top dollar for great food and often do, so price in itself was not an issue.<br/><br/>Everytime the waiter asked us if we wanted more drinks he would poke me in the shoulder to get my attention. If it wasn't for the fact that we had been asked to join our friend there for dinner I would have made a formal compalint and left.<br/><br/>Now the really good part...when it came time to pay, my friend, I will say was offered to check the account after they had printed it out but he declined saying "I'm sure it will be fine"...BIG mistake...The account was settled with $150 worth of gift vouchers and the balance split between the 2 parties. Each half remaining was $275 each...so dinner was $700 and 2 of the guests did't drink. I couldn't believe it but again was reluctant to comment as we had been invited by friends for the evening. Thankfully I asked for a copy of the account as we left. When we were outside my friend said to me.. I wouldn't go back there ever, can you believe dinner was $700 for that rubbish food and terrible service. I now took this opportunity of finally agreeing and got the asccount out to check and found they had overcharged us $348.40. Which of course they refunded.<br/><br/>What a terrible night. A real pity, such an iconic location but such a terrible restaurant. Every one was casual, not at all sharp, close to arrogant and backed up by very below par food.<br/><br/>Try it , it might become Auckland's faulty towers, all they need is Basil!!

Extremely disappointing! I wouldn’t go back even if I was paid to!<br/><br/>If you’re looking for a place where the waiting staff are arrogant and can’t get the basics of customer service right – Botswana Butchery is the perfect place for you!<br/><br/>We went for lunch on Anzac Day, at 12:50pm seeing there were some people already seated. The waiter very flatly said “sorry we open at 1pm” and didn’t offer to seat us for the next 10 mins like other customers. Not letting this dampen our spirits, we came back after 10 minutes. After waiting a good few minutes at reception seeing the members of their staff walking around, one of them finally asked us if we were okay. After showing us to our table he left us with one drink menu between the two of us. We waited another 10 minutes for our drinks orders to be taken and the drinks took another 10 to arrive (we ordered wine). We had to “ask” for lunch menus TWICE after 30 minutes of being seated. <br/><br/>When our food finally came the waiter ‘assumed’ who ordered what and put the wrong dishes in front of us. I got the day’s special Tarakhi and the man ordered the steak sandwich. I’m just an average cook but have no doubts that I can make better fish myself. It had potato and peas curry and a piece of fish on top – our Indian takeaway down the road can do better at $12!! Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t expecting authentic curry at an African Butchery – But I was expecting some taste and class! The steak sandwich, priced at $26 wasn’t filling or great either.<br/><br/>We weren’t asked how our meal was, given dessert menus or even asked if we wanted to order any more drinks after our first glasses. The very arrogant hostess walked past us every few mins and not once did she smile or check on us. $100 lunch for two people (including 20% surcharge) left both me and my partner VERY pissed off. <br/><br/>Thank you for ruining a special occasion for us Botswana Butchery! I’d be surprised to still see you guys around in a few months time, seeing we’re not the only ones who’ve had a bad experience.

Disappointing! Coming from Queenstown I wanted to support a local and new eatery but it was not good. There was no record of our telephone booking and the wait staff did not resolve it, we had to go and check.<br/><br/>The service was very average, meals were average, small proportioned, there was a long wait and over priced for what they were. The steak condiments, cognac sauce lacked flavour and was generally not impressive. <br/>Definitely won't be rushing back or recommending it particularly when there are so many other great choices in Auckland!<br/><br/>Decor was great though - just work on the service big time!!!

Very Disappointing<br/>Expensive but that is o.k if the quality matches...... but here unfortunately there is a huge gap <br/>Meals are small and very poorly presented<br/>You buy the steak you want then have to pay extra for the sauce or butter <br/>The steak comes on its own, no garish , looks terrible as it is placed in front of you <br/><br/>I had the yellow fish tuna which was so mediocre... I have had better tasting Tuna from a can<br/>The décor is great but the food, service , attention to details and customer experience is not <br/><br/>We won’t be back that is for sure, was actually annoyed we came here when Auckland has so many great restaurants

I am a HUGE fan of Botswana Butchery and regularly dine Botswana Butchery in Wanaka and Queenstown. I have spoken to so many people so often and told them such incredibly wonderful things about Botswana Butchery. At every chance I get I direct people to the Wanaka and Queenstown restaurants.<br/><br/>HOWEVER, I recently visited Auckland and there is a MAJOR difference between this venue and the others. The waiters simply don't meet the same standard as their counterparts in Wanaka and Queenstown. Also, finding a fish bone in my pannacotta was not a good experience and the apology for this was minimal and I only received an offer for the pannacotta to be free. My constant and endless promotion of Botswana Butchery will be put on hold.

I loved the decor and the ambience of this restaurant and<br/>whilst the staff were very pleasant they let themselves down on service.<br/><br/>We waited a ridiculously long period of time for the wine to be brought to the table and twice the waiter brought the wrong wine. In the period of time it took to sort this out no orders were taken for food so it made for late dining.<br/><br/>We were a party of 12 and the reviews on each meal went from "only ok" to "excellent" and somewhere in between. For the high prices they're charging quite frankly we expected better. <br/><br/>The whitebait starter was rubbery and nothing to write home about in terms of flavour. The steak although very tasty was overdone and the accompanying cognac sauce was bland. The plates the mains were served not heated.<br/><br/>Dessert on the other hand (I had the banana creme brulee)was delicious.<br/><br/>Unless they step up the service and fine tune the cooking and finer details associated with fine dining, for price, I wouldn't be inclined to come back.

Unfortunately they have not hit the ground running. Service was very poor from all aspects, basic service standards are not applied. When the wine was finished, no more was offered. We had to ask for the desert menu and even that was a challenge. It appears the staff lack product knowledge and have an attitude which isn't welcoming or fun.<br/>Food was very average considering the price point. Perhaps too big too soon....time will tell.

After hearing all the hype, we were looking forward to trying this iconic Queenstown eatery.<br/>What a disappointment, service was very poor. The menu was expensive and the quality of the food was very average.<br/>Unless they lift the standard it will be a very short stay in Auckland.<br/>There are a number of very good restaurants in the Viaduct and downtown area. Do yourself a favour and give this one a miss.

So it's new but I expected more. Love the decor and the staff but the wine list by the glass is way too expensive. The Waiheke drinkers (and there's a lot of us!) are comparing notes. Tonight someone said the Chardonnay was $18 a glass! We miss our Waiheke specials at the bar. Let's hope things improve before we vote with our feet!

I am a big fan of this restaurant in Queenstown, we Always make a point of going there when in Queenstown, so was excited when I learnt they were opening in Auckland. <br/><br/>However, after my first experience I was disappointed. Location Good, Service OK (but certainly lacking in many regards), Food was pretty average, and very poor value for money. <br/><br/>Meals are not $25-$35 (as this website suggests). A piece of meat was at the upper end of this, and by the two you ordered a couple of sides (necessary due to the pitiful size of them), you can add about ~$20 on to the price of the meal. My tuna (MR-Rare) was overcooked, dry and nasty, and the sauce ("Wasabi Butter") I picked to go with it was a cold block of basically butter - uneatable.<br/>Given all the competition around Auckland and some of the great restaurants in close proximity, I probably wouldn't return based on this experience. And would certainly not recommend to others. All round disappointing.

Make no mistake every part of this place is targeted at the deeper portion of the wallet. I however attended as guest so I did not have the curse of the bill to consider going in. That said this place is not cheap so be prepared. So what do you get for your money?<br/><br/>Atmosphere - very nice, I loved the formal with touches of the eclectic and the overall setting is very well done. Easy to be relaxed without lowering the tone. Tables have plenty of room so you have your own little piece of real estate without feeling like an extended guest of someone else's table. Great to get a seat overlooking the water so thanks for that.<br/><br/>The service - it seems that they have shot for professional but have missed the target slightly. The staff are very informed about their menu and wine list but are a little too rigid and non engaging. Of course some might like this but I have no issue with service staff being allowed to share their personalities and in fact quite enjoy it. It was probably not helped by the fact that the staff at our table were not that great at English and struggled with a few requests that I would deem to be relatively straight forward. There were a few things that took multiple tries to get the message across, albeit successfully in the end, but these were not fun and felt awkward. The food appeared in a timely manner without being rushed or indeed left to sit and wait but mistakes were made as to what plate should go where. Not a big deal at all but again just wide of the mark that they seem to be targeting.<br/><br/>The food - this is what we go for ultimately and it really did not disappoint in any way. We cris crossed the menu with our choices and no one was any less than praise worthy of the delivered product. It actually was that good. The only issue I could come up with the French Onion Soup was a bit too salty but still very tasty and completely edible.<br/><br/>In summary - this feels like it tries to be something it is not. What is does well it does exceptionally well but if they want to make this more of the 5 Star establishment that I think they are shooting for then they need to polish some of the things around the edges. If they are looking for an upmarket place to go for very good food coupled with a good time maybe loosen the staffs ties a little. A smile and a chat goes a long way.<br/><br/>Overall very pleased and would consider a return if I was stuck for a choice - which in this price range is not often.

found this place rather expensive. Food was Ok, great service tho :-)

Botswana Butchery near the Ferry terminal down town was our destination this freezing winters eve. It was a bit of a last minute thing making a booking at 6pm for 8:30pm that evening. In my books its not the best sign that they had a table for us, but we were happy they did.<br/><br/>We arrived and had a drink at the bar, the wine list is HUGE! In fact the drinks menu is more of a drinks novel and after too much to choose from we chose what we knew a glass of Cloudy Bay Pelorus and at $18 a glass we knew their wines were not overly priced so we were happy campers.<br/><br/>We were seated, menus given, and left to read. There was a great selection of starters, so much so that I would have been happy with a selection of these for my meal.<br/><br/>We opted for the Raukumara Wild Venison Tartare 24.95 with capers, cornichons, shallots, crisp bread, free range egg yolk and the Ahi Poke $19.95 which was Yellowfin tuna, avocado, mango, chili, sesame soy dressing, crisp wonton.<br/><br/>Both were lovely to look at but lacked seasoning, after a dash of salt the flavours of the Tuna were lifted, there was crunch, wonderful fresh tuna, zingy dressing it was a great way to start the meal. The Venison how ever was over powered by the capers and cornichons leaving us a touch disappointed.<br/><br/>We looked over the complete mains they all sounded delicious but we thought it best to try what the Botswana Butchery are aptly named after- The Butcher Block, which is a build your own meal menu. You select your meat, a sauce or butter (all $2.5 each) then a side be it vegetable or salad, you could go as crazy as you like or if you are struggling to decide the waiting staff are more than willing to suggest options.<br/><br/><br/>For the full review take a look at http://mrspotandmrlid.wordpress.com/category/review/

The food here is excellent and the atmosphere quite formal. It's not a cheap eat, but it's a great place to spoil yourself on a classy date in a place often praised by locals. Their seafood chowder was fresh and the salmon especially were well cut and cooked. People tend to either over or under cook salmon, so that was a pleasant surprise. The duck's shepherd pie was also amazing: well presented and the duck a joy to eat. I've also never heard of anyone doing that, but the combination of duck and potato seriously worked. For dessert I indulged in an affogato, but I've heard their petits fours are amazing so I might have to go back to try that one day! The price point is a bit high, but they make up for it in quality decor, atmosphere and scrumptious wholesome food. I also had the pleasure of sampling their canapes and snacks when they catered for the 100 Days Project event in the city late last year, and I can confirm their catering is just as high quality. Overall great high price point restaurant!

I love having friends and family come visit from overseas as I get to take them to some of my favourite eateries that showcase some of Auckland's finest food and ingredients! So when my cousin travelled from Amsterdam to Auckland for business, my sister and I took him to one of my favourite places to eat: Botswana Butchery, the best steakhouse in Auckland. We had dinner on a Friday night and managed to get a table with a view of the wharf. We started our meal with some yummy crab cakes and king prawns and half a dozen of juicy Bluff oysters, something that I insisted he try despite his dislike for oysters. Although he wasn't a fan, I happily devoured them with a tangy lemon and balsamic vinegar.<br/><br/>With our mains, we all ordered a fat juicy steak from the Butcher's Block selection. My sister and I ordered the 200 grams Savannah Angus grass fed eye fillet while my cousin ordered the 250 grams Firstlight Wagyu grass fed rump cap. I ate my medium rare steak with a generous side of dijon mustard and we all shared an ice berg lettuce wedge salad with pieces of crispy bacon, dressed with a blue cheese sauce and a side of sautéed forest mushroom. Delicious!<br/><br/>With room left for dessert, I opted for the 'Garden of Passion' which was a tangy passionfruit curd served with a layer of strawberry jelly and garnished with strawberries and raspberries. I enjoy ending my meal with something fruity and tart and this hit the spot. The curd had a nice smooth texture and the sweet strawberry jelly countered some of the acidity of the curd. I like the taste of passionfruit but I'm not a fan of the seeds, so I was very glad that this dessert was seedless. It was an excellent way to end our meal.<br/><br/> My love for Botswana Butchery is not without reason. I've been to many steakhouses throughout my dining journey, but it is fair to say that Botswana Butchery has yet to disappointed. With amazing food, exceptional service and fake butchers' knifes as door handles (!), I would happily come here time and time again!

Botswana Butchery Auckland opened in late 2012. Riding on the success of the Queenstown restaurant, the fans were sure to follow. And they did. Not as quickly as one might imagine, however. The cost of Botswana Butchery for a night out might make even the richest moguls think twice, so definitely worth considering if you aren’t going out with folks who are absolutely mad on all things meat. <br/><br/>The food is very well presented. The staff a little too formal and pretentious, but the food is divine. Worth the money? Probably not. Enjoyable, definitely. I’ve been told that the food here isn’t as well served as the food in the Botswana Butchery Queenstown, but I’ve never been to that one so I wouldn’t know. Competing Steaks in the area would be Euro and the Jervois Steak House, so there are alternatives if you want ‘primo’ steak, but the Butchery offers so many more options than just steak, so if it’s not definitely a steak you are after, Botswana is the place.

A few months ago I went to BB with two guests. The meal was superb, staff polite and good fun. A great night out. The bill was $430 , pricey but we had Oysters, Steak, good wine etc so bill was all OK.<br/>However a few days later when looking at the bill I noticed they had charged for the "Jus" for the Steaks - $2.50 each. Now it was probably stated on the menu so hard to complain. I sent a similar email as I am writing here directly to the Restaurant saying great night rah rah but I thought it was a bit petty to charge for the sauce. My email has in good humour....<br/><br/>I received no reply.<br/>I was definitely intending returning to dine but am a bit miffed no reply..<br/><br/>What do you think:<br/>Is charging for Jus petty?<br/>Should they have answered my email?

Great service, got a table ahead of booking time, food was great especially the onion rings, medium rear steak and the melt in your mouth lamb rack and rump, a bit pricey tho but well worth it.