Review The Engine Room - Auckland Central

Came here for our team Christmas lunch and have to say it was one of the best meals I’ve had in a while! I ordered the crayfish salad to start (crayfish tasted a bit powdery as if it had been frozen but the salad itself has delightful flavours) followed by the lamb with quinoa and tzatziki main special (so delicious, cooked well with lovely garlicky tzatziki. Quinoa was a bit random but nice) as well as the cauliflower cheese side and fries (truly excellent fries, so nice and crispy). For dessert I ordered the chocolate ciobollini and this was really cool! Came out in cappuccino mug and looked exactly like a cappuccino! Had delicious layers of chocolate mousse (?)) with biscuit, nuts and soft meringue (?) - not entirely sure but it was absolutely amazing Staff were attentive and helpful. An absolutely stand out meal.

Amazing food as always, I had the goats cheese souffle as I always do and it consistently impresses me. It tasted a bit different this time, but still just as good. I had the venison which was a special, though I would love to see it on the permanent menu as it was truly amazing, it would be my go to main if it were not on the specials menu. 10/10 go here quite often now and it never disappoints.

Finally made it to The Engine Room..it was a busy Saturday evening and we were seated near the kitchen end where we could see the kitchen staff prepping the food.Staff are very polite and attentive.The chalboard has the food menues listed so everything has to be read off the board.We ordered Fish crudo and smaoked snapper and goats cheese ravioli which was scrumptious. Mains were the Snapper and lamb, both fishes were full of flavours and plated beautifully. We decided to try the quince crumbles with vanilla ice cream to fisnish of with a dessert wine.Wonderful ambiance .Minor issue was finding parking on a busy Saturday evening but apart from that everything was wonderful. Worth a visit for all foodies..

Enjoyed the experience. Tasty food, good service, and a cozy atmosphere. Beautiful both inside & outside. It was the right decision to cross the road after a movie and go for dinner.

Everything is perfect here. The taste and appearance of food. my best restaurant. All the staff are so kind. I was so happy while staying here. I'm going again next week. five stars are not enough.

Beautiful ambience, exceptional cuisine and staff that take the trouble to explain the menu to you. Tried almost everything on the starters and main menu. My favourites on the starters were the Whitebait Fritters, Oysters, Chicken Liver Parfait & the Crayfish Salad. In Mains, nothing compares to the Venison Steak, Beef Cheek & Steak Frites ‘Hereford Scotch’ and the fresh line caught fish. And finally in desserts, a must try is the Coconut Tapioca, the Churros and Profiteroles. In short, this place is simply amazing and 5 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

Funny enough, I was thinking that this was going to be a fine dining restaurant and our friend joining us said it's more like a bistro, and sure enough, it's listed as a bistro on here In that respect, it gets a bit loud inside for sure, but it's very nice overall with a delectable menu and pleasant service that is good for couples to small groups. To name my favourites of the night, the rhubarb cocktail was surprisingly addicting, tagliatelle entree with truffle shavings was a great start, and the beef cheek special melted in your mouth whilst the venison was good to have once in a blue moon. The pear crumble dessert was a nice finish. However, now that I'm thinking about the menu, how people are supposed to read the chalk board menu when seated to the side or behind it?

Oyster and duck were really good !! But steak was very average.

Our food was exquisite. The beef cheek special was next level. They do a simple, solid menu at the Engine Room but it's done really well. Must make a special mention to the wait staff, the lady who served us was absolutely brilliant, that perfect mix of professional but with enough fun to make it feel cool and special.

Nice food. Above average

Celebrated my sister's belated birthday last Friday (19/07/2019) at the Engine room. We were pleasantly surprised by the ambience and interior styling of the restaurant- cozy yet sophisticated. It however was a little tricky to read the menu from where we were seated. <br/>We ordered:<br/>1) Twice baked goats cheese souffle- this was the dish of the night. I'm not usually a cheese fan but the lightness of the souffle balanced the richness of the cheese perfectly. Definitely a must try. <br/>2) Steak frites- a classic steak with chips and salad. My scotch fillet was cooked perfect medium rare and seasoned well. Chips were crispy and salad well dressed. Portion size was also generous. <br/>3) Duck confit- skin on the duck was crispy and meat tender but slightly over seasoned (too salty). Paired with the puree and sauce it tasted more balanced but still felt like it needed more freshness. Portion size was slightly small for the price of a main. <br/>4) Orange creme caramel- the creme caramel had a great consistency (creamy and wobbly) but the caramel on top was slightly over done (too bitter) and syrup was slightly too sweet. <br/>Overall had a good evening with good service and hearty food.

Never disappoints - super friendly service, great venue, delicious food. You have to try the triple baked goats cheese soufflé - absolutely exceptional!! Cheesy goodness

I really loved the styling inside and out, from the funky, perfectly set lighting and well chosen temperature, to the furniture and place settings.<br/><br/>Service was hit and miss: the waitress gave us drinks menus but failed to mention there is not a table menu. Instead there is a chalk-style board on the far wall of the dining room, meaning we were sitting waiting for menus when she came back to take our food order. It was a slight annoyance and she was very apologetic but this is not the kind of fundamental slip up you want to start off your night.<br/><br/>Food was good: if it was a local bistro it would be great, but when you charge $25+ for a starter and $42+ for mains, you'd hope for something special. The chicken liver parfait was delicious: silky smooth and flavoursome. The tuna crudo was ruined by a dressing that was far to heavy on balsamic, to the point where the star of the dish, the tuna, might as well have not been there. I wonder if the chef is tasting what is leaving his/her kitchen beause that dish should never have been presented. I should have sent it back but didn't want to wait for a replacement and instead pushed on.<br/><br/>Mains were fine. Beef steak and fries was, well, beef steak and fries: no more, no less. I wouldn't order it again. Pork schnitzel was tasty but the slaw which should cut through the oil was insipid and served only as a pointless garnish, meaning the dish was pretty one dimensional.<br/><br/>The wine list was excellent with lots of choices by the glass.<br/><br/>Overall it was fine but I feel a bit disappointed that this is regarded as the best the Shore has to offer. O'Connell St bistro offers the same type of food for the same price but with better results. Somewhere like Rothko does better food for cheaper. I suspect The Engine Room survives on the back of well-healed locals who know what they like, and that is conservatism, not creativity, or indeed good value for money. But hey, it's been there for years and will continue for be there for years, with or without my custom!<br/><br/>

Brilliant place, awesome atmosphere, found the blackboard menu a little tricky to use but food was good, perhaps a little dear for what it is. Worth a look for sure

Hadn't been for years, so 3 of us decided to make the big trek across the bridge to try them again.  Hadn't been since the refurbishment so was good to see the bigger space.  Having said that, they need to do something about the heating, as our table was near the door and the restaurant was cold - my friend and I kept our coats on the whole time.  All of this was made better by the excellent food - goats cheese soufflé is still a wonder to behold, and I can never go past the Steak Frites.  Our service was a bit patchy to start with, until Natalia took over and then things were much better!  Shame it's so far away.

I went this place with my gf.<br/>Well... such a great wine selections.<br/>I had ordered duck and my gf ordered beef cheek.<br/>AMAZING. The portion was too small but worth it.<br/>Little surprised waitress knows how to attend customers and kindly support to find out what I want to eat and drinks. She definitely knows the very good knowledges of the foods and wines as well.<br/>Everything was great but gave 4 because of too small portion for this price.<br/><br/>But definitely visit this place again.<br/>

Went here with my Fiance for 5 year anniversary after this restaurant was recommended to us as one of the best in Auckland<br/> Excellent friendly service from staff<br/>Nice setting (But not that special - This would be the only downside in my view + trying to read menu from the wall) But I'm not going to deduct any points for this. <br/><br/>Food - I had the best steak I have ever had in my life from this restaurant. The desert was also amazing. We shared the coconut desert.<br/><br/>Cocktails were good, lots of character<br/><br/>We had such a great experience that we are going back again soon. We were planning to go last Sunday but sad to see they are closed on Sundays.

The best food in the world.....just a bit expensive but you have to treat your self now and then. Every part of my steak perfect and desert to die for.

We went here to try the steak since it was listed at @urbanlist as one of the best steak. We were not disappointed though. Tried the pork schnitzel since they recommended it as best seller and it tasted great as well. I just hoped the vegetable side dish can be improved. Friendly staff.

My wife and I had dinner at this restaurant last night. The starter for my wife, who had the soufflé, was good. My soup was extraordinarily average, nothing remotely worth paying $16 for. Might as well have been warm tap water with a few vegetables thrown in. Main course for my wife was the Scotch fillet which she said comprised more of a whole heap of fries and sinewy meat than much else. My duck main course started off well (first bite) then deteriorated rapidly into a salty tour de force. No desserts but we did notice that the next table's chocolate in the coffee cup creation may perhaps have had more than a passing connection to the open containers of Nutella we saw in the kitchen. The evening's menu was stuck up on a blackboard behind my seat, hardly ideal if you have to keep twisting around to read what's on offer, let alone not entirely legible or easy to read. Why would you not simply have a menu available at the table instead ? Well, the answer to this is because you can't read easily in the dark...our table had one measly candle about 3cm high which made reading the wine list something of a chore, let alone deciphering the fine print. If you use reading glasses, make sure you bring them along, unless you like squinting into darkness. Perhaps the wine list print is so small because the wines are so incredibly expensive. Note to the waitress: always, always, always check with the patrons if you can remove their wine glasses BEFORE you take them - a common courtesy, particularly when wine is still left in the glasses. Other than that, the service was reasonable for a Saturday night. Would I go to this restaurant again? I highly doubt it. Overpriced, overrated and a major disappointment for us both.

Amazing food, great atmosphere. The young girl serving us was fantastic she knew the menu and was very pleasant and helpful. Highly recommended it.

The setting is beautiful and the service was really good...the staff had good knowledge about what was GF. But that is where it ends for me sorry. The menu is on the wall...so you literally have to get up and walk over so you can read it...that felt like I was at a fast food restaurant instead of a beautiful restaurant. My husband ordered the pork schnitzel and I ordered the beef cheeks. His was a large portion size which he said was nice...but nothing wow about it. My beef cheek was cooked beautifully...but I strongly disliked the mint it was served with...and my portion size was tiny by comparison...one small beef cheek and a spinach leaf. If both meals had been the same size we would have just thought they small meals...but both mains were around $40...my husbands was huge and mine was tiny. So I ordered dessert (hubby was full). It was delivered in a coffee cup to look like a cappuccino...I was suprised and said to the waitress "is that it?" And she said "I know it looks underwhelming and small but it is rich and is enough"...I think when wait staff apologize for the food they serve...something is wrong. The dessert was lovely though. We paid $145 all up for both of us and I was left hungry...

Went there on Friday for lunch and had a wonderful time. My favourite was the snapper which was cooked to perfection! Super fast service and attentive staff, bravo!

The staff were friendly, but the service was a little slow (it was a busy Saturday night).  Our group was happy with the meals; I had the terrine which was delicious, especially when you ate it with the accompanying cherries, and the veal schnitzel with the fried egg and anchovies (the egg was a luscious addition) which I enjoyed.  My better half ate the tuna crudo, the mouthful I got was decent, and the lamb rump which was nicely cooked.  The engine room boasts a wide and varied wine list which was great, all in all a very nice meal from a suburban bistro

We went for dinner here. I had the beef cheeks and my wife had the veal schnitzel. The beef was well cooked and well presented, but the veal was very oily and lacked taste. The crumbed coating on the veal was thicker than the veal itself. Disappointing for the price. Service was good. The menu is on a wall which we couldn’t read from where we sat so were told to use our phones to read the menu online. Dont think we will be back.

I can see why this place was rated one of the top cafes by The Metro. The presentation of the food is absolutely stunning and so intricate. The food itself is well seasoned and the portions are quite large. Overall great cafe.

Had high expectation from this place. Had chicken liver pate for entree and cheese souffle for main. Chicken liver pate was not enjoyable at all. It had very unpleasant taste towards the end. And cheese souffle was just average for me... The only thing I liked was their cake. Nothing special to like about this place. Considering the price and flavours of their food, I would not come back.

Absolutely perfect food. Had the Goat's Cheese soufflé to begin followed by the Japanese Salmon and finished with the churros. A perfect night

We visited here for the first time after our friends recommended it. We were not disappointed - the food was delicious and the service was excellent. The soufflé was my favourite item but all the food was extremely tasty and well presented. The only negatives...More

Dinner was beautiful, the service was brilliant and the dessert was absolutely divine! Can't believe I have not been there before. Would highly recommend the prawn salad entree and all the desserts!

Fantastic experience. The service was absolutely fantastic, great atmosphere and some of the best food I can remember eating. Would love to visit again.

Great location, nice ambience when i first entered and was seated. Was quite with music in the background which was relaxing. After a while it started to get a bit too noisy making it hard to have a proper conversation..<br/>Was hard to see menu, didnt have my glasses on so i had to take a pic and read it off my fone. There r wine menus, why not add the food on it too?<br/>We ordered mozarella, brussel sprouts, veal schnitzel and duck confit. All the food was very average in my opinion. Was very disappointed with the veal schnitzel, felt like i was chewing on rubber. Definitely not worth $39. Visually didnt look very appealing either. Somehow thought this was a fine dining restaurant but after tonights experience it felt like a family restaurant. Plain white platings were quite boring too. <br/>The best part was the service though. We had a great waitress. :) just a pity the food quality was very low..

I'm a vegetarian so the options were very limited. There was one veggie starter but no veggie mains. It was a lovely restaurant, great atmosphere and friendly staff,but I wouldn't come back unless there was a veggie main on the menu.

The best service I've ever had. Every single staff member was so positive and friendly, smiling and attentive and very knowledgeable on the menu and all its ingredients and specialties. They kept our water topped up the whole night so we never had to ask.<br/><br/>The menu on wall is a great idea, loved not having our table cluttered with extra stuff.<br/><br/>Vibe was great, dim lighting and quiet. Tables are pretty close together but I didn't even notice, it's such a nice ambience that you just enjoy it all.<br/><br/>Meals were incredible. I had the falafel salad for entree, so amazing. Falafels were perfectly cooked and the salad ingredients were fab. My brother had bluff oysters and said they were incredible. For mains I had the Veal Schnitzel, pretty much inhaled it, so so so tasty! I enjoyed a Blueberry bliss cocktail which was a perfect sweet touch with the meal.<br/><br/>Can't fault this place. Owner should be proud of all their staff and what they make of the place, chefs, bar crew and waitressses, amazing!

Really enjoyed it. Great service, good humor, simple menu but so good! In such a cute area, right opposite the cutest cinema (Bridgeway) that it makes the perfect date night. <br/><br/>Definitely recommend that three cheese soufflé! It is amazing! I could just eat this and move straight to dessert (which is what I'm planning to do as I was too full to have dessert this time haha)<br/><br/>For mains, I got the veal schnitzel and made it super sized by adding eggs and anchovies. It was really well done but I think the anchovies and capers combination made it too salty for me ha! (Blame my greediness) My friend got the steak and frites which was simple but very well done (I mean medium rare). <br/><br/>We were too full by the end of it! Boohoo. Full and happy with a good selection of wine.

The entree with peach and cheese was so yummm. Refreshing，sweet a great combination of flavours. Soooo good. The signature cheesy souffle was a bit too salty for me. The main dish of fish was better than I thought it would be. Tender and juice. The figs in the duck dish were lovely. Like it ！much more better than those confit duck in other restaurants with orange or something citrus.

We went to the Engine room for dinner last night as a belated birthday dinner and it was amazing. Unfortunately I didn't get any pics of our mains - we dived into them too quickly. I absolutely recommend the churro dessert, the goat cheese soufflé starter and the mozzarella starter, they were the highlights!

Very unimpressed after hearing so much about the food. I had the Lamb rump with barley and kale. A very average dish lacking any impact what so ever. The lamb and accompanied ingredients rested in a broth that was tasteless. I do not expect big bold flavours to knock me over, however for this price I expect some complexity to a dish. Not a good sign if I have to season a meal myself . My wife had the pork salad, a dish really unbalanced with a mostly acidic flavour - also very little meat for $25.00. All up pretty boring fare and way over priced for the quality. At least the service was excellent.

I would give it a 4.5 but it's too expensive for its location. Food is very good and some inspired combinations. Book ahead as often hard to get a seat

Great service, great food, good portions and nice atmosphere. I had the steak and chips for a main (no complaints but if you are a snob about eating chips at a fancy restaurant then don't order this), the asparagus and hollandaise as a side (simple but good) and their cremino al cioccolato for dessert. All the food was great and I was so full afterwards. <br/>My biggest complaint would be that the menu is written on the wall and not an actual paper menu so whilst I appreciate that they are trying to be a bit different with this, it just doesn't work because 1) you end up having to walk over to someone else's table and stand there as you read the menu over their shoulder 2) the paint isn't blackboard paint but shiny paint and so the hanging lights reflect off it making it even harder to read the cursive font and 3) they give you a drinks menu so it kind of defeats the whole purpose. If anything, it should be the other way round, with the drinks on the wall and food on a proper menu. I also didn't like that their salt came in original packaging and not a grinder but I did appreciate that they actually had salt and pepper on the table as most places don't. The wait times for service were a bit on the slow side but it didn't affect us personally as we wanted to drag out the experience. Overall, a very good restaurant.

Nice restaurant, great atmosphere, top notch service but I have 2 problems with this restaurant. <br/><br/>The first is their menu. When we first tried to find a menu we could look at prior to booking we couldn't actually find one until we realised the chalk board on their website was the menu. This theme correlated at dinner as well where we were never presented with a physical menu but rather there was a chalkboard with all the dishes above our heads. The biggest problem in my opinion is that it was hard to read and we were sitting right in front of it. We noticed one couple had the waiter take a picture of it. A couple of our members were straining their necks to see the menu and this was quite unpleasant. The chalkboard menu wasn't very informative either and we had to ask the waiter to help us out a little. All seemed a little unnecessary and could've been mitigated if we had just been given a physical menu. <br/><br/>The second problem is actually the food. Three of us ordered the steak and one ordered the veal schnitzel. The portions were a little small for the price we were paying however the food was tasty. The worst part however was the French fries served with the steak. It was the first time I had ever seen French fries served at a restaurant. They weren't even thick fries, just the thin ones you buy for your kids. Didn't add any flavour and to be honest looked quite bad next to the steak. So tasty but not filling and probably not the worth the price paid. <br/><br/>So all up nice atmosphere and friendly service but food was mediocre relative to price and probably not worth paying for an entree the price of a main meal. Unlikely we'll be going again but would probably still recommend them to friends.

Highly recommend this place. Really good food reflect by an almost full restaurant on a weekday night. We shared a selection of entry of clam curry, cheese dish, and also octopus. I must say all of them are full of flavour but my favourite is the clam which is cooked to perfection. For mains, we ordered pork belly and duck.... and those are just to die for! Dessert is rose panna cotta, profiterole and orange pudding and really no fault!! They also have a good selection of cocktail, but the pity is most of the wines are by bottle only.

We have dined there a couple of months ago with some friends and definitely LOVED it. <br/>The best stake we have had in a while and great drinks too!<br/>Apart from the waiter, a bit weird at first :) everything was great!

Hmmm.  Why, may I ask, does this restaurant seem popular?  Upon arrival we were shown to a table for two tucked into a corner against a wall.  We asked to move to another table for two.  On our side of the restaurant there were 7 empty tables at 6.15 (which was the time we were told we had to be there by, no negotiation).  The waitress responded by asking what was wrong with the table we were at?  We said we wanted to be more in the main area of the restaurant and one of us is deaf and sitting next to a wall meant the sounds reverberated through his hearing aids. So not a good start. We were moved after a frantic discussion by staff.  Then we ordered the recommended cocktail of the evening.  Rum (didn't taste any), grapefruit juice and bitters with ginger beer.  Dull as.  The food was bland.  Nothing at all to set the taste buds on fire.  Partner's steak was very average he said.  My snapper was succulent but one small fillet on a plate consisting of a huge pile of kale with store bought mayonnaise to the side was also disappointing.  Entrees were OK, but again, really.  So my birthday dinner was not the lovely night I was expecting. And could I linger over coffee or dessert?  No we were asked to vacate our table for the next session!!!

Impressed enough and definitely will be back. Had my birthday dinner and really loved the clams in broth as entree -- wanted more! My veal schnitzel was buttery and delicious but a little bit on the dry side and in a need of a little seasoning. Not a big fan of nutmeg so didn't really like the rosti that came with it as I found the nutmeg a bit overpowering.<br/>Ambience is good, even though after a few times walking to view menu on the wall got a bit tiresome. Not too loud and not too quiet, with nicely dim litted decor and comfortable cushions. The waitress was attentive, friendly without being intrusive.

I had the beef cheeks - super tender. The steak frites 'Hereford Scotch' was apparently very nice with lots of flavour. The veal schnitzel was okay but the caper butter wasn't well liked. The service was professional and timely.

Went here twice for dinner once for s company dinner and once as a guest of some dear friends. I heard amazing things about this place so was really looking forward to it. It is not a particularly handy location. So I am assuming the food is going to be outstanding. Sadly both times I felt the food fell well short. Maybe my expectations were set too high. When I eat out I expect the food to better than I can cook myself at home.

Good fine dinning restaurant but not the best. A little bit disappointed with snapper fillet as 2nd time I went there<br/><br/>Service: 4/5<br/><br/>Wait time: 3.5/5<br/><br/>Environment: 4/5<br/><br/>Food Quality: 4.5/5<br/><br/>Food Quantity: 4/5<br/><br/>Price: 4/5<br/><br/>Overall: 24/30

Went here for a work lunch.<br/>I wasn't that hungry so ended up ordering a starter and a main; the prawn salad and doris plum tart.<br/>My prawn salad was amazing, nice succulent prawns and good balance of flavours.<br/>When the mains arrived I immediately regretted my choice - duck confit and Thai beef tongue looked so good.<br/>My tart was decent but not to die for. The profiteroles were everyone's favourite.

Great food excellent service and nice atmosphere <br/>Have been there many times and have never had a bad experience so would Highly recommend to anyone who enjoys great flavours and fresh food<br/><br/>

I remember dinning at The Engine Room many years ago when it first opened and being well impressed. Great to see the place has only got better! We started small with bread and oil, then had a beautiful Snapper main. Finished off with what could arguably be Auckland's best Truffles. Service was friendly and efficient. Would go back in a heart beat.

It would be good if they printed the menu in "English" instead of the scrawl on line. They may be in the top Metro 50 but I would pass on the eye strain of reading the menu

Managed to get an early last minute booking so arrived about 6pm. Good attentive service so we ordered a couple of pre dinner drinks. I ordered a beer, although the beer options were adequate I was disappointed not to see an IPA or APA, these days most of the reputable restaurants would have at least one on offer, I did mention it to one of the staff when paying so will keep a keen eye to see if they do introduce one. The dinner menu was small but interesting, anyway we decided on the pork belly to share as a starter and for mains my wife had the lamb and I had the steak & frites. We thoroughly enjoyed all the dishes.

Fine dining at its best. Great food choices, amazingly prepared food and exceptionally knowledgeable staff. Fairly pricy but well worth it. Entrees were goats cheese souffle and scallopes. Any chef would need to be a magician to improve on the masterpieces. Mains was veal schnitzel. Tasty but a tad buttery for my pallet but hey each to their own. Some of the other patrons seemed a tad stuffy but not much you can do about that. Engine room is one of only a few places in Auckland that I would gladly return to and explore the other menu items. Fantastic place and a must for anyone who enjoys exceptional food.

This is hands down the best restaurant I've ever been to. It's our special occasion spot, and even though we only go 3 or 4 times a year, they remember us. <br/>The decor is lovely. It feels very European. Before they opened up the other side of the building, it felt a bit like dining in someone's lounge, but that was lovely too.<br/>The staff are excellent and attentive, and the drinks are great.<br/>Naturally, the best thing about the Engine Room is the food. Everything I've eaten there has been stunning. The first time I went I ordered duck confit and it remains the best meal I've ever eaten. All the dishes are great, though, and I particularly love their seasonal desserts. Before your meal you get an aperitif, which has always been delicious.<br/>You will probably need to book a table if you're going to dinner at the Engine Room, but it is so worth it. I can't recommend it enough. Order the duck!

Have been on a number of occasions both for lunch and dinner. Always an outstanding experience. The veal schnitzel Holstein with slaw and rosti is my favorite. Every bit of the dish is perfect. Service is always polished, friendly and efficient. Great wine list too. Definitely worth crossing the bridge for.

Had read the reviews on this restaurant and when a friend suggested we go for a lunch I was excited.I looked at the menu and it was not a cheap restaurant for lunch, I ordered and entre for my lunch as I was not hungry.I ordered the Risotto it was lovely however for the price I was expecting a little more on the plate. As I don't do big lunches there was not much of a choice if you did not want a big meal.the food was lovely and fresh and the staff nice, but would not rush back for a lunch maybe next time I try for dinner.

Auckland's best shoestring fries (fried in duck fat.) Nice mains. Nice ambience especially with Bridgeway just across the road. Makes for a good date night!

On Saturday 9 May 4 of us went to the Engine Room as we had heard that it was very good. Well I wouldn't recommend it or go again. I had the Duck Confit which tasted more like an over salted dried out miniature chicken leg. It was on a bed of lentils and the only flavour was salt. The overall feeling of the group was that the food was average and overpriced. The restaurant was also very noisy and conversation was near impossible. The service was very good and the staff very friendly.

Took my partner here for our anniversary and were blown away by the food quality and service.<br/><br/>We had oysters and a whitebait fritter for starters, and the kingfish and veal for mains, finished off with wine from their exquisite list.<br/><br/>The engine room is pricey but you certainly get what you pay for (it pays to book as they are packed).

We had some friends over from Sydney and they had read some reviews on this place and really wanted to try it and I admit it definitely was on my to try list.<br/><br/>I ordered the kokoda and it was just delicious! The flavours of the dish just complemented each other perfectly with the melons and kingfish I had never seen it like that and I just enjoyed it immensely! I then ordered the pork belly and we were disappointed in how long it took for it to arrive, well over an hour from when we finished our appetiser. The pork belly was cooked well, soft and juicy with a nice crunch to the crackling. The sauce was bland however but mixed with the pickled courgette it added so much more to the dish. I would have liked a bigger explosion of flavour overall though.<br/><br/>We decided to share the dessert, we got the coconut jelly and Doris plum tart and to be honest it wasn't really enjoyable so we didn't actually finish it all.<br/><br/>It was a really long meal with lots of downtime in between just waiting, I was really tired by the end of it all we took 2 1/2 hours to do a 3 course meal which is a bit too long for a work night!

Divine food. The kingfish first course was excellent. Not really a fan of pork belly until tonight. Great service, we felt well looked after and welcome.

We were tended to as soon as we walked in, guided to our table and handed the drinks menu. Dining at the bar, there was always an offer for a refill and our water glasses were constantly being topped up. Our drinks arrived quickly and we ordered mains and an entreé, the chef kindly gifted us a set of smoked fish and brie croquettes. Each course arrived promptly and cooked to perfection, we couldn't fault the service and best of all - both of our fussy palettes struggled to decide between the equally tempting mains, we'll definitely be returning customers.

I have been to the Engine Room twice over the years, once before I turned vegetarian and once since turning vegetarian. Both times I couldn't for the life of me understand why this place gets rave reviews. The food for what it is is grossly over priced and when I compare it to some other restaurants serving similar type cuisine (at much less of a price) their food offerings in my opinion were miles better than the Engine Room. <br/><br/>As a vegetarian, they have next to nothing for you to eat. The best thing on their menu was their fries, and that is pretty sad.

The Engine Room is my new favourite restaurant. Every dish we received was delightful and our waiter was very attentive without being intrusive. A perfect night.<br/><br/>We started off with fresh Waiheke oysters which were extremely fresh and served simply with a vinaigrette and lemon wedge. The amuse bouche of Hapuka ceviche (complimentary) was a very nice touch before our mains.<br/><br/>We ordered the Zaatar Chook and the Pork Shoulder for our mains and both were done extremely well. The chook had a very light and crispy skin which crackled beneath the knife. The spice was subtle but crept up on me with each mouthful. The roasted fig and tahini mellowed out the spice and provided a nice sweetness and creaminess to the dish. The pork fell apart under my fork and was accompanied with a strong, robust sauce.<br/><br/>The NY cheesecake and truffles were the perfect way to end our evening. The cheesecake was very smooth and the base was soft and crumbly while the truffles were the most decadent thing I've had in a while.

We went to The Engine Room on 26 Sept for my Parnter's birthday for lunch and also invited our friends.<br/> <br/>We were met by a very friendly Maitre D who was professional and friendly.  <br/> <br/>We ordered Pacific oysters as entrees and they were absolutely divine.<br/> <br/>For mains we ordered 3 veal schnitzel with rosti and 1 lamb rump.  The lamb rump  was superb!  The veal schnitzel was a big disappointment... the schnitzel was soaked in oil (very greasy) and the taste was unusual.. nothing like I have ever tasted before.<br/> <br/>All in all, excellent service just disappointed with the veal.<br/>Service - 5/5<br/>Entrée - 5/5<br/>Mains - 2/5

My wife and I went to The Engine Room last night on the spur of the moment. Natalie and the team managed to squeeze us in. We had the Terrine and Oxtail salad to start, followed by the pan fried snapper and Burrata salad washed down with a nice bottle of Spanish red. The food was fantastic and the service was charming and attentive. Lee can't recommend the place enough. As an aside if you go, try the goats cheese soufflé!

On the spur of the moment to have dinner out last night (and in a hurry), my friend and I decided on the restaurant on the corner i.e Engine Room. Without a reservation we were greeted with a friendly smile and a table was assured. Friendly staff, great service and enjoyed the veal schnitzel and pork belly mains. Wine list impressive also. I would have to say that heading over the bridge for dinner is a whole new experience. Would of tried the desserts but we had to rush. Next time. I think a fav now.

Been a while since I've eaten here and I didn't enjoy it as much as last time. Still, it's good... it just seemed a little flabby. Started with goat's cheese souffle, porkbelly main and sampled a friend's fig cheesecake. Not quite sure what's going on.... but it seemed to lack something. The souffle was good. Pork was not quite soft enough, crackle was not quite crisp enough, the mash under was ok - just a bit unmemorable. Cheesecake a bit stodgy - the best bit was the raw fig! Service was great, atmosphere was great though - maybe it was just my selection. Or my expectation, given the previous times I had been here. Still, its better than average (hence the 4stars) and better than lots of places.

Not sure why it has taken us so long to come to this place. A very vibrant atmosphere in a relaxed dining environment.<br/><br/>Hard to go past the soufflé for entrée and their veal for main. Attentive service with an eye for detail.<br/><br/>Will worth driving over the bridge for.

The new renovations are brilliant, hard to believe they could make an already amazing restaurant any better but they have. We dined at the new bar area and seeing the chefs in action showed just how slick an operation this is. Great food, excellent friendly service, hard to beat this place.

Please note that The Engine Room charge $75.00 per person if you make a reservation for a certain amount of people and if someone doesn't turn up they charge you. Last night when dining 2 people from our group were unable to attend due to sickness and we were charged $150.00. That is disgusting. They make you sign a contract if you book for over 8 people. I have never heard of this before in Auckland. 10 people did attend and we spent over $1000.00 as the food is very expensive. We will never dine there again!

We had a fantastic night at The Engine Room. <br/><br/>The service was great, very attentive but not over the top and the food was divine.<br/><br/>All four of us had different mains (steak, fish, pork and veal) and none of them disappointed. In fact the whole menu looked so delicious it was hard to choose what to have. The portion sizes were generous and the flavours amazing. <br/><br/>Well done Engine Room, we will be back

Really disappointed with The Engine Room. Have been before and was not thrilled with it but since it's a local I thought I would give it another go. I booked for 3 people and turned up to be told that they had booked for 2 only, they told me it must be my fault but I knew that I repeated myself several times over the phone. Very disappointed that we were sent away with very little apologies over the mistake and I thought the overall the attitude was not very nice. <br/>Very disappointing as it was a special occasion needless to say I won't be giving it a third chance!

We have eaten at the Engine Room about 6 times in the last 3/4 years love love love it. The service is attentive without being OTT, the food is bistro at its best and we love the cosy informal ambience. We really look forward to the surprise amuse bouche &amp; the hot baked olives are to die for. Overall we have found the standard to always be excellent. (So I really can't understand that last cluster of reviews!?)

I wish I had read some of the previous reviews before going to The Engine Room for dinner last night! But thought with so many people raving about the place it would be a safe bet....wrong. For starters we had Warm Thai Duck Salad - duck was tasty but was swamped in dressing and over salted and the French Country Terrine which was beautiful. For mains we had the steak perfectly cooked but again spoilt by being swamped in butter and as for the fries they looked and tasted exactly like McDonald's fries; the veal schnitzel was inedible and tasteless, being a pan fried dish I wasn't expecting fat free but this was so oily I couldn't eat it.<br/>The waiters were attentive but not once did they ask if everything was ok. We did not complain on the night as were there for a special occasion and did not want to spoil the evening any further. Needless to say we will not be back.

After so much hype and being dubbed 'best upmarket bistro' in the Metro top 50, four of us were looking forward to this restaurant. What a huge disappointment ...... the Thai style duck salad as a starter was the first warning. The duck was dry to the point of being dessicated and virtually tasteless having been overwhelmed by the spicy salad. Then 2 of us had the pork belly and were stunned to see that it was served with basically the same salad as the starter and some rice ..... the spicy salad again didn't work with the pork belly (far better if they'd stuck with their website menu for this dish). The pork itself was mainly fat (yeah, I know pork bellies are like this) but it really only tasted like crackling with no real pork meat taste at all. My partner had the bluenose. The fish was reasonably well cooked but, again, overwhelmed by a curry style spicy rice/pine nut base ..... a great pity to spoil the delicate taste of bluenose. Another in the party had the oxtail. It was OK, but the parsnip mash was so thin it slid through the fork as he tried to eat it and the gravy was amazingly thin and kept splashing back onto the plate. The side salad was drenched in oil vinaigrette .... again, too heavy handed and not delicate and light. Whatever happened to the usual restaurant mantra that food should be simple, fresh and tasty?<br/>The Engine Room is quite expensive for what it is ..... drinks are hugely marked up but they still expect to be tipped for all this. I'm afraid these 4 first-timers will never go back.

Went to The Engine Room on Saturday night for the first time,group of 8 of which two had been before.<br/>Quite obviously 8 was too many for the table we had,tight squeeze to say the least,if you know that many are coming then make space for them.<br/>I had the Veal,very greasy and quite tasteless,no starter or desert. <br/>Others on the table had Steak and for the money serving the steak with Mcdonalds style chips,come on please it's a restaurant not a cafe,not a good look.<br/>For the money not a good experience, for me personally I would not go back.

Attentive wait staff, however, the whole experience was let down by the front of house lady. From the moment we walked in we felt as though we were not welcome. We were not comfortable at the table we had been allocated (squashed right next to the service area and bathroom access) and requested to be moved, we were told this is not possible. no other options given just a blank no you have to be seated here. This was odd as we were the only people in the restaurant! Aside from her unfriendly manner we enjoyed our meal, probably would not revisit again based on the cold reception we received.

I really don't know why people rave about this place. It is so overpriced for what you get. I had risotto for starter which had way too much salt (I love salt - I think too much salt and the loads of salty butter). My steak for main was full of grissle with chips that looked like they came in a packet from the supermarket and watercress that was half rotten even though there was barely any on the plate - the steak was $36 and it was like something from a pub. The wine by the glass was expensive too. Very disappointed we wasted money and time going there.

Very disappointed; I had been told that the food here was amazing but turned out to be average. Had the French Country Terrine to start which was unremarkable, followed by the Veal Schnitzel which was touch and greasy.<br/><br/>Maybe it's just their current menu, but I really can't recommend it and wouldn't go back.

Wow. From the amuse bouche through to the dessert this was an amazing meal. Certainly one of the best five I've had in Auckland in 12 years here. Asked for wine matched with each course and each one was perfect. Yes, it's expensive but I do think it's worth it for a really special meal out.

We had a lovely experience at The Engine Room. Our waiter was very attentive, the food was amazing, and all very reasonably priced. The goat cheese souffle was absolutely delicious, although it was very hot when served, but worth the wait, and the asparagus and pea risotto was so fresh and tasty. Our mains of steak frites and snapper were exquisite, and though we really didn't have room for dessert we still ordered the churros which tasted amazing. Also, the cocktails were perfect, and I highly recommend the virgin cocktails if you're driving! We will be back for seconds!

This place is definitely in my top five fave restaurants. Always fantastic food, great service and I love their wine list. On our visit recently our meals were so delicious that we decided that we definitely need to visit more often especially since its right on our doorstep. Make sure you leave room for dessert, the churros with dipping sauce are phenomenal as was the cheesecake with grilled tamarillos. Love this place

We have eaten here twice in the last few weeks and had a wonderful meal both times. The Engine Room has a lovely atmosphere, very professional and friendly staff and delicious food. The steak frites was very tasty and so were the profiteroles. <br/><br/>We felt like we had wandered into a little bistro in Paris on a rainy night and both times had the perfect date night with dinner here followed by a movie at the Bridgeway over the road.<br/><br/>Very highly recommended.

Had a family dinner at the Engine Room last week and had a very nice time. The food was tasty, although the amuse bouche a deep fried stuffed olive) was a little odd and not to all our tastes. The place was very popular and had a cosy ambience. The staff were attentive and the service good. None of the meals was particularly spectacular, but all were eaten with gusto and did the trick on a cold winter night. The menu written on a board is unusual in a restaurant of this calibre and we all felt that proper menus would be easier to read and digest,especially for those wishing to avoid a crick in the neck or who had left their glasses at home.

went about 2 months ago, was fantastic and reputation is well deserved. Prawn salad for entree was a highlight, mains &amp; dessert both with lots of flavour and well portioned. <br/>Service little over attentive, but overall a great night and would return

Heared mix reviews about this place so thought we would give it a go ourselves. <br/>Food was lovely. Would definitely recommend the goat's cheese souffle and pork belly. Did not venture into the dessert menu, but the chocolate truffles were a great finishing point.<br/>Service was attentive and worth a bit extra on the bill.<br/>If your interested go in the early evening and sit at the table in the corner before it fills up!

Very disappointing. The food was awful and pricey. This place is over-rated and there are far better places in Auckland. I have no idea why people would rave about it.

Recently visited the Engine Room in Northcote which has remained both popular by Aucklanders and loved by locals for many years.<br/><br/>The Engine room sits in what was once an Engineering building, retaining much of the building character on the outside it becomes a comfortable restaurant on the inside. Tables huddled together make for a buzzy almost Italian atmosphere.<br/><br/>Now to the best bit - the food is all things you like to eat, nothing weird with flavour and season clearly of the highest importance.<br/><br/>Last week we enjoyed the goats cheese souffle, and pork belly all lovingly done and complimented by a one page wine list filled with many of New Zealands more popular names and at prices that mean a second glass is not a stretch.<br/><br/>Highly recommended!

We went to the Engine Room for the second time last Tuesday night. The service was outstanding, our waitress was so patient with me as I quizzed her on the wine list, even providing tasters to help me select the right wine.<br/><br/>Cloudy Bay oysters were the entree special and were so good my husband ordered another half dozen after polishing off the first lot. I had the goat cheese souffle which was sublime, if a little bit hot when first served.<br/><br/>The flavours in my John Dory main were a refreshing change with the mint being a very nice addition.<br/><br/>I don't have a sweet tooth and found both the cocktails and the dessert a bit sweet for me. (We tried the churros which everybody raves about). When we return I will stick to the extensive wine list and have the cheese board to finish.<br/><br/>The tables are very close together so you do tend to get friendly with neighboring diners which was fine with us, but if you are looking for a discreet dining experience try Clooney!

Definitely one the best restaurants on the Shore - a jewel in an otherwise sea of bland that is the Shore. I have dined here twice and both times the meals have been beautiful and the service outstanding. The atmosphere is wonderful. Highly recommended.

The food was fantastic. Great flavours and very fresh and original. Good portion sizes.<br/><br/>The service was really good and atmosphere was vibrant.<br/><br/>Highly recommended.

I thought the restaurant was great. We had great pumpkin soup starters, delicious mains and yummy dessert. They even brought us goat cheese pastries after our soup complimentary of the chef..<br/>Will definately be going back.

I ate there a while ago (probably 18 months ago) and thought it was delicious. I had a pomegranate and rare beef starter which was fantastic, and I think I had a fish main, which was also great. From memory it is a reasonably casual place in terms of decor and a little cramped where we were. You won't be miles away from other diners. But the food more than made up for that in my opinion.

Back in the hoary days of yore, Devonport was the place to dine out - the Low Flying Duck and Porterhouse Blue drew hoards of diners across on the ferry for great wine and cuisine bourgeoise. Deeply French, comforting and not a whiff of quinoa or lactose intolerance. Auckland now is a bit thinly spread for French food which isn't wallet splitting or palate ruining by it's ineptitude (Garde Manger being a great exception, as is Ile de France). The Engine room is a destination restaurant for city-siders and a loyal local to those lucky enough to live near it and the Bridgeway - what a great combo. Like all good bistros, the menu moves with the seasons but is structured around indispensables such as the schnitzel, goats' cheese soufflé and the best darn steak in town. On a cold night after a great movie a lump of perfectly hung beef slowly being bathed in Maître d'hôtel butter with perfectly crisp and salty fries makes you realise the joy of dining. (And long to be back in la belle France!). A great wine list full of quirky bottles and a charming welcome makes this one of the best places on the shore and indeed the whole of Auckland. Given the weather, I can't wait to hurry back.

The food was really good but the reception left us cold. It was a very busy night and we were placed right at the door meaning that everyone that entered or left had to shuffle past our table making it uncomfortable at tines. But the food was really good so would go again. I also believe that they are extending the restaurant which would solve the limited space problem