Review Spqr Cafe & Bar - Auckland Central

Very good food, everything was amazing! Love the vibe of the place, perfect for date nights! Loved the eye fillet beef carpaccio! It just melts to your melt like heaven! Mushroom pizza with Blue cheese was excellent too! Loved every bite of it! Highly recommend and will come back to have a date night with my partner.

Four of dined us in the Portico area of the famed SPQR in Ponsonby last evening. Chef Luis visited out table and suggested the Sirloin Steak and asked 2 of us how we would like it cooked. It was cooked to order and to perfection.I like mine ‘blue’ and that is exactly how it came out. Our waiter, a charming Englishman called Yorke (with an E) was engaging, funny and he made our night most enjoyable. The portico area of the eatery allows you be able to see what is going on around you, a quintessential part of the SPQR experience. Such a good places to people watch….Really! Another waiter named Bailey was also charming and entertaining along with the lovely Olivia and the Floor Manager, Maryanne came by and introduced herself to us and provided some good old Kiwi Hospitality. Hard to beat the mozzarella and tomato salad and to finish off with the old staple of the Sticky Date Pudding with freshly made ice-cream. It was divine. SPQR gets a clean bill of health and has more than earned its place on Ponsonby Rd as one of the best.

SPQR has almost immediately become one of my favorite places to visit. The staff are some of the most lovely and considerate people. The food is to a very high standard and always delicious, drinks are unique and beautiful. The atmosphere is gorgeous and a soft dark romantic kind of vibe. Highly reccomend.

The spaghetti and rib-eye steak are really delicious. Taste so good and the service is also very nice. Tiramisu is amazing that we order an additional one after tasting. Very recommend to have a dinner and enjoy the atmosphere here, drink with friends. Won't be disappointed 👍

Everything we ordered tasted great, but the highlight goes to the scampi linguine and tiramisu! Also liked how the focaccia came with multiple sauces and eye fillet carpaccio was topped with truffle oil. Can't forget the great service too! And don't forget a torch if you struggle with seeing in low light...

Another Italian restaurant in Auckland that you must try. The food was exceptional and the service was excellent, with waiters and waitresses regularly replenishing our waters and cocktails without having to ask. The portions were substantial, and the ingredients were of great quality and nicely presented. Highly recommended!

Enjoyed the seafood pasta, not too oily nor salty. Would keen to go back and try the other type of pasta dishes.

Excellent dining experience. Warm service. Food was great. love the Oven snapper on risotto, love it. Seafood pasta really worth. The sticky date pudding was Excellent. Just wondering why so many cutlery.

Sunday night for dinner, loved it, great couple vibe as well as family vibe. Everything was so good, loved the snapper and my husband ate the rib eye ( for two) all by himself. Starters so yummy especially the bread and scallops ( OMG order two of these). My daughter loved the cocktails. Wine menu was extensive and dessert really good. I have just booked a family celebration there in Oct. It was especially refreshing to have really good staff and service, attitude and food such a novelty now at some places. Book a table now you won't regret it.

Went on Father's Day. Great place and food was good. Had to wait a bit between the starters and mains but understandable because it was busy today.

The chicken liver pate taste so good and the spaghetti we have are awesome

2nd visit to SPQR and it was just as delicious as the first time. Service is good and the menu has something for everyone. Don't skip dessert either, the sticky date pudding was amazing.

Excellent meal, service and cocktails. Every dish was flavoursome, good size and delicious. Cocktails were all excellent and arrived very promptly. Service was friendly and attentive but not overbearing. Great atmosphere even on a Monday. Was a special meal and will definitely be going back when next in Auckland.

It's Friday, drizzly and we're in need of some light on a cloudy day. Thank you SPQR for being there for us. <br/><br/>Service was great and the food was also sublime. Special note goes to the crayfish ravioli which was excellent. The filling was full of crayfish and seasoned perfectly. The accompanying bisque was the icing on the cake. Sticky date pudding was also incredibly rich and decadent and I'm still kicking myself over not finishing it.

The paella is good. Tiramisu is freshly make in the morning, but the cake layer a bit too moisturising for me.

I have been a long time customer at this restaurant for many years, but had the absolute worst dining experience of my life last night. The food itself was quite average, but the service was absolutely horrendous and unacceptable. Our waiter was initially quite friendly, although kept calling people "darling" and rubbing their backs. When it came time for us to pay for our table of 7, we asked if it would be possible to split the bill. The waiter informed us that normally there was a one bill per table policy, but that he would get it split for us as a favour. We were thankful, and when we each started to pay, he made some rude comments about us not adding a tip. We also noticed after about the fourth person, that everyone was paying different amounts. We tried to point this out, but the waiter told us to hurry up and pay otherwise the machine would time out. After someone pointed out that they had paid $10 more than everyone else, the waiter flat out denied it and got very angry very quickly. He called the general manager over, and he was also incredibly angry and hostile, saying that we were making a fuss over a few dollars. He told us that there was a credit card surcharge of 1.5%, which is why some people paid more than others; we replied that no one paid by credit card. He then said that there was an automatic surcharge for payWave, but to my knowledge this is a 3% surcharge that charges the business, not the customer, and again did not explain the $10 difference someone had paid. The general manager then proceeded to throw all of the individual receipts on the table, and said him and the waiter were "two queens," and told us to "piss off" and that we were not welcome back to the restaurant ever again, as he was close with the owner. We grabbed the receipts and left, and looked through them outside. After finding proof that someone clearly overpaid, we went back inside to the restaurant to show the general manager. He refused to look at it, and yelled at us to get out. When we asked to be civil, and for him to allow us to talk, he flat out said no, and went outside to tell the bouncer to not let us back it. This wasn't just a misunderstanding, this was completely unacceptable behaviour from both the waiter and the general manager, screaming at customers in front of other diners. Honestly a really embarrassing look on a restaurant I have enjoyed for year, and I hope the general manager gets his anger management issues sorted out or at least faces some repercussions. We recorded this incident and are considering taking it further.<br/>

The pasta is the best I’ve had in Auckland

Beautiful food. Fantastic service Love the outdoor seating on a sunny day. The interior can get a little dark if you don’t have a seat right by the window. Love the BYO day’s.

I decided to treat some friends everything great BUT Whats happen to the size of the scampi in the linguini . It was disappointing they were so small my fork was too big to pull there out ? Shouldnt be serving for that price it really was embarrassing:(

Really nice vibes! Went there on a Saturday for the restaurant month deal which is really worth it. You can get 3 course, appetiser, a main and a dessert also come with a cocktails! Waited for almost 2 hours for our mains to be served as there are really busy in the afternoon, however, the staffs were really nice that they gave us free glasses of cocktails and also bread for us. Tiramisu is really good too!! I’ve ordered the scampi pasta and it’s kind off bland, I would love it more if it’s more salty. My friend ordered the pasta with clams, and it was super duper salty and she didn’t really like it. By the way I Love the cocktails very much!

It can be a romantic dinner with warm and cozy ambience. The food portions are much bigger than we expected which are absolutely worthy for their price. All the staffs are extra friendly and helpful, especially patient explaining me the menu and recommending wine accordingly to my preference.

Had the most wonderful lunch here today. The bottomless lunch special. 3 courses with a cocktail to start and unlimited rose wine. The food, service and wine was amazing. Can’t wait to return.

Been wanting to try out SPQR in a long time. Braved the storm and cold to have dinner here. We ordered the Seared scallops with Chorizo, was so fresh but tiny bit bland. We also had the Crayfish Ravioli- heavenly! The freshness of the crayfish though!! Then the Scampi tail linguini and a side of chilli and garlic broccolini. Gave plenty if scampi tails which was amazing and the brocollini was to die for. We finished off with a Semifreddo with Hazelnut. Have to mention was too sweet for our liking. <br/>Fantastic experience. Worth the spend on a Friday night.

Very pricey but very little vegan options. Waiter did not understand that there was such thing as vegan cheese when I was asking if they had that on their vegan pizza and she did not know what veggies were on there and did not offer to find out either. I opted for the garlic bread without cheese and she warned me "it will be dry" without any solution. She did not lie.<br/>Cocktails looked good but would have liked to be there for happy hour $12 ones. Meat eaters rated their meals tho so

Service is always excellent, amazing cocktails and food. Can't wait to come back and try other things on the menu. Great for special occasions.

Recommended by a colleague and what a recommendation. Romantic venue and attentive but not in your face staff. Starter was the char grilled squid. Typical plain, in a good way, flavours with a decent portion size. Each ingredient is right there. Main was saltimbocca with broccolini as a side. Broccolini was served with a lime wedge. Great combination.the saltimbocca was definitely the highlight absolutely stunning texture and flavour with an amazing sauce. I think I will attempt cooking this at home

I am very sorry but this was the worst service ever and we were not treated respectfully by the staff. Also the meals came with lots of mistakes or they forgot to bring part of the requests. The desserts were really great, what a shame.

It’s definitely one of the most expensive places for the service you get. <br/>I ordered : pizza, Caesar salad and Crudo ham with melon. <br/>Did I enjoy it? <br/>Yes and No. <br/>Food presentation great<br/>Taste of the dishes- average. Clearly I can put 3 slices of Parma ham on a dish with slices of melon myself. The salad can be innovative but I would rather like to taste the classic flavour of a Caesar salad. To have that I had to chop everything, mix it ( the bread ended up in crumbs not croutons, couldn’t pick it with fork) and pour the dressing. Was wondering what was the chefs job other than being an art designer. <br/>Thank god the pizza was pretty good. <br/>Service a bit slow and a bit forced on wine and they should take care of the flies. <br/>Overall that place has a nice feeling, the food appearance it’s good but they should go full creative for the dishes, pay attention on how they taste not only how they look for the price they have. <br/>

Last time I visited this restaurant with my friends. We ordered Caesar salad with chicken, scampi tail linguini and Grilled Wakanui scotch fillet to share. The Caesar salad is fresh. The scampi in the pasta is tasty but the pasta tasted a bit cold. The scotch fillet is average.

One of the best service. Very helpful and friendly staff.., from the minute we entered we were taken care off all to the end. Spot on service and cossy warm atmosphere. Prefect for a date time or any gathering . Food is amazing, entree garlic prawns n crayfish ravioli l... mains were oven roasted snapper n Chicken masala.. yummm all the way. Full of flavours. large selection of wines n nice cocktails must try the french wine collection. Special thanks to Alex our waitstaff she was just fantastic... 5/5 o👌

Came there in May for late dinner. Since new ownership i could see definitely some changes. From being one of my first favourite for 17 years to no, Thanks. Service is slow to none. Group of three waitress were standing busy chatting next to my table full of dirty dishes and no water. Paella came with not properly clean mussels inside and I had to send it back. Ceaser salad was just a resembling the name. Used to be top notch place to go to. Pitty.

Went on a Saturday evening with a group of friends. Service was good but food was slow to come out. Great selection in the menu. But portions were very small. Their garlic bread is a must try!! Good ambience. <br/>

My favorite restaurant, love this place. It has such a great atmosphere, lovely service and incredible food! I love the fettuccine, I get this a lot. Tried the mussels for my anniversary dinner and they were amazing!!! Really recommend coming here, great for a beautiful dinner and drinks on a special night out.

Ordered the cockles pasta. Great atmosphere and awesome wine! The pasta was not creamy at all, was really watery actually. I didn’t like it. Others might but it had a few pieces of large pasta and not sauce but juice, with the cockles. Yeah, didn’t seem like a sauce but more juice. My friend loved hers though, she got the other fettuccine. Think it was the one with mushrooms, but it looked delicious!!

Went here for my mum’s bday dinner. The food was really tasty. I had the eye fillet which was cooked perfectly. The only disappointment was that my whole family eats gluten free, and we picked the restaurant because we saw on the menu beforehand that they had tiramisu for dessert which was actually gluten free! This is one of my mums all time favourite desserts, and since it was her birthday we were very excited. However when it came time to order dessert and we ordered we just wanted to confirm it was gluten free. The server was actually quite rude and told us that it wasn’t gluten free and that he doesn’t know why it is marked on the menu. He didn’t even offer any kind of alternative or offer to double check with the kitchen. This was quite upsetting to my mum as she was really looking forward to her dessert! I also don’t think a restaurant should mark something GF if it’s not, we would have been sick if we would have gotten it! Also just didn’t like the server’s attitude towards it. So we ended up leaving without any dessert. <br/><br/>Overall though it was a really nice place and the food we all had was really well done and delicious!

Friendly service. Excellent food, well worth the wait. Will definitely be going back for sure. We ordered 3 mains and 1 starter as per photos. Paid $134 which is very reasonable. Portion size is good. We just went back today again for the 2nd time. Have to say 5/5. Will definitely be going back. Keep up the excellent work guys!

After all the hype we'd heard about SPQR it was on  the 'must try' list. Service was average, the staff where nice enough, but on several occasions 'forgot' about our table. Leaving us for 25 minutes at one point with out seeing if we wanted a drink.<br/>Food was certainly not what I expected. Our table all ordered different meals and they where all over the place.  One person at the table attempted to order a salad that was on the menu but was soon informed they did not have any lettuce. The risotto was relatively flavourless, disappointing as it was one of the few vegetarian options on the menu offered. The other meals where nice enough, but the pizza was what everyone was most excited about- but it defiantly did not live up to it's hype! for the price of it we expected something special, but it was certainly anything but. <br/>Drinks where below average, nothing to write home about though.<br/>Parking is an absolute nightmare, but that's Ponsonby! 7:30 on a Friday night was guaranteed to be a struggle. Would potentially try again as we did visit on a busy night, but wouldn't hurry back!

Had my 30th birthday celebration dinner here and everything was perfect! Amazing food and excellent service! Well worth every cent spent. Food did come out a bit slow however I'll put that to the fact they're very popular and therefore can be very busy.

Service was divided, the female and one of the males were lovely and very quick with taking drinks orders and bringing them out but the second male was surly, inattentive and managed to bump into the backs of those of us seated on the bench each time he passed by. The food was also a mixed bag. The crayfish ravioli, which sounds delicious on the menu (creme fraiche, lemon zest, truffle salt) was one big ravioli with a tiny amount of filling and covered in a fish sauce flavoured broth which cancelled out any flavour the filling might have had. The scallops started off far too salty until I realised I'd made the mistake of scooping them out of the shell to cut on my plate. The plate was covered in rock salt, I guess to stop the shells sliding around, but cutting the scallops in the shell was hard so it was a tricky dish. Tasty once I stopped cutting them on the salt. The dessert menu looked nice but we didn't order one. The ambience hasn't changed from the good old days of SPQR, but sadly the service from the one rude guy and the food will probably prevent us from coming back.

It was the 20th of December 2017. As one of Auckland city's "in" places to dine, expectional service is expected. Except that, we would be wrong to go with that thought. I and my friend, went expecting a decent quality experience in terms of food and service, but sadly we did not get to eat because our server had the worst attitude. We read the reviews before deciding to go to SPQR . They were all pretty good. That's why I was taken aback with this experience. I clearly didn't understand as to why he had to behave in that particular manner where he just annoyingly placed the glass of water or when he gave us judgmental looks whenever we asked for something. We left after we had two glasses of Rosé. We cleared the bill and started walking . Then the same server came running asking if we paid. When we said yes. He asked, "Are you sure?" with a frown. And we had it then. Height of embarrassment. Walked back to the restaurant and asked for the manager. And the best part was she took our angelic servers side. And when I told everything we faced at her place. Her reaction was ridiculous. She said, "Guy's! It's Christmas. We don't have time for this." Could not take it anymore. When the manager herself cannot handle a customer complaint what more can we expect from such places. Not a word of sorry from either of them.<br/>To conclude, this "iconic" restaurant has a lot of inexperienced people working for them. Their food might've been good (guess I'll never know) Ambience also not bad.(i mean anyone can pull off an old motorcycle workshop and call it antique and classy) . But service, unbelievable.

Went here for a date and it was great. We only had drinks though since we've already had dinner. It's not loud which was good so we could hear each other, the drink that I got was the Lychee Martini which is now my favourite of all time. I loved it. Prices are actually high, the drinks were $18-20 for one, I'm a pretty cheap person and would splurge once in a while but their prices for their drinks are really high. Although, it was a great experience overall.

Located on the buzzing streets of Ponsonby, SPQR is must for a nicer dine. The beautiful seating inside was a good choice as the outdoor seating outside wouldn't have been wise due to the colder weather. <br/><br/>We didn't really know what to order as we weren't that hungry so we asked the waiter for his recommendation. Being from Italy he suggested two great pasta choices. He suggested a vegetarian linguini with crushed chilli, roasted garlic cloves, pinenuts, olives, wilted spinach and also the chargrilled chicken, mushroom and spinach fettuccine. He mentioned we'd need glass of Marlborough 15 Rosè just to wash it down - agreed! <br/><br/>The service here was great and the waiting time was almost nonexistent. Price on the other hand is a bit more than the average eat but for fine dining it's not too bad ($90). Overall a great experience.

I'm sorry but I have to give this place an average review. To be honest I was not too happy about the dishes. The Caesar salad was simply boring (I guess it is a salad after all but still?!) and heavily over priced for what it is! The pizzas are fine here I quite enjoyed them however I wont be rushing back here soon. Waiters were very lovely too.

We been here for lunch. Atomsphere is in tradtional style though good and comfert. Good attention as we get in. We had few beers, glass of wine, entree and main. Enjoyed everything. Great service especially thanks France.<br/>But just one thing the staff just need bit comunication with each other rather than taking over extra care and disturbing table again and again for checking same thing. Though it's not really negtive point but not positive as well.<br/>Cheers...

Amazing! Food is consistantly good and the service is friendly. Wouldn't go on a thursday night or weekends as it gets really noisy (understandable it's partially a bar). Either all - love it.

An institution you're bound to frequent.<br/>SPQR has stood the test of time simply by consistently providing great food with outstanding service. <br/>Every member of waitstaff interacts with you, adapting their service to meet the expectations of the customer. <br/>The wine list boasts delicious drops from far and wide, the cuisine is fresh, cooked perfectly and served staged.<br/>On my recent visit I had the seated tuna - served rare. It melted in my mouth. <br/>SPQR will always be a ponsonby road landmark.

Came here tonight for desert with my friend after having dinner at Saan. We were lucky to get sit in a corner which is less noisy. We ordered two desert and we were really impressed with the size and taste. Highly recommend. Will come here to try some meals.

The service is quite good, we just looking for a good place for dinner and we saw so many younger locals dine in here, the food also very tasty. Worth to try.

I booked this restaurant for our work Christmas dinner, but I don't recommend it to anyone for this purpose. It was crowded, busy, it was very difficult to talk plus and our table was just way too small. People were coming in an out so despite the food was good it wasn't pleasant to eat. Big disappointment.

Very bad experience! We got a group of 18 ppl went for dinner tonight. We called them to book several days ago and we've been advised that since there were quite a few ppl of us we have to go for the set menu and made our choice from the options provided in advance which was reasonable. We make our choices and gave them 3 days before we went and emailed again to confirm last night, however no reply at all. Untill we arrived we had been told that 2 out of the 3 desserts were unavailable and also one of the entree and one of the main was unavailable... So what was the point to ask us go for the set menu and made our choices in advance? All right we changed some of the choices. We waited 40 mins after we finalized our order and still drinking water!! I spoke to the duty manager about our complain and he said first he would find out from the kitchen what happened second he would spoke to the boss see how to make our experience better TONIGHT. Accepted his apology and mentioned again that please let me know after found out what was goong on. After a while we finally saw our entree. Wow the calamari was... Tastless. Water boiled calamari without any flavour? Any way i was too lazy to complain again. Then the mains were coming. Every one ordered the steak got a perfectly well done steak while we all wanted medium ones!! Some of is refused the steak and wanted them to re-do one however even the second one was still well done. Horrible steak to be honest. I was totally disapointed with the food and decided to leave without having the dessert. I went to the counter and told the manager i spoke to earlier that i would pay for myself and my partner and leave now. Till then he didn't tell me what was wrong and what could he do to make our experience better and he still charged me the full price for the whole set. Well it was not that much money but shouldn't you do something to show your apology? I didn't ague and paid full amount any way. This was my first time to be there and surely the last time as well.

Went here for my Christmas work function tonight, while there were about 30 of us,service was verrrrry slow. The upside was that the waitresses always popped into our section to top up wine glasses and take orders for other drinks while we waited. Now, I'm not a typically fussy eater but my Calamari entre was basically...inedible. There was absolutely no taste and it was very chewy. Everyone who got the Calamari agreed. The best entre in the group was the Egg plant dish. I was very excited for the main, which was a medium rare steak with coleslaw and chips. The steak was well done and chewy and was supplied with 5 chips, out of the set menu we had, the veal was the winner . The dessert was absolutely beautiful (white chocolate and raspberry brulé). There were some off hand remarks by one or two of the staff members that were unnecessary (a colleague ordered off the dessert menu the "Semi hard milk with fruit and nuts". Thinking it was going to be an interesting kind of dessert. Turns out this was actually just cheese and crackers, a pinch of mixed nuts and a hand full of grapes. My colleague asked a waitress why he was given cheese and crackers for dessert and she replied with, "That's what you ordered! Didn't you read the menu??") but most were lovely and helpful. The joke of the evening is definitely the cheese and crackers on the dessert menu. I don't think I will be racing to eat here again.

I remember being very impressed by the quality of food from SPQR a couple of years ago. Revisited and found the quality was above average but not enough to justify the price tag. I had the crab spaghetti and it had a lightness compared to more sauce heavy pasta. The meat antipasto starter gets the appetite going and of course chocolate pudding is always a favourite of mine.

I've only been to SPQR once and I wouldn't go again anytime soon that's for sure... It was a busy Friday night and the atmosphere was good from the customers but I found the staff very snobby and had a bit of a 'whatever I don't care' attitude towards me and my friend. To start we shared the mini platter and boy do they mean mini... it was tiny. For a main we also shared the scampi tail linguini pasta and that was very dry. I wouldn't recommended this place to anyone to be honest.

Two things I go head over heals with when it comes to seafood is crab and scallop. SPQR has both! Hit the lunch menu $42 for both dishes and wine, service is spot on, great summer time hangout to people watch and drink a shit tone of Rosè.<br/>

Had dinner here tonight, and managed to score a table outside on a nice spring evening! The food was amazing, the wine list was brilliant and the service was spot on. No wonder it has such good reviews!

Always on point!<br/>Superb food and fantastic service every single time!<br/>Have been here many times over the years and always a favorite to go to any time, day or night.<br/>

Not impressed. We ordered a chorizo and blue cheese pizza and got another kind, with a soggy and insipid crust; scallops were high quality but the toppings obscured their flavour; whitebait fritter was practically an omelette. Friendly but sloooow service during a not-especially-busy Sunday. And very expensive for what it was!

Amazing food !!! I really love the vibe here , it's always fresh and the plates are perfect !!! I feel like I want to come back before leaving every time

Had dinner on a Sunday night. The duty manager helped to arrange a table for us, which happened to be a nicest spot in the restaurant. By the window at the end, warm and privacy. Food and the service was terrific. Definitely will be back again. Notes, the dessert was huge. We should have shared one instead of order one each. That stuffed me whole night.

I seem to have a love / hate relationship with SPQR which dates back to the mid 1990s when I would visit as a teenager to eat bread and aioli and drink at the bar. It's more skewed to the love side these days.<br/><br/>My recent visit found exceptional service - which is something I'm unaccustomed to from previous visits (the service is normally fine, just a few times on the rude side). I think this was due to the fact I was there with a big spending regular ;-)<br/><br/>Everyone raves about the Zuppa De Pesce - though in the past I have found the fennel flavour too dominant for my taste. So this time I opted for the Scampi Linguine. It was perfect yet so simple - as great Italian food should be. The SPQR cook book really highlighted  to me what the food here is all about - high quality, simple food with exceptional ingredients.

Surprisingly I haven't had the chance to go to SPQR ever before, but boy oh boy let me tell you it was on my top 5 to try list - it's very satisfying achieving food goals, no? (😂😂🌭). Book ahead if you can, yes even if it's a Tuesday - this place is a Ponsonby legend! The service is very attentive but also what you'd expect of Ponsonby to be honest 😉. The atmosphere is extremely romantic but also very warm and cosy. Now what I (and we) have all been waiting for, how was the food? Beautiful ✨. Everything was done just right and the quality was clear on the plate and in every mouthful. What I will say though is that it wasn't everything I had dreamed of. While everything I described above is true, there were some small let downs in pricing, service and what was available. Other than that the overall experience was mostly everything I had ever hoped for 💕

SPQR has been in business for over 30 years, & while some other places come & go, you can see why they are still going strong. They consistently deliver good food, good service & a great overall experience. I've been their for lunch, dinner & everything in between, & each visit makes me understand why I keep coming back.<br/>Today was lunch, & great to see & hear about their new seasonal menu. Don't get me wrong, they have some outstanding & very popular regular menu items, but I love that a business like this cares enough about food to keep the menu fresh & alive.<br/>Today we ordered the prawn gremolata which is an entree or small main - relatively expensive for 6 prawns, but absolutely delicious. Prawns perfectly cooked with garlic & herbs as well as toast. It was plenty for me today, but if you're hungry the Scampi tail linguine is another fave. My friend chose an old fave too - the chicken fettuccine. This has to be one of the best in the whole of Auckland (maybe alongside Pregos), beautiful chunks of breast meat, decent amount of mushrooms, perfectly cooked pasta & a well balanced sauce.<br/>A great drinks list - Prosecco was the choice today, but their wine & cocktail list is well worth a look.<br/>A great visit - will most definitely be back.

Just had the most amazing meal, the seafood paella.. And then sticky date pudding! Delish! Great service and really friendly staff. I'm converted!

Great restaurant in Ponsonby for a more fine dining experience the pizza was great and the pork belly was amazing! Also love the wine list as they have the man o war exiled Pinot Gris!

Overall a great experience. Waiter was enthusiastic and entertaining. Kerbside table was perfect for a bit of quiet as well as people watching. Food was timely and tasty. Was in the middle to upper price bracket but you pay for what you get!

I have an extremely interesting story. First I must say the food was good and staff were attentive. <br/><br/>What proceeded that dinner was the most bizarre experience of my life<br/><br/>This place seems to be playhouse for want to be famous people of Auckland. <br/><br/>But good food and seafood .. And back door experience?. Thanks. <br/>

A nice restaurant for casual drinks or food. The environment is very lively and all of the staff were so friendly. <br/><br/>The food was beautifully cooked and the portions were perfect

Best espresso martinis in Auckland! Trust me I've tried them at many bars and you cannot beat the ones here! This place has amazing vibe here too

I came here a few days ago for my birthday lunch as I was craving oysters! The oysters were delish and my vegetable linguine was tasty too. Great, friendly service as always.

The place is beautiful. It oozes romance with its perfectly lit tables and a well thought out floor plan. We felt like we had privacy and space even though the restaurant was full. <br/>Fantastic wait staff. So bubbly and helpful. <br/>The food was beautifully presented and was seasoned to perfection. Yummy food and a lovely night out. We will be back again!

An Auckland institution for more years than I can count, there is a certain je ne sais quoi about SPQR. Grab a table on the sidewalk and people watch (and be watched)! Fantastic value lunch and dinner set menus often including a glass or two of lovely wine. Their proscuitto/melon caprese inspires me to make my own at home often! Divine pizzas, saltimbocca...keep an eye out for their Sunday BYO and Veuve Cliquot events! You will realise once you dine here why it's been one of the very few to last on the competitive Ponsonby strip for so long...and I imagine it will be here for years to come. The Ponsonby set who dine here may not be for everyone...it certainly has it's own 'scene', but that's part of the fun. Dress chic and enjoy!

Hi, the menu can be better at this place. When I arrive it is the night time and no one turn on the light in dining room. Have to read menu with the candle. Why cant the guy be less of a cheap guy and pay for the light to be on. Seem like a light is a basic nz amenity for a restaurant. I eat the chicken. Dish is small. No student discount for why? Who know? The price seem to be thru the roof for a place that dont have a basic lights. I am very confuse by this place. Everyone tell me that the Jamie Ridge and all the rich guys eat here and then no lights and small plate? Please guys just give the student a break, give the discount.

Loved the dark, romantic and mysterious atmosphere <br/>Quite dark to dine<br/>Their pizzas were yum and staff were friendly and attentive.<br/>Would definitely like to try more of their menu next time!<br/>Also located right next to ponsonby central which makes it easy to find

We found SPQR'S food to be delicious and the service impeccable.<br/><br/>We ordered the calamari and scallops to start which were both cooked and served well - especially the scallops. For mains we ordered duck and fish with risotto which was also nice. The desserts were amazing. We ordered the creme Brulee which was served in a large bowl and the sticky date pudding.<br/><br/>We had a great time here. The atmosphere was pleasant and the staff were friendly.

First time in Aukland and a random friendly New Zealander recommended S.P.Q.R <br/>As a big Asterix and Obelix fan I hoped to dine like a Gaul in Rome...but instead I felt like a Greek Hero dining with the Olympiad gods. Perfection!!! Confit duck with truffle mash, complimented with the best New Zealand wines.

Always a 5/5 here. It's a bit cliche but I LOVE this place. Nothing better than sharing a few bottle of vino, people watching and eating their AMAZING food. Everything is always so delicious. <br/><br/>Most recent trip we ordered the fettuccine (to die for - on par with Prego), the seafood paella (such. good. value) and the confit duck - mmmmmm. <br/><br/>Most importantly, their service is out of this world. This is hospitality done perfectly. <br/><br/>Thanks guys! Love it every time!

The only thing stopping this from a 5 is the fact you literally get 4 chips with your steak... Not even half decent size ones either. The scotch fillet was absolutely amazing... Pinot jus was thick and plentiful and the truffle butter was on point even though I'm not a big truffle man. Great service and reasonably priced. Guaranteed to have a good meal. Great joint

Their fish stew is second to none, very flavoursome seafood served on a huge plate. We dined their on my partner's birthday, and these guys didn't let me down at all. Love the atmosphere, ambience and professionalism. <br/>Will b back again to try other dishes

We had the cajun chicken pizza which was lovely and crisp but the tiramisu was drenched in syrup. Lovely flavour though and always great efficient service.

Great birthday catch up.<br/>Loved sitting outside watching everyone go by. <br/>Awesome lunch of paella and risotto with some geogeous bubbles. <br/>Service was excellent

Excellent service and environment. Great menu design. But.......<br/><br/>Ordered crayfish ravioli for $17.50, turning out to be an 10-dollar note size, French-crepe thick thing, with tiny amount of crayfish filling. Absolutely not worth it. The sauce grave on it was very salty, have to drink many odour-flavoured tap water to smooth my mouth. <br/><br/>Seafood Paella was a large serve, with shells fishes and prawns. Tomato base was nice, however, still salty when I taste the rice inside. The chef did not handle the amount of salt properly for the whole evening. Oh what a $100 salty dinner.<br/><br/>In addition, all their cocktails are $17.50 around, why that expensive?

Service was the best part. Starters were ok, and piellla was nice. Drinks were good and desert was fine. My expectations were alot higher then what I received. Personally I wouldn't go there again. Truely wasn't as good as what people say.

Risotto dish is on point!, pizza is on point! pasta is on point... the food is hella good!! This is an iconic restaurant  on Ponsonby road and for all the right reasons, Italian food here is done amazingly well and the hospitality is second to none! hats off to them for providing the ultimate service and setting the bar for everyone in the industry to aspire to

Lovely service here by far the most comfortable I have ever been in a restaurant ! Great calamari and mussels ! GideonMarisa MasterchefNz2015 #g1

Always a pleasure dining at SPQR, friendly staff that pride themselves on their amazing service and attention to detail! the oysters are to die for and a wine in the sun never goes astray! lovely simplicity in Italian cuisine and is always the place you want to go to celebrate an important occassion! #g1

Had dinner here a few months ago and it was as good as I was told. I had a duck dish which was cooked perfectly. The service was fantastic and the wine choice we were given worked perfectly with both of our meals. Sarah Forsyth #gidschallenge

I've been here a few times and the food is always good - although I do order the same thing all the time, either the duck confit which is really good or a pizza!<br/><br/>However on my most recent visit  - I asked one of the waitresses about the wine selection and which ones are good, she was really rude and just handed me the wine list without offering any advice Hopefully this was just a one off. Other than this I always enjoy the food, vibe and atmosphere.

Wandered in here with a friend for dinner after our original intended restaurant wasn't an option. We didn't quite realise how pricey the menu was, but we had already sat down so decided to stay. The interior was very dark which created a nice atmosphere, but it was so dark that seeing was becoming a bit difficult! The staff were friendly, and we ended up ordering a pizza between us as it was a little bit cheaper. It took quite a while to arrive, and it was quite good but al little underwhelming for the price. Would be interested in trying out something else on the menu when the bank account allows for it!

Went to SPQR for lunch in a sunday with my boyfriend and his group of mates, there were about 15 of us and we were seated at one long table. We were squashed and it got so stuffy but we managed. The food is so good here and potions are huge! So filling and value of money is definetly worth it. Music was good, menu is good and staff were so friendly considering they had to serve a huge group. Would definelty go again 😊

Went with a few friends for dinner and we all ordered different meals. I ordered the buffalo mozzarella and crispy pork belly. Mozzarella was great but the portions surprised me (not really used to eating at fine dining restaurants "quality > quantity"). The crispy pork belly tasted good but was a tad bit too salty for me (even though I like my food saltier than others) and it was something I've tasted before, nothing extraordinary for me. I was still hungry and had to get burger fuel just around the corner. 2 of my friends ordered the steak and they were both unsatisfied due to the taste, portion and price. My other friend ordered a chicken creamy pasta which for me, tasted really good and the price was reasonable. Customer service was good tho, the waitress was helping us and giving us recommendations.

VEGETARIANS BEWARE. A really appaling experience at SPQR. I was so looking forward to dining at this 'renowned' restaurant for the first time. I was there as part of a group (2 tables of 10) and had called to check whether there were any vegetarian options as part of their $50 set menu. It was assured, and I made myself known to the waitress upon seating to ask about the vegetarian options. She proceeded to show me the Snapper option, I then told her I didn't eat fish or seafood, so she hurried of to get the vegetarian menu. To my delight, an entire vegetarian menu was produced. I chose the "Saffron Risotto with peas, snowpeas & asparagus". When my meal came out it had Scampi in it (a type of shrimp). What makes this far worse is that when I told the waitress about this error, she said 'But this is how the vegetarian option comes". I replied, "Well I told you just now that I didn't eat fish or seafood" - I was completely shocked at her (and the restaurants??) lack of understanding at what vegetarian means at such a hyped up establishment, and it get's worse -she went to arrange another without the scampi but then came back to tell me actually, the risotto has chicken stock in it and was I ok with this. (From the vegetarian menu!) So I chose the other main option, pasta. What I got when all ther others were finishing up, was a very plain spaghetti dish with garlic, cherry tomatoes, green beans, a few pinenuts and a 3 small pieces of shaved parmesan, tossed in olive oil. Yes I did omit the olives but I was disappointed in having this served at such an "institution" to say the least. Overall I cannot believe how SPQR seems to have no understanding of the vegetarian diet in this day and age when the rest of Ponsonby is exploding in special dietary options...would hate to think of their understanding of vegan. I paid full price including a glass of wine and felt the waitress was rather annoyed at my many requests. Wish the group had booked elsewhere.

The service here is always fantastic. Friendly and helpful waiters are a big plus! Food is amazing, always love their chicken fettuccine. My bf and I love coming here.

Love the ambience of this place! Food is even better! The staff are always so lively and friendly. I love their pizza and fettuccine, but for me the star of the place would be the Ferrero rocher ice cream! So good it's to die for :)

To be honest, my last visit was a little more miss, than hit, however with a large group outing on the cards I was willing to keep an open mind and I'm glad I did!<br/><br/>The antipasto platter was fresh and delicious.  The service prompt and efficient.  And the main course special of squid ink pasta was perfectly al dente with a lovely sea salty broth of cockles.  Could've done with a few more cockles on my plate, but luckily the pasta was a real hero on the plate.<br/> <br/>We ordered a selection of desserts to share among us, and the winners were clearly the sticky date pudding and the chocolate and cherry pudding.<br/><br/>Espresso martinis to finish were the night were fab.

Arrived about 7pm Thursday very busy but had booked a table. Waitor was very lovely and entertaining an showed us to table. We ordered the Garlic lemony prawn entree which was meant to come out with mains but came early. Was very very small for the price! Only a few tiny prawns that were almost a little slouchy an very oily but still quite tasty. The chargrilled eggplant salad was defiantly not with $25 was extremely small and slow roasted capsicum was more like quickly grilled not much flavour in the salad either. Duck was probably the best meal although one thigh was a little dry an spinach barely cooked at all but heavily salted. Fortunately the tiramisu dessert was delicious! As was the blood orange sorbet. Overall very overpriced for meals but dessert was tasty an good portion sizes.

Went here with the kids at 5.30 so we were only offered the streamlined menu. We all had pizza (2 x margaritas, 1 x pepperoni, 1x chorizo). The crusts were thin and crisp, they could have done with more cooked mozzarella than bits of fresh cheese. Service was efficient but aloof. We had two glasses of Provence rose, one iced tea and a Stoke ginger beer. All in all a pleasant experience but not one that we will be repeating in he foreseeable future.

To celebrate Mandah finding a new job, I decided to take her here tonight! I've always enjoyed dining here and thought it'd be perfect and it pretty much was! <br/><br/>We had a seared tuna starter to share, I had the seafood paella, and Amanda had the seafood risotto; both were outstanding. Couldn't fault it. Side note - spqr does pretty good pizzas too!!!<br/>For drinks, I had the lychee mojito and Amanda had the peach pash cocktail - strong but tasty. We also ended up getting two more glasses of wine too - wine list is fantastic. <br/><br/>Service was good, attentive as always. <br/><br/>Hi5 to the super cute bartender too ;)

EMBARRASSINGLY BAD. I took some clients here and it was SO BAD I was utterly embarrassed. <br/><br/>One of my clients ordered a steak (the most expensive item on their TIRED MENU) it came with exactly SIX POTATO CHIPS stacked in a Jenga formation - that was it, nothing else!!! <br/><br/>A hunk of dried out meat and 6 chips. <br/><br/>Pathetic!

Went on a recommendation from a good friend who used to live in Auckland. Tried to book but was told no bookings for two.<br/>We were seated out the front - tables all very close and sadly smoking is allowed AT THE TABLE so yuk smoke in our faces whilst trying to enjoy our lunch.Also 2 huge Labradors sitting in the doorway - eating peoples scraps. Odd.<br/>Food very good. Service efficient but not friendly. Our server kept his aviators on whilst serving us- that's weird and rude. <br/>Apparently it is THE place to go in Auckland - we did like it but there's room for improvement.

Great Atmosphere. I agree with the comment below about the freshen up, although I still thought it was a great spot. The atmosphere is exciting, food is fantastic, staff are attentive and friendly. Grab a seat outside if you are into people watching.

This place needs a good hose down and freshen up. Looks tired and smells. However food was delicious. Far too many other good places to be seen here.

Poor service & good. Forgot out starters. Main course of fish stew was served with half the shellfish inedible. Had to send it back.

Came here with a rather large group in a weeknight for a late dinner. The service was really good (if I had to be picky the waitress could've smiled more), the food was quite slow, but as we were in such a large group I have to assume they were just waiting on all meals to be ready before bringing them out. The ambience and decor is beautiful and really makes it feel like a beautiful fine dining restaurant, there was very minimal light at the tables to set the mood (hence no photos) but the food was very very nice, tasty and plentiful. <br/><br/>I had the buffalo pizza, which was perfectly thin and crispy and had the perfect amount of topping that each bite was different, the mozzarella on it was amazing.<br/><br/>People around me got a lot of different dishes, all looking amazing. I managed to get a bite of the fettuccini and the tuna salad both were rally good and I would definitely recommend the Tuna Salad if you are a tuna lover, packed full of flavour.<br/><br/>Spqr is one of those restaurants that are doing it right and I now know why they've been there so long. It's worth the price and I would like to go back as a small group to experience it again.

I came here with a group of girls for an early Xmas dinner and we had a spot inside, near the entrance. We were seated and offered the menu and asked us if we wanted anything to drink. As there were a few of us, we had to consult what everyone wanted to share to drink and I had the distinct feeling he was getting quite impatient with us. We didn't take awfully long but maybe he is used to dealing with regulars who know exactly what they want? Once we settled on the wine of course we had to decide on dinner which he sort of hovered around waiting for us which was a bit unsettling and made me feel a bit rushed into my choices.<br/><br/>Onto the food, we ordered a meat platter to share. It was a great starter. The meats were good quality, packed full of flavour and was the perfect start to the meal. The wine which I believe was the wine of the month was light and refreshing, just what was needed for the meal. I ordered the caesar salad with chicken which was good, the only thing was I wish they had dressed it for me instead of having to do it myself. I can never seem to get the perfect balance between the two! Overall it was a pleasant enough dinner with friends, and if only the server had been more patient it would have been even better!

Went for my birthday  dinner here (booking for 6.30pm on a saturday). The place was roaring with chatter and conversation. We were seated in the semi-outside area (not on the footpath) which was a good choice as it was quite hot earlier in the night. The restaurant does get quite packed later on so booking would be a good idea.  <br/><br/>The service was impeccable! The maitre d' was great, going around and chatting away with customers, making sure everything was running well and even singing a lovely tune as he went by. Great atmosphere created by him and his staff. <br/><br/>We ordered a few dishes. For an entree we ordered a vege mini platter, and the pizza bread. The mini platter was in fact quite mini, so wouldnt recommend it as much as the pizza bread which was crispy and flavourful and a very good start. For the mains we had the herb crusted chicken, oven baked  snapper and the paella. The herb crusted chicken was the winner, absolutely delicious, though the potato mash accompaniment needed more flavouring (salt maybe?) I found the paella to be good with lots of seafood which was great but wasn't the best I have had. The snapper wasn't the best dish, however the lemon risotto underneath the snapper was fresh and lovely.  <br/><br/>Dessert deserved it's own paragraph. WHAT A WAY TO END. The desert was the best I have ever eaten. We originally had ordered the tiramisu which wasnt available so the waiter recommended the creme brulee. Not too big of a fan, as previous creme brulees i have eaten were less than average. But this white chocolate and raspberry creme brulee changed my mind. Absolutely loved it! The other stand out dessert was the fererro rocher ice cream which was devine and such a good price! Absolutely delicious. We had also ordered the chocolate and orange tart which was good and bitter but did not compare to the other two desserts. <br/><br/>After a large bill had been paid, we left feeling good. SPQR's food wasn't a standout (other than the dessert) but will be back to try some pizzas which looked really good.  SPQR is definitely a place to socialise. If you want a quiet, calm dinner, this is not the place for you.

I recently visted this restaurant in the afternoon in winter the cocktail i had was delicious despite the bartender being new,<br/> this bar is overful during spring/ summer seasons i have tried to go back a few times but it was overful and i mean customers drinking<br/>practically bordering on the pavement but I cant argue it isnt good food/ service but i personally dont want to feel like im eating at a zoo.

Unquestionably superb! SPQR deserves a 7 out of 5 in my opinion. It has lasted the test of time with its perennial coolness, serving sensational food that is consistently amazing. Service is by alluring chilled out waitresses, and in a building that is just oozing with character, dimmed lighting and rustic-ness. How does one restaurant manage to get all of this right and for so long? This is the reason they are popular. The background music and ambience is thumping, the cocktails outstanding, and the duck confit sublime :-) My favourite restaurant on P Rd, probably in all of Auckland at the moment......

Always consistently good foods. Excellent service.<br/>Good atmosphere. Little concern is bit dark at night.<br/>Overall wonderful..<br/>Especially try cocktail "slapper", Yum

If I could have given this establishment less than 1 star, I would.<br/><br/>Having taken 2 International visitors to the restaurant, highlighting our excellent customer service skills in this country, I was dreadfully embarrassed at our experience.<br/><br/>The food took over an hour to get to the table (pasta and risotto - not difficult to cook) and when it did, the food tasted abysmal. The pasta had no flavour to it and the risotto was watery. <br/><br/>Whilst the duty manager dealt with the situation effectively, no other wait staff seemed to care less that we were left starving for well over an hour. There was no communication and at one point we were told 'your food is two minutes away' when it fact it was still 20 minutes away.<br/><br/>I sincerely hope the owners of the restaurant are reading these reviews, I would be horrified if I owned this. <br/><br/>Sadly behind all the gloss and fancy table settings there seems to be some serious management issues going on.

We had a table of 8 for dinner on Friday night.<br/>The service was fantastic, and they were very busy.<br/>The Food was divine,hot, tasty and plentiful.<br/>All in All a Great Experience.<br/>Thank you for giving us a very enjoyable night.

Came here one Sunday evening for dinner, but left disappointed after 2 drinks and a measly platter. I ordered a lemon vodka cocktail (I think) and it was extremely average and overpriced - nothing special about it at all. The platter was TINY for how much it cost, and they would hardly cater to vegetarians. As we had planned to eat dinner here, we were turned off not only by the underwhelming menu but also from the staff. About 4 staff were looking after us at one time, one of which was very pushy with us ordering more than we did. Most of them were rude and acted as if they couldn't give a shit about how we felt, as long as we spent more money. Couldn't be happier to leave! Though not so happy about the $80 bill!

Having a birthday on a cold, wet Monday in May isn't much fun, and so with little to chose from close to home open, we ended up at SPQR.<br/>Having been there a few times before, you know to expect the staff to be a bit hoity toity, and tonight was no exception.<br/>The food was average at best. They usually make some of the best clam linguine in town, but this evening it lacked any flavor and was way too big - a big disappointment.<br/>My entrée of carpaccio was overwhelmed by too much truffle mayo and cheese and very little beef to be found under it all.<br/>My husbands steak was very average as was his calamari starter. A very average meal in noisy and overly dark surroundings - topped off by a heft bill as usual.<br/>Much better places close by - if only they opened on a Monday!

Have been coming here on and off for quite a while - fav time is a Sunday afternoon outside in the summer sun.<br/>Unfortunately during a more recent visit (a Tues night) things weren't quite as enjoyable ... wont be giving up through maybe they were just having a bad night

We came here to see what all the fuss was about this restaurant. All we found was a haughty wait staff who seem to believe they just fall from heaven!. <br/>The food was average, service average, but the bill was expensive!!!

Hot waiters just made it even more enjoyble but really the food and service is fantastic only downside to the place its too dark inside and decor is very bland nothing really going on.

Had lunch here during the week. This place was, and is always, packed to the rafters at any time of it's opening hours and quite rightly it should be.<br/><br/>We started with a few platters which were just gorgeous - super fresh mozarella, cured meats, salmon mmmmmm.<br/>I had the Pork Belly which came with a very unusual but scrumptious mini slaw which certainly had a bite to it. Couldn't go past having the truffle mash either - ooh la la. All washed down with an amazing Peregrine pinot noir. SPQR know their vinos.No time for dessert - had to go back to work. DAMN!<br/><br/>Always great. Always love going here. Always faaaaabulous daaaaaahling. Just take your platinum credit card.

An old favorite. One of the best places in Auckland to meet a girlfriend for a lunch and people watch. Friendly and snobbish all at the same time - love it.<br/>The food is not what you go to SP for - but it's decent simple Mediterranean fare.

Ordered Clevedon Oysters and Seafood Risotto.<br/>Oysters were very good, came with bread and a massive plate of ice. Bread complemented and contrasted with the textures and taste of Oysters - different. The sauce that accompanies the dish was subtle and complemented the dish well. The seafood risotto mussels were terrible and chewie. The rice on top was flavoursome and cooked nice but on the bottom was too acidic. Found a shell fragment from a pippie shell. Prawns in the dish were very good. Ben, the waiter was excellent with the changes between courses and service in general.

Very friendly service, the cocktails are so yum! Would have given 5 stars but the pasta dish I had was not too great. Overall a great experience!

This place looks the goods but how disappointing. We were told a 30 min wait for a table, so happy to have a drink while waiting. After 50 mins and a couple of quiet reminders to the 'way to busy' front man, he proudly declared a table had been organised. He was happy to seat our party of 4 on a small round table suitable for 2! A bit of a slap after waiting 50 mins for a table. The impending circus of getting 4 plates and 8 glasses plus extras unfolded as any waiter with half a brain should have been able to foresee.To get a second bottle of wine we had to ask 3 times, then it was bought from the bar without cork and poured directly into a glass still containing the previous wine. No tasting, no new glasses. Lift your game if you want to class yourself as decent establishment.Unless you are part of the Ponsonby 'In Crowd' most of the staff are too self important to give you more than a sideways glance. The food was decent but they could net even get the 2 steaks we ordered to the correct person. If you want to be classed as a good restaurant then get the basics down first please! Will not be returning or recommending to others.

Took my mother, brother and his girlfriend to SPQR today, we arrived there at 12 as they dont take bookings for less than 6 people.The waitress seemed friendly, and we ordered a platter to share which arrived very promptly. We ordered our lunch and were waiting and waiting..30 minutes passed and we noticed people that had arrived after us were recieving meals before us. We asked where our food was and the waitress said ten minutes away. 45 minutes later we ended up walking out.. I read about this in the Metro Mag..supose to be in the top 50 restaurants..When you pay top dollar u expect top service!..The waitress and staff were very non sympathetic about our dining experience. Wont be going back there !

Love the fact that SPQR is open so late and you cant beat one of their crispy based pizzas with a good glass of wine after a show. The caprese salad features a beautiful whole ball of mozzarella which you can spread across your prosciutto, dreaming of being in Italy (albeit with pretty camp and fabulous waiters around you!). Very dim lighting makes the long wine list hard to read but maybe helps us look better late at night so never mind! Good choice of wines by the glass and if you can nab a table outside you will not be short of entertainment with the great ponsonby road people watching!

I had the steak meal. Was yum, even the vegetables! Quite a busy place

We came here to see what all the fuss was about. All we found was a haughty wait staff who seem to believe their own hype. The food was average, service average, but the tables, floors, chairs, etc. were really dirty.

Always a pleasure eating here, try the Payaya, perfect for two, staff are fanciful, and very entertaining and make you feel looked after, in a great atmosphere.

Overpriced and overrated. I've been here many times because so many of my friends want to try it out and I'm always left nonplussed. However, the last time was especially disturbing because of the outrageous aggression from the nasty little bartender who didn't like the fact that I pointed out to the waiter that my wine glass was poured about half shy. The bartender served a topped off glass in person and gave me such a mad dog evil look that my first reaction was to kick him but after I got past that I thought, maybe I'll just have him neutered.

great dining experiance delicious pizza, good steak too. Really enjoyed their good desserts. The Creme brulee was the most intense, good serving size too as expected by the prices really quite good dining. Just needa turn the music down a touch to you can talk to each other.

classy<br/>very attentive service - genuine, friendly staff<br/>excellent food<br/>thumbs up

After another local eatery wouldn't let a voucher in with less than a week's notice we lunched at a perenial favourite, SPQR. Tempted as I was by the wonderful pizzas, we both had the $55 Sunday BYO lunch menu. We had sauteed scallops and salad Caprese to begin, duck and 7hour pork belly to follow; then tiramisu and Taleggio. . We did feel it necessary to get through all of our wine, which helped the afternoon slip by people-watching. Excellent coffee rounded the treat off brilliantly. Attentive service, buzzy atmosphere and a joy as ever. Thanks SP