Review Empress Garden - Auckland Central

The restaurant is located on the corner of Jervois and Herne Bay Roads. They do have a small parking lot behind the building but we ended up parking on the street along Herne Bay Road. We came by for dinner and did book, which seems to be required since the place was packed. The tables were jammed together and they were all full, across the many rooms in the restaurant. The food is quite nice with standard Chinese options. The peckin duck was nice but I personally found it to have a bit too much meat. The second course with the lettuce wraps were nice. The fried cod and tofu were also nice. I did find the roast port a bit salty though. The best part is that they did have deep-fried ice cream for dessert and it wasn't bad. The batter was crispy but the ice cream did meld with the sponge. It is quite a nice place for really tasty Chinese food.

You can have the Peking Duck, 1, 2 or 3 courses. The sesame pockets for the 2nd course is worth a try. This restaurant is famous for the duck, but I found the other dishes average. The deep fried squid and the prawns were very oily and heavily battered. The mix vegetable dish was overly salty, whereas the beef ho fan was bland. Chicken cashewnuts was ok. The tofu dish we ordered was very good and on par with others restaurants. Service was excellent and plentybof on street parking

My first time dining here and I was quite pleased with the standard of service and food. Menu is quite extensive and although some of the dishes we wanted wasn't available on the night there were still decent options to choose from. I didn't have much of a say in ordering but was happy with what my colleague did order for us. Happy to go back and love the BYO option as my preferred wine choice is never on the menu so this is a new favourite for me. Corkage is $8.00/bottle of wine.

Must try to get there during lunch time!! Best food and service when people were not busy. Whole peking duck will be cooked slowly to get better quality!! Atmosphere is lovely if you like to sit in a hundred years old building.

5 star for the Peking duck! Without the duck I would have rated 4/5. Good for large groups as well - we managed to get a table for 13 people (was a tight squeeze though).

You don't come for the atmosphere that's for sure. You come for the food. And it's quite delicious. Must order the Peking duck Hotplate beef

One of the best roast duck I have, the two courses duck coat $75. The overall environment is old but keep in good condition. The staff are helpful and the food is gorgeous. The parking is in the back of restaurant so you want not miss it. The good place for family and friends. VH

We ordered a whole 1 course Peking duck and combination vegetables. The duck was delicious with crispy skin and the vegetables were yummy too. Perfectly fed 5 adults. They were so busy they forgot to serve the rice, so we had to request that near the end of the meal. But the rice was so delicious, we just ate it plain 🤣

Had a Peking Duck banquet. The duck was juicy and crispy. The food was a little bit salty. Love the environment and atmosphere.

A ground breaking experience that will be felt across oceans, he does not come to fill his stomach? Thus he must be here for thy soul to feast, when I walk into this building, I feel as though one day I will die in here… sword in hand as I defend my nation, my people, my peers, this building… from any foreign entity that tries to take it away. I thank the establishment , the owner and the staff, this is what truly makes my life, worth while, sword ready. ⚔️

I had 2 course meal and few other menus for side and the duck was really good, nice crust with juicy meat. The signature duck was good but the rest of the menu were not up to standard, the beef with vegetable were too salty and the deep fried beef were too sweet.

Amazing food. Peking duck was so good - pre ordering necessary! Had the two course Peking duck and then three mains afterwards - good amount for six people. Service was efficient and super friendly; will definitely come again!

Nice dinner spot and sour all time favourite. Best duck you can get in Auckland and the sauce is one of the best. Highly recommend if you are a duck lover.

We came here to celebrate dad's birthday yesterday. The best Peking Duck in Auckland! It's not too oily and very crispy. My husband never tried a peking duck before but he enjoyed it, the sauce, the pancake, the vegetables were all perfect! Other dishes were nice too, I don't normally like beef but their Black Pepper Beef was amazing, they're so generous with the sauce, the meat was tender and jucy. My favourite was definitely the Sweet and Sour Fish, the coating was crispy, not too sour, not too sweet, perfect! The servers were very polite and friendly.

Another great night of delicious food, was a big group tonight which was an added bonus. Got to try a lot more dishes. Prawn and coriander dumplings my new favorite. Yum .October 2019 Best Duck in Auckland, just delicious. Amazing atmosphere, really great staff. Reminded me of Chinese food in Fiji. Great time had by all. Our next visit was just as great, Prawn dumplings, Chicken Fried Rice with Ginger Lamb. By far my favourite Chinese restaurant.

I've been here for nearly 15 years. Never had a bad experience. I noticed getting a bit tatty but always satisfied with the food.

Had a family dinner here and of course we had the duck along with a vegetable pot and salt and pepper prawns. Duck was good but the other two dishes were average. Prawns had too much batter on them but at least they were nice and big also the vegetable pot seemed like it was cooked in a wok and then tossed into the small pot afterwards (unlike usual where they'd cook it in a clay pot) good variety of vegetables in their though. Service was fast and attentive kind of expensive though.

yummy😊😊😊

Best Chinese restaurant in New Zealand

I was recommended by many people to come and try this restaurant for the 3 course Peking duck. I was expecting a great experience but to be honest quite disappointed by a few things.<br/><br/>We arrived at the restaurant at 12:15 and was told that because we had not pre-booked a duck there would be a 30 min wait. We told the manager that this was fine and we were happy to have an entree whilst we wait. We ordered the homemade pork buns which a little bit doughy but yum.<br/>We were pleasantly surprised when after about 15 mins a sever bought out a glazed duck for us to examine. We were pleased that it was earlier than expected and were excited for the first course. However, when the first course arrived, what was concerning were the vegetables that accompanied it (sliced cucumber and leek). They were shrivelled up and dry and not acceptable to serve. 2 plates were served. Halfway through the first one I asked for fresh plates of veggies and they said they would have to charge an extra $6. This put a dampener on the mood.<br/><br/>Also, the teapot they served us tea in was broken in many places and is unsafe and unsanitary for use. Yes, it is common to find chipped plates and teacups when dining at Chinese restaurants, however, this one, was far beyond gone.<br/><br/>Our second and third course was also ok - the second course with vegetables and the third one being fried carcass in spicy sauce. But because of the initial level of service we were given at the beginning, the whole experience felt a little underwhelming. <br/><br/>Perhaps it was because they felt rushed, perhaps it was because they were expecting more people to arrive soon but for a first-time experience, I was genuinely underwhelmed and probably wouldn't go back there for the 3 course meal of Peking duck.

Friendly staff. Duck is always a must have there. The 3 course Peking duck with half lettuce and half sesame pocket for the second course and the soup for the third. One of my favourite soups and always a winner. <br/>

When we’re craving for peking duck, this is our go-to-place. They serve, by far the best duck in Auckland. A little bit expensive but definitely worth the price. Staff were also accommodating and nice.

This is the most perfect Peking duck I've ever had so far crispy skin, moist meat and getting it over three courses I'd highly recommend! Four of us had a whole duck across three courses and still had food left over just make sure you make a reservation and ask for duck when making your reservation.

Hidden gem in the central of Auckland, definitely i found the best peking duck ever.. very yummy and high up my standard of food.. cant afford to eat any duck from other place.. love it and will always come back here whenever i can

We've been dining here since 1984. Yes 1984. Last night could not be faulted. Eight of us had an amazing dining experience. We had Peking duck done two different ways and was the highlight for us all

The Peking duck is Super delicious! It is a must to order when dine there. My family loves the duck so much that we have to go dine there before we leave Auckland! The atmosphere is cosy and the waitress are friendly too!

Peking Duck is fine but everything else is below standard. The staff was trying to put another table into the already squeezed room. Very uncomfortable dinning experiences. <br/>

We literally come here 1 every month or so for our family dinner. Sooo obviously the food is amazing!!! We normally order 2 courses of duck where the first course is the duck pancake and then second course is noodles or sesame pockets. Best to get some fresh chillies in soy sauce to add a bit of heat to it. Salt and pepper squid and sizzling beef tend to make it onto our table most times cause those are pretty great as well

If you haven’t had the Peking Duck from here, can you say that you’ve really dined at Empress Garden? <br/>The price for the duck might be pricier than other places but the quality is worth it. We booked a table for three and ordered the two course whole duck which is worth $80, and left feeling stuffed. We chose the stir fried duck meat with fresh lettuce wrap. <br/>Before the first course (which is the sliced duck with pancakes, spring onion, cucumber and hoisin sauce) is served a cooked whole duck is brought out to the table which I think is to show that they use freshly cooked duck before they slice it up. <br/><br/>Once it is served, I’ve noticed they provide more pancakes (and thinner), and more portions of sliced duck meat than other restaurants. The hoisin sauce is sweet. Ask for chilli oil if you want a spicy kick to your duck.<br/><br/>The Stir fried duck meat with a side of lettuce to wrap was served for our second course. I usually don’t fancy the stir fried duck meat but this one was delicious. It is well marinated, and a lot more juicier than the usual duck place I go to.<br/><br/>The service is very friendly, no wonder they have a lot of regulars and the tables were almost full on a Tuesday night.

Came to try the peking duck as heard good things about it. Its pretty good but not exceptional like others may have said. Still enjoyed the food. However the setting/environment was a bit old and dark. Probably good for romantic setting but it was different to other places we've been.

Came here for our Grandma 70th birthday. Ordered feast of peking duck two ways, steam tofu, noodles, whole fish, crunchy chicken, salt pepper prawns, eggplants, beans. Price on the more expensive side compared to other chinese restaurants, but considering the location, it’s understandable. Service is great, we brought two birthday cakes and there is to cakeage. About $350 for 9 people.

This place has gone downhill since the first time I came a few years ago. The service is really unprofessional. There is flies everywhere with broken plates and dirty carpet. The food is way under average for the price. Basically everything is subpar for a restaurant especially in Herne Bay.

Still the best roast duck in Auckland during these years. Always remember to order one before u go. And please order the duck bone soup as the second way eating of your roast duck. It's sooo delicious！staffs are always nice and friendly. If you want some roast duck, just choose here, you won't be disappointed.

点了一鸭三吃，片皮鸭、烧饼及鸭汤都五星好评，强烈推荐！<br/>其他的菜品就属中等水平了，大蒜末放的太多，本尊不好这口……叉烧比较失败，不要点，和广式烧腊店里的没法比啊没法比，总评四星就是给它拉低的......<br/>爱吃片皮鸭的小伙伴们不要犹豫的过来哦（PS：吃的太快，忘记拍照片了📷，😓）

The restaurant is in a residential area. We went there about 6ish on a weekday and there were almost full house! The service was good, food was very delicious. No wonder why there were so many people.

Their signature dish - Peking duck was one of the best we had in Auckland. Crunchy and crispy skin, the meat was so tender and flavourful and the duck fat just melts in your mouth. The prawn and scallops basket was fresh and tasty. The service was relatively fast and the staff was attentive. Excellent dining experience for us.

Definitely lived up to the hype of “Best Peking Duck in Auckland”, as far as I tried. We were able to get Peking duck with a reservation made less than an hour before we turned up! Loved that their wraps were not the frozen variety. The deep fried tofu with prawn mince was really good too. Only drawback was that they served the tofu right after the Peking duck was served, leaving us without a chance to savour the tofu dish, spicy deep fried duck frame and steamed rice when it was piping hot, which was a shame! That’s where they lost their 5th star!

If you r after quality Chinese food and exceptional service go there. Relax atmosphere, clean kitchen end bathroom. 13 years of exellent food and service i had and will dine there again and again. It's not the only Chinese I would go to but always come back there. You do need to book a table there as its quite popular for dinner time. My always favourite Pecking Duck. BYO is helpful if you have an occasion there. Recommend.

One of the best Beijing duck I’ve had so far. This place is always crowded so we were lucky on that day when having a table without booking in advance. Portion was generous. The duck was tasty and not chewy at all. Friendly service.

BEST PEKING DUCK IN AUCKLAND!<br/><br/>There really is no better. Thick fatty cuts of duck. It doesn’t get better than this. <br/><br/>A must if you feel like Peking Duck and something fatty and juicy. <br/><br/>Great for dates, hangovers, and predrinking dinners!<br/><br/>Service: 5/5<br/>Duck Quality: 5/5<br/>Duck Quantity: 5/5<br/>Presentation: 3/5<br/>Environment: 3/5<br/>Price per person: $50

We stumbled across a Chinese restaurant in Herne Bay tonight which turned out to be an eatery that specialises in Beijing cuisine. Empress Garden Restaurant has a small entrance and almost appeared like a small residential villa if there wasn’t a big sign and red lanterns hanging on the awnings. First impression: meh – a bit run down but looks decent enough, like every other Chinese restaurants in Auckland.

We've been dining here since late 80's. It's a bit pricey compared with others but if you want the best you pay for it. Always packed and always perfect. You must pre order the Peking Duck. You won't be disappointed.

We regularly go here for takeaways and the food is really consistent. The chicken friend rice is really tasty and not greasy at all, and the staff are always friendly. The Sichuan chicken could have done with a bit more heat but was nice all the same - great dumplings. Although traditional, I don't like that they serve shark fin soup, and can only hope they acquire the fins in a sustainable way.

Its always packed in here located at the edge of Herne Bay. Waitresses are very helpful. We started with Peking Ducks which came beautifully roasted as first course. Duck was lovely and so are the pancakes but we needed more cucumber and spring onions. It really was not enough and after reading this same comment from precious reviews, the restaurant should take notice. That this local request for more greens to accompany the carb and duck. We had stuff tofu, long beans, fried squid, si qua, roasted pork, duck in lettuce cups, eggplant and fried rice. Very impressed that MSG was not used. We always come in a big crowd and we always enjoy the food here. I did wonder today about the need to spruce up the decor. Looking tired may not matter as we will be coming back.

Great place and super friendly staff who go out of their way with service.  Very authentic food with distinctive flavours if you love your chinese authentic food.  This place apparently is always packed, so may pay to book a table.  A family member loves their food and super friendly service, but the food was not so much to my personal taste..def a personal thing but very popular and well known destination for chinese food.  Very clean and tidy premises with parking at the back.

Been here countless times. Always great food but like most Asian places when they are busy you have to really wave and shout to get thier attention, albeit still the best peking duck this side of $100 Ive eaten in a long time

Came here after hearing of their award winning duck. Three course was absolutely delicious, although no one cared enough to finish the third course with all the yummy dishes. They are a very professional restaurant and reasonably priced good Chinese food in Auckland, for me personally.

Looking for the best Peking duck in town so I brought some friends here to try it out. Ambience and service are standard. We had the 3 courses, the second being the noodles and the last being deep fried spicy. Everything came out in good times and were very delicious. Not the best duck I've ever had but certainly not bad at all and we left very full/satisfied.

Because we love Peking duck so much, our friends took us here to have a try. <br/><br/>It's like a Cantonese style for fried dishes, I do not really like it. Peking duck is delicious, but the rolling skins are too thick.

Love duck 🦆? I do.<br/>You have to try "Peking duck" at here. It is a Chinese dish just in case you don't know which is shaved roast duck with fresh spring onions with sweet and dark sauce wrapped in thin pancakes. This is one of ways to enjoy duck dishes. They also have many delicious dishes that are big portion. So visit with all family members & friends.<br/>The decor of the restaurant is pretty rundown.

We were looking for a Chinese resto near MOTAT and found this.<br/><br/>First, the place looks like a residential unit turned into a restaurant. It lacks space and I can imagine that it can get really noisy and messy when full of diners. Decor/table setup is typical Chinese. <br/><br/>The waiter was alert but not too attentive, as he had the tendency to interrupt the customer halfway through saying their orders to say that he got what you said (but actually didn't).<br/><br/>Food was a bit overpriced considering the portions and ingredients. The best example of this was the fish fillet with spring onion and ginger. We literally had to "fish" for the fish fillets in the sea of spring onions, onions and ginger. Very disappointing for $25.<br/><br/>One good thing about their food is that it was fresh, particularly the vegetables. Taste was not too bad. <br/><br/>I would probably try their pecking duck next time, knowing that this is what the other foodies usually get here.<br/>

After hearing about this place for so long, finally went for a visit. I was craving for some good Peking duck.<br/><br/>First impression when we walked in, it's crowded, old and noisy. Way too many tables being squashed into a tiny room. Don't get me wrong, I'm used to crowds growing up in Asian countries. Tables are just way too close to each other. The deco was extremely dated, carpets needs a desperate update.<br/><br/>We were seated promptly. However the waitress started talking to us in Mandarin because she assumed we look asian so we must speak Chinese. Well I think that is just rude. Another Waiter showed up literally a minute after we sat down and tried taking our orders. Really? We haven't even opened the menu. Why the rush?<br/><br/>We ordered the 3 course full duck, fried rice and spring onion pancakes. First course was duck and pancakes. The duck was okay, crispy skin and very little fat. But I'm not sure if the traditional Peking duck chef will have a hear attack when they see the dish. Because the the proper way of the first course should just be very well roast duck skin with very little meat attached. The duck in front of me was slices of thick meat and skin attached. It worked for me though since I like duck meat. However they have been quite stingy with the cucumber and spring onions. Extra servings cost $6 each! Outrageous!<br/><br/>The stir fry duck meat as second course was good. The highlight was the third course. The deep fried duck carcase with salt pepper and chilli. It's finger licking delicious.<br/><br/>Spring onion pancakes were our least favorite. Wouldn't recommend it.<br/><br/>The whole dining experience was a bit disappointing. Didn't enjoy the atmosphere as it's too crowded. Didn't enjoy the service as some of the staffs really struggled with English. The meal was all right but nothing to rave about. There are better Chinese restaurants around.<br/>

Best Chinese in Auckland. This place is an institution! The food is always amazing and the service is great. We often dine in and get takeaways, it's hands-down one of the best Chinese restaurant I've come across in Auckland.

Peeking duck is the tastiest, done perfect and the meals taste homestyle and not much oil <br/>Peeking duck three course great value! <br/>Carpet a bit warn but decor is great and lovely atmosphere too. <br/>Every meal is tasty and service is fast, and efficient. <br/>Best peeking duck and yummy quality !

First time coming back to this establishment since I don't know when (ages ago). Still the same layout, same decor as before. Haven't changed a bit. Very chinese feel.<br/><br/>As we were the first customer of the day, service was very attentive at the beginning. We ordered quickly as we knew what we wanted already. Food came out quickly too at the beginning. HOWEVER, as more and more customer coming in, due to lack of floor staff (and Kitchen staff too, I think), our food came out slower and slower. Having said that, the servers were still very polite, very helpful all the way. <br/><br/>Foodwise is very average. Nothing to wow about. This establishment has been here since the 80s or 90s, so overall, if they can "survive" that long, it shouldn't be that bad.

I went here years ago ordered a banquet for four people we had three courses each the Peking duck was definitely the highlight, will be going back shortly.

Really great place for peking duck but you do need to order in advance. Crispy skin and lots of duck breast for your pancakes and plenty of filling too. Staff are friendly and service is good.

I was driving around for work yesterday and by chance saw this place. We dropped by today. <br/><br/>We didnt try the duck menu but rather went for the regular stuff. Their known for thier duck entrees and to me that wouldnt have been a good barometer for the place. <br/><br/>The noodles were good, so was the beef with broccoli and the deep fried pork cutlets. The duck dumpling was not bad at all. <br/><br/>The service was quick and friendly. Parking at the back for maybe 6 cars but plenty of street parking option. Atmoaphere was relaxed, the sort of place were you'd take family or close friends to have a good conversation with good food reasonably priced. <br/><br/>We will go back definitely.

Consistent, predictable, solid delivery. Have been a regular since the late 90s. Still ordering the same items- sesame prawns, cold chicken and green bean pasta, young chow fried rice, fish fillet vegetable combo, mince pork on lettuce leaves. Didnt get the duck as there were only 2 of us.

Felt like eating Chinese for dinner so had to try this place. We were welcomed warmly, and shown to our table. We were offered some Chinese tea which was nice however they don't tell you that they charge you (seems that when they offer it to you its complimentary, so if you don't want to pay, make sure you say no thanks) The selection of the menu is great so much to choose from. Having chosen Spring rolls, chicken satay and sesame prawns for starters. All very nice and mains- Singapore Noodles, Sweet and sour pork, chicken fried rice and Chicken chow mein, all delicious. The portion sizes for the mains were really good and the food tatsted good. The staff were friendly and attentive. Lovely place, I'd definitely visit here again!

If you wanna try the best duck in Auckland this is the place! <br/>Wonderful atmosphere and interior, friendly and attentive staff, great tasty food.<br/>One of my favorite places for dinner.

Good food and service. Perhaps could use a bit if renovation and seems slightly overpriced. Not sure if I'd go again, but if am in the area, may be. Their specialties such as Peking duck seem very promising (and costly!)

Great dining experience at Empress garden restaurant. Delicious crispy Peking duck! Booking essential for Peking duck, will definitely come back!

Just another peking duck place <br/><br/>Good - very fast and prompt customer service. My water glass was filled up very quickly whenever it was empty. <br/>Good atmosphere, not as noisy as other chinese restaurants. Parking spaces available. <br/>I normally find it hard to communicate well with staff at a chinese restaurant but here most of them could speak English without any problem. <br/>A large portion of cucumber and spring onion and lettuce come with the peking duck course! - i normally have to order extra at other peking duck places because the portion is too small. <br/><br/>Bad-there was a lipstick stain on the water glass but i got it changed very quickly and the staff apologised straight away.

Came here for dinner last night on Chinese New's Year meal based on the reviews seen here and elsewhere. A very quaint location in Herne Bay in a nice setting. For one the place was packed with local Chinese which again boded well for our night and enhanced the ambience of the place.<br/><br/>We had the peking duck and it definitely lived up to the hype. It was one of the best had in a long time in New Zealand and abroad.<br/><br/>The crispy skin with the succulent meat is exactly how the best is meant to be.<br/>Combined in our first course with pancakes and hoisin sauce made a very fitting first course for the meal.<br/>This was followed by the shanghai noodles which was as delicious of the first course and finished off by the ginger and spring onion combination which had the right combination of the hit of ginger against the freshness of the spring onion.<br/><br/>Overall it was a fantastic meal which was capped off by the lion dance troop that visited the restaurant and capped off the festive feeling in the dining room.<br/><br/>A definite one to return to again

The best place in Auckland for Peking Duck, in my opinion. It's better to go with a bigger group to take advantage of the 3 courses offered, although the duck and pancakes is a treat by itself. The other menu items are great tasting and well worth eating if you don't like duck, so it's not a wasted night out.

I've been here twice and every time I left with a happy stomach ☺️ I think this place is the definition of Chinese finest cuisine, comfort food yet elegant presentation. Their pecking duck 2-3 courses option is a MUST TRY! ❤️ The dishes are all super tasty and surprisingly not very oily like I think they would be. Other than the pecking duck, I have tried BBQ pork fried rice, stir fried pak choy and chicken corn soup. No regrets there! 😊 This place is located in a residential neighbourhood so there are plenty of parkings around. Also, both times I visits there were no need for reservation, which is unexpected for a quality restaurant like this, awesome! As for prices, 20-30$ per person is reasonable to me given the portion and quality of the food 😊 I would definitely come back often ^.^

I was taken here for a surprise on my birthday! The dishes were all ordered by my two friends but we had two courses of Peking duck, the normal wraps and the lettuce wraps, a plate of vegetables and a plate of beef noodles. <br/><br/>We were greeted as we walked in the door, but my friends had made a reservation so we had a table straight away. The restaurant got quite busy nearing peak dinner time though! <br/>The Peking duck was delicious and I had so many wraps to myself! (I'M NOT COMPLAINING HAHA). The chef even brought out the duck to show us beforehand! <br/>The noodles were slightly oilier than I would've liked but they were still nice. The vegetable plate was good too. <br/><br/>Definitely coming back for more Peking duck!

One of the best Peking duck you can find in New Zealand. Nice and cosy place, the service was great. The other dishes on the menu are pretty basic. The Peking duck is a real good deal.

We went tonight and luckily found parking straight away, EGR was packed so we decided to order take out instead, the staff were whizzing around like fireflies and our food was made pretty promptly. We ordered steamed pork balls, barbecue pork buns and the barbecue pork fried noodles. Very, very tasty, can't wait to go back for lunch to try the Peking duck.

Very tasty Chinese food with a huge menu to choose from.  I was part of a group of 9 and there was no problem with delays in getting our food.  Every dish was very good - the seafood with combination vegetables even came in an edible basket.  Noisy and very busy, not the place for a romantic evening but perfect for a family get-together.

I have been here countless times over the years and can happily say that this is my one of my all time favourite restaurants. The staff are incredibly friendly and no matter how busy it is, the food always comes out relatively fast. Whenever I come here I always order the Peking duck and it never disappoints. The pieces of meat are a generous size and will leave no one hungry.

Best duck soup ever tasted in Auckland!!! The milky color and fresh taste can tell you they really do some work about it. The sauce with duck is plum sauce, not like Beijing style but much fresher tho :3<br/><br/>

A long standing icon in Herne Bay, this Chinese restaurant (only one in the Herne?) looks like it has been there for decades, with its olde world charm..Somewhat out of the way, but still manages to attract a good clientele. Is most famous for having the best Peking Duck in Auckland, not sure if that is still the case, although the people next to us ordered it :-) They did brush with the ratings agency briefly, but seems like they have no problem attracting Asian customers which is a good sign. Our quick meal was tasty, service great and their menu varied so will be back!

By far my favourite place in Auckland for peking duck! Empress Garden offer different peking duck courses and bring out the duck to show you. The dishes are scrumptious and more then filling. We often order side dishes which means we generally don't end up finishing. I love the peking ducks wraps the most and highly recommend them. A great place for dinners with friends and family

Fabulous place amazing Peking duck!

We have been to this restaurant about 5 times and sadly it just keeps getting worse.<br/>It is over priced and the dishes just seem to be strange.<br/>The duck and pancakes which costs 40.00 for a half half duck is basically a plate of fat, they give you lots of pancakes but only enough bits ie cucumber and onion for about 4 pancakes and if you ask for more they charge you!<br/>The Char sui pork is something very different served on a bed of peanuts and swimming in oil!<br/>Everything came in its own sweet time so that our vegetable dish came at the end of our meal.<br/>I think the food is really overrated and over priced.<br/>A real shame.

Empress Garden is excellent and a great place for a big group.The Peking duck is the most great food there, then you must try and feel the real peking duck taste! Super delicious!Prices are quite reasonable, but unfortunately, there was an extra charge for spring onion dish. Normally the whole Spring onion in New World, or any other shops sell it for $1-$2.50. However, some small pieces (like 13 small pieces that you can even actually count its numbers) of Spring onions in small dish like small tea cup charges you extra $6. This is the most unreasonable in the restaurant. Except the Spring onions, it is the best restaurant serving you with the best taste of great Asian food.

Whenever there's a special celebration to be had, our family head over to Empress Garden for their AHHH-MAZING peking duck.  These guys know how to prepare a delicious duck.  It is without a doubt a must order on their menu.  We usually skip breakfast and go all out at this restaurant and order other items on the menu like their stewed whole blue cod fish, minced pork with lettuce, steamed pork dumplings, sesame pockets with duck, beef fried noodles to name a few.  They get pretty busy yet I still find their service pretty timely and efficient.  A great restaurant for big groups.

Nice setting and food. Excellent service. Had 2 course Peking duck menu, provided with the duck skin and pancake, with the duck meat cooked with shanghai noodle. And had salt pepper fish (was too salty), long bean with olives, and fried rice. The rest of the menu is fine. It was 5 person dining, with 5 course and spent 130nzd, which is ok for the price I suppose.

We went here for a family dinner on a Saturday night and the place was very busy so be sure to book and order your Peking duck in advance. The Peking duck was absolutely delightful although I am told that the skin should really be wafer thin to qualify as the best Peking duck.<br/><br/>We had the 3 courses - the duck in pancakes, the duck with noodles and the duck carcass deep fried spicy. The pancakes were very appetising and we got quite a few wraps each amongst the 5 of us. The noodles were a bit oily but not bad. The deep fried carcass was tasty but I would suggest ordering the soup instead.<br/><br/>We ordered spicy chicken but it turned out to be like sweet and sour which none of us are fond of. Well sized portions and we spent about $110 for the 5 of us for dinner (no drinks ordered).<br/><br/>Service was pretty good for a Chinese restaurant. The place is really neat as it was an old house so has a nice homely atmosphere. Looks like it would have been stunning 10 years ago but the decor is fairly tired by now. Dining is split into 2 rooms so probably not suitable for large functions but perfect for family gatherings, birthdays etc.<br/><br/>As a side note, we were charged $3 for fresh chillis which is quite a hefty charge compared to other Chinese restaurants that don't charge or charge $1. There was nothing special about the chillis and although we requested it and we weren't told about the charge before ordering it.

The service is sketchy, the rest of the dishes on the menu are decent without hitting a high note. But go for the duck, it is glorious. Empress Garden have the best Peking Duck first course in Auckland, and the sang choi bao are also excellent

Actually a little better than very good. I've ever tried Peking Duck in Beijing, Shang Hai and Hong Kong. Comparing with them Empress Garden serves not enough for those authentic Peking Duck but I still support them with their good $ performance, attentive service, and their generous BYO acceptance. You should go with a group of more than four people to enjoy their food. Don't forget your own wine bottle (a little corkage fee) and order the two course dinner(Peking duck, stir-fried duck w/veges) and fried rice to finish up.<br/>You'll get 100% satisfied and surprised to see the reasonable charge.

Had a wonderful evening - shared a number of dishes. Tasty and fresh. Restaurant was busy but did not mind waiting a bit.<br/>Enjoyed the vegetarian options. Will return.

Visited this fantastic restaurant for the second time this evening. The Peking Duck is delicious and great value! The service is excellent as well. Will definitely be back! We had kids with us this time and they loved it too.

This is my family restaurant where we have celebrated many, many G8 occasions be it with family or overseas whanua. Where everybody has raved bout the Peking Duck &amp; other superb dishes, not to mention the awesum service by the Staff. So somewhat blown away by by David's &amp; another reader Claire's comments - the Peking duck is literally to die for! So tender, melts in your mouth, the fresh cucumber slices &amp; finely shredded spring onions alongside pancakes complements the whole dish superbly :)<br/><br/>If the Empress Garden Peking Duck wasn't to rave for - the North &amp; South magz wouldnt have it as TOP 10 restaurant conservative yrs running, David. <br/><br/>Yes, the restaurant runs a roaring trade &amp; can get extremely busy at times, where waitress do get harried &amp; orders may be slightly delayed, chinese tea may be slopped onto table without intent. BUT we have never experienced a routine of- come, gobble your food, go" kind of service.... Perhaps Claire, instead of rubbishing a restaurant on website... take it up with Management first? Because I don't think Empress Garden would be in business if their offered the kind of experience u mentioned on a daily basis. AND this restaurant has survived the nz market incl. Recession &amp; their have been around for a very long time.

This restaurant is known for its peking duck but I find their duck pretty average and too expensive. There are a number of chinese restaurant that serve better peking duck and charge nearly half that price. The environment and service was good though. The other dishes were above average though.

came here especially for the peking duck and it did not disappoint. We chose the peking duck 2 ways - first course is the compulsory with pancake and 2nd course we chose fried with Shanghai Noodle. SUPER YUMMY. We also ordered some fried dumplings but they were disappointing being soggy on top... Good atmosphere Chinese restaurant - go for the duck for sure!

Had many recommendations to go to this restaurant to try their Peking Duck. My partner and I went there for lunch yesterday and found the Peking Duck and the service to be outstanding. We had the two course Peking Duck menu and it was absolutely delicious. Absolutely fantastic value at $70.00 and Christine who waited on us was very pleasant and friendly. We will definitely be back to try more of the menu.

The Pecking Duck is A DEF MUST TRY :-)

This has been one of our favorite restaurants for years however having to pre order things like duck is now not really necessary so it is irritating that you have to do this to get the great duck!<br/>But the one thing that has really put us off this restaurant is the sittings you must be there at a set time and leave by a set time, this make money for the owners but doesn't give a good dining out experience so do take aways best option, no hurrying or feeling like you are inconveniencing the staff by eating to slowly, get the food and enjoy at your pace at your place.

Empress Garden is excellent when you're in big groups--even really big groups (imagine two circle rotating tables combined into one). The staff is very accommodating although some of them speak little English; but fast service wins! It's no date spot though; it's very loud and noisy with possible kids and babies around and dim yellow lighting that makes it a pain for no-flash photography. I reckon this is a popular spot for Asian families big gathering!<br/><br/>The food is excellent, in big sharing portions and good value for your money. Their peking duck is a must order; juicy and tender with crispy skin. Their deep fried duck carcass is delicious; it goes well with your drinks. It's also BYO here--more reason to come with your buddies! Order lots of dishes and have fun sharing with the rotating table; something that brings me back to my childhood family gathering dinner in Asia.