Review The Block Cafe - Auckland Central

A lovely happy vibe going on and atmosphere warm and inviting. I Loved the Nachos, sister liked Hash plate and Mum had Chicken lollipops and gave a thumbs up. Other sister a little disappointed in dry Waffles that did not taste freshly made. Still wouldn’t hesitate to return.

I unexpectedly stumbled upon this cafe while I was on my way to the block house bay reserve. This cafe is definitive 'slice, sip and soak in the ambience' experience. Loved the wooden brown look and feel of the cafe and the whole 'block' theme running all over it. I ordered their much hyped 'butter chicken pizza' and a glass of chilled beer. There is an outdoor seating section as well as an indoor one. The restaurant manager was a very lovely person to interact with and was very excited when i decided to go with the butter chicken pizza. The dynamic and energetic front desk staff promptly served the food with a smile on her face. I had a really good time enjoying the food and drink while listening to some tunes of a tastefully selected playlist. I would recommend this as a one stop destination to unwind and have a nice time.

Astonishing food + really nice atmosphere, like you can feel all the breeze and the sun light you need. It is my first time at this Cafe’s and will definitely come back to try more food here. I rate 4 stars instead of 5 because i experience some bad customer service with a certain staff.

Exciting Atmosphere. Groovy! Indoor/Outdoor flow. Great menu. Ample Parking. Perfect Coffee. Large Selection Outstanding Service from the Perfect, Patient Waitress Arnica! Awesome and perfect waitress Aurora! (Superb, gentle and amazing patient care from the young lady with a wonderful future.) Can't recommend it highly enough!

Lovely cafe with very pretty “indoor garden” vibe. My coffee was not quite hot enough, but staff were very pleasant and I am sure they would have heated it again if I had asked. Lovely spot within the friendly village. Will visit again. Large muffin was very nice, menu food looked delish.

Rustic, garden featured cafe on the main road. Staff are very nice, and food is quite tasty. Service is quick for a weekend day too. Great for small group coffee catch ups.

Place and ambience is great Went there for family birthday dinner with an infant and child. Service was abit slow but friendly staff. Had the platter which had some interesting flavours. Didn’t get to try the sliders. My pork belly was tough but liked the flavour Friends ordered Eye Fillet steak which was cooked perfectly and steak was juicy and tender Mum ordered the lamb dish which wasn’t bad either Staff sung birthday song to husband which was a nice surprised Good place for craft beers and hanging out at the “local” Second time there for a beer and first for food

Another new neighborhood adventure today. Grab a seat in this famous cafe & restaurant The Block. Very nice hospitality, waiters are young and energetic, smile on their faces, just love that kind of feeling. Order Harshbrown and coffee I am satisfied with the Harshbrown, very tasty. Great location, plenty of street parking, walking to countdown and liquor shop which is super convenient.

Service and presentation was great. The food could use proper seasoning and better flavour ( that’s up to personal taste though, nothing bad)

Best sweet corn fritters EVER. All the best flavours, huge portion, quality is always consistent and food is always served hot. Yum as. Picture of a big fat French toast also delicious and an omelette. Come and eat here most weekends because the food is so goood.

It's a great cafe with great options of meat-free breakfast. The coffee is average. Staff is very hospitable and service is quick too. They are happy to help you with the menu. We ordered Mochachino and Tartare Avocado Bruchetta. Bruchetta was absolutely delicious. The hazelnut-chocolate-vanilla shot that we added to our coffee kind of made our coffee not so good, however I would like to give it another chance and try it without the shot. Ambience is quite peaceful and gives you complete sunday vibes! Would definitely like to go there again and explore more on the food.

Visited on the weekend for lunch. There were many customers. Ordered the Salt Fish Tacos ($18.50) and Japanese Fried Chicken ($12.50) to share between two. The amount of vegetables in the tacos was a nice surprise and both dishes tasted wonderful, with just the right amount of flavour. Very friendly and helpful staff. Overall, a great experience.

Just a fabulous place. Menus are always changing. Staff are top notch. Service is impeccable. It's a cafe/restaurant. Food is superb. Always changing they menu every so often. Keeps customers keep coming back.

Lovely brunch visit here on Mothers Day. Great coffee and hot chocolate, plus delicious omelette. The only thing I would change is the “parfait” - rename as it’s not parfait in the traditional sense - would call it granola instead - and it would be a lot nicer with Greek yogurt (rather than cream from a can) as it was a bit dry. Friendly helpful staff and great atmosphere. I look forward to going back again soon!

$22 for a sore tummy!<br/>Took my fiancée there for a treat, left upset! We ordered the plate hash brown and omelette, the hash brown was drowning in oil and was flavourless, the omelette was filling, but boring. The hash brown was near inedible due to the pools of oil coating it. Sent it back, just for it to be put on a different plate. Food was still disappointing after this, and when we complained they told us that it wasn’t a mistake on their part, and they were too busy to fix it.<br/>When paying, they forced us to pay for the food we couldn’t eat, and were extremely rude about the whole situation.<br/>Would not recommend, don’t waste your money. Heard the cafe next door is better.

croque monsitur: It is ham inside, with some mushroom sauce, there is too little cheese, and the bread is a bit dry. With the salad dish, there are too many lemons and salt today. I don’t know if it’s an unexpected operation by the chef. 1.5/5 <br/>Plate sized hashbrowns with house smoked salmon spinach onion. mushroom. mozzarella. hollandaise. Poached egg: hashbrown is generous and the overall taste is good, except for a little burnt. 4/5 <br/>Cronut: Very delicious, the custard inside matches the white chocolate on the surface. 5/5<br/>cappuccino & flatwhite: good 4/5

Yummy food ! Great service my dad has very bad allergies but they accommodated to his needs which is usually a struggle with other restaurants.<br/>The waitress was very lovely she even let us know when her shift finished and she introduced us on to the other gentlemen who took over. Ciders were yummy as well !

I had a bad experience here, service wasn't having a good day maybe he should have stayed home for the day! 2nd is that the fish that they advertise is no SNAPPER at all. No flakes at all just a lump of crap, i was so hoping it would be what they advertised but its not.

Ahh yes, The Block - a hot spot with the locals, and one of the better eateries in the area, I'd heard many good things of their cajun fried chicken eggs benny prior to my visit - then one fateful Saturday morning I stormed in like a man on a mission and ordered just that. I'd been here once before and the service was just as sharp as I remember. The crispy cajun chicken was cooked amazingly well and whoever the genius was who thought to pair it with the eggs benedict deserves a medal. A subtle twist on a breakfast dish we all know and love without being too poncy. 5☆

Loved the omelettes my partner and I ordered even though we had to wait quite a while for it. Portions were a little small... we had to pay an extra $2 for toast which we didnt mind until they gave us only 1 slice. Also noticed the bar person licking his fingers while making someones drink and using these same fingers to put ice in the glass..yuck. Not in a hurry to go back to this place.

Great food and service, mince on toast is A+++ and the hash brown plate fills my partner up (which is a challenge!)

Delicious food here and great selection for breakfast and lunch.<br/>Great casual vibe, nice outdoor dining spaces too.<br/>Best breakfast spot in blockhouse bay by a mile

The Block Cafe offers some good quality food in a very relaxed, positive atmosphere. A nice place to meet someone for dinner or catch up with old friends.

the block has exceeded my expectation, very well trained staff and great menu, you should definitely give this place a try. We will be back again for sure

Nice and local for me, plus food and drinks are pretty good. Wait time is generally quite long. Nothing too special for me though and quite expensive.

Had breakfast today with a friend and we ordered The Block with all the jazz and Eggs on Toast with Mushrooms & Hash Brown on the side along with English breakfast tea + Americano. The coffee took awfully long time and when it arrived it was lukewarm & lacked the full body coffee flavour. Anyhow, the food itself was so mediocre I have nothing much to talk about it. Lacked efforts, presentation, butter & overall the love that a local cafe usually puts in their food. Not recommending for sure.

Came for brunch on Saturday for my husbands birthday. Love the hand cut chips but the quinoa fritters were stodgy and couldn’t taste feta in them. Husband liked the eggs bene but the fried chicken definitely wasn’t Cajun chicken- no spice at all!

Come here all the time for a quick breakfast and it never disappoints! The place is pretty open but can get cold at times due to how open it is. The service is good when it’s not busy.

Used to be a great spot, new owners now and it’s all gone down hill.Terrible service, food took 40minutes and then this was my supposed to be poached egg. Won’t ever be going back there again.

Ordered the mango smoothie, thin fries and Sri Lankan chicken lollipops. The lollipops were freaking amazing and nothing like I’d ever had before..... it tasted like schezchuan sauce along with some onions and capsicum. They need to bottle that sauce I would buy that in the dozens 😍😍😍 the mango smoothie seemed creamy even those the base was ice not sure how they did it but again bloody amazing. I normally only like to go to a place once but those lollipops are hard not to think about lol. Even though they were really busy the staff were friendly and we didn’t have to wait for our food

After several recommendations we ended up in this cafe yesterday with our dog. We ordered about 4 breakfast items and sides and thoroughly enjoyed everything here.<br/><br/>Very friendly staff and superb service too.

Spacious cafe, lots of seating friendly staff.<br/>Coffee strong, smooth and great mouth feel<br/>Corn fritters delicious - crisp on the outside, soft and full of flavours combined perfectly with Crème fraîche, avocado, bacon and chilli sauce<br/>Text book eggs benedict with stuffed mushrooms<br/>Handcut fries were average but overall love this suburban gem

Really nice local Cafe in the heart of Blockhouse Bay. The food options are great - you have your usual breakfast options, as well as some interesting lunch options. I opted for the lamb and it was well crafted and complemented with some good couscous and pomegranate. Overall a great place to catch up!

What a great place in Blockhouse Bay! Decided to go somewhere different and try it out. <br/>First impressions were pretty good, as the lady assisted us to the table and follow up was quick for drinks. We came here for more brunch purposes, personally, I don’t think there is a wide range of options to choose from. However, the menu is a bit different to your usual dining, so that was algood. We got the following:<br/>Shoe string fries were yum, nice and <br/>crispy.<br/>Iced coffee, delicious and good alternative for caffeine on a warm day.<br/>Feijoa smoothie, it was okay but it was more sugary tasting oppose to a more natural type of feijoa smoothie. <br/>Duck tacos, amazing flavours! Highly recommend <br/>French toast, it was okay the actual bread tasted quite eggy and was way too thick, felt dry. The rest of the components on the plate were delicious, would recommend adding another banana.<br/>Overall, 3.5 for this place and would go back again to try the other stuff on the menu.

Friendly staff but the food was average, the waiting time took forever!! Spent 40 minutes waiting for food to arrive and that wasn’t even my food, it was my friend’s. My food took an extra 10 minutes so by the time my food had got to the table my friend was almost finished. Food was alright, the chips were unseasoned and the Japanese chicken wasn’t yummy but not bad. I much prefer going out to the block cafe for lunch, way better menu and less of a waiting time. Would recommend if you’re going for lunch not dinner.

We loved this place. Our first visit and definitely won’t be our last. The menu was awesome but portion sizes a bit too big. Very reasonably priced

Another on my mission to find the best eggs Benedict in Auckland, this had the interesting option of Japanese fried chicken. Service was good and good arrived very quickly, the chicken is a good choice and enjoyed this and am putting this equal number one in Auckland so far

Great coffee and great food. Probably the best cafe in this area by far. Nice vibe and friendly staff. Love the big breakfast. Does get busy though.

Great food, great service, great ambience! Would definitely come back regularly! The location has lots of parking and is easy to find. The ribs were amazing !

Usually good food here, but not sure if it was the weather but the food & service was a bit on the "blah" side. First of all, my food was fine so no complaints there, but my friend's order had some hits & misses. Her mushrooms were scrummy but unfortunately the poached egg was was not runny at all. They also forgot to bring out the coffees we ordered before our meal, we had to mention it when they bought over our food.<br/>Overall an average experience but they just need to be a bit quicker in clearing the tables and getting the orders just right.<br/>

always good service here, love the food and always a good vibe!!! we got the gnocchi, beef burger and duck salad, all tasted amazing, will definitely be back

The Block is always really good! Nice food, great chefs, and amazing service staff!!! Coffee is really nice and they serve craft beers on tap. The building is beautiful and I can't wait for summer to roll round so we can get back out on the front deck and enjoy the food, beer and sun. If the chef brings the prawn pasta back on the menu - order it! - it's beautiful !

Not recommended, has deteriorated a lot since it first opened a few years ago. The food was so good then, you couldn’t fault it. I used to proudly take people there, no more! My friend had a mediocre Eggs Benedict with bacon @ $20. She didn’t enjoy it but was hungry. I had a spicy horrible soup that tasted of heated chutney. I asked nicely for a bit more bread (I only got a measly tiny 2 finger size bits) and the bored looking waitress was going to charge an xtra $2 on top of the ripoff $15 for the soup. Yet, she offered a bit more yogurt!!!!!! Isn’t yogurt more expensive than a cheap bit of bread? Go figure. My outrageous $5 cappuccino was lukewarm and horrible. I will never be back. Up your game!!!!!!! The service was also non existent, and the food cabinet was nearly empty at 11.45am. Terrible place now.... Titirangi has far better cafes.... why go to The Block now?

Great menu, great coffee, always comes out fast and worth the money. Cool vibes especially when they have live music playing. Would definitely come back. I've been for a birthday dinner, casual lunch and breakfast.

Came here for brunch. The staff don’t really acknowledge you and the food portion was small. Coffee was good but took a while. Their new lunch menu looks great so will be back.

My partner, dad & myself went in last Friday just before lunch, we ordered our drinks (2 mocha's, one long black) which ended up taking 30-40min. Another half hour passed and we had to approach a staff member to order meals. We had the burger + fries and salmon eggs bene. The eggs bene was luke warm and they were pretty stingy with the salmon, burger was delicious.<br/>The staff were nice enough, one guy was a bit of a joker however the wait to be served was pretty ridiculous.

So i usually go to this place for a quick delicious latte. today i decided to pop in for some quick lunch i ordered a Latte and got a F/W the service  was very Rusty took ages for someone to come and take our ordered so i went to the counter and ordered there instead, Ordered another LATTE  and got another F/W and when i mention it to the waiter he said to me theres hardly any different between a F/W and a LATTE LOLZ UMMM  (YES) THERES IS ACTUALLY A DIFFERENT!! In the real world a latte done right should be more creamy then the F/W theres a certain thickness in the milk which brings the Flavour from the coffee beans out thats why its An (ART) the art its  not in the coffee is actually in the milk FOOD WAS AMAZING!! Had Mince on toast Simple but affective  Bene W SMOKED SALMON and my son had fish and chips..

Great place. Huge plates! The food is excellent. Great service. We went for a brunch with friends. Good music, good atmosphere. Definitely coming back.

Food there is great! I had the duck liver gnocchi and it was full of flavour and well seasoned. Gnocchi was soft and pillowy. They are very accommodating to allergies as well. The only let down is the wait time for food and drinks, which was longer than I'm used to, even for the lunch rush (20 mins for a coffee). But the wait was well worth the delicious food. If you have a big group, definitely book in advance.

This place is just lovely. The staff are friendly and warm, and the atmosphere of the place is welcoming and the decor is delightful. Hand made paintings and photos hang on the walls, which give it an authentic feeling to the overlay of the building. As with the food, it is absolutely delicious. I ordered the big block and it was truth to its size and well worth the money. As with the coffee, for me it was just right. This place is a must visit if your anywhere in Blockhouse bay and are looking for a bite to eat. Lovely staff, lovely food and coffee.

You know those times where you're slightly hungover, you're unsure what you want to eat, maybe something sweet, maybe something savory? ... Smoothie or an iced chocolate?  Or are you just gonna go with Coffee and an OJ?<br/><br/>It's first world problem time.<br/>You have money in your back pocket.<br/>An appetite that could rival Kim Kardashian's ass.<br/>You're unsure what food you want.<br/>All you know is you're not going to settle for average.<br/><br/>The Block.<br/>Indulge yourself.<br/><br/>Having experienced so many disappointments for Auckland brunch's, it's refreshing to be brought here for great, uncomplicated, well constructed, beautifully presented and superbly balanced dishes.  There is a dedication here that you do not find a whole lot.<br/><br/>The Michelin Guide awards 3 stars to restaurants it deems "exceptional cuisine that is worth a special journey".  I'm not saying The Block is 3 Michelin star worthy, but it is a long way from where I live and I would make that special journey time and time again.

We went to celebrate my wife's birthday last Sunday (10/6). We've been there a few times before and always enjoyed it. This day was, sadly, not one of their better showings.  We liked the food (as before) but the service aspect requires a serious "tweak". Yes, the place was busy but I think we've all been to places that are absolutely groaning with patrons and still they manage to get your meals out in a relatively short time.<br/>How long did we wait? I can't really say but I think that the general consensus would be no less than 45 minutes and I may be being generous here.<br/>Nobody came to ask "How are your meals?" and nor did they ask when we went to pay.<br/>I did broach the subject of the delay but was told "there have been a lot of people off sick" lately. I must try that excuse when I have to get something done on time...<br/>Oh, and our "compensation" for the wait?  A  coffee taken off the bill.

Yum, the food was great. The staff friendly and attentive. The soul bowl was a delight to find. The only complaint is one I’ve made before I. Other places. The ingredients were listed except for the cucumber. Now I hate cucumber. If it had been listed I’d have asked for it excluded but man it’s annoying when it turns up with every other listed ingredient. <br/>On the good side the staff took this well and said they’d fix it when the menu gets rewritten in the season change menu

Was so good to have something new in the area when this first opened.. the last couple times it’s been a hassle just being served as we’ve been left waiting & waiting. The food is great but the service could be abit better.

Had the most delicious fritters here with smoked salmon! Not usually one for fritters but after my friend recommended them, I gave it a go and wasn’t disappointed. Also really love that they had heaters on in the outdoor area and also blankets and cushions to keep you cosy!

This place is a classic. Awesome venue, great staff, absolutely fabulous food. Always a great vibe here, always hard to choose what you want from their large menu with all the variety you would want. <br/>I’ve had a lot from their menu and everything is just amazing! Can’t fault it.

Love the food, the service is good! Friendly staff and I love the atmosphere. I go there quite a bit and always love it! Only thing I don’t like is the iced mocha I had once it was jelly ish :/ also been on a Saturday morning brunch and there was live music it was such a good way to start the day. We ended up chilling there for like half the day :I eek!

Very friendly staff and amazing food. Loved our overall experience. Our coffee was amazing. Definitely going again. If you are in Blockhouse Bay then give it a try.

I used to live in Blockhouse Bay and having The Block open up was a bit of a refreshing addition to the town. Needless to say I have been here on many occasions and enjoyed above average pub food and a well balanced selection of drinks whether it is the coffee or the beer on tap. In fact I recall the potato bake they used to have was downright delicious and a great vegetarian option.<br/>Their ribs can border on decadent at times..meat is good at The Block.<br/><br/>The place has had it's ups and downs trying to focus itself and getting the staffing complement right.There is now a local flavor to the place with the wall space dedicated to local artists to display their works and good beer on tap.<br/>Great place to take the kids along for curly fries and a fluffy. Ladies will love the ginger beer, my wife does.<br/>My one grouch is that the beer needs tasting regularly to ensure it is has not turned funky. <br/>Putting my hand up as a beer taster!

The Block is a nice fancy touch to blockhouse bay shops if you are looking for a more classy cafe in the area. I do enjoy their plate sized hash brown meal and Peking duck tacos. A little pricey but the flavours are well good. Some advice for owners: please add some air con and maybe some salad cabinet food :)

Food was fantastic and the staff were warm yet efficient. I really enjoyed the atmosphere of this place and the coffee was of a high standard. I definitely recommend people give this cafe a go!

My sister took me here after a 12km run. Excellent food, lots of choice and great atmosphere. Will definitely be coming back and recommending to others!

bro. the block truuuly came thru with dis bad boi! i mean come on....CROISSANT french toast! can you believe???? not only do they deliver on the food front but the service is sublime! the staff are super chill and were more than happy to alter my meal so that it was vegetarian friendly :)) the block has ya gal champing at the bit to bounce back!

I came here for brunch last week - I reserved a table for six the week before which was no problem at all, and when we arrived it was clearly marked reserved for us. I had the duck tacos which were excellent! Lots of flavour and deliciousness. A friend received a stale croissant which was disappointing. We had to go to the counter and ask for water after about 15 minutes as nobody came to service the table. Otherwise it was pretty good

A hidden cafe/bar out west side. Im a sucker for fried chicken, so i tried their famous karaage chicken burger for lunch & it didnt dissapoint! Will definitely return :)

Have always loved The Block since I first time I went there, which would of been about 3 or so years ago. This time I tried sweet corn, pea, mint and feta fritters with a sweet chili jam 😋 taste was well balanced and nice... Simple and fresh xx<br/>The feta wasn't overpowering and the presentation was beautiful 😍😍😍<br/><br/>Thanks The Block for putting a different twist and flare on the good old sweet corn fritters 😂😂😂

Really surprised to see a place like this in Blockhouse Bay. Cool modern style, good to meet friends and have some drinks after work.<br/><br/>Staff is super friendly and menu is good with nice options of beef, pork, lamb, chicken and fish.<br/><br/>Everything I tried was good, and the chips came along with a yummy sauce. The sirloin was cooked to perfection, juicy and crispy fat.<br/><br/>Despite of the friendly staff I still think they can improve the service. It took us ages to get our water and the wine was hot (not room temp, hot).<br/><br/>

Truly impress with this restaurant!<br/><br/>Even my friends are impressed with this place especially when it situated in a neighborhood area.<br/><br/>This is not our local neighborhood but worth travelling from east just to try somewhere new.<br/> The block have the right amount of service, friendliness and delicious food that was serve beautifully.<br/><br/>And i do like the non-pretentious woody interior too. Overall..very happy and definately recommend this hidden gem.

Came here on Sunday. Had the eggs Benedict with kushiage fried chicken it was delicious. Definitely coming back. Great service from the friendly staff

I love this place, my partner and I always recommend it to people who don’t know where to go for brunch, they do an awesome mince on toast and have heaps of seating. Try it out!

The block.is always a lovely place to come. Some of the staff is okay. And just always a nice vibe. Bit of a long wait here but it's worth it. Yummy food !. Always look forward to coming here 😁

I went to the Block Cafe last Sunday for brunch. I ordered apple brioche, cauliflower, quinoa and kale fritters with mushroom and my boyfriend ordered plate sized hash brown with bacon. <br/><br/>Brioche was served first when I wanted it as a dessert but since I was really hungry I couldn't bother to complain and had it before the meal. It was actually quite good. Not to sweet but great apple and cinnamon flavour in a soft and buttery brioche. <br/><br/>I didn't quite like my fritter on the the hands. It was too floury. There was only one mushroom for that two big fritters. The menu description said it comes with chilli jam so I thought I would get a good chilli relish at least but the sauce was just a cheap sweet Thai chilli sauce. It was not very good. The sweetness of the sauce overpowered the entire plate. <br/><br/>Hash brown was good. Needs a bit more seasoning to it and next time I order I would order extra egg because one poached egg was not enough for a plate sized hash brown.

First time here. What took us? A well-kept secret! Excellent food, friendly service. I am fussy about coffee - and got it just like I like it: double shot, milky flat white and NO FROTH! Thank you Block for listening to your customers. We'll be back. Thanks, again.

Its my first time here with my husband and a friend. We all enjoyed our food. Surprised to find such a nice cafe in the suburb and will definitely go back there and try other dishes

WOW Hands down the MOST AMAZING Food Ever. The Breakfasts are to die for. Super food ingredients, tasty, well presented High Quality Food I've ever had. Deserves an Award. Staff are Great. DON'T CHANGE!!!!<br/>(p.s Try not to let it go to your head lol)

The service and ambience is top notch and coffee is very good - however we ordered eggs bene and I found it quite ordinary.. compared to some other places I have eaten at. The good thing is they have kids portions of most breakfast items - and the waffles were very enjoyable. Overall a nice enough place if only their food matched the service would be an easy 5 star!!

The food was really good but the service was pretty bad. We came for brunch on a Sunday around 1pm it wasn't as busy with a few empty tables around but it took 25 mins to get our orders taken and that was after one of us had to go up and get the waitress to come over. Then it took 50 mins for our food to come out. When we told this to the staff when paying they shrugged and didn't really care. Would I come back? Probably not there are way better cafes around Auckland. <br/>

Duck pasta was amazing!! I will come back for this. Fried chicken bene has been so hyped up, that it wasn't as good as I thought it would be but still yummy.

I loved it here. The staff were super friendly, food was delicious and it had a nice atmosphere. <br/>Got the fried chicken eggs bene (surprise surprise) and it was nothing like I ever had before. So weirdly interesting yet so deliciously satisfying. <br/>A little on the pricier side but would definitely go again.

Everytime I come here the food tastes different which sucks. I came recently and got the granny waffles and my mum got the plate sized hash brown and both tasted absolutely amazing, I went the next week with a friend and got the same things because I raved about how good they tasted and both dishes tasted nothing like they did the week before. we were so gutted! this had happened to me before too. Customer service is good, prices are standard. nothing to negative to say!

It's nice to have a good quality local business around. Most of the time I just go for the coffee, at $4.50-5 it's about an average NZ price but a notch above the average NZ taste/quality.Just been for brunch again this morning and I can't say it was as great as usual; the karaage chicken eggs bene was good, chicken was a bit dry and the english muffin slightly burnt. Mocha was nice!The staff are attentive 90% of the time, I think they are all locals which is nice. The Block definitely is a great place to catch up with friends and family. Would highly recommend it in the summer as the atmosphere is better suited to summer conditions. Also, the menu is seasonal, which is good if you like variety, but not so good if your favourite dishes can only be purchased during part of the year. (eggs bene is all year round, for all of you eggs bene fans).

Came here for a breakfast after reading good reviews about the place and the fried chicken benedict. I was pleasantly surprised by the vibe of the place and the service, and was expecting an awesome experience in there. Now onto the food~ ^^ The fried chicken bene left me a bit torn as there are still some room for improvement. Texture wise, the benedictine hits all the spot you could possibly ask from a humble eggs benedict. It came when it's still warm and fresh. The fried chicken was made really well, that it's still moist and crunchy even with such thin starch coating. There's a certain sauce lightly coating the chicken which reminded me of korean fried chicken sauce. The hollandaise was really creamy and not the least bit split, a hint of yuzu makes it a little bit more aromatic. The english muffin was lightly toasted and still fluffy (probably from the kumara in the dough?) And obviously, perfectly cooked poached eggs top it all of and makes this dish a perfect breakfast dish. Now onto the down part. The dish was a bit too lightly seasoned for me and it can seem a bit overpriced. The hollandaise didn't have enough acidity and salt in it, which kinda made it seem a bit greasy in your palate. Even though the muffin was really stunning, I can't get the fact out of my head that it was quite bland. A little bit of raw spinach that was put into the dish honestly, didn't really add anything into the dish. Otherwise, the short experience I had in here was top notch. The selection of sodas they have in here is pretty exciting in terms of flavour and really complement the food quite well. Was the food overpriced? Maybe. But needless to say, I would definitely come for more ;) (Onto the dinner menu next time!!!!)

Hidden gem tucked away in Blockhouse Bay, we went here for my birthday tea. A little bit price-y but it was worth every penny, food was definitely amazing! We had the dutch croquettes and pork dumplings for entrées, chicken karaage for mains and chocolate brownie with peanut butter and jelly ice cream. One of the best desserts I've ever had in Auckland. However, the service is not so good, we had to ask for them to clean up the plates after we had our mains and for the menu. Love the interiors, very rustic and cosy. Will definitely go back here for brunch :)

Loved it here. The friendly staff, good food and clean tables. The food is flavorsome, and tasty. A bit on the pricer side, however it's is worth it. Would defs go again.

Very funky atmosphere. Lovely food. We had dinner there. Just would have liked more options for kids. Next time I'd like to go back for a breakfast.

We came here for a brunch with some friends and had a fairly frustrating experience. It's a little confusing why only some tables were available for reservation but didn't have a time pressure so chose to risk it.<br/><br/>Upon arrival on a fairly busy Saturday it wasn't obvious whether to order at the counter or if someone would seat us. We eventually found some tables to pull together and cleared the plates ourselves. After about 15-20 minutes the first coffee came. Another coffee took about 40 minutes to get to the table after several queries. The staff seem to be unaware and lethargic - when the food arrived, we'd had to request cutlery and wait 10 minutes for it to arrive as the food was cooling. Requests of drinks with food were entirely ignored and the fries had a hair. Also had to ask for table water 3 times from 3 separate staff members.<br/><br/>Overall, the food was average to good. Hotcakes were great but the rest was about 6/10. The service was non-existent. <br/><br/>Dog and child friendly

If you're living in the bay, this is the perfect place for a catch-up!!<br/><br/>The atmosphere is always great - you always see a lot of people here.<br/><br/>When my friend and I went, we both ordered pasta on the side and some fries. My pasta tasted really good however a bit let-down by the price-portion ratio.

Great place for a meal, has a large variety for dishes suitable for any time of the day. Seating choice was impressive too, inside, outside or even in between! Tables were quite close to each other but because of how the restaurant is decorated and arranged it still feels very spacious. <br/><br/>Great food, right amount. <br/>Staff is very attentive, knows when they're needed straight away and always has a smile.

Good food!but not very good service.great on a Friday afternoon/night,definitely need to try if you haven't.Its a great local that all locals need to know about!

Good food and service. I had eggs bene just think that the Hollandaise sauce could be a bit tastier. My wife had the big block breakfast and it was very good. The toilet was a bit smelly but the place was quite busy so it's understandable. I love the atmosphere rustic and nice with in and outdoor tables. I recommend.

Went to this cafe as everyone has been harping on about it as the blocks best cafe, so the staff, customer service not to shabby but not the best, my food came before I got my coffee when we specified coffees first. My food wasn't seasoned, had no taste just felt like I was chewing hay, from that experience I have never gone back would rather drive extra or sit in a cafe across the road with better food.

Bought a slice this morning while the waitress was transferring them from baking tray to display tray. I was given the sides which is looking so pathetically small. Went back in the evening to return the slice & ask for refund. I was blamed why i didn't check the bag before i leave. Furious... should we check how our coffee taste before we leave too?? What a crap service!

This is a solid, appealing cafe, and my local.  Good, friendly staffing is critical, and apart from one or two disengaged male employees in a large, changing team, all in all, it's a pleasure to be in that spacious environment.  The coffee and kitchen food is always consistently good.

Visited on a Sunday for lunch as I had to try their raved about fried chicken eggs bene and it did not disappoint. I thought it might be a strange combination but everything went together really well. My partner had the Duck salad and also enjoyed his meal. <br/><br/>Friendly service, we were greeted straight away, orders were taken promptly and food arrived quite quickly. Couldn't fault this place.

Your local cafe, restaurant and bar nestled snugly in the heart of Blockhouse Bay. You can't miss them--you can hear them before you see them! Nicely decorated interior, friendly staff and prompt service. <br/>Portions are on the more intricate side for the price you pay though, and flavouring could be improved, but overall it's worth visiting!

I went on Sunday afternoon for some coffee and cake. The chocolate brownie was dry and coffee was almost like espresso.  My husband ordered a beer but he said it tasted really bitter so we had to leave. <br/>However the service was prompt and staff were friendly.

This place is spacious! I was expecting it to be very packed on a Saturday brunch time but we managed to find a seat. The service was great. I ordered a duck salad and bf got the banh mi. Both were delicious. The duck salad can be quite sickening after a while. Overall it was good

Always good food here! Missed out on trying the Fried Chicken eggs benedict. My partner tried the crab and i had the smoked salmon eggs benedict. Both were good. However the salmon portion was small and I had to ask for more benedict sauce. The Atmosphere is awesome, feels like you're away at a bach.  Will definitely come back again.<br/>Came back a second time and had the chili corn fritters, my partner tried the omelet with King fish I think it was. The corn fritters were really nice, would have been good with a little more chili to give it at least a little kick, but I would order it again. The omelette was super salty, and not very nice, we won't be ordering that again.

We went to The Block on our way home from Bird Rescue to grab a takeaway coffee and iced chocolate. The service was great, the young lady behind the counter was super friendly. The coffee was just the best! The decor was pleasing and the atmosphere was nice too. The music was slightly too loud and there were no Animal Product Free menu items but I would definitely have coffee here again.

I love the block. It's our local and we frequent here all the time. The food.ans the service is always on point and extremely well presented. Me and my partner happened to be there the morning they were screening the All Blacks vs Ireland game and so we stayed and watched the first half. It was great! The only downfall (which isn't really a downfall) is that it's always packed and very hard to find a seat unless you go super early or super late! And the coffee sometimes tastes too bitter or burnt, but that might just be the style of coffee. I'm not a connoisseur or anything so this doesn't bother me too much.

Came here for Sunday brunch, it was good that it wasn't super busy (heard good things about it so was expecting a wait). Ordered the corn fritters and French toast and it was pretty good, no bad thing about either dish and their coffee was on point too. Would love to come back and try their other things, was very difficult deciding what to get!

After hearing so much about the Block's fried chicken eggs bene, I knew I had to make my way on over to the famous Blockhouse Bay cafe. The decor makes you feel as if you are in a super trendy beach front house and the staff make you feel as if you are at home. Even though there was some road works right outside the cafe, it didn't even matter 😋. The menu has something for everyone, they even do a range of items in 'kid size'! Perfect for families or adults with little appetites 👪. The way I test if a cafe is up to scratch is through their eggs on toast - and let me tell you, they hit the mark 🐣. Definitely going to be making my way back here on a hot summers day ☀️

Local Cafe. Which is great. Food is fabulous. staff are alsom. The only thing is food is costly. But apart from that its a great place..Atmosphere is great.

Had a flat white on a late mid-week afternoon. Place is clean and cozy. It was quite quiet at that time which was perfect when I caught up with my friend.

Great little place! I ordered the hash with bacon/mushrooms and egg. This was so huge I couldn't even finish it but very delicious! The service was prompt and friendly plus the decor is great! Will definitely be back here to try more of the menu! :)

Love this place!! I'm a local and I always come here on Saturday's for coffees the coffees are really good I come here around 8:00am and I've never had a bad coffee. The staff at the block are really friendly and I've got to know them and good to talk to the atmosphere is really good and it's really busy in the weekends. I've came here also for a drink and the bar men are really good and friendly and give good tips on what's a good drink to buy!

From the get go the service we experienced was sub standard. It has taken a long time to convince friends it is worth coming out to Blockhouse Bay. How embarrassed we were. Firstly we are offered mulled wine and then told that they have run out so only a few of us can have our order filled. Our meals start coming out 1 hour 30 minutes after ordering. Even then one order has been left off. This takes another 15 minutes to arrive. The king prawns ordered by 2 of us do not have the half dozen prawns as stated on the menu. There are 3 with little ones hidden underneath the proper prawns. We do not get drinks service throughout the entire meal unless we ask. We are are then given coffee cards with a free coffee each for such poor service from the waitress. Regardless of whether we want coffees or not. One of us finally complains about service and prawns to the manager. He says he can only reimburse the drinks. Apologises for the coffee cards. Again no ordered drinks arrive. He offers desserts but we don't want them. We say we just want to be reimbursed for the prawns and delays. When we pay he refuses to compensate those of us who ordered prawns. The chef comes out and apologised and says yes, they did hide little prawns underneath the 3 prawns they delivered. We said that wasn't what we ordered and we want to be compensated. Then another young upstart comes out and starts arguing with us. He shoves one meal reimbursement into our hands but refuses to accommodate the other diners prawn reimbursement. This is only after one of us tells him she knows the owner and will be complaining. He follows us outside and argues with us on the street and when he refuses to listen starts to take photos of us. We respond by photographing him. <br/>This was the worst experience that our entire group had ever had in a restaurant. Those of us who live in the area were so apologetic to the people who had travelled so far to come to this cafe. <br/>The food was average. The service was the worst any of us had experienced. And we will all never come back to dine at a place where a group of inexperienced, arrogant and rude staff turned what should have been a good night into an experience we will never forget and will of course tell to all our friends. <br/>Shame on you for such inappropriate behaviour. Next time our friends will be invited to dine at Deco... Where we should have gone in the first place. 1/20 <br/>

very fast service. Excellent breakfasts and good food presentation. the décor is a little dated but is a pleasant atmosphere for a morning coffee.

First time dining here, the decor of the cafe is very nice.<br/><br/>Service was okay, not outstanding, the waiters could perhaps be a little more attentive. Food took a while to arrive and was more lukewarm than hot by the time it got to the table.<br/><br/>The shoestring fries were amazingly crisp regardless of it being quite cold, the flavour was nice. Mince on toast was yummy and serving size was huge, a little bit on the oily, salty side and left me a little thirsty. The wagyu burger was decent, uneventful but the freshness of the beef patty made it worth the price.<br/><br/>Definitely room for improvement in all aspects, but a nice cafe nonetheless.<br/><br/>

I used to eat at The Block Cafe regularly when I worked in the area, & it's great to see this spot continues to go from strength to strength. It is like a hideaway very close to a busy roundabout & with the indoor/outdoor flow there is plenty of room to spread out.<br/>Having seen their latest special on social media I decided it was time for another visit, and although for me this dish did not work, I am keen to return to explore more of the menu including old faves which I used to love. The beef salad, burger, sliders, & especially the Avo on 7 grain. <br/>Today it was a busy morning but service was relatively good throughout - not special, but friendly enough. Took a little while to order, but my food arrived quickly especially considering how busy they were, & even before my coffee.<br/>Coffee was very dark but not bitter & did not need sugar. Nice flavour.<br/>I tried the crumbed chicken eggs bene as I'd heard it was amazing - not so much in my opinion. I didn't enjoy it at all as a whole. The eggs were beautifully poached & muffin base a nice texture with seeds in it? Hollandaise with a tang of lemon. The problem lay with the chicken - a little greasy & with no flavour despite the coating. I'm not sure that I was expecting KFC flavours, more just flavour - it needed a squeeze of lemon, or some other herbs in the coating. It's not something I would order again - I would chose the bacon bene or one of the other dishes I have mentioned above.<br/>So my score somewhat reflects this dish, with the knowledge that it was a special & other dishes are that much better. Based on my previous experiences I would normally rate it at least a 4, and will happily review this after my next visit.

As you can tell i love the Eggs Benedict from The Block it never disappoints, i have gone to a few places to get eggs benedict but The Block by far is one of the best.  Drinks and customer service is also fabulous :)

Between 4 people we all ordered from the same 2 dishes, Eggs Benedict with Salmon and the Creamy Mushrooms for a Sunday brunch, The hit was definitely the Creamy mushrooms as the ones who ordered the Eggs Benny ended up scavenging from the ones with the Creamy Mushrooms. This has now become one of those places that we will probably only visit when we are craving a good dose of creamy mushrooms. Can't wait to go back!

We can to The Block Cafe this morning for one reason ... An excuse for me to have pork belly for breakfast. The coffee was great- strong and earthy. I had massive expectations for the pork belly Bennie, it was good, but not great- I think the bacon would have been the better option( you can choose). My partners Avo on 7 grain was spectacular - the mix of flavours was fresh and combined with the honey smoked bacon it hit the spot. We will be back soon !!

Been here twice now, once for breakfast and once for lunch. For breakfast I had the avo on seven grain and for lunch I had the beef and quinoa salad. Both options were amazing. The service however was a let down, a couple of the male waitstaff were especially rude and when we asked for water we...

Their special fried chicken eggs bene is totally worth the drive. Amazingly good coffee. I'm glad we were seated in their semi outdoorsie area, the indoors by the counter admittedly looked rather gloomy especially on a rainy autumn day. Unsurprisingly, our troop, including myself couldn't help our fear of missing out, ended up going for the signature fried chicken bene. We will definitely return for the other mouth watering items on their menu.

Have been here a couple of times now, both for breakfast and lunch. Have always found the service timely and friendly.<br/><br/>Breakfast - Eggs Benedict with bacon is a great start to the day, with the difference of the pumpkin seed bagel instead of muffin which is a nice touch, the hollandaise sauce is not the traditional mass produced overly creamy rich stuff you usually find.  Filling meal but not leaving you with a sick feeling full stomach.<br/><br/>Lunch - have taken my staff for lunch a couple of times and have all got something different.  Every meal was great, all leaving full and happy, again we had good service and good food.

I have been coming here for a while now and watched the menu change and get better and better. The latest menu is by far the best for what I like to eat. My favourite dish is the waffles,served with bacon banana and a delicious sorbet. Bacon comes out a little crispier than I like but I just ask for it to be cook not crispy and it's perfect. Highly recommended them as a different option to the usual French toast.

Great! Saw this place in an article on Urban List this morning for places with best blow out breakfasts. So naturally, on my only day off I wanted to see what got them on there. It was the Deep Fried Chicken Eggs Bene. Chicken bathed in its children, covered in breadcrumbs, deep fried, more eggs, poached and then covered with an egg sauce. A delicious chicken massacre! Yum!<br/><br/>It being a Sunday, The Block was very busy but we were able to get a table and our orders taken quickly. Coffees arrived not long after and food a bit of a wait but did not mind as we could see the kitchen was humming with dockets. <br/><br/>We also ordered the Waffles and Wagyu Burger. The Burger was 👌🏽. Waffles was great too. Waffles were served with banana, vanilla syrup, bacon and a lemon sorbet. The sorbet went well with the waffles. The syrup went well with the waffles but all together I felt the flavour left a sour taste in my mouth. Don't get be wrong, this maybe be a flavour that most people like but unfortunately it wasn't for me.<br/><br/>The staff here are lovely and this is a great cafe. We will be back again for sure.

Great food for two and awesome service. <br/><br/>We ordered the platter for 2 - very good spread of bites, the shoestring fries which had 2 dipping sauces (the aioli was good) and an Eton mess. <br/><br/>The service was warm and welcoming albeit it took a while for the food to get to the table. <br/><br/>Highly recommended - definitely come back!

I came here for lunch today for the first time and really enjoyed my meal! It's great to see a high-end, trendy, cafe open in the area, I think it was just what Blockhouse Bay needed. <br/><br/>I ordered the buttermilk waffles with grilled banana, mandarin sorbet and bacon. I loved the waffles which were fresh, light and crispy, the mandarin sorbet was amazing. I'm a huge fan of sorbet and the texture and flavour was perfect. <br/><br/>My fellow diners, ordered the beef burger and big breakfast - they all thoroughly enjoyed their meals! Service was reasonable, if anything staff could be a bit more attentive and more friendly/outgoing.<br/><br/>The setting, ambience and decor was perfectly cosy. I would definately return again.

Been too The Block twice now, <br/><br/>Always great food, and the service is great, would highly recommend! Eggs bene is great love the home<br/>Made muffins , bacon + pork belly eggs bene is great.

I had a really great first impression of The Block however when I went back the menu had changed and I found had less to choose from. I had the eggs bene and my eggs werent nearly cooked enough and the hollandaise was very watery. But overall a very awesome place to eat. Would love to see the 'Something Healthy' back on the menu!

My partner and I ended up having lunch here on a Sunday after somewhere else was closed and we went for a random drive but it definitely all worked out for the best. Such a wonderful place. The staff were very attentive, our drinks took less than 10 minutes to arrive and the food was on the table within 20, although it was rather busy. I had the fish & chips and my partner had the burger. Both were reasonable prices and tasted really good but I should have ordered a salad on the side of my meal. The iced chocolate was one of the best I have ever tasted, wonderfully bitter! Will recommend to anyone who finds themselves in Blockhouse Bay :)

We were looking for a newplace to eat near the blockhouse bay road. We had found this place. We visited there for lunch today. They have changed their menu, but the food was absolutely fantastic.

Very good overall. <br/>creative menu. Tasty incredients. <br/>different options for seating including outdoor covered benches and tables.<br/>Good service. Not pricey at all.<br/>highly recommended.

Loved this place! <br/><br/>I came here for lunch with my fam. None of us had been before so it was a first for all of us. I had heard good things about The Block Cafe, and we were in the area, so decided to check it out. <br/><br/>First impression of the cafe was great! It's a cute little joint situated in the heart of Blockhouse Bay so it's hard to miss while driving down the main road. It was a hot day and all doors were open, letting the breeze flow through. All the decor, fittings and fixtures worked well with the overall look and suited the atmosphere well. <br/><br/>Back to food; mum had ordered the corn fritters, dad ordered a breakfast with a potato rosti, my brother ordered the squid salad and I ordered the chicken chimichanga. My dish was amazing! If you don't know what a chimichanga is, it's pretty much just a deep fried burrito. The filling was great and it was topped with sour cream and guacamole. I highly recommend this dish! Everyone else loved their meals - each meal was flavoursome and wholesome, leaving us all feeling satisfied. I was absolutely stuffed after the chimichanga! <br/><br/>The cafe is also opened during the evening for dinner. I believe the dinner menu is different from the lunch menu. <br/><br/>This place is a must if you're in Blockhouse Bay or if you're just on the hunt for a decent meal!

We came here for my early birthday lunch! Was quite busy when we went but managed to get table. My friend got the miso ramen (8/10) the ginger was too overpowering but despite the ginger she really enjoyed in dish. She also got an ice coffee to go with it (9/10).i got the bacon eggs Benedict (6/10) the eggs Benedict could've been better because one of the eggs were slightly overcooked and i wasnt a big fan of spinach but other than that i enjoyed it very much. I also got the fejioa and apple smoothie (9/10) we would definitely come back again and try their dinner menu because the atmosphere was so cosy and they had fairy lights so we want to see how it is at night.

Lunch with the family. Food was excellent. Wagyu burger was very juicy and had some really big flavours. Probably the tastiest burger I've had in Auckland. It really was worth the trip alone.<br/>Corn fritters were also really good. Excellent flavour and a big serving.<br/>Smoothie was a bit plain and the serving 'board' was a bit impractical for the burger. <br/><br/>Only thing keeping me from scoring this place a 4.5 was the ambience. As it is a bar type establishment it smelt a little like stale beer in the outdoor area. <br/><br/>Will definitely return. <br/>

Wonderful new restaurant. Came here for lunch on a lovely warm summery day. Generous meal sizes, all our dishes were fantastic, along with the carrot cake after! Good service, great atmosphere. Lovely and spacious too. Will defenitley come here again and recommend to lots of friends! Loved it.

YaMarnis We ordered Eggs Bene and Mochas. VERY good food! The eggs were cooked perfect! The hollandaise sauce wasn't the best so is the only reason I scored it a 4.5 instead of a 5 :) Great coffee and service! A bit pricy but money well spent :)

Well what can we say... Hard to fault anything about this Cafe. We ordered eggs Bene and have to say we were impressed by the set up staff and other clientele enjoying themselves. Well done.

had breakfast here last Christmas and it was really nice, really nice staff and just a perfect location in the bay. would definitely recommend it!

Visited the block for a brunch today, I ordered the chilly calamari salad and my partner had the block big breakfast, my meal was really yum! Could of had a bit more calamari to balance with the generous amount of salad but was overall really yummy, could taste a strong taste of ginger I think it was?? The big breakfast was a bit over priced for the size it was but enjoyable :) good atmosphere and very friendly staff! Wouldn't mind going back to try more meals!

Came here tonight to celebrate my birthday! Staff looked after us really well and made us all feel welcome! Food was great and looked amazing. Turned up and the tables weren't how we wanted them so they were happy to let us move them which was awesome! Thanks for looking after us tonight the service and food was great!

Sunday brunch here last weekend. What an unexpected treasure of a place. Much roomier and well laid out than the outside would indicate . Really good coffee which we finished before the meals arrived but that was fine , we just had another round! <br/><br/>Four different dishes for our party and everyone was very satisfied with their choice. I had the Mac and beans which had to be passed to one of the males in the group to finish. Very tasty but deceptively filling. Good attentive service from the young wait staff. Will definitely come back.<br/><br/>

I loved my breakfast it was delish! I got the 'something healthy' with house smoked salmon. My brother got the corn fritters which were also very impressive and so fluffy!! Service was good, however not overly impressed by the coffee. Overall would definitely recommend 😊

Breakfast is average, for dinner i had a soup which was bland and not worth my money. However, the dark chocolate cheesecake with raspberry couli and icecream was to die for! Definitely recommend this for all the cheesecake lovers. Good location and great customer service ☺

Venturing out to Blockhouse Bay is not something I do often but recently my friends and I have started doing hikes around Waitakere Ranges in West Auckland and what a great opportunity to start discovering the cafe scene out west. Surrounded by rather run down shops on the main road, The Block stood out with it’s spacious outdoor dining area and modern exterior.

Went for brunch, good to see the lunch menu available. Excellent food, and pretty good coffee, tho no hot water with the long black unless requested. Let down by some tardy service, as other tables that had arrived after us had their order taken first.

I had heard a lot of positive feedback about this cafe from friends and family, so I thought I'd pop in. Firstly I am so happy about how early it opens, I often find myself in the weekend waiting around waiting for places to open early in the weekend. <br/><br/>We managed to get a park outside the place which was good. Staff were friendly, super quick and attentive. Great coffee, creamy and strong. <br/><br/>There were so many choices on the menu, it was difficult to choose. The menu has some brilliant taste combinations. The classics were there such as mince on toast. <br/><br/>The meals were put together beautifully, with good sized portions and timely. The only downside was I thought the meals could have been hotter. <br/><br/>I will come again and make my way through the menu.

Decent food and decor, but a few other things could use a bit of work.<br/><br/>For most of us the food was delicious and filling. Confit Duck is worth trying. One dish though was a bit too small for the $18 cafe lunch price tag - the sliders, so tiny they should have been advertised as an entrée.<br/><br/>Some of the tables are in fairly drafty areas, even on a sunny day in September, there are heaters running but the draft was still too overpowering when anyone opened the main door. Menus would flutter. We asked to be moved and found a nicer table in the semi outdoor area.<br/><br/>It was a little busy but not 100% capacity for our Saturday lunch. The staff seemed a bit too flustered though, not overly warm and welcoming. They got a few things wrong - forgot one of the coffees and brought the wrong juice for someone else. Didn't offer us water, hard to get attention for desert, wouldn't clear table when it got cluttered after quite a bit of food between four. Nothing terrible but you can get much better service in same price range.

First time at The Block Cafe & I was pleasantly surprised at how great it was. The staff were lovely & polite & the ambience was nice. Food & coffee was delicious. However we got seated in the middle which felt a little cramped - but then again, it was a Saturday morning so it was pretty full. Would definitely go back 😊

Been here once. great establishment for the area...pity my scallops were undercooked and i asked for sparkling water to which the waitress gave me a 1.5litre bottle of antipodes.

I go to the Block often it has great food hawkes bay pilsner is one of the best beers i have ever drank the staff are top notch i look forward to friday very happy hard looking biker guy.

Been here several times now, great service, great food. Also has a nice range of craft beer. Well worth a visit for any meal of the day.

The plate sized hash brown, quesadilla, fries, omolette and ALL cookies and cakes are fresh and mad etc perfection. The prices may be a bit high. But the food is well worth it. My favourite item on the menu is their iced coffees. They make THE best! The reason I rated it average though, is because the staff haven't been friendly in the times that I've been there. And the wait time can be ridiculous.

Great food , nice service! The only downside is the parking on a busy day but I love The Block! Always worth a try and worth the trip out if you don't live out west. I love the classic eggs benny and the steak! And it's great that it's open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

We go to The Block on a regular basis and sometimes the service can be a bit inconsistent but it is generally very good. It's always busy with a great atmosphere on a sunny day due to the fantastic outdoor areas. It's dog friendly on the front deck which is a bonus for us. Don't expect fine dining but food is above average and if you're local, it's brilliant and makes Blockhouse Bay a great place to live. With a good drinks list and NZ craft beers, the Block is also perfect for a couple of cheeky drinks in the afternoon. It's our local and we love it because of that.

-everything about the block cafe is a 4/5, nothing is spectacular but everything is above average <br/>-cooked breakfast was tasty, well balanced and didn't taste gluggy or fatty<br/>-bright, contemporary and clean premises<br/>-you won't be disappointed if you are needing something to eat in blockhouse bay<br/>-prices are pretty reasonable for what you get

We visited for lunch on a whim and were thoroughly impressed with the food.  The lamb salad and smoked mac'n'cheese exceeded our expectations and we most certainly will be returning.<br/><br/>You chef is a rockstar, give him a payrise!

The Block is a cafe that's very close to me and is always bustling with people- it's a very popular store and beautifully furnished.<br/><br/>The food is averagely priced, as in its comparable to most other places. I have had tea and coffee there, and unfortunately I am not a coffee snob and can't tell the difference between good coffee or bad coffee sorry :(<br/><br/>The food I thought was also very normal- I was not disappointed but I was not wowed either. You get what you expect, although the wait for our food was quite long- long enough that one of us had to move their car while waiting because most of an hour had been eaten up by waiting.. Eaten... Is that a pun? Good service and atmosphere, a great set up for a neighbourhood cafe. Would probably come back here again since I live around here!

Had a very average flat white last week. Weak (single shot?) and the espresso shot was underextracted. The milk was too foamy and not quite hot enough (I'd estimate it was about 50-55 degrees, when it should ideally be 60-65). This was compounded by the indifferent service. The barista was talking to a guy when I ordered, and she kept on talking to him as I waited. Even if the conversation was one she had to continue, she should either have apologised to me for the wait or, preferably, multitasked. The fact that she lacked the confidence or ability to make a flat white and talk to the guy at the same time is quite telling. Not an experienced barista. Overall, disappointing and complacent. Won't be back.

We've been here a number of times and each time it is always a fantastic place to come as they have very friendly service and lovely food. What's even better is they update their menu to match the season. It's great having this cafe so handy!😀

Friendly, efficient and on-to-it service. Awesome coffee. Extremely tasty food (block bacon is well worth the extra $2), considered. My new local!

Good standard cafe fare. Service not overly warm. I had poached eggs on ciabatta which was ok but nothing special with a few stringy bits off the eggs and yolks nearly cooked too much. Dog friendly with a good sized outside area.

This place is awesome! My local yes sure but the service and the ambience and decor is quite cool, the have quality chefs and some top coffee. The staff are always friendly and very prompt is their service. Would recommend going there for a sunday brunch or an everyday coffee definately my go to!

The Block Cafe is a relatively new opening and is just what was needed to make Blockhouse Bay a little more exciting.<br/><br/>I've only ever been for brunch, but the food has been good, my go-to eggs Benedict are always cooked perfectly and the bacon is nice and crispy. <br/><br/>The service can be quite slow, and sometimes they get orders muddled up but the staff are always friendly.

The Block Cafe is the perfect place for breakfast and lunch (haven't tried their dinner meal). They have a great variety of meals and everything I've tried so far taste and look amazing. I'm not crazy about their coffees but that won't stop me from visiting regularly. I would recommend it to everyone in the area :)

nice place with wonderful food@The Block

I've been here a fair few times and I've really fallen in love with the place. The vibe is lovely, and the food is even better. I have to add, that the service time has consistently been an issue and were it not for this element, I would have rated this place a 5. It does get very busy so be prepared for longer wait times than your average brunch place. That being said you will not be disappointed because it is worth it. Healthy and yummy breakfasts, good live music, and a kickass beer selection (on tap to boot!). Love going down to the waterfront/ coastal walks after a lazy brunch!

I was recommended this place by a friend and it did not disappoint. I opted for the 'heathy choice' breakfast which was absolutely delicious, my friend had the large hash brown Etc which again looked great and tasted great I was assured. The service was cold and at best polite which was a shame because I would have considered maximum points had it been as good as the breakfast. Well done chef, your food is great.

We used to be regulars here but it’s changed with the new owners and it’s not the same....<br/>Great place to go for breakfast home made hash browns a must to add to your choice... Service is ok... Can get busy with the locals but plenty of seats<br/>

Oh gosh I love this place! It's such a great place for a laid back brunch/lunch. The confit duck is my favourite, but everything i've tried so far has been yummy. The staff are very friendly and service good. Sometimes the wait times for food can be a little longer than "normal" but drinks are usually pretty quick.

Growing up in Blockhouse Bay and going back to visit this place is really cool. I've enjoyed all the meals, the coffees have been good and service not so bad. For the burbs its pretty a okay 👍 Its only been summer we've visited and we like the outdoor seating areas.<br/>Latest visit: The spicy pumpkin and lentil soup was filling, full of flavour and just the right spiciness. Mother enjoyed her fish and chip make shift meal. And daughter liked her creative haulomi dish. Our coffees were fantastic.<br/>The service was done without brains as in is it necessary to have your damned arms and elbows in my mother's face and reaching inches away from her face while presenting dishes, not once but three times!!! Plenty of room by each diner to place each meals.<br/>Seriously get some manners, brains or both when serving paying guests.

A group of 10 of us went to lunch and the service was pretty quick.  The food was really tasty.  I had the Crisp Potato Skins which very really crispy and had lots different flavours and textures with the cheese and the chili jam.   It was a big serving so had to share it with someone else.  Good food, good value and nice relaxed atmosphere!

Good place, good vibe, prices aren't too expensive. They also have live acoustic music. If this had the views of Blockhouse Bay it would be perfect!

This morning I wanted something different for brekkie so I ordered the Mac 'n' beans. Bacon was nice and the crust around the Mac had a pleasant crust. Was a very nice combination with the baked beans. Great atmosphere with beautiful paintings hanging for the public to view, even purchase. Pricey brekkie for its size so it'll def be a one off for me

Had breakfast here on a Saturday morning recently and enjoyed the atmosphere of this cafe. I ordered the "something healthy" with bacon which was $18.00. The poached eggs were perfect however the rest of the meal was lacking, avocado was spread so thin I could barely taste it, bacon was overcooked and difficult to chew. A bit pricey for what I received however coffee and service was good.

Nice food shame about the service.. The Block is lovely restaurant with excellent menu. However, each visit I can't help but feel a little disappointed by the poor service. <br/><br/>This morning for example, we ordered meals from the menu, 20 minuets later we are told half of our order is not available as from the lunch only menu! Nothing on the menu to highlight time restricted dishes, that's just poor. <br/><br/>Otherwise, if you can get over the poor service and miserable staff the food is fantastic and reasonably priced. <br/><br/>So close to being an outstanding, but needs work on the basics of service.

I go here at least once a month. I think for the location and setting, it's actually pretty good. I always get good service. Yes perhaps food is a tad expensive, but hey a business needs to survive.<br/>

Was expecting good things after seeing some good reviews but was unfortunately let down. After waiting over 45 minutes for our food we thought they could redeem themselves if in fact it was good. My scrambled eggs arrived drenched in butter and without the side bacon I requested. When the bacon came half of it was overcooked and the other half barely cooked. My bf's plate sized hash brown was more like soggy potato with burned egg and mushroom on top. They did however take both meals off our bill after we told them about our issues. Despite this we won't be returning to give it another shot.

Was here for brunch last Saturday. Environment is so good, relax and comfortable. The food presentation is good and taste wonderful. Coffee is also lovely.<br/>I must go back again shortly.

Excellent food ! Amazing coffees! Great service! Been here twice and on both occasions, I have not been disappointed :)<br/>Great job guys ! ????????

Was here right before Christmas with 3 other friends for a catch up over brunch. we all live around the area (and have been for a very long time now) and did not realise there was such a nice cafe here! Minus points for us. <br/><br/>I found this place browsing Zomato, and thought we should give it a try. We definitely have no regrets. <br/><br/>There are lots of street parking, plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. We chose an outdoor table to enjoy the warm summer sun. Our food and drinks came out really quickly and we all loved the food! Although I could have eaten double those beautiful sliders, it was probably a good idea not to (or I would probably burst). I am looking forward to go back to try the other dishes on the menu as my picky friends only had good things to say about their choices.

Highly highly hiiiighlllyy recommend getting the feijoa and mango smoothies! I get these everytime I visit this restaurant :) I also recommend getting the duck fetucinne if you like pasta.

I regularly visit The Block :) It is close to home and the service is great!! Food is AMAZING!! And the smoothies are to die for! Never disappointed with this place, and food is always presented well! Prices are little much, but the quality of food makes it worth it.

The Block is our local and we go here if we really need too. The food is good and the smoothies are great also but I find the place to be a little bit over priced but thats cafe food I guess.

The worst service ever. We waited for 10minutes to get the menu ourselves and no one came to take the order, and people who walked in after us got the menu instantly and the guy went over to take the order.

We came here for Sunday lunch and brought my grandmother. Being of a different generation she wasn't keen to try anything on the menu and asked for a salad sandwich (not on the menu or in the cabinet). The staff didn't miss a beat and made her a custom sandwich like it was no trouble. We really appreciated how accommodating they were, especially at such a busy time. <br/><br/>Our meals were delicious and the service was excellent - highly recommend.

I absolutely love this place and the staff are always so polite and helpful<br/>The food is always beautifully presented and the taste is equally as great <br/>Would highly recommend ✔️

I went to this cafe in the weekend and fell in love with it. We would normally go all the way into town for a meal but we decided to try something more closer to home. We will 100% be going here from now on with such a Great location, amazing food, friendly staff and fast service. <br/><br/>I highly recommend everyone to try it out, you won't regret the trip! <br/>

Been here lots and have always really enjoyed the menu food (haven't eaten from the cabinet). Sometimes the table service is a little lax especially when you sit outdoors but otherwise very good

The Block is a great eatery in Blockhouse Bay - hence the name, bringing a casual atmosphere for that laid back meal. For this occasion we chose to come for brunch however I will be returning for lunch or dinner after seeing what other diners around us had ordered. <br/><br/>TBH what we ate would be a really good hangover meal. The Block serves as a real man's meal giving you everything you want for breakfast. The bf said the baked beans were great as they had a more barbecued flavour and thought the stuffed mushroom was something different! I couldn't ask for more. Everything on the sunrise sandwich was cooked perfectly and satisfied exactly what I was craving. The only issue I have is the name of the meal haha - sunrise sandwich is just odd. The meals are served hot, and quickly and although they aren't amazing they are a great size and great value for money. You get what you expect whilst tasting goood. The Block isn't trying too hard to be anything its not. Also I give them a plus for table service.<br/><br/>Rating<br/>Food: 7/10<br/>Service: 8/10<br/>Value for Money: Very Good<br/><br/><br/>568 Blockhouse Bay Road, Blockhouse Bay<br/>Opening Hours: <br/>Mon-Tues 7am-5pm<br/>Weds-Sat 7am-10pm<br/>Sun 7am-5pm

Table for 6 on a Friday night.  We were a hungry lot and ready to devour everything in sight.  Our table ordered the aged hereford prime scotch, the slow roast pork belly, confit duck leg, 3 x pizzas, sliders, a bowl of string fries and lots of wine, beers and soft drinks.  Needless to say, we wolfed it all down and there wasn't a single morsel left.  It was an absolutely delicious meal.  The service was top notch and we stayed right til closing time.  In fact, we had to be reminded a few times that they were closing.  Doh!  This is the third time I've dined here and I've always had excellent service and satisfying meals.

Love this place.<br/>The food is absolutely delicious and although the staff aren't in-your-face attentive, they do their jobs and are friendly enough when you speak to them.<br/><br/>Delicious coffee, awesome atmosphere and the duck fettuccine is amazing.

Fantastic atmosphere and service but the food... that was next level! I had the confit duck fetticine with masala sauce. It was up there one of the yummiest meals of my life. Highly recommend!

Thank you to Sam and the waitresses who made Saturday night a memorable one. The service and food were fantastic. There was 18 of us and all meals arrived together and everyone commented on how good the food was. A great night and so appreciate the fact you helped to make it that way. Cheers

I just wouldn't go there.<br/><br/>After waiting for about 10 minutes I had to ask if I could order a pot of tea &amp; 10 minutes later I had to ask where my pot of tea was.<br/><br/>No water was forthcoming, so I when to the area which looked like a water station and all of the jugs were empty.<br/><br/>No-one ever took a drink order from us. We were going to order wine and beers, so that never happened.<br/><br/>Our food was lacklustre as if it had been sitting under lamps for too long.<br/><br/>All the empty tables around us were covered in dirty plates.<br/><br/>There seemed to be plenty of staff around, but not doing much. I can only assume that the people of the West do not know any better because for the life of me I cannot fathom how this place has survived.<br/><br/>Very poor indeed

My husband &amp; I have just got home from having a beautiful meal at The Block Cafe. I had the Crispy Fish with a Side Salad and it was beautifully displayed on my plate and was just the right amount, my husband had the Steak, egg and chips with the holendise sauce medium rare and it came out exactly as he wanted it, the service was excellent, we arrived there at 6pm and we would out of there by 7:15pm, we will certainly be going back there, they young girls were very polite and nothing was too much for them, any request you asked of them was followed through with no hiccup, congrats guys keep up the good work.

May 2013 I took a relative to ‘The Block’ for a treat, we were using a gift voucher. When we walked in, the stereo was pounding and it was very hard to hear, about 5 staff were clustered around the kitchen door playing with phones and gossiping. We, and 2 other customers, waited about 4min until I called out to ask if we could please be served. We were sulkily shown a table inside, near a window. The louvre windows do not provide any protection from people smoking outside and I asked to be moved, however, the new table was even worse. When we looked outside there was a group of young people smoking about 5 feet from the door. While we read the menu we had asked for a jug of water but it took about 20min to arrive and nobody came to ask if we wanted to order. <br/>Disappointed, we asked to see the manager. The waitress shrugged and got the owner. We explained our disappointment, we also said, given the modern world we live in where it's being promoted ‘uncool’ to smoke – many eateries Nationwide reducing 'smoking tables' but the smoking area 'The Block' provides seems all of the deck and it is very close proximity to the inside area – it doesn't protect non-smokers and is unfair if customers bring their kids with them. The stereo is deafening and the staff just stand on phones and ignore customers (the table we first were shown had to be cleared before we sat down and the plates looked like they’d been there awhile there was a dead fly in the cold coffee cup) The owner was very abusive and loudly told us if people didn't want to be near smokers they should sit inside, it was people's choice to bring their kids, if they didn't like it they could go somewhere else and the "young people have a right to sit and smoke if they want, they are not harming anybody". We were told if we didn't like it we were "free to …off somewhere else" he didn't "need customers who complained". I told him his attitude was disgusting and the BHB community is used to better service and manners. It was a shame the place over the road had closed as they were far better customer-orientated. The owner rudely (and proudly) announced that he'd put them out of business because they couldn't handle the competition. We explained we had vouchers and it was unfair we couldn't use them - the owner refunded the full value of the vouchers (his only ‘plus’ service, then loudly told us he didn't want to see us in his restaurant again.<br/>Feeling shaken but proud of ourselves for standing up to the 'bully' owner – we went to the cafe across the road (see my other review). <br/><br/>We visited 'The Block' about a month ago to see if it had changed at all - but it was even louder and the smoking still goes on, the food is still overpriced and the service still sucks big time!! We left without ordering and went to our 'usual' after all… 'The Block' gives Blockhouse Bay a bad taste!

Given this place a few chances but won't be back. Twice I have been charged full price for requesting vegetarian eggs benedict. And feel I have been given a meal the same just minus the bacon, salmon or pork. I'm still also never sure if I am meant to order at the counter or if a waiter will come around. Service is not so great. Food is not bad but it's expensive and the building gets no sun until well after lunch. Wait times for meals seems long also.

Not bad at all, slightly skeptical regarding the terrible reviews, however it seems they had a refurbishment of staff attitudes, and lighting. Last year, the lighting was ridiculously dim indoors, they ve since opened up another space and included more natural lighting, looks great, love the open deck look. Long black was decent, not the best, but average to above average, extraction could be better. The soy cappucino, was lovely, the full bodied coffee flavors complemented the gentle nuttiness of the soy. The foam was finely steamed. Had a BLAT, sandwich , simple recipe but delicious, overall worth going. Service was good.

Took my mom and dad here, up from Wellington, and I was really pleased with this cute little café. Lovely young staff and the food was quickly served and very tasty. Happy customer and will be back again! Thanks

Really great, we went for a casual evening meal with a glass of wine. The staff were attentive, friendly, without being imposing, and had excellent wine and menu knowledge. The food was wonderful and everything was delivered in a timely fashion and enjoyed in pleasant surroundings. Couple this with sensible pricing and it's hard to beat.<br/><br/>I would like to update my review. I was dreading the 'Mother's day brunch !" It has been a horrid experience for as long as I can remember . Today seven of us went to the Block . It was a full house . The staff were calm and attentive, the food was superb, and there was absolutely no pressure to finish and leave . I really couldn't fault the outing . We were outside in the newly covered area with the bar, which in itself is very pleasant. Thanks to all the staff,. Great

Terrible coffee, terrible service, staff are rude and unattentive, saw them playing on their phones, even the chef was playing on his when tables of customers were waiting for their orders. When I asked how long my order was going to be the guy said he'd go and find out but he never bothered to come back to let us know.<br/>Worst café I've been to.

Looking at the previous reviews, I find it very hard to believe that we visited the same cafe? Not only did I get immaculate service, from all of the staff members, the food and coffees were also delicious. <br/><br/>I don't think most people realise that the coffees are standard two shots, not one! As the lovely girl at the counter informed me about! <br/><br/>I am not a regular, but the woman in front of me in the line was, and the girl behind the counter knew her order off by heart which I think is great customer service! I was greeted with a warm welcome and she was so polite which is rare to find in some young people.<br/><br/>I would definitely recommend this cafe to all my friends and to anyone looking for a good coffee and meal!

I have visited The Block on more than one occasion hoping that each time I went back the coffee and service would be better. This has not happened they cannot make a proper latte or flat white due to the fact they have untrained staff making the coffees.<br/><br/>My last visit just confirmed how badly run this cafe is !<br/>I ordered a coffee and scone with my sister, after 30 minutes we still had not received either! What really surprised me is that we and another couple were the only people in the cafe so being "rushed off your feet" was not the excuse.<br/><br/>When visiting the cafe I have witnessed the many staff talking and playing on their phones, when ordering or should I say waiting at the counter to be served I have had to wait why two staff stand talking to each other and totally ignore me the customer.<br/><br/>The attitude of the staff sucks they are unprofessional and more interested in looking the part. The owners of this cafe will not last unless they get off their backsides and actually run the cafe as a business.<br/><br/>It is a shame to have such a badly run cafe in a nice area, perhaps that is why the inside is so dark so that no one can really see what is happening?<br/><br/>I personally will no longer visit The Block and many of my friends and neigbours in the area feel the same. We have all gone back to other cafes which have a far better attitude along with good service.

First visit today for lunch around 12.30pm 04/01/14, waited for more then an hour, very disappointed. Waiter told us did not expect to have so many people turning up for lunch today??? Isn't that what running a business expected?? I had the Snapper and chips for lunch was very nice my table number was 28. You have to be very patient to visit this place for your meal.

My team chose this place for our Christmas dinner. There were more than 20 of us and we were all excited to have this dinner. The management has requested to pre-order our menu which we did a day before. We arrived at this place 7 pm and we ordered our drinks. Only one very lovely mannered girl was serving all of us. We waited and comes 9pm we still did not get our pre- ordered menus. I asked how long are we still going to wait for our meal, because I was really hungry. What was the reason that a pre-ordered menu would take more than 2 hours to prepare. The girl said if I would like to cancel my order then? She also offered me if I want coffee, or a piece of cake? I declined for I wanted to have my proper meal first. We decided to speak to the Manager, she came and she has no reason to give about the delay. She said she could not even get into the kitchen to get some bread for us for reasons I do not know. I asked for my order to be cancelled and I went home famished and disappointed. We came to this place to enjoy our Christmas party but we got a very poor and unacceptable service instead. By the way the pre-ordered meals started arriving @ 9:30pm. The saddest part is we were all looking forward to have an enjoyable evening but it turned out to be a disaster. Maybe the Manager should go around and check on customers, it might help if she says hello and see what is going on, instead of just being there when there is a complaint. The Block Cafe you have ruined our Christmas party, we were there to enjoy your pricey menus not to starve..the 20+ of us has vowed never to set foot in this place again....SAD!

I think everything is a bit overpriced. <br/>Food is beautiful though. <br/>Lovely outdoor seating but sadly inside is very dark! I guess that explains why everyone (myself included) sits outside.<br/><br/>Staff need to remember to smile more and not text in front of the till while customers are around...

I come here often and I love the food, atmosphere... But I must say the coffee was really bad. Ordered a long black and a flat white. Flat white didn't have enough milk and the coffee itself was just so badly made!! We couldn't drink it all so we just left. I love your food but if you can't fix your coffee then I might have to change my direction. Please do something about it!!!

My partner and I (both great coffee lovers) came here last weekend and I am so very sorry to say that we were both extremely upset with our coffees. <br/><br/>Seriously this neck of the woods needs a good coffee shop. We both read wonderful reviews about this place and must admit we had high expectations as we parked our car and walked in. Alas we were downright angry with the quality and just so that you know your muffins are seriously in need of a close look at either the recipe or baking because they were not that great either.<br/><br/>On the plus side the location is good with good access to parking and the overall ambiance is ok.

What a hidden gem right in the heart of Blockhouse Bay..The Block Café.. Fantastic service by the very attentive staff and the lovely Sheree.. We visited on a Friday night our meals were well presented, yummy to die for Steak and Caesar salad and felt very pampered by the friendliness and great atmosphere this place exudes....Your crew did a top job making us feel special... Thanks guys!

Very friendly staff and beautiful range of wines. We got very bad customer service from Barefoot Cafe and in fact they told us to try you guys (thinking we might not like you guys and go back there) but guess what?? They have lost their regular customers...we are so coming back to you guys...loved the coffee and the service. Well done guys.

What a great find! Not only great for kids but a possible date spot too! Our boys were so impressed with the kids' hot choc that they asked to go back every Sunday! <br/><br/>This place will get 5 stars when they find a solution for the cold metal barstools with no foot rests. <br/><br/>Love it!

We haven't been to Blockhouse Bay since last year. Went back today to document another walk, and was very happily surprised to find The Block. What a wonderful use of this space - a buzzy community cafe in the main street! Would love to see this idea recreated through out Auckland's suburbs to help bring people together in a carefully thought out meet-up space. We enjoyed our beverages and wish you great success.

You are a cafe. You have a sign on the door seeking a barista. Your coffees are rubbish at the moment. Why charge customers full price when you don't have staff who can make coffee with fresh (I don't mean sitting in the hopper for a week) beans.<br/><br/>Food is nice. A few tweaks here and there could improve the value you provide.<br/><br/>I always get a little peeved when a 'cafe' spends more effort on fine dining attempts than on "coffee" and "cakes". Are you a restaurant or a cafe? <br/><br/>Surely you can be a little more adventurous with your cake or slice options. Currently you have zero point of difference to any other cafe.<br/><br/>So above average place, prices reflect this. BUT currently serving well below average coffee. If at home with my Rocket and Mazzer I can produce better coffee than a cafe then I am either a genius or you are lazy. I can guarantee you I am not a genius.<br/><br/>The owner has a serious attitude problem. He seems to have his head up his date.

Third time at The Block so this is accumulating those experiences. Coffee was great and has been improving since they opened. Food is also great and the service has really stepped up since you have opened. Good to see a business that is learning and listening! Keep up the great work!

Not only does The Block offer great hot chocolate but extraordinary service!!!!<br/>My mother had parked her car in an area on Gill Cres where she literally got "stuck in the mud". Two burly men from The Block willingly escorted her along Blockhouse Bay road, into Gill Cres, and proceeded to lift, pull, push, and guide her out of the mud!!<br/>We were very grateful for their service and kindness!!!<br/>Thanks so much guys.

Went for lunch with my daughter, I have the grilled steak with bearnaise sauce and she had the fettuccine we both enjoyed our meals. I was very impressed with the presentation of my meal it definitely surpassed my expectations. <br/>The staff were all very friendly and professional. I will be coming back.

Just came back from lunch here, I never normally write reviews but the service I recieved was amazing. The staff were accomodating and very friendly, and the attention to detail was faultless. I ordered the fettucini with waldorf salad and eye filet. When I first ordered it, it seemed pricey for a day menu item ($19) but when I recieved it I could understand why. The presentation was immaculate, the salad was fresh and dressed adequately. The pasta was fresh and creamy, without being too rich. To be honest i'd have to say one of the best pastas i've had in a long time. The eye filet surrounding the plate was tender and all the flavours worked well together and left me wanting more even though the size was generous. I washed this down with an iced caramel which was actually reminiscent of a baileys drink. This is a great addition to Bhb and i'm excited to return to try their dinner menu. Very highly reccomended!

Went to The Block' for breakfast. Coffee was very poor and staff looked messy. One girl wore ripped dirty jeans and the male waiter was constantly checking his phone and texting. All staff looked bored. The kitchen is visible from where you order and looks dirty... even though the place is newish. I had the wild mushrooms with poached egg and truffle. Was very salty and lacked menu definition .... just normal button mushrooms sliced served with a flat one on top. My friend had French toast... couldn't chew the bacon because it was too dry. <br/>Too hard to get parking.<br/>Needs to get it together. Won't be back

My husband and I decided to stop and have a coffee and a quick bite to eat as a late lunch thought they might have toasted sandwich's or Panni or something along that line. Anyway get a menu decide we will have a breads and dip and up to the counter hubby goes to order our coffees and bread &amp; dip only to be told sorry but the kitchen is closed.We were astounded that they closed their kitchen at 3pm when they have a sign outside saying we are open for dinner on a Saturday. Hubby comes back and the guy at counter comes over and says oh we can do some hot chips if you like. We just said forget it and left. I would have thought Bread and dips were easy and quicker to do than Fried chips. Very disappointing as this is the second time we have been and now both times have been a disaster. I know we wont be recommending you to any of our friends and we will be going back to tried and true Blockhouse Bay eateries further down the road.

Another great addition to the west (can I call it the west?). Fab surroundings, friendly staff, extensive and interesting menu, devine food and coffee. Will definitely be back for more. Keep up the good work guys :)

Went for lunch on an exceptionally cold wet day with a group of 12. Parking was easy. The menu was large and innovative and everyone said their food was lovely. The service was cheerful, quick and accurate which was greatly appreciated as it was a work lunch with limited time. The coffee is all double shots. <br/>Had a great time. <br/>Would love to visit on a sunny day and enjoy the lovely outdoor seating. Will definitely be back.

I found the atmosphere relaxing and the service was so friendly.<br/><br/>Food was inexpensive and tasty.<br/><br/>Really happy there is a nice café (restaurant) that opens late for dinners.<br/><br/>Art was lovely. I think there was music, can't remember. If there wasn't, I hope there will be soon enough.

Ate here last weekend with a large party of 14 - we booked so they knew we were coming. Food + coffee good, service slow, these people need to up their game, train staff properly, get organised people. The cutesy blocks with table nos. on are no good, waiting staff can't see them. We waited 25 mins for coffees (ordered separately at differing times not all at once), 45 mins for food, ditto. Waitresses arrived with coffees/food with no idea who it was for, chaos prevailed. They apparently had another large group in, but they knew about us, should have got enough staff to cover it. We got water reasonable quickly on arrival, but when we wanted more and the table needed clearing we had to ask.

Finally a cafe with atmosphere! Excellent build design. Love the indoor/outdoor options. Not only a great feel but great staff also. Especially impressed when I returned after my first visit to have the manager remember I prefered Gluten free options. This cafe will go the distance and deservedly become an icon in the West! oh and the coffee and food is YUMMY (love the Mushies).

Enjoyed lunch with a friend at this cafe Sunday, 5th May. Excellant, large flat white coffee was delivered promptly, followed shortly after by eggs benedict with bacon which was cooked perfectly. Staff were friendly and professional. Sat outside on the verandah - great place to sit and talk. Cafe was busy and had a great atmosphere. Brunch menu or lunch menu to choose from. I would definately return to this cafe.

We have only been to The Block once and unfortunately it probably will be the last - at least for food. It was a Sunday and not extremely busy. Having to order and PAY already at the counter was a bit annoying but once we sat down we were comfortable and we enjoyed the decor and the ambiance. The side of onion rings came out first and they were quite nice. But then the mains came out: trio of sliders and "Tempura Prawns". The trio of sliders was simply shocking: tiny pieces of overcooked meat and fish on very plain tiny stale buns; visually there was some sort of sauce on these sliders but the amount was so little it did not help against the dry taste... $18 we paid for this.....suddenly Burger King went up in my ranking...<br/>The "Tempura Prawns" were even worse than the sliders. What we got on our plate were big fried balls of vermicelli or something like that with a small shrimp inside, not Tempura at all; they should look up what Tempura is before putting it on the menu. To make matters worse it tasted disgusting: it was not crispy, the shrimp inside was rubbery and it was so oily that the oil had come out onto the plate and mixed into the salad underneath.... gut wrenching!<br/>We were very disappointed and handed our plates polity back to the kitchen staff and told them we were not impressed, we felt like complaining to the manager but we didn't end up doing this as it was quite busy and we already paid...<br/><br/>They should change to table service and settling the bill afterwards or just serve bar snacks only.<br/><br/>That Sunday we ended up going to Subway to get something decent to eat...<br/><br/>I truly hope this place will get its act together and improve the food, everything else is pretty good.

Stuff the coffee - fab to have a good cafe to got to and enjoy a glass of wine!. Great outdoor venue and extremely dog friendly. It's just great to be able to walk up the road and have a good meal evening rather than having to go into town.<br/><br/>Service needs a little work, but then once can say the same about just about every restaurant in Auckland!<br/><br/>Look forward to going again for dinner tonight!

Ordered a coffee with our food and after about 20 minutes had to remind waitress. Then had to wait another 5-10 minutes for it. Was offered a refund which was good but damage was done really. Not good service.

We have been to The Block a number of times for their breakfasts and were excited to see that they are now open for dinner. <br/>We wandered in and were offered a table inside or out, we chose to sit outside, the service was just right, really attentive and professional. <br/>The drinks (a great range) arrived quickly and the platter for 2 was delicious, staff were friendly with a clear knowledge of their menu, this was really noticeable when our waiter bought out our taster platter and described each tasting individually. <br/>A really lovely atmosphere and great to have the table service so you can sit back and relax. It the little things that count and its always good when you order 'same again' on the drinks and they know what you were drinking!<br/>The Bay has been waiting for a place like this and we will be fully supporting The Block - food is imaginative and yummy, with lovely service.<br/>From our experience tonight we will definitely be back and will have dessert next time.

Poor service will prevent me from eating here again. It took 45 minutes for our coffees to arrive and that was after reminding them. There were a lot of staff working. We had a breakfast which was nice, but on the small size, coffee nice (when arrived) and nice surroundings but considering it was moderately busy it was unacceptable to wait that long for coffees. There are other cafes that provide the same meals and better service.

Wow what a fantastic addition to Blockhouse Bay which was pretty much lacking in a decent cafe. Have visited a couple of times. Coffee was excellent and food was lovely. Their caramel slice what pretty special too. I visited their second week after opening, and staff were still finding their feet and seemed a bit overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of customers, so things were slower, however they've settled in now and things are running smoother. I do recommend a visit. If crowds of customers are not your thing, this may not be the spot for you, but if you like a busy buzzy cafe and good food and coffee you'll be well looked after.

First time at The Block today, 10:30 Sunday Brunch. Good selection on the menu, had the Wild mushrooms which were delicious, would definitely have again. Was busy when we arrived (first rainy day in a long time so an inside table was prime real estate) but meals arrived very quickly after ordering and staff was friendly. I want the French toast next time.

I've been to The Block twice, first time with the kids and back today with the husband for brunch. I don't like having to order at the counter, it's a crowded dark area and they don't seem to give you a menu while you wait, so once your at the counter I felt rushed to make a decision. <br/><br/>The first visit was after 1pm so there wasn't much on offer from the cabinet. My biggest disappointment with this cafe is the lack of cakes/sweets. They just don't look inviting and they need to hire a proper pastry chef as I wouldn't come here for a cake &amp; coffee stop (which I like to do several times a week!).<br/><br/>Today for brunch I had the trio of sliders. Very ordinary and very expensive for what they are. Tiny bit of meat, slice of lettuce &amp; some relish/sauce for $18! Hubby had the Wild Mushrooms which he LOVED. Coffee was good. Hand cut chips are fab!! Kids 'fluffys' are too cute!<br/><br/>Overall I think my 2 visits here (while they weren't bad) just wouldn't get me to return.

The only person with a smile and the right attitude was the barista. I am sorry, but I thought cafe was a 'service' business. No drinking water at hand. Had to ask for water a few times which seemd to have annoyed the 'important looking' waiter. Not for me thanks. I am spoilt for choice in Titirangi.

Came here 9am Saturday for breakfast and it was already busy. Not keen on ordering and paying at the counter idea, as once you have selected your table and sat down to relax and read the menu, it's a case of picking your bags up and joining the queue and hoping there is still a free table. The coffee is VERY good. My mince on toast was a generous portion, lean and tasty, no gristle bits and not bulked out with vegetables. My friend's scrambled eggs looked more like shredded eggs and were declared OK, but what else can you say about scrambled eggs anyway ???? I would be happy to come back here and could recommend it.

Had lunch at The Block - really like the outdoor area - ordered a small Caesar Salad, very disappointed - it was served on a bread and butter plate, consisted of a few small lettuce leaves dusted with cheese and half a boiled egg on top - very, very tiny meal for $9.00. Would definitely expect better.

Went for an early lunch on 31 Jan. Fantastic decor and love the decks outside. No road signage though and quite hard to find. No table service which was ok as we were there at 11.30 for lunch but as the cafe filled up the queues were quite long at the counter. Ordered the steak fries and egg which was good (agree with previous reviewer lots of eggs on menu) and the trio of sliders. The sliders were very cute. The fish and chicken ones were fine but the beef one not so much. The steak was blue and therefore very difficult to eat. Upon advising the staff, the chef's response was "its supposed to be like that"! I dont think so. Put it on the menu if that's how you want to serve it. Not sure if mine was cooked a little more or a new one was delivered but the replacement was tender and edible! Finished off with great coffee and an average ginger gem (not really a gem tho). On the whole a great new cafe with young inexperienced staff but I am sure they will improve with age!

Lunch at the The Block for the first time today. Very very busy so thought we would have a long wait but didn't. Excellent coffee which is high praise from me!! Food was great, Fish and Chips for me and a Baguette for my better half. Could not fault the service even though they were busy.<br/>Lovely space, great decor. Can't wait for them to open in the evening.<br/>Liz St George

Loving the look of this open and airy cafe, great for the area. I think for a busy cafe you really need table service. We order two meals and one was forgotten, we had to go back to the till and ask however we did get a refund for the meal. good stuff:-) I had asparagus, salmon w poached eggs and honey mustard dressing. The muffin and egg was good, but the dressing was very over powering The staff were friendly but the floor staff were young, lacked experience and charm. All in all a better than average cafe, but still lots to do front of house.

Nearly 2 weeks since opening. Really enjoy the freshness and look of the place. A real step up for the Bay. Just love the coffee - being a straight long black drinker it hits the spot. Food is great and with a variation of flavours. Sometimes its not about quantity - love my "Truckers Breakfast" like most blokes but the Block Big Breakfast is more about taste and less tomato sauce and I rate it on taste alone. Yeah service is a bit slow but great to see a young fresh crew on deck getting to grips with the pace of the place. I am happy to cut them some slack - its new and its busy. After 13 days of business I say great and potential to light up the west. Its a Yes from me.

Worth a mention, you guys should really back yourselves, MenuMania and sites like it are here for customers to write reviews so you can improve.<br/>It's not really for your own staff to give yourselves 5 stars as this creates a false outlook on your cafe......<br/>I have dined at your cafe, food was nice, but cant say the coffee was any good at all...<br/>I also dine at other cafes in the area and must say you have some improvement to do....<br/>I hope you guys do well as there is room for 3 good cafes in the Bay, just do it the right way, and earn your reputation, don't expect it.

We have been to the block twice now service a little slow but my hash cake was good. The confit duck was a bit tough with small bits of bone<br/> No children's menu either but they have colouring stuff for kids if requested. Good menu will try other dishes but nearly all breakfast items have eggs. Will have to work harder at making meals a consistent size as 2 of our group ordered the same dish and one came out massive the other one small.

I really hope this place gets their act together - because it's an awesome spot and the decor is great and the food was lovely.<br/><br/>But the service delivery was not good. <br/><br/>Ordering at the counter didn't work - it took 15mins to put in our order. And then the wait staff looked lost delivering the food to tables and often did laps carrying a single drink.... then to come out a minute later with another single drink.... looking lost again.... and delivering it to the table they'd only just been to! Was quite amusing but there's huge room for improvement.<br/><br/>A menu on the table would have helped as well - because we had to queue to get that as well. And same for the salt and pepper.<br/><br/>I really hope things pick up because we are really keen to try dinner (when they get their licence)

I have been here three times. First time my coffee took 25 mins to be made the second time, my friend did not like the hot chocolate, too much milk.<br/><br/>the third time was today. The food was OK but my friend queried about pepper on her eggs and the waitress was a little rude and when she brought it back the eggs were broken. My butty I was not expecting a hamburger bun so felt the meal was overpriced. Also they had forgotten my daughters smoothie. But did make it and she enjoyed it.<br/><br/>Nice decor and the most of the staff were pleasant.<br/><br/>I might try it again. But my friends would not.

Had lunch at The Block today. I found the experience pleasant enough (love the decor) and the staff very attentive. The menu offers some good options, it was hard to choose from such a great selection. Although I was a little underwhelmed with my meal today, we fully intend to try again for dinner once the license issue is sorted. Other meals ordered by my lunch companions looked good though, so perhaps it was just what I ordered. Good luck with the business venture. It's always good to see new businesses in the bay.

After many years of really average cafe's in the BHB region it has been great to see The Block turn up and lift the bar for the community.<br/>My first time was on opening day and to be fair they were so busy it was a longish wait for the coffee and initially there was an order mix up. However the wait in the sun outside (which is rare for a cafe like this) was worth it with good coffee and even better home baked style food.<br/>Great staff: pleasant, helpful and attentive<br/>My second visit was on the way to work for a quick on the road coffee which was delivered promptly and was as good as I have had in many high end places. So thumbs up The Block - welcome to BHB!

Have been looking forward to The Block opening in Blockhouse Bay and went there for the first time today, would rate it as just okay.<br/><br/>All the breakfast items sounded tasty on the menu but were a little disappointing when they arrived. Serving sizes pretty small and quality nothing flash relative to the price.<br/><br/>I had The Block big breakfast and it wasn't really what I would call "big", It came with just one egg, 1 x cherry sized tomato, 1 x mushroom, about 2 tablespoons of baked beans, a soggy hash-brown and a couple strips of bacon, the menu also said that it came with a Cumberland sausage but it looked and tasted more like your average pork sausage from the local Countdown! Didn't really think it was worth $19.50.<br/><br/>Will probably try it again in a couple of weeks and hopefully things have improved.

JAN 2013<br/>Well funny how some people get a different experience on the same day I went. I have been to The Block 4 days in a row and eaten breaky at each visit. Fabulous tucker. Staff are very friendly. Yeah I had to wait a couple of minutes to order on Day 1 and 2 (opening days)..but it was no big deal. When something is popular well a lot of people go.<br/>Good to see the other 2 cafes in the bay still operating at full capacity. I would say The Block has bought a new crowd into the bay, or maybe some of the locals are staying in the bay to try The Block. Definitely a new crowd f customers.<br/>The Plate sized Hash Brown was delish, and filling. As a big fat bugger I didn't need to eat until dinner (breaky at 8am).<br/><br/>As for the chap called John who posted earlier, well mate you cant please all the people all the time. If you do like it don't come back. I've got a sneaky suspicion that John is the manager of the one of the other cafes, probably the Big one that shall remain nameless.<br/><br/><br/>UPDATE July 2013<br/>Im still going to The Block. Maybe 3 times a week. Still preety good tucker and drinks. Took a large party there in June, all went well. Drank far too much wine but it was a fabulous evening...<br/><br/>P

Been here a couple of times in the last few days - initially some issues with payment, but they have all been resolved - food is tasty, service friendly, great layout and the renovation is fantastic. Glad that there is somewhere is BHB that is serving restaurant quality food - the other cafes may indeed struggle as this seems to be the new place to be in the Bay! Only improvement could be the taking of orders - there does seem to be a bit of a hold up at the till when wanting to order food... probably just due to the popularity! Maybe taking orders at the tables and paying at the end might speed things up? Otherwise fab, definitely planning on coming back regularly.

Went to The Block on the weekend it was fabulous! The best cafe out West by far. My coffee was excellent, really friendly staff and my meal was very tasty. Recommend the big breakfast. Love the outdoor area, great spot to sit and relax on an afternoon.

Went to this new cafe which recently opened in Blockhouse Bay.<br/>The coffee hit the spot and the service was excellent. Sat on the deck and it was delightful maybe could get cold if a wind blowing but hey you can go inside. <br/>Would recommend to others. I will be making it my regular cafe and long may it last

Sorry, guys, really didn't enjoy our visit today- how difficult is it to cook good hand cut fries? Those served up were underdone and didn't work at all - neither did the hot chocolate! Outdoor area is a bit of a wind tunnel and indoors needs to be better lit. Hope you get it right!

This was a disappointing experience. No sugar or spoons came out with the drinks, which were a mocha and English breakfast tea. When the food came out, (sliders with a side of fries, and bacon and eggs on toast) the sliders were bearly warm, the fries were hot and crunchy (highlight!) and the eggs slightly undercooked. Our meals arrived together but because my companions was cold, and mine was on its way there, I had finished before the replacement had even arrived. The man who I had to go and find to help me sort out the food offered me a refund and as we were getting up to leave offered my friend a plate of food. We proceeded to get this takeaway (and haven't eaten it since..).

When this came to the Bay, I was not alone in being caught up with the excitement. Seating is great, service, decent. Coffee (on more than one occasion) tastes burnt. Disapointed.

First impression was excellent- nice neutral decor and Harney and Sons teas behind the counter. The staff were friendly and the menu looked great. I had the confit duck for lunch, which came with two fried eggs, sauteed potatoes, onions, and spinach, and roast garlic. It had a deliciously sweet little vine tomato perched on the side as well. It turned up looking beautiful and tasted every bit as good as it looked! All of the plates that came past us on the way to other diners looked wonderful as well. There's a gorgeous covered deck outside (and an uncovered part) so there are plenty of nice places to eat and the menu is comprehensive and creative. I will certainly be back and I would highly recommend The Block cafe. It's not only a great local cafe, it's one worth travelling for.<br/>Update: I've reduced my rating half a point because despite the awesome food the menu doesn't mention free-range meat (or even eggs).