Review The Birdcage Tavern - Auckland Central

Always great vibes inside and out in the courtyard on a sunny afternoon, and this week they have a collab with @GarageProject to raise funds for @EverybodyEats from sales of Good Shout beer. Good one!

We recently hosted our son's 21st birthday celebration at The Birdcage Tavern, and it was an absolute triumph! The entire experience deserves not just five stars, but an extra plus for the outstanding service and unforgettable atmosphere. First and foremost, a huge shout-out to Phil, the owner, Jeremy, the manager, and the entire staff for doing a fantastic job. Their dedication and attention to detail made the night flow seamlessly, catering to all our needs. The culinary experience at The Birdcage Tavern deserves special mention. The food was nothing short of outstanding! A heartfelt thank you to the kitchen staff for their culinary prowess. Every dish was a delight, and our guests couldn't stop raving about the delicious spread. The venue itself is a gem with its fantastic character and a story to tell. It provided the perfect backdrop for our celebration, creating a unique and memorable atmosphere. The Birdcage Tavern goes beyond being just a venue; it's an experience filled with charm and history. In summary, if you're looking for a wonderful venue to host a special event, The Birdcage Tavern is the place to be. Kudos to Phil, Jeremy, and the entire team for making our son's 21st birthday celebration truly exceptional. Five stars plus, without a doubt!

Massive shout out to Phil and the Birdcage Tavern staff, our son had his 21st Birthday on 26/05/2023 Friday, wow what a night, The Birdcage Tavern made everything flow perfectly and the food was absolutely 💯, top recommendations to this establishment. Nga Mihi Kia koutou 🥳🎶.

After doing two 21st birthdays myself we decided to book a venue for the last 21st - Phil and his team at the Birdcage made the whole process so easy. The venue is excellent and the food and the service was great. We put up a few of our own personal decorations but it is already well decorated. We had so many lovely comments from our guests about the venue and the night that we easily give the Birdcage and its Team a 10/10

We had our wedding reception at the birdcage tavern! And it was so perfect for us! The service was amazing and super helpful! They had decor that went well with our theme already! Everyone raved of their food! Cannot recommend enough!

I had my wedding Reception at The Birdcage Tavern, was amazing. The best communication leading up to the event and outstanding service. The food was delicious and catered for all types of requirements that I had asked for. The staff and owner felt like part of my family highly recommend any type of event or going for a meal 😁

The restaurant was perfect for our social gathering! The staff were very attentive, had everything planned out for our large group, and the food came out super quickly. I"ll make sure to book with them again when we have large groups to accommodate for.

We had an amazing time at the Birdcage Tavern where we held our daughters 21st. Phil was the most attentive host and kept us informed throughout the night regarding the bar tab, food, cake etc. It was so easy for us to organize and on the night the staff were awesome. Highly recommend booking your private functions here. The carpark is also a huge bonus, one you won't find anywhere else in Auckland Central! Guests also raved about the food served and the timing of when they arrived were perfect. Thanks again to the team at The Birdcage tavern

What a fantastic night, I am so grateful to the team at the Birdcage! The food was great, the service was phenomenal everyone had a fantastic night. The whole process from going to view the space to booking in my event was so smooth and the communication around the event was top notch. Great value for money for the food, my guests were raving about the quality. Being able to have our own playlist playing and the bonus of the video screens for a few funny photos was a real bonus and helped personalise the space for our night. It was above and beyond my expectations, thank you so much. Will definitely be recommending to others.

Their daily specials are of great value, especially Thursday (burger) and Friday (fish n chips) specials, $24 + a beer/wine. I love how they have a panfried option for the fish and chips as well. There are tables to accommodate for large groups as well, both inside and outside are a vibe. Service is welcoming and attentive, the place feels well organized!

We enjoyed wonderful hospitality from the staff at The Birdcage. Phil and his team run a great pub with quality food and staff are helpful and friendly. Our guests thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Phil's professionalism made organising our 50ths a piece of cake. I would highly recommended using The Birdcage for your next function.

Wow what an amazing 40th my twin and I had at the Bird Cage. This is my local and Phil and his team are always amazing with their customer service and just general awesomeness but the night exceeded our expectations. The food was delish, drinks were flowing, great atmosphere and vibe and amazing staff. Slick operation from booking, food platters and drinks menu to pick from, doing our own music on Spotify etc nothing was too much trouble. Our guests had the best night and all commented on what a mint venue the Bird Cage is and how fabulous the staff were. Thanks heaps team for making it such a memorable party. For anyone looking at a venue I cannot recommend these guys high enough. From Emma Wallace.

We had our daughters 21st at the Bitdcage last weekend. Was a huge success, great venue, platter food was awesome, subsidised bar and the guests thought it was the best 21st ever. Phil and his team were fabulous to work with, nothing was a problem, happy for us to decorate the Birdcage on Sat afternoon and the staff were very accommodating. Would absolutely recommend them for a function and I would not hesitate to have another function here. Thanks so much to the awesome Birdcage team for a great night. Best wishes, Sally Floyd.

I was lucky enough to secure The Birdcage Tavern as the venue for my birthday party on 18 December 2021. I would wholeheartedly recommend booking your function here! The process was made super easy by quick and efficient communication from Phil. The venue has a great feel and vibe to it, it's in a beautiful historic building! The restaurant area is spacious and already had decorations up that worked well with my theme of pink and yellow. It boasts fantastic indoor and outdoor spaces, perfect for large events! Their staff were super helpful, incredibly friendly and a pleasure to deal with. The food was delicious and received rave reviews from my guests!! The sound system was great and the ability to play my own Spotify playlists meant I could tailor the evening's music exactly how I wanted it to go. Oh, and can highly recommend their cocktails!! If you are thinking about booking this place, do it now so you don't miss out!! 5 Stars!!!

The fish and chips were just amazing! Fantastic value for money - especially on Thursday (edit: Friday). Hopefully it wasn't just a one off! The burger deal on Thursday is also amazing! Such awesome and friendly staff, too 😊

Lovely spot, great food, not sure why you keep your disabled toilet locked? Staff unlocked it for me but then locked it again, shouldn't need to find staff everytime you need a comfort stop?

Had wonderful night at The Birdcage Tavern. The waitress are nice and we really enjoy the food tonight. most important they got own big carpark behind building so convenience.

Such an amazing venue and for a 21st. We are really grateful that it was made it super easy for us to relax and enjoy with our family and friends.

Hosted my 30th birthday celebration here on a Friday night. Was a great location and the manager and staff were very helpful on the night. Platters came out in a timely manner as well as the main food. Highly recommend for an event.

Booked online for our table, very good communication from the venue towards the event. Walked into the venue and it was beautifully set up for us next to the fireplace, nice decor and great vibe. The staff was too lovely and I was able to add my own decorations to the table ie; balloons and twinkle lights and we were able to bring our birthday cake onsite. Everything was brilliant, cosy and well looked after by the staff. The food was a smash from the platters to ordering our own mains. I would definitely celebrate at the birdcage again or just come in and taste the other food on the menus. They even cut our cakes up into pieces which was unexpected, as some places they don’t bother doing it. Thank you for the great atmosphere, vibe and the staff.

Blue cheese pizza is super!! The daily deals are definitely worth going for, as well as happy hour drinks! Food is good and varied. Veggie options - burger and pizza are both yummy! Great for sporting events - worth booking a table!

Goodluck Birdcage cause you gonna be our (work) local bar.<br/>Excellent service, staff were super friendly and catered well to a large group.<br/>Food came out on time despite being quite busy and it's great for hot auckland summer day!<br/>$1 wings with a drink is honestly a great deal since the wings itself were phenomenal and decent sized as well. Most places have the $1 wing deals but the wings are usually tiny. But birdcage doesnt hold out!!<br/>The kronenbourg beer is highly recommended.<br/>No doubt will come here again!!

Great service! Waiter had advised us to order before everyone else to get ahead of the line. Glad we did!

Went here for farewell lunch for one of my colleagues, nice food and great place. They also have different promotion for different days in a week.

lunch chicken wings special. Nice wings. love them. definitely visit again. I also had the beef burger in another visit. really nice burger!<br/>

Amazing interior with friendly staff who are prompt with service. We went as a group and was served delicious dumplings and beef sliders - both were really good!

Stayed in Auckland for a couple of protracted periods during a 3 month stay in NZ last winter and the Birdcage Tavern was my go-to place for good value, great tasting food, a selection of craft ales,  friendly, efficient staff and a lovely outdoor eating area. I plan to visit again this UK winter and will certainly be enjoying good food, drink and company at the Birdcage again!

I visited this restaurant for a late lunch and beers with the boys. Straight away we were seated and first cold ones served. The British dude behind the bar clearly has a passion for crafties, as he directed us to some delicious new brews for us to try. The food came out shortly after ordering and we loved it all. If I could give it more stars I would. 11/10 will be back !

The venue is very nice, the drinks were decently sized and very yummy. The staff were very polite and prompt with our service. Loved the fries and my nachos were nice. 7/10 for the nachos as they were a bit too crispy and rather hard and not enough beans for dipping. Drinks 8.5/10, Fries 9/10. Overall, my vegetarian meal was very pleasant.

Very average food and not the best customer service either. Great atmosphere if you like sport channel. Boardgames are also available. Few not clean bathrooms are also available!

Beautiful centrally located place, lovely service, quite a big fan after just one visit!! The pink gin drinks are absolutely highly recommended, gorgeous!!

The Birdcage has become my favourite bar in the city, if you are after a relaxed atmosphere with good food in the city then I recommend this place<br/>My favourite dish is the pork belly which is amaaaazing, and I also recommend the spicy chicken wings with blue cheese sauce<br/>They have $20 jugs of craft beer, a happy hour between 4 and 6 and in the summer, looking across to Victoria Park while sitting outside watching the world go by and drinking a jug of Pimms is great<br/><br/>If you want a place that's not too boisterous to watch sports they have big screens all around the place and play all the big games

My favourite pub in Auckland. Not overcrowded, friendly service, great food and decent music. I highly recommend the pork belly, the fish and chips (FYI it's on special on Fridays) and you can never go wrong with the mushroom and blue cheese pizza (I am a meat lover and this vegetarian pizza is my favourite!)

Went with family on Sunday for lunch - ordered the lamb salad, kumara chips, half rack ribs, and the sirloin steak! It was amazing! The food was top notch, the ribs - only half rack - but it was huge! We enjoyed that the most. The sirloin was just ok - but still enjoyable. They have a nice outdoor seating area which ja great on a sunny day. Also, the customer service was incredible! We had a really nice wait staff who always had a smile on his face and kept filling our water. They also have connect four and other various games to play :)

What your looking for - Great food, great music, great location and excellent service.<br/>catch up with my friends here few days ago. Nice ambiance and cozy feeling. Good place for together and family gathering or romantic dinner.<br/>Recommended - Fish and chips<br/>Must try - Daily special..

The food was actually good! The half pork ribs was huge! and it was a starter! Beef was cooked very good too :) onion rings were cooked perfectly too. Only thing was it took 20mins for food.

Went to the Birdcage Tavern on a Sunday afternoon and loved it! I was looking for a child friendly restaurant to have lunch and a drink with my husband, and hopefully my daughter might actually eat too (she’s super picky). It was pretty empty except for a few other diners—but I’m guessing it’s because most of their happy hour deals seems to be Tuesday through Saturday. We ordered the jug of Pimms to drink, the nachos (large), half rack of ribs, and my daughter got a cheese pizza from the the kids menu. The nachos and half rack of ribs were HUGE- we may order less next time since it was too much for us, but it was good. Also, the Pimm’s was delicious and worth the price for the jug. Also happy to report my daughter was pleased with her pizza! Service was A+.. We will definitely visit again!

Standard pub food in one of my more preferred areas of Auckland CBD. Had the burger which was fairly pub quality, filling but wasn’t exactly exciting. A colleague had the fish and chips which were actually quite nice, fries and fish was hot and the batter to meat/potato ratio was excellent. Disappointed with the desserts though, something just didn’t taste right so would not recommend the desserts here.<br/><br/>Showstopper: pretty cool atmosphere and a great place to grab a beer<br/><br/>Overall Grade: B

a wonderful place to visit on a sunny weekend afternoon. This place has its own car park so what a joy not to have to scurrel around looking for a car park. the staff was great service prompt, and the food was good. in fact the best kumera chips I have had ever!! will definitely return!!

Stunningly restored to a high end gastro pub with a nod to its heritage. <br/>The birdcage could arguably be one of aucklands hidden treasures. Having served residents and visitors delicious fare and liquor for over a hundred years you'd be forgiven for expecting a few cracks to show. <br/>This is not the case. <br/>Having had a complete overhaul two years ago this venue is perfect for couples and groups of all ages. <br/>We had 2 chicken salads and a couple of beers and we're very well attended to. As were our two dogs who were given lots of attention and water. <br/>We thoroughly recommend!!

Food at the birdcage is always delicious! Fresh and delightful compliments to the chef! . Sadly the one thing that lets this place down is the SERVICE! Have eaten here four times with work pals and we are constantly looking around for drinks, service, water & menus! Today yet again i had to go looking for the waiter after sitting there for 23 minutes . The maitre'd is rude and lacks composure - moaning about her staffs abilities in front of customers is not a good look. <br/><br/>Paying when in a big group seems to be such a challenge for this place, they are prone to arguing with you about what you ate and what you are paying for. They can't handle large groups probably due to the female maitre'ds untrained staff.  She hovers around them nit picking about every transaction. We won't be having any long lunches here again!

Reliable burger and beers with lots of outdoor seating. Enjoyed the homemade tomato sauce that came with the fries. The pork belly looked legit (menu envy).

Wow, how many speeches with microphone does a 5 year old chinese boy need.!   Still screeching around at 9pm, then when they finally left the adults came into the  small bar, where we had retreated, and continued their screeching!<br/>The food was okay and the staff really nice, but do not go there if theres a function on, the place really is too small to cater for both diners and parties at the same time.  Sadly wont be back

Our first time at Birdcage and will definitely be back.<br/><br/>Firstly, strategic location and there's free parking for diners...yes, free parking in the CBD!<br/><br/>These guys know what high quality means. We can tell that the ingredients used are of good quality... from their homemade tomato sauce, to their fries and burger patties, and from their pies to their desserts. Mmm...simply delicious!<br/><br/>Fantastic restaurant, with great offerings at reasonable price, topped with friendly service. What more you could ask for if you're after a chill out bar/restaurant for your group of mates on a Thursday evening? The Birdcage is your answer.

Very pleased with our meal at Birdcage last night! We had the chicken salad and the steak. They were delicious! The best we have had in a long time. Great portion sizes and amazing taste. The desert was just as good. We had the cheesecake and the brownie. The only thing I would say is that it should be made clearer that there are no greens with the steak. This is a good opportunity for them to up sell. Overall we were very impressed. What an amazing chef!

This was an amazing venue for a friends 21st birthday. They sectioned off a small area for the party guests, with it’s own bar area, tall standing tables and bar stools. They also provided 21st balloons, which was really nice of them! There was a nice selection of wines, and the catering provided was delicious as well as plentiful. Lot’s of different choices available, the best probably being the fried calamari with dipping sauce, so good!

Thought we would drop in for some drinks and dinner after a long day at work. It was very busy with a function inside so decided to sit out side, a little cold but they had some gas heaters hich they turn on for us and made it much moe enjoyable. God selection of wines. Food was prompt and very reasonable for the price. I will be back again.

Not sure if people's expectations of this place are too high but nonetheless, I had a pleasant dining experience here last night. Came for after drink socializing with work. Platters were ordered for us. I thought the selection was lovely from the polenta chips to the squid. The pizza was perfect. Thin and crispy and the fries!! Wow. Not sure what the seasoning was but they were incredibly moorish. The venue itself is tastefully decorated from the over head chandeliers to seating. Great nice and I will be back.

After debating with myself about the score above I have decided the biggest problem here really was with what didn't, rather than what did, happen.   To explain, we arrived quite early at just before 6pm.  We passed through several busy bar areas to the dining room to find it deserted.  Waiting by the counter for a full five minutes produced a zero result, so in the nature of all capable kiwis, we helped ourselves to menus, and found a seat near the fire which was laid in and ready to light.  We considered lighting that ourselves too, but that really would have been a bridge too far...  Shame we didn't though as it was a very chilly night and it languished unlit the entire duration of our visit... No-one came to see us and eventually husband went back to the bar to see if we needed to order there but was told a waitress would be with us shortly.   A bit of a flurry later, and a youthful waitress hurried over under the eagle eye of a more mature lady, who hands on hips metaphorically, flashed steely glances our way all evening.  I can only apologise profusely, dear lady, for being thus determined to dine in your establishment that we would go to such lengths as to furnish ourselves with your menu and then seat ourselves at your table... awkward of us, I concur.  The menu which differs considerably from the online version, lacked anything winter-esque and hearty sadly, with not even a pot pie to warm the cockles but instead offered pizzas, burgers, salads and I think a steak and some ribs along with a couple of pasta dishes.  Husband had a towering burger with the ubiquitous eye threatening skewer, and I had a bowl of spinach and ricotta stuffed pasta.  And a bowl of roasted potatoes lest my carb consumption dwindle.  All was tasty enough.  The service was friendly (from the youthful waitress, but boy, did we feel the weight of that other eye - no doubt to ensure we didn't get up to any more mischief).  The churros were delish and one serve easily satisfied us both and then it was out into the cold night we went.  The building remains a delight, with tasteful renovations post motorway move.  Ah, I remember well my own youthful evenings within those walls, with fondness. Possibly then, there may have been more reason to have kept an eye on me!

Tonight we came here for dinner, arrived at 8:10pm had to wait for our friends to arrive late (8:30), we wanted to order but no waitress came, so got caught up in chatting then at 9:02pm the waitress finally came to take our order, and we began to order delicious sounding meals from the main menu - she abruptly stopped us and informed us that the kitchen was now closed from 9 and that now only pizza could be ordered - but not the chicken pizza as they had run out of chicken - so basically we had the choice of three pizza's only! NO ONE came to say earlier that the kitchen was closing at 9, and even at 8:20 when we had ordered from her some breads (and $50 worth of drinks) we mentioned we wanted it as a starter before the mains when our friends arrived for dinner! We are very cross that they wouldn't even make an exception for us particularly as we had been here for almost an hour! No sorry no nothing. We came for a lovely dinner and had to have very bland tasteless pizza instead! Very disappointing and ruined our evening completely! Will not be returning..... <br/>In saying that the decor was spectacular and the bar man was quite lovely!

Came here with high hopes for the pork belly dish, but it was disappointing :( Their beef cheek pie and tangy pork ribs were yummy though. Service was good, atmosphere was enjoyable.

I visited this restaurant after an interview id had in ponsonby i started with the Chorizo, beer with sultanas <br/>and tortilla corn chips and a glass of moet and progressed to the margaherita pizza and a form of berry martini,<br/>All the food was great, but i had a few smart remarks about eating a pizza and drinking a martini at 4pm, obviously<br/>i was having a bad day, but i felt i was an out of place comment.

We hosted our engagement party at The Birdcage, and cannot speak highly enough of the venue and the management. The venue itself if beautiful, and very well laid out. My fiance wanted the rugby on, while others did not want to watch. The screen came down near the bar, and played the rugby and those who did not want to watch were able to socialise in front of the fireplaces. The food was fantastic - everybody loved the platters and Phil ensured they came out at suitable timings. The staff were also fantastic, and ensured we had the most fantastic night. Everyone we have spoken to about our event, have all mentioned what a great venue it was and that they will be looking at it for any future events. Thanks so much Phil, we had a fantastic time!

Do not go here.<br/>Bad main. Pork belly okay, but salad was bitter and the potato sticks woody and plain. My friend did not finish her pie, said it just felt like a dump of salty beef.<br/>And the dessert got even worse; my churros was undercooked, while what my partner received what was a badly rolled muesli with a dab of ice cream on top.<br/><br/>Also, both of us had a severe diarrhea when we came back home.

Dear Birdcage owner, if you're reading this, hire a new chef. We had a company function here, our steaks were all tough and had zero taste (they also smoked out the entire place at one point presumably from cooking the steaks), coworkers who had clam chowder and pork belly also said they were terrible. I tried both the churros and ice cream dessert options and didn't like either - in particular the ice cream felt cheap and frosty, I've had better from a $3 2L tub from the supermarket!

Girlfriend and I had a lovely lunch 2 weeks ago. We had a selection of tapas that were delicious and staff were very accommodating. Tapas were kumara chips, avocado salad, chicken nibbles and crispy squid. Look forward to our next meal here.

We enjoyed a delicious meal while relaxing with a Moa and an Old Mout cider beer. The meal was elegantly presented and tasted supreme. It's worth the wait and we will definitely be back. <br/><br/>Subsequently, we have booked our daughters 21st as a result of their fine food, drink and excellent service.<br/><br/>Compliments to the chef and delightful staff for making our brunch all the worthwhile.

urrgh, not a good time at all at this place and is a shame cos we'd heard so much about it. I guess it must have been the old place : ( I also wish that we'd read the reviews before going as the Birdcage seems, well, consistently inconsistent. The portions are tiny (for what you pay), their much-lauded sharing boards were, to be honest crrp! we sent one back, it was replaced with another lackluster shambles, and excuses of a new chef (don't even know if that was true)<br/>Wine list is extensive and looks reasonable .... until you realise prices are for HALF Bottles!!<br/><br/>Nah. No good. Avoid, spend your hard-earned dollars wiser than the Birdcage.

Very disappointing, wish we'd read some of these reviews before going.<br/>The five of us ordered the 'famed' platters which were pretty skimpy and unimaginative. Birdcage seems very in-consistent. Expensive for what you get, poor quality and shoddy attentiveness from staff : (

This was the second time I have visited. Once for lunch and once now for dinner (within last 2 weeks), I have tried alot of the tapas on the menu and really enjoyed most of them. Kumura fries are amazing and found it good value for money! Will definately be returning :)

My husband and I got together with friends and family at the Bird Cage to celebrate our Anniversary. We were extremely impressed with the authentic renovations that have been done, the high quality of the food and the attentive service of the staff. We especially loved the shared boards which gave everyone the opportunity to taste a variety of food and to enjoy it at a leisurely pace. Very European!! The desserts were scrumptious and couldn't get enough of the tart! Looking forward to our next visit where we want to try the pizza's for only $20 each.

We went there on friday and had a dreadful experience - will never go there again.<br/>Overpriced and lackluster, we waited 25 minutes to be served, the quality of the food was poor-to-average (admittedly the scotch fillet was 'okay' but should have been for the price). Service from staff was nonchalant and surly - the manageress was downright rude and unhelpful.<br/><br/>I'm also highly dubious about the recent "positive" reviews on this page and suspect that they've been posted by staff/management from Birdcage rather than genuine diner feedback.<br/>I'm far more inclined to go with the 7 or 8 prior ones, they far more accurately reflect our experience. Avoid.

This was our third visit here and each time has been a delight! The shared lamb board and kumara fries were always my top choice but found it hard to decide last week with the new menu and vast number of additional options. Tried the eye fillet on tostadas and it sent my taste buds into orbit. So did the blue cheese croquettes and the lemon crumble desert. Washed it all down with a great pinot - Crater Rim! My only complaint was that my stomach wasn't big enough to try more of the menu! Will definitely be back soon.

I have never written one of these reviews before, but felt that I needed to say such a huge thank you to the Birdcage for an amazing night last night.<br/>It was "sort of" a special night and we'd heard about the Birdcage, and thought we'd try it out. We were a group of 6, and we had a fantastic time, the food was awesome.<br/>The shared boards are such a great way to share food with friends. We had 3 boards between us. The duck on the Beijing Board was superbly cooked and everyone loved it, my favourite was the Butchers board with fantastic lamb and potatoes to die for (what's the secret?). We also had the Chicken board and it was just yum. There was plenty of food on the boards and price wise they were great value.<br/>The waitress had some great suggestions for our wine and we tried quiet a few different ones (I'm sorry I can't remember what they all were). She was so helpful, told us about the restaurant and how it was moved and the renovations, and she even got us some extra potatoes!! <br/> The restaurant has a really great atmosphere and having the food easy to share was so good and really different. The waitress seemed to know when we needed a "top up" but she wasn't pushy, we didn't really think we wanted desserts, but she suggested we share some truffles, that was just the perfect end to the meal. <br/>I love the exposed brick walls and they have kept just enough of the old. It was such a fantastic night -thanks

Being a high-maintenance customer, I contacted the restaurant before I went to ensure they offer meat from pasture-raised animals. The owner Phil promptly confirmed they do, in plenty of time for lunch. He even offered to have his chef prepare me a meal in advance of next month's new menu! How could I refuse? <br/>I am extremely pleased I went. I was presented a professionally garnished, mouth-watering 300 gram beef sirloin cooked medium rare, served with a beautiful port-wine sauce, and accompanied by a bowlful of fries. <br/>Sat in front of the bar I could see the kids playing on the sunlit skate rig in Victoria Park, and watch the surprisingly unobtrusive traffic go past on the motorway overhead. A very relaxing venue to have lunch in the city that I would recommend to anyone. <br/>The attentive waiter Adam kept my glass topped off, and the spacious building and large chairs are extremely comfortable. <br/>The $22.50 price tag was a very nice surprise after the meal; I expected closer to $49, which is what other places in the area charge just for the food. <br/>I'd be happy taking my wife and son there for dinner, or going after work with the guys for a few drinks. What a great and versatile restaurant, thanks chaps.

We were so excited about the opening of The Birdcage as it would be another great eatery on our doorstep. We dinned there 3 times as we thought maybe they were just having 'teething' problems and the next time would be better. We had The Butchers Board and the Kai Moana and Beijing Board ranging from $54 to $67.50 which tasted nice but were extremely poor value. The Calamari side was delicious and tender and the side of Duck Fat Potatoes were raw in the middle.<br/>The extra bread we ordered came in a brown paper bag and was about a third of a loaf. It came with a delicious smokey butter but certainly not worth paying $12.<br/>Beer selection was minimal and the value was poor although the wine list was extensive. <br/>We would certainly give them another try in the future as hopefully the owners would take on a few of the comments and make some changes.

I agree with all the previous reviews, way overpriced, this place isn't exactly close to many things so it's a destination rather that on the way somewhere. That said there are better options across in Victoria Park, but they are all suffering from over inflated prices.<br/>The Birdcage was great in its day (Shanghai Lill's) and the attempt at preserving the building has to be commended, but they have lost its vibe somehow, it's cold and uninviting, overpriced and not what it should be...have another go, and make it an affordable Pub / Bar that's welcoming and a testament to its history.

Went here for lunch for a change from our normal bar of choice and it was somewhere we used to go before the refit when we both worked in the area. Initial thought of the lunch menu was that it was very limited. Prices a little on the high side especially for lunch and although the beverage list was extensive these where also quite high. Wine pours seemed a little on the light side as well. Rekorderlig was $14 which is a 100% mark-up on the bottle store prices. The salmon with a bean and potato salad was nice and light, the braised lamb sandwich with fries sounded good but was a little disappointing and overpriced. Overall, food and beverage list good, service was quick and attentive but a there is definitely room for improvement.

We had a very nice lunch over the Easter break. The calamari was very tender and full of flavour with a very fresh dressing for the salad. The pork belly sandwich was very nice but for the price it could of had a bit more pork. The beers were expensive as you can buy imported bottled beer cheaper at restaurants in The Viaduct.<br/><br/>The service was very good.

Was really looking forward to try the NEW Bird Cage.<br/>Must say don't even bother...<br/>Went for dinner, menu was confusing, extremely over priced.<br/>Had the crispy chicken, wasn't impressed at all, super dry and a lot of though it was kinda undercooked and soggy, and the avocados on top didn't even match. <br/>My husband had a seafood platter Bland, bland, bland<br/>Don't waste your time.<br/>And for the Birdcage owner - find a new chef!

We were so looking forward to eating at the "new" Birdcage, what a disappointment...<br/>We went for lunch, the menu was limited but staff friendly.<br/>Water arrived immediately but our drinks 20 mins later.<br/>I had the steak sandwich which was tasteless, overcooked and dry. The fries were the centre piece.<br/>My wife had the crispy chicken which was bland and dry.<br/><br/>I think they need Gordon Ramsay to do a Kitchen Nightmare already !!

Great food in an historic building, that was once on the water's edge, and was moved recently for the tunnel construction. I can't fault the service or the chicken salad I had, definitely try that, or go for the beef cheek pie! Even the gnocchi looked amazing and it's quite hard to find places that so gnocchi nowadays! If it's sunny sit outside in the courtyard, although it can get noisy with the nearby intersection and motorway overpass...

The Birdcage - a stylish and refurbished causal eatery - was an accidental discovery which we stumbled upon when my partner and I were trying to find a place to eat on Anzac Day. Located in Victoria Park, this modern restaurant and bar has a large courtyard bar and dining area where patrons can satisfy their hunger and thirst as well as enjoy the little good weather that is left for us Aucklanders!<br/><br/>We were very lucky to be blessed with good weather on Anzac Day and we made the most of it by having a glass of cold beer in their courtyard with our unhealthy lunch of pizza and chips. We ordered the spicy chorizo pizza with fried capers and tiger prawns and a side of shoestring fries to share. I'm usually not a fan of pizza but the combination of the spicy chorizo with the fresh succulent prawns and capers was splendid. I particularly enjoyed the pizza base which was crispy on the edges but chewy on the inside as well as the presentation of our serving of crispy shoestring fries that was served piping hot and not over-seasoned<br/><br/>Overall, we had a really enjoyable meal at The Birdcage. The setting had a nice ambience, the food was good and they did not charge us any surcharges despite dining on a public holiday. The menu is rather limited for lunch and because they only open from 12pm onwards, they do not have any breakfast/brunch option. However, I would love to come back again to try their dinner menu.<br/><br/>Oh, did I mention that they have free parking available for diners?