Review Valentines - Wairau Junction - Auckland Central

I've heard Valentines North Shore is the best of all Akl locations. I can't confirm, haven't been to Valentines in ages. I did enjoy my dining experience here however. Good variety of food. Nice atmosphere. But mostly, great service. Id visit again.

Considering I don't like crowds and prefer a low key eatery, I was pleasantly surprised. Lovely welcome from staff... food was amazing...service was splendid.... what more can I say? Don't hesitate! This is the place to be! We'll worth the 40min journey!!! Thanks guys x

Update: 13/11/23 They have increased the price again. It is now a whopping $36 for lunch! The food is good, but not $36 good. I probably won't go there again. I went again today, 10 Feb 2023 and it was as good as the last time. I left very happy. I wasn't sure if I needed a walk or a lie down 🙃🤔😀 Previous time: I visited before Covid (so a few years ago) and wasn't impressed at all. The food wasn't good at all. Then I saw a few people mention on a Facebook post that the North Shore branch is great, and I thought I would give it another try. The lunch price is a bit steep at $32. The food was really good! I enjoyed everything I ate. I liked it so much that I went back the following week. The ladies are so friendly, helpful, and attentive. They keep clearing the dirty dishes, and check up to see if you need anything. They have a seafood station, a chocolate fountain, a coffee machine, a great selection of cold and warm desserts and puddings, a carvery station with different fish and meat, and a big selection of food ranging from soup (the seafood chowder is my favourite), butter chicken, chickpea curry, with naan (yum), veggies cooked in various ways, selection for kids (nuggets, chips, pizza), and an awesome salad bar. There is a clear sign posted on the cold drink machine that states there is a one off price for their bottomless cold drink and slushy machines. It is also on the tent menus on every table, so people are well informed that the only exclusion of the buffet is the cold drinks and slushies. I'm so glad I gave it another go!

With children, it was difficult to fully enjoy the cuisine. had only the dessert and the seafood. Dessert was delicious and the seafood was ok. However, the service was wonderful; they were truly lovely. I will most certainly return to sample the meal without the kids 😅

We had Dinner here on the 26/11/23 and we really enjoyed the food . Buffet was yummy. It was good too for Vegetarians a better variety- Seafood and salads . Staff are lovely and very helpful. I think il come here with my family after Xmas. Well done Valentines North Shore

Came here for my Mother in Laws 50th. First time in over 20 years since I have been back to Valentines. The environment was very tidy, staff were friendly and helpful and the food was great. Was a bit tight at the serving areas but a joyful experience.

Booked lunch for myself and my sister for her birthday and enjoyed the food and service. Food was delicious and service was excellent, place was clean and place was so open and inviting. Ice cream machine was down but so many desert options you were not disappointed.

Food was good with a great variety. Wouldn't take much for the food to be next level. The mussels could do with more red curry paste, the butter chicken more cream. Just little tweaks in most dishes would get a 5. The lady clearing the plates was lovely as was all of the staff.

Beautiful place, have been coming here for many years. Spent 2022 Christmas here with my family. We were warmly greeted and given gifts, chocs and gifts for the kids. Best money spent and we left pleasantly happy. Highly recommended to all.

The service is excellent and so as the food which I enjoyed so much. This is so far the best place I’ve been to in NZ and I’ll be going there often. Love it so much that I have to get 3 plates hehehe

Possibly one of the best Valentines I've been to so far in Auckland. The buffet was very nice, they've got a huge variety of food to chose from including a desert chocolate fountain! This is our new go-to Valentines for any special occasions.

Myself and my partner travelled from Bay of plenty for a nice relaxing getaway and one of our good friends recommended valentines North Shore. First off, the place is really clean and immaculate. We were greeted by Winnie who was amazing and although we were late, she bumped our dining time which we never expected but felt really elated. She was nurturing and reassuring with Kind warm energy which really set the tone for our beautiful night ahead. Throughout the night we were nurtured by Shannon and Vanessa who were just really amazing, consistent, bubbly and polite. Vanessa even took our plate of prawns to be grilled and bought it back for us which we’ve never experienced before. So appreciative of her. We felt so welcomed like we were family and Shannon even let us stay few minutes longer to finish our food with no pressure or sense off urgency. We were so content in a beautiful way it was just a magical experience. I personally don’t like to try new settings because most experiences tend to turn out shaky, however these ladies (also the chef and a few other assistants) made me a happy believer so much I recommended them to my family and my family are big especially when it comes to dining out heh. Thank you guys so so much definitely returning back and it won’t just be us either lol have a great day take care and keep being amazing 🙌👏🙏❤️ If you’re new or haven’t been here to North Shore Valentines I suggest you get there asap and experience a day/night to remember for life 🙂

Handy location in Wairau Road close to Motorway, parking is limited, staff friendly. Food is average, but good place to go if you are on a budget

A lovely dining experience. The renovations look fantastic and am always impressed with the number of options available. The live cooking kitchen is a great addition for delicious fresh food. The staff are always so warm and welcoming and was glad to see the restaurant filled with happy customers. From a regular patron.

Lovely service. A swt touch with a Birthday card signed by staff & balloon for mum. Food has improved alot. Layout is nice. Only disappointment was the fresh steak cooked on grill was not available for lunch dining.

This is the best Valentine's in Auckland period. Thank you so much for the service and great food. We had a blast.

The lady who gave the best table close to da food tonight is the best !!! she was the lady with the long hair with a ponytail Maori Pacific Island lady . Thank you for making our stay for dinner comfortable and delicious loved it so much ❤️thank u so much valentines north shore Yummo 😋😋😋😋😋

Me and my family attended valentines buffet tonight for my daughter’s birthday dinner and I was so amazed with the staff, service and dinner options. It is our first time coming to Valentine’s in over 10 years and we were amazed at how much the place has changed ! Big shout out to the Fiji crew on the kitchen ( Milly,Billy,jay and ash) we highly enjoyed our food tonight !! Thankyou very much for the great experience and we will be back soon !! Thanks, David khan

Convenient place for family gathering

Cooks looked disinterested in their work which reflected in the food they were serving, zero quality and reeks of mediocrity. The waitresses on the other hand were brilliant and cheerful and were always happy to help. Bottom line: Unfortunately valentines is well overpriced and not worth it.

Valentines has always accepted my last minute bookings for a large crowd. Food is edible and fulfilling. Lunch time was better than dinner. Service was great though.

Why oh why do I ?? Kids birthday and decided to go Valentines cse they like to be able to pick their own food. The food seemed like it was either from the day before as the seafood had dehydrated and shriveled up, desserts tasted like the fridge they had been stored in. Cuts of meat were covered in fat and kfc potato better than this playdo slosh. Cmon guys, its basic old school food and u cant even get it right. Such a rip off at almost $40 <br/>Its very obvious in the food standard that they are trying to cut corners to make more money which honestly has just made people shun when u speak of valentines. So embarrased I even went here. Never again :(

This place used to be decent awhile back. Came here last week and the food was very average. For the price charged you would expect more. The bbq grill wasn’t working so the steak that was served was very dry and over cooked. Nothing really stood out. Just the usual chips, pizza, veggies, a few curries and roast chicken. the seafood wasn’t fresh. My oysters had sand or shell in it which was not pleasant. Dessert wasn’t great either. Could get a much more decent meal from the pub next door for $20. Wouldn’t bother coming here again. Over priced with low quality food.

Great for family birthday, buy 3 get one free. One of the better Valentines branch. We like that they do steak on order and have lots of choices for entree, mains and desserts. Always a full tummy and pretty good service. For $36pp dinner, can’t complain. That would be a price of one plate of dinner main elsewhere.

I went there for my birthday I was treated nicely and quick customer service food was okay tho ( a variety of food but it all depends on what you like) oh the korean wings was average but the sweets are good 8.5/10

The first time I visited Valentines about 6 months ago it was amazing! Great food, excellent service and left us wanting more. More recently, while the service is still excellent, the food was not. We tried abit of everything thinking maybe it was just a particular dish that was lacking but everything tasted the same; bland and either over or under cooked. Oysters had bits of shell and sand I had to pick out and the roast potatoes were hard. Advised a staff member who thank is for our comments.

Service was great, waiter was coming around clearing plates and giving us new bottles of water when needed but the food at lunch was below average, not much meat out,tags of what the food was were missing and the ice cream was runny. The family and I unfortunately won’t be going back

Back in the day used to be a reputable buffet restaurant chain but over the years has slowly turned into disappointment. No love shown in the food they make which in turn comes out bland. Prices have hiked also while the value has decreased. No longer a fan, would not return or recommend.

Considering how much it costs per head and the quality of the food I wont be going back at all. Service was good but thats where the positives end. Food was a real let down

Big buffet setup with decent ambience . We had been there for lunch . Great menu selection. Meat ball, Fried rice and Mussels in coconut sauce my favourite . Staff very polite and did cleared the tables promptly. The only suggestion is to the back of house staff looking after the buffet is to top up any food item as soon as you see it’s empty as had to remind couple of times and wait for it to arrive . Decent place for families and especially for kids . Will surely visit again.<br/>

Typical Valentine's; good if your feeling hungry, don't expect anything too flash - some of it can be abit dry, Reasonable selection - good deserts. I left feeling full so for around 30$ for main, dessert, and maybe a coffee or something afterwards isn't to bad.

My kids love this place, especially the deserts.<br/><br/>I have always found the service here to be friendly and efficient. Today it was quiet and they brought plenty of water to our table and cleared our plates quickly.<br/><br/>The buffet was well presented and had plenty of variety. We always leave well fed.<br/><br/>It can be a bit crowded on busy days and I did have an unpleasant experience here once because of the behaviour of other guests, no fault of the management. Please have a quick chat to your kids before you leave them unsupervised on a buffet.<br/><br/>We usually come here to treat the kids and I would be unlikely to come without them. Total cost for our family of four (without drinks) was $109.60

not a good place to eat, 35$ so you can eat dry meat, unseasoned dishes and chips and just overall  poor food, and then theirs the over crowded ness, so many seats not enough food so you have to wait in lines, staff was nice though

Service from staff was amazing as always but sadly the food was terrible and lots was not able to be eaten. We normally go every 3rd month but feel the food has gotten worse over time. Wont be returning.

Not coming back anymore! Not worth of your money better to cook at home. Haysss. Not recommended. <br/>Very dissapointed with the food. 35$ they will served you fish n chips thats very bland, chicken thats very dry, indian food that you cant eat and ice cream thats very runny omg! Its a nightmare. Pls dont come here.<br/>Its hould have been 0 rating but im glad the lady in the counter is very nice.<br/>

Me and my family attended this restaurant two weeks ago for my Sisters birthday.<br/><br/>I don't know what has changed in the last year but the prior time was for my Mothers 50th and we really enjoyed ourselves(maybe the fact we had around 40-50 people was the difference.<br/><br/>The best way to describe the food now is watered down.... all the meals were poorly made, the roasted meats were dry, the desserts were terrible. I tried a bit of everything to make sure it wasn't just a few items.<br/><br/>There is no way we will return to have another birthday or dinner.

Terrible food, hygiene standards weren't very good either. Ice cream machine was out of order and the oysters that were provided made me question whether they were legal or not. Don't recommend to anyone

Reasonable spread, although there could have been a better variety for the price. The best things were the sweets, and the salad bar - which had an amazing variety - but there could have been more of the hot options available. We went at lunchtime, so was aware it would be a more limited spread - although I wouldn't hold out on it being too different at dinner time due to the lack of counter space. Wouldn't be too eager to return, although no complaints on the food or service.

We took our son out for dinner tonight 27th Jan as we were told this place serves the best food to compare with other Valentines. As soon as we arrived, my husband was told by the duty manager that he needed to wear something over his sleeveless t shirt otherwise he won't be allowed to go in. We told her that we didn't realise there was a dress code in place as we couldn't see anything online plus there were a few people who were dinning in the restaurant with sleeveless tees on too. She allowed us into the restaurant in the end...but I think they should mention in their website somewhere that they don't allow sleeveless tee shirts to be worn inside the restaurant. Also just found out tonight, that it's okay for females to wear thin strap tops and sleeveless tops n dresses, however males are not allowed. I'm just highlighting this so others won't experience what we went through. This ruined my night.

Was here over the weekend with a group of 24.  Most probably the best Valentines in the Auckland Region to date.  We'd stopped doing the whole Valentines after some not so pleasant experiences.  Food is a vast improvement from a few years ago, nice selections of spreads with steak cooked to your pref. and plenty of fresh seafood.  At no time was there an empty tray with food topped up on the go. Service was really good and the staff very welcoming.  <br/>Thanks for an enjoyable evening.

Went here a few months back and took my niece. We often enjoyed going here. Unfortunately though the food was cold and didn't taste fresh. We both left disappointed.

Definitely my favourite buffet house. Beautiful place to dine with a good selection of food. All the food is tasty and it all tastes just how it looks, beautiful! Nice place for all ages and great for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I especially recommend here coming on a birthday. It's just perfect.

Definitely the best valentine's the service is good and the food is definitely better than any other valentine's it is rather pricey but I'd rather pay for valentine's than the Fortuna any day

Deteriorated over the years. What was once not a bad place to go for a feast, now the place to go for a below average experience. Not enough variation with tasteless and mostly cold food.

Went to Valentines for dinner. Pleasantly surprised at the range offered and service. Valentine's Northshore definitely is a great restaurant to take your family. There is something for everyone and the staff are very nice. I thoroughly enjoyed my time and will be going back with my family.<br/>Cheers guys

Staff were very helpful and friendly but nothing out of the ordinary. Went here with my sister in law. She didn't find anything that catches her eye hence the reason she only ate carrots and beans. I had an ok meal though i was expecting or to be different after hearing so much about it.

Came for family dinner 2 adults 4 kids wasn't expecting too much as it is Valentine's after all.<br/>Was pleasantly surprised! Obviously have put an effort into making it a quality family restaurant.<br/>The food was cooked well and i was impressed with the way it was kept well topped up and with plenty of seafood options including oysters that tasted fresh and juicy.<br/>The layout was bright open and tasteful and they surprised us with activity kits for the children which was definitely a highlight as it kept them entertained and quiet which allowed us to not have to rush off.<br/>The dessert bar was yummy and the children were delighted to see a kids corner with icecream, chocolate fountain, fudge sauces and lollies - I only wish I had thought to take a pic of it all.<br/>The staff were very nice making sure we were well attended to and we were very happy at the end as we were given a discount and also some vouchers for next visit.<br/>We have rated 5 stars as it ticked every box for us as a family we didn't find one thing we could fault.<br/>We will absolutely be returning! 😃

honestly i expected a lot from Valentines given the high prices they charge and the brand as a whole. The food had no flavor and it didn't taste good at all. A lot needs to be done on the products if people like me are to walk in their door again. The salads were only the better thing to talk about.

Went for lunch. There was great variety of food. Good beers on tap too. The roast chicken and pork was the standout for me. The wife enjoyed the mussels with cream sauce quite a bit. The salmon was over a lil bit but not too far. Huge dessert option, all sweet so kids went crazy. Good service - tables were cleared promptly so was able to grab more.

Decided to come here for a late dinner and was surprised by the price as it was $35pp. Though it was a buffet, the food was very average and there was nothing exciting at all about the food. It was not worth $35 at all and is a lot better to go to somewhere like Fortuna Buffet Restaurant which costs less and the food is a lot better. However the staff were really friendly and helpful. :)

Went here in the weekend for a birthday and it was good. The service was very good! Very nice and friendly staff. The food is way better than the Valentines in Henderson. Even though Valentines isn't the best it was good enough. The food is a bit tasteless, not enough love or effort put in it to satisfy all customers. <br/>Enjoyed my time at this Valentines. The birthday cake was nice. <br/>

Came here for a family event and we sat down waited 15minutes I had to wave the waiter to order our drinks. We then went on to wait another 20minutes and ended up getting them ourselves from the bar! Then went up to get some food and nothing was appetizing at all the steak was soggy, cold and beyond dead! The dessert bar left something to be desired, the cream was whipped to butter, the chocolate fountain was cold and lumpy and half the cakes and bread rolls tasted countdown brought! Warning: if your going to pay $40 for dinner please go somewhere nicer with better service and decor. Here are a few pictures of the ladies room for your information.

Update:<br/><br/>We decided to give this place one last chance - just to see if they'd made any improvements. Nope. The seafood chowder was super oily (that is the first time I've ever come across oily chowder - not a nice combination). The roast pork was barely edible - it was super dry and like eating cardboard. The "steak" that was once the attraction for actually coming here really, should hardly be referred to as steak. It's like tiny pieces of schnitzel cooked poorly (we asked for well done and were served rare pieces). The coup de grace was watching as one of the staff poured water from the tray used to catch steam water into the mashed potatoes to make it more "creamy". Oh - and this place is actually $36.90 per head, not $35.90 as their site suggests. This place is dead to us. #RIPValentines<br/><br/>Food ordered:<br/>4 x adults<br/><br/>Bill: $143.60<br/><br/>Big tummy: It's always sad to see an old family favourite let itself go and unfortunately that appears to be exactly what has happened to Valentines on Wairau Rd. I might as well start with the positives, because there really aren't many left. As always, the steak and garlic butter was the highlight of the menu and, considering that the restaurant was relatively busy, the waiting time for a piece wasn't so bad. The chocolate fountain is also a nice addition, though we were kinda put off by all the kids putting their fingers among other things in the fountain. <br/>And on to the lowlights of the night. Foodwise a lot of the dishes really weren't up to the mark - the seafood didn't seem to be fresh (some of the mussels had a bit of a funny smell) and we were somewhat surprised to see the staff emptying Hell's Pizza boxes into the trays. I mean, if the chefs aren't able to cook pizza themselves, it makes you question the other dishes. I also lost count of how often I had to miss a step to avoid standing on food too. I understand there were a few kids around, but it's still unpleasant to see trodden food all over the floor. <br/>Sadly, key aspects of the service were also well below average on the night. Usually we get a really nice lady serving us, but unfortunately we couldn't see her. We did have one nice waitress who even took a photo for us, but she seemed to be the exception on the night. Other than her, the staff members left a bad taste in our mouths. When we first entered the dining area, the waiter lead us to the wrong table, before making us move after we had all seated. I was also very disappointed that they would not honor their birthday promotion, with my birthday being the following day, when the lady we had previously spoken to had told us that it is fine.<br/>Quite frankly, I just don't believe that Valentines is worth their price anymore. Considering that there are arguably better buffets in Auckland, with cheaper price tags, I think our days of dining at Valentines are behind us.  <br/><br/>Little tummy: I hadn't been to Valentines before, but the other three people I dined with all expressed disappointment in how the standards of the restaurant has apparently been dropped. Overall, I found the food to be average. The roast ham, fried fish and the chocolate fountain were favorites for me. I was surprised to see that the pizzas were ordered in from the Hell's Pizza next door though. Not a good look. I also found that some of the cutlery needed to be cleaned a bit better. Personally, the experience was okay... but I wouldn't rush back anytime soon.

This place is not the same as the good old days the 90's. We had to wait to get seated to the point I had to go search for a staff member to get us a table. The food was average only thing I really enjoyed was the oysters and sweet treats. Also I was shocked to see that their health grade was a month old . Shows the place is run down and the manager is slack. Not recommended.

bad food,bad service, overpriced for what you got, minimal staff. the only good food was the oysters because they were not cooked. never again. even the woman on reception was slow and inefficient

Been there a couple of times and I can safely say that by no means is this an establishment serving fine food. You go to this Valentine's if you are very hungry. The price however is quite high for the quality of food. The buffet has a variety of different cuisines on offer. None of which are well looked after. Dry meat, greasy cold fried food, soggy salads and empty trays. On both days, the Thai food was good though. The deserts not bad either. The service is nice and quick. May be because its a buffet and we served ourselves? We had a dirty table and after waiting a while for it to be cleaned up, we went to the reception and asked for someone to clean it up. May be we caught them on a couple of bad days. But that's enough for me to make up my mind. If its good food you are after, stay away! If however its unlimited quantity (and if you can really eat)and various cuisines that you seek, definitely give them a go.Food 2/5, Price 2/5, Service 2.5/5, Location 4/5

This place has sadly seemed to decrease over the past few years. Food is still plentiful, but quality doesn't seem to resonate here. Aren't as much options as what I originally remembered, and taste of food has decreased. Atmosphere as is expected and waiting times between seating was a while, but due to a very large group there. Price is high to what is expected. Dessert was nice and a good variety, as well as average cheese, but no crackers in sight?

What can I say. DISAPPOINTMENT. Took a couple of family members from overseas about a month ago. Food is bland, old, rubbery and even inedible at times. The meats were tough, salads bland, pizza too salty and curry actually NOT tasting like curry. The worst part was the dessert. Fruit salad?? No... tangy salad. The fruits were so old and over ripened that it was starting to taste of alcohol. I felt so sorry to the guests. Went out for a nice steak meal later at a few hours later. NO NO NO.

I visited Valentines Wairau Road on the North Shore with my family 2 days ago. I was really excited to try your food because I have been told Valentines is one of the best buffets and is very popular in New Zealand. However, I was extremely disappointed with the quality and taste of the food after visiting. We got there about 7 p.m. and most of the food was not fresh at all, the seafood cuisines were bland and the shellfish from mussels to scallops were tough, chewy and overly salty. Of note a large majority of the green lipped muscles were closed typically indicating NOT fresh. <br/><br/>Additionally, the only fresh item was the oysters but unfortunately this was gone within minutes of being replaced, I was able to try ONE! So after considerable time after they had been consumed by other patrons I asked staff when more fresh oysters would be available but she said "Sorry, they had run out". I was in disbelief! The restaurant was not even a quarter full and a buffet advertising 'all you can eat" with special mention of 'fresh seafood' should prepare enough food for everyone (in theory of a full house) who would like to enjoy the concept of 'buffet'. Even the salads were not fresh and not delicious! <br/><br/>The only thing that we were happy with was the dessert. There was a large variety of delicious cakes and desserts. Coming from overseas I can firmly say the many buffets I have visited boast services and products much superior to that offered by Valentines. My partner also mentioned, when he used to come when he was younger he could usually find at least 1 or 2 items of food that was delicious but even he mentioned "now there is literally nothing up there that's special', waste of money", the pizza is dry doughy bread with some sauce, no fried chicken, dry ham, bland seafood salad".

Sadly this place is a grotesque caricature of its glory days - a sad old tart still trying to be a burlesque dancer. OK - they're refurbing, but the food was a disgrace. Saturday lunch, and either chicken or ham; that's it. Roasted spuds were out of the freezer, so were ALL the vegetables. Frozen hoki lumps and frozen chips, almost browned off by some slack kitchen hand - Valentines appear to have sacked the chef and taken on a microwave operator. The salad bar was a tray of ice separated with bowls of supermarket salads - bean and coriander, potato, crab-and-dressing and beetroot: straight from the slalad bar at Pak'n Save. Fancy a bread roll? Sure! Soft white bread from God knows where: take it or leave it. Like butter with that? FORGET IT! Take your margarine and shove off! New Zealand - Godzone - and no bloody butter in a buffet restaurant - how bad can this get???! The service was no better than the food - some poor young woman who needed the money badly enough to turn up and face the client's abuse (not from us - none of the above is down to her), but was never trained as a waitress. Or a cleaner, come to that. Honestly people - this place has seriously gone to the dogs. If you'd been here 15 years ago you wouldn't recognise the place today. It's a bloody shambles, and not worth the square root of the entry price. In value-for-money terms, Peter Gordon's Dine is a way better deal. Valentines gets one point from me because I can't give them a half, and that's all they're worth: the Coke had bubbbles, which was by far the best thing about our celebration meal out. I apologise for the colourful language and the hysteria - I'm a bit passionat......well bugger it, actually I DON'T apologise. If Valentines were your family doctor, you'd have them struck off.

Everything you'd expect from a Valentine's buffet. There is a pool table and bar also for entertainment. A great variety of desserts and there is also a soft serve machine

Went there 10/2/2015 for a birthday dinner...$36.90...The place is drab the food was old the ham was shrivelled and dry was put off with a mouthful of mussel that had gone off covered in crap to disguise the smell.  The salad bar was pitiful and salads old and shrivelled. Jelly? must have been sooo old cream was off...Bad experience.  We had 8 adults 1 teenager 1 child...Disgusting hadn't been there for years what a let down, never ever again...

Went there last night for dinner with 6 other friends! We were very disappointed with the food. So not worth it. We all have bad stomachs and some had to take time off work! The food is either dirty, old or off! Not going back there again!

Came here for our Fathers Day dinner,we used to always come here last year because the steaks were delicious but last night was a disappointment! The steaks were cold or too chewy,the "hot chips" looked and tasted old, garlic bread was soo toasted that we could no longer taste the garlic & the texture was very hard. The only pros from our dinner was the service the staff provided us with & the drinks! Food needs to be upgraded, we work in a food industry & could tell that more than half the food served wasn't fresh.

Went 2 weeks ago for dinner from the initial hostess to the guys who filled up the food really friendly and helpful and my 87 year old Dad was treated well (Birthday boy) Food good and plates cleared away regularly am going again tonight for another birthday.

The mussels were rotten. Spat it onto my plate, so disgusting. The king prawn platter smelt bad so passed it to a waitress. She smelt the platter and quickly passed it to a passing Chef who took it away. The steak was tough, garlic sauce overpowering. Strong vinegar taste to the salad. The only consumable things were the glass of wine and water. What a disgrace of a restaurant. Also we didn't pay for this so called food.

Nice food, lovely staff, spacious and great atmosphere. Only thing is it tends to fall quite expensive especially if your kids eat virtually nothing.

We've just had lunch at Valentines and had a brilliant time...the food was very well presented and tasty to boot. The staff were very friendly and helpful with a special mention of Cathie's whose hospitality was second to none..I highly recommend this venue especially for those celebrating a birthday because as I found out today the birthday person dines free, just the cherry on top of a fantastic lunch outing

We dined at Valentines again last Wednesday with three of our granddaughters, one had turned ten on Boxing day and one who had turned eight towards the end of January.<br/>The staff were fantastic and had a notice on the front door saying that the two girls had recently had a birthday, then to their absolute joy and astonishment, when we were shown to our table there was a balloon and a birthday card signed by the Valentines Wairau Road team for each of the girls - they both felt very special !They love going to Valentines as they can choose anything they want to eat - the only stipulation is that they must eat what they put on their plate.<br/>The staff are excellent, friendly and pleasant. The food was fresh and delicious, with fresh bread and butter brought to our table on request. Would highly recommend. The Receptionist is wonderful - friendly, bubbly and efficient .

We love going to Valentines Wairau Road, they have a great selection with the food that caters for all paletes. I have found it always to be lovely and fresh. Love it how the birthday person gets their meal free! My girls love going there. Cheers and keep it up. Staff are lovely also.

We travel from Hamilton several times going to visit relatives up North and always plan our time so we can stop and have lunch at the North Shore Valentines. We find the staff absolutely great and the food is wonderful. The tomato soup is worth the whole trip. The presentation and quality is perfect. We have a Valentines in Hamilton and we would never go back as it has gone down hill from a year ago. They have moved to the centre of town with no parking and cater for the drinkers rather than the good food. No carvery and very small selection compared to the North Shore Valentines. We will continue to visit as often as we can as we are always welcomed by our lovely receptionist each time we arrive. Thank you, Jim and Rosie Crain sr.

We usually have one family lunch at Valentines as it's a safe option for people with different diets. Firstly deserts, roast meat and soups and fries where great. However, no plain bread rolls ( only garlic bread - which is no good for non butter people) , Alaskan fish sticks instead of usual fish bites were tasteless and awful, potatoes where not cooked thoroughly. Coffee machine is really bad. Service was quite good. Basically 1/2 good and 1/2 not.

Very busy evening and therefore too noisy and table too close to the neighbours.<br/>Quality of food good and as one of our party had a birthday, she was free!

On the 22nd December 2012 we dined out at Valentines for my 60th birthday with my husband Archie, daughter Ruth and her boyfriend Hans from Brisbane, and Tango our son and 2 daughters Essance and Mokikiwa from Christchurch. Originally we were to have a combined birthday with a friend which didn't happen due to work commitment's. On arrival the host was attentive, even though we were very late, and the booking numbers had changed.The table was beautifully presented with my favourite colour balloon. Staff were attentive and friendly. The hot food choice was great and salads were beautiful as well as the desserts, the chocolate fountain and marshmallows always my favourite. So nice to singalong with the old favourites of yesteryears, with the live music. Thanks Valentines for making my 60th birthday a very special day to remember from all of US!!!!!!!

Best Valentines I've been to &amp; the only Valentines I'd eat at! Food &amp; Service was superb. I'll eat here anyday.

Shrimps in shrimp cocktails very tough and rubbery. We were disappointed being Xmas Eve there were no festive decorations, no turkey, no Xmas puds, strawberries or cherries. On arrival we were told to "go thru to the lounge"where there was no-one to greet us to show us to our table for several minutes. The staff could not crack a single smile between them during our dining experience. There was a lack of fresh veges and green salads - frozen beans and peas do not do it for me. We found the constant removal of plates very intrusive as it happened so often one by one. Would not make a return visit.

Valentines, North Shore looks and feels like a large food hall. Where have all the table cloths gone!!!! The food was very average and "tepid". Shrimps were dry and rubbery.

Tonight my family had a reunion at Valentines. <br/>There were uncle’s parent’s teenagers and children, 22 in all. <br/><br/>Each with different tastes so it was of some concern as to whether valentine’s would be a suitable place (the other contenders were aubergine and swashbucklers).<br/><br/>We made the right choice.<br/>The food was superb, hot, and plentiful.<br/>Some of the shrimp cocktails were a little bit off but apart from that oversight, this was a wonderfully relaxed place to dine <br/>I give it 5/5.

I have been to Valentines, North Shore on previous occasions and in every instance the dining experience has been fantastic. Visiting from Brisbane to spend time with family (early August 2012), I always try to put Valentines on my "to do" list. From the seafood to salads, hot foods and desserts (sorry if I've missed anything out) its a culinary delight! Good value for money. Enjoy the service and the atmosphere. Keep up the good work. I'll be back in NZ over Christmas/New Year and already have a booking for Christmas Day ... can't wait! In my opinion, the best buffet restaurant, period.

Hadnt been back for some months since previous visit resulted in salty ham and just lack lustre array. Last night however, decided to give it another try. Superb!!! The ham was sweet and moist and the fried fish pieces delectable and fresh. My grandson was in 'pig heaven' and could barely walk out the door. The staff were very good and attentive though they did push 'do you want a drink' a bit since we dont drink alcohol. <br/><br/>In my opinion, a step up from our last visit.

We had a meal at Valentines for my daughters birthday, children love all you can eat dessert. <br/>The lady at the front desk is always so happy and friendly and makes you feel welcome, this does the company good to have staff that treat there customers so well so thank you to her.

Was very pleased with the food and the service. Loved the extra touch of personalised birthday balloon and staff coming to the table to sign a birthday card. The food was lovely and there was a great variety that suited us all, including four young grandchildren.

I took my parents for their 70th Wedding Anniversary &amp; they were so happy with the meal, the service - especially the balloon &amp; the card. They told everyone that phoned &amp; called in later that day how much they enjoyed it. Thank you to all the staff

Went to Valentines Wairau Park for the West Coasters Club Midwinter lunch. First hint is to be ready to turn left into the shops at the top of Wairau Rd hill, if coming from town. Traffic is always heavy there, and we were in the right, not the left lane, as we approached the restaurant entrance (our first visit).<br/><br/> While the exterior is not flash, the interior is pleasant and quiet ie no street noise.<br/><br/> The food was fantastic: loved the seafood chowder and the shrimp cocktail. The ham on the bone and fried fish were very good. Then went back, on my mother's advice, and tried the roast lamb- beautiful! For dessert had the chocolate mousse, as there was no Xmas pudding left. But found later, on my way to tea/coffee, that another Xmas pud was on offer, so went for it - rich and fruity, perhaps with a splash of the doings in it- perfect with custard. We all enjoyed our afternoon- stayed for ages, nattering, and were not made to move on. Would definitely recommend to friends/family - excellent value for money and a lovely place to go on a gloomy winter's day.

Enjoyed everything but the receptionist? She was very rude did not smile and acted like our money was no good. Will not be returning. Do not know how she is able to work in hospitality with that slack attitude.

Haven't been to this valentines for years but when a treat me deal came up i thought why not take hubby our to lunch ..we thought the place was awesome for what it is, staff all of them from the minute we walked in to the time of leaving were fantastic friendly staff and made you feel welcome..food was pretty good somethings not OK but you have variety to like and dislike what you want ... oh yeah and then there's the pudding n chocolate fountain ... we really enjoyed our lunch and will be back with friends for tea and my mum for lunch.... keep up the good work and go full steam ahead don't fall back ... well worth the travel ...Our local has the worse food and staff our experience there was horrid and when phoned head office they were going to look into it and was going to call back but never did ...thanks north shore for we have somewhere new to go ..thanks heaps C &amp; M Richards

We had not been to Valentines for many many years, and when a discount voucher came up on Treat me, we decided to go.<br/>We were both so shocked at the difference. The service was excellent, we were taken care of extremely well from start to finish. The food had changed also, there was a wonderful choice and the food was cooked well and was so enjoyable. The desserts, which for me used to be the downside, were really scrumscious. We were so thrilled with our return to Valentines we returned within a few days to take Mother for lunch. Thanks.

Hadn't been here for a while as there are so many eating establishments offering great deals and the food had become very predictable. So when a voucher came up I thought it time to revisit and we weren't disappointed. The food was hot with a reasonable selection.<br/>The staff though were awesome. I know it was a pretty quiet day for them but they were super friendly and attentive being very quick to take dirty plates away (sometimes too quick :):). It is still a good place to take a group especially if you have mixed ages and tastes and they always go out of their way if you are celebrating a special occasion.<br/>Thanks for a most enjoyable lunch.

Some dishes were great, others were acceptable. The seafood chowder soup was horrid -the worst I've tasted, it was so thick you'd think they were trying to stuff you up so that you couldn't eat anymore. <br/><br/>Most importantly the plates, bowls and cutleries were filthy!!! With stuff sticking on almost everyone of them. Totally gross...

Went to Valentines last night with 4 friends. Been on numerous occasions over the years but, sadly, we thought the food quality and quantity had slipped considerably. We thought too much of the food lacked taste, seafood in particular, whilst the variety and presentation of food was hardly different to what we would have been served 30 years ago. No attention to up-marketing, even if Valentines is a family-type restaurant. Our table was consistently cleared of used crockery/cutlery [great] but we noticed too many other tables were simply left uncleared whilst staff walked past, empty-handed. Staff are mostly very pleasant but we suspected it was management who needed a work-over! But, we also came to the conclusion that it wouldn't take too much to change, for the better, what is otherwise a pretty good place to eat and socialise. Come on management, you've got work to do, mostly on yourselves.

This is by far the best Valentines in Auckland. Food is always coming out hot and it doesn't look like yesterdays leftovers that the other restaurants serve

Took the family last Saturday,what a lovely experience.<br/>the staff was so friendly, the food was great, sirloin, chicken, ham, lovely desserts the atmosphere was so nice with the live music.<br/>So many dishes to choose from,<br/>what a great night we all loved it

i went to valentines the other day for my sons 10th birthday, as soon as we walked in we were greeted by a lovely receptionist, as we were seated by a staff member they explained everything as we had never dined here before they were very polite and helpful, as we went up to the buffet we were surprised by how much food there was, good value for money the chef even offered to cook us a fresh steak, the manager came over to our table shortly later to see how our meal was going and if they could help us with anything and wished mt son a happy birthday, over all it was the best birthday my son has ever had with a great selection of food and desserts they even have a chocolate fountain which the kids loved, we will defiantly be going there again

A group of us dined last Saturday night and we came to the mutual conclusion what a brilliant place to dine!! Heaps of dishes to choose from and the food was fresh and very tasty-Ham, Steak and yes a chocolate fountain!!! (delicious)<br/>Staff were very friendly and looked liked they really enjoyed their jobs<br/>Busy night but nothing seemed to phase them<br/>Well done -we'll be back for sure

Hi Ppl, Once the best top rack,our favourite Valentines, Wairau Rd has slipped to botton tray. I took half a dozen close friends there for my birthday. What a let down. The baked ham was good, the rest of the meat and veges were almost cold. We arrived at noon, hoping for good fresh and hot tucker. So disappointing, 22 bucks each virtually down the drain. PAKURANGA which is closer for us, TOP Valentines now in our eyes. Sorry for my friends having to put up with such poor quality. The reception and serving staff were great. Management, get into gear, or call Gordon Ramsey for help in cooking and serving.

My partner and I went to Valentines on Saturday night as I hadn't been before.....and I won't be going again! The choice of food was poor and it looked like it had been sat there for the whole day. The vegetables were all dried up, the sauces had a layer of skin over them they had been there for so long! I struggled to fill one plate, we went to pay and wowsers $90 for 2 adults with a drink each. Big fat rip off! We were very disappointed and pretty mad at wasting nearly $100 on a poor meal.

If you are not sure what you fancy to eat on a certain day, then go to Valentines. They have an array of food for you to choose from.<br/><br/>I am a dessert person, and I adore their dessert menu!<br/><br/>We usually come here only on special occasions, but every time we do, it is never disappointing!

We came to your Glenfield Restaurant on Mother's Day last weekend - one of the busiest days of the year for restaurants - a party of 8 adults - the food was fresh and plentiful, the service was amazing - we were even given a separate room for dining and you had musical entertainment as well. We were soooooo impressed and thoroughly recommend Glenfield Valentines!! Thank you so much for making it such a lovely day :)

We've been to a few Valentines around Auckland, but the dessert in this particular Valentines restaurant is excellent! The service and rest of the food are average.

The service is good and the selection for the buffet diverse

We really enjoy going to Valentines, North Shore. The food is always fresh, always topped up. The place is spotlessly clean and the staff, well I can't say enough. They are all very friendly and I would say for a bunch of young ones they are always very polite. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone, especially for a birthday, as you get a free meal....oh thats if three others are with you.