Review Ponsonby Road Bistro - Auckland

The ripeye steak was of excellent quality and I was pretty happy with it despite its little size. Great service was provided. a pleasant, unhurried dinner. love the lighting. lovely welcome staff

Had dinner here last week, loved the food! Service was warm and friendly, also loved the outdoor seating! Definitely recommend!

Loved it. Great staff, wines on the glass and food. My only comment would be that the cheese selection was served a little too chilled, however there is an easy way to remedy that with an extra glass of wine. Would definitely visit again!

PRB is such a Ponsonby staple and for good reason. The service is excellent - relaxed and welcoming. The food is always delicious and the menu caters well for vegetarians and gets refreshed regularly. Great place for dinner for two or large groups and everything in between - we had our work dinner here and we were very well looked after.

It was my first time here. I had the chargrilled rib eye, brocollini as a side dish, and the tiramisu. Hands down best steak ever. What I was dreaming of all week - a good steak. Luckily, they didn't disappoint. The tiramisu was tasty but standard. The service could be better. I found it difficult to get the staffs attention early on to put in our drinks and later mains orders.

I booked a table for 5. 2 adults and 3 kids to celebrate my wife's birthday. Before I went there, I called them to find out if I can bring a cake. They have no issue with that at all. Upon arrival, we were greeted by the friendly staff and they took us to our table. They were very friendly and accommodating. They went through the menu with us and they were willing to prepare fish and chips for our little one. We ordered a chef special entrée which is pork meatball with tomato sauce and fried sage; a fish and chips, a confit duck with asparagus, peas, French lentils and quince jelly; a market fish which is john dory and a chargrilled medium rare eye fillet with chunky chips and herb-garlic butter. The mains are abit small in portion but they are very nice. After our meal, they prepared the cake and even lighted a candle for us. We have a good time. We will come again.

Like an elevated neighborhood restaurant. There is a reason this is sla stalwart in the hospo scene like Prego amd Vivace and that's because they know what they're doing and do it so well.

Best steak I have ever had in my life. Don’t understand how people can leave anything less than 5 stars - absolutely delicious for what you pay.

Food so delicious it was an emotional experience! Great drinks list, excellent cocktails, brilliant service.

A bit fancy as you might expect in Ponsonby, but the prices weren't crazy, especially considering the quality of the food: it was delicious! Staff were attentive and friendly too. As it is Ponsonby, parking can be an issue.

Greatest service I've seen in a while! Got some recommendations to visit a brewery close to Auckland, just lovely. Food up to par, couldn't get enough

Yooo those Quail eggs goo bard !

Amazing as ever!! We always have great food and the best service!

If you want a great Eye-fillet, medium rare, then this is the place! Second to none service, ambiance and what's on offer is always great. Never disappoints.

The chicken was excellent and we had a lot of fun in a very casual atmosphere. They also serve really good cocktails.

Great food good service, definitely improved in recent months not a bug buzz for lunchtime but a great place all the same

Being from Melbourne where we are spoilt by great food, trying a restaurant in a new city is always challenging. We picked PRB after wondering along Ponsonby Rd because it was full and people looked like they are really enjoying their food. We have a 4.5 yo boy who was pretty hungry as it was around 8.30pm and who asked us for pasta. So, we asked for a table for 3 not hoping to get one as the place was packed but the manager helpfully took us to the very last empty table at the back and our request for entree size pasta had been satisfied shortly. Our son happily devoured a delicious dish of tomato & cheese pasta in 15 minutes without a single complaint :) Well, my wife and I have ordered a dish each which didn't make us wait too long. And here it came - a delightfully cooked ravioli with snapper, prawn and cottage cheese in fresh sauce with tomatoes and tarragon leaves. I've ordered a main size which had 4 raviolis. The dish was simply outstanding, brilliant, delicious. I cannot describe the feeling but I knew for sure that I could keep eating this meal non-stop enjoying every little piece of it. After finishing it I have done something that I never did before - I've ordered an entree size of the same ravioli !!! I've prolonged the pleasure and festivities for my taste buds although I had to share last piece with my wife :) My greatest compliments to the chief in charge Sarah who has outdone herself! In addition, we had a delightful local Pinot Noir from Marlborough called Odyssey Behave 2014 which had totally complimented our meal.

My absolute favorite restaurant. The food is always amazing, the service impeccable, and the ambience and decor classic and sophisticated. Stunning range of wines too!

Great food, good choice of wines & fantastic service. Was my second visit and both have been very enjoyable.

I love this place Blair and Michelle are amazing and remember what you like and always have a smile. The food to incredible and never disappoints! I highly recommend this place to everyone!

Beautiful food. Service was a little slow but was at 8pm on Saturday night so understandable.

Loved the PBR dining experience. Excellent service and delicious fresh food. Thanks Melissa, nice to meet you.

Friendly efficient service, wonderful food!

I've loved the experience...but wow the food is absolutely divine.

Just the best grub in Auckland. Number one place to go.

The best ever dining experience and love the great food selection.

Great service beautiful food . Thanks so much Blair . Nice to meet you

Kingfish Cerviche! Now that's a dish...

Bloody lovely this place!

I just don't like PRB, i love it. Only wish I lived closer :)

Dropped by for lunch, staff were very friendly and welcoming. Salt and pepper squid was delicious and the scallions and garlic are a great mix. Ordered the pork belly as a main and it was good except I didn’t entirely understand the mix of salad and cheese that accompanied it (they had to veer off menu today). The steak was cooked quite well but the herb butter is divisive.

onsonby Road Bistro accommodated our request for speedy service and delivered our 3 courses in a record time! This spot doesn’t look much from the street, and even once inside feels a little dark, but that did not hinder the experience. We sipped on cocktails as we perused the menu and settled on our choice of three courses. Each course was much larger than anticipated, and full of flavour and texture. The perfect combination for an end of year celebration!<br/><br/>Check out our individual reviews here: husk.co.nz/lunches/ponsonby-road-bistro-dec-2019

Quite pricey but worth it! Great service

Been here a few times. 1st and 2nd times great food and great service. Sadly last Saturday not so great food; pretty average. Turbot market fish dish that was not the freshest and a creme brulee that was not like any creme brulee I have had; nor was it a successful desert. Service still very good, however.

I visited this bistro with my friend. It is a wonderful place for couples or friends to have some private chatting. We ordered market fish, grilled salmon and dessert. They are tasty. However there is a limited food and dessert options for customers.

Stunning food! We had the Duck Confit & Venison Rump - both spectacular, duck was falling off the bone. They were generous portions so we really didn’t need the side salad. Service was absolutely 5 star. Will certainly be returning.

Had dinner here for my birthday about 6 weeks ago.  Really enjoyed the food - although we over ordered as the kids eyes were bigger than their stomachs!  Only disappointment was that the drinks service was a bit slow.  We had our entrees before our drinks turned up to the table, even though we could see them sitting on the bar, and we had to get the waiter's attention to get wine to go with our mains.  My partner wasn't fussed on his duck, but we loved the Steak Frites!

Came here for dinner one late night. The place is spacious and the service was decent. I ordered the pate which was good and as expected. I ordered the lamb main, which was tasty and cooked perfectly. My partner ordered the salmon pizza which was good and well cooked. This place is good, however not exactly something that exceeds my expectations. I would recommend as a good option if you’re looking for a general bistro.

My friend and I popped in here last night, I had the chargrilled steak with chunky chips, the side dishes are what blew me away ....brussel sprouts fried in some delicious sauce that was sweet but yummy and asparagus that was crunchy and had this layer of goodness over it...have no idea what it was, but it was absolutely yummy!! Will definitely go back again! <br/>

One word “Stunning food and Service” .....best pizza 🍕 I’ve had ....” melt in the mouth” .....will be back !!!this place is now a icon on Ponsonby road ...very professional set up ..love the low lights and very sophisticated surroundings and service ...

We decided to have a late work lunch at the Ponsonby Road Bistro on Friday. The restaurant was fairly quiet.<br/><br/>The first thing that struck us was how uncomfortable the seats were, especially the bench seats (the padding had gone).<br/><br/>We ordered a bottle of French burgundy, the smoked mozzarella pizza, lamb and duck curry. All of the dishes were tasty and well presented.<br/><br/>We finished with steamed treacle pudding, chocolate ice cream and Époisses.<br/><br/>The services was a bit slow but I suspect they were gearing up for a busy Friday night.<br/><br/>While the restaurant is looking a bit tired in places it is well worth a try.<br/><br/>We will be back.

I was expecting way more from Ponsonby Road Bistro, but service was bad and food only average.<br/><br/>It took us ages (like, more than 15 minutes) to be able to get a waiter to get the orders. When the food finally came, I found that the famous steak wasn't that good, lacking salt and the chips were only OK. My friends orders were alright, but nothing remarkable. <br/><br/>For the price they charge it should be way better.

Food was impeccable. Highly recommend the duck dish. The service was well attended and helpful. We received extra pita crisps when we ran out but still had plenty of hummus left! Relaxing and enticing atmosphere.

Had a work function here last week and as a vegan I was not expecting much on the menu for me. I was pleasantly surprised as the staff were very friendly and accommodating and I was given just as many courses as my colleagues. I even got a vegan dessert which is pretty much unheard of in any restaurants that don't specifically cater to vegans. The food was pretty tasty and the portion size was great, but by far my favourite part was the dairy free ice cream I was given for dessert, in two flavours. Over all an enjoyable experience - I would recommend it to anyone. Here's hoping they put some vegan options on the menu! If you have a dietary requirement like myself just make sure to call ahead and make sure they will be able to cater for you.

Flavours are there，but toooooo salty for me. The potatoes in duck dish were so yummmm！Cauliflower sides was creamy but still too much salt in it！ Everything would be much much more better if they could be made with less salt

I went to the Ponsonby Road Bistro for the first time tonight with friends visiting from Singapore. It was a Friday night so expected it to be busy and it was. <br/><br/>Overall the service met expectations although the server had to go and find out the price of the fish of the day which was advertised as "market price" and she didn't know it. <br/><br/>Two on the table had Sashimi and the server advised they were getting low on stock and this was obvious when it was served with a lot of salad type leaves and three small pieces of salmon. <br/><br/>My friend and I both had steak and mine was cooked medium rare, to perfection and I was very happy. Everyone really enjoyed their mains.<br/><br/>Desert was very good with two us choosing the creme brûlée and it has to be the largest one I have ever had. Another on the table chose the cheese platter and he asked for it without blue cheese (he doesn't know what he is missing) and they were very accommodating with this, replacing the blue with another variety of white cheese.<br/><br/>Our only real issue was the end of the meal being spoiled by smokers on the tables at the front of the restaurant and their smoke blowing back inside across our table.<br/><br/>Overall, the price was reasonable for the location and quality of food and wine and the service met expectations.

Walked in off the street for an early Friday night dinner - seated<br/><br/>Promptly and drinks order taken, for my<br/>Main I chose the fish on a saffron mash with tomatoes , the fish was borderline overlooked - but it was edible I still enjoyed it - the tomatoes with the dish were<br/>Amazing as was the mashy, everything just went together nicely - other main ordered<br/>Was a seafood pasta dish - it was ok but the prawns were in shell which always makes<br/>For a messy experience and tbh kinda puts me off ! <br/>Staff were polite and friendly - thought it was slightly over priced for what it was but t was still ok- doubt I'll be back but I wouldn't slam it either. Just average . <br/>

We went here last night to celebrate my daughter getting her degree in fine style. So we thought we'd go somewhere we were sure to dine in fine style. We had bubbles, the clams, pate, meatballs, tuna, gurnard and duck. The service and food were perfect. Never disappointed. A very professional, welcoming team.

Went here for an early dinner on a Sat evening. Great service and the food was amazing , the lamb starter and the steak being the highlights!  A bit pricey but perfect for a special occasion.

Amazing and consistent. Great wine list (with good advice) and delicious meals. Our go to when we want something that takes reservations. Recommend.

I’m currently in Auckland, New Zealand for the first time and am adjusting to the jetlag and the accent. The weather is nice and the people are extremely friendly. I landed early in the morning yesterday and pretty much freshened up at the hotel and went straight to work. After a long day, I was invited for dinner with some business partners at the Ponsonby Road Bistro. Admittedly I know very little about Auckland, so I looked up the restaurant which is located in the inner-city suburb of Ponsonby. This area is known for its dining and shopping and my quick walk in the area around the restaurant allowed me to see a number of eateries and shops. This made me optimistic about how my dining experience would be, and for the most part it delivered.

Every time I come here, I am reminded what an incredible restaurant it is and how undated. The service is always exceptional, begun always with a genuinely heartfelt welcome from either Blair or Melissa at the front desk, which sets the tone for the whole experience. They are paragons of food service and both exemplify what a top level Maitre D' and restaurant operator should be. The food is simple and excellent with carefully balanced flavours, the best ingredients, and a lack of unnecessary complication prepared with care. The ambience is lovely and the crowd varied. The attention to detail across the board makes this place one of if not the most reliable restaurants the city has to offer. An extremely classy operation.

Visited from Melbourne over the weekend for a birthday and was very impressed. Service was attentive and friendly the whole time we were there. We opted for share plates to service the number of people which worked out a treat and was accommodated without any fuss. The wine list was wonderful and made for a fantastic evening. I'll definitely be back when I'm in your wonderful city again.

After poorly treated from another restaurant we walked into ponsonby road bistro and were welcomed. We tried several dishes and none was disappointed. The duck ravioli is yummy and light, suitable for those who don't want eat much. Market fish is with crispy skin and nice salad besides. The steak is juicy and lots of chips on the side. The pork belly is nice cooked and not too rich. Seafood risotto is creamy and prawn is fresh. Good experience.

I have come to Ponsonby Rd Bistro a few times, and always enjoyed the cool/moody feel to this restaurant. Dimly lit, with dark decor, and a rather intimate feel, this restaurant is located on popular Ponsonby Rd so parking at prime dining times is always a little tricky. Wait times aren't long and wait staff are polite and warm.<br/><br/>I have tried the market fish, the seafood spaghetti and the scallops, preferring the seafood spaghetti over everything. The food is good, but nothing out of the ordinary, and perhaps not worth the price in my opinion (all mains are around $34). The dessert I had was the chocolate valrhona pudding which is just absolutely fantastic. <br/><br/>Overall, I would recommend PRB if you are wanting a restaurant with good, typical European food and an intimate setting. <br/><br/>

PRB is my favorite restaurant in Auckland. The menu changes with each season and every meal I have had has been full of flavor. The owners are really hands on and care about the details so the restaurant and service are always impeccable.

Had the pork belly schnitzel which was a bit bland on its own, the potato mash and slaw with it was nice however. My friends ordered the duck fat "roasties": massively disappointed with them: soggy and under seasoned, no crisp to them whatsoever. Nice wine list and service was ok...not quite enough to bring me back!!

Work treated us to a lunch at Ponsonby Road Bistro and I was pleasantly surprised by the service and how incredible all of the food was. <br/><br/>I love how the menu is hand-written and it adds a uniqueness to the Bistro. The menu changes often according to the season but I always think this is a good sign because restaurants should be using what is in season. We started with a huge platter of breads , dips and cheeses. It was one of the best platters I have ever had. For my main I ordered the Madras style seafood curry with market fish, prawns, clams, calamari, tamarind, tomato and basmati ($35.50). The curry was delicious and had lots of seafood which I love. For ‘pudding’ I ordered the Valrhona Chocolate Pudding with chocolate sauce and crème fraiche ($14.50) which was incredible. It was so indulgent and rich. All of my work colleagues who didn’t choose the chocolate pudding were definitely jealous. <br/><br/>Ponsoby Road Bistro is a bistro done exceptionally well. I highly recommend this place and I’ll definitely be visiting again soon with some friends.

Ashamedly I have only frequented Ponsonby Road Bistro a couple of times, even though I live within walking distance but on both occasions, it has been fantastic!<br/><br/>Always a friendly welcome on arrival and both times we've been seated promptly even though it can get quite crowded.  That being said, I'd much rather be in a crowded restaurant than an empty one.<br/><br/>The food isn't anything too fancy but its always well cooked and delicious.  I had eye-fillet steak both times (yes, I'm boring like that) and it was always perfectly cooked with yummy chips on the side.  I don't usually have dessert but had to try the chocolate pudding and it was very good....not mind-blowing but very good.<br/><br/>Lots to choose from along Ponsonby Road, but you definitely can't go wrong with this place.

Great location. Lovely atmosphere. Friendly waitperson with extensive wine and food knowledge. Was very helpful, give me an exception of having my two favourite choices in to one plate of truly delicious food

It was ok... Just ok. The service was ok. Overall the food was ok, the sashimi entree was the stand out. Had plenty of atmosphere on a busy night but really nothing special. There are better bistros in Auckland.

We booked and headed along on a busy night with friends. Overall the service was average as we had to ask each time for more beers or another bottle of wine at the table. The menu selection is good and my steak was perfectly cooked. However it is an expensive night out for what you get as a bistro experience.

The one thing that I've never been able to fault at the Bistro is their amazing service, they truly go above and beyond to accommodate. The Bitsro is a great spot on a sunny afternoon outside with a good wine, but equally as nice inside next to the fire in winter. The wine list is diverse and the staff wine recommendations are worth following. With good hearty food and a seasonal changing menu, the Bistro is always a good pick.

What can I say? Always consistently outstanding. I eat here once a month - if they were closer than 40kms away, I'd eat here once a week. Clams always good, interesting wines, the steak and fries are the best, and I've eaten the best soups in my life here. "Soups?" I hear you say. One had fig seeds in it (must've been this time last year) and the texture thing it had doing on, was amazing. The only thing bad about this place, is that I am always tempted to enjoy an entree... and never have enough room for dessert. Maybe you could consider doing tiny little expresso cup size tiramisu/rumbaba/brulee/gelato etc.... just for the girls. Always happy, please come north!

Had dinner on Friday night with friends. The food is very good, all well cooked, and the chocolate pudding for dessert was a big hit. Nice wine list very good attentive service, all in all a very good dining experience

Service and food second to none. Have had many amazing nights here with my partner. Steak is fantastic, great wine selection. Would recommend to anyone. It's always got a lively vibe &amp; is nice and casual, but still very stylish and comfortably sophisticated. waiters are always attentive and knowledgeable without even a hint of snobbery found in some of the other places. Nice spot.

This would have to be my favourite restaurant. Fantastic food, fabulous wine list, professional, well groomed &amp; knowledgeable staff. I have and will continue to recommend this exceptional restaurant! Well done &amp; keep it up!!

The service at Ponsonby Bistro is always very good, so it's a great place to take a client and be sure that you will be well looked after.<br/>Arriving late on a Friday afternoon without a booking was no problem and front of house took great care of us.<br/>Although I probably only go there three or four times a year, you are always met with a warm reception and feel like they remember you (even if they probably don't!).<br/>You can always be assured of clams on the menu with the style of cooking varying on a regular basis. As always they were superb - just the right amount with a nice slab of beautiful bread to mop up those fab juices.<br/>Their steak and chips always go down well (they had just run out of the fish of the day), and the wine recommendations from Melissa for all courses were spot on. Taking the trouble to decant our not too expensive French red was a nice touch.<br/>Its not a huge menu, but it nicely balanced and with the reasonable prices and excellent service, its a good pick on a road with a lot of choice - but not all making the grade.

We left it to an old friend (and former restaurateur) to choose the place for my wife and I to treat her to lunch. She picked the Ponsonby Bistro because she'd heard so many good things about it from her fellow locals. But I decided to check out the reviews and their menu. All looked encouraging and my wife and I pretty much knew what we'd order.<br/><br/>It was an easy walk along Ponsonby Road from our friend's townhouse on Arthur Street, but it was cold and wet outside and we were happy to enter into the warmth. After being welcomed and shown to our table by our friendly waitress we had a chance to study our surroundings and they were also warm and welcoming.<br/><br/>The service was seamless from beginning to end. And the food ...<br/><br/>The food was superb. Our friend didn't feel like a big lunch, so she had the duck confit crêpe with a salad of orange and hazelnuts &amp; fennel. My wife had the crumbed free-range chicken breast - stuffed with mozzarella &amp; prosciutto - with linguini &amp; cavolo nero pesto.<br/><br/>My choice was the fish stew with prawns, clams, squid, mussels, potato, aioli and lemon ... with the surprise addition of half a paddle crab.<br/><br/>Their wine list is extensive and deep. We all ordered different wines by the glass.<br/><br/>I'll stick to describing my meal: I can't ever remember eating a variety of seafood where each and every component was cooked perfectly. Usually, something like the mussels or squid is tough, but they, along with everything else was beautifully tender and tasty. It was seafood heaven and after seeking out all of the sweet tender morsels from the crab, I needed the finger bowl more than once.<br/><br/>And the bill after coffee all around? Another pleasant surprise ... $145. Well worth it for an extra-special lunch for three old friends.

Was a little concerned by the run of bad reviews. But on a busy Saturday night they hit all the right marks. Delicious Mojito to start with (I nearly always test the bar with one of these). Started with the bread and Pizza sticks then moved onto the shellfish of the day, a bowl of cockles in a yummy spicy soup.<br/><br/>Had the eye fillet as a main, cooked to my liking with chunky fries. <br/><br/>If I had to be picky, I'd have preferred a grassy NZ olive oil with the bread the European oils are a little to bland for my liking - but I suppose NZ olive oils aren't for everyone.<br/><br/>Service was very good, prompt and the timings on the meals were very good. Rachel Hunter even put in an appearance to add a bit of glam.<br/><br/>All in all a pleasant evening.

Wow, I love Ponsonby Road Bistro. On arrival we were greeted warmly and taken to our table. I cannot fault the service as our waiter was attentive without being over bearing. The food was delicious and well presented too. Our waiter was very knowledgeable about which wines to have with our meals (we ordered by the glass). The next time we return I'll definitely try one of the desserts but unfortunately we had a time restriction due to a theatre booking - our waiter also took this time factor into account and ensured that our meals arrived promply making our entire dining experience at this fine establishment very enjoyable.

Have been to Bistro several times and will not be back for dinner.<br/><br/>Fish was dry and over cooked; menu stated fish would be served on a bed of seasonal winter vegetables but sadly came out on what seemed like a whole can of chickpeas. Gorgonzola pizza was ok the base just a bit under cooked - Service was good.

Having read the rave newspaper review of PRB, we were looking forward to a birthday celebration dinner. Two were anticipating the duck confit.<br/>First impressions of the menu on the night were disappointing, so 2 chose fillet steak, 1 scotch steak and 2 veal. The fillet steaks were a long time coming, and were very average indeed, with chips and a bunch of salad. The veals arrived looking as if they had been made by an amateur. They were inedible and were sent back, amid the plea that 6 other people had eaten veal with out complaint. The staff tried them and the dish was removed from the menu. Meanwhile 2 people watched 3 people eat, and when the replaement meals arrived 3 people watched 2 people eat. The replacements were also decidely average. <br/>On the plus side, the waitress was very nice and so was the maitre-di who apologised profusely, gave the birthday boy a free sweet and did not charge us for the veal replacements. However we will not be going back to PRB.

The food was amazing, was still reasonably priced and good portion sizing. The service was also great. I have noticed a few other bad reviews. I can't understand it. Everyone at my table loved the food, wine and service. Will become a regular.

With a party of 6 was disappointed with the poor service quality. Meals came very late with 2 who never ordered entrees having to wait more than 90 min for their mains. The maitre D explained that the waitress had forgot to call the mains after the entrees were taken. But unfortunately it did not stop there with not every one being asked for their deserts/coffee choices. <br/>A man ln the table next to us became visibly irate telling the waitress that he had been waiting too long for drinks ordered for their table and demanding they come right now.<br/>The food was however good quality. It was a shame the service was so bad.<br/>No discount was offered only a statement thanking us for the feedback which would be passed on to the chef.

Great stuff, the food was exceptional, especially the chicken thighs wrapped in pancetta and the ceviche.<br/>Will certainly be coming back to try more dishes some time soon.

Reasonably priced gastro food, but the service needs some attention. We visited on a busy Thursday without booking and were kindly given an outside table. The food took a long while to come but was nice, however when we asked to be relocated inside these tables were repeatedly given to new customers. To the end of our meal several drink only customers were seated on our table and started smoking. We left after the main course due to this.

Like Stuart J, when they changed Magnum to PRB we tried it and liked it, fun, not expensive, attentive staff etc and so it was or the 4-5 times we went- then. It's gone down hill since then. We had a bad experience a couple of months ago, when we waited and waited for our meals (How difficult is 3 steaks, all the same..?)matri de sitting in conversation with friend for ages at next table, not helping other staff. staff congregating in bar area oblivious to customers waiting, sadly when we went there to give them the chance to redeem themsleves several weeks later, no change, the steak was thick which was good, but tough and sinue-y, wine has raked up in price (RWC one suspects..?) and service was sadly lacking agian. waitress was lovely but obviously stressed as seemed to be the only one interested in beiung there. No choice but to say goodbye to PRB, we won't be giving you a third chance to redeem yourselves, there's just too much competition to be indifferent to your customers and we are not famous enough for you to fawn all over us. lesson, we pay for you to be there... It's back to Prego for us.

Yeah, I don't know what planet that Stuart J is on - each to their own though I guess. I'd like to write about my experience at PRB recently. We were invited out for a meal by some foodie friends who had experienced PRB before, and so I was very interested to see, taste, smell, and experience for myself :)<br/><br/>As you can see from my star rating, this is as good as it gets in my opinion. I have been to a few fine dining restaurants in my time including French Cafe, White at Hilton etc. but PRB takes the cake by a country mile. <br/><br/>I am usually a bit crowd phobic, but the atmosphere at PRB was welcoming and gave me none of those 'packed in like sardines' vibes, even though the tables were fairly close. <br/><br/>The wait staff were nothing short of excellent. Quick, but not too quick. Attentive, but not in your face. Extremely knowledgeable about the menu, even on further enquiry about some of the dishes. The rest of the table were having wine, and I declined this, not really in the mood. I also declined a non-alcoholic beverage at that stage (which the waitress overheard us discussing at the table). When she came over to take the drink order, she came over to my side of the table and suggested two different non-alcoholic beverages - because of the 'no-pressure, but you might like these' approach, I did end up ordering something based on her recommendation - a Waiheke Island ginger ale, which was nothing short of divine, and just what I really needed at the time ... well done waitress - if you can sway me like that, you're obviously a natural at your job. <br/><br/>Then we get to the actual meal, which was served within a very reasonable time-frame given the number of diners in the restaurant at the time. I ordered the fish, and I can say, without a shadow of doubt, it was the single best piece of fish I have ever eaten. Period. Cooked, and served, to absolute perfection. Every single mouthful just made me want to burst into the kitchen and hug the chef, it was that good. I even had to come home and google the Chef (Sarah Conway) to find out how she managed to get that good ... I think it's just natural talent and a love of food. <br/><br/>To finish, I had a beautiful chocolate tart, just unbelievably silky and rich. Dark, but not too dark, smooth, yummy, awesome. <br/><br/>I would not hesitate to dine at PRB again, nor would I hesitate to recommend it to anyone wanting a really, really nice dining experience. Thank you PRB, we will definitely be back. <br/><br/>I know my review sounds like it was written by PRB staff, but can assure you that it's simply the result of a stellar experience :)

lovely food, lovely atmosphere and the best waitress in the entire world, a woman from england! very accommodating!

Went to PRB at the recommendation of my friend to celebrate my birthday. WOW.. just LOVED the ambience &amp; the food was devine. The service was very attentive &amp; yet not snobby. I had the most devine steak &amp; home made chips! SO SO SO good! A lovely night. I then rebooked when my brother flew in from New York... a little nervous about if it would live up to the great first experience. Well, it did! Again, superb food &amp; great service. My new FAVORITE Restaurant!!!

Ate here on Valentine's Day - Fab staff, very professional and friendly. The food was exceptionally good and we loved our meals. They didn't hike up their prices with an inflated fixed menu like some where doing on V Day - some places were charging up to $160 pp - ludicrous! So that was a big tick in their favour. If I had any criticism at all it was the close proximity of the tables - lined up as they are down a banquet on one wall, which meant we didn't linger on. But it's a space thing, and who can blame them? We will most definitely be back.

Well done PRB this would be my all time favourite eating place in Auckland, fantastic knowledgeable staff to glide you in to an excellent wine choice (the best deal in town, for quality and interest) and some lovely chef's working hard in the kitchen on the season's best produce, to give you a tasty experience.<br/>This place rocks,its delicious, fabulous and the only place to go .....see you soon

Oh my god, I have loved all my experiences at PRB, that guy Stuart.J sounded like a ranter rather than someone who understands great food and service with a bonus of cool atmosphere! I have worked in Hospitality for 15 years and am rarely wowed, however this is a well run ship, our last time there was 3 of us for a quick lunch, it was great, we shared the charcuterie plate and the pate, which were delectable! I had the steak,amazing! My sister the Fish and James a pizza, all which were shared, tasted and demolished! + wine,water &amp; espresso to finish, Fab lunch, Fab Restaurant! P.S Shame on you Stuart.J, sounds like your trying to taint one of the few great restaurants in Auckland!

We have been customers of these people across their various food enterprises and but will NOT be back. A short while ago we (my wife and I) had lunch at PRB - a return after a previous bad experience but their past allowed them another chance. Lunch - great Waiheke oysters well presented. My wife had a terrine starter that was more like baked ricotta with no terrine like weight or structure and no haloumi flavour or texture. I had a cauliflower based soup that had little flavour and was on the cold side of luke warm. We then preceded to two very disappointing mains. My wife had 6 prawns that came in a metal gravy boat (yes, the table next to us had sauce in the same type of 'boat') fully in their shells and very hot - no part peeling done in the kitchen here. I had polpette and pappardelle - the tomato based sauce was flavourless, the polpette had no outer caramelisation and were almost cold in the middle. The lunch was so bad we left about a third of a good bottle of bubbles and did not wait for dessert.<br/><br/>I have previously (with clients) had a very very disappointing wagyu steak lunch here - when I spoke to one of the owners some days later he said that he had is 'b team' on that day as his chef was away. He told another review site they have never sold wagyu - I have 3 people and the date if they want to be reminded.<br/><br/>I have subsequently reviewed the above very disappointing lunch elsewhere only to have one of the owners bale me up in the street and call me rather unpleasant things as a result.<br/><br/>Dine here if you want average to bad food at prices that do not match what you get. There is better to be had at many other places.<br/><br/>My rating is a reflection of 2 in a row very bad dinning experiences along with the subsequent attitude of one of the owners - especially as I have previously raised food issues in a nice manner. They might charge 'a team' prices but beware the 'b team' experience - and 'c team' attitude. Shame on you PRB.

Was shopping in the area, my wife wanted something delicious and quick. PRB was the chosen and did not disappoint. Pizza, salad and a glass of wine did not break the bank and we were on our way home in 40 minutes. And we were home in time for teenagers taxi runs.

Superb food and wine list, really excellent value for money and an emphasis on fresh seasonal produce. Local oysters which are only shucked to order (when in season). Nothing else like it in Auckland, way ahead of its game from some very smart operators who are obviously very passionate about what they do. Fresh, vibrant and genuinely tasty food.

Good service but.... My risotto was too salty, i even left 1/3 of them, didn't look yummy at all, overpriced as well.

Went here with a big group, took half n hour just to see the food menu. Quite expensive for what you get. I ordered duck risotto but just tasted like Parmesan on rice. My partner ordered the pork belly which was actually like a paella and had very little pork.

I thoroughly enjoyed their cuisine. It was delicious and came out promptly, we ordered the eye fillet (medium rare) and market fish (with shitake mushrooms) and honestly it was excellent! Compliments to the chef. <br/><br/>The only gripes I had with place was our booking was at 5.30, however we were not seated until 6 and abit. All of the waiters were very professional, however not all were very friendly. Only one of which was amazing and definitely turned my meal from an average one to a very good experience. <br/><br/>Highly recommended for the food, but might have to be a bit more posh for their service.

If you visit the website for Ponsonby Road Bistro, you'll be overwhelmed by their accolades: Top 20 Cuisine Good Food Awards 2013, Metro Top 50 etc etc etc. Does it live up to the hype?<br/><br/>Clearly a lot of people are finding out for themselves - this place was rammed when we visited. The dark wood, dim lighting & buzz of conversation made for a cosy dining environment. <br/><br/>Referring to my previous mention of the website, although it is rather extensive, do not take the online menu as set in stone. <br/>The menu changes often and you can't be sure of getting the current one online. They do mention this online though, and I believe one of the signs of a good restaurant is one that changes its' menu often depending on the fresh produce available.<br/><br/>The Crispy-Fried Calamari entree was as good as I've tasted with a tender & light crispy coating. That's saying a lot in a city where calamari seems to be the entree de rigeur. If I was pulling hairs, I'd say the chef was a little heavy-handed with the salt, but overall it didn't distract from the taste of the dish. The Salad of Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder was accompanied with kimchi, brown rice and pineapple. These are more unusual flavours of showcasing slow cooked pork than the ubiquitous apples and kumara, and produced interesting, almost unexpected flavours. The Chicken Liver Pate was presented beautifully with salads greens and toast, and was very tasty. And our final entree choice of the Grilled Halloumi & Marinated Aubergine was again well received. This was a substantial portion too; vegetarians don't miss out here!<br/><br/>The main courses were more standard, with the exception of the Scotch Fillet, which was perfectly cooked to order and a decent size. The accompanying crunchy roasted potatoes were so popular that they kept disappearing off the plate! With regards to our other mains, they were unremarkable; the Stewart Island Salmon was well-cooked, and the Chargrilled Lamb Kebabs were nice enough. Nothing to complain about, but no WOW factor either.<br/><br/>Unfortunately things went downhill from here. After a 45 minute wait for our desserts and coffee, we finally ambushed the very busy waiter to find out what the problem was. Apparently it was some kind of "coffee hiccup"???? Cue still more waiting.... However, when the desserts FINALLY did arrive, they were amazing. The Valrhona Chocolate Pudding was rich & indulgent, as any self-respecting chocolate pudding should be. The Summer Berry Roulade was light with divine berry and passionfruit flavours. Yum.<br/><br/>To give them their due, the female maitre'd miraculously appeared at our table after the dessert debacle and was very attentive for the short remainder of our stay. She also discounted some coffees because of our wait. <br/><br/>In summing up, Ponsonby Road Bistro is a bistro done good. Elevating them to Top 20 status is slightly ridiculous. For what it is, the food is done well, but very pricey. Wine is also expensive, and the service is definitely bistro-worthy rather than 5 star silver service. Auckland, and especially Ponsonby, is brimming with wonderful restaurants that offer you the trilogy of great food, great service & a great experience at the right price; in my opinion, PRB has no real point of difference, and probably no reason for me to visit again.<br/><br/>If you liked this review, check out more like it at: http://kiwifoodwonders.com