Review The Abbey Bar & Kitchen - Auckland

Came in last night with my family to celebrate my Dad's birthday. The service was excellent and we were well looked after by the staff. Especially by the Asian waiter with the black suspenders. The venison special was the highlight of the night. The dish was presented beautifully and was very tender and delicious. Will definitely visit again!

Mischa and her team at the Abbey put on the BEST evening for us. A very warm and welcoming atmosphere with wonderful customer service and outstanding food, one of the best steaks I've ever eaten! A great place to go for a casual dinner with friends or a first date ;)

Great food, friendly service, great bar manager, and the chef Jay is amazing

Very consistent food quality, which is always pleasant. Great place for a working lunch. Also, the staff are super polite and professional. Annemarie is the best!

My partner and I enjoyed a delicious meal here this afternoon. Our main was top class and the sticky date pudding was devine. The staff were quick and welcoming, yes I would recommend this restaurant 👍

The Abbey is an ideal place to go for a quiet night out for dinner and drinks as the perfect close to a hectic week. The cuisine is superb, wine selection and cocktails are impressive but above all, the service is excellent!

Excellent restaurant! What a super friendly owner! We enjoyed such tasty food, the chicken breast was tender and delicious and not to mention the dessert, wow the sticky date pudding and chocolate brownie was to die for lol 😋🤩 Dont forget to order the Gin cocktail....it was smooth and delicious 🍸 Do yourself a favour and give this restaurant a try the next time you want to dine out! 💃 The Pork Belly is to die for... a definite must!! 🍷

Hidden local gem. Great menu with lots of classics and their own twists with quality ingredients. Lots of gluten free options. Super knowledgeable staff. Relaxed cozy vibe. Excellent cocktails. Great for a date night meal.

Amazing dining experience, food was... you guessed it... DELICIOSO!!! 😋 Service was fantastic and friendly, cant fault them for anything. Worth every cent, especially the creme brulee, heaven on a plate 🤤 if you haven’t tried the abbey, put it on ya list 😊

Went in for some cocktails and nibbles with some friends. Absolutely beautiful! Had a pomegranate margarita accompanied with Arancini and some garlic fries which were to die for! Would love to go for dinner soon.

Unfortunately wasn't good for us tonight, we dined here regularly, but have found the service tonight very slow and the last 2 occasions have been hit and miss with our food. My fish meals are always good, but my husband's signature dish on both occasions were very dry eg: pork and duck. The owner was very attentive and got him another meal, which was nice of her, but when asked how would you like your steak said medium and got well done, this incurred another long wait 35mins, by then everyone on the table had already eaten, we didn't want to make it an issue, she was very good in trying to rectify it, but it spoilt our night out with friends who said their food was just okay. These guys were always consistently good, but not of late, suspect there has been a change in chef's.

Amazing dinner out. Wonderful attentive friendly service, quality wine and incredible food. Lamb sweetbreads and duck liver pate was a great way to start the meal. Pork belly and duck were sooo well cooked and the accompaniments amazing - very clean plates at the end of the meal were a compliment to the chef. Chocolate trio to finish - the white chocolate chantilly was devine. Even the coffee was good. Will happily eat there again. Thank you for a lovely evening.

Amazing food and wine. The beef salad was to die for - will be back without a doubt.

I ordered the Abbey Signature dish and was very disappointed. All the food tasted like it was reheated and it was chewy. Certainly don't believe pork belly or eye fillet should be served chewy. The others I was with ordered the venison which was tender and delicious. It's a shame as other meals we have had in the past we're outstanding.

One of the best meals and evenings I've ever attended. The Spanish evening had an amazing atmosphere and great dancing entertainment. Some of the best food I've ever had, and the service and staff was amazing!

We had a small get together for my mothers 65th birthday. The service was outstanding, food sensational. Great place especially the private function facilities. Highly recommended!

Awesome work dinner at The Abbey last night with amazing food and great company. Staff went the extra mile and made the evening one to remember �. Would highly recommend thanks guys

We were seated half in the door way and half in the dining area which made us feel the breeze every time the door opened. It took a long time for drinks order to be taken and for the food to arrive. We had to ask for the dessert menu. The highlight of the night was the wine and the food once it came was delicious.

I brought my new boss (from Norway) for dinner last night, she agreed that the food and wine was delicious! I’ll see you next time for more of that reisling!

Lovely food, had the pork belly,definitely recommend it :)

Had the signature as I always look forward to it Sadly the duck and pork was very dry and chewy Couldn't eat it The steak and potatoes were spot on Did mention to waitress my concerns when she came to clear our plates and saw how much was left on my plate but she was non complacent Disappointing

A great finish to a couple of days in Auckland. Highly recommend the Abbey Signature dish. Eye fillet (rare), Pork belly, with glazed 1/4 Duck. Superb Snapper special as well. Great attentive staff and atmosphere to take you back to the eighties!

Outstanding meals x3! Best creme brûlée in New Zealand and the service was perfect. I thoroughly enjoyed my crispy sesame tuna; just what I needed today!! Must mention the kids menu was 5 things my picky picky son loves. Never happened before so this family will be back!!!

Excellent food - paella and the pork belly and steak mini burgers are a must have

Great service delicious food. Venison and lamb rump cooked to perfection nice and juicy definitely going back here

I have passed by many times but never actually tried it. We ended up coming here for dinner. It was surprisingly busy and quite hard to find street parking on a Wednesday night. It turned out they had a few parks behind the building.<br/>There was a fair selection of items on the drink and food menu. The drinks menu was about to be changed so quite a few of the items weren't actually available. The waitress was quite nice about it so it wasn't that big of an issue for us since we did get alternative recommendations.<br/>The portions are ok. I had the Abby signature, which was a platter that had a bit of everything. I really liked the duck. It had a nice crispiness to it and it was still quite juicy and tasty. The pork belly was ok since the skin wasn't very crispy, there were a few chewy areas. The steak was nicely cooked, as were the potatoes. We then grabbed two dessert platters to share between 5 of us. The creme brulee was really nice, good flavour and nice brulee. The brownie was gooey and had nice chunks of chocolate. The sticky date pudding was also quite rich and tasty but the toffee was a bit granular. They also served us four different ice cream flavours. I wasn't a fan of the white chocolate chantilly, the flavour was a bit off but was ok when mixed with the other items.<br/>It was a really enjoyable place to have dinner. The service was really friendly, giving the place a very casual and relaxing atmosphere.<br/>

A totally different experience to my last time here which was about 6 months ago. The service this time was fast and friendly and the food was delightful . Had the steak with cream sauce, my only complaint would be my steak was cooked medium instead of medium rare (which was what I asked for) - the star of the dish was the potato gratin pieces - they were delicious.

This place is always my go to when I dont feel like cooking. I usually get the eye fillet, its my favourite but I decided to try the half duck and my only regret was not getting it sooner. Presented beautifully and super tasty, I was very pleased with the food. Staff are always friendly and attentive and great at suggesting wines that match the food. Another successful night, and another happy returning customer.

Such a beautiful restaurant. Loved the food, the service was great. Tonight was a little busy so our order took a little longer to come out to the table but it was totally worth it.

The food here was excellent. However, if it wasn't for the chef, this place would have been rated much lower. The food itself should get a much higher rating, but overall, due to the service (or lack of it), had to give a much lower score. The waitress wasn't very attentive at all and it took ages to order our food once we had drinks ordered. The cocktails weren't great. Once we had ordered the food was pretty quick but when the mains came I didn't have a steak knife and had empty water glasses that didn't get refilled. Then after clearing the plates we weren't asked if we would like anything else and sat there looking around for ages trying to spot the waitress. The other staff seemed busy putting furniture back in position which was still quite early (around 9 ish)-wouldn't bother us at all as long as it doesn't impact us getting anything, but in this case it seemed to have been a factor. We couldn't see our waitress and I'm not sure if they have a rule where they don't deal with other tables or something but the others saw us looking and never asked if we were ok. We finished our wine and after waiting for quite a while not being offered desserts or any more drinks we just decided to leave. Very disappointing as we had gotten and uber there especially so that we could have a drink or two. We left at 9.30 and they looked like they were trying to close but there was still other tables of people there. Our booking was for 8pm but they really shouldn't take bookings for this time if they're not going to allow you go through to dessert. Would like to go back again because the food was so good but hesitant due to the service

Came here for a birthday dinner. Nice atmosphere and conscientious staff. We shared cheesy flat bread and ravioli to start and we both had the Abbey Signature for mains. All the proteins were well cooked and delicious. We had a side of duck fat potatoes which was the only disappointment but not because they were cooked bad they just came as thin potato scallops and I was keen for some crunchy roasties like other restaurants. We didn't have room for pudding but I saw someone elses creme brulee and had to try it. Be warned it massive - but so good.<br/>Will definately back to this place again.

It must be more than 2 years since we last visited the Abbey. I had a half duck with crispy skin, parsnip & purée, pok-choy & cranberry jus. It was excellent; jus was super. My wife had Abbey Bites with crispy pork belly, sirloin steak & fries. They were also outstanding. Coffees were hot.  It was a  well-enjoyed lunch. (Food - 4/5; Service - 4.5/5; Ambience - 4/5)

Went to "The Abbey Bar & Kitchen" for dinner earlier today, really welcoming staff, the food is really good, ordered cauliflower soup of the day, labanese flatbread dip as entrees and their stuffed chicken & Abbey signature dish as mains. M not really a soup lover but couldn't resist, their cauliflower soup was amazing. Labanese mozzarella bread was really good. On the mains, Chicken dish was good but bit more of flavour can make it best and didn't like the crunchy crust( filo pastry) as it's just my own taste preference.<br/>Their signature dish was the best dish a+++, loved the pork belly and duck.<br/>Will definitely come back to try their other dishes.😊<br/>Highly recommended A+++

Great place. Anne-Marie and her team make you really welcome. It's a great 'local' as well as a fine restaurant. I come here as often as I can. Recommended.

Welcoming and friendly service from the moment you walk in. Lovely and quaint - perfect for a relaxing evening with delicious food and wine. <br/><br/>Our whole group were very impressed with the delicious food; which was good value for money. Thanks to Chef Jaey and the wonderful staff for a great night!! Would recommend this place to my family and friends.

I'd driven past this place for years without ever going in, but finally made it here for lunch. It's a big place but it only had one other party in for lunch during the entire time we were there. It deserves a lot better than that. The lunch menu is short and a challenge for non meat eaters as it's heavy on red meat. I ordered the fish and chips and my mum the vegetarian had the potato gnocchi. The food took a surprisingly long time to arrive considering there were only four of us there, but it turned out to be well worth the wait. Mum cleaned her plate (which is very unusual) and said the gnocchi were delicious, and my fish and chips were excellent - perfect chips, beautifully cooked fish, and a nice salad that wasn't just an afterthought. I was super impressed. I eat out a lot and I'm getting tired of meal after meal that just isn't that exciting or well prepared. The Abbey is definitely an exception. Half a point off for the lack of lighter options (even the soup had meat in it!) but apart from that it was absolutely excellent.

Came here with workmates with no expectations. We are all really impressed. The atmosphere is nice, the menu has an impressive range from venison / duck / pork belly to fish & chips and everything in between. I felt it was slightly on the pricey side, but none of us were disappointed with our meal. The location right on Great South Road is a mixed blessing as you do get some road noise, but on the flip side there is not much choice for this type of restaurant in this area so it is great to find a restaurant / bar of this standard in this part of Greenlane. We will all be back.

This has always been one of our favourite restaurants and we have probably been her more than 20 times over recent years - but we will probably give it a miss for a while.<br/><br/>The same friendly staff are there to great you, but I suspect the kitchen staff have changed. My venison was tough and chewy and my wife's duck was far too oily.

I came to Abbey's for a family meal and was intrigued to experience this place as I had never heard of it before. <br/><br/>The food here was so amazing! My brother and I both had the stuffed chicken dish which was such a good choice! The chicken was stuffed with gorgeous mushrooms which were mouth watering. The dish was topped with the chicken being wrapped in pastry - OMG to die for!!!! I was definitely on a diet for the remainder of the week! The chicken was finished with some sautéed veges which were also very yummy. Mum got the vege dish and dad got the scotch eye fillet. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed their meals. <br/><br/>Although the main was amazing the dessert was even better! My brother and I got the chocolate molten cake. It was baked to perfection! As soon as I cut into my cake the center just oozed out - it was spot on. The dish came with chocolate ice cream and white chocolate to compliment the dish. My mum got the apple crumble and dad got the crime brûlée. Everyone also thoroughly enjoyed their desserts. <br/><br/>Overall was a great place, meals were good and location was great. Would recommend for anyone who is looking for a down to earth, hearty meal.

Our second visit to this gem of a restaurant. Impressive bar to say the least. Very welcoming staff and excellent and most friendly service throughout. The decor is so tasteful and the lighting is perfect, meaning bright enough to read the menu and dim enough to relax with a nice drink and great food. The food is truly worth recommending and raving about. Each and every order was prepared to great excellence and high standards, arrived in good time was accurately cooked to perfection, was at the right temperature and an absolute delight to partake of. The portions were ample and the accompanying veges were superbly presented and cooked just right. All in all, every possible thing I look for in a great dining experience right from parking the vehicle to entering into the place, the atmosphere, the welcome, the service, the timing of delivery and the food itself, everything was perfect! Certainly a unique and dedicated team of professionals here. Deserving my highest praise!

The food was great, had the "abbey signature" which gives you a taste of the pork belly, duck and the eye fillet. Would definitely go back for the eye fillet as that took the top spot from this plate, melts in your mouth and was well cooked. Everything on the plate had loads of flavour. The seasoned vegetables was a great side plate too. Expected a bit more for the price, service was okay but still has room for improvement.

Had a great night with friends at The Abbey. Service was great - friendly & welcoming. Although it is located on a main road, you manage to feel shut off from all the noise outside.<br/>Wine list was great & food delicious - all fresh & well cooked. None of us had a bad meal - all plates were clean! Have been here before a few times - always a good night consistently.

Dined here to celebrate purchasing our first home. It was a Monday night and the restaurant was quiet, but still had a nice vibe to it. Parking was behind the restaurant but there is also street parking available if you get in early. <br/>Our waitress was lovely and friendly, perfect balance between not hanging around but turning up when needed. Comfy seats, impressive wine rack on one entire wall, overall a really nice space to dine.<br/><br/>We ordered the duck liver pate, the seafood with mushroom risotto entree and the Abbey Signature with garlic fries between the two of us to share. It was more than enough food, portions were perfect and the only complaint I would make would be not enough sauce on the main. However everything else about the food was amazing. Our favorite was the 1/4 duck with the Abbey Signature - it was falling off the bone, had an amazing flavour and the skin was perfectly crispy. The Pork Belly was also cooked to perfection.<br/><br/>Also 10/10 would return just for the Chocolate Fondant dessert alone. Amazing.

I found this little gem by chance. I lived just around the corner and had driven past daily without a thought to actually going in.<br/>A friend and i went in one night for dinner and drinks as it was walking distance and became intermittent regulars from then on.<br/>The food is top notch, and the staff are fantastic. Attentive, friendly and knowledgeable, we are always welcomed like old friends.<br/>The ravioli entree is my personal favorite. <br/>They have a great wine list and top shelf as well.

Worst experience ever since I have been living in NZ (nearly 30 years). My friend is being served a wine which is very distasteful. My friend points out the disgusting nature of the beverage. The waitress calls the owner who says that her wine is good and we don't know anything about wine. The waitress confirms that the wine is actually 2 days old and the bottom of the bottle which she served, might be off.. <br/>The owner refuses to replace the one and treat us like s... stating that we can leave, which we do. She also states that she does not care about losing one customer. We used to do our work dos there well,  the Abbey has lost more than one customer !  I have never come across someone who was so unpleasant and in a bar management. ! Bye Bye Abbey, we used to have wonderful service last year, but you've lost it. And BTW as someone who does not know her wine, I used to co-own a vineyard...

Bit pricey. Especially the wine at a minimum of $11 per glass. But the food was really good. Fabulous waiter, would go back

Last Friday was our first time there for a while. It was not the same Abbey we remember. Overall, we enjoyed our meal, the informal but attentive service, and the quantity. <br/><br/>The Lebanese flatbread was savoury and crisp - delicious, but the half duck was deep fried not roasted and was overcooked. It was rescued from dryness by a tasty glaze. My wife's venison was very well cooked and delicious. My ice cream three ways was less than satisfactory - dry cake, tasteless, odd textured mousse, OK ice cream. My wife's carrot pudding was overcooked and very dry. She could not eat it.<br/><br/>Overall, better than much 'pub food' but not of the standard we experienced on previous visits.

We had not been to The Abbey for a while having dined there a number of times over the past few years and chose to go on Christmas Eve for dinner. The food is of the same high standard it has been on our previous visits. Very hard to fault our meal and service. Fabulous yet again.

Always lovely.<br/><br/>Love the food there. We live locally and go there once a while for a little treat. Went to Christmas Eve for a nice dinner. And again, it was wonderful. Service is efficient, our meals were delicious.<br/><br/>We hope to go there more regularly.

There late afternoon/early evening sun was just brutal, but staff didn't want us to sit towards the back of the restaurant, only in the doorway, even though we booked well in advance and there were other open tables.<br/><br/>The service and dessert were excellent but both main meals were EXTREMELY salty.<br/><br/>For the high priced menu I would have expected better.

I don't quite understand how people find a couple of things wrong and give 1 star. I reserve this for places where the food is literally inedible. I doubt the Abbey ever drops to that level even on a bad day.<br/><br/>We dined at the Abbey on a Saturday night. It was surprisingly quiet but the atmosphere was still nice enough. The service was maybe a little casual, but not intrusive and overall good. The wine was excellent and the food easily matched the price, it was delicious. On top of this, the portion size was generous. We thoroughly enjoyed it.

Absolutely fantastic service! The staff answered all my questions regarding the menu and wine list, in a friendly knowledgeable fashion.<br/><br/>I was impressed by the creative vegetarian options available, and enjoyed my souffle. My husband thoroughly enjoyed his duck dish.<br/><br/>We will definitely be back. You can read my full review and see photos at http://celestereviews.wordpress.com/2013/08/21/service-with-a-smile/

Good menu, food expensive, service pathetic.<br/>Waited 90 minutes for two meals.

We called in for a mid-week meal and a glass of wine. They have a good selection on the menu and a varied wine list.<br/><br/>My tortellini (the special on the day) was well cooked however the sauce was rather strong and over powered the dish. The pork belly was good.<br/><br/>The service was great.<br/><br/>Just a bit expensive for what you get.

A few of my friends decided to go to The Abbey after work and I chose to order the Prawn and Snapper tortellini as an entree and the Pork belly for my main. The food was amazing! The flavoursome food and the exciting range of wines ensured my night was pleasurable. The staff were very attentive and the atmosphere was perfect. I thoroughly enjoyed my night and would recommend The Abbey to anyone looking for a casual drink after work or for fine dining with friends.

Had a such an awesome night at The Abbey, as we started out with some drinks; with a great selection of wine and beer, we then moved into the Restaurant for a meal, it was amazing! The food was fantastic, as we had breads, entrees, mains and desserts which were all perfection. We had excellent service from the start to the end, a great atmosphere and I highly recommend it!

I always enjoy a night out at the Abbey. We had a farewell dinner on Saturday night. It was busy with three large tables in also. The Service was efficient, bubbly and attentive.<br/><br/>I ordered the Duck which is one of my all time fav's followed by the Ginger Cake Pudding. It was some of our fellow diners first time at The Abbey and they will all be coming back.

So disappointed! <br/><br/>Ordered the Mango Chicken Salad from the Lunch Menu.<br/><br/>I received - half a cup of lettuce, two pieces of charred chicken and a few slithers of Avocado and Mango. - Not really worth the $22 we Paid. - not to mention the time we had to wait for this "meal".<br/>Staff were rude, and uninterested.<br/><br/>Not worth it - Don't waste your time.

Thank you to The Abbey. The staff were amazing, nothing was to much bother! The food was mouth watering especially the corn-fed chicken. The wine wall was out of this world with the staff having an excellent knowledge of the wines available. Finally the deck out the back was beautiful, I look forward to using it again throughout summer

I had the most amazing night at the Abbey. The food was beautiful, the chef even catered for my special needs. The staff were attentive and the atmosphere warm and welcoming. I have to mention the extensive wine wall.

A friend and I just dined at The Abbey. It was possibly the worst service I have ever received! We ordered some tapas and a glass of wine each....when the 1st tapas came out, we had to wait for the last dish to come out before we got plates....then! Incredulously the whole staff sat at a table and all ate in front of us and I actually had to yell to get service...we promptly left as we just couldn't believe the rudeness of the staff, granted we were the last on the dining side but that doesn't make us less important than anyone else! My husband and I have been a few times and I refuse to ever go again!

We recently returned to The Abbey having not been for sometime. We have to say we were once again most impressed ! Our table of six came away all having had a great evening !! The food was very well presented,well proportioned and most of all very delicious:combine this with an extensive wine list;prompt and friendly service and a great ambience.....&amp; voila.....the makings of a most enjoyable dining experience !! We certainly look forward to returning in the not too distant future !!

Possibly the worst meal/experience all year.<br/>Expensive for small servings.<br/><br/>We shared a pork belly entree, it had a chocolate and orange souffle and sesame sauce. The souffle was flabby and sunk and way too sweet, I dont remember a sesame sauce, and the very small bit of pork belly was completely overcooked dry and tough. and it was $22 !<br/><br/>Mains I had pork loin with a carrot &amp; hazlenut souffle, and he had beef steak with gorgonzola and a horseradish 'mousseline' what ever thats sposed to be.<br/>My pork again was so overcooked it was awful, and small - maybe 8x5cm!! the souffle was raw batter in the middle and looked like a scone. I only ate the spinach quinelle and left the rest on the plate it was that awful.<br/>The steak was OK but the horseradish thing ended up being something like a yorkshire pud, only dense and flabby and tasted like flour not horseradish.

I can't figure out what the Abbey is trying to achieve - is it a public bar, a pokie den or an upmarket restaurant? <br/><br/>It's local and I've eaten here three times now and the food is good but the atmosphere does my head in.<br/><br/>Notice to management: People trying to eat nice meals and paying top price for them shouldn't have to sit two feet away from pokie machines and the desperados playing them. <br/><br/>When you're eating you have to contend with the noise and atmosphere of a bar,while the drinkers are packed like sardines into one corner while the pokie junkies come and go. <br/><br/>Do one thing well, not three things badly.

Has a very nice lunch at The Abbey. The fish special was unusual - the fish was wrapped in a thin specialty ham, it looked a tad strange but tasted good. Decor is great - a good spot for business lunches in this part of the city.

My local suburb restaurant, excellent food but quite pricey ($30+) - comparable to city restaurants. Food here is always tasty &amp; thoughtful and the menu is seasonal. They also do an excellent Wild Food Challenge (winner of 2009). Waitress is attentive. They have a great wine selection and the decor is focused on wine also.<br/>Good place for special occasions.

Good food, great staff. Love the atmosphere. The dessert menu is a chocholics heaven

Wow! The food here is delicious we enjoyed every mouthful, we will definitely be returning very soon. Seriously the best lunch I've had in ages!!

Last night we had the best meal out we have had in years. Fantastic food, the aromas were heady and tasted as good as they looked. The staff were fabulous, I would go back any time. The best meal with the nicest, efficient staff. Lovely wine list, very talented kitchen! xxo

Just went and had dinner here a couple of nights ago, the food was amazing!<br/><br/>Exciting and careful presentation<br/><br/>Exploding with flavor<br/><br/>Portions are not for the starving<br/><br/>We had the scallop and salmon ravioli and the beef with blue cheese. delicious!<br/><br/>the rack of lamb was standard<br/>and the polenta was fine.<br/><br/>They have a huge range of wines here.<br/>Service is good.

excellent services, tasty food, only down side is the portions a bit small. great place to catch up with friends, nice environment! x