Review Chapel Bar & Bistro - Auckland

A great night out with friends. Excellent customer service, superb sounds and a great laid back vibe. Just the place to start the night out on . Plenty of wine and beer choices and a huge range of spirits.

Service by Ari, Mateus, and Puline is amazing. Good tunes by Rowie, knows how to make you move Ofo the security at the door is very welcoming and kind

Cool spot on the corner here 👌🏼 Only dropped in for a cheeky wine after a spot of shopping up the road, but loved the decor, atmosphere and the fries!

Very cold beer, staff was friendly and vibe was cool. Would totally go back for a cold beer.

Reasonably priced drinks and good food, staff are nice. Ambience and decor all good, but getting a bit tired. Still a quality go-to though. Definitely worth checking out if you haven't been before/in a while :-)

Popped in for a glass of wine and some lunch. We had the fish tacos, Pork ribs, which were fab and a lot of meat which just fell off the bone. And the Apple slaw on the side. Some of the best ribs I have tasted, you really have to eat here.

Good place for a drink with friends. They have seating outside as well. Average prices.

Fantastic service here. The guys sat us down, took our order and delivered our drinks to the table. They even came and asked if we wanted another when we were nearing the end. When I had a second beer and my wife didn't want one, they bought her a glass of ice water with lime wedge. Lovely spot by the window on a warm day.

The pizza was great, the atmosphere was nice, service was wonderful. Unfortunately some other extremely loud customers sitting right next to us so we could barely hear each other. Out of all of the staff on site only one looked like she didn't want to be there, she always forced a smile when dealing with clients but for the rest of the time she didn't look very approachable.

If you like a quiet drink this may not be for you... but if music on 11/10 doesnt faze you then it is a great little spot for a drink and some good tucker after your shopaholic wife has dragged you from one end of Ponsenby St to the other... PS they must have read this as they just turned it down to 8/10 and changed it to good old Fleetwood Mac... : -)

Great place for Sunday sessions. Just stopped in for a drink and it was very busy. Our group was served quickly and it had an awesome vibe with the friendly staff and chatty locals. Definitely coming back

The beers are cold which is always good. Been a few times but most recently one of the staff was vaping while leaning on the food pass. Was there on a day after New Years when nowhere else was open in town so maybe an unusual thing.

Chapel is always a fun spot any time of day. Night time is more club vibe, while having a lovely bar atmosphere early in the day. The mushroom burger is fantastic.

Well appointed bar with a commendable range of beers on tap and a lovely house sav. The tall table and seats with the interesting divider was an interesting touch. The chapel motif was spot on and had some great + entertaining art work.

Great atmosphere for pre dinner drinks

This is just a great cosy bar. I’ve been at this bar for years. Always a great vibe young and old. Very welcoming.

We were there for the Bledisloe match on a busy Saturday night with a group of mates plus our 4 month old. The manager, Leo, made us feel welcomed when we first arrived and went out of his way to make sure we had everything we needed. When our 4 month old got upset, he showed us a specific area out back and moved away the ashtrays so my partner and 4 month old had a quiet place to be, and he would check up on them often. We really appreciated all he did and made the experience at Chapel Bar and Bistro enjoyable. Cheers.

Absolutely shocked-we are at Chapel Bar & Bistro having a drink(in fact 2 pints each person so not drunk) in ponsonby supporting all the wonderful people that are doing 'Walking Stars 2017' a charity walk. And the bar manager came up and told us it is illegal for us to clap and cheer for the walkers!?!?!? What the hell is this place coming too!! Poor form. Simon(the manager) you are an absolute twat and do not deserve any form of power. Oh and by the way how do your staff have good judgement of intoxication when they are doing shots at 9:35!!!!!!

We came here on an early evening late afternoon, Valentine's day, Not so long ago. I must admit I've only ever been here at night time and to have some drinks with friends or for an event happening. I need to let everyone know that the food here is and was A-MAZING!!! We ordered 3 pizzas, pepperoni, a spicy chicken infusion one and a meatlovers. Crispy thin based, with fresh ingredients and just the right anount of sauces for each. Better yet still piping hot from the oven. Our order arrived within 15 minutes and the service from the moment we stepped into chapel was amazing. Fast, efficient and spot on. Thank you for a very enjoyable experience and I'll be bringing friends back for another early start along with food. See you again soon. Cheers �

Between two of us we had the Venison Meatballs, Steak Cut Fries and the Manuka Chicken Pizza. The food was absolutely delicious and the service was awesome. We had a fantastic time as Chapel as it was buzzing with people so had a great atomosphere. We'll definitely be back to work our way through your menu :-)

I have had the best nights here! It was the first night ever getting in to new Zealand..and I loved the vibe, the music and the bartenders! I would go here every night if I could! And your marketing girl has persuaded me and the group to come to u every weekend goin forward

My favourite place in Auckland! Love the staff, love the DJ and love the awesome bouncers. Thanks for providing a place for some epic memories for me and my girls :D be back very soon xx

Nice atmosphere, friendly staff and good tap beers. What else do you need?

Discriminatory service at Chapel and won't be back nor will I recommend anyone to go there

Fantastic Sunday Roast Lunch today with my family, fabulous service and all 5 of us loved the food!! we'll return!!

Amazing atmosphere, run smoothly, perfect production, the babe who run this event truelly has an amazing future in party planning, can I get her to do my shindig?

Best Chicken I've had since I can remember. Delicious. Friendly service too. Thank you. See you next time.

Came for dinner on Thursday night manager was awesome!

Top club in Ponsonby!!! I come straight from Tonga and go here and I love it

The little manager was very friendly and accommodating

Amazing views and amazing wines and gorgeous food. It's a must

Started off as such an epic Christmas celebration. Unfortunate that a $1500 bar tab was not sufficient to reserve a table on a Sunday afternoon and we were removed in order to accomodate the bouncers friends. Will remember that for next time - which won't be there!

Just went in for a late lunch. Staff were so friendly and welcoming. Comfy seating and the cricket was on tv, perfect for my partner. Had a lovely young girl on staff talk us through the menu. She had great product knowledge and was really helpful in making a decision because it all sounded amazing. Food came our promptly and tasted as delicious as it was described in the menu. Best part was they gave us $50 off the bill as it was my birthday! Awesome service, Keep up the good work �

Amazing staff, very attentive and went well out of their way. Great little place

Visitors from Sydney, Australia . Glad our Kiwi mates took us there. Great vibe, atmosphere and cold beer. 😜

Great bar, extra great staff! Absolutely awesome Sunday sesh! Deffo will be back!

Always low key here. (In a good way) usually more guys than girls and late arvo usually business men and tradies who have knocked off early.<br/>Their newish food menu isn’t too bad here. Infact I’d go so far as to say -delish! ceviche, bao..... yum! 👌🏼

A Ponsonby Road institution, this is one of the most lovely places I have been to. Enjoy Sunday sessions with General Lee and Thane Kirby makes my weekend.

Great place to sink a few pints on the side of the road and enjoy the sun. Warren and the team are extremely friendly and make you feel at home. One of the few venues around that will bring your rounds to the table with the eftpos so you don't have to keep going up to the bar. Nice views from the upstairs toilet.

I loved the outside decor of this bar and the inside decor matched in a modern and pleasing way, giving it a unique vibe. Staff were friendly and attentive. We ordered the large platter to share and this was tasty. I loved all the different selections as it offered a walk about for the taste buds. This was a quiet early lunch during the holiday period, am now more interested to see how it will serve after work on a Friday night.

My husband and I had an unpleasant experience at this Pub. The landlord or manager made an unfortunate comment for us because we looked at our phones. I think he should pay attention to the service and not take care of the life of his customers. This was the third time we've been there and will be the last. I don’t like to complain, but this person is rude and unprofessional.

This place is truly amazing and the pork ribs are the best part. Highly recommend. Food is very filling and taste super good! Cocktails however, weren’t the best

Sun shining, late lunch and Sangrias. The Chapel team set up the afternoon perfectly. Always a good time and good food. Be back tomorrow if the boss lets us.

We came here on an early evening late afternoon, Valentine's day, Not so long ago.<br/>I must admit I've only ever been here at night time and to have some drinks with friends or for an event happening. <br/>I need to let everyone know that the food here is and was A-MAZING!!! <br/>We ordered 3 pizzas, pepperoni, a spicy chicken infusion one and a meatlovers. Crispy thin based, with fresh ingredients and just the right anount of sauces for each. Better yet still piping hot from the oven. Our order arrived within 15 minutes and the service from the moment we stepped into chapel was amazing. Fast, efficient and spot on. Thank you for a very enjoyable experience and I'll be bringing friends back for another early start along with food. See you again soon. Cheers �

Great ambience as we were on a weekday. The staff was nice and friendly. I had rum cola and it was good. Ice cold heineken was great! Will definitely come back.

Started off as a great Sunday arvo. Unfortunately we weren't aware that if a bouncer has friends that want your table - you're out.... great priorities Chapel. I'd advise you take a look at who you are employing. Sent on our way because apparently a $1500 bar tab is not sufficient to reserve a table if the bouncers mates are keen for a drink. Terrible - just terrible.

We had a jug of beer here. The pale ale was really good. We wanted to have dinner too, but we changed our mind cause we had the starter of the day, which was some dough and shrimp in tomato sauce I think. I didn't realise what I'm eating cause it tasted strange and it was dark too. I didn't dislike it though. I might go there against. But only for drinking.

I enjoyed a late Tuesday afternoon dinner at this quaint, unique establishment. Being a gluten free diner, I ordered the amazing Magherita pizza. The portion size for a single person was extremely generous & I was pleased to take any left overs with me to enjoy at a later stage. Being it was so delicious, it really didn't last that long. The Chapel emanates the quality of a high end bar & bistro with a cosy, personalised atmosphere.

A Ponsonby stalwart - come early or you may not get a seat, anywhere! Sunday sessions are legendary here. It's small, cosy and cute. Food is above gastro pub level and certainly something they put effort and pride into - but more often than not, it's an imbibing, not dining, venue. See the hottest young things and slightly older once were hottest things propped up outside here - great people watching. Good tunes too usually. Try the meatballs. Chapel is a must do pilgrimage.

well didn't think much of the atmosphere Dj in full swing but we decide to have a meal Thursday 17th late night, we ordered the beef burger with duck egg and fish of the day Tuna who would have thought truffle mash  would work . prawns, truffle mash asparagus caper butter sauce, <br/>I was blown away with the meals,  where amazing  <br/>service was really good nice young lady who served us<br/><br/>thank you

Chapel is an institution for a reason!<br/><br/>Been to Chapel on several occasions and have always enjoyed it. Generally speaking the staff are friendly and efficient and the atmosphere is great if you're after a quiet drink early on or a party later on in the evening. On a sunny Saturday afternoon went for a cheeky beer and decided to stay for lunch, shared a dozen oysters (the wasabi mayo was awesome) and a chicken pizza. Both were really tasty and went down a treat alongside an ice cold beer. <br/><br/>Chapel is, and will remain to be a local haunt for me for ages to come. Keep up the great work!

Always a great atmosphere and amazing service. Definitely a great spot for a meal or a few drinks no matter the day or time. Highly recommended

Tried this place for the first time a few days ago with a Grabone voucher. We had the Funghi pizza and herb crusted pork chop. The pizza was not lacking in toppings and the pork chop was delicious! Lots of herbs and the right balance of sweetness. I did not order the lamb dish but was served it by mistake (hence there is a picture which I took because the dish looked good enough for me to forget for what I actually ordered for a few seconds and good enough to share) -and for this oversight the owner (my guess) without hesitation made the whole meal complimentary even though we pushed to pay. Customer satisfaction is valued at this place and much appreciated by us! The seating was nice but crowd was quite loud which we can expect at a bar. We're coming back for more!

Have had a few lovely meals at Chapel Bar, but its definitely not revered for its food! I did have one of the best pork belly dishes at chapel and they do good food with your beer, pizza fries etc, #g1

My friends & I had an early Tuesday dinner at Chapel. We asked to start with some warm soup; unfortunately it wasn't available on the day. So we resorted to have a smoked chicken pizza instead. We also had pork belly, fish & chip, miso braised lamb shank & Chapel sirloin. (In fact, we asked for smoked fish pie instead of fish & chips, but again it was not available.) Pizza was good; fish was lovely with the home-made tartare; pork belly; lamb shank & steak were all well under-seasoned, with lamb & pork belly terribly tough. <br/>All in all, it was a rather disappointed dinner. (Food - 3/5; Service - 4/5; Ambience - 2/5)

Good for casual drinks. Can get very loud inside. Table service pretty hit and miss. Food is also hit and miss - their menu has changed quite a few times over the past two or so years. Seems they never quite hit the mark on the food front.

We came along to Chapel on a Sunday afternoon initially just for a drink but ended up staying for lunch too.<br/>The decor was lovely and warm, the seats were super comfortable and there's an indoor deck area out the back which is perfect for sunny winter days. I had a cider and a Coke to drink and then ordered the Southern Fried Chicken for lunch. The chicken came in a bowl with a side of chipotle mayo. It was different to what I imagined with the chicken being strips that had been fried with a seasoning instead of a standard Southern Fried Chicken meal. It was tasty and the portion was a decent size but for $17 they really could have given me a few chips.<br/>My boyfriend had the beef cheek sliders which he loved. It was slow cooked beef with caramelised onion on a roll. There were two on his plate. For $12 that's not too bad but also not amazing either.<br/>We ended up paying $60 for two Cokes, a beer, a cider, a Southern Fried Chicken and a plate of beef sliders. It ended up being an expensive trip out. I realise this is Ponsonby but like I said, a few chips on the side would have made all the difference to the plate.<br/><br/>Our waitress was very attentive. Sometimes too attentive.<br/>I don't really need my cider topped up thanks. I have the bottle and my glass in front of me and I can top it up as I see fit and I didn't really like it when my straw fell into my drink and my waitress waded in there to retrieve it. I also thought it was a bit weird when they moved a friend of ours phone to get to the napkin underneath. It wasn't particularly busy but I don't think the waitress was that hard up for something to do.<br/>Other than that, she was great.<br/><br/>I'd probably go back for a drink but not for the food. For the price, I was still hungry afterwards and would probably have preferred to go elsewhere for something to eat. Our friends really enjoyed the house Sav and our other friend had a the duck pancakes which he really enjoyed but also commented that the portion was a bit small.<br/>I'm giving Chapel a 3.5 because I think they could improve on the food side by quite a bit.

Chapel Bar & Bistro just didn't do it for me.<br/><br/>The menu was a little limited for my liking. My girlfriends ordered a pizza with a side steamed greens while I went ahead and ordered chicken breast.<br/><br/>Waiting time was slightly longer than usual.<br/>Staff weren't that attentive, in fact the waitress serving us seemed a bit confused at little requests asked. <br/><br/>The beef brisket pizza had a beautiful spicy kick and WOWEEEE, I LOVE ME SOME JALAPEÑO. My main meal of chicken breast with Asian slaw cost me $26 and I really don't think it was worth it. Breast was cooked to perfection but over salted. The flavours were just OK for that. Steamed greens looked a bit pathetic.... But all in all, I probably wouldn't come back here.<br/><br/>Slightly above average.

Ended up here with a couple of girlfriends tonight, the place was cute and cosy. Not too loud for a bar also. We came just to get dinner and sadly the two mains I had been eyeing up were not available so that was a bummer. I found the food to be quite over priced so ended up just get a pulled beef pizza along with a side of steamed greens. I think we were the only ones actually ordering food in there but it still took a good 35 minutes to get our food out. I specifically asked for my veggies to have no oil or butter but they came out drenched in it. I told the waitress and she said there was nothing on there but there 100% was! The pizza was quite flavourful but barely had a shred of beef on it. They kept our water topped up, didn't offer us the desert menu. The waitress seemed a bit out of it. All together it wasn't the best experience, maybe If the prices weren't so high I would have thought a little differently. I will not be returning.

Myself and a friend went to Chapel for some cheeky late afternoon drinks and snacks. It has been a long time since I've been to Chapel and I admit my impression was that it was more a late night bar stop than a place to relax with drinks and food.<br/><br/>I'm glad we persevered because it was a great experience! We shared a jug of sangria which was delicious - I find sangria hit and miss but this one (with red wine) was beautiful with mint and cucumber in it.<br/><br/>The food was also delicious - fried chicken pieces, duck pancakes and fries. Simple but cooked well and so moreish. Service was very good and our waitstaff were the type who were able to have a bit of banter while checking everything was OK.<br/><br/>A nice surprise for me and I'd definitely return. Oh -and the decor is great, especially the picture of the rangatira in the corner. Perhaps a small touch, however I noticed, tino pai!

I went with my friend after booking on firsttable.co.nz to get 50% off our meals. We ordered so much food, a mixture of mains and sides. I asked for my steak to be medium rare and it was not over cooked which I was impressed with. My friend commented that her sliders were cold, not sure if it was meant to be like that... Both of us found my salad side was extremely salty, so despite wanting to eat my greens, I had to resort to eating fried chicken instead. <br/>Overall, a nice experience with the staff and the atmosphere was quite nice. We went on a rugby night so it was a bit loud.

I have since been back to Chapel Bar and Bistro as I was offered a complimentary voucher due to having a bad experience on my first visit. I have changed my rating to a 3 but have kept my last review (see below). I had a much more pleasant dining experience upon my second visit to this restaurant. Firstly, the service was much better this time. Both waitresses were really friendly and made a real effort to be attentive. However, I can't say the same improvements have been made on the food. I had the chicken which came with tortillas, lettuce, tomato, hazelnut romesco and mayonnaise. The idea is that you fill your own tortillas - a nice idea. I liked the flavor combinations of this dish, the hazelnut romesco really worked well with the chicken. But the chicken was dry as can be! I cannot stand overcooked chicken. My friend ordered the fish and chips. The fish was nicely cooked but the chips were quite oily. I am not hating on this place but their food is seriously lackluster. The service and atmosphere here are great and I would definitely come back here for a drink but my opinion stands that this place should just be a bar. Previous review: 2: The management at this place appear to read these reviews so here we go, listen up! One word to describe my experience here: disappointment. Where to begin. On arrival, we told the waitress who we were and that we had a booking, she talked to about three other people before she finally took us to our table. Our table was right by the smokers' courtyard so we had the door opening and closing all night. We had to ask the waitress to prop our table up as it was wonky. The candle went out twice because of the constant breeze. Bad, bad layout. Our waitress was really nice and friendly but boy was she bored. She paced up and down all night and was constantly checking to see if we had finished our meal. We would put our empty wine glass down and in less than a second she swooped in to take it away. The waitress who brought our food handed me my plate instead of placing it in front of me. Bad, bad, bad! She also asked whose dish was whose - she should have known. On to the food. I had the fish. The waitress hadn't bothered to tell us what it was so we had to ask. The fish was cooked nicely but it was bland as can be. No moisture and unoriginal combination of flavours. The fat on my friend's steak hadn't been rendered and came with fries from a packet. Watercress on it's own is apparently called a salad. The poached pear was our dessert. It was cold! The pear was cold! Blasphemy! Whoever made the decision to have a COLD poached pear on the menu needs to repent. The pear's accompaniments were really nice though. The ice-cream and hazelnut soil were lovely. The pear didn't have an aroma and wasn't rich and sticky - because it was COLD! When we went to pay, the waitress fluffed around again before she served us. We had a Grabone voucher but it didn't work out to be a good deal. I had high hopes for this place but they have committed a multitude of sins. This place would probably work better if it was just a bar. Their haphazard approach to food and service is godawful.

After reading some reviews here we went there for lunch. We had 2 pizzas, lamb & chicken, and chips with garlic mayo. I do not normally leave feedback but this time it is a must. Absolute waste of time and money. Terrible pizza bases that taste like cardboard. Chewy lamb, disgusting commercial (bought in) sauces. The bases were so hard and overcooked that you could not bite them nor cut them with the cutlery provided. Toppings were not nice too, apart from Olives which came from a jar.<br/>We did complain to the waitress, feel sorry for her as she looked so scared.<br/>Service was nice though. Unfortunately I would not recommend this bistro to anyone.

Went to Chapel Bar and Bistro for Lunch a few weeks ago, and My gosh the food we had was amazing! really really good pizzas (Chicken and a lamb one) and the chicken wings with a delicious spiced coating with a lovely ginger dipping sauce and fries where too good to be true. Dined with hubby and 2 older kids and they all enjoyed it as much as me. Thank you for a great first time experience.:-) Filly

As they say. It's the local. Beer flows, conversations are ripe with great topics with all the cultures in and around Chapel. Best thing about chapel is the staff. The great staff that keep the beer topped up, only issue is you have to pay. :) <br/><br/>Love your work guys. :)

The 'Plank' is amazing and service was great and fun atmosphere!!!! Manager was the best Karla :) Would definitely recommend for a fun night out with quality food!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<br/>

Absolutly fantastic! We ordered the 400g steak that was cooked to perfection, and the Market Fish which was extremely juicy and tender. We will be back again!<br/>

I bought a deal voucher for the Chapel Bistro a few weeks ago after hearing about it on the radio and I was more then impressed!! The food was amazing and the staff was very helpful but not in ya face. Me and my partner don't get a chance to get out for dinner very often so when we do go out we want it to be perfect and we have found that perfection with the chapel so much so that I am finally going again tonight :-) Thanks Chapel

I haven't been to Chapel since late last year, but have been going regularly since settling in Auckland a couple of years ago from London. So it's sad to say that I have probably just visited for the last time.<br/>Not sure what's happened to the place but friends and I have been several times over the the last fortnight, each time being a real disappointment. We used to accommodate the noise (after half 7 music is deafening) because of the great staff, delicious food and relaxed atmosphere. <br/>The staff are still pretty good but the food and atmosphere were the big disappointments for us. We used to all love the pizzas (now undercooked), burgers (now tasteless), crispy snapper tacos (now gone) and how they took away the pork belly is astonishing! (Honestly one of the best I've ever had) It's replacement is ok at best! We also tried the squid salad which was cold and chewy and the steak which was undercooked, and had the appearance that a 6 year old had put it on the plate. Very frustrating and disappointing that a top establishment has come to this.<br/>So my recommendation is go to Chapel if you're a 45+ male, which now seems to be the main demographic of this once great place. :(

Wednesday night: Had booked a table and turned up on time with it still needing to be wiped down, food was delicious, lights to dim, music too loud (felt like I was in a dance club, I hate having to yell over dinner), service annoying - 2 people wanting to take food orders, 2 people asking how our food is (cant stand this full stop). Hesitant to return.

Went here on the weekend with a voucher for a long lunch with some friends. We ordered a few entrees to start and while the pork belly was really good the rest were just OK - chicken quite dry and liver pate stuck in the container with not nearly enough bread for the size of the serve. We hoped for better with the mains – we went for some pizzas, the burger and calamari salad, which sadly all had their issues. The pizzas were undercooked, the menu describes them like this “…Our pizza dough is handmade and bubbles up, crisp and stretchy within...”. Unfortunately for us that wasn’t the case the bottom of the bases were OK but the top of the pizza wasn't nearly cooked enough (some of the cheese was barely melted) and a long way from being bubbly and crispy; the calamari in the salad was stone cold and a little under cooked for our liking; the burger was OK but the patty was clearly not homemade so overall it lacked flavour. When the waitress asked us how things were we mentioned the pizzas and the salad and she kindly offered to replace them – excellent. Next thing the chef is table side telling us that we are wrong and if he had cooked the pizza any longer it would be burnt and that the calamari which is “his dish” was actually cooked perfectly and if he’d cooked it any longer it would be tough. He then proceeded to inform us he would go off and overcook our calamari and burn our pizza and then send them right out. The revised versions were actually much better than the originals – the pizza was crispy and the calamari at least warm, so while still not great on the flavour front a vast improvement. Next thing the chef is back out we think to get our feedback which was that the meals were much improved, but no he had just come to again to reiterate that we were wrong about our initial assessment of the meals and he had cooked them perfectly in the first instance. Luckily we had consumed a lot of beer and were able to laugh it off but I wouldn’t return as the food overall was average, and I didn’t really appreciate being told not once but twice that what was clearly undercooked pizza was in fact “perfectly cooked”. The only really good thing was the beer - there was plenty of it!

Have visited on a few occasions and always enjoyed my time there. My last visit I had a pizza which were amazing, think I had the smoked chicken. The service is always great, I had one Lady, think her name was Karla, she was so friendly and great to have a laugh with. Cheers guys

We had a great night at the Quiz last night. Had dinner before the quiz. Everyone commmented on how tasty the food was. I had the Pork Tortillas. These are a winner! Came 2nd to last in the quiz, but what the hell, a good night with friends. See you on Sunday !

Stopped in after work for a couple of drinks, and the staff where great. Didn't have to move from our table. Great service guys, Thank you. Took a couple of Pizzas home. Tasty tasty tasty.!

I really like Chapel. We always have fun. But unfortunately the bar staff routinely rip you off. Example: tonight one vodka cranberry $16! Then one vodka cranberry + a Sol beer = $16.50. Always check what you're being charged here. Every time we go here at least one of us is overcharged or short changed. The same drinks order can differ wildly in price depending on who serves you. Very annoying.

Hi, <br/>Visited the Chapel early Sunday afternoon, ordered the $19.50 burger,&amp; chicken &amp; leek hot pot, Upon arrival of the dishes ,I was a little unsure as I had ordered this burger some 6 months earlier and the comparison was immediately noticeable, The burger patty was burnt to a crisp on one side with the other side barely brown,Being thinly disguise by the (chef) by placing the burnt side down into a relish. The chicken hot pot was served in a high sided bowl with pastry on top,, after peeling the pastry back to reveal a 2/3 full dish of what can only be described as hashed chicken cooked to a pulp.The pea puree/mash that accompanied the dish was nothing more than mashed frozen peas with a dob of butter added. Our attempts to order a latte were met with a coffee delivered in a cup not much bigger than an espresso cup, I would recommend this establishment if you wish to drink and eat hot chips but beyond that i can only say that the whole experience was more than disappointing. To add to this ,I would recommend some intensive training for some of the staff, as the waitress we had was unable to deliver customer service that should accompany an establishment of this reputed caliber. (If the owner is listening) ,I would be more than happy to offer my services to raise the bar and bring some semblance of order into what could be a great eating &amp; drinking destination.

We came to Chapel Bar &amp; Bistro for a nice evening out. To be honest we were somewhat cautious after reading a number of negative reviews, but we wanted to try it for ourselves. After being seated we were left to peruse the menu, of which there was a mediocre range of options. We ordered everything at once stating that we would share a couple of entrees to begin with. We were quite happy to sit and talk while waiting for our entrees, however 30 minutes waiting for our first course seemed a tad too long. I heard the bell ring for an order to be taken out, hoping that it was ours... which it was... except it wasn't just our entree, our whole order came out at once. I have to admit it was rather frustrating having our whole table filled with our entire meal, half of which was getting cold while we began to eat our entrees. We ordered a blue cheese, onion jam and rosemary Italian flat bread and a crispy pork belly for our entrees which were actually one of the only good things about our dining experience. If you were planning on just getting a light snack I would highly recommend them both. I also ordered the beer battered fish of the day with fries and a salad, my husband ordered the grain fed steak. Both of these mains were average, with nothing special about either. We decided to leave it at that, and went to pay, only to realise as we were leaving that we had been charged wrong, by that stage we were a little over the experience and didn't bother going back to try to amend the situation. All in all a not so good experience. I would probably give the food a 3/5 but due to the overall events of the evening wouldn't rate it too highly.

After hearing reviews about this place. My mate made bookings to celebrate her birthday here, her very first in NZ. So we were absolutely gobsmacked &amp; annoyed to hear that 1 day prior to birthday celebrations only to get a phone call cancelling her party. Apparently no room was the excuse given 1 Day prior to a major event! <br/>Invites already gone out &amp; majority of guests were not from Auckland, arriving at this destination. One of her guests had to stand outside Chapels to re-direct the her party to another Bar/Restaurant, imagine having your booking cancelled one night prior &amp; walking down Ponsonby Rd trying to find a venue that will take your guests &amp; host your party. Shame on you Chapel's. We certainly wouldn't be returning :(

A couple of weeks ago I went with a mate one Friday lunchtime to use a deal voucher. We were made to sit outside.<br/>The calamari was tasty but the steak was tough as old boots. I asked to make a booking for another day, using another deal voucher but was told it was too late, even though the voucher still had a couple of days left to run.<br/>I was told they were booked out and I had had three months to use the voucher.<br/>The Scots woman behind the bar was unhelpful in her attitude.<br/>I complained to Groupon and got a refund. Groupon saved a customer, but the Chapel lost a couple. I won't recommend anyone goes to the Chapel. There are so many other places who will serve you better.

We used the deal voucher on Sat, 8/9. Calamari entree was small, bruschetta was tasty &amp; salad uninteresting.

We went on a family dinner with a deal coupon on my Mother's birthday.<br/>We had some miscommunications with the booking to start off which was sorted out. <br/>We arrived exactly at 12 to find the restaurant had not yet opened. The staff were right next to us by the open windows but did not even look at us or let us in despite seeing us hovering around outside. We were finally given some attention after we called out to one of them. I don't mind waiting but felt it would have been nice if they at least acknowledged us and mentioned how long they would be or offered to wait inside, being a cold day.<br/><br/>Then we were taken inside and given our cutleries. There was a long strand of hair on the seat which grossed me out but was understandable. What was not understandable was when the cutlery came out. My plate had specks of what looked like sand? on it which wasn't a nice look and my Father's cup had a huge crack down the side of his cup with a sharp chunk of glass missing from the top. If my Father hadn't saw it he could easily have cut his lip. On top of that, my Mother's cup had the same, long strand of hair dunked inside her water floating around. We were completely disgusted and just put our water to the side. <br/><br/>From there, the waitress was friendly and the food was delicious. My father had the steak medium rare which actually came out medium rare unlike many other places, and he loved it. The Calamari and pita were delicious as well. Then on, all was good.<br/><br/>I'd give a 1/5 for the hygiene and 3/5 for the service, having expected more from a restaurant of their standards. However the food was great 4-5/5

We went with a voucher for a nice Friday lunch.<br/><br/>My fish tacos were nice, but on the small side. My partner medium rare steak was well done and tasteless and the salad dressing was not on the side as requested. Sounds silly, but he's very picky about his salad and is allergic to vinegar, so likes to make sure he can eat it before he adds it.<br/><br/>The disappointment was the meal took quite some time to arrive and wasn't cooked and presented as asked, when the first salad was sent back to have the salad with vinegar dressing removed, by the time it came back the chips were stone cold, Then we find the steak well done, can you feel the frustration?<br/><br/>The first waitress we complained to wasn't very interested, and said I'll tell the chef. Nothing else was said, did she tell the chef he had nice hair or smelt good, or our steak was well done and tasteless? <br/><br/>We finally complained to the Manager who then took our complaint more seriously, she offered another steak, but he was starved, I had finished my meal, and we had to get back to work. <br/><br/>We were offered wine and desserts, we accepted the wine but declined the desserts, and appreciated the gesture. But the look good waitress needs education on complaint management.<br/><br/>Have returned several times since and had great meals and service. Love the duck and mushroom pie.

We had a Friday lunch that did not disappoint. <br/><br/>Sun shining in the window served by welcoming staff and ice cold beer. The chicken pizza that was recommended, was served quickly and hit the spot.<br/><br/>Great place to watch the interesting locals that inhabit Ponsonby road.<br/><br/>Pity that we didn't have time for a few more beers.

I came here for dinner with my friend last night. The bartenders were all super friendly. The place was really crowded when we went in and we couldn't find a place to sit. However, the lovely manager (I presume he was the manager) arranged for us to sit next to the DJ! My friend had a cocktail to start off with, which said was really good. Then our chicken pizza arrived, which was absolutely delicious - super cheesy! But the part for me was the dessert - the chocolate brownie was the BEST I'd ever had - with the delicious warm toffee sauce and the vanilla ice cream, it was absolutely heavenly. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend this bar - and if anything, make sure you try that brownie!

my friend is taking a liking to this place.. maybe because of all the good looking people who go there.<br/><br/>But I have a little issue to pick with this place, as it is just tooooo cramped!!!! So small considering the amount of people who go there! Celebs and the public! This is why I sort of get out of going there, as well as parking it can be a nuisance! But otherwise a great atmosphere and seating.

Another fantastic night at chapel! <br/><br/>Loving their new winter menu, crumbed fish bites, tasty mushroom risotto balls, lamb pizza.....Yum!!! Oh and come on ladies the chocolate mouse was sloop good!<br/><br/>Great staff and always a nice touch having the friendly owner there making sure you are being looked after.<br/><br/>Thanks Chapel another great night;)

Was at the Chapel last night - really buzzing atmosphere, cosy and warm plus the bonus of an acoustic live band, well worth checking out! I sampled some of their winter menu and I was pretty impressed. <br/><br/>Especially tasty was the pork belly with apple, the crumbed fish bites, the lamb pizza and the flavoursome mushroom risotto balls... keen to go back and sample the salt &amp; pepper squid now.<br/><br/>Definitely recommend as a great place for a date!

Checked out the winter menu last night and it was fantastic... will be back for some yummy treats soon.<br/><br/>My favs were the risotto balls and chocolate/orange moouse, yum yum yum<br/><br/>Michele

Tried the winter menu last night, really impressed. <br/><br/>Loved the pork belly with apple, crumbed chicken schnitzels on potato salad, soft shell crab on spiced slaw and the amazing pumpkin pizza with roasted pumpkin, zucchini, sweet &amp; sour onions, gorgonzola, pine nuts &amp; baby spinach. <br/><br/>Delish - great food on a chilly winters night!

Great atmosphere for after work drinks with friends, staff were really friendly too! Had the new Winter Menu last night which was really tasty! Loved the pizza's and risotto balls! Will definitely be going back to taste the rest of the new menu!

Chapel rocks - plain and simple. If you are looking for a quiet beer and a pizza then go tue, wed or sat nights. Any other night and you could be in the middle of a full on party. Always plenty of staff on so you never have to wait for service at the bar or from the kitchen no matter how busy they are.<br/><br/>Not that I ever expected to like it - but the Salmon Pizza is superb - capers, cream cheese and salmon on a pizza! perfect!<br/><br/>Interesting off the wall decor which really give this place a good relaxing atmosphere - kind of like your living room - but not.<br/><br/>Always some good sounds on with DJ's on at different times and days. And as for Sunday afternoons - what is it with that - the place can be just teaming with people not wanting to go to work the next day - always great fun and a must visit on any Ponsonby Rd bar trek.

can´t understand why you guys are always so busy. good location but staff members and owner / manager very unfriendly. wont enjoy my beer there anymore.

The pizzas at this place are simply outstanding; lovely soft doughy bases with generous toppings that compliment each other perfectly. The atmosphere is fun, and the location is great for a Ponsonby Road bar hop.

I just love the food at The Chapel Bar & Bistro. People normally only consider it a drinking place but is worth the visit to enjoy the amazing Chapel Platter to share or have an order of tempura prawns or mussels with your glass of white wine. Food is delightful, music is awesome and the service is great.

Had a brilliant catch up lunch with a friend back from the distress of buying a new house so plenty of chat about capitalism and the evil land-owning classes! We both chose the squid and the steak. The squid was SO tender and came with bottled sweet chilli sauce but was a perfect beginning to a long chat. The steaks came as ordered; not the best beef (needed longer hanging) but the yummy butter and jus meant they just slid down with the great conversation and delicious shiraz. We were too sated for pudding. The highlight of the meal though was our most charming waitress. I will be back to try the pizzas which the next table had and looked fantabulous.

Drunken chapel, even on a Sunday night you're crankin.. Rocking out to the 90's hiphop.. Had a couple of drinks and really enjoyed our night out..<br/>Cheers chapel