Review Basalt - Howick

Love this place! Went with family for Sunday roast which was amazing and it filled us up, leaving us satisfied. The drinks were super good too and it was lovely sitting next to the fireplace while having dinner. Service was really good too! They were super friendly and understanding :)

Great service upon arrival, host was super attentive and communicated well. Tables were well situated. The food was mouth watering delicious! Chef needs to be promoted to master chef because my taste buds were exploding with a beautiful range of Flavas 😋. thoroughly enjoyed our lunch especially the pork sauce, spread it on the flatbread...I swear y'all will thank me lol x Couldn't finish it, manager provided us with take away boxes which was awesome 😎

Service is good. Food is average though. Selected a few items from the bites menu to share. The lamb ribs were rather terrible. The fried chicken and the pork belly were the best. Prawns were nice. Sides of onion rings and flat bread quite nice and good as fillers.

Howick's local favourite and it lives up to its great reviews. We had a party of 6 and the restaurant was busy so it took a while to get our mains out. The presentation and tastes were good. The surprise was definitely the dessert! One of the richest chocolate dessert I've ever tasted! It was more chocolate fudge than tort as it says on the menu. Very satisfied as we walked out the door. The waiting staff were good, kept refilling our water. Will definitely be back!

The food and prices are high but reasonable for the food you get. Kids got chicken pasta for $15 I wouldn't really give that a 5 that's more less a 3 as the chicken tasted like it was the tegals ready chicken in the square packets from the supermarket. Loved the sirloin steak with fries. (Picture below.) Had a dollop of garlic butter on top with 3 pieces of brocollini the thickness of it was huge, juicy and you can taste parts of the fat on it that was grilled, so this is worth the money. What I couldn't understand was they serve pork belly by itself just with garnish, I did have to ask if it came with any sides or that as it wasn't on the menu. The waitress had told me no just garnish and pork belly hence the reason why I went with the steak. So when you look on the menu that's exactly what you get is what is there.

Had the mushroom gnocchi which was amazing!! Really yum. Husband had a chicken burger which was nice, but not great. I like that there is the bar area on the left when you walk in, it's darker and louder and a quieter area on the right. Also bar upstairs as well.

Basalt is part of Joylab so you are able to get 10% back with each purchase which is quite nice. It was quite busy when we were there but we were able to get a table when we walked in. Stopped by for dinner and wasn't too hungry so we shared a pizza and two sides. The meat lovers pizza was quite nice with lots of meat and flavour. The onion rings were nice although we did get a large pack of rings at the bottom which wasn't cooked in the middle. The pork belly was delicious. The tender belly was lightly battered and fried so it was crispy. The sauce was quite nice and made the belly more flavourful. They have a special on most days. We happened to be there on Thursday so we got $10 pizza which is a steal. The pasta party on Monday and carnivore club Tuesdays also look good. Worth a trip down for a tasty meal.

Great atmosphere. Friendly and competent staff. We ordered beef burger and Tap beer for $40 and it was really nice. Burger comes with fries. Well served portion. Recommended.

Good bar, has been for years. If you are lucky, you will meet Erin. I've never eaten so can't rate the food, it wouldn't be fair.

Ate here with my family recently and it was great. Had great service from the waitress Laura who was very accommodating to help the food requirements of one of our party. The beef burger I had was very juicy and tasty as were my cocktails. Will be back thank you!

Being a popular place there was a 50th birthday party happening which did get loud at times. But the food was amazing and the service was friendly and fast.

We loved Basalt when we came here! The food was lovely, the vibes were great and the service was even better! Thank you for the prompt check ups and lovely smile Hazel - we’ll never forget your hospitality :))

**Diya - Compliments to an Awesome Hostess** I am from Melbourne, and have been to Basalt Howick on a few occasions when visiting Auckland; it's always an absolute pleasure. It's extremely comfortable, has a very relaxed atmosphere, with a great selection of meals and drinks. The Basalt Howick team members (both front-line/ customer facing and custodian/ maintenance) consistently deliver excellent Customer Service. They are all extremely professional in their approach, as well as very efficient in attending to any requests. I've seen your team members take a genuine interest in ensuring that the guests are comfortable, and they are always polite; even where the guests themselves were not as polite. Although these behaviours are consistent across your team, I have especially witnessed it with Diya who was our recent hostess. I believe that Diya and the wider team's consistent positive customer service skills and genuine enthusiasm for what they do is a great asset to your organisation, and should be recognised/ rewarded. I'd appreciate if this feedback is shared with Diya and your team members please; and all the best to them in your organisation. I look forward to visiting Basalt Howick again when I'm next visiting Auckland.

Nice spot to have a meal at, my husband and I came here for breakfast, he had chicken waffles and I had the chorizo hash. Nice flavour profiles of the food, the garden bar up the top has great air flow and is really pleasant in the summer heat. Coffee was great too and the staff are friendly with a bit of witty banter. Would recommend and would come here again, thanks guys

Our time at Basalt were very good, good service for Abril waitress, we spent a pleasant evening with my friends. Thanks The Food was delicious, the salad and the desserts exquisite. Recommended to have dinner again.

Dined here couple of weeks ago, loved it. Great beer selection and pork belly is the best. Will definitely be back.

Thanks Basalt

the food was fresh and delicious. the staff is so friendly and welcoming.

Basic pub food - now part of Joylab chain and selection and standard of food reflects this. Use to have an awesome menu. Such a shame.

Went for lunch and sat in the upstairs area. Had a good vibe and view of the main street in Howick. We ate off the snacks menu and it was awesome. Pork Belly bites, Mac & Cheese bites & Onion Rings. Really good! The only issue I had was that the bathroom upstairs were really dirty and smelt very bad. With good food and beer, there should be a good clean bathroom. Service was great 👍

The only suggestion i would add regarding the menu is, its hard to read small lettering on a rea background. Excellent seating upstairs too

Too noisey from 5:00pm to 7:00 pm too much base music can’t hear what people are saying, but other bars in the same chain are not to bad. I think the place is being run down, not happy will haft to find another place to go

went to Basalt Tuesday evening for beers and bar snacks. The bar snacks were the best ever. Absolutely delicious and so good the way they were prepared and presented. Quite innovative and some thought has gone in to the latest offerings. Top marks to the chef/s. 10/10. Garlic bread with seeds etc was superb. Basalt has always been good but this time it was really the best. Well done.

We came here for lunch when they recently updated their menu with new options. We ordered the Smoked Brisket & Rye Club, Basalt Corn Fritters and the Karaage Chicken. The pickles and the brisket in the club sandwich balanced each other so well and the corn fritters with relish were so delicious. The chicken was cooked well and not too dry and their coffee was pretty standard too. The flavour bomb had us licking our plates and full of satisfaction. The waiter was really attentive to us and ambience was nice as it wasn't too busy when they opened.<br/><br/>Food - 5/5<br/>Ambience - 5/5<br/>Service - 5/5

Such a nice place for a Sunday brunch. I have been here many times before for dinner but never for brunch. The upstairs garden bar was a lovely touch serving food and drinks. The menu had a good variety of food to choose from and came out reasonably quick. The food was delicious with great portion sizes. Would definitely recommend if your looking for a nice place to eat in Howick!

Amazing Father’s Day lunch today; been half a dozen times before but not for a few years and service still great; food amazing; didn’t like the new garlic bread from the one they used to have; pumpkin seeds and pine nuts on top we’re not required and definitely needed a nice Morrish dip on the side; hot bread always goes well with nice dips; other than that my parents had a great first experience and would love to do dinner there sometime; thanks again for a great lunch all in all 😊

Went to dinner on the 10th of August with my companion. Place was in full swing. Got seated right next to a fireplace which was a plus as it was a tad cold on that night. The waitresses were very attentive and lovely. For starters, I originally wanted to get the chowder but they ran out so we got scallops and mussels instead. Scallops were off the charts delicious. The mussels were on the salty side for us but overall impressed with the portion and the flavors. For main, we got the small rigatoni and the steak with parsnip & carrot mash. The pasta was a major let down as it seems like it wasn't packed with flavors other than the tomato sauce which to me was extremely acidic. I didn't even finish the bowl. The steak was lovely but small. Cooked just right. The mash was more carrots than parsnips. The star of the dish was the mushroom sauce. Beautiful, beautiful sauce. Overall, our night was lovely. Atmosphere was bustling but relaxed at the same time. Unfortunately the food was not up to par for us. Thank you anyways for the lovely service.

We came here for a first table booking at 10:30am on a Sunday. Upon arrival we explained to the waitress that we were first table and asked if we could sit upstairs which she said was fine. When we went to pay for the bill the owner asked us why we were sitting there if we were on a first table booking and said he could not give us the discount that we were entitled to as first table patrons because we sat at the wrong table... We didn't know that there were allocated tables as the waitress did not communicate this to us. He then asked the waitress in front of us if we were lying, she looked incredibly uncomfortable. He then continued to argue with us despite having no valid grounds. Eventually he gave us the first table discount. Worst dining experience I've ever had, he was incredibly intimidating and left us in absolute shock after the encounter. Would never come back.

After being in the hospitality industry and swapping that for the wine industry, I originally came in to sell wine. We were sat down by a lovely host, the food was fast, delicious and the staff (which is what I always notice) were prompt, friendly and efficient. We were told the W.O.M, had some dumplings, served with a smile and some light banter, my partner had the Beef Cheek which was cooked perfectly alongside my main, the Beer Battered Snapper. To be honest, I usually dodge places run by huge companies as they are usually pretty run of the mill, but the staff really made an impression. Two girls and one guy last night, brought some enthusiasm to an otherwise dreary Monday eve, I know I lacked that on a day that hospo cats or managers usually have off. So well done, would definitely be back because of the service Besalt provided. Cheers! :)

Love the rooftop bar/terrace area. Had some gin and tonics and the salmon poke bowl. The bowl was good but could have done with different sauces? Ambience was good except for a table of super rowdy dudes who kept breaking glasses and caking it on the floor - wish security or staff could have asked them to chill tf out

Was pretty busy on Friday night . Nice local restaurant. Good for groups. Could probably be more vegan options, overall food was good and prices were decent.

We had a birthday celebration here!! The customer service is fabulous, all the staff are super nice and friendly. The food on the other side is tasty, especially the Pork belly the plate might seems smaller than I expected but taste wise is on spot! I love their chicken salad portion very big :) and the port rib is a very large size meal it’s worth ordering :)

My favourite local spot for lunch. Ordered a power salad, was delicious fresh and a huge portion. Great coffee with excellent service, both the waitress and manager checked on us multiple times to ensure we had everything we need. It was enjoyable and relaxing sitting in the sun on the roof top with nice views over the water

GREAT SERVICE, will be definitely be back. Love the live music on Thursday nights as well while having drinks on the rooftop bar! Highly recommend.

Fantastic place, friendly waiters, fast service, great meals and a fantastic Thursday night events. Have been there so many times and had lovely meals and service.

Sad very sad. The best thing about this place was the bread that come with my seafood glue - supposed to be chowder, under seasoned and over thickened. Then there was the slither of a 200g sirloin my husband ordered to be cooked on a hot rock, they had cut every little ounce of fat off it, tasteless also, oh but the chips were good ... hence the one star. That steak and chips was all he got for $29.50. Don’t waste your hard earned $$$ here.

Went here for a brunch with my friend. We got offered to sit on the rooftop which was very nice. However the service was quite slow. It took the waiter about 15 minutes to attend to us and give us the menu. It wasn’t busy on that day either. He did not greet us or welcome us. The food was pretty average. The presentation of the food should have been better considering the price. We wanted to order desert as well but they told us they cannot do deserts right now. Such a downfall that was because we’ve heard deserts are nice there. <br/><br/>Would come back again.

Had an evening meal with friends & enjoyed our time. We were served well by the lovely wait staff, our drinks arrived in perfect time & we had great starters in garlic bread & bowls of fries. The dinner menu was nice & we ordered a variety of food from salads to burger, fish & chips & some squid too. The food was beautifully prepared & well presented. The wait staff were quite conversant with the drinks & food menu & helped out with helpful guidance when requested. They looked after our table & attended to all of us very well. Nice ambience & cozy atmosphere too. We felt some of the mains are a bit pricey for the quantity. But the overall quality was very high & made up for the pricing. Overall a very nice relaxed atmosphere as it was too crowded for a Saturday night. It’s Mother’s Day tomorrow so it was good timing for us, as it would surely be fully booked for Sunday. The only suggestion I would add regarding the menu is, its hard to read small lettering on a red background. Apart from that well worth recommending to all for an excellent dining & drinks experience day or night. Excellent seating upstairs too. Great location in Howick & not too much traffic either & ample car parks & parking spots all around. Thankyou to all the staff & Chefs, we had a great evening.

The stone grill is so cool and so hot. My friends traveled Auckland and wanted to try famous stone grill so I recommended basalt and we had a great dinner here. We ordered mix meat stone grill and I like beef the most. Next time I will order steak! The service is also great.

Best place in Howick!! Love their “Give mum the night” Sunday night specials. Great service and atmosphere. Love coming here for lunch and dinner.

Good place, lovely food and great service. Enjoyed my steak meal cooked perfectly as ordered, it was busy for a Tuesday night. we will be back to try more options from the menu.

Came here for my birthday a month ago.  First time here. Food is tops! Same as service! Brooke our waitress was awesome! Thanks so much! Will come again!

I always enjoy the rooftop basalt bar. <br/>The staff are really great - always making sure they’re clearing empties & refilling glasses.<br/>They play sport upstairs without the sound, & are happy to change it if requested. <br/>During the day it’s a really chill spot, which can be closed off from the weather or fully opened up. <br/>There is a designated smoking area which is relatively closed off from the bar area, & a combination of lower & higher bar leaner type seats. <br/>The food is pretty simple, but not bad at all. I always have had a good experience. <br/>The staff upstairs on the bar really make the difference - you’re great!!

Delightful service with delicious food, Basalt is the place to go in Howick if you are looking for a nice European restaurant. Definitely recommending booking as it is always busy.

Were upstairs on wednesday for lunch and drinks, and the atmosphere was great! Was pretty busy for a wednesday day i thought and the bartender/waitress upstairs, i think her name was nicole, was one of the most impressive servers i have ever come across! She should get a raise, my wife was so impressed with her bubbliness with it being so busy because sometimes when its busy service slips through the cracks. So very appreciative of her service!! The salt and pepper squid is also divine! A must see venue especially with such terrific service :)

Taste: 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑<br/>Interior Deco: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑<br/>Customer service: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕<br/>Recommend: 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑<br/>quite like their drinks! Loved their plating for their dessert! Foood wise popcorn prawn was amazing but ribs were average, staffs super friendly!

Haven’t been to Basalt in years - what a lovely surprise. We went to the fantastic upstairs bar and were served by the lovely Grace - what a superstar and what an asset to this venue !

Thanks Ashleigh for looking after us :) Food was on point ✌🏻👌🏻 Both my parents enjoyed their food and my lil brother liked his pizza! It was a good birthday treat for my dad today too 🎉

Coffee was great, food was average at best, and service was meh! I ordered the breakfast bake.. which was nothing like its description, and more like a boiled egg in a tomato sauce base with too much feta cheese, no dukkah and not enough bread. My friends had eggs Benedict with salmon and the other with mushrooms and that looked, tasted and was cooked much better than the bake i ordered, as in the eggs were poached properly, hollandaise was tangy and balanced and the salmon was a good quality feathered fillet. Garlic bread and bruschetta were good as sides, but a bit too salty. I'd go back, but not in a hurry!!

Have been coming to basalt for the last few weekends and have received impeccable service from Natasha.<br/>Will defiantly be returning for more golden towers 🙏🏼🔥

Came in for lunch and received excellent service from Natasha, food was great, service was great, the upstairs area is nice, will definitely be back again 😏😏😏😏

Such a nice sunny today sitting upstairs Tash and Ash both had amazing service.Very lovely two ladies will definitely be back again, great food.

Flippen love this place!! Staff are lovely and chatty and always very attentive, and the food caters to everyone and anyone! My favourite recently is the duck breast! I tried the lychee bomb just last week whilst In with a few girlfriends and what a drink!! Always my go to venue for a great night! Definitely reccomend

Date night for hubby and I which was dinner and a movie in Howick. This took us to one of our favourite places - Basalt. <br/><br/>Since we arrived early we had a nice leisurely drink before our meal. Nicole, who served us our drinks on arrival, had a great bubbly attitude and even talked me into trying a new cocktail. Coconut Cloud. OMG. If we weren't going to the movies I would have had another!<br/><br/>Hubby had the mixed stone grill which he loved. All the serving sizes were perfect for him. <br/><br/>I had the sous vide chicken breast. Yummmm!! Stuffing was great and we shared a side of veggies. <br/><br/>Ashleigh took great care of us during our meal. Again nice bubbly chatter which was great.<br/><br/>Another enjoyable meal and relaxing time had by us both. <br/><br/>

Amazing place for dining out! Great service and excellent food. Ash and Nicole were super friendly and gave top notch service. Nicole gave great food recommendations and I thoroughly enjoyed the ribs she suggested. Definitely would dine there again

After a surprise birthday visit to Basalt in Howick I was treated to a most delicious sharing platter. Succulent ribs that fell off the bone, a awesome beef tataki and epic salt and pepper calamari. Thanks to the crew at Basalt for an awesome meal and great friendly service with our drinks.

My favourite go to! Shout out to the staff for making the atmosphere warm and social and to the chefs for cooking the eye fillet so well I can always see the effort and precision every meal I get. The girls know a lot of different cocktails and nice drinks and help you pick whatever suits your taste. Would definitely recommend the tacos to a friend.

Waited 50 minutes for our drinks and entrees too arrive. We ordered a few garlic breads as entrees and they were disgusting. Dry, hard to eat, not nice at all and to be honest didn't even taste like garlic bread. Then after all that our mains took an hour to arrive. They were all good, not amazing but just good. We all said we won't be back! Quite disappointing since it seemed like it would be a good place.

Food was good, I ordered the duck, it was cooked beautifully! Also really enjoyed the coconut cloud. Customer service was very slack, we ordered our drinks and they brought out the entree (garlic bread which did not taste like garlic at all) before the drinks. She said they will bring them out at once (cocktails and beers) then they were literally bringing one by one. Not even on a tray it was just one after the other so that was 45 mins after the ordering. But apart from that food was nice.

We've been here twice and each time have not been impressed by the food or service.  The Eggs Benedict I ordered had a really unpleasant vinegary hollandaise sauce and the other meal I ate was pretty average.  We also found the place very noisy and the staff weren't very interested or attentive - there was no cutlery on the tableand we had to go up and get it for ourselves, as the staff just stood there chatting.  Not impressed and won't be returning.

I wish a rating of 1 wasn't the minimum cause they don't deserve this. Ordered probably the most expensive thing on the menu being the mixed grill for $37 and I got two of the smallest skewers I've ever seen maybe 50g of meat and then one minute piece of pork belly and another tiny portion of duck, both bland and flavourless. All up maybe 140g of meat in total which I finished in about 3 minutes. Chips both normal and kumera were cold and crap. Wouldn't come back if you paid me $1000. If you're considering it... DONT

Best place in Howic for a beer on their roof top bar. Good selection of food and drink only down side was price of food to what you actually receive.

UPDATE<br/>Came here on Friday night and was hoping for some good food and incredible service. Was totally let down.<br/><br/>I understand that it gets busy especially on Friday nights but the service was close to none. Our drinks took far too long to come out that our garlic bread ended up coming out way beforehand.<br/>The food was really average. Ordered the duck breast and chicken dish to share. The duck was cooked beautifully but the pumpkin didn't taste too great with the duck. The chicken was definitely the least fave. Did not like the combinations whatsoever. The dish had what appeared to be peppercorns sprinkled all over the food which was so unpleasant. I was left feeling so unsatisfied :(<br/><br/>Lovely staff and lovely atmosphere. The food here is always on point. I've ordered the lamb and pork belly from here which are both to die for. The meat is always cooked and seasoned to perfection. Definitely recommend this place

Went there for a family members birthday drinks great place,atmosphere and staff! Awesome Sunday afternoon solo singer playing upstairs, Definitely be going back. The food platters are a winner!!

The restaurant was very clean the staff are polite and very quick the food was very delicious I ordered a salad which is not my first choice in any establishment but this one was amazing, my only complaint would be the price seemed a little expensive for what it is.

Have visited twice now for dinner with different groups and each time everyone complimented the menu, food and quality of service. Definitely a place I can recommend and will visit again.

I booked a table for Mothers Day breakfast and took my mum and nana out for a surprise. I was really disapointed with the whole experience to be honest. <br/>The staff were great, but the meals were all below average. <br/>My mum and sister ordered the eggs bene with bacon. Both came out cold and had 1 piece of bacon on each english muffin- pretty average considering we paid $18.<br/>I ordered a quinoa smash with avocardo with a side of salmon and poached egg. Again, the salmon size was laughable, I couldnt believe i was paying $4 for tiny piece of salmon. The avo was generous though, but the meal itself was bland and the quinoa wasnt really a 'hash', it was just unseasoned quinoa with avocardo on top.<br/>We all left feeling dispointed and wished we had booked breakfast somewhere else. Wont be coming back again for a meal. Basalt is great for (over priced) drinks and bar snacks only.

Had a lovely meal here with a friend of mine, just ordered some entrees and desserts! love the garlic bread with the added nuts and seeds. Service is great, had Shania has my waitress and she was super friendly and welcoming as they always are! Basalt is one of the best local restaurants! :)

Lunch date on a sunny Saturday afternoon. Salt and pepper squid for entrée, home made 200g beef burger and soft shell tacos with house slaw to share.<br/>Entrée - squid was freshly friend and went really went with the toasted coconut, almond, carrot and chill and lime dressing. However there was a lack in pepper taste for the squid and the dish came a little too cold. 5/10<br/>Beef burger - nothing special to shout about, the beef lived up to its name but that's about it. Over fried egg and not-so-fresh lettuce made the whole burger a little bitter. 3/10<br/>Soft shell tacos - this dish came with chicken, prawn, and fish options and we chose fish. Playing on the safe side for the dressing we found it just average. 5/10 <br/>Overall experience - 5/10 Basalt has been a favourite for the locals and I can see why. Well located restaurant, pretty ambiance and good service. Plus side is the refreshing water that came with ice cube and infused with mint leaves and orange slices!

Went and had dinner with a couple of friends yesterday. We sat upstairs in the rooftop garden and the ambience is amazing. However we had to get the menus ourselves and and to walk up to the register to order which was quite awkward. I ordered the pulled pork salad and my friends ordered the panini and the squid/calamari salad and all three dishes were divine! Will definitely be back!

Took the wife and kids to Basalt last night for dinner. <br/><br/>Wife ordered the power salad. She said it was pretty good. <br/><br/>My daughter had the kiddy pizza. It was not very nice and she never finished it. But she did love the fries. Kids right?<br/><br/>My son had the kids burger and he throughly enjoyed it. <br/><br/>I had the adult burger. It was distinctly mediocre. Firstly the burger was too large so it was impossible to eat with hands. This meant that you had to eat it in layers. So you sort of miss the combined flavours of everything. The egg was slightly charred underneath so it left a lingering burnt taste in the mouth. The patty was rather bland. The bun was good and the onion rings were fantastic. <br/><br/>The burger definitely needs some refinement. <br/><br/>On a super positive note the service was fantastic and our waitress was really nice. <br/><br/>

The food and service were good but for some reason I was expecting it to be better. The menu items were quite different like the zucchini spaghetti with smoked tomatoes and it was all presented nicely. The lamb was good but felt like it was missing something. Food was nice and the service was good so might try it again.

My boyfriend and I live locally but have never ventured to Howick for a meal. Decided to come to basalt for a nice meal on new years eve. Such a pleasant ambience here! We were attended too quickly and the night was quite busy however, the staff were lovely and attentive. I had the pork belly and that was tasty and the portion was satisfying too and not too big or small. My boyfriend had the Burger and that too was tasty. We finished off with the coconut crème brûlée and that was so yummy! Creamy texture with the coconut, not too sweet either. The flavours were just right. Big ups to your staff too for making us feel welcoming and so attentive of our needs throughout the evening. Will definitely be coming back.

Nice Pub food, burgers generously served which they were a bit overcooked to our taste, beer selection is always good with choices such as Velvet stout difficult to get in other places.<br/><br/>Atmosphere is really good especially if for drinks only, the stone cooked steaks are steep in price for what you get, hence I will say a great choice for drinks and snacks and so so for dinner

Went here for dinner the mains were great but God damn that bread. Ordered some bread and it took over an hour and a half for it to come out. I'm all for waiting but I don't expect you to fly to east India to reap the wheat then export to Italy for milling. Were you guys stomping on tomatoes for sauce back there too? If tip top can make bread in under 30 so can you. Don't get me wrong, the bread was good but not worth the wait.

Came here on short notice for Father's dat lunch but staff was very nice and accommodated us. Ordered the calamari for starters and mixed stone grill for mains. The calamari was a winner and so was the kangaroplo steak. Happy to come back!

So we started with their famous garlic bread and surprisingly there are crunchy tasty toppings together with it and it tasted good even we didn't get side plates and serviettes to start with. But after talking to Jess, one of their staff, she just served us the best that she could and she have...

Not bad arrived late .. Just got in for a nite meal <br/>All blacks was on watched it when eating mean meal <br/>The steak was good and good selection of wine <br/>

Just manky greasy and no skill involved with sterile surroundings. <br/>I think someone writing the menu needs a dictionary....TAPAS is supposed to be a delicious selection of hot or cold delicacies. <br/>At Basalt however the $45 seafood TAPAS is a selection of deep fried frozen battered or crumbled fishy bites/packet prawns/calamari with bulk marinated mussels. They even over cooked the salmon chunk. <br/>If this is the quality of the tapas I hate to think what the main menu is. Ribeye steak is probably a sausage ....<br/>Avoid

Yummy. Is all I can say. Had the lamb n fell in love! :) Great dinning experience. Left feeling full and happy!<br/>Our team would definitely dine here again.

Had a fantastic meal here. Lovely atmosphere, good service, food was delicious :) my only tiny little gripe is there were no dipping sauces with the seafood platter. Maybe A tartare and aioli sauce would be good as most of the seafood is deep fried and the bread is dry also. Anyway just a thought :) Would recommend the Slow cooked lamb, eye fillet and Pork belly

Have come in for dinner. It is a nice place and staff very friendly. Food was brought over quickly. Have had the grilled kangaroo which was absolutely exquisite. Only negative thing I can say about is is the staff brought a lemon on my girlfriends desperado...

I decided to try out Basalts new winter menu and I'm glad I did.<br/><br/>Squid entree with coconut was great. The Tuna Main Course was awesome. The tuna was cooked perfectly and flavour combination was on point. I highly recommend this dish. For the dessert, you can't go passed the Chefs Dessert Platter. Be warned as it it quite large, enough for 3 to 4<br/>People, this is a great way to finish. <br/><br/>Great menu. Service was great, food was excellent.

I went to this place with my family for a weekend brunch and we chose to sit on the verandah. Their verandah is a perfect place to sit on a sunny day and has beautiful sea views. We ordered omelette of the day, corn fritters, pesto, feta and tomato bruschetta and grilled red pepper bruschetta. We were really hungry and forgot to click pictures(though I managed to click of the red pepper bruschetta) :P The food was amazingly delicious and the presentation was top notch. This is the best place to eat if you're in Howick. I've tried most of the cafes and restaurants in Howick and this is the best among them. The waitress serving us was so friendly. I really liked their bruschetta' sand corn fritters. I can't say anything about the omelette as I didn't taste it, but my dad said it was delicious. :D I will definitely come back to eat here. Oh! And yeah, don't forget to pick some mints( I love mints

Had a really good experience here, my wife and I had lunch and we were amazed with what we got for the price, considering we chose off the lighter menu. Atmosphere was great and the food was absolutely delicious. Would definitely recommend to others!

Basalt is always bustling with diners. We have dined here on two separate occassions and each time left underwhelmed. <br/><br/>The first time we ate here was for lunch. We had salt and pepper squid, kumara chips and side salad. The squid was definitely a small light meal. It could've done with more seasoning. Same with the kumara chips. <br/><br/>We gave basalt another go and dined here for dinner. The lamb rump was well seasoned and my friend's seared tuna salad looked nice and tasted fresh. The biggest let down was their dessert menu. The chocolate tort was the smallest sliver of what tasted like chocolate icing thats been left over on the plate. The panna cotta had a nice texture and flavour but was disappointingly small, served with the tiniest finger of rhubarb. The cheese platter was ok, nothing spectacular. <br/><br/>My advice, (and cant believe I'm going to say this) skip the desserts. It's not worth it.

Came in here last Thursday for dinner with my family and got a lot more than expected. We did come in early so restaurant was nice and quiet but the lady serving us was so attentive and made sure we had everything we needed. The food came out quickly and everyone enjoyed there meals especially the pie special which was a steal at only $17. Will be back with friends to check out the upstairs area.

Nice place, went for work dinner so bought this deal where we order something of the Mother's Day menu and you get dessert included too which I think was pretty good. Ordered their pasta of the day which was quite nice when you start eating it but because the sauce was quite rich and creamy it becomes abit too much after a while. For the dessert ordered a brownie which was amazing served with ice cream. A great place will definitely be back to try more things of the menu :)

I've been to Basalt three times now and I've had a positive experience every time. Good environment, food is decent, cocktails/mocktails are bloody amazing; Basalt is yum yum yum. <br/>>Kilo of mussels

Pretty Good food, comfortable place, and friendly customer service. One of the best places in howick for a meal & a drink. Always clean and tidy

Catching up with family in Howick, we were keen to try Basalt - it had been a while since our last visit but we'd heard good things about a new menu. <br/>We decided to sit upstairs on the Veranda which is a great spot on any day (apart from when the wind comes off the sea). There is ample shade with umbrellas & a roof that pulls back to suit the day (sun/rain). There is a full bar up there & food is brought up from the kitchen.<br/>We had great service today - very friendly & engaging. Good knowledge of the menu, and just the right level of observation to clear plates at the right time.<br/>Good options on their drinks menu, we had beers & cider - have all the standard options with Monteiths on tap. <br/>We decided to try a few newer menu items from the sharing menu & one from the weekend brunch menu. The sharing menu dishes are quite a good size so you may not need many depending on how many people you're sharing with. <br/>Corn fritters was a good dish - made as one large fritter & cut into slices like you would a quesadilla. Lots of corn & capsicum but not thick & stodgy. Nice to have avocado slices, bacon & salad on the side.<br/>Also ordered the calamari which was quite tender with light crispy batter, pork dumplings (a menu favourite apparently), and Sung Choi Bao. The dumplings were yum - not quite as good as some I've had a top Yum Cha restaurants but well worth ordering. The Sung Choi Bao was really yum too although it was very sweet & could have benefited from a slice of lime on the side to give freshness & a nice clean finish.<br/>A great visit & look forward to going back & trying some more of the tasting menu.

Basalt has been one it my locals for years - decent food - and awesome upstairs bar is perfect destination for drinks in the sun.

I have been here a couple of times and have rather enjoyed it. Their menu offers a lot of tasty options, it makes it hard to choose. <br/><br/>Some nights they have specials which are really great value as sometimes I find their regular menu a little pricey, but I would still be willing to pay for the kind of food I'm getting. <br/>I usually opt for the stonegrill steak of some sort and am always satisfied.<br/><br/>The service is a little lacking I feel, if we're not waiting a while for someone to seat us, we're waiting for someone to refill our glasses after they said they would bring us water. One girl just never came back after she said she would get us some water. <br/><br/>All in all food is worth it.

Finally was able to try out Basalt for a post-exam treat. I love the local atmosphere - as soon as you enter you feel welcome. Despite it's popularity there is still some sense of privacy in the individual tables. I came right before peak hour on Friday so was able to snag a table without a booking however if you plan to come during the later days of the week, be sure to book. <br/>I sampled the mussels, miso braised pork belly and the vanilla rhubarb panna cotta.<br/>We ordered one kilo's worth of mussels and were pleasantly surprised by the large amount presented, which kept us quite full. All were cooked well and tasted good. We've had mussels in other places but this is one of the best we've tried.<br/>The pork belly was done well but I personally could not taste the miso, it was just like any other pork belly I've had. Despite that it still had that comforting warm taste, and the kumara was a nice addition. <br/>I enjoyed the panna cotta, however it was nothing special. The green apple ice cream it was served with was spot on with the taste - though I wasn't a big fan of the texture. The roasted peanuts underneath the ice cream were slightly overdone, and I think something better could be done with the peanuts such as making it into some kind of a peanut brittle.<br/>Overall, a visit to Basalt is sure to please everyone and is definitely worth checking out :)

The decoration of the shop is beautiful with great service. Huge bowl of mussels with very reasonable price and the drink is also fabulous. Love to go again.

Pretty excited to try out Basalt, easily located on the corner between Moore street and Picton street. Basalt has established itself as a premier pub in Howick.<br/><br/>Lemon tang water was served to us immediately when we seated. We ordered the special coffee--the nutty Irishman-- and it was perfect for rainy days, slight baileys flavour mixed with the fragrant amaretto made for an exciting drink to start our meal.<br/><br/>Visually our meals where stunning and we were blown away by the taste. The pork ribs that accompanied the big breakfast was phenomenal. Soft like a baby's bottom, lusciously flavourful and tantalisingly succulent, they were perfection in bite-sized pieces. <br/><br/>The auxiliary pieces of poached egg, sausage, ciabatta and tomato were great and solid, which worked well because they allowed the pork ribs to really shine.<br/><br/>Chilli scrambled eggs were okay, may have needed an extra pinch of salt. The accompanying toast was extremely nutty and provided excellent crunch.<br/><br/>Overall the service was good, food was even better, resulting in a delightful experience.<br/><br/>Showstopper: Pork Ribs<br/><br/>Overall Grade: A-

Basalt is definitely a goodie. Over the years I’ve visited quite a few times and i’ve always left satisfied. My latest visit I had the ‘duo of lamb’ which had a juicy chunk of lamb rump, lamb shoulder croquettes, pita bread and hummus. It was absolutely delicious. Basalt also does stone grill which is pretty decent. I love how you can choose your own sides for dish as some restaurants don’t give you the option!<br/><br/>The ambiance is great - absolutely love the environment. Its quite dim which makes photo taking slightly harder haha! Service is great - not much to comment on.<br/><br/>Side note: I absolutely love 'the Gazebo’ upstairs. They did a brilliant job with that and its seriously the perfect place for a cold glass of wine and some bar snacks. its so neat. You can stare down onto Picton Street and watch everyone stroll by ;-)

Situated in the quieter Howick suburbs, Basalt is a great place for a meal if you're looking for something a bit more central city style but not wanting to fight the crowds all the time. <br/><br/>I ordered the Seafood Stone grill. This was my first time trying stone grill and the experience was great!! Would recommend!! There was quite a variety of seafood- scallops, mussels, squid, fish fillet etc so you didn't feel like you were eating the same thing the same way. Our waiter was very helpful and informative, teaching me to first put the garlic butter on to help it cook, and a few various options on how to tackle the food to eat :) For $33.90, it was SUCH good value especially as it comes with your choice of two sides too. <br/><br/>My dining companion ordered the Seared duck breast which he quite enjoyed- the duck was very different to how I'm usually used to (chinese roast duck) and was more meaty/ game-y in flavour and texture. <br/><br/>Overall, a great meal and I am definitely coming back especially since those lunch specials sound really good! Lovely and attentive service too, the girls were also really sweet checking up on us and making sure we were sorted for dessert after.

A couple of my girlfriends and me went to Basalt on a Monday evening and we were surprised that the place is packed. The interiors is well lit and has ample of space for its patrons. They also have a wide array of wines and spirits for you to choose from. For our course we ordered the Carnivore platter which all of us really enjoyed. The chicken skewers and the ribs are to die for. For dessert we have the sought after Hokey Pokey Crème Brulee and let me tell you guys you have to definitely must. The sugar on top was caramelised to perfection but not burnt unlike others I had in the past. Together with the Crème Brulee was a scoop of home made ice cream which on my opinion is one of the best I had (Patagonia still tops my list)

I've been here a couple of times now for lunch. It's a bit of a mixed experience as we found that when the food was good it was great, but when it wasn't it really missed the mark. We loved the club panini - really great flavour, and the chips we ordered with it were also excellent. We also loved the corn fritters - some of the best I've had (they are often stodgy, but these had heaps of corn as they should have). On the downside, the burger patty was kind of solid and flavourless, and the chorizo hash was absolutely awful - it came out swimming in a mysterious liquid and the chorizo wasn't spicy at all, just like a normal sausage. The wetness was so offputting that it made it almost inedible. So it very much depends on what you order. Service was helpful and friendly.

Love the balcony area! Basalt is definitely a great place to get together for lunch :) We had a bad experience at a different cafe so had eaten a little of their food and decided to go here to get full. We got the tempura prawn soft tacos, beer battered fries and the caramelised banana crepes. Absolutely perfect to share. I enjoyed everything especially the chips and only wish there wasn't any coriander on the tacos/ that we knew to ask not to put coriander on it. The view was great the waitress was absolutely lovely and funny hahah and in general the ambiance was great. I saw a few people getting drinks and they looked great as well so definitely wouldn't mind going here to get a cocktail. I'll definitely be back and would recommend y'all to get the prawn tempura tacos - I really liked the wasabi Mayo it was soooo damn good! Wish the prawns were bigger / maybe four tacos for the $14.50 price tag but nonetheless since we shared everything it only came to $17.15 so I was really happy with that !

I came for lunch with my friend as they always have good deals during lunch time. We both ordered the stone grill. With a green apple and peach french soda. I got the seafood mixture on with roast potatoes and chips and my friend got the seafood stonegrill with roast potatoes and chips. We both enjoyed our meals. The only downside is we have to make sure that we dont overcook the meat as it does get chewy and burnt but overall the would definitely come back during lunch time!

Always a good night out at Basalt.   From just having a drink and a bar snack on a Friday night, the ambience is buzzing and fun!   Staff attentive and always have a conversation.    Have eaten there at least 4 times in last 4 months and always found the food tasty hot and substantial.    I enjoyed the lamb salad (devine) and the chicken Caesar salad never fails to please.    Wine selection really decent, always enjoy the Baby Doll Sav Blanc.   The reward card is fantastic - always seem to have a discount each time I use it - keep up the great work team - fun fabulous - my favourite Howick haunt.  Elsie

Basalt is one of my favorite restaurants in Auckland, for good reason. The food, the atmosphere and the service. Each waitress is absolutely lovely and quite well informed on what is good and what isn't. I would highly recommend the summer chicken mango salad or the eye fillet 200gram stone grill plate. To accompany your meal always go for the specialized sodas - the rose one is a real treat! The only downside to the place is the restaurant feels a little cramped sometimes, otherwise it's pretty darn good!

The best place in Howick (probably East Auckland) to have a drink on a lazy summer day. The Gazebo upstairs is a brilliant place when the sun is shining. The staff are friendly and the bar snacks are pretty good. Try the Calamari and beer battered fries. For dinner, they're really reaching into the restaurant scene,with definite restaurant prices. The food is good but will therefore dent your wallet a little. The dessert platter is very good and I would recommend. Also, get to know the bar staff, get them to create a few drinks for you. You'd be surprised at the spirits you'd drink!

Such a brilliant place to have a couple of drinks with friends. <br/><br/>The menu is very reasonably priced and the atmosphere is brilliant. <br/><br/>I come here often and will always do so.

Dinner here was superb! <br/><br/> We got the calamari as entrée to share and that was delicious ~ <br/> My stone grill eye fillet was really good, and my sides were really good, honey carrots and raw beetroot and parmesan gnocchi! <br/><br/>My creme brûlée was absolutely delicious! Hokey pokey flavour with a scoop of latte mochaccino ice cream! Beautifully silky and so so so good! It's a definite try if you're out in the area!<br/> I was so full by the end of my meal, definitely very happy with my night! <br/><br/> Clean restaurant, the host was lovely! Waitresses are pleasant, I would definitely come back and highly recommend hehe

Good place for drinks, bar staff are great and very friendly. Ambiance is chilled and laid back, great place to wind down with work colleagues or family and friends. <br/>Drinks were a little diluted for the non-alcoholic cocktail, but the beer selection was alright. Other drinks like soda for children are as usual bar priced. <br/><br/>Definitely will return but probably just  for work drinks only.

Went here last night with friends. The first thing you notice is that it is warm, busy and inviting.<br/><br/>Service was strange; there was lots of it (quite exhausting after a while) and while they were friendly there was a lot of repeating of orders.<br/><br/>The food was OK. I did love the fried haloumi with pickled ginger and Sherry glaze. The jambalaya was nice without being exceptional but the banana crepes were very moreish.<br/><br/>Meals from around the table went from OK to very nice.<br/><br/>The heating was turned up very high and towards the end of the evening it was very very hot.<br/><br/>There is also a nice bar area where retired with a glass of wine to watch the end of f the rugby.<br/><br/>All in all a good meal in pleasant friendly surroundings which made for a good way to spend a cold wet evening.<br/>

Came here on a sunday night for coffee and deserts. It was pretty busy.. and had a great atmosphere. Very happy with the service staff were friendly, they make really great coffee and the deserts were awesom! Cant wait to go back :)

The food and atmosphere is great, the waiting staff were very accommodating and cheerful. It's a nice place to have Instagram lunches. Ka pai!!!

Had such a bad brunch experience here. Table was so sticky our napkins stuck to it. Food was average and service was very poor. There was only 4 tables of customers but they still seemed really unorganised and stressed.

There are a lot of eateries in Howick, but if I need to choose a decent restaurant for lunch or for dinner, Basalt will be on the top of my list, not because it's the best, but because there aren't any better restaurant in the area - cheerful & friendly staff; family-friendly; generally good food. I used to visit Basalt about 3 to 4 times a year but there was a time my guest had to send back a char-grilled steak because it was slightly burnt. There was another time I complained that the time between dishes was unreasonably long and the manager complimented us with a dessert platter. At other times, the service & food were above average.<br/><br/>We enjoy its Monteith's tasting stand of 6 different beers on tap. Garlic Bread - with peanuts & toasted pumpkin seeds & sunflower seeds - is our choice to start our dinner (highly recommended). When ordering meat, we always stress on having it rarer, otherwise it would always turn out one level tougher. House-made beef burger is also good. Duck breast with mushroom dumplings is excellent. (Food - 4/5; Service - 4/5; Ambience - 4/5)

Went here on a date with my girlfriend last night and we were both extremely impressed! The food was amazing, well presented and came out in very reasonable time! The staff were helpful and polite and the price was great for what we had! Already planning out next date night at Basalt!

Came here for the third time tonight, once again impressed, more so than previous times in fact. the service we received was amazing both my management and waiters as they made sure we were having a great experience, I haven't received this level of service even from more expensive and high-end restaurants. The food was also amazing we had the chicken and duck, which was seared not what I would usually be into but was pleasantly surprised and the dessert that followed was equally as pleasing... to finish off I would highly recommend this place to any one who was looking for a reasonably priced enjoyable experience.  Will be back in no time to sign up for the loyalty group!

Easy to find place in Howick with plenty of free nearby parking. The place was warm and vibrant. Friendly and knowledgable staff. We had the stone grill and it was perfect. Would definitely come back. Cheers, from Recur Container Transport

I haven't had a Stonegrilled meal for years - not intentionally - completely un-intentionally - in fact based on my experience on Tuesday evening - I had left it too far long. I remember the novelty but I did not remember the flavour - I had forgotten the flavour, the real flavour that this kind of grilling really, brings out....<br/><br/>No oil, but a little sprinkle of salt on the stone and then a gorgeous 'sear' as the meat hits the stone, immediately followed by the tantalising waft of "grill".<br/><br/>What really appeals to me intensely is that you can see 'exactly' how fresh your cut of meat is - there is no hiding it with marinades and sauces - it is all beautifully fresh!.

We came along to Basalt for the 20th Anniversary of StoneGrill. It was definitely worth the drive out to Howick!<br/>We were taken upstairs for a demonstration and I was pleasantly surprised by the outdoor terrace area available. It's undercover but can be opened up on warmer days with a bar and heaters all right there. The music wasn't too loud which was nice, I didn't need to yell at anyone to be heard. They had a good selection of drinks available and the tables with bar stools were very pretty. Downstairs the decor was equally as impressive with beautiful blue walls, clean tables and a lovely projection on the wall.<br/>We had a limited menu for the event but I had a Grill on the StoneGrill which showcased a piece of chicken, pork, lamb and beef. All were amazing. The vegetables could have been cooked a bit more as they were mostly raw and I would have preferred a cooked veg to heat up while I ate. Other than that, I couldn't fault their StoneGrill presentation and taste. I had the banana crepes for dessert and absolutely loved them. There was a good banana to crepe ratio. My boyfriend had the creme brulee and it was amazing as well. It was served with a coffee and chocolate ice cream - SO GOOD.<br/>The staff were incredibly friendly and well dressed, they were helpful and looked after us really well. I would go back to try their normal menu as well. A fantastic evening, thank you to Jen and Hannah at Salt&Pepper PR for organising an amazing event.

I love this place, from the salt & pepper squid to the stonegrills to the new décor. It is my go to restaurant!! Even on a very busy night they are always willing to source a table for you. The staff are always so friendly and very attentive. The food is priced very well with most mains under $35, and they are large servings. The salt and pepper squid is my absolute favourite. It is always cooked perfectly. <br/>Love this place, love the feel, love the vibe!!

Had a family dinner here on Friday night. We booked the long table at the rear with the bench seat. It was all set up beautifully when we arrived. The waiting staff were superb and the food was awesome. Our group was a big age range and everyone had a wonderful time. The staff let me bring a birthday cake in and served it with candles which was lovely. All round a superb night, thanks Basalt.

Basalt burger/ 200g beef burger with chunky fries & pear cider <br/>The burger was very good very big too. Too big for my mouth even the beef was flavourful but I felt as though the beetroot was abit too overwhelming for my taste. Staff were very friendly, too friendly if that's possible. Only let down was the fact that there was no breakfast on the weekdays.

Wow - it couldn't be more awful. Rarely does an experience knock you for six for being so bad!<br/><br/>Service was just amateur ; the girls were trying but just couldn't get it right. We needed to ask for the table to be wiped and then ask twice for cutlery after food arrived, our beers, and the dessert menus.<br/><br/>Novelty stone grill doesn't make up for the frozen produce, while the tapas was gross - tomatoe sauce and mayonnaise for dips, gluggy pork (we thought it was chicken mayonnaise), meatballs with a jar sauce, wilted under cooked calamari, and possibly canned salmon.<br/><br/>Top it all off with a cliched poster claiming food was the most sincere form of love (or something to that affect); made you feel like you'd been cheated on! Not something you'd expect for $50 a head.<br/><br/>The cheese platter had one cheese available, Uhm no it was two, no it was one but a different one - an abbreviation of the conversation with the waitress.<br/><br/>With the general decor, poor produce quality, ludicrous prices and incompetent service this place deserves a visit from Gordon Ramsay!

came into basalt on Wednesday for 16.50 steaks, was delish and well presented. staff were also very friendly and helpful. will definitely be back again! great value for money.

We came here with the in-laws for a lunch a month ago. We all got nice meals, my partner and his father said the fish was amazing , super fresh. Although it took an hour to get our food , they decided to make all the drinks free because they knew we had been waiting for a while. Good customer service and really yummy food. Definitly have to go back there!

Staff friendly, but loitered while we awkwardly ate.. won't be rushing back for steak any time soon. Even though I ordered the wed special steak, I wouldn't feel motivated to return and pay full price for a on menu one anytime soon if that was anything to go by.. Well presented, but dissapointed much!

The partner and I came here for a late lunch and the staff were happy to serve us, which was a delight. We got 2 iced mochas, eggs bene and big breakie. Loved it. Nothing to complain about. The iced mochas were a delight. We love our iced mochas and find it incredibly hard to find a good iced mocha in most cafe/restaurants. This place definitely has the best iced mochas. <br/><br/>Iced mocha rating : 5/5

A group of us visited Basalt on a dessert mission, $6 dessert night!<br/><br/>We've ordered one of each dessert to share between 5 people along with liquor hot choc and coffee.<br/><br/>- blueberry friand<br/>- ice cream sundae<br/>- cherry crumble<br/>- cookie and cream cheese cake.<br/><br/>We were all surprised by the cherry crumble, it was delicious! It didn't have the super artificial cherry flavor to it, it was like lightly fragrance cherry jelly with crumble pastry. Blueberry friand was delicious but really you can't go wrong with it. Strangely, we find the cookie and cream rather average. Cannot really taste the cookie flavor, it was a little sloppy. Lastly ice cream sundae is just a generic 3 scoops of mix vanilla and chocolate flavor ice cream.<br/><br/>Can't complain much when it's $6 each and you can chit chat with your friends in a nice restaurant setting. I recommend you to literally grab a dessert each, apparently the proportion has been reduced since they've renovated the restaurant.<br/><br/>Will definitely come back for the rest of their menu goodies, great service, well done!

Really good, fun place to be. Nice wine list. Kind staff. Excellent meal, the pork belly was  really tasty. The manager was attentive and efficient.

Absolute crap. I would love to review the food, but we have been sitting here for an hour with absolutely nothing. Seriously? Ultra hungry right now.<br/><br/>Oh food just arrived. Looks like they are just slapping it together to clear the backlog. <br/><br/>

Nice atmosphere, good food and friendly staff.  We go most Weekends.

Went here with a group for lunch on Sunday. Very slow service. Drinks took awhile to come out and we had to wait 50 mins for our very average food to come out. The restaurant was not full so not sure why it took this long to throw a couple of salads &amp; paninis together. Beef salad had 3 pieces of beef in it. Paninis missing ingredients as per described in the menu. Was going to go there on Wednesday with another group for dinner but have decided to go elsewhere.

Very ordinary<br/><br/>Haven't been here for a few years and now i remember why.<br/><br/>Service is fine, environment is nice, good extensive wine list with lots by the glass but food is over-priced and under-value. The lamb rump was more of a lamb butt-cheek (or else it was a midget lamb). Lamb should only be served rare to medium rare, but this was served medium-well done. The accompanying couscous was alright, nothing startling. The stone grill prawns were fine (how can you go wrong with prawns wait, i think i know the answer to that) but the accompanying side dishes were very small.<br/><br/>Basal is quite expensive, and definitely over-priced for what you get. Won't be back in a hurry.

Been coming here for a few years as I live in the area, the calamari is ALWAYS great...<br/>The starters are pricey so best to order mains...They also do breakfasts which are Nice...<br/>Great place to hang out at on a Thursday

Love this place. Cosy in winter, up on the deck on a sunny day. Extensive menu and great wine selection. Usually lunch with the kids every 3rd weekend and maybe a sneaky mid-week lunch with hubby!

Overall a very good night. Arrived at around 8pm Friday night with a friend to get a nice bite to eat and were greeted by a very busy bar and restaurant! My first thought was there was no chance of a table but the charming young manager managed to get us a table within 5mins. Had the roast chicken breast and loved it! The staff were amazing, however the best part was watching the young manager remove a loud-mouth from a large dining table. Hearing the restaurant start cheering and clapping as he was removed almost galvanized everyone into enjoying their night. Can't wait to return and will bring a few more than one friend next time :-)

My friend and I went to have lunch here last week. We both ordered the smoked chicken salad, but the chicken was so dry that it was inedible. It was so smoked it tasted like fish. We both removed the chicken and ate the rest of the salad but for the price it was very disappointing. Also I ordered garlic bread which never arrived, we have dined here before and found it ok but this put us off.

Overall very poor. The drinks where quick to arrive, but after 45 minutes wait and no food in sight, I asked about delay I was informed "a 400gr steak is a large steak you know!" Must have been a bugger to catch??<br/>The bar was busy but the 3 off us where the only people in restaurant when we arrived. Another family arrived after us and where feed and gone in no time? Maybe they pre-ordered?<br/>When asked how long till our order arrived the waiter ignored me and started playing with serviettes.<br/>We gave up on dinner paid for our drinks and left vowing never to return again.<br/>On past visits the service has always been very slow, I have had stone grill at most of the restaurants throughout Auckland and have to admit that the no salt, pepper or anything not placed on stone by Basalt is a big no no and they will tell you off is insane. <br/>Basalt I give you the thumbs down.

Basalt is awesome. Whether it is a family lunch/dinner or Friday drinks my experiences at Basalt have been consistently of a high standard.<br/><br/>They have lots of special offers and incentives such as the members card ($1 back for every $8 you spend) and the cheap beer and free nibbles on a Wednesday.<br/><br/>My children are always made to feel welcome by the polite and attentive staff. <br/><br/>Highly recommended

This place is very popular in Howick. Have been many times over many years and have always enjoyed my meals. Lovely venue with great decor and very nice in the winter with the fireplace. Food fantastic, service great. Will be returning soon :)

We live in the area and visit here quite often, my husband and I booked a table for two on Monday and it proved the reason why we like to come here. Fantastic food &amp; service! The restaurant was quite full for a Monday, so we are glad we booked, this however did not affect the standard of service expected from this place. The two waitresses who served us were very friendly, attentive and helpful with recommending wine (they have a wine of the month every month). Our water glasses were always topped up without us asking. Their food specials and drink specials are well worth the money. I have never eaten here and been disappointed, this Monday our food was delivered to us without a delay (which we expected as it was quite busy). I had the chicken parmigiana which was succulent and delicious which came with chips and salad and my husband had the eye fillet which was cooked to perfection. Don't know how we managed dessert after the meals as they were very decent sized portions but we shared the berry parfait - it is to die for!! Beautifully garnished, it was a perfect way to end our meal. The manager that evening was very kind, he made sure our whole evening was enjoyable - the icing to the cake! Well done staff at Basalt, we will be back.

Our family of four went to Basalt for dinner on a Thursday night about a week and a half ago and we will definitely NEVER be returning! <br/><br/>We know what specials they have because we are on their mailing list and we checked their website prior to going. That Thursday, they had jam jar cocktails for $6. We arrived at around 7pm and as we were perusing the menu, we ordered a couple of the cocktail specials. The waitress told us she would go and get us the cocktail menu. She came back and told us that the jam jar cocktails were only available from 8pm. I pointed out to her that it didn't say that on their website, and she said that's just what she got told. We proceeded to order our food and drinks in the meantime. <br/><br/>I ordered the Salt &amp; Peper squid (main size) which was drowned in some really thick sweet chilli sauce so I couldn't taste anything but the sauce. It made me feel quite ill actually. <br/><br/>My husband ordered the Surf &amp; Turf Stonegrill with the Beer Batter chips with tomato sauce and aioli, and Kumara chips side options. When his meal came, there was no aioli or tomato sauce. He had to remind them to bring the sauces when it was clear they had forgotten about them.<br/><br/>My young son ordered the NZ Scallops Lite stonegrill with Crispy chips and tomato sauce side option. He got 4 measly scallops with his meal for a whopping $24!!! and no tomato sauce with his chips!<br/><br/>My daughter got the large Snapper and fries which was very greasy.<br/><br/>The fries, in general, was AWFUL (overcooked to the point of being burnt).<br/><br/>After 8pm, we asked for the cocktails specials again and the waitress went back to the bar to get the menu...only to come back to tell us that they only serve the cocktails in the upstairs bar!!!!!! Again, I pointed out there was no mention of this on the website or when we tried ordering earlier! <br/><br/>We had enough of the horrible food and crap service by this time, so we paid our bill. As we were leaving we noticed that we got charged extra for one of the sauces. My husband told the girl at the counter that it was meant to come with the meal and her comment was "so, like, do you want me to refund your 60 cents?". Seriously?? <br/><br/>We will not be returning to Basalt again even though we are locals. The service is ridiculous, and the food is of sub-standard quality that is, quite frankly, an absolute rip-off!!

Ordered 4 mains (4 adults). <br/>2 x fish and chips<br/>1 x big breakfast<br/>1 x beef sandwich <br/><br/>Half meals came out 20 mins before the other two. Really odd that fish and chips orders came separate. You'd think they'd have come Out together. We ordered under the same table number. <br/><br/>Focaccia on my breakfast was so over done that I cut the inside of my mouth trying to eat it. It was hard Like a rock. <br/><br/>We got one coffee in a take away cup by accident, when we wanted to order another one we were told they can't do that and we had to pay downstairs and couldn't do that upstairs??<br/><br/>Ok food. However service was laxidasical.

Disappointing. We wont be back which is a shame as we are locals.<br/><br/>Medium rare steaks were raw and cold in the middle, the red wine jus was just gravy out of a packet and fries were totally forgotten. Jus is the juices of the cooked meat with some herbs and red wine reduced to a sauce...not exactly rocket science. <br/><br/>Why do waiting staff insist on clearing the plates as soon as a person has finished their meal...while the rest of the table are still eating? <br/><br/>The only up side was not having to pay "cakeage" which other establishments view as an opportunity to fleece more money off the diner.<br/><br/>A bit of training for the wait staff will fix some of the issues but how on earth do you get a chef to cook a decent steak and make an authentic jus if they don't know by now?? This place is nothing more than a pub serving pub-grub.

My husband and I were recommended to celebrate our 31st wedding anniversary (4th July) by dining at this establishment. To our amazement it did not disappoint. Although it was mid-week, and we did not make a booking, it soon got very busy within half an hour of our being shown to a table at the back of the restaurant where it was much quieter. I wish I knew our waitresses name, as she was excellent, prompt friendly service, we couldn't have asked for more. The wine and food was great, the open fire and the laughing in the background, made for a wonderful atmosphere and enjoyable evening. It's a shame some of the reviews did not have the same experience.

Went here for an early lunch a couple of weeks ago. The food was tasty and portion sizes good if not generous in some cases - the pasta. <br/>What bought the place down was the service. It took forever to be served and even longer for our food to come out. The place wasn't that busy but we had about a 40 minute wait for our food. We were served by two different waitresses - one was nice and friendly, attentive and had a good chat with us, the other sour and seemingly unwilling to help. Also found the lack of uniforms for the staff a bit odd for such a nice looking place.

Went for lunch the other day- meal came quickly but was very small for a main course of calamari - about 5 pieces and a small amount of rocket and 2 small tomatoes. Very disappointing for the price. Would not recommend, would not go back.

This place has a nice cozy setting, and is quite atmospheric.<br/><br/>The food is good, have not been disappointed with the food yet - it has always come out nicely presented and tastes great. Same goes for the dessert - love the Apple and Feijoa crumble.<br/><br/>The service is a let down for the establishment. The staff seem very inexperience and quite reluctant to help. The waitress who took our order took awhile to get to us and do so, our water jug was never replenished and we weren't offered a dessert menu once our meal was cleared. She didn't look too happy when we asked for anything!<br/><br/>Overall have had pleasant experiences there, and would go back and recommend to people.

Went here for the Tuesday Desert night but what let my rating go down was the waitresses service and the time it took for the meal/desert.<br/><br/>First the waitress we had took forever to get to us, and i know it was a busy night but that still is no excuse to manage your customers from priority to priority, secondly her attitude was undermining as she would not repeat orders nor smile and was generally just putting the mood of the table down.<br/><br/>The deserts were fine for the price ($5 will get you a piece of cheese cake and a scoop of ice cream) but what bugged me was how long it took for them to cut a piece of cheese cake and bring it to the table. My friend a had also ordered a chocolate drink which took forever to come and didn't even arrive when the rest of the order arrived.<br/><br/>was an average but disappointing night.

Great experience for a party of 8. Warm and welcoming environment. Service was quick and helpful. Changes made to our orders were graciously received. Food servings were generous, and beautifully presented. Almost a universal chorus of "Wow" as dishes were placed before us. The food itself was excellent We'll go back soon.

The $12 lunch menu is great value for money, the manager seems eager to please and also v. friendly. A nice place to go - although the noise from the bar side is often quite loud, so its best to be seated towards the back window if you want some privacy. Would definitely come here again.

I went to Basalt for dinner with my friends to celebrate my birthday on 26th March 2010 and all was going along nicely until we ordered our mains and one of my friends started to eat her chicken salad which was presented very nicely until we were all absolutely horrified and disgusted to find a large dead green insect in her salad which looked like a locust. With that we all felt sick to our stomachs and told the staff who thought it was rather funny and didn't really seem to care or be apologic at all. We told them we were not paying for our meals which they were reluctant to accept but then they deducted it from our bill but still expected us to pay for bread and our drinks which I thought was terrible. The head chef didn't even come out to speak to us, nor did the manager. I have been a frequent customer of this restaurant but will no longer be. I also have worked in the restaurant / catering industry myself for nearly 10 years and find this unacceptable, it just goes to show that they obviously do not wash their vegetables and take no care in hygiene and take no responsbility for something as horrible as this happening. Absolutely revolting!!!!

Been twice for a meal.. young staff who on one occasion were cocky and inflexible re a request for a SLIGHT change to a meal for my sons dietary needs. A pretentious establishment who need to employ top quality, mature waiting staff to match their "we are a top end" look because currently, they just don't match. Won't be back

This is our favorite place to go for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Great staff, fantastic atmosphere and food is always top quality. Highly recommended.

Great place to meet friends or clients, always friendly service &amp; good food, all we could ask for...back soon for drinks dinner,,well done guys...

I thought it was unfair for this Great place to have just 3 stars<br/>I've been for, lunch, dinner and just for drinks and each time it was just outstanding!

Took the family, 2 grown kids and an 8yr old. The kids menu was great. The steaks ordered by the boys were cooked well, we also had chicken and seared tuna. The chef is innovative and unpretentious with the flavour pairings. Great value, comfortable surroundings and they were highly obliging with gluten free variations. Only one negative - used canned whipped cream on the special coffee - i dont mean to be fussy - but why? - when clearly the kitchen has pride in their menu.

Love the burgers... Nice place for a casual but good quality meal.

Went to Basalt for Sunday brunch.<br/>Coffee was exceptionally good, probably what saves the whole brunch from disappointment.<br/>I ordered Chorizo Hash with poached eggs; what came on my plate was several slices of chorizo, poached eggs that were hard poached (not runny at all), the hash was merely a 'smashed' boiled potato, rocket leaves were noticeably old. I also had a problem with how they just pour tomato relish on top of my poached eggs! why!

I've been to Basalt a few times. It's one of the poncier places in Howick, but if you are after a decent bit of kai with your refreshment, Basalt is definitely worth a visit. <br/><br/>Prices are on the high side, and the place can get really too busy and noisy on a friday or a weekend, which puts me off going on the weekend, especially when the weather is good, but they do serve good drink and high quality cuisine so definitely worth a try.