Review Simon & Lee - Parnell

Love this place - excellent Rocket coffee on a nice machine and a really good menu. They’ve removed the waffle fries with kimchi and moz which is a real shame as it was honestly one of the best snacks around but there’s still lots to enjoy on the menu

3 WAY TOFU & BULGOGI SPAGHETTI are the two most recommended dishes here. The 3 way Tofu was served in a hot Bowl that kept the food hot throughout the dining experience. The different ways of Tofu was delicious and added alot of different textures. The Bulgogi spaghetti is another favourite dish that I had last time. The perfectly cooked pasta along with the sweet soy like taste complemented the dish well. The staff were all friendly. The environment was pleasant to be within with modern interior. Will be back again!

Coffee here is very good, with impressing barista art. Eggs benedict are also tasty, so is the chicken burger althought I found the portions are small/medium for the price they have. The guys working there are lovely and professional ✨️

Awesome friend chicken, dumplings, boa and noodle dishes. I think all the food are full of flavor and has been made with careful consideration of flavors working together. Good lunch spot with workmates

Hot choc was delicious and staff were friendly. Also loved the mugs 💗

Always had good experiences here. Come here if you want a unique and satisfying brunch. The korean Fried chicken is delicious too. They also offer takeout. 100% recommend.

Modern Korean food, same owners as good dog bad dog, green door and gochu. High expectations due to gochu but it’s okay. Not amazing but still quite good, plus it brings a different brunch scenery to Parnell

Decent Korean style chicken. Could do more about the ambience but it's not too bad. Played music at a decent volume. Good, friendly, helpful staff. Enjoyed the meals we had and they were priced well too. Nothing too fancy, just some good wholesome food.

Simon & Lee is a Korean fusion café in Parnell, Auckland. This restaurant makes Korean foods by mixing KIWI-style. The coffee there is delicious and affordable. In addition, Korean foods, especially kimchi fried rice and chicken nibbles, are my best recommendations. If you live or visit Auckland, Simon & Lee deserve your visit.

Amazing coffee. Great staff. Quick service. Friendly and hospitable environment.

It is a bit hard to find bit it is situated in the corner area with the door just beside the power box. We missed the entrance the first time around and went to Hello Mister next door. The cafe is fairly small but does have quite a few tables. we were in the back area by the kitchen and it was comfy. We ordered a few things to share. They have really nice fried chicken. We went with the safe spicy chicken nibbles and it was delicious. The sauce was more sweet than spicy but the chicken was crispy and juicy. They even gave us gloves so we didn't get too dirty for the next round. We shared the dolsot spicy pork belly, bulgogi spaghetti and prawn dumplings (mahn Du Gok) with ttoek rice cakes. The bulgogi spaghetti was very moreish. Creamy and rich with flavours of the mushrooms and beef. The mahn du gok was also quite nice since the soup was really flavourful. The only issue was that some of the ttoek were nice and chewy while others were way too firm. The dolsot had huge chunks of pork belly with a (not very spicy) sauce. The rice was nice and crispy, giving it more flavour and texture. A really nice place to grab some food. The options are all very intriguing and you probably can't go wrong. just make sure to try some of their fried chicken.

We had lunch here today. Over all, a great experience. We ordered Bulgogi spaghetti, duck noodle salad, pork belly on rice, seafood fettuccine and they were delicious and flavorful, tasty Korean food with a twist. Definitely will be back again soon.

Have been here twice, very popular place. It’s dog friendly. Food are amazing, pork belly rice was soooo good, the fried chicken is a must order, they also do brunch and it’s not bad. Staff are all nice and thoughtful

Enjoyable small Korean spot with a great atmosphere. The food was flavorful and fresh, and was a decent size. The flat white was also quite good. Recommend as a nice lunch spot.

Quick Sunday brunch here last week. Bit larger than it looks on the outside so it's pretty spacious, love the atmosphere. We Got the KFC lunch and the Sujebi (seafood spaghetti). We ordered mild spicy for the chicken but it really wasn't spicy at all so definitely order danger spicy if you like a kick. <br/><br/>Same with the Sujebi not very spicy at all although it mentions chili oil but still very flavorful and the prawns were fresh (not too sure about the clams though)

Good service and delicious food. If you haven't, you Must try their fried chicken!!!! No regret :)

I really like simon&lee! Definitely its a recommendation! The dishes and services was great! Will love to come again!

Trendy Korean fushion restaurant, good service, food is beautifully presented. Bibimbab was good but not the best I've had, it seemed to have a milky taste and I'm not sure what from, but didn't particularly like that. Tteokbokki was in a delicious sauce but unfortunately the rice cakes themselves were far too chewy and we didn't finish them. If I went again, I would try some different dishes as those might be better.

I have visited Simone & Lee over a year ago, today’s visit made me wonder why I haven’t come back earlier. The Korean infused European brunches and the excellence in taste; the attentive and friendly services, are all the good reasons to love this cafe.<br/><br/>Starving since the morning, we ordered a couple of small and main dishes.<br/><br/>The Tteokggochi Rice Cake was crispy on outside and chewy on the inside, excellently flavoured with Korean spices.<br/><br/>The Garlic Soy Chicken Nibbles was super delicious as well, one of the best fried chickens I’ve ever had. The nibbles were tender and juicy encased in a layer of crispy batter.<br/><br/>The Bulgogi Spaghetti was a hybrid from the menu. The Korean styled bulgogi beef blended nicely with the creaminess of cheese. The spaghetti noodles were springy and tasteful.<br/><br/>The Benedict was rather lavish. The kumara were fresh and soft; the smoked salmon and bacon were flavourful; the fried kimchi made, which added a mild spice to your palate.<br/><br/>To finish off, I ordered a Flat White to go. Their coffee was strong but smooth to drink.<br/><br/>If you like a Korean style brunch with intensified flavouring, this is a cafe not to be missed.<br/><br/>Taste: 10/10<br/>Presentation: 8.5/10<br/>Service: 9/10<br/>Ambience: 8.5/10<br/>Value for money: 10/10<br/><br/>Price $25 per person

Love this place. Great service, awesome food.

I LOVE FRIED CHICKEN 🍗 Whoever decided to start frying chicken is honestly a genius and I want to hug them. Korean fried chicken is my absolute favourite 😍 Had a craving for it so I decided to finally try out Simon & Lee! Ordered the Chicken Lunchbox ($17) which comes with Korean Fried Chicken, slaw, pickles, shoestring fries and aioli (we never got given any aioli tho 🤔). For the chicken sauce I chose garlic soy and safe spicy 🌶 The chicken was sooooo good, cooked to perfection and juicy. This chicken looks like it does the Korean 10 step skin care routine because it was GLOWING ✨ The fries were crispy and I enjoyed the slaw. Pickled radish is essential to the Korean fried chicken experience to cut through any greasiness. The pickles seemed pretty random but I still ate them cause your girl doesn't like to waste food 😂 I'd love to go back and try the danger spicy sauce and other menu items! <br/><br/>Overall rating: 9/10 🍗🍗🍗

It’s a very clean place with quality food. I could tell it was a famous place by the amount of people seated. The food was very delicious and authentic korean food. The chicken lunch was very good (safe spicy) it was the perfect amount of crunchy and had a generous amount of fries and radish pickles and coleslaw. The bulgogi spaghetti was also nice as well with a decent quantity and good taste and the bibimbap was also very delicious but a bit too much rice I guess? It was still very yummy. At first I didn’t know how the kimchi waffle fries would taste but they were very yummy and filling as well. I will definitely come here again. The staff is very friendly and the environment is nice!

Delicious Korean fried chicken, hands down one of the best in Auckland. Everything I’ve tried so far has been so yummy. Great coffee too! Very friendly staff ☺️

This is one of my favorite cafe. I went to here fourth time. All of my friends likes here and enjoy  the food. Very good fried chicken and friendly staff. I recommend to come here and have a great time.

As you can see from my photos (some screenshots from my Instagram stories, sorry for the pixelation) - I dine here quite often. There's a good range of options avatar available, including for vegetarians and vegans. For breakfast, the mushrooms is my favourite dish, and for lunch, I can't pick cos there's so many good options. I'm a fan of their kimchi waffle chips, and I know it's not just cos I love kimchi cos my coworkers rate it as well. Enjoy the banter with staff here too.

Will be back for the fried chicken! More than enough for the 5 or us. They even give you gloves to keep your hands clean. Great place to hang out with friends :D

Went to Simon &amp; Lee after seeing a write up in a reputable cuisine magazine and was underwhelmed. We were served chicken nibbles (I refer to the sizing) that were under seasoned and dry. We were the first seating on the night and they had sold out of two dishes on the menu. I expect to be served a whole chicken when that is what we paid for, not an array of nibbles that lacked flavour.

We absolutely love this place! Fried chicken is very very delicious. Love their waffle fries too. Don’t try the danger spicy chicken if you don’t do well with spicy food. We could not finish it lol. Pork belly and rice is tasty but rice was a bit hard.

Oddly enough, we discovered this place through their clothing collaboration with Checks and we decided to “check” it out since it seemed quite different from our usual spots in Parnell. It definitely did not disappoint. From a bare-bones minimalist ambience to a fusion menu that’s as out there as it comes, Simon & Lee gave our taste buds a solid kick that I hadn’t had in a while after going to a bunch of places with rather homogenous menus for some combination of bacon and eggs on toast at brunch time. The staff were also friendly and willing to explain the dishes to us if we needed them to. Solid vibes 🤙🏾

Tried the kimchi waffle fries which was dragon hot. Amazingly, insanely hot and it indeed does plays beautifully with your taste buds, give it a go if you are around parnell. Great experience!!!

Korean fusion done right! The korean fried chicken (safe spicy) was so crispy, sweet and super saucy! The bulgogi spaghetti was an absolute fave and the tteokkkochi had the perfect crunch on the outside and a nice chew on the inside. Wish they were open until late more often though!

We orderd the bulgogi spaghetti and fried chicken (danger spicy) and 2 coffees. <br/><br/>Staff checked with us first and warned us that danger spicy is really spicy! We eat lots of spicy food and I have to say it is really spicy! In fact it's so spicy eating it is more like a challenge rather than enjoyment. So yeah it's a shame because otherwise it would have been really nice. The coating remained crunchy even though it's drenched in sauce. PS they give you plastic gloves so you won't get your hand dirty. <br/><br/>The bulgogi spaghetti was amazing. The sauce was savoury, sweet, and just a little bit tangy, like a richer version of the bulgogi sauce. There's also a nice flavour of shitake in the sauce. Mix it with the egg yolk and it's positively heaven! Will definitely visit again for the bulgogi spaghetti but maybe just the normal spicy fried chicken. :)

This little place has so much potential.  I love the decor and the menu is exciting and enticing.  My mum had the dumpling soup which was divine.  I had the pork belly on rice which was a little underwhelming.  Loads of meat and rice, but not much else.  I would definitely go back and try some other dishes though.  My main reason for only giving 3 stars is because the service was so terrible.  You felt completely ignored and almost like they resented you being there.  At the end of our meal we sat for so long with our dirty plates in front of us that eventually I moved them myself to the empty table next to us.  Pick up the service and this place would be fabulous.

Ordered their Chicken lunchbox with garlic soy chicken, The chicken was great and flavourful, although i wish they'd only serve chicken nibbles rather than mixed with big chunks of chicken. Also the serving for the fries with the lunchbox was too small. I'd still happily visit again though and try other dishes too

The chicken lunchbox was a good choice. The chicken was fresh and crispy, although I would probably try the spiced one next time as there wasn't a whole lot of flavour. The staff were nice and friendly, and the atmosphere was good too.

Okay gotta stretch this out, food is very yum the service is remarkably chill and its really easy to get to and park at. You should try it :)

This is one of those places I probably need to revisit and amend this review accordingly. But I just can't connect with the place, I have also been to candyshop (which is another one of Simon and lees establishments) which I also had the same issue with.<br/><br/>I struggle with the menu as everything just doesn't always quite sound right to me and nothing ever jumps out. Which could be a positive as it may push me outside my comfort zone? But I'm not so sure 🤔.<br/><br/>The food and the idea of the chicken lunchbox was good but I'm afraid in my opinion it wasn't well executed. For me the presentation was average and the flavour was lacking, overall the meal was so so... My partner got the avo on toast and the same issue, just so so... Nothing to rave about. This was disappointing as I have heard good things about the place. But the most disappointing thing was the coffee. If you want good coffee it is safe to say don't bother here.<br/><br/>The staff were friendly and was probably the best part about the place. The atmosphere was trendy but nothing special. Overall good but a bit meh for me. I would like to go back and hopefully get my opinion changed. But that's to come.<br/><br/>

Awesome food and vibe backed up by great service. Definitely a great place to visit anytime. The Korean Fried chicken is worth a try as well as the breakfast options.

Very good fried chicken and friendly staff. Tucked away from other restaurants in Parnell, it is quite and perfect for date night. The chicken is moist and crunchy and flavoursome, everything you would want for authentic korean fried chicken.

Unfortunately I’m only basing this on about 2 minutes of my first impression, as I did not have the chance to dine. Nonetheless, I had been wanting to try here for awhile, loved the idea of a “lunchbox” which had a bit of everything I’d want for lunch. Visited here yesterday at approx. 2pm, grabbed a menu from the person behind the counter, sat down just to be told the menu was VERY select at that time (only the ‘more food’ section available, aka side dishes) as they weren’t ‘doing’ the lunch menu and were preparing for dinner. Which starts at 5pm. That’s a 3 hour window. Lunch should roll all the way until dinner, with a seamless transition rather than a stop/start approach and all the original menu items vanished. It was a wasted visit, won’t be venturing out again simply based on this haphazard idea.

Concise menu, packs a massive punch. Ideal weekday brunch place. Located conveniently just around from work so great for quick client lunches. I’d be back in the evenings as well, if they didn’t close by afternoon.

Brilliant place, bao is one of the best I’ve ever had (pork belly), friends all love this place also. Definitely would go back. Prawn dumplings were awesome.

Honestly cannot go wrong if you are looking for a place to chill with the boys or girls after work for some really scrumptious Korean fusion that gets a little cheekily hot under the collar! We got the must try dukbukki so yummy - SL make it with a little bit of crispy ness to the outer skin with a thick and delicious sausy gochujang. My friend enjoyed his bibimbap but was a little questioning of the sauce provided, and my other friend demolished his creamy spaghetti very quickly!

It is a bit hard to find bit it is situated in the corner area with the door just beside the power box. We missed the entrance the first time around and went to Hello Mister next door.<br/><br/>The cafe is fairly small but does have quite a few tables. we were in the back area by the kitchen and it was comfy. We ordered a few things to share.<br/><br/>They have really nice fried chicken. We went with the safe spicy chicken nibbles and it was delicious. The sauce was more sweet than spicy but the chicken was crispy and juicy. They even gave us gloves so we didn't get too dirty for the next round.<br/><br/>We shared the dolsot spicy pork belly, bulgogi spaghetti and prawn dumplings (mahn Du Gok) with ttoek rice cakes. The bulgogi spaghetti was very moreish. Creamy and rich with flavours of the mushrooms and beef. The mahn du gok was also quite nice since the soup was really flavourful. The only issue was that some of the ttoek were nice and chewy while others were way too firm. The dolsot had huge chunks of pork belly with a (not very spicy) sauce. The rice was nice and crispy, giving it more flavour and texture.<br/><br/>A really nice place to grab some food. The options are all very intriguing and you probably can't go wrong. just make sure to try some of their fried chicken.

Love this cafe in Parnell! :) They serve Korean food and it was so good. Very tasty! Will definitely come back. A bit hard for the parking on weekdays.

A mixture of cafe food and Korean cuisine is Simon & Lee. The food is good and is nicely presented. The bibimbap is so colourful and inviting.<br/><br/>The fried chicken is full of flavour and is served with some pickled Korean veges. Service is quick and the dining area is tidy and spacious.

We went here for the fried chicken and ordered the hottest one because we LOVE spicy food. Couple first bites were soooo good then it was too spicy for us to handle haha however we managed to finish them all. I would recommend others who love spicy to try the level before spiciest first to see how you can handle. We also ordered bibimbab which was pretty average.

I forgot to take photos because I was too hungry. Wasn’t disappointed. Interesting Korean fusion place in a small but stylish setting. Delicious and well cooked food.

Food and beverages ordered: Been here a few times and have tasted most of their food<br/><br/>Environment: trendy and stylish<br/><br/>Services: super friendly <br/><br/>Costs: $30 per person on average<br/><br/>Will I return: yes (and have been coming back once every 2 months)<br/><br/>Comment: Nothing much to say, other than just go and try it out for yourself. Menu changes quite often and they are mostly korean fusion dishes. If u feeling a bit naughty, the korean fried chicken (Kfc) is a must ! The mushroom on toast and the black waffles are amazing, but I personally loved the congee the best (no longer on the menu). Old photo attached.

You know when you have fried chicken and straight afterwards you'll feel bad?? You dont get that eating here at Simon & Lee. I Had the chicken lunch box which was nice as it comes with a good amount of chicken, fries, slaw and radish. Cute small location and coming on weekend you get free street parking. Interested in trying their baos next time. Service was great and welcoming

Great tasting. Good portions. Good price. Nice environment. Would like to see a bigger drink selection and maybe bathroom inside restaurant eventually, but as it is, I would give rating of 5

Love this place and the foods is great!! My go to is their Mahn Du Guk (prawn dumpling soup) - hits the spot everytime on a chilly winter day.<br/>It's got a nice atmosphere and smells like quality food as soon as you walk in.

Yum Yum Yum!! Delicious waffle fries topped with kimchi and cheese! So delicious !! The black waffle with bacon and ice cream was scrumptious. Friendly staff and a cosy cafe. Saw a few people eating the fried chicken and that looks delicious too. The toilet was located outside somewhere - I couldn’t find it hence why I only rated it 4 but apart from that everything was amaze balls two thumbs up.

Loved this place! We went in on a Wednesday afternoon and it was jam packed with people! The Korean fried chicken is almost identical to the ones I’ve tried in Seoul - so a super tick there! <br/>The prawn fried dumplings were super delicious too however the bibimbap felt a little bit underwhelming! Overall an awesome lunch!

Food : 5/5<br/>Price : 4/5<br/>Atmosphere : 4/5 <br/>Service : 5/5<br/><br/>I’m personally very proud of this restaurant for their effort and creative ways to convert traditional korean food into trendy and friendly food that everyone can enjoy. <br/><br/>Their Korean fried chicken is just on point. Its very crunchy outside but the meat inside the batter is just so succulent and juicy. <br/><br/>The dumpling also was very juicy with mouthful of flavours. Spicy gochujang noodles were fantastic. It had a plenty of different veges and delicious pork belly in it. <br/><br/>Service was very good and attentive. <br/><br/>Some of their speciality menu gets sold out pretty quickly on the weekend I think. This also proves how popular this restaurant is to a lot of Aucklanders at the moment. <br/><br/>I am more than willing to visit again.

Simon & Lee's dining area is rather jammed. And I sighted quite a lot of customers, including the former PM, Mr.Key, on the day we had our lunch. I had the "Soup Dogg" which is noodles in pork bone broth, with beef brisket & some veggie. The taste was rich but was a bit small in quantity. My wife's chicken lunch box came with Korean sweet & sour fried chicken, fries & coleslaw, pickles, etc.  I would say, it was much more generous than my dish.<br/>(Food - 3.5/5; Service - 4/5; Ambience - 3/5)<br/>Visited on 27 May 2018

Cool breakfast spot on St. George's Road. Had the poached eggs and the thick cut bacon which were both good. Sour dough pieces were small but fresh with warm butter. Friendly staff, will be back.

The foods general it’s REALLY sweet. Like syrupy sweet. I ordered the spicy pork belly on stone pot. The pot not even hot so that is no crust on the rice. When you serving in a stone pot you expect the crunchy rice at the bottom. The portion is very small as well. All you get for 21 bucks is few pieces of pork belly with some sad salad leaves and cover with sickening sweet sauce didn’t even have the kimchi to cut through the sweetness. After the second visit I don’t think I would ever go back.

Such a little hidden gem! Though it is very busy during lunchtimes (waited 10 mins for seats) <br/><br/>The food is Korean fusion and they do it so well! <br/>We got the chicken wings in safe spicy, will definitely head back for dangerous spicy as safe spicy was really mild. The chicken was so crispy and juicy 9/10 <br/><br/>The burger wasn’t great, it was very bland, it was pretty much chicken, slaw and mayo. 5/10 <br/><br/>The dumplings were really good, crispy little burst of flavour. 8/10 <br/><br/><br/>

Love a bit of Korean fusion, and this place does it so well. Great new location on St George's Bay Rd, which funnily enough is now becoming a bit of a foodie hub, near Cibo and Barulho... and of course La Cigale, how could any unqualified amateur diner want for more :-) My eggs benny was spruced up with a bit of kimchi and seaweed giving it some extra zing, and all the other dishes I saw looked splendiferous. If you are a fried chicken fan, you will be in heaven here!

Ordered from Ubereats today and it was great! Chicken was nice and crunchy, the seasoning had great flavour and the sweet spicy sauce was a great addition! <br/>The kimchi waffle fries were amazing! The kimchi tasted really great and I would definitely order that again.<br/>The slaw that comes with the meal is also very good and compliments the flavours nicely!

This place is great! Fantastic counter food, great choice for vegetarians, and absolutely fabulous cakes. My fave is the ginger slice. The coffee was strong and tasty. I will definitely go back.

Another Korean fry chook (KFC) place fusion style, hidden gem at back of main Parnell shopping drag, i had the chook slider which is  sandwich style with pickle and slaw and felt like the chook is lost inside (or flew away), quite pricey at 6$ each. I really just wanted the chook and fries but must be on the lunch time menu i guess. Like to come and try this next time i'm in area.<br/>Wonder if if this place has anything to do with this other hidden diner i saw in Newmarket call Candy Shop? Someone enlighten plz.

Simon and Lee is awesome 💓 I visited this gem on a Sunday morning for brunch. The service was excellent, the restaurant was spacious with heaps of seatings and light. Many parkings available just across the street. <br/><br/>Food: My friend and I ordered Gochujang noodles (buckwheat noodles with pork belly and assorted vege) and the Six Pack (six dumplings with crispy wonton skin). Visually they were stunning and the aroma was great. My friend loved the noodles but did say that it was quite spicy. My dumplings were great, super flavourful and delicious, thus i wished it would be more of them given the price 😂 <br/><br/>Overall, this place reminded me of Major Sprouts, same Korean fusion type of food. Will visit more and try other things on the menu.

Food is fantastic, but unless it's acceptable for you to have food being rolled off the plate onto the table when served, then being picked up and placed back onto the plate like nothing happened? And finding hair in the melted cheese topped fries? Do not dine there!! The attitude is appalling, and there is no apology whatsoever! And no, I can't forgive them for this, because we were the first table and only table in that early! Felt as if we were forcing them to wake up early just to serve us!

As with many of our lunch endeavours, this one was sparked again by an Instagram photo (if any budding café entrepreneurs are reading this, start up an Instagram account stat). It was a dreary and cold Friday as we pulled into Parnell and weekenders beware, parking is notoriously difficult in this part of the 'hood, especially if it’s around Parnell-market-time. Simon & Lee's caffeine-drug of choice seems to be Supreme with daily filtered specialty blends from all over the globe — this week was a Kenyan blend from Berlin roasters Five Elephant, then next week’s, a Kavisa from Congo. Their food is a tasteful mix of Korean flavours — try the savoury congee packed with umami and aromas of shiitake and sesame oil, or for something a bit heartier, their SL burger with a house-made galbi patty and tempura kimchi. Mix that all up with on-point cutlery and crockery and you’ve got yourself a trendy brunch spot for a long, long time.<br/>Check out our individual food reviews here: husk.co.nz/lunches/simon-lee

I did a little research on instagram before I came, and I saw FRIED CHICKEN. Since this cafe serves Korean/western food, I thought I should try their Chicken Lunch box! I chose the Garlic Soy flavoured chicken! My friends ordered the Dolsot Bibimbap and the Chicken Burger! For the price you pay, you get super generous portions. I was dying halfway through my Chicken lunch box. The chicken was so succulent and crispy, with the garlic soy coating. They give you plastic gloves to eat with the chicken, so that's convenient! Their curly fries were nice too! My cappuccino wasn't smooth or creamy...but I'm willing to try their coffee again. Great customer service; would really love to come here again! I wish I got the name of the guy serving is today, he was really nice!

I've had food at Simon & Lee twice now and coffee 4 times (coffee is always good, but strong and bitter, so if you have alternative milk I recommend soy over almond). The first time I had ramen and it was delicious but a bit pricy for the portion, the new lunch menu with items like the chicken box make it a more reasonable place to get lunch. The Korean fried chicken is amazing! Holy moly. But beware if you get the saucy options you're in for a messy time- thankfully they give you plastic gloves so you can go back to the office still looking presentable. Also special mention to the pickles, slaw and fries that were all delicious! I wish I'd ordered so Kim chi to go with the lunch box, but I'll have to wait till next time to try it! My second experience won me over and I'll be visiting Simon and Lee for lunch more often!

Great food and quick service with friendly staff. Small portions for the price you pay and menu was a bit restricting if your not keen on tofu. Was also disappointed to not see any smoothies featuring on the menu. Although food was delicious and they had a really cool atmosphere :))

Food: 4.7/5<br/>Experience / vibe: 5/5<br/>Decor: 5/5<br/>Customer service: 5/5<br/>Service speed: 5/5<br/>Food presentation: 4.8/5<br/><br/>Highlights: Very kid friendly, staff members were awesome! Handy location

Dear waffle fries with kimchi: where have you been all my life?!<br/><br/>I was seriously impressed with the food and photogenic fit out at Simon and Lee. Wandered in at 1pm-ish on an ordinary Monday arvo, and there were still a few spare seats. I love their contemporary vibe, mix of clientele, and the amazing smell of Korean sauces and seaweed wafting from the kitchen.<br/><br/>My Miso ramen came out first, and it wasn't as spicy as it looked. The pork belly was on point, and the portion was quite filling.<br/><br/>The novelty of waffle fries was irresistible, so I ordered a bowl even though I knew the ramen was probably going to be filling. The fries were delicious and the kimchi wasn’t over-powering. I liked the little bits of soft cheese that added variety to the flavours and texture.<br/><br/>Although I personally like Simon and Lee, I suppose it’s not for everyone; anyone who visits needs to manage their expectations and realise they’re going to get high-end fusion food (it’s in the name, after all). Service was friendly, but prices are a little steep because it’s in Parnell. However, there’s heaps of interesting stuff to try from their menu – I’m already looking to coming back!

So excited to have this place right next door to work, St Georges Bay Rd used to be a bit of a food deadzone but it's finally coming into its own with Goodness Gracious bagels, Sachies Kitchen sushi, La Cigale cafe food, The Chiller pies and salads, Winona Forever just up the hill! Anyway, Simon & Lee was the one I was most excited for, and finally finally got a chance to try today. I ordered the SL burger, and my friend got the black waffles. The burger looked amazing with a thick meat patty, fried egg, deep fried kimchi, mayo, slaw and cheese on a beautiful brioche bun. In theory it was fab, but it reality it was missing a sour-sweet element which I couldn't stop thinking about as I ate it. PLEASE could you guys try adding Korean sweet and sour pickled daikon slices??? and maybe making it a little spicier as the kimchi flavour was almost completely concealed by the batter flavour. I also thought a little more cheese grilled onto the patty would be nice instead of a little bit stuck to the bun. The burger patty was great, super tender and yum. Marinade could be a bit stronger. All the flavours were too much in moderation for me which didn't think matched my Korean food experiences.I thought it came with waffle fries from another review on here, so was slightly disappointed to see normal shoestring fries, however these were really nice with the mayo dipping sauce. Black waffles were pretty standard in flavour, came with very generous amounts of toppings,  whole banana, dried berries, icecream and more. Blackness was just novelty since they tasted like golden waffles.<br/><br/>Apple pie smoothie was just delicious, yum! True to its name. Pretty friendly, fast service to top it all off. Excited to go back to try the ramen and the bibimbap!

Beautiful food with really nice presentation... also quite interesting flavour combinations which makes the eating experience all the better!!! Good atmosphere and feeling

I decided to try Simon and Lee on a super-busy Saturday morning with my partner and her young child. They were super accommodating and found us the perfect table without a wait. We tried the Dolsot Bibimbap (my Korean favourite), that was delicious, and the Good Bowl. Every component of the Good Bowl was spot on especially the pickled beetroot! I did get a bit of food envy seeing the thick cuts of bacon rolling out of the kitchen - definitely on the list to try! I will be coming back time after time!

Wanted to come to Parnell for lunch and was excited by the Asian influences in their lunch menu. <br/><br/>We shared a strawberry and beetroot smoothie to start and I ordered the good bowl and my partner had the SL burger. Felt a strong surge of food envy when the food came to our table because the SL burger looked so damn good. It was presented with Simon and Lee's signature colours and came with a side of waffle fries that looked to die for. I couldn't resist stealing a couple of them and they tasted just as good as they looked. I was a bit disappointed by the Good Bowl because the ingredients looked a bit tired and dull like they had been sitting around for a while but as I got into it, the bowl did win me over. It was really filling and I felt super healthy for it too!<br/><br/>Food: 4.5/5<br/>Service: 5/5<br/>Instagrammability: 5/5<br/>

Service was great and had the strawberry and beetroot smoothie which was very nice. Was very disappointed by the portion of the Benedict and sadly left feeling very hungry.

While new cafes and eateries continue to grow in Auckland, so does my list of ‘Where to Eat Next’. My latest dining venture took my friends and I to Simon & Lee, a new cafe in Parnell opened by Ollie Simon and David Lee from Major Sprout. Their menu is crafted with dishes that you would normally see in a typical cafe but with an Asian twist such as savoury rice porridge, black waffles with sesame ice cream and kimchi burger. I decided to try something different today and order the bibimbap which has a mixture of pickled vegetables, raw egg yolk, and rice served in a sizzling hot pot. You could opt to add beef bulgogi mince for an extra $4 and it is served with a small side of spicy kimchi and red pepper paste.

Had their asian inspired eggs Benedict and sl burger. Portion is a little small for the price. Eggs bene taste good not the best. Loved the fried kimchi in the burger. The galbi patty taste like a gourmet sausageroll, not a bad thing just not what I expected. Still a good burger overall.

Absolutely delicious food and friendly staff! Have tried the mushrooms on toast and the Acai bowl and both were super tasty. Will definitely be back