Review Seashore Cabaret - Petone

Really enjoyed our visit there. I've been there before and usually you have to queue a little for getting a table, but this time there wasn't any queue, we went around 1. Staff was very nice and were able to acomodate us and the buggy with no issues or long faces. Also they have a family toilet was dad could do the diapers! Though they took a little in getting our order, food was fast as delicious. We had fish tacos, burger, beef salad and a classic sort of breakfast plate, plus some sharing chips. Everything was very tasty. We'll be back for sure!

Had brunch here at 12pm on a rainy Sunday and had somewhat mixed emotions. Major kudos to the staff who had great control of the long queue, speedy to clean and prep tables and were incredibly accommodating and communicative, however the overall ambience of this cafe really let me down. It was SO LOUD. I wish I was being dramatic when I say this, but literally noise cancelling headphones or ear muffs wouldn't have been able to block out the sheer volume of this place. The cafe was bustling and extremely lively, although this made for a very chaotic, unpleasant eating experience. This is not the place to have a mutual conversation with a friend, study, read, relax or bring a young baby to. The music was so loud and everyone was yelling just so that the person beside them could hear them speak. If you thrive amongst energetic environments, then you will love it here. The food was good, but also slightly disappointing and unreflective of their reputation and prices. I requested trim milk for my granola, however the staff member said they were out of trim milk (only whole milk and plant based milks) which is very bizarre for a popular cafe at midday on a weekend. The granola was very clearly a combination of packet/supermarket bought granola mixed together, so it really lacked any sort of flavour “theme” if you know what I mean. For $17, the least I was expecting was housemade granola. The berry compote and yoghurt serving was minuscule, however +1 for there being a good amount of granola in the bowl. The avocado toast was okay, but nothing spectacular. This could have easily been replicated at home and I was hoping for more pzazz. Coffee was a 10/10!! Drinks were brought about 5 minutes after our meals which was a tad strange too. I can’t fault the staff/service whatsoever, however the blaring, turbulent and ear-piercing atmosphere honestly made me want to escape out of there immediately.

Great atmosphere and the decor was nice. I got the pan seared prawns, it was good not great the prawns were nicely cooked but the whole dish lacked any flavour. My friends got the truckers breakfast, one asked for the steak to be rare and the other medium, the first one came out blue rare and 7 minutes later the other one came out well done. We also got the Pancakes it was good until you get to the last one which was covered in what looked like burnt parsley. Our waitress was really apologetic about it when we told her about the problems. I also brought a bottle of freshly squeezed orange juice to go and found what looked like plastic in the bottle once i got home. Overall i would go again just for the coffee and milkshake, those were great.

Incredible staff and service. A little quirky and kitschy in the best ways imaginable. Delicious espresso martini. Great tap selection. Beautiful view, amazing sunset. Rowing Club established in 1900. If you can only go one place in Wellington, go here :)

sooo yum! I went in a bit nervous because of the small ish menu, but i got the burger royale with curly fries and that burger..... that burger is so freaking good i want to serve those at my wedding def go there and also for lunch menu they have nachos, however i went for the dinner menu. anyways also try those nachos for lunch. will be coming back. it is very pricey though, but it depends how much your willing to spend, for 3 people it cost us $130 but you know, good food comes at a cost.

Great food, good vibes, and lovely kaimahi. It’s bound to be packed and bumpin’ in the summer time—just remember to protect your food from the gulls lol. 241 burger deals on Thursday so that was mean too. The mushroom burger was 🤌🏾🔥 highly recommend.

BuSY! But service was great and wait wasn't too long. The Chilli calamari was very good ($19). Sea views and beachy, surf vibe.

Pie and pancakes were good, so was the coffee. Nice view from the window side tables, lots of interesting vintage decorations around the restaurant. For some reason the egg was missing from the "bacon and egg sandwich", but the staff was nice enough to acknowledge the mistake and offer a new one (although we did not take up the offer).

Lovely place and beautiful on a summer's evening. Good food and few fun things to entertain the kids

Fun, friendly atmosphere with interesting character and history. Delicious food and great sea views

What a great concept, a real kiwiana feel. Sunday evening dinner with family. After that it was disappointing. The salt and pepper squid, cooked fresh, nice lightly cooked, but where was the salt and pepper. Mains, those with burgers agreed they were all good, as burgers go. We ordered two chicken dishes on arrival we were one offered one as a steak, so we advised we hadn't ordered a steak it was wisked away to arrive back a few seconds later. The waitress advising it was chicken, but she didn't know as she's vegetarian. The dish was; Two pieces of flavourless thigh, black cooked, cold cauliflower puree and a salad with no dressing. The fish "terakihi" was reported as being "nice." Dessert. I'd been told the desserts here are amazing. A choice of 4 plus sundaes didn't come accross as amazing. Key lime pie is a Florida keys speciality, fresh vibrant bitter sweet with a light sweet pastry base. This wasn't that! Meringue is a white, sweet crumble on the bite, not a rock hard cow pat, brown in the centre with burnt toffee flavour. Very disappointing for the younger kids in the group. Caramel sundaes no caramel, yup we get that it runs out sometimes, but we're disappointed when we asked whether that effected the milk shakes, no defiantly not we were told. So ordered four with a caramel component to then be advised sorry we can't make those as we have no caramel was disappointing to say the least. Service It was "attentive" to the point of being 'very"friendly. Though a question as to how the meal was rather than a genetic "how is it guys" might reveal a more responsive and viable reply. Part of the "ambience" we went for, was the pin ball machines, and of the five, one "just ate the coins" my daughter reported, though they were replaced at the till when told, and two others didn't work. And we love our pin ball competitions. Enjoyed my last experience for breakfast better. As we live 4.5 hours north we won't be rushing back. Such a shame as certainly the best view of any restaurant in the region. But the menu doesn't suit the ambience and to produce a menu of the caliber needs "chefs" not grill or line cooks.

Great food, cool and colorful environment. Friendly employees. Limited vegan options, but really tasty. Enjoyed a "gracious" plate that was very yummy. Nice view of the harbour,too!

Brilliant place, lovely staff and great food and coffee. The place looks really well done, love the pinball machines.

Great vibe and warm smiles from the friendly staff as soon as we walked in. The chatter was rowdy but we bagged a table outside on the deck so it wasn't as noisy out there. Food was scrummy and so was my mojito. Definitely recommend this cafe as it caters for all tastes. Looking forward to my next visit already.

Excellent retro decor, Just the way I like it. Great atmosphere and view of the harbour. Friendly staff and most importantly the steak meal was pretty well perfect and reasonably priced.

Overpriced fish burger and not very nice. Waitress got the drink order mixed up. Not convinced it is worth going again for an evening meal.

Curly fries are good & the seafood options are the best!!! Highly recommend.

Another great visit with the usual good service and fabulous food. Delighted to have the kids fish & chips (which were delicious) with a Halloumi Salad. <br/>

Been here on many occassions average every time I come<br/>Slow unhelpful service<br/>Average food but good coffee

I wish I could give this dish 7 stars out of 5. The fish had a really crispy coating while the inside was juicy. The jalopeno tartare sauce gave the dish a nice kick! I would definitely recommend the fish tacos. The slaw was fresh and tangy- yum!!

Long story shot we ended up laving with no food. We arrived at 6.30m for 2 for 1 burgers, was told on arrival 40min wait for kitchen- ok that's fine we sat down, waitress took our order. About 40mins in we noticed the table next to us had left, a new set of people had arrived and they were seated and served food before us. This was strange since we had ordered well before them,  so my friend asked our original waitress to check what was happening with our order, the woman went over to the ordering screen and pressed a few buttons and never came back. My friend tried to talk to her 3 more times when she walked past us but she seemed to be actively ignoring us. We expected her to at least come back at say what had happened with our order and how much longer if was going to be. But at this point the table next to us were done eating and about to leave - shocking really since we had ordered before they arrived. Not happy, what terrible service, we got up and left.

I’ve been here a couple times and I’ve loved it since my first visit! I’d never heard of this place before then but saw online that it had a high review so thought I’d give it a go! Have looked back since then! The food is amazing and I love the variety! Have yet to try the coffee yet! Worth the drive out of the city for its food!

Great menu and cabinet food! These pancakes were m a s s i v e. Staff are pretty nice and the decor is so cool. A really cool cafe to eat at!! The only thing is it’s so popular that you might find it too busy/loud so I suggest going for an early breakfast/late lunch or sit outside.

Overated, long wait times, below par service, average food, burnt coffee, screaming children, not enough toilets, would not recommend to friends

The food is good and the staff are very friendly. It is just the usual problem as with lots of places: it is just too loud! Hard surfaces everywhere reflect sound and make it hard to have a conversation without shouting. The music is toned down which is good. We still like to go there for the food and the view. There are other places even louder.

Visited Seashore Cabaret with a group of 4 for the first time a couple of days ago. Absolutely loved it. It has a great vibe, staff and some of the best views in the city(if you get a table outside)<br/>Tried the Mussels, Nachos, Curly fries, Freshly squeezed Orange juice and Abandoned Brewery lager beer. <br/>Food - 5/5<br/>Ambience- 3/5<br/>View - 5/5<br/>Service - 3/5 (it was extremely busy on the day and time)

You are paying for the location and view, full stop.  A very limited and average menu.  Very pretentious, kitsch and overrated.  I have not been impressed with anything on their menu.  If you are not fussed about a view, there are much better places for nosh in Petone than here.

Long wait during busy brunch hours but worth the wait. Awesome breakfast menu and good food. Have also been here for dinner twice and enjoyed it both times. Good atmosphere and a nice view

Fantastic place! Especially, I was mind blown by their coffee(had 2 cups).. The staffs were very friendly, and the place is well located. Would recommend anyone to this place!!

Been twice now, and it is safe to say that the lunch menu is a better option for your best dining experience compared to the dinner menu. A friend of mine ordered fish tacos from the dinner menu and was surprised to see that they used fish fingers! The lunch menu is very delicious and they have very tasty curly fries and dip! The other downsides are the coffees, which taste kind of burnt and the fact that it took us 30 - 40 minutes to be seated. Seashore cabaret have very reasonable prices with decent portion sizes. The ambience and decor is excellent, service is very good, food is delicious and staff are very friendly. I would definetly go again and highly recommend this place.

I went here a few days ago and I ordered nachos and a milkshake, both were amazing and I love the atmosphere! Definitely heading back here in the nearby future!

Wonderful #fishtacos with Jalapeno sauce & Garlic Lemony #GrilledPrawns served with friendly smiles & seated by the doors with views out to the beaches. Family-Friendly Atmosphere, Service & Great Food made for a wonderful experience yet again... has become a brunch & lunch favourite! To top this off, I predict the Good Fortune coffee is sure to set your day off Favourably!

Great place for breakfast in Petone but be early to avoid the queues. Great 80’s atmosphere including pinball machines. Food was great and service also good. Grabbed some scones and cream buns to eat later. Superb.

Imagine this. You're catching up for weekend brunch with a friend, somewhere you've never even heard of. You get to the entrance door and your first impression is a queue with a 20 minute wait. Yes, this was my first (and not last) visit to SC.<br/><br/>This place ticks all the boxes so the wait is worth it. It ticks boxes I didn't know needed ticking. Fortune Teller. Check. Space Invaders. Check. 80s kitch. Check.<br/><br/>Set up in a surf club facility, you're met by an onslaught of tables, funky wait staff, people, kids and loud mumbles of conversation. The space is huge, the seats are wooden (no squishy cushions here) and I have never been when it isn't busy so if any of these make you feel uncomfortable, go early in the morning and take something to sit on.<br/><br/>The coffee (Good Fortune) is roasted there and big props to them for being a fair wage employer. I can't help but have more than one cup each time I go because it is just that good. No bitterness, smooth, buttery.... *drooling*<br/><br/>I have been for brunch and dinner. If you are looking for something sophisticated....well, not sure why you read this far... The food is good kiwi tucker with a cafe twist. The portions are huge which caught me out when I ordered some sides. A cabinet sells sweet treats and speaking from experience, if you order the meringue share it. It's like eating a sugary Mordor... big, takes a journey to get through it and the best kind of evil.<br/><br/>My tip for going here... plan your day around it so you don't have to wait. It is a fab-o place, great location, friendly staff and yummy food so of course everyone knows about it.<br/>

Burger I had was delicious, well cooked and served with good fries.<br/>Also had a very tasty milkshake which was nice and thick.<br/>Staff were friendly and I was impressed at how quickly our food was brought out even though they were busy.<br/>The atmosphere is interesting, there's a lot going on inside. Different retro/vintage themes. Old pinball and arcade machines. Nice views of Petone beach and Wellington City.<br/>Would recommend and I'll definitely be back.

Loved it here. Friendly staff, meals came out promptly and were delicious. The classic cheeseburger was simple, well presented and paired with super crispy polenta chips. It's a retro diner vibe with soda, sundaes and pinball machines. Can't wait to come back and show this place off. Having a seat with waterfront views is also a treat.

I visited during the school holidays so the place was very busy and a tad chaotic, which meant the service was probably not as good as i'm sure it normally would be. But what a gem of a cafe to stumble across. I've been numerous times to their Maranui SLC cafe and have loved it and this is in the same style and just as fabulous. The cabinet food is drool worthy. The coffee is nice and strong and smooth. I had bacon and eggs on toast and it was delicious. Another day I purchased coffees and caramelised onion and cheese scones for work and they also went down a treat. Super good cafe, super good food and coffee and the atmosphere is cool. If you have an espresso machine at home you can't leave without their firecracker beans! MAGIC. Another thing to love about this cafe is they are one of the few places that support their staff by paying a minimum wage. They deserve all their success. Can't wait to return to Wellington and this fab cafe.

I had a Coffee Milkshake, Halloumi Bagel and Curly Fries!<br/>The Coffee Milkshake was delicious and veerry large!<br/>The Halloumi Bagel and the Curly Fries were also very nice and I was pleased to see they were generous with both the Halloumi and the Avocado!<br/><br/>The only thing i was not overly pleased with was the service we got. All the other staff were lovely but our waitress never smiled and was quite rude like she really didn't want to be there or bother being friendly.<br/><br/>But overall i'd go back! It's a fun atmosphere and really out of the ordinary!

I always love coming here when we visit Wellington.<br/><br/>The atmosphere is so charming with its unique coffee bar and vintage collectables, it's always a treat for the eyes as you wait for your food.<br/><br/>The menu is well crafted and the food never fails to disappoint. I always go for a pomegranate soda float to start with and on this visit I had the salmon bagel which was lovely and not too filling unlike a lot of other breakfast options.<br/>My coffee loving brother likes the coffee there and him and my husband both ordered one of the big breakfasts on offer which they thoroughly enjoyed. I also added a side of curly fries for us to snack on and as always they were delicious.<br/><br/>Service is always lovely and friendly, and our total came up to $70-80.

Nice place, nice location! tried the chocolate sundae and ice cream sandwich. The ice cream sammie was rock hard, which was not that fun too eat. However, the sundae was delish! Ig: Wellymunchers :)

amazing service, the coffee was amazing there breakfast meal bacon, sausages, eggs, and mushrooms was amazing 😍😍 there staff was amazing they had 40 min wait on food understandable for a Saturday though was definitely worth the wait!!<br/>Thankyou guys.

Was very busy as it was a 2 for 1 Tuesday. Coffee wasn't hot enough. I got an Americano with hot milk on the side and by the time I added the hot milk it was luke warm. Service was good, though we had to get attention to have our order taken. Food was really good and cooked perfectly.

So much fun.<br/><br/>The place has a great ambience.<br/><br/>The staff are wonderful and friendly.<br/><br/>The food is delicious. Cafe food great portion sizes and interesting cabinet food.<br/><br/>Love it.<br/><br/>

An experience I'll never forget! Seashore Cabaret, classy, hip, elegant - tailored to the finer more sophisticated people in this land. Not one fault comes to my mind when thinking about this little joint on the Petone Esplanade. Parking is a bit iffy, but besides that, the American-diner like restaurant is gorgeous. It was possibly one of the hottest days in the world when I went — 180 degrees celsius. Despite a cafe full of Sunday roast meals baking away in the Wellington heat, we managed to muster up the courage to push a ninety nine year old grandpa off his seat and into the ocean. Me and my mother dined in grace overlooking the picturesque and absolutely sensational view of Somes Island featuring a drowning crusty old geezer. We browsed the Microsoft Word-made menus before coming to the conclusion that we would order what we get every time. We had to wait half an hour for our tucker and I was not a happy Chappy at this point. I said to myself. "If this isn't the best bloody calamari I've ever placed in my mousetrap then I'm gonna sue!". Needless to say, the calamari melted my dentures away and the enamel that coats my teeth dissolved my gums. The atmosphere is just beautiful, especially on a hot summer's day. Now, let me tell you a little something about myself. I have never liked lime milkshakes but this lime milkshake was better than anything I have ever tried in my entire life. Served in a lovely stainless steel cup, the milkshake was tantalizing to the taste buds. The bottle of water that sat adjacent to my side of aioli ran away to bury itself in its shame. With an array of carnival-like arcade games to occupy one's worthless life with, our time there was nothing, but special. The service, food and atmosphere are one trillion times superior to that of Zany Zeus'. Keep up the good work my friends. Until next time, Hasta la vista honey!

Love this place! I have been here many times. Especially if it is a sunny day. Nothing can beat the esplanade view on a good day! I usually get breakfast as it never dioppoints any where you go. But this time, I ventured to the nachos. I am always hesitant to buy this sort of this as it's a staple for dinner at my place. But these were so amazing! So colourful and vibrant (as you can see by my photo) and they were so yummy! I would buy these so many times over. My friend is vegan and she ordered these too and loved them! Great stuff Seashore Cabaret!

Round the table we had a pancake stack, date scone, cheese scone, caramel slice thing, curly fries, americano, iced coffee, iced mocha and an almond milk latte... food was all fresh, fast and well presented, date scone thing (not a scone, but from the cabinet) had a heap of filling and was delightful. The setting and decor is awesome, such an ecclectic mix that its entertaining just standing in there and soaking it all up. Wwould come back and recommend that you visit!

Great atmosphere, great service and great food. <br/>Had the fish tacos and shared curly fries with the person I dined with, portions were very decent and wasn't able to finish it all! <br/>Will definitely be back

No long explanations needed for this place. One visit here and you'll understand why it's a Wellingtonian institution. Food, service and vibe are all of exceptional quality. And also the bathroom is super clean (which for me is very important). Come early to avoid the line.

First visit and quite disappointing. Food is average and over priced for what it is and the waitress didn't seem that on to it. At 9.30am there's a 20-30minute wait for food, so you need to arrive early. Wouldn't go again.

The salmon bagel was very tasty and i was happy to see a decent piece of salmon and not just a few slivers. Despite being very busy the service was friendly and efficient.  And they do a very nice Bloody Mary too!

Great atmosphere, had a banging hot chocolate. Ordered the pancakes with banana, bacon and maple syrup - was top notch. Fabulous service, and will be coming back again and again and AGAIN. Worth every cent I paid, left with a full happy tummy 🤗

Great for kids as there are pinball machines and ride on toys up the back by large booths. Brunch is usually rammed as it is that good, go earlier or simply queue for a table. Dinner is also good, the views and fitout amazing. Service is good too.

Great food with excellent service and atmosphere. Good selection of brunch and lunch items, some with a slight 80s theme (truckers breakfast). Great views and a definite place to visit if in Petone.

Great vibe and splendid food. Fish Tacos a current favourite... curly fries a great addition. Burgers, shakes, great breakfasts... Can get busy so may have to wait for a table on occasion.

The beetroot relish is perfection - I'll definitely get the halloumi bagel again. The coffee is also excellent. Service here is friendly and efficient which is just as well as the place was crazy busy on a public holiday. Great little local.

Food was delicious however it did lack seasoning and unfortunately our table had no salt and pepper, coffees are good service was exceptional especially with how busy when we went in waited 2 mins for a seat and staff very friendly!

Great spot on a sunny day. Plenty of good menu options. Probably not as much caninet food/ salad options than Maranui but damn the cheeseburger with homecut fried makes up for it. The fish tacos arent bad either.

Been here twice now. Both times for lunch.<br/>The food is really tasty but the service could definitely be improved. <br/><br/>The waitress brought me out the wrong drink. But happily replaced it once I pointed out it was wrong which was great. <br/><br/>I ordered one of the cabinet food items whilst the others at my table ordered from the menu. We were told there was a 30 minute wait for the food but it ended up being more like 40. Everyone's food arrived at the same time except for mine which seemed to have been completely forgotten about! 10 minutes later (after asking a passing waitress whether it had been forgotten) my dish finally arrived. A 50 minutes wait for a heated cabinet food item is completely unacceptable. <br/><br/>There was a spill on the floor nearby that a waitress cleaned up but failed to put a wet floor sign nearby so the inevitable happened just a minute later. Lucky for them it was a staff member that slipped and fell instead of a customer!

Nice food and exceptional service. Wait staff were extremely helpful and attentive, coming back at regular intervals to check in on us. They were also very proactive, asking if we wanted aioli with our meal, and arranging this promptly. The food itself was freshly prepared and tasty. A perfect spot to grab a meal with friends while enjoying the picturesque views of the water. Above all, the fantastic service deserves special recognition.

Nice place for some casual food and a drink or brunch, comfy and quirky design and an amazing view over the harbour. Not fine dining or anything but the food is decent, standard NZ cafe fare during the day, and the night menu is small but should have something for everyone (fish/calamari through to burgers etc). Friendly and attentive staff.

Met friends for brunch on a Sunday. Super busy at 11:00am. We were told 10 min wait to be seated then 30 to 40mins for kitchen food. It turned out not to be that long in the end but there was a short wait.<br/><br/>We started with coffee orders. What a mission. We ordered two flat whites, a green tea and a trim soy flat white. When they arrived there was a trim flat white and a flat white. Long story short we ended up going around and around trying to get the order understood, but managed it eventually.<br/><br/>We weren't offered any water for the table so I asked. <br/><br/>I ordered the trucker breakfast. Steak, chips, fried egg and gravy. $22. I wasn't asked how I wanted the steak cooked but when I enquired i was told it was medium rare which was fine for me. <br/><br/>My partner ordered halloumi with asparagus and walnut pesto which she loved.<br/><br/>The steak arrived and the chips were roast potatoes instead. I would have preferred chips but it wasn't a biggy. It was all fantastic. Steak cooked perfectly and the gravy was rich and flavoursome. Very good. <br/><br/>The decor here is eclectic, interesting. Was quite loud but had a good atmosphere.<br/><br/>They need to improve on the organisation a little bit; it was busy so that could have affected things. Four people catered to our table throughout the meal in some way or another which was good but may have contributed to some misunderstandings.<br/><br/>Overall though it was a great brunch. Cabinet food looked great. Will definitely return.

Pretty good service on arrival and throughout our time there by the staff. Loved the layout of the place. Ordered the cheese burger and was good and filling! Would definitely be back soon!

Awesome place , service was excellent food came out fast and was delicious , def recommend this place and will be back as a regular . <br/>Thank you

Loved it! Such a wicked atmosphere and a funky building! Beautiful views over The beach and lots of seating! Food was fab and staff were super lovely!

This is an utterly fantastic location, with stunning views and an open quirky atmosphere. Unfortunately that's the only good thing about it. The menu is uninspired and our food while cheap was bland and greasy, and was served luke warm. The staff are unattentive - a second drink ordered when our meals were delivered never arrived despite waving at the staff a couple of times, and no one bothered to check on us while we were eating. Given that the same owner runs the hugely popular Maranui cafe we we very surprised the by lack of quality, and it's unlikely we'd go back.<br/><br/>Second visit as a friend wanted to go - and the food is just as bland. Still surprised. It's like the place has become the new "the batch" of Wellington. Perfect location and you want it to be good but it just fails to deliver.

We arrived early on a Saturday morning and we're able to find a seat to enjoy the amazing view. It filled up Quickly despite how large the place is.<br/><br/>The food and coffee were both good and I can see myself going back to try more off the menu.

Fantastic place to go. 5min wait for a table because they were busy, which fine by me. Great food & very friendly staff. <br/>Nice location, with super views out to the sea.<br/>Always good for a yummy quick takeaway coffee !!<br/>Highly recommend

Have been twice - once for lunch and once for a bday dinner. Fish tacos for lunch - good enough and very filling. Dinner - had the pide with prosciutto, Gorgonzola and rosemary, was quite nice and again very filling. Also tried the calamari which was good (a good sharing dish instead of fries). Wine list is ok. I can see why this place is so popular but tbh, I feel like the decor and overall look is totally cliche. It kind of reminds me of going to someone's house that looks straight out of a freedom furniture catalogue. It's just too staged. Over 40s probably feel cool being here which is good for them I guess. Also the toddler loved it - the ride on boat and duck and the mirrors were huge hits and the food is toddler friendly - probably another reason I'm just not that keen on it. Would come back with the kid but not for myself.

Visited during what seemed a pretty busy brunch rush on a sunny but cold Queens birthday Saturday. Seated in a nice little booth, drinks orders taken(and served)quite quickly. We got the bacon and egg bagel and a brat hotdog. Both were great, drinks were good(hot chocolate and a trim flat white). we treated ourselves to a wee cream donut from the well stocked cabinet on the way out...also really nice. Considering how busy they were, very happy with the whole experience. Would definitely come back and work through the menu.

It's on the Petone Esplanade, not Central Wellington. <br/><br/>This place opened in March 2016 and you wouldn't know it was there unless you read the Stuff review. From the outside it still looks like the Petone Rowing Club, except for the entrance which resembles an 80s spacies parlour. Once you get inside and up the stairs you will find a hidden treasure - the decor is amazing - 1950s to now with an eclectic American truck-stop diner feel. We wondered why there was always a long line of parked cars outside this place. It looks like you might not get a seat but there is plenty of seating inside and out on its deck. <br/><br/>We've been twice - on our first visit I had the pancakes and a pot of tea; hubby had the eggs benny, mocha and an iced chocolate. The pancake stack was huge. Everything was presented beautifully but there was nothing stunning about it. <br/><br/>The second visit was much more exciting. I had the Morning Munch which consisted of muesli, toast, coffee and orange juice (all for $17). I was pleasantly surprised to find the coffee was anything of your own choice - I assumed it would be bog-standard filter - but I had a really tasty soy latte; the orange juice was real hand-squeezed juice from actual oranges (not from a bottle); the muesli had no milk or sugar but the fruit compote was sweet and moist enough to not make it dry. Hubby had the Trucker's Breakfast - a decent piece of steak, eggs & chips sluiced in gravy. He really enjoyed it. He said his caramel milkshake met all his expectations of what a milkshake should be and that it was superb. <br/><br/>We actually cannot see why this place is such the draw card it is given the noise, relatively unspectacular food and terrible parking ... it's always busy and very loud, but I am sure we will go again. <br/><br/>Lower Hutt needs more cafes like this (but that are a lot quieter with better parking)... seriously, Bob Dylan screeching out loud is not the best breakfast music.