Review The Elephant Wrestler

Angel Abes Escapades

Top notch customer service with very friendly team. We were served by Sophia who answered our queries about the menu and also was kind enough to take our photo. Its always a delight to come to Elephant Wrestler especially for big groups. They have plenty of space and kid-friendly atmosphere during lunch time. There’s a variety of food to choose from, always tasty, fresh and never dry. We enjoyed the pork belly and sirloin steak. Tiramisu is a must-have for dessert! We will definitely come back again.

Marina Harding

The Elephant Wrestler has beautiful food & great service. The serving staff were attentive and very well mannered and patient. We asked to move tables as we were sitting in the outdoor area, and the door was open, and they were more than happy to assist us with that. Their wagyu smash burger was top-notch. Seriously, so good. The meat was so tasteful that I couldn't believe how good it tasted & the pickkles added great flavor as well. We also had the Buttermilk Chicken, Pork Belly Bites, and ordered some chips. The Buttermilk chicken come boneless and with a sirachi sauce that had the perfect spice to it. The pork belly bites were good, but it was bit too heavy for me, but it did come with a little herby kind of slaw with chilies that gave it a refreshing taste. We went on a Saturday night and it was quite packed & a bit to loud for my liking but you know it's a Saturday & they have a great atmosphere so I understand why it was quite popular on thsi specific day. Overall, I would definitely love to go again. Thank you for a beautiful dinner The Elephant Wrestler (:

Matthys Meintjes (Matt)

Our family (2 adults and 2 young children) had a great time here last night. Our waitress, Sophia, made us feel welcome. Another waitress took the children for a tour around the restaurant, giving us some quiet time. The food was great, with especially generous dessert portions. Highly recommended.

Scott Ruddock

We didn't eat, but we had a great afternoon enjoying some tasty beverages and Chris really helped to elevate the experience. We stayed around for another pint because he created such a welcoming atmosphere. Thanks Chris, we'll be back!

crystal matthews

Our waitress Sophie was amazing highly recommend this place for dinner and drinks 🙌 cocktail’s delicious 🤤

Emma Davies

Wow this has to be one of the best places I have been in a long time for all round experience, atmosphere and staff. The way they were so accommodating for dietaries and how well our big group was after was superb. Awesome bartenders too! thanks team for a great night

Marielle Ibarra

Staff was very friendly and accomodating despite the inconvenience of the lockdown -- they are definitely doing their best to keep the place clean and safe. The food was good, and portions were huge! Just keep that in mind:) Especially loved the buttermilk chicken entree -- very tasty. A little bit pricey for some things, but I enjoyed the experience and would come back.

Olivia Walls

Izzy was so so great, we did the bottomless and she was super attentive. Best bottomless experience I’ve had. All the staff were amazing and catered to our large table super well!

Yan Caly Wang

Went on first table, great food. Best part was the live performance by Jaz who was playing her acoustic cover of popular songs.

Emma Moody

Maddie is the reason we come back every week, she is absolutely incredible with us! Food is also top tier and we love the quiz

Jack Taylor

Nathan at the bar tonight was absolutely fantastic! He went above and beyond to make sure everyone's drinks were perfect. His friendly and attentive service made the night even more enjoyable. Highly recommended! 🍻👌

Sam Wright

Just wish I could give a big sloppy kiss to Steve, Taylor and Sophia. You guys were great for our bottomless! Consistent service and checking up on us to make sure we were all good. You guys did a good job keeping the whole venue in check. Cheers for a great day!

Moesha Masoe James

My 3 year old and me went in with a large group. We were early but that was fine, night was young. Madi was the lovely lady who looked after us and when I say "great service" I mean, thoughtful hostess type service. The above and beyond kind. From small forward-thinking requests to the chef on my daughter's behalf at the beginning to the small takeaway box of snacks for my 3 year old to munch on for the car ride home. Madi is such a beautiful person and me and the team wish to thank her for the service we received Wednesday night 🙏🏽 Everyone enjoyed the food, colourful, tasty, hot and fresh. Lots of different flavours for all sorts of preferences. I recommend the loaded fries, it's a hearty portion and fills you up. The $5 brisket taco was delicious along with a $5 slice of pizza (during their happy hour). Unfortunately no photos from me. I had a toddler to tend to 🤣

kiana Delaney

Having such an amazing night and the waitress Sophia made it so much better!! Such a hard worker and lovely service, definitely going to come back. :) thanks Sophia!

Rachelle Canham

Chris was a fantastic waiter. Very attentive and helpful. Although the manager was questionable when we were asking Chris questions, and restricted our drinks, considering there was a stag do smoking weed just outside the door...

Emily Morton

Great night of bottomless pizza, amazing service from Annabel 😊

Thalia

Had an amazing time at bottomless pizza. Our waitress Annabel was so quick and efficient and so lovely

Jason Kearns

Enjoyed bottomless pizza, our waitress annabel was super awesome 😎

Patricia

Had a great time at bottomless pizza! I’m a vegetarian so having more vege pizza options was awesome! Service from the beautiful Annabel was incredible I never stayed hungry 😂 recommend ***

Lexi Tetenburg

Bottomless pizza night was legit! Such good value and good vibes for ya Thursday. Live singer was fantastic and Annabel was an absolute gem! Will def be back!

Laken Skipper

Delicious food and good service from our waiter Alex🙌

Billie Davis

Great service from Adele and Annabel. We especially loved the chippies. Tomatoes were very on the pizza 🔥

Emilie Parker

Thank you to the lovely waitress Alex for looking after us and her amazing service. Always bubbly and smiley. Definitely cracked a few good jokes and brought a good vibe! We will definitely be coming back 😇

Ashneel Prakash

Adele who served us was amazing! Very friendly and made us feel welcome. Definitely recommending this to my friends + family!

Shayden Cathro

Always love coming to the Elephant Wrestler. Often a go-to in Takapuna for its atmosphere and the extensive vegan options available. I had the vegan burger and it was really tasty and good portions! Wonderful service as well - Annabel was full of energy and very welcoming which always adds to the dining experience.

Jessica C

Well... can’t say I recommend the chicken burger it practically walked itself onto the plate

The Hospo Guy

Not the best for food, more of a drinking place. May have just been the time we went.

Paula Darknell

We got to eat on Friday before the lockdown in NZ and was served by Annabel, she had served us before. Both times she was very helpful and friendly, and she was a pleasure as a waiter! Well done Annabel! Keep up the good work :)

Ariana Matthews

From the moment we stepped in to the moment we lost the service was absolutely awesome!! The Bottomless Pizza is a crowd pleaser, fresh, hot out of the oven bursting with flavour, and that base was 100% spot on. Thank you to Aisling for assisting our table #14 tonight your service and smile was a treat x See ya guys next time 👍 P.S that chicken pizza was awesome!!

Meaganrootman

Annabel was so lovely. Very attentive, friendly and our order was 100% correct despite the busyness. Would definitely recommend this place. Food was delicious!

Kenya Brooke

The food and service was great - Nicole was an excellent waitress!!

Jade

3 stars because the staff were fantastic! The food on the other hand not so much. We ordered the kids fish and chips, caesar salad, thai beef salad and margarita pizza. My friend referred to her caesar salad as just lettuce and “shredded supermarket chicken” with a little dressing on it. She ate 2-3 bites and left it. The beef in the thai tasted very.. aged.. had a very off taste to it! I had a few bites and left it. The margarita pizza was yummy! The kids fish and chips were fine! $94 for 2 salads we barely touched, a pizza and a kids meal, more expensive than most places. Would come back for drinks and maybe snacks but not for meals.

David Freeman

Annabel was great as always

Adam Freeman

Annabel our waiter was awesome! Super friendly and very helpful and made our night great! Super sweet and gives great conversation! :)

Andrew Elliott

Really enjoyed the service (Thanks Dani) and the food, was our first time here and will definitely be coming back.

Christina

Had a great time at quiz night and our server Annabel was fantastic too! Nice job guys :)

Bridget Allen

Fantastic school holiday pizza making event at the Elephant Wrestler for the kids today. Staff (Andrea and Adelle) were great with the kids and the kids loved making - and eating - their pizzas.

Andy JV

I always have a great night here as it’s casual, and it’s a good family environment which is not too bad for kids to hang at for dinner. Last night we had a lovely waitress by the name of Andrea, I believed she was from Mexico. Top service by her and I hope she gets recognised for that by management.

Katey Green

Food was great 🥰

MissEstherZ

Came here for bottomless dumplings which is good deal for $25 as it includes one drink but the dumplings are not that great so you don’t want to keep eating heaps. The first dumpling came out submerged in the dipping sauce bowl which was a symbol of how dull the flavouring of the sauce is to be able to do that, and still need condiments added to sauce to make it flavourful. No chilli sauce or vinegar, the dipping sauce was like watered down broth and soy sauce. The dumplings come in beef, chicken and pork option and you must finish all 3 baskets before getting a refill. However no seasoning in the fillings make it hard to swallow- either no, or extremely subtle seasoning or flavours, couldn’t taste any garlic, ginger, cabbage, chives or anything that would make the dumplings dimensional. It is hard to taste which one is the chicken and which one is pork as it seems like it is just mince and salt. Would not recommend the bottomless dumplings if you value tasty dumplings but good atmosphere and great service, they keep checking up on you and how you’re going with the dumplings/ meal.

Claire

We went to The Elephant Wrestler for unlimited dumplings. First, my friend made a booking for 10 people but when we arrived, we only got 8 seats. The place was pretty cool, albeit crowded. Live band karaoke was very enjoyable. The dumplings were a disappointment, though. They were mediocre at best, and tasted quite doughy as if they were undercooked. Two of my friends got upset stomachs the following day, but no telling if it was the doughy dumplings or something else. Although it wouldn't be surprising considering how busy they were that night. It was a bit difficult to get service but the waitstaff seemed to be doing their best. They also had soy sauce, vinegar and some sort of oil on the table, which was a good touch although I expected the oil to be chilli oil, but it just tasted like salted oil. Overall I enjoyed the place but not the food. I'd probably go again to try other things in the menu if I'm in the area, but I won't have dumplings again. Just not worth 25nzd even with a glass of beer.

Tawna Whitford

We came here for our 15th anniversary, largely due to the great reviews, but I was highly disappointed with the lamb shoulder. It was clearly overcooked and it was like chewing on old shoe leather. Hubby enjoyed his steak, though, so at least one of us had a nice meal.

Maggie

Wow! Exceptional!! Dined with first table and was far from disappointed. Staff were really friendly and made sure we had an enjoyable time. My parents ordered the elephant sharing board for 2 and they loved it, though the size of the board was a bit small. The pork belly and crispy chicken were amazing, dumplings were super juicy, however the squid was a bit on the chewy end. I got the crumbed fish and chips which was really nice, and the portion size is really good as I was full with only a few chips to spare. My brother got the fried buttermilk chicken burger which looked delicious, and once again it was a generous portion size.

Crackerjacker

Great place and great food. I ordered the burger and fries, some of my favourite fries here. I often come here for prize giving of a sports event and it works well because they have the section out back.

Kerrie Barrett

Yum food, super cool place!! Nicole was an absolute star, she made the experience much more memorable! Thanks for the top quality service, we will be back!

Tess McDonald

Great time at the Elephant Wrestler. Food was yum and the cocktail menu was fabulous. We had excellent service from Bel kept the drinks coming and was super friendly and professional. will come again.

Alan Wild

Food was awesome and copious. We had a mixed meat platter - brisket was melt in your mouth. Drinks are always good here. Bel, the waitress was friendly and attentive. We will be back next week.

Kellie Rogers

Great night at elephant, food was pretty good. The special cocktails were great and our waitress Adele was even better. Reckons she can’t sing, we thought otherwise. Thanks for making our gals night Adele!

Susan

Had a lovely evening here tonight with my husband, greeted by Angela who couldn’t have been nicer, very informative & fabulous service. Good atmosphere wish we could have stayed for the live band

Lauren

Excellent food and our waitress, Adele, was wonderful! Definitely will be back. I especially loved that there was an entire vegetarian menu 😍

Bex Argar

Had such a good night with the girls here! Adele was a great waitress, super friendly and helpful and the happy hour drinks are $9! I recommend the waffle dessert 😊

Louise

Came here a few days ago and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The place is split into two - the bar and the casual restaurant area. Luckily we managed to get a deal through first tables so it was pretty worth it! The service here is very welcoming, and everyone is very friendly and chatty. The menu names were quite entertaining and I definitely had a good chuckle while reading them. The food came out pretty fast, and it was also pretty good. We got the Carnivore Sharing Dish (Which was for 4 people) and included 2 sides (We got Mac n Cheese and Fries.) We got steamed veggies as well to attempt to feel healthy. We also got chicken Karaage which isn’t very similar to the traditional Japanese version, but was still a great fried chicken! (There were 3 of us eating and we actually finished everything - but we also have big appetites) The desserts are very chocolate-based, so if you aren’t a chocolate fan you might have a bit of trouble. But if you are, I highly recommend the chocolate mousse - it tastes slightly like a Turkish delight but in a mousse form! Food quality: 4/5 Food price: 4/5 Ambience: 4/5 Service: 5/5

Bijun Yin

The experience was AWESOME. Was eating there a Friday evening with friend. The Crispy Pork Belly really got me, along with one more deep fried pork skin, I was satisfied pretty much. The Red Wine Lamb Shank that my friend ordered was pretty as well. The pub-like atmosphere was relaxing, the staff were friendly, it was good for you if you are here for dinner and want to drink for round two. I'll be back soon for sure. 5 star rating from me.

James Mulholland

Our waitress Annabel was great, kids enjoyed their food and the Tiger beer tower was awesome! Ribs were great as well though I didn't get close to the record for Thursday .

Romana Petrie

This is actually such a cool place during the day. The staff were friendly and organized and the food came quickly. The food was really nice and there was a good variety on the menu - perfect for all the different tastes at the table. The outdoor area is beautiful and it's just such a lovely atmosphere. However, it is a pub and gets quite loud in the evening, which is not really my vibe. So I only visit during the day now, but again it's a pub so it makes sense that its loud but important to be aware of.

Sheldon Cornelius

Always a good time. Lots of space, and the outdoor area is perfect. If you’re ever not drinking, the foods pretty good too. Plus shout out to Alex for putting up with Mikes s***

Yo-arna Searell

Hi team I just wanted to touch base, I booked in a table with you guys last month and I just wanted to let you know right through from booking with you guys, the food, the service and everything in between – the customer service and food was exceptional. We ordered a decent amount of food, everything came out together and all hot. We thoroughly enjoyed our night, we will highly recommend and will most defiantly be back to try the banquet. Thank you again and massive regards to the chef and staff

Bevan Hatcher

absolutely fantastic service by a young lady by the name of Alex !!!! attention to detail and all service points/ opportunities covered!! ...I will be back

Cherie

As far as a pub goes I definitely recommend the food. Good value and really nice options. I had a work function here so got to try a huge range of their menu and it was all good, even the pizza. often has good live music.

Luke Siddins

Server alex is always wonderful best bar service in auckland. By far the best bar in takapuna cannot reccomend this place enough, good food too

Violet

Food was yuummy and my tummy was happy and top it up was the brilliant Alex who had served us with a beautiful smile and amazing service. Definitly going to recommend it to anyone.

AhDar Juliana

We had lunch outdoor which was perfect, as it was so hot. The food was delicious and even better the service was spectacular. Alex was amazing and she made us feel welcome and comfortable. Overall we had a fantastic experience here. We'll definitely come back again and will recommend to family and friends 😀.

Chad Finch

Visible floating mould in the water bottles, ordered a dozen dumplings but only got 10 and two were in pieces. Dumplings tasted like they were reheated from frozen and flies everywhere... Ordered a southern fried chicken burger for mains, chicken was dry and bun was stale. Not impressed at all as I heard such great reviews...won't be back.

Bayley

This pains me because I’ve had good experiences before but everything happened to be so average last night! Our waitress was nice but had missed food off our order, and we waited for someone to come over and ask if everything was okay but nobody really came by and they missed a few waves and excuse me’s we shouted. Once we asked what the situation was we worked out they hadn’t put it on the order because the waiter we asked was hovering around the kitchen and calling other people over and everyone was kind of staring out at our table but it seemed like they were trying to decide who to send out? I guess it happens but still niggly. We didn’t get any water at the table, and couldn’t see anywhere near by to get this, maybe we were supposed to walk up to the bar? The food was okay! Pork belly bites yum, and same with the seared beef (delicious asian style dipping sauce) but the jalapeño popper/hushpuppy were a let down, they were kind of corn fritters and not spicy? Not like we’ve had before but if you like corn fritters you’d be into them. It took us ages to wait for someone to serve us when we wanted to pay, and then the person available had to go and get some help because they couldn’t work something out? No chat or anything just a “swipe your card”. All round it was fine but just felt the experience didn’t rise to the atmosphere they’ve created there. A great potential summer spot, but so are heaps of places in Takapuna so feel it’s critical to get things right! Pictures of food below.

Maree Cruckshank

Great meal, excellent service from Annabel. Highly recommended, convenient. Going to Bruce Mason Theatre and makes our stay in Auckland enjoyable.

April

Met some friends here for dinner tonight. They had a specials menu. We all ordered off that. Was fantastic. $15 mains and $10 desserts. I had the Pork Parmigiana and hubby had the steak egg and chips. Delicious. Desserts were great too. I had the chocolate cake and hubby the baked cheese cake. Service was great and staff really friendly. Will definitely be back.

Eva Karipa

This bar is shocking the toilets ain’t fit for a dog to use so many drunk patrons definitely won’t be going to this bar ever again that’s for sure

Vanessa Zhang

love this place. great for team hangout. steak very yum. all the entrees are of huge portion. love squids n chicken wings. chocolate cake also very lovely. nice for sharing with friends. staff are nice n friendly.

Brizzle

Arggghh! I have been here a few times and each time I have had a different experience. Buffalo wings.....below average. Calamari.......exceptional!....Jalapeño poppers....very poor. The beer selection wasn’t great, I tried an XPA and two IPAs.......very average. All in all, just a very average experience.

Sassy Radish

Was a pretty cold night, we sat outside and were welcomed with tons of heaters to warm us up. The staff were very attentive and friendly, the food was nice and comforting. They have a great range of dishes and tons of selection.

Cass Finlayson

Tend to go here during the day, on a weekday and it’s never very busy which is nice. However service isn’t exactly great considering they aren’t run off their feet.. food on the other hand has never failed!

Jackson McNaughton

Great! Food was great, we had the all you can eat ribs and they were great. Alex looked after us, and had good chat, was engaging and gave good service.

Phoebe

The food was Wonderful , great and friendly services from Kayleigh, she’s help lot. The strawberry pot dessert was very very nice! We will come back!

Claudia Flintham

Wonderful service from Kristine! Very quick service and the market fish was so delicious. Would definitely come back for dinner soon. Thank you Kristine :)

Gavin

Great service and friendly communicating waitress Emma - really enjoyed it thanx. Really nice atmosphere and good idea with outdoor and indoor aspect.

Carey Urlich

Came for a work function and arrived early so was seated alone. My waitress Emmy made me feel very welcome and not like a loser. Also the food was delicious and well priced!

Andrea Dasha Tauai

What an experience!! Kristine was fan-freaking-tastic! She was accommodating and had a great sense of humor! I would gladly come back if Kristine is serving us again 😊 but you are not losing out if you dont because all staff are cool as a cucumber! Also Nick is a bloody good barman!! You da best Nick!

Abbie Grocott

Angela was so welcoming and knowledgeable. She has great customer service skills! Highly recommend the food and the service. Thanks guys!!!!

Mitch Richmond

Really enjoyed my experience with elephant wrestler! Nikita was kind enough to ask me about my option with my unlimited ribs! All staff was awesome!

Courtney

Had an awesome time here. Friendly, accommodating and lovely staff. Drinks were cold, food was delicious and service was awesome. Kristine our server was lovely, really appreciated her service. 100% recommend Elephant Wrestler as an excellent establishment.

Bex Evans

went for a friends birthday, enjoyed it alot!! kristine was amazing! super attentive and lovely. she ensured that our large group was well catered for.

Jed Bradley

Had a great dinner here, loved the half price mains option so much I got two! Atmosphere was great for a Tuesday night with gas fire on at front, and our waitress Adele was the absolute best A++ service and went above and beyond

Andrew

Great night out. Our waitress was awesome. Really friendly and great service. Food was excellent and fantastic venue. Will definitely be back. Cheers

Saish Dharvotkar

This place had amazing venue, would love to come back and check it out during the day! We ordered the hand pulled lamb pizza and crispy duck fat agria. The pizza was just amazing, the crust was so soft and the toppings just mixed together so well. The crispy duck fat agria was a bit salty but that’s ok, the pizza definitely stole the show! Would love to come back again :)

Babylou De Vega

We made a late night dinner and our night was terrific and the food was so good. NAT the waitress was quick and very attentive in serving us. Plus it was our first time and definitely will come back.

Brendon Deacon

Had as great meal with six of us having their new shared platter, food was awesome and we all left very full. We had great service from our waiter Alex :)

Tara Cudby

Thanks for a great Sunday arvo!! We did a last minute booking for around 12 adults and 5 kids and it was no hassle at all. The food was great and the service from Adele was fantastic. Nothing was a problem...will definitely be back

D A Peel

I had a huge fish and chips lunch served by the wonderful Adele. She said 'hello', 'rumour has it' you're after something to eat. 'All I ask' is for a nice meal at a good price. 'Turning tables' on me, she said she could 'remedy' that with a meal so good it would make the 'skyfall'. When the meal arrived I asked for sauce, she said 'take it all'. Adele, the 'one and only', served us with the 'sweetest devotion', I just hope I can find 'someone like you' wherever I go. Now if that's not worth a $10 reward, I don't know what is!

Food_adikt

it's a great place to grab a drink after work. We had ribs and spicy chicken wings. Ribs were good and big portions. Very disappointed with spicy wings. Seems to have some honey soy coating. We had the chocolate mouse with chocolate soil and that was Amazing. We had chai latte with that. Disappointing as it was just milk with a sprinkling of the spice mix on the top. Service was hit and miss. We waited at least 20mins for our second order of ribs and then our chai didn't come to us for another 20mibs. Overall, this place is a hit and miss with food and service. Recommend for after work drinks.

Kian Jazayeri

very good service and very good food! Had the banquet meal, it was very delicious. waitress Alex was freindly and helpful, would come again.

Nathan Russel

Great night, food was great and service from Charlotte and Amy was exceptional. Highly recommend the lamb roti wrap paired with a Heineken!!.

Henrychennz25

Nice food and good atmosphere. Great service. Alex was awesome and very welcoming. Our regular spot. Great place for watching sports with all the big screens.

Emma Wood

Alex recommended an exceptional beer choice and for that i am grateful. She brought stability when there was unrest. Our lives will never be the same. Xoxo Gossip girl

Geoff Ngataierua

Great service tonight. The meals were tasty and the food was excellent. A big thanks to our waitress, Annabel for providing great service as well. Thanks!

Sammi Skelton

The food was mint. Really really pleased with the service we received from Annabel! She is featured in my cute photo! Super super impressed with the vegan/vegetarian/gluten free menu. Thumb up to you 👍🏽

Saskia Halleen

Of the half dozen or so times I have been here this place has been consistantly really good. Even on Saturday (St Patrick's Day) all of the staff were friendly; despite there being quite a few drunken idiots even the door staff were lovely and professional. We did not order food this time but all the other times we have and it's always great. There was surprisingly little wait time at the bar despite the crowd and we had a wonderful time enjoying the band. Later that night they even supplied free bottles of Pump water to patrons, which I thought was a really cool idea. Fantastic night!

Jackson Munn

We went here for the pub quiz, we were served by this amazing waitress Alex! We had so much fun, and loved the food, drinks and staff that we went back again, and plan on making it a weekly event! They even managed to create a pizza to cater for my vegan needs 👌

Abbas Al-Murrani

Read the negative comments about service related elements (waiting times, staff etc)...not going to lie - some truth. But when that duck waddled over to our table - game over. 10/10 would duck again.

Neelam Chandra

What an amazing night here. The service was phenomenal..the waitress who served us was so attentive and extremely friendly from the get go. The ambience is a 5/5 and the layout outside is beautiful. The food was delicious! The steak was seasoned and cooked to perfection and the bearnaise sauce was to die for. The chicken dish was my absolute fave. The jus was amazing and all the components married so well together. Would definately be back

Kent Smith

Had a great night out with a large group of friends for the weekly quiz. Our waitress, Alex, had all our orders covered. Happy, helpful and considerate of our varying needs with a good dose of humour.

I_like_pickles

The dining space is welcoming and cosy. I like the lights amongst the lush greenery. The lights give off a lovely mood just as the sun starts to set. In my opinion I think the food is a tad over priced for what it is. At nearly $90 I would have expected a bit more in their jumbo combo. The jumbo was more like an extra large main with 2-3 extra sides. The meat was a bit dry but they were very generous with their variety of sauces, which was nice. The sides weren't overly large helpings either. The slice of tomato on top of the salad greens which pretty much the only slice of tomato. The sautéed mushrooms where limp and lifeless like it had the mushroom cooked out of it. I didn't really think it was worth the $90. In Auckland there are plenty of eateries where you could better spend $90 and get a real bang for your buck. I do like how they have the crackling with their roasted pork though.

Bruce Davey

Great menu selection with very tasty sharing platters plus a great selection of beers. Plus the service was impeccable. Attended the location on a quiet Thursday evening. Quiet due to the poor weather. On this account we were expecting something spectacular as the kitchen was not at all busy. Tasting platters were good. However the meal I received of Sirloin (rare) and duck fat roasted potatoes was not as expected. The potatoes were not crispy, in fact they might as well have been boiled potatoes. Now although the steak was cooked rare as ordered, the fat was not rendered and therefore had to be removed from the cut. If another meal had been ordered I'm sure the outcome of my visit would have been better.

Anna

Oh GOD yes. Went to this place on a date, completely random choice. Honestly paid barely any attention to the dude because the food had me way distracted. So delicious, would go here again and again. Great service, reasonably priced, good drink choices, what more can you want.

Aman

Went here for my birthday it was such fast and efficient service and at good prices love going here and they cater really well to special dietary requirements

Vivian C

I had bookmarked this place for a while, and it certainly didn't disappoint. I ordered the panko crumbed fish and chips while my friends ordered the penne ziti, classic beef burger and seasoned wedges all from the $15.90 lunch express menu. Despite it not being particularly busy on a Monday noon, we had around a 25-30 minute wait time, which was understandable considering we had ordered five dishes. The crumb on the fish was light and crunchy with a good portion size. Also got feedback from my friends that their dishes were lovely too. Great ambience and amazing service was definitely a highlight.

Phillip Van Rensburg

Elephant Wrestler was recommend by a colleague at work, I was impressed by her description if the place so I ended up going. I was seriously impressed by the food. Had the classic burger and it was great! I will be going back.

Michael Huges

The food is absolutely seasoned and delicious here !! Good portions too and the chips were fluffy in the middle . Great customer service and wonderful atmosphere would recommend to all

Manu

Came here with a couple of mates for a catch up meal and drinks. Food was good, service was good. Ambience was great and the live music was great too.

KG

Recently went here with work collegues for part of our mid year function. There was 15 + of us with two shared platters. I'm not going to lie when the platters came out i was like dang that aint going to fed us all.. little did I know we werent even able to finish it all off! The food was great. The atmosphere and customer service was equally great. Highly recommend coming here!

Morgaaaan

Came here in the weekend with a group of 10-15. The service was great, food was great. Rugby was on so probably added to the atmosphere. We ordered multiple drinks and cocktails, all delicious. They bring the eftpos machine to the table so you don't even need to leave your seat. Only negative point is I was contacted about 3 times prior to this night to go over various things (platters, specials etc). I see how they are trying to go the extra mile and make sure everything is perfect for when we arrived, but I'm the kind of person that if I need something I'll let ya know!

FoodieBeast

Been to this place a few times. Always a great place to either chill during the day or come in on the weekend and have some drinks. Great food. Great service. No reason why I wouldn't recommend it or give them 5 stars

Tan.ned

Good pizza 8) and they were more than happy enough to exchange the pizza cz I found it too spicy. Would recommend! :D great service, good vibes Really nice small dishes too

Grainne

have just cleaned out my bag and found the review card even though it was from March I still wanted to share our experience as we had celebrated my daughter's 21st and the food was great with good sized meals , Gemma our wait staff couldn't have made our night any better if she tried. there was a small hiccup with our bill but the duty manager amended it with no fuss I would recommend this restaurant to anyone.

Angela King

l went there with friends for dinner. Food was ok and it took a long time to be serviced after we entered this bar. We asked a waiter in the bar counter about getting a menu, however, we still had to wait for ten more minutes. We were unhappy about the long wait.

Imperius Malekith

Went here for a friend's birthday dinner. Really disappointing. Below average customer service from the waitresses, food and drinks are very expensive, we ordered the elephant for $86, and it was basically a plate of fast food that you could order from a drive through for $20, tasted bad and really unhealthy. I am definitely not going back, there are plenty of other nice restaurants in Takapuna.

Seamus M.

Very spacious restaurant with calm cute deco. I ordered a burger and salad. Salad is great portions except it wasn't worth $25. The burger was average but the Fries were nice. Service was good, the staff were very kind!

Vsus699

Great service!!!! Adrien our waiter really made it an enjoyable and fun experience. Very attentive and helpful!! Great place for snacks and drinks.

Nick The Greek

Great beer garden and casual atmosphere. Have been here a number of times and the food is consistently good and a good range of specials keeps the menu interesting. Wide selection of beers and ciders to choose from.

Vanessa Gao

Went here for a work Xmas lunch, very nice atmosphere when sitting in the court with the open roof. The portions of their food is large however the food I ordered was a bit disappointing. I got the blue black salad which sounded amazing on the menu but when it arrived it was just these big salad leaves with lots of cheese beans and two slabs of pork patty. The meat was dry and difficult to eat and the salad want mixed very well. Felt like it was all just chucked together. I didn't finish the whole salad just the meat and the strawberries. Next I had was the coconut pana cotta was also average. It wasn't silky and felt like it had been made in just your average cup. Presentation was great but flavours were ok. The pana cotta was thick and I felt like I was eating coconut jelly from a Chinese yum Cha. If you are eating here definitely order the burger or pizzas they seem more with the money, but portion wise are super big so be ready to eat a lot.

Yvonne Hoskins

The food was fabulous - everyone in our group of 14 thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of the meal. The service from Alex was top class too. Thanks for a great evening, will recommend to others. Will definitely come again.

Alice_D

Had an awesome meal here tonight, staff were lovely, fast service- and food was awesome, especially the salt and pepper squid. Will definitely be back again!

Roni Ramone

This place has an absolutely superb veggie burger, delicious chips with seasoning, and friendly service and decent wine for a reasonable price and good specials. I'm going to be thinking about that burger for a long time

Kelly Manning

A great place for drinks and dinner - although it can get a bit over crowded & noisy with drinkers when you want a relaxing dinner experience - depending on the time of night, I guess. Lovely food, however. And generally friendly staff and quick service too.

Jonathan Hoh

Great time with my wife! Had 2 amazing steaks and was served by a very bubbly Gemma. I highly recommend this place to all ages! I hear that they have a kid's event too which is great!

Heidi M

Been here twice last time I went here I ordered a few platters they where quiet good, quiet a few drink options. Modernish cafe usually has quiet a nice atmosphere and sometimes they have bands playing.

Greg Brown

Great place to go for a drink. It's not a place I would suggest for lunch or dinner, it's more pub food to have with a drink. Go if thirsty but not if hungry.

Sheryl Constable

We were up in Auckland staying in Taka and popped into the E-Wrestler for dinner and some drinks. We had been here a few times in the past and have always thought the place has had a great vibe, always seems to be pumping, especially in the summer and has a great range of tap beersies. Sometimes we felt a bit rushed but hey, you got yourselves a busy business going on there. This time though, we were served by a young British girl called Laura (I'm sorry I don't know her last name), and she was so lovely. Very chatty, nothing was too much trouble and she genuinely took an interest in her customers. This girl is definitely a great addition to the staff at your restaurant. Suffice to say, its unfortunate there aren't more people in the hospo industry like Laura - this ones a keeper :-)

Sarah

Hey guys, came in last week with my husband. Had the lamb pizza, Mikky told us to get it & it was amazing. We will be coming back for sure!

Peter Leathley

As my local I always enjoy the wrestler and am always looked after really well by the team. Gemma inparticular looks after me, She is awesome and always brightens my day!

Lola Crate

Went here for a meal a few nights back, we weren't planning on getting much food but we were so delighted by the menu and staff that we ended up indulging! Met this lovely lady called Mickey who was a great talker and really boosted the energy and made our night a memorable one! Will defiantly be back, might even be our Friday night wine night location to get us through the winter blues

Arlena Teiho

My local bar from my house. Always wonderful vibe when I walk in, and the staff are all welcoming, and have great service. Extra credit to Mikki, one of the bar staff who are always make time for a chat as I am always in. Always recommend friends to come here to catch up.

Adamfricker70

Becoming a regular for us lately. Love the atmosphere and food and the staff are great. Mikki always makes us welcome, #superstar Recommend the beer + pizza happy hour deal!

Peter Wakely

Love this place for the Friday night catch up with the boys. Couple of quiets and watch the rugby. Very friendly staff especially Mickey (or was that Ricki / Vicki ???) Great food too.

Bree Atherfold

I have been here a few times and will continue to come back, the atmosphere is perfect for small or large gatherings, dinner, drinks or both. The service was great, and food came out quickly. I would recommend the Thai beef noodle salad.

Siu Ling Kuan

Went there for a staff dinner and the staff there was accommodating and friendly. Kain and his crew were helpful as we changed our minds a few times. the food came out quickly and the cocktails were yum! I had a fruit cocktail with pimps made by Kain and it was delicious! Great atmosphere and good to have the outside courtyard as a non-smoking area. The food serving is always generous, yummy food and the chips are to die for! Looking forward to another staff gathering again!

Kayla McMinn

Use to come here for a drink on a Thursday night, although a causal drink was alright before 7pm after that it became crowded and very loud. Drinks were spilt everywhere and no staff cared when I told them. Bathrooms were disgusting and full of people downing alcohol they had snuck in.

Callum MacEwan

Katie and her team always make sure the outing is a great one. The extensive menu, great ambience and outdoor area make this the ideal location for any event. The highly trained and friendly staff are a pleasure to visit.

Shannon Stensness

Have probably been here about 10 times for drinks because it has a great atmosphere but this was the first time we ordered snacks and every single dish was disappointing.

Love Elephant Wrestler. In fact I'm in there several times a week - the food and friendly staff never fail to impress. Thanks Gemma for looking after us so well today. BTW - the pork dumplings are to die for!!! See you next week guys!!

Rawinia Buchanan

Love it here at the Elephant Wrestler!!! Such friendly staff and great meals!! Thank you to Gemma who was in our area and came back and checked on us right throughout the night!!

Mark Mackenzie

This is our local pub and they always give us fast and friendly service. Big shout out to Mikki who always looks after us when we go there!

Patrícia Costa

This is a great place with a very good atmosphere. The food is delicious and the portions good sized. Every time I have been here the service was wonderful and last time Ellie did a great job.

Michaela Kelly

I actually want to say how impressed I was on Sunday (mother's day) with the service we were provided. I have visited The Elephant Wrestler a number of times but this was only my second time dining there and first time with family. One of the staff (I now know is the owner, Steve) noticed that a couple of us had been squishing up our faces at the smell/taste of our ciders and came to visit our table to check what was wrong with it. I explained that we had ruined the taste by accidentally spraying perfume too close to it. Without hesitation he took the jug away and brought us a new one (we had already drunk nearly half of it too!). Alex, our main waitress for the day also gave us exceptional service. She took the time to chat with my nephew and even got him a plaster to match hers when he mentioned he had a saw thumb. I made this booking for the family and was so glad to have everyone so happy and my brother not have to worry about keeping my nephew entertained as the chilled, friendly atmosphere and excellent customer service did this for him. We had a big group and the end bill was able to be paid however we liked. It makes it so easy when you can be painful and pay with 50 different cards and have the person behind the till make sure that you don’t feel you are being painful, at all. (This is rare!) As a bonus, my nephew dined free as a Mother's day special. Food was also delicious and Lee, doing covers on the guitar was a great touch :)Thanks again

James O'Shea

Great place with a great atmosphere. Welcomed by an awesome bartender Kain, look after us all night and made us some awesome drinks, well done

Emerson Smith

Meet an awesome and cheerful bartender today at the elephant wrester called Kain. Extremely helpful and gave great 5 star service. He is a real asset to there business.

Carl Jackson

This establishment has changed many times but Elephant Wrestler are the god for Taka! Step back and compare drink prices as they measure up well, as do they for food.... Obviously pricing food equivalently makes the battle come down to taste which is great and that's why it's elephant that wins. It's my local. Lany is legit

Kate

I come here on a regular ish basis. Lany is a fantastic waitress - before our glasses are even empty she is back at our table taking our next order so we don't have to line up at the bar. Service is always friendly and an enjoyable experience. Every time I'm in Taka this pace is a must. 10/10!

Hannah-Leigh Stoddart

I have been coming here consistently for about 3 years now, and it has never disappointed me. My most recent visit was on Saturday, I booked a table for dinner and drinks for my birthday. I had the sirloin steak, and it was cooked absolutely beautifully, the chips were amazing as always and all of my guests were completely happy with their meals too. Our waitress, Gemma, was just the best - super friendly and attentive, happy to help us in any way, was perfectly timed when asking if we needed more drinks - remembered what we were drinking even! All in all, I had a fantastic night and I will still be going back for more!

Angela (A Style Collector)

I've been here a few times over the last 2 years but my last experience here wasn't the best. We came during the long Easter weekend and they have the Easter trading rules in place so we had to order a meal each before or we had to leave. It was strange as none of us ordered alcohol but I was told my order of calamari was not substantial enough. The plate was massive and I couldn't even finish it in the end so for the staff to judge what is substantial food for 1 person was annoying. My friends had to order pizza and chips so we could stay. I understand if we ordered alcohol but none of us did but we only had juice. We were too hungry to disagree with the rules so we obliged and got a pizza and chips. Thankfully the pizza was nice and the chips were great. The calamari was average and I've had better. The chips was the winner though because they were so crispy. I wish they had aioli instead of just tomato sauce though but it was still one of the best chips I've had in a while.

Couple Of Cheap Westies

This place is always buzzing and an awesome venue for after work drinks or catch ups. Come late Thursday Friday and Saturday night the place turns into a bit of a "club" but if you're keen for a few drinks after work and some good pub grub this is the place. The wedges are a highlight and from previous experience the salads are amazing too! The cocktails are also a delicious treat, however like always in Auckland a little pricey.

Philip Doyle

The Elephant Wrestler has a fantastic atmosphere which helps you unwind and relax, the outside courtyard always buzzing with activity and the people in pink always very friendly, accommodating, and keen to share a few yarns with us. The food is superb and offers a wide variety at a reasonable price, have never been disappointed. The pizzas are delish, the steaks mouth watering and the burgers on point. It truly is our larger than life local!

Caroline Barrett

I've been here to eat twice this week and both times the meal was lovely but I wouldn't overly rave about the food. However, I do love the atmosphere of this bar - it's always busy and has a lot going on. For social occasions I highly recommend.

Kim

We were there for a hen's night on Saturday with a group of 16 and the service was excellent. Our request to bring in a cake of an objectionable nature was no trouble at all, our table was all set up and looked lovely and the girl that looked after us (sorry I didn't get her name) was amazing! She was very attentive, made great recommendations on what food to go for, and regularly checked up on us for any further needs. I was really impressed and would totally recommend EW to anyone looking for a fun, hassle-free time. Thank you so much for making our bride-to-be's evening so memorable - she didn't want to leave!

Thegreeats

Turned up on Saturday night for dinner and we could get a seat straight away which was lovely Staff was attentive but not very friendly Lady kept prompting us to order drinks and we did not appreciate it. Their chicken poppers were very salty... and magharita pizza was average. Tomato Base sauce tasted like baked bean sauce from super market. Not terrible but for these prices you can find somewhere better in takapuna to eat.

Danielle Jacobs

Friendly staff ,lovely food and at reasonable price, as a tourist I thouroughly enjoyed it and was a good experience,I definitely recommend this restaurant. Will be back.

Mr.G (OFFICIAL)

WOW , WOW WOW WOW. As soon as I walked through their heavenly doors I just knew I was in for a treat. The smiles of the staff were like golden kisses showering me with warmth and comfort. What had I done to have deserved all this I asked myself, after all the last 4 months have been a series of questionable reviews probing into the fragile nature of what is acceptable and what is not in our so governed society, our economic machine uncontrollable by not one man nor woman.... it sure is a thin line we draw ourselves. But this place took me away from all that, all the thoughts and confusions that fog the mind and all the stresses of modern life were for that brief moment that unmeasurable moment, Gone. At last I was free to chill, and chill I did. The food was great and the beer was crisp, cold and gold while the pizza took me to another dimension of taste and all I can think now after such an ecstasy of fulfillment is ... The Elephant Wrestler.. Thank you, I am truly grateful. And I can't wait to go back.

Claudia

I must say this was okay for me. The chicken was good but there's nothing special about it. However!! The fries was to die for, it was battered with beer and the texture was so crunchy as well. Anw i ordered one spicy chicken wings and beer-battered fries. I went to this place bcos of my sister. She lives in akl and she's a big fan of chicken wings so she might have diff opnion abt thechicken wings Stephanie Perwata One thing that stands out about this place is the ambience, i went there at noon and the lighting was so perfect ( to take pics) cause there was direct sunlight ( lots of windows). It was pretty spacey so its perfect to chat there. I would recommend going there at night cos the ambience is perfect if u want to chill while drinking beer

Sam Papworth

Came here for late afternoon/early dinner. We ordered a Tiger beer and a Pimms with lemonade for drinks, then for mains had the Cajun chicken burger and the BBQ pulled pork burger. Drinks were nice - good Pimms to lemonade ratio although no fruit in the drink which was a tiny bit disappointing. Tiger beer was nice as always but definitely overpriced at $11.50. The burgers were pretty much good pub burgers with a slight twist. The chicken burger was done very well and the mango relish was lovely. The pulled pork was really good with a lovely jalapeno relish. Both came with chips which were your average pub-style chips, not amazing but they're not trying to be. Overall we spent $67 which wasn't bad, but we would say overpriced for the 2 burgers and 2 drinks, as well as the standard of food (being pub-style). Service was friendly and the atmosphere was nice being quite quiet when we went.

Mel Jacka

Went for the steak night - it was ok. There wasn't any salad - wasn't given the choice if there is one. Have definitely had better but also definitely had worse. I'd go back and give it another go as I know other food from the menu is pretty tasty!

Jessica Li

My friend and I decided to go to takapuna for dinner. The food here was good but nothing amazing. The service was a bit slow but friendly. I don't think I'll go out of my way to come back here because I just felt like there wasn't really anything super special.

Mark O'Loughlin

Disappointed. Food quality was high but service very slow. Booked stating I was bringing my elderly father. The elderly can't wait an hour for food to arrive. Drinks order took 25 minutes. October-fest too loud, conversation not possible. Kingi and aged eye fillet excellent but cabanara (unsure of spelling) tasteless. 3/10 overall

Carl Ewen

Popped into the Elephant Wrestler with Miss Charlotte Cake a couple of weeks ago, prior to heading to a Zomato Meetup, and was extremely impressed with it. We only had a drink on this visit, I ordered an always awesome Old Mout Passion fruit Cider (I am known to have a bit of a sweet tooth), and Charlotte grabbed a Lemon, Lime and Bitters. The staff were nice and friendly, and the venue itself looked great, and had a good feeling about it. Really nicely laid out and decorated. We perused the menu, and were impressed with the options, and if we hadn't of been heading to dinner elsewhere we would have definitely had a munch. We will certainly be back to sample some of the food on offer!

Miss Charlotte Cake

We came here last night for a quiet drink before a Zomato meetup and I'm so glad we checked it out! The coolest interior I've seen in a wee while. We ordered a Passionfruit Cider and a Lemon, Lime and Bitters (which admittedly was super sweet, but still nice). While there, we of course checked out the menu and will definitely be heading back to try out the food. The shared platters looked delicious and they serve popcorn chicken and really yummy looking pizzas (the tandoori chicken caught my eye). I love the decor and thought it would be the perfect place for a staff party or large get together as it's pretty roomy inside.

Lily

Amazing cosmopolitan and vodka martini. I loved it. You might also like to have the big dish wedges. It's really big and delicious. Not good for talking. A bit loud. It has security and it feels safe.

Elizabeth Pondling

I honestly cannot count how many times i've eaten here! I love it here!I don't think i have ever had a "bad" experience here! The Cesar salad is to die for! And the pizzas are also delicious! Highly recommend, especially in the summer!! Happy customer :)

Louise

Great lunch here. Tried the souvlaki lamb, really nice. Good service, staff are friendly. Also Went a couple of weeks back for steak dinner, although a bit pricey was worth it. Steak & garlic mash Delish. You won't go wrong here for lunch or dinner.

Xtina Cassidy

Great Atmosphere, great food, love hanging out with people at this awesome bar. None of the other bars around Takapuna come up to par with this place.

Maia Churichkova

Used to be quite busy but looks like it's less so these days. The food is pretty much your average pub food - except priced quite a bit higher. It isn't necessarily bad but definitely nothing amazing. Okay place for a few drinks.

Mariajosemvw

Really nice place, to have a drink and enjoy with friends. We do not order anything to eat because we had dined at another place but I saw some dishes and they look really delicious. I must come back to try it definitely. The atmosphere was really nice I love it.

Aimee Young

We love coming here and being that it is nowhere near where we live that's saying something. Great menu, lots of choice, great seating options with indoor & outdoor, booths & tables. Food for us has always been good and quick service too. We recently had the squid, pulled lamb burger, chicken salad and a kids Hawaiian pizza, all were very tasty and enjoyed by all. We will be back again and again!

Justine Doody

Been here many times for drinks but decided to try it for dinner last night. Came with 3 friends and we got the $80 platter to share (can't remember the name) that came with about 7 or 8 different things. The arancini balls (the highlight) , wontons, corn fritters, squid, meatballs and chicken nibbles were all amazingly tasty. The only let down was the nachos which didn't have enough mince and the popcorn chicken was a little dry. It fed all 4 of us to be completely full so was great value for money. The drinks on the other hand are a little pricy, but i guess it is a nice location. Staff are generally always really good and friendly and can offer advice on menu items. I will definetly be back to try some of your other food items soon :)

Joe Ram

Great place to meet up for a drink or two and and the food is tasty however it is a bit pricey and the menu is kind of boring. The staff are always friendly.

WeiTing Ashley Shyu

The Elephant Wrestler is a versatile restaurant good for almost any occasion: catch ups, events, dinners and romantic evenings. The food is pretty good with decent portions yet some of the items on the menu CAN be pricey; it's not so memorable either. For my birthday, I got a fish dinner which was good but not GREAT. It's a nice spacious area to dine every now and then with a nice vibe. Environment definitely adds some stars to the restaurant. Only reason for lack of stars is because on my birthday, I had a very rude waiter - we all could not believe how blatantly RUDE and impatient she was. If it weren't for the staff and price, it would have been maybe a 4 or 5. I just don't understand bad service as it really puts me off my food. Bartenders are lovely, just a few of the wait staff need to learn to have manners.

Lisa Whyte

Went here for a work function with 6 people and loved it. The service was super friendly and attentive. The food was well cooked and portion sizes are slightly larger than expected but not complaining. Would defiantly eat here again and have recommended it to people too.

@KeraBearEats

People kept telling me to go, perhaps that is why I had such high expectations. But even if I didn't, my experience wasn't that great. I liked the decor most of all. There is a lot of pink, but it's not "girly" or feminine. Nice atmosphere, not too loud, and the seating areas are nice and comfy. My issue was with the food. The items are pricey, pricier than I would expect from a pub. I ordered a salad with chicken, and while there were plenty of greens on my plate, the chicken was quite dry. The chicken was a breast cut that had several incisions in the meat which I suspect was to help it cook faster, but as I said, it was dry so I figured it was overcooked. For a restaurant (or rather gastro pub) I expect better, the incisions are what I do at home after a busy day and I'm too tired to spend my timing cooking. Smoked chicken might have been a better choice. Despite my negative response regarding the food, I'm not going to penalise this place too much for that. The waiter did come by to check on my food, but because I didn't complain and get this rectified, it wouldn't be fair to do so. I was extremely hungry at the time and I just needed food, and I didn't want to wait to have my meal replaced. On the other hand, chicken shouldn't be dry in the first place. To leave on a positive note, the staff were lovely and attentive. I'll come back sometime and try something else next time.

Cazza Holland

Nice atmosphere but a bit pricey on the drinks front. Food is to a high standard for pub grub and compared to the drinks you get quite a lot for your money. I expected the portions to be small and way over ordered but was stroll nice to try a few different things

Tami T

This place is lovely for a few drinks with friends! Great staff and great vibes! The food doesn't disappoint either! I've enjoyed all of their burgers! Very gourmet, very tasty and extremely satisfying!

Ruben O'Connell

awesome place to go for a few drinks and nibbles after work.the outside area with the open roof and TV's is perfect for when the game is on.large rage of things to drink. lots of beer on tap.good vibe and friendly staff.

NYNB

Great place over the bridge on the shore to grab a drink (slightly pricey) and a bite or even a meal! Friends and I headed here for a girls night out after we decided it wasn't worth waiting over an hour to get into the Massimo beach party. It was the perfect choice, it wasn't too busy for a Sunday Night (Auckland Anniversary weekend) and the staff was friendly. We ordered some nibbles, fries and wedges and a few beers, glasses of wine and a jug of cider. To be fair I only ordered the wedges, which for about $15 including the whole she-bang (bacon, cheese, sour cream and sweet chilli sauce) I was beyond stuffed - even whilst sharing with a friend! Perfect for sobering you up too! The cider seemed fairly expensive at $30/jug but I don't usually order it so I'm only basing it from what my friends said. The venue is amazing, a huge outdoor - indoor seating area with massive benches and tables with random knick knacks lying around (eg the cowboy hats); great for smokers as it's still technically covered and inside but with a huge open ceiling! I love this place and will definitely come back as soon as I can to sample the drink menu and some of their more sophisticated meals on the menu! I highly recommend :)

Chris Conner

Great location. Good price on beer given the location. Food was awful - worst pizza we've ever had. Salad had flavorless dressing and the chicken was bone dry. Go for a beer and the scene, avoid the menu.

Davin Dunthorne

Me and a friend decided on eating here after a surf out west. If you thought it to be a nice venue to eat at, well, at least you are only half way mistaken. The staff were friendly and attentive, but perhaps the latter was because of the slow rate of patronage for one of the few places open on a beautiful evening in Auckland. The place has a nice feel to it, especially the outdoor area where I believe a majority of kiwi folk choose to enjoy their meals. While the original motivation for eating out here was that we knew they had Monteith's Summer Ale on tap that was the best point to the meal that we ordered. After a browse of the menu it was decided we would dine on a the steak sandwich, cooked medium rare with a side of fries. Waiting with anticipation for the meal to come our stomachs hungry after spending hours being smashed by five foot waves. After a prompt service, I was presented with a plate of disappointment. When you order something like this your mind pictures a nice bread lightly toasted and warm, plenty of sauce, fine fillings and the steak cooked so it's nice and pink then sliced to fill. The reality of The Elephant Wrestler's steak sandwich was an overly toasted small baguette with chunks of steak still blue in spots with off the shelf budget mustard and soggy warm tomatoes lathered in bad qaulity melted cheese then sprinkled with packeted lettuce on top. It was so dry and tasteless that it took a lathering of tomato sauce to make it edible. I would describe that sandwich as a farce; especially at $20.90. Would only reccommend if they are after something to fill a hole and pay restraunt prices for over toasted sandwich that a gas station could probably do better.

Eli A

Went there a wee while back - cool place!!! Great to sit outside in summer with a cold drink and some lovely tapas to nibble on, especially their arancini.

Ulrich Frerk

The outside is very inviting, the inside is great with the awesome sun deck and great staff to welcome you. But that stops there. The food is average. There is no heart or soul in the food. It's lacking taste and love. The lamb was so over cooked, the calamari was tough.. The best thing of the day was the beer.

Lochbuie

We have been to the Elephant Wrestler before and, it being a sunny day, decided to try their Sunday lunch special of Beach Picnic Fish & Chips ($15). We were seated on the balcony outside the internal courtyard, and were quickly served an iced bottle of water and a glass with ice cubes. The meal was delivered wrapped in newsprint, just like the old days, and was enormous. The Kingfish fillet was large, moist, and encased in an old-style batter. The serving of chips was ample, and there was a surprise bonus of deep fried mussels and spicy corn fritter balls. The service was great. This is a great deal for a Sunday lunch, but with many appetising options on the menu, we intend to visit again.

Yvonne Bocxe

I went out tonight for a farewell dinner. The service was excellent, nice and quick but not at all pushy... The soup of the day was a tomato soup, very yummy and creamy,. I had a Sirloin steak, which was absolutely delicious, The chunky fries, roasted tomatos and side of salad, all perfect! My companions had a variety of dishes, everyone said "I'll be back for sure". Good variation of drinks and desserts.

Michelle

Won't be returning here. The winter salad was bland at best, saved only by beautifully cooked salmon. Staff aren't particularly professional, had to wait ten minutes to have starter plates cleared, no finger bowl given for chicken wings and had to ask for cutlery for my main. Seating arrangements are bizarre and make the atmosphere slightly uncomfortable. All in all very disappointed by another glorified pub.

Sam Smith

Booked a table for 2 for my two year anniversary with my partner. Loved everything about this place! The lovely waitresses who constantly made us feel we were important throughout our meal was great!! The atmosphere in this restaurant is delightful!!! My only grudge is that I pre-booked a table for 2 and I can easily say we were given the worst seat in the house! :'( I pre-booked so that we would A) Have a table and B) have a table that isn't in the walk way for food service or people walking through in general. Was a little disappointed with this. Other wise... my time here was well spent and I would recommend eating here to any of my family and friends!! Great work!

Bethany

Came in for a special steak on the Tuesday night. What a deal! The steak was huge and well cooked. Loved the drinks menu - I had a special coffee which was delicious! The night was topped off with friendly staff who were attentive. Only downside was we were sat outside with the smokers because they were so busy - we will definitely book next time!

Sam Louw Biagio

I love the Elephant Wrestler! It has a great atmosphere and the food is delicious. The staff were all very friendly and happy to switch on the heaters when it got a bit chilly! Will be back!

Trayc C

This place is amazing! Sliders, gnocchi, pizza everything is so good. Lovely staff, awesome outdoor area and some nice live music. Would be in my top 3 of places to drink and eat in Taka. Have had many birthdays and get togethers here and always had a ball. Admit I miss the copper room but these guys replacing it made this just as awesome!

Heather

I totally agree with Alice. My neighbours and I practically live at the place! We've probably sat at every table, tested every night and had everything on the menu. I've taken my parents who thought it a great place. My only disappointment recently - went for lunch with the girls - didn't need the menu until the lovely waitress advised it was a new menu and NO MORE CAESAR SALAD WRAP!!!! - what the! seriously everything great and will always be back no matter what the menu. Thanks The Wrestler as you truly are our local (can the wrap come back next winter??). Heather

Alice Rump

Really have no clue what half these people are on about ??!! This had been my go to place since it opened, wether it's a meeting , birthday , girls night out, romantic night , a family dinner or a couple drinks that turn into a roudy night thanks to the amazing staff , live music or dj or the great atmosphere !! 10 out of 10 don't listen to all the bad reviews ... Mistakes happen so many great memories here thanks elephant wrestler !!

Linda

We were really looking forward to eating out as a celebration, the teens recommended this place as one had been there before. I chose to over look the reviews as it was their celebration. A big mistake. We made a booking, so they knew there would be five adults. But we were put at a booth like table where one person had to to be seated out in the traffic line...getting bumped each time customers or staff went by. The menu looked good, though when my meal was delivered. The steak was on a board and as the lady leant to place it...bearing in mind there was little room. She tilted the board and the meat juices ran all down my jacket and jeans. The steak was beautiful, the rest of the meal was pretty average. The cost of the desserts was astronomical ..... Sadly we were very disappointed and I would say we are not hard to please. With a little more attention this place could be great...and really five adults cannot be seated at such a small table. We even had to take all the condiments and flowers off the table to have room for drinks and food. I did mention the food spillage to the young lady on the front desk when she asked if we had enjoyed our meal. Her reply was..oh ok.

Tanya Bentley

I really wanted to post a review as our meals were so horrible from this place I felt it was just. I ordered a Roquette salad which cost me $18.90 and I was expecting it to have pears in it, which it did, soft mushy tinned ones! Being the middle of Winter it is ample Pear season and I did not see why they used tinned, it was a poor substitute, and the rest of the salad let it down also, consisting mainly of rocket, a few sparse bits of blue cheese and a sprinkling of Walnuts. My partner and I were to share our meals, of which he ordered the Truffled mushroom risotto, the only reason he ate it was because he was hungry. It looked like a heart attack on a plate! If you are a meat eater your set the rest of our table liked their steaks and scallops, but come on guys, a lot of people like vegetarian these days, your menu is poorly apt and then the meals themselves well it says it all above

Wanderlust

Oh my gosh you guys have the worst reviews on here !! But I persevered. And it was great!!! We went on a Sunday night and it was still pretty busy!! The staff were great! We found them hilarious and very attentive. As soon as we finished something they helped us with our next choice and were really kind and not invasive. This place looks great just to go for a beer but then I don't know how anyone would resist the huge menu. There were couples, groups of blokes, families and people on their own. It is clearly a gastropub, so you should expect that. We got a bit of everything and it was good. Price good too. Overall we thought it was great ! We will def come again for some pub grub

Kay Baker

We went to this restaurant and bar for the first time last week and have decided to write a review because we were very impressed with the food and service. We didn't have a reservation but were welcomed in and seated in a cosy, comfortable corner. The staff were very attentive and organised. We ordered the large fish and chips and a beef burger - both huge portions and very scrumptious. We will definitely be recommending this restaurant and visiting again. Thanks for the great night!

Rohit R

Had a great time at the Elephant Wrestler-really liked the courtyard setting specially as it was nice and sunny day. Our waitress was charming and bubbly - our orders were promptly taken and the drinks came soon after. One of the beers was wrongly ordered however our waitress replaced it without hesitation. Found it a bit on the pricey side however the food was fabulous - though it was a bit of a wait but then it seemed quiet busy with al the tables occupied with people. The beef carving board we shared was worth the wait looked amazing -and the portions were generous - loved the peppery mash potato that came along with the dish. Amy had the Sunday roast which she said was really satisfying. Most of all really enjoyed the atmosphere. Would certainly be back soon.

Amra Blanchett

We went there last Saturday for a lunch to celebrate my mother in law's birthday. The outdoor area setting was lovely, beautiful weather, fairly pleasant but not very attentive staff. The total let down was my overpriced ($22) Baby spinach salad with grilled marino lamb. Instead of grilled marino lamb I was served with sliced pieces of old lamb roast doused with bitter tasting very unpleasant gravy. I could not finish it , sent two third of my meal back and quietly asked waiters to pass my message to the cook that this is not grilled marino lamb. She looked at me like she didn't understand (or didn't care ) what I'm talking about at all. Very very disappointing. That was my fourth and last visit to the Elephant Wrestler.

Ora Lima-Jose-Hovell

The restaurant looked lovely, the outside area was nice, and the location ideal, however the service myself and friends have received on an ongoing basis has been appalling, our table had no cutlery to begin with, and it was an effort to get the waitresses' attention to bring us some (after already asking her when we received out meals). We weren't offered drinks, our table wasnt given any water, and after sometime without service, finally having to walk up to the counter and ask a waitress to bring us some (while chatting away to two other employees). The amount we paid for the "handful" of chips was daylight robbery, and the dessert (selection of ice creams) tasted almost crystallized, and tasteless...Was not happy, have been here a few times now with different friends (not by choice) and each time feel like I have wasted my money, and let down with both food and the shocking service. If I could give this place a zero I probably would.

Peter McGeehan

My friend and I visited the Elephant Wrestler on Sunday night and while the staff were friendly and the atmosphere reasonably good, our experience was not. Our waitress was well presented and friendly, however was quite incompetent having to be asked a few times about basic items like cutlery, side plates (for bread), and sugar (for coffee). However, this is minor compared to the main meals. I ordered the miso pork belly and my friend ordered the rump steak. When the dishes came out they both had great presentation, however from here, everything goes terribly wrong! The taste was terrible. The pork belly was overcooked, dry and very tough. The steak was tough and tasted purely of charcoal!! We were both extremely disappointed.

Briony Medhurst

My family and I decided to go to the Elephant Wrestler on Sunday night and had a really lovely meal. The Sunday roast special was cooked perfectly and the service from the waitresses and bar staff was good. However we found the maitre d' to be rude and unprofessional because she spent most of the time we were there talking loudly and inappropriately with other staff members. It was disappointing and ruined the otherwise lovely atmosphere.

Tracey

After a great afternoon at the beach we decided to treat ourselves to a beer and fish and chips. We choose The Elephant Wrestler over the others on the strip because of the decor, ambience, menu and there was a good vibe going on (it was busy). The service was fine. We paid $20 & $26 for a small and large fish and chips, pretty pricey but we had high expectations. We were sadly very disappointed :-(. The fish portions were very small and the batter oily and overcooked, the chips were average quality and the coleslaw inedible, it was quiet frankly just horrible and looked old. The staff didnt ask us if we enjoyed our meal, if they had I would have told them what Im now writing here. We would go back for a drink but not to eat, plenty of others in the area to choose from for that.

Andrew Jujnovich

Poor service lets a great location down. I really want to like this place , I love the layout the location etc.. I keep going back time and time again ( work lunches \ social drinks etc ) The food is ok and fairly priced but the staff and their service is sub par and it frustrates me that is I keep spending my money there. I feel like staff behind the bar use it as a social club for young 20 something discussing their plans for the weekend and that customers are a annoyance they must endure to fund their lifestyle. The amount of times I have waited in line at the bar while they skip past myself and others to serve their friends I cant begin to count. If they could sort their staff out they would be on a winner.

NC

Went to the Elephant Wrestler last night with 3 others. The location, atmosphere and decor were all great, and the service was actually pretty good (I was a little surprised given other reviews here). The wine list was good and the size of the meals was "North American". Unfortunately, we all made the mistake of ordering beef and that was where everything fell down. Two ordered the roast beef, one chilli beef salad and one the steak sandwich. The latter was completely inedible - it couldn't even be cut with a knife there was so much gristle! In fairness to them, they replaced the entire meal, although the replacement steak was also quite tough, as was the beef in the salad. The salad was quite tasty, but there were only 3 small tortillas on the plate, not quite what was expected. The roast was let down by undercooked veggies and a cheap cut of meat that lacked any flavour. My learned companion (a butcher of 30+ years) suggested they should use a rolled roast for the meal instead, but clearly they were going for quantity over quality, which is a shame as it's actually a pretty good venue. I would come back, but only to drink.

David Boshier

Great looking bar with quick and engaging service. We both had burgers which were nicely presented and came with well cooked crispy chips. However both burgers were a little dry. Worth a stop if you are walking past.

Jerry

Really lovely place to catch up with friends over a beer or wine. Great burgers!( try the peri-peri)Mum had the fish and chips.. She said was great! Service is bar style, sometimes you need to pop into the bar for a top up. Lovely outdoor area.

Jin Gao

I ordered a grilled chicken caesar salad here. Was very disapointing. The chicken was very dry and there was not enough dressing with salad. Was very expensive for what it was.

Venza Mackie

A bunch of us thought we'd try out the pub quiz here for the first time and I am sorry to say the service was absolutely appalling. The waitresses kept walking past us without attempting to help us find a seat. When we finally got one I had to flag down a waitress to get grab us another chair and the waitress was never seen again. We had to ask for menus and ask to order after waiting at least half an hour each time when the waitresses would walk past us and ignor us, even ignoring the empty plates and not clearing plates when they were doing nothing. One person's wine did not come at all. The two dark haired waitresses were friendly when we did get their attention but one blonde waitress in particular was very rude everytime we asked her for something. Seriously need to provide better service. Waitresses were a nightmare.

Amanda Pain

Food is often okay - I'd go for a pizza or the sliders. The steak sandwich was pretty pathetic - the tiny sliver of steak was completely dwarfed by the two huge chunks of bread. But worst of all was the service. It was a Sunday afternoon and not particularly busy - only a couple of tables occupied outside, not sure about inside. But the waitresses were terrible in spite of not having much to do. Took us a very long time to order drinks from one unhappy waitress and when they didn't come, had to go to the bar to order again. Not good, guys.

Annie Oxborough

Went for Easter to have lunch, wouldn't serve us, waved the waitress, went to the bar, was told to wait to be served, is half an hour to long to wait to even be greeted, so left and went to GPK.... REALLY bad bad service

Shady

We've only had good experiences here, but go here realising that it's foremost function is a pub that serves food, not a restaurant that serves alcohol. Haven't had anything yet that I wouldn't recommend. Deserts are great (and I don't do deserts). Love their pizzas. Wish they would use proper Bacardi rum - not the white rum substitute that so many of the pubs are using now!

Vanessa Coles

We headed here last week for my hubby's birthday. After checking out the reviews it sounded like a good local place to try; Possibly a gastro pub wasn't the wisest choice for a couple closer to 40 than 30 (however we do enjoy a good night out just to be clear), however the music was very loud (it was about 8.30pm), so much so that our friends that joined us declined to stay for dinner as it was simply too loud to have a decent conversation. Given we were on the clock with our babysitter, we decided to stay on and order. We were looking forward to the pork board for two given the great review given here. Having ordered we were somewhat surprised when our meal was delivered, minus the crackling. When we queried this we were advised they had run out which is why we didn't receive any. Given this is an integral part of the dish, I would expect we should have been told this upfront so we had the opportunity to order something else - which we would have - lets face it, pork without the crackling is not that special. They did offer us complimentary wedges or fries, however we said we would prefer a discount off the bill at the end and to be fair they did give us a reasonable discount (wedges and a beer off the bill). Service was on the thin side - we would have ordered another two glasses of wine to have with our meal if anyone had come remotely near us once our meals had been served - it was literally impossible to get anyone's attention. To be honest, we could easily have left without paying and we wouldn't have been missed until we were long gone. Overall, it was ok - I hate to moan - but given these days we don't get a lot of opportunities to dine out, it is disappointing when the basics are not done right.

Pedro Brash

Wife (of 25 years) and I went there and luckily got an outside table. Great ambiance and good service. Being frugal with our money, bought the pizza on special ($10) - couldn't believe how good it was, so we bought another! The enjoyment of a restaurant depends on 3 things - 1/ Value for money (good food at good price) 2/ Good service (not just looked upon as a walking wallet) 3/ Good company seated with you The Elephant Wrestler (weird name) delivered a 10/10 for us both - well done! Will be back!

Alan Dufty

I went last night - 6 of us and really enjoyed it. When arriving things were a little slow. We had to go get our own drinks. As the night went on 1 waiter was great and our other not so good. However the food rocked. You must try the Pork board for 2! We were the envy of the table. Its was sublime - perfect crackling and beautifully cooked loin with a lovely jus. We had it with the apple and fennel slaw which was the perfect compliment. Def. going back for it again. And so are the others that were with us and didn't get it....

Stephanie Bailey

Family of four looking for a mid week dinner, this looked perfect. Sat outside, excellent ambience, well spaced tables, good atmosphere. BUT, after a 10minute wait, had to go to the desk to ask for a waitress and menus. After another 10 mins, flagged down a waitress so we could order drinks. And they took another 10mins. Specials menu was not explained, food ok but expected more than Rocket and 1/2 tomato as the salad with Fish and Chips. No we wont be going back there.

Staples

The food was disappointing. My hamburger was made up of a rather stale ciabatta bun and a processed patty which claimed to be angus beef, but tasted more like plastic. The burger looked impressive, but was difficult to eat, and not worth the effort. The outdoor area was nice, but wasn't enough to make up for the lousy, expensive hamburger.

PAM WILKINSON

We took overseas visitors there for lunch before a rugby game and have to say the food was good but unfortunately we were given the incorrect bottle of wine and unfortunately this was not picked up by the person who had ordered it until we were half way thru the bottle then one of our guests ordered a glass of sauvignon blanc but was given chardonnay instead. Really need to hire a barman who can read!!

Gingerandgarlic

Went to check out this new bar last nite in Takapuna before heading elsewhere to watch the rugby ...well we didn't leave it was fab great food probably the best steak I've had in Auckland and the French rugby players sitting at the table by us we watched the rugby in the courtyard great experience to be outside watching TV with the sound on and a really great atmosphere to top it off the game finished and there band started so we stayed and danced the night away awesome night and great venue we have defiantly found our spot to have a night out and watch the world cup thanks elephant wrestler and see you soon

Callum O'Brien

This place is awesome. Went there on a Sunday avo and it was packed. Great outdoor bar area - sun was beaming in and it created a really great atmosphere. We had a few different starters - the chicken skewers, the salt and pepper squid, and the risotto balls - they were all perfect. Another friend in the group had the risotto as a main and she was raving about it. Will definately back at TEW in the near future for a full meal (and a few cold Heinekens!)

Kim Rowell

even though i only went there for SUnday afternoon bevvie with friends, i already know this is going to provide some stiff competition to the ever popular Macs bar down the road. Nicely laid out and spacious inside area, but the outdoor area makes it - will go off in summer! The menu looks awesome, and apparently the risotto balls and are superb! Will definitely be back to further sample the menu, and make the most of the outdoor area!

Foodlover

The food here used to be great. I think the quality has gone downhill a bit in recent times. Still their $15 steaks on Thursdays are very good value. Otherwise the food you get can be on the pricey side for what it is. Essentially good pub food

Dog Eats World

I had fish and chips here as per usual. I really enjoyed the vibe, it's a chilled out place to hang out, the food was fine and the price was reasonable (lunch special if I remember correctly). Woof!

Review The Elephant Wrestler - Takapuna