Enjoyed overall experience, staff were mostly great. Chicken burger lacked flavour but fries and Camembert balls were great
The thing I appreciate about this place is when I ask the chef to swap the rice for mash potato he always does it without a hassle. Food is excellent could change the flavouring of the chicken but otherwise still really good. Really good to utilise their grabone deals. Been there twice now and very happy with it!
The ambience was fabulous. Ordered steak and Cooked to perfection. Friendly staff. Will go back to try other items on menu soon.
Giving this place a 5 star rating. Top of the line customer service from the bartender up to the staff and manager. Food is A ++++ Absolute terrific! Would highly recommend this place
I enjoyed the dinner in the COMMONS night. Staffs were friendly, and recommended the crispy pork belly with apple puree, which was the one of the best pork belly I have tasted in Auckland. Staff also mentioned they are doing BYO promotion on Monday. Good food, and I will go back again.
Great food - awesome burger and steak! Good customer service and good atmosphere in the restaurant - will definitely be back and would recommend!
Good night out - showed waitress app before we ordered to confirm we could use it - waitress fantastic - food good - went to pay and showed app to manager who seemed not impressed - strange maybe he was having a bad day!!!
Atmosphere 5/5
Clean, modern, Spacious yet cosy. Great for a date.
Service 5/5
Exceptional service - the highlight for me.
Food 4/5
Delicious and well presented. Vegetables were slightly too soft and a bit too oily for me.
Overall, had a wonderful time and could see many other people enjoying themselves, quite comfortable and content.
Came here a few times for social drink. Nice location. Also had dinner here a couple of times used entertainment book deal. After discount it was good value for money. Steak and fish dish were pretty good.
There for dessert, great service and great friendly staff... Definitely go there again. The strawberry cheesecake was perfectly prepared and presented.
Service was great. We were well looked after. staff were friendly and presented themselves well.
We enjoyed the calamares and scallop entrees but felt the serving portions were a bit small.
The mains (Lamb and Pork Belly) were okay as well but not really something we would come back for. Overall, the experience was pleasant.
This place was a pleasant surprise I would give it a 4.5 but because I was pleasantly surprised I over rounded. The eye filet was as good as any. The shrimp entree was yum and I don't normally like shrimp, lamb Popsicles were full of flavour. The vegetables were the only thing that just wasn't up to the rest of the meal. Also the mango cheese cake was yum. This meal had the potential to be awesome but just needed to be put together better.
We had a group of 20 people go to this place on Good Friday, the manager Rahul was extremely helpful in making our group function a great success, the service was top notch and the food was excellent, the entree(fried chicken, lamb skewers and chicken nibbles, polenta chips with cheese) was more than generous portions and yummy, our group had choice of 5 mains, and everyone ordered different mains and the general consent was the food was exceptionally good, I had the Steak which was perfectly done to my liking, Rahul was also very helpful in meeting with our dietary requirements, Highly recommend this place, great food, great team lead by a great manager
Spent my birthday here. Loved the ambiance in this place. The food was good although i felt it’s a bit over priced. Overall, enjoyed my dinner experience here. Staffs were nice and friendly.
Boyfriend said it was the best steak he's had in a long time! Eye fillet was cooked perfect. We will be back again! Would definately recommend :D
Staff were really accommodating and friendly, the food was yum. It tastes really good when you’re getting one meal free (thanks to Zomato gold!) would definitely go back though, interested to try something else on their menu!
The chicken burger was amazing! And our server, I didn't get her name (shame) was friendly and efficient hence the 5 stars. It was a pleasant experience and is highly recommended!
Just finished having an amazing valentines dinner, food was 10/10 highly recommend the lamb it was faultless. The staff were friendly and accommodating, and they had a lovely set up for Valentine’s Day with roses. Would definitely come again :)
Really nice bar/restaurant. Was recommended by my 80 year old mother who loves the Nocki (potatoes dumplings) there. She desperately wanted to take me there, so we went. Very young fresh environment - not what I was expecting for my mother’s taste. Unfortunately Nocki no longer on the menu but they didn’t disappoint. Food was beautiful particularly the raspberry white choc cheesecake YUM! Highly recommended. We will be back:)
Awesome food
Great service
Had nice time definitely gonna be back
Highly recommended place
We had the catch of the day and the stuffed chicken.
Nice flavor on the mango corn salsa and good amount of stuffing in the chicken. Beautiful mash
An absolute gem of a place !! The ambience is wonderful and attractive, the food was extremely good. Perfect portion sizes and very flavourful. We had Catch of the Day/ Stuffed Crispy Chicken Kiev and a Veg Burger - hard to tell which one I liked best. My friends and I had a great time - the servers are polite, helpful and have thorough knowledge about the menu and pairing wines with the dishes. Would definitely visit again, highly recommended.
Excellent customer service with yummy food. Went here with friends for Friday drinks . Enjoyed a lot. Staff are very friendly and helpful. Highly recommended
Good place. Was empty inside but prob because it was a rainy day. Good food.
But......when I got the bill, they charged me extra $3 on the salad!! So I complained that you guys entered the wrong amount on the bill. Always check you bill before paying here
Came here for my birthday dinner a few days ago, and I have to say the food was amazing.
I had previously had a bad experience a year ago (tldr; steak was undercooked and then it was recooked and given to us well done)
But seriously this time, the steak redeemed itself. $32 Hanger steak was cooked perfectly!
The service was lovely and the waiter seemed to know all of his alcohol which is always a plus, and gave some great recommendations. So happy I gave this place another try! (5 Stars)
I’ve decided to come back to give the place a try today. They’re very efficient at serving drinks, however it’s taken around 30-40 minutes since we came to serve our actual food. The actual store only has 3 tables seated (a table of 3 and a table of 2). I’m not sure why it’s taken so long but getting a bit frustrated so would give today’s experience a solid 3 stars.
I have been to the commons a lot; but, every time I never make it into the restaurant. Instead I usually just come for drinks in the gardens area. In the past, I have been here for events and remember the canopies being incredible, so I was excited to try this place out properly. Didn't disappoint - food was sooo yummy and the service was also very good. Will come back!
Would defiantly return here again. Arrived and seated straight away by very attentive wait staff. Entree of scallops was delicious and the steak was cooked perfectly. We were a table of four and all of us were more than happy with the service along with the food.
Less than enthusiastic staff but it has nice ambience with live music on a Sunday afternoon.
We ordered kumara crisps, king salmon and pork belly dish.
The kumara crisps were crispy and came with sour cream dill dip. It was alright.
Both main dishes look good and taste nice, but I wouldn't say they are perfect. The mash from the pork belly dish could do with more seasoning while the salmon was under seasoned as well. However I like the crispy salmon skin. I'd have chosen another vegetable for the salad accompaniment for the salmon dish as I'm not a big fan of having the stem of a lettuce for my salad.
Really good food! Best creme brulee I've had. A tad pricey for a student like me but hey, it's good for special occasions :D staff was pretty attentive, recommend! :)
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Store was fairly empty at the time we went, but filled up a bit more downstairs by the time we left. It was awfully drafty and a customer had purchased a coupon which happened to be for the garden space, and was denied a change to an indoor seating though there were plenty of spaces. Read my full 🤔 on instagram: @rina.eats
Fish of the day
I don't remember anymore what fish this was (visited in July and menu has changed). However, it was panfried well, and was wonderfully complemented by the couscous, pumpkin puree, and seared carrots!
Downside is it was only luke warm when they brought it out, and cooled long before I could finish eating.
Pork belly
The pork belly itself was fantastic. The skin super crispy, and the flavor just right. Pretty much half or more of the two pieces were fat though 😶
The sourkraut was a little too pickled for my tastes (I saw pickling jars so it seems they do their various pickles in-house), and I was really really confused about the whole bok choy leaves. I'm not well-versed in my supergrains/beans so I no idea what the grains are, but they're not mushy and definitely not my one of my fave, and the paste below was very much mellow.
A great night out with a group of friends with friendly efficient service and beautifully presented meals which tasted just as good as they looked.
I have been here multiple times and always loved it. This time we had pizzas, the butchers block which was 10/10 and a duck pizza which was nice but a little dry. The calamari was some of the best I have. From past experience the food is excellent quality and there are a great range of options. I love the garden bar and the cocktail selection is superb. Great for celebrating or a sit down meal in the restaurant.
Good food, nice setting. Staff were friendly and polite. Had the pork belly for mains, one piece was slightly dry. But good solid flavours and combinations worked well.
It my first time at The Commons. We started with assorted bread & dips, and sautéed scallops with couscous. Scallops were beautifully cooked & so was couscous. Bread had crispy skin & dips were good too. I had sirloin steak with potato & my wife had lamb racks. Steak was returned for being too well-done. (I always prefer my meat medium rare.) It was still a bit too "well" on the second attempt, but I accepted willingly - taste was good; meat quality wasn't. A free dessert - coconut panna cotta - was offered. Scallop was my dish of the day. (Food - 4/5; Service - 3.5/5; Ambience 4/5)
An enjoyable place for dinner - generous portions and very decent food quality. Fabulous environment and helpful staff. Only flaw was that the mojitos were slightly too watery. Food tasted good - bed of warm kale, sweet onions and crispy skin salmon.
Great food, I come here once a year with my entertainment book voucher.
The wait staff was odd when I came here two weeks ago, but the food was good. Steak sauce was intentionally sour, which was odd. I think I still prefer my steak slightly seasoned or with creamy sauces, not salad dressing...
Fish and verges were lovely.
Environment: 5/5
Food Quality: 3.5/5
Food Quantity: 4/5
Service: 3.5/5
Price: $30pp
When in Auckland, this place is a must visit.
It offers you European and Kiwi food. Great seating space and decor also has a courtyard letting you enjoy the NZ weather along with sipping on some great drinks and nibbling onto good food.
You always feel relaxed here weather you visit on a weekday or a weekend.
A great variety of drinks from beers, to margaritas, to wine, sangria, cocktails and mocktails.
Their pizzas are to die for
After reading a few of the reviews I wasn't expecting the best however was pleasantly surprised, especially as the service was the main concern amongst fellow reviewers. I found the staff very helpful and attentive from the moment we walked in until we left, and it wasn't quiet, probably 1/2-2/3rds full. Saturday mid afternoon-ish. Our entrees were probably better than the mains, perhaps because we were starving, but more so the freshness and presentation were outstanding. The seared scallops were great as was the bed of Couscous salad, yum. Ceviche was nice and reasonably fresh. My pork belly little dry but good crackle. Partners chicken burger with Brie and cranberry sauce was "apparently" very nice. For $17 you'd expect it to! All in all, good experience. $120 all up inc several Coronas and cpl juices.
Had a late lunch here, great service. Staff very friendly. Meals were awesome. We ordered a steak, beef brisket burger and I ordered iced peach tea, Caesar salad with hand cut fries. Will definitely go back.
beautiful confit salmon. creamy mashed potato with tender juicy beef so much flavour inside was great. Gnocchi too sweet and have some buttermilk flavour as well the walnuts are raw not very like it.
Very vibrant and peppy ambience for dinner, drinks or even a night out. Great music from the gardens adds to the weekend joy and spirit.
I fancied the open kitchen, plush and earthy restaurant decor.
The food was good like real good. Service was great too. The staff constantly checked on us and guess what we weren't asked to leave though we were hanging around for a very long time.
Loved the place and its buzz. Coming back again
Impromptu stop in after a busy weekend for a Sunday night meal. Very impressed, smart casual yet relaxed atmosphere with attentive and efficient staff. White bean dip was delightful and my wife's calamari was perfectly cooked (so rare to find) with an extraordinarily tasty asian sauce. Staff may have misheard my request for Medium Rare ribeye as Medium and came out pretty much well done, surprisingly didnt detract from the steak as it was still very moist and tender so wasn't sent back, the hapuka with ratatouille was a beautifully balanced combination. Felt the price was very reasonable given the quality of the food and would recommend this establishment for excellent food and service.
This review is for the gardens-off the commons
So first of all, the pizzas were amazing
Thin, cripsy yet delicious pizza base and flavoursome, "confident" toppings
But a few things regarding their service was a let down
We had to awkwardly wait around before finding someone to approach ourselves..then we found that when the food arrived there were no utensils, napkins or water.
The "queen of hearts" cocktail was yum but bland. We almost asked if there was even alcohol in it as it tasted like fruit infused water. Also next time, please provide straws as it's not so nice drinking from jars
But we will come back for your delicious pizzas!
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Food: Food was great and arrived efficiently. The highlight was defiantly the churros as I have never had churros at first you might think that theyre a bit strange but they will definitely grow on you.
Price: The price of the food is a bit on the high end. We had the Entertainment book that lowered it a little bit. But its not really the "go-to" place for money deprived uni students. Would only go there once in awhile.
Service: We had a great and well knowledgeable waitress who was very familiar with the menu, she was able to give us her recommendations and answer questions about the ingredients in the menu that i was not sure about. She looked after us incredibly well and also constantly checked on us to see if our food was ok :)
Atmosphere: We had a really great seating area. We were seated up stairs right by the window where we could look down at the Gardens. Its was a great lovely peaceful night.
Overall: Really great restaurant. Would go back there and try their new menus as the last time I went was a couple of months ago
A great place to catch up with friends for a drink and a bite. A relaxed patio with a feature tree and some indoor sitting area where you can have drink before heading upstairs for some deliciously rustic dishes. The pork-theme platter comprised a good mix of cold meats, dips, pickles and breads. The lamb shoulder main was so tender and flavoursome and the market fish of pan fried snapper doesn't sounds that impressive until you taste it, where a balance of seafood, savoury, lemon, herbs hit you and have you going back for more. Excellent.
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I think this is the only 5 star rating I've given on Zomato...
The Commons was so perfect in every single way, from the beautiful atmosphere created upstairs, the knowledgeable and friendly staff, the cuisine that was exquisite in every single way possible, to the funky laid back tunes of DJ Laughton Kora on a Thursday night.
I couldn't believe that I hadn't stumbled upon The Commons earlier, its down a tunnel at the back of Blunderbuss... which is probably why we had never seen it before.
When we were seated upstairs I went for a chilled glass of Savignon and realised that the tables are really Instragramable - the nice wooden grain, gotta have a good surface for those insta-worthy photos! While we were waiting for out entree we were given a piece of sourdough and some caramelised whipped butter to try. IT WAS SO TASTY!
I really loved my entree which was the house made flat bread and the tastiest hummus I think I've ever eaten. I didn't want it to end, was tempted to scrap my main and just have another bowl of flat bread and hummus instead. We also went for a joint side dish of mashed potato and delicious gravy.
Luckily my stomach is huge so I ordered the main - 21 day aged sirloin with veges. The presentation was wicked... the most flavoursome whipped butter served on the inside of a clean bone. I loved it! The meat was the most perfectly cooked medium rare, and went perfectly alongside the beef fat potatoes. I loved the size of the meal too, not too big and not too small.
I also went for dessert... dont judge! I picked the Meyer Lemon Posset which was the most intriguing looking dessert on the menu. I had no idea what it was, but I knew I needed it in my belly. Basically, it was a sensory/texture overload and I loved it. Crispy ginger biscuit, with hints of manuka and rosemary and a sweet lemony ice. It was weird... but in a good way.
I left The Commons feeling full, relaxed, and incredibly well looked after. Thank you for such a lovely time. I can't wait to come back and explore more of the dessert menu as well as The Gardens space outside :)
In the background, a gentle playlist of sweet music – Ed Sheeran and Lorde purchased our smiles – allowed comfortable conversation, or soothed us as we people-watched and eavesdropped, stifling giggles as the table beside us discussed the pros and cons of becoming a prostitute and the suits cast eyeful glances at The Smokers rear end.
Disclosure: They invited me to a complimentary dinner for review consideration.
The Commons has several areas depending on the atmosphere you want, with an outdoor garden area and bar, and a more intimate indoor restaurant. We dined upstairs and I loved the quiet ambiance in the early evening, and how it wasn’t as dark as downstairs thanks to the windows. Downstairs has a few tables too, and I went on a Wednesday evening, which I was told was their quietest night, but there were actually quite a few groups of girls having a nice night out together from 7pm onwards upstairs with us. The tables have enough space between them that you still feel like you’re in your own space though, which I really appreciated, and the service is impeccable here. Their starters were the best dishes the entire evening: a delectable whitebait omelette, and a bread platter with baked brie and truffle honey.
Over the weekend we travelled over the Harbour Bridge to The Commons. It's been a few years since I've come here. It's almost unrecognisable. They've also just had a makeover a month ago, so now the outdoor area, the Gardens, is more green and leafy with the huge tree in the centre, sandwiched by the two restaurants on either side, a casual space to enjoy pizzas and jugs of sangria, a DJ in one corner..
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Like it's own little village, The Commons has both an upbeat atmosphere with a lovely outdoor garden area and bar (with crowd to match), and an equally large indoor restaurant but with a moody and intimate feel.
All service staff are very friendly, however not all seem that well-versed on what the menu has to offer- three different waiters didn't know what was in the croquettes. Nonetheless, eager to find out the answer to any questions.
Service was fairly efficient, but may have trouble finding a seat, especially on a weekend. Admittedly, I ate in the garden area, where the menu only consists of "grazing" foods and pizzas. But croquettes, breads and dips and the selections of pizzas were all very tasty! The highlight definitely being the pitchers of different sangrias available, all ready to go behind the bar. I had the rose sangria which was just delicious!
Overall, a really vibrant, lively restaurant/bar, with tasty food and drink to match. Can get sucked in much longer than planned!
The Commons most people think of as a bar with a restaurant. After dining here it deserves to be know as a restaurant with a bar, as hell, this restaurant is kick ass. The restaurant is above the bar and surprisingly spacious. Staff seem genuinely passionate about food and that makes all the difference. Creative menu based around traditional favorites. Got salmon and venison for mains and an amaaaaaaaaaazing starter of bread with brie, honey and garlic butter. (one of the most incredible things I've tasted). Food was fast and faultless as was the ambience and mood is this wicked eatery. Definitely returning soon as the Commons garden bar will be a delight if summer ever finally arrives in Auckland.
First impression, lots of good looking waiters. :)
Ambience is dim, casual but could be romantic too. Big space, wooden decor and nice outdoor area too. Nice for a quiet drink or even a large gathering. Can imagine it being crowded during the weekends as there are DJs scheduled.
Came on a Monday night and they have lots of "grazing dishes" and few mains. According to the server, the main menu gets bigger over the week. We ordered the calamari and the angus burger and had the dishes tapas style and was delicious. Best calamari ever and the beef patty was very well marinated.
Service was really friendly and he explained the menu and gave his honest food recommendation. One downside was that a lot of their wine by the glass were not available.
I think they also have a proper restaurant (fine dining) upstairs which I have been once when they first opened and I remembered the food to be quite good too.
GideonMarisa MasterchefNz2015
+4
Nice place for a good old catch up meal and a chill out. One of the many places you cant really expect too much, but definitely enjoyed my steak meal at this restaurant! wouldnt be my first choice for a meal but definitely for light snacks and drinks in the sun #g1
Love their Angus cheese burger from the grazing menu. We tried it with our voucher the first time around and loved it so much that we went back the very next week. The burger was pink and juicy in the middle with crunchy chared outside. The burger was very well seasoned!!
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Was able to dine here tonight thanks to Zomato for the voucher.
I tried to not have too high expectations as sometimes my expectations are too high and I hate to be disappointed. We dined in the upstairs restaurant tonight.
Service was very efficient and friendly without being too overbearing, just the way I like it.
We started off our dinner with Piggy treats for 2, I thought it is kind of exciting not knowing what we will get as there was no description.
I was pleasantly surprised. Everything on there was terrific, I really liked the cracker thingys on there (not sure if they are called anything in particular but not your average store-bought cracker) but my absolute favourite on the platter was the pork rilletes. Full of flavour and left me wanting more - the crackling was terrific too, very light and airy not the usual oily crackling that I was expecting.
We ordered the venison with medjool dates and the smoked lamb rump with curry lentils.
Wow. I was really impressed. Both dishes were tender with the meat PERFECTLY cooked on both. I am always worried when ordering something smoked as sometimes I find the smoked flavour overpowering but in this case it was not strong and was done to perfection.
The stand out dish of these 2 was by far the venison, all the components just worked 100%. I especially loved the pickled vegetables (I think it was cabbage ) and date puree. Just perfect. And in my opinion the food was very well put together and the flavour was really good. I enjoyed this a lot more than the French Cafe.
It's not everyday that i give 5 stars. Today is a 5 star day.
Dining at the top part of the restaurant, we ordered the piggy treats for 2, venison and smoked lamb rump and all were spectacular.
The flavours were full but not too much and the platter was tasty!
Going back to try t he bar food followed by a single malt and a cigar. The venue is also cigar friendly.
Me and my partner went here and had a nice cosey night with a glass of great Rose Wine plus a couple of small plates - Salted Cod Balls, Squid and Southern Fried chicken all really good.
The environment is top class, nice leather seats, dimmed lights, rustic yet fancy and the outdoor area is the shizzz in summer, lots of relaxing couches and a short stroll to Takapuna beach.
All in all a great place to visit.
Service was awesome! Our waitress really helped us out on what was good and what she would recommend. The scallops were a stand out the way they were presented was amazing and definitely Instagram worthy ;) overall the atmosphere was great and a lovely place to fine dine if you're in the takapuna area!
I bought a voucher from Grab one to try this restaurant,, menu do not sound good,, to my surprise the spicy squid and the angus burger turn up to be my favorite,, the staff is very welcoming and friendly,, I did not have much luck with grab one with other restaurant I dine in as usually they trick you and give you a smaller serving or treat you a bit different but I absolutely enjoy the food.. and and atmossphere.. well done.. I will definetely go back to this restaurant.
Went to lunch here and used the grab ones deals. Fantastic service. Seriously did not need to use 2 vouchers for a table of four - but great that they let us. Way too much food. House wines wither hills. Will come back again.
Went back for lunch last week $30 menu for 2 course meal. I had beef cheeks, k the fish. We both had dessert. Food absolutely delish. Well done guys
I do love The Commons and have been here a few times.
Their drinks are delicious and their food is moreish. I love their calamari and polenta chips the best, but have also tried a salad, oyster poboys, fries and other things. Nothing disappoints and they also accommodate my difficult drink orders (iced coffee, Moscow mule).
The atmosphere is first class and it's a stunning setting with ample seating.
Room for improvement: their iced coffee isn't on the menu so it can be hit and miss. Sometimes their staff can be extremely casual, and have seen them behaving inappropriately behind the bar on many occasions. Namely, the females with the males. This can be awkward to watch, especially while you're waiting to pay, or sitting anywhere near them.
The commons is the perfect place for groups, drinks, and nibbles. I have yet to try the upstairs part and you're always sure to see someone who catches your eye ;).
Was there a couple of weeks ago mid afternoon, quiet, had nibbles with a couple of wines, great bar snacks. Service was great, staff very helpful and knowledgable.
Have enjoyed several meals now at The Commons, as well as a couple of private and public events. This can't be classed as just somewhere you go for a meal or a drink, it's an experience. Every single staff member knows their stuff from the intricately designed menu to the wine list and matching. I noticed a few reviews commenting on limited menu options - if you're looking for meat and 3 vege go to a pub, if you're looking for a work of art that stands miles ahead of the crowd then this is where you go.
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Had one of our best dining experiences to date when we stepped into The Commons on Friday night. We had been expecting small portions given the fine dining nature of the restaurant, but were pleasantly surprised to find ourselves struggling to finish our meals having been treated to a few starters. I would recommend trying out the bar food while waiting for your meal, as they have an excellent selection worth snacking on, including the best tasting calamari I have had in a while.
We shared the merino lamb shoulder between three with two sides of pork dripped potatoes. The lamb was delicious- melted in your mouth, and the size of our serving was plenty for the three of us. The potatoes were lovely and crispy, although sometimes difficult to cut through.
We were very impressed with the service- our waiters were friendly and clearly knew what they were talking about. They knew just when to check up on us and when to give us the space to eat, which we appreciated. The waiters made the experience what it was, so a big thank you to them. We loved the whole atmosphere of the restaurant, and cannot stop raving to friends about the excellent attendance.
While it was our first dining visit to The Commons, it certainly won't be our last! I was dining with my family who are usually harsh critics, but, for the first time, no one had anything negative to say.
Love the commons.staff have good chat and know what they are doing.the new bar menu is awesome, great food, I've not had the pleasure to eat the new menu in the bistro but last time I did it was top notch.Ill be back.. many times.
A rainy day in Takapuna! Don't know where those bad reviews come from?? Great food great service! We had the braised beef cheek and Angus cheese burger, yummy yummy. The way they cooked the beef cheek was very similar to the Chinese! Both taste good of course!
What a great team at The Commons. We had an amazing party there to celebrate Amy's 18th party ... Very professional staff and great food, venue and music .. Highly recommended
Courtney @ A Food Awakening
+4.5
I have ventured to The Commons for my first North Shore review! What a chic and warm atmosphere to have lunch at. We came on a Saturday and it was easy enough to get a table so dont be put of from visiting in the weekend.
Due to the cold wet weather we both chose warm, hearty meals. The beef cheek was delicious and perfectly cooked - but if you can follow a recipe anyone can cook them perfectly. I actually made them in the pressure cooker and turned out perfectly. One big plus was the ample amount of gravy! The only inkling I had was that it lacked a bit of seasoning and just a point of difference in flavour.
No complaints for the smoked pork cheek from my friend. If you are lover of potato or chips I would highly recommend ordering the beef dripping potato bits. OMG!! Amazing!! Incredibly crunchy on the outside and soft pillows on the inside.
We had great service and food and would return for dinner and drinks.
Rating
Food: 9/10
Service: 9/10
Value for Money: Good
21 Hurstmere road, Takapuna
Opening Hours: Mon-Sun 1130am-Late
Amazing food! Great service, beautiful setting ... The pork is to die for!
Very good food and service will be back
I took my wife here for our wedding anniversary this year. We really enjoyed the atmosphere and the food. The waiter was attentive but not overbearing. This was recommended to us from a friend and it didn't disappoint. A very enjoyable evening. We may repeat it next year.
I came to The Commons for a hens night, the hens had cancelled and I didn't know. While I was feeling like a absolute d*ck the staff sat me down with a beer so I could figure out where everyone was. The Commons was BUSY and they still found time to make me feel welcomed. I'll be back, thanks.
We had dinner at The Commons tonight, in their upstairs restaurant. The food was absolutely EXQUISITE! We were very impressed - every mouthful just melted in our mouths. We went for the 6 courses to share and I ordered an extra main. Beautifully decadent! It was a real treat and we were really satisfied and pleased with our meal. The service from the staff was outstanding and definitely worth a good tip! It has been a long time since we received such quality service.
Thank you to The Commons for making our date night so special! Awesome to experience quality dining so close to home.
We will be back again very soon for sure! Every dish was gorgeous!
Thank you again!!! :-)
This is a great Restaurant! Upstairs is the main area for great food and service. Fantastic menu nice French Champagne and Degustation and wine match. Feel this could rate as one of the Top North Shore restaurants!! WILL BE BACK!! Fantastic Guys!! Keep it up! Ciao Ducati Rick And Sina. 8-} 8-}
My family and I were browsing the streets of Takapuna for somewhere nice to eat before we went to a movie at the nearby cinemas, and we chanced upon The Commons. We ordered our meals from the friendly staff, and it arrived, well-presented, in a reasonable time period, especially considering how busy they were. As a testament to how much I was enjoying the food, I ordered a second main. This was cutting things a tad fine time-wise, as the film was due to start in half an hour. I asked the waiter how fast my salad could be brought to me, as I was in a bit of a rush. He was very accommodating and nice, and I had scarcely paid for it before it was brought to our table. It really can't have been more than five minutes. And it was delicious - really tasty. As a plus, there was a live musician that evening, and I was pleasantly surprised by how good he was. Definitely going there again.
Just a message to the chef. Really enjoyed the degustation menu (outstanding) but the John Dory main dish was disappointing.
Please don't serve fish if a. It's not fresh and b. it's overcooked.
And when it's mentioned please don't make us feel the fault is ours.
Lovely wait staff - attentive and friendly service.
I really enjoyed the dessert dish that I had from The Commons stand at Taste of Auckland last weekend.
I indulged in their dessert: the "Beetroot Coral - cassia bark cheesecake, burnt palm sugar icecream, cinnamon sable, beetroot and raspberry sorbet" Which was very very tasty.
I wanted to write a review as i had nearly been put off by bad reviews and thought it must've gone downhill from when it first opened so I was pleased I ignored those and booked at The Commons for a special dinner with my husband.
The service was outstanding - the waitress was very attentive all night but in no way intrusive. She was friendly and courteous and we felt that if the food lived up to the same level then we were in for a treat, which we were. The food was divine. The mains were delicious and the desserts a treat. I had dined here previously when it first opened but my husband hadn't, so i was eagerly awaiting to see his reaction to the food as its really a bit of a surprise to see exactly how its presented - and i wasn't disappointed, he loved it.
We have a birthday celebration coming up for someone who hasn't been to the Commons so will be looking at re booking again to show them the wonderful experience we had
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I have taken the trouble to create an account just to write a review for The Commons. My company recently had a group of us do a mystery-shopping exercise, and The Commons received a 10/10 rating for their customer service by the group that went there. Looking for a place to have a family dinner, naturally I thought about The Commons. We were greeted by a lovely waitress at the bar who handed us over to another waitress at the Bistro area upstairs. Service was attentive but not intrusive. Food was good, not lacking in flavour, but perhaps erring on the side of being slightly salty. Dessert was even better - thoroughly enjoyed the beetroot and carrot dessert, which were very unique to me! Great ambience and decor as well. When we left, we were handed back to the first waitress who escorted us to the door. I had mentioned in passing that I had graduation on that day, and she still remembered 2 hours later and congratulated me before we left! The handover between waitresses and the flow were seamless - there wasn't a time when we felt like we were left on our own (in a good way). Probably the best customer service experience I have had thus far - the interaction felt personalised. I can quickly see The Commons being one of my go-to spots on the shore!
Excellent meal last night for table of four. It was my second visit, and while I enjoyed the food first time it was in a whole new (and better) class last night. I had Beef Red Curry and Pina Colada dessert. We shared some sides. My friends all had different options for main and without exception every dish was a delight. First to arrive I was offered tap water to start (which pleased me), and when my friends we were given an option of sparkling, still or tap. Service was friendly. There were a couple of errors on our bill - including an additional item we hadn't ordered or eaten at all. But it was quickly removed at the till when we pointed it out. Will definitely be back, but will also remember to check the bill at the end.
We had dinner at The Commons last week (there were 4 of us). The service was fantastic and the food was incredible. We had dined there in November, and enjoyed the experience then too. After reading a couple of the December reviews we thought our visit last week was going to be a bit average and nearly considered going somewhere else.
Thankfully we didn't - it was just as wonderful as the first visit. Our waitress was very friendly (and not in an over-the-top way), she topped up our wine or water and took our orders at all the right times. The menu is exciting and the food presentation is 10/10.
We're looking forward to going back soon.
Cool find in Takapuna as it is off the main street behind the shops in a lovely courtyard like area. Plenty of options for seating inside or outside. New place, but already locals seem to be flocking there. Service prompt and good and the place was packed in the weekend, but not so busy you get forgotten or ignored. Food looked great and drinks were served promptly. Will definitely go back next time I am over the shore.
At last a nice restaurant on the North Shore. The menu is not huge and not your run of the mill options. Each dish has a little something special. The portion sizes are generous and the food is nicely presented and tasty. Only suggestion I would like to make is, please put some salt and pepper on the table as a couple of the dishes were on the bland side. Also a couple more waiters to reduce the wait to get served would be an advantage. The restaurant itself is modern and very nicely done. The location is fantastic. The prizes are on the expensive side, so will wait for a special occasion to go back.
The setting is lovely but you'd probably have a fun time in the casual downstairs area in summer time.
Lovely location.
Service was good.
The food was beautifully presented. The taste was delicate but to be honest niether of the two dishes I had were bold. There need to be more seasoning - nice to look at but not absolutely WOW to eat.
Fine dining, great service, staff very informed on menu & wine.
Nice touch a wee bread roll & there lovely truffle butter. The presentation of the food was gorgeous, freshness & flavours outstanding. I just wish I had time for desert...next time! My only complaint and this is a personal thing is that I wanted a little more seasoning & unfortunately there was none on the table or anywhere to be seen nor was it offered.
Dined here on Saturday night, food was a little different and it was excellent. We were a party of five and the service was great. Like others have said service was very attentive but not intrusive, let’s hope they keep it up. Great setting, lively place outside but this didn't bother us upstairs. A bit on the expensive side so unfortunately won’t be going too often.
Excellent service- attentive but not intrusive, helpful and accommodating staff. The food was great and well presented, the wait time between meals was perfect, so you're not rushed and not waiting to long either. The only thing- the beer list could do with some expanding.
I went here with my friend for a special birthday lunch today, and it was special. The service is fantastic, attentive, but not intrusive. The food was delicious. Attention to detail excellent. I had ox cheek and it was melt in the mouth. A really great experience and I look forward to going again, once I haved saved some pennies. This is an expensive place. But worth it.
Fantastic food and service, finally fine dining comes to Takapuna. Don't leave without trying the pina colada desert!
We went there just a few days after opening but it seemed like everyone was relaxed and did their job well. Comfortable surroundings that don't demand high standard of dress yet provide high quality fare.
In no way connected to restaurant owners. We live in Takapuna and have been waiting for a place like this. Excellent food, really wonderful staff. Get a sense that everyone is one team. Loved it and will be back. Every item on menu looked a hit. Pity we were too full by end of night
Great bar for those summer months! Great outdoor bar with decent seating inside to match with a slight view of Takapuna beach. If you've never eaten here you need to. Really yummy food with great waiting service to match. Drink prices are about average and a main was around $25 which is pretty decent.
We had an amazing dinner at the Commons the other night for a special occasion. We had made a reservation at 6 but called up to change. Once we got there there was a mix up on the times but we were led up the stairs to a more quieter setting. Lights are dim and tables are given a single candle light. Its soft approach to an industrial setting was enchanting and absolutely beautiful and fitting to the occasion
We had a great waitress that helped us through the menu and was attentive through out the whole night.
We were started off with some bread and butter while we went through the menu options
The menu is very unique and presentation is always a delight.
Food was amazing with as always a great combination of interesting combinations.
The Commons is another great restaurant in Takapuna and i'd love to try more from their menus.
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A while ago, we’d been to Dallows at Sale St and enjoyed the degustation menu there, and so we were keen to try the food at The Commons as we knew it was the same head chef, Nick Honeyman (although he has now moved on to be the executive chef at Sofitel). We dined upstairs at the bistro, which has a bit of an industrial-chic-vibe going on. We decided to try the chef’s tasting menu (six courses), which at $75 per person, is relatively cheap for a degustation here in Auckland.
The first course in the tasting menu was kingfish with lime pith, young coconut and oats. This was a slightly unusual combination of flavours, but lovely and fresh. It was subtle in taste but had some great contrast in textures on the plate. We enjoyed this one a lot.
The next course was eye fillet tartare with pickles, burnt breadcrumbs and popcorn. This dish was a revelation to me. I’ve only had steak tartare once before and wasn’t a big fan, but this one was delicious! I would happily eat this again and again. This was definitely our favourite dish of the night.
After this was the pork with celeriac, lemon and apple. The pork jowl had been cooked for 24 hours. It was rich – smokey, tasty and fatty – and so needed the tartness of its accompaniments. We also liked this one, but decided it was definitely something to enjoy in a small portion.
The next dish was sirloin, smoked onion and pickled shitake. The venison was cooked well and was also accompanied by beetroot puree and chocolate sauce. It was a very earthy and smokey dish. Unfortunately I didn’t like it that much and I did wonder about having two such rich dishes following each other on the menu – but this is just down to my personal preference as it was a well executed dish.
Following this was the “pre dessert”. I’m not sure why it’s called a pre dessert. It is a dessert, which is then followed by another dessert (not that I’m complaining – two desserts is just fine with me). This one was a combination of ginger and rhubarb flavours, such as a gingernut cake, creme brulee, rhubarb gel etc. The flavours were light and fresh and we quite liked this one. Again, some interesting textures on the plate.
The menu finished with a chocolate, honeycomb and Puhoi bush honey dessert. I was not a fan of this one at all. Everything was very sweet, cloyingly so – I felt like there was a bit too much honeycomb on the plate. Again, this is probably down to personal taste. I was never a big fan of Crunchie bars!
Overall, we enjoyed the food and think that this would be a good place to go if you want to try a degustation which is well executed and relatively affordable. We did find that we enjoyed the first half of the menu a lot more than the second half though, and were a bit disappointed with the last dish.
The service was very friendly, although two of the servers couldn’t seem to agree on whether we were eating venison or beef at one point. We were also billed for our neighbouring table’s glasses of wine, but that was quickly rectified.
The bistro is separate from the main part so it is a little quieter, but it’s only open for dinners.
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Had a great time at The Commons the other night. The romantic ambience is created by the beautiful wooden furnitures, candle lit atmosphere, high ceiling and suspended drop lights. I felt instantly invited in, ready to hang up the coat and straight into the wine list.
Initially, we planned for a meal at the bistro restaurant but as it is only available for Tues-Sat dinners, we decided to share some nibbles and wine in the main dining hall.
We ordered the chilli squid, crispy chicken wings and chickpea fries. Let's start with the squid which was incredibly tender and literally melted in my mouth. The coating was more of a salt and pepper style batter which went down nicely with the not-so-spicy dipping sauce, nevertheless delicious! Despite the slightly misleading title of chilli squid, if you dared to chew on the generous slice of red chilli, I'm sure it'll certainly give it a nice kick. The crispy chicken wings sat amongst dollops of Japanese Mayo which is always a winner for me. Once again, no spice but I why would you need any when it's smothered with mayo? Lastly, the side of chickpea fries which was presented staked like JENGA pieces. It was... interesting... I still can't decide whether I liked it or not. It looked like fish fingers but oozed out with a textured mush once bitten in half. I thought the aioli was necessary to an otherwise bland tasting but different dish.
Special mention to the very dietary conscious menu at The Commons. Paleo foods made a few appearances as well as gluten free/contains soy, vegetarian subscripts. I loved how adaptable The Commons is, they really embrace the idea of being a great local adopting meals ranging from tapas, staple foods (burgers) to fine dining and dessert/wine bar.
I fully recommend The Commons, the service was great, prompt and attentive and the food came out at the speed of light (quiet night maybe?) I will be back to try the tasting menu at the upstairs bistro.
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