Review Shed 22 - Wellington

N V

Updated Oct 2023: Food improved. Tasted delicious and really quick and friendly service. Clean facilities but food was average. The beef and chicken burgers were nice. The fish had a nice, crispy batter. Juicy inside but the tartare sauce for the chips were okay. Slaw was hard and bland. Steak was also okay, a bit bland, too. Pork belly tacos- pork belly wasn't crispy and pork belly had a strong smell. The pickled onions weren't tangy enough. Nachos...enjoyed the melted cheese. Servers were nice though.

Brenden Makinson

We went for Saturday brunch with family. The food was great, as was the beer selection. The staff were brilliant. Highly recommend if you are in the area.

Ants Manbost (Antosaurus)

Formally Macs Brew bar, Shed 22 takes the essence of the institution and honors it well. Shed 22 is a great place to have a few beers, have some snacks or a full on meal. The staff are great, the beer selection is good and it's location is ideal. I've spent many a great night at Shed 22, including a great few after work drinks in October. Amazing stuff.

Paul Stevenson

Mac's brewery (Shed 22). I've been here a few times with family and friends. The atmosphere, views, and staff are always great. Daughter and dad lunch today, Tiger beer was great. The fish and chips were a bit disappointing, coleslaw was very bland, fish OK chips were good.

Peter Fleming

Our 'place to go' before going to the theatre. Food comes nice and fast and the young staff are always a delight to deal with. Keep it up!

Heemi Katene-Hill

Frankly it's just a pub...but the difference is that all the staff are incredibly helpful, convivial and focused on service. For the short time I was here I felt attended to, appreciated and was offered the special touches (like a blanket due to the wind) because the staff were super attentive and considerate.

Melissa Simchowitz

Dhanushka is absolute tops. So wonderful and made our complicated booking look easy. Thank you for your patience and for helping to create such a special evening for our group. Ngā mihi.

Bianca

Dined during an all blacks match, and the atmosphere was fabulous. Even with all the busyness and people and noise, we received top class attentive service. Great restaurant/bar menu with choices for vegetarians. Low alchohol beer and wine on offer.

Emma Tiller

Booked a table for 10 for dinner & drinks on a busy Friday evening. Bar was packed but the staff were friendly and prompt with table service and the food came out very fast. Great atmosphere

Dilys

Lovely restaurant, awesome service from both FOH through to our waitress. Very enjoyable night out in Wellington tonight. Thank you 😊

PhillipYee

We four friends enjoyed a lovely lunch at the Mac's BrewBar today. Service was great and our seating booth was very comfortable. Each all of our selected main courses were beautifully presented and prepared. See photos below. We look forward to dining here again sometime soon.

Agnieszka Widuch

Food was ok but the staff was not very helpful. I am new to Welli and its hard for me to navigate thru the city without my phone. We had a work gathering at Macs and during that time my iphone battery discharged, and since I had a usb cable I asked the wiatress and the bartender if I can charge my Iphone for 10-15 mins so I can navigate home or call a cab, but they said that I can use the socets but they dont have the adapter to borrow me... BS as I saw them charging iphone, very disappointing :(

Regan Smith

I have owned and managed restaurants both here and internationally. My experience here today was by far the worst I have ever encountered in my life. The service was non existent, I asked for water for our table of 6 and was rudely told to go get it myself. We ordered food... the caesar was so terrible, dressing didnt taste like caesar, the greens were horrible and the chicken was dry like toast. The chicken sandwich had such a small piece of cardboard chicken on it that we considered it a favor. We sent the caesar back as it was inedible and the best they could do was take $10 off the $22 disgrace. We ordered drinks which took 25 minutes to arrive and on delivery we were told if we wanted another we would need to give up our table and go inside. To top it off they didnt even take the $10 off (should have been taken off the check completely) so I had to go in and wait 15 minutes for someone capable of fixing it. HORRIBLE place to visit!

Crackerjacker

I went here for a work lunch and they catered for out large group very well, didn’t wait too long. The staff were very friendly and helpful and the food was very nice

Tim 51

Very friendly staff and very helpful as well This place is very busy and it has a primo location The food was beautiful and we will definitely come back

Isaac Tuiala

Fast service, polite staff. Ordered squid and halloumi chips for starters, great taste. Lamb and pork belly for mains, great again. Donut and cheesecake for dessert, donut wasn’t for us but cheesecake was soo good

Romana Petrie

We went here for Fathers Day and it was lovely. The staff were lovely and friendly. The menu had plenty of variety so that all of us could pick something we really liked - given we have all got very different tastes in food. This made it a simple no fuss outing for a family of fussy eaters! The beautiful view of the harbour enhances the relaxed vibe that the restaurant had and it was so nice to see super friendly staff taking their time to talk to people. Definitely recommend this place - I think it would be beautiful in the summer.

Clark Levien

Looking for a place in the sun to have a great day with a drink and food than I am able to say this is your spot. Food is good but not top end but you get what you pay for. Friendly place for a nice time.

Nikki

Average. $10 drinks were good but the food was average, salmon dish was literally cold bread with to much rocket and about a teaspoon of salmon, chowder was average as and the chicken BLT barely had chicken. Disappointed and won’t be back 😭

Medium_Rare

I’m big fan of Macs, we used to frequent this place quite bit for University events. Macs still does great beer and has a lively atmosphere which is perfect for your friendly catchups. Oddly enough one of my friends suggest we dine in and maximise catch up time so this was my first time actually experiencing there dining services. I’ve had the snacks at Macs before so I wasn’t scared off trying there dinner service. In terms of the dinner service I’ll admit that I’m a little conflicted , my friends had the Pork Belly whole I opted for the fish. The pork belly was absolutely delicious to look at and the pork was soft but carried a strong distinct roast flavour. Awesome and highly recommend, however I felt my fish dish was a little flat. It was essentially pan fried fillets sprinkled with a bit of lemon salt and pepper, which isn’t really a problem but it just tasted a little bland. Considering it’s a 29$ meal I did expect a little more. Eating given purely because I’ve had great times here and the beer selection is solid. Showstopper: Pork Belly Overall Grade: B+

Lee Stanish

A group come for lunch with varying meals. Some good others not so good. The seafood chowder had a strange taste with only one mussel in it. Worst ever ! More a vege soup. The salmon sandwich was small but nice.but then it is hard to ruin smoked salmon. The chicken and lamb burgers were tasteless however the vege burgers were packed with varying Veges and tasty. Recommend finding somewhere else not worth the group money spent here.

Maïlig Dinis

Good atmosphere ! In front of the sea, with the sun, such a moment ! The staff is friendly, they are all relax, and good music ! But the point is here : the waiting. My friend waited his plate whereas I had mine. Good food, affordable prices, god moment there.

Cookingkenny

My meal was very tasty, and gluten free was easy for these guys. Waitress was friendly and aware that fries were cooked in oil with other gluten containing items. Partner thought her burger was a bit bland but it looked good from my side of the table. They are very clear that it costs $2 more for gluten free bread on an open sandwich but I think this is a bit men given two slices of bread surely cost less than some artisan Turkish flat bread.

James Blackwell

What a great spot! A wonderful interior, great location near the water. Wonderfully friendly staff, and a great kids pack with colouring, stickers, crayons and activity pack. Our daughter loved it! The kids meal of fish and chips was a really big portion. The only issue was it could have done with some greenery on side the (some vegies or salad wouldn't have gone a miss). I had the chicken burger which was great. While the chips were typical pub fayre and nothing to write home about. Great to see wedges back on menus too. My wife had some of those and a massive bowl was served that could have easily fed 2 or 3 people! Highly recommend, and was really family friendly on a weekend lunchtime!

Jocelyn Simpson

Food is fantastic but once it is served you can't turn your back for a moment, they will clear away any food or drinks you aren't watching, only replacing it if it hasn't been touched.

James Scott

Beers and burgers. Can't go wrong at macs. The atmosphere here is amazing and well worth checking out. A decent GM called Troy looks after his guest bloody well so top marks to him.

Christine Olson

Worst fish and chips ever! It was awful five years ago and it was still awful the other week. It's a good pub to hang out at and have a drink and bar food, but I would skip the mains. The bar service is good, but the table service is average.

The Food Snob

Friendly staff! Super friendly, good beers, good wine list, and a nice outlook and convenient location. Consistently good. The place is well kept and tidy and the fit out is very attractive, as Mac's Bars always are.

Erin Pears

Went over to Mac's on 22-Oct of this year. It was one of those beautiful sunny non-windy Welly days and Mac's was somewhat busy. THREE times when I called over the waitress to ask if it was ok to sit in one of the outside areas/called over and nothing (other people in my group also tried to get their attention but were also ignored). Even worse, one of the younger red-haired waitresses shot us a really nasty look and just walked off right past us! I'm not sure if the waitresses didn't hear us, or if was because of our nationalities or what but I felt really saddened by the whole experience and it totally ruined my mood for the whole day. I wanted to give it a one-star rating but the first two times I went there, the service and the food was OK and the beer selection was amazing.

Siobhan

Have been here a couple of times for a relaxed drink with friends and to soak in the harbour views. The place is always busy but the staff are great at dealing with the numbers and manage to produce solid food. Great option for a summer evening.

Nicole

We enjoy the pleasant atmosphere at Mac's. The food options are fairly standard, but the portions are a good size and cooked nicely. I love their toffee apple cider!!! :-D

Sean P E Fleming

Team lunch at Macs Brewery. Lunch menu comprised of standard fare, burgers etc. not the most diverse choices, but some nice options. I chose the Fish and Chips. The table ordered a Jug of Pale Ale, $38. The space is decorated well. I especially like the lamp shade on the ceiling. The space is huge so it feels quite empty and cold if they are not busy. Service was good. Food came out quick. Everyone seemed happy. The fish and chips were nice. Good portion. Lots of fish. Light batter. Fish a touch dry. Other than that a nice meal.

Sarah Alberino

Have been here twice. They do great food here! It is a great place to dine on a sunny day as the outside area is well equipped. The service is great and have never had to wait very long for my meal to arrive.

Coralee Jones

Great location and staff but that is were it ended, we all ordered fish and chips, the fish was like rubber and so over cooked/dry plus the batter was dripping in fat when I mentioned it I was told it was all the same batch so could not be replaced with any better, to me this meant they cook it and leave it under lights which would explain the quick services but I would rather wait and get something that was worth eating and again the chips were soft and horrible, they did take off the price of the drinks as compensation but they really do need to improve the food as it was the worst I have ever had

Jaynee

Mac beer at the Macs brewbar! Hubby had a macs gold and I had a macs cider. Both great quality products. Staff were friendly and helpful and the place was tidy and great atmosphere :)

Katie

Amazing beer amazing food with an amazing view. What more could you ask for on a summers day. Grate staff. The fish we had tasted fresh. Amazing music too

Emma W

We were struggling to find a place to dine near the waterfront so I called Macs and they had a table for us straight away. Our group ordered to different types of fish, seafood chowder and a squid salad. Great selection of beers and ciders plus the wait for food wasn't too long. The squid salad was excellent and both fish dishes were enjoyed. The seafood chowder was different to the usual which was a refreshing change. For dessert we had a sundae and pavlova. I was impressed that the pavlova wasn't that standard store bought one restaurants normally serve. Service was friendly and prompt, they gifted us a free coffee when they made it incorrectly.

RaeRae

Popped into Mac's for a birthday lunch (mine) with two friends today and overall had a great experience! Unfortunately it was a bit too windy to sit outside when we arrived but we got a booth where we could look out over the bar and enjoy the funky old school decor. The lunch menu has a great selection of all the favs and I was excited to see you could substitute to GF for a couple of options. I went for the burger and my friends got the CBLT. There was a wee bit of a wait for our meals; I understand it was busy, but when one of my friends actually mentioned the wait, it punctuates that it has been a bit too long. Service was good. The guy serving us was good and was able to give a couple of suggestions of what to have for the undecided. Atmosphere was ok. I love the decor; it makes it a cut above a normal pub which is a conversation starter. Only reason it lost a point was the wait time and the CBLT needing more sauce.

Vicki Wong

Slightly less busy than its counterparts on the waterfront we visited Macs for a friends birthday lunch. Great on a sunny day so make sure to nab a table outside. A pretty long wait for our food and standard menu.

The Wanderer

Caught up with some friends over lunch and a couple of drinks today. And as it was one of those gloriously Wellington days it was perfect for an al fresco meal at Mac's Brew Bar... The range of wine available isn't too bad for a brewery, but that didn't really matter as the food was really good (a 4.5 for the food alone). And being down on the wharves there is a very interesting world to watch going past. As it was an intensely sunny day, we asked about an umbrella, but it turns out that their umbrella:table radio is only about 1:4 -- we managed to steal one from a nearby table that was leaving (so we were happy), but knowing how New Zealand summers can get I am surprised that they didn't have more. We were also a little disappointed with the service -- being the Sunday of a long weekend (with a lot of people around) they did have plenty of staff on, but it was 40 minutes after we ate before the plates were cleared. And we had to chase down the table staff to put in our drink orders (and considering the "lushness" of our group, that was several rounds of big opportunities missed).

Ines

Definitely a nice place to try. By that I really mean the staff is friendly the location us actually fantastic, really entertaining seeing people passing by and they kind of have an extension a few meters up front. Their outside takes advantage of the sun that's for sure and they do have a wide range of beers (not surprising for a brewbar) i tried a few and once again this goes with taste but I thought their three wolves pale ale was quite good, the great white was a bit too smokey/woody for me. Regarding their food I had the fish and chips and this is where I got disappointed: while the fish was quite creamy and good, the chips (another main component of the dishes agreed) were just industrial. . Really ? For a fish and CHIPS. . If I wanted industrial chips I'd have gone to maccas. And not paid 18$. I think some improvement should be done regarding this.. come on mac's brewbar you're getting there just get nicer food more in line with your pricing.

Rhodri Williams

What a prime location! Right on the waterfront with lots of sun on a summer day, good for a social gathering or just a quiet drink to watch the world go by. There is a lot of space inside with a great selection on the menu, the lamb burger was cooked beautifully. Not too greasy and a good consistency, I was also tempted by the squid but lacked the stomach space to actually order it. With the macs beers to choose from you can't really lose, I would recommend the smoky cheery ale.. A bit of an acquired taste but it gave a good contrast with the meal

Sophie

Great food, awesome atmosphere, great attentive staff! The chicken pot pie was really delicious and a nice portion size with perfect mashed potatoes.

Miss Persistant

Didn't eat but had a quick beer inside. Really big inside so it's not super noisy. Great location right on Wellingtons waterfront, lots of Mac beer on tap.

Jenjaroo

Great location on Wellington waterfront, however trying to get a seat here can prove difficult especially on a Friday or Saturday. I came here with a friend on a Friday night for snacks and drinks, and we luckily managed to grab a table as a big after work party moved out. For food we decided to share the mushroom arancini balls and a bowl of chips. After our food had arrived, we struggled to get our waitresses attention in order to get another bowl of sauce and resorted to going to ask at the bar. The range of Mac beer and ciders is great and provides lots of choice.

Philip Reeve

Pleasant atmosphere and good staff. Food was just ok though. The fish in my fish and chips was incredibly overcooked and dry. Chips were fine as was the coleslaw. Others had chicken salad and two kids chicken tenders meals. Salad was fresh and the tasty. Kids chicken meals were a deep fried wasteland - not a single bit of greenery to be seen - some slaw or salad would have been good.

Kai Finder

Dined here with a large group. Everyone enjoyed their meals. I had the mussells which were served with bread and fries. They were good except I found the onions in the broth undercooked and the bread seemed unnecessary. My friend had the pork belly and was disappointed that the advertised crackle was not included.

Ns

Really impressed by Macs. Wedges and chips are well above average. But my favourite thing is their bread platter thingies. Lots of different types of bread (all tasty and fresh) and all these little oils and cheeses to dip them in. Spacious venue, but not just in terms of actual size! What on earth does that mean? You ask. Well. Well well well. What I mean is that tables and chairs are widely spaced so you arent all cramped in next to other groups of patrons. Contributes to a relaxing and enjoyable atmosphere. Nice big outdoor area too. Strongly recommend this place for lunch on a sunny weekend :) Or at any other time for that matter.

Peter

An enjoyable location to have a quiet drink either inside or out. If you want to dine I would suggest going elsewhere. The food is universally disappointing.

Rosemary Young

A good location with seating both in doors and out. You would expect from a brewery serving fish and chips as a main, one would expect beer battered fish and chips right? Wrong! I was here for a two day course where lunch was provided by Mac's Brew Bar. The menu was less than average and not very appealing at all. We all had to order our lunches during our morning tea break, which was a pain as I could not determine what I wanted for lunch. Check out my website for a more indepth review.

Aimee R

Great location, along with the atmosphere of the place. The food was a bit of a let down. The fish and chips were too big, and the sirloin steak dish was a little boring. Not enough range either. But the drinks were good, as was the service. Wouldn't return for a meal, but it's a nice place for drinks.

Phatnesian

This is an awesome bar. Definitely should be one of Mac's flagship bars. We enjoyed sitting by the fire and my wife really loved the cider concoctions in the glass jugs. The decor is trendy and modern and a great date night place to hang out in. Although we live in Feilding we'll definitely be stopping back next time we visit Wellington.

Olivia Dixon

I reserved a table for 12 after the Wearable Arts in Wellington in October. When we arrived, the staff had reserved an amazing table overlooking the waterfront in an area which we had to ourselves. The menu choice was very fitting given the type of establishment and were great value for money (especially the breads and dips). The girls serving us were very friendly and extremely accommodating. We all thoroughly enjoyed the drinks, meals, service and atmosphere. Not a complaint to be had.

DebHead

Great location and atomosphere as the indoor area is large and the beer garden even larger - perfect for a sunny day. Didn't have a problem with the service they were relatively friendly and meals were delivered in good time. My meal was a little disappointing, I ordered the fish and chips and whilst the chips were cooked fine the fish was very dry and over cooked. We also ordered the Lamb burger which I am told was lovely and the chicken sandwich was too. Wouldn't go for a fine dining experience, it is a pub afterall but happy enough to go back for nibbles and an ise cold beer.

Verena

I was very disapointed in the service here. We waited by the sign 'wait here to be seated' as we were having lunch at Macs Bar and nobody came to seat us. So we grabbed a menu and ordered at the bar we took our drinks to the dining area and were told ' you can't sit here you haven't ordered food' I told the lady but I ordered at the bar and we are waiting on food she told me as I had not sat down and had my order taken I would have to sit elsewhere, elsewhere was full and the ENTIRE dining area was empty (not suprising if you can't get served!) This doesn't make ANY sense to me and I am totally disappointed in the bar I will never go back it is just a mass production line and they don't care about the customer!

Rebecca Jones

Great brunch/lunch menu, would suit all tastes. It was a busy sunday and we were served our food promptly even though it was busy :)

Enthu Cutlet

After driving for 8 hours from Auckland, we reached Wellington at around 10 PM and went out to the harbour area looking for a place to eat. Most of the places which said were open till 'late' had shut down, and we ended up going to Mac's brewbar. While the harbour area seemed empty and desolate Macs Brewbar was quite filled up, and for a good reason. It is a big place with ample number of seats and enough television and projector screens to keep people occupied during rugby matches. I personally love the upturned lamp shades that they have in most Mac's breweries. Ordered for some finger food snacks which came in time and were delicious. Wanted to try the different beers but it was too cold so settled for rum and coke for myself and vodka plus ginger ale for my friend. The service was good and the staff extremely friendly. Overall, a pretty good place to go as a casual outing or enjoy sports telecast over drinks