Review Artisan - Wellington

Loved the kai beautifully cooked and presented. Tasted amazing.

Nice decor, relaxing vibe and friendly staff. Limited menu but steak was cooked to perfection and reasonably priced. Good place for business dinner or date nights.

Super friendly staff that give great service, good whiskey selection and beer as well, and the food was great. Good night out.

Food isn’t that great for the price but it’s a nice vibe and very easy if you’re staying at the hotel like we were. Props to the chef for making a celebratory dessert.

Staycation for a birthday celebration. Located at the Beehive end of The Terrace, you have a good walk to the waterfront but are close to Lampton Quay.

We held a private dinner party at Artisan for about 40 people. Aside from a couple of miscommunications in the initial stages of arranging the party, there was no faulting the service, food, amenities, facilities, or the staff at the Artisan restaurant. Everything was absolutely perfect. The setup in the room, the help from the staff, the private dining menu, the food quality was really superb (well done to the kitchen team). We've used Artisan 3 times now for private functions, and honestly I see no reason I'd not do it again, and I absolutely can recommend this team and location to anyone looking for a dinner party. Top marks to the whole team at Artisan and the Bolton events coordination team.

Great food, astoundingly good. Excellent service too and the venue was great. Relatively few tables in a cosy and romantic space.

We stayed at Bolton and decided to dine here. It was really nice of them to accommodate us without a booking on Saturday night. We ordered pork belly and rib eye. The pork belly was excellent. A little on the sweeter side due to the apples but I loved it. The meat was a little tough for medium rare and fatty and senewy. So not the high quality that you'd expect for the price you pay. Overall it was a good experience.

Very happy with the food and especially the service. The staff were lovely

great food. cauliflower bites were very yummy. parmesa fries good as well. staff good and gins well mixed

I tried all the mains on the menu and I love the lamp and fish.

Came to Artisan for Desert after a less than stellar dinner service at another restaurant and was not disappointed. Absolutely fantastic food and service.

Wow, it was great. I had the 55 day aged steak and cheek! It was perfect. My wife had the the market fish. We requested it with no chilli and the staff did a great of accommodating us. The service is very friendly. The atmosphere felt quiet and pleasant. A great night it has been!

Bit disappointed at the high tea content. As an ex services chef their high tea was not traditional in the food supplied. Great venue but at $35 starting price for food between 2 I was disappointed. Silver ware was not polished and it would have made a huge difference to the presentation.

The service is really good. Food was good. Pork belly was really nice, crisp and tender with a delicious sauce. The rib eye was a little bit of a let down. It was cooked right (medium rare, as requested) but was a bit tough and the cut had way too much fat.

Overall disappointing, especially for the price. The duck was very fatty and served uncarved. The vegetables had been over cooked. The mussels were the highlight, nice and sweet.

19 june 2017 update:<br/>Still fabulous, fish of the day was so yummy with corn salad and pumpkin gnocchi, and the ginger creme brulee is def worth a go!! <br/>I have spent a number if years travelling for work and therefore have eaten some very average food in some very average hotel restaurants.... But to my delight, not this time. Service was great, more than happy for me to take my time deciding. Menu quite short but still had trouble making a decision. Asparagus and pumpkin soup or cured salmon??<br/>Would def recommend the cured salmon....so many flavours but none overpowering, mmmwah, soo delish! <br/>Main was ok, but not great (fish of day with saffron risotto) but still decided on dessert... Brandy snaps with chantilly cream reminded me of the 70's but went for the fried bread pudding. Didn't need it but was a great end to the meal. Def give this place a go if you are in the vicinity of Wellington!

The service was excellent and atmosphere perfect for any occasion.  The food was really outstanding in taste and overall balance of flavors<br/> so well done kitchen, great effort and I enjoyed looking at it as well as consuming every mouthful.  The price is average, but if you balance that against the quality of the ingredients and flavor then I have to say it becomes competitive.<br/><br/>I recommend this as a great place to eat on any occasion and will definitely be going again.  Most enjoyable high quality dining experience.<br/>And we did go again for our wedding anniversary and the comments above I would make again.  My wife booked the Chef's tasting menu and when the first dish came out it was cured Salmon, my wife loved it and I hate Salmon so politely asked for a switch and without any negative words or posture it was switched with a short time to a delicious pate with bread crisps and other tasty treats....outstanding in service and food flavours.  The dishes came out one after the other with exceptional service and tasted like ......go and try it as it is superb and words will fail those tastes, we loved the evening and to top all there was a special gesture at the end of the evening that made it a perfect anniversary dinner!  Highly recommended for any occasion and yes will be going back soon :-)

From this experience, I would have rated Artisan a 4.0 - except for one major issue...<br/><br/>The staff were professional, but still very friendly. And the atmosphere was ideal for a relaxing conversation.<br/><br/>The food (overall) was good too. Except for that one small (major) thing... Fennel!<br/><br/>Now I understand that fennel is a trending ingredient, and I can appreciate the taste it brings to a plate. But it was somewhere in EVERY course, and it wasn't balanced - it was just overpowering.<br/><br/>It occurred in a very strong infusion along an olive oil flight, which unfortunately I wasn't warned about. It was whole on the side of my Pork Au Feu, which wasn't at all bad (as I could control the integration).<br/><br/>And it was (dried?) and incorporated into 2-3 elements on a dessert tasting plate -- hidden in a crumb and sprinkled onto a panna cotta... Quite overpowering, and just wrong!

I was looking forward to dining here, as I’d read some excellent reviews. We were meeting some friends from Brazil who were visiting New Zealand for the first time. The evening got off to a slightly disappointing start, as when we went to order the wine we were not able to get our first three choices of reds. Apparently they were waiting on an order from Te Mata and were out of Ata Rangi ‘Celebre’. Now I appreciate this may sound slightly snobby, but we were wanting to show our guests the best of what NZ had to offer. <br/><br/>Fortunately, Artisan does boast a quality wine list and were able to offer some good alternatives. <br/>The food was excellent! We had some breads and dips to kick us off to start with, with the romesco sauce being a standout. Several of us had their specialty dish, the bourbon-infused lamb neck with pikopiko. Again, a great example of the best NZ has to offer. And if you can’t decide what to have for desert, I would highly recommend the chef’s tasting plate. This was enjoyed by the table, particularly the panna cotta and various bits of chocolatey goodness.<br/><br/>The service was friendly and attentive over the course of the evening. <br/>What impressed me when I read the reviews is that the head chef has personally responded to most of them - even the negative ones (of which there appear to be few). Although I would be interested to see him respond to the person who gave the one star about their room service steak. That certainly wasn’t our experience, we will happily return!

My wife and I stayed at the Bolton for two nights. Tired from travelling we ordered room service which is serviced by Artisan Restaurant. I ordered a medium steak. Instead I got a very dry and overcooked morsel of meat. I should have sent it back but it was 8:30pm and I was starving. What to do, wait another 20 minutes for a refire or find dinner elsewhere in a town I don't know? I pushed on, but couldn't finish it, and I never leave steak unfinished! I left a note with the leftovers of my disappointment. Given I'd eaten most of it, I didn't expect a refund but perhaps an apology and discount, after all it was $29 (+ $5 delivery) and supposedly a 5 star hotel. Instead I received a letter that while polite, didn't apologise or accept fault and only offered a free drink if I ordered room service again! --- Why on earth would I order room service again if they can't even cook a steak properly?

Very good choice of fresh NZ Fish and meat. Price not overly high but the quality makes even a few dollars more worthwhile. Venison was delicious; serve seemed small but probably because more was desired as was 180 gm. Wine list has good coverage from sparkling to deep reds at prices that fit the quality.<br/><br/>This a good quality restaurant upstairs from the reception of the Bolton Hotel. Atmosphere is probably a tad less than formal but adds to appeal.<br/><br/>It does not have the flash of some of the places on the wharf but more than makes up for lack of water view. I will be back here on next visit to this charming and windy city.

I wanted somewhere to take a large family group of varied ages and tastes for a relaxed and high quality celebration dinner. Having enjoyed a great meal at the the Artisan last year with my wife I decided to try it for my group booking. As I was paying and wanted some control over the cost I chose a fixed price set menu. It also meant my guests could choose 3 courses without worrying about whether or not to have starters etc. The set menus still include a choice of dishes for each course and I was able to tailor our set menu with my own choices. On the night the food was excellent and the service first class. We all had a very relaxed and enjoyable evening and I'll definitely go back.

One of our children has multiple food allergies and the Chef was willing and able to accommodate his needs. The waitress came out and went through the menu and he was over the moon at being able to eat out. <br/><br/>Your attention to detail was greatly appreciated – he's running around with no itches or ill-effects which is basically unheard of after eating something from a restaurant.<br/><br/>The other little touch which didn't go unnoticed – our middle son is unwell and has just spent almost a week in hospital – he was getting pretty peaky by the end and asked for a cup of hot chocolate which, without asking for it, came in a wee cup which he could quietly drink and finish which made him feel proud and pleased that he’d eaten something (and finished most of it with a bit of outside nibbling from big brother) from every dish.<br/><br/>So – thanks so much for all your help and for making this birthday lunch both possible and a happily memorable event.

The Artisan had a very relaxing atmosphere. The service was friendly and helpful and it was a bonus to get a free dessert because of Wellington on a Plate. The lamb was delicious although I would have liked it cooked slightly longer and the sauces that went with it were yummy. I want to know how to make the lemon sauce- it was so tasty. The rhubarb and ginger crumble was pretty tasty too. My partner had the scallops entree and wild pork main that was cooked to a tee. The apple pie, sour apple sauce and lavender ice cream was pretty special too. It was a great evening!

My partner enjoyed a very lovely meal here on Saturday night. Great friendly and informative staff! Beautifully presented and delicious food and all round excellent experience! Loved the concept of building your own meal with sides and sauces. <br/> The cosy and intimate restaurant was nice on a typically evil Wellington evening! <br/>Would return here in a flash. Thank you Artisan!

Our family dined and stayed at the Bolton Hotel on Saturday night for a bit of a winter treat...and what a treat it was! We thoroughly enjoyed a 3 course meal on Saturday evening. I had the fish of the day - beautiful, my husband the Beef Wellington which he loved and my daughter the vegetable strudel which she really enjoyed also. I liked that I could tailor my meal to my own taste with the many options available - great if you are a bit fussy! I have to admit we were all fascinated with my daughter's chocolate fondant dessert and a bit jealous, even though ours were sensational. The atmosphere and staff were great, food service excellent and timely. Breakfast the following morning had so much on offer, enjoyable friendly and relaxed. Thanks so much!

Great food and attentive service. <br/><br/>My wife had the scallops (delicious), venison with gratin potatoes (lovely - her words, not mine), and chocolate fondant (the highlight for her). I had the chicken and mushroom fettuccini (OMG, supreme awesomeness - had the small serving, would choose the big size next time), rack of lamb with garlic mash (very good - but for the price, should've been bigger) and the granny smith and raisin pie (delicious). <br/><br/>Our only issue is the time it took to get the food out. There were only about 10 people in the place but you would have thought it was packed and the chef's were run off their feet trying to catch up. This is where the attentive service came in, there wasn't a lot else for them to do and we were just sitting there...waiting a long long time. This was not good.<br/><br/>Once this is addressed I would think this will be a very nice place to eat.

The 3 of us ate at Artisan last night. It is a nice warm atmosphere, spacious and low noise level. The waiting staff are warm and friendly. But I am afraid it is about that is all I can (nicely) say about this. We ordered bread and the Pulled Wild Pork for starter - was at least 30minutes before this arrived after ordering. 3 mains ordered (1) duck con fit - not crispy at all and did not finish (2) my son ordered the razorback pork - dry &amp; tough! he could hardly get his knife to cut this and only finished it because he was hungry (3) I ordered the grilled sirloin (medium rare) - it arrived well done and was not possible to finish. <br/><br/>I fully understand that occasionally it goes wrong - but for someone to serve this load of rubbish up to us could only have held us in contempt. I find it hard to believe the person did not know they were putting a well-done steak on the plate??!! <br/><br/>I would have complained and sent the steak &amp; the pork back but we had to wait close to 90 minutes and not prepared to wait even longer. Paid the $188 and ran as fast as I could.<br/><br/>Give this place a wide berth!!!!

I dined at this restaurant last week with my family and was very impressed. The restaurant had a relaxed atmosphere and the decor was beautiful. Service was fantastic - friendly and efficent. We jumped straight to mains and found the 'design your own meal' concept great, especially as some members of my family are very fussy! Meals were cooked to perfection. I had the venison with potato gratin, vegetables and plum sauce - meat was cooked to perfection was obviously very good quality, presentation was simple yet effective. My family agreed that the food was superb. For dessert the majority of us had the chocolate fondant, a great choice, it was cooked perfectly! A restaurant definitley worth trying!

Had a wonderful lunch here the other day. Have eaten at the hotel on previous occasions and I really like the new decor. The service was friendly and attentive and the food was great!. I particularly liked the venison which was fantastic. The menu is almost understated - not too wordy as menus can be these days - so when my meal arrived I was really very pleasantly surprised. I will definitely come again!

My husband and I came to Artisan Restaurant + Bar about two weeks ago. We did have some reservations about dining here as we had a bad experience about two years ago when it was called Bisque on Bolton, however, we were absolutely blown away by the service and the food at the newly re-branded restaurant. I had the prawn entrée while my husband had the scallops to start. Both of which were very yummy! For our mains, I had the venison while my husband chowed down the rib eye which in weight is 450g. Both our meals were cooked to perfection. To finish we shared the chocolate fondant, which was very decadent but not so rich that it ruined our meals. The service from a young blonde girl was just outstanding. Her knowledge of the menu and wine-list really stood out when she helped us decide our sides, sauces and wines to match our meals. Many restaurants could learn from this place, not only in how to cook good food but how to give great service without being over the top and intrusive. Only one thing that really got to me was the female receptionist who took our booking was very abrupt and boarder line rude. I do wonder weather the hotel and the restaurant are in sync? Other than that, this hotel restaurant is just great. We will be back.

Stayed at the Bolton the weekend of the rugby. Popped in to the resturant on my way to the stadium. Best steak I've had in a long time. Love the menu layout and the make-your-own style. Friendly staff as well topped it off. A++ team. Keep it up

Dined here Monday (23rd). Restaurant wasn't too busy, so service was very prompt. Meals were excellent. My venison main was cooked exactly how I wanted it. My wife's sword fish was quote "delicious". Desserts were really well priced for what we got. Overall extremely happy, and will be back for seconds!

I went to Artisan for dinner, I had to wait a little longer than I expected for my table but it was well worth the wait.<br/>The food was excellent, started with the venison which melted in my mouth followed by the eye fillet which was cooked to perfection. For dessert I had the chocolate fondant which was presented beautifully and absolutely delicious.<br/>The atmosphere was friendly and relaxed and the decor very tasteful, staff were tentative but not intrusive. A lovely evening, I will be back!

My partner and I ate here for dinner and were extremely disappointed. The staff were unhelpful, bordering on rude, and the food was decidedly average. My main course did not match what was described on the menu (my chicken was supposed to come with mushroom sauce but instead came with a lump of butter on top). There was no apology for the mix up and the missing ingredient was only brought out when I had almost finished eating. In addition to this, the crockery was unclean. On the whole, this place had a very amateurish feel to it. I do not recommend dining here.

Love the Bolton but was very disappointed this time with the quality of the food and the service at their new restaurant. Did get a discount for the poor food - but filled in a form outlining my concerns and no response yet. 2nd rated hotel on Trip Advisor in our capital city - they need to do better and fast.