The Grove Restaurant image

The Grove Restaurant

Restaurant Fine dining restaurant

One of the Top rated Fine dining restaurants in Auckland


Address

Saint Patricks Square, Wyndham Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010, New Zealand

Website

www.thegroverestaurant.co.nz

Contact

+64 9 368 4129

Price rating

$$$$

Rating on Google Maps

4.70 (589 reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Friday: 5:30 pm to 12 am
  • Saturday: 5:30 pm to 12 am
  • Sunday: Closed
  • Monday: Closed
  • Tuesday: Closed
  • Wednesday: 5:30 pm to 12 am
  • Thursday: 5:30 pm to 12 am

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: restaurant (14) amazing (10) service (9) experience (8)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 5/5 Kent S. 11 months ago on Google • 439 reviews
    4.6 | delicious food and drink, with some rather innovative experiences such as a absinthe waterfall, the salt cured venison, and the dry ice herb bowl. Service was incredibly friendly and fun. They were also very accommodating as we asked to switch our reservation date last minute to a Friday and they made it work! Definitely a visit if looking for fine dining in Auckland.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Sharon 2 years ago on Google
    OVERRATED AND PRETENTIOUS!!! Our 40th Wedding Anniversary. Hubby books restaurant well in advance (and tells manager of importance of date) and we get put in the worst seats in the place, right by the kitchen. Can't hear ourselves think let alone talk. Ask to be moved and get put next to toilets. Look down the rest of restaurant at lovely area but no, the management put us there - obviously we aren't 'influencers'. (more about that later) Service very poor. We get a menu thrust at us, with choice between 4 or 7 courses, but no suggestion of the wine matching. With no offer of wine matching, instead we had cocktails. These cocktails were by far the highlight of the evening, which is a sad indictment already. Asked about any allergies - I say no mussels or oysters please to waiter. And guess what??? Yes, they bought oysters for our little starting treat! Ignorant and arrogant to say the least. Across the aisle from us is a drunk man, getting served even more alcohol, getting louder and more obnoxious. He knocks his drink onto the floor and it splashes all the way across to us. My feet and shoes covered in alcohol. Waiter rushes to clean up floor and man, but never once did I get handed a towel and damp cloth to wipe myself. Instead had to visit ladies and wash down. Came out and we both noticed the liquid all around our table and just shook our heads. You may ask why we didn't complain by that stage or before? Well we didn't want to ruin our special night and thought 'well worst things have happened'. This was our biggest mistake - we are too nice! We arrived at 7:30 and got served our last 'dish' (7 courses) at 10:40. Each course was interesting to say the least, but so small and either overly flavoured or overcooked, that we got to the stage of being scared what was next. There was Crab - 2 teaspoons of mushed crab, next Venison - little chewy pieces of meat, followed by Potato. Yes 1 jersey benne spud! One boiled spud. Then the fish - a 2.5cm round, 2.5 cm high piece of the most tasteless, rubbery slab of fish I've ever experienced. By this stage we just wanted the agony over. We knew it would be a waste of time complaining because we watched the 'influencers' being fawned over, with photos of themselves with every course. There was primping, posing, false smiles and camera flashes BUT they seldom did more than nibble each course. The rubber fish was followed by the beef, a finger size piece of sirloin (so much for the wagyu). Then a corn dish served in the smallest bowl possible and indescribable, followed by figs. No coffee offered or port or sherry. Nothing. So, yes we are in our early 60's. But we have eaten at some of the 'best' restaurants in the world - for the experience, the food, the tastes, the pleasure of new things. We left feeling ripped off, under awed and embarrassed that this restaurant somehow had managed to be supposedly No1 in NZ. Amazing what can happen when you feed 'influencers' for free and continue serving very drunk rich people (according to the drunk himself!). But for the average person or tourist, please consider elsewhere - PLEASE.
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Yuichiro S. 1 year ago on Google • 236 reviews
    Very fancy restaurant in Auckland. The menu is small in portions and you can enjoy many items. The view from the windows is not great, but you will be satisfied with the atmosphere and food in the restaurant. Also, the desserts are very unique. Regrettably, the menu options for course meals are poor, but if you have any requests you should discuss them with the restaurant in advance.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Anusha F. 2 years ago on Google • 20 reviews
    We celebrated our 37th wedding Anniversary at the Grove. The service was simply outstanding. Food was extremely tasty and delicious. Lot of surprises specially a beautiful gesture to give us a special card and complimentary sweets. Memorable experience. Thanks heaps grove for making our day a special one.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Jerry W. 2 years ago on Google • 229 reviews
    Came here for our anniversary after a long lockdown. Great to see a nice vibe in this restaurant, and almost 70% around 7.45pm on a Tuesday. We picked the 6-course degustation menu and I must say, it was more like 10 courses because of the delicious hors d'oeuvres etc. Every dish was amazing, lots of flavour and well balanced which is fantastic because this restaurant dropped off our favourite list a few years back, and now it’s back on our top 10! The portion may seem small but we were full and very satisfied at the end. The service is very good as always.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Huiming W. 1 year ago on Google • 7 reviews
    We had the Valentine's Day set manu, it had a huge variety of foods. The snacks and entrees were exceptional, I really saw your growth as a restaurant compared to last year. The ingredients and presentation have become more creative and the taste and texture have become more delicate and layered. The cider sorbet was definitely the most fun one. The seafood dishes tasted especially good. In my humble opinion, the aged beef and deserts could have been improved. The aged beef was a little too salty and the deserts were a little too sweet, you could add more touches of other flavors to balance them out. I think dishes like the duck egg mushrooms and cider sorbet had more balanced flavors. This doesn't mean anything was bad, I just hold them to a high standard as most dishes were so good. Overall we loved the dinning experience! You did a great job!
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Andrew L. 1 year ago on Google • 95 reviews
    Fantastic restaurant. The food and wine were fantastic. The Grove specializes in degustation so you don't choose individual dishes, even though my wife and I don't normally enjoy oysters but here they were phenomenal. The staff were all amazing from our waitress to the sommelier who just happened to be the NZ sommelier of the year. Michael the owner was there and even though they were fully staffed he was floating around pouring wine, serving and talking to customers with his passion for the restaurant obvious.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Dennis P. 10 months ago on Google • 47 reviews
    Amazing service and food. This would be a two star Michelin if they surveyed NZ. It's really amazing and the service is over the top amazing. Vanya was my server and she was amazing with explaining everything and how it pairs with everything as it was presented. Easily the best restaurant in Auckland. Recommended
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Chris L. 2 years ago on Google • 31 reviews
    Had a great experience for lunch today. Service was top notch. Food came in timely manner. Best of all, food was amazing. Irish friends said the roast potatoes were some of the best. I'd say the sticky date pudding was the best. Guess you can decide for yourself
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 wenwen w. 1 year ago on Google • 26 reviews
    Highly recommend this wonderful fine restaurant!❤️ Every finger food gave me a supersize its actually not enough to taste 👅 haha Just Love❤️ It! Cant believe the chef can make venison so tender and smooth. Very professional service, plates are warm with food together every time been put on the table whole team members are very nice friendly Cant wait for next new course 🤩😜
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Steve G. 2 years ago on Google
    This is only the second time I have visited the restaurant due to the well-deserved prices for the degustation. The food is excellent, the decor rustic, the views largely missable. The intention is to visit seasonally when the menu changes. Unfortunately, this time, we had to stop at the 4th course as we were too full, our fault not the venue. We will return in Autumn 🍂 ❤️
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Daniel W. 2 years ago on Google
    We had a 5 course degustation and the food was amazing. There were so many unexpected snacks that made the experience even better. The waiters we had all were great and did a thoroughly good job explaining everything to us.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Jason D. 1 year ago on Google • 131 reviews
    We had an incredible night here and enjoyed the seven course degustation it was truly amazing. The taste pallets were well balanced the staff fantastic overall and incredibly enjoyable experience. I put it up there with the Michelin restaurants we have dined in Europe. A++++

  • 5/5 Donna S. 2 years ago on Google
    My partner and I were totally blown away. They are located in the busy central business district, but once you step inside, you forget the hustle and bustle outside, where you can find comfort, relaxation and professional service.

  • 2/5 Helen 1 year ago on Google
    Disappointing service, definitely not what you would expect from this kind of establishment, especially when you’re paying nearly $500 for a dinner for two people. Found a hair on one of the dishes (doughnuts) and quietly told one of the waitresses (she might be a manager?) as she was clearing our table and all she said was “Oh, sorry”. No action taken whatsoever. Food was definitely better than their service, but some of them were very salty. They brought the bill to the people next to us, but we had to pay at the counter. I’m not too sure whether they were discriminating us because we were dressed quite casually for a Thursday night dinner or because we were Asian.

  • 5/5 Joshua A. 8 months ago on Google
    One word "Wow" Absolutely fantastic- from the service to the food. The oyster in the amuse-bouche was outstanding, and out of the mains, Duck Egg and Wild Mushrooms, and the dry-aged steak were phenomenal. I would recommend you try the wine pairing as well since it enhances the experience to the next level. Definetly worth the price and will be coming back!

  • 4/5 Sarah L. 1 year ago on Google
    A very long dining experience for about 4 hours. Very tired. Food is pretty but not quite stood out.

  • 5/5 Natalie K. 9 months ago on Google
    Went here last week and it was absolutely amazing! Food was amazing. Complimentary snacks delicious. Vanya served us and she was so helpful. Wine pairings matched timing of food servings perfectly. Sommelier’s pairings were spot on. Can’t recommend it enough!


Call +64 9 368 4129 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Payments
    • ✓️ Debit cards
    • ✓️ Credit cards
    • ✓️ NFC mobile payments
  • Offerings
    • ✓️ Beer
    • ✓️ Wine
    • ✓️ Coffee
    • ✓️ Alcohol
    • ✓️ Spirits
    • ✓️ Cocktails
    • ✓️ Halal food
    • ✓️ Small plates
    • ✓️ Vegan options
    • ✓️ Organic dishes
    • ✓️ Vegetarian options
  • Accessibility
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible toilet
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible seating
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible car park
  • Dining options
    • ✓️ Dinner
    • ✓️ Dessert
    • ✓️ Catering
  • Service options
    • ✓️ Dine-in
    • ✗ Delivery
    • ✗ Takeaway
    • ✓️ Outdoor seating

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