Frasers — Restaurant in Albert-Eden

Always wonderful food and great coffee. But on our last visit, so badly let down by the service. My beloved and I had a brief kid-free break so we headed for Fraser's. Great late lunch, and still had time so we ordered dessert. 30 minutes went by and dessert didn't come. Time is dragging on. We followed up with the server, who checked, and admitted that our order had remained on her notepad. OK, these things happen. She apologised and assured us it would come quickly. But then ten minutes passed and still no dessert. Two slices of cake and a mimosa - not much work you'd think. We're getting tense now. We follow up again, assured it will come soon, and a few minutes later the cake appears - but no mimosa. We give up asking, enjoy the cake and get ready to leave as it was past time to go. I go to cash up and was about to be charged for the mimosa, which I had to ask to be taken off the bill. But then the server on the till had to get the manager to do the deduction. The service - which had been good when we first arrived - had just become so sloppy. Mistake upon mistake. It seemed like there were too many staff on, so we had to deal with a different server every time, explain ourselves over and over again... which I told the manager about and received an apology, but no more. A voucher for a free coffee next time or making one of the desserts free would have turned my impression around instantly. We love Fraser's, it's a premium cafe with amazing food in a beautifully-restored and revitalised building in a cool town centre. We love going there. But the service this time was just so bad, not becoming a premium cafe at all. (I honestly felt bad for the kitchen staff who made such great food.) After an experience like that, I'm not sure I can go back any time soon. Just...

Tried the risotto at Fraser's a couple of months ago and can't stop thinking about it. In hindsight I probably should have ordered something other than risotto since camembert and mushroom aren't my favourite ingredients, but I'm glad I didn't because the dish was a solid 10/10. Good combination of savoury mushroom which wasn't too overpowering and melted camembert on top made the dish a stunner 🤤 Came back a few days ago to try the cabinet cakes that they have. To be fair, the baked New York cheesecake is on the same level as the American cheesecake from the Cheesecake Shop, but the base of the Fraser's cheesecake is a bit more baking soda tasting, the sort that bites at your tongue as you eat it. This is something I'm not a fan off, but overall the cheesecake is a solid 7/10 in terms of creaminess and subtle sweetness - I like how they added coconut shavings and lemon to the cake, which gives it more depth of flavour. I also tried the plum cheesecake, flavours were good, but not a standout. The coffee here is also okay, and the prawn spagetthi gets another 7/10. It's a little too acidic for my liking, but I imagine it would be fitting for those looking for a light and guilty free lunch option. In terms of price, at Fraser's you pay for what you get and they don't skimp on the quality! Staff here are always lovely, even during rush hours they maintain a calm composure, which I really admire. Waiting tables is not easy! I understand why Fraser's is considered a Mt. Eden institution. It's a quaint lunch spot with a great menu and awesome scones might I add. This place is definitely worth a visit if you're...

TLDR: Spend your money and time somewhere else. Frasers is not the same as it used to be after the change of ownership, food is drastically worse, more expensive and the portions smaller.

Went to Frasers for dinner on a Sunday night, made a reservation for 3, but they couldn't seem to find it when we arrived. Then we got seated at the wrong table twice, and were asked to move, despite literally half the restaurant being empty.

Two of us got the market fish and it was extremely underwhelming. The fish fillet was small, thin and overcooked, and it might as well have been frozen. It was laid upon two small potatoes and some pea puree. These dishes were polished off so quick and left us still very hungry. We then had to order ANOTHER main to share just to feel full. If your customers have to order more food on top of a $37 main, that's just embarrassing. The 11yo with us got the $15 kids meal (a burger and fries) which actually looked more filling.

When it came time to pay they charged us for the kids meal, despite their 'kids eat free' promo.

The table behind us got the daily roast, then they also polished off very quickly and promptly left.

For over 7 years I've come to Frasers, but now never again. After the sale and change in ownership it is just another generic café. It's clear the new management don't care about customers or maintaining the legacy that is Frasers. Frasers was an institution in Auckland, and now I wished the doors had just remained closed.

Response to the owner: You've spelt your business name incorrectly twice in two...