Manhattan Bar + Eatery — Restaurant in Bay of Plenty

If Tauranga had a crown jewel on The Strand, Manhattan Bar & Eatery would be sparkling right at the top.

From the very first bite, I knew this wasn’t just “going out for dinner” — this was an experience. The food is nothing short of phenomenal: succulent, beautifully presented, and seasoned with that kind of magic that makes you stop mid-conversation just to say, “Wow.” The ribs? Fall-off-the-bone perfection. The pizza? A slice of heaven with every bite. And the cocktails… let’s just say they don’t just pour drinks here, they craft memories in a glass. 🍸✨

The atmosphere is cosy-yet-buzzing, the kind of vibe that makes you want to linger just a little longer. Sitting upstairs with the balcony views, watching the waterfront glow — it felt like we were on holiday in our own city. 🌙💫

And the staff? Absolutely outstanding. Warm smiles, attentive service, and genuine care — they make you feel like you’re not just a customer but part of the Manhattan family. That personal touch is what sets this place apart from anywhere else along the waterfront.

This isn’t just food, it’s heart and soul on a plate. Manhattan Bar & Eatery is the kind of spot you want to tell everyone about, but also secretly keep to yourself because it’s just that special.

💎 Unmissable. Flawless. Worth every single visit. I cannot wait to come back...

Service was fantastic, friendly and accommodating waitress and the restaurant upstairs was very nice and clean. The mulled wine was delicious and service was lightning fast, considering it being a quiet Wednesday evening. The food unfortunately lets this establishment and wait/bar staff down, the prawn linguine tasted like a cream desert overloaded with castor sugar with one prawn cut into 4 pieces, kids meals probably the worst we have ever encountered, with crust used for a cheese and ham toastie only to be missing the cheese and the fries were less than the number of fingers on one hand. The beef cheeks were in need of few more hours braising, completed with a poorly prepared skin on mash potatoes.. We decided to put all the food into a takeaway container to take home for our dog who'd greatly appreciate the desert like prawn linguine and sugar. Really hope there's another level to the culinary experience...

Update Since I initially posted this review, I can report that the owner has gone to extreme measures to contact me and apologise for the service received on the night of my hens do. He has also informed me that the bar manager in question was dealt with appropriately. While I appreciate this follow up, it still does not change the fact that my hens night was heavily impacted by this service. Amending my 1 star review to 3 stars to reflect the owners attempts to reconcile the situation.

After booking in advance for a hens night we were asked to leave 5 minutes after sitting down with our drinks. Then after leaving a disappointed post on their Facebook page, instead of dealing with the issue, they deleted the post. Terrible service through and through.

Also, the bar manager who asked us to leave, who was not polite in any way, shape, or form, was then at another bar down the Strand having multiple beers and a...