The Freeport with Cleaver & Co — Restaurant in Bay of Plenty

After winning a voucher for this restaurant I was keen to try it and celebrate my birthday with my family members (6 adults). We were told by our waiter that there was a 30 min wait on food due to the Easter Holiday's. I guess that meant they were busy!

We ordered five salads, one came that was wrong, but not wanting to cause an upset we said it didn't matter and we would have it anyway. The food was ok, but nothing to write home to mum about (hold on, mum was there, but not happy!). My salad I had was the seasonal grilled veg salad, but the only grilled veg was cauliflower. I chose to add grilled chicken, but it should have stated add grilled hard to chew, cold, pink spotted chicken.

Sadly the calamari that was shared looked under cooked. It was translucent in parts and gelatinous. I did mention this to our waiter who did say he would get the chef to recook it but I know it would have been over cooked if that was to happen, so we just ate around it.

I personally think that this restaurant is mainly one big bar, and you need to drink and awful lot to even think about enjoying what you could be eating.

Sadly one of our party came home with an extremely sore tummy. Not sure if this was due to our meal, the broken glass that was smashed near our table by the waiter, or the high noise, or the incessant flies and stress of the whole situation.

Another diner came to inform us of the broken glass that was on the floor next to our table (that was clearly left behind from the waiter who thought he cleaned it up after his clumsy mistake). Bless him for coming over to save our dog from glass in the paw and yet another expensive vet bill.

I did mention about the calamari being undercooked when I paid, and this was acknowledged with another voucher, but I turned it down, due to the fact that I would not be taking my family to this restaurant again. The food was very underwhelming and not worth the $189.00 price tag. Surely they can afford to use proper ceramic dishes instead of disposable punnets for serving their dipping sauces in!

I believe we will not be dinning here again, thank you for the voucher, but now I can understand why a voucher was given due to possibly losing diners for such a low standard...

If you're looking for a great place to enjoy a family meal, The Freeport is an excellent choice. This restaurant caters to all ages and tastes with its diverse menu, featuring a wide range of family favorites such as ribs, wings, and pizzas. The food can be best described as modern, tasty pub grub, prepared with skill and presented in generous portions.

During our visit, our table ordered an assortment of dishes, including Fried Chicken, Burgers, and Brisket. We also couldn't resist trying the Polenta chips, which came with a delightful parmesan, truffle, and mascarpone sauce. Each dish was flavorful and expertly cooked, showcasing the chef's flair for creating satisfying meals.

The service at The Freeport was generally satisfactory. However, we experienced a minor delay after our main courses, during which we had the opportunity to order desserts. Unfortunately, since we weren't attended to promptly, we decided to settle the bill instead. It was a missed opportunity as I was really craving an old-school sundae to conclude the meal.

The atmosphere of The Freeport is relaxed and laid-back, which was perfect for our visit on a lazy Sunday afternoon. The restaurant itself is quite spacious, giving it a cavernous feel. It was evident that the place was popular, as it was bustling with customers during our visit.

Overall, everyone in our group thoroughly enjoyed their meals at The Freeport. The menu caters to a wide range of tastes, making it an ideal choice for families with diverse preferences. The dishes were not only tasty but also generously portioned, ensuring nobody left the table hungry. Despite the small hiccup in service, the chilled atmosphere and quality of the food make The Freeport a worthwhile dining destination for families looking for a satisfying and...

Four of us ordered sides. Food took ages to come out. The broccolini came first but no calamari. Tried to get the attention of the waiters. It took ages and a waiter finally came. Asked when our sides were ready. The waiter left and had to come back and ask what the sides was. Two of us ended up getting the calamari with the main. That ended up free. When the fish and chips and pasta came, they didn't bring any knife and forks or napkins. We had to ask for them. A friend asked for a drink and it didn't come for ages and had to ask again. Another friend asked for chicken on her pasta, when she ordered it. When it came, no chicken. Took ages for them to put the chicken on. There was hardly any, four tiny little ones, very small. For the $6 extra. The chicken didn't look ok. The fish in the fish and chips tasted funny and wasn't crispy, it was kind of fresh, a little. The chips were very yummy. The calamari was yummy as well. The Margarita pizza was yummy also. No one came and asked how our dinner was. It was like the waiters were avoiding us. Service was good at the start. But then, was shocking. When it came time to paying I got two orders from somebody else in my group. Had to get a refund.

Would like to do another review but can't. As last year in January, the fish in the fish in chips was delicious, fresh and crunchy. Not this...