The Monday Room — Restaurant in Christchurch

Our party of 4 was looking for the perfect place to eat, to celebrate many recent achievements. We found TMR online, and made a reservation, for the $45pp 'Trust the Chef' dinner.

The online reservation system was easy to use, and sent out a reminder/confimation via email. Finding parking was a bit of a challenge, but we found a empty spot on one of the nearby streets, and paid approx $3.50 for an hour. We walked in, and we were met with a warm environment and a lovely smile from Chris the bartender/check-in man. He introduced himself, and showed us to our reserved table upstairs. He offered to take our coats too, which was a nice touch.

Our table was well lit, clean and the area was heated comfortably. Our server introduced herself, and told us how the 'Trust the Chef' dinner works like a banquet style meal for the table. She was professional, friendly and spoke clearly. She showed us the drink menu, (which sadly only had alcoholic choices), but she did voice the non alcoholic beverages to us. We ordered some juice, and she made sure we were comfortable before departing.

5 minutes later, the starters/entrees came out. They were ASTOUNDING. Not only was the taste superb, but the serving size was extremely generous. We were also impressed at how quickly it was brought out, and how it was beautifully plated. We forgot to take photos, as they looked so scrumptious, so apologies.

The drinks arrived shortly after, they came with a dried peice of fruit, ice cubes and metal straws, which another nice little touch.

The mains followed 10-20 minutes later, and again, very generous portions, beautifully plated, and extremely tasty.

There was still a bit left, so our server offered to pack it up for us to take home, which was also very nice. It came back in a lovely small container. She asked if we wanted to have any deserts, and showed us the menus. We were sadly a bit too full, and so we declined. The price range of deserts are around $12-$19, unsure on size.

I do not wish to spoil the surprise of what we had to any upcoming patrons. Please take my advise and try this option for yourself.

Some improvements would be, if TMR displayed parking areas & rates on the website and added the non-alcoholic drinks to the beverage menu. Apart from that, everything was excellent. We wish we had this chef at home. ;)

If we are in need to find a high-class, high-value restaurant, with friendly and comfortable service, for for any future celebrations, we will...

memory full

You said:

"Delightful dinner, the whole staff is so kind and friendly and makes you feel comfortable like being home...."..... I need to make this comment something that has impact on all the reader

ChatGPT said:

Here’s a more impactful and polished version of your comment that captures warmth, professionalism, and emotional connection:

"An absolutely delightful dining experience—every member of the staff went above and beyond, creating a warm, welcoming atmosphere that felt just like home. Their genuine kindness and attentiveness turned a simple dinner into something truly memorable."

Let me know if you’d like to tweak it for a more casual, romantic, or luxury tone.

You said:

Let's make it more luxurious

ChatGPT said:

Certainly! Here's a more luxurious and refined version of your comment:

"An exquisite dining experience where every detail was flawlessly executed. The staff exude warmth and elegance, making you feel not just welcomed, but truly valued—like being a cherished guest in a beautifully curated home. A perfect blend of sophistication and heartfelt hospitality."

Would you like to tailor this for a specific restaurant or type of cuisine?

You said:

Yes the restaurant is the Monday room in Christchurch, I would also mention the venue, old but quite characteristic in his appearance (old brick building with some modern features to provide stability like reinforced concrete that blended with the original brick walls and still reinforcement collumn

ChatGPT said:

Perfect—thanks for the details. Here’s a luxurious and evocative version of your review tailored specifically for The Monday Room in Christchurch, incorporating both the service and the charm of the venue:

"The Monday Room" offers an exquisite dining experience where refined hospitality meets architectural character. Nestled within a beautifully preserved brick building, the venue blends historic charm with subtle modern reinforcements—reinforced concrete and structural steel elements thoughtfully integrated to complement the original masonry. The atmosphere is both intimate and elegant, while the staff’s genuine warmth and attentiveness elevate the entire evening. You don’t just dine here—you feel like a valued guest in a space that effortlessly balances...

We wanted to come out for a nice drink and nibble before a friends birthday. I thought we would go somewhere ‘nice’ and chose the Monday Room. Having booked a table online for my husband and I - the only option was for lunch or dinner so I selected dinner. As we weren’t doing overly hungry we decided on sharing a few entrees over a drink. When choosing what we would like (we chose 3 entrees- all priced at nearly $30 each) the waiter got very abrupt and was upset we had booked a table for dinner yet were only ordering entrees. This was a simple mistake, yet as I tried to explain this and apologise he decided to take away our large plates at our dining setting, making a scene where other patrons were staring at the commotion, remove additional cutlery and did so in a very nasty manner. As a social anxiety sufferer and mother to two small children - coming out for a meal and drink was a big deal that night and instead of having a nice time we were humiliated and made to feel like second class citizens. I was personally left nearly in tears by the experience. As business owners ourselves, we could never imagine treating a customer that way! We would likely have ordered several more drinks had we felt welcome, perhaps more food even. In the times where people aren’t choosing to go out and hospitality is struggling I cannot understand how this could be considered acceptable behaviour - as though the $100 we had spent with them was not ‘enough’. There were plenty of empty tables around, and people coming in off the street that may have been interested in our table - it was not the end of the world. Just an awful, nasty experience that was incredibly disappointing and upsetting. Based on the few negative reviews left by prior patrons and the response from the restaurant it appears that any bad review is met with the same immature and hostile manner we received on our evening. Uncalled for, nasty and just...