Appetite — Restaurant in Franklin

We visited Appetite with high hopes, but unfortunately were met with a series of disappointments. The service was remarkably slow and disorganised, didn’t get drinks till about 40mins in even tho they were ordered on arrival. The waitstaff seemed overwhelmed, which led to several incorrect meals being delivered to our table, including two incorrect servings of what I had ordered.

Even more concerning was the handling of a celiac guest at our table, despite calling ahead to inform the restaurant of a gluten allergy, which is a serious health concern and not a preference, the staff served a dessert containing gluten - thankfully a staff member snatched it away before he dug in but in all seriousness it would’ve put him in hospital.

If you thought I was done, I wasn’t, the Wagyu steak was poorly cooked described as the worst ever Wagyu he’s had by one of our party, and shockingly priced at $198 (mostly cost a lot due to it being 200grams but it would be nice to have a great meal for that price). The waitstaff did not enquire about how anyone at the table preferred their steak cooked when she took our orders, nor did she ask for the sides, or the sauces. She proceeded to enter one dish into machine and then come back to the table and ask what the side for that would be, then go back to the machine and enter it and then get to the next thing on the list and come back and ask the next person how they’d like their steak cooked, and then go from back to the machine and enter it and then come back and ask the same person what kind of sauce they would like with the steak and then repeated over and over again for every person who ordered a steak (4/6 of us). I’m sorry but commonsense would’ve told me that everyone on the table who ordered a steak, she probably should’ve just stayed at the table and ask everyone what they wanted all in one go and wrote it down instead of coming backwards and forwards, honestly I lost count of how many times after the eighth time.

The food was overall average, maybe two or three dishes were incredible, the rest were flavourless and overcomplicated, they can’t have had that renowned chef on the night we visited.

The billing was incorrect, with overcharges totalling $125 for items we did not order or receive, this one’s going in an email to them because that’s the one that pissed us off the most.

The only redeeming factor was that the kids' meals were awesome. However, given the overall experience and the significant cost of $1000 for 6 adults and 2 kids, it's hard to overlook the issues we encountered. We had expected much better from Appetite and feel compelled to advise others that it’s really hit and miss - they have a long way to come before I’ll...

Booked ahead and took my family for dinner at Pukekohe’s newest restaurant - we’re local and were looking forward to trying something new. Entered via the street-facing door since my father-in-law uses a walker, then waited a good 5 minutes before one of the waitresses noticed us looking for some direction to be seated. We’d been allocated a horseshoe booth, even though I’d selected a wheelchair friendly table (?!) and had to ask to be seated somewhere accessible.

The wait staff were very friendly and polite, although some of the younger ones looked like deer in headlights and could do with some training to boost their confidence. We ordered three mains and waited almost an hour. The food was passable - we’re just confused about the direction this place is taking. The menu is all over the place - choices range from high end Japanese Wagyu steak ($98) to elevated pub food like pork schnitzel ($29) to restaurant fare like saffron risotto ($45).

The atmosphere was nice and we completely appreciate that the restaurant is finding it’s feet during first few weeks of service, but prices are extortionate - more expensive than Seddon 64 (probably it’s closest local competition) and even Bracu restaurant in Bombay (fine dining). Appetite has the potential to be great - but it’s early days and didn’t hit the mark...

5 Stars – Exceptional Service That Made My Birthday Unforgettable!

I had the absolute pleasure of celebrating my birthday at Appetite Bar and Restaurant, and I have to give a huge shoutout to Millie and Dana for making the experience truly exceptional. From the moment I arrived, both of them went above and beyond to ensure everything was perfect 🎂

Millie welcomed us with such warmth and professionalism—it instantly set a positive tone for the evening. She was attentive without being overbearing and made sure we had everything we needed throughout the night. Her friendly nature and genuine smile made us feel like valued guests, not just another table 🎁

Dana, equally amazing, brought an incredible energy to the celebration. She was thoughtful, engaging, and so quick to accommodate any special requests. Whether it was recommending the perfect cocktail or helping us organize a little surprise, she handled everything with grace and enthusiasm 💜

Together, Millie and Dana created an atmosphere of celebration and care that I’ll never forget. Their impeccable customer service, attention to detail, and positive vibes made my birthday dinner one of the best I’ve ever had 🎊

Thank you, Millie and Dana—you are absolute stars! I’ll definitely be returning to Appetite soon, and I’ll be recommending it to...