TDO - The Dinsdale Office / Restaurant and Bar — Restaurant in Hamilton

I would not recommend hiring out the Venue!! Unless you get a signed agreement or contract in place. Booked the venue out for a private function 2 mths prior from 18.30 to 23.25 in June. The week of the function management changed it so the locals and public could also share the space because the Chiefs got into the finals!! They were also rude and said it wasn't worth it if only 50 of my guests turned up instead of 80 but the venue hire has a minimum spend of $2,000 so it wouldn't matter if 5 people turned up. They also told my guests they had to turn people away because we were in the restaurant part (wth). They didn't seem to know how to work their sound and viewing system on the night, when they asked me to only bring USBs and all would be fine. On the night they asked if I bought a computer with me (aka laptop they mean) and no I drove down from Auckland!! So another delay there while one of my guests sorted it for them! I had to remind them what I had paid for to start with so my guests could get their free sparkling as well. I had to ask for water for my guests. There was no chalk board up about a function or maybe a Happy Birthday sign. There was no thought into giving the birthday girl something free on the house as a happy birthday gesture! Most places do that as a little something extra as a thank you for choosing their venue. I paid for a special cocktail for my daughter $50 hoping for something amazing. Looked like a vanilla milkshake in a fishbowl with 3 white straws. I had to wait to finally get to the speeches and by the end we had limited time left for my guests to use the dance floor while the locals were shoved into the garden bar. I was told my guests would have a separate bar as we had discounted drinks at $9. We were sharing the bar with the public. How could they differentiate between my guests and the public!! All the locals and public could hear our speeches, and see the video of baby photos which was supposed to be private! They asked if they could clear the platters I had paid for when clearly there was still food on them. Big mistake hiring this for a private function and a big mistake I didn't think of getting a contract/agreement signed. My last and only daughter's 21st! She didn't know the stress this place put me under which was good. Staff were friendly. the food was lovely. Management absolutely apauling! Keep it as it is, a sports bar/restaurant. They have no right to have private functions here. Yes they made space for us in the restaurant but the night was ruined because I couldn't manage the time I needed because of the game. In the end I had to give in and change it for them and have my guests watch the rugby first, speeches delayed and night of dancing so my son could DJ was ruined. I couldn't change the venue with days notice. My guests had to go outside of the venue to vape as the locals were in the only garden bar when I was told my guests would have an area outside separately. Terrible Management dishonest and upsetting!! I will never get that moment back again for my daughter. In the end I hid the issues I had well and my daughter did not notice what I was going through and the stress and anxiety from all of this. My private function was no longer a private function so hiring of the venue was a load of rubbish. Let's say I did not thank them as I walked out the door. On the phone they told me a whole lot of rubbish that the locals would be gone by 8.15pm. No still there after 11!! They wanted to talk on the phone so no paper trail but I do have emails up to the change where they told my son but didnt inform me. I had to ring them and they said "oh we didn't know the chiefs were going to get in the finals". 'MATE when did that become my problem when I had this hired out over 2 months ago!!' They have no right running a business like this. All about the $ and don't care what hurt and stress they caused me on the week of my daughters 21st! I will never get that moment again. Great food! Awesome chef! Friendly staff but unfortunately they are let down by...

Not impressed with the service, wouldn't go there again. I asked the barman if I could have a table for two, to which he replied yes, not to sure what he was up to but he ended up being very attentive to a couple (sucking up to them)who had walked up to the bar after me, He then came back to me and handed me 2 menus and told me I could pick a table that didn't have a reserve sign on it. Real classy - NOT! As he was the only staff member serving at the time I ended up having to go back up to the bar to say we were ready to order and just wanted to order some main meals as we had a meeting to attend in an hour's time. When it was finally ready, chef kept having to ring the bell for someone to bring the meal to us. By then another female was helping behind the bar but anyway by the time we got our meal veges were cold. We hurried up and ate our meals that weren't worth the $30 price cost. First barman didn't even acknowledge us as we walked past the bar to leave. Like I implied - no class. P.S the one star is for the female staff member who brought our meal to us with a smile, but was busy having to help the condescending wimp...

4 of us dined in for mothers day dinner lastnight. Service great, and atmosphere, 2 of us got the seafood fettuccine, which consists of mussels, prawns and scallops. 1 had heaps of everything, the other got half way through and notice he hadn't had a prawn yet and started searching to find there was none, had the mussels in shell BUT with still with the beard on all of them and only one scallop. Waitress offered to get prawns etc cooked, but was too late by then..went to pay and expected them to at least discount the meal that didn't get served as menu read, but never did. Bit disappointed. Meals were nice and service, just a pity about what happened with food and...