Bobbys Fresh Fish Market Tauranga Waterfront — Restaurant in North Island

My day started great till I visited this restaurant. I was queuing with a friend and both of us were looking at the menu while discussing what to order. It was only a line and we didn’t know they open another counter thereafter. The moment we realised, an old lady at the new counter was raising her voice at us angrily. I even apologised saying I didn’t realise. I ordered fish and chips and she replied aggressively, “could you read the menu properly before you order?” Then I realised that i should mention either full or half scoop. I mean, the lady could have replied “full or half scoop?” instead of yelling at me saying that I should read the menu properly. It felt embarrassing and I didn’t even get to order what I wanted to order cause I was too dumbfounded by this rude customer service. Apparently, the lady was also a cook in the kitchen too. Then, I went again for the second time to order what I actually wanted. Another lady with thick fake lashes took my order. But before that, she was serving an Asian lady; the lady asked if they have Diet Coke. She replied “can’t you see it for yourself in the refrigerator?” I was a little shocked by her reply. I mean, how hard can it be for the lady to say “sorry, we do not have them here”. Additionally, it wasn’t crowded at all, so I really don’t understand why she was feeling so irritated and annoyed? Furthermore, she got my order wrong, she didn’t key in “tartar sauce” but I thought I paid for it. So I asked for it when I got my order. She said “the moment you pay for it, I passed it to you already”. My friend and I told her that she didn’t pass to us. She replied “no, I did”. Then she went to check our order ticket, apparently, she didn’t key in. Instead of apologising, she said “you didn’t pay for it”. It felt like she think she did nothing wrong despite getting our order wrong and also confused us by saying she has already passed the sauce to us earlier. Moreover, i don’t know if it was racism or what because i am Chinese and i observed how she treated other white people was different, she was way more polite than how she treated me. So in conclusion, it was just the rude old lady and the lady with thick fake lashes who ruined my day. I was very upset because I was looking forward to experience something new in NZ. Everyone has been very welcoming till I arrived here. Well, i can’t deny but it was a very disappointing experience. The only one thing I can commend is the food. The fish was fresh and nicely cooked! However the poor customer service outweighs the nicely...

Bobbys: A Down-to-Earth Haven in the Midst of Culinary Ostentation

Let's cut to the chase: I love good food, and I'm all about getting bang for my buck. But lately, I've been feeling a bit let down by the whole "gourmet street food" scene. I mean, come on, $30 for a curry? That's just not right.

You see, street food has always been about keeping it real—simple, tasty, and affordable. But somewhere along the line, things got all fancy, and now we've got places charging an arm and a leg for dishes that were meant for the masses.

That's where Bobbys comes in. Tucked away on the Tauranga waterfront, it's the kind of place that feels like home. With plenty of seats, killer views of the harbor, and a vibe that says "everyone's welcome," it's the perfect spot to kick back and chow down.

Now, let me tell you about the food. Bobbys keeps it old school with classic fish and chips that'll knock your socks off. I'm talking about chips so golden and crunchy, you'll swear they were fried by angels, and fish so fresh and flaky, you'll be coming back for seconds.

And get this: the prices are downright reasonable. I'm talking $15 for a meal that'll leave you smiling from ear to ear. Where else can you get that kind of value with a view like this?

But here's the thing: as much as I love Bobbys, it's also a reminder of what's gone wrong with the whole gourmet street food trend. Street food was never meant to be fancy or expensive—it was about bringing people together over good, honest grub.

So to all those fancy eateries out there, take note: it's time to get back to basics. Because at the end of the day, true value isn't about how much you charge—it's about staying true to the spirit of the food and the people...

It all started well...I was served by a very friendly woman who told me in an apologetic way that there would be about a 40 minute wait. As I had my 4 year old son with me I told her we'd walk down to the playground and be back in 30. She smiled and said 'sure'. When we got back our fish and chips had been cooked about 15 minutes before. When I asked politely if they could heat them up for me I couldn't believe the response.

The woman who'd cooked them was unbelievably aggressive and rude to me in front of my son. The (once friendly) woman who served me argued with me that I was in the wrong even though I'd heard her tell the other woman that she had in fact told me it would be 40 minutes. After a very tense and embarrassing time they reluctantly agreed to recook them and then made me wait a further 40 minutes with a hungry 4 year old.

I told myself at the time that they must be having a bad day but actually their behaviour was disgusting and inexcusable. Other customers were embarrassed for me! These women need to learn how to manage their anger levels and treat others with respect. I will never be eating here again and I will be advising my family and friends to give this place a miss. And as it turns out we paid top dollar for some very mediocre fish and chips. The chips weren't cooked enough and the fish was small and had bits of uncooked batter around it. I hope if you do eat here your experience is...