Camarosa — Restaurant in North Island

am writing in complete disappointment and “let down” from today’s Mother’s Day experience. At your establishment!!

I booked a table for four two weeks ago to get in early before the last-minute rush of many. I used your online booking system which worked well.

Upon arrival, we were piloted to our table. First thing I noticed immediately; all the other tables were set up with cutlery but not ours. Once seated a menu on table and questioned to what type of water, fresh or mineral water. This was easy. Immediately, we ordered drinks over and above the water selection.

Once this part was completed, a waitress approached us to see if we have made a choice, which we all did, 1 entrée, and four mains. The moment we gave our selection from the “said Mother’s Day menu” she couldn’t find or struggled to locate on her tablet if it even existed. This is when I knew, this is going to be a bad experience.

Sure enough, she re-visited out table after we gave her our order 3 times to confirm what we selected. Meanwhile, still awaiting on drinks, we watched the masses of clients flooding in. By booking early time wise would help eliminate the wait……. 11.30am.

So… our meals turned up…wow what a complete let down. Firstly, my entrée never arrived just my burnt hard bite to eat Tofu dish….deep fried to the point of wood chips. I asked “so the entrée is not coming”,….the look of ….”oh shit” ….. them my dumplings turned up….COLD!!! and I mean cold! But it gets bitterly worse, no cutlery …… so I then asked, “is this a finger food menu?” so cutlerly was quickly arranged but wait “their’ s more” The cutlery I received was dirty from previous use….in the meantime ……. Let’s start with the drinks…… Yip… you guessed it…… never arrived until I had to ask again…. By this time… it’s the third request….

Now, imagine this….. if you were in this position as a paying customer …would you be happy….”it’s a Yes or No answer” ….I’d say No….. Far to say we left the premises really disappointed….. But I haven’t finished yet….. upon leaving the waitress was so apologetic as she knew the complete experience was a total failure. I went to pay and this young lady recited what was purchased, and proceeded to say $!55.00 …. No, how was your meal, where you happy with everything…. In hind site, she was lucky she did not ask as I would have politely shared how disappointed my family and I were…..

In closing….. we will never return, and I have no hesitation not recommending the establishment.

Stupidly enough, friends of ours whom own a café in Taranaki asked…..in Hamilton who would you rate as a place for service, food, atmosphere and experience…. 2 weeks ago I said Camarosa…. Thank you for proving me wrong!!

With disappointment…… still...

Disappointed as my past experiences at Camarosa have been great. But who I think is the manager needs to improve his service.

I arrived to the restaurant with my mum on my way to Auckland from Taupo on a bit of a time crunch. We sat down around 2pm and ordered within 10-15 minutes. I ordered a pizza and tiramisu, which the manager said he could bring out straight after I finished my pizza, and my mum ordered pizza bread (small share). We waited 40 minutes for the food to arrive. In that time I observed a European couple arrive to which the manager seemed quite friendly and known to. They received their food (pizza also) within 15-20 minutes after they ordered. They ended up leaving much earlier than us despite arriving later than us. The way he smiled and spoke nicely with them in contrast to the way he spoke with us already ruined my mood.

I also observed the table in front of us order AND receive their 4 desserts after I ordered my single one dessert. I felt there was favouritism towards the two tables.

I had then asked to take away my food and when the other server brought back the boxed food, I asked if he could please bring out the tiramisu to which he said yes and confirmed it was on it’s way.

25 minutes later nothing.

I went up to the counter and kindly asked if they could please check as we were running late to go back to Auckland. There was some dispute going on in the kitchen and then the manager comes to me and starts going off about how I cannot take away tiramisu because it comes in a glass cup etc. To which I reply ‘No, I did not ask for it to be packed for takeaway, I asked how far along it was’, making me feel like it was my fault or something. He then said he can bring it out soon if I want, I was confused and asked if they had started on it and he said no.

So disappointing. I cancelled the order and proceeded to pay.

I stopped the manager and made it known I was not in the wrong as I was TOLD it was on its way after asking for it to be brought out and was kept waiting for 25 minutes. If i had not asked how long would I have waited for?

He then said there was miscommunication as two people shouldn’t have been serving us etc, but the manager hadn’t even checked in on us to see if we were going okay during our stay (how someone usually would). We were there for an hour and a half.

He only apologised when we paid and said the least I can do is let you have your coffee for free.

Overall, I was very polite despite everything going on. The manager needs to be a bit more kind and sympathetic in the way he talks with others. Not...

Sure! Here’s a polished and solid restaurant review based on your experience, keeping it honest and balanced:

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Restaurant Review: Camarosa, Hamilton – More Hype Than Hospitality

We recently visited Camarosa in Hamilton, trying out First Table for the first time. The booking process was smooth and easy, which set high expectations for the rest of the experience. Unfortunately, the dining part didn’t live up to the same standard.

The vibe was surprisingly flat when we arrived around 2 PM. Perhaps it was the time of day or the lack of music and ambience, but the atmosphere felt dull and uninviting.

We ordered the vegetarian pizza and halloumi sticks. The halloumi sticks were definitely the highlight – crispy, flavourful, and something we’d happily recommend. The pizza, however, was a disappointment. It arrived soggy and lacked any real flavour – a major letdown, especially when vegetarian options were already so limited.

Drinks were good, and we enjoyed the beers, but the overall service felt off. Staff checked in multiple times – which is fine – but the way they did it felt rushed, like they were eager for us to leave. The most uncomfortable moment was when I was still finishing my last bite of pizza and the server simply took the plate away, making it feel like I had no choice but to comply. It didn’t feel like customer service; it felt dismissive.

The final straw was at the till. We casually asked if our bill reflected the First Table discount, and instead of a polite confirmation or breakdown, the server snapped, “Where else do you get a pizza for $14?” – a completely uncalled-for response, especially when the food didn’t even meet basic expectations.

In short, Camarosa might carry a strong name, but the experience was underwhelming. The food (at least for vegetarians) lacks flavour, the service feels rushed and disrespectful, and the overall vibe is far from inviting. Would I return? Probably not. There are better spots in Hamilton that offer quality food and treat their...