Dockside Restaurant & Bar — Restaurant in North Island

I am so disappointed with how my partner and I have been treated. If we could give zero stars we would, as it's such a poorly run operation, we were really excited to book a private event at Dockside, however the events manager Chyanne is utterly hopeless and has no understanding of customer service.

We emailed back and forth for a few days, for a private event hire, working out the details and costs. Then she went silent for 9 days. She was away sick, totally understandable, things carried on around our booking, finalising details. She even offered us the option to pay direct and instead of paying through GrabOne for the same discount price that was available for private event hire.

Then she went quiet for another 11 days, in which my partner also emailed and got no reply. After a few more emails to finalise the booking, she came back and said the booking date had been taken by someone else. At no point did she check with us, or indicate there are other inquires for the same of the day. We had no issues in paying the deposit, which was $150, as we planned to spend several thousand on the night, but we were not sent any details or invoice to do so. She just gave the booking to someone else without any communication. Probably a larger group, but who knows.

We were very upset by this, it's totally unprofessional. After I replied about this, Chyanne decided to doubled down on her lack of customer service and went on to blame us for the mistake, and said we have not emailed her in the last month so they had to move on with other inquires. She is so unprofessional that she didn't even check when our last email was, before pointing the blame, as she replied to our email chain, and the last reply from us was 4 days ago from my partner and then 7 days before that was mine. We got no apology, just blame for not paying the deposit in time (even though we had no details to pay it) and someone else did get send the details so they could pay it.

Chyanne is a sloppy unprofessional event's manager at best, she should not be customer facing at all. She tried to blame us for her poor lack of communication too, a clear sign of incompetence.

I tried to take this further up, cc'ing the owner into the email chain, in hopes of getting someone more professional involved. Unfortunately, I was meet with more disappointment and have still not received any reply to my email several days ago. That is why I decided to leaving this review. As it would appear that the unprofessional customer service starts at the top and flows down to its staff.

Please avoid booking your events with Chyanne or Dockside, they will push your booking aside at a moment's notice for more money or larger groups and blame you for their lack of customer service.

We have since found a much better location for our event, at the Wellington Club, and due to their impeccable customer service will be spending much more than what we planned to...

I recently dined at Dockside Restaurant and Bar, and overall, it was a great experience. From the moment I stepped inside, the warm and welcoming atmosphere set the stage for a memorable meal.

Dockside boasted an impressive selection of seafood dishes, ranging from delectable oysters and comforting clam chowder to classic fish and chips. The freshness and quality of the seafood were unquestionable, and each bite was a testament to the culinary expertise of the chefs. The menu catered to various preferences and dietary needs, ensuring there was something for everyone to enjoy.

The service at Dockside was impeccable, with attentive and friendly staff members who went above and beyond to make my dining experience truly exceptional. They were knowledgeable about the menu and provided insightful recommendations, enhancing the overall enjoyment of the meal.

A notable feature of Dockside was the option to use their electronic barcode ordering system. This convenient and efficient method allowed for seamless ordering, particularly for those who prefer a more technology-driven approach. However, traditionalists need not worry, as the staff were more than willing to assist with the menu and take orders directly, ensuring a personalized experience for all guests.

I opted to dine in the outdoor seating area, which provided a pleasant and inviting ambiance. The addition of heaters ensured comfort even during cooler weather, allowing me to fully appreciate the picturesque surroundings. It was the perfect setting to savor the flavors of the meal and enjoy the lively atmosphere.

While my experience at Dockside was overwhelmingly positive, there was one minor drawback to note—the pricing. Some dishes seemed to be slightly overpriced, with a margin of around 5% to 10% above what one might expect. Although the quality and taste justified the overall cost, it's worth considering for those who have a tighter budget.

Despite the slight pricing issue, I still wholeheartedly recommend Dockside Restaurant and Bar for its outstanding seafood selection, excellent service, and enjoyable ambiance. The restaurant offers an exceptional dining experience that is sure to leave a lasting impression. I look forward to returning to explore more of their enticing menu offerings, keeping in mind the slight premium...

Been going to Dockside for years and always had a lovely experience with delicious food. Had a grab one voucher for 7 degustation courses with wine matching. When a dessert came, all you can taste is the ingredient not listed! What an awfulf shock! Not 1 person came to check on us while seated, only to be served. Stating at all it's all you can taste is coconut without coconut listed. Lucky im not alergic, i just dont like it. To come to the register and have the most disgusting, threatining and exteemly hostile and agressive attitude of no less than a restaurant manager named Rajat Sigh,to the feedback of a customer I would no longer recommend to anyone. He asked us how was our meal at the register, to which i replied that, that should have been asked while we were dining instead, that i didnt like that ingredient not listed in the menu was in 2 courses. He didnt like my feedback and started arguing and threatened to black list us...No reason to be hostile. What a traumatic experience. No matter if you want to have lunch, or dinner, this "manager" who doesn't know how to manage is not worth even if they pay me to dine there any more. P.s. I do have a video of final conversations with a lovely staff and him being...well not suited for the job to say the least upon request. Sadly I didn't take the video of hime being very verbally abusive which I hope they got on their camera. None of the staff was willing to progress the complaint nor willing to provide details of the person who do care to make a change. Please do go there to spend a fortune to be disrespected, mistreated and threatened is my heads up to you. So sad it went from great experience to this thanks to your above manager. Will not be back ever again, nor will my friends. Would no longer recommend till a big maybe... you have proper customer service...