Logan Brown Restaurant and Bar — Restaurant in North Island

A Disappointing Experience on My Birthday.

I visited Logan Brown on February 2nd for my birthday dinner. When making the reservation, I clearly mentioned in the request section that I would be accompanied by a 7-year-old child and a 1.5-year-old toddler.

Unfortunately, the service was incredibly slow. We spent about 2.5 hours at the restaurant just to receive two appetizers, two main courses, one dessert, and three drinks.

Despite my continuous efforts to keep my toddler calm whenever she got restless, a male staff member who served our dessert told us to quiet her down, claiming that multiple complaints had been made about her. However, in the entire 2.5-hour duration, my child made noise only 3-4 times for very short moments due to excitement. I have never, in my entire life, been in a restaurant where a mother was told to quiet her 1.5-year-old child.

What made this even more frustrating was that every table around us was engaged in loud conversations, laughter, and chatter, yet somehow, my child’s brief excitement was deemed a problem.

We were so upset that we rushed through our dessert. When I asked the waiter exactly which tables had complained, he vaguely mentioned “the tables at the back” but refused to specify which ones.

I am extremely disappointed with this experience, especially on my birthday night. The service was unreasonably slow, You seated us in a corner of the restaurant, based on the conditions I had previously informed you about. The closest table to us was just one, and we did not see any signs that they had an issue with us. If my child’s voice was truly that disruptive, they should have been the ones to complain—not the tables at the back, who I highly doubt could even hear her. If Logan Brown finds children’s voices so disruptive, they should clearly state on their website that they are not family-friendly, so parents can avoid the discomfort of being treated unfairly.

Ironically, at the very end of the meal, a waiter handed me a piece of paper and crayons to keep my child occupied—something that should have been provided at the beginning.

I am giving this restaurant only 2 stars: ⭐ One star for the beautiful ambiance ⭐ One star for the food presentation and the polite female staff members

However, the poor service, slow food delivery, and lack of respect ruined my birthday. Logan Brown had every opportunity to serve our food faster and handle the situation more professionally, but they failed.

I do not recommend this restaurant to families with young children, and I will not be returning.

……

Update:

I have seen the restaurant’s reply to my review, and unfortunately, they did not accurately reflect the reality of what happened.

• My child never screamed. Over the course of the 2.5 hours, there were 3 to 4 instances where my child made noise, and out of those, 2 to 3 times were loud, but only for very short moments, due to her excitement and happiness. If loud noises from a child are considered screams, I can assure you that these sounds were completely natural and not disruptive.

• They claim they “welcome families with open arms,” but my experience tells a different story. If that were truly the case, I would not have been asked to quiet my 1.5-year-old child.

• Additionally, they mentioned I requested a change to the menu, which is completely false. We only asked if it was possible to order two portions instead of three, and you confirmed it was fine. This should not be considered a request for a menu change.

I still stand by my opinion. If you are a parent with a young child, this restaurant is not a suitable...

Pretty average evening unfortunately. My partner and I had booked here for her birthday after reading so many great reviews. However the poor evening started as soon as we walked in: we were asked to sit at the ‘bar’; a small table adjacent to the actual bar. No offer of a drink or to look at the menu while we waited. After 10 -15 minutes we were walked to our table. Due to the lay out of the room the tables are bunched quite closely; table of 4 behind us were cramped very tightly together and next to a wall? Waiter constantly found it hard to serve them, having to lean over one particular customer who quite frankly looked annoyed. After placing an order for a bottle of champagne, it wasn’t until 20 minutes later and having ordered from the food menu that we were told it wasn’t available. We then chose another bottle and had to wait another further 10-15 for it to arrive. From the outset our waiter was very pleasant and really tried his best but it was clear to see he was inexperienced and under a lot of pressure due to how busy it was. Small things from how they poured our champagne: holding the bottle from the neck of the bottle? To leaving our bottle of champagne on the table adjacent to us without placing it in an ice bucket: I had to inform another waiter to do so. Again, our waiter appeared to not be wearing socks matched with a shorter pair of trousers and smart shoes - this unfortunately is not something I’d associate with fine dining. The food: again, like the service, was mediocre to ok. I feel a lot of the reviews here maybe overhyped by the foods presentation and not by the quality itself. My partner chose the beef cheek, whilst I opted for the duck. The duck was a little tough and quite hard to cut at times. My partners beef cheek cooked had been cooked brilliantly but just a little under seasoned. Unfortunately we had ordered sides to go with our mains but these didn’t turn up until about half way through eating our mains, disappointing. Desserts were good but flavoring pairings seemed odd and slightly outdated: green coral looking sponge? Overall, after spending nearly $800 I came away feeling a little bitter and resentful after what was so supposed to be a great culinary experience but unfortunately proved to be a very average evening. My advice to the owners would be to part-close some of the dining room in order to keep service to their ordinarily high standard, otherwise I feel a review like mine may become the norm. I of course understand the current environment and how COVID will have impacted them so would be keen to come again to enjoy the real experience of Logan...

Thanks Steve

I really enjoy your menu and like to come to your restaurant when I am in Wellington. We had the tasting menu and every dish was perfect. Coming from a Maori rural New Zealand community, I love how you subtlety converge hi brow with some childhood hangi and boil up flavours. Think the pork dish captures this in a way that is indescribable. My favourite dish is consistently the paua ravioli which I describe as your signature dish at Logan brown.

Last night the pudding was ok, I thought it was almost like a deconstructed tiramisu flavours wise, but would love to see play on nostalgic nz puddings with the modern twist like I experienced in the rest of the meal. Feel like a trifle experience meets creme brûlée or Portuguese custard pies would be life changing.

For me the cheese platter was standout and a real pleasure.

My only real concern last night was the service and interaction with the waiting staff was flat if not awkward. We are not the wealthiest people so spending 400 plus on a meal is a big deal, and a shift in the style of service would boost the experience 10 fold. I would not say it was rude, but also did not feel manaaki. Maybe it’s the way I see myself, but I personally feel there is a bridging of New Zealand through your foods. The tekoteko in the middle of your restaurant is a bold statement and affirmation of our Maori culture. I think if there was a deeper understanding of what it means to host from a Maori cultural point of view it could really enhance the overall dining experience.

Appreciate the opportunity to feedback, so thanks for...