Shed 5 — Restaurant in North Island

We were supposed to be having a nice family reunion, a bit of wining and fine dining. Unfortunately we were not looked after very well by the staff and we did not enjoy our experience at Shed 5. What was supposed to be a pleasant night catching up with close family visiting from overseas turned out really disappointing.

The manager never told us that our table was ready, even though they said they would let us know. We had to ask to be seated. We had a reservation by the way. We had to ask for the Drinks menus. When I tried to get the attention from the staff for these, they were all standing around talking and laughing. I could tell one of the waiters (who I will talk about in point 5) was avoiding eye contact with me when I was trying to get their attention. Were there any specials? Was the waitress serving us going to be the one looking after us for the whole night? She didn’t communicate much to us at all. There weren’t enough of the main food menus on our table for everyone. Yes there were kids but some of the adults didn’t have menus. However when there weren’t enough dessert menus, our waitress told us we would be sharing them which is absolutely fine - communication is key! It was clear we were all finished with our Mains and ready for our plates to be cleared and to look at the dessert menu - but for some reason I don’t think it was clear enough to the staff even though we were sitting there waiting for a long time before anyone attended to us. Mind you we had young kids on our table and it was getting late. I could see that the waitress assigned to our table was really busy so I asked another waiter if we could have a look at the dessert menu, he said ok and proceeded to ignore us and do other tasks?! He had a really bad attitude towards us from the start of the night. One of my family members ordered a tea to go with their dessert. It never came. When we asked where it was, we were told they ran out of tea. Okay cool thanks for letting us know and not keep us waiting…..

We are extremely disappointed about the really bad service. It was not worth the $900+ our bill came to. We are all in shock as to how horrendous the whole experience was. We are never coming back and our Dad who is in the industry (he is a chef) will be having...

Shed 5, nestled on the iconic Wellington waterfront, offers a dining experience that seamlessly blends history, atmosphere, and culinary excellence. Situated in one of the oldest wharf stores in Lambton Harbour, the restaurant exudes a warm and inviting ambiance, accentuated by its premier location and tidy decor.

The restaurant's commitment to providing the freshest seafood is evident in its in-house fishmonger, who diligently handpicks the day's ingredients from the fish markets each morning. With a focus on whole fish preparation and filleting done on-site, Shed 5 ensures that diners experience seafood at its peak freshness.

The historic building, once a woolshed, has been transformed into a dining haven with spacious interiors adorned with dark-wood beams, crisp white tablecloths, and sparkling tableware. The large windows facing the harbor offer breathtaking views, adding to the overall charm of the venue.

Shed 5's menu, while encompassing a range of comfort foods, particularly shines in its seafood offerings. Notably, the Akaroa salmon, roasted on sautéed spinach with a pepper and lemon vinaigrette, stands out as a delectable highlight. The dedication to quality extends to dessert, with options like pineapple lasagna accompanied by piña colada sorbet and spicy caramel.

Undoubtedly, Shed 5 provides a leisurely dining experience that caters to those seeking the finest seafood in Wellington. The expansive outdoor deck, with its magnificent views of Wellington Harbour, offers an additional dimension to the dining experience, especially on sunny days.

However, it's worth noting that Shed 5's excellence comes at a price, making it a more expensive dining option. Despite the higher cost, patrons looking for a combination of history, atmosphere, and top-tier seafood will find Shed 5 to be a premier destination on the...

Great greeting on arrival for four of us there for my mother's birthday dinner. I always start with a rating of 5 for restaurants and take points away based on the experience throughout the night. Can I just say, I've come to Shed 5 multiple times and tonight was rather disappointing.

The good stuff: seated by the window maitre d organised a way for us to extend our table time (may not have worked out in our favour, should've just left it at the regular sitting time slot) knowledgeable wait staff Duck entree was amazing as usual and love the balsamic they use for the bread creme brulee was tasty

The bad stuff: weird way of ordering. I usually order for multiple people (have done so with other visits here), but this time it was everyone order per seat... and got cut off by wait staff. Annoying habit I hate. the overall dining experience felt almost purposefully dragged out with no fillers in between (I.e. offer more drinks perhaps) water glasses went empty for about 20 mins! I noticed other areas being served well by their wait staff, so maybe ours was a dud my main was super oily and super salty. I had to get others to taste it to make sure i wasn't imagining it because I know my taste buds can be sensitive sometimes, but they agreed my meal was salty. Needless to say I couldnt eat much of it. long wait between main, dessert and after dinner drinks.

Last time we were here, while its not a NZ custom, we tipped our wait staff really well and unfortunately this time we paid our bill and left.

Not the usual Shed 5 standard, so don't base going there on this review alone. I will still go back with a new season's menu, but yeah, left tonight feeling a bit...