The Fringe Bar — Restaurant in North Island

Andy, Andy, Andy, I asked you: Are you the barman? You said: Yes! Then I asked you: What's the best cocktail you can make? You showed me the cocktails menu and said: All of them are good! So I said: They might all be good, but I'm asking you for YOUR best cocktail! You grabbed Joel, the Wood, and disappeared from my sight. I was puzzled. Me to Joel: Tell me, what's the best cocktail you can make. Joel: The Espresso Martini!

The Espresso Martini by Joel Wood was outstanding! And within 5 minutes, it was gone!

Me: What's your other best cocktail? Joel: There's an old one that I used to make. Me: I'll have it please.

The Menagerie by The Wood was even better! And within 10 minutes, 'twas gone!

Me: What's your other best cocktail? Joel: Whiskey Sour. Me: I don't like whiskey sour. Joel: You like your cocktails sweet? Me: Not always, but I don't like them sour. Joel: OK then, I'll make you a Whiskey Sour that you'll love. Me: Well, OK then, I guess.

Whiskey Sour by The Wood was not sour at all. 'Twas slightly sweet. Just the way I like it. A 5 out of 5!

This time, I sipped and savoured the Whiskey Sour, under the watchful eye of The Wood.

Moments later, I found where Andy escaped to the DJ booth. He was running the karaoke for the eager young things!

The thought crossed my mind for a fleeting second: How will these young, wild, pissed kids receive an old fart like me singing old love songs. But because 'twas just for a fleeting second, I ignored it! I thought, what the heck, I'll sing whatever I want! To hell with the kids! I could be older than their Dads, so they should just bear it!

I picked my song Quando cubed, or Quando to the power of three to the numerically challenged. And that's exactly how I wrote it on the list of songs and aspiring (frustrated?) singers. Two and half songs later (Still by The Commodores, It's Now or Never by Elivis, and one-half of Delilah by Tom Jones) and it was 4:30am, closing time.

The venue? Commodious and well-lit. You don't need a torch to read the songs' list.

The atmosphere? Electric - must be the young, wild, pissed, loud kids. I caught a falling, crashing bloke before he collapsed to the floor.

The staff? Attentive, interested, interesting, enthusiastic, gorgeous!

The facilities? Top class and all in good working condition!

If I'm going to own and operate a karaoke bar, it would be exactly like the Fringe Bar.

I am coming back tonight to watch The Blueprint Live! do a rock n roll covers extravaganza from 8 'til 10pm. At 10:30, the fun begins again. This time with my new friends - J, Z, and, hopefully, A!

I will give A anything and everything just to make him sing tonight. Will I succeed? Who knows?

The Fringe Bar, you are karaoke bar Numero Uno in New Zealand, and, perhaps, the whole of Australia, if not the world. My rating? Five...

I have been a long time fan of Fringe bar and recently held my 21st Birthday there and it was literally better than I could have ever dreamed. The fringe team was all wonderfully easy to work and coordinate with. Communication, coordination and organization with management was absolutely top tier. Bar tending staff were also so much fun and made amazing drinks (I cannot recommend their cocktails and mocktails enough). The atmosphere was friendly and fantastic. The quality of the venue in terms of appearance, sound quality, cleanliness, lights, and overall atmosphere was incredible as always. I just cannot recommend Fringe Bar to people for their events enough! Also your food was so delicious. Everyone at the party told me it was the nicest event they had been to, with many comparing it to school balls but saying it was better than any of them. This literally meant the world to me and I really owe it to all of you. Thank you thank you thank you...

This was thus far my first visit to the Fringe, and it was to celebrate a friends bday by watching Hugo Grrr's "little boys room" show. I thought the show was pretty good, for me the highlight was the MC B-)

Commenting on the venue as such would be too soon, solely based on what I have experienced. The staff were friendly enough, beverages overpriced as is to be expected in this part of town.

The venue was really not that well suited for the event, though. While there is a small stage people not in the VIP section (i.e. the first 3 rows close to the stage) didn't get much of a view of the performances. Particularly parts that were executed not standing up were completely...