Manaia Kitchen & Bar — Restaurant in Waikato

On our way back to Auckland, we decided to stop by Manaia—and what a fantastic choice it turned out to be! We were craving something hearty yet thoughtfully prepared, and Manaia delivered on all fronts.

We started with the salt and pepper squid and buffalo wings as our entrées, and both were outstanding. The squid was perfectly cooked and seasoned just right, while the wings were some of the best I’ve ever tasted—crispy, flavorful, and sauced to perfection without being overly wet.

For the mains, we opted for the pork belly dish and a pot of mussels. Both were absolutely delicious. The pork belly was incredibly tender with a beautifully crisp rind, complemented by a sweet pumpkin purée and savory jus. The mussels were plentiful and flavorful, served in a delectable sauce. My only critique is that the mussels could have been cleaned a bit more thoroughly, as there was some grit and beards left on them.

To finish, we indulged in the chocolate fondant and crème brûlée for dessert. The fondant had a rich, molten center that paired wonderfully with the berry compote and ice cream, while the crème brûlée was perfectly sweet and accompanied by a refreshing mango sorbet.

Overall, Manaia deserves a full 5-star rating for its exceptional food, warm hospitality (the female staff were especially attentive and friendly), and cozy atmosphere. If we find ourselves in Tairua again, we’ll definitely make a point to return for another...

My partner and I are staying in Tairua for a few days. We found this great restaurant and enjoyed our meal, service and atmosphere so much we came back the following night. The first night Sunday 14th April we had the polo pizza with truffle fries side. It was just the best. The second night we had the pork belly and 1/2K of Thai mussels. Again another great meal. The service we received was attentive and caring. The two female staff were delightful. The atmosphere of the restaurant matched the service. We did notice a couple of negative reviews from customers who were there on the Sunday evening. Just to put the record straight, we were in the restaurant when the customer who did not like his (their) pizza had been quite rude to the staff. As I mentioned I found my pizza to be perfect, it may be his review is not justified! As for the other gentleman who has made a negative review, it is true to say he was not aware of what had transpired prior to his arrival. In saying that just prior to him and his male friend leaving the restaurant he had also been rude to staff. I found his temper tantrum totally unwarranted. My partner and I have every intention of dining here again soon. We highly recommended...

We enjoyed a fabulous lunch meal at this restaurant yesterday ( 2nd May ). I had the crispy battered fish, chips & salad. It was without doubt the best version of this dish I have had in a veery long while - freshest gurnard / crunchy batter ( not at all greasy ), super crisp fries, lovely fresh salad and generous amount of tartare sauce + lemon - stunningly good. My wife enjoyed her chicken and salad dish ( and stole my surplus fries because I had so many ). The service from Kirsty and Sarah was superb - they were friendly, helpful and very efficient. It was obvious that they enjoyed their jobs and were absolutely committed to ensuring that patrons received the very best hospitality they could deliver. Thank you both. Niv and Phyo were the chefs, their efforts underpinning the outstanding service. Wonderful food, beautifully cooked by, again a team committed to achieving excellence. We had the pleasure of meeting the owner and were able to pass on our compliments. Thank you to all of the team - we greatly enjoyed your fabulous food, genuine warmth and first class hospitality. Cheers, ...