Living Room — Restaurant in Waitematā

We came here for dinner on a Friday night for two. We booked through First Table, but looking back, it would have been worth visiting even without the discount.

From the moment we walked in, we were greeted by lovely staff. The servers were professional, clear in their communication, and attentive when it came to topping up our glasses and checking in on us throughout the evening. It was also great to see the team bringing a warm and friendly energy to the dining floor. The venue itself was clean, well lit, and surprisingly spacious. I also appreciated the range of seating options available, which added to the overall comfort of the experience.

For starters, we ordered the garlic bread and the cured salmon. Both were excellent. The garlic bread was toasted beautifully and buttered generously, but what really stood out was the quality of the bread itself. The cured salmon was served with prawns, cucumber, shallots, a lemongrass dressing (a lovely touch), and micro coriander. It was a fresh, well-balanced mix of flavours.

For mains, we had the Mee Goreng ‘Mamak’ Style (with chicken) and the 250g Scotch Steak. The mee goreng was a generous portion, packed with flavour and a decent amount of spice. The steak was cooked exactly as we ordered, and the fries were perfectly crisp. The green peppercorn sauce was also fantastic.

To finish, we shared the Dark Chocolate Basque Cheesecake with Roast Pear and Brown Sugar Chantilly. This was the perfect way to end the night. The dark chocolate gave it a rich depth, and the cake had a smooth, firm texture. The roast pear and Chantilly cream offered a nice contrast, keeping the dessert from being too heavy.

Overall, a really lovely experience that delivered on all fronts. An...

I was expecting good things from The Landing because I had High Tea there in December and it was excellent. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for the dining experience we had on 19 Jan.

We ordered from the All-Day-Dining menu. We ordered oysters and I had mine battered. I was expecting a lovely light tempura type batter but it was a very heavy thick batter that was soggy. When I ordered my food, I asked if there was any onion (explained I was intolerant) in the dishes I ordered and the waitress said she would check. My oysters arrived with the tiniest dollop of aioli on the top which was there only to hold the pickled onion on top. After removing the onion there was no mayo left.

The disappointment didn't end there. I ordered the $45 pork schnitzel for my main and the plate arrived with a large breaded schnitzel on the plate and a side dish with the salad. The pork was uneven in thickness - part of it was thick and juicy inside, part of it was thin and well overcooked. The mustard mayo didn't work well with the pork in my opinion. Schnitzel is breaded and deep fried and mayo is a heavy oily sauce. It just didn't work and I've had far nicer schnitzel at home or in a pub for $20.

Four of us dined and no one was wowed by their meal so if you go to the Living Room, I suggest you do the Hight Tea or just go sit on the deck and enjoy a drink and the charcuterie board, in what is arguable the best spot in the city to sit and watch the comings and goings on the beautiful...

My wife is a big fan of high tea and enjoys exploring different venues, and The Living Room high tea is certainly one of the best we've experienced in Auckland. The service was impeccable, and the staff were both friendly and professional.

What sets The Living Room apart from more traditional high tea spots is its unique four-course experience, rather than serving everything on a multi-tiered tray. The selection of loose-leaf teas was also lovely and thoughtfully curated.

During our visit in July 2025, the restaurant was running a winter high tea promotion where each guest could choose either a glass of champagne or a non-alcoholic cocktail—an elegant touch. The view overlooking the Viaduct was stunning, and we’re already looking forward to returning in summer to enjoy their outdoor dining area.

One small detail that really showcased their attention to customer experience: when we couldn’t finish our high tea, we asked the staff to help us take the delicious vanilla oat crumble scone home. Not only did they happily pack it, but they also included their house-made strawberry jam in a separate container. However, they thoughtfully advised against packing the fresh cream, as it might spoil during our journey.

This was the most outstanding high tea we’ve had since our visit to Oxi Tea Room in Melbourne...