Rodd & Gunn The Lodge, Auckland — Restaurant in Waitematā

My son and I had eagerly awaited with anticipation to try this bar out as we had loved our dining experience in the Lodge Bar Queenstown. We had supported Lodge Auckland with positive shares about it since it started advertising on Facebook and had planned a night out seeing we rarely see one another nowadays and I have to travel some distance to get into the CBD. What a disappointment. The surly girl on the door barely looked at us before saying they were full to capacity but she supposed we could have a drink outside if we wanted to.( It was freezing and had been raining moments earlier). We understand that if you want to have a great night out in a new spot you do have to book, however it really incensed us when two very wealthy looking women came in behind us and said to the same girl that they were just popping in for a drink and hadn't booked and were admitted. My son and I are a well-heeled and presented pair ourselves, and simply couldn't believe it. We had been unfailingly polite and friendly. So we turned around and started to walk away when I glimpsed in the window and saw another couple vacating a pair of window seats. Quickly I grabbed my son and we asked a second maitre d if we could pop in for a drink. We were instantly told to take the two seats and they would be with us. After that we ordered two drinks at an extortionate sum (small servings). We weren't offered a food menu because they said they were too busy. We noticed all of the patrons arriving for drinks and food who were wearing overcoats had them taken and hung up. We weren't offered this service either. Service perfunctory at best, unbelievably offhand at worst. Clearly we were just an imposition so we won't be back...and will unfollow them on Facebook too. I have to say that the service on the ferry home was better than the service we received from this supposedly...

The Lodge Bar welcomed us and made for a fantastic night. I visited with my partner because her acquaintances were working there today, and we wanted to say hello. Unexpectedly, we ordered heaps of high-quality food.

We started with an impressive set of appetizers: two crispy snacks that were fish and chips with sashimi inside the crispy coating, which was delightful. The bread with butter was amazing - you can judge a restaurant by its butter, and this one was exceptionally great. The four crispy balls were excellent, too. Lastly, the oysters were superb, with toppings that perfectly harmonized with the natural taste of the oysters, making them enormously satisfying.

The main dishes followed. We began with a pork chop, which was chewy and delicious, well-dressed with sauce, and a good portion size. The crab pasta was amazing, tasting like the ocean, which was awesome. The colourful tomato salad was just the right balance of sour and sweet, complementing the pasta perfectly. Lastly, the salad paired very well with the pork. The dishes covered each other's weaknesses and created a stronger overall taste.

Desserts started with a crisp shell filled with vanilla ice cream, quite luxurious. We had to break it and eat it together with the dipping creams on the plate; the taste was not strong but quite delicious. The strawberry jellies and coffee-flavored cubes were also delicious, with strong flavours, especially good for coffee lovers. The mousse cake with cinnamon syrup made a perfect ending to the meal. We had chamomile tea to neutralize the sweetness.

Thanks to all the staff for the fantastic service. It's been a long time since we found all the food so delicious. The mood here was romantic, and we both had an excellent private time.

Highly recommended place to spend a lovely night or celebrate...

We dined here recently. I was looking forward to it, but it was a very disappointing experience. We were shown to a table in the middle of the restaurant. Unfortunately the only lighting in this area were the candles on each table. The menu, on light coloured paper in small font, was impossible to read in this lighting. So we had to get our phones out (how ridiculous in a seemingly top class restaurant). Tables on our right and at the front had good lighting - unfortunately there were none available. We noticed other diners seated near us also using their phones to read the menu. We ordered the Fish and Chips from the Snack menu and the Pull Apart bread - both were good - albeit the Fish and Chips slightly unusual. For the main we both had the Berkshire pork chop. Unfortunately it was quite tough - as were the fried brussel sprouts, but the duck fat roasted potatoes were delicious. There are only three desserts offered. The Passionfruit pavlova was as expected and the Sticky Toffee pudding was good until you finished the icecream and realised it didn't really have enough caramel sauce. I have to note we were disappointed in the state of the bathrooms. It was only 8pm and they were very dirty. We mentioned all of the above to the manager when we left. He assured us he would get it put right. I...