Giraffe

We had a lovely meal at Giraffe. We booked a table online which was sensible as it was quite busy when we got there. The starter was fine, the bread was a bit too herby for my taste but my husband really enjoyed. The mains were both delicious. The fish and chips was a massive portion in a really OTT bowl which felt very special. I had the stuffed chicken which was really tasty, although I wasn’t sure about the oniony garnish and am not a massive fan of mushrooms (personal thing, if you like them you’d have enjoyed this even more I think!) The staff were very friendly and chatty. We did have a bit of an issue after our meal was finished that we weren’t offered dessert or more drinks so we were sitting a while and it was getting cold by the open doors onto the harbour, but I think this was affected by a couple next to us making a fuss about their meal (and we are a bit British about these things). It’s an ‘ask for the bill and they will bring it’ situation rather than pay at counter as some other restaurants along the harbour. Overall would recommend, good vibe and a great view of the harbour.

Delicious food, good service, and a good view. My wife has multiple food allergies and our server confirmed with the chef on every menu item about what she could eat and made good recommendations. We started with the shareable seafood platter which was a good variety and a good way to start. We also ate the Canterbury duck and beef short rib, which were both delicious and perfectly cooked. Our drinks were well made gin & tonic and Negroni. The food came out quickly and we had a good view of the harbor. We would definitely eat here again.

We dined here last Sunday and we did not have any reservations but the waiter managed to give us a seats. This place is in the main strip of the harbour and is 2 mins walk from our hotel. The atmosphere is inviting as you can see the water from where we got seated. The waiter is also very attentive to our needs. He's showed us the menu straightaway and offered drinks. I was surprised our drinks came out fast, so as our entreè. For entreè, I chose natural oysters and whitebait fritters and prosciutto witj melon and cheese. The oysters are super fresh and plump and whitebait is very savoury. My partner loves the melon and prosciutto with his beer lols. For the main meal, the waiter suggested we have the scotch fillet, he said they have it for special on that day. We both rewufor medium rare. Mine was cooked perfectly, however my partner was disappointed his steak is overcooked in some parts, hence I only gavr 4 stars. The duck fries with prosciutto was also suggest by the waiter and it was delicious. We also requested for a garden fresh salad but it never made it on the table. It's okay because we're already full anyway. I asked for a dessert that is not dairy, unfortunately they only have the coconut pannacota but the waiter suggest I still try the lemon cheesecake because it is not very strong and I would love it. And yes, I ended up liking this dessert. The lemon cake is very citrusy in taste but not tart at all. I enjoyed every bit of it. I love how this place iss big and can accommodate people near the bar area too. Prior coming here, one restaurant beside it asked us to wait for ten minutes without giving us seats wasting our time. So I would like to thanks the staffs who accommodated us last Sunday for dinner and the guy from Spain who is our waiter. He's very enthusiastic and we would definitely come back again. I highly recommend this place 👌 🙌

Had a lovely time here for our dinner last night. Our server Aisha was really friendly and attentive - and most importantly, gave the best recommendation for our meals! We had the hapuka fish, pork belly, and duck fat potato. Dessert was also great! We even raved so much about the whipped cream! Cocktails were delicious. Will definitely come back to try other dishes.

We popped in on our way home from a walk for coffeee. Lovely staff, thanks Tom from Yorkshire, for an extra marshmallow, and making us feel so welcomed! Beautiful restaurant and view over the water. Definitely be back!

Best oysters in Auckland!!! They were so fresh and plump. We got the seafood platter, prawn and scallops as well as the spinage ravioli which was recommended by our lovely and attentive waiter Enric. We will definitely be back again! Highly recommend if you're looking for a bite to eat in Auckland

The food was truly excellent, and the host was incredibly wonderful. The view of the harbor or wharf was really nice, particularly when they pulled open the side doors, allowing the breeze to come in. The duck was cooked perfectly, and it paired beautifully with the Pinot Noir. Cheesecake was the perfect finish to a very enjoyable meal.

Food was delicious. They catered to our coeliac needs and had a separate menu and we were in a rush and they were really fast and the waiter kept us informed telling us the food was 5 minutes away without being prompted. Service was 5 stars. Favourite was the scallops and prawns but the mussels and the duck fat chips were also top notch. Couldn’t fault our experience. I never tip but did on this occasion.

Almost everything about this spot was excellent. Food was great, atmosphere was excellent for watching foot traffic around the harbour and the harbour itself. The only problem we had was with the service. Lots of attentive people running around trying to give us an exceptional experience, but they weren't getting things done. Someone would stop by and ask if we needed anything and when we gave them our requests, they were never accomplished. And since we were a later reservation (an hour and a half before close) I felt like the staff was trying to rush us out. Didn't feel welcomed/appreciated after dropping $500 and therefore the deduction in stars. I'll try someplace else the next time I'm in the area.

The food was amazing. Wonderful service. Great atmosphere. We ordered the shrimp and scallop entree, gnocchi and fish and chips. All were exceptional.

Four of us came here for breakfast at a friend's suggestion. She raved about how good dinner had been, and said the breakfast menu looked good as well. We were very pleased with our choices. We started out with cappuccinos while we looked over the menu. The restaurant is tastefully decorated. Our server shared with us what is most popular, as well as her personal favorites. We told her we had one friend who would be along momentarily. She always is running a bit behind us. No worries- just let me know when you are ready. 2 of us ordered the smashed avocado- it was perfect. The poached egg was poached to perfection The other 2 friends ordered the eggs Benedict. One ordered the bacon, and one ordered the salmon. Both loved them. We all enjoyed our food, agreeing we want to come back for drinks and dinner another time.

Amazing!! We ordered every recommendation we got and believe me, it's been the best meal of our entire vacation. Absolutely would love to come back.

Breakfast was fantastic with great flavors and temperature. Their mixed juices were also tasty. The only minor nit was that the kitchen was slow, but the restaurant was also slammed.

3/4 visits were amazing experiences. Especially at during dinner the the staff is super knowledgeable and will make helpful suggestions on what to get and why it tastes really good. During the summer I imagine when they open the plastic windows it'll be a memorable experience.

Fantastic service, cuisine & location! I don't know why they named this place "Giraffe" but maybe they stretch out their necks to serve you with an excellent dining experience.

Cute restaurant on the water. Great artisan bread and hummus. I had swordfish and my husband had the duck. Both mains were delicious. Very eager to please staff. Reasonable prices.

We were at Giraffe in 2018 and had a great experience. We returned March 2024 and were not disappointed. The service and food was still exceptional. Our waiter Reuben was amazing - we had plenty of time to enjoy our food and ambience. A must if you are in Auckland.

Absolutely loved every minute here. Guy was so charming that sat us after we had a drink at the bar. The server was really knowledgeable. We had the bread and butter- order this!!! Such a great selection. Then we started with the prosciutto and cantaloupe with Barrata. We loved every bite. We both ordered the filet with a few sauces. Filet was one of the best I'd ever had. The truffle bernaise was great. The maple balsamic butter was good, but odd to be served cold and hard next to the steak...wouldn't it be better if it were warm or at least spreadable?? Only moment of disappointment. The salad we ordered as a side had surprise fruit at the bottom, pear I think. It was fabulous We had a couple martinis, the candy passion is highly recommended. Loved this place.

The first trip out of Taranaki, after the travel restriction were lifted. And we had to start from our favourites. Giraffe restaurant at Viaduct Harbour with its evolving menu was the obvious choice for us. Bluenose fish gently marinated in soft brine was complimented by tender sauce with aromatic spices. Quintessentially sophisticated. Rib eye steak was honest and masculine, the side of an in-house-made honey mustard added to its primal appeal. I did not choose the right wine this time, next time will ask for an advice from the front of house.

Looked good from outside, free wifi a bonus but lack lustre bar staff! Asked barista if they have wifi and he could not answer me! Talk about linear thinking, coffee was ok, not a good look having a staff member sitting at bar looking at her phone pre shift as she looked disinterested, no bada bing with staff it appeared it was just a job to them. Sad, placed looked good to dine at later in day but first impressions count!

Thank you to all the staff at Giraffe on the Viaduct. You were fantastic last night , looking after us all so well and making us feel so special. You were so attentive and seemed to actively enjoy having our gorgeous grandchildren join us.The 'extra mile' you went to was appreciated,from the amazing award winning gin and tonic to the candy floss birthday 'cake' . The kids TV dinners are a brilliant concept and were enjoyed . Hope you are still there when I turn 80!!

We found Giraffe on a lovely food and wine tour through Unique Tours. Our guide took us and we were lucky that Simon, the owner, was in the kitchen and we had some special treatment. Because of our tour, we were able to sample four small portions of their highlight dishes, all paired with NZ wines. Everything was delicious - but the rabbit ravioli and eye fillet were beyond amazing! The pasta was perfectly cooked with an amazing rabbit meat mixture in the ravioli. I'm glad that they gave me a spoon because I literally finished the green cream sauce with it. The fillet was like no other! The meat was not fatty, yet packed with flavor. A thin layer of pancetta and a truffle butter - seriously pleasing to the tastebuds. We sat at the bar and received special attention from John who explained our dishes, wine pairings and just generally chatted. The restaurant has won an award and I am certain it was well deserved. Next time in Auckland, this will be my first dinner spot.

Great food and great ambience right on the viaduct. The owner/chef came out to say hello and was extremely friendly. Highly recommend this place if in Auckland.

Was staying next door at the hotel and dashed in with a work colleague for a quick dinner. This place stood out as the space was inviting compared to some of the other options down at the Viaduct. The room at times was a little on the loud side however it wasn't a distraction. Ordered the fish of the day which was a filleted snapper with ginger, radish and herbs. This was sensational and cooked perfectly. My colleague enjoyed the crab and tiger prawn. This dish was on the small side of things and a side order of charcoal bread was summoned to mop up the creme fraiche jalapeño sauce. Still don't see the value in charcoal bread. The fad will pass soon. Some potatoes wrapped in pancetta complemented the dishes. The menu said they were 'triple cooked' . Wish I had taken the time to find out how. The healthy sized side serving wasn't on the table for long. Service was fine - professional without featuring. Out the door unfortunately in less than an hour. Wish I had more time to explore the menu more comprehensively. It looked interesting. Next time...

Wonderful! We are on our last night of our honeymoon and the server was able to squeeze us into a table (without reservation) and gave us champagne to celebrate our last night in New Zealand. Also, the food was incredible!! Reasonably priced and a very nice night out, highly recommend.

Awesome, creative food. Great service. Sit at the bar and watch the busy kitchen and the amazing food coming out.

Fabulous dining. Engaging hostesses who bring the evening alive. The filet steak was beautifully cooked but a little stringy, presented with summer vegetables. My wife had the terrakki, fish of the day, even better, lime infused. The chocolate desert was to die for, and the truffle a nice finisher. Latte coffee was diff than I have had, but thoroughly enjoyable. Certainly a playyou would be proud to take guests.

You good crew but not customer focused.. Food v good. The kitchen works at curtain level.

Went here while visiting Auckland for a nice dinner out. We made a reservation in advance and it was pretty busy although not packed, so walking in probably would have been an option. For two, we ordered the pork leg ravioli starter, a garden salad, and the harissa lamb shank. We also ordered a couple of cocktails and dessert. Service was a little slow, but it didn't impact the experience. Dinner was delicious. The lamb was so moist and tender, served with the flakiest roti. The ravioli were loaded with pork in a mild creamy sauce, and the combination was delightful. I was expecting the garden salad to be a tiny little bowl of greens but it was actually quite large (good for two as a side for sure) and lovely with greens, apples, nuts, and cheese. I would say dessert was good but not unbelievable for my taste - we ordered the hazelnut brûlée and chocolate truffles. Overall dinner was pretty pricey, but considering we ordered a few drinks and dessert, not much more than I expected.

The food selection was interesting and excellent. The wine list had great NZ regional choices. Our server was knowledgeable and engaging. He helped make our night special. The setting was harborside and a mix of casual elegance.

I stumbled on this spot while walking the shore/pier and I was not disappointed, the food was really good, the view is amazing, and I received great service from my server Amira, please visit them!

Far and away the best restaurant in Aukland based on two week stay. Great food, service and atmosphere.

The service here is terrible. It took them 30 min to get eggs and a toasted bagel out. I would not recommend this restaurant.

Best restaurant at all times of day in my opinion. Staff are fantastic, great atmosphere and food is excellent. Hands down the most consistent place to dine in the Viaduct (and beyond).