Onslow

We had such a beautiful dining experience at Onslow, and it couldn’t have been a more perfect place for our wedding dinner. From the moment we arrived, the staff were incredibly warm, welcoming, and genuinely sweet, which made the whole evening feel even more special and memorable. The food was outstanding — every dish was beautifully presented and full of flavour. A special highlight has to be the 12-hour lamb from their menu. It was cooked to perfection: incredibly tender, rich, and packed with deep, well-balanced flavours. You could truly taste the care and time that went into preparing it. Each dish we tried was just as impressive, showcasing quality ingredients and thoughtful execution. The service throughout the evening was exceptional. The staff were attentive without being overbearing, always checking in with smiles and making sure everything was perfect for us. They went above and beyond to make our wedding dinner feel intimate, relaxed, and truly special. Overall, Onslow delivered an unforgettable experience with amazing food, outstanding service, and a lovely atmosphere. We couldn’t have chosen a better place to celebrate such an important milestone. Highly recommend for special occasions or anyone looking for a memorable dining experience.

My wife and I had the chance to have lunch on a Sunday recently. We decided to sit out on the terrace. You can feel the gentle breeze as well as enjoying the garden around you. Overall, it gives a warm and calm atmosphere. The only let down is that there’s a pool next to the garden which is used by the residents and you can hear the splashes which some may find disturbing. The food was good. Presentation of each dish was great. The use of spices and texture were delightful. The veal was gorgeous and this was our favorite dish of the day. Perhaps it was because how busy the restaurant was but we felt that there was quite a term between each course (20-30mins). Considering that Onslow is a fine dining restaurant, I felt that there were moments where little more detail could have made the experience much more outstanding. Each time a dish was presented, the dish wasn’t pointing me so I ended up having to reorient the dish to have a good look. The explanation of each dish was very short and quick. Perhaps it was because the restaurant was rather busy when we visited. Overall, it was still a very good experience, particularly for the price. We plan to revisit when we are back in Auckland. We’re already looking forward to it.

All-around exceptional experience. Fried bread was small but tasty. Tuna carpaccio melted in my mouth. Side salad was just greens - opt for something else. Market fish was hapuka, which I’d never heard of, but was perfect. Soufflé melted in my mouth. Server was friendly and the pace was just right. Nice environment and comfortable seating.

If you’re dining at a 2-Hat restaurant, expectations are already high, which makes it harder to be truly impressed — but Josh Emett’s Onslow, from one of NZ’s most respected chefs, exceeded ours. The service was polished and attentive, with excellent explanations throughout the nine-course dégustation. Every dish was superb, with standouts being the yellowfin tuna carpaccio, the Cambridge duck breast, and the goat’s cheese semifreddo to finish. The Ossetra caviar starter was a brilliant way to set the tone, and the wine pairings were perfectly matched to the food. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this restaurant — not only is it great value for money, it’s a truly gastronomic experience.

Service was great - thank you to Jonathan. Food was good, but not outstanding for the price we paid. We had the fry bread, the eclair, zucchini flower, venison, wagyu steak, potatoes, asparagus and cheesecake and souffle for dessert. The eclair was delicious, bread incredibly small for the price, zucchini flower was just okay. Wagyu steak.... I've have a better steak that cost $40 and this one cost $90! The saving grace was the souffle which was incredibly light and fluffy. Overall, okay experience and we had a nice night but wouldn't come back.

We had a fabulous time at Onslow. We’re visiting Auckland for only a few days and made our reservations because it was across the street from our hotel. Excellent luck ! We were greeted warmly on entry, seated and all our needs attended to for the rest of the evening. Impeccable service! We started with the crayfish eclair and chicken liver parfait and fried chicken. These were fabulous! So much so they were gobbled up before I could take pictures. We like the chicken so much we ordered a second one. (The 3 of us were splitting the appetizers). For our mains we chose duck and snapper accompanied by the potatoes and salad with a local wine suggested to us. Every thing we had to eat at Onslow was fabulous.

The crayfish, venison with beets, potatoes, snd wagyu were superb! Wonderful service. Happy I celebrated my birthday here!

My friend is visiting from the UK so we ate at Onslow for her birthday. What a great experience - from the food to the staff, it was all 10/10. We had a variety of dishes to share, the clam was our favourite. All well worth the price.