Absolutely amazing! Delicious food, drinks and great service. We had the pork belly bao, mushroom soup dumplings, karaage chicken, crispy eggplant with caramel miso and chicken rice bowl. Everything was so delicious! Great atmosphere and beautiful decor. Can’t wait to come back!
Mark and his brilliant team have taken things post-lockdown to a whole new level.
The new menu is nothing short of ORGASMIC!!
My faves are the soft shell crab, mushroom dumplings & deep fried tofu
As usual the customer service is 10/10
We messed up our booking for 4. The restaurant was packed but the staff worked and worked on finding us a table when all had been booked out and people were arriving in droves. They went beyond what we would normally expect. Apart from that the sharing plates are delicious and the restaurant really buzzes
I have to say I was impressed with most of what we ordered but very disappointed with one dish... My favourite would be the beef brisket bao: probably the best bao I've had! The beef brisket is slow cooked and then seared, extremely smoky and peppery, topped with gochujang and Kimchi. The Bun itself was really soft and springy and had a slight sweet aftertaste which brought all the flavours together.
The dish I was disappointed with was the curry soup chicken Confit: it tasted like watered down jap curry that you can get at the Asian supermarket, with boiled chicken (which was very tender at least). The veges seemed to be baked? That made the eggplant skin cardboard-like and the enoki mushrooms dry and shriveled. The veges were bland and had 0 seasoning.
I guess I'd only confidently come here just for their bao
Great asian fusion. They really don't hold back with their seasoning I love it (if you can't handle spice beware). Faves were the duck curry and the eggplant. Lil $$$ but great for an occasion or function
This place definitely has my top rating! Service was impeccable and gave us a lot of recommendations which we tried and we're very happy with particularly the entre However they did recommend us order a lot more food than what we would be able to consume, like we can eat a lot generally but we took home leftovers
Amazing favours to many of the dishes. Our favourite was the pork ribs as they were packed with a diversity of favours and the meat was falling of the bone! A close second was the soft shell prawns. The service was great.
I've been to Woodpecker Hill on a few important occasions. What I love the most about this place is the decor. It is very spacious, with a very high ceiling. It is really a lovely atmosphere. The food itself is sophisticated asian fusion. My only criticism is that there are not many dishes that contain no spice and there is a lack of options for vegetarians. Although I enjoyed the flavours, I thought the meal was not very balanced with too much meat and not enough vegetables.
Superb food and great service
Everything here is always made with such care. I have been coming here once a while ever since they opened. Yesterday we the 14 hour beef brisket, baby pork ribs and curry duck. It was very hard to say which one I liked the most because they were all so delicious. Looking forward to eat here again.
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I came to Woodpecker Hill on Sunday for their roast with my mum, dad and brother. First of all, the decorations were beautiful, seating was extremely comfortable and cosy and the service was efficient and friendly! Our waiter was lovely and we could tell he really loved his job. He did a great job explaining the menu and giving us recommendations! We decided to get the Sunday slow-cooked lamb, the caramelised red curried baby pork ribs, two bowls of jasmine rice and the bok choy. This was actually the perfect amount for the 4 of us and we managed to eat everything.
Firstly, the Sunday slow-cooked lamb is definitely worth ordering, the curry went so well with the lamb and it just added so much wow factor to the dish. I tried the lamb without pouring curry onto it and it was pretty average. Definitely be generous with the curry when consuming the lamb if you do order the dish! Since it was my first time trying the Yorkshire pudding, I actually really like it especially when I poured the curry. The duck fat potatoes were pretty average in my opinion. The only improvement would be to offer to make the curry spicy!
The bok choy was also really juicy and garlicky. It was pretty sweet due to the oyster sauce and being Cantonese myself, I'm not used to having my veggies that sweet but I still liked it! The baby pork ribs were one of my favourites! It was spicy, sweet and flavourful from the caramelisation. The meat was literally falling off the bones so it was cooked to perfection! My dad was so excited about the jasmine rice, he said it was the best bowl of rice he's eaten since it was so fragrant and we're Cantonese so rice is our staple food.
I highly recommend Woodpecker Hill and I can't wait to try other dishes from there such as the brisket and the duck!!
We came here for a Sunday lunch because of the Crab Madness Special. We had the Thai style Spanner Crab and the flavour was really good but theres not much meat on the crab . We also had the Ribeye, cooked to perfection it just melt in your mouth. And the service was really great as well, thanks to Jack. We will definitely come back again.
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I came here recently for a date with my partner and were definitely blown away with our experience. This place is fantastic from the setting through to the food. Although pricey it is definitely worth the visit.
The setting here is fantastic, it's unique and very trendy. It has a superbly cozy feel with a great room layout creating a good acoustic environment allowing a lot of people without too much noise. We were surprised at the size of the place, it is much bigger than we first thought. Overall the space is very classy and cozy with a very conversational and romantic feel.
The service was fantastic and the staff the same accolades. The food came out in a good time and the staff were very friendly and efficient. There was a very professional feel about the place due to staffs friendliness and efficieny.
The food here was an absolute delight! The menu looked fantastic and offered a great range for gluten intolerant individuals. The menu was also a good size, not too small and not too big, offering just enough. Everything on the menu sounded absolutely delicious and what we ordered indeed was. We got the eggplant, chicken satay, massaman curry, and the bok Choi. All were superb. We loved the bok Choi and the massaman. But there was no specific favourite and all the dishes were fantastic. There were so many other options that sounded great, including their dumplings which I must try on my inevitable return.
Overall I love this place, I believe it is one of the best that auckland has to offer! The setting is magical and cozy, the staff are friendly and professional, and the food is outstanding. Without hesitation I would recommend this place to anyone!
Had a birthday dinner there and service was just amazing. Food is pretty good as well. Sitting situation isn’t The comfiest but that’s ok. Definitely recommend
My favourite restaurant in Auckland handsdown. Been going here consistently for almost 3 years and I've never had a bad day. The lamb curry and fried chicken never fail to please!
This place was recommended by a friend and they did NOT disappoint. Very accommodating as we had a baby with us (that slept right through our visit as it was so comfy!) Food was divine. Fermented chicken was so good as was the Mucho Macho Man cocktail. Service was great and establishment was so nice and warm on a cold winters night. Will definately return 😊😊
I was pleasantly surprised by how flavoursome the food was. The flavours were intense and worked well together, polished off every dish. The service was very fast and waiters were friendly. The restaurant itself is gorgeous with a variety of seating options. I will definitely be back to try the rest of the menu.
An ex-colleague of mine always asked me whether I had tried Woodpecker Hill, I never had until now and it was a nice surprise from my wife. To be honest I never knew what to expect in here as the only time I heard of this was from that ex-colleague that I mentioned earlier, I did have a brief look on their site the first time he asked but nothing fancies me from their menu until now.
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Came here for lunch with the family and we all left absolutely stuffed! The restaurant has such a warm & cosy vibe but is still high class. We got some sort of sharing plate thing which I cant find on the menu but it was almost like a roast and had meat, potatoes, Yorkshire puddings. For sides we got some rice and the stir fried bokchoy which had a really good sauce mixed in with it. For dessert we got the smoked chocolate fondant with chocolate gelato & cherries and the pandan custard filled donuts and both were super good and we left super full. 100% recommend! Perfect for a long lunch. So keen to come back :) Recently came here for lunch with my family to try it again and to be honest we were not as impressed as we were last time. We got the mushroom dumplings and the dough was a bit weird and the salmon salad my parents said would have been much nicer if the salmon didn't taste so burnt, they have a roast ish thing on sundays which we got again and it was nice and the bokchoy and papaya salad were good but we were definitely more impressed the last time we went. I'd still come back though :)
Absolutely amazing place! A nice, warm wooden cottage vibe that is initially quite easily dismissed amongst the other bustling restaurants in Parnell. However, stepping foot into this restaurant transports you to somewhere completely different, allowing you to forget about the hustle happening outside.
We ordered the clams, salmon, Bok Choy, crispy chicken, fish curry, soft shell crabs and oysters to share. All of them tasted delicious! My favourite was the clams. The lighting was a little too dim so I wasn’t sure what of some of the things I had eaten was, but it tasted great anyway!
I was also pleased with the service provided. The food was served to us without much of a wait. The staff were all super friendly, and would promptly take away our empty dishes, refill our water and tended to our needs.
Would definitely recommend this place whether you’re down for some mouth-watering eats, or a place to relax after a long week.
Food: 9/10
Ambiance: 8/10
Service: 10/10
Beautiful venue with great decor and a stunning bar. Tonight I tried the black tiger prawn dumplings. Let down a little bit by the dumplings themselves on flavour only rest of that dish was fine so maybe try another flavour. Main was the lamb massaman oh man its good. Solid portion of lamb whole shallots and a huge sprinkle of almond slivers. Redeemed on the food for me 5/5. Staff were fantastic and attentive. Grab a group of people and go!
Interesting place, nice chill vibe, drinks & BBQ infused with sweet, sour & spicy flavours from the Asian cuisine. Just happened to drive past & decided to have dinner here, our waiter was extremely knowledgeable, I heard him go to other tables & recite the exact same dialogue as if he was reading it from a script. Everything listed on the menu is designed to be shared and is served as it's prepared in no particular order. Everything we ordered tasted divine! Really great twists on traditional & contemporary recipes. But that brisket though.......Dear God I'm still having wet dreams about it. Oh & who provided the playlist?? Cos that guy knows his music!
Delicious big asian barbecue flavours, nice service and a great wine list. I’ve been here a few times with my colleagues. The food is amazing - soft shell crab, mushroom dumplings and duck curry are all must-tries! I also like the atmosphere of the places and the service is always good. Would definitely come back again and again!
Went to Woodpecker Hill for a special dinner with family, two of us have serious food allergies so we very rarely eat out. The food here and the service was incredible, our lovely American waiter went out of his way to make sure all the food was safe so would 100% recommend if you have dietary requirements and are looking for somewhere with great atmosphere and brilliant food. You get what you pay for here: pricey but awesome service and great food. Will be going back ☺️
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My friends and I usually try different restaurants when we catch up every few months and we previously came here once for drinks after having dinner at Azon (now closed down) - the drinks and service we received at that time were pretty good, a nice big range of whiskey for me to try and lots of various cocktails and wines for my friends to enjoy. Although it’s a bit of a pain sitting in the corner of the bar area when the windows are open as the smoke from people smoking outside get blown in.
It’s been almost a year since I’ve dined here and I’m not sure why... this dinner was amazing! I’m usually skeptical of fusion restaurants as some are a hit or miss, but this definitely hit the bar for me.
We started with fresh oysters and moved onto rice with stir fried bok choy, crispy eggplant and my favourite the 14 hour smoked beef brisket.
The fresh oysters with with smoked chilli, ginger and coriander is something I didn’t know I needed in my life. I would have happily eaten dozens of these as a meal.
Bok choy is as good as it gets..... not over cooked with a decent bite and crunch to it.
I’m not the biggest fan of eggplant but they made it perfect! The outside was crunchy, with the eggplant being well cooked and soft enough without being soggy and ruining the crisp outside layer.
And the brisket. So so good. You can’t go wrong with smoked brisket, if it’s still available on the menu give it a try, if not... Woodpecker Hill, bring it back.
The wild mushroom dumplings with coconut milk were amazing! They were full of flavours and very delightful.
The oysters were fresh and the dry duck curry with rice was also good.
A little bit pricey but overall a great Asian-fusion restaurant.
We were glad we sat inside as there were flies when we were initially seated outside.
A really special asian fusion restaurant. Decorate pretty cool and bartender makes nice drinks. All the dishes are good looking and yummy. Will definitely come back
The food here was amazing! We ordered the eggplant, wild mushroom dumplings, spring rolls and fermented crispy chicken. All dishes were full of flavour, and cooked to perfection. Finished off with the smoked chocolate fondant, which was so tasty! What topped off the experience was the service! Can’t wait to come back
Great restaurant, love their mushroom dumplings and cocktail selection. Lighting is a bit dim, wished it would be a bit brighter. Otherwise great food and service!
I am looking forward to venturing back to this place. It was busy but we went in for an early dinner so managed to finish before the crowds arrived. The food was tasty although some portions were small for the price, however, I didn’t mind as it was delicious. We ordered small plates only.. 6 of them and my favourite by far was the wild mushroom dumplings the soft shell crab was close second. It wasn’t cheap but quality wise, you get what you pay for. Service was terrific. Cocktails were moreish and I’ll will def be back.
Love the food here. So much flavour and yet does not make you feel bloated after. Would definitely come back again! Awesome service as well.
Amazing food and cocktails. Friendly staff. And cool atmosphere. Western smoked meat meets Asian flavours. Everything was amazing to try. Will come back for more.
Went there in September for dinner. It was Wednesday and quite busy there so must book prior. Takes time finding parking in busy Parnell Rd. but it worth the trouble.
Excellent service, they definitely mastered it to details. Loved the food full stop. Go there and they will make your day special. Reasonably priced for this level restaurant. Recommend.
Had a Friday lunch here. The food was outstanding the spiced lamb is a must. We had Michelle looking after us
And she was lovely and looked after us really well
I must go here more often
Had date night with my husband here. The place was warm and cozy. We had the wild mushroom dumplings, beef brisket, crispy chicken, deep fried pickles and the squid salad, and the green apple ricotta doughnuts. We ordered a lot for sure, coz’ we wanted to try their specialties. Apparently, soft shell crab ran out that night. We’ ll try that next time we dine in. Overall the place and food was awesome.
Great vibe and delicious food. The papaya salad was a tad spicy for me but everything else was just spot on. Friendly service, so will definitely be back.
Loved this place! The menu had so many delicious dishes it was hard to decide. We went with the dumplings for entree which were devine. So flavorsome. Slow cooked lamb was amazing. Definitely worth the visit and easy parking after 6 for dinner.
Came here for a very late lunch so it wasn’t busy and we were able to sit in the front near the window which was really nice.
We tired the Beef Brisket and the Beef Short Rib.
Both were cooked perfectly and loved the sauce and the greens that came with the dish.
A great place to share a bunch of mains and get a few starchy things as a side.
Every dish that came to our table was so packed full of powerful flavours that we were completely blown away! The staff were lovely and I’ll be recommending Woodpecker Hill to everyone !
Lovely fresh food, presented nicely and great to share. Waitress was excellent and food flowed well after quite a long wait (it was a busy Friday evening). Loved the eggplant and the mushroom dumplings but all very pleasant. Atmosphere was good, felt like an English pub with its small pane windows and crowded bar area. Consequently, quite noisy and dark but would most definitely go back! Highly recommend.
This is a classy restaurant which offers East meets West cuisines, or literally spoken, Asian-American fusion foods. It is located smack in the hustle and bustle of Parnell Street, always being frequented by overwhelming diners. Luckily we made a reservation in advance for a table seating of 5 persons on a Friday night, as it was a full house night. So, if you do plan to dine at this restaurant, remember to book in advance ya..
As we entered the restaurant, we were right away greeted and ushered warmfully by the waiting staff to our reserved table. It was a joyful night, swarmed with tasteful foods and great company. Prices are relatively high and the portions are not as huge too.
Food & Beverage : 8/10
Service : 9/10
Price : 7/10
Ambience : 7/10
Great atmosphere and excellent service - it’s actually our waiter’s first day but we had no idea until he said so. He recommended the mixed platter which offers a good selection of seafood - freshly- shucked bluff oysters, tempura oysters, Paua dumplings, smoked salmon rillettes with Chinese fried bread, steamed storm clams and soft shell crabs. We ordered ribeye, bok Choi and mango pudding for dessert. The ribeye was absolutely amazing - perfectly cooked and well seasoned.
First time here. Great ambience and excellent service. Food was good but too pricey for small serving. My friend thought that the sauce with the dumplings did not taste good together but I liked the coconut milk taste.
Ideal for small get togethers not large groups.
We have been to this restaurant at least five times now and we came out with a happy tummy every time. The soft shell crab, school of prawns and their dumplings are our favorites. Don't underestimate the $10 bok choy side dish, it is packed with flavour! Oh yummy!
First time in Woodpecker Hill and the first of many. He had the kingfish, the big smoke and the green apple ricotta doughnuts for dessert.
Everything was top shelf.
The staff are very warm and welcoming and the restaurant's design is very rustic.
Highly recommended
Had an awesome evening here. We got a springroll, prawn dumplings and the coconut salmon. Beautiful place, great vibes, good staff and great food for lunch or dinner.
Ate all the food before thinking I should of taken photos ... my bad. Great Laurent Perrier Champagne 🍾 great cocktails. A wide range of alcohol although I asked for a glass of prosecco which they said they did not have. We dined from 4pm - 6pm so they should of had that in stock. But anyhow we ordered oysters, prawn dumplings, red curry, bok Choy and the beef brisket. Beef brisket came with s mustard sauce I would recommend serving 3 different sauces on the side. All the dishes were of good size to match the price for location. Water was refilled without asking. They could also chill wine glasses for an added bonus. The restaurant has a great ambience with good lighting. Perfect for that date night experience. With so many restaurants in Auckland they need to keep in their toes. Best thing was staff - they were well trained and took initiative. Would like to see a wider selection in the menu .
Super amazing food, great service, great ambiance. We ordered everything from the menu and loved it. Beef one was the best. Price is also reasonable for this type restaurant. Highly recommended.
Was here first time last Friday for my friend birthday and it was really busy so the only booking available was 20:15. Very nice ambiance and music, our waiting staff by the name Tex was very friendly and helpful. Food wise, we find that is a bit salty orelse is all great and the washroom was also clean for a busy restaurant. Will be back.
So delicious! Definitely suggest ordering a few smaller items to share as there are heaps of goodies on the menu. The cocktails are also very tasty. Staff are lovely and good vibes
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+5
Had the crispy chicken here tasted really nice and flavourful had a really nice spicy zest to it too will have to come back to try some other dishes
Great experience with my colleagues today, we had the brisket, papaya salad, duck, prawns and soft shell crab, all delicious, generously served and the atmosphere is nice indeed
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The best restaurant in Auckland.
The meal itself was the greatest Journey. The decor felt like I was overseas, on a holiday.
The staff were all well presented and polite. The food was out of this world.
To start we had the eggplant, my wife whom is from northern China said the fish tasted like her childhood. Perfectly deep fried tempura like eggplants with a sweet tangy smokey sauce. China.
The next dish was the squid prawn pork salad with plenty of herbs. This was an amazing Vietnamese style dish, the sour sweet and freshness was amazing. I felt like I was eating something from a food review show in Vietnam. I asked my wife “where did the owner source these herbs in Auckland!?”
The after we had an amazing soft shell crab. With plenty of herbs mint chilli and spices. It was saucy with a Thai Choo chee taste. Plenty of seasoning and seeds, gave the large crabs depth and gave me cravings for more. I ate so many mouthfuls of rice with just the sauce alone. Devine.
Thereafter we had a side of Bokchoi, it was fresh and crunchy. Not boiled and not over cooked like many Asian restaurants. It tasted like it was cooked in very very high heat and very very quickly. The texture was amazing. You cannot taste this anywhere else in Auckland. This would put many Cantonese restaurant Bokchois to shame. I can say this because when those restaurants do try, they will agree with me.
Up next was the 14hr smoked brisket, a very American southern smoked brisket cooked to perfection. Tender and soft and not too fatty. The homemade mustard gave the dish a very modern Seattle sweet fling to this amazing meat.
We ordered a Mango lassi, not a traditional Indian taste, but a more fresh yoghurt foundation, matches with real chunks of mango, instead of a heavy blend where you cannot taste what the ingredients were originally.
I also ordered a old fashioned to travel the US a little more and feel a bit of the past matched with many dishes of the future.
I have already recommended to all my friends, and will happily go back very soon without even thinking.
This is the best Restaurant in New Zealand for 2018. Look nowhere else.
Came to woodpecker hill a few weeks ago for my dads 50th and wow! This place was amazing it definitely exceeded all expectations. The food was delicious, the outdoor seating area had a great vibe and the waitress was very good at her job :) could not fault this place at all, will definitely be back and have recommended to friends and family as a definite go to!
Nice atmosphere. Was greeted and taken to our table. Staff came to pour our drinks - was very nice and friendly. Ordered our food and drinks and they came out pretty quickly. Enjoyed our night 😊
Tasted quite Asian fusion and sauces. Nice place to go located in the heart of Parnell. I love the atmosphere and vibe of the restaurant. Waiters are very lovely and do their best to make your visit a pleasant experience.
Unique pub style eatery with very polite and tentative staff.Gives you a feeling of a smoke house bar right in USA.Loved the cocktails as I got to try a few.The king prawn was full of flavours -ginger spice popping in our mouths..Loved the fried eggplant with the amazing sweet/sour tamarind sauce. The crispy chicken was deep fried and blended with a sause which went so well with rice.Finally the lamb curry ia the best succulent lamb we have had with a fusion style curry base..Just yum..we shall be back for more.
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+4.5
The food was very delicious~ All the meat dishes we had was good~ Staff was attentative. Recommend book in advance, it gets packed very quickly~
Food that is distinctly different! Loved the marinated kingfish! Crispy chicken not too bad either. Nice restaurant, friendly service - a bit too efficient, however, when the young waiter wanted to take a dish that we were still actively eating sway. He was just a tinsy bit too eager to remove things from the table.
Wow, stunning food expertly prepared and beautifully presented. We cannot wait to return and try other dishes.
The decor was great, service spot on ...
Everything was better than we could have hoped for. The dumplings are a stand-out.
Joshua Searell | Sous Chef
+5
Went there Saturday night, great service, atmosphere up beat, decor is awesome great night, the beef brisket was on point, we will be back! I highly recommend this place to anyone
Love the environment of this place and the food is good too. Interesting fusion of Asian cuisine with a western barbecue twist. The oysters with scallops are great and dumplings are also worth trying
Came for dinner as we wanted to try "The Big Smoke" which we had with a side of spicy BBQ sauce, crispy onion rings, crispy eggplant with a maybe diva & black caviar to wash it all down.
Service is usual standard and the ambience is nice, cool and laid back.
The cocktails were great, really tasty and I've never had anything like them before. Every dish was delicious but I just found it to be a tad pricey for what you get but otherwise great.
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Came here for my 20th with 8 guests on Sunday.
Woodpecker do a different menu on Sundays, called the Smokey Sunday’s.
Interior was stunning, we were allocated to a beautiful booth near the window.
Plates are designed for sharing.
We ordered 2 Crispy eggplants to start with, a Smokey Platter; and for mains we shared Numbing Crispy Chicken, Half Duck, Soft Shell crab, and Market Fish. We also got their signature Beef Brisket.
The crispy eggplant was a crowd-pleaser, the crispness melted in the mouth with the honey sauce.
Soft shell crab won me over; crunchy outside but a burst of sour and sweet and salty flavours with every mouthful. The kale on top added complementary texture.
The numbing crispy chicken really numbs your palette alright! I would suggest having that towards the end hahaha. The chicken was cooked to perfection and definitely worth tasting.
The half duck came in a pool of paste that looks spicy but is actually a balance between sweet and salty, kind of like a tomato paste. The duck was perhaps a liiiiiiittle bit dry but nevertheless the flavours were banging.
Market fish was a little bit bland, despite the beautiful presentation.
The beef brisket was beautiful; smokiness definitely came through, the meat was succulent, juicy and generous, a bit of sauce on the side would have perfected it.
The star of the platter would have to be the ribs; fell right off the bone, the sauce were slightly sweet and salty, with the perfect mix lean and fatty meat. Their house made slaw was a crowd pleaser amongst everyone! Sausages were slightly spicy but moist and melts in the mouth. Numbing chicken was also on the board, which further “excited” my taste buds.
Service was exceptional, we were served by a Asian girl who was attentive and helpful, would hope to see her again! Presentation of every single dish was also absolutely stunning. Will be back for their weekday menu! The bill came to somewhere over $200 between 9 people which is beyond reasonable!!!
Food: 10/10
Price: 10/10
Service: 10/10
Ambiance: 10/10
An Asian fusion restaurant with great decor, the waitress we had were super friendly, she knows the menu inside and out and her recommendations were great hits. Highly recommend!
Came on a Saturday night for dinner and it is a really great place for a bunch of friend to hang out and chill. We ordered shared meal and the food are kind of average as most of our food are too salty and has strong lemongrass flavour! Kinda disappointed as I expected more based on the high review but the service are quick and efficient.
Atmosphere: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Food: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Service: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Another great fusion restaurant in Auckland with great atmosphere and service.
Good for sharing with groups and great to enjoy a cocktail or nice glass of wine in the sun room.
We had the fried pickles which were super, the Sui mai and mushroom dumplings which were Amazing!!
The soft shell crab was a great mix of sweet and spicy with pineapple sauce.
Followed by bok choi and beef short rib which was tender and a perfect end.
Deliciousness the duck curry and soft crabs were Devine!!! Amazing set up and service and stunning wine selection 👌 can't wait to go back for more
Well done good service, team knew all the menu in and out explained all the meals, food we ordered was made fresh and tasted top notch only one thing slightly overpriced but in all respect it is a wonderful dining decor.
Robyn Ripindar Schuller
+5
Absolutely fantastic! The sharing scheme they have caters for all and you definitely get a lot more than you paid for. Our waiter was extremely efficient and catered to everyone's needs (even the difficult ones) we had a party of 10 and each and every one of us were full and satisfied!
Amazing food, amazing vibe! Stressful situation of organising a surprise dinner for my partner and the service and waiter were both great! So patient with our many questions and got along great with our guests. Highly recommend!
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Visited Woodpecker Hill in March 2017 on a Sunday evening - On Sundays they have a different menu and its INCREDIBLE! "Smokey Sundays"
We started our evening off with their home made ginger beer - Delicious! Really really tasty.
We moved on to the Tasting Platter for two - Every single item on this platter was really yummy. The highlight was most definitely the crispy chicken! Also had the Pork & Prawn Dumplings.
For the Main course we opted for the 14 Hour Smoked Beef Brisket - Generous portion and yet another incredible dish! On the side we shared the Crispy Onion Rings, Stir Fried Bok Choy, Ginger with Oyster Sauce.
For desert - Green Apple Ricotta Doughnuts with Miso Butterscotch Caramel.
Every single item we tried was truly amazing and it has stuck with me as a special dinner that wont be forgotten anytime soon!! I would 100% recommend trying out the Smokey Sundays at Woodpecker Hill and I hope we can get back there soon to feast!
I also thought it was very well priced for the quality of food we received at approx $160 for two followed by the fantastic service from the staff.
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Food: 4.5/5
Service: 5/5
Parking: plenty of street parks and free after 6pm
Atmosphere: 5/5
Would I come back? YES
First of all before I begin about the food, the service was phenomenal. The young man who was our waiter on Sunday night was a star- couldn't have asked for better
We dined for Mums bday and they brought out our cake with a candle + a bday song absolutely free of charge! So impressive
The restaurant was dimly lit with a very masculine interior. They also had an impressive selection of beverages !
We ordered the meat platter (only avail Sundays), the soft shell crab, soy braised duck, onion rings and king prawn dumplings!
All dishes were very flavoursome, unique and delicious
The stand out for us was the soft shell crab- order with rice so you can endeavour on the juicy sauce!
The duck was a little too dry and not flavoursome out of all. Probably wouldnt get again but I hear their duck curry is amazing so will come back to try those
Dumplings we thought were too expensive for $14 for 4 but was really good!
Onion rings were incredible-def recommend
The meat platter was very filling and had excellent selection of meat!! Even the colesaw was great and added a good crunch
Overall we had an excellent time
Thanks Woodpecker Hill we will certainly be back!
Bit of a wait to be seated even though there's quite a number of empty tables. Food can be quite rich especially the dry red duck curry. The fourteen hours smoked brisket was delicious and it just melts in your mouth. I love the interior design - nice ambience to it. Overall a good experience but don't order a lot as the portions are quite big.
Lunch at noon. Here we ordered the big smoke tasting platter for 2 which is only available on Sunday & black tiger prawn har gow. The prawn dumplings were simply exquisite (a 5/5 rating). The platter included lamb ribs, pork ribs, crispy chicken, house-smoked sausage & coleslaw. I liked chicken the best.
(Food - 4.5/5; Service - 3.5/5; Ambience - 3.5/5)
Highlight would be the beef for me. Tender, succulent and juicy steak.
Food was presented beautifully and the salad greens were nicely dressed or seasoned.
Loved the wooden tables and the furniture.
We came here on a weekend night and was really happy with the food and service! We ordered their bokchoys, market fish, lamb curry, soft shell crab, ferrmented chicken and beef brisket to share. The bokchoys were the most delicious bokchoys I've ever eaten in my life, and I've eaten a lot of bokchoys. Market fish was heavenly, lamb curry was spot-on, soft shell crab was delish, beef brisket is yumm, the only thing I didn't like was the fermented chicken. It numbed my tongue and I didn't like it that much. Other than that, everything's good and they did pretty nice cocktails too.
Took mum here for Mothers day lunch. The ambiance and service was exceptional. I had the best Old Fashioned in my life. The soft shell crab was by far the best thing we ordered and the portion sizes were great for 2 people mains and starters alike. We literally waddled back to the car.
The one thing I guess I was a bit disappointed by was the tofu dish I ordered for myself. It looked great but the tofu had a bitter aftertaste that ruined the taste if all the food I ate. Sad because it was cooked to perfection.
Honestly this one dish is the only reason I rated the place 4 and not a full 5.
Tried almost all of their main meals. Types of food you dont normally get in restaurants. Every one dish had only good things to say. Beautiful interior, makes u feel like you're in a cottage that appears in story books. great staff. Perfect for a romantic date night. One of Parnells best :)
Duck curry, papaya salad, dumpling, beef brisket are must tries!
Great service, great food!
Tried the cocktails- spend a buck and whiskery, spend a buck had a spicy kick to it. Nice to see they use hard plastic/glass straws and not paper straws like some other places - absolute pet peeve when ordering cocktails.
Food is sharing style:
Entrees we had salt and pepper school prawns, shumai, mushroom dumplings.
Mains were the fermented chicken, 14 hour beef brisket and soft shell crab.
Faves:
Wild mushroom dumplings 😍😍 - served with a delicious coconut broth, must try!!
Beef brisket - melt in your mouth, tender, cooked to perfection
Soft shell crab - always a winner in my books, full of flavour
Wasn't much of a fan of the school prawns; can't stand little eyes and heads staring back at me when I eat. However, bf really enjoyed this dish.
Seated at the booth, loved the interior and seating, very warm and cosy! Will return!
Best place for a perfect evening dining .... loved the ambiance and food 😀 ... great service ......👍🏾
will be back soon
....... 😍😋😁 .........
Angela (A Style Collector)
+4
From its name, I didn't expect this place to be more of an Asian fusion restaurant but the decor is lovely inside. The service was good but it was really busy when we went. We ordered a few things off the menu such as the pork and prawn shumai, wild mushroom dumplings, fermented crispy chicken and dry red curry of duck. Everything tasted great. My favourite was the mushroom dumplings. The crispy chicken was good too. For dessert, I tried the mango pudding which was a nice end to a lovely meal.
Great location in Parnell, and once inside it's like you're in another world.
Service is friendly & efficient. Staff knowledgeable of food & drinks - awesome wine list.
Favourite dishes are the beef brisket curry (actually all the beef dishes are delish). Also love the shumai & snake beans side.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
Where East meets West, with mixed results I might add.
Service was excellent, the FOH staff were like ninjas, swooping in when least expected to fill up water, wine or clear an empty plate, very efficient and professional. We were served by a tall American (if you are Canadian I do apologise) girl who did a lovely job at making our evening easy.
Food.
Ever since reading about Woodpecker Hill and its fusion of southern Americanand Sth East Asian flavours I've wanted to dine here. How would it turn out? What would dominate?
Smoked beef rib and shiso spring rolls, crispy golden shell, (unfortunately) chewy beef served with a BBQ sauce. A disappointing start.
Kingfish with pomelo, lemongrass and chili jam was a refreshing crisp note following the spring rolls. The pomelo bringing a citrus zing to the dish, the chili jam bringing a much needed punch to tie it all together, a clever dish.
The Pork and Prawn shumai's were the standout starter. Plump, moist and sitting in a luscious pool of lime infused soy with fresh Asian mint and coriander. Stunner.
For mains we were both super excited to try the 14 hour smoked beef brisket. This came served with Asian greens and a ramekin of a Horseradish type aioli. 8-10 slices of meat served at room temperature (this could be considered cold). The meat, dry and reminiscent of over cooked corned beef. This was the dud of the night and the biggest disappointment for both of us. At $40 it came across as an overpriced (relying too heavily on it's famed 14 hour smoking) dish. This needs work. Our booking was late in the night so maybe we were the poor sods who got the dry overcooked ends of the Brisket? Still unforgivable at $40.
Lastly it was the Dry Red Duck Curry. This served with green beans, cashews and wild(?) ginger. The ginger didn't seem too wild, maybe it was just slightly annoyed? (don't laugh at that). By the time this dish arrived we were both prepared to wave the white flag, we persevered. This dish got better the more we ate, very deep and rich flavours. What I found most novel was the curry is totally bone free! That's a first and if you've ever eaten Duck, you'll now how luscious the flesh is but you'll also know how frustrating it is to fight through bone to get to the prize.
My verdict is that Woodpecker Hill is nice. Just nice.
3 starters, 2 mains and a $60 bottle of Zinfadel came out to $190.00. $190 price tag for 2 needs to command more than just a "nice" in my eyes.
Mark Walbank has an enormous influence on Asian Fusion restaurants in the 09 with Blue Breeze, Woodpecker Hill and Moo Chow Chow. Ms Moo is still the crowning jewel here. The other 2 projects pale in comparison.
Second time here and really impressed, ate too much but loved everything, very impressed. Woodpecker hill is still one of the best restaurant I've been too, fantastic Asian fusion sharing plates. Tried everything we could and wow. Extremely highly recommended.
We just stumbled upon this restaurant. The menu is small but looked interesting. I guess you can call it a fancy place. Ambience was nice, the decor was lovely. Very homely. They even gave blankets if you get cold. Finer details. Service was good. But most of all, the food, impeccable! We ordered the prawn and pork shumai and the flavour took me back to Vietnam! All the different herbs, absolutely delicious. We also had the salmon main and aromatic lamb curry. The lamb truly was aromatic and the spices were so tasty (not hot)! And the salmon and prawn was mouthwatering! Have to try this place at least once!
Amynot - Spotify: 不想往前
+5
The meal itself was the greatest Journey. The decor felt like I was overseas, on a holiday.
The staff were all well presented and polite. The food was out of this world.
To start we had the eggplant, my wife whom is from northern China said the fish tasted like her childhood. Perfectly deep fried tempura like eggplants with a sweet tangy smokey sauce. China.
The next dish was the squid prawn pork salad with plenty of herbs. This was an amazing Vietnamese style dish, the sour sweet and freshness was amazing. I felt like I was eating something from a food review show in Vietnam. I asked my wife “where did the owner source these herbs in Auckland!?”
The after we had an amazing soft shell crab. With plenty of herbs mint chilli and spices. It was saucy with a Thai Choo chee taste. Plenty of seasoning and seeds, gave the large crabs depth and gave me cravings for more. I ate so many mouthfuls of rice with just the sauce alone. Devine.
Thereafter we had a side of Bokchoi, it was fresh and crunchy. Not boiled and not over cooked like many Asian restaurants. It tasted like it was cooked in very very high heat and very very quickly. The texture was amazing. You cannot taste this anywhere else in Auckland. This would put many Cantonese restaurant Bokchois to shame. I can say this because when those restaurants do try, they will agree with me.
Up next was the 14hr smoked brisket, a very American southern smoked brisket cooked to perfection. Tender and soft and not too fatty. The homemade mustard gave the dish a very modern Seattle sweet fling to this amazing meat.
We ordered a Mango lassi, not a traditional Indian taste, but a more fresh yoghurt foundation, matches with real chunks of mango, instead of a heavy blend where you cannot taste what the ingredients were originally.
I also ordered a old fashioned to travel the US a little more and feel a bit of the past matched with many dishes of the future.
I have already recommended to all my friends, and will happily go back very soon without even thinking.
f you are in Auckland this is the restaurant to book. You will love this place and want to come back again and again.
The first thing I started was roasted wheat dumplings with peanut butter. Shumai's skin is so soft and thin, I really appreciate it because you can taste better fillings.
We had salt and pepper tofu with vinegar sauce. Need more peppery flavor, but the performance of this dish is well worth it.
Chicken satay is very tender and juicy. The cream sauce goes well with the delicious vinaigrette.
The ribs are delicious, but the meat could have softened. I suggest grilling the last ribs so that the sauce can turn into caramel.
For my maiden visit to Woodpecker Hill in Parnell, I was absolutely stunned by the stylish interior as we entered by the water feature wall at the front through to experiencing the industrial chic indoor area of the restaurant.
We were fortunate enough to get a table bring walk-ins since the place was extremely busy in the early evening. Our waitress was most hospitable, introducing us to the style of cuisine and service style of the menu.
We ordered the honey crispy eggplant, green papaya salad, kingfish lime pomelo crudo, charred spicy calamari and the terakihi yellow curry. Each sharing plate was aromatic, flavoursome and vibrant, not to mention, exquisite on our palates.
To close, we ordered the mango caramel pudding and sticky black rice for dessert and these were nice.
Woodpecker Hill was highly impressive. The entire dining experience and restaurant ambiance was exceptional! Highly recommended with distinction!
Excellent mélange of fine Asian-fusion food and quality service, Woodpecker Hill lives up to its reputation as one of Auckland’s top restaurants
Though the intriguing interior design doesn’t hint at its fusion focus, Woodpecker Hill makes for a very cozy and romantic setting for dinner. The dining room design makes big groups easily accommodated without impinging on others.
Food is quick to the table, and you’re unlikely to go thirsty. Efficient staff welcome/serve/care for you with genuine warmth, whether you’re in for a drink of a big meal. Be ready for some interesting creations that challenge the imagination like stir-fried, soft shell crab (delicious!!!), mushroom dumplings and more. Easily appealing to vegetarian tastes.
Quality wine selection, but despite the house collaborative brew with Woody Brothers Brewery the craft beer selection is a little thin.
Go here to experience a hitch-free night and enjoy tasting lots of plates of delicious!
The food was very delicious~ All the meat dishes we had was good~ Staff was attentative. Recommend book in advance, it gets packed very quickly~
Woodpecker brings back alot of what Parnell rise lost. A cool place to hang out, with amazing fusion food and a top bar. Have been here twice with two large party's, both times everyone was well impressed. If your looking for something a little different, do try this place. Along with the marshmallow finish USA whiskey, bam.
Amazing food, had about 5 different plates to share between us and couldnt find one i didnt enjoy. Meat was very tender and oysters were delicious. Great selection of bourbon too.
Very high class restaurant
Decoration inside is so special
Dinning environment is great too
Not cheap for sure due to it's class. But recommend to try for getting a good dinning experience
This is a great restaurant. Beautifully fitted out and very good trendy music. The menu is hard to read in the low light. Tapas style menu. Mushroom balls were nice. Stir fried Bok Choy is nice. The Lamb Currie is a little heavy and over spicy. Not hot spicey but heavy. The Ribeye is lovely.
Came across this restaurant by chance and boy it did not dissapoint.
The Ribs were the best I've ever tasted and the brisket was in the top three.
I would have given it 5 stars but deducted 1 as the seafood platter for 2 we had for starters came in a bit pricey at $70.
Overall very happy and would certainly go again
The decor and atmosphere is just beautiful. Everything about this restaurant was spotlessly perfect.
1. Well trained staff - their professionalism and knowledge about their menu really stands out. Thanks to Michael, who served us yesterday, we really enjoyed our meal.
2. Food - it's just a party of all different full flavours in your mouth. Every components on the dish is seasoned perfectly and all goes harmoniously.
3. Atmosphere - it was a stand-alone little property on the busy main street in Parnell. The decor of this place is just second to none! Perfect for special occasions.
Great atmosphere. Must try the moonshine:) food is well balanced. Reasonably priced. Would go back!!
Neck level, great decor, vibrant atmosphere, helpful staff. If you searching for Thai smokey authentic you can't beat this place. Ordered fish curry and duck as mains. Top knotch.
This is now my favourite restaurant.. If I want meat.. I will good there. Good food, good service.. Beware, they good is on the spicy side.. So not kids friendly.. But I don't care, i love it.
An interesting place for an Asian fusion restaurant. Great atmosphere, good food.
Well worth a visit. Enjoy!
Quite good place for the Sunday brunch and everything was perfect the rib eye and the brisket we're awesome!!
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