Initially spooked by the interior decor but quickly got over it with the insanely good food. Got to try a lot of dishes I’ve never had anywhere else and I think about them from time to time because they were just that good. The staff was helpful in choosing the right quantity of food and all the recommendations were tasty and memorable so there’s a decent chance that the entire menu is just fabulous.
We recently went to Cazador for dinner and the customer service was as good as the food.
To start we had the roast Bone marrow with chimichurri and the chargrilled squid. The bone marrow was perfect but the squid really took the prize - best we’ve had.
For mains we had the pan roasted venison and braised rabbit leg. The rabbit was tender and the sauce complimented it perfectly. The venison was perfectly cooked, and we literally talked about this dinner for days afterwards. 10/10
Good food, good vibe, excellent service. We ordered the Cazador Feast ($80pp course menu). It was good but everyone around us ordered from the a la carte menu and their dishes looked amazing!
This place is Devine! The decor is awesomely unique- I came with a friend, but this would be the perfect date spot!
We have amazing service, our waitress was fantastic with her recommendations of both wine and food and also provided some good banter
We had the charcuterie board and some other nibbles..... the charcuterie board was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! Their pâtés, etc they make in-house - yum!!
We loved their wine too!
Can’t wait to come back!
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
PERFECTION. Food that makes you smile ear to ear, giving you happiness in each bite, because it’s that delicious. So much love has gone into this food that you can taste it. Cazador know what they’re doing with their food, especially their game meat!
.
The road to happiness:
• Charcuterie board for 2 - i always love finding a place that does a good charcuterie as it says a lot about their quality, and this one tops the charts. Duck liver parfait was out of this world, so smooth and velvety and a tennis ball size serving of it to go with everything. Venison pistachio terrine and hare/rabbit terrine both melt in your mouth and pack a punch with their delicate flavours, and the venison prosciutto is one of the most tender cured meats ever. Add a bit of the wicked mustard seed sauce to hit the ball out of the park. Huge selection of equally tasty toast and crackers to go with it all. I could literally have this for dinner, stop there, and be happy.
• Chargrilled quail - whole quail cooked to perfection, this meat is so easy to overcook but this was tender, juicy, and packed intense flavour balanced out with the bed of corn mash underneath.
• Grilled venison - again with the tender flavourful meat, eat it together with the labneh and sourdough crumb and be transported to food heaven.
• Potatoes - pure gold, crispy on the outside fluffy on the inside.
• Wild boar salami - this was the amuse bouche, really delicately flavoured despite being made of boar!
• Fresh baked madelines - pinch me because I’m still dreaming about these, beautiful warm pillowy madelines straight from the oven, eaten together with the salty buffalo curd and fresh strawberries is like a whole new world. Super light and fresh, could I have this for dessert every night?
• Dark chocolate & brandy mousse - the texture is ultra thick, but when you taste it, it’s super light?! As if you could just eat it by the bucket, the rich chocolate flavour is all there but you don’t get the groggy feeling after. There’s an element of salt in there together with the nuts which makes it that much better.
.
What an experience. I might have a new favourite!
Everything we ordered was delicious! Really good quality of meat and good selection of wine too. If only the portions were a bit bigger. Service is top notch!
Always a beautiful experience at Cazador!! Have come here multiple times now with my partner and have loved it more and more everytime. The menu regularly changes but the pasta is always there and its fresh and beautiful! The charcuterie platter is absolutely amazing with delicious breads and lovely meats and different things to try. The potatoes are to die for!!!!!!!!! Theyre crispy, fluffy, perfectly seasoned and the best potatoes I've ever tried. Its a lovely atmosphere, setting, amazing service, overall my favourite restaurant in Auckland!
Love love love this restaurant . Food was amazing, staff even more so. We didn’t want to order mains privately so ended up ordering a whole heap of plates and sharing them. Was best experience ever. No wonder it’s been going for 30years. This place rocks!!!
We’re so lucky that Cazador is our local. This has to be one of the best restaurants in Auckland. Their seasonal variety of game dishes always leave you wanting more. Rebecca and Dariush are also excellent hosts. We can’t get enough of this place.
Amazing meal, lovely lovely staff - had the parpadelle with slow roasted venison shoulder, hubby had ash coated venison, kids had quail and pork - all were beautifully presented and tasted exquisite- will definitely be back. Thanks for a lovely evening
Very interesting experience, this place offer great service and good selection of drink. Most of all if you want to try quail, venison and liver parfait this is the place!
The restaurant offered the perfect atmosphere for a relaxing dinner on a wintry night.
I wasn't a stranger to game but the venison heart wasn't like any offal I had ever had. It was absolutely delicious; there was nothing to fault about it and it was my favourite of the evening. My husband and son who tried heart for the first time loved it too.
Between us we also had: babaghanoosh, nan-e-bakhshi, octopus, whole quail, venison, which were all done very well.
The let-down for me was the Dark & stormy dessert. The spices in the rum & ginger steamed pudding overpowered everything else on the plate, which made the subtle flavours you would expect from the bay leaf ice cream redundant.
Definitely a place to try if your "game"... not quite the place/atmosphere for a romantic dinner... friendly service. But really the food is pretty amazing.... we chose:
Grilled venison heart
Braised Goat shank
Whole Quail
Sides: potato & kale
Finished with dessert: dark chocolate mousse and persimmon something which actually was very refreshing and yum.
Did start with a vishnofka.... brandy..YUM
Went with my wife for my birthday. The food was very good and we enjoyed every course (we did the set menu) which was coupled with a superb bottle of wine but there was a lack of atmosphere and we felt a little rushed through our courses. Would suggest going as a group rather than an intimate dinner. Will definitely go back but with friends.
As a Persian I have always grown up knowing about the reputation Cazador entails. They are specialists in Game cooking so it does have a specific taste. I love how the flavours blend together! Definitely a great place to go to- theres a reason why it always tops the Metro rankings!
My favorite Auckland restaurant. No Ocean views to be fair, but a lovely little garden area out the back, and an intimate, cozy feel. BEAUTIFUL FOOD. Presented well, good portions, super-fresh ingredients and cheap for what it is. The service is perfect. The dishes dynamic, showcasing the incredible ingredients. It is clean, game themed but modern, and the bathrooms are a real delight. If you are vegetarian this place is not a great choice though, if only due to the decor. Other than that, if you have not been then you are missing out.
I love this restaurant. Every time I visit there's something new and exciting to try. The food is always delicious and expertly prepared. The whole team (chef, maître d, wait staff etc) are are very welcoming. The drinks selection is inspired and well matched to the cuisine on offer.
Cazador has a lovely local neighbourhood bistro feel and not an ounce of pretension; a rare quality in Auckland these days. If you've never been then I suggest you get your "game" face on!
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
Came here having heard good things about their game food and because a couple of friends knew the owners, lived locally but had never tried the restaurant! Was a little bit tentative about there potentially being too much offal for my liking, but I needn't have worried as there were so many delicious options (and they were out of heart that week...........). First, the charcuterie platter - apart from being very reasonable at $15 per head with ALOT of food on it, it was absolutely delicious and served well as an entrée. Our mains were also amazing, and the 2 people who had the desserts raved about those as well. Food and wine matching was amazing and when we went onto after dinner drinks, Becks knowledge of sherries and other dessert wines came to the fore. Lovely level of service. We didn't have the greatest table, kind of in the middle of proceedings - will know to ask for a different table next time. Also, well done to replacing my pre dinner drink free of charge, solely because the taste wasn't quite to my liking. Will definitely be back, and soon. Might even be brave enough to try the heart if it's back in supply!
I cannot get over how amazing this place is! A true hidden gem! Took a chance on this place as I'm a VEGETARIAN! They accommodated me brilliantly and it was without a doubt THE BEST pasta dish I've ever had! My partner is the biggest meat eater and had the venison and he was blown away as well by how great his dish was! I tried some of his sauce and it was so good! Proportion was just enough to satiate us. Can't stop raving about this place! Having my birthday dinner there next month! xoxox
YUM! This place is amazing! If you like game meats and trying something different come here! I had the game meat entree, hare main and the chocolate mousse for dessert. The entree was big enough to have shared and the main was so tasty the hare so tender and the chocolate mousse, well I cant stop thinking how good it was - rich and silky. Service here was really friendly as well the whole experience was great.
What Cazador does for NZ is very important. Showing that giving value to offal is crucial in a world where we need to use each and every part of animals is crucial for our environment. And, above all, all these part we usually don't care about can be delicious.
For that reason this place was in my list for some months. I was expecting too much, and it was good, but not as much as I thought it would be.
I tried, the squid, which was very good, as well as the quail, but the wild boar cheek wasn't very good. Too dry and the pasta was a bit overcooked.
Still wanna come back to try other things, but I hope next time their execution can meet my expectations.
Celebrated a birthday dinner here on a Friday night. Must say the place was packed for a Friday! Super easy parking and ambiance is lovely and cosy. We started off with babaganoush and braised squid both were packed full of flavours and executed nicely. For main we ordered quail and venison were very good dishes. The only dish that I found was pretty average was their dessert pear tart was okay. Overall great food and great selection of drinks! Service was great and Will be back for sure.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
I would like nothing more than to write this place a detailed review of their food and the experience I had on Saturday night, unfortunately I started drinking wine at 3pm in the afternoon, with our reservation at 7pm it's safe to say there's nothing terribly accurate I can write, but here goes ....
I don't remember the wait staff serving us that night.
I don't remember the taxi ride home after dinner.
And I don't recall crawling into bed once I got home.
I do recall someone at our table telling me to quieten down as I was getting a little obnoxious.
I do recall tripping over my own feet on the way to the restroom.
I do remember most of the dishes we ordered:
- The Babaghanoosh was underwhelming (a bit bland)
- The pan seared Bone Marrow was luscious and served with just the right amount of acidity so as not to overwhelm.
- The Confit Pig tail and Eel were to die for, an amazing combination.
This is where things start to get a little hazy .....
I remember enjoying the Thar and Pheasant mains but lets be honest, my taste buds were shot and I think I was starting to slur my words by this point. Oh! The dessert I remember distinctly, probably the nicest Chocolate Mousse I've ever had!!
So it's safe to say it was game of two halves with wine being the winner on the day.
If you are into game restaurants you'd probably love this place! There are taxidermied animal heads displayed all over the walls and the menu is full of all different types of meats. We came her for my mother's birthday with around 20 guests. The service was great for such a big table but we did had to have a set menu. The tasting platter was the first course with a varied selection of pate, tongue, relish, gherkins, venison chorizo and bread. All beautifully cooked but flavours I personally don't love. The second course was a choice of either venison or quail. The meat was cooked to perfection, the portions were very reasonable and the accompanying salads and sauces were delicious. The third course was some sort of chocolate gateau that was far too sweet for my liking but I did like the pistachio nuts and caramelised orange. Not my favourite type of cuisine but a good place to try something new.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
Had dinner here today after wanting to visit this place for a long time. Intriguing idea of game meats combined with other infrequently used ingredients on the menu made this an adventurous meal. Note that they have a new summer menu which differs from the one shown on these pages presently..
We started off the with hare rillettes and terrine as starters. The gamey taste of the hare and the accompaniments of pickles on the flat bread were subtle and not as distinct as first thought. The terrine accompanied with condiments and toasted bread was also a pleasant surprise in its subtle but well matched flavours.
Mains we had were the pheasant which was the outstanding dish of the whole meal, rich flavours of the meat matched well with the polenta and sweetcorn made it an absolute delight every mouthful taken. The chargrilled boar with nettles and tripe chips on the other hand though a choice of the adventurous, was one element too many personally. The tripe unfortunately threw the balance of the dish off with its gritty texture left the palate with an oily taste which seemed to overpower everything else. Left out, the rest of the dish worked well with the nettles although generally tasteless, was the carrier of other flavours of the rest of the elements in the dish.
Dessert of blueberry shortcake was punch, packed full of berries and excited the palate...
Overall a very surprising meal that provoked a lot of thought
As a vegetarian, it's not often that I'm blown away by a carnivorous - themed restaurant. Cazador is the exception. The Naan and stuffed zucchini were exquisite. Not to mention the Saffron gin and orange blossom aperitif. So light and refreshing! I followed these with the vegetarian main of the day, a dish with Israeli couscous, zucchini, radicchio, parsley, etc. And dessert!!! Wow. Blueberry shortcake and dill ice cream? Who would have thought. But it was amazing. Definitely something to write home about. It's a shame I'm leaving NZ tomorrow because I would love to try the menu next season. To any vegetarians out there, don't be afraid to try Cazador. You will be pleasantly surprised.
Wine list, service, menu, food, beer garden, every dish, every entree, every main, every dessert, i want. Every time.Menu is always changing and always delicious.I wish I could afford to go here more often!
LET'S HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE for the BEST restaurant in the WHOLE of auckland. I almost don't want to share it so I can have it all to myself.
If there was a higher rating than 5/5 this place with have it x infinite.
There is nothing bad to say about Cazador. Service is amazing, FOOD IS PERFECTION and it is all so worth every dollar you spend (quite affordable for what you get, ~$150 for all the food and drinks in the photos). I only wish I had a bigger stomach to try more dishes.
You must be an adventurous eater to fully enjoy this restaurant. I'm all for adventure, and I will always come back to this place for more deliciousness!
101% perfection.
We held our daughter's 21st birthday celebration at Cazador.
They surpassed all expectations with both the charming service and amazing food.
No wonder they are rated one of the top 50 restaurants in Auckland.
The second generation has taken the family restaurant to a new level of quality and innovation.
They compare very favourably with some of the very best Auckland has to offer.
Our guests still talk about the food and ambience of Cazador months later.
We also loved how they have managed to retain the iconic look of Cazador, but refreshed it and developed two lovely rooms, a very cute bar where you can watch the magic of the kitchen, as well as a lovely garden courtyard, which we have seen used as a small wedding reception area.
Rebecca and Dariush are top of their game.
We keep looking for excuses to return with other guests.
Wendy and Hans.
Deserves more than 5 stars. Daughters shouted my wife and myself for fathers day as they knew really wanted to try this place. Service was excellant friendly and efficient. As for the food brilliant and very different from your average place. Well worth a visit. We will definetely be back.
The second generation management has certainly upheld the traditions of this fine restaurant. Service great ambience as good as ever and the food superb. We tried rabbits lungs as an entree and it was great. The boar fillet had a truffled polenta that was very close to being the star of the dish, the boar was cooked perfectly. Try the mulled wine with the delicious Nan - e- bakhshi to start a very enjoyable dining experience
Cazador is one of the most interesting restaurants to visit, from the various animal heads on the wall, to the exquisite variety of meats served and the very knowledgable wait staff. Game meat wouldn't normally appeal to me but Cazador has pleasantly changed my perception of this which is why I have continued to return a number of times.
The quail dish would probably be my favourite so far along with the venison parpadelle.
The meals may seem smaller but dont let this decieve you, the dishes are delicious and filling. Besides you would want to leave room for a pour over coffee and chocolate mousse.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
Cazador has been part of the Auckland landscape for literally a generation - Dariush and Rebecca have taken the reigns of this iconic game restaurant and are literally 'rocking' it. No longer a quiet secret, but splashed all over the place as a great specialist game style restaurant. The thing with this sort of history is the old fashioned recipes for things like great charcuterie get passed along - and there is a foundation.... The interior is the same for a reason - although the green bunker seating is rather nice!
Make a reservation or miss out! I have to now!! The game is not as scary as people might think - liver pates and terrenes are regulars on the menu. Pea and smoked boar hock soup (think pea and ham but flavoured up a 'little' if it makes you feel better). The small game birds - are somewhat de-boned so you are not struggling with your meal.
I 'fell' for the Hare and Papperdelle - these were traditional foods for me so I am extremely biased in this arena - but they do it really well!~
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
You know sometimes you get weird cravings and you have to go out of your way to get it. well I had a craving for venison and dropped into Cazador.
The staff were friendly, very warm and inviting.
I got here quit late so was able to get a seat but the place was packed nad very lively. The Decor was simple and homely but the kind of homely you would expect a home of a avid hunter to be.
Anyway, on to the food.
Got the Vishnokav to start of with, interesting and nice, very aromatic balanced sweetness with a nice bite.
Nan e Bashik, not impressed lacking in texture, was soft and kind soggy (not sure if thats how its supposed to be)
Flavour was average, seasoning was insufficient for me.
The venison parpadelle sooo good. Amazingly cooked pasta lots of pulled venison shoulder rich earthy game flavour, balanced by a clean spring onion which provided depth and added lots of texture. The jus left at the bottom
was so noms.
Once again salt was less for my liking.
The chocolate mouse, dense, deep, dark rich flavour balanced sweetness with bitterness. Candied orange cuts through the chocolate and adds so much contrast and roasted pistachio nuts for added texture. Decently portioned and perfect way to finish the evening.
Navigator wine, round and plush not overly bold peppery finish worked well with the venison.
Tried Cazador for the first time and it was great! We went with a group of friends and we shared a few dishes so we had the opportunity to sample a number of things. The pheasant is super tender and tasty, oxtail soup is delicious, veal is amazing, and the hare papadelle is like nothing I've ever had before. And to top it off the service was amazing and the chef is very good looking!
This restaurant is definitely worth a try and makes me wish I lived in Auckland so that I could make it my regular go to restaurant.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
Cazador doesn't look much as you drive past on the way into auckland from the airport and you'd probably think it was just another one of those mediocre European numbers - this one billing itself as a "game restaurant" - yeah right. Well that would be a big mistake. Cazador is one of those secret treasures where the quality of the food outmatches its site or interior.
We had a brilliant dinner for eight , a lot of fun with food and wine perfect for the occasion.
Occasionally though - very occasionally - you come across a dish which is unexpected and out of the ordinary. I found one at cazador - so simple in the extreme, yet the balance of flavours were so perfect that it left a lasting image and one that one day will get me back there. A baguette, halved and toasted, smeared lightly with Vegemite, and served with a roasted veal bone, split to reveal the marrow. Smearing the marrow onto the Vegemite toast - the product - salty sweet rich with umami and the textural contrasts was truly luscious and I rarely use that word.
Highly recommended
Came here for family birthday celebrations and we loved every minute. Delicious food, great service awesome environment. Will certainly be back!
Cazador Restaurant is a game food restaurant - possibly the only one in Auckland. I enjoyed its food and came here about a few times a year. It used to provide live light music on Saturdays, but to my disappointment, there was only recorded music this Saturday.
As usual, we ordered Babaghanoosh - pita bread with dips & Nan - Persian flat bread. Sometimes the nan was more cheesy, but not today. My friends & I agreed to share the food, so we ordered char-grilled veal tongue & quail egg; sautéed rabbit lungs; venison heart; braised goat shanks; roasted hare saddle; roasted duck & kingfish. Most of the dishes were fantastic, well-matched and nicely presented. I wasn't too sure, however, about the use of yoghurt with the goat shanks and the barberries in the saffron rice; both had the sour taste which didn't seem to go with the food.
(Food - 4.5/5; Service - 4.5/5; Ambience - 3.5/5)
I'd never heard of the restaurant until I was invited out, but Cazador has reviewed strong reviews so I had expectations of a good meal. The dining room is cozy and the staff were welcoming. I started with boar terrine. It was moist and well flavoured. My better half had rabbit rillettes, which tasted nice but the meat was a bit dry. I followed up with char grilled venison. The meat was well seasoned, tender and tasty. The plum trifle rounded out the meal. The service was a little slow, the food is honest and doesn't try to be something it's not, all in all Cazador is a pleasing suburban eating experience without pretence
Genie @ BunnyEatsDesign
+5
Cazador is a charming kitschy restaurant complete with round archways, plastered walls and more taxidermied beast and fowl than some diners will feel comfortable with. The bar area was packed and boisterous at 6pm when we arrived, the dining area quietly well behaved.
Well known for game and offal dishes served in an unfussy style. The style is simple but bold flavours using unusual ingredients. Cazador is a great place to try new things. The menu features 5 starters and 5 mains with daily specials to entice. The main menu is updated every 2-3 weeks to keep things interesting, though favourites will re-appear in various forms.
The most interesting things on the menu on the night we visited were:
• Crumbed lamb’s brains with sauce gribiche
• Poussin hearts with pancetta and parsley
We ordered a range of dishes and sampled each others meals because we were all very curious. Favourites were the Braised ox tail, the poussin hearts and the lamb’s brains.
This is a great place for adventurous eaters. Also seasonal, free range and ethically sourced meat eaters will enjoy Cazador's offerings. Gluten free options available. Although I’ve heard they do make wonderful vegetarian food, vegetarians would probably do best to avoid or call in advance. Even ex-vegetarians might be squeamish here, though there is always 1 or 2 fish dishes for pescitarians to enjoy.
The service is super. Our drinks and food orders were taken in good time and paced perfectly. “Johnny-on-the-spot” always kept our waters topped up. Portions were a good size, for those wanting 2 or 3 courses, though the slow cooked goat dish was huge. It would have been nice if the sizes of the mains were more uniform.
Cazador are extremely good at what they do. Bex made sure we had a lovely evening and Dariush is a star working magic in the kitchen. Everything was tasty and interesting. While the prices are a little expensive, they are very reasonable for the quality of food and the great experience. Will absolutely be back. Looking forward to our next visit already.
Edit: I came back with my family on my birthday. Best dish had to be the fried lambs' tongues. Sounds challenging but was very easy to eat.
We had dinner at Cazador's yesterday evening and it was wonderful. The food was fantastic and the service attentive without being obsequious. Would definitely return.
I'd been meaning to visit this restaurant for years and finally did on Friday night....Why did I wait so long?Magnificent in all respects,delicious food,generous servings,great wine list,excellent service etc,etc,etc.Can't wait to go back.
A brilliant time but would love to go when a bit quieter - a bit too rockin' on a Saturday night for us quiet people. Couldn't fault anything with the food - decor not suitable for vegetarians BUT has a surprisingly good range of vegetarian options for a game restaurant if you do manage to coax a vego friend there.
Great service and pretty glassware too!
Best meal I've had in Auckland! Fantastic little restaurant. Quirky menu that invites you to step outside of your comfort zone, and rewards you for doing so! The service was attentive. Our waiter may have been new but was polite and helpful and the food was delivered promptly but not rushed. We were surprised, but pleased on a weeknight, to have had pre-dinner drinks and 3 courses all in under 90mins. Every course was balanced, packed with flavour and despite my preconceptions of game meat, felt fresh and not overly rich. Like, Like, Like
Really liked the style of the restaurant, combining the new with the old. It was a busy night and service took a while to come, but when it did it was good, consistent and knowledgeable. Some interesting game dishes on the menu and all the food was well balanced and interesting. The stand-out was the lambs tongue chips from the bar menu... divine!
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
Cazador was always a goodie but Wow!!, what a transformation. Cazador has always been a favourite for this foodies in the know but Dariush and Rebecca have dragged this gem of a restaurant kicking and screaming into the current millenium. They have made a few physical changes such as the now open view into the kitchen and the sumptuous toilet decoration. The lovely and private back garden is a really good addition too. But let's face it, this restaurant is all about the food. Dariush pushes the boundaries for most of us. I'm a farm girl and have eaten lots of offal and wild creatures,but never before have I been confronted with rabbit lungs (apart from being buried in Haggis of course). Fabulous. The rewarding thing is that the name is much more frightening than the end product. Pan fried with mushrooms and herbs this is the perfect autumn dish. Mildly flavoured and an interesting texture...actually they were quite similar to the mushrooms. The little pre-meal starter of poussin hearts should not be missed. Don't be scared, poussin is the fancy French name for young chicken, but the hearts actually taste more like the best and most tender beef steak. Tiny mouthfuls of pure gold! Our table of 6 spent a wonderful evening of sharing bites from each other's plates. We struggled to decide which were the best dishes but the consensus was the poussin hearts and the wild boar shoulder. Slightly disappointing were the desserts. The over flavoured rose-water sorbet was too icy in texture and the poppy seed cake was just OK. The chocolate mousse was however excellent! I still give the Cazador restaurant 5 stars as it is meant to be all about the meat dishes. Portions are perfect in size and all are paired with plenty of vegetable garnishes. You really don't need to order side dishes unless you are a vegetable freak. A great wine list and a funky retro dacor make for a perfect evening. GO THERE
A group of 6 of us were lucky enough to experience Cazador. We wanted to taste of everything and ordered, shared and tasted our way through the menu which was varied (lots of variety of meat I mean) and exceptionally interesting. Although we don't cook meat at home we loved experiencing the care and thought and presentation offered and relished the game experience. We sought advice on sherries and wines to match the food and enjoyed Spanish sherry, a Spanish Rioja and and Oratia Reisling. The service was professional, the atmosphere delightful and the value outstanding. A wonderful restaurant we would love to take meat loving foodie guests to anytime.
This was an incredible dining experience. My friend and myself went there last night for dinner. I had the boar belly and she had the venison. Both dishes had the most succulent meat and the sides were delicious, rustic and wholesome. The staff were friendly and helpful. Would be best to book ahead as they get very busy. Will definitely be back!
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
Dined at Cazador on a busy Thursday night with a gaggle of gal pals, thoroughly enjoyed the food, atmosphere and whole experience. We had drinks beforehand (saffron gin with orange blossom, Pimms, Spanish sherry ) in their intimate little bar with a view into the kitchen. Its apparently newly renovated but is feels very retro with its Spanish archways and plaster work walls, and is full of trophy deer antlers, antique artillery (!) and family memorabilia. Charming Maitre'd and owner Rebecca provided us with a tasting platter of mouthwatering snacks, the hit of which was lamb-tongue fries, which were golden crumbed and served with homemade rosemary ketchup! So good! The game terrine was also a surprise. Something I would never order for myself but was great to share and I loved it.
Once seated we ordered from a range of mains and specials such as boar chops or fillet (with pea risotto and chorizo), peppered venison, goat, hare ravioli...hard to choose. I had the ravioli and it was utterly delicious. The hare both inside and out of the ravioli was delicately shredded and braised with some kind of fantastic thinly sliced mushroom I could not identify, and a lovely combination of flavours (I can also not identify). The boar fillet (Flintstone sized! Generous portions at this establishment) looked good too and the goat was a surprise. Not gamey or like lamb it all, it had a subtle flavour, was super tender and had a tangy sauce that featured yogurt. The drinks list had lots of interesting wines from NZ, Spain, France and Italy. I just ordered the Spanish tempranillo that is their house red and it was lovely. The service staff were friendly and attentive while giving us lots of time and space to chat and catch-up. We felt like we were being treated to a special night.
Desserts were incredible. The chocolate mouse topped with candied orange rind, pistachios and rock salt is chocolate perfection, and as five out of six of us ordered it I can only comment on one other dessert. This was a dutch apple pie with homemade bay-leaf ice-cream. It was beautiful - the apples were tart and the ice cream fragrant. A nice alternative to the rich mousse.
Cazador's vibe is so different to anywhere else in Auckland with its worldly ambiance, family feel and spectacular array of challenging and different food. It feels like real a getaway, as if you have traveled somewhere new without actually leaving the Auckland burbs. Looking forward to the next visit, spending more evenings in the dinky bar and new courtyard and would highly recommend to all as one of the best neighbourhood restaurants in this city if not all of NZ!!!
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
Went to Cazador mid last week for my friends birthday, I had made a booking there for 4 of us as I have been there many times over the last 10 years with various friends however I hadn't been there for almost two years before last week. When we walked in it was to a new Cazador, it felt lighter and more spacious, although it still managed to retain the charm of the previous visits.
The food was amazing as usual, we ordered one serving of Calf’s Tongue Chips between the table as they sounded interesting but we were all a little hesitant, I really wish we had ordered a serving each as they were not just a novel thing to eat but they tasted great, we also had two servings of a Persian Bread that sounded alright on the menu but was amazing when it arrived on the table, not often something is better in your mouth than it sounded on the menu.
Between the four of us we had two main of Wild Boar, Venison and Rabbit with a serving of Salad, Green Beans and Potatoes (I'm not big on veggies but I could have happily eaten just the sides, the Green Beans and Potatoes were all cooked just like I remember my grandma cooking veggie which really pleased my taste buds) and all the meals looked and smelt delicious, every one was raving about their meals on the way home while already planning what they wanted to try next on return visits, can recommend the new look Cazador any more highly, if you've been there before you love it just as much and if you haven't then you really are missing out.
Lastly the staff, they were amazingly friendly and welcoming, best service I've experienced in a while, there was an enthusiasm and sincerity that many places don’t have but all the staff here had both these great attributes in abundance
I loved my evening at Cazador. It exceeded my expectations. The staff were very welcoming and helpful, the food was AMAZING and I can't wait for an excuse to return. The vegetarian meals were just as good as the meat ones and the chocolate sorbet was super delicious. Loved the turkish coffee too!
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
I went there with four hungry colleagues on the recommendation of one of them who is a keen hunter and fisher. We walked in through the tiny entrance and thought "yikes, what's this going to be like?". When we entered the dining area we were greeted by two gorgeous women who seated us in the middle of an empty room. The room is something to behold. A sort of cross between The Coen Brothers in Albuquerque and David Lynch's One Eyed Jacks. I felt excited and hungry. The menu is a wondrous array of game/out-of-the-ordinary fish dishes. Whole Sole pan fried to perfection with a caper sauce was a highlight. Poussin with Spanish rice and artichokes, again, right up yours truly's alley. We ordered 2 x duck fat spuds which were a little soft but good, one of each other salad (best beetroot I've ever had) but also tried the bone marrow (stunning), Poussin hearts (pretty bloody good) and pheasant terrine (outstanding). The wine list is beautifully complementary and so's the service. We love you Cazador. Five dudes, blown away, wanting more. X.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
I went to Cazador this very spring evening with family and experienced a dinner that started and ended on a high note. The thing is, there was no low note.
We liked the eye-catching decor on arrival, and had a lovely welcome and introduction to the food and drinks menu by staff.
Choosing some middle-eastern breads to start, we then went straight to the mains (although the entrees looked very tempting). Presently the table was filled with a handsome assembly of poussin hearts, spanakopita, venison, and a generous hare loin for two with side dishes of carrot salad, roast beetroot, asparagus and rosemary potato. Each dish was ridiculously good, and everyone smugly thought that theirs was the best (but mine clearly was).
For dessert, I ordered a beautifully dark chocolate mousse with orange confit and pistachio. Smooth, bitter and sweet with crunchy salty bits - yum!
Staff were consistently friendly and on hand with insight and recommendations throughout the evening, which was very helpful.
In short, the whole dinner experience was incredible. We found Cazador restaurant to be sincere, full of deliciousness, with a lot of charm, and we will return soonest!
Myself and a group of friends booked a table at Cazador at late notice recently and had an excellent experience. The wait staff took extra good care to make sure we were happy with starters and drinks in the bar while we waited for our table. The food was well cooked, well presented and delicious. The sides, unlike so often when they are bland additions to the main affair, were well thought out and super tasty also. Desserts are definitely worth saving room for, even if you share. All in all a lovely, relaxed but special evening. Thanks for squeezing us in last minute, we'll definitely be back again soon.
My husband and a group of friends dined here on one of Cazador's wine and food matching nights.
Such a great experience! The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, the food interesting, perfectly cooked and absolutely delicious, I would have licked my plate if there weren't so many people there! Will be returning in the nearest future
Myself and two friends popped in to Cazador on short notice. We were treated exceptionally well by the staff who obviously knew a lot about the wines and food they serve.
We started with a very nice boutique beer that they had in, then took their wine recommendation. A fantastic Pinot Noir.
My partner had a meal of Hare liver, kidney and hearts, was one of the nicest tasting meals i have tried in ages, and i was jealous that I hadn't ordered it myself.
I had braised hare legs, which were delicious and gamey tasting.
If you like more familiar meats like beef, pork and chicken then that is fine, you have those options at Cazador, but I can have those items at home, so i like to try something I can't experience elsewhere.
If you do go, and want to be adventurous and this is your first time with wild food, then ask for help from the staff.
This is it. If your a hunter gatherer this is world class. Unpretentious, casual and cozy, Its about game food that the owner has a passion to hunt. That's why the food here is so good. There is heart and soul behind this. Try it, worth every cent.
This is the kind of place one would go to if you are looking for a real change to the mundane atmosphere, choice of cuisine to spend a quite relaxed evening. Very nice and close to the place where I live and that's very comforting. Tad on the expensive side though but well worth it.
We had a lovely time here on Friday night. Took all our own game and a good bunch of friends. The food was beautiful and the Chef did it more justice than we could have hoped to do it at home - what a banquet!Some great wind choices too. The decor is that old Spanish style with Game mounted all over the walls. Warm and comfortable and casual which we enjoy. The staff include the owners and you really get that personal touch. The chef/owner came to the table to chat as we were about to leave.. This is our second visit and we will be back for more.
Very much enjoyed our meal at Cazador, the service was great, friendly staff and the food was excellent. A lovely wild game bird terrine and venison to follow for me. A cosy atmosphere, decor is dated but works with the theme, almost Spanish is style. Nice wines also. We will be back.
I enjoyed this place, Cazador, it was easy for me to get to. The decor is cool, for me, a little oldish, even a little Spanish.,The game mounted on the walls set the stage for what was to come. both of our meals where superb and for me plenty of food, good wine menu, and the service discrete.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
Four of us dined at Cazador on a Friday evening for a late setting. It is obviously a really well run and much loved restaurant but it wasn't our lucky night. Two of us ordered a special of rabbit confit for main. We imagined a flavoursome utterly tender dish. What we got was something quite different. The rabbit meat was quite dense and clumpy and much cooler than the surrounding sauces and vegetables. The waitress could see we were not enjoying our meal..and suggested we order something else from the menu..it was very gracious of them but that is always a difficult situation when dining with others as they finish their mains well before you get your second offering. We persevered with the dish but much of the meat was left uneaten. At the end of the evening the chef came out and apologized..a dish such as this is prepared well in advance and then reheated at the time of the order..unfortunately the order got pushed through too fast for the meat to come back to the right temperature and tenderness. I really appreciated the chef's honesty and the way that the staff handled the situation..we will be back but will book a little earlier in the evening.
We dined at Cazador for the first time this week. Food was fabulous. My pheasant was superb, as was my husbands veal necks & pig trottlers papanelle.
Service was exceptional, and nice touch on giving us complimentary glass of liquor at the end of the meal in celebration of my husbands birthday.
We'll be back, and I have already passed on our recommendations to our friends.
We had the BEST experience here, celebrating 4 friends birthdays so a group of 11 and everything was so smoothly run. The staff are exceptional and very lovely. The food was equally as good and enough to feel full but not sickly full. I would recommend this place - and would definitely recommend the set menu, so nice to try all the different types of meat on offer! The dessert is a must as well. I will definitely be back!
Went to Cazador for the first time tonight, and it was fantastic!
The pheasant was delicious and the dessert - genius! We ordered and shared between four the chocolate mousse, figs, ricotta, meringue w goat curd and baklava.. and each dessert was incredible! If I could give it more than five stars, I would. Fantastic service too.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
I have been a patron of Cazador for 10 years, after being away for a while came back with a friend for dinner recently. Going to Cazador is like being let in on a secret, a truly unique place unlike many of the new places in the Central City you tend to forget as soon as you finish your meal. This restaurant is not for vegetarians, children or people offended by taxidermy, which makes it an excellent venue to have a night away from the kids. The restaurant is changing hands to the owners’ son and his wife. The new blood has introduced changes which enhance the experience without compromising the food and service. Our waitress was attentive, very knowledgeable of the menu and answered all of our questions. New tables, a new look menu and glasses which complement the original quirky décor which makes the place unique. The presentation of the dishes has also changed to a more contemporary look. My old favourites are still on the menu (the flatbread, pork, venison and baklava) and my friend was suitably impressed with the food and fantastic service.
Very good dining experience. Good food and atmosphere. we will be back.
Very nice evening with great food.
Had a fabulous night. The service and food more than met our expectations. Knowledgeable and friendly waitstaff. A short but satisfying wine list. And food that is excellently prepared. Decor might not be to everyone's taste but it is a game restaurant!
I've eaten at Cazador a few time and the meals have been great every time. The flat bread wrap entre is amazing, so is the baklava. It's hard to chose between the mains, but the venison meatballs are also a favourite.
I loved this place - cool and weird decor, lovely atmosphere. We had them cook our game food and it came out beautifully tender and with a lovely smokey flavor. Dessert was the best I've had in auckland (I liked it better then the French Cafe). We will be back with our next catch.
Highly recommendable -excellent service and excellent friendly staff, excellent food.
Had entree: Kalamari, mains- braised duck and Stoneys venison, desserts: chocolate mousse and chocolate/mango sorbet- all perfect.
A great dining experience - thanks Cazador !
We have been going to this restaurant for 24 years and it is still as good as the first time we went.Went to Australia to live some time ago but every time we come home we go to the Cazadore the food is the very best 24 years proves that, there are some restaurants that don't survive 24 weeks we wish where we live on the Gold Coast that the restaurants were as good.all the very best to our friends at the Cazadore.
George & Sue
Have been here twice now (the first time on the recommendation of a friend). Great food and great service. The Venison Shanks are to die for! The waitress we had couldn't have been more helpful or looked after us more and I thought the food was reasonably priced. If your a person that's into trendy, snobby restaurants then this won't be your thing. It's good wholesome food without the pretentiousness.
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
We were lucky to get a reservation 10 days out from a birthday celebration, and I greatly appreciated the maitre d' checking with another larger group before confirming they could take my booking after all. The attentive and friendly service continued on the night too. We were running quite late but were assured it was no problem, and made to feel very welcome. It is easy to relax in the unpretentious and fun dining area (taxidermy and old photos dominate the decor). Without having to ask, champagne flutes appeared for the bottle we had with us, and whether she had remembered from my booking or was guessing from the bubbly, the waitress offered birthday wishes. Menu explainations, recommendations and even lessons in how to pronounce certain Farsi words were happily given, though it was still a difficult decision as everything sounded delicious! We eventually opted for a shared appetiser of Persian bread - tasty morsels of layered pastry, cheese and herbs - and mains of duck, pheasant and wild rabbit with vegetables for the table. Each dish was succulent, rich and flavoursome in its own distinct way. Unfortunately the ice cream based desserts were off the menu due to a freezer malfunction, and no one had room for the weightier selections, but we were happy to linger over coffee and a shared plate of Turkish figs, and even received complimentary limoncello to round off our meal. We enjoyed our memorable evening at this charming restaurant and all agreed it is excellent value for money (as mentioned, it is BYO). We will definitely be back!
Even though I'm a vegetarian (the person who invited us didn't realise that this was a game restaurant and the decor would include stuffed animals), we had a fantastic night.
The service was fantastic, we enjoyed the live entertainment, and the food was really good. The meat eaters in our dining party raved about the Pheasant and Wild Pork. My pasta was very tasty and the desserts were scrumptious.
I even blogged about this restaurant at http://celestereviews.wordpress.com/2011/03/07/whos-game/
We recently visited Cazador and had a great evening: the menu varied, the food great and the service attentive. So good was our experience we booked a table for the following week and returned with 12 of our friends. They all also raved about their particular dishes.
The meals we really good value too.
Strongly recommended.
Great place, great food, great atmosphere and great service. This place is a little gem.
I've been to Cazadors a number of times over the last decade and have always enjoyed both the food and the atmosphere.
Awesome.
If you want a good meal at reasonable price and excellent tasting then you must visit this place. We will definitely be going back. Service is very good as well and the staff are very helpful with what there specials are and say instead of have Pita Bread try something else.
Amy @ My Dining Journey
+4.5
Slightly ashamed to admit that I had no idea that Cazador existed since a few days ago, when I was invited to a birthday dinner during the weekend. Located on a quiet section of Dominion Road, there isn’t many other restaurants nearby, which could explain why I never noticed Cazador existed in the first place. With an emphasis on game meat, Cazador has been part of Auckland’s dining scene for over 25 years and is currently on Metro’s Top 50 Restaurants in Auckland.
There were several different options for entrees including a couple of specials for the night. I opted for a light meatless start and ordered the courgette flower stuffed with a ricotta and anchovy filling. I seldom see courgette flowers on the menu, which is a shame because it is such a delicious vegetable which can be stuffed with so many different types of fillings. The ricotta mixture in this dish was rich and cheesy which worked well with the flower but I could not taste the anchovy. The crispy coating kept everything intact and I enjoyed the light airy crunch.
For my choice of main, I went with a conservative choice of venison and I was not disappointed. Char grilled venison loin, cooked to slightly over medium rare, served with roasted carrots, beetroot and radish. This is some of the best venison I have eaten in Auckland. This lean cut of meat was tender, juicy and seasoned to perfection. The finishing touch of freshly cracked pepper sealed the deal.
Being the only specialised game restaurant in Auckland, be expected to see meat like guinea fowl, rabbit and pheasant on the menu, most of them hunted and prepared by the staff who run Cazador. They do have a fish special, but it’s not an ideal place to bring a dining companion who doesn’t eat meat. You will see things on the menu that you have never seen before and can be quite a surprise for the faint hearted. Poussin hearts, calf tongue and rabbit lungs, this is the perfect place for one to open their culinary mind.
Like this review? Please check out my blog http://mydiningjourney.wordpress.com
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
Cazador is a favourite of my partner's and I went there with apprehension some years ago as I'm not really a fan of game - this places specialty. However if there's a non game lover among your dining group , don't worry , they also do dishes like calamari,chicken and always vegetarian options and we have visited many times now with friends and family. Though the menu changes every couple of weeks there will always be duck, venison, and wild pork and usually rabbit hare or pheasant. Different cooking methods and sauces keep the menu interesting as chef Dariush( son of original owner Tony, the hunter) likes to be innovative and there's a middle eastern twist on many of the dishes On our last visit with family our mains ranged from duck with cherries, through pork scotch, venison casserole, to chicken with walnuts. All were pronounced delicious and a couple even managed dessert of berry cheesecake and baklava. The restaurant is quite small and had a revamp a couple of years ago Cosy and suburban so easy parking
The prices aren't outrageous for good quality authentic game fare and the service is great, with more family being on the restaurant floor you know they'll be doing their very best for their customers
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
Cazador is not for the faint-hearted. It's Auckland's only game restaurant, and if you don't like meat, its probably not the destination for you. The night we visited, head chef Dariush has some delicacies such as lamb sweetbreads, smoked duck and venison starring in the menu. Don't be surprised to see various incarnations of offal appear.
The menu changes every couple of weeks, to accommodate the seasonal produce and the fresh game, which is often supplied by Dariush's father, and previous chef, Tony. If you're a hunter yourself, you can bring your catch along & the chef will prepare it for you with a bit of advance warning. However there are some dishes that MUST stay on the menu to please the loyal regulars to this place. There are almost always dishes of wild boar, duck and hare to choose from.
The wild boar on the night we visited was absolutely delicious and cooked beautifully. My entree of smoked duck fettucine was also sublime, and one of the members of our party was convinced to try the lamb sweetbreads, served as a ravioli. He found his first venture into the world of offal very pleasing, and really enjoyed the dish.
You couldn't review Cazador & not mention the decor. Plastered walls adorned with all manner of animal head trophies will watch over you as you eat. This 70's kitsch is not for everyone, but it fits the vibe of this restaurant.
Cazador was recently welcomed into Metro's Top 50 Auckland Restaurants, and I totally applaud this decision. Well deserved.
If you liked this review, check out more like it at: http://kiwifoodwonders.com
Had the ‘feast’ at Cazador which presented us with a lovely variety of different game meats to try. Quite the perfect blend of food with varying flavours and textures. My favourite dish of the night would’ve definitely been the quail hearts which was rich in spice and smoke and the perfect texture.
The decor of the interior is perfectly fitting and really makes you feel like you are dining in a lil gamers hut in the woods.
Dinner here last night was delicious.
Great service and lovely convivial atmosphere.
We ate from the alacarte menu and enjoyed all our selections including our drinks.
Started with charcuterie plus the endive with roast nectarine entree.
The pork main with cabbage and venison main were both excellent.
Sherry and rhubarb trifle very good but I love their chocolate mousse!
It was an amazing experience. The best service and food out there. There is a wide selection of sherry as well as still wines. I would definitely like to revisit.
Wonderful unique dining experience. Lovely and passionate staff. Not to miss !
Called on a rainy Saturday to see if they had a table, however they were fully booked. Then they had a cancellation and called me 15 minutes later for a table at the time we needed. The service as always was exceptional. The food was amazing. That octopus with bone marrow yumm!! And if the venison is on the menu get it!! Everything was perfection. Can’t wait to go back
My husband and I ate at Cazador for the first time last week. We did 'the feast' which is the chef's menu essentially, and we were blown away. Super glad we went with the feast option, I wouldn't have thought to order those things otherwise but we loved everything. Really great value for $90. The service was excellent, and the decor is wonderful, too! Highly recommend
First time visit. Dinner was wonderful, we love all the food introductions on the night. Every dished is pleasant to taste. It was quite busy when we left on Thursday night. It was raining today.
A new favourite of mine, even though this restaurant has now been around for over 30 years. Truly an institution of Auckland dining. I assume that they have an environmentally sustainable business model with game meat being the key component of the menu. We went for the feast option which was 5 courses and excellent value both in terms of quality and volume.
Service was good and though we did not sample any beverages I have heard from friends that the wine list is good.
Best meat pie 🥧 I have ever. We tried the venison and also the wagyu beef mince pie which put a smile on both our faces. Really good service as well.
A must visit in Auckland.
We went in for my birthday. Ordered “The Feast” with wine pairing. The passion, talent, knowledge, and attention to detail were equally balanced. Not only was everything exceptionally delicious, but we learned a lot with each dish that was delivered. Cazador is a pinnacle of Auckland’s food scene.
An error has occurred! Please try again in a few minutes