If you wanna go somewhere where you don’t have to wait for food, the staff treat you like old mates, the drinks are delicious and the food is so mouth watering and amazing then this is the place aye. Love it cannot recommend this place and the staff enough. Seriously order the brownie for dessert and the alcoholic slushies you won’t regret it ���
This is our new fav place. The staff are super friendly and you are always greeted at the door. The food comes out fast and is always delish. If you're looking for japanese with a twist then this is the place for you.
Super cool place and highly recommend !!
We went last night and after ordering our food we waited a while, when a waitress came over and asked if we wanted anything else to eat, we told her we hadn’t had our mains yet and she could not have been more apologetic! The food came about 10 mins later and was delicious! Again, the waitress apologised and another one came over and explained that we could either have our drinks on the house or a free dessert if we wanted one.
Really great customer service, and we were only waiting about 20-30 mins anyway and came away very happy and very full! Would 100% recommend.
Chicken burger is delicious �
First thing I noticed when walking into this place was how clean it was. Not a mark on tables and chairs. Burgers had an asian twist by having steamed rice buns instead of bread. Kids loved their slushies esp the grape one �
Our waitress was lovely to deal with. We gladly recommend and would come back �
Super cool place, great food and really friendly staff. We ordered a bit too much but it was REALLY good. Loved the branding and Asian-fusion-diner-warehouse feel. Can't wait to go back.
First off- amazing food and customer service � They forgot a burger in our order, called and apologised, and when we came to get it, they threw in brownie as an apology! 10/10 would recommend to everyone
We walked in 7pm greeted, seated and served promptly! We ordered two chicken bun, sober noodle salad and fries. The food was fast and super tasty! Love this place �
Food is amazing. The staff and customer service is one of the best. Always enjoy returning. �
Awesome food and atmosphere like no other. Not your average diner experience! You got to experience it because no words can describe how unique it is!
Smells fantastic. Tastes awesome. Little pricey. But all good!
My coach recommended me to try their tofu burger. It’s nice, my wife said isn’t this chicken? Dense and tasty. But the sesames are a bit too high in calorie for me.
Flavour and texture is awesome. Just a little pricey for what it is. Otherwise I would be coming more often.
Service: 5/5
Presentation: 4/5
Food Quality: 4/5
Food Quantity: 4/5
Price per person: $30-$35
Will be back when they have specials or deals :D
Ordered the chicken Siracha baoburger along with the chicken nibbles fries and a caramel and walnut brownie. That baoburger was freaking divine such a great idea instead of the normal burger bun. It said spicy but it could have done with more the chicken was super crispy which was great. The nibbles wasn’t anything to call home about but the brownie was delicious!
Absolutely loved the fried chicken with maple waffles for the two-for-one Sunday deal! Also enjoyed the pork belly bao bun and the Asian inspired greens used with that. Wasn’t a fan of the beef bao. Just wish the portion for the bao was bigger considering it is about $14 each! Long tables with benches for the seating arrangements, hipster decor and colors.
I had pork belly bao burger and it was good. Also, i had kimchi fries added bacon. Was better than i expected. Friendly staff.
Yum, the vegan bao bun is so delicious and so filling. Happy Boy is my go-to restaurant when I'm craving a burger and fires. The staff are all really nice too.
It is the first time I have eaten here, even though I am a local, and I think this is the best burger I have ever eaten, Just had the std beef burger with egg. Probably on a par with the fergburger in Queenstown. I will definitely be going back.
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Awesome layout and cute ambience, was quickly seated and served and the food was bought out so quickly-I was very impressed! Ordered the pork baoger with brioche bun, ribs (ofc), and kimchi fries.
The baoger was absolutely delightful, although I was expecting a pork belly strip instead of a fried pork patty, the patty did not disappoint. The texture was reminiscent of pulled pork, it wasn’t dry at all and the edges had a delectable crisp crunch that added a little extra touch. The dressing it was paired with was super tasty and creamy, slightly sweet which meshed so well with the savoury patty, veg and sweet bun-oh my the brioche bun was an absolute delight!! So soft and slightly sweet, fresh and delish!! 4.5/5 would definitely be willing to come back for another burger 😍
Ribs were pretty tasty, parts were slightly dry but the meat was relatively soft. The marinade was very good though and made up for the texture of the meat as each bite was always flavored just enough. Not something that I’d get again but was worth the try if you’re a ribs fan! 3.5/5
Kimchi fries were decent! Fries are just your run of the mill shoestring, but we’re not soggy despite being drenched in sauce and kimchi which surprised me! The kimchi and sauce combination was sweet which I liked to combat the slight tang of the spice and it was a relatively decent portion. Not bad but I’m not a super fries/poutine person anyway. 3/5
Overall, a very cute place with amazing burgers!! Definitely has got me in the spirit to try more asian fusion burger joints in the future!! Happy boy made me a very happy girl 😋
This place has such a fun aesthetic! Would recommend dining in, but maybe not on a weekend as I presume it can get quite busy. The tofu bao is delicious and can be made vegan! Very friendly staff.
Not as great as a takeaway option as the fries were cold and the bao burger soggy.
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Happy boy is a super fun place with good food and a point of difference that makes this place a must visit.
The aesthetic of the place is very cool and unique. It has a very retro but almost futuristic vibe (confusing I know, but the best was to describe it I feel). There are plenty of neons and bright colors that make this place pop. Although it is extremely trendy it doesn't have the most pleasant lighting for a relaxing dining experience. In this case I think it is more suited to go to with friends, as it doesn't quite offer the romantic setting of most restaurants. But overall it is an amazing space.
The staff are friendly and the service is good. Nothing to complain about but nothing to rave about.
The food is good. I had the pork belly burger with a normal brioche bun and it was delicious! However, they do offer a bao burger bun option which is what they are really known for and I would also definitely recommend going ahead with it. The fries weren't the greatest but nothing really to complain about. Another winner here was the awesome beer tower! Which basically provides the dining experience with your own personal beer on tap, which is a cool thing to do with some friends.
Overall this is a fantastic place with a real point of difference that makes it worth going for alone. The vibe is unique and retro with great food and a good place to hang out with friends. I would definitely recommend this place and the bao burger bun with a beer tower!
Super novel spot, but the food stands on its own two feet. Loveable gimmicks - the clicker to see the menu, the ‘shots’ in the slushies etc. Can highly recommend the pork belly bao, and loved the yum yum sauce - p much sweet and sour sauce on crack. Very friendly, quick service but we did feel a bit rushed (it was a Saturday night tho). Will definitely be back!
Got the tofu burger and the chicken burger with fries via ubereats, and I must say... couldn't fault it! Massive bao and one of the best tofu burgers I've had. Highly recommend even if it's via ubereats.
I have been making it our mission of late find the best vegetarian baos in Auckland and so far Happy Boy is leading the charge for me. Here, they don’t do normal-sized baos, but super-sized baogers- meaning one is more than enough to fill you right up!
Tofu Baoger- I ordered the vegetarian Bao which came with a seasame crusted tofu patty and I was in heaven from the very first bite. Tofu can be so dull and flavourless, but this tofu was anything but those things. It was super crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, and the seasame crust elevated it to a whole new level. The Bao literally bursted with flavour, thanks to the immense amount of five spice sauce, aioli and fresh coriander packed inside the doughy buns. The slaw and crushed peanuts added a perfect level of texture and crunch. Would highly recommend! 9.5/10
The baoburgers are bomb! Especially the chicken one. 10/10 recommend! We ordered the shoe string fries separately - it needed a bit more salt, but salt is provided on the tables. Great and really friendly service as well.
Got happy boy via ubereats last Friday night as my friend said it’s really good. I got the sriracha mayo fried chicken baoger, and after happy boy I am obsessed with anything to do with baos. The ‘bun’ is so soft & slightly warm, and the sriracha mayo sauce is so good!! (I’m normally not a big fan of mayo but this was so good - quite spicy though). Also, got the fries, they were good but not amazing (might be because they were like-warm from the ubereats taking a while).
Since last Friday I’ve been craving Happy Boy Baogers everyday 😂 - wish Happy Boy was also on the shore!!
Amazing place to dine. Awesome decor great music even better food. Quick and easy serivce straight forward no muck around! Had the kiss kiss pork ribs = was gangs!
Def coming back here to try the burgers
I have ordered their siracha chicken baoger and crispy tofu burger. They both were really good. Good on them to have nice vegetarian option. One star down just because I found price little high. I mean it would have been great if they serve with fries as sides.
First time here, amazing food. I love my Chinese buns, tofu and salad and this is the perfect marriage. The sesame crusted tofu patty bao (10/10, $13.90) is the star of the night. Normal burger buns are too dense and dry while the bao is fluffy, moist and light. It's slightly sweet which is so delightful with the juicy slaw, crushed peanuts, five spice sauce and aioli. The vege patty bao (7.5/10, $13.90) was nice too but a bit dry. The kimchi and cheese loaded fries (10/10, $12) was amazing, they were really generous with loading it all up with kimchi and cheese. It was not too spicy and balanced well with the cheedar cheese. The peach ice tea (6/10, $6) had very strong tea flavours with little peach taste. Would definitely come back for the tofu bao whenever I'm craving for a burger.
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O Happy Boy indeed :D
First time visiting and we definitely weren't disappointed! The staff were friendly and genuine which helped to create a 'cool' experience right from the start. We kept it simple and ordered the beef bao, chicken bao and loaded fries.
The Kimchi Loaded fries were amazing! Drenched in a sweet, sticky sauce and LOADED with cheese and kimchi. I've never been a fan of kimchi but I might have changed my mind after today. 8/10
The chicken bao was juicy, crunchy and sweet and just exploded with flavors and sauce after every bite! 9/10
The beef bao was INSANE! The patty was soooo juicy and was everything a good beef burger should be. The melted cheese on the patty companied with the red onion and sauce simply topped it all off. The perfect hangover cure!! Almost reminded me of something youd expect to get from burgerfuel but with a unique asian twist! 8.5/10
Overall experience was amazing and definitely won't take me long to go back! Especially being a Zomato Gold member since we only had to pay for the beef bao and loaded fries, what an investment!! 9.5/10
Great place good food slightly pricey for glorified fast food but definitely worth the trip to see the bright fun restaurant complete with a retro arcade machine.
Always love their baogers and each time I’ve been there they have remained consistent. Great fitout, friendly staff and some lovely cocktails.
Very tasty burgers and very friendly staff. We’re big fans of Kiss Kiss in Mt Eden and Happy Boy has the same vibe and flavours. We’ll definitely be back
Awesome place in Royal Oak. We went for dinner on a Saturday night. We had the beef burger and the pork katsu. Both very well served. We ordered the kimchi loaded chips, also very good.
As expected from the same owners of our favourite place in Auckland: Kiss Kiss. Definitely coming back!
I only go out of my way to write a review for a place if I think it's worth 5 stars and Happy Boy Eatery definitely deserves it. I've been here on a few occasions now and mainly find myself getting the popcorn chicken, it tastes amazing and is always paired with just as tasty sauces. My partner loves the bao burgers and always seems to gravitate towards the peach iced tea slushies which are a refreshing change to the slushie market. Service is prompt and we are always greeted by happy staff. Highly reccomend :)
Had a wonderful experience at happy boy :) Great food, awesome atmosphere and super friendly and fast service 👍🏻 Highlight was definitely the bao burger! Yum!
Much like the Bao at Kiss Kiss ... delicious
The beef one tasted a lot like better burger and the chicken one was packed with flavour.
Service and ambiance were fantastic
The only meh item was the popcorn chicken.. may still need to go to kfc for this one
Another awesome eatery by the same people who own kiss kiss and love exposure. Had the tofu baoger which was tasty with the tofu having a really crispy sesame seed crumb which really added to the texture and flavour. The baoger bun was soft and fluffy and the other filings made it just the right amount of "sloppy". Also got the kimchi cheese fries, which if you've never tried....you're seriously missing out. The place has a really cool neon theme (similar to it's sister restaurants) and the service was super friendly. As a side note I'd definitely recommend this place....And if you like the burger Asian fusion theme, then you need to try tiger burger, which in my opinion is slightly better (but it's a close toss up).
Absolutely amazed by the decore pretty lively and great ambience...
Our staff was super friendly and provided great service.
For entres we ordered the popcorn chicken and fries.
For mains we ordered chicken baoguer,chicken burger & beef baoger all were equally yummy..
The food arrived in timely manner and overall had a really good experience.
Will be back to try the other burgers as well😊.
Loved the vibe & music they were playing. Super friendly waitress. Loved the chicken steam bun burger 🤤 can’t wait to go back and try some other dishes.
Sarena & Eashvar Chhotu
+5
First time @ Happy Boy and was not disappointed. Went in on a Friday evening with the kids and got a table instantly.
Really love the atmosphere and decor, the kids were amazed by the lighting and when you look up there is a Chinese dragon floating in the ceiling.
Kids had the “happy happy meal” consisting of the chicken steamed bun with yum yum sauce. They enjoyed it.
Hubby & I ordered the following:
- Beef patty with cheese baoger - 5/5
- Korean fried chicken baoger - 5/5
(I added cheese & kimchi)
So fresh & tasty !!!!
- Popcorn chicken with yum yum sauce
(Steaming hot chicken & really juicy - the dipping sauce was so good)
- shoe string fries with spicy sriracha mayo
(Really loved this sauce combination)
We ordered both desserts on the menu
- Brownie & Chinese doughnut we really enjoyed both of these too.
We will definitely be coming back to try some more of these amazing dishes.
The staff were wonderful. You aren’t left waiting they are always roaming around waiting to cater to your order.
*if you ever go in and it doesn’t seem busy we counted at least 15 Uber eats drivers walk in and retrieve orders while we were eating. This is def a popular place.
Thanks happy boy !!!
So so so good!
Your mood just immediately gets lifted as soon as you step through the door, being bombarded with bright neon lights and a chill tropical-esque environment.
We had a Groupon voucher where we paid $20 for two Baogers, but Groupon had a 10% off sale that day which meant each burger only cost us $9.
The Peach Ice Tea Slushie was super refreshing for this warm spring weather and the Shoestring Fries w/ Spicy Sriracha Mayo were really light as well as being fried and seasoned to perfection.
The Korean Fried Chicken and Katsu Pork Schnitzel Baogers were an absolute treat. With very generous portions, the two meats were crispy on the outside but succulent on the inside. The kimchi was a particularly great addition to the chicken bao and just made everything a whole lot better.
Quick and really friendly service. Definitely no complaints to be made here.
Happy Boy is a must if you live or visiting Auckland! Burgers were perfect! Workers were welcoming & nice! Been here 5 times & it never disappoints! Will be back again!
Came here for the third time tonight and it really doesn’t disappoint! edamame is always my fave! However I didn’t particularly looove the tofu burger - I think the fact it’s a little squishy (in a good way!) with the delicious squishy buns makes it overall a little strange in my mouth? That being said it tasted super yum!
Wow what a experience, went here for dinner the other night , place was super busy we walked in and was greeted straight away, we ordered a few things to try , didn’t have wait to long food came out super fast nice and hot!!! Everything was delicious 10/10!!! , place was super clean and the staff was all happy with smiles, we will definitely be back here!!!!.......
The free range popcorn chicken is delicious and a big serving. I’m not a fan of Bao burgers but love their ribs, hero chicken nibbles - they do good food. Shame they got rid of the pulled lamb burger, my husband loved it!!
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Such a big fan of this place! Kind of in the middle of nowhere really, not often I come to royal oak but definitely worth the trip!
It’s a kind of computer game vibe, with bright neon colours and block letters and tables and everything. It’s pretty cool. Even has an old school arcade game on the side of the restaurant.
The food is kind of just bao burgers, not buns, in various flavours, vegetarian tofu included, the best. And then sides which consist of fries, loaded fries, chicken popcorn, edamame beans, couple salads etc. there is enough to choose from but the main event really is the bao burgers. It’s what you come for. The tofu one is unbelievable, so much flavour it makes me drool thinking about it, it’s got the Asian flavours and is just to die for. The other meat baos I have also tried but have come to the conclusion aren’t as good, the flavour is just not the same and they are more just like yummy burgers, but with a sticky bun instead of a toasted burger bun and a slight Asian twist.
Happy boy has quite the aesthetic. They have limited menu to start of but they're pretty interesting. I was curious about the white buns that's why I was determined to check this place out. I order the katsu pork, peach ice tea smoothie and fries. I had a hard time eating the burger and I ended up having to constantly lick the sauce off my fingers. It was an adventure alright. Lol. The staff are really friendly. The tables are to share. I recommend going here around 5-6pm because that's their happy hour and you get $3 off! It's a place where you want to bring your squad or your partner to experience some new that gives you a chill vibes. Perfect for your instagram feed too! Will come back here.
The atomosphere of happy boy is so much fun, the neon is playful and lighthearted making it a cool experience to come here! I had the chicken baoger and it was so juicy! The spicy aioli was rich and creamy, and the soft sweetness of the bao with the tang of the kimchi was GREAT!! Would come again
It’s stands out like a ‘widow in white’ as you approach the Royal Oak Roundabout. I drove past so many times, naively thinking it was a ‘gamers’ Internet cafe, before i realised people were eating and drinking in there.
The conceptual theme is cool, vibrant and unique. Neon lights and ‘80’s arcade video games are such a cool idea for an Asian fusion eatery.
The burgers are a mash up of Asian ingredients, sweet steamed buns with typical Western extras. They’re bloody good burgers, particularly if you’re fond of a BBQ bun from your favourite Yum Char.
The staff seem a little preoccupied socialising and are probably what I liked least about the place.
You know that service you get when the person makes you feel like everything is a chore. Like, “yeah sure, I’ll get you another coke, but you did just interrupt my conversation about tattoos...”
Bench seats aren’t cool, but overall Happy Boy is a cool experience with the added bonus of being licensed and having lager on tap.
Having been disappointed with eating out in NZ after returning from a long stint overseas, Happy Boy has restored my faith with veggie/vegan food with punch. The burger, chips with vegan aioli and donut to finish were tasty and filling, finally satisfying my cravings for full tum of yum.
Awesome food and great service - this restaurant is so fun to visit. I tried the bourbon and coke slushie - loved it! Also the popcorn chicken is so moreish. We’ve ordered a lot from here and everything has been delicious.
I love happy boys wings not for the faint of heart as it is a wee spicy for anyone sensitive to heat 🌶 and definitely not a first date type of meal as things can get a little messy ! ! ! Do try them
Me and my partner enjoy traveling all the way from West Auckland to this place. We love the food so much! The burgers and the wings are so good especially the fries with the spicy mayo dip 👌🏽. The ambience is beautiful dim neon lighting, gives a very unique atmosphere and dining experience. The customer service is amazing, lovely friendly staff, I would recommend this place to all 🤗
We ordered two fried chicken kimchi Bao burgers, fries and fries. I also got the peach ice tea slushy.
The chicken Bao burger definitely exceeded my expectations. The fried chicken was crispy and juicy. The Bao was well sauced but not oversauced so it wasn’t soggy.
The fries were crispy and a generous portion. The spicy mayo was not too spicy but had a kick.
The decor here is funky and the tables are shared too.
Service was prompt and everything came out fast.
The chicken wings were absolutely delicious.
The burger - well it’s okay. Bao is such a fad.
Service 5/5 the servers always came to check on us
Setting 5/5 retro fit out and very different. Loved it.
Food 3/5
Would come back again to try other things on the menu.
Came here for dinner on an Tuesday night and it was quite busy but there was lots of seating available so that was no issue. I ordered a #2 beef baoger with a peach ice tea slushy. The slushy reminded me of a homemade peach Lipton ice tea but the baoger was great. The buns which was a steamed bun cut in half was so soft and sweet and just tasted amazing with the beef and kimchi.
Would highly recommend going here. A very unique cool atmosphere where the service is impeccable. The food is very yum and reasonably priced (could be little cheaper).
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Came here during exam study leave to fuel up and finally having the chance to try the hype! It was pretty busy when we came on a Saturday night and there aren’t many tables because they’re all shared, so making reservations if you’re a large group really helps.
We got the chicken burger, pork burger, popcorn chicken, and Korean styled fries. The food came pretty quick as well.
Chicken burger - the Korean style chicken burger didn’t taste as expected as the chicken was quite bland and didn’t have enough flavor. The burger was hard to eat because it was so tall due to the 2 large chicken pieces. However other than the chicken, the other things such as pickles and kimchi in the burger was tasty.
Pork burger - according to my friend, it was delicious and he ate it very easily.
Popcorn chicken - freshly fried chicken with their ketchup-like sauce but not as strong was delicious.
Korean style fries - this has an American twist to it, like a chilly mince dog without the bread and chilly. The fries mixed with the mince was very delicious. The light drizzle of mayo on top adds a nice creamy flavor on top.
The price came to around $45 which is okay but I wish my chicken burger had more flavor. The service was outgoing and casual, fitting nicely to the mood the restaurant wanted to set.
Taste - 7/10
Size - 8/10
Price - 7/10
Service - 8/10
It’s a busy and noisy place, but we never have to wait too long to get a table and food is always tasty. There is a kids menu, which is great for my kids. Their steam bun is delicious, light and fluffy. It’s definitely the place to go if you are after a quick and tasty meal.
Came in earlier in the week, really nice for out, burgers were so tasty and fresh. Staff were friendly, lots of them on so always someone to help
Neon lights, communal long bench tables & chairs and friendly staff taking trays of FLUFFY white baos filled with a mouth-watering range of fillings including the likes of katsu pork, fried chicken, kiwi beef….what’s not to LOVE about Happy Boy?!. This cult eatery has been on my list for a long time, but unfortunately I haven’t had the chance to visit Royal Oak and pay it a visit! I was finally able to tick it off my list (with a happy belly) on Saturday night.
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Turned up 45 minutes before closing, were welcomed in by friendly staff and attended to quickly with offerings of water and menus. Staff were polite, friendly, and approachable. Attentive without being overbearing.
Food came out staggered within 10 minutes of ordering (my partner and I got the hoisin nibbles, beef badger, shoestring fries and a take-away brownie that was prepped within minutes). Fries were crispy and well-drained with a very generous portion of sauce as well as other standard sauces (ketchup, mustard) and seasonings at the table, badger was good (tasted similar to a high-end wendy's burger with a soft and uber-cute steamed bun), and nibbles were lovely and no spice so edible for little kids too! Brownie was average on its own but combined with crunchy peanuts, creamy ice cream and salty miso butterscotch sauce it was absolutely stellar!
Atmosphere was groovy, awesome neon lights, bright bathrooms ft. street art style tagging. Place was very clean and well-maintained by staff. Takeaway boxes and marketing were uber cute and exciting. Will definitely return for another date night away from bubba. :)
Loved the setting and ambience of this place! Cool lighting and very friendly atmosphere.
I got the chicken bao and it was my favourite, super crunchy and a nice comfort food. Cannot get enough of the fries and the siracha mayo, was very generous size to share with everyone too! However sadly the salad was quite average, would not recommend if :/
But I would come back here again!
Had heard mixed reviews about this place but was pleasantly surprised. I had the chicken baoger which was super yummy and I love the bao bun! The fries were okay too but keen to try the loaded fries next time! Will def be back!
very friendly staffs. food was decent. loved the spicy chicken and the toffu burger. wish could hv more sauce inside the bugger.
food: 3.5/5
service: 4/5
environment:3.5/5
$$$: 3.5/4
Selina EverHungry Nihalani
+4
Brightly coloured everything made the ambience great. It does feel like you are in a video game, especially little details like the font and the “Happy Boy” illustration. The brand design sure carries through consistently.
Staff are friendly and knowledgeable about the Bao-gers and other menu items. We had the popcorn chicken, pork and lamb bao-gers. The bulldog sauce in the pork bao-ger didn’t really come through in taste. Could have had more of a sweet element (bbq sauce, hoisin sauce...)
Great concept and good food that does not break the bank.
Finally got to try this place! First off, love the layout and decor! The bright lighting inside (and outside) was very inviting and so cool!
For dinner , I had the chicken baoger while my partner had the beef. We also ordered a side of Korean style loaded fries to share. The flavours are so good, every component meshed so well and complimented each other. We went on a Sunday evening, so it wasnt too busy . There were heaps of people taking away though . Food also came our relatively timely. Only downside was that the buns are quick to get soggy , especially with the amount of sauces they put inside . Not a big deal though, there's cutlery on the table for that . Can't wait to go back anything and try the chicken nibbles !
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I've been wanting to go here for awhile and finally got the chance lastnight with my cousin visiting from California.
The neon lights and tables are too cute. I am obsessing over the tables....I want one. The wait staff are friendly and we were asked if we were dining in or takeway and shown to a table and given a menu.
The menu is nice and simple with a few baoger options and sides as well as desserts and drinks on the flip side. I was a little disappointed though as they had run out of slushies only chocolate and alcoholic were left.
I ordered the crushed apple juice, chicken baoger, my cousin had the pork baoger and we shared thr shostring fries and feee range chicken popcorn. The order was brought out really quickly with sides first and baogers following after a few minutes.
My baoger was so delicous. I had read a few reviews with people complaining about the pickled ginger and mustard etc but I loved all the flavours together with that soft pillowy bao bun it was so so good. A little messy to eat because the karage chicken pieces were huge, but hey thats why they paper napkins. My cousin who is a well travelled foodie loved her baoger. We demolished the popcorn chicken and that yumyum sauce was nice and tangy to compliment the bite the popcorn chicken had. Shostring fries of course were perfect and that mayo was 🔥. All in all it was a tasty meal and a nice chilled vibe. Definitely recommend.
Had a really nice dinner here with a friend. We both went for the chicken bao and a peach iced tea slushie. While there were many yummy looking sides we opted for their shoestring fries. We then shared the brownie (warm) for dessert. Everything was fantastic. The bao were soft with great flavour and the fries were addictive. The miso butterscotch on the brownie was also a great riff on salted caramel. The peach iced tea slushie was very refreshing. All these positives without even mentioning the funkie fit out and the fact we were welcome in our workout gear. Would definitely go again :)
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The atmosphere is so refreshing. Loved the tables and the takeaway boxes were the best I've ever come across.
The first thing that arrived to our table was the loaded fries with other ingredients in it like the mince, cheese, parsley etc. Unfortunately I didn't quite enjoy the flavored sauce that was marinated through the mince. It was too rich and overwhelming. I loved the look of it and how they added other ingredients but it was just the sauce that I felt, was a little over powering.
I then had the pork bun which was really nice. Nice change from the normal pork bun I'm used to. This one was crisp and crunchy from the batter. The sauce in it was tasty and simple. Loved it.
The other Bao burger I had, was the lamb. And unfortunately, the sauce in it didn't marry together so well. It was indeed overwhelming and too many flavors to hold it all down.
The buffalo wings were awesome! HOT!! But yummy as. Great simple sauce on that. Would definitely buy those again.
Above all, the staff are lovely, the service was prompt and it definitely has alot of potential to grow and get better and better each day. Keep it up guys! 👌👍
Love the decor of this place. So fun and original. The service is good and the food comes quick on top of it being fresh.
We had the beef and kimchi burger, the tofu burger, and the Soba noodles. Everything was so fresh and full of flavour. The tofu burger was amazing, I would recommend it to people who aren’t vegetarian.
I have been here multiple times, I froth over the katsu chicken burger 🤤 the white steamed buns make it they're are SO good. Only thing average is their sauces, eg. The dipping sauce with the fries and the chicken bits don't really tie well personally. Other than that would defs recommend!!!!!
Came in last night for a family meal & left very satisfied :)We were greeted as soon as we entered and given a seat. It felt like not even 5 min after we had ordered, our appetisers were ready, another 5 min and we had our burgers. Super fast service & attentive wait staff. Loved the decor, was a cool vibe with the neon. Graff bombings in the back are dope!Chicken popcorn was delish & the loaded fried were BOMB AS! Could eat them every single day.Sadly I wasn't as impressed with the burgers. Love a good bao, but I felt like the fillings lacked a little flavour. My partners beef burger was quite gristly too. This wouldn't stop me going back though, I'd like to try the other burgers on offer. My picky eating 6y/o left full and happy & excited to come back again, not an easy feat :)
Sarina Tuihalangingie
+4.5
Loved it came here to check what all the rave is about, walked out a happy customer. The wings were definitely my fave and I was craving it days after it. Would definitely come back.
Loved the bao burgers! had beef and tofu and both delicious! very messy though. Complaints were that the alcohol seems very over priced and the lighting isn't great. hurts your eyes and hard to adjust too. Will be coming back for the food 👍🏻
I got the tofu burger which was tasty but alongside the steamed bun was overall a very soft burger. The sesame on the outside of the tofu wasn't very crunchy as the burger may have needed. The chips were nice, the sriracha mayo was nice. The "popcorn chicken" was really nice! Very crispy and the dipping sauce alongside it was really tasty. Just probably not enough in the portion for the price of it.
Service was good. The restaurant is interesting and different on the inside which I liked, but it was just a bit too loud to hear the people I was with. I would probably come back and try the chicken burger to see if it's a little more crunchy than the tofu.
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I've been wanting to try Happy Boy for a while but was waiting for the hype to die down a bit. Being a big fan of Chinoserie and Kiss Kiss, I had pretty high expectations for this place.
My friend and I went on a Thursday evening just after 6pm. It wasn't packed so getting seating was easy. We were served immediately and attended to frequently by friendly and efficient staff. I can't fault service here at all.
I love the decor of the place. Although bright colours are used, the lighting is quite dim. It has a neon feel to it and gives off the theme of a classic arcade game.
I ordered the fish bao and the popcorn chicken. My friend ordered the beef bao and added kimchi to it. She was a big fan of her bao, saying the beef was cooked to perfection and the portion was generous.
I too was happy with my fish bao. It came with a delicious slaw and the bun was soft, fluffy yet dense. I was impressed with that because I have often found bao-burger size buns to be quite dry (Tucks and Bao for example). So this a relief.
The winner had to be the popcorn chicken though. I would go back and just order that with a side of fries. The chicken was juicy and within a crunchy texture that didn't leave any taste of oil in your mouth as some fried chicken does. I only wish I savoured it a bit more! The portions are very generous so we ended up taking the rest of the popcorn chicken away.
All in all, I was happy with this place and can see myself going back there again (especially to try their dessert!). I'm curious to see how their other baos compare but I think the popcorn chicken will always come out on top.
Went here one evening after seeing photos on social media, the staff were really sweet, the food was good too, I would say it’s a cute place to maybe have casual dinner with friends. It looks small from the front of the restaurant but there’s a back area which is more of a outdoor area but not really as it is covered. The lighting & deco is very hip
I didnt like the burger buns or the ginger in it but I loved the wings.
Definitely check it out
I've been to Happy Boy a couple of times and the one thing I've loved is their fries with chipotle mayo! I've tried a few of the burgers (chicken/ crab/ pork/ beef) and I would say that I've had better gua baos before (happy boy serve the burger version of gua baos). The popcorn chicken and nibbles were good though! It's a very eccentric restaurant and I love the art side of it. The burgers are a tad pricy (around $15 average for one burger) so I wouldn't eat there every week. Staff were friendly apart from the one time my cousin mentioned that the waiter didn't look very nice when we asked for the wifi (which didn't work anyway).
I love when new places open near me so was excited to try Happy Boy. The restaurant is korean fusion burgers. With the burger buns as steamed buns. I had the beef burger with fries, yummy and a bit different!
Have come here a couple times, and food was good, and service is fast and staff are pretty attentive. Not somewhere I’d go often, but a good experience.
Happy Boy is your modern take of a classic burger joint if that Burger Joint was an anime cartoon and 20 years in the future.
Their burgers are great. By replacing the standard bread bun with a steamed bun, the texture is no what you would expect from a classic burger bun but better. And oh so tasty.
They don’t just do burgers. Their chicken wings are 🔥🔥🔥
Don’t be surprised if the Eatery is full, you may have to wait for a table. Also, make sure to check out the courtyard out the back.
The best tofu burger I have ever had! Packed with flavour and the chips are delicious as well! The burgers are very generous portions as well.
Awesome fusion of Asian food and American foods. Friendly staff and nice and clean. Prices could be a bit cheaper. The lighting makes a cool effect but not practical
Pork burger is a must try ! The pork chop so good !! So flavourful . Chicken popcorn was average . Service is 5/5 !
I would give 5/5 . But giving 4.5 only coz I think it’s a bit overpriced .
Prepare your tastebuds for a taste sensation. Just been here with a couple of colleagues after work and god was it amazing.
The chicken burger! God is it good, two chicken thigh fillets, and a beautiful soft pillowy steamed bao bun. Mmm mmm mmmmmmm! My mate got the fish burger and he said it was amazing. I tried a corner of the fish and agree it was tasty.
We got the chicken nibbles (spicy one) and they were flipping amazing. The pop corn chicken with that mulan sauce was a taste explosion. The fries were decent and they hat sriracha mayo.... I want to bathe in it!
All up $25.40 each for a burger and side (shared) each. Will definitely be back again... soon, like maybe tomorrow. Walked away so full and satisfied I’m a very happy boy 😀😀😀😀😀
Nothing to fault! The steamed buns were delicious and so fresh. I ordered the fish one which had 3 fillets! The Siracha mayo was just the right amount of spice and the bun was so filling. I had seen the brownie dessert go out which looked delicious as well but sadly I was too full this time for dessert. We had been meaning to try this place out for a while but every time I go by it's always packed, and I can see why! I'm sure this will definitely become a regular dinner spot for me.
Great ambience, food and service. This was a great find and absolutely loved the flavours and concept. We had the lamb and pork burgers which were excellent with the right level of heat! Looking forward to trying the rest of their menu! Highly recommend!
Was really excited to try this place after being a fan of chinoserie, and was not let down! Delicious food, great service, cool setting and good price, cannot fault it
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Happy boy is the new kid on the block of Asian Fusion eateries. This one is different from Kiss Kiss and Chinoiserie in both decor and cuisine type - did someone say neon futuristic Tokyo meets burger bar? The menu is quite short, with a range of burgers on ‘bao’ (Chinese style steamed milk buns) and the sides you’ve come to expect from this type of restaurant - think shoestring fries, edamame and chicken wings.
We ordered the Xinjiang lamb style burger with extra cheese (spicier than expected), the beef burger with extra jalapeños (like a classic cheeseburger but spicier), shoestring fries with sriracha aioli and edamame with smoked salt. The bao were burger-sized and delicious. They also had a range of alcoholic and non-alc slushies - we got the watermelon vodka and the apple sour whiskey - both of which were very sour, the apple sour bordering on too sour for me.
Overall, was a casual, stylish and hipster place with proudly-NZ & organic food. It has brought some much-needed coolness to Royal Oak, especially since Nanam moved out :(
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There has been so much hype about Happy Boy and their game changing burger. Instead of the traditional burger buns, they serve their burgers in the Chinese-inspired steamed buns. Of course the Taiwanese blood in me who grew up eating them had to give them a go.
To be honest I was a little sceptical. Having eaten these buns my entire life, in all different shapes, sizes and flavours, I have very high expectations. I ordered the chicken burger and my partner ordered the fish. We also ordered the chicken nibbles with buffalo siracha sauce.
The chicken nibbles were absolutely declicious. The spices were very moreish, kept us going back for more, and little do we know the heat sneaks up on us. Yet we can’t stop eating them.
Then there is the burgers. They were ah-mazing. The chicken katsu were tender and juicy, and comes in a very generous 2-piece portion. They paired incredibly well with the pickled ginger and katsu sauce. The fisher burger was also delicious, with fish fingers literally bursting out from the buns.
Now. What’s more important is the buns they came with. They were light and fluffy like pillows, yet robust enough for me to squash them a little to squeeze into my mouth (because I’m that greedy). These were legit, traditional Chinese steamed buns. I was happy.
The service was fast and efficient, and the staff seemed genuinely friendly and helpful. The place was impeccably clean. Although $13-14 for a burger is not cheap at all, however gourmet they make it to be, the portions are generous, and we came away full and satisfied. Overall I’m thoroughly impressed with Happy Boy’s burger, and would definitely come back again.
Happy Boy Eatery occupies what used to be a pharmacy. They have made good use of the space with 'picnic style' tables in the main area & out the back in a courtyard. The bar & kitchen are open & in the middle.
The decor is very bright/neon which has that Japanese feel to it. Kinda quirky & a nice change to the standard 'burger joint'
There burgers are the classic white steamed buns & offer all the usual choices - beef, chicken, pork, lamb. They also have a good range of sides & a couple of dessert options.
Good range of wine, cider & craft beer
Definitely worth a visit
Unusual place - a quirky destination cafe. Kiddie friendly and serves alcohol. Had the pork burger....very filling and tasty. Verging on being a little too rich in taste for my pallette. Definitely would go back. Staff seemed lovely, decor very 80s videogame spacey...lighting a little claustrophobic and weird...but a fun experience.....check it out for sure 😊
Since I live a convenient distance from Happy Boy, I have been eyeing the restaurant even before it opened. Only after dining here the first time did I find out the hype about it. It is always crowded during its dinner peak times of about 6-8pm so we decided to visit outside of these times to try it.
I highly recommend the chicken wings as I really liked how crispy and tasty it was. I came back a second time to show my sister how nice they were but it did not taste as good as it did the first time. I’m giving them the benefit of the doubt in thinking that this was just a fluke, that’s how much I liked the first serving!
The wait staff are very warm and helpful, even helping set up a high chair for my child, however the atmosphere is not too conducive for a 6 month old, which is totally not the restaurant’s fault.
Loved everything about Happy Boy! Got the tofu burger + fries, and chinese donuts for dessert. It defs lived up to the hype. Will be back for sure 😍
Stone throw away from the hustle and bustle of Royal Oak roundabout, you'll find one of the funkiest burger joints in this part of Auckland. It's Asian fusion. Mint green exterior paint and the bright neon lights further add to the intrigue. Inside has a late 80s arcade game feel to it.
It's usually quite busy, so to try out the food we decided to get take away. Menu is simple but ample choices to keep everyone happy, burgers and sides. Buns are steamed, so they taste different, good in fact compared to the usual. We tried the beef, fish and lamb burgers, all were delicious. Fries were crispy but soft in the center. Chicken nibbles were also a hit, bit on the spicy side. They were all packed in to cute individual boxes which had clearly been designed with much thought.
We will be popping in again for a sit down meal, even though we may be slightly older than their usual demographic, hoping the neon lighting will blend us in.
Had the buffalo siracha chicken wings and the shoestring fries with siracha mayo. Very very nice, wing flavour was strong unique but super tasty. Fries were cooked perfectly and siracha mayo was the perfect dipping sauce. Staff were a little awkward to deal with and seemed unsure.... maybe they were new. The restaurant it's self is awesome such a cool experience.
First time to Happy boy, in the weekend it was a wonderful warm an happy atmosphere.
Welcoming friendly staff...we had the crab an pork burger which was so amazing with a side of there fries 😀😀😀😀😀
Then too finish a lovely brownie so amazing...will not be the last time ill be heading there...
Went as a group and got a bao each + fries and chicken nibbles to share. Service was good. Atmosphere is pretty cool. Fries were great, chicken was great. Crab burger was very very fishy and definitely did not taste fresh. Overall burgers were a little salty. Personally really loved my pork burger 👍 sweet gochujang pulled pork vs sour kimchi was well balanced. Also lots of good comments about the chicken burger.
This place is sooo good, we had the fries, slaw and siracha chicken nibbles which are amazing if your a fan of spicy food. I had the beef burger which was great. The decor is really cool but tables are awkward as they're only big tables so if there's only a couple of you, you have to sit next to random groups which isn't the best lol. Takeaway is probably a better option unless your with a group. Will def be back to try all the different burgers soon :)
This is my second time here and I left with a better experience than the last time. I actually enjoyed my first experience. This time round I chose the lamb burger which was smothered in chillies. So if you're looking for a burger with a bit of a kick, then look no further. Can I just say though the chicken nibbles were absolutely finger licken good! Definitely recommend. Great service and vibe to the place. Will continually go here for catch ups.
Auckland has needed a fusion burger joint like this. Funky and cool, with quick service, that gives you that fast food feel. Had the chicken and lamb, definitely rate the chicken burger.
We had pork and Lamb burger and chicken nibbles. Unique and tasty! Just didn't like the environment was too noisy for us. Will take away next time.
First two times coming here we gave up as it was too packed so I came a lot earlier. Fast and impressive service as the waiter didn't even have a notepad he just remembered our order, really unique vibe, the pork burger was full of flavour and the chips were perfectly crispy. Definitely will be coming back.
Love this place! It's so quirky and fun and designed really well to make a boring room look interesting.
Food is really well made, packed with filling and most importantly, it's delicious! The pork burger was super juicy and the flavours worked well together. The chicken is most likely my favourite though.
I didn't rate this a 5 due to the fact that the menu is super similar to Chinoiserie. Basically all the sides and bun fillings are ones you can get from chinoiserie already. So although it tasted good, none of it was a surprise.
Recommended: Chicken Bun & Squid Rings
Not Recommended: Peach slushy, fries (weren't very crunchy)
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I was excited to hear about Happy Boy since I really like Chinoiserie and it's not too far from where I live. My friend and I got there at 6pm and were seated immediately, but there was quite a lot of other people waiting for tables during the night as they were bigger groups. We both had slushies and liked them. I had the chicken burger, she had the tofu, and we shared fries & slaw. The slaw portion was enormous, could easily have served 4 people. Felt bad wasting the rest of it - having different sizes might be good. The burgers were nice, and the sriracha aioli with the fries was something different. The dessert was great, we shared a chocolate brownie. I said "you can get brownies anywhere" but the waitress told us it was special. She was right - it was really something unique with the sauce it came with. Our total was about $90.
Overall I liked the food and the vibe. The music was borderline too loud given the tables are quite wide. We shared a table which was fine but having to pretty much reach over them to get cutlery was a bit awkward. Service was fine but not spectacular, aside from the brief conversation about the brownie it was very transactional. No suggestions of more drinks etc - maybe they wanted to turn over our table for all the people waiting? In short, I'll be back!
Had the pork burger and chicken nibbles. My partner absolutely loved the wings. The sauce was slightly salty but otherwise very enjoyable.
I have a love hate relationship with the burger. Its one of those burgers where your guaranteed to make a mess, which i feel like a good burger should, but can be very annoying. Fortunately they did provide a bowl of lemon water to wash our fingers with. Otherwise, i loved every bite of it. The pork was very tender, and juicy.
Definitely will come back.
Excellent food and fantastic service. A bit hard to see due to the lighting in the maid restaurant area, but who cares. Have had the pork and beef burgers in my 3 visits to Happy Boy. Their fries are typical shoestring type with a saracha mayo sauce.. Yum. The burgers are dripping with goodness and are just the right amount. The chicken wings are to die for! Had a cranberry slushi tonight and it was really good. And just found out tonight that they've started doing takeaways... Bonus. Bottom line, I haven't had one thing yet that's been average! Well worth a visit, but be prepared to wait for a table.
Finally went to the much talked about Happy Boy! The food was delicious, the service was great and the atmosphere was exciting!
We had the tofu and the chicken burgers with fries and we couldn't resist the 2 desserts on offer so we had those to take away! The burgers were a bit hard to eat due to the size but tasted great! I agree with previous comments about the tofu in the burger being a bit bland, but the sauces in the burger made up for it! I would highly recommend the desserts, especially the brownie! It was delish!
Overall, if you've been thinking of going to this place, I would say it's worth checking out. I like that they're doing things differently and going sustainable and free-range with the food and packaging so it's worth supporting that!
Went here for dinner tonight, the ambience is fabulous!! Love the lights and design of the restaurant, also the service was warm and friendly. I thought the food was exactly like the restaurant Kiss Kiss and very mediocre
Happy boy is a retro asian fusion resturant which serves burgers designed to encompass multiple different aspects of asian cuisine. Dined here with a few friends at 6pm and wasnt packed at the time. By 8pm it was fully packed with queues outside the door. Food was great. Atmosphere was on point. Would recommend trying if around Royal Oak. Who would say no to pina colada slushies
Absolutely mind blowingly yummo!!!! Sooooooooo good, quick service, great price, friendly staff, and did I mention absolutely delicious.... I will 110% be back!! Blown away 😊😊 chicken steam bun was fantastic, piña colada slushie yummy!! I am really impressed!!
Finally Royal Oak gets interesting! Happy Boy has such a great vibe and awesome food. Loved the burgers, my fave is the pork. Sides, I love the squid rings but could pretty much eat those fries all day. Dessert, brownie was amazing and so were the donuts. I just can't choose between them. Drinks, slushies. All of them. Lighting in the front area is pretty trippy and amazing and good for a big group, the back area is quieter and a little more laid back. Love the whole place and can't wait for my next visit.
From the moment you walk in, Happy Boy is a visual treat! Been here a few times, my favourite burger is the chicken though the pork is also top notch (with yum kimchi!). Sides-wise, you can't go wrong. The slaw adds a fresh hit and the fries are addictive. For dessert, that brownie with miso butterscotch is pretty much my soul mate and did I mention pina colada slushies?! Because that was insanely delicious. If you're not into the booze, the chocolate slushie caps off the meal real nice. My new favourite burger joint. Can't go wrong.
came in here with some mates the other night and feasted like a bunch of kings! aesthetic wise if the movies tron and wreck it ralph had a love child then this bad (happy?) boy would be it! as a vegetarian the obvious choice was the tofu burg and boyyy did it deliver🤘🏽not only did the flavors pack a decent punch but the portion size and price was bang on as well! let's jus say that if this place was closer, i would prolly end calling it my 2nd home!
Okay, so tried pretty much almost everything in their menu. Everyone loved the food. I don't know why some haters be hating on it. We had the beef and the chicken burgers. They were really good, fries with Siracha mayo and the chicken for sides. The siracha mayo maybe wasn't too hot for me, I'd like it to be more hot. The chicken was really good on the other hand. We ordered both desserts as well, best one was the Brownie with ice cream and salted caramel. Would come back again for that
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Came here twice already and it's such an amazing burger place, it definitely brings energy to Royal Oak. Food and drinks here is absolutly amazing! I have tried their Pork Belly Burger, Tofu Burger, Fries, Squid Ring, Vietnamese slaw (best slaw ever!) and their brownie and it was so flavourful. The place also has a nice, energetic vibe and reminds you of a nightclub. It gets so busy and people line up to get a table, and the neon lights just adds an interesting buzz to the place.
My only complaint was how fast they take away our dishes at the end of the meal and it created an unwelcoming vibe. This can't be helped with so many people waiting for a table but first time I went there I wasn't properly done with my meal and the waiter took my plate away without asking. Second time I went there, as soon as we were done with our meal, 10 seconds later about 3 people came to clear away our table so it just made us feel rushed.
But overall it's such an amazing eatery I would come back here again. It's so busy right now because it just opened so many when there is less people.
Best place in Royal oak by far.
Dynamic innovative dining.
Will definitely be a regular for me.
Not that many options in Onehunga so was happy to see this place open
Absolutely loved this place! Has a great vibe, simple retro decor, efficient & friendly staff & delicious grub. I ordered the chicken burger (they're Bao's really) & my friend ordered the beef. Both were 💯. The crispy chicken fillet had the perfect crunch & seasoning. We ordered fries with it which was satisfying, if you're not feeling too hungry just order the burger. The ginger gives it that extra kick. I love that it's local & unexpected. 🙌🏾💋
Went there last Sunday, we waited at the entrance to be seated. there were some empty seats which i thought we were very lucky. However, what happened next were a but disappointing. After waiting by the door for 2mins, no one came to serve us so we went to the counter and asked if we need to order there, the lady at the counter redirect us see another waitress, so we have to wait again for her to finish talking to her friends. This kinda ruined my excitement.
We ordered beef and chicken burger, chicken wings and chips. They tastes very good! and the restaurant was pretty full for a Sunday night. Few waitresses were just chatting behind the counter where there were only three people on the floor (who are really nice!)
This place definitely worth to check out, will i go back again? no, i prefer to go Kiss kiss where they have similar side dishes to HB and friendly staff 😊
ordered the chicken burger and a beef.chicken is the clear winner with that crunch!nice mayo to compliment the fries.wasnt feeling the coleslaw.Mint ratio needs a look at but might have just been the one off dish I ordered.feels like a brother to the chinoiserie in Mt Albert.
Went here tonight at around 5:45pmish and quite lucky to get some seats straightaway. But you will have to share a 6 seater table just like Kiss Kiss which is fine. The neon lights and the whole ambience is pretty chill. I reckon its a good place to hang with friends.
I ordered the chicken bao and some squid rings on the side. It was served really quick even though they are so busy. The karage chicken was so juicy and tender. Plus the soft bao and yummy yumyum sauce if i was correct. A bit messy to eat but you are in for a treat. Squid rings was average nothing to rant about.
Will I come back? Yeah but when the hype is a bit more down just because I feel awkward eating when there are heaps of people standing looking waiting for a seat. I felt like I had to rush my food.
But overall nice concept and yummy food!
Finally, A great restaurant in my suburb.
Hype Aside, this place is serving some of the best creations in town, It's a Tokyo inspired Burger Joint, and if you're expecting normal, you'll be disappointed.
For open minded foodies, this place is amazing!
An exciting opening for the Royal Oak area. As a big fan of Kiss Kiss I was ready for a new adventure.Popped in for a quick bite and was lucky to get a table out the back. Loved the 'Happy' set up but maybe we should have visited a little later (in the month)? Couldn't fault the service/staff but the food did leave me wanting....more flavour, more zing, less bao that's not a bao? Ordered the Beef & Chicken burgers, Chicken wings and Squid rings with Shoestring fries, so had a nice cross section of dishes. The Sriracha mayo was a high point and the comment was made that maybe that would have been great in the Karaage Chicken burger as well? Some flavours were really missing for me and as I seem to be asking a lot of questions here maybe I need to go back again one day and start again.Maybe one day there will be an Asian beer or two on the menu as well.
At the moment, Happy Boy is sitting at the top of Auckland's casual dining hype pyramid. The burgers are presented on soft bao buns which are reminiscent of sister restaurant, Chinoiserie. Well worth a visit for the thematic blue/pink futuristic decor alone.
You haven't lived until you're knuckles deep in their KFC wing sauce. Forget about your morals and your manners, you've come to the right place if you want to enjoy delicious food. If you couldn't tell from the outside Happy Boy encourages you to have a good time. If the neon lights weren't enough to make you let loose, I recommend the watermelon slushy, followed by the wings or the karaage chicken. Head down to Royal Oak to eat like a king and find out what makes you a happy boy!
Could not recommend more! I ordered the pork burger and it was so unlike anything Ive had before. Really enjoyed this take on a classic burger joint. The staff were very friendly and accomodating, the prices were reasonable and the decor was well thought out and interesting. I can also recommend the watermelon slushy, will definitely be coming back
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Happy boy has been all the hype online and across social media over the last few weeks. It was hard not to be curious and check this place out! Arriving just after 6pm on a Saturday night we were hoping to beat some of the rush... no luck there! A queue nearly as long as the room was already well formed. But that wasn't the first thing we noticed! Those colourful neon lights stood out a mile away and made the interior so much more interesting. Big ups to them for thinking outside of the box in all design aspects! Loved the colours, playfulness and vibe they have within the space.
Once inside, we approached a waitress and added our name to the list (be sure to do this first before joining the queue). We were advised 30minutes would be the wait time, and that's exactly how long it took. Like Kiss kiss they have large shared tables, which has its pros and cons but in this case worked well at rotating customers.
We ordered the cornflake karaage chicken burger, Tofu burger and fries with sriracha mayo. The buns were really fresh, soft and plump. They were well portioned, which we hoped at $14 a pop. The karaage chicken was well coated and really tender. I enjoyed the pickled ginger, yuzu mayo and white cabbage but I wasn't a fan of the nori! I could see what they were trying to do but it just didn't quiet work for me personally. Thankfully it was easy enough to remove but that seaweed taste still lingered on the chicken. The Tofu burger was the only real vegetarian 'main' on offer. The Tofu was nicely coated and a decent portion but as a whole missing a bit of flavour. The fries weren't anything special but we liked the sriracha mayo. Next time we'd give the @small plates a go - the ribs, squid and KFC all got good comments from our table neighbours.
There were plenty of staff on during our visit and wait times were minimal for the food which was good. Shout out to our waitress - Olive, the short haired blonde for taking care of us during such busy times.
Overall happy boy is still worth checking out just to see this wicked interior space and for some decent food. I would suggest letting the hype calm down a little first, whenever that will be...
Went on Friday night of the opening week at 6pm and already very busy. We were told it would be a 30 minute wait which was fine except the host who took our names wasn't very proactive at seating customers once tables became free. That was the only issue. The food came out super fast, portions were generous and the flavours were interesting and tasty. We ordered chicken burgers, fries and pork ribs. The ribs were outstanding, melt in your mouth and really tasty. We will definitely be back as we didn't have room left to try the yummy sounding desserts
Nomnom. Hopefully this is the beginning of great things in Royal Oak.
We had the ribs, delicious. Slaw, yumm. Tofu burger 😋😋, and chicken burger, pretty good. I would have loved the tofu burger to have a crunch element, otherwise was yummo. The ice tea slushee 👌🏼
June 2018: Brought our❤️ kids with us this time, happy boy meals great, but please please please change out some of the chips for a coleslaw salad.. And put some coleslaw in the bao, kids eat vegetables too 😊
Ribs yum, slaw yum, tofu yum, dumplings yum, cocktail slushie yum. All yum 😋
Place was really busy. Line of people but was seated quite fast. Smart to do shared tables. Pork ribs super yummy, fall off the bone. Ordered chicken burger and squid too. Enough for 2 people.
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