Squid Row

Turned up dead on 12pm on a Sunday for a lunch with extended family. Staff were very friendly and welcoming. The first gripe of the day is every jug of beer we wanted was met with «we are out» followed by a suggestion of another beer, then came back they were out of that as well. However. We were pleasantly surprised when the guy came back & said he would take $ 10 off the bill for the inconvenience.
I have been here previously & you had to order your food at the bar, this time we were provided with table service. A nice touch.
I’ve just learned that a change of ownership has happened 18 months ago. This could explain the new table service offering.
One thing that was very weird. A group who arrived 15 mins after us, ordered after us, got their food before us.
35 mins we were given our food. I ordered the mushrooms with grilled halloumi cheese. Which I suspect wasn’t grilled, but just placed on it. It was still nice tho.
The two for one muscles were very disappointing. Tough and rubbery. Clearly over cooked.
The seafood platter for two was better. In fact probably the best of the day.
I wouldn’t mind coming here again. It’s pretty casual so not somewhere you go for a romantic dinner.

We turned up here on the hunt for a steak and spuds type dinner and we found it. My steak was cooked perfectly and covered in a peppercorn gravy and my other halves came out with a huge knob of garlic butter melting over the top of it. So first things first — steak = good. Obviously both delicious.
The mashed potato was homely and nice but my ‘veges’ were basically frozen peas/​corn/​carrot mix. I was not impressed by that at all.
But the food was nice in general for what we were after
We both agreed that the place just lacked in general? There were huge big screens that were not on (could easily have had a old movie or something kitschy playing just for the mood) as we felt like it was a big space that was empty and somewhat awkward?
It was a summery night but still slightly cold so we thought it might be nice to sit outside with the heaters on and this was brushed off with a ‘nah no heaters.’ We ended the meal by finishing our drinks outside anyway where there was no music playing, no heaters, no nothing. It felt like they preferred that to be ‘no mans land’ when we could see so much potential in what it could have been
The experience was slightly odd. Although I have to admit our waiter was very friendly and polite. It was just an experience that was lacking that sumin sumin’

Salmon was great and the family loved the calamari. Cool gastropub vibe with decent service.
Sit outside in the half patio on a summer eve and you’ll get just enough breeze without getting cold.
Quiet early in the week and mostly seafood based.

First time I have visited Squid Row even though I have been meaning to try it for years. Their was a big All Blacks game at Eden Park and it was quite busy at 530pm, but we were able to get a seat for two at the large shared tables. The staff was quick to take our drink and food orders. By the time the rugby was starting the crowd had thinned out and it was actually quite pleasant to stay and watch the whole game as it wasn’t crowded and easy to order more drinks without a wait. Certainly would consider it again for watching the rugby.
We had the seafood platter which was ok, but not great. I would probably not recommend the platter. I think in general the food menu could be improved in the area of small plates /​tapas /​entrée /​appetizers. I think sticking with the mains is probably the best bet for food.
The atmosphere is clean, tidy and modern. High ceilings but the sound was not cavernous. I think the space is probably its best attribute.

We went there many times. The food was vary. It was amazing for a few times, but not all the times. They have a very big meal. But I think the quality is more important. Many smokers are in the outdoor area, you will not able to sit outside if you don’t like smoke.

Squid Row is a regular spot amongst our mates. Great for Sunday hungover lunches, the outdoor provides a great, sheltered spot in the sun to enjoy a bucket of mussels and some squid.
The squid is delicious, but the sauces that complement them are just as good. As with most establishments of this kind around town, daily specials are a hit, with cocktail specials later in the week, cheap lunch specials during the week, and double your mussels on Sunday.
Squid Row is a particuarly good for big groups, with large tables in the middle of the bar available. The State of Origin league series is a favourite of the bar, annually televising the matches on the large projector screen and ridiculous drink specials (usually until the first try is scored). This night is renowned for having a great, sociable atmosphere.
The bar downstairs provides a great after dessert option in the evenings, and has had award-​winning cocktail bartenders I am led to believe.

Squid Row is set out like this big dining hall. It’s kind of a gastropub type deal, with a specialty in seafood. The seafood chowder is really good. The squid is as well. I’ve had fish on risotto before and it has been much better than I expected. The fries are worth ordering. Dessert is worth giving a miss.
In terms of drinks, there’s a full bar with cocktails and everything. They play sport on the big tv’s so I feel like this is a real ‘Sunday afternoon’ kind of place to go with your friends and have some beers.
The prices are a little steep for the atmosphere and type of place it is, but I ain’t mad. I’ll go back.

I kind of feel like Squid Row is really awful. I went there for my friend’s 21^st and pretty much feel like every night at Squid Row is going to feel like a 21^st. It’s all about seafood and very over priced bar food. Maybe I’m old fashioned, but I don’t think a bread platter should cost $ 16. That’s a damn rip off. I dunno, places like this are a downer to me because they seem to have no character. I’m all about character. I’m not all about Squid Row. Squid Row seems like the kind of place that thinks it’s fancy, but really isn’t fancy at all. I’m no restauranteur, but the first step to creating a good restaurant is to not call it Squid Row.

Went to Squid Row with the little lady and some of her mates as they had Grabone vouchers for platters and a drink, and was pleasantly surprised by the place. I’d seen it heaps but only ever got as far as the door to Cartel downstairs.
The Chinese style squid was amazing, so full of flavour, and I don’t even EAT squid normally!
I also ordered the whole baby snapper, as I was starving and wanted more. This was the best part of the meal, the fish was moist and fresh, without the bitter taste old fish can get, and the Thai sauce that went with it hit it off perfectly.
the décor is awesome too, with pictures of old school surfers and longboards everywhere, that really gave it a seaside feel even when we were nowhere near it.
The atmosphere, service and food made for a definitely repeatable experience!

Squid Row excels at making seafood dishes available in a nice bar environment and I would like to see more places like this in New Zealand. As a small island nation it’s great to have a menu full of prawns and fish and calamari and scallops.
But Squid Row is first and foremost a bar and I wont pay $ 16 for bread and dips or $ 21 for a Caesar Salad (without bacon) in the midst of rowdy after-​work antics. On offer are all the usual beers (plus Hoegaarden) and cocktail happy hours Wednesday through Friday, turning business women into squawking dolphins.
Even though the staff are disinterested and perfunctory, Squid Row itself is an tidy looking bar. Plus cephalopods are cool.

The first time I visited this restaurant, I only went because I had a voucher, and it wasn’t far from where I live. Now its a regular favourite of mine whether it’s for a romantic dinner, a drink with a friend or a birthday celebration. The food is really incredible, really upmarket tasting, but without the shocking price-​tag. I often get their fish risotto, but their surf and turf is definitely something to try. Their décor is hard to describe but totally awesome at the same time, they have a huge bar to look at with lots of exotic alcohols, there are old pictures on the walls of people at the beach as well as old surf competitions. I always have an enjoyable time at Squid Row and know that it will be one of my regular favourites for a long, long time.

We came here because a voucher was made available to have two house drinks, a bowl of fries and a plate of calamari for the cool price of 30 $. We found the quantity of calamari and fries to be most sastifactory and in fact we web struggled to finish it all. So value for money was fantastic as was the service. Our food arrived within minutes of ordering and it was all delicious, best spot for squid that I have been. The staff are friendly and casual, and the décor is fun with a surf and sea theme. The toilets were clean and odour free. Overall a great spot for a meal and drink with a group or just a date.