Wellington restaurant with one of the largest overwater dining areas
Amazing food! 7 course degustation was great, each course prepared and present well. Our favourites were the snapper raviolo w/paua sauce, slow cooked lamb & pea risotto and the beef bresaola. Cool spot to eat beside the sea although with lots of people in there it can be a little overwhelming with so much noise and the tables were a tiny bit awkward to sit at with the legs. Good first time experience:)
I’m 40 years old and this is the first restaurant review I’ve ever written. I normally don’t leave reviews because I don’t like complaining. I even waited 3 days before writing this because I wanted to calm down and make sure I was being fair. My wife booked a table for 5pm and we arrived about 10 minutes late while our friends were already waiting. From the moment we sat down, we felt rushed. The first waitress came over immediately to take our order. We politely explained that we had just arrived and needed a few minutes to look at the menu but she continued asking what we wanted and suggesting dishes while standing beside our table. Later another waitress was much friendlier. She smiled and was polite and professional but she also kept trying to clear our plates while we were still eating, drinking and talking. She even took away my unfinished steak before I had finished it. Although her attitude was much warmer, we still felt like we were being hurried through our meal. The oysters were outstanding and easily the highlight of the evening. Unfortunately both Dry Aged Ribeyes ordered medium rare arrived slightly overcooked. The kids’ fish & chips and the Bang Bang Chicken were also overcooked and dry. I also want to recognise one bartender because he truly deserves it. He was a middle-aged gentleman with shoulder-length hair. When I ordered an Ardbeg Corryvreckan, he came over holding two bottles, explained that the Corryvreckan wasn’t available, and warmly recommended the Ardbeg Uigeadail instead. It was a small gesture, but it reflected genuine professionalism and excellent hospitality. That’s exactly what great hospitality looks like. The biggest disappointment came later. My buddy had been drinking Highland 12 all evening. When he ordered another, another staff member brought over a Highland 18, simply saying, “This is Highland 18.” We later discovered on the bill that we had been charged for Highland 18. To be clear, we had no issue paying for it. What disappointed us was that nobody explained the substitution or asked whether we were happy to change our order. A simple question would have avoided the confusion completely. What disappointed me even more was that same staff member’s attitude. His manner towards our table felt cold and distant, while I noticed him smiling and chatting warmly with several other tables. My family and I are still relatively new to NZ after living in Singapore for years. We’re still learning the local customs. We’re Asian and I’m not saying we were treated differently because of our race. I don’t wanna make that accusation. But the difference in how he interacted with us compared with other tables genuinely left us feeling uncomfortable and wondering why. We came to Dockside for a memorable evening with our families, not just for the food but for the whole dining experience. I understand everyone has difficult days but that’s when professionalism matters most. Hospitality isn’t only about serving food and drinks. It’s about making people feel welcome. A warm smile, a little patience, and a friendly conversation can make all the difference. Waiters, waitresses and bartenders are the face of a restaurant. Before we taste the food, we experience their service. Good food is important, but good hospitality is just as important. Guests remember how they were treated long after they forget what they ate. Looking back, the slightly overcooked steaks, along with the dry fish&chips and Bang Bang Chicken weren’t the biggest disappointment. The biggest disappointment wasn’t the food. It was that we never had the chance to enjoy the evening. We stayed for almost two hours because evenings like this are about spending time with the people we love, not simply finishing a meal. Sadly we left feeling rushed instead of creating the happy memories we had hoped for. I didn’t write this review to ask for a refund or an apology. I genuinely hope Dockside takes this as honest feedback and improves so every customer can leave with happy memories after sharing a meal with the people they love.
i came here with my parents after my graduation ceremony last month, and it did not disappoint! i got the medium rare angus fillet, my dad got the akaroa salmon, and my mum got the braised lamb shoulder - all which were super delish! they accommodate for many, if not all, dietary requirements (and the meat is all halal). really great atmosphere and our waitress was lovely and attentive. this is the perfect restaurant to have a celebratory meal, or to treat yourself to something nice :)
Another visit to Dockside for lunch today. The setting remains as pleasant as ever, with beautiful waterfront views that are undoubtedly one of the restaurant's greatest assets. Unfortunately, this latest experience left us feeling more mixed than our previous visits. Service was noticeably slower than on our earlier occasions. We were also served by two very different waitresses: the first was efficient, professional, and attentive, while the second seemed far less comfortable when dealing with customers. The most frustrating part of the meal came at dessert time. One person at our table simply asked for a plain yogurt. What should have been a very straightforward request turned into a lengthy discussion, during which several desserts from the menu were suggested, along with explanations as to why providing a yogurt would be complicated for the kitchen. After several exchanges, the yogurt was eventually served, but it was charged at the same price as a main course, which only added to our surprise. More concerning was the response when we expressed our confusion. The manager appeared not to understand the issue being raised. The problem was never the cost of the yogurt itself, but rather the principle and the way such a simple request was handled. The food remains decent and the location is certainly attractive, but this visit gave us a sense of a lack of professionalism that we had not experienced before. Perhaps I have become too demanding after more than forty years working in the hospitality and restaurant industry, but I have always believed that simplicity, customer care, and a willingness to accommodate reasonable requests are among the fundamentals of our profession.
We had our wedding reception at Dockside Restaurant & Bar at the end of February, and it truly played a huge part in making it the best day we’ve ever had. The food was a standout, the service was seamless overall, and the location is hard to beat. We were lucky enough to get one of those “Wellington on a good day” days, and being right on the water made everything feel extra special. One of the biggest highlights was working with their Functions Manager, Chyanne. She was responsive, bubbly, and incredibly helpful throughout the whole process - always happy to answer our (many) questions whenever we popped in. There were a couple of small hiccups on the day like all of our cake being brought out at once instead of half. That said, this didn’t take away from the overall experience and everything else ran smoothly. The team took care of everything from set-up to pack-down, which meant we could just show up and fully enjoy the day. We’d highly recommend Dockside to anyone looking for a wedding reception venue in Wellington 🥂 Photos by Olivia Melhop Photography 📷
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