sails restaurant

amazing view. we had the 7 course degustation which hadmenuthat we really liked. the food was served in a prompt manner and the portions were just right. we left feeling satisfied, neither too full or still hungry.

enjoyed every minute of the 5 star dining experience despite covid level 2. sails staff was attentive. we tried out the signature 6 coursemenuand it was truly amazing. every dish was so yum. my favorite was the salmon dish. so good.

it’s called the hospitality industry for a reason. after interminable covid lockdowns, when a patron shows up, the least the maître d’ can do is to be polite. apparently, that’s too much to ask in ‘sails’, buoyed as they are by lots of customers and a reputation built over years. i asked after sitting at the table if the kitchen was closing at 2 pm (google listings show a 2-30 pm close). the front-of-house lady stared at me and said bluntly, “not sure where you got that from“, and after a pause, answered that they’re open for longer. that was a continuation of the check-in which did nothing to make the customer feel welcome. i was surprised at this frosty attitude, unwitnessed before in any of auckland’s best from french café, kazuya, grove, bracu et al. it’s a shame, as the waiters do their best to be polite and even charming, and the food is good.

the view, looking out over hundreds of sailboats in the auckland marina, with the auckland harbour bridge in the background, is superb. i counted at least 60 customers – the place was full to the gills, but high ceilings and an airy set-up accentuate the expansive feel of the sea-side place.

the six course signaturemenushowed an overall good standard of cooking, but revealed a paucity of creativity and shortcomings ranging from underwhelming ingredients to snafus in execution. the best savoury dish was the first one – an eminently moreish mix of golden beetroot, salted buffalo curd and candied walnuts on a pastry base. kingfish crudo was lacklustre. calamari was just about par for the course – what was this passable bistro dish doing in a signature tastingmenu? john dory fish was beautifully cooked, but a sweet corn sauce did nothing to complement the fish. duck, disappointingly, was overdone, veering on the chewy and drier side – a basic mistake in a fine-dining establishment. dessert saved some face, with an excellent crème brulee accessorized with a lovely apple sorbet.

i was glad the waiters were much more hospitable, one young man in particular entertaining me with his cheerful demeanour. as for the maître d’ wearing the black belt over her blue dress, i think she took the black belt too seriously. ‘some good eating there’, she said when i was signing out - the kind of inappropriate remark that sensible front-of-house learn to avoid early in their career. the views here are killer and the crayfish on offer sure tempts another visit but i have no intention of doing so – with a frosty captain, ‘sails’ needs no iceberg. - upnworld

i just rung wanting to find out if the restaurant accepts zomato gold on valentines day. the man that answered the phone rudely answered “absolutely not we are offering $130ppmenuon valentine’s day and there is no way it’ll be accepted. it’s stated in the rules so don’t bother ringing other restaurants”

there’s no need to talk to me rudely when all i did was ask a question. it doesn’t say on the website you are only offering setmenuon v day and there’s no need for you to tell me to not bother ringing other restaurants

there’s no need to be rude to customers who have zomato gold when you guys have opted to be in the program. i will definitely not visit this restaurant.

haven’t been to this restaurant for a few years. the quality of food remains a very high standard. the ceviche was delightful. cured venison was rich but not too much. beef tenderloin was cooked just right. lovely mix of flavors and the meat were very tender.

excellent service and friendly staff. i am very impressed with the restaurant’s agility, i initially booked the signaturemenuwithout any special requests, but the chef was able to make a last minute change to the entree courses as my friend cannot eat raw meat.

sophisticated dining environment. resided by the harbour with a view of the north shore bridge.

highly recommended.

food: 8/10
food presentation: 8/10
service: 10/10
location: 8/10
ambience: 10/10
price $100 per person

i've been eyeing out their summer special lunchmenufor a very long time and finally had the chance to go with some friends!

the very fitting name "sails" delivers just that - a magnificent horizon of windows that directly looks out onto the harbour and the harbour bridge! we were seated by an open window that let in a gentle breeze in a very hot 27c degree weather.

between the 3 of us, we tried each of their options from the entree, mains and dessert (3 courses for $45!). food arrived very quickly and were all beautifully presented, generously portioned and deliciously executed!

- ceviche (10/10). amongst one of the best ceviches i have had in auckland! subtle yet creamy coconut dressing, fresh fish and amazing flavours! this was the highlight of the 3 dishes for me! i wish i can write more about it but i was so indulged in each mouthful and my taste buds and stomach were so happy that i forgot to let my brain think.

- liver partait (9/10). beautifully presented, smooth and rocking the earthy flavours. the crisps that came with it were so appealing too; golden, chunky and looks full of crunch!

- steak fillet (8/10). they didn't ask for how i liked it cooked, i'm guessing they cook it rare by default? it was a bit too chewy for my personal preference, so the seasoning got a bit lost amongst it. the potato mash and mushroom sauce was well done though, i just wished there was more because i am a fan of sauce!

- prawn with spinach risotto (9/10). i had a taste of my friends' and wow! kind of wish i got this instead. it was creamy, flavoursome and hearty! prawns were cooked perfectly and the risotto melts in the mouth. i would highly recommend this!

- creme brulee (9/10). delicate and summery, this creme brulee blossomed with pretty pinks and purples. the creme brulee was thick without being overly rich; it doesn't come inside a cup, yet they managed to perfect the sugar coating smoothly on the edges. the berry sorbet was refreshing and complimented the creaminess of the brulee perfectly! the other condiments such as yoghurt further enhanced the tartness and textures. 

- passionfruit pavlova (10/10). my friend had this and what a stunner. it's by far a usual 'pavlova' - as your spoon slices through, a golden passionfruit custard oozes out, only to reveal a fluffy marshmallow core! the meringue parts itself was not too sweet and the subtle acidity of the custard balanced it out. it has honestly changed the way i perceive pavlovas but i'm still only counting on the one at sail's to be this different. 

service was excellent all-round, our water was filled frequently and everything was done sharply. beautiful location and beautiful decor with beautiful food! i would highly recommend this place for any occassion! 

food: 10/10
price: 10/10
service: 10/10
ambience: 10/10

free car-parking very close to the front door. you need to climb one flight of stairs to reach the restaurant. the first thing you notice is the auckland harbour bridge in the distance. so if you have a window seat which we were lucky enough to have you can get a beautiful view of the harbour and boats. its important not to arrive early as they are busy in the morning setting everything up. they open at 12:00 sharp. there is a fully stocked bar so if you are keen to have a few drinks before starting your meal you might like to do so there. we received and appreciated the fine service our waiter delivered. we had ordered a lunch special that we had seen advertised for $35 pp. the quality of the food was good. however for me personally i felt the portion size was quite small. i will be back to try other items from theirmenuin the future.

good afternoon
bart (and team)

 

on behalf of
my work colleagues and friends, a huge thank you for a wonderful evening.
the food was absolutely amazing, the atmosphere was fantastic and the service
was second to none. all the comments from my colleagues and their partners have
been very positive, they all enjoyed the evening very much, and our host looked
after us with extra special attention.  the setmenuworked really well for the group of 18, and we all thought it was good value for money too. we would all be happy to recommend sails for any function and look forward to our next visit. thank you again jjj

i went here for my birthday dinner as this place is so fancy i needed a special occasion excuse to come. i'm a big seafood lover too, so it was hard for me to choose from themenubut i choose king salmon, yellow fin tuna and beef carpaccio and for dessert the warn chocolate fondant. due to this place being right on the waterfront the view is amazing. service was fine, nothing that special. would definitely go back for another special occasion in the future.

dining at its finest. freshest produce treated with respect. an amalgamation of flavours that keep the taste buds entertained, and renders you perfectly speechless. the tastingmenuhas left me coming back for more, yet fully satisfied.

sails is a beautiful restaurant with a fantastic menu. we were treated to canapes from their kitchen and drinks as we overlooked the marina. it's the perfect place for a fancy evening out next to the water. 
the staff were so friendly with a great sense of humour and they have some amazing decor to make you feel comfortable. the cocktails were fantastic! the bar staff asked me a few questions about what i like in a drink and then produced exactly what i wanted without ever knowing it! the ginger joe cocktail was incredible!
while sails obviously has a seafood theme, there are other options on themenuto delight everyone and offer a bit of variety. themenuis a bit pricey but it's definitely worth the extra pennies for the atmosphere and incredible cuisine.

celebrated my brother n laws 50th birthday there. his birthday wish was oysters and crayfish. well we came to the right place!
it was sail's opening night from just going thru renos and the ambiance was first class. friendly staff, breathtaking views and beautiful food. they don't have a children'smenubut they did organize a special 'fish and chips' dish for them which was sorted when booking. crayfish orders where also sorted prior (one thing i'd recommend) as this is a $110 dish! overall great experience. would have been even better if our two tables where somehow joined. go with a full wallet:)

went there with the family for the degustationmenua few weeks back and they were outstanding. all the courses were great but the desserts blew our minds! the view, amazing food and excellent staff made for one truly memorable experience for us all. thank you sails!

very nice meal, sashimi, john dory & crayfish accompanied by cloudy bay chardonnay. service was impeccable as usual. what a way to finish a long hard week.menuhas a lot to choose from. finished with a beautiful chocolate fondant with pistachio ice cream & an amazing liquorice ice cream and tropical fruits. nice to have a open fire with a lovely view of the city & harbour bridge.

sails is an amazing choice for fine dining, i tried the 7 course tastingmenuhere and was not disappointed!

every dish was presented stunningly and with a great eye for detail. the flavours were delicious and well thought out, i particularly enjoyed the tuna and scallops!

it was a busy friday night, but the service was excellent and timing was perfect between dishes. the views of the harbour are beautiful too.

overall, i was very impressed and would recommend for a special night out.