Clooney Restaurant Review

Last night I had the pleasure of dinning in at clooney's. All in all it lives up to being one of the best restaurants. The wait staff fit out and overall experience was exceptional. The complimentary starter had excellent taste, texture and presentation. The house made bread and butter was executed very well. The actual entree my wife ordered was chlorophyll risotto. While its presentation was great and I could understand what they were going for it s taste was just out of control, to be frank she couldn t eat it all. My duck starter was amazing. For our mains we both I had the wild pork which was cooked, taste, presentation and texture were spot on. It was faultless, dido with the lamb my wife got. Finally we both got the dark chocolate desert which was quite frankly the best desert I have ever eaten and I have eaten out allot.

So all in all amazing food baring the out of control chlorophyll risotto.

Faultless High end dining with such creative and well thought out dishes. Top marks on the food journey, excellent service, great ambience and lighting superb. Such a story behind each dish. For fussy sods like us it was polished and could not be faulted. Worth every penny, especially the wine matching. 5 Stars well deserved.

Has an exceptional dining experience here, very unique food and elegantly themed decor

Fabulous. Spectacular cuisine, superb staff. Stunning evening!

Great experience. Some dishes you may like, others may be a little too experimental, but the service is incredible and there's a lot of thought behind what you're eating and drinking. Recommend the wine pairing as well to top it all off.

Wow, wow and wow is my assessment of the canopies and Degustation menu

Dined at Clooney in October of 2016 and did the 10-course tasting menu w/ wine pairings. It was fantastic! What I loved most about Clooney was the vibe, service, and moving art. When you're in Auckland, it's a must! Definitely do the tasting menu w/ wine pairings for the optimal experience.

Clooney is just a fantastic journey through food and wine. Designated menu, so inquire about the price. Seven course meal with accompanying wines- just amazing!

If I could give this place 10 out of five I would. Best restaurant in NZ by a country mile!

Seriously good food and a very good wine list. Certainly one of Auckland's best resturants.

Meals were very nice with a strong accent made on presentation. Service was superb thanks to Hayley and other staff. The downside is the size of meals. We certainly I did not expect to be served with a chunk of beef, but what we had was not enough to not wish to have next course on the table asap. Also I think that the wine list by the glass could be expanded with sweet wines (not the desert part of it).

Unfortunately the food completely missed the mark. Only 1 of 4 canapes were good and 2 of 4 degustation dishes were acceptable but nothing special whatsoever. The rest was actually just absolutely awful. Either tasteless or oversalted. Textures were disgusting, especially 'lost to our past' and 'look to the future'. If you are going to serve dirt at least make it not taste like dirt. And if you are going to serve locust, that is fine but why make it literally taste like insect? Ingredients and flavour combinations did not match up in most of the dishes.

I've been to many fine dining restaurant in Auckland and have always left very happy. Unfortunately based on what we had (irrespective of price) this place is absolutely not in the same league as other fine dining restaurants. Very unfortunate because I am not even a fussy person and generally always give positive reviews. This menu is a joke, it's a gimmick. If you think you serve good food from the 256 degustation you have a serious mental issue and perception of what good food is.

Ambience, presentation of food and service were superb. 10/10 place to have a drink and not eat anything.

Fantastic food and wonderful staff. Try the 7 course degustation menu for the best experience

Just a delightful place with delicate and intricate prepared delicious food!

Outstanding, Delicious, mind blowing, fresh quality ingredients and amazing stories to create a lasting impression on all diners. Highly recommended.

Amazing culinary experience - sit back as you enjoy seven courses reflecting New Zealand's culture and historical backgrounds. The staff guide you with paired alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages - each complementing the dishes to the highest degree. While you can opt for the Ala carte menu - I'd highly recommend hitting up the degustation as you taken on journeyo discovery. From the ubiquitous "Fush & chups" to the most sumptuous and delightful lamb - you'll be salivating as the courses are brought out. There wine lists are extensive and cover the major vineyards from Italy, France and Australia - thus most people's palate can be sated here. The price for the degustation is reasonable, while high for restaurants, and for myself and my wife it was about understanding the back ground to New Zealand and its history as it has grown. Definitely recommend for those who wish to sample a wide variety of locally sourced and traditional bases dishes. The location, is a little harder to find, it's discreet and subtle shop front may need a quick Google Maps if you're traversing yourself - else your local Taxi or Uber will get you there.

One of the best restaurants I have been to in Auckland, very deserving of the three chefs hats accolade. Great service, fine decor, and impeccable food. Highly recommended.

Service was excellent, and of course I had tipped the waiters for what they deserve. However, there were flies and fruit bugs (or something else) flying around during our entire dinner which was very disgusting. A bit disappointed for a well-known restaurant with such a high rating. I didn t pay $450 to dine with insects.

excellent food, excellent service, with a big price tag

You won t find better in Auckland, the food and service is on point. An evening at Clooney s is an experience, not just a meal.

Really good food and wonderful service. If you order the 7 course, they will give you a house made muesli for breakfast the next day.

Amazing restaurant, great food and a genuinely intimate dining experience.

Great service great food. Very intimate and fantastic atmosphere. Highly recommended

WoW , we had a super diner and service !! This was the best diner we had in NZ. Michelin star level !!!!!!

Fantastic as usual, will be back again we had a big group of nine and I always love the service oh wait I am missing something the fantastic food.

Very fancy food, and the service was great from the staff. The food is another level and very beautiful, just wow, we all loved it, and would definitely come back for another dinner

Extremely average, over salted food. And really where was the food cost 2 100gm meat courses for a Whooping $850 tab...get real....French Cafe by far superior

Unbelievably good food and service. Definitely lives up to the hype!!

I'm not fuss on potion size but here I think it might be nice not to walk out a bit still hungry lol.. lovely thought behind each dish. Truffles grated lightly over my pasta was beautiful washed down with a red pinot noir thanks for the tip. It's a lot of experimental some of the food but taste did not disappoint just portion size. Thank you.

Came here not expecting much was pleasantly surprised food was light ,refreshing &tasty startled with snacks then 3-course menu after all the fine dinning across Australia this Auckland beauty was the best.A must try with excellent service & food

I am giving it the benefit of the doubt at 2 stars.

The ethos of the restaurant was, best of NZ sourced food to get the freshest Ingredients available as explained by the waitress. Shorten version!

Looking down the menu, I noticed that there were no bluff oysters.....why is this important? Well given that bluff oyster season opened 4 days ago and bluff oysters are internationally renoun..... and your ethos is as per above????????????!!!!!!


Entree was a venison tartar, flavour excellent due to temperature of meat and nicely seasoned. A good tartar actually is hard to find.Too much dark chocolate in dish, should have been set to one side, so you can mix and mingle as required. 3.5 stars

The lamb was absolutely delicious....couldn t fault it! 5 stars.

Peach Melba. 0 stars. Was offered an alternative desert as result. Choose the cheese which as good as the others didn t appeal. 3.5 stars.

The service good but only good. 2.5 stars

Drinks completely over priced. 2 glasses of water at 15 per glass. Negative 2 stars.

Decor.....my comments on the are better left unsaid. 2 stars.

I noted that they would charge you 150.00 cancellation fee if you canceled you reservation least than 12hours before.....I don t think that is actually legal. Negative 5 stars, Clooney get over yourselves.

When you compare quality of food, service, etc to money. Which is a the final equation that matters. At circa 400.00 it was poor to say the least. I provided feedback to them which they took on board....I think?!

Will not be going back or recommending to friends.

We loved it. Extremely good food, informed, attentive, knowledgeable, totally professional staff.

Perfectly sized meals. And the lamb is just exquisite.

Sublime!!! & Good on them for refusing young children..... it s a special place to go & should be able to be thoroughly enjoyed.....

Amazing food and service. So sad it is closing down!

Great for couples to enjoy a variety of extravagant bites, and wine tasting of a great selection of wines in a perfectly set romantic atmosphere, or bring a business discussion to the table and make your customers enjoy the very best that NZ can offer... Bring a big wallet too... :-) But it is worth it!!!

This is a wonderful contemporary restaurant. The flavors and pairings are rich, complex and avant-garde. I enjoyed a wonderful wine list and un-sweet butterscotch butter with bread before diving into the menu choices. The 5 and 7 course menus (also available in vegetarian versions) were tempting, but I opted for individual selections. The duck was the big winner. Date night or groups, this is a wonderful choice.

Amazing food and wonderfully elegant ambience, with lights focused on the tables only. Perfect for a date.

It was my first time visiting Clooney and I can't believe I haven't been there sooner. We had the Restaurant Month special and we were blown away. The courses and canapes had combinations of flavours that I haven't experienced before - like mushroom and chocolate, buttery-soft beef with aged cheese. Presentation is absolutely immaculate. A gem for all fine dining enthusiasts.

Great place for dine! If you haven't try it, this place should be on the bucket list!

Visited Clooney for a special dinner. The food did not disappoint . The atmosphere was great! Very relaxed and fun vibes. Very classy service from the staff!!!! Can not wait for the next dinner at this venue.

Fantastic wine matched degustation combined with great service

Best fit out, best food, great booze list - top knotch

Amazing fine dining experience. Best I've had to date. Thoroughly enjoyed the seven course degustation. Quite a few items really surprised me as I would never have chosen them a la carte but loved them and will be looking out for them in the future.

Simply amazing. This was a beautiful and thought provoking dining experience, everything was curated perfectly by Tony and his team.
Nobu's menu was wonderful, gloriously executed and showcased each ingredient exquisitely.

Only one con; Clooney is closing and it'll be sad to see them go. It's a sad time for hospitality in Auckland.

Best fine dining experience I had after a long time.

Absolutely loved this restaurant. Travelled from Melbourne to Auckland and was very impressed. We could see the chefs working hard, the food was beautifully presented and delicious too. The waitstaff are friendly and explain the interesting story behind the dishes. It is dark inside with spotlights on the tables, but I liked the mood it created, like a mysterious secret being revealed. I recommend the langoustine and lamb.

Really enjoyed our degustation here for the wife's birthday. It has a great ambience and very attentive staff. I'd happily eat here every night of the week.

Excellent restaurant, classy. Prices aligned with the type of venue is obviously not cheap, but worth it. Really excellent.

Great, but not mind-blowing. If you're doing the rounds of all the top restaurants, start with this rather than ending with it. Service is top-notch though.

An amazing experience. The evening passed effortlessly with fantastic food and attentive service.highly recommended.

Great place to challenge your taste buds. Expect small portions, intimate lighting and an empty pocket. A once a year type of experience.

The food here is beyond incredible, really special venue and you won t forget the experience dining here. I honestly cannot fault this restaurant.

Amazing range of tastes, flavours and textures showcasing some of New Zealand's great produce. Matching wines/Sake were excellent, service both friendly and on point.

Food was good but not inspiring, service was average. For the price, disappointed

It was a fantastic experience as always. I loved the NZ themed degustation. Particularly inspiring to hear Tony say they only source NZ ingredients. A special note to Michael who remembered me from a few years ago when I'd arranged a surprise dinner for my parents wedding anniversary! Outstanding service. Will certainly be back.

The best dining experience we have had to date. The food is perfection, the tastes are so unique, and the service was excellent. We were lucky enough to have a table facing the kitchen, with view of the chefs plating the meals (highly recommended!).

We had the 13 course degustation with wine matching. The wines were top notch, and were accompanied by detailed backgrounds about their tastes, the vineyards, and the methods. The night lasted 4 hours, and we loved every minute.

My only gripe would be that they kept topping up our glasses with sparking water, without telling us they were charging $12 per bottle...

It's an expensive night out (approx $630 for two), but worth every dollar, and definitely deserves 5 stars.

Best restaurant I have been to, will definitely be going again

Awesome, romantic and amazing food. The wine match was spot on.

An international must go experience. Another time at Clooney and I continue to be impressed. This time a New Zealand themed journey with a Japanese twist. Wine pairings are sensational, service - immaculate, the food - I m speechless.

This must be one of the top restaurants in the world with Jacob the new chef and the top one in Auckland. Superb degustation experience and service. Cannot wait to go again

So lucky to have secured a reservation in the last week before Clooney closes. What a fantastic gastronomical delight every dish was truly a work of art. My compliments to the chefs and superior service from the wait staff. Thanks Clooneys for the years of service to the NZ dining scene ... miss you already ... best wishes to all the very talented staff thank you.

Faultless High end dining with such creative and well thought out dishes. Top marks on the food journey, excellent service, great ambience and lighting superb. Such a story behind each dish. For fussy sods like us it was polished and could not be faulted. Worth every penny, especially the wine matching. 5 Stars well deserved.

Superb cuisine and service. The fit out here is in my opinion the best in Auckland. Incredible environment for a great meal.

Oh my goodness! Incredible! Food is phenomenal, waiters are knowledgable and helpful, food prices are high but worth it for the experience, ambiance, and of course the food. Wine list is great, and plenty of food options with great specials. Definitely want to go back.

We made a detour on our trip to the Cook Islands to stop in Auckland so that we could once again visit this amazing restaurant. From the beginning of our meal we were introduced to the many unique tastes that can only be found in New Zealand and a look at the future of food.Everything was delicious and presented to us in a very personal manner.We will be back, thanks again for a wonderful dining experience.

The team at Clooney went over and beyond themselves to create the most beautiful dining experience for us tonight. The food is is amazing, and the wine list is from another world. Can't wait to come back.

It was a perfect dining experience at Clooney's. Food was well thought-out and the friendly (and professional) service provided to us by Rachel was impeccable.

Amazing food service / presentation and taste!

You can tell they take pride in what they serve.

Very accomodating waiters who patiently explained the menu to us.

A must try in Auckland.

Clooney is, amazing!

We had the pleasure of dining a few days ago.
Everything was superb, from the food to the service, the atmosphere and everything, just amazing.
The waitress could tell us everything about each individual dish and they all tasted unique and delicious.
The only negative, was seeing the bill for two glasses of water at the end. $30 for the two seemed a bit excessive (maybe it was for two bottles) especially without any warning. But not enough to bump my rating down.
5 Stars!

Thanks for dinner. Always an experience everytime we visit

Excellent. Incredible atmosphere, food, and service. We had the degustation with the wine and tea pairings, which were wonderful.

Visited Clooney for a special dinner. The food did not disappoint . The atmosphere was great! Very relaxed and fun vibes. Very classy service from the staff!!!! Can not wait for the next dinner at this venue.

Always love going to Clooney. Perfectly balanced flavours. Attention to detail in every dish. Food comes out a the perfect time and beautiful selection of wines.

@dawnd2 Loved the experience. I really wanted to try this restaurant. I got there an hour and a half before they opened. Now a normal restaurant would have just turned me away without a thought. Nope they were ridiculously kind to me. They couldnt serve so I was ensconced comfortably with water and a phone charging opportunity until they were able to open the bar. Then offered a lovely wine until they could seat me. You can tell a lot about a restaurant when you put them under an unusual situation like that. Imagine a house guest showing up a month early. Im sure it felt awkward like that. But they treated me to an amazing dining experience. Thank you to all of you.

Absolutely wowed with this genius 3 course set lunch, innovative use of beautiful fresh ingredients, stunning presentation with flavors packed full of punch. Talented Chef Nobu Lee and his clever team take you on an amazing creatively crafted culinary journey from the complimentaryfreshly baked sourdough bread with hand churned butter setting the tone, the most ingenious and delicious pork terrine I've ever seen/tasted to the main course, for me this was snapper, the fish of the day, backing that up very nicely. Magnificent! All of this in the most stylish and sophisticated setting with faultless service makes Clooney still stand out as one of the classiest acts on Aucklands dining scene. 12/10

As always Clooney is a stand out for service, food, wine and ambience and my absolute favourite fine dining experience in Auckland . The service is faultless , the food extraordinary, the wine list extensive and it s a reason I recommend Clooney to everyone I know.