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About
Classic New Zealand dining in a historic character building with courtyard overlooking the stunning Otago Harbour. Open for Lunch and Dinner.
Special Diets
Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options
Meals
Dinner, Brunch, Lunch, After-hours
CUISINES
European, New Zealand, International
FEATURES
Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Parking Available, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Gift Cards Available
Reviews (626)
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564 results
Traveller rating
362
144
27
15
16
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LanguageEnglish
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Traveller rating
362
144
27
15
16
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All reviews lamb shank seafood chowder homemade bread salmon salad fish of the day new zealand friendly service wine list
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Reviewed 21 October 2023 via mobile

We had a lovely meal in such a lovely setting. Lovely warm rooms with pleasant shuttle music in the background. The meals were lovely and we will be back

Date of visit: October 2023
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Reviewed 29 March 2023

Stunning, we will be back....honestly delicious and great presentation. Satisfying Chowder, Pork belly, Steak and desserts

Date of visit: March 2023
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 26 March 2023 via mobile

Darling little restaurant in the charming town of Portobello. Very simple clean food. I had the seafood chowder with homemade bread and salad. The chowder was very good and fresh. That salad was huge.

Date of visit: March 2023
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 20 March 2023

We were so impressed by our first dinner at this delightful restaurant that we booked dinner for the following night and were impressed again. The restaurant itself is light and airy and tastefully furnished. The menu is comprised of a good choice of starters, main...courses and desserts. All dishes were nicely cooked and presented. It was a very pleasant surprise to find 1908 and it stood out as one of the best restaurants we found during our 5-month stay in New Zealand.More

Date of visit: March 2023
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Reviewed 20 March 2023 via mobile

The food was nicely presented and beautifully cooked. Two had the lamb shank and two enjoyed the monkfish. Friendly service so all in all a very pleasant experience. Will definitely return

Date of visit: March 2023
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Reviewed 23 February 2023 via mobile

Found this little gem which you can book online if you are going to be in Portobello. Friendly service and exceptionally good food with a good atmosphere. Well worth a visit.

Date of visit: February 2023
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 6 February 2023

Pot of gold at the end of the rainbow for dinner. After a stunning drive around,the harbour to Portobello arrived at 1908. Nice building. Ordered food & drinks which were there in an instant with meals following soon after. Dishes looked a picture, good portions...& very tasty. Service great for young team, busy but unfazed. Looking at going back for lunch.More

Date of visit: February 2023
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Reviewed 3 February 2023

we had lunch here 2/2/23 such amazing food and quick to serve, Great staff very friendly, highly recommend

Date of visit: February 2023
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Reviewed 25 January 2023 via mobile

On recommendation, we had lunch at 1908. The menu offered good choices, and the food was not only presented beautifully but tasted great. Old restored building with character. Service perfect, time to enjoy the meal and cleared away when plates were empty. Would recommend and...go againMore

Date of visit: January 2023
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Reviewed 3 January 2023 via mobile

We waited along time for our entree then a further hour for our mains. We had to chase up a drink that didn’t arrive. The girl behind the bar and bringing out our drinks was not happy to be at work and just plonked the...drinks down without a hint of a smile. It wasn’t a busy night but I felt the girls were out of there depth. They had no idea about anything. The meals weren’t great… I’ve had better pub meals and I doubt wether we will be back. The meals were way overpriced and to be honest not worth it. When you have to wait that long you get over it pretty quick.More

Date of visit: January 2023
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Reviewed 2 January 2023

We went to 1908 on January 2nd for lunch. We waited an hour for our food. No apologies or explanation. Food was very average. My platter so basic, my wfes salmon salad was the same. Didnt see any notices about 15% surcharge but maybe I...missed it. Certainly wont go backMore

Date of visit: January 2023
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Reviewed 28 August 2022

Although this place has been painted and refreshed , unfortunately both the food and the service were well below average. We waited for some time for a waiter to even appear with any water let alone anything else. Eventually we ordered - I had the...Salmon Salad and my companion had the Eggs Benny. When it arrived, their meal was fine (although the thought was that the sauce was shop bought) however, my salad was literally that - the bowl was brimming with large pieces of iceberg lettuce and not much else. The cherry tomatoes were almost non-existent and the salmon had clearly had several days under their belt and was hard and dried up. The onion was way too strong for the delicate dish and there were exactly 7 slices of olive. Once our meal was finished and the plates cleared we were then left to our own devices for almost 20 minutes and had to eventually ask for coffees. As we were drinking them, the owner(?) was busy tidying up around us and we were made to feel quite uncomfortable as if we had outstayed our welcome. We hadn't visited here since the new owners took over and had high hopes but I have to say it was a disappointing experience.More

Date of visit: August 2022
Helpful?1  
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Reviewed 6 May 2022 via mobile

We knew this local restaurant had new owners, and we were waiting to see if they changed the menu to offer more variety and creativity than the previous owners. We’re so pleased they have. Not only that but they have freshened up the decor and...it now has a relaxed bistro feel. My wife and I had planned a quick dinner, but with so many tempting items we ended up ordering an entree and a main. The seafood chowder and mushroom croquettes were excellent. The lamb shank and pork belly mains were good. The wine list was also good and offered most wines by the glass which allowed us to match our wine choices with our meals. In fact we enjoyed our meals so much we ended up tempted by the dessert menu and the lemon tart was delicious. All in all we are thrilled to have another quality dining option in our area, and fully recommend everyone make the drive out to Portobello to try the ‘new’ 1908.More

Date of visit: May 2022
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 24 April 2022

The restaurant was clean, nicely laid out. W had steak, lamb shank and fish of the day. There was a vegetarian option. The toilets were clean and pleasant smelling.. The service was friendly and personal. Desserts were lovely

Date of visit: April 2022
Helpful?
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 26 March 2022

Booked a reservation for our wedding anniversary dinner based on other reviews we read on trip advisor and was not left disappointed. Food was spectacular, I had the seafood chowder (brilliant), ribeye steak (outstanding) and a cheeky wee dessert of berry parfait which topped off...an amazing evening. We will be back!!!More

Date of visit: March 2022
Helpful?
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David ML, Owner at 1908 Restaurant, responded to this reviewResponded 27 March 2022

Hi Jason, glad you enjoyed your evening and thanks for coming!

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Questions & Answers
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52lel
4 October 2018|
AnswerShow all 3 answers
Response from Pauline L | Property representative |
Hello yes they are we have out door seating and as long as they are on a lead thats fine. Regards
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1908 RESTAURANT, Portobello - Menu, Prices & Restaurant Reviews

Frequently Asked Questions about 1908 Restaurant

1908 Restaurant is rated accordingly in the following categories by Tripadvisor travellers:
  • Food: 4.5
  • Service: 4.5
  • Value: 4
  • Atmosphere: 4.5