Soul Bar and Bistro

Someone from this business manages this listing.

#49 of 2,240 Restaurants in Auckland Central$$$$, Seafood, European, Vegetarian friendly

+64 9-356 7249+ Add website

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Hours

Sun

11:00 am - 1:00 am

Mon

11:00 am - 1:00 am

Tue

11:00 am - 1:00 am

Wed

11:00 am - 1:00 am

Thu

11:00 am - 1:00 am

Fri

11:00 am - 1:00 am

Sat

11:00 am - 1:00 am

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What is Travellers’ Choice?

Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

Ratings and reviews

4.5

2,381 reviews

#49 of 2,240 Restaurants in Auckland Central

RATINGS

Food

Service

Value

Atmosphere

Details

Someone from this business manages this listing.

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PRICE RANGE

$45.00 – $178.00

CUISINES

Seafood, European, Healthy, New Zealand

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

meals, features

Location and contact

16-18/Lower Hobson Street and Customs Street West, Auckland Central, Auckland 1010 New Zealand

+64 9-356 7249

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Details

Manage this business?

PRICE RANGE

$45.00 – $178.00

CUISINES

Seafood, European, Healthy, New Zealand

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

Meals

Lunch, Dinner, After-hours

FEATURES

Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Wine and Beer, American Express, Mastercard, Visa, Free Wifi, Discover, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Live Music, Waterfront, Gift Cards Available

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4.5

2,381 reviews

Excellent

1,352

Very good

659

Average

228

Poor

Terrible

Elaine Yeoh

Auckland594 contributions

Great food, fabulous location, very inconsistent service!

Jul 2020 • family

Soul wins on its fantastic location, decor and ambience and it’s interesting menu especially it’s fish and oysters. Overall, one of my favourite places for oysters, seafood and bubbly. However the service has always (and I have been back at least five to six times in the last year) been inconsistent. Sometimes excellent in terms of welcoming and accommodating and other times snooty and offhand and lately plain slack. So whilst it remains one of my favourite restaurants to entertain guests visiting Auckland for the first time, I sometimes hesitate because I don’t feel that the service quality is consistent or sincere which is a real pity. Like: 1. Good menu with fresh produce and seafood. Always my fav spot when bluff oyster season comes around. 2. Great ambience overlooking the viaduct.. lovely light in the restaurant in the day time and a super nice deck where you can dine alfresco esp on a cool summer day. 3. Must order oysters and fish as this is the “soul” in their menu. Whilst their prices are premium it’s a lovely place to celebrate a birthday or with friends provided you are blessed with a good waiter. 4. Pleasantly surprised to see a korean fried chicken dish on the menu. Probably to cater to the many tourists pre covid who are sure to book a table, given the great location along the viaduct. Did not like: Service is not their strong suite. Service staff take your order and don’t bother to check on your order or make good recommendations after handing you the menu which would be nice as this is not just your usual cafe. The last visit I had to ask for the manager to come to our table as the waitress kept saying she would check but did not return our meal took almost an hour to serve. Manager a young guy, came by to the table did not offer an explanation and instead offered a free dessert to compensate for the wait. We were planning to order dessert anyway but because he offered we ordered one to share instead of one each. At the end of our meal, we got the bill with the dessert charged to us. We did not bother complaining but that said we were left with a lasting impression of the sincerity of service at this restaurant and their overall service integrity in following through on what you say you will do. Not impressed and hence do not think they are deserving of a five star rating (which one would expect from a restaurant of this quality and standing).

Written 28 July 2020

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.

GeorgeDennigan

Hi Elaine, Really disappointed to hear about your service experience of late. Please email me directly so we can rectify the situation and discuss further: George@soulbar.nz Thank you!

Written 3 August 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

macroberts

Tauranga17 contributions

Right up there with the best!

Jan 2020 • none

We were a walk up requiring a table for 2 on a Friday evening and I am very glad we were able to get a table. The location is great, we were situated so could see a lot of the harbour and wharf, the weather was warm and the food simply delicious. I am a white bait snob and I took the risk and was not disappointed - delicious. The mains and deserts to follow matched the white bait and we left more than pleased with everything at Soul. We will be back.

Written 31 January 2020

GillBee2014

Wellington131 contributions

Justifiably busy

Feb 2020 • none

Dined twice here, first as a couple (lunch) , then with 2 other couples (early dinner). Seated quickly. Staff excellent and responsive to any request. Orders taken efficiently and the kitchen was equally efficient at sending out our food, especially on a busy weekend evening. The atmosphere is buzzing with lots of diners and yet it doesn't feel too crowded. Food was tasty: Tarakihi fish and chips or red rascal potatoes, the nectarine salad, the Caesar salad with hapuku skewers, all went down a treat with the liquid refreshments. The lunch as a couple had me ordering ciabatta fresh and hot from the oven, with olive oil and pommegranate infused balsamic ... yum yum yum. I'm told the Tuna tartare was also superb. Soul bar was a good experience and we'll be back.

Written 16 February 2020

ojaco

Auckland Central49 contributions

Average

Jan 2020 • none

Eaten here a few times, this time disappointing. Veges came overhanging the dish, touching the table and whereever else it had been put down. Leeks totally overcooked and inedible, slow service. Bought this to the attention of the manager with no result and little apology.

Written 25 January 2020

Companion813862

3 contributions

Rude Bar Manager and Instant Scampi Linguine

Jun 2020 • none

Used to be good service before lockdown. $10 for a bottle of coke and I was served expired bottle, expired 4 months ago. The bartender found a latest month expiry but all the rest on display - Feb expiry. Bar Manager did not even bother to remove those expired bottles on display. In fact, I was told off for drinking the remaining coke in the bottle. Does it mean they will serve my leftover to the next customer? and serve the expired drinks? The scampi linguine taste was awful. For $38, I was expecting like what we had before lockdown. Now, the taste no difference with instant Dolmio - only the chef added chopped tomatoes and vodka. I am sorry with the rest of the staff who were nice. The bar manager should know better when working in the hospitality area.

Written 12 June 2020

GeorgeDennigan

Hi there, I'm surprised by your review and would like to get some further information from you so I can look into this. Feel free to email me directly: George@soulbar.nz Thank you!

Written 17 June 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Jade

1 contribution

Complaint

Feb 2021 • friends

My friends come here often and I wanted to dine here so we came in yesterday & usually we go all out and spend a lot of money when we eat out at these places yet unfortunately we were turned away after the older male who worked there, waiter I presume, took one look up and down at us, stuck his nose in the air and told us that he had lots of bookings arriving shortly which when we looked around and saw most of the tables in the place free, we knew meant he didn’t want us eating there - we then went on to eat at Oyster & Chop instead and walked past an hour and a half later once finished our lunch and more than 10+ tables - the same tables that were free before hand were still free, we went for drinks at saint alice and came back past after that and again - 10+ tables free.. pretty upsetting and uptight service considering we were all covered in designer clothes and items ect so definitely have the money to spend, just so happened we weren’t in dresses and high heels, it’s not like we looked bad or anything? Plus we saw a lot of older ladies in there wearing gym gear.. so we were left confused and a bit pissed off to be honest. Have read a lot of reviews on the poor service from the waiters/waitresses here and heard a lot of things from friends and connections saying if you don’t look a certain way, sometimes you won’t be let in or if you are they talk to and treat you poorly and are less attentive. All are paying customers and would love to eat here clearly for the good food that people talk about, so maybe your staff need a slight check on hospitality and customer service.

Written 19 February 2021

Fivestar247

Auckland Central481 contributions

Fine dining prices / loud cafe experience

Feb 2020 • couples

We visited on a sunny Sunday early evening. The atmosphere in the viaduct was buzzing and great for people watching. Soul has a different feel to how it used to. A strange juxtaposition between high prices, a well put together menu and poorly presented staff and very loud music which was invasive. The food or pricing does not match the nightclub atmosphere they are trying to create. The food itself was excellent and there are other things on the menu I would love to try however unless the rave music changes and the staff presentation is resolved I may not be back for a while.

Written 12 February 2020

Miss M

Auckland16 contributions

Beautiful view incredible service

Apr 2021 • friends

Beautiful view and 10/10 Service. Fish was over cooked and had dried out on some edges but sauce was super delicious. Skip the entree ... crab steamed bun unless you love 3/4 raw onion and you would be hard pressed to find any crab Extremely loud great for friends don’t bother going to for a romantic date The service was honestly the best I’ve experienced in a long time just not the food we had on the night.

Written 22 April 2021

Mensa Auckland

Auckland32 contributions

Simply Sumptuous

Dec 2019 • none

So we had dinner at Soul Bar and Bistro as a group of 10. It was just before Christmas, so as can be expected the place got lively and fairly noisy at times. That didn't stop us from enjoying the fantastic food Soul Bar had to offer. The room was pleasantly decorated and gave a great atmosphere. The staff was very friendly and welcoming, albeit a bit disorganised at times. Looking at the menu, some of the prices may seem rather daunting, with one of our members having spent over $100 on just his meal (1 drink included). Nevertheless, all of us agreed that the food tasted great, thereby justifying the value. Noteworthy dishes include the mozzarella toast, the scampi cocktail, the roasted hapuku, the pan fried john dory, and the roast chicken breast. In addition the vegetarian and dessert menus were quite impressive, offering greater variety than what you might find in other restaurants. All-in-all, if you want to impress guests with New Zealand food, or just want to enjoy great food, you can't go wrong with Soul Bar and Bistro.

Written 18 February 2020

Wes

Auckland14 contributions

Always Enjoy Soul

Dec 2019 • none

We have had a number of visits to Soul Bar & Bistro and so far they never seem to disappoint with service or food flavour and quality. We highly recommend to experience it for themselves whenever they are in the area. Great job people keep it up.

Written 7 January 2020

Marty J

42 contributions

Revisit after almost 3 years.

Dec 2019 • none

The atmosphere is still one of the best in the viaduct however we had made this reservation some 2 months in advance and also requested a special table which they said should definitely be available, well it wasn't which we understood but starts the evening off on the wrong foot. Then came the ramrod service, simply way too much pressure and then when we did order the food arrived within minutes, simply not enough time to enjoy the wines, conversation, etc. Food was okay but didn't have the zing we had in 2017, we all (6 of us) felt the same about this too. Overall a disappointing experience, especially when it was over $125.00 per head and we were in and out within 75 minutes. Staff were very nice and totally organized but obviously under pressure to get us in and out.

Written 7 January 2020

Eugenie Miroshnikoff

Oberon229 contributions

Lovely restaurant in the heart of viaduct

Jan 2020 • couples

Great food, great serviced. The menu would suit all palates but the freshly made pasta was my choice. My husband chose a chicken dish and he was also very happy with his meal. Good selection of wines is available.

Written 12 January 2020

KiwiNingy

Auckland245 contributions

Great place for a celebration

Jul 2020 • none

I have been coming to Soul Bar for many years and they have maintained the quality of food and service .. well done ! The choice of meals was extensive covering not only types of foods but also appetites so allowing for smaller eaters. The choice of wine was just right. The only 2 things I would change for next time would be not to order desserts - we (8 people) ordered one of each dessert and were disappointed with all of the them. There was no real WOW factor. The real disappointment were the Soul Trinkets - the comment was that it felt like" 6 packets of biscuits / slices had been opened and one of each placed on the plate with lots of sauces squeezed in between" Next time we will also asked to be seated away from the smoking area - it was VERY disappointing to find that in day and age customers are still allowed to smoke in the same area (albeit in the uncovered area). As we all know the smell of smoke travels and it is disgusting when trying to eat a meal. A definite negative for the restaurant.

Written 31 July 2020

Pim

1 contribution

Good food great service

Jul 2020 • none

We got served by Ash on Tuesday 28/07/2020 ,he recommended and served with his best knowledge for the food according to our questions and provided a very good services on the night. It made our dinner time even better, very friendly but still professional. Thanks so much Ash for your great services!

Written 30 July 2020

SN Fr Auckland

1 contribution

Weird Waiter

Apr 2021 • business

We were there on 22 Jun 2021 with company colleagues. The waiter was really weird. When taking the starter order I requested for Cesar salad, but he told no it’s too much and is a main food and he didn’t took it, also he was arguing about the number of oyster plates we were ordering for the table as starter, he was telling will be too much for you... We like the toasts they were nice.

Written 28 June 2021

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