Reviews of Wholly Smoked. (Restaurant) in Rotorua (Bay of Plenty).

Wholly Smoked

250 Reviews

163 Comments

Restaurant

Restaurant

1107 Tutanekai Street, Rotorua 3010, New Zealand

Description

Information of Wholly Smoked, Restaurant in Rotorua (Bay of Plenty)

Here you can see the location, open hours, popular times, contact, photos and real reviews done by the users.

This place has good reviews, this means that they treat their customers well and you’ll feel great with their services, recommended 100%!

Map

Open hours of Wholly Smoked

Reviews of Wholly Smoked

J.

Good restaurant & big portion sizes. Beef ribs were OK, but have had better. They were tender but a little bland. Other family members happy with their meals. Staff were nice & restaurant had a good feel about it

D.

Had the Beef Ribs & the Lamb Ribs. Excellent meals.Both tender and falling off the bone. Choice of mash, wedges or fries. Lamb had a glazed, crunchy outer with tender inner. Beef was superb with an excellent gravy. Great presentation, friendly & attentive staff. Large portions. Would I come back here? Wonder if they take lifetime table reservations?

S.

Brilliant service. The server immediately acknowledged food allergies and didn't second guess which was greatly appreciated. Fast service and great food. Would highly recommend to anyone eating at Eat Street

A.

Had a delicious meal here! The scallops and the beef ribs were the standout. Just fall off the bone. We had wonderful service too.

J.

It’s ok. The seafood chowder really lacked much seafood and tasted more like cream and butter than anything Smokey. The pasta is obviously packet pasta, nice sauce but also just mostly butter and lacked any smoky flavours the menu promises. Garlic bread was nice, though.

K.

We were a little bit sceptical about going here as we saw that the reviews were pretty low but when we walked past the place & saw their awesome menu we decided to try it. The food was great! We ordered a beef brisket from specials (good flavours, very tender), pork belly (very nice apart from the crackling that was used from a bag rather than cooked at the restaurant), scallops (very pleasant entree dish!) and a few drinks 👌🏻 Overall, excellent service, the team is super friendly, it was nice to see them knowing their local customers by name. Keep it up guys!

S.

Very quick and friendly service, food was nice too.

T.

Popped in for lunch. The portions are enormous. Had a sharing platter for two. The L & P pork belly was super tender, the chicken wings delicious, the sirloin steak tasty but a little tough. Served with fries, ciabatta bread and salad. As advertised, the meat was deliciously smokey. Quite a challenge to finish this dish if you have a smaller appetite. Wait staff attentive.

I.

A few restaurants comes with some perks attached to the name. I’d say that holly smokes is one of those. We got 3 course meals. Each one was a truly expression of holly smokes! That was delicious. Highly recommend. Staff is superb.

a.

Not recommended. Pros: excellent service, excellent plating. Cons: overpriced, subpar food (even if it was less expensive) Service: welcomed into the restaurant. Everyone was hustling. Server was helpful and very friendly, knew menu inside and out, and was ready to make recommendations. Also let us try two wines before we bought a bottle. Server was this place's best attribute. Plating: presentation was strong and what would be expected of a restaurant at this price range. Overpriced for the quality of food. Food: big let down. We had Pacific oysters, lobster Mac and cheese, and beef brisket. The oysters and brisket were decent. The oysters were still attached to the shell (as opposed to cut from the shell and sitting in the shell ready to be devoured), so it was some effort to eat them. The brisket was cooked well (tender) but lacked any flavor from the cooking process. Mac and cheese: cheese was tasteless and watery. No substance or flavor. Lobster tail on top of Mac and cheese (not bits of lobster in the sauce) with lobster tail still on the meat so it was difficult to enjoy.

J.

Good price. Nice fries.

D.

QUITE SHORT... They had a good menu, but did not deliver. It was the Aged Steak ($30) that got me to sit down with them. Well it was cooked righteously, I'd give them that, but it wasn't given the justice it deserves. It was served with a poorly decided substitute for mashed potato and an overpowering cilantro sauce, like the chef was just mad them and thrown them all on a sauce pot. I would've been happy if they just seasoned the meat well, char-grilled them, and served with roasted potatoes and mushrooms. The Pork Belly ($29) also didn't impress me, it showed how limited the chef was with creativity and flare. GOOD THING... They had this wonderful beer, Golden Ale($5 - Happy Hour til' 7pm). It was so fragrant and fruity paired perfectly with the Fried Squid ($15). I think those were the only things i enjoyed. I hate to be harsh but when it comes to food and value for it they needed to step up their game.

A.

Good dinner after a long day 5 stars Lamb Chops and bruschetta were delicious. Good service, great atmosphere down at Eat Streat. Heaters were great as it was cold outside, but it wasn’t overbearingly hot. Wine was good as well and wasn’t over priced.

V.

Went there on a Sunday for lunch. Had the Sirloin steak for $17.90, which was reasonable for the portion and taste. The fish for the fish n’chips was fresh yet the garlic bread was too burnt, the chilli tomato sauce tasted nice though. Their happy hour also starts about early which is a plus for those who wants to unwind early. Heaters and blankets are provided just in case you get too cold in the winter. Staff are very accomodating. Will definitely come back to try their Apple and rhubarb crumble.

l.

Very pricey, x2 mains and x3 drinks = $102. But it is in the high end part of Rotorua after all. Excellent flavours, good service (food was a tad slow coming) and an excellent / diverse menu. Good for a wedding anniversary or special occasion.

J.

Full day breakfast is very good 10/10

B.

Outstanding and very friendly service. The mushrooms were fantastic. The flounder was very nice and good portion. But the pork ribs and the brisket lacked flavor. Brisket may as well have been cooked in a crock pot instead of smoked. If you like USA style smoked food you may be disappointed. Not quite what we had hoped for in a smoke house restaurant.

N.

Incredible! Sat next to an amazing fire, served by the loveliest lady who gave us the best customer service i had in NZ. The food was the best food we had had in a long time. We had the freshest oysters and most amazing BBQ Scallops as entree, then did the share plate for dinner and wow! It was the best cooked meat ever! Not to mention the incredible cocktails Highly recommend!

S.

I usually don't put a review but I was really impressed by Wholly Smoked's service and food. I ordered Angus Beef and it was really delicious. Best place I found in Eat Street.

D.

Thank you for the amazing hospitality, great team and wonderful yummy food. Visited this place yesterday, great atmosphere, highly recommend thanks team

k.

Great service and delicious steak meal. Affordable prices and great location. The atmosphere is relaxing. The garlic bread is so good.

J.

Had the Scotch Fillet here. As a traveler, I've been having a lot of this cut in New Zealand, but this one might take first place. The potatoes were absolutely wonderfully seasoned, and the greens were filled to the brim with flavors of garlic. I'm a big fan of garlic myself, so it was right up my alley. Last but not least, the steak was cooked to perfection, would come back here again.

T.

Excellent service, very quick to order and deliver our food, steak was cooked to perfection...Well done Wholly smoked what a great lunch.

N.

Great pricing. Quality meat, cooked to perfection. Good customer service. My salad was drenched in balsamic so much all my food tasted like balsamic vinegar which ruined it for me. And the creamy mushrooms were bland. Other than that all good.

C.

Food was amazing and excellent service. highly recommended

O.

We had a beef burger and hallumi salad, both meals were great!

T.

Awesome service, amazing food, will definitely be back again. Absolutely cannot fault the service of the staff.

L.

Got coaxed in to trying this place by the lovely waitress. Ordered beef short rib sandwich and a kids chicken burger. Decently sized meals for lunchtime pricing. The only thing was the chicken burger was slightly dry but the beef short rib was super tasty. Staff were super lovely, even asking for feedback for improvements. Nice setting with indoor and outdoor seating options.

W.

Welcoming staff and nice dining environment. Whole cooked flounder was soggy and disappointing. Potatoes were very strange, brown and looked like they had been cooked twice. Other meals looked better, wished we made different menu choice.

P.

Very nice food and friendly staff. Great little spot in town

Y.

Good service, but the mussels have sand inside and two garlic bread is too few for sharing.

S.

I came here with my partner , mother and 2 kids. Excellent service friendly staff. Meal was delicious! Best steak I have had. Wish we lived closer to you guys we would for sure become regulars ! Such well priced meals aswell. Could not fault the place.😋 Pls consider opening in Wellington.

A.

Couldn't fault the staff they were polite and attentive without being in your face. We had eggs benedict which was scant on hollandaise, bacon wasn't cooked enough (this was personal preference obviously and I could have made it clear at the beginning), and the eggs were not cooked well with loads of raw whites. The loaded fries were ok but the chips a bit soggy. Overall not a terrible experience but I'm unlikely to go again.

R.

Great beers to choose from 🍻 Outstanding helpful staff 👍 Genuinely not a bad thing to mention! Try the deep fried cheesecake! 🍰

S.

This place is amazing. The food was delicious and I can highly recommend the ribs, chicken wings and the dessert death by chocolate. mmmm. The service was awesome and all staff were friendly and very helpful . I'm definitely going back. Thank you so much wholly smoked

钟.

The staffs are friendly and food taste ok. But the portion is way too small. Two ppl platter is like an starter. Me and my partner end up having sandwich for dinner.

m.

Two of the tastiest meals my partner and I ever had. Service was great despite it being super busy. We will definitely return if we're up that far again

L.

Great food, great service. Would definitely return

D.

OMG just had the best meal of Pork Belly ever. Lovely staff and delicious meals.

d.

Went in for lunch and had a great time. The staff were really friendly, the meal was excellent and there was a good selection of drinks. If we ever come back we'd definitely go again.

J.

Had an amazing dinner here tonight, steak was cooked to perfection and lamb burger was wicked!!! Service was super friendly and quick. Awesome job guys!! Definitely would come back when passing through rotorua

G.

We got the 3 course meal and they were delicious .!! Starters: chicken and soup of the day mains: Angus beef brisket and Pork belly and dessert was awesome too. We got to sit by the fire and the staff were super helpful. Totally recommend it!!

g.

First time here! Service is excellent even got the baby chair for us.Very clean place. Strong coffee also we ordered Chicken Burger,Lamb shank,Pasta and many more things. All come on same time. Thank you jess taking us there.Staff are really friendly. Will be back👍🍺

A.

Food was pretty good, although the smoked salmon came with Couscous which really wasn’t very edible and most was left on the plate as it lacked any good flavour and was just left plain. Also there was some god awful singing happening at the restaurant next door which ruined the whole ambiance of the place and was quite painful to listen to, most especially when there was music also playing out of the stereo at the same time...

B.

We had the beef ribs - excellent. Plus vege options which were delicious. The owner was fantastic and the place was rightfully full.

J.

We would just like to thank Wholly Smoked for an awesome dinner for 2. We got the "date night combo", you get to pick 1 entree, 2 mains and 2 desserts, all for $49.90. There are other combo options, or you can order off the menu and they all sound very tasty. Restaurant quality meals at home, what more could you want? It was nice to not cook for a night. We ordered dusted squid tentacles with chipotle tomato sauce for the entree to share and they didn't make it to a plate lol. Hubby got the slow cooked Angus beef brisket and I got the smoked salmon, we highly enjoyed our mains. For dessert we had the death by chocolate and the rum scented banana and mango spring rolls. Both were really yummy and I can't recommend these guys enough :) You can either pick up your order or you can get it delivered.

S.

Friendly relaxed service and atmosphere, nice food very well presented at a reasonable price for portion!

B.

Awesome service food excellent Awesome atmosphere

R.

Lovely entrees. Goog food abd excellent hospitality. Lovely friendly owner who is so attentive and a great conversationalist. Waiters recommended garlic bread and it was actually so good! Will definitely come back!

S.

Only ok. Small portions for the money. Waited over an hour to get any food on a quiet Friday night. Food was tasty but nothing special. Didn't live up to the menu, for example Smokey seasonal vegetables were just plain steamed vegetables. Brisket was brisket, potato salad was cold... meh.

C.

We walked passed the night before and everything smelled so good from this place. So the next night we had to try them! We had the smoked salmon, chicken breast and kumara wedges. The kumara wedges were amazing!! I've had kumara fries before, but not wedges. The chicken breast was also very very good. I felt like the salmon could have been a bit overcooked. Though this could just be because I have not had cooked salmon in a very long time. Also, I have found my new favourite cider from this restaurant, Zeffer's apple crumble infused cider.

A.

Eat street great selection, Guy at front talked it up !!food nice but nothing special for the price. Sent back my steak as was cold Overly apologetic from staff. Would have been great if had offered something for there error. Sadly wouldn't go back.

C.

Sensational food and outstanding service. We only had 2 nights in Rotorua and after an incredible meal on the first night we knew we'd regret going anywhere else. Over both nights we tried the steak, lamb, salmon and burger specials and were not disappointed. The main meals were delicious, great size and excellent value for money. The desserts were amazing! Once again we tried all over them over the 2 nights, the deep fried cheesecake was an absolute stand out. To add to the experience, all of the staff remembered us on the second night and ensured we had another enjoyable evening.

A.

Best meal l have had in a long time. Beautifully presented, tasty flavors and generous size serves. Service was amazing! Price was very reasonable too. One of the few restaurants that doesnt charge extra for vegetables and the selection was amazing

C.

So we read reviews before eating here, and we were a bit put off. But luckily we didn't have any of the same experiences shared previously. The restaurant was very busy, every table full, but we waited a short while and were seated promptly. Our waiter was friendly and attentive. The manager checked on us and our food. We ordered drinks, entrees, and mains and everything came quickly and was delicious. The only hiccup was a missing chutney with our cheese plate and it was quickly addressed. Would recommend.

A.

The menu is a bit limited and tends to veer towards nontraditional pairings, but the quality and flavors are good. The beverage selection is great! A word of caution, though: We ate here during a very busy Saturday night, and while the service was very friendly, it was also very slow. It was clear that both the kitchen and the waitstaff were overwhelmed by the number of patrons, so not a great place for a quick bite if it's a busy night!

H.

Food is good but took an hour to get to our table.

M.

Awesome kai. Service was next level amazing. Thoroughly recommended

P.

Honestly this place has become mine & my partners craving! Kids too! Especially the brisket meal 👍if you have money to burn this is definetly the place to come to.... you won't be disappointed😉

K.

Friendly attentive staff, great food and reasonably priced for lunch.

C.

Lovely meal, but especially impressed by the wonderful service we received. And the cocktails were yum! Thank you

N.

Ribs were great. Yummy bread too. Easy 5 stars. **Update: unfortunately had food poisoning from the Rib meal I had there. Knocking off two stars as a result. Food was tasty but a negative experience overall.

S.

Fantastic food and great value. They were fully booked (Monday night) but managed to fit us in after a brief (5 minute) wait at the bar. The service was pleasant and efficient and the food and drink arrived promptly despite the crowd. We will certainly be back.

B.

Great meal. My wife and I had the local fish with the vegetables for a side. The appetizer we had was the bruschetta. The meal was outstanding. Highly recommend the fish and especially the veggies. Best meal in Rotorua so far.

F.

Excellent food, awesome service! Tinkerbell has been great -very customer focused and always serving with smile. Keep up the good work guys!!!

V.

Got two specials, brisket and lamb chops. It was just spectacular! Service was great, food was great, fair and decent price. Definately recommended! Nice atmosphere, got to hear the live singer from the nearby bar which was a bonus hehehe

G.

Whilst in Rotorua over the weekend we had dinner twice and lunch once at Whooly Smoked. Food was amazing and staff were very friendly and obliging. Nothing was a problem and they made your meal enjoyable. Would certainly recommend to anyone looking for a good restaurant.

E.

Just wanted to share a massive thank you to Wholly Smoked for my dinner experience yesterday. From the very start, Akash was very knowledgeable about vegan and vegetarian options on the menu, and also asked a few questions about what my friend and I were feeling like to have for dinner. He went an absolute extra mile when he asked chef whether their soup on the menu (it was a cold evening in Rotorua) could be veganised and the chef created an amazing vegan soup for me. Wow, that's customer service next level. They have amazing non-alcoholic cocktails on the menu too, please give them a go. Would definitely go back many-many times. Thank you so much Akash and Mr. Chef.

S.

Very delicious food and kind stuff, specially the lovely lady Natika, the sweetest person I have met and the best customer service ever. I'll definitely be back.

D.

Good lunch offerings not quite what we expected from a smoke house though. Front of house lady was outstanding,very friendly.

M.

This a good spot for lunch or dinner, the food is good and so it’s the service.

G.

Wow! This place is great! Ate here Monday and came back Wednesday. Strongly recommend the beef short rib. If you are in eat street eat here. Casual dinning and on Monday the kitchen was a little slow - but service excellent.

M.

Great main meals. Good quality steak and cooked properly. Unfortunately the desserts are somewhat disappointing as they where still very cold on the inside and not really worth the price.

H.

As you may know people with keto diets are hard to cater to but this place will help you along your diet choice! Ordered the lunch special for the venison burger and they took out the bun. Then they went even further and put it on a bed of lettuce! Then even further still switched out the fries for even more salad! Love it, will come here and dine again. Btw their pumpkin soup is awesome!

S.

If you visited Rotorua checked out this place. The best Mocca and absolutely tasty free range eggs for breakfast whichever way it cooks its still comes out the best. Highly recommended

K.

Wow! Ordered 2 specials and both were wonderful. Their burgers get a big applause; the venison special one was exceptional, especially with its condiments. Service was wonderful.

J.

By beef ribs they mean rib as in you get 1 rib and the chicken wings were tasty but not worth $15 for 4. Very over priced and not worth the flavor or portions. The beer was the most worth it from our meals.

T.

Best place I've been in a long time. R Great fish and chips and a subtle smokey flavour on the pork. Mocktails we're delicious. And a very fair price. I recommend.

b.

Had dinner here (3 of us) and all our meals were really tasty, the service was great. I did think my entree was on the small side (prawns) for price, but it was a great dish.

J.

Had the 8hr slow cooked angus beef short rib. Pretty much changed my life. Also froth how theres so much seafood had oysters and mussels aswell absolutely divine

W.

To be honest I enjoyed having dinner here as I will come back again

P.

If you want a BBQ Bonanza this is your place!!! Vegans probably go elsewhere sorry 😜 Nice to some great GF options too 😀

B.

A bit disappointing. My fish was served in tinfoil so was metallic tasting and the risotto didn't have flavour. The beef ribs were OK but wasn't a smokey charcoal as expected.

R.

Great Customer service from Shenu. she was lovely Amazing Lunch thank you

M.

First time visiting Rotorua, went to Wholly Smoked for lunch AND dinner and had the best time there. Best staff (Thanks Sid for everything, amazing service), food (the salmon was delicious so was the chocolate trilogy) and drinks (strawberry mojito all the way) I've encountered in a long time. Would recommend it to anyone coming to NZ. Cheers from the Onesie crew!

J.

The food was delicious . I had the venison burger. It was perfectly cooked and spiced. It was served on a really good sourdough bun. I would highly recommend this restaurant.

D.

Excellent service from the second you walk in. Food was very reasonably priced for such good sized portions, especially given the quality ingredients and sublime taste. Nice beers and wine too.

K.

My meal was exactly what I wanted it to be. Absolutely delicious. Staff were friendly and helpful. Great atmosphere, curated and intentional without seeming pretentious.

H.

Came with my friends here tonight. Really happy with the customer service of the staff and cherry on the top was the food we ordered. Highly recommend this.

F.

Service was fantastic, food was amazing, friendly and made to feel so welcome. Thanks so much, we will be back.

P.

We had the "big breakfast" from their menu. Food was good at a reasonable price. Staff were freindly! Was enjoyable!

D.

Fantastic concept, great food and good service. Was fortunate enough to meet the enterprising young owner who is clearly very passionate and proud of his business. Would highly recommend !

S.

Service was impeccable! Food and drinks were delicious. Highly recommend.

D.

Terrific staff, delicious food

V.

Spectacular food, cocktails and service. Went for breakfast and dinner and both services were top notch. Will be heading back for sure.

S.

Went her after my friend's recommendation and wasn't disappointed. Staff was very friendly and food was really tasty. 100% recommend this!

H.

Friendly happy team members. Food was delish. Would have given 5 stars but table was wobbly😶

E.

We went for lunch and it was so good we went back for dinner and were not dissapointed. The food was wonderful and good value and the staff are very welcoming and try their best to accommodate everyone

M.

Service was super friendly and the beef short ribs were amazing! Feel like going agin for 2 nights in a row!

P.

As a vegetarian, not a whole lot of options. The sauce didn't taste that well. Very friendly staff, very nice location. Maybe non vegetarian options tasted better.

J.

We went here for dinner and it has to be one of the best restaurants out family has visited and it was so good we ordere a 3 course meal and we all agreed that the flavours where absolutely awesome the staff where extremely friendly and loved to chat defiantly go here it’s truely awesome

D.

Amazing food, lovely staff. My 5 years old daughter loved her kids meal.

T.

Good, middle-of-the-road eatery. Nice staff, good menu and reasonably priced, I thought 😁 We enjoyed our meal.

T.

The smoke lamb rump roast was very tender - the apricots added a nice sweetness to the dish

T.

Had some porkbelly but it was slightly burnt rather than charred, didnt enjoy it much

R.

We absolutely love this restaurant, amazing food and cocktails to die for. A++++ dining experience.

J.

Me and my whole family loved the food and service here. Very friendly staff. Would come here again.

M.

Good food and drinks, reasonably priced. Service was great too.

T.

Great service, awesome cocktails, good food. Definitely worth stopping by, at least once!

K.

Great service and food, staff are friendly towards customers and staff, love this place, always come back here

C.

Food was good, service was great and vibes were even better 👍

S.

Lovely staff and the pulled beef sandwich was very nice!! We would def come back

R.

Good service, great chicken and chips, the ciders are good, I had the beef ribs, turned out to be one and it wasn't the best I've had

I.

We had a nice lunch here, it was our first place eating out after the long break!

M.

Great dining experience. Beautiful food and good service. Quaint cafe in trendy Eat Street.

S.

Lovely atmosphere, great food. One of the best food I've tasted in Rotorua.

r.

Fantastic food and service and the owner is an awesome guy. Thank you for a wonderful evening.

n.

Great service this morning. Food was great and great customer service from the bro jihtin. Would recomend this place

R.

The food is incredible, the staff are lovely and the owner is awesome!

I.

Great meal but wouldn't recommend the fried cheesecake.

J.

Absolutely delicious food. Great service. Great beer.

M.

Fantastic service, food and great mojito!

m.

Omg. Super yum food. Best service. Mega awesome!

J.

Really awesome lunch deal slow smoked brisket in a wrap yum

J.

Came here for lunch. Delicious food, great service!

V.

Smoked veges didn't really taste smoked, the drinks were yum tho

K.

Absolutely amazing service. Truly outstanding. Definitely recommend!

P.

Great service and fabulous meal. Highly reccomend to all.

M.

Amazing 👏 great seafood and ribs.

N.

Very good food - salmon especially so

R.

Mean kai and staff were awsome

J.

Nice resturant, but taste of food needs some improvement

S.

Friendly staff and the meals were delish

A.

Great service, food arrived fast, and great food

j.

Great food, always great service.

M.

From the service to the food 10/10 in my book

S.

Very yum and ut was jam packed

J.

Ordered a burger. Meat was dry and tough.

C.

Best venison ever. Great staff. Quick service.

P.

Great attentive service. Food was great.

C.

Great food good service

D.

Great restaurant in eat street rotorua

P.

Excellent service, Osum foood.

J.

Great food and wine

D.

Pork belly is awesome

B.

great meat selection

W.

Great food and service

C.

Good food and service

t.

Ok. Not brilliant.

C.

Yum

E.

J.

V.

J.

K.

J.

B.

A.

A.

P.

g.

K.

B.

Contact