Reviews of Portlander. (Restaurant) in Wellington (Wellington).

Portlander

900 Reviews

341 Comments

Restaurant

Restaurant

Bar & grill

Steak house

Corner Whitmore Street, Featherston Street, and, Wellington 6011, New Zealand

Description

Information of Portlander, Restaurant in Wellington (Wellington)

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 Portlander

Popular times

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Reviews of Portlander

A. F.

Amazing food ! Love the sous vide beef fillet! Shared with my hubby , big portions! And nice ambiance and lovely staffs !

T. F.

Love this restaurant . Lovely staffs and great food ! Got to try the sous vide beef eye fillet , amazingly cooked !

G. T.

Enjoyable dinner tonight at Portlander. The service was good, not obvious, but efficient. Meals were all very good, the flambe scallops, rib eye, VWOAP burger, slow cooked lamb, salad, vegetables, and eaton mess were well presented, and were very tasteful. Everything was cooked to perfection. All in all, a nice way place to have a Sunday dinner with family in Wellington. Top marks to the staff at Portlander!

H. L. H.

Been try so many places for dry-ages beef, but today i finally find a best ever dry-ages steak in my life. The nutty taste, the flavours, the texture of the steak dancing in my mouth. Fabulous.

S.

PORTLANDER EST 2012 WELLINGTON NEW ZEALAND Nestled in a spot where land meets sea, the Portlander is a unique take on the grill house concept - one which is local, seasonal, cultivated... and just a little bit wild. We're about superb cuts of meat, prepared to perfection and finished in style. Bloody rare and rather well done - it's the ideal place to eat meat and greet.

R. A.

A good place to go for lunch, not too crowded this time. Get's crowded during their Breakfast Special. The main meal was good and I found it was a large portion, but there was still room for dessert.

F. M.

Beef is delicious but I was expecting a bit more of bacon. And it would be good to have the option for an aioli instead of regular tomato sauce/ketchup. Also, I didn't have the option of adding an extra patty. But good value for money.

S. E.

Not exceptional. We were looking forward to our Xmas team lunch here. Had booked it a month ago. Arrived to an empty room, great, first in first orders to kitchen. Sat 20 mins before drink orders, got drinks by 1230 and ate at 1pm. Drinks slow to get served, twice. Parts of order not taken and therefore not served. I wanted that broccoli! Steak was OK. Nothing to write home about. I was expecting better for $40 and it was mediocre. Went for some food afterwards to fill up.

N. G.

Can’t say enough good things about this restaurant. We booked using First Table which has at 5:30pm seating and gives you 50% off meals. The restaurant is part of the Rydges Hotel so the welcome and service we received was exceptional. Staff were very professional and experienced. We ordered the lamb ragu as an entree and it was a sizeable portion and delicious. The steaks were cooked very well and we enjoyed our sides too. If you’re looking for a good steak bar with excellent service, whether on a date or with good friends you won’t got wrong picking Portlander.

R. F.

Try the dry age steak. Amazing food. Great staff. Been to the Portlander three times now and each time I'm not disappointed. Had some family in town so took them along for a steak. Shared the châteaubriand - amazing.

M. o. t. F.

Beautiful location. Sadly only massive cuts of their signature meats. The veggie side was chunky cut broccoli that wasn't very well cooked. Steak very nice. Venison pie super yummy! Sadly the waiter seemed very uninformed and uninterested in the wine list. We hoped to find a great wine pairing. We were recommended 'a red is good'. Overall good though!

S. Y.

Good place for steaks. Sticky pork ribs weren't sticky at all, and hand cut chips were way too thick. Expected more for how much you're paying. Sommelier was very friendly and recommended a bottle of wine that was too expensive but came back with a cheaper one that was just perfect. Service is good and friendly. Reservations needed as it gets crowded during dinner service.

J. A.

I had “the cheese burger” and this is the best ever! This is what the cheese burger is. It was not only cheesy but patty was so yummy. Plus, fries was so fresh! My wife took a 2 course package of “tagliatelle and “flourless brownie”. She enjoyed all food. Afraid we couldn’t finish the desert since so full up. And staff always look after our table. Overall, will definitely come back and eat the burger again and try steak as well.

O. P.

Very good steak, good staff service, highly recomended.

A. N.

Wakanui ribeye was one of the best steaks I've had. My wife had the salmon and she was smiling the whole time. Great service i will be back for the dry aged sirloin.

E.

Excellent meal. Group of 7 of us. All food and drink very good.

R.

Came here a few weeks ago for my sisters 20th birthday, great atmosphere and some of the best food I've ever eaten, however the portion sizes for the steaks are very small don't come with anything else but the steak and the sauce, no veggies come with it or anything. So if you're going to buy a steak make sure you order sides with it! (thank goodness we did). However, my pork belly was huge! and the gourmet potatoes were the nicest potatoes I've ever had in my life. Very yummy, I will be back sometime in the future :)

H.

Food was ok, but not startling. The delivery of drinks from the bar was very, very slow. Location and setting is convenient and pleasant.

J.

We were told this is the best steak in town and didn't disappoint 😊👌 However I was bowled by the cauliflower cheese (au gratin??) Side dish OMG best ever I will be coming back just for this!

B. W.

had a great experience and dinner at Portlander the other day with my wife. It was our anniversary , the restaurant has offered us free champagne . The steak was perfectly cooked, the staff was very friendly. highly recommended to all.

D. R.

Perfectly cooked steak, delicious veges and a dessert too good to turn down.. You'll never go wrong at The Portlander

S. P.

Not bad :). Good quality, great staff. Steak was cooked well, carrot mash was a little under seasoned and the creme brulee was good. All dishes were a solid 8/10.

O. C.

Food - Perfect Atmosphere - Perfect Service - This could be better, we were seated swiftly as we had a reservation, however the waitress who seated us and asked if we wanted water, which I replied yes, left and didnt come back. Another waitress came by after a while to take our order and did not notice that our water glasses were clearly empty and we had to ask for water before having our order taken. This was the only reason for the missing star, otherwise the rest of the night was perfect.

T. H.

Took my mum here for her birthday. Got a great corner booth with fantastic atmosphere. Staff were amazing, each one wishing my mum special wishes and the food delicious. So good I forgot to grab a photo! Will definitely be returning.

R. D.

My partner and I enjoyed two eye fillets, side of mash, and a side of broccoli. The food was INCREDIBLE. The potato mash was just the right amount of garlic, and the eye fillet had the most amazing flavour. We will definitely be back again! We had the amazing Marie as our waitress. She had a warm energy, very attentive, super helpful and knowledgable on the food and their ingredients - which I really appreciate being celiac.

S. K.

The staff are so lovely and helpful. We had some drunk guys being very rude to us and the staff dealt with the situation very professionally.

H. W.

This restaurant offers not only great service but the wine selection is fabulous with a wonderful choice of wines. My steak was cooked perfectly and was matched with a lovely selection of greens. There is also a wonderful atmosphere.

E.

Awesome WOAP burger, staff were friendly! Shout out to the waitress with the Pikachu face mask, you are awesome!

L. R.

Food is an excellent standard, however service varies widely. An incredibly busy Friday night yet service was superb. However, a slack Sunday night with a different team and I waited an hour for my food with rather brusque semi-friendly waiting staff.

C.

We stayed at the hotel upstairs and decided to try out this hotel restaurant. Excellent customer service, and devine meals.

R. M.

For what is often rated as the top steak house in Wellington, I looked forward to a nice upmarket steak business lunch with my wife during the working week. However, whilst the steak was certainly tasty and cooked to perfection I felt the long wait to get seated after a booking was made and arrival at the due time, excessive wait to get an order taken to the point where we were just getting up to leave to go elsewhere when the waitress arrived (only 3-4 other tables so not overly busy) and then lack of attention for things like no refresh of table water etc, detracted from the anticipated experience. Staff were certainly very pleasant and polite, ambience and décor OK, but overall I would rate my experience there for a business time lunch as average amongst the strong line up of other great restaurants around the Wellington CBD region.

B. P.

Food was ok but service was spectacular

R. S.

Came here a few weeks ago for my sisters 20th birthday, great atmosphere and some of the best food I've ever eaten, however the portion sizes for the steaks are very small don't come with anything else but the steak and the sauce, no veggies come with it or anything. So if you're going to buy a steak make sure you order sides with it! (thank goodness we did). However, my pork belly was huge! and the gourmet potatoes were the nicest potatoes I've ever had in my life. Very yummy, I will be back sometime in the future :)

C. W.

Service was a bit poor. Steak was good, sides could have been larger. But would go there again.

J. N.

Delicious food. I had the eye fillet with a red wine jus. It was very tender. The vegetable sides we shared were great! Cauliflower, super tasty broccoli (tasted better than it looked) and the best fries ever!

A. L.

Amazing service along with the best steak I’ve tried in a very long time. Would come again !!

D. V.

Overall really good, a little bit pricey if you are after something a little bit more casual. Had the hamburger as mentioned a bit pricey, it was really good with a full on homemade beef patty cooked to perfection.

J. P.

Best steak in a long time. Which we had known you should book the tomahawk. That was the main reason we went. The steaks we had were still amazing. Lamb duo awesome too.

A. L. R.

Amazing place. Fantastic. Few places excite me as much as this. Great customer service. Amazing food and people. Definitely go there. God bless

S.

Great service and the steaks were unreal, can't wait to go back

J. T.

Holy floofballs. If one likes a good steak, then one needs to commit to the 200g Wakanui Eye Fillet with port jus. No regrets.

P. Y.

They had lovely steaks and beautiful desserts!! 😁

A. E.

If you thought the steak was great try the desserts... amazing

D. T.

I was after a good steak house in Wellington, for my birthday, and chose Portlander. The atmosphere was great, very busy and the steak was fantastic; very little fat and cooked perfectly. The portion size is a little on the smaller side but the quality made up for it and it could also be what I ordered; there are other dishes that are considerably bigger. The steak was accompanied with some mashed potato and also ordered an extra side of vegetables which were both great, the mashed potato, in particular. They also have a huge selection of whiskies, if that's your thing, which, for me, is an added bonus! Definitely keen on returning, in the future.

R. O.

My partner and I came here for dinner and had a great time. The food was exceptional, they specialise in steak and it was certainly delicious. They also have a great selection of wines and beers to accompany your dinner. The service was fantastic, very friendly staff. Shout-out to Sarah who was our waitress, she was lovely. This is also a great spot if you are after a bit of a romantic dinner too as the lighting is nice and ambient and the staff are not intrusive in anyway and leave you to it.

A.

As a Wellingtonian you would never expect a hotel restaurant to be a staple in the Wellington scene...its very good service and very good food. Super impressed for a hotel restaurant to HD its own as a stand alone place...

m. r.

Not bad for a hotel restaurant. Bit cramped dining and unable to have a waiter manage your table if you are on the bar side qhere we wanted to sit as there were less people so would have to go to the bar and order. I know its not a huge issue but when you are spending $100 + on food its usually the dinning experience you are paying for.

N. R.

The service was great. Friendly and attentive without being intrusive. Slightly disappointed that my steak came more pink than red when though I ordered rare. It was still delicious. The menu was extensive and interesting. I had spicy rice pudding and my wife golden syrup sponge with ginger. Loved them both and walked away feeling very satisfied.

M. C. (.

Wine and Din here last year in November! It was an experience. Our food was delicious, staff were friendly. Just keep in mind, that you have to order your side separately from the main course!

D.

Friendly service, Mr Phil Shearer was welcoming as always....Good coffee....surprisingly not too busy for a lunchtime but pleasant for an unwind and coffee....(no food this time)

D. M.

Our party of four decided to try Portlander’s new Potluck dinner, and wow we were not disappointed. Every dish was of course a surprise as you cannot choose, and each dish was so good. 6 courses from soup to steak. Great flavours ending with a cheese board. And only $60 a head. Well done Portlander. Exceptional.

M.

Great service, amazing food, friendly staff. Would highly recommend

S. C.

Fabulous Kai, Staff and facility. I would recommend this place to all my friends and Family.

B.

Wonderful experience. Enjoyed the meal with my friends. Beautiful service by Sia. Enjoyed the service which was smooth and fast. Loved that she served us with a smile.Took good care of us. Lovely ambience. Will be back with my family again.

J. H.

Absolutely AMAZING! Spicy lamb ribs were to die for. Smoked Brisket and horseradish was impeccable. 800 gram Longbone OP Ribeye was the BEST steak I've ever eaten. The sides were moreish, wonderful. Hands down the best meal I've had. Highly recommend. So affordable!!

C. V.

Had a meal here with friends, fantastic resteraunt, the food was delicious.

G. M.

Really nice food, good staff- excellent

E.

Have thoroughly enjoyed my selection of dinner dishes and breakfast. Fish chowder, fresh oysters, battered oysters and cooked cheese cake my favorite 😋

E. O.

My husband and I went to Portlander for a second time, having had a wonderful meal the first time about 6 months ago; the second visit did NOT disappoint. We had the 55g eye fillet and it was cooked to perfection (MR) and the accompanying sauces were divine. The service was spot on getting that balance of right of tending to our needs but letting us enjoy our time. We will definitely be dining there again next time we're in Wellington. :)

M. L.

Steak was very good, entrée are very few and uninspiring. Good wine list and very good service. The main is said to be served with pureed potatoes but this is more a feature then food, so ordering a side is more or less a must if you don't want to get out hungry.

R. T.

Pretty much the place for bistro dining n drinks

S.

Wow! Amazing Pork Riblet. Well worth a visit. Service was great and food came pretty fast from kitchen.

S.

Wonderful place for dinner. Service was attentive and prompt, meat was tender and full of flavour, drink selection was extensive and portions were perfect size. We had the sirloin, the fillet and the lamb duo. Definitely recommended!

D.

Great meal. Shannon our hostess was attentive and did great presentation. Thank you for helping us to celebrate a special birthday 🎂

L.

Absolutely beautiful great service. Tried a new gin and tonic! It was like drinking heaven. They really know their stuff. Thanks for a great night

A.

Amazing food and service. The waitress was very knowledgable and did not rush us at all. Highly recommend the cheese burger and amazing fries.

a. m.

It's such a great place to meet and eat. The food was brilliant and the service awesome. They have reduced their prices and made it more affordable which during these days will get the customers back in the door. Excellent work everyone at Rydges

C.

More food than a horse could eat and all delicious. The biggest and best Pork Belly in Wellington as well as their legendary steaks.

D. G.

*edit* I went back 2 nights later and the service was excellent. The food and wine was great, as it was the first time. I had a steak again, albiet a cheaper cut. It was still well cooked and very tasty. I also had some salmon sashimi. Very fresh salmon. Great Steak (Eye Fillet) cooked well, and good wine (Trout River Pinot). Service could have been better.

B.

Great meal tonight. The pork belly was perfect plus our waitress Shannon was delightful and looked after us fantastically.

e. b.

After a night at the Circa Theater we got back to the Hotel about 10.09, they seated us and had our food on the table within 20 minutes, we both had the Eye Fillet, not cheap but perfectly cooked and presented and very filling, one of the best steaks either of us has ever had. The next morning we had the buffet breakfast, huge variety, great food and again very impressed. Definitely be dining here again.

H.

Great food and service - started with drinks and then dinner. Service was unobtrusive and we weren't rushed at all - able to have a leisurely meal. I recommend the shepherd's pie.

T. B.

Friendly, attentive service, amazing food, and an incredibly comprehensive whiskey selection. We were on our way to another restaurant when we walked past, but changed our minds when we saw the menu. So glad we did! Classy décor, warm inviting atmosphere, and a wonderfully varied and interesting menu. Despite being a busy Saturday, service was well paced. Will be back to try the Wild Venison!

J. N.

Food is pricey but very well prepared, and tastes great. Portion sizes are fair. The real beauty of this place however is its wine selection. Come for the wine, stay for the steak.

F. T.

If I could, it would've been 3.5 stars. Myself and my wife both had the cheeseburger, and the food was excellent, nothing wrong with the food at all. The burger was amazing! It was just a shame our drinks took a very long time and the staff seemed very unorganised, except for our waitress who was lovely. After our meal we sat in the bar area for a drink, we couldn't believe the amount of empty glasses left on the empty tables, the whole time we spent at our table we had a decent collection of empty glasses from the previous customers. Just to point out the place wasn't busy too! Also, for whole the time we didn't there, there was no toilet paper in the ladies rest room. (2 visits to the rest room) Food amazing, but needs better organisation from staff if it wants to stay classy.

O. C.

I frequently visit the Portlander, it has become a regular for after work drinks with friends and also with workmates. I recently dined in the Restaurant with a large group, the service was impeccable as it always is and the food was delicious. I ordered the Caesar Salad (entree size) which I was told by the waitress was generous enough to have as a main and she wasn't wrong. All the food looked delicious especially the steak!! The atmosphere at the Portlander is sophisticated and relaxed, it's always lively but never to the point you feel uncomfortable or that the staff don't have time for you. This place is one of my favourites.

K.

Meat was delicious, but the accompanying vegetables/puree were a bit of a let down. Especially given the price. Desserts were nothing special.

S. Q.

This restraunt used to be a lot better, the service was very friendly but quite slow. My steak was slightly over, which surprised me given portlander describe themselves as a steakhouse and my beer glass had a huge crack down it. We didn't get offered a menu for desert, we were kinda left alone with empty plates on our table. Apparently the burger was good, I regret not having it over the steak. Rounded up from 2.5 stars.

d. w.

Excellent little restaurant. Initially thought it was a bit expensive however when you look at the amount of food you get and the quality, it is actually very good value. We had the beef cheek and rib combination. Quality food, brilliantly cooked, melt in your mouth. Service was very good. The Heineken on tap was the best I’ve had since Amsterdam. We stayed at The Rydges over the Armistice weekend. We ate elsewhere on our second night and wished we had gone back to The Portlander instead. Defo go back again next time I’m in Wellington.

J. F.

Great food, wine, and coffee. Upmarket but still affordable. A fantastic spot to eat.

H. R.

I'm putting three stars in because I came here around a month ago and loved the whole experience. The service, beverage list and food were all top class. The reason for the lack of five stars is because I just recommended this restaurant to two people I'm looking after for their time in Wellington. I called to make a booking for this evening (low hopes because it's Christmas), and was told that a table for two would be available at 7pm. The woman on the phone said she wasn't able to make reservations but will phone back within an hour to confirm the booking and take a deposit (she was also unsure of the deposit amount). I waited an hour and a half and hadn't received a call (I'm unsure if this was an error on my end), but when I phoned to provide CC details for the deposit and confirm the booking, she told me that they're fully booked for the evening and it was a mistake that she thought there was availability. It's extremely disappointing because the people I'm taking care of withdrew a reservation elsewhere to come to this place instead and now that place is unavailable. Better communication is needed between the staff there (so current availability is always known) to avoid situations like this happening, and more training is needed so whoever is on the phone can take the reservation on the spot and not make false promises. It's really disappointing and I hope that this is a one off incident because I will continue to recommend this place.

G.

Loved the lamb, very tender and flavoursome. Pork had a perfect crackling. Another good dinner at Portlander, will be back for the fourth at some point!

Y. R.

Food was excellent, especially the beef tartare. It's a restaurant in a hotel and we were sat near the entrance of the restaurant closer to the entrance of the hotel, so was a bit lacking in atmosphere but enjoyed the experience. The eye fillet steak and lamb were cooked well to our liking. Service was great also.

A.

An amazing place, the food is spectular but the customer services needs big improvement. First day (after a 10hour travel) we had Caleb, he was great made us feel welcome, relax and at home, told us the specials and what he recommends.. The last day we were in town we thought we would spoil ourselves. Waited at the counter in a quiet restaurant (4 tables were seated) while the staff ran around helping the bar. This was at 5.45 so we grabbed a bottle of red had a glass then got our table.. We were seated and left, watierss comes back and ask for our order, we ask for the specials and it felt like it was a big ask.. Then we ask for a few more minutes to decide.. it's an impossible task that we ask for.. There is now about 10 to 12 tables if the food wasn't amazing we would of walked out.. Add on.. dueing our second visit.. Food was again amazing .. chefs do an amazing job.. but staff are bad.. A large table sat and the staff all rushed to help them .. while we have been here for 2 hours, with empty dishes in front of us, we just want the dessert menu and to leave ..

I.

Went there for the char grill steak experience, alas sadly disappointed. Steak was uninspiring, nothing much else on the plate. Service was very haphazard and slow. There are much better places.

M. M.

The food here is excellent. A high standard. Rib eye steak is very nice. Lost a star as it is reasonably pricey and with the steak you only get the steak so need to order sides as well. Great service from friendly staff and a good atmosphere.

S. M.

In Wellington for a few days. This hotel's restaurant is surprisingly good. staff were attentive and friendly, always a good start! the food was tasty and well proportioned. the Texas ribs with potato skins and coleslaw was a standout, not fine dining obviously. I thought overall it was a little pricey but not outrageously so. would I go back? yes we are eating there again tonight.

A. M.

I had a fantastic experience at Portlander!! I went there expecting great things and I was not disappointed! The service was exceptional and the staff were so friendly and informative about all the menu options. I especially enjoyed the steak and would recommend it to everyone as it was delicious. The atmosphere of the restaurant was relaxed yet classy and I really did have a fantastic evening. My friends and I will b recommending Portlander to everyone as a wonderful restaurant that is perfect for a night out with friends. I will definitely be returning again very soon!!

F.

Wakanui ribeye fillet from the grill was incredible. Among the best tasting steak I can recall. Incredible service from the waiter. One of my favorite restaurants during my five day visit to Wellington.

C.

Incredible food, however interesting chef/bartending practices... After ordering a specific fruit cocktail which the ingredients were specified in the menu, we were served completely different drinks and when we advised the staff we were told that the bartenders like to pick and choose what they put in and laughed it off... interesting considering some people (luckily not us) can have serious reactions to such things. Secondly, my friend prefers to have her steak "well done" which is an option on the menu....however she was advised by the waitress not to get it because the chefs will not be happy.... why have it as an option? awkward and weird. The food was incredible but just a strange experience considering we are the paying customers and should be given what we ask for, if it is on the menu? we are generally pretty relaxed but just felt the staff were making a deal out of it by being so particular and concerned with their own ideals. Thanks

S. J.

I found the entire experience delightful. Crisp, efficient and courteous service without going over board, it was obvious that the staff are treated well because they genuinely seemed to be happy. The food was amazing - creative, delicious and generous portions. The drinks were mixed perfectly and there was a good selection of everything I wanted. I will definitely be returning and would recommend the Portlander to anyone for a coffee, lunch, dinner or an afterwork drink.

K.

Meat was delicious, but the accompanying vegetables/puree were a bit of a let down. Especially given the price. Desserts were nothing special.

D.

Good food try the chefs choice. Was not disappointed.

C.

Great food - the deer milk panna cotta is to die for!!!

I. J.

Went there for the char grill steak experience, alas sadly disappointed. Steak was uninspiring, nothing much else on the plate. Service was very haphazard and slow. There are much better places.

T.

Great service. Delicious food. Would definitely return.

D.

It is a nice place for a function. However I thought it seemed over priced for what we had

E.

My husband and I went to Portlander for a second time, having had a wonderful meal the first time about 6 months ago; the second visit did NOT disappoint. We had the 55g eye fillet and it was cooked to perfection (MR) and the accompanying …

S. R.

Wonderful place for dinner. Service was attentive and prompt, meat was tender and full of flavour, drink selection was extensive and portions were perfect size. We had the sirloin, the fillet and the lamb duo. Definitely recommended!

C. H.

Always great food. However the grumpy guy on the till needs to calm down. It's very rude to complain when we are splitting the bill - we weren't told this would be an issue at any point.

R.

I love it here. Food, staff, alcohol. All amazing. I go for the spirits, the cocktails and the wine. Also the food and the friendly and knowledgeable staff. They know how to make a good drink in a swanky place without charging THE EARTH for it. Would recommend to anyone.

F. D.

Absolutely delicious meals! Very fancy, and very fairly priced. Perfect for a romantic night out or a group outing. Highly recommend. With polite staff and a great atmosphere, you couldn't go wrong with Portlander.

T.

Wow, highly recommend. My fiancee and i had the chefs special. So amazing and great value for money. Staff we awesome and atmosphere was great. Thanks team!

O. M. J.

Visited on a Monday evening, without a prior reservation while staying in the hotel. Welcome was warm, and we were shown to a nicely positioned table and offered menu and wine list. Our orders were taken when we were ready and the staff member seemed to know what she was doing, and did it reasonably well although her mind was clearly elsewhere (pity about her spilling the olive oil, did she think we hadn't noticed, or something? Otherwise why not apologise and wipe it?) Then we realised a possible reason for our conveniently available table: on the very next table another guest was speaking (almost shouting) extremely loudly and forcefully about various matters to her clearly embarrassed acquaintance/friend/companion a mere few feet across from her. The companion seemed almost blown away by each of those verbal blasts, cringing back whenever another onslaught began. It did not make for a pleasant dining experience for us, but fortunately, as our main courses arrived, the orator decided to go, and did just that thing, to our considerable relief. Apart from the above matters, food was very good and well presented, wine was nice, service was acceptable, price was expensive, but expectedly so. Yes, I do realise the difficulty restaurant staff might experience in dealing with loud customers, and I intend to dine here again, hoping that next time different circumstances allow me to indicate a better rating.

N.

Really nice place with fantastic food and wait staff. Very well priced and descent portions. So glad we had dinner here. I wish I had cash on me to leave a tip for my waiter (I think his name was David?) but I didn't come prepared. He was very friendly and knowledgeable about the times on the menu. Will definitely be back next time we stay at the Rydges hotel.

D. F.

Ever since the restaurant has opened as the Portlander, It has been one of my favourite places in the city to eat at. The relaxed, Hunting room style, the Amazing service and outstanding food really make it one of the city's best restaurants. Especially the Burgers! with a diverse and sophisticated menu, you can go there again and again and still have something new and delicious. LOVE IT :D

J.

Went here for my birthday and it was amazing. Steak I had was amazing as well as the deserts, which they took off after I told them why I was there that night. Only downside, book ahead if you plan to go on the weekend.

C.

Fantastic food as always, but the service was a bit lacking that night.

A.

Had the whole filet steak we asked for it blue and it came perfectly cooked. The service was excellent too. A bit pricey but very worth it. I would definitely go back.

D.

Great dinner and service. Steak was delicious and cooked to perfection, staff friendly and attentive. Highly recommended

B.

Partner and i jad dinner here. The entrees were stunning and the mains even better. The double cheeseburger was the best burger i have eaten in a long time. Will definitely be eating here again

L.

Food and service was excellent a great atmosphere

D.

Great meals enjoyed a NY strip steak, meat was good could've been rendered better as the fat was partly burnt and chewy. Garlic creamy mash potatos stole the show, wish there was more of it on the plate.

J.

Our waiter Ivan was excellent, the time between entree & main perfect, My steak was cooked well however for the price it was very small & the bernaise sauce was run of the mill almost boardered on packet stuff. then you had to order your sides on top of that, The spanish Chicken was good also but came with way to many roast potatoes. All in All Decor & Service excellent, next time I return will try something other than steak & chicken to see if it warrants an expensive night out for two who had no alcoholic drinks.

H. H.

I was fortunate enough to have a meal at the Portlander on the weekend and after hearing so many great comments about the restaurant it had a lot to live up to- and it did more than that! I thoroughly enjoyed my experience with the Portlander restaurant. The staff were friendly and helpful and the food was as delicious as others had told me it would be. I would highly recommend this restaurant for your next dining venue.

R. M.

Food was amazing. Great steak. Well worth the effort to get there! Ho-hum on service.

S.

Food overall was really good, friendly staff but were a little slow on checking back in for food and drink orders. Would absolutely go back again though.

G.

Delicious end of year treat for our group of 16. Well looked after and served a beautiful meal. Great staff too.

S. C.

Appropriate size portions for lunch. Talk to Tony if you like wine - the standard list is quite good but he has some spectacular wines that aren't listed. Not cheap of course but we loved what we bought.

s. s.

Median rare came out rare. Staff was nice and offered to cook the steak a bit more, but I didn't like the idea of having my steak back on the grill again after having it for obvious hygiene concerns. And hate to think if they have offered other customers the same and they let them cook it...

T. M.

Everytime I have been to the Portlander I have found the service to be outstanding and the quality of food to be excellent! The Burgers are a must try! But for me what makes the Portlander is the Bar; Great drinks and staff that are willing to try make anything you ask for - Ask for the 'Snickers' Shot. All in all - Great food. Great Service. Great Drinks. Great atmosphere.

M.

Went there during Wellington on a Plate for lunch. GREAT value for money and the lamb I had was delicious!!! And for $25 got a lovely glass of pinot with it. Definitely worth a trip back.

L.

Good food - waiter was rushing us but overall good

K.

I'm lucky in that I get to dine at Portlander quite regularly. And wow am I thankful for that! They do the absolute best steak in the city and coupled with impeccable service, it makes for an amazing dining experience. The last two times I have been I've had the rib eye steak - both times, cooked to perfection. Although it's connected to the Rydges Hotel, don't let that put you off, this IS NOT your average, run of the mill hotel restaurant. Porlander has got to be coming up as one of Wellington's best restaurants, it must be tried!

S. G.

Atmosphere was great lovely quiet music in the background. The porkbelly was tender and super tasty the lamb was cooked perfectly we will definitely be going back!

E.

Best steak and meal ever

R.

Delicious food, amazing environment, lack of low carb options in the menu

A.

Great meal. Nice choice. The service was great. Staff were friendly.

G.

Nice little place for a evening dinner. The food is good, its a little pricey but nothing too bad. The steak was amazing. The drinks came out slow. The service is ok, about average for Wellington.

B.

Had Lunch at the Portlander today and it was delicious! I got the Nutty Chook a satay chicken burger with some potato crisps. The food was great and filling and the wait staff (both the girl at the counter at at our table) were wonderful. I look forward to going back some time soon!

C. H.

I have visited the Portlander a number of times, mostly for after work drinks, but also for a weekday lunch and an evening meal. I can honestly say the quality of the service, food, drinks and environment the team have created is of the highest standard! There is nowhere else like it in Wellington - you will not be disappointed!

S.

Yesterday I participated in PRIME Club Whisky tasting. Nine sorts of single malt whisky was considered (in fact, they all were just brilliant). Now I know the history of this drink, types, methods of making, differences, etc. All my questions were clarified and I had the unique experience as a starting point of my self education and developing of my hobby. Before that event I didn't know that very high quality Japanese whisky even exists. But I tried it and definitely will try it again. Thanks to all participants for a good conversation and a BIG thanks to facilitators and the restaurant!

J. J.

A high-end hotel restaurant that also serves great food! Unlike some hotel restaurants that aren't anything to write home about, this one (although pricey as you might expect) has great food often executed very well, and professional service. We came in for Wellington on a Plate and would highly recommend their Portlander burger - it was simply devine.

M. M.

Portlanders has become our "local". The staff are fantastic, the service impeccable! Whether it's enjoying the offerings from their lunch menu or after work drinks and bar snacks the service and quality is always high. Rhiannon and her staff should be really proud of what they've achieved and the atmosphere they've created.

M.

Excellent food and wine. Friendly and helpful staff.

V. P.

Solo dinner with no prior reservation. This was not a problem and waiting staff immediately displayed high quality and the level of training. During whole dinner they were attentive precisely to the required level. This is where Portlander shines. I started with Brandy Alexander, but components didn't mixed very well and the cocktail leaned heavily towards brandy. Eye filet was excellent. It melted in my mouth. However, even by the definition from Portlander's menu the steak was well done and not medium as requested. Not the close to the pinked middle. Tiramisu was OK but not spectacular, unfortunately the portion was on the small side. Selection of wine was average. Anyway, I liked the atmosphere and will try them again.

F.

One of the best cheese burgers I've had in a while... , it was absolutely delicious! Was not very happy with the Ribeye though, it was just a regular steak, did not standout to me.

D.

Consistently great food and service!

J. S.

We’ve had excellent lunch and dinner at Portlander today, and we’re looking forward to breakfast tomorrow morning. Chateaubriand was amazing, so delicious, can’t do anything else than highly recommend it. You won’t be disappointed!

C. O.

Really nice bar and restaurant. Good food and friendly staff. Handy to the railway station and when there is an event at the Westpac stadium. Nice accommodation as part of the hotel. A smart choice to stay and relax.

C. G.

My husband and I have wined and dined at some of the best restaurants in the world. Portland is up there with the best. This restaurant and Rydges Hotel has been a huge contributor to us having romantic evenings, moments, dinners as well as successful business lunches abd breakfasts. Portlander is our favourite restaurant and serves the best steaks in New Zealand. Not to mention their other delicious meals. The service is consistently warm, efficient, fun and professional. We give huge credit to management for the high standard of service they constantly work at and deliver. Thank you for being the Best!! Thank you for giving us somewhere fabulous to wine and dine and somewhere to take our friends and family. Neville and Caii-Michelle Baker

J.

We got the set menu and it was such good value for money, the meals were beautiful and the service was exceptional. Will be making an effort to go there again on our next trip.

T.

Great food and service. My rib eye steak was cooked to perfection, so was my wife's fillet. Will definitely come back.

F.

I enjoyed the new menu. Flavours and presentation good. Service though could be improved on. eg advised we were sharing but no extra plates given, serving cutlery not given with each dish.

C. Y.

An truely lovely evening, the waiters were helpful and looked after us well. The food was amazing and a great wine selection to match was outstanding!!! Also on a seperate occasion we stopped in for a quiet drink and tryed some of the tapas before heading into town. Great vibes as a must if you havnt already been there before

A.

Didn't tried their famous 21-28 days aged steak - but other people said they are really good Tried the other one.the S.E.C Steak taste ok Interesting sause/dip that came with it.

J. Y.

Great service, fairly priced food

P.

Friendly staff. Service was abit long time waiting as we had to ask when our sides and bottle of wine were coming. Didnt have everything available on the menu.

S.

Great food and very respectful chef and wait staff to people with allergies

M.

Amazing steak cuts cooked to perfection, seasoned well. All washed down with the highly recommended Man-O-War Pinot Noir from Waiheke Island

H.

I have had better ones.... their medium rare is closer to medium well ( over cook like everyone else's ) mushroom soaked in excessive oil mash potato was good though spent $70+ feel like $55 service was good though

A.

Fantastic night out; the restaurant was full and buzzing, the staff, though inexperienced, were friendly and attentive and the food delicious. Price means it is definitely a special occasion meal, but will be back for certain.

C.

Service was good, they did make a mistake on our entrée but corrected it. Cauliflower entrée was absolutely amazing. Cheeseburger was average. Thanks for a good night

C. N.

Good staff, presentation of food was incredible. As well as their ambiance is awesome. Great for dinner dates.

D.

Incredible food (crème brulee is the best I have ever had!), great atmosphere, great location (especially for people like myself staying at Rydges on business frequently). Prices are high but worth it.

M.

Wonderful staff first of all! I enjoyed my sirloin like I've never enjoyed one before. Their Crème brûlée is a must too if you're visiting Wellington!

N.

Excellent food, wine and service. Had the ribs, so big it felt like the head and the tail were included. Great atmosphere.

H. G.

Open later than other restaurants. Great meals but a little bit on the pricey side. The lamb shank was excellent.

C.

My wife and I went to the portlander for dinner while on our honeymoon. We had a great meal and our waiter was friendly and keen to help. It has a good atmosphere and very friendly staff. Thanks for a memorable night :)

P.

A busy, buzzy little restaurant with an eclectic menu & fabulous, friendly & diverse staff!! Italian, Estonian, Maori: truely international. Delighted to be waited on in te reo!!

W.

We dined for lunch again today and the steak is by far the best in wellington, The service was what we have come to expect nothing but great. All around a really good place for business lunch.

Y.

Great service great food... Thank you Maree you made the night great with your wonderful service and smile..

R.

Nice place to enjoy a breakfast. There's plenty of good food on offer and it was difficult to select from everything that was on offer. It all looked so delicious.

K.

Great beef

S.

Very good breakfast buffet. The venison saussages are particularly delicious. The Moccha was a bit watery.

S.

Great steak , excellent service, worth a visit.

R. R.

Just went for a drink space is tight but generally ok good crowd but most tables had reserved signs on it so not sure if it is a bar or function centre.

V.

Excellent food! One of the best steaks I've had in New Zealand so far.

T. V.

We have been to Portlander for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the food was really great and we loved the service given. All three services were to the same high standard and the staff could not do enough to help us.

R.

great food, attentive & accommodating staff

S.

Lovely setting and a lovely Almond Chai Latte! Perfect for a client meeting as nice and quiet!

C.

Great food - the deer milk panna cotta is to die for!!!

L.

Great menu selection catering for all needs. Excellent service and informative waiting staff. Great night out

B.

I Have been to the Portlander Bar and Grill on sevral occasions. Great service, great staff and excellent meals! Would highly reccomend this establishment to people of all ages.

N.

Lovely attentive and prompt service which was appreciated for a business lunch. Excellent food. Everything was delicious!

N.

Excellent steak, priced a little higher than necessary, given the steaks come with no sides

J.

Best food I've ever had in my 64 years of living

A. D.

Great food loved it, complements to the Chef.

S.

Very professional staff, great selection of meals and drinks. Highly recommended for lunch or dinner

A.

I had a very good burger. The atmosphere was nice. I would recommend if you enjoy good meats.

B.

A vegetarian for 15 years, I chose Portlander as the venue for my first steak. Hilarious staff and melt-in-your-mouth meals. I'm converted.

B.

Portlanders was a Great Plush Restaurant .. Great Service Delicious Steak an a Very Delicious Dessert .. Great Company Alexis Austin .. Hefty Price Tag for 2 ..

V.

Super delicious. We went here with family and everything was really good. Atmosphere, food, service. Love it!

M.

Food very good. Service slow though. Overall a good experience.

N. R.

Food was nice but drinks took ages to arrive, tables hadn't been cleared and toilets needed restocking.

J.

T bone steak was not that great. Could do better at home for $39 without any extra's. But service was good.

C.

Friendly staff, fantastic food amazing wine selection.

D.

It is a nice place for a function. However I thought it seemed over priced for what we had

T.

Great service. Delicious food. Would definitely return.

L.

I have been here twice and both times served the best steak I have ever had. Delicious!

K.

The food is yummy! Staffs are very friendly thats what i like, cant ask for more 🤩

F.

The quality of the steaks and the service is great but they're very expensive.

P.

Good restaurant specialising in large aged steaks. Good friendly sevice.

T.

Fine steaks and well presented starters. Brilliant wine and whiskey selection too.

A.

Great wine selection

S.

Love the food here when I'm in the mood for meat and potatoes. Have a steak - you'd be crazy not to.

R.

We had a great meal with great service from Bailey and William z. Top job.

J.

Delicious food. Perfect for a special occasion. Make sure you leave room for desert!

L.

We had an excellent meal here. Cant wait to be able to go back.

k. A.

I had a prime rib and omg it certainly was 😁 Flintstones style, Cooked to perfection. Exceptionally happy.🤗

S.

If you are heading here, i hope you like meat in all its forms. Over the years I've had fantastic steak, ribs and burgers!

M.

Good atmosphere. Friendly service. Menu limited for vegetarians. Food tasty.

J.

Xmas Lunch 2 adults, 2 children, 4 courses and everyone liked everything super friendly service and very good food

D.

Amazing food and great service. The filet was fantastic.

L.

The food in this restraunt was amazing. The quality of the food was perfect and had the best stake!

M.

Great steaks. A bit pricey, but better than facing the Wellington winter of you're staying at the Rydges.

R.

Good Food, good service, good atmosphere. Will definitely go there again. 😊

j.

Great setting, great food, great staff - what more do you want? Always look forward to going back!

D.

Really nice location and setting. Lovely staff and a good selection on the menu

T.

Excellent service, one of the best steaks I've ever had!

R. S.

The meal was really special.i will be going back soon

p. w.

Great steak and wine to match. Very professional and attentive staff. #portlander #manofwar

M. F.

Prompt and friendly service with very good food. Amazing steak!

P.

We had the duck and it was fantastic. Ribs are amazing and so is the atmosphere and service !

D.

Good food try the chefs choice. Was not disappointed.

M.

Great steak 550gms, medium rare, well worth a visit.

S.

Good liquor selection and knowledgeable staff but ultimately it's a hotel lobby bar and feels like it.

J.

Consistently good. Never a bad meal.

R.

Yummiest Garlic Pizza Bread. Lovely staff. Great atmosphere.

Z.

Good restaurant but the bar tenders have no clue how to make an old fashion

K.

Excellent service and food...not to mention a delicious cocktail!

C.

Had some good burgers here. Food's decent.

M.

Food was yum, but a little pricey for my budget, glad I wasnt paying

M.

Steak was amazing. However the Adrian fella behind the bar is what really made it 😉

G.

Great lunch options, and friendly, quick staff. Only minor quibble was that it was a little loud.

D.

Great wine selection, nice quiet surroundings and good service

D.

The best meat we have had in a long time.

A.

Best salmon entree and great sirloin steak. Delish.

G.

Pricey but excellent especially if you're a steak lover.

A.

Great food & service. Uncomfy chairs that make you want to eat and run!

G.

Great choice on the menu at reasonable prices. Excellent service.

P. D.

Great food. Great service. Wait is a little long tho.

B.

For lunch they've got a good cheeseburger with fries... but on the other hand give the corned lamb a miss.

S.

You forget the price as soon as you have your first mouthful. So worth it! Staff is spectacularly knowledgeable and unobtrusive

D.

Nice food, reasonable price and good coffee

L.

V enjoyable dinner Excellent service First time here but will return

K.

Food was good but not big portions

C.

Good food and service. Romantic ambiance. Highly recommended.

B.

Amazing food here and excellent wine and whisky selections.

w.

Great place, great steak! Very nice place for date night

M.

Nice Stake! prices are little higher than other restaurant but worth it to try

D.

The steak choices are excellent but the sauces are superb!

R.

Pretty pricey but the steak was amazing

D.

Good aged steak, excellent garlic mashed potatoes

A.

The steak here is great. My customers like eating here.

c.

Had the lamb. To die for. Service was great and the wait for dinner wasn't long

S.

Comfortable and relaxing establishment to dine. Great food and service.

A.

Again and again, great steak, service attention and ambience

S.

Always good food! And whiskey collection is good too

N.

Slow on service and then even bring my second took them 15 minutes to get my second beer . to me that's a little bit too long

A.

Food on the OK to good-ish side, don't life the venue, the noise levels were awful.

p.

Excellent bar n grill part of the Rydges hotel great service...hotel and bar

F.

Great menu selection, wonderful food and service.

S.

Delicious meal but staff a a little unattentive

S.

Awesome food and service- best steak in Wellington

M.

Every time we visit, we experience a great time and great services and great staff

M.

Best eye fillet steak I ever had

S.

Best hotel breakfast - hands down! Just superb.

G.

The best breakfast I’ve had in my life

J.

Killer steak and my favorite Shirax. Awesome

B.

Very pleasant staff ,I deal for a relaxing coffee and hot Chocolate. Thanks

P.

Good quick tasty lunch great service!

D.

A good spot for a quick drink on the way to the cake tin for concerts or sports events

s.

Not bad but a little pricey on the drinks and bar food

C. M.

Ribs are amazing and so is the atmosphere and service !

J.

Found it expensive for the menu food compared to other places

T.

Wow, what great food and excellent service.

D.

Excellent steak. Best in town.

L.

Amazing food and fantastic service!

P.

Always love their food, service and vibe

M.

Steak was amazing. However the Adrian fella behind the bar is what really made it 😉

p.

Excellent bar n grill part of the Rydges hotel great service...hotel and bar

M.

Great steaks. A bit pricey, but better than facing the Wellington winter of you're staying at the Rydges.

A.

The steak here is great. My customers like eating here.

B.

Very pleasant staff ,I deal for a relaxing coffee and hot Chocolate. Thanks

S.

Best hotel breakfast - hands down! Just superb.

B.

A vegetarian for 15 years, I chose Portlander as the venue for my first steak. Hilarious staff and melt-in-your-mouth meals. I'm converted.

D.

A good spot for a quick drink on the way to the cake tin for concerts or sports events

R.

Good service and well timed meals

P.

One of the best places in Wellington for steaks

y.

Lunch was affordable with good quality.

P.

Nice place for a long breezy (black coffee)

J.

Cool food

W.

Busy and service poor -- waited for food for over an hour after ordering

A.

Loved the food and service!

H.

Awesome staff and great food

C.

Get the burger, you won't regret it ;)

J.

Conveniently located, noce vibe

J.

Great place for a civilised drink.

M.

Lovely meals, great staff

S.

Possibly the best steak in town

D.

Lovely food and service

S.

High quality food and great service

N.

Great food enjoyable place

R.

Steak, steak, steak and great service!

P.

Just had coffee here, nice surroundings

P.

Good service, good food.

B.

Great service and good food

I.

This is a nice venue for drinks and conversation.

B.

Didn't go in just passing

J.

Great food, highly recommended

S.

Good options for fish & Agnus lovers

T.

Great food great staff!!

M.

Place has accommodating staff

T.

Yummy food great service

R.

Expensive but sooo yum

W.

Great service & food .

R.

Great service

S.

The meal was lovely.

A.

good food

V.

Will surely go back to this place.

D.

Does a good steak.

Z.

Good food

K.

Love the food and recent renos

H.

Excellent food & staff

M.

Good food

G.

Yummy..great service

J.

Good food!$$$

J.

Nice place and good food

M.

Brilliant

A.

Great food and service

S.

Very average breakfast

N.

Awesome food and vibe

A.

Yummy and good value

W.

Great steaks!

A.

Excellent breakfast!

P.

Great steak.

d.

Nice as

M.

Fantastic breakfast!!

D.

Great breakfast.

A.

Good steaks.

B.

Very good.

M.

Ok

P.

Classy and $$$

P.

Steak to die for

C.

Great steaks

W.

LOVELY ambience.

P.

Mean

F.

Amazing breakfast

D.

Amazing.... always

G.

Great food

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