Bonita

An excellent early evening hang out for some tapas and wine. They have a happy hour which runs 4−6pm so you have to make it up there quickly to take advantage of that but the atmosphere is so friendly you won’t want to leave. As the evening goes on, it fills up and becomes much more lively — we have had New Year’s Eve pre-​dinner drinks here a few times and it’s always been a great night too. it’s pretty small and there’s a tiny deck outside but that adds to the charm of it. One of my favourite corner bars.

So far my partner and I have been here once, very enjoyable and relaxed evening. Great little gem which feels hidden right in the heart of Ponsonby.
Friendly staff, fantastic music, intimate atmosphere. Tasty traditional tapas reasonably priced, accompanied by an excellent selection of beer and wine.
Another date night for us here is on the cards indeed.

Wow what can I say… memories forever… lovely friendly staff, food menu yum plus priced well… parking always a problem

I love Bonita!
It has the feel of a local bar: unpretentious and friendly. I love going there for a glass of wine or 2 accompanied by tapas. The portions are generous, even for the smaller $ 5 size and 3 or 4 of those can feed 2 people easily.
Not a big fan of their prawns in white wine sauce (tasted like sweet and sour sauce to me!) but their patatas bravas make me come back for more!
They have a happy hour with $ 6 beer and house wine.

Worst dirty martini I have ever had. That’s about it… Pretty much a nothing kind of place.

Cute little corner bar that has a relaxed atmosphere and a great wee deck out the back. Great spot to share a bottle of wine with a couple of friends.
We went here over the weekend and had a rather delicious bottle of Rose from Central Otago… I think it was called Tatty Bogler. I also noted that they have Hallertau on tap — always a bonus in my book! The only downside was that they were out of several dishes on the menu — perhaps it was an off day.
I would still definitely recommend coming here for a few tipples but perhaps eat before you come!

Bonita is ideal for nights later in the week, particularly for a quiet drink.
The bar has a great atmosphere for lack of patrons inside, with its warm features and décor inside. There is an outdoor area at the rear which is good for an intimate evening, accompanied by the seating arrangement which is designed to accommodate for small groups.
There is a generous drinks range, as this is purely a wine and cocktail bar providing tapas also.
There is a comforting, relaxed vibe of the place, with less hustle-​and-​bustle of the busier Golden Dawn and Ponsonby Social Club bars, yet provides the same chic aura that emanates from establishments in Ponsonby.

Bonita is a great little bar on a corner of Ponsonby Road. This is exactly the kind of place that you’d expect to find in Ponsonby; a small rundown old building made into a flashy, upmarket wine and tapas bar. I’m not saying this is a bad thing, far from it. I think the atmosphere in this place is great. It’s usually a quiet and relaxed atmosphere, which makes it the perfect place to catch up with a friend while you drink and snack. The drinks here are really good, and they have some nice beers on tap. The food is nice too; you must try some of the tapas that they do. There is a little courtyard area out the back too if you’d rather not feel the confines of the indoors.

Bonita is a cute little authentic tapas bar that’s been doing its thing for a while now. Every time I’ve been here I’ve met people and when you can hang out with strangers in Auckland and end up chatting to them, it speaks of a rare and convivial spot indeed.
I don’t know if it’s the laidback Spanish vibe that has everyone chillaxing and letting their guard down or if it’s a case of over-​indulgence in the Sangria and Rioja, but I’ve found everything about this place to be, well, friendly. Which is excellent.
As are the rustic-​style small plates — Bonita does the best spicy meatballs in town in my opinioin. While I am a fussy cow about eating cow and the like, I do like a meatball and especially here.
Come and hang out on the deck on a summers evening. You’ll like it and you might even make some new friends.

A cute and cosy bar located on Ponsonby Road, Bonita is the definition of perfection. I have been to Bonita numerous times and each time I go there they amaze me. The tapas menu which the chef changes from time to time is full of delicious and satisfying meals. One would assume that a tapa is a mere snack but I have gotten full on one of the tapas served at Bonita.
The bar staff are always so friendly, especially Sarah. Always keen for a chat and is one of those people that is genuine. The drinks there are nothing short of delicious and whenever I say ‘surprise me’ to the bartender they don’t seem annoyed or irritated; they go right ahead and surprise me!

Bonita is a cute little bar that has existed in Ponsonby for decades. With a very relaxed atmosphere and a deck out the bar, it is the perfect place for after work drinks.
Bonita rewards its regular patrons by having loyalty nights on Wednesdays, and also hosts live music on Thursday nights.
I recently met friends for a catch up and, due to having a big night the previous night didn’t want anything alcoholic. Though the mocktail I ended up having was yum and only cost me $ 5, I was a little disappointed at their lack of juice and ingredients options. Further, we were a bit unimpressed with the bathroom situation — there is no lock on the door, so make sure you have someone standing guard!
Despite these slight shortfalls, in all my Bonita experience was pretty good and I was impressed by how attentive the staff were. As soon as we’d finished our drinks they were at the table asking if we wanted another.

One of my favourite little bars on Ponsonby Road, and still relatively untouched. Bonita serves up some tasty wines and tapas, perfect for after work drinks. If you’re extremely peckish you can order potato koftas from Fatimas next door and have them served to your table, great after that third bottle of wine…