Orbit Revolving Restaurant

It was a very random Friday night out, where we had drink reservations at The Sugar Club but wanted to grab dinner and we ended up at Orbit. I started with te mushroom ravioli. I love mushrooms and pasta so this dish was something that I was looking forward to but I felt like I needed to add quite a bit of salt and pepper to the dish. I don’t believe that I finished it. Next up I had the lamb loin with pumpkin hummous, green beans and feta mouse ($ 43). Considering the price point, I was a little disappointed. While the view was stunning and they were able to give us a great table with no notice, I’m still not sure I would head back for dinner. Drinks and a snack — for sure. If you do want to have dinner, the pork belly with black pudding and pork floss was phenomenal. The service was also, really really kind and understanding — we were a tad bit rowdy. It was a reunion dinner!

The restaurant is located inside the sky city hotel, take the escalator down. Everything about this place is gorgeous. If you’re not bother by motion sickness, the restaurant moves 360 around while dining. The view is great. We started off with the pork belly and scallop as our entrees. We ordered the beef eye fillet for our main and ended with ice cream and eggnog Crème brûlée. Everything that my husband and I selected were amazing! We would definitely come back if we’re in town! Don’t forget to make reservations!

Didn’t really enjoy the food (as a vegetarian, there were relatively few options), and the view at dinner from the middle of the restaurant was obscured by the bright lights inside reflecting off the windows. The desserts were fantastic, but overall the meal wasn’t worth the hefty price tag. I would recommend just taking the Gondola up to see the sights and then heading back down to Queenstown for a real meal.

Loved the views and loved the food (two stars for that), but ended up with a server that gave us the unnoticeable «rolling eyes as he walked away» look. Seriously dude, don’t think I didn’t catch that. He ruined the mood! OK, now I really can care less about this place. So here’s the breakdown:
~ Starting with reservations, we requested a window table. For dinner, they were all booked up for about a month. We had a better chance of getting a window table during lunch-​time, so we booked the first date out, three days away. Score! The hostess on the lower level was very helpful and recommended it. Keep that tip in mind, if you really want to sit along the glass. Other than that, there should be plenty of open inner dining tables available.
~ We arrived on-​time, and were the first ones there. The manager greeted and seated us, so no issues.
Dining & Ambiance:
~ Very romantic! Clean wooden tables, only I had to switch out my dirty water glass. I politely asked, and maybe that’s where the attitude started.
~ Long tables good for groups, and more inner tables for a somewhat less open private dining.
~ The setting was perfect! I can only imagine how it would be like at night.
FOOD glorious FOOD:
~ We’ve never been here, so we did the Express Menu at $ 49 per person. You basically get a side with a main, or a main with a dessert. They call their sides here «entrees» apparently. I think this is where confusion and the attitude came in with our server giving the look of «seriously, you don’t understand». We were calm about it, and of course we ended up ourselves with the «geez, what gives buddy» feeling once he turned his back.
~ He brings us a cheese plate that we didn’t order. Mix up between that and the burrata entrée. Again, walks away with rolling eyes.
~ Starters:
~~ We ordered the Tomato pulp and basil Burrata ($ 22). It wasn’t what I expected from a burrata, as I don’t even recall the taste. Or maybe the bad attitude just set the tone. We had to order a side of bread as this entrée didn’t include anything for the mozzarella. Plain as day, but check out my beautiful pic.
~ Main courses:
~~ Charmoula coated lamb loin with pomegranate molasses ($ 43). Now this was plump and tender! A winner of a dish! Get this if you can’t decide.
~~ Roasted fillet of snapper with an oyster cream sauce ($ 42). This sat on a lemon risotto, roasted tomato still on the vine, and asparagus. Damn, one of the best fish dishes other than having it deep fried with chips. So fresh and savory! I’d order this again!
~ Dessert:
~~ Ice cream and sorbet mix with biscotti and an edible flower ($ 16.50). Man, I just love the buttery cows that gave it’s milk for this bowl of ice cream. We had vanilla bean, pistachio, and mango. And all were simply blissful.
~~ Triple X Coffee ($ 14) with Tia Maria, Kahlua, expresso, and cream. Now this was what I needed! One refreshing cup of coffee! It almost made me forget about our server.
With all that said, I made the best of it and enjoyed the dining experience. Only I probably won’t come back any time soon; It just sucks when horrible service outweighs great tasting food.

I loved this place! The service was fantastic and the food amazing! Do yourself a favour and have the pasta for your entrée!!! The views are spectacular and the restaurant revolves so slowly that sometimes you don’t even notice it. If in Auckland again I would definitely go back! If you done in the restaurant you are able to enter the viewing deck for free.

I’m so glad I had dinner here before leaving Auckland. It’s definitely a must-​do if you’re in town. The view is like no other and the food is great. The meals aren’t very filling but nevertheless delicious. I had the 3 course meal for $ 75 and wasn’t full but it was worth it… the food was that good.

High Tea at the Orbit
Taking afternoon tea is one of my favourite past-​times. I have sampled some of the best high teas on offer and appreciate the finer details of tea etiquette. An afternoon tea snob — you say?! Perhaps, but I know not to let any of that stuff get in the way of really experiencing and enjoying what’s on offer!
A friend and I took afternoon tea (high tea) at the Orbit last weekend. As advertised on their website; the Orbit dished up a modernized version of afternoon tea — and why not?! In fact, it made perfect sense given the setting! While I love sipping tea from delicate china and eating dainty cucumber sandwiches; it would simply not have worked at 190 meters above the ground with a 360 degree panoramic view overlooking a modern city!
The succulent mini lamb burger and the spoonful of cured salmon were the pick of the savory items. The scones were perfectly acceptable, while the strawberry preserve and lemon curd that accompanied it were pretty top-​notch. As for the cakes on offer — the opera cake was a chocolate lovers dream! I sampled the sweet cinnamon tea which was rather delightful.
While I wouldn’t go so far as to say that the high tea was a complete sensory experience; the breathtaking view over Auckland city certainly made up for it! I’m more than happy to go back for more!
My only suggestion; at $ 40 per head, it would have been really nice if the tea service included a bottomless pot of tea!
Check-​out the high tea menu on the Orbit website so you know what is on offer at any given time.

Love this place! Came here for my first time ever a little over a month ago. The view is absolutely breathtaking and the service is on point. I thought dining here was going to be more expensive than it was, but it didn’t do the wallet too much damage for the location and view that you get with your meal. Dinner for my boyfriend and I cost about $ 180 and that included 2 entrees, 2 mains, 1 dessert and 3 alcoholic drinks (oh and 2 coffees). The food was delicious. I ordered the chicken and my boyfriend ordered the pork belly. Both were delicious! The dessert was out of this world, incredibly good. We ordered the coffee crème brule and that was to die for. Can’t forget to mention the prime location once you leave dinner and are ready to have a fun night out on the town. Can’t wait to come back to Auckland and eat here again. Beautiful!

Average food at fine dining prices. The staff do not seem to care if you’re enjoying the food or not. The only reason to dine here is for the views.

I went to Orbit Revolving Restaurant last year for a family dinner (five of us in total). I was lucky enough to have won a voucher which basically covered the whole night — it is very expensive! The food was amazing; all the dishes had great flavours and were well presented. The stand out meals (pictured below) of the night were:
— Grilled Market Fish with a coconut, lemongrass and seafood risotto and a spicy tomato coulis ($ 41); — Five Spiced Confit Duck Leg with lentils, carrots, choy sum and a cinnamon jus ($ 42); — Manawatu Coast Beef Fillet with purée, oxtail fritter, beans, peas and a pinot jus ($ 42); and — Valrhona Jivara Chocolate Delight with a passionfruit centre, chocolate crunchy bar, yoghurt sorbet and freeze-​dried white chocolate ($ 17.50).
All dishes were delicious. I highly recommend the grilled market fish paired with the seafood risotto. However, the best dish of the night was the Valrhona Jivara (which I looked up — it is 40% dark cocoa) Chocolate Delight. I am a mad lover of chocolate, especially Valrhona, so was particularly excited! Everything was perfect about this dessert and I would happily go back again just to order this!
The service was okay, but not amazing. We had to wait quite a long time for our food, which in the end was all right, because just staring at the view made up for it. However, they got our drinks order mixed up and were very stingy on the wine — one of my sisters went straight up to the bar and complained. They soon poured her another glass.
The best thing about Orbit is the view. With a 360* view of Auckland, it is simply amazing. I love that the area you sit in is constantly moving ever so slightly, so during your time up there, you get to experience the whole 360* view. Just be careful when you get up to go to the bathroom — you might not be sitting in the same place as before!

great dinner with a view! All of our meals were delicious, try the hokey pokey ice cream if they have it for dessert. The prix fixe is really a great deal

This review is not about the taste, but the receptionists’s bad attitude. I don’t understand what let them be so proud of, it is just a restaurant, nothing special, only the floor can orbit to 360 degree, and then many tourists ll flock into. Anyway, no matter how many advertisements they can make, I m not gonna book a table at here. So, just have a drink at the café lounge is enough, it’s the same view with the orbit.

I treated myself to dinner here on the last night of my trip with a group of friends. As others have noted, the restaurant has amazing views of Auckland. There is a 3 course menu for $ 69 per person wis very reasonable but I decided to order separate dishes. I had the harbour salmon with a glass of reisling which was very good. Also had dessert — chocolate delight with a passion fruit center which was delicious. So happy to have a chance to experience dining. It is a place where you have to try out if you are from out of town. Try to go early though because when we were finished with dinner, the other floors were closed so we did not get to enjoy the viewing deck and the lounge.

I have to say we have had many wonderful meals here in Auckland, but the gorgeous view of the entire city from the Skytower really makes this place unique. Food was delicious and beautifully presented, with decent sized portions. Tasty cocktails and ok wine selection. Service was good, a bit slow, but very friendly and accommodating to dietary restrictions.
Thanks for making our last night in Auckland so memorable!

Wonderful restaurant. Very romantic. Gives you a great view out at the glittering city below. The food is delicious. A little pricey due to the location but a great menu with plenty of succulent cuts of meat. I recommend giving it a try!

The view is amazing! I suggest that for those who really want to experience an even better view is to go end of March when New Zealand offers the most magnificent coloured sky! :)
Me and my boyfriend went there for our anniversary and it was a very special experience! We got the three course menu which included the entrée, main and dessert for $ 69 which wasn’t bad, however the portions are quite small and it takes forever to get your meal, as well as drinks! Also to add, the drinks are very expensive!
I will definitely go back again, but for a special occasion only!
If you have a special day coming up and want to celebrate with your loved one/​s then try this place out, you won’t regret it!
I will include photos of the meals which I had, as well as the beautiful views!
Meals I had…
Entrée: venison carpaccio
Main: beef fillet
Dessert: blackberry and meyer lemon mousse

My wife and I had a special occasion (our very first anniversary) and we wanted the place where we would celebrate this together special too. We decided to go with the Orbit Revolving restaurant at the top of Sky Tower.
As we had already been on Sky Tower at night, we decided to go to the Restaurant during the day (1pm) to enjoy the day view over Auckland.
The view is something very attractive here, and the main thing in this restaurant! The whole circle took about 50 minutes. It is very-​very pleasant place for such occasions.
You can also arrive 45 – 30 minutes earlier, and go for the observation deck free of charge! Well, tell you the truth, it is not 100% free, as when you go to the restaurant, you would have to spend 30 $ minimum per person at the restaurant, but it is a deal of the year, if you just want to visit Sky Tower (cost of 28 $) and have a dinner at the height of 190 metres above the ground.
The food just amazing, and very well presented. The price is a bit high (30 – 40 per main meal), but you are on top of Sky Tower, come on.
P. S. When booking the restaurant prior, don’t be shy to mention the occasion. I mentioned ours, and we were gifted with a post card wishing all the best for our anniversary.

A fantastic dinning experience! The food was delicious! Great ambiance! Amazing View.

So when you have out-​of-​towners to stay, Orbit is the place to go. Especially if they are from overseas because then they are not so resistant to Auckland and Aucklanders. Heh heh.
It’s not cheap and is one of those places that has two dinner sittings so plan to go early and get both the daytime and nighttime views. The thing about Orbit is of course its 360 degree view and rotating dining room. Last time we were there the waiter told us that it actually has variable speeds which no doubt can be hilarious after a few drinks as the tower part of the restaurant which houses the toilets stays static. Not that that would happen to me. Just saying.
The other thing is that it just all feels like it’s trying too hard. The service is questionable; I think there is high staff turnover and most seem to be students or travellers not professional waitrons (as they are called these days). The whole poncing about with your napkin thing takes real confidence and artistry in order to not be awkward and you won’t find it here.
The food is pretty good although again, just a bit over-​presented, over-​garnished and over-​priced. You can’t not enjoy a night up the tower though. In fact Orbit was inspiration for my son to improve his table manners; as a little kid he was dying to get up the Sky Tower so when the public eating technique was up to scratch I spent a very memorable birthday (mine) 190 metres above the city.

For a fancy tourist lunch for international friends, Orbit is my favourite. Combine a delicious lunch with amazing views of Auckland, and you can tick off some tourist activities. Lunch options are pretty spectacular, and are priced accordingly, but it is actually great value when you consider you get free access to the Sky viewing deck as well — which would cost you pretty much the same as lunch anyway. We had a great deal — $ 49 for entrée, main and cocktail! Service wasn’t as great as we have had previously — no smiles to be had, but food was excellent.