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Reviews for Reva’s on the Waterfront

by David
31st May 2013

We had a wonderful dinner at Reevas recently. The service was attentive, polite and prompt. My wife and I both enjoyed the seafood starter. The scallops were fresh and were well cooked. I had the venison, served rare which was excellent, the sauce bringing out the flavours of the meat. My wife had the fish which was also really enjoyed. The house wine was good and I enjoyed an excellent daiquiri.
The atmosphere was informal but had a sense of style. It was a meal that we both really enjoyed. I would not hesitate in eating there again.

by Jen T.
18th May 2013

This place has potential. Unfortunately it is boring. The menu doesn’t change. Service is marginal. Not offered more than one drink. The menus were dirty and torn. This place is run-down and no longer the place to go. Whangarei lacks reasonable dining and now Reva’s is off the list after recent experience.

by James M.
21st December 2012

Our end-of-year lunch was arranged to be outdoors at Revas. Everyone had pre-ordered, but we still waited 90 minutes to get our food, and when the food did arrive, it was the wrong dish, despite having confirmed the order by email. When I raised this after paying for the meal, Reva simply said that she is very sorry.

I will not be back.

by Bronnie K.
15th November 2012

Went out to dinner tonight for hubby’s birthday with a 4 and 1 year old and couldn’t have been happier!
Excellent service, never kept waiting but not hovered over either. Food was SPECTACULAR!!!
First time in years I have tipped!!
Kids were made to feel welcome and special and staff were always pleasant and warm.
Will definitely be dinning here again!!

by Kim C.
13th October 2012

Went for dinner with my husband a week ago – first impressions not good, not made to feel welcome at the front desk. We were met with “here you go bro” !! Taken to a table then given menus. The waiter didn’t know what 2 of the choices were – had to go and ask the chef twice.
My meal was lovely, but the expensive fish dish was something you would buy at a takeaway with some salad – not good !!
Not given the dessert menu so left very unimpressed.

by Fiona L.
4th October 2012

It is obvious to me that Reva does not read the reviews and listen to complaints about her restaurant. We have lived in Whangarei for 12 years and have visited this restaurant many times (it has such a gorgeous position in the town basin! ) and yet, the service at this place has mostly been abysmal. We visited recently in a weekend for lunch, and while it did not look too busy when we first arrived, once we sat down and waited for the waiter to come back with the menus, it became apparent that the staff were not coping with the amount of customers. After 15 minutes we made our orders, and got our food after 30 minutes, which in good for Revas. After we finished our meals, we waited and waited, and it became obvious that we not getting any more service, not more drinks or dessert. Looking around we saw other customers in the same situation as us, just waiting and looking around desperately. Eventually we got up, paid and left, getting our desserts at the nearby ice cream shop.
After complaining about the service, I must say the food is good , once it arrives at your table, and not expensive. But, the food does not make up for the abysmal service.

by Cathy C.
22nd September 2012

Had lunch at Reva’s on Friday, managed to get a seat on the balcony fabulous setting looking over the river. The food was excellent I had chicken burrito with salad very nice, chicken cook well not dry which can be a problem with chicken, my friend had mussel fritters which were huge and tasty she was very impressed with them. The service was excellent, very friendly helpful and professional will look forward to going again.

by Leslie B.
15th September 2012

A soothing food oasis located in a wonderful veranda-encircled colonial style building smack on the waterfront. I was initially lured in by the lunch-time specials, of which Reva’s super authentic beef burrito with salad remains a favorite. Since finding myself coming back on numerous occasions to chill-out in this lovely setting, I have graduated to a fondness for Reva’s perfect chargrilled venison on a simple potato mash, with those lovely zingy bits of blue-cheese she places in the reduction sauce. All in all, fresh local ingredients, served with lots of imagination and little pretense. Going by the interesting collection of local art-work on the walls and the weekend jazz-oriented live-music sessions, there seems to be an active community heart in play here as well. Highly recommended.

by Callum E.
9th September 2012

Had dinner there on Friday 7th. We were in Whangarei for a soccer tournament and the lady in our motel suggested Reva’s. Wish she hadn’t!!. Worst service we’ve ever had– the american waiter spoke to us as if we were 5 year olds. The food was ok, and we would have ordered dessert etc, but because of his attitude we couldn’t wait to leave. Do not go to Reva’s. They obviously do not need customers. Some staff training is needed. A real pity because the setting is lovely

by K.Kat
7th September 2012

Worst dining experience I’ve ever had.
As soon as we walked in and asked for a table the waiter was rude and made us feel extremely unwelcome, I already wanted to leave at this point. We were then seated next to the very loud coffee machine. The menu was uninspiring and the food itself was equally uninspiring. The service was fast, but a little to fast, we had our entree and main served and eaten with in about 20 minutes, we got the feeling they wanted us out of there pretty quickly. The worst part of it all was Reva (The Owner) was drunk, she was standing next to us drinking at the bar while on the job. I’m not joking when I say she walked into her own wait staff, she also walked into the wall and could barely walk.
I would never dine here again.

by Vicky L.
20th May 2012

The service was average and the food was below average. The presentation of the food was good but the quality was disgusting. The food was very acidic and had very bad choices of ingredients. I was also horrified that they served us burnt food. They did take it back but only because we pointed it out. I was outraged that they even served it. It was so obvious that it was burnt. However the prices seemed mellow compared to other restaurants but for the quality of the food it was definitely overpriced. The only thing good were the drinks and 2 friendly waitresses.

by Leah
30th March 2012

We have heard some very bad feedback about Revas over the years… but lately word has been getting out around town that they have drastically improved. In the last two months I have been there twice for lunch and am pleased that it seems the rumours are true!! First time we went, I had the lamb burrito with salad, and hubby had the lasagne. The service was fast and there was a very short wait for the food – and when it arrived the meals were huge! Loads of fresh green salad, and heaps of flavour. The second time we went I had the chicken/bacon pasta and hubby had the Greek salad, and again, fast service and huge meals. I am very glad this place has improved so much because it is in a lovely setting, has a great atmosphere, and now has good food/service to match! Will definitely be returning.

by Dianne M.
27th March 2012

I was visiting Whangarei over the last few days and very luckily I was with a person on my first night who knew of your fantastic restaurant. We dined there on Thursday night and we loved the service, food and overall experience.

I was fortunate to be invited to dinner on Saturday evening and was delighted to know I was being taken to Reva’s. Yet again – another wonderful experience.

Sunday morning arrived and it was my choice so I bought a group of my customers to your restaurant for brunch. I received excellent service right from the time I rang to make the booking. My guests were particularly thrilled with my choice of venue and everyone was impressed!

Thanks for the great experiences. We’ll all be telling others and hope to return one day.

by Barbara S.
8th March 2012

It is amazing just how varied the reviews are. I am family and friends have been here many times. The last was for my birthday last December. Staff were friendly, service a wee bit slow…but to be fair it was pretty busy. The food was excellent, will definitely go again.

by Sophia
5th March 2012

Having just moved into the area from Auckland, we set out to the Whangarei township on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon for a bit of late lunch and a glass of wine.

We walked around for a bit before deciding on Revas. The deck was mostly empty but I wasn’t sure about the plastic outdoor furniture with it’s even tackier printed plastic table covers..

The service was warm and friendly to start with. The older gentleman (who may have been the owner) was lovely.

We ordered a standard sized pizza (at over $16) and two glasses of wine. The same pizza came in a larger size meant for two people, but at a whopping $34 I did not think it was worth it.

Extremely glad we only chose the smaller pizza. The base tasted like a frozen pre-made pizza you buy in the supermarket, which had then been topped with mince and salad. To the kitchens credit, the toppings were plentiful and fresh. But to charge through the roof for a pizza that was remarkably small, dry and stale tasting was just not on. When asked about the pizza bases being made on the premises, the young waiter was very rude and defensive.

We paid our bill in full as I did not want to insult the young man any further. But we left very unhappy customers and probably will not return.

I have worked in the Hospitality industry for a very long time, including Italian restaurants. I was disappointed that Revas could not even get a pizza base right. They have a wonderful position on the waterfront. Maybe some training in the kitchen would go a long way.

Comment from Reva M. of Reva’s on the Waterfront 9/03/2012    Hide »

I am so sorry about your unhappy experience in my restaurant. We…    More »

I am so sorry about your unhappy experience in my restaurant. We have taken your comment to heart. The situation will be rectified. We do make fresh dough and sauce here daily.
I would truly like to meet you and to apologize in person and to offer you a voucher for another try.
Reva

by Hemitorque B.
26th January 2012

Well, after reading the reviews for this restaurant I’m reluctant to post…. but here goes.

I went to Reva,s for a large group outing, it was the set menu for Christmas 2010, I was happy with the meal as were most of our members and partners.

The entertainer set a lovely mood with his guitar and songs plus the location is to die for.

I take photo’s of food (weird I know) but they show good quality as opposed to what I have read.

Now my work colleague was very impressed with meal as she had been there before and wasn’t pleased we had chosen this venue for our break up due to past experience.

There was one mistake, one of our salads not arriving at all, but Reva took that ,off the final price.

The huge difference in the food Chef’s prep/presentation/cooking I don’t know what to think, maybe the staff member who gives great service isn’t on often, I don’t know but there is something not right.

Not sure that this review will help :!

by Mel H.
22nd October 2011

A bunch of us went for dinner and although the service was good, one waitress in particular, the rest were not very friendly. The food was absolutely terrible for all of us except one who had the fish. Considering the high prices we expected high quality food and received totally the opposite. The pasta was over oily it was a bit sickly. One pizza tasted like it had been topped with cat food. The nachos were terrible! All this and the prices were so high. Would never eat there again. There are some great restaurants in Whangarei with great atmosphere and am sorry to say this isn’t one of them.

by Sue C.
5th August 2011

We had a mixed experience here. Staff very friendly, but somewhat disorganised.
I had a fantastic pork fillet, but, my companions ordered lamb shanks and were not happy.
I would suggest going for the earlybird special (much cheaper before 6 pm) if you want to try it, then you won’t have spent too much if it all goes wrong.

It’s a shame as the have a prime spot and could do so much better.

by Goutam N.
3rd August 2011

s**t food and s**t service…
I bought a voucher deal and went there for a nice evening but stake I ordered came out burnt from one side and when i complained about it, they started arguing about it, just had one bite and that was enough to put me off for ever. my partner had the thai chicken pizza but that was full of oil, paid for the whole meal as well just because i dont want them to think i was there for free meal or so. never going there and never recommend that to any one else as well unless you want to waste the money

by Emma S.
22nd June 2011

I went to Reva’s twice last weekend and I have to say I was extremely impressed. We were visiting from Sydney and went on both Friday and Saturday nights. The food was excellent and the service was very friendly and attentive. I had the fish of the day both times (with salad on Friday and paella on Saturday) and my partner had the lamb shanks both nights (they were that good). The mashed potato was to die for.

It was a very special occasion for us and Reva and the team helped to make it a lovely memory. I highly recommend a visit and can’t possibly understand how it doesn’t have a higher rating.

by Jerrie M.
20th June 2011

Wow what a place! Best spot in Whangarei! I bring my family there regularly (kids love it being next to the playground) and the atmosphere is great! We especially love it when the american manager is there because he sure looks after us and makes us laugh. A real treat!

by John S.
12th June 2011

Absolutely the worse service I have ever had… Waitress forgot to bring the entrees out… We had to flag them down to get drinks every time we wanted one, then they would forget to bring them….The restaurant wasn’t even busy! Would Not Recommend to ANYONE!!

by Scott P.
27th April 2011

Just spent another lovely afternoon at Reva’s. Beautifully cooked, fresh fish, wonderful atmosphere and service. We’re always pleased here. Highly recommended. Oh, and don’t miss the New York Cheesecake! Best in New Zealand.

by Bernice C.
4th April 2011

Locals in Whangarei steer clear of this place. The only thing that keeps Revas going is the fact is its on the waterfront and gets the tourist trade. Plenty of other far superior places to eat in and around town – dont settle for the dodgy service and food here.

by A J.
29th March 2011

We sat outside on a beautiful evening. Relaxed casual atmosphere. Food was great – particularly the Thai sauce (Reva’s own recipe I believe) – try the Thai Chicken Salad – different to what you might expect but so tasty. The Thai Mussels are also very good. A good spot for casual dining in a beautiful setting by the water.

by Megan W.
20th January 2011

We went in a few weeks ago with a big group of people for a birthday and it was early in the evening at 6pm ish and after watching other people coming and going and we had been waiting over an hour we asked how long our entrees would be and they said they will start making them after this next table. We were then told that the others had been fed before us because we were a big table. They also told us they had 2 chefs down due to sickness but they should have forewarned us. This was appalling as there were elderly and very young kids who were needing to be fed. The waiters were superb they had excellent service and very pleasant to deal with. The food was ok but not worth the wait and this was the consensus with us all for the amount of money you pay.

by Elle C.
18th January 2011

As a non-cook, I usually enjoy any meal that I haven’t had to cook myself – but not at Revas. The location is the only plus. I sat on a grotty faded, marked, grazed, outside plastic chair – replaceable chairs cost only $10 in the Warehouse. My chicken pasta meal was tasteless and sat in a pool of butter – it looked like it tasted, disgusting. Service was hit or miss. For the first time ever, I have found a resturant I will never return to. Having read bad reviews on this site and another, I fail to understand why the owner hasn’t made drastic changes. Such a waste of a beautiful site.

by Peter M.
16th January 2011

The garlic bread entre was nice and the chocolate macadamia desert was lovely, but the mains were poor. The chicken pasta was floating in grease which made one member of our party feel sick, and the steaks were way over cooked which didn’t impress our overseas visitors. The waiters were pleasant, but some elderly bedraggled woman upset the scene when she struggled to clear the plates away. I’m told she was the owner – Reva! The setting is of course why the restaurant is popular. If it was located elsewhere serving poor quality food, I’m sure it would have been out of business years ago.

by Vicki M.
7th July 2010

My husband and I arrived without a booking on Saturday 4th July.We received great service and the food was wonderful.

by beb h.
27th June 2010

Sunday-lunchtime my 80th birthday party. the tables all set with lit candles and all.
the food was lovely and so was the service. all with a smile! we will be back again. thanks

by George A.
27th June 2010

This restaurant is on the water-front with views of the boat harbour. We had a birthday party of 25 people for lunch on Sunday. The atmosphere was great. There were candles on the tables. Orders were taken quickly and efficiently by courteous and cheerful staff. The food was excellent so we would recommend this restaurant for a lunch function.

by Kirsty H.
21st March 2010

A wonderful location but a rubbish restaurant. Dull food, uninspiring menu, long wait and rude staff. Sell up and go and hopefully someone better will come along who knows how to run a restaurant.

by AJ M.
20th December 2009

Extremely disappointing having eaten here a number of years ago. I had Muscle fritters – if 1 muscle between the 2 fritter’s on my plate, be surprised. Worst muscle fritter’s I’ve ever eaten. Home cooking would beat these any day.
Very small portion for evening meal and very poor service [restaurant not full]. Those at our table who had “rack of lamb” did the best. My advice, learn how to cook fish and shellfish.
Also they’re not interested in listening to complaints. On receiving bill, had audacity to charge our table for drinks we never had.
Note: Had “tip” at top of bill!! Judy

by Haley
17th October 2009

Very disappointing dining experience. I found the staff very unfriendly and almost rude. When we received our starter we were not given any plates and then when our mains came (4x pizzas shared between) we were given the tiniest plates in history – the size of a saucer! We confronted the waitress about the size of the plates and explained they couldn’t even fit our pizza slice on them her explanation was: “Sorry all the dinner plates are in the wash”! Now this was rather slack as besides our group there were only 2x other couples in the whole restaurant that evening. So they either need to invest in more crockery or get the dishes done in time for any patrons (if any) who arrive for a meal. On top of this I did not rate the food or the menu and the prices are much too high for what you get. Despite our unhappy dining experience, when leaving we went to say goodbye and thank the staff for having us – but do you think we could find anyone?! God knows where they were or what they were doing – not looking after their customers anyway. I am very sad this restaurant has gone so down hill as it is in the most beautiful spot and always used to be one of my favourite places to eat. I hope the owners take these reviews into account and do something quickly!

by Stuart
16th September 2009

A BIG THUMBS DOWN. Over rated and over priced. The drinks we had were cocktails and were just froth and too expensive for the small amount in the glass. Since there was a group of us we went with the early bird special. The waitress and the other staff members changed there attitude
toward us from that point. If I had prunes on me I would have offered them to each of them, to help with there problem. They didn’t have available what was on that special menu, so they boiled up something and said it was seafood chowder. The positive point is that we wouldn’t go back, our hard earned money is too good for what they serve up and for the price.

by Caroline
4th June 2009

A shame I had to give Reva’s one star. It can be for the location.
My husband and I have been there several times and it has taken jumps into primitive food preparation! The food was not even close to being acceptable – especially given the price they charge! Drinks – again overpriced and they have trouble getting the orders right.
Save yourself the stress and don’t go there!

by Paul H.
22nd November 2008

Great location. Great disappointment.

Because it has the best location for a restaurant in Whangarei – right on the marina – we still go there from time to time. Unfortunately, the food and service are getting worse and worse.

The owners need to look at the service and the standard of the meals. And I mean urgently.

The food is mediocre to bad and over-priced for the standard and lack of care. As far as the service is concerned, it’s a joke. Most of the staff are unprofessional, not attentive and sloppy. They seem more interested in themselves than their customers.

I read a lot of restaurant reviews and I notice that Revas reviews are pretty bad. She seems a lovely lady and has probably put a lot of effort into her establishment over the years. I hope she can make improvements before the whole thing goes down the gurgler.

My advice, get a decent chef and train your staff.

by oliver
13th July 2008

Nice spot, thought it would be nice to go here on a cold wet nite for a nice dinner, service was o.k, ordered a Greek pizza for starter, 25 minutes wait which was fine , but i defiantly made it clear that i cannot have onions (this is always my first point i make anywhere i eat) on any of my food, so after waiting 35 minutes for our small pizza, we didn’t even have to touch it to see the pizza was full of onions, so i call waiter over to return it, within one minutes she came back to ask if we still want this pizza??? (ah when you return something you don’t want it) so 10 later Reva came over and confronted us why i didn’t want this pizza after i explained what i had ordered she said “well do you no anyone who will eat this pizza”? what sort of question was that? in other words she was still going to charge me for this pizza? and told me to make it clear that when i order to be clear on saying ” no onions” how clear do you have to be?? Reva was very rude and not professional at all and didn’t even apologise, for there mistake, so 15 minutes later our main arrived steak,cubes of pumpkin topped with a onion,PEPPER sauce poured over the steak!!! what could i say!!(you would think she would tell me about this) the sauce was so hot you needed a jug of water to wash down……but at this stage we refused to buy any more drinks from her! so very quick meal tense atmosphere from reva rude mannor, so paid the expensive bill and off we went to killer prawn to finish our dinner (which was beautiful) we will never ever be back there again!! and DO NOT recommend this place at all.

by Sam
24th May 2008

Great spot – but that’s all it has going for it. Staff are unfriendly and bordering rude, food uninspired and lack lustre. Mistakes where made when the bill was added up, and we were charged too much, no apology offered. Probably quite nice on a sunny day to sit on the waterfront with a wine but forget the meals.

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