Of the 3 restaurants at Waikanae Beach, this is our favorite and we come here for breakfast or lunch most weekends. The staff is attentive and friendly and the food is consistently very good. The outdoor area is nice in summer and is dog friendly.

Brunch this morning and had excellent food, wonderful service, brioche to die for. the coffee is great too. Highly recommended

We were very disappointed with the entire dining experience. We had gone there especially as it was our Wedding Anniversary. Although our waitress was pleasant enough she did not go out of her way to make us feel welcome or looked after. Having to wait 45 minutes for our mains did not help. My main was the pan fried fish which I gave a 7/10 with a side order of beans which was very ordinary. My wife’s meal, chicken breast risotto, was very bland (3/10). We were not offered a dessert menu or coffee’s after our meal and left feeling very unhappy and unsatisfied. We would not dine there again.

I was with a group of 24 (aged from 6 to 90) for Dinner at the Front Room on Saturday 11/12/2010. There was pre dinner drinks outside and then a set menu (Nibbles – Bread & dukkuh: Entrees – Watermelon, feta & Mint; Waikanae Crab Cakes Duck & pistachio Nut Terrine: Mains – Pan Seared Fish with French Lentils lemon braised silver beet; Roast Pork with Slaw, black pudding & cider roast apples; , Char grilled Beef fillet, Chimichurri sauce, potato puree, bbq spare ribs and beer battered onion rings along with roast new potatoes, green leaf salad and grilled asparagus; followed by Cheese Board Chocolate Mousse Cake with Berries & Cream and Tea and Coffee).
It was a delightful evening,
the outdoor fire was blazing away which provided a nice centre piece for the pre dinner drink and there was a grassed area that the 3 children could run around on. The drinks were quick in being delivered, and often you didn’t need to go the bar as the staff walking pass would wait until the drink had been decided on and they would say “I will get that for you” and it arrived.
We shifted inside and once seated the Nibbles were promptly delivered, which was followed by the taking of the various orders from the set menu. The food was superb – everyone that I talked to was very impressed with the quality of what they had and the quantity of each serving was ideal. The service was very impressive and unobtrusive – this combination was just right.
We came away with a nice warm feeling and will be back to The Front Room and I have no hesitation in recommending the Front Room.

The food (or lack of it!) is a little uninspired. Service is quick, but there is no passion and there is about as much atmosphere as eating a meal at the ‘golden arches’. Although the outside area did look nice, it was shady and cold. My advise is to get some fish & chips and take a walk on the beautiful beach, then grab a take-away coffee from the Frontroom.

It was our first visit to Front room on a very busy sunday. 6 adults 3 children.

The childrens menu had 4 choices – all ranging from $5-$8; a kids snack pack (le snack, juice, lcm bar and salted crisps), a fruit kebab (2 short sticks with 2 piece of apple, small piece of watermellon, 1 banana slice and marshmellow), or boiled egg with solider toast. Our kids left starving hungry so not a place we will go back to to feed our children. It’s pretty obvious they don’t like children there due to the poor kids menu and only one highchair.

the adults ordered a caesar salad, fish pie, and the full breakfast (can’t remember what it was called exactly). There were no complaints, all were tasty, but the menu was so limited that we all ordered the best of a bad menu. Everyone agreed that the menu was lacking choice.

Coffees were ok, including the fluffies. Wine list was limited but a pretty good beer list. Water was on the table.

We thought the staff were pretty unanimated and bored, a smile wouldn’t go a miss. We didn’t appreciate the loud conversations from the kitchen either. None of us needed to know about which fijian resort the kitchen lady had been to when asking the chef about where he was from.

Outside looked amazing, with a fireplace and tables to sit in the summer.

I think we will go to the next door restaurant next weekend. I highly doubt we’ll be back unless we hear they’ve changed the menu and staff.

Visited 13 January- really disappointed – would not visit again. Served cold soup which had to be sent back. Main meals were also lukewarm in fact the chicken was almost cold. These also had to be returned. The servings were small and the meals boring. Give it a miss – much better value elsewhere.

Our first visit to The Front room. Thoroughly enjoyed the delicious food. Felt negative before going thinking we would be hungry so ordered an entree, but didn’t need as more than full. Will certainly visit again.

Always very pleasant though the menu never changes. Nearly as good as Angels Eaterie, better than Rumours. Best when the owners are there.

Was recommended this as a pleasant evening out. The tables are a little crowded, but the food and drinks were very nice. A new waiter was a little over-attentive, but in general a nice meal. Added a surcharge for public holiday, so keep in mind.