We recently went to Joust on a Saturday night for dinner. For 6pm the restaurant was not busy, probably no more than 8 other diners in total. We decided to sit out the back in the court yard. It was nice and cool and the tables are well spaced, however we noted straight away that most of the table cloths had obvious stains on them and the salt and pepper shakers were dirty. The service was friendly and we were introduced to how the buffet works. We opted for just tap water seeing as a glass of coke or juice is over priced at $5!

The seafood entrees dishes were nice, in particular the smoked salmon and marinated fish which were both fresh and tasty. The salads looked nice with plenty of variety, however they all pretty much tasted the same which was disappointing. Seems like they only have a recipe for one dressing…

The hot dishes were OK. There were quite a few different options to try but I agree with some of the previous reviews in that some of the dishes looked like they had been sitting around for awhile. There was a massive tray of hot carved ham which had dried out to quite an extent. They had another big tray of cooked steaks which looked the same and needless to say we didn’t even go there. It seems very wasteful to pre cook such a large amount of food. It would be much better if they cooked steaks to order and carved ham as needed.

We were impressed with the desserts. There was a very large selection of different things and all tasted nice. We did note that the bowls are along the back of the wall meaning that you have to stretch over the dishes to get them and there are no covers on one dessert table.

One really obvious negative point is that none of the dishes have name tags on them so you actually have no idea what a lot of the dishes are until you try them. I thought one bowl looked like a rice dish and it turned out to be horseradish! I can’t see how they could over look such aMore simple and basic detail. Diners should not have to ask wait staff to explain what the dishes are, it’s a no brainer to at least name the different dishes.

Overall it was OK but we don’t think we will be returning again.

One of the worst restaurant experiences I have ever had!

I used to come to Joust regularly for lunch and dinner and thoroughly enjoyed the experience, nice staff, great food etc, however I went there 2 days ago and the food was horrible it was greasy and cold and god only knows how long it had been sitting there. A few of the items were quite obviously microwaved and very dry and chewy!

On top of all this the staff were rude and seemed to only be concerned with what they were doing and not what customers wanted.

I think I can speak for the rest of my table when I say we would never go there again!

Also just an end note drinks are ridiculously priced for a restaurant with such a cheap feel! Who ever the chef is he/she has really let the food slide in the last week or so!

26 Adults and 14 children had a lunch at Joust on 13th October to celebrate our brothers 70th birthday.We had an amazing time and found the garden room just right for us. The food was great and children had a ball especially with the deserts. Staff went out of their way to assist assist our every wish. One of our family was an air force trained chef and commented that is was a real deal for the lunch time price. Thank you Joust for giving our brother a 70th to remember. Deirdre

Just don’t go. Rude manager with the only aim of getting as much money as possible and poor quality food. Staff seem like they don’t want to be there and don’t blame them.
I came here with some family after the changed ownership to the son and it became a buffet. Drinks are expensive and mostly ice and the food is cold and has layers of skin from being left out to long under the lights.

Fabulous food . Had an evening with friends on a Friday night Wet and windy outside, cosy and warm inside with a real fire in fireplace. Great waiting staff all very helpful and friendly especially Liam. This was our fourth visit and will be dining there again. Roll on summer with the sea breeze wafting in from the beach across the road.

Hi, I personally dont often seek the help of MenuMania, however, my partner does.
I always find it quite strange to write a review, this time justified, we as a family have just dined at Joust tonight, and I feel I must add, Fantastic!!!! My husband was unsure as he said someone had posted remarks that in the end made me want to go, …..really….. a restaurant with such a bad review could possibly still trade …. I’m all for drama… expecting a “Hells kitchen in Orewa” experience….., how fantastic. Not the case, it must have been the customers dramaful style to post such a review. In short , am sorry I don’t know names of staff or owners, … should I? Neither would I use them on a web site to give feedback, we had a fantastic meal, got the soup, sat by a fire, and enjoyed a drink,…. best of all I think we had the best fresh, desirable, yummy meal I could imagine. I think we will share our thoughts to others as I believe great food is the making of great people. We will return, I hope the previous customers who gave feedback are allowed too.

This is the very fist time I have written a negative review on-line, but this was too ridiculous to not warn others of what they may experience. NOTE: If you do a Google search, it is not hard to find comparable ‘BAD EXPERIENCE’ reviews for Joust; eg. MenuMania is one. We have been regulars at this restaurant from before the ownership changed hands and afterward, with no great qualms until recently. We visited on a Sunday for a special occasion. Greeted by Nadia, an excellent waitress, we were ready for an enjoyable time. However, all of the ‘hot’ food was luke warm and bland. At the very least, when you sit down for an ‘experience’, not just food on a plate, you expect the food to be hot. We asked the owner, Joy, whether there was a heating problem with food dishes, who promptly disagreed with us, without assessing it herself, stating that we need to scoop from the bottom. We had, but it was just lukewarm, and awful. We had ordered a lemonade for our daughter ($4.50-more expensive than a flat white!), Ginger ale and orange; Totaling: $13.50). After another attempt at reasoning with the chef to no avail, we decided that it wasn’t worth the money. Cold ‘hot’ food, and greasy ‘clean’ plates wasn’t doing it for us. We told the waitress, Nadia of our intent to leave as the meal was lukewarm and bland, and she relayed our concerns to the owner. The owner wanted to charge us for the drinks we were unable to finish, due to our leaving. We received no interaction, or apology from owner. When we had contested paying the full total; for the unfinished drinks, we were told that they get a few bad customers like us each day or so, and that was just way it was. After taking a moment, and letting what happened sink in, I decided to try and reason that calling a disappointed customer a BAD CUSTOMER, and being so indifferent about customers dissatisfaction was not the way to treat regular – referring customers, or anyone fMoreor the matter. Very few people complain, even when there is reason to; so for them to be getting regular face to face complaints, that says something; listen to those who pay your wage! The manager, Joy was intent on out-talking me, not listening and stating that my partner was lying about what she had heard her say. I was taken aback at how ludicrous her approach to business and customer service was, to the point that I got pretty irate. Upon raising my voice, I was told to “get out” by the chef/joint owner. Needless to say, if they continue to treat customers the way that they do, keep raising the prices for refreshments, show a huge lack of basic interpersonal communication and experience, and disrespect their customers – who dare speak up, they will not grow, and will likely upset regulars. If you want to eat here, beware, it has gone downhill! Quite simply, the owners don’t have as clue.

Was unfortunately very disappointed with Joust. I made a booking for two at 6.30 and when we got there there was no table ready for us. We were asked if we would mind to eat at the bar as they were giving our table to another couple who ‘had a booking’ which I thought was strange and told her we also had a booking. So the waitress then sat us at a table set for 6 outside which wasnt all that comfortable just for a couple, she said she would start the heater for us, but never came back. I was hoping the food would make up for it but both my partner and I were disappointed. The mussels I had still had little crabs in them which put me off instantly and my partner didn’t enjoy anything he had. There was nice coleslaw and pasta though which was very tasty but otherwise was let down and we did not eat our money’s worth. The staff however were very friendly but not all that helpful. It’s a shame as I had high hopes for joust.

After reading some of the reviews on this site and another website, I was a bit dubious about going to this restaurant, yet when driving past it always has diners.

So on a cool autumn evening (18th May) along with my husband I stepped foot into a nice warm restaurant.

The food was great, the wine was lovely and the staff were pleasant. It is so nice to have a good local restaurant. It is worth a visit.

We would like to thank Joy and the staff at Joust, we had our whole wedding ceremony and after function in the lovely under cover Garden area at the back of the main restaurant that adjoins it. it was on the 17th of March 2012. We meet with Joy before hand and she was very helpful and catered for our every needs, food, drinks, and what we wanted the area to look like on the day. We had food platters that had a range of foods and seafood, our guests all raved that the food was great and it was all well enjoyed, the atmosphere was good and we couldn’t of had a better day. Than you Joy and The team once again.

We will be back for Lunch and Dinner again soon,

Kind Regards

Richard and Skye Wilson

Went to “joust” as we were recomended it..Wot a wonderful surprise!! we turned up without a booking complete with 2 small kids..nuthing wos an effort for them…they managed to find us a table…the staff member wos obviously a mum, and took to our girls…she went out of her way to talk to us re our wine tastes…and laughd with our girls…all this whilst they were packed to the rafters…they catered for all tastes,and the food wos presented beautifully..and the dessert may I add wos..amamzing!!! Big ups to Joust…and staff…there is not alot of places we as parents can go with kids..where we can feel comfortable..and “relax”a little..thank you Joust..for a wonderful evening..

We had our wedding reception at Joust on the 4th December 2011. It was pouring with rain and apart from the occasional drip from the roof (it was a courtyard) the function went better than expected. The food was delicious (many comments about wanting to return at a later date). The service was wonderful and Joy and the team were helpful in every way possible. It made our “wet” wedding day something very special. I highly recommend Joust for its food and service and an ideal place for all types of functions.

We booked a table in the courtyard 2 weeks in advance for a special occasion but turned up and had to wait 30 minutes on a table outside next to the highway and the petrol station while they got our table ready. When we sat our table cloths were still damp from the wash. The food was fine, and Sam our waitress was lovely. Unfortunately the other staff kept trying to rush us through and kept asking us if we had finished with the buffet. By the third time we were beginning to feel very unwelcome and the chef himself, obviously in a hurry to pack away lunch, came out to ask us again. As one of us explained that we had been sat down late because the table hadn’t been ready, he was incredibly rude, interrupted her mid sentence and told her he didn’t want to hear her ‘anger’. She left very upset. We spoke to the manager, who was similarly uninterested and refused to acknowledge our complaints, staring out the window and saying it was not her fault. Our waitress was left to smooth over the situation and was the only redeeming factor. A very unpleasant experience.

Fabulous evening at Joust this evening. It was my birthday dinner, so hubby booked at the new buffet in town. Was very very very busy when we arrived but staff took it all in their stride and were extremely polite and helpfull. Exceptional buffet food with the lovely fresh salads being my favourite. Hubby is still raving over the dessert cabinet with the individual plattings. Please let there be another open up out west.

Went to Joust Buffet Restaurant tonight and it was by fr the worst dining experience ever! Upon arrival no-one was at the desk to serve us and so it took ages for us to be seen to and seated. Our table which we had booked was not set, regardless of the many empty tables in the restaurant. The new tablecloth that was lain on our table was obviously just out of the wash, as it was still damp. The waitress was friendly, however, inexperienced and brought back the wrong drinks. The food was less than average, sloppy, bland and definitely not fresh. We only had one small plate and decided we didn’t want anymore. The dessert was average and tacky and overall it was a very amateur and displeasing. We were there just over an hour before giving up. Wouldn’t recommend to anyone and definitely won’t be back.

Went there for lunch…… fantastic!!! Food was great. Staff were great. Desserts were…. AWESOME!!! Will definitely be going back!

Went here 3 times in about 5 weeks (June – July, due to lots of celebrations), love the buffet style but they could do with rotating a variety of dishes as we had the exact same dishes on each occasion. Value for money (though their prices have increased since they opened) and lovely desserts. Will give it a break before returning though….give the chefs chance to find some new recipes !! Friendly staff.

Went to Joust last nite to try out the new buffet. We had a table of 20, the restaurant was jam packed we were crammed in like sardines, the staff could not cope with the numbers they were rude & therefore took it out on their customers. I said to the waitress, “excuse me” she turned around & said “WHAT” (absolutely so rude). Owner also was very rude. The seafood was very smelly & off. Would never go back there & will spread the word. I have never had such a bad experience before to want to write a review.

Saw their ad for the new buffet, and we tried it today for lunch. Really nice! There are appetizers (seared tuna), a salad bar, the entrees were thoughtful and very good. Nicely done! Our only complain, please use filtered water at the table, it would have made it perfect!

My husband and I dined at Joust with special friends over from O.Z. 30/12 we all enjoyed our starters. Especially the calamari and mussels were beautifully cooked. I liked that you have such a fanastic view! Although the staff were a little occupied we enjoyed our meals and the relaxing atmostphere..I think I would love to dine at Joust again the caujan chicken salad was splended and has remained in my memory as the best Ive experienced:) Thank-you.

Lucy.

We went to this restaurant last night for a special birthday dinner for my mum. We arrived at 6.30 and got a table in the “garden” which was full of mismatched chairs and infested plants. Our starter of antipasto platter was nice but the calamari still had the plastic wrap on the outside nicely cooked. We then got our mains quite quickly. The fillet Mignon was nice, the fish of the day had been cooked in a dirty pan and looked very unappetising but tasted okay. One of the party had a pizza which was below the standard of a frozen supermarket pizza. There was a pizza oven in the corner of the garden so she was looking forward to a wood fired pizza but no such luck. We thought the desert would be a saving grace but we sat for over an hour with dirty plates waiting for the waiter to clear and ask us if we wanted desert but no luck so we left after paying a very overpriced bill. This restaurant had real issues and is a perfect contender for “Kitchen Job”. Don’t waste your money!!!

I like this place since it has reopened. It feels like the friendly staff cannot do enough for you and the food is always good.

Perhaps their smaller meals are better value for money. A simple fish of the day cooked to perfection. A superb pizza where the quality of the base and the luscious cheese topping is more important than bits and bobs on it. These are the reasons that I keep going back.

Having patronised this restaurant for the last eight years I have been more than disappointed since its reopening this year. Both our anniversary dinner and guest outing this month have been among my most dismal dining experiences ever. I was forced to pay last night for a meal which I declined to eat and my guests were asked to pay $35 each for what amounted to a frozen tv dinner. The service was appalling and the staff unhelpful?! and untrained,however the food used to make up for this. Never again. BEWARE! The pizzas are worse than supermarket specials and the size of a bread and butter plate. My vegetarian option did not match the menu description. I should have been warned by my dinner earlier in the month, which after discussion with the manager ended up being a plate of mediocre vegetables as opposed to the chef’s special I was promised for which I was expected to pay a substantial sum. Having had good experiences at Joust for years, I decided this was one bad day, but have been proved wrong and worse with guests from out of town. Whoever is cooking here needs help, badly. We would have been far better dining at home and less embarrassed. This is one restaurant I won’t be setting foot in again, ever.

Everything looked burnt……
Sorry terrible joke. Bad news about the fire!!!!!
Will i ever experience the best eggs bene again?
*sigh*

Fabulous! We sat back on those day beds, staring out to sea, drinking the bubbles and loved every minute.

I’m surprised this restaurant is still open. My experience there consisted of rude staff members, including the manager who refused to take into account our complaints, terrible service, we had to wait over an hour for our food and when it did come it was basically inedible. We ended up leaving without finishing our main course or even receiving our desserts. The management at Joust should be ashamed of the manner in which we were treated. We had taken tourists there and spent the rest of the holiday apologising for what a terrible evening it turned out to be. Worst of all we never even received an apology from any of the staff members.

17 January 2009: Having previously read the negative comments in reviews already posted, I am delighted to report that my first visit to Joust proved to be one of my best dining out experiences ever! From the hospitality of the owner, who made four of us very welcome and chatted from time to time, through to liqueurs at the end of the evening, nothing could be faulted. The waitresses were very knowledgeable about menu items and confident in making recommendations, and the taste and presentation of our food was exquisite. My steak was better thn any I have tasted in Auckland in recent years and I’m looking forward to my next (holiday) visit. Meanwhile, I hope ‘the locals’ petition the council and prevent the magnificent view being spoiled.

Absolutely fabulous. We travelled over the bridge to get away from the busy city expecting to less only to find a secret haven. Not only the food was tops but the staff were a class of their own.

we went new years eve after a passage of a few years. food very good but service terrible – 2 of our party of 4 received the wrong meals with the statement that they had given ours to another table by mistake (so two others got the wrong dishes!). No forks to use as they “were in the dishwasher”. Not even a reduction in the bill for serving the wrong meals until we complained. Waitress said that owner advised “just give it to them and see what they say”

we shall never go again

Joust is a terrible establishment! We booked a table of 20 in for New Years Eve and experienced shocking service (3 hour wait for food, my brother had to leave with his 2 year old daughter to get her MacDonalds as she was desperate for food), disgusting food – the chicken had far too much seasoning and the fish was completely raw and worst of all a bad attitude from the owner. We should all have gone to MacDonalds for a better meal!!

This was one of my worst dinning out experiences!!!! I had made a booking for 16 adults & 2 kids on New Years eve in advance. I spoke to one of the staff members about a fixed menu & paying options prior to arrival (we agreed to a fixed two course menu together on the phone with what entrees, mains or a desert would be on the menu as well as a bar tab for each couple.) Once we had all arrived, we were informed that we would need to sort out our own paying options at the bar direct for any drinks, the menu discussed with the staff member was very different to what was agreed. We waited for an hour before the waitress finally took our food order, our entrees arrived another hour later (with the kids food), however the sausages the kids had received was revolting, they tasted old & freezer burnt. The 2 year old girl threw up while eating the food. We mentioned our concern to the manager who in return suggested that she would bring ice cream for the kids. However the entrees for the adults was nice.

This was just the beginning of our experience…….

We asked how far away our mains were on at least 7 occasions & were told every time the food was 10 minutes away or either on the hot plate. FINALLY when the mains did arrive another hour later, the people who ordered the beef skewers were lucky as it was very tasty, the people who ordered the chicken, received more pepper than chicken, the plates were covered in chilly & pepper with no indication of the hotness of the food on the menu. The people who ordered the fish received UNDERCOOKED fish….. when this was shown to the manager she said they would take it back & cook it longer which to me is very unacceptable.

We didnt stay much longer after receiving the mains as we couldnt finish the food. I pulled the manager aside & explained how unsatisfied our table was with the food, waiting times & attitude we had receMoreived. It was demanded that regardless of our dissatisfaction we would still be required to pay even though some of us who ordered the desert had not received it.

However after a big argument & little concern on their side about the quality of their restaurant we finally came to an agreement to only pay for any meal we thought was satisfactory.

This is a restaurant that will not be seeing me EVER again!!

First visit to Joust last week took overseas guests who throughly enjoyed their meal. Food excellent as was service and whole ambiance of restaurant.Will be adding this to our favourite places to eat. nov 2008

The Joust is among those few who knows the secret of maintaining the level of excellent service and professional kitchen. So many times been there – never dissapointed!

We have eaten at Joust several times and have always been delighted with the food and service! Would recommend this amazing restaurant without hesitation.(and the views are fabulous!)