We celebrated a birthday here on a Monday night. Predictably, the restaurant was perhaps 1/5 full and the service was both friendly, swift and unobtrusive.

Mains were a good size and so were the desserts. However, my roast duck was more than a little over-cooked which was something of a pity. Also, if possible, ask not be seated at the table closest to the cash register – the situation is a little crammed.

However, all in all, pleasant food and great service from the young, courteous waiting staff.

We ate here on a Friday night, they were about 75% full. Our entrees were fine but both main courses were overcooked and vegetable side dishes were miniscule. Service was friendly but a little on the casual side. Two entree, two mains and a bottle of wine came to $145 which we thought was too expensive for the standard of the food they serve. You can get a really good meal for that price at places like Somerset Cottage and an equivalent dinner for much less at places on the Strand.

I recently returned from a three week trip to New Zealand. Without a doubt, my favorite meal of the entire trip was at RSVP. The food was simply delicious and was made exactly how we liked it. The vegetables were fresh. The salmon was delicious.

However, the best part of the entire experience at RSVP was Suzanne, the owner. Her warm hospitality and professionalism coupled with her infectious friendly and kind personality were appreciated by all the members of the dinner party I was with. She went out of her way to make sure that our food was exactly how we wanted it. I would highly recommend this restaurant to everyone who has the opportunity to visit the Bay of Plenty. It will not disappoint! Cheers to RSVP! I hope to go back someday.

Dave’s review is astonishing. I have had a number of fantastic culinary experiences at RSVP over the past two years, none of which I could rate poorly. I have lived in the area for many years and hear more positive talk about RSVP than ever. My last visit, two weeks ago, was superb in every sense. Thank you RSVP.

We are regular dinners of this wonderful restaurant at lest once a week with entertaining friends & business colleagues, Highly recommended for a lovely dinner for two or a party booking to celebrate something special.
The chiefs are outstanding with there food & presentation the staff, Georgette, Brandon, Gordon & Rachel are a credit to the owners who all offer excellent service & fun.
We highly recommend RSVP to everyone the main ingredient they always get right is consistency with there fresh tasty food.
Suzanna & Patrica you have a wonderful restaurant so keep up the great work.
Thanks we will be back again.
Chris & Mat

P.S Never had frozen veges there before & considering I’m a vegetarian I should know..

Large, heavy and expensive plates of food that lack a fine touch. Restaurant could do with a paint job and a clean. Didn’t enjoy and wouldn’t go back…

The decor: 1 of 5
Looks to have been designed in the 90′s and hasn’t been touched since. Dead flies in the lights, could do with a clean.

The drinks: 1 of 5
Beer: Standard range of mainstream beers (at this price point I would have expected a selection of NZ and imported craft beers)
Gin: Low quality, missing lemon/lime

The menu: 3 of 5
Wide range of tasty looking food on the menu catering to many tastes and diets. Quickly adds up at $35 for a main and then sides on the top…

The food: 2 of 5
Pork belly starter was burnt on the outside and very flabby on the inside.

Duck and lamb shanks mains were both very heavy and rather fatty. Duck was extremely sweet (and I have a sweet tooth). Portion size was generous but they should be for $35.

Side of veg seemed to have been boiled for ever (just like your grandma likes it) and dumped in a small bowl.

Service: 2 of 5
Served by a middle aged woman and a young woman.
Both were polite and prompt. We were sat behind the till and under the neon light in the window (the romance!!). The manager even did the accounts at the till right behind us while we were eating (but she did smile).

We had a family birthday dinner at RSVP and we were all happy with the food. The menu has a wide range with something for every ones taste. The desserts were amazing/awesome, the best. Teenage boys happy!! The wine menu was alright, soft drinks were overpriced(but they are everywhere) but we will be back because overall the experience was warm and friendly.

I recently had a very wonderful dining experience here. The food was amazing, the staff were great and I descovered my new favorite wine there. I asked the waitress who cooked our meals, his name is Jamie, thought he deserved some recognition. One of my very best dining experiences yet. Complements to the chef and staff well done. Only complaint would be the temperature inside, it was getting quite uncomfortably hot towards the end. Not a big deal, I’ll definately be back!

We have been to RSVP for a meal, and I go in the mornings for coffee and a muffin which are yummy, we also have take out which are great after a busy day at the office, our favorite- seafood pasta it is so delicious. A suggestion to the chef- not a criticism stick to the small pasta not the wide flat pasta it alters the whole effect. Will be back soon, thanks Suzanne you are a great host. Donna Kelly

Went to RSVP for lunch. Overall was a good experience. Meals were very nice and service was adequate and very timely.

Only thing that stopped it being rated higher was that the top menu that was displayed in the window had a few fruit flies squished between it and the glass. I saw this on the way out and it did make my stomach churn, luckily not seen on the way in or prob would have gone elsewhere.

We have eaten at RSVP on several occasions. Called in for coffee and delicious muffins during the morning, called in for a pizza Sunday lunch and also enjoyed a delicious meal in the evening. Could not fault the food or the service. Waiting staff also very friendly Well Done RSVP…Always a very good experience – WELL WORTH A VISIT

I had the pleasure of dining at RSVP on Saturday 11th September with my Wife and Daughter. All the staff were AMAZING and owner Suzanne was absolutely wonderful! She noted that my daughter (12 yrs) was an aspiring pastry chef and she gave her a tour of the kitchen and introduced her to the chef’s. She lent my Daughter a giant cupcake baking tin and my girl made a fantastic cake! (Her classmates were happy as they ate it!)
My advice, if you have not been to RSVP, then put it at the top of your list…If you have not been for a while, the new management are outstanding and you are missing out. Thanks team! see you when I return from overseas

Lovely meal enjoyed by all. I has the chicken salad and it as lovely. Good value especially with the entertainment card.

On Saturday 3 July my adult family and our friends dined at RSVP. It was the best meal, service and night we have had dining out in months. We hadn’t booked, it was busy but our arrival (unannounced) seemed to be NO problem!

The owner made us feel we were the most important people in the restaurant and the young waitress was fantastic.

I can recommend the steak!!! All of us loved our meals!

The wine list was the best I have seen in along time and the desserts were fantastic. we will certainly be going there again! Thanks RSVP – Brilliant!

We dined here on 4th June 2010 and unfortunatly did not enjoy the service or food however as a result of my review the owner made contact with an offer to return to the restaurant which was a nice gesture.

Overpriced,poor service and food. I took my mother here for dinner- we both had fish. It was watery, overcooked and did not taste fresh. The fish was on a bed of soggy lettuce and smothered in what seemed like a bland white sauce (was supposed to be alioli). For $30+ would expect much more.

Crap !
No reservation, table for two, showed up on a friday night 4th June 2010 – at 5.30 – was great to be treated as though not a problem.
Owner (female) took orders, was off put by the fact we did not want alcoholic drinks she then did not clear menus, returned about 5 minutes later saying “sorry, i didn’t really get your order can you please repeat”. Came back about 10 odd minutes later to clear all menus, 5 minutes later entrees arrived. Pork Belly ($17) entree was tough and very odd to have rice with it ?! About 25 minutes later, waitress advised “apologies for the delay, your meal was mixed up in the kitchen & will be here shortly”. Fillet Mingon ($34)- yeah right, what a joke. It was simply eye fillet steak over cooked to medium / medium well instead of anywhere near the medium rare with a slice of bacon fried and stuck on top of it. Ordered veges, the waitress came with salad. When veges arrived, distinctly smelt and tasted of seafood ?? hows that possible ?
Owner advised us of the deserts … while she was walking around the other side of the wall checking on daily specials, so we have NO idea what they really were and the Tiramasu was very very average.
$110 for two people.
Very disappointed given reputation and too highly priced given the food.
Would definately not recommend or return.

My husband and I had had a very long day after driving to Auckland and back in the same afternoon. It was a wet and cold night and we were lucky enough to get a table with no booking on what appeared to be a very busy night for the restaurant. I ordered a glass of red wine on being seated and my husband ordered a beer, both drinks arrived within seconds. We then both ordered the venison, which was excellent. Finished with the chocolate Baileys icecream dessert and a drambuie for my husband. Overall experience was excellent, the atmosphere was relaxing and food lovely,just what we needed!. I would have awarded 5 stars if it weren’t for the wait on wine following the first drink delivery, we did have to wait for a while with empty glasses before being asked if we would like another drink. But we will definately be back.

Last night we had one of the poorest dining experiences we have had for a long time.We ordered drinks which took an unusually long time to be delivered the beer and soft drinks came then a wait for a single glass of wine then another longer wait for a bottle of red to arrive we were not asked how many glasses were required and to many were delivered. Asking for the names of the diners made me feel uncomfortable this was not needed. Part of our main meal was delivered during this delivery another glass of wine was requested rather than waiting until all the dinners were served the waitress went and got the wine first while our other meals sat under the lights. One of our group had the duck she was facing the kitchen (you have to do something about the extractor fans they are way to noise)and watched her duck sit under the lights for just under 5 min this might have been the cause of the duck being very dry. I had two starters (instead of a main) the calamari was tasteless and the scallops in bacon were overpowered by the burnt taste from the grill. One of our other dinners had some seared scallops as part of a salmon dish and they look uncooked not seared. Once all the mains were on the table there was another break we then noticed the vegetables for two of the dishes were missing asking where they where i was told she only had two hands. If i was paying the bill i would have gone to management at that point. Later in the meal the same waitress placed her hands on my wife’s shoulders this was not good. It will be a very cold day before we return.

Devine,makes me hungry just writing this review.

Its out of the way so it looks dinky but dont judge this book by its cover!!!

Would definately go again