Unimpressed. Fish & chips with a few extras for a family of six cost $56!!!!! Oh we made the mistake of going on a public holiday so had the privilege of being charged 15% extra. The chips, spring roll, hot dogs were standard price and fair. My biggest issue with the fish and chip takeaways is that they charge $4.50 for HOKI and $6.50 for piece of fresh gurnard. We went for the hoki due to price only to be served pre prepared from frozen hoki fillets that I can buy in the supermarket for $6 a packet of 6-8!! So much for freshly battered fillets of fish. I would be embarrassed to bring visitors to New Zealand and have this served as an example of good food! Uninspiring, expensive and not that great to eat.

I have been to Sand Dunz 3 times and every time I’ve been it’s been a major disappointment. The staff are slow and rude, they got my order wrong (I asked for a Mochaccino and got a cappuccino instead) when I asked them to correct it they said that I asked for a cappuccino not a Mocha (despite me being a Mocha drinker for 10 years – I KNOW what I ordered) the staff member rolled her eyes at me snatched the coffee away and sprinkled chocolate on top before rudely thrusting it back at me. I ended up paying $5.50 for a disgusting (now cold “mocchacino”) I will never come back here and I suggest the staff get some customer service training or consider a different career altogether!

Yesterday we were disappointed with our experience at this cafe. We unfortuantely made the mistake of ordering two chicken burgers and one fish burger at the diningroom counter rather than at the takeaway window. Two of us had waited at the takeaway window for a few seconds but as there was no one serving, went through the door to another counter. They were staggered when asked for $56+ for these 3 burgers and between the two of them came up with the cash. When telling me, the third person of this group, I queried it and was told that we’d placed our order at the dining room counter, that the order was underway and unchangeable and that we’d get a totally different meal to just 3 burgers. When our 3 burgers arrived, on plates, with a bowl of chips each, we were unimpresed. My fish was average but most of the chicken was left on the other two’s plates as it was tough they said. I’ve eaten takeaways there before and thought we were taking our English guest to a pleasant eating place but as stated above – it was disappointing and way over the top pricewise. 3 Disappointed Customers

I’ve been here a couple of times, the cafe food is very nice, albeit a little expensive…I’ve had the french toast, which was very good, and I’ve tried the choc-caramel slice, which is tasty. However, I recently had a bad experience with takeaway side of the business. Last weekend (21/03/11) I was there, and I wanted to buy a bottle of diet coke, so I got in line behind one other customer, and waited for about 5 or 10 minutes while he placed his order. There was only one person working the till, and she kept disappearing. Then, a woman with a bunch of children came up to the counter, and stood on the other side, next to the ice cream cabinet, all her children yelling about which flavours they wanted. By this time, the customer I had originally been behind had placed his order and sat down, and I had been waiting for close to 15 minutes. The girl who worked there came back out from the back, and even though she knew I had been there for far longer (a good 15 minutes) than the woman with kids who wanted ice cream, she served her first. The order was long and involved, and I ended up waiting over 15 minutes for a small bottle of diet coke! If I hadn’t been so thirsty, I’d have left. Honestly, I will think twice about going back there, as the service is both slow and unfair.

The location is amazing – literally a minute away from the beach. After a day in the sea, some fish and chips were just what we felt like, and the ones we had here didn’t disappoint. The food was excellent and the staff were very friendly. Will certainly be coming back next time I’m in Muriwai

Found this to be a very nice cafe! Spacious and modern with the best fish and chips I have ever tasted! Was talking to the staff and there are new owners who seem very friendly. Will be back the next time i am at the beach

Keep on driving. Our experience was not a good one. The restaurant was not busy…at Sunday lunchtime(admittedly should have been a sign!)..but we were hungry. Welcome was non-existent..food was pricey..$16 for soup. Food took 20 minutues to arrive and there were only five other tables occupied. That and the “stack”(big toastie) I ordered was cold(manager said it was meant to be(cold toast!?)..then rolled his eyes as I asked for it to be heated up…with took another 5 minutes.
A thoroughly disappointing experience in both service and food..although the cafe itself is really nice with a warming gas fire and sofa. Sounds like some new staff and attitude is all that is required.