We were staying across the street, so our initial visit to Thunderbird was more convenience than anything else. I had the Fish Stack for breakfast, he had the mushrooms on toast with bacon. The Fish Stack was simple and just divine. Yummy potato hash, gorgeous smoked fish and a perfect poached egg. We both LOVED the creamy mushrooms. Service was great, even if the decor is a little different.

Liked everything enough to come back for dinner on Friday. We shared curly fries (spicy, very hot and yum!) and margaritas (we were surprised by how awesome they were). I had the fried chicken and he had the enchiladas. My chicken was hot and crispy with a spicy/sweet dipping sauce and the enchiladas were obviously good since he didn’t offer to share. Dessert was key lime pie and a really gorgeous, sticky gluten free chocolate cake. That cake is what took it from 4 *s to 5! Good enough that we came back Sunday before going home. The only disappointment in three visits was coffee that was just ok.

The place is definitely funky and not silver service, but it doesn’t pretend it is either. They’re obviously just having fun with it and I find that very appealing. I’ll definitely come back for more next time we’re in town.

Had dinner at Thunderbird this evening, what a great place! The two young waitresses were absolutely fantastic and bent over backwards to accommodate us, great food too and fast enough for us to get to our movie on time, definitely be telling everyone I know to check out this cool as place in an otherwise boring part of town.

Really poor service. Blonde waitress was flat out rude. Rude enough that I will never go back and rude enough that I will happily tell anyone who is willing to listen how bad the service was.

Any review I could make on the food would be skewed by my negative feelings over the service, so in the interest of impartiality, I won’t comment.

Did I mention the service is poor?

Oh boy this place is terrible. Most of the waitresses just don’t care, but the blondini is actively rude and hostile from the moment you walk in! Bizarre.
We went for brunch today with a group of friends, we all agreed we would never go back. The menu was very boring, almost every dish was pretty much eggs on toast with no exciting twists. If you wanted to make your meal more interesting the sides/extras were super expensive. “Chorizo” sausage was actually cheap chipolata.
The food was really bland and the coffee was luke warm. I can’t believe it’s still operating as it is really that bad. I reckon the owners must have no idea how their staff treat the customers. REALLY BAD!!

I have given up on this place. Had breakfast there every week for one year and have had hard poached eggs twice in the last month. Despite requesting ‘runny please’ she will not listen and thinks she knows it all. Agree with all the negative reports and our business is going elsewhere. Expresso Republic where have you gone?

The little cheeseburger they sell just needs a little mustard and that pink sauce to become the best hamburger I’ve had in NZ, and the only one I have developed a craving for. It tastes the closest I’ve found to the grilled burgers you get in US diners. Simple ingredients put together well.

Don’t spend $25 on a waygu beef burger elsewhere, this is better.

Service has always been very good, the people are friendly. The interior is a little dark and cafeteria like but I’d nearly given up on finding a decent burger so that makes up for it.

Update: Really thought I couldn’t love my local lunch place more but then they made RED VELVET CAKE! Its to die for. The only thing I could possibly rate them down for is ruining my diet.

Love this place! Come here several times during the week for coffees and lunch. Love that I can get Tex-Mex without American sized portions. The baking is first rate too, especially try the brownie or key lime pie. You’ll thank me.

The design is odd -I think its supposed to be kitschy, but still needs some tweaking. If I were to fault them on anything, its that the food lacks a truly authentic depth of flavor. Example, the breakfast enchiladas are cooked in a plain tomato sauce instead of in a chile sauce.

Love that the staff recognize me and thats probably one of the things that keeps me coming back. That and I’m addicted to their pork burrito.

Food is good, coffee is good and the staff are efficient and friendly

Overall a good experience

Hi
Went for the second time to Thunderbird on Friday for lunch. Nikki is great. Be prepared to wait for the food as it’s not quick, and portions aren’t large but food is great and really tasty. I’m taking hubby there tomorrow for brunch.

A cold drink and a tasty-as bread roll from the cabinet, whilst filling in time today. I like it ! Great, friendly atmosphere and vibe. I ‘Checked in’ on my facebook & recommended to my friends. I will be back !

Love this place and its fun food but near work – finally! Nikki is cool and you can tell there is a nice vibe amongst the staff and it rubs off talking to them. The food is delicious and they’ve got busy lunch hours down to a fine art so I’ve never worried we’ve been forgotten about. Yay Thunderbird Cafe!

Loved the atmosphere, the food and the service. Sweet Mothers in the corporate end of town – finally a place with some personality in an otherwise bland corporate street.

Went for dinner on Saturday. Wouldn’t go back there again. Service was friendly. Ordered fish and chips, fish was over cooked and the chips were not hot and fresh. Other order was a salmon basket, small portion but not bad taste wise, totally different presentation than the fish and chips plate. Ordered 2 spirit drinks which came out with no ice, when asked if we could have ice there wasn’t any! – glasses on table for water are plastic, not very impressive at all.

Just Okay. Rather bland and boring interior.

Had an iced coffee here which was good but needed some chocolate sauce or something to jazz it up.

Not quite sure what the owners are aiming for in terms of theme.. they have half of their SMK theme happening and then half corporate cafe theme happening. It doesnt work.

In saying that though, there is actually nothing seriously WRONG with the place. It’s just lacking something.

Who knows what.

Just read the latest reviews on staff at Thunderbird. I have found them to be wonderful. However I appreciate that little blondie doesn’t smile much but her service is great. Maybe thats the way she is but she does look lovely.
I am a regular there for breakfast and sometimes dinner and enjoy the food. I just love the fish, potatoey thing for breakfast.
Friday nights with music and cheap beer etc are so fun, pretty laid back after a busy week.
Perhaps instead of complaining on here you talk with the owner, I’m sure she’d appreciate.

Thunderbird is a firm favourite of mine. In fact, it has become a regular haunt for Friday lunch and something definitely to look forward to during the week.

Thunderbird have a vast array of counter food, ranging from ready made sandwiches and rolls to slices, flans and cakes. The menu is a nice mix of snacky type food to full on meals. The food itself is great, not the usual fare that is trotted out at other cafes. The curly fries and swamp dip are a definite hit. The prices do not break the bank and are value for money.

The cafe itself has a lovely cheerful and casual atmosphere and its always busy. There are extra touches which make Thunderbird extra special; the staff remember you, often stopping to have a chat and they take bookings.

Awesome cafe, great place to chill. R E A L L Y good coffee. Nikki is a wonderful hostess and staff are onto it. Friendly as you would want, but not gushy. Cool decor, central, funky not trendy.

Food is tasty, hot, with lots of choice, and there’s plenty. Yum.

Help yourself to water, or give a wave if you need something else at your table. Very relaxed which is great.

Lovely.

Wow, I’m really surprised by all the negative reviews! Who’s writing these?

I’ve been several times now and I’ve always enjoyed the experience. The staff are extremely friendly and service is prompt. A good selection of counter food (I recommend the apple pie) and something different from all the other places in the area.

It’s now replaced Sierra as my local. I’ll be back again this afternoon!

This place is horrible. I wish I’d read the reviews before going there.

The service is slow and the staff seem to have no idea what’s going on. The food is overpriced, the portions are very small and bland. The restaurant itself feels very awkward to be in, sort of like you’re doing detention in school.

AVOID.

This was the second time I have been here for lunch, and both times I have been very pleased with both the service and the food. My tacos were delicious, as were my partner’s burritos, and the chilli con queso we shared was fab. ALSO the chili hot chocolate was wonderful. We are mystified by the bad reviews below.

Here’s my coffee rating – *****
(that’s five stars, not a swear)

Beautiful food, excellent service, decent coffee. How is this place not packed all the time?

Six of us went for breakfast yesterday.
Started off well with the waitress moving tables together to make setting for us all 10/10.
08:30 on Feathers ton Street is cold, no sun, cafe was very cold, had to ask for the door to be closed.
Checked the breakfast menu, was not quite sure how the $5.00 for extras worked but thought I would give it a go. Asked if I could “choose” a combination, no problems.

Was a bit.. odd and not very welcoming when the cutlery and napkins arrived in a stainless steel cylinder/vase and it was help yourself, trendy maybe, but not personal touch.

Scrambled eggs, mushrooms, tomatoes and bacon.
Looked and tasted fine, eggs, 1 rasher of bacon, 1/2 a tomato & 6 button mushrooms in sauce. Presentation was nothing to rave about, but it was breakfast.

Then I paid and realised how the pricing for extras worked.
Two scrambled eggs = $5.00
1/2 tomato = $5.00
1 rasher of crispy bacon $5.00
6 button mushrooms $5.00.
(Nothing else, no toast or hash-brown or any garnish)
Breakfast with the above items $20.00!!

Get a grip owners, we are spoilt for choice in your area and we go for breakfast each week.
Not to Thunder birds again.
$5.00 for 1/2 a tomato is a ripoff.
$5.00 for 1 rasher of bacon is the same.

It your returning customers you need in business..
sadly that will not be us.

Rubbish Cafe! Did not enjoy this stale meal at all. Will not be going back. A waste of money, very expensive considering the food is not eatable. They need to work on serving good food and service and adjust the prices. Burgers were small and expensive and served with nothing else. The food in the cabinet has been sitting there for days.

If I could give this place zero stars I would!!! Worst cafe in Wellington. It will be closed within the next 2 months.

Absolutely the worst food and service I have ever had. Coffee is CRAP! it tasted like coffee flavoured milk. So bad I told my friend (who I arrived before) not to order one. The food is revoulting! I did not even recongise the “Fish and Chips” when it came to our table. It looked like it had been dug out of the dump.

Service was the worst I’ve ever had. About 5-6 staff on and no one clearing tables, they were standing around chatting behind the counter, items missed off our order, smoking in the entrance way and we had to go up to the counter to ask for anything.

I would never ever consider going back to this cafe. It was the worst food and service I have ever seen. We should have walked out when the food came to our table, it look disgusting!

If you are looking for good food and service go to Leuven across the road or D4. Thunderbirds is CRAP!!!!!!!!

I went to Thunderbird on a Saturday with my husband for lunch. We found the service to be attentive and casual which suited the ambience.

The food was delicious. The curly fries were as good as those at SMK and we both had the burritos – the chicken was delicious but the pulled pork was PERHAPS a little bland, but still good.

We will definitely be back.

Wow! So disappointed! Being owned by the same people as Sweet Mothers Kitchen, and the handful of positive review found online, I was expecting great things. I am now convinced the reviews online are from the owners themselves or family and friends.

Two of our guests got there before us, and had a coffee. That cup was still sitting on the table an hour later.

The food was bland, for Mexican based food, I would have though there would have been a little bit of kick, or at least some flavour. The fish looked like it had been in the fryer too long, and a cheap supermarket patty would have given the cheeseburger a tiny bit of flavour. The tiny portions didn’t really help either.

The number of staff matched the number of diners, so service should have been excellent. Empty drink bottles sat on our table until we left, and no offer of dessert to finish our meal.

I don’t think I will be back.