Picnicka Bar & Grill

My friends and I went to celebrate a birthday and at our initial research we did not find the Google images and menu options particularly enticing.However word of mouth prevailed so we gave it a go.We ordered a large selection of the menu, including desserts. Everything tasted incredible! Delicious flavour combinations incredibly fresh ingredients and all cooked to perfection!The restaurant has gorgeous, really interesting decor and a relaxed feel with many seating options.The service was friendly, helpful and complimentary when an order mix-up occurred.I would highly recommend trying it out before its too hard to get a booking.

Whilst I liked the place, I’ll break down some practical tips as it’s having a few teething problems.As of May 2023, this place is only half built, so don’t book via their website as you won’t have the ability to choose a table inside, and hence the system is likely to plonk you outdoors in the rain and wind.We were placed by the entrance door of Farmers, outside the restaurant itself and away from the crowd. This in itself felt quite degrading. We felt awkward having guards and other people walking past us when eating.For the food, some of the “small plates” are larger than the mains. I do recommend the buffalo cauliflower and the chicken. For mains, the lamb skewers are smaller than the small plates, so just be aware of it and order a side if you’re hungry. The food was well tasting.If you’re not from around here, please be aware it’s a lot fancier than the pictures. I would have appreciated if the email confirmation pointed out a dresscode, at least on a Saturday, because of the variety of places and dress codes in Tauranga.I wish the staff would have offered a discount for the outdoor experience, cause it wasn’t great. But hopefully they read their reviews and are open to consider how to incorporate the feedback.Saying this, I would return in the future, but only if a booking is confirmed indoors.

I recently dined at Picnicka for brunch, and while the food was delicious, I had mixed feelings about the overall experience. The restaurant is known for its high prices, and rightfully so, considering the quality of the food. For $41, you can enjoy a satisfying Steak & Eggs dish, accompanied by a pricey $18 Bloody Mary. If you add a coffee to your order, the costs quickly add up. However, I believe that when you choose to indulge in an upscale brunch, you expect something different, and in that regard, Picnicka delivers.Kim and Noel Cimadon, the owners of the restaurant, have done an impressive job creating an extraordinary ambiance. The attention to detail in the interior design, with its eclectic vintage aesthetic, transports you to a European meadow picnic. It's truly a lovely and unique setting that adds to the dining experience.Unfortunately, the service at Picnicka left much to be desired. Considering the high prices, one would expect exceptional service to match. I found the service to be slow and lacking in attentiveness. When serving drinks to a table, it would have been more efficient and professional to bring them all at once on a tray, allowing the server to distribute them efficiently and potentially saving trips back to the bar. Additionally, it was disappointing that the staff didn't remember who ordered which dish, resulting in unnecessary confusion and inconvenience for the diners.The lack of a maître to greet us upon arrival was another letdown. Instead, we had to navigate the restaurant on our own, passing empty tables and making our way to the bar. The bartender's response, while not impolite, could have been more prompt and welcoming. These initial encounters are crucial in setting the tone for the dining experience, and unfortunately, Picnicka fell short in this aspect.Despite the restaurant's spaciousness, which spans an impressive 387 square meters, the atmosphere felt somewhat lacking in liveliness. With patrons spread out throughout the restaurant, it lacked the vibrant and energetic buzz that one would hope for in such an establishment.That being said, once our order was finally taken, the food itself was excellent, and I have no complaints in that regard. The flavors were on point, and the dishes were prepared to perfection.In conclusion, Picnicka offers a unique and enticing dining experience with its delicious food and picturesque ambiance. However, the slow and meandering service, coupled with the initial lack of attention and the somewhat subdued atmosphere, detracted from the overall enjoyment. Considering the high prices, I believe that exceptional service should accompany the excellent food. With improvements in these areas, Picnicka has the potential to be a truly remarkable dining destination.

Berry mocktail, fish sliders, butcher's cut, scallop potato and gem lettuce salad. Absolutely delicious. Attentive service. Cool decor. Love eating here.

Amazing staff and food we will definitely be back. The staff even organised with the Chef a special off the menu dish for my wife with food elergies

Went here for lunch and would not return unfortunately. Our table and floor was dirty, we were left with the previous table’s dirty salt bowl, and when served our beer the glass had warm water in it (not just a wet glass, the glass had like a shot glass of water, ugh). The use by date on our beer was over a month old, when we tasted it, it was sour and weird colored so we checked. We were offered a cheaper replacement, but when we went to pay they charged us the original more expensive amount. We asked them for the price of the product we actually drank and suggested they should probably just give it to us for free since we had to suffer through a few sips of an old beer and the waitress sarcastically said, “well you drank it, didn’t you?” One of those places with a nice interior, good cocktails, and food but for the price you would hope for good service too

Cool place. Their Buffalo Cauliflower is the best buffalo cauliflower I’ve ever had. Crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. If you’re vegetarian or love buffalo chicken it’s a must try! So tasty!

Nice ambience and great service. The waiting staff are very attentive and friendly.The dishes were a little hit and miss. The Oysters were good, the signature slow cooked beef short rib melts in your mouth. Wouldn’t have much to say about the butchers cut steak (dry and chewy), the half chicken was nothing special and the lemon tart dessert tasted like an entire lemon was used - that’s not to say that the food was bad, but considering the price, you expect something phenomenal.There is definitely potential, it almost feels like perhaps the restaurant needs to fine tune a few things in the kitchen to get things right on point.Would dine here again, but it would likely not be a first choice.

We almost ordered all the small and large plates on the menu. The food taste amazing and the staff were very friendly. My personal favourites are tuna cerviche and grilled octopus. They were so tasty that we reordered that. The ambience was relaxing, I could stay there all day! We topped it off with a lemon tart and it's a must eat!If I had to be picky, I think the only thing I'd say is that the large plate aren't really that large at all. It's just normal size of a main dish so from that sense, it's a little pricey.

Decor is beautiful!Service is great!Food tastes good but is overpriced when you compare other great restaurants. Talking to others it seems the menu isn't consistently good, quality and taste seems to differ at each visit. Be prepared to spend a lot of money if you want a balanced meal.