Gina’s Italian Kitchen

Heard about the pizza so decided to bring the family. It started offf bad with very tough calamari and then we were disapointed in the pizza as the bases were like cardboard.
We did stay for desert but headed to Mission Bay for icecream

Food was delicious and had great flavour. Was a bit disappointed with portion sizes, but it’s a risk you always take when you eat out. Was a bit awkward getting a table, our table was right behind another couple, so we shuffled our table over so we could get in without accidentally sitting up and hitting the person behind us. And we were also squeezed in between them and a door. The taste of the food made up for all the awkwardness. Just would have preferred more than 5 meatballs with spaghetti meatballs.

I finally got try try this place, heard lots of good reviews from friends and family. We booked ahead as it was a special occasion. Being a long public weekend, fellow diners commented on how they had never seen it so quiet.
The hardest thing for all of us was choosing what to eat as there were several options worth exploring, and that was only the entrees. We ended up with a selection and shared amongst us. There was even a harder decision for mains, I was constantly changing my mind even with the waiter standing next to me after taking the others orders.
We all agreed that both the Entrée’s and Mains were very good. Not too filling, but overall you left the restaurant with full and content stomachs. The girls quite enjoyed their cocktails too.
For us in good olé South of Auckland, it was well worth the trip, I would gladly do it again quite soon, especially on a Saturday night when I hear that the staff put on a little entertainment show.
If you enjoy Italian food then this is a must, if you don’t then you should try it…
PS If you can get a table out back on a hot summer’s evening, it’s so more refreshing !!!

Haven’t been here in many years and it was fantastic. Hilarious and entertaining on a Saturday night given the birthdays and hen’s parties so if some dancing shirtless men is going to bother you you might want to take a pass.
Had the calamari and it was delicious along with their hand made chicken ravioli which rates among the best handmade raviolis in Auckland and they stuffed crust spinach pizza. Service was friendly, price was reasonable and food was super tasty.

Worst drama’s with final bill. Staff cannot add up a split bill which ended up in serious discrepancies with the bill. Don’t bother asking to split the bill. Worst experience in Auckland.

I wish there was an option for 4.5 stars for Gina’s. It’s always been on my to do list so when a voucher popped up on Grab One for a 3 course dinner for 2 for $ 65 I jumped at the chance. We went on. Tuesday, later in the evening so it wasn’t busy at all.
I have to start with the service which was fantastic. Constantly had water on the table, a good amount of time between courses and every course we had cutlery and napkins replaced. Plus professional and friendly waiters — you don’t get that combination a lot these days.
We had a basic Italian red table wine to drink and it was nice and light. Not much more to say about it. For starters we had the antipasto platter and calamari. The platter was great. Prosciutto and a chorizo type salami with olives and feta. Only two pieces of bread. But that’s probably a good thing. The calamari was pretty average though — quite tough and overcooked. We both had the chicken thigh for the main and it was fantastic. Tender, juicy and flavoursome with a good portion size. Desert was a tiramisu and the other option which I don’t remember. Tiramisu was to die for.
Overall — the only reason I didn’t give 5 stars was the food could have been slightly better. Don’t get me wrong though — I’m definitely going to be back here.

Living behind this place is absolute torture because eating there regularly is absolutely outside of our budget, but the amazing smells drift through our window all night.
Having been several times now, we’ve only had one bad experience: my partner ordered a pizza that had an unusually large amount of hair cooked into the cheese. Mine was fine, but they offered to give us both for free. Which seemed like a good idea, but boyfriend insisted on paying anyhow.
Their pizza is fine, I think their pastas deserve the higher praise though. For an occasional lunch (daily deals during lunch hours on weekdays!) I can grab a mushroom pasta that’s outstanding. For awhile they did $ 5 calzones for lunch, which the boyfriend was a huge fan of, and they’ve got a wonderfully fruity red sparkling wine I can’t seem to find anywhere else so I enjoy a glass there when I can.
All in all, good food. And once I needed mushrooms for a cookout at home and didn’t have time to run to the grocery, and the kind staff at Gina’s sold me a bag of fresh mushrooms for a couple of dollars. Neighborly!

Gina’s Express Lunch Offers are from $ 12 from 12pm to 2pm during the week and have an attractive menu to chose from, with generous portion sizes. They have a nice ambience and the staff are friendly and helpful when it comes to choosing the wine that would go well with the pasta. This is my go-​to-​place for lunch especially during the cold winter days!

Have you ever had a hankering for lasagne on a Saturday night? As lasagne enthusiasts, we were excited to see an Italian restaurant just up the road from us.
We ordered to take away, and $ 34 later for 2 x lasagne, there was a lot left to be desired. Lacking in consistency, texture, flavor and general attention, the lasagne could have been heated up by any flight attendant.
Won’t be going back, once was enough.

Had dinner at Gina’s recently while visiting friends in Auckland. I really wanted to like this place but what a bad experience!
1. The server was brand new, so I won’t necessarily fault him. He may not have been trained well or have been used to serving at a place with a big dinner crowd. I’m very sympathetic to that, but it was truly bad service. In restaurants I’ve worked, a more experienced server would keep an eye on newbies on their first night. This didn’t happen and we were very neglected. No one visited our table to check on us and we had to summon other servers when we needed attending to.
2. I ordered the seafood risotto. It sounded good on the menu and had nice presentation, but sadly it was kind of disgusting. It was mushy, drowning in liquid, and very bland. What a waste, I cannot recommend this dish at all.
3. One other friend ordered the gnocchi, and the kitchen substituted scallops for mussels (which he is allergic to) without any notice. When we pointed out the mistake we were told that the recipe has changed but they haven’t gotten around to changing the menu yet. Fine, it happens, but it would have been good to know that before ordering. I can’t speak to how good the dish is, only that it is not as described on the menu.
4. The only one at the table who really enjoyed his meal ordered the pizza, but it was delivered almost 15 minutes after the rest of the entrees. It did look very tasty.
The establishment offered us free desserts to try to make amends at what was clearly a series of screw ups. I appreciated the gesture, but we were dubious of the food by that point. I really wish I could have had a 4 or 5 star experience like others have. I just kept wishing I had ordered a pizza, or a dish recommended by another Unilocaler, or anything Gina’s does well. The atmosphere is so charming and the portions are a good value, but I doubt I would give it another try even if I lived in Auckland.

We ate at Gina’s last night, I’d been recommended it by a friend but had also read some poor reviews so wasn’t sure what to expect. Unlike other comments the service was good, not over the top but our waitress was friendly and attentive enough.
The pizza bread was excellent and a great starter, I had the lamb ragu which was delicious and not a huge portion but definitely enough. My partner had the steak which again was a decent portion and apparently was good.
We decided to share a dessert, the profiteroles were good but they were small and only 4 which I didn’t think was value for money. Overall we enjoyed our dining experience and would come back.

The food is average. But good atmospheres. The waiter is very friendly. Maybe a bit too friendly.

Thank god for Gina’s. What a great, authentic place. The staff is friendly and enthusiastic, and occasionally shirtless. Definitely go if you have a birthday, or a love for real Italian! There’s a nice little outdoor area too.

My favourite Italian place in the CBD.
Such a lively, authentic ambiance, the staff are just fantastic, and the pasta is excellent.
And on a sunny day you can even enjoy a glass of wine on the outdoor deck!

Usually do an excellent pizza. Last one I had was a 5 but today’s was only a 3

Gina’s is a bit of an institution in Auckland, especially for groups of women! In fact, I have to admit that I even dated one of their Italian waiters a while back, after meeting him whilst out for dinner at Gina’s!
They are passionate about Italian cuisine and it shows in everything they do, from the food to the wine to the wait staff to the presentation of the restaurant. I haven’t been to their new location yet but when they were just a little further up the street I went too many times to count.
Two dishes have always stood out — the spaghetti mare e monti which is prawns, chicken and mushroom in a creamy marsala sauce (deeeelish) and their mushroom lasagne — which I’ve just checked and doesn’t seem to be on the menu any more but imagine layers and layers of mushrooms, creamy bechamel and oodles of cheesy mozzarella. I’m sure the bolognese lasagne is just as good.

We recently checked out Ginas new premises at 161 Symonds Street and are relived to report that none of what is great about Ginas has been lost in the move. This place is bigger than the last and has a bar area and courtyard out the back.
Now normally I would passionately detest (yes that much) a restaurant with big screen tvs but Ginas’ teles are almost wholly dedicated to «the beautiul game» so that’s ok then. Italy and football go hand and hand and my 10 year old boy is a future soccer star so I’m all good with that.
But about the food… Ginas is the template for every other good Italian restaurant in Auckland. The service is frantic and your meal may be frisbeed the length of the table in the interests of a speedy delivery. I have been here for girls’ nights, birthdays (a recommended destination for the single ladies on their special day or heck, any day) and as on this last visit, date nights.
Everything on the menu here is fantastico and I usually order the Capreze Salad and Spinach & Ricotta canneloni however I notice they have changed the menu since I was there a few months back. It all still sounds amazing and Ginas is the kind of place who have no problem leaving the meat out of something or changing a menu item slightly to suit.
The drinks list is pretty much perfecto and the Pizza Bread with Garlic is my favourite way to start a feast. As I am writing this I’m already looking forward to my next visit to sample that new menu…

Everyone knows Italians can be loud. I’m not trying to be racist or stir up some Italian/​New Zealand uprising. Italians are very passionate and expressive. Couple this with the football on the TV, a busy kitchen and a popular restaurant, things can get a bit rowdy.
But fear not! Take your belle by the hand and lead your sweetheart to the outdoor seating under garden lights. What is more romantic (and cliché) than garden lights and Italian food at sun down? No one is going to turn down delicious pasta dishes and a carafe of red wine will obviously have to accompany that. It would be rude not to.
Highlights include fantastic mojitos and a very clever Loyalty Card (which I will say nothing more about).

Gina’s used to be a much smaller restaurant further down the street, but its popularity was such that more space was needed. The vibe though is still much the same. The original Gina’s was a cheerful, slightly rowdy place and the new one has managed to bottle that. The food is accessible Italian fare — pizza and pasta, done pretty well and reasonably priced. The service isn’t always the most prompt, but they make up for it with the happy vibe. The shirtless singing waiters are always a treat for birthday girls!