Auckland sits on the Waitematā Harbour and the Hauraki Gulf, so the best seafood restaurants in Auckland tend to be the ones closest to the water, working with fishers and oyster growers rather than a wholesale list. Whether you want a dozen freshly shucked oysters at the bar, a whole fish straight off the trawler or a long harbourside dinner, the restaurants below cover the range, from Sails Restaurant at Westhaven Marina to kingi in Britomart.
1Sails Restaurant
Sails Restaurant sits in the heart of Westhaven Marina, the largest marina in the southern hemisphere, on two levels of seating that look out across hundreds of yachts to the Auckland Harbour Bridge, North Head and Rangitoto Island. Under the leadership of the Littlejohn family it has spent three decades building a reputation for seafood fine dining. It suits a celebration dinner, a long lunch on the water, or a sit-down function.
Services
- Lunch and dinner from the à la carte main menu
- Seasonal set menus
- Dedicated vegetarian menu
- Private functions and events with their own function menu
- Gift cards and vouchers
Highlights
- Led by the Littlejohn family across three decades of trading
- Two levels of seating, so every table looks over the marina
- Annual Crayfish Special, a fixture on the restaurant calendar for the past fifteen years
- Unlimited free guest parking at the door on the marina
- One large open plan room with high studs and a covered portico entrance for functions
Location & Contact
Name: Sails Restaurant
Address: 103-113 Westhaven Drive, Westhaven Marina, Auckland 1144
Phone: 09 378 9890
Website: sailsrestaurant.co.nz
2kingi
kingi is a seafood restaurant on Tuawhiti Lane in Britomart, built around local, sustainably caught fish and shellfish that tastes like the water it came from. The kitchen works in partnership with independent fishers, farmers, hunters and growers, and the menu names its sources, from Te Matuku oysters to Mills Bay mussels. It is open seven days from breakfast through to dinner, so it works for an early meeting as readily as a tasting menu in the evening.
Services
- À la carte lunch and dinner built around New Zealand seafood
- Weekday breakfast and weekend brunch
- Express lunch and a two course set menu
- Taste of kingi four course tasting menu
- kingi Private for private dining and conferences
Highlights
- Open seven days, 7am until late, with all day service
- Sourcing partnerships with independent local fishers, growers and hunters
- Named suppliers on the menu, including Te Matuku oysters and Mills Bay mussels
- Brick lined private dining and conference room off Tuawhiti Lane
- The kingi chopping board, made from recycled commercial fishing nets, with all profits going to marine charity LegaSea
Location & Contact
Name: kingi
Address: Tuawhiti Lane, 29 Galway Street, Britomart, Auckland 1010
Phone: 09 300 9596
Website: kingibritomart.com
3FISH Restaurant
FISH Restaurant sits on level 1 of the Hilton Auckland, at the end of Princes Wharf and roughly 300 metres out to sea, with the Waitematā Harbour on every side. The kitchen focuses on ethically sourced New Zealand seafood and changes the menu with the seasons, paired with an extensive wine list. It is a casual fine dining room that suits a harbourside dinner or a private event on the deck.
Services
- Seasonal à la carte menu built around sustainably sourced seafood
- Extensive wine selection matched to the menu
- Private dinners, conferences and events, including exclusive use of FISH Deck
- Gift vouchers
Highlights
- Perched at the end of Princes Wharf, about 300 metres out to sea
- Culinary Director Alan Smith, with more than 28 years of experience across Australia, the Middle East, Malaysia and China
- Menu rewritten with the seasons rather than held fixed year round
- Ethically caught seafood and locally sourced produce as the stated kitchen standard
Location & Contact
Name: FISH Restaurant
Address: Level 1, Hilton Auckland, Princes Wharf, 147 Quay Street, Auckland 1010
Phone: 09 978 2020
Website: fishrestaurant.co.nz
4Swashbucklers Restaurant & Bar
Swashbucklers has been serving Westhaven Marina since 1997, from a waterfront site with a deck looking across to the Harbour Bridge. The menu is broad and unfussy, running from the fish of the day straight off the trawler to scallops, scampi, whitebait fritters and shared seafood platters, with a separate Boatshed Bar alongside the restaurant. It suits a relaxed family lunch or a group dinner as much as a drink on the deck.
Services
- Restaurant menu covering fish of the day, scallops, mussels, scampi and whitebait fritters
- Pirates Platter seafood platters sized for one through to four people
- Boatshed Bar with a bar snacks menu
- Kids menu, desserts and a full drinks list
- Private function areas with canapé and set menu options
Highlights
- Trading on the edge of Westhaven Marina since 1997
- Deck seating with sweeping views of the harbour and the Harbour Bridge
- Function areas catering for up to 100 guests
- Gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian and vegan options marked throughout the menu
Location & Contact
Name: Swashbucklers Restaurant & Bar
Address: 23 Westhaven Drive, Westhaven, Auckland
Phone: 09 307 5979
Website: swashbucklers.co.nz
5Oyster & Chop
Oyster & Chop opened on Market Square at the Viaduct Harbour end of Customs Street West in 2015, and pairs an oyster bar with a premium grill. Oysters come daily from Auckland and Northland growers, with native flat shell Bluff oysters when they are in season, alongside beef and lamb listed by breed, feed and country of origin. Water views from every table make it a straightforward choice for entertaining or a late afternoon in the sun.
Services
- Oyster bar serving local oysters natural in the half shell
- Wider seafood selection across the main menu
- Grilled beef and lamb listed by breed, feed and country of origin
- Bar menu, dessert menu and wine list
- Private functions and group bookings
Highlights
- Oyster Happy Hour daily from 3pm to 5pm, with a chef selected rock oyster at $2 each on a minimum order of six
- Oysters supplied daily by Auckland and Northland growers, plus Bluff oysters in season
- Oyster bar and terrace overlooking Viaduct Harbour, with water views from every table
Location & Contact
Name: Oyster & Chop
Address: Market Square, Viaduct Harbour, Auckland
Phone: 09 870 3315
Website: oysterandchop.co.nz
Seafood Restaurants in Auckland at a Glance
| Business | Based in | Highlight |
|---|---|---|
| Sails Restaurant | Westhaven Marina | Led by the Littlejohn family across three decades of trading |
| kingi | Britomart | Open seven days, 7am until late, with all day service |
| FISH Restaurant | Hilton Auckland | Perched at the end of Princes Wharf, about 300 metres out to sea |
| Swashbucklers Restaurant & Bar | Westhaven | Trading on the edge of Westhaven Marina since 1997 |
| Oyster & Chop | Viaduct Harbour | Oyster Happy Hour daily from 3pm to 5pm |
How to Choose the Right Seafood Restaurant in Auckland
- Check how the kitchen talks about sourcing. Restaurants that name their fishers, oyster growers and species are usually buying to the day’s catch rather than to a fixed list.
- Decide whether you want a specialist or a mixed menu. An oyster bar and grill and a dedicated seafood kitchen are different evenings out, and the group you are booking for matters.
- Look for a market fish or fish of the day line. It is the clearest sign the menu moves with what is landing.
- Match the setting to the occasion. Westhaven, Princes Wharf, the Viaduct and Britomart all sit on the water but range from fine dining rooms to casual decks.
- Confirm dietary needs and group size before you book, particularly for shellfish allergies, set menus and private function spaces.
Frequently Asked Questions About Auckland Seafood Restaurants
What seafood is in season in Auckland?
Snapper, kingfish, tarakihi, trevally and gurnard are landed around the Hauraki Gulf through much of the year, while Pacific rock oysters, scallops, mussels and crayfish move more sharply with the seasons. Bluff oysters are a short southern season and appear on Auckland menus only while the harvest runs. Fisheries New Zealand publishes the current catch rules, size limits and seasonal closures in its fishing rules.
Do I need to book a seafood restaurant in Auckland?
For dinner at a waterfront restaurant, yes. Westhaven, Princes Wharf and Viaduct dining rooms fill quickly on Friday and Saturday nights and through summer. Some venues also run walk in only areas, such as the oyster bar happy hour at Oyster & Chop, where tables are not reserved and arriving early is the only way to get one.
How much does a seafood main cost in Auckland?
Prices published on restaurant menus vary widely by venue and by species. At Swashbucklers, mains run from around $33 for fish and chips to $53 for Southern Ocean scampi, with shared seafood platters priced per person. Fine dining rooms sit higher and often list market fish at market price, which changes with what is available that week.
What does sustainably caught seafood actually mean on a menu?
It generally means the restaurant chooses species and fishing methods with lower stock and habitat impact, and often buys from named smaller operators rather than through a broad wholesale channel. It is not a regulated term, so the useful test is whether the menu or the website names the fisher, the method or the location. New Zealand’s commercial catch limits are set under the Fisheries Act 1996.
Which Auckland suburbs have the most seafood restaurants?
The waterfront strip does most of the work. Westhaven Marina, Princes Wharf, Viaduct Harbour and Britomart sit within a few kilometres of each other along the Waitematā, and between them hold the majority of the city’s harbourside seafood dining rooms. Devonport, Mission Bay and Takapuna add more options across the harbour and to the east.
Are Auckland seafood restaurants suitable for children?
Many are. Swashbucklers publishes a dedicated kids menu, and several waterfront restaurants seat families comfortably at lunch, which is usually a quieter service than dinner. Fine dining rooms and tasting menus are less suited to young children, so it is worth calling ahead if you are booking for a family group.
Can seafood restaurants cater for shellfish allergies?
Most can, but tell the restaurant when you book rather than on arrival. Kitchens handling oysters, mussels and prawns carry a real cross contamination risk, and several Auckland menus carry an explicit allergen notice asking diners to tell staff about any allergy or dietary requirement before ordering.
What is the difference between an oyster bar and a seafood restaurant?
An oyster bar centres on raw shellfish served by the half dozen, often standing or at a counter, with a shorter menu and a faster turn. A seafood restaurant runs a full à la carte kitchen across cooked fish, shellfish and usually some meat dishes. Several Auckland venues do both, with a separate bar area alongside the main dining room.
How We Chose the Best Seafood Restaurants in Auckland
Every business in this guide was found by searching for seafood restaurants in Auckland, then checked against its own website. Names, addresses and phone numbers are taken from the business’s own site rather than a directory feed, so what you see here is what they publish themselves. We also check that each one is actually based in or genuinely serving Auckland, rather than a national operator running a local landing page. A business with no website of its own is not listed, because there is no primary source to verify it against.