Maria Lane Eatery & Bar

The service was friendly and prompt. Food was very tasty. We had Jack fruit sliders and the ribs. It was very busy and lively. We didn't have a booking but we were seated very promptly. A little noisy but that's only because it was so lively with plenty of happy diners.

Sadly disappointed. Dry beef and lamb mains. Fish meal included few bones. Deserts staff and service excellent. Perhaps an off night going by other comments.

Very welcoming and warm place to have dinner at:)! They are dog friendly as well, if you state having a dog when doing a reservation! Loved the very tasty and flavourful food and the service was super friendly. Recommend for any visitors like us, wanting a nice cocktail and dinner with friends. Amazing! Price was on the higher end, but it was amazing quality and a try stylish atmosphere.

Fantastic spot, first class! Staff were very engaging. Well done Rebecca and Kai.
Excellent memory of our stay in Whanganui.

We had a delicious meal, highly recommended. Love that you can get all the wines by the glass.

First, let me start off with the food was actually quite good, if not trying a little too hard, but the quality of the food was there.

But that is pretty much where the positive experience ended. The hostess was quite rude and brushed us off. The table we were sat at was so close to the door that every time it opened, we were blasted with cold or the loud of the slamming door. Constantly, people were walking by to hang up or take coats. To say it was a relaxing experience would be very far from the truth. This area is much better suited as waiting space or a bar area while waiting to be seated at a table.

The server lacked maturity and experience in dealing with customers. He treated us like we were an annoyance he had to deal with but would have much rather ignore. When asked about dishes his answers were blaise at best. This isn't New York or London, we're not some randoms off the street. Mum and pop shops live or die based off the local customer base, and alienating them is not the way to survive.

As I said at the beginning, good food, but the staff very nearly ruined the whole experience. Do better.

Excellent menu and wine list. A group of 5, we enjoyed sharing the entrees and
my pan seared snapper was cooked to perfection. Highly recommend.

Dined In. Service was great and food was delicious. We also had a few cocktails and they were all excellent. Would happily come back. We had the garlic bread and Korean chicken to start which were so good!

What happened to the best chips I've had in a restaurant second time average chips covered in spice powder, not good

We went for dinner as a family last night, we had Christian as our waiter and he was very good. We asked to have plenty of time between courses and this was no problem. We went for the Chefs Choice and it was fantastic! Would recommend to others

Too pricey for average food. When we booked on restaurant hub the menu looked reasonable. But the menu on the night had been changed and really gouged the prices up to $36 per main. The cheaper wine was not on tap and the alternative was one nearly twice the price. The lamb was also off menu.
Too high a price for us who are two income earners, and I suspect other NZ families. We won’t be returning.

The food was outstanding! Wonderful flavours selected from the best cuisines you don’t get to eat all that often. The only thing that overshadowed the amazing food was the amazing service from the friendly and professional staff. We were travelling and have eaten all across the country and this is in our top 10 we will definitely be back!

Short version, delicious food.
Longer version, after a circumspect start, we ordered 2 mains and a seasonal veg dish.
All arrived disconcertingly fast, but were cooked well and the crisp olive etc taste profile was really delicious, however the most impressive aspect was, unexpectedly the side.
The flavour profile of the chard was totally unexpected and really interesting as well as being delicious and not tricky or overplayed.
Shared a yogurt pannacotta that was well balanced, not slammed with sugar letting the actual flavours do the work.

All up, we got the main menu back to ponder our options next time we are in town.

Definitely give it a go.

Recently we hosted a celebration for a university graduation at Maria Lane, we cannot recommend them enough. Between Bryce, Belinda and Andrew, everything was taken care of behind the scenes and on the night. We were able to greet our guests and converse while the drinks were poured and food was served. We truly didn’t have to do a thing, we had a couple of conversations initially in the planning stages and they took care of everything from there. Bryce checked in prior to see if there was anything else I needed, and also followed up to see how our evening went.

We used the wine bar space next to the main dining area, it has a very cool vibe, small, intimate, great lighting and nice to be separated from the main diners so we could mingle amongst ourselves.

Thank you Maria Lane team for providing the perfect venue and service to allow us to celebrate a very special day.

This restaurant was recommended to us by a friend. Probably the best meal I have had out in memory.
Made to feel welcome and that our custom was valued.
If they ever do cooking lessons, count me in. I've been trying to cook fish as good as that for a long time.
The flavours were an explosion of delight with every bite.
Excellent value given the quality of this meal.
Will definitely come back.

Group of us went for dinner and what an amazing experience. Great food, service and environment. Dinner enjoyed by all and we couldn't stop talking about it. Would highly recommend.

A beautiful accidental discovery of wonderful dining experience in this eatery. Food so lovely that we choose to book for following evening. Sadly for us booked out for a private function. Strongly recommend and will need to book your table. Lovely lovely food and service.

We have just had a family birthday private function at Maria Lane, 58 guests. A beautiful bespoke menu designed for the night, appertisers, starters, mains and sides plus a scrumptious selection of desserts. Absolute fine dining for our special occasion - The night ran seamless with such a professional team. Belinda and Bryce went over and above to make the night a success, even bringing screens in for video presentations. Great people to deal with. The meal format for the night worked perfectly, and plenty for all. Its a 5 + from us - and many thanks - certainly a night to be remembered.

Nice restaurant with a very pleasant vibe, very friendly and courteous staff, amazing beef cheeks, mushroom pate, and beetroot salad. Amazing dinner, amazing time! Wine list great too - 5 stars for us!

We absolutely loved our experience this evening. Beautiful decor, attentive staff, absolutely delicious vegetarian food.
It was an honor to share an interesting slice of old school Whanganui architecture fused within a modern dining experience.