Reviews for Toto Italian Restaurant

by ArchDevonport
15th April 2012

My husband and I have been to Toto’s about 2 years ago and really enjoyed the food, service and everything about it. So we decided to celebrate my 30th last night there. To be honest we were absolutely disappointed and my birthday experience was nothing to remember. They had changed the menu from last time. We had a reservation at 8:45pm, however had to wait at the bar till about 9:15. The bruschetta was dry, with some tomatoes and non existent buffalo mozzerella. The fish of the day was unavailable for the mains so we decided to go for the Gnocchi. It was very bland and had no seasoning on it, and the eggplant and zucchini were undercooked. The chocolate mousse tasted like truffle instead. And to add to it each course took about 45 mins to get to the table. By the end of it, I was irritated and couldn’t wait to get out of there. We are never going back there again.

by chats
8th October 2011

We ate at the meter long pizza place! Its simply amazing! The best pizza I have ever had! have been there many times this year. So glad we found this pace! 10/10!

All our friends are fans of this place and simply cannot get enough. sucks we cant get out own drinks, but other than that awesome place! They should advertise more about this place so everyone knows. because its in the basement its not very visible. Definitely a must try place!

by Robin M.
18th July 2011

Went to Toto for an evening of opera and fine Italian treats. Proved to be an odd but interesting experience.
Food and wine were great. Service brisk and attentive. Wine was decanted and left to warm by a real fire – nice!
Good on Toto for experimenting with a novel restaurant experience and sorry to the opera singer who I assumed was a waiter…

by bernadette c.
22nd June 2011

TOTOs Restaurant on Nelson St, Auckland – not cool at all. 11 of us went there – ordered and had a good old time in each others company. i asked to order, but apparently the lady (not me who is meerly female) had to order first as that how they numbered the table. i think he may have been head waiter / shift supervisor – he was rude. my duck entree and lamb main was tops. the gnocchi had by 2 others tasted like over cooked soggy mac and cheese. the beef ravioli the person next to me had tasted like badly made beef strog in mediocre pasta. the only other person who really loved their meal was the snapper ‘fish of the day’ main. and at the end we couldnt split the bill. not that this was anywhere on the menu, or a sign on the wall. he (rude guy already mentioned) said the system didn’t do it. then he said they had done it before and were lumped with unpaid bill. i offered to stay and pay any balance but he then said it was the owners policy. who was not there and was unable to be contacted by phone (on the moon perhaps?) And then he said that such is just not done in a fine dinig restaurant. thanks if you managed to read all of this – all I’m saying is that TOTOs is on the ‘thumbs down’ list for us. on the upside, there is a french place 3 doors down (cnr nelson and vic st) where the food is good and the staff are all french and really friendly. TOTOs – shame on you.

by Luis C.
21st June 2011

I definitely recommend this place to who ever wants to try authentic Italian food. I lived in Italy for nearly 10 years and at Toto the flavors are as fantastic as the ones you try in the best restaurants in Italy. Grazie! Luis

by Stephen H.
22nd March 2011

1) Portions were huge – too large and though most were tasty over all slightly disappointed at the taste. Veal was a bit bland and fish was similarly a bit of a let down. It’s one thing to be an Italian restaurant with all the different parts to the menu (starters, entree, first main, second main, dessert) but then seems odd that you’d go and serve huge portions and look quizzically at the customer when they order multiple dishes. Why not reduce the portion size a lot, and price a little, that would encourage people to have more courses and make the whole meal feel more like an ‘event’.

2) Service was OK to start with then got increasingly pissy for some reason.
Weren’t particularly helpful or accommodating when we asked to have food wrapped up for take away. One of the dishes for wrap up and take away simply vanished and never came back after the waiter said “I’ll try”.

3) Waiter didn’t take order on a notepad, which seemed impressive at first until he messed up one of the orders and forgot a request for water. Fairly minor things – but then, why not just use a pad? We won’t think less of you, you’re only human.

Overall, was disappointing compared to how I remembered previous meals there. With all the great places to eat in Auckland, there’s no reason to go back here for a long time.

by maia
17th October 2010

Just had dinner here. It was a beautiful place, decor just great, adds to the feel of place, good vibe.
Food was good, will recommend the dessert platter for two, prefect.
Service was good, thanks Frank, small problem with bill, but all sorted in the end.
All in all it would be a place I would go back to again.

by Paul A.
6th January 2010

Having dined at Toto several times during 2009, I find the food divine and the service always exceptional.
The added value of dining while experiencing Opera singers is recommended

by Dayel
13th November 2008

My husband & I adore this restaurant!We lunch there quite often & rate it as one of our favourites.
The food is excellent with it’s twist of modern on the traditional.
For a number of years the marvelous warmth & service we have received from the Maitre’d Sonia has made Toto a very special place to dine.

by Peter L
1st October 2008

Great food let down by inhospital serving staff.We were a table of five and seated first on a recent chilly evening. When I advised our waiter it was cold his response was it would get warm when more people came in!! Some host! We had arrived on a night which was booked out for a function-so a guy selling wine was popping up and speaking to all and sundry-would have been polite to be advised of this-but again doesn’t seem to be part of the ethos of this place.

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