The Best Bars in Auckland (2026)

At the back of Queens Wineshop, a private lift whisks you up to a rooftop bar with sweeping harbour views. Expect sunset cocktails, fine wines and an all-day menu celebrating fresh New Zealand seafood and produce. Our tip: time your table booking for sunset.

From the hospo legends behind Culprit, Curio is a moody cocktail lounge packed with oddities and vintage treasures. Swing by for inventive drinks, including plenty of boozy and low-alcohol options, in a charmingly maximalist space.

Head down the stairs into Tanuki’s Cave, the iconic smoky yakitori and kushiage bar in the middle of Auckland’s theatre district. Grab a few rounds of sake and skewers straight from the grill, or simply follow whatever the regulars are ordering. Don’t be surprised to find people waiting hopefully on the stairs for a seat.

Perfectly positioned above one of Auckland’s best beaches, Takapuna Surf Club is a welcoming neighbourhood bar with sweeping views of Rangitoto Island. Settle in with an ice-cold beer or a quality cocktail and order from a food menu that puts a twist on club classics.

Literally underground just off Karangahape Road, Bar Magda brings a polished, big-city energy to Auckland. Colourful cocktails are a specialty, the wine list champions organic and low-intervention makers, and the food, think modern Filipino meets fresh New Zealand produce, is made for sharing.

One of the coolest little wine bars in the city, Apero is all about quality and the magic of well-paired food and wine. It sits among K Road’s nightclubs but offers something calmer: a considered glass, a few beautiful plates and a room that makes you want to stay for one more.

At Norma Taps in City Works Depot, the classic bar gets a low-waste reimagining. Cocktails come straight from the tap rather than the bottle, which means less waste, quicker service and a perfectly consistent drink every time. It’s an easy after-work favourite.

There’s no neon sign, just a door with a golden pineapple on it. Step inside Pineapple on Parnell and you’ll find an old-world cocktail bar swathed in green velvet curtains, gold-tinted mirrors, a fireplace and a piano that gets played semi-regularly. Perfect for a special-occasion nightcap.

A Grey Lynn institution full of colour and character, Freida Margolis pours a great selection of New Zealand craft beer and good-value wine. The room is small, but somehow always fits one more, and on a Friday or Saturday night the atmosphere is hard to beat.

Tucked away on Martin Avenue, Bar Martin is the kind of neighbourhood local that makes you want to move to Mount Albert. It’s all about homey vibes, tasty tipples and good banter, with a big wooden bar at its heart.

More Auckland: the best restaurants in Auckland, the best cafés in Auckland and all our Auckland bars.