We were staying at the Grand and dined at The Grill on a Saturday night. The restaurant was full but it didn't affect the service which was very professional and knowledgeable.

Our main criticism of The Grill would be that the pacing of the courses was slightly off. Our mains arrived literally the second my husband took the last bite of his entree. We would have appreciated not being so rushed through and having been given time to enjoy our night out a little more.

The food was great - with some interesting touches like the carrot puree accompanying the snapper. Although, the (huge) sirloin steak my husband had was slightly tasteless and he wished he'd gone for the rib eye which looked a lot more appealing on the neighbouring table. My snapper could have arrived hotter but was perfectly cooked.

The duck fat chips were great but were our 2nd choice - apparently they'd run out of the potato gratin - which seems like a kind of ludicrous thing to run out of in my opinion.

You will definitely pay through the nose to dine at Sean Connolly's restaurant but in the most part we felt it was quite good value (in terms of portion sizes etc).

Overall there were just a few downsides which stop me from giving 5 stars - and to be honest would stop us from returning given the other great restaurants on this level to choose from where we've had faultless experiences (Clooney, Euro and Jervois Steak House etc).

We had a fantastic dinner at The Grill the other night. Wow! The food is great......wagyu steak cooked to absolute perfection, delicious sauces and excellent sashimi. The wine list is very good and the waiting staff are friendly, knowledgeable and very helpful. I'd also recommend the fries which are done in duck fat and taste divine.

If there's one restaurant in Auckland that you should save up for it should be The Grill by Sean Connolly at SkyCity. My partner surprised me with a reservation there the other night - very flash surroundings (and more than a few c-listers in attendance), yet very relaxed and warm, genuinely helpful service.
You will need to take out a mortgage extension, however once you sink your teeth into the Wagyu beef or even the Duck Fat chips, you'll be thanking your broker for releasing the funds.
Absolute treat - the grill by Sean Connolly is an experience to be savoured!

Well what can i say about my experience at The Grill by Sean Connolly last night.I am a proud kiwi over for the world cup from England,been to lots of restaurants in my time living there but i was blown away with this place.The starter was divine,had the duck and my mum had the pate.My main course of lamb cutlets were the moist i have ever tasted and for the duck fat chips,the best ever.Service was great,our waitress was typical kiwi with a great smile & personality.The only complaint of the night about The Grill by Sean Connolly was my mums steak was a bit cold but she didn't want to complain as she was enjoying the experience of being in one of Auckland best restaurants

Took my Wife to the Grill on Saturday night. Food was absolutely amazing. The staff were extremely well presented and definitely knew their stuff. Amazing wine ..I had black Estate by the glass recommended by the staff (semillon?). It was fab!

Excellent customer service from everyone one I encountered at the restaurant and nothing was a problem.

My Wife was pregnant but we were advised everything was fresh and we were given a few list of things that she should probably avoid (due to her being pregnant).

She had the Crayfish and I had a rib eye steak, we had garlic bread (Divine) Duck fat chips (really yummy). Everything was cooked to perfection.

Only issue was I was slightly cramped up in regards to space ( I was at the top by the glass veranda) and did not have much room to move back, was quickly forgotten with exceptional food and service.

WOW! What a fantastic first impression. The food at the Grill was outstanding, service was flawless.Auckland or NZ for that matter has not seen a steak house of this league. I had such an enjoyable meal, entree of pork spare ribs – fall off the bone, tasty, superb. Main was wagyu scotch, not the cheapest at $95, however this was the most memorable piece of meat I have ever eaten, and worth every penny!!!We also had several sides between the table and the mac-n-cheese was a winner, the whole table raved about it. I was too full to partake in dessert, but going by all the other murmurs of delight from the rest of the party I guess that was outstanding too.Amazing team, magnificent dining room and wonderful food. The Grill by Sean Connolly is an exciting addition to the Auckland restaurant scene. We will be back.

My friend and I dined at the Grill last week. We were really impressed, they had only opened a few days prior, however it felt like a well oiled and well loved machine.The food was excellent. I usually shy away from steak houses as they are not really my thing. However, the menu was well rounded with a good deal of fresh seafood. We had intended on stepping in for a quick bite, however ended up having a three course meal! Everything was perfect or close to it.The staff were attentive and helpful, there were a few things on the menu that I hadn't heard of (sometimes Auckland waiters can be quite snobbish, however everyone here made you feel at ease). Sean even came out to talk with the customers, which was fantastic.Thank you so much, 'The Grill' it has been the highlight of my restaurant year thus far!!!!

We had not been following the TV series that has been running along side the opening of The Grill in federal street, my partner and I arranged to go for dinner, and a colleague of hers had recommend we try it.Perhaps, as we had no expectations, this set us up for a memorable and fantastic evening.From the moment we stepped into this opulent restaurant we were impressed. I have dined at other restaurants designed by Andrew Lister and this dining room is equally as grand. The front of house team immediately showed us to a table, my partner was delighted as we were seated in one of the banquette tables on the ground floor and had an excellent view of the bustling kitchen.We started our meal with oysters...mmm a great start to any meal. Following this, we had the Alaskan King crab and snapper ceviche, both of sublime quality. The king crab was served with a garlic parsley sauce, however, was so sweet it needed nothing. The ceviche was well balanced with a citrus salad. We both struggled to choose a main..everything sounded fantastic. Sean Connolly has put together a menu that is wholesome, delightful, basic, and true to its word! everything from double fried duck fat chips to the best mac 'n' cheese you will find...REAL FOOD!!!We settled on the trio of meats..three of the chefs favourite cuts. The meat was cooked to perfection, melt in your mouth, with a smokey-charred exterior. We tried the fries and the mac'n'cheese (yes, we will be running for a week to ever look the same) but worth every calorie. My partner and I shared a creme caramel for dessert, and this too did not disappoint. Silky smooth and the perfect amount of sweetness.The service was some of the best we have received in Auckland restaurants, it was attentive, and smooth without feeling like we were being watched. Seamless! I would 100% recommend The Grill Restaurant at Skycity! We have in fact already rebooked.