Smoky ribs and barbecue coming out of a bowling club kitchen isn't what you'd expect from a quiet Surfdale street, but that's exactly what you get at Paulie's Kitchen. It's the food side of Club Waiheke on Marama Avenue, doing good pub food and American barbecue for locals and anyone passing through, and the prices are low enough that you can feed the family without flinching.
You come for the pork ribs, sticky and saucy with chips and salad, and you keep an eye out for the brisket when it turns up as a special, while a cold Asahi rounds things off nicely. Sundays bring a barbecue lunch that's worth planning your weekend around, and the kitchen takes on the bigger jobs too, catering Christmas functions and post-wedding spreads with buffets and shared tables arranged well ahead of time.
The room is a clubroom rather than a restaurant, so it's relaxed and unpretentious, the food arrives quickly and the staff are genuinely friendly.
Written from 14 Google reviews, every one we could get, on 12 November 2026. Rated 4.9 from 14 Google reviews.
Paulie's Kitchen is a friendly clubroom kitchen turning out far better barbecue and pub food than its setting would suggest, and the near-perfect rating tells you people leave happy. You get generous plates at prices that don't sting, served by staff who seem genuinely pleased you came in. For a casual dinner on Waiheke, it's an easy yes.
Order the pork ribs, because they're the dish that comes up again and again, sticky and smoky with chips and salad on the side. If the brisket is on as a special, take it, and the burgers have their fans too. The chicken schnitzel keeps the non-barbecue people happy, and a cold Asahi finishes things off nicely.
The staff are consistently friendly and helpful, and your food comes out quickly. Bigger bookings get handled well too, with Christmas functions and post-wedding spreads organised well ahead of time and nothing made to feel like too much trouble. You're looked after from the first email to the last plate cleared.
You're eating in the Surfdale bowling clubrooms, so the vibe is relaxed and local rather than dressed up, which is a big part of the appeal. It's a chilled spot for a quiet dinner, and the Sunday barbecue lunch gives you a reason to build a weekend around it. Come as you are and settle in.
Value is a big part of why people keep coming back, with generous food at prices that feel low for Waiheke. You can eat and drink well here without wincing at the bill, which is rarer than it should be on the island. The Christmas buffet had people going back for seconds, and the spread held up for all of them.
It's ideal for a casual local dinner, a work Christmas do or a relaxed gathering after a wedding, and it handles a crowd without any drama. Groups and families fit right in, especially when there's a buffet involved. If you want somewhere unpretentious to feed plenty of people, this is it.
Every fact on this page was checked on 8 November 2026 against Google, Paulie's Kitchen's own website and 14 of its Google reviews. The photo is from the eatout library, not taken here, and no venue pays to be listed or ranked. Something out of date? Tell us
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