Bar review: Birdcage, Freemans Bay

The outdoor area at The Birdcage. Photo / Michael Craig

Address: 133 Franklin Road, Freemans Bay, Auckland
Rating:

First drinks: The sun was out and we were in the mood for a jug of Pimms, advertised on the wall. We expected the prep could take a little while, but the bar was basically empty so didn't expect to have to wait 15 minutes (or maybe more) for our refreshments (surely you would pre-cut some fruit?) The 1L jug was so packed with ice and giant pieces of poorly cut apple we did not feel like we got bang for our 32 bucks.

The vibe is: A bit dead on this Sunday afternoon, but the weather was being mercurial, so perhaps punters didn't think it was worth the risk of rain. We've visited the Birdcage during a rugby game and it's a bit more hyped.

It smells of: Hot chips being cooked up in the kitchen (which were pretty tasty, although started to sweat as they were served in a tall glass tumbler).

On the stereo: Were some catchy classic hits, enough to drown out the sound of the motorway above us.

Room for improvement: The mood seemed tense behind the bar. The Pimms guy felt like a newbie and he had a bit of bicker with his colleague right in front of us, which was awkward.

The perfect spot to: Catch some sun on the massive paved outdoor area at the bottom of Franklin Rd and people watch.

Most redeeming feature: The space is large and sun-drenched. We'd come back, but only order a beer.