Address: 27 Drake Street, Auckland CBD
Rating:
First drinks: were delivered pretty efficiently once we'd decided what to drink on a half-sunny, half-cloudy Sunday afternoon. We opted for classic cocktails with a twist - an espresso martini, and a plum margarita. They were enjoyable and pretty much exactly as we expected, though at $20 and $18 respectively they could've done with more wow factor.
The vibe is: mixed. We thought we'd head down to enjoy their live jazz and large outdoor roof top deck area on a Sunday afternoon, but there were only a smattering of patrons outside, and it was empty indoors. Normally I don't mind a small crowd but because Tom Tom is absolutely huge, and the outdoor area is set up in a very utilitarian way, it feels drab and underwhelming when it's not full. Thank goodness for the jazz trio, who lifted the atmosphere, and the nice (if young) staff, who were keen to please.
On the stereo: There was a slightly odd 20 minutes while the jazz group took a break between sets, when the stereo was suddenly pumping out top 40 hits that seemed pretty incongruous.
Room for improvement: If they're going to the trouble of getting a band in, they could take more care with the stereo selections in between, and they need to work out how to make the space more appealing for daytime crowds.
