Quinn

CONTACT

50 Mills Lane
Auckland CBD,
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Opening Hours

SUN closed
MON closed
TUE 4:00am - late
WED 4:00am - late
THU 4:00am - late
FRI 4:00am - late
SAT 4:00am - late

The Details

Need to Know
  • Good for Groups
  • Great for Dates
Serving
  • Late Night
In the mood for
  • Beer
  • Cocktails
Need to know
  • Bar Snacks
Quinn makes a cocktail behind the bar at Quinn
An oyster-infused martini on a silver tray with an oyster on an ice mound
A sleek bar fit-out lit in neon blue.
Quinn lifts the lid on a smoky cocktail in a box.
Quinn drops some liqueur into a glass.
Rochelle sprays Comme de Garcon parfum onto a cocktail coaster.
Rochelle holds a cocktail on a silver tray with two wafers.
Quinn makes a cocktail behind the bar at Quinn
An oyster-infused martini on a silver tray with an oyster on an ice mound
A sleek bar fit-out lit in neon blue.
Quinn lifts the lid on a smoky cocktail in a box.
Quinn drops some liqueur into a glass.
Rochelle sprays Comme de Garcon parfum onto a cocktail coaster.
Rochelle holds a cocktail on a silver tray with two wafers.

The Verdict

Hidden away on Mills Lane is a brand new speakeasy-style cocktail bar punctuated with sleek blue neon—Quinn.

It may feel like a members’ bar and in some ways it sure looks like one—an intimate situation with some six tables and a communal area with a curtain that can be drawn to create multiple spaces—but founder Ofir Yudilevich (The Jefferson, BillyPot, Langham Hotel and more) maintains that Quinn is a cocktail bar for the people. Just don’t arrive hammered. It’s not the place for that. Rather, Quinn is a spot you stay an hour or so, best enjoyed as part of your nocturnal itinerary. 

Which brings us to their drinks. Cocktails range from $24-28 and their Premium Sips are the place to start, each designed to ensnare the senses. 

De Mer is an oyster-infused Elyx vodka with Sicilian olive and vermouth served on a vintage silver tray and accompanied by a single granita-topped oyster on a mound of ice crystals. It comes half-poured, the second half kept cool in a glass bottle. Top up as and when you’re ready. 

Comme de Cacao with its white chocolate notes begins before you’ve even touched the glass to your lips—your placemat scented with Comme de Garçon in a flourish we never knew we needed (but we absolutely do). And Cafe Blanc, as the name suggests, is Quinn’s take on an espresso martini but it’s clear as glass. 

Quinn is categorically not a reimagination or continuation of The Jefferson but this smooth, smoky sip is a liquid effigy, with just the right amount of flair. 

Other cocktail offerings see pandan blended with midori, a spicy margarita iteration and more—we love the light apricot bubbles of All That Glitters.  And of course there’s beer, cider, Heineken and non alcoholic tipples if that’s more your buzz. On the food front, get your fix of English Pork Pies (from the Westmere Butchers), prawn cocktails and ½ dozen of oysters (both from BillyPot), cheese and cold cuts. 

Quinn’s team is small but expert, featuring host Rochelle Newdick and bartenders Caellan Hunter Sparkes and Quinn Fyers. 

Designed in collaboration with Izzard, Quinn is neon meets chrome and we can’t stop thinking about the way the blue light plays out over the feature walls in mind-bending fashion beginning first in blue—Quinn’s signature colour—and warming as the night unfolds. Note the octagonal motif throughout various design elements, too—in Quinn’s sign, the mirrors and the pillars—which pay homage to the 1920s heritage building that houses it. 

The best time to make a beeline for Quinn? After 9pm on weekends, the later the better. Walk-ins are welcome but text ahead to make sure there’s space before you arrive. 

Words: Alice Rich | Image credit: Michael White

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