Auckland eatery Mr Toms closes for good after bottomless brunch disaster

There was anger amongst patrons at Mr Toms restaurant, pictured, on Sunday after paying for a bottomless brunch they never received. Photo / File

Auckland bar and restaurant Mr Toms is closing permanently, effective immediately.

The Ponsonby eatery announced the shut down on social media, posting to Facebook and Twitter.

"After 3 years of fun, good food, cocktails and service We are very sad and sorry to announce that Mr Toms has closed permanently effective from today," read the post.

The announcement follows coverage of a bottomless brunch service last weekend where some diners walked out of the restaurant, having waited 90 minutes for their meals.

Customers had flocked to the Ponsonby restaurant with the hopes of a three-course menu with "bottomless" wines and mocktails for $50.

One diner told Stuff they all left hungry and upset after an apparent feud between chefs saw them walk out of the kitchen, mid service.

However, a spokesperson for Mr Toms said the cancellation of orders was due to a "last minute illness" - not a fight, with the venue shut for two days.

The diner told Stuff the drinks were flowing but as the hunger pangs set in there was still no food.

"I hadn't had any breakfast so I was like, 'I need some food'," she said. "The waiter was topping us up all the time."

"I kept asking [the waiter], 'Can we order?' Is that food going to be far away? Some other tables had gotten food, and we hadn't. That's why I kept asking."

The restaurant got increasingly rowdier with glasses being broken and food becoming an afterthought for some.

Jenny Goulding, a spokeswoman for the venue, told Stuff the disruption was caused by the "last-minute illness" and admitted it wasn't handled well.

"We recognise we over promised but under delivered … we thought we could perform but obviously failed," she said.

At the time Goulding said the restaurant was short-staffed and had found it hard to find good employees.

She apologised and said the venue was currently closed to "allow staff to catch their breath and recover from their illness."

Days later, the restaurant has announced the closure is now permanent.