First Mates, Last Laugh: Building a destination on the water

Bidfood Team
May 1
5 min read

Updated: May 4

Two people stand smiling in front of a building with a sign "First Mates Last Laugh." The scene is outdoors on a wooden deck. — Judith and Jack Tabron

Set against the backdrop of Auckland’s Westhaven Marina, First Mates, Last Laugh has quickly established itself as a vibrant, social dining destination - known for fresh flavours, creative drinks, and a relaxed but high-quality experience.

Blending a coastal-inspired menu with an energetic atmosphere, the venue reflects a clear vision: creating a place where guests can enjoy anything from a full meal to a spontaneous drink by the water.

A venue built on experience

In today’s hospitality environment, success goes beyond the plate.

First Mates, Last Laugh is a strong example of how:

Atmosphere and location can define a venue
A clear concept creates consistency for guests
Experience-led dining drives repeat visits

From long lunches to casual drop-ins, the venue has been designed to feel social, approachable, and memorable - key drivers of modern hospitality success.

Anchored on Auckland’s Westhaven Marina, Judith Tabron’s First Mates, Last Laugh is renowned for its fresh flavours, creative cocktails, and outstanding customer experience.

What’s the concept of First Mates, Last Laugh?

We wanted to create a place that feels like you’ve stumbled into a relaxed, energetic harbourside spot somewhere in California or the Med with fresh seafood and delicious drinks, that feels social rather than overly formal. It’s somewhere you can enjoy a proper meal, or just drop in for oysters and a martini, a long lunch, or a few drinks watching the boats come in. Being on the marina obviously shapes the whole vibe; it’s all about seafood, sunshine, and fun.

What was your original inspiration and vision?

I love walking around Westhaven Marina, and have always felt it’s an incredible part of Auckland, but it didn’t have a venue to match the setting. The space had been on my radar since 2019, so when the opportunity finally came up, I was very keen to pursue the chance to create somewhere that made the most of being right on the harbour.

What are the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a business?

Hospitality is toug at the best of times, and the past few years haven’t made it any easier. Staffing shortages, rising costs and supply chain issues, especially with seafood, are all ongoing challenges.

On a personal level, there was also a bit of confidence rebuilding. The last time I set up a business from scratch was 1989, and I’d been away from the industry for five years, so stepping back into it came with its own pressures.

Have there been any particularly tough moments, and how did you cope?

Hospitality has a way of testing you almost every day. Restaurants are living, breathing things where many moving parts must all work simultaneously: staff, suppliers, weather, bookings, guests’ expectations. When one piece goes wrong, you feel it immediately.

There have been a few standout challenges. Early on, I overestimated the kitchen’s commercial capability, which led to some issues we’re still working through today. I also chose the wrong designer, which turned into a $50,000 mistake. That was a tough lesson and really highlighted how important it is to work with people who genuinely understand and align with your vision.

You manage things by staying calm, focusing on the problem in front of you, and leaning on your team. Restaurants really are a team sport. When everyone pulls together and focuses on getting through service, it’s amazing how quickly things can turn around.

How have you adapted or evolved the business to overcome challenges?

We’re constantly refining - adjusting menus, improving systems, tweaking service, changing how we run events or promotions.

We’ve also leaned into what makes the venue unique - the marina location, fresh seafood, drinks, and creating experiences around that. Events, collaborations with wineries and producers, things like that help keep the venue feeling fresh.

What are some key lessons you’ve learned?

One of the biggest lessons is how vital the team culture is. If the team enjoys working there, guests feel that energy immediately.

The other lesson is to listen to feedback while not losing sight of your identity. You want consistent improvement, but you also need to stay true to the place you set out to create.

What have been some of the team’s proudest moments or milestones so far?

Some of the proudest moments are the simple ones, like having a packed restaurant on a beautiful evening, with everyone having a great time. When you see the room buzzing, that’s when you know the place is doing what it’s meant to do.

Regulars that come back again and again, and people bringing visiting friends and family, is also incredibly rewarding. When a restaurant becomes part of people’s routines or celebrations, that’s a big compliment. And when locals start saying “you have to go there” to people visiting Auckland, that’s when you realise the venue has found its place.

What is unique about First Mates Last Laugh?

Atmosphere, and location.

We’ve tried to create somewhere that feels fun and relaxed while still delivering a high standard of food and drinks. We’ve intentionally not boxed ourselves into the ‘fine dining’ bracket, and pricing plays a big part here. We don’t believe guests should feel forced into choosing from wine options that start at $100.

Being in the marina obviously helps too. Watching the boats, and enjoying seafood and a drink in the sun is a pretty special setting. We try to make the most of that.

What advice would you give to hospitality operators facing challenges?

Stay focused on the fundamentals: great food, great drinks, great service, and a strong team culture.

You have to be genuinely passionate about your own product. If you don’t enjoy what you’re serving, you can’t expect your customers to.

Hospitality can be stressful, but at the end of the day people are coming to you to enjoy themselves. If you keep that perspective and build a team that cares about the experience, everything else becomes easier to manage.

Invest in training, and lead by example.

What does the future look like for First Mates, Last Laugh?

The focus is on continuing to build, and keep improving. We’ll continue to refine menus and events, and collaborate with producers and wineries. But long-term, the goal is simply to keep creating a place people love coming back to.

What do you enjoy most about what you do?

The people - both the team and guests. I’ve always enjoyed being around people, I am rather vinous, and I enjoy the social side of it, so I realised pretty quickly that retirement wasn’t for me.

Hospitality is one of the few industries where you get to create moments for people - birthdays, celebrations, long lunches with friends, first dates, all of that. Being part of those experiences is pretty special.