What can I say ... wow. Bourbons from Kentucky and gins from around NZ and the world. The…read morebartender could make just about any drink you could imagine. We sat outside and had a cocktail as we did laundry (laundry mat is just a block away). This is the best way to do laundry, lol. Sunny outside so the umbrellas helped keep of the UV11 sun as we enjoyed the constant breeze that day. Highly recommend and we also were able to learn about other speakeasies in the area. It's very close to the Novotel Hotel in reviewed earlier.

We wandered in here after dinner and really loved it. We had espresso martinis, and a Negroni…read more Their antique thrifted tiny pitchers are so cute and the waiters were beyond sweet. I love the cozy vibe inside as well!

The only blemish in our amazing Chch trip was coming here. Advertised was buy 1 dessert, get 1 free…read morehowever upon reviewing my receipt when I got home I noticed I had been charged full price for the desserts. When I emailed them they admitted their mistake and said they would refund me the next day. After leaving it a week I followed up with an email which I got no response from. I am still waiting for my refund nearly 2 weeks later which is disappointing. Happy to change this review if I receive my refund. EDIT: Shortly after posting this review I finally received my refund. A shame I had to write a review outlining my experience to get a refund.

This pub and eatery is located at the Northwood Shopping Centre. It's easy to find, on Main North…read moreRoad. There's tables for those who come for a drink, with nice areas for others who choose to dine also. It's good for groups of friends and families too. The service is lovely and atmosphere is relaxed. I haven't eaten here yet, only come for drinks, but it's an enjoyable place. The music isn't too loud for talking. There is plenty of parking as part of the shopping complex.

This is a great pub in Ferrymead that's well worth the drive from Merivale for quiz night on…read moreWednesdays. (You definitely need to make a booking if you want to play.) The bar is right off the water and the outdoor patio seating receives a nice cool, salty breeze. There is plenty of seating inside from tall top tables to more intimate seating and group tables. There are plenty of TVs to catch a game or catch the clues for quiz night. The menu is limited but good quality. The chicken sandwich is hearty and topped with an aioli dressing and bacon. The side of chips are thick-cut and soft on the inside. You can order aioli or ketchup on the side. I have seen a fish and potatoes ordered, the fish are smothered in a sauce and, as a non-pescatarian, I find it sloppy and unappetizing. The onion rings as an entree would be a good choice as they are crispy on the outside and slimy onion on the inside..just the way any good onion rings should be. I recently tried the three ice cream and warm chocolate chip cookie which was heavenly. The cookie is thick and crumbly and the ice creams were stellar (double chocolate, vanilla with cherry and mint chocolate chip). There are on Monteith's beers on tap and some rotating summer options. There are other beer options by the bottle if you prefer as well as an adequate wine selection. Soft drinks and well drinks are available, too. The staff is great (our table loves Alex) - they're quick with orders and always wandering around looking to help. Definitely the best drinking establishment in Ferrymead and worth a stop if you live in the area.

Awful, rude service and the food was poor quality. Staff appeared melancholy and the atmosphere was…read moreconstantly ruined by a slamming door and kids running in and out of the restaurant, bar area and kitchen. This is not a gastropub. It's cheap eats at inflated prices at best.

Great food, particularly the pork sliders. Very nice, trendy environment and the service was also…read moreexcellent. While it doesn't come across as a cheesy 'family' venue, it is equipped with a change table and high chairs and the staff are very accommodating. There's quite a range of low alcohol drinks. Would get five stars if they had some good NZ craft beers available.

Great cocktails, love the passion that goes into the business, and setting and location is perfect…read more love taking people here!

The Institution is a small craft cocktail and beer bar. The staff is friendly and generous. There…read moreare 5 local beers on tap with a selection of bottles behind the bar. They'll let you try all their beers on tap before purchase. I enjoyed all of them. The cocktail I had was also great. They have a cheese platter which is also amazing. The bar seems to attract interesting people. Both times I went, I ended up in fascinating conversations with people I met at the bar.

To celebrate my 39th birthday, I found this restaurant called Orleans here in Christchurch, New…read moreZealand. I did enjoy cajun and creole soul food from the USA, so it was a perfect dining option. Plus, it was a couple of blocks from the hotel. Turning 39 years overseas was interesting, since the time zone difference in the USA was a day earlier, so it allowed me to celebrate twice. With that said, I arrived here at the Orleans restaurant and bar around 8pm on a brisk Monday evening in mid September 2018. I thought initially that the restaurant itself was closed, since there was construction going on the opposite side of the street, not realizing that the restaurant was on the other side. To my relief, I was okay and entered the restaurant. I almost had cut my losses and tried to find somewhere else in walking distance, but thankful that I had found the restaurant. During my visit here to the Orleans restaurant, it was typically Monday night in the city. I guess I came in when the dinner rush was largely over and found a group of people finishing up and leaving, letting me having the entire restaurant and bar to myself. The ambiance here was very casual and basically what you'd find in a bar setting. The overall experience here at Orleans restaurant and bar was nice and quiet. Kind of like the casual attitude of the place and didn't like the loud noises when coming to such places. Maybe I'm getting old and like quiet places. Either way, Orleans was nice and cozy. I dig the decor and the service was nice, friendly, and fast, even for a place that was slowing down for the night. They told me they were closing at 9pm, but the yelp page said till 12 midnight. Probably need to change it sooner or later. With that said, celebrating a birthday here with southern comfort food was nice and definitely one to remember. While I was dining alone, it was nice and pleasant. Orleans restaurant and bar is located at 89 Litchfield Street in the heart of downtown Christchurch, New Zealand. They offer live music, but during the night I was there, there was no live music. Probably on the weekends or something. They accept major credit cards, usually Visa, which are usually a great thing for us tourist folk who live on the plastic. Not sure about parking, although street parking is your best bet. I'm not from Christchurch, but I walked it here during my holiday in mid September 2018. Hotel was nearby and I had a craving for New Orleans type of cuisine. I'm sure Christchurch's public transportation can get you here too. There's always uber, which is nice. I ended up spending an hour here, enjoying my meal and soaking up the fact that I am not 38 anymore. It's kind of disappointing, but that's life. For my meal, I ended up getting a po boy sandwich, which is basically standard for any southern style delight. Along with that, i ordered some curly fries, which ended up being some sort of regular fries curled up and spiced up to taste differently from your Burger King type fries. I finished it up with an order of sweet ice tea. I should have gotten liquor, but I figured I'll celebrate with that later on. The po boy itself was good and tasteful. It was delicious and harmoniously hit the spot after a long day of travel from Sydney, Australia. The fries were surprisingly epic and the sweet tea was interesting. With the restaurant closing earlier than I thought, I opted to get dessert elsewhere. Prices here were okay. Their menu was surprisingly and shockingly limited, but I guess that's how it is sometimes. Although the food ordered and the ambiance was pretty good, I thought for an place that served Cajun / Creole USA cuisine should have more items. 3.5 stars for the overall experience. 4.0 stars for the ambiance and the food. 3.5 stars for the service. Support local! C+

It's no longer here. I came all the way from a cruise terminal excited about the menu and it's not…read morehere.

Honestly we didn't have many options. We had 3 other options and the main reason we ended up here…read morewas because the prices per meal were a bit lower. We didn't learn until we sat down and read the menu that the prices were only lower because this was a 'tapas' style restaurant. Whoops. So we ended up spending a lot of money on a little bit of food. But since the food was good I left it a good rating. The drinks looked amazing but we were hungry and tired and not in the mood to add a hangover to our morning. Apparently it is all about their alcoholic milkshakes but the sugar would have kept me up all night and it was a freezing cold night and we didn't have a car and the hotel was a far walk from town. We ended up sharing the deviled eggs app, the Venison balls, and the sliders. We ordered 2 beef sliders and one chicken slider and both were good. The beef was better so just order 3 of those. Afterwards we weren't full but also weren't still hungry. Probably would go to the other restaurants next time.

Best food and cocktails in town with a great ambiance, music, etc. We were lucky enough to have the…read moreregular music line up followed by a great live band. Try the fried chicken and sweet potato salad, best this side is the southern US. Adorable bartender who knows his craft with delightful cocktails such as "Atticus Finch" and the "Scarlett O'Hara". We tried everything on the menu and were not disappointed. Even a pool table for those interested. Cheers to Boo Radley's for their clever name and charm!

Baretta is one of my favorite establishments in the city for two reasons: 1) the food is amazing…read moreand 2) their outdoor patio bar is a great place to mingle with young professionals in the city. Visit Baretta on a weekend night and be sure you're into the bar well before 10:00 as the line of 20 and 30-somethings extends down the block. If you're visiting for the restaurant and a little taste of Italy in Christchurch, be sure to make a booking a few days in advance. They DO have Entertainment Guide coupons! FOOD: My husband and I started with the grilled ciabatta with parsley pesto and olive jam. The bread was extremely filling, so I definitely recommend sharing with several people. The olive jam was my favorite spread, but the parsley pesto is light and bright and an interesting take on pesto. We decided to split the side salad with parmesan cheese on top and a light balsalmic dressing. It was a crisp salad with a lot of complementary tastes. I ordered the Chicken Leg as my main and it was cooked beautifully: juicy and tender. It was served with pickled pumpkins (which were very interesting) potatoes with ricotta and garnished with radishes. I cleaned the plate! I just wish there had been about one serving less of the pickled pumpkins. My husband ordered the Squid Ink Gnocchi with mussels and calamari. If you enjoy the smell of fish and seafood overload, this is the dish for you. My husband enjoyed it, but the smell was overwhelming for me (a non-fish eater). We opted to pair the meal with a bottle of Chandon, but their wine list is quite extensive and the waiter will be more than happy to offer pairing suggestions. In fact, the waiters at the restaurant are on top of their game. Never was a glass left empty nor were we left alone for too long (but not in a creepy hovering way). He seemed to have his eye on our table at all times which made the evening a breeze. Step outside before or after your meal to enjoy a cocktail from the patio bar. Often there is live music playing and heated tables to relax on. What's the catch for the place? Be prepared to hand over your first born child with the meal as it ain't cheap. But quality food and impeccable service comes with a price.

A fun night scene for 18 and ups to socialize and drink. It has a classy feel with a pretty outdoor…read moresetting. There is a dress code, so make sure not to wear sandals or casual clothes. I have watched friends get turned away at the door for even wearing nice tennis shoes!