Was worried about trying this place because of the lack of reviews, but glad we did! Perfect place…read moreif you're looking for a nice bar to relax, eat and chug some brews. We came in at 6pm on a Monday, which they have happy hour 430pm -630pm on the weekdays, $7 nzd for a beer pint. Our servers were pretty cool and friendly. Best of all, $.50cent wings! Everyday! Also you get to people-watch some locals coming in and out playing the slot machines in a room off to the side.

From the owner: Come down and experience that traditional, friendly pub atmosphere in Central Hamilton. It truly…read moredoes exist! The Quad - not part of any group or franchise.

In Hamilton for 2 nights. Enjoyed this spot twice . One of…read morethe few bars we could belly up to as many in NZ seem to have no stools. Great cocktails and beer selection. Friendly, engaging staff.

This is a serious contender for best bar in Hamilton. I came here Saturday night with my husband…read moreand a couple friends. Why, why have I not been here before now?! I used to live just up the block! My husband had already been here and, somehow, did not bring me in immediately. This is one of those places where I had a "love at first sight" moment. Even on a fairly crowded night, the vibe in this place is super-cool. It's small, almost uncomfortably so, but in spite of that (because of that?) it has a great intimate feel. The cocktails are pricey, but different and skillfully prepared. There is a good selection of whiskey (my whiskey-loving friend tells me). There was a DJ artfully spinning a weird, awesome, "did-he-just-do-that?" selection of tunes. The decor is comfortable/cool, with walls of exposed bricks and "I never want to get up" comfy couches. The back walls are lined with loads of books and one portion of the ceiling is covered with records. They appear to have some bites to eat, but admittedly, we were just there for drinks. It's a little tricky to find, set back from Victoria Street down a side alley. But, it's SO worth finding.

We came to this brewery because we enjoyed the drinks we had at Hobbiton. They make the…read moreHobbiton-exclusive beer, cider, and ginger ale. It wasn't too busy when we came here for lunch so ordering and getting seated was quick. They even had live music which was nice. We had a flight, the sample platter, and the cajun lamb pizza. Out of all the garlic bread and salt and pepper squid we've had in NZ, this was the best. The pizza and the sample platter was a lot of food for two people, so if you're not too hungry or have small appetites, I recommend just ordering one item to share. While we didn't really care for the cider (I didn't find any in NZ that I loved) or their hard pink lemonade which was too sweet, we did love their hard lemonade.

These guys are fraud do not visit them not recommended to anyone, my aunt visit them in August she…read morefell ill and currently under treatment due to poor beer and food quality

Would've rated this place better but the one serving us, a young lady, was very impatient with our…read moregroup. We are a large group with a lot of kids so deciding on our order can be a little bit harder than most people who are local to the area and know what they want right away. Too bad, I really liked the pork belly I got and the restaurant looked nice and had a really good ambiance. Service could have been a little bit better.

At first glance, you might think this place is a pub because of the prominent placement of the bar…read more However, it's more like a family restaurant. The menu selection is very good, and my kids love the burgers, the pizza, and the fish 'n chips when they visit. My partner and I really enjoy the wide selection of mid-range craft beer. They carry one or two premium craft beers, but they're mostly Monteith's and Mac's--nothing to scoff at, mind you! We enjoy the food too; it's got that comfort food vibe, which we like. The people behind the bar and waiting tables are always very amicable, and they seem to enjoy serving children. That can be hard to find in New Zealand. So I certainly appreciate their putting forward the effort. On Saturdays and Sundays, they usually offer live music in the afternoon. The acts are not usually a band but one person. It can get loud, for obvious reasons, so be prepared for that. Otherwise, they're always willing to turn the tvs to watch one of your favourite teams. I go there to watch American football from Aug to Dec and sometimes even make it in for NCAA football (which is a phenomenon that blows Kiwis minds; why watch college football when there's the real thing!).

A wonderful new restaurant in downtown Hamilton, just next to the new Riverside park on the banks…read moreof the Waikato River. This chic place offers cocktails, a full wine menu of NZ vineyards, beer in tap, and small and big plates to share. The aged sirloin with chimichurri sauce was perfectly cooked medium rare and tasted great. As dessert a tasty plum and almond tart complemented the dinner. In a summer afternoon the shade covers the outdoors seating area, more like a terrace and to complement ambiance a DJ selects vinyl records to play, nothing too strident. Indoor seating is alsoAll in all a great experience and new fresh venue sorely needed in Hamilton.

I've lived in Hamilton and haven't had too much occasion to go bar hopping, as a 30-something with…read moretwo small kids. However, a few Fridays ago, my husband and I were out "late" with a friend and this was one of the places we landed. I really love the decor! It's modern and inviting, dark enough for some ambiance and to flatter everyone. I think I may have come in here once a long while ago, saw the price of the cocktails and decided I would never come back. But, I'm glad I did. Now that I'm kind of over the sticker-shock prices of drinking in New Zealand, I realize that this place is indeed pricey, but mostly worth it. It's also entirely possible that the prices of the drinks keeps a certain subset of young party-goers out, which at my present stage of life, I'm completely OK with. I had a "passionfruit cheesecake" drink. We were sitting near the bar and I had fun watching the bartender construct this little gem, which was complete with a "crumb" bottom. It was awesome. I'm not sure it was quite $17-awesome, but I'm just trying to focus in on my enjoyment of the evening and block out the price of the drinks. My husband had chilled amaretto. He was happy with it (not that it takes still to make it). Our friend had the "Winnie the Pooh," and really enjoyed it. This is definitely a good stop on Victoria Street for good atmosphere, good drinks. It's probably too expensive to be most people's "regular bar," but it's perfect for an occasional splurge on a night out.

This place is pretentious. I came here wth my best friend before a concert, and when she ordered​…read moreher drink the bartender she'd her if she was sure she wanted it as it was 'pretty expensive' (it was $15). She got a bit confused and then asked if he had any good cocktails he could make, and his response was 'not tonight, we're busy'. As she then thought about what she wanted, I ordered 2 fingers of bourbon, to which he responded "are you sure?". When I said I was, he poured a shot, then again asked if I 'Really wanted more'. When I replied yes, I know what two fingers is, his response was "its pretty expensive, are you sure?". This bartender was both offensive, and arrogant. He purely judged us based on our appearance, and then repeatedly implyed we could not afford normal drink prices. Will not ever come again, this bartender should be fired for losing (well paying) customers.

Decent food. However bit over priced. Service was great. Food was decent, however not flavorful…read more Ordered pork belly, no taste to the pork. The mashed potatoes had more flavor. Wouldn't rule out coming back if someone wanted to meet here. However, wouldn't pick it myself. To end with, desert was the one strong point.

As a tourist from america, i had the time of my life staying in new zealand. I went out for drinks…read moreevery weekend, and the place i had the most fun at was the bank. Their drinks are prices pretty good, the bartenders kept serving me drink after drink without being judgemental its a really cool place because it apparantly used to be an old bank back in the day. They also give out free platters of food off facebook. Altogether, if youre looking for a great night out of drinking, go to the bank! It is the most fun place in all of hamilton