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    Orca Restaurant & Bar

    3.1 (8 reviews)

    Orca Restaurant & Bar Photos

    ORCA RESTAURANT & BAR ATMOSPHERE

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    Mike G.

    Food: best meal we've had in New Zealand so far. Presentation, texture, and taste were all magnificent. Even the sides were good, not simple fillers. Menu had very good variety and was presented in a logical manner and very friendly for Vegans, Vegetarians and meat eaters alike. Overall, quality of food is top notch and the experience was exciting to the palate. Service: This is what ruined the experience. Service, attention and timeliness was abhorrently terrible. Waited for 40 min before service came around to ask for what we wanted to drink, and even longer for food to come out. I hope they improve this. And the problem was systemic with all the tables around us, not an isolated incident. Ambiance: Restaurant ambiance was very lovely and in taste. Moreover, location and view of the water is spectacular and sunset. Toilets were very clean and holistically the ambiance was comfortable. Slamming door issue though... that needs to be fixed.

    Potato and fetta croquettes
    Alexandra P.

    Overlooking the boardwalk and jetty, Orca has a great outlook and relaxed vibe. It stands out from the other restaurants as it appears to be up market with a clean colour palette and spacious interior. However, there is a public bar out the back and beer garden brought a mixture of clientele. Our entrée was potato and fetta croquettes with olive tapanade. The croquettes were slightly overpowered with potato, making it more of a hashbrown than a croquette. Luckily, mine had more fetta than the rest, but the dish wasn't very memorable. I was very happy with my main meal of vension short loin with beetroot, carrot, onion and crumbed potato with an option of side of salad of a roast vegetable. It was beautiful presented and was well complimented. My friend had the beef cheek with chorizo, mushroom and garlic mash which just melted in your mouth. At the end of the day it is a seaside cafe/restaurant and it's not five star dining and doesn't claim to be, however some small improvements could definitely be considered. Therefore, Orca fluctuates between 3.5- 4 stars.

    The view from our table.

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    3 months ago

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    8 years ago

    Overpriced for the quality of the food and the service. But not a lot of choices around.

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    10 years ago

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    Wonder Horse - Mezzanine floor

    Wonder Horse

    5.0(3 reviews)
    36.7 km
    $$

    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.

    Photos
    Wonder Horse - Wonder Horse at 1am on a Friday morning

    Wonder Horse at 1am on a Friday morning

    Wonder Horse - Lounge area

    Lounge area

    Wonder Horse - Nyet My President (white Russian with orange Donald "hair") lol

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    Nyet My President (white Russian with orange Donald "hair") lol

    Mulligans Public House - Cool pool table and this kid seemed right at home!

    Mulligans Public House

    5.0(1 review)
    144.2 km

    We had a great time meeting travelers and playing pool in the back of this good ol' Irish Pub! The…read moregreen beer was flowing on St Patty's Day and we were ready for it. Add a little bit of drunken philanthropy and you're the hit in the crowd. I'd go back and do it all over again! Even a little dancing on the front floor successfully showed us the time of our lives! Thank you for celebrating and keeping the spirit of St Patty's Day alive! Cheers!

    From the owner: Welcome to Mulligan's Public House!…read more When you visit Mulligan's Public House, you're in for a treat. Experience our off-the-pier-fresh Salads, Mulligan's World Famous scrumptious Irish Stew, Prime NZ Steak, Stout Pie or light meals such as Fish & Chips, Burgers and Pizza or any of our other mouthwatering dishes. Our chefs are renowned for their creative combinations of spices and sauces. Our warm and charming atmosphere will instantly relax you while our attentive staff spoils you. Weekly menu specials offer unique flavours and pairings. Mulligan's Public House is very famous with backpackers specials. Mulligan's Public House is the perfect destination for your next visit to Taupo, whether an intimate dinner or a night out celebration or casual drink after work . We open 7 days and nights a week. There's always something happening at Mulligan's for locals & backpackers! Every Tuesday - Our world famous Quiz Night. Wednesday is Poker, Thursday - Live Music & Jam Night, Friday - Girls Night and much more. Please call for reservations for dinner or jump in to enjoy your night out. Gift certificates available.

    Crafty Trout Brewing Co - Terrace

    Crafty Trout Brewing Co

    4.6(10 reviews)
    144.0 km
    $$

    Love this brewery!!! Walk off the street up the stairs to a magically decorated brewery &…read morerestaurant. The bar greets you as you enter followed by an array of seating choices, cozy chairs, dining table, outdoor seats with a beautiful view, it is amazing! Choose from craft beers or wine. The fish and chips were delicious! Service was prompt and friendly. A great stop in the Rotorua area

    We dropped into Crafty Trout Brewing Co to check out their beer and cider selection. The bottom…read morefloor has merchandise and bottles for purchase. The bottles are reasonable but the merch is expensive (more than any brewery I've been to). $30.00 NZD for a growler! Insane. They also do beer tours ($30.00 NZD including tasting rack otherwise it's $10.00 NZD). The upstairs is called Bier Kafe. They had a few specials ($14.00 to 25.00 NZD). The regular menu is pretty pricey. Apparently, they are "world famous" for their pretzels and woodfired pizzas. At the bar, there were 14 flavours on tap (except they were sold out of their smokey ginger beer). The pear cider sounded pretty good. Tasting rack (four 200mL glasses) costs $20.00 NZD so we opted for a few bottles to take home instead. Some of their desserts also looked interesting. Dark moist chocolate beer cake ($9.00 NZD) or apple cider strudel ($10.00 NZD) anyone? - Lure cider ($4.50 NZD) - Granny Smith with hints of pineapple. - Smokey ginger beer ($3.00 NZD) - non-alcoholic made with Pohutakawa & Cherrywood smoked ginger, honey, fresh lemons and Lake Taupo glacial mineral water. You can taste the smokiness. Pretty decent!

    Photos
    Crafty Trout Brewing Co - Inside

    Inside

    Crafty Trout Brewing Co
    Crafty Trout Brewing Co - Closeup of smokey ginger beer

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    Closeup of smokey ginger beer

    Orca Restaurant & Bar - modern_european - Updated May 2026

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