As one of the stops on the Hop on Hop off tour we took as an excursion off of our cruise boat, we…read moredid not quite know what to expect, but we very pleased in the end with our lunch at the Cork & Keg. We decided to wing our last excursion on our trip and took a tour that had a number of wineries, shops and attractions but limited food places. The Cork and Keg looked like a good option and the welcome interior and craft beer selection looked promising as we entered. Their lunch menu is hearty pub food and I selected the Pale Ale from Speight's brewery and ordered their steak sandwich with curly fries. Jo (my wife) ordered the fish and chips with a glass of white wine. My steak sandwich was stacked with thick tender steak and cooked to order medium rare. It was delicious! My wife as well enjoyed her fish and chips in which we enjoyed as we soaked up the interior of white plastered walls low hanging heavy wooden beams that adorn the interior giving it that warm pub feel. The exterior seating was warm and inviting as well, but at the time we arrive fairly crowded and we were on a tight time table so we passed. Food and Beverages 4.5 - Well prepared food and hearty portions. Good selection of local brews and wines. Service 3.5 The bartender who originally greeted us was great one server though skipped over us and went to the larger party that entered after us to get their order and didn't come back to us. The bartender did though follow up with us sure we did have our order in place after a short wait. Atmosphere 4 Nice wooden bar with fireplace and outdoor seating area shaded with umbrellas. A great pub feel to it. Price 4 I thought we had a good value as the food was well prepared and price for value seemed fair. OA 4.25

Ok this place exceeded our expectations. First they picked us up at our hotel and gave us a ride to…read morethe restaurant... not just us, they just do this. The beer and wine selection was good and the chicken curry was just delicious (tonight's dinner special). Just a nice surprise!

Avoid if you are coeliac We ordered a gluten free pizza as…read moreone of us has Coeliac Disease. Unfortunately it contained Gluten causing a significant reaction

The outdoor seating was a great option. It was very laid back, we loved our dinner here. Food was…read moreamazing, my boyfriend had the lamb shank, huge portions and very tender. I had the open faced chicken sandwich and I would get it again.

We were bummed to learn that nearby Emporium Brewing, along with many other businesses, close on…read moreTuesdays, therefore Strawberry Tree was a welcomed pivot. Well mostly, because they certainly did have Emporium freshies on tap -- 3 tap handles to be precise -- which were kept ultra cold, ultra fresh. We were also interested in ordering local specialty fresh Kaikoura crayfish (basically lobster -- said no one ever!). They did charge up the wazoo for a whole one, about two-thirds more than at the kiosk or stands. It was rather fleshy, seasoned and buttered tastefully, and biggish. Overall atmosphere was warm and friendly, though a bit dark with the Irish pub vibes.

Kia Ora!!! A great pub with a great local and Irish charm. Went in for lunch and ordered the…read morescallops and corn ribs for pupu's followed by the fish and chips and BBQ Jackfruit sandwich. Ordered a some pints of Guinness and Kilkenny to was it' all down. Everything came out HOT, aromatic and looking very tasty! Highly recommend stopping in for a pint or a tasty meal!

Fish and chips was outstanding! Others got pork schnitzel and fish sandwich. Can't comment on the…read morebeer as I was the DD..

Dodson's is an expansive German-esque beer garden nestled comfortably on the outskirts of town…read more Parking is to be had in a large lot or on the streets. 20+ taps available at any given moment. Beers are served in 200, 400, and 500mL formats with some strong IPA's, DIPA's, and even a robust stout on tap. Blenheim is quite near to Wellington therefore you'll eye a good number of tap handles occupied by breweries from the area. Food is of the German-fare, but they also have pizza and burgers. The Pork Knuckle served over a hefty bed of mashed potatoes seemed quite revered which the guy gluttonized over since it was just about the heartiest pork knuckle meal I've ever laid mine eyes on. Like woah! I will never forget it! I, on the other hand, went with another favorite in the form of the Fish and Chips (19.5 NZD). Theirs is made with a wheat beer battered Hoki fish, tartare sauce a salad, and requisite chips on the side. Batter was a little cakey, but with the best crunch. The salad was appreciated to bite through this heavy meal while helping the guy some with his massive slab of pork. The fun and laid back atmosphere of this cavernous beer garden with outdoor patio served as a great night cap though it is your typical pub experience in the end with heavy, greasy food and strong beers.

I went here for dinner. i ordered the chicken chimcurri..taste good…read more. CONCLUSION = RECOMMENDED!

Wonderful meal and thoroughly enjoyed the service from Alex. Looked after us very well. Food was…read morevery good as well

Great little brew pub with brick oven pizza. Great sampler with their own beers and guest taps…read more Even cans, bottles and growlers to take away.

I went with a group of 14 ... all of the meals were substandard... I had lambs fry and bacon …read more.. two little bits of lambs fry hard bacon and a small amount of lukewarm warm mash ... the meal was disgusting I would never go back

Atmosphere and staff was inviting. Quick and easy seating options- indoor, high top, table, etc…read more The waitress was very friendly and even offered local site tips for us visitors. The house lager was tasty and not too bitter. Food was excellent and came out very quick!

We had dinner here in March 2002 on a previous visit to NZ. It was so refreshing that the quality…read moreand service have not changed over the intervening years. Located across from the water, each of the window tables has incredible views of both the bay and the Kaikoura Mountain range. The evening we were there, they were receiving the first snowfall of the season on the upper peaks, which was awesome to watch. We had tried to book online, but somehow our reservations got mixed up. Elly (I think that's her name - or Ivy?), was wonderful to accommodate us at the time we wanted, and at a table with a view anyway. But reservations are definitely necessary, and if you want a table by the windows, book well in advance. Hubby and I each started with the fish chowder, then had the fresh catch gurnard, which were both amazing! My taste buds were definitely happy here. The fresh bread was hot and also tasty. Joanne, our server was very attentive, making the experience truly special. I just hope the quality remains the same for our next visit to Kaikoura, whenever that may be!

I'm pretty sure green dolphins don't exist, so you're not going to find any of those here. What the…read morerestaurant does have is fresh, delicious fare and a partial view of the water. I stopped by last night and tried a variety of dishes. The white bait, fish chowder, crayfish (I chose grilled) and chocolate cake were all excellent. Even the roasted vegetables that accompanied the crayfish tasted amazing. In addition to attentive service from the staff, I found the restrooms to be very clean. If you are planning to visit the seals after your meal (~15 minute walk), then I'd recommend tinkling here before setting off on your journey.

Delicious little roadside restaurant. Keep in mind, this is more of a food truck as all the dining…read moretables are outside. But the food is extremely fresh and well prepared and you can't beat the great price. No wonder that this was featured in lonely planet.

There's alot of negative reviews on this place, so I'm here to present some facts, as well as some…read moreinformation to help you choose between this and Nin's Bins. - This or Nin's Bins? It comes down to two things. The first is location. If you're going to Point Kean for the seals, this is right next door. Nin's Bins is closer to Ohau seal colony, or if you're driving up/from Blenheim/Picton. Nin's Bins is a much nicer looking "shack" and also has tables with much better views of the ocean. - The weather. This is fully outdoors. There is one table that is sheltered from the rain, but that's it. - The price of the crayfish. They're a bit sneaky in that they don't publish or tell you anywhere what the price per kg of crayfish is. When you turn up, you can have a look at their ice cooler of all their available crayfish. Each one has a different price. For reference, early Jan, the price of crayfish was between $110 and $155, depending on size. You can also choose a half crayfish. - Are they live crayfish? No, none of the crayfish are live. They are already pre-cooked, and will be grilled for a few minutes in butter to warm them up. - What else is there to order? Loads of other seafoods. From prawns to paua (abalone) patties, whitebait patties to local fishes, etc. I recommend the fish, either with rice of bread, really tasty and amazing value at like $12. The scallops were also pretty good; they are small scallops but super tasty ($13-16). - When are they open? For lunch. Don't know when they start, but they close up shop once they sell out all their crayfish. When we were there on a Saturday early Jan, peak tourist season, they finished at like 2:30-3pm. And this was despite it being a super rainy and windy day. - Are they much cheaper than other places in Kaikoura? We checked out another place (Craypot restaurant in town) which was looking to charge $129 per half crayfish! Here we paid $110-155 for a whole crayfish. Up in Marlborough Sounds, we saw crayfish in a restaurant at $60 for half, $120 for whole. So their prices are not super cheap, but probably cheaper than the restaurants in Kaikoura. Don't know compared to Nin's Bins. - Taste Really nicely grilled. The crayfish tasted super fresh, and very firm meat indicating the freshness. The rest of the dish (rice, salad, bread) was very mediocre. - Payment They accept card payments. Also - no credit card surcharge! Yay!