Service was quick and incredibly friendly. But the FOOD. My goodness. We've been on a 2 week trip…read morearound the South Island (traveling from the US) and hands down this was the best meal out of them all. Had the chicken/mushroom pasta and the croissant pudding. WOW- so full of flavor. Delicious. I sincerely hope we have the opportunity to return.

We meet at the rocks for a group dinner for 8 we were not forced to take a set menu as some places…read moredo which was great; we ordered local and foreign beers with olives and bread to start and wait for everyone to arrive. Seeing the food arrive on other tables appear very generous we skipped any further starters in favour of mains; most of us had one or other of the steak dishes though a couple chose the fish of the day. Everyone's steak arrived how they ordered it from rare to well done, which is impressive with so many orders; the food was excellent and the sides generous. The recommended wine matched perfectly of course it was from NZ and whilst we were the last to leave we never felt rushed - which is always a sign of a good business.

If you're going to Stewart Island and you're reading this review, stop and call to make a booking…read moreimmediately. You'll be glad you did. This is the best dining option in all of Stewart Island (which isn't very many either). Bookings are absolutely essential as staff and seating is limited. Church Hill Oyster Bar is located at the top of a hill overlooking all of Oban, Halfmoon Bay and on out into the nothingness of the Southern Ocean. Having read some of the Yelp reviews, I called for a booking the day of and was turned away as they were already overbooked. I begged to be called in case someone doesn't show up (which rarely happens as there are less than 500 people on the island at any given time) to which the manager agreed. Lo and behold, I was called an hour before a table was open (7:30 seating). We arrived early and were told we could sit where we liked (there were open tables, but staff was low). The restaurant resembles a small cottage house with two rooms for seating and an outdoor patio. There isn't much room for foot-traffic and there are two stools at the bar. We chose a seat in the backroom overlooking the water and were quickly brought water, but were told it would be just a few minutes while the manager finished helping some tables. We were ready to order immediately and went for the three appetizers of oysters: Natural, Kilpatrick (worcestershire sauce, bacon and parmesan) and Deep Fried. All three were fantastic, but I definitely preferred them natural. We also decided to split the Lamb Rack which was served beautifully with three lamb cuts balanced against each other, the pototao gratin underneath and veges strewn about. It is making my mouth water to recreate this vision in my head. The lamb was fall off the bone and succulent. My husband went for a beer and I, wine, but you can't go wrong with either choice as they have many great options. For dessert we ordered off of the blackboard specials for their chocolate cake. I forget the specific name, but it was served as a three-tiered cake: hard chocolate on top, mint ice cream/fudge in the middle and a delicious thick layer of crumbly pie crust on the bottom. Served with cream and mint leaves on the side. Check out the photos, but just know that we licked the plate clean. If you are a chocolate or chocolate and mint lover, this is the dessert for you. My husband also opted for the Oban scotch as a palate cleanser, because, hey, why not? He loved it. The staff couldn't have been nicer and the experience dining in this restaraunt couldn't have been more superb. My husband and I truly had a remarkable and romantic evening at Church Hill Oyster Bar and Restaurant and long to return.

Its worth venturing from the South Sea Hotel for one night to have dinner here. The classier joint…read moreof the two, it had great seafood (mussels, cod) and well-made muttonbird/titi. A bit pricey but the atmosphere delivers. Chef came out after dinner and chatted with us a bit.

Beautiful setting, delicious meal, varied appetizing menu, reasonable price, and great value. Our…read moreserver Wasa provided great dinner recommendations, and excellent service.

The place is definitely one of the better places to go to while in town. From the ambience, to the…read morefood, everything seemed to be well thought out. Service was good, food was exceptional, and if you're only dining for two, you might find it cheaper to get the normal sized steak with two sides.

We arrived around 7:00 on a busy Friday night without reservations but were immediately seated at a…read morenice table. Service was okay. I wanted chicken tenders but they were only available for kids so I order Japanese fried chicken pieces (popcorn chicken) with aioli dipping sauce and chips. The meat was tough and not good. My husband' said the seafood chowder and cheeseburger with chips were just okay. Not impressed with the food. Maybe we ordered the wrong things. They had several pieces of interesting art on display for sale. Maybe a lottery going on too? The bar was much busier. Plenty of parking in their lot.

I had the special which was chicken and bacon fettuccine with creamy garlic sauce. It was amazing,…read moreso creamy and delicious. Plenty of pasta to sauce ratio. Great size portion. Will definitely be getting this again and would love it to be on an every day menu.

A really tough place. A lot of overly drunken types looking for trouble. The girlfriend of one of…read morethem (biker jacket) was very drunk and threw something at someone at our table. Then she came over and threw it again and cursed at us. We had never said a word to her and didn't know her. She and her drunken boyfriend (they were both pretty old) stumbled outside and drove away. The staff saw the whole thing and did nothing. AVOID!

We decided to take a chance on this restaurant even though there were no reviews for it.... kind of…read morelike the days before yelp :)! We were pleasantly surprised! I ordered the Sheppard's Pie. It was delicious! My husband and son ordered the Seafood Chowder and it hit the spot! My daughter chose the soup of the day (tomato basil). She was raving about each bite. The atmosphere was very cozy, warm and by the fireplace. We highly recommend this place :)

Great little restaurant in Te Anau…read more Make sure to book a reservation in advance. Kind of awkward entering because they don't have a hostess stand so just go up to the bar and tell them you have a reservation. This confused a lot of people because they'd come in and sit down in the restaurant area, presumably without a reservation, and then be asked to leave/informed they needed a reservation. I ordered a salad for a starter, the pork belly for my main, and the server twisted my arm to get the salted caramel cheesecake. Almost everything was delicious. The pork belly was great. Nice and crispy top and well cooked middle portion like you'd expect. The slaw it came with was meh. Smothered in mayo based sauce. I didn't really like it but then you'd get a bite of an apple which really cut through all that mayo or whatever and made it interesting. Too bad there wasn't more apple in there. The salad was fine. The cheesecake was very good. My server was great. She was running around taking care of everyone--both those who were in the bar area (ie drinks only) and in the sit down area (food). Fantastic service. Super friendly. If you're in the area check them out.

We had one of our best meals in New Zealand. The place was selected by our guide for a five day…read morewalking tour, perhaps in part because we were seeing a Nat Geo style film about the fjordlands at the adjoining cinema. Fine beer list, but really it was the food that stood out -- very well prepared beef ribeye; a lamb rump that I had been reluctant to order because of a bad experience with that cut in Lake Tekapo, but fellow walkers did order and and it was superb. Some in our party ordered fried cauliflower with a crust and spicy sauce (after some wangling, the host parted with the recipe that I plan to make at home)

They don't take reservations, but we only had to wait for a few minutes for a table on a busy…read moreSunday for lunch. After ordering, it took over 30 minutes for our food to be delivered. But it was worth the wait! I had a chicken breast with a white wine/carmelized onion sauce. Yum! It came with potato wedges and kumara salad with cashews, bacon, slaw, sweet potatoes and dressing. One of the best meals I've had in New Zealand.

A nice find on a quiet Tuesday night in Gore. We were passing through town and were pleased to find…read morethis fun and busy dinner spot. We had the pork fillet, chicken schnitzel, and salmon, all of which were huge portions and delicious. We sat on the bar side because the dining room was already full. Prices felt a bit steep for sitting in a bar, but the taste and portions did not disappoint.

We stopped by for lunch on a Wednesday. Staff was very nice establishment was clean. We had blue…read morecod and Kiwi burger. Both dish's were excellent! You can also walk right out and take your pictures at the southernmost point sign, which was a nice added bonus.

At the end of the road in Bluff, you'll find a parking lot and trailhead for hiking. If you're…read morefeeling hungry look behind you for Oyster Cove, a restaurant overlooking the ocean and islands that dot the bay. We were here on a cold rainy day, and my other half was in need of some hot cocoa. The restaurant was mostly empty at that time of the day, but the staff were happy to make us hot drinks while we enjoyed the climate controlled dining room and beautiful view outside. Their menu looked good, but we weren't here to eat. The restrooms were very clean. This is definitely a place for travelers as you can't drive farther south than Bluff. It's worth a stop!