Excellent. Service was amazing, from the front desk, bartender and servers. The restaurant is so romantic, with a fireplace, dim lighting and jazz music. The cocktails were crafted expertly. This was by far the best dining experience I've ever had. We did the 8 course set menu. Each dish was presented beautifully and tasted amazing. Some of the dishes were so creative! I can't wait to visit New Zealand again, and make a second visit to the Bunker. read more

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This was a our weeknight dinner spot after a long day of sightseeing. The ambience is cozy with fireside seating and intimate. They have an extensive wine selection too. Overall everything tasted good, but the blue cod was fantastic. They also do a tasting menu which maybe great value if looking for a big meal as the portions are small. West coast paua tortellini, chowder cream, grana padano - Was a nice starter pasta, 3 pieces to share Royalburn lamb rump, shank ragu, aubergine, white balsamic, pinot noir jus - two types of lamb cooked BLUE COD (Bluff blue cod, deconstructed bouillabaisse sauce, tua tua salad, saffron crème, sea lettuce) - I paired with Amisfield Pinot Gris (Central Otago) on chef recommendation and was fantastic PETIT FOURS - Frozen brulee, profiterole, vanilla cornetto, chocolate cremeux. -- Chocolate Cremeux and frozen brulee were our favorites read more

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This is a very classy and more on the upscale side restaurant in Queenstown. We had the Taste of the South 8 course gastronomic experience and I must say I was amazed. I chose the seafood option for all of them and it did not disappoint. Our server was very knowledgeable, pleasant and provided impeccable service. This is a must try in Queenstown! read more

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Dinner at The Bunker was sooooo good. Even in summer they had the fireplace lit and it wasn't too warm inside. We chose the smaller of the tasting menus with wine pairings and enjoyed all the "or" options between the two of us. Every single dish was delicious. Highlights were the lamb and the cod main dishes and the venison tart. And the wine pairings were full servings rather than small tastings. read more

Not a big fan. Limited selection and extremely mediocre food. Could do much better for the price, especially in Queenstow.

We did the 8-course menu. Overall was wonderful! I especially loved the venison tartare (which was chef's daily & not on the menu), seared hare, blue cod was lovely as well as the lamb rump. Desserts were also amazing. Duck with gnocchi was a bit underwhelming but that was it. Service was great and cozy ambience. Lovely dinner to end our night! read more

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Delicious venison, beautifully prepared. I also tried the pink diamond drink, which was delivered with an edible flower and very pretty and delicious. Wonderful service and ambience. Would highly recommend. read more

I don't often leave reviews, but honestly this is one of the most disappointing meals I have had in my life. Firstly, the service was sluggish and our primary waiter had a snobbish attitude towards my table after we determined we were not doing the degustation menu. I ordered a 'Bunker Old Fashioned'. This came out super sweet which totally obscured any flavor profile of the Caol Ila. After checking with the waiter he assured me it was designed this way. Nevertheless, he did have it remade for me. Sadly the second iteration was also terrible as the orange bitters overpowered the smoke of the Caol Ila. At this point I gave up. On to the food. I had the Scallops as a starter which were some of the best I have ever had, unfortunately there was very little octopus. For mains, we ordered the Lamb Backstrap and the Snapper. Firstly in the Lamb. It was tasty, but for $54, I expected a lot more meat. The jus was tasty, but honestly, I can make better lamb at home. The snapper we ordered actually came out as a salmon plate and the serving size was embarrassingly small (no wonder it was suggested multiple times that we order 3 sides). The creme brulee to finish was average at best. Nothing particularly special. Ambience is fine. I wish the staff spent less time minding the fire and more time creating a better service experience. Save your dollars people and go somewhere else. read more

The Bunker - Creme Brulee - Wine Bars Near Me - Queenstown, OTA

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Came in for dinner and although the food was wonderful, the service was absolutely abysmal. For options in the area it felt quite pricey for the experience. I would definitely try again in the future knowing the current state of the hospitality labor shortage, but can't say this time was anything to write home about. read more

The Bunker - Wine Bars Near Me - Queenstown, OTA

This restaurant tries too hard to be upscale. It is one of those restaurants with average food and small portions. Don't waste your time and money. read more

Came here at the recommendation of a friend while we were in Queenstown, and the food was divine. The restaurant is small but elegant and cosy, and the service is excellent. The menu is very heavily meat-focused, with only one vegetarian entree, and one vegetarian main dish. If you are vegan, I wouldn't recommend eating here. read more

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We felt the wait staff was pretentious and unnecessarily inflexible. For the price, would expect the experience of the customer to be better considered. read more

Everything about The Bunker is great; hospitality, food preparation and ambiance. The upstairs "speakeasy" should not be missed. Bravo. read more

The Bunker - Speakeasy Bar @ The Bunker - Wine Bars Near Me - Queenstown, OTA

Best meal so far on my trip to New Zealand. I tried their tasting menu w/ wine pairing. They had 3 waiters working well as a team covering about 7 tables. The meal took about 2 hours. I was impressed how well the wine pairings worked. read more

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Great food and wine pairing. Server was wonderful and very helpful. Would go again when in Queenstown

Best. Spot. In. Queenstown. Restaurant experience exceptional. Thank you sweet Bianca for your kindness, expertise and making our first New Zealand dining experience an evening to remember. Truly wonderful. The rooftop bar...we made a point to visit each night for our espresso martini nightcap. Thank you Lewis, Max & Luca for the best drinks, insights and top notch bartending, it was so evident you all love what you do and made our experience all the more enjoyable. Five plus experience all around. Thank you for making our Queenstown experience a memorable one! read more

Don't let the dive bar atmosphere fool you - the food is undoubtedly resplendent and the service meticulously white-glove. The tasting menu is a great option if you have a lot of time - I sat near the cozy fireplace and savored a long, lengthy meal which included a number of hearty, succulent dishes such as sweetbread, lamb and hare. Unfortunately, I had suffered an accident earlier in the day which left me with mild concussion symptoms, whiplash and bleeding limbs, so sitting through such a long dinner left me feeling all kinds of mangled. It didn't help that the final cheese course took an unusually long time. Not sure why it would take over 30 minutes to throw some cheese and crackers on a plate but fearing that my bod would disintegrate in the middle of the dining room, I ended up asking for the cheese to-go. Whoever cut the cheese may have been slow but did a grate job. It still stank like hell the next morning! read more

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So cozy, so romantic, so delicious, The Bunker is exactly the type of establishment I want to dine in while sneaking away for a quick ski holiday in Queenstown. So I did. And it didn't disappoint. With very limited seating, a rustic open fire and an even hotter local wine and cocktail list, this is essentially my holiday happy place. The food is decadent to the point where even after you're completely full you're still shoveling what's left into your mouth for fear of leaving one more perfectly oozed-flavour-combo bite on your plate. My partner went for the venison (rare) with caramelized cauliflower puree and cherry jus, I inhaled the salmon with kina and coriander risotto, prawn salsa and capsicum cream sauce. We started with the hare and the abalone, and somehow managed to finish up (before having to be rolled out of the restaurant Violet Beauregarde-style) with both the manuka honey and saffron crème brulee and the spiced pear semifreddo. My only regret? Not convincing the entire table to go with the degustation menu. Note: You will need a reservation, so call early! read more

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Amazing! Delicious and a culinary experience. We ordered the scallops and the abalone starters which were just heavenly and our entrees were even better. Finished with the petit fours which ended the meal just right! read more

I would never think of reviewing a restaurant without eating there, but I just have to recognize this stand up businesss. My husband and I were very excited to eat at the Bunker during our vacation to Queenstown based on the reviews and the menu. Unfortunately, we ended up finding out we had COVID the day of our reservation and had to cancel. The Bunker has a reservation policy which would normally require a charge for a cancellation so late (I assume to deal with people who reserve at multiple places and then just cancel or don't show the day of a reservation). Given our circumstances, they did not charge us. Please support businesses like this - I will be recommending to everyone who goes to Queenstown to visit this establishment and if we are ever back here, will absolutely dine here! (Also, please always be someone who keeps reservations or provides adequate notice to any restaurant- regardless of policy, as it this the right thing to do :-)!! read more

Great little restaurant hidden in Cow Lane. We were luck to get his place with a last minute reservation on a winter Saturday night. There is an upstairs cocktail lounge and downstairs dining. You can combine the tabs. Absolutely love the fire in the middle of the restaurant. It's fine dining but the place do allow you carry out a decent conversation without having to watch the volume of you voice. Great service from the bar and the restaurant. Superb knowledge from the waitstaff. All know the menu well as well as what drinks to go with. We went with the degustation or taste of the south as they call it. Seven courses but you do get to choose you appetizer and the main. The good takes you around the country and back to central it ago. Superb taste. Leave you satisfied but not over stuffed. Highly recommend this place! read more

Everyone around town was recommending we try The Bunker for a relaxing and romantic meal. So happy we listened to the advice! We were seated in the upstairs dining room. Very cozy with only 6-7 tables, plus the decor, lighting, and wonderful fireplace made for a very relaxing experience. Our server was very friendly and informative. Nice wine selection, and cocktails from the bar were well crafted. The food was phenominal. We found it hard to choose from the wide variety of regional/season game option and other proteins. Eventually settling on a selection that had us trying the local hare, lamb, and duck, we were thoroughly impressed and walked out with an experience to remember. We'll be back! read more

I hate to give The Bunker such a mediocre review but this was THE restaurant I was looking forward to most during a three week Australasia vacation and for all the hype (and $$) it was a bit of a let down. I will preface by saying that the decision to try the Bunker was based on a) a great review on Trip Advisor b) an endorsement from someone we know who had went their on their vacation and c) the recommendation of the company we rented a campervan from who helped us plan our trip, so we figured with all of these sources saying hands down, go to the Bunker, that it had to be out of this world. The room itself was everything we were looking for. This was supposed to be the "big dinner" of our honeymoon and it was a perfect setting for that - dark, warm and cozy with a massive roaring fireplace. Our server was very professional, attentive and provided excellent service, so overall everything that made up the "experience" part of the meal was great. The food however - meh. We opted not to get the degustation menu as neither my husband or I are the biggest Seafood people and a lot of the choices involved fish/shellfish etc. We opted for mains that we felt should represent New Zealand cuisine: Lamb and Beef. My husband's lamb was a little too fatty, a little overcooked and a little scarce on the plate. My beef was cooked perfectly but lacked flavoring - natural or added. My husband got a chocolate tasting desert that came with very little to it and I had a spice/carrot cake which wasn't bad but was just ok. For the amount of money we spent we were a little disappointed and felt we had better quality meals in some of the smaller towns we visited on the South Island. Great place for drinks though and to warm up by the fire after a chilly day outside. read more

Went to The Bunker for some drinks after dinner so didn't try the food but the wine and atmosphere was great. Great outdoor area with sufficient heating (I even took off my coat) but also a cosy fire inside. Quite small but still ample for boogying! read more

My wife and I had dinner at the Bunker twice during our 4 day stay in Queenstown, NZ. We did the 7 course Taste of the South Degustation menu both times and varied up the entree and main selections. The first time around, we were stunned how amazing everything tasted, so we came back and did it a second time. Our favorite dish was the Horopito rubbed wild Fiordland venison shortloin with caramelized cauliflower puree, juniper cress, red cabbage, apple and almond salad and cherry jus. We've tried venison several times during our trip, and the way the chef prepares the venison here is divine. It was more tender than filet mignon. If I came back again, I would order a main-sized version of the venison. Another highlight was the housemade lemon gnocchi with roasted Fiordland crayfish, pan seared prawn tails, baby spinach, marinated fennel and crayfish beurre blanc. The 7 course was 99 NZ dollars which is about $82 USD, really a fantastic deal for the quality of food and service. The ambience of the restaurant was intimate and cabin-like with green banker lamps affixed to the walls. The wood-burning fireplace was a nice touch as well. Most of the tables were 2 seaters with a couple 4 seaters and 1 table that could fit 5. I think there were only 10 tables in total, so no large crowds and easy to have a nice conversation. read more

Woweeee! We were lucky enough to experience the Bunker magic at a pre-wedding dinner on Friday night. Our group of 30 packed out the beautiful, cosy room. The service was impeccable and the set menu divine. I wanted everything! I enjoyed the arancini balls for starter and the fish special for main. I'm craving the fish dish again already! If you have a special occasion this is the place to go. You won't be disappointed. read more

Went upstairs to the bar for a few drinks so can't comment on the food downstairs. We were pleasantly surprised to find a comfy seat by the fire on a cold rainy day. The Bunker has a chilled out atmosphere and a very handy bartender willing to mix it up a bit with the drinks. Oh and they had a old school James Bond film playing outside on the deck... was a little cold for us, but a cool idea that would work well in the warmer weather. read more

This was one of our favorite dining experiences during my first trip to New Zealand. This restaurant was a little tricky to find but it was such a delicious meal, the service was wonderful and the restaurant itself was cozy and intimate. In New Zealand where lamb is almost always delicious, the lamb dish at The Bunker stood out as it was so perfectly seasoned and succulent. In addition to delicious food, the specialty cocktails were unique and tasty too. read more

We had high hopes for our last night in NZ. Unfortunately the Bunker did not deliver. It failed to delight but more importantly the Bunker team failed to react to our disappointment. When the rack of lamb was too tough to chew and the response provided was "Sorry the lamb was tough, this sometimes happens when we get a bad cut of meat". $316 for two, and a bad taste. We wonder if the chef and manager were absent tonight? read more

Excellent. Truly excellent. Like an intimate private club for rich skiers - which is what it was about forty years ago. I think. Had the degustation and it was amazing. Abalone was superb, lamb (could have knocked me down with a cutlet) was great, but the absolute winner was the Stewart Island Scampi with a crab crepinette and carrot jus. A beautiful generous dish with the sweetest freshest crab, it had none of that soft texture that usually ruins crab or indicates it has been poorly treated. This was firm but moist and so sweet. Think I got a hint of chervil and the carrot jus was perfect. A bottle of Wooing Tree Pinot noir was not only a perfect match but made for a hilarious discussion with our wildly French waiter/ wine expert who, try as he might, couldn't say 'Wooing' because it just doesn't work in French, Creme Brûlée with saffron and a cheese plate finished a perfect meal at our new club. read more

Fantastic experience. Salmon steak was great, service was great, the best restaurant experience we had in Queenstown. Thank you!

We loved this place. We had the TASTE OF THE SOUTH DEGUSTATION MENU, which, as it sounds, let you sample nerly everything on the menu. You have a choice between menu items, and between the wifey and I, we tried everything, and we loved everything. From crayfish to quail, venison to abalone, lamb to salmon and dessert - we loved it all. If you want to sample the tastes of New Zealand cuisine, this is a place to come to to try it all at once. You're gona like this food - I guarantee it. read more

My review is purely for the bar upstairs. This is my favorite bar in Queenstown. GREAT drinks, super small with good lighting/music. Fireplace, swanky couches and great bartenders. Holds 20 people, but never too packed. Perfect cocktail spot. I will recommend it to all my friends. read more

This is an oldie but a goodie constantly serving up fine dining for 10+ years must visit restaurant Queenstown

Let's lead with this: Best meal we ate in New Zealand for an entire 2-week holiday. We set the bar for 4- and 5 stars very high, so let me emphasize: eat here. I wish I could remember more details of what we ate. The receipt just says "Wild Turkey Manhatten [sic: no 'e' in Manhattan], Sazerac, Paua, Scallops, Duck Liver, Lamb Rack." OH, right, the lamb! Oh boy was that good, melted in my mouth - in a country that knows a thing or two about cooking lamb, that was just outstanding. For the other dishes, I don't remember details, but I do remember everything was on-point. Service was the right mix of attentive and out of our way. We got in without a reservation (early December; maybe we were ahead of peak season. If I were to go back to New Zealand, let's say on business, and let's say not in Q-town - Auckland maybe - I would go out of my way to go to Queenstown and dine here. Seriously, Bunker, keep up the good work! read more

Excellent food, amazing service and a cozy environment! Would definitely recommend to anyone coming into Queenstown for holiday.

Highly recommend this restaurant. The degustation was outstanding nom nom. Truly a great dining experience. The staff are really helpful and friendly. Would definitely return. read more