We came here after our tour at Hobbinton, which capped off the perfect LOTR themed morning. The…read moreambiance included Lord of the Rings memorabilia and the pizzas on the menu were named in honor of the trilogy. The service was great and our waiter asked for our names so she could address us personally. Food came out quick and hot. Portions are big enough to share so everyone can try each dish.

We arrived in Matamata to meet the bus for our tour of Hobbiton, but we had about an hour to kill…read morebefore the meeting time (and it was raining!) . Luckily, The Redboubt was open and was a nice warm place to kill an hour, have amazing snacks, and a few drinks. The Redoubt is located right at the I-SITE where you meet the bus, so you definitely can't miss it. It's decorated in all Lord of the Rings decor, down to the Hobbit hole style doorways/windows, getting you totally ready to get immersed in the journey you're about to take. We ordered a few beers to start and they arrived cold and crisp - definitely refreshing for a fun day in Hobbiton! Food-wise, we ordered the 3 Slider Selection, and picked the chicken, cranberry, burry, and brie sliders. They were super tasty and actually pretty large for "sliders" - and it even came with a small side of fries. We also shared the Redoubt's Famous Seafood Chowder, and it was super warming and hearty, but not too filling as it's seafood and not a heavier meaty base. With the delish food, awesome ambiance, and plentiful drinks - I definitely recommend stopping here if you're in Matamata for a Lord of the Rings tour, or for any other reason!

Don't stay here unless you plan for a sleepless night, brought your own soap and the only other…read morealternative is to sleep in your car, or maybe just sleep in your car. This seems like the kinda olace where human traffickers would bring their victims. The night we were here was a holiday weekend and there were literally no rooms between hamilton, rotorua and the coast. We got the last room. It was more of repurposed closet. Had a terrible margarita at the bar. Was supposed to be spicy pineapple. Can recommend the cheesy garlic bread though, it was almost good enough to merit the one star. Other high points were the staff- Raj and his team were genuinely nice to me, but when my buddy came down to ask for soap he was literally told to F off. We asked if we just left if they would refund our money. They offered to call the police and have us thrown out. Good times!

Haha, this was kinda my introduction to New Zealand. My best friend moved to NZ and I chose to…read morevisit him for my 40th birthday. After that wonderful trans-Pacific flight, I landed in Auckland and we pretty much came down to Matamata to go to Hobbiton the next morning so we needed a place to stay and Horse And Jockey Inn was a great price for us to crash for the night. As Tom C. (currently the only other review for this 'Inn') mentions, it's a cross between a motel and a hostel. I knew that when I booked the room. BFF and I were college roommates so sharing a room was no big deal. It was pretty cozy to say the least. It had 2 beds, a heater, and I think there was a chair. That's it. Down the hall was the bathroom. Everything was kept clean, but they probably haven't made improvements since this place opened in the 60's or 70's to the rooms. Not sure what the age of the bathroom was. I was pretty tired and it's all a blur now. However, for 2 guys who needed a place to stay for a night, it worked just fine. It's located right off the main drag of this otherwise very quaint town. Staff was super friendly when we checked in and very helpful. They had some sort of rule about coming in late with keys, but I can't remember, but the key situation with getting to the rooms was different than I've ever seen before. There's a bar at the bottom of the inn and a grocery store that has seen better days across the street. I can't imagine spending more than 1 night here though. I think it's okay for a just-passing-through type of place.

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.

Perfect assortment of food choices! Cheese bread was delicious! Waitress and host were very…read moreattentive. Prompt service and will go back again for sure!

Awesome. Great friendly professional service. They were happy to accommodate us in allowing us to…read morewatch the NRL final even after they had closed. We ordered food and drink and they continued to serve us with a smile and professional service. I wish I had a place like this near me. I will definitely be back and be recommending it to everyone.

A healthy lunch with pan fried Red Gurnard fish and a summer salad consisting of baby fennel,…read moreoranges, free range chicken and rocket with a light sauce at "The Loose Goose" . Food : 4/5 Service : 4/5 Price : $$ Place : 3/5

We came here on a recommendation from our bed and breakfast nearby. It is a cute little…read morecafe/restaurant. Staff is very friendly. Food is incredible with great service. I highly recommend!

Best Steak sandwich in town well worth a visit The Phoenix…read moreon the Strand Gastropub with an atmosphere!

While road tripping across the north island of NZ we stopped by The Phoenix in Tauranga for lunch…read moreand it didn't disappoint. The Angus burger was terrific and paired well with the golden lager. Nice atmosphere and staff was friendly.

The oldest bar in Rotarua - highly recommend the ginger beer and it's such a great place to come…read morewatch the game!

Two of us came in for dinner after a long day out and about. Wanted something light…read more We had two Cloudy Apple Ciders, a Seafood Chowder and a Harissa Chicken Salad. Both were excellent. The service was fine, even though it was was very busy. Plan to book ahead.

We had a very reasonable lunch here yesterday on our way to Waitomo., It was pretty different…read morefrom what the Lonely Planet described, but that is on the guidebook, not the restaurant. (weak beer list, for example) I had a plate of ribs with barbecue sauce, while my wife ordered sticky chicken. She was, I am sorry to say, a bit mean to the restaurant -- she has asked whether the sticky chicken was spicy, and was told that it wasn't. Then when it arrived, she expressed her discontent but repeatedly refused their offers to bring her something else. What really impressed me was how persistent but the waiter and the manager were in trying to make things right with her, despite her refusal to accept that. New Zealand nice meets midwestern stubborn.

The best meal I had in New Zealand! The pork belly bowl was absolutely delicious. It was so fresh…read moretasting and the pork belly was perfect. It wasn't greasy--it was airy and the perfect consistency. I keep saying perfect because it was just perfect! The toastie was also so good and the fries were tasty! The service was warm with plenty of drink refills. It's the perfect stop after a long day at the glow worm caves!