Bar cuisine: the best places to taste it in Kaikoura

7 restaurant menus in New Zealand, (the ranking and the list of restaurants are based on the number of recommendations received from users in the last month, currently updated to December 2024)
Selected filters:
Ranking
Sort A-Z
near you
Filters
The Pier Hotel Restaurant
The Pier Hotel Restaurant
89/100 (2254 ratings)
Restaurants
Gluten Free Options
Bar
Pub
European
Soups
Bar
New Zealand
Vegan Options
Pub
Seafood
Vegetarian Friendly
European
Seafood
New Zealand
Gluten Free Options
Vegan Options
Vegetarian Friendly
Dinner
Lunch
seafood platter
Fish & Chips
Seafood Platters
Fish & chips
Ribs
Croquettes
Crawfish
Salad
Catfish
Calamari
Lamb
Mussels
Fish
Calamares
Pork
Salmon
Sit down
Seafood
Bar
New Zealand
Pub
European
Reservations
Seating
Serves Alcohol
Table Service
Parking Available
Wheelchair Accessible
Highchairs Available
Full Bar
Free Wifi
Accepts Credit Cards
Outdoor Seating
Playgrounds
Dinner
Lunch
Mid-range
"It was a very wet night in Kaikoura, but the atmosphere was warm and cosy. The staff were very friendly and welcoming. The service was impeccable and..."
Shelley Maree Harwood
"We came a strong group of 10 little back story we had complications before hand and The staff were so patient with us we eventually got there and we..."
Noki Kahukura Parata
"Beautiful setting, friendly helpful staff and delicious food. Had dinner here tonight and thoroughly enjoyed. Wonderful place to round off our visit..."
Kathy Ramsay
"Fabulous meal, sitting in the evening sun with an amazing view across the bay. The calamari, the gurnard and the pork was all fantastic. Make sure..."
Jacqui Powley
"Great food, great staff! Thanks! The background music was not too loud. A great..."
Vickie Ward
"Great old building with fantastic views, great staff and the best seafood chowder in the..."
Kevin Fawcett
Bean Me Up
Bean Me Up
87/100 (303 ratings)
Coffee & Tea
Quick Bites
Coffee & Tea
Street Food
New Zealand
Bar
Bar
Diner
New Zealand
Vegetarian Friendly
Street Food
Vegan Options
Diner
Vegetarian Friendly
Vegan Options
Dinner
Lunch
Brunch
Drinks
Breakfast
Pizza
Café
Street Food
New Zealand
Bar
Diner
Street Parking
Seating
Wheelchair Accessible
Outdoor Seating
Takeout
Drinks
Brunch
Breakfast
Dinner
Lunch
Cheap Eats
Lobster Inn Motor Lodge
Lobster Inn Motor Lodge
83/100 (473 ratings)
Restaurants
Bar
Pub
New Zealand
Seafood
Bar
Pub
Seafood
New Zealand
Dinner
Lunch
Fish
Pork
Lobster
Salad
Mussels
Chowder
Crawfish
Catfish
Sit down
Seafood
New Zealand
Bar
Pub
Reservations
Seating
Table Service
Wheelchair Accessible
Serves Alcohol
Highchairs Available
Full Bar
Television
Dinner
Lunch
Mid-range
"Fantastic place right down to the pub next door, conference space upstairs and conference room down stairs. Lovely outdoor area private and isolated...."
Jeni Welsh
"Very friendly staff. Great location and the views of the mountains were amazing. Highly recommend. And we would definitely stay..."
Duane Newell
"Bar staff are fun, creative and a great chat/service Deals are good Food is excellent Get in To the Lobster..."
Arcadia YT
"This is a great place to stay Rooms comfortable Food good but a bit on the pricey side but on the other hand drinks not on the pricey side...."
Pam Cox
"We came for dinner only with our small family and the food was absolutely delicious NZ lamb, fresh cod, all massive serves would definitely eat here..."
Annie Christine
"Warm welcome from the residents cat and young daughter with apologies for being late ( cute ) very friendly owners to start your stay . And the rooms..."
Jeremy Hopkinson
"Great motel, clean rooms and fantastic service nothing is a..."
Cameron Benner
"Me and Craig stayed here for a couple of days it was very warm and friendly and the cat was very friendly we left very early this morning I highly..."
cheryl Robertson
"Basic but quiet with a comfortable bed. All one needs on a long journey. Conveniently located next to pub with generous meal..."
Peter Ayson
"Nice spot with great service! The owners were very accommodating and attentive to my needs. Super comfy bed! Oh and the tavern next door is a must..."
Derek Lewis
"Super friendly hosts. Went out of their way to help and give advice. Easy walk from the train station down the beach path. Enjoyed our stay in..."
Patrick Rooney
"Clean, comfortable room for the one night stay, very lovely lady at reception. Went upstairs to the bar and had a very lovely meal. Friendly bar and..."
Pauline Vella
"Noisy but to be expected on Beach Road. Service was good. Room could do with air con, or a fan. Location easy to..."
Adrian Pedersen
"Room was not booked and still able to accommodate us. Rooms are very quiet. Solid walls between rooms. Very nice and well laid out, excellent..."
timothy jamieson
"A great place to meet friends for a..."
Regan Crofts
"A lovely hotel, nice and clean. We had an amazing meal, triple prawn salad which was absolutely delicious. Some staff could have been a little more..."
Keryn Craddock
"Welcoming as soon as you walk in . Friendly Clean rooms, comfortable beds Nice hot showers 🚿 Beaut tavern nextdoor Perfect when when travelling..."
Dave Thompson
"Great location right near pub and Bernie's American themed diner. Accommodation was clean and fully equipped. Big rooms and parking outside door...."
Lesley Humphries
Strawberry Tree Kaikoura Limited
Strawberry Tree Kaikoura Limited
83/100 (947 ratings)
Restaurants
Bars & Pubs
Quick Bites
Bar
British
New Zealand
Irish
British
New Zealand
Bar
Seafood
Vegan Options
Vegan Options
Dinner
Drinks
Paua Patties
Catch of the Day Lemon Fish
Fish & chips
Burger
Crawfish
Catfish
Ploughman's Lunch
Ribeye Steak and Chips
Lamb
Beef
Cheesecake
Fish
Fish and Chips
Vegan Burger
Pulled Pork Burger
Salad
Scallops
Seafood chowder
Dumplings
Lamb Shank
Scallops
Whole Crayfish
Fries
Mussels
Crayfish Chips & Salad
Roast of the day
Chowder
Beer Battered Fish and Chip
Beers
NZ Green Lipped Mussels
Kaikoura Crayfish
Sit down
British
Bar
New Zealand
Reservations
Seating
Table Service
Highchairs Available
Wheelchair Accessible
Full Bar
Digital Payments
Serves Alcohol
Accepts Credit Cards
Gift Cards Available
Outdoor Seating
Takeout
Television
Live Music
Drinks
Dinner
Mid-range
"Such an amazing place ! You got great food, fish or meat best in town ! Team is so nice ! Thanks for the lovely..."
Matthieu Chamorel
"An Irish themed bar with excellent service and the food we had was really tasty. it is pretty busy so don't expect fast food but relax enjoy the..."
Steve Jepson
"Super chilled place, we both had burgers which were incredible! The beef brisket just fell apart! 😍 I wanted a cider but they only had Stowford..."
Heidi
"Loved this place 🥰So glad it was open Wednesday as I left next day. So Cool😎inside Cosy with fire going , But I dined outside under the shade..."
michele keesing
"Lovely bar where we stopped for a beer and a little snack. The little snack turned out to be more than we expected for the price! Can really..."
Emma Krijnen
"We stopped here because the restaurant we wanted to eat at closed early. It man that was some good luck on our part. Even though they didn’t open..."
D C (QBNTO1)
"Great food & lovely people! The smoked brisket was outstanding. A fun..."
Karen Goodman
"Really amazing place. We enjoyed our drinks and meal next to a roaring fire in the rustic lodge style dining room. Such great atmosphere, really..."
Patrick F
"They were really busy but found a space for my daughter and I. The food menu was ME! It was my birthday so, of course, I had the Crayfish. Not cheap,..."
Clark Nemeth
"We got a couple of starters that were extremely good, the calamari in particular was excellent. For the main we shared a crayfish. It was very nice,..."
Stewart McDonald
"Called in without a booking to have dinner with my 3 children as we were in town for the night. Atmosphere was so welcoming, the hosts were just..."
lana geddes
"Three of us had the catch of the day which was lemon shark. We loved it. We also appreciated the very friendly and hard working staff. They have..."
Gerry S.
"The place is lovely and the pints are good but I wouldn’t serve a crayfish the way they did without giving you the proper utensils to eat it with...."
Ekj Boggis
"This was a pretty neat place to eat on the main drag. The food was good, and the prices modest. It is a great place for lunch. They also have a bar...."
Fabiola Byrne
"Food is as everyone said, superb. I ordered steak and it packed with flavors not to mentioned a large portion of fries. Tasted my friend's order as..."
Maxi Wong
"This place is fantastic. Make sure you book as very..."
Belinda Atkinson
"We arrived in town late on a Sunday, hungry and this is the first place we found open and still serving food. We got lucky, the place feels welcoming..."
Carlos Pacheco
"The thing that most stood out about this venue was the Staff! Fabulous team, very chatty & fun. Loved it. Interesting surrounding and awesome food...."
Lesley Quayle
Donegal House
Donegal House
78/100 (631 ratings)
Restaurants
Bars & Pubs
Bars & Pubs
Pub
New Zealand
Irish
Bar
Pub
Irish
New Zealand
Bar
Dinner
Lunch
Chowder
Lamb
Fish
Pork
Sit down
Pub
Irish
New Zealand
Bar
Reservations
Seating
Table Service
Wheelchair Accessible
Serves Alcohol
Parking Available
Full Bar
Outdoor Seating
Dinner
Lunch
Mid-range
"Didint stay just called in for a drink but what a beautiful place! Met the new owner, this place is huge, fire going, grounds are stunning, perfect..."
Sue Price
"Went to Kaikoura for a function and was delighted to seeing Donegal House back humming after a long hiatus. We were a large group and were able to..."
Lynda Scott
"Stopped by for lunch, service was fantastic and the food was excellent. The wgole vibe of the place was super chill but a cute pond based park and..."
Catherine Jevic
"I stayed in a campervan on a powered site to the rear of the property. Fantastic set up, stunning location and really clean facilities. I had both..."
Carmel Henry
"Food was 10/10 exactly the standard youd expect of Pub Food back home in Ireland. Pints of Murphy (Donegal Stout) were top of the range and poured by..."
Cian Arthur
"We stayed two nights with our campervan and we fell in love with the place ! Beautiful view of the mountains, adorable garden, adorable people and a..."
Elsa Giarratano
"Brand new owners, and they are awesome! Place has a great vibe - super friendly, cozy w the fire, and a couple of screens on which to watch the..."
Eliza Armstrong
"Went there with a group of 6 on a busy Friday night with multiple functions on. Staff were seriously under the pump but did a great job squeezing us..."
James Kendall
"A surperb place to stay with our motorhome and the food was excellent. I had the Pork belly that was presented beautifully but sadly in a large soup..."
Allan Duston
"Had a dinner with friends on monday night. The place was busy yet the staff were efficient and fast when delivering food and clearing tables. The..."
Jojo Tulley
The Whaler
The Whaler
74/100 (2568 ratings)
Restaurants
Quick Bites
Gluten Free Options
Bar
Pub
New Zealand
Vegetarian Friendly
Bar
Pub
New Zealand
Gluten Free Options
Vegetarian Friendly
Dinner
Lunch
After-hours
Drinks
Calamares
Salmon
Burger
Chowder
Ribs
Prawns
Porterhouse Steak
Lamb
Pesto
Pasta
Fish
Salad
Calamari
Mussels
Sit down
New Zealand
Bar
Pub
Reservations
Seating
Wheelchair Accessible
Accepts Credit Cards
Outdoor Seating
Serves Alcohol
Television
Highchairs Available
Full Bar
Drinks
Dinner
Lunch
After-hours
Mid-range
"It's meant to be pub food but really it was outstanding. We stumbled upon this cos we wanted to see the rugby . Pleasantly surprised. The fish was so..."
karin hubber
"Popped in here on a quiet Sunday night. Staff friendly and left us to enjoy the space and view. Huge sized meals for a good price. Good history..."
Sarah Healey
"Awesome food and causy place to be for a drink or eat while travelling from Picton to..."
Kazi Tabriz
"Starting off positive - Mains were excellent with good sized portions. The chicken was a little dry but the peppercorn sauce made up for it. The ribs..."
Graeldon
"Decent pub food, excellent chowder and fish. Staff really busy on the holiday weekend but stayed cheerful and very helpful. I'm never that thrilled..."
Steve Warne
"A solid Monteith's pub in Kaikoura. Loads of space, and a couple of pool tables. There's an upstairs deck which would be awesome on a sunny day...."
Morgan Williams
"Very nice bar area to sit in and enjoy the sun at the window 😎 Had some nice beer and good Sauvignon Blanc. We enjoyed a lot. Unfortunately we..."
Sandra B
"Nice food with large portions and reasonable price. Friendly atmosphere. You place your order and pay at the..."
j c
"The burger patty seemed like it was pre-cooked and re-heated, but otherwise the service was what set our experience apart - it was fantastic, from..."
Russell King
"We like the ambience here, cozy and seems a nice place to socialize or gather with your friends! I ordered chai latte and kids steak meal because I..."
Usa Iswari
"Great food. We didn't wait too long for the food. BBQ port ribs was..."
New Zealand “New Zealand Made” Made
"Great place! Were honest with is about the wait times on a busy night. The staff were all friendly and wonderful, very accommodating. The place has a..."
Adam Haycock
"We got BBQ ribs and the porterhouse steak and were really happy with the food. Lovely little restaurant and bar and even though they said they were..."
Jessie Nankivell
"During my 3 years in New Zealand- the best place for both lslands. Girls who are working here are doing just..."
Ana Ivina
"Pretty good chowder, found scallop, prawns and a big piece of fish in it. Soup main was nice. Kids meals were fairly good value. Required to order at..."
The Lilldoggs
Groper Garage Bar & Restaurant
Groper Garage Bar & Restaurant
70/100 (974 ratings)
Restaurants
Gluten Free Options
Pizza
Italian
Bar
Vegetarian Friendly
Bar
Pub
Pizza
New Zealand
Gluten Free Options
Vegetarian Friendly
Dinner
Lunch
After-hours
Salmon
Guinness Stout
T Bone Steak
Beef Nachos
Chicken and Bacon Salad
Burger
Summer Salad
Grouper
Nachos
Beef and Bacon Burger
Cheesecake
Pesto
Beef
Fish and Chips
Fish
Chicken Burger
Apricot Chicken Pizza
Seafood chowder
Blue Cod Fish & Chips
Roast of the day
Pasta
Marlborough Green Lip Mussels
Salad
Meat Nachos with Cheese
Calamari
Chicken Salad Gluten Free
Mussels
Vorspeise Knoblauch Pesto Brot
Calamares
T-Bone Steak Meal
Hawaiian Pizza
Sit down
New Zealand
Bar
Pub
Pizza
Reservations
Seating
Wheelchair Accessible
Serves Alcohol
Takeout
Highchairs Available
Television
Full Bar
Free Wifi
Outdoor Seating
Dinner
Lunch
After-hours
Mid-range
"As Groper Garage was only newly opened, their kitchen wasn’t working at full capacity for dinner. We decided to search TripAdvisor and headed to..."
Natalie Tierney
"A rather standard lunch at Groper Garage in the west end of town. Open chicken sandwich and salt & pepper..."
Heneedsfood
"Pretty good. Stopped by after seeing some seals great food and..."
Son_of_the_dragon
"Just had a very nice pizza, and lovely fresh tarakihi. bread and dips to start. good service, pleasant staff. unfortunately one of our group of..."
Corinne Andrew
"Fantastic 2012-13 New years bash guys! Staff working hard and the band was AMAZING!!!...loved it, especialy the fact that they sang/played a couple..."
Rachel Wallace
"When coming to Kaikoura, a local highly recommended me to try fish & chips, as the city is known for it I searched online for restaurants serving so,..."
David France - ExploreFeelGood
"The music was quite loud. Service was good but you need to order at the bar. Food tastes great. I was here with teens and they were able to find..."
Dinah Davis
"Groper Garage is definitely one of the best go-to-pubs in town. Very friendly staff and good service. Karaoke nights are the best night for me. Pool..."
Tara.Czhatz
"We wanted fish & chips from other famous venue, but wanted beer with it, so we ended here. Absolutely no regret as their fish & chips were as good as..."
Daniel Mladek
"We were met by two friendly guys in the courtyard and were able to pick a great seating for two in the corner. It was a warm sunny evening great to..."
Ian Langridge
"Very friendly and helpful staff, very quick for the food to arrive with great sized portions for the price. Would definitely come back in the..."
Ben Hendrie
"Great food, drink selection, atmosphere and price. Would definitely recommend and go again next time I'm in..."
Grant Vinsen
"Chicken and bacon pizza was tasty. Place has friendly vibe and awesome outdoor area with plenty of heating. Little pricy & wouldn’t win “best..."
Jesse Roberts
"Great place to eat,very nice and helpful staff.will be back. 300gm ribeye and chips,blue cod and..."
Trev Hutt
"I went there on Halloween night, the atmosphere was chill and really calm, the man with curly hair was super friendly and very pleasant, honestly a..."
SwordCraft 84
"Had a few beers there after a days fishing, great atmosphere and very helpful friendly..."
Hamish Kershaw
"Battered blue cod was delicious! Could have had a little more salad & less fries but I'm just being picky 😊 Lovely atmosphere & great..."
Chris Payne
"Great spot on the main road. Good mix of bar and..."
Duncan Styles
"Second time here, nice spacious environment and great service, seafood dishes are very fresh and tasty, came all the way from Chch just for lunch..."
Yang Charlie