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.

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

Awesome atmosphere and lovely outside seating with many options and great local beers…read more Found a few baby praying mantis' and they were very friendly!

Cordial staff, good beers, great food…read more Live music is what you make of it with open mic nights. They also have a great outdoor area weather permitting.

I had dinner here once and drinks here at a separate time. In both cases, service was extremely…read morefriendly and efficient. For dinner, I had the pork loin which was quite good and of good value for the size and taste. I split my drinks between beer and local wine. The restaurant itself is quite comfortable and very clean. It has a neat vibe to it - somewhat modern, but still comfortable. It looks like the kind of place that could fill the need for both a nice dinner date as well as some Friday night drinking. Beer selection did not seem too great. Wine selection was a bit better.

I stopped here for dinner before catching the ferry across to Wellington. The place its self is…read morenice but I though it was over priced for what you get. I had a chicken plate special and it was good but a big problem was that it was served to me so hot that when I bit into it, it burned the inside of my mouth...it left a sore in my mouth for a couple of days afterwards...Also the portion size was very small for what you pay for. I would recommend elsewhere...

What a lovely find. Beautiful restaurant, the service was excellent, as was the food. I can see…read morethis place as a hang-out for friends or after work meeting place. I started with the fried cauliflower, which is very addictive. Light curry spice in a creamy aioli. For my entree, I had the miso pork belly, with pea puree & baby carrots. My mother had their burger with a side of onion rings, though the burger came with a good amount of large steak fries (chips). Our friend had the lamb chop starter. It came with a lot of bones, so it could easily be a main. It was in miso as well. All was very well prepared and extremely flavorful. Our friend, who lives here, is happy to have a new place to go to.

We ate here for dinner one night while touring this part of the country. I liked The Good Home's…read moredecor - it was modern and a bit classy, but not too much that it felt formal. I ordered a hamburger, which came with a small salad and fries. The burger was good and I enjoyed it. I also enjoyed their selection of beers which was above average. The only thing I didn't like about it was that it seemed a little expensive; I don't feel I got particularly good value for my money. With that said, the food is good, and I would eat here again.

My friend and I came here for my birthday for dinner and I got the warmest welcome!! Saulo even…read moretacked up a birthday banner for me! He even sat down with us for a personalized touch to explain the menu! Everyone walking in said that their hotel recommended it as the top place to eat in town and I can see why!! Here you get amazing one on one service and attention. Great suggestions through the evening from drinks, entrees to mains! We started with refreshing mojitos with incredibly fresh mint! Then we had a local wine! We had the Brazilian cheese bread with a yummy dipping sauce. My friend ordered the steak and I had the lamb. They brought out a plate with various levels of spicy chilis with their own unique flavor and heat profile. My heart felt filled (I love spicy things)! When I told them I was looking for more heat, he brought out a Brazilian ghost pepper or a Carolina reaper -- it was Russian roulette because he didn't know which one he grabbed! Loved the spicy homemade hot sauce with the steak which my friend so graciously shared! The lamb has a more delicate taste which would be overpowered by the various chilis. Still loved the supple and tender meat! We ordered dessert and of course the whole restaurant was singing happy birthday! Which dessert did I go with? You got it the chocolate lava cake volcano with homemade chocolate chili sauce! We had a fabulous experience here and I 100% recommend you try... But it does get super busy so I highly recommend getting reservations in advance!

Amazing food. More importantly, an amazing experience. The staff were so welcoming and helpful with…read moreanswering questions. This will be a location I must go to when I am in Blenheim again.

I read a snooty (and hilarious) review about how awful this place was on TripAdvisor. I don't know…read morewhy that made me want to try this place more - to prove her wrong?? She just seemed out of control. And how bad could it be?? Oh man, it was baaaaad. We're on day 9 of our trip and it has been the only place that had a wait to be seated and worse, it was the most expensive. Their chili-lime margaritas are super tasty but they are so tiny that they should cost half of what they're charging. The chips are $7 and hard as rocks, I had to keep checking to see if I chipped a tooth. I know, why did I keep eating it then?? Our food was going to take close to an hour and I can't stop if there's chips in front of me dang it. The Guac was good but small for the price. I ordered the chicken burrito bowl which was mostly hard rice and just a tiny amount of chicken. Maybe 2 ounces? My husband got the paella and said it was ok but still the worst Mexican food he'd ever had. It was also a treat to hear everyone pronounce it pie-Ella. Not to rag on them, the staff was super friendly and attentive!! I'd come for the margaritas on happy hour but unless they completely change their recipes, I'd spend my money and time elsewhere.

The effort they have put into the restaurant in terms of service and decor is commendable. HOWEVER,…read morethe food is extremely bland. The drinks are underwhelming and the dishes are underseasoned. It's too bad because the staff were really friendly and attentive. Maybe they are catering to the tastes of the region but I think they can afford to get a little bolder and add authenticity to the offerings.

Maybe it's that I'm sitting outside in their beer garden. It's 72 degrees in late February here…read more Maybe it's the fact that I'm in New Zealand, exploring Blenheim and zipping around like I've been driving on the left side of the road my whole life. Regardless, this dry hopped pilsner is the best beer I've had in the Southern Hemisphere. I spent about two hours enjoying the beer garden and the wifi, sipping at this delicious pint of beer. Just the one because yes, I do have to drive. Just such a great spot that I truly enjoyed. [Review 334 of 2024 - 3 in New Zealand - 21368 overall]

Nice beer selection on tap and by bottle or can. Nice relaxing atmosphere and friendly staff. My…read more mother was Belgian and I live Belgian beers, particularly a good Belgian Triple. Moa makes a St. Josephs Triple that is remarkably good. If, your a fan you should stop in and have one. CHEERS!

Very pretty location with a nice area for a big group. We had lunch and a wine tasting for 24…read morepeople. Lunch was very nice- chicken, salad, eggplant and arancini starter and ice cream dessert. The wines are OK, they are not top end wines more middle of the road but nice. Service for our large group was very good. Beer and soft drinks were also available. There are a couple of nice lookout points in the building. Be sure to stop by the vines out front which show case all their varieties. You can taste the grapes!

Just WOW! What an experience. Wither Hills is a top name in Sauvingnon Blanc in Marlborough and for…read moregood reason. We had an incredible time here. We ended up visiting on Valentine's Day - not planned, just how the dates worked. The winery was busy with guests doing tastings and eating lunch when we arrived. There is gorgeous outdoor seating in the patio courtyard area, and more inside. It is well appointed and expertly decorated. We were warmly greeted and awaited our tour to start our experience. Little did we know, the head winemaker would be giving us our tour! He took us to the viewpoint of the vineyards on the top floor, out to the vines in the front, down into the cellar to taste a vintage, and then back up for our official tasting. His knowledge was truly spectacular, and welcoming nature made us feel so at home. Then, we embarked on our tasting - enjoying a few different Sauv Blanc variations - and our favorite, FRIVOLI! This was like a sparkling rose that might be the best thing we've ever drank. We paired it with some entrees that were all divine - the gnocchi, the duck, and eggplant to share. All five stars, top notch quality fare! Perfect pairings with the wine. Of course, we had to take some Frivoli for the road. What an incredible experience - can't recommend it enough!

Ambiance is good. I did not enjoy the Tui Burger but the nachos is good. Their service during…read moredinner rush was not good I hope they can improve that. Just happy that the waiters are accommodating and friendly.

Food is consistently fast and hot! The portions are HUGE and extraordinarily delicious. Frequently…read morecome here with big groups during the wine vintage season and they complete everybody's orders within minutes. Atmosphere is always warm. Beers are always cold.

Overall great vibes and great flavors. They put a lot of care into changing up their menu regularly…read moreto showcase different local or seasonal items which makes for a fun experience. The service is a little hit or miss at peak times, and they seem to forget about us after we get seated, so prepare to be a bit assertive to get attention.

Don't visit this place during busy times. They take on way too many customers/tables than they can…read moreservice. We ordered just two dishes. Oysters, which doesn't require cooking, and one hot dish. The oysters came out after 10 mins, as expected. But after more than a hour, and no second dish, we walked out as they repeatedly gave untrustworthy wait times. When we ordered, we were told a 30 minute wait. After 50 minutes of no dish, we enquired. Waitress talked to chef, came back with an exact 7 minutes needed. 12 minutes later, still no dish. Waitress goes to kitchen again, comes back with 2 minutes. Guess what happened when 2 minutes later passed... No offer to comp dishes or drinks while waiting, no sincere apologies. Just an excuse than "it's busy at the moment, food will take longer". So yeah, just don't go during busy times. Clearly too popular and they're treating it like a cash cow now. Oysters weren't actually that good. Small oysters, not juicy and tasty. We had oysters at another place in town the same day, and it was night and day.