For the price, you would get much better buffet at Vegas lol. We dined here since there wasn't much to do at dark in Queenstown (without alcohol that is). The food quality wasn't up to standard with the price, which I think was about $75 USD. There were just 3-4 BBQ options, and sushi wasn't even worth being called sushi. The 2 types of soups were just bad. Salad choices were also lacking. Just very few options over all, and those few options weren't premium in qualities. Another downside is, they will seat you at the 1 exact time slot, which is the one on your reservation. Even without reservations, there will just be that 1 time slot or 2. So even if you finish your activities early, you will still have to wait a fair bit of time before getting seated for dinner. We were famished. Another thing was, parking down the hill was VERY expensive. No cap at $25 like on their website. We paid more than $40 for parking. read more

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Stratosfare restaurant and bar OK we are Stratosfare "everywhere" junkies and always add dinner and bar to the experience. Yes, there are always better dining experiences, but given an early arrival to the buffet, we found very solid choices including nicely prepared lamb. Going to Stratosfare provides gondola discount, and the views require us to post 4 stars. If one has the tariff, the fare is very pleasant. read more

Stratosfare Restaurant & Bar - Stratosfare - Buffets Near Me - Queenstown, OTA

As with the gondola, the views from up here are amazing, top tier and the fact that you can get food and drinks just adds to the appeal. As for the food, there is nothing wrong with it but compared to other food I had while in Queenstown, this was just average. The fries came out in a massive portion which I was a fan of but the hot wings just didn't do it for me. They looked amazing but weren't crispy enough and the sauce lacked flavor. I'm glad I came and got a hot meal while getting to see the view but I probably wouldn't be back. read more

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This restaurant is located on Bob's Peak, right when you get off the cable car ride. It's literally dining with a spectacular view of Lake Wakatipu and the mountains. Depending on where you sit, you might see the bottom of the luge track or the bungy jumping deck. There was a huge selection of food choices since it is buffet-style, but I honestly decided to get full off of New Zealand green lipped mussels. I dipped them in garlic butter and it was delicious. The food turnover is quick; every time I went to go get more mussels, there's always half or more filled and people are ALWAYS getting mussels. There were so many dessert choices, all lined up aesthetically. This restaurant is very popular, so it can get pretty crowded at certain times, but service is actually fast. I would get up for another serving and servers already cleared out my finished plates. You're allowed 90 minutes to dine, which I think still is plenty (most all-you-can-eat places give you 2 hours), but this is a buffet and you're bound to get full within that time. read more

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In A Nutshell: -My experience eating at Stratosfare Restaurant & Bar was excellent. -It didn't feel crowded at all, even though the place was definitely full of people. -The food selections were superb, very healthy food selections w/ a sprinkle of Asian-influences (i.e. dim sum, sushi). -The big pieces of pork belly & NZ mussels were my favorites. -The bar area was never crowded & they had a decent selection of draft beers, wine & liquor. Overall, the price is a little high, but after you factor in the USD rate it's quite reasonable, especially for a buffet. read more

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This was one of the best parts of my trip to queenstown! The gondola ride up was smooth and it started snowing on our way up and when we got to the top the snow felt almost magical! The buffet was great with a variety of foods including a great handmade ice cream cart. Definitely worth the price for such a great experience. read more

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$75 dollars for a buffet is ridiculous. Let's just all agree with that. If you were to pay that much you'd hope it's be good. It wasn't, the food was all cold. There was mold on all the lettuce. But when I told the manager he didn't remove it just agreed it was a "fair point" (see attached photo). When asked why his staff when we booked the reservation didn't tell us it was a buffet, and they only let you stay for a certain amount of time until they kick you out. He argued it was in the email you get after the booking. I said we made the reservation in person and it's called a restaurant not a buffet so how would we know that? And a courteous staff would tell you "this is a buffet, and you will need to get here at this time otherwise you may not have enough time to eat". He said "well if you were here could you not see it was a buffet" acting like I'm an idiot? (nice move dude) Despite the fact that you aren't even allowed to be let into the "restaurant" unless escorted by a wait staff. Which I then pointed out to him and he then agreed. But he also then continued to argue that a lot of people think of this place as a renowned restaurant. Which is still confusing since when do you ever call a buffet a restaurant? Also not to over share but I've had buffets in strip clubs with better food. He in th end said he'd refund our money if we immediately left. Making it sound like a threat. And I said gladly. Long story short. If you are on TripAdvisor and give this place a 4 star review "because of the view" even if you then state "but the food isn't good" you're leading others into the same awful experience. On Yelp this place has a 2.5 review with four dollars signs. That's a ton of money for shitty food. But if you'd like please go there for the view. That you can also by the way just pay the gondola ride up and see. FYI. read more

Stratosfare Restaurant & Bar - yummy mold lettuce. - Buffets Near Me - Queenstown, OTA

Great place to eat out for Christmas dinner! Their buffet was decked out to the nines! So many options from Indian, to Asian, to local NZ, cheeses, soups, salads, and even fried foods as well. Their dessert table was to die for. Staff was amazing and they even put Christmas crackers at every seat. Definitely a memorable experience plus it came with a great view! read more

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We visited on our honeymoon to have a nice celebration dinner and arrived shortly after check-in time - 7:10pm for an 8:15pm reservation - hoping to snag a seat near a window. The woman at check-in let us know our chances were slim, but we told her we were celebrating getting married last week and would appreciate anything she could do. That ended up being a table in the far back of the restaurant, semi-close to windows with nothing but dark, invisible mountains outside. I guess that's our fault for not showing up a little earlier or paying the extra $20 to secure a table in advance, but it was a strike against the experience overall. A bunch of people on TripAdvisor complain about the food here: I tend to be a picky eater and thought it was fine. It was definitely not 5-star quality, but I tried the steak, lamb, several vegetarian options, a dessert, etc. and none of them were bad. I did find the sushi to be a bit bland, and I was disappointed not to see any sashimi out since it had been mentioned on the menu. The thing that killed it for us was when we were finally ready to leave. You know that moment when you decide you need a change of scenery and are just ready to go? We had that and were getting ready to walk out when the waiter informed us there was a $5 charge for my tea. What?! It's a dinner buffet, and the menu specifically lists "a selection of tea, infusions, and coffee" as being part of dinner. I guess the $5 was for adding ice to the tea? The unfortunate piece of this situation was that we spent an extra 10 minutes sitting around waiting to receive the bill, then for him to pick up my credit card, and finally for him to return with my signature slip. Maybe it's just me, but when I've spent $164 on a buffet dinner for 2 people, I'm surprised to find ancillary add-ons for things that seemed like they were included. Unlike tea, glasses of water were not listed as part of the dinner menu, but thankfully we were not charged for those. Anyway, this may just be a culture difference between the USA and New Zealand, but back home even a cheap, low-quality buffet will include soft drinks and iced tea. While I might still recommend the restaurant to others, I would unfortunately rate our experience as a whole as unsatisfactory. For the price, I expect top-notch food, top-notch service, and a far greater attention to the customer experience than I observed here. read more

I'm writing this review to counter some of the negative reviews. There is something odd about these reviews. First there are only 16 reviews (not including this one) with an average rating of 2 1/2. On Trip Advisor there are 2438 reviews with an average rating of 4. Two of the reviews are posted on the same day with almost the same words. For example manager informed about moldy lettuce and did nothing about it, weren't informed it was a buffet, people pushing through lines, etc. They obviously worked together to write essentialy the same review. I'll wager they never even ate at the Stratosfare. First they complained about only having an hour to eat their food. The seatings are 90 minutes apart. If you can't eat your fill at a buffet in 90 minutes you are doing something wrong. Yes it's very busy but I didn't see anyone pushing to the head of the line. You cannot believe the food turnover in this place so I don't believe there was any moldy lettuce. One reviewer complained of stale sushi. When I was there, there was a guy making sushi as fast as he could just to keep up with demand. The sushi doesn't have time to get stale. Here's my review: My wife and I went for drinks in the bar before dinner. We sat by the window and had a great view and nice drinks. The bartenders were cordial and efficient. We then went into dinner. We didn't get a window seat but were one row in from the windows. Still the view was very good. As far as the food is concerned, this is one of the best buffets I've been to and I've been to a lot. There is a huge selection of everything from appetizers like sushi and dim sum, salads, a carving station and many hot dishes. Don't listen to the negative reviews and not try it like I almost did. Go there for yourself. You won't regret it. read more

Dinner with a view at the Stratosfare Skyline Queentown. You need to take a cable car going up to enjoy buffet dinner while enjoying sunset over Queenstown. Opt for the premium dining where you will be seated by the window and served with a glass of wine or cocktail. . Food : 3.5/5 Service : 4/5 Price : $$$ Place : 5/5 . Halal Rest : Stratosfare Skyline Location : Queenstown City : New Zealand . read more

Awful experience and a total rip off given the extremely expensive price. Do not go here. You can get the same amazing view for a lot less just by taking the gondola up without the restaurant. First, it should be noted that this is a buffet and not a serviced restaurant. Given the price, you'd expect it to be the best buffet you've ever been to. The food was downright bad: nearly all the food was cold, some of the meat was gray, and the salads were literally molding. We showed the manager the mold and he merely said "okay, fair enough" but refused to remove the moldy food from being served!! On top of the bad food, you'll have to fight through huge crowds just to even grab the food with people pushing and shoving to reach the front in the lines. We were also rudely told when we arrived for our 6:30 reservation that we MUST leave by 7:30 so they can prepare for the second dinner crowd. So not only are you fighting the masses to get any food at all, but you're also running everywhere to try and make sure you can actually eat before they kick you out. It's an incredibly stressful way to eat especially given how bad the food is. Do not rationalize going here just for the view. Save yourself the money and just take the gondola up without the restaurant. read more

If you've had a full day in Queenstown and want a special day or evening with amazing views, then you must take the Skyline Gondola up see the view from the top of Bob's Peak (1,000 ft above the town). You can see forever and the Remarkable Mountain Range is truly remarkable from this vantage point. The restaurant is very large, so a good place if you have a big group. The buffet is extensive so I find it hard to believe anyone would have trouble finding something they didn't like. The food was very fresh and the dishes were constantly being refreshed. I didn't check out all the seating area, but I find it hard to believe there is a bad seat in the house without a wonderful view. read more

Stratosfare Restaurant & Bar - View from Bob's Peak - Skyline Gondola and Stratosfare Restaurant - Buffets Near Me - Queenstown, OTA

It was our last night in Queenstown and we are looking forward to our buffet dinner. Our schedule was 8:00PM but since we wanted to take a picture of the sunset, we went up as early as 4:45PM. We arrived 15 minutes earlier our dinner schedule. They have placed us beside the window, which we thought has a good view at night. Nah. It doesn't make a difference. It's just dark :) I think if you are up there to enjoy the view, riding the Gondola is enough since there are good spots to take pictures. Food is bland. Not much choices. I have been to a lot of buffet around the world. The price for the food is here not worth it. The only plus is the dessert area and the grilled salmon. Japanese food is a failure. The food is not fresh. It's a buffet, people would expect drinks are included. It should be. Guests are still eating their dinner and the staffs are already preparing to leave and clearing away the table as early as 8:30PM. The last buffet schedule is at 8:45PM. Anyway, not worth it. But the view is spectacular, even if you don't eat at Stratosfare. read more

Stratosfare Restaurant & Bar - Sunset at Skyline Queenstown while waiting for our stargazing experience. - Buffets Near Me - Queenstown, OTA

Basically, there are two things about stratosphere - a plus and a minus The plus: you got an incredible view over queenstown to remarkables. The food is superb! Absolutely stunning and it is hard to taste everything (but it is worth taking this as a challenge). The minus: it has the charm of a cantine. Staff walking permanently around. There are almost only tourists, nothing of a beautiful tête-à-tête dinner you will find here. You eat in shifts and are asked to leave after 75ish minutes. At least you can have a tea and take that with you. Finally, the price of nzd 85.- is too expensive. Although it is a buffet, it is at the top range of an human price (drinks are not included). Unfortunately, the minus overweights the plus. Due to my negative points, it is hard to fully enjoy the view amd the time frame makes you running instead of calming down read more

Not worth dining at dinner time. I didn't really enjoy the food (as a vegetarian, there were relatively few options), and the view at dinner from the middle of the restaurant was obscured by the bright lights inside reflecting off the windows. The desserts were fantastic, but overall the meal wasn't worth the hefty price tag. I would recommend just taking the Gondola up to see the sights and then heading back down to Queenstown for a real meal. read more

This was by far the best Buffett I have ever had the pleasure of eating at. The selection was incredible and the taste spectacular! Not to mention a great view both on the gondola ride and from the restaurant! read more

Stratosfare Restaurant & Bar - Dinner with my gal with the best view I have ever scene! - Buffets Near Me - Queenstown, OTA

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Nothing excepts lake view is good here. Not even fruit. Dirty cups & plates, no trash bin to throw away your tea bag package but had to take it with you all the way to ur table. Sashimi was not fresh; mussels were not cleaned at all. Only desserts were ok. I highly DON'T recommend this place. If you just want to enjoy the lake & mountain view, there's a cafe with a nice viewing deck on that floor, too. Much cheaper and less waiting. read more

Poor selection & food quality, overpriced tourist trap. Don't waste your money.........

This place is okay -- quite touristy and pricey but the food is decent and the view is very nice. Went for lunch. Seems like the dinner buffet selection there is much better. Good curry, Moroccan beef, roast chicken, and salad bar. Sushi rice was stale unfortunately. The green lipped mussels initially looked good but were full of silt. Glass noodles with shrimp tasted a little off. Great ice cream served from a cold stone. Worth one visit for the view. read more

I had a great time here. We entered on a ski lift, which was super fun. There was a really great buffet variety and the food was amazing. Everything was a little expensive, and the servers weren't AMAZING at keeping my drink filled, but maybe that's a bit of a cultural difference. I went here knowing that it would be pricey and just tried to have a good time. This restaurant was my favorite part of Queenstown, after our amazing hike earlier that day. read more

Both my children got a terrible food poisoning at this restaurant as food is not fresh and 300 people from all over the place run around scrambling for food in the food trays! We went thinking this is a classy place, given the very high price, but it was more like a canteen! Not recommended, a total ripoff, not to mention the stress of taking children to hospitals in a foreign land, during vacations that should have been a joy! Avoid Stratosfare! read more

RACIST...UNETHICAL BUSINESS PRACTICE Its an over hyped place for lunch and dinner with lots of food items for non vegetarian food lovers but limited choices for the vegetarians. The quality of food is just average. Apart from this, this place has locational advantage being at the top of a hillock overseeing Queenstown which gives you a good chance to click pictures. On the flip side... When we bought tickets at the booking centre, the guy over there told us that since ours was the first slot of lunch (starts at 12:45 pm) we would be given window seats for good view of the city. Now when we went up to the restaurant, we were told quite rudely (by the waiter named Mantos) that window seats were reserved for someone else ! Now the UNETHICAL PART..he also offered us that if we were willing to pay 20 NZD each, he could give us confirmed window seats. It only meant that his initial argument of window seats being reserved was a complete lie else how could he give us the same seat if we paid him extra ! They are RACIST TO THE CORE..Whites are given clear preference over you even though you have paid the equal amount. I am sure as people start reporting these things, the hype will go away. In anycase, I am not gonna come back to this place ever nor am I gonna recommend it to anyone ! read more