Rusty Nail Tavern — Restaurant in North Island

What a great little pub! It is not much to look at and is not big - about 10 tables in the front public bar area and then some outside - but what it lacks in size it more than makes up for in the hospitality offered by owner/bartender/manager Raj. I have visited country pubs throughout Australia (not so much in NZ) and they are generally known for their hospitality but Raj takes this to another level. He knows and looks after all the locals - from the blue rinse set to the young bucks - and also goes out of his way to engage with visitors such as us, even tho many would never be back (tho we went twice). There was a great easy-going atmosphere through the pub - no bouncers needed. Everyone was friendly and just enjoying a feed and a few drinks. And on the night we were there, Raj was doing it all - serving and delivering drinks and taking food orders. But he was unfazed and it reflected in the relaxed atmosphere of the pub itself. The food is great also - a cut above pub bistro food. I think everyone in the pub on the Sunday night we were there had dinner there- and there was also a constant stream of locals coming in to get takeaway, particularly the pizzas. Raj is to be congratulated in building a great community pub - and no visit to Taumarunui would be complete...

The service was excellent, with a friendly team that made us feel welcome. The food was delicious, beautifully prepared, and visually appealing. The burgers were among the best we've ever had—fresh, soft, and incredibly tasty! Really great pricing too. I will definitely travel through here again just for the food & beautiful scenery.

We actually returned that evening for dinner and tried some different dishes, and we were just as impressed! Even though it was a super busy night and fully booked, the team still made room for our big family and provided outstanding service.

Thank you so much! We truly enjoyed our time in Taumarunui and dining with you....

We came here as a group of 8 people to have a Bday dinner. 4 of us ordered Fish&Chips. When we got our meals, 3 out of 4 portions of Fish&Chips where raw inside , we had to wait for another 20 min to get our dinner cooked again, but when we got 2nd portions of the fish. It was raw again.!!!We had to wait even longer to get our dinner be cooked again for the third time.And even after that , we still got 1 portion of raw fish !!!! In the end we were changed a full price for this awful meals. We are Taumarunui locals and we won’t be coming back...