The Matakana Village Pub — Restaurant in Rodney

My son booked a meal for us prior to his families return back to the USA.

We arrived at our allotted booking time and were seated.

We viewed the menu and gave our drinks order to the waitress, plus our meal order.

Regarding my meal order as below.

We waited and waited, no drinks.

The time frame following might not be exactly correct.

After some 30 minutes we asked if we could have our drinks, as other patrons who came well after us, had their second lot of drinks.

Earlier when we ordered our meals, I specifically asked if they could make the garlic prawns entree meal, was it possible to make it as a main meal instead, the waitress stated that this was not a problem.

After another 20 minutes or so we still did not get our drinks, we enquired as to what the situation was, and we were told that the were very busy and the drinks would be coming soon.

Then sometime later my meal arrived and it was only the entree, I asked is this a main meal (5 prawns), and I was then advised, that they could not differentiate between an entree or a main, and do I wish to order something else?

After another 10 or so minutes we called the waitress asking what's the story regarding our drinks, by this time my (entree) meal had been finished. All the other meals had arrived and they were all finished, and we still had not received any drinks.

We were told the same story that they were very still very busy, and at that point we just cancelled our drink order, and paid our bill.

The rest of the meals quality wise for our party were okay, no problems there.

As I commented above I had already finished my entree/main (5 prawns) on soggy buttered toast, which of course was cold while I was waiting for the other parties meals to arrive.

After cancelling the drinks order and paying for our meals, we stood up to leave then lo and behold our cancelled drinks order arrived late.

However we just left, leaving the wine waiter looking puzzled, with a tray of wasted drinks to dispose of.

What a pathetic performance, all the excuses in the world, "we are busy" they need to get with it.

The time to get a drink was totally unacceptable, this place is just not worth the time.

It only confirms my previous review, you are better off going to Raimeos for a good meal and good service, or heaven forbid, even McDonald's, than this place.

Customer service, what's that about!

We went here for a meal tonight with our son from the USA.

The young waitress was exceptional she didn't write anything down, she just remembered our drinks that were all different, and at the same time took our meal orders also all different, with a few specific requests. The meals arrived exactly as ordered, no complaints at all.

However the fish was rather meague in quantity, the chips were well cooked, and well drained, the batter was great.

My wife ordered the pork belly, which was not what she expected because the crackling could not be eaten because it was not crispy. Also there was a lot of fat which indicated it was under cooked.

Overall the meals were satisfactory.

Full marks to...

Having embarked upon a rather splendid culinary journey across continents, it's a rather interesting phenomenon when one stumbles upon a gastronomic experience that sets new benchmarks. Such was the occasion at the Matakana Village Pub, nestled serenely in the heart of New Zealand's picturesque landscapes. It's here that my family and I, fresh from the rich culinary tapestry of Cornwall, where Rick Stein's famed fish restaurants reign supreme, discovered a fish and chips dish that, quite frankly, won hands down. Seriously.

One must understand, comparing anything to the legendary offerings of Padstow is no small feat. Stein's establishments are hallowed ground for any self-respecting gastronome, with each bite of fish transporting you to the very shores from which they were plucked. Yet, against all odds, the Matakana Village Pub managed not just to compete, but to excel. The fish, encased in a light, yet crisply audacious batter, sang harmonies with the perfectly seasoned chips. It was an ensemble that, dare I say, eclipsed our beloved Cornwall experiences.

But to focus solely on the fish and chips would be to ignore the symphony of excellence that defined our experience. This was, after all, a family dinner, celebrating our most wonderful and magical time in New Zealand. Each dish that graced our table was a testament to the pub's dedication to culinary excellence, creating an atmosphere where every bite felt like a homage to the local produce and culinary craftsmanship.

And then there was the Guinness. Oh, the Guinness. In a land far removed from the emerald isles, one does not expect to encounter a pint that might rival those found in the heart of Dublin. Yet, here we were, pleasantly ensconced in the pub's warm embrace, sipping on what could only be described as a meticulously poured, velvety smooth masterpiece. It was, in every sense, a revelation.

In summary, the Matakana Village Pub is not merely a place to eat; it is a destination to be experienced. It stands as a beacon of culinary delight, where each dish served is a testament to the passion and skill of its creators. Against the celebrated backdrop of Cornwall's finest, it holds its ground with remarkable poise and distinction. For anyone seeking to encapsulate the essence of New Zealand's culinary prowess, a visit to this establishment is, without a...

On this visit in particular, I was only partially pleased with the service and food. I can say thought it was the 2nd of January so a particularly busy summer day. When we walked in, we were informed that the kitchen was behind and our food order would not be taken for 20 to 30 minutes as it seemed reasonable for a 645pm arrival. We were fine with this so grabbed a seat as a group of 7 in a nice sunny booth.

We were happy to have some drinks first but it took 25 minutes for someone to take those orders and another 15 mins for those drinks to arrive. Things were moving a lot slower than expected but we were trying to just accept that because of summer crowds. Beers were delicious, especially the on tap house brews.

1 hour later our food order was collected. Across the table we ordered a beef burger, special pulled pork burger, pork belly, beef cheek, fish n chips and 3 mushroom risottos. The beef cheek order asked to have fried instead of slaw and this had to be run by the kitchen. She asked for dirty fries but no sriracha and that seemed too difficult. 45 mins later our food arrived. The beef cheek had slaw and the server just said, I guess they couldn't do it. My beef burger was awesome. Grilled to perfection with a tiny bit of pink for that beautiful moisture. Pork belly was well enjoyed. The risotto had mixed reviews from excellent flavour but too cheesy to very modest portion (as under the big meals section). As we all sat and enjoyed the aftermath of a meal, the dirty fries arrived with sriracha sauce. We said we no longer wanted them as the meal was done and they were covered in hot sauce.

At 9pm, 2 hours+ after we arrived, desserts were being ordered for the birthday boy.

Overall, this visit was only an okay from the team. We have all been before on different occasions and wanted to return. I will still likely return the next time we come through Matakana but will avoid this on a busy day as they seem to not be able to handle them very well as a team/facility.

Every server and worker we encountered was pleasant and accommodating but they did seem stressed and a bit...