FINZ Seafood & Grill — Restaurant in South Island

We had arguably our best Queenstown dining experience at Finz Seafood and Grill. We were looked after by our lovely hosts Molly and Nyah who made our whole night thoroughly enjoyable. Nyah's food recommendations were particularly on point and every dish was an absolute winner. The venue was tastefully appointed with a classy, fine dining atmosphere and the ambience was calm and relaxed where you could easily enjoy a conversation.

For entrees we started with the steamed mussel dumplings, seafood chowder, pan seared scallops and the yellow fin tuna cerviche.

The steamed mussel dumplings started our meal with an exclamation mark. The dumpling skin was translucent, tender butwith enough texture to not split and the mussel filling was fresh and bursting with flavour. We could have eaten these all night.

The seafood chowder was the fourth chowder I had eaten that week and was easily the pick of the lot. Generous portions and variety of fresh seafood bathed in a delicious creamy, rich and piping hot broth was the perfect way to cut through the cool Queenstown evening temperature, leaving a wonderful warm, contented feeling in my stomach.

The pan seared scallops was a wonderful kaleidoscope of flavours and textures. Perfectly grilled, plump juicy scallops, topped with moreish caviar, balanced with the cauliflower puree, seaweed and miso butter. It really was quite the party in our mouths.

And Nyah's recommendation, the tuna cerviche was everything that she said it would be. Refreshing, vibrant flavours that reset our palate for our mains.

For mains, we had the hand made spaghetti and the whole baked sole.

The spaghetti was beautifully al dente and once again the portion and variety of fresh seafood was generous. The whole dish was flavoursome, very filling and the chilli gave it a nice little kick as well.

The whole baked sole was delicate, the flesh literally fell off the bones with a gentle scrape of my fork and was very tender and also packed a lot of flavour with the brown butter sauce and grapefruit salsa.

For dessert we had the Whittakers Dark Chocolate Mousse and the Sticky Date Pudding. Both were wonderful ways to conclude the evening. The The rich chocolate mousse was nicely balanced with the freshness of the raspberry sorbet. The sticky date pudding put my wife into food coma so enough said there.

An absolute epic way to conclude our time in Queenstown and this will be the absolute first place we will dine at when we return. Thank you once again to Nyah, Molly and the team at Finz for really going above and beyond with our last night...

Honestly shell shocked at how horrendous the food was. Not sure how they got 4.7 stars and over thousands of reviews.

For the price point, $170 for a seafood platter which has thin, mediocre sashimi slices. Oysters were bitter and no meat at all. The platter - mostly tasteless and portion was just so small for the price. Fried cod was the only saving grace here. Also, I believe it stated we would get sushi as well which we did not. So yet another disappointment not receiving what was stated in the menu.

Waiter couldn’t identify our steaks and told us he’s 100% sure one was Striploin and other was eye fillet when I’m pretty sure I know my cuts enough to know what a strip looks like. He then told us the chef told him wrongly and hence our doneness was mixed up too? Not sure how a pretty fancy restaurant can have such poor knowledge of their food. Striploin flavour was fine but toughness and chewiness was beyond me. Tastes more like a takeaway steak.

Pasta was bland and $44. Served with frozen shrimps and one baby octopus. Honestly idk how this can be a seafood restaurant with such quality. I’ve seen other reviews and their prawns look different as well. Please also mention shrimp vs prawns if you’re going to be serving shrimps.

All in all, spent almost $500 if not for the manager waiving off our pasta and us canceling one of the steaks due to the wrong doneness.

I’m baffled at the reviews and hope people give really honest reviews so people (especially tourists) who have limited time, can try actually good food around.

Service was good so I’m sorry to the wait staff there as it isn’t your fault the food came...

I had the absolute pleasure of dining at Finz Seafood & Grill in Queenstown, and it turned out to be one of the most memorable meals I’ve had in a while. Every dish was well-composed, beautifully presented, and packed with flavor.

Here’s what I tried: • Seared Tuna Loin – The standout of the night. Perfectly seared, sesame-crusted, and served medium-rare, it paired wonderfully with the black rice, mango, corn, and edamame salad. The honey-maple-ginger dressing tied everything together in a refreshing, balanced way. • Pan-Seared Scallops – Golden on the outside, tender on the inside. The burnt cauliflower purée, miso butter, edamame, and caviar added richness and a touch of luxury. A beautiful harmony of textures and flavors. • Braised Octopus with pāua and kina cream – Unique and full of character. The octopus was tender and deeply flavorful, complemented by citrusy notes, native New Zealand elements like kawakawa oil, and the briny depth of kina cream. Creative and delicious. • Blue Cod Fish & Chips – A classic done exceptionally well. The batter was light and crispy, the fish fresh and flaky, and the presentation nostalgic yet refined. • Seafood Chowder – Creamy, comforting, and generous with its seafood. The smoky fish, mussels, and clams created a deep, savory base, and the garlic bread on the side was perfect for soaking up every spoonful.

The lakeside view, warm atmosphere, and attentive service made the experience even better. If you’re a seafood lover or simply appreciate thoughtful,...