Jervois Steak House — Restaurant in South Island

We dine here every time we visit Queenstown, at least twice a year, and have had mostly good experiences. The most recent visit was disappointing predominately for the service.

After being seated and being served well by the waiter, a table became free away from the fire. The area in front of the fire was stifling hot, so we were very pleased when we were offered another table after initially being told that the restaurant was fully booked and we could not be moved. By this time, we had ordered our meals.

Once re-located, the service was non-existent aside from the server delivering our food. I personally filled up the water glasses at our table 6 times (luckily we were seated right next to the water station), we were never approached to order more drinks (we had ordered a cocktail and G&T, and would have had at least 2 more rounds given the opportunity). The maître d finally came to clear our table 15 minutes after we finished eating, seeing that no-one else had. We requested a dessert menu which he provided, but no-one came back to take our order. We asked a waitress to send someone over after 15 mins - still no-one came. We were seriously looking to go to Patagonia for dessert but my son was keen on the crème brûlée and it was too close to Patagonia’s closing time, so we persisted. We finally managed to give our order to the maître d around 25 mins after being provided the dessert menus, who apologised profusely and couldn’t believe that no-one had come to take our order. He kindly comped the desserts without prompting, which was appreciated.

The service really spoiled our night, and we are not really sure if we will be back. The food was as consistent as it normally is, so it’s a tough decision. Perhaps the relocation to a different section caused some confusion? The waitress for the section we were in seemed to service every other table well, and there was a big table adjacent to us, but she would repeatedly look at us and walk right past. For the kind of money you spend here, you expect better. Missed drink orders and comped desserts meant that the restaurant earned $150 less from us on a $300 odd bill, little things make such a...

Extremely Disappointed – Not Worth the Hype or the Price

We made a reservation at this steakhouse specifically to celebrate my aunt’s birthday, and even mentioned it in the reservation notes. However, from the moment we walked in to the moment we left, not a single staff member acknowledged the occasion. If you’re going to ask the reason for the booking during the reservation process, what’s the point if you’re going to completely ignore it?

To be fair, the service was generally professional and the waitstaff were courteous. But the steaks? Honestly, the worst I’ve ever had in my life.

We ordered premium cuts, expecting a quality dining experience. But no one bothered to ask us our preferred level of doneness. When the steaks arrived, every single one was undercooked—well below medium rare. They were so chewy and tough they were nearly impossible to eat. Blood pooled on the plates after cutting them open. We were dining with elderly guests, and they simply couldn’t eat the steaks. Even the younger members of our group struggled to chew through them. Tendons and connective tissue ended up being spit out onto the plates.

Another issue: the server brings the steak to your table and performs a so-called “tableside slicing.” However, the cuts weren’t even finished properly. We had to cut them again ourselves at the table. Because the meat was so raw, we had to request the kitchen to cook them further to medium-well. After the second round, the steaks came back completely overcooked—dry, tough, and even harder to chew than before.

And throughout the entire meal, not a single person came over to ask how everything was, even when it was obvious we weren’t eating much of the food. Not even at checkout did anyone ask us how our experience was.

This is exactly why I’m leaving this review. The food did not match the price, the cooking was subpar, there was zero recognition of the occasion we came for, and the entire dining experience felt like a waste of time and money.

From the poor preparation to the complete lack of care about the guest experience—this was an utter disappointment. Would not recommend, and will not...

Disappointing dining experience

I recently dined at your steakhouse, and while the ambiance and food were satisfactory, the service left much to be desired.

Upon entering the restaurant, our assigned server, who appeared to be new, inquired if it was our first visit. We confirmed it was. Subsequently, after placing our orders, we observed servers at other tables presenting a generous display of raw meat cuts along with explanations of each type. Curious, we asked our server why we hadn't received a similar introduction. Her response was that we hadn't requested it, overlooking the fact that as first-time patrons, we were unaware of the option for a presentation detailing the various raw meat types and cuts.

Secondly, as a party of two, we ordered a steak sharing platter listed to contain three cuts, with no indication of weight or pricing. Assuming portioning would be based on the number of diners, we were shocked when the oversized steaks arrived, clearly intended for 3-4 people. The server failed to communicate this discrepancy during ordering.

Furthermore, our server's steak-cutting skills were subpar, resulting in large, thick slices that significantly impacted our dining experience. A neighboring server intervened and demonstrated a more refined technique, but our server failed to replicate it, leaving us with a less enjoyable meal.

Additionally, I had ordered my steak cooked to a medium doneness, but upon receiving it, the cut was disappointingly overcooked, affecting the overall dining experience.

Despite raising these concerns and receiving acknowledgment, our compensation—waiving the cost of only one of the three oversized steaks—fell short of addressing the overall dissatisfaction with the service quality. I hope you can address these issues to enhance future patrons'...