Jolly Roger Bar & Restaurant — Restaurant in South Island

The Jolly Roger has become one of those insane businesses who appear to be relishing the power to impose and ensure that all unvaccinated people, under any circumstances, do not rise above the status of "less than" and in their insanity have become drunk with an illusion of power. Point in case .... Just before Christmas we visited our boat in the marina. I suggested to my daughter that she go and get us three takeaway coffees while I did a few boat checks. On arrival at the Jolly Roger she entered wearing mask and put in the order for three takeaway coffees. He (the particularly rude and aggressive staff member) asked to see her Vaccine Passport which she presented. All good to that point. He then asked to see the vaccine passports for the other two takeaway coffees. Aghast she explained that the other two coffees were for people on a boat some 2 km away. (Vaccination status irrelevant). He categorically refused to sell her two additional takeaway coffees without seeing V. passports to which, in shock she said, forget it. It didn't end there though,, he then felt the need to yell at her as she left the establishment. Absolute insanity. No loss to us ...we just made ourselves a coffee on the boat. His loss however, is our custom forever and the many people locally and nationally who have since heard about...

Absolutely appalling staff and service. The owner is a very rude man with no social skills that finds it personally difficult to look a customer in the eye. If you ask him how he is, he just looks at the ceiling and rolls his eyes. He also interrupts when you are ordering from the bartender. The bartenders actually call him “boss” which is pathetic given it is 2019 now. A few bad experiences now. We tried to order a meal and were advised of a long wait. We decided to order fries instead because deep-frying fries should not get in the way of cooking food. 45 mins later we asked the waitstaff how much longer, they barked back “no! I don’t know!”. Pathetic humans work here.

I seriously believe the many 5 Star reviews leading up to Xmas are organised because of the many bad reviews before this. If you’ve been here more than once and have a tad more emotional intelligence than a goat, you’d not rate this 5 stars. Picton needs better than this. Gross disappointment. Various people totally avoid this place because of the staff. The view deserves...

I have been to this restaurant many times before and have generally had good food. Sometimes a Little fatty but good. Tonight I ordered their World class seafood chowder. Normally amazing but tonight it was green, it looks like someone had vomited into the bowl (cob loaf bowl). It was green. The taste wasn’t that bad but the look was horrible. I also ordered a entree of fried prawn cutlets. I got 6 prawn twisters that had been deep fried. Everything has become very fried and heavy. I explained to the chef about my chowder and was told it was meant to be a fish pie. The boss wanted a fish pie but it was to runny for a fish pie. I wouldn’t have eaten a green fish pie either. She also said it was lacking seafood. A new batch would be available tomorrow night. Unfortunately we were there tonight. The staff were extremely helpful and happy for me not to pay for the chowder. But come on management you have the monopoly of the marina, some better class food would be great. Would be happy...