Mackenzies Cafe Bar & Grill — Restaurant in South Island

Deducting two stars because: Meal portions were quite steep for the price. We're talking close to $50 for a 200 ish gram of meat. I mean it's nice, seasoned well, etc, but is it THAT nice? I'd say you're paying a premium for location, novelty, and lack of competition in that specific location. The menu needs to be revised for accuracy. When the menu says "choose ANY two sides below", and only states extra charge for certain items, I don't want to hear nonsense like "oh sorry we didn't mean the prawn skewers when we wrote that" when it wasn't specified as an exclusion anywhere. Most businesses would have the integrity to honour what they have in writing, and correct their own error at their expense. This place did not.

Also quite amusing to see that they rented the front window of their establishment to LJ Hooker (the realtor), so I almost couldn't find the restaurant because, again, when you have a wall of property listings, I would not have thought it was the right door to walk through. I suppose objectively this is neither good nor bad. Just a bit of a not-so-good look in my honest opinion, like as though your business is struggling and you need to supplement income through other means. However, on the other hand, smart.

Food quality itself was decent and overall enjoyable. I notice there was one person who left a 1-star review just to rant about having to cook their own food, and the guy even claimed that he didn't eat there, which to me was completely inappropriate. I mean, what's next, Kris, my guy? Are you going to leave 1-star reviews on buffet restaurants and complain that you have to walk over to grab the food yourself? I'd hate to know what you think about Korean bbq buffet restaurants - you'll be walking to grab food AND cook it...

During my recent visit to Tekapo, I had the pleasure of dining at Mackinze Grill, and it was an experience worth sharing.

The menu at Mackinze Grill offers a delightful array of dishes, each crafted with care and attention to detail. I started with their grilled salmon, which was cooked to perfection, with a crispy skin and tender, flavorful meat. The accompanying vegetables were fresh and well-seasoned, complementing the salmon beautifully. For the main course, I tried their signature steak, which was tender and juicy, cooked exactly as I requested. The sides, including sautéed greens, were equally impressive. The dessert menu is not to be missed either, with the Pistachio Mafrokeh being a standout, rich, decadent, and the perfect end to a delightful meal.

The staff at Mackinze Grill truly elevate the dining experience. From the moment we walked in, we were greeted with warm smiles and a welcoming atmosphere. Ibrahim our server was attentive and knowledgeable, offering excellent recommendations and ensuring our needs were met throughout the meal. The level of service was impeccable, with a perfect balance of professionalism and friendliness. It's clear that the team at Mackinze Grill takes pride in what they do, and their dedication to providing a memorable dining experience shines through.

Overall, Mackinze Grill in Tekapo is a must-visit for anyone looking to enjoy delicious food and exceptional service. Whether you're a local or just passing through, this restaurant offers a dining experience that is...

Extremely Disappointing Experience I recently dined at this restaurant, and unfortunately, it was one of the most frustrating dining experiences I’ve had in a long time. The restaurant clearly has low standards of service, and they don’t seem to have any idea about maintaining quality or customer comfort. First, the tables are ridiculously small, so small that when they served all our orders at once, there was barely enough room to place everything. This made it especially unsafe when a hot stone plate was included among the dishes—it was a safety hazard waiting to happen. Throughout the meal, servers repeatedly walked by our table without clearing empty plates, leaving our tiny table cluttered and uncomfortable. I also noticed other guests had no place for their coats and ended up placing them on the floor—hardly what you’d expect in a quality dining establishment. When I provided polite feedback to the admin about the table size, they responded by saying, “Maybe you are big,” which was not only rude but entirely unprofessional. This kind of response shows they are more interested in being defensive than listening to feedback. On top of everything, the meat was poorly cut and poorly presented. All in all, this restaurant does not understand even the basics of customer service and dining standards. I would not recommend it and will certainly not be returning. However, the tomato soup and vegetables...