The Local Diner (Stag Park) — Restaurant in Waikato

The food was average. I ordered the pancake stack. I guess two pancakes = a stack in NZ. The cakes were also thin, about twice the thickness of crapes. Though the banana was good and the bacon tasty and in good quantity. I also ordered two eggs and two hashbrowns off the side menu. The hashbrowns looked like they came in a box for preparation in a toaster. I paid $28NZ or $17.65US. Since tipping is not expected like it is in the US, the price wasn't too bad. The old school American diner theme was cool and the music selection good too. There was only one employee and I was the only customer for the hour and 20 minutes I was there. I got there at 8am opening time. It took a good 25 minutes to get my order. Good thing it wasn't busy. Not terrible but not 4 stars either, in my opinion. Do the locals know something I don't about this place? Probably...

Called into Stag Park Diner today on my way back to Turangi, and it was like walking into a time capsule, it was so great to be back, friends and I would come here just after midnight after a great night of drink and sit at the bench and grab some great food. And coming in almost 20 years later grabbing a burger and milkshake it just takes me back to those days. The staff are great, so welcoming and will stop to ask how your day and thats so appealing it makes the experience worthwhile. But the star was definitely the food, I ordered a Southern style chicken burger with fries, and a vanilla milkshake, and I can guarantee that you will be just blown away. Aside from the burger being huge and value for money the flavours were just great.

I highly recommend The Local Diner to anyone who is visiting Taupo you will be happy...

Ate here yesterday 8/4/2023. Walked in and liked the look of the place. Sad that Stag Park is gone. Got served the worst food we have ever had. Ordered mince on toast and received what looked like mince soup, on a chipped plate and toast arrived 2 mins later. 4 of us received our meals staggered with one meal they forgot to make. Wasn't worth the wait we got it after everybody else had finished. Bland precooked sausages, tasteless runny gravy and mushy microwaved veges. The fish and chip meal was 4 small pieces of pre frozen fish with chips both overcooked in old oil. No salad offered. Great that the tea and coffee were bottomless but the pots looked like they were 40 years old and not very clean. I went to get a waterglass and tried to pick the cleanest dirty glass that I cleaned first. Would not recommend or...