smugglers pub & cafe

referred to me by the visitor book kept at the place i was staying at. about 12 different reviews each suggested a must visit tosmugglersinn.

its a rustic place. relates more to pirates than smugglers. the usp is a big 8 - 10 seater table with a fire hole in the centre of the table.

the staff is so ever amazing. just lovely to interact with. the menu is quite extensive. one can find seafood veg chicken and meat options. so this place wont let you leave hungry.

the evening started with guinness from tap and gin and tonic. following it was prawns in garlic. 6 good sized prawns with salad and aioli sauce. well cooked and well seasoned. the mains were fish and chips and chicken breast stuffed with ricotta cheese and sun dried tomatoes with a side of steamed vegetables and a stack of baked potatoes.
the fish was well cooked. the star of this dish was the tartare sauce that came along. it went so well along with the fish.
although i am not a fan of chicken breast, i loved this one. perfectly cooked, tender and still juicy.
it did not have an overpowering sauce. a very well balanced dish. i swear i dint even touch the vegetables.
the end was with a semi-froddo. so this stud was blended vanilla ice creme mixed with nuts and praline and whipped creme on side. it was melt in the mouth bomb. there was much of toffee left even after i finished the desert. so maybe they can put a little less toffee. but other than that no complaints.

so the catch here; its the cost of dining. $110 for 2. huge portions for the mains. but at this price this comes under the hood of fine dining and not casual culture. i hope if they work on the portion size they can decrease the cost of dining.

price wise: $110 for 2
will i return: check that.

hello - dined here for the first time last week... the staff certainly tried very hard and were very friendly, but holy moly...... smugglers need to improve the quality, value and most importantly taste of the food....or stop for a moment and actually try it themselves as from the 3 different dishes we bought, none of them were enjoyable at all and we are not fussy people.  the prices of mains were quite high for nelson yet the food tasted like packet supermarket food or hospital food at best. both mine and my partners meals were very disappointing and not at all worth the money or time spent to go there. a shame as we'd heard (somewhere) that it was good and had looked forward to going to smugglers....we wouldn't again sorry. a real shame. please sort this out guys as you have a good theme etc to work with and make into great place to eat.

we have frequentedsmugglerson numerous occasions and gave always been very impressed with their service and willingness to provide food that suits our palettes. i would classify the food as better than average pub fare and reasonably priced.

me and my family and friends came here for my birthday.. it was shocking the waitress was so rude she clearly did not enjoy her job! i ordered minestrone soup it was pretty much just a bowl of oil, was revolting could have made better at home. my friend got chicken pasta of the day it had no flavor what so ever, and the chicken was obviously reheated was discusting! then for dessert i ordered a bannoffe pie, the base was so hard i couldnt cut it, there were 2 pitiful slices of banana in the bottom and some caramel mix out of the can thrown over top. very unhappy with the service and meals atsmugglerswill not be going back!

friendly and easy going atmosphere with food that works for me. the taste buds were delishly satisfied with the beautifully presented meal. steak cooked slightly more than i ordered, but still a great meal. i'll go again and i'll recommend them to everyone i know. thankssmugglersfor a good night's dining.

this was our 4th time at thesmugglersand reinforced our impressions.

the menu is extensive enough for most people to find something special. the food is what i would describe as high class pub food but done well. there is a reasonable mix of meat and fish dishes and a specials card at the table describing a couple of extra dishes (the fish in filo for the spca fund raiser was very nice.
the wine list and beer selection have a good selection of local beverages as well as many others.

the wait staff were very friendly and quite attentive even though it was quite busy. i have found the staff here have always been very good.

both the kids love going to thesmugglers(10yrs and 14yrs) and it is always first option if ever asked where they want to go for an evening meal - which is good as we adults enjoy it as well.

the big table in the middle with the gas fire is an excellent place for large groups.