the brewers arms

if i lived in christchurch, this would be my regular haunt.  it's quiet enough for conversation, it has a cosy feel, and if you're there during the day it's lovely to watch the ducks in the duckpond literally right outside.

the stone grill options here are wonderful, i've tried ostrich and kangaroo and settled on venison as my favourite.  the sides are great, though i'm not really drawn to any of the sauces (wish they had a red wine jus or a blue cheese).  but it's not like the venison needs a sauce!

i've also tried the lamb shanks, which are wonderfully tender.  the demi glaze overpowers the lamb a little until you get down closer to the bone, but it's yummy so who cares.  

guest was not overly impressed by the hoki burger special.

wheelchair-access-wise, most of the tables are the inconvenient kind with the legs that spread out to either side and can prevent you getting close enough to your plate, but i seem to recall seeing some standard tables here and there, and there's also the option of getting two tables pushed together and sliding into the centre spot in between the legs of each.  entry thresholds are a bit of a problem, but do-able with skill, strength, or (in my case), assistance.

we came here to celebrate a special occasion and our table was big at 18 covers. there is an extensive menu but most of us chose from the hot rock section. food came out on individual, extremely hot stones, ready for us to cook the protein part of our meals, with our sides ready to eat. it was a lot of fun and we all enjoyed watching each others progress. the advantage of these dishes were that they were cooked exactly to our individual likes and were piping hot. my choice was the seafood platter which was generous in portion size and beautifully fresh. the dessert selection was good and the sticky date pudding was delicious and shared between two.
drinks were reasonably priced and a good variety across the board, my particular choice on this visit was a lovely crisp, fruity sauvignon blanc. staff were efficient, polite and unobtrusive, allowing for a relaxed and enjoyable afternoon which was just what was needed at our reunion.
i would happily return here again without question.

great atmosphere, brilliant friendly and professional staff, tuesday quiz night was great and overall an incredible experience.

we had the beef fillet on the stone which was great and tasteful, better without the sauces which aren't anything special (plum, barbecue and english mustard) apart from the garlic butter which adds a nice touch.the staff was super super rude! not a single smile, rough words when taking our order and we never heard the words thank you, not even upon payment when he took the money and just turned his back.

this tired, merivale staple is a great spot for locals to hang out after work for a beer and watch the rugby. there are plenty of beers on tap and a pretty nice selection of wines, though it's a limited list. this whole spot needs a facelift and most importantly, fresh carpeting. you'll be hard pressed to find a clean table on a clean patch of carpet here. fortunately, this mal-up keep is no bearing on how the food tastes. i am a big fan of the stone grills as it's a fun experience to cook my food but also because there are lots of exotic options to try out. i love to have the wild stonegrill or choose my own and pick lamb, kangaroo, beef and ostrich. their chips are thick cut and delicious and their seasonal vege and salads are great healthy options. the stone grills come with your choice of sauces as well and i recommend the garlic butter and aioli, but truly they all sound delicious. try their pavlova for dessert, too, if you have space. i would love to see the brewers arms incorporate a quiz night or some event during the week and i'd be more inclined to come more often. this is primo real estate and i feel like it's not living up to its potential.

this is a very reliable establishment for good wholesome food. the service is always very good and the hot rock menu is worth a go. just fish and chips tonight but very well done and excellent value. it can be very busy some nights but it is a good combination of a pub/restaurant.

not impressed with service. 50mins wait for food with no apology. was busy but was told wait would be only half an hour. won't be going back in a hurry

traditional, comfy pub. interesting place, hidden away, my grandma chose this place for our catchup - wasn't too bad.. decent pub food, huge portions for a reasonable price and our waitress was ever so friendly, very accommodating. major hit for the seniors!

yummy yummy food and the service was great! we had a nice quiet intimate dinner in a lovely atmosphere. my partner even cooked his own dinner (he doesn't at home)

best little neighbourhood tavern i've every been to. food is great, good portion sizes and well priced. that stonegrill is brilliant. huge beer & wine selection and great staff. wonderfull outdoor area looking over a pond