Monsoon Bar & Restaurant

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Review

872 reviews

#3 of 11 Restaurants in Franz Josef$$ - $$$, Bar, Pizza, International

+64 3-752 0101+ Add website

Hours

Sun

4:00 pm - 1:00 am

Mon

4:00 pm - 1:00 am

Tue

4:00 pm - 1:00 am

Wed

4:00 pm - 1:00 am

Thu

4:00 pm - 1:00 am

Fri

4:00 pm - 1:00 am

Sat

4:00 pm - 1:00 am

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What is Travellers’ Choice?

Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

Ratings and reviews

4.0

872 reviews

#3 of 11 Restaurants in Franz Josef

Travellers' Choice 2024

RATINGS

Food

Service

Value

Atmosphere

Food and ambience

Local cuisine, Bar, Pizza, International, Pub, New Zealand

“Great place to eat and drink with friends!!!”

“Thanks, guys.”

“The teens had pizza and chicken burger which they really enjoyed.”

“I had the burger and my wife has the chicken Milanese.”

Location and contact

46 Cron St. Franz Josef Glacier, Franz Josef, Westland Tai Poutini National Park 7856 New Zealand

+64 3-752 0101

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Is this restaurant good for bar scene?

Yes

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Details

Manage this business?

About

Monsoon bar and restaurant will quite possibly be your favourite bar in NZ, with roaring fires & regular DJ's. We carry a large range of New Zealands finest beers and wines. The Monsoon restaurant will satisfy your hunger whatever your budget with all you can eat pizza nights, bar meals and a specially created ala carte menu specially designed by our head chef Ronald Lacanilao who has created a menu of mouth watering local delicacies to treat you after a hard day glacier exploring. Choose from over 40 different gin's, have a create your gonna experience Monsoon: it rains... we pour...

PRICE RANGE

$15.00 – $32.00

CUISINES

Bar, Pizza, International, Pub, New Zealand

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

Meals

Lunch, Dinner, After-hours, Drinks

FEATURES

Takeout, Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Parking Available, Street Parking, Free off-street parking, Television, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Accepts American Express, Accepts Mastercard, Accepts Visa, Digital Payments, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Live Music

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4.0

872 reviews

Excellent

404

Very good

304

Average

103

Poor

Terrible

KenVicLee

Huntington Beach2086 contributions

Who's On First, What's On Second.

Mar 2020 • none

This restaurant is part of a motel, the Rainforest Retreat. We were staying a few motels away so we thought it would be a great place for our final dinner while in town. The reviews were not great but we thought A) it is near our hotel B) it was raining so it made sense and C) how bad could it be? Let's be real, this is a restaurant in a largely tourist area which was at the end of its summer season meaning temporary workers were leaving in droves. As a result all the services in Franz Josef were understaffed. That said, these people did make an effort to get us seating even though the restaurant was busy. They initially seated us in the lounge telling us we had to be out by 7:00 pm because a band was going to start playing music. What they didn't say when they seated us is that the band needed to set up first so as we were waiting for our drinks band members were all around us setting up cables, speakers and instruments. Fortunately a table opened up in the very back of the restaurant. We were seated near the entry to the kitchen and next to a table where it appeared the restaurant had delivered food but the people had left without touching it. Like they ordered, went outside to have a cigarette and then never came back. It took Monsoon 20 minutes of head scratching to figure out what to do. In the meantime we ordered. The food came out sporadically dropped off by various servers, never our original gal, so we really never ate together. At least it was hot. When we were done they allowed us to pay individually but it meant standing by the cash register while the gal read off what we had ordered. I might go back but would hope next time that the service was better and the wait staff was more attentive. The restaurant is in a convenient location to many of the lodges and the decor is very pleasing.

Written 9 May 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jayne F

Skipton23 contributions

Great Food And Service

Feb 2020 • family

Called in last week when we were passing through and I have to write and tell you about the Monsoon Bar, the place was fairly busy and had a party atmosphere, great music and lively. Alice was our waitress she took the drinks and food orders we had ribs, lamb and pizza’s for the kids on Alice’s recommendation, Wow really delicious food and great table service from Alice at a very reasonable price. Will definitely call back as we work our way back up the South Island, if only for Alice’s smile and hospitality towards our family.

Written 20 February 2020

Kara M

Auckland123 contributions

Needs some management asap

Jan 2021 • family

Lovely outdoor deck with chill music and nice vibe but the sevice is seriously lacking. There seemed to be enough staff on but the service was very erratic. A couple who arrived after us got their meals, ate them and left before we even got our 1 pizza and order of fish and chips. Another couple by us were there before us and left waiting for a very long time before being told there was a stuff up in communication from kitchen via wait staff. We ordered drinks from the bar while server cleared table we requested (had nicer view) then found some other guys had randomly taken our table - one guy at a table that sat six (we were 3). Same guy then smoked 3 cigarettes during the hour it took for our meals to come. I thought it was illegal in NZ to smoke st restaurants? No restaurant staff seemed to care sadly. Staff were all super friendly but it was very odd how orders were processed / not processed. We arrived at 8.30pm really hungry and it took until 9.30 to get a very simple dinner delivered to table. One pizza and an order of fish and chips. We did order garlic bread as starter but even that took 30 min to arrive! Had to get our own water for the table, there was only one serviette, nobody ever came to ask us if we wanted more drinks and then finally we had to flag a server down to order dessert. The food: was good- mexican chicken pizza was good and the fish and chips had fresh fish with a crispy batter. The creme brulee tasted like it came from a packet - not at all like the real thing but still cost $14. We came out for dinner to support local business but were not impressed. Good thing the location is lovely and the music was relaxing.

Written 16 January 2021

Antonia11691

Hi Kara, I'm glad you enjoyed the relaxing location and found the servers friendly, we pride ourselves on customer service so can only apologise for not living up to our own expectations on the evening you visited. We have strict company policies on smoking during dinner service, and all the staff have been reminded to uphold those policies at all times. I really wish you had mentioned some of the issues you had to our staff members during the evening, as we would have happily resolved them for you. We appreciate your custom and wish you all the best. Cheers, Jess

Written 31 January 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Ben W

Derby20 contributions

Poor service

Jan 2020 • couples

Really poor service this evening, reserved a table at 7pm, took 15 minutes from this time to place an order for drinks after I went and ask someone to take our order. After ordering food including a starter, it took 50 minutes for the starter to arrive, never any mention that there would be a delay. Our mains arrived a nice time after the starter, but after the mains our plates were not cleared and no one came to our table for desserts or drinks etc. I mentioned on leaving about our poor experience, a sorry was all we got. Would not recommend.

Written 6 January 2020

RainforestFranzJosef

Kia Ora Ben Thank you for your feedback. My apologies for the slower than average service. We were caught out a little during the holidays and were a lot busier than we expected. We have adjusted our staffing levels now and have things back to a much more reasonable time. Kind Regards Oscar

Written 20 January 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Antonia S

Perth16 contributions

The wings were yummy :)

Jan 2020 • none

We landed here on our first night at Franz Josef and were immediately told that there was a wait on food as the kitchen was very busy that night. That was absolutely not an issue for us and our waitress was quick to take our food and drinks orders. The staff were all friendly even though they were ridiculously busy and when our food arrived it was exactly as described. My parter had the pork belly, which he enjoyed and I had the chicken wings which were beautifully spicy and saucy. Glad we stopped in :)

Written 23 January 2020

Antonia11691

Hi Antonia Thank you for your review, and glad to hear you enjoyed the food. I do love the chicken wings too! Hope to see you again! Enjoy your travel's. Antonia

Written 27 February 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Andrea

Westport84 contributions

Overrated and Busy

Jan 2020 • none

We visited over the Christmas holidays and the place was a zoo. It seemed quite understaffed because we had a hard time flagging down our waitress and the food took a very long time to come. The food was fine, but nothing to recommend or get excited about. I would look elsewhere in Franz Josef.

Written 15 February 2020

Antonia11691

hi andrea With Christmas being a busy season we underestimated how actually busy we were. We have fixed the staffing levels since and now know what worked and didn't for next year. Thank you for your review. Enjoy your travel's. Antonia

Written 27 February 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

heatbar

Christchurch27 contributions

Evening meal while staying overnight.

Apr 2021 • none

Subdued lighting, which is fine, but would have been easier to read menu with brighter localised lighting. Reasonably priced menu. Wife chose the Beer Battered Fish and Chips while I went for the Roast Pork. Both well prepared and I would rate the pork as being amongst the best I have ever had - if not THE BEST. Attentive staff during the meal without being intrusive. Sadly the edge was taken off after we had finished those mains. One of the waitresses (we had already decided could be described as a tad "ditzy") asked if there was anything else and we said we were thinking about dessert. She asked if we'd like a menu and we confirmed that we did. She left. About ten minutes later she was walking past again, stopped to ask again if there was anything else we needed, then stopped mid-sentence and said something like "Oh! You guys are waiting for a menu!" We confirmed that and she left to get them, but after about another ten minutes a different waitress stopped to ask if we needed anything so we asked again and they came fairly quickly. We waited for just over another ten minutes then I went to the kiosk/counter to complain. That (third) waitress was full of apologies and took our order. We had just about given up and I was prepared to leave stating that I refused to pay when (strangely enough) about another ten minutes later the desserts arrived - again with apologies. We were then checked on a couple of times while eating them. When we did leave and went to pay we were again given apologies, but I genuinely felt that some token of discount would have been justified. There was obviously a birthday celebration in the adjoining room (we happened to have spoken to a sister of the 60 year old birthday girl earlier) which appeared to be placing the wait staff under strong time pressure. We would have hoped that management would have arranged extra staff to cover that, but if all available staff were on duty it would have been a good idea to warn diners of potential delays. Overall the meal was enjoyable quality, but experience considerably detracted from overall satisfaction.

Written 18 April 2021

Vincent L

13 contributions

Wonderful atmosphere and food.

Mar 2020 • none

The Monsoon was a welcomed treat from a cold evening by the glacier. I had the Lamb Shanks, which were tender, juicy and a generous portion, served with mashed potatoes and peas. The restaurant was nicely furnished and decorated, with low level lighting providing a very comforting ambiance.

Written 28 March 2020

David151288

5 contributions

Appalling

Mar 2020 • couples

I ordered the “stuffed Camembert chicken”. Unfortunately when I cut into the chicken it became apparent that there was no Camembert in it. After speaking to the chef the waitress told me that the chicken had in fact been stuffed with Camembert but the cheese had been absorbed by the meat! We found it comical that the chef had the audacity to give this ridiculous explanation rather than just apologising. The waitress did offer to take the dish back and have a fresh version cooked, but we were concerned that they might forget the chicken and simply serve me a plate of Camembert.

Written 2 March 2020

Antonia11691

Hi David Our stuffed camembert chicken is stuffed with camembert, chorizo and red peppers and then wrapped in chicken and bacon when it is cooked the cheese does melt. I have spoken to the chef and each chicken is prepared each day the correct amount of cheese is added to each one. The waitress informed you that it's stuffed and melts and we were more than welcome to exchange the chicken dish for something else or add more camembert to I don't think we would have forgotten the chicken or served a plate of camembert, is one of most popular dishes and never get complaints, but we have taken it on board. thank you

Written 4 March 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Bernard R

Whangarei1043 contributions

Special Place, Good Food, Excellent Service

Mar 2020 • couples

This place is a bar and restaurant which caters for diverse tastes both young and old. The food is well cooked and presented and most importantly tasted good however this was eclipsed by the superb service from the young waitresses. Nothing was too much trouble despite being busy and it was pitched perfectly with the right amount of attention without intrusion. There was a Kiwi girl, one from Bournmouth and a Mexican girl, you know who you are, thank you ladies and I apologise for not knowing your names.

Written 14 March 2020

Meander&Co

78 contributions

Dinner for two

Jan 2020 • couples

Ohhhh my - the hashtag fries are to die for!! The rest of the food is pretty yum too, but they take the top spot! The bar and waiting staff were very friendly and the restaurant had a very good atmosphere. Food was reasonably priced and it's very centrally located for campgrounds etc. Would definitely go again!

Written 31 January 2020

Antonia11691

HI meander Thank you for your review, and glad to hear you enjoyed the hashtag fries!. Hope to see you again! Enjoy your travel's. Antonia

Written 27 February 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

travelpanda56

Taranaki Region33 contributions

Great dining experience

Jan 2021 • none

We ate here during a v busy time in early Jan and the host was a great manager of seatings, bookings, etc. She was truly grace under pressure. Our food took a bit long; yet the staff were well aware of it, 2-3 of them stopped by our table to check on us, and apologised. They comped us dessert, but they didn’t need to as everyone was making a good effort, and were so nice that we went back the next night for dinner. Our food came out promptly and we had another yummy meal. I had a salad the first night and the beef cheeks the 2nd, both were yum. Nice atmosphere, good service, good food. Was impressed as there’s not much competition in Franz Josef area, they don’t have to make an effort, yet they do a really good job. Eat here.

Written 19 January 2021

Antonia11691

Hello, Thank you so much for your stellar review, we appreciate it so much, and thanks for your patience when we were busy! I'm glad you enjoyed the food and service, and happy the team looked after you. Hope to see you back again, Jess

Written 31 January 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Laurel R

Christchurch13 contributions

Good Food

Dec 2020 • none

We booked for 6 pm. We were given the menu and told about the "Gin Special" ... and after about 10 mins waiting, I had to summon the waiter so we could order (and needed a drink...). Felt a bit neglected, but they were very busy.... perhaps "stretched". Lovely friendly wait staff! I ordered the gin special and it was delicious. I loved my Fettucine, with an extra salad; my husband had the Caesar salad which also was delicious. No puddings! Off to early bed early, having driven from Te Anau all day.

Written 30 December 2020

Mack51Kent

Staplehurst188 contributions

Good vibe

Feb 2020 • couples

Good place to go to eat or for a drink or two. Service was a little slow when we were there for dinner, we had to chase up our drinks order. However the staff were friendly and helpful and were very keen to get a good gin and tonic for one of our party. The food was good, we were all very happy with what we'd ordered and the portion size was generous. If you go inside in Monsoon you'll find a busy and buzzing bar - great atmosphere and efficient bar service. A good place to spend an evening.

Written 7 February 2020

Antonia11691

HI mack51kent Thank you for your review, and glad to hear you enjoyed the food and the gin! with the busy season, we underestimated how popular we actually are and are working on increasing our staffing levels, but glad to hear you were happy overall. Hope to see you again! Enjoy your travel's. Antonia

Written 27 February 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

365nicholaa

Auckland7 contributions

Wonderful Evening Meal

Oct 2020 • family

We visited the restaurant while staying at the Rainforest Retreat. The children enjoyed burger and fries. The adults shared a huge and very tasty vegetarian pizza and also some delicious ribs. Our favourite part of our meal were the starters, especially the flatbread with homemade humous and dip. The gin menu was a treat, with a good choice of tonics too. The highlight of our visit was meeting the very friendly and welcoming staff. Our server was very knowledgeable of the menu. The restaurant had a great atmosphere, with lovely open fireplaces. We look forward to visiting again soon.

Written 16 October 2020

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