Your question has been sent.
Expect an answer!
8 Ward Parade, Bluff 9814, New Zealand, Invercargill
Oyster Cove - Cafe in Invercargill, New Zealand
Fine food with great views. We had two ladies serve us and they both were lovely.
Went there today for lunch for hubbys birthday. He had the scallop and prawn fettuccine and I had the salmon fillet. They were both delicious. When we paid the staff where so apologetic about the small wait but with a view like that it was lovely to sit and chat. They said it was all new staff being trained, well if thats there training I cant wait till our next visit. Staff where all friendly and lovely. Thanks for making our day so special.
The location is great . You can watch the boats negotiate the Bluff Channel which can be interesting.Unfortunately we had the Blue Cod which was not cooked. Still cold and raw. The staff sent it back to the kitchen and some new Blue Cod arrived but it was way over cooked.The local dish needs to be right .
Extremely disappointed. We travelled from Australia to eat at this world renowned restaurant only to be served the worst seafood platter I have ever seen. There was hardly any seafood on the platter, what was there was over fried and in such small quantities. If the reason is due to seafood not being available then the platter should not have been on the menu. What we were provided would have cost less than $20 at Countdown. Sad to say this was a real let down. Changes needed to make this better.
A real ends of the earth experience for tourists and locals alike! Beautiful vista overlooking the southern ocean and in the right season,you can witness busy Oyster boats going in and out of the harbour! Good food and service with a smile 😊
Nice seafood platter. It has mussels, blue cod, squid, and tuna. The flavor is great.Seafood Chowder is good also. All the portions are big, so dont order too much
A group of us had dinner there last night and the food was absolutely terrible. Huge disappointment and will not be recommending it to anyone again. 3 steak dinners pretty much inedible ( after being returned once already). Gorgeous venue spoilt by the terrible food, chef appearing to be more interested in getting as much smokes in as possible rather than presenting appealing food. The 1 star is for the foh that were lovely
Located at a vantage point just behind the parking lot of the Stirling Point light house.Fabulous views of the sea and the hills from the restaurant.Can get busy during Holidays and Peak times. So book ahead to avoid disappointmentMust try Bluff Oysters for those like us coming from up North. There is a telling difference in freshness and therefore taste.We had the following and they were all delicious!-Salmon Fillet-Seafood Carbonara-Rockefeler Oysters-Rosemary Panacotta DessertIt also helps manage the surprise that Sirling Point is not the southernmost point of South Island. That trophy goes to Slope Point :-)
Not what we hoped for. The seafood platter was without bluff oysters as they were out of season. The substitute offered was paua, not Pacific oysters. For $120, the platter value proposition was lacking. Instead, the blue cod was perfectly cooked but expensive at $32. The seafood chowder was disappointingly bland. The wedges were standard wedges found anywhere.
Overall is ok, top view and excellent service. Big thanks to Deepti for saving our dinning experience. We came here because of Bluff Oyster, but the oysters dont look very fresh, the shells are mostly dry ,I know it’s very close to the end of the season. Bread and Dips is okay, Seafood Cabonara is very creamy , Lamb Shank is so-so. Four stars is meant for service and the sea view
amazing experience with Oysters Cove, nice food and vibe🌊🌊
Awesome view!Ordered the Fisherman’s platter - Batter on the cod was super crispy. But it the only thing that tasted somewhat fresh. Oysters were dried out. Calamari and prawns looked and tasted like they came out of the freezer. Mussels werent cleaned properly. Salmon was dry, and there was only 4 tiny pieces. Octopus was chewy.When I asked about how fresh the seafood was, the waitress didn’t answer at first, so I asked again. She said they get deliveries on Wednesday and Friday - we dined on a Sunday.Disappointing to pay $120 for a platter that you could smell before it was placed on the table.
No waiting time and had a window table which was great. Friendly service and tasty food. Came specifically for the Bluff Oysters which were great and had a portion of mussels to share which was super creamy and tasty! Not disappointed and will be back!
Beautiful views, fantastic hosts and amazing fresh food. Had another wonderful meal again and never disappoints us. Oysters fresh are always a favorite and the apple rhubarb dessert was yummy. We were advised this August 2022 there will be a new chef and updated new menu. Cant wait to try it out.
Dont be fooled by the picture, this is just for show, the real taste is just average.Worst of all was the natural Bluff oysters! The half dozen in the seafood platter all were nasty, not fresh at all, how come you served not fresh oysters in a local restaurant in Bluff?The best dish we had was kumara chips, however, the oysters already ruined our appetite.
Awesome view. Nice wait staff. Kind of put off by the way the bluff oysters were served. We ordered a dozen, and they put two oysters in each shell. They tasted all good but it felt like if I had gone in the back I may have seen them washing used shells and placing oysters out of those tiny plastic contains in them and passing them off as "fresh on the shell". They were definitely not large enough to fill each half shell individually. Completely a theory, but the presentation caused the thought so, 3 stars.
We ordered the Fishermans Platter and it was more than enough for two people and then some. All seafood ( the green lip mussels, drunken prawns, oysters [your choice], smoked salmon, battered blue cod, s & p squid, and crispy squid tentacleswas either cooked or fried to perfection. The smoked salmon was served on a bed of salad which was the perfect amount of greens. We highly recommend Oyster Cove if you ever find yourself in Bluff, the northernmost town in New Zealands South Island.
Had a fabulous meal; expensive but very tasty, well presented & attentive staff
Finally my hubby tasted the real bluff.The bluff oyster 🦪 is fresh and fatty today, but no wine 🍾isn’t allowed to order at lunch😰 great time to be here. Must Try👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼To me, Soup of the day is tasted a lot better than seafood chowder 🍲
The Oyster cove no doubt is in an awesome spot with great views of bluff and the trawlers coming in .The food that we had was 5 star as we really enjoyed our food many thanks to the chiefWhat spoilt our over all experience was the non-existent food service. Management need to raise the bar I know it’s just bluff it’s not what people expect when visiting .I stood at the cash register looking for a table. Just being ignored. A quick acknowledgement I’ll be with you soon sir as others wait staff ran around .Food service there is none once the food is put on the table you are on your own . Paying for your meal no one asked us how our meals where other than adding the bill up .A good restaurant starts with the maitre d’ wait staff the food and the location to create a memorable time . Sadly Oyster Cove need to address there food service
The food was great. And the view from the front of the restaurant is beautiful.
It took us a year to be able to dine in this lovely restaurant. They are always busy and full but mind you it is worth the visit. Staff are fantastic, chowder was more than our expectations and the oysters are so so delicious. A must when you are in Bluff.
Beautiful views and good food. Had the oysters, pasta and pork belly - all delicious. Kids meal was decent and came with a sundae. Service was friendly and as the restaurant can get busy, the food can be delayed a bit.
View was great, but I paid $59 for a dozen oysters that were the size of my thumbprint, so definitely wouldnt recommend that. Service was very slow which was understandable considering staffing and had a sign warning of this, but heads up dont expect to have ordered and eaten lunch within an hour.Those things considered, everyone else was satisfied with their meals and service.
We came with low expectations because of the reviews, and were pleasantly surprised as a result.When we arrived around 1:30 pm without reservations, about half of the window tables were available. We were seated at one without even needing to request it. Maybe thats the right time of day to walk in if youre hoping for a window table!The fishermans platter turned out to be the perfect way to try a bunch of seafood, and was the ideal amount for 2 people. Between my husband and I, we really enjoyed each part of the platter. I was particularly impressed by the light, crispy batter on the cod!The only nitpicking things Id point out are details like not bringing an extra plate for empty mussel/oyster shells, and not being checked on at all once the food was dropped off (so we couldnt ask for a shell discard plate). No big deal, and totally understandable during pandemic times, but worth mentioning just to make it clear that it isnt a high-end fine dining experience.
Dont bother with the bread starter. Go for some seafood instead. I had salmon fillet my partner had seafood chowder. Both were absolutely delicious and well worth it. Hearty with meaningful elements. Do yourself the favour and enjoy... Sincere food with a considered gut feel.
It is very much time to say Thank You for all the great Lattes I was blessed with at your place!The location proves to be not only beautiful, but perfect for very special experiences!Each and every one made my day and I would come back for them any day!
Amazing food..Loved the views. Definitely going back
3 things:1. The issue of lots of empty “reserved”tables as stated on previous reviews of the place. Personally, I came here for two reasons: oysters and the VIEW. There were loads of empty “reserved” tables by the window and only 2-3 tables were occupied at the restaurant and we were placed by the door. Like, really?? I would not mind if it was busy. But even after we’ve left, the tables were still empty.Makes me wonder if it’s too hard for them to allow customers to sit by the window, and informing them ahead that the said table is reserved (for example, 5pmand if they could transfer or leave before that time.2. Came here knowing bluff oysters were not in season yet, and I was prepared to have fried ones cooked from frozen. However, bluff oysters were not available, they only have pacific ones. Which wasn’t a problem since I love freshly shucked raw pacific oysters with lemon. In fact, what they served us was amazing. 🦪Just be aware, that you will still pay the same price wether it’s bluff oysters or pacific oysters available in the menu.3. The service. It was good, but I just wish that they will be more careful in serving guests. One staff initially served our drinks to the other table. I know, coz I saw it and there were only 2-3tables occupied. In this time of pandemic, I am and will be very concerned if another customer had already touched my drink. It was hot (outside and insideand we enjoyed a cold refreshing drink.On the bright side, they have a good selection of food and drinks- they have beer on tap. They have a cafe too. Make a booking ahead to get the best seats. They have staff shortage so they might limit their guests and/or expect some delays. Toilets are clean, and they have a mini lounge while waiting to be seated. Take note of the entrance and exit. The door you see at the front is actually the exit. The entrance is at the rear side. Vaccine pass required upon entry.
Friendly and efficient service. Ordered a dozen oysters ( they were deliciouswhich arrived promptly despite being warned that food may take an hour. The dining room was far too warm which was uncomfortable (it was 22 degrees C outsideGreat views out over Stirling Point. Lots of vacant reserved tables! Recommend that you book in advance if you want a window seat.
The view and the food were good but dont think for a minute they you can get a table you want. The waitresses said all the tables are booked and they cant give us a table we want, "if you want a window table, you should have booked" are the exact words she rudely said and there were plenty of empty tables. By the time our food was served, the whole bottom level was basically empty except one table. Not sure what booking she was taking about.
Most stuff we ordered were great! Not a huge fan of the famous oysters thou, although it costed us the most. Maybe it’s just our problem, we just like those in Havelock a lot better! Be aware that they have a rather large portion size.
Couldnt get a table, lucky our friends were there and we were able to get their table ad they left. sitting there the place was pretty empty tho? That aside the food was absolutely delicious, had to wait a little but was worth it. Staff were nice too
Nice view, a good place to eat oysters. But I was hoping the oysters alive, but only fresh.
So expensive. Not super fresh oysters... 1 Job. Staff we friendly. back up the road 3km, a dozen for what they charge for half. Also was fresh as can be. Also had better bluff oysters in Queenstown for the same price. Poor staff eats instant noodles. Which boss wouldnt feed their staff?
Nice coffee and meals, great view during the day. The staff took quite a while to attend both times when I waited at the “please wait to be seated” sign (both at lunchtime and dinner time), but once I was seated at the table the staff were great, friendly and attentive. Our meals came out pretty quickly which was awesome. Delicious fresh seafood. I’ve seen mixed reviews on here from recent times but my experience was overall pretty good ☺️
We had to eat at this restaurant when we visited Stirling Point to sample the world famous Bluff Oysters.The restaurant was busy the day we arrived. We had no reservations, and by the time we arrived, they had sold out of fresh oysters. We returned the next day with reservations and were treated to some of the most amazing and delicious raw and fried oysters that I have ever eaten!Definitely check Bluff Oysters off list when you are on the South Island!I gave this restaurant 4 stars because the service wasn’t fantastic (just OKand the prices seemed a little high. I guess that since it is popular with tourists, the prices are comparable
Delicious food, and friendly welcoming staff. When we turned up without a reservation we were warned there could be a bit of a wait, which we were fine with because the view was so lovely! but our meals were served within half an hour and were absolutely delicious 😋
Differing change of ownership and names over the years and quite frankly I have had mixed thoughts and experiences here over the years also.But not having been back here for a number of years I thought Id give it another go on 8th Feb 2021.I was quite pleased and surprised. Service and the whole experience a bit better than those in the past.I wish I new the names of the young ladies doing the tables as they were excellent and well worth commending.The food - I had the seafood chowder and a side of prawns - was fantastic. The others I was with all had differing dishes and all rated highly.Not the cheapest place but money well spent.Id be more than happy to come back here.⭐⭐⭐⭐
This place has an amazing view. Problem is they book out all their tables for lunch and everything is reserved. We were allowed at one table as the reservees hadn’t arrived yet, but were told when they did we would have to move. We saw several customers turned away due to lack of other tables. Frustrating as most of the tables very empty with ‘reserved’ signs sitting on them. Definitely book ahead. Don’t roll up and expect to get a seat.
We dont often go to places like this but the waitress are very bright and friendly.Food wise... its really nice very appetizing and I love the presentation of it.The place really sets the mood with the amazing view of the ocean and the style of the building its very nice
Had a trully wonderful lunch enjoying seafront view. Only downside was no mussels and no seafood platter- wasnt available, would have given 5 stars otherwise the meal was very good. Still recommend
They serve fresh and juicy oysters and seafoods.Its locating at the end of the peninsula but worth visiting there.Local oyster is not served in the summer season, unfortunately..
Best sea food restaurant in Bluff, must try. Love the food, will be back next time. The Paua Cob Loaf taste so creamy. Fresh and tasty Seafood Salad.
The oyster isnt exactly the freshest Ive eaten but the Foveaux Seafood Chowder is really really good, with many ingredients inside, it was definitely worth it!
We booked a table for 11:30 lunch and when we arrived early, we were promptly shown to our lovely table beside the window. We were given time to look at the menu and gaze out at the amazing views. We settled on the Seafood Chowder and a Seafood Salad. We asked for the soup to be served first and it duly came with minimal wait. The Seafood Chowder was simply lovely. It had chunks of seafood is a thick chowder broth tinted with a touch of some magic stuff that made the both smooth, tasty and flavourful. The seafood salad was also very beautiful to look at and tasty to eat. Have a look at the photos and see how yummy and presentable to food was. To top this off, the service was excellent.
Seafood cream soup is very good, milk is very strong, highly recommended. Seafood salad is also good, personal feeling is better than seafood platter.
Got greated and seated really quickly, but waited 25 minutes and still no one came to take our order. My husband went and ordered our meal from one of the waitresses.The meal didnt take too long after that. The blue cod and chips was pleasant, but by then I was so hungry I could have eaten a small child. The waitresses were friendly
Very good meal, great view. Had seafood salad was very good, others on table had chowder very nice. Service was good but waiter did apare to have trouble with the tablet to take our order.
I am a huge oyster lover. I travel a few hours out of my way to get Bluff oysters and the Cove nailed it! The service was wonderful and the plate was outstanding. My dozen oysters came with salad and fries. Fixing for the oysters as well. I would make this a must stop. Sitting on Sterling Point also contributes the the view of the place.
8 Ward Parade, Bluff 9814, New Zealand, Invercargill
Your question has been sent.
Expect an answer!
Thank!
Your review has been submitted.
Thank you for being with us!
We will call you back!