The Waterline Restaurant and Beach Bar in Avarua

The place is beautiful and you can hear and see the ocean while you are eating. And the staff was super nice and helpful. And the animals are fun.But unfortunately the food and the drinks were not good. The Dark and Stormy tasted more like ginger beer with no rum, the NZ ribeye steak was well done instead of medium rare as I had asked. And the lemon cake was super dry and I dont believe it was fresh from today. So accordingly the prices are way to high.

Great location, ambiance, attention e staff, and good food/drink selection. What more can you ask for?

Staff were friendly and helpful. Food was pricey. No Ika Mata???!

Bit disappointed as was told it was great,service was slow and forgetful, food is expensive,but very good, views naturally great,then got charged the wrong price on a dish which if we didnt check would have cost us an extra $25.

The best Fish of the Day dinner on the island, grilled to perfection with flavours that pop and a fresh pineapple salsa on top. A great beachside ambiance and really lovely staff.

With hanging glass buoys, a cat snoozing on the railing and a haphazard feel to the wooden decking, The Waterline Restaurant & Bar has all the makings of a nautical bar. While the environment has you expecting sun-weathered sea dogs telling tall tales of the one that got away as they nurse cups of sailor’s grog, the reality is lots of Kiwi families with noisy, young children. The kids keep running up and down the stairs to the beach, where there seems to be a large pile of rubbish positioned right in front of the restaurant, perhaps to burn off in a future bonfire.Taking a deep breath, I ordered some garlic bread (NZ$10that arrived dry and crusty with a pot of garlic aioli that made it work. In the libations I tried to respond to the architecture with a Dark & Stormy (NZ$14but it looked and drank like the weather was mildly inclement. The catch of the day (NZ$36proved to be rock cod. Flaking nicely into creamy, white curls when touched with a fork, it was enjoyable against stiff potato mash that made me think of Deb Instant Mashed Potato, and an eclectic medley of local vegetables sautéed with the odd wedge of tinned pineapple. It actually wasn’t a bad dish, though priced as fine dining when the experience was anything but.

Another good location for a sunset dinner. Our service this night was a little erratic but nothing to worry about.We had beef salad (with some odd noodlesand calamari to start, then pork ribs and fish of the day. While the pork came with some amazing kumera fries (they had no regular fries on the night but these fries only made it better!the fish came on a somewhat cold mash potato.

This place is SPECIAL!A real "ramshackle" beach bar and restaurant, with fantastic sunsets.Chris, the owner, is one of the most interesting guys youll ever meet, amiable and a great storyteller.And the stories are real!Best Margarita on the island!The food is exquisite, theres live entertainment a couple of nights a week.You must go!

Stunning vibey sunset spot. Feels like you’re in a tree house surrounded by lush beautiful coconut trees. Maritime decor adorns every corner of this restaurant/bar tastefully and presumably lovingly curated. Amazing atmosphere, great music, excellent staff. Food? Better than average for Rarotonga, slightly pricey (as is most on the island). 4+ stars from me

Nice dinner, beautiful views! Really friendly service

Amazing staff, view and even better food

Friendly staff with nice drinks and an idyllic setting for sundowners.

We rocked up with no reservation and a toddler and they were very accomodating even though it was busy. Food and drinks were amazing and the atmosphere is awesome. Staff were all lovely making it a really enjoyable bookend to our holiday

Great place. Great food.

Booked a table for one at the Waterline Restaurant and was stoked to be sat in a prime spot with amazing sun set views. Such lovely hospitality. Really enjoyed my meal and loved the atmosphere the owners have created here. Thank you for a wonderful meal

The best place in Raro

Thank you Chris (and Arminfor your fun vibes, great conversations and wonderful hospitality. See you next time. Clarissa, Josie and Ashleigh x

The Waterline is an iconic destination in Raro with gorgeous views and one of a kind decor, you feel like you’re in a tropical tree house. Unfortunately the food, drinks and service don’t quite live up to the location or the price. The cocktails were quite terrible, the dark and stormy tasted like liquorice, the espresso martini wasn’t shaken enough and half empty and we had another one which was not at all memorable. The calamari had a nice dipping sauce but just tasted of thick fried batter. The sizzling chicken plate was so bland and watery. When ordering the beef curry we were asked how spicy we would like it so we said hot and were warned the chef was Indian so it would be Indian hot. The curry arrived and it was mild and bland with dry meat, clearly made in a big batch and not spiced to our taste. This was our most expensive meal in Raro but the worst food and drinks of our trip. It’s a shame as the location is one of kind but I’d avoid the cocktails and food and only come here for a beer

Great food and sunsets

5 stars for the location, the beautiful sunset view. The wait staff were lovely and helpful but he food was disappointing. One meal was served cold and we returned it. The spare ribs were fatty and basically inedible.. We would go back for cocktails and the sunset but skip the meal.

Probably the best place around. Satisfying food, nice wine and friendly helpful staff.

Came here for a birthday dinner. Book ahead if you want to come during sunset hours - they’re often fully booked. We came after the sunset and the restaurant was still very busy. Parking can get tight during dinner service. Food was delicious and the portion sizes were very generous, although the prices are higher than most other restaurants on the island.

Our best experience in Rarotonga, love the cat! Friendly service and the best food. Such nice people 👍

Delicioud food, friendly staff and great setting, highly recommend!

I would say 4.5 if I could.Great friendly service, good food and location.Had the sizzling chicken on rice 👌

This place has the best island fries! The cocktails we had were also very tasty and quite cheap. Theres also a cute cat that comes to say hello to you as youre eating. Great atmosphere and awesome decoration around the restaurant, chill vibes and lovely staff.

Probably one of the top 3 restaurants on the island. We didnt have a booking but they were able to accommodate us and even with a table overlooking the beach. The menu was limited but delicious, the staff were friendly and helpful with selections. We had a number of starters, with the tuna and chicken fpr mains. Their lemon cake dessert was one of the best desserts Ive ever had. The prices reflect the quality of the food, but their happy hour cocktails were cheap and delicious.

Fun place to dine at. Chris, the owner is very friendly and obliging. We arrived at midday, when the place was closed due to a cyclone. Chris opened up and in no time, we were sharing a top quality NZ wine!Be a great place to dine at night, as the dining area is built right over the shoreline, but high enough not to get wet!

The service was excellent and very friendly. You should not miss it if you come to Rarotonga. I had the fish of the day, yellow fine tuna seared rare, it was amazing.

We had a magical Sunday evening at Waterline. Great spot to watch the sunset, good food and drinks, and great musicians. We were probably more lucky than most with other musicians in the audience joining in, but the atmosphere at Waterline certainly encouraged such fun. A highlight of our visit to Rarotonga.

A tropical gem tucked away in an incredible location a few steps above the sand! Dont miss the Ika mana starter (ceviche in coconut cream served with island friesalthough I wish I had left room to try dessert.

What a cool place! Loved the unique location, perfect for magical sunsets and a drink. The food was also amazing. We loved the hard work that went into setting up this beautiful place. A must in Raro!

Very nice place directly on the beach. Chris and his crew are very friendly. The prices are ok and the food is very good. We went several times. I can recommend it.

Oh my gosh. Such a special place. Amazing food & perfect sunset views.

Also very nice place for dinner and sundowner! Little tricky to find but worth the search! Food very good (had catch of the day)! Lookout very nice. If you want sit in the front just male a reservation. Ca definitely recommend!

Our favorite restaurant on the island. We went there 3 days in a row. Very nice atmosphere, right on the beach, nice service and good food. Recommended.

The food here is a very low standard, very disappointing don’t be fooled by the good reviews like I was...our food was cold and just not worth $30! Zero flavour, something you would serve up in the 80s. The staff were very nice so maybe just come here to have a drink and watch the sun set.

My wife and I ate here and enjoyed our food. Service is good, and the owner will even come to nearby lodgings to pick you up and take you to the restaurant, and back. Dining is right on the beach. Nice place.

Romantic ocean view restaurant(as most of the restaurants and accommodation venues in the islandwith great food and ambiance.Tuesday night live entertainment has you dinning with a gentleman playing Frank Sinatra and the likes.After seeing Ika Mata on the menu, I just had to try it. Unfortunately it did not live up to the standards set-up by Bite. Main course however, Mahi Mahi fish was delicious! Prepared in a slighly spicy and citrusy sauce, paired with an Oyster Bay Cabernet Sauvignon , this hit the spot.Dessert was a passion fruit foamy/light cheesecake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Nice but nothing with a wow factor.Prices were very reasonable for the quality of food.Another must on your list.

If they have it, get the fish. The tuna steak with the special dill flavored cream sauce. It was the best meal of my life.And I hate creamy seafood.Chris the owner is cool too.

Good view! You can have dinner on the beach! Helpful and friendly staff! Food is above average.

Beautiful setting on the beach where you can watch the sun set. The food was fantastic and the staff very friendly. Great place to sit among the palm trees along the beach having a pre dinner drink before going upstairs to the restaurant for dinner and listen to live music

Our best meal on Rarotonga, with a table with a table at the front of the verandah for the best sunset view. Delicious food (so good we ate way too much), lovely staff, ambience and great live music on Wednesdays and some other nights.

Perfect beach location, tasty food and drinks, friendly staff, quick service, live music. We had an excellent time there.And special thank goes to Jake The Dog for making it even more fun!

One of the best meals we had on the island. Friendly staff, lovely food with a range to please everyone, and a great view and fun layout. Great cocktails as well!

Disappointing. Beautiful setting and great for a drink but dinner was very disappointing. The service was appalling: 20 Minutes until we were offered a menu or drinks, 1 hour 30 wait for main courses and when the food arrived by potato gratin was still frozen. For $120 for a dinner for 2 I expect a lot more.

Great setting nestled up among the palms, feet from the beach. Great views of the surf on the reef and sunsets. Fiona made us feel right at home for lunch and dinner.This is a MUST VISIT when you are on Rarotonga. The food was excellent and competitively priced.

Such a great place. We come here evrytime we go to the cooks. Great sunsets that you can see from the restaurant. The food is amazing here too. Just a great atmosphere.

Excellent views and food. The ika mata was excellent, as were our mains. There is a massive rush just after sunset, so put your order in just before sunset instead of figuratively lining up with everyone else just after sundown.

Amazing food and drinks. Went twice during a week long holiday in Raro. Younger staff needs a bit more practice but would love to eat there again! Beef and potatoe gratin mmmm