Reviews for Huntsman Steakhouse

by Dan
10th October 2011

This business is a MenuMania SponsorOne of the Business' Favourite Reviews

Went here for my birthday after hearing great things I just had to go. The meat was just perfect everyone’s on the table cooked just right. The salad bar was also great. Loved the banana salad and the egg salad, Would return again Thanks for a great night out.

by G E.
10th May 2012

I visited this restaurant for the first time with my parents in April 2012. We had a combination of steaks and seafood, which were all perfectly cooked. The “shrimp cocktail” with thousand island dressing like the way it used to be made was a real treat. The steaks were juicy and tender. There was also the added bonus of a salad bar with a wide range of fresh options, including a signature-dish banana side that my mother found particularly delicious. What was especially enjoyable about the Huntsman was the outstanding service. We were welcomed on arrival by Geoff, who after seating us and providing our menus, explained the specials of the day and then invited us to consider them and the regular mains before returning in good time. He also invited us to help ourselves to salads while we choose our entrees. On his return he took our orders for drinks. I drink very little and on that night decided not to drink anything, but my parents both decided to accompany their meals with various local wines and beers. Geoff was able to explain and recommend various options to my parents with a great deal of local knowledge. He then returned with two very generous glasses of central Otago pinot gris. After our tasty entrees, our mains arrived which we added even more salad too. All the while Geoff was managing the very busy restaurant dining room in a calm, professional and welcoming way. I highly recommend the Huntsman Steakhouse, it’s excellent.

Comment from Peter B. of Huntsman Steakhouse 10/05/2012    Hide »

Kia Ora and thank you for your kind and gracious review. We…    More »

Kia Ora and thank you for your kind and gracious review.

We work very hard to deliver good service and good food and it is gratifying when our customers take the time to acknowledge exceptional service.

Thank you again

PeterB

by Bruce C.
23rd April 2012

Positives – Excellent steaks, very tender, juicy and perfectly cooked. Great desserts too.
Negatives – Salad selection was a bit old fashioned. A bit horrified to be handed my desert spoon with the waiter holding the spoon end!! Didn’t want to make a fuss so a good clean and all was right!!

Comment from Peter B. of Huntsman Steakhouse 24/04/2012    Hide »

Thanks for taking the time to write a review. I have shown your…    More »

Thanks for taking the time to write a review.

I have shown your review to my staff and they; like you and me were mortified at the idea that they handed you a spoon in the manner that you describe – my and their sincere apologies – I have reinforced to them the way in which they should hand a spoon to a customer.

As you are probably aware the Huntsman has been a Dunedin icon for over 40 years and the consistent message that we get from most of our customers is keep it the way it is – therefore the salads may appear old fashioned and they are because that is one of our appeals – our salad bar is unashamedly our support act for the highest quality steak that we can buy – we only use export grade meats from Silver Fern Farms.

I am very pleased that your steaks were great and cooked to your satisfaction and that you enjoyed the desserts.

Thank you again for your review

by Karen B.
15th February 2012

Unfortunately we chose to go here on a night when the restaurant was 2 staff down, leaving only 2 people to try and keep the place running smoothly. It was Valentines so this made it even worse as the restaurant was packed. Well done to the chef who managed to keep calm!! Jeff who was taking orders and greeting people at the door however needs to learn a little etiquette when under stress. The meal itself was ok. I would like to try eating there again when things are a little more normal.

Comment from Peter B. of Huntsman Steakhouse 15/02/2012    Hide »

Thanks for taking the time to write a review. Being 3 staff down…    More »

Thanks for taking the time to write a review.
Being 3 staff down with nobody available at short-noitice despite my frantic efforts to bring staff in was not satisfactory – for this and for the fact that our service was far from optimal you have my unreserved apologies
I appreciate your constructiveness and would like the opportunity to provide you with a great meal and experience when you return – I have responded directly to you also

by Chuck
24th December 2011

We’re from the US and have had trouble finding a good steak here (grass fed and all that). Usually very tough. So, being in Dunedin on Christmas eve and knowing no one we just walked in. In a nutshell:

The staff was very attentive

The steaks were cooked to perfection, and the meat was tender and juicy.

The cook (who I believe is also the owner) came round to every table and checked to make sure that everyone was happy with the way their meat was prepared.

The salad bar was good staple fare; nothing fancy but I enjoyed everything.

I’d definitely recommend this place.

by Anita K.
21st December 2011

Can’t go past The Huntsman for the best steak in town, and we have tried a few. Steaks cooked to perfection and nothing is a problem if you want to alter the meal. Peter is a great host and has a fantastic memory. One of the few chefs in town who will actually cook things as you have asked even though he may not agree. We are working our way through menu.

by Lyle
3rd December 2011

We were given a discount voucher to this restaurant where you get $30 off, it was just as well. We got there just after it opened and were greeted cordially enough by a young guy at the counter. We were seated in a booth with lots of brochures on the table and the menu was explained to us. Free salad bar/help yourself. It was freezing in there. The guy bought over a heater that did not appear to work at all. We had our jackets over our legs to keep warm. I inspected the salad bar and there were only three there. They hadn’t yet stocked the salad bar. I didnt think it was that good to be open for business and the place is freezing cold and the food is not ready. We were given menus and given a chart to indicate differences between rare, medium rare etc. Good idea except someone forgot to show it to the chef. I ordered beef steak which was past the medium rare i asked for. Wife had venison steak. She had three pieces one was okay the others hard and dry. Problem was they were irregularly cut with thin and thick ends almost impossible to cook properly. Mains were $32 or $33 each and came with two baked potatoes that had been reheated to warm.
The salad bar was boring, shredded red cabbage, grated carrot, watery coleslaw, potato salad pasta gerkins olives and pickled onions. The curried eggs were quite nice.
To add to the experience an older man who appeared to be the owner was busy negotiating a business deal with a guy at the table behind us in quite a loud voice. A bit unprofessional really. If it wasnt for the 30 dollar voucher we would have felt really ripped off.

Comment from Peter B. of Huntsman Steakhouse 6/12/2011    Hide »

Thank you for your review. Clearly you were not happy with a…    More »

Thank you for your review. Clearly you were not happy with a number of matters and for that I apologise. It would have been nice to have been given the opportunity on the night to address your concerns and make things right for you One of the things that I find very disappointing about reviews like this is that my staff always check with guests to see that the meal is cooked to their satisfaction – our attitude has always been that if it isn’t right we will fix it – of course that depends upon our guest telling us if they have a problem.

I am uncertain as to what you expect in a complimentary all you can eat salad bar – we offer a tasty wholesome range of basic salads which we are regularly complimented on

by E J.
8th September 2011

Wow. How to explain the delights of this restaurant? We dined there less than an hour ago and it’s a place we will go again! The menu is varied but if you go to a steak house, you ought to stick with what they are best at. The way the steak is cooked is clearly explained, with pictures, so that even those whose brains are frazzled will know what they are ordering!

We had the steak with peppercorn sauce, cooked medium. It was absolutely wonderful. The roast potato was a lovely accompanyment and the salads were sensational. I loved the kumara and orange one and went back for seconds. My husband tried some of everything, even the one that I shied away from, (the reviewer below seemed to enjoy it, so next time, I’ll try it!) the banana salad.

We didn’t have dessert; it would’ve been a struggle to move if we had! Again – that’s for next time. We really enjoyed the ambience. The service was attentive without being intrusive. We were able to thank the chef for his skills – and that means a lot. We’re all too quick (as humans) to complain when we’re dissatisfied, so a few praises don’t go amiss!

We look forward to dining there again . . . and again . . . and again! Thank you, Huntsman Steakhouse!

Comment from Peter B. of Huntsman Steakhouse 10/10/2011    Hide »

Hi Thanks so much for your great review. We are a service…    More »

Hi

Thanks so much for your great review. We are a service industry and there is nothing better to me than satisfied customers.

Thanks again and we look forward to seeing you again

Peter

by EeLaine Y.
4th September 2011

Came here last night with my boyfriend for a birthday dinner and while the service was very friendly and efficient, the food could have been better.

The entrees we ordered were squid rings and blue cod, and I thought they were overpriced for the quantity received. The squid rings were only average and while the blue cod was better, three small pieces for $15 seemed over priced.

The mains were tasty, but again, over priced. The unlimited salad bar was sub standard, considering that there were no leaf salads available- mainly consisting of carbohydrate-heavy potato salad, kumara/pumpkin salad and the like. My boyfriend commented that the smell of the banana salad had permeated the other salads, and that this was off-putting.

In short, tasty mains but overall I have definitely experienced better.

Comment from Peter B. of Huntsman Steakhouse 4/09/2011    Hide »

Kia Oar EeLaine Thank you for your review I am disppointed…    More »

Kia Oar EeLaine

Thank you for your review

I am disppointed that you didn’t raise your concerns with myself or my staff last night

Our portion sizes for our entrees are what is regarded as standard and in my experience our prices are at the lower end of the price range

I must admit to be being really puzzled by your comments about the salad bar – all of our clients have a choice of 9 salads plus beetroot, pickled onions and olives and gherkins

Apart from the salads that you mentioned there was a choice of colealaw, red cabbage, carrot, peas and corn, and curried egg

So there are only 3 carbohydrate rich salads, pasta, potato and kumura.


The banana salad is made fresh each day with banana, lemon juice, icing sugar and yoghurt and I am absolutely certain as you were one of our first customers for the night that customers had not mixed the salad spoons up – this is something that my staff and I check regularly through the evening

Our salad bar is an adjunct to our menu and is unlimited and complementary to all of our main-menu meals unlike at other restaurants where you either pay per serve or order specialty salads – we aim to provide a range of healthy, nutritious salads .

We frequently are congratulated on both the quality and range of our salads.

Aagin thank you for feedback and I am always happy to discuss your concerns with you directly if you wish to contact me

by Jack R.
10th June 2011

I come here often. The only bad thing i could say about this place is that if you eat a steak here you cannot go anywhere else again. I ate here and loved the steak, easily the best I’ve ever had. Then I went to Angus it was rubbish in comparison, then lone star- rubbish, belmacewn no 7 -rubbish. This place has ruined me! I can’t buy a steak anywhere else again, because this steak is that GOOD. I think this inside looks awesome, however the outside decor should be upgraded a bit, neon lights do not match the old time British look on the inside. This place is Dunedin’s best kept secret.

by Sonya B.
12th March 2011

My husband and I eat out fairly regularly and while we like to try new places we always find it really hard to go past the Huntsman because of the great meals and the salad bar. I (to most chefs horror) like my steak well done and it has always arrived at the table perfectly cooked. The peppercorn sauce is to die for and don’t even get me started on the salad bar! The Banana salad in fantastic. I have never left this restaurant disappointed and the staff & Peter always check that everything is to our liking. Keep up the great work guys! See you soon.

Comment from Peter B. of Huntsman Steakhouse 3/04/2011    Hide »

Thanks for your great review. I am really pleased that you like…    More »

Thanks for your great review.

I am really pleased that you like the food and we just love repeat customers.

It is really nice to get compliments – we always will do our best to ensure that our customers leave satisfied

Thanks again

Peter

by nikki
1st January 2011

My partner and I came here recently for dinner and we both had satisfying meals. I have been here a few times in the past and have always enjoyed the food, which is why I returned.
I thought the salads were even better this time around, I really liked the banana salad, I had to keep going back for more, I had never had anything like it before! It was delicious.
The steak was cooked to perfection and worth every penny as far as I am concerned.
The only thing that was a bit strange was the way one waitress was talking to another-she seemed angry and annoyed that the other waitress was working at a slower pace than her and was letting it be known! I felt sorry for the poor young girl who was trying her best!
Apart from that…well done guys! A friendly establishment with a homely feel and hearty well cooked food

by Jackie
18th September 2010

We had a meal at Hunstsman recently and could not believe the absolutely exhorbitant prices! The prices are what we would pay for a five star restaurant and yet these meals were just pub meals.The steaks and salad bar were okay for a pub meal-if we’d paid pub meal prices. We have had far nicer, and much more reasonably priced meals at mitchells! We sat in little booths reminiscent of 1970′s style restaurants. The waitress was pleasant but only asked us for drink order once and we never got asked if we’d like dessert or coffee at all. Certainly not a place we’d ever return to.

Comment from Peter B. of Huntsman Steakhouse 1/10/2010    Hide »

Hi Jackie When you go to a pub you certainly do not get Export…    More »

Hi Jackie When you go to a pub you certainly do not get Export Grade Prime Steer steak nor do you get an unlimited eat all you can salad bar. Our prices are comparable with other restaurants serving this style of food – I frequently dine out and compare our prices and the great advantage of the Huntsman is that the salad bar is free and you never leave hungry I am disappointed that my staff failed both your and my expectations The Huntsman is celebrating its 40th year this year and the style and decor are intentional – our regular customers have specificaaly reqauested that we do not change the decor or style Tonight I had a customer tell me that her steak was the best steak that she has ever eaten and another customer congratulate us on our salad bar I am sorry that you did not enjoy your meal and I regeet that you did not take the opportunity to raise your concersn with me at the time

by Kieran
11th August 2010

My partner and I decided to have the lasagna and chilli con carne, just to try them out. Unfortunately they were rather unpleasant. The lasagna was basically a bowl of melted cheese and sauce and seemed like it had been taken out of the freezer and microwaved. The chilli con carne was a slop of unknown proportions and was no better.

Although this is a steakhouse attention still needs to be given towards non-steak meals.

Comment from Peter B. of Huntsman Steakhouse 1/10/2010    Hide »

Hi Kieran I am disppointed that you were not happy with your…    More »

Hi Kieran

I am disppointed that you were not happy with your meals and I would have hoped that you would have raised the matter with myself or my staff.

I make both the Lasagna and the Chilli Con Carne myself and both myself and my staff eat them frequently as do many of our customers who compliment us on both dishes

Both Lasagna and Chilli Con Carne can be prepared in many different ways and I am sorry that our style is not your style

by Anna
13th May 2010

The steaks were cooked perfectly and were very nice. The salad bar was disappointing, although after my steak I could hardly fit anything else in!

Unfortunately there were only two people working when we went (one chef and one waiter) but nearly a dozen customers in the restaurant which made it a bit of a wait.

The garlic bread was just two rolls with a bit of butter, I wouldn’t recommend it.

Comment from Peter B. of Huntsman Steakhouse 18/05/2010    Hide »

Hi Anna Thanks for your comments and I am pleased that your…    More »

Hi Anna

Thanks for your comments and I am pleased that your steaks were to your satisfaction

You have not said why you found the salad bar disappointing – we deliberately keep the salad bar simple and are frequently complimented on it

We make our own bread in and we do it it in a bun style and it is defintely served with garlic butter – I am soory that we didn’t meet your expectation and I would be happy to receive any suggestions from you as to how you think we might present the bread differently

Peter

by Deana
26th April 2010

My family were regulars while under the previous owners and my son and I could never see past getting anything but the “special” called the RBT. We called in recently to see if the RBT is still as nice as it used to be, and to our surprise its now even BETTER!
I also like the new seating arrangements as you don’t feel so closed in now.
Wonderful food, great service and an excellent and most attentive waiter

Comment from Peter B. of Huntsman Steakhouse 18/05/2010    Hide »

Kia Ora Deana Thank you for your review – I am certainly…    More »

Kia Ora Deana

Thank you for your review – I am certainly pleased that not only have we met the high standards of the previous owner but that we have improved upon them.

The new seating arrangement is working well for us – many of our regulars were keen for us to preserve the atmosphere as it has always been and we are happy that we have been able to make some alterations withour disturbing the fomula that has worked for 40 years

Peter

by Paul M.
5th February 2010

After consuming enough beer to kill a horse I travelled through town and found this Restaurant. The food – okay , Service terrible. I asked for a refund on the steak I had bought, It was declined as “I had already eaten the steak”. The steak was NOT well done, it was raw. I want my refund please. Thank you and good night.

Comment from Peter B. of Huntsman Steakhouse 5/02/2010    Hide »

Hi Paul I would appreciate if you could phone me dirctly at the…    More »

Hi Paul

I would appreciate if you could phone me dirctly at the restaurant as I am deeply concerned about your comments and I would really like to know when this happened.

We have a policy with all of our staff of asking each of our guests immediately after we have cooked and delivered their meal as to whether their steak is cooked to their satisfaction.

As stated on our menu wwe do tend to undercook rhater than overcook but we will ALWAYS recook a steak if it is not to your total satisfaction

I have spoken to each of my staff about your review and they are all adamant that they have never declined a refund for any customer – in any case it would not be their decision to make and they know that they must always refer decsaions like this to myself

We go out of our way to ensure that all of our guests have a good dining experience and every night we have positive comments both about the quality of the steak and in particular how the steaks are cooked

Please feel free to phone me or contact me at the restaurant if you wish to provide me with more details

Peter B

by ross b.
12th November 2009

We had a work function at the Huntsman recently. The steaks were large and delicious – the potatoes were great – and there were plenty of salad options to choose from. The service was good – and it was particularly nice to have the owner come through for a chat, and one of the staff agree to take a group photo for us. All in all a great night out.

by Deborah S.
16th October 2009

We ate here at Huntsman for the first time last night and I can’t fault it. The service was great (the young waiter was not only efficient but also a fun personality), the food arrived in good time, the restaurant is clean, attractive and carries a cosy atmosphere, the all-you-can-eat salad bar is always an asset to a restaurant and last but not least the food was absolutely delicious! The roast potatoes are to die for and the garlic prawns are sensational. The people in our group who had steaks all reported that they were cooked to the requested amounts and were great. The owner is very caring of his customers and I am told he regularly comes out to chat and check that they’re happy with their meal; he did this with us. I am from Nelson but will definately return to Huntsman next time we’re passing through.

by Tracey Owens
17th August 2009

This was without a doubt the worst dining experience I have ever had, though the waitress was polite and cheerful the service was slow and disappointing.

The entree (Squid Rings and a Garlic Bread) was well below parr being some sort of reconstituted Squid with no taste and the Garlic Bread was a over toasted bread roll with little Garlic butter.

The wait for the mains was long and the meal when it arrived was disappointing with neither of our steaks cooked to our specifications also the lack of choice and the lack of flavour with the salads was also once again disappointing and changing from a nice baked potato to a deep fried potato not a good move.

I have eaten at the Huntsman for 32 years on and off and all I can say to the new proprietor is if something isn’t broke than dint fix it!!!!!!!!!

Things should have been left the way they were because that recipe worked.

Comment from Peter B. of Huntsman Steakhouse 30/09/2009    Hide »

Thanks for your feedback – It would have been really useful if you…    More »

Thanks for your feedback – It would have been really useful if you had raised your concerns on the night so that we could have dealt with them there and then.

My staff have been instructed to always check with customers that their steaks are cooked to their satisfaction – in the event that they are not then we will always redo the steak to your satisfaction.

The squid rings are described accurately as shredded squid – we have now added calamari to the menu as an option for those who prefer whole squid rings.

The change from a baked potato to a roast potato is a decision that has been welcomed and commented upon favourably by many of our customers.

I can assure you that we strive to maintain a balance between what has worked for the last 40 years and maintaining the appeal to today’s customers.

I regret that your experience did not live up to your expectations – the changes that we have made have been carefully considered and commented on favourably by many customers.

To be frank and honest, i receive daily compliments about the quality of the steaks and the salad bar and indeed a recent comment from a very satisfied customer was that they come to the Huntsman because of the salad bar.

by Bella
26th June 2009

Overall was abit disapointed at the quality of the food considering how much we were charged for an average meal for 2 compared to other restaurants.

The only positive i can say was the service from the waitress and the steak being good, everything else that comes with it wasnt nice at all.

All in all, we probably wouldnt dine there again.

Comment from Peter B. of Huntsman Steakhouse 26/06/2009    Hide »

Thank you for your review – we always welcome feedback and like to…    More »

Thank you for your review – we always welcome feedback and like to know what we can improve – we are a steakhouse offering only the best export quality steaks supported by a wide selection of salads

Clearly we do not meet your expectation and I would like to know what we would need to change to meet your expectations

by Kate
25th June 2009

Great service! the owner is wonderful, and the chef, Tom, was absolutely wonderful! He even came out to the tables to check how everything was!
The steaks are the best I have ever had, the lamb was amazing, and their soups are great as well!
Might want to go with a reno’ in the near future, but other then that, keep up the good work!!

Comment from Peter B. of Huntsman Steakhouse 26/06/2009    Hide »

We are really pleased that you enjoyed your evening. The…    More »

We are really pleased that you enjoyed your evening.

The restaurant has been going for 40 years and we try to maintain a balance between our customers who expect it remain the same and those who would like to see it changed – in fact since you were in we have made some more changes that we think are a major improvement in look and feel

by Anna
11th June 2009

The staff are very helpful. There’s a salad bar so you can choose what you want with your steak as opposed to the generic salad on the side most places do.

Most importantly they do the most delicious steaks I’ve ever had!

by Katie
5th June 2009

Me and my partner went for dinner for our anniversary a wee while back. At first i couldnt get use to the really odd atmosphere, but the service was good and it was the most amazing steak ive ever had!! i can’t wait to go back

Comment from Peter B. of Huntsman Steakhouse 26/06/2009    Hide »

We are really pleased that you enjoyed your meal and the service…    More »

We are really pleased that you enjoyed your meal and the service and look forward to seeing you again

by Dot
22nd November 2008

A very good meal and wonderful salad bar. My husband always enjoys the steak and I enjoy a variety. Very good service. I know it changed hands but the food is still as good as it ever was. Nice for a quiet Sunday night meal. Have probably been going there for over 30 years.

by katherine
1st June 2008

A great friendly small restuarant with reasonably priced food – mostly steaks, but fish and vegetarian options are available.

Salad bar was refreshing and had great variety.

Service was genuine and friendly.

Nothing fancy but a good hearty REAL meal-”Steak Mignon” was a treat

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