The Black Horse Hotel on Lincoln Road in Hillmorton is a Christchurch pub with genuine history — it has been proudly serving guests since 1866 — that today operates as a full-scale sports bar and entertainment venue. Live sport screens daily alongside gaming and TAB facilities, while darts, pool and table soccer keep the competitive spirit alive. When the sun's out, the inviting beer garden is the spot to unwind with a drink in hand, and for anyone not ready to call it a night, the hotel offers comfortable on-site accommodation.
The kitchen sticks to what a pub does best: juicy burgers, sizzling steaks and classic pub favourites, backed by a weekly rhythm of specials — darts night on Monday, a steak special on Tuesday, karaoke and chicken schnitzel on Wednesday, a pool comp with Jack Daniel pork ribs on Thursday, raffles with a chef's special and cocktails on Friday, sports and live music on Saturday, and the Social Club with a Sunday roast of the day. Groups of ten or more who book a table in the bar on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday evenings receive a complimentary serving of beer.
Beer is clearly the heart of the place, with craft brews poured from recipes built on carefully selected barley, wheat and hops. Food is available through Uber Eats, craft beers can be ordered for delivery, and tables — including private areas for parties and meetings — can be reserved online. Reviewers consistently mention the friendly, helpful staff, the clean premises and the warm local atmosphere.
On Lincoln Road in Hillmorton, The Black Horse Hotel has been serving Christchurch for a very long time. The pub traces its hospitality back to 1866, and more than a century and a half later it has grown into something bigger than an ordinary neighbourhood bar: a sports bar, a gaming and TAB venue, a home for darts and pool, a live-music room, a beer garden and — for those who would rather not call it a night — a place to stay.
That mix is the point. As the team puts it, this is where great games, good times and cosy stays come together, and regulars seem to agree. Reviews describe helpful staff, tasty food and a great atmosphere, with one guest summing it up nicely: 'a great pub, great company, built in 1866 but extremely clean.'
Few pubs hand you this many excuses to come back. Monday is darts night, with meal specials running alongside the arrows. Tuesday turns to the grill with a steak special and Golden Oldies jugs. Wednesday pairs karaoke with chicken schnitzel night — sing, laugh, then tuck in. Thursday brings a pool competition and Jack Daniel pork ribs. Friday rounds out the working week with raffles, a chef's special and cocktail deals. Saturday is for sport and live music, and Sunday slows things down with the Social Club and a proper roast of the day.
Sports fans are looked after every day in between. Screens carry live fixtures on channels including Fox Sports, ESPN, Eurosport and CBS Sports HQ, and the pub even turns out for the big racing occasions, hosting viewing for the Epsom Derby — billed as the richest and most prestigious horse race in Britain.
The kitchen keeps things classic and generous: juicy burgers, sizzling steaks and the kind of pub favourites that pair naturally with a cold pint. Bar snacks are there for a quick round, and the weekly specials give the menu a comfortable rhythm — schnitzel on Wednesday, ribs on Thursday, the roast on Sunday.
Groups are well catered for, too. Book a table in the bar with ten or more people on a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday evening and a complimentary serving of beer arrives with you — a simple, old-fashioned thank-you for gathering the crew midweek.
Beer is the heart of the operation, and The Black Horse leans into it. The bar pours local and craft brews and talks proudly about brewing traditions accumulated 'over all these long years' — recipes built on carefully selected barley, wheat and hops. The house range includes the Classic and Golden craft beers and the Extra craft beer and ale, all available through the pub's online shop for delivery. Can't make it in at all? The kitchen's food is on Uber Eats, so burgers and pub favourites can reach the couch as well as the bar.
Beyond the screens, there's plenty to do with your hands. Darts competitions run among the pub's 'bravest regulars,' the billiards table offers a friendly gathering spot, and the table soccer setup is described as player-friendly and designed by pros. In warmer weather the beer garden is the place to unwind with a drink, while the gaming room and TAB keep punters in the action.
And if the evening runs long, the hotel lives up to the second half of its name: comfortable on-site accommodation means a weekend escape or a big night out doesn't have to end with a drive home.
The Black Horse Hotel is at 33 Lincoln Road, Hillmorton, Christchurch, and opens from 10 AM to 11 PM. Tables can be reserved through the booking form on the website, and private areas are available for office parties, birthdays, business meetings and other gatherings — pick your date, confirm the table and, as the pub suggests, start working on your appetite. Owned by Martin Woods, it's a straightforward sort of place that knows exactly what it is: great food, great beer, live sport, darts and great people, seven days a week.