The Waimakariri Tavern is a bar and eatery at 1276 Main North Road, Kainga, Christchurch, rated 4.4 from 269 Google reviews. Reviewers describe a relaxed, kid-friendly pub with plenty of seating inside and outside, and mention live music most often, along with a beer garden, a pool table and pokies. One visitor praised the service from a woman running the whole place on her own, from the counter to the kitchen to the tables.
A good country-style pub works as a local meeting place, with a decent pour, hearty food and a welcome for families. Afternoon live music suits a relaxed Sunday, but it can fill the beer garden on a sunny day, so arriving a little early helps you find a table. At a small pub where staff are stretched, patience pays: order at the counter, keep drinks and food together and be kind, since a friendly service goes both ways. Check for a kids' menu if you bring children, and ask what is on tap if you like to try something new.
For Kainga locals and drivers heading along Main North Road, it is a casual stop for a drink, a meal and some live music.