Crafty’s Bar & Grill

About Crafty’s Bar & Grill

Crafty's Bar & Grill is a neighbourhood bar and restaurant on Bainfield Road in Waikiwi, Invercargill, serving southern-style hospitality alongside American-style smoked meats and a free-ranging selection of street foods from around the world. The kitchen's core business is low and slow barbecue — pork ribs, brisket, pulled pork and wings — backed by smash burgers, loaded fries, homemade dumplings, bao and karaage.

The bar keeps things just as local, pouring what the team calls an all-star lineup of New Zealand craft beers, ciders and spirits, with bar snacks available any time the doors are open. There's a dedicated dessert list for finishing sweet.

Crafty's opens Thursday through Sunday, with lunch from 11:30am to 2pm and dinner service from 4:30pm, plus a takeaway menu running Thursday to Sunday evenings. Tables can be booked online or by phone, and the team describes the place simply as 'your new local'.

Crafty's Bar & Grill Invercargill: Slow-Smoked BBQ, Smash Burgers and NZ Craft Beer in Waikiwi

On Bainfield Road in Waikiwi, Crafty's Bar & Grill has become the kind of place Invercargill locals recommend with a knowing nod: a proper smokehouse where the ribs come off the bone, the brisket is sliced to order, and the fridge is stocked with New Zealand craft. The team sums it up as 'your new local' — southern-style hospitality paired with American-style smoked meats and a free-ranging selection of street foods from around the world.

It starts at the smoker

The heart of the menu is low and slow. Pork ribs, brisket, pork butt and chicken wings all spend time in the smoke before they reach the table, and they surface everywhere: a half rack of smoked BBQ pork ribs with chunky chips and slaw, a Brisket Plate with mash or chips, brisket gravy and a side of mac n cheese, and a BBQ Plate that stacks three smoked ribs, two wings (BBQ or buffalo) and a slice of brisket on one board. Even the sausage is smoked — a 400g boerewors served on chips or mash with fried eggs and gravy.

Burgers with a following

Crafty's burgers have quietly become signature orders. The Ol' Smashie stacks two homemade beef smash patties with double cheese, homemade maple bourbon bacon, pickles and slaw in a toasted brioche bun. The KFC Burger pairs crispy-coated chicken thigh in the house Korean sauce with kimchi ketchup, sweet and spicy pickles and slaw, while the Philly Cheese is built on tender strips of smoked beef seared with onions. The Porky Pig brings smoked pulled pork, pickled onions and a crackling spear. Every burger comes with chunky chips, and the loaded fries — cheese sauce and brisket gravy, or Japanese curry with grilled mozzarella — are a dish in their own right.

A street-food streak

The range runs well beyond American barbecue. Homemade dumplings — chicken, lamb or vegan — are pan-fried and steamed and served with the kitchen's famous Korean dipping sauce. There are steamed pork belly bao, soy-garlic-ginger karaage chicken bites, a gyudon beef bowl simmered in sweet soy over rice, and a Katsu Curry with crispy chicken thigh. Crafty's Nibbles — ten crispy chicken pieces smothered in that Korean sauce, mild to hot, or homemade buffalo — have become something of a rite of passage. Bar snacks are available any time the doors are open, and a separate dessert list is there to finish on a sweet note.

Keeping the drinks local

The bar follows the same philosophy as the kitchen: keep it local. Crafty's pours an all-star lineup of New Zealand craft beers, ciders and spirits, with specials drinks options appearing alongside the regular list.

Planning your visit

Crafty's opens Thursday to Sunday. Lunch runs from 11:30am to 2pm, dinner service starts at 4:30pm, and the takeaway menu operates Thursday to Sunday between 4:30pm and 7:30pm — handy if you'd rather eat the brisket at home. Tables can be booked online or by phone on (03) 215-4087, with email enquiries to info@craftysinvercargill.nz. Celebrating? There's a published cake policy for anyone bringing their own, and the bar runs events through the year — Oktoberfest sessions have been among the recent ticketed nights. Follow Crafty's on social media for the latest news, then come hungry: between the smoker, the smash burgers and the snack list, this Waikiwi local makes a strong case for becoming exactly what it promises.

Signature items

• Ol' Smashie Burger
• Brisket Plate
• KFC Burger
• Crafty's Dumplings
• BBQ Plate
• Crafty's Nibbles

Menu

Mains

• Ol' Smashie Burger — Two beef smash patties, double cheese, maple bourbon bacon, pickles and slaw, with chunky chips.
• KFC Burger — Crispy chicken thigh in Korean sauce with pickles, mayo, kimchi ketchup and slaw, with chips.
• Philly Cheese Burger — Smoked beef strips seared with onions, double cheese, homemade bacon, pickles and slaw.
• Porky Pig Burger — Smoked and pulled pork butt with homemade bacon, pickled onions, slaw and a crackling spear.
• Nibbles & Chips — Twelve crispy nibbles in Korean or buffalo sauce on chunky chips with a side of slaw.
• Sausages, Eggs, & Chips — Smoked 400g boerewors on chips or mash, topped with two fried eggs and brisket gravy.
• Schnitty & Chips — Crispy chicken schnitzel on chips or mash with brisket gravy and a side of slaw.
• Gyudon Beef Bowl — Thinly sliced beef chuck and onions simmered in sweet soy, over rice with pickled ginger.
• Brisket Plate — Tender smoked brisket slices with mash or chips, brisket gravy, slaw and a side of mac n cheese.
• BBQ Plate — Three smoked pork ribs, two BBQ or buffalo wings and smoked brisket, with chips and gravy.
• Ribs & Chips — Half rack of smoked BBQ pork ribs with chunky chips and a side of homemade slaw.

Sides

• Sauces — Tomato, aioli, BBQ, KFC or jalapeño.
• Pickles / Jalapeños — Extra pickles or sliced jalapeños on the side.
• 2 Fried Free Range Eggs — A pair of fried free-range eggs.
• Mac N Cheese — Creamy macaroni cheese side.
• Mash — Creamy mashed potato side.
• Slaw — House slaw side.
• Brisket Gravy — The house gravy made from smoked brisket.

Lunch Light Meals

• Crispy Chicken on Rice — Crispy battered chicken in Korean sauce (mild, medium or hot) over steamed rice.
• Shotgun Shells — Cannelloni tubes stuffed with cheesy mince, bacon-wrapped, smoked and topped with melted mozzarella.
• Katsu Curry — Japanese-style curry with chunky root vegetables, crispy chicken thigh and steamed rice.
• Crafty's Platter — A sharing plate of crispy chicken, karaage bites, chips, dumplings and dipping sauces.

Bar Snacks & Takeaway

• Cheesy Garlic Bread — House-baked loaf lined with garlic spread and mozzarella, toasted in the oven.
• Breads & Spreads — Warm house-baked loaf served with spreads and relishes; ask staff for the current lineup.
• Chunky Chips — Twice-cooked fries in regular or spicy seasoning, with homemade tomato sauce or aioli.
• Loaded Fries — Chunky chips topped with cheese sauce and brisket gravy, or Japanese curry and grilled mozzarella.
• Karaage Chicken Bites — Chicken thigh marinated in soy, garlic and ginger, dusted in potato starch and fried crispy.
• Sliders (2) — Smoked pulled lamb with pickled onions and slaw, or crispy battered monk fish with tartare.
• Jalapeño Bites — Cheesy jalapeño croquettes, crumbed and fried, with homemade jalapeño sauce and aioli.
• Crafty's Dumplings — Eight homemade dumplings, pan-fried and steamed, with Korean dipping sauce; chicken, lamb or vegan.
• Porky Bao — Two steamed bao buns filled with roasted pork belly, slaw and gravy.
• Crafty's Nibbles — Ten crispy chicken nibbles in Korean sauce (mild, medium, hot) or homemade buffalo.
• Crafty's Cheeseburger — Homemade beef smash pattie with cheese, pickles and BBQ sauce on a toasted brioche bun, with chips.

Frequently asked questions

What are Crafty's opening hours?

Thursday to Sunday. Lunch runs 11:30am–2pm and dinner service starts at 4:30pm (the site doesn't publish a dinner closing time). Bar snacks are available whenever the venue is open.

Do I need to book a table?

Bookings are easy to make — reserve online via the website or call 03 215-4087. Email enquiries go to info@craftysinvercargill.nz.

Does Crafty's do takeaway?

Yes. A dedicated takeaway menu — chunky chips, burgers, ribs and more — runs Thursday to Sunday, 4:30pm to 7:30pm. Phone orders on (03) 215-4087.

Are there gluten-free or vegan options?

Yes. The menu marks gluten-free options (GFO) across most dishes, and there are vegan (VN) and plant-based (PBO) choices such as the dumplings and chunky chips. Ask staff for the current options.

What should I order on a first visit?

The smoked meats are the point of the place — the BBQ Plate gives you ribs, wings and brisket in one hit, or go the Ol' Smashie Burger for the house burger, then add Crafty's Nibbles to share.

Can I bring my own cake?

Yes — Crafty's publishes a cake policy on its website. Give it a read before your visit so there are no surprises.

What does the bar pour?

A lineup of New Zealand craft beers, ciders and spirits, keeping the drinks as local as the hospitality.

Tips

• {"body":"Dinner runs Thursday to Sunday from 4:30pm. Reserve online or call (03) 215-4087 to secure a table.","title":"Book ahead for dinner"}
• {"body":"Takeaway runs Thursday to Sunday, 4:30–7:30pm — perfect for burgers, ribs and nibbles at home.","title":"Use the takeaway window"}
• {"body":"The BBQ Plate and Crafty's Platter are built for the middle of the table; mix in a serve of dumplings or bao.","title":"Go sharing-style"}
• {"body":"Bar snacks are available any time the venue is open, so you can drop in for karaage and a craft beer between services.","title":"Snacks never stop"}
• {"body":"Crafty's posts events and news on its Facebook page — ticketed nights like Oktoberfest have appeared there.","title":"Follow the socials"}

Good to know

• {"dietary":"Gluten-free options marked across the menu, plus vegan and plant-based choices on dishes like dumplings and chips."}