A bar on Main Street in Ōtaki, the Family Hotel holds a 4.1 rating from 148 Google reviews, with diners praising generous meals, a recent renovation and classic Kapiti hospitality. Reviews often mention the pool tables, pokies and steak night, with the chicken burger and garlic bread drawing particular praise.
A good country pub is judged as much by its kitchen as by what's on tap, and the food classics are usually what people come back for. The bar room itself earns its keep too: pool tables, the pokies corner and a weekly specials night give locals a reason to drop in midweek, not just at the weekend. Regulars learn the rhythm of a place like this, so it never hurts to ask at the bar which nights are worth timing a visit around.
On Main Street in Ōtaki, the Family Hotel makes a natural stop for a meal and a beer, local or just passing up the Kapiti Coast.