Local Queenstown is a Queenstown institution on Rees Street, bringing together a bar, restaurant and rooftop across three lively levels in the heart of the CBD. Since opening its doors it has set the tone for a well-rounded daily and nightly experience, guided by a simple ethos: 'there are no strangers here, only people you haven't met yet.'
The venue's roots stretch back to 1997, when the previous owner created Surreal with the goal of a total night out — great food, drinks and entertainment all under one roof. Under new ownership by a company heavily involved in hospitality and iconic festivals like Snow Machine in Japan and New Zealand, Surreal has entered a new era as Local, keeping the crowd-pleasing, flavour-loaded food and the good times coming.
Downstairs, the bar evolves from day into evening with 16 taps pouring New Zealand beers, international favourites and specially chosen craft brews, alongside hand-crafted signature and classic cocktails, a curated New Zealand wine list and an extensive spirit collection. Happy hour runs from 4 to 6pm every day. The casual, comfortable restaurant pairs friendly, efficient service with a crowd-pleasing menu given a Local twist — from share plates and parmys to a famed lamb shoulder for two.
Upstairs, the Original and Best Rooftop Bar in Queenstown is a chilled sun trap by day and a DJ-fuelled dancefloor by night, with a fully retractable roof and heaters keeping things warm and dry whatever the weather. Add live music, karaoke, quiz nights and live sports through the week, and it's easy to see why locals and visitors alike make Local their go-to. Open 7 days, noon till late, excluding public holidays.
Step off Rees Street in the middle of Queenstown's CBD and you've found it: Local Queenstown, a three-level bar, restaurant and rooftop that has become something of an institution in town. The house motto says it all — 'there are no strangers here, only people you haven't met yet.' Open seven days from noon until late, it's built for lingering: a drink on the streetside terrace, dinner in a cosy booth downstairs, or a sunset — and later, a dancefloor — up on the rooftop.
The venue's story stretches back to 1997, when the previous owner set out to create a total night out — great food, drinks and entertainment all under one roof — and named it Surreal. A new era began under new ownership by a company deeply involved in hospitality and iconic festivals like Snow Machine in both Japan and New Zealand, and Surreal became Local. The spirit carried over: the food has continually evolved with its guests over the years, kept crowd pleasing and affordable, always loaded with flavour and finished with the kitchen's own signature twist.
Downstairs, the bar's atmosphere evolves from day into evening. Sixteen taps pour an excellent selection of New Zealand beers alongside international favourites and specially chosen craft brews, while bartenders hand-craft signature and classic cocktails that regulars suggest you won't want to stop at one. A carefully curated list of New Zealand wines and an extensive spirit collection round it out — and happy hour runs from 4 to 6pm every single day.
The restaurant downstairs keeps it casual and comfortable, with friendly, efficient service. Come for a relaxed meal with friends and family, or snack and sip across any of the venue's three levels. The all-day menu runs from midday to late, so the choice is yours — a quick snack or the whole distance.
Upstairs is the venue's calling card: what the team proudly calls the Original and Best Rooftop Bar in Queenstown. Days and early evenings are a chilled-out affair where you can watch the sun go down over dinner and drinks. As night progresses, DJs take over, turning up the volume and getting feet on the dancefloor. And when the weather isn't playing ball, the roof is fully retractable and the heaters pump — fully covered and heated in winter, and the ultimate sun trap in summer.
The menu is deliberately crowd pleasing. Start small with buffalo chicken wings, pulled lamb sliders, karaage chicken or house-made pumpkin and feta arancini, or settle in for local favourites like the classic chicken parmy, the steak sandwich, a rich seafood chowder or Local's Fish & Chips — fresh local fish of the day in tempura batter. The Beef and Guinness Pie, filled with slow cooked beef cheek, has earned specific praise from guests, as has the Lamb Shoulder to Share: eight-hour slow roasted New Zealand lamb with seasonal veg, roasted potatoes, gravy and mint sauce. Burgers run from the homestyle Local Burger to the Mexican-spiced Pollo Loco and the plant-based Not So Chicken Burger, with vegetarian and no-gluten-added options marked across the menu.
Fun is a major factor at Local, and the calendar backs it up with entertainment every night of the week: DJs, karaoke, live sports, quiz nights and live music. The venue is renowned for its late-night action and is a go-to for locals and visitors alike, with renowned national and international artists creating nights of epic proportions. The weekly rhythm brings karaoke on Tuesdays, quiz night on Wednesdays and live music on Fridays, with DJs through the weekends — Facebook and Instagram carry the latest gigs, events and promotions.
Guest reviews capture the experience in their own words: an absolutely delicious lamb shoulder, great parmigiana and steak, excellent and friendly service, a generous kids pack for families, and the happy surprise of a DJ playing upstairs after dinner.
Practicalities are simple. Local Queenstown sits centrally at 7 Rees Street, takes table bookings through its website, and welcomes diners and drinkers seven days a week from noon till late (excluding public holidays). Come for a long lunch, stay for quiz night, or climb the stairs and let the rooftop take the night from there.