Westend Tavern is a neighbourhood bar at 223 Old Taupo Rd in Hillcrest, Rotorua, holding a 4.5 rating on Google. A good neighbourhood tavern is judged less by its fit-out than by its regulars: the pour should be honest, the welcome familiar, and the room comfortable enough that staying for one more feels natural. Taverns run more casually than city cocktail bars — straightforward pub food, a handful of taps, and a mix of sport, quiet corners and catch-ups depending on the night. When choosing one, watch whether locals settle in on an ordinary midweek evening, ask what is genuinely on tap, and check the kitchen hours before counting on dinner. For Hillcrest locals and anyone passing along Old Taupo Rd, Westend Tavern looks like exactly that sort of easy, dependable neighbourhood local.