The Grand is a bar at 69 Courtenay Place in Wellington, rated 4.2 on Google, sitting on the city's best-known strip for a night out. Bars on Courtenay Place change character with the clock: a room packed and loud by ten on a Saturday can be a settled spot for a quiet drink at six, so think about the hour before you pick. A good bar keeps its tap and back-bar list short and well kept, pours a decent measure, and has staff who can steer you when you can't decide. Kitchens on a strip like this often close earlier than the bar does, so regulars check food hours before turning up hungry. Arriving ahead of the rush and asking what's drinking well is usually the fastest way to feel at home. The Grand's Courtenay Place address puts it in the middle of Wellington's nightlife, an easy call for a drink before or after dinner nearby.