Review Rusty Pelican Restaurant & Pizzeria - Matakana

Great place! Food was amazing and servings huge. Great value for money. Staff were warm and attentive. Definitely a place to visit!

Lovely staff, very popular and busy place. It was pretty loud due to being so popular and having so many people in one room. It also got really hot with the low heat lamp type lights. Two different sports games were playing so you're sorted if you like sports. The food was so good! Pricy but delicious. I loved my pizza & the donut tree was super fun for my group to share. I also loved how many different vegetarian options there were. I highly recommend trying this place out.

The ribs were delicious and amazing, huge portion worth the price! Great service and atmosphere, the staff friendly. A nice restaurant to try when you’re in Warkworth.

I must highlight the Cuttlefish and Prawns dish that stole the show. It was a culinary masterpiece, and I highly recommend it to anyone visiting RUSTY PELICAN -Matakana. In conclusion, our experience at RUSTY PELICAN exceeded our expectations. It's clear that the team is dedicated to providing a top-notch dining experience. I look forward to returning to explore more of the menu and savor the exceptional hospitality. Highly recommended!

Matakana is known for it beautiful scenic beaches and wineries. The town itself is quaint and somewhat… busy as, even on a quiet weekday! With Aucklanders using it as a backyard to escape the mundane Monday to Friday, you can be sure this area will be buzzing with people by the droves in the weekend. If you happen to want some good nosh at reasonable prices, then head to the Rusty Pelican. You can’t miss it, it takes up a whole corner. They have an extensive menu even for takeaway. All I can say is yum and the portions were decent. Service was on point and you were made to feel welcome, vaccinated or not. Options were given, good on you for being proactive and kind.

Nice place. The waitress wasn't fantastic though. Didn't ask us if we wanted more drinks and seemed like she didn't want to be there. The food was generally all good. Great Pizzas. The Pork Ribs were not so great. They hadn't been cooked long enough, so were quite tough and chewy.

4.5 stars! All the meals were very delicious. The portions were way larger than we expected as well and we needed takeaway boxes (you can easily just choose a few meal options to share with friends). Nice atmosphere as well. Will definitely come again.

Beautiful food and nice big servings!! You won't be disappointed!! Beautiful fish and chips!!

Very yummy lunch. Really enjoyed the chocolate mousse.

I believe they extended the cafe, the modern side is now for lunch while the pub side potentially for dinner? While i liked the pub side more the venue is still very spacious and bright, with outdoor seating. There's also a pool table. The food was excellent, lots of pizza choices and all with lots of ingredients. The sides are also very big in portion and well flavoured. Have been back several times already!

Got fish and kumara wedges takeaway. Fish had a light batter so you actually taste the fish not just the batter. Kumara wedges were wonderful. Normally kumara chips from takeaways are a poor substitute for potato but these were wonderful. Staff were friendly. More expensive than your average takeaways but MUCH higher standard food.

The pizza, topped with chicken and avocado, was delightful. It was a generous serving size that would be suitable for at least two people.

We went for an impromptu lunch and was impressed with the variety of menu items. It was a late lunch and wasn't very busy. We were seated, and fairly quickly given menus and asked about drink orders. (Water is 'self-service only' at the bar.) Our order was taken, and it took awhile to get our food, but we were pleased with the food and generous portion size. The only downside was that our waitress never came back to check on us. We needed some takeaway boxes for leftovers, so I walked to the bar where the 3 wait-staff were congregated and visiting; It wasn't the best look despite them not being busy. Overall, our experience was a good one, though, and we would recommend it.

Beautiful place with great portion of delicious meal! Fantastic! Love it love it love it!

Had the chicken burger which had no flavour aside from a bit of relish. Chips were unpleasant. And the water had a foul taste and smell similar to bad raw chicken 🤢. Really disappointing considering how much money it costed.

This place offer a great deal on everyday! We were lucky to be in this place for a ribs and steak at an affordable price! The food was okay for the price and big serving and the place is awesome to chill and watch your favorite sports! I will definitely come back here!

Came here and got the Mojo pizza and a side of fries - the pizza was amazing! The base was the perfect in-between of a thick and thin crust, and was cooked nice and crispy. The toppings were also delicious, the thick chunks of pineapple made it for me. The fries weren't bad (could be better), and the aioli we got with them was possibly the best I've ever had. Some really nice beers on tap too. A lil pricey, but overall highly recommend for a tasty meal

After a long day at tawharanui nothing hit the spot better than a pizza and fries at the Rusty Pelican. The pizzas are huge and can easily feed two! Service was a touch slow but it was super busy so understandable.

Two days ago, we reviewed a place who serves generous amount of food and it looks like it’s becoming a trend because the place we will be reviewing today serves big portion as well, and what’s even better is that it is in the restaurants philosophy where they thrive on generous servings in addition to serving top quality food and friendly prompt service and I can attest to that.

Best. Kumara. Fries. In. The. World!!! So so so tasty and big, comes with two decent sized pots of sour cream (like it should!). Pizzas here are also pretty good, service can be slow but I understand it does get busy for a small town establishment. Definitely go back for those fries😍🤤

Awesome looking restaurant in the heart of Matakana. The food, however, was a let down. We ordered a meat works pizza which was pretty hefty at $28 – so we were expecting a brilliant pizza. It was a decent size but lacked meat for a supposedly hearty ‘meat works’ pizza, particularly for the price. It was good, but didn’t quite satisfy and the photo speaks for itself, there just seemed to be a bit of ham or bacon and a meatball per slice – there was meant to be pepperoni and salami too... We also ordered the beef nachos which was an even bigger let down. The corn chips were overcooked and hard, as you can see in the photo, and there lacked a decent amount of beef mince, which was hidden under the corn chips and only in the centre. The avocado and tomato relish were average. The food also stuck to the paper it was served on. Overall, our meals were disappointing and didn’t justify the price, which was a shame because the menu looked fabulous and the restaurant has a great atmosphere. However, the staff were great and service was warm and friendly. Hopefully we can come back one day to better food.

Pleasant efficient staff, a comprehensive menu and choices for gluten free eaters. Our drinks were served promptly as was the food and the restaurant was busy when we were there Overall a very pleasant dining experience We will be back.<br/>

Great food, great service. Any reviews regarding "rude comments/bad customer service" is obviously forgetting that working in a popular restaurant/bar is a high stress environment for the servers who have many people to keep happy which means that it is difficult to please everyone and I would disregard these comments. Would 100% come back, we had a lovely time!!

Hmm some rude comments not sure why? We came for dinner on a Fri. Restaurant was fully booked so nice young girl asked if we'd like to go next door to the bar and order from the same menu. We were impressed, food was quick to arrive, nothing to complain about service....Even the blonde long haired barman was great ;) No complaints at all. Loved it! $140 for 4 adults + 1 child incl few drinks. Pizzas 👍👍

Walked in here with no greeting, no service. And once they took our order they didn’t do a meal check. When asked if we could get water they rudely told us to get it ourselves. Like aren’t you guys a restaurant?? Waiters/waitresses?? Like what’s the point in having you work there? To look pretty?? <br/><br/>Worse part was, when we ordered dessert they said they had “ran out of ice cream” so the whole dessert menu was unavailable. Like WOW. OK! Does your WHOLE DAMN MENU RUN ON ICE CREAM??! Why couldn’t we order the mousse?? Doesn’t state “ice cream” on it. Or the brandy snaps?? Why don’t you shut down the whole restaurant cos you guys “ran out of ice cream”??! Honestly the stupidest thing we’ve heard and encountered at a restaurant. <br/><br/>Would rate this a -1 out of 5 if possible. Even a 1 star rating is too high. Obviously read all the reviews after encountering their crap service. And it seems like a lot of people have experienced their disgusting service or no service at all. And whoever is in management is just as rude. Just read their responses in some of the reviews posted. These people need to work on their service - BIG TIME.

Finally went back after rude service 15 years ago and our last unfortunate visit...this time, my husband got a beer tipped down his back by the flustered waitress who squeezed through chairs rather than say excuse me or go around. It would have been nice to get a real apology and a free drink since he needed to sit in a wet shirt and the lady at the other table had her cardigan soaked in beer. The Pizzas arrived and seemed like a more expensive version of Dominos pizza. Very salty, gluggy and nothing tasted fresh. Despite being regulars in the area for all these years we won’t be back.

Has THE best kumara fries ive ever tried. I cant believe this place isnt more popular!! I really recommend this place! Try their amazing pizzas as well :)

Came here to have a birthday meal, upon entering there was no greeting instead a young waitress giving me a dirty look, we had to grab our own menus and find our own seats despite her not being busy and only 2 feet away from us. We sat down read over the menu for a few minutes and had 3 waitresses walk past us when trying to get their attention. We decided to just pack up and leave from the lack of service and poor manners from staff.

Family group celebrating two birthdays - ruined by one member waiting 1.5 hours for a pizza that was eventually delivered with incorrect topping/sauce TWICE . Manager did apologise after we requested him to speak with us & the correctly made pizza was brought to our table at 9.05pm. We had been seated in restaurant at 6.30pm - NOT IMPRESSED & Never again - other family members enjoyed their meals

I don't know of any locals who eat here. For years they had the most rudest obnoxious Maitre D' ever, not sure if she is still there but like most people I wouldnt go back to find out. Their 2 for 1 pizzas were a nasty budget version of what you get on a normal night (ex: dry basil instead of fresh). Never enjoyed my experiences here and certainly wouldn't recommend it. Good location, now all it needs is a new owner & an overhaul to come back from the dead

Best ribs I've ever had and only $18.50 on a wednesday. Absolutely delicious and huge portions. Will be back. Thanks for coming Rusty Pelican!

I make a trip up from auckland to have the pizza here every so often because matakana is a very relaxing place and pizza is a very relaxing food. Simple food done well. Very open space and fantastic for a sunny weekend lunch.

Love coming here on tuesdays for a game of pool and pint <br/>Of beer from my fave bartender in mata stewy.<br/>Good yarns with the locals out back. Never actually <br/>Been in the restraunt side only the bar side.<br/>Pizzas are way overpriced <br/>Other than that rusty tui is the place to be

Don't think about asking for water at this restaurant incase you want to be shunned for the rest of the night good to see they actually have provided a tap, the lady with the accent who works on the till is the rudest lady you will ever encounter unless you look like you're made of money she will literally treat you like you're a peasant, don't even think about asking to split the bill without her cringing openly or saying she's incapable, or if you're young she will talk to you like you are an idiot. Not quite sure what her problem is she is not welcoming at all, we ordered the sweep one night and picked it up a little bit late and my friend took a bite into one piece and pulled out a foreign looking object not sure what on earth it was but I think it was some part of fish, certainly lived up to the name of the sweep, like did you sweep it off the floor? Other than that their pizzas are overpriced and gluggy, don't go expecting anything five star it's all bar food and the desserts are made in store it's all brought and shoved together with a sauce to make it look fancy-ish. Only thing worth ordering is the garlic pizza, Mexican pizza or the margarita pizza.

That's what lunch at @rustypelicanmatakana looked like. A big bowl of mussels and some pan seared salmon. <br/>It is a little expensive, but the food + ambience + service makes it all worth your dollar. <br/>Total price: $49 for those two meals. <br/>When you're in #matakana and want to indulge, this is your spot. <br/>It's a 50 min drive from Auckland CBD.

I don't usually write reviews, however, I felt that after having such a good experience over the weekend that I had to. My cousin and uncle had a joint 21st and 50th and booked out the Rusty Sports Bar. The venue was perfect for the night and accommodated a large number of people, approx 100-150. There was a nice outdoor space out back that was the perfect dance floor for later on in the night, as well as plenty of indoor room. We ordered a range of food including pizzas, nachos, chicken nibbles, calamari and even donuts, all of which were delicious and went down a treat! The bar staff were friendly and very easy to order from. Overall a great night and an amazing venue for such a function.

Popped into the Rusty the other day for a pizza after the beach with some friends and we were not disappointed! Our waitress was very pleasant and looked after us very well. We did not go hungry thats for sure! Each pizza had a generous amount of toppings making them big enough to share. I had the Mexican Beef Mince pizza and it was delicious, it was like having nachos on a pizza ... YUM!!

OMG, the rusty pelican pizzas are the best i've ever had. Generous toppings with organic chicken on the mexican pizza was delicious and full of flavour. My partner had the surf and turf rib eye, it was impressively presented but tasted even better. The restaurant has a good casual vibe and we will definately be back and would recommend it to all.

Been here several times before. Always okay. Had lunch today. Service was quick, efficient, and friendly. Ordered prawn salad and chicken nibbles. Very good.<br/><br/>There are 2 small reasons why I deducted 0.5 points this time. (1) when we arrived at about 1pm, only 4 tables out of 15 tables were occupied. Not busy at all. My wife and I wanted to sit at a 4 person table instead of a small table for only 2 person(to give a little bit more space) but the waitress insist we sat at the table for 2. It was okay but since it was busy at all, why she insisted? If busy, or someone reserved, I totally understand. (2) although I want taking my own "water" but in a small plastic cup? And from a small tap hiding at the entrance of the toilet? It seems they just put these there just to compile with the law.<br/>

Came here on rainy Saturday afternoon, was quiet inside, the fire was on very warm and cosy. Staff were friendly and the service was great really fast at serving us and our food came out really fast. Came here with my partner and another couple we shared the garlic pizza bread to share with, was delicious then I had the fettuccine and my partner had the squid was really nice and tasty.

We popped in here for lunch on Fathers Day, thinking it would be packed out we booked! But to our surprise it wasn't too bad. We ordered the garlic pizza bread and potato skins, both of which were yum! The potato skins were really good with a decent amount of sauce supplied which was a point of difference to us because most restaurants you don't get enough! The garlic pizza bread was slightly oily and had a little residue. Our friends really enjoyed their pizzas and the fries were nice and crispy and a massive serving! We didn't wait too long for our meals either. The prices at first I thought were a little steep but seeing how decent the proportions are and the amount of sauce they give you I would say it's fair. The service here was sort of weird only because they constantly check up on you which is great but if you have any empty dishes or glasses they leave them there even if your obviously finished, we found it so strange that a lady came at least 4 times without collecting our empty glasses, EVEN to give us new ones but still left our old ones there.

Whenever we visit Matakana, despite already being full from all the market food, we still can't help ourselves but to come to this place for amazing pizzas.<br/><br/>The interior design is rustic and intimate. Also has this lovely fire place which one could stay warm by. Service was average, you do need to fetch your own water.<br/><br/>Their bases are soft and pillowy. And they never cease to impress us with their generosity with ingredients. My favourite is the Mexican one (I'm vegetarian so substituted meat with mushrooms) which had a sweet chilli base, and was loaded with chilli beans, onions, avocado, corn chips, and sour cream. Mexican flavours at its best. If you are a seafood lover, then you will not be disappointed by their salmon supreme, which has big chunks of salmon, dill, also served with avocado and sour cream. Their peanut satay sauce is also to die for.<br/><br/>Husband had the spare ribs served with this hoisin and sesame sauce. The ribs were not cooked as tender as he had hoped, and we were not super fond of the dressing - hoisin sauce should be a lot sweeter and less salty. The fries were thick-cut and really good though.<br/><br/>Still one of the best pizzas in our book, and worth travelling to Matakana for ;)

We were slated to reach Matakana for lunch on 15 May 16 but overshot the place and managed to find our way back after a longish detour. This made for a late lunch, which also meant we were all quite famished, which may not make reviewing the food in an unbiased manner, so to speak. Nevertheless, the place had good ambience - we chose to eat outside ala al fresco and were not disappointed with the scenic beauty as well as the service. We ordered pizzas and as well, the local favourite - fried kumaras - sweet potatoes. The food was adequate and the quality satisfying.

Whoever the chef was that cooked my medium-rare rib-eye steak that day I had lunch here deserves a medal. lol Well seasoned and cooked to perfection!! The meat was just so fresh, sourced locally of course. Their pizzas are pretty good too, but my god that steak....lol

Average tasteless food. But acceptable from a dimly lit store, tucked next to a petrol station. What was AWFUL, was the WORST service ever experienced by group of 9, as well on several other occasions. I expect a lot more even for a small name. The managing waitress/front of house, seemed to be extremely agitated - yelling across the store at customers, grunted and huffing, rolling her eyes, ignoring customers and muttering rude somethings under her breath. She was very unnerving to be around and set a very heavy/displeasing atmosphere. I should hope that provided the standard of staff are reconsidered, the this would absolutely be an okay place to go. For now, I recommend the fresher food and more helpful service around the corner at the Matakana Pub.

Have been to Rusty's a few times. Reliable food, huge and maybe a little too big on portions. Sometimes the food can be bland. The pizzas are ok. Always great when you have hungry teens or a full table family and friends.

Decent family style restaurant. Came on a "2-for-1 Pizza Thursday" and took advantage of the offer. Lots of variety of classic family/pub style classic dishes to suit different tastes. Family enjoyed the garlic mussels, seafood chowder, seafood fritters, salad, kumara wedges and of course- Pizza! Gluten free pizza bases were reportedly good. Good base to toppings ratio.

Have seen this place many times passing through Matakana and always wanted to try. When we did have dinner one night we were sadly disappointed. Unfortunately the service is poor, the two ladies at the counter barely made eye contact and it felt like our presence was an inconvenience for them. The food was fine, nothing spectacular, but VERY overpriced for what it is. A bit of a let down.

Was stuck in Omaha in torrential new years day rain. Couldn't barbecue so out we went. Unfortunately so did everyone else in the neighbourhood. Everywhere was packed so we ate here. Food was unspectacular but not terrible . Portions were huge. Fresh terakhi was actually ok. Kumara fries tasted processed and not home made. Pasta was a little bland tasting. Overall not a terrible experience but probably could do better.

Really enjoying been there, especially after a whole morning shopping at the Matakana Vintage farm market😂 The Salmon pizza is heaven. Very tasty. However, the drinking list is too short. Not many choice on the beer.

Ok so it's bar food, nothing wrong with that and I'm rating in this context <br/>The meals were huge! I got the ribs and my Partner got calamari both of us are big eaters, we'd been surfing all day and were starving..... Still couldn't finish it! <br/>It was delishes to say the least <br/>Service was really friendly and fast, we're looking forward to going back <br/>Of you're a big meat eater this is the go

Rusty Pelican serves typical bar food, so don't expect too much. I love coming here after a long day at one of the beaches up North! The pizzas, burgers, chips and ribs are all good!! Pricing is standard and meals are large.<br/><br/>They do have a nice large deck at the back but other than this, the dining atmosphere is just average. If your looking for something a bit fancier, head to Matakana's village pub around the corner which has really lovely outdoor seating and furniture. <br/><br/>Overall Rusty Pelican has a wide selection of tasty food and is a good choice if your around the area!

Have been here a couple of times, it's a nice location, rustic atmosphere. The last time we came in for late lunch we were seated by one young girl who didn't say a lot, she just said hello, showed us to our table and kind of tossed the menus in front of us and walked away which we found quite rude. We started with the hoisin pork ribs, which were very rich but delicious, and quite a decent portion. My partner ordered the wedges with sour cream, cheese and bacon - which he said was nothing special, the wedges themselves had no flavour to them. We also has the baked potato skins stuffed with tomatoes, mozerella, spring onion, and replaced the bacon with pepperoni. They were quite tasty. Nice crunchy/crispy outside with gooey cheese in the centre. The margarita pizza was nice, it tasted like every othe margarita pizza I've had! The meat works pizza was my favourite! Rich, flavourful and all the meat tasted fresh, not like it has been in the freezer for years like you get from some places. Worth a try if you're in the area.

After coming here two weekends in a row I can say that the rusty pelican serves good honest pub food. <br/><br/>I can safely say that if you come here you will not leave with an empty stomach. The food here is delicious, and the portion sizes are huge! The menu is pretty big, so it's fair to say that you can pretty much satisfy everyone. I've tried a few of the pizzas and I've enjoyed them all. The nachos are also delicious, very generous with the sauces that come with it. <br/><br/>The star for me however is the dessert! The brownie sundae is absolutely ginormous, a big dessert even between 2 people. If you're a fan of chocolate you need to get this. I've also had the donut tree, which is a pretty cool idea. The donuts are served hot with a range of dipping sauces. Another big dessert which is definitely a crowd pleaser. <br/><br/>What lets this place down for me is the service. Both times I came it was very slow. Despite being reasonably quiet nights. Honestly I would hate to come here on a busy night. I had to get waitresses' attention to take our orders (even though we had been sitting there a while) and it took forever for our plates to be cleared. I chose to place orders while they cleared plates out of fear they would take another lifetime to come back.<br/><br/>5/5 for the food... I wish the service was better.

A great choice in Matakana - lots of choice on the menu, something for everyone. When we walked in on a Saturday, no-one came over to greet so there was a little confusion over whether we could choose a table or not. Once that was sorted out, the service redeemed itself and we had friendly, attentive waitresses (although we did have 3 of them ask how the meal was - nice but perhaps we should've just had one assigned?). I had the fresh snapper with salad and chips - every element was delicious, and my partner thoroughly enjoyed his pizza. The service was quick, the food tasty and piping hot. And afterwards we popped next door to enjoy a drink and a game of pool - awesome!

Long standing Matakana restaurant and pub specializing in very good pizza. A bit pricey but it is a cheerful spot and the service is quick and friendly. Thin crust tasty pizza with lots of variety.

Me and my family like to go there on occasions, and every time we are disgusted, horrified and shocked at the way the Lady at the counter with the accent treats us. Every time i am over hearing young customers saying how rude the lady at the counter was to them. She has a very rude manner, and acts like she cant be bothered. I think she brings the restaurant down. The staff is absolutely lovely and well mannered, my waitress was a young girl with brown hair. She was very good at her job, which was a plus side to the evening. We enjoy the food, always. All i can say is the lady at the front counter needs to be nicer to customers, as she is letting the resturant down I think. thankyou!

couldn't believe the service and manner of the lady at the front of house. She was agro and rude. not a pleasant greeting to the restaurant. From the on i felt un comfortable with her horrible nature in the building! Get rid of her. I feel for the rest of the staff having to deal with this woman. I could see the way she treated these poor young workers trying there very best! On the other note, i did enjoy the food and could see the effort put into making the meal delishious! The only issue is the snobby woman not making people feel welcome.

Great Pizza every time!  We haven't tried any of the other meals as of yet, but will definitely try their seafood and ribs dishes as they look very inviting and generous in portions.  The desserts are great and very large sizes, so think about sharing a dish when ordering.  A great place for families, plus they have a playroom for young children.  They also have outdoor seating and a bar next door where you can order the same dishes.  Would love to come here on one, or all, of their specials nights! :)

We always call in at the Rusty with the kids for a Pizza. Our family favourite!<br/>The "Red rooster" Sweet cilli Chicken pizza is yum<br/>Just what we need after a big day out at the beach. <br/>With Matakana being so busy, its great they have a dedicated carpark out the back.<br/>The matra dee always makes us  feel really welcome.<br/><br/>I love this place!!

Stopped in for late lunch/dinner to wait for traffic to subside a little. Beatutiful day for it so we sat outside. After reading the reviews, particularly the ones about the water. I can confirm that yes, they do have self service tap water now - with a sign still encouraging to buy water as a percentage goes to charity. Anyway we ordered a full rack of ribs which was covered in a not so BBQ sauce, it had a more tangy sesame taste which was still delightful nonetheless. A friend ordered a beef burger which she enjoyed but nothing really stood out. Overall good food but I I feel like some of the flavours just weren't there. Service was okay. Nice place to stop in for a feed.

Shocking experience. Rude staff, especially the lady /barista at the counter. Lack of service. Walked into this restaurant and did not feel welcome at all. But everywhere else were too busy so we thought we would give this restaurant a go (Should have taken the hint to why this place wasn't as busy). Unfortunately the staff there definitely need some customer service training, how to treat /serve customers and make people feel welcome. Sat down for ages and we never got offered any water. We finally asked for water and we got told to get it ourselves from the tab? Ok fine we will get it ourselves with a tiny plastic cup but then the water smells like rotten egg! Had a taste and it was disgusting. Food was average, nothing special. We found hair on our plate but lucky it wasn't on our food. We just couldn't be bothered with this place, we just wanted to get out ASAP. Never going back again.

Very disappointed after being recommended this local pizza establishment. A long wait for our food didn't help our experience as there was a problem with the power. When pizzas arrived they were very average, except for my capriciosa which was so salty it was inedible. Sent pizza back, waitress kindly explained I had picked a particularly salty choice because of the capers and anchovies - sorry no good - have eaten this pizza all over the world and enjoyed the combination many times. I think salt was added to the base and the topping unnecessarily. On a plus note the child loved his Mac'n Cheese.

Have been here several times. Pizza is always good; hot, fresh and tasty. Definitely recommend the spicy chicken one. Pizza is a bit pricey at $28 but worth the amount as is very tasty and filling.

Good value pizzas and very decent portions. We ordered the mini one and some curly fries to share and was blown away by how full we got! Definitely worth the pitstop on the way back to Auckland.

Have been here several times and yes the food is great. The meals are good, the pizzas are good, the desserts are good. The service is excellent and the room is cosy and warm on a cold night. We are looking forward to our next visit.

I recently took the AK rugby team up to this restaurant and was thoroughly impressed and so was all the players, the pizzas where huge and the other meals where big portions and tasty .The staff where exceptional in every way , highly recommended, great for events or just with family

excellent food and huge servings go with an empty stomach for a good feed. great location

Recommend this place to others. Great food and service-fab pizza, the best Pizza in Auckland district!

Had booked for Thurs 13 March but on passing ate there on Wed 12 March as well. Our third visit. Good value meals. Pleasant atmosphere and wonderful staff. An asset to Matakana. We shall return.

Awesome feed. Agree pizzas the best in town. Cheers. Will be back for sure. Oh the ribs too, beast of a feed. :)

I have never met such incredibly rude staff in all my life, the attitudes of the waitresses and the barista/lady at counter were atrocious. Such a shame since the food was amazing although it was slightly overpriced. Perhaps some training on your staff in regards to customer service and manners wouldn't go astray... Disgraceful the way my friends and I were treated!

Having now been to the Rusty, I say "boo" to all those who gave one star because of the drinking water saga.... Couldn't have been clearer what the story was when you sat down, and "yay" to management who put the plumbing in to provide tap water for the moaners!!<br/><br/>We couldn't fault the food and service we got, and the serving sizes were amazing, and good value compared to some other Auckland eateries we've been too.<br/><br/>Thanks for the kids stuff as well.... Our son enjoyed the kids level cross words.<br/><br/>Regards us (2 beers, 2 ciders and four cokes...... No water required:-)

It's a shame, a restarurant with so many good characteristics can be rated terrible. But I will explain why.<br/><br/>The good things about the restaurant: <br/>The interior has a cool coastal feel to it.<br/>The Food is superb.<br/><br/>The major thing that needs to change:<br/>There is no free water.... Is that a joke?<br/>When you walk into a restaurant in most places, water may come out straight away without even having to ask so you can feel refreshed before dining. But when a group of friends and myself asked for a water the waitress got immediately impatient with us and explained we would have to spend 5 dollars to get any water at all.<br/>I was so offset by this it ruined the whole experience. The group and I were thirsty from being at the beach all day and were more than happy to shell out for a nice meal but just wanted to have water as well. And it usually being free, we were all surprised and felt pressured to either pay extra or leave.<br/><br/>The service also seemed to turn sour after we had asked for water like we had offended the waitress.

I thoroughly enjoyed my "sweep it off the floor Pizza".<br/>i enjoyed the friendly patrons, staff and owners conversation.<br/>I will definitely be back here to eat and drink more!

Great pizzas. The Godfather is our favorite. Good meals too but very consistent whereas the pizzas are always great. Good pub food.

We had a very enjoyable family dinner at the Rusty Pelican. The food and wine was tasty and our lovely waiter was polite, friendly and very efficient. Nice food, great service in a very popular place.

Five friends, looking forward to a delicious pizza and about to spend a few hundred dollars at the Rusty Pelican were effectively thrown out after an altercation regarding the stuff that falls from the sky - water.<br/><br/>I'm 7 months pregnant and just wanted plain old water; we didn't want to buy the bottled water as buying Bottled Water contributes to landfill and plastic bottles are produced by using billions of gallons of oil per year. I don't buy Bottled Water as a matter of an ethical environmental choice. <br/><br/>We offered to give them a donation for their charities, but please could we have good old fashioned water. No. No, we could not. <br/><br/>The waitress was obviously already flustered and unable to answer our questions, the owner was dismissive and the last waiter told us we had been enough trouble and took our menus away and told us to leave.<br/><br/>Very very disappointing. Denying a 7 month pregnant woman a glass of water in a country as advanced as ours... cool that they want to support their local community - but it is effectively a Tax as there is no alternative. <br/><br/>Please, Rusty Pelican, have a look at what the implications are.<br/><br/>just not cool man.

I was amazed to be told the restaurant does not provide tap water. When I asked about the charities who benefit from the water sales as on the notice they include the restaurant itself (!), an impossibly rude waiter swore at me! They seem to be digging a hole for themselves in refusing to provde tap water and I read many complaints about this on this site - such a great shame as it spoils an otherwise good experience.

Woohoo is the correct saying, this place is as good as it gets!! You cant not award them a Five Star. We had the most amazing night. Service was fantastic, friendly and very helpful staff. Food delicious, great selection. Just so nice to be able to go out &amp; have a wonderful night. Definitely be coming back :)

Matakana is a fantastic area to visit should you ever find yourself in Auckland and Rusty Pelican is surely one of the best places to dine there. I found the staff to be exceptionally helpful (my friend has a few special dietary requirements) and the food absolutely delicious, especially the Nutty Hen pizza. My only criticism would be that the service was a little slow, it was certainly worth the wait though!

My family and I where told about the rusty in Australia by friends who know we where traveling to New Zealand. Matakana was a very nice place to visit. All the family had a amazing meal at the rusty pelicain its a must go place.

I have been to the Rusty Pelican in Matakana a number of times. The food is always great. The new popcorn shrimp dish on the menu is amazing, great to see new dishes coming into the menu, always nice to have something different!! The chicken salad, calamari and red rooster pizza are my other favourites.

Great food and excellent vibe.<br/>Lots of good food to choose from<br/>An enjoyable evening for all.

I currently went to the Rusty Pelican for a meal with myself and a few friends on a trip up to the coastal area on the weekend. What a treat! Between us we had a calamari, fish meal, (which was fresh snapper, a favourite), and two shared a pizza. Everything was fresh and tasty and the service was awesome. A big thumbs up to the staff and compliments to the chef.

What a fantastic place to eat. I have eaten here many times over the years. The menu has heaps of options and caters for everyone. The place provides awesome tasty meals that fill the whole plate, great value for money, friendly staff and a fab atmosphere. Happy to recommend to others. The pizzas are the best ever and the selection is great. You will not come away hungry from this place. Take a ride to Matakana and pay the Rusty a visit.

I'd heard pretty good things about the rusty, so I rang and asked if they did takeaway meals (not just pizza) and they said yes. My partner and I ordered a takeout portion of ribs each because we had heard it was a "big, generous portion" and that they were very tasty. The food took about 20 mins, but they had a few people in so it wasn't an issue. We got into the car and I opened my box for a sneaky taste before we got home - cold ribs with hot spots like they had been microwaved, lukewarm sauce, 4 chips (not joking, it said it came with chips and I had 4 chips on my box and my partner had 6) The only nice thing was the coleslaw which was crisp and fresh tasting. <br/>Maybe it is different if you eat in but really, I'm definitely not in a hurry to try there again. It was not up to standard. :(

My kids and us love to dine at Rusty Pelican. For a casual restaurant this place ticks all the boxes. <br/>Very children friendly with kids games room , puzzles and coloring sheets brought to your table, with great kids menu.<br/>Pizzas are amazing but my favorite is the Seafood Chowder and my husband loves Rusty's Ribs . The meals are tasty and the portions are generous .<br/>We have never left this place disappointed or hungry. We always stop there after a big day exploring this wonderful coastal area .<br/>Thank you to the Rust pelican and their friendly staff . Keep up the good work !

Best pizzas in town and an awesome selection!! YUM! Loving the weeknight specials too, a treat for the locals! Thanks Rusty P!!!

I would highly recommend this place if you are visiting Matakana. We had a thoroughly enjoyable experience here. Great food, with a vast menu and delicious pizzas. The atmosphere was relaxing and friendly and the service was really efficient.

We had a great time here. Would strongly recommend this place to visit in Matakana. Fantastic place!

Paying for the water is not a big deal when the food you get here is great . Every meal ive ever eaten here has impressed me and when i walked across the street to the service station i had to pay for water as well so its not out of the ordinary . Itd be different if they were charging for tap water . anyways , great food , great service , would eat there again in a heartbeat .

This place is amazing, absolute bang for your buck . They only serve bottled water but all the proceeds go to a charity and i have no problem in helping out a couple charity's, as no one should . The pizzas are the best I've ever had especially the shrimpy, loaded with shrimp unlike some other pizza places that are a bit tight with their toppings. I've eaten here several times now and have always had great service, waitresses and managers are also very nice. Great place to eat at.

Major gripe - you pay for water. The restaurant manager tells me that all the proceeeds of water sales go to local charities. Actually no one seems to buy water so this ploy just results in lots more drink sales for the restaurant. Tap water on the table is something that should be available in every restaurant. <br/>The pizzas are quite good but apart from that the choice of dishes is confined to the deep fried and the brown. Expensive for what you get - this place would not survive outside overpriced, pretentious Matakana.

They charge for water!!!<br/>They only serve bottled water, they should offer you free tap water. Stupid wasn't impressed.

I went to the roast night on Wednesday in the Rusty Pelican with four other friends,we booked at 6:30pm lucky because the restaurant full,we know why! The food was amazing,we will be back very soon!Must go again!

Lovely food. Place a bit barn like and noisy though. I'd probably go again.

if you are coming into the ww,matakana or omaha areas,you won't find better than the Rusty P!!Locals and visitors alike pack this place throughout the year and it's really no surprise--excellent friendly staff,a cosy relaxed atmosphere and a superb choice of cuisine,makes the Rusty the best- hands down.Along with excellent value for money and the best pizzas around--this place is a winner and to be recommended. A 1.

Having been to numerous restaurants, cafes and bars over the years locally, nationally and periodcally internationally... I have come to know that if I go to the Rusty Pelican I will get great value for money and good service. After enquiring about having to pay for my water I was informed by the owner proceeds from the water goes to local sports clubs and charities. <br/>This helped to ease the pain of paying for my water. The pizzas, especially the 2 for 1 pizza deal, my favourite is the Red Rooster. Excellent value - can't be beaten!

READ GARTH PEN'S REVIEW &amp; WONDER DOES ANYONE GET A "TUESDAY 2 FOR 1 PIZZA" DEAL...... <br/><br/>I discovered the Rusty Pelican when a friend I did the 2004 Rotorua Marathon with challenged me to finish it.<br/><br/>Several weeks beforehand they surprised-shouted me a delicious meat-lovers pizza dinning at the Rusty Pelican. It was then and still is the best pizza on earth in my mind, and I'm semi-vegetarian!<br/><br/>So a couple of weeks ago whilst traveling back down to Auckland from Russell I stopped off purposely with 4 well to do retired American politicians. It was just before 6pm when we arrived and the "Tuesday 2 for 1 pizza" sign outside hit a high note with everyone until we were told that we needed to be there BEFORE 5pm to get that deal. Everyone instantly changed their orders to dinner meals. Everyone did enjoy their varying meals and had a pleasant enough time. But no-one got to taste the delicious unique Rusty Pelican pizza that only they create. <br/><br/>Morning, noon or night - what time can one order and receive the "Tuesday 2 for 1 pizza" deal exactly on any given Tuesday???<br/><br/>I'm a little afraid now after I'm posting this no-one ever will. <br/><br/>Keep you pizza deal going please, that is if it really ever was a true and valid offer.

We booked for lunch for 1.30pm but were only given a dinner menu. We had a party of 9 plus 2 young children and ordered a variety of beverages but they refused to provide free tap water, which was very poor service. Only 2 of the meals ordered involved pizza but, when all other meals were served, one of the pizza meals did not come. He was told he would have to wait 8 more minutes but it was at least 10 and others in the party were well into their meals by then. Again, poor service, although the waitress herself was very personable and helpful.<br/>The food was tasty but quite expensive for what it was at that time of day and the type of restaurant.

When driving past the Rusty Pelican in Matakana, we saw a huge sign “2 for 1 Pizza, Tuesdays” so stopped to get a bite to eat. After ordering 2 pizza’s wine and beer and querying the total price, we were told by the very rude manager/cook that the pizza deal was only available after 5pm and that he was too busy and was giving them away at that price anyway (there was only 1 other customer). We checked the sign again, no mention of the after 5pm condition or that the manager was so obnoxious! He did however want to make the point that he was soooo successful he didn’t need our business anyway. Certainly left us with a bitter taste in our mouths!! Jaffa

If you are dining in Matakana you can't go past the Rusty, beautiful large meals at very reasonable prices and very competent attentive staff, well done best restaurant in Rodney

I can certainly recommend the Wednesday night Roast Special. Soup was tasty, but only just warm when served. Nice to have a choice of three meats (which just melt in the mouth)for the main and also choice of 2 desserts. The portions gave value for dollar. <br/>It is nice to have reasonably priced dining back in Matakana, where families can actually afford to dine out. It is also nice to see that Averill is back on board.