Nothing too fancy here. But its a to go place on a Saturday night. A buzzingling crowd with a mix of all ages. This is a chapel turned to a pub. They invite bring own food. Can order from the nearby little India restaurant.
Craft beers and nibbles are the thing here.
Lovely place but not smthing that i would prefer.
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I like my craft beers, and The Free House was recommended to us while in Nelson for the weekend.
It's an interesting place. The building is a converted chapel. There is a yurt in the garden, which is used for functions/gigs. They have retained the old style decor of the building on the inside. There is an eclectic and interesting mix of furniture, plus some metal cockroach-esque sculptures on the wall. A bit of a mix of all sorts, but it works. A cool spot.
They have a good selection of craft beers on tap which change regularly (according to the barman) and not just the usual ones, many on the list I'd never heard of, which I liked. They have bottle beer in the fridge and of course wine.
The barman was really friendly and helpful. I spent a short time deciding which beer to have and he offered advice and gave me a taste of a couple.
I ordered the Sawmill Pilsner and my partner a Lindauer Fraise sparkling wine. I asked for a pint and got a proper imperial pint glass. The pilsner was very enjoyable. A good choice. Both drinks cost $20.50
They do offer food but we wanted to try a curry from The Indian Cafe. The great thing about The Free House is they allow you to bring food from somewhere else and eat it there. They even provide you with plates and cutlery, which I think is a great policy.
We saw people eating The Free House food, and it looked good, but I can't actually comment as we didn't try it.
There is seating inside and outside. It was a nice day so we sat outside. It was quiet when we arrived but soon filled up. It has a really relaxed friendly feel. People of all ages just relaxing and doing their own thing - sitting on the grass, the benches and salsa dancing inside - we loved it and thoroughly enjoyed a relaxing time there.
If we lived in Nelson, this would be our local.
The free house is a fantastic little pub located right in the middle of nelson city. They have a great range of beer on tap and in the fridge. The food options on site aren't huge but you can order food from the local burger place, as well as the Indian Cafe across the road, and it will be delivered to your table! A perfect place to make your time in Nelson that much better.
My parents recommended this place after they found it on their tour of New Zealand and it's awesome. Great choice of beers, very friendly staff and a cosy and welcoming atmosphere. Dog friendly too and you can bring your own food. Board games are available and the log burner adds plenty of warmth on cold days. Went twice in my short stay in Nelson and will definitely be back when I'm next in town.
Fantastic hidden gem in Nelson. What a selection of craft beer!! They also brew their own at their on-site brewery called "Flavourtorium". The patio area is huge and inviting. This is a local favourite for a good reason. We can't wait to go back! The service was top notch too, 10/10.
Great spot, owners are awesome! Great service and super unique atmosphere. One of Nelson's best spots I think. Excellent way to meet locals and visitors and some bar snacks. You can bring food from off site and order Indian from over the road. Best beer selection in Nelson by far. 100 stars!!
I love this old church that has turned into a pub.
I would not have known about this amazing gem if the guy at our accommodation told about the free house pub. The atmosphere here is great.
Amazing selection of beers and great hot chips.
Nice tap house tucked away in a garden hosting a former church. Limited food options but the chips are great. Maverick stout is amazing. Worth a stop
If you are looking to try good quality but different beers this is the place to come
We came here looking for a beer and were not disappointed. It was a very warm day and the outside areas were very busy. Despite all the crowds we sat down and shared a table with some locals. Such a great time. Before we knew we had almost missed our dinner reservations. Great place!
Visited the Free House Pub with by brother. Never seen anything quite like it before, nothing like it in the UK. So, we were there after dark and for supper. We managed to find a table for us all to sit down. There was a great selection of craft beers to choose from, and lots of wines.
As we were there for supper, we ordered a takeaway curry from the curry house near by. This was delivered by the takeaway to the pub. We ate, and then the pub cleans up. How cool is that.
While we were there a Irish band arrived and proceeded to make music.
It's just an awesome place, the halloumi wraps are like a full dinner at a reasonable price. Some good IPAs here to choose from. Dog and people friendly, very nice atmosphere. Heated tables in the winter - yep have a look at the inner section tables!
If you like great beers, ciders etc this is the place to go. Even sometimes has English style real ales...which are like hens teeth in NZ! Old church so can be cold in winter. Great covers outdoor area. Staff friendly. Be warned doesn't come cheap!!?
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