Food was average, ok if you don’t expect a lot from your meal but is ok for a drink if you do not want a smile from any of the staff. Came here for a family dinner, and the waiter (maybe manager) seemed very upset to be at work and decided to start clearing our plates whilst two others of our party were still eating (restaurant 101 to not do that?) This was a week night and there were only 3 other tables in that night however, they decided to seat out party of 7 in a crammed corner seat.

This place is full of surprises. You don’t expect much from the food with the pub/club atmosphere but these guys are big players on the dining scene. I have been there twice this year, both times enjoying one of their premium meals and both times leaving very impressed. They just have a new menu out and its in a smaller format which is great. Well done to the team and the Bull – hope to see you soon.

I just got to go here for a kid’s birthday dinner, and kid friendly comfort food pretty well sums this place up. The food is simple, the staff friendly as well as admirably accommodating of the home made birthday cake, but the service was extraordinarily slow even whilst the place wasn’t full. The emphasis is on steak, but an experienced fellow diner experienced with this place advised me to avoid the poor quality Thursday night steak specials like the plague because of their poor quality. That being said, the steak had off the regular menu by 3 dining companions got the thumbs up.

From what I saw being consumed at my table the ‘famous’ carving boards appeared to offer the best value for money by far on what is an expensive menu for simple if solid fare. Depending upon one’s appetite, they serve enough to feed 3 or even 4. Although the one in which I shared had a generous portion of some beautifully succulent lamb beyond the ability of 3 to consume, the vegetables were unevenly cooked, some close to raw and therefore cold when served, and the red wine jus just lacked the requisite dimension. No complaints about the mint sauce, however.

If you love in-house marketing shtick covered in a thick layer of cheese, love simple food and don’t mind paying a lot for it, then this may just be your place. The kids just loved it, by the way, and as much as its a good thing to find a place where both kids and adults can partake of the same food, it also says way too much.

Very good dining, much like lonestar but with edible food & friendly staff.

I had a succulent steak & my partner had the best salmon shes ever eaten.

Only drawback we thort the wine prices were a bit pricy($40 for two glasses of pinot)

we were very impressed with the service we had today, the food was delicous, all 5 of us enjoyed our meals , the restaurant was clean, the atmosphere was great.. the waiters were very well mannered and helped as much as they could with menus and assistance where needed, we wouldnt hesitate to come back, ive never tasted a garlic and mushroom sauce with the steak so delicous. thanks for a great sunday lunch

After reading some of the favourable comments on here, my wife and I decided to pop into The Running Bull merely out of curiousity, plus the fact that we saw a sandwich board outside advertising $12 all-day pizzas as I was driving past. I did find trying to locate the car park a little problematic. Admittedly, there is a sign that says ‘Parking at the back’ but I still had some problems knowing which driveway to turn into, however, this is not necessarily the fault of the company as there’s obviously a fair amount of disruption while things are being cleaned up in Christchurch. When we walked in, there was a noticeable smell all around the place, like it came from a kitchen cleaner spray – not necessarily a bad smell as such but made us kind of feel like we were eating in a hospital instead. It gave us the impression that everything was cleaned using the same cleaning solution without being wiped dry afterwards. The place itself was dark and a bit old and tired looking. We sat down and ordered the $12 pizza, and although it was ok, it was nothing to rave about and a bit surprising – especially after reading some of the other reviews about the food. The service was really good though, and we were definitely made to feel welcome. We didn’t try anything else on the menu so I can’t comment on the quality of the other menu items. But all in all, the visit was ok, but there was nothing special about the place that sets it apart from any other old-style pub.

We lost all our favourite eating places in the city when the earthquakes happened. However,we are excited about finding the Running Bull. We are always well looked after by the friendly and attentative staff. The food is delicious, I love the calamari starter and rate the steaks very highly. We enjoy our sports and find we can enjoy watching our games while enjoying a first class meal at the same time! Life is good again! Thanks to all the staff for always looking after us. I totally recommend this restaurant if you want special treatment and enjoy great food.

Food was great, but the staff were unfriendly and unhelpful. We enjoyed all of our meals, but just one smile from a staff member would have been appreciated.

It is the second time we have been there, both times we spent quite a bit of money getting drinks, entrees, mains and desserts… and both times we have been impressed with food but very disappointed in the service.

Great place to eat.Went in on a Saturday and were seated in a really comfortable booth.Wonderful selection on the menu.Relaxing yet professional service and then to top it off the meals were fantastic!Would def recommend this place to anyone that was after the total package of service and quality of meals.

My finance and I go to the running bull about once a month, every visit never disappoints us! The staff are wonderful, the food is delicious and prices very reasonable.

I was recently in Christchurch and stumbled across The Running Bull. What a great find! A fantastic relaxed atmosphere and the food was excellent. A few of us shared one of their ‘famous’ carving boards, and there was plenty of food for everyone, with great flavours. We couldn’t stay, but a band was due to start up a bit later on and the place was filling up. I also noticed they have some pretty big function rooms – if I ever need to have a party in Christchurch, I know where I’ll be having it! Definitely recommend.