Questions
Find out what guests most often want to know
The visit
Before you arrive
- When are you open?
- From Thursday to Sunday, 17:00 until 23:00. The kitchen takes its last supper order at half past eight, and the front room runs from seven until the last hands at half past ten.
- What should I wear?
- Neat everyday clothes are quite suitable. Many guests come straight from work or from the farm, and nobody will remark on a clean pair of boots. A tie is never expected, and shorts are welcome in the warmer months. For a celebration, guests often dress a little more formally, but nobody is expected to.
- Is there parking?
- Kariboe Street has kerbside parking along the front of the building, and a small car park beside the verandah is reached from the side street. Both are free, lit in the evening and rarely full before seven. On Friday and Saturday it is wise to arrive a little early, since the kerb outside fills quickly once the front room opens.
- Is the building accessible?
- The verandah steps have a ramp at the western end, the dining room is on one level and the front room is reached through a wide doorway. Please tell Alana Curtis if you would like a table near the entrance.
- Do you take card payments?
- Yes, by card or in cash once supper is finished. There is no minimum spend and no service fee, and the front room itself costs nothing, since nothing is wagered there.
- May I bring children?
- Young children may dine with an adult until half past six. The front room stays closed to anyone under eighteen, and that never varies.
- Can I bring my own food?
- We ask guests not to, because the kitchen manages allergies carefully. If you have a particular dietary requirement, tell us when you book, and Catherine Nicholson will plan a suitable plate.
- Do you cater for celebrations?
- Gladly. We can set a long table for a family gathering and the kitchen can supply a special sponge. Ring Alana Curtis a week ahead and she will arrange the details.
- Do you have a cloakroom?
- There are hooks along the front hall and a rack for umbrellas, but no attended cloakroom. Alana will hang a coat on request, though we cannot be responsible for items left on chairs.
- Is smoking permitted?
- No. The whole building is smoke-free. Guests who need a breath of air may use the verandah, where cane chairs and a small table are provided.
- What drinks do you serve?
- We pour tea, coffee, hot chocolate, lemonade, juice and sparkling water. Lemons are squeezed each afternoon for the lemonade, and tea comes in a pot with milk and sugar beside it.
- How long does an evening last?
- Supper takes about ninety minutes. Many guests then spend an hour or two in the front room, and others leave after pudding. Both ways of spending the evening are equally welcome, and nobody is hurried towards the door.
The front room
About the tables
- Is any money involved in the front room?
- No. There is no wagering, no stake and no prize. Chips are lent for the evening, hold no cash value and are returned to the dealer when you leave.
- Can I play online?
- There is nothing online. We have no application, no website tables and no remote play of any kind. Every game takes place in the front room, in person, with a dealer opposite you and other guests at the table.
- Why are there no pokies?
- Because the front room is for cards and a wheel. There are no pokies and no gaming machines anywhere in the building, and none are planned. The quiet of the room depends on their absence.
- Which games do you deal?
- Roulette on Thursdays and Saturdays, blackjack on Fridays and Saturdays, and Texas Hold'em, Omaha, Seven Card Stud and Five Card Draw at the poker tables throughout the week.
- Do I have to be an experienced player?
- Not at all. Every dealer here has taught beginners many times and explains each rule before the first hand. Daniel Fitzgerald recommends blackjack or roulette for a first evening.
- How many chips will I be given?
- Enough for a comfortable evening, in a tray of equal stacks counted aloud by the dealer. If you run out, ask for more. Nobody counts how many you have been given, and nobody will think less of you for asking.
- May I just watch?
- Certainly. There is a bench at the rail beside the roulette wheel and a pair of chairs near the poker tables. Many regulars began by watching and found a seat within a visit or two. Nobody is ever asked to play, and a guest who watches all evening is as welcome as the one who plays.
- How are the tournaments run?
- On the Friday evening, with a list of twenty-four, a draw for seats, levels of twenty-five minutes and an interval for tea. The winner's name goes on the board, and nothing else is awarded.
- Can I take chips or cards home?
- No. Everything in the front room stays in the front room. If you would like a keepsake, Alana Curtis will give you a printed guide to the hands from the weakest to the strongest.
- What happens if there is a dispute?
- The dealer asks the floor manager, who listens to both sides and rules calmly. The decision applies to the evening only, and nobody is barred without a conversation first. Most disagreements end with a laugh and a fresh pot of tea.