Gamba

The level of food in this restaurant was outstanding! We got a wee 5pm deal, which was a total bargain! 3 courses and a glass of wine for £20 per person would be a fantastic offer any way, but with the quality of food in this place we actually came away a little speechless.
So much sea food, is was al. ways going to be a bit of a heaven for me. To start I had brown crab, shrimp and mango cocktail. Lovely, delicately seasoned, packed with sea food. I couldn’t fault it. Luther H had their fish soup, which after having a try I’ll definitely get next time.
For my main, I had roast hake, spiced fennel stew, mussels, asparagus, crab meat and fragrant rice. My word, was it good! Coated in a beautifully spiced sauce with my perfectly cooked hake on a delicious bed of mussels and and vegetables. Luther had crisped sea bream Caesar salad with prawns and quails eggs, which also looked lovely.
I think the highlight of the meal might have been the chocolate cake desert. Go just for this cake!
Once thing that really made out experience exemplary was the quality of service we received. The waiter was funny, friendly, helpful and attentive but not in your face. I would come back here in a heart beat, and although pretty pricey their full menu sounds very tasty! It’s quite formal a fancy environment but still welcoming. I can’t recommend Gamba enough.

Well, Gamba simply blew me away last night. We had a deal which was 3 courses and a glass of wine for £20, which is good value for money anywhere! Upon arrival the staff were courteous and friendly, and I was quickly shown a seat and supplied with a lovely salmon mousse canapé.
The décor is classy and understated, and the ambience of the room immediately set me at ease.
For my starter I ordered the fish soup; wow! It was delightful, rich and luxurious, with strong flavours of the sea, and had glorious chunks of crab meat throughout. One of the nicest soups I have ever had the pleasure to eat. For my main, I had crisp fried sea bream, with a Caesar salad, prawns and quails eggs. My goodness, it was a perfect main, balanced, light, with a variety of textures from the crispy bread slices, to the juicy prawns and runny egg, with the savoury anchovies all topped with that perfect sea bream. Totally delicious. For dessert, it was the lemon, Rosemary and blueberry posset. It was delicious, clean and creamy, a wonderful end to a spectacular meal. I can’t award it anything less than five stars, and have to urge you simply to get there as soon as you can!

I’m a foodie from San Francisco, and I chose Gamba based on its high Unilocal rating. Given the prices, I don’t feel it merits such a high rating. I dined at three other restaurants in Glasgow during this trip, all at lower price points, and all three were better than Gamba. Details below.
Gamba’s entryway is down a flight of stairs below street level, which is kinda romantic and creates an aura of conspiratorial expectation. The dining rooms are understated-​modern and beautifully lit. An arty vintage-​zoology-​style mural spans a back wall. Gamba has the trappings of a good date-​night place. However, we came early on Sunday night, and though I didn’t expect a crowd, the restaurant was almost empty. The diners who showed up while we were eating were the over-​60 set. Not quite a morgue, but wasn’t lively by any means.
I don’t remember what the amuse bouche was; some sort of fish purée in a tiny crust. My bouche was not amusé. They did serve it very quickly.
Quite a bit later came a pretty basket of breads in a variety of shapes and textures. The sliced brown buckwheat bread was at least a day old; possibly two. I don’t know what the norm is in Glasgow, but in San Francisco it’s not unusual to be served bread that’s warm from the oven in fine restaurants. We were starving and ate our stale bread anyway. No one ever came by to offer a second helping. Fine, we didn’t want it, but it is customary to offer…
Raw Cumbrae rock oysters were my appetizer, and they were very fresh and good.
For my main course, I ordered the special: seared turbot atop a risotto of crab, saffron, and peas. The turbot was fresh and nicely cooked but over-​salted. The risotto was a woebegone grayish lump that got me wondering if they had a My Little Pony Glue Factory out back. The peas were that unappetizing-​olive-​drab color you get with peas from a can, and completely flavorless. I couldn’t taste the saffron either. I saw some bits of red indicating crab, but since everything was overcooked into a near-​textureless porridge the crab just gave the dish a generalized fishy flavor. Do. Not. Order.
The rocket salad, served as a side dish to the main, was simple but fresh and was dressed with a perfectly balanced balsamic. It was topped with wide, translucent-​thin slices of Parmesan that’d been broiled so that there were golden brown bands on it — a visually and texturally pleasing touch.
I’m not a wine freak, but the wine list looked good and prices seemed reasonable. There were lots of international choices; more than one usually sees in the US. I had a glass of Mas Oliveras Cabernet Sauvignon Rosado from Cataluña. The flavor was juicy, mellow, and pleasant and the serving was generous.
Dessert was *almost* Gamba’s redemption: a fabulous, five-​star crème Brûlée with Christmas pudding at the bottom. The cream was rich and fresh and not over-​sweetened, the raisins were plump and juicy with brandy, the hard-​sugar top was perfect, and all the flavors melded together into a gorgeous holiday-​themed dessert.
Service was good and all servers were well-​dressed and extremely polite. All courses arrived in a reasonable amount of time, though the bread was a bit slow. All the orders were correct. At £60 per person and a less-​than-​50% full restaurant, I’d hope for a little more attention.
If you love-​love-​love seafood, it might be worth coming to Gamba for simple fresh roasted fish and dessert. Steer very clear of any complex dishes. Or, just come here for dessert and coffee.

While visiting Glasgow, I decided to treat myself after accidentally skipping lunch due to being caught up in the cathedral, necropolis, and Christmas shopping crowds. This place was so worth missing lunch.
My mom and I started with the complimentary canapé, and she had the grilled lemon sole with olive oil mashers. The mashers could use a bit of butter for a richer flavor, but the sole was like cream. So smooth, no tartar sauce needed (although excellent sauce).
I ordered the Shetland cod with balsamic sauce and pesto potatoes. The sauce was heavenly! A bit of fish stock, creamy, with the slight tang of the vinegar. A must try! The pesto potatoes were perfectly tossed and not dripping in pesto, but just enough to lend flavor to the potatoes.
For dessert, we finished with the Christmas pudding crème brûlée for her, and the Jim’s frozen chocolate cake for me. The custard of the brûlée was well executed, with hints of orange, cinnamon, and what might be cardamom and/​or nutmeg. The cake was more of a torte, with caramel and chocolate sauce topped with marscapone cheese. It was like biting into a truffle with a hint of orange zest in it! Desert was, well, awesome, and walked off on the way back to the hotel!
If you find yourself in the city with the necropolis on a hill, venture away from the shops a bit and find this hidden basement-​level gem. Salud!

I found Gamba through Unilocal as it was one of the highest rated places in Glasgow when I did a general search for things to do. Notice I said ‘places’ and not just ‘restaurants’.The previous reviews were bang on the mark and we were not disappointed.
The restaurant is near to Blytheswood Square and down a narrow set of stairs but it’s easy enough to spot thanks to it’s sign. Inside there are a few different smaller areas which gives the restaurant a cosy and intimate feel.
The Tartare of Seabream was delicious and the addition of tomato and goat’s cheese complemented it wonderfully. I’m pleased I tried it as it’s quite different from anything I’ve had before.
My only regret is that I don’t live closer! Can you open a Gamba in London please?

Gamba present themselves with «simple cooking of fantastic produce» but it was disappointing right from the beginning.
We were presented by the waiter with a basket of industry bread rolls (they didn’t even bother to heat them) as if it was a speciality. This was a very disappointing start. How long does it take a fine kitchen to make their own bread?
We then continued with the starter — Sashimi of Yellowfin tuna, wasabi, pickled ginger, soy — a nice dish almost impossible to screw up unless your tuna supplier has a hiccup. Personally I would have preferred a Japanese vinegar instead of soy, but that’s a matter of taste. A fine starter.
Secondly I had the «Seared hand dived king scallops, fennel, black pudding, apple, dressed leaves». This was indeed a very, very fine dish. The scallops was cooked to perfection and the black pudding was working well with the scallops. Brave and great combination.
My friend had the «Grilled sardines, sun dried tomato, olive & garlic rapeseed oil». They were not grilled enough so they were impossible to de-​bone. It was send out and was returned 10 minutes later well grilled. No excuses, apologies or anything. The sardines at the second round was fine, but not more than that.
In total it was a ok meal but at a restaurant positioned as «Glasgow’s finest seafood restaurant» it was too unprofessional. Prefab rolls and undercooked sardines should not happen on a very quite Tuesday early dinner where we were the only people.

This place is utterly amazing. We booked here for our wedding anniversary and I was super excited because I knew Gamba would be fabulous — on our first visit we loved it and I just knew we were in for a treat. I’d had a careful read of the menu before we went and was stoked to see my two favourites (and the only dishes I’ve actually had here) still on the menu — fish soup (foup!) and half lobster Thermidor.
We arrived quite early for our booking but our table was already ready so we had a seat and ordered a couple of glasses of Chablis while I pretended to consider what to order. Complimentary canapés arrived and were devoured quickly. I ordered the above mentioned dishes with glee and waited in anticipation for the soup to arrive. Thankfully there wasn’t a long wait and the soup was just as lovely as I remember, it has a lot of different flavours and all blends together really well. The crab meat dumplings are an excellent addition. I could happily eat a lot of this soup but I needed to save room for mains.
The lobster is beautifully presented in the shell in a shallow bath of a rich, delicious cheese sauce (made with 3 kinds of cheese, apparently). I have no words to describe this — you just need to try it. Delicious lobster and cheese, it really is my dream meal. You also get a side of rooster chips which are essential to mop up the cheese sauce.
For dessert we ordered one to share as I was pretty stuffed — Jim’s frozen chocolate cake. Jim is the general manager who they allow into the kitchen for this dessert, and so they should as it’s delicious. Sharing this with a chocoholic is a dangerous move, so be warned.
It was good to see the restaurant busy on a Monday night and it had a good atmosphere. As I remember from my last visit, the staff are friendly and well dressed without being formal or pretentious which is just what I like. It was 2 years since our last visit but it certainly won’t be 2 years until the next.

The most amazing seafood meal I have ever had. I thought the atmosphere was a little too poshy posh when I first walked in for dinner. My hubby and I sat down in our tourist attire while others in the restaurants were in gala worthy dresses and suits. After some wine and free salmon canapé appetizers (yes, i asked for another after I killed the first plate), I loosened up and warmed up to my surroundings. My salmon entrée with leek melted in my mouth and the ginger dessert was heavenly.

Superb! What a lovely restaurant, from the unassuming exterior the interior is lavish and attractive.
Out for a meal with the Mrs and another couple we were really taken with the lovely service. The food itself was superb, i went for pâté and then the pan fried hake.
The pâté was light and very rich served with some lovely homemade oatcakes. The fish, served with a visually stunning sauce was a delicious.
Upon tweeting a photo of my meal the waiter came across and gave me a complimentary copy of their own cookbook courtesy of the chef! WOW!
Great experience and looking forward to going back.

The food really can’t be faulted; known for it’s seafood you get exactly what you pay for – high quality cuisine. It isn’t cheap that is for sure but I was there on a business lunch so it wasn’t out my own pocket; that being sad I don’t know if I would pay myself. It was all delicious and amazing but there are lots of amazing seafood places in Glasgow. I will keep an eye on the offer sites to see if anything comes but but I won’t be able to eat off the menu on my own.

I have eaten lunch in Gamba a few times in the last month and each time was thoroughly impressed with both the food and the service.
We ate from the Lunch menu which is 2 courses for £16.95 or 3 courses for £19.95, I really struggled to pick both a starter and main from the choice, they all sounded so good! After our order was taken we were offered bread from a good selection including sun dried tomato, olive, rye, seeded etc. I do like a choice of yummy bread.
Both times I went with the Gamba fish soup to start, it is nothing short of sensational (with crabmeat and ginger, it has a subtle hint of heat to it) and I highly recommend you go there just to have this.
The mains were also excellent.
Coffee and tea is served with generous chunks of tablet, with two portions per diner, which is always a lovely way to round off a meal. It’s surprising that people always have room for some tablet even if they said they were too full for dessert :)
I think the rating should actually be 4.5 stars.

If your looking for seafood at its best then Gamba is most certainly the place to go. I couldn’t recommend this place more highly. From the moment we walked in the door to the second we left both we couldn’t fault this place, one word: Exceptional!
Its exclusive menu is matched by the service. The staff were quick, responsive and most of all every single one of them made us feel welcome.
The food? Sensational!!!
I opted for Prawn, shrimp, crayfish cocktail, chilli jam, lime to start followed by Half Scottish lobster thermidor with rooster chips. Finishing up with a Christmas pudding brulee. All 3 were Heavenly!
The Drinks? First class!
They have a great selection of aperitifs, wines and cocktails.
Top marks go to Gamba!

Was here with my work. Fish to die for (quite pricey) but well worth it.

For that special occasion you have to go to somewhere special… and Gamba is !

Booked through 5pm, £50 for 3 courses and a bottle of wine which isn’t bad at all considering the quality of the food! Friendly staff, nice décor, had the starter of pistachio & chicken terrine with plum chutney & oatcakes, was nice but a little weird with the nuts and chicken for my taste.(my boyfriend had the prawn cocktail which looked gorgeous, lots of prawns). For main I had the cajun red snapper with honey noodles, amazing! Fish cooked perfectly, no need for seasoning and quite a large portion. For dessert I had frozen pistachio caramel… I literally have never tasted a nicer dessert in my life! Thick cold caramel with big pistachios topped with cream! The wine was also lovely, and I will definitely be back as long as they continue to do the £50 couples deal.

Visiting Gamba was a pleasure. They serve high quality seafood in a very nice atmosphere. We had no problem to get a table for two on a friday evening without booking but if you want to be on the safe side, you better book a table.
The dishes were quite delicious and the waitress was very friendly. As a starter I had the Tartare of line caught seabass, goat’s cheese, sesame, chives, tomato which was the best tartare I every had. The fusion of the goat’s cheese, the bass and the other ingredients was absolutely delicious. My main dish was a classic: Lemon sole simply grilled. What can you say. Yum. Served with excellent fries.
My wife had the Yellowfin tuna Sashimi. Really great stuff though not politically correct, we know and the Roast Icelandic cod, prawn & banana curry, chickpeas. Forget the peas, you don’t want ‘em if you have this terrific curry.
The food is well worth the price. The wine was very good too. It was a great evening.

Great beat soup with smoked salmon; I normally am not a big beat fan but this was great! Had the salmon salad with watermellon which was also good. Tasted the scalops and the 8oz filet and had crème brule with raisens, ginger poppyseed cake. Great food and weill worth the price. I give it an 8 to 8.5 on my personal score card and thus far have only had one 10 in my lifetime and that is Thomas Keller’s French Laundry so any place I give an 8 is very good.
Did not think we would eat there twice as we researched and booked the other top rated restaurants in Glasgow but Brian Maule at Chardon d’Or was such a complete dud that caused me to leave most of my main course on the table that I was starving so we called up «Gamba and they took care of us. I was able to try their fish soup with crabmeat. It had notes of ginger, strands of crab in every spoon, and was sweet a mild spice, and southing and savory as it warmed my stomache. We ended the meal with the frozen rasberries with white chocolate/​sweet milk type sauce that was hot and created a wonderfully tasteful blend of hot/​cold, sweet and refreshing flavors. Thus far we only have one more top rated place to go but it appears they are clearly the top place in Glasgow for a memorable meal.

Whoever says «Glasgow doesn’t have any good restaurants» hasn’t stepped off the main streets. Our son attends RSAMD and I’ve been to this city three times so far.
Gamba was a treat! We almost passed it by as it sits at the corner of West George and West Campbell underneath the building. Fitting, don’t you think, for a seafood restaurant?
Yes, it’s expensive. Yes, it’s exclusive. Yes, you should probably book ahead. BUT, if you come early, as we did, their pre-​fix theater menu is reasonable — $ 15 pound and includes two courses.
I chose a pâté to start and Sea Bream served over a warm salad. Delicious! We were all pleased. Totally satisfied.
And the service? Impeccable.
You can’t go wrong with this restaurant.

Not a born sea creature lover, I was a bit cautious about my date in Gamba. The restaurant itself is beautiful with class seeping out of the walls. The service from arrival to end was just wonderful, there was nothing more the waiting staff could have done to make the experience better.
The price is higher than you would normally pay in many restaurants around Glasgow, but I would say it is worth it for the extra care for detail that they take here at Gamba.
My boyfriend had the sea bass and tiger prawns which he says was the freshest and tastiest he had ever had. I opted for some sort of mackerel salad. Both of these which were on the £40 menu, where you get 3 courses for 2 people and a glass of wine all for £40. Great deal especially for here.

Gamba gives Glasgow a classy touch, with absolutely mouthwatering seafood and top level service. A must for seafood-​lovers, this is a contender for best restaurant in the city. Tucked away in a downstairs on West George Street at the corner of West Campbell Street, it’s the perfect refuge after a long day of pounding the pavement of the Golden Z.
Stepping into Gamba is like a modern fairyland for adults, with beautiful tea lights and a delicate touch of class. While it’s pricier than most restaurants in the upper Bath Street area, if you’re going to do seafood, this is the place to do it right. The delectable cuisine begins with those cute little aperitifs and continues till your after-​dinner coffee and mints. The scallops are divine and, if you’re not a seafoodie, the sausages and mash are as gourmet and delicious as they come.
With a whole host of menus from lunch to pre-​theatre and a la carte offer a great deal of choice and standard 2– and 3-​course deals.