Gbs Bar & Restaurant

In my very humble opinion this is one of the nicer places to enjoy a cocktail in Howick. There is their special cocktails menu but they will also make old favourites. Their black forest Expresso is my go to. The menu has something for everyone on it. We normally order a number of their sides and share because there is a lot of yummy stuff and we want a bit of everything. I highly rate their fries, perfect texture, served hot and crispy. They also have their blackboard special. Worth looking at these before the menu because they are normally pretty good. Overall a great place. I have been a number of times and will continue to go. If I was going to give it any criticism, they occasionally close early. We have been inside and they have turned people away at 9pm. I am not sure if the reasoning but it’s a bit weird to turn someone away that wants to spend money in your establishment.

Smashing cocktails! The cherry sour was Devine 🍒- $19.50 ea but I just had to have two! I had it without sugar syrup and it was silky smooth yet brightly piquant. The food was just OK - the pork belly was the best dish we sampled with lots of meat and a beautiful balance of flavours but the skin wasn’t crispy and the fat wasn’t rendered off enough to my liking. The scallops were disappointing - the scallop flavour was suspiciously strong and pungent as opposed to subtle and the profile was more salty and oily than light and slightly sweet. The bao were also a bit underwhelming - not bad overall but the karaage batter could have been crispier, darker, more flavourful and there weren’t enough pickled elements to balance the sweet bun and creamy mayo. I prefer a bit of spice, crunch and vinegar - they were bland. The service was absolutely five star 🤌 Our wait person was so attentive, professional and kind. It’s a great atmosphere with beautiful architectural features - if a little cramped. All round great spot to spend a cheeky afternoon sip and bite.

I see why this place is always so busy. Went in today being 1st customer of the day (2 of us), the place is run well and the kitchen delivers! Cannot fault them, service, food and atmosphere. We had Bao Buns, Pork Belly, Green Curry Muscles, Pulled Pork Loaded Fries and beverages...on tap beer is fresh and good! Will definitely go in again, highly recommended.

My mum and I had an amazing experience here, the bar tenders, especially the woman with the dangly earrings (didn’t quite catch her name!) were so accommodating to us and made us feel welcome. The food we had was great (just bar snacks as it was late) and came quickly, and the cocktail I had was reasonably priced and came served in a huge glass/bowl. All in all a delightful experience and we would definitely come back if we visited Howick again 😊