Gado Gado

Great patio. Great wine selection. Tasty food. Enjoy downtown Matthews!

Had lunch at Gado Gado today with a large group of 20. We had our own section in the dining room. The place was nice on the inside and the restaurant was about half full. Service was friendly and efficient, especially for a large group.
We ordered 2 appetizers for the table. Rock shrimp and spinach artichoke dip. The Rick shrimp were breaded with a sweet sauce… very good! The spin dip was just ok. For my meal I ordered the veggie flatbread and a cup of their soup of the day, which was mushroom. Soup was lukewarm at best. Too bad, because the flavor was good. The flatbread had large fresh veggies on it with a crispy crust. My only complaint was that it had too much cheddar cheese on it. Wished it was just Italian cheeses.
All in all… A-​OK!

The food is not at all the quality it should be for the prices. The waiters all seem unhappy, will not return.

Terrible! is best way to describe the experience at Gado Gado that had me leaving after the appetizer course. After picking through a mixed green salad that was half rotten and slimy greens, I returned the «homemade» salsa that tasted like tomatoe purée out of a can because «it had no pepper in it.» The owner of the restaurant came over and insulted me and said that if I wanted hotter salsa I should have stayed at home. I ultimately walked out and found a great restaurant two doors down at SANTE, which I highly recommend.

I wouldn’t be giving this restaurant 4 stars if it weren’t for the awesome outside patio area. I loved the atmosphere here! The food was 3 stars, good but didn’t blow us away. Our service was rocky to begin with, but that’s typical for any new restaurant — you could tell they were still getting into the groove.
If you’re ever looking for a great spot to enjoy a beautiful night, this is the place!

What happened. they got a new chef… why did they let the old chef go. what a difference in the food. everything was off. by the time we got to the entrée we knew something was very wrong. It was our 24 anniversary and we did not even order a dessert because we already knew it would be bad… not at all the same… We have raved to everyone about the chef. I need to know where he went .cus I am not coming back here !!!

Brian’s thought: I am new to the area… I had never been to Matthews before, my girlfriend took me there. She knew the head chef that works there. We had tempura shrimp and a couple of drinks. I had a Martini… they were out of Smirnoff – and hooked me up with Belvedere instead, which was nice :). The shrimp was awesome. He did something with the tails, that made them good all the way to the very tips. The soy sauce mixture to dip it in was awesome!
The weather was nice, so we sat out on the patio, there was soft alternative music playing in the background and a fountain right next to us which was peaceful. The service was good. As expected I would say. and very friendly. Based on how good the appetizer was, we would definitely go back when we are in the mood for something more.
Jessi’s Five Senses: Downtown Matthews screams beauty. You can imagine what the town looked like in the past and see how it has been painted with modern charm for its present day. Located right in its heart, with an antique bank for its shell is Gado Gado. Referred by a friend, whom is the restaurants Chef. Brian and I share the love for outdoor patios. Gado’s patio is located by the street. We love to people watch. Upon arrival the greeting was inviting and sincere. Our host. being the Owner enchanted me with Greek charm… to me this accented the Greek — American cuisine. Our server, also, met us at the door and proceeded to guide us through the dim lit, rustic atmosphere to the huge. It wasn’t a busy time so we picked out our table. Right by the Gothic fountain that I LOVED! I was in the mood for wine. I prefer Red. I admire their wine selection. Brian had a Georgia Peach martini which I tried and loved. It wasn’t too sweet as a suspected it to be.
I didn’t have much of an appetite. SO drinks, a nibble and a little relaxation was in our forecast. My friend aka chef came out to chat with us. He describe all the menu changes he had personally made. Informed us that Gado grew all their herbs on site near the patio! I could smell the rosemary. Impressive. He recommended the Shrimp Tempura.
Chilling and chatting… listening to subtle music and a little fountain splash. Our food arrive. Beautiful culinary art. 6lightly fried, large shrimp sat on a bed of carrots and spinach for color, with a sweet soy sauce for dipping. ALL 5 senses are described above.

The menu is a bit more than your typical fast lunch sit down, but I think it’s worth it every once in a while. I’ve never been disappointed in their lunch sandwiches. The patio outside is nice to sit in if it’s not too hot (or too cold like the other reviewer). The inside is a little dark, but very spacious.

I’m sure that if it was nice enough to sit outside that this would be a different review but, it was cold so…
This restaurant has a great outdoor area and it is in the heart of picturesque downtown Matthews. It is the old converted bank building with the columns and they did a so so job with the renovation, unless it was their intention to keep the building relatively the same inside.
My husband and I had the mussels, delicious, and a glass of wine. We didn’t eat dinner there and the menu was limited and pricey. I expected Mediterranean food but, there were other items also. Kind of a «hodge podge».