Bar Gandolfi

Bar Gandolfi is tucked away above Café Gandolfi in a cosy and welcoming space. Even though it was busy we managed to get seats at the bar. The staff are all really friendly and make amazing cocktails, the salted caramel espresso martini was delicious as was the margarita.
The menu offers a variety of dishes including pizzas, salad and steak with Scottish treats such as Arbroath smokies and haggis, neeps and tatties. The food we shared, macaroni cheese and a New York pastrami sandwich, was tasty and good value for money. I will be trying the cullen skink the next time I visit.
If you like a good cocktail you will love it here!

Bar Gandolfi is tucked away upstairs from Café Gandolfi — up what feels like a random, back, staff stairwell which could probaby use a bit of tarting up — there was a stack of empty booze boxes outside the door of the bar. Just a weird first impression.
The bar itself is lit by skylights and is actually rather small, with most tables seating only two. The tables themselves are pretty gorgeous — wood with touches of design in them. The bar is well stocked though mostly setup for spirits instead of beer as I seem to recall only three or so taps.
It was pretty full when we visited and so we were surprised that there was only one member of staff working. It was the time of day when many of us were ordering coffees which of course need to be made one at a time and as a result it was quite a long wait to receive our order.
I liked the setting — I found it relaxed and quiet, but it wasn’t necessarily a place I would think to return to for a proper drink and equally wasn’t somewhere which invited you to stay for any relaxed period of time.

I didn’t even know this wee bar existed until last week. But I’m glad I do now.
Situated above Café Gandolfi, this bar is a well kept secret.
All of the tables are really only for couples — which explains why it was full of Friday night dates when we were there. We grabbed seats at the surprisingly large bar — which had a pretty good selection of whiskies, gins and wine etc. But the beer taps were quite uninspired.
Overall, this is a great place to go for a quiet drink and blether — but go elsewhere if there’s more than a few of you.

Lordy, how can you not love Gandofi? I adore pretty much every part of this place, and the upstairs bar (separate to the restaurant & fish plaice [heh] downstairs) is a particular favourite. Tucked up amongst the eaves of the building, and with wonderful wooden furniture (IIRC, made by some now-​rather-​famous guy before-​he-​was-​famous) and skylights that give gorgeous sunlight in summer, and a safe hiding in a tent feeling when the glasgow skies open.
Food’s served up here as well as downstairs, and you can eat at the bar. Everything’s good. If you don’t know quite what to drink, ask for whatever’s on this month’s wine club.
The missing star is because there’s not much room to move, and it can get rather warm.

A wee gem of a place in Merchant City; a cut above the other bars of Candleriggs and Albion Street. Perfect venue for a quiet drink in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the Merchant City.
Don’t expect TV sport, this place is more laid back, hip and sophisticated than neighbouring venues. Small tables mean it’s not suited to groups — a great place for a post-​dinner drink with your dinner date.

My favourite place for payday. The drinks aren’t cheap but they have a large selection of every kind of spirit, a delicious cocktail list & lots of port (including my beloved tawny).
You can also order food which is delicious.
Try it out when you’re feeling flush!

Great idea having a different country’s food each month; great venue with fantastic slabs of tree for furniture; interesting French menu; delicious mussels followed by the star of the evening the lambs livers which were followed by a slightly disappointingly soggy Tarte Tatin; on the whole trois points but only just.

Went in for the specialist food night — this one was a «curry» night and that’s a pretty wide spectrum of dishes to cover and get right.
I’d say the food was more on the «restaruant» side of indian food but overall it was well done and worth the visit.
Starter was a crab, prawn, chilli and veg samosa with mango, mint and coriander salsa. Very nicely cooked but the only downside was that the chilli just wasn’t making itself known in the slightest. As in, at all.
Main course was a rogan josh which again, wasn’t exactly spicy but had a good balance of flavours and the toasted onion rice and slightly salted yoghurt that went with it was excellent. The dish was more than the sum of its individual parts basically.
Last course was a rice pudding with coconut, lime and maybe some crushed cardoman? Very nice.
Service was great, vibe was nice and they are doing some more mid week regional food nights so probs worth checking.

GFish and CafeG are 5 star. Giving BarG a 4. Can’t give it 5 as it is not my absolute fave bar in town.
I don’t think I would ever consider it as the main destination for a night out. I simply prefer a different bar/​pub experience when at night.
I like to drop in after lunch rush but before dinner. Typically have an order of Cullen Skink, glass of Pinot Grigio, and something good to read. I would describe the ambience as modern/​scandanavian/​industrial chic. It has a glass ceiling so loads of natural light.
Tables are small so best go with just one other person or as I do with something to read.
The Gandolfi brand with its 3 offerings are quintissential Glasgow and should not be missed.

Yuppie loft bar that serves as an overflow to Café Gandolfi downstairs. Not a great place to eat but some folk might like its modern, financial-​district style and there’s a decent range of bottled beers plus one real ale on tap (St Andrews). This small bar can be somewhat drafty by the door, even in the «summer».
I took the opportunity to try out the baked Camembert for two, as I was intrigued to see how they could justify the £12 price tag. Rather disappointingly it was just a whole Camembert, baked so that it instantly collapses into an amorphous goo on opening, together with a side salad and roasted garlic bulb. It was served with two sorry-​looking slices of bread, clearly not enough to eat with an entire Camembert nor was it particularly exciting.

Despite its killer location in the Merchant City, Bar Gandolfi is truly a hidden gem tucked away above the renowned Café Gandolfi. On the occasions that I’ve had the privilege of dining in Café Gandolfi, I’m always way too stuffed to fit anything else in my wee belly, even if it is just a G&T. So I fail miserably to make it up the stairs each time. Except for recently…
«Fancy a drink?»
«Yeah, Blackfriars?»
«Nah, let’s go to Bar Gandolfi… just as relaxed, less of a crowd…»
«Where? There’s nothing above Gandolfi Fish or Café Gandolfi… youz crazy woman!»
«Just follow me…»
I find the concept of a speakeasy really cool and alluring. I’m quite a fan of the modern speakeasy, where I’ve enjoyed drinks from San Francisco, Chicago, St. Louis to NYC. I especially enjoy walking into a phone booth in the middle of a hot dog restaurant, lifting the receiver to say the code, which then reveals a hidden passage to another room where the bar was. Awesome. Although Bar Gandolfi isn’t necessarily a «speakeasy», it could easily be classified as one because (1) it’s so well hidden in the popular Merchant City and (2) you can actually enjoy a conversation, because patrons «speak easy». Although the added thrill would come from illegal sales of booze… but prohibition in UK? Hah!
Once you reach the top of the stairs and push the wood door open, you’re welcomed into this a bright loft retreat above Merchant City. Lumberjack describes it as yuppie-​tastic… I on the other hand have an appreciation for it, from its mixture of rustic charm blended with contemporary elements. I admire the slabs of semi-​free-​formed wood that make up the bar, tables, and chairs. It’s a more intimate venue than Blackfriars, where you can easily enjoy a glass of wine, or even a coffee and a newspaper. On offer is a fully stocked bar, including a nice selection of gins (see gin tasting review as an explanation for becoming a gin snob) and an extensive menu of fine wines and champagne. Lumberjack and I sipped on our G&Ts, as we watched freshly prepared food being served to the gentleman a few tables away. It’s the same intoxicating smell from Café Gandolfi… mmm… The service is excellent, the same you would get downstairs… in fact it was the same guy I’ve seen in Café Gandolfi. He’s quite knowledgeable and friendly, and brought the drinks over to our table… and boy were they strong! Prices are what you would expect for the location, 2 G&Ts set us back around £10.
Bottom line: If you fancy a nice retreat from your standard night out in the Merchant City (or the sausage-​fests that seem to be Blackfriars or Red Lizard), then nip away upstairs to Bar Gandolfi and you won’t regret it… cos this ain’t no bull.

Sssh, it’s a secret.
There are a wealth of fine drinking establishments in Glasgow’s Merchant City. Bar Gandolfi is never one that people seem to suggest, not because it isn’t good, but because nobody seems to know it’s there.
Y’see, the food in Café Gandolfi and it’s sister Gandolfi Fish is so fine, and so universally praised, people presume that’s all there is. They go to satisfy their appetites and they leave, barely noticing the stairs leading up.
If you decide to go up, you’ll find a hip attic space and bar with an excellent selection of drinks and smart staff. The fine food from the café is also available if the smell from downstairs is just too enticing.
I’ve never found it busy, no matter which night I’ve ventured in, and this secret, speakeasy atmosphere is half the appeal. I almost wish you needed a password to get in.
Psst… this may get me into trouble, but, for my money, they make the best whiskey sour in the whole of Glasgow.