Gamba

Fish and seafood restaurant · Glasgow Central

Gamba

Fish and seafood restaurant · Glasgow Central

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225A W George St, Glasgow G2 2ND, United Kingdom

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Highlights

Tucked away in a chic basement, Gamba dazzles seafood lovers with its elegant decor and mouthwatering dishes crafted from Scotland's finest catch.  

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225A W George St, Glasgow G2 2ND, United Kingdom Get directions

gamba.co.uk
@gambaglasgow

$$$

Reserve

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225A W George St, Glasgow G2 2ND, United Kingdom Get directions

+44 141 572 0899
gamba.co.uk
@gambaglasgow
𝕏
@Gamba_Glasgow

$$$

Reserve

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Jul 28, 2025

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"Gamba For a while now, Scotland has boasted—justifiably—about its abundance of high-quality foodstuffs, including fresh fish from the clear, frigid waters surrounding the country and its hundreds of coastal islands. For a taste, head to Gamba, a smart basement restaurant opened in 1998 that’s known for its excellent seafood. Here, chef patron Derek Marshall presents classic French cooking with an Asian twist, using only sustainable fish and in-season produce. Try the signature fish soup (made with Portland crabmeat, stem ginger, coriander, and prawn dumplings), followed by the Isle of Gigha halibut (served with king prawns, mussels, mangetout, maple syrup, and lime)."

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Stevie

Google
Absolutely loved this restaurant. The starters were excellent as well as our mains. Gregor was our waiter and he was so attentive and full of knowledge in regards to the fish on the menu. It was perhaps a little quiet but that is never a bad thing. Definitely recommended a visit!

Stewart Glennie

Google
Excellent place for a special occasion. The restaurant was lovely and the staff were very friendly and welcoming. The service was not rushed so you were able to relax & enjoy the meal. The food was excellent. The 2 starters we had - fish soup and sashimi - were particularly enjoyable. The rum & raising creme brulee was a fine end to the meal. Highly recommend.

edward hargan

Google
From the moment I stepped into Gamba, I knew I was in for something special, and this Glasgow gem absolutely exceeded every expectation. My recent visit was an unmitigated delight, a true celebration of fresh, vibrant seafood and culinary artistry. To start, I opted for the picked herring, and what a revelation it was! The fish was impeccably fresh, with a delicate cure that enhanced its natural sweetness without overpowering it. It was a bright, clean, and utterly refreshing beginning to the meal, perfectly whetting the appetite for what was to come. For my main course, I chose the seabass, and it was simply sublime. The fillet was cooked to absolute perfection – flaky, tender, and bursting with flavour, with a beautifully crisp skin that added a delightful textural contrast. Each mouthful was a testament to the quality of the ingredients and the skill of the kitchen. It was elegantly presented and truly a showstopper. And then came the grand finale: the lemon posset. Oh my goodness, what a dream! It was a symphony of creamy, tangy, and sweet, with that perfect zesty kick that cleansed the palate and left a lingering, joyful sensation. It was the ideal conclusion to an already faultless meal. Beyond the exquisite food, the atmosphere at Gamba is wonderfully inviting – sophisticated yet comfortable, with attentive and genuinely friendly staff who clearly have a passion for what they do. Every detail, from the warm welcome to the seamless service, contributed to an exceptional dining experience. If you're looking for an unforgettable seafood experience in Glasgow, look no further than Gamba. It's a culinary triumph that I cannot recommend highly enough. I'm already dreaming of my next visit!

Ruth Doherty

Google
We were there for a special occasion, to celebrate my husband's birthday. He loves seafood and we had the most delicious food you could imagine. The staff were absolutely lovely, friendly and helpful. I couldn't recommend it highly enough - try it out, you won't be disappointed! Plus the tablet at the end was superb 🥰

Ian Richards

Google
A lovely dining experience. Good for gluten free diners. Returned after 20 years as diner and it was as good as it was then. Service and food are among the best in Glasgow, great wine selection and relaxing environment. A la carte was chosen and had lobster and hallubut for mains, soup for starters. Both meals excellent.

S C

Google
I did a day trip to Glasgow and had specifically selected Gamba based on their menu and the reviews. The food did not disappoint! I took a 2-course meal and both dishes were succulent! The service was attentive, albeit a tad snooty. The reason I’m giving 4 stars is because I’m annoyed that I was only offered bottled water and ended up paying £2.55 for what amounted to one large class of still water, yet I overheard servers asking other patrons if they wanted tap water. I felt they slightly too advantage of the fact that I was obviously a tourist. Still, I recommend this excellent restaurant, and I congratulate its chef.

Pauline Macdougall

Google
We had the lunch 3 course menu which included a glass of wine. Lovely meal and the staff were so helpful and friendly. I reduced the stars by 1 point only because tge restaurant is downstairs and was a lovely day outside. 😎.

C Hill

Google
We visited Gamba. Exquisite Dover lemon sole. Cooked to perfection. The blackened sea bream with capers and prawns were fantastic too. Excellent service too. Loved the decor too.
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Grahame G.

Yelp
I really thought I'd already written a review for Gamba, but it seems not. This is absolutely the top seafood restaurant in Glasgow, if not Scotland IMO. The standard of the food is outstanding, the service is impeccable, they have a small but select wine list and a good cocktail menu. All in a relaxed and not overcrowded atmosphere. It's been too long since we'd visited, but it was just as good as we remembered. I had the tuna sashimi to start - which unexpectedly came with chopsticks - while Herself went for the tuna tartare. Both absolutely delicious, melt-in-the-mouth good. For mains, it was the halibut and scallops for her; I tried the monkfish, although with some slight trepidation over the banana, green lentil and chickpea sauce. I needn't have worried though, it wasn't a very strong curry and actually worked really well with the monkfish and the haddock. Just enough room to squeeze in a dairy-free sorbet for me - they had a lovely cucumber sorbet that was served with the tuna tartare, so I tried that. Herself can never resist a good cheese board, and this one was good (so I'm told). All in all, a fantastic meal. So good that I completely forgot to take any pictures. The sad news is that Derek, the owner is apparently planning to retire and is looking for someone to take over the business, so my advice is to get in there quickly before he's gone. Oh - and they have Derek's Gamba cook books on sale, £20 each or two for £30. If you ask nicely, you may even get them autographed!
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Marcie L.

Yelp
This place was beautiful. The staff members were very friendly and attentive. They have a great lunch special with a two course meal for €28. I had the crawfish appetizer, which was a little too rich for me, but still great. The sea bream fish on a bed of salad was phenomenal. The side of potatoes were absolutely delicious. They also gave me the most thoughtful and generous dining birthday gift, which included their beautiful recipe book.
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Stacey B.

Yelp
We made a reservation the day before and arrived a few minutes ahead of time on a drizzly Spring night. The restaurant was beautifully lit and set a nice romantic mood. We were seated right away and provided with a delicious amuse bouche of mackerel and sriracha on a water cracker. The menu has some lovely seafood options and a few specials each night. We chose the Poached prawns with thinly sliced chilis, water melon cubes, pine cornel salad, all served in a spiced lemon dressing and of course their famous fish soup. They were both fantastic. We also had some bread and butter while we waited for our entrees to come out. The service was on point and glowed nicely. My better half ordered the special of Crispy fried Sea Bream fillet that was served with fresh asparagus, king prawns, sugar snap peas, and orange. I had the Lemon Sole served Meunière style (you could also order it grilled but who passes up that AMAZING brown butter and lemon sauce???). The fish came with tiny brown shrimp and capers as well. It was incredibly moist and delicious. Do yourself a huge favor though and order those smashed potatoes with truffle sauce to soak up the last bits of that luscious Meunière sauce on your plate. So good!! The broccoli was very good too. We finished our meals by splitting a sticky toffee pudding with butterscotch and vanilla ice cream. This was our first taste of this decadent dessert and certainly won't be our last. It was very very good. We really enjoyed our dinners and the ambiance and service. The manager even chased after us outside to give us my passport that had fallen out of my pocket. Yikes! Thank goodness for his kindness.
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Frank M.

Yelp
We made our reservation about 3 weeks before arriving because we wanted good Scottish seafood. The food choice is wonderful and the service is superb (15% tip worthy). The wine list isn't very long but we wine found a great white which paired wonderfully with our food. A great overall gastronomic experience. It is located in the basement with steps down on the outside so you need to be observant not to first walk past as we did.
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Alice C.

Yelp
~*~*~ Pre-covid experience ~*~*~ When in Scotland, eat lots of seafood. At least, that's what I tried to do anyway. This is a restaurant specializing in seafood, and they offer a set menu on Saturdays as well. For someone like me traveling from San Francisco, the set menu is decent price -- but for local money it's on the high side. We got the set menu, of course, and opted for all seafood. They do have one or two non-seafood items, but why would you do that if you chose to come here? The appetizers were the highlights -- the hot smoked salmon pate with beetroot was amazing, as was their fish soup (TM?? lol). The mains were pretty decent, but we were definitely more impressed by the small plates. This is also one of the places with a gin menu. An entire menu of gins. With different aromatic pairings, plus your choice of mixer. MIND. BLOWN. I would just come back for this gin menu. The service was a little dry, as other reviews noted -- but unless you are expecting friendly waiters because the US, it isn't out of the norm comparing to other fine establishments in this city.
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Holly C.

Yelp
I don't need to tell you it's good--it's been reviewed by far more credentialed people than me-- but I will anyway. What a perfect, perfect night. We even saw one of our fabulous servers at the airport the next morning. She saw us and came over to say hello at 4am. That's the kind of people they hire. Not just good, but people who are genuine and hospitable. Even if the food had been just good, they people of Gamba made the night. Each person was fun, thoutful, and helped make the dinner and event. But the food wasn't just good. It was the best meal of the trip (and not the most expensive). My mom had the lobster Thermador sauce. She devoured it! And she was glad she went witb the Thermador. I got the filet, mid rare. Oh it was amazing. Cooked perfectly. Interesting how different the taste of American vs Scottish are. Neither better than the other, just different. My partner got the halibut. It was the best fish order we had in two weeks and we ordered a ton of fish. Worth every penny.

Carolyn C.

Yelp
Fresh seafood and excellent service! Pre-theatre menu was priced well. Two yummy courses with a glass of red or white wine. Beautiful ambience.
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Noelle V.

Yelp
We only had one night in Glasgow and we were looking for great seafood- Gamba exceeded our expectations. The service was impeccable, yet it was still surpassed by the quality of the food. We started with the oysters and yellowfin tuna sashimi- both were extremely fresh and delicious. It just so happened that we were there on a Wednesday, so we took advantage of the surf'n'turf menu for 2 option, which includes a filet with prawns and scallops for each person, and a bottle of wine to share. The filet and so tender and the entire entrée was full of flavor. I would highly recommend Gamba if you are looking for the highest quality seafood, set in a relaxing yet intimate environment.

Liz M.

Yelp
The restaurant showed as open so walked over a mile to eat there only to find it closed. What a waste of time.
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Sheri M.

Yelp
Gamba is located on George Street a few blocks away from the bustling city center of Glasgow. You descend down a short flight stairs to a small charming romantic restaurant with a warm inviting ambiance. We both had fresh fish which was as good as any we have had in London. We highly recommend this restaurant. For us it was a wonderful respite from the cold and frenzied city. Our only change would be the poor music selection that was played, a mix of American pop and rock songs from the 80's. We would have preferred to dine listening to jazz and / or classical music including Oscar Peterson, Chet Baker and others.
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Briony C.

Yelp
Gamba is a favourite of ours, and I'm embarrassed that it's been so long between visits. I mean, I even concluded my last review saying that it wouldn't be two years til I came back... yeh, it was 2.5 years. There's just so many good eating options in Glasgow! Anyway, thanks to my best friend back in Melbourne who got us vouchers for here for our birthdays (thanks Gemma!) we had dinner here on Thursday night. The restaurant was maybe 1/3rd full and weirdly we were seated right next to another table (a total bugbear) of mine but thankfully they were finishing up their meal and left not long after we left. I had my standard Gamba meal: fish soup followed by half lobster thermidor. I would love to order something different but I just really love this meal. The fish soup on the a la carte menu comes with crab meat dumplings and is just heavenly. I love the lobster - it is just so rich and indulgent, and feels like a real treat. I love the cheese sauce and I felt like this was a very meaty lobster as it was really filling. The chips are great to soak up the sauce. Yum We decided not to have dessert - if the frozen chocolate cake was on the menu I'd have made room for that but sadly it wasn't, so we just got the bill and headed home. This is a pricey meal out - our bill came to just over £100 with two glasses of rosé prosecco to start and a glass of wine with Graeme's main. But I really love Gamba and their dedication to seafood so don't mind it for a special occasion. One little grizzle which was more weird than anything is that our coats came back from the cloak room smelling of cigarette smoke. Now, I have a really sensitive sense of smell and loathe the smell of smoke, so I noticed it when maybe others wouldn't, but I still found that a little bothersome. Maybe next time I'll keep my coat on my chair!
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Amber K.

Yelp
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.
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Amy R.

Yelp
Absolutely delicious food, but extraordinarily high priced for the service. When we arrived, I was pleased with the unostentatious appearance and the cute cozy flight of stairs down into the restaurant. We had a reservation, but they advised us that they weren't ready for us yet and crammed us into a teeny corner bar on the side. We perused the cocktail menu and waited. We ordered a cocktail and waited. We drank a cocktail and waited. We finally asked when we would be seated and they had clearly forgotten us - they rushed off to dress a table and seated us in seconds. Then we had to ask for water, ask for bread, ask for butter, ask for another cocktail, and ask if we could order. I had an incredible, five star, gorgeous scallop dish and a giant piping hot side of fries as my entree and it was delicious. We then had to ask about dessert, ask for our check, and we were finally free. It's such a shame that a place with incredible food and remarkable cuisine presentation is so soured by bad service.
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Meredith A.

Yelp
We had one of the best meals we've had in ages here a few weeks ago. We made a booking for Sunday night on a bank holiday weekend, though the restaurant was surprisingly pretty quiet anyway. Service was impeccable - friendly and flawless, anticipating our needs, and treating us like truly valued guests. We highly recommend their Market Menu, which is normally £30 but was £25 for us as it was restaurant week - 3 courses and a glass of wine. Even at full price, with such big portions of lush food, it would be an absolute steal. We were first brought a complimentary amuse bouche, a lovely little smoked salmon bite. We both had the fish soup, which was succulent and boldly flavored with ginger and coriander. Lovely fresh bread and soft butter accompanied. My husband and I shared two main dishes, the whole roasted sea bream and the crispy skinned sea bass. The former was in garlic butter with various vegetables and prawns, the latter was almost in a salad with watermelon, pine nuts, and goats cheese. I couldn't even say which I preferred as both were utterly divine. Big plates full of incredibly fresh, perfectly cooked fish. All the flavors melded perfectly and absolutely sang. We got a side of chips, which we didn't need, but they were served utterly piping hot and lovely. Our desserts were creme brulee - one of the firmest, most divinely break-able crusts ever, and the white chocolate parfait with mango and meringue, which my husband said was one of the best desserts he'd had in ages. We were so full we thought we'd never eat again. We can't recommend this place highly enough - one of the best seafood dinners I can ever remember having.
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Claire S.

Yelp
We were in the UK for a week, and this was the best meal we had the entire trip! The restaurant atmosphere is wonderful, and the staff is incredibly attentive. We ordered 5 different fish entrees, and every one of them was delicious. The Sancerre we ordered was also fantastic. I would highly recommend if you're looking for a tasty, upscale alternative to haggis in Scotland.
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Luther H.

Yelp
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 decor 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!

April P.

Yelp
nice environment, food was ok, but, the waitress with curved hair was HORRIBLE! She questioned almost everything I said and made a ugly face when we asked for the bill. She should be fired, cause she ruined my visit.

Michael L.

Yelp
First time in Scotland. Clear number 1 best meal I had the entire trip. Amazing food and service.
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Jens H.

Yelp
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.
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drusilla s.

Yelp
I'm a foodie from San Francisco, and I chose Gamba based on its high Yelp 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 puree 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.
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Meghan H.

Yelp
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 creme 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!
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Roz M.

Yelp
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.
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Sui B.

Yelp
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 entree with leek melted in my mouth and the ginger dessert was heavenly.
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Ryan W.

Yelp
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.
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claire B.

Yelp
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!
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Natasha B.

Yelp
I found Gamba through Yelp 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?
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Nicola B.

Yelp
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.
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Jurgen D.

Yelp
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 pate and then the pan fried hake. The pate 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.
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Marilee S.

Yelp
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 pate 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.
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Jim P.

Yelp
Very nice food and very good service. My mark should really be 4 and a half. The monkfish was excellent and a nice selection of cheeses to finish off.
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Amanda Q.

Yelp
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.
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Zudo P.

Yelp
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 creme 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.
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Qype User (hschot…)

Yelp
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.
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Qype User (lynsey…)

Yelp
I can't recommend this restaurant highly enough for seafood lovers. For those who don't like seafood there is usually a limited choice of non seafood dishes. There is uusually a list of daily specials. The food is fresh and well presented. There is also a very good wine list. The staff are extremely polite and helpful and there is a lovely peaceful atmosphere inside the restaurant. It would equally suit a lunch, pre theatre dinner or romantic meal for two. Definitely worthy of its five star rating. The only small downside is that is is perhaps slightly off the beaten track in terms of the shopping areas and you have to know where to find it but it is well worth the effort.

Audrey R.

Yelp
Excellent seafood and impeccable service. Friendly, approachable wait staff who know all the dimensions of good service. And an awesome playlist.
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Michelle M.

Yelp
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 decor, 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.

Tony C.

Yelp
In a word: overrated. Gamba was touted by our hotel as a fantastic seafood restaurant. We thought the food was just adequate for an expensive restaurant -- while the sashimi was very good, the beetroot soup was uninspired (that's being kind) and the sole meunière overcooked. We found the service to be extremely poor. We waited a very long time between courses and had a difficult time getting any attention from the wait staff. As one example, I had to ask several times for a glass of wine because earlier requests were ignored. We won't be returning here.

Jeffrey M.

Yelp
As good as the best fish we have had anywhere, had lunch and literally heavenly hake and turbot. Lovely setting
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Qype User (ginger…)

Yelp
I have eaten here twice and was really impressed with the food on both occasions. I was there 3 weeks ago for my wedding anniversary and tend to only to consider here for special occasions, but I have noticed that there is now set menu pre-theatre type deals so check out their webste for up to the minute menus. I really like seafood but my hubby can't abide it, but there is always non-seafoody alternatives. i had fish soup, and for my main went for the line caught trout which was on a special. I have never tried it and asked the waitress whom was really helpful and explained that it was cooked in paper which stops it drying out, oh it tastes a bit like salmon! my hubby went for the goats cheese salad to start which was lovely but way to heavy to eat it all. You get to dip your mitts into the bread basket which I love as I'm usually fainting with hunger at this point. my hubby went for the steak and chips which was lovely and came with a pepper sauce. I had a side dish of salad with the trout. The bill came to £111 which we also had a bottle of Proseco, 2xbrandys, 1xbottle of water and we shared a pudding ( bitter chocolate tart mmmmmm). A few people compare this place to Rogano, its not quite as fousty and is a lot more modern in feel. There was a couple behind us moaning about the set menu but they looked very Rogano and i guess sometimes you stick to what you know. The staff are really helpful, friendly and know the menu. There is a wee bar area to the side if you are meeting up with friends or fancy a smoke (there is a little downstairs terrace). Staff always offer to call you a cab which is a nice touch and saves you loitering round the streets.
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Qype User (Lynnie…)

Yelp
I have been in here a few times and I have never been disapointed. It has lovely seafood which is great fro me as thats my favoritebut it does have other nice non-seafood dishes if you have someone who is fussy with you.
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Qype User (paulga…)

Yelp
A destination restaurant for us - we plan weekends in Glasgow around dining here. The food is awesome, the wine list fantastic (try the unoaked chablis) and the service great. ?If you like fish you'll love Gamba.

Qype User (marsba…)

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

Qype User (chrisn…)

Yelp
this is a great seafood restraunt, there are not many like this in glasgow if you like your fish you should give it a go you will not be disapointed.