Gambas Tapas Bar in Bristol, City of

Been dining here for a long time. If you've never experienced it, do it.

Absolutely amazing , sun was shining , Spanish music playing felt like I was in Spain ( which by the way was raining three weeks ago when we went ). This place was recommended by a friend and so glad we found it , highly recommend and will defo visit again. Good ambience, fab food , helpful friendly staff and food value . The blood orange sangria amazing

Amazing tapas and drinks selection!

A great tapas restaurant. Food and service was terrific. My only disappointment was the value for money of the pork dish and it would be nice to have complimentary bread to mop up some of the lovely juices and sauces. Recommended.

Another lovely lunch today at Gambas! My son and I put aside some time from our busy lives for Mum & Son time, when we talk, eat and drink and enjoy eachother! We have been to lots of restaurants but Gambas is our favourite, lovely friendly staff, excellent food, great wine and aperitifs. Will be back soon, thankyou!

One of our favourite restaurants in Bristol. Recommended

We went to Gambas for a St Valentine’s Day celebration a week before 14th February to avoid a crowd. We asked a waitress to be sat at the bar in front of the kitchen as we love watching what is going on the kitchen. We enjoyed chatting with the chef Gustavo. The food was delicious, staff very friendly and atmosphere pleasant and relaxing. We look forward to booking a table in this restaurant again!

This is my favourite restaurant in Bristol. The food is delicious and the service is really good. I love seeing the water from the restaurant which adds to the amazing atmosphere.

Excellent seafood tapas style. Best ansjovis I have ever had. Nice view over the harbour. Highly recommended

Had a fantastic time. The moment we stepped inside we were looked after. Great service, we were given complimentary drinks too. We had been before once and was impressed so looking forward to last night and we weren’t disappointed!

Thought we would give this a go as I'm a big fan of seafood. So disappointed, the tortilla was so bland, the patatas bravas should be renamed paprika bravas, PilPil was nice but the underlying taste from the hot pan left a nasty taste. The Cornish mussels, although tasty were over cooked. On a positive note, the Pixel wine was lovely.

Fresh food, prepared in front of you, tasting delicious. Worth every penny. We parked less than 2 minutes away behind the Mshed. Although on line they may appear fully booked they do keep space for walk ins. Enjoy. We walked in today, ate way too much and waddled out happy. Second time we have done yhat in last year.

Monday nights in restaurants are usually a gamble. You risk walking into a half-empty room with staff still traumatised from the weekend, the air thick with regret and the faint scent of yesterday’s hangover. But not at Gambas. No, here, Monday is just another Saturday. It’s packed from 5.30pm until late, tables crammed together in a way that turns strangers into co-conspirators, the air alive with chatter, clinking glasses, and the sizzle of something spectacular coming off the plancha. This is the best of Bristol—effortlessly cool without trying too hard, a place where the food is as sharp as the atmosphere. Prawn croquettes arrive first, crisp golden shells giving way to rich, silky interiors. Octopus follows, charred to perfection, draped over smoky, paprika-spiked potatoes. Every dish lands like a well-placed pass in a Champions League final—precise, confident, utterly on point. Service is brisk, but never rushed. Staff weave between tables with the grace of seasoned professionals, dropping plates and pouring sherry like they own the place—because, in a way, they do. Gambas is everything a neighbourhood restaurant should be: loud, busy, brilliant. The kind of place you plan to visit again before you’ve even left.

Great food, lovely staff, a real treat

Such amazing service and the food and drinks were sensational made for an amazing experience catching up with old friends. The waiter with the acl injury (can’t remember his name sorry) was so welcoming and accommodating

We celebrated our wedding anniversary at Gambas, great ambiance & service, fabulous food, hard to choose our favourite but the prawn bisque croqueta & red mullet were delicious. Save room for Goxua for dessert!

My husband and I ate here for the first time in a few years. The food, drink, atmosphere, and waiting staff were as excellent as ever. My only qualm on this visit was the sped of the food delivery to the table. We had to cancel one of the dishes because of the wait. We will definitely be back again.

Food was excellent. Every dish a winner, and not expensive for food of this quality.

Exceptionally good sea food - simple, well executed and delicious.

This is my second time coming to gambas. The food, service and staff are all very good, and the overall atmosphere is also very good. If you want to dine on holiday, you really need to make a reservation first! The monthly wine recommendations are also great!

Another fantastic lunch at Gambas. Wonderful service and fabulous food. We sat at the bar and watched the Cchefs cook which was great.

Delicious food, great service, lovely evening!

Love going to Gambas, took 6 friends along for a birthday celebration and they raved about it. 1 friend has a home in Spain and said the tapas were better in Gambas...The Sole with Bloody Mary Sauce, the Prawns Pil Pil, Aubergine fries and Pork Belly special were yum! Especially love the l’ancestral fizz which we can’t get anywhere else. Henry our server really looked after us, making sure our glasses were filled. 👏 We’ll be back again and again

Great tapas, fabulous location, attentive staff and well-priced wine! We will be back.

Friendly and helpful staff and dog friendly! Always enjoy the food and wine here, this time I took my wife and our 2 dogs! Pics blue, calamari, gambas, presa iberica and their wonderful bread and alioli, with a lovely bottle of Hacienda Grimon Blanco.

Would not recommend, food is not too bad, but the service is appalling given its' size. If you like waiting for a long time and pretentious staff, then this is a place for you.

If I could leave 6/5 stars, I would! We were fortunate to secure a reservation for two at the chef’s counter, where we had front-row seats to watch our food as it was being prepared. Every dish was exceptional, with complex flavours and impeccable execution. While the Latxa sheep cheese board and Iberican pork were slightly less memorable for me—still a solid 4/5 and 4.5/5 respectively—they remained excellent in their own right. The duality of the zest and salinity of the Matrimonio boquerones & anchovies made it the ideal starter to whet our appetite. However, it was the Gambas pil pil that ultimately stole the show, with its rich, umami broth that we couldn’t resist mopping up with the bread provided. The Galician octopus was another highlight cooked to buttery soft perfection, while the way the Goxua bubbled and crumbled on the plate made it both mesmerising in presentation and a melt-in-your-mouth indulgence. If I had to nitpick, the only criticism I have was that our request for a side of bread took far longer than expected to arrive. That said, I suspect this was due to the bread being prepared fresh, which is a testament to the restaurant’s commitment to quality. Gambas definitely exceeded our expectations and we will be returning for more!

Went in expecting a big bill at the end and was pleasantly surprised with the amount of food and drink you can get for under £100, went and got 6 plates including a special, and 4 cocktails, bill came too £99.99 including tip. Amazing and will be back again as soon as i can 🤙

Las mejores tapas que he probado. Solía vivir en España y este lugar era magnífico. El servicio fue excelente y amable. El entorno era genial, con buenas vistas de Bristol. Lo recomendaría encarecidamente.

Good tunes, good food, nice people.

The greatest restaurant in Bristol and planet earth . I say this based on tonight but also the 8 other visits I’ve had. Great vibe, unbelievable food, amazing staff, fantastic atmosphere and tunes. The grilled fish was so good! Henry was absolutely phenomenal tonight, what a gent after my wife was 45 mins late he went out of his way to accommodate and ensure we still had a Great time with no stress. Exemplary service 👏 👏 👏

Delicious tapas, good selection of wines, fabulous atmosphere, knowledgeable and friendly staff. We have always enjoyed meals at Gambas, on this occasion we were with a friend who had not dined there before and he was very impressed.

Forgot to take photos but food was realy good!👌🏻 the restaurant has little space though and being sat outside is soo cold in January. Although they have blankets which we can ise to wrap up 😄

This is everything you want in a restaurant. Friendly and welcoming. Cosy space with great views. And delicious food cooked in front of you! Thank you

We celebrated a special birthday in the private dining room, and the service, food and vibe were perfect. Nell was super helpful organising the evening and helped us with the set menu. Gonzales looked after us superbly on the night and Archie’s food was loved by everyone. All round top marks, thank you for looking after us so well.

Absolutely loved my birthday meal marinated dog fish blew my mind aubergine fries in a kinda tempura batter yummo lovely patatas bravis. There was not a lot of original Spanish tapas. But wow definitely going back there

My first visit , great food, staff very friendly and helpful Good wine and great atmosphere, Prawns we're beautiful cook , sitting at the kitchen bar was a honour to watch the chefs Preparing the food for their guests to enjoy.

We absolutely loved our experience here! This restaurant is featured in the Michelin Guide, and it’s well-deserved. The quality and attention to detail are truly exceptional. We sat at the Kitchen Counter, where we placed our order with the waitress. One of the dishes we wanted was sold out, but the chef overheard us and immediately offered to make a fresh batch. He let us know it would take a little longer, but we could still have it—now that’s real customer service and passion for food! We ordered the Croquetas of the day (chorizo), Cazón en Adobo (marinated, deep-fried fish), Pulpo, and Gambas pil-pil. Every single dish was outstanding. Highly recommend!

We went to Gambas in Bristol for my family Birthday meal and it was all amazing, such a hidden treat. Highly recommended. Food, service and ambience were all spot on.

Fourth visit, and it gets better every time: the venue is lovely and quaint. The service is outstanding and the food is simply amazing.

Service was excellent and food was delicious as usual. Air dried tuna 10/10. Six dishes, bread, bottle of wine and coffees between 3 people for £35 ish per person feels very reasonable. Always so lovely

VERY good tapas restaurant. Some different dishes to the usual suspects. Up with the best we have enjoyed in London.

A lovely place to have a special.meal with family and friends. Elegant decor with relaxed atmosphere. Delicious and carefully crafted food with high quality ingredients, attentive and efficient service. Thank you - a memorable occasion.

Comida increíble, todo cocinado recién, tan caliente y delicioso. Personal muy servicial y amable. Ambos somos vegetarianos y teníamos un montón de opciones. el personal explicó la verdura en el menú también. Quirky para comer en un contenedor de carga, y poder ver a los chefs cocinar.

Lovely evening, delicious food, super service, and fab music. Thank you.

Excellent food and drink. All dishes were exceptional.

Love it here, consistently top quality food and service

Tuvimos un tiempo absolutamente increíble, el personal de atención al detalle fue puntual y todo muy amable e informativo. Tomamos un cóctel cada uno y los dos nos dejaron boquiabiertos, trabajamos en bares de cócteles y no podía faltar nada. La comida era increíble, no como mariscos casi en absoluto, pero todo era increíble y podría haberme convertido al mundo de los mejillones. Definitivamente volveré!

Fourth time I’ve been here and yet again very happy. Food is tip top, we sat at the bar and great to see everything happening right in front of us. The service is extremely attentive and friendly. Will definitely come again. Nice for a mini splurge.

9 of us visited Gambas for a family get together. Everything was brilliant. Food delicious, great atmosphere and the staff were so friendly. We had such a perfect evening. A big thank you to you all x

Great Tapas and excellent staff. Highly recommend this place.

Great atmosphere, tasty food and enjoyful people. Thank you so much!

Fui a Gambas con amigos por mi cumpleaños. Disfrutamos mucho de la comida. El servicio era bueno y había algunos toques agradables al comienzo, como el jerez de cortesía y las partes saladas. Sin duda volvería.

Best food I’ve had in Bristol, hands down

Extremely tasty tapas, the best I've had outside Spain! A really interesting environment, definitely unique!

Stunning gaff. Can't recommend it enough

Given a voucher for a birthday. Everything was good, the food, cocktails, staff and ambience. The pili pili prawns were outstanding and the cured beef was presented as beautifully as it tasted. Definitely recommend.

With only 24 hours notice Gambas sorted us the private room for 14 people. They made the special occasion even more special. Such a great atmosphere and the food was all perfect.

Private dining area perfect for 16 of us, a great way to mingle rather than a sit down meal. Great food, great hosts. Strongly recommend

Booked Gambas as a business lunch event and we booked the PDR. It was excellent, the service was great and the food was absolutely lovely. Highly recommend booking the PDR.

Fantastic evening in the private dining area - perfect for mingling with friends, great alternative to a sit down, formal dinner. Great food and hosts. Nell was brilliant in setting it all up

Took 14 members of the family here for Private Dining experience. I was not disappointed. Both the service and the food was excellent. Leading up to the event there was lots of communication to ensure they understood what I wanted. They didn't get it wrong! Truly lovely. Thank you.

I’ve been here twice now and it never disappoints. The food is always amazing and this time I tried their spicy margaritas—they were great!

Consistently excellent 👌👌 👌. Get the pil pil and the aubergine!

Incredible food, perfect service and buzzing atmosphere. Every bite of every dish was an amazing balanced tasty experience

Amazing evening at Gambas, celebrating our mums 70th birthday. The food was so good, our waiter was brilliant, and they bought out some birthday truffles for my mum- lovely touch.

Great place to have a relaxing time with great food Really nice atmosphere, with a lovely choice of quality food. It’s busy, but still has great service from the friendly staff.

There’s a reason why this place is my favourite restaurant in Bristol. The staff are great and always accommodating! The pork, gambas and mussels were very good and the vibe is perfect. We went for my mums birthday and unfortunately we arrived 5mins late and were in a rush. The staff made us feel at ease and ensured we got our food out within the shortened time frame we had requested. My mum had a great time and I can’t thank the staff enough!

The curly haired chef made our experience phenomenal! The food was a politely delicious! Thanks!

Amazing lunch for my son's graduation.. fabulous espresso martini too. What can I say!! The food is incredible. Great staff and atmosphere. You must try the aubergine it's to die for.

Excellent lunch today. Good food, good wine and good tunes.

Great time last night, the waiter was fantastic and went above and beyond, the food was delicious and my husband had a great birthday

Totally love this place. Been many times and the food and service is so consistent and so good. The tortilla is better than anything I’ve tried in Spain…

Had an excellent experience overall. Great food and hospitality. Kitchen counter seating highly recommended. Menu was all hits no misses.

We really enjoyed our night at Gambas. Arriving early we were given another table to sit and enjoy a cocktail before moving to our reserved table with friends who joined us. The service was exemplary the food freshly cooked and delicious. Really nothing was too much trouble. Well done Gambas!

Great menu, executed with aplomb from front to back

Fabulous food, we had an event at Gambas, they made us a super menu, amazing food, very friendly staff, great wine!

We recently booked a private dining experience to entertain some of our clients, and the entire evening was nothing short of exceptional. From start to finish, every detail was thoughtfully curated to create a truly memorable occasion. The food was amazing and the service was impeccable—attentive, professional, and friendly throughout the evening. The wine selection perfectly complemented the menu. To top it all off, the music provided the perfect ambiance, enhancing the overall atmosphere without overpowering the conversation. We couldn’t have asked for a better experience and are already looking forward to booking again. Highly recommended!

Food was absolutely incredible. Each dish was superb and flavours were unique. Big thanks to Annie, Henry and Nell who made the experience even better. if you want top tapas, this is the place for you

I’d been wanting to visit Gambas for a while based on recommendations and its varied and pleasing selection of dishes. Expectations were high, but honestly, they were exceeded in every way! The atmosphere was vibrant and unpretentious but also cosy and classy. All of the staff encountered were friendly and professional and genuinely interested in how we felt about the food. The food, wow! every dish ordered was so tasty! and the caramel and almond dessert at the end took me right back to the Basque Country again. Even the decaf coffee was superb. There was a good selection of wines, and I enjoyed trying their wine of the month, which was delicious and totally complemented the food. I loved my experience here - Thank you Gambas! …I’ll be back for sure. 😁

Great tapas! would recommend the dried tuna which tastes like a ham, the charcoal mussels, the gambas pil pil and salt grilled prawn. we also had a monkfish tail special which was really good

Had not booked and they were kind to clear a table to fit us in outside. Had nice food and had been a good evening until we paid…. We still had a little wine to finish and they turned off the outside heater. There were other dinners so we were not anywhere near the final diners. We moved to the next empty table with a heater just to finish our wine (which would take less then five minutes) and a member of staff came out to tell us that they were closing - even though the restaurant was still full. Shame to spoil what had been a nice evening and when we had spent a substantial amount of money.

I hired the Private Dining Room for my husbands 40th birthday and we have the best evening. There was 19 of us, the food was wonderful - cooked in front of us adding to the atmosphere and the service was second to none. special note to the mocktails - the chilie and honey mocktail was perfect - exactly as a mocktail should be and perfect for the non drinkers who wanted to still feel like they were part of the party! Thank you Nell for all your help in organising and thank you Gambas - that was a perfect evening x

I absolutely love this place. If ever I’m in Bristol for work, I always make a point of visiting. They always make me feel really welcome as a solo diner and the food is just the best. The pil-pil is a must and the specials board never fails to deliver. Service, food, atmosphere, wine are all top-notch. Sit up at the bar/counter to get a good view of the chefs in action too 👌

We hired the private dining room for a press lunch event in early November. The staff went above and beyond and delivered a delicious lunch to our guests who were all very complimentary of both service and food. Would recommend the PDR for a special occasion lunch. Also to note we had two guests with specific dietary requirements and this was handled brilliantly. Thanks so much team!

Great little restaurant. Staff were lovely & helpful and the food was delicious.

Lovely tapas restaurant located close to Bristol centre. Cozy atmosphere with an open kitchen. The food was first class with excellent gambas pil pil, monkish tails and sardines. The standout for me was the aubergine fries which were sublime, delicately fried with a molasses coating. So moorish! The cocktails were fantastic as well.

Un excelente menú con grandes chefs y un camarero que era amable, amable y bien informado. Esta fue una gran experiencia y disfruté cada minuto.

Fantastic find in Bristol. Food was amazing, great service and sitting at the bar, lovely opportunity to chat with the chefs. Every dish was beautifully presented and delicious! Highly recommend.

The food is so great and the service is very nice 👍

Curious place. Extraordinary attention. Even better than when I came to Bristol last year. Delicious shrimp omelettes served with Sanlúcar Manzanilla. Very interesting beet. The mussels are very good, for me they taste better than the Breton style ones. Monkfish, endives, eggplant sticks with cane sugar (honey). The desserts are worth trying.

Beautiful authentic food! High quality! My favorite dish was the octopus! They also have a variety of wine including an organic range which was also delicious. Visited here a couple of times with a friend and it was nice to sit outside and look over the harbour in the sunshine. Pretending to be in Spain!

Awesome food and service, especially the Gambia pil pil were fenomenal

Excellent restaurant in Bristol with lovely servers and an open kitchen so you can watch your meal being cooked and plated. Excellent presentation skills, and food was flavourful. Would recommend the fried aubergine with molasses, as well as the salted pork loin, and the divine octopus! Grilled prawns were quite standard, nothing I'd write home about. Creme brulee was delightful, as was the almond sponge cake.

Lovely place Staff great definitely recommended 👌

Had a fab meal here. Highlight was the Lions mane dish which was so tasty. Would definitely recommend

Lovely place for a Friday evening bite. We ordered lots of food and it was delicious. Would come back again one day.

Siempre me ha encantado Gambas así que reservé el comedor privado para mi celebración familiar de 50 años. De principio a fin el servicio fue de primera calidad. Antes del evento, Nell fue muy complaciente con la modificación del menú para adaptarse a todos en la fiesta. Por la noche, el chef y el anfitrión fueron muy atentos y serviciales. No podía faltar nada - gracias a todos!

Ate their on the Friday, then by chance on a restaurant tour on the Sunday. Fabulous, perfecto, brilliant.

Enjoyed a great evening at Gambas! Good wine selection, lively atmosphere. Staff were really accommodating and friendly. The food for me was a little hit and miss though. Some dishes were absolutely delicious, especially the croquettes and lentil date salad. The octopus however was a bit dry and the patatas bravas tasted like it had been preprepared and reheated. That said, I would definitely return to try other dishes on the menu. It was a very busy Saturday night!🙂