Gin & Olive in Portsmouth

We went only for drinks and the cocktails were very delicious 🙏

We went for the Bottomless Brunch today and it didn't disappoint. Food was outstanding and Jordan behind the bar was awesome. Cocktails were divine. Already planning our next visit. Thanks for looking after us so well Jordan 👍

Fillet steak was dry and overcooked, as was my friends ribeye. Drink prices aren't clearly displayed as per shot, so beware getting a double, let alone daring to have a tonic with it as you'll get charged extra again. 20 minute wait for drinks. Dusty bathroom. Overpriced and overrated. Edit: The owner has now replied to my review and somehow managed to check whether issues were raised, despite the table not being booked under my name!

The worst meal out and experience we have had in a very long time. My partner booked for us to go here for my birthday and the service and food was truly awful. We asked if the sharing steak platters could be cooked medium and was told no they could only do medium rare, yet we could order steaks individually how we wanted. Having worked in restaurants for years this makes absolutely no sense and is not customer friendly in any way. The steak meals that we then ordered were the worst quality steaks, they were pure fat to the point they were essentially inedible and the garlic butter ‘sauce’ was so awful we couldn’t eat it, we have never tasted anything like it. We were cramped upstairs with large tables and were not looked after at all, the waitresses only cared about the big tables and we had to constantly get up to go and find somebody to order more drinks etc. We wanted to try this place for a while and we will never eat here again, the food and service was the worst we have ever had. Extremely overpriced, tiny drinks, awful atmosphere and the upstairs is very cold. The meal ruined my birthday which was a shame and we will definitely stick to what we know in future and go elsewhere.

Absolutely incredible food, the drinks were lovely and the staff were very welcoming and kind. I visited from Southampton and will 100% be wanting to dine here again. I’m quite gutted the gin and olive was shut down in Southampton as I believe I’d be in there a lot. Thanks again for the amazing food!!

Been here three times now before heading over to see a show at Kings Theatre. Lovely little restaurant with delicious food, and the staff were very friendly. We will be back!

Steak was the best I've ever eaten

Belated celebration for my sister's birthday. Food and drink were good. However, after our main meal we said we would like a break before dessert. Then when we asked if we could order dessert we were told that the kitchen was closed! It would have been helpful if staff had let us know that we had to order by a certain time. Also we were seated upstairs and waiting staff were bumping into my chair as they walked past the entire evening.

I was disappointed with my New Year's eve experience. The waitress wasn't very helpful. I wasn't able to change the chunky chips that came with my steak for alternative fries, and therefore just had a steak that was under done and hadn't been seasoned. She also refused my daughter in law a piece of foul or cling film to take her leftovers home for the dog. Much friendlier and better value restaurants nearby.

I have been to the Gin and Olive a couple of times in the past week. What I like most about this place is the cocktails. The cocktails are not filled with lots of ice, instead are made very well. I like the French Martini. The food is nice, the halloumi burger was lovely. I found the staff polite and efficient. You have to book to ensure a table at this place, but good to see a local business doing well.

We had our works Christmas night out at the Gin & Olive this year and it was fabulous from start to finish. Great food, amazing drinks and the staff were extremely welcoming and friendly. Thank you for a perfect evening!

Lovely evening ..food was amazing and plenty of it...my friend and i choose the fish sharing board...perfect. Service from staff was spot on. A great night.

Very cold day and heating on ground floor somewhat chilly Pricey meals but excellent quality etc and service prompt and most polite

Such a lovely atmosphere, so accommodating x

One of the staff glared at my friend, really discouraged us from eating here. Unacceptable behaviour. Edit to reply: Yes, the staff member glared at my friend when we were on the pavement. We decided not to dine here as a result.

The kitchen was too busy to give us butter for the bread ? I had one bite of the steak and it was very low quality and overcooked. I sent it back. My friends ordered rump and couldn't finish it. They messaged my friend saying that I didn't want to pay for the steak. Mr owner I have been to many restaurants and I have always paid for my food and my service charge which I did in your restaurant aswell but the steak was horrible. If someone thinks your food is not as good as the rest of the market it's not because they don't wanna pay. You are the gypsy not me. thinking people go to restaurants to get free food. Your scumish response to my friend is not appreciated. Drinks were fine. Staff was friendly. Restaurant decor was good but the FOOD wasn't acceptable in my opinion. That's my opinion. But stop accusing people of not wanting to pay when they don't like the food. I find it very disrespectful. best wishes, Mr doesn't wanna pay for his steak.

Beautiful small restaurant with a calm and comfortable atmosphere. The staff were all so lovely and run like a well oiled machine. The food was fantastic and the steak was cooked to perfection, will definitely be making a return visit.

Starters and drinks were great! Do not order the steak or lamb, 2 of us had steak 2 had lamb. All were over cooked and poor quality.

Outstanding. Very good stake to share. Very very good

wouldn’t recommend this place to anyone. We ordered 2 pasta dishes that we tried to send back as they were cold, watery and had no flavour. The waitresses were lovely and explained that they tried to take them off the bill but that the owner refused and said we had to pay for them even though we hadn’t eaten them. I asked to speak to the owner as the pasta dishes were £17 each and completely inedible, however he refused to come speak to us so we had no choice but to pay for the bill. Overall the experience was awkward and disappointing and we wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.

We had drinks and a meal befor going to the theatre, the food was good and the staff were attentive. Good value for money

Great food and cocktails (especially when on 2 for £12!)

We have been to the G&O a few times and have never had a bad experience yet, so far as we recommend it to everyone. We have even had a few birthdays celebrations there! Food is excellent, staff are really friendly and helpful and the service is great. Couple all that with the great decor and if you get a window seat you can people watch for entertainment. We will be back, tomorrow night as it happens! We dont mind paying a little more for great food and good service, but their prices are very reasonable in my opinion for what they deliver.

"First visit and very impressed. Staff were attentive , atmosphere and ambiance were excellent. The food was fabulous and the gin was delicious all reasonably priced. Will definitely be back again"

Had a private party here. Food was outstanding. Drinks are pricey but we'll worth it

We had an excellent Sunday steak sharing board for a group upstairs first class services, great atmosphere and excellent food, what is not to like, 5 stars plus.

Absolutely brilliant food and drinks. Menu is extensive for cocktails and gins. Ruth was lovely and fab hostess. All prospered fresh and they keep them coming. They were prompt in coming to our table as our drinks were running out. Two drinks at anytime and within the 90minutes we 100% got out our monies worth.

Great place to visit with friends .. drinks are quite expensive but good choice .. loved it

Amazing venue! Amazing service! Amazing food! Highly recommend! Having previously been in for drinks and dinners we had our baby shower here over the weekend, we will definitely be back for future gatherings. Thank you so much gin and olive!

Absolutely amazing meal and the selection of GINS is mind blowing. Did get our order wrong but apologised and had free complimentary drinks. The staff were all wonderful and were happy to help and chat about the menu. The atmosphere was lovely. 👍👍

This is the second time my partner and I have been to this restaurant. The food is amazing, we will definitely be back soon!

The cocktail were amazing!! Foood was horrendous and took an hour to come out. When we complained the overpriced food was really not good- we were told it was our own fault for coming in at 9 (although we booked a table for food and drinks) Was bullied by the large man I’m assuming chef to pay the bill in full and who wouldn’t even listen to our concerns. Not one apology was given. Super disappointed was really looking forward to dining here.

Been here a couple times, love the gin selection. Had food a few times, usually go for the sharer boards, couldn't fault them apart from some unwashed leafs. This time decided to have a bottle of champagne, which out of the 2 they didn't have the one on the menu which I had chosen, then offered a slightly more expensive bottle, it was fine although after opening the bottle and had a few sips, the waiter comes over saying the bottle was more expensive that he had mentioned after when he opened it.🤔😐🙄

Popped in with my Mum yesterday evening for a meal and we were both very impressed. Lots of choice on the drinks menu ranging from bottled lagers to plenty of cocktails. We ordered the Grill sharing platter for food which was excellent! A perfect size for two people. Cooked very well and tasted great. The waiting staff were all very polite, attentive and had smiles on there faces. Great atmosphere, good music and quick service. Highly recommend 10/10

Absolutely fantastic meal last night, great service. Restaurant very clean definitely going back soon

Such a good find - food was really good but the welcome and service we got from Anthony was what made our evening exceptional.

We went there for a delicious and delightful brunch. The food was very nice and there was not a lack of it The alcohol kept on coming and there was not a lack of it And all for a reasonable price. I can highly recommend this place after a realy nice brunch. Very well looked after and really friendly staff.

If anyone is looking to attend a bottomless brunch, go out for a few drinks with friends or sit down to enjoy cocktails and food. Look no further. This is hands down one of the best bars you could attend in Portsmouth, in fact, in Hampshire! I recently had my Hen Party at the Gin and Olive, there was 14 of us. Even though it was a high number, this did not impact the service or speed of drinks. When we arrived the staff had surprised me with decorating the table, complete with bride balloons and a crown. I felt so special. We were then seated very quickly and instantly had Prosecco and bread and olives. Then the bottomless brunch started, the food was absolutely wonderful and the cocktails were spectacular, I thoroughly recommend the margarita. They had every cocktail you could want in multiple different flavours. Ethan the bartender was attentive and incredibly skilled at what he does. A wonderful host, Ruth. Remembered my name through the whole experience making chatting to her and ordering with her so easy. The drinks were constantly flowing and there was never an empty glass for long. I could not thank you enough for such a special afternoon! I am so excited to come back and will be recommended here to everyone!

I’ve been here twice now and the second time was even better than the first. I went with a group of friends the first time and we got a couple sharer platters, the grill and the seafood. They were both great but a some of the food was cold so that was disappointing, but it was a fairly busy night so we didn’t make a fuss. However, the second time was much better. I went with my husband and we got a grill sharer between the two of us and everything was hot, fresh and delicious. The food here is great and if you enjoy steak I highly recommend it!

Here today for a friend's Hen do. Ruth & Ethan are lovely! Fab service, fab food, fab drinks and so much fun! Thank you all!

Had lovely dinner food was served quickly even though they were full and it was nice and hot

Bit pricey but good food and staff. Didnt like the seating, was stuck up against a wall on a bar stool, having to be careful not to bang my head on big sturdy wall decorations, lucky I dont drink. Although the staff couldn't move my party they did pull the tables out slightly.

Very good restaurant and atmosphere !

What a fabulous place! Only came for drinks but the food looked delish! The cocktails were out of this world. Nothing synthetic all freshly made and when my husband asked for a rum based surprise (as he often does) Ethan behind the bar delivered every time. Fab staff , Ruth was lovely! Such a trendy (yes I’m old) and sophisticated, so much fun and definitely recommend for a good Saturday drinking sesh. Definitely will come back for food next time. Thanks gin and olive 💗

We had the bottomless brunch and it was so good! Ruth was very attentive, never an empty glass or plate. Cocktails, Gin and Food delicious!

G&O is Kind of Gastro Explosion of taste and deliciousness. My brother joined in and we wanted to surprise him by visiting like a Michelin style 🤣.. But He bowled us over by the tweaks and his culinary skills on the platter. Just amazing to our levels . G&O is NOT a one time visit place. It has so much hidden in the menu that everytime I come up with something new. Let’s how frequent we can disturb the chef 😁. Highly recommend to the gastro explorers and a heaven for the cocktail indulgence!

I was on a date and the risotto was over cooked same as stake I ordered medium rare and I got medium/ medium well the fish was not worth the price and i will never come back again.

Massive disappointment and will never go back. Went for my daughters 18th and so wish we hadn’t bothered. Staff were unfriendly, rude and abrupt. No atmosphere, didn’t make any effort considering it was an 18th celebration. Food was dry and overcooked/burnt. Spent £460 and they couldn’t even give us a bowl of dry tagliatelle (no cheese or even butter) for free for a child, instead charged us the price of the fish tagliatelle dish. They didn’t even thank us for our custom and say goodbye when we left. My daughter only gets one 18th celebration and feeling very upset. Update in response to the owners reply. I think your response says it all and I think you need some training in customer relations, not even an apology. I acknowledge that the second waitress who came in at the end and brought the cake seemed more professional, accommodating and friendly. However, the waitress who served us the entire meal was very rude, abrupt, miserable and intolerant of any of requests, e.g we asked for no olive bread and all plain bread instead, this was ignored and olive bread was brought out, then when asked for it to be changed there was lots of tutting and she clearly found this an inconvenience and she didn’t like it. My daughter did not order the fish tagliatelle, she ordered the side dish of meatballs and I then asked for some plain tagliatelle to go with it. You then charged me for the fish tagliatelle dish despite us not having this dish and only when I challenged this did you offer a very small discount on the charge for the plain tagliatelle. I found you to be very rude and dismissive during this conversation. Finally, I was not prepared to make a fuss at the time, as already mentioned it was my daughters birthday which I did not want anymore ruined. The chicken burger was burnt to the point it was black, the chicken strips were burnt and black, the salmon was very over cooked and dried out. If you want to be guaranteed good food, a nice atmosphere and friendly staff for a special occasion then do not take the risk and go here. I’ve heard from a few people it’s very hit and miss but it’s where my daughter wanted to go. We obviously caught them on a bad day which isn’t acceptable.

My first visit and I'll definitely be going back again 🙂

hello, I'm disappointed. Last week I ate dry and reheated food there, it used to be different, the company seems to be saving on products, cheese not fresh now I avoid this place, there are many other nice ones in portsmouth but not this place

Had a lovely evening at the Gin & Olive. Food and drink were amazing and the staff attentive. There was a great vibe for mid week. Highly recommend.

Huge list of cocktails and spirits. Great atmosphere albeit limited seating. Not cheap and only toilets are up a long flight of stairs on public display. I hear the toilets had a great choice of soap and hand lotion. There are however public toilets across the road which are easier to get into if you have any form of limited mobility.

we had a bad experience with our food! Been with friends before in 3 restaurants it was okThis time we ordered a casual share and salmon main. The cheese and sausage board didn't look fresh, the cheese looked slippery and the sausages looked old, my partner's salmon was over cook and dry, we were disappointed because the food used to be better.

Brilliant food and service...will definitely go again.

Having been told about this lovely Gin establishment by the Fort on the beach front. We decided to pop in for a quick whistle stop visit. What an amazing suprise. Warm and cosy atmosphere, with a very good selection of gins at reasonable prices. The young barman was very knowledgeable and a pleasure to talk to. Well worth the visit. Will need to stay longer next time.

Cocktails lovely. Staff efficient. Rib eye steak was nice but very salty

Always a great experience at Gin & Olive Portsmouth! The steak sharer was perfect (as usual) and the cocktails were great. I recommend this place to everyone!

This bar is one of the best I have been to. A little hidden gem. The atmosphere was great, service amazing and the cocktail were so delicious

Lovely atmosphere drinks were lovely decorated nice , just my partner order steak burger took a bite well it was raw . I had chicken burger was yum . Definitely recommend for drinks , never got charged fir the burger was a big shame

Food average. Enormous amount if crushed potatoes with a dry salmon cutlet. No asparagus replaced with brocolli. Not impressed. Would be nice with less potatoe, well cooked salmon, and a sauce!

Amazing steak. Lovely drinks and staff very attentive.

Again and again, Gin and Olive out do themselves, always amazing service, top quality food & brilliant cocktails ! Thank you!

I was at the Gin & Olive last Sunday(05/02/2023)and was poured some lovely Pina Colada’s by Ethan which took me right back to summer. Best ones I’ve ever had. Also spoke to Gabby for a bit who was very friendly and made me me feel right at home! Will be coming back soon!

A great customer service experience with Gabby and Ethan Sunday lunch time.

Four of us went to celebrate my birthday on 24th January 2023 The food was great as was the service the reason for 4stars is that they have no downstairs toilet and I have Arthritis in both knees and use a walking stick thank goodness I only needed to go once but this has put me off returning

Wow. Great selection of gins and cocktails. And the food was amazing. Thank you guys.

Really loved the gin drinks lovely cozy place and grea vibes. Tasty burgers also! 😋

The service was efficient and friendly.

Thoroughly enjoyed our meal. Friendly waitress, great service. Highly recommend. Will certainly return in the future.

Fantastic cocktails, tasty food and fantastic service. Will be back, thank you

Had a fantastic experience, the food was amazing and the choice of drinks outstanding. The service was first class. Would highly recommend, will definitely return. Thank you.

Ribeye steak was thin and dry however the fillet was cooked to perfection. Chap waltzing about in builders trousers really made it feel special. House wine was excellent.

Great atmosphere, amazingly cooked 16 oz rump steak for £22 beautiful. Great cocktails too. Staff lovely in particular Josie. Highly recommended.

Lovely wine list and service with a smile

We popped in for a drink before a meal elsewhere. They were very accommodating.

Very pricey!For few olives and 4 slices of white bread!!We paid 10£ just for those as kuchen was closed. I would recommend the cocktails and I would give 5 stars but absolutely ridiculous to pay that much fro bread and olives! 😤

The food was great and the staff were lovely

Absolutely amazing, food was fantastic, cocktails were unreal… the Southsea team were so incredible; so helpful, friendly and efficient! They really went above and beyond to make our visit special!

I hosted a ‘female empowerment’ event at this venue last night. We were very impressed with it. Particularly liked the interior and the the canapés provided were amazing! We hired the upstairs and had a live singer perform. The guests loved the venue. Thank you

Just returned from celebrating a family birthday. We were a party of 9 and the service was excellent all evening. Just the right amount of attention from the lovely staff. Our meals were superb. The steaks were cooked to perfection whether it was individual meals or sharing platters. My steak was by far the best I have had for a very long time. I would most certainly return. Thank you everyone for a fantastic evening

Loved it! Steak platter was unreal. Chunky chips needed abit longer but still Really enjoyed them, Could maybe offer a quid off for a double 🤣🤣 done me dirty but worth it!!!

Busy bar/restaurant.....Good selection of drinks

Took a dinner in this place and I’m very disappointed. One member of staff ignored me when I said one dish wasn’t fresh. Good job. I won’t come back never again. The person left the table and gossip something next to the bar. Thanks It used to be nice food here and nice staff!!!

We came for the bottomless brunch, there were 8 of us ladies and we like to brunch. There was ample food and drink and Sam was a master mixer of cocktails and managed to keep up with our demands. We'll come again.

Very nice place with great food. I first time like gin. Stakes are nice but I would recommend take plate of meat for two.

Delicious cocktails and amazing steak. Enjoyed our dinner very much.

They have a terrible customer care team. They can't take bookings over the phone for more than 8 people and neither would not give any reason for it. Overall very poor experience. I would rate it a 0.001 star if I could

Friendly staff, lovely food and beautiful cocktails. If you want to dine with a touch of flair, but at a reasonable price, dine here.

I was very excited to go to this bar after seeing great reviews. However I wish I had of paid more attention to the “rude manager” reviews before visiting. We visited while the restaurant was fairly quiet and looked around and took a seat at one of the tables, we waited for a little bit to see if any of the staff would approach us before sitting. Before we had taken a seat, someone who I presume was the manager came over and asked if we had a booking. I apologised and said no sorry we didn’t. He said you need to always check before you just take a seat, but you can sit here. Fair enough comment, however if this company policy have a sign up upon entry clearly started to say “please wait here to be seated”. It was quite a condescending tone and rude way to greet new customers. Also him knowing the table was free prior? The party that I with all began to witness the same manager approach tables who hadn’t asked if they had a booking greet other customers with a complete differently polite manner. Perhaps we caught this particular member of staff in an off moment? As the female staff were all very polite and helpful when taking orders and taking payment. The wine itself was good but unfortunately I don’t think I would return as that small negative interaction has put me off.

We visited on Friday 8th July. Cocktails were lovely, 2-4-1 happy hour, can't complain.....however the food, not so much! Out of a party of 4 people eating: Meal 1) Ordering the bacon wrapped chicken, I asked if I could exchange my chips for creamed spinach which I was refused. I then asked if I could exchange them for a salad as I would not be eating the chips, only to be told that no exchanges at all were possible (I would have to pay extra for a salad) I find this a very odd way for a company to run a business, not to offer a healthier option if requested. I ended up having a full portion of uneaten chips sent back to the kitchen having had the pleasure to pay for them. Meal 2) A gluten free halloumi burger, only to be told that they had no GF rolls available and only bread. My friend essentially ended up with GF sandwich with two plain slices of bread masking a bun - the filling did not reach the full extent of the bread so some mouthfuls were literally dry bread! Meal 3) A butternut squash salad.... This turned up totally missing any butternut squash. It wasn't until we queried this that we were advised the they were out of butternut squash! At no point was this advised prior to the meal arriving. My friend ate this regardless rather than waiting for a new meal to be cooked (as we were rather hungry by this point) however the entire reason this meal was ordered was solely for the butternut squash. We did receive 10% off the bill as compensation, however I would rather have paid full price for a reasonable meal than receive a discount for sub-par food.

Nice, very nice, good food with happy friendly service. Didn't try the Gins but lots to choose from.

Excellent attention. The wonderful menu, a beautiful memory of my visit to South Sea. I tried to return on Saturday but you have to book in advance. Don't forget to visit it, very very good service, there are many types of gin, the place is beautiful

Our favourite place in Southsea! Josie, Alice and barman James are all fantastic.

rushed services it was made clear they wanted us in and out asap. not a good overall experience at all, would NOT recommend.

Lovely food. Good quality, flavoursome and the service is great. Isabella served me and She was brilliant.

Food us worth more than 5 stars. Staff were attentive and polite. Stunning decor and the cocktails were reasonably priced. Well worth the visit.

The steak sharer board is worth every trip here. Get there for the buy one get one free cocktails time aswell. Double win

Lovely place, friendly staff. Food was amazing and prices reasonable. Loved the vibe of the restaurant as well, will definitely be going again. 5*

Nothing special not much choice to whole menu Steak was supposed to be med rare but was no where near it just off being well done And expensive for what was recieved will be a long time before I try again food wasn't horrible just not upto what I was expecting from past experiences and normal overpriced cocktails Staff that served were helpful but experience was let down badly by below average food

Food was amazing, great service and the place looks incredible. Will definitely be back.