Gus & Gabriel

G&G — come back to us fast!!!
Another restaurant I discovered through a review in TONY, and easily one of the best eats in town. Everything on the menu is special and expertly crafted.
I’ve tried the Mexi Mac & Cheese, burgers, grilled cheese, soups, and it was all spectacular. There’s a great beer list but also nice cocktails and liquors. I’ve actually never made it to desert because I’m always too full.
Just make sure you’re not looking to lose any calories because they certainly don’t sacrifice anything for the taste. It’s well worth an extra workout, though!
I’ll be first in line for the reopening.

Just wanted to add per this article:
G&G is closed for now but will reopen at a new location! Chin up! :D

This place has a cool comfortable vibe with food options that are solidly delicious without the typical UWS price tag attached to it.
There’s a decent amount of seating and for a small group no larger than 4 is a great spot for just kicking back.
Only annoyance is the fact that they don’t take plastic, but if it means the lower prices I’ll deal with that any day.
Unfortunately it seems I won’t have the opportunity to go back as it seems like they have now closed. They made one darned tasty hot dog too! The staff were friendly and they always had something to make everyone at the table happy.
Come back G&G!

OK
Love me some gastropub — need to go back here!
try the specials
All the food we had was awesome
ps
you can get 16 oz beers in a bottle — and they give you a brown bag love this shit
i’ll be back soon !!!

Been here 3 times and the food is always 5 stars. The waiter, however, continues to get lazier and duchier. This last visit on Thursday night, I went with my 2 friends and it took forever for him to casually saunter around to us to tell us the daily special was a «ravioli with ‘toe-​mah-​toe’ and basil sauce». After another 40 minutes, he came back to take the order and we never saw him at our table again until he came back around with the check at the end of the night. We did, however, catch him by the bathroom hacking out a lung which I guess doesn’t really matter since he never came in contact with our food. All the work was being done by the very attentive, hardworking busboy. When the waiter dropped off the check, it was about $ 50 so I handed him a hundred dollar bill and he had the balls to ask if I wanted change! Yeah, jerkface, I do. What amazing feat did he perform to make him believe that he deserved a 100% gratuity?
So the food:
App: Deep fried plantains with chipotle sauce. Yum! Just spicy enough on the sauce.
Entrees: Bacon Cheddar Cheeseburger: big on portion and flavor.
Trout with various veggies: trout was perfectly cooked and the veggies were all amazing minus one that «tasted like dirt»
Gnudi: Like little pillows of magic mixed with squashes and veggies for texture.
In the past, the beet salad was amazing and exposed me to varieties of beets that I never even knew existed, the leek consume was delicious, and the «paella» appetizer was meal-​sized.
They also have an amazing selection of beer and spirits (which I guess would make sense with G&G being a gastropub and all)
So: Go for the food, ignore the d-​bag waiter, and tip your busboy.

First Impression: Dinner
You know when sometimes you have a less than stellar dining experience but there was enough hope in your meal that you’ll surely return? This was not one of those times.
The highlights of our meal were the nachos and the «tater tots», but the burgers, french dip, and pasta special were so very disappointing. And those entrees were so disappointing that we didn’t even want to bother with giving dessert a chance, especially after seeing the tiny cups that the shakes arrive in.
Boo.

Food Service = slow. Space = stylish. Waiter = personable and friendly (it’s not HIS fault the kitchen was slow!). WAY weak A/​C. There needs to be something done about that… it was a 94 degree day today and there was nothing but a fan at work by the bar. The back room was cooler but still not near the A/​C blast you’d expect during a heat wave!
LOVE THE TATER TOTS! Perfect consistency oozing with cheese/​potato/​chorizo mash in the middle. Around the table, 4 burgers burgers and I got the french dip. Thumbs up around the table on the food. For the french dip, it tasted good — the sauce could use more salt, but overall it was a good tasting sandwich! Coleslaw is tasty, pickle was not crunchy, fries were mediocre. Biggest complaint aside the A/​C is the S L O W service of our meals. How long does it take to make 4 burgers and a french dip? 25 min? We came in around 1pm on Sunday (and per the website, it doesn’t state they’re open for sunday brunch) so maybe there weren’t they weren’t ready for customers yet (? but their door was open and they sat us!) so that may account for the slow kitchen service, but still. The food is good so I’ll give them credit for food but not for service…

In a world gone mad, it’s nice to know you can find a Racer 5 IPA even in New York City (
). That said, our party only stopped in for a quick drink here, and seriously underutilized their booze list. Even in that time, though, I found both the bartenders I interacted with to be super cool and laid back, and made me forget that I was on the UWS for a moment or two.
Unfortunately, we didn’t have the chance to eat here but judging by items like fried mozzarella balls, cheddar & pork tater tots, made in-​house hot dogs… that was entirely our loss. I’m still not sure what a gastro pub is, but if this is it, I’m guessing it’s a shining example of one.

This is one of my absolute favorite neighborhood pubs. I first learned of it from one of my roommates, who was in love with their hard milkshakes (try the Rocky Road shake spiked with bourbon) and hearty mac & cheese.
After going there myself and discovering that they serve 40 oz beers in a brown paper bag, I knew this place was right up my alley. In addition, their drink menu is relatively cheap when compared to the marked up prices of other NY restaurants.
Tonight, I tried the beef brisket ravioli appetizer, followed by the Gnudi main plate. Both of the dishes were plate-​licking good, and more than enough for a single meal. I’ve also tried the «paella» which is decent, and the glazed pork riblet app is definitely worth the price.
Only warning is that the restaurant is cash only, so be sure to hit up the ATM before your visit.

Very good food…
But why cash only? Tax avasion?
Very uncool policy — especially when waiters spring it on you at the end of your meal.

Smothered Chicken! Absolutely the best dish on the menu. The chicken was perfectly moist and simply fantastic. The service is very friendly and prompt. Only downside about this place is they only take cash. Great food/​drinks and welcoming bar makes this place worth multiple trips.

I’m not sure how this got the label «gastropub.» I see it more along the lines of classic pub/​comfort food such as PJ Clarke’s etc. But a way better value. I was amazed at how cheap the entrees were. My smothered chicken was like 14 dollars including really delicious sides. Good beer selection too. Just don’t walk by as its underground.
Start with the tater tots if you what’s good for you. These are amazing. Not your standard cafeteria fare!
Cash only = minus one star. Not for the calorie conscious or the vegetarians in your crew either.

I can’t wait to come back here and try more of their gut-​busting, delicious dishes. I went here about two weeks ago with my boyfriend, having no idea what to expect. We left satisfied and happy, and felt that our money was well-​spent (by the way, there is no dish priced over $ 20 on the menu.)
Instead of bread, customers are presented with spicy popcorn — an ideal accompaniment to the large selection of beers available.
We were hungry, so we started off with the nachos for two — how romantic. When one considers the amount of meat (including brisket,) cheese, beans, avocado, and spicy morsels that are piled on these tortilla chips, he would do well not to engage in intimate behavior soon after. These nachos are delicious and addictive, but they pack a serious punch that will leave your gut begging for mercy — and we still had our entrees to eat!
When I saw the size of my sandwich, I regretted ordering it, because I was already full from the appetizer (on the bright side — I got my money’s worth.) Still, I ate half of it with relish. Buttery, toasty, THICK bread is filled with melted cheese, lettuce, tomato, and crispy bacon. I felt my arteries collapsing under the pressure of the fat, but it was still enjoyable. As were the house potato chips. I was too full for the coleslaw or pickle.
My boyfriend had an equally hearty, unfinishable dish: the smothered chicken. A huge thigh/​leg — fried — came with mashed potatoes, two biscuits, a boat of giblet gravy, and various vegetables. At $ 13, it’s certainly a bargain.
Though you will be dying at this point, it is imperative that you at least consider dessert. The sweets menu is mostly shakes and floats (all of them with the potential to be spiked.) There are also some classic desserts, some of which I wish I chose. I opted for the chocolate mint cake, which is where my only gripe enters the picture. This chocolate layer cake, accompanied by a scoop of chocolate ice cream, whipped cream, and chocolate «crunchies,» hadn’t the slightest HINT of mint. I couldn’t believe it-​where was it? I suppose if you’re not the biggest fan of mint, this would be a wonderful surprise, but for the mint lovers, be warned. It was as if the kitchen had ran out of the original, and tried to replace it with plain (all right, it WAS good,) chocolate cake and hope no one would notice. That, or the «mint» actually referred to its «mint» condition.
Regardless of this mishap, the food is great, the service casual and friendly, and the atmosphere homey. Just be prepared for some indigestion soon after.

BARGAIN!
Happy hour deal (5p-​7p) where you get one draft beer (as much as $ 9), one regular hamburger (about $ 11), and personal size nachos for only $ 15!
If you want the mushroom or fried egg burger, you just add $ 1 to the total. And although the personal size nachos are smaller than the app size, they are still a hearty serving with all the regular fixin’s you would expect. There was so much food I couldn’t finish the nachos or the fries!

The drink list is awesome. There were lots of beers I had never seen before, but their scotch/​whiskey/​etc. list is even more extensive.
Our waiter was spunky — very knowledgeable, nice, and willing to give us beer samples when we didn’t know what we wanted.
The cheddar tater tots with BBQ sauce were tasty, but I think there were too few for the $ 3.95.
I got a Roasted Mushroom, Caramelized Onion & Gruyère Burger, which was flavorful but immediately started to fall apart. Messy, messy. But the burger was cooked just how I wanted it.
I didn’t like how this place is CASH ONLY. If anything, it doesn’t fit my idea of a cash-​only place given its rustic, classy feel. Oh well.

Perhaps I should wait to write a review until I visit G&G a couple more times since there are a number of items on the menu that I want to try, which I believe have the potential of boosting G&G from 3 to 4 stars…
BUT, let’s start with what I have had:
(1) potato chips– EXCELLENT!
(2) «tater-​tots” — Very, tasty!
(3) Arugula and Frisse salad– pretty good, but a little salty
(4) potato-​leek soup– good, but could have had more potato
Again, there are a few entrees that I would like to try (burger with an egg on top and ‘bangers and beans’), but overall I think this place would be BEST for beers and appetizers.

This is where I go when I want the perfect French Dip Sandwich. Gus and Gabriel is pretty inconspicuous… since it rests down the steps into what looks like a hidden, dark space. The Victorian-​like furniture and the red hues of the walls gives that homey feeling, just like the food! French dip, sloppy joes (not your typical, more like pulled-​pork), spare rib ravioli…
Great beer selection, though the beers are a bit pricey.
Oh ya, they only take cash so go to the ATM beforehand!!!

Like a proper reviewer, I try to visit a restaurant three times before submitting my analysis. I fear that a third visit to G&G might be the end of me. Most of the dishes should come with a complementary side of statins. That being said, the food is delightfully comfortable, and fried/​sauteed/​slathered to perfection.
The space, as mentioned before, is rather den-​like. But for lack of a pinball machine and tiki bar, it could be the converted basement man cave of one of your father’s friends growing up. The atmosphere complements the food quite well, in contrast to Kefi, the previous occupant. This is the final réduit of fatty comfort food served in a boisterous cellar. Liquor comes is three serving sizes, shot, glass, or bottle (which is labeled with your name so you can keep on site and enjoy over time).
On my last visit, the chef noticed that my wife had only finished half of her entrée (because she had already finished her, and my, milkshake) and inquired if it was not to her liking. Nice to be noticed.
I can only ding them one star because it’s shackelaciously cash only.

This is where Kefi used to be, and it’s fitting, because I liked Kefi a lot too! This time, I even took a couple pictures!
Things we had: Mexi Mac and Cheese, Nachos, Beef Brisket French Dip Sandwich, mint chocolate cake with chocolate ice cream, and the apple crumble with vanilla ice cream. Here goes —
Mexi Mac and Cheese: have you ever had mac and cheese with guacamole and pico on it? Does that sound weird? Well, YOU’RE MISSING OUT. It’s incredible. It’s fantastic. It’s comfort food at it’s best.
Nachos: good. I mean, it’s kind of hard to screw up nachos with all the fixins, right? Not much to say here except that we (two girls) cleaned the plate. And there was enough for a whole meal on that plate.
Beef Brisket French Dip: beef brisket, caramelized onions, gruyère cheese… DELICIOUS! It was like eating french onion soup… with meat… on a sandwich. Very tasty, just enough salty, and frickin amazing. I would definitely order this again.
mint chocolate cake: here is where I wasn’t as thrilled as I was with the actual food. It tasted like one of those flour-​less cakes that was extremely rich and moist, which is usually a good thing. But it was just too much! And the mint was really just mint syrup in the frosting or whatever it was, and it wasn’t very strong. I was hoping for more of a Thin-​Mint-​meets-​Andes-​Chocolate taste, so… I was kind of disappointed. Couldn’t finish even half of it. Also — I demand that places that serve any sort of chocolatey dessert AUTOMATICALLY serve you a large glass of ice cold milk to go with it. It would make whatever the dessert was infinitely better.
Apple crumble: gooood. I mean, what’s not to like? Cinnamon apples? Good. Crispy crumbles? Good. Vanilla ice cream? Good. It felt very Southern — apple crumble done right.
The overall atmosphere is nice, too. They played a bunch of fun/​upbeat oldies, which kept the mood light, considering the actual lighting was quite dark. (oooo! pun! …kind of?) The waiters are all friendly and happy, and they are quite good at keeping your water refilled.
In conclusion, G&G has large, healthy portions of pretty yummy sticks-​to-​your-​ribs diner food. Me = SATISFIED. It’s been 5 hours, and I’m STILL full.

You know those neighborhood joints you don’t want to review in fear its awesomeness will be revealed and you’ll never be able to get another table from all the crowds looking for the «next big thing?»
This is one of those places.
A cash-​only (as of now) spot, Gus & Gabriel really is a welcome and affordable addition to the UWS, especially on a block saturated with generic italian and japanese restaurants. It’s comfort food at its finest with an incredibly expansive beer/​wine list and a welcoming décor and staff.
After a failed attempt to get a table at the other neighborhood Psilakis joint, Kefi, my party of 6 stopped by here on a Friday night and were seated right away (the crowds haven’t caught on yet!) Everything on the menu was stuff you’d want to eat but can’t unless you want to die an early death. Think adjectives like smothered, covered, buttered, and fried. Our orders of the burgers, fish & chips, and pulled pork cuban were devoured in minutes and all conversation came to a halt as we tore into our food. Everything was enjoyed but comments about the choice of bread for the burgers (huge, cumbersome slices of texas toast) were noted on the feedback sheet. Prices were very wallet-​friendly for the neighborhood (no entrée is over $ 15)!
We were too stuffed to try anything on the dessert menu but this seems like the type of place where you could also stop by just to satiate your sweet tooth with their homemade ice cream or spiked milkshakes. Speaking of which, I’ll definitely be back to try one of those at the bar very soon. Just gotta make sure I get there before
you guys read this and force me to wait outside…