Gastro Bar Restaurant + Wine Bar

Went to this restaurant for the first time this weekend. Food was decent (ordered a pizza and calamari). The service however, awful. Our waiter took our order by saying «what do you want to drink and are you going to eat something». Then when we asked him to split our check as we were with another couple he argued with us that he couldn’t do that because we didn’t tell him in advance. I have waitressed for 10 years and splitting a check is effortless but he made such a big deal of it. There are so many other new restaurants in Stamford I would pick over this one.

The food is very good here, good enough for 4 stars in my opinion. The concept is a bit strange however, it’s a Latin, tapas place with Italian food. On both visits here it wasn’t busy at all but we enjoyed it for the most part. The Brussels sprouts salad is excellent as are many of the small plates. Maybe we have come on slow nights but it’s worth a visit and we’ll be back.

Good sangria; then had the meat and cheese plate; and the steak frites! All really good; and finalize with the chocolate lava cake a la mode; Wish the cake was a little bigger

Very happy with my experience. I was received very well, by friendly staff. Place is very clean, nice flat screen tvs, beautiful bar, and they even had the champions league game on.
Food was delicious.
Pepperoni personal pizza — very rich tasty sauce and cheese.
Fried Calamari — Was absolutely fresh and soft. I can tell if it’s fresh or frozen and it was excellent.
Crab cake — had an amazing arugula salad on top. The crab cake was fresh as well and it was full of crab! It wasn’t like other places where they blend it with mostly breadcrumbs. No. This crab cake was full of crab meat
Overall. I was very very happy
I had 2 coconut mojitos. From 1 – 10. I rate it a 10.

The only thing good about this restaurant is the servers. They were polite and helpful. But the food and the atmosphere were all wrong. First off I called earlier and they didn’t even write our reservation down, they pretended so when we got there first off it was empty on a Saturday night during restaurant week. There was maybe two small tables. Second their reservations were kept on a yellow pad of paper and we’re all over the place, no wonder they had no clue who we were. The atmosphere was all wrong. The food made us sick, we wanted to be polite and at least try it but you could tell it was cooked frozen and then cooked again. Or it wasn’t cooked enough. Also we ordered sangria it was most definitely box wine and the fruit was so old, it came from a container at the bar, must have been sitting there forever. Needless to say we will never be returning. Maybe they used to be good but now don’t even bother.

We came for restaurant week, and it was a great deal. The red sangria was very tasty and served in a large glass. I ordered the salmon tartar for my starter, which tasted great, followed by the baked salmon with horseradish mashed potatoes and beets. The flavors were well balanced and the wait staff was pleasant. The food was solid, but the ambiance is a bit off– it has a tapas/​Mediterranean bar style feel (exposed brick walls, cozy booths, rustic hanging lights, until you glance over at the turquoise blue seats and bar tables and a bright, almost neon green lit up bar. The music was older Shakira and Pitbull– not quite the music choices I would make– it made the restaurant feel disjointed.

Amazing food, I definitely recommend the crispy duck! I’ve been in Stamford multiple times and unfortunately most restaurants are chains and I’ve BEEN THERE DONE THAT this was honestly a random pick and a pick I do not regret

Excellent food. We ordered lamp lollipops… melt in your mouth. Grilled calamari… super tender. Salmon tartar… everything was very god and the service is great.

So we always order the same boring things (that are always delicious) — last week when ordering delivery we were adventurous and I am so glad for it! There is not enough I can say about the absolutely melt in your mouth delicious ricotta gnocchi and the equally tastebud tantalizing meat ragu it was served with — as if that were not rich enough (without being overly rich) the short rib cavatelli (which we mull over on the menu every time and never order) balanced it out perfectly. The description reads truffle and cream (and my mind immediately sees bloating and pains) but this was definitely not the case — so much delicious braised meat with a perfect balance of cream and truffle — these two dishes alone have given me such a greater appreciation for this culinary gem in the middle of downtown Stamford!

Cool décor, great bruschetta, horrible lamb lollipops, friendly but slow service (and it was dead). My bartender/​server even ignored my check request and cleared the counter and went to talk to a friend! Another gentleman (thankfully) promptly got the check when flagged while my server looked on. I actually think this place has potential but yikes bad first experience…

Went Wed night, split 4 tapas with my son and every one of the 4 was excellent.

Went here for Restuarant Week and the selection was great. Our server was really friendly and was helpful with giving us advice on what to order. Just note that the portions are large. They offer both red and white sangria. It may taste light but I felt a buzz after my first glass. My boyfriend and I started off with the calamari and fig. We share them since they were large. We both had the salmon that was cooked well and finished off with tiramisu. The inside was cute and noticed they have Happy Hour.

The grilled calamari left me wanting to lick the plate and the dipping oil for the focaccia bread was completely off the rail. So good I jokingly asked for a straw… and I was only half-​joking.

I loved the food here. I had the pear salad– delicious. I also ordered Patatas Bravas, which were spicy and addictive, and a crab cake, which was loaded with real crab meat and tasted just like the ones they make in the Chesapeake Bay Area. It was huge, too. The service was wonderful and the bartender took the time to come to my table and make a drink recommendation when I asked the waiter for suggestions. Super friendly people. I would love to return again but I’m not from Stamford.

I came here during an Alive at 5. We were seated right away, and it was clear that there were plenty of staff to handle a busier night. We split a pitcher of the red sangria. It was very good. We also had the bruschetta, the Margherita and the mushroom pizza. I loved the mushroom pizza with bacon and fontina cheese. Yum! We had a great meal, and the waiter attentive with refilling our waters and drinks. I look forward to returning.

Beautiful place! Food was ok but I won’t come back. Service was bad and not helpful even it wasn’t busy at that time.

I went here last weekend with two girlfriends to celebrate a birthday dinner. We were looking for something new and wanted to be downtown, and I stumbled upon Gastro on Unilocal.
The space was different than I had expected, based on other Unilocalers (larger, less intimate, and empty), but it wasn’t unpleasant. It felt very much like it was a converted space from another restaurant that just didn’t make it. I would have preferred more privacy and a more dim vibe, but it was fine.
We started with the Gastro Mules (their take on Moscow Mules, which are also on the menu), and they were delicious. The pour on the second round was a little light, but they were still perfectly sweet and minty.
The three of us split several tapas: fried calamari, salmon tartar, crab cakes, and the Brussels sprout salad. YUM. Each plate was perfectly proportioned, full of flavor, beautifully presented, creative, and satisfying. I wished I could have tried everything on the menu! There was not one plate that let us down, and the pairing with the drinks made for a really great meal.
My overall experience ensured that I will be back, but do take a peek at the menu before heading there, as the selection is not ideal for kids or picky eaters.

I’ve been to Gastro Bar three times since it opened and I must say that each time it has been a great experience. From the drinks to the food to the service — everything has been exceptional. They have a good selection of wines and the west park martini with curaçao is exceptional! My favorite food items are the shrimp with polenta, pork belly, bruschetta, and pizza with chicken, tomato and truffle oil. I have a lot of food allergies and I found the staff to be very knowledgeable about the ingredients in the dishes and accommodating when it comes to substitutions.
Most recently, I visited on Saturday evening during Stamford’s restaurant week and even though the restaurant was packed unlike the other two times I’d been there, the service did not suffer at all. They were short on actual waitstaff, but management and the owners stepped up and picked up the slack with ease.
Gastro Bar is a great addition to the downtown Stamford scene.

Ive seen this place before and drove by it few times but we didn’t try this place until «restaurant week». The meal itself even came with either a white or red sangria. This place is really classy and food is taste excellent.
The ambiance of the place is awesome. Interior is clean and very organize. We had tuna tartar and the eggplant for appetizer, its definitely tasty even though its not on the regular menu. For entrée, boneless pork chop and ravioli. Im just a little disappointed when the pork chop came out with a bone (lol) but it taste awesome. I wish it has at least two in it but you get what you pay for. Overall, i would definitely come back and try the rest of their menu.

The Gastro Bar and Restaurant’s open floor plan combined with the warm tones of the décor provides a cozy atmosphere where you can enjoy a drink at their long bar or a meal. The front of the restaurant are large doors that open to allow the warm weather to filter through the cozy, open floor plan. Their street side patio invites you to enjoy your dining while taking in the sites of the neighborhood. The teal color accompanies the browns and red brick greatly. The framed artwork painted directly on the rustic red bricks depicts a Spanish /​Portuguese theme.
Executive Chef Fernando Gomez creates his Mediterranean cuisine infused with European aspects
While sitting at the bar and enjoying our drinks, we were treated to three of their appetizers: Grilled Calamari, Brushetta, and fried oysters. The lightly, and I do mean lightly, batter calamari sitting on a smoked aioli was a pleasant change from other fried calamari we had, in the batter was barely present allowing the calamari to the star. The Bruschetta was nicely grilled bread topped with fresh tomato, shallots, garlic, basil, and cheese. The cheese gave it added depth. Just like the calamari, the lightly battered, but crispy oysters cam in a half shell resting on a bed of avocado purée, grapefruit, and radish.
The delightful Paella we ordered for dinner was a bounty of clams, shrimp, chicken, mussels, calamari, chorizo adorning saffron rice and topped with sweet peas. We also ordered The Cavatell which was a hearty short rib ragu with black truffle and cream and topped with baby greens.
We closed out the evening with coffee and desserts. Two to be specific: a Chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream and Mascarpone and sour cream cheesecake. This very light and refreshing cheesecake had a slight «tang» from the sour cream.