Tonight my Family & I had a great time celebrating my wife Charmaine's Birthday at Barristers Restaurant in downtown Gastonia. The Service was outstanding, Ribeye was real good, The Duck was fantastic, Lamb Shank Great and the Bolognese was ok.... Charmaine's dessert apple crumble was awesome.... When you get a chance by all means go check out Barristers it will meet your expectations. read more

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No! Both my husband and I were ill after eating there. The flavors were off. Some things on our plates were too salty and others had no flavor at all. My chicken piccata was without lemon and was served with (salty)Spaetzle. My husbands veal was flavorless. The bright note of the meal was the beet salad. Delicious. So no we will not be back. read more

A wonderful addition to Gastonia! We arrived late to the Esquire Hotel and, rather than searching for a restaurant, we liked the charm of Barristers on the main floor and decided to give it a try. What a wonderful surprise. The well stocked bar was beautiful, with an early 20th century ambience and the menu looked amazing. Being vegan, the chef put together a most delicious pasta for us, brimming with veggies, garlic and olive oil and we also enjoyed a wonderful salad complete with exotic greens and strawberries. There's a gorgeous, gated outdoor patio that looks like the perfect environment for lunch or an early dinner. We're so glad we discovered Barristers and we'll definitely be back the next time we're in Gastonia! (We also highly recommend the coffee/breakfast place called "The Notary" on the basement level. The best oat milk latte and Avocado Toadt we've had in ages!) read more

This place is a must visit and it's only going to get better! They are opening a hotel above. With the creative menu and skilled staff on the floor and the kitchen, my family had a delicious dinner. Compliments to the Chef! read more

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I came in looking for a peaceful and good bite and I was not disappointed, the fried squash was an experience in itself followed shortly by the salmon with masala rice. Service was quick and painless, will definitely recommend read more

Neat little hole in the wall at the Esquire Hotel. The outdoor patio is lovely and allows you to bring your dogs. Decent beer selection & bar. The bread basket is big so if you get that don't expect to eat a whole entree! Cornbread was really good. I recommend the burger & the Brussel sprouts. Ask for a taste of the pulled pork first - pork was good but the sauce was not to my liking, so get a sample before you commit. We'll be back for sure! read more

Could of made the same food at home. Ask for different sides than what it came with. Was told that it was fine to do that and the stake came out with green beans and potatoes I ask something different and never happen. Way over price food . They only fill my drink one time. Also got the Brussel sprouts was over cooked they tasted burnt. No flavor at all. Don't know if I would recommend this to anyone. Very disappointing read more

We just had a lovely lunch here. Good local sourced food, and Marcelle(?) was a wonderful server! Thank you for the nice experience. read more

I stopped in for a iced coffee and breakfast sandwich and it was wonderful. The coffee shop in located in the basement of the hotel and the interior is really cool with the brick walls and nice decor. I hope that they stay around because it's a great spot in Gastonia. read more

We ordered their family meal (takeout) for fried chicken friday. Two components advertised as part of the meal weren't there (no deviled eggs and no strawberry shortcake). The dessert was replaced with "dirt pie" which sounds good, but it was a hard & dry chocolate bottom with whipped topping, not great at all. The fried chicken was okay (not greasy which was nice). Collard greens were fine but not my preference in the way they were cooked. We ordered and paid for the meal for five people and got four pieces of extremely dense and flavorless cornbread. The salad was fine, and the mac and cheese was good. Frustrating to pay for one meal and not receive part of what you paid for with no explanation. I was so excited to try them during this hard time and was let down. None of the food was memorable by any means. read more

Tessa is a delight. The room is majestic and the food is solid. Gastonia is growing up. Side note...they have old fitz.

Worth the wait! We thought we'd never see this place actually open it'doors, but now that it has, we can't wait to go back. The amuse bouche was a deliciously addictive deviled egg. We had their version of a Caesar salad, and fried oysters as appetizers -- both excellent. The filet mignon was tasty and cooked to perfection. The vegetarian dumplings were unique and memorable. Service was great all around. Ambient noise and piped in music was a tolerable level. Wine pours could be more generous for the price. Decor and renovation beautiful and elegant. Looking forward to returning to try everything on the menu. Update feb 3 2020. They've done away with the amuse bouche, which was a lovely signature and unique in the area. Stupid choice #1. Next, companion ordered sea bass special and got a shrimp dish instead. I ordered the fried chicken in polenta with collard greens. It was one piece of chicken which was mostly fat. Disgusting. Our waiter was sweet and seemed concerned but all the restaurant offered was a free dessert to offset the disappointment . When I told them I was not eating sugar it was basically a shoulder shrug. Stupid choice #2 because it's likely we won't be back. It took 6 years to open this establishment and it will probably close in a fraction of the time if management loses sight of the big picture. I can get a great and reliably good meal with a generous wine pour at nearby Webb. Barristers needs to get its act together. read more

The venue is adorable, the food is great, and the service is phenomenal! Their prices are also very affordable. Fun stop!

Food menu is fairly limited but both times it has been very good. Service is excellent. Love the old building charm. Nice bar. Highly recommend. read more

We tried Barrister's because of a 90 minute wait around the corner, and I am glad we did! The food was fantastic. I had pork chops and my husband had trout. I have always loved farm to table so this was a very nice surprise we found in downtown Gastonia. I am also happy to say the service was fantastic! Would definitely recommend. Would have given five stars if it had a little better ambiance - just a little too bright for an evening meal in such a nice place. read more

We tried Barristers last night. Waitress was best part of the night because of how nice she was with my 11 year old who wanted her steak separate from the sides it came with. My dad is the only one who's steak was cooked properly while mine and my daughters was both undercooked. I brought my steak home cooked it some more and it was better. The reason I didn't ask them to cook more for me was that it had some kind of topping and I didn't think it would be any better if they cooked it more for me. The deviled eggs, tots, and pork belly were all just ok, nothing special. We probably won't go back, my dad fell in love with a steak at another restaurant very close to this similar priced but all of ours were cooked to perfection, so we'll just go there. Oh also the restaurant was freezing and I'm not cold natured so it made the experience and food temps that much worse. Sad, I wanted it to be fantastic. read more

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We enjoyed our dinner at Barristers. It was very tasty and reasonably priced. The staff were great. Will definitely recommend!

Decent experience. Wait staff seemed a little clueless. We were there celebrating my mother's birthday and they wanted to charge us $25 for a cake cutting fee? This was not posted anywhere on their website. Seems like they are a bit money hungry. Mind you we were the only paying customers in the restaurant last night at this time at 7:30pm. read more

We just stopped in after seeing an article in Our State. Great atmosphere. We had just an appetizer (deviled eggs) but it was great. When the rooftop bar opens we will be back. read more

Mmmm that beet terrine with goat cheese is what zesty, vinegary, herbaceous dreams are made of! Everything I tasted was divine. The bay scallop crudo and the local tomato dish were favorites too. The seasonal veggies and fruits are so fresh and living here! I love that the pork is heritage breed and ethically raised. Makes for a grateful dish. Effortless service, too. So welcoming and homey! Can't wait to go back! read more

Beautiful restaurant with great service. I got the steak sandwich and tomato soup, both were exceptional. All the ingredients are extremely fresh and you can tell this restaurant really cares about quality. Also I do have to say, the head chef is very cute. read more

This elegant but understated restaurant is a welcome addition to Gastonia! We visited early December and our experience and the food was wonderful. We started with a mushroom, maitake, appetizer and then we shared the beet salad. Both were very good. The chicken breast and pork chop entrees were delicious and generously portioned. Everything we tried was flavorful, well prepared and beautifully presented. We agreed we would both order these dishes again. Our only disappointment was the light wine pours. For $10-12 per glass we expected at least an 8oz. or more pour. The service was excellent. Hopefully my fellow G'town friends will support Barrister's!!!! read more

The service was phenomenal. We had shrimp and grits and it was terrific. Also for an appetizer we had the bread service. We will definitely be getting that again. They have a great drink and dessert selection. The building is beautiful. Amelia served us and she was fantastic and knowledgeable. read more

Food is an absolute one star! Service was average. Someone had told us this was comparable to Webbs, I don't know what Webbs this person was eating at but no where in comparison. I ordered the fried squash for an appetizer and my husband had the brie, there was no squash in my fried squash, he said his brie appetizer was fine but could have def had more of the spicy jam. I attempted to pick apart a few pieces of the fried squash to find the squash before giving up. I had the pork chop with field peas and greens for my entree, plenty of pork chop but not a good flavor and barely any peas or greens, again I only ate a few bites and was done, very underwhelming. My husband had the NY strip (I have never seen a strip this thin in any place ever not even the grocery store), mashed potatoes he said were worse than Army potatoes which meant it had to be the worst potatoes and didn't eat them. Save your money, go to anywhere but here. We stopped at Taco Bell on the way home so I could get at least have a taco to eat because it was a million times better than whatever they were trying to feed me. Someone could offer to pay me to eat here and I still wouldn't go back. read more

Our 3rd visit to Barristers, this time for lunch. First time was for dinner and we attended an event here. All three visits, the food and drinks have been spot on! Today we tried the grilled cheese and hand cut fries, the burrata appetizer, the burger will grilled green beans and the salmon dish. All were beautiful presented and delicious! And the service is outstanding. Millie, Sarah, Amani!!! Thank you for the excellent service. read more

The food was creative but lacked flavor. Wait staff was friendly but left glasses empty. Nice atmosphere.

I really love the idea of this place because it gives us a good upscale date night option. Some of the food on the limited menu right now is wonderful, others are OK. I felt a little rushed to order entrees, when we usually like to hang out, drink and eat apps for a while. Turnover wasn't a concern, nobody was waiting for our table. The atmosphere lacks a little. I appreciate a cozy, intimate environment and it's the opposite of that. Everything is very open and bright, and they really need to work on the acoustics. I think the food options are great considering they are local and seasonal, but I've been here on multiple occasions (pre-covid and post-covid) and thought the food could use a little more help in the flavor department. Presentation is great. read more

5 stars for Barrister's in downtown Gastonia!!! We attended the May wine class on Oregon wines and it was incredible! Our Sommelier was not only an informative instructor, her passion for wine was contagious and made for a wonderful experience! The beautiful patio with its brick wall of climbing greenery and exquisite fabric canopy overhead transported us to a cafe somewhere on the streets of Paris! This a "must do" for anyone in the Gastonia area! Kudos to Barrister's...so glad you're in Gastonia! read more

Really wanted to like this place, but just can't recommend it. The lunch menu has very few offerings. The food that should have been hot came out cold, and I'm still looking for the cheese on the grilled cheese sandwich. The service was great, but that doesn't make up for the not so great food. If you want an appetizing and tasty lunch, keep looking. read more

We had been looking forward to eating here and finally had the chance to do so, the service was excellent, the trout dip was amazing, but that's where it stops. I had the ribeye it was ordered rare and served medium, the gelatinous paste that I was told was a potato mash tasted like glue, my wife ordered the pasta, it tasted as if it had been cooked the day before and rewarmed. Very mushy and dry. Not a good first impression! We will try again, everyone has bad nights but I hope this is not the norm. read more

Ate there last night, food was amazing and service was very good as well. However the evening was ruined when I found out I was charged $16 for a martini. You can drink cheaper at Ruths Chris. Most likely will not go back. read more

We ate our Thanksgiving Day meal here and the food was delectable. Nice quiet atmosphere and good service. Can't wait to go back!!

Such a great spot for Gastonia! The restaurant itself is beautiful. I just went a for a drink, but I should've stayed for dinner as well. I recommend the Lavender Gimlet. Our bartender Brian was fantastic! If you are in the area, you must go here! read more

Tried Barrister's for the first time Tuesday for lunch. It was delicious. My daughter and I opted to try four appetizers instead of an entree so we could sample as many items as possible. All were delicious! Our favorite was the crab cake. It's full of crab meat not breading and lightly seasoned so the seasoning didn't overpower the crab. The pork bellies and mushrooms with caramelized onions and spinach were both yummy as well. The fried squash with comeback sauce was delightful. The squash was thinly sliced and we really enjoyed the sauce. It was spicy and flavorful but not too hot. We tried the butternut squash cheesecake and were pleasantly surprised at how good it was. It had fall flavors and is definitely better than any pumpkin cheesecake we have tried. The S'more dessert is always a hit with me and their twist on a familiar favorite does not disappoint. The service was excellent - attentive and helpful with suggestions but not hovering. We will definitely be returning. read more