How can you make something taste so good?? Yes, the wait is outrageous but I can guarantee you this is the food they would eat in heaven if they could get a reservation. I placed my name on the list around 7:15pm, went home, showered, mowed the lawn I don't have, then got back around 8:15pm. By 9:15 I was snapping pics of my food but not in an influencer obnoxious way, I only asked them to adjust the lighting once. Anyway, I flew solo and got a burger and fries. Baby, thee best burger I ever had (don't tell Small Cheval). Each bite was flavorful and packed with tiny angels singing Christmas carols, I almost cried tears of joy. For drinks, I ordered the old coke, it was manhattan-esque, and wasn't for me. The cherry was the best part. The second round, I ordered a lemon drop which is going on my top 10 list. By dessert I was stuffed so I took it to go. Once I got home, I was like let me sample this which led me to writing the first line of this review. If War Lord was actually going to battle, I would be on the front lines. Gots to save, the burgers and chefs and good ol Will. Honestly just drag your significant other, they will thank you later or just fly solo like me, which in this case thank you to me. read more

Warlord - Specialty Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Great atmosphere. Professional and very friendly staff. Superb food. Octopus was charred nicely and tender as filet mignon. LI duckling, a staple of my childhood, was succulent, crisp and decadently fatty. Served with persimmons. Cocktails - unusual concoctions - are potent and delicious. read more

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Epic spot. A meal that won't be forgotten. Food is made with love and fire. We tried more than half the menu (it's small and changes daily depending on what protein is best that day). The whole place feels like a very authentic, dark , romantic ode to chef-dom and the craft of cooking protein in the most authentic ways. The food/vibes had the sensualness (and more) of an amazing steakhouse of downtown, but without any of the pretentious bs. Dark atmosphere is just amazing. Loud intense music (which added to ambiance). Maybe not the best place for conversation especially in a group setting, but for 1 on 1 date we had no issue communicating. Cocktails were adventurous, maybe a little more so for our taste, but they accommodated when it wasn't hitting the spot. Excellent service all around. We showed up at 11pm and had no wait and took our time until 1. Service was great the whole time . If you have the chance, sit at the kitchen bar to view the show and maybe even engage with an occasional question if they're slow enough. It definitely adds to the experience. Ask about off menu protein cuts/options. You may be rewarded at a very reasonable price. read more

This place is worth the hype. Service is mediocre but it still gets 5 starts due to food and ambiance. Drinks are a little overpriced and not great but still, 5 stars. The food was fantastic. Ribeye cap was one of the better steaks i've had in a long time, burger was fire. I love the interior of this place, very dark very gothic. i love dark restaurants, the lighting for me was 10/10. The wait is annoying but man it's worth it read more

The BEST Burger in the city by far! I don't want to trash any of the other supposedly best burgers in the city, but they do not hold a candle to this hidden gem! Aside from the burger, everything (sorry have to be hones) but the fries in this place is amazing. The octopus, the mushrooms, the cheese plate, everything is always on point! The fries suck! Love the atmosphere and the staff is so genuinely friendly and helpful. Well worth the hype. I'm hooked! read more

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Great vibe and good service. The tacky apple was awesome, and the burger was good, but overly salty and didn't live up to the hype.

My boyfriend and I were excited to go here because we're big foodies. Unfortunately, the food was simply not it. I wouldn't even put the burger on my Top 5 Chicago Burgers. The pasta wasn't anything great either, it was extremely oily and lacked flavor. Service was just okay...nothing special. Ambiance is alright. I'm giving it a 2 star because I enjoyed sitting at the chefs counter and seeing all the action. I went once and didn't taste anything good or experience anything memorable that I will be coming back for. Definitely a one and done. I wouldn't recommend. Don't let the line/wait fool you. read more

There are lots of restaurants I'd rather go to. This bordered on a 1 star experience for me but the atmosphere was really good. The food was expensive and not great. We had their four dollar oysters raw and they were some of the worst I've ever had. Ended up trying a grilled one to see if it was better and it was but only modestly. Their bread plate that seems to be a staple was great but when we ordered it, we were suggested to order additional bread ($4) which was definitely needed but also... just include it in the price and make it a complete dish. This was the only good dish. Had some aged raw trout that tasted the same as salmon. Also had their burger which seems to be a staple on the menu but I'd rather just eat Culver's. Their lacquered half duck looked nice but we didn't have the space to get it. It's also not a full half a duck - but certainly the best parts. Cocktails were good but not great and beer prices were reasonable. The wait was forever. Got there at 540 and line starts moving at 6. Names in at 630 and told seats available at 9 most likely. Go to grab drinks somewhere else and get a text around 8 to come back for appetizers and cocktails or we cancel our reservation? This was an off putting part about the service but wait staff was good. I could go back again but I'd want a prompt seating which likely means arriving around 11 or 5 (to wait outside for an hour). The food and value wasn't good enough to put up with the shenanigans. read more

It's best to get here early or when they open so that you can eat at a decent time. Wait times can get up to 2hrs. However it's worth the experience. I didn't get food photos as the lights were low and I didn't want to interrupt guest. The food was great and the decor was very minimal and created a personal dining experience. read more

Warlord - Specialty Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

So first things first, this place does not take reservations, it's essentially first come first serve. The restaurant is a bit ambiguous to find, it's a green building and I'm pretty sure the name wasn't even listed on the building? I could be wrong! We got there around 520 and the place opens at 6 and there were already a bunch of people in line ahead of us. We got seated at the bar, the inside is super dark but gives very punk rock vibes. The music is loud but they play popular music so it was nice. We ordered the Brie with peach and toast and it was such a great combo! We then got two of the burgers and I'll def say it was probably one of the best burgers I've ever had! It was so mouthwatering, the meat is medium rare and seasoned so well. The dessert we ordered tasted like chocolate mousse with peanut butter sauce, nothing to rave about. Only knocking off a star cause we waited for an hour or so just to get food. Otherwise, food was great and the ambiance was also nice! read more

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Honestly, warlord is definitely worth the wait and worth the hype. My recommendation is to get there at 5:30 and you'll be seated in the first group or wait till about 8 PM to be seated in a second setting. The menu changes daily but always has the burger which I definitely recommend getting. Because there is a line and the door stays open. If it is cold outside you will definitely feel the breeze. Overall I recommend going it was a fun experience. The waitress was amazing in the food with a delicious read more

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Everything was phenomenal, food, service and ambience. Our server (I think his name was Mike) was very professional, attentive, friendly and knowledgeable. We enjoyed our time there so much. It was such an amazing experience! Food was incredible. We had this cheese plate and we agreed it was one of the most delicious things we've ever had. We ordered it again for dessert. Highly recommended! read more

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Amazing experience all the way around. We knew we were going to have to wait for a while before we could eat (my friend had gone the previous week on a Monday at 7:30 and waited 2 hours) but they sit you at this super cute patio in the back where you can get drinks and apps so time passes super quickly. Apparently Monday is their busiest day which is weird to me but we went on a Sunday at 6pm and waited about an hour and fifteen minutes. We got to sit at the chef's counter which was super cool (we specifically asked to be seated there). All the food was good but I particularly liked the mushrooms, the burger, and anything having to do with salmon. The dungeness crab pasta was surprisingly a bit spicy for me because of the XO sauce in it but still tasty. I think my least favorite thing was actually the rib eye. The drinks were good but not great. We saw a bunch of fish heads hanging over the grill and one of the chefs plated one to serve to another table so I asked them about it and they made us one too! It was super nice of them and really fun (also like really really tasty even though slightly intimidating to eat). All the servers were also super nice and accommodating. The inside was pretty dark and moody and the music was kind of loud but fun. They also turn the lights extra dim at 10pm. Overall a must go. read more

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No. Y'all are lost with 5 stars. Been twice and both times you wait FOREVER for food that sounds good in description but actually is marginal. The famed burger is a dried out pattie of DRY AGED BEEF with flavorless onions on a bun.. no cheese or fries just a piece of some kind of lettuce? 2/5 The grilled oysters are basically heated up over fire and served/ minimal flavor and barely warm? The steak Tartare is an even bigger disaster with absolutely no flavor, tiny portion and some kind of fried cracker on top? Be prepared for a somewhat empty joint but an hour and a half *wait* for nothing. Tried to order dessert both times but couldn't fathom the wait! Service is lost with one person asking the other if you know what I mean. If anyone tells you this joint is GREAT.. don't regard them as a friend. Talk later read more

Just another overpriced, over-hyped 21st century style faux-trendy color-by-number American food restaurant which is quickly alienating Avondale locals. Walked over to find they don't accept reservations, and was told I'd need to get in line outside at 6pm for a table, which oddly, I live down the street and have never seen anyone outside. Put my name in for the heck of it and never got a call - I won't be making another attempt. I refuse to wait three hours for a $60 hamburger only to give myself meat-induced nightmares of Grimace and Mayor McCheese, and so should you. I wish someone would bring a non-elitist, non-pretentious, non-hamburger restaurant to Avondale. read more

Best steak I ever had. Cool vibes. The staff was very knowledgeable of everything on the menu.

Out of nowhere, just like Cleon the true Warlord, comes the new kid in town. Warlord offers yum drinks, and a late night food menu. The staff is friendly, and the food is a nice balance between comfort food, and high end offerings. The cocktail menu isn't extensive, but they can whip something up for you. When you gotta make it to your destination boppers, you wanna have Warlord filling your belly before the gang catches up. Check it out. read more

Warlord - Specialty Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is the first time in a long time I've had an experience at a restaurant that felt like a whole new concept to dining. The menu changes everyday and everything is so fresh and incredible. It felt exciting to eat here. You will have to wait as they do not take reservations but it was well worth it. The service here was so fun, they didn't take themselves too seriously and gave us so many cool recommendations on wine for our menu choices. We did try everything on the menu the night we were there and nothing was even slightly a disappointment except the steak. I am a huge steak fan so I tend to be a hard critic and there just wasn't anything too special about how they seasoned this steak and it was a tad over medium rare. I will be going back here. Also just to note, the restaurant is beautiful with an amazing bar! read more

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Came here around 10 minutes before opening on a Sunday, and we were the second to last couple to get seating during the first wave. Ordered the uni toast, octopus, angel pasta with king crab, foie gras, halibut, honey butter with bread and Brie, and kampachi. Also ordered the whiskey cocktail and the salad dash. The server got our drinks wrong the first time and they also got the table next to us the wrong drinks, too. Definitely working out the kinks still. Timing between dishes was also off - it seemed as if they were sent out as soon as they were ready, which resulted in a flurry of dishes all at once and then waiting. The top dishes were the uni toast, apple butter toast, and the octopus. The menu definitely leans creamy and savory, so be prepared for umami overload. The whiskey cocktail was exceptional, and we ordered another one. The salad dash was forgettable. Will come again as a solo diner to try and experience more of their seasonal offerings and the chance to sit at the chef's counter. read more

Incredible ambiance. Wasn't sure what to expect bc of how small the space is from the outside but the inside is super spacious but also very intimate. 10/10 would recommend! read more

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Ambiance and staff were great: 10/10 Drinks are on point: 10/10 The food was too salty. Texture was amazing. read more

Warlord is genius. They are on another level. Creative, new, and the most important take-away from a restaurant: absolutely delicious food / some of the best food you've ever tasted. Couldn't recommend this place more highly. Max G. read more

This NW side chef collaboration is easily one of the hottest and best new restaurants in the city. First, it's a very cool space offering chefs table seats where you can watch the action and converse with the super friendly staff, or a bar area with 10-12 stools and a few booths. Most of the food is cooked over live fire which makes for quite the spectacle. It's also sustainable so the menu changes frequently. We've been in a few times now. Highly recommend the burger and the dry aged ribeye. Both cooked perfectly and bursting with flavor. We also enjoyed the fries and spinach sides. Important to note it's only open Friday-Monday and food is served until 1am - can't think of a better spot for late night elevated eating. read more

Warlord - Grilled Oysters and Miller High Life - Specialty Food Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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No reservations? At least better manage expectations around timing to be seated. Showing up at 6:30 and told 3 hr wait... to then wait 3.5 hrs. Please give us the worst case scenario on timing at least. Taking reservations like a big boy restaurant would be better. All that said, food really is great. read more

Grow up and be a big boy restaurant. We waited 3 hours as promised. This is bullshit. The food is great but the service SUCKS!

Warlord was my new favorite restaurant - and while still up there, it has fallen from it's #1 spot on my top Chgo restaurant list. My top-line summary would be... the first two visits were fantastic in every single way (5 STARS) ... wonderful atmosphere, great cocktails, super soundtrack, amazing dishes... and the last visit frankly was a huge disappointment (2 STARS)... in fact, it felt like we walked into a completely different restaurant. Praying this last visit was simply a fluke or an off night for them. Will take a break from Warlord before heading back... and hopefully, when we do return.. it will be the place we loved so much in the first two visits. A few hints... the menu and music change nightly - and as we learned, when it's good... it's AMAZING and when it's not... it's not. The burger & fries is a staple.. and typically very, very tasty. Sharing below more details on each of our visits in case interested: First visit was an incredible experience all around! We sat at the Chef's table, the soundtrack was "old country" - (e.g. Johnny Cash, etc)...and the menu was magical! My friend & I shared all dishes so that we could experience as much of the menu as possible! We started with the foie gras ganache served with port wine plums & their honey hearth bread. This dish was amazing with an incredible flavor & texture and left us wanting to return for it again & again! We also had the heirloom tomato dish - which was a bit lack luster & we decided we wouldn't order again. For our entrees, we shared the Orange King salmon, served with gooseberries & brown butter plus the dry aded burger & fries. The salmon dish was simply amazing... so delicious. The burger (which is a standing menu item) did not disappoint - it was so tasty. In fact, we each brought part of the burger home & it was even incredible reheated the next day! This visit left us putting Warlord at the top of our restaurant list & looking forward to our next visit. Second visit.. sat at Chef's table... was very reminiscent of the first... great music, great location, some of the same menu items (e.g. the foie gras & bread and the burger & fries) and this time we also had ... smoked octopus which was fantastic. Amazing all around once again... Third (& most recent) visit was very disappointing. We took a friend for her birthday and it was a huge let down. Frankly it felt like we were at a different restaurant than the one that was so amazing in our first two visits. The soundtrack was a mix of punk & heavy metal and was unbearably loud. We ordered some of our favorites (fois gras & bread service, burger & fries) but neither hit the mark this night. The bread was burnt making the fois gras/cheese taste a bit off, the burger was over seasoned and he fries were brought as an appetizer, which we found weird since we didn't ask for them to come as an appetizer. We would have preferred them with our burger. Other dishes we ordered included a inedible mushroom appetizer which had an awful texture & taste and scallops that were just ok. As we notified the restaurant we were celebrating a birthday, we expected they would bring out something sweet to celebrate the occasion, but they didn't. We ultimately ordered a piece of cake (they did provide a candle), which was good but not memorable. All & all, this was a very disappointing experience. read more

A bit hard to find and can be a bit of wait. But once you're seated the ambience and food are fantastic. I believe they change the menu every couple of months so you get a different experience whenever you go. A hidden gem! read more

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Went here recently with friends after several failed attempts (putting our name on the list and getting too hungry before our table was ready). I am so happy to have a spot like this in the neighborhood and we will be back! Pros: Food, vibe, hostess. Everything was delicious and we I loved the ambience, music etc. The only thing that fell flat in terms of food are the fries- they seem like they are Sysco and I had high expectations. Would also love to see some innovative live fire veggie dishes too! Cons: our server. We explained this was our first time dining here after several failed attempts and were given basically no background, information about the menu, guidance etc. Given the accolades of this place, the ever changing menu and price point I expected honed hospitality and a guided dining experience. We wanted to hear about the chef's approach, uniqueness of dishes etc but even after probing all we got was " we cook things over an open flame." read more

We got into line right around 5:30, I was skeptical we would be in the first seating. Somehow me and my dining partner got the last 2 bar seats for the first seating! Worth the 30 minute wait! Got seated at the back bar. The vibe was super cool. Loud with candles everywhere, good music playing loud, dark inside. Live fire brought some smoke and a nice smell. Service was great the waiter was very knowledgeable. Enjoy our drinks very much. They were strong but not overpowering. Stared with foie gras which was great but I wish some more bread came with it. Hard to share 1 piece of bread between 2 people. Everything paired well for a perfect bite with the apple and the ganache on the toast. We then had the buttered noodles. Something that was so simple but so good. Fresh Parmesan flavors, hints of pepper, and big pieces of spring onion. You could tell the noodles were freshly made also. The fish wasn't great and we wouldn't get that again. It was full of bones. Like every single bite I took a bone out and out it on the plate. Not sure what that was about. This was the most disappointing part of the meal. The fish had a nice char flavor from the grill though. Just was hard to enjoy because of all the work each bite needed. The star of the show was the burger. We should have gotten 2. Great umami - each bite had the perfect medium rare bite. Dry aged meat, toasted bun, butter, salt and pepper, onions, and some sort of mayo/aioli that was the cherry on top. This burger doesn't have cheese or ketchup and would be ruined with it. It's perfect as is. I would come back for this! Ended with a light dessert of a whipped cheese with some crunch on top. Didn't love how this was similar to our ganache texture earlier in the meal. Wish the dessert was a little more sweet and traditional in a sense. Overall enjoyed. When I have enough time to get in line again I'll be there! read more

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We were so excited to try this place and left severely underwhelmed and still hungry. Great for people who want to be part of the hype and have money to throw away. Got here at 5:30, party of 4, told we'd be seated around 8 but could have drinks and apps on the patio. One small firepit heating the entire patio led to multiple people leaving tables to stand and warm up around it. The place is still so new but could definitely improve their operations. It felt complicated on purpose at times. -Octopus was great, but you get one tentacle for $30 -Brie was great but definitely created for 2 people -oysters were yum -burger was the best and most reasonably priced thing we had -don't get the pork unless you love a $30+ fatty piece of meat... - pasta + crab was 2 bites of pasta for $44.....we understand that the crab itself was expensive but I mean...give a little more pasta if you're gonna give 2 bites of crab.. -cocktails were great Everyone who worked there was absolutely lovely that we felt badly about being underwhelmed by the food/portions. When asked about the food by our wait staff, we said the honest truth that the pasta was great but not enough and that the pork was very fatty, and they said nothing before bringing us the full-priced check. $400 including tip after 5 hours of being there. Also -- why not let people order entrees on the patio? We were out there for 2.5 hours and were already sobering up by the time we were seated inside. Just seems like waiting is part of the gimmick. read more

Amazing place. Highly recommend you go with a group and try to order a good portion of the menu. All of it was delicious, burger was a highlight. Drinks were stellar, service fantastic and ambience was fun. Will be back read more

Save yourself a trip and go somewhere else in Logan. As much as I want to live this place it falls short on so many levels. High on vibes and low on everything else. Expect huge wait times nunless you eat dinner at 6pm or after 1130pm. Expect tiny portions and big prices for what the menu offers. Items on the menu fail to impress and the menu does not change much (2023 at least) so Warlord might as well post the menu on the website so patrons don't have to skim obscure menu screenshots on yelp or google reviews. This places shines when it comes to vibes and falls extremely short when it comes to service. read more

Love this place! Food is always great. Service is always excellent and their burgers are the best in all of Chicago!

Overpriced food. I can make it at home and better. I would save your money and go somewhere else.

Probably the coolest restaurant I have been to in a long time! We arrived about 15 minutes before opening and there was already a long line. When the doors opened we missed making the cut by just a few people but were put on the waitlist for the second seating and offered a table on the patio for apps and drinks. The hostess handled this large group effortlessly and was super polite. We got a seat at the chef's counter and had the cheese plate, mushroom, crab pasta, french fries, and ribeye. All were to die for! The only thing better than the food here was the staff. From the hostess to the patio wait staff, the chef counter, and even the food runners were all fantastic! All were extremely passionate and you can tell were proud of what they were serving. This place is no in my top five! read more

Occasionally a restaurant comes along that requires you to reassess everything prior. You can certainly dance around this menu, get the fries and the burger and leave. However, I would encourage you to go down the rabbit hole a bit because overall, the food that I had was incredible. It reminds of two different world class restaurants on either side of the world. I would say, but I fear it would cause the wait time to double and it's already quite long. They change the menu often, so I can't speak for what you may have when you dine. However, I see this as part of the fun. It's an added benefit. I'll just say the 10 oz ribeye with blue cheese that I had is the best in the city, even better than the best steakhouse in the city. The striped bass with mushroom was the best striped bass I've had and the mushroom and sauce were beyond amazing. Finally, both foie grad dishes were world class. There were items that were a 4 and items that were a 6 so I give it a 5. However, I wouldn't compare it to any other restaurant in the city as that would be doing them a disservice. Keep the rebel vibe and stay true to your craft. Try not to sellout to investors because that fighting spirit is what makes this place unique and good luck. read more

Fantastic food, great vibe, beautiful atmosphere! 4 of us ate at Warlord Friday night. Old friends, with lots of catching up to do, and Warlord provided a cozy atmosphere and the wait staff was excellent. We never felt rushed, yet, they were very attentive. The cocktails were a generous pour, wine selection is very nice. We had seven dishes between us and were very satisfied. Each dish had a unique flavor that was worth trying again. We can't wait to go back and try everything else on the menu! Don't miss out on this little gem which has just opened in Avondale. Parking: Friday night at 7, we had no problem finding street parking read more

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Friday: arrived around 6:07 (on the dot). Should be seated by 8pm; no problem! Head to Sleeping Village for some nice local lagers (spoiler alert - highlight of the night). 8:15 - back to Warlord, in the outdoor holding pen, fantastic cocktail with a lot of beet juice, and dill! 8:45 - uhhhh i guess i'll get a martini? 9:00 - seated in a great seat! Wow! We're excited 9:15 - overpriced oysters that taste like the ocean! 4$ a piece. No horseradish or tobasco ftb. 9:30 - here's your dry aged burger that everyone loves, we dumped the entire Morton's Salt Shed on it! Next time you jump in a pool, you WILL float. 9:31 - wow, fries! They're salty on their own; try this sauce! It's even saltier. 9:35 - here is your $31 pasta with ramps (i guess that just means green onion?). Tastes like an overcooked salty pad thai noodle with, um, ramps on top? 9:45 - cocktail and wine list are solid 10:00 - lets go bowling read more

This was one of the best dining experiences of my life. Ambiance, service, food, value, cocktails and wine list. All were 12/10. If you haven't been you need to go. And if you have, go back. read more

We dined at Warlord on the 26th night of service and loved it! Much of the food is cooked over the embers of open wood fire and is an absolute treat. The room is friendly, casual, the sound track is filled with early Bowie, Stones, Fleetwood Mack and is loud enough to groove to (yes, I am a boomer) and still support conversation. On the Saturday we visited, the restaurant did not take reservations. I hope in the future they will take limited reservations, but that takes more manpower- perhaps a future service. We arrived at 5:45 for a 6:00 service. We were third in line and were seated as they opened. We sat at the counter to view the chefs' work first hand. If you get a chance to sit there, we recommend it. We really enjoyed the cheese plate with cultured cream, freshly toasted honey hearth bread, local honey, yummy coppinger cheese and homemade pickled root veg. The hokkaido scallops cooked over embers and topped with a perfect hollandaise and leeks were the BEST scallops I've ever had. My husband ordered the 21 day aged, Slagle Farm hamburger with charred onion and homemade mayo. He loved it! The only dish I didn't love, though my husband liked it a lot, was the steak tartare. I found the olives overwhelmed the steak. My husband liked the balance. We both enjoyed the giant sweet potato cracker in this course. The cocktails were also delicious. If the Blackberry Old Fashioned is available try it. I also enjoyed the Fynbos South African gin, lime, apple mint and sweet woodruff G&T. Warlord is a gem, we'll be back soon. read more

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