Quick service for a quick bite

Rating - Overall: 3  Food: 3  Service: 3  Ambience: 2

Chowdown
Foodie
Member since Oct 08
Rating: 3

16 Jan 2009

A group of 6 visited here after the cinema on Monday, perfect place really considering we finished up after 9 at the cinema so didn't want to be hanging around waiting to be served. The only thing that will slow you up is there is such a large selection of burgers, it takes a bit of time to decide - they also do plenty of veggie options. I chose the blue cheese burger which was great, and served really quickly.

It's not a place I would go for a special meal but if you want quick, tasty americal diner fayre, this is the place!

Visited: January 12, 2009
What I ate: burger!

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Good Burgers, but...

Rating - Overall: 3  Food: 3  Service: 3  Ambience: 2

Llama
Rookie Reviewer
Member since Jan 09
Rating: 2

15 Jan 2009

I like a good burger. I'd probably choose a Schwartz burger as my last meal. But this place would make me think twice. Make no mistake, the burgers are good. Big, 6-8oz I'd say, and made from good quality meat. On this occassion I had the Blue Cheese burger and it was near perfect. Big bits of blue cheese with enough salad and relish to stop it from being overpowering.

But it falls down a bit after that. The sides are expensive and the portions a bit small. It's just as well the burgers are big! However, the coleslaw is very nice, though the chips are straight out of the oven.

The other problem with GBK is its concept. Essentially upmarket fast food. It just doesn't quite work. In this branch (Cabot Circus) there's no character - no 'restaurant experience'. Also, there's no starters or desserts, so there's no point in ordering a bottle of wine and lingering over your meal as you might do elsewhere.

Having said all that, I will go back, I'll just make sure it's when they're doing an offer.

Visited: January 14, 2009
What I ate: Blue Cheese Burger, chips, coleslaw

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Distinctly Average

Rating - Overall: 3  Food: 2  Service: 5  Ambience: 3

spicyspiral
Rookie Reviewer
Member since Dec 08
Rating: 1

13 Dec 2008

My nephew wanted McDonalds, we wanted something a little more substantial, so the Gourmet Burger Kitchen seemed the perfect compromise.

We were seated quickly and the ordering process explained to us by the friendly staff. (Basically you place your order and pay at the counter, much the same as you do in Nandos)

A nice selection to choose from on the menu, not only the more traditional burgers but a choice of great sounding lamb, chicken, and vegetarian options. If for whatever reason there's nothing that appeals to you on the extensive menu there's the option to 'Build Your Own'. Kids, and those who just fancy a light snack can choose from the Smaller Burger Menu, although the choices here are limited.

We both chose the Habenero Burger. 100% Aberdeen-Angus Scotch beef, hot and spicy sauce, mozzarella, salad & mayonnaise. My 8 year old nephew chose the kids Cheeseburger. It made us flinch a little to learn that two burgers, a kids burger, two portions of chips, homeslaw, and three cokes cost the best part of £40 but it made the short wait for the burgers that bit more bearable as the anticipation of what we were getting grew.

I'd be lying if I said the burgers didn't look impressive when they arrived at the table. Big, colourful, and held together with a skewer to stop them tumbling apart. I'm struggling to know what to write about the quality of the food. The chips and the homeslaw side dish were nice enough but distinctly average. The burger was a complete disappointment. The entire thing was covered in the hot and spicy sauce. Ok ok so I accept that there was a heat indicator next to it on the menu, but I'm a firm believer that taste and heat should go hand in hand. There was no taste to the burger at all, just continuing mouthfuls of heat with every bite. My sister gave up on hers half way through - and believe me, my sister NEVER gives up on food!!

Overall I think my nephews cheese burger proved to the be the best tasting and the best value part of the meal.

Maybe the other burgers flavours work well together, who knows, but having paid that price for such an average meal, I will not be rushing back through the door to give the others a try.

I don't want to finish this review on a bad point so I would just like to point out that all of the staff we had contact with were helpful, polite, and extremely friendly.

Visited: December 12, 2008
What I ate: Habenero Burger, Homeslaw

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