Barrister's at The Esquire Hotel Gastonia

The restaurant is beautiful. The service was EXCELLENT. The food was as well. I had a roasted pork bell appetizer; black garlic ceasar salad and sweet potato and goat cheese cheesecake. My husband had their hamburger. Everything was delicious and HOT. Also, just a note: we got a martini made with Tito's vodka (their house vodka) and it was $11 per drink. We will definitely be going back.

I took my husband on his birthday. It is a very special birthday before he becomes a daddy and they went out of the way to make him feel extra special. The perfect place for a special event!

Food, service, and experience was great. We had the fried oyster, Appalachian Trout, southern shrimp and grits, crab fingers, the Chocolate checkered pie, and a fresh locally roasted French Press to bring it all together. Annika was super attentive and helpful and we even got a visit table side from the Chef Kyle.

Will definitely be back!

So, I’ll start with my personal view, 5 stars doesn’t mean flawless. The menu is elaborate but creates confusion around what type of dish you’re ordering. My wife thought she would be ordering a salad as that was what the item aligned itself with but was informed it was in fact a completely different item all together. This brings me to the staff, this was the most attentive and knowledgeable wait staff I have personally experienced even as $100 plus dining experiences go. Replacing silverware and refilling glasses in concert as a team. The food itself was good, we ordered a special and it felt that way. Well plated, and tasty. The Caesar salad is served as a sliced head which is lightly fire roasted. It looks fancy and has the smoky char you’d expect of being temporarily ablaze. The salad was a little too high society for my tastes. My NY strip was excellently cooked and the vegetable accompaniment with sauces and emulsions was delicious. And lastly, all this was while being in a truly splendidly appointed dining room. Marble floors and solid wood tables, high ceilings and grand windows. So while not perfect, it is certainly 5 stars.

This restaurant was hopping tonight, the first Friday of the first week! It didn't disappoint. Beautiful venue, great service and inspired food with lots of local ingredients. Loved the crudo, complimentary spoon bread and the pasta ramp special. Nice cocktails and wine list. Why can't Concord have restaurants this fine? Looking forward to the next stages when they reportedly open the patio and rooftop!