Photo: Tripadvisor

The Star Bar

Name: The Star Bar
Address: 12 Parliament Lane, Gibraltar, Main Street & Town Centre, GI
Telephone: +350 200 75924
Price range: ££–£££

Bar · BritishMain Street & Town Centre££–£££

A British restaurant in Main Street & Town Centre that rates about as well as the Gibraltar average, on 358 Tripadvisor reviews.

Gibraltar Index

4.2 / 5

Tripadvisor4.1358

Google4.3572

A weighted blend of both, not an average. How this works

Ratings read 6 September 2026.

Our review

The Star Bar, on Parliament Lane between Main Street and Irish Town, calls itself Gibraltar's oldest bar, though reviewers note it has been fully modernised and is more café than pub inside; the reviews were re-read on 6 September 2026. It scores 4.1 on Tripadvisor from 358 reviews and 4.3 on Google from 572, for an Index of 4.20, and the newest review is from 4 September 2026.

The staff are the constant. Klaudia, the Polish manager, Eleanor and Damaris are named repeatedly, and Polish visitors in particular write warmly about being served in their own language and hearing about life on the Rock. A July waiter pushed tables together for six without fuss, a bartender brought a free snack with a beer, service is called quick and efficient more often than not, and it is a comfortable, shaded spot on a quiet pedestrian lane.

The food divides. Google reviewers in July and August 2026 call the fish and chips the best in town, crisp and properly done, with a large cod portion, gluten-free options, an award-winning all-day breakfast on the blackboards, pancakes and a goat's cheese salad also praised; prices are called reasonable, one lunch with juice coming to about 21 euros. But an August 2026 breakfast had cheap sausage and bacon with uncooked rind at a price that did not match, a December 2025 fish and chips was oil-soaked and tasted of nothing, with a rubbery burger and blanched fries, a cheesecake came buried in unwanted toppings, and one visitor felt it cooks for tourists rather than repeat trade.

Service also has its lapses. A January 2026 couple walked out unserved after being ignored at table and bar while later arrivals were served; a menu took ten minutes in December; and a piece of toast took ten minutes in November while staff smoked outside. The beer selection is limited.

Come for a breakfast, tapas or fish and chips with a friendly, multilingual welcome in a quiet central lane, and go in expecting café standards rather than a historic pub; if you are ignored, ask. Nobody from Gibraltar Index has eaten here; this write-up is drawn from the reviews.

Written from the Tripadvisor reviews and both platforms' scores on 6 September 2026, not from a meal we ate — nobody from Gibraltar Index has eaten here. We show the Google rating but have not yet read Google's reviews for the write-up. The recurring themes it draws on are below.

What reviewers consistently say

Our summary of recurring themes across the 26 most recent reviews, written in our own words and read on 6 September 2026. Recent reviews from both platforms are quoted, with attribution, further down.

Named, friendly staff, with Polish-speaking service a draw for Polish visitors.
Fish and chips and the all-day breakfast are praised by some and called cheap and frozen by others.
Reputedly Gibraltar's oldest bar, but fully modernised and more café than pub.
Slow or absent service on a few visits, including a couple who walked out.
Reasonable prices on a quiet pedestrian lane near Casemates.

What it gets right

Warm, named, multilingual staff
Fish and chips and breakfasts that many rate highly
A quiet, comfortable central spot at fair prices

What it gets wrong

Food quality inconsistent, with cheap-ingredient complaints
Service occasionally slow or absent
Limited beer choice

How it compares

It holds 4.1 out of 5 on Tripadvisor from 358 reviews — level with the Gibraltar median of 4.1 across 106 restaurants with enough reviews to rank, and on a large body of reviews.

Among comparable places, it is 5 of 12 British options we track, by rating.

It is priced in the middle of Gibraltar's range.

How the Gibraltar Index Score is built

It is not an average of the two. Each source is weighted by how many reviews it carries, then pulled toward the Gibraltar average so a high score from a handful of reviews cannot outrank a strong score from thousands. The Star Bar scores 4.1 from 358 on Tripadvisor and 4.3 from 572 on Google, which the model blends to 4.2.

We read the 26 most recent Tripadvisor reviews and summarised what recurs, in our own words; the reviews we drew on are quoted below, attributed to their authors. The Tripadvisor and Google scores are each shown 1:1 as those platforms publish them; the Index Score is ours and the formula is above. Nobody from Gibraltar Index has eaten here, so nothing is a first-hand verdict.

Recent reviews

Shown from each platform, attributed to the reviewer. We don't edit them — read the full set at source.

Tripadvisor★★★★☆4.1· 358

All on Tripadvisor →

2026-09-04
Great staff, atmosphere and food
Thank you Eleanor and Damala... Brilliant service, professional and friendly. The food was top tier and the location in the shade was comfortable and lively. Highly recommend!more →
B4919NFpaulor · via Tripadvisor
2026-08-29
Star Bar, no stars for the food
The oldest bar in Gibraltar, it does food and drinks. Located between Main Street and Irish Town. We went in for breakfast (in the morning). There were not many there, so it was quiet and peaceful. The service was very good, smiles on their faces and the food and drink came along without delay. We ordered the small English breakfast. Howemore →
163justins · via Tripadvisor
2026-07-15
Evening drink
We were there for evening drink. Tiny place in a small calm street in the centre. Interior more cafe rather then bar but very frindly staff, good drinky and friendly atmosphere.more →
vojt_chh664 · via Tripadvisor
2026-06-18
Exceptional food and service
The Star bar is reputedly the oldest in Gibraltar, however it has been fully modernised and has no original decor or features; it is more a cafe than a bar! However, having said that, the food here is exceptional and great value. The staff very young, efficient and friendly! I fully recommend the great choice on the menu, in particular thmore →
Y1838SHdavide · via Tripadvisor
2026-05-01
Excellent
Lovely food, nice atmosphere with excellent staff. 10/10more →
lewisbP5272BT · via Tripadvisor

Google★★★★☆4.3· 572

All on Google →

2026-08-31
Cool place, decent food, oldest bar on Gib!more →
LuckyPhil · via Google
2026-08-25
Food was plentiful, but not really special. They serve a tourist clientele, so they aren't really focused on repeat clients. Service was friendly.more →
Andrew Ford · via Google
2026-08-23
Hidden gem if you want the best fish and chips in town!more →
Kevin Wuytack · via Google
2026-08-14
Muy rica la comida + zumo (20,93€). La atención muy buena también.more →
Cristy Cris · via Google
2026-08-05
Bardzo fajne miejsce, żeby spróbować typowego fish and chips w klimatycznej atmosferze. Jedzenie podane było dość szybko, ceny są rozsądne, a obsługa przesympatyczna i pomocna. Szczególnie miło było porozmawiać z panią z Polski, która opowiedziała nam trochę o Gibraltarze i o swoich doświadczeniach związanych z mieszkaniem tam. Miejsce mamore →
Ania M. · via Google

Reviews are the opinions of their authors, reproduced from Tripadvisor and Google with attribution and a link to the original. The Star Bar did not provide them and Gibraltar Index did not solicit or edit them.