What To Expect @ The Gate Bar

Review By Elizabeth Cahill

The Gate is a small, unpolished gem hidden away in Cockburn. Its easy accessibility to the Cockburn Train Station makes it the ideal place to start your night with a meal and some drinks, however you’ll find that once you’re there, it’s hard to leave the laid back atmosphere that the Gate exudes.

The décor is simple, modern and most importantly functional. While they offer three different bars, the garden bar is the place to be, no matter the season. There are a variety of tables, chairs, bar tables and stools spread evenly around the garden area, with an area undercover and for those sitting in the exposed areas have umbrellas providing shade or protection from the rain. In the summer they open the garden up, and during the winter the gas heaters come out to keep everyone warm.

The bar is well stocked and serves a range of wines, beers and spirits at reasonable prices, as well as cocktails that go beyond the standard Cosmpolitan, Mojito and Margharita (but never fear, the classics are still on offer), to provide cocktails that are more exciting and daring and well worth the $15-$18.

The bar food, similar to the cocktails, are your classic bar food options but with a twist that makes the Gate just that little more hipper. The tasting plate is a concoction of the finer foods in life and the salads read the most appealing, which is a hard task to accomplish in any bar. The Gate also makes an effort to keep up with current food trends, highlighting the vegetarian and gluten free options as well as providing tasty options for whatever you feel like eating that day. The food is reasonably priced ($10-$30) and they also don’t scab on their serving sizes, so you won’t leave hungry.

The crowd ranges greatly, no matter the day or the time. You could go one Saturday night and there would be large crowds of twenty-somethings having a quiet meal, the next time an eighteen year old will be having their birthday party there and the next weekend a group of middle-aged people may be enjoying a pint while watching the latest sporting match. The Gate truly has something to offer for everyone and even the music caters for the crowd, often starting with a small band before later bringing in a DJ to get the night crowd into party mode.

The problem with the Gate is unless you decide to brave the trains and head somewhere else, the Gate is where your night will end as there is nowhere nearby to move to. There are worse places to spend a night with friends, but if it’s a party atmosphere you’re after, the Gate isn’t the place to go. However, it’s the sort of place you’d choose to go for a relaxed catch up with friends or a Sunday sesh and it won’t disappoint.

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