Jigger's — Restaurant in Ghent

Anyone who has been reading our blog for a while now, knows we love a good cocktail bar. When we were on the train to Bruges we sat across from a couple who lived in Bruges. They were thrilled to able to share their recommendations with us, as they also enjoy spending time at cocktail bars. The first place they suggested in Ghent was Jiggers.

Their menu is constantly changing, depending on the season, the mood of the bartender and the city vibes. They also boast that if you tell them how you’re feeling and the flavours you like, they will make the perfect drink for that moment. We only had one drink each but it was delicious. I wish I could remember the name of the drink that I had, but the menu has changed since. All I remember is that it had gin, a rhubarb kombucha and a dark chocolate flake on the top. Apparently I was feeling a little bit zen and little bit sassy that day. Trevor had the bartenders take on a Whiskey Sour and sipped it slowly because he didn’t want the drink to end.

We had some great conversations with the bartender and the people sitting next to us (surprise, surprise) and really enjoyed our time here. If you’re looking for a pre-dinner cocktail, a post-dinner cocktail or a late night cocktail, this is the place in Ghent to go. They’re open Tuesday to Friday 5pm - 1am, Saturday’s 4pm - 2:30am and Sunday’s 4pm - 12am. Jiggers is a 700m (8 minute) walk from The Belfry, so, very centrally located. The cocktails range between €11 and €15, so they’re not the cheapest, but they are well worth the price. You will notice that cocktails are just slightly more expensive in general than the average drink, wherever you go. They’re meant to drink slowly and just sit and enjoy the flavours of your drink and the time spent with...

We decided to stop here based on the glorious reviews, but unfortunately, our expectations were not met.

While the service and atmosphere were nice (we stayed upstairs, not downstairs), the cocktails were really not up to par with the experience.

We went with the 1999 and the She So Negroni, as we generally like to try the specials the bar has to offer.

The Negroni was quite bitter (as it should be) but lacked much taste, resulting in only bitterness being the result. The 1999, while interesting, tasted like "flowery water" in the words of the 2 people who drank it: it didn't seem like it had much alcohol in it.

This was not helped by the fact that all drinks came in a glass where two thirds of the space was occupied by a large ice cube, resulting in the cocktail being fully consumed after only a couple of sips.

I understand the need to keep the cocktail cold, but for the price of the cocktails, I expect a little more in my glass, not a large chunk of ice.

It may have been our expectations were too high, or maybe we were unlucky, but I can't say we will be coming back for the drinks...

I have visited many bars in my life and some are of the best in the world. This one has nothing going for it. On the positive side the space is nice and the staff friendly. Not over the top friendly or attentive, but decent! I tried the most expensive cocktail on the menu because it sounded nice. For a 20 euro price tag I expect, fast service, a unique taste experience and perhaps some presentation element to it. The worst part is that we waited 30+ minutes for 4 cocktails on a semi full bar. Unacceptable for a 20 euro price tag. If the bar can't prepare drinks fast enough they are understaffed. They did apologize a couple of times for the delay. Presentation wise the cocktail did not fit its glass fully and the staff left the shaker on the table to top up the drink. Presentation and measure-wise the thing is already off. It seems very unprofessional to leave a shaker on the table. Taste-wise the drink was very generic. Nothing special. Like any coffee cocktail I have tasted. Too much menu gibberish for a...