El Gecko Bar Review: Mango Avenue, Cebu – by Foreigner & The Chinese
Name : El Gecko Resto Bar
Location : Walk down Mango Avenue away from the naughty bars, towards the direction of “Temptations” bar and SM (i.e. not the Fuente Osmena direction). As you get to a right hander at the traffic lights (next to Caltex), the road taking you to Temptations, El Gecko will be in front of you.
Layout : 2/5 El Gecko Resto Bar is more of a real Foreigner “get together” bar, a little but like a very small English Pub – with quite a locally feel. To be honest I can’t really do this review justice as I have only been in there a couple of times. The downstairs is NOT a bikini bar, just more of a drinking type bar where I would expect, regular drinkers (foreigners) meet. Being a hardcore loner, I didn’t hang around downstairs for long and continued upstairs to see the new bikini bar, reported to be up there. On climbing the stairs, yep sure enough, there it was. It’s more like going up into someone’s loft though, rather than a naughty bar – although there were some girls around and also a pool room. This place is small and cosy and was nearly empty. There were only a few girls 4 or maybe 5 tops and apart from the guy playing pool, I was the only guy in there. This is probably the smallest Bikini bar I have ever seen – bit of a bolt on really I think to the main bar below – anyhow that was a few months back. I will book in a re-visit to see if the “bikini loft” is still going and get some proper pics. I believe there is also quite a history behind the El Gecko bar with different owners and happenings. I can’t remember the specifics or details, but I think I know a man that does – so will get the info and upload soon, should be End Jan 09. Of Course, if you have any useful info, just submit a comment at the bottom of the page and maybe I can include it in this review if it’s not too filthy!
Price : 3/5 Can’t remember – would be very surprised if it was expensive. I will also try and get a bar menu of the various food on offer.
El Gecko Resto Bar – Management : 3/5 Think this place has quite a history of management and changes. When I first came to Cebu it was called ”El Gecko bar”, then it changed to “Secrets bar” now I notice that it has once again changed back to “El Gecko bar”. I will come back with more management info soon.
Girls Looks : 2/5 Hmmm, last time not so hot – better just leave it at that..
Attitude : 3.5/5 Girls were nice and friendly when I visited, quite a chilled out place – but very quiet.
Fun Factor : 2/5 I need to visit this place again, preferably on Saturday night – hopefully the place will be heaving, however, when I visited it was just too empty to be much fun.
El Gecko Resto Bar – Overall : 3/5 A rather unusual bar, focused on foreigners downstairs for drinking/eating with a “bikini loft bar” upstairs. Will substantiate this review soon when I have proper information, apologies for the scantness this time around!
Was there about a month ago. Correct it has a history of frequent ownership changes, was owned by a German now a Brit.
Few senior Aussies and a German well tanked when I visited, about 10pm, nothing happening upstairs. Food was brought in for customers in small plastic bags and transferred on to plates…Hmm say not more…… Maybe now its changed.
For a smoker whom likes to listen to stories…..maybe OK to chill out for a bit, if your a non smoker (like me) forget it, you will suffocate under five minutes.
Beer was P50.
Your comments are way off course. No reasearch or questions asked i guess just conlclusions. The bar has had the same owner for over two years. Marc from London, he bought the bar from a Swedish guy. Mike. They had girls upstairs but only for two months as a trail but now it is back to its usual westerner bar.
Bruce you are complete idiot. All food is bought daily and fresh. You see the girls always running up to Fooda. Maybe thats what the bags were. Would you prefer pre made frozen tasteless dishes.
Its a shame someone like you posts uneducated complete rubbish like this. The bar is very popular with locals and expats. Has the cheapest beer around. As for the beer it is only P40 not P50 !
I do know the owner since he bought the bar two years ago ( No owner changes ) and have lived in Cebu for over 4 years. Marc is selling athe moment as he wants to take his little boy and girlfriend to England. It has also been the busiest westerner bar in town for the last 6 months.
Get your facts straight or dont post !
Spud are you the same spud that posted strips is closed…..I was there with others 2 days after your post.
No need to say any more….
Hello I also paid P50 for a bier in this place not 40. Eat food but was not good and expensive. Think this spud must have wrong bar, nobody but me inside and I go after bad eating.Many good girl bars up mango and bier same price
Bruce, don’t you mean Stripes ? Even I know that and a once a year visitor. I’ve met Marc, good bloke and the bar is fine. I have to agree with what spud says.
wla d.i mga pictures sa dancers???
Spud writes Stripes is closed..rubbish.
How can anyone believe Spud whom claimed stripes is closed. Its not closed and never has been.
El gecko may be fine for smokers but for a non smoker its murder.
Each to there own, how ever the purpose of the forum I believe is to express your personal experiences, not make false claims against other establishments to promote your own as Spud has done.
Its certainly not the busiest western bar in town but it is a good bar to start your rounds. The staff are friendly the beer is cold and reasonably priced. No girls here but thats not the point; its a drinking bar.
Walay ayo nang tag-iya ana bugo kaayo.Walay grado mukalit lang ug katipas iyang utok.Napurdoy na si Marc hahaha
hi me and a friendare going to cebu at end of month any sugestions for the best place to go for woman a good pint and good value for money many thanks
and also i understand san magel is one of there main beer ? what would we expect to pay for 1 pint pls thanks
ATAY…BANE PESTE MO
Marc has finally sold El Gecko and it has been under new ownership since 9/15. No big changes are currently taking place except for a major cleanup of the facility and letting all the old and new girls get used to Lorraine who is managing the place. Lorraine speaks a few dielects and also speaks english very good and has a great personality.
The upstairs is not going to go back to being a girl bar since the bar needs more room to cater to the local expats and to those visiting that would like to relax by themselves or with their girl.
The kitchen will be moving upstairs in about a month so the downstairs bar can be expaned. The hours of operation will change when this is done so the menu can change to also serve a breakfast menu along with a hamburger and sanwich menu.
I will keep people udated.
I’M going with my wife . Would this be the type of bar she would feel comfortable in qqqq
i hope the new owner of el gecko now are not stupid…like the owner before,,that his name is marc!!mind your own buseness,,dont mind to the other buseness…and i hope my free meal na,,gutom baya diba
Like a morgue
The owner can get very ugly when he is drunk.
Not very nice.
Yes the new owner has a drk side for sure. Do not like that place at all
Charles and ken you guys are so full of shit. The new owner isn’t even a guy she is a filipina. Get a life…
Excuse me voyager, as in most cases of a foreigner owning a bar in the PR, she is the wife and her husband is the money behind the bar. The bar is just in her name. I think the new owners name is ron
or rob
The owners wife of el gecko she’s not very nice at all and ugly.
bleibt weg von dem Scheissladen. Ausser Schmeissfliegen findest du nix.Die Maennertolette ist Spycam ueberwacht und als letzter Gast haste K.O. Tropfen (GHB) im Bier!
She is behave since here husband here and also i haven’t seen that guy she always happy to chat almost every night.if i am with her husband i wont trust her at all.
She was in hidding when I was there for her husband was in town. He is making changes slowly with us.