GEM
42 Province St, Boston, MA, 02108
GEM Menu
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Appetizers
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Pizza
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Main Course
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Sides
Healthy Meal suggestions for GEM
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Appetizers
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Pizza
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Main Course
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Sides
Visit below restaurant in Boston for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Boston for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
42 Province St
Boston, MA, 02108 - Phone (617) 482-1213
- Website https://www.gemboston.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Tue
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : No
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Garage, Street
Bike Parking : No
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Dressy
Ambience : Trendy
Noise Level : Average
Music : DJ
Good For Dancing : Yes
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : No
Best Nights : Fri, Sat
Coat Check : Yes
Smoking : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
Categories
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
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Allan S.
Went there on a Saturday night with friends. I would characterize it as trendy and upscale. Certainly ornate. My wife and I enjoyed the bar; Monica the bartender waited on us and was both friendly and attentive. She prepared a nice mojito. The bar stools were some of the most opulent and plush we have every seen. Mahogany everywhere; it has the feel of a private club. We had reservations for 7PM and the dining room was far from full, but the feel was more private dining than alone. The dining area is small and intimate and much nicer looking than in the photos. The food was delicious. Portions are small but every bite explodes with flavor. The house chardonnay and cabernet were delicious. The menu is not large, but everything on it sounds delicious. The margarita flatbread was nice, but nothing special. We all loved the Salmon pate. I ordered the steak fritte. The steak itself was a bit fatty and a little underdone, but the fries were to die for. Thin & crispy. Some of the best we ever had. My wife loved her salmon. We tried both of the desert options: the crepes and peanut parfait were both delicious Perfect for a date! We definitely intend to return.
(4)Collins F.
Love this place - food and drinks are always tasty and I am always able to find a groupon or gilt to use.
(4)Tu T.
The food was good but we ordered the $27 lobster bloody mary and it came with two little bite sized pieces of lobster. Definitely not worth almost $30 for a drink. Also, even at $6 the sangria was overpriced. It tasted like watered down juice.
(2)Yasa E.
Definitely a fan! The dining room is small. Only a few tables, but it's intimate and romantic. Tuna tartar was fantastic. I had a tuna sandwich and the bf swears by their chicken, which i tried and can definitely say it's some of the best chicken i've ever had. Valet is across the street, so it's super convenient.
(4)Michael C.
Stopped in for one of their lounge nights on a Friday. This is one of those night spots that gets pretty busy later on, my foggy memory recalls it really picking up around 11:30PM. This place brings an international crowd as well as a few people who looked like they would have went for a Jersey Shore casting call. The crowd overall was great as was the music. This place is tucked away in Downtown Crossing so don't blink or you'll miss it. I would definitely return for a fun night out.
(4)Nika C.
A friend gifted us a grupon to this place, but we would eat here full price any day. We went straight after work on a frosty Tuesday so there was hardly anyone there. Its a small, cozy place. the staff is courteous and professional. They give you lovely Iggy's bread with olive oil at the top of your meal. The garlic bread was fabulous & the pasta was freshly made. The meatballs were spectacular & we ate too much. Very cozy low key experience. Glad we went.
(4)Anne W.
This review is only for lounging.. not for the food. Came here with my friends to try a new lounge. It had favorable reviews so thought.. why not? I thought the drinks were good. Creative.. a tad pricey.. as you'd expect anywhere in downtown. What makes this place only a-ok was the fact that the clientele is sadly a tad d-baggy. This is the type of place where you might get hit on and the other person just doesn't get the hint. It is trendy though.. just not a fan of the clientele. It was okay to have a conversation... not too loud.
(3)Katrina K.
If you want to watch desperate wannabes and skanky overdressed Snooki lookalikes then GEM is for you. I went here for NYE2014 and would have rather celebrated New Year's Eve locked up in Walpole. As another user below mentioned, I was also unable to check my coat. The two rude attendants would occasionally let others check their coats, probably because they complained so much or they all went to the same sorority. I waited in the Women's bathroom line for about 25 minutes to find the tiniest bathroom stalls with water EVERYWHERE and about 5 girls consoling each other when their drunk tears messed up their fake eyelashes. Only the bar section was open to those who were not rich enough to buy a table, but just rich enough to pay $50-75 ticket to try and avoid drunk bros with an attitude problem. After trying to order a drink at the only bar, luckily standing next to one of these pretentious dbags, the two bartenders would not even look at this section because this guy was being so obnoxious (/amazing? Verbal abuse to the staff at GEM is actually hilarious..). I waited for the bartender to come again for over 15 minutes, and when he did he asked what I wanted, told me he wasn't serving drinks because it was too close to midnight. He gave me an extra glass of champagne, one of which was included in my ticket. I have a feeling that my $75 paid for most of the bottles of Andre. At least I got two!! On my way out, after having a horrific time being smashed up against sweaty, wasted, idiots, I saw the coat check sorority staff member wasted and not being very helpful to try and get the 4 coats out of the coat check/the Manager's ass.
(1)Angela C.
I got the Travelzoo - $80 worth of food, including beer/wine. It's ok. Limited menu. A lot of butter in everything. ATMOSPHERE: Nice; old world charm. It's a small restaurant. They really make use of their limited space (our table was in the hallway on the way to the dining room), but totally fine. FOOD: The waiter said the menu changes every week, but the menu was the same as when I had checked it online a month prior when buying the TravelZoo. It is more of a tapas style restaurant, but my guest and I got an appetizer and two entrees instead. The "Shares" portion of the menu (tapas) is about 8-10 different items, but they really range from interesting (frog legs) to a side dish (one was just fries), priced around $10-$12 each tapa. Note: the main entrees are cut up to be sharable. -Tuna tar tar ($12) - came with spicy mayo over a wonton cracker - I liked it -Steak Frites ($30) - good, good sauce on top, but became too much (you can really taste the extreme amount of butter added). -Miso Sea Bass ($32) - we were told this was a very popular item they constantly carry over. Really disappointed with this. For us, it was really sweet - just not great (and a fairly small portion in comparison to how large the steak frites was). Great wait staff, nice atmosphere, but the food was just okay. Wouldn't go back.
(3)Jennifer S.
Went on a Friday night with some Revolution Soccer player's. They made a "vip" table that was ok.... food was good and drinks were expensive. They send over young girls to get the guys to keep buying bottles of champagne. Good scheme. Atmosphere was good. Very young crowd. Some not even 21.
(3)Amanda D.
This review is for brunch. I must say I was pretty disappointed, but my experiences with brunch clubs are a bit different. I went to college in NY and still have a lot of friends in the area, and have been to many "party brunches" and they are AMAZING! Great DJs, lots of booze, and really with all that who cares about the food. The highlight of my brunch yesterday was definitely the food. I had the cubano with a side of home fries. This definitely didn't disappoint. The sandwich was delicious, and the homefries were INCREDIBLE. Get them if you go, these are not your typical homefries, but are basically tiny balls of fried mashed potatoes. So. Good. But that's where my positive experience ends. The drinks were mediocre at best. If I'm paying $14 for a cocktail I expect it to be delicious and STRONG. These drinks were neither. I started with a bellini and then switched to the sangria. The bellini was nice, but I would have expected a bit more of the mango puree. The sangria was incredibly disappointing, I've had better just about anywhere. There is also ZERO club scene here. The DJ was good, but the place was dead. Definitely not a party or even close to what I was expecting. I could have gone to a better brunch party down the street from my apartment, spent less money and gotten more drinks. Maybe I'll try again in the fall (I hear it's busier during that time) but probably not. I think dinner here would be nice though, the atmosphere is nice and the food was great.
(2)Dan B.
For Halloween I chose this place because friends were going. I will never go back and everyone in my group was extremely disappointed. There are two rooms, one that's a bar and one that is a dance floor. We were all in the bar and as the music started we wanted to go to the back room. The bouncers let half of our group in and the other half had to wait an hour to go in. The half that didn't get in waited patiently for 20 minutes to get into the dance floor (which was empty). Bouncers refused to let us in to the back room. We all left and essentially wasted 30 dollars.Save your money and never go to this place. Bouncers are rude. Managers think this small club is a Vegas club even though it is completely lame. I'm hoping this place is out of business very soon, what a waste of time.
(1)Jamie H.
my fiance and i went for the first time last night and we really enjoyed gem. our waiter was fantastic, with perfect pacing and great recommendations. i wasn't sure what to get for an appetizer, so our waiter recommended a few options, but mentioned that the shrimp & grits was his personal favorite. i went for it, and it was delicious! the butterflied shrimp were served over creamy (although a bit bland tasting) grits with pieces of thick bacon. we also got the tuna tartare, which was amazing. it was served with cubed cucumber and a delicious soy based sauce. for entrees, we got the chilean sea bass and the steak & frites. i LOVED the sea bass, it was perfectly cooked with a sweet, slightly tangy sauce. it was served over creamy mashed potatoes and pea shoots. the steak was also very good, and came with skinny fries. dessert was a grilled cheesecake sandwich. i didn't know what to expect, but it was toasted bread with cheesecake filling, served over an apple cinnamon that looked like ketchup. it was so creative! overall, i really enjoyed the meal and thought everything, especially the service, was excellent.
(4)Veronica B.
Love this place. Great music nice atmosphere, even on Tuesday night! The manager was attentive and our waitress, Morgan? Was very sweet and on top of anything we needed. Would totally recommend this place to anyone. I will be coming back! I hear Sundays are fun!
(5)Jared S.
Ambiance was nice, service was decent, but the food was mediocre at best, especially given the price point, and the 3-course meal was awkwardly paced. A place like this is between 2 and 3 stars for me, and the tie breaker is always "will I come back and give it another shot?" The answer - no. Gem sort of reminded me of a bordello on the inside, or at least what a bordello looks like in my head. Dim lighting, dark wood, plush red furniture, and bar waitresses in corsets. The wife and I were seated in the dining room for our meal though, and the waitstaff was in all black. The small dining space seemed crowded with tables ("cozy") and the large windows on the end wall made for some harsh ambient light from the street lamps. We started with the wedge salad and "shrimp and grits", which came out of the kitchen literally 1 minute after placing our order. Luckily we had already received our bottle of wine before placing our order, otherwise we definitely would have been beverage-less. The wedge salad was fine but the grits weren't creamy at all - just this totally bland soupy liquid. More like a flavorless sauce. Sigh. For mains, I got the penne bolognese as I wasn't really inspired by anything else on the menu and the wife got the roasted sea bass. The sea bass was again totally bland. No complaints on the penne, and when the manager came around to greet the tables (always a nice touch) he even mentioned that it was his favorite dish. The problem? I can make a pretty mean pasta and meat sauce, I mean "penne bolognese", at home and not spend $23. For dessert, we split the apple crumble. But unlike the apps, once we were done with our entrees we waited for the dessert. And waited. And waited. Then the waitress finally appeared and said the kitchen was backed up. And we waited some more. Over 20 minutes in total from when our entrees were cleared. When it finally came out, it was again decent, I'm not personally a fan of oats in an apple crumble, but to each his own. I may come back for the bar here because it looked hopping and fun. But probably never again for a meal.
(2)Ben B.
Brunch here! Not only were the food and drinks delicious, the overall service was on point despite being very busy. When we walked in, the place was packed which made me feel I was in the right place for a Sunday afternoon and kudos to the friend who recommended Gem. Next time I'll be sure to make a reservation, as we did have to wait a little but the manager introduced himself right away and kept in touch on the timeline of an available table. We were able to order drinks from the bar while we waited and just warmed up to the scene, comprised of an awesome DJ and crowd looking to have fun. I quickly understood why this place was so busy. Once seated the service continued to be attentive and the food was delicious! We shared a few items but I definitely recommend the breakfast pizza. Great drinks too. I'll be back to Gem...
(5)Kara B.
Came for brunch on a Sunday with a group of friends. Atmosphere, service, DJ and drinks were all amazing. The food was eh. If they improved the food this place would be perfect.
(4)Dana L.
Love this place for The Brunch Club. Each time I go I have a great time! Dancing and fun on a Sunday, an absolute must. The food is also delicious with a good variety of menu items. There are some fun and tasty drinks on the menu, plus a full bar.
(5)Jason A.
This is only for the "club" side. I've never eaten at the restaurant so cannot comment. DO NOT GIVE THIS PLACE MONEY! As far as the club goes, wow this one takes the cake for WORST in Boston. Obviously Gem is trying to take advantage of this EDM/DJ craze that's sweeping the US. Unfortunately, it fails miserably. The "dance" floor is a carpeted space that's basically the size of a medium sized bedroom. They add "VIP" tables on the outside that makes the space even smaller. Speakers are average at best and and the lights are just about non existent. I am amazed that people would ever come back here to dance. Gem is a restaurant/bar/lounge but definitely NOT A CLUB. It gets one star for blatantly just trying to make an extra buck rather than improving on the experience.
(1)Courtney S.
For my friends 25th birthday we dined here because it looked very interesting. We had a reservation at 7:30PM and apparently for here that was early because we were the only people in there. We got seated at a fabulous round table. There was suppose to be 5 of us but someone didn't show up and they were very accommodating and didn't mind at all. The decor was awesome. We loved the lighting, the chairs, just everything about it. It was pricey but totally worth it. All the food was lovely our waitress was awesome. When we asked for about specifics on things she would go ask chef as to not lead us in the wrong direction. We got the cheese and meats board a few flat breads and a pasta dish. The drinks were also awesome. We would deff return. By the time we were leaving the place did begin to fill up. Definitely a classy establishment.
(5)Tatyana L.
The service was excellent. Bartenders were very attentive. The snacks at the bar were perfect to accompany drinks; surprisingly cheap and filling. The "VIP" area was small and extremely crowded but other than than, Gem was great all around. Definitely worth a visit.
(4)Clare J.
Very dark inside. Nice ambience but it was hard to read drink menu. Sleek decor made me think of Madura (French textiles company.. Mmm) meets Lolita (plush red, sexy velvet decor) by Newbury St. But unpleasant and snobby staff and pissy cocktail girls in tiny balconnet tops detracted from the atmosphere. Cocktails looked ok. Median age of guys was 35. Allllll single, guido-y guys looking to score. It felt sleazy. I'll stick to the Liberty for sensual glam and intelligent clientele.
(1)Tory H.
I wish i could give it 4.5 because it was near perfect. When we arrived on a Friday night around 7 i was a bit freaked out because the place was empty but we tried it anyways. The ambiance is not my favorite- the dining area is old and musty and the bar is filled with girls dressed like hookers. Our waiter was great and attentive, i often feel rushed or forgotten about while out to dinner and he gave us the perfect amount of attention without being annoying. To start we had their wedge salad which was awesome- i highly recommend it. I had the burger for my meal- also very great, and my boyfriend enjoyed his chicken dish alot. Safe to say we will be back...this place definitely is a hidden gem!
(4)J S.
Nice place with a good location. That all said - went here for speed dating and was HIGHLY ANNOYED at how dark it was! Um, part of speed dating is so you can look at the person as well as talk. Maybe to see if you're attracted to them? But, when I got there, I mentioned the dimness to the speed dating rep, who said he asked the staff about it and was told there was no way they could adjust the lighting. I understand that Gem gets a cut of the fees involved, but you need to provide a decent venue. I'm fine if you want to lower the lights post 9p on Saturday night - but c'mon, buy a couple of $20 lamps at Target if you're hosting one of these!!
(2)dMitri D.
Was looking forward to checking out Gem last night. Went onto their site and requested a reservation for 7pm. I was hoping that by the time they opened the bar at 4 I would receive communication about whether my request was accepted and my reservation confirmed. No such luck. I ended up calling around 5 to ask, " Oh we aren't taking reservations past 6 tonight as we are hosting a private party." ... I was willing to overlook the fact that I had to request a reservation the day of and then cross my fingers and hope that I didn't need to scramble last minute to get another reservation on a Saturday night. The fact that they didn't even have the common courtesy to let me know they weren't taking reservations for the time I requested probably means they don't have their crap together yet. It also means I was really pissed off: Customer service isn't hard people. You just have to think. Won't be attempting to go here for at least a few months, if at all.
(1)Andre S.
This place is a real "gem" downtown. With sublime atmosphere and ambiance, perfect customer service and food to die for. We tried steak frites, sea bass, and wide assortment of appetizers. Tuna tartare was amazing.
(5)Ed H.
This review is for the dining room. First of all - great atmosphere. Quiet and very comfortable. Big chairs, cushions, low volume music, easy conversation. It's like eating in the dining room of a house. Food was good. We concentrated on the small shared plates. Pork Belly Sliders were moist and tasty. Tater tots were ordinary - give them a pass and try some of the more unique items instead. Chicken wing confit was delicious. Pizza was OK - adding balsamic vinegar was actually a nice touch but don't expect the quality to be equivalent to your favorite pizza parlor. The best part was desert. Chocolate donuts with warm chocolate sauce. The beer selection was OK but considering the New England area has so many microbreweries at its doorstep they could have tried harder than the usual standards.
(3)Jamie S.
When I entered Gem, I really liked the ambiance it gave off initially. However, to my disappointment, I was treated with disrespect from the bartenders first hand. I ordered 4 drinks and the girl bartender charged me $60. I left immediately after those drinks. Then the following day I found that the bartender charged me twice. I have been trying to get into contact with the manager for 5 days and no one has responded to my email nor calls.
(1)M A.
......the menu is weak....do not get the cheese/meat appetizer it is empty of what is expected .....wine list is sparse....however did get a bottle of red Burgundy that was decent which was about $70...the service was amateur hour....if you charge prices that amount to $150 have a server that can deliver that kind of professionalism that goes with the experience expected...
(2)Daniel T.
Not impressed, The decor is indescribably awkward. I've been there twice now. The first time was for cocktails. If i was in love with every type of flavored vodka under the sun, I'd repeat my undergrad and make it my homestead. If you're into classic cocktails and the advent of modern mixology, you're better off down the street at Scholars or Silvertones. My second trip, late night to be fair, reminded my of a Bisco after show.. For the record, I'm not aware of a good Bisco concert unless you're into the not so subtle aftermath of a drug induced and misspent youth. This place has some potential but be careful of who is standing next to you.
(2)Regan C.
Went here friday night and had some cocktails and light fare. Our server was great! She was super attentive, but not pushy. And she was genuinely a friendly person. I ended up getting the pink lace martini, which I highly recommend. As far as the food goes, the fried gnocchi was epic. I could probably eat my body weight in that stuff. Tater tots weren't so impressive, but not a major let down. As far as the ambiance goes, I'm glad this place wasn't packed. When I walked in I was surprised there weren't a lot of people there, but I was happy at the same time. It did fill up a little later on in the night, but never to the point where I felt I was invading someone's personal space. The only gripe I have is that it was SO dark in the bar area, which is where we were seated. I had a hard time reading the menu. All in all, I would highly recommend going here, and I will definitely be back. Just make sure you have reservations because I have a feeling this place is going to start filling up soon.
(4)Deborah H.
I haven't eaten here but came for a private party, which was a lot of fun! Bartenders are receptive and fairly plentiful, but the dance floor is really small. Management was accommodating (though they kind of messed up on an open bar which we did not request) but overall good experience and we'd work with them again.
(3)Brittany H.
When reading the rest of the reviews on here, I agree that GEM is more of a night club/lounge than a full fledged restaurant, although don't get me wrong the food was amazing. I just think they need to pick a direction, one way or the other. Went on a Sunday afternoon for brunch/lunch and there were only seats at the bar, which was fine, the bar stools are almost highback chairs, they are comfy to sit in. There were some private parties actually going on that day and there was a DJ with music blaring throughout the whole place. So loud that I was practically screaming to the person next to me. It just didn't feel right to be in this club atmosphere at 2 o'clock on a Sunday. It all just didn't mix. There were $1000 bottles of MOET flying to every table, but the food was reasonably priced for the venue. Had the fried artichoke hearts, sliders, caesar, and flatbread. All were nothing but delicious. The staff was good, pleasant and quick to serve, although there were some "managers" who were floating around, not engaging customers or anything, but they were drinking. slightly inappropriate to be doing out in the open. I would go again, but let's say it wouldn't be on the top of my list.
(3)Bill W.
Went for food and drinks on thursday. Friendly and attractive staff, with exceptional service. They do dollar oysters which are delicious. Atmosphere was great with music playing and everyone enjoying themselves. I highly recommend it.
(5)Jason G.
I've been here numerous times and I've always had a good experience. The dining is small but the atmosphere is great for a date night and the lounge is perfect for after work drinks.. I strongly recommend the pressed crisp chicken, it's one of the best dishes I've ever eaten!
(5)Angela I.
Terrible experience on my birthday Jan 26th! The ONLY thing that made it better was that the manager Joe has a natural ability to understand what customer service is all about! It's sad that establishments don't realize that the customer experience is a TEAM effort though. MY EXPERIENCE?: tried to call and make reservations and no one picked up twice during the week. Then the day of we called and were told they were already booked for reservations....I showed up at 2pm and requested a table for 12-14 and was told at 3:15 I would get my table. Only at 3:15pm there were only 8 seats! After expressing dismay and let them know they should have communicated better, I was provided an extra table to add on. Thank you. We sat down at 3pm and the waitress literally took 2 orders at a time and ignored the rest of the group. As the birthday girl I didn't get to order my food until 3:45pm! Then it came out the kitchen at 4:30 and the order was sloppy and made incorrectly. After sending it back it came back out at 5:15. I've never had eggs Benedict served on a burnt hamburger bun (4 other people orderEd it at my table and all had theirs with English muffins!) Then as I was eating,15 minutes into my meal the waitress comes and tried to take my plate and rush us from the table because the "club" atmosphere was already up and running. NOT only that my friend ordered a salad and asked the to hold the anchovies. They brought it out with anchovies anyways (she's allergic to fish!) she threw up and sent it back to be made to order and they simply removed the fish and send it back out instead of re-making it!! It's still had anchovies all over it! Even though the manager comped a large bottle of cheap champagne, this left a bad experience in my mouth. Several other people at my table never received parts of their order and then GEM had the nerve to tack on an automatic tip! Nope! Tell your kitchen staff and waitresses that their jobs are dependent upon each other! Team work makes the dream work. If someone's slacking others don't get credited. Thanks Joe for making an effort to ensure my birthday went better but the service sucked...though the ambiance and aesthetics of the restaurant were nice. A SINGLE STAR FOR A POOR EXPERIENCE ON MY BIRTHDAY!
(1)Marcus H.
This review is not for the restaurant, but if the service there is anything like it is when the place is a dance club then ME THINKS NOT INDEED! The place was overly crowded, and the crowd was obnoxious. It appeared that Gem was providing some of its worst clientele with bottle of champagne which they spraying all over us. This is not what I would expect from a place with the interiors and expensive cover that Gem has. The staff in the lounge was rude, possibly because it was too crowded, but it was unacceptable. I will never recommend anyone to go here unless you are enjoy paying for rude staff and being covered in alcohol.
(1)Glenn C.
Gem is exactly that....Its a Gem! Its a great place to wind down after work on Friday and have great drinks and a complimentary buffet! Everyone here is always personable, professional and nice! Stephanie and Louie are an awesome bartending team with a whole arsenal of drinks up their sleeve! My glass is usually filled back up before I know its empty! Their "feel at home" and real personality is to not go without mention and are always ready for a good laugh. I have no problem tipping them well and you wont either! So if your looking for comfortable classy atmosphere and outstanding bartenders, all without the high price, then Gem should be first on your list.
(5)Kim B.
We came here for a brunch with about 20 people. It was on a Sunday afternoon, and the place was pretty dead. In terms of turning a night club into a brunch spot, they do make it look classy and feel chic, but it still feels like a nightclub. And if I had come here ever for the nightclub, (which i haven't), I am not sure I would want to eat here. They had fun music, and fun sunglasses for everyone at brunch, but that just made it feel more like we were in Miami at a club. The drink menu was really fun, and someone in our group got a big champagne bowl with sparklers. It was exotic! In terms of food, maybe come for the drinks, and get some food while you happen to be here, but the food was just average. Especially for the price, the food was not worth it. We got a lot of options at the table, with fries, salads, pizzas, breakfast pizzas and french toast. The presentation was great, and the servings were great, i just didn't find the food that tasty. In terms of brunch, it is a fun vibe, with a "club feel", and awesome drinks, which what more can you ask? If the prices of the food was lower, it might be more worthwhile for the fun of the drinks and atmosphere.
(3)Elisa C.
Came by Wednesday night to try out their $1 oysters and $5 lobster rolls while expecting a line out the door, but that was not the case at 7pm. Reservations might not have been necessary as there were only a few other tables and a small function happening. I ordered 2 oysters, 1 lobster roll, the Delano Daiquiri, and Grilled Chicken Costoletta. We also got the Tuscan fries to share at the table. Oysters were from Island Creek, so it was sweet with some brine. They went down really well. The lobster roll was on a toasted hot dog buns and the lobster filling wasn't too impressive but good enough for the price. I really enjoyed the Delano as the rum want overpowering or lost with the mix. The chicken was really good! Very juicy and not overcooked. Sadly the accompanying greens were over dressed for my taste. I should have asked for it on the side. The fries were good for snacking especially with the ketchup. Overall the ambiance of the restaurant was chic, though the music was blasting. Too loud for a date but great for a night out. Service: 3/5 Cleanliness: 4/5 Food: 3/5 Overall: 3.5/5
(3)Vivian C.
Gem is located on Province Street, off a bit from the main drag of Washington Street in Downtown Crossing. As a landmark for those somewhat familiar with the area, they are on the same block as Sam LaGrassa, land of huge sandwiches and terrific potato salad. And now back to our normally scheduled program... As we made our way into Gem, we found ourselves at the foot of a flight of stairs, and a cash machine, should you need it. Having successfully ascended the virtually winding stairwell, we found a long bar area to our left, and a cushy looking dining room to our far off right. We opted for a table to our right as we had gone to Gem for an early dinner, and ended up finding ourselves the sole occupants for our entire meal. The space had windows on two sides and were filled (yet not overly stuffed) with 9 tables, 4 of which were set for parties of 4, and the remainder for parties of 2. Our waitress was quite friendly, informative, and kept my water glass filled. She brought over some sliced bread and olive oil with vinegar to much on while the kitchen got cracking. As it was a Wednesday, she had told us that our appetizer order of meatball sliders (Kobe beef, aged Pecorino, buttered buns) which normally go for $9 and arrive as a count of 2, would be but $3 apiece. They were indeed literally meatballs nestled inbetween a bun. Being meatballs, they were a bit more tender than I like my hamburgers, so I wasn't crazy about them. Entrees were a bit better. The Grilled Chicken Costeletta - flattened chicken, lemon & olive oil citronette, grilled asparagus & sweet onions $22 filled the plate and consisted of two chicken breasts, but was literally a chicken on salad dish. The portion was great, but the chicken a bit dry and not very flavorful, and the salad overly dressed and flavored. But the asparagus were plenty and great, and if you eat the chicken in the same bite as some salad, it actually sort of evened out. The Seared Chilean Sea Bass - garlic spinach, sweet corn enriched with mascarpone $33 was good portioned for a seafood dish in a restaurant, but rather puny looking beside the other entree. I was a bit nervous about ordering this since without perspective, the other Yelp photos of this dish looked teeny-tiny, but to my relief, it was not so. The two of us ate everything (but the bread) and were utterly full. No dessert for us! For this size of an establishment, particularly since they encourage the club scene at night, I'm sort of surprised that I saw but the single one person ladies' room on the bar side. Unless there was another facility hidden somewhere in another corner? *** 9/2015 *** Hmmmm... noticed their website has been slimmed down to very little info. Then realized that their hours listed on Yelp has shrunk down to just Saturdays! Good thing I noticed this before I tried to head on over there on a weeknight.
(3)Ben S.
Passing by, and on a whim, I came in on a Sunday night where the bar area appeared to be rented out for a semi-private party. Knowing that, I'm surprised they let me in off the street, no questions asked; must be my excellent choice in scarf. I command respect at trendy joints like this. It seems that GEM is one of those places that dramatically transforms between day and night, from a restaurant to a nightclub. Apparently on Sunday nights, that transformation occurs a bit earlier than I would expect. At 6:30pm I wanted to grab a table for a bite and a drink (and I did) but I felt wildly out of place doing so, as the place was decidedly doing its nightclub thing. It's rare that I get to witness such a roller coaster of polarizing pros and cons. The space here is fantastically decorated. The "quiet room" (not so quiet with club music blasting) was extremely charming. Ornate, deliberately aged lamps, tables and chairs against bare brick reflect the place perfectly: playing at upscale in a way that is intentionally incomplete. What wasn't so charming was that the quiet room smelled like bleach, and the bar area smelled like stale breath and sweat. If you're doing the whole night club thing, invest in some serious ventilation. I got the meatball sliders as a snack, and they exceeded my expectations. I ordered a cider on draft and was amazed to find it was only 3 dollars. THREE DOLLARS! I was expecting everything to cost much more; the rougher edges of an experience can be overlooked if the price is right. My visit here was somewhat confusing and likely not representative of anyone that researches the hours and events here ahead of time. All that said, I'm likely to return.
(3)Shana W.
Paid $28 for a scotch neat and an avion tequila neat. I would've never ordered had I known they charged this much. This is a rip off. Two shots of their liquor pays for an entire bottle. One bottle has about 21 shots in it. You do the math. There's no point in charging that much. I will never be back.
(1)Rich T.
Food is immaculate but that's not the only thing that is spectacular about this place. One of the host/manager Colin really made the night special. The gentleman had high knowledge of the menu and went out of the way to make sure we were happy. $1 oysters Wednesday and Thursday's. I heard Sunday's here are wild. Gotta try.
(5)Shelby F.
To make a long story short, this club is a complete waste of time and money. To elaborate, I spent $30 on a ticket for an event night with a group of friends. Usually I wouldn't pay that much for a cover in Boston, but the promise was that there would be a great DJ and a dance floor. When we got there at 10 the dance floor was closed off and we had to hang out in the bar area. Around 10:30 they opened the back room where the dance floor was and we had to wait in line. They let in everyone in my group except for 2 of our friends and when we politely asked for them to be let in they told us they would let them in at 11:30...an hour after our friends got in. The bouncers thought they were God's gift to the world and were extremely rude and obnoxious. I can assure everyone that our group of 20 will never be going back there. A word of the wise to this manager...get it together because this place is the furthest thing from a "GEM".
(1)Shirley L.
I mainly sought this place out because of the $1 oysters and $5 lobster rolls on Wednesdays. I came with my two best friends and we each ordered 2 dozen oysters and 2 lobster rolls. The oysters were nicely shucked but I think because they were busy they forgot lemons and forks. Make sure you count your oysters! I ordered a dozen and was actually given 10. The service was awesome though because when I confronted the server about it he went into the kitchen and brought back the missing oysters and apologized for it. There was also a very pretty woman in a corset who was also very friendly and helpful. The lobster rolls are fairly small compared to regular lobster rolls you would get if you went to a seafood joint. It wasn't super stuffed with lobster meat but had enough chunks in there where it made the $5 worthwhile. My friend and I also ordered the sangrias, which were $6 each. Not bad but I've tasted better. I gulped it down in the first few minutes of sitting down, but that's not saying much because the glass was fairly small. Overall not a bad place to check out if you're around the area or an oyster lover. Not the best place for a date however because it was pretty loud and you can barely hear your own voice. Oh and we were also given complimentary lemon drop shots which was very nice.
(4)Luckie D.
My review is based on attending a private birthday party that started at 1pm. The facility was like a more cool and hip version of cheers, friendly bar tenders, very helpful wait staff and better than average bar food which was also classed up beyond burgers and fries. The DJ made the right calls and moved the vibe along not leaving anyone of the very diverse crowd behind. Our group consisted of locals, travelers from across the U.S. younger and older friends but mostly the 30s crowd yet all were taken care of and found the bar selections more than adequate.
(4)Jim W.
I'm surprised I'm giving a 5 star to this place but where it counts for me, it deserved it. We had a guilt city coupon for this and went on a Sunday during a snowstorm. We got an antipasti that was tremendous and possibly the best I've ever had. The yellow tomato flat bread pizza was also outstanding. Steak and cheese sliders were also very good which is surprising because I think most places screw something like that up. The meatball sliders were bland which I kind of expect I never really think this is any good at places. Draft beers (Stella,harpoon, Guinness etc) are $3!! That's basically half price of anywhere in the city. Couple negatives were the music was absolutely blasting for a 330pm lunch. I'm 31 and we were the oldest people in there by 5 years. It is basically a club for spoiled rich kids. One caveat with my review: the waitress said the owner was there as well as the head chef so no doubt they were putting the their best foot forward and my experience is probably not the norm
(5)Sereia C.
I've been to Gem twice so far. The first time was for dinner when they first opened. I don't recall much about it, however, I do remember that nothing on the menu was really popping out at me. I went there today for a friend's birthday brunch. I liked the idea of a clubby brunch for something different, but the music was extremely loud. I couldn't even hear what my friend sitting right next to me was saying to me. We all made a joke of it and literally were texting each other from across the table because nobody could hear what anybody else was saying. Before we were finished with brunch, most of the tables were taken away and turned into a dance floor. Before we even got our check they were breaking down our table and changing it into a bottle service table. And within minutes after that the manager came over to us and told us we would have to leave the area shortly as it was reserved for a group that bought a bottle. I get it, but it was a bit rushed. As for the food tonight, hated it. I got a tomato mozzarella Panini. It was one slice of mozzarella melted on bread with two soggy tomatoes. I don't think I'll be back.
(2)Christine A.
realllyyy!!! when you pay for a VIP table... you do not expect to get some dumb ass wanna be rich college kids spraying champagne all over you and a bachelorette party next to them! pretty sure those stupid losers would be escorted out in a fine establishment which this place CLEARLY is not!!!!!! NEVER AGAIN!!!!!!!!
(1)James W.
Just got back from Valentine's Day dinner at GEM. We love GEM and have been several times. We've never been disappointed. Tonight, however, we were. After braving the snow and cold of the four recent storm, we arrived. We both enjoyed our food and drinks (I recommend the Bangarang martini). When we asked for the check, I handed the waiter a Travelzoo voucher. It cost $30 for $60 worth of food/drinks. We always try to get one before coming to GEM because we are young and it's an expensive place, but it's our favorite. He took it and went to bring us our check. The manager came over shortly after and told us (with the fakest tone and smile I have ever seen), that we couldn't use the voucher because it was a holiday. To be fair, it did say on the voucher that they are not valid on holidays, and we hadn't noticed. However, we had called two weeks ahead of time to make a reservation and had asked if the voucher is accepted on Valentine's. We were told it was. When I mentioned this to the manager, he asked me who I spoke to. What a ridiculous question. Who asks who they're speaking to when they make a reservation. I decided not to press the issue, and I paid the bill and left. I'm really upset that we had asked ahead of time and assumed everything was fine. It kind of ruined the night. My boyfriend was furious and wanted to fight a bit harder, but I just ended up paying full price. We won't be back. It's up to them if they want to accept it or not, and they could have done so after we told them we had been told we could use it. They could have just made it right. Instead they proved $60 was worth losing a customer.
(1)VKR N.
I've always hesitated about eating here because of the crappy Yelp reviews but when a Travelzoo voucher popped into my email box, I decided I could take the risk with the coupon. And I was really glad I did. The two of us arrived early, at 6 pm on a Wednesday. We were the only other diners there. There was pulsating albeit soft club music in the background -- a bit incongruous given the early hour. We ordered off their spring menu which they had just rolled out: seared tuna with orzo, tomato, and artichoke; grilled flattened chicken with lemon; sea bass; homemade cannoli; and chocolate torte. Every dish was delicious. Every one. I've eaten at a good number of places throughout Boston. Island Creek Oyster Bar: Massively overrated. Citizen Public House: Awful. So you can't necessarily trust the hype. And with Gem: You can't trust the haters.
(5)Dana W.
The bouncers were terribly rude. My friend recently turned 21 & she presented her ID at the door but was denied entry due to the fact that the photo didn't look like her, which may have had to do with the makeup she was wearing for the concert versus the picture she had to take the day she was getting her license. SUPER annoying especially since we had purchased tix in advance. Won't be making the mistake of coming here again & I'll also be sure to inform other people to do the same.
(1)Greg S.
Brunch: imagine with me.... a friend invites me to a disco brunch. me, having lived in NYC, thought 'we live in boston' this kind of thing never happens. well it in fact does, and the people who attend are something else! The food was ok, not great, but definitely better than I ever imagined. the décor, obviously looks better at night, but hey, that's what disco brunch is all about... seeing behind the curtain. I would recommend this to anyone who feels like boston needs to loosen up a little and have some fun! just a word to the wise, be prepared for you night to take a turn later on... that's right, you NIGHT!
(3)Thuy L.
This is for the restaurant only. I remember coming to this bar when it was Kennedy's and was excited to see what the new space was going to look like. It was ok. Remove the wooden tables and stools, bar lights, replace with leather chairs and banquettes, and mood lighting and you get Gem. In my opinion, the food was okay but definitely over-priced. There are cheaper and better tapas places around but hey, we had a LivingSocial coupon, so why not check it out. I would come back for the burratta crostino (YUM). Warm crostini, soft mozzarella, and tomatos. But that's the only thing of 5 dishes that stuck out to me, and I can make it at home.
(2)Anne C.
The company I work at had our Christmas party here, otherwise I never would have found this hidden place (tipsy while wazing) It's off a side street off of Washington Street, hence "gem" ahh! We had a nice room separate from the club part, the staff was great. Even though some of us didn't remember what we had ordered 10 or so days before for entrees they did a good job sorting it out. The food was spectacular, I had risotto which normally leaves me feeling deprived but, it was great, co-workers enjoyed everything, meatball sandwiches are apparently life-changing. When the evening shifted to the club part, I went back in time and magically transported to my 20s (long time ago) flung my stuff into a corner and showed that menopause doesn't have to keep anyone down. After a few songs, realized that I had no idea where any of my shit was, had been having such a good time lost touch with all worldly concerns, don't let this happen to you. I had a complete panic I couldn't find my stuff for a long time (hours?) coworkers helped me not freak out and the low-20 somethings I work with had a dance-off. Besides overall great service and food--the club staff was incredibly patient and professional trying to help me find my stuff. I was clearly intoxicated (from pre-gaming didn't drink at Gem)--I worked in service for many years I know how annoying I was--the management and hosts were respectful and helpful and while I am sure that I missed a few warranted eye-rolls, they never lost poise and consideration for my feelings which is a skill because it's easy to dismiss people who seem like they might not remember the professionalism. Nice work, Gem!
(5)Brian W.
Went on the strength of recent reviews, and I'm glad we did. Great ambiance, fresh oysters (dollar per) and very attentive server (Danielle). My wife loved the cocktails. Joe, the manager, stopped by the table to be sure we were properly attended, and topped off our night with a complimentary limoncello. They earned each of the five stars.
(5)Sooks M.
Came across this place on a friday after work and decided to stop in! My friend and i sat in a booth by the bar. Upon arriving the friendly waitress offered us to try the complementary buffet! Nice ambience, free delicious food and sangrias...no complaints here!
(4)Jimmy B.
This review is solely for the dining experiences I've had. We decided to try this restaurant due to a living social coupon we bought ($60 for $30, not including alcoholic drinks). First, the ambiance is nice. It's a dimly lit setting, with large (but slightly hard) plush chairs. Here's when the first problem comes into play - god, the seating area is small. And to be honest, the lounge area isn't that large either. It's as if the owners were attempting to decide between a restaurant or a lounge, building both from opposite sides, and finally ending with what we currently have now. To be perfectly honest, I think this place may have been better as a lounge and expanded into the dining area for a more private lounge area. Second, the service, as stated, was fairly good. The waitress was fairly attentive (until the end where she was fairly busy, and we had to hail down another waiter after ten minutes to get our check). The host was also very courteous and brought us to our seats promptly. Third, the food. This is where my qualms about this being a restaurant vs. a lounge. The menu is.. extremely limited. And not limited in a good way like some higher class restaurants I've been to in where nearly each item takes time to prepare and is fairly unique. Rather, this menu cries to me that it has limited space in order to satisfy a variety of dishes to serve at this facility. Oh, but don't think that I didn't like the food. I had their tuna tartare, which was very flavorful and visually appealing. Their steak and frites was by no means steakhouse quality, but it wasn't bad either. Also, their Tuna Sashimi Sandwich was a nice touch in terms of uniqueness, and also was delicious. Note, their Penne Bolognese and Mac & Five Cheese Gratin was nothing extraordinarily special, but again, they weren't bad (about what I'd expect for a good lounge in terms of food). Fourth, their drinks. For a full-service bar, their drinks were mediocre. I've had better cocktails at other establishments, and to be honest, I was expecting better. However, this wouldn't deter me from stopping by to get a drink. All in all, 3 stars. What stops this from being five stars is their confusion in fully incorporating a restaurant aspect (honestly, space is too limit to be able to pull this off for someone expecting a full restaurant experience) and the premium price for what you get, in my opinion, is slightly expensive.
(3)Gaven C.
Their Wednesday $5 lobster roll night is great. Just make sure to reserve a table in advance!
(3)Andrew C.
This review is for the Nightclub. I went to GEM with a couple friends and there were no lines. It was quick and easy to get in. The place was small and the dance floor was tiny. The atmosphere was nice and filled with mostly college students. -The Music was horrible... the DJ was abysmal at mixing.... he played different genres and was all over the place. -The drinks are expensive $14 Mojitos. I wouldn't recommend going here for the nightclub.
(1)Laercio S.
This is review is about the nightclub, not the restaurant.... We went to this place to see one of our favorite Boston Djs (Costa). Unfortunately, our experience was so despicable that the likelihood of returning is very low. Here are only of the few reasons: a) In order to get to the dance floor with the DJ, you needed a table reservation. Hold on...you pay a cover charge to get into a club, but you can't go to the dance floor just because you don't have a table reservation? I have never experienced such a thing!!! Therefore, if you are not important enough to have a table reservation, you can only hang out on the bar area, which is smaller than my living room. BTW, they don't tell you this when you are paying for the cover charge. b) They pack so many people in this place that you feel like a sardine. c) The men's bathroom stunk!! Plus, there are only 2 stalls for the ladies. Really? This place wants to be a club but it is really just a bar with an awesome DJ.
(2)Nilo F.
Came here for a lounge night on Friday...the space is SO TINY it felt like a party in someone's family room with everyone bumping into you and knocking your drink over every thirty seconds. The crowd was really weird - a lot of upper twenties/thirties making out and grinding like I saw some weird shit I didn't want to see. One girl fell (in flats) and literally couldn't get herself up for probably 5 minutes and it turned into a whole ordeal because the circumference of her fall was basically blocking everyone off from the dance floor. The dance floor was fun and the DJ was great but would never pay cover to come here and drinks are expensive.
(3)AL R.
GEM is great! I've been here twice and each time the food and service is awesome. I've never been here for a night out but for brunch/dinner. The antipasti is DELICIOUS, both times I've ordered it. It is not on the brunch menu but they were happy to make one up for me. The pizza and steak and cheese sliders were very good as well. The meatball sliders were kind of eh but the 3$ drafts and 5$ glasses of wine make up for it. I would say that the music during the Sunday brunch is way too loud, we asked to be moved from under the speaker.
(5)Ryan W.
This is a review of the restaurant side, although we have been to the lounge/club side and night and its a pretty hot scene right now (Spring 2013). Our service was fantastic.They were attentive and knowledgeable about the food and wine selections. The ambiance was perfect (quiet enough where we could hear each other, but not other people's conversations...). The food was very well prepared and presented. The tuna tartare appetizer is delicious. We had the scallop special this time and halibut in the past, both of which were delicious. I've also had the steak frites, which I wasn't over the moon for because the porterhouse is a little bit too fatty for me. This place is a true neighborhood "gem" which I hope more people discover and enjoy. Recommended for a date night or anniversary.
(4)GP P.
This is a tough one. I came here after work on a Friday night recently to scout this spot out, looking for new venues for happy hours with my coworkers. First impression was that I had arrived in a nightclub way too early. Everything's very dark, velvety, leathery, sexy, from the cozy booths to the scantily-clad waitstaff. Plenty of eye candy for all the dudes I work with, I guess? Our waitress was very nice and attentive and my $14 cocktails (yipes!) were delicious. We started with les haricots verts (green beans), which were AMAZING, cooked perfectly with a delicious garlic glaze. We also ordered the pasta bolognese, which was delicious as well. Until my 4th fork-full when I discovered a sharp shard of glass about a half inch long, hiding amongst my noodles. What?! Fearing there might be other hidden surprises in my meal, I very nicely asked them to take it back. The waitress was very sweet and apologetic and went to get us a fresh order. The ever-present manager came over to apologize as well. The new meal came, along with a free side of something resembling mozzarella balls. Both were very good. I was slightly annoyed when the bill came and the manager had not comped my meal. It just seemed very strange, given that I'd been so nice about a potentially dangerous situation, where realistically I could have been furious and made threats, etc, as I'm sure MANY would have. Either way, I'm not going to let one manager's poor business move reflect upon the whole experience. The food was good, the ambiance was fun (if that's what you're looking for) and the waitstaff was very nice and helpful. I may be back if the hefty tab is not going on my credit card!
(3)Maryam J.
Gems is a great place for a night out with your friends! It's best nights are thursday and saturday. It has a kind of lounge-y atmosphere with great music and amazing food! The drinks are a bit pricy (but hey, it's Boston!), the staff is impeccable and on point. The sunday brunch club is so much fun and a great day drinking destination if you wanna end your weekend with a little bit of early drinking. This place is FUN!
(5)Tara T.
I come here periodically for post-work drinks with my coworkers. I know the interior tries to go for "fancy, high-end Parisian lounge" but it always feels more like "slut-tastic, slightly sketchy Red Light District love-nest" to me. Lots of plush red sofas, high tables, and dark walls. No matter. The waitresses are scantily clad (corsets!) but very nice, really quick to respond, so no complaints overall. Drinks are overpriced in my opinion ($15 for a mediocre cocktail, $7 beers), but that's what you get for the location and the ambiance, dubious as it is. Never had the food, so no input there, unfortunately. Sorry!
(3)Jen C.
I've been here a couple times and both times I've had a great experience. The food and service are exceptional, the drinks are delicious and the music makes you want to dance. We celebrated a friend's birthday party at Gem and it was the perfect place to get together for dinner and drinks. I will definitely keep coming here, especially on Friday nights!!
(4)Lou Y.
Went to GEM for the 1st time Saturday night. Arrived at 9:30p for drinks and dinner. They were just busy enough to make if feel like you were in a private dinner (supper) club, that changed around midnight and the place really took off. I liked the feel of the place instantly. The decor is dark, warm and modern. The place is narrow in length but it's very spacious in total square footage with carpets on the floor. Our dinner reservations were in the dining room but we ended up grabbing a table across from the bar and ate there. I had the pressed chicken and some truffle fries. I really enjoyed the meal. I liked the decor of the dinning room area and I loved the "bottle service" room. BNEG hired a great crew of people to work there as well, everyone was very nice and service oriented. All the service people that I interacted with embodied a philosophy of being genuine to everyone not to mention that all the female staff was gorgeous. I highly recommend GEM. You can't compare it to any other restaurant and bar in Boston.
(4)Alex S.
I went here with a group for dinner and then to hang out in the lounge, the food was pretty good but definitely not worth what became possibly the worst nightlife experience ever. Because it would be a novella to go through everything that was wrong with this place in paragraph form, let me use bullets: - specialty drinks at dinner were $14, a little overpriced though not unusual for a place trying to be upscale - server was nice, but food came in two rounds - even though people ordered aps as main courses, they came out first which means half the table was eating while others waited for food and then vice versa - we finished dinner and headed into lounge, I tried to check my coat and they said I couldn't because they ran out of tickets... (seriously?!?) -Ordered a Captain and Diet from bar, instead they gave me well rum and Diet, yuck. And it was $13 (wtf?) - so decided to go back to specialty cocktail for my next drink since it was only a dollar more. Only it wasn't anymore - now it's $18 on the bar menu and they charged me $21 "with the tax." Yes, things are starting to get beyond ridiculous... - by midnight, club was so packed it was almost impossible to move. I've been to very crowded clubs, par for the course and usualy the sign of a good club, I know how to deal. But in this case, it was beyond-capacity, crazy, scary, possibly dangerous, fire-marshal-should-be-notified-crowded. It was bad - staff constantly were telling you where you couldn't dance/stand to keep some imaginary boundary around bottle-service tables, which was pretty much impossible to obey even if you wanted to (see above bullet) - I finally was fed up and went to leave. My coat was missing. Yes, the one I tried to check and couldn't WAS F'N GONE!!! It was 14 degrees outside. I really felt like I was going to seriously lose my s__ at this point, so I sucked it up and left before I could. - Called this morning to see if the coat was found, no answer despite the fact that they supposedly have a brunch happening. DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND STAY THE %$!# AWAY FROM THIS HELLHOLE. That is all.
(1)Marco A.
Went there last weekend and Boston finally has a classy place! Decor is very nice, great crowd for networking . Big variety of cocktails, great atmosphere and a good crowd. The food was also very good, this place is perfect for both dinner or after-dinner drinks. Certainly going back!
(5)Jen L.
Very classy upscale lounge/bar/club. Came with friends had dinner & drinks. Menu was small but had good choices. The mac & 5 cheese gratin was delish!! Will def be back :)
(4)John H.
I went out to GEM for the first time last night and I must say it was a lot better than I expected. The music was great and kept us on the dance floor almost all night. The place is a little narrow up until you get to the dance floor area but it's still pretty big and has an upscale vibe. I had a great time and will definitely be coming back.
(5)M M.
Saw Gem on TV Diner i think, so we tried it. Has to be one of the worst dinners I have had in 3 years. The tonic water in my vodka tonic was tinted brown, the salad was overdressed, the chicken was pink in the middle, and the service was slow. Really disappointed. The only saving grace was my fellow diners french fries. Try another place.
(1)Jennifer J.
I had a great meal here on Friday night. In fairness I was invited by one of the owners but it was still pretty amazing. It was just two of us and my girlfriend who jointed me is a picky eater and even she loved everything. We started with the Hamachi Tuna Appetizer and the Shrimp and Grits. Both were excellent and were off to a great start. For an entree she had the Sea Bass which she said was very good (and it looked really nice) and I had the Chicken dish which came in a beautiful copper serving pan. The chicken was moist and really tasty and sat on top of polenta with a marsala sauce. It was really good. I even used the crusty bread (and salted butter) to dip in the sauce. After we had a drink at the bar which is lovely. We left before 10:30 and it was busy but definitely not crowded. For sure I will be back and probably with my group of friends I eat out with at least once a month. It seemed like a nice place for a dinner with the girls. Recommend for sure!
(5)Sarah H.
Too dark to see the menu & upon further investigation I see why- decor is tacky! Food is okay, staff is nice, but the managers are too much- kept trying to start conversations while I tried to eat dinner and seemed to be following their servers around with little trust or confidence in their staff.... the servers were great, it's the pompous and eager to talk managers I could have done without. Overall, a lot of hype & a lot of being under the microscope of the pretentious "frat boy" managers that only seem to be looking for problems with their staff. Your money can be better spent somewhere else.
(2)IamInthebiz ..
Gem is exactly what Boston nightlife needed. Stopped in last night for drink and to check out this new "Downtown" addition and could not have been more impressed with decor, style, sound and service. Thomas, the bartender, made a great mocktail upon request and the owner could not have been a better host. Beautiful and sexy is the only way to describe this place and the food looked amazing. People near me seemed to be quite happy with their dishes and couldn't stop tallking about it. Great job Gem!
(5)Kelly B.
GEM definitely has some great qualities, but I'm far from overly impressed. This was my first, and possibly my only time there. But that has nothing to do with the food. The food was actually delicious. We were there with a reservation for 5, and seated at a large round table, in large comfy chairs - in a small and somewhat cramped dining room. We were unable to easily pull chairs in and out of the table due to the awkward size of the chairs combined with the proximity of the tables and chairs nearby. It was very strange having to wait for people to move in order to go to the restroom and for the waitresses to have to ask people to move to deliver food... The colors and decor were luxurious, and felt decadent even before we took a bit of the homemade potato chips. Martinis/beverages ranged from 11 to 14 dollars, but beer was also available and about the Boston standard 6 for a Harpoon. We all enjoyed our meals immensely, they ranged from intense wedge salads to incredibly perfect bass and one tower of a tuna burger. They were hosting a singles event in the bar that night, which led to the one stall ladies room feeling like a club instead of a restaurant, with lines and messy paper towels, etc. So, I guess I'm not rushing back with a group - might be nice at one of the small out of the way tables for a pair though... but you probably want to head elsewhere for after dinner drinks. Our server was a little difficult to get a hold of when needed, and she dropped one of the credit cards when bringing the bill fold back to the table... which caused some panic, but was resolved when it was found. She was very apologetic - but it was worrisome since the cards had been run in the bar area where all those enthusiastically dancing singles were...lots of people and no way to trace someone if they had seen it and picked up and left.
(3)Christy P.
We went for a friends birthday and were disappointed from start to finish. We had a large party (14 people) and we were put at a table in the bar area with barely enough room to fit. They explained that they decided not to open half of the restaurant because they were not busy enough. As the plates came out we had to scrape food from one plate to another to have enough room on the table. Some of the couples had to share a plate so that others had enough room. The waitress's were nice enough but every time you wanted a drink you had to flag her down to order. As far as the food... I am fine with paying a little bit more to taste something that is creative or original. I thought that this would be the case, but it was a bad spin on tater tots and other comfort food. Wile waiting an extensive amount of time for the waitress to bring us our bill (which was upwards of $1500.00) we had a manager come over and ask us to leave because they had another party to seat. When we explained that we were waiting on them and the bill to be process she was completely confused. To top off the night I went to get a glass of wine at the bar after dinner and the bartender was gracious enough to charge me $2.00 more than what was listed in the menu. The one positive thing about the restaurant was that there was great dinner music.
(1)Perla G.
AMAZING! Went to dinner here Friday night and my friends and I had a fantastic meal. I highly recommend the tuna tartare, it was one of the bests I've had in Boston (and I'm pretty picky about my tuna tartare) The ahi tuna burger was delicious and very fresh. My friend had the pasta bolognese and apparently it was very good as well. The service was outstanding from the minute we got in. The dining room is not very big but cozy. I'm not sure why people want so much lighting in a restaurant, I thought it was fine, I could read the menu without an issue and I wear contacts. The lights did get dimmed later in the night but this was after we had finished our meals. We had a great time hanging out in the bar/lounge area after. The scene is trendy is late 20s to mid 30s, so no college kids which I highly appreciate! Anyway, can't wait to go back with my friends, I'm sure we'll make this a regular spot :-)
(5)