Stopped in on a whim and was great! The vibe is welcoming, and the service was good. The expresso cocktail was awesome The shoestring fries and potatoes were so good. It was very enjoyable. read more

I have to agree with previous reviewers statement this restaurant truly has a stunningly beautiful enviro to enjoy... that said... sadly that's about all it has. I wanted to actually explain why I'm giving it 1 star... Not for the poor service (they only had one waitress, so I can't fault them for that, or her slightly arrogant attitude (probably from being the only person there serving)... Not for the mediocre food... it's cars to mess up a burger, they were close (see photo). If you are in a town that was founded by artists in the 1960s one would assume you would take pride in how you plate, and present your food, especially for what you charge for your burger! But that's the kitchen... The French fries were delicious... the Greek salad (that they don't offer lettuce) isn't a salad... but it is a favorite in Israel, the Arabic culture, etc... a Greek Salad it is not... So why did I give them 1 star? The unkept restroom was so dirty, it makes other public restrooms look cleaner! The sides of the toilet that typically is just dusty had urine and poop (stains?) there! There was an unknown dust/residue on a cabinet and floor... If this is how you keep your unisex bathroom... how bad is it everywhere else? That alone did it for me... if I had seen this from the jump, I would have bolted! read more

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i always want to support local businesses, especially new ones, but this was not a great experience. we came on a very slow monday night, service was practically non existent while we waited 20+ minutes to order, when there was maybe 4 other people in the dining area that had already been served. we got our food ordered, fries were undercooked and the steak was cold and unenjoyable :/ servers were chatting / switching between the bar and the tables yet we had to wait for about 5 minutes and notify the server that we needed a steak knife. vibes were very nice tho, had an old disney movie playing on the tv with very chill music. read more

Cute eatery. We sat out o. the patio. Was a slow Wednesday evening. We had excellent service. We enjoyed coctails and server suggested the steak frites which was sooo delicious. The skinny crunchy fries were excellent. My pork belly dish the pork was not as delicious wishes there was more veggies. Our drinks were great and had $1 discount for happy hour! Loved the aesthetic! read more

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I went with my kids for dinner. We sat in one of the three indoor tables so not to be cold outside. They have more seating outside but only two heated lamps that day that were in use. Service was good and attentive. We did two simple pasta dishes, some pork belly and I had a glass of Sauvignon blanc. Nothing fancy or spectacular but it was good and of good value for price! read more

Little Gem - Cavatappi cheese pasta and pork belly - Mediterranean Near Me - Ojai, California

Drinks.... Out of a whim, we decided to stop in this new restaurant on a Friday night for a drink or two in downtown Ojai on the main drag. The restaurant opened in May 2025. This is a cute little restaurant with a good size patio, per the size of the restaurant, and a small indoor space featuring two high tables, a table by the window for two and seating at the bar. Equally small is the kitchen that offers an array of food. Our main purpose of this visit was for a drink or two- the menu features an array of unique cocktails. They have a full bar, so the bartender can make you any drink your heart desires. Plus the restaurant offers happy hour Monday- Thursday. After a drink we decided to try some light food- we ordered a vegetarian dish that had solid flavors. The dish was not overly large, but enough for a meal if an appetizer or salad is ordered. Throughout our night we had solid service from the staff- the staff was very attentive. We even treated to some nice music from the patio area. Based on our experience, we would stop in again for dinner and perhaps happy hour. read more

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Small wine list. The Oaxacan Jade was way too limey; the mezcal was buried. Every menu must have a burger? Um, idk... but the fries were good. read more

Little Gem - DOES every menu need a burger? - Mediterranean Near Me - Ojai, California

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Took well over two hours for us to try to get a quick bite of lunch. Our waitress took our order for fries after a 15 minute wait. They came relatively soon but after that we never saw her again for over 30 minutes. When we finally got her attention to place our order, took another 40+ minutes for the food to arrive. No one ever stopped by to see how the food was, if we needed anything, etc. which we did. Food was decent when we got it, but so late we couldn't really enjoy it. read more

Food - cocktails, wine, beer small bites like olives, papayas bravas, grilled asparagus. Salads and mains. Had the burger and it is served with 8 oz patty. Surprisingly a good burger with its tomato and carmelized onion compotes. Burger comes with skinny fries. Good combo but fries was slightly undercooked. But imagining it as crispier, this combo would be dynamite. They have happy hour all day Wednesday and Thursday and 3-6 on Friday and 6-8 on Sunday. Service - good and friendly Ambiance - clean and modern and cozy. Verdict - since I overheard that they are just open for 3 weeks, they are headed in the right direction. Room for improvement as they say but it's getting there. Burger is good! But fries could definitely be better cooked. But when in Ojai, do try them. read more

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The food is Delicious... The Service is Outstanding... It's a wonderful place to eat and relax. The outdoor patio is so comfortable with its pillows and deco. Pets are Welcome too read more

The location is fab - the second best in Ojai (I think Topa Topa has a better spot). The ambiance is peaceful. Beautiful inside decor. Inside seating is small; more space outside and it's very comfortable. Staff is great - the girls do a good job. I popped in on a Sunday afternoon for a lite lunch. The wine selection is small and okay. But the pour I got was really small (see photo). At first I thought she was giving me a sample but no that was my glass. So I had to go easy on it during my meal. The cauliflower soup was delicious - I was actually surprised because I generally don't like cauliflower. The pork belly was okay. I needed more asparagus (they don't give you much), eating just pork belly is no fun. It needs an accompaniment. All in all was okay. There are some other items on the menu I'd like to try so I suspect I might be back sometime in the future. read more

Little Gem - Cauliflower Soup and Pork Belly - Mediterranean Near Me - Ojai, California

To start with, this used to be called Tres Hermanas, which is why we came back, only to be disappointed to find this place, which the same group apparently owns. What a difference this place is compared to Tres Hermanas. Very dissatisfied! The service was practically nonexistent. We had to wait 15 minutes before they came to take our order, and the restaurant was only about 20% full. The menu itself was OK, but small and spartan. In other words, there were very few choices! We tried the garbanzo beans with coconut milk and quinoa, called 'Marry My Chickpeas'. Well, this was a divorce from the start, because the bottom line is that the lemon overpowered it, and its portion was really small. One of the things I really dislike is when they give you a large plate with a small portion in the middle to make it "artisanal." I took the safe route, I thought, and ordered what was supposed to be a half-pound hamburger, which turned out to be more like a quarter-pounder, and it had grizzle in it. It was extremely low quality; the bun and condiments were delicious, but it didn't really make up for the lack of quality in the meat. I was starving and the waiter was never around, so I wound up eating it, and at the end of the meal, I did explain that I felt the meat could've been better, and I got a complete non-response from our waitress, and she said I'll bring you your bill which then took another 20 minutes. The atmosphere is charming as before but doesn't make up for the disappointing experience we had. read more

Service from Nikolai was very good Atmosphere and location are terrific I'm sorry to say the restaurant is missing in a few areas Portion sizes ... folks, we can't skimp our way to success. That's an unimpressive burger portion. Menu diversity - enough said There is so much you could do right now with all the fresh produce out there... So much "Who do you wanna be? " a place known for killer "fries" located in the center of Ojai? Featuring an affluent, educated, experienced dining crowd... We're highlighting "french fries?" Really hopeful you can turn this around and find success in this location. Problem: ??? I'm unsure if it's "too many cooks in the kitchen" but everything feels like a compromise. read more

Food was amazing from the brunch menu! Service was spot on. Great place to start off our Saturday bike ride. The Bloody Mary was the best we ever had. We will be back. read more

After beers across the street, we walked in sans-reservation, for the experience of a lifetime! After being welcomed in, we sat out on the patio and got introduced to the menu...on opening night! Drinks were awesome, appetizers incredible, and our mains were fantastic. So far, so good. The dream someone has of opening a restaurant and succeeding is a noble one indeed. If you do wind up eating here, let them what they did right for ya. I'll start... Wonderful welcome as we arrived. Great description of various menu items Options for those w/ dietary concerns Beautiful space, inside and out read more

Little Gem - Asparagus w/ whipped goat cheese - Mediterranean Near Me - Ojai, California

Great restaurant with a unique style that is both inviting and relaxing. We were there for dinner at 5pm and sat outside (the music was too loud inside). There were many tables open, but many were dirty (as in they hadn't been bussed yet). Very friendly and helpful server. Cocktails were fabulous and we shared the gnocchi, frites and pork belly. All were delicious and reasonably priced. I would have given 5 stars, but the dirty tables along with a dirty, unkept bathroom and loud music lost them a star. I believe they could be understaffed, but either way, those two things aren't acceptable, especially as there were only 2 other people when we got there and only 2 others when we left. Still, highly recommend and will go there again. read more

I went to Ojai for Italian, rain had fallen and locking for comfort food. Sooooo glad I happened on this spot. Little Gem is exactly what it is. Greeted with a warm smile and fantastic tunes, any place you walk in and Pappa Bear & His Cubs are playing? Stay! I had a Mezcal Marg (salt was amazing) The Mussels (yea I found green lips) & Banana Bread (not dense and so light) I will be back, sooner than later! Thank you to the staff and the young lady who waited on me (I think she's the owner) read more

A nice place with great service. Jaime was super outgoing and really made me feel welcome. The food was excellent! The burger I had was top notch! Cooked perfectly and the shoestring fries were excellent as well. I would recommend and come back. read more

Amazing food and super fun atmosphere. Best burger in Ojai!! The manager was super sweet and took awesome care of us. read more

Service was horrible. Every employee was bickering back and forth and the girl in the kitchen with the bandanna rolled her eyes more times than I could count. Heard numerous people complain about the Salmon and it looked horrible. Everything that came out of the kitchen looked like it was leftovers that had been microwaved. I ordered the wings and chopped Greek salad. Neither had flavor, the wings were triple fried and the salad was watery. We left and went to the nest to continue our valentine's day dinner. Great location with very poor execution. read more

So much promise, so little delivery. We arrived and were told it would be a 20 - 30 min wait; no problem! We browsed the nearby shops and waited for a text that never came. After 45 min, we finally went back and checked, and were then told we could be seated on the patio--we were also advised that there was a single server/busser/hostess for the entire restaurant and that service would be very slow. While we sympathize, it would have been nice for her to tell us that when we originally put our name on the list! Had we known, we would have immediately headed elsewhere. That said, we were starving and had a table so we decided to go ahead and order. The wine list needs a lot of help: 1 white wine and 3 reds. Period. The 2 we sampled were mediocre at best. Sadly, this trend continued with the food--super small portions of dishes that had little in common with their descriptions on the menu! A table next to us had the exact same experience with their dishes. Truly bizarre. One dish was missing half the ingredients and the other was crazy salty and sour. Sadly, we will not be back. read more

Food and drinks were terrific. Chill vibe. Server Lulu was awesome. Highly recommend.

My partner and I had a great experience at little gem. Jamie took care of us, she was amazing all around. Drinks were amazing! We will be back for the food. read more

HEAR ME OUT! I want to give small, new businesses a chance. I'm rooting for them! So despite the subpar reviews, we went over here with an open, loving heart. But unfortunately, it was disappointing. We walked in and the staff looked at us like _ . Then we sat down, hella flies buzzing around my shihh. So gross. Glasses were dirty, waitress was a bit snobby. Then, and here's the kicker, we get ready to order (after getting drinks + appetizers) and they decide at that moment to tell us that like half the f*cking menu is sold out? The 2/3 entrees we planned on ordering were gone. So we got the check, and left. read more

Great little gem in Ojai! Nice outdoor seating, terrific gnocchi and warm olives. Definitely recommend

Shows promise with creative menu. But out of salmon and pork belly yesterday about 4:00 for a family pickup dinner. The $19 panzanella salad was small and only 3 pieces of bread. The crispy potatoes were not seasoned and not crispy. Gnocchi had whelming flavor. Bread pudding was average. Too bad it held such promise. read more

The restaurant was severely understaffed during our visit. We waited about 15 minutes without being acknowledged at all, which was frustrating. I work in the restaurant industry myself, so I completely understand how stressful it can be to be busy and short-staffed. That said, maintaining basic customer service such as greeting guests or communicating wait times is still essential. A little acknowledgment goes a long way. read more

My daughter and I were in Ojai to see Chris Isaak - man, did he bring it strong like the old days in San Francisco! - and stopped in Little Gem for dinner before the concert. Everything was fantastic - definitely a vibe inside and out, lovely service, excellent food, decent prices. For having opened only 3 days prior, Little Gem had its s*** tight. Highly recommended amongst all the other worthy options in Ojai. read more

Four of us went for lunch today. We had asparagus with whipped goat cheese and papas for apps. Both delicious! We had the soup, burger , gnocchi and pork belly for our lunch. No complaints, nice portions! The server was very sweet and attentive, I wish I got her name! We asked for extra ketchup and she came back right away. We loved the patio and on a warm day in Ojai it was shady and breezy. A lovely experience. We will be back! read more

We had an enjoyable dinner of gnocchi and a nice-sized martini, the appetizers were all good. Service was very friendly, and the chef even came to talk about her recipe, which was a treat. Looking forward to going back soon. read more

Steak are cold and dry, I asked for medium, but it taste like beyond well done. Btw we waited 50 mins before our first dish. So It might be a good place for cocktails, but not for food read more

Disappointing. Ordered a $17 cocktail and it's garnished with a completely damaged, black mint leaf. REALLY?!!! No depth of flavor in sauteed shrimp appetizer and gnocchi entree. Not simple, but simply dull. Even Trader Joe's frozen meals are better. Won't be back. I call this place Mediterranean Mediocrity. read more

Little Gem - Mediterranean Near Me - Ojai, California

Perfect little spot in ojai, the menu is awesome, so far I have had the gnocchi, garlic shrimp, pork belly, and the olive app. All have been really good and I'm looking forward to trying the rest of the menu.. the steak frites look so good! The staff is awesome and are doing a great job especially considering its a brand new menu ! The staff is super friendly, professional and works together very well. They make you feel at home and welcome. read more

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I ordered the pork belly with chopped asparagus over tahini to go. It was disliked by the whole family. The restaurant looks nice though. The people are nice, too, but the food was so bad that I can still only give 1 star. read more

Great find, tried them for the first time. Great outdoor patio with amazing food. I had the Mussels which were large and in an amazing broth. My wife had the gnocchi's which were perfectly done. I will definitely return read more

What a lovely spot! Beautiful patio, amazing service and damn good food. Whisky sour was a little too acidic for me but that's my fault for ordering it - happy hour great deal! read more

Delicious Chopped Greek salad and wine in a charming outdoor venue. And Jayme gave our table excellent service. Thank you!

Beautiful patio and bar. The margaritas were very good, not too sweet and garnished with a delicious limey salted rim. Rosemary shoestring fries were excellent along with their house made sauces and aiolis. Service was friendly and prompt! Definitely will be back very soon. read more

I love Little Gem's vibe and atmosphere. We popped in here randomly and I'm glad we did. The service was quick and kind. Not to mention some awesome food. We're excited to come back again! read more

Specials were amazing! Ingredients were very fresh. Margaritas aren't too sweet and so delish!