Very nice bar! Had the clams and oysters with a Bloody Mary and beer, bartender was attentive and pricing was on par. Will definitely return. read more

Excellent menu prepared perfectly. Large contemporary, comfortable space. The waitstaff were attentive, and answered all of our questions. Friendly folk. The bar is large and a fu spot of drinks or a meal. read more

Honestly, this place should have a 5 star review, but the horrible service has resulted in this being a 3 star, and if I could give 2.5 star I would because the service was really that bad. I have been here 2 times and both times the food was absolutely phenomenal, some of the best in Gloucester, but the first time the service was below average, and this time it was outright horrible. Firstly, our server Davya, didn't even tell us her name, a bare minimum in food service, how do I know this, I've worked in restaurants for the past 2 years. Secondly, all she did was bring me a lemonade and pack up our food other than taking out order. Her attitude was horrible the entire time and honestly it ruined the entire experience for me. She should've gotten a bare minimum of a $40 tip, we didn't even feel it justified to tip $15, honestly I've gotten better service at McDonald's. I have never tipped this low before, me and my mother both ordered steak, she didn't even bring us steak knives nor clear our dirty plates, the support staff honestly did more for us than the server, this service was horrible and it really makes me think twice about going here again. read more

Food A+ Atmosphere A Cocktails A Gloucester's newest sophisticated restaurant doesn't disappoint. Call ahead if you want a table! read more

After reading through several of the reviews here on Yelp, Chef Maver and his team have taken the feedback from the early opening days to heart as my recent experience sitting at the bar on a recent rainy Sunday afternoon was simply excellent! We had fantastic service, tall drinks, and just perfectly prepared apps and dinner: --the beef tartar is outrageously delicious with an unexpected lime crema --there's a gorgeous and generous hunk of perfectly cooked cod hovering in a surprisingly light coconut curry "stew" --the mussels with crusty bread and buttery broth are fantastic with a tarty, "mineral-ly" white wine, just ask the efficient and gracious servers for their recommendations Save room for dessert, the chocolate checkerboard pie was decadent and although it comes with peanut brittle (my personal favorite) I spoke with the Chef about food allergies (my daughter manages five...). He and his team totally get it and have special cards at the hostess station for guests and servers to fill out to ensure meals are safe and inclusive for everyone dining together. Definitely my new go-to spot on the North Shore. Can't wait for a sunny day to eat the zippy wings with their killer homemade ranch out on the deck and watch the ships come in. Get there before the tourists do! Kudos on a fantastic addition to the Gloucester waterfront. read more

Oak to Ember - Checker board pie with PERFECT peanut brittle and a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream - Seafood Near Me - Gloucester, Massachusetts

Visiting from NC with friends on Cape Ann. Wonderful, authentic and creative menu in a setting without pretense or stuffiness. The Brisket Ragu was superb. Our server, Lyla (sp?), was very attentive and knowledgeable. Highly recommend Oak to Ember. So happy to see Gloucester growing this way. read more

The service has now caught up to the food, and at the moment, I doubt there's a better restaurant in Gloucester OR Rockport than Oak to Ember. Fresh, imaginative, and wonderful cocktails. We ordered a range of apps, seafood, and steak ... all top notch. read more

Great place with delicious food. They were very accommodating for our large party with a little one.

Fantastic! The Farm salad spoke summer: native tomatoes, kernals of fresh local corn and tender arugula in a lite lemony vinaigrette. What could be better, you ask? The halibut entree! Perfectly sauteed (and still moist) flavorful filet topped with a touch of pesto. My wife/date had delicious-looking scallops, but she refused to share, so I can't attest to their taste. She'll have to write her own review. read more

What a treat it was to dine here! First off, it is beautiful and I felt comfortable and welcome. We had the rose, which was exceptional. For starters we had the tuna tar tar, a must try! For my main I had the scallops, that dish was well balanced, filling but still light and just about one of the best things I have ever eaten. Can't wait to go back! What a gem! read more

Really wanted to like this place but the food was just ok. My wife liked her Caesar salad appetizer but the mushroom ricotta bread spread was a real miss for me, it tasted like cream cheese, very odd tasting. And the grilled bread had kind of a fishy taste to it. My steak frites was good but somewhat bland and my wife's pasta brisket dish was really really bland. They should give you salt and pepper on the table if they're going to serve under seasoned dishes. Waitress was very nice and attentive but the food just didn't make me want to return read more

Nice modern interior with a fun vibe but very noisy. Smaller tables (for two) are very close together. My party of six had a nice roomy both with a view of the open kitchen which was fun (the chef at the grilling station was very professional). The noise level made it hard for people at opposite ends of the table to talk. Our server was very friendly and knowledgeable, but stretched way to thin given the tables she was responsible for covering. This resulted in very slow, almost inattentive service. Again, this was a management issue not her fault. The food was excellent, drinks were good. Both expensive for the area. Tourists will carry this restaurant but the price point may be high for the average Gloucester / Cape Ann residents. [Special shout out to a server named Sean. Though he was not assigned to our station, he was very helpful and kind to me. I am slightly disabled and need to use a walker. Sean saw me coming in the front door, assisted me to the table, took care of my walker and at the end of the meal escorted me to the handicapped exit at the rear of the building. All of this without even being asked.] read more

Fun restaurant. Great staff. Delicious food. I got the grilled lobster my first time in... took me back to my childhood when my dad did real clam bakes on the rocks at our beach house; nice smoky grilled flavor in every bite. Next time I had the burger. Yum. read more

A delightful Sunday dinner at Oak & Ember. Our server was professional and friendly, the food was excellent (he had the huge scallops & I had the ragu pasta which would have fed at least two others!). Above all, the restaurant, while bustling, was not loud. We are tired of going out for dinner and being unable to hold a conversation because of the noise and/or loud music. This will definitely be on our "favorites" list! read more

Went in for a cocktail and appetizer and was made to feel unwelcome - so uncomfortable that we left

Service is good food is experimental and cooked marginally at best but the environment is a nice space. Overall an alright experience would not recommend though. read more

Food, drinks, service... it couldn't be better! Great for date night or casual cocktails and an app. This is the best food you'll find in the area hands down. read more

Quality menu with many different options. We tried a couple of different appetizers and entrees at our table. Everything was delicious. Fresh seafood and perfectly grilled meats. Cocktails delicious and wine list a good range of options. Everyone in your party will be pleased. Great location with access to parking and friendly knowledgeable staff. read more

Good food, good ambience... grilled oysters are super tasty... whole crispy rockfish is good but work to eat... overall, worth the time.

We have been to this restaurant many times but tonight everything we got was so bad :( we started with the wings which were overcooked and then got the French onion soup which tasted like dish water.. it had absolutely no flavor at all. I also got the farm salad which was a bowl of wilted arugula with no dressing and huge pieces of tomato tossed in a bowl. It looked like the chefs absolutely gave up.. We also got a burger after the soup and salad because nothing else was eatable and it was raw in the middle (ordered med). I'm not one to leave reviews but this was the most disappointing meal I've had in a long time. No effort or care went into anything we got. read more

I was thoroughly impressed with my experience last night at Oak to Ember. The appetizer Grilled Oysters and Shrimp cocktail were excellent. The The Dino Rib Special was AMAZING and the Burgers was Outstanding. Our server Mike did a great job of making sure our cocktails and belly's were full. I highly recommend a night out at Oak to Ember as the restaurant ambiance is very fun. read more

Went for the second time last night. Food was good, service pleasant with a few glitches quickly remedied, and nice ambience out in the deck. Like many restaurants these days, there's a sense of the rhythm being off - fewer people with many lacking long experience in the industry. Nonetheless, it was a very pleasant evening and, hopefully, with time it will all come together. In the meantime, easy to recommend. One note: the name and some of the other comments suggest the menu is more steak and chop house than it really is. Take a look and a chance on this relatively new venue. read more

The blandest food I've had in a while- this is the first time I've ever sent a meal back in my life. The menu and atmosphere seemed really promising, but all the food was just ingredients thrown on a plate with nothing to tie everything together :( read more

Food was very good, and our server was really sweet but the atmosphere was awful. Drunk people actually screaming at the bar and nothing was done although several disturbances. For the price of the meals I would also expect to be sitting in something that doesn't feel so... Chipotle-esque. Lighting was pretty awful and the seats were cheap. $22 for a burger and fries just isn't worth it to me and we wouldn't return. read more

What a wonderful discovery for lunch on a cold New Years Day! Looking at their special menu that combined lunch and dinner options, we were a little put off by many prices, given the casual pubby feel of the place. But we found several reasonably priced items, which were delivered to the table in no time. Overall, we were delighted with our server and thrilled by every one of our dishes. The smash burgers were outstanding, accompanied by really terrific fries and even a top-notch dill spear. (These people have high standards for everything they serve --No back of the hand on their sides!) We also shared an amazing plate of thinly sliced delicata squash rounds, lightly battered and fried, with a perfect maply dijonnaise dipping sauce. But it was what they call their "smoked tuna melt" that really knocked our booties off! Fresh shredded tuna, expertly smoked, in a garlicky aioli with a nice melty cheese, inside an unusually fluffy hunk of focaccia. All these interesting pieces came together in a sandwich that will make every future tuna melt seem unworthy. We'll be back no matter the cost. Worth...every...penny! read more

Me and my boyfriend LOVEEE Oak to Ember! Since it has opened we've probably been here 8-10 times. We make excuses whenever we can to eat here. I love the half smoked chicken, and he usually gets the steak la grand. We always get the clam chowder before our entrees too. Usually I'm taking home leftovers and chess pie . The cocktails are wonderful, servers and staff have always been friendly and attentive, and I love the layout of the restaurant. Opposing some other reviews, we always make a reservation online and are always sat within 30 seconds of walking in the door. We like the high tops to see the open kitchen and the hostesses are usually accommodating and seat us there unless it's incredibly busy. Favorite restaurant in town :) read more

We had the steak frites which were cooked perfectly, the baked cod which was classic and excellent, and the brisket ragu which was terrific.

We met friends last Saturday night for dinner and the restaurant was full and very welcoming. The staff greeted us with smiles and led us to the table. I got the last piece of the haddock that was fresh off the dock and it was spectacular. The fish had a nice roasted texture that was set on an assortment of roasted vegetables which was unique and delicious. The restaurant is very clean and you can watch the chef prepare the food! When we left we were again greeted with thoughtful well wishes of safe travels. We cannot wait to go back to see what is cooking next! read more

The service at Oak and Ember is poor. Entrees were brought to our table before the appetizers were removed and they weren't our entrees. When ours did come we were told certain ingredients were not available for the dish. That should have been mentioned while ordering. Steak and burgers were both over cooked. I had eaten in this location when it was a brewing company and restaurant. The food was better then and the ambiance, particularly on the deck, has not changed since. A restaurant in this price range needs to be much better. There are plenty of fine restaurants in Gloucester who care more and it shows. I will not eat at Oak and Ember again. read more

I really wanted to like Oak to Ember unfortunately we will not be back. Came as a large party to try and really want to support the new restaurant however the food was just not good. The drinks were subpar, very small wine pour and very expensive for a house glass. I understand this is a smoky feel with char however we got the market steak that was $95 and it came with brocolini and potoatos both were burnt. The steak was not a 24 ounce, maybe if you weighed the big platter it came on. The steak was not juicy and had a dry rub and funky butter sauce to a $95. My sister got the chicken and it was not charred it was black. Again wanted to like but we will not be there again. Its too bad, it has a large neat bar and would like another intown place to grab a glass of wine and a small meal or split apps, but again food was less than middle of the road, and prices are New York City prices. read more

We attended the food and wine pairing. The entire experience was wonderful! The food was fabulous, the pairings of drinks with food were perfect and the service was top notch. We will definitely be going back read more

Went here on Valentine's night for a very nice dinner. Careyann got the Filet . Well let's just say that they gave her a knife..... it was not needed.. fork cut it easily cooked to perfection as was the seasoning. I got the whole Bronzino, something I have never had, it too was fantastic. Drinks were very diverse and well made. The appetizers were fantastic. The staff was very knowledgeable and engaging our waitress was Ila (sp) ?.. she was great. The interior, well let's just say very warm,open,clean and bright, truly unrecognizable from the previous establishment. The bar area looked very nice . Hope to sit there as well. I did not believe that such a large interior was possible in this location. We will most definitely be a frequent visitor to explore the vast menu and looking forward to our next visit read more

Lila was the BEST. And the food was, too! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!! Fish tacos, WOW! Chowder, amazing!

My husband & I have been twice. Tuna Au Poivre and Scallops were amazing. I grew up with a neighbor who was a tuna fisherman and my close friend's dad was a scalloper - we had the freshest seafood you could imagine so I am typically skeptical ordering either when out - but Oak to Ember was INCREDIBLE and cooked to perfection. Our server was wonderful too. MANY Thanks. We will be back. read more

As a frequent diner at Oak to Ember, we always appreciate the attention to detail. The menu is varied with many choices to suit our tastes. We always find it delicious and well prepared. We also appreciate the always friendly service . Today they started brunch so we knew we needed be there and we couldn't have been more pleased. It was a beautiful sunny day and the view off the deck was everything Gloucester. We had the Eggs Benedict and Huevos Rancheros and both were delicious. Oysters and Bloodies made it all perfect. Service, as always was friendly and timely. We will be back! read more

My husband and I enjoyed a wonderful birthday dinner at Oak To Ember tonight. The food, service, and atmosphere were flawless. We shared the grilled oysters, I had the duck confit and my husband had the tuna au poive. The rosemary bread pudding finished our meal perfectly. Thank you to Danielle for excellent service and great recommendations. We were recommending Oak To Ember to our friends before we even stood up from the table. Can't wait to come back! read more

Great menu! Great service! The whipped ricotta... holy moly! The shrimp and grits was a thing of beauty!

One of the best restaurants in the north shore. The vibe and service are excellent. The wood-fire/open flame cooking makes the smokiness of the dishes fantastic. From the apps to the main dish, the food my wife and son had was great. I'm usually not a dessert person, but this is a spot to bring your appetite and save room for dessert. read more

Very disappointed in the newest restaurant in Gloucester. Way overpriced!!!!! The menu offered burgers for $22.00 with American cheese the only option. It came with string fries and if you wanted real fries it was $10 more. Burgers were raw after ordering medium. $15 for a small glass of red wine and $8 for a beer. Dessert was $10 for a passion fruit tart which slid around the plate and had to be held down to break off a piece. Our friends ordered the shrimp and to me their portions were very small. The total bill for us was $90 including tip. Our friends paid substantially more. Wait staff was very attentive and the decor was well done. I'm giving a 2 hoping they can improve as they settle in. There should be recalculation of the prices as well. We will not be going back there anytime soon. read more

Just did not love it here. Food all veered on bbq even when it was far off (ragu pasta). Kale salad was inedible and that says a lot coming from a kale lover. Odd crowd - ranged from folks straight from a boat to dressed up elderly. Didn't give off the higher end vibe we were seeking for our anniversary. read more