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    The Gem Saloon

    4.2 (322 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 2:00 AM (Next day)
    Updated over 3 months ago

    The Gem Saloon Photos

    Business Info

    THE GEM SALOON ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Trendy
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - The Gem Saloon

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    Inside and ceiling
    Rebecca M.

    Stopped in for a quick lunch and was surprised by how delicious and reasonably priced the lunch specials were. The double smash burger and fries were perfect. The grilled cheese was very tasty and the spinach was fresh and perfectly seasoned with garlic. The food was better than last time and we will definitely be back. The bar area and restaurant were clean with friendly and efficient staff. A great place to go for lunch or a drink and snacks after work.

    Double cheeseburger with the best hand cut fries in the area
    Keke ..

    Shoutout to Elizabeth who is one of the bartenders there. She is great, efficent and even remembered my order from my previous visit and I haven't been to the bar in months!! She is super kind and friendy and outgoing! Now, the food. This burger was everything I needed. I needed something that would satisfy me and break my 16 hour fast and this was my calling. Crispy, hand cut fries with a side of jalepeño aioli and bbq sauce is all you need! The burger was juicy and very hearty. The place had a great vibey atmosphere. 10/10 would recommend coming here for lunch! $15 lunch specials until 4pm! One of the best deals you can get a cool bar/tavern like this one

    Trixie burger
    Cecilia L.

    Met a friend for lunch here today at 2pm. The place is pretty big between outdoor seating, dining room, bar, and upstairs seating, and it was pretty empty at that hour, so we had no wait to be seated in a booth by the bar. Since we haven't seen each other for a while, it took us a while to look at the menu, but our server was so patient waiting for us to catch up and let her know when we were ready to order. I was impressed by all the vegan items on the menu as well as items that could be made vegan. It makes it easier for a vegan and non-vegan to enjoy a meal when we can both have a delicious filling meal! My friend got the roasted tomato soup, and I got the Trixie Burger with fries. The soup comes in a bowl and is a decent size for a lunch (even though it's on the starter menu). She enjoyed it and said it satisfied her soup craving. The Trixie fell apart as I ate it, but that's a good thing because that's how I know it's housemade! Normally when places have a vegan burger, it's spicy, so I was happy to see it wasn't spicy at all. I loved the flavor of the burger and the fresh greens and cucumber on top was the perfect compliment. The bun was soft and held it's own with the burger being filling. The fries were so crisp and perfectly salted, and the portion was enough for the two of us to share. Our server was great checking in on us and letting us keep chatting throughout the meal and the food was delicious and filling. I would totally come back next time in the area.

    Bellini
    Kim O.

    I'm happy to see there are still reasonably priced restaurants with good service and decent food around. They are becoming increasingly hard to find. Met some friends here for brunch. Their brunch menu is pretty much what you would find at any restaurant that serves brunch (steak and eggs, burgers, pancakes, etc). The only exception is that you get one complimentary drink with your brunch which was nice. I had the Bellini and while it tasted good it didn't have any kick to it. For my entree I had the Whiskey Burger which was delicious and cooked to a perfect medium which is how I like it. The truffle fries that were an extra charge was well worth it because they were delicious! Our waitress was amazing - she was patient as we asked for a million substitutions to our orders and checked on us often. A solid place that I wouldn't mind going back to again.

    Chili Nachos with beautifully melted cheese! Soooo good!
    Ellen F.

    I've been in the neighborhood for a few years now and seem to keep coming back to this place. The food is and has gotten so good! We're talking, best wings in town and epic chili nachos! They let the cheese melt and almost get crispy on the nachos. Like WOW good! The drinks are frigging solid too! I'm a bit of a cocktail snob. I don't drink just anything (I wish I could but as a yout 'quoting great Joe Pesce' I overdid it). I like a good, shaken Vodka Collins. I'm happy to report, my drink is always gooooood! I've tried their pink sangria and it's yum too! The staff is always so kind and friendly. They smile when they come to your table or if you're at the bar, you feel welcome. I love that they seem like my friends rather than staff. I prefer the regular tables over the high top booths. My short legs always fall asleep from dangling or because of where the bench hits the back of my legs. Anyway, yesterday it was raining, they gave us a low top table and had the windows open. It was simply amazing!

    Raj S.

    Great location . Nice ambience . Lots of options to drink and eat ..went for a party here and it happened in top floor . Service was good . Food bites were good . Some of the small bites were average . Some with bruschetta and cheese . Wish there were rest rooms in all floors . Had to go 2 floors down and the restrooms were small .. overall a good experience . 4 stars ..

    Lisa E.

    Absolutely loved Gem Saloon, a huge place with a bar that encircles the middle of the space. So you have the large bar area, small booths, and lots of standing room. Rustic, but neat & chic décor..this was once Rodo Bar which closed mid 2014 , a neighborhood staple for 27 years.! Gem Saloon has been here since 2016, the owners of Phebe's & Penny Farthing.(I'm trying to recall if the space was Bookbinders in the early 80's) The nicest bartenders & staff, our group was able to chat with Joan who is an owner. We were there as a group but the Happy Hour seems extremely generous Mon-Fri. 4-8 pm with a vast selection of wine/bottles/drafts/Seltzers & Cocktails. Additionally, each weekday has it's own drink special. If you have a group, you can plan a great little party and have the area sectioned off & food platters spaced out. The drinks were excellent, made well, in proper glasses, with proper garnishes. I lived in the neighborhood in the mid 1980's and this would have been my go to bar. At that time, there was little around. The Della Rose, Maker's Mark w/ fresh blackberries is a standout. One thing, it is loud ! I'd add some softness to the ceilings to keep it a bit more conversationable.! I look forward to returning sometime soon.

    House-Cut French Fries
    Mandisa N.

    Love this place for their daily drink specials and happy hour. It seems to be popular with the after work crowd and can get pretty busy. The staff I've interacted with have been very friendly. Drinks: I wasn't too big of a fan of their margarita. The espresso martinis and daiquiris are good. Food: The portions of their fries are insane and they are really good! I wish there was a little bit more to the lemon garlic shrimp but I wasn't too mad at it.

    Megana V.

    came here for happy hour and the drinks were 5/5 and food was 3/5. got the aperol spritz for $6 and the hh is from 4-8 which is more generous than most places around the area!! tried the buffalo mac and the nachos. wish the nachos had more topping. buffalo mac was really cheesy but chicken in it was soggy. overall super worth for drinks and will be going back for drinks.

    Chicken sandwich
    Lorrie H.

    Stopped here for lunch recently. Menu had a decent variety to choose from. I ordered the chicken Tuscan salad and my husband ordered the grilled chicken sandwich. Service was good and food came out pretty quickly. The salad was very good. Chicken sandwich was tasty although the slaw on top was a little messy. Overall a good place to stop in and grab a bite to eat

    Gem Classic Nachos

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    3 months ago

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    8 months ago

    Yummy happy hour margs !! Just kinda crowded when we went. Would go back for happy hour for sure

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    2 years ago

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    11 months ago

    Great service and food! The smash burger was perfect and the fries were amazing. Highly recommend going here if you are in the area!!

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    7 months ago

    Always an awesome experience. Servers are super attentive and the food is excellent. Our go to brunch spot.

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    4 months ago

    Grace is chilll and she was a good waitress. This place is a gem. The food is very good.

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    3 years ago

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    Jo B.

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    Page 1 of 9

    The Gem Saloon Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - The Gem Saloon

    Do they serve outside this time of year? (December)

    Yes

    What is their current happy hour and is it only at bar?

    What is their happy hour?

    4-7 half priced drinks

    Do they serve beer towers?

    No the do not

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Great spot to meet friends for brunch or get takeout! Numerous healthy options and delicious…read moredrinks. We got the Banter Bowl, which includes pickled carrot, cabbage, watermelon radish, cucumber, edamame, avocado, quinoa, and miso ponzu dressing. You have a choice of meats, so we chose the grilled chicken. Second, we ordered the falafel bowl that includes three falafels, pickled onions, avocado, cucumber, whipped garlic feta, kale salad, romesco, and Za'atar dressing that had a delicious flavor. However, our ultimate favorite had to be the Thai Crunch Wrap with sweet potato fries. It was fairly busy, and our drinks took a while to come, but the food arrived shortly after. The next time I'm back, I will be sure to reorder the Thai crunch wrap. If you have food allergies, they are extremely accommodating and have numerous vegan/vegetarian/GF.

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    Cask - Bar Front

    Cask

    4.1(1.6k reviews)
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    Wednesday girl dinner is a must try. For $25, you get a martini, salad (Cesar or market), and fries…read more(truffle or regular). I got the market salad with grilled chicken which was very filling and packed with flavor. The grilled chicken was an add on so cost a little bit more than $25 but still an amazing deal. 10/10 recommend!

    Stopped into Cask Bar & Kitchen in Murray Hill for a casual dinner and loved the quirky, cozy vibe;…read moreit kind of feels like having dinner in your grandma's living room (in the best way possible). Think vintage wallpaper, little knick-knacks, and warm lighting. It's got character. I ordered the market salad with mixed greens, honeycrisp apples, goat cheese, candied pecans, and sherry vinaigrette. It was a hearty portion - super fresh and flavorful, and honestly more than I could finish (not a complaint!). I also ordered a Diet Pepsi with grenadine; they don't carry Diet Coke, which I almost docked a point for, but the mix was unexpectedly delicious. Highly recommend it. My date ordered the hanger steak and said it was absolutely amazing. Only hiccup: his first glass of wine he got came out hot... like, microwave-level warm. Fortunately, the server brought a new (cold) one and the rest of the meal was smooth sailing. Service was friendly, the vibe was homey and relaxed, and the food was solid across the board. Would definitely come back, especially for that salad and another round of grenadine magic.

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    4.6(1.1k reviews)
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    We were looking for a place not to far from our hotel to have a couple drinks before we met up…read morefriends and we found this place. The inside looked really nice with some nice pictures on the wall and lots of space for seating. They also have a downstairs that has a bar and plenty of seating. We just ordered a few Aperol Spritz and chilled at the bar. The drinks tasted really good. Hard to mess that up but you never know. They had music playing from something in the background which was really good. The bartenders were alway asking if we needed anything so that was good. We didn't order any food but the plates that we saw looked really good. Definitely a place you need to check out if your looking for a cool spot to drink and get some bites to eat. They also have a good happy hour and from the looks of it a nice brunch with bottomless mimosas. Have to come check out this place if your in town or live near the area.

    My objective was to find a bar for happy hour in Midtown East. In my rarely treading over to the…read moreeast side these days and wanting to avoid Grand Central I searched a little through google maps what was nearby Murray Bro Hill/Kips Bay area and this spot popped up and I remembered wanting to check out their brunch but never did. It's $25 for unlimited drinks plus food by the way. Which is sad is a deal these days. Anyway, their happy hour is solid enough for a Monday and was meeting up with a friend I hadn't seen in over a year. Place is actually very cute. There are no tvs which I appreciate and the paneling of the walls and decor with all the flowers is quite tasteful. Happy hour deals 4-7pm Mon-Fri & all night Thursday apparently: Aperol Spritz $8, Hugo Spritz $9, Paloma $10, Mules $9, Draft Beers (except Guinness) $7, House Wine $9. As well as 2 Appetizer Bites for $19.95. Not the best but not the worst. I'm normally not a Spritz kind of gal. I think watering down prosecco or wine is heinous. But it was a Monday and I didn't exactly feel like powering down into happy hour so Aperol Spritz it was which switched to a Modelo later. It was the perfect drink situation on a god awful hot as hell day. We also ordered the fish tacos and what initially were the curry fries but they brought out the Greek fries. I wasn't mad about it. Honestly was torn between the two and I don't send food back unless something really bad happened. But it was essentially a side of Caesar salad dressing with feta cheese and generous amount of herbs on a very sparse and frugal amount of crispy standard cut fries. Now I know why it's a 2 for $20 deal. The tacos were 3 in an order which I guess is typical. They weren't bad but nothing stood out to me. I'd come for the drinks or try something else on the menu.

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    Sarge’s Delicatessen & Diner - Nicely oiled pastrami sandwich which I probably would have liked the bread lightly toasted for some texture. The meat was flavorful

    Sarge’s Delicatessen & Diner

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    We had one goal this night: a really good pastrami sandwich. After doing some research, we decided…read moreto give Sarge's a try, and it was exactly what we were looking for! We both ordered the Hudson with pastrami and corned beef. The rye bread was SO good, the meat was thinly sliced, the sauerkraut was on point, and the melted Swiss with that little bit of golden toasting made the whole thing even better. It came with French dressing, which was good, but adding some of the mustard from the table really took it up a notch. Service was excellent, and it wasn't overly crowded, ambiance was an old Eastern Europe style deli, which made for a surprisingly relaxed and enjoyable dinner. Pastrami mission accomplished!

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    The Gem Saloon - bars - Updated September 2026

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