The Gem was a pleasant find during our stay. We made reservations, which I highly recommend, and…read morechose it for my husband's 50th birthday celebration after another restaurant at the resort had completely missed the occasion the night before. No acknowledgment, candle, or mention of his birthday despite it being noted, so our expectations were modest. From the moment we arrived and were served cucumber water that was VERY refreshing, the Gem delivered a much better experience. The atmosphere was lively and inviting, and our server was friendly, attentive, and genuinely engaged throughout the meal. The cocktail menu was creative and fun. While I felt the pours were a bit shallow for $18-$20 drinks, and the oversized ice cubes seemed to take up a lot of glass real estate, the drinks themselves were well-made and enjoyable. The food was the star of the evening. Everything we ordered was delicious, and it was easily one of our better meals during the trip. When it came time for dessert, we asked if they could add a candle so we could celebrate my husband's birthday. Unfortunately, the dessert station had already closed, leaving bread pudding as the only option available. While that was a bit disappointing, our server went out of their way to make the moment special by bringing over a mini mint cordial. There was still no candle, but the thoughtful gesture was genuinely appreciated and meant far more than a scripted birthday acknowledgement. The Gem struck a great balance between good food, a fun atmosphere, and attentive service. Our only regret is that we didn't have another day to try the outdoor seating area in the back, which looked fantastic. Maybe next time!

Most Americans generally associate slow-cooked, wood-smoked meat with the southern regions of these…read moreUnited States. Finding respectable barbecue in upstate New York requires a slight adjustment of geographic expectations. The Gem, located in Bolton Landing, attempts this feat with a wood-fired smoker and an ambitious cocktail program. My wife ordered the smoked chicken wings and a side salad. The wings possessed a deep smoky flavor and properly rendered skin. The salad performed its minimal duties without incident. My youngest son consumed the kids cheese fries. They were sufficient to satisfy an 11 year old's palate, though underwhelming when subjected to adult inspection. I selected the brisket, which spent hours absorbing hardwood smoke. The flavor was rich and beefy, though the cut was somewhat leaner than I prefer. In my experience, truly magnificent brisket requires a generous layer of rendered fat to achieve complete structural tenderness. This was good, but it was not that. The genuine masterpiece at our table belonged to my oldest son, who ordered the pulled pork. It was moist, tender, and properly seasoned. I found myself eyeing his plate with the quiet envy of a father who made the wrong selection at the counter. To assist with the meat, the establishment places four distinct sauces at every table: Texas Red, Carolina Copper, Georgia Mustard, and Alabama White. Experimenting with all four is an enjoyable exercise in flavor chemistry. The bar produces some of the finest craft cocktails in Bolton Landing, maybe in the entire Lake George region. The drinks are mixed with intelligence and high-quality spirits, which helps soothe the human nervous system after a long day in the sun. The primary defect of The Gem is monetary. Prices in Bolton Landing include an unwritten tax levied on tourists. Other local establishments justify these steep prices by offering a view of Lake George. The Gem sits on Lake Shore Drive, offering a view of asphalt and passing automobiles instead of water. Paying high-end prices for barbecue without a lake view attached makes the final bill a bit harder to digest. Still, the pulled pork and the cocktails were good enough to warrant a return visit. One must simply prepare to surrender a few extra dollars for the privilege.

i've been coming to lake george since i was a child and this was 100% the best food i've had here…read moreand 1000% the best service i've ever had here. servers were amazing and the owner is even better. PLEASE do yourself a favor and stop by

We have been there several times and love everything about it: the staff's attention to details-…read moreand attentiveness- the décor; music choices; meeting the owner, Dave, and the manager, Earl; and of course, the food and wine! Yes, it is more expensive than the other restaurants in Bolton, but please remember, the food is superior, AND they have to get daily fresh seafood and meat to an upstate hamlet.

We had dinner at The Huddle tonight & had a very bad experience. We could have dealt with the lack…read moreof flavor on the garlic Parmesan wings as an appetizer, but 2/4 entrees we ordered came out cold. One entree was the crab cake, which was mostly filler and not crab, and came out so cold it was inedible. The second was the Baja fish tacos, which were cold and chewy (we also ordered them with fries which we never got). When the waiter came to check on how we were doing we let him know we were unhappy and he said he would get a manager, which he never did, and just brought the check. We asked for the manager to come over & he didn't apologize or offer a solution to rectify the situation he just kept saying "I hear you, I understand". Finally, when we asked him what was going to be done about the situation he said "I'll take half off of the bill", so we handed him the credit card with the original bill. He came back, gave us back our card and the new bill. The new bill did not have half taken off, it had half taken off of the two entrees we had an issue with. As we got up, the waiter came running over to say "we didn't run your card that's just the new bill". Overall, the food wasn't good but the service and management is what was worse. The manager was very dismissive and not helpful at all. I would steer clear of this restaurant at all costs !

We stopped at Huddle while spending the day in Bolton Landing. We've been here several times…read morebefore and have always enjoyed it, so maybe today was just an "off" day. We were seated on the covered porch, which was nice, but even in the shade it was pretty warm. It was a busy holiday weekend, so we expected a little extra waiting. Our server took a bit longer than usual to get to us, but once she did, the drinks came out fairly quickly. The food took quite a while, though again, the place was packed, so we understood. The shrimp appetizer was absolutely delicious and definitely the highlight of the meal! The rest of the food was good, but a little more average than we've experienced here before. Overall, Huddle is still a nice spot with a great location, and we'd certainly come back. Holiday weekends are no joke, and it seemed like everyone in Bolton Landing had the same idea we did! Hopefully they'll be able to keep up with the summer crowds a little better next time--and maybe convince Mother Nature to turn down the thermostat, too!

Hands down my favorite bar in Lake George. Yes, it's got the dive bar vibe, but it has everything…read moreyou need and more. Touch tunes, beer pong, pool table, darts, and all around good vibes, we seriously never have a bad time here. If you're here for a bachelor/ette, wedding weeekend, friend reunion, this is the bar to go to. If your in Lake George, I would recommend taking the uber up at least one night to check out Bolton Landing itself, and hit this as your one of your going out spots.

Over the summer I left my sunglasses here and didn't realize until weeks later, so I assumed they…read morewere gone. After giving the owner, Bart, a call, he went above and beyond - cleaning them, putting them in a hard case, and paying to ship them back to me in Massachusetts. He was super helpful and responsive, and the care he showed really reflects how he treats his customers. Great drinks, great vibe, and the TouchTunes playlist is always on point. Always busy on the weekends with people playing beer pong. Lily's is a can't-miss spot if you're in town, and Bart is the man!

Just a shockingly delightful find on the outskirts of the main Lake George Village strip. Who would…read morethink you could turn off the strip, walk up two blocks and find a cozy, wonderfully apportioned Irish-style pub slinging up quality cocktails and nice pints of Guinness in a lovely environment. An oasis in the true sense of the word, you walk in here and enter a specific and unique world in this bar. The bartender made me an absolutely perfect Negroni, and my cousin enjoyed the specialty cocktail from the drink menu. Solid wine and draft options and a quality Guinness pour and, again, immaculate vibes in a classic Irish pub kind of way. As I understand the food situation, they have one house dish for the evening on Sundays, for as long as it is available. I have not experienced it but have heard raves. But that seems secondary and supplemental to the bar experience here.

Came to the Lobby Bar after dinner and it was the perfect place for an after dinner cocktail. It…read morewas our date night, so wanted some place with a nice vibe and good drinks and that's exactly what we found there. Fantastic espresso martinis- great service. We will absolutely be back!

Great customer service, delicious and beautiful food, outstanding views of Mirror Lake. Your…read morepartner will love it!

Ambiance: 1000/10. Top of the Park is an absolute must on any Lake Placid trip. This rooftop tapas…read morebar, perched above Players Sports Bar and Grille, has jaw-dropping views of Mirror Lake. You can choose from bar seating, indoor tables, or outdoor spots with a perfect breeze. There's even a big street-side table that's ideal for bachelorette groups or larger parties. The whole space feels elevated, cozy, and a little magical. Drinks: The cocktail menu is insanely creative and the pours are generous. Their espresso martini is one of my all-time favorites... I stop in for one every single time I'm in Lake Placid. It's that good. Food: I think about this food at least once a week. The menu is built around shareable small plates, making it the perfect pre-dinner cocktail hour spot for your travel crew. Order a couple of drinks and a few bites while you take in the lake views before your dinner reservation. My personal must-orders: the charcuterie board and the mac and cheese. Unreal. Price: It's on the pricier side, but genuinely worth every penny. For the quality, the atmosphere, and those views? Not overpriced at all.

This was the most immaculate burger of my existence. I got the California burger. 10/10 service as…read morewell. Everyone is super sweet and let me keep my outside drink B). Good vibes.

Came in for dinner on a Monday evening, sort of off season. There were only a couple of others in…read morerestaurant, and we were seated promptly. There are dart boards and shuffleboard table, which were not in use. Our server was attentive and friendly, as were other staff we interacted with. Beer menu is extensive as you would imagine from the name, and they also have a separate cocktail menu (but we did try). Food was very good. I had The Cask. As long as you like goat cheese, you should like this sandwich. I loved it. Other meals included the pulled pork sandwich and Reuben. All were good. The order of garlic and rosemary fries are very crispy - good for snack or just pair with some beers. Overall, decent place and service. I would return!

We met friends for dinner at Cleome with very high expectations due to lots of positive chatter…read moreabout it. The bar area and wall garden are extremely cool. It's a fairly small space so definitely make reservations if you're planning on going during busier dinner hours. Service was decent - it was a little confusing and disjointed at times but I chalked that up to some inexperience (the server seemed a bit green) and that it's a fairly new restaurant. We had read somewhere that it was small plates - more like tapas...but then was explained that it's "family style". This is what caused said confusion at the table since "family style" to the four of us meant large, sharable portions. So, we just ordered a bunch of stuff in waves since we didn't really know how much food we were going to need. Some items arrived quickly, others took a very long time. Standout dishes to me were the Brussels sprouts and the apple cobbler dessert (which I just had a little taste of). I found some of the accompanying crackers odd - I think they were Ritz brand or something like that? We did request a few gluten free crackers and were brought a few. The swordfish was on the dry side - that's a tricky protein to get right. The fried chicken was served as cutlets - so some of the items were more difficult to share vs. others. The shrimp salad cups were somewhat unremarkable and a bit too loaded with mayo (in my opinion). The shishito peppers were nice - I think I was the one at the table that enjoyed those the most. We did linger at our table for a long time - a combination of wait times and good conversation with friends. We never felt rushed or pressured to leave (there wasn't a wait or line for tables). All in all, we had a nice time at Cleome and will likely give it another try at some point - now that we know what to expect

Back to Cleome with the family and for dollar oysters which were fantastic. I mean you can't screw…read moreup oysters but they didn't have cocktail sauce. Why? I have no idea. Three entrees: Tried the Lobster Mac and Cheese again and it was MUCH better than previously reported! That was great as was the fried chicken- soooo good. My burger unfortunately didn't arrive until after everyone else at the table was done with their meals. Oh bother.... it tasted meh and it's clear they are using a very low fat ground beef which made the burger more like a tasteless hockey puck. Still, everything else was wonderful and the background music was audible and made the experience even better. The Egg nog cocktail we had at another visit a few days before was delish. Despite my burger, we were please with our experience. I can only hope that they reconsider their low fat ground beef for something a little more tasty and juicy. Recommended.

It was Cinco de Mayo and all the Mexican restaurants were loud and too brightly lit and overflowing…read morewith patrons. We walked past Farmacy's window and one of the chefs gave a friendly wave. We stopped in (had eaten there before) and prepared ourselves for a sure to be delicious meal. They have a fun frequently changing menu of small, medium and large plates so you can choose your own foodie adventure. If you want to sit at the bar you get a great view of the chefs at work preparing your meal. If you want a cozier experience, sit in the comfortable seating in the rear of the restaurant. Our server was very attentive but chill and knowledgeable. We got the Utica greens to share as an appetizer, a cocktail and Mad Max local beer, then a burger with hand cut fries and a chicken stuffed poblano. Dessert was a passion fruit chocolate tart which we took to go. If you're looking for well crafted food with a creative twist, this place is a great choice. North country friendly and approachable with a sophisticated set of offerings. Some really unique cocktails too. Not a boring thing on the menu.

This place is a culinary gem! Fantastic food, both menu choices and quality. The menu changes…read moreevery few days so the culinary delights you'll experience are different every time you visit. Service was very attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable. Taylor was one of the best servers we've had in a long time. Everything is made fresh daily, and if you sit at the Chef's Counter, you'll see it first hand. You'll also get great descriptions of everything from the awesome Chefs and maybe get to try something extra too. I recommend using the reservation system on their website and specify your seating preferences. You can choose from the Chef's Counter, the bar, a high-top table, a low table, or an outdoor table (weather permitting). We also appreciated them asking about food allergies on the reservation system too and they verified it when we arrived. We were so impressed with the unique menu options that are offered in the appetizers, small shareable plates, main courses, desserts, and drinks. We are already planning on coming back Sunday for brunch and know we'll be back again soon for dinner.

Wowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww-This place is FANTASTIC. The most amazing…read morething about this restaurant is that they ran it with 3 servers, a hostess, food runner and a bartender-no one was stressed in the slightest. Timing was perfect, drinks were delicious, food was flawless-a perfect 10. I wish we had longer here because we would go back in a hot second. This is truly a very very special place.

I went here to get away from all the seafood fare of New England, hoping for some good 'ol Italian…read more Well, I did get Italian - kind of. It's very new agey and different for the sake of being different. But, the pasta was delicious and high quality! The place has a major attitude problem, though. The aesthetics are off-putting and attract a crowd of the worst types of people. Had to listen to nothing but whiny spite and anger my entire meal from multiple groups of guests. The waiter was the worst aspect, though. I didn't even know he worked there when he approached me. He was dressed down more than a lot of homeless people I've seen. He also shared that same attitude of the guests and made my business feel like an inconvenience the entire time, having the nerve to expect a tip for bringing my food out to me, which I would have just done myself to avoid him. I can recommend carryout, if you absolutely have to have some pasta in this area, but not eating in, and don't get anything that seems weird on the menu. Location: 3* Convenience: 1* Service: 1* Product/quality: 4* Aesthetics: 1*