10/18/09

So much potential.

by applefritter09

The service and ambience really work well at Gemma. The Bowery Hotel is beautiful, and the location is smoking hot. Unfortunately, the food just isn't up to par. Bland flavors that were often too bad to eat. Great people watching spot, perhaps with a drink, but that's all.

• Pros: Ambience, area.
• Cons: Food

10/17/09

OKish Food, beautiful interior

by KLargman

It's a beautiful atmosphere to have a nice dinner with great wine, but if your a true foodie it would be better to just walk down the bowery to DBGB.

• Pros: The decor is simply amazing, great wine
• Cons: Some of the food was boring

10/14/09

Great place for thin crust pizza

by AA3996

This is my go-to spot for when my friends come to town. Delicious food at great prices and great atmosphere. You can't book a table in advance but I have been able to get large groups for dinner in for no hassle. Oh, they also have great Bloody Mary's!

• Pros: Thin Crust Pizza, atmosphere
• Cons: Can't book a table unless you stay at hotel

02/20/09

Huh Citysearch?

by sjpollan

My review has nothing to do with Gemma. I am a frequenter of citysearch, visited the site tonight to check out Gemma bc friends just suggested we go... At first glance, I saw the 4.5 stars (very nice!). Then I saw the break down of ratings, which included 10 one star ratings, and 4 five star ratings and 4 four star ratings. Now, I've certainly had a few glasses wine already tonight, but my basic math instincts tell me that there is something fishy going on here. Cityseach playing favorites much? Or maybe the little man behind the website is enjoying the benefits of kick backs...

01/26/09

Expected the worst, but received very good service.

by misstoki

Went to Gemma's for a birthday dinner. Everyone's order came out pretty tasty and deliciouso. I ordered the scallops with mushroom risotto (can't go wrong). A few of the other orders went with either the salmon, sea bass or pasta, which were all very good. Our waiter would come back to ask for refills and the bus boys were very efficient with clearing our plates for the next dish. The waiter would also come back to let us know that our plates would be out in a few minutes. It took longer than we expected but we had plenty of conversation to keep us distracted.

Prices were average and actually less than what I had expected.

12/09/08

Worst. Service. Ever.

by scottie10014

Went to Gemma and the Bowery Hotel last night with five friends and were treated appallingly for no reason. We were prepared to spend quite a bit of money on wine and received nothing but grief after we asked for a specific bottle of wine in the fireside bar that was only available in Gemma. Apparently good service has been replaced with utter disdain at Gemma and the Bowery Hotel. My friends and I have never ever experienced such abhorrent service, but then I guess that's what you get when the managers of both Gemma and the Bowery's fire side bar are unprofessional egomaniacs. Steer clear of this pretentious hell hole.

• Pros: The exit
• Cons: Service, unprofessional bar managers

12/07/08

DO NOT GO HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by keano16

If I could give it no stars I would. This place was awful. The food was pedestrian. It was worse than what I would have gotten from my local pizza joint. The pasta was not fresh, nor was it cooked well. The steaks were overdone. The service left a lot to be desired. The waitstaff is happy to serve an overpriced, bad bottle of wine but not to come back and refill your glass. A friend couldn't even get a steak knife to cut his pork chop with. The portions are extremely small. I felt ripped off walking out of there. There are so many great places to eat in NYC. This is not one of them.

• Pros: None
• Cons: Too many to mention

12/01/08

DON'T GO!!

by nibbers

one of the worst places I have been to in NYC. Been in the restaurant industry for years and this place is flat out bad. Waiters and Managers walk around with blindfolds on and weren't taught to speak when they were young. There are little twin boy band looking managers that also talk on about a 3rd grade level. Everyone is completely rude, no one knows anything about the food or the wine list. Tried many of the appez. I think I got two thin slices of tuna and a couple beans for about $15. Overpriced, oversalted everywhere. Do yourself a favor and walk right by this place. Can't even express how crappy this place is.

• Pros: nothing, don't go
• Cons: everything

10/27/08

Mediocre brunch, horrible service

by brooklynsloper

While I'm pretty patient with waiters, Gemma really tested my patience. Our waiter spent 15 minutes chatting with some ladies across the way, completely ignoring our table, forgetting to drinks and even bringing the complete wrong dish for one of us. When we were lucky enough to have his attention, he was unfriendly and unhelpful. The brunch was mediocre, the presentation lacking, and many of the dishes came with no sides - no toast, no potatoes, and, of course, no warning from our unhelpful waiter.

• Pros: Ambience, outdoor seating
• Cons: Horrible service, mediocre brucnh food

10/22/08

bad food in a theme park restaurant

by vintage70

I can honestly say that the worst meal I have had in a very long time was at Gemma. When you have a short wine by the glass list-there is no reason that each wine shouldn't be very good. All glasses ordered at my table were not good including 15-18 dollar ones!. From poor wine selections we progressed to bad olives! Next a salad of artichokes and truffle oil that was murky over done and sour. Next course dismal pizza with no flavor at all- no salt in the crust -not fresh ingredients. The service however was very good especially the bus boy.

Gemma is an overdone fake theme park that has more in common with chains restaurants than real Italian ones.