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The Gem
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Music:
- Juke Box
- Best Nights:
- Tue, Wed, Thu
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
18 reviews for The Gem
18 reviews in English
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Review from Valentina A.
Toronto, ON
5/20/2012
I wouldn't go again for the food (had roti, it was fine) but if you're looking for a drink the ambiance is amazing! Great decor and server outfits. Perfect spot for a date or to catch up with a really good friend.
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Review from Emma A.
Toronto, ON
10/15/2011
My local haunt for my entire life - affordable beer (though the owner tends to put weird flavoured beers or PBR on tap a little too often!), the best nachos in Toronto (the bean dip: PERFECTION.), and the coolest vibe. I come here two or three times a week, usually just for a beer or two, to sit with my friends and read all the great things people have left under the glass of the tables. I love the rockabilly vibe, and that it manages to be a total hipster hangout without always being full of hipsters. Eddie (the owner) has great taste in music, so there's always something nice (usually actual records) playing. Just don't touch the jukebox. It's purely for show these days.
Straddles the line between "place to go for a quiet beer" and "place to go to get totally drunk" perfectly. I do both, all the time.
Every once in a while they'll have a new server who doesn't quite get that they don't have to be aloof, or you'll get something not great coming out of the kitchen (the most likely culprit: stale bread on your sandwich), but the great times absolutely make up for it. And hey, if there's something wrong with your food, they're usually more than happy to make the whole thing again for you.
Also: Yelp says it is moderately priced, but that seems a bit unfair - sandwiches and a lot of other food is under 11 bucks - its just the big dishes, the carbonara (which is amazing, by the way), Gembalaya, etc. that are priced a bit higher. -
Review from Matthew S.
Toronto, ON
11/17/2011
Love the vibe and decor and juke box at the Gem and especially love the fact that it's in a neighbourhood generally devoid of good establishments.
But...I have to say that the heavily-tattooed bartender/manager/proprietor has to be one of the most unfriendly service personnel in all of Toronto. He micromanages every aspect of this place like a prison guard. Don't stand next to tables! Don't play too much music on the juke box! Don't dare ask him what the beer selection is. Remember the Soup Nazi on Seinfeld? I think he works at the Gem now.
I wish so badly that this place was more friendly and welcoming. Disappointing. -
Review from Jarvis E.
Toronto, ON
5/26/2011
I was sitting at a coffee shop when a girl said she saw my GEMS videos and told me I should come to check out her place of work...The GEM! :P When I arrived at the neighborhood I didn't expect to find such an amazing place...
The GEM was packed with great people and an amazing super retro colorful design. One of my favorite parts was that they had a book on display called the HOGTOWN Project written by friends of theirs. BTW Hogtown is the nickname for Toronto. This book is full of all the GEMS of Toronto with great photos of all the places you wouldn't know unless you lived here a while. Definitely a GEM :) -
Review from Deborah A.
Toronto, ON
1/31/2011 2 Check-ins Here
First time here and not the last.
I was pleasantly surprised by the Gem, it was not what I was expecting in this area. It seems a little out of place given the neighbourhood, had it been down on Queen St w, it would definitely fit in. It is small inside but comfy and nice and relaxed, could see it being a little tight with a band in here as well!
The service was pleasant not overbearing, always nice.
I ordered a pint of Big Wheel because there really isn't much choice on tap. I've never had this beer before and really enjoyed it, I did notice and was happy to see they had StongBow cider. At least I know if I want a cider I can get one here.
We ordered a small nachos as a snack and they were quite good. I noticed many of the patrons coming and going were ordering a brunch which looked quite good.
I will definitely be back and because it is so close I am able to ride over on the bike. I hope their little patio is open in the summer as it may become a regular spot for a pint. -
Review from Fiona L.
Toronto, ON
12/13/2011
This place has an amazing atmosphere and reasonablely priced drinks and food. It is a prefect watering hole for locals and passerbys however this is one major problem with this place.
The food is terrible. I have eaten there a few times and each time I hope that there will be one dish that is good but it never fails to disappoint. The salad lettuce is soggy as if it was rinced and never dried. The chicken sandwhich is huge, too big and has no flavor not even some kind of mayo on it. The brunch is not good either. The eggs are runny and there just seems to be no care what they make. The roti is bland and the bread whether it is comes with a sandwich, salad or the hummus (why they don't use pita is strange) is always stale.
There are so many great little waterholes or pubs that have the amazing atmosphere that the Gem has BUT have amazing food. The food does not have to be fancy but it has to taste good and be of a certain standard. This place would have gotten five stars if the put more care and heart into the food they serve. -
Review from Benny M.
Vancouver, BC
4/21/2011
Seems like the draught selection changes every time I go to The Gem and one server in particular seems annoyed every time I ask what's on tap.
Still, it's a great place with good, cheap food and great character. It regularly fills up in the evenings. -
Review from Meaghan D.
Ottawa, ON
10/24/2011
Quite possibly the best pulled pork in the city.
Seriously.
And an ENORMOUS portion for the price.
Love the atmosphere, love the food, love the drinks, it's directly across the street from my girlfriend's house... what more could I ask for? -
Review from Tovah F.
Toronto, ON
6/11/2009
I went here the other day to sit on the patio and have some dinner and a couple drinks. So, it is absolutely adorable. I had the new amsterdam beer, I forget what it was called but I didn't even know it existed and it was wonderful!
I also had the veggie burger with chips and dip. I think the idea of having chips and dip was rather fun. I had never seen that before at a restaurant! Then again, maybe I just live under a rock!
The patio was wonderful, it was like sitting in a little garden. Which you were. It's a good sized patio as well, not too small, could probably host a good amount of people outside if you get there early enough!
So overall.. a great patio place, a great jukebox place. Just lovely overall! -
Review from Eric M.
2/24/2010
I lived a block away from this place for a year and walked passed all the time. It was so unassuming and well...closed whenever I walked by so I missed out on it's goodness till a friend of mine asked me to meet her there. Turns out it's a fantastic little spot.
It's small as small can be with a Tex Mex/Rock-a-billy thing going on. All of the tables I looked at had business cards, coasters or fliers jammed between the glass top covering and the actual table. I'm always mesmerized by things like that. Who were these people? Can you still reach them at that number? What drove them to leave their calling card?
Bathrooms are tiny and hidden at the bottom of a thin steep staircase so be careful if you've had a few and succumb to wobbly leg syndrome.
We showed up fairly late so they weren't offering much for food outside of hummus dips and the like, but they were good, cheap and came fast.
Drinks were reasonably priced and they have a fully stocked bar. The bar tenders were friendly and attentive both when ordering and chatting with them on their break.
I haven't been since the summer so it's probably well passed time to go back.Listed in: Get krunk
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Review from enpee e.
Toronto, ON
11/24/2009
With a consistently great laid-back atmosphere, this self proclaimed neighborhood rock' n roll bar has my vote.
My latest visit to The Gem featured an involved run-around: we arrived to a packed pub at about 10 pm on a Friday night. Stranded in the middle of the crowded, small space, we were shortly visited by a friendly and unharried waitress who informed us that she expected two tables to open up soon. At no point was there any pressure to buy drinks while in the cumbersome glory of standing-in-a-crowd, a la some places where the dime maintains 'most important' status*; and so my companion and I waited. When one table came open, a growing party expressed need for additional space, and my companion and I were moved to another table. Later, about half a pitcher through (only Tankhouse and a Stout on tap...and it has happened that there is nothing on tap...), we were asked to move yet again for the still-expanding party.
This seems annoying, but the musical chairs play of the evening just enhanced the experience: the staff were easy, friendly, and confident throughout; they even bought us shots for helping to accommodate the larger group. The expanding group was equally generous and friendly, and our continuous moves led to the kind of funny, friendly interactions, that typify The Gem experience.
In short, the people and atmosphere are cozy and friendly. I have never been disappointed by The Gem.
of note: The Gem also serves decent quality pub fare, as well as daily specials, and has notably served me some particularly delicious French Toast. Mind the autumn wasps.
*with apologies to Insomania -
Review from Noel D.
5/17/2010 12 Check-ins Here
I've always heard of the Gem but never had a chance to check it out. And the crazy thing is that it's right around the corner from where I live, but I never think to go north to Davenport for anything.
Finally checked it out for a bit last night and it didn't look like anything I had pictured. I thought maybe it would be a relatively bland decor but it's very bright and tacky -- in a good way. Lots of rock-a-billy type stuff on the walls and behind the bar. On the tables they have what appears to be lost articles left behind. I saw things like passport photos, student ID cards, personal notes, ticket stubs, etc.
The pint I ordered was warm, so that wasn't very good. Still, knowing this place is so close to my house gives me hope it will slowly become my new local. -
Review from Amer D.
Toronto, ON
6/10/2011 70 Check-ins Here
I'm very happy to have The Gem as my local. The service is good and it's easy to strike up a conversation with anyone sitting at the bar. It's the only game in town on this stretch of Davenport, but the owner and servers still go out of their way to make you feel welcome.
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Review from Rj P.
10/20/2008
The Gem is a small watering-hole/pub in a residential area of Toronto. It primarily serves the locals who live in the area.
The Gem is cozy and warm - even on the coldest winter days; very homey feeling. For me - it is more of a casual drink spot on the odd evening local friends wants to meet up.
I've not had the food - but the daily special always looks intriguing and people are always eating there (so the food must be reasonably good). -
Review from hangover n.
Toronto, ON
8/16/2011
cool bar, cool location. the bartenders are generally unfriendly and inexperienced, but that's pretty much toronto's problemo, not this bar's. otherwise? very cool decor, nice vibe, delightfully removed from the hipster doofus orbit to the south.
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Review from Stu B.
Toronto, ON
3/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great local bar in a neighborhood that could use more places like this. Cold beer, awesome environment, small patio, small inside, decent menu. Pretty low key. Definitely worth repeated visits if you're in the area.
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Review from M. K.
York, ON
3/19/2011
great place to drink. The food is not worth the trip though. So if you're up for a pint and not too particular about the food stuff you put in your mouth with it then it's a grand place to imbibe.
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Review from Chris C.
York, ON
10/20/2008
Toronto's best-worst kept secret. Amazing staff, great atmosphere, and one of the best little patio's secluded amongst the shrubbery and herb gardens as part of the neighbourhood. An eclectic music selection is always on the agenda, with anything from old country, classic funk and R&B, garage rock, punk...or whatever other music might perfectly suit the mood of the evening. The food is always great too, especially Mama Rosa's choked eggs offered up during weekend brunches.
