Gemma Fish + Oyster

Been driving by Gemma whenever I go thru san Marco. Finally decided to try it. Place is very nice inside. Decided to dine in the rooftop area. Was not too chilly and it isn't like it is open air. Started off with a dozen oysters on the half shell. Part of the happy hour menu. Very good. Then for a main I tried the ember grilled shrimp. The shrimp was grilled to perfection and the grilled bread that came with it was soft and tasty. The butter that was in the bowl was great dipping sauce for the bread. Considering I had 2 small plates I decided to go for dessert. Pineapple rum cake. Decadent. You got to try it. Luke and Maddie were the servers and I didn't have to wait for thing. Tag team for service and did a great job. Glad I went there. Now I need to take friends.

Underwhelmed with both the service and the food here at Gemma. There seemed to be confusion with our reservation. I had to approach the hostess stand to check on our reservation after waiting over 20 minutes after checking in. The gentleman at the stand didn't really acknowledge me nor the situation and passively poked around on his iPad and we were immediately seated thereafter. The highlight of our meal were the raw oysters. They were served with an accompaniment of a house, made chili sauce, mignonette,, and cocktail sauce. Otherwise...Cocktails were a hit or miss. My espresso martini was just okay. The foam was very thin and was not luscious and creamy as it should be and could have benefited from a more vigorous shake. My husband found his old-fashioned to be a little bit too sweet. My dirty martini was good with the Brackish vodka.The roasted oysters were overcooked and the breadcrumb topping was pasty. Entrees were unimpressive, overly salty,and not balanced. The brined pork chop was cooked to a nice medium, but the seasoning that they placed on the exterior was way too salty and unnecessary. My stuffed trout was cooked well,but also overly salty especially with the accompanying sauce. Service was lackluster and added to the overall subpar experience. Attitude of service was aloof and a bit pretentious. My husband ordered the pork chop and when it was brought out, we had to ask for a steak knife. The server just walked away and she walked back slamming the knife down the table. Literally a WTH moment. They had the aura of "We don't really care" which is very unfortunate. There's not enough oversight nor attention to the details here and for the overall expectations of what the dining experience here should be, they really missed the mark. Although I believe the attitude of the service overall reflects that of their management. Very disappointed that I cannot recommend Gemma, especially since they are a sister of Ember and Iron, which provides a vastly different experience.Though it's trendy now, I really hope that they work on improving upon their guests' experience to make it worth a return visit.

I stopped into here a few weeks ago but did not have time to leave a review so here it is finally, short and sweet. Stunning interior space, the delicious offerings, and attentive wait staff. We had fried oysters, seafood crepes, and their angus steak burger. Everything tasted fresh and well seasoned. I forgot to take pictures of the food. Will definitely return next time I am in the San Marcos area.

This spot is gorgeous!Two floors of great atmosphere. We stopped in for a night cap and the staff was more than accommodating for our quick bite and bev.I enjoyed an old fashioned which was prepared perfectly. We also ordered a cheesy and crabby app and the most amazing pineapple rum cake . We took advantage of the roof top seating on a brisk night which would be an amazing date spot!

Gemma is what I would definitely call A GEM. I've been here twice, once for happy hour and once for dinner. I loveeee their happy hour. Their oysters are some of the freshest I've had! The vibes are amazing inside the restaurant and on the rooftop. The servers that I have encountered were wonderful and happy to answer any questions about the menu. Their espresso martini and strawberry basil lemon drop were some of my favorites! The seafood pozole is very flavorful and so are the jerk chicken skewers. Definitely a must try spot for seafood lovers or happy hour goers.

Finally made it to Gemma Fish + Oyster and I will say it was for sure worth the wait but I will not be waiting long till I return. We made a reservation on a Friday night and were seated as soon as we arrived. Gemma is beautiful inside and was decked out for the holidays. They also had an amazing bar. Once seated we got drinks I went with a Dirty Vodka Martini which of course has the option to come with Blue Cheese Stuff Olives. If a bar/restaurant doesn't have them then you are getting a martini from the wrong place. Our drinks were amazing and so was the bartender. He even made sure to come check and see what we though of our drinks. We of course had to order appetizers and we went in on them! Butter Lettuce SaladLobster Tempera Bao BunsTuna PokeStone Crab CocktailOysters too of course! All the appetizers were amazing but my favorite were for sure the oysters. They have a number of options to pick from too. The best oysters I have had in Jacksonville, not even close. They are also making all their own sauces for their oysters as well but they don't really need another since they are so fresh and tasty. You can't go wrong with any of these apps. For my entrée I was having a hard time picking but had to go with the Snapper which is served with Jasmine Rice, Glazed Vegetables, and Thai Red Curry Sauce. Let's face it they had me at Red Curry. The Snapper was cooked perfectly. Crispy on the outside and flaky on the inside, not over cooked at all and was full of flavor. Some of the best Snapper I had ever had. The Thai Red Curry was also full of flavor I could put that sh*t on anything.What an amazing meal and service all around. If you haven't been to Gemma Fish + Oyster run don't walk to them. I know I'll be coming back soon!

There is no greater love than going to a restaurant that is known for their delicious oysters and watching everyone eat oysters while you are unable to eat them. So this is not just a review it love letter to my husband. We went to Gemma on a Friday night and had outstanding service, like truly outstanding! From the bartender to our waiter to the hostess everyone was delightful! The restaurant is so upscale and you can tell they made sure to put extra thought into the fixtures and decor to really elevate the vibe.We were lucky to go with other foodies so for appetizers we ordered the following for the table: Butter lettuce salad Lobster baos Tuna poke Stone crab And various oysters *I cannot speak to the Tuna Poke or the Oysters (they ordered a second round so they must have been wonderful) but everything else was delicious with surprisingly the Butter lettuce being my favorite. For my dinner I ordered the shrimp and grits which was fantastic! The shrimps did have tails so if that is weird for you I would skip it but I do not mind the tails on as long as I can see that the tails are on and I could. The grits were creamy and the sauce was scrumptious. We will definitely be back and hopefully next time I can get some of those tasty looking oysters!

This restaurant is absolutely beautiful! Hosts are friendly upon arrival but I personally hate when places make you have most your party there before sitting even w reservations. Especially when the area has tricky parking. We tried several dishes as you can see. The filet was cooked to perfection! Scallops were buttery and amazing! Pimento was missing something and so was the app special. I know this is an oyster spot but the hamburger dish (not pictured) is an absolute MUST! This burger is fantastic and the truffle fries send it!! Servers were top tier and did not miss a beat. We were celebrating a bday and I loved that they comped bday champagne for the table. Loved our night at Gemma!!

Hubby and I had a great dining experience at Gemma Fish + Oyster. We have wanted to try Gemma for a long time and finally reserved for an early Saturday dinner recently. First impression of the restaurant was great. Given it was still early, the restaurant was not very busy. Several patrons at the bar area and a few tables occupied. A cool chilled atmosphere for a lazy sunny afternoon with the lights shining in from many long window panels as it sets, love it.Our server was very prompt and friendly, describing specials and giving us suggestions. We started with a couple of cocktails (The Florence & The Daisy I believe) and opted for the Spicy Mussels as starter. For dinner, as tempting as the specials, I already had my heart set to try their Hokkaido Scallops, and the hubby picked Lobster Gnocchi.In summary, the drinks were good and the dishes we tried were excellent. The sauce for the mussels was so good that we asked for more bread. Actually, I take that back. This must have happened often enough that our server suggested to bring more bread before we even get to ask. Points on both great food and service.Both the scallops and the gnocchi were excellent. I loved my scallops dish. They were cooked with a nice sear on the outside and 'bounciness' in the middle. The arugula salad (with a little acidity and bitterness) and the potatoes really balanced the dish perfectly for me. I finished everything (hubby helped a little). The lobster gnocchi dish was surprising (in a good way) in that we were both expecting a very luscious, but a bit of heavier dish. It was delicious and surprisingly light. We finished that as well.We had no room for dessert as a result... But everything was just great from the atmosphere, service, to drinks and food. I believe our server's name was Reid (spelling)? Shout out to him for contributing to a wonderful dining experience. Also, it's always nice to have a manager coming around to check on customers. I am so very glad we tried Gemma and will not hesitate to return in the near future.

To bid farewell to 2024 in style, we decided to go all-in on oysters and made a reservation at Gemma's rooftop. Let me just say, the view alone was worth it--who knew oysters came with a side of stunning scenery?This was my first time at Gemma's, and honestly, I might have been converted into an oyster evangelist. My 8-year-old son was my dining partner-in-crime, and we kicked things off with the chili oyster appetizer. He may not know how to tie his shoes properly yet, but the kid sure knows how to appreciate a good oyster.We met up with a friend of mine and her 9-year-old son, who went a different route with the pork sliders as their starter. Classy choice, but clearly they were missing out on the oyster magic. (More for us!)The oysters? Steamed to perfection and downright delicious. My friend then peer-pressured me into trying raw oysters for the first time. I braced myself for a fishy disaster, but to my shock (and mild horror at how many years I'd wasted not eating them), they were fantastic. One raw oyster in and I was already plotting a second round.Naturally, this led to oyster shooters. Multiple rounds. Because nothing says, "Happy New Year," like slurping down oysters with a splash of boozy zing.To wash it all down, we ordered their lemon strawberry margaritas, which were so good I briefly considered writing them a thank-you note.Our waitress Liz was a gem (pun intended) and answered every question we threw at her like a pro. Whether it was about the oysters or how they made those margaritas so addictive, she had us covered.In short, my first trip to Gemma's was a delicious, slightly boozy seafood adventure, and I'm already planning my next visit. If you haven't been, you're seriously missing out. Oysters and rooftop vibes--what more could you ask for?