This restaurant is so phenomenal, I had to circle back & write a new/ recent review. These last two…read morevisits, I ordered the Pan-Seared Salmon Medallions served over garlic grits. I wish I had words to explain just how impressed this meal leaves me. The salmon is perfectly moist but still tender enough to fall apart & melt in your mouth. The grits are the perfect balance of flavor & texture for the salmon. The carrots are also perfectly cooked & bring everything together. Presentation is impeccable. We also ordered the truffle fries & those are great/ a safe kid food. After dinner, my kiddos & I went outside to the fireplace table & I enjoyed some cocktails overlooking the lake while the sun set. Magical location, impressive food, to-die-for ambiance. 10/10 will always come back!

Decent food and good service. We enjoyed our breakfast very much, but dinner was somewhat…read moredisappointing. The canneloni was really good with a yummy tomato sauce, but the salmon medallions were dry and lacking flavor. The salad with tuna was good, but needed more dressing. You can't beat the view though!

I had the fish and chips and they were delicious. The bartender was very friendly and the service…read morewas great!

Fabulous location in the village of Bolton Landing on Lake George. Within walking distance from the…read moreSagamore. Many spirits options - something that will suit everyone. The menu includes many cocktails, wine, and beer. Friendly team that is knowledgeable and experts at what they do. I recommend the smoked old fashion, and bourbon peach smash for cocktails. On the rocks or near, the double barrel bourbon. The espresso martini looked divine as well, but I was there to try their locally distilled products.

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.

My mom and I had high hopes for this being a new go-to spot based on the menu. The space itself is…read moreclean and bright. The velvety couches weren't the most comfortable and felt too far from our table. I ordered the crab cake and my mom got a pasta dish. We started with the bread. The bread was actually extremely thick toast, which had an unpleasant greasy flavor and was very hard. My mom's pasta was overwhelmed with crushed red pepper but had no other flavor. The crab cake was fine, nothing memorable. It unfortunately sat on top of a piece of the greasy toast. The entrees were hot and properly prepared. The bread was removed from our check. We also didn't like that a 2% sustainability fee is added to the check or that there was an option to gift $10 as appreciation for the kitchen staff. The prices for lunch are already on the high side and it just had a weird vibe to have add ons for additional money beyond a tip.

Truly impressed with their mission. The food was amazing! The service was spot on. The ambiance was…read morelaid back. We loved being seated outside along with our newborn and toddler. Very kid friendly...

Great classy spot to stop in for a drink and bar snacks. It has an elegant vibe unique to the…read morevillage. Love the cocktail menu!

Great spot to stay for Winter Carnival. Place was spacious, clean, very convenient location to…read moreeverything. Reid (owner) was on sight. Very friendly, made sure we had everything we needed - we will definitely be back.

Everything was just as excellent as I'd heard it would be. Fabulous cocktail, delicious food, great…read moreservice, perfect ambiance!

This is our third time coming here. Once we arrived the hostess immediately seated us which was…read morevery pleasant. John our waiter was awesome and friendly with a good handle on the menu options. The place has a very active and loud bar where many people eat. I ate the burger which was juicy. My spouse had the halibut prepared with white sauce.

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.

First time going with friends to grab a drink at The Misfit. Truly thought we were stopping for…read moreone nightcap and calling it an evening. Little did I know I'd connect with bartender Michelle and find the best espresso martini I've ever had in Saratoga. Michelle's bartending ability and customer service deserve the full 5/5 rating and immediate visit from anyone reading this. Highly recommend!

Even though it was a quiet Wednesday night, this basement bar still had a really great, welcoming…read moreatmosphere, and its convenient spot right on Caroline Street makes it a place I would definitely visit again.

Came here for drinks after dinner and the vibes were really pleasant - they have a nice outdoor…read morearea and we sat in the seats up the stairs in their little courtyard. We came when it was still relatively empty so there were no issues in getting a table for a large group of us. Drinks were good and reasonably priced - they also came out fast. Overall, I thought this spot was pretty solid. Great spot to chill and just get a drink - thanks, The Night Owl!

Caribbean fare and dance party at The Night Owl in Saratoga…read more Chef Bjorn Burke dishes up Caribbean fare inspired by his Jamaican grandmother's cooking during Caribbean Soul Sundays at The Night Owl in Saratoga Springs. It is an expansion of a menu offered Wednesday to Saturday nights. (Times Union) Every Sunday until Labor Day they will be serving Caribbean dishes. The dishes change every week. This week he had. Curry Goat, smothered pork chops, jerk chicken and fried chicken. Each dish came with peas and rice, Mac and cheese and collards. I got the fried chicken dinner! The chicken was fried well and tender and moist. I'll be back next week and he said he will have ox tails! The meals are served in the outside courtyard with a slamming DJ and an outdoor bar. There is ample free street parking, but also nearby garages and parking lots. The service was terrific and everyone was super friendly! I'll be back!

Good coffee and good fun good....nice old building too!…read more My son and I went in for breakfast one day when we were staying in Lake George....go at least once if you are in the area!

Ashley's Cafe has the BEST chili dogs!…read more If you're a chili dog fan, you NEED to try theirs! They use famous Nathan's Famous hot dogs topped with their homemade chili, and the combination is absolutely delicious. The homemade chili really takes it to the next level--hearty, flavorful, and the perfect topping for that classic Nathan's dog! Definitely one of my favorite things to grab at Ashley's Cafe. If you haven't tried their chili dogs yet, you're seriously missing out!