Alert: Gary's charges a 3.5% hospitality fee and an 18% auto-tip on everything. They don't trust their customers to tip for good food or service so they decide for you. My wife and I have been there many times, which is why we were there for her birthday with our adult children. But if we can't be trusted not to be deadbeats we won't go back again. Plenty of other options in Lowell. read more

Gary's Restaurant & Bar - The nonsense charges they add to increase their fees. - Dominican Near Me - Lowell, Massachusetts

Parking was on the side of the building, and if they're busy it's sort of hard to find parking. The croquettes are really good, crispy exterior and creamy interior. For the main course I got mofongo with creamy chicken. It was bland and the modongo was hard and dry. The cream sauce reminded me of Alfredo, but it was on the bland side. The chicken within it was dry and tasted like microwaved chicken breast covered in white sauce. Would try something else next time. My fiancé got the ribeye and that was cooked to his liking with good seasoning and very tender. The server was very nice, however very slow. Had to go up to her and flag her down multiple times throughout dinner and especially when we were trying to get the check. I had to keep reminding her because she would come then leave "to get it" but then went behind the bar and was talking to people. Then would come by and ask if we needed anything, and after the fourth time it was very annoying. read more

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This was my second time at Gary's and I'm so glad I came back! The food and drinks were so delicious and worth every penny. All the staff were super helpful and friendly. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Their outside patio is also a super wonderful place when the weather is nice![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I would recommend the ropa vieja croquettes and the crispy pork belly for apps and the churrasco for entree, can't wait to return and try something new! read more

Gary's Restaurant & Bar - Bistec Encebollado and oxtail dish with a side of rice and tostones - Dominican Near Me - Lowell, Massachusetts

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"Amazing food & drinks, friendly staff, [[HIGHLIGHT]]beautiful setting[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]], and a perfectly convenient location!"

This review is based on take-out, not an in-dining experience. I ordered dinner takeout from Gary's and was not sure if because we did takeout the food tasted a little off. We had to reheat the food to enjoy it, but aside from texture (could be because of reheating) the flavors were either very bland, or very salty. Maybe it was an off day for the team, but I was expecting a more flavorful experience, and giving my taste buds something to remember. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We plan on having an in-dining experience, and not giving up on Gary's yet since their vibe looks pretty awesome in the summer.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Open to recommendations on what to dine, and how to dine at Gary's! read more

The restaurant is clean and staff are all wonderful. Food was great and drinks were amazing. We had spicy oxtails, skirt steak with chimmichurri sauce, fried ripe plantains, yucca fries, and a half orde each of steak mofungo and pork belly mofungo. All was delicious. Highly recommend thus restaurant. read more

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Quality of fpod , amazing service and [[HIGHLIGHT]]nice and quiet ambiance[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]], [[HIGHLIGHT]]wonderful to enjoy your dinner[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Good food; pleasant site.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] But billing was exploitative. Gary's charged our party of 4 with an automatic gratuity of a percent that I have been unable to compute since we left in a hurry to a concert. I didn't see this policy on the menu; Garys has not responded to my inquiry. Exploitative. I have complained to the state. We will not return. read more

Excellent ! Service is very good, food portions are large and tasty! vibes are good didn't have to wait for a table on a sat. Around 5 ^_^ Food was so good I didn't have time to take pics they also offer a kids menu which is nice ! My table ordered empanadas, mofongo, and kids chicken finger meal! Everything was delicious. I recommend eating here . read more

Went here cuz we saw it online. Asked around and has been told it was a place to try. So we did ! I called for reservations but didn't need them for our 630 seating time. Maybe later at night you may need them as it got busy with a few large parties. When we arrived a young woman went to seat us. I told her we reserved a table and she looked at me with a smile -but blankly. I think maybe a bit of a language barrier. Someone else came up and sat us. We were sat by the kitchen. Quiet table in the back but I would have preferred another table as folks just kept coming in and out of the kitchen (of course). But it didn't matter honestly. We got two mojitos. Hubby says you must try the jalapeño one if you like things spicy. My regular mojito was the best I've ever had. Yup. Empanadas , the goat dish and see bass rounded out our meal. Empanadas were yummy. Three for an appetizer. Flavorful with a sauce that tastes familiar like Russian dressing. The goat was great. Hubby loves goat and he said it was cooked perfectly and very rich. Bones everywhere though- which I think is a "thing" because every goat meal we have had always is cooked with the bones. It was served in a bowl like stew. I got the sea bass that was stuffed with a crab mixture. I had a choice of what sauce to choose too. I got the coconut sauce ( no pieces of coconut thank goodness cuz I can't have pieces ) which was a light orange sauce that tasted amazing. Only downside ? My fish was swimming in the sauce. Totally distracted from the flavor of the fish. If i has asked gif it on the side ig would have been better just because of the amount of sauce I had. Both meals cane with rice and beans. We were asked to choose our side- but no idea what most were as they weren't in English (our bad for not asking ). Huge side portions. We ended up taking home one side! We'd def go back. Maybe a bit later. Ordering other items as there are so many choices. FYI: They DO charge a fee to use a debit/credit card but offer a discount if you use cash. read more

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We decided to try this place out because my mom being born and raised in Dominican Rep. thats the only food she really enjoys, she loved the food from here. Food and service were great! Would recommend read more

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Food was delicious. Highly recommend. My husband got the Tomahawk steak ( which can feed 3-4 people ) while my order was the Mejillones al Vino. read more

Gary's Restaurant & Bar - Tomahawk steak , Tostones , Mejillones al Vino - Dominican Near Me - Lowell, Massachusetts

Really wanted to like this place but I will not be returning. Food was good. But service was beyond terrible. Forgot to refill our water or bring us boxes to go even though there were no more than 2 other customers at the restaurant. I gave 15% tip but if all they did was bring the food over and couldn't be bothered to bring us a to-go box or fill our water on a hot day (even though we asked), the tip should have been zero. Definitely not an enjoyable experience. Embarrassing level of service. To the owner, this type of poor service is how your establishment will go out of business. read more

Food was great and portion was worth the price. We enjoy almost everything we ordered except the corn. Service was great and everyone was friendly. The dining area was clean, spacious and nice. read more

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Definitely hit up Gary's if you're in or near the Lowell area! The Paella Valenciana and Oxtail Mofongo is a must try, it won't disappoint. Great drinks, food and service! read more

Gary's Restaurant & Bar - Dominican Near Me - Lowell, Massachusetts

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Easygoing atmosphere with a great view from the porch seating. Service was exceptional and even though it was slightly busy, we were taken care of. We especially enjoyed the mofongo and ceviche pescado which were both fresh and comforting! read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Todo es bueno, la comida, el servicio el ambiente.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Es un lugar muy acogedor,muy limpio[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Food delicious everything we ordered was perfect. We will definitely go back. The restaurant has a parking lot that makes it even more convenient. read more

Gary's Restaurant & Bar - a plate of appetizers - Dominican Near Me - Lowell, Massachusetts

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Food and drinks were decent, but prices extremely high for plates that don't come with sides. I ordered oxtail and had to order rice to go with it, which came out to over $36. Yikes! At least include rice, salad and/or maduros for that price. Craziness. Won't be back. read more

Service was outstanding food was authentic and amazing. Had the mofongo which was awesome

I love this place. We come to this place when we wanna have a cute date and have some really good drinks. I personally like to sit outside when I come here. I've also had take out -- pretty good . read more

Gary's Restaurant & Bar - Seafood Mofongo - Dominican Near Me - Lowell, Massachusetts

What a blast! Excellent food. Very accomodating and friendly staff. I set up a surprise bday party here and everyone had a great time!

Great food. Great drinks. Great atmosphere. But, the shady business practice is questionable. The waiter wasn't stopping by our table in a timely fashion (and we had to go because we had tickets to a show), so we got up to leave and I asked to pay the bill. I handed the waiter my credit card and he provide me with the slip to sign. Since I was paying for the table, I asked for a receipt so that I could provide it to everyone else. He printed the receipt and I walked out of the restaurant. Today, upon looking closely at the receipt I noticed that there was a gratuity added (to a table of 4?) and there was a credit card service fee added. I was generous with a $50.00 tip on top of the $250.68 bill, but I didn't realize that they had already charged me a $34.92 tip and a $9.62 fee to use my credit card. You can see in small print at the bottom of the receipt where it provides a cash price. It was NEVER explained to us that a gratuity would automatically be added, nor that a service fee would be added for a credit card. Had we known both of those things we would have adjusted accordingly. Needless to say, this meal was overpaid by $59.62. Again - the food was great, the drinks were great, and the atmosphere was great. But, pay attention to your check to make sure you don't get taken advantage of. Congrats to the waiter for managing to scam us out of an $84.92 tip for a table of 4. read more

Gary's Restaurant & Bar - Pay attention to your check! Gratuity automatically added to a party of 4, and a $9.62 convenience fee to pay with a credit card! - Dominican Near Me - Lowell, Massachusetts

From the food to the drinks & service. Everything at Gary was cooked to perfection. They wasn't cheap with liquor either. I would highly recommend! read more

Gary's Restaurant & Bar - Paella Valenciana - Dominican Near Me - Lowell, Massachusetts

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Horrible no lo recomiendo mal servicio Ordenes un mojito de coco super malo, me lo cambiaron por una margarita de fresa también super mala se lo deje saber al meseros para ver que me recomendaba i me trajo la cuenta. No saben hacer ningún tipo de trago el ambiente malísimos. Aun haci me cobraron. Algo que nisiquiera consume. Horrible I do not recommend it bad service You ordered a very bad coconut mojito, they changed it for a strawberry margarita, also very bad. I let the waiters know to see what he recommended and brought me the bill. They don't know how to make any type of drink, the atmosphere is terrible. They still charged me. Something you don't even consume. read more

Gary's Restaurant & Bar - Strawberry Margarita Very bad - Dominican Near Me - Lowell, Massachusetts

Awesome awesome awesome! My mouth waters just remembering the meal. Atmosphere is terrific- nice surprise as the exterior is low key. Service was very professional and attentive without interrupting our conversation with friends. A gem!! read more

Always great food, excellent drinks and "danceable" music!!! We will travel from NH for authentically amazing food! read more

Gary's Restaurant & Bar - Mofongo and Oxtail - Dominican Near Me - Lowell, Massachusetts

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We searched for a place that serves Paella and Gary's was listed. What a fantastic place!! So glad we drove to have dinner there. The parking lot is minimal, the exterior was not inviting. The food was over the top amazing! We started off with the shrimp ceviche. Wonderful portion with unbelievable flavor. The color and presentation was excellent. I would have preferred it served with plantain chips so next time I will order some. For our main course we had the garlic sea bass. You better like garlic because there is no shortage! Very nice piece of fish and again beautiful presentation. We also tried the seafood paella and it did not disappoint. Excellent portion size and we took enough home for another meal. I had a side order of beans and rice and sweet plantains. I could have drank the gravy from the beans. Hats off to the chef!! read more

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On my first visit with hubby we tried the delicious empanadas filled w beef or chicken. We loved them both as well as the green and pink sauce they came with. My hubby had the goat and I had the oxtail. We also ordered some green fried plantains (tostones). Everything was delicious. What surprised me was the beans ( habichuelas) as I cook them a lot but never got them as flavourful. Really happy with the place. The service was quick, the atmosphere very Caribbean, and the view to the Merrimack river a plus!. To top it all: the Dominican Expresso is the best. I feel I am back home in the Caribbean!! The music was a little too loud for my taste but we are perhaps used a little too much to our Bostonian life. I am glad I followed the advice of other Yelp reviewers. We both think this is going to be one of our new favorite places. read more

Food was OK. Service was great. The girls did a wonderful job [[HIGHLIGHT]]the ambience that's the problem. It is so loud in there. You can't even hear the person across the table.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Our server turn the music down and it was nice for a while and then somebody cranked it right back up.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] It was really awful. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I don't go out just to eat food. I go out to enjoy my friends and if I can't even hear them well I'm not going back.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Had a very good taco Tuesday meal but no hard tacos food was great presentation and tasted yummy too !!! read more

Gary's Restaurant & Bar - Apps - Dominican Near Me - Lowell, Massachusetts

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We went here for a late lunch with another couple. We started with a variety of appetizers, stuffed Mofonguitos were excellent, any of the 4 flavors, ropa vieja was incredible. We also got the Picadera platter, highly recommend to snack and sample a variety of delicious Caribbean/Dominican style treats. Main courses included Pechuga al Maduro, Rabo Encendido, Bistec Encebollado, and Gary's Chofan, which was a mountain of goodness. Service was very good and friendly. Lots of patrons in and out throughout the time we were there. read more

Gary's Restaurant & Bar - Pechuga al Maduro con arroz y gandules (Fried chicken breast, sweet plantains in cheese sauce and a side of rice with pigeon peas) - Dominican Near Me - Lowell, Massachusetts

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Solid spot -good food, drinks and setting . But there price point is a little pricy for what you get .

Margaritas are the best part, especially the coconut one with toasted coconut on the rim. Empanadas and spinach dip are good too. I like the outside deck by the canal too. read more

Guys. This is like... oh god, I'm gonna ruin this for myself. Like, a hidden gem. The food is amazing and the drinks are too. We got, chicharrones, empanadas, churrasco steak, chicken cordon blue, and Gary's Pasta. The winner (not that there was a competition) but, Gary's Pasta. Whatever that sauce is... is magic. Definitely coming again. read more

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Gary's, it's always a treat! It's Dominican food with a flair! Just about anything you get, you really can't go wrong! This restaurant is a staple in my rotation! Services have always been top-notch, and the vibe is always on point . read more

Amazing food and staff. I was glad my boyfriend and I decided to try. Great place definitely will do it again

Amazing service absolutely love it here!! All the people and the food is so amazing. The vibe of the whole restaurant is super cute and I just really enjoyed our whole experience there thank you!! read more

Great quality food but the menu has been the same since we started going about 2-3 years ago, hopefully they can revamp it or add more selections soon so we can continue to go back read more

Nice patio area and a fun Saturday night ambience. Nella, our server was a hoot and made our dining experience fun. Drinks are on the sweeter side and entree portions are generous. Overall, we had a good time and will come back. read more