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    Gem City Grill

    3.3 (107 reviews)
    ModerateBars
    Closed 12:00 pm - 1:00 am (Next day)
    Updated 2 months ago

    Gem City Grill Photos

    Business Info

    GEM CITY GRILL ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Divey
    Casual
    Loud
    Live music

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    Recommended Reviews - Gem City Grill

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    Reviews With Photos

    a dog sitting on a chair
    Tara C.

    Our favorite local bar! Great drinks, super nice and friendly bartenders, and dog friendly.

    Sunday Brunch Menu. The Hot Link Sandwich was shockingly good. The grape jelly through me off, but it was perfect with the salty sausage.
    Christie I.

    I haven't been back to this spot in almost 15 years. When my dad asked me to go for a Sunday Bloody Mary and some football, I tried to think of somewhere else we could go. I am SO GLAD we didn't. This place is drastically different than the dive I'd get my last call cocktail at back in the day. It's much bigger, extremely clean, amazing food and drinks (ice cold beer and the spicy Bloody Mary was top notch) and the staff and owner were soooo pleasant. We can't wait to come back. One of the very few places where your furry friends can join in on the fun.

    Poutine
    Sandra J.

    First time here. Friend mentioned the legendary market grill that closed about 5 years ago is back and located inside this place. They had a weekly special which was the poutine. Since it's the first time here wanted to try everything so went halfsies on everything with friend. Got to try the poutine, Cali dog, and the angry beast. Poutine - first time trying this but seemed to be Canadian origins and basically fried with gravy on top with cheese curds. What's unique are the cheese curds are breaded and fried and the chef mentioned this was intentional to add crunch to it as the fries gets soft due to the gravy. It added a nice texture to it. The star of the show is probably the dark gravy. It had plenty of mushrooms in it so it's not just gravy and had a rustic flavor to it. It's not overly salty or anything. Cali dog - the hot dog is your standard 1/4 all beef hot dog that is like the ones from Costco or sams club food court. It comes on a unique bun but I probably prefer it on Hawaiian bun as it gives it some sweetness. What sets this hotdog apart is the thousand island with chopped pickles and tomatoes. It gave it a nice flavor combination. Angry beast - this I was looking forward too the most. Got it on the bread and was a tad disappointed. It wasn't bad but feel it wasn't packed with the roast beef and the bread was a bit greasy. Service - awesome service! Everyone was a joy to talk to and the chef even came out to talk and make sure everything was good. The moment we sat down we got some complimentary packed Christmas cookies they baked.

    Margie on the rocks

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    4 months ago

    Business owner information

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    Tricia H.

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    4 months ago

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    9 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Mark was fantastic, attentive, and the reason why I'll be coming back. 10/10 service. Please schedule him more.

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    3 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Quite possibly the rudest bartender I've ever met in my life. I would not recommend this bar

    Business owner information

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    Tricia H.

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    1 year ago

    This place is great. My Wife and I have been here a couple times. Kenny always treats us like family. Great bar. We'll keep coming back.

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    1 year ago

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    5 years ago

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    2 years ago

    The music was horrible, and the people started to leave. Ambiance was good until the music started .

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

    First time here. Loved the community feeling. Bartenders were nice, service fast and the drinks CHEAP!!

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    3 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    3 years ago

    I've been to a lot of bars, but this is the first time I get charged $2 per drink for ice! SMH. Last time coming here.

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    2 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Good bar food, nice music, friendly patrons... the bartender was helpful and pleasant... good place to hang out Saturday's night

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    3 years ago

    Good service, good food and ambiance, 4 stars because they took Rock and Roll McDonalds off the jukebox

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    4 years ago

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Gem City Grill

    Are dogs allowed indoors?

    Yes. Friendly, and on leash please

    View All 3 Questions

    Review Highlights - Gem City Grill

    Pauly is the best bartender around, she always greets you with a smile and wants to make your experience there as awesome as possible!

    Mentioned in 4 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    Blush - Long Table Set-Up Rentals Available

    Blush

    4.8(12 reviews)
    1.5 mi

    I had my 50th birthday celebration at Blush and had an amazing time. The venue was super nice and…read morethe decor had my guests loving the atmosphere. The Manager Jin was so accommodating and friendly. His bar staff kept my guests happy and they were very welcoming. I would definitely recommend it and I would host another event there.

    UPDATE. We rescheduled our Vow Renewal from May-Dec, which seemed easy enough to do at first when…read morecommunicating with Chris, who was going to be onsite manager for our event. It proved more difficult when dealing with the owner Scott. I'll start by saying the end result was us rescheduling at the same rate that we booked & our event went well, however it wasn't without hiccups. When rescheduling, we were specifically instructed by Scott to cancel our booking in Peerspace & rebook the new date. That's when issues started. Before cancelling I mentioned how Peerspace won't refund our full amount & Scott replied that whatever isn't refunded will be credited toward the new date. That didn't happen without us constantly reaching out via text, email, & Peerspace. When you request a date on Peerspace it's pending review/approval from Blush, however it charges you immediately. Since we opted for the payment plan that required about half down & remainder later, we were waiting on our refund to book the new date. It never came. When we were finally able to have a phone call with Scott, I couldn't get one word in the entire time he was mansplaining the world of business. He was very patronizing & I swallowed my pride because we just wanted a resolve & to not lose the deposit. I asked very clearly whether he was going to uphold our agreement. He did, but under the condition that we pay the remainder of our balance upfront in good faith to them. We did & that was that. Thereafter, it was back & forth whether Chris would still be working our event which Scott said he was. Chris was the saving grace of Blush in our opinion. Customer service & how you treat people is king, so it put our hearts at ease. But not for long, since it was changed later to Jin. Getting Jin to respond was difficult. We requested a final walk through with our coordinator about a month before our event. Jin told us he wasn't feeling well & wasn't present for most of the walk through. So we asked questions via email instead. I specifically mentioned a clean facility is important to us. The place just wasn't as polished as we first saw it. He was responsive only after I'd send text follow ups. The week of, not at all. I was waiting on confirmation about our drink selection which I never got & we just hoped it would all work out the day of. Day of our coordinator arrived first. The bathrooms were clean but the bar, cocktail tables, mirror hallway, & front door were full of fingerprints and sticky as if not cleaned from a previous event. We were told there would be 2 staff & that they'd be able to help us move cocktail tables. We weren't aware one of those people would be Jin & he wasn't helpful at all. He completely ignored our coordinator & aunt, but jumped to help our DJ with the sound system. We can only conclude it's because our DJ is a man & as a same sex female couple that leaves such a bad taste in our mouths. Our coordinator & aunt ended up cleaning everything with the one rag & spray bottle he gave after we repeated asked. Coordinator, wife, son, & I moved the heavy tables/ottomans. The drinks didn't taste like our selections. But the worst part was that he started charging our guests upon arrival. My wife & I stepped away to change our clothes. We were there 1.5hrs before start time & Jin never approached us or our coordinator for our card. He also had our itinerary ahead of time and met our coordinator. FYI on top of booking fees, you're also required to use their bar service for ALL drinks alcohol/nonalcohol which is included info on Peerspace. We agreed we'd cover the required minimum of $2500 & once we reached that amount it would turn into a cash bar. Our guests approached us confused about the bar so my wife personally went to Jin & asked why people were being charged, to which he responded "I couldn't find you guys." They immediately include their tip, which we weren't aware of, so drinks totaled to about $2100 w/ the remainder being tax/tip. They continuously ran out of cups & had zero cups for the water dispensers. We were refilling used water bottles to give to the kids. My aunt & cousin were busing tables. Bartenders didn't care to stay quiet or hold drink orders during vows. Every video we have of our vows is them shaking drinks & slamming glassware. There were good things too, kinda. It wasn't communicated to us that the front bathroom was for staff only & we had a outfit change planned, so after first saying no, Jin ended up letting my wife & I use the front bathroom. Also him assisting our DJ resulted in the music going well. It's sadly overshadowed by all the other things that needed improvement. It comes down to a lack of customer service & professional decorum, because the venue itself is beautiful. We gave a final 3 STARS because everything came together. Those missing components are just so vital. A work day for them is literally someone else's most important day that they're choosing and paying to celebrate at Blush.

    Photos
    Blush - Tea Party Set-UP

    Tea Party Set-UP

    Blush - Cake Cutting Back Drop

    Cake Cutting Back Drop

    Blush - Delicious

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    Delicious

    The State - Cheese burger

    The State

    4.2(270 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    I visited the State for the first time on 05/01/2026 at lunchtime with a party of three…read more Parking is easy to find, all around Monrovia downtown. The restaurant was kind of empty during our visit today; however, it is a small place -- and it was kind of nice. Every other time I have passed it (usually in the evening) it is packed. So, it was nice to be quiet today. Our service was friendly. I had the spicy chicken sandwich, which is a huge sandwich and it was delicious. It was not really spicy; however, I know -- for the masses. It was still absolutely delicious though. I did upgrade my salad to the side Cesar salad and it also was delicious. Overall, it was a nice win for lunch today. I even was able to wrap up half of my sandwich to bring home later. Dessert -- not this time -- but I'll be back!

    We've been here a few times and really wanted to like this place. The food and drinks feel more…read moreelevated than most spots nearby, and as locals in Monrovia, we were hoping it could become a regular for us. This last visit was frustrating enough that we won't be rushing back. We came in just before 6:00 PM with a babysitter and a limited window. The restaurant wasn't busy, maybe five tables, but service was completely off. Our entrée took about 45 minutes. It was comped, but no one acknowledged the delay. No apology, no explanation, nothing. We also got the wrong side (fries instead of onion rings), and while it was corrected quickly, it added to the overall feeling that no one was really paying attention. The bigger issue was how absent the service felt. Our server never came back for a second round of drinks, and I had to go to the bar myself. When I mentioned it, the response was basically that the server was busy with another table, which felt dismissive given how long we had already been waiting. No one was busy. By the time food arrived, it was around 6:45 PM. The problem wasn't just the wait, it was the lack of communication or basic hospitality the entire time. I actually emailed the restaurant directly after our visit and never heard back, which is disappointing and honestly says a lot. At this point, it's hard not to feel like they just don't really care about the customer experience or about keeping people coming back. It's a shame, because the place has potential, but right now it doesn't feel like it's being taken seriously.

    Photos
    The State - Patio area bar & lower table

    Patio area bar & lower table

    The State - Bruschetta $10

    Bruschetta $10

    The State - Bacon Wrapped Dates $10

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    Bacon Wrapped Dates $10

    Seoul Alley

    Seoul Alley

    4.6(142 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$
    Full bar
    Kitchen open late

    I been on a pocha hunt these past 2 years and I wish Seoul Alley was closer to where I live. It's a…read morecute little restaurant that is set up to ACTUALLY look like an alley way Drinking was a fun time here, especially with that dice-rolling surprise drink for $5 I wished I spammed that more. Our waitress Ashley was friendly and really quick with our food. The rose tteokboki was as delicious as I'd expect tteokboki to be. The spicy squid stir fry was delicious and actually spicy. My brotha only wish there was more squid to veggie ratio. But the real vip was the kimchi, they use the extra fermented punchy napa, I can attack that shit all day long cant believe I forgot to take some home. Hope to be back if I ever find myself in Monrovia again

    3.5 I liked the chicken gizzard with the green onion the…read moremost. I could eat that one all day. For the soondae and chicken feet, i wasnt a fan on the sauce. The soondae itself was good but the sauce made it ok. For the chicken wings, we got alot of drums and not alot of flats, wished it wad the other way because flats are amazing. The lemon pepper was good but some parts felt like it was missing seasoning. The steamed egg had too much cheese on it for me. When my friend ordered it, i didnt realize it has cheese on top. The gelato is not made in house, it was super hard so its better to let it melt a little before biting into it or your teeth will hurt.

    Photos
    Seoul Alley
    Seoul Alley - Pan Tteokbokki $19.95 Rice cake, boiled egg, Korean pork sausage, fish cakes, onions & green onions stir-fried in spicy sauce

    Pan Tteokbokki $19.95 Rice cake, boiled egg, Korean pork sausage, fish cakes, onions & green onions stir-fried in spicy sauce

    Seoul Alley - Pan Tteokbokki

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    Pan Tteokbokki

    Hop Secret - Hoppa Stoppa- Imperial IPA 8% ABV

    Hop Secret

    4.7(134 reviews)
    0.8 mi
    $$

    I found this spot when looking for breweries in the area…read more This spot looks like it's by the metro station. Theres ample parking in the back entrance. Which was the confusing part since there's another entrance. The gps sent me to the back of the brewery lol. Once we entered we realized that lol. The spot is decorated with lots of videogame merch which was aesthetic. The menu includes seltzers, lagers, & ipa. We tried the lager & seltzer which were both 10/10. There's also snacks such as chips/popcorn. What's pretty fun are the TV's mounted at tables where you can play some of the games. Smash bros to Mario cart. They also have sega games which was pretty cool to see. The staff was friendly and open to questions. The day we went was pretty quiet, I'm hoping to visit with a bigger group so we can play some of their game selection.

    Came back here after a few years. Still a great little spot. Every table has a Nintendo or Sega so…read morethere's plenty to do. I do appreciate that you don't have to pay to play the games. It makes the place that much friendlier to be at. Jackie was especially nice. I like that they do the "buy your buddy a beer" and we cashed in on the veterans one. Thanks and cheers to the kind person that bought our drink. Sometimes I like to save it for another veteran but today I was thinking... no you know what.. this one's for me this time. So thank you. Last time I came here, I enjoyed their stout. Today, I enjoyed the El cachorro. Solid Mexican lager. Glad we found our way back here.

    Photos
    Hop Secret - Everlasting Hopstopper - West Coast IPA 6% ABV

    Everlasting Hopstopper - West Coast IPA 6% ABV

    Hop Secret - Tongue Butter Peanut Butter Stout Beer

    Tongue Butter Peanut Butter Stout Beer

    Hop Secret - Pork Soup Dumplings; ordered from XLB Dumpling Bar

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    Pork Soup Dumplings; ordered from XLB Dumpling Bar

    Gem City Grill - bars - Updated May 2026

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