As Carla Hall on the Food Network would say, "Duuuude outstanding"! My husband and I picked up food on the way home to eat in the car (we have dogs) and the food we got was absolutely outstanding and delicious! Oh my gosh! My husband spent six months in Louisiana and he said the food tasted like he was back in Cajun country and boy was he happy! He had the Boudin Sausage and Crayfish Etouffe and I had the House Salad with Blackened Rockfish and the best Beignets I have ever, ever had. I managed to somehow save two but they're sure calling my name right now. If you want some of the best food you'll ever eat and definitely the best Creole food then eat here. It's soooo good! read more

We wanted to try a new place, and this seemed interesting. The ambiance was great, the service was friendly but the food was disappointing. We ordered an adult beverage that was beautiful and tasty. Also a few starters and a few entrees. Pork Cracklins Greens Shrimp and Grits Gumbo Pork cracklins were perfectly crispy. The texture was excellent but they were bland. Had absolutely no flavor. The greens were mostly a bowl of meat. I was most disappointed about it. Excellent flavor, just little to almost no greens. Shrimp and grits were ok. The ratio to tomato sauce and grits was off. The grits were great, wish I had more. But it felt more like a lukewarm shrimp cocktail to me, with how much tomato sauce there was and how shrimp cocktail like the shrimp were. It did not feel like a fresh cooked raw shrimp, it felt like a frozen cooked and defrosted shrimp. I have eaten Shrimp and Grits all across the country. I was pretty bummed about it. Gumbo was bland and lukewarm. I hate leaving poor reviews, and I know they had to have tried hard, but a little improvement might go a long way. read more

I am so glad the Gem is open again. I used to come here all the time back when they first opened years ago. We came for a very early dinner on a Saturday. We were able to get a nice table by the window right away. We started with the fried dill pickles, which were very tasty. The sauce is amazing. My husband ordered the fish po boy with fries. He said both were very good. I ordered the Rockfish Maque Choux. It was served with a piece of cornbread that isn't pictured. The flavor was so good. It wasn't spicy and was perfectly seasoned. The fish portion was a bit small but it was tasty. Our server was pleasant enough. We were in and out pretty quickly since we had things to do. We aren't in McMinnville as often anymore but I am sure we will be back. read more

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Wasn't looking for creole good but saw this place and had to go in. It's pretty inside and has a nice comfortable feel. We ordered the Jambalaya and the creamy pasta with chicken. We also had a couple oysters on the half shell. They came with the best horseradish sauce. Ordered a local IPA and it was delicious. Derick was our server and did a fantastic job. Very friendly and had good suggestions when ordering. Everything about our visit was great. Would love to come have some more delicious food next time we're in town. read more

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Excellent food. After some rather boisterous people cleared out it was a calm relaxing atmosphere. Great place for my wife and I on date night. read more

From Louisiana. Not necessarily authentic, but close enough to be very tasty and enjoyable.

Ambiance is great, drinks were awesome. Food was very salty. I had the gumbo with shrimp and it was like warm. Also my biscuit was so salty I couldn't eat it. Wish they did less salt. read more

"Gem has reopened!!!!" That alone is music to our ears! The owner and her loyal fans demanded that Gem come back, and we are so glad they did. The atmosphere is the same gorgeous, New Orleans-style groovy vibe but spruced up, shiny, and ready for action. We were excited to stop in and immediately sat at our favorite spot at the bar--man, it felt good to be back! The menu looks great and perfectly curated; the owner and chef really nailed putting it together while keeping the dishes authentic. We chose the DRAPER FARMS FRIED CHICKEN SANDWICH (with Mardi Gras slaw, house pickles, rémoulade, and a brioche bun), plus Cajun fries and a side of pimento dip. It was absolutely delicious and so huge we were glad we shared! We loved our visit so much we came back two days later to try their Deviled Eggs and the PIMENTO BURGER. If you love a huge, quality burger, this one's for you! The half-pound Cascade Farm beef was cooked medium-rare (you might clarify how you like it with your server next time, as we weren't asked, but decided the chef must have intended that rare preparation to let the quality meat shine through). We were seriously impressed when the chef came out of the kitchen himself to check how we liked the burger--how often does that happen? Rarely! We are so, so glad our favorite Gem is back open! read more

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Well it was over 10 years ago that I tried this place and the review was not good. Heard it was under new ownership and reopened so I thought we could give it a try. The problems are the same. Slow service. Waited for 35 minutes for our drinks. Went ahead and ordered when those came not knowing when we would see our waitress again. Waited over 25 minutes for the food. Biscuits were over baked, hard and dry. I was told the poor boy and fried chicken was good but I thought my grits had no taste at all. The Cajun fries were bland. They were extremely short staffed during the art festival on Saturday and that's simply a poor management situation. 2 waitresses for the whole restaurant including the outdoor tables. Sorry but I won't be back. read more

So so good. The chicken was absolutely perfect, the slaw had a subtle spice that was complimentary and not overwhelming. Highly recommend and can't wait to return! read more

Gem Creole Saloon - Fried chicken with the coleslaw and a biscuit - Cajun/Creole Near Me - McMinnville, Oregon

As someone whose family is from Louisiana, this was such an incredible meal! They've done creole cooking right! If you go on a rainy day be sure to check out the gumbo! The staff are super friendly and the ambience is great. Thanks for having me! read more

Fantastic! We tried several sharable plates. Fried oysters, boudin sausage, fried pickles, deviled eggs to name a few. Everything was so good. Sabrina was our server and she was wonderful. Food came out fast and was delicious. It's a beautiful restaurant and we just loved the vibe. Definitely one of our new favorites. Cant wait to go back! read more

Nice place. Our waitress was very helpful and friendly. Definitely has the New Orleans vibe. We waited a little long for the food but it was good. We are going to try it out again a time or two to see how their other dishes are. read more

Food was authentic and delish. Jambalaya was very good. Service was great. Ambience is lovely. Will be back!

This place is right downtown so a terrific location. It's got a real New O vibe. The food and drinks really are top notch. We over ordered. It enjoyed all the food we ate. And we felt the prices were very fair for the quality of food The one negative was service Family of 4 and we were there 2.5 hours. Not worth that read more

Oh my goodness! What a wonderful place! My mom was from Louisiana so I was excited to try this place. We went with our daughter and her wife and ordered everything to share. Everything was delicious with my favorite being the okra and shrimp and grits and least favorite being the greens. We all had such a great meal and BTW, the biscuit was unbelievable! read more

Gem Saloon is a rare find! Terrific cocktails, delicious food (try the beignets), and a super friendly staff that greets you with the warmth of a Louisiana sunset. Lyndsi is great. Ask for the French 75! read more

GEM is a FANTASTIC restaurant! Right next door to LaRambla is GEM, their sister restaurant. Their menu, food, beverages and service is all beyond impressive. They stay very true to the authentic recipes of the food they serve. Our waiter Kevin was most attentive and fun to visit with. 5/5 stars! read more

I loved The Gem before, and I love that it's open again! The food is solid, the staff is amazing, and the environment beautifully curated. Best Sazarac in town. read more

Jambalaya I ordered was super undercooked and had no flavour whatsoever, do not recommend. Service was good but we wanted an hour for our food read more

Attended a wedding rehearsal dinner last night! The food was simply delicious! Also, the servers were very gracious and helpful.

Great atmosphere! Good food. And spectacular service. Our bartender, Patience, was the best! It will be a regular stop for us!

Was really excited to hear the Gem reopened. Made a reservation online. When we arrived, there was no reservation. After waiting for 15 minutes to get a table, we ordered cocktails, which took about 20 minutes to arrive -- one at a time every five minutes! We had to ask for a wine bucket and wine glasses for our wine. Three of the entrees arrived, but the fourth somehow fell threw the cracks and took an extra 25 minutes to arrive. We told the waiter that we didn't think we should pay for the late entree'. The manager then came over and essentially never apologized, was combative, and said she would give us one free dessert item. Her tone was not friendly and all she had ro do was comp the meal and we would have been ok. The food ws sort of bland and the rice in the gumbo wasn't cooked through -- surprising since it took 25 minutes to get it. All in all, a disappointing experience. Not sure we'll go back. read more

Lives up to the name...a gem of a place. Good seasoning and dice that creeps up on you. Fried chicken is an excellent portion, boneless thighs and a big biscuit with honey butter. The mac and cheese is creamy and made with cavatappi pasta. The etouffe portion looked small but I am stuffed! It was loaded with crawfish in a tomato cream sauce. Wish they were in Salem. read more

Gem Creole Saloon - The kids meals...ours was already gone. - Cajun/Creole Near Me - McMinnville, Oregon

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A new place for me and they lived to their positive reviews. Had the gumbo with crawfish added. Very delicious although I would have liked more andouille sausage. The beet and spinach Dallas was excellent. The cornbread was quite good,too For dessert: the "biscuit" pudding (that's right, not bread). Different- a little more sauce but perhaps the biscuits would have been too soggy. Made a reservation for two at 6pm and was glad I did. But, by 7 the place was half full. Service was spot on by Madelain. Great smile, too. I want to try the jambalaya on my next visit. (It takes 45 minutes to prepare!) Charming interior but very noisy when crowded. read more

First time and just loved it. Crawfish gumbo was delicious. Hubby and I also shared the crawfish jambalaya. Pretty spicy but really good. Jason was our waiter and bar keep. The hurricanes were Yummy. Great service and food. Loved the Dr. JOHN playing in the background. read more

Gem Creole Saloon - Hurricanes and crawfish gumbo - Cajun/Creole Near Me - McMinnville, Oregon

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Not only is this place fantastic...but it was worth driving to from Beaverton (over an hour) to get there! We had a party of 6 for a birthday gathering and we couldn't have all been more happy with the service and the fantastic food! In our group we got the fried chicken, kids burger/cajun fries (he's a picky eater and not very adventurous), the gumbo with shrimp, shrimp and grits and the etoufee' with shrimp. We also ordered the fried okra, biscuits, oysters on the 1/2 shell, drinks and biscuit pudding (their version of bread pudding)....absolutely UNREAL! Prices were reasonable, portions were large and the flavor....outstanding! Even with a much larger party being served (about 15) the waiter we had served us without appearing stressed and in a very timely manner. Drinks were always topped off and we received exactly the right amount of attention throughout the evening. The place isn't too large so I would suggest making a reservation. Even in the small town of McMinnville it was packed on a Sunday evening. If you are in Salem, Hillsboro, Beaverton, Newberg, Sherwood, Wilsonville, Tigard, Tualatin or even Portland....make the trip! You won't be sorry!!! read more

We come here to eat everytime we visit McMinnville and it's always high-quality and delicious. This time around, I was feeling adventurous and I ordered a Bloody Mary with an undisclosed house topping, Voodoo fries, and Oysters on the half shell. The bloody Mary was absolutely stunning visually, with a whole crawfish and other treats on top. The flavor was also very good, nice and spicy! The Voodoo fries were so yummy and I kind of wish we had ordered a large! Now I know for next time. :) Lastly, the oysters were very fresh and I enjoyed them a lot. I also snagged a few bites of my hubby's shrimp gumbo and that was super yummy too. Thank you for continuing to be the best dining spot in McMinnville! read more

Gem Creole Saloon - Oysters on the half shell - Cajun/Creole Near Me - McMinnville, Oregon

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Made reservations for 7 pm and asked if I could preorder jambalaya so we didn't need to wait 45 minutes. We received a call about 1 hour before asking if we wanted to add anything to our order. I appreciated their call and only had a short wait once we were seated. Great food and a lot of it. This is our 3rd time and we will definitely be back on our next trip. read more

Awesome place great manager and service and food plus amazing drinks and old fashioned read more

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Just like the name, this place is a "gem" in the small town of McMinnville. We only ate the beignets, and they were hot and delicious. The Bloody Mary was a fun surprise (very spicy and not vegetarian!). Fun vibe with unique decor. Great service that was fast and friendly. Reasonable price point as well (at least compared to my home - the Bay Area). read more

Gem Creole Saloon - Delicious fresh hot beignets with thick raspberry jam. So good! - Cajun/Creole Near Me - McMinnville, Oregon

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Fantastic Place! It's been great every time I've been there. The last time it was staffed with one waitress and when we left she had 7 tables. She was doing a great job of managing it all. My hats off to her. This is no place to be if you are trying to be low calorie but worth the splurge. I usually try to save room at the end of the meal for the beignets. They are oh so good. They make several delicious sandwiches and their cajun fries are not to be missed. On this day we stopped in to catch the Oregon State baseball game. Unfortunately, it didn't go our way but we had some delightful eats. This and that: Two televisions in this establishment. One on the wall and one in the bar. They have great music from the south playing throughout the establishment You can enter via the back door from the (2 hr free parking city lot). This takes you through the kitchen area but they do not mind. I will definitely be back! read more

Gotta love the taste of the South in Oregon Wine country. The calamari and shrimp Po Boy was delicious. The Gumbo is also tasty. I will be back to explore the rest of the menu next time hopefully. read more

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This is a hard review for me to write. This is one of my favorite places to eat. Best jambalaya I have ever had. Great fried chicken, great sides. Still has the best creole food I've ever tasted. So what's the catch? Well, the service has always been poor. I've been here since the first week it opened. Many servers, still same problem. They are slow, which in itself is forgivable. But 3/4 of the time they flat out get the order wrong. They will bring the salad out after the entree, appetizers out at the same time as entree, bring you catfish if you order cod etc... This happens every time. Something wrong every time. When I have brought anything up to the server they'll often state "oh sorry the kitchen for it wrong..." and that's that. They will never apologize, offer anything to rectify the situation. So knowing that this is owned by the same owners who run La Rambla, who's service has always been excellent, I can't help but feel Gem gets the "second string" of servers. It's a bummer because I can't in good conscience take friends or family here any more knowing something will go wrong, and it will also take about 40 minutes to get your food. So - please do us a favor and get good servers that at least don't detract from the amazing food, ambiance and setting. Pretty please ? read more

Last night "Date Night" with my Husband. Going to the Gem is such a treat for us, the food, staff & ambience is always a perfect 10. We started with oysters on the half shell & hush puppies both were amazing! He went for the Fried Oyster Po Boy & for the 1st Time ever I ordered the Shrimp & Grits neither disappointed. You can taste the love from the chef with every bite taken. I was so full after I forgot to ask what the chefs flavor of ice cream was, next Time I think I'll order dessert first read more

Gem Creole Saloon - Shrimp & Grits - Cajun/Creole Near Me - McMinnville, Oregon

My sisters and I found this lovely little Creole bar and grill in McMinnville, OR. One of them had never tried Creole food. She had the shrimp gumbo and my other sister ordered the shrimp and grits. I had to try the crawfish etouffee. I had it once in Louisiana and it's tough to find etouffee that good. I have to say Gem gave them a run for their money. We each sampled the others dishes and ordered appetizers beforehand. The maple glazed pork belly with greens was delicious. We also tried the chicken liver pate, very good. We shared an order of beignets with raspberry sauce. Needless to say we all had leftovers. Although I'm no expert on Creole food they definitely have my vote. Last but not least our server Justin was top-notch. He was even kind enough to laugh at a couple of my jokes. read more

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The Gem Creole Saloon. I have so many warm feelings inside when I think of my frequent visits here. When you walk in the door your nostrils will be embraced by the spice of a Cajun eatery. The flat iron grilled steak, covered in what I can only assume is a sauce from heavens kitchen, is crowned by several large prawns. The whole thing nestled in a bed of crunchy fries. Pair it with a delicious glass of Buffalo Trace, and you will think the sweet nectar of an angel's sweat is dancing across your tounge. At 28 dollars this is not only an orgasmic experience, its a great deal. The Crawfish Beignets are a slightly creamy, but very meaty, and herb filled balls like hush puppies, fried in the oil of unicorn tears methinks. Squirt some lemon juice all over the crunchy exterior and smother them in the creamy sauce provided. These will not disappoint. And if Lady Luck casts her loving gaze your way you may even be able to get the lobster beignets if they are in season. Pairs well with an Oregon Pinot Noir. Fried chicken, wings, crawfish, and shrimp dishes are all on the menu. If you visit McMinnville this place should be on your list. Dont forget to order some oysters with a lover. It's sure to make for a passionate night! read more

What a great place! All the food that we ordered was great and fairly priced, and service was quick and attentive without being overbearing. It's basically a hybrid between an elegant sports bar and a cajun restaurant. We had collard greens kimchi, chicken liver paté (with molasses, pickled onions, dijon mustard and croutons), crayfish gumbo and the chèvre mac&cheese. Everything was absolutely delicious and we had leftovers for lunch! Absolutely a must-try if you're in town. read more

I have celebrated Fat Tuesday many times...I have to say for McMinnville, Gem did it right. So far I haven't jumped on the bar to dance but that is not to say that some one won't. The Hurricanes are stupendous, authentic, sweet and tart. An amazing list of signature cocktails to offer. Food was spicy where it needed to be and subdued where appropriate. I was greeted at the door and although they were "slammed", service was friendly and prompt. ...an exciting new addition to 3rd Street. read more

Gem Creole Saloon - Fat Tuesday 2014 at Gem - Cajun/Creole Near Me - McMinnville, Oregon

A great dining option in town. The Grand Saleau burger was huge and amazing with a half-pound grilled burger, pulled pork, fried Swiss, grilled onions, bacon, tomato, and a house-made toasted bun. Be very hungry for this one. The side of Mac and cheese with jalapeño was excellent too. I had a shrimp and rice dinner entree previously which left me still hungry after dinner with only four little shrimp on the plate...with lots of starch on the side it was certainly a money maker for them. $$$. I almost didn't go back. The burger today made up for it. The service was great too. read more

Gem Creole Saloon - The Grand Saleau: be very hungry for this amazing char grilled half-pound burger, with bacon, fried Swiss, pulled pork, etc.! - Cajun/Creole Near Me - McMinnville, Oregon