I went on the WORST, but most hilarious first date ever. I had the pleasure of meeting my potential suitor at Gemini. Emilio, and Paulie are hospitality angels! When you go in, ask them about the girl "who had the most effed up first date at their bar." I'm sure they would be more than happy to tell you about it. I had the empanadas, and lamb. Both were delicious. Obviously due to aforementioned circumstances, I drank a lot and I mean a lot of some awesome red wine. The service is fantastic, and the decor is very pretty. Thank you Emilio and Paulie; you fellas made my evening! read more

Gemini - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Fantastic - will go again. Waitress was very knowledgeable, drinks were great and the calamari salad was amazing. It is a fairly small menu but we were there for brunch so I'm not sure how the regular dinner menu compares. We enjoyed sitting outside and the weather was perfect, sunny but cool. Cute interior. read more

Gemini - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Just a heads up... Gemini Bistro is NOT the location to hold a break up dinner. It's way too sexy and romantic. Alas, two hearts parted and we enjoyed our final meal here. A lychee martini eased my nerves while I delivered the news. I could have done without the arrogant bastard remarks from my companion, but I held strong. My whitefish was DIVINE. Better than any fish I've ever personally cooked. Delicate hericot verts accompanied the fish. Very simple but well done! My former man friend had the short ribs and actually shared a bite. Those were super tasty and the butternut squash puree was incredible. I am obsessed with all things squash and this was excellent. Had I not been breaking up with someone, we would have pondered the dessert menu. I had it all picked out in my head (CARROT CAKE).... but, you know, lingering uncomfortably with a (now) former fling is never fun. So......next time, Gemini Bistro. You + me + company I actually want to be with + CARROT CAKE = heaven. I'm certain. xoxoxo read more

Gemini Bistro just may be one of my favorite new restaurants. From start to finish, it was a fantastic experience. I met my Yelp partner in crime for one of our regular try-a-new-place evenings out. I had this place bookmarked for awhile now, so off we went. I arrived and was seated at a deuce along the half-wall in the middle of the restaurant. The decor is very sleek and contemporary, with lots of wood. It has an intimate feel and gets a lot of natural light. Keri arrived seconds later and we were greeted by our server and given menus. I had looked at (ok, memorized) the menu ahead of time and I knew I had to try one of their signature cocktails. I ordered "The Squirtsky", which is hard to order with a straight face, and she had a mango mojito. My drink was one of the best cocktails I've ever had. It was Finlandia grapefruit, fresh grapefruit juice, lime and club soda. The garnish was a big, juicy grapefruit segment with sugar on it. I could have drunk several of those babies, but alas, I was driving. We started with a Gemini Bistro Salad for me and a baby beet salad for her. My salad was a fairly traditional Lyonnaise, which is one of my favorite salads, but instead of a poached egg, this one had an egg milanese, which is a lightly breadcrumb-coated and fried until crispy, egg. It was an a great spin on a classic. The salad was divine. For our entrée, we decided (well, I guess I decided for us) to share the roasted whole organic chicken, which comes with a side. Since we couldn't decide on just one, we ordered two sides - the mushroom ragout and the crispy frites. The chicken came out on a platter and I couldn't wait to dive in. The skin was perfectly crispy and the chicken was really juicy, which is not often the case with roasted chicken. It was right up there with some of the best roasted chicken I've ever had. The sides were quite good too, especially the mushrooms. A variety was used - I think there were some oyster and shiitake, and it was cooked in a red-wine reduction. Utterly delicious. Nice crispy fries too. We ate and ate and still had half a chicken left. At first, I thought the $30 price tag for the chicken was steep, but it really would feed 3 people quite easily, especially with the included side. Since I had looked at the menu ahead of time, I saw that there was mushroom risotto and I was eagerly looking forward to trying that, but alas, they had sweet-pea risotto in its stead. Bummer for me, but that just gives me another excuse to go back. Even though we were stuffed, we couldn't resist sharing a dessert and ordered the warm apple crisp. The crisp arrived at the table piping hot, in a mini skillet. It had a small scoop of vanilla bean gelato on top. I could only manage one bite, but what a bite it was. The topping was an oatmeal streusel, which was nice and crumbly. It was sweet, tart, soft, and crumbly. All the major dessert components in one dish. Score! We settled our bill and as I waited in the vestibule for the valet to bring my car, I was reading some of the press articles. The cute chef/owner, Jason, came out and asked me how I liked my meal. We had a nice conversation and I remembered that he was a chef at Wave, in the W Hotel. I had always liked that restaurant and I think he was flattered that I recalled his stint there. I assured him I'd return to GB and gushed about the food some more. This is a solid restaurant from the food, to the service, to the decor. I can't wait to go back. This Gemini gives 4.5 stars for Gemini Bistro. read more

Good food, poor service, horrible management It took more than 15 minutes after our order to get cocktails delivered to our table. Our meals (which were good for all six people in our group) came out in a respectable amount of time, but, again, drinks lagged and our wine selections arrived after many of us had finished our meal. My dessert wine came after my girlfriend and I finished dessert. The check took another 15 minutes and processing payment took another 15 minutes. All in, this was a 2.5 HOUR EXPERIENCE, with nearly an hour due to delays in service HERE IS THE BEST PART THOUGH AND THE REASON FOR WHICH I WILL NEVER RETURN TO GEMINI BISTRO: after my friends and I spent near $500 for the six of us, the hostess came to the table to tell us that "the valet service was severely backed up and that she would process our car receipts right away." Interesting, since none of us drove (we live in the neighborhood). The message was not subtle - despite the fact that one person in the group was finishing a (severely delayed) glass of wine and that we had just given this establishment nearly $500 in revenue, we were being asked to leave. The place was packed and they probably needed the table, but don't rush your clients out of the place when they were not the cause of the lengthy dinner. SO, IF YOU WOULD LIKE A GREAT DINNER IN A NICE ATMOSPHERE, SKIP GEMINI BISTRO. Chicago has hundreds of excellent restaurants, and this is certainly NOT one of them. Good riddance Gemini Bistro, I will not miss you or your horrible service. read more

It's been a while since our evening at Gemini Bistro and I'm still annoyed at how the whole thing went down. We had a pretty early reservation, 5:45 I think it was. Started with cocktails and quickly realized the server was hoping we'd move a little faster. Maybe we should've told her we aren't the snarf our food silently so we can give up the table in 45 minutes kinda people? Not like we're going to linger for hours and hours over only two drinks and a shared salad, we'll order plenty and tip appropriately. She didn't care. The food was fairly good. Although, it was hard to enjoy it when the staff was trying to take the plate away when it was still half full. Had to clear away that plate so they could put an empty bowl in that spot for the mussels that didn't appear until 5-10 minutes later. The being rushed was annoying enough when it was just a feeling in the air. When we both went to the bathroom at the same time (there was a line, I was gone for like 10 minutes, he didn't want to wait for me to get back) and our dessert and drinks *that we hadn't touched* were taken away. Upon realizing we did in fact plan to eat those the staff immediately replaced them and didn't charge us....no wait, that's not what happened, that's what *should have* happened. What actually happened is the manager offered to comp the dessert and drinks for us. Oh how sweet!! You mean you're not going to charge us for the food and drinks we didn't get to eat?!?! That's mighty nice of you. That kind of customer service keeps us coming back! Pffffft! So, we grabbed a cab home, picked up some wine and ice cream from the deli in the lobby of the building and our night got a lot better... read more

Good food and very family friendly atmosphere. Careful where you sit at the bar as baby seats can be placed in the aisle and makes it challenging for the servers and others going to bathroom to NOT bump into you. Other then the constant bumping everything was great. read more

I admit it, I didn't want to like this place. Mostly because it's in my neighborhood and I could never manage to get in. Full on a Tuesday? Really? So frustrating. But still I found it calling my name. So last night they finally had space available and we gave it a shot...and really liked it. The atmosphere is cozy but still lively. We settled into our booth and were greeted right away with bread, water and the offer of cocktails. I wasn't going to drink but that side car sure looked tasty. And it was. A big fat glass of cognac goodness with a sugar rim. Yum. We were in a hurry so we went right to the main course. We decided to split the short rib and the salmon. When I started to dig in to my short rib, I noticed a few thin wafer looking things on top. So I tried one and guess what? It was like the cookie part of an oreo. Who would have ever thought? Genius. It went surprisingly well with the short rib and the butternut squash with cinnamon. Not to mention the truffle potato gratin. Now I'm not usually a fan of sweet and savory together but this really worked. Delicious. The salmon was very good as well. The cabbage and bacon gave it a smoky flavor, although I wish I could have tasted more of the coriander vinaigrette. I love that stuff. Our server was friendly and took good care of us. Oh and I almost forgot to mention their bread, one of the rolls tasted just like my mom's homemade rolls. So good. I'm glad I finally gave it a shot! read more

Could there be a better place for a reunion date with my life twin than Gemini Bistro? Methinks not. This is kismet, people. But enough with the clever repartee, this is a restaurant review. The interior is beautiful and classy without being fussy or snotty. Being restaurant week, we decided on the restaurant week prix fixe menu which is also a regular feature. I also added on the wine pairings because I just can't seem to stop drinking or hemorrhaging money. I started with the mushroom risotto which was amazing, perfectly seasoned, and didn't skimp on the fungi. I also snuck at bite of the winter salad from Paige W's plate and it was lovely. Especially the dried cherries and frisee. My chicken entree was also a win, flavorful and very moist, and the potatoes which accompanied it were as smooth as Casanova. I'd definitely order it again. We both went with the hot apple crisp for dessert which hits the spot during these cold hideous months that I like to call "YUCK" otherwise known as winter. I also really enjoyed the muscato that was paired with the dessert. Only two little complaints: I felt that the service was a little too rushed, maybe because it was a bit crowded for the Restaurant Week special. $12 for a Bailey's and coffee? Egads, people. read more

This is a promising place in a neighborhood that used to be more hopping but has now become rather sleepy and sedate. We had reservations for 4 on their first Friday night in business. The front of the house had their act together and we were seated right away. We split appetizers -- duck nachos and tuna tartare. Both were good, though the duck nachos were better. Entrees were nicely done. I had the crispy-skinned chicken breast, which was served with a demi-glace type sauce that was so delicious that I wouldn't mind taking a bath in it. My boyfriend had the skate wing. He thought it was a bit oily due to the pesto. Our friends enjoyed their entrees. We didn't try dessert as Dairy Queen is a block away... Room is pleasant looking. Got a bit loud but what doesn't? Service was pleasant and efficient. If I lived in this area, I'd be very pleased to hang out here regularly. read more

Been here twice now. Food is good. Try the Mussels and Beef Carpaccio. Our servers have both been awesome. Justin was our server last night and he was hilarious and split up the bill and didn't give us shit for it. One thing that sucked -- they called me to confirm our reservation. I asked if we could add one more person and they were difficult in accommodating it. Adding a chair to a table is not a big deal!!! They tried to get us to move the reservation to an earlier time, I told them to keep it at the time I originally reserved but in order to make that work for them, we had to be out of there by a specific time. A little ridiculous but I obliged. We get there and they said we were late because they moved up my reservation to the earlier time! Didn't listen to me and were kind of pushy about it. Lesson learned-- they are weirdly hardcore about rez times and changing numbers to your party. I'm giving it a 3 because their management and hostesses need to adjust their attitude to get repeat customers. read more

I'm not certain why Gemini Bistro has received such accolades - I found the restaurant to be a huge disappointment. I started with the creamless tomato soup which tasted exactly like Campbell's tomato soup but cost about $7 more. My friend and I then split the spring pea risotto which arrived looking like a large bowl of pea soup and funny enough, tasted that way too! Every now and then I got a few bits of rice on my spoon, but certainly not enough that I would classify the dish as risotto. The swordfish provencal was nothing I couldn't make at home. In fact, I make a dish almost identical to this one - it costs about $20 to feed two people, so I'm not sure where Gemini Bistro gets off charging $26 a plate. The side of mushroom ragout was completely unmemorable. My friend and I were hesitant to order dessert, but truth be told we were still hungry after three courses. We went ahead and ordered the strawberry rhubarb crisp. As we were waiting, I regaled my dining partner with the story of the "high fructose corn syrup" strawberry rhubarb compote I received at Red Rooster, just around the corner, and said that any dessert had to be better than that! I was wrong. The pastry chefs at Red Rooster and Gemini Bistro must be friends, because one bite of the strawberry rhubarb crisp and my friend said, "Tastes like high fructose corn syrup." If that dish doesn't make you sleep like a baby I don't know what will. The decor at Gemini Bistro was nothing spectacular or interesting, and the service was poor. The waiter kept walking away without waiting for us to fully respond to his questions or even ask some of our own. We made reservations but it didn't seem necessary, as there were plenty of open tables should you decide to take a chance on this restaurant. read more

This is going to be a place I look forward to frequenting and watching it grow. The atmosphere is just plain friendly. It feels like a hang out spot for the neighborhood where you can get good drinks and food at a nice price. I started with the Cucumber Northside cocktail and it was outstanding. My wife and I shared an order of the duck confit nachos which were as outstanding as they sound. She ordered the risotto which was too loose for me, but she enjoyed it. I had the braised short ribs which were outstanding. Our server was very knowledgeable and friendly as well. Gemini Bistro is just a fun place you need to check out. read more

There is one apparently vegetarian entree on the menu. It's mushroom risotto, exactly the kind of boring, perfunctory thing they throw together for vegetarians. Except it isn't vegetarian at all because it's made with chicken stock. *eye roll* I feel difficult, given that this is the third review in a row I'm posting because of a lack of vegetarian items. Perhaps it's unrealistic to expect that every non-steakhouse restaurant between Northwestern University and McCormick Place should have something on the menu for vegetarians to eat, aside from a suite of side dishes. Perhaps I'm stuck with a handful of north side thai restaurants that seem used to dealing with these eccentric americans and their fever for death-free dining. I loved the space. I loved the service. I loved the atmosphere. I enjoyed my salad. I enjoyed the mashed potatoes. The spinach and brussels sprouts were too smoky but I suppose people like that sort of thing. It's a great place. It'd be nice if they put something I could eat on the dinner menu. Until then, I look forward to checking out their brunch, which I've been assured is fantastic. read more

We had dinner at Gemini Bistro last Saturday night. We live right around the corner and were excited for the potential of another good restaurant so close by. We were not disappointed. The service was impeccable -- warm and attentive without being overbearing or judgmental. We were "those people" who brought an 11 month old and the staff could not have been more accommodating. I am a cocktail girl and the cocktail menu did not disappoint -- there were several tantalizing options and I loved that some came in two sizes. I like to share food as well, and so the small, medium, large menu fits my tastes perfectly. We started with the tomato soup and beet salad, which complemented each other well. For entrees, we shared the duck confit nachos (different but definitely yummy) and the pork entree, which was tender and juicy. Too full for dessert and the little one was nearing his expiration date, but next time we hope to indulge. We will definitely be back! read more

I eat here about once a week as I live right around the corner. This is honestly one of the best run restaurants I know of, consistently excellent in food, service, and ambiance. The menu could perhaps be changed more often (particularly since I eat at Gemini so often), but every dish is consistently executed. The staff is always friendly and professional, with very low turnover. In addition, they do excellent take out, and the outdoor dining is the best in Lincoln Park. read more

I was hoping for more but everything was fine; not great, not bad, just fine. For what is a severally hyped up place I was expecting more. A severe EH for me... read more

Restaurant Week can sadly bring out the worst in a restaurant. Case in point my recent visit to Gemini Bistro. I had made my reservation for three (me and and 2 foodie friends - including one writer) as soon as the annual RW was announced and we were all looking forward to the visit after some great reviews. When I arrived for our 7 pm reservation it was packed. This isn't a huge space either; there wasn't anywhere to stand at the bar in the back so guests were milling around near the host stand which coincidentally is also the coat check. For the course of our dinner there were various dining faux pas that occurred. Based on the professional (Tribune) and Yelp reviews though I am hoping that this was an off night and just occurred for RW. The worst was a bus boy who continually tried to clear our table...as we were still eating. My friend had mussels (off the regular menu) and she had eaten not two when the busser tried to take her bowl. Obviously the restaurant was more concerned about turning the table than our dining experience. Sigh. There were some dining highlights including the delicious mushroom risotto and a very good winter salad. Those mentioned mussels were tasty but I definitely could have done without the coin size bites of chorizo they were cooked with. I ordered the chicken entree which was good but seemed like it was missing something. One friend ordered the steak & frites which were tasty but they were definitely fries not frites. The creme brulee was a solid "good". I haven't decided if I'll give Gemini a second shot yet. I was so frustrated with the level of service that our table was provided from the start. read more

I'd been meaning to stop by Gemini Bistro for a long time, and Savored.com finally gave me a reason, 30% off the whole bill! Gemini is a very 'neighborhoody' spot. They even had a kid's menu (which worried me, because I like to eat sans poopy diapers and loud screams. However, I found that neither of these disturbed my experience because they were non-existent! A break down of the menu: They had good enough beer, expensive wine, a kid's menu, and a wide variety of entree options for me and the boo to choose from. Sold. I started with the gaspacho--uh yesss, how can you resist this menu option in the summer?! They also had summer corn soup and a baby beet salad that caught my eye. Their "medium" section included: raviolis, crabcakes, risottos, and mussels. Oh yea, we got the MMMussels. The crunchy bread that came with them and the regular ole bread on the table were both delightful. I had to push it away (but not before I gave the bread a few dunks in the mussel marinade). Their "large" plates consisted of: steak frites, duck, chicken breast, salmon, and lamp chops. We decided to split the chicken breast and got a side of the brussel sprouts that were a good size, I would highly recommend them. The desserts ranged from $9-$14 but we did not indulge. I might come back here again because nothing was bad about it. I'm sure if I lived in a closing walking distance, I would become a regular, and even take my parents here. read more

I came here two Saturday nights ago, the night that my fiance proposed...and this place really added to delight of the evening. I may be a bit biased on the service, as our waiter, Zac, is a very good friend. However, his service has always been impecable, and everyone at the table agreed. He's attentive, knowledgeable, and funny...again, not that I'm biased! But I digress...we got here around 8p after the question was popped. While sitting at the bar waiting for our table, the bartender made us two awesome shots as a congratulations on the house. Everyone was so friendly. We sat at a table for 6 in the back part of the room. The ambiance was great- busy and chic without being uppitty or pretentious. We ordered a crab cake to share, and it was honestly one of the best crab cakes I've ever had. There was WAY more crab to filler, it was delicious. My fiance and I shared the steak, which was definitely large enough to share without being over the top large. The mashed potatoes we had with it were delicious too- we both wished there were more than just the little side. Everyone at the table loved what they received, including tuna tartare, scallops, and veal (although we thought the veal was a tad small on the portion size). The big highlight was the cookie skillet Zac brought us for dessert. It was insanely good. Without a doubt, I would go back for a special occassion (it's a tad on the pricey side)...I'd even go there just for the crab cake and skillet cookie...and of course, the awesome service by Zac!!! read more

This place is a solid four stars. So you're driving on Lincoln Ave, and....wait...that's not a Countrywide Mortgage office anymore, that's a new restaurant.! So we go in. An earlier review said that walking into Gemeni Bistro is like walking into a Banana Republic. Truer words were never spoken. But you forget about that, because people are SO incredibly nice to you. A host and a hostess greeted us right away, and told us they would come get us at the bar. It was a Tuesday night, and it was surprisingly packed. What recession? One Whisky Sour and one Squirtsky later (my lady approved of her drink), we were escorted to our table. Top notch service. They split their menu into "small" (individual sized things like soups or salads), "medium" (apps), and "large" (entrees). We wanted to try a bunch of stuff, so we decided to forgo entrees, and stick with "small" and "large" menu items. We both had the winter salad, which was comprised of dried cherries, walnuts, and copious amounts of addictive narcotics. That last ingredient is a guess, because I couldn't get enough of what seemed like just a nice salad. For the next round, we shared PEI mussels, "Bacon & Eggs", and blanched brussel sprouts sauteed in white wine. A few things: - "Bacon & Eggs" reminded me of something that that guy "Kevin" from "Top Chef" would have cooked if it were a breakfast quickfire challenge. Braised pork belly, quail egg, pancake and cherry syrup. As good as it sounds. - PEI Mussels: good. Not great, but good PEI mussels. - Blanched brussel sprouts: The chef here needs to talk with my mom and walk her through how he cooks brussel sprouts. Good stuff. Sorry, Mom. Dessert: we ordered "Cagney's Warm Skillet Sunday". The full name of this dessert item is "Cagney's Warm Skillet Sunday That You Don't Care Who Judges You For Eating Because It's Awesome". 8" Skillet + cookie on the bottom + ice cream on top = screw you for judging me, this is awesome Our waiter was extremely knowlegeable, really friendly, and very funny. At the end of the meal, he asked for our valet ticket so they could have our car waiting and warmed up for us when we left. The only reason I am not giving this place a five is because (going back to the Top Chef analogy), the menu overall is like the stuff the contestants invent mid-season on "Top Chef". During the middle of the season on "Top Chef", everyone is doing "familiar with a twist", but standing out with new ideas is a risk. The food at Gemini Bistro is good, solid food, that is something you recognize, but with a small twist. I think the menu needs some more adventure to it. I also think that they are capable of doing this. Maybe it is their strategy to play it safe right now, since it's a recession, and much like "Top Chef", why experiment dangerously at this early stage? I understand if that's the case. This is a good solid restaurant. I would (and will) go back. I think over time they will potentially become a really good restaurant. They just need to create a few rotating items that really blow you away. They also need to stock Matilda beer, but that's just me. read more

I went to brunch with some friends, and we were placed at their outdoor seating, which is absolutely beautiful might I add (sits right on Lincoln/Dickens/Cleveland)! I had a delicious crab cake and mimosas, my friends had egg sandwiches or a burger with truffle fries. The service, food, atmosphere- all perfect. This is now one of my new favorite spots to go for Brunch. :) read more

Gemini - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I was looking forward to eating here for the longest, and was disappointed mainly by the lack of service. We had to ask for bread & butter, ask for sharing plates twice (and the busboy never came back with them), and the wait staff just seemed absent. jumbo lump crab cake - ok sweet pea risotto - good beef carpaccio - ok gemini burger - good white fish - good but too sour with lemon butter sauce I also was disappointed that the restaurant only offer prix fixe from 5-6:30 daily. We were really looking forward to it. read more

Went over for dinner tonight for my sisters bday. We had an amazing experience. My favorites were the scallop appetizer and the apple pie. Our server was super friendly and the support staff were on point. Food didn't take long to come out and the restaurant isn't too loud I will definitely be back! read more

Gemini Bistro is about as cute as it gets. The building itself is very unique and the corner location provides great views to the outside where they have hung blue holiday lights along the windows. The place was very lively on a Friday night but the seating arrangement in the restaurant allows you to have a very intimate dinner here without feeling like you are too close to the next table. Great decor with exposed bulbs, dark furniture and roomy booths. Would be a perfect choice for a date and for friends and family. Service was outstanding! From the valet to the host to the bus boys to the server - everyone made sure we were taken care of. Our server gave us great suggestions and had our table prepped with extra plates/appropriate utensils before each plate came out. Water was always full...it's the little things that make me happy! The food was excellent. Although we were there during restaurant week, we opted to order off the regular menu because there were so many items we wanted to try! We ordered the following: SMALL baby beet salad --- love the idea of this dish but i felt this fell short for me. the truffle vinaigrette was a bit overpowering for the beets. soup du jour --- it was potato leek and was very creamy...you could taste the butter but I would have liked to taste more of the leeks. MEDIUM short rib ravioli --- tasty short rib in ravioli...how could you go wrong with this dish? Tomato marmalade was unique and a fresh spin on the otherwise average tomato sauce. mushroom risotto --- also a good dish, a little too much truffle oil for my taste. LARGE swordfish provencal --- we managed to get the last one of the night and we were glad we did! A great portion size and the swordfish was tender and hearty. The roma tomatoes, olives and capers were a great complement to the fish. Best dish of the night. grilled lamb chops --- a great dish. The meat was flavorful by itself but the spinach and feta pie really made it special. It was a surprisingly perfect addition to the chops. Also a great portion of food...I suppose that is why they call these dishes large : ) Great for sharing! DESSERT spiced carrot cake - hmmm, they had me until the dessert. The carrot cake had potential but it was cold - like they just took it out of the fridge cold so it wasn't as enjoyable as it should have been. The raisins that garnish the plate were stuck together and the frosting would have tasted much better at room temperature. It was a lighter version than the usual rich carrot cake. Overall it was a very enjoyable evening. I highly recommend this restaurant! read more

If you walk past Gemini Bistro while strolling down this stretch of Lincoln Avenue, you might wonder "What's a nice place like this doing on Sports-bar Boulevard?". For a long time I've considered Lincoln south of Fullerton to be pretty much a culinary dead zone, but decided to give this place a try after seeing it written up in Time Out Chicago. Gemini's dinner menu is split up into S, M, L, and XL choices, which I suppose is nice when it comes to portion control and sharing. We tried the Bistro Salad (good) and Duck Confit Nachos (really really good, though I was wishing that the topping-to-chip ratio had been a bit more substantial). Then we went for two "Large"-class entrees - scallops and short ribs - which were great but frankly not terribly "Large" - maybe more like very roomy Mediums?? At any rate, that left us plenty of room for dessert - we chose the warm skillet sundae which ended up being the highlight of the meal. It's served in a hot skillet with a big, warm, mooshy chocolate chip cookie at the bottom, topped with gelato and whipped cream. Heavenly but definitely too big & rich for one person to consume - be prepared to share! Service was great and the atmosphere of the dining room is very nice, almost soothing, if you are lucky enough to dine there at a non-peak hour. After 7:00 the space starts filling quickly with vapid LP-types and their chatter echoes off of every wall. Not really my scene but if someone tried to twist my arm into coming back for brunch, I probably would. read more

Dined here last night and had a pretty good experience. We dined with another couple. The men had cheeseburgers, the women had steak frites. We all ordered our meat medium, yet there was a wide range of color. My medium burger was over cooked, while my friend's was perfect. They ran out of pretzel buns for the burgers and we called them out on it. We were offered a free dessert which was a very nice gesture. Also, I thought the fries could have been cooked longer. Service was great. Waitress was very attentive. But the chef has some work to do on consistency. read more

I was very excited to check out this new spot - it's definitely what this area needed. The last thing I want is another neighborhood Italian restaurant (not that I don't love 'em!) I was pleasantly surprised to see how casually the staff was dressed - everyone was in jeans from the hostess to the waiters. That kind of atmosphere is my favorite: upscale food, unpretentious surroundings. The decor is very cool, too. Minimal and not fussy. Yes, the portion sizes aren't huge, but the food was great. Another thumbs up for the duck nachos, which are a great app to split. That plus salads and main entrees made a pretty perfectly sized meal. I was dining with my parents, and the words, "this is the best thing I've ever eaten" actually came out of my mom's mouth while she was eating her filet. Didn't have time for desert, but I'd definitely come back for it, as well to try the new things they seem to add to the menu as they become seasonally favorable. Oh, and definitely make a reservation; the place was packed. read more

We have driven by this place 20 times and thought it looked pleasantly surprising for the surrounding venues. Finally, we made reservations. We had 9:00 reservations, and ended up sitting at the bar waiting for a table until 9:45. I was impressed by how crowded it was! While waiting was not fun they did give us a free round of cocktails and a free appetizer to make up for the wait which went a long way with us. That being said, the food and drink just wasn't all that good. I started with a dirty martini which was fine, my fiance had the mango mojito which she had already picked out prior to our arrival. It was OK- kind of sour, but nice fresh mango flavor. We each started with a bowl of soup. I had the lobster bisque my fiance had the tomato soup with grilled cheese. Hers was great, mine was borderline inedible. They had fresh pieces of lobster in the bisque which was nice, but the bisque itself was so salty it bordered on being sent back. The bread that accompanied the soup was kind of dry and certainly below average. For our appetizers we got the crabcake and the braised short rib ravioli (yes I know braised short rib as a ravioli filling- amazing right?). The crabcake was very good, nice fresh chunks of crab with a light salad and cream sauce. The braised short rib ravioli I'm sad to say was very bland- it came with a sweet sundried tomato puree which made them a lot better- still for how excited we were when we read it off the menu, a disappointment. We then shared the halibut- the fish was fresh and well cooked, the sauce was overpowering and a little bit of a weird flavor to couple with a white fish- it tasted almost like the spicy mayo commonly paired with sushi rolls. Given we got a couple glasses of nice wine $110 including tax and tip was quite reasonable for a fancy dinner in Chicago- I just wasn't overwhelmed with the flavors- super nice staff though. read more

I previously reviewed Gemini Bistro as a 4 star - good food, looking forward to coming back. I'm now reviewing as a 4 star yet again, but: 5 star food, 3 star service. First for the good: amazing food. I had the Yia Yia salad, special blackened whitefish with a black bean and corn salsa and the mushroom side. All out of this world - GO CHEF! Now for the bad: the service. Pretty non-existent, they messed up our check - basically anything poor with service you could imagine. If I were the chef creating this amazing food, I'd be mad that the service dragged down the place by a star. If I were the manager, I'd amp up the service so I could have a 5 star place. I don't know what - I'm not a restaurantuer, I'm just a foodie. Add more staff, get better staff, whatever. Just do something, because I will be back and I'd love to give Gemini a full 5 star review. read more

I love the redecorating. Great new chef. The way the food is played makes any good look amazing but here the Food was amazing. Would have enjoyed a refill on my coffee :) read more

Gemini - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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A very pleasant surprise!! Start with the art-deco building exterior that is impersonated perfectly in the interior decor of the place. When we first walked in the room the atmosphere was vibrant, like it was the "the new cool place to be". The menu is very well thought out. A little bit of everything. Love the small, medium, large and x-large plate idea because it gives you the ability to dine tapas-style or in more traditional form. We had the lobster gazpacho which was amazing and the Gemini Bistro salad with an egg Milanese. The egg Milanese was definitely a new one for me. Outstanding. We followed with the jumbo pan friend scallops. The cioppino was again outstanding. incredibly well seasoned and the scallops cooked perfectly. Our next serving was the veal and steak frites both which were excellent. The steak could not have been better. finally getting to the desserts, the key lime pie is probably on the top of my favorite key lime pie list. The bueberry shortcake is another gem in the selection. Wine list is ample and affordable. Martinis are awesome. Overall a very good experience. Being a new restaurant it still has a few kinks to work out with the service however nothing that would ruin your experience (just check-in a little more often on water and drinks). Bottom line - I'm very happy ts place is in the hood. Will definitely be going back there often!! I encourage everyone to try it out!! read more

Our dinning club, weeks in advance, had made reservations for a Saturday evening at Gemini Bistro. After not receiving a confirmation phone call from the restaurant, we decided to call just to make sure everything was in order. Good thing we called - they had LOST the reservation! Not only did they lose the reservation, they were defensive, hostile, and rude about it on the phone. They insisted that it was not their fault and that there was absolutely nothing they could do. Sadly, all of us live pretty close to Gemini; so if the food and service would have been good, this restaurant would have had some repeat customers for both dinner and brunch. Chicago has too many good restaurants for people to put up with this kind of unprofessional behavior. Skip this restaurant. read more

After a group of friends and I went to see the Lincoln Park Zoo Lights, we walked over to Gemini Bistro for dinner since it was so close. After looking over the menu, I thought it would be a decent dinner, and I couldn't argue with the proximity. One thing I'll say right away is that the service was impeccable. They really have everything setup nicely and the servers are professional, nice, and very organized. However, in general I found the food to be lacking. FOOD: Swordfish Provencal: My fish was definitely overcooked, and it seemed to be underseasoned. The roma tomatoes were a nice complement to the fish, but overall I couldn't help but to feel that this dish was a bit lacking, and some roasted potatoes or other type of starch accompaniment would have been nice to have. Trout special w/risotto: I'm pretty sure this was a trout, but all I remember was salt. I'm fairly confident that the fish had a crust of something besides salt, but I have no idea what it was. The risotto was cooked well, although I couldn't make out much of it besides...salt. Mushroom Risotto: This was my favorite dish that I tried this night, and I was fairly impressed. They do use a truffle oil, but it was at least used conservatively and lightly drizzled on top. It had the right amount of liquidity and each risotto was cooked al dente from what I could gather. If I ever had to come back here, I would get this. SERVICE: As I mentioned above, service was great. We arrived in a party of 18, and we ended up with two servers who split responsibility. I was thoroughly impressed with the organization of the restaurant as well as the knowledge of our server. Kudos to the staff. VALUE/OVERALL: I'm just going to go out and say it - I probably won't come back here unless for some reason I'm forced to go back. It's not that Gemini Bistro is terrible; I just found it lacking and for the prices on the menu (i.e. $28 for my overcooked/underseasoned/small swordfish), there are far better options in the area just up or down the street. I debated giving the place an extra star for the service itself, but at the end of the day, good food draws you back to a place whereas excellent service alone will not. read more

Came here for a friend's surprise going away party. Food was excellent but overpriced for the sizes, our waitress was great, and the hosting staff was absolutely awful. We were a party of 9, including the friend we were surprising, and I'd gotten a call confirming the number in our party the day before. Somehow there was a mixup and they had 7 when we got there, but these things happen and it should be ok. The hostesses were extremely rude. Telling me there's no way I actually got a call confirming 9 people, and making faces as they changed the reservation. Then they told us they couldn't seat us until our whole party is there. We told them it was a SURPRISE party, which I noted on OpenTable when I made the reservation, and they acted like it was a huge inconvenience to seat us before our friend arrived. We went back and forth before finally being allowed to sit down. Overall it was just unpleasant and unnecessary. The outdoor seating was lovely and the food was excellent. Overall I felt it was pretty expensive for the portions- a medium dish will definitely not serve as dinner, despite the price tag. Expect to get either a combo of small & medium or just a large and still have room for more. Easy for sharing but definitely expensive. Overall I would not return to Gemini Bistro. There are too many other great restaurants in the neighborhood I have yet to try, and their's did not leave a great lasting impression. read more

Love a Gemini happy hour, really fantastic $5 menu that includes drink options and app options. I would highly recommend it as one of the better happy hours in the neighborhood. We will be back soon! read more

The food was very good but not worth the price. I ordered coffee and it was $4! It wasn't bottomless, it was $4 for a cup of coffee; I could get cheaper coffee at Starbucks. The smoked salmon benedict was very good but again $17 for eggs benedict? read more

My wife brought me here early this month for my Birthday. It was on a Tuesday night on the 8th. We had a 7:30 reservation but requested start with a quick drink in the bar. The bartender-a big guy-was curt and unfriendly. It appeared as though he either he hated his job or was a manager that was pissed off that he had to fill in for someone who called in. We then went up to the hostess and asked to be seated. We asked for a booth. The blond woman, who seemed to be either a manager or head hostess, told the other hostess a specific table number to seat us at. The booth was against a wall, as opposed to a window, nearest to the kitchen. Clearly, the worst tables in the restaurant. Why on a Tuesday night at about 8:00 would you seat someone at one of the worst tables when other window booths were available? At least 25% of the dining room was empty. Our server was a young woman who was personable and did knowledgeable. However, the pace of the dinner was poor. After my soup arrived seconds after we put in our order. I had to flag down another employee to request a spoon. Just as I was finishing my soup they dropped off the bread. We had to flag down the server for another round of drinks. We then proceeded to wait a very long, long time for our entrees. At this point there were very few customers in the restaurant. My wife's enjoyed her fish and my steak was pretty good. However my fries tasted like diner fries. One thing I couldn't figure out was the music. Maybe it was their schtick, I don't know. But listening to AC/DC at a place like that didn't seem to fit. To sum it up, the experience was as though the staff wanted the night to be over. At over $130 for 4 drinks, 1 soup and 2 entrees, you can do much better. read more

Came here after reading positive yelp reviews and being hungry enough to gnaw my arm off at 7:30 on a friday night. The place was packed, but my girlfriend and I were seated at the bar a few minutes after we came in. I did appreciate the effort at seating us on such a busy night, but the manager made some remarks when seating us that really irked me. Not a huge deal, but I thought it was rather unprofessional. I know I look like I'm 17, but I'm not, and I'd like to be treated the same as anyone else. Don't be a dick to someone who is about to spend $150+ in your place. Other than that, the food was good and the servers behind the bar were attentive and friendly. The restaurant is beautiful, by the way, and the experience was mostly enjoyable. To his credit, the manager did apologize for his attitude, and gave me his business card on my way out, welcoming me back anytime, and I think I will. I liked how the menu was set up, organized into small, medium and large plates. Overall, there are far worse places to go, and this relatively new restaurant shows some promise. However, as other yelpers have pointed out, the food (while delicious) can get kind of steep, and for the amount you'd spend here, you could go somewhere else and get more out of your dollar. Keeping that in mind, it's worth checking out. read more

Like many people who reviewed Gemini, the GF and I went here after Zoolights. Wonderful service from the hostesses and our server Heather, who gave us recommendations and spoke to us like we were her friends, rather than just "another tip". Ambiance was fairly classy feeling with the creme-colored and dark wood- furnishings, yet had a very accessible vibe as well. Food was very good. We both got the Prix Fixe menu -- started with the Caesar salad that came with White Anchovies (an authentic Caesar, thank you very much!). I got the Hangar Steak Frites, and while it was cooked perfectly to medium rare per my request, I felt that the bordelaise and the maitre'd butter didn't really add too much to the flavor profile. It was a very good steak, just not amazing. The frites were awesome -- definitely get the truffle upgrade. GF had the salmon, which came with an assortment of veggies (almost like a pico de gallo). Tasted fresh, but not huge into salmon, so take what I say with a grain of salt. Dessert, we got creme brulee and gelato. They were good, but not "memorable" -- whatever that means. Price was actually more expensive than I thought it was going to be. Was about $140 total, which was more than I paid at the Girl and The Goat for what seemed like less food. Still, had a very nice evening at Gemini, and for another special occassion, this would definitely suffice as a "back-up plan" if we are unable to get reservations at another "mid-luxury" restaurant, read more