The Gem was a pleasant find during our stay. We made reservations, which I highly recommend, and…read morechose it for my husband's 50th birthday celebration after another restaurant at the resort had completely missed the occasion the night before. No acknowledgment, candle, or mention of his birthday despite it being noted, so our expectations were modest. From the moment we arrived and were served cucumber water that was VERY refreshing, the Gem delivered a much better experience. The atmosphere was lively and inviting, and our server was friendly, attentive, and genuinely engaged throughout the meal. The cocktail menu was creative and fun. While I felt the pours were a bit shallow for $18-$20 drinks, and the oversized ice cubes seemed to take up a lot of glass real estate, the drinks themselves were well-made and enjoyable. The food was the star of the evening. Everything we ordered was delicious, and it was easily one of our better meals during the trip. When it came time for dessert, we asked if they could add a candle so we could celebrate my husband's birthday. Unfortunately, the dessert station had already closed, leaving bread pudding as the only option available. While that was a bit disappointing, our server went out of their way to make the moment special by bringing over a mini mint cordial. There was still no candle, but the thoughtful gesture was genuinely appreciated and meant far more than a scripted birthday acknowledgement. The Gem struck a great balance between good food, a fun atmosphere, and attentive service. Our only regret is that we didn't have another day to try the outdoor seating area in the back, which looked fantastic. Maybe next time!

Most Americans generally associate slow-cooked, wood-smoked meat with the southern regions of these…read moreUnited States. Finding respectable barbecue in upstate New York requires a slight adjustment of geographic expectations. The Gem, located in Bolton Landing, attempts this feat with a wood-fired smoker and an ambitious cocktail program. My wife ordered the smoked chicken wings and a side salad. The wings possessed a deep smoky flavor and properly rendered skin. The salad performed its minimal duties without incident. My youngest son consumed the kids cheese fries. They were sufficient to satisfy an 11 year old's palate, though underwhelming when subjected to adult inspection. I selected the brisket, which spent hours absorbing hardwood smoke. The flavor was rich and beefy, though the cut was somewhat leaner than I prefer. In my experience, truly magnificent brisket requires a generous layer of rendered fat to achieve complete structural tenderness. This was good, but it was not that. The genuine masterpiece at our table belonged to my oldest son, who ordered the pulled pork. It was moist, tender, and properly seasoned. I found myself eyeing his plate with the quiet envy of a father who made the wrong selection at the counter. To assist with the meat, the establishment places four distinct sauces at every table: Texas Red, Carolina Copper, Georgia Mustard, and Alabama White. Experimenting with all four is an enjoyable exercise in flavor chemistry. The bar produces some of the finest craft cocktails in Bolton Landing, maybe in the entire Lake George region. The drinks are mixed with intelligence and high-quality spirits, which helps soothe the human nervous system after a long day in the sun. The primary defect of The Gem is monetary. Prices in Bolton Landing include an unwritten tax levied on tourists. Other local establishments justify these steep prices by offering a view of Lake George. The Gem sits on Lake Shore Drive, offering a view of asphalt and passing automobiles instead of water. Paying high-end prices for barbecue without a lake view attached makes the final bill a bit harder to digest. Still, the pulled pork and the cocktails were good enough to warrant a return visit. One must simply prepare to surrender a few extra dollars for the privilege.

Good bar food Fully poured drinks…read moregood local muisic Friendly staff Easy p[arking close to downtown Ti

We stopped on the way back down from Montreal, and the experience was very nice. Highlights were…read morethe view and the creole fries. The staff are all young, but very nice. Solid option to spend a weekend evening and have a drink.

Great cocktails. Very friendly service. Full bar with a wide range of liquors. I had a last word…read morecocktail.

Staying in Woodstock for the weekend and we decided to check out Rutland. My husband wanted to pop…read morein here spontaneously on Halloween 2025, despite knowing how much I rely on yelp reviews before walking into any establishment , and I am glad we checked it out! The cocktails are great and the bartenders are really friendly.

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

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

My partner and I came here the day before St. Patricks day and they were fittingly playing Irish…read moremusic. The cafe is quaint and cozy. I ordered the Ruby's special french toast, and my partner ordered the sweetheart strawberry cream crepe. I am a HUGE fan of pastry cream, and it is difficult to find dishes that use just pastry cream and not diplomat cream (or just plain old whipped cream). My food was delicious and I was so pleased with the quality of the cream. My partner also thoroughly enjoyed his crepe. They have a wide variety of food so there is something for everyone and the prices are very reasonable. We picked up an eclair on the way out, which was also filled with pure pastry cream (a rarity!!). This will become a regular place for us when we're in the area. The only thing to note is that they don't have a large staff; when we were there there was one person working FOH and one in the kitchen. This can cause a longer wait time for your food ( we probably waited about 45 min after ordering), but I think it's worth it.

The wait was very long and they were clearly understaffed however the restaurant did everything in…read moretheir power to move the line along without sacrificng quality. An employee who was there to eat jumped in to work and the owner was kind enough to give us sone extra pastries as our wait was a little longer than the others. When i got home and tried my crepe - WOW delicious. We will be back but we will probably call our order in if we are taking it to go.

Just a shockingly delightful find on the outskirts of the main Lake George Village strip. Who would…read morethink you could turn off the strip, walk up two blocks and find a cozy, wonderfully apportioned Irish-style pub slinging up quality cocktails and nice pints of Guinness in a lovely environment. An oasis in the true sense of the word, you walk in here and enter a specific and unique world in this bar. The bartender made me an absolutely perfect Negroni, and my cousin enjoyed the specialty cocktail from the drink menu. Solid wine and draft options and a quality Guinness pour and, again, immaculate vibes in a classic Irish pub kind of way. As I understand the food situation, they have one house dish for the evening on Sundays, for as long as it is available. I have not experienced it but have heard raves. But that seems secondary and supplemental to the bar experience here.

Came to the Lobby Bar after dinner and it was the perfect place for an after dinner cocktail. It…read morewas our date night, so wanted some place with a nice vibe and good drinks and that's exactly what we found there. Fantastic espresso martinis- great service. We will absolutely be back!

Delicious dinner last night steak medallions chicken Parm, and lots of choices for kids. Great…read morelocal spot south of Ticonderoga part of our yearly summer vacation.

The food & service was excellent! My husband ordered rare prime rib & it was the 1st time he's ever…read moregotten a truly rare prime rib! I ordered the shrimp scampi & it was delicious. Very flavorful & not watered down sauce.

Hands down my favorite bar in Lake George. Yes, it's got the dive bar vibe, but it has everything…read moreyou need and more. Touch tunes, beer pong, pool table, darts, and all around good vibes, we seriously never have a bad time here. If you're here for a bachelor/ette, wedding weeekend, friend reunion, this is the bar to go to. If your in Lake George, I would recommend taking the uber up at least one night to check out Bolton Landing itself, and hit this as your one of your going out spots.

Over the summer I left my sunglasses here and didn't realize until weeks later, so I assumed they…read morewere gone. After giving the owner, Bart, a call, he went above and beyond - cleaning them, putting them in a hard case, and paying to ship them back to me in Massachusetts. He was super helpful and responsive, and the care he showed really reflects how he treats his customers. Great drinks, great vibe, and the TouchTunes playlist is always on point. Always busy on the weekends with people playing beer pong. Lily's is a can't-miss spot if you're in town, and Bart is the man!

I have been going to Babes for the past three years. It's a dive bar in an old train station in…read moreBethel, Vermont. The food is solid. I had a chili dog and a Chicago dog today, and they were good. But that's not really why I keep coming back. What makes this place special is Owen and his husband. They run it with real care. They know the people who come in. They know their families, their stories, where they've been. When I walked in today, Owen said "Hey, it's been a long time. Welcome back." This is the kind of place that holds a community together. People show up regularly because they belong there. They see the same faces. Someone knows them. We need more places like this. Places where people aren't alone. If you're in the area, support it. Thank Owen and his husband for showing up and keeping the doors open.

Good service. Friendly local bar with a twist. ...............................................read more

We met friends for dinner at Cleome with very high expectations due to lots of positive chatter…read moreabout it. The bar area and wall garden are extremely cool. It's a fairly small space so definitely make reservations if you're planning on going during busier dinner hours. Service was decent - it was a little confusing and disjointed at times but I chalked that up to some inexperience (the server seemed a bit green) and that it's a fairly new restaurant. We had read somewhere that it was small plates - more like tapas...but then was explained that it's "family style". This is what caused said confusion at the table since "family style" to the four of us meant large, sharable portions. So, we just ordered a bunch of stuff in waves since we didn't really know how much food we were going to need. Some items arrived quickly, others took a very long time. Standout dishes to me were the Brussels sprouts and the apple cobbler dessert (which I just had a little taste of). I found some of the accompanying crackers odd - I think they were Ritz brand or something like that? We did request a few gluten free crackers and were brought a few. The swordfish was on the dry side - that's a tricky protein to get right. The fried chicken was served as cutlets - so some of the items were more difficult to share vs. others. The shrimp salad cups were somewhat unremarkable and a bit too loaded with mayo (in my opinion). The shishito peppers were nice - I think I was the one at the table that enjoyed those the most. We did linger at our table for a long time - a combination of wait times and good conversation with friends. We never felt rushed or pressured to leave (there wasn't a wait or line for tables). All in all, we had a nice time at Cleome and will likely give it another try at some point - now that we know what to expect

Back to Cleome with the family and for dollar oysters which were fantastic. I mean you can't screw…read moreup oysters but they didn't have cocktail sauce. Why? I have no idea. Three entrees: Tried the Lobster Mac and Cheese again and it was MUCH better than previously reported! That was great as was the fried chicken- soooo good. My burger unfortunately didn't arrive until after everyone else at the table was done with their meals. Oh bother.... it tasted meh and it's clear they are using a very low fat ground beef which made the burger more like a tasteless hockey puck. Still, everything else was wonderful and the background music was audible and made the experience even better. The Egg nog cocktail we had at another visit a few days before was delish. Despite my burger, we were please with our experience. I can only hope that they reconsider their low fat ground beef for something a little more tasty and juicy. Recommended.