Gema

Name: Gema
Address: 110 S El Camino Real, San Clemente, CA, United States, 92672
Telephone: (714) 640-9371
Price range: $31 to $50
Rating: 4.1

4.1

252 Reviews

$31 to $50

Contemporary Mexican

Make a booking

2 people

17 Feb 2025

19:00

Innovative
Great for creative cocktails
Good for special occasions

With a moody Mexico City vibe & modern dining room, Gema has an intimate neighborhood feel & buzzy bar scene. Our scratch-made kitchen highlights the finest Mexican ingredients & the countries staples of corn, chiles & regional cheeses .Our craft cocktail program changes with the season & features house-made syrups & fresh daily juiced citrus. Our bar hosts over 100 bottles of Mexico's finest small batch Mezcals which can be enjoyed in a flight or purchased by bottle and housed for your convenience inour Mezcal Liabrary. Our wines are brought in from Valle de Guadaulape and offer an amazing taste into the emerging Baja wine region. Gema celebrates the vast & sophisticated cuisine of Mexico, its people & its culture. We are proud to serve authentic Mexican cuisine that moves beyond the stereotypical bean and rice culture often associatedwith Mexican eateries. We hope you join us at Gema to experience the true palate of Mexican dining.

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Fine Dining
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Contemporary Mexican, Bar / Lounge / Bottle Service, Organic
Hours of Operation
GEMA Fri, Sat 17:00–22:00 La Libreria Thu–Sun 18:00–00:00
Phone number
(714) 640-9371
Website
http://www.Gemarestaurant.com/
Payment Options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive Chef
Juan Pablo Cruz

Location
110 S El Camino Real, San Clemente, CA 92672
Area
San Clemente
Cross Street
El Camino Real and Del Mar
Parking details
Street Parking
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Popular dishes

Chalupas
duck enchilado, salsa tatemada, swiss chard mix, queso fresco, melipona vinaigrette
Lengua de Res
beef tongue, jalapeno broth, avocado, jardin mix, grasshopper salt
Calamar al Comal
chile manzano salsa, citrus reduction, chard broccoli, jicama
Ostiones Fundidos
half dozen oysters, chile mora, quesillo cheese, cream foam
Aguachile
seafood of the day, costeno aguachile, salicornia, worm salt
Camarones Flameados
grasshopper creme, charred heirloom tomato, corn croutons, macadamia dust, sorrel mix

Segundos

Pear Salad
farmers market greens, blood orange vinaigrette, house hibiscus cheese, castilla walnuts
Acelga Salad
rainbow swiss chard, lima beans, queso fresco, garlic vinaigrette, duck chicharron
Sopa de Tortilla
duck leg confit, chile mirasol broth, corn cake, celery leaves
Chile Relleno
hazelnut dust, quesillo cheese, huitlacoche, quail egg, tomato espuma
Cachetes de Ternero
veal cheeks, guajillo adobo, garbanzo beans, kale, red jalapenos
Quesadilla de Wagyu
wagyu steak, quesillo cheese, cambray onions, salsa quemada

Principales

Pescado a la Talla
wild branzino, cascabel salsa, citrus, salicornia, serrano rice
Tlalpeno de Mariscos
shellfish mix, chipotle broth, jardin vegetables, avocado
Tamal de Brocoli
banana leaf, garlic pipian, poblano rajas
Mole con Pato
duck breast, black mole, fennel puree, black mission figs
Birria de Res
prime short rib, corn cake, chile guajillo glaze, cambray onion confit, jardin mix
Wagyu Steak
A-7 American filet, scalloped potatoes, tamarindo adobo, purslane salad
Tomahawk Steak (To Share)
48oz prime cut, huitlacoche butter, scalloped potatoes, calabacitas, tamarindo adobo

Acompanamientos

Calabacitas
tatuma squash, heirloom tomato, duck chicharro
Serrano Rice
serrano infusion, garlic butter
Garbanzos
swiss chard stems, guajillo adobo, scallions
Artisan Heirloom Tortillas
yellow corn, blue corn, white corn, hoja santa

What 252 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.1

4.1 based on recent ratings

4.2Food
4.5Service
4.3Ambience
3.6Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Orange County
Innovative
Orange County
Hot spot
South Orange County
Innovative
South Orange County
Healthy
South Orange County
Hot spot
South Orange County
Good for special occasions

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Gema delights with its "wonderful dining experience," offering "elevated Mexican" cuisine with creative flavors and beautiful presentation. Though some found it pricey, the "incredible food made by scratch" and attentive service shine. Standout dishes like the Tlyuda and inventive cocktails add excitement. A hidden gem in San Clemente, ideal for special occasions.

252 Reviews

P
Patton
Orange County
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Our server was amazing! It was busy because of Valentine’s Day, but my boyfriend and I had a great time. We will definitely be coming back!
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C
Caitlin
VIP
Orange County
2 reviews
2.0
2 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 2
2. Food 1
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 3
Staff was nice, food took really long to come out and was lukewarm when it did. Husband sent back the filet mignon because it was very tough and chewy. Salad was pretty bland.
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L
Laura
VIP
Orange County
10 reviews
5.0
10 reviews
Dined on 7 February 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Outstanding experience at Gema. Food, cocktails and service were 5 star
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l
lina
Orange County
22 reviews
3.0
22 reviews
Dined on 2 February 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
food is tastily presented but some dishes did not quite achieve the palate satisfaction yet.
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R
Raul
Los Angeles
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 2 February 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
One of the best restaurants in South County. Delicious food, awesome service and great ambiance. It is my go to place when taking guests out to dinner.
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C
Cheri
VIP
Orange County
19 reviews
3.0
19 reviews
Dined on 1 February 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
After reading some other reviews about their steak, we were excited to try Gema, but overall, it was a disappointment. The first and second courses came together, Tostadas and two whole Langoustines that delivered two small bites each after removing the shells. They didn't have the reviewed Tomahawk steak on the menu, so we opted for the Wagyu Filet. It was the worst filet we've ever had in a restaurant, tough and barely edible. We mentioned it to our waiter, Luca, and he seemed surprised when we asked the provider of their Wagyu. We split the steak and left over half. Tough meat happens sometimes, but when you tell the server there's an issue, it should be addressed with the kitchen. The flavor profiles of some of their dishes were interesting and new but we don't think we'll be going back.
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C
Cindy
VIP
Orange County
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on 1 February 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 1
Food was extraordinary. Server was wonderful and so engaged. Restaurant was uncomfortably cold.
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L
Lauren
Washington DC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 26 January 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
wonderful, wonderful dining experience with artistry menu… elevated mexican!
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AA
1mealAtATime
Orange County
16 reviews
3.0
16 reviews
Dined on 25 January 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
The food was the star - creative and great flavors. Beautiful presentation. Our server was also great, and the staff functioned nicely as a team. The cocktails sounded intriguing but were unimpressive to taste, and we were expecting more of a shot size of each of 3 mezcals in the fleet for over $50. I would definitely eat here again, but drink elsewhere.
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A
Alessia
VIP
Phoenix
9 reviews
3.0
9 reviews
Dined on 28 December 2024
1. Overall 3
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 3
Food was delicious, but… This place is a little too foofy with the cuisine. It’s my fault I didn’t review the menu before coming (figured it was similar to Tamarindo which was there before). But it’s a Mexican place and you can’t even get chips and salsa? We dine at high end restaurants all the time so I’m not exactly pedestrian, though I felt like it here. Very limited mocktail options too. “Mocktails” are juices despite a fabulous looking cocktail program. I asked if any of the drinks could be made into a mocktail and got the whole “they’re crafted to be perfectly balanced” type of line. It’s nearly 2025 and lots of folks no longer drink. Disappointing. They were out of NA beer too. Server was attentive and knowledgeable. Food was truly delicious, but I left still hungry. For five of us, including a kid and a non drinking adult, our bill was nearly $500 with tip. The value wasn’t there in my opinion.
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FAQs

Gema is rated 4.1 stars by 252 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people

17 Feb 2025

19:00

110 S El Camino Real, San Clemente, CA 92672

Dining areas

Additional information

Cross Street
El Camino Real and Del Mar
Area
San Clemente
Hours of Operation
GEMA Fri, Sat 17:00–22:00 La Libreria Thu–Sun 18:00–00:00
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Contemporary Mexican, Bar / Lounge / Bottle Service, Organic
Dining style
Fine Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Street Parking
Payment Options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive Chef
Juan Pablo Cruz
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.Gemarestaurant.com/
Phone number
(714) 640-9371

Gema

Make a booking

Dining areas

Additional information

Birria de Res

Wagyu Steak

Tomahawk Steak (To Share)

Primeros

Chalupas

Lengua de Res

Calamar al Comal

Ostiones Fundidos

Aguachile

Camarones Flameados

Segundos

Pear Salad

Acelga Salad

Sopa de Tortilla

Chile Relleno

Cachetes de Ternero

Quesadilla de Wagyu

Principales

Pescado a la Talla

Tlalpeno de Mariscos

Tamal de Brocoli

Mole con Pato

Birria de Res

Wagyu Steak

Tomahawk Steak (To Share)

Acompanamientos

Calabacitas

Serrano Rice

Garbanzos

Artisan Heirloom Tortillas

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

How is Gema restaurant rated?

Is Gema currently accepting bookings?

Make a booking

Dining areas

Additional information