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Gema, San Clemente, CA

Gema

4.4
4.4
239 Reviews
$31 to $50
Contemporary Mexican

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 6 times today
  • Great for creative cocktails
  • Innovative
  • Neighborhood gem
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.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Fine Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary Mexican, Bar / Lounge / Bottle Service, Organic
  • Hours of operation
    Wed, Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (714) 640-9371
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Juan Pablo Cruz
  • Neighborhood
    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

What 239 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.4
4.4 based on recent ratings
  • 4.4Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.3Ambience
  • 3.9Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Orange County

    Innovative

  • South Orange County

    Innovative

  • South Orange County

    Romantic

  • South Orange County

    Lively

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Gema is a standout in San Clemente, offering inventive Mexican cuisine with fresh, vibrant ingredients. Known for its "incredible culinary experience," the restaurant features unique dishes like the halibut ceviche and Tlayuda. Though on the pricier side, it's praised for "exceptional service" and a "wonderful setting," perfect for special occasions.

239 Reviews
  1. Laurie

    Orange County

    22 reviews

    2.0

    22 reviews

    Dined today

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I’m amazed at all the great reviews. We ordered six different things on this menu, and all four of us agreed that the flavors just weren’t there. The food is way overpriced and our swordfish was cold. The service was really good, but it didn’t make up for the mediocre food. Save your money and go somewhere else .

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  2. Debra

    Orange County

    10 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    10 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Excellent service & food as well’ But wine choices are debatable— Only one Mexican Chardonnay available & not good!

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  3. Eric

    Orange County

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 19, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Gema is quite possibly the best fine Mexican restaurant in San Clemente. The food options are gluten free, the fish and meat are delicious & fresh, the wine and tequila selection is top notch without the top line price! Definitely recommend Gema for an evening out with family and friends.

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  4. Steve

    Orange County

    24 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    24 reviews

    Dined on October 18, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Wonderful food! Especially for those tired of Mexican street food being treated as real Mexican dinner food. This is the kind of great food that you get it at high-quality restaurants in Mexico. Real nice serving staff too. 

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  5. Joshua

    Orange County

    5 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on September 28, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    San Clemente is truly fortunate to have Gema, a refreshing departure from the usual South of Nick's Mexican fare. It’s a treat for the senses, offering inventive flavors and fresh, vibrant ingredients that bring something excitingly different to the table. Gema is a hidden gem that deserves far more buzz in South Orange County's food scene—impressive in every way and absolutely worth the visit for anyone seeking a delicious, novel dining experience.

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  6. Linda

    Orange County

    261 reviews

    5.0

    261 reviews

    Dined on September 22, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Service is always amazing & personal. They do take their time to explain each item but I don’t mind it here. We have tried most items & never had a bad meal. A little pricy but value is there

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  7. Peter

    Alabama

    35 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    35 reviews

    Dined on September 22, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great place to eat! Yellow Tail tostadas were amazing! The ceviche is incredible too! Honestly…best margaritas I have ever had….one with tequila and one with mezcal! Very classy place. Will go again and HIGHLY recommend.

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  8. Dan

    Orange County

    9 reviews

    5.0

    9 reviews

    Dined on September 21, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Best restaurant in town. We are obsessed and consistently blown away.

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  9. Krista

    Orange County

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 8, 2024

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Dined at Gema to celebrate my husband’s birthday. Overall, we were disappointed with the food. We ordered cocktails, two appetizers and 4 main courses. The short rib main course was good, everything else was fair. This was the consensus of all 4 of us in our party.

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  10. Juan and Melissa

    Orange County

    8 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on September 7, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    An absolute GEM! Chef Juan Pablo is a mad-genius. We appreciate everyone at Gema, our favorite date-night experience.

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FAQs

Gema is rated 4.4 stars by 239 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 6 times today
Google Map for Gema

110 S El Camino Real, San Clemente, CA 92672

Additional information

  • Cross street
    El Camino Real and Del Mar
  • Neighborhood
    San Clemente
  • Hours of operation
    Wed, Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • 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
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