Gemma Fish + Oyster: Upscale Seafood Experience in Jacksonville

A Date Night in November A friend recommended this spot and Gemma did not disappoint. The DRINKS | The two NA were very good: the Not A'Lotta Colada was special and the Fruitquake was nice. The APPETIZERS | Roasted Oysters were ok. The adds/sauce overpowered the oysters. Less is more and that sauce belongs on a protein. The raw oyster were the star: Lady Chatterley of Prince Edward's Island and Cadillac River Maine were umami-y and briny and just good. The ENTREES | Seared Salmon was seared masterfully and came with a not-so-good Pistachio Mole that I could have lived without. The Snapper that was cooked beautifully and came with a delicious Thai Coconut Red Curry. Unfortunately, the sides are where Gemma fell short and flat. Same Jasmine rice and vegetables. At those prices, they have to give more though to curating the sides. The DESSERT | We consider ourselves curators of Bread Pudding. If it is on the dessert menu, we are going to order it. The Fried Apple Bread Pudding was hyped but over fried and we had burnt pieces. The one piece that was edible was quite tasty. I think they over thought that one by frying it and it needs more apple. We told them. The SERVICE | Really made this a good night. Xavier (our server) was good and Mattie/Maddie (the host) was incredible. After dinner, she came by asked us about our meal, sat down, and gave us an Oysters 101 tutorial (why they have the size and flavor profile), and the history of Gemma - the who and how it came to be. Lovely. The VIBE | Upstairs is open to the environment. It was a beautiful night and we could hear the city life while we ate. The decor and ambiance were spot on. That spot must be HOPPIN' during the summer and on a temperate fall night.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Elegant Setting, Exceptional Flavors Gemma Fish + Oyster offers a beautiful, refined ambience and is an excellent setting for photographs, celebrations, or an elevated night out. The space is thoughtfully designed and creates a memorable dining experience from the moment you arrive. The food was exceptional, fresh, well-executed, and balanced in flavor. Each dish reflected a clear attention to quality and presentation, making the culinary experience genuinely enjoyable. While the quality is undeniable, the pricing does not align with portion size. In the current economic climate, this may be a consideration for some diners, as an evening consisting of a single appetizer, a single cocktail, and one entrée can approach $110. Overall, Gemma Fish + Oyster is best suited for special occasions or guests seeking an upscale dining experience where ambience and quality take priority. I would recommend it with the understanding that it is an investment dining experience rather than an everyday outing.

Short review of Gemma since we just stopped in for an app and drinks. Pleasantly surprised, enough that I’ll be back for more apps and drinks. We ordered the hummus plate, which came with plenty of colorful vegetables. Definitely enough for 4 people. To drink, I ordered the Nice Coconuts, which reminded me of a pina colada. This would be an amazing summer drink, so the second Jacksonville goes back up to 80 degrees I’d highly recommend ordering this to celebrate. The names of the other drinks — the ex wife, pool boy, etc — are so fun that we just couldn’t decide which to get! We sat on the rooftop, which we were told us first come first serve. I’m a sucker for a rooftop, and we enjoyed this one (shoutout to the heat lamps). Will be back to Gemma once it warms up. Gemma San Marco, Jax, FL Hummus, Nice Coconuts

Nothing bad to say, besides the seafood smell but what do you expect lol. Everything tasted amazing, the wine, masterful cocktails, the raw oysters, the roasted oysters, the tare tare the red snapper and scallops of course. The fried bread pudding was a perfect ending to a fantasic experience. Servers were on point and worked as a team, i highly recommend anyone to stop by for a memorable experience

Gemma Fish & Oyster was fantastic. The food was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully done — exactly the kind of place you leave already planning your next visit. The oysters were top-tier, and everything we ordered felt high quality and thoughtfully prepared. Our waitress, Sidra, was wonderful — attentive, friendly, and made the whole meal even better. Great atmosphere, great service, and an all-around amazing spot. Highly recommend!

This was our first experience at Gemma‘s….But it will not be our last. The service was exceptional , the atmosphere was amazing and warm…and the food was definitely memorable. I will dream of that bread pudding!!! Thank you, Jeff for taking care of us and making our first experience here unforgettable.

Sidra was a phenomenal server and gave us a great recommendation for dinner. My husband and I both had the sea bass over wild rice and broccolini and it was cooked to perfection. She checked on us just enough times throughout our time in the restaurant and made sure that our water glasses were always full. 10/10 Recommend Gemma's and Sidra as a server!

We just had our second visit to Gemma and it was just as wonderful as our first visit which was over a year and a half ago. The food and drinks are absolutely delicious, and the service is out of this world. They go out of their way to celebrate special occasions with you and make you feel special. Our server, Autumn, was a dream. She was fun, super sweet, and very attentive. We had the best date night!