Went there for my birthday last night, booked a table for lunch (and what I thought the evening too) spent all afternoon in there, staff were friendly food was ok bit overpriced for what you get, then as soon as the evening came the whole atmosphere changed we had to move tables twice due to mis-management in reservations, one of the table hosts was very rude, the bouncers cannot call themselves gentlemen..London is BIG place so please go to a bar which shows Londoners can be friendly and you can have a good time...this place is overpriced and mismanaged and rude staff ! Very disappointed, as you can see from the other reviews, so we cant all be wrong !

Warning don´t give credit card tips, the girls and boys behind the bar don´t get the money , Bad management . I know peploe who worked there they get a lot of creditcard tips and the company didn´t pay out 10% of them . Shame on you Gem that is called stealing.So don´t give any creditcard tips !! Spread the word !!

I organise my birthday party with Gem bar and I booked a table for 15 people and I request to have it downstairs .I've been told that is possible and I received the confirmation email that the table booked for 15 people . When I arrived on my birthday party I've been shocked !! The table booked for 15 people was upstairs where is the bar area and it actually was a table no more for 6 people!! I had a chat with the manager and I said that I booked a table for 15 and I been told that not all the people will seat in the same time!!!! Anyway all after that we been transferred downstairs ( in the area where I wanted to have the table) and we got 2 hight tables with 4 seats!!! All my guests was standing for the all night long and this was my disaster birthday party!!!! I feel so sorry Thayer couldn't manage to have a proper party because last year my birthday party it was absolutely fantastic in the same bar!!!! Shame!!!!!

I don't think this bar is great at all. The only reason I go is for the kizomba night (Zouk meets Samba) and even that is comme ci comme ca. The decor in both floors is try hard - too desperate - and chavy!!! Always when I come there there's some bad vibe. the first floor is very empty, loud music playing inappropriately and some wonnabies and gel heads in the corner grinding. I avoid any eye contact with them. The price for a bottle was £18 and it was terrible red wine.Overall i would say that the decor and the atmosphere invites exactly what it is - party hard and fake glits and glamour. Would not go out there other than the Kizomba nights.

Completely bummed out by this place. Went out from a bit of fresh air and the door men wouldn't let me back in. Apparently I was supposed to get a stamp? I was only out for like five minutes.

Can't believe all the attitude, as the place was more than half empty anyway.

I wouldn't ever go back.

Having been to the bar when it used to be Digress, the new look of the bar is definitely a step up having been there on Saturday night.

Positives:
(1) A good crowd
(2) The guys at the door were nice
(3) The bar staff provided a good service.

Negatives:
(1) Two floors - both playing the same music!
(2) Single Jack Daniels - £4.20. Double Jack Daniels - £9.00! Ermm..bar maths gone very wrong! The bar staff found it bizarre, said that I was the first to notice it and were kind enough to refund me the 60p due to me. I hope the matter is dealt with and the prices fixed because I am sure plenty have paid more than they need have in the past.
(3) The music although eclectic I felt constantly switched genres almost every song which I personally am not a fan of and any bar that plays Zig a Zig aah by the Spice Girls gets automatically marked down for me. But if that's your thing then bump this as a positive for you.

top marks for having a birthday party there as the 4 bar staff came round with sparklers and a birthday tin with drinks inside. 50% off drinks until 8pm, music being some classics (there was vanilla ice!) and current charts (lady gaga, Rhianna). bar staff tries but just ain't very quick in serving. all tables were reserved when i was there, so had to perch by the bar. good ventilation in the downstairs dance floor as they keep the emergency doors ajar. nothing special, but well located on beak street and good natured crowd.

looove this place, the happy hour is amazing! great music and good people.

Booked one of the rooms for a birthday recently Loved the new Decor. Its a real improvement from when it used to be called Digress. The food was good , the drinks were relatively cheap for Soho and the crowd inside was friendly. Would have given this place a higher score if it wasnt for the rude bouncer outside, who would let the birthday girl back inside the venue after she stepped outside. He almost ruined a good night out. I'd still go back to the club but I might probably find an alternative depending on which bouncer was working.

I can't keep up, every time l go to Gem they have changed the name! I first went when it was Digress last year, then they spend a load of money trying to make it trendy. It's a bit try hard but I guess the look is quite smart [shiny furniture, touchy feely wallpaper, mood lighting, egg chairs etc] and we've never had a problem getting a table around 6pm [it gets busier then but by 8-9 the post work rush has gone and there are more tables again. Despite the change of names 3 times they still continue with the main attraction - 50% off all food and drink from 5-8pm [pretty sure that's everyday]. That is the reason l go, it's great to meet friends after work. We drink some nice wine and the food isn't bad. They do various dishes for about £5 and some platters. I've tried pretty much all of them! They have got better quality lately - less greasy - but the portions seem to have got smaller. For 50% off you can't complain though. There used to be a 'freshen up' lady in the loo which which is one of my pet hates but since it changed to Gem she has gone as has the table service. The cons of the place is the music - it is soooo loud! Fine for a dance at the weekend [though l wouldn't go to Gem at the weekend] but for a week night when catching up with friends it can be quite annoying. And it's also quite cheesy! As somewhere cheap and central though I'd recommend it for post work drinks.

Great party music I could dance to, had a wicked birthday party with our own booth and decorations. Will be booking again soon