Gem of Norwich in Norwich

Bad service waiting for our order, three hours and still counting

Amazing food whether that be inside the restaurant or delivery ❤️

Lovely atmosphere and great food.

Glad we gave this a try - we had some of the tastiest food we have ever eaten, good portion size too. The mixed shish kebab was outstanding!! Loved it!

Went to the Gem last night. One of our friends is dairy free, she asked the waiter what she could have, he suggested the only options were the vegan dishes on the menu and eventually suggested a couple of meat dishes, but limited. When she attempted to order a meat dish that was suggested, he then said she can’t have it with rice as it’s cooked in butter, which isn’t an issue, however a vegan dish on the menu was served with rice so she asked for the vegan option, assuming it wouldn’t be cooked in butter. The waiter Frank advised all the rice is cooked in butter, even the vegan dishes. Therefore I assume they’re serving vegans butter or the waiter doesn’t like to ask the chefs to cater for dietary needs.

I recently visited Gem with a group of friends, and I can’t express how disappointed we were with our experience. One member of our party is dairy-free. The waiter was not only rude but also dismissive of our dietary needs. When we inquired about dairy-free options, he informed us that only the vegan dish and two other dishes could be made dairy-free (Lamb and Beef, no chicken) Naturally, we assumed the vegan dish would be a safe choice, however, we were shocked when our waiter Frank told us the vegan dish listed on the menu contained butter in the rice meaning it’s not vegan at all and when we said the menu would need to be changed as that’s a serious issue, he said it wasn’t his job and was just there to take the orders. It’s incredibly frustrating when a restaurant doesn’t take dietary restrictions seriously. Instead of an enjoyable meal, we were left feeling annoyed and disappointed. I would not recommend Gem if you have any dietary requirements. There are plenty of other places that prioritize customer needs and provide genuine, accommodating service.

I always used to recommend Gem to friends and family however I was very disappointed during my last visit. One of my friends is dairy free and we asked our waiter what menu options were dairy free upon arrival which the menu states to do. There appeared to be quite a lot of confusion regarding what dairy free is and the difference between dairy free and being vegan. However, vegan dishes should be dairy free because vegans do not eat dairy products. After several attempts to order something dairy free, my friend asked for a dish the chef themselves had said was safe to eat. They asked for this to be served with rice. We were then told that rice is not dairy free due to it containing butter. So instead they asked for the rice that is served with the vegan dishes. We were told that also contains butter. Vegan rice should not contain butter because butter is an animal product. We told Frank our waiter that the menu states that vegan dishes (VG) are being served with rice. However, I feel he was very dismissive when we brought this to his attention and he even joked about the menu not being his job and crossing out the dish on our menu with his pen “so it wasn’t there anymore”. Dietary requirements, intolerance and allergies should be taken seriously and you should be willing to accommodate for people who have certain dietary needs. Also, the menu needs updating if vegan (VE) options are being served with sides that aren’t vegan.

Delicious vegetarian moussaka cooked to perfection! Lovely presented expresso martini. Friendly staff who have a sense of humour!

Outstanding food went with a group of us last night and had a lovely meal paired with a smashing Blanc , asparagus starter with feta was an absolute winner for me done over coals if I am ever in the area again would definitely go back , thanks team 😀

Absolutely cannot fault our dining experience at Gem. We booked a party of 19 for our son’s 21st birthday. We had our own room upstairs which was perfect and decorated with banners/balloons. The food, service and atmosphere was fantastic. The staff were highly attentive and very friendly. The food was extremely tasty and fresh and the general atmosphere was vibrant. We shall definitely return. Thank you 🙏

Booked for lunch based on the great reviews and we’re not disappointed. Fresh, tasty, great quality food - could not have been better. Lovely staff and really good value for money. Can’t wait to visit again.

Dear Gem of Norwich, THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart FOR THE EXPERIENCE! I loved it all, your service and a sense that you are all fun and represent the very best of care and hospitality, the food was sublime. Efes on the draft is so much better. I had a dinner last night and a last-minute takeaway before catching a train home tonight, all worked so well, this reminded me so much of travelling in Turkey good 20 years ago. All part of adventure… Best wishes for a successful New Year and see you again soon

Food was excellent and staff were very helpful and patient with us. Would recommend.

Just had dinner in here tonight with the wife we travelled up from Hertfordshire for the night have to say never been in a better restaurant the staff were so friendly and welcoming and the girl who served us was nothing short of brilliant as for the food it was amazing thank you so much for brilliant time will definitely be going back when we are in Norfolk again happy new year to all

Fantastic food! The meat was really succulent and tender. Delicious freshly made flat breads and salads. I would highly recommend

Lamb was amazing. Service was the best our waiter couldn't of done anymore to look after us. Thank you soo much we will be back

Good food, friendly staff. The koftas with the spicy sauce are amazing!!

It's easy to knock a restaurant on poor service and food - however, these guys deserve praise for how good their restaurant is! I've eaten here four times in 2024, and the food is great quality and full of authentic flavour. The service is friendly and efficient, and the vibe of the place is really welcoming.

Best restaurant for food, value and atmosphere. My favourite restaurant as of 2024!

I loved this place and the food was amazing.

Tasty and delicious, definitely order again 👌

Where to start? Having looked forward to this recommended restaurant our first experience was a catalogue of disappointing experiences. Starting with not appearing to have a reservation. despite booking many weeks ago and then being seated in an area that looked like a chop shop used by a serial killer - a drafty window area covered in huge sheets of plastic!. Not a great start to a celebratory evening. When we asked to move we were initially told there were no other tables - however, when we eventually moved we were in an area where tables remained unused for the entire time we were eating our meal! The waiter also spent the duration of our meal clearing his throat as we were near his order station. The food was incredibly greasy and one guest ended up cutting his mouth as there were sharp splinters of bone in his meal (shared platter.) When we raised our dissatisfaction with the waitress she just continued to clear the table and not interact. Overall a ruined evening for all of the guests and definitely not one I, or any of my party, will be recommending to friends.

If you like the look of the Menu, your going to absolutely love Gem's. Fantastic food and service. ❤️

Lovely restaurant. Discovered by chance when walking by. Looking forward to another visit

Delicious food great service reasonable price.

Amazing food. Mezze is out of this world. Service is super friendly. Nothing at all to complain about and very very high level Turkish food.

Fantastic restaurant! I've been multiple times and always enjoyed my time there. I look forward to my next visit.

An absolute must, Turkish food at its freshest and best. Give yourselves a treat 💜. Tip, book in advance, very popular 😀 can't wait to return 😀

Better a couple of year ago,good atmosphere and staff were lovely.

One of my favourite restaurants in Norwich. The food is delicious and the service is great

Nice atmosphere good food friendly staff

Staff are lovely, attentive without being overbearing, and the food is incredible!

Evening date night. The food and service were incredible, great value for money and staff were friendly and attentive. We were seated in an area for large parties and the noise was defending. Next time we would request a quieter space as we only had a table for two and could barely hear each other.

We booked in advance for 20 people and on arrival were escorted up stairs where 2 tables of 10 were laid out . We ordered off the family set menu which was selected chef starters and dessert with your own individual choice of main course . The waiter was excellent in providing recommendations to those that wanted them . The starters all came out at the same time with a selection of dips and pitta bread ( of which there was plenty) , and then vegetable starters . All the mains came out , again at 5he same time , which is no mean feet and there was plenty of food . Although the desserts came out a little later this was not an issue as it gave us time to socialise and chat .Desserts were small pastries and some ice cream/ cream . Service was excellent and those that wanted water ere kept topped up without having to ask . We were really well looked after and everyone commented on the quality of the food and the value for money Everyone has said that 5he6 would be more than happy to go back again

Only time for a quick lunch while changing trains at Norwich. Berk couldn’t have been more helpful. The avocado salad was fresh and full of interesting textures and flavours. It was also huge. So I left clutching my supper for my train back to London. If only I wasn’t just passing through!

I dined at Gem recently, what a delight! Started with giant beans followed by mixed BBQ (chicken, minced lamb kebab, a lamb chop accompanied by rice and a slaw with garlic and chilli sauces) and finished of with a mixed plate dessert (pistachio ice cream, two types of baklava and a brownie). An absolute culinary delight.

Wow, I came here for lunch. The food was amazing and the staff were lovely. Definitely recommend a visit 👌

This restaurant is a 2-minute walk from Norwich station. It is spacious and very clean, with friendly efficient staff. We drank cocktails, managing three each during our lunch. There was a good varied selection of food on the menu. I believe this is a Turkish restaurant, but I recognised Greek and Spanish influence. We both enjoyed our meals, which were piping hot and generous portions. We plan to return

Amazing service, delicious food!! 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 Me and my boyfriend came here on Monday night, our previous booking at another restaurant was cancelled before-hand so I had a look on Google and I found this "Gem"! We've never had Turkish food before and being coeliac it's hard to find any decent food options - they have an entire GF menu, and the staff are quite knowledgeable, which is really nice for a change! We asked to be sat in a quieter part of the restaurant, as I suffer with social anxiety, and they had no problems accommodating this! Unfortunately, we couldn't try any dessert as we were stuffed!! 😅 Definitely would recommend to family and friends - Will revisit if we come back to Norwich! Thankyou! 😊

Walk in table for two. Food was fabulous and staff very polite. Will be returning again.

The staff are very kind and the interior decoration is very pleasant. The dips and souvlaki all come in big portions and are fresh and delicious. One star deducted for the grilled octopus which is £12 for A SINGULAR TENTACLE. It’s absolutely absurd.

The food was delicious and it’s excellent value. The service was great and the cocktails were brilliant too. Thoroughly recommend!

The food was amazing and we ended up with a tray of leftovers for next day's lunch as there was so much. Service was tip top and the Turkish red wine was gorgeous.

Delicious food, very generous servings and arrived quickly.

First time we have been to The Gem of Norwich and will definitely return. The service team could not do enough… They were knowledgeable about allergens, dietary requirements and possible adaptations they could make, so that we could enjoy our meal. Over the evening, they checked in regularly, offering recommendations, pouring wine, refilling water, and making sure we had everything we required. The food was absolutely delicious, well seasoned and lived up to our high expectations. We were recommended to order the family feast option, which included 4 cold mezze dishes, and two hot. We both had a main (lamb stiffado and a vegetarian moussaka) and finished with baklava and icecream. Ridiculously good value at only £24pp! Huge selection for both vegetarians and meat eaters, that included both hot and cold options. Can not wait to return in the near future!

I recently dined at Gem of Norwich, and it was a fantastic experience from start to finish. The service was excellent; the staff were attentive, friendly, and went above and beyond to make sure we felt welcomed. As for the food, it was of very high quality and absolutely delicious, with each dish packed with flavor and perfectly prepared. The ambience was also lovely, creating a comfortable and pleasant atmosphere that made the meal even more enjoyable. Highly recommended for anyone looking for great food and exceptional service!

Went for lunch with friends and the food was delicious- great value as 25% off for lunch menu - great atmosphere and staff were friendly and efficient

The service was really good, the staff pleasant and helpful and chatty, the food excellent, this place is a gem

Owner was grumpy everyone else great.

Excellent foods and staffs is so friendly

Tip Top service, lovely staff and quite possibly one of the tastiest veggie dishes i have had. Butternut squash with parmesan was warm, filling and utterly tasteful. My friend was also very pleased with her lambshank. No room for dessert, but a fresh mint tea had an abundance of fresh mint leaves. Lime slices was a nice touch. Friend had a lovely greek/ turkish coffee. Edit: had to come back for hummus which was yummy. That way i also had room for orange chocolate with icecream after. 🤗 Will definately come back next time i’’m visiting from Norway to Norwich!🇬🇧🇳🇴

Great food, good service even when they are busy

The food is great, service is always warm, friendly and quick. Our chosen place for special occasions!

One of the best restaurants in Norwich, fabulous food service and cocktails.

The waiter was lovely and helpful. He made us welcome. The food was delicious. Far too much for me ,but my partner is a big eater and he loved it. We had the booze brunch. We feel utterly soiled. Happy sitting outside with a drink after dinner. Lots of amazing flavours and presented well. Certainly recommend. Feels like I'm on holiday

Lovely restaurant near to the river. Delicious food and great service. Highly recommended.

Table of 12 wasn't a problem at all. Loved this place and the food was copious and delicious. Thank you for a great night

Disappointing... We have dined here many times because the food never fails to impress and have always had an enjoyable experience whether I have been with friends, with my husband or taken my children. However after our recent meal I am not sure I would choose to return. We turned up to the restaurant 10 minuets prior to our booking and from the very first moment we felt uncomfortable. They took our name as we had booked, then had a hushed conversation looking around the floor we were on with many empty tables to then with a huff be taken upstairs to the furthest point with no persons in the room, we very much got the impression we were not your desired clientele. When other tables were sat in the area they were so close that it was hard to hear persons on your own table. Our server than came over and asked if he could take our drink order where we pointed out we were waiting for one other. At this point we were informed we only had an hour and half as he was busy, even though your booking system states 2 hours. We were not even at our booking time at this point. He then proceeded to have a very loud conversation with a collage about how we were disrupting his tables and didn't want the hassle. As soon as our friend arrived we felt so uncomfortable that we were asked for her order before she had even sat down and taken off her coat. We finished in plenty of time and were even offered desserts. My party, including myself have worked in restaurants for many years and were absolutely applauded by the level of service. Our server seemed to have issues with his tables in general as I watched him approach the table behind us and comment quite rudely how they had put their cutlery in a bread basket. I understand that this might not be something you like to see happening but to confront the table is incredibly rude. As I have mentioned before the food was outstanding as always but you cant get by on just serving good food.

The manager of this place is very rude. I went there for vacancy and he was extremely rude and speak inappropriately. I didn’t see any professionalism in his words and manners. I felt awfully humiliated and never stepped my foot this place again and would tell people to be careful before joining. As there’s no option for reply so thought to reply here instead. I went there twice and in the afternoon staff told me manager will be there in the evening as I wanted talk to manager for work and I went in the evening so the tall slim guy was the manager I reckon. He told me,can’t you see we’re full house now and I’m busy ? Is it the time to talk ? He’s voice tone was very rude and I don’t think anyone has the right to talk with someone who’s looking for a job and then he walked to the door and showed me exit door. I haven’t spoke with anyone else or not managerial staff he was the rude manager himself. I don’t know why you guys are lying ? I’m not going there to being humiliated again. No chance

Best night out I've had in ages. The food was delicious. Well cooked and presented. The waiters were extremely friendly and welcoming and treated our friend like royalty when they discovered we were celebrating her birthday. Completely made her day!

Food is always incredible. Service is great and all the staff are always friendly, helpful and kind. Great restaurant.

Fantastic food, excellent service, mid-range prices. One of my favourite places in Norvich

Why are more and more restaurants charging service charges? You say that it is discretionary, but you add it to the bill automatically and then make the customer feel terrible when you are asked to remove it. Don't you pay your staff a fair wage? If you want to charge more for the food you provide then ammend the prices on the menu, and then the consumer can make an informed decision whether they want to eat in your restaurant or not. Just about had enough of this new culture that is being forced upon us.

Working away, so a solo diner. Absolutely no issues with this from this very busy restaurant. I love a Turkish restaurant. Often my first choice when in a place I don't know, but the "Gem Delight", aubergine and lamb kofta genuinely blew me away. I've had similar dishes all over the country, this is the best I've had. Skipped a starter, as in Turkish restaurants that always means you won't finish the main, but finished with raki and coffee. Great meal, friendly service and a really good atmosphere. Highest recommendation from me!

First visit for a couple of years for me and first time ever for my friends. Hopefully won’t be as long again before the next visit. Excellent food, friendly staff, reasonably priced.

Absolutely delicious!! Everything!! They are also very nice and kind.

Had an amazing midweek lunch here. Food was fantastic and the service wonderful.

My favourite restaurant in Norwich. This time I visited on the night of a football match at Carrow Rd. They managed to fit me in (solo diner) which was great. The hummus lamb starter was lovely (lots of bread). The mixed shish with rice was perfectly cooked. I had the mash as extra. It's the nicest mash I've ever eaten. Superb.

Grilled platter was very very good. I would recommend getting the pork instead of lamb.

The place is nice and beautiful The food is very ordinary compared to what is considered high prices

Delicious! Best belly pork I've ever had.

We have been to GEM many times before and had a good time but this time has been absolutely terrible. We booked the table and have put the notes that we have a kid and also called in advance said we would have a under 1s with a pram if that would be any problem and they said it’s fine. When we arrived they said they booked us for the upstairs table but we can’t go up because of the pram. So they give us a table downstairs and told us we need to give it back in 1.5 hours which it’s not fair to us. The person greet us at the door was not welcoming at all. Toward the end, the manager pointed our table and shouted to the staff “Why they still here?” So the staff rush to take our payment. It is all in all a very unpleasant experience. The girl that serve us was lovely and amazing but that’s pretty much it.

Friendly service good food and fair prices. Made my night special.

Beautiful restaurant & delicious food. Perfect for every occasion and completely faultless. An all time favourite to visit :)

Very nice service. The food was tasty and well seasoned. I recommend.

Tasty turkish/grill food with great service and reasonably priced. Portions are large. They have an entirely gluten free menu so great for coeliacs. Great dinner spot if in Norwich!

Delicious food and very friendly staff. A good choice of meat-free dishes too. Will definitely be visiting again.

Sensational , great food and service , great range on menu , can come here again and again

Amazing! Went for the first time and the food was delicious, lots to choose from and great value. Staff were so kind and attentive will definitely be going again!

Very very busy ....gratuity included understand why but not impressed with that.

Order never received! Awful service

It co was my mum’s 80th and 9 of us went for lunch to celebrate. The staff were so incredible.. the food sooo delicious and great value too. Thank you for making it so special. I think you’ve got 8 new customers!

Stopped for the lunch deal and what a great experience. Food was delicious, there was plenty of it and the value was also great. Highly recommend!

My friend hosted my baby shower here today and it was truly faultless. Fantastic food for a great price and brilliant service. Will definitely be back!

Another fantastic meal at Gem. Celebrating our wedding anniversary with one of our sons and his partner. We weren't sure if we'd overdone the starters but we managed to do them justice (6 plates might have been a better idea, but what to leave out?). Mains were equally good, and 2 of us even managed to squeeze in a dessert! Special shout out to the barman for the cocktails. Will certainly be back again.

We visited this restaurant twice during our recent stay in Norwich. The Staff were very welcoming and attentive, our waiter was very helpful when we were trying to choose from the very varied dishes on the menu. This restaurant advertises 'Discover the wonderful taste of the Mediterranean' We had the most wonderful food on our first visit and on the second the BBQ Mixed Platter was outstanding and could have fed a lot more than the two people it was for. We would advise anyone who likes Turkish food to give this place a try, you won't be disappointed!!!

This certainly was a Gem of a find, stayed in Norwich for 1 night stopped off for a drink ended having the most amazing meal, food was well presented and very tasty the staff were very welcoming, friendly and attentive. Would certainly recommend and would eat there again

Lovely food, great service, special mention to the gentleman from denizli, he was a really great guy to chat too and a total asset to the business

Had another amazing meal here last night with a selection of meze dishes then mains and deserts. Not many places these days so consistently spot on, I’ve had several meals here now ranging from a business lunch to dinner to special occasions and every time the food and service have been unfaultable. Hands down my favourite restaurant in Norwich, possibly even anywhere and imo very reasonably priced for what it is including the ambience and overall experience and I like the fact they don’t rush you, we even asked for a break between courses to allow room after the delicious starters and they were very accommodating Would highly recommend

Lovely staff, amazing food (the best lamb I have eaten for a long time). Great atmosphere-busy evening on Sunday evening. Wish it was closer - we would definitely dine there regularly.

Been here a couple of times now food really nice will definitely go back last night had the liver to start and short beef as main 😋

1st visit and will definitely return, absolutely delicious and wonderful service. Had the £25 taster menu with lamb mains at extra cost, meze starters delicious and lamb mains beautifully tender and flavoursome. Will be returning to try out the interesting looking menu.

Delicious food, as always. Attentive staff, what more could you want?

Everything from food to service was wonderful. We will definitely be back❤️

Our 4th visit and brilliant as ever. Friendly and welcoming staff. Lovely food. Our favourite place to eat when we come to Norwich.

Lovely restaurant next to the river. Food was really good, that perfect balance of not too much or too little and the staff were attentive without being in your face.

food would have been good, but it arrived completely cold, for £64 I expect better

Food is great but why do you have a fixed service fee 😡

Distinctly mediocre and disappointing. Service was a mix of very hospitable and awkwardly brusque. Atmosphere was okay but some of the other patrons seemed not to understand basic good manners (sneezing on the wall and picking food out of their teeth). Food was so disappointing- humous was tasteless, falafel bland also, and lentil soup tasty but the inclusion of what looked like chopped, frozen veg was a budget choice on the restaurant’s part. Would not recommend unless really pressed.

Went there yesterday (20 August 2024) at about 18:00, at the end of a day trip to Norwich. We hadn't booked. We chose Gem because of its high average score, because we like Turkish food and because it is a few steps away from the station, which we were using later. The service (from Berk, I believe) was excellent, as was the food. I can see why it is popular and the place certainly filled up while we were there. Despite that, there was no attempt to rush us. Definitely to be recommended.