GEMINI CLUB - Lake Oswego — Restaurant in Lake Oswego

I like the layout of the place a lot, and the staff was very friendly, but also stretched very thin. Went on a live music night and got there early enough to get a table in the lounge area in view of the fireplace, which was comfortable and cozy, but we were only able to flag down our server too get drinks twice in the hours we were there. We thought that, given the sound system mounted throughout the establishment, the fact that you can only see the stage from a third of the establishment would not be a big deal, but when the band started they never turned those speakers on, so I could mostly just hear the monsters at the table next to us. This was a bit of a bummer, since I am no longer able to stand for long periods to watch people play music sure to injuries, and thought this might be a nice venue for hearing live bands while actually being comfortable, but sadly this was not the case. Doubly disappointing given the high cover to get in only to neither see nor hear the band. The restroom was super clean and even smelled nice though, so there's that? I was also not a huge fan of the crowd. I don't know if this was partially due to the music being offered that night or if this was the regular clientele, but it was as though someone took a building full of folks my age and offered them fairly large sums if money in exchange for their souls, almost all of their dignity, and a good chunk of their hairline. The conduct and conversations I overheard...listen, if someone is ever tasked with taking scientists on an expedition to see vapid, arrogant basic wasps in their natural habitat, this would be a good place to go bring them as a jumping off point. Most of that is probably where it's located, because I'm pretty sure Lake Oswego is still a sundown town. The only POC we saw all night was a cab driver who was being pulled over for a routine traffic stop but was forced by the officer to stand outside the car in the rain (though he did eventually get to open the hatch of the cab to...

I am a man of two worlds. As an adult, I lived in and love SE Portland, pre and post-hipster. As a child (and an adult), I've always had a connection to Lake Oswego through my family, who built one of the first residences on the Lake.

Long story short, I never in a million years thought there would be a real SE-Portland style dive bar in Lake O, and there is. And it makes me happy. So very happy.

I'd driven/ridden/walked past the Gemini a zillion times in my lifetime, and recently stumbled in out of the rain to find TV's plastered with sports, folks playing cards in the back, decent drinks at really reasonable prices (no $12 martinis here, thank heaven).

I'd criticise the seating in that it's really varied, they have some nice couches for an intimate environment for friends, not so intimate if the TV is blasting football, but then there's also high tables with high stools, and I've hated high stools since I was a 12 year old.

If you're looking for a fancy schmancy place to take a date or a client, this is not your spot. If you want a good local watering hole, with the standard dive bar (and that's a term of endearment where I come from) accouterments, where a $20 in your pocket will quench your thirst and hunger easily, then this is one of the few places in the entire area you can find that experience, without going up 43 and crossing the bridge into Sellwood, and that defeats the purpose.

Overall, a great place, and notable in that they frequently have live music, another rarity on the...

Last night I sat at the bar for 15 minutes — same spot, clearly visible — while three different groups of people who showed up after me got served. When I politely asked the bartender (who looked like he only just aged into legally pouring drinks) if I could order, I got the snarky, “Yeah, yeah, can you see I’m helping them?” brush-off.

When I pointed out that they got served first, he explained that I was sitting in the “band hangout zone” — even though there were zero band members anywhere near that area, and the seats were completely empty when I arrived. Then, with the kind of cocky, condescending flair you’d expect from someone auditioning for “Bartender With Main Character Syndrome,” he pointed at the ‘Order Here’ signs and said, “You see those signs up there? That’s where you’re supposed to order.”

Apparently, the difference between getting a drink or getting ignored at Gemini comes down to whether you’re sitting or standing one foot to the left.

And just when I thought the vibe couldn’t get any warmer, a woman who looked old enough to know better (but sounded like she’d just been voted Most Likely to Peak in High School) turned to deliver this gem:

“You don’t have to like the rules, but he’s just explaining them to you” said as if she was awarding herself with a gold star for attitude.

I was left wondering if these are the actual house rules at Gemini, or if I unknowingly crashed a casting call for Regina George: The...