For a small rural city in Florida, I didn’t expect so much diversity or quality from restaurants in Gainesville. In the middle of classes or on the weekend, I roamed around the city to find some good restaurants. And surprisingly, there are some mouthwatering American, Mexican, and Asian restaurants in the city that filled my appetite and also kept me entertained with their ambience.
Today, I’m going to describe in detail my experience with some of the restaurants in GNV, FL, which I bet will make you want Gainesville to be your next foodie destination. With astonishing sunlight and scenic beauty, these restaurants will make you fall in love with them over and over again.
In our list, we have,
- The TOP
- Las Carretas Mexican Restaurant Gainesville
- Harry’s Seafood Bar and Grill
- Underground Kitchen
- Ford’s Garage Gainesville
- Spurrier’s Gridiron Grille
- Wayne Head Southern Kitchen
- Ember’s Wood Grill
The Top Gainesville-University of Florida, FL, 32601-American
Website: https://www.thetophub.com/
Location: 30 North Main Street, Gainesville, FL-32601
I have many fellow classmates from my undergraduate University who came to the UF to do either an MS or PhD. When I asked them what would be a good restaurant to taste American foods here, the most common name that came up was the TOP Gainesville. So, I decided to give it a try. Also, it’s close to the UF.
If you crave good burgers and fantastic drinks with an incredible atmosphere, you can choose this place closing your eyes. I chose a southwestern burger on my first visit. It was cooked in perfect essence, not more, not less. The guacamole, cheese, and onion toppings made it really flavorful and delicious.
The cocktails are perfectly mixed, and it’s a great place to be with friends. The front view is colorful and vibrant. The decoration will give you a mid-century vibe. The pop-culture paintings are very creative and the atmosphere is very lively.
If you look on the internet, you’ll see lots of suggestions for Pesto Gnocchi(and Gnocchi Carbonara) at the Top. When I consumed this for dinner, it just melted in my mouth. Perfectly cooked, and the spice was so balanced. This is one of the best dishes in Gainesville. They serve this with a fresh salad. I can bet you will want to come back to this restaurant for this.
I tried Chichimuri grilled chicken also, but I did not find this as delicious as the previous two, as it was slightly over cooked in my opinion.
I won’t go into detail, but the other options like Sun Diego Chicken and Corn Nuggets on the menu are also very tasty and flavorful. They have high consumer ratings also.
The outdoor eating place is spacious. The surrounding scenery is beautiful. The space is a bit crowded. If you go in the evening on the weekend, you may have to wait a few minutes to get the services sometimes. The parking’s a breeze- just park outside the front door.
They offer quite friendly staff and services. One staff member, Mike, who served us, was spontaneous, knowledgeable, and to the point in taking instructions. When one of my friends told he had a problem with spicy foods, the chef and waiter made every effort to rearrange the menu for him and still offered him plenty of options. You will feel well taken care of, warm, and welcome right from the start.
So if you’re looking for a restaurant with a vibrant environment and excellent staff services with consistently top-notch foods in Gainesville, the TOP is the place to go.
Las Carretas Mexican Restaurant Gainesville-Mexican
Website: https://www.lascarretasmexicanrest.com/
Location: 3501 SW 2nd Ave, Gainesville, FL 32607
I have literally lost count of how many times I’ve been there, especially for the salsa bar! I’ll tell you about the experience of my visit there on one Valentine’s day, and the vibe was amazing.
It’s a 3 storied building, and very spacious for the visitors. With huge spaces, big tables, and a dedicated back room, this is amazing for large groups. When we arrived, the server, Ana, greeted us with a warm welcome. She was vibrant jolly and very attentive to detail.
So, what’s on the menu? This restaurant takes Mexican food to another level. You won’t believe the size of the margaritas here. The one they call medium is huge, easily compared to large ones in other restaurants. One of my friends told me we can make two of them from one, still they’ll be good.
The table side guacamole was so fresh and delicious that, in one sitting, I tasted it 3 times. Everybody suggested steak fajitas, but when I got that, it was a bit undercooked. In one visit, I tasted arroz con Pollo with corn Tortillas, and it was very flavorful. Tacos and burritos are also ok here. Most of the foods have hugely positive reviews from previous customers.
Curious about the atmosphere? The vibe and music of the place are upbeat. You’ll feel like dancing every time you step up there. The Mariachi music is phenomenal there, perfectly blending with the atmosphere.
If you come on the weekend with friends, the place is crowded and you’ll feel the vibe in full extent. The cheerful ambiance and nuanced night lights make the atmosphere truly enjoyable.
A huge shoutout for our beautiful, lovely, and sincere waiter, Ana! She took care of every detail of the order from start to finish. She also connected with us via her real-life stories from South America.
My friend Amit had a dog. Ana looked after her when we were dining outside. She was also fluent in both English and Spanish. She took us to enjoy the Salsa bar, and it was amazingly designed. We met people of different ages and ethnicities and had a great time there.
The menu ranges from $20-50. Although it’s slightly higher than the average, the exhilarating setup of food, service, and ambiance completely make up for the money.
If you’re looking for a beautifully managed Mexican restaurant in Gainesville, this place is a must-visit and will provide value for your time and money.
Harry’s Seafood Bar and Grill- Gainesville-Seafood
Website: https://hookedonharrys.com/location/gainesville/
Location: 110 SE 1st St, Gainesville, FL 32601
If you’re craving great seafood and wondering whether there are any seafood restaurants in Gainesville, this is a great option for you! Generally known for providing the taste of New Orleans, it has been a staple in the heart of downtown Gainesville for over 25 years. Located in the beautiful original opera house building built in 1887, this place shines through its amazing seafood options and signature cocktails.
What first mesmerized me about this restaurant was its exterior design. As it’s in an old opera house, the night view is scintillating. It will give you an ancient vibe. The surrounding greeneries and reddish color make it soothing for the eyes.
What about the food? The famous one is Jambalaya, a rice and meat dish from Louisiana. The Creole spice in it makes it so flavorful and delicious that you will want it again for sure. This is served with or without sausages. We tasted the one without sausages. It’s heavy on the tomato and light on the roux. It’s great in size, so two people can eat one easily. Fried green tomatoes is another one we tasted. It’s savory, delicious, and crisp.
New Orleans-style Shrimp and Grits was uniquely designed, with a smoky flavor and was slightly heated. The shrimp on the sauce and the grits on the drier side made it easily consumable. But it did not taste good to my taste buds. Maybe for one time it was slightly over-cooked.
The signature cocktail is pretty good. Properly mixed and at the right temperature. Many others suggest Oreo Beignets, but don’t expect much from it because it’s just a deeply fried Oreo, not an actual beignet.
I won’t dive into the detail of all the menus, but other menu options are decent as well.
Our waiter, Alexa, was a great delight throughout our stay at the restaurant. She talked to us about various topics and showed us different parts of the restaurant. What a lovely lady she was! She was sweet, knowledgeable, and she answered all our questions sincerely and was to the point in order taking. Services and foods were super fast, at least for us.
We didn’t face any service issues, but we heard that during busy hours, sometimes the orders may be a bit delayed. Normally, you can find parking easily, but during busy hours, sometimes it may be difficult to park close to the restaurant.
The vibe at Harry’s is always warm and welcoming, with excellent, attentive staff and good music. It’s in a festive mood most of the time. If you’re not in a good mood, the ambiance can clear your mind anytime.
When we were present, an old lady had her 68th birthday that day. Alexa brought her a special dish, and everyone in the restaurant sang “Happy Birthday”. Yes, it’s that kind of personal touch this restaurant offers.
For the pricing, it’s slightly on the heavier side. Most main dishes cost around $25-60. But their services and food are one of the bests in Florida. This is also just a few minutes from campus.
So, you can definitely consider this restaurant if you are craving some good seafood and American food in Gainesville.
Underground Kitchen-Gainesville-Southern
Location: 722 NW 5th Ave, Gainesville, FL 32601-Take Out
Wanna taste mouthwatering Southern food in Gainesville at a relatively lower price? Underground Kitchen has plenty of options for that. Just a few minutes away from the UF main gate, it provides quality southern and seafood options.
So, what sets this place apart? I’ll say sheer quality of foods and excellent services from the staff. Placed in a naturally beautiful location, you’ll find the greenery around the location very soothing. There is a garden just close to the restaurant. They use ingredients from the garden directly to their dishes.
There is no walk-in in this restaurant and so you need to call and order before coming. If you’ve already walked in, you can just go outside and call them and order. We pre-ordered the items like Seafood Mac and Cheese along with Crab Cakes and Collard Greens. I can’t rave enough about how fabulous and tasty these foods are! The proteins are perfect but the sides are so phenomenal that I just wanted to consume more and more collard greens-they are superb! The mac and cheese (with a side of cornbread) was flavorful, hearty and exciting. The noodles were cooked perfectly, but overall, it was a bit salty and cheesy.
Big credit to the owner and Cheff, Carl, who masterfully blended the natural ingredients with the proteins. He has intense passion and love for cooking. He was a patient, kind and soft spoken person. He values customer’s feedback professionally. He even called us back after we picked up our food to ensure everything is fine.
When I was eating, I was trying to decipher what made the foods so fresh and delicious. Of course it’s the charisma of Watts, but also, the fresh vegetables like tomatoes and green peas they collect and mix with the dishes, add distinct value to the taste.
For the Shrimp and Grits, this was much better than the Harry’s. it was perfectly cooked, not more, not less. And the flavor was very immaculate. Peppers, corn, onion, Creole sauce and a large Shrimp were just in right amount. The Pork Chop is a great item on their menu. I didn’t taste it, but my friends were fairly impressed by that. The Macaroni and Catfish fry are other two notable items.
The service is very professional and welcoming here. After you order on the phone, upon arrival, they will give you an estimate about when the foods will be ready. For our case, they told it will take 40-45 minutes to prepare, and we got the food in hand in 50 minutes.
Cost?
So if you’re looking for a take out restaurant with excellent foods made with natural home-grown ingredients and sincere and professional services, don’t hesitate to give it a try.
Spurrier’s Gridiron Grille–American
Location: 4860 Steve Spurrier Way, Gainesville, FL 32608 | Dine-in
This is one of the places where you can visit multiple times just for their exterior design and lighting. It was founded in the memory of Steve Spurrier, the former famous player and head coach of the Florida Gators football team.
I stayed in BLVD Gainesville(now Quarters Gainesville) during my MS, and in every week, we would like to go to Walmart for daily groceries. As a restaurant lover, as I was always looking to taste new restaurants, one week I found this gem in close proximity to Walmart.
The premises and surrounding area are filled with greenery, but the inside looks like a lavish mid-summer nights’ dream! The lighting perfectly matches the atmosphere and creates a magical feeling all around. This is one of my personal favorites in Gainesville.
If you plan to come to this place and evening, a prior reservation is suggested as it usually gets crowded, thanks to its extreme popularity among the locals. If you don’t, the wait time is long here, especially in the weekend afternoons. It has a huge bar area(an open air “Visort bar” on top) and nice outdoor setting. Your mind will be refreshed by a unique Spurrier sports collection (Florida Gators’) and fantastic food.
It has tons of memorabilia regarding Florida Gators’ achievement (such as “The Champions Wall” and the historic “Spurriers Heisman Trophy”). If you’re a sports lover (especially baseball and soccer), it will remind you of fantastic achievements of the Gator sports teams. The ambiance is very lively and inviting, making it an amazing place to relax and enjoy a meal.
About the food, they’re very delicious and full of amazing flavors. We went in group of 5 and enjoyed the time there most of the times. I took the Short Rib Risotto which was cooked in a balanced way, and the rib fell apart very easily with the fork. The taste of Macadamia Crusted Mahi was superb, too. I tried a custard for the dessert, it was smooth and easily melted in my mouth. White Chocolate Bourbon Bread pudding is another good option for dessert. You’ll love it, just like Amit, my friend.
For dinner, you can go comfortably with the Shrimp and Grits, sweet corn ravioli, or the amazing fillet with the truffle mushroom sauce. The shrimp and grits was delicious and the orange and blue shrimp were very tasty.
One of my friends took Nutella muffins, which were crazy good. But the chicken wings were slightly over-fried and lacked flavor. Grilled salmon was a little dry. Burger slides were basic. Turkey was usual. Tomahawk Pork Chop is a specialty of this restaurant, and it was cooked to perfection. It’s very flavorful and juicy. You can taste it with carrots and asparagus.
Among the drinks, I tried Pigskin Old fashioned(I thought it might be an interesting one) which was fantastic. The cocktails were perfectly mixed and were in the desired temperature. The house lager was also good here.
A huge clap for our waiter, Ava! She was a bundle of joy for the whole time we were there. Astonishingly, she knew most of the detail of those memorabilia and made our meal enjoyable by her amazing presentation.
She also showed us the top Visort bar, which was spacious and nicely decorated. She was attentive and friendly. Service was fast and she made us feel like we were her only table! She also surprised us with two glasses of champagne, which was so very nice as well as unexpected.
The atmosphere is electric with varied cutting edge room designs with a homage to the past at the same time. It’s full of vibrant energy and suitable for friends and family get together. They even allow to add personal touch to your gathering, like adding flowers and cakes etc.
Sometimes the foods may be a bit under cooked. You need to have a proper reservation for timely getting the foods.
The price is in a bit higher side. You pay $30 and can taste most of the foods here. But considering the quality of food, services and historic values, it’s a very good option for friends and family gatherings.
Ember’s Wood Grill- Gainesville–Steak and Seafood
Location: 3545 SW 34th St Suite A, Gainesville, FL 32608
Website: embersofflorida.com
This is another great steakhouse in the middle of Gainesville but with its own unique charm and vibe. Often cited as one of the best steakhouses in Gainesville, it was established in 2009 and fits perfectly into the picture-perfect village of Gainesville. Visually, the macaroon-colored buildings and sharp roofs make it distinct from others. Stepping inside, you’ll be greeted by a warm, friendly environment.
So if you’re up for a delightful and vibrant dining experience with steaks in the center of Gainesville, this is a good option for you. Jointly owned and run by Charles L Allen and his wife Jude Allen, this place offers a specialized and personal touch. Briton Dumas, head chef, carefully curates a menu that signifies the local ingredients and showcases the best of each content he uses.
We started with their famous meat rolls, which were perfectly seasoned and flavorful. For the main dish, we went for steak with mashed potatoes, and it tasted amazing. The steak was tender, juicy, slightly smoky and so yummy, seemed like it was cooked to perfection! And the mashed potatoes were creamy and rich, making these two items complimentary to each other.
We also ordered a short rib meal and a filet mignon with sides of smoked asparagus, lobster mashed potatoes, and mushrooms. The short rib was one of the best in the town. Potatoes and mushrooms were incredibly fresh. This combo was pretty good although slightly overcooked. They have an excellent wine list also. We tasted smoked Manhattan martini which was prepared perfectly and at the right temperature. A dirty martini with blue cheese and olives is another one I can testify, to be an excellent one. For the dessert, I loved the lemon cake the most although they offer ice creams of various tastes.
If you’re looking to celebrate an anniversary with your dear ones in the City, this is a fabulous place to go. When I went with my friends, a couple was celebrating their 10th marriage anniversary. The ambiance of low warm lighting, table linens, candles, and beautiful music aptly matched the vibe of celebration. The staff were very attentive to detail. The waiter, Onnie brought a personalized cake for them marking their anniversary and celebrated with us, too.
The service and atmosphere of this place deserve special attention, too. Our diner, Onnie was a delight with her charming voice and sincere attitude. She was to the point in taking and serving orders and was assisting every customer with personal care. One of the people on my friend list had a problem with non-veg options. She immediately understood that, and presented the best options in the vegetarian meal. To our surprise, they have plenty of options for vegetarians, too.
The music arrangement made it a perfect evening for us. There was a DJ party going down there, where anyone could suggest their favorite song. There is a garden outdoor setting, you can enjoy nature there while having your meal, too.
Parking around this place may feel difficult sometimes, especially in the weekend. Although we didn’t face any issues regarding the service, previously many people said that they did not have proper attention from the waiters. Many complained about the long wait time they had and the negligence from the waiters. As a high-demand place, this may happen when the place is very crowded. I suggest booking this place beforehand if you want to have a special celebration, to have a smooth experience in dining and service.
What about the pricing? The steaks are in the high end. They including the other main dishes range from $50-90. Many previous customers complain it to be too pricey compared to the value they provide. Other dishes range from $40-80. But the overall experience makes up for this, provided that you carefully choose your dining time and order beforehand.
So if you’re looking for a good steakhouse with proper value for you money and time, you can consider this. But keep in mind that, food is a bit pricey and you may not have a good service from the management if the time is pretty busy.
