Not a fan. We came here last week to watch a game at the bar. Thankfully it wasn't crowded at all (that should have been our first sign!). The menu at this place is too scattered. They serve everything- from sushi to hamburgers. The menu has no focus. We ordered oysters, flatbread and fried shrimp. The ingredients for each were sub-par. The flatbread was cold, the shrimp were tiny and flavorless. Drinks were fine. Nothing special. And to top it all off, we spent almost $75 on this unsatisfying meal. Would have been better served grabbing a $4 pizza down the street. read more

The oysters were great and so was ponzu the sea bass and Blackened Grouper but the sides were subpar, with emphasis on subpar. Over all we're we're happy with our meals and the alcoholic drinks but the overall cost was ridiculous. Not sure if we'll go back. The seafood can stand on its own read more

Eh. Here's the thing... The patio was awesome, it was a beautiful day, I was with my very favorite people, the drinks were awesome (and 2 for 1s), the flatbread was tasty- the service was AWFUL. Just bad, bad service. And I'm telling you it had to be bad to put me in a mood that day! Our server took about 10 minutes just to get to our table, understandable they were busy, then another 15 minutes to get us our drinks, then another 10 minutes to take our order, then another 20 minutes to receive our order, then another 15 minutes to get our check. And she had an attitude the. whole. time. Don't think I'll ever be returning to the Ballyhoo's... but if I do it will be on a day they're not so busy- maybe that will improve the service. read more

Don't order the prime rib... Horrible!! Everything else was just ok, won't be a place I'll ever pick to go again! read more

Ballyhoo Grill - Prime rib, gross! & their "garnish" was spinach leaves with salad dressing! Weird to me & the baked potato tasted microwaved! - Seafood Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

This is pretty good,nice scenery and food is decent.the waiters are always kind and the prices are reasonable.There food could be fresher and could use an update.i recommend it for people who like a simple meal. read more

Walking into the place, it is dark and dank. The restaurant has a musty odor that is off-putting. wait staff was quick to take our initial orders and the soups came out quickly. I ordered a cup of gumbo, my wife the she crab soup. I would describe them as adequate but nothing special. We also ordered the Calamari and it arrived at the table appetizing in appearance only. Bland and undercooked. I ordered the rib eye steak. My wife ordered the cedar plank salmon. Her fish dish was tasty and well cooked and seasoned. The broccoli was nearly raw, as if it had been blanched quickly. The steak looked appetizing and was cooked to the requested temperature, I took a bite and it was rancid. I'm not talking mildly off, I mean rancid. I sent it back. The waitress summarily asked if I would like another steak fired. I declined. Nothing more was said to us by staff. They simply brought the bill and charged us for what we ate. I would have appreciated an apology, but none was offered, not even from our waitress. To sit down at a restaurant expecting a meal only to leave hungry is the definition of failure on the part of the restaurant. If you go there, I wish you luck, as it seems that this place is hit or miss. read more

The worst service I have ever experienced here. Ordered a bottle of wine... Waited and waited, food came still no wine... Another 10 minutes finally I have wine I guess to drink not enjoy with my meal which was way over priced for the portions. I suppose this is going to be the new normal... Line manager seemed completely unbothered with my feedback, oh and all the while the owner is sitting having dinner and wine while service goes in the toilet. read more

We had dinner there on 11/21/09, prior to our first game at the Swamp. The fish tacos were pretty good, we enjoyed the atmosphere. I would definitely eat there again When we are in G'ville. And of course the Tim Treebow is a don't miss !! read more

Top Quality service everytime. Me and my girlfriend have been here several times and the staff is always knowledgeable about the seafood and meats they have on the menu and on special. The manager has often come over and checked on things when we have been there. He even brought us fresh fries without asking because he thought they weren't fresh enough. The food is always very good and the portions are generous. While it is on the pricey side you are getting what you pay for. If you are a desert person you have to get the Banana's Foster that they cook right in front of you. read more

One of the WORST meals EVER. Does not deserve 1 star, but negative stars are not available. Took my best friend to Ballyhoo's for his birthday dinner. I ordered the Seabass 'special' - which was anything BUT special. Undercooked and over seasoned - not to mention the server neglected to mention the price of $34.95! It was a tiny piece of fish, and the baked potato was not even done! My friend ordered the cedar planked salmon - it was OVER done and so dry he could hardly eat it! Thank goodness the server was accommodating and adjusted the bill! I hate to take Ballyhoo's off my 'favorites' list, but you are GONE! read more

I got a nasty salad with a piece of ugly fish. The poor embarrassed waitress. Otherwise it use to be good. What happen? I don't ever remember having a bad meal. And such an empty restaurant that night. read more

Enjoyed yesterday with friends and their family. Met to talk wedding business and was there for two hours. The server took care of us the whole time and did not rush us off. Definitely becoming a regular. read more

Will definitely return again but on a Monday. Kids meals are either free with an adult meal or discounted. We enjoyed our meals and appetizer of calamari. Kids had the kids shrimp dinner. My son's cheese grits were lukewarm and didn't care for them here. Ordered a cup of she-crap soup and this SC lady wasn't impressed. The flavor of the soup was good but barely any crab and I didn't see any roe. No roe then not she crap soup, it's just crab bisque. Our waitress was very helpful with it being our first time. Was disappointed no seabass that day but will call ahead next time esp if that's what I want. It's worth another trip to test another day. read more

Ballyhoo Grill - Seafood Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Absolutely horrible crab legs unless you like old rubbery limitations. Spent the night trying to extract what meager portions we could from these sad excuses for crustations. It was the McDonalds of seafood. Will never visit again. read more

I wouldn't even give this place one star, but you have to to write a review. We sat at the bar & just wanted a drink. The waitresses were rude number one. After we ordered our drinks it took forever to get our drinks. Then we decided to order a couple of appetizers. BIG MISTAKE!! We actually had to flag one of the waitresses down to order. They never even acknowledged we were there. Not one smile. Other people were getting waiting on & served. We finally again had to flag one of the three waitresses down because again not one of them noticed we were there. We told them to cancel our food order because honestly I really didn't even think they even put our order in. Will NOT be returning!! Sad because I have been many times in the past. Never been ignored by staff & I should have mentioned the horrible attitude of the 3 waitresses to the manager. Horrible service at the bar!!! read more

Hate to say it the food was pretty good but the service was shit I will never eat anything there ever again plus apparently they don't care if you may have an allergy to or an aversion to lemons cause the will put it on your tea your water even your fish plus the attitude you receive when you ask for hot sauce is appalling please do not disgrace your taste by going to this place read more

Don't understand why the average of all the reviews for this place is not four stars at least. It's dumb to give a place one star just because you had a bad server one time.... But I digress. Now to the actual review, this is one of my top five favorite Gainesville restaurants, coming from a Gainesville native. :) The atmosphere is really nice, I enjoy sitting outside on the patio, where they have live music most weekdays. The menu is comprehensive of all the major categories without being overwhelming. They have excellent appetizers, try the firecracker shrimp - it's excellent. Appetizers are priced to share (around 10 bucks) but accordingly are bigger portions than most standard apps. They have many options, all within a reasonable price range. You can get a rueben sandwich and beans and rice for 9 bucks, and other varieties, and they are all delicious! I went for fried grouper tacos, 12 dollars for two large grouper tacos and beans and rice. Yummy yummy yummy. They also have great tropical cocktails, as well as standard wine list and beers on tap. Excellent burgers, seafood, and steaks. Only thing they could improve, like most Gainesville restaurants, is adding a few more vegetarian options, but they do have a veggie pasta that is very yummy. They could also add a vegan option because few restaurants do so this could attract an unreached populus. Service was quick and fast. Another point of praise that really makes ballyhoo standout for me is that they took reservations for a group of 20 on a Friday night for me, seated in the patio. I called tons of restaurants in Gainesville trying to find a location for a birthday dinner, and this was the only non-chain place that would accommodate the large group. They said they ordinarily don't take reservations after five on Fridays but could tell I really needed somewhere and very super nice and set it up for me :) They also wrote happy birthday in the sauce of my appetizer without anyone asking them too. Very sweet. Local place that's really got it together and food is great. Love ballyhoo and will return time and time again. read more

aughslklshg;ske!!11 first, it's ballyhoo. the name is on yelp, the name is on the sign, and the name is on the menu. nothing belongs to ballyhoo. ballyhoo is a type of fish. for the love of god -- this place is not called ballyhoo's. let's take a moment to absorb the information. i've been going here for years. i was really impressed when i was in middle school. ahi tuna with wasabi mayo blew my mind about ten years ago, and i have been making it ever since. i would not touch this place with a stick now. it's expensive, and there's nothing on the menu that can't be done in the comfort of your own kitchen for half the price. this includes the bananas foster, which is a dish that most likely costs less than $4 a serving when done at home. i also don't want to watch some miserable kid awkwardly fumbling around with fire merely inches away from my body. the only reason i went last time is because my friends are those gainesville dwellers who think the only places to eat in this city are on archer or newberry. we waited over half an hour, and my heart grew colder. never again, friends. send me a postcard. i can imagine that being six margaritas deep can make frozen fish seem pretty impressive, but that's not why i go out. if i am going to get drunk and eat, i am going to do it at home and eat farm fresh's frozen mozzarella sticks in my pajamas while watching mtv's true life. there is no difference between this place and any other chain seafood restaurant except there are no slow motion, mid-butter dunk lobsterfest commercials for ballyhoo. BALLYHOO. not ballyhoo's. read more

Me and my sweetie was in town to attend a wedding and came for lunch here with our family. We sat outside in the patio area and it was nice actually. Although it was a bit chilly for a Flordia day, I wasn't too cold at all. They had flatscreens around and the young man assisting us was great! We had shark bites, clamari, different types of beer, martini's, you name it. I ate the shrimp and grits and it was good. Others had some type of fish sandwich, and Vince's mom ate mahi mahi salad. Overall, it was a good place to come and eat. This is Florida Gator town, so you know when we were leaving, Vince had to stick his head in the large Gator mascot statute, LOL. read more

The food was good the service was just ok. It was not crowded but it was obvious the waitress did not want to wait on us. Not sure why.

Good service, great food and friendly staff. Everything was prompt and accommodating. The prices were reasonable also. I'd definitely recommend this restaurant. And if I am down this way again I would visit it again read more

Service is still poor, and food is just average. The company was good, but we brought that.

First time eating here , I would always drive by when in the area and was intrigued by the building, finally stopped in today after an afternoon of swimming , and I must say , it was well worth it . Came in during happy hour , enjoyed the drink specials , Kamelia was our server and she was great. Efficient and not pushy at all. Started off with the She Crab soup and it was by far the best I have ever had , and came out hot and instantly. Hubby had the fish and chips and they were outstanding , hot crispy , you could tell that the grease was fresh and not old and stale. I had the steak tacos with black beans and rice. Steak was cooked a perfect juicy medium, and the sauce , to die for. Had to take my food Togo because I filled up on the soup and beer. My only complaint, which isn't really a complaint, is that the sushi is not served until 5pm, had my heart and stomach set on the Deal breaker roll, well we will just have to come back after 5. Great job! Best dinner experience all around that we have had in a while! Thanks Ballyhoo and Kamelia! read more

Will go Back.... My first time there. For some reason I thought it was going to be a nicer place decor wise however I did like the atmosphere's Key West laid back style. Very wide range of ages. I ordered the spicy tuna roll and it was a lot of food for the price and tasted delicious. My son got the coconut shrimp and caesar salad. He loved what he got. Good quality for the money for sure and a fun atmosphere. I will go back. read more

Went there with a couple of friends, had some nice fresh shucked oysters, and some drinks during happy hour that normally starts at 2pm week round. Has a nice seat arrangement outside with television. Now if only they kept some napkins on the tables to wipe my hands from the oysters. And beware this place is a bit pricey. read more

I had my graduation lunch here! I had called everywhere in Gainesville to make a reservation, and this place was the only one that accepted my 10 people party. I was a little skeptical because they were really accommodating and I assumed it meant that this place wasn't good. However, when I arrived my table was ready, the service was great, and the food was even better! My family is really picky and they couldn't stop talking about how amazing the lunch was. Also, from 2-7 they have 2 for 1 drinks which was really convenient. I absolutely loved this place and will definitely recommend it to graduates and friends. read more

We tried out Ballyhoo one night to watch football and they had plenty of quality TVs for that purpose. Our server was super friendly and attentive despite the crowds. We loved the grilled avocado topped with melted cheese and served with Fritos. We also had the she crab soup but didn't really enjoy it as much as usual. The menu does state it is "New England" style but I would consider it a seafood chowder, not a soup. We also tried the sushi which was above average but on the pricier side. read more

We LOVE Ballyhoo's! It's always full of football fans before and after a game. The food is great - the shrimp appetizer is our favorite, we get it every time we go. The burgers are good as are the pasta dishes and seafood. We've had bananas foster a couple of times - it's very filling but is fun to watch them make it. Love, love, love the mojitos - especially the mango and pineapple ones. It's very casual and is like a sports bar but with better food. You can eat at the bar and they take good care of you there. read more

Very disappointing. Waitress was much more interested in gabbing with other staff than anything going on at our table, appetizer was inedible (burnt chunks of potatoes topped with chunks of fat pretending to be pork belly) and took way too long to arrive, entree sandwiches were ready before the appetizer but kept under the heat lamp until they were brought to our table 3 minutes after the appetizer arrived (which was sent back barely touched without the waitress ever asking why). My request for no Cajun seasoning was ignored, my medium rare burger was well done, my wife had to remind the waitress she ordered sweet potato fries. Oh, and the bartender smacked our daughter's high chair twice with an ice bucket (although the second time it was empty) without a word of apology. Overall, pretty terrible, although a lot of ladies were nice to our baby girl, so that was nice. read more

Went here on a Tuesday night.. We were allowed to sit on the patio with our puppy. It was not too crowded. The food was great. Service was extremely fast and super friendly. Loved the outdoor patio with live music... It was entertaining but not so loud that you couldn't carry on a conversation. It added to the already fun atmosphere. It was a teeny bit overpriced, I think that would be my only negative. But for the service we got and the quality of the food, I didn't mind too much. read more

Service and food were good(mostly). Skip the free birthday lobster...it was just awful. That thing must have been dead or frozen for a LONG time. read more

Maybe they've gotten a new chef since the last time all these reviews were written. This was our first time eating here, and after checking out Ballyhoo on yelp, we almost didnt go, but now we are so glad that we did. You absolutely will get your money's worth, unlike many chains in the area. The specials were all made with fresh seafood. The swordfish and scallops were cooked perfectly. Our server was attentive and nice.It was a long dining experience, but everything was worth the wait. Not to mention the 2.00 beers. Overall, a great experience. We will surely be going back here the next time we feel like having a good dinner. It was really nice to finally go out to dinner in Gainesville and be completely satisfied. read more

Good value, excellent wait staff and good atmosphere. Probably should have stayed home for valentines day, but it actually wasn't too busy. The firecracker shrimp, fried green tomatoes and bananas foster are great. It was funny watching guys try and try with some frowny faces on their pretty dates. I hope they got lucky, but I think they just got the check. read more

Interesting place. Diverse menue. Prime rib, flat bread and sushi? But the sushi looked delicious. Had the cedar plank salmon...REALY good. Hubby had the prime rib. Also delicious. Nothing to complain about here. Just feels like they are trying too hard by preparing banana foster and guacamole table side. Not necessary. Food is delicious, service is good. Would come back in a hot minute. read more

Cool spot. Super fun staff and flexible with changes on the menu. The beer was cold and the painkiller did just that. Quantities generous but I would caution that there's a generous touch on the salt too, a lot of regulars read more

Any sports bar that serves limp chicken wings that are swimming in sauce should be avoided. At least the staff didn't charge us for them after we mentioned it to them. Tableside guacamole better at boca fiesta. read more

This is one of my favorite restaurants in Gainesville. They have a fantastic happy hour and I love to sit out on the covered patio and have drinks with friends on a Friday evening. They also have the best sushi in town...really! It's always fresh and the combinations are delicious. The Ahi Tuna roll is my favorite! It has crab, tuna, avocado, and cucumber on the inside with seared tuna on the outside. Fresh jalapenos and ginger are diced and sprinkled on top and it's drizzled with spicy mayo and eel sauce...so good! Also, the Reuben sandwich is one of the best I've had. All around, a great place. Be sure to get there before 6 on the weekends because it gets pretty packed and service can be spotty when they are busy. read more

I was a little hesitant about this place after seeing al of the bad reviews, however I'm glad I still went! I had the fish tacos (mahi mahi) and they were delicious. Everyone in my party also loved their food. We had the nachos as an appetizer, perfect for sharing. Service was great and the place has a nice atmosphere. Definitely coming back. read more

I love this place! Their firecracker shrimp tacos are a MUST. So tasty and filling. Also, went on my birthday and was given the free birthday lobster. Valued at $20 - FREE. It was deliciously served to perfection with a side of butter. The only reason I'm not giving this place five full stars is because the second time I went, the bill was pricey for two orders of tacos and a sushi roll. I will definitely be going again regardless. Best restaurant in Gainesville! read more

I'm an atmosphere kind of person and I love their patio! The food, I haven't had anything yet that I didn't like :)