Thank you for making our Birthday for a best friend a sad ordeal. We had made a reservation for 20 and we're not told we would be joined by another 4 other parties in the same place. Not only was our meal a torturous wait for cocktails, food and services as simple as water, it was so loud that we could not even have simple conversations with our friends. As a long term patron of Ballyhoos of Gainesville, I have seen a great restaurant slowly lose its charm and service quality. I am sad that Ballyhoos management team made what could have been a great memorable moment into 3 long hours of uncaring and unprofessional disregard for your customers. I took to the opportunity to mention it to the manager on staff and he seemed genuinely apologetic (for that, I can appreciate). However, he was simply the manager on staff that seemed overwhelmed and overworked. Ballyhoos, get it together. Gainesville is bringing great competition to the table and your service and quality sucked. In the future, just learn to say "NO" to a reservation when you are overbooked. OR... WARNING TO ALL GROUP PARTIES. Good luck. read more

I was happy that the wait to get seated was only 10/15 minutes, since it was a game weekend, I guess because the restaurant is so large. It was packed though. The decor was fitting for a casual seafood restaurant/sports bar: dark wood, nautical themed ( mounted tarpon, surfboards, life buoys etc.) We ordered she-crab soup, swordfish, snow crab legs and sushi. After a little while the waitress came to tell us they were out of the sushi roll my daughter ordered. About 8-10 minutes later the soup arrived. It wasn't bad but more like a standard chowder with crab added. Hard to tell it was crab soup from the flavor of the soup itself but it did have actual pieces of crab. I expected a bisque of sorts with a crab and sherry flavor. I could not detect any of the sherry as the menu described. Plus traditionally, "she-crab" usually means some crab roe included. Hence the "she" :) After the soup we waited soooo long for the entrees. It took a good hour or more. It's where everyone at your table has nothing more to say a and has just one thought: "where the heck is the food!??!" Not once did the waitress come by during that time to check on us or to explain the extensive wait. I guess it was because they were so busy, but even so, it was excessive. It would've been proper practice and just plain thoughtful to let us know what was happening. We waited and waited. When the food finally came, my husband's swordfish was cold but he was way too hungry to ask for it to be warmed. My snow crab was good, standard steamed with butter which is fine by me. It was lukewarm though, so must've been sitting before serving. For $21 it came with 3 clusters which was more than I expected. Daughter liked her California roll. The main problem was the long, looong wait and abandonment. Otherwise it wasn't bad. I would go back to give it another try, but it wouldn't be my first choice. read more

Ballyhoo Grill - Entrance - Seafood Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

See all

Much disappointed in the food today. The Rueben meat was tough and was sent back. The hamburger was dry probably from brig smashed while cooking. The potato salad was mostly large lumps of potato with nothing else. Greatly disappointed in a usually favorite restaurant. read more

I would love to give this place five stars because the food are friendly staff are incredible. However, the last time I was there a country and western guy was performing so loud that I literally left with my ears ringing, and a massive headache. My Apple Watch also showed decibel levels over 95 with 80 decibels being the highest safe level. I asked if they could turn down the speakers but they said they couldn't. This ruined the entire dinner experience because none of the people at my table could carry on a dinner conversation, and had to resort to shouting to be heard. My suggestion is to call ahead to make sure no one is performing before going, and if they are then go somewhere else. Background music is fine in a restaurant, but the performers need to understand people are there to eat and not have their meals and dinner conversation ruined by some guy who can't find the volume dial. If they can't then the manager needs to explain it to him. read more

Eric is a great server just a bit on the loud side. ‍ oysters were good and the crab was even better. 10/10 would recommend. read more

Ballyhoo Grill - Seafood Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

See all

Meh.... It's been years since I was there and improbably won't go back. Ordered salad before the meal - only came when the meal came out. The grouper was over cooked and dry. Shrimp scampi sauce was thick like it had been set out for a while. Took 10 minutes during the meal for a water refill. Nothing memorable....meh read more

Have eaten here many times. The quality of the meal is hit or miss. The waitress today was flippant with answering questions. The grilled grouper was extremely greasy, not Italian grilled as the menu states. Salad came out after entree. read more

1 star. But would give zero if I could. Called in advance and was told we could come in and that they close at 9 (even though the website says 10). Arrived at 8:30 and was told the kitchen was closing in 20 minutes. We already knew what we wanted so that was fine with us. We were told the wait for the hostess, she never arrived. After 5 ish minutes I went to ask for her and was told they were closing in 2 minutes now ( it was 8:35 pm ) and was told the couple they just seated was the last. I did research and was excited to come celebrate my 4 year year anniversary at what seemed to be the only dog friendly place in Gainesville that had a decent steak. (Was still doubtful from photos but took a risk) Also, just want to note. I was also excited to see live music but when I arrived there was an old man singing to a backing track in a DJ booth with one woman dancing along.. It was sad. My profession is live music, I was hoping to scope out a venue that would be cool to maybe play at one day but wow. Anyways, get it together guys read more

Great music and wonderful food both inside and out. Inside on Tuesdays from 6:30-9:00PM enjoy myself Mark R. and Vic Donnell on keyboard. Swing, Soul & Rock n Roll! read more

Ballyhoo Grill - Great music with Mark Raisch & Vic Donnell Tuesdays at Ballyhoo. Jazz Swing Soul & RockFrom Sinatra, Billy Joel, Al Jerreau... - Seafood Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Not an up-to-snuff evening at Ballyhoo on December 27. Seated right away, but the performing talent was a somewhat loud in comparison to our previous dining events outside. We wound up leaving right after eating because the "Freebird" was way off-key. Dinner was meh. My wife's calamari never should have come out of the kitchen. The rings were fried to a crisp cinder and tasteless. The calamari had no flavor, either. I wound up sharing my steak and blue cheese flatbread and some fries; a tad too crispy, but not like the rings. Back to the 'Hoo in the nottooidstant, but not too soon either. read more

I only ordered one thin it wasn't horrible,but I'm not dying to try it again. The atmosphere was not what in typically used to but the waiter was amazingly sweet. read more

Ballyhoo Grill - Shrimp Rockefeller - Seafood Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

I love this place. I always have. I have eaten here for about 7 years now. I really like the laid back but, in a strange way, fancy ambiance. I enjoy the live music outside, or sitting inside and watching sports. I have always enjoyed the food. The steaks, the sushi, the cedar plank salmon. Its always delicious. The best part is ordering the bananas foster for desert. Cooked right there at your table. It is absolutely delicious. I have had great service almost every time. Obviously someone can have a bad day or a bad apple can get in there. I highly recommend this place, for drinks or a nice dinner. read more

This was a difficult review to write due to the wildly varying experiences I've had here. The food seems to have finally "found itself" with better consistency and quality. There was a time when I'd never stray from appetizers after many entrée disappointments. They also created a new rule for me-NEVER order seafood on Monday and Tuesday! It seems like the seafood in places like this are at its best Thursday through Saturday. I don't know for sure how they cycle their orders, but the rule has worked thus far. The bar pours a very decent drink, I usually order a premium whiskey, either neat or over the rocks. The only thing that could screw that up is a short pour. My wife will enjoy a specialty martini or marguerite on occasion and I've never seen her unhappy with the drinks (as weird as some of them are). The service has really improved over the years which is the thing that kept me coming back. I had some absolute horrific experience with service here, but it's been several years since I've been ignored or had anything unpleasant happen. Obviously management has a lot to do with this. I recently asked to speak with the manager and I could read the "WTF now" on his face lol. I was there to tell him how markedly they had improved and especially how well our server took care of my guests and myself. Overall they are a 3.75 so I'm bumping them to 4 stars. They hovered at 1-2 for a long time and I'm happy they've rebounded so nicely! read more

What was right: The Food - everything was very good. We had the grouper and the sea bass entrees. Fresh and properly prepared. The Menu - interesting choices. Tough to make a selection. The Service - competent and pleasant. The Drinks - a good selection and reasonably priced. The Atmosphere - casual, comfortable, and fun Definitely a local spot with creative and unique menu items correctly prepared. I don't have any criticism. read more

One of my favorite casual dining places in Gainesville. The atmosphere is fun and inviting. It can get pretty crowded on weekend nights and game weekends. The crab soup is absolutely amazing! The sushi menu is very different with things like the gator and beef included. I also love the Kentucky Blue Steak salad. I enjoy the presentation of the bananas foster, but I think it might depend on who makes it as to how it tastes. Sometimes it's awesome... Other times just OK. Highly recommend! read more

I'm sorry, but the last straw for me in this "Florida" themed restaurant is when I found out that they serve shrimp from Indonesia. How can you not serve fresh LOCAL shrimp? In Florida??? Disgusting. The decline of this place has been really depressing. For the love of God, do not eat here if you're looking for good local seafood. I find myself wondering if I will one day see Ballyhoos on Kitchen Nightmares. read more

Do. Not. Like. At all. The first time I came here I had a gift certificate, which a friend persuaded me to blow on "crab-stuffed bimini." Interesting idea, aboslutely nauseating execution. It was tasteless wet fish stuffed inside of tasteless wet fish. To make matters worse, she continued to gush about how good it was and how much I must have enjoyed it without ever stopping to notice that I had hardly eaten it, and hadn't once complimented the food. I finally told her that I hated it to make her shut up. The next time I came, the menu offerings reminded me of Bonefish, only more badly done (but equally expensive). I ate something that was basically Bang Bang Shrimp with lots of spicy-yet-tasteless sauce. My husband got some generic fish dinner that I can barely remember. $40 for a meal that neither of us could recall even under torture. Greeeeeeat. There won't be a third time. 1.5 stars. read more

This was the first time I had been here, and like others I was apprehensive because of the reviews. I sat at the bar and had the prime rib which came with the vegetable of the day and a side (I got fries). The prime rib was well seasoned and properly cooked and I was happy to see zucchini, squash, and mushrooms sauteed in a tomato sauce with a small side of greens with balsamic vinaigrette instead of the usual carrot, broccoli, cauliflower you usually get with the" veggie of the day" at most restaurants. The fries were fries...if I would make one comment to this restaurant, it would be to add some sweet potato fries to the menu. I think they would really go over well here. The menu was large, and had plenty of fish, chicken, steak options as well as some Florida "specialties" like alligator and grouper. Everything I saw coming out of the kitchen looked really tasty. They also have a separate sushi menu which has some interesting specialty rolls on it. Definitely worth a try if you are not a sushi "purist". The couple across from me had a sushi roll appetizer that looked DELICIOUS. The decor was fun...kinda waterfront south florida/keys look, and the service was good. Too bad I won't be in Gainesville much longer because I would definitely eat here again. read more

I have to say I was apprehensive about this place after reading the reviews on yelp. The cesar salad was perfect. I stuck to a simple shrimp scampi, which was done very well. The tartness of the artichoke definitely complemented the slight sweetness of the sauce. My date went for the salmon which he said was really really tasty. We were seated right away, and the crowd seemed happy. Just the right amount of people. I like the atmosphere quite a lot. Very laid back with the nautical theme of course. It's probably a perfect place to watch the game. The outdoor tiki bar has a real (or seemingly real) straw roof which I really liked. I didn't get to check out the treebow, but I'll have to do that next time. Go here. After reading April O's review, I'd suggest sticking to the simpler items on the menu. The food is good. The service is great :-) A read more

Crab legs were flavorless and tasted like nothing. Our server Kaitlin was great and tried to make things right. Heard good things about the place and the atmosphere was cool...food was a bit disappointing. Fish tacos were good though. read more

I've been to Ballyhoo several times, and each time I left satisfied. Two weeks ago I took my parents when they were in town. They are both foodies, and very picky, so I wasn't sure where to take them. Due to time constraints downtown wasn't an option. I wanted to bring them somewhere local - they can go to Bonefish any time - so I suggested Ballyhoo. They enjoyed their dinner so this weekend, when some friends were in from out of town, I once again suggested Ballyhoo. I ordered the Rebel Reuben. I've worked in a few delis and know a good reuben, and this is a good reuben. My girlfriend was in a hurry and had to leave early. She asked the server what could be prepared and brought quickly, and he suggested the seafood cobb. Sure enough, it arrived to our table within minutes and was delicious. I suggested the cedar plank salmon to another friend - I was confident because my mother ordered it before - and she loved it. Another friend got the prime rib and was very happy. The waiter did forget our gator bites, but he did the right thing and comp'ed the bites when they did arrive. I've tried their sushi and their ribeye, and it's been very good. I haven't noticed any problems with cleanliness or service. I'll be back again soon. read more

Absolutely a great restaurant. The customer service was outstanding and the food amazing delicious. Family of 8 and one baby attended a family dinner and I was extremely happy with the service and everything we ordered was delicious. I will be back. If you are considering eating here do not hesitate. Go enjoy. You won't be disappointed. read more

This was my second time coming to Gainesville, and both times I visited this Gainesville institution. It's pretty well-known in town and the food is excellent. It has the typical chintzy marina-style decor that screams "Florida in the 80's", and it lends to a lot of charm. A band in front of the restaurant was singing covers to Dave Matthews' Band and they have a huge stuffed gator. Epic place. The food was plentiful and delicious. There are a lot of seafood options, but I recommend the grouper, which is pretty popular in Florida. Mine came blackened, and stuffed with crab meat. I had a side of creamed spinach and some au gratin potatoes. Amazing stuff. I also had some seafood chowder and some mussels which were to die for. 1 star off for slow service, but the size of the food platter and great taste definitely made up for it. read more

This restaurant is close to our gainesville home. We enjoyed their drinks. The food is well prepared. I have traveled the world in the marine corps. This place has the biggest and best cheese sticks. The outside seating is dog friendly. The parking lot is a bit tricky to maneuver to. I advise all my friends visiting gainesville florida to visit this place. read more

I was in Gainesville on a business trip. An acquaintance (that lives near Gainesville) recommended Ballyhoo, so we went along (don't argue with the locals). I must admit, that I wasn't too sure how it was going to be when I saw the large menu. (All too often, the food at a restaurant with a large menu is nothing to write home about). First, let me say that our server (wish I could remember his name) was great. Next, remember that their menu is quite large. This makes it rather difficult to decide what dish to try (especially when a bad experience might mean not visiting the restaurant again). I narrowed my choices down to two or three items and our server gave me "the good, the bad and the ugly" on each. I decided to try their blackened grouper. WOW! It was great! We had alligator tail as an appetizer and it was the best alligator I've ever eaten. We hit this place on a weekday evening, so it was pretty chill. I'm certain that on a weekend night this place is "kickin". They have a full bar and an outside eating area with a stage. All-in-all, this was a great experience and it's definitely on my list to return when in the area again. No place is worth five stars. There is always room for improvement... read more

Great outdoor seating area. We came for cocktails and appetizers. We ordered gator tail, firecracker shrimp, and a dozen oysters. All three were pretty good but nothing spectacular. The oysters were huge but I didn't actually try any. My son and mother ate them all. My mom's only complaint was they were not salty enough (almost too clean). The shrimp were a little fishy but I think the culprit was dirty oil but it wasn't too bad. The gator tail was a little more chewy than we like but we did eat it all. As for drinks, it was happy hour so we started with Bloody Mary's and finished with Jack and Seven. The service was great, the drinks were pretty good. The appetizers were only so-so. read more

I went there for the first time last night after buying a group coupon. My boyfriend and I went around 6 on a Wednesday night, so it wasn't too busy. Our server was sweet, knowledgeable of the menu, and impeccable. We sat in a booth near the bar, although I probably would've preferred the tiki deck outside. We had the calamari appetizer, which came out within 10 minutes. The pomodoro sauce and the flavor of the breading were delicious, but the calamari were much chewier than other places. Our food came out less than 10 minutes later. I ordered the garlic shrimp flatbread, which was huge. The pesto garlic sauce was savory, but the shrimp were on the small side. The My boyfriend got the shrimp scampi, which I tried a bite of. The white wine flavor really comes through, and the shrimp are large and fresh. My guess is the shrimp in our dishes came from different sources. My only disappointment were the drinks. We both ordered Captain and Coke, which were 2-for-1 doubles at $6 a piece. They definitely tasted like a single or less. Next time I'll get beer. It was a worthy dinner with the groupon savings, and I wouldn't have went otherwise, but I'll probably be back. It's a nice alternative to the Archer Road chains. read more

Have been here prepandemic and all was great. Stopped in for an outdoor dining experience hopeful for another nice experience. I understand that it must be difficult to plan and order food for a restaurant at this time however it is inexcusable to serve food that is not fresh especially seafood. I'd ordered crab soup that was apparently made more inexpensively with a chowder type base and imitation crab meat and it was not fresh! I had also ordered fried oysters. I ate two of them and they were well past fresh. I told my friend who had ordered the shrimp and oyster po boy to stop eating. I paid my bill tipped the sweet server well over 20% and we left. Perhaps not best idea to order seafood during this odd business patronage during a pandemic. However best bet to not serve food that is no longer fresh as a matter of health to the customers who are trying to support businesses during this time. read more

One of my new favorite burger places. Unfortunately I only go to Gainesville for work so I haven't experienced the "after hours" specials. I will definitely come back and try the rest of the menu when I return next month...can't wait. read more

My husband and I had a delicious lunch today, first of all, it was a gorgeous day to sit on the patio, our server was informative and attentive, we received our drinks quickly and the food very soon after. We had the miso-glazed salmon salad, the server was kind enough to offer the glaze on the side, just as we like it. The salmon was cooked just right, tender but neither over nor underdone. The dressing/glaze was sooo tasty! It wasn't overwhelmingly salty, which is always a risk with miso flavor. The shrimp/oyster po'boy was decadence on a roll, crisp-fried with a scrumptious remoulade. My favorite side were the cheesy grits. I love to get something at a restaurant that I never cook at home, and these had exactly the right amount of cheese with just the right bite of sharpness from the cheddar. I also love that the food was the perfect amount for lunch, no leftovers read more

I give it 5 stars for wait time and service but 4 stars for my Cuban sandwich I order lol at least they tried. I went with my boyfriend last night and it's great for a casual date night. If you're in the mood to dress down this is the place. Very chill, they have live music outside and TVs inside. read more

It's known as a staple in Gainesville, but I think the only good thing here is their guacamole (it's hand made table side). Beware of the fish tacos! The last two times that I've been here they have messed up 3 fish tacos (was with friends who also ordered them) The meat was undercooked and/or old -- it smelled really bad. The managers were good to take it off, but I'm really distrustful after so many times. Their food tastes like it came out of a bag...not very fresh and everything in the restaurant is slimy/greasy feeling. It has a good atmosphere, but beware of the food quality!!!! read more

Recommended by hotel when asked for seafood restaurant. Apparently a locally owned and operated place. Will preface review by saying it was a Friday eve, and there was a college footbal game next day, so it was rather busy. Found seat at bar, and attempted to flag down a bartender (3 working). Took a solid 15 minutes to get service despite people next to me getting regular attention. Service person seemed to resent having "single" to serve, but apparently regulars get priority attention. Ordered a cup of the she-crab soup. It was the high point of the experience. Hot, creamy, lots of wonderful crab goodness unfortunately, the Linguine Pescatote, was barely room temperature, lacked flavor, was 85% pasta and only 15% fish. The bread was the best part of the dish. Would recommend trying elsewhwere, or at least not on a weekend read more

One of my favorite spots to take out of town guests for a casual supper. The seafood is good and fresh, the atmosphere is friendly and the wait staff always tries hard. They're young and one suspects for some it's a first job, but they're enthusiastic. We had the bananas foster for dessert, and splitting it between the four of us gave each diner just enough sweetness to end a great meal, without megatons of fat and calories being shoveled onto our plates. I'm also a fan of their fish tacos at lunchtime. read more

We are from Atlanta and decided to stop by and see the UF campus (we are UGA fans and wanted to check out the Gator campus - pretty campus). While in town we stopped by Ballyhoos. The food was very good. We had the firecracker shrimp and the guacamole. Our two kids had the sliders. We enjoyed it all! However the best experience at he restaurant was our waiter Dustin - he was friendly and gave great service. Our two boys loved him. I would highly recommend the restaurant and would definitely stop by again if in the area. read more

Love this place. Great atmosphere , music decor and vibe. Food is good and has a wide variety of choices from rib eye to sushi. Service is a little slow but tolerable enough. read more

I really like their Shrimp and Oyster Po Boy. However, last evening I was in the mood for Gator Tail so asked the server if they can do a Gator Tail Po Boy. After speaking with the kitchen they agreed to make it. It really good!! read more

Ballyhoo Grill - Gator Tail Po Boy! Not on the menu but they made it for me! - Seafood Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Man my friends birthday celebration was here and everybody order was just about messed up. But our server was cool. They messed up one my friends Po Boy twice. I always wondered what this place was like but now I know. My lady was like we will come back another time but that ain't happening after this experience. read more

Ballyhoo Grill - They need a renovation. As I waited on my Washington Apple. - Seafood Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

See all

Seriously the best food in Gainesville. Yes, it is a pretty penny though. But the food can't be beat. And the service isn't bad either. Our waiter, Robert, was very knowledgeable and super quick at bringing us everything. The wine was meh... but mostly because it wasn't cold. The Tahitian drink is phenomenal!! And the New York strip with Oscar topping is the best!! read more

Ballyhoo Grill - Seafood Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

I came here for the first time last night and fell in love with the stuffed salmon dish and garlic mashed potatoes. It was so amazing, I had to come back today to see what else they had to offer. Even the Caesar salad was delicious (their dressings are homemade) read more

See all