This was a nice surprise , they were very busy but no wait, we were seated quickly and food was…read moreexcellent, friendly wait staff and great service. Delicious

Food is fantastic you won't leave hungry eating here. Service is great they are down to earth and…read moreare very friendly and make sure your food is cooked the way you want.

Rachel at the bar is absolutely wonderful. Watched her make drinks and she knows what she is doing…read more Asked her for dinner recommendations and with my "issues" she said the udon crabonara was perfect. She was not wrong. She even gave me some life advice. Never knew but will forever use. Lee was shucking the oysters and I got a dozen to start. No cocktail sauce. No mignonette. A sauce I have never seen. OMG. Kimchi vinaigrette. Great! Highly recommend! Taverna Oceana is a place I would absolutely return to. If you go I hope Rachel is at the bar and Lee shucks your oysters. They are what make the place!

I attended a private Galentine's prayer brunch at Taverna Oceana in San Marco, and the experience…read morewas top notch from beginning to end. The private space was perfect for a noon gathering. It was naturally lit, clean, and bright making the room feel intimate but not cramped. There was no overwhelming music, just a subtle hostess playlist in the background that allowed us to talk comfortably and enjoy the moment without competing with noise. The restaurant smelled clean and fresh. Not overly bleached, not heavy with fragrance. Just well kept. Temperature is a big one for me. I'm always cold and typically bring a sweater everywhere. I was completely comfortable the entire time, which honestly impressed me. The staff was exceptional. Dakota struck the perfect balance of attentiveness. Present, warm, and responsive without hovering. Managing a group of about 20 women is no small task, and everything flowed smoothly. Now the food. Not a single complaint from a table full of women, that's huge! I made it my business to ask around and every response was great. I ordered the blue crab eggs Benedict with the parmesan truffle fries and everything was wonderful. My friend ordered the prime rib sandwich and it was a generous portion and she loved it. Pricing felt appropriate for the quality and overall experience. I'll absolutely be returning with my husband soon, and I would confidently recommend Taverna Oceana for private gatherings, celebrations, or simply a well-executed brunch in San Marco.

This conveniently located new establishment is making waves in the Southside area. So many…read moreselections to choose from seafood , to chicken , to pasta and so many other food options. The drive through service was excellent and a good experience because the drive through attendant was very pleasant. All dishes were to made order. The wings were fried crispy perfectly and well seasoned . The fried fish filters were huge and fresh. A good stop with fresh and tasty food.

So it's good but stingy, this cost $10 with no fries. I don't think the food cost of fries that…read morethey probably will waste is worth not earning a returning customer. These aren't jumbo shrimp, they are cooked well and the cocktail sauce is good. But they could have thrown some fries in there to make it feel like a value. Honestly when I pulled up, I should have just driven off.

This place gets packed! And for a good reason. I always get the crawfish and shrimp boil. Super…read moreflavorful and the service is quick. One of my go-to places in Jacksonville. Great place and lovely ambiance!

My experience here was delightful. Our waitress was very kind and explained how you order and the…read moreamount of food that you received was just completely a full serving. Our party had different sea food, boils, and catfish. The price of their delicious food is very affordable. I most definitely will go back and make this one of my staple rests. Great job done by the red crab.

Nini was a great server, to begin with! The food was delicious! The marg was good, too! I would…read moregive it 5 stars but it was extremely loud with the music.

Hi guys yesterday my husband and I decided to eat Mexican food. I discovered the best place…read moreexcellent customer service, place was spotless all in perfect order. The server that attended us was Jasmine what a delightful person. Smile on her face, knowledgeable, graceful, attentive, fast, she has 20 stars on our book. I express my gratitude for a fantastic evening. They cave karaoke on Saturdays. Live music on 5 de Mayo. Guys I recommend this Restaurant Mariscos El Pacífico! The food is delicious, the employees are fantastic so what are you waiting for. Go and have a great experience. By guys. Zee Fish

Stumbled upon Brine on a rare kid-free night with my husband and couldn't have picked a better…read morespot. We arrived just in time for happy hour and were warmly greeted right away. We initially asked for indoor seating, but after seeing how cozy the space was, we happily switched to outdoor seating since the weather was perfect. We ordered two of each oyster, and they were fresh, salty, and incredibly smooth. We also decided to try the baked oysters--something my husband doesn't usually go for--but they ended up being his favorite. So much so that we ordered another round. Overall, it was a fantastic night and a great experience. We'll definitely be back.

In the early 80s, when video games were all the rage, I remember hearing about a song about a video…read moregame. Like any good kid back then wanting to hear a particular song, I listened to my FM radio nonstop, waiting patiently to hear this crazy song called "Pac-Man Fever!" Sadly I don't ever recall actually hearing it on my favorite station. Hearing about new things is much easier now. Social media and the internet overwhelm me with what the algorithms think I want to see and learn about. And most of the time those crazy programs and their internet overlords are spot on! Take, for instance, a rather new restaurant in San Marco focusing on seafood. Shellfish and caviar to be specific. A few months ago all of my feeds were filled with information about a new place in town - Brine. Obviously, my wife and I, loving all things related with food, knew that we needed to try it. Well, today was that day. First, know that the parking lot is down a dead end street that looks spooky. Keep going. I didn't and ended up parking in the larger lot where La Napolera is located. The restaurant is tiny. Our server told us that the space was used to sell smoothies. Or perhaps it was a phone booth. Regardless it's intimate. And the food is fantastic! Colette our server was fantastic. Bubbly, helpful and definitely gave off the vibe that she was happy to be there, helping us enjoy our meal. She was great and I can't say enough good things about her. We opted to try the tasting menu. It's an option when you book online. We also chose to sit at the counter. An island of 4 seats that look at the other diners sitting at the tables inside. It's odd and Colette told us that the owners were planning on building an expanded space in the near future. The tasting menu is a seven course meal. If desired, you can choose to add a wine pairing. We got one wine pairing that we split - it was more than enough and the Brine folks were kind enough to put the wine into two glasses. As for the courses we had for our meal? Course 1 Champagne PEI oysters Each oyster included a different topping. There was butter. And chorizo. And caviar. Each was delicious and very different. A perfect way to start the meal. The champagne was also a great. Course 2 Riesling Yellow tail (hamachi) crudo with pineapple. The pineapple was prepared three ways. And while the wine was very dry and minerally (is that a word?) it worked PERFECTLY with the sweetness of the pineapple. To me this pairing worked the best. Course 3 Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand Tuna tartar with aioli on a fried panko crusted seaweed cracker. The tuna flavor was delicate and worked well on top of the seaweed cracker. Again, the wine worked very well with the flavors of the fish. Course 4 Chanin blanc Salad with iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, vinaigrette and butter and mashed potato and potato crisps. Lettuce and mashed potatoes? I don't know how. I don't know why. But it works. Really, really well. They're like mad scientists at Brine and they may be building a monster out of body parts. But darn it the potato/salad combo was fantastic! Course 5 Oaked Chardonnay Lobster cannelloni This was probably my favorite dish. The lobster filling was awesome and I literally wanted to fill a cup with the sauce and drink it through a straw. If you're not going to try the tasting menu I would highly recommend this for an entree. Course 6 Waygu shortrib and scallops and parsnips Ochetti langhe nebbiolo The scallops are sliced thin, which I liked a lot. The shortrib was good. I like parsnip, but I felt that its flavor overshadowed the flavors of the beef and the scallop. It's a tasty dish, but wasn't my favorite. Course 7 Cheesecake bread pudding with bourbon ice cream Chocolate pearls chocolate marscapone orange chocolate cake Solera 1847 Creme dulce Sherry Colette brought us two different desserts to try instead of each of us having the same. Both were fantastic. I think I liked the chocolate cake one more while my wife really enjoyed the cheesecake. The sherry was fine but didn't really add anything to the desserts. Course 8 (extra) Sugar cookie with vanilla ice cream and caviar. This was an extra treat that they brought. A cookie ice cream sandwich with caviar on it. Again, why does it work? I don't get it! But it was super tasty. We were both really full by this point but ate it all! Each course isn't a huge, but by the end we were stuffed. And splitting the wine was a good way let us drive home! The tasting menu is a great way to try Brine and the many of the flavor combinations they're putting together. It's not an inexpensive meal. But we knew that going in. The cost may turn some people off, but this was a fantastic meal with some wonderful staff. I don't play video games too much anymore. And I don't remember the Pac Man song. But I love food, and I know that if you do as well you'll love Brine!

Two words: delicious and flavorful! It was a hit, my family…read moreenjoy every bite. Ordering was fast and easy then the food is delivered to the table. We ordered calamari, shrimp, popcorn shrimp, chicken. The fries were well seasoned. Everything came out fresh. The place was quiet during dinner time and the prices are great. I will definitely return to Seafood Island for a great seafood dinner with my family.

Service here is hit or miss. You do have to order at the counter and seat yourself…read more Was craving a seafood boil and wanted to venture out. I found the crab legs to be overcooked and barely any meat. Took us asking 3x on the status of our drinks. We were the only people in there at the time so no idea why service was spotty and lacking. Not the best seafood, unfortunate because the location is great and right off the strip in San Marco. Could use some serious updates and improvements on the overall service and quality of the meal.

I'd give it 5 stars but I felt they interpreted was a bit dirty…read more Food was great! Service was fabulous. Suggestions: sweep and mop the floors - deep scrub needed. Do this before you open in the morning. The inside window sills were filthy. Not very appetizing. I will come back.

My friends and I enjoyed Happy Hour before a big event in Avondale. We were lucky enough to grab…read moreenough spots at the bar. We enjoyed drinks only and some great catch up time. The staff at The Blue Gish is always awesome!

Short review of Gemma since we just stopped in for an app and drinks. Pleasantly surprised, enough…read morethat I'll be back for more apps and drinks. We ordered the hummus plate, which came with plenty of colorful vegetables. Definitely enough for 4 people. To drink, I ordered the Nice Coconuts, which reminded me of a pina colada. This would be an amazing summer drink, so the second Jacksonville goes back up to 80 degrees I'd highly recommend ordering this to celebrate. The names of the other drinks -- the ex wife, pool boy, etc -- are so fun that we just couldn't decide which to get! We sat on the rooftop, which we were told us first come first serve. I'm a sucker for a rooftop, and we enjoyed this one (shoutout to the heat lamps). Will be back to Gemma once it warms up. Gemma San Marco, Jax, FL Hummus, Nice Coconuts

If you're in San Marco and in the mood for oysters and a good vibe, Gemma Oyster Bar is an easy…read moreyes. This is one of those spots I keep coming back to when I want something fresh and a little elevated without anything feeling too formal or over the top. The oysters are always super fresh with a great selection, and it's the perfect place to grab a seat at the bar, order a dozen, and settle in with a glass of wine or a cocktail. Everything we've tried has been light, flavorful, and exactly what you want when you're craving seafood. Also, don't skip dessert. Seriously, you can't go wrong. And if you like espresso martinis, they make a really good one. The staff is super fun and friendly, and the whole place has that lively, neighborhood energy that makes you want to stay awhile. Great for date night, meeting friends, or one of those "let's just go somewhere good" nights in San Marco.

If you're looking for a truly elevated dining experience, City Grill and Raw Bar absolutely…read moredelivers. From start to finish, this felt like a high-end, thoughtfully curated meal. The food was exceptional, beautifully prepared, rich in flavor, and clearly crafted with attention to detail. Every dish felt intentional and worthy of the price point. What really stood out was the service. Our server knew the menu inside and out and gave spot-on recommendations that elevated the entire experience. It made ordering feel effortless and added a layer of trust that you don't always get. This is definitely a place you come to for a special occasion or when you're in the mood to treat yourself. It's on the pricier side, but for the quality, experience, and service, it feels justified. A memorable night out and one I'd absolutely repeat for the right occasion.

The evening began perfect. The hostess was pleasant and our two servers pleasant and attentive…read more We started with cocktails, salads and then to our main course. The purple Murray was refreshing- gin, st Germaine & lemon juice garnished with mint and lemon rind. All salads were fresh & crunchy from the Caesar with a crisp Parmesan wafer , The beet & kale with goat cheese & mandarins to the classic wedge. We should and stopped there. All our main entrees were loaded with salt. 1)- NY strip with shrimp and an order of sautéed spinach... the steak cooked perfect and tasty. The shrimp were grilled and salty as for the spinach it was bathed in salt. I had to return it but the second was less salty but still over salted. 2)The crab cakes were salty. 3)The blackened fish special over risotto was loaded with salt. The entire party of 4 felt our dinner entrees were over salted. Unfortunately we don't think we would return. This was a difficult review to write.