Good service, good food, in an interesting place. Surrounded by beach and lake, both very busy, the atmosphere was fun and relaxed!

The vibe was your typical dive bar, and it's a seat-yourself type of place. It took a while for someone to notice that we had sat down inside, but once we were helped, our waitress was nice and friendly. Now, the food... My wife ordered the blackened chicken sandwich, but unfortunately, the chicken had very little flavor. Most of what you tasted was the bread. I ordered the blackened shrimp tacos. I made the mistake of getting the "secret sauce," which I personally did not care for at all. The tacos themselves were okay, but the sauce really took away from them for me. The water also didn't taste very good and seemed like plain tap water. I also ordered a beer in a can, and unfortunately, it came out warm rather than cold. Overall, the service was friendly, but unfortunately, the food and drinks just didn't impress us. There are plenty of dive bars where you can get a better meal and a cold beer. read more

We stopped here after a round of golf on a Monday. Mourning server was working hard and was pleasant. The food was disappointing. We ordered the shrimp skewer and even ordered an extra skewer. After a long wait the shrimp came out cold, the green beans looked and tasted like they came from a can and the social rice was cold and not that special. Several of our group wanted beers however they were out of beers. ????????? If you're looking for a place on the water and don't mind waiting for your meal or getting your food cold then you'll be happy here. We were not! read more

Gator Joe's - Seafood Near Me - Ocklawaha, Florida

Good service. Yummy wings. My husband had the gator tail Philly and said it was delicious. My son ordered Alfredo and it was liquidy and tasted powdery. Atmosphere was nice, we ate outside on the lake. We did have a bird poop on a customer at a neighboring table, so the second half of our meal, we were paranoid about the crows. read more

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So! My nephew, his wife and newborn, his brother in law and his baby, along with my wife and I decided to go back to one of the best lakeside restaurants in our area that we always love returning to and showing off! We ordered a variety of dishes from a big burger platter, fish platter, Gator tail platters and a, taco platter. With a non alcoholic beverage the bill came to $100.75....plus tip...Alexus was our server and she was polite, friendly, patient and excellent in every way. It feels like things have changed here at Gator Joe's....it is time for people to come out and see it for yourself......bring a group, you won't regret it! And what a Lakeview! read more

Gator Joe's - Elaine and I at our favorite local hang out... Gator Joe's in 0cklawaha Florida - Seafood Near Me - Ocklawaha, Florida

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The best fried shrimp in the area! Plenty of tables, friendly staff, and a casual, down home feel about the place...

Our first time. The view is not bad. Service is what you'd expect at a dive bar, prices not as high compared to the general area. My Philly cheese sandwich was ok. Gal forgot our silverware. A floor walker staff caught on it and she volunteered to give us silverware. Waitress served a lady a bottled beer, no drinking cup. She served it and split. We walked up to the bar to get our own cup. Pleasant ambiance with the soccer finals was good. I'll b back. Hopefully service might b better! read more

My husband took me on a surprise motorcycle ride here. I would call it a hidden gem. Located on Lake Weir, it has a 2 sand areas where you can layout, play volleyball and just enjoy the views. It was a cool day so we decided to sit outside on the deck. We enjoyed the ahi tuna, wings and a burger. The food was very good. They have many options to choose from. Our server was very nice and attentive, always checking in on us. I would love to come back and bring my mom. Definitely a must while visiting this part of Florida. What the heck it's worth the ride! read more

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Very interesting venue on Lake Weir and the place has a lot character. Food was not very good and although service was slow mainly because of the kitchen it stands to reason they could really use some improvements. It's too bad they can't get their stuff together as it's really a unique location. The beach area is nice and our server was awesome. They need some work. read more

We literally just arrived had to seat ourselves and we go to the outside decal and moved 2 chairs to the end of a table with PLENTY of room Around us! A few minutes later a bitchy waitress comes out guns a blazing "YOU CANT SIT THERE ITS A FIRE HAZARD OUR MANAGER WONT LET YOU SIT THERE" While we do not kind moving g it was her ATTITUDE UNWELCOMING not friendly at all. All she had to do was ask us kindly to move. We have patronized this business numerous times. NEVER AGAIN! Get a real manager! read more

Service a food is great! Great atmosphere. We just dont go that often as parking is very limited and challenging to find a place to park.

Went Hoping To Eat Outside;But, My Wife was in a Wheelchair at The Time. Enjoyed Them Food, and Service. Will Definitely Be Back Again!

Nice place. chicken wings were great.... The lake view was awesome. I recommend this restaurant to everyone. Its a 10 in my book... read more

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I ordered an alcoholic beverage and was refused by a waitress who thought I was pregnant because of a physical disability which enlarges my stomach. She didn't even ask if I was pregnant and if she had I would've told her that I was in fact NOT pregnant. It made me extremely uncomfortable and ruined my dining experience, I will not be returning(this is on behalf of my mother who does not have a yelp account) read more

it's a pretty good restaurant the food was pretty good and the servers had a great attitude and the ambiance was ok

Haven't been here in a while. Serena was great and didn't miss a thing. I'll be asking for her next time.

Sarah B was amazing. it was our first time in Florida and at Gator Joe's and the experience was amazing. She was so helpful, and such a pleasure to have as our server. Look forward to coming back in the future read more

I found a cockroach in the restaurant,bad customer service,being forced to pay for parking and bringing our own things including water bottles,poor cleanliness,and bad hygiene. U have to pay 5-10 bucks to b on the beach property. Food takes too long and the food was terrible. read more

Great service, great food, great view . The gator tail is exceptional and the drinks are cold.

Gator Joe's is now adding an 18% gratuity to your check. I changed my gratuity to 15%, but later found out that I was charged the full 18%. Apparently you pay what they ask, or go somewhere else. VERY disappointed in this policy. read more

Was not impressed at all. The place is dirty, the food was ok and the service was as cold as the drinks. Overpriced for what they offer. Tried once, and once was enough . Won't be back read more

Food was just ok. I had the shrimp Alfredo and I could've made a more flavorful sauce at home. Just no flavor at all. Wasn't worth the price of the food I received. read more

This place is all about atmosphere. Dinning Along the water. Great service. I ordered Cajun shrimp and chicken. Won't order again. Wasn't spicy and the chicken was small little pieces. Maybe they are known for the fried food. Hate eating with plastic silverware. read more

We visited Gator Joe's today November9th. Our server was Haley and she puts the AWE in Awesome ! Very friendly, prompt, responsive to requests, fun to banter with and adorably cute. The fish basket was as usual very good, hushpuppies and fries rounded out the combination. Greg,Sandy & Jim. read more

Gator tail? Amazing. Fried pickles? Fantastic. Fish sandwich? Splendid. Fries. Delicious. Coming back? Next year.

We just stopped here for drinks. As luck would have it, there was live music on the back deck, so, we sat at the bar back there. Now granted, we only had drinks, so, we can't judge on food, however, the overall atmosphere was a lot of fun, the bartender was awesome, and so were the drinks. We'll definitely be back for a meal. read more

I have been going to Gator Joe's for years. Just a heads up for the owner/manager and cook. I order the fish and shrimp basket generally. The last three times the three of us order the basket. The meal was so grease laden. The shrimp, the fish and the fries! I was so disappointed. My fish was so thin that the greased soaked right through. No flaky fish in my basket. I mentioned it to our server and though he apologized he really didn't seem to care. I asked him to tell the kitchen about the oil (I think it just needed to be changed/cleaned) I also asked him to tell the manager. He said ok but never said anything when he came back with our 60.00 check. This was the third time we experienced this. Gonna try again cause I love the place on Lake Weir. I'll let you know. Please clean your oil. read more

Some friends had recently gone to Gator Joes while on a motorcycle ride and suggested it to us. Went on an early week lunch. While the immediate parking area near the restaurant is small, there are several larger parking areas so plenty of room. I like that there's numerous dedicated motorcycle only parking spaces. We walked in to the restaurant and found a sign advising to seat ourselves. There seemed to be no diners inside; all were outside on deck. The country music seemed a bit loud in the empty room but volume was acceptable outside. Chose a table and were met with a cacophony of bird chatter and action. Noisy starling types walking and flying all over empty tables and railings. I saw one chair and a few white spots on it and chose not to investigate it further. For our meal we chose the bacon cheeseburger with fries and a side order of onion rings. Requested the burger cooked medium, medium rare. Food came out in normal expected time and I tried an o-ring first. Waitress had perfect timing and retort of "how's everything? See how I waited for you to take a bite before I asked?" We enjoyed her report. First disappointment with burger was untoasted bun. Second was the interior cook. The outer shell had a nice sear but the inside was rare to raw in places. I cut away 1/4 of burger to find some cooked section so I was able to eat something. Unfortunately our waitress didn't check back in until we were done with everything else. I showed her the raw meat but didn't get any real response from her then. read more

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Food and drink are always good no matter how large or small your party is. The shrimp and fish are excellent. Server was great.

Love the atmosphere very friendly. This is our second time. Fries were not hot burger was just so so. The coke was watered down. Sad since it's going to be close to Property. read more

Five stars for atmosphere Five stars for location Five stars for service Four stars for food Live music, quick service. My shrimp basket was good, included 2 hush puppies that were great and fries that just needed salt. Coke products but no Coke Zero. read more

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Large menu Decent prices Friendly waitstaff Great views Specialty drink menu Beach swimming Sand volleyball Boat lake access pull up Entertainment ...will be back and will bring friends read more

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Beautiful setting, good service, good drinks, and good food! I don't get the low ratings! An absolute MUST GO

I had the black tacos with sweet fries potatoes. They were good although all of the shrimp weren't completely cooked and warm. Sweet potato fries were good, but between the two, it wasn't enough for a complete meal and ordered an additional ahi ahi. The Ahihi was reasonable however it does not compareto what you can get in California. Service was great, the atmosphere is good. Anytime you can look at over a lake while you're eating is a good time. Prices are reasonable, and the beer was good. There is deck seating, but it was a little cool with the wind today. Yes I would recommend it again, just make sure it's not cold. Otherwise you will be eating inside. read more

Couldn't pay me to come back here. Not a drop of salt on any of the food. The fries and chicken are clearly frozen, the "world famous" gator tail is more breading than food. The gator tail philly is basically an onion cheese sandwich, if you're into that. Besides that, the tables are sticky, music is absurdly loud, and there's flies everywhere. read more

Food, Service, and Vibe! Wow! Not much more yo say. This is a must see place, go and enjoy yourself!

Gator Joe's Bar & Grill is more than just a restaurant--it's a place where memories are made. My friends and I have been coming here for years, and every visit feels like reconnecting with family. The staff go above and beyond to make you feel welcome, and they always remember us, which makes the experience even more special. The food never disappoints--whether it's their mouthwatering seafood, juicy burgers, or those signature drinks, everything is always perfect. But what really sets Gator Joe's apart is the atmosphere. Sitting outside by the lake, enjoying the breeze and the view, has become one of our favorite traditions. It's a place where we've shared countless laughs, celebrated milestones, and just enjoyed being together. Gator Joe's isn't just a spot to eat--it's a part of our lives, and we're so grateful for the incredible team that makes it feel like home. If you're looking for great food, amazing vibes, and a place where you'll be treated like family, this is it. YADOR YOESSSSSSSSS read more

Haley was an amazing server! very fast, and attentive and helpful with drink choices. food was great. atmosphere was amazing as well.

Atmosphere and outdoor seating is five stars. Our server was five stars. The food was a firm 3 star. My life partner only gave it one star. We shared a basket with fried shrimp and fish and french fries which cost us ~$20. So very pricy/ portions simply average if not small. read more

Gator Joe's - Outside - Seafood Near Me - Ocklawaha, Florida

Went here today NOT for the food but to get contacts. My visit to The Villages is coming to a close. I needed to find someone in construction or a tradesman or woodworker .... FAST. This is the place. I found several. Not everyone was nice. As far as the food is concerned ? It was adequate and overpriced. The drinks were also overpriced. read more

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