Uh oh, they did it! My wife and I decided to stop in for a Mahi Mahi platter and a beer. I was not convinced we were given Mahi Mahi but I am thoroughly pleased with the fish sandwich that did arrive which was more than ample.Our server Sarah, was exceptionally wonderful and took great care of us considering we were seated in our favorite place out on the dock where a gentle breeze and an awesome sunset provided us with a date night that needs repeating more often ....the bill was $50 this time plus tip $9.50....an excellent evening! I would like to add that our server's demeanor is exactly what keeps people returning. She remembered us from previous visits and she has only been there a short time. She made us feel welcomed and I know my wife and I will return because she made us feel special...hats off to professionalism! 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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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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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

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!

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

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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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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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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.

Reminds me of old Florida lake living! Food is very good and the staff were very accommodating. Live music was a nice surprise on a Thursday night. Ambience is the selling point tho! read more

Great ambiance and views! The view of the lake is beautiful! Service friendly! Gator bites delicious!!! read more

Gator Joe's - View of Lake Weir at Ocklawaha, FL - Seafood Near Me - Ocklawaha, Florida

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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Atmosphere on the water is nice. The birds can be annoying and aggressive. Service was top notch. We had a groom right and we never waited. Fish basket was ok, not great but a decent amount. I will eat here again. read more

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

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NOT handicap friendly. My wife uses a scooter to get from our car into restaurants and stores. After being seated by restaurant staff our waitress said we needed to move my wife's scooter. We were parked at end of our table which left a 2 to 3 foot path all around us. We asked the waitress where we were to park. She said she did NOT know it just needed to be moved. We told her we had been coming to this restaurant for eight years and have never been asked to move. She said she would talk to her manager. The manager came out and said we needed to move the scooter. Again we asked where to move the scooter. She did NOT know. She left and brought back security. He said we needed to move the scooter. Again we asked where. He said he did NOT know where. We decided the only place to go was to a handicap friendly restaurant. By the way they can seat hundreds of patrons, but only have two handicap parking spots. This place is NOT for the handicap. BEWARE read more

Ok our fault for sitting outside but I don't like flies and gnats and scruffy birds waiting to feast on our leftovers. The food was standard bar fare with sandwiches and potato chips. For an up charge you could substitute fries or onion rings. I got the grilled shrimp tacos and onion rings. It was all tasty but the onion rings were pretty greasy. The best part was the pineapple salsa on the tacos. It was nicely spicy. read more

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This place is so cool and super FL. They have an indoor seating area and an outdoor seating area on a little pier over the water. You look right out on the lake and they have a beach right next door where you can keep your bar tab open and drink on the beach. The beach has chairs and umbrellas and also tables. You can swim there as well. They're famous for their gator bites which we got with the fries. Both were delicious. We also had some of their fruity drinks of course. They no longer have the buckets but they're still strong pours. Definitely a cool spot and must see if you're in the area. read more

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

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We enjoyed our evening out at Gator Joe's sitting on the open deck. The sunset was beautiful! They had live music also playing good music. We had gator tail, Ahi tuna and chicken wings. Food was great, served fresh and hot. Our servers were all very friendly and accommodating. We love coming here when we're down visiting Family nearby. read more

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First visit here and it was amazing... staff has hustle and knowledgeable about their menus, ambience is what you would expect at a "beach" access location... fun lively and enjoyable. A lovely gem to hit up when visiting the area for sure! Food was delish as well!!!!! read more

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

Pros: the food was good! Cons: our waitress was a smidge inattentive, there was quite a bit of bird poop on deck dining areas (a little more power washing was needed), and some tables chairs hadn't been wiped down from bugs the night before. read more

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

Food was great, had a gator and shrimp combo basket. Lots and lots of staff running around but service was excruciatingly slow. Two and a half hours to get seated and eat. It took a half hour to get 3 pieces of pie. Tip was automatically added to the bill which didn't show up on the credit card slip to sign but there was a space to add additional tip. There's no incentive to give good service when you know you're getting an automatic 18%. read more