Drive-thru experience 10/10 Owner seems really nice The meals are huge, I should have shared with my husband. The seasoning can be a lil spicy! read more

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Food wise this place beats raising canes. You can even get some fish along with tons of other sides like cheese sticks and mushrooms. The specials are really worth paying attention too. I got fish and tenders. The tenders were hot and juicy. Real big tenders not the small ones with more breading than meat. Upon walking in, you are engulfed in smoke from the deep fryer. This place is the real deal and honestly, could us some TLC. Its one of the places where you know the food is going to either be really good.... or you are going to get food poisoning. If this place were to be properly renovated and marketed better to UF it could make a miraculous comeback read more

Y'all, RUN, don't walk, to Hook's. I've lived in Gainesville since 1997, it's easily the best chicken and catfish restaurant in town. I've been doordashing recently and have had SEVERAL offers from there, there is not a restaurant in town that will have my mouth watering during the delivery like Hook's. Do yourself a favor: get the wings and catfish combo, add lemon pepper, dash some hot sauce, and enjoy one of the best meals you'll ever have. read more

Hook Fish & Chicken - #4 catfish and wings - Chicken Wings Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

They have good food but the issue I'm having is that they will auto cancel your Doordash order whenever you earn the $10 promo on the app. This is a huge inconvenience because you have to suffer the refund or you can opt for credits and place your order again. But the worst part is they don't refund the driver tip. So you'll lose that as a customer each time they cancel for this reason. When they should deal with DoorDash and have the promotion removed - it's literally costing the customers. I called and spoke to Alex who claimed he was new there and wouldn't offer me anything to make right for the two $5 tips I've lost on DoorDash due to these cancellations. I order there regularly hence how I've gotten the promo twice. It really sucks that they won't honor it because it's only $10 or at least remove it. He's blaming DoorDash. Geez man. Bad for business. read more

Got to experience the food from Hook's Fish and Chicken recently. The first time was via a pickup from the place, so I never actually even saw the place, just experienced the food. We were hoping for a specific dish but apparently they were out, so I got the catfish and shrimp platter, which comes with fries. Apparently the place is pretty popular, because there were a number of items they were just out of. No big deal, I like catfish and shrimp, and they were quite good! The fries are good, but eat them while they are hot! They do not hold up over time. I did go back within a week or so and actually experienced what the place is like during the day. The food is good, they get it out to you pretty quickly, and the price is right as well. It isn't much to look at, but they do a good job, and it is what the area needs! read more

It wasn't that good. I couldn't tell what favor was on those wings that were cooked in the same grease as the fish and fries. Need to change your oil. Dasher was late so much for paying for express. The orka was the only worth eating read more

Best fried chicken. Love the extra seasoning after the chicken has been fried. Pies are good too. Gotta catch them off the early. Area isn't the best but just pick up and go read more

owner is super nice when he's in a good mood. make sure you bring drunk people w you because sometimes he loves to chat and you get freebies also the food is pretty good imo for the price read more

I went to this store for 1WEEK straight I couldn't stop the food is amazing they cook the food as soon as you order it's fresh juicy tasty and the prices are very fair but the portions or on another level I could never finish my food always had leftovers the customer service is like talking to your friends and it is an overall amazing experience I get about ten times a month now 10/10 would try again read more

Very good, Made to order the seasoning is to die for! The food is so good it reminds me of a rest i used to eat at as a kid its so good and brings back memories dear to me! read more

This place came highly recommended by my brother-in-law and her gf. Ordered a fried grouper dinner, oyster and shrimp dinner, and a snack platter with samplings of their sides. Cedar River has some stiff competition thanks to this place! The grouper was a good-sized portion with a cornmeal-based batter. Nice quantity of medium plus sized shrimp and oyster. Fries were tasty, and the sample items including mushrooms, okra, corn bites, were all great except for the mozzarella sticks which sat in the oil a bit too long. One note, one of the last prep steps for to-go orders sees them take a shaker full of salt and seasonings and sprinkle it liberally over your meal. If salt is an issue be sure to ask them to hold the seasoning and of course if you're a salt field maybe ask for extra! read more

The food was average. You get a lot for the money but it doesn't taste all that amazing. Our family of 3 ordered the 3 item platter of shrimp, scallops and fish with fries (don't judge us!). The batter is seasoned, but leans on the salty side to me. It could've been my fault for not eating it right away, but the fried food didn't have that satisfying, bright crispy I was looking forward to. In all, if I have a seafood craving and I was absolutely dead broke I might go here but if I had a little something to rub together I would opt for quality over quantity and skip the place. read more

I read many reviews on this place and a majority of them suggested to give it a chance despite appearance. The neighborhood is very ominous at night, and the building itself is not very appealing. They definitely increased their prices (they drew over the original prices w/ a marker). I think that if I didn't find what I found in my food, I might've given the place 3 stars for the amount of food they give. However, my friend and I found a gigantic fried cockroach at the bottom of our food. We were enjoying the food from top to bottom until one of us grabbed a bottom chicken wing and under it was a giant fried cockroach. This was extremely disappointing and disgusting but we weren't surprised since the restaurant did not look like it passed health standards at all. I would say look through the food for any dead fried critters before eating because that definitely scared us. read more

Every time I come, they cook they food when you order. It is always fresh and tastes great.

I'm visiting my hometown Gainesville, Fl so of course I was excited to try this restaurant named Hooks because I lived in Jacksonville previously and I figured the food would be just as good as I remembered it to be at the Jacksonville locations. Well, I was WRONG!!!! My friend and I placed two separate orders. I ordered the liver and gizzards combo. My friend ordered the wings and fries. She had given this establishment a good review assuring me that the food would be good. We were both thoroughly disappointed. The wings were hard and dry. The gizzards and livers were overcooked, tough, and chewy. The fries were decent. In total, we paid over fifteen dollars for our meals. I wasn't expecting Ruth Chris but I was expecting what I paid for. We have called the restaurant my friend also left a message. I gave a rating of two stars because the young man at the order window was nice. read more

For fried shrimp this place was PERFECT! I ordered the large shrimp and easily had two portions worth. They were cooked perfectly with the breading crisp but the shrimp underneath were not at all overdone. The fries have a really nice seasoning that made them quite tasty! Delicious comfort food and very affordable. read more

First time finally going here. I must say food is definitely good and hot. But they needs to remodel the building. read more

Hook Fish & Chicken - Catfish, shrimp, fried, & chicken platter - Chicken Wings Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Looks can be very deceiving!! I had the chicken wings and catfish both were fried to perfection. The food was fresh and hot with very tasty seasoning. The Pros -The cost -The good portion sizes -Fast Service The Cons -The appearance -The staff attitude Over all I enjoyed the food and will be returning to try more of their menu items. read more

Pretty good. Good chicken and good fries. Place good news a makeover but it's whatever. I'll be back.

So I ordered this for lunch (delivery) and it was okay. The amount of food I received for the price was excellent. I ordered the chicken and gizzards with fries and a pink lemonade. The food was great! The fries were seasoned well and so was the chicken. However, I felt like the gizzards were a little rubbery (maybe because it was takeout and not eaten fresh). The pink lemonade was delicious. Overall I was satisfied. I would definitely eat here again. read more

Hook Fish & Chicken - Chicken & Gizzards - Chicken Wings Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Restaurant could use a make over. chicken was pretty good. fries were below average. onion rings were great. it's really cheap though so great value. i recommend if you are on a budget read more

My food had a spoilage taste the oil was burnt the fries was soggy and undercooked. I went inside which was a mistake no one was wearing a mask they wasn't wearing hair nets. Trash all over the floor. read more

The one in Pittsburgh is much cleaner but it also doesn't have anywhere to sit but the chicken was delicious as always! I'm so glad that I stumbled on this little gem and it's *only* two hours from me. I might make an excuse to go up and see family so that I can get some chicken. I went up to Gainesville to visit with family and on my way out I stopped to get some wings to go. 6 whole wings and fries for under $7 and they use this special seasoning that I just love. It's salty and a tiny bit sweet and super addictive. They fry to order so your food is always fresh but be prepared to sit and wait for a minute. They lost a star because the decor makes you not want to sit down but being that they're open till 3 in a college town it's most likely just a late night spot. read more

So good! Best little seafood place I've found in this town. Prices were reasonable and while everything is made to order I didn't have to wait long even though there was a fair amount of people in there. I got a small shrimp order, it came with 14 good sized shrimp and fries. It was delicious, the batter was light but tasty. The inside is nothing to be missed. A handful of tables and chairs but no decor to speak of. Definitely a to-go place. read more

A group of four of us and it was late. The service was great ! The food was fresh well seasoned and reasonably priced. It was so much good food we didn't think we would finish it including the large lemonade. We did. Oh so very good! read more

The best halal restaurant in Gainesville! If you are looking for great food for a reasonable price, you need look no further than Hook's. I've gone here nearly 10 times and have yet to be disappointed. The servers are polite, courteous, and quick, and the food is always fresh. I personally love their chicken, as their seasoning is just perfect. Their hushpuppies are also phenomenal. The seafood is great too, although I personally wish they seasoned it a bit more. Given the price, the portions are extremely generous. I've personally eaten on the premises several times and have never noted any dirtiness. Of course, the decor is not fantastic, as other reviewers point out, but it is hardly much different than any other fast food joint. That's really what the drive-thru is for honestly. Overall, a stellar restaurant. If I still lived in Gainesville, I would go every week! read more

Delicious chicken wings! Big portions and great seasonings. I would like the fried conch pieces to be a little larger as they are mostly breading, but other than that, pretty good. Open late! read more

I am updating my review to reflect what I see as improvements. I previously gave them two stars. I have returned here a couple of times recently. The interior is still a little dirty and hot. The staff is much improved, though. The seafood was better than I remembered. Everything is cooked to order. When your order comes up, they ask if you want some of their seasoning on it. Whatever they are sprinkling on that food, it is yummy. It is a blend of spices and not too salty. The portions are generous. There is a much friendlier vibe. The employees seem more cheerful. The last time I was inside, one of the cooks was singing opera in arabic, way off key. The counter guy looked at me and my daughter to check out our reaction. My daughter made a strange face. Everyone in the restaurant cracked up. The cook did not care that the customers and his co-workers, were less than impressed by his singing. He was having a good day. As I left with my order, he almost hit that last note. Based on their prices and portions, Hook is one of the best values in town. read more

The owners are so shady here. They overcharged my card and wouldn't provide me an itemized receipt until I demanded one. Where I saw they charged me for items I didn't even order. Then acted like they couldn't refund my money.. the receipt they gave me didn't match what they charged my credit card either. Owner was rude when I called them out for being shady. Ugh and the restaurant is so dirty and run down.. this place needs to be condemned.. highly do not recommend. read more

Don't let Hook's drive-thru exterior fool you. Hook is all about doing fast food fresh, which is very important since they specialize in seafood. Everything is cooked to order while you wait. Hook serves several varieties of fried fish (perch, whiting, catfish, tilapia) but also has shrimp, scallops, and oysters. There's not much ambience and the place kinda looks like a dive, but I've never had any problems with the service described in other reviews. I believe the owner is normally behind the counter when I go, and he always seems legitimately happy to be there. For the most part, the food is decent and fairly priced. I found the scallops to be a little gummy and strangely sour, but the shrimp is excellent. If you're not into the life aquatic, don't worry because you're in luck. By far, Hook's shining star is their chicken, which is always fresh and juicy. The meat on the wings practically falls right off the bone and into your mouth, and the lightly breaded chicken tenders are anything but light on flavor. The French fries, however, were a little soggy, and the onion rings are downright floppy, so if you're looking to treat yourself to an above-average side, order the fried mushrooms. A slightly thicker breading allows them to really layer on the flavors. All in all, Hook Fish and Chicken is better than traditional fast food and doesn't break the bank. read more

I only went through the drivethrough, but ordered two meals. It came with two large pieces of tilapia, about eight or nine big shrimp, and a huge amount of french fries. The wait was a little long at the window, but that's because everything was fried just then. It wasn't old fish and shrimp. Everything was fried, and the breading was delicious! It was really good. The portions were so good, I ate it twice. It seemed like more than you would get at a restaurant but was only $9. They also gave you lots of sauce, which was great. The sodas were all can soda, but that didn't bother me. I will definitely be going back. I love that I found a new place to get great fish! read more

Reasonable prices. Food was hot & fresh. It could have used a bit more spices, but it was definitely worth it.

not good. Shrimps are only seafood that worth eating. Place is a dump. Also Ordered fried catfish and conch. Threw in the trash. Do not recommend this place. read more

I can't speak to the service because my husband has brought home takeout. They are pretty curt on the phone, it's true. I don't care. The portions are HUGE and the fish is fresh and perfectly fried. Just get takeout. read more

The best for yourbuck in Gainesville. We love it at NFETC!!!!!!!!!!

This place is awesome!! If you want amazing portions at an amazing price look no further. The staff is super friendly and always make you feel like you're at home. The food is delicious. I always leave super full and super happy. Definitely go!!!!! read more

It is what it is. Great food at great prices. Two big guys tried two combos: Tilapia and Shrimp and Catfish Filet with Chicken Wings. Honestly we left food on the styrofoam fold-over boxes. All the fish came out properly done with a light coating, the insides were moist and each kind had a fresh taste. The wings also were hot and crispy outside, and moist inside. the shrimp were crispy outside as well, but just a tad overdone for my taste. Condiment choices included catsup, hot sauce, and tartar sauce and seafood sauce on request. The sweet tea was good. What really sets Hook above many fry places is the lack of heavy batter, and none of the grease that tends to settle down on the plates. The downside Is eating in at Hook Fish & Chicken. We were the first people in for lunch and the tables weren't real clean. In fact the whole inside could use a pressure washing. But the staff was friendly to us, and the main thing was the FOOD. Wash your hands before you eat, and you'll be full and happy when you leave, read more