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    Sam's Crystal River Seafood

    4.0 (70 reviews)
    ModerateSeafood
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Order Sam's Crystal River Seafood Takeout or Delivery

    Sam's Crystal River Seafood Photos

    Business Info

    SAM'S CRYSTAL RIVER SEAFOOD ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

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    Grilled shrimp and scallops
    Cathy O.

    A safe bet if looking for a restaurant in MacClenny. Sam's is located in a shopping center, with plenty of tables and plenty of parking. Service was friendly, though a tad slow. I ordered the grilled shrimp and scallops. Both were seasoned nicely, though I expected larger ones from a seafood place, with a smaller portion to offset that. I rarely have hush puppies, but had actually had some a few nights before at a different seafood restaurant, and Sam's win out, as they had a lot more taste. The baked potato was perfect. The green beans were ok, though on principal I don't get why a restaurant would serve up canned veggies instead of fresh.

    Perfect clam chowder
    Dianne P.

    Very nice clam chowder. I ordered fried mahi and shrimp with a baked potato with extra butter. My fish was overdone and the shrimp were OK but were from frozen. The baked potato was brought out with a bunch of packets of greasy yellow stuff that was not butter. I was informed that they don't have any butter. What type of seafood place doesn't have butter? If I had been told when I ordered, I would have chosen a different side. The service was fast and friendly but the food was underwhelming- except for the chowder. The portions were large so you don't go away hungry.

    Loving the company. Happy Birthday Grandma!!!

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    Business owner information

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    Delaine R.

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    3 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Pick-up order ready when promised and food was great as usual. Placing order online was a breeze.

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    2 years ago

    Food was cooked great and portions were huge. More than I could eat. Service was great too.

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    3 years ago

    My husband and I both agree that everything is delicious! Casual ambiance. Service is fast and professional. We will be repeat customers!

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    2 years ago

    Great food and service. Can't go wrong with this little surprise of a seafood joint. Fried fish and hush puppies were delicious.

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    2 years ago

    Food was outstanding. Service was good. Clearly a favorite of the locals. I would definitely go back.

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    4 years ago

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    2 years ago

    terrible food bad other than shrimp and way overpriced takes too long ambiance terrible and service meh boring very boring

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    4 years ago

    Ate here tonight with friends. Food not good. Fish was almost not edible. Gross. Will not be back. Service was good. Waste of my money.

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    12 years ago

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    Page 1 of 2

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    North Beach Fish Camp - Blackened Halibut

    North Beach Fish Camp

    4.3(1.2k reviews)
    43.6 miBeaches
    $$

    I've been numerous times over the years, this latest visit was for a large birthday party- so…read morelarge, we basically took over the upstairs! Quay was our personal server and I think he was our bartender too- although there was another person back and forth behind the bar. We added a little chaos to the mix with a handful of family who showed without rsvp-ing. Add in toddlers plus easily 15 people.... Yeah- mad respect for Quay!!! I admit to being sad that I couldn't get my broiled platter- that is my favorite Fish Camp dish, and apparently not available for lunch. I pivoted and got the steam pot for 2. For myself. And guess what- I ate all the crab, hmmm so happy! Laugh- it was hilarious, I was still cracking crab while everyone sung happy birthday! I was thrilled. I brought home most of the potatoes, corn and such- it even had mushrooms and broccoli! YUM! My old fashioned was also perfection in a glass. John had the shrimp and fish basket and loved every bite. Several raved about the shrimp and grits. Caron loved her mahi mahi. Connor got the Spicy Wild Caught Shrimp Linguine with White Wine, Garlic, Tomato, Pecorino and inhaled it! Even the kiddos were super happy with the kids chicken strips, although the kitchen delivered the first plate to the wrong toddler and the lovely parents didn't question how they got food without ordering and that little girl dug right in. Opposite end of the table- this grandma spoke up and we split the food so all the littles were fed. Considering our chaotic group, it went very well. I didn't hear a single complaint from our party. Hopefully we didn't drive the staff too crazy!

    I used to absolutely love this place. It was our go-to for seafood, celebrations, family dinners,…read moreand special occasions for years. We recommended it constantly and genuinely enjoyed supporting them. Unfortunately, after our last few experiences, that loyalty is completely gone. The problems really started during a dinner visit with my spouse. We had a reservation for two and specifically requested a booth because my spouse has herniated discs and booths are much easier on her back. The hostess with glasses told us there were "no booths available for parties of two," so we were seated at a tiny two-top directly in front of an empty booth. Minutes later, another couple - who apparently didn't even have the correct downstairs reservation because Wheel House was closed for a private event - was seated in that exact booth instead. When I politely questioned it, I was told they were "accommodating them." Interesting, because apparently accommodating a medical issue for customers with a reservation didn't matter. Still, we decided to give the restaurant another chance for Mother's Day. To their credit, we were seated at a booth this time after I both noted it in the reservation and called ahead to confirm it. Our waiter was someone we immediately recognized from a previous visit, and my parents mentioned he had waited on us before at that same table. Somehow, from that comment alone, he became convinced we were related to Chef Tim Tillus. From there, things got bizarre. He kept talking about "Timmy," mentioning reunions and saying he used to live with him. The restaurant was extremely loud, and my father had forgotten his hearing aids that day, so honestly we could barely understand what he was talking about. We just smiled politely and focused on asking about the menu because we truly had no clue where the conversation was going. Eventually, he came back and realized we were NOT Chef Tim Tillus' family. He then explained that the kitchen staff had apparently been laughing because the chef saw us and said, "That's not my family." So somehow this became a whole ordeal in the kitchen over a completely innocent misunderstanding. We laughed awkwardly because what else do you do at that point? But honestly, the whole interaction felt strange and unprofessional. Unfortunately, the food was even worse than the awkward service. My spouse ordered the all-day seafood soup, and somehow there was basically ZERO seafood in it. That alone was shocking because their soups used to be incredible. My father ordered the broiled platter, and the portion size was honestly embarrassing for a $29 dish. His parsley potatoes consisted of literally five tiny cubes - my mother counted them because we were in disbelief. We have eaten here for years and NEVER saw portions this small. I ordered the fish special, and it was nothing like described. It was supposed to have pecans and blackening seasoning. There were no pecans, no blackening seasoning, and the fish itself was dry, bland, overcooked, and flavorless. For $32, I was served what looked like a tiny sad pile of fish in the middle of a giant empty plate. The pork chop looked beautiful but tasted absolutely awful. At this point I honestly don't know if the kitchen quality has completely collapsed or if nobody is checking food before it leaves the line anymore. Either way, it was terrible. My mother ordered scallops on the half shell as her meal - something she has enjoyed there many times before. This time, the scallops were tiny and somehow greasy. It was shocking these dishes were even leaving the kitchen. What makes this so disappointing is that we truly loved this restaurant. We weren't casual customers. We supported this place for years because we believed the food and experience were worth it. This wasn't just a mediocre meal or an "off night." This was a genuinely terrible dining experience from start to finish, made worse by the fact that it happened on Mother's Day. The service felt awkward and disorganized, the portions were insulting, the food quality was awful, and there seemed to be zero quality control happening anywhere. At this point, our money will be supporting other establishments instead. It's honestly sad because this place USED to be special. I sincerely hope management fixes the kitchen, consistency, and overall professionalism before even more longtime customers walk away.

    Photos
    North Beach Fish Camp - Interior decor

    Interior decor

    North Beach Fish Camp - Snapper special

    Snapper special

    North Beach Fish Camp - Entrance

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    Entrance

    Sam's Crystal River Seafood - seafood - Updated May 2026

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