Sam St. John's Seafood is hidden away in a strip mall, but it totally worth the visit. We've been going here for years and their fried shrimp is THE BEST ANYWHERE. It's lightly breaded and fried to perfection. It is always great!!!! They have great sides like fried okra, baked beans, grits and cheese grits, green beans, fries and more. I've never tried their other fish dinners personally, but others I have been here with have and they enjoyed. Our server, Brian was friendly and attentive. It's not a fancy place, but you will definitely get a good meal here! read more

We were traveling from Southern Florida up to Charleston and decided to stop for a quick sandwich at Sam's St. John's Seafood. The reviews looked decent, so we figured: why not? It was clearly short-staffed -- I only saw one cashier handling things -- but the place wasn't empty. There was a big table (10 or so people) and others waiting to be seated, so I understood things might move a little slower. I ordered and was told it would be a 15-minute wait. It was raining, and our car was parked kind of far away, so I stayed inside. There were no seats available, so I sat in a vacant booth near the register in an unused area. The cashier immediately told me I couldn't sit there because it was a "clean area," which naturally raised the question... so is everything else not clean? I said, "No problem -- I'll stand outside in the rain," and she literally responded, "OK." For context on the wait time: I managed to write 97% of this review before the food showed up. The food situation didn't get better. After about 30 minutes, I told the server/cashier I couldn't wait much longer. She asked if I wanted the manager and I said that would probably be a good idea. I waited another five minutes... and instead of a manager, she came out with my food and handed me the bag. To her credit, she was very nice and apologized -- and she also told me something that explains a lot: she's trained to say "15 minutes" regardless of how long it actually takes. That's... not a great system. As for the food: the sandwich was fine for what it was, although there was a little too much bread. But the french fries and fried okra were lukewarm and soggy, which was disappointing after that wait. Bottom line: I can handle a busy place and I can handle staffing challenges -- but the attitude, the seating/rain situation, and the inaccurate wait time made this stop more frustrating than it needed to be. If you're looking for something quick, just know that "15 minutes" may not mean 15 minutes. read more

Sam's St Johns Seafood - Fish sandwich that ok, fried okra and French fries which were not ok (Luke warm and soggy) - Seafood Near Me - Ocala, Florida

See all

The food here is excellent and the fried foods aren't overly battered which I love. The service was great and if you like homemade sweet tea, this is your place. read more

Very good shrimp and fish. Stay was very friendly. Nice comfortable place to dine. Prices a little higher than expected.

The food is incredible. I'd say the best seafood in Marion County. On Monday, they have "All You Can Eat" crab legs. I had the Senior Special of 3 types of seafood. Scallops, Paddock and Shrimp. Two sides of a baked potato and side salad. The salad almost filled me up. I also had the mussels in garlic butter!! The manager stopped by the table a couple times to see how we were doing. We are definitely coming back!! read more

See all

No frills casual seafood. The service was great. Dottie our serve was super friendly and so patient with my 4 year old. Food came out quickly. We shared the 20 piece shrimp and I had crab cakes with fries and fried corn on the cob. The crab cake was delish, shrimp were just OK, but the corn on the cob had the chewiest texture and was inedible. I'm not sure why they can't just steam it like normal. My husband enjoyed his perch. My son had chicken tenders with applesauce and fries. I appreciate that they had so many options for sides for him beyond just the usual fries. All in all it was an OK lunch. read more

Sam's St Johns Seafood - Crab cakes - Seafood Near Me - Ocala, Florida

Great tea, great food. When in certain seats TVs are hard to watch.. Service is great. Waiters are funny and they never forget any food unlike McDonald's.. Music is good and they sometimes play songs i know! My mom LOVES y'all's ranch btw read more

Been coming here with family since a kid. The tea coleslaw fries fried fish hush puppies all good even like the side salad. We used to get crab legs and those were good too. I got "scallops" that were NoT scallops. The best way to describe it is a McDonald's nugget but harder to chew. They offered 10% off lol. So for fooling people if you catch it you'll get 1.60 off. This is bad business. Serve less coleslaw... up your prices for scallops and serve them seasonally call them shallops call them stallops but don't offer fake crap lie about it and expect people to come back. I always thought if they would add some private booths down the middle more intimate two seater Booths with lower lighting maybe a little bar they'd do so good. But this is Florida and it's literally a seafood restaurant no one wants gross chewy spongy blended whatever and fried. Taking 10% off is just wrong and so is serving it in the first place. Please stop doing it and have some dignity or people will not come back. I will say and maybe I'm wrong but stop trying to keep cheap regulars who are 75 years old, shorten the menu and serve real stuff only fresh and seasonally. Revamp it for younger people in the layout add a beer and wine only bar for locals ? Your market is old farts who want fried shrimp plates for 9.99. You're cutting corners on the real stuff, making false promises and trying to convince people with huge portions of sides .. no one can eat that much coleslaw! lol it's double the amount anyone should eat and you've skimped on the cheese in the cheese grits but gave me a huge amount if grits. That's food cost waste and people who have taste buds can tell the difference in the other cuts. If you stay true to the seafood part I assure you you're still the cheapest seafood in town. It the old farts with no taste buds want seafood ans can afford to come out to eat they can adjust to a better menu with no lunch specials normal portions and guarantee fresh seafood .. and at the end of this ramble but can you blame me? lol ... I would of paid 5$ more for real scallops and ignored the fact the place needs to be revamped. Bc the rest of the food has potential. I wish y'all the best read more

Worst ever ever I HATE THIS RESTURANT ITS SO DUMB AND I HATE IT the decoration is cheap and the food is blander than a waiting room

I have been to this restaurant many times. The food is always great. The staff is always great. The restaurant is very comfortable. Staff is always available and friendly. It's in a great location. I would always recommend this eatery. read more

If I could do no stars, I would!! If you are BLACK/ AFRICAN AMERICAN DO NOT EAT HERE!! The service is terrible!! They have an a sign that says "ALL YOU CAN EAT CRABLEGS!!" but they are unable to even fulfill their end of the deal. We simple had questions about the regulations of their all you can eat crab legs. The wait kept interrupting and refused to serve us. So the manager comes out trying to strong arm us because we had questions about the sign. So we politely said that we'd choose another restaurant to dine. So she had the nerve to say something slick, but we came to eat and enjoy ourselves but apparently we can't do that here. WE WILL NEVER BE BACK!! read more

20 piece Shrimp, coleslaw and baked potato were delicious. Great service from Brian. He remembers what you ordered down to the fact my husband requested no ice in his drink. He was fantastic, with us, and 5-6 other tables of customers. All were happy with him. Definitely worth the visit and highly recommend. Clean restaurant and had clean restrooms. Nice music playing during meal read more

Waitress was terrific and accommodating to special orders and bring hot crab legs at intervals vs. all at once. Food was good and cooked right. Portions were wildly generous even the Sr. Menu. Down home atmosphere. Safe bet for a good meal and great value. read more

I visited last Thursday night with family for a Birthday celebration. The staff were awesome in accommodating such a large party. The wait staff service was awesome them worked diligently to take order ensure we had everything we needed. The food was delicious I had the platter for one with blackened fish, shrimp, oysters, clams the taste was on point, but I did not care for the presentation of the dish. Over all the experience was wonderful and I will definitely be returning! Ohh my cousin had the all you can eat shrimp and they were fried to a golden perfection and seasoned to a delight! Pros: Great wait staff Clean dining area Clean restrooms Ample parking Delicious food read more

Sam's St Johns Seafood - Seafood Near Me - Ocala, Florida

See all

The food was good. The people were friendly and helpful . The food we ordered was received fast and hot.

Unbelievable it seems the service gets worse ever time we go here. We was one of the first customer on friday 4/14/23 and Bobby was our waitress. She returned with our seafood bisque and she told my wife it was very hot. Then she returned with my soup and I took one bite and it was cold so we had to send back for them to heat it up. The food is not cheap and I always get my wife 3 lobster tails and her side. Now they burnt my wife's shrimp and we had to tell bobby to bring the melted butter for the lobster tails. They burned my salmon and put it burned side down, like I would not know they burnt it. Then when you pay the 78.00 bill you would think the young lady on the register would ask how was everything? No way does she extend any courtesy to you and no thank you for eating there. read more

Do you want a generous portion of expertly fried seafood? If the answer is "YES"... read on. Fried green tomatoes. Hot tart and juicy. Crisp well seasoned fried shrimp, pollack(close enough to a catfish flavor), crisp, sweet Cole slaw and fried okra. Ok. You aren't gonna get healthy here, but for your fried fish fix.... yeah, do it. read more

Well this zoo of a restaurant living on a old name!! 10 plus years I have eaten at Sam St Johns seafood started in Jacksonville along with orange park location an St. Augustine location figure I enjoy my Memorial Day dinner at a classic spot in Ocala. Noooo that was not the experience we recommend not going within 100 yards of this location starting with the tweeker jaw jittering waiter then the cold corn on the cob came an when confronted they said o yea "our manager did that" yes cold like out the fridge even after the meal it could cooled a hotpot sweet tea down . Next blackened platter is terrible over cooked cheap dry pollock tiny shrimp scallops an some weird chewy gummie squid strips . Next the crab cakes was put on the bottom of our blackened seafood an sucked all this gross juice up was soggy an terrible. Then we tried fill up on rice! An needed a gallon of water to wash down the salt after I spit it out on my plate!! Pics below.. couple hush puppies looked like they got left in the fryer over night! Then they wanted to comp a side?? An looked at us like we was trying to get out of a bill or some petty sh**t so I looked at them an said I will pay my bill thanks at this point I rather warm people in a review than be bought out by your 5$ side dish! So sad that I had to have this experience but thankful Yelp is here to warn people read more

See all

Great food and awesome service!!!! Manager was extremely pleasant when I chatted about the good food and good service!

I would have liked a broiled or baked fish Most every thing was fried. Waitress brought me the wrong beer after a wait. But it was okay otherwise. read more

Sam St Johns never disappoints. Their fried shrimp are always a hit. They have many choices of sides and all are fantastic. We tried the grilled flounder today and it was so tasty. The stuffed flounder is always top notch. The cheese grits are a favorite. The staff is friendly, accommodating, and welcoming. The interior could is utilitarian with some neat ocean decor. The food is definitely a must try. We have been coming for years and will continue. read more

Friendly Staff and manager. I've said it before, I judge a business on how they take care of a issue when it comes up not just the one time experience. Today this business gets a A+ on how they handles a issue we had with our food. In light of so many restaurants struggling to get people in to work it's difficult for me to blast a restaurant for a hiccup. Tonight we were asked by our attentive waitress how it was going. We answered and we asked for nothing. Soon after the manager came to our table to discuss our meal. He apologized and immediately made it right. Again, it's how they handle a hiccup that matters to me. We'll definitely be back. I want to Thank this restaurant Manager and waitress for making our experience a good one. read more

Do not purchase gift cards online. I still don't have the one I ordered and no one returns the voicemails I have left or responds so I now have to open disputes with PayPal and my credit card company. Horrible customer service read more

Our first trip there, surprised by how sketchy the location is. Old and faded store in an old and faded strip mall. interior decor was cheesy at best. Our waitress was very good. The sides for our meal were good (green beans, cole slaw, baked potato) with the exception that whipped margarine in a plastic container was brought for the potato (not butter) and the sour cream was in a packet (fast food restaurant style). We both had the crab lega and they were meaty but they were ruined by the "butter.". We both thought the melted butter tasted bad and when we asked if it was real butter we were told by our waitress it was a mixture of some real butter and something else she can't explain. they by it in large blocks. It looked like butter but it tasted like vegetable oil. We both ate enough of the oil, trying to find something we liked about it but we ended up earing the legs plain after we were half in. We both had stomach aches shortly after leaving. What restaurant that prides itself in its seafood serves fake butter with crab legs??? Terrible way to cut costs. read more

Would have tipped the server more but they add a 5 dollar convience charge onto your bill at the register. Zero disclosure about that additional fee to their pocket. 120 bucks for 2 orders of ayc crablegs that half were fresh and other were no meat sadly. But the coleslaw was good. That should be. Would have tipped the server more but they add a 5 dollar convience charge onto your bill at the register. Zero disclosure about that additional fee to their pocketWould have tipped the server more but they add a 5 dollar convience charge onto your bill at the register. Zero disclosure about that additional fee to their pocketWould have tipped the server more but they add a 5 dollar convience charge onto your bill at the register. Zero disclosure about that additional fee to their pocketWould have tipped the server more but they add a 5 dollar convience charge onto your bill at the register. Zero disclosure about that additional fee to their pocket read more

Absolutely terrible seafood. (Food in general) Signature Scampi dish was 95% onions & mushrooms. 1 or 2 shrimp/scallops mixed in. Stuffed mushrooms were garbage as well. This place should be ashamed. Water is the best thing on the menu. Epic fail. read more

Had the all you can eat seafood special. With 2 sides of baked potato and fried okra, I started with fried flounder and ended with fried bite sized shrimp. All with a coke: $14.32 read more

Sam's St Johns Seafood - Fried Flounder - Seafood Near Me - Ocala, Florida

See all

First off, the restaurant is smaller inside than I expected but relatively neat and clean as well as pretty crowded on a Sunday afternoon. The waitstaff were speedy in seating me but after that rather unattentive. It appeared my waitress had my table then like five on the opposite side of the room which made little sense. I ordered the fried shrimp with rice pilaf and cole slaw. It was OK but not outstanding in any regard. The hush puppies were good and the shrimp seemed fresh and had nice breading but little flavor to the side items and the cocktail and tarter sauce were unremarkable and perhaps not even homemade. Most of all, the restaurant just seemed too small, crowded, and busy to offer even a pleasant casual dining experience: it felt like despite pokey service they kinda just wanted to rush you along once they realized you were still around. That was overall fine for me, alone and traveling, but I'd have been displeased if out for a nice dinner with friends. read more

Food was tasty Our server Brandy was great Generous portions Scallops good and great coleslaw read more

Been looking forever for a Haddock Fish fry. Will not return ever, The fish was very dry and the worst ever had. I must say their cheese grits were the creamiest ever and loved the hush puppies. My husband does not like fish and has alzheimer's. At Least he won't remember this mistake of mine. He had a double order of Mac & cheese. Oh my it was out of the box meal. read more

After getting vaccinated and not eating in a restaurant since March of 2020, Sam's St. Johns was the first restaurant we choose to eat at. As good as we remember. We have ate out three times now. Twice at Sam's St Johns. We are fans. read more

Everything was amazing. Hubby had buffalo shrimp which was SO good. We also ordered Gator Tail which is best I've had in a long time! Cooked to perfection! Also got blackened shrimp and chicken tender combo for the littles! Visit could have been better excellent food and service! read more

Sam's St Johns Seafood - Seafood Near Me - Ocala, Florida

Based on just AYCE Crab night only - considering the price, location and service, this deserves 5 stars. The initial plate came out with plenty of fixings along with the crab legs and the crab refills were fast and fresh. Some place drag out the refills, but not here. You definitely get your fill of crab which is great quality as well. The staff is all friendly and efficient. The Menu also has a nice variety of other seafood favorites as well. Looking forward to coming back to try more! read more

This has been my Dad and I go to place for fish once a week. We love Nicki or Beth as our server. Food alway prepared fresh

We ordered this on line Mother's day. The resturand was crowded as expected, my order was take out. Took a while to get it and they were very disorganized. Some of the food was over cooked, oysters were not done, but most of it was good. Might try it on a less busy day read more

Good food and good portions. Fried fish sandwich is my go to meal and it is top notch.

Food was yummy. Waitress was very pleasant. But we went in for dinner, 730pm on a Friday - they continued to sit guests next to each - table after table. When there was 10+ empty tables in the middle of the restaurant. There was absolutely ZERO social distancing. We asked front desk about this and the young ladies response was "we are at 100% capacity and if you are that worried about it - you should stay home" I was absolutely appalled. read more

Maaaaan, my family and I went there this evening for dinner and they ignored us for five minutes . Then after they finally grace us with their presence, they walk my family to a filthy table with food and drink cups still on the tables then they sat our fresh silverware on the dirty table and fought an attitude when my wife said something about it so we walked out . I give one star because the door was open. read more

I only got a salad but it was great! The dressing was really good. My friend enjoyed all his food. I know many people that love this place.

Stopped here today while passing through on a road trip. Based on the name, one would expect a place that serves Florida fish & seafood. That would be shrimp from the gulf, catfish, oysters, or at least seafood farmed locally. But, it became immediately apparent that this isn't the case. The waitress told me the shrimp is from Ecuador. The special is northern haddock, they serve Alaskan crab, cold water scallops and fish from international suppliers. On top of this, the restaurant was dark and had a strange odor to it that was very off-putting. I took a pass on this one. read more