Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Sanctuary on the Square

    4.3 (19 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 3:00 pm, 5:00 PM - 1:30 AM (Next day)
    Updated 3 months ago

    Sanctuary on the Square Photos

    Business Info

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Sanctuary on the Square

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Salmon with cheese grits

    Loved the ambience and their music was A++.. old school rock... Bowie, Talking Heads, Zeppelin... it was awesome. Waiter was pleasant. Only thing was the kitchen was busy and getting our food took a very long time. He was apologetic and we were ok with it but it was slow., Bread is not served with the entree, it's considered a side so we asked for bread mid meal, thinking it'd be out immediately, I mean it's bread, right? (Our meals were Chefs Kiss. I had the salmon, my partner had the pork schnitzel. It was great. ) We didn't get it until we were both done with our meals. Dessert was tres leche... tasted more like tiramisu. All in all.... Really great meal. We will be back.

    The food and drinks were amazing! Shared the crabcakes and grits, along with the fried green tomatoes, and brie. Will definitely go back!

    Front of the menu

    See all

    5 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Lynn K.
    0
    65
    32

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ed G.
    174
    14
    6

    3 months ago

    The food was great and amazing service. Try the Brussels sprouts, so good. A cute spot on the square in Gainesville.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of M W.
    0
    6
    0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Great food, service, and atmosphere. Owner was very engaging. Will def be going back.

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Tony M.
    75
    17
    0

    9 months ago

    Food and service is great. Sundays are nice! Live music after 5pm. Try the Brussels sprouts!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    5 months ago

    Great food, great service. A little light on the beer selection. Does not appear to have draft beer. Will certainly go back.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Food is horrible. Example: ball of noodles with bbq sauce and bits of pulled pork covered with blue cheese. No one could eat it

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    6 months ago

    Been twice.. The shrimp options are great... friendly service.. nice atmosphere on Sundays. Beef could use some love.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    The atmosphere was great and the food was delicious and fairly priced. service was exceptional. Great experience - will definitely go back.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Ask the Community - Sanctuary on the Square

    Review Highlights - Sanctuary on the Square

    Try the Brussels sprouts, so good.

    Mentioned in 3 reviews

    Read more highlights

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Seafood 297 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Luna's Restaurant - Shrimp & Grits. (I think called something else.)  Delicious!

    Luna's Restaurant

    3.9(164 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$$

    Luna's catered a birthday party at my home in December. The food was amazing and Jason (one of the…read moreowners) & his staff were unbelievable. They took care of every detail, from setting up the tables/chairs & linens, to serving the food, to mixing drinks to clean up. The entire experience was seamless. We will definitely use them again because they offer such high quality and great value. We have also eaten at the restaurant in downtown Gainesville. The food is excellent there as well.

    This is a review for the Easter brunch only…read more I'm sure my grandparents would've loved this place if they were still around. You got your white tablecloths, rooms full of retirees, and a vibe that hasn't changed much since the Reagan administration. Unfortunately, there was none of that live music that this place is known for. My family and I came for the Easter brunch buffet @ $55/person. The menu looked great: herb crusted prime rib at the carving station, shrimp and grits, Belgian waffles, deviled eggs, bourbon glazed carrots, cheesecake dessert squares. But the reality was that it's more like an upscale hotel breakfast. Safe, mostly bland, and probably exactly what the "usual" crowd there was looking for. The bacon was overcooked and shriveled. The deviled eggs didn't even have any paprika. And who puts a giant vat of syrup BEFORE the waffles? And their signature strawberry punch would've tasted way better chilled or iced instead of being kept at room temperature. The prime rib was what made it all worth it. It was tender, juicy, cooked just right, and the horseradish took care of their seasoning problem. That carving station is what saves the day along with the fantastic staff. Even the manager was great to talk to. I just wish the rest of the food was better than "meh." A couple of tips: call for reservations, there's no online booking. Parking is annoying because of the app. If you don't have a walker, just use the giant free public lot one block over on Main Street. Also, the "Order" button on their website goes nowhere. Maybe just replace it with "Menu," Luna. Looks like Mother's Day is getting the breakfast buffet brunch encore, so if you want to experience what I did, go for it. I probably won't be back even though the regular menu looks interesting.

    Photos
    Luna's Restaurant
    Luna's Restaurant - Salmon, Grilled Pork Chop, Double Cut

    Salmon, Grilled Pork Chop, Double Cut

    Luna's Restaurant

    See all

    Bourbon Brothers Smokehouse & Tavern - Gainesville - Brown gravy instead of the country gravy on Chicken Fried Steak....wow!  A side of Mac & Cheese.  A boat of Corn Niblets ....

    Bourbon Brothers Smokehouse & Tavern - Gainesville

    3.5(111 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    I was meeting a buddy of mine in Gainesville to celebrate his birthday. This is where we want to…read morecome. We were very happy with our experience here. Get to eat deviled eggs for an appetizer they were very tasty! I got a brisket, Philly it was super tasty. Service was phenomenal,. Overall, this is a great restaurant in Gainesville. I will be back!

    This was me & my husbands 7th year anniversary, we wanted to get out and go somewhere nice…read more Im really satisfied and happy that we chose this place. There was an aura in the air when we got here, i swear im not being dramatic. The smell of the food hit us walking up, but it wasnt over-powering...it was just the right "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" amount. Our waiter was attentive and consisent with checking on us and asking about quality - while answering other tables which im sure is difficult. I wasnt able to quite catch his name - but that is on our part since we didnt let him know we hadn't heard when he did say his name. The other waiter that brought out the food was also kind. The food was of course delicious, unsuprising since the other reveiws had already raved so much to the point it was honestly kind of expected. The steaks on both plates had been cooked to perfection - my husband and I are grateful to the chef that unknowingly gave us such a wonderful anniversary dinner. The Mozzerella Mac & Cheese had such depth of favor. The cheese though... we are absolutely suspecting the chef of using gouda! Smokey and rich in flavor - thoroughly creamy & cheesy with such consistent flavoring... we loved it. The fries were homemade and delicous, not much to say besides the fact they didnt taste of chemical preservatives whatsoever. In fact, I think at one point both our stomach thanked us for eating this wonderful food. My drinks were delicious, we got the Georgia Mule and then the margarita that is also on the drink menu. Both were delicious but the Georgia Mule was refreshing! Hands down the best we have ever tried. The weather, sun, and love of my life definetely played a part of this reveiw - I must be honest of my bias. The band that was playing on 03/24/2026 was great. If I could compare the vocalist I would say they sound exactly that of the singer "Hozier". Thank you to everyone that played a role in the experience.

    Photos
    Bourbon Brothers Smokehouse & Tavern - Gainesville
    Bourbon Brothers Smokehouse & Tavern - Gainesville - Brisket Philly and loaded tots

    Brisket Philly and loaded tots

    Bourbon Brothers Smokehouse & Tavern - Gainesville - Bourbon flight

    See all

    Bourbon flight

    Recess Southern Gastro-pub - Peanut buttter pie

    Recess Southern Gastro-pub

    3.8(206 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    We've been a few times now and it doesn't disappoint! The staff has always been super friendly,…read moregood with service, and helpful. The inside has a very cool old school building feel while being trendy at the same time. It's quite a large place with two sides and outdoor seating plus restrooms on each side. The appetizers and main dishes that we have had so far are all fantastic. The fish and chips are some of the best I've had. The fish isn't overly breaded and greasy like some other places. Our son loves the fried green bean appetizer but eats most of it himself so we hardly ever get to enjoy it. Once again the breading is light resembling a panko type crust so you aren't just eating deep fried objects. We've tried numerous other appetizers and so far nothing has been a let down. If you're looking for a good menu with quality food and drink options (they have a full bar) then this is it. Cool setting. Easy to get to. Great food. Friendly staff.

    I stopped by twice in one day -- that's how intriguing this spot was. The first visit, I was drawn…read morein by an appetizer I just had to try: peanut butter and jelly pork belly. Unusual? Absolutely. But it was fabulous -- bold, unexpected, and delicious. After walking through the rest of town, I found myself right back for a second round. This time, it was their creative take on shrimp and grits. Another hit -- inventive and full of flavor. My only complaint? Neither dish was served quite hot enough for my taste. Next time, I'll be sure to ask for everything piping hot. Because yes -- I'd definitely go back.

    Photos
    Recess Southern Gastro-pub
    Recess Southern Gastro-pub - Mac N Cheese

    Mac N Cheese

    Recess Southern Gastro-pub - Salmon

    See all

    Salmon

    Sanctuary on the Square - seafood - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...