Scott and Kay did an outstanding job in helping us plan for our wedding reception. From our first visit Kay put us at ease and assured us that they would help us get it all together. She even volunteered the night of the event to pick up cupcakes we had forgotten to take care of before the wedding. They are a class act and I would suggest hiring them for any special events read more

This was such a pleasant surprise to find in Gainesville. Intimate, classy decor and very friendly service. The warm rolls were a great starter, served with unique melon butter. I tried the bourbon salmon which melted in my mouth and had rich flavor. The scalloped potatoes and sauteed spinach were my sides, and they were equally good. My friend tried the french vinegar chicken and it was perfectly creamy, tender, and had a nice assortment of mushrooms, artichoke hearts and tomatoes. The owner came out to check on us and we had a great experience. Apparently they are moving locations soon, about a block away, so be aware of this if you're going to give them a try (do it!) read more

I enjoyed a exquisitely presented wedge of iceberg lettuce with bacon and bleu cheese crumbles. Scott's private dining areas and superb wait staff always beg for return visits. read more

We held a reception for my daughter's high school graduation in the Lounge and Chart Room. The setting was open for mingling with our 40-45 guests. We chose a simple menu with her favorite - Spinach Risotto along with Pork Tenderloin, Mixed Greens Salad, Haricot Verts, and rolls. The food was delicious, and the service staff was excellent. They attended to our every need and were very conscientious with our guests. read more

I love this place and if the wait is long we go to the bar, which is also great. It's pricey, but great for date night.

Outstanding location for a large meeting. We had it upstairs and it worked great! The staff are also amazing and very accommodating! Parking was a little difficult since it is downtown. But regardless we look forward to coming back! read more

We had my fraternity formal at this venue, and to say the least, it exceeded our expectations. The food was absolutely amazing, and the venue was gorgeous with its brick walls and chandeliers. Ms. Kay Dixon made the whole process as simple as possible, and was a complete joy to work with. We would come back anytime! read more

My wife and I enjoyed this gem tonight. I am very pleased to report that the food was spectacular! After we shared a very tasty iceberg wedge, I ordered the "Chef's Mixed Grill" - which was a beautiful assortment of steak, lamb rack, and chicken. This dish was truly remarkable and was the best lamb I've ever had! The waiter (Elijah) was very helpful to any of our questions about the menu and took good care of us. We heard some fantastic LIVE music that just set the mood perfectly. We will definitely be back - and if you're looking for a nice place with the most delicious food, I highly recommend this place! read more

We had our Wedding & Reception at the Loft above the restaurant and it was a dream come true experience!! We received so many compliments on the venue and how beautiful it was! The food and service staff were Amazing and I would recommend this to anyone for a wedding, reception, catering, etc. We are going to go back there for our one year anniversary to eat in the restaurant! We hope to do this on every anniversary for many years to come! I can't say enough good things about this restaurant and our experience working with them! They were so accommodating and helped me with everything on my "wish list" to make my wedding day & reception everything I had dreamed of! read more

We did my husband's 40th and son's 1st surprise birthday party at Scott's. It was fantastic! The surprise was so shocking and memorable! The guests loved the atmosphere, and the food. The staff was amazing to work with and worked within my budget. It was a win-win. It was a perfect night and will definitely be coming back more often! read more

I am in complete shock over the treatment five of my family members received at Scott's Downtown December 18th, in particular my 80-year-old brother. My brother ordered lamb chops and requested that it be cooked well-done. When the food was served, it was bloody, far from well-done. My brother requested that his meal be sent back and cooked more. The server returned the lamb chops to the kitchen and immediately Scott, the owner/chef came out in a hostile manner. Scott asked, "What's the problem?" Although he already knew that the problem was that the lamb chops was not cooked well-done as requested. My brother had already explained this to the server. Scott's demeanor made it abundantly clear that he was angry that the meal had been returned. Instead of cooking it the way the customer ordered it in the first place, Scott came out with guns blazing prepared to confront my 80-year-old brother. My question is, "When is it that our food is prepared the way a chef wants to rather than the way we want it?" When one dines out, whether it be a fast food restaurant, or a restaurant such as Olive Garden and Longhorns and especially a fine dining experience such as Scott's Downtown, we want our food the way we want it. I don't believe that this is a concept only held by my family! Is customer service a thing of the past? My thoughts are, if Scott as the owner and chef behaves like this, then think of the example he is setting for his employees. I noticed that this restaurant and even Scott himself has many good reviews and I can't help but wonder what was going on in Scott's life December 18th, the day my family chose to dine there. My family left the restaurant without finishing their meal, but did pay for it in it's entirety, including leaving a tip for the server. They did not want to take Scott's nasty behavior out on the server. 2020 has been a horrific year due to Covid-19. So many people have been affected, through deaths, losing their jobs, and businesses closing, especially restaurants. I would think that people who still have their jobs, their businessses and are still alive would be sensitive to this and strive to give excellent customer service, not to mention being better people! read more

Service was bad, not due to the waitress but improperly staffed. Wine was delivered after finishing meal which we complained and was berated by the owner. Never had such a bad experience in a restaurant. read more

My boyfriend and I went to Scott's for our Valentine's dinner. I had visited several times prior and was always impressed with the restaurant. Their new location is beautiful and we enjoyed the saxophonist and drinks at the bar while waiting for our reservation. Once we were seated, the Valentine's meal left a lot to be desired. The calamari was greasy and not seasoned nor served with any type of sauce. I exchanged for the shrimp and crab appetizer only to find crab shell in the lump crab. For my salad I chose the mixed greens. The champagne vinaigrette was bland and heavy on the oil. For an entree I went with the surf and turf. The lobster tail was perfect however my fillet was very thin, as if the fillet had been sliced in half through the middle, and cooked well instead of medium. I hated to send it back or complain again since I sent back the appetizer, so my boyfriend boxed it for his dog. The best part of the meal was the chocolate covered strawberries and the peanut butter torte. read more

My wife and I dined at Scott's tonight for Valentine's day. The food tasted good, but overall WAY overpriced. The chef seemed to be obsessed with sprinkling chopped red bell pepper on a lot of the dishes for some reason. The service was slow, maybe because of the holiday and at one point we sat for about 30 minutes without even seeing our waitress. We ordered a whole bottle of wine and took the rest home with us and the waitress at first wrapped it in a grocery bag! Then, she realized this was wrong and placed the wine in a sealed plastic bag for this purpose. Overall, I don't think we will return simply because the food is WAY overpriced for the quality and taste in my opinion. If you want to open an upscale restaurant, the food quality and taste MUST equal the prices you charge. Save your money and travel to Atlanta to a real upscale restaurant with better quality for your money. read more

over priced garbage. would not eat there again. nothing special about the food. service is terrible and horrid but the decor is nice.

My experience was less then stellar....service didn't exist and owner needs to learn some manners ...when we asked who ran the place ...it was a nightmare....no excuse place is gorgeous and empty now we know why .... read more

Beautiful atmosphere, attentive but non obtrusive service, we were the only table on a weeknight, appetizer came out quick, very good calamari and stuffed artichokes. I ordered salmon with two sides, asparagus and brussel sprouts, salmon was perfectly cooked but the veggie sides we're bland and needed seasoning. Wine list was nice, tried the Markham Merlot which was nice. My dining partner had a filet ordered rare which she said was nice, mashed potatoes were in point. All in all a pleasant dining experience due to the comfortable, beautiful atmosphere. Not sure the food was an OMG experience warranting a $200 dining experience but it's a nice place for a special occasion. read more

Very disappointed last night. We go here often and I hope last night was a one time thing. Appetizers were horrible. We had the calamari which was over fried, over salted, and fishy. Flatbread tasted OK but was cold. Chicken kabobs were hard over cold mash potatoes. Beef slider which the waitress took a temperature which I ordered medium rare was well done tough and on stale rolls. Grill chicken sandwich was dried out and over cooked. I hope Scott was off last night, but he needs to know how his business operates in his absence. Wine was fine that's why they received two stars. read more

Steak was full of gristle. Upon addressing the situation Scott informed me that I was uneducated and should have chosen something else. After all I wouldn't believe what he pays for his meats. Scott even walked away from me mid conversation. Scott is very arrogant and argumentative. Very poorly managed situation and business. read more

Had dinner here for the first time tonight, and will definitely return. We had Peter for our waiter and he was terrific; never needed anything, he was informative and professional. The seafood grill was amazing. Try the lemon cake if you have room to share a dessert! Definitely go try this place out, you'll be so glad you did! read more

We have gone here for Mother's Day brunch for the last three years and I can't wait to go back this weekend. Good and service are always amazing! read more

Needed to see what the buzz was about this place. Wow, Now I'm short on my car payment and house note...and still hungry. Tiny meal/big price, and nothing spectacular about the food. Not going back. read more

Sea bass was amazing! Good wine list. Loved the intimate table for two. Mahi was dry.

I've heard good things about Scott's Downtown and so I decided to experience it for myself. This is upscale fine dining on The Square - Scott's has fantastic ambiance, live music and staff that seem to really care about your experience; and of course, superb food. Scott came out to personally introduce himself and ask about our experience. About that experience: The food is superb - I had filet mignon that I cut with my fork! Tender, tasty, fantastic! Vegetables were fresh and cooked to perfection. I think we died and went to heaven after having Scott's crème brulee! Why 4-stars? This is not quite "Chops" or a "Veni Vidi Vici", but I wouldn't turn my nose up at this place... Five Stars for Gainesville and the surrounding area but midtown does it just a little better. I'd like to see a better selection of imported Italian wines. read more

My wife and I were passing through on our way to the mountains from south Alabama. We found the online listing for Scott's Downtown and decided to try it. The food, and the atmosphere exceeded our expectations. They had a jazz duo playing that night, along with small, private seating area's for 2 provided such an incredible, intimate dinning experience. Our server was Elijah; what a gentleman, checking on us just enough not as to pester us, but attending to our every need. I would highly recommend Scott's. We plan on making it a regular trip, and you should too. read more

Scott gets 5 stars for food and service unlike the other restaurants nearby.... The steaks are perfect and the atmosphere is classic.

Very Nice restaurant. Both The food and atmosphere are great. No need to go to Buckhead. Try the Steaks and enjoy the Martinis from the bar. Give this placa A try you will not regret it read more

Scotts On the Square was the perfect for my son's reception. They listened to what I wanted and delivered far more than I requested. The service was flawless, the atmosphere perfect and the FOOD! Oh MY! The steaks were cooked to perfection and the salmon was beyond perfect. So good! I had so many great comments from my guest. The presentation of the food was beautiful too. I highly recommend Scotts. You won't be disappointed. read more

My first meal here and was greatly disappointed. Everything was heavily salted, the chicken was dry and tough, the asparagus was the consistency of linguine. The staff was top notch. Price far greater than quality. Will not go back. read more

one of the most pathetic displays of customer service i have ever seen. not impressed

Everything about my experience with Scott's Downtown has been superlative. I live in Philadelphia and planned a special event in Gainesville all by phone and internet. I spoke with Scott and Kay Dixon several times by phone, and they were very prompt and responsive by email as well. They provided everything we asked for, were enthusiastic about helping make our event special, delivered on every single promise, and even provided for our event in ways I hadn't thought of. Our server, Gina, was one of the best I've ever had. We had a four year old dining with us, and she treated her like a princess, remembering her name and providing food and drink for her before we had even ordered. The live music was wonderful, and we liked that we had the option of closing the doors to our private room so we could enjoy some special music we brought ourselves. Scott and Kay coordinated very professionally with our other vendors, and made it easy to put together a multi-faceted event. Lastly, the food was absolutely excellent. The filet medallions rivaled those of Del Frisco's steakhouse in Philadelphia, and the calamari was hands-down the best and freshest I've ever had. The entrees were not too fussy for my picky father (he loved the sea bass), beautifully presented, and everyone's meal was received with rave reviews. Honorable mention must go to the delicious grits! I highly recommend Scott's Downtown for any evening out, but especially for a special event. I look forward to visiting Gainesville again and returning to Scott's for a date night! read more