We've been to the Gafford several times now. Food is decent. Ambience is loud... Staff is friendly and especially if you go to the lyric theater it's right next-door...couple of things. I think they should be aware of is whoever is their chef or prep kitchen service They drown their salad with dressing. You can always get more you can't take it off once it's smothered in it. Both of our salads were like that. The Scottish salmon I had was supposed to be done, medium. It came to the table rare... salmon is very easy to cook. Any established chef should know how to properly cook salmon nonetheless nobody came to our table, no manager to say oh I'm sorry?? everybody was eating their meal and they had to redo mine...stuff happens. I understand that, but a manager should've come by and said they'll have my dinner out ASAP, which was not done nor did they suggest anything I could have while all my other guests were eating their meals... the Gafford is a good restaurant. It's always busy but they do need to tweak some things... Again the waiter and hostess were wonderful, but the food needs to be cooked as asked...chefs I know you got this! read more

Great happy hour Location! They offer half price drinks of all varieties: wine, beer, cocktails, and martinis from 4 to 6 PM. They have a decent happy hour with food items from 5 to 6 PM. I had the crabcakes which were good. Next time I would opt for the Caesar salad. It looks fresh and a generous portion for $8. read more

Last minute reservations for outside table dinner at 630 thurs. The theater had a lg crowd not a parking space to be had actually we could have walked or taken the tram.. not to self forget parking at night in Stuart take the tram or be ready to sightsee! We were seated asap nice seat outside lovely server! Started with corn salad and we all had different dinners from salmon fried chicken meatloaf. All were excellent! As was the service!! We had desert a carrot cake so big we all five split it! Was delicious! Great food the best company!!! Our favorite place in Stuart! Where to go when you are sharing dinner with special people and you want good food. Reservation is a must inside was packed so was outside! read more

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Hit The Gafford last night. A beautiful Florida evening seated outside. Perfect ambiance. We had a very pleasant attendant. We started out with a Crab Bisque that was absolutely delicious. A little twist with a bit of chile pepper gave it a unique taste. I was excited for the rest of the night. Next we had the parmesan roasted cauliflower. Cooked perfectly but it really didn't have much flavor. Disappointing. For our entrees my Wife had the Street Corn Salad and I got the Mabel's Fried Chicken. The Corn Salad was ok but didn't seem to be interesting. Same could be said about the fried chicken. Nice tender chicken breast with a nice flaky crust but really no distinguishing flavor. Green beans were perfectly cooked. Mashed potatoes were ok as was the gravy. Bottom line: after the incredible bisque, the rest of the meal, although ok, was a bit of a let-down. I will return however. read more

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Consistently one of the best restaurants in downtown Stuart. I've always had a great meal and the portions are large enough to share. Some of the best fish I've had and a signature "Mabel's" chicken that should be called "Comfort" chicken. Constantly trying new dishes and loving them. Also kudos to the best wait staff and bartenders!! Yes, it's often busy... doesn't that tell you something ? Enjoy xox read more

American We have walked past The Gafford on many occasions, usually on our way to another local destination. Thankfully, we decided to give it a go and we were not disappointed. The location is right between busy Flagler and Osceola streets in downtown Stuart and you can enter from either side. We had reservations and were seated promptly. Waiter was over in a moment with introductions and took our drink orders. We had seating on the kitchen side- and to our surprise the kitchen was open - seems like that is not so popular in FL but we were fine with it. The other half of the restaurant is partially a bar area and then more tables. Our waiter ran down the specials and we got our apps going while perusing the menu. The menu is fairly comprehensive and they should definitely have something for everyone in your party. There were some available specials for dinner as well. We went with the grilled avocado and lamp lollipops for apps and both were spot-on. Lamp was larger than I expected and the grilled avocado was definitely different and had an interesting smoked jalapeno sauce that rocked. Wife went with the Grouper special and had she not, I definitely would have. As such, I opted for the short ribs as I tend to use that dish as a gage at different restaurants. Both entrees were larger than expected and we had trouble finishing them since we also wiped out those apps. The short rib was massive and the mashed potatoes and asparagus worked perfectly to make it a great meal. A few glasses of wine washed it all down - the wine list is large enough that you should be able to find something in your price point by the glass or bottle. Overall a great experience. Wait staff were on point whether it was the waiter, runner or even the hostess stopping by. Nice to see good service which is hard to find these days. We managed to get a Crème Brûlée and called it a night - I really wanted the carrot cake but just couldn't. We had to walk around town one more time to walk off all that food. Parking is Stuart specific - so it can be hit or miss depending on time of year of if there is a show going on down the street. read more

The Gafford was always on my list to try when we lived in the area, and I'm so glad we finally went when visiting Stuart earlier this year! It is such a great choice for a nice dinner downtown! My scallops were crispy and charred on the outside, sweet and tender on the inside. Don't miss out when they're on the menu! (They were either seasonal or a special). read more

The Gafford - Scallops - Salad Near Me - Stuart, Florida

Ordered Crab cakes- They should call it Crab-less Cakes. So much filling and not so tasty. My friend ordered meatloaf- very dry, sent it back and ordered shrimp and grits. Not good. Ordered short ribs- not very good. My wife ordered the chicken. Hardly edible. Will not go back again. Good wine selection, nice atmosphere, service OK. Go for drinks, not food read more

Always a delicious meal. The burrata appetizer is delicious-and definitely to be shared. Tonight we had the snapper and huge meatloaf-delicious. Have had many menu Items as it's one of our favorite restaurants. read more

Stopped in for our anniversary and this place did not dissappoint located right in the center of downtown with a very convenient location for shopping and activities after! Everything came out fresh and seemed very high quality. Good variety menu with all types ranging from meatloaf to fish they have you covered. The meatloaf was outstanding not dry at all and super filling and packed with flavor throughout the entire dish including the outstanding garlic mashed potatoes it was paired with. The owner even came over and asked if we need anything which was an amazing touch since most places the owner is never present which gave us the mom and pop feel we love read more

The Gafford - Meatloaf (10/10) - Salad Near Me - Stuart, Florida

This is a well run restaurant ! Food and service were both excellent . We had a burger a salmon entree at the bar , no less than 4 staff interaction. All top notch. If the bar stool had been maybe 1" bigger and slightly more plush I would never leave . a++ read more

The steaks were perfect as was all the food. Loved the atmosphere and service. We'll definitely go back.

Great happy hour can't beat the hamburgers. The Caesar salad and dinners are always great a little on the expensive side but well worth it.

The Food was good and I enjoyed everything. Was the food out of this world, no but it was certainly acceptable. The Menu I felt was very limited. Unless you want to have one of their choices for a salad as an appetizer for a single person, every other appetizer choice is for sharing and very expensive. The Ambiance is nothing great, very plain with just one row of tables pushed against the wall in one room and slightly better arrangement in the other room. This is clearly an old Stuart crowd who have been going there for years. There are just too many other choices in the Stuart area to ever need to go back The Gafford. read more

Amazing experience from start to finish!! Highly recommend this restaurant. Prices are fair for the amount of food and everything is delish.

Great, small yet luxurious place for dinner. You could dress it up or just sit down and not go wrong. It feels like somewhere you would meet your grandma for fine dining but still modern. It's hard to explain so go check it out yourself! We all had such a great experience and the food is amazing! You really can't go wrong and seriously I know it sounds old-school but get the meatloaf. That's what they're known for. The draft beers were great and the old-fashioned was on point. Appetizers which I can't remember which one we had right now, but we had two and they were suggested by the server which were good too, but I think they were specials. I heard they have a happy hours so check it out. It may help with the cost because it definitely is pricey, but worth it. Make reservations you may have to especially if it's on the weekend. Go check it out. You can't go wrong here. The parking is not the easiest but the earlier you go to dinner at the easier it'll be to park. read more

Wow....the food was absolutely amazing. We had great service and was seated right away when we arrived for our reservation. I had the pan chicken which was so moist and just overall probably some of the best chicken I've had around here. My boyfriend had the Gafford ribeye and he said the same thing, he thought it was some of the best steak! Can't wait to be back and try more on the menu. read more

The Gafford - Pan chicken and The Gafford - Salad Near Me - Stuart, Florida

The best crab cake I've ever had. The fried chicken was just okay but it could be because I did take out.

Our first time at the Gafford. Or food was delicious (short rib, meatloaf, carrot cake) as were the drinks (Old Fashioneds). The service was fantastic. We felt appreciated and not rushed. read more

Wow! Just wow. Being from Chicago I know food. The gafford offers fansatic service from the owner to the host you name it everyone was absolutely lovely. The food, unbelievable. Best dishes I've had in Florida In my 20 trips. Lastly the ambiance is perfection. We sat outside and listened to live music while dining. It was exquisite read more

Great upscale dining. In downtown Stuart. Food is always excellent and so are the drinks. Indoor and outdoor seating, friendly service. Love also doing happy hour in the bar. One of our local favorites! read more

Three of us split a salad and five minutes later our entrees arrived- the timing was awful and unnecessary. We didn't have time to enjoy our salads when the entrees arrived, although the restaurant was half full. Our server, knowing he was getting a built in 18% tip was indifferent as to whether or not he was providing service commensurate with the guaranteed gratuity- we would've left much less than the 18% if we had a choice. When you're paying the prices this place charges, you'd expect good service. But again, when the servers are guaranteed an 18% gratuity, why should they go out of their way to offer good service?! The food was fine, the service was an abomination! But yes Gafford- guarantee your awful servers an 18% gratuity- we'll never be back. You're clearly more concerned with your happy hour business than the full priced business. read more

Always a solid experience. The staff is great. The crowd is a mix of date night, locals and families. We sit at a high top at the bar and our waitress is always so pleasant. Food and drinks are always amazing. Had the meatloaf this time and WOW! read more

Excellent food, excellent service, excellent ambiance. We celebrated our anniversary here. Owner dropped by table and said hello. Server was excellent. We were given a complimentary glass of champagne. Quality organization. read more

Never Again this place! My hubs and i dropped $400 on dinner and I complained about my steak and the manager literally treated us like we only said something to get a refund. What a classless witch! I won't be returning to The Gafford. Honestly, you're better off buying a steak from Publix and cooking it at home. For the high prices here, I expected way better quality and service! This was my second visit, and both times have been a letdown. This time I'm saying something! First time, I ordered fish, which was dry unless drowned in sauce. Last night, I craved a steak -- the reviews seemed decent -- but it came overcooked, dry, and needed loads of salt for flavor. When I mentioned it, the manager was dismissive and unhelpful. I'm so mad at myself ! The Gafford feels more like overpriced bar food with ambiance: looks good on the surface but leaves you unsatisfied. read more

Fabulous little spot walking distance from the Lyric theater. We were a party of 7 and each had something different. It's been a while since we ate there (September 15) but I wanted to give them a great review. Didn't take pictures unfortunately. They had lamb as a special and it was superb. Fresh veggie side and delicious mashed potatoes. Short ribs were outstanding. Caesar salad had a very tasty dressing and was crisp and fresh. Burger was juicy and flavorful. Street Corn salad was crisp full of flavor and plentiful. Swordfish was grilled and was served with chimichurri and it was topped with aji amarillo crema all served over wild grains. Yummy!! Fair priced. Excellent service. Definitely returning!! read more

Wow , wow , wow The restaurant looks great in and out , Wait staff look great , super professional, all the way to the runners , they add to the dinner immensely. Food choices are just right , gluten free and vegan , plenty of choices. Apps and dinners a 10 !!!! For the quality , Taste , portions pricing is super reasonable. Can't say enough ...Go There read more

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One of our favorite places in downtown Stuart! We've been to this restaurant about 10 times over the last 6 years. It's a solid choice for great food, wonderful cocktails, and nice service! The restaurant is divided into two long and narrow rooms. They have an open kitchen so you can see the action on one side, and a large bar on the other side of the wall! This place does get quite busy so reservations are recommended... it's not even easy to get a seat at the bar. Us locals love this place and it's obvious. We love their resposado tequila old fashioned drinks. We also love that they allow us to customize the cocktails to make them how we like! Their bartenders make fabulous and consistently good drinks. We almost always start with a grilled avocado appetizer. Delicious, and topped with cotija cheese and served with an arugula salad and a yummy mexican-inspired tomato sauce. My husband loves their Ahi Tuna entree and also loves their burger! For me... it's the PORK CHOP! I have never loved Pork Chops as much as I love their Pork Chop! It's topped with candied pecans and apples and served with mashed potatoes and whatever the veggie of the day is. I cannot articulate the deliciousness of this dish properly... it's just perfect. So perfect that I cannot bring myself to try any other entree on the menu! They have a good selection for desserts - but to be honest, we rarely make it that far! That Pork Chop is hearty and filling and doesn't leave you with much room! Join their email list and they'll send an email everyday with the daily specials. I love that feature as well! read more

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Another delicious meal..for my birthday. We introduced 2 friends who haven't been, they also loved it!! They had the menu salmon with garlic herb butter, green beans and grains. I had the special of pear pasta Gorgonzola cheese sauce which was great, nice combo of sweet/savory topped with crispy bacon; the bread they serve is so incredible too, our friends ate it like it was their jobs, crispy crust, pillowy middle. The place is casual-nice, their food and bar bring it to perfection, maybe it's causal, fancy cause I feel special eating here, plated food is like a pic. Service is on point, friendly, nice professional and fun. read more

The Gafford - Purses, pasta stuffed with pear, Gorgonzola cheese sauce with crispy bacon - Salad Near Me - Stuart, Florida

Great chicken! Great ambience! Never disappointed at the Gafford. Everyone was happy with their choices. read more

deep fail for the Gafford Yesterday evening my wife and I made reservations to celebrate our anniversary at the Gafford. Service was slow. Actually very slow. But you know what, that left us with plenty of time for good conversation over drinks to be rewarded with good food afterwards, right? I ordered the signature dish, aptly named "the Gafford" a substantive ribeye served with mac and cheese, as I had done numerous times in the past. Particularly, I like my meat done medium rare. Well... when, after a long time, our meal arrived, I found my steak tough and dry (not medium rare juicy) and lacking the usual flavor. It had been undeniably over-cooked, and for the first time ever in a restaurant I attempted to return the plate. After an elapse of, say maybe ten minutes, a woman appeared back at my table with my original plate. She presented the same piece of meat back to me with a deep slice into the thickest part to prove to me that indeed it had been cooked medium rare. And the meat was a little more pink in the middle. Being a good sport I took a piece right from the deepest part of the middle, but again found it tough and flavorless (when a steak reaches a certain internal temperature it loses a lot of moisture and the character of it changes dramatically) and on top of that it was now cold. Of course, I rejected it for the second time. Thanks to the staff of the Gafford for ruining our anniversary dinner. Not so much for the poor service and the overdone "Gafford" steak (because everybody, me included, can make a mistake) but by your contentious behavior, by bringing the same piece of tasteless meat (which had now been toyed with) back to my table in an attempt to prove I was over-reacting. Really? + read more

I am sitting in this restaurant and I am making th full noise. Shit up and take my money I don't care didn't see the check and again I don't care. Food is fresh and you can taste it. The staff is cool and very helpful since there are choices. We really enjoyed our dinner so if you are in Stuart fl and want to have a great dinner go here read more

Had a nice dinner on the patio last week. Service was excellent! We had a coupon that got us a free appetizer with purchase of two entrees, which was a wonderful deal. The Shrimp and Grits was the selected appetizer, and the dish had the biggest shrimp I've ever seen! It was surprisingly on the sweeter side (in comparison to other Shrimp and Grits I've had elsewhere), but it was delicious and *extremely* filling. The two entrees ordered at my table were the Fried Chicken and the Salmon - both ended with clear plates! Will return in the future, and would recommend making a reservation beforehand (even on weekdays!) read more

The Gafford - Shrimp and Grits - Salad Near Me - Stuart, Florida

Thank you Gafford for going the xtra mile, taking calls from my BFF and helping to put the special in my birthday.. Richard special thanks. Jamie our server was excellent.. pecan Old Fashioned hit the spot! read more

The Gafford - Chilean SeaBass - Salad Near Me - Stuart, Florida

Came here for my anniversary and it was the perfect spot! The complimentary bread was fluffy and the butter was soft and the perfect salty. The pork chop is like something i've never had before it comes with steamed apples that have a smokey flavor and candied pecans for that sweet, salty, & smoky flavor. I got the apples and pecans on the side and was extremely glad i didn't because i didn't really enjoy the flavors of them just a hint of the pecans was good for me! Even without the original toppings it was cooked perfectly and was flavorful. Would totally eat this again! read more

The Gafford - Pork chop - Salad Near Me - Stuart, Florida

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I want to bring a serious issue to your attention and ask you to put yourself in my shoes for a moment. Imagine dining at a restaurant you've enjoyed before, only to wake up in the middle of the night with severe stomach cramps, repeated trips to the bathroom, and ultimately projectile vomiting. How would you feel if that happened to you? That's exactly what I experienced after dining at The Gafford last Sunday. We actually chose this restaurant over several new spots in Stuart because of the memorable times spent here in the past, including celebrating my birthday in October. My friend and I shared the roasted cauliflower and crème brûlée. I ordered the short ribs, and he had the pork chops. By 3:30 AM, I was extremely sick. He, however, was fine--the only difference being that he didn't eat the short ribs. I called the restaurant and spoke with Janine, the manager on duty. She dismissed my situation, saying no one else had reported illness and that I "must have caught a bug." Then said she would have the owner contact me and proceeded to give the phone to another staff member who took my information. Not once did she express concern, offer to look into it, or even apologize for my experience. I have yet to hear back from the owner. Perhaps this warning to other guests will prompt The Gafford to make sure proper steps are taken to prevent another guest from experiencing what I went through. read more

This place was fantastic! First off the service was exceptional. Everyone was so nice but Janine I. Was top notch. We eat out a lot. Spectacular service makes a restaurant and she is the prime example of what top service is and should be. Kudos to you Janine. The chef and kitchen were great. The pork chop special was the best pork chop I have ever had. Pork chops are tough to keep moist and this was mouth watering moist!!! I honestly don't have any complaints about anything here. We cant wait to come back next time we are in town! Thank you! Dominick read more

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We made a reservation for dinner at 830 on Sunday the 18 and had a blonde waitress with a terrible attitude. She looked pissed off because we did not order alcoholic drinks just water and lemon . We place the order of the soup of the day for my meat eater Friend and I get the roasted cauliflower appetizer . We wanted this first not everything brought at once as we had ordered salads . She never told us about the extra charge for the anchovies and they were way too salty for my friend . Her soup was so salty she could not eat this. The waitress took the soup off and when I notice the charge for the anchovies I complained that she never mention it was extra needless to say my friend took one bite and said way too salty . The waitress took that off after I complained but said we should not waste food with a snooty attitude. Will I return here especially being scolded at, I doubt this. read more

As usual the chef here is the best in Stuart. His seafood preparations are my favorite. Meatloaf and fried chicken always delicious.

My first time at this place..I usually avoid pretentious-sounding restaurants that put "The" in front of their name when the name seems to be a surname. Just a weirdness on my part, I know. Anyway, the ambience leaves a bit to be desired. Seems to me a little sprucing up is in order. Not a pretty place--crowded and a bit mundane. I felt as if I was in an upstate NY restaurant. The bathroom is in a very odd place...not in a hallway, not partitioned. Just a door on the wall where people are eating. Way too close to patrons for my liking. What saves this place is the food. I had the short ribs and mashed potatoes which were so well cooked that the meat just melted in your mouth. My friends had various fish dishes, from tuna to haddock. Everyone loved their food. Suffice it to say, if ambience and bathroom location is not so important to you, this is a great place. It's a bit pricey, but the food is worth the extra cost. read more