We went right when they opened at 4pm. We were unaware that they would only offer the drink menu and certain bar-type foods. Kind of a let down, as we were expecting to eat an actual meal. We order the beer cheese and chips. The cheese was really thin and runny, and had an ok taste. I did not care for the chips, as they are house made and tasted very bitter to me. I did enjoy the burger I ordered. It was a nice thick patty with good flavor. The bun was really good. It was served with more of the chips I didn't care for but I just let the other people at my table eat them. Not a bad place to go, but would've liked to have seen what the actual dinner menu was like. If I was back in the area, I would consider going back to try the dinner, but it may not be at the top of the list. read more

The Gafford - Salad Near Me - Stuart, Florida

See all

Thank you so much for having the best service staff we have seen in Stuart! We just moved here and I was so impressed with everything that came out! I worked in the industry for 15 years from serving to bartending to managing (so I have kind of high expectations) and they surpassed every single one! The food was to die for!! I kept eating and eating because it was so good and ended up hurting my belly but it was sooo well worth it! Get the duck wings you won't be disappointed!! read more

See all

One our worst experiences dining out. The short of it: -They wouldn't fulfill our reservation for window seats, while they were available. -The charcuterie board is really a cheeseboard with a few slices of salami. -They were out 3 out of 4 meals! -The meals were absolutely nothing special. -The burger was a failure. -Wine and crab cakes were good. The crab cake recipe must have changed from the reviews that said they are almost all bread. -Naturally, we spared ourselves dessert. -All around bad communication within the staff. -I've never been here and will never return. The long of it: I made a reservation well in advanced for 4 and requested a window for a special occasion at 7 pm on a weekday. My husband and I arrived early and were greeted by a flustered and busy hostess while the place wasn't even filled at a quarter of its capacity. I was seated in the dining room facing a corner and my husband facing a wall with no windows near us. My husband asked the hostess what happened with our window seat reservation and she told us the windows are for large parties only. The seating by the window in the dining room was a 2 top and a 6 top. My husband notice empty 4 top(s) on the bar side by the windows and went back to ask about those seats and the hostess said those are for walk-ins. Ok, may we sit there instead of these dreadful seats? By the time she got around to not answering him, and seating another party, the table(s) we wanted had filled up. We were a bit miffed as to why she didn't offer those seats from the start and we called her out on it. She had no defense and chose to bring the chef, or maybe even the owner to our table to make a big freaking deal out of it. Now, all the attention is on us and it didn't need to be. We settled it just in time for our guests to arrive and we're relieved they didn't witness that commotion. While looking at the menu I mentioned that I heard the burgers are excellent. Our waitress told us the specials and we all instantly knew what we'd like for our meals. We ordered the charcuterie board to start and it had a few slices of salami and the cheeses were good, but the ratio was way off. Definitely not the most appealing or satisfying board any of us ever had. One of us ordered a burger, another ordered off the menu and the two of us ordered specials. We drank wine and ate some of the cheese board. Our waitress informs us that she is out of the specials we chose, and what else would we like instead. I decided on the Caesar salad with crab-cakes and he decided on the steak. About 10 mins later she comes back to the table and said they are out of one of the menu items too. It's about 7:40pm and I'm looking at 5 empty tables and 3 out of 4 meals are status 86! Finally, our meals arrive and none of them are anything special. My Caesar was overdressed and heavy so I didn't eat it. The burger was so-so, the steak and tuna were just ok. Thank goodness we were in great company or we would've walked out along time ago. Our waitress kept coming to the table and saying "Is everything still fantastic"-"Everything still excellent"? No, nothing is either of those things, except for the wine and the crab cake. I don't know what kind of psychology she was trying to work on us. Overall, the problem with this restaurant is that there is no communication between the staff and there is nothing special about their food. I was embarrassed for them. At this point we are laughing at the place that was supposed to be so great is below subpar. read more

What an amazing night! Our food was beyond spectacular ! Our waitress was the best of the best! We had seven n our party ! From the crab cakes, corn salad & burrata, to the steaks, soup, shrimp & grits, halibut, tuna was perfect. They accidentally brought me short rib instead of shrimp and grits. They let us keep it to try and brought me a new meal. Omg this was great! Pricey and fun! read more

Perfect date night. 10/10 recommend! We had a cute little table by the window. Great service, everyone was very friendly. Can't wait to go back! read more

The Gafford - Charcuterie Board and Fiori Moscato. - Salad Near Me - Stuart, Florida

See all

It was to die for!!!!!!!! The service, the food, the drinks nothing but exceptional. Made our anniversary worthwhile! read more

The Gafford - The 8oz Filet Mignon and Blackened shrimp - Salad Near Me - Stuart, Florida

I went to celebrate my partner's birthday. Craft cocktails decent, green fried tomatoes had crab meat on top not bad, but when the meal came, OH BOY! The short ribs were obviously not slow cooked as they should, they were chewy, the asparagus hard as nails. My ahi tuna was tasteless, accompanied by grains hard as pellets and both meals' temperature lukewarm at best. The waitress noticed we did not eat our plates and tried so hard to make it right, but you can fix undone, cold food. The service excellent, the food awful. They boxed our meals, we paid, thank our server and proceeded out to the nearest trash can and dumped $177.75 meal. Maybe we were unlucky, but I shall not return.' read more

I have to say the food was delicious we had a lovely evening. For those of you who r martini lovers When we paid the bill there was a $3.00 charge for blue cheese olives! When we asked if there were blue cheese olives the waitress said yes, but never mentioned an extra charge. Very disappointing, as any place we have ever been there has never been an extra charge for blue cheese olives for martinis. For a high end restaurant, very cheap Charlie move Won't go back again!! read more

I have been quite lucky to live in cities around this country with amazing restaurant choices and equally amazing chefs. With that said, I was not at all impressed at this restaurant. The vibe was pleasant enough albeit a bit loud for my taste. No biggie. The Chilean Seabass was over cooked on one side and pure slime on the other side. This was not a fresh piece of fish. The Ribeye had to be the worst cut of meat I've ever been served at 65 dollars. I struggled to cut through with the steak knife. Zero marbling throughout the meat, lacked flavor, juice, and was like chewing through rawhide. Two terrible entrees and one drink 150.00. I don't mind spending on a great meal. I do mind having poor quality food served to me at high quality prices. read more

Went for happy hour at 5pm on Saturday and were lucky enough to get two tables in the bar. The happy hour food is only 4-5pm but drinks are 4-7pm. My Sauvignon Blanca was only $4.50 per glass. The special is 50% off domestic beers, select wines, and well liquors. Really good deal! We diced to split the cheese board and jumbo lump crab cakes. We also planned to order the salmon entree after the apps but so glad we didn't because the cheese board and crab cakes were huge and filling! The cheese board had 3 huge chunks of cheese, 3 sauces, one meat, pickles, chips and grapes. It was one of the best cheese boards I've ever had and it was only $22. The crab cakes had 3 large cakes that had tons of crab in them and less filler so you were really getting your money's worth. The mustard aoli was super delish! Service was good for how busy it was and she was super friendly and engaged in conversation with us. The Gafford is a cute place located in the downtown beach town of Stuart. We easily found parking which is free for 3 hours 8am-8pm Mon-Sat. Later in the night on a Saturday it gets busy though. The restaurant is right in the middle of this little bustling city and a block from the water. I'm already craving the crab cakes again and can't wait to go back! Maybe next time I'll remember to take photos before I eat everything! read more

Lauren our server was a doll. My friend Lori and I shared the cauliflower and the arugula & grapefruit salad. We each got he swordfish with string beans Dinner was delicious but the seating outside was a little loud and you smelled the fumes from cars and motorcycles. Loved our experience! Will definitely be back soon! read more

We live in Juno Beach, but come here before concerts at The Lyric. What a great place! Excellent food and service that never lets us down. We don't even think of going anywhere else when in Stuart. read more

We read a few bad reviews but decided to try The Gafford anyway. We had a party of 5 & were celebrating a birthday. The Good: Our server "TJ" was excellent, attentive & knowledgeable . Bread was warm. Iced Tea - fresh and strong, not watered down & weak. Smoked duck wings - flavorful Floribbean Shrimp & grits - large shrimp, cooked well The bad review of the crab cakes is accurate as they are mostly breading & very little lump crab meat. (Crab cakes at Kyle G's are much better) The Caesar said was very dry and we asked for some additional dressing with was very thick. The rest of the food was just ok. "The Gafford" 20 oz bone in Prime ribeye was not hot & not Prime. Local grouper - nothing special. read more

We really enjoyed this family-onwed restaurant in Stuart, Florida's charming downtown. Service, atmosphere, and food get 5 stars!

We went to celebrate my daughter's birthday. Our server Jodi was terrific! We had a drink to start and my daughter said her drink, a blue basil was excellent. She had the short rib and raved about it. Son-in-law had The Gafford Ribeye and I had Shrimp over pasta. Huge shrimp and the pasta and sauce was very good. I'm the lucky one, I have some leftover Short Rib, Ribeye (love the bone) and my pasta. We had to have room for Creme Brûlée.....one of the best!! We'll be back! read more

Went tonight. Couldn't wait to review it when I got home. The waitstaff and the kitchen staff were like a well-oiled machine. I appreciate that you are able to buy a round of beers for them for $8. Duck wings were phenomenal, but maybe a tad overdone. Also, my crab cake was just a little over cooked, too. Those two critiques were very minor. What MAY have been a 4 star review rocketed to 5 without question. No heat lamps, no microwaves, just CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN. Also, a special thanks to our waiter Josh. We ordered the signature steaks, which were perfectly prepared. Next time we're going for the fish. It was absolutely flying out of the kitchen. The best seller seemed to be something pecan-crusted. Don't miss out! read more

Within the landscape of "good" eateries- rising above is difficult I am certain. The Gafford chefs allow the quality of their food to speak for itself. The sauces and spices are crafted to enhance the flavors of their foods rather than cover them. My wife and I enjoyed our meal, our service and the experience- Thank you to all the staff at The Gafford for making a Wednesday night out for into an "occasion". read more

What a surprise of great food! Was going to the Lyric Theatre and stopped in for a bite. The crab chowder was the best i ever had, the Fried green tomato was as good as you get, the Ahi Tuna was generous and so flavorful. Service was as good as the meal! read more

I joined family and friends at The Gafford for an intimate memorial service dinner back in November. It was a wonderful menu spread and an attentive open bar. The owner was a friend of the grieving family and was present; very kind and sincere to all his guests. I really hope to make a trip down to Stuart just for another wonderful dinner. Definitely worth the mileage! read more

5 stars all around!! Service, drinks, and most importantly the food--everything was great. This is a restaurant I would definitely recommend to others and would enjoy visiting over and over. Hi lights include the burrata and fried chicken/biscuits. Honestly better biscuits than I've had in the south!! The pork chop was delicious as well. Wish I had room for dessert...but next time! read more

I love this place. I have been here twice now and each time I ordered the tuna tartare because it was that good! I love the unlimited wontons it comes with. I have also tried their crab cakes which are delicious. Come for happy hour for 5-10 apps and half price drinks. I paid less than $4 (minus tip) for a gin and tonic. They also have $10 tuna tartare and $5 martinis Tuesday nights. The staff has always been extremely friendly friendly was well. Wish I remembered their names to give a shout out. Only thing I wish is that the crowd was younger, but hey its Stuart, what do you expect. I also filled out their card to receive email notifications which was supposed to come with a Bday giveaway, but I Never got it :(. Still love this place though. read more

See all

We had a great experience at the Gafford. Meatloaf in particular was excellent. Service fine. Just overall a very nice dining experience!

Nice place. Very upscale. We went on a Tuesday and it was packed so we sat in the bar area. Our waitress was amazing. Their drink menu is not the greatest so we ordered a bottle of wine. We didn't drink it all so they gave us a bag to take it with us. We ordered the charcuterie board which was very good. And it was so big we didn't have any room for dinner. read more

The Gafford - Complimentary bread - Salad Near Me - Stuart, Florida

See all

Some of the best meals I have ever had. Cooked perfectly and the drinks are awesome. Outside dining is great also.

I worked in Stuart for 5 years and had never been until recently and went twice in 2 weeks. The first time I waited it the bar for my "date" to arrive , my drink was super strong and it was super crowded on a weeknight. We did the steak share special and it was good. I am not a huge steak fan and it is hard to make two people with different cooking requests happy. The second time we did Valentine's Day. Our table was near the chef line and it was busy. They did not rush us despite it being a holiday. We did the cheese tray which had great presentation. We did not eat any of the crackers and only about half of the cheese. The crab cakes were good but had a lot of breading and not so much actual crab, I was disappointed. We ordered the scallops and they were tasty but a bit chewy. I will go back, the food was good, just not great. read more

See all

Was expecting a lot. Menu ok. Food ok. Service - absolutely horrible. Rushed out in 45 minutes after ordering drinks, apps, soup, salad and main meal. Didn't have time to finish drink before dinner was up. Worst experience ever. read more

We dined in the bar at a high top Saturday night. James was our waiter and did a great job serving us. Cocktails were good; crab cakes were amazing as was the pork chop. We only had two wishes after we left. There was no dessert offered as a Birthday option which we were celebrating. And we wish the owner would've stopped by so that we could think of him personally. He seemed to be making the rounds of many tables, but not ours. read more

Delicious! Would give 5 stars but didn't love the very, very close tables- we heard all conversation around us so we weren't really comfortable talking during our meal. If you don't mind that closeness- definitely worth it. It really is terrific food and great service! read more

Very consistent food and drinks. One of the better restaurants in downtown Stuart. Great appetizers and specials that change regularly. Never had a bad meal here. It's small, so will get crowded, but it has a great bar with superior wine and mixed drinks options. Their beer options are pretty limited. If you're a carnivore, their ribeye is impressive. As are shrimp and grits appetizer and all their salads. Seafood options are strong, although sometimes limited in local species. You won't go wrong here. Very good, very consistent, and very busy. read more

Good meals, but not outstanding. We had meatloaf, burger, steak and swordfish. Burger best of the four. Hubby did not like the mustard glaze on the swordfish. Good service. Meat and cheese board only had one meat and one cheese was ACK! read more

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

Excellent restaurant and never a disappointment. Everything is so good and the service never falters.

Four of us enjoyed every bit of our dinners and great service by Abby. Three of us enjoyed a fish special and one had the double bone pork chop which was fabulous. Carrot cake topped it off and was delicious. Definitely recommend and we'll be back! read more

Three meals: grouper, wild boar ragu, and the pork chop. Pasta under the wild boar probably sat on a plate for an hour before it was sauced so the pasta was all stuck together. The sauce was good so it got a passing grade. Grouper was good but the pork chop was like shoe leather.. dry and tough. Was offered a replacement and chose the short rib...it was very good. Service was good and deserts were better than average. Overall a three out of five rating. read more

Good overall selection. Ambience is nice as well. I ordered crab cake appetizers and their special which was the NY strip. I'm giving it four stars because the crab cakes although being good in portion size, was primarily made of corn batter with minimal actual crab. If the Gafford wants to take their menu to the next level, charging 27 dollars for appetizer crab cakes made from predominantly corn starch is not the way to do it. NY strip was cooked perfectly and was delectable. read more

I have never had a bad meal or experience at the Gafford...great food, spirits and staff! Highly recommend....love the shrimp and grits and their meatloaf is yummmmiiieee read more

Great food! Love it here ! DAMN the green beans.. only vegetable you have 90% of the time. please...please... please change!!!

Very good food, drinks and service! Great ambiance for a nice dinner out with friends or your special someone! read more

Food is always good and worth the price. Service is always fine. Ambiance is lovely. The Avocado Corn Salad is very good with an added crab cake on top! read more

We eat here multiple times a week & it never disappoints. Our favorites include .. Roasted chicken with veggies which is flavorful with a delicious glaze type topping and Mabels Fried Chicken which is always so good!! The Caesar salad is also a favorite. We order via door dash on a regular basis. Unlike some other places, the Gafford works very well with door dash and our food is always delivered hot, fresh & includes any modifications we request. Tonight, for the first time, there was a fluke & we were missing an item .. we reordered immediately - the restaurant went above and beyond to correct & apologize for the mistake. Amazing customer service & we look forward to dining in person here in the future when we are able to. read more

The restaurant never fails to disappoint. I go back once a year thinking what am I missing. Nothing its super mediocre and simply not worth another try. read more