The best restaurant hands down. My family and I have been going for more than 25+ years. They had a fire and are remodeling it. We can't wait for it 2 open. Must go and try. I have had everything on the menu. If I could give more stars I would. read more

Local generational-owned restaurant in a large Victorian house in an Olde Florida town had a bad fire two years ago. Bringing the house and kitchen up-to-date local codes has been taking a long time, and everybody locally, plus tourists coming through the area, have been excitedly awaiting their reopening Fall 2025. Great homemade breads, shrimp, and down-home food served by friendly staff in a unique setting. read more

The Prime rib was awesome some of the best meat we've had since moving here, our waitress's were spot on and very friendly! Definitely will be returning! read more

This historical restaurant is just so adorable! There are many little rooms inside and outside on patio. They have a little gift shop/boutique on the top floor of the restaurant. The server was nice but not very knowledgeable or friendly. The food looked great but unfortunately was very bland. Not sure if that is because it caters to lots of seniors but there was no seasoning and most of the food. I had a steak and the seasoning was added with the butter while cooking. Nothing on or marinated before and it tasted as so. The peanut butter pie was delicious! read more

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Great food! Chicken salad is excellent. The service is attentive and they give a southern atmosphere which is my part of heritage. Highly recommend. read more

This place was so cute! Definitely that old, southern style. They didn't have a big menu/a lot of options and not many vegetarian options but I made a meal out of the fried green tomatoes. What really surprised me were the cheese fritters. These aren't your typical Mozzarella sticks you see on appetizers, no. These were pimento cheese balls with a crispy, textured coating that were so good I could've just eaten those. The dining area was adorable and very cozy and the service was attentive even though they were busy. The only thing I wouldn't recommend is the raspberry lemonade, it had a weird aftertaste I'm not sure if it was the lemonade or the raspberry syrup so wouldn't get that again. I feel like this would be a really cute spot for weekend brunch but they only offer lunch and dinner. But definitely seems like a great location to have brunch in. read more

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Very neat venue with tasty food and good service. We had three kids and four adults. Everyone was happy and full. Stop in and try it. If planning ahead, they take reservations. Worth writing home about. read more

The Ivy House Restaurant - Prime Rib, corn bread, carrots, green beans, baked potato and roll. - Southern Near Me - Williston, Florida

We found ourselves in the quaint Florida town of Williston one Saturday and wanted to stop in for a quick lunch. We had been here multiple times before, but this is the first time writing a review. The separate dining rooms are charming and are decorated from a past time and surround the four or five tables per room. In my opinion, the star of the menu is the fried chicken, but there are so many wonderful items to choose from. We had the fried shrimp plate as well as the chicken salad croissant. Don't forget to start with the fried green tomatoes and end your meal with a slice of chocolate cake! Definitely a must stop if you are in Williston! read more

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Came here for Sunday brunch while visiting family. We were seated in the parlour (back porch) area which was nice. However, service was subpar. They were busy but apparently this was their normal Sunday crowd . It took many attempts to get our water refilled and other requests as well. Food was ok. Everything was fried. Salad was meager and not worth a review. Portions of the entree was ample. The women's restroom had a nice touch. They offered locallly made hand/bath salts. Was a lovely touch. read more

Wonderful place & incredible food! We felt right at home! Best fried green tomatoes I've ever had! Pecan crusted chicken was delicious. Fresh, flavorful coffee like from my grandma's kitchen decades ago. read more

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Great service, delicious southern style food, owners and employees are always friendly, raspberry tea is excellent ,fried green tomatoes are delicious read more

We stopped in on our way back from Gainesville, pretty much on the fly, based on the 4.5 Google reviews and how good the food was. Boy, were we disappointed! My wife's $18 burger had one thin and dry patty that she thought was pre-frozen (perfectly round and flat as a pancake). The fries appeared to be krinkle-cut ones you buy frozen in a bag at the grocery store (tasted like it, also). My Krispy baked chicken - the chicken was okay but a little bit bland. The Mac and cheese was ok, but the veggies were clearly canned veggies. I've had fresh veggies, and canned, and canned has a distinct flavor. They were absolutely canned. The dinner roll had the same flavor and texture as your standard catered/store bought wedding reception dinner rolls. Definitely were not baked in-house. $19 plate. For such prices, I would expect better quality than canned/frozen fare that I can easily treat myself to at home. Sorry, but it just wasn't good... I'm not sure what the rest of these reviewers are smokin'. It wasn't all bad, though. The old house provides a neat atmosphere, portions were filling, and the service was fast and friendly enough. The food just needs an upgrade, especially for the prices being charged. read more

Can't wait for this restaurant to reopen. Food and service are awesome. They have wonderful choices and good drinks.

Going to the Ivy House is a rare treat that we indulge in a couple times a year. If we lived closer I'm sure we would go more frequently, and when they had the location in Alachua it seems we went at least once a month. The food is very yummy and a great price. It is worth it to get either the fried green tomato or the Mac and cheese ball appetizer. My favorite entree is the Krispy Chicken but I've also had their pork chops and fish basket which were both great. They don't hold back on the butter for the veggies and both the cornbread and yeast rolls are out of this world. Now I must admit, I have been off and on with their mac and cheese. This last visit (lunch if maybe that plays a factor) it was perfect. Every now and again it is just no good, completely different consistency and quality of cheese. One of the things they are known for is their raspberry syrup. I find their raspberry tea to be a little too much for me, but it is perfect when mixed half and half with their plain sweet tea. The raspberry salad dressing is wonderful if you like sweet salad dressings. Finally, dessert. Over the years I think I have had every dessert they offer. They include- milk cake (tres leches), coconut cake, chocolate cake, peanut butter pie, and buttermilk walnut pie. For me, the two that really stand out are their milk cake and the buttermilk walnut pie. They are out of the way if you're in Gainesville. However, a nice weekend lunch spent in their cute themed rooms or if you're lucky, the back porch, is a great way to spend some quality time eating. read more

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My husband and I took a drive to Williston today, 2/9, from Ocala and we both were ready for a bite. I looked on Yelp to see what all was around the area and The Ivy House Restaurant was listed. The time was after 2 so if any rush they had was gone. My husband ordered the fish and butterflied shrimp plate with fries, salad, cornbread and a roll. I tried the fried pork chop sandwich with salad. We were both very pleased with what we had and we definitely will be back and have plans on bringing family here the end of next month while they're here visiting. So glad we stopped by and tried this place out. Very decorative and staff so friendly. We even got to go drinks which our waitress suggested. read more

The Ivy House Restaurant - Fish & shrimp plate - Southern Near Me - Williston, Florida

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This old house holds a delicious restaurant. Quaint decor coupled with beautiful glass plates make for a unique dining experience. My crispy chicken sandwich was moist and tender. My husband's shrimp poyboy was tasty with plenty of shrimp. While the lettuce and tomato enhanced the sandwich the bread was a bit dry. My side salad was cold and crisp with a lovely blue cheese dressing. We enjoyed the blue cheese dressing on my sandwich and my husbands french fries. We finished with the peanut butter pie. An outstanding end to a great meal. The servers were over busy and a bit curt but we do recommend coming for the amazing food. read more

What a terrific place to stop in at! Home cooking, great service along with an eclectic victorian style place. Try their shrimp, corn casserole, sweet tea and without a doubt their crispy fried chicken on ANYTHING will be the way to go! read more

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It's like eating at grandmas house!! Literally. Looks like you just went in her house full of stuff and old things. Lots of little rooms with tables for dining. Southern menu. You will not leave hungry. Soooo much food. Good value for the money. We both enjoyed our meal. Quick, friendly service. read more

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Have been wanting to have lunch here for quite some time. Today was the day. Beautiful old style home turned restaurant. It was like taking a step back in time. We were seated right away and our waitress took our order. Our waitress was very attentive and helpful. After the lunch feast we walked upstairs to tour the boutique and to get an appreciation of how it must've been to live in such a home. We are looking forward to many return visits. read more

The Ivy House Restaurant - Buttermilk walnut pie. Delicious - Southern Near Me - Williston, Florida

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This will be my second time visiting this restaurant. The food is great and good enough to make the drive up from Spring Hill. The atmosphere was homey. The only real problems was that it took fifteen plus minutes to be waited on and it wasn't even busy, and most of the staff acted clueless to how a restaurant works . Once the server finally arrived she was friendly and attentive. Overall great place to eat but not if you want quick service. read more

The Ivy House Restaurant - Southern Near Me - Williston, Florida

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Great!!' Best all around place to eat. Been the Once with 2o ladies hope to go back again real soon. Nice and clean which is a big plus for us. Food was excellent. Not too loud which was greatly appreciated. read more

We came to the devils den and stopped in here for lunch. Awesome food service was great.

Stopped in for lunch with my kids, between springs and tubing. We were a mess, but they sat us and were really nice. The food was great! Definitely recommend read more

Comfort food family style plates at their best! House was welcoming and cozy with a family home charm. Food was prepared quick and served like I'd made my plate at home! I got the special which was meatloaf and mashed potatoes. Everything was perfect but the surprise home run was a side of crushed tomatoes that were seasoned so well that it was perfection in every bite!!! I'd really love the secret - almost a bbq taste to the tomatoes. Mind blowingly delicious! read more

The Ivy House Restaurant - Meatloaf and mashed potato lunch special. - Southern Near Me - Williston, Florida

It was fantastic. The service, the food, and the ambiance are great. It seems they have a new menu, but the same pleasant faces helping....

The food was decent--nothing to write home about but our waitress was a pain because she kept rushing us. Seriously, before our meal even arrived she was trying to bring us the check! I was thinking I might want dessert and tried to convey to her that we were in no rush and we arrived well before closing so I am not sure what her rush was. Twice during the meal she tried to bring us the check. Finally, she brought our check to us when she brought dessert so I just handed her my credit card and tipped her 15% (I normally tip 20%+ depending upon service). Overall, very disappointing and not worth the drive from Gainesville. read more

Pros: This is probably the best place to eat in this entire sleepy town! They have huge portion sizes, my mom and I shared the shrimp and grits, it brought 12 shrimps! 12!!!! We had more than enough to go around. We also shared the fried green tomatoes, and my brother had a shrimp po'boy with their Mac and cheese. Service was absolutely wonderful. They have a charming shop upstairs. Cons: The locale has charm, but it hasn't been updated in a LONG time, and it shows. Everything was dated. This restaurant is definitely not RD approved, but then again who goes to a Southern restaurant for a healthy meal, right? read more

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I would just order a giant plate of macaroni and cheese. The rest of the food was excellent, but the macaroni and cheese was definitely the highlight of my meal. I tried the Krispy Chicken, it came with corn bread, a yeast roll, macaroni and cheese, and okra. The okra was not really good only because the skins were tough. But the yeast rolls were amazing! I would eat here again. read more

I really have no complaints! I would not say that every single food item knocked my socks off, but all of it was good. I enjoy the variety of food they give you for each dish. Every order comes with various sides and/or salad. The decor and service is also great. read more

The Ivy House Restaurant - Crispy baked chicken dish - Southern Near Me - Williston, Florida

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If you ever get the chance to eat here, DO IT. It's an amazing old home and they have a gift shop upstairs. I have never had fried green tomatoes until today and they were awesome and I'm probably addicted now. . My fish was amazing and cooked perfect. My french fries were CRISPY like they should be. What an awesome experience. Thank you for lunch. OH, you HAVE to try the cornbread. read more

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If you like fried food it's okay. It was one of those places you say we came, we ate we left and would not come back again. read more

The Ivy House Restaurant - The Ivy House - Southern Near Me - Williston, Florida

Beautiful venue, lots of parking, easy to find in a small suburb of Gainesville, Fl. I met a friend there for lunch, was greeted and sat even though she was not there yet, but then ignored for a long time, even after we both were seated. No nod of the head, be with you soon... but we were in a rotation and when it was our time,They were busy, yes, but acknowledgement is a real important part of feeding welcome. My friend and I were in no hurry, we had catching up to do so we were surprised at the almost snub! Not the "Southern hospitality " the south claims! Drinks were ordered, came quickly... large glasses, friend said ice tea was strong not weak... then the food came, having watched plates go by and seeing the restaurant menu knew most was fried! Figured ours would be full of flavor and crisp.... Disappointing was the result! My friend had been there in the evening, for a special occasion a few weeks ago, and was so impressed with the food, well, a different day! I had the shrimp po boy ... the oddest po boy, and not among the best, of any I have had. Huge roll, I wilted lettuce, nice tomato, bland breaded shrimp and slices of cold ,American,I think cheese... no sauce of any kind... not even Mayo. I had wanted the side salad option but no blue cheese or ranch dressing, and I don't like vinegar, so got the fries... they were fries.... Friend got the chicken dinner...supposed to be crispy, but in actuality soggy and no seasoning at all in the batter (like the shrimp). I am so surprised how bland everything was. Just so disappointed based on friend's initial visit and other reviews. In actuality,one of the first times I didn't want the leftovers read more

Service was decent considering how we came in without reservations and were sat right away, albeit right by the door but nevertheless. The food was also nothing too spectacular. It was fresh and the menu offers a good selection of down home country eating. My husband got a better dish than I did so I suggest going for one of the actual meals instead of the sandwiches. My burger was good however and the patty is thin. The baked crispy chicken meal comes with two veggies Mac and cheese cornbread and biscuits and a side salad! It was a steal! The decor is really cute and old timey. With a Victorian flair to the exterior, the interior is decorated with each room different styles and all very quirky and vintage. Hand painted interior walls with murals of flowers and vines make it feel like you are dining in someone's home. It is a very unique and cool place and deserves a visit if your ever in the downtown area of this small town! We sat it in the pine room which featured rustic fireplaces a Christmas tree and vintage cabin decor. Just overall a very cool and unexpectedly pleasant experience! Highly recommend! read more

I went here a few years back... It was a birthday bash weekend filled with hangovers and awful decisions... This place was the complete opposite. It was a southern girls dream. From the perfectly seasoned Fried green tomatoes to the perfectly creamy and crisp pimento cheese bites.... Our group of hooligan girls are seriously considering driving three hours just to sit down at this cute and quaint little restaurant. They have all cute shopping experiences on the top floor that we really appreciated as well. read more

The food was amazing I have a perfect MR on my filet, the portions were very good and the price was not too deep. The tea was some of the best I have ever had. The atmosphere was very welcoming and the service was amazing, super attentive, and anything I needed was instantly taken care of and my drink and food came out right away. read more

WARNING. Do not go close to closing time. Did not realize they were close to closing when we went in. Told we were added to wait list and it would be about 10 minutes. Almost 20 minutes later we inquired and told sorry. Apparently and unfortunately staff at stand undertrained/incompetent. Management poorly handled IMO. Told kitchen is closed salads only. Ready to spend $$$. Harry's around the corner much more organized. Maybe not the ambiance but food was delish. Great service and less $. Crab encrusted redfish is delish. Kudos to Michael at Harry's. read more

It was a Tuesday night, I called at 5:15 to get on the call ahead list to hopefully get a table roughly 5:45 to 6:00. I understand that this isn't a time guarantee but I was told no less than three times that this is not a reservation and does not guarantee a table. Geez....ok....I get it. We get there, it is practically empty and are seated right away by what felt like a very annoyed hostess. Ok. Ok. Ok - let's put that behind us. We are greeted by a server that clearly loves and knows his job. He made great suggestions of both drinks and food. We had the fried green tomatoes and they were perfectly cooked and accompanied by a delicious slightly spicy sauce. Huge portion. The creole shrimp and grits were nothing short of amazing. Such flavors! I am told the salmon was delicious. The atmosphere once we sat was really cool and the food delicious but they really need to work on a better welcome when entering. 5 stars on the food and waitstaff but 1 star for the hostess. read more

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Excellent restaurant with typical and freshly baked southern food. We went there EARLY for Sunday lunch (recommandations around us were like, be there super early lol) and got a table almost right away. Servers were extremely nice and friendly. The food was so delicious, from the starters, to entrées, all the way to the desert. Everything was so tasty and so well combined. Will definitely go back there! Thank you again guys for these experience read more

The Ivy House Restaurant - Southern Near Me - Williston, Florida

We went on a Sunday. There was a limited menu, yet we were given the full menu and not told any different until we tried to order from the full menu. Ordered the Shrimp, no taste whatsoever, my son ordered the Cod, no taste at all. My granddaughter got the kids Cod and it was super fishy. Our salad was on the same plate, so when you put dressing on it, it gets on everything. Once we got our bill , it took forever to pay and get boxes. I've heard good things about The Ivy House, but I had a horrible experience, will not be back. I now live in Williston and want to support the local, but not that place. ** You might want to make a Sunday Only menu for people to order off of** read more

Stopped by today 06/27/23 on my way back to Tampa. I have to say that this is a really nice restaurant as the lady is very welcoming, the staff attentive and nice. I had a chicken salad with extra chicken and it was really good. Drink portions are big. Highly recommend and if I'm in the area again I'll stop by for sure. read more