My friends and I came here for the CFB National Championship this past Monday and had a blast! The Swamp is probably the best place to go to watch any sporting event. The atmosphere is just the best and I always have a good time! Seating is first come, first serve or seat yourself situation. So if there is a big game, you should get there a couple hours early to ensure you get a seat. Otherwise you will be wondering the restaurant trying to pounce on an open seat the second you see one. We actually arrived 2.5 hours before the game even started and almost all the seats were taken already. While this can be a little chaotic, it really adds to the experience of eating here on a game day! It was absolutely PACKED for the national championship, people were even bringing chairs from home to sit outside. We ended up sitting at a small outdoor bar. Our bartender or server, Maddie, was excellent. She made sure we were satisfied the whole time and did a great job checking in on us. She was also super friendly and great to talk to! Considering how busy it was, the food didn't take too long to come out. When it is super busy, you can order food at the bar (inside or outside one) and don't need to have a table to receive service. The staff did a great job keeping up with everything and making sure things were running as efficiently as possible. For the food, the five of us started with an order of mozzarella sticks and their famous buffalo chicken dip. The mozzarella sticks are a new menu item and feature golden-fried mozzarella sticks, crunchy on the outside and gooey on the inside, served with ranch marinara. These were really, really good, with a nice cheese pull and the perfect amount of breading. I was quite surprised with how tasty these were! The Buffalo chicken dip consists of pulled chicken mixed with buffalo wing sauce, melted cheddar, pepper jack, and cream cheese, finished with ranch and an extra kick of hot sauce, served with tortilla chips, celery, and carrots. This was AMAZING and a perfect starter for the table to share. Served in a cast iron skillet, the portion is huge and the dip is super flavorful and creamy. There weren't enough chips served with the dip for all of us, but our server was happy to give us a complimentary tray of chips. I can easily see why this is a favorite and I will definitely be ordering this next time I come here! I also got a side Caesar salad and thought that was great as well. It was a nice portion, with fresh romaine, shredded Parmesan cheese, croutons, and capers. We ordered our entrees around kickoff, I ended up getting the Founder's Club Sandwich. The Founder's Club included a grilled chicken breast topped crispy bacon, lettuce, tomato, provolone cheese, served on toasted sourdough bread, with a side of swamp sauce. All the entrees come with fries, unless you want to upgrade to another side or request not to have them. I really enjoyed this sandwich. The chicken had a nice char to it and was surprisingly juicy. I appreciated the sourdough bread over a regular bun as well. The subtleness of the provolone cheese and the fresh tomato were great too! Overall, we had an awesome time watching the CFB national championship at The Swamp. The atmosphere and vibes are unmatched. Service was awesome and the workers there are so on top of things. Food hit the spot and the Buffalo chicken dip was our favorite. Can't wait to come back!! read more

See all

We had a great experience at The Swamp Restaurant. Parking was okay, but since they don't have their own lot, be prepared to walk a bit if you prefer something closer. We were seated promptly, and our waitress, Alexa C., was fantastic--very attentive and helpful. The food was delicious. I ordered the steak and cheese, which was flavorful, messy (in the best way), and definitely required extra napkins. C had the Spicy Ahi Tuna Bowl, and it was just as tasty. If we could change one thing, it would be to expand the on-tap menu or include more detailed descriptions of their specialty brews. The atmosphere was enjoyable, and it's a fun spot to hang out. Any Gators fan absolutely needs to stop by--it's part of the Gainesville experience. read more

See all

Just stopped by the Swamp on NY day. Is it a 5-star dining experience, no, is the freshman 15 burger the best ever, no, but it's alright. The patio was lovely and they had the game playing outside, which was nice. The water was absolutely undrinkable and the kids chicken tenders dry, and likely from a plastic bag. There is no kids changing table in the women's bathroom, which was extremely frustrating. Service was okay. Mid-experience overall, but the patio is nice. read more

The Swamp Restaurant - Freshman 15 Burger - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Very very bad service. Never been treated with such attitude from a server. Asked for a box 4 times to different people. Kept asking for our server so we could order dessert she came and was like what do you want. If it wasn't a graduation lunch for my daughter I would have got up and left. That's no way to talk to anyone. These kids need to be taught some manners. Ruined the whole afternoon. read more

The first place I took my son in 2019, before he was accepted to UF--and fittingly, the last place we ate in Gainesville during his graduation. There's nothing like the vibe and energy of sitting outside at The Swamp. If you want a true taste of college life, this is where you go. The original building may be gone, but the new location has the same spirit--with more seating, lots of outdoor tables, and a big screen for the games. Now there are two floors inside with full service, too. It's definitely a college sports bar. You're not coming here for a five-star meal--it's all about the experience. And it's always a great time. read more

See all

Stopped by the Swamp for some nostalgia and memories. They really did a great for recreating this one, and it looks very similar to the old one in Midtown. I was really excited for dinner here but the food was disappointing. The tuna bowl rice was way undercooked and the freshman 15 hamburger made my husband sick after (egg quite a bit undercooked, the burger was dry and greasy). Our sweet potato waffle fries were burnt so bad. I think I would recommend this more for bar and drinks vs their food. The service was great though! The host and the waitresses were so kind. read more

See all

We stopped by The Swamp while visiting our daughter, who's a sophomore at UF, along with her friend. It's a super casual spot with a fun vibe -- we sat outside and enjoyed the lively college-town atmosphere. There was a bit of a delay getting service (we were just about to leave, honestly), but luckily our waitress showed up just in time. Once things got going, everything turned out great. We ordered a beer, a cosmo, the ahi tuna bowl (steamed white rice, crunchy rays, ahi tuna, wakame, sesame seeds, cucumber, ginger, and scallions -- one version with lettuce and sauce on the side), and the Swamp double smash burger (two 4 oz smashed beef patties with American cheese on a toasted brioche bun, plus fries). Everyone was pretty happy with their food -- fresh, flavorful, and satisfying. Overall, it's a solid choice if you're visiting someone at UF and want a relaxed place to grab a bite and a drink. We'd go back! read more

See all

I have been to The Swamp a couple of times over the last thirty-five years, and frankly it has never really inspired me. This time around it was no different, and actually my experience was lower this time around than it ever was in the past. This was the first time I had been to the new location. I remember the old location, and it does have similar vibes and architectural standards, but it really wasn't the same. The place still reminds me of a place where fraternities and sororities go to mingle at the beginning of the semester when they still have money in their pockets, and where alumni gather at the end of the semester and on game days to reminisce about the foggy days they remember when they were going to school here. The food? Meh. The drinks? Typical domestic stuff with no imagination. This place survives based on the memories of by-gone days when they were still on University Ave, frat-boys trying to impress a girl, and UF employees taking prospective students and vendors to experience a "college town staple". read more

It was a fantastic lunch on a Monday in June. I love the interior & decor. Our server was friendly and attentive. The gator bites appetizer the best I've had--batter & crispiness was delicious. The fries... my favorite kind (flour dusted)!!! The chicken club was really good, zucchini & squash side was actually tasty too. Kids loved the smash burger but said the Caesar wrap was pretty good. I would definitely return on a future visit to Gainesville! read more

The Swamp Restaurant - Bar area - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

The Swamp is a game day classic and we had to dine here for homecoming Saturday. We arrived at 12pm and didn't have to wait but just minutes later the line was huge. For an appetizer, we had the humus dip. It was good but I missed the regular pita chips, which were swapped out for a game day menu. The menu was much smaller due to game day which was sad but understandable. I had the Caesar wrap and it was yummy. My partner had a grilled chicken sandwich and enjoyed. Despite how busy it was, our server was attentive and checked on us a lot. The restaurant has a cool game day atmosphere. read more

The Swamp Restaurant - Hummus - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

See all

The food here was decent, it wasn't bad but nothing special especially for the price. The ambiance is nice, we sat outside and watched the Oscars. The service was not the best, I know it was a bit crowded but our server was kind of rude and not very helpful with menu questions. Overall the experience was good but I wouldn't rush back for the food. read more

The Swamp Restaurant - Chicken Caesar wrap with fries - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Brunch was great! Their wings are also always a fan favorite! Going on sunday it was less packed then compared to saturday but it's always a good place to stop by for food read more

The Swamp Restaurant - Biscuits and gravy with scrambled eggs - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Server disappeared for most of our time here. We ordered a bucket and it leaked all over the table and it took the server fifteen minutes for her to come by and help us clean it up (we literally had no napkins). To top it off the small signs on the table are misleading-- $15 bucket for high noons (but only high noon teas, of course written in very small print). The server also did not make this clear and we ordered the $15 bucket (as advertised) but were given the regular high noons so we were charged $30 because the wrong thing was brought to us. When something was said to the sever/ manager they didn't admit their fault. read more

The Swamp is a solid spot to hang out or catch a game with friends. Being essentially on the campus of UF, it had a sort of frat house vibe. We were greeted with smiling faces and seated promptly with a choice of either inside (our choice) or outside seating. On a nice spring or early fall day, I could see the outside being the move with large trees and space for games like cornhole. The waitress took our drink and food order where we sarted of with their famous gator bites. Some say it tastes like chicken but i say it had no taste really, just texture. They came with cajun dipping sauce and thats what carried the dish. I also had some wings that were decent but nothing to really write home about. They may have had 3 flavors which is crazy to me on a college campus. The best thing my party had was their cheesesteak. The sandwich came on a soft hoagie roll piled high with shaved steak and what appreaed to cheese sauce (not wiz or cheese slices) onions and peppers. If you're ever in Gville, I'd give this place a try, but, I wouldn't go out of my way. read more

The Swamp Restaurant - Gator Bites - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Went to The Swamp for my first time in Gainesville! Went both the day before game day, and game day! The atmosphere was electric and the service amazing! It was a lot of fun. The food and drinks were fantastic and they had some good specials going on too! Would definitely go back! read more

The Swamp Restaurant - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

See all

We had a great experience at the new Swamp location. The food was great and the service was excellent. They even accommodated our Yorkie pup. While it doesn't have the same feel and charm of the original location, I'm glad it lives on. read more

The Swamp Restaurant - Philly Cheesesteak and Teriyaki Chicken Bowl - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

The food was good and the service was really great. The problem is the parking which is a nightmare and they know it. You have to pay using "go fly at kite parking" or something like that. It takes forever and, I think, is designed so that they can tow as many cars as possible. It is unfortunate for this restaurant but I wouldn't go here. read more

A couple of friends came up to Gainesville for the first time, and I brought them the Swamp as my first time also. They got the burgers, and I got a breakfast croissant sandwich. Maybe because it was a Sunday, but the service and food were both subpar and expensive. For those three items, a drink and a side of chips it totaled 82 dollars. Fries costed extra as a side which wasn't mentioned to my friend, we all didn't get any refills on our drinks or chips and only got service when the waitress came to give us the check. And as you can see from my image, I got a a pretty small portion of what looks like a single egg and slice of bacon, and they seriously put a burger pick in it as if it would fall over. For the price, the service and quality was not good, and I would not recommend unless you are there to watch the games, and then perhaps ambiance would make it mildly worth it. read more

The Swamp Restaurant - Bacon, Egg, & Cheese Croissant - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

The food was delicious and the hostess was super friendly! They had a really pretty outdoor area and we were able to bring our dogs. I do highly recommend the Gator Bites appetizer. They had nice appetizer portions, we ended up not ordering an entree. They did offer to bring some water to our dogs but never followed up with it. Furthermore the quality of their drinking water tasted really murky and was not good to drink. read more

See all

I've been on the hunt for the best wings in Gainesville and was recommended to come here by one of my coworkers. And I will say The Swamp is definitely up there on the list in terms of chicken wings. However, everything else isn't great. Service was pretty horrible despite there being a million girls working, it took us around an hour to get our food and then another hour to pay for our food after we were done eating despite our waitress walking past us dozens of times. Eating inside is a sport - dozens of drunk frat guys screaming at the top of their lungs - to the point where I could not hear my partner directly next to me. If that's your vibe then 100% this is the place for you! But I just wanted to eat my wings and go, not sit there for 3 hours waiting for my eardrums to blast off .. read more

See all

Ok so this is tough the food is amazing. The last time I went I was disappointed I waited 45 minutes for a server to take our order after we were sat since they both thought we were helped. The atmosphere is cool. Food 5/5 is great service is mixed 2/5. read more

The Swamp Restaurant - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

See all

We went for brunch on a Sunday around 11am the weekend of move in before heading back home. The place was empty which I was surprised. When we arrived the host asked if a hightop would be ok and since we had my 70 year old mother with us with bad knees we said that wouldn't work for her. The waitress brought us to our table and lo and behold, a high top! I mentioned my mother would not be able to get up there and the servers were looking at each like they couldn't figure out what to do. There were tables not being used that could've easily be pushed together for our party of 6 but they ended up seating us outside. The tables and chairs were wet so I was using my sleeves to dry the seats. Not a great start. The menus we got were not the same as the menu online which was disappointing since we were going specifically for items we saw online and my daughter is Type 1 and needs to calculate carbs 15-20 mins before eating so we had to figure out what we would get instead. I can't comment on anyone else's food but my berries and cream French toast sticks were hard and crunchy and what's the cream part bc I didn't get any of that? My son's eggs were hard. Not sure how you can make extremely hard scrambled eggs but they were awful. Maybe we will try them again for lunch but definitely not brunch. read more

See all

We sat at the bar and had a great time. Everyone was super nice ! We only ordered drinks and wings. They have a great setup to watch games and by other sports. Would come back for sure ! read more

See all

We had another great experience at the Swamp! We sat outside to watch the football game on the huge big screen and had dinner and drinks. As always, the food was terrific, beer was cold and the service was great. The Swamp has great energy and management is always checking tables to make sure your visit meets expectations. Highly recommend!! read more

Had to stop by and try the long standing local favorite for some gator bites, right?! I never did go inside but their patio is a nice size for a non-game day meal and our wait staff were great at checking on us even though we were the only group sitting outside. It had a fun vibe and I could definitely picture this place getting busy on game days or for special events. I enjoyed my food (including the gator) and liked seeing the mix of both fried food and some healthier dishes. I'll have to check out the inside next time I'm in Gainesville! read more

This decent sports bar a short walk from the UF campus serves up tasty cocktails, cold draft beer and an impressive menu of burgers, nachos and other pub grub. A great spot to watch the game, celebrate a win, or drown your sorrows after a tough loss -- all in the company of your fellow Gator fans. Service is always friendly, and there's tons of seating inside and out, including on the terrace overlooking Second Ave. My only complaint is the Swamp's open seating policy, which can make it next to impossible to find a table at peak times. There's nothing more frustrating than stalking someone's table -- or having someone else stalk yours. Still, on of the best spots to meet up with friends in the 'Ville. Go Gators! read more

I would not select this restaurant if you have any other choices, I guess if you wanted a beer and watch the game it's fine, perhaps the pallet of a seven year old. The food for me is less than mediocre, and the service was severely lacking. I had to something as simple as the Caesar wrap and sweet potato fries, the fries seem like they had been steamed. The fries and chicken tenders are fries and chicken tenders, the burger and fries with burger and fries the chips and queso. The queso was OK but the chips were like crazy stale I say the one star would be for the gator bites, which was by far the best thing we ordered that night. I ordered sweet tea, and I had to ask if they put lemon in it, they said they did not which meant the tea was bad, so they were serving old tea or they never clean out their containers. They cash you out electronically so you can't even see your final check, the waitress seemed annoyed when I asked to look at the charges, and I think for the quality of the food it is extremely overpriced. I think if it was cheaper, I wouldn't feel so annoyed. read more

The Swamp Restaurant - Gator bites - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

We ordered their Buffalo chicken dip so we could give the pita bread to our little one. It came with stale chips. Burger didn't have flavor, even with all the pineapple and avocado on it. Sweet potato fries were very good along with the service and decor. read more

The Swamp Restaurant - Buffalo Chicken Dip - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Whether you are just visiting or are a true ACR (Alachua county resident) swamp is an absolute must for food and bev. The giant screen outside is perfect for watching any sporting event you could imagine to the latest airing episode of the bachelor. They always have some sort of deal going on basically Friday-Monday with different random specials throughout the week. My personal favorite is the Caesar wrap with sweet potato fries and the brownie skillet is a must. The drink selection is also super fun with a lot of fun gator themes. I highly recommend walking through to look at regalia and stopping at the rooftop. I will say it can get super busy during big events but if you go during an off time food and drink come out so fast and the swamp girls are always attentive!! read more

We stopped by here during graduation weekend. It wasn't too busy around 6-7pm. Good music and they have a nice outdoor patio, but the outdoor chairs aren't too comfortable. They had a limited menu for graduation weekend which was a bummer because we were looking forward to some things we saw online. Food is pretty pricy but delicious nonetheless. Definitely a touristy spot. If you want a "quieter" scene I recommend sitting outside, indoors is pretty loud! read more

See all

Kylie and tierney gave us the best service ever. Drinks tasted great and food was better. Everything was quick and we felt welcomed.

Best place to watch a game outside of the stadium! Service was great. Food was tasty. Beer was cold!

Loud, crowded. We sat outside. Enveloped in a cloud of people openly smoking pot. Server was nice , but very slow. Food we left mostly uneaten. Basic smash burgers - not so smashing. We would not return. read more

The service was great. We had the chips and queso and hummus for appetizers and I had the Super Bowl for lunch. It came with spinach, quinoa, barley, and Chikn (vegetarian chicken). The bowl was great although the teriyaki was a little sweet for my taste I will definitely order this again with the sauce on the side. This place is great for lunch and has outdoor seating which is dog friendly read more

Fantastic. Love it. Stupendous. We go all the time, one of our favorite spots. But the AC could be colder

Was excited about The Swamp restaurant reopening, but our experience was very underwhelming. To start off it took quite a while before a server actually greeted us. When we finally got our food, 2 of our orders were cold and one of those was also cooked incorrectly. I ordered the honey butter chicken biscuit and mine was one of the orders that arrived cold. It was also supposed to come with home fries, but when it arrived the waitress said they were out & they swapped for regular fries. The food tasted very basic as if it was just a biscuit, chicken and bacon assembled and drizzled in honey. Server discounted one of our bills but this experience was nothing worth eating out for! read more

The Swamp Restaurant - Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Last night might husband and I went for a drink.The bartender was very nice and helpful. We asked what time they closed as it was 11:30 on a week night. She said it just depends and that we were fine to have a drink. We were almost finished and a man from the back came out and said, "Who are these random people here?" It was very uncomfortable and we left. I am in the hospitality industry and it is always my intention to make my guests feel at home. This was a terrible feeling to be treated that way. I tried to call and speak to an owner or Manager and no one answered. When I tried to leave a message it said the mailbox was full. read more

Rather overpriced but still an iconic gainesville restaurant. People absolutely love this restaurant namely for the vibes, and it's an amazing place to watch anything sports related. I got the wings and they were well cooked and seasoned, just ran at $1.50 each. All in all, the food was decent and just a little expensive. Nothing to stand out and earn a higher rating in my opinion. read more

The Swamp Restaurant - Blackened Wings - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

See all

Fantastic service, staff was friendly. If it's a weekend night I recommend arriving early if you want a good seat to watch the game on the patio. The food was good and price was average for the area. I will definitely return! read more

The Swamp Restaurant - Great patio space - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

The food here is horrible. Dry chicken sections over spiced and sections with zero spice. Bowls are 90% rice. Gross.