Hands down one of the best quality restaurants in Gainesville. I've eaten here a few times but this time I decided to splurge a little and get one of their steaks...WOW! Significantly better than the local steakhouses and half the price. Their sides are amazing as usual and the drinks were yummy and well balanced. Plus, I always love the ambience in here! It's so colorful and lively while still being chill and calm enough for a nice dinner. And the wait staff are very genuine and kind people with extensive knowledge about the menu. Well worth the money, I've NEVER been disappointed by this place! read more

The Top - Ancho - Picanha Cut with black bean cakes and broccoli - New American Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Ambiance - Quirky, grandma- vintage thrift store galleria. Service- a hipster army. Food- a big variety, plan on a 30 minute line ahead of you, maybe even double line length on the weekend. read more

Food: delicious Service: good. Ambiance: I like the vibes. My favorite food is the gnoochi !!! read more

Always love the vibes and service at The Top! Stopped here for a rare Saturday evening date night and enjoyed a nice meal on the patio. We started with a beer and a frozen cocktail, which were both great, and my absolute favorite item on the menu - the black bean cakes. The sauce and mango salsa are addictive. Our entrees came out promptly and were tasty, but the highlight for me was the side Caesar salad with fresh lemon. To me, it's the small things at The Top that really make it stand out. Looking forward to the next visit. read more

The Top - NY strip special, Southwestern pasta with a side of Caesar salad - New American Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Fantastic food and a great dining experience. The peanut tofu was packed with flavor and had the perfect texture, while the kimchi cauliflower was crispy, tangy, and incredibly addictive. The corn nuggets were a pleasant surprise--crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and hard to stop eating. Creative dishes, great execution, and definitely worth a visit when you're in Gainesville. read more

The Top - Peanut tofu - New American Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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We came here with our family and were seated within 10-15min. I recommend if coming with little ones make sure to come before 5:30pm the wait times are less. Non-Alcoholic Drink that is must try was the Hibiscus Gimlet it's a House-made hibiscus tea, pomegranate, fresh lime & demerara Entrees: Top Steak pick--Chimichurri 8 OZ butcher's steak with broccoli & herb roasted potatoes. Topped with house-made chimichurri of parsely, cilantro, oregano, jalapeños, garlic, olive oil & vinegar. It was juicy, tender and savory. I recommend ordering it at medium temp. Burger lovers pick-Messi Argentinian chorizo, aged provolone, chimichurri, & fried onions with a fried egg with French fries. Perfect at medium rare temp. For kids: Chicken tenders and fries was great the kids loved it. read more

Located on downtown's Main Street alongside many other restaurants, this one definitely has its own unique vibe. They have a small parking lot in the back and there are many paid lots around, along with a couple free ones at certain hours (always read the signs in Gville iykyk). I was first told of this place due to its large vegetarian/vegan options and while they do have a lot, it's not a traditional healthy veggie restaurant. It's better ;). When we went, they didn't have an online waitlist not could you call ahead to get on one but we did call just to get an idea on wait times which can get long there. The space is bigger than it seems from the outside and they have some tables our front and an area in the back. We waited about 20 mins for our table and people were constantly coming and going. They have a large draft beer selection at the bar and some very unique cocktails that sometimes seem like they shouldn't go together but do. Our waitress was fine, nothing spectacular either way. The service timing could use a little work but the star is really the food. We started with the garlic and goat, which if you like both, is as decadent and delicious as it sounds. We also got a basket of fried pickles which were solid. We got that mastodon burger which was large, juicy, and hit the spot. Since we knew this was a vegetarian forward restaurant, we wanted to try a dish to represent that. We got the spicy peanut fried tofu dish and it did not disappoint. While I wouldn't say it's my favorite spicy peanut sauce, the combo with the fried tofu and other elements in the bowl (basmati rice, broccoli, carrots) worked great. To end the evening (even though we were already stuffed) we had to try the peanut butter pie. It was huge! We were three people and another person certainly could have helped us. It was sweet and if you're a Reese's fan, do not sleep on this. If you are in Gainesville and looking for something delicious and different (while also fitting in something for everyone), this is your spot. read more

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Shits better than getting top 100% recommend. The vibes are always so good and the food is fantastic. Garlic & goat and corn nuts as a tizer is a musttttt. Almost every single burger and pasta is delicioso. read more

this place is sooooo fun! i love it here. the food is fantastic and so authentic, what a great location downtown also. the quality is insane. i got a pasta with sun-dried tomato and spinach and capers with salmon on top. it was sooo great!! read more

The Top - New American Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

We walked in through the back door, but stood around not knowing what to really do, til a nice lady told us the way to check in is in the front of the restaurant. After walking in, we got our seating assignment right away. We talked and laughed like old friends do; neither of us had been to The Top in years. Corn nuggets with an extra side of blue cheese dressing held its place on the table, as we dipped and talked and watched a group of friends with children pay their bill and slowly walk out. Turner Classic Movies played out some farming movie over the shoulder of the bartender on this huge back patio. She got an Aperol and I got a Dunkel...we each tasted the other's beverage....hmmm!? I hadn't had a burger in a while, and the sunnyside egg was a great add-on! The hearty bun held that huge burger together with help of a napkin that I tucked it into. She jumped into her pasta, and made a yummy sound or two, and of course I reached for my sweet potato fries. They were not hot! The burger was, so I ate them anyway, and the dipping sauces did not go to waste! Our server was doing her best, and was very polite. When we ordered our dessert, it was getting cold, so we munched our two, huge cowboy cookies with the quick step, paid our bill, and walked to our free parking spot on the street. (It's Saturday!) Great experience, great menu, good service....fries should be the last thing on the plate, as it goes to the table, so that they are HOT! I'd go back.... read more

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First time here and already planning when to go back! The food was absolutely delicious. In true friend hangout fashion, we all tried bits and pieces of everyone's food. The Mushroom Ravioli is delicious (imagine that underlined), and I am already thinking of what protein to have it next. The Pesto Gnocchi was amazing, and I can't imagine it paired with their Blackened Chicken. My own dish, the Tofu Triangles and the Sweet Potato Baskets, was very good. The sweet potato fries were cooked to perfection, and the ranch served with it was good, almost reminiscent in taste to Wingstop Ranch (this is a compliment). While the Tofu Triangles beautiful very flavorful themselves, they were Beautiful when paired with the Spicy Peanut Sauce it came with. The TOP also has amazing Happy Hour deals, especially with the all day Sunday set-up. My Hibiscus Gimlet was delicious. read more

The Top - Hibiscus Gimlet - New American Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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Came here for the first time last weekend with my friends and we loved it! The Top is located in downtown Gainesville and has such a fun, unique vibe. They offer really great patio seating outside as well as indoor. The inside is so unique and I feel like it really captures the essence of Gainesville outside of UF. We came here on a Saturday night with a group of 5 and had to wait about 10 minutes for a table. It's wasn't super busy, but definitely got busy as the night went on. I would recommend calling in advance so you can avoid this wait! The service was decent, not bad, but not great either. Our server checked on us a good amount of times and the food didn't take too long to come out. For the food, we had a hard time deciding because they have such a variety. Their menu offers bar food, steaks, salads, pastas, sandwiches, and burgers. One thing I knew we had to order was the nachos because I had heard so many great things about them. We put in an order of nachos for the table and they arrived about 10 minutes later hot and fresh! The nachos include black beans, Monterey Jack & cheddar cheese, tomatoes, scallions, jalapeños, guac, sour cream, and a side of spicy salsa. These were DIVINE and such a big portion. They were definitely more of a "bar type" of nacho, but in the best way. The chips were layered in melty cheeses with ample amounts of beans and toppings. Even the chips underneath had melted cheese on them too! This was a huge appetizer and was easily shared between the 5 of us. Would highly recommend this as a starter, it for sure lived up to the reviews. For our entrees we went with the Big Top burgers, the Love & Rockets burger, the Pesto Melt with chicken, and the broccoli Alfredo with chicken. The burgers came out about 5-10 minutes after we finished our appetizer, which was just the right timing. The Love & Rockets burger included arugula, roasted garlic, roasted red peppers, bacon, and chèvre cheese. I absolutely loved this burger and it was cooked perfectly medium rare. The combination of flavors was really great and I thought it was quite tasty. I will say I wish the burger was a little juicier, as I found it to be a little dry. But overall it was a decent burger. All the burgers are 1/2lb and are very filling, especially with the fries that come with them. I will say the fries were excellent. My friends really enjoyed their entrees as well and were more than satisfied. All in all, we had a lovely time at The Top and I would most likely return. The interior is fun and vibes are great. The service is good enough and our server was decent. The nachos are a must for a starter, seriously could rave about these all day. The burgers are what they are known for and I can see why. I wish my burger wasn't as dry as it was...but I would try other burgers on the menu still. We all noted how tasty the fries were, they complimented the burgers very well. The portions are also quite large and I think the prices are reasonable considering how much food you get. Looking forward to my next meal here! read more

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The Top is one of those Gainesville spots that immediately feels like part of the city's personality. The menu is eclectic in the best way -- you can go comfort‑food heavy or fully vegan and still end up with something flavorful. The black bean burger and goat cheese wontons are especially worth the hype. The vibe is artsy, lively, and a little chaotic, but in a way that makes the experience fun rather than stressful. Service can be unhurried during busy hours, yet the staff stays friendly and attentive. Overall, it's a great place to settle in, enjoy good food, and soak up Gainesville's character. read more

We went on a saturday night around 9:00 PM after a UF game. Go gators! We were put on a 30 minute wait list but went back before that. The corn nuggets were SO good. I destroyed that. My husband got the widow maker which he enjoyed but seemed to be missing sauce. I agreed it felt like it was missing something. I had the Tom Patty Melt which was very satisfying. Highly recommend Next time we would love to try the Mastedon read more

We had dinner at The Top after spending the day at the downtown art festival, and wow--what a perfect way to end the day! This was our first time here (thanks to a local friend who recommended it), and from the moment we walked in, we knew it was going to be a fun spot. Great vibe, cool atmosphere... but we were not expecting the food to be this good. Honestly, we were blown away. I had the Spicy Peanut Dish with tofu--super flavorful, veggies cooked just right, and the tofu had that perfect crispy outside. My daughter got the Blackened Salmon and it was amazing--tender, well-seasoned, and gone in like five minutes. But the real star for me? The Ancho Grill with salmon that my husband ordered. OMG. I tried one bite and immediately started plotting how to "accidentally" order that next time we go. Every dish was fantastic, but The Ancho Grill is definitely the one I'll be dreaming about until our next visit. read more

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Great local place to dine! Fun ambiance and location. Staff are always friendly and efficient; food is delicious! Would highly recommend the garlic and goat appetizer, the chimichurri steak, the sweet potato fries (definitely add garlic dipping sauce) and every dessert is amazing!! (especially the peanut butter pie, the vegan chocolate cake, and the bourbon chocolate torte!) read more

Service and vibe are awesome, drinks are good too. Pasta dish I had was ok, a little cold and sauce was too much tomato flavor. But was okay, had it for leftovers the second day.. read more

The food is amazing When I worked downtown I would frequent a couple of times a week with friends. The bartenders were great. I stopped drinking a few years back, so not a frequent visitor anymore. I had a grilled chicken salad recently and it was great. read more

Go straight through to the back and enjoy the outdoor patio. The bartender is excellent. The vibe is chill. I always have a good time here. I will order food next time. I see many beautiful looking plates. Not much for parking. Good washrooms. read more

The Top - New American Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Enjoyed dinner and cocktails at The Top = the BEST dinner in a very long time. Well worth the wait. Grab a Pan Handler with Tahini rim. Had the Garlic and Goat app. Also the Corn nuggets. Highly recommend the Top read more

Fun local spot in Gainesville! Back patio is a great option if the weather is nice. It has foosball, TVs, and its own bar aside from the indoor one. I would recommend getting ANY burger (lots of combos on the menu). Chimichurri sauce is great but the chicken and salmon were dry both times. Pretty popular spot so consider making reservations over the phone. read more

The Top - Top to bottom: Smash burger, pesto gnocchi with chicken, Chimichurri salmon, big top burger - New American Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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I've heard great things about The Top, but my experience was a bit mixed. I ordered the nachos, and while the portion was decent, it seemed like my plate had been sitting under a heat lamp for a while--probably made first while the rest of the table's meals were still being prepped. The service was a tad bit slow, even when we got seated & I think we waited 30 min for our table. All of this definitely took away from the overall experience. On the bright side, the interior & outdoor area were nicely decorated, the drinks were good! I just wish there were more drink options on the menu or at least more variety available at the outdoor bar. I'd be open to giving it another try, but this visit left me wanting a little more. read more

The Top - Nachos - New American Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Great service, really cool atmosphere. The burgers and fries were phenomenal, however the southwest pasta was a bit lacking in my opinion. Will definitely come back. read more

Oh, The Top, how I love you! I feel like growing up in Gainesville, it's alway been a staple but it wasn't always for me. When I was younger I didn't love the food and the service was spotty. Now it is my favorite place to eat and go to for date night! The cravings can be strong so beware! Lol The service has tremendously turned around over the years. I love the specials and the food in general. Every once in a while something will be off but it's more rare than not. My favorite things to order are the chimichurri grill with blackened salmon and the ancho grill with rare blackened tuna! Their haricot verts are my favorite side! All their sauces are homemade, which I love! They have a lot of Vegan and vegetarian options. Dont skip the dessert here they are worth every calorie! They also have good items for kids too! Some nights they have entertainment like magic mike. They have the best basil martinis and espresso martinis! I love the specialty frozen drinks. It can get busy but the wait is worth it. Give it a try! read more

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Only leaving a 1-star review because that's the minimum required to post. I visited on Saturday night, as this is a weekly spot for me and my friends. It was busy, which I'm used to. The food was great and the service was decent throughout most of the night. However, at the end of our meal, our server began clearing items from the table in a very aggressive manner. The table went silent when she said, "One of you left a zero-dollar tip. Don't come back here again." Most of us were unaware that someone may not have tipped. Personally, my food and drinks were great, and I left what I felt was an appropriate tip. Being publicly called out and told not to return because of one person's action at a table of seven made the entire group feel uncomfortable and unwelcome. It was disappointing, especially since this has been a place we frequent regularly. I will not be returning. This is not about race, but as a table of Black guests served by a white server and as someone who has worked in serving and still works in customer service, I found the interaction distasteful and unprofessional and not reflective of the standards I would expect from a Gainesville staple like The Top. Our server was Raquel. read more

I've been wanting to come here for a while. The vibe is fun inside and I like that they have a lot of vegan and vegetarian friendly options. I got the tuesday vegan chorizo tacos special. About the same price as one of the burgers but no side but it tasted good. I also got a mocktail and the portion was very small - same glass as the espresso martini. So I was disappointed with that. It tasted good just wish it had more flair amd was a bigger amount. Definitely come during happy hour even the mocktails are discounted but I wouldn't get this one again. I'd live to try some of the other veggie options though so I'd come back to try those. read more

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Came here during Fest. Our group had been hearing about The Top for years (especially peanut butter pie) but none had been so we made a reservation for Thursday night (A+++ choice). Immediately sat at our table, quickly served and the food was all excellent. The waiter was nice enough to take a group photo of us all since we'd just gotten into town and seeing we were a large group, split the check separately for all of us without asking. Headed to a show, we were so stuffed from dinner, we opted not to have dessert, but came back late night on Sunday to complete the mission. I am INCREDIBLY SERIOUS about the chocolate peanut butter combo, and this pie lived up to the hype, the best CPB Pie I've ever had and I'd 10/10 return just for that. Loved that they were open late for stuff like this. read more

The Top - Peanut Butter Pie - New American Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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The food and service is always wonderful. I always want to come back. We always get the corn nuggets and the waiters have fun personalities.

Food was delicious. Staff was professional and we had a great time. Post graduation. Dinner and all was great.

I've been going to The Top for 20 years, and it's still where we go when we want great food and the best atmosphere in Gainesville. My favorite appetizer is the corn nuggets with the garlic dipping sauce, and my go-to dish is the blackened salmon and I ask for a substitute of mushroom gravy over mashed potatoes. I crave it all the time. Nestled in the heart of Gainesville, The Top supports local artists and businesses and keeps the downtown scene alive with culture, creativity, and incredible food. It's a cornerstone of this town, right up there with Satchel's on the east side. read more

YUM! You can smell the deliciousness from the outside. This restaurant has a great vibe! I stopped by as a solo diner at 8 PM on a Tuesday and encountered a 45-minute wait. So, I decided to place a to-go order. I chose the au poivre picanha style, topped with encrusted cracked black peppercorns, fried onions, and shiitake mushrooms in a brandy cream sauce. It was absolutely delicious! It came with haricot verts and garlic mashed potatoes, which were also fantastic. I highly recommend it! read more

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The food was delicious here, I pretty much finished the whole plate! The chicken was cooked perfectly and the sauce was so flavorful. These were also some of the best mashed potatoes Ive had in a while! These service was great and quick, even on Valentine's Day! The ambiance is very nice, it's a bit dark in there but it's a nice romantic date night spot. read more

The Top - San Diego Chicken - New American Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Vibes/atmosphere were chill Staff was friendly They were playing Title Fight Our server was hot and trans This is what America is all about I ordered the surf and turf. It was great and cooked to perfection. The peanut butter pie was to die for. I ordered two extra to go. Would be 5 stars but the bar needs to switch to big cubes for their old fashioned. Otherwise impeccable. read more

If this was a review on the taste and quality of the food I would hands down give this 5 . But it's not. Arrived at 6:44p. Waitress came over 5 minutes later asked about drinks. I got tea. 20 minutes go by and no sign of her. So I go to the hostess stand and then she miraculously appears and commented that our 3 rd party wasn't coming and I said there is no third person. So she blames the hostess. Had no idea the hostess thought there was 3 in our party but that is up to the waitress to determine if there is more to our table. Not leave us for 20 minutes without checking in. So, she takes our order and from there no food for an hour. I'm not joking. One hour. And she didn't check in w us. Seriously this was the worst service ever. Never got the manager. Never checked in. Instead blatantly ignores us until 45 minutes in stating our food is out next. 15 min later. The food. Awesome. I got the I Love Rockets burger.(might have the name wrong). But very good. Cooked perfectly. My husband got the blackened salmon. Again. Wonderful. I swear I think she forgot to put our order in. Still rather pissed as you can tell. Now let's take a look at the decor. This place is hopping anytime I'm there. You'd think they would keep up with the wear and tear. Nope. My seat looked like it came out of some ratty diner/dive bar. All torn up. He'll on your legs if your wearing shorts. The wall behind our booth was missing decor and the paint is all chipped. This place is an icon but where's the pride and love?? Wasn't feeling the vibe. Overall 3 stars. So sad I used to love this place. read more

The Top is one of the restaurants that define the Gainesville food experience. And for good reason. Dining in on a Sunday, the wave of new and returning students coupled with the ambient lighting added to the exciting experience. A time when Gainesville truly feels a town anew, the Top, through its service and food, represents that feeling. I ordered the Mushroom ravioli and it came out in a timely manner. The sauce that it comes with is a balsamic reduction in brown butter sauce with parmesan sprinkled heartedly atop. It is amazing. The mushroom ravioli is creamy and rich, joined with the tang of the balsamic reduction, it creates a delicious bite each time. The ravioli is cooked just right, not falling apart or becoming stiff. Perhaps the best aspect is the slice of sourdough bread that you can dip into the remaining sauce. All in all, the Top is one of the best restaurants in Gainesville in terms of atmosphere and food. read more

A must eat place! We stopped here during a day trip to Gainesville and I am soooo glad we did! This was recommended to us and now I am recommending it to you! First off, do be prepared for a wait. We arrived around 5:30pm and waited for about 30 minutes, but as we were leaving they were quoting more than an hour for an indoor seat (it was rather cold outside so I am sure the inside was more popular). They use a text system so you can always explore the surrounding area a bit while you wait. The inside is super charming and eclectic. The lighting is low and the volume was reasonable inside. It was super cozy and I loved just admiring the decor inside. Our server was great and very attentive. Now onto the best part, the food! The food was amazing! I am still thinking about the Gnocchi Carbonara The gnocchi was pillowy and soft, the sauce was creamy and flavorful. It was just delicious. I also really enjoyed the sweet potato fries and corn nuggets. They tasted fresh and were a great start to a wonderful meal. My boyfriend got the Southwestern Pasta, and it was ssppiicccyyy! It had a wonderful flavor but it was way way too spicy for me. I had a small taste of the sauce and could tell it was going to be intense. However, he thoroughly enjoyed it and loved all the flavor. Although he was definitely feeling the heat by the end! A great experience with wonderful food! I will definitely be back if I am ever in Gainesville again! read more

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Went on a Monday as a four top. Menu had a good selection. Decor seemed to have been from possibly an Asian restaurant. The table had the Greek salad - leaves of lettuce were huge, blue cheese burger that was not the best - this guy didn't like the blue cheese use, said he had had better. Alfredo pasta was good and so were their fried pickles (assume pickles are prepackaged, they just fry them.) Service was slow and so was the restaurant - waiter spent plenty of time at another table to our expense. read more

Good and Service was great! Also noticed patio is dog friendly and we love that. They have warmers on the patio when it's cool out

Highly recommend. We really enjoyed the ambiance and the food and service were great. Will return

Date night. This restaurant is the perfect date night spot to have yummy bar food and get creative and fun drinks. We ordered 4 different types of drinks and the bartenders were very generous because the drinks were strong. Which is much appreciated We enjoyed a delicious steak with chimichurri sauce deliciously complimenting the meal. We are soccer fans and were so happy to see the messi burger as an option. It was an Argentinian themed burger. We also ordered the nachos as an appetizer and was fresh and perfect for sharing. This restaurant is decorated head to toe which adds to the hipster aesthetic of the restaurant. We definitely recommend a visit to the Top. read more