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    The Top

    4.1 (1.3k reviews)
    ModerateNew American, Bars
    Open 5:00 pm - 2:00 am (Next day)
    Updated 2 months ago

    The Top Photos

    Business Info

    THE TOP ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Hipster
    Casual
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - The Top

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    Reviews With Photos

    CALL THEM! THEY ARE OPEN!!
    Erich C.

    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....

    Angel & Rockets Burger
    Jordan C.

    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!

    Hibiscus Gimlet

    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.

    Spicy Peanut Dish with Tofu
    Daphne M.

    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.

    Shawnna P.

    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.

    Top to bottom: Smash burger, pesto gnocchi with chicken, Chimichurri salmon, big top burger
    Emily W.

    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.

    Nachos
    Aerille A.

    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.

    Coleslaw and lady Ann
    Carly W.

    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!

    Hayli Z.

    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.

    Peanut Butter Pie
    Ben S.

    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.

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    2 months ago

    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

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    4 months ago

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

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    3 months ago

    Extremely slow service, all the time. We arrived at 7pm and it's almost 10pm and we still haven't received our food.

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    8 months ago

    Enjoyed the ambiance, service was great, and our food was delicious! Will definitely come back!

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    Page 1 of 34

    The Top Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - The Top

    Is this place 21+ after 10pm? Can I come here with some friends after 10 even if i'm underage?

    Yes it is. Sometimes if you're inside before 10 you'll be fine but they might come around and ID everyone after 10

    Is there outdoor seating available?

    There is a bar in the back that's outside & seating for that. Not sure if dinner is served out there though.

    Are thee gluten or dairy free options? I have a couple of food allergies and just really want dessert!?

    I know that they have vegan dessert options but not sure if they are gluten free aswell

    Does The Top do reservations?

    Not a chance.

    View All 7 Questions

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    HASS Kitchen - Avocado fries with a spicy little mango/pineapple dip

    HASS Kitchen

    (101 reviews)

    $$

    Easily the best Eggs Benedict in the city. Get it with a side of the billionaire bacon. You'll…read morethank me later.

    Really cute spot - a bit bohemian and crunchy feeling. Limited parking available right behind if…read moreyou're driving. It's not a big place. Seating is divided between indoor and outdoor patio. Order at the counter, get a number and then they will bring food out to you. Self serve water is available inside. We were there a busy day. Wait to order wasn't too bad and we found a table outside, but nobody was bussing any tables so basically customers sitting down were left clearing the dishes from the table of the people before them & wiping down the table. Nobody from the restaurant came out to help or apologize and it wasn't until dishes were almost toppling out of the bin that anyone took them away. Menu is pretty diverse - you can get some traditional items or more eclectic. We ordered the green goddess salad, croque mademoiselle (ham & cheese sandwich) on gluten free bread & okonomiyaki (japanese pancakes with cloud eggs). It took probably 30 min to get our food. The food presentation is really lovely & feels special when it's delivered. However, taste left something to be desired. The Japanese pancakes weren't good. The egg specifically looked really pretty all puffed up, but was so bad none of us were willing to have more than one bite. There were some other funky flavors going on there as well that detracted from enjoying it. The ham & cheese sandwich was okay, but the cheese is put on the outside, including a runny cheese, so it's a total mess to try and eat. Definitely do not order this one on a date! We ended up just eating the inside portion. It does come with a small green goddess type salad, which is nice. The entree green goddess appeared great when delivered. Loved the light, fresh dressing and ingredients. However, lots of the lettuce had sort of rotting tips, which made me worried to eat it especially since this isn't the cleanest place. Despite appreciating the quirkiness of the restaurant and the selection of fresh options they offer, we won't be returning.

    The Swamp Restaurant - It's dessert time at the swamp restaurant. Our mouthwatering warm skillet brownie is the perfect way to end dinner.

    The Swamp Restaurant

    (286 reviews)

    $$

    My friends and I came here for the CFB National Championship this past Monday and had a blast! The…read moreSwamp 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!!

    We had a great experience at The Swamp Restaurant. Parking was okay, but since they don't have…read moretheir 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.

    Bolay - Gainesville University

    Bolay - Gainesville University

    (13 reviews)

    It has been a minute since I've visited Bolay and man have I been missing out! Bolay caters towards…read moreserving customers fresh, healthy, and customizable "bols". Their ingredients are all very fresh and whole food focused. They pride themselves in using primarily olive oil for all their cooking--which I absolutely LOVE. The staff is always super helpful and very friendly. This particular location is also kept very clean, which is always appreciated. The portion sizes are always very filling as well. Some may consider the food to be more expensive, but I think it is fair. Especially compared to other eateries around (that are the same price), Bolay's quality and quantity easily justify the price. I always order a large Bol. The large bol consists of 4 greens, grains, or vegetables, 2 proteins, 3 toppings, and an optional sauce. I usually opt for a grain, a green, and 2 vegetables for the base. I find this to balance the bol out the most. My bol consisted of 100% whole grain black rice, chopped kale salad, garlic broccoli, roasted sweet potatoes, signature steak, rotisserie chicken thigh, pickled onions, feta, and chimichurri tomatoes. Their rice is always cooked to perfect and I enjoy their jasmine rice a lot. But the black rice was new to me. I'm so glad I tried it as it had a lot of flavor. A "nuttier" taste with a slightly stickier consistency, it was really good. You can never go wrong with any of their salads, broccoli, or sweet potatoes. The vegetables are always cooked perfectly! Seasoned just right, they are never dry, and have good texture. I definitely credit this to the fact they use olive oil to cook all their vegetables. Another thing I ALWAYS order is their signature steak. While this is a $3.75 up-charge, it is 100% worth it. The medium rare cook on the steak never fails and the portion is generous. I also tried the rotisserie chicken thigh for the first time and thoroughly enjoyed that too. I never order a sauce for my bols as I find the food has enough flavor itself. All in all, I need to go to Bolay more frequently next semester. A great, healthy option that fills you up and doesn't leave you feeling bloated--they offer so many great options! You can tell they use fresher ingredients and better cooking methods, which I greatly appreciate. The vegetables are delicious, the proteins are tender, and the portions are large. I think this one of the better lunch or dinner options in midtown. You are paying for higher quality food and getting more out of it compared to other places around. Cannot wait for my next visit come August!

    Flavorful and ample options. Never seems to be super crowded which is good if you're in a rush and…read moreneed a healthy meal.

    Prime & Pearl - 8oz Filet

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    We tied the knot at Town Hall and wanted a beautiful place to celebrate our marriage. We love…read moreCelebration Pointe, which is why we chose Prime & Pearl, and they did not disappoint! Parking was free and plentiful, and we were seated without a long wait, though we highly recommend making reservations, especially on busy nights. The vibe is low-lit, romantic, and intimate which was perfect for a special occasion. Our waitress was fabulous and very attentive throughout the evening. To start, their "poppers" were absolutely delicious and a fun twist on traditional bread service, especially paired with the incredible blueberry butter. To celebrate, I ordered their Painkiller cocktail, which was smooth, delicious, and hit the spot. I also had the French onion soup, which arrived piping hot with perfectly melted cheese. For our entrées, we ordered the filet, the NY strip, and the rack of lamb, and every dish was excellent. We shared the corn and mashed potatoes, both of which were outstanding. I also loved the artistic touch on the menu check presentation. Overall, we're so happy we chose Prime & Pearl to celebrate our new marriage and will absolutely be returning in the future.

    Prime & Pearl We had…read morean incredible evening at Prime and Pearl, and a huge part of that was our server, Kelly. She truly made our night so enjoyable. Kelly was professional, attentive, and genuinely kind, striking the perfect balance of being present without ever feeling intrusive. Every recommendation she made--from the wine pairing to the side dishes and even dessert--was absolutely spot on. The food was outstanding, and the service elevated the entire experience. We will definitely be returning and will be asking for Kelly in the future. Exceptional service like hers makes all the difference.

    The Top - newamerican - Updated May 2026

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