Why were the employees yelled at constantly. Terrible. No wonder it closed down.
Sue Brown
Gator/ Glen Thompson is a dishonest, scammer and has multiple judgments against him or maybe he declared bankruptcy on them aswell as he did me.
Malcolm R.
Sorry to say that Gator's has closed.
mnt2rice
This place has great atmosphere and food. I had the burger and it was so good. You could tell the meat was very fresh and not a pre-made patty. Husband had the chicken Caesar and said it was very good. Also had the quiet puppies. Only problem there was they did not list all the ingredients on the menu. Luckily I saw carrot in them before I ate one sinceI 'm very allergic. ( I know its weird ). Good prices also however, credit card was down so they were sending everyone to the ATM. only trouble there is I got hit with a ATM fee. GGRRRRR! Only other thing is the name is different everywhere you look. It's either Rustic or Chef Gator's or Chef Gator's and friends. Would I go again, You Bet! I have heard their brunch is fabulous.
Angela Champion
Never a disappointment. Always fresh and delicious. I can’t recommend it enough.
Clare S.
Came in for my fiance's belated birthday celebration on Friday evening and it was our first time here. I ordered the Gatorade 2 piece fried chicken with collard greens, mac and cheese, and cornbread, and fiance had the the jumbalaya, and they were all delicious! The owner, Gator, came by our table and we started talking about New Orleans and the beautiful murals on the wall and his background from Louisiana, and he is so cool! The ambiance was very New Orleans, and he was so inspiring that I planned my first trip to New Orleans next year! The place is very welcoming,and we will definitely be returning!
Fred Moore
Gator the chef is super friendly and the food is amazing!
Susan Simmons Schmidt-Petersen
Great food- going back to try more!
Diane M.
We tried Gator's shortly after it opened. The line to order food was impossible to get through. We had hoped it would improve once the kinks were worked out. That has not happened. The young woman at the cash register taking orders also had to deliver food and bus tables. She was totally overwhelmed with no one to help her and apologized for making us wait in line to order and for the slow food delivery. Finally, a young man from the kitchen came to pick up dishes at the tables and eventually wiped them down. We saw at least two groups of customers walk out, because of the line and lack of staff to take orders. If this restaurant is to survive, something has to be done about the service. We probably won't patronize Gator's again.
Lucas D.
Amazing burgers! Chef Gator is so talented he was even featured on Food Network's Guys Grocery Games! The burgers and fries are amazing! The wait time are a bit long but the food is worth it! Their homemade Bread is second to none, the beef is tender and juicy and the cheese is creamy plentiful. I hear they have table service now but, last time I went you ordered at the counter. If your getting fries go for the Cajun seasoning it's amazing! Next time I go I want to try The Chicken & Waffles or the Shrimp & Grits! Overall this is the best burger in Petaluma! I would highly recommend it and hope to be back soon!
I know it says Gator Burger but the owner had said he was going to have Gumbo - I am always looking for a good Gumbo and was thrilled. But not Gumbo !!
Catherine T.
The second you walk in you are hit with amazing smells and an inviting atmosphere. One of my go tos here has always been the shrimp and grits, always on point. Creamy and full of a great array of flavors. Tonight, I had to try their rib eye. I've seen amazing reviews about it. The only thing I can say is, WOW! I was about to give up on ordering rib eyes because it's been so long since I've had a good one. Gators is way above anything I've had in the last few years, even Seared! The buffalo gator was amazing as well, the garlic green beans served under it just adds to the amazing flavor of the gator and the sauce.
Kevin B.
Best jambalaya I've ever had. Period. Seasoned brown rice simmered down in a red gravy with chicken, hot sausage, and other spicy, good stuff. Wow! Packs quite a punch! I employed Gator's for a recent catering gig. We got their jambalaya + their Black Eyed Pea Poppers which comes with your choice of dipping aioli (chipotle tomato, creole mustard, rosemary, pesto, BBQ). Both dishes were enough to feed 40 hungry hippos (and then some). These guys hit it out of the park! If you're looking to spice up your event another notch, then give Gator's a call. Can't recommend these guys enough.
Wulfstan C.
We have found this place to be very good but somewhat uneven. The fried chicken (4 stars) is very good, nicely crispy, coming out fresh and hot, but a touch on the dry side and lacking something so that it comes out a bit flat. Perhaps a touch of salt in the preparation is all it needs, but adding a bit when eating didn't fully resolve it. Red beans and rice (about 3.5 to 4 stars) are flavourful with a bit of spice. However, like the fried chicken they are a little one-dimensional with some depth missing, so that they kind of fall flat. The crawfish etouffe (3.5 to 4) was similar - spicy and tasty, but somewhat vague and a touch one-dimensional. All three dishes are very good but had nothing that made me really interested in having more. The bayou burger is good (3.5 to 4) but nothing special. However, the peanut butter pie and greens are both excellent. The pie is peanutty and sweet but not too much of either, and has an airy lightness while overall it has nice balance and is well-rounded. The same is true of the greens, a touch spicy but not overly so, nicely seasoned and well-rounded with depth of character, not overcooked or undercooked. Both are memorably excellent. There is some good beer but, like most places of any sort they need more darker/roastier/maltier beers to accompany the full range of food that they have. Service is pretty good and seems well-meaning, but it is somewhat unprofessional and inefficient.
Robert2420
Talked up “Chef Gators” place and the wonderful past experiences. Family agreed to have dinner on Monday. Out of corn bread, no French fries(0nly sweet potato), no collard greens and when seated the table next to us said they had been waiting almost an hour. Ours arrived in 20 minutes. Very disappointed and embarrassed for Chef Gator.
Why were the employees yelled at constantly. Terrible. No wonder it closed down.
Gator/ Glen Thompson is a dishonest, scammer and has multiple judgments against him or maybe he declared bankruptcy on them aswell as he did me.
Sorry to say that Gator's has closed.
This place has great atmosphere and food. I had the burger and it was so good. You could tell the meat was very fresh and not a pre-made patty. Husband had the chicken Caesar and said it was very good. Also had the quiet puppies. Only problem there was they did not list all the ingredients on the menu. Luckily I saw carrot in them before I ate one sinceI 'm very allergic. ( I know its weird ). Good prices also however, credit card was down so they were sending everyone to the ATM. only trouble there is I got hit with a ATM fee. GGRRRRR! Only other thing is the name is different everywhere you look. It's either Rustic or Chef Gator's or Chef Gator's and friends. Would I go again, You Bet! I have heard their brunch is fabulous.
Never a disappointment. Always fresh and delicious. I can’t recommend it enough.
Came in for my fiance's belated birthday celebration on Friday evening and it was our first time here. I ordered the Gatorade 2 piece fried chicken with collard greens, mac and cheese, and cornbread, and fiance had the the jumbalaya, and they were all delicious! The owner, Gator, came by our table and we started talking about New Orleans and the beautiful murals on the wall and his background from Louisiana, and he is so cool! The ambiance was very New Orleans, and he was so inspiring that I planned my first trip to New Orleans next year! The place is very welcoming,and we will definitely be returning!
Gator the chef is super friendly and the food is amazing!
Great food- going back to try more!
We tried Gator's shortly after it opened. The line to order food was impossible to get through. We had hoped it would improve once the kinks were worked out. That has not happened. The young woman at the cash register taking orders also had to deliver food and bus tables. She was totally overwhelmed with no one to help her and apologized for making us wait in line to order and for the slow food delivery. Finally, a young man from the kitchen came to pick up dishes at the tables and eventually wiped them down. We saw at least two groups of customers walk out, because of the line and lack of staff to take orders. If this restaurant is to survive, something has to be done about the service. We probably won't patronize Gator's again.
Amazing burgers! Chef Gator is so talented he was even featured on Food Network's Guys Grocery Games! The burgers and fries are amazing! The wait time are a bit long but the food is worth it! Their homemade Bread is second to none, the beef is tender and juicy and the cheese is creamy plentiful. I hear they have table service now but, last time I went you ordered at the counter. If your getting fries go for the Cajun seasoning it's amazing! Next time I go I want to try The Chicken & Waffles or the Shrimp & Grits! Overall this is the best burger in Petaluma! I would highly recommend it and hope to be back soon!
Restaurantji Recommends
I know it says Gator Burger but the owner had said he was going to have Gumbo - I am always looking for a good Gumbo and was thrilled. But not Gumbo !!
The second you walk in you are hit with amazing smells and an inviting atmosphere. One of my go tos here has always been the shrimp and grits, always on point. Creamy and full of a great array of flavors. Tonight, I had to try their rib eye. I've seen amazing reviews about it. The only thing I can say is, WOW! I was about to give up on ordering rib eyes because it's been so long since I've had a good one. Gators is way above anything I've had in the last few years, even Seared! The buffalo gator was amazing as well, the garlic green beans served under it just adds to the amazing flavor of the gator and the sauce.
Best jambalaya I've ever had. Period. Seasoned brown rice simmered down in a red gravy with chicken, hot sausage, and other spicy, good stuff. Wow! Packs quite a punch! I employed Gator's for a recent catering gig. We got their jambalaya + their Black Eyed Pea Poppers which comes with your choice of dipping aioli (chipotle tomato, creole mustard, rosemary, pesto, BBQ). Both dishes were enough to feed 40 hungry hippos (and then some). These guys hit it out of the park! If you're looking to spice up your event another notch, then give Gator's a call. Can't recommend these guys enough.
We have found this place to be very good but somewhat uneven. The fried chicken (4 stars) is very good, nicely crispy, coming out fresh and hot, but a touch on the dry side and lacking something so that it comes out a bit flat. Perhaps a touch of salt in the preparation is all it needs, but adding a bit when eating didn't fully resolve it. Red beans and rice (about 3.5 to 4 stars) are flavourful with a bit of spice. However, like the fried chicken they are a little one-dimensional with some depth missing, so that they kind of fall flat. The crawfish etouffe (3.5 to 4) was similar - spicy and tasty, but somewhat vague and a touch one-dimensional. All three dishes are very good but had nothing that made me really interested in having more. The bayou burger is good (3.5 to 4) but nothing special. However, the peanut butter pie and greens are both excellent. The pie is peanutty and sweet but not too much of either, and has an airy lightness while overall it has nice balance and is well-rounded. The same is true of the greens, a touch spicy but not overly so, nicely seasoned and well-rounded with depth of character, not overcooked or undercooked. Both are memorably excellent. There is some good beer but, like most places of any sort they need more darker/roastier/maltier beers to accompany the full range of food that they have. Service is pretty good and seems well-meaning, but it is somewhat unprofessional and inefficient.
Talked up “Chef Gators” place and the wonderful past experiences. Family agreed to have dinner on Monday. Out of corn bread, no French fries(0nly sweet potato), no collard greens and when seated the table next to us said they had been waiting almost an hour. Ours arrived in 20 minutes. Very disappointed and embarrassed for Chef Gator.