Restaurants near Downtown Jacksonville

“Brick is an oasis in an otherwise dearth of downtown lunch options. The specials are always on point and varied. The staff is super friendly and very efficient. Doing over 100 lunches daily in this tiny little place without making customers have to wait more than maybe 5 minutes for your food is quite impressive! My only complaint is that I wish they were open on Saturdays so that I don't have to blindly wander the downtown streets in desperate search for a decent lunch.”

“Our server was Haley and she was so polite and attentive. She never let me run out of water. Our food was hot and delicious. It was my birthday and Haley made me feel extra celebrated with a flaming baton in the dessert. Definitely would go back and ask to be in her section.”

“This is my grand daughter's favorite place for brunch. Grandma your going to love it! She was right, my first Filipino experience. I can't remember what I had, but I ate it all and sampled her and my Son's entree as well. The food, the atmosphere and the hospitality of Evana will be my go to for my next experience. That garlic choy and spicey vinegar needs to be bottled up and sold. ❤️ me some Purple Roots!!”

“JL’s has been a staple to my Navy family since the early seventies. We moved from Guantánamo Bay Cuba to Jacksonville.. Dad 95 years old and I had another great dinner! Liz, took care of us tonight, she went over and beyond the call of duty! I told her I wanted to get a new t-shirt when we finished dinner. We place our order and next thing I know she brings out several T-shirts for me to choose from! That’s, that extra little touch that goes a long way!”

“Great food! Even better service! We’ve been several times and waited on by Bobby every time. He’s super helpful with menu items. Takes time to explain everything. He’s very ver nice and very attentive.”

“Cute little dinning experience. Had the short rib and boyfriend had the schnitzel. And we weren’t sure what to think about fried bananas but omg amazing… not mushy- I would 10/10 recommend!”

“Awesome Ice Cream shop, good flavors and value - my wife and I ordered small waffle cones and got a bunch of delicious ice cream! Will definitely visit again soon”

“The blueberry bread pudding with goat cheese is delish!!!!! Full Stop! But, the shrimp and grits were perfect too! Shrimp cooked just right and the roux was expertly seasoned. Some of the best food I’ve had in a while! 🤌🏼 Oh, did I mention the friendly and prompt waitstaff? Get there! You won’t be disappointed. 😊”

“Wonderful restaurant with a varied and unique menu. Their dishes are cooked to perfection and the service is impeccable!”

“The vibes are on point, the ice cream is delicious and the owner couldn’t be more friendly and welcoming. Everything in this ice cream shop is PERFECT and INTENTIONAL ❤️”

“We were looking for a place to have Brunch and a lady outside of the restaurant gave us a Menu and invited us to enter. She took care of us and recommended The Scallops, the huevos rancheros, and the ribeye, we really enjoyed a wonderful meal, the atmosphere and the kind waitress. We can not wait to try other dishes”

“Tried tonight for first time..so good!! We had the hummus/pitas then chicken kabob platter with saffron rice & salad, beef tangine with saffron rice. Everything on point, friendly staff and excellent chefs cooking the food!! A definite go to. A++”

“We always appreciate the tanginess Of the sauce and the perfect chewy crust. Definitely go for one of the large salads and if you haven’t tried the wings, they are killer and as big as advertised. Richard is often our server and he is on top of it. Never a bad experience at Carmines!”

“Solid beer selection and love Ryan the bartender!”

“We had a group of about 25 people o. Saturday, and the food and service were both top notch. Wiam and Raed jumped in with their crew, and took such good care of our huge group. The food was amazing, and most of us had never been there before, but all said we would be back. We can't thank them enough for hosting us!”

“Food is amazing, staff is friendly and food was pretty fast”

“I absolutely love this food, besides the wonderful taste you get a heaping amount of food. I have never seen such a large calzone and the taste is amazingly big. It is large enough to feed four people and still have some left. The value is totally amazing. The food here is authentic New York with an owner so willing to please, he takes pride in his food, willing to accept and implement whatever request is made , if it is possible to do it he will do it. Howies’ owner is scrimping and saving for a place to show off his food, if he can keep thieves from steeling his equipment. I for one is rooting for him and hope to see his establishment upgrade soon. He has all homemade food the pasta he makes from scratch actually everything he makes from scratch,so let’s all wish him luck on succeeding.”

“Tina is a great server and the foods is very good and plentiful. Enjoyed the experience!”

“Tikka Bowls and Tacos offers a unique and delicious fusion of Indian and Mexican flavors. The build-your-own bowls and naan tacos are packed with fresh ingredients and bold spices, making each bite flavorful and satisfying. The Chicken Tikka Rice Bowl and Mango Lassi were standout favorites. The service was friendly, and the atmosphere was casual yet inviting. Whether you’re craving Indian flavors with a twist or looking for a fresh, customizable meal, this spot is a must-try! Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐”

“I love going to this store/ Rahm, Derica, Fabio and Shiela make sure your delicious food is to your taste and it is good. The staff treats you with excellence. I eat here a lot. The store is imma”

“I rarely enjoy the food and service at restaurants but this was a phenomenal experience. Caroline at the Jax beach location was wonderful waitress. The Red snapper was seasoned to perfection and the price was reasonable(average).would definitely recommend. The accommodations are nothing extra fancy inside but good food and good service.”

“this Carrabba's location has the best food I have ever had. the manager there, Ray, is an awesome fellow. I recommend going there for lunch and dinner. absolutely the most delicious food and wonderful service”

“LUV all their food - all freshly made!”

“How is this place not rated yet? The other day my husband picked up an Iced Chai for me , then we were in the area again so I was like lets get another because the first one was delicious. Im always looking for a awesome chai experience and Kava delivered. 👌”

“Amazing evening out. Everyone was so friendly as you entered the restaurant. It started with one of the best pomegranate martinis I ever had. Our server Jessica was excellent and all the servers that came to the table paid attention to detail. The most impressive part of the evening was the impeccable style of chef Justin. We had the 6 courses chef’s adventure tasting menu and I cannot say enough about the cuisine. The harmony of flavors and the mastery of technique with the plating presentation was magnificent. The chef came to the table to explain each plate that was presented. He’s very knowledgeable regarding the dishes he prepares and you could see his personality come through in the way the dishes were plated and the flavors that came through with each plate. With the cuisine Justin is preparing this restaurant could be a Michelin star restaurant in notime. By the way I am gluten free so the chef had to make changes to my dishes only. I cannot say enough on how much we enjoyed the entire evening. We will definitely be visiting Matthew’s again.”

“Tasty Cuban breakfast sandwich and empanada, so full of flavor! The coffee’s smooth and hits the spot. Staff is super friendly, and the whole place has that laid-back local vibe.”

“It's all about Matt! Food: My husband and I had Fried Catfish and Cajun fries. Great! Place: Very nice. Pleasant atmosphere. Service: Extraordinary! Server: Matt. This is where I get into details. Everything about this place was pretty much like any restaurant we have eaten at. But, the service is what separates one location from another. Our server Matt was the point man on this and he has it in spades. He never missed a beat. He gave his real recommendations on what dishes are good and which ones are great. He kept our glasses filled, constantly making sure our table was clean. Always stopping by to make sure we were fine without being overbearing. He paid close attention to what everyone (we were a table of 8) wanted. And the whole time he smiled and presented himself as someone who loves their job. I would go back to Cajun Crab just for him. Great service. He is why I give this place a 5-star. Thank you Matt.”

“We visited River & Post last night for the first time for a birthday dinner after hearing so many good things, and I can honestly say the praise was very well deserved. Everything from the quality and timeliness of our meals to the friendly, informative and attentive servers were exceptional, which sadly is not a common trait in upscale restaurants. I had the Broiled Ocean Platter which consisted of broiled mahi, three sea scallops and four large shrimp served in a citrus herb beurre blanc sauce, whipped potatoes and beautiful crisp tender veggies. All of my entre ingredients were cooked perfectly, the buttery lemon sauce was such a nice compliment to this dish and let all the distinct flavors of each seafood component shine. Too often sauces can be overpowering and used to moisten overcooked and flavorless seafood. I’m glad I opted out of a predinner salad or appetizer as this entre is very substantial and I wanted to save some room for dessert. My husband also very much enjoyed his choice of the Seared Filet Mignon served a mustard demi-glace, confit potatoes and sauteed broccolini. The steak was perfectly prepared to his medium rare request and he raved about how flavorful it was. Both of our meals arrived hot, beautifully plated, and we devoured them completely. Then the decision came for dessert. Since we were sharing, we opted for the wonderfully decadent Chocolate Mousse Torte. This torte could easily be called “Death by Chocolate” due to its intense deep chocolate flavor which had a more silken fudge like consistency than a typical fluffy mousse, but still seemed surprisingly light as the chocolate just melted in our mouths. The torte was served with a chocolate drizzle, freshly whipped cream and plump blackberries. What a wonderful finish to this birthday dinner! Thank you, R&P, for this great dining experience. We’ll definitely be back, and we won’t be waiting for the next birthday to do so.”