50 Best American Restaurants in Gainesville

“Delicious healthy option! We loved it for lunch so much that we ordered it again for dinner!“

“Absolutely amazing service! I came here for the second time and took my friend who had never been for his birthday. All the staff members were incredibly sweet, especially our waitress Jimmy Bynum. He was incredibly social and also very polite. They even brought out cookies and a candle for my friend’s birthday. Even better that we happened to come at the same time as Coach Spurrier for dinner. Overall great staff, amazing food, and great environment.“

“Delicious healthy option! We loved it for lunch so much that we ordered it again for dinner!“

“Ford's garage fries, crispy yet soft on the inside. Flaky and peppery with a perfect balance of salt to compliment it. Hard to get on point fries, however these people accomplished it. The burger is larger than you would expect from a visual standpoint. It has fresh ingredients. I had the bison instead of the standard beef. It's freshly ground instead of ground beef. So as opposed to the patties being frozen coming in it's slabs of meat that they grind and then cook. The medium well option that I went with I recommend highly. They seared it on the outside and cooked at medium on the inside. The char has good flavor to it and the barbecue sauce has a very nice marriage with the cheddar cheese and the applewood smoked bacon. The romaine lettuce adds a nice touch on the bottom of the burger instead of the top. It's overall a very hard Burger to beat by any other restaurant. I very strongly recommend Ford's garage to any nostalgic burger lover.“

“What a great diner! The food was delicious, the staff was friendly, and the coffee just kept coming. My friends and I have found our new breakfast spot!“

“The pizookies were so good, definitely lived up to the fame! the service was also amazing, my waitress Dina was super friendly and quick with our orders, she gave me and my friend great recommendations and was overall really helpful! I will definitely return for great food and service.“

“Outstanding service by Alex! We were able to get a table pretty quick and ordered a couple of burgers and beers. Food was tasty and the service was on point. Will add Gators Dockside to the list next time we are in town. Go Gators!“

“I had a very good experience going here and they have very good food! Thank you!“

“Unique restaurant with good food choices for different diets. One of my favorite local restaurants!“

“Went so far above and beyond helping me get a gift certificate for a dear friend - 1000% dedicated to community, care, and top notch YUM! Thank you Fehrenbacher's Artisan Sausages“

“Delicious food. The chaat tots were amaaazing!“

“Awesome food. Great people. 5 stars“

“If you have not tried out this place you are missing out!!the drinks are amazing and the food is delicious! Service is top notch and atmosphere makes for a perfect evening! ❤️❤️ we will definitely be back!“

“food was good...........“

“The Cracker Barrel on Archer Rd is refreshing when it comes to service, and food quality. Hard to dine when you have children under 8 years old, screaming and uncontrollable by parents, but that is not the restaurant’s fault.“

“Atmosphere and a unique menu. This is a Gainesville must visit if visiting.“

“First time eating here. Service was excellent (Jared). Food was delicious. Everything tasted fresh and very flavorful. Will be back for sure. We forgot to take pictures of our food until we ate half of it already. Hubby got the Cuban with fries. Delicious. I got the caprese grilled cheese with the garlic green beans. Very good as well. The place appeared clean and staff was very attentive. Apparently they have a new menu as of one week ago. Give it try.“

“This is a great little place for takeout food between classes. It’s like a pod market but also has a boars head, starbucks express, kfc express, and a smoothie place (think smoothie king).I got a takeout sub from boars head with spinach, tomato, banana peppers, onion, roast beef, and wheat bread and a whole sub was only $8. I found the price amazing for being on campus food. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone if you’re tired of subway!“

“I am impressed. The layout and design are completely different than the previous restaurant, but that’s not bad. The staff is very friendly. Our waitress was Ayanna. She’s very reliable and friendly. The burger was delicious. A little pricey, but definitely worth it.“

“Everything is delicious, custard is the bomb 💣“

“My husband and I went to Applebees for dinner. We had the most amazing server Ketsy! Very attentive and polite. What she didn’t know is I’m a stickler for service. She met all of our needs. Thanks Ketsy you rock!!?“

“My daughter and I agreed that the pastrami sandwiches we had pre-flight were among the BEST we've ever had, anywhere. And the onion rings definitely were the best - perfectly crispy until the last one was consumed. Great service, too!“

“Great food and wonderful service!“

“Staff and food are always excellent...“

“We had a great dinner tonight and our server, Drew, was very friendly. She took the time to chat and talk about the food. 5/5!“

“Love it!!“

“Absolutely, hands down, my favorite restaurant in Gainesville. You can taste the love put into every dish. The best hummus I’ve ever had. Vegan and vegetarian options were a big selling point for us.

Dietary restrictions: Gluten free and vegan options were easy to find.“

“Charles is amazing“

“Had the largest bowl, amazing variety, so many excellent flavors“

“This is my favorite restaurant. We eat here all the time I belong to the fridays club
So I get free salsa and chips every visit and I get points for every visit that I use to receive free entree’s. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone
12/01/24
We are still in love with Fridays. MJ was our server today and she was awesome. The club
Changes but the deals are still awesome the people friendly and ready to serve. I 🩷Fridays“

“We went here after we had both our kids at shands. They were in the nicu 2 different years and we always went there! We moved to Illinois so anytime we come to Florida we make sure to stop at country foodly!“

“If you go in the afternoon and Marcelo serves you, you will have excellent service, he remembers your order, you don't have to call him to ask for things, the cooks do an excellent job too, the food comes out quickly and exactly as you order, I recommend it 100%“

“we had a appointment at Shands and decided to have an early dinner. we started with the grouper fingers which were excellent. For my dinner I had the fried green tomatoes and she crab soup. They were both delicious 😋 Hubby had chicken sandwich and fries which were both good but he wishes he would have gotten something else like the shrimp etouffee. We will definitely be back. Our waitress was an absolute sweetheart sorry I forgot her name. But highly recommend!!“

“The food is always fresh and absolutely delicious! The Dutch baby is one of my favorite things ever, I dream of it. The espresso drinks and baked goods are also phenomenal. One of my favorite joints in town!“

“Best breakfast and lunch. Worth going to. Cheaper than any other diner. Clean“

“Great Gator spot! Good food. Sports etc!“

“CLEAN & actually made the food correct ✅ Food & service was on point 10/10! We will be back! Glad we stopped in since the one near where we live is not good! 💯 Finally I can start eating Millers again! 😮‍💨🤤🇺🇸🫶❤️‍🔥👏🙋‍♀️“

“We had a great dinner at Longhorn! The food was delicious, and we love that the warm bread is included with your meal—it’s such a nice touch. We highly recommend the shrimp appetizer; it was packed with flavor. Our waitress was really attentive, and the whole restaurant was very clean and comfortable. The only miss was the Parmesan-crusted chicken—our daughter says it was just okay, so maybe skip that one. Overall, a great experience!“

“Anytime I meet my son for brunch in Gainesville this is where I want to eat! Love the Flying Biscuit! Food is so yummy!!“

“East End Eatery is my favorite breakfast place in Gainesville! The best breakfast burrito in town! Always fresh veggies, gouda cheese grits that always satisfy, even a Florida native like me. Treat yourself to the best waffle in town. Crisp outside with light fluffy center. Not heavy at all. Real shrimp and grits worth the wait for cooked to order meal. The service is always friendly with a smile. The owner works all areas. She loves to meet customers. Hope you enjoy the experience as much as I do.“

“Decided to try Gators Den for dinner and was pleasantly surprised at how great it was!! Had the burger, cooked perfectly. Also had the wings and they were amazing! Our waitress (Ashlynn) was equally amazing! Very attentive and knowledgeable. Will definitely be back and recommend!“

“I have been to Sandy’s place twice now, each time a a different but absolutely amazing experience. The food is great and staff is very friendly and welcoming. The new owner and chef is amazing too! I highly recommend.“

“Been a patron for years. Like the food, the prices and the vibe. Last night I ordered takeout. Online menu prices were not included. Upon arrival I discovered my Philly Cheese sandwich was $19.50. What is this, Ruth Chris? Good sandwich for ten. Not 20. Taking a break from Crafty.“

“First time eating here today and it won't be our last! Amazing food and super nice people! I highly recommend you give them a try.“

“Sunday morning breakfast. Steady flow of in and out customers. Service was friendly from the moment we walked in. Isaac was our sever and took awesome care of us. The food was hot and tasty. Appreciated the Manager, Garrett, stopping by towards the end of our meal to check on our experience. 10/10 would recommend. See you next time, Keke’s!“

“It’s a good place to spend time with friends.“

“The food was scrummy! Mildred and New Deal are conjoint twin restaurants. This one tries for a hip yuppy vibe but could be cleaner - Mildred is table cloth, napkins and seniors. If seniors with oxygen tubes eat there, I will trust the safety of their food. A couple of different vegetarian options at New Deal but not so much at Mildred. The waitress also told us later that they could make many Of Mildred 's vegetarian. The pumpkin cheesecake was amazing, better than cheesecake factory. The coconut pineapple cake was okay. 8$ a slice for canned pineapples and not a layer of pineapple jam? Mch mch mch.“

“Music and atmosphere were great as always. Service has improved dramatically since the last time I stopped in. Emma was fantastic. She was very friendly and made sure we were never waiting for another round of drinks. Will definitely make sure to come back!“

“Great service. We came in on a Sunday morning when they were short staffed in the kitchen (as are a lot of restaurants these days). Was told the wait for food before we were even seated. Our waitress, Michelle, was wonderful. We got our food, which was delicious, faster than we expected. Cute outdoor seating where you can bring your dog. We will be back.“

“Really great trout and excellent seasonal mocktails!“