I came to Wayward Fox with friends. It's a great small plate style restaurant, and we ordered lots of delicious things... service was fast, even when we added a few more plates mid-meal. We loved the J*** Chicken, Korean BBQ Beef Fries, and the Spring Rolls (super delicious).
Hungry B.
Tough times ahead for ol' foxy boy if he can't figure out how to season food or cook properly. Get it together.
Mary Monahan
The food is really different and delicious .. and that is a high bar for me since I love trying new things and have had a lot of years to hunt down new flavors. However, it is on the expensive side for Gainesville
Kate H.
Different than anything else in Gainesville! Very thoughtfully put together menu and carefully prepared food. Staff was on point, super friendly and helpful. Food came out fast. The murals are incredible! and I would come back just for the bar.
Aysha W.
I am really sad to write this review. I really wanted my experience here to be a good one and I'm always rooting for the new locally owned spots here in Gainesville. Unfortunately, I cant leave a positive review and still maintain my honesty. I came here for brunch service. Brunch service is brand new I believe so keep that in mind as you read my review (I'm hopeful things will improve). You order at the counter and get a number and seat yourself. There was a short line and we didn't have to wait long. We ordered the crab salad with corn cakes, the shrimp and grits and a side order of home fries. We ordered mimosas to drink and tried to order hot coffee. They didn't have hot coffee, only cold brew. I was surprised and disappointed in that but the cold brew was ok. The food came out in a decent amount of time but looked very unappetizing when it arrived. The crab salad and "corn cakes" looked like they were just tossed on the plate. The crab salad which was supposed to be made with creme fraiche was plentiful but was in no way seasoned and was in no way what I would consider a salad. It was in essence wet shredded crab with some bits of veggies and herbs mixed with it. Flavorless. The "corn cakes" looked and tasted exactly like boxed pancake mix pancakes that might have had a sprinkle of cornmeal added to the batter. And that was the dish. Two very poorly executed components that when combined, didn't taste good. The shrimp and grits was no better. You could tell that there was an attempt though. The grits themselves were high quality (product wise) but were not cooked for long enough so the texture was off. The worst part was that the dish was in no way seasoned. Literally zero salt. I've never eaten such under seasoned food before. I was shocked when I took the first bite. All you tasted was coconut milk. It was barely edible. Have you ever eaten something that made you mad before? The homefries were the only dish that were ok but even they had not been seasoned. Luckily, fried potatoes are good no matter what. If there hadn't been a salt shaker on the table, we would have left without eating. And it seems we weren't the only ones that took issue with the food because I heard a table nearby us complaining about their food as well. If it weren't for the mimosas and the fact that you pay for your food up front, I think the overall situation would have looked different. Again, I'm really disappointed that this was our experience. The restaurant has such a nice vibe and is in a great location. There is a lot of room for improvement as far as the food goes though and I'm hoping things improve quickly.
Mark Morchel
First visit yesterday. Sun. 3/10. We walked from a film at the Hipp for dinner. 4 of us. Great looking interior. Classic bar. Staff: Excellent. Great Happy Hour Specials. My bride and shared a few small plates, 2 beers, 2 tequila shots. The bill was noticeably under $30.00. Thanks for a very nice, new downtown experience.
Jennifer K.
Service was great and ordering was easy. There are several vegan options, but the food is lacking in flavor. The barbecue bok choy and mushrooms has potential, but there were maybe 2 mushrooms in the dish. I also had the edamame and tossed rice which were both pretty bland. Pickled cucumbers taste like, well, pickles. Vegan Thai tea drink from the bar was pretty good.
Angelica Ross
Walked in and was treated like family. Hospitality at its finest. Bing Bam Boom, it was like they read my mind. Food was delicious and service was quick. Thank you chef and staff.
Angelica Nicole Ross
Staff is super hospitable! Thanks for making my family feel welcomed. Chef Steve is doing it RIGHT!
Stuart R
Has a cool vibe, cosy, food is fast and tasty. Amazing service... kudos to chef steve. What a nice little nook... bbq fries are a must!
I came to Wayward Fox with friends. It's a great small plate style restaurant, and we ordered lots of delicious things... service was fast, even when we added a few more plates mid-meal. We loved the J*** Chicken, Korean BBQ Beef Fries, and the Spring Rolls (super delicious). The only annoying thing was no table service for alcohol... you had to walk to the bar and order there. They did have some lovely cocktail concoctions though.
Robert Jones
Wayward Fox is a wonderful addition to the Gainesville downtown food scene. Super classy shareable food with TONS of vegetarian and vegan options. Each small plate they have on the menu is good for a meal by itself, or great for ordering several and sharing amongst your group.
LindaL6438
We just recently went to the Wayward Fox where Gosia and Ali were playing music. We enjoyed the happy hour wine and appetizer prices. The menu is limited but you can get small plates which are reasonaby priced and try many different selections, I was told the chef has traveled to many countries and incorporates his travel experiences in the food options. Downtown is out of the way for us but I woud go again.
A B
I was excited to try this place because it reminded me of another restaurant - Piggy Smalls (it’s in Hawaii). Unfortunately, this restaurant did not live up to my expectations. The food is decent. But the restaurant needs to be more organized. It looks understaffed and has poor space utilization.
Chelc Rvera
Went here for the first time last night. probably won't be back. The people are friendly and the space is cute but it's incredibly echo-y and loud. The food came out super fast, but I just don't think most of the items are worth the price. I had the seafood omelette which tasted delicious but the middle was completely soggy, and there were bits of things I couldn't chew in it, which appeared to be shrimp tails. My husband ordered the steak fries to share, priced at $12, brisk
I came to Wayward Fox with friends. It's a great small plate style restaurant, and we ordered lots of delicious things... service was fast, even when we added a few more plates mid-meal. We loved the J*** Chicken, Korean BBQ Beef Fries, and the Spring Rolls (super delicious).
Tough times ahead for ol' foxy boy if he can't figure out how to season food or cook properly. Get it together.
The food is really different and delicious .. and that is a high bar for me since I love trying new things and have had a lot of years to hunt down new flavors. However, it is on the expensive side for Gainesville
Different than anything else in Gainesville! Very thoughtfully put together menu and carefully prepared food. Staff was on point, super friendly and helpful. Food came out fast. The murals are incredible! and I would come back just for the bar.
I am really sad to write this review. I really wanted my experience here to be a good one and I'm always rooting for the new locally owned spots here in Gainesville. Unfortunately, I cant leave a positive review and still maintain my honesty. I came here for brunch service. Brunch service is brand new I believe so keep that in mind as you read my review (I'm hopeful things will improve). You order at the counter and get a number and seat yourself. There was a short line and we didn't have to wait long. We ordered the crab salad with corn cakes, the shrimp and grits and a side order of home fries. We ordered mimosas to drink and tried to order hot coffee. They didn't have hot coffee, only cold brew. I was surprised and disappointed in that but the cold brew was ok. The food came out in a decent amount of time but looked very unappetizing when it arrived. The crab salad and "corn cakes" looked like they were just tossed on the plate. The crab salad which was supposed to be made with creme fraiche was plentiful but was in no way seasoned and was in no way what I would consider a salad. It was in essence wet shredded crab with some bits of veggies and herbs mixed with it. Flavorless. The "corn cakes" looked and tasted exactly like boxed pancake mix pancakes that might have had a sprinkle of cornmeal added to the batter. And that was the dish. Two very poorly executed components that when combined, didn't taste good. The shrimp and grits was no better. You could tell that there was an attempt though. The grits themselves were high quality (product wise) but were not cooked for long enough so the texture was off. The worst part was that the dish was in no way seasoned. Literally zero salt. I've never eaten such under seasoned food before. I was shocked when I took the first bite. All you tasted was coconut milk. It was barely edible. Have you ever eaten something that made you mad before? The homefries were the only dish that were ok but even they had not been seasoned. Luckily, fried potatoes are good no matter what. If there hadn't been a salt shaker on the table, we would have left without eating. And it seems we weren't the only ones that took issue with the food because I heard a table nearby us complaining about their food as well. If it weren't for the mimosas and the fact that you pay for your food up front, I think the overall situation would have looked different. Again, I'm really disappointed that this was our experience. The restaurant has such a nice vibe and is in a great location. There is a lot of room for improvement as far as the food goes though and I'm hoping things improve quickly.
First visit yesterday. Sun. 3/10. We walked from a film at the Hipp for dinner. 4 of us. Great looking interior. Classic bar. Staff: Excellent. Great Happy Hour Specials. My bride and shared a few small plates, 2 beers, 2 tequila shots. The bill was noticeably under $30.00. Thanks for a very nice, new downtown experience.
Service was great and ordering was easy. There are several vegan options, but the food is lacking in flavor. The barbecue bok choy and mushrooms has potential, but there were maybe 2 mushrooms in the dish. I also had the edamame and tossed rice which were both pretty bland. Pickled cucumbers taste like, well, pickles. Vegan Thai tea drink from the bar was pretty good.
Walked in and was treated like family. Hospitality at its finest. Bing Bam Boom, it was like they read my mind. Food was delicious and service was quick. Thank you chef and staff.
Staff is super hospitable! Thanks for making my family feel welcomed. Chef Steve is doing it RIGHT!
Has a cool vibe, cosy, food is fast and tasty. Amazing service... kudos to chef steve. What a nice little nook... bbq fries are a must!
Restaurantji Recommends
I came to Wayward Fox with friends. It's a great small plate style restaurant, and we ordered lots of delicious things... service was fast, even when we added a few more plates mid-meal. We loved the J*** Chicken, Korean BBQ Beef Fries, and the Spring Rolls (super delicious). The only annoying thing was no table service for alcohol... you had to walk to the bar and order there. They did have some lovely cocktail concoctions though.
Wayward Fox is a wonderful addition to the Gainesville downtown food scene. Super classy shareable food with TONS of vegetarian and vegan options. Each small plate they have on the menu is good for a meal by itself, or great for ordering several and sharing amongst your group.
We just recently went to the Wayward Fox where Gosia and Ali were playing music. We enjoyed the happy hour wine and appetizer prices. The menu is limited but you can get small plates which are reasonaby priced and try many different selections, I was told the chef has traveled to many countries and incorporates his travel experiences in the food options. Downtown is out of the way for us but I woud go again.
I was excited to try this place because it reminded me of another restaurant - Piggy Smalls (it’s in Hawaii). Unfortunately, this restaurant did not live up to my expectations. The food is decent. But the restaurant needs to be more organized. It looks understaffed and has poor space utilization.
Went here for the first time last night. probably won't be back. The people are friendly and the space is cute but it's incredibly echo-y and loud. The food came out super fast, but I just don't think most of the items are worth the price. I had the seafood omelette which tasted delicious but the middle was completely soggy, and there were bits of things I couldn't chew in it, which appeared to be shrimp tails. My husband ordered the steak fries to share, priced at $12, brisk