Black Sheep is a must visit! Our waitress Ang was phenomenal even letting us split the entree plating for two! Deviled eggs come out first, these are delicious. We had radicchio salad then steak and potatoes. Everything was perfectly cooked and delightful to eat. Finished off the meal with Black Forest cake a perfect balance of dark chocolate and cherry. While I didn’t order a cocktail this time, the menu is full of well named drinks that I will indulge in my next visit. Overall an experience I can’t recommend enough, the ambiance is intimate, decor clean and modern with incredibly friendly staff.
Alissa Searcy
The burry chill this Christmas week didn't keep me from the rooftop bar at sunset. Kudos to outstanding service every time. The oyster appetizer was excellent, followed by dinner portion Cesar's salad with grilled shrimp. A delicious light meal coupled with amazing skyline views was perfect.
tsurumi
My husband and I have been to this restaurant many times over the past several years, and we've even been post Covid so the decline in quality can't be attributed to Covid. Tonight, the menu was different and the food was pretty awful. There used to be a fish special but not tonight, so my husband ordered the pork. We asked in advance if it was pork tenderloin and we were told that it was. It was a quite fatty pork shoulder cut into large chunks. I had the radicchio salad that was not seasoned and frankly did not taste like anything. The broccoli rabe was so tough that I just chewed it up into a cud and spit it out into my napkin; sorry to the waiter. The beets were the oddest things; did not taste like anything. The bread used to be complimentary but tonight it was a "bread service" for $9, which we ordered, and it was very odd. Two brown and serve rolls (sort of grocery store), two very spicy and greasy triangles of cornbread, and two slices of what tasted like grocery store pumpernickel; served with jam (odd for dinner) and a thick greasy brown butter that looked like liver. I asked for regular butter and did receive it and my husband and I ate all of the bread with that butter, but he left behind pretty much all of his meal. While the server was pleasant, he came back twice to ask about our initial wine order and, when we ordered refills, he poured the wrong wine into each of our glasses. (He did offer to correct that error after we pointed it out.)
594gwenw
My client recommended this restaurant as it wasn't far from her home and we could enjoy the fall weather on the rooftop. The hostess was rather slow in getting us seated but otherwise we were happy with our meal and wished we hadn't had to rush because she was leading a class.
Annette Wilson
Had reservations and brought an out of town friend. Our dinner experience was delightful. We had a wonderful waitress. I personally did not enjoy my “you go girl” drink, and would have appreciated the waitress giving me an alternative. The pountine was delightful but filling. The little chunks of homemade pastrami you will fight over. Ribeye was delicious and cooked perfectly to medium rare. Caesar salad very well dressed and on point. Too full to look at dessert.
tomd875
Terrible food, waitress was ok, hair in water, chicken rubbery, raw skin, fatty, and unable to eat! food late, and no one was really there! oysters good! chef's crackers a joke! They seem to not really care like its a hit or miss attitude. we have eaten in the most beautiful places as well as fast food....the fast food would have been better. didnt bother with deserts based on the meal. worst ever!
Blake Z.
Tonight I was looking forward to spending time with my amazing girl and what I hoped would be some amazing food! I've been down the Riverside area a few times now, and have always wondered what all the hoopla is about at Black Sheep; so here we go! Going in that night, my girlfriend had SETUP RESERVATIONS, and unfortunately we were told that there WASN'T ANY SEATING inside or outside by the bar when we arrived. In addition, the elevator wasn't working that night, so we had to walk back and forth between floors. When we finally got a table, we started the evening with 2 drinks: a you go girl and the other was some gin herbed drink. The "you go girl" had the right balance of alcohol and strawberry flavor, which reminded me of a strawberry Starbucks refresher, and other drink was just hard, but smooth. For apps, we got the John boat mussels, and roasted oysters. The mussels came tender in an awesome fragant wine, and slightly red peppered spice broth. The oysters we found were very creamy, and possessed a tasty buttery bread crumb finish. As for the entree, we chose the crispy skin salmon, which unfortunately turned out to be a major DISSAPOINTMENT. First off, our entree was served cold, the skin might've had a slight crunch, but was underseasoned, and worst of all were the "can" tasting peas served underneath; which made the dish taste super cheap (for a $34 dish just wow). Moreover, after we expressing concerns about the dish to our server, she went from being nice to really pushy, instead of just sympathizing with us at the table. Overall, the apps and drinks were pretty good here, but the quality of service and main entrees did not live up to the hype - final verdict 3/5.
Roberto Z.
This place is overrated for sure. This was our first time here and the food was nothing to write home about. We decided to dine on the rooftop which is nice but very bare and looks a little unfinished due to all the concrete surfaces. We got our drinks and the waitress did not even offer straws. The food was ok but I asked for a burger to me cooked medium and it was a bit overcooked for my taste. My wife's beef had too much fat in it. Had so many hopes for this to be good.
Emily Kohring
Impeccable experience from start to finish. Front of house and back of house syncing together to create an unparalleled environment and meal. Fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients with complex yet familiar tastes. Highly recommend the roasted oysters and shrimp and grits. This seems to be the it spot for Jacksonville!
Jasmin D.
Incredible brunch spot!! It's a limited menu but they really put their heart into each dish here. The food came quick and the ambiance is perfect for a brunch spot. Highly recommend if you haven't been here yet!
After being out of town for a week, my husband surprised me with date night at Black Sheep. We had never been here before but it's been on "the list" for a long time! What an incredible experience. I was blown away by the service and the food. The whole place is very chic and I felt special during the entire service. We never waited for a food or drink order. The dishes came out in perfect time and everything was delicious. The Korean short ribs were tender and the grits underneath pulled the whole dish together. I loved the addition of the kimchi. After dinner we ventured up to the rooftop, which is on the 4th floor. I liked that it was covered - it made it cooler too! They had a great selection of drinks, plus table service. You gotta love it.
2TravelLuvers
My wife thought the food was worthy of the excellent rating. I thought it was very good (except the cheesecake.... which was beyond excellent). However, we both agreed the service (Nicki) was exceptional, as was the atmosphere/vibe. My wife had avocado toast and a salad. I had the crispy wings. We shared deviled eggs and shoestring fries. We also shared that incredible cheesecake I previously mentioned. We will definitely return.
Juan P
Loved it. I went at night and sat on the rooftop for some drinks. The menu was limited due to the time but I still found it to offer many options. I had the roasted oysters which were amazing. I had the miso wings which were delish. The only thing I wasn't a fan of was the burger. It honestly tasted like a school cafeteria burger. The fries were fresh though and pleasant.It was a bit hot but it is summer time. Just something to keep in mind that at 9pm on a summer day it will still be a bit warm up there.The server was attentive and friendly. Overall, great experience.
Alli Sabol
Good experience overall! Service was a bit slow, but the ambiance of the place makes up for the delays. It gives a good chance for you to see Jacksonville from up top!You have to ask for bread, but it wasn’t worth asking for. Just a store-bought roll - nothing special.Braised lamb was excellent! Loved the flavors and the bread that came with it.Next up was the crispy skin salmon - the salmon was good and crispy but the purée was not my favorite and the peas tasted frozen.Last up, the family-style Brussel sprouts. They were good, but didn’t taste like they were made to order and definitely did not need to be $16, in my opinion.I’d love to go back for the ambiance and rooftop, but might give some different menu items a try when they change their menu next season.
Nicolas L.
My wife and I recently visited Black Sheep for dinner with family. To start, the table split a couple of appetizers: Roasted Oysters and Pimiento Cheese Hushpuppies. The oysters were juicy and topped with tangy lemon, lightly crunchy breadcrumbs, and flavorful pecorino. The hush puppies were nicely savory with a lightly crisp breading. For my main course I had the Duck Breast and a side of Brussel Sprouts. The duck was tender, juicy and lightly peppery with a side of savory polenta. The Brussel sprouts were lightly sweet and smoky. Finally for dessert my wife and I split a Lemon-Lavender Cheesecake which was creamy with rich lavender flavor and crunchy granola. The restaurant also has a decent selection of craft beers on tap. Overall, Black Sheep is a good option for a quality dinner.
Black Sheep is a must visit! Our waitress Ang was phenomenal even letting us split the entree plating for two! Deviled eggs come out first, these are delicious. We had radicchio salad then steak and potatoes. Everything was perfectly cooked and delightful to eat. Finished off the meal with Black Forest cake a perfect balance of dark chocolate and cherry. While I didn’t order a cocktail this time, the menu is full of well named drinks that I will indulge in my next visit. Overall an experience I can’t recommend enough, the ambiance is intimate, decor clean and modern with incredibly friendly staff.
The burry chill this Christmas week didn't keep me from the rooftop bar at sunset. Kudos to outstanding service every time. The oyster appetizer was excellent, followed by dinner portion Cesar's salad with grilled shrimp. A delicious light meal coupled with amazing skyline views was perfect.
My husband and I have been to this restaurant many times over the past several years, and we've even been post Covid so the decline in quality can't be attributed to Covid. Tonight, the menu was different and the food was pretty awful. There used to be a fish special but not tonight, so my husband ordered the pork. We asked in advance if it was pork tenderloin and we were told that it was. It was a quite fatty pork shoulder cut into large chunks. I had the radicchio salad that was not seasoned and frankly did not taste like anything. The broccoli rabe was so tough that I just chewed it up into a cud and spit it out into my napkin; sorry to the waiter. The beets were the oddest things; did not taste like anything. The bread used to be complimentary but tonight it was a "bread service" for $9, which we ordered, and it was very odd. Two brown and serve rolls (sort of grocery store), two very spicy and greasy triangles of cornbread, and two slices of what tasted like grocery store pumpernickel; served with jam (odd for dinner) and a thick greasy brown butter that looked like liver. I asked for regular butter and did receive it and my husband and I ate all of the bread with that butter, but he left behind pretty much all of his meal. While the server was pleasant, he came back twice to ask about our initial wine order and, when we ordered refills, he poured the wrong wine into each of our glasses. (He did offer to correct that error after we pointed it out.)
My client recommended this restaurant as it wasn't far from her home and we could enjoy the fall weather on the rooftop. The hostess was rather slow in getting us seated but otherwise we were happy with our meal and wished we hadn't had to rush because she was leading a class.
Had reservations and brought an out of town friend. Our dinner experience was delightful. We had a wonderful waitress. I personally did not enjoy my “you go girl” drink, and would have appreciated the waitress giving me an alternative. The pountine was delightful but filling. The little chunks of homemade pastrami you will fight over. Ribeye was delicious and cooked perfectly to medium rare. Caesar salad very well dressed and on point. Too full to look at dessert.
Terrible food, waitress was ok, hair in water, chicken rubbery, raw skin, fatty, and unable to eat! food late, and no one was really there! oysters good! chef's crackers a joke! They seem to not really care like its a hit or miss attitude. we have eaten in the most beautiful places as well as fast food....the fast food would have been better. didnt bother with deserts based on the meal. worst ever!
Tonight I was looking forward to spending time with my amazing girl and what I hoped would be some amazing food! I've been down the Riverside area a few times now, and have always wondered what all the hoopla is about at Black Sheep; so here we go! Going in that night, my girlfriend had SETUP RESERVATIONS, and unfortunately we were told that there WASN'T ANY SEATING inside or outside by the bar when we arrived. In addition, the elevator wasn't working that night, so we had to walk back and forth between floors. When we finally got a table, we started the evening with 2 drinks: a you go girl and the other was some gin herbed drink. The "you go girl" had the right balance of alcohol and strawberry flavor, which reminded me of a strawberry Starbucks refresher, and other drink was just hard, but smooth. For apps, we got the John boat mussels, and roasted oysters. The mussels came tender in an awesome fragant wine, and slightly red peppered spice broth. The oysters we found were very creamy, and possessed a tasty buttery bread crumb finish. As for the entree, we chose the crispy skin salmon, which unfortunately turned out to be a major DISSAPOINTMENT. First off, our entree was served cold, the skin might've had a slight crunch, but was underseasoned, and worst of all were the "can" tasting peas served underneath; which made the dish taste super cheap (for a $34 dish just wow). Moreover, after we expressing concerns about the dish to our server, she went from being nice to really pushy, instead of just sympathizing with us at the table. Overall, the apps and drinks were pretty good here, but the quality of service and main entrees did not live up to the hype - final verdict 3/5.
This place is overrated for sure. This was our first time here and the food was nothing to write home about. We decided to dine on the rooftop which is nice but very bare and looks a little unfinished due to all the concrete surfaces. We got our drinks and the waitress did not even offer straws. The food was ok but I asked for a burger to me cooked medium and it was a bit overcooked for my taste. My wife's beef had too much fat in it. Had so many hopes for this to be good.
Impeccable experience from start to finish. Front of house and back of house syncing together to create an unparalleled environment and meal. Fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients with complex yet familiar tastes. Highly recommend the roasted oysters and shrimp and grits. This seems to be the it spot for Jacksonville!
Incredible brunch spot!! It's a limited menu but they really put their heart into each dish here. The food came quick and the ambiance is perfect for a brunch spot. Highly recommend if you haven't been here yet!
Restaurantji Recommends
After being out of town for a week, my husband surprised me with date night at Black Sheep. We had never been here before but it's been on "the list" for a long time! What an incredible experience. I was blown away by the service and the food. The whole place is very chic and I felt special during the entire service. We never waited for a food or drink order. The dishes came out in perfect time and everything was delicious. The Korean short ribs were tender and the grits underneath pulled the whole dish together. I loved the addition of the kimchi. After dinner we ventured up to the rooftop, which is on the 4th floor. I liked that it was covered - it made it cooler too! They had a great selection of drinks, plus table service. You gotta love it.
My wife thought the food was worthy of the excellent rating. I thought it was very good (except the cheesecake.... which was beyond excellent). However, we both agreed the service (Nicki) was exceptional, as was the atmosphere/vibe. My wife had avocado toast and a salad. I had the crispy wings. We shared deviled eggs and shoestring fries. We also shared that incredible cheesecake I previously mentioned. We will definitely return.
Loved it. I went at night and sat on the rooftop for some drinks. The menu was limited due to the time but I still found it to offer many options. I had the roasted oysters which were amazing. I had the miso wings which were delish. The only thing I wasn't a fan of was the burger. It honestly tasted like a school cafeteria burger. The fries were fresh though and pleasant.It was a bit hot but it is summer time. Just something to keep in mind that at 9pm on a summer day it will still be a bit warm up there.The server was attentive and friendly. Overall, great experience.
Good experience overall! Service was a bit slow, but the ambiance of the place makes up for the delays. It gives a good chance for you to see Jacksonville from up top!You have to ask for bread, but it wasn’t worth asking for. Just a store-bought roll - nothing special.Braised lamb was excellent! Loved the flavors and the bread that came with it.Next up was the crispy skin salmon - the salmon was good and crispy but the purée was not my favorite and the peas tasted frozen.Last up, the family-style Brussel sprouts. They were good, but didn’t taste like they were made to order and definitely did not need to be $16, in my opinion.I’d love to go back for the ambiance and rooftop, but might give some different menu items a try when they change their menu next season.
My wife and I recently visited Black Sheep for dinner with family. To start, the table split a couple of appetizers: Roasted Oysters and Pimiento Cheese Hushpuppies. The oysters were juicy and topped with tangy lemon, lightly crunchy breadcrumbs, and flavorful pecorino. The hush puppies were nicely savory with a lightly crisp breading. For my main course I had the Duck Breast and a side of Brussel Sprouts. The duck was tender, juicy and lightly peppery with a side of savory polenta. The Brussel sprouts were lightly sweet and smoky. Finally for dessert my wife and I split a Lemon-Lavender Cheesecake which was creamy with rich lavender flavor and crunchy granola. The restaurant also has a decent selection of craft beers on tap. Overall, Black Sheep is a good option for a quality dinner.