10 Best Southern Restaurants near Gainesville

“I am a big Tupelo Honey fan. So I was super excited when one came to Gainesville GA. But I think we just picked the wrong night to go. The two host where super friendly and making sure they got everyone seated timely for their reservation, but they mentioned it was the most reservation they have had since opening May 2025 and our server said the same thing. So I just fill the kitchen was just over whelmed. We went with the fixed menu for two and the grilled chicken was just that- very dry and the red sauce was again just that sauce. Bussell sprouts where more leaves than the sprout. But we loved the atmosphere and the amazing bottle of wine "love" we had. Will we go back, of course we will, these hiccups I am sure where holiday related.“

“I had an excellent experience at Recess! My waitress, Ali, was outstanding — professional, well-informed, and had a fantastic personality that made the whole experience even better. She knew the menu inside and out and made great recommendations. The service was smooth, the food came out perfectly, and Ali’s upbeat attitude really stood out. I’ll definitely be coming back, and I highly recommend asking for Ali if you want top-notch service!“

“Its always a pleasure to take my family to the Chicken Salad in Gainesville. Cynthia, the store manager, and her team deliver the best customer service in town ,and always go above and beyond to make sure your have the best experience possible.“

“I’ve always been treated nice here and the food is great especially the brown gravy. If you want to pay double for breakfast please go to Waffle House. And if you want people to treat you poor darlings nice please stay home. Well maybe!“

“The food here is awesome!! The drinks are delicious too! My favorite is the painkiller!! They limit you to 2. I understand why, I had jello legs walking out of there! The portions are enough to have for lunch/dinner the next day. Their homemade croissants with the honey butter drizzle, yummy! 😋 You must try this place! We went to two different locations and the food is consistent.“

“The food was good! There's a lot of choices.“

“The food is absolutely delicious. Sweet potato soup was exceptional. We both loved our halibut entrees. This is by far the best restaurant in Hall County, Georgia and rivals top contenders in metro Atlanta. It's worth the drive. Service is equally outstanding. The cocktails were handcrafted and extraordinary. Just try it. You will return!“

“This restaurant is breaking the law by charging a fee to use debit card ! Federal law says

“It is illegal for merchants to charge a surcharge for using a debit card in all 50 U.S. states. Federal law, specifically the Durbin Amendment to the Dodd-Frank Act, prohibits these surcharges, and card network rules also disallow them. Merchants are permitted to offer a discount for paying with cash instead, or to charge a surcharge on credit cards (in states where this is legal), but they cannot charge a fee for debit card”“

“I Love Shane Rib Shack. The ribs chop pork burgers and all the side are delicious“