My fiancé and I love this place! It's our go to for a fancy fresh fish dinner outside of the crazy downtown area. We celebrated a birthday and they made us feel so special. Shoutout to our server - Gabriel! He went above and beyond with the champagne and even had the staff sign a birthday postcard - so fun & unique! My favorite dishes are the scallops, halibut, the shrimp starter, and cannot forget the oysters!
Tammy
Our service was great. We ordered the seafood tower and loved the fish dip, shrimp, and poke. The lobster and oysters were just ok, but it was July so not oyster season. The okra was fantastic. And the rolls!!!! We will go back again and try some main dishes next time.
Mike
We were initially disappointed when the menu was significantly different from what was listed on the web page. Several items that we had planned to order, and were one of the reasons we decided to try this restaurant, did not appear on the menu. I understand menus change, especially higher end places, but there were more than a few areas that were very different from the web page. Ultimately we selected some she crab soup, which was very good. fish and chips where the fish was some of the best we'd ever had. Very crisp on the outside but the inside fish was very moist. Grilled okra was good. Pineapple upside down cake was so so. Probably should have gone with the chocolate pudding cake. The website says valet parking but it doesn't mention that it was $16 without a tip which I think was excessive considering they park it across the street. Plus the ticket states the only money the attendant makes is from tips! Food and service were good but probably won't go back just because of the parking. Too many other good places.
Chad
It's the second time I've been here & the food is very good. The noise level is high but seems to be expected in Nville these days. We enjoyed a great dinner.
Elijah
Fresh flavors, great service—seafood done right! From the moment I walked in, I knew I was in for a treat. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, with just the right blend of coastal charm and casual elegance. The staff greeted us with genuine smiles and made us feel right at home, setting the tone for what turned out to be an exceptional dining experience. Now, let's talk about the food—because wow. Every dish we ordered was a celebration of fresh, high-quality seafood. The shrimp cocktail was perfectly chilled and served with a zesty, flavorful sauce that had just the right kick. What really stood out was the attention to detail. From the presentation of the dishes to the thoughtful wine pairings suggested by our server, everything felt curated with care. Even the sides—like the garlic butter asparagus and the truffle mashed potatoes—were delicious enough to steal the spotlight. To top it all off, we shared a slice of cake that I'm still dreaming about. If you're a seafood lover—or even if you're not—this place is a must-visit. I'll definitely be back!
Ozi
Visited The Optimist for date night and had a pleasant experience! Short drive from downtown. Casual and family friendly environment that is great for all occasions!
Fernel
We celebrated our anniversary at The Optimist, and it couldn't have been more perfect. From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere was warm and welcoming. The food was absolutely incredible—fresh, creative, and full of flavor—but what truly made the night unforgettable was the way we were treated. A special thank you to Amy, our server, who went above and beyond. Her knowledge of the menu and genuine enthusiasm made the experience feel so personal and celebratory. She took the time to make sure every detail was just right and added such a special touch to our evening. We left not just full, but completely delighted. The Optimist made our anniversary one to remember!
David
Inconsistent temperatures on supposed high end restaurant. One fish came out hot, one lukewarm. Obviously no way to send back without waiting too long to get equally hot food. Asparagus wilted. Disappointing experience. Not going back.
CaDedra
100/10, highly recommend! The rolls, cocktails, appetizers, oysters, steak..I could go on!!! Amazing first time experience and will definitely be back.
Josh
Always the best experience. Don't sleep on the Opportunities because they're always great. I think I've had everything on the menu but Chard and Halibut are our favorites besides the raw-bar options. There is nothing to complain about here.
Birthday dinner out with friends. Everyone there was super friendly. The food excellent, it is a “go to” spot for a nice evening out.
Susan
The Optimist is a beautiful restaurant with delicious food. Our server, Gabriel, was attentive without being overbearing. The food was superb —we especially enjoyed the swordfish and mahi mahi.
pete
We dined at optimist maybe 6 or 7 times in the first couple years you were open. We brought out of town clients and relatives to dine there. It was that impressive. We haven't been there for probs 2 years. For no other reason than we have been crazy busy. The chef has clearly changed. Less options. New lesser versions of old faves (like the swordfish and short ribs). Poor presentation(the beet salad used to be wow. Yesterday, mediocre at best). And unfortunately our server made four different mistakes on things we ordered that had to be sent back and/or changed. 4 things. One is ok, servers are human after all. But 4, sounds like bad training to me. And what happened to your amazing deserts? We had a bananas foster there once that was to die for. I think you had an incredible creme brulee also. What happened?
Marilyn
We had a fantastic Easter Brunch, the food is absolutely delicious but $49 for a tiny piece of halibut with nothing else with it I felt was excessive. Our service was impeccable thank you
David Rinker
Really not that impressive. Most of the food we had was very good but one dish was a dud (overcooked, rubbery prawns. Our server was pretty bad too. Left us unattended for long (over 30 minutrs at one point) periods of time. Also, one of our $50 main dishes arrived only moderately warm, as if it had been forgotten.
Not going back and, given the price point, I cannot recommend
My fiancé and I love this place! It's our go to for a fancy fresh fish dinner outside of the crazy downtown area. We celebrated a birthday and they made us feel so special. Shoutout to our server - Gabriel! He went above and beyond with the champagne and even had the staff sign a birthday postcard - so fun & unique! My favorite dishes are the scallops, halibut, the shrimp starter, and cannot forget the oysters!
Our service was great. We ordered the seafood tower and loved the fish dip, shrimp, and poke. The lobster and oysters were just ok, but it was July so not oyster season. The okra was fantastic. And the rolls!!!! We will go back again and try some main dishes next time.
We were initially disappointed when the menu was significantly different from what was listed on the web page. Several items that we had planned to order, and were one of the reasons we decided to try this restaurant, did not appear on the menu. I understand menus change, especially higher end places, but there were more than a few areas that were very different from the web page. Ultimately we selected some she crab soup, which was very good. fish and chips where the fish was some of the best we'd ever had. Very crisp on the outside but the inside fish was very moist. Grilled okra was good. Pineapple upside down cake was so so. Probably should have gone with the chocolate pudding cake. The website says valet parking but it doesn't mention that it was $16 without a tip which I think was excessive considering they park it across the street. Plus the ticket states the only money the attendant makes is from tips! Food and service were good but probably won't go back just because of the parking. Too many other good places.
It's the second time I've been here & the food is very good. The noise level is high but seems to be expected in Nville these days. We enjoyed a great dinner.
Fresh flavors, great service—seafood done right! From the moment I walked in, I knew I was in for a treat. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, with just the right blend of coastal charm and casual elegance. The staff greeted us with genuine smiles and made us feel right at home, setting the tone for what turned out to be an exceptional dining experience. Now, let's talk about the food—because wow. Every dish we ordered was a celebration of fresh, high-quality seafood. The shrimp cocktail was perfectly chilled and served with a zesty, flavorful sauce that had just the right kick. What really stood out was the attention to detail. From the presentation of the dishes to the thoughtful wine pairings suggested by our server, everything felt curated with care. Even the sides—like the garlic butter asparagus and the truffle mashed potatoes—were delicious enough to steal the spotlight. To top it all off, we shared a slice of cake that I'm still dreaming about. If you're a seafood lover—or even if you're not—this place is a must-visit. I'll definitely be back!
Visited The Optimist for date night and had a pleasant experience! Short drive from downtown. Casual and family friendly environment that is great for all occasions!
We celebrated our anniversary at The Optimist, and it couldn't have been more perfect. From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere was warm and welcoming. The food was absolutely incredible—fresh, creative, and full of flavor—but what truly made the night unforgettable was the way we were treated. A special thank you to Amy, our server, who went above and beyond. Her knowledge of the menu and genuine enthusiasm made the experience feel so personal and celebratory. She took the time to make sure every detail was just right and added such a special touch to our evening. We left not just full, but completely delighted. The Optimist made our anniversary one to remember!
Inconsistent temperatures on supposed high end restaurant. One fish came out hot, one lukewarm. Obviously no way to send back without waiting too long to get equally hot food. Asparagus wilted. Disappointing experience. Not going back.
100/10, highly recommend! The rolls, cocktails, appetizers, oysters, steak..I could go on!!! Amazing first time experience and will definitely be back.
Always the best experience. Don't sleep on the Opportunities because they're always great. I think I've had everything on the menu but Chard and Halibut are our favorites besides the raw-bar options. There is nothing to complain about here.
Restaurantji Recommends
Birthday dinner out with friends. Everyone there was super friendly. The food excellent, it is a “go to” spot for a nice evening out.
The Optimist is a beautiful restaurant with delicious food. Our server, Gabriel, was attentive without being overbearing. The food was superb —we especially enjoyed the swordfish and mahi mahi.
We dined at optimist maybe 6 or 7 times in the first couple years you were open. We brought out of town clients and relatives to dine there. It was that impressive. We haven't been there for probs 2 years. For no other reason than we have been crazy busy. The chef has clearly changed. Less options. New lesser versions of old faves (like the swordfish and short ribs). Poor presentation(the beet salad used to be wow. Yesterday, mediocre at best). And unfortunately our server made four different mistakes on things we ordered that had to be sent back and/or changed. 4 things. One is ok, servers are human after all. But 4, sounds like bad training to me. And what happened to your amazing deserts? We had a bananas foster there once that was to die for. I think you had an incredible creme brulee also. What happened?
We had a fantastic Easter Brunch, the food is absolutely delicious but $49 for a tiny piece of halibut with nothing else with it I felt was excessive. Our service was impeccable thank you
Really not that impressive. Most of the food we had was very good but one dish was a dud (overcooked, rubbery prawns. Our server was pretty bad too. Left us unattended for long (over 30 minutrs at one point) periods of time. Also, one of our $50 main dishes arrived only moderately warm, as if it had been forgotten.
Not going back and, given the price point, I cannot recommend
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 2
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