If you're looking for great seafood in Gainesville, then you're in luck! Don't let the city's inland location fool you because there are several quality spots to feast on the freshest ocean fare prepared with quality ingredients. Many local restaurants pride themselves on making culinary creations from what is caught off of the Florida coast, and here is our list of the best restaurants for seafood in Gainesville.
Embers Wood Grill is one of the Gainesville's top steakhouses, but they also serve excellent seafood dishes. To have the true Gainesville experience, start out your meal by ordering some Crispy Florida Gator Tail from their appetizer menu.
Some of the top seafood entrees include the Red King Crab, Cumin Crusted Chilean Sea Bass, and North Florida Atlantic Grouper. Next time you're looking for a special night out on the town, Embers is a go-to spot!
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Harry's Seafood Bar and Grille
Harry's Seafood Bar and Grille infuses their seafood with Cajun and Creole flavors. This Florida institution started in Jacksonville in 1987 and has spread throughout the state serving up French Quarter classics like crawfish etouffee, shrimp and grits, and fried catfish.
One of their top signature dishes is the Red Fish Alexandria which is a blackened red fish served over white rice in a cream sauce with tender shrimp, smoked sausage, fresh tomatoes, onions, and red peppers. The prices at Harry's are affordable as well with no seafood entree exceeding $20.
Dishes at Blue Gill Quality Foods are inspired by classic Southern cooking and use only the freshest local ingredients. Their simple menu is all about quality, even in standard dishes like the Smoked Fish Dip.
Blue Gill produces weekly lunch specials like their Tuna Melt, Shrimp Po-Boy, and Calamari Salad. They're also the only restaurant on the list that serves a Sunday brunch, giving diners the option to enjoy their regular menu or one of their breakfast classics.
With its easy-access location just off the highway, Wahoo Seafood Grill has long been a staple stop for travelers and locals alike. They're best known for their seafood boil and fish tacos.
They have six different Signature Boils available and also serve up half-pound and pound quantities of crab, gulf shrimp, oysters, wahoo oysters, crawfish, and lobster. Crab lovers particularly delight on Mondays as Wahoo Seafood Grill serves all-you-can-eat crab legs at market price from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
If you eating in instead of dining out, Gainesville has a top-notch seafood market named Northwest Seafood providing their customers with the freshest local seafood since 1981.
Northwest Sea Food is well-connected throughout the state, and they specialize in the delicacies that have come to define Florida seafood. Their two convenient locations in the Milhopper Marketplace and Tioga Town Center serve a menu with pre-prepared meals, sandwiches, and tacos.
Enjoy a great Gainesville evening while dining on the freshest fish and crustaceans around. Check out one or all of these great restaurants and see what the city's seafood scene has to offer!
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