It was a busy Friday night when we tried this restaurant. We were pleasantly surprised as a very short wait, nice service, good prices, and the food was excellent. I had a very reasonably priced and very good two mahi mahi tacos whimy wife had salad with side shrimp that was excellent. read more

Definitely what I needed after a long day of work. I was deciding between going here and another place and opted for here, especially because of their happy hour. I sat at the bar and was not pleased with the service but didn't let it damper my mood. I ordered the spinach dip which was amazing !! A pork dish and coconut shrimp. The cocunut shrimp wasn't as flavorful as I expected but the sauce was amazing. They were out of the conch fritters I'm happy to see gainesville bringing in more variety of places. read more

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After waiting 30 minutes in a restaurant that had 4 tables seated, I was served the wrong dish. 'Oh, I thought you said....' Shrimp and chicken sound nothing alike, unless you pay no attention whatsoever to your customer. It requires no effort. Listen, communicate, and deliver. And before I get dragged, I've been a server, a bartender, and make my living in customer service. Horrible service the last few times I've been here. I won't return. read more

Website says you could have dogs but the moment we told them we had dogs they immediately decided we couldn't eat there even with their outside seating the service was poor I do not recommend going read more

It was good! Love and recommend. Our server was fast and friendly. Both the kids loved the virgin pin-a colada and the other slushee. I had the Cuban sandwich, really good and reasonable prices. read more

A great experience! Service and food were top notch! We had the jerk chicken platter and it was phenomenal.

This was my first experience with the Bahama Breeze chain and I was quite happy with the company as a whole. Top notch decorations, diverse food options, creative drinks, and good service. We sat at the bar and were very attended to the entire time we were there. We had a slight hiccup with the bartender losing our card while trying to pay, rather than apologize and try to look behind the bar for it she accused us of not giving it to her. Aside from this odd and clearly uncommon encounter (all other staff went above and beyond for service) it was a very enjoyable experience. Will definitely visit there again! Not pictured is the jackfruit tacos. I e had never tried jackfruit before as a meat alternative and thought this would be a great way to try it without going through the whole process at home and risking not liking it.... we were glad we got the smaller portion! Despite encouragement that it tasted like meat, it surely did not! But this is not the fault of the cook, we just simply didn't like it! So be weary before trying this dish if you are unfamiliar! read more

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First time eating at the Gainesville, FL Bahama breeze. Waitresses and staff were very Cordial and had a festive Caribbean atmosphere. Food was wonderful. highly recommend. read more

The virgin margaritas in the pineapple were tasty, but overall the only island thing about it was a lot of pineapple offered.

This place even on a weekday is enjoyable! The staff is super friendly and knowledgeable , and the management is very accommodating to food allergies! I would give it more than 5 stars! read more

Bahama Breeze - Beef Empanadas, and a Caribbean chicken salad, and of course a Strawberry Margarita on the rocks! - Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Very stimulating atmosphere! It's pretty once you get used to the weirdness. I didn't find it too loud. I ordered the pina colada and the salmon and the key lime pie. Generous helpings of both the pina colada and the key lime pie. The salmon dish was smaller compared to the drink and dessert portions. But all three were delicious. Salmon was perfectly cooked. I enjoyed it. They lighted a candle on my pie when they were told it's my birthday. Thts pretty much all what they do for a celebration. read more

Bahama Breeze - Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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I ate here pretty late one night. Almost every booth and table was open, but an attempt was made to seat me at the booth nearest the restrooms. No thanks. After that odd little interaction, everything was smooth sailing. I ordered fish tacos with a side of black beans and rice. Both the entree and side dish were quite good. It would have been great if the restaurant had offered a more elaborate version of the beans and rice as an entree, as the dish is a Caribbean staple and makes a great vegetarian meal. I mentioned that I was in a hurry, and service was appropriately prompt and attentive. Apparently Bahama Breeze is a chain, though I had never encountered it before. I'll be on the lookout for these restaurants in the future. read more

waiting, waiting, waiting, horrible service, bad food. my noodles where hard & my asparagus was crunchy. all the workers stand in the back talking doing nothing while we sat here and waited 30 mins for her to give u the bill read more

Another great meal at Bahama Breeze! Our waiter Karl C was on point - very attentive - his suggestion of Tequila Sunburn glaze salmon was delicious, perfectly paired with sweet potatoe mash and green beans! Hubby had the oxtail which he also enjoyed. Hibiscus margarita is always a favorite too! See you next time! read more

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Again, stopped here on my way back from Florida on my scooter (it was a long trip). Normally don't comment on chain restaurants but this one was very nice. Had plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, fire pit and lots of bar area. Had the big appetizer and it was very good and plenty. They have a full bar and craft beer (+1). I would stop there again. read more

My first visit when Bahama Breeze first opened in Gainesville was a good experience. I remember the service being great and the food tasting pretty good. The interior of the restaurant is nice as well. However, I just visited this past week and I was very dissatisfied with the food. Our server was very kind, but the food was not prepared well at all. The fries we had were cold and stale, and my grilled salmon and broccoli were drenched in butter and SO salty. I couldn't finish my plate because of how salty the food was. In addition to this, the restaurant was not busy... so I'm not sure why our food did not come out well prepared. It's disappointing to see a restaurant's quality in food and preparation decline. read more

Great experience and food. I'll let the pictures tell the story. They had live music and I felt like I was in the Caribbean read more

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Bi-monthly my department meets for a birthday lunch. Usually a large group of 15-25 people. food took longer time than it usually does with out party. The worst part was the waitstaff MIXED UP our credit cards and was charging the wrong card with the wrong ticket!! It was such a mess and the waitress kept complaining there were so many of us! read more

Happy hour drinks were great! The appetizers were kind of disappointing though. The spinach dip was kind of bland. The yuca cheese sticks were alright but would not order again. Overall, great place for drinks. Not so great for food. I would like to point out that the service was really good. read more

This place was so good! I went with a group before Catholic Gators Winter Formal and our server Valentina was so sweet and patient with us. We all had split checks and got drinks but Valentina handled it well and regularly checked up on us. We got the fish tacos, jerk chicken pasta, and paella and everything was delicious! Pleasantly surprised:) read more

Such a life saver here in Gainesville, Florida, the ambiance here helps turn your bad day around, and the drinks not only delicious but help you feel you're on vacation by the beach. I'm not a fan of the food too much, but the lunch specials are definitely good combinations and worth every dime. Never had a bad experience, waiters are the best. Live music and fire pit outside are great. A must do! read more

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Was looking for a lunch spot close to our hotel before heading home, and spotted this fun looking place. We decided on trying one of their signature cocktails, and they did not disappoint. We just decided to have appetizers, which were delicious. Our server was very friendly and attentive. read more

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Poor service waiter came once and never seen again manager was not knowledgeable of menu I have been there Evers times and always get the same thing I like manager could not recognized the item even when we showed hi on the phone poor people skills ended up leaving without eating lunch don't think the manger was too upset probably 3-4 customers it looks like they are decreasing staff food choices my opinion keep on driving by no need to waste your time corporate beer responded to my call read more

Found some sort of insect in our salad. Maybe a baby roach. Won't come back any time soon. read more

Bahama Breeze - Yummy Cesar salad...with lots of protein.. - Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Table of 3, waitress was good. It seemed like there was only 2-3 for the entire restaurant when we dined in. We got there a bit before 10pm. Sirloin was undercooked so we asked for the issue to be fixed and received the same sirloin that was cooked again (food safety risk, health hazard really. its within the law to sue if the consumer gets sick after eating the recooked steak). The manager came to speak to us after we said it was a health hazard to the waitress as they had confirmed that it was the same steak. Manager did not think it was a hazard and had an attitude the entire time. When we received the "fixed" batch it was a completely different cut. At this point we had waited around 40 minutes for an easy fix at any other restaurant so we packed it to go and left. Only our waitress apologized. This will be the last time we go because it makes you question other practices that would put the consumer at risk. Not to mention we barely touched the original 8 oz sirloin, now we pay the price for a cut of steak that isn't even what we paid for (cheaper cut). read more

For a chain it's definitely not bad. Quick service and they have vegetarian options a well

Live music daily, good food, good service, and good drinks. I had the ahi tuna appetizer as my meal and it was a very good size for a lunch portion. I also had a coconut martini. It was a way to syrupy for my taste and very sweet but the flavor was good. I also had the coconut grande dessert and it was very good. The presentation was great. read more

Bahama Breeze - Coconut Grande dessert - Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

The decor on the ceiling was pretty. The manager and server were really kind, friendly, and made us feel very welcomed. Loved having dinner here :) Food was fantastic and great portion sizes.. Recommend the mahi mahi taco, crab stack, and the Tequila Sunburn Glazed Salmon . read more

Alexis had to be their best server, she's amazing! they also have a great happy hour from 4-6PM, their drinks are great!

Delicious food and great service! We had the conch fritters. They were crispy and the sauce they were served with was a perfect match. We had the Paella and wasn't disappointed. We took some home so we had room for dessert -- and am so glad we did. We ordered the Coconut Grande (their description - Warm coconut cake topped with coconut-pineapple ice cream, fresh pineapple and toasted coconut, served in a fresh coconut). It lived up to it's impressive presentation. It was no overly sweet which is good in my book. Even my husband who normally doesn't like dessert was happy with it. This was our first visit and definitely won't be our last! read more

I like Bahama Breeze. Not a upscale restaurant by any stretch of imagination but rather a decent chain establishment that serves a better than average food. The restaurant is bright and colorful, both can be a bit noisy when busy. Specialty drinks are fun. read more

We have been here numerous times and the food is always good. They have a great happy hour and their drinks are very good. I highly recommend the Bahamarita. We have tried several dishes here and we absolutely love their yellow rice side dish. The servers are always very friendly as well. read more

Bahama Breeze - Grilled tilapia and mango salsa with yellow rice - Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

This is a fun little place to go to. I enjoyed the live music, drinks and food. The staff was nice and friendly. Hopefully I can go back again and try something else, they had so many options to choose from that sounded good. read more

Bahama Breeze - Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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The food is always delicious and the service is always good. The happy hour half-off appetizers deal is a steal and well worth the money to come and dine with friends. Our server Charlie was extraordinary tonight. We came in 45 minutes before closing and he was extremely kind and welcoming the whole time. He went the extra mile during each step of the experience and made it genuinely enjoyable. Was going to return anyways but now I will return sooner. read more

I never thought we would go back to Bahama Breeze. Shortly after they opened we gave it a try & it was bad every way a restaurant can be (wrong food, under cooked food, food that never arrived & each time the waitress apologized & disappeared for 20 minutes only for another wait person to appear & ask "how is everything?") But! But last night we had family visiting, we needed not-fastfood on a MON & Bahama Breeze came up. And then they nailed it. The things you take for granted in a good restaurant (all the entrees arriving at the same time for example), but also some trick questions (family member wanted a drink not on the menu, did they have it? They did!) Another with a food allergy, not wanting a substitution just a confirmation that it wasn't in the dish (she was sure it wasn't). I know we were a fussy table, 2 of us had been let down before & 2 of us are just plain fussy. The staff was wonderful, the food was what we wanted & we will definitely be back. read more

After coming here for a couple of years (even with the pandemic), I can say that I've had an overall positive experience here. I'll start with the service. Most of the time, I was thankful enough to get Allison, and I do not have enough positive things to say about this wonderful woman! Always in a great attitude, even when her day may not have been going great. She always gave great recommendations for drinks and food and made sure my guests and myself were well attended. Easily one of the best servers I have ever had. Other servers have also been great as well. We did have one server (who was probably new) who messed up our drink order, along with other stuff. That day, my boyfriend's Chruasco steak also came out half rare when he asked for medium-well. Not sure how that happened. Besides that, out of the at least 20 times I have been there, I haven't had a bad experience. Food has always tasted great, along with all their drinks. Even with COVID, they have always done their best to give their guests the best experience possible. read more

Wife and I loved it. Few warnings. Lobster and Shrimp quesadilla was bland. The fried Shrimp appetizer was to die for, though! Their virgin pina coladas are amazing. Wife had the bbq burger and fries, nothing special but was good. Pales in comparison to the shrimp appetizer she had. I ordered the Seafood Paella ... Was awful. The fish, shrimp, and chicken tasted identical to one another, boiled ... Watery ... Our server Madison was very attentive and was more than willing toal take it back, and she brought out the Lobster and Mac n Cheese to replace it. Best lobster I've ever had in my life! Mac n cheese is made in house and served over a really incredible orange sauce. Was amazing. Waited an hour to get in, but it wasn't a big deal with five below right across the street. Make reservations. Careful of what you order. We both decided it was a win, and we look forward to going back! I'd highly recommend getting a salad, shrimp appetizer, and the Lobster mac n cheese dish. Can't go wrong. read more

Stopped in for bite to eat. Greeted at the door by a smiling hostess and we were quickly seated. Our server was very friendly and had good suggestions. We both had the Shellfish Chowder, super yummy. I would say one if the best I've had. Before we could finish our chowder out our meal arrived. My husband had the Stuffed Plantain Bowl. He said it was "real good". It looked amazing from my side of the table. I ordered the appetizer of Fire cracker Shrimp as my meal. Super crispy shrimp with a sriracha aioli. Very good. Portion sizes were ample. The friendliest servers I've encountered in a long time. They did a great job. read more

From the moment you walk in, you will notice the extravagant decor. Compared to the exterior, the food is not as showy or fancy, but it is a nice mix of Caribbean and Mexican cuisine. I started with a coconut mojito, which was not too sweet and had nice hints of lime and mint. It had a sugar cane stick in it , which was definitely more decorative than flavorful. Then came the salmon tostado, which came with nicely cooked salmon on a bed of Mexican salad and a crunchy tostado. The food was a good portion (not too big) and a fair price ($13) for what I got. The waitress was extremely efficient and brought our party of four drinks and food pretty quickly for the amount of people that were there in the restaurant. I also tried the key lime pie, which was very sweet so not for me, but it was a very big portion of pie. Overall, a nice atmosphere for a date or night out with friends, with a huge selection of drinks to choose from! read more

Bahama Breeze - Salmon with tostada - Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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A Bahama Breeze opened in Gainesville, and I had to be there first day! A city in Florida is not really a city in Florida, until it has at least 1 of every Darden Franchise. We got one step closer today, all we need now is a Season's 52 and we will be on the big map! If you like other Bahamas Breezes you will like this one. Darden does an amazing job reproducing exact copies of restaurants. Once inside you could be in any Bahamas Breeze anywhere. Unfortunately, I am not a fan, and today, they did little to win me over, but there were bright spots. Bright spots were the reggae guy, he wasn't bad, and the appetizers were half price for happy hour. Bahamas Breeze has all the impersonal fakeness of Disney without the fun or the nostalgia. It is not bad, but it is somehow awful. Today, because it was the first day they were super over staffed, 20 people with big smiles and welcomes greeted me, but not a soul there related to us in any real person-to-person way. It was just all so fake and superficial. And before the reggae guy started singing, they blasted us with Caribbean themed Muzak. Muzak is fine at a low, soft background level, but when blasted like a club mix it is just obnoxious. We had two appetizers. They were half price for happy hour, but their regular price was I believe somewhere around 12 dollars. At 6 dollars they worked out okay in value. The first appetizer was the shrimp and lobster quesadillas. It was flavorless, and gloopy, and cheesy, with little rubber frozen bag tiny shrimp, and chunks of what I believe might have been lobster. The waitress wore an impressive set of oven mittens to bring us our appetizer, which was purely for show, because the appetizer was as cold as the air-conditioning inside the restaurant. It was a disaster appetizer, and it clocked in at 930 calories. The second appetizer was the crab stack. It looked beautiful and the chips were delightful, but the stack itself was disappointing blends of non-flavors screaming for a little acidity. I could not stomach either appetizer so I gave them both to my live in disposal, my husband. If we pay for it, it has to really be bad for him not to eat it. He ate it, so it must not have been really bad. So there you have it; we finally have a Bahamas Breeze, and if you like Bahamas Breeze you will love this one. I will be outside waiting for Season's 52 to open. read more

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