Great seafood done right! I'd add pictures but we ate here after a long day of travel and ate it all before I thought of taking a pic. It's THAT good! Cobia special was perfect and the hush puppies and shrimp compound butter are the stuff of crave dreams. Friendly staff and fab food at great prices. Don't miss! read more

We had a large party, celebrating a birthday and the food and service were excellent. It didn't take long to get everyone's order and the seafood was delicious. read more

If you want seafood this is the place to go. I do not eat seafood but my family members do. The burgers and chicken tenders are good as well. read more

The thing about Cedar River Seafood is you either love it or it's a big meh. I watch busloads of people munching out on reasonably priced fish meals, having the time of their lives. I see couples who obviously eat there regularly, bantering with the staff. I place my order - the server is always pleasant enough even though they're very busy at meal times. I ignore the not-quite-clean-enough environment, which may be an artifact of how busy they are, or of the slightly tired decor. But - I place my order. Spouse does too. He loves his broiled catfish, enough that he now nudges me about wanting to go back for another try. I have a fish sandwich (some kind of whitefish), and it too is just fine. The sides are disappointing - Mac and cheese overly salty and not very warm, spouse's fries not as fresh as I'd expected giving how busy they were when we walked in. The cole slaw is excellent (and we do love our slaw). Will we be back? Well, yes. (A) they're sort of in our neighborhood; (b) we're of the same age group as those busloads of people - we too like our smaller meals at reasonable prices; (c) the catfish - spouse is drooling even as I read him this review. But can I give more than three stars? Not really. Just too much meh to get up to four. read more

First off, we had really great service when we went here. The server was nice, attentive and prompt. The food was also really good. Sides, seafood it was all delicious. We used to go here back in the day when we lived in FL and it is still really good. read more

As someone stopping in from Louisiana, this place definitely passes. Super good food and friendly service.

Love this place & always delicious. My go to are the fried oysters that are amazing every time. I have had their snow crabs & fried shrimp that are great. read more

I have been looking for a seafood place that has that fresh and homemade taste. Friends and family always recommend this place and now I know why. I ordered the special of the day for $10.99 Flounder & Shrimp with two sides and two hush puppies. I ordered the sweet potato & mac and cheese.Food was delicious and portions were generous. There is not one thing that I ate that I didn't like. read more

If you love casual seafood, this is a good place to eat. The service was very nice. It's nothing fancy; but if you want comfort seafood, this is the place. The cheese grits are excellent. The collard greens are okay. You could also have a salad or coleslaw as a side. I ordered shrimp and clam strips. They were very good for my taste. read more

Only hit this place every year passing through on New Years Eve around 7:00pm. Wish it were closer! The flounder is my fav but the others are great too....and the chowder, oh and the onion petals and....how many words am I allowed on this site? read more

Would not return. Ordered platter for two. Lots of fish short on other items. Food was ok but nothing to go ack for. Service was just ok

During COVID we really took advantage of their family deals . Large portion and delicious food!!

Excellent food and service. Reasonably priced and nice atmosphere. Always clean and friendly staff. We eat there twice a month. So yummy.

I tried this for the first time today and thought it was great! I had a lunch special of fried cod and fried scallops with baby Lima beans, green beans and hush puppies for only 11.99. The service was really good, the restaurant is very open and clean. I enjoyed all the food and will definitely be coming back! It wasn't fine dining, but it was simple, good seafood at a very good price in a nice, comfortable environment. read more

Cedar River Seafood - Lunch menu - Seafood Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

See all

I didn't have much of an expectation for this place to begin with but someone suggested that i give it a try. As soon as I walked in , the the decor alone set the tone ; very outdated and the place was nearly empty. I was seated & reviewed the menu. The menu was a bit overwhelming but at the same time it was underwhelming. Lots of fish prepared different ways but only 3 types of fish. I decided to order the stuffed red snapper. Once my food arrived , I was delighted to see the overall presentation. The portions are wonderful . However , once I took a bite into my meal my delight was no more. My fish was UNDERCOOKED , raw in the middle & the food was bland. I will not be coming back & honestly I wouldn't recommend anyone to either. read more

See all

This place was recommended for good seafood, but I honestly had a very poor and unimpressive experience. There was a wait, but that was not an issue until the hostesses were seating certain people without a reservation or listed name as they walked in the door. There were many people who were clearly irritated by this as well and verbalized this where others could hear, as it made them feel unvalued and unimportant. When we eventually got seated, I slipped on a rib bone that was under the table. It made it very clear that the hostesses were not only making their own rules when seating people, but also that they did not care about doing a thorough job at what they were doing. The food was decent, but nothing you couldn't get out of a freezer section at any grocery store. I was incredibly disappointed as I had heard good things about the seafood being fresh but it clearly was not. I will not be recommending this place to anyone and I will not be back. read more

My foodie-in-crime said Cedar River Seafood has the best Clam Chowder soup in town. At first, I was skeptical since I hadn't been here in over 20 years, but sure enough, they do. If you get a bowl, they give you a scrumptious hush puppy, too. But if you're in a rush for lunch, I wouldn't eat here. They were packed at 12 and there was only 1 cashier for the whole restaurant who also does all the takeout orders. She was fast, competent and reliable but still...one person can only handle so much. I will definitely be bach when I have more of a leisurely lunch. read more

Cedar River Seafood - Best Clam Chowder and hush puppy in town. - Seafood Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Food and service are always excellent here. Seating is always quick, and the food comes out lightning fast after you order! Great place for lunch, if you are pressed for time! I usually get their "flounder" basket. read more

I was going to give a less than stellar review, but the ladies that were working tonight pulled me out of my not-so-stellar review due to a final push of customer service... The ladies pulled out all the stops as we were leaving and wouldn't let us leave until we'd let them sing Happy Birthday to my daughter. It was so cute how they all jumped in to save the day even though we'd forgotten to ask them to sing during dinner! The food was mixed review: husband had fries shrimp and fish that he thought was excellent... I had "blackened" and it was tasteless and broiled. Next time I'm going fried because they know how to do the fried seafood right! read more

Grouper=chicken Mahi Mahi=chicken Shrimp=maybe shrimp Peanut shrimp= small shrimp no peanuts sadly Steak= all cooked the same and tastes like chicken Gator= chicken prissily cut into the same thickness as 10 gauge wire then 1lbs of onion ring batter is applied Onion rings= chicken cut into rings then covers in batter and adds garlic salt to trick you Fried pickles= chicken painted green and pickled flavor then gives you half a gallon of ranch with a spoon in it read more

My overall experience was good. We went for dinner, but the restaurant was not too busy, we got a table for three right away. Our server was friendly and helpful. We ordered drinks and appetizers was serviced to us quickly. We had the stuffed mushrooms & fried green tomatoes as appetizers. They were great. The ranch dressing that was served was pretty good. For dinner, I had the fried catfish with a loaded baked potato and the sweet potato soufflé. I was served about 10 strips of catfish. My friends had the lobster for one, which actually could have fed us three maybe a fourth. The portions are huge! The lobster tails were big and cooked just right. I would come back for another try. They had plenty on the menu. So if you love big portions and seafood, this is the place for you to try. read more

Their lunch specials are great! I got a blackened flounder with collard greens and corn. It was delicious and the service was great!

Very good it's an old family business and it's very good new restaurant in a strip mall. The food was excellent. I had the blackened cobia, and my wife had the grilled shrimp and they work right across the sides. They actually have southern sides, Collett greens and green beans and they even had fried corn on the cob. It was very good we enjoyed it very much. read more

Walked in with almost all seats at the restaurant taken up, but they attended to us ASAP and seated us in less than 5 min. Our server was Ashley, she took care of things for us before we even had a chance to ask. That's already a plus, now let's get down to the food portion. First of all, It was huge! I ordered the stuffed flounder and it came with two sides and three hush puppies. My bf ordered the Big Mate and it came with tons of shrimp and clams along with blackened fish, grilled scallops, and deviled crab with two sides and 6 hush puppies! It was amazing. All in all, everything was great in a reasonable price. We left stuffed and got to take home a decent amount of leftovers. What else could you ask for? read more

See all

Have to say I've NEVER come here and been disappointed! Everything on the menu is sooo delicious! I have the hardest time picking which sides I want because they're literally the delicious. Would recommend as some of the best seafood, for the best prices in Gainesville! Went the weekend of graduation and the busser/host (not sure his name, but he was working very hard) was very helpful and nice. Would recommend for anyone looking for some tasty seafood! read more

Food was hot, fresh and catfish flaky. The only down side was the French fries were under cooked. But everything was perfect. Great customer service . I will eat here next time I am in Gainesville. read more

Cedar River Seafood - Fried catfish with okra & French fries - Seafood Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

A great place to stop for lunch. The specials are huge portions. Love the fried catfish and shrimp. Great hush puppies too!

Cedar River used to be our favorite Gainesville seafood restaurant, but the last 3 times we've ordered take-out, it's either been wrong or missing items. Today, I stopped by to get just 2 large cups of the seafood dip, which are $3.99 per cup. My bad that I did not look at them before I got home! The cups are less than 1/2 full and she gave me 6 packs of crackers (all broken), which I guess is enough considering the cups are less than 1/2 full. If I ever go back, it will only be for eat in, since I've had many troubles with take out. Right now, I'm done. Not planning a return visit anytime soon. read more

Cedar River Seafood - Cedar River used to be our favorite Gainesville seafood restaurant, but the last 3 times we've ordered take-out, it's either been wrong or m - Seafood Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

The best place in town to satisfy your seafood cravings. Family friendly atmosphere. Very reasonable prices. The batter fried shrimp here are the best in the world. read more

Cedar River Seafood - Seafood Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

The servers are kind and very busy. My order took 25 minutes which is fine for fresh seafood that's cooked to order. The service is very good and the price for the seafood is expensive. Overall Cedar River is pretty consistent in terms of the quality of their service and their food. The cost is high but that's par for the course. read more

Cedar River Seafood - Seafood Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

A favorite of my husband. He loves their fried fish and shrimp. I try to usually eat "healthier " so I ask for broiled fish - just be sure to also ask for it to not have a lot of extra oil. They will serve it that way if you request. My "weakness " is there VERY yummy hush puppies. Most people are like my husband and go for their fried fish. Friday evenings are usually packed. Unfortunately no reservations. read more

I ordered fried shrimp, and french fries, and coleslaw as my 2 sides. They give you a generous portion of shrimp. I have not eaten shrimp anywhere as good as they make a CRS. Its a 10. The ff were good not great. The coleslaw is delicious very creamy. The hushpuppies were cooked just right. For the money and service you will not have a better seafood meal anywhere else in Gainesville. read more

**LGBT FRIENDLY** I just discovered this place and have been there three times since. While this restaurant is not fancy and the ambience is lacking in that it's very loud and busy, it's a pretty solid joint for fried seafood. I have only had the fried seafood, however you can get anything fried blackened or grilled. The portions are good, and the sides are pretty good. One of the downfalls of this place though, is that you have to pay your bill upfront and they do A lot of takeout and stay busy, so paying your bill can be a bit of a mission. A very on organized mission. Still I think they're a solid restaurant was good portions and pretty good tasting food and the service is very good and fast. They seem very family-friendly and can accommodate large parties. read more

Terrible service; was waiting for an hour and a half whilst other customers were seated. Terrible hygiene; they may wear masks but the bathrooms and the way they handle the money was just awful. 0/10 they made us wait forever and we never even got to be seated- ended up leaving to go to another place. read more

We got the seafood choice of two and flounder basket. The fish was hot and quickly served by attentive waiter. Generous portions. Got the New England chowder which was rich and filled with clams. Worth a return is it. read more

So, based on the other reviews, I was expecting fail... It was better than that... however. The prices are a bit high for what you get. 12 bucks for broiled flounder which came out covered in a slather of some kind of coatings, not as I expected - broiled fish. The hushpuppies are good, the fried corn on the cob decent, and the grits... well, cheesy grits got me velveeta and, yeah, cheddar would rock as an upgrade. With drink and tip (service was good actually) i hit 17 bucks. Yeah.... no. My companions had fried catfish (strips, not terrible, but - meh) and another had blackened grouper. It was decent, but not amazing. So... yeah, I probably would not go back simply because I can go across the street and get fresh fish at Northwest Seafood and parchment bake it at home and spend the same money for two people, and get better fish. And the decor needs some fabrics to break up the sound. Sure, its a revamped Pizza Hut, but its just noisy as all get out in there. Service was snappy and the food came out fast. I'd give them 2.5 stars, but I can't. Usually I'd round up - but I just can't do it here. Apparently the real value in this place is at Lunch. Prices are a lot cheaper and I'm told the value/quality is a better match. read more

The new location of Cedar River has provided them with a much better atmosphere: more natural light and just a cleaner, newer, interior it seems. The food is the same: if you disliked it before, don't expect massive changes at all. Cedar River is a small chain: I know of another in Lake City and one also in Starke and there's obviously a former one around Leesburg on 441 where they've now apparently changed hands but retained the original sign and, trying to make do, named it "Captain Bell's Seafood" as it has that old captain and a ship's bell on it. Crafty of 'em, eh? This is Southern (mainly) fried seafood and the customer base is locals who want their seafood this way instead of in some novel creation Red Lobster has dreamed up. Not that I am fawning over Red Lobster at all, but the thing is, if you want a chain restaurant type experience in terms of a decent but not too long wait, attentive waitstaff, kind of high prices but not fine dining but with more emphasis on fried seafood and traditional Southern sides like grits, you'll get it here. The food, for what it is, isn't bad but I've had way better elsewhere, such as Robinson's Seafood in Cedar Key for fried shrimp. The fried catfish here was good enough certainly, and more than an ample portion: I don't feel it was overpriced because you get more of it than anyone could possibly eat, but the flip side to that is why not lower the price a little and also decrease the portion size? The girts were ok but nothing special, the hushpuppies also were alright but nowhere near Robinson's or Sisters' (Branford, FL). If you live near or happen to be around Cedar River's new location and are hungry for fried seafood, I don't think you'll be too disappointed but it's certainly not worth going out of your way for, either. read more

Service was ok. Food was ok. If you really like fried seafood food this is totally the place for you. There was nothing too special about the fish, however the scallops were pretty good & so were the hush puppies (the two big standouts). It was a bigger price than I had expected, but when I saw the amount of food on the platter I kinda understood--it was a mountain. They flavors all seemed to mix together tho--it all kinda tasted the same (except the scallops & hush puppies). Will I go back? Probably not. Not because the food was bad--it really was pretty good--but it's not really my preference. read more

Has been a five star for me for thirty years. Always been the same, aside from location. Consistent food, service and atmosphere! I heard once that it has been the same person cooking all these years. If that is true...you ROCK!!!. Collards are perfect. Fried clams are perfect every time. Hush puppies are perfect. Staff are perfect. I live a few hours from here now but still this place is my go to when I am in town. And if I already ate here I might go to la fiesta...they also changed location over the years and are still good. Thank you Cedar River. Just perfect!!! read more

We love the family dinner . Even if you have a large group it will take care of it . We love the sides and the shrimp platter is huge , well worth the money . A great value and always fresh great tasting food read more