We love Covey Kitchen whether for brunch, dinner, or enjoying live jazz music during happy hour on Wednesday night, the vibe, food and drinks is always great. Tonight we got the onion crusted salmon which was so fresh and delicious and flavorful. These were paired with the red skin mashed potatoes with Boursin and were so yummy. For drinks I tried the Alma Roja and the cinnamon infused Cointreau was a really nice touch. Overall the service was great and I would highly recommend this hidden gem. read more

Covey Kitchen + Cocktails - Alma Roja drink - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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Service was efficient. The restaurant is not very busy and the food at breakfast came promptly. Nothing special. The view of the fountains was nice. If you are staying here it's a good place to grab a bite. The previous night the kitchen was kind and let us order right at closing. Got the turkey club panini. That sandwich was pretty good. read more

Covey Kitchen + Cocktails - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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Really excellent breakfast at this hotel spot in Gainesville. Came in for a pre-game meal and the service, food quality and environment were just about perfect. Delicious omelet, crispy bacon and attentive staff. read more

Covey Kitchen + Cocktails - Omelet with bacon. Yum. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

This is the restaurant inside the Eleo hotel. The restaurant is very good and the prices are relatively reasonable. It's a great option if you are in town for an event and all the other nicer restaurants are booked up or if you just like the menu. Everything we had was tasty. Ate there for dinner and brunch. We got the XL cinnamon roll with brunch, which was also great. read more

Covey Kitchen + Cocktails - XL cinnamon roll. More bread-like texture than a typical cinnamon roll. Very light and delicious. The pecan frosting was very good. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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Dreadful service, okay food. Definitely not worth the $140 plus tip that we were charged. Do not come here outside of normal dinner hour. We were the only diners on a Thursday at 4, and we were nothing more than afterthoughts. read more

This is disappointing. We visit Florida about once a year and honestly don't get to this restaurant very often. We discovered it just after covid and I had the best hamburger I have ever had there! It was amazing! I am gluten intolerant and it came with a nice GF bun. I couldn't believe what they did with a simple hamburger. The meat was perfectly seasoned, which is key! My wife had their caser salad which was elevated with toasted breadcrumbs instead of croutons and fresh hand shredded parmesan cheese. We visited again a few years later and the items were still on the menu, so we got them again and again, a great meal! We were there for probably the final time on the 16th of April and the items were still there so we were excited...until they arrived. It showed all the earmarks of a restaurant cutting corners to save money rather than putting out great food to bring people back. The burger tasted like your average. No seasoning as they now expect the condiments to carry the weight. The GF bun is a gone and now there is a cut-rate, weirdly sweet GF bread that disintegrates when it gets even a little wet. The salad was similar. Instead of house made seasoned, toasted breadcrumbs, what appeared to be store bought croutons and store bought pre-sliced parm on a sea of boring lettuce. You've seen it before. A restaurant buys premade to save money and then more people stop coming as word gets out that the quality has diminished. It may be "just a burger" but it didn't used to be and for $18, it shouldn't be. You can't save a restaurant by making things worse. Probably a venture capital company involved, it's their trademark. The server was nice though the only one there an struggling a little to cover the indoor table and the patio despite there not being a lot of tables full. So I will wistfully remember the two times I had the best burger ever and hope someday, someone else can recreate that magic. read more

Friendly service and very clean. Sort of an upscale feel without the stuffiness. Checked on often and kept my coffee refilled. Beautiful scenery of a fountain, greenery, and a small lake outside. Also outdoor tables under umbrellas. The Creat Your Own Omelette was huge and delicious. I ordered mine with sausage, roasted tomatoes, spinach, peppers, and mozzarella. Considering the size of this omelette for $14, I feel it's fairly priced. Also included was two thick pieces of toast (my choice was white bread). Will return next time I'm in the area! read more

Covey Kitchen + Cocktails - Create your own omelette. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

We were visiting Gainesville to see UF and my cursory Yelp search for a lunch spot brought up this place. Little did I realize it was located in the hotel I was staying at. Normally, hotel restaurants are meh, so the good rating stood out. Upon being seated, we received an iPad with the menu on it. The menu was easy to navigate and had something for everyone. Compared to the DC areas, prices were moderate. I ended up getting the tuna nachos and ceviche for an appetizer. We also split a cuban sandwich, a steak sandwich, and a French onion grilled cheese. All were excellent. Service was attentive and timely. Definitely a spot to visit when in Gainesville. read more

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Atmosphere was wonderful and service was top tier. I sat at the bar and was promptly taken care of. They had a new menu option and was very diligent about letting me know about the changes. The new Turkey Club was great and a big portion size! Enough tot share if you're a light eater. read more

Covey Kitchen + Cocktails - New Turkey Club with Broccolini. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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So, I have been to Covey for happy hour and brunch this week. Guess you can say I'm a fan - hahaha! My friend and I made reservations for brunch yesterday at 12:15p and anytime you can dine here, the complimentary valet really does make a difference. We were greeted by a sweet and helpful server who provided great recommendations as this was our first time having brunch. Due to my overindulgence in espresso martinis this past week, I had a sober brunch. I went for an iced vanilla latte with almond milk. It was very tasty, not too sweet, and a great Sunday pick me up. My friend ordered the truffle tots with a side of the creole sauce per our server's recommendation, and I went for a side of fruit. Yes, it's boring but I wanted something light and fresh. The fruit were fresh and was a mix of berries and melons which I liked. Now the truffle tots had this amazing pungent smell that would make your mouth salivate. Thankfully, she shared some with me as it was a huge portion. The white truffle oil and garlic were the chef's kiss! Along with the tots being perfectly crispy. We enjoyed the sounds of the jazz band which was nice since I know typically the jazz is on Wednesday's from 6pm - 8pm. Since it was the UF student move in weekend, it was packed in the dining room and more noisier than usual. However, we were still able to enjoy our Sunday gossip and chats. For my main plate, I went with the create your own omelette with turkey, veggies, and American cheese. I thought this would be a great option for vegetarians as they provided a lot of options for the omelette. When it came out, it was a HUGE portion. The plate also came with a roasted tomato on a bed of watercress, choice of toast with jam and butter. Overall, no complaints at all. The veggies and turkey inside of the omelette were balanced and they did not skimp out on the cheese at all. I loved the vibes for brunch and food selection. I will definitely be back soon with my parents and more friends! read more

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I had the pleasure of staying at the hotel where the Covey Kitchen is located. Beautiful setting, great food and friendly, attentive service! I went in with no expectations and was pleasantly surprised with the food we ordered: The Burger ($18) a double patty, lettuce, tomato, American cheese and house spread (unlike my BIL, I held the onion and cheese on mine) served with shoestring fries The Cuban ($16) tender roast pork shoulder, pickle, provolone and dijon aioli served with kettle chips Reuben Croquette ($12) braised short rib combined with sauerkraut and gruyere rolled into balls and deep fried served with house 1000 island Koji Pork Belly Boa ($16) served with cilantro, cucumber, nuoc cham and hoisin aioli The prices for the food was on par with most of the restaurants at this scale and tasted delicious. It was not too fancy and you have the options of eating inside or outside on their patio. My favorite was the burger and fries--it was more than enough to share. The actual burger meat was very flavorful, cooked perfectly served between a wonderful toasted buttered bun and the meat-to-bun ratio made their burger a solid 10 for me. I would recommend it if you're super hungry. Each dish was just lovely and I look forward to coming back and trying some of the other options on their menu. What a yummy and relaxing experience! read more

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Food- Blackened mahi sandwich. 5 stars. The mahi was very good, moist, and well seasoned. It had bacon and the mix flavors paired very well. I was surprised. Service- 4 stars. I had to sit myself since no one was at the "podium". I understand now the recurrent comments from other patrons about the service. If they improve, this place will be amazing. Ambiance- 5 stars. I came from Tallahassee for a late lunch date and the place is very nice (look at pic)We liked it. Overall rate should have been 4.5 but Yelp has no option. Would I come more often? Yep!!! read more

Covey Kitchen + Cocktails - Pano view. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

First time dining. Overall, food was acceptable but nothing spectacular. Had ribeye and it was not flavorful. So, used steak sauce. Crab cakes were good. Cauliflower was good. Shrimp that came with filet had no seasoning. But the main issue....they were out of the half chicken, flank steak, tortellini (because of no sauce), chocolate mousse. So, all the utensils we ordered the server had to tell us wasn't available. It was 7:30 on Saturday if Valentines Day. You'd think a hotel restaurant would be better prepared. Server was good. Glad they had two ciders. Not sure if I'll be back. read more

We sat outside on a Saturday afternoon. We were bummed that they weren't serving brunch. We were there for a birthday, so the server graciously said he'd ask if the kitchen staff would be willing to make us a couple of things we were hoping for. They did!! All of the food was amazing. We started with smoked fish pate. Then after he was able to confirm they'd make brunch menu items so we ordered the truffle tots and the biscuits and gravy. They were delicious!! The service was excellent and we sat outside in the shade and enjoyed a couple of cocktails as well. It was a great Saturday lunch! read more

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Fantastic fresh food. Its been a bit since we were there. We travel to eat food. We have depending dogs.

Disappointing Thanksgiving Buffet & Overpriced Experience In 2023, we had Thanksgiving at Covey's Kitchen, and it was delightful--great selections and a wonderful experience. We also visited for Easter 2024, and again, it was fantastic, with a great variety of delicious options. Unfortunately, Thanksgiving 2024 was a disaster. At $55 per person, the food was extremely limited and lacked quality: * The stuffing was nothing more than dried-out breadcrumbs. * The ham was served in small, smoked slices. * A charcuterie board featured only four meats and no cheese. When I asked if cheese would be brought out, I was told, "No." * There was no pumpkin pie--on Thanksgiving! When I asked the manager about it, he said they weren't serving any, adding, "Not sure what the chef was thinking." Neither was I! * The dessert table was unappealing, with no white linens or presentation effort--it looked like desserts were just placed on the table. The rest of the offerings were equally underwhelming: * Only one salad dressing for the mixed greens. * Oysters and peel-and-eat shrimp were fine, but cocktail sauce was the only condiment--no horseradish. * For main meats, they had just turkey and smoked ham--nothing else. The service was good, likely because the place was almost empty compared to last year. For two of us, with a $40 bottle of wine, our total came to $188, including an 18% gratuity. We don't mind paying for good food, but this buffet was absolutely not worth the cost. Overall, I would never return for Thanksgiving again. read more

Overall: Nice ambience, good food, but not so great service. Ambience: It is a nice place to go to in Gville. There are lots of indoor and outdoor seating. The big windows overlooking the man-made lake/fountain is nice so I recommend going during the day if you'd like to enjoy it. My friends and I walked during our work lunch break and entered through the back. There is a host/hostess station there but nobody was at it. We did make a reservation before hand though, which I recommend if you have more than 2 ppl going to lunch. Service: Honestly, not great. We came in separately in pairs and it took a while for the server to notice when new folks sat down. One of my colleagues asked for room temperature water, which we had to ask the server for an additional two times. Even with that, she never came back to refill my colleagues room temp water but would occasionally come back to refill the rest of ours. We learned early that we had to ask for a lot of things in the beginning or we wouldn't see our server for 20-25 minutes (most of which we had to flag her down or ask other servers). And no they were not busy this day. There must've been only 5 other tables that had other servers. It took forever to get our checks. Food: I think the food was overpriced for what we got. I asked my colleagues if the menu was the lunch menu bc usually places have lunch specials or deals during lunch/ the holidays. We ordered the shrimp cocktail (only 7 pieces) and fried cauliflower to share. We wish we were told how many pieces come in the shrimp cocktail bc there were supposed 8 of us. We would've ordered another plate. The only the thing that made it okay was that 1 of group didn't show and the two others had eaten at a dept lunch event already. 3 of us got the Fish and Chips. We were deciding between that and the tuna wrap, but our server told us the tuna from the tuna wrap comes from a Can. The fish and chips were really good, but I don't think it was worth the cost. We ordered desserts and coffee (after the server convinced us they make a good cup). The desserts were great but we weren't able to have any coffee because supposedly they ran out of coffee beans. Again, this was lunch time - not sure how a place like this runs out of coffee beans. The reason I am giving 3 instead of 2 stars was bc the food was good and the ambience despite the horrible service and price. read more

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Covey Kitchen is located in the Hotel Eleo at the University of Florida, which is a hotel located very close to UF Shands Hospital. The hotel offers reduced rates for patient family members in order to provide better service to patients being treated by the hospital. Built in 2018 on the former site of the Rush Lake Motel, it is named after the Greek Goddess of Compassion, Eleos, who was the personification of pity, mercy, clemency, and compassion. Parking for the restaurant is complimentary valet service, though if you happen to be on a motorcycle there is a sidewalk that they ask you to park on. The restaurant offers meals throughout the day, and its menu is inspired by the experiences of Chef Andy, who has been cooking for decades and whose experience has been in kitchens in the Caribbean and the Florida Keys for much of his career. There is seating both inside and out, and there is also a conference room for smaller parties (15-20 persons I would estimate) if that is your need. My family has known Chef Andy for many of those years, back when he was a young man just starting to make his way in the world and learning the trade. His food has always been excellent, and it shows here at Covey Kitchen. My mother, sister, and I went for lunch one fine day, and since it was a cool day I opted for the grilled cheese sandwich with the tomato bisque. This is not on the menu as a single dish, but let's face it... this is a pretty solid pairing so I went for it. It was an excellent choice, and I enjoyed every drop and crumb. read more

Space is bright and comfortable and the bar is welcoming. The service was very slow and border line rude. Not acknowledging people and the brushing them off brusquely. read more

I came to this restaurant for a friends birthday and the ambiance is so nice especially walking in! I hate they have to valet your car but I get it but then again I don't. This time around I tried the salmon salad and tomato bisque with 2 cocktails. Both soup and sad was delicious, I almost wish to have swamped my salad with a grilled cheese but that just means I have to go back lol but the drinks-they definitely didn't skimp on the alcohol. The sugar cookie martini was ok, festive and nice try to but not my thing-I thought I would love it more but didn't however the espresso martini was THEEE BOMB! I could have had another one but I waited to look for my second drink anyway as we were wrapping up dinner! Overall great spot to try in Gainesville and I especially love the fact they play live jazz on Wednesdays so I definitely look forward to attending one of those one evening. read more

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Nice setting, with view of ponds and fountains. I wanted to like this place, despite it being in a hotel. We chose to go for a special occasion. Appetizers (tuna nachos and spicy cauliflower) were good. My ribeye steak was fatty and gristly, and the side vegetables were cold. The replacements were lukewarm. Others thought their dishes (salmon and hanger steak) were ok. Seemed quite overpriced when the bill came. Won't be returning. read more

Posting a quick review to say Covey Kitchen hosted the 2023 Yelpies (Yelp Elite Year End Event). We were greeted with super cocktails and apps as part of this event. Thankful for those who continue to post stellar reviews and highlight wonderful community features! read more

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Strange choices for making food. Sage butter on the avocado toast isn't for me. The toast also wasn't crisp, so with the avocado and egg it was all too soft. The poached egg was served with too much water. The salmon add on to the Cobb salad was very good, but there was mint in the salad itself. You had to be careful to pick it all out to make sure you didn't have some surprise bites. read more

Covey Kitchen + Cocktails - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Covey Kitchen + Cocktails is the restaurant and bar of the sleek modern Hotel Eleo at the University of Florida. It's ultramodern in a pleasing to the eye décor. It also offers both indoor and outdoor patio dining with an exceptionally lovely view of a pond having multiple fountains that is just great for bird watching. It has a bar loaded with handcrafted signature drinks and a decent menu with such items as Short Rib with black pepper spaetzle | horseradish | roasted carrot | dem, Florida Snapper with braised savoy cabbage | crispy fingerling | roasted tomato beurre fondue, Scottish Salmon with avocado | chilled quinoa | ginger | miso aioli, and an Angus Ribeye with roasted mushrooms | Swiss chard | fingerling potato white truffle | white shoyu demi, as well as the typical burger and chicken wings; and many others. Overall the food and food choices are very good though I being on a Keto diet kept to eggs, bacon and sausages. read more

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We went for brunch, which is a menu not a buffet. Very good, and focused selection of breakfast based options. The food was very well prepared with several interesting flavor combinations offered. The dining room service was a bit overwhelmed, but the kitchen was rocking so we were not held up. Parking is vallet only, but that may be related to the construction surrounding the property. read more

3.5 stars. Inside the hotel Eleo which is beautiful in and of itself. They have valet parking only (complimentary). We came on a Friday afternoon and there weren't a lot of people there. We got the cauliflower and pork belly bao appetizers and 2 cocktails. Cocktails were okay, didn't blow me away. The Shin Ishikawa was this odd blend of whiskey and something slightly sweet. Food was decent but way overpriced. Cauliflower was basically chunks of cauliflower with tempura-like batter served with 3 tasting sauces. The bao was dry and needed more sauce. Service: similar to what other people pointed out, it was slow given how few other guests were there. Would really choose to go to this place for its ambiance. They have great patio seating with overhead shade and a lovely view of the lake with fountains. read more

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Was it slightly overpriced? Probably. Was the food great? Yep. Would I go back again? Definitely. Good place for a special occasion or a girls lunch on a nice day. After scrolling through reviews, I chose this spot for my birthday lunch. Complimentary valet parking, beautiful view, and delicious food and cocktails. I thoroughly enjoyed the brussel sprout salad and half of my husband's fish and chips. Yes... I was hungry. Our server was fantastic. My only minor critique is that when we arrived, we waited at the host stand for a few minutes until a manager(?) from behind the bar waved us down and motioned for us to come toward her rather than approaching us. A little out of place given the overall ambiance. read more

Covey Kitchen + Cocktails - brussel sprout salad - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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What a beautiful new hotel in the heart of the Swamp! I recently visited Hotel Eleo to have a drink and dinner with my bestie at their interior restaurant, Covey Kitchen. What. A. Spot! I felt like I was in a scene right out of SATC, with me playing a bit of Carrie & Samantha with my delicious Jus de Poire cocktail mixed by the amazing bartender, Jen. We were seated quickly in a socially-distanced setting with a beautiful view of the fountain while sitting at the bar. Service was wonderful as our drinks never went empty, our food never cold and Jen was just a so lovely through it all. So whether you're staying at the hotel or not, it's worth a peek and definitely worth a stop into Covey Kitchen! read more

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I met a couple of girlfriends here last night for dinner and drinks. This was my first time coming to this restaurant and I was not disappointed! Valet was complimentary, so that was a nice perk. We ordered several appetizers and entrees from the menu and also enjoyed some mixed drinks and a couple bottles of champagne. The service was impeccable at the bar where we were sitting. Our chef of the evening, Charlie, came out to see how we were liking the food, and to tell us about each dish. I was impressed with his professionalism, and friendly personality. We felt like rockstars being checked on by the chef! We have him our compliments and told him what our favorites were. The restaurant has huge glass windows overlooking a small pond and fountain, and was a very nice view as we were sitting down around sunset. The atmosphere in this restaurant is calm and friendly. I will definitely recommend this place to anyone visiting town! read more

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I went to an event sponsored by Yelp at the hotel and then decided to eat at the restaurant. My bf and I were not disappointed that's for sure! We had the koji pork bao buns and the meat was exquisite , flavorful and tender. It was like a warm hug. My boyfriend had the short ribs and I got the burger. We were in a food coma after but we eat pretty light during the week so this was like a treat for us so we went all out. The burger was amazing, it was a classic burger and I'm just wondering why most Gainesville places miss the mark on a simple burger but covey really gets it. The fries were crunchy and well seasoned. The short rib was pull apart and the pasta was a great pairing with it. Our server was knowledgeable and willing to give recommendations. Food came out quick , granted we ate on a Wednesday night. Ambiance was light and calm . read more

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This is an amazing restaurant and Bar!!!! The staff very friendly!!!! They have a live Band playing.... So why is this such an amazing experience, my wife had to have test at University Of Miami Hospital. Yes that correct. The Hospital has a Hotel name of Hotel ELEO all rooms are suites with Cafe Nespresso machines. I booked online and when I asked for a late check out due my wife have test done they refunded me rate and discount room !!!!! Highly recommend and never disappoints 2 time at hotel 1st time was for a game... read more

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Upscale- nice happy hour too! Delicious Tuna nachos! Will return when back in the area.

This restaurant was connected to Hotel Eleo, and it did not disappoint! The waitress was very kind and recommended cocktails for us. The atmosphere was very peaceful and not too busy on a Sunday night. The pork Bao appetizers were delicious, with a savory flavor. The short rib was very well seasoned and cooked perfectly tender. This is a great place for a date night and has a appetizing menu for both dinners and brunches! read more

Covey Kitchen + Cocktails - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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The atmosphere is awesome the view is lovely. It is in the hotel and valet is free. All of the food was really good and definitely would go back. The server was so funny and tentative. The sangria was so good with the peach Schnapps. I had Pittsburgh rare steak and it was so tender and awesome flavor! The Cuban was delicious! The shareables where soooo good. The bao was flavorful and yummy. The sauce with the burrata was so good. read more

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Kickass bar and food. Service is welcoming and does not hover over you. Simple design but feels homey. read more

Covey Kitchen + Cocktails - What a spread this place is wonderful - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Such a pleasant experience! The food was absolutely delicious, the cocktails were unique and flavorful, our waitress was exceptionally kind and to top it off, there was live music. Will definitely visit again if I am in the area. read more

Covey Kitchen + Cocktails - Butter board - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

I've dined here twice this week -- once for lunch and the other Sunday brunch. Here are my highlights: Brunch -The banana pudding French toast is delicious. They serve it sliced atop whipped ricotta cheese and sweet strawberries. Recommend this for dessert. - The avocado toast is a HUGE serving of avocado, nothing like a schmear other places try to pass off as a serving. The pickled radishes were great, but I could pass on the onions. The toast points were "on point". Also, I ordered applewood bacon that was great as a little salt added to the dish. -My dad ordered an omelette and enjoyed it. Lunch -Croquettes with sauerkraut, short ribs and cheese were okay but I probably wouldn't order them again. -Cauliflower Bites were unexpectedly fried, but still good. For some reason I thought they might just be roasted. The chipotle sauce served with them was a good pairing. - the Turkey BLT sandwich was very tasty but the fries were a huge disappointment. They were soggy and mushy, not crispy like I was hoping. -I wanted to get the burrata appetizer and brownie for dessert but they were "out" of both of these items I went here with really high expectations and was a bit let down in some areas. read more

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Cannot believe the quality of food compared to the price. I shouldn't even write that, for fear that they will up the price. But, the service was lovely. The drinks were nice. And the food was really quite good! (Two of us are *still* talking about the Brussels sprouts salad, tbh -- and it's 3 weeks later.) The only negative is that parking is confusing for someone who is from out of town. read more

Excellent! Can't give it a 5 nor a 4 because certainly there are better places. But the food is solid. Be ware, the menu changes and we went for certain dishes we saw in reviews, none of which were any longer offered. This along with the ambiance that is plain and the service which is adequate but looks a little rough. Nonetheless, the price point is within acceptable range and the meals are good size. The drinks are probably their best feature and those are spot on. read more

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This place is an instant Gainesville gem!! It is not just for the hotel guests, but OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!! It is a brand new facility that is owned and operated by UF!! It is the only brand new hotel you will find with FREE VALET!!! The menu is well-thought out, and facilitated by a top-notch chef! They have fried cauliflower, hot wings, charcuterie boards, gnocchi, and a Bahn mi pork belly sandwich that is just amazing....and yes.. much, much more! The bartenders are friendly and go above and beyond to make you comfy. If you are lucky enough to get Trisha as your mixologist, you'll have very few problemas!! The best thing about this place is that not many people know about it!!! The view of the fountain from the courtyard is breathtaking and romantic, (especially at night) the hotel rooms look like suites, and have two televisions per room! Bring your special other here for a meal and a drink, and then cruise outside after dark and enjoy!! There are so many amazing aspects to this new Gainesville gem! Check it out!! read more