Fantastic! They've only been open 3 weeks and I must say, well done! We went to Jazz Fest Sunday which kept getting delayed due to weather. I'm in a wheelchair so, we ditched that idea and went to try this restaurant which I had heard about. We actually got take out full dinners. The staff were fantastic, thoughtful, and well informed. I had the short rib with poblano and potato. My wife had the fried chicken, andouille, and rice. We both loved it. The short rib was soooo tender. We can't wait to go back and dine inside. read more

Dorothy's Downtown - Menu - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Went for Happy Hour and had a great time. Athan, the Bartender, was excellent! The food and drinks were great. We'll definitely be back for dinner! read more

We finally tried Dorothy's Downtown and wow -- what a vibe. The space is gorgeous with such a cool, modern feel. My husband and I grabbed seats at the bar (plenty of open tables for a Monday night). We hit happy hour just in time (arrived at 6:30, it runs until 7). Tried the single crab cake for $10 -- good, solid, nothing crazy. The Creole pasta though? Absolutely incredible. Loaded with flavor, veggies, and meat... honestly one of the best pasta dishes I've had in Jax. For mains we went with the crab-stuffed shrimp (fine, but not memorable) and the BBQ shrimp & grits -- and let me just say, GET THE SHRIMP & GRITS. Outrageously good. The Gouda grits could be a meal all by themselves, so creamy and delicious. Wrapped it all up with the beignets, which were the perfect sweet ending. Now... the service. Our dinner stretched to 2.5 hours, and the first course alone took 45 minutes. Staff kept saying the kitchen was backed up and having issues, and it definitely showed in the pacing. It's a newer spot, so I'll chalk some of that up to growing pains, but it did drag things out. Bottom line: food = fantastic, service = needs work. I'll absolutely come back for the shrimp & grits and to see if the pacing improves, because the flavors here are worth read more

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Stopped in for lunch today. Ordered the chicken and waffles. Both were very good. May have been the best fried chicken I've ever had. The food took a bit to come out so they gave me an extra piece of chicken. My husband enjoyed hie creole pasta as well. Service was friendly and good. read more

Great waitress. Steady refills, asking what we need. Boudin was good wish it came with more. Best chicken n waffles I've had with the pecan butter & hot honey. Steak and frites with poached egg was eh. Egg was hard, steak needed more salt but the fries with gravy were read more

Everything is wonderful! A must to eat here!! The best old fashion I town!!! Have been here several times and it never gets old. Love it every time! read more

I thought it was a nice vibe. The decor is beautiful and ever we had tasted great! We were there for a birthday party and enjoyed having an area just for our party. read more

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Dorothy's Downtown was good! I loved the salmon and grits, and the beignets were AMAZING. read more

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I'm starting to feel like people just give good ratings because their standards are low. My standards aren't super high by any means BUT there's a few basics I need when going to a restaurant. Dorothy's just completely missed. While the creole pasta had decent flavor, my partner got the fried chicken and gumbo, she LOVES gumbo but the flavor was NOT it. The rice was old and congealed and the chicken I just don't even know. The pictures shown on yelp over time all look different so you really don't know what you're getting. The ambiance is nice. They have a main dining room, bar, and outside. We went around 3P. Nobody was there, we sat outside, the hostess was nice but it took 15-20 minutes for a server to greet us. Our food came out in less than 10 minutes after ordering. Something just isn't right about this place. AND you have to pay to park to go to the restaurant. It's not worth it, never again. read more

Dorothy's Downtown - Fried chicken & gumbo - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Great place and convenient to the Florida Theater for a pre-show dinner. Nice, varied and unique menu with great atmosphere. Nice cocktail selection too. read more

The food was ok. They were out of some of the menu items. I'm not sure if I will go back.

Dang, we were so excited. We still had a wonderful time, but unfortunately have some comments. We will keep it short. My Italian wine by the glass was great and good value. Deviled eggs were not great. Good try but missing the mark. House salad was a better but still had an odd taste to it. Service was friendly, but haphazard. Food was kinda of thrown on the table. Old plates not removed with any urgency. Ordered the elk. Took a longtime to arrive and was undercooked when it did. Grit cake and creamed spinach were very good. So, not terrible. But, had expected a higher end preparation and service for the price and location. Could be much better if sharpened up. read more

Great ambience and service and superb food! Would definitely recommend the deviled eggs and burger! read more

Dorothy's Downtown - Deviled eggs - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

I don't write reviews but this place was too good all the way around to not let people know. We came into town for the weekend and had a party of 8 and not one person had anything bad to say about anything. The atmosphere/vibe 10/10. Our waitress/service 10/10. Our food, oh my gosh, SO GOOD 10/10. No complaints. Will dream of this place! We ordered the spinach dip (which I could bathe in). Salmon, vegetarian plate, steak, fried chicken gumbo, & salad. Literally not one person complained about anything. Don't skip out on this spot! read more

Dorothy's Downtown - Food menu - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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Had the BEST brunch at Dorothy Downtown with my girlfriends! We sat at the bar and had such an amazing time. Gabby was absolutely incredible -- attentive, fun, and made the experience even better. The food was delicious, and the mimosa tower was definitely flowing Perfect spot for brunch with friends. Can't wait to come back! read more

Dorothy's Downtown - Steak and eggs - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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Wow! What a wonderful surprise. I was in town for a meeting and looking for a place for dinner. A security guard at a concert venue suggested Dorothy's. We could not have been more pleased. Everyone was friendly and attentive. The server provided excellent insight on the dishes. We ordered the pork chop and the short rib over grits. The flavor profiles were wonderful. read more

This place was amazing!! Our server was super attentive and nice. The decor in the restaurant was absolutely gorgeous. The place was renovated recently this year. The food was extremely tasty and made fresh. We went to brunch the week after the grand opening. read more

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Very lovely atmosphere and food was also delicious with just the right amount of flavor and spice. read more

Dorothy's Downtown - Lamb chops and mashed potatoes - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

We were not able to get in. The host staff was nice but unfortunately they were full. Sounded like they had music. Unfortunately we were just passing through. read more

The food was great. Deviled eggs, shrimp and grits and short ribs were all on point and the service was awesome.

Such a tasteful addition to downtown! Dorothy's kept a lot of the old building's charm while adding their own flavor; and boy did they add flavor. The menu was expansive for a first weekend, with many different options at all levels of price point. We started with the deviled eggs and chose the filet mignon and elk for our entrees. Everything was perfectly cooked and so tender. After dinner, you have to have the beignets! They are on the appetizer list, but we had them with coffee after our meal (and may have poured some of the mocha espresso dipping sauce in our coffee along with the cream and sugar). Service was excellent (shoutout Cora) and we will be back. read more

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Absolutely amazing chicken and waffles! The chicken is perfectly seasoned, super crispy, and cooked just right. The waffles are soft and fluffy on the inside with a light, crispy outside that makes every bite perfect. The flavors balance so well together--definitely a must-try. I'll be back for sure! read more

Dorothy's Downtown - Chicken and Waffles - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Beautiful restaurant, fantastic menu and the service was over the top! We went for brunch on Sunday morning and could not have chosen a better place. It's best to make reservations as they fill up fast. read more

This was some of the best gumbo & fried chicken I've ever tasted, including in New Orleans. The restaurant is very cozy and comfortable, and the service was perfect. We will definitely be back! read more

Dorothy's Downtown - Fried chicken and gumbo. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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All things went well, food was amazing, wonderful service, and the ambiance pulled everything together!

The food and ambiance were amazing. They have a craft martini with strawberry sage puree that is

First time going to Dorothy's last Saturday. My sisters were visiting from out of town as we had tickets to see Sarah Brightman. The restaurant is beautiful and has such a nice vibe. Service was outstanding and the food was amazing! The banana bread pudding was the best bread pudding I've ever had! read more

Dorothy's has phenomenal service and a great ambience. The beignets are absolutely amazing, even better with the espresso chocolate. Our group had the salmon and pasta, fried chicken & gumbo, shrimp, and grits, and the short ribs. everything was good except for the short ribs and shrimp and grits. The shrimp and grits were "extremely" salty. On a positive note prawns were gigantic and the portion was very good. The short ribs were boneless and shredded, slightly fatty and just "OK". A few things to point out, technically, there is free parking (as indicated in maps), next to the restaurant, if your car doesn't get towed. Basically, the parking lot indicates "permit only" parking and you are taking a risk parking there. There is an automatic 20% gratuity for parties of 5 or more. I strongly suggest making a reservation, and there will be a time limit for dining. Overall, we had an amazing time. read more

Dorothy's Downtown - Shrimp and grits - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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The ambiance, The food, The drinks were ALL a 100 out of 10. The waitress was on top of things. The host was friendly. Me and my friend had a really great time. The prices were very affordable. We're even going back to visit the restaurant above it next. read more

Service was great. I decided to try somewhere new for my birthday and what a disappointment!! We all had something different & no one enjoyed their food. We had crab cakes just ok, Braised short ribs just ok, fried chicken & gumbo who can't fry chicken the worst & crawfish étouffée horrible, I have never seen etouffee look or taste like that! It's sad that the food doesn't match the vibe. This could really be a great restaurant if they could get some authentic food!! If not, they will be gone soon..... read more

Amazing food, amazing flavors, amazing service! We tried everything and it all hit just right!!! The place is beautiful! Hats off to Chef Marvin!!! read more

I tried Dorothy's Friday around 5:30. I was pleasantly surprised. I sat at the bar because it was just me. The bartender was great! She made a really good old fashioned. I ordered the Ribeye which was cooked perfectly. The portions were just right amd the menu is reasonably priced. The environment was very friendly which made it easy to talk to other customers also seated at the bar. Very conveniently located on Adams not far from Ocean Street. Will definitely be visiting again soon. read more

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The food we had was very good, but took a long time to get it. Our server was pretty attentive, I think they might need extra help in the kitchen. Drinks were great. I had the shrimp & grits which were good, my son had a burger and my DIL had steak & eggs, we all enjoyed our food. The decor was very nice and comfortable. Our bill was $163, before tip, including 4 drinks and French press coffee. Oh, we also had their beignets for dessert, they were awesome! read more

Food and service were both excellent! I would highly recommend! Had the salmon and the delicious Cajun spinach.

Everything we ate here was delicious. Fried chicken gumbo was amazing. Crab cakes loaded with crab. Deviled eggs were bomb. Drinks were strong and server was awesome. Will go back. read more

Dorthy's is hands down one of my favorite places in the DT Jacksonville area. The quality and quantity of food matches the prices and the cocktails are amazing! read more

Visited Dorothy's on 6/5 and unfortunately, it was one of the worst dining experiences I've had in Jacksonville. Upon arrival, we waited at the front door for about 5 minutes without anyone acknowledging or greeting us. Once seated, we ordered a pitcher of sangria which tasted extremely watered down. We brought this to our server's attention--who also mentioned she was the bartender--and she offered to "fix" it by adding a double shot of liquor. We told her to choose whatever she thought would help improve the drink. For appetizers, we had the Caesar salad (bland), crab cakes (just okay), and stuffed shrimp (actually pretty good). However, our entrées took about 40 minutes to arrive. When they did, it only got worse. The lamb chops came with mashed potatoes that had no flavor, and the braised short rib was completely burnt. The rice tasted like it came straight from a microwavable bag. We were willing to just deal with it, but it was honestly inedible. We notified our server and let her know we'd pay for the rest but could not eat the entrées. She apologized and brought the check--only for us to find a $42 charge for the double shot she added to the sangria to fix it. When we pointed this out, she claimed we asked for it, which we absolutely did not. We requested to speak with the manager, who came out aggressively and immediately stated, "I seared that short rib myself so it's not burnt!" When we asked him to take a look at the food himself, he doubled down and said, "Maybe this kind of food isn't for you." Completely dismissive, unprofessional, and rude. He refused to remove the drink charge from the bill as well. We ended up leaving and went to Cowford Chophouse--always a top-tier experience. I strongly advise others to avoid Dorothy's. Poor service, unprofessional staff, and food that simply does not live up to its price point or reputation. *Edited to address the response below* Thank you for your response, but I want to clarify a few things based on our actual experience. First, the sangria was undeniably watered down--not just light on flavor, but lacking any noticeable alcohol content. We did not request additional liquor; your server offered to "fix" the issue by adding a shot, and we simply told her to use her judgment since she said she was also the bartender. At no point did we agree to or expect a $42 charge for a "fix" to a drink we already expressed concern about. This should have been communicated clearly beforehand if there was an extra charge. Second, regarding the short rib--yes, we were in fact told "I seared the short rib myself," which felt like an attempt to invalidate our concern. Whether seared or slow-cooked, it was visibly burnt and tasted bitter, not smoky. Dismissing our feedback by saying "maybe this food isn't for you" was uncalled for, especially when all we did was calmly share our experience. Lastly, bringing up Creole roots and implying we were comparing your food to our families' or New Orleans restaurants is a deflection. Our issue wasn't about authenticity--it was about flavor, quality, and service. Regardless of the chef's background, the food simply didn't meet the mark that evening, and the way it was handled only made the situation worse. read more

Honestly, I can not say enough about the food, the service, and the atmosphere. Everything I had on the menu was Excellent! My wife had the Wild caught Salmon and I had the short rib with grits, Salmon was cooked perfect and the short rib was tender , moist, and delicious. I can be a food snob at times, however, this place made my taste buds explode and sing high notes! And the carrot cake with french press coffee and espresso sauce balanced the dessert and on point! Fun fact: They have a baker that actually comes in to bake their desserts. I was very impressed! The chef even came over to give us to fresh Beignets to take home. We will be back! 5 stars read more

I made a reservation for Sunday brunch at Dorothy's for some friends that were in town to get together and catch up. They were very accommodating to our large party of 10. Our waiter, Kyle, was great. It was everyone's first time so he provided recommendations and told us what was new. Everyone enjoyed their meals. I had the chicken and waffles which came with a bone out fried chicken thigh and waffle. It was served with a hot honey syrup but I didn't feel like it was needed. From the bbq salmon, shrimp and grits to the beignets, we had a wonderful experience. The ambiance is also very nice. It looks completely different from Burrito Gallery. Cute for date night or time out with friends. Definitely recommend. read more

Went here for lunch. Shrimp and grits and this amazing appetizer I had junk was called Voodoo rolls--- so good! Great service! Great ambiance! read more