First Impressions are Everything, and Second Impressions- don't lie (Mechanicsburg, PA)- Carlisle Pike Date: Sunday- 5 April 2026 about 1:15pm. Again called about 12:30 noon, just as previous but a different day and time; it seems we can't ever get seated where we want, due to not calling ahead for reservations! The first time we experienced this it was on a Saturday night about 6 pm... Yes, it was crowded and people waiting for tables; (We called around 4:15pm for reservation, but the young lady said she couldn't accept any more reservations until after 6pm. However, after arriving we told we should have made a reservation. We tried explaining that- but the Staff looked puzzled So, when we were given a high top table at the bar area- beggars can't be choosy. On today- we became "Patron Beggars" again for no apparent reason... The older woman at the desk, appeared a bit short fused- and the first thing she asked... Do you have a reservation? We responded with the exact same answer- we called but were told you were booked... It was not a FULL crowd! Booths were opened, tables sitting empty - but were BOOKED! She offered us a booth in the immediate entrance area that was open- but it was cold, damp and raining at about 1:15 pm on a Sunday! I suggested to my husband, let's find another restaurant- then she offered the high top table, or a small booth by the bathroom. We agreed to the small booth! Needless to say- our thoughts about spending all this money... Make it make Sense! I really felt, like I should be happy where ever Im seated. Not good Customer Service!! Our waitress Angel was good, attentive! She frequently visited our table in short interval! She was friendly- she asked my husband what was name, in which he couldn't remember . Then she asked him, what was his name? So, that's how that went! Great Servers! Our order STRAWBERRY CRUNCH SALAD Arugula, strawberries, slivered almonds, avocado and crumbled goat cheese tossed in housemade honey mustard vinaigrette - 14 (Arrive appetizing but quite small portion size). Glass of Sangria (Arrived with ice), never asked for it{Garnished with a dry lemon and lime that looked like it climbed to the top of the glass and died from extreme thirst}. Awwww!! I'm done writing- you get the picture by now! I don't know... It may be a while Oh yeah, Angel did get a 20% tip! read more

Great choices on the menu in a awesome atmosphere. The service is excellent with a quality selection of amazing presentation of food .

Go for the drinks, not the food. Bartenders are excellent! Food is mediocre. Visited Gilligan's 2 times this month. Servers great & very attentive. Ordered crab stuffed mushrooms for an appetizer- was given 3 small mushrooms & charged $18.00. Had Thai shrimp & salmon for entree. It was ok but too much sauce overpowered the dish. Most annoying was the bill showing an additional charge for using a credit card which in my opinion is the cost of doing business & should not be passed on to the customer. Will not be patronizing Gilligan's anymore. read more

Service and food was overall tasty but only reason for 4 stars dish had to be sent back and reheated. Chicken was ice cold in middle but very tasty and the potatoes as well. Potatoes could have used additional seasoning but I would give the dish another try. Soup and salad were great and very reasonable prices. Check out their pool tables and drinks for an after meal treat! read more

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What do we like to do in Central PA after a long week? Go to dinner to relax, and Gilligan's on the Carlisle Pike is a perfect escape. I could tell many people are on vacation this time of year. There was no wait for seating, and the parking lot was not too full, but the service and food were excellent. Olivia, our server, provided the right amount of attention and friendly service. For tasty starters, we noshed on the artichoke and crab dip and baked crab and spinach dip. How is Gilligan's lobster roll? It is buttered to perfection. Cocktails: lemon berry sangria and a glass of chardonnay. If you want consistent excellent service and tasty menu choices, try Gilligan's any day except Monday, when it is closed. Gilligan's is a Central PA staple with three locations that offer an elevated dining experience. read more

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I had dinner at Gilligan's while I was out of town for work. They have a variety of options on the menu. I didn't know what I wanted so I ordered a "create your own pasta dish" with crab and Alfredo sauce. The Alfredo sauce didn't have much flavor but the presentation was nice. The service was great and the restaurant itself is nice. I would come back again to try something different! read more

Gilligan's Bar and Grill - Seafood Near Me - Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania

Stopped in late for drinks and something lite. Service was good (he knew how to serve was pleasant but not real conversational good guy) but nachos were dry and tasteless. Very lite on the cheese and chicken. Small portion for the price. Would not recommend this selection. Had not been there in a long time. May go back for dinner at some point, this appetizer was a no-show. read more

What a fun bar and grill! We came in as a group and got seated right away. Our waitress initially forgot one of the salads, but she fixed it quickly as soon as we mentioned it and made sure everything else was spot on. The calamari and bread were both delicious, and everyone really enjoyed their entrees. After dinner, we hung out in their pool room, which made it a great spot to relax and unwind with colleagues after work. read more

Gilligan's Bar and Grill - Veal Parm - Seafood Near Me - Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania

Had a large group. They refused to push tables together. Were out of menu items- didnt tell customer when ordered(2 diff items)...generally unsatisfactory visit. Will not be back. read more

Absolutely delicious and superb service! We had a crew of 17 and Shawn was so personable and attentive to our group. The menu is extensive, which sometimes means it's too much to do anything well, however this was far from the case. Appetizers were delicious with fresh seafood and scratch made rolls. The steak was cooked to your liking and the sides were super fresh as well. The place is huge and while it could easily be too much, it was clearly well run with staff who genuinely appear to like working there. Staff knew the menu options well and spoke of what they personally enjoy. You can't go wrong with a place where staff choose to eat there as well! Great experience!!! read more

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Lots of choices, and pretty good prices! Great atmosphere to bring family/guests that are visiting the area.

Gilligan has great food and ND service My mother kept complaining because she had higher standards read more

Came here with a buddy who lives in town! Had a burger and some wings Pretty standard food! Wings were solid.. service was ok! Bun on burger was a little too big for my taste read more

Gilligan's Bar and Grill - Seafood Near Me - Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania

We arrived on a Friday night at around 8pm, expecting we'd have to wait to be seated, but we were greeted warmly and seated in a booth right away. The person behind my husband had some very strong cologne on and the people beside us kept banging their table, which vibrated through to ours. We asked to be moved and we moved to a much nicer table for two (with fresh air and no banging!) Our waitress was pleasant and took our order quickly. My hubby thought she didn't refill his tea often enough, but I had no complaints. I had the broiled swordfish and my hubby had the prime rib. Both were cooked perfectly and were delicious! I loved the spices on the swordfish! The vegetables were steamed perfectly! I don't often eat the bottom half of my asparagus, but I did here! They played enjoyable music in the background which was not too loud. We could hear each other easily when we were having our conversations. All in all a pleasant experience. We'll visit again in the future. read more

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I have been to other locations. However, this is only my 2nd time at this location. Parking is super easy. The parking lot is huge. Inside is also nice and big. Me and two friends and I visited the restaurant and our waitress was very nice and the service was quick. I went with the chicken katie for $18 it came with two sides and a roll. I went with the side salad and mash potatoes. The salad came with amazing homemade ranch 10/10. The chicken was a great portion. You get two about 5oz pieces of chicken perfectly grilled and moist with great flavor. My friend got the crab cake sammie with French fries she said there was Barley and Filler. I did taste this, and it was wonderful. My other friend got the Gilligan's house salad with hard-boiled eggs it was a huge portion and said it was very good. read more

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The service was good. The restaurant has plenty of seating. It is a very loud restaurant, sound travels. They are always packed. I enjoyed the chicken sandwich. read more

Gilligan's Bar and Grill - Grilled chicken sandwich - Seafood Near Me - Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania

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We enjoyed our first experience at Gilligan's. We came bc they were holding trivia. We ate in the "back bar" area, not the main restaurant. We were very pleased with our food and the service from the bartender in that area. I thought, overall, the food was overpriced. This would be the only thing that would keep us from returning. The main restaurant area had a bit of a stuffy air to it, but the back bar area was pretty relaxed, though a bit more elegant than your average bar/restaurant. Overall, pleased. read more

A couple of our coworkers love to do dinner here because of the pool tables, so we decided to give it a try. It feels very much like a chain, much like BJ's Brewhouse. We came in with a big party and were immediately seated which was great. The service was interesting, they have a big menu so I think the server didn't know the menu super great, but that's okay. They have a couple good drinks but nothing fancy, I chose a glass of wine because I wasn't too interested in a college quality drink. Food was okay. We got nachos which the cheese was all stuck together and it was basically one giant nacho. I got the French onion soup and Asian salad. Both were good but nothing super special or memorable. For dessert we split the peanut butter pie and fried cheesecake which were both good. It's okay. Good for a dinner, especially a big group with picky eaters, but if you're a foodie, there's much better spots. read more

Great atmosphere. Quick service. And the rolls are so good fresh and warm. Recommend the cheeseburger sub. Also had the special of chicken geraldo bowl for lunch and it was perfect. read more

Food and Service. We ordered a lunch special Thai Chicken Bowl had to return it it was not cooked completely. We had several house beers. When we got the check we were charged for a premium beer. $2.50/beer more because they were out of house beer. Manager did not care and would not adjust the bill. We paid and extra $20.00 for beer we did not order. I have been eating at Gilligans for over 20 years but will not be back to this location. I would recommend you go someplace that Management cares read more

My family and I went to Gilligan's to celebrate what would have been my late grandmother's 90th birthday with our large family. Unfortunately, our experience was far from what we had hoped for. Despite having made a reservation well in advance, the restaurant claimed to have "lost" our reservation upon our arrival. To make matters worse, they conveniently had given our spot to two larger parties, one of which supposedly paid extra for their private room. Our family was never offered the privilege to "pay extra" when we made our reservation, of which we would have had we been VIP enough for this option. Clearly they favored whatever was going to make them more money and our family's reservation meant nothing to them without even a curtesy phone call. The staff was unapologetic and unhelpful, offering no solutions or compensation for their mistake other than splitting our party up at separate tables. This was incredibly disappointing, especially given the significance of the occasion for our family. We ended up having to leave and find another place to eat, which put a damper on our celebration. I would not recommend Gilligan's to anyone looking to have a special event or even a regular meal. Their lack of organization and poor customer service ruined what should have been a memorable day for us. We also mentioned that our family are what other establishments would call "regulars", the wait staff recognizes us and make a point to say hello. When we told the manager this, she said, "Oh, well I mean we get a lot of people in here, I don't recognize you." read more

Had their Santa Fe burger! Burger had no taste. Lucky there was cheese and sauce to help. "Fresh"made chips were probably pre made and taken out of a bin. Some were stale, overcooked and over seasoned. Have had many meals at Gilligan's but have noticed of late that food has become less appealing! read more

Thank you to Tiffany and Hannah for making my 75th birthday lunch spectacular. They made it work for a private event for my guests. Service was great, very attentive and food was awesome. I am so happy and so were all my guests! read more

This place is great. Awesome food. Incredible family that owns it and Kosta is the best!

I had the steak and it was super good . I would think that everyone should try the steak.I think everyone should try it . That was a review from my 10 year old nephew . He loved the steak and the rolls. read more

Amazing food and service. Ordered the Pad Thai Pork Chop and enjoyed the atmosphere for a couple hours while we watched the Penns.. thanks Beau for the incredible service! read more

Gilligan's Bar and Grill - Pad Thai Pork Chop - Seafood Near Me - Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania

Stopped in after a good visit to the original location in Harrisburg. Wife and I got prime rib - both were mostly fat. They tasted ok but for $32 you'd expect better. Waited 15 minutes after seating for waitress- who was ok - made lots of excuses for slow service. Never got rolls as described in menu. Probably an off day but can't recommend. read more

Gilligan's Bar and Grill - Excessive fat from prime rib - Seafood Near Me - Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania

If you want a drink, try Gilligan's. But, if you want a good meal, try somewhere else. Why? Gilligan's is a bar that also serves food. The food is poor, at best. A prime rib dinner was fatty, overcooked & tough. Good points: ambiance is fair. Dining areas are clean. Staff is accommodating & attentive. I imagine the chips are fresh but prepared foods are not impressive. read more

Good honest food, nice atmosphere, excellent service by a lovely young server named Dylan.

Very disappointed with our last experience and we are weekly regulars. Made reservations a week in advance for a party of thirteen to celebrate our mothers heavenly 90th birthday who passed away a month prior. Showed up for our get together to find out we weren't in the books and instead a much larger party had our space we requested. Is this why our reservation disappeared? You will no longer have our business. We luckily were able to get in the private room at Wolf's Brewing Co. We have been there for game nights and special music. So glad as the food and service were superb. That most definitely will be our new go to place. read more

Food and service is amazing. Love their sea scallops and lamb chops. Complements to the chef! Beautiful restaurant. Will make this a new favorite stop. read more

Great food and service. They do not rush and have good wait staff. We typically are a group of 6 when we dine here and the group is always pleased with the food and staff. read more

The ambiance, when we went, was calm and soothing. They had college football games on but it didn't have the YAY SPORTS feel to it, as some places do. The atmosphere was relaxed and pleasant. The waitress was attentive and constantly made sure our drinks were full. I can't for the life of me remember the name of the sandwich I ordered but it's a Rachel without the slaw. Delectable! I ordered a side of mashed potatoes and rice to accompany my meal. The rice was a bit bland, but a bit of salt helped immensely. The texture was on point which is really what I look for with rice. The mashed potatoes tasted like legitimate mashed potatoes, not spud buds, which was a pleasant surprise. They were intensely flavorful, almost like stock of some kind had been added. We will definitely be returning! read more

Gilligan's Bar and Grill - Seafood Near Me - Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania

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I can't give lower. First the female bartender NEVER even acknowledged my existence. When the male finally saw me, he asked me if I wanted a menu and AGAIN never followed up. The minute a male customer came in he got served IMMEDIATELY. never going back and terrible dirty Martini. read more

Just left and will definitely be the final time we visit here. Our meal was overwhelmingly disappointing bordering on awful. We ordered the ribs, (fatty), a scallop and bacon special, (Meh) with a loaded baked potato which was served with a tub of butter and some kind of pre packaged sour cream. We added a drip of the sour cream to the potato which rendered it completely inedible. The taste was putrid. A burger was also ordered and again only fair. The bun was somehow stale and soggy at the same time. Lastly we ordered chicken Parmesan dinner. We requested the sauce be "easy". The plate came swimming in sauce. The spaghetti was the real mystery though. Not sure how they prepared it but it had the strangest texture turning into a mashed potato like substance once in one's mouth. It is unfortunate because the decor is lovely and the staff was very friendly. But the food was very bad. We will not be back. read more

Great food but the two waitresses we had weren't the friendliest. I would go back though portion sizes were worth the money.

My husband and I went here for dinner for our six-month wedding anniversary. We arrived around 5:30 pm and were told that the wait would be a little less than ten minutes, but we ended up waiting for almost double that. When I asked the hostess how much longer the wait would be, she said we could sit in the back with the lounge area and pool tables if we did not feel like waiting any longer. When we got there, we were greeted by one of the waiters and he took our order right away. My husband and I wanted to play pool but we did not have enough change and the ATM did not disperse coins. I had penne pasta with pesto cream and steak with a side of sweet potato fries for dinner and it was very good. My husband and I split a piece of Baklava cheesecake for dessert and we were satisfied. read more

Took my grandchildren to lunch there . I had the Greek salad and a side of fries Grandson had the fried chicken sandwich and granddaughter had the Byo burger. The food was excellent and served quickly. All was enjoyable. The best part was the service by Kimberly B. Helpful but not intrusive. Just what you want . Can not wait to go back and ask for Kimberly again. Thank you for a great experience! read more

We love Gilligan's and have the utmost respect for the owner, George. However, his son Kosta displays a tremendous lack of people skills, both to the staff "team" and to the customers we've come to know there. His "privileged" attitude is readily witnessed. If a customer has a slight issue with a meal, he cuts off the conversation, blames it on the kitchen, and offers no appreciation to correct. It would be ashamed, if Kosta was left to manage the family business, as it would quickly deteriorate, as the respect and continued patronage to Gilligan's is for his father George, not him. Anyone can be "in over their head" however, being a person willing to learn, relate, motivate and cultivate staff and customers can be learned/taught.....not at the current demonstration of attitude of Kosta. read more

We have been coming there for years and used to really love the place. But our visits have been becoming less and less frequent due to deteriorating food quality. And last night, I decided to give them another chance for my actual Birthday family dinner. Well.. safe to say we won't be back any time soon. Service was not good... food was terrible.. the server didn't even offer if we wanted dessert AND it was a Birthday celebration... we had to ask her and then add it to one of our tabs which took forever to get. All of us got oiur food but one person, and all she ordered was a crabcake. It actually took them 1/2 to get her food AFTER we received ours. The server just kept saying she was sorry and it will be here soon. Not even ONCE explaining what happened OR even that it would take awhile. We are guessing it is because she forgot to put the order in, for as long as it took to then get it. But.. back to the rest of us that DID get our food...... My husband's meal was cold.. he ordered ribs.... My vegetables were cold and bland as ever. I asked for an extra side of pasta with the alfredo sauce to match my Chicken Classico, and when I was done with my meal, that pasta finally showed up.. with no sauce.. nothing but a bowl of raw noodles. My mother's Veal Masala tasted burnt, she said. And she kept trying and trying to eat it. She ended up giving up and it sat there uneaten. No notice or word from the server. The whole night was a disaster, dinner-wise, and not one apology from Management. Never again. We've given you chances for two years now and no improvement.. only heading farther and farther downhill. What a shame. It used to be so good. read more