Had to stop and charge my EV vehicle and needed lunch. Decided to try Sam's St. John Seafood Restaurant....WOW!!' This food was SO good! Awesome proportions! I got the grilled Mahi (from the Lunch menu that goes 11-4!) incredible! Cleanliness: Excellent! Atmosphere: spacious Great escape and vibe especially with it located in a strip mall...awesome discovery! Service: Malloy was so sweet and attentive! Incredible energy! Food: amazing flavor, incredible proportions! read more

Sam's St Johns Seafood Restaurant - Grilled Mahi, wild rice, Mac N Cheese, Baked Potato, hush puppies - Seafood Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Very rude front of house staff here. No manners. Glued to her phone. With the prices on the menu here, staff should really work harder to be pleasant otherwise this joint's going under. read more

What a find! We were staying nearby for the night and find this neighborhood gem. I had the catfish platter. That was the best catfish that I ever had, and I had a fair amount of catfish in my life. The service was excellent and the restaurant was clean and welcoming. read more

Sam's St Johns Seafood Restaurant - Outside - Seafood Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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New England clam chowder: SO many clams i can't find the potatoes! Crab cakes: could use more crab but they are still good. The remoulade sauce is made with mustard. Good but not what i expected. Cheesy grits: super creamy and not too cheesy. Hush puppies: the best! Very crunchy outside, tender inside. Our server, Hannah, did a wonderful job. RRR got a senior dinner and the portions were large! 3 pieces of Mahi and a pan full of sauteed scallops , 2 sides and 2 hush puppies . read more

Sam's St Johns Seafood Restaurant - From the outside, February 2022 - Seafood Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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I stopped here to use the electric charger . Always look for a place to eat while the car is charging. This place was pretty good. The waitress was super nice and provided excellent service. I had the snapper platter and Key Lime pie! Yum! read more

Sam's St Johns Seafood Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Stopped here on date night with the hubby. Didn't really plan it but passed by and seafood is always a great idea. It's a Wednesday so not super busy and we were sat right away by what appeared to be the manager. Our waitress, Suzanne, was amazing. Reminded me of old school diner style waitresses who seemed to really want you to have a good time. She was amazing! 100% of these stars are hers. The food was good! Not fantastic but solid well cooked seafood. We had the low country boil and for me it was a bit under seasoned. Could have been seasoned better but was cooked well. Best part- the waitress! Worst part? The manager. He seemed a bit rude and condescending to his staff. He made a comment at the register that made me uncomfortable enough to walk away. We had a teeny tiny misunderstanding with the check (she had two and thought they were both ours) and he was pretty snarky with her and was a bit terse and rude. It seemed a comment best made in private. read more

Not gonna lie -- I was SUPER confused when I saw the menu for this restaurant and thought folks were accidentally posting the Crystal River on Blanding menu. Turns out... It's owned by the same local chain. With that being said. We wanted to check this place out and already knew what we wanted based on the recent visit to Crystal River. The parking here is plentiful since it's part of a shopping plaza. Not sure if it's normally empty or if it was because we arrived 2 hours prior to closing time on Easter eve. The restaurant is cold so bring a jacket. We were seated quickly and service was superb. My wife and I ordered the plenty for two. It's definitely plenty for two. Food quality was similar to the other location. read more

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Unfortunately, the food quality has gone down. We ordered the seafood platter for 2 and the scallops are now imitation, tasted liked minced meat. I called to complain and the young lady that answered said they now mix a couple of different kinds to make it. I explained to her that is what imitation is- processed and made to LOOK real. She offered to remake the food instead of returning it. No thanks, how is that a solution? We won't be returning. Should have known when it was completely empty when we walked in on a SUNDAY. read more

Fabulous food and amazing service. We both ordered from the senior menu and there was nothing senior about it. I had the tilapia and my husband chose the catfish. Two full filets on both plates with two sides and hush puppies. We each had a glass of wine which was a very generous pour of delicious Pinot Grigio. Highly recommend this place. You won't be disappointed. read more

The food was great. I'm a native Floridian so I rate Florida seafood from what I've had from way back. I had the fried trout special. I was so happy to see it came with hush puppies which used to be a regular on fish plates. The puppies were perfect in seasoning. I am very picky when it comes to Cole slaw and it was exactly the way I like it. Lastly the fish was perfect. The staff and service were great. I will definitely return if I'm in the area again! read more

My husband wanted crab boil and most places were closed due to hurricane Milton. He was a little disappointed because there was no choice of flavor or heat. The service was good even though they were short staffed. Waitress was very friendly. read more

Met friends here for lunch at their reccommedation and what a great pick. Saw gator on the menu & figured what the heck. It was very tender & had a mild meaty taste to it, no regrets. My flounder was grilled perfectly and went great with the the flavorful yellow rice. The clam chowder was the best I've had in awhile & they were very generous with the clams. The fried green tomatoes were ok, didn't have that little tang that I've had at other places. The lunch portions are very generous, I can imagine how much more you'd at dinner. I can see why my friends like it here. read more

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So many red flags with this place. It's in a strip mall. Give it a chance? sure. There was no one there on a Saturday night. You would think the service would be good. No. Food took forever, service was under average, food was dry .tasteless and overpriced. Would never come back. 0 stars if i could. read more

Sam's is a storefront restaurant but don't let that fool ya. We came early amd were surprised at how busy it was. This is a family style seafood place and I was surprised at the portion size. You better be hungry if you get the full shrimp portion. The service is as very good and the atmosphere is friendly and inviting. The food was good as well. The fried shrimp were fried perfectly. Light batter and not over cooked. They were wonderful. The fish was perfectly cooked as well. Solid sides and quick service made this a good experience. My 11 and 13 year olds loved it as well. read more

Looking for some good ol fashion seafood then this is your place. They hit the spot every time. I usually order some form of fried seafood. Sometimes the pick two or three platter but the 30pc shrimp special is always a good choice. I usually pair it with the baked potato and cheese grits..I know two starches but hey it's not my fault they both taste good. I tried the coleslaw recently and it was just as good. Don't forget to ask for the side of the day and special of the day usually you can find a really tasty good deal with those. Now this isn't an upscale black tie type of place. This is a unbuckle your pants kick off your shoes old school seafood restaurant type of place so wearing your jeans is fine. The staff is always pleasant and helpful when it comes to choosing between all the awesome sides and entrees. If your on the Westside and want a good ol fashion treat, stop in and try the shrimp...you can tell them I sent you lol read more

St. John's Seafood was delightful to me and my family. We celebrated my Husband's 51st birthday. We missed the 50th due to COVID-19. This was a special occasion. Our children, grandchildren, Sister, Brother & niece enjoyed everything from Gator Tail, Surf & Turf, Shrimp and Grilled chicken. The food was hot and on time. They didn't rush us out. Our server was da bomb. On point, friendly and helpful. We'll definitely be back when we visit home again read more

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Easy 5 stars. Authentic. Rich. Hearty. Id really recommend if u want seafood. Prices were actually reasonable for what u got. Every little thing on this plate was so good, not one miss. The hush puppies were divine, the grits were great, the corn hit, the fish was AMAZING!!! My god. It seems like this place is a hit or a miss for a lot of people, if so, today was most definitely a hit. Everything on POINT! read more

Sam's St Johns Seafood Restaurant - stuffed flounder, cheese grits, fried corn - Seafood Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Spend $60 on lunch but got kids portions!!! Order (2) pick 3, you only get one small piece of fish, very small and over cook chicken tenders. Ask for no tomatoes on my salad but receive tomatoes. Two kids meals read more

My husband and I love Sam's St. John's Seafood so much that we drive all the way from Orlando to Jacksonville to have dinner there.

- My husband and I recently visited this restaurant for the first time on a Friday evening and even though they were closing in 30 mins, we were treated as if they were just starting their day. The atmosphere was cheerful and the host and waitresses were friendly. Our waitress Stephanie was very knowledgeable about the menu and assisted us greatly on which food choices we would mostly likely enjoy AND would bring us back. And she nailed it for us we were pleasantly surprised with the taste of the stuffed flounder and coconut shrimp. And the absolutely best thing of it all was that the food arrived at the table hot! Thanks Stephanie for making our dining experience pleasurable! read more

The food was excellent. I love the cheese grits. The waitress did a great job. She gave us great recommendations.

I always get their salad with salmon and it is perfect! My husband gets the fried shrimp dinner and says it is the best that he's ever had. The service is impeccable waitresses are always friendly places, clean and has been around for a while now. read more

Great atmosphere, one of the best places in jacksonville, florida to have safe food or stamps

Great seafood! Always very busy but they manage to keep up with the fast pace. Love the fried shrimp.

While trying to balance the convenience of time and location I found them on Yelp. I'm always hesitant of places like this because it doesn't scream fresh seafood to me. We both ordered the fried shrimp with our choice of sides and a corn nugget app. You can tell by the eye that these apps are frozen to fried (which I expected) but some places just taste better than others. The shrimp were pretty good and so was the salad, but the hush puppies were garlicy with a little hint of sweet and I didn't get past the first bite, he was also disappointed in them seeing as that's what he was looking forward to the most. I wouldn't come back but I am glad that I found this spot and got to place a review on it. read more

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I order through DoorDash this evening. I got the "Plenty For One," which used to be big enough to actually share with a senior citizen, but it does say "For One," so no complaints on that. The side of baked potato is the issue here and I only now realize I have no discourse in getting a partial refund since it's through Door Dash, without screwing the driver, who did nothing wrong. Ugh. read more

Sam's St Johns Seafood Restaurant - This was my baked potato this evening. - Seafood Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Low key sort of place, good to bring the family. Staff was friendly and the appetizers we ordered for a light meal were very good. Would come again! read more

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Yummy food and a pleasant environment makes this a nice midday lunch spot. The staff really sweet and have a very nice southern vibe. And the food is lightly seasoned which leaves room to season to taste but never over season. read more

Sam's St Johns Seafood Restaurant - Coconut shrimp, fried shrimp ,clam strips ,broccoli ,French fries , and hush puppies - Seafood Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

We walked in to eat crab legs at about 2:00 this afternoon. We were greeted by a hostess immediately. I asked for a larger booth and she obliged . We already knew what we wanted and we're hungry. We waited for a waitress but none came. One was filling salt and pepper shakers , one day as waiting on another table. So we asked the hostess that just seated a table if she could wait on us. She then tells a heavy set waitress that she has two tables , ours and one seated by the door. The heavy set waitress then waits on the couple that just came in. I say to the hostess , we were here first. By that time were frustrated and the hostess goes in the back to get 2 more waitress to wait on us. Neither was gonna budge. We ng walked out. If you can't get someone to wait on us and the bill is probably gonna be over 60 bucks, you can keep it. We will never eat there again. We decided to try you again after about a year ago when the fish was old and rubbery , we never went back until today. I saw that you were serving crab legs again , and I love them , so we had been looking forward to eating there all week. To walk in and everyone fighting and bitching cause they have to wait on a table. You can keep your food , your service and your crab legs. You missed out on some big checks with us. You might want to give your lazy waitresses an attitude adjustment , cause we won't be back. Sianara suckers ! You suck ! read more

I've been to this location a few times now and I am always very happy with my meal as well as taking little bites off of my neighbors' [lunch mates and not random diners, to clarify] food order. I recommend their fried green tomatoes, baked stuffed flounder, their steak, fried mushrooms and any broiled seafood plate. The service is consistently on point and this is a terrific place to reserve for medium to large groups. Just call ahead. Excellent sweet tea! :) read more

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my husband and I went to dinner there on 1/1/2022 around 4:30. Sign on door closing at 8 due to staff shortage. We went in ordered our food and while sitting there one of the waitresses thought it would be appropriate to use the "F" word and following it up with Mother "F" to someone in the kitchen which was clearly heard by everyone in the restaurant. While I can understand frustration this language was very unnecessary where everyone in the place could here it. Our food was fine and we finished our meal but we both said this is not a place we will be going back to. read more

This is my 4th time ordering from Sam's St. Johns on Normandy and this is the THIRD and FINAL time they send me the wrong food. I gave them multiple chances because the 1st time I had the blackened chicken alfredo, it was delicious. But their takeout service is TERRIBLE. I will never give them my business again, tonight is the last time I end up hungry because they can't fill orders properly. An utter waste of my time and money read more

Great food nice atmosphere, quick service, portions have become less since last visit, pricey

I was very excited by the yelp reviews and was disappointed when I left. We got the plenty for two and let's say if it wasn't for the seafood I would be giving a 0. Sides need help, a lot of help. Clam chowder which is supposed to be phenomenal tastes like chunky soup. Green beans were full of stems and the fried corn is one mini cob. Slaw was not good at all. Service was well not at all. They had a little cubby hole they went and chatted in the corner of the restaurant and our waitress must have not been in the loop because she stayed in the kitchen the whole time. Seafood was good, I'll give it that but all the other was enough for me to say one and done. read more

We haven't been here in awhile since the lock down, but were hungry for seafood. I ordered a senior fried oyster plate, my husband ordered a seafood platter. We both got green beans and slaw. The waitress was friendly and personable. Service was fast, food was great. We'll be back. read more

Sam's St Johns Seafood Restaurant - My husband had the seafood platter, I had the senior oyster plate we both had slaw and green beans. So good. - Seafood Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

I have been to the Normandy location 3 times now and I had high hopes every time, but I am always disappointed. They seem to be busy every time I go by though....so it must just be me. ‍ read more

Plan on bringing cash if you want to eat here otherwise they charge you 3% convenience fee for using a credit or debit card, even after raising their prices on their menu. The food is not that good and definitely not worth the high price. If you sit close enough to the register you can hear customers arguing with the cashier about having to pay the restaurants banking fees. You wont know until you go to pay and they point out a sign taped to the counter. Bad business. read more

I ordered the 3 crab cake appetizer and they were bad. Really bad! First, they were served with ranch rather than remoulade, which was indicated on the menu. Who eats ranch on crab cakes? The cakes are clearly frozen and there is no lump crab meat at all. They are also breaded. Yuck! Frankly this dish reminded me of a fried canned tuna patty. I can buy this type frozen food at Walmart. The seafood spread was good but it comes in a salad dressing size container. I remember when this was complimentary. Maybe at least increase the portion equal to the side dish side. read more

We tried this restaurant because it was near our hotel. After reading some reviews we decided to give it a try. It's a small place in a strip mall next to Winn-Dixie and a liquor store. When we walked in it looked like every table in the place was dirty. The floors were nasty. The hostess cleaned a table for us. Our server was very sweet and attentive. We ordered some crab stuffed mushrooms and they were very good. Hubby ordered stuffed flounder, okra, baked potato and hushpuppies. The fish was bland and the okra was overly fried. It tasted like old oil. There wasn't much to talk about with the tiny potato. I had a side order of crab legs. They were HORRIBLE! They were small, waterlogged and the meat wouldn't come out. It was stuck to the soggy shell. The server asked how our food was. I told her about the crab legs being so bad and she took 10% off for the problem. When we went to pay for our meal, I pointed out the discount written on the top of the bill. The cashier/manager was very rude and hateful. He asked why and I told him how awful the crab legs were. He got mad, gave me a nasty look and shouted, "I could've given you another one." (I'm thinking.... you'd rather give me another side of crab legs than take 10% off, which would've been about 50 cents. LOL). He continued spewing at me and I finally told him NOT to give me a discount. FIFTY CENTS! Don't waste your time!! Go to a decent restaurant that has fresh food, cleanliness and good management. I would NOT recommend this place or MANAGER to my worst enemy. read more

Always full when i order the big shrimp dinner . Great place to relax with my wife . They are very friendly and polite .