Perfect location with views of the river from every seat. I came around 3pm on a Thursday so it wasn't busy at all. The service was great! I had the platter for one. I think I solved the riddle from some of the other reviews about soggy food. The platters are too small. The steam from the food on bottom made the crust on my catfish a little soggy. I still ate the shit out of it because it was GOOD! I had the grits. They are perfect! I don't like them soupy. I suspect the reason other reviewers are whining about long wait times is because a lot of folks are enjoying the good food and service!! read more

Sandollar Restaurant & Marina - Pater for 1 and some half eaten fish dip!! Fish dip is great. Player looks delicious!' - American Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Had a decent lunch here on the water. It's across from the ferry terminal so you can watch the ship come in and out across the inlet. Nice big picture windows in house. Outdoor patio for food on the water. Coffee wasn't great. First cup came out with a bit of old lipstick remnants on the inside of the cup. Returned for a new one. Staff were friendly but they were at one time doing clean up/ sweeping along side our table while we dinned which I don't care for. Could stir up dust and get it into the food. Needs some attention to detail on the service side in these regards but overall a good experience. read more

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We rode to Sandollar this weekend as part of a scenic motorcycle trip that included the Mayport ferry across the St. Johns River--great ride, and this spot was a perfect stop. We had a group of about 15 people, and they handled us surprisingly well. They got us seated quickly on the shaded patio, which made a big difference on a beautiful Florida day. The views alone are worth the visit--watching the ferry go back and forth and seeing fishermen out on the water added to the whole experience. Food-wise, the blackened flounder sandwich was excellent--fresh, flavorful, and cooked just right. Service was solid across the board, especially considering the size of our group. Between the ride, the atmosphere, and the food, this turned into one of those outings that just hits right. Definitely a spot I'd come back to. read more

Sandollar Restaurant & Marina - American Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

We have missed having lunch here! Decided we needed to come back for a visit and we were not disappointed! The tiki' bar was open but we wanted to sit at the inside bar - luckily for us it was not packed, so every drink we ordered was made quick, and with a nice pour! There were two large parties there, and on a weekend so our food took a little bit longer than usual, but nothing noticeable. We were checked on often, and had a great experience! Great beach vibe dining experience. Great for both people visiting and locals! read more

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Came on a pretty Sunday afternoon in March. We were hoping for live music, but they did not have it that afternoon. Still had a good time although service was a little slower than other times we were there. The view is amazing- we got a spot on the patio and watched as boats and other water traffic came by. Pricing is moderate for fresh seafood. I ordered the blackened grouper tacos- came with 3 tacos and 1 side. Portion size was great. My husband had the blackened fish sandwich. Kiddos shared butter noodles. We all enjoyed our food, but my husband commented on how small the portion of fish was on his sandwich. We will be back on more summer afternoons read more

Sandollar Restaurant & Marina - Blackened fish tacos - American Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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The kitchen was VERY slow despite the few people eating at that time. Our waitress apologized multiple times so one can only assume it was not her fault it took a long time. The cashew grouper was moist, the portion size was generous, and the hush puppies tasty. The blackened mahi fish tacos were delicious and again the portion size was generous. The rest of us had shrimp we enjoyed. Allow for extra time if you have children as the service was very slow. It appeared that there were too few servers despite the few people there at the time. Returned here 12/13/2025. Wish I had gone elsewhere! The shrimp on the shrimp and grits were good. The grits were like paste. I don't believe I have ever eaten worse grits than here. This time the grouper tasted like it was frozen and reheated. It was hard, not fresh tasting. The view was the best thing offered this day. Wish I had gone elsewhere for the food. So disappointed. Will not return. read more

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Food 4/5 (but 5/5 on certain dishes). Ambiance 5/5 (on the water, inside or out) Service 5/5 (Kristen is an outstanding waitress, food guru and playful server. She made dining fun.) But seriously, you want to know about the food. Salad - not spectacular, but fresh and great dressing options. Hush Puppies - really good, almost like they are part pancake mixture. Blackened Catch - I get this often, it has been great and it has been "meh" based on the catch of the day, Hamburger - surprisingly good for a seafood restaurant. Not a bad choice if you are in the mood. Fried oysters - I always ask that mine be crispy, and they are best that way, imho. Fried shrimp - fresh Mayport Shrimp, lightly fried and good. Solid choice, Scallops - my wife's favorite, which is why we come at least once a month. They are big, with a delightful crust and a great aftertaste. read more

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Visiting the area from California, the food was amazing, service was excellent other than the military base and constant helicopter the vibe was great! read more

My stuffed flounder was very good as was the coleslaw. The fries were "meh" My wife had crab cakes, that were ok. Nothing that special. My wife's rum punch drink was very weak. We told the waitress twice that it tasted weak, as in did they even put rum in there? We didn't specifically ask for a new one, figuring that she would, at the second time being told about it, offer a new one or to take it off the check. Shortly before we left another woman came by, asking how everything was, we told her the same thing. And told her we had complained about it twice. Maybe she was the manager? Not sure. She just said, "come by Saturday night, I'll mix you a real good one" Any other place would have comped it or offered a new one. Not here. Well, it's got a nice view on the river. I'm sure they do a lot of business just for that. One and done. read more

Food is great. Lots of fish and decent prices for what you get. Service is good and our waiter from Jamaica was very friendly and efficient. Water would never go empty and food came out fast and hot. The view is also wonderful of the river and you can see tons of ships. read more

Sandollar Restaurant & Marina - Patio - American Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

The ambience is great with indoor and outdoor seating. We were there just after Christmas and the decorations were really nice. The service was average at best. Our server was friendly, but didn't check on us often and I had to ask for a to-go drink twice. The food... my meal was delicious despite the po'boy being super hard to eat (the shrimp were AMAZING, but probably should have been smaller in the sandwich) and overloaded with onion. The loaded potato had an abundance of toppings and was delicious. My daughter had a chicken caesar salad, and she wasn't very happy, stating that the chicken was dry and the croutons were stale. We were starving, so she ate it anyway. Although I'm giving 3 stars, I would try it here again to see if we receive better service and if everyone enjoys their meal. read more

Sandollar Restaurant & Marina - Shrimp po'boy and loaded potato - American Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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Great location, great views, all the staff was very nice and super attentive. I had blackened grouper and shrimp, it was very good! The hush puppies were very good too! Not sure why it only rates 3 stars, we loved it and will be back! read more

I was really looking forward to dining at The Sandollar given its reputation, but unfortunately the experience was extremely disappointing. We were initially told the wait would be about 30 minutes, which turned into closer to 40. Meanwhile, the host kept turning people away saying the wait would be an hour no matter where you sat. She made it sound like seating outside might be faster than inside, but in reality both areas were about the same wait time. Apparently the inside section only had one waiter and they didn't want to overwhelm him with more tables. At one point another staff member (I believe he was also a host) was loudly "rapping" about how the silverware was dirty, and the female host mentioned that it would have to be washed again. Not exactly the kind of thing you want to hear while waiting for your table. The one bright spot of the evening was our waiter, Craig. Despite clearly being stretched thin, he was attentive, professional, and incredibly courteous throughout the entire meal. He handled his workload with impressive composure and genuine friendliness. He truly did the best he could with what he was given. Unfortunately the food itself was very underwhelming. The mashed potatoes tasted like instant mashed potatoes -- the kind you buy at the grocery store and heat up in the microwave. The seafood was just okay, especially considering the price. The shrimp tasted fresh, but the rest of the dish had the flavor and texture of something that had been reheated or sitting for a while. The Sandollar once had a great reputation and I was excited to finally try it, but the quality seems to have declined significantly. The restaurant appears understaffed for the number of guests they're trying to serve, and the overall experience reflects that. To top it off, we spotted a pretty large cockroach on our way out. Sadly, this visit didn't live up to the expectations. I'd recommend saving your money and dining elsewhere. read more

Probably the worst dining experience I ever had at a restaurant. When we got there, The hostess told us it will be about 20 to 30 minute wait even though there was weight staff waiting around and half the tables were empty. About eight other groups came in after us and was told the same wait time. We overheard Another waitress say hold the people until I tell you to let them in. After 45 minutes, we were seated at our table where the hostess said she'll have a server come to us right away. The tables to the left and right of us were seated after we were but the weight staff got their orders before us. 20 minutes later I asked Tyler our waiter if he could help us and explain to him our 70 minute wait time so far. Tyler was exceptional. He really made sure we were taken care of and even brought us a complementary appetizer. When the food came the deep fried flounder was soggy and the black and mahi-mahi had very little flavor the rice and beans and the grits tasted like paper ... no flavor whatsoever. Really people a little bit of salt and pepper can go a long way at a restaurant. This restaurant seemed to be ran by kids that were more interested in their gossip and not tending to their customers. We tipped our server Tyler very well and hopefully, he kept the whole tip to himself because the rest of the staff and cooks really did not deserve it. Minus the ambience this was a complete disaster and waste of a night. To anyone reading this... Go at your own risk. You've been warned. read more

This restaurant was in a good location. Beautiful views while eating. There was a live one man band, it was nice to listen to. The service was good to begin with, but once we got our food, we didn't see our waitress again. We had to flag her down to get our check. No one came to check on us. The service was 4/10. The food was good, it was terribly overpriced. The calamari was 5/10. Not in the top 10 fried calamari I've eaten, it was OK. The grouper bites were a smaller portion than I expected, though they were very good. Maybe not crispy enough, maybe not enough food, but they tasted good....again very overpriced. The french fries were good, basic steak fries fully fried. They were good not worth $5.00. I believe you're paying more so for the view than the actual food. You can go to Captain D's, get a meal to-go and go sit beside the ocean for a lot cheaper and get better service because you will be serving yourself. read more

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Great location Shrimp po boy was good as well as rice and beans Nice staff Good cold beer and good prices! read more

Sandollar Restaurant & Marina - Shrimp po boy - American Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

The location is fascinating; adjacent to the St. John's River ferry; underneath the Navy helicopter trials. The food is quite good, and portions are large. BUT the kitchen is VERY slow. This makes the service spotty. Overall if you have time, try it. read more

Sandollar Restaurant & Marina - Blackened Shrimp with onion rings and coleslaw. - American Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Went in tonight for some dinner. There was a women that worked there , I think she was a manager . Heard employees call her steve or Stevie. Anyway , food was good but this employee Stevie very unprofessional . She was all over and flirting with this customer just very very unprofessional. I feel bad for the bartenders who had to deal with this employee . read more

I'm torn on this review. Started with oysters snd they were very disappointing. Not cleaned, full of grit and shell and half mangled like a serial killer was at them on a bad day. So much she'll and grit we we both spitting out pieces throughout the whole platter. Our mains however were quite good. I had blackened grouper and fried flounder. Both were cooked nicely and delicious. My friend has the seafood combo for one. It had fish, scallops, shrimp, clam strips and deviled crab. The fries snd onion rings were both quite good. Our server was pleasant and attentive. One remind of gross thing was the young man who delivered our food was completely covered neck to mid leg in gross food leavings. It looked like he was tossed in the fry basket before being cooked. I mean beyond kind of dirty and down right filthy. While I enjoyed the food overall I think there are many other options with similar menus that create a much better overall experience. Not terrible but definitely on the low side of average over all. Seems like a place lacking consistent direction with a high standard. read more

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We had dinner there last evening. This was our second time trying the restaurant. Both times the wait staff was great, the atmosphere was great, live music, even the cleanup staff was great. But the food was barely warm. Made to order food should not be barely worn. How do you serve almost cold gumbo? read more

Foods not great, service is bad, it's a cute place though. I came here with a friend because previously a few years ago I had come with my mom, and had a great time. This time was totally opposite. I was avoided at the hosts stand for not kidding you over 10 minutes. Then I went to the bathroom, come out and they're back at the stand talking to a family, then walk away from me AGAIN once the family was done. Once I was finally sat, outside, upon trying to order a drink with my food they informed me they didn't have a drink menu, they just had a full bar. So I asked to order a Mai Tai, then I was asked for my date of birth, id, and if I was driving. Handling the waitress my id she stared directly into my eyes and proceeded to read and hold onto my id while my friend ordered. I have no idea why they were interrogating me, I was stone cold sober. I do look young but that's what id's are for! Was also the worst mai tai I've ever had. Felt like I was at a dive bar, served in a small plastic cup and was mainly liquor. I guess someone bought the place. Will never be back. read more

Sandollar Restaurant & Marina - American Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

This is an amazing restaurant on the waterfront. I discovered it about 4 years ago and I visit anytime I'm in the area. The food is always fresh and amazing. The prices are very reasonable and the portions are huge. The drinks are very good and I always have one. The staff go above and beyond to make you feel welcome. The live music is always a plus! read more

Had a very delicious lunch here on a rainy afternoon. Our server was sassy and fun and provided great service. Star of the show was the Maryland crab soup. Since we are from MD, we give this version a huge stamp of approval. We also enjoyed the fried shrimp platter and the pick 2/pick 3 with an assortment of yummy seafood dishes. The side salads were huge and the drinks strong. The interior is nicely decorated in the Old Florida nautical side. All in all a wonderful lunch with family and friends. read more

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What a lovely gem by the water!! The view was absolutely stunning. With the option to sit outside either under a covered patio or in the open, be prepared for a light evening breeze. There's also a lot of indoor seating as well. You can watch as large container ships and the ferry passes by, up close! Our server, JP, was so lovely, patient, and super enthusiastic. She was the best!!! Came and checked on us the perfect amount of times. Go on Thursday for the $12 per pound crab. It's so worth the price. The quality of the crab is great! Steamed without a ton of extra seasonings, so you can actually taste the crab (comes with a side of butter and lemon). The pick 2 seafood dishes comes with 2 sides is only $22! I've never seen seafood in JAX so reasonably priced and the quality exceed my expectations!!! The flounder was so tasty - a whole fillet, fried with a crispy exterior, lightly breaded and lightly seasoned. The scallops had a rich garlicky taste, and there were so many of them! For sides, we chose broccoli (steamed perfectly) and rice and black beans (which had a little tomatoes and scallions, the black beans also had a great seasoning). You get a ton of sides with your order as well, it seemed like we got a whole head of broccoli! All the food here is cooked fresh to order, so it might take an extra minute for your food to come out, but please be patient! When it does arrive, it's so hot and delicious, and seasoned so perfectly. It's quite obvious that your dish is made fresh just for you! read more

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The hostess, Kendall was absolutely fantastic. She was great to seat my party. Engaged in conversation when I spoke to her. That wonderful girl needs a raise. Food was okay, 3/5. Our server was fantastic as well. Food was quick to come out but still wasn't great. read more

Food was good, limited menu if your not a seafood fan but the ambiance is nice and the staff is friendly read more

Sandollar Restaurant & Marina - Mozzarella sticks - American Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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We went for AUCEC, on Thursday, it was a belated mother's day dinner!! It was awesome, first our hostesses were awesome, seated really quick'n and then we had this awesome waitress Christina I think, and she was so attentive and brought us every thing we needed and the crab legs just kept coming !! We were in awl!! We were inside, we could hear the conversation it was a great experience and yes we would go back again and again and ask for Christina to be our waitress!!!! read more

The restaurant has a casual, cozy vibe with eye-catching décor. Unfortunately, my meal wasn't prepared properly--the crab legs weren't cooked right, so they didn't crack cleanly and I couldn't get full pieces of meat. After struggling with my plate for too long, I gave up. I've been here several times before, and the margaritas are usually excellent. But tonight, even with the top-shelf 1800 tequila I ordered, the drink was off--it had way too much mix and lacked the usual balance. I ended up leaving half of it on the table. Even though I'm still hungry and had to wait 30 minutes for my food (despite the restaurant not being busy), I still left a 20% tip. read more

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Service and ambiance are excellent. Food is good. We love coming at Christmas especially. The decorations are gorgeous.

I passed this restaurant a couple of time and I decided to stop and grab a late lunch with my wife and friends. The service was terrible to say the least. The waitress took our order and then disappeared. she finally came back with our drinks and took our order. The appetizers were cold and not very tasty...hush puppies. We ordered our entrée's and then after about 30 minutes the waitress gave us the check before we even had our dinner.....I was like are you kidding me?? The ceasar salad had ice burg lettuce and no croutons. It was a disaster to say the least....nice location on the water but not a great place to eat...Now, I just pass by and think about how awful our dining experience was. Never again!! read more

I had the Tuna Tacos and they were pretty good. My favorite was the grouper bites though, those were amazing. read more

Sandollar Restaurant & Marina - Tuna Tacos - American Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Placed on the wait list for an outside table. Waited 15 minutes and was seated, and then waited another 10 minutes with not so much as an acknowledgment from a server that we were there. Finally we asked one of the servers to help us and was told it wasn't her table. Waited another 10 minutes for our server, who never showed, then we left. Unfortunately, not a good experience for my first time at the Sandollar. read more

Had to wait 20 minutes for 2 soup cups, 1 soup bowl, salad with grilled salmon, and a dozen boiled shrimp. It all came out at one, except the bowl of soup was wrong and there was no salad! After another 5 minute wait... read more

Perfect view of the water. Fun and friendly staff. Super amazing hush puppies, blackened swordfish, black angus beef, grilled shrimp. Sauces and pastas made from scratch. Fae, aka grandma, was incredible and provided good suggestions. read more

Sandollar Restaurant & Marina - Sisters!! - American Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Food was very slow to come out- not busy. The waitress was new and friendly but not observant enough to realize we were over waiting. Oysters came out warm and not served over ice. read more

New chef, new menu. And our fried oysters, and fried flounder- hushpuppies, salad- all delicious !! View still delightful.. read more

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First time visiting while in town. It's located right on the water so there was a nice breeze on the deck. They had live music outside, which was really enjoyable. The inside of the restaurant was very nicely cooled and the bathroom was clean. We ordered the bbq bacon wrapped shrimp and gator tail appetizers. The bbq sauce was incredible and the gator tail has probably been the best that I've had. I ordered the crab meat stuffed flounder, cheese grits and green beans. All were excellent! The green beans were so fresh and perfectly seasoned. Loved the grits and the flounder was covered in a very good cream sauce. My friend got the prime rib which she also was very happy with. I will definitely be coming back when I'm back in Jacksonville. Thank you for the excellent food and great service. read more

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Went here on a busy Saturday afternoon, the wait was about 40min but after the hostess organized all the tables she was able to get us a table sooner.. my waitress Jordan was super friendly and attentive. The food came out all at once the appetizers were good but If I went back I wouldn't order hush puppies because they give you 2 with many of the entrees.. the shrimp baked with crab meat was delicious and the grits were super creamy and flavorful. My son enjoyed the burger. The fries come seasoned and the sweet potato fries were perfectly crispy. There was a live 2 person band. The ambiance was lovely a little loud but enjoyable. read more

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I had stuffed flounder with crab meat and it was outstanding! Service was good and the tables are far enough away from each other to keep the sound at a low level. read more

If you find yourself driving between Jacksonville and Fernandina Beach on Hecksher drive, give this place a try. Nice location on the St. John's river looking across to Mayport. You can watch the Mayport ferry running while you're eating. Rustic seafood shack with indoor and outdoor seating and a great water view. Great local seafood with the shrimp boats within a stones throw! Friendly local service with a fried, grilled and baked seafood dishes. Often have oyster specials. This trip I had the local flounder stuffed with crabmeat which was tender and very tasty. Their blackened dishes are quite good as well. Good local bears on tap. Try it, I think you will like it. read more

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