This is the place to go if you're looking for a $17 mediocre burger. Yes, I know it's fine dining (supposedly) but shouldn't the food also be fine....or is it just the pricing? The service was also mediocre. The only thing that was fine about it was the location because I was staying at the hotel next door and wanted somewhere walkable. Ubering elsewhere would have been a better idea. Live and learn. read more

People recommend this place all the time on forums for Gainesville seafood restaurants, but I do not understand the hype. I had the Calamari Fries and Lobster Bisque for starters. The Lobster Bisque tasted a little odd and the Calamari has tasted better at cheaper restaurants, but my Gemelli with Pan-Seared Chicken was decent. My significant other had the Shula's Burger and he thought it was great. My low rating would be for the high prices for food that isn't "great" or "phenomenal." I also had a bad stomach ache before I could finish my meal. I enjoyed the experience of coming here, and the Lobster Bisque was taken off the check, but I do not think this would be an option for me in the future. read more

Shula's Steak House - Shula's Burger - Steakhouses Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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I honestly wasn't sure what to expect from this restaurant. We went here to celebrate my father in laws birthday (good birthday special online when you join their club). When we arrived, we were seated promptly, since we were the only people in the restaurant, however it was rather early. Our waitress was attentive and personable. My mother in law thought the music was too loud, so they quickly turned it down for her which was nice. We ordered a bottle of Meomi Pinot Noir (my favorite) and my sister in law order a raspberry martini. Drinks came quickly, but her raspberry martini had blackberries in it. When she asked why, they said they didn't carry raspberries since they spoiled too quickly. We were confused why they would have a raspberry martini on the menu if they didn't carry raspberries, but it tasted fine otherwise. We got our appetizers, French onion soups and lobster bisque. My lobster bisque was delicious, but didn't have any pieces of actual lobster in it. The French onion was also good. We all ordered steaks with various sides. Every single side we ordered was delicious! The twice baked potato, potatoes au gratin, mac and cheese, and balsamic asparagus. Everyone's steak was also delicious and flavorful. My filet was slightly more medium well, even though I ordered medium, but it tasted so good I didn't want to send it back. We didn't get dessert, but they did have a great looking selection. Overall this is a special occasion restaurant because of its pricing. Based on my experience, it is on par with Embers and Marks, if not slightly better since it's newer with a much more modern atmosphere. I wasn't blown away at any point, hence the four stars, but we will be back -- for our next special occasion. read more

My friend and I felt like a royalty dining here; these were some of the most comfortable high back chairs I have ever dined in, they were wonderful. The ambience and service were excellent. The bread and butter service was an enjoyable layer to our experience as well. The cocktails and entrée were hit or missed. For instance, the blackberries used to garnish my Blackberry Margarita were incredibly delicious, rich, plump, juicy, flavorful and large as my thumb, but the martini itself was average. The lobster bisque was outstanding, but the texture of the seared wild salmon entrée I ordered was dry and the taste of it was just okay. We ordered Brussel sprouts and potato Au gratin for our sides. The potato Au gratin was a gourmet delightful experience, and the Brussel sprouts were the opposite. My friend let me taste her steak, and it was tender and tasted good and her salad looked amazing. When my friend bit into her salad the crunch of it was unbelievable. read more

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The tenderloin tips were magnificent!! Not the biggest fan of steak but that was a great appetizer !! read more

Shula's Steak House - Steakhouses Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

This was the most painful meal we've had in years! The waiter was a know it all, interrupter, blame transfer guy. We wanted a red blend wine and he told us he was a sommelier and we should get a bottle. I asked him about a few and he was pushing for us to get an expensive bottle, when we really wanted to try something different. He said what I wanted was a down grade from the one he recommended. I told him that's what we wanted regardless. It was wonderful!! We ordered a charcuterie board. I asked what the cheeses were and he named three cheeses that were all smoked. I asked him to please substitute one of the smoked cheeses with another kind and fresh fruit. He said ok. We got three smoked cheeses with THREE tiny pieces of bread and sick looking pickles and dried up shriveled fruit. It was terrible! Got the salads and it was nothing but arugula and dressing. Awful! We got the meal 50 minutes later and the steak was raw! Sent it back and the manager brought it back again still not done! The third time he brought it back it was microwaved and tough! $51.00 steak microwaved!!! WOW! The spinach had so much salt you couldn't eat it! We asked if the chef was new and the waiter ignored the question. Fifteen minutes later the same waiter was telling the table behind us the chef was new and they were trying a new menu. It was a very unpleasant experience! Will not go back!! read more

My fiancé and I came here to celebrate our engagement. We had a reservation and were seated upon arrival. The chairs were comfortable and the staff was extremely welcoming. I had their Florida margarita which was perfection. We had their bbq shrimp as an appetizer and the sauce they serve it in was 10/10. We both had their half roasted chicken which was nice and juicy. The spinach bed it was served on added another unexpected layer of flavor. We had their Mac and cheese, potato purée and truffle fries. The Mac was the best side. The fries fell flat, in my opinion. The portions were definitely large enough to share but the sides were not worth the price. They then surprised us with a key lime pie on the house. It was delicious. If the sides wowed us more it would have been a 5/5 experience. I recommend this spot for a nice night out. read more

Decent but pricey food. The decor seems designed to replicate a generic Lady's Powder Room. No character or comfortable feel to the place. The restaurant is in Gainesville on UF's campus. Maybe some Gville of university tie-in, or at least decor that binds the restaurant to customers. Nearby Embers, Ballyhoo, Blue Gill, and others, offer more charm and better food. read more

Took 2 hrs for our meal half of the entrées got sent back. paid $70 for a cold steak that was cooked wrong.

My wife and I had dinner here last month which was okay and extremely overpriced but I found out I could hang out at the no name bar in lobby and order from Shula's menu which was attractive to me as I didn't feel like dressing up. Ordered the 22oz cowboy ribeye and loaded potato. In the meantime I could overhear the bartenders and waitress conversations. There are all kinds of problems here with management. Ribeye came out at about 14 oz in my opinion. Bartender and fellow patron agreed and sent it back. GM comes out to say she weighed it at 17 and that it cooks down to that size. Lol. Anyways took it off bill. Paid and left. Last time I will be there. read more

All the class, elegance and world class food quality of the best of NYC steakhouses in this small college town read more

Shula's Steak House - Steakhouses Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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Sat in the lounge for the 20 min without being acknowledged. Asked if we could order at the bar and told someone would be right over but no one ever came. read more

Delicious! Both the staff and food were incredible. We came here for my graduation dinner and loved it. Try the potatoes au gratin and filet mignon! read more

Great dining experience. The venue is pretty and the chairs are so comfy. The jazz music was a bit too loud but when asked, they turned it down right away. We had lobster bisque and Caesar salad to begin. The lobster bisque was delicious and rich with bits of lobster on top. The Caesar was ok but the dressing didn't taste homemade. We both had delicious steaks. I asked for rare and got Med rare. Hubby asked for Med rare and got Med well. However they were so delicious we ignored. I had mine with asparagus, the sauce was delicious but quite light for the 8 oz sized filet. Service was friendly and efficient. read more

Disappointed in Shula's. Not very busy at 7 PM on a Saturday. The experience was fitting for restaurant food at a hotel. Bread was so tough, beyond a nice 'tooth', I could barely chew a piece in half. Nice thick pat of butter though. Calamari fried was fine, thick strips with crunchy thick batter applied. Marinara ok. Would've preferred a thin semolina coating. Also tried thick bacon apple appetizer. Was over cooked so sugar salt balance got obscured by caramelization. Mac n crab side. Very good. Mushroom side heavy garlic has onions also (in case allergy). Green beans from a can unacceptable. Filet was excellent. read more

We are staying at the UF Hilton this weekend for a Bar Mitzvah. We decided to eat at Shulas because it is right here in the hotel. They were very helpful in making a large reservation (ten people). Our waitress was a lovely young lady named Sydney who was the perfect mix of friendliness and professionalism. The wine and appetizers were very good. But then came a wait of over an hour for our entrees to arrive. The manager was very apologetic and even brought a bottle of wine to the table for our troubles, but when the bill for my wife and I was $200, i expect the experience to be close to perfect. read more

We celebrated our 66th. wedding anniversary at Shulas, Gainesville. Wonderful atmosphere, friendly, efficient service, and great food. It is a wonderful, special occasion restaurant but great for everyday, too. May be a chain but it does not look nor feel like one. read more

Food was good at The No Name Sports Bar. The service was lousy. Server brought mayonnaise for my burger in the Hellmans bottle. This place is supposed to be nice. She said she didn't feel like bringing the drink menu, so she removed the food menu from its leather cover to reveal the wine list on the back. It's Shula's, not IHOP! My burger was good and Mom's NY Strip was good. When I asked for the dessert menu, she roled her eyes and shook her head. Not sure why. I would love them to succeed, but they need to hire experienced good servers. read more

Only updating to 5 stars due to the steam houses' response, my review stands but it's clear this shouldn't affect the standalone Restaurant as opposed to the staff of that Hilton. read more

Amazing food. Amazing Service. Alissa was very helpful with everything. Highly recommend!

I've had better meals for cheaper prices. The cowboy ribeye is always my favorite because it's so flavorful. This was probably the most bland steak I've ever eaten and that's saying a lot since my mom didn't know there was any other way to flavor anything other than dusting it with paprika and broiling it. read more

Love, love, love this steakhouse, definitely worth the money. If you're a fellow bar patron ask for Mo he will take great care of you! He makes a mean martini and just has a great attitude. The food was fantastic as well, the filet was perfectly cooked and the Au gratin potatoes are a must! Definitely one of the best restaurants in Gainesville area. read more

On the plus side: the wine list, although short, was very good. The service was very attentive. I ordered a ribeye cooked medium rare. It came out medium. There was no seasoning on the steak. I take off two stars for charging me $41 for a 14 oz steak and being unable to execute your primary mission. To be fair, I was offered a replacement, but I hate to see such waste. They should get it right the first time. read more

Don't waste your time or money we were seated as soon as we got there Beautiful dining room but that's were the good stuff ends service is not good we placed our app order it took almost 25 min to get had the bacon which was cold like it was just sitting and had calamari that was hot and good then we placed our dinner order wife had surf and turf her steak was cooked right but was just ok her lobster tail was completely over cooked it was tuff we had fries and Mac and cheese fries were warm not hot Mac and cheese was hot and really good and nice portion I had the porterhouse ask for med rare it was medium I was hungry so l let it go this steak was nothing special I could have gone to bjs and bbq it and wouldn't have cost $60 I was surprised that on a Saturday night the place was not that busy that should have been my first clue go to the Outback Steakhouse you will save about $100 as far as going back absolutely not never again oh I almost forgot it took almost 1 hour to get our main course there were 2 other tables that came in as we got our apps they both got there dinners before us read more

Fine dining in Gainesville. Reservation: We still had to wait fifteen minutes for our table despite having a reservation and arriving early. Decor: Very nice modern decor. Service: Waiter was good but it took a very long time for our food to be served. He took initiative and brought us another round of drinks to ease the pain of the long wait. Food: scallops: excellent but almost too perfectly sized . Fish of the day: Good portion size and excellent. Lamb: Great flavor but very fatty and small portion size for cost. Dessert: chocolate cake, dry but okay. Nice addition to high end dining in Gainesville but quite expensive so good for a splurge. They could improve on service times as our meal took over two hours. read more

Amazing service, food was prompt and hot. The lobster Mac and Cheese is a must have! Cocktails were also very delicious! Will be back!

Service is awful. Took 15 min to get a glass of wine. Then it took 20 min to get our check

Amazing burgers - Ahi Tuna as appetizer is great also. Fish burgers are just ok. Service is outstanding also

Just had an amazing dinner with Alissa our server. She was knowledgeable, witty and pleasant. Her recommendations were all very good. I will return to Shulas seeking her impeccable service for sure!! read more

We went to Shula's for a friend's going away. I was excited for the steakhouse. My scallop appetizer was excellent, unfortunately that was it. Everything else I tried was subpar. Nothing was wrong with it, it just wasn't very good. The steak was bland, the twice baked potato was flavorless and dry, and the mushroom side and brussell sprouts were undercooked and again lacked flavor. Everything was just average, probably even below. Our meal ended up costing $170 and was not worth it. I could have gotten a better steak from Outback. read more

Went here for Valentine's Day. Worst experience at a restaurant, in any price range. Waited almost 2 hours on the nose for our entrees. The couple next to use, in a similar boat, actually went outside and took a smoke break because they got tired of waiting. Might have been worth it, if it was just the wait. Couple other comedy of errors scenes. Because the wait was so long, they offered to comp us a glass of wine and dessert. Great, except they never brought out one of our sides and then charged us for it(I didn't even dispute it--worth the money just to go). We didn't opt for the dessert--by that time, we just wanted to go home. Also, throughout the night, dirty plates were continually stacked behind us on several dirty plate trays. Um, what? Then, when we got the food, my steak, the 10oz, was dry and flavorless. It must have been sitting under a heat lamp. Why, I don't know. My significant other got the three filet special. Hers was hot and juicy, but the flavor was just bad. Ran my credit card, and this is according to the credit card company, 7 times for whatever reason. Claimed they have issue with capital one cards. Um, ok, I've never had an issue before, and if you knew this, why didn't you say that before? Saving grace was the server was nice. This is apparently a common occurrence there. Pros: -Good server -S/O got a rose at the door Cons: -Arby's quality steak -2 hour wait -Charged for items I didn't get -The baked potato came out unassembled -Couldn't even run a credit card -Dirty plates literally within arm's length -Tip was included on bill for a party of 2(actually purposely tipped on top of this b/c server was nice) TL;DR: Save your money and go to Arby's. You'll get a better experience in less time. If you want a real steakhouse, go to Mark's or Embers. Heck, go to Outback or Texas Roadhouse. Or Alehouse. Or Gator Dining. Literally anywhere else. To Customer Service: I don't want to come back and try you again. I wouldn't come back. I don't want a refund. I consider it a valuable lesson learned. Next time I see a Shula's, I'll keep driving by. read more

We ate at Shulas to celebrate our son's graduation from MBA school at UF. The food was great! The service was extremely slow. We had to ask for bread, and the overall experience just wasn't the same caliber as other fine steak houses in our area in south Florida. They knew we were celebrating- they didn't offer anything complimentary. Most places,in this price range, have a standard complimentary dessert for the honoree. The steaks were superb! Shrimp cocktail excellent! Side dishes were amazing! No complaints regarding food! read more

We visited Shula's on August 8th. We were very disappointed with the entire experience. The service was incredibly slow and our waitress was extremely distracted. It took almost 30 minutes to get our drinks and 1.5 hours to get our appetizers. The waitress apologized but it did not make much sense as the restaurant was not very busy. The 8oz Filet was very dry and the peppercorn topping made the steak taste as if it were burnt on top. The taste was not pleasant. This was consistent with the medallion order as well. Our food did not come out of the kitchen hot, it was like warm at best. We expected so much more for both the quality of the food and the service, unfortunately we were let down on both accounts. read more

So we were visiting Gainesville this last weekend and staying at the Hilton where had such a great experience at the No Name Lounge with Danielle! She was extremely pleasant, knowledgeable and made our first visit one to remember. We will most definitely be back to see her! read more

Good luck getting into the restaurant without reservations. We sat in the bar and watched them open at 5:30 , saw 4 people enter and were seated immediately.(Tuesday night) Another couple enter and come right back out. We decided at 6 pm ( still only 4 customers in the restaurant) to go eat and were told without reservations we would have an hour to hour and half wait. ( 4 customers inside) We returned to the bar and told the bartender (who was awesome) we would have to eat in the bar. He immediately took our order, then James the manager confronted us and told us he only had 2 servers THATS is why we would have to wait ( 2 servers for 4 customers). Oddly enough when we were served our order in the bar, it was served by a restaurant wait staff! Really???? So unless you want to spend $150.00 and eat in the bar, avoid this Shula's unless you make a reservation. read more

We ate at the no name lounge the other night and had a great dining experience. Danielle F was very pleasant and knowledgeable! We will most definitely be back to see her! read more

My wife and I decided to try Shula's American Steakhouse for our weekly date night. We used to live in the Tampa area and we are used to the dine dining experience. We both grew up in Gainesville and know that it hasn't had a fine dining restaurant of this magnitude ever. Well I assure you it does now. The table service was stupendous and prompt. We never felt neglected. The ambiance was wonderful with comfy seating, perfectly laid out tables, and Frank Sinatra playing from the speakers. We love wine so I asked for the wines by the bottle list and I was promptly blown away. It seemed like the list went on for days. We went for The Prisoner, one of my personal favorite red blends. We shared the BBQ shrimp app, based on our servers recommendation. Basil stuffed in the shrimp, rapped in bacon, and covered in a Smokey tangy sauce YUM! My wife had the French onion soup, and she literally had to cut the cheese with her steak knife. I had the steakhouse salad which was great! I love steaks and thought I have had the best until I received my Kansas city strip, which is a bone is a NY strip with the bone in, and my wife had the 12 oz filet. Holy cow!!!! It was fantastic. So juicy and not over buttered or seasoned. You could really taste and appreciate the beef. We ordered sides of potato gratin, and Asian green beans. So delectable. The old saying holds true there is always room for dessert! My wife and I shared the chocolate lava cake and it was so rich with gushing molten chocolate that erupts the minute you pierce the cake. If I could I'd award Shula's in Gainesville 10 stars. Thanks for the memorable experience! read more

My husband and I decided to give Shula's a try last night. We enjoy eating out and have traveled quite a bit- so we understand a nice meal. Shula's truly falls short. First- the ambiance. Grade- C- It needs to be darker in the restaurant with pin lights over each table. The lighting is the same you'd find at any chain restaurant. The decor is otherwise nice. Service. Grade D. When I'm paying $200 for a meal- I expect excellent service and an elegant dining experience. All of the servers we interacted with lacked refinement that you will find at Marks or Manuel's In Gainesville. The manager stomped through the restaurant at least 10 times while we were there, never seeming to notice anyone or anything around her. I noticed it - and my husband pointed it out to me as well- so it was quite obvious. Food. Grade D - let's just say everything tasted frozen. We started with the shrimp cocktail. 4 large shrimp. They were over cooked and mushy- they had obviously been frozen and were not fresh. Still I had an open mind and hoped for better. My husband got the Shula salad and I got the burrata Salad. My salad was the best bite we had (and that's not saying a whole lot). It was good- but nothing memorable. I ordered the mixed grill. Fillet, crab cake and scallop. My husband ordered the NY Strip. The server that delivered our meal asked if we would cut through the middle of our steak while he stood over us to make sure we were happy with the temp. I'm sure they're instructed them to do this- but I don't want to cut through my steak. In this case- it didn't matter because both our steaks were warm at best. Crab cake was obviously frozen and not good. Bonefish is far superior. I ordered horseradish sauce when I placed my order. It wasn't there so I asked the guy who brought out our meal for some. 10 minutes later our waitress came to check on us. Can I please have horseradish sauce? Another 5 minuets and it was finally brought out. I expect more from a place charging what they do. My husbands steak was ok- he ordered med rare and it was medium. He was fine with that but more concerned that it was barely warm when delivered to the table. We split a molten chocolate Cake and it was delicious. (Although If I'm being honest- the edges were overdone which my mother noticed as well on the leftovers I brought home to her) I'm not one of those super picky can't be pleased kind of people. I went out hoping to have a nice evening- and I did.... but it was an effort because Shula's certainly falls short of the other options in Gainesville. I've never written a review on here but I've read them so many times. Hoping this helps someone. read more

My first experience was not good and I gave the restaurant a very low rating. However, after a second visit I feel badly about the poor rating. Perhaps it was because we ate at the bar the first time and they were newly opened. The scallops were undercooked (seared but raw) and the salad dressing was forgotten, among other small issues. But the 2nd visit! Wow! So I am adjusting my review. I think the kinks of being "new" have been worked out a bit. I'd recommend it now. One more visit and I might change this to a 5! read more

Came into Shula's Steak House tonight and received the best, most tenderest steak I've ever had!! Mo our server was knowledgeable and amazing in every aspect. read more