Skogies Waterfront Eatery

There are two great seafood places in Gainesville about a half a mile apart. We have been to both…read moreand both are very good. Each has its strengths. Tonight we went to Gainesville Seafood Market. One of the advantages they have is a large parking lot with plenty of room. The food at both places is so close it is hard to call an overall winner. I would agree with someone's post that the clam chowder is a bit thin and could use to be thicker, but they make up for that fact with the sizable amount of Clams. Everything we have tried here was well,prepared and tasted great. Service was fast and efficient. The attitude of the employees was very welcoming and wanted to be sure we had everything we needed. It was a Friday night and close to closing, not much of a crowd, but still over all an enjoyable meal.

Delicious, fresh seafood with friendly service. The fried pompano and mexican shrimp cocktail are…read moreworth the visit alone.

Inside very cute and comfortable

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Inside

Sanctuary on the Square

3.8(27 reviews)

2.9 mi

We came in on a Saturday night as a party of two with no reservation, and they were kind enough to…read moreseat us. Our waiter was pleasant, attentive, and genuinely tried -- so none of this reflects on him. We tip regularly, and we still did, because the issues we experienced felt more like management and kitchen pacing, not server error. The biggest problem was the timing of the food, and it was honestly awful. Our soups and appetizer came out almost at the same time, which I could have overlooked -- but then the entrée was dropped on the table immediately after the soup, with no pacing at all. It wasn't even our waiter bringing the food; it was other staff members just setting plates down without checking where we were in the meal. Because my entrée was seafood, it cooled down quickly while I tried to finish the earlier courses. Then the scallops came out undercooked, partially clear in the center. When I mentioned it, the waiter said it's a common complaint because they don't cook them long or they fall apart. He took them back, and they came out more cooked -- still not great, but at least edible. The dish itself (with black bean hummus, corn, and avocado) wasn't worth the price. The corn tasted like cold canned corn, and overall the entrée just didn't feel special. My husband had the spinach, chicken, and bacon salad and enjoyed it. Both soups -- tomato basil and butternut squash -- were delicious. The brie rosemary dip was just okay. There were a few flies around the table, which was annoying, and the inside is a bit dark, so more lighting would help. I can see myself coming back to try more soups, salads, appetizers, and burgers here, but I'll avoid the dinner entrées unless reviews become more consistently positive. There's definitely room for improvement, especially with pacing and kitchen execution.

Alright, this is one of those times that I must say some honest words that aren't all glowing and…read morepositive but I shall be fair as well. This is a good restaurant on the verge of greatness, short version. The longer version reads like this: First, the service here at Sanctuary on the Square is warm, fast, a pleasant feel. And the space itself is cool, on an awesome little small downtown square, so lots of positives to mention. Now, I LOVE tapas. IMO it is a cuisine tailored to the show off chef, but that also means it must be done with flair, beauty and flavor. LOTS of flavor... and that's what was missing here tonight. The goat cheese croquettes were nice and the shrimp scampi was too, but is "nice" what the kitchen is hoping to hear? I'm thinking not. Even the blue cheese on the gorgeous wedge salad was a tad underwhelming. Three dishes and I did not finish even one of them. Now, to be fair, I have very high standards and a breadth of food experience, so if the kitchen insists I expect too much, they could be on to something. And honestly I'd bet this was a mid-week off night, so ultimately I suggest you give it a try and decide for yourself. For me, though, it came in just under the standard I'm looking for. Cheers until the next one!

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Brookton Catfish School

4.2(26 reviews)

2.3 mi

I said we'd try it again and we did! One word: WONDERFUL…read more NOW we understand the hype and I'm so glad our first experience was obviously just a bad day. We got the Combo, subbed out the whole fish for the fillet and the fries for okra. Absolutely nothing negative to say about any of it. We both enjoyed it very much and the service was outstanding!!! This place is adorable and they're working catfish miracles up in here.

Wow thank you Yelp, In the mountains of GA you came through again! Best fresh trout , grits, hush…read morepuppies, and fries. The trout was amazing and reasonable. We sat outside with our dog. Homemade tartar sauce and other dips. The staff supper friendly.

Yummy!!

Brookton Combo

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Atlanta Highway Seafood Market

4.5(494 reviews)

3.0 mi

We have wanted to try this place for years. The couple times we tried it was closed. So today we…read morefinally made it. And it was a disappointment. There is a nice big parking lot so that's good. Walk in and see all the fish. The decor is trophy mounts and the counter has seafood on ice for you to look at. Order at the counter and they give you cups for your self serve beverage and a number for your table so someone can bring out your food when it is ready. Megan and I both ordered off the specials menu. I had the flounder and shrimp platter, Megan had the salmon Bahn mi. My plater was was one thin flounder filet (flounder are flat so that's ok), five shrimp, four hush puppies, and fries. The flounder was corn meal breaded and kinda bland. The shrimp were not shrimpy. Not bad but not good and with a thicker batter. The hush puppies were small but very good. The fries were batter coated and looked like typical food service fries. Megan's sandwich looked good but the salmon was over cooked and tasted earthy. Salmon is a fish, salmon live in in the ocean. How are they earthy? Anyway Megan said the best part of her meal was the fries. Maybe we ordered the wrong thing. This place gets a lot of love but I'd eat at Captain D's for better food for way less money. My plate was $27 and Captain D's is currently advertising a fish and shrimp plate for $7. I will be reviewing that one soon.

After two years, I wanted to come back and give an update..... and it is STILL a five stars!! They…read morehave some of the freshest seafood in the area and will always serve you with the best in the house!

Menu

Flounder and Shrimp

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2026 Deli Menu with updated prices

New Lucky Crab House

3.8(53 reviews)

5.8 mi

Don't come here go to Juicy Crab in Buford instead. My little brother, my kids and I came to this…read moreplace at around 1 or 2 pm. Place was empty I didn't think much of it bc it's a Monday. The man that sits you down offered a table in the middle but I asked if there was any way to get a table by the window. Very rudely he said no. I was like okay guess he's having a bad day. We then proceeded to sit down and order our drinks. This man comes and asks, "what do you want?" He drops off the drinks and throws us our straws. At this point I suggest to my little brother that we go elsewhere. We paid for our drinks got up and left. I don't care if I have to drive another 20 min out. I'll never step foot in this restaurant again. I believe that person was the restaurant owner; it's a thin Asian man. If it is I'm surprised at the fact that the place is still standing.

Last night was my first time here, the seafood boil was delicious and big. My friend got the…read morecatfish and it was quite cheap and a ton of fish. Don't sleep on their fries, crispy and delicious.

2 Clusters Snow Crab Legs Combo

Double crab leg order.

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Kids fried shrimp

Marisqueria Playa Azul

3.3(17 reviews)

3.9 mi

si deseas comer un cocktail de camarones este es el peor sitio que puedes elegir, y el caldo de…read morepescado horrible .If you want to eat a shrimp cocktail, this is the worst place you can choose, and the fish broth is horrible.

Went there for my birthday celebration and was blown away by how amazing the food was. It was fresh…read moreand I'm dreaming when I can go back.

Pina colada!

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Shrimp Tacos Lunch Special!

Ay Mama por Dios

3.0(9 reviews)

2.7 mi

Not many gringos in here, which made it fun. Great octopus. Great margaritas! I will certainly…read morebe back!

The service was atrocious. We were one of five occupied tables in the entire restaurant, after a…read moremore than moderate wait, the waitress came over and took our drink order (a marqarita and a beer) and then we waited and waited and waited. When she finally brought the drinks she inquired as to our entrees. We informed her we were going to enjoy our cocktails before ordering. She disappeared. Flagged her down and ordered another beer, which arrived promptly. Then the disappearing act again, we eventually flagged her down to order food. At the end of the meal we desired our check. Good luck!! We finally got up and stood by the cash register, the manager came and we settled our check. A word to the wise, without comment or any written notice a 3% credit card charge was added to the bill. The guacamole was good. Thus, ends positive comments regarding food. There were no chips and salsa served to the table, rather two six inch tortillas with a chopped vegetable topping (which was not bad). The refried beans were so good I left most of them. Rice with the entree was strange, not white but some golden hue concoction (definitely not brown rice). Again most of it went uneaten. Our entrees were mostly edible but certainly not a delight to the palette. You can easily find better Mexican fare. The ambiance was tolerable. Music was too loud.

Interior view

El Muchacho Alegre

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Exterior

Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen & Bar

Excellent food and superb service from Amy, Gainesville Ga location. Wait was short Love the…read moreCheese Grits

Me and my group of ladies stop by here for the second time for brunch and Jin our server was…read moreexcellent.. the food was so good and she gave us great recommendations on food choices.. and let me say the food here is so good the grits was delicious. Thanks Jin

Things to do in Gainesville

Meatloaf

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Cast Iron Pork

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Ruth T.

0

1

0

14 years ago

I'm new to the area and was looking for a really good local place to take out of town visitors. Who wants to visit the same dining spots they can find at home? If you have problems navigating the steps, let them know and they will pick you up for a short ride to the top. This is it! We loved dining at the marina with a choice of being indoors or out. The food is to die for...We found the batter on some entrees to be very light and seasoned just right. The fried green tomatoes were wonderful, the onion rings were perfect and I regret only that I waited so long to write this review. I guess another trip is needed to try more dishes. My visitors loved it too and will remember they ate at a special place called Skogies!!! I understand they are now open all year. read more

Carol Z.

0

1

0

10 years ago

The owners of Skogies are top notch! Not only are they hospitable beyond belief with attending to one's needs, but the food is amazing! We have had several company Christmas parties there and have enjoyed ourselves immensely! I recently had a shower/luncheon for my son and future daughter-in-law at a restaurant that Skogies's owners manage, on the square, and again, couldn't be happier with the food, or the service! They, no doubt, know what they are doing! If you are looking for an awesome casual dining experience with a wonderful waterfront view, great food and service at a reasonable cost, you MUST visit Skogie's restaurant at the Gainesville Marina! Carol Z. read more

Tom F.

0

1

0

9 years ago

Outstanding buffet on Sunday. Too many good things to mention. They have all their favorites on the buffet. We love the crab benedict, omelets, mac and cheese, wings, tenders, BBQ and outstanding fish! Anyone who cannot find great eats here, ain't going to find it anywhere! We also love the hard working and lovely Ms. Heather and husband / owner Tony, who put all they have into their third and most fun restaurant. Can't wait for the night time entertainment on the weekends this summer since they added the new expanded deck and beer and wine bar! Gotta go there! Tom & Bev F read more

Hellen W.

0

1

0

15 years ago

Went there for lunch after church on Sunday. They have opened back up for the summer season. Not sure why they don't stay open year round. We sure love the food and the friendly service. Ask for Heather when you go. She is as sweet as the iced tea that she was serving. The view of the lake from the deck was wonderful. They serve large portions and everyone seated around me was discussing how wonderful the food and service was. The manager (not sure of his name) was chatting with everyone and thanked us for our visit and invited us to return. Everything was great. read more

Maria T.

87

2

0

7 years ago

Great service. Went there to have dinner after a boat ride and enjoyed every part of it!! It was a little busy and it took a bit for the food to come out but it was worth the wait! Definitely coming back! read more

Allisa C.

0

7

0

14 years ago

The food is always fresh. It takes a while to get but it is worth it.

Skogies Waterfront Eatery - southern - Updated September 2026

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Bullfrogs Bar & Grille

3.2

(45 reviews)

The bar was pretty bad, which ended up a joke connecting strangers. Though the food far exceeded…read moreexpectations, even with a to-go order. I ordered the "award-winning" chili without high hopes, because everyone thinks theirs is. However, this chili was amazinggg. I still find myself thinking about it. Fish and chips, hot and crispy. Not a fan of the pork "nachos". Succotash with the BBQ cheddar melt was amazing. Finger prints on the actual sandwich caught us off guard but I mean it is what it was. The kitchen was clearly slammed. With a large event going on, I can't complain too much about waiting for my order. I saw a couple wait 15 minutes just for a slice of cheesecake. Mine took an additional ten. Props to the hostess for handling the situation so well.

Meh. While the lodge was slammed due to multiple conferences, I went down on two occasions where I…read morewas the only customer in the facility. The service it self was slow but friendly enough. Both times it took quite a while for the bartenders to acknowledge me. Food was great & there's a variety to choose from. Since this restaurant also accommodates the pool there are a ton of flies that were coming in from the outside.

Brookton Catfish School

4.2

(26 reviews)

I said we'd try it again and we did! One word: WONDERFUL…read more NOW we understand the hype and I'm so glad our first experience was obviously just a bad day. We got the Combo, subbed out the whole fish for the fillet and the fries for okra. Absolutely nothing negative to say about any of it. We both enjoyed it very much and the service was outstanding!!! This place is adorable and they're working catfish miracles up in here.

Wow thank you Yelp, In the mountains of GA you came through again! Best fresh trout , grits, hush…read morepuppies, and fries. The trout was amazing and reasonable. We sat outside with our dog. Homemade tartar sauce and other dips. The staff supper friendly.

North Georgia Bbq

4.1

(50 reviews)

My wife and I came out to North GA BBQ & Oyster Bar and honestly... we went all in. It felt like we…read moreordered half the menu just to try everything--and it was worth it. Let's start with the appetizers. The hush puppies are a must. They come with a hot honey glaze on top, and that combo is ridiculously good. Sweet, crispy, and just packed with flavor. The fried okra was something I've never had before. No breading--just split in half and fried as-is. Super unique and honestly really good. If you like okra, you've gotta try it this way. For sandwiches, my wife had the pig melt, which is their take on a pulled pork sandwich on Texas toast. The pork was tender, juicy, and stacked nicely, definitely a solid choice. I had the BBQuban, their BBQ twist on a Cuban sandwich, and it was excellent. Great flavor, well put together, and something a little different from the usual. The meats across the board were done right. The turkey was tender and served in big, thick slices. The brisket had a good bark and paired well with their BBQ sauce. Sides were all solid. The mac and cheese was creamy (I added a little salt and it was perfect for me), baked beans were flavorful, and the collard greens were on point. And the banana pudding... easily one of the best I've had in the North Georgia area. If you're going here, don't skip it. The space itself is fun with a bar area, and the service was great. Everyone was friendly, and the food came out fast. Parking is available right out front, but just make sure you scan the code and register your tag so you don't get ticketed. You can also park in nearby decks if you prefer. Overall, this is a strong BBQ spot in Gainesville. Great variety, solid execution, and definitely worth checking out.

I worked with management to plan my 80th birthday party there with 30 guests on Sat., 7/25. I made…read morethree trips there to work out the details, including a visit one week prior (7/18) to confirm. The bartender, Kayla, assured us all would be handled. Fortunately for us, a friend went by the Green Street location on 7/24 and let us know it was CLOSED! We were able to plan another party at nearby Recess, but are still are very disappointed with NGB management for not notifying us of the pending closure. If our friend hadn't alerted us, imagine the anger of 30 hungry party guests. Shame on you, North Georgia BBQ! What a shameful way to do business.

Antebellum

4.6

(309 reviews)

•$$$

I love Antebellum and will come all the time! Their menu is season and changes so great to sample…read morefresh offerings throughly the year. Love coming here for quiet dinner or celebration. Small dining room and reservations are a must! They have a little bar and you can order drinks with your meal. Service we have is always great and up scale atmosphere. Check them out in downtown Flowery Branch.

One of my favorite places. The food is always fresh and paired so well. We were celebrating a…read morebirthday so we made reservations. We were seated at arrival. Such a beautiful atmosphere. It has elegant lighting and beautiful decor. For our appetizer, we got the pimento cheese. They give you two pieces. It is always excellent. I enjoy taking one home for later. Our main course was the beef shoulder tenderloin. Both plates were cooked exactly how we asked. We got a complimentary dessert. A small baked cookie skillet with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Fish Tales Lakeside Grille

(678 reviews)

We are so glad the weather is getting warmer and can go to one of our favorite places. As always,…read moregreat food, drinks and ambience and most of all amazing service. Thank you Lauren and Knie.

This place has a good location. Right off the water. I do wish I had a better view of it when…read moreseating in the back. We had a good server. She made good recommendations. You def cannot go wrong with staring with their infamous fish tails!! I could have taken some of these to go. They came out hot and fresh, well seasoned... just add a little hot sauce and I was good to go. The shrimp tacos came out loaded with shrimp!! I'm never going to say that's not good haha. Everyone liked their food. Even the shrimp and grits my coworker got, he sad they were good and u got plenty of shrimp with it too. I will def come back and bring others.

Decoy

(21 reviews)

Met up with some friends for dinner at decoy last night. They took reservations which was not…read morenecessary. Specialty drinks were amazing. I had a Jesse Jewell. Phenomenal. They have a large bar. A nice set up for live music which they had someone playing Saturday evening. Ordered the decoy burger. One of the better smash burgers I've had in a while. Server was great. We went back to play duck bowling. He moved our deserts over to the lanes. The Crème brûlée was delicious as well. The duck bowling is a little expensive, $60 an hr but we had a good time. They also have golf simulators and putt putt.

I enjoy going here for lunch, but I'm sure the night crowd is probably livelier. The service is…read morealways good. The food is delicious and well-prepared. I always order the wings, pita and hummus. The game area is in the back is so fun and worth trying especially if you're with a group.

New Lucky Crab House

3.8

(53 reviews)

Don't come here go to Juicy Crab in Buford instead. My little brother, my kids and I came to this…read moreplace at around 1 or 2 pm. Place was empty I didn't think much of it bc it's a Monday. The man that sits you down offered a table in the middle but I asked if there was any way to get a table by the window. Very rudely he said no. I was like okay guess he's having a bad day. We then proceeded to sit down and order our drinks. This man comes and asks, "what do you want?" He drops off the drinks and throws us our straws. At this point I suggest to my little brother that we go elsewhere. We paid for our drinks got up and left. I don't care if I have to drive another 20 min out. I'll never step foot in this restaurant again. I believe that person was the restaurant owner; it's a thin Asian man. If it is I'm surprised at the fact that the place is still standing.

Last night was my first time here, the seafood boil was delicious and big. My friend got the…read morecatfish and it was quite cheap and a ton of fish. Don't sleep on their fries, crispy and delicious.

The Longstreet Café

3.7

(86 reviews)

My oh my. This is the heaven of southern cooking here in Gainesville GA. Me and my mother like to…read morestop by here when we are in the area. Ambiance: feels like home. They've set it up where you walk down a line and pick up your food buffet style. They have the prices on a wall and a prayer wall on the other. Service: the people here are always great. They go above and beyond to help. Food: comforting and the real definition of homecooked comfort food. Overall such a good place to visit if you're in the area

The servers especially the tall dark skinny mexican girl doesn't service your table if you don't…read moretip or you are not white. Food is just ok. Ambience is good.

Lorio's Wings-N-Things

(42 reviews)

One of favorite places for wings! Look at how plump and juicy they are! We've been all over and…read morecan't think of better wings anywhere. Owner is really nice too. Happy to support this business!

After driving 30 minutes from west Forsyth and very anxious to try the Catfish I've heard so much…read moreabout. I was surprised to find the restaurant closed.

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