Up here for a long weekend kayaking and we had just floated down from the head springs. Yeh it was a long trip. Pulled our kayak up on the edge and grabbed a table for food and drinks. Great atmosphere here. Service was pretty good. As to be expected in a crazy place like this. The food was pretty good with a few things that we thought could be better but all in all a sold summer lunch spot. Now we have to paddle back up the river!!! read more

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The reason and pretty much the only reason to visit Swampy's is because of the atmosphere. The best thing about Swampy's..you can order a drink and go and sit on the wall and put your feet in the beautiful clear water. Oh wow, what a place we live, it's so amazing! If it's during the day, tube floaters, paddle boarders, and small boats pass by making for some fun entertainment. However, the food and service are really lacking but has been for years. And it really doesn't matter...due to the atmosphere, people will continue to come here no matter what! It's literally that great! If you are at the bar ordering a drink due to the fact you will wait for a table, no matter the time of day...Do not get stung by the huge amount of bees that surround the soda station and the right side of the bar. I understand that the bartenders and servers are busy but service and attitudes are to the extreme! I think that businesses forget to tell their employees...people are PAYING to eat here. Most on vacation and don't want an attitude. But again, due to the atmosphere...most people will overlook the attitudes. Anyway, the food is severely lacking. We are locals and have eaten here many a time. Just remember the prices on the menu are not because the food and service are amazing...it's because of the atmosphere. P.s. please stop serving glass to people who are drinking and heading to the water. read more

We came here after completing the 4hr float from KP Hole. The wait was ok. They offer fruit enfused water at their "hydration station" however, on the particular day we went it was not set up. The drinks at the bar were great. We had a "Florida Women" while we waited and it was great. Probably the best thing on their menu. Now for the food We ordered "Gator dip", the description on menu said "shredded gator meat" well there wasn't a single piece of meat in it. When we asked about it, the manager insisted that they "puree" the meat into the cheese sauce. This is where the service went down hill.. We ordered a few sandwiches and they were mid at best. Swampy's is an ok place to grab a drink. But their food is nothing to write home about. read more

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Great dive bar and restaurant in the Rainbow River. Mostly outdoor seating with some indoor. A/C is limited but ok. Food has a New Orleans flair and it's very good. I lived in NOLA for a number of years so I know. Well worth the trip read more

Passed by here on a Friday after Kayaking at rainbow springs and it was awesome. We sat at the bar, it was happy hour starting at 2pm so the draft beers were 50% off. It felt like a nice dive bar where everyone knows each other. The fun part about it is that you can sit outside along the river and see everyone floating by. We had the fish dip and Thai chili nuggets. Delicious and doesn't break the bank! I highly recommend! read more

We were driving through Dunnellon and saw Rainbow Springs. It was so beautiful we had to stop and saw Swampy's. They said it would be a 25 minute wait- but 10 minutes later we were seated facing the springs. We watched all the kayakers, boaters and tubes go by. We ordered the Swampy salad with Mahi mahi and fish and chips to share. We also ordered some onion rings which were delicious. The salad, and fish and chips were tasty. They got the salad wrong at first- so we had to wait for a new salad. All in all- it was an enjoyable dining experience- and a treasure that we found by accident. We would come back! read more

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Great service!! Amazing views and yummy food! What more could you ask for ! Definitely recommend on your trip to Rainbow River read more

Swampy's Bar & Grille - Sweet chilli chicken wings - American Near Me - Dunnellon, Florida

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Took a roughly hour drive from The Villages, FL to have a spot of lunch at Swampy's in the city of Dunnellon. The location is on a very clear river with a lot of boat traffic. A lot of boats tied up to the pier adjacent to the restaurant. The re is both indoor and outdoor accommodations for dining. It was a hot day, neither were particularly comfortable. Swampy's has some Cajun food options on the menu that friends encouraged me to try. I tried shrimp/sausage and cheese grit bowl. It was a massive portion that I consumed too easily. I found the taste to be memorable. I was seated just before noon on a Saturday. Fairly quiet. I was encouraged to order before the rush and that was sage counsel. Wait staff was average. I really enjoy sharp servers, maybe next time. Verdict: A little off the beaten path, but decent food worth the effort. read more

Liked the ambiance because of the outdoor seating by the river. The food was good, enjoyed the alligator bites as an appetizer. read more

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Enjoyed a lovely lunch, attended to by our great server Courtney! Live music with great riverside vibes and gorgeous views.

The food wasn't great. My mahi was extremely dry & even my brioche bun was old and dry. The regular & sweet potato fries were good. My husband had the chicken poppers & he said they were alright. read more

Swampy's Bar & Grille - American Near Me - Dunnellon, Florida

Everything Was Excellent! My family and I loved it so much and the food service and view was excellent! 3 *** Michelin! read more

Out of our group of 5, 2 were satisfied, 1 food was so so , that would be 3 for me, but 2 were not happy with their meal. They both ordered ceviche salad, house salad with pre cooked shrimp with a mixture of cocktail sauce! That's not ceviche. In fact it ruined the house salad. On the positive side, the waiter was great but he was not only taking orders but taking care of the bar. Food took longer than expected to be brought, one person ordered soup that came after his main dish and that's after telling the person that delivered our order that the soup was missing. Atmosphere was great on this hot day. Not sure if they are experiencing staff shortage or just too many people coming. I try to go there with friends that visit us in Florida and in the past we were happy with service and food. Unfortunately this time not so. Hopefully they will review this post and improve. read more

Date of visit: Feb. 8,2025 Today is the day I am going to visit Don Garlits Museum in Ocala and afterwards either hit the food truck court or Swampy's in Dunnellon. The drive up I75 was not bad and got to the museum before I knew it. I finished going through both buildings and it was just before noon. I took hwy 484 west and saw the food trucks and there were many but I decided to keep going to Dunnellon. Arrived at Swampy's and the parking area was really looking full and I did see a spot in the overflow lot, hmmm. You know where I'm going... As I walked up to the entrance I could see a line at the hostess stand, I walked by and headed to the bar and hoping they have one. They do and I found an empty seat. I could see it was a mob screen on the patio. However it didn't take long for the bartender to get my order, though she busy every second till my food arrived. I ordered the blackened fish sandwich with fries. I can agree with other reviews in that they are under staffed for this kind of turnout. Food arrived and looked good, but this was not blackened fish. It may have had the seasoning but it was not blackened cooked. The fish or chicken done blackened will have a dark crust, this did not. I did not question it just took it how it came. It was good tasting fish and could have been done a bit more and I agree with another viewer that the roll was not up to the task. The fries that came with it were of a Checkers type, they were okay as well. I think if it were better staffed it could be a relaxing chill spot. Several times I saw people ask others at the bar to move down cause they didn't want to wait for a table, I was asked once as well. My only advise would be visit when the over-flow lot isn't full...Peace. read more

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The hostess who was working on July 23 at approximately 2:30 p.m. was very rude and disrespectful to us. From the moment we arrived, she appeared to have a negative attitude toward Latino customers, not just toward us. Her behavior was unprofessional and made us feel unwelcome. Someone with that kind of attitude should not be working in a public-facing position where customers deserve to be treated with respect and courtesy. read more

My husband and I have been to Swampy's once. It wasn't a great experience. The table were sitting at was sticky, the smell coming, I think the river was of dead fish, and it was a strong smell. My appetite was suppressed from these things so the food didn't taste appealing. I don't think we will return. The service was just mediocre that day. read more

Loved our waitress and the atmosphere. Drinks were good with lots of options. Food was okay. Really nice to sit by the water and watch people paddle board. read more

Swampy's Bar & Grille - Waterfront - American Near Me - Dunnellon, Florida

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Swampy's is a great venue for relaxing, food, drinks and scenery. Located directly on the Rainbow River, the views are spectacular. I've been several times, each time enjoying the food and vibes. read more

Swampy's Bar & Grille - Bayou Wings. A delicious dry-rub seasoning. - American Near Me - Dunnellon, Florida

Ok.....I'm very happy to report that they're headed in the right direction when it comes to their service issues. We were there late yesterday, we had Anna as our server, and things were back to their awesome ways. She was so good that even after having a HUGE group sit in her section, she never lost the ability to take care of her other tables. The food was fantastic as always (the Bayou Wings are crazy good), but, the speed at which the food came out was exceptional. Swampy's is our "go to" place - and it's so great to see them get past the bumps in the road. read more

Food was ok. Service was ok. Atmosphere can't be beat! We paddled up and docked right next to the outdoor deck and enjoyed some cold drinks and just ok food. read more

horrible service. wilder took three hours for food. a manager refused to come over after we were upset. i wouldn't recommend this place to my worst enemy. if you like barilla pasta cooked by a high schooler, come on by. just don't sit at the picnic tables or you will get checked on every three hours. forgot to add on, a different table needed silverware and wilder snatched ours off of our table instead of getting more. not much to expect from a waitress with a carbliss in her back pocket! read more

The name is actually very perfect in describing the ambiance and menu. You come knowing what to expect and you're not disappointed. I was nervous coming here as I have some food sensitivities, but it was a "must see" spot my husband wanted to bring myself and our kids to so off we went. The patio is large and the seating is actually spacious. With a large party we weren't able to sit lake-side but we could still view portions of it from where we sat. The fans did little to cool the sweltering heat or stop the sweat from streaming down my head and back, but it was something to behold. The table started with Gator Bites, and true to their word "it tastes like chicken". It was fun for my kids to say they have now eaten alligator . I saw tacos on the menu and was delighted as most fish tacos can be tailored for most food sensitivities. I ordered the Mahi Mahi Fish Tacos (on corn tortillas, no cheese & sauce on the side). Turns out the rémoulade sauce is mayo based, not cream based so I could have some. The mahi was cooked to perfection and the tacos were huge! I was incredibly full when I left. Our waiter was incredible. He kept our party of 13 happy and drinks full. He kept a smile when I altered my food and acted as it was no trouble at all. He was very attentive and I could see other wait-staff doing the same for their tables. We sat close enough to the bar I could hear and see how hard they worked as well. read more

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The waiter with a buzz cut and bright blue eyes was amazing, so kind and funny! Only complaint is the hot ass beer... get more glasses.

This is the place to go after visiting Rainbow Springs! Relaxed, chill, outdoor environment right on the beautiful river. We had a short wait, maybe 10-15 min, and well worth it! Gina was our server, she was awesome! All staff members we engages with were all super friendly and helpful. The food was on point! We had the gator bites to start. They were soooooo good with the cajun sauce that we ordered 2 more to go! For lunch I devoured the shrimp ceviche salad. It is so flavorful that no additional dressing was needed. My family members both ordered the fish and chips. Both the fish and the fries were fries to perfection. We will definitely be back! read more

The view of the river can't be beat. The gator bites and cheesesteak was good and my husband enjoyed his burger.

Back to Swampy's for Vday /Bday . Was a big wait no biggie grabbed some drinks & sat outside got talking with nice travelers. Waiter (Derek?) was excellent really attentive & friendly. Drinks this time were not as good as the lady's who made em last time . 2 young guys. I got the Rueben which I will say one of the best I've had & Cajon Mac & cheese. He got the fish dinner this time w/cheesy grits & coleslaw. No complaints just a nice layed back meal on the lazy River. Again will be back! read more

First time stopping in, thought the river view w the kitty vibe was amazing but the bartenders are very deceitful, they will charge for chances without informing you there may be price adjustments. Therefore, I'll never consider going back or taking friends read more

We stopped by Swampy's Bar and Grille on our way to Rainbow Springs State Park. The rustic vibes of this place are perfect before or after a day at the springs. It was lovely to sit outside and watch boats float down the river. Some people tubing even made a pit stop at the restaurant, very fun! There was a bit of a wait to be seated, but it wasn't too bad. Unfortunately, the actual wait for the food was very long. However, our mahi sandwich and Swampys Etouffee were both served hot and fresh. I loved the grilled flavor on the mahi mahi. The Cajun Mac and cheese was delicious, though there honestly wasn't much Cajun flavor. The etouffee was flavorful but I probably wouldn't recommend it on a super hot day. They were generous with the portion of shrimp served. Would definitely come back here during another trip to the springs. read more

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We had a ceaser salad to share with the ceviche and it was very good and fresh . the view is amazing if you get lucky enough to get a seat on the porch overlooking the rainbow river . My advice is to get there early ! read more

Food is great here and the location is amazing on the rainbow river near the blue run ramp. There's almost always a bit of a wait but you can sip on a cold drink while waiting . Our family love this place. read more

We Yelped this place and saw positive reviews. So, we made the 1 hour drive to get lunch. The area is a starting point for tubers going into the Rainbow river. To say the place was swamped, is an understatement. We searched for a parking spot, then found out, we'd have a 25 minute wait. That turned into a 50 minute wait. Inside, a bustling restaurant greeted us. Our server seemed rushed. Our food took 40 minutes to arrive. My fish tacos consisted of a 2 inch by 3 inch chunk of meat, centered in a soft shell with tasty sauce, cheese and lettuce. I tried to spread the fish to get some in every bite. My wife's Jambalaya was a tomato-mess. Like tomato soup with rice. No flavor at all. A bar tender refreshed our drinks. Our server vanished for most of our meal. The place looks inviting, but don't be fooled. Swampy's is drowning in mediocrity. read more

Swampy's Bar & Grille - Patio bar. - American Near Me - Dunnellon, Florida

Went there with my mother for a mother's Day dinner and ordered the blackened sirloin... OMG!!! Perfection!!! I very rarely give restaurants a 5, but this sirloin was tender and juicy and very reasonably priced. I was so very impressed. To top it off we had an excellent server, Crystal, and it was an excellent mother's Day dinner for my mother and I. So very pleasantly surprised!!! Keep that chef!!! read more

Rudest women staff on the West coast you will ever come in contact with. Not happy, no smiles, doesn't clearly want to work and resents people in general. I've never seen so as many rules just to be seated then the rudeness even being addressed. We could have been told what they expect of a customer, after not being told we can not sit down at a table to being moved to an area that was filthy that I had to clean myself. Bartender removes food from others but doesn't wipe anything off. The only reason we had to stay was we had friends meeting us from very far away. After being told we can not eat or drink before our whole party arrived was Ludacris because all the tables were six tops. We got there very early before our friends but still wanted to have drinks and appetizers. read more

Swampy's Bar & Grille - Table we were seated at. - American Near Me - Dunnellon, Florida

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Horrible horrible first clue I asked about gumbo soup red or white waitress said okra based WTF is okra based food was tasteless Forget bout check if u pay by credit card 3% service charge where on the menu was that Avoid Avoid Avoid never again read more

Swampy's Bar & Grille - Worst dish ever grilled shrimp? No flavor brought me a second one nahh - American Near Me - Dunnellon, Florida

Absolutely,Positively the GOAT ‼ Starting from parking to hostess, bar staff, ANNA our waitress is one of the BEST young ladies we have ever had the pleasure of dining with ‼SUPERB with multitasking , orders correct , glasses never empty , fresh replacements , our 3 Grandchildren (10,8,4) loved her !!! As well as all 5 Adults ‼ Everything we ordered was prepared EXCELLENT & tasted 5 star !! Leftovers were excellent again !! Did not have to rewarm, cold it was even great !! Did not tallow in mouth All beverages carbonation perfect !! Coldest beer bottled & draft , great selection !! Quality & quality on spot !! Don't let this experience pass you by !!! read more

Great food, service and atmosphere. Love the outdoor seating. Will definitely eat there in the near future.

sweet people, great food & drinks! the cold shrimp were good but the seasoning was on the shell but i loved my shrimp & grits. read more

Swampy's Bar & Grille - Shrimp, Sausage and Grits Swampys Sampler - American Near Me - Dunnellon, Florida

We went here after visiting Rainbow River. It has lots of outdoor seating on the river, so the aesthetic was nice after a day out on the water. All the tables have umbrellas so we didn't get too hot. Service was attentive and quick but the food was pretty mid. Perhaps we just ordered poorly? Chicken sandwich was chewy, burger tasted like something you would get at a work cafeteria. Cole slaw didn't have much flavor. French fries were good though. Overall, it's a nice place if you want to sit near the water and don't mind low-average food. read more

Food wise? very, very generic. Frozen burger patties, basa is their basic fish Nice atmosphere being on the water, but flies are everywhere while eating outside, not even an attempt to stop them. Its very dated. I guess it's a destination for some, but I wouldn't recommend if you're looking for something besides frozen food - cooked to order. read more

This has always been my place. Years ago when I was younger we would get off under the bridge from KP Hole and I would always admire this restaurant sitting off the edge of the river with live music and the smell of good food. Used to come here back in 2017/18 for my first time and I enjoyed it every time. I would stop here and have a bite to eat right after and then head home. I've always loved the food but unfortunately the past few times of coming out here I find it just looking dirty. Service is just unbelievably slow and they have a major ant problem. But call it what you want yes this restaurant is on water and yes there will be bugs but all I see is ants. That means we need to do some major spring cleaning. Other than that the wings are crispy and fries were super good. I enjoy being outside eating off the river it is nice. read more

Swampy's Bar & Grille - Swampys Chicken Wings Buffalo w/ Fries - American Near Me - Dunnellon, Florida