Such a great spot! The atmosphere was beautiful, very family friendly and the view made the whole experience even better. The service was great, and everything we ordered tasted fresh and delicious. They also have some really good summer specials, which was a nice bonus. We'll definitely be coming back! read more

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VERY, VERY disappointed. this was not our 1st time but probably our last. i ordered fish and chips, asked for cocktail sauce instead of tartar, I was given tartar, remind our waitress that I requested cocktail sauce.....it was an additional charge of .50 since they 1st gave me tartar but I did request the cocktail sauce. never came over to ask if everything was ok. took forever to get a drink refill. i know .50 won't break me but I did request it instead of the tartar. We will have to find a new place for seafood. read more

We showed up an hour after they were open on a Saturday, and still got seated immediately. The weather was gorgeous and our server, Courtney was great. She came over frequently and our drinks and food all came out fast! My only complaint is the prices; I get that it's on the water and it's beautiful, but we were sitting at a table outside with ants covering everything and paying $7 for a virgin pina colada's and $4 for a soda. I digress... we started with the gator dip and loved it! Kiddo enjoyed the Philly with fries. Hubby liked the gator wrap and I enjoyed the fish tacos with Mac n cheese. Portions were big, atmosphere was great. Courtney was great. A solid stop if you're in the area and willing to spend some money. read more

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

If you're looking for that classic Old Florida experience, Swampy's is a great spot. The restaurant sits right along the beautiful Rainbow River, and the view is absolutely spectacular. The river is so crystal clear, and there's something really peaceful about sitting outside and watching the water go by. The food was great, as it always is, and their shrimp ceviche is my absolute favorite item on the menu! It's always a must-order for me. I wasn't overly impressed with the Bloody Mary this time, but everything else was wonderful. We enjoyed a peaceful day on the river, sitting out on the patio, enjoying the scenery, and even visiting with the resident kitty. ‍ Definitely a great place to relax, enjoy some good food, and soak up a little bit of Old Florida charm! 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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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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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

Great surprise! Food improved since we came 3 years ago. Definitely be back and you should come for a fabulous meal! read more

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

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I think people must just go here to sit along the river and get drunk because they damn sure aren't going for the food

We have friends in Ocala and Swampy's is a must stop, at least twice while we're in town. The service is always great, as is the ambiance and the food. Try the corn nuggets and the shrimp cheesy grits are the bomb. 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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Food was good. Gator bites were amazing tastes like Canes chicken. Aligátor attack mixed drink was the best one I've had here in Florida. The view of the river was amazing but it was extremely hot they need better cooling system we were gonna faint. Servers and host were nice. read more

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

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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

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

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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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

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

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

Its a tourist trap. The locals do go there and I do quench im on the river with my k9 partner, but their prices are incredibly inflated for the poor quality of "bar and grill food" as most of these bars on the river, same thing. read more

Horrible experience at this restaurant. we had a table of 6 with one of our friends who has a service dog. From the moment we arrived num employees questioned us and gave us a hard time Ultimately we left after the manager confirmed she would call the police. This is after showing proper documentation of service animal. Besides this issue the establishment is dirty with poor ambience. read more

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

We enjoyed this place. Our server, Jess, was great and super attentive. Great service. The food was really good, and view of the water outside was nice and relaxing. Thank you again to Jess for great service. 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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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

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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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

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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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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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