Wow, yelpers, don't be fooled. Have you noticed these OHNOs? (orange heads, no other reviews) They're obviously fake. Cantina/Downtown, shame on you. You can look through my profile and it will attest to the fact that 1) I'm a real person with other reviews and friends 2) I give bad, good and normal ratings. These business practices are sketchy and sad. Cantina's/Downtowns food sucks 6 out of 7 days. I've never had good service here (I've eaten here atleast half a dozen times) Their drinks are watered down, but better than their food. They have a tweetboard which they control (so only the good tweets get on...which they probably write themselves) The managers/owners are self pompous asses, and that is a compliment so as not to offend them. Drink elsewhere. Eat elsewhere. For those of you who have lived here long enough, you know that this spot has seen lots of businesses come and go. They survive based on their great location, but they cannot survive with their bullshit tactics, ditzy waitresses and shitty food very much longer.
(1)
Derek L.
I ended up here, because it seemed kind of cool from the street. Pretty small venue, reminded me of Foundation in Boston, small cliquish groups and everyone else seemed to be having birthday parties, I got nervous when they started walking around with bottles of Grey Goose with these sparklers on the top of them. All I could think about was that show..."A thousand ways to die!" I got out of there after ten minutes. Ten bucks cover, which for this town must be one of the higher priced venues. It seems like all over the world, there is only so many kinds of places and they are all trying so hard to get their market segementation just right! They did'nt seem to mind half the crowd standing on the seat cushions of the low slung settees. Music was ok, but the sound system was so so.
(3)
Lindsey C.
101 Downtown serves as a restaurant by day and nightclub by night. The food is superb and the bartenders make amazing mojitos. Make sure to check out their Techno Tuesdays and great drink deals.
(4)
Sara K.
This review is for the bar/night life side of 101 only. The night I went here the beer taps were down, they were out of several different liquors, and we ended up getting served semi-warm Stella that clearly hadn't been stocked anywhere to chill before a busy Saturday night. There was also no toilet paper in the women's restroom when we arrived at 10:30 pm... and we were the first group to arrive. How was the bathroom not checked before opening on a Saturday night? Two thumbs up to the blonde bartender in the front, but thumbs down for the rest of the place.
(1)
Brent A.
I arrived here right at opening time on a Wednesday evening. I had the Spicy Cilantro Steak with a side of the Chef's Vegetables. The steak had the best flavor I have ever had in a steak. The vegetables were also very tasty; well-seasoned, but not overdone. The manager stopped by to talk with me and let me know of another type of steak they offer that is marinate din Knob Creek bourbon for 48 hours prior to cooking - I will definitely have to try that one next time! The chef even came out to say hi. My experience here was very good overall, and I will definitely return.
(4)
Russ B.
The Delmonico risotto was amazing
(5)
Courtney F.
There were maggots in the coleslaw that came with our brunch..need I say more? At least I had good company with me!
(1)
Gianmarco P.
101 Downtown has been highly recommended by some friends of mine. I have heard no complaints of the food and service (this is coming from friends that frequent it). I paid it a visit Tuesday night, when the upscale restaurant is converted into a nightclub with the night being called Techno Tuesday. At this time dining ceases, but the bar stays open. Overall the service was on point: bartenders were timely and cooperative and the rest of the staff seemed quite welcoming. Will come again!
(5)
Jevay G.
This review is relative to other Gainesville restaurants, not to be confused with what is expected in any big town. I've been here a few times for dinner and for drinks, but this review is for their champagne brunch. First off it's only $15 in addition to your meal for unlimited mimosas, screwdrivers or blood Mary's and they were tasty. So regardless of their food they automatically get 2 stars. The 3rd star is solely because the manager is great!! Our waitress seemed frazzled at times and her attitude changed when I complained about my food, which I will explain below. But when she took too long to refill our champagne (which I understand happens sometimes) the manager just gave us a whole bottle. In the past I have had similar experiences with this manager, to my husband and I he makes 101 Downtown relevant. Food: We ordered chicken and bacon waffles which was lackluster at best. The waffle had no bacon and it was described as a Belgian waffle but it was very dense and didn't have great flavor. The chicken was fried chicken strips which were ok but nothing special. Next I ordered the Eggs Benedict and well there wasn't enough hollandaise sauce and the eggs were overcooked. It defeated the purpose of ordering Eggs Benedict. The hollandaise sauce did not taste good either I asked them to take it back. My waitress seemed a little annoyed, but to me if the poached eggs is over cooked why would I eat it? The show stopper was their Waygu. This was my husband's order and after seeing his, this is what I changed my order to. It was delicious, well flavored and cooked to a perfect medium. It didn't come with everything I asked but I didn't want to complain anymore as our waitress went from happy go lucky to annoyed when I told her the Eggs Benedict were not good and I didn't want to eat them. I will return for this burger but only this burger, I don't really trust anything else on their menu.
(3)
John C.
First of all, I would prefer to give no stars but the system does not allow that. We made a reservation for 1pm. We arrived on time. There were 3 of us. We ordered our meal and waited and waited and waited...... We waited 50 minutes and we were told that the food was coming in 10 minutes. More than 10 minutes passed.....nothing. We asked for the manager. He came to the table and promised that the food will be out in...you guessed it 10 minutes and admitted that even though most of the patrons made reservations, they did not plan for a busy day. We eventually had to leave without eating. I would never go back to this restaurant again.
(1)
Keith L.
Why do you take reservations if there are no tables for the reservation. Reservation was made two days prior. We were told that the waiting time for seating was currently 15 to 30 minutes. Amazingly it only took 7 minutes to be seated. But an hour later, nothing, the waitress is advising that the kitchen is backed up. The manager has been summoned but he has problems in his kitchen. We gave up and walked out after 1.25 hours. No food was delivered to the table. NOTHING. What a waste of time. I would love to give zero stars. Will never come back. Would not recommend.
(1)
Carly R.
Tony, 101's manager, reached out to me after my last review and asked me to come back and try his restaurant's brunch again. I appreciated the outreach because that shows that he cares about his restaurant and public image, and I appreciate that. He even set up a reservation for my husband and me. We arrived at 11:00 AM, when they opened, and we were seated right away, this time inside. We sat at one of the booths, and while they were comfortable, they were also kind of sticky, which grossed us out a little bit. But overall, the ambiance is nice. I really like the interior. It's a cool space. We ordered different items from last time. I ordered the shrimp and lobster crepes ($10) and a side of home fries ($4), and my husband ordered the lobster benedict ($14). We also ordered a few mimosas, which were great. This time around, our food and drinks were served promptly, and the food came out way faster than expected. Our waitress was attentive and polite; she provided excellent service. Our waters were refilled consistently throughout our meal (no choking down food this time). The star of the show was the home fries. $4 may seem like a lot for a side, but you do get a giant bowl of them, and the seasoning they coat the fries in is delicious. They also came out hot, like they had just been made, so that was nice. My crepes were OK. The ingredients were all delicious; however, I just thought the meal lacked substance. For $10, I got three very thin crepes. Because I had the home fries, my meal was filling, but if I had just gotten the crepes without a side, I would have been very disappointed and probably still hungry. I'm surprised there aren't more crepes on the plate or that the crepes don't come with a side. My husband liked his benedict but noted that both of his eggs were overcooked. This was disappointing since eggs are the star of any benedict. When cut open, the yolk did not flow out of the egg onto the meal; it just stayed in place. Regardless, he ate it all and was happily full. Our bill totaled $45. That's for two meals, a side, and two mimosas. I thought this was very pricey, but my husband reminded me that it's downtown GNV, where leases are more expensive, and that they cater to a certain clientele. While I still wasn't happy with the price, his justification made sense. (Personally, I would just rather spend $15/person for all-you-can-eat brunch at Cafe C, where a mimosa is included in the cost.) Overall, this was a MUCH better experience compared to our previous one. It is a little pricey for my taste, but for others that may not matter. I probably wouldn't go out of my way to go here for brunch again, but I would like to try their dinner menu (I've had many of their appetizers before during happy hour and they are always good), and I would go here if I were part of a group that was going.
(3)
Felipe L.
Awful. I came here for Sunday brunch and had the asian fried rice. It was blend, overcooked, and boring. I never leave food in my plate, but I did today. I wouldn't recommend this place.
(2)
Caitlin M.
This review is for their brunch. I come here every once in a while with friends for the $15 all you can drink mimosas/screwdrivers/bloody mary's, which is a great deal & the awesome waitstaff never has a problem keeping them coming. However, they barely have any vegan options, unless you want a salad or potatoes. For such a fancy shmancy place, I would think they would have some blackened tofu option or something like that (it wouldn't be too difficult to keep a block or two of tofu in the freezer). Overall, good place, but $25 for a salad and some potatoes I could've made at home did not making a satisfactory meal.
(3)
Mel B.
I have as many mixed feelings about this place as I do about it's sister at midtown, minus the deep seeded hatred of the people there and the joyous love I feel every Sunday Funday. It's a good place to pregame on Tuesday's because there's no cover in the beginning of the night and they serve free drinks from 10pm-11pm. Seriously, tip the bartenders. Their jobs suck and if you tip they'll give you a nice long pour. Anyway, the guy who DJs these "Techno Tuesdays" owns Spannk and is a founder of Neon Liger, so you won't be listening to whatever horrible crap they usually play at places like Sharab on a Thursday. However, you should probably leave after 11. Unless you like watching 19-year-olds in ill-fitting Forever 21 dresses vomit on the dance floor. Then by all means stay. Can't comment on the food as I've only had brunch there, which left much to be desired. The food wasn't wasn't terrible, but the quality and portions definitely were not worth the price. The only reason you should ever stumble there on a Sunday morning is for the all-you-can drink $15 mimosa pitchers, which are boss. Actually all their brunch drinks are surprisingly good.
(3)
Critics World ..
After looking around online for a new and fresh place to eat, I found 101. We had made a reservation and requested a private table for 2 and they put us at the table right behind the hostess stand in the center of the place! After the waitress came and pulled the menu out of the back of her super tight pants and after we say the outrageous prices, we got up and left after waiting 20 minutes for our waitrwss to show up. Marks Steakhose next door was very accommodating and I will NOT recommend 101.
(1)
Steven H.
I found this place from my SkyMiles dining, which had a 4 star rating, but I should have went with the yelp rating - always more accurate. It really is a 3 (maybe a 3.5). The food was good, but nothing stood out as amazing. The goat cheese dates were probably my favorite. It's a mix between a tapas restaurant and regular dining. We also experienced some of the service issues as other people reported. Even though it was dead, it was almost like they coudln't get rid of us fast enough. The ambiance is nice and very trendy, plus outdoor seating. Also, look at their website for the most recent hours. Yelp and SkyMiles both had it wrong.
(3)
Annie L.
Came here for a graduation dinner. They were able to accommodate for a 14 person party easily. The lounge is very well engineered and decorated with a more private room and bar in the back. The ambiance is romantic, classy and modern. The menu options are actually interesting. Lamb, duck, seafood, and steak are all the high class options. My favorite was the coconut lamb. Seafood pasta had huge scallops and the steak was absolutely delicious. I liked how they split up the menu into different sizes. You have the option of sharing small plates and having one huge entree to yourself. The only complaint is that the steak and lamb were over cooked but we did have a large party.
(4)
Ryan S.
Overpriced cover and drinks for a poor alcohol selection and amateur bartenders. Relies on a pretty interior and employing pretty, unskilled people.
(2)
Shannon M.
I gave this place 3 stars because although the food was good, the service was not up to par. When we sat down, we were informed that they were out of two of their Sunday brunch dishes, which was fine (it was nice to know ahead of time). After we ordered and our food was about to come out, I was informed that pesto was not available and that was one of the things I asked for in my omelet. This perturbed me as pesto was the main reason I ordered what I ordered and was not able to change it because I was told after the food was already made. This place has good food and overall I had a good experience, but that is not acceptable to tell a customer something is not available after the food is made and being served.
(3)
Samantha R.
Excellent service, food and drinks! Always love coming here for Wine Down Wednesday's. Alyson is our favorite server!!
(4)
Jose C.
High class, great ambience! Food prices right...not sure why others called it over priced. You get what you pay for, and it was great! Try the stuffed dates appetizer.
(5)
Andy S.
This is a tough review because there are way too many aspects to giving this place a rating. I'll start with the food and drinks. The food is decent. 101 Downtown tries to be fine dining but falls a little too short. On your birthday you get a free meal of your choice, so check plus there. The food ranges from palatable (the steaks) to really impressive (any of their fish dishes). The sweet potato fries are a must have. 101 Downtown also features one of my favorite Sunday morning brunches. They have all you can drink mimosas, screwdrivers, and Bloody Mary's, which is never a bad idea. The prices are also much more in line with the quality of the food during this time and I highly suggest the shrimp and lobster crepes. Also the sweet potato fries, that's a breakfast food right? Now onto the 101 Downtown's evil schizophrenic other side: the nightlife. Some time around 9pm all the employees start moving the tables and transform the hip modern restaurant into a late night twerker's paradise. Frankly, it's not my scene and has gone downhill since I was a naive freshman, but to each their own. The complimentary valet parking is nice due to the lack of free parking in the area. If i could I would give the restaurant 3.8 stars but I'll give them the benefit of rounding. The bathrooms are nice too
(4)
Dave W.
We popped in on a week night for a fun get-together dinner for four. Arriving at 6pm, the valet dude was nowhere to be found so we self-parked. The restaurant was almost empty, as we were clearly too early or on the wrong day for the crowd. The sound system was pumping classic NY lounge music, which I happen to enjoy, but, the sound track went on and on for the entire evening. I think if I worked there, I would slowly go INSANE. Once we selected a table, we discovered the chic chairs were quite low, uncomfortably low. I mean, you need a booster seat low. We switched to a booth and all was well. We had great service and enjoyed a wide variety of very reasonably priced food, ordering randomly and sharing everything. We had lamb chops, two sets of fish tacos, a greek salad, sweet potato fries, etc. The fish tacos were delish and none of the dishes disappointed. The wine list was relatively extensive and also affordable. We considered fighting over the last bits of food but solved it, twice, by ordering a little more... The place began to fill up later in the evening. Josh, the manager, came by to check on us in a friendly and non-intrusive way. Thanks Josh! The cuisine is varied and tasty, the prices are Gainesville-low but not low enough for students, and the music is NY lounge. I don't really know who this restaurant is catering to but we enjoyed it.
(3)
Jorge U.
I can't speak to anything else, but their Sunday brunch still absolutely rocks. A quality mimosa and the Navajo Tacos can't be beat. This is always our preferred Sunday morning destination whenever we make it back to Gainesville. The food is fresh and hot, they serve a mean cup of coffee, the mimosa glass is always full, and I'm still a fan of tight and black.
(5)
Coleen T.
That's really too bad that most people have had a bad experience here... but I am here to tell you that the food at 101 Downtown is AMAZING! Unfortunately, I don't have much free time to go to a sit down restaurant with my busy work schedule and my house full of kids... so my girlfriend and I decided to grab a pick up order so I could eat while I was at work. We looked at the menu online, and it all seemed very high-class... complicated flavors and interesting combinations. Her and I both have a pretty simple palate, and can be pretty picky sometimes, so we decided to split an Avocado-Mango-Tomato salad and the Kobe Sliders. Both dishes were PHENOMENAL! Even in a to-go box, which sometimes can bring down the quality of food from a fine-dining place. When I bit into that burger, juice literally squirted out of the patty. The dressing on the salad was a nice sweet flavor that went really well with the perfectly ripe avocado and mango. So what if the food takes a while to come out? You are not going to McDonalds... this is a fine-dining restaurant, so just enjoy the drinks and enjoy the person you are with! The food will come eventually, and it will be great!
(4)
Rachel A.
My husband and I are visiting from California and we came last night at about 9pm. We loved the atmosphere. The lighting and setup reminded us of San Francisco and the music was great! We ordered the Tiger Ceviche and the Baja fish tacos. The flavor of both dishes was very good! We even got another order of fish tacos because they were so good. Since it was Thursday, they had a special for $3 off martinis. I ordered the Dubai Oasis and the Caramel Apple, which were both delicious. We might come back tonight and will definitely come again on our next visit.
(5)
Vicci M.
Stellar birthday dinner experience paired with a staff of individuals who took time to make our evening special. Im not going to say I am a foodie because I am not, I just appreciate good food, done well and more so I appreciate it when the individuals who staff a place actually care. After living in Philly and Orlando where you have so many options of great dining establishments, the biggest problem we have in Gainesville is that most places are chains and those who tout themselves as higher end or better then average places, hardly deliver and leave you with a feeling that no one who works there really cared. From the moment I made reservations, I had the manager following up with me to via email and phone (that I provided for for followup) contact me. I liked that because it provided me the assurance that when we got there, I wouldn't have to worry since I was taking someone there as a birthday surprise. After being seated our server was attentive and provided honest suggestions on the menu items when we asked. Since we asked a bunch of questions I think she had a good idea as to what we liked and her own suggestions were spot on. The best part was, although we wanted dessert and the options on the dessert menu seemed too much after our apps and main courses, she mentioned that the chef makes his own dessert and even though it was not on the menu, she checked to see if it was available. Because the chefs homemade dessert option was one we loved (carrot cake) we were excited to have our server return with a slice for us detailed with Happy Birthday and a candle. Grant it, this might be perceived as a small easy gesture but to us, the whole dining experience carried the same feeling that they actually paid attention, took time and followed up to make sure from beginning to end everything was consistent. And that alone, consistency and attention to detail, is what made me stop while celebrating a birthday event to write this as soon as we got back home. Thanks 101, you made this big city homesick girl very very happy.
(5)
Cheryl J.
It was ok. Except for the food randomly coming out, so some people had finished their food and others had yet to get their food. The staff completely ignored us once we finished our dinner. They took away one of our tables and tried to take away chairs, then started clearing the table while the birthday girl was still opening presents.
(1)
Noelle H.
I got the blackened mahi mahi sandwich with a side caesar salad. First off, the fish was tiny, maybe only 2 oz. I was with a group of people, and when I got it we actually laughed at how ridiculous it was. It was overcooked and didn't really have flavor. I felt like I was eating bread (well I guess I was since that was the majority of the sandwich..). The waitress forgot about the salad until I reminded her about halfway through my meal. It was ordinary, most likely just bottled dressing with a few croutons on a little plate of romaine. The interior is nice and there's a good atmosphere, but nothing mind blowing. Eh, go someplace else. There's too many other good places in Gainesville to waste your money on this one.
(1)
Andrew P.
I'm usually not a giant online complainer about restaurants - I usually just decide to never go back. But wow, 101 was so atrocious I had to make an account just for this. I had placed a reservation a week in advance for my friend's birthday since I knew 101 typically has the most generous birthday specials. Boy were they not worth it. We got seated around 8:45 despite having our reservation for 8:15, strike one. The waiter came out and told us a giant list of items they were out of from their already paltry and unimpressive menu. I'm not talking one or two things; half the menu was off limits. Strike two. Our food came out around 10 (again, on an 8:15 reservation). In the meantime our waiter was apologizing and explaining that the kitchen was backed up, which was great because the restaurant was half empty. My shrimp diable came out first. For $7.50, I got four pieces of shrimp. Four. And they tasted, as a friend noted, "like they were from CostCo." No substance, no flavor. For reference, the same price would get you over half a pound of fresh shrimp. Throw some hot sauce - any hot sauce - on it and you'd have a culinary masterpiece in comparison to the crap I was served, strike three. Then the main course. I had ordered the "Tierra y Mar Satay," as it was one of the few menu items actually available. Three people at our table had ordered it, and all three came out cold. Not room temperature; I'm talking cold chunks of meat. We had to send them back, and ended up finally getting to eat after the checks were delivered to our table. Even warm they were flavorless and just awful, even Applebee's does better. Strike four. We were all pretty furious at how long we had been at the restaurant - we had had plans for around 10 - and we called over the manager. He said unconvincingly that he was embarrassed (if I were him I would have been so embarrassed I would have come out with a bag over my head) and that we would get a discount. 25% off later I was still paying around 25 dollars for hands-down the crappiest dinner experience I've ever had. For 25 bucks in downtown Gainesville you can get some great meals, but 101 had me wishing I had just stayed home and burned the money instead. Oh, and there was an included gratuity of around 18%, which is the biggest joke I've heard considering how terrible the service was. Did I mention how the waiter spilled an order of sweet potato fries and caught some of them with his shirt in front of us, and then tried to serve them to my friend? Twenty-friggen-five dollars and included gratuity. And I left hungry. The only positive thing I have to say about this terrible restaurant is that their drinks are amazing (and god will you need them if you make the bad decision to eat here). If you must go to 101 for some masochistic reason, just get a drink or two and then walk down the street to another restaurant - any other restaurant - to get much better food and service.
(1)
Rom M.
For my friend's birthday, she planned a dinner at 101 downtown. a group of 12 of us were picked up by a limo provided by 101 and taken there. I have never eaten there prior, and I was surprised to see 101 downtown in this chic restaurant light. The ambiance reminded me of some restaurants at las olas, ft lauderdale. I ordered the Bison Burger with a house salad, and it is hands down one of the better burgers I have eaten in Gainesville. I was also super impressed with the fact that they had complimentary bread on the table (I feel like no one does that anymore!) overall, the meal was great and my friend loved her birthday. (she especially loved her complimentary margarita haha)
(4)
Elizabeth R.
I've only been here twice, but I've had good experiences both times. The fish was fresh and cooked properly. I liked their fish tacos and I liked their veggie stir fry bowl. The salmon was pretty good too. The risotto was overcooked and they use domestic parmesean, so its a bit of a disappointment. I am fairly certain they will go out of business soon, unless they are making up for it in drink sales at night, but nobody was in there on a Friday night at 8:00.....Some of these reviews on Yelp make me nervous though, I don't know who to trust. Also, the decor is really lame, its trying to be loungy/stylish/modern, but its just cold and sad. I may or may not be back, we shall see.
(3)
James V.
Priced very high-end for food that ranges between ok and poor. I had probably the worst filet I've ever had there, it was mealy and bland. The other appetizers and entrees were fine, but nowhere near what you'd expect for the price point. Everything is expensive there, even the obligatory chicken breast. That's fine if you are delivering something exceptional, but they are not. I was dying inside, knowing how much better my steak would have been next door at Mark's. I'm not considering the atmosphere in the rating, since that's a matter of preference. But it's definitely aiming for a trendy, young-professional-after-work sort of crowd. They clearly invested a lot in the decor; you can question the results, but at least here they are trying. Finally, the service...they were decent and polite, but clearly overmatched and not able to answer simple questions about the dishes or drink availability. Again, just not the sort of thing I'd expect at this price.
(2)
Luke M.
Ive been to 101 downtown for socials and the infamous Techno Tuesday's but up until this weekend i had never been for the food. I took my girlfriend there for dinner and was blown away by how good the food was, by far the best meal I've had in Gainesville. They start you out with complimentary bread with a dish of a delicious oil blend for dipping. My girlfriend got the lobster bisque to start out with and we were finished with it in about 2 minutes because it was so good and packed with flavor in each bite. We split a Spideroll which was also the best sushi roll i have had in Gainesville, better than any dragonfly, Bento, Ichiban, or Rolls n Bowls roll. For our entrees, I got the Spicy Cilantro Sirloin cooked perfectly medium-rare, the meat was unbelievably tender and seasoned with a little kick to add to the already amazing flavor. My girlfriend got the Pacific Tuna i believe and whatever it was encrusted with made it some of the best tuna I've ever had. they also gave her a pretty big cut which was nice because i was able to finish what she couldn't! Our server was very nice and informative, he actually recommended both our entree and obviously knew what he was talking about. For everything we ordered our bill was around $40 after tip which is a bit pricy for college budgets but was worth every penny of it and more. I highly recommend anyone who has not eaten here before to come and try it out i promise that you will be blown away by the quality and taste of the food!
(5)
Robert F.
Great food and atmosphere. Have not had a bad meal here ever....
(5)
lance s.
Had a wonderful dinner last night,great service too! Cilantro sirloin and Wife had Pork chops.we had a hard time deciding on just one thing. we Will be back.
(4)
Mike W.
101 Downtown is a lot like the freshman who fills up his term paper with big words and cites some obscure references in an effort to impress his professor, yet doesn't bother to work out the structure or direction of the paper. The professor, of course, winds up seeing through it and cannot give a very good grade despite the effort at window-dressing. Likewise, 101 Downtown has set out to be a trendy destination restaurant but has focused as much or more on atmosphere than food and service. Unlike nearby Dragonfly which, though not all it could be, has still remained able to turn out high-quality food within its trendy setting, 101 Downtown has coasted along on ample drinks and a nod towards what people *think* fine dining is about. From the lobster macaroni and cheese to the orange duck, the menu reads like what a Hilton hotel's on-site restaurant in Omaha would attempt. What annoys me most about 101 Downtown is their temerity to presume they are doing something innovative when in fact they're just offering very standard dishes like "pan seared pistachio-encrusted tuna" or a pasta pad Thai. When I lived in San Francisco, I used to go to a restaurant called Mecca which is everything that 101 Downtown is trying to be: trendy young crowd, vast drink specials with cute names, modern interior that is so dark you can't see the person across from you, BUT Mecca also had an ever-changing, constantly innovative, menu, too. And they were doing this a decade ago. Now, I know we shouldn't expect Gainesville to be exactly on par with the city often hailed as the best restaurant city in in America, but really: if you want to be on the cutting edge, you've got to try harder. As things stand, it's as if Bonefish went in downtown and scaled up the beef offerings over the seafood. Other reviewers have complained about the prices: I do not think the prices, per se, are too high but the quality doesn't really measure up, and that's the issue. Also, how can you take seriously a place that has its main menu then a "lite menu" which bills itself as "lite on calories/lite on price"? Maybe the chef thought it was a pragmatic thing to do, but it, like many efforts here comes across as the freshman trying to be sophisticated but betraying his true command of the subject. The service is about like anywhere else in town with cloth table-linens: sweet but overall unprofessional college kids for the waitstaff. In my experience, it's been pretty clear they just were schooled a month ago to rattle off the dinner specials. Again, the sophistication comes off as insincere and trying too hard. If you ask too many questions about the fish, in example, the waiters just look mighty confuzzled as if they really expected you to just smile and drink your martini while paying little attention to the food. If you're in college and taking some girl out for a fancy date and she's not going to be picky or really look beyond the general feeling of the experience, sure, come here. 101 Downtown does a decent job I guess at seeming the stereotype of a high-end experience, but if you've been to places like China Grill in Miami or the aforementioned Mecca (or the better restaurants in Atlanta, Orlando, or Charleston) you'll spot some issues pretty fast. If you're looking for a fine dining experience in Gainesville, I strongly suggest Emiliano's or Mildred's (on a good day, that is, as they've been wobbly recently too) or drive up to High Springs to Great Outdoors for something truly different and of very high quality. 101 Downtown is a nice venue for a restaurant but just feels really generic to me. In fairness, I've not tried their brunch so I cannot comment on that.
(1)
Belle C.
This review is based only on their Sunday brunch. My fiance and I were strolling around downtown last weekend, enjoying the cool cloudless weather when we noticed their sign for Sunday brunch and decided to stop in. "Unlimited mimosas" just isn't something I can pass up, and at $15 it seemed pretty reasonably priced. I ordered the Greek omelet which was large, fluffy, and loaded with feta, olives, spinach, and tomatoes. Now, ordinarily, when you order an egg-based breakfast dish it comes with potatoes or bread or bacon (or some combination). Here an omelet is just an omelet, but it was so filling and delicious that I ended up not missing the sides. My fiance had breakfast tacos stuffed with scrambled eggs, cheese, sausage, and their very tasty, lightly crispy home fries. Our attentive waitress kept up with the mimosas and coffee refills so there was never a time when we were sitting there with empty glasses. Overall, I was very impressed with the food and service at brunch, and with most things on the menu in the $10 range, the prices are reasonable. This was my second time at 101; I had dinner there awhile ago and decided I never needed to go back (the food wasn't anything special, but I didn't really comment on it in my previous review because this struck me as a place people go to see and be seen, rather than to have a good meal). Now I'm thinking they deserve another chance.
(4)
Scott T.
Don't waste your money. Bad service and below average food.
(1)
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Address :201 SE 2nd Ave,Ste 101
Gainesville, FL, 32601
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Accepts Bitcoin : No Good For : Brunch, Dinner Parking : Valet, Garage, Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Dressy Ambience : Trendy Noise Level : Average Music : Background Good For Dancing : Yes Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Best Nights : Tue, Sat, Sun Coat Check : No Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Dogs Allowed : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Gigi A.
Wow, yelpers, don't be fooled. Have you noticed these OHNOs? (orange heads, no other reviews) They're obviously fake. Cantina/Downtown, shame on you. You can look through my profile and it will attest to the fact that 1) I'm a real person with other reviews and friends 2) I give bad, good and normal ratings. These business practices are sketchy and sad. Cantina's/Downtowns food sucks 6 out of 7 days. I've never had good service here (I've eaten here atleast half a dozen times) Their drinks are watered down, but better than their food. They have a tweetboard which they control (so only the good tweets get on...which they probably write themselves) The managers/owners are self pompous asses, and that is a compliment so as not to offend them. Drink elsewhere. Eat elsewhere. For those of you who have lived here long enough, you know that this spot has seen lots of businesses come and go. They survive based on their great location, but they cannot survive with their bullshit tactics, ditzy waitresses and shitty food very much longer.
(1)Derek L.
I ended up here, because it seemed kind of cool from the street. Pretty small venue, reminded me of Foundation in Boston, small cliquish groups and everyone else seemed to be having birthday parties, I got nervous when they started walking around with bottles of Grey Goose with these sparklers on the top of them. All I could think about was that show..."A thousand ways to die!" I got out of there after ten minutes. Ten bucks cover, which for this town must be one of the higher priced venues. It seems like all over the world, there is only so many kinds of places and they are all trying so hard to get their market segementation just right! They did'nt seem to mind half the crowd standing on the seat cushions of the low slung settees. Music was ok, but the sound system was so so.
(3)Lindsey C.
101 Downtown serves as a restaurant by day and nightclub by night. The food is superb and the bartenders make amazing mojitos. Make sure to check out their Techno Tuesdays and great drink deals.
(4)Sara K.
This review is for the bar/night life side of 101 only. The night I went here the beer taps were down, they were out of several different liquors, and we ended up getting served semi-warm Stella that clearly hadn't been stocked anywhere to chill before a busy Saturday night. There was also no toilet paper in the women's restroom when we arrived at 10:30 pm... and we were the first group to arrive. How was the bathroom not checked before opening on a Saturday night? Two thumbs up to the blonde bartender in the front, but thumbs down for the rest of the place.
(1)Brent A.
I arrived here right at opening time on a Wednesday evening. I had the Spicy Cilantro Steak with a side of the Chef's Vegetables. The steak had the best flavor I have ever had in a steak. The vegetables were also very tasty; well-seasoned, but not overdone. The manager stopped by to talk with me and let me know of another type of steak they offer that is marinate din Knob Creek bourbon for 48 hours prior to cooking - I will definitely have to try that one next time! The chef even came out to say hi. My experience here was very good overall, and I will definitely return.
(4)Russ B.
The Delmonico risotto was amazing
(5)Courtney F.
There were maggots in the coleslaw that came with our brunch..need I say more? At least I had good company with me!
(1)Gianmarco P.
101 Downtown has been highly recommended by some friends of mine. I have heard no complaints of the food and service (this is coming from friends that frequent it). I paid it a visit Tuesday night, when the upscale restaurant is converted into a nightclub with the night being called Techno Tuesday. At this time dining ceases, but the bar stays open. Overall the service was on point: bartenders were timely and cooperative and the rest of the staff seemed quite welcoming. Will come again!
(5)Jevay G.
This review is relative to other Gainesville restaurants, not to be confused with what is expected in any big town. I've been here a few times for dinner and for drinks, but this review is for their champagne brunch. First off it's only $15 in addition to your meal for unlimited mimosas, screwdrivers or blood Mary's and they were tasty. So regardless of their food they automatically get 2 stars. The 3rd star is solely because the manager is great!! Our waitress seemed frazzled at times and her attitude changed when I complained about my food, which I will explain below. But when she took too long to refill our champagne (which I understand happens sometimes) the manager just gave us a whole bottle. In the past I have had similar experiences with this manager, to my husband and I he makes 101 Downtown relevant. Food: We ordered chicken and bacon waffles which was lackluster at best. The waffle had no bacon and it was described as a Belgian waffle but it was very dense and didn't have great flavor. The chicken was fried chicken strips which were ok but nothing special. Next I ordered the Eggs Benedict and well there wasn't enough hollandaise sauce and the eggs were overcooked. It defeated the purpose of ordering Eggs Benedict. The hollandaise sauce did not taste good either I asked them to take it back. My waitress seemed a little annoyed, but to me if the poached eggs is over cooked why would I eat it? The show stopper was their Waygu. This was my husband's order and after seeing his, this is what I changed my order to. It was delicious, well flavored and cooked to a perfect medium. It didn't come with everything I asked but I didn't want to complain anymore as our waitress went from happy go lucky to annoyed when I told her the Eggs Benedict were not good and I didn't want to eat them. I will return for this burger but only this burger, I don't really trust anything else on their menu.
(3)John C.
First of all, I would prefer to give no stars but the system does not allow that. We made a reservation for 1pm. We arrived on time. There were 3 of us. We ordered our meal and waited and waited and waited...... We waited 50 minutes and we were told that the food was coming in 10 minutes. More than 10 minutes passed.....nothing. We asked for the manager. He came to the table and promised that the food will be out in...you guessed it 10 minutes and admitted that even though most of the patrons made reservations, they did not plan for a busy day. We eventually had to leave without eating. I would never go back to this restaurant again.
(1)Keith L.
Why do you take reservations if there are no tables for the reservation. Reservation was made two days prior. We were told that the waiting time for seating was currently 15 to 30 minutes. Amazingly it only took 7 minutes to be seated. But an hour later, nothing, the waitress is advising that the kitchen is backed up. The manager has been summoned but he has problems in his kitchen. We gave up and walked out after 1.25 hours. No food was delivered to the table. NOTHING. What a waste of time. I would love to give zero stars. Will never come back. Would not recommend.
(1)Carly R.
Tony, 101's manager, reached out to me after my last review and asked me to come back and try his restaurant's brunch again. I appreciated the outreach because that shows that he cares about his restaurant and public image, and I appreciate that. He even set up a reservation for my husband and me. We arrived at 11:00 AM, when they opened, and we were seated right away, this time inside. We sat at one of the booths, and while they were comfortable, they were also kind of sticky, which grossed us out a little bit. But overall, the ambiance is nice. I really like the interior. It's a cool space. We ordered different items from last time. I ordered the shrimp and lobster crepes ($10) and a side of home fries ($4), and my husband ordered the lobster benedict ($14). We also ordered a few mimosas, which were great. This time around, our food and drinks were served promptly, and the food came out way faster than expected. Our waitress was attentive and polite; she provided excellent service. Our waters were refilled consistently throughout our meal (no choking down food this time). The star of the show was the home fries. $4 may seem like a lot for a side, but you do get a giant bowl of them, and the seasoning they coat the fries in is delicious. They also came out hot, like they had just been made, so that was nice. My crepes were OK. The ingredients were all delicious; however, I just thought the meal lacked substance. For $10, I got three very thin crepes. Because I had the home fries, my meal was filling, but if I had just gotten the crepes without a side, I would have been very disappointed and probably still hungry. I'm surprised there aren't more crepes on the plate or that the crepes don't come with a side. My husband liked his benedict but noted that both of his eggs were overcooked. This was disappointing since eggs are the star of any benedict. When cut open, the yolk did not flow out of the egg onto the meal; it just stayed in place. Regardless, he ate it all and was happily full. Our bill totaled $45. That's for two meals, a side, and two mimosas. I thought this was very pricey, but my husband reminded me that it's downtown GNV, where leases are more expensive, and that they cater to a certain clientele. While I still wasn't happy with the price, his justification made sense. (Personally, I would just rather spend $15/person for all-you-can-eat brunch at Cafe C, where a mimosa is included in the cost.) Overall, this was a MUCH better experience compared to our previous one. It is a little pricey for my taste, but for others that may not matter. I probably wouldn't go out of my way to go here for brunch again, but I would like to try their dinner menu (I've had many of their appetizers before during happy hour and they are always good), and I would go here if I were part of a group that was going.
(3)Felipe L.
Awful. I came here for Sunday brunch and had the asian fried rice. It was blend, overcooked, and boring. I never leave food in my plate, but I did today. I wouldn't recommend this place.
(2)Caitlin M.
This review is for their brunch. I come here every once in a while with friends for the $15 all you can drink mimosas/screwdrivers/bloody mary's, which is a great deal & the awesome waitstaff never has a problem keeping them coming. However, they barely have any vegan options, unless you want a salad or potatoes. For such a fancy shmancy place, I would think they would have some blackened tofu option or something like that (it wouldn't be too difficult to keep a block or two of tofu in the freezer). Overall, good place, but $25 for a salad and some potatoes I could've made at home did not making a satisfactory meal.
(3)Mel B.
I have as many mixed feelings about this place as I do about it's sister at midtown, minus the deep seeded hatred of the people there and the joyous love I feel every Sunday Funday. It's a good place to pregame on Tuesday's because there's no cover in the beginning of the night and they serve free drinks from 10pm-11pm. Seriously, tip the bartenders. Their jobs suck and if you tip they'll give you a nice long pour. Anyway, the guy who DJs these "Techno Tuesdays" owns Spannk and is a founder of Neon Liger, so you won't be listening to whatever horrible crap they usually play at places like Sharab on a Thursday. However, you should probably leave after 11. Unless you like watching 19-year-olds in ill-fitting Forever 21 dresses vomit on the dance floor. Then by all means stay. Can't comment on the food as I've only had brunch there, which left much to be desired. The food wasn't wasn't terrible, but the quality and portions definitely were not worth the price. The only reason you should ever stumble there on a Sunday morning is for the all-you-can drink $15 mimosa pitchers, which are boss. Actually all their brunch drinks are surprisingly good.
(3)Critics World ..
After looking around online for a new and fresh place to eat, I found 101. We had made a reservation and requested a private table for 2 and they put us at the table right behind the hostess stand in the center of the place! After the waitress came and pulled the menu out of the back of her super tight pants and after we say the outrageous prices, we got up and left after waiting 20 minutes for our waitrwss to show up. Marks Steakhose next door was very accommodating and I will NOT recommend 101.
(1)Steven H.
I found this place from my SkyMiles dining, which had a 4 star rating, but I should have went with the yelp rating - always more accurate. It really is a 3 (maybe a 3.5). The food was good, but nothing stood out as amazing. The goat cheese dates were probably my favorite. It's a mix between a tapas restaurant and regular dining. We also experienced some of the service issues as other people reported. Even though it was dead, it was almost like they coudln't get rid of us fast enough. The ambiance is nice and very trendy, plus outdoor seating. Also, look at their website for the most recent hours. Yelp and SkyMiles both had it wrong.
(3)Annie L.
Came here for a graduation dinner. They were able to accommodate for a 14 person party easily. The lounge is very well engineered and decorated with a more private room and bar in the back. The ambiance is romantic, classy and modern. The menu options are actually interesting. Lamb, duck, seafood, and steak are all the high class options. My favorite was the coconut lamb. Seafood pasta had huge scallops and the steak was absolutely delicious. I liked how they split up the menu into different sizes. You have the option of sharing small plates and having one huge entree to yourself. The only complaint is that the steak and lamb were over cooked but we did have a large party.
(4)Ryan S.
Overpriced cover and drinks for a poor alcohol selection and amateur bartenders. Relies on a pretty interior and employing pretty, unskilled people.
(2)Shannon M.
I gave this place 3 stars because although the food was good, the service was not up to par. When we sat down, we were informed that they were out of two of their Sunday brunch dishes, which was fine (it was nice to know ahead of time). After we ordered and our food was about to come out, I was informed that pesto was not available and that was one of the things I asked for in my omelet. This perturbed me as pesto was the main reason I ordered what I ordered and was not able to change it because I was told after the food was already made. This place has good food and overall I had a good experience, but that is not acceptable to tell a customer something is not available after the food is made and being served.
(3)Samantha R.
Excellent service, food and drinks! Always love coming here for Wine Down Wednesday's. Alyson is our favorite server!!
(4)Jose C.
High class, great ambience! Food prices right...not sure why others called it over priced. You get what you pay for, and it was great! Try the stuffed dates appetizer.
(5)Andy S.
This is a tough review because there are way too many aspects to giving this place a rating. I'll start with the food and drinks. The food is decent. 101 Downtown tries to be fine dining but falls a little too short. On your birthday you get a free meal of your choice, so check plus there. The food ranges from palatable (the steaks) to really impressive (any of their fish dishes). The sweet potato fries are a must have. 101 Downtown also features one of my favorite Sunday morning brunches. They have all you can drink mimosas, screwdrivers, and Bloody Mary's, which is never a bad idea. The prices are also much more in line with the quality of the food during this time and I highly suggest the shrimp and lobster crepes. Also the sweet potato fries, that's a breakfast food right? Now onto the 101 Downtown's evil schizophrenic other side: the nightlife. Some time around 9pm all the employees start moving the tables and transform the hip modern restaurant into a late night twerker's paradise. Frankly, it's not my scene and has gone downhill since I was a naive freshman, but to each their own. The complimentary valet parking is nice due to the lack of free parking in the area. If i could I would give the restaurant 3.8 stars but I'll give them the benefit of rounding. The bathrooms are nice too
(4)Dave W.
We popped in on a week night for a fun get-together dinner for four. Arriving at 6pm, the valet dude was nowhere to be found so we self-parked. The restaurant was almost empty, as we were clearly too early or on the wrong day for the crowd. The sound system was pumping classic NY lounge music, which I happen to enjoy, but, the sound track went on and on for the entire evening. I think if I worked there, I would slowly go INSANE. Once we selected a table, we discovered the chic chairs were quite low, uncomfortably low. I mean, you need a booster seat low. We switched to a booth and all was well. We had great service and enjoyed a wide variety of very reasonably priced food, ordering randomly and sharing everything. We had lamb chops, two sets of fish tacos, a greek salad, sweet potato fries, etc. The fish tacos were delish and none of the dishes disappointed. The wine list was relatively extensive and also affordable. We considered fighting over the last bits of food but solved it, twice, by ordering a little more... The place began to fill up later in the evening. Josh, the manager, came by to check on us in a friendly and non-intrusive way. Thanks Josh! The cuisine is varied and tasty, the prices are Gainesville-low but not low enough for students, and the music is NY lounge. I don't really know who this restaurant is catering to but we enjoyed it.
(3)Jorge U.
I can't speak to anything else, but their Sunday brunch still absolutely rocks. A quality mimosa and the Navajo Tacos can't be beat. This is always our preferred Sunday morning destination whenever we make it back to Gainesville. The food is fresh and hot, they serve a mean cup of coffee, the mimosa glass is always full, and I'm still a fan of tight and black.
(5)Coleen T.
That's really too bad that most people have had a bad experience here... but I am here to tell you that the food at 101 Downtown is AMAZING! Unfortunately, I don't have much free time to go to a sit down restaurant with my busy work schedule and my house full of kids... so my girlfriend and I decided to grab a pick up order so I could eat while I was at work. We looked at the menu online, and it all seemed very high-class... complicated flavors and interesting combinations. Her and I both have a pretty simple palate, and can be pretty picky sometimes, so we decided to split an Avocado-Mango-Tomato salad and the Kobe Sliders. Both dishes were PHENOMENAL! Even in a to-go box, which sometimes can bring down the quality of food from a fine-dining place. When I bit into that burger, juice literally squirted out of the patty. The dressing on the salad was a nice sweet flavor that went really well with the perfectly ripe avocado and mango. So what if the food takes a while to come out? You are not going to McDonalds... this is a fine-dining restaurant, so just enjoy the drinks and enjoy the person you are with! The food will come eventually, and it will be great!
(4)Rachel A.
My husband and I are visiting from California and we came last night at about 9pm. We loved the atmosphere. The lighting and setup reminded us of San Francisco and the music was great! We ordered the Tiger Ceviche and the Baja fish tacos. The flavor of both dishes was very good! We even got another order of fish tacos because they were so good. Since it was Thursday, they had a special for $3 off martinis. I ordered the Dubai Oasis and the Caramel Apple, which were both delicious. We might come back tonight and will definitely come again on our next visit.
(5)Vicci M.
Stellar birthday dinner experience paired with a staff of individuals who took time to make our evening special. Im not going to say I am a foodie because I am not, I just appreciate good food, done well and more so I appreciate it when the individuals who staff a place actually care. After living in Philly and Orlando where you have so many options of great dining establishments, the biggest problem we have in Gainesville is that most places are chains and those who tout themselves as higher end or better then average places, hardly deliver and leave you with a feeling that no one who works there really cared. From the moment I made reservations, I had the manager following up with me to via email and phone (that I provided for for followup) contact me. I liked that because it provided me the assurance that when we got there, I wouldn't have to worry since I was taking someone there as a birthday surprise. After being seated our server was attentive and provided honest suggestions on the menu items when we asked. Since we asked a bunch of questions I think she had a good idea as to what we liked and her own suggestions were spot on. The best part was, although we wanted dessert and the options on the dessert menu seemed too much after our apps and main courses, she mentioned that the chef makes his own dessert and even though it was not on the menu, she checked to see if it was available. Because the chefs homemade dessert option was one we loved (carrot cake) we were excited to have our server return with a slice for us detailed with Happy Birthday and a candle. Grant it, this might be perceived as a small easy gesture but to us, the whole dining experience carried the same feeling that they actually paid attention, took time and followed up to make sure from beginning to end everything was consistent. And that alone, consistency and attention to detail, is what made me stop while celebrating a birthday event to write this as soon as we got back home. Thanks 101, you made this big city homesick girl very very happy.
(5)Cheryl J.
It was ok. Except for the food randomly coming out, so some people had finished their food and others had yet to get their food. The staff completely ignored us once we finished our dinner. They took away one of our tables and tried to take away chairs, then started clearing the table while the birthday girl was still opening presents.
(1)Noelle H.
I got the blackened mahi mahi sandwich with a side caesar salad. First off, the fish was tiny, maybe only 2 oz. I was with a group of people, and when I got it we actually laughed at how ridiculous it was. It was overcooked and didn't really have flavor. I felt like I was eating bread (well I guess I was since that was the majority of the sandwich..). The waitress forgot about the salad until I reminded her about halfway through my meal. It was ordinary, most likely just bottled dressing with a few croutons on a little plate of romaine. The interior is nice and there's a good atmosphere, but nothing mind blowing. Eh, go someplace else. There's too many other good places in Gainesville to waste your money on this one.
(1)Andrew P.
I'm usually not a giant online complainer about restaurants - I usually just decide to never go back. But wow, 101 was so atrocious I had to make an account just for this. I had placed a reservation a week in advance for my friend's birthday since I knew 101 typically has the most generous birthday specials. Boy were they not worth it. We got seated around 8:45 despite having our reservation for 8:15, strike one. The waiter came out and told us a giant list of items they were out of from their already paltry and unimpressive menu. I'm not talking one or two things; half the menu was off limits. Strike two. Our food came out around 10 (again, on an 8:15 reservation). In the meantime our waiter was apologizing and explaining that the kitchen was backed up, which was great because the restaurant was half empty. My shrimp diable came out first. For $7.50, I got four pieces of shrimp. Four. And they tasted, as a friend noted, "like they were from CostCo." No substance, no flavor. For reference, the same price would get you over half a pound of fresh shrimp. Throw some hot sauce - any hot sauce - on it and you'd have a culinary masterpiece in comparison to the crap I was served, strike three. Then the main course. I had ordered the "Tierra y Mar Satay," as it was one of the few menu items actually available. Three people at our table had ordered it, and all three came out cold. Not room temperature; I'm talking cold chunks of meat. We had to send them back, and ended up finally getting to eat after the checks were delivered to our table. Even warm they were flavorless and just awful, even Applebee's does better. Strike four. We were all pretty furious at how long we had been at the restaurant - we had had plans for around 10 - and we called over the manager. He said unconvincingly that he was embarrassed (if I were him I would have been so embarrassed I would have come out with a bag over my head) and that we would get a discount. 25% off later I was still paying around 25 dollars for hands-down the crappiest dinner experience I've ever had. For 25 bucks in downtown Gainesville you can get some great meals, but 101 had me wishing I had just stayed home and burned the money instead. Oh, and there was an included gratuity of around 18%, which is the biggest joke I've heard considering how terrible the service was. Did I mention how the waiter spilled an order of sweet potato fries and caught some of them with his shirt in front of us, and then tried to serve them to my friend? Twenty-friggen-five dollars and included gratuity. And I left hungry. The only positive thing I have to say about this terrible restaurant is that their drinks are amazing (and god will you need them if you make the bad decision to eat here). If you must go to 101 for some masochistic reason, just get a drink or two and then walk down the street to another restaurant - any other restaurant - to get much better food and service.
(1)Rom M.
For my friend's birthday, she planned a dinner at 101 downtown. a group of 12 of us were picked up by a limo provided by 101 and taken there. I have never eaten there prior, and I was surprised to see 101 downtown in this chic restaurant light. The ambiance reminded me of some restaurants at las olas, ft lauderdale. I ordered the Bison Burger with a house salad, and it is hands down one of the better burgers I have eaten in Gainesville. I was also super impressed with the fact that they had complimentary bread on the table (I feel like no one does that anymore!) overall, the meal was great and my friend loved her birthday. (she especially loved her complimentary margarita haha)
(4)Elizabeth R.
I've only been here twice, but I've had good experiences both times. The fish was fresh and cooked properly. I liked their fish tacos and I liked their veggie stir fry bowl. The salmon was pretty good too. The risotto was overcooked and they use domestic parmesean, so its a bit of a disappointment. I am fairly certain they will go out of business soon, unless they are making up for it in drink sales at night, but nobody was in there on a Friday night at 8:00.....Some of these reviews on Yelp make me nervous though, I don't know who to trust. Also, the decor is really lame, its trying to be loungy/stylish/modern, but its just cold and sad. I may or may not be back, we shall see.
(3)James V.
Priced very high-end for food that ranges between ok and poor. I had probably the worst filet I've ever had there, it was mealy and bland. The other appetizers and entrees were fine, but nowhere near what you'd expect for the price point. Everything is expensive there, even the obligatory chicken breast. That's fine if you are delivering something exceptional, but they are not. I was dying inside, knowing how much better my steak would have been next door at Mark's. I'm not considering the atmosphere in the rating, since that's a matter of preference. But it's definitely aiming for a trendy, young-professional-after-work sort of crowd. They clearly invested a lot in the decor; you can question the results, but at least here they are trying. Finally, the service...they were decent and polite, but clearly overmatched and not able to answer simple questions about the dishes or drink availability. Again, just not the sort of thing I'd expect at this price.
(2)Luke M.
Ive been to 101 downtown for socials and the infamous Techno Tuesday's but up until this weekend i had never been for the food. I took my girlfriend there for dinner and was blown away by how good the food was, by far the best meal I've had in Gainesville. They start you out with complimentary bread with a dish of a delicious oil blend for dipping. My girlfriend got the lobster bisque to start out with and we were finished with it in about 2 minutes because it was so good and packed with flavor in each bite. We split a Spideroll which was also the best sushi roll i have had in Gainesville, better than any dragonfly, Bento, Ichiban, or Rolls n Bowls roll. For our entrees, I got the Spicy Cilantro Sirloin cooked perfectly medium-rare, the meat was unbelievably tender and seasoned with a little kick to add to the already amazing flavor. My girlfriend got the Pacific Tuna i believe and whatever it was encrusted with made it some of the best tuna I've ever had. they also gave her a pretty big cut which was nice because i was able to finish what she couldn't! Our server was very nice and informative, he actually recommended both our entree and obviously knew what he was talking about. For everything we ordered our bill was around $40 after tip which is a bit pricy for college budgets but was worth every penny of it and more. I highly recommend anyone who has not eaten here before to come and try it out i promise that you will be blown away by the quality and taste of the food!
(5)Robert F.
Great food and atmosphere. Have not had a bad meal here ever....
(5)lance s.
Had a wonderful dinner last night,great service too! Cilantro sirloin and Wife had Pork chops.we had a hard time deciding on just one thing. we Will be back.
(4)Mike W.
101 Downtown is a lot like the freshman who fills up his term paper with big words and cites some obscure references in an effort to impress his professor, yet doesn't bother to work out the structure or direction of the paper. The professor, of course, winds up seeing through it and cannot give a very good grade despite the effort at window-dressing. Likewise, 101 Downtown has set out to be a trendy destination restaurant but has focused as much or more on atmosphere than food and service. Unlike nearby Dragonfly which, though not all it could be, has still remained able to turn out high-quality food within its trendy setting, 101 Downtown has coasted along on ample drinks and a nod towards what people *think* fine dining is about. From the lobster macaroni and cheese to the orange duck, the menu reads like what a Hilton hotel's on-site restaurant in Omaha would attempt. What annoys me most about 101 Downtown is their temerity to presume they are doing something innovative when in fact they're just offering very standard dishes like "pan seared pistachio-encrusted tuna" or a pasta pad Thai. When I lived in San Francisco, I used to go to a restaurant called Mecca which is everything that 101 Downtown is trying to be: trendy young crowd, vast drink specials with cute names, modern interior that is so dark you can't see the person across from you, BUT Mecca also had an ever-changing, constantly innovative, menu, too. And they were doing this a decade ago. Now, I know we shouldn't expect Gainesville to be exactly on par with the city often hailed as the best restaurant city in in America, but really: if you want to be on the cutting edge, you've got to try harder. As things stand, it's as if Bonefish went in downtown and scaled up the beef offerings over the seafood. Other reviewers have complained about the prices: I do not think the prices, per se, are too high but the quality doesn't really measure up, and that's the issue. Also, how can you take seriously a place that has its main menu then a "lite menu" which bills itself as "lite on calories/lite on price"? Maybe the chef thought it was a pragmatic thing to do, but it, like many efforts here comes across as the freshman trying to be sophisticated but betraying his true command of the subject. The service is about like anywhere else in town with cloth table-linens: sweet but overall unprofessional college kids for the waitstaff. In my experience, it's been pretty clear they just were schooled a month ago to rattle off the dinner specials. Again, the sophistication comes off as insincere and trying too hard. If you ask too many questions about the fish, in example, the waiters just look mighty confuzzled as if they really expected you to just smile and drink your martini while paying little attention to the food. If you're in college and taking some girl out for a fancy date and she's not going to be picky or really look beyond the general feeling of the experience, sure, come here. 101 Downtown does a decent job I guess at seeming the stereotype of a high-end experience, but if you've been to places like China Grill in Miami or the aforementioned Mecca (or the better restaurants in Atlanta, Orlando, or Charleston) you'll spot some issues pretty fast. If you're looking for a fine dining experience in Gainesville, I strongly suggest Emiliano's or Mildred's (on a good day, that is, as they've been wobbly recently too) or drive up to High Springs to Great Outdoors for something truly different and of very high quality. 101 Downtown is a nice venue for a restaurant but just feels really generic to me. In fairness, I've not tried their brunch so I cannot comment on that.
(1)Belle C.
This review is based only on their Sunday brunch. My fiance and I were strolling around downtown last weekend, enjoying the cool cloudless weather when we noticed their sign for Sunday brunch and decided to stop in. "Unlimited mimosas" just isn't something I can pass up, and at $15 it seemed pretty reasonably priced. I ordered the Greek omelet which was large, fluffy, and loaded with feta, olives, spinach, and tomatoes. Now, ordinarily, when you order an egg-based breakfast dish it comes with potatoes or bread or bacon (or some combination). Here an omelet is just an omelet, but it was so filling and delicious that I ended up not missing the sides. My fiance had breakfast tacos stuffed with scrambled eggs, cheese, sausage, and their very tasty, lightly crispy home fries. Our attentive waitress kept up with the mimosas and coffee refills so there was never a time when we were sitting there with empty glasses. Overall, I was very impressed with the food and service at brunch, and with most things on the menu in the $10 range, the prices are reasonable. This was my second time at 101; I had dinner there awhile ago and decided I never needed to go back (the food wasn't anything special, but I didn't really comment on it in my previous review because this struck me as a place people go to see and be seen, rather than to have a good meal). Now I'm thinking they deserve another chance.
(4)Scott T.
Don't waste your money. Bad service and below average food.
(1)