Service was excellent....hurricanes were very good and the jambalaya was pretty good.
(5)
Gigi A.
Truly a great restaurant in Gainesville. Service is always great! Try their chocolate bread pudding! It is to die for :) Food comes out great consistently and their new orleans theme/music is a crowd pleaser!
(4)
Foodie R.
Too much salt in the dish of scallop&shrimp.
(2)
Heather B.
Gainesville has a flourishing restaurant & gourmet scene. Its hard to decided where to eat with all the high-quality & variety springing up. Imagine my difficulty in deciding to eat at Harry's TWICE in a month. Went here for the 2nd time today with my parents... Mom is a foodie & Dad doesn't like to try anything new. So as you can imagine, we can be a tough table. Had a FANTASTIC waiter named Chris, for the 2nd time as well. Both times he was incredibly attentive, always kept our drinks full, got our orders correct, got us our food when it was still hot, and managed to look pretty cute while doing all that. The seared ahi tuna salad was fresh & the mustard dressing was spicy & bright. The crab cakes were filled with actual crab & quite tasty. My blackened fish tacos were delish & moist... and the steamed green beans were perfect. I really wanted to tell the manager how enjoyable BOTH our visits had been, and what a great server Chris had been... but since I didn't see him, I decided to hit up Yelp instead. A definite solid choice if your downtown... enjoy!
(4)
Josh S.
A group of 4 of us came to Harry's a few weeks ago, my second visit here. Harry's location is fantastic and a perfect primer for a night on the town. We came around 6:30 to avoid the dinner rush and this was great timing, as we managed to beat the crowds and still got in on the 2-for-1 happy hour(lasts until 7pm). My only beef with the happy hour is that the bottled craft beers aren't included, but honestly I expect that. I'm just arrogant and wish they would accommodate me anyway :) I ordered Pasta Jambalaya, which is also what I ordered my first time here. Since the visits were over a year apart, I figured I would have it again since I barely remembered it. I like the flavor of the dish and the portion is huge, but the pasta was a little overcooked and the jambalaya is pretty saucy, so the texture gets a little sloppy after a while. My wife had Shrimp and Scallop Orleans which includes, what else, shrimp and scallops over fried grit cakes. The scallops were cooked perfectly and the grit cakes were also delicious so I will be sure to expand my menu next time I'm here. Service was just kind of "there". The food came out hot and we had everything we needed, but our server was very bland. Her only helpful tidbit was about the Sazerac my wife tried to order. She warned that many people don't like the taste of the drink, probably because of its history and inclusion of bitters. While I understand the disclaimer, the server followed up with a comment along the lines of "if you prefer something fruity...". It came off as very judgmental, not to mention inaccurate.. The upside to this was that it laid solid ground for many sarcastic jokes throughout the rest of the meal. I'm sure I'll be back. The location is too convenient to avoid for too long, and like I said, I want to try some other dishes.
(3)
Brad K.
always consistently tasty
(4)
Jessica S.
Went there for the second time a few days ago. First time ordered a pasta dish but didn't like it much. Second time ordered Salmon with some kind of glaze, Jambalaya and Eggplant and Crab for appetizer. OMG the appetizer and Salmon were so good. The salmon was perfectly grilled. I dare say it was one of the best I've tried in Gainesville. Jambalaya tasted better as left over at home, not sure why. Food was fresh and tasty. Plenty of meat in the Jambalaya. The prices were ok for the quality. Nice atmosphere. People working there were nice and polite. Oh and they allow you to bring your dog if you sit outside!!! Saw a waitress bring someone's dog a bowl of water too. How nice! Definitely will go back again with my dog!!!
(5)
Ka T.
Was taken to this place because of its Gumbo and Louisiana cooking. My meal consisted of the Gumbo and jambalaya. Both tasted great and the atmosphere outside on the patio was perfect. Highly recommended and will come back. Also wanted to commend them on their service because they were very busy due to graduation and kept up its great service with a smile.
(5)
Justine B.
I love Harry's! I work downtown and I eat here all the time. I get cravings for the shrimp and grits and the shrimp and scallop orleans all the time. The food is always yummy and the service is usually good. My only suggestion would be to go for lunch. Lunch prices are reasonable. But the price change from lunch to dinner is a little steep and the change in portion size isn't very steep at all. Oh, and one final note. Their caesar dressing is a little strange. Not bad, just strange. I've ordered caesar salads as both an entree and a side and every time the dressing is a little off. My friends and I have concluded that it tastes a bit like bananas. Weird, I know. All in all, I am a big fan of Harry's. Try the shrimp and grits. You will not be disappointed!
(4)
Peter F.
I have been to Harry's a number of times and can't recall why I've never taken the time to write a review. They are ok as a restaurant, but I wouldn't go out of my way to eat their food. The service is hit or miss and they never fail to overcook your steaks or burgers. There is a chicken dish that is pretty decent (the Jolie), but the Jambalaya is nothing extraordinary. All things considered, they are an ok restaurant if you are in the area and in the mood for some Cajun food (while in Gainesville, FL.). If you were in the mood for Cajun while in Louisiana, Harry's would definitely not be your choice. Regarding drinks: The bartenders aren't too savvy or up to date on their mixology. I have ordered simple drinks and had two bartenders come to my table to get an explanation before preparing the drink.... They are friendly, just not knowledgeable. I give Harry's 2 Stars (any more stars would be a waste) and will return when in the Downtown Gainesville area with friends who think they will get genuine Louisiana cooking out of Harrys'. I am not one to burst their bubble; I usually end up saying "I'm not crazy about it, you be the judge".
(2)
Frank F.
Very nice. Bar is small but well stocked and the bartenders are accommodating. Bar snacks were just fine.
(3)
Justin F.
Stumbled upon this place looking for lunch on a Wednesday afternoon. Couldn't find a lot of other stuff open, so walked on it. Wasn't expecting much, but ended up pleasantly surprised. Staff was extremely friendly and food was even better. With a group of 4 I think we got a good sampling of all they had to offer. Oyster Po' Boy, Fried Fish Sandwich, Jambalaya, Mahi Sandwhich, Fried Grit Cakes and more. No one was disappointed and everyone left very full. Portions are huge so go with an empty stomach.
(4)
David M.
I visited Harry's for lunch with a group and, to be honest, my focus was more on the conversation that the food. The atmosphere was pleasant and reminded me of the steakhouses of my childhood 30+ years ago. Everything was comfortable and familiar. My meal was good but not great. I ordered a blackened mahi and the fish, while not a large portion, seemed quite fresh. Fries were soggy and somewhat flavorless but probably a better choice than the green beans which no one at my table was willing to try. If there were no other restaurants in the neighbourhood, Harry's would not be a bad place for lunch, but there are other options so I recommend exploring them before you try Harry's.
(3)
Eddie F.
My girl and I stumbled into this place just looking for something to eat, and we found a good one! First, I love the ambiance. Very cool decor. We just wanted to snack on something, but almost didn't order because of the bread. She and I chowed down on some nice, warm tasty bread. Then we ordered the "Hooked On" Harry's Wings. VERY saucy and tasty. Nicely seasoned and really spicy. We didn't spend much cash at all, and walked out full. What we really took notice of was how great and friendly our servers were. As a New Orleanian, I'll make sure I sample the po-boys next time I'm in the area.
(4)
Ben K.
So-So I suppose. The food is reasonable. I had some pretty tasty fish tacos (the fish inside is fried but they don't say that on the menu). The lady had a piece of salmon that came totally undercooked. My side caesar was pretty tasty. Our waiter was extremely friendly. This review is boring. So is Harry's.
(3)
Jimmy C.
I keep wanting to like Harry's food because I am a student of Louisiana cooking. The genre is varied, robust, and ranges from the proletarian/rural styles to the more urban, high cuisine of France. Harry's is not even on the same planet with much of Louisiana cuisine. As I say, I want to like their food, but one fine meal out of five poor ones is not enough to keep me coming back. I ordered the special this week which was collection of feature seafood dishes. The seafood all tasted basically the same and was way over-salted so that the essential flavors were totally obscured. The grits cakes with it were soggy. They should be crisp on the outside and hot and moist on the inside. The fried green tomatoes were very good, however as was the salad. My recommendations if you go is to ask the chef not to directly salt each dish. Do it yourself. Harry's chefs season with heavy hand and Harry's is more of a salt lick than a restaurant. Be forewarned and take the seasoning with salt into your own hands. Bring your own sea salt and do the salt seasoning yourself. If you find that the choice of the restaurant is not your own and your dinner companions are hell-bent to go there, you may want to consider an appetizer and a salad with a few glasses of wine. You will come out with more of your money in your own pocket and probably better satisfied with the taste of the food. I wish Harry's would kick it up a notch and really become a fine Louisiana-style restaurant. Right now, it is a very poor facsimile of what it claims/aspires to be.
(1)
Jared And Daisy T.
We LOVE Harry's. Perhaps it's our connection to NOLA, but Harry's has always had a special place in our hearts. It was the first restaurant we ate at together in Gainesville. It was the restaurant we had our graduation dinners at. It is where we go whenever we want to have some good old fashioned Cajun cuisine. The grit cakes are out of this world, so much so, that we spent weeks trying to copy the recipe for our own delights at home. The gumbo isn't nearly spicy enough, however, but we know a lot of people who think it's perfectly spicy. C'est la vie. The staff are always accommodating and polite, even when they're obviously swamped. Great place.
(5)
Josh S.
Food and service were great here. My server was both friendly and knowledgeable. I got the Mahi sandwich for lunch, and I have to say it was the best Mahi Mahi I've ever had. Very fresh, and huge portions for a sandwich. Definitely come here for the seafood.
(4)
George G.
Excellent food an service.
(4)
tom g.
Harry's is a cornerstone of Gainesville's downtown dining scene. Local guests are directed to Harry's for a casual downtown dining experience and local residents seem to find Harry's to be a comfortable place pop in for an evening weekend meal. I have been to Harry's twice and have had very similar experiences--both of which haven't met expectations. First, even with open tables in the restaurant, you will find yourself on a wait list. The hostess staff seems more concerned about servers getting behind than providing a comfortable experience for customers. This has happened to me twice at Harry's. The host staff needs some serious training on providing guests with a comfortable atmosphere. This past weekend, I was seated in a room where a private party of about 30 guests was taking place. Not only was that awkward, but I couldn't have a conversation with the person across the table from me because of the noise from the private party immediately next to us. Service from beginning to end needs to be improved. More on that in a moment. The food at Harry's is average on a good day. I've had slightly overcooked meals both times. The food isn't as fresh as the kitchen staff will want you to believe. I did enjoy the summer tasting menu--$6.99 small plate entrees. We split several and it was a fun entree experience. The fried green tomato appetizer has a very bland breading--much unlike authentic cajun cooking. This appetizer could use some reinvention. I whip up this appetizer at home with green tomatoes and flour. For a cornerstone of downtown Gainesville, Harry's is not up to par. Newer, more modern restaurants with fresh ingredients and superb customer service are leaving Harry's in the dust--and fast. I just don't understand the sub-par wait and host staff. People come to restaurants for the food, but they come back because of the atmosphere and the service. I'll think twice before I go back.
(2)
Geri C.
Wonderful service, great food and great drink specials! We will be back again! My boyfriend even bought some of their own special hot sauce.
(5)
Steve m.
I think this place is one of the better restaurants I've been to featuring cajun food outside of Louisiana and Mississippi. Not a whole lot of heat to the dishes, but plenty of flavor. The location and decor is great. Definitely recommend.
(4)
Charles L.
Very good restaurant in the downtown area. I like to bring out-of-towners here to show them downtown Gainesville and the Hippodrome. The crawfish etouffee is probably your best bet. Tons of crawfish included for a fair price. Also, their jambalaya is my mom's favorite.
(4)
Ginger X.
Not bad. The crawfish is my favorate....though the rice is a little bit solid.
(3)
Alyssa N.
Great food in a casual setting. We were wandering around the older, historical section of Gainesville and my son pointed out Harry's where he had gone when his father came to visit a couple months back. We were debating between a late lunch or dinner and decided to stick around for lunch. We were informed that we were in the middle of their happy hour where all drinks are 2 for 1, so that explains why we are drinking margaritas at 3 in the afternoon. They brought out warm bread with an herbed butter. My son polished that off in no time. He went with the jambalaya and I got the shrimp po'boy with a choice of sides (I had the coleslaw). The shrimp was battered and fried very lightly and they kept the dressing on the side which I appreciated. Everything was really good and after we left I was already planning my return visit. We were too stuffed for dessert but I noticed a table close to us have one and they looked enormous. I would advise coming here on an empty stomach because all portions seem to be generous. I am discovering this older section of town for the first time and between this restaurant and the Paramount I am finding that this could end up being my dining out area of Gainesville.
(5)
Miriam P.
This is a bar only review. Martinis were yummy. I suggest you try the pomegranate. The mojito martini was a twist on one of my favorite drinks and it worked. Service was good. Drinks were a bit pricey. $50 after tip for 4 drinks.
(4)
Miklane W.
Went here for my anniversary. I thought it was pretty cool that they text you when your table is available since they were on a wait. We were told 40 minutes, but it was really ten. The server was very attentive so that was a plus. I got the chicken baton rouge which was delicious and the smashed potatoes that was even better! My boyfriend got the shrimp dish (I forget the name) which is the spiciest thing there and he ate it all so it must have been good. They do have a lot of spicy dishes, however if you're like me and do not like spicy then I would recommend what I got because it had zero kick and all flavor. I would give it a five, but I'm a harsh critic. You won't regret going.
(4)
Jes C.
it sucked!!!!! we ordered the shrimp n scallop orleans with no collard greens...we got greens that covered the entire entree....she wasnt happy!!!!!! I ordered the jambalya and it was all rice....5 pieces of shrimp n sausage...the shrimp were way over cooked, dry and tough....the chicken was cooked on the grill and then sliced and tossed in the jambalaya... im a chef and the jambalaya was horrible...They really need to get it together..i wont be comming back
(1)
Mark Y.
This Cajun-style restaurant is a great place to go, away from the hustle of Archer road. You can enjoy a good Cajun food then take in a show at the Hippadrome. definitely a must try
(4)
Jimmy C.
We had out of town guests and wanted to eat in a restaurant that showed off the downtown area, but was more informal than some. I had reviewed Harry's a while back and had given it flying colors. Last night, however, the very same dishes were not good. The shrimp and scallops over the grits cake was way too salty and my wife's shrimp (shrimp and grits) was rubbery and overcooked. Consistency is important in the restaurant business and they fell down last night. Maybe they had a new cook. I would have sent mine back but we had already waited a long time in spite of the restaurant not being full. Plus, we did not want to make a scene. The meal last night made me very reluctant to return. Billy, you need to "mentor" someone on your staff.
(1)
Lenny S.
Lunch service was quick. Food was good. No complaints here. Finding a parking spot was a challenge though.
(5)
Mary R.
A little high priced for the quality of food, but the food is still good.
(3)
J H.
We actually visited twice, once for drinks and desert and again for dinner. The first visit I had a decent sazerac, but the star of the night was the chcolate bread pudding, which was very very tasty. It was hot, light and fluffy, had excellent bread and chocolate flavor and the sauce wasn't too sweet. The ice cream was very light and fluffy as well, tasted house-made but I'm not sure. The dinner visit was also good but had a few lows. The fried green tomatoes weren't ripe enough, and were chewy. The eggplant napoleon app made up for it though, not overly oily and the crab was fresh. The side salad was decent. For my entree I had the jambalaya over pasta, which came with little pasta bowls instead of stick shaped. It had good spice, but the shrimp were a little scrawny. The portion was giant, enough for two meals. My companian had she crab soup, which was pre-flavored with sherry and also had no chicken stock, only seafood. We both enjoyed it as well. Value was also decent, several cocktails, three apps and an entree under $60.
(4)
Kevin W.
I don't like this place. The food is awful. They don't make anything in the restaurant; it's all shipped in pre-made just like most chain restaurants. The don't understand the concept of fresh fish. It's frozen and tastes that way. I don't understand why this place is so packed. The only redeeming quality is that some of the guys waiting tables are good to look at. That's it. And for the price there's a ton of better places to go.
(2)
Peter M.
This place was just ok. Typical of a chain as they are scared to make the food anything but rather bland to please the masses. People must really like it though as it is always crowded. The service is really good.
(3)
Christie B.
Sit outside, have the gumbo and a cocktail, hold hands with your excellent boyfriend....life is good.
(3)
Marlene L.
Get here early on game weekend, especially at night. Waited 1 hour. Initially I wanted to go to Dragonfly across the street but the wait there was 2.5 hours, so decided to try Harry's. They have a full bar that is very useful if you are waiting for your table. The menu included mostly seafood but had a nice selection on steaks and pasta. While we waited our food we were served warm bread and the butter is to die for. It was absolutely delicious. I ordered the red beans and rice with sausage, which was very New Orleans. The waiter was very sweet and attended us well. Tried the Big Easy cocktail which was delicious. The rest of my party had the Filet Mignon and Mahi Mahi. They enjoyed both dishes very much. For dessert we all split the Key Lime pie(not a fan of it in general) and another dessert that i can't remember the name but it comes with ice cream (yummy). The total wasn't too bad 95 for an appetizer, 2 cocktails, 3 entrees and 2 desserts.
(5)
eddie d.
First time at a Harry's and I was a fan. Surprisingly good seafood for a chain restaurant. Highlight would be the She Crab Soup of the day. Minus 1 star for the homeless doing coke in the bathroom
(4)
Tu-van L.
Love their pasta jambalaya. And their seared tuna with wasabi soy sauce is to die for. Can't really go wrong with anything at this Cajun-style restaurant. From their pumpernickel bread with garlic and herb butter to their banana fosters - everything is wonderful!
(4)
Logan f.
I don't see why they get so busy. Everyone I know hates the food. It should be known for great seafood but it all taste wlike it fell off the truck. I have eaten there twice and both times I was disppointed.
(2)
chas e.
The fried crawfish are presentable. The gumbo and the etouffee are horrible, simply horrible. This place is not worth the trip.
(2)
Christopher M.
Second time going to a Harry's but the first time in G'ville. Our first experience wasn't the best but this time was much better. The service at this location was really good, we had a huge party and our drink were never empty. The waiter also allowed us to try the sauces of the different dishes that they had. I had the Pasta Chicken Louisianne, which was a decision made from tasting the different sauces. Also get the chicken fried because the breading is really good. The bread basket before the actual food was really, really good and their garlic butter only made it better. I am glad I was able to give Harry's a second chance.
(4)
Brittany C.
EVERYTHING WAS AMAZING!!! I could literally eat here everyday the food excellent! Gumbo was on point ... service was world class (: the only downer was the wait make a reservation or be prepared to wait a long time
(5)
Brian P.
Had the Bayou Grilled Shrimp and everything about this dish was perfect. The seasoning was not over powering. The shrimp was cooked to perfection. The Nola rice with corn maque choice and lemon cream sauce was incredible just the right amount of each ingredient. Portion was perfect, you so often get over fed in Cajun/Creole places...and to be brief the Bananas Foster with a dark rum on the rocks followed suit.
(5)
Betsy C.
Walked in and was seated right away for dinner time. Friendly staff and good food. Service was a little slower than I would have preferred but overall tasty. We ordered the Chicken Baton Rouge with side of green beans and Pasta Chicken Louisiana with side of beans and rice. Pasta Chicken Louisiana was much tastier and chicken much more moist than the Chicken Baton Rouge. Greens beans were far better than the rice and beans. I'd definitely return to try other selections on their menu.
What a great meal from start to finish! Start off with refreshing cocktails then we had mussels and ahi Tuna! Wonderful bread and rounded out with trout and the shrimp/scallops and grits for our entree! We had a wonderful bottle of Pinot with our meal to finish it off! Wonderful yummy must eat here!
(5)
Robert H.
Told them we were on a tight frame. Insured us there was no problem. 45 minutes later our food was served....cold. university restaurant that apparently lives off of high demand and low supply
Dog friendly! They have a nice covered patio that we could bring our dog which was nice because there was a chance of rain. The service was a bit slow probably because it was a busy Sunday night. The food was delicious. We had mussels for an appetizer which was delicious. I had the shrimp tacos which were a bit spicy which I wouldn't have ordered if I'd known because I don't do spicy.
(4)
Eric M.
Tasty seafood right here. After visiting several times, I must write this review. Harry's is in downtown area of Gainesville and may require a few trips around the block to find a parking place. They have both indoor and patio seating. While they don't have the Clam & Corn Chowder soup every day, this is one of the reasons I go there. The chowder is creamy, well flavored, and ultimately delicious. My other reason, of course, is the cast iron skillet scallops in white cheese. This dish offers ~ 10 large scallops in a cheese sauce and has been cooked perfectly each time. Before knowing about these dishes, I had tried the tacos and fried fish platter, but they do not compare. The complimentary bread with garlic butter is also tasty.
(5)
Mabd G.
Every time I have been to Harry's it's been a very pleasurable experience. The food is very good. Seriously, the red beans and rice is incredible. Who ever is in the kitchen here you are an inspiration, you make me want to learn more about this style of cooking. I have never been able to make simple rice and beans taste as good. And yet I am loathe to order it again because there is so much more on your menu I want to try. Each time I have come in I have had something different and am compelled to continue until I have had all you have to offer.
(4)
Erica J.
It was AMAZING! Me and my husband went twice in a row. I had the catfish platter both times and order some fired oysters on the said and tried their crab cakes. My husband ordered the first time, Harry's Style chicken and the second time he order what I ordered. We also invited out instructor to come along and she enjoyed it much. She said it was the best restaurant so far she's been to since she moved here and she's from Michigan.
(5)
Red C.
Hrrmmm... there a several other seafood places which are better - this is more of a Louisiana/ Cajun restaurant than a seafood restaurant to me. My Jambalaya was ok but not very memorable. I've had several since and this one still was just "ok". I'm pretty sure the fish and shrimp were frozen in it too. My fiance got the etouffe and it was Super FISHY and smelled awful. We asked the waiter and he though the crawfish were fresh. They were slimy and by the smell of them, they were either old/frozen or just bad. We probably won't be back to give it a second chance since we've found several other places we like more. This place was also very loud inside and the not as I hoped. I just I was looking for a place that matched it's pricing... little more upscale and it did disappoint.
(2)
Caitlin M.
I've been to this place a couple times, and I have to give it one star because of their lack of vegan options. If you're not a vegan by all means go, but if you are, they don't have anything spectacular. The staff is great, and a chef came out especially to make me something customized vegan, which is was so sweet. But in a college town where even the cheapest local restaurant has tofu or tempeh on their menu, it just kills me to have to go to a nice place like this, have a chef custom make something for me, and have it end up being a pasta with red sauce dish I could have made at home for $3 instead of $20.
(1)
Christina R.
2nd trip to Harry's. We thought it would be crazy packed since it was Gator Nationals well... It was but we only had a 10 minute wait which was doable since we wanted a booth. The waitress was helpful with suggesting dishes. My husband wanted a steak and seafood, so she suggested 3 different dinners with steak and he added the scampi shrimp for just $3.99. I wanted seafood so I order the fish with the crab cake on top, as she suggested. My husbands steak was not too fatty for a ribeye and it was sort of melt in you mouthish. It wasn't a thick on the grill steak but it was good. My blackened fish had a bone in it so be careful but it was really good and flavorful. The crab cake on top had a shell in it and it was a little to fishy for me but over all the dish was really good. The corn had a kick to it and the smashed potatoes had little chunks . We will be back to Harry's.
(4)
Jennifer B.
I had the eggplant and crab appetizer, hold the crab, due to a lack of vegetarian options on the menu. The dish was very tasty and reasonably filling, though it really didn't remind me much of Louisiana Cajun/Creole food, as I had hoped. I got a side of "seasonal veggies" that was very late to the table and consisted of oily green beans, so that was too bad. A friend and I shared the Oreo beignets for dessert and couldn't finish them, because they were so rich. Once again, very tasty, but more reminiscent of a fried fair treat than an actual beignet. I'd eat there again, but it wasn't my favorite place in Gainesville.
(3)
Elena W.
AH-MAY-ZING!!!! We happened upon this place while on a work trip. Had our dog with us, so I looked up dog friendly restaurants. I am SO thankful that Harry's popped up. Our server, Jessica, was very accommodating and pleasant. I ordered the Ultimate Po-Boy, with crawfish, shrimp and bacon. It came with pickled onions that gave the po-boy a nice kick. My niece ordered the catfish po-boy which looked great too. She loved it. Next time I'm in Gainesville, I will be back
(5)
John C.
I was debating writing a review for the fear of not doing this place justice. The impression in was left with was "where has this been my whole life" rather than "that was good food". If you're a seafood fan, you owe it to yourself to come here. Prices are around the $10 mark so very reasonable. I was recommended this place by a friend that moved from New Orleans and told me it was the most authentic Cajun/ creole place he's found outside of NOLA bar none.
(5)
Kyle P.
Food is very good, never had anything there I didn't love - and the service is always great. My party of 8 was seated in 2 minutes on a busy night. One of the best restaurants in Gainesville.
(5)
Donna S.
This place is authentic and awesome. We frequent NOLA several times per year and this is some of the best NOLA food you will find. Ask the staff to order for you. You will not be disappointed.
(5)
Anna-Marie W.
The downtown area of Gainesville, FL is just off the campus of the University of Florida and the streets are lined with quaint little cafes and restaurants. No major chains here but there is an outlet of the Harry's Seafood Bar and Grille franchise. Harry's has four other locations from Tallahassee to Lakeland. The restaurant has a New Orleans style menu including Jambalaya and Crawfish Etoufee. We visited on a weekday evening late and sat outside on the patio. The weather was perfect, the street was bustling with plenty of people and things to see. We were immediately served bread which was so hot and fresh I knew we were in a for a great dinner. We started with the Fried Green Tomatoes appetizer. They were very good. Fried perfectly , drizzled with chipotle aioli and topped with feta cheese. Chad ordered the Blackened Redfish served with smashed red skin potatoes. His plate was served with an incredibly delicious lemon sauce. He was nice enough to let me have a bite and it was so tasty I immediately wished I had ordered that instead. I had the pecan crusted trout which was enormous and I paired it with a traditional New Orleans side of red beans and rice. I enjoyed it and the fish was so big I could hardly eat half of it, but I wish I had ordered something else as it wasn't great. It was more of a cod tasting dish than a good piece of trout. I liked the red beans and rice too. My plate had a side of gravy also but I wasn't sure if that was meant for the fish or the red beans and rice. I ended up dipping most of my trout into Chad's lemon sauce. Overall we really liked Harry's. Next time I will try something else other than the pecan crusted trout. For some reason it just wasn't very satisfying. Still, the menu was pretty diverse and the service was impeccable. I hear during the Holidays they roll out a special seasonal menu so that will be our next trip to Harry's. Yum.
(4)
Kristin P.
Whenever I'm in a new city, I always check out the Yelp reviews before deciding where to eat. When in Florida, I want some delicious seafood and Harry's was one of the first places to come up. I was a little worried with the 3 1/2 star rating, but once I started reading reviews, I figured - why not? Very glad we chose this place. For one, they have a gluten-free menu (my mother is gluten free) which was very helpful. She ordered the scallops crusted in Parmesan. She let me taste a bite and WOW it was delicious. Completely artery-clogging, but delicious. I ordered the crab cakes (from the signature menu), a little wary because I've had many a crab cake that was more filling than crab. When they came, there were 3 large crab cakes with a red pepper aioli on the side and.....they were great! Definitely enough crab, just the right amount of filling and the aioli went well with them. The portion was huge and I was unable to finish it (should have gone with the appetizer portion I guess) but I'm glad I took a risk. My father got the Crab Crusted Redfish Royale - which was also amazing! Again, covered in butter and fatty goodness but delicious. Our waitress was very attentive and knowledgeable about the food (her name was Brooke). It came out within 15 minutes of ordering. Needless to say I was impressed and happy I chose this place. Thanks fellow Yelpers!
(5)
Beth B.
my family and i have been going to harry's for years. it's in an excellent location downtown in an old building (i believe it used to be a furniture store very long ago). the prices are a little on the high side, so we generally go here when celebrating "special occasions", like birthdays, graduations, and rare family get-togethers. the food is delicious with a lot of food options. i've never been disappointed by anything i've ordered. the service is efficient, pleasant and professional.
(5)
Jennifer V.
We stopped in on a beautiful Sunday evening & sat on the patio. My daughters ordered Ribeye (VERY fatty) with smashed potatoes (cool & hard), I ordered the seared tuna ap as my meal (the texture was wrong...kind of soft/mushy...lacking the expected firmness). Hubby ordered the crawfish & LOVED it but was struck with a very upset stomach before we got back to our car. The waitress was okay - friendly & pleasant. The atmosphere was nice. The bread served before the meal was great & they made really good fried pickle chips. However, the meals were terrible.
(2)
Rita V.
Service was very nice, but the food is mediocre bar food... In a town infested with places to feed college waves of parents and student - there are many other choices to visit. I am a fan of NOLA/Low Country cuisine... this is not Baton Rouge, Lafayette or NOLA my friends. Its bar food, with bar twist. Super nice bartenders, beers on tap.
(2)
Susan W.
The food was wonderful as always, but our server, Brandi, made it an awful experience. She was rude and made us feel very unwelcome. I don't know if we came at a time when she was about to be off of work, or just was having a bad day. It was probably the worst service I've ever received in a restaurant.
(2)
Jessica S.
I'm obsessed with southern food and easily sniffed out this place while on a business trip. I had a late lunch at the bar and was pleasantly surprised by how tasty the jambalaya was. I would have liked it a bit spicer, but that's just my personal preference.The lunch portion is huge!! Limited, but nice, wine list, but more importantly Abita amber available on draft and Turbodog by the bottle. Great service and nice decor. Doesn't entirely feel like a New Orleans themed restaurant but I appreciate the subtlety instead of having the restaurant looking like a Mardi Gras bomb exploded all over the place.
(5)
Adam S.
I came in for a quick lunch during the week. The restaurant was pretty busy, but we had no trouble getting good service and our food came out quickly. I had the po boy. It surprised me how much I liked it. The pickled onions really set it off. The seafood tasted fresh and was perfectly crispy, but not overcooked. Before I knew it, the whole thing was gone. Service was fast and friendly. Our food came out all at once and everyone seemed happy. Nice spot, I'll be back if I'm at UF again with time for a meal.
(4)
Donald S.
Today I am having shrimp creole with fried grit cake OMG I am stuffed, don't ask me how it was. I can't talk right now Returned 7/11/13, still haven't posted previous review Today I had jnalya and fried grit cake. Fgc not as creamy as usual Jnalya was great
(4)
Carl W.
This place is great. My girlfriend and I just went to Emiliano's across the way, and they were insanely rude to us. This place couldn't be more different. A friendly staff mixed with great food make this a great place to eat. Fried green tomatoes are the best.
(5)
Lanise A.
Nice food. I had the Shrimp Jambalaya with a Key Lime pie. They serve in big portions which is worth the price.
(4)
Kylie S.
No food for vegetarians here but HALF PRICED martinis on Wednesdays (which are also farmers market days..) Stopped in with my boyfriend and doggie, we sat outside and had yummy martinis and the waiter even brought us complimentary bread with whipped herbed butter. We gave in to some Key Lime Pie too (crust a bit too sweet). Friendly wait staff, nice location for drinks before the farmers market :)
Wow, this place was a real surprise and treat! Recommended by the folks at the Magnolia Inn B&B, we liked the craft beer and cocktails. The catfish p'boy is memorable, that's all I can say! Try it!!
(4)
Pamela D.
Wonderful service and great ambiance, serving sizes are enormous enough for two people or more. I don't recommend the beans rice and sausage dish it is very sweet and could easily be a can of baked beans. Enjoy if you like caloric food.
(3)
J C.
Can be hit or miss. When they get it right, which is the majority of the time, it is good but not spectacular. The bread at this location has really fallen below the grade. The po boy sandwich has suffered due to this. The bourbon salmon has consistently been good and the burgers are good. Shrimp and grits good but not amazing. Will continue to eat here due to location.
(3)
Kelly F.
I don't know why everyone loves this place. The portions are tiny for the price. I was expecting a salad with our meals, but nope. The restaurant is pretty cool, but kind of loud. Our server was great, but there was a very rowdy group next to us so we had to shout to hear each other.
(3)
Lauren V.
Went here with my family on pit stop during our road trip and was pleasantly surprised! The food was all great and we loved the Cucumber Gimlet cocktail! We were able to try the Jambalaya, the Crab Crusted Red Fish and the Shrimp Creole, all were very very delicious! I would definitely suggest the Jambalaya! Service and prices were both great (especially for a sea food restaurant) and the menu was extensive for those not in the mood for fish. The portions were very big so if your in the mood for a light meal you might want to consider sharing.
(4)
Jason C.
I thought I would drop a quick update here. I've come to know some of the people who run this place since posting my first review, and honestly. I really like their approach to things. They are as passionate about creole/cajun as I am. One of my friends their and I have spent hours talking New Orleans haunts, Sazeracs, and where to get the best raw oysters over cigars numerous times. Does Harry's get it all perfect? There are things here and there I would change -- more cornmeal in the breading and little things like that. So no, they aren't the best Louisiana style cuisine I've ever had, but they are pretty damned good, especially considering how far we are from New Orleans and Lafayette. I also know they really care about doing it right, so I felt after going a few more times and getting to know them a bit, I should update accordingly and give them a fair shake.
(4)
Mike W.
I ate here with some friends Friday night after a friend's cocktail party. Harry's was close by and unlike The Top, didn't have a huge line or long wait to get in, but was doing a good business. The atmosphere is nice enough and the location, for downtown Gainesville, is ideal. Service, especially Mindy who was our waitress, seems to be great and they really pay attention to their customers. All of that is a recipe for a quality restaurant, however, the food must also measure up. And there's the problem, the food doesn't. My shrimp etouffee was both too salty and too sweet and the shrimp tasted as if they were frozen--not fresh. My friends' dishes, an ahi tuna salad and a chicken dish, were both not very impressive and neither of my friends said they would come back. In fact, all we did agree to be the highlight of our visit was the awesome waitress who was clearly doing her best. I've had drinks here before during happy hour, and they pour decent--and generous--drinks. Their desserts may be ok, too, from what I've heard. However, if you're a wannabe Creole restaurant, get the shrimp etouffee right. It's not that hard to make. As it stands, they're overpriced and not very good at all. I guess the location is keeping things going for them though.
(2)
Bret A.
New Orleans based menu with American options. The short ribs and most New Orleans seafood dishes are consistently good. The fresh bread smelled and tasted wonderful with a flavored butter. Caesar salad is an excellent main dish as well - very large - and the burgers are kids' favorites. The inside atmosphere is pleasant and relaxing. Sitting outside puts you street side for the walk around crowd on a Gainesville weekend crowd. The restaurant is centrally located with street parking. It is a fun meeting place but does get very crowded during Gator football season. The servers were very nice but a little slow on both occasions. I have visited.
(3)
Thomas B.
I **HATE** Harry's because of their rude, snarly, incompetent managers -- who act like they are doing you a favor by being there! Guess what? Your job is to accommodate and serve -- so go shove your attitude! Here the details: (1) 1st Incident (November 2012): Went to Harry's with a group of about 10. Checked in at the front desk. We we're seated and ordered drinks. Then the "manager" approaches, UN-seats us and leaves us standing in the aisle in the middle of the restaurant, to "wait our turn", because according to her, "you we're seated out order and someone else was ahead of you". One person is our group was an 86 year old man -- she didn't care, took the table away and left us waiting -- after their hostess has seated us and drinks had already been ordered. -- After that, I would **NEVER** ever have set foot in this place again of my own accord! -- (2) 2nd incident (today, April 2013): A group of 20 wanted to go here after an event, so I went along. We called the manager, Heather, about 30 minutes ahead of time to give them a heads up. Received the, "No problem and let me know if you need anything when you arrive". We arrive, no table ready or available. Heather, in a fairly rude manner, gives us two choices: #1 - Get split up and seated now or #2 - Wait 25-30 minutes to be seated together. Although her attitude is atrocious and completely lacking for someone in the hospitality business, it is Friday night and the restaurant did only have 30 minute advance notice, so OK. We waited -- about 20 minutes. After 20 minutes of waiting, because we told her we wanted to be seated together, she split the group up anyway. When I pointed out that the entire front room is totally empty, she goes into this tirade/lecture, the highlights being: "It's a busy Friday night" and "I don't have any servers for that area". All stated in a manner in which one would lecture a small child! I'm pissed -- so I respond back, "Is it that difficult for your servers to turn right, instead of left?" The response from Heather, "Well fine, I can prep that front room but you'll have to wait another 15 minutes". At this point, I just left -- it was either that or punch Heather right in the face! Someone like that should **NEVER** ever be in a front-line, customer service position. Her job is to be accommodating, not rude/demanding and bossy! I am completely a totally done with Harry's and swear to never set foot in this place ever again! The management does **NOT** appreciate their customers, we're all just mere cattle to pushed and prodded through to them!
(1)
Russ B.
I've eaten here many times. One of my favorites is the Taste if New Orleans - a great sampler. My wife loves their Fried Shrimp - and since they give her more than she can eat, I get say that they do indeed taste great. For dessert we had the Oreo bignet - it was simply Amazing. Unfortunately when we asked for it the next time we visited we found out that they don't always offer it. It is worth asking for - and if we keep asking for it maybe they will make it a permanent addition to their menu.
(5)
Antoinette O.
My husband, parents and I visited Harry's in December 2012 after seeing A Christmas Carol at the Hippodrome. The ambiance was beautiful - there was a giant Christmas tree set up in the corner of the dining area which made for a beautiful photo op for our family. I ordered the shrimp scampi for dinner, but it was delivered cold. It was also watery in consistency. I sent it back, and while my plate was away, my father started to cough profusely. All glasses on the table were empty, and our server passed by our table twice, ignoring the sounds of his choking. In fact, it seemed that because I had complained about the food, that our server (a female) was intent on avoiding us. When my food came back, it was still watery, but warm. This was the only opportunity we had to ask for refills so that my dad would stop choking. I wasn't impressed with my meal. Mom, dad and hubby weren't overly impressed either, given the cost. The service here was inexcusable. I do not live in Gainesville, my parents do. However, none of us will ever be visiting Harry's again. The food needs freshening, and the wait staff need to become much more attentive to money-paying guests!
(2)
Jennifer P.
I've been here twice. The service has been excellent. The first time, I had the shrimp and scallop New Orleans which was absolutely delicious. The second time I had two for one absolut peppar bloody Marys and the blackened shrimp salad. The bloody Marys were weak and the salad was very disappointing; it was predominantly iceberg stems which I feel is not acceptable for a $14 salad. There was, however, quite a bit of shrimp and feta on it.
(4)
Jessica L.
I have lunch here with my coworkers a few times a year, always on a business day at lunch time. While they are not overly busy for lunch, the service is always verrryyy slow, and we've never been able to get out in under 1 hour and 45 minutes for a party of 6. The food here simply isn't anything special. I enjoy cooking and I regularly make similar things that I enjoy more. It's not bad by any means, just that when I go out I expect a little more than what I could make at home. Also, and I know this comes with the territory of this style of food, but I feel like everyone's plate always looks like some form of sloshy brown soup. If the presentation were improved maybe psychology would kick in to make it more appetizing. All in all, I'm not impressed. I've never had anything I've disliked here, but I also have not found anything I've cared to order on a future visit and have definitely never been "wow"ed.
(2)
Scott E.
Overpriced for the so so food . nice atmosphere.
(2)
Casey H.
This place was great for the few days we were in the city. I had the tuna salad and it was awesome! I was surprised to see how fresh the tuna was on the salad. If you are staying at the Hampton then you get a free appetizer.
(4)
Jonathan W.
This weekend, I was in Gainesville for a work related Conference. I heard that this North Florida college town had a flourishing restaurant & gourmet scene, so I was kind of excited. As I like to explore and promote restaurants that capture the essence of the city, I was the guy chosen to pick a place where staff, Board members and conference attendees should go. After calling and texting friends who lived in the area for a day, it was agreed that I ought to try out "Harry's Seafood Bar and Grille." In addition to being a place for doing business and entertaining clients, they are known to take the best of Cajun, Creole and Southern flavors and infuse them with current day twists to create popular Louisiana dishes. When I called to make reservations, I was told that they didn't take them. This was unfortunate as it was on my checklist to secure a restaurant. However, upon talking to their manager on the phone, they were willing to be flexible and work with me. So that was nice. When I walked in, the atmosphere was pretty nice for a casual chain. It was very cozy with primarily booths and soft lighting... both of which are attractive. Upon looking at the menu, I saw that they also donated $1 for every Po'boy purchased in February. The money is donated to the Florida Association of Food Banks, which is a partnership of 14 food banks that serve all of Florida. It is nice to see a restaurant that gives back to the community. For appetizers, my table ordered the Mussels Saint Charles. These mussels were mixed with sun dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers and white wine sauce. I usually like simple skillet roasted mussels with kosher sea salt and olive oil. This variation, however, had a pleasant Creole touch. We also ordered the Fried Green Tomatoes which were crusted with corn flakes, covered in both chipotle aioli and crumbled feta cheese. For my meal, I ordered the Jambalaya. This is their signature dish and it is mixed with shrimp, chicken & sausage. Ideally, I wanted brown rice. However, all they had to accompany it was enriched white rice or pasta. The dish was HUGE, but it wasn't abounding with any complex flavor and it didn't taste as fresh as real New Orleans seafood. In fact, I had a suspicious feeling that much of it came from a tin can. I had to even add hot sauce. My table was very diverse. Seated was a group of people with Chinese, Cuban, and Puerto Rican backgrounds. In spite of this diversity, EVERYbody was happy. The menu catered to this diversity with an extensive menu of fish, crab cakes, scallops, shrimp, ribeyes and tenderloins. Indeed, I was happy to have chosen a restaurant where nobody complained. Usually, there is always somebody that complains. Nobody did this time. The waiter was attentive, pleasant and also kind of cute. He had this "Portandia" look to him. Overall, it was not a bad experience; it was not a great one either. If I considered going back to this downtown restaurant and give them another try, I would like to try their Bayou Grilled Shrimp. "When the taste changes with every bite and the last bite is as good as the first, that's Cajun." - Paul Prudhomme
(3)
Todd W.
Absolutely wonderful food and a joyful dining experience. Food here is tremendous! She-crab soup is to die for! Highly recommended! Wonderful flavors bursting with every wonderful spoonful! A true delight with every bite! Ocala location appears to be the same.
(5)
Antonia P.
I had the op boy and it was so yummy and big. They put a lot of shrimp on and they services is really good. Lay back place. I will be coming back
(5)
Justin L.
I admit I'm obsessed with the Chicken Jolie Blonde. I had a chance to revisit my undergrad days at UF when I flew in on business. I stayed at the Hampton Inn right across from Harry's and craved the chicken. It was every bit as good as I remembered. I came near closing, but received great service. The chicken was cooked perfectly and the sauce hit the spot. I had cheddar grits as my side and it was a great decision that made my trip (besides winning in court).
(5)
Laura Terese H.
Labor day, the day when all local places you usually go to are closed. (Okay ...its also a day to celebrate the workers of the world) We found ourselves downtown and hungry, and we both hadnt been into Harrys for awhile, so we decided to give it a go. The place was not that busy, perhaps because it was raining, or maybe because people were home watching the MDA Telethon. We were greeted by a Hostess (a blonde) that mumbled, wouldnt look us in the eye and grabbed the menus and just started walking. No "follow me to your table" we just followed her out of instinct. Sat by the windows, at a 4 top. Our waitress came by and again, Mumbly McMumblepants. Gave her our drink orders. Looked at the menu, I had forgotten what exactly Harry's offered, I know its "new orleans" style food, and I take that with a wink and a smile, I dont expect New Orleans level food in Gainesville, or from a chain. The lunch menu has very reasonable prices, there are appetizers (crab cakes, wings, calamari) They have lunch salads with seafood. There are the Jambalayas the Etoufees, the creole, the cajuns, the PoBoys and the Remoulades. I chose to go for the Fried Oyster Po Boy(8.99), with fries (it comes with one side dish and you can choose from Fries, sweet cream corn grits, coleslaw, NOLA rice, Red beans and rice, seasonal veg,and smashed potato, and grit cakes) It comes with a ketchup and mayo mixture on the side, lettuce and tomato only. I was craving oysters and it satisfied, was it a "po boy" no, but it was a damn good oyster sandwich. The fries were a touch too underdone but still good. My man got the Jambalaya (9.99) with the orecchiette shaped pasta instead of rice, think "open shells". It comes with the regular jambalaya sauce, but also she offered the "mushroom cream sauce" that goes with the chicken Louisianne as an option, He asked for it on the side to try it (and when our server came out he said it was soup because it was in this giant bowl!) Im glad he got it on the side, it wasnt what jambalaya should taste like ...think mushroom alfredo sauce..,It was delicious though i dipped my fries in it, and sandwich,,,,and fingers... The food was really good, satisfying, properly priced. The service however was lacking. I know its the big easy, but she took that as being her cue to take it easy on being a good waitress. It took her forever to take our order, to fill drinks, to refill drinks, and she also forgot to bring out the complimentary bread until the last second when our lunches were being served. We would absolutely come back again....for lunch. Dinner prices are far more than I like to spend on such a casual place. (The Jambalaya at dinner is 14.99 and the Po Boy is 9.99)
(4)
Gwanda P.
This is a must visit!!! The price is right! The service is excellent! Parking garage across the street which is reasonably priced! FOOD: red fish with crab meat on top with your choice of sides. The recommend sizes that actually go with the dish will be included but you can choose alternative sides! Yum! Grits are so smooth and tasty they will melt in your mouth! Tuesdays half off on ALL drinks! Wednesday there is a similar deal! Cajun shrimp and rice a must try. Mahi Mahi a must try!!! You get a huge plate of food for a reasonable price! YUM-me!
(5)
Phuong V.
I fell in love with their crawfish etouffee. Absolutely delicious and savory, with a kick of spice. They're also very generous with the amount of crawfish on the dish. This review is based solely on this dish. Some of their other dishes are subpar.
(5)
Asa D.
Could not identify pork medallions. Overcooked and flavorless. Maybe Harry's just couldn't handle the holiday crowd?
(1)
Dawn R.
Stopped in for a business lunch with a couple of colleagues, not knowing what to expect. I was pretty excited when I saw they were a New Orleans/Cajun style restaurant and our server Diane assured us that we'd think we were on Bourbon St (obviously, she's never been to Bourbon St, because there aren't that many actual resataurants on that particular street, but I digress...) My two colleagues ordered the jambalaya and I got the red beans & rice with sausage. I ended up splitting my dish with one of my colleagues in exchange for some of his jambalaya, and have to say that of the two dishes, the red beans wins by a landslide. The jambalaya was bland at best.....the addition of some hot sauce helped, but it still wasn't great. The red beans & rice were actually pretty good, and the sausage was delicious! Service was relatively fast, although it did take a long time to get refills on our drinks. Prices were reasonable, and they give you a 10% discount if you're staying at the Hampton Inn across the street, so that was nice (you do have to show your room key to prove it...they don't just take your word for it). Overall, not a bad experience, but not a great one. I may consider going back to give them another try with something else from the menu.
(3)
Adam G.
I'd like to give a 3 1/2 stars, but I guess I'll round up based on today alone. On the drink side, it's over priced. Approximately $3.50 for a domestic pint? Eh. But they have Abita amber on tap and even at $4.25 a pint, it's so damn good. Not a place I'd go to drink though. I've only dined in a couple times and the service was fair, so no strikes there. I typically get the food to go and take it back to work. As far as burgers and po' boys go, they're simply average. That's where I want to remove a half star. Their entrees vary between good and great (I'm not a fan of their grouper or mahimahi). I love their shrimp and scallop orleans though. These grit cakes are amazing. The red beans and rice are pretty good. The portions are adequate for a lunch menu. I'll go back on occasion.
(4)
Coleen T.
Had the shrimp and grits... I was just blown away. I haven't actually been in the restaurant since we just grabbed a pick up order, but it was delicious!!
(5)
Mallory B.
This place was much better than I expected. I actually had never gone in because I couldn't really tell what kind of place it would be - seemed like just a casual chain - but a few people had recommended it, so when my in-laws were in town, we took them to Harry's. I was getting over the flu when we were there, so I doubled up with ice water and hot tea while the others had white wine or beer. They have some really interesting and local beers on tap, which Gainesville-ians seem to like. My husband and his dad both started off with the she-crab soup (4.99), which was kind of chunky and kind of a bisque, but really, really good! His dad's girlfriend and I shared the fried green tomatoes (7.99) for starters, and they were the best I've had (including at Flying Biscuit, another local favorite). Crispy and served with feta and a chipotle aioli. For dinner, my husband had the bourbon street salmon (16.99), which he enjoyed. I had the pecan-crusted trout (15.99) with their corn grits - I probably wouldn't have it again, since the pecans were a little much for me, but it was a huge portion and I took half of the plate home to have for lunch the next day! DH's dad had the shrimp creole (13.99) - also a huge portion - and his girlfriend had the grilled jumbo shrimp (14.99). It was kind of weird how much the portions varied among the dinner plates. The salmon and shrimp dishes were both pretty small, while my father-in-law and I couldn't finish half of ours. For dessert, my father-in-law and his gf had the bananas foster (4.99) - the only dessert made on site - while my husband and I shared the chocolate bread pudding (5.99), which is pretty much chocolate pound cake layered with vanilla ice cream, and NOT bread pudding. It was still good, though! I would have tried the bananas foster, but I'm inconveniently allergic to bananas. We actually had a great waiter who kept coming by to refill my hot and cold water equally. If he failed to check in (it was a busy Saturday night), it was pretty easy to flag him down, as all his tables were clearly nearby. The dinner was expensive, although probably pretty reasonable for seafood, but as such I'd probably only come on special occasions. The decor is casual and the food is fancy! My father-in-law and his girlfriend kept commenting on how this was the best dinner they'd had since they got to the southeast, which included a stay on Hilton Head Island and a few excursions into Georgia. Plus, they're Canadian, so they know seafood :)
(5)
Andrew M.
Went relatively early on a Saturday evening. Party of five. Our server came around before the final person arrived - we asked him to come back once we were all there. It was a while before we saw him again, although at no time was the place even remotely close to busy. We never got water, nor were we asked if we wanted any. Took a while for drinks to arrive after we ordered them. Mussel appetizer was nicely done, but we had to ask for bread. He seemed put out that we did. Entrees took a while, and were good, but not great.We had been done for quite a while before our server returned to ask if we were interested in anything else. Not wanting to be there for another hour, we declined. Long wait for check. Long wait for check to be picked up. Left about half of the 20% one would normally tip for adequate service. Then, as we were waiting by the door for one of our party to return from the restroom, the guy walks by and gives us a dirty look! Never going there again.
(3)
Tessa M.
Can you say large portions! The food was good not as good as the real new Orleans food but it's the best in Gainesville that I've had so far. I ordered the red beans & rice with smoked sausage, it was good. My husband had the Jambalaya I wish I would of gotten that, it was real good. To drink I had the pomegranate martini don't worry it was sweet not like a normal martini at all. Next time I'll try the Harry's Hurricane...maybe. What do you think? Mathew was my waiter. Young looking kid and too my surprise the best waiter I've had in Gainesville in years and I eat out a lot. ;-) The next time I have 60 dollars to spend for two on dinner I will come back again for the Jambalaya and ask for Mathew.
(4)
Jocelyn R.
Good food and very moderately priced. Definitely a great option if you are downtown. Disclaimer, I am not a fan of seafood, so I can't say anything about that. But they have some really good chicken dishes and omg love their grits. Also, They have half-price martinis all day Wednesday (my fave is the passion fruit) and a pretty good happy hour all other weekdays (2-7 I think, drinks are 2 for 1). I have always had pretty good service here. We often go with a big group from work, so I know its kind of hard to keep everything straight and make sure everyone has everything they need, but they have always done a great job and been very attentive. Great place overall!
(4)
Dorian B.
Tried the shrimp and scallops Orleans and the ahi tuna salad- both were delicious, happy hour every Tuesday all day- dined in January
(4)
Mike N.
Great Cajun food, great service, and atmosphere. I always order seafood gumbo and fried oyster PO boy. This time they made me a fried crawfish PO boy. My wife loves the crawfish ettoffe (sp?)
(5)
Richard W.
I love the seafood here! This place has great food. Their crawfish etouffee is what I usually order here. It's well spiced and has plenty of crawfish. There's no skimping on seafood in this place. Their gumbo really stands out too. I've never seen a line here and the service is always attentive. the only downside here is that I would have to say it's a little overpriced. I would come back alot more, but it's just a little too much on my wallet.
(4)
David F.
I went with a group of three couples on a Friday night. Upon checking in, we were told that there would be a thirty minute wait. Surprisingly, we only had to wait ten minutes. Yeah!! I wish I could remember his name but the waiter was excellent and really took great care of us. The six of us got six different dishes and all claimed their orders were great and cooked as asked. I ordered the shrimp and grits with a side of red beans a rice. The food was perfect and I really enjoyed it. The food and service should be commended!!
(5)
Dennis D.
This place isn't bad for a chain. In fact, I wouldn't have guessed it was a chain if I didn't have to look them online before hand. I was disappointed that they don't take reservations, but we came here for a friend's birthday and everyone enjoyed themselves. Our server was a little slow with his game, but since others seemed happy, I can't fault the entire place for that. The beer selection, the wine selection, and the rest of the items that come from the bar were great. The food was delicious. The only thing I can't speak to is how authentically "new orleans" the food is. I can't really say any more. You should try it out. I plan to return to try a po-boy.
(3)
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Address :110 SE 1st St,Ste A
Gainesville, FL, 32601
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Valet, Street, Validated Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Dogs Allowed : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Patrick H.
The best part of my meal was the french bread and garlic butter. The red beans and rice were boring. The crawfish étouffée was not right. The crawfish tasted fishy. The crawfish were good size, but something went wrong on their journey to my plate. I admit I am an especially tough critic on Cajun cuisine, Harry's didn't deliver.
(2)Lourdes C.
Service was excellent....hurricanes were very good and the jambalaya was pretty good.
(5)Gigi A.
Truly a great restaurant in Gainesville. Service is always great! Try their chocolate bread pudding! It is to die for :) Food comes out great consistently and their new orleans theme/music is a crowd pleaser!
(4)Foodie R.
Too much salt in the dish of scallop&shrimp.
(2)Heather B.
Gainesville has a flourishing restaurant & gourmet scene. Its hard to decided where to eat with all the high-quality & variety springing up. Imagine my difficulty in deciding to eat at Harry's TWICE in a month. Went here for the 2nd time today with my parents... Mom is a foodie & Dad doesn't like to try anything new. So as you can imagine, we can be a tough table. Had a FANTASTIC waiter named Chris, for the 2nd time as well. Both times he was incredibly attentive, always kept our drinks full, got our orders correct, got us our food when it was still hot, and managed to look pretty cute while doing all that. The seared ahi tuna salad was fresh & the mustard dressing was spicy & bright. The crab cakes were filled with actual crab & quite tasty. My blackened fish tacos were delish & moist... and the steamed green beans were perfect. I really wanted to tell the manager how enjoyable BOTH our visits had been, and what a great server Chris had been... but since I didn't see him, I decided to hit up Yelp instead. A definite solid choice if your downtown... enjoy!
(4)Josh S.
A group of 4 of us came to Harry's a few weeks ago, my second visit here. Harry's location is fantastic and a perfect primer for a night on the town. We came around 6:30 to avoid the dinner rush and this was great timing, as we managed to beat the crowds and still got in on the 2-for-1 happy hour(lasts until 7pm). My only beef with the happy hour is that the bottled craft beers aren't included, but honestly I expect that. I'm just arrogant and wish they would accommodate me anyway :) I ordered Pasta Jambalaya, which is also what I ordered my first time here. Since the visits were over a year apart, I figured I would have it again since I barely remembered it. I like the flavor of the dish and the portion is huge, but the pasta was a little overcooked and the jambalaya is pretty saucy, so the texture gets a little sloppy after a while. My wife had Shrimp and Scallop Orleans which includes, what else, shrimp and scallops over fried grit cakes. The scallops were cooked perfectly and the grit cakes were also delicious so I will be sure to expand my menu next time I'm here. Service was just kind of "there". The food came out hot and we had everything we needed, but our server was very bland. Her only helpful tidbit was about the Sazerac my wife tried to order. She warned that many people don't like the taste of the drink, probably because of its history and inclusion of bitters. While I understand the disclaimer, the server followed up with a comment along the lines of "if you prefer something fruity...". It came off as very judgmental, not to mention inaccurate.. The upside to this was that it laid solid ground for many sarcastic jokes throughout the rest of the meal. I'm sure I'll be back. The location is too convenient to avoid for too long, and like I said, I want to try some other dishes.
(3)Brad K.
always consistently tasty
(4)Jessica S.
Went there for the second time a few days ago. First time ordered a pasta dish but didn't like it much. Second time ordered Salmon with some kind of glaze, Jambalaya and Eggplant and Crab for appetizer. OMG the appetizer and Salmon were so good. The salmon was perfectly grilled. I dare say it was one of the best I've tried in Gainesville. Jambalaya tasted better as left over at home, not sure why. Food was fresh and tasty. Plenty of meat in the Jambalaya. The prices were ok for the quality. Nice atmosphere. People working there were nice and polite. Oh and they allow you to bring your dog if you sit outside!!! Saw a waitress bring someone's dog a bowl of water too. How nice! Definitely will go back again with my dog!!!
(5)Ka T.
Was taken to this place because of its Gumbo and Louisiana cooking. My meal consisted of the Gumbo and jambalaya. Both tasted great and the atmosphere outside on the patio was perfect. Highly recommended and will come back. Also wanted to commend them on their service because they were very busy due to graduation and kept up its great service with a smile.
(5)Justine B.
I love Harry's! I work downtown and I eat here all the time. I get cravings for the shrimp and grits and the shrimp and scallop orleans all the time. The food is always yummy and the service is usually good. My only suggestion would be to go for lunch. Lunch prices are reasonable. But the price change from lunch to dinner is a little steep and the change in portion size isn't very steep at all. Oh, and one final note. Their caesar dressing is a little strange. Not bad, just strange. I've ordered caesar salads as both an entree and a side and every time the dressing is a little off. My friends and I have concluded that it tastes a bit like bananas. Weird, I know. All in all, I am a big fan of Harry's. Try the shrimp and grits. You will not be disappointed!
(4)Peter F.
I have been to Harry's a number of times and can't recall why I've never taken the time to write a review. They are ok as a restaurant, but I wouldn't go out of my way to eat their food. The service is hit or miss and they never fail to overcook your steaks or burgers. There is a chicken dish that is pretty decent (the Jolie), but the Jambalaya is nothing extraordinary. All things considered, they are an ok restaurant if you are in the area and in the mood for some Cajun food (while in Gainesville, FL.). If you were in the mood for Cajun while in Louisiana, Harry's would definitely not be your choice. Regarding drinks: The bartenders aren't too savvy or up to date on their mixology. I have ordered simple drinks and had two bartenders come to my table to get an explanation before preparing the drink.... They are friendly, just not knowledgeable. I give Harry's 2 Stars (any more stars would be a waste) and will return when in the Downtown Gainesville area with friends who think they will get genuine Louisiana cooking out of Harrys'. I am not one to burst their bubble; I usually end up saying "I'm not crazy about it, you be the judge".
(2)Frank F.
Very nice. Bar is small but well stocked and the bartenders are accommodating. Bar snacks were just fine.
(3)Justin F.
Stumbled upon this place looking for lunch on a Wednesday afternoon. Couldn't find a lot of other stuff open, so walked on it. Wasn't expecting much, but ended up pleasantly surprised. Staff was extremely friendly and food was even better. With a group of 4 I think we got a good sampling of all they had to offer. Oyster Po' Boy, Fried Fish Sandwich, Jambalaya, Mahi Sandwhich, Fried Grit Cakes and more. No one was disappointed and everyone left very full. Portions are huge so go with an empty stomach.
(4)David M.
I visited Harry's for lunch with a group and, to be honest, my focus was more on the conversation that the food. The atmosphere was pleasant and reminded me of the steakhouses of my childhood 30+ years ago. Everything was comfortable and familiar. My meal was good but not great. I ordered a blackened mahi and the fish, while not a large portion, seemed quite fresh. Fries were soggy and somewhat flavorless but probably a better choice than the green beans which no one at my table was willing to try. If there were no other restaurants in the neighbourhood, Harry's would not be a bad place for lunch, but there are other options so I recommend exploring them before you try Harry's.
(3)Eddie F.
My girl and I stumbled into this place just looking for something to eat, and we found a good one! First, I love the ambiance. Very cool decor. We just wanted to snack on something, but almost didn't order because of the bread. She and I chowed down on some nice, warm tasty bread. Then we ordered the "Hooked On" Harry's Wings. VERY saucy and tasty. Nicely seasoned and really spicy. We didn't spend much cash at all, and walked out full. What we really took notice of was how great and friendly our servers were. As a New Orleanian, I'll make sure I sample the po-boys next time I'm in the area.
(4)Ben K.
So-So I suppose. The food is reasonable. I had some pretty tasty fish tacos (the fish inside is fried but they don't say that on the menu). The lady had a piece of salmon that came totally undercooked. My side caesar was pretty tasty. Our waiter was extremely friendly. This review is boring. So is Harry's.
(3)Jimmy C.
I keep wanting to like Harry's food because I am a student of Louisiana cooking. The genre is varied, robust, and ranges from the proletarian/rural styles to the more urban, high cuisine of France. Harry's is not even on the same planet with much of Louisiana cuisine. As I say, I want to like their food, but one fine meal out of five poor ones is not enough to keep me coming back. I ordered the special this week which was collection of feature seafood dishes. The seafood all tasted basically the same and was way over-salted so that the essential flavors were totally obscured. The grits cakes with it were soggy. They should be crisp on the outside and hot and moist on the inside. The fried green tomatoes were very good, however as was the salad. My recommendations if you go is to ask the chef not to directly salt each dish. Do it yourself. Harry's chefs season with heavy hand and Harry's is more of a salt lick than a restaurant. Be forewarned and take the seasoning with salt into your own hands. Bring your own sea salt and do the salt seasoning yourself. If you find that the choice of the restaurant is not your own and your dinner companions are hell-bent to go there, you may want to consider an appetizer and a salad with a few glasses of wine. You will come out with more of your money in your own pocket and probably better satisfied with the taste of the food. I wish Harry's would kick it up a notch and really become a fine Louisiana-style restaurant. Right now, it is a very poor facsimile of what it claims/aspires to be.
(1)Jared And Daisy T.
We LOVE Harry's. Perhaps it's our connection to NOLA, but Harry's has always had a special place in our hearts. It was the first restaurant we ate at together in Gainesville. It was the restaurant we had our graduation dinners at. It is where we go whenever we want to have some good old fashioned Cajun cuisine. The grit cakes are out of this world, so much so, that we spent weeks trying to copy the recipe for our own delights at home. The gumbo isn't nearly spicy enough, however, but we know a lot of people who think it's perfectly spicy. C'est la vie. The staff are always accommodating and polite, even when they're obviously swamped. Great place.
(5)Josh S.
Food and service were great here. My server was both friendly and knowledgeable. I got the Mahi sandwich for lunch, and I have to say it was the best Mahi Mahi I've ever had. Very fresh, and huge portions for a sandwich. Definitely come here for the seafood.
(4)George G.
Excellent food an service.
(4)tom g.
Harry's is a cornerstone of Gainesville's downtown dining scene. Local guests are directed to Harry's for a casual downtown dining experience and local residents seem to find Harry's to be a comfortable place pop in for an evening weekend meal. I have been to Harry's twice and have had very similar experiences--both of which haven't met expectations. First, even with open tables in the restaurant, you will find yourself on a wait list. The hostess staff seems more concerned about servers getting behind than providing a comfortable experience for customers. This has happened to me twice at Harry's. The host staff needs some serious training on providing guests with a comfortable atmosphere. This past weekend, I was seated in a room where a private party of about 30 guests was taking place. Not only was that awkward, but I couldn't have a conversation with the person across the table from me because of the noise from the private party immediately next to us. Service from beginning to end needs to be improved. More on that in a moment. The food at Harry's is average on a good day. I've had slightly overcooked meals both times. The food isn't as fresh as the kitchen staff will want you to believe. I did enjoy the summer tasting menu--$6.99 small plate entrees. We split several and it was a fun entree experience. The fried green tomato appetizer has a very bland breading--much unlike authentic cajun cooking. This appetizer could use some reinvention. I whip up this appetizer at home with green tomatoes and flour. For a cornerstone of downtown Gainesville, Harry's is not up to par. Newer, more modern restaurants with fresh ingredients and superb customer service are leaving Harry's in the dust--and fast. I just don't understand the sub-par wait and host staff. People come to restaurants for the food, but they come back because of the atmosphere and the service. I'll think twice before I go back.
(2)Geri C.
Wonderful service, great food and great drink specials! We will be back again! My boyfriend even bought some of their own special hot sauce.
(5)Steve m.
I think this place is one of the better restaurants I've been to featuring cajun food outside of Louisiana and Mississippi. Not a whole lot of heat to the dishes, but plenty of flavor. The location and decor is great. Definitely recommend.
(4)Charles L.
Very good restaurant in the downtown area. I like to bring out-of-towners here to show them downtown Gainesville and the Hippodrome. The crawfish etouffee is probably your best bet. Tons of crawfish included for a fair price. Also, their jambalaya is my mom's favorite.
(4)Ginger X.
Not bad. The crawfish is my favorate....though the rice is a little bit solid.
(3)Alyssa N.
Great food in a casual setting. We were wandering around the older, historical section of Gainesville and my son pointed out Harry's where he had gone when his father came to visit a couple months back. We were debating between a late lunch or dinner and decided to stick around for lunch. We were informed that we were in the middle of their happy hour where all drinks are 2 for 1, so that explains why we are drinking margaritas at 3 in the afternoon. They brought out warm bread with an herbed butter. My son polished that off in no time. He went with the jambalaya and I got the shrimp po'boy with a choice of sides (I had the coleslaw). The shrimp was battered and fried very lightly and they kept the dressing on the side which I appreciated. Everything was really good and after we left I was already planning my return visit. We were too stuffed for dessert but I noticed a table close to us have one and they looked enormous. I would advise coming here on an empty stomach because all portions seem to be generous. I am discovering this older section of town for the first time and between this restaurant and the Paramount I am finding that this could end up being my dining out area of Gainesville.
(5)Miriam P.
This is a bar only review. Martinis were yummy. I suggest you try the pomegranate. The mojito martini was a twist on one of my favorite drinks and it worked. Service was good. Drinks were a bit pricey. $50 after tip for 4 drinks.
(4)Miklane W.
Went here for my anniversary. I thought it was pretty cool that they text you when your table is available since they were on a wait. We were told 40 minutes, but it was really ten. The server was very attentive so that was a plus. I got the chicken baton rouge which was delicious and the smashed potatoes that was even better! My boyfriend got the shrimp dish (I forget the name) which is the spiciest thing there and he ate it all so it must have been good. They do have a lot of spicy dishes, however if you're like me and do not like spicy then I would recommend what I got because it had zero kick and all flavor. I would give it a five, but I'm a harsh critic. You won't regret going.
(4)Jes C.
it sucked!!!!! we ordered the shrimp n scallop orleans with no collard greens...we got greens that covered the entire entree....she wasnt happy!!!!!! I ordered the jambalya and it was all rice....5 pieces of shrimp n sausage...the shrimp were way over cooked, dry and tough....the chicken was cooked on the grill and then sliced and tossed in the jambalaya... im a chef and the jambalaya was horrible...They really need to get it together..i wont be comming back
(1)Mark Y.
This Cajun-style restaurant is a great place to go, away from the hustle of Archer road. You can enjoy a good Cajun food then take in a show at the Hippadrome. definitely a must try
(4)Jimmy C.
We had out of town guests and wanted to eat in a restaurant that showed off the downtown area, but was more informal than some. I had reviewed Harry's a while back and had given it flying colors. Last night, however, the very same dishes were not good. The shrimp and scallops over the grits cake was way too salty and my wife's shrimp (shrimp and grits) was rubbery and overcooked. Consistency is important in the restaurant business and they fell down last night. Maybe they had a new cook. I would have sent mine back but we had already waited a long time in spite of the restaurant not being full. Plus, we did not want to make a scene. The meal last night made me very reluctant to return. Billy, you need to "mentor" someone on your staff.
(1)Lenny S.
Lunch service was quick. Food was good. No complaints here. Finding a parking spot was a challenge though.
(5)Mary R.
A little high priced for the quality of food, but the food is still good.
(3)J H.
We actually visited twice, once for drinks and desert and again for dinner. The first visit I had a decent sazerac, but the star of the night was the chcolate bread pudding, which was very very tasty. It was hot, light and fluffy, had excellent bread and chocolate flavor and the sauce wasn't too sweet. The ice cream was very light and fluffy as well, tasted house-made but I'm not sure. The dinner visit was also good but had a few lows. The fried green tomatoes weren't ripe enough, and were chewy. The eggplant napoleon app made up for it though, not overly oily and the crab was fresh. The side salad was decent. For my entree I had the jambalaya over pasta, which came with little pasta bowls instead of stick shaped. It had good spice, but the shrimp were a little scrawny. The portion was giant, enough for two meals. My companian had she crab soup, which was pre-flavored with sherry and also had no chicken stock, only seafood. We both enjoyed it as well. Value was also decent, several cocktails, three apps and an entree under $60.
(4)Kevin W.
I don't like this place. The food is awful. They don't make anything in the restaurant; it's all shipped in pre-made just like most chain restaurants. The don't understand the concept of fresh fish. It's frozen and tastes that way. I don't understand why this place is so packed. The only redeeming quality is that some of the guys waiting tables are good to look at. That's it. And for the price there's a ton of better places to go.
(2)Peter M.
This place was just ok. Typical of a chain as they are scared to make the food anything but rather bland to please the masses. People must really like it though as it is always crowded. The service is really good.
(3)Christie B.
Sit outside, have the gumbo and a cocktail, hold hands with your excellent boyfriend....life is good.
(3)Marlene L.
Get here early on game weekend, especially at night. Waited 1 hour. Initially I wanted to go to Dragonfly across the street but the wait there was 2.5 hours, so decided to try Harry's. They have a full bar that is very useful if you are waiting for your table. The menu included mostly seafood but had a nice selection on steaks and pasta. While we waited our food we were served warm bread and the butter is to die for. It was absolutely delicious. I ordered the red beans and rice with sausage, which was very New Orleans. The waiter was very sweet and attended us well. Tried the Big Easy cocktail which was delicious. The rest of my party had the Filet Mignon and Mahi Mahi. They enjoyed both dishes very much. For dessert we all split the Key Lime pie(not a fan of it in general) and another dessert that i can't remember the name but it comes with ice cream (yummy). The total wasn't too bad 95 for an appetizer, 2 cocktails, 3 entrees and 2 desserts.
(5)eddie d.
First time at a Harry's and I was a fan. Surprisingly good seafood for a chain restaurant. Highlight would be the She Crab Soup of the day. Minus 1 star for the homeless doing coke in the bathroom
(4)Tu-van L.
Love their pasta jambalaya. And their seared tuna with wasabi soy sauce is to die for. Can't really go wrong with anything at this Cajun-style restaurant. From their pumpernickel bread with garlic and herb butter to their banana fosters - everything is wonderful!
(4)Logan f.
I don't see why they get so busy. Everyone I know hates the food. It should be known for great seafood but it all taste wlike it fell off the truck. I have eaten there twice and both times I was disppointed.
(2)chas e.
The fried crawfish are presentable. The gumbo and the etouffee are horrible, simply horrible. This place is not worth the trip.
(2)Christopher M.
Second time going to a Harry's but the first time in G'ville. Our first experience wasn't the best but this time was much better. The service at this location was really good, we had a huge party and our drink were never empty. The waiter also allowed us to try the sauces of the different dishes that they had. I had the Pasta Chicken Louisianne, which was a decision made from tasting the different sauces. Also get the chicken fried because the breading is really good. The bread basket before the actual food was really, really good and their garlic butter only made it better. I am glad I was able to give Harry's a second chance.
(4)Brittany C.
EVERYTHING WAS AMAZING!!! I could literally eat here everyday the food excellent! Gumbo was on point ... service was world class (: the only downer was the wait make a reservation or be prepared to wait a long time
(5)Brian P.
Had the Bayou Grilled Shrimp and everything about this dish was perfect. The seasoning was not over powering. The shrimp was cooked to perfection. The Nola rice with corn maque choice and lemon cream sauce was incredible just the right amount of each ingredient. Portion was perfect, you so often get over fed in Cajun/Creole places...and to be brief the Bananas Foster with a dark rum on the rocks followed suit.
(5)Betsy C.
Walked in and was seated right away for dinner time. Friendly staff and good food. Service was a little slower than I would have preferred but overall tasty. We ordered the Chicken Baton Rouge with side of green beans and Pasta Chicken Louisiana with side of beans and rice. Pasta Chicken Louisiana was much tastier and chicken much more moist than the Chicken Baton Rouge. Greens beans were far better than the rice and beans. I'd definitely return to try other selections on their menu.
(4)Scott T.
Okay, this is my second visit in three years. I had the Harry's special chicken which is grilled chicken topped with sautéed onions mushrooms and melted cheese which sounded like it might be better than what I got the last time which was awful. Unfortunately, while the chicken was cooked find the cheese was not melted to the chicken and it was kind of like a cold lump that was made earlier and put on top of it as a decoration. The other people on my party seemed to enjoy the meals they got. I guess I had a different expectation for this place and it just does not meet my expectation for the price that I pay. My chicken with a side of red beans and rice was $15.99. I think that's kind of high considering it's just chicken and the topping was really awful, oh I think I already said that but it's true. I would rather go any other place then to Harrys been in downtown Gainesville.
(1)Wendy W.
What a great meal from start to finish! Start off with refreshing cocktails then we had mussels and ahi Tuna! Wonderful bread and rounded out with trout and the shrimp/scallops and grits for our entree! We had a wonderful bottle of Pinot with our meal to finish it off! Wonderful yummy must eat here!
(5)Robert H.
Told them we were on a tight frame. Insured us there was no problem. 45 minutes later our food was served....cold. university restaurant that apparently lives off of high demand and low supply
(1)Bennett W.
Needed a place to eat around 9:30pm on a Thursday night after checking in at the Hampton Inn across the street. Walked in without a reservation, it was kind of slow so my wife and I were a little suspicious. No need. The food and service were amazing. We both had a house salad (delicious) and the she-crab soup. It was on point! I love she-crab soup and order it if I see it on a menu. This was some of the best I've ever had. We split an order of the mahi and that was amazing too, with a side of sweet corn grits(OMG) and sautéed spinach & mixed veggies. Our server's name was Olivia, and she took EXCELLENT care of us. Very knowledgeable about the menu, friendly, and accommodating. Ask for her if you go. You won't regret it!
(5)Mary R.
Dog friendly! They have a nice covered patio that we could bring our dog which was nice because there was a chance of rain. The service was a bit slow probably because it was a busy Sunday night. The food was delicious. We had mussels for an appetizer which was delicious. I had the shrimp tacos which were a bit spicy which I wouldn't have ordered if I'd known because I don't do spicy.
(4)Eric M.
Tasty seafood right here. After visiting several times, I must write this review. Harry's is in downtown area of Gainesville and may require a few trips around the block to find a parking place. They have both indoor and patio seating. While they don't have the Clam & Corn Chowder soup every day, this is one of the reasons I go there. The chowder is creamy, well flavored, and ultimately delicious. My other reason, of course, is the cast iron skillet scallops in white cheese. This dish offers ~ 10 large scallops in a cheese sauce and has been cooked perfectly each time. Before knowing about these dishes, I had tried the tacos and fried fish platter, but they do not compare. The complimentary bread with garlic butter is also tasty.
(5)Mabd G.
Every time I have been to Harry's it's been a very pleasurable experience. The food is very good. Seriously, the red beans and rice is incredible. Who ever is in the kitchen here you are an inspiration, you make me want to learn more about this style of cooking. I have never been able to make simple rice and beans taste as good. And yet I am loathe to order it again because there is so much more on your menu I want to try. Each time I have come in I have had something different and am compelled to continue until I have had all you have to offer.
(4)Erica J.
It was AMAZING! Me and my husband went twice in a row. I had the catfish platter both times and order some fired oysters on the said and tried their crab cakes. My husband ordered the first time, Harry's Style chicken and the second time he order what I ordered. We also invited out instructor to come along and she enjoyed it much. She said it was the best restaurant so far she's been to since she moved here and she's from Michigan.
(5)Red C.
Hrrmmm... there a several other seafood places which are better - this is more of a Louisiana/ Cajun restaurant than a seafood restaurant to me. My Jambalaya was ok but not very memorable. I've had several since and this one still was just "ok". I'm pretty sure the fish and shrimp were frozen in it too. My fiance got the etouffe and it was Super FISHY and smelled awful. We asked the waiter and he though the crawfish were fresh. They were slimy and by the smell of them, they were either old/frozen or just bad. We probably won't be back to give it a second chance since we've found several other places we like more. This place was also very loud inside and the not as I hoped. I just I was looking for a place that matched it's pricing... little more upscale and it did disappoint.
(2)Caitlin M.
I've been to this place a couple times, and I have to give it one star because of their lack of vegan options. If you're not a vegan by all means go, but if you are, they don't have anything spectacular. The staff is great, and a chef came out especially to make me something customized vegan, which is was so sweet. But in a college town where even the cheapest local restaurant has tofu or tempeh on their menu, it just kills me to have to go to a nice place like this, have a chef custom make something for me, and have it end up being a pasta with red sauce dish I could have made at home for $3 instead of $20.
(1)Christina R.
2nd trip to Harry's. We thought it would be crazy packed since it was Gator Nationals well... It was but we only had a 10 minute wait which was doable since we wanted a booth. The waitress was helpful with suggesting dishes. My husband wanted a steak and seafood, so she suggested 3 different dinners with steak and he added the scampi shrimp for just $3.99. I wanted seafood so I order the fish with the crab cake on top, as she suggested. My husbands steak was not too fatty for a ribeye and it was sort of melt in you mouthish. It wasn't a thick on the grill steak but it was good. My blackened fish had a bone in it so be careful but it was really good and flavorful. The crab cake on top had a shell in it and it was a little to fishy for me but over all the dish was really good. The corn had a kick to it and the smashed potatoes had little chunks . We will be back to Harry's.
(4)Jennifer B.
I had the eggplant and crab appetizer, hold the crab, due to a lack of vegetarian options on the menu. The dish was very tasty and reasonably filling, though it really didn't remind me much of Louisiana Cajun/Creole food, as I had hoped. I got a side of "seasonal veggies" that was very late to the table and consisted of oily green beans, so that was too bad. A friend and I shared the Oreo beignets for dessert and couldn't finish them, because they were so rich. Once again, very tasty, but more reminiscent of a fried fair treat than an actual beignet. I'd eat there again, but it wasn't my favorite place in Gainesville.
(3)Elena W.
AH-MAY-ZING!!!! We happened upon this place while on a work trip. Had our dog with us, so I looked up dog friendly restaurants. I am SO thankful that Harry's popped up. Our server, Jessica, was very accommodating and pleasant. I ordered the Ultimate Po-Boy, with crawfish, shrimp and bacon. It came with pickled onions that gave the po-boy a nice kick. My niece ordered the catfish po-boy which looked great too. She loved it. Next time I'm in Gainesville, I will be back
(5)John C.
I was debating writing a review for the fear of not doing this place justice. The impression in was left with was "where has this been my whole life" rather than "that was good food". If you're a seafood fan, you owe it to yourself to come here. Prices are around the $10 mark so very reasonable. I was recommended this place by a friend that moved from New Orleans and told me it was the most authentic Cajun/ creole place he's found outside of NOLA bar none.
(5)Kyle P.
Food is very good, never had anything there I didn't love - and the service is always great. My party of 8 was seated in 2 minutes on a busy night. One of the best restaurants in Gainesville.
(5)Donna S.
This place is authentic and awesome. We frequent NOLA several times per year and this is some of the best NOLA food you will find. Ask the staff to order for you. You will not be disappointed.
(5)Anna-Marie W.
The downtown area of Gainesville, FL is just off the campus of the University of Florida and the streets are lined with quaint little cafes and restaurants. No major chains here but there is an outlet of the Harry's Seafood Bar and Grille franchise. Harry's has four other locations from Tallahassee to Lakeland. The restaurant has a New Orleans style menu including Jambalaya and Crawfish Etoufee. We visited on a weekday evening late and sat outside on the patio. The weather was perfect, the street was bustling with plenty of people and things to see. We were immediately served bread which was so hot and fresh I knew we were in a for a great dinner. We started with the Fried Green Tomatoes appetizer. They were very good. Fried perfectly , drizzled with chipotle aioli and topped with feta cheese. Chad ordered the Blackened Redfish served with smashed red skin potatoes. His plate was served with an incredibly delicious lemon sauce. He was nice enough to let me have a bite and it was so tasty I immediately wished I had ordered that instead. I had the pecan crusted trout which was enormous and I paired it with a traditional New Orleans side of red beans and rice. I enjoyed it and the fish was so big I could hardly eat half of it, but I wish I had ordered something else as it wasn't great. It was more of a cod tasting dish than a good piece of trout. I liked the red beans and rice too. My plate had a side of gravy also but I wasn't sure if that was meant for the fish or the red beans and rice. I ended up dipping most of my trout into Chad's lemon sauce. Overall we really liked Harry's. Next time I will try something else other than the pecan crusted trout. For some reason it just wasn't very satisfying. Still, the menu was pretty diverse and the service was impeccable. I hear during the Holidays they roll out a special seasonal menu so that will be our next trip to Harry's. Yum.
(4)Kristin P.
Whenever I'm in a new city, I always check out the Yelp reviews before deciding where to eat. When in Florida, I want some delicious seafood and Harry's was one of the first places to come up. I was a little worried with the 3 1/2 star rating, but once I started reading reviews, I figured - why not? Very glad we chose this place. For one, they have a gluten-free menu (my mother is gluten free) which was very helpful. She ordered the scallops crusted in Parmesan. She let me taste a bite and WOW it was delicious. Completely artery-clogging, but delicious. I ordered the crab cakes (from the signature menu), a little wary because I've had many a crab cake that was more filling than crab. When they came, there were 3 large crab cakes with a red pepper aioli on the side and.....they were great! Definitely enough crab, just the right amount of filling and the aioli went well with them. The portion was huge and I was unable to finish it (should have gone with the appetizer portion I guess) but I'm glad I took a risk. My father got the Crab Crusted Redfish Royale - which was also amazing! Again, covered in butter and fatty goodness but delicious. Our waitress was very attentive and knowledgeable about the food (her name was Brooke). It came out within 15 minutes of ordering. Needless to say I was impressed and happy I chose this place. Thanks fellow Yelpers!
(5)Beth B.
my family and i have been going to harry's for years. it's in an excellent location downtown in an old building (i believe it used to be a furniture store very long ago). the prices are a little on the high side, so we generally go here when celebrating "special occasions", like birthdays, graduations, and rare family get-togethers. the food is delicious with a lot of food options. i've never been disappointed by anything i've ordered. the service is efficient, pleasant and professional.
(5)Jennifer V.
We stopped in on a beautiful Sunday evening & sat on the patio. My daughters ordered Ribeye (VERY fatty) with smashed potatoes (cool & hard), I ordered the seared tuna ap as my meal (the texture was wrong...kind of soft/mushy...lacking the expected firmness). Hubby ordered the crawfish & LOVED it but was struck with a very upset stomach before we got back to our car. The waitress was okay - friendly & pleasant. The atmosphere was nice. The bread served before the meal was great & they made really good fried pickle chips. However, the meals were terrible.
(2)Rita V.
Service was very nice, but the food is mediocre bar food... In a town infested with places to feed college waves of parents and student - there are many other choices to visit. I am a fan of NOLA/Low Country cuisine... this is not Baton Rouge, Lafayette or NOLA my friends. Its bar food, with bar twist. Super nice bartenders, beers on tap.
(2)Susan W.
The food was wonderful as always, but our server, Brandi, made it an awful experience. She was rude and made us feel very unwelcome. I don't know if we came at a time when she was about to be off of work, or just was having a bad day. It was probably the worst service I've ever received in a restaurant.
(2)Jessica S.
I'm obsessed with southern food and easily sniffed out this place while on a business trip. I had a late lunch at the bar and was pleasantly surprised by how tasty the jambalaya was. I would have liked it a bit spicer, but that's just my personal preference.The lunch portion is huge!! Limited, but nice, wine list, but more importantly Abita amber available on draft and Turbodog by the bottle. Great service and nice decor. Doesn't entirely feel like a New Orleans themed restaurant but I appreciate the subtlety instead of having the restaurant looking like a Mardi Gras bomb exploded all over the place.
(5)Adam S.
I came in for a quick lunch during the week. The restaurant was pretty busy, but we had no trouble getting good service and our food came out quickly. I had the po boy. It surprised me how much I liked it. The pickled onions really set it off. The seafood tasted fresh and was perfectly crispy, but not overcooked. Before I knew it, the whole thing was gone. Service was fast and friendly. Our food came out all at once and everyone seemed happy. Nice spot, I'll be back if I'm at UF again with time for a meal.
(4)Donald S.
Today I am having shrimp creole with fried grit cake OMG I am stuffed, don't ask me how it was. I can't talk right now Returned 7/11/13, still haven't posted previous review Today I had jnalya and fried grit cake. Fgc not as creamy as usual Jnalya was great
(4)Carl W.
This place is great. My girlfriend and I just went to Emiliano's across the way, and they were insanely rude to us. This place couldn't be more different. A friendly staff mixed with great food make this a great place to eat. Fried green tomatoes are the best.
(5)Lanise A.
Nice food. I had the Shrimp Jambalaya with a Key Lime pie. They serve in big portions which is worth the price.
(4)Kylie S.
No food for vegetarians here but HALF PRICED martinis on Wednesdays (which are also farmers market days..) Stopped in with my boyfriend and doggie, we sat outside and had yummy martinis and the waiter even brought us complimentary bread with whipped herbed butter. We gave in to some Key Lime Pie too (crust a bit too sweet). Friendly wait staff, nice location for drinks before the farmers market :)
(5)Therese O.
Order the fried green tomatoes and the Étouffée, it is delicious. The staff is very friendly and helpful.
(4)Kristin H.
So I know this place is a chain and apparently people don't give it much respect. But I really enjoyed my food! My caesar salad was tasty, as was my shrimp étouffée. It was one of the best places I ate on my trip to Gainesville. I'd look forward to coming back!
(4)Mary H.
Wow, this place was a real surprise and treat! Recommended by the folks at the Magnolia Inn B&B, we liked the craft beer and cocktails. The catfish p'boy is memorable, that's all I can say! Try it!!
(4)Pamela D.
Wonderful service and great ambiance, serving sizes are enormous enough for two people or more. I don't recommend the beans rice and sausage dish it is very sweet and could easily be a can of baked beans. Enjoy if you like caloric food.
(3)J C.
Can be hit or miss. When they get it right, which is the majority of the time, it is good but not spectacular. The bread at this location has really fallen below the grade. The po boy sandwich has suffered due to this. The bourbon salmon has consistently been good and the burgers are good. Shrimp and grits good but not amazing. Will continue to eat here due to location.
(3)Kelly F.
I don't know why everyone loves this place. The portions are tiny for the price. I was expecting a salad with our meals, but nope. The restaurant is pretty cool, but kind of loud. Our server was great, but there was a very rowdy group next to us so we had to shout to hear each other.
(3)Lauren V.
Went here with my family on pit stop during our road trip and was pleasantly surprised! The food was all great and we loved the Cucumber Gimlet cocktail! We were able to try the Jambalaya, the Crab Crusted Red Fish and the Shrimp Creole, all were very very delicious! I would definitely suggest the Jambalaya! Service and prices were both great (especially for a sea food restaurant) and the menu was extensive for those not in the mood for fish. The portions were very big so if your in the mood for a light meal you might want to consider sharing.
(4)Jason C.
I thought I would drop a quick update here. I've come to know some of the people who run this place since posting my first review, and honestly. I really like their approach to things. They are as passionate about creole/cajun as I am. One of my friends their and I have spent hours talking New Orleans haunts, Sazeracs, and where to get the best raw oysters over cigars numerous times. Does Harry's get it all perfect? There are things here and there I would change -- more cornmeal in the breading and little things like that. So no, they aren't the best Louisiana style cuisine I've ever had, but they are pretty damned good, especially considering how far we are from New Orleans and Lafayette. I also know they really care about doing it right, so I felt after going a few more times and getting to know them a bit, I should update accordingly and give them a fair shake.
(4)Mike W.
I ate here with some friends Friday night after a friend's cocktail party. Harry's was close by and unlike The Top, didn't have a huge line or long wait to get in, but was doing a good business. The atmosphere is nice enough and the location, for downtown Gainesville, is ideal. Service, especially Mindy who was our waitress, seems to be great and they really pay attention to their customers. All of that is a recipe for a quality restaurant, however, the food must also measure up. And there's the problem, the food doesn't. My shrimp etouffee was both too salty and too sweet and the shrimp tasted as if they were frozen--not fresh. My friends' dishes, an ahi tuna salad and a chicken dish, were both not very impressive and neither of my friends said they would come back. In fact, all we did agree to be the highlight of our visit was the awesome waitress who was clearly doing her best. I've had drinks here before during happy hour, and they pour decent--and generous--drinks. Their desserts may be ok, too, from what I've heard. However, if you're a wannabe Creole restaurant, get the shrimp etouffee right. It's not that hard to make. As it stands, they're overpriced and not very good at all. I guess the location is keeping things going for them though.
(2)Bret A.
New Orleans based menu with American options. The short ribs and most New Orleans seafood dishes are consistently good. The fresh bread smelled and tasted wonderful with a flavored butter. Caesar salad is an excellent main dish as well - very large - and the burgers are kids' favorites. The inside atmosphere is pleasant and relaxing. Sitting outside puts you street side for the walk around crowd on a Gainesville weekend crowd. The restaurant is centrally located with street parking. It is a fun meeting place but does get very crowded during Gator football season. The servers were very nice but a little slow on both occasions. I have visited.
(3)Thomas B.
I **HATE** Harry's because of their rude, snarly, incompetent managers -- who act like they are doing you a favor by being there! Guess what? Your job is to accommodate and serve -- so go shove your attitude! Here the details: (1) 1st Incident (November 2012): Went to Harry's with a group of about 10. Checked in at the front desk. We we're seated and ordered drinks. Then the "manager" approaches, UN-seats us and leaves us standing in the aisle in the middle of the restaurant, to "wait our turn", because according to her, "you we're seated out order and someone else was ahead of you". One person is our group was an 86 year old man -- she didn't care, took the table away and left us waiting -- after their hostess has seated us and drinks had already been ordered. -- After that, I would **NEVER** ever have set foot in this place again of my own accord! -- (2) 2nd incident (today, April 2013): A group of 20 wanted to go here after an event, so I went along. We called the manager, Heather, about 30 minutes ahead of time to give them a heads up. Received the, "No problem and let me know if you need anything when you arrive". We arrive, no table ready or available. Heather, in a fairly rude manner, gives us two choices: #1 - Get split up and seated now or #2 - Wait 25-30 minutes to be seated together. Although her attitude is atrocious and completely lacking for someone in the hospitality business, it is Friday night and the restaurant did only have 30 minute advance notice, so OK. We waited -- about 20 minutes. After 20 minutes of waiting, because we told her we wanted to be seated together, she split the group up anyway. When I pointed out that the entire front room is totally empty, she goes into this tirade/lecture, the highlights being: "It's a busy Friday night" and "I don't have any servers for that area". All stated in a manner in which one would lecture a small child! I'm pissed -- so I respond back, "Is it that difficult for your servers to turn right, instead of left?" The response from Heather, "Well fine, I can prep that front room but you'll have to wait another 15 minutes". At this point, I just left -- it was either that or punch Heather right in the face! Someone like that should **NEVER** ever be in a front-line, customer service position. Her job is to be accommodating, not rude/demanding and bossy! I am completely a totally done with Harry's and swear to never set foot in this place ever again! The management does **NOT** appreciate their customers, we're all just mere cattle to pushed and prodded through to them!
(1)Russ B.
I've eaten here many times. One of my favorites is the Taste if New Orleans - a great sampler. My wife loves their Fried Shrimp - and since they give her more than she can eat, I get say that they do indeed taste great. For dessert we had the Oreo bignet - it was simply Amazing. Unfortunately when we asked for it the next time we visited we found out that they don't always offer it. It is worth asking for - and if we keep asking for it maybe they will make it a permanent addition to their menu.
(5)Antoinette O.
My husband, parents and I visited Harry's in December 2012 after seeing A Christmas Carol at the Hippodrome. The ambiance was beautiful - there was a giant Christmas tree set up in the corner of the dining area which made for a beautiful photo op for our family. I ordered the shrimp scampi for dinner, but it was delivered cold. It was also watery in consistency. I sent it back, and while my plate was away, my father started to cough profusely. All glasses on the table were empty, and our server passed by our table twice, ignoring the sounds of his choking. In fact, it seemed that because I had complained about the food, that our server (a female) was intent on avoiding us. When my food came back, it was still watery, but warm. This was the only opportunity we had to ask for refills so that my dad would stop choking. I wasn't impressed with my meal. Mom, dad and hubby weren't overly impressed either, given the cost. The service here was inexcusable. I do not live in Gainesville, my parents do. However, none of us will ever be visiting Harry's again. The food needs freshening, and the wait staff need to become much more attentive to money-paying guests!
(2)Jennifer P.
I've been here twice. The service has been excellent. The first time, I had the shrimp and scallop New Orleans which was absolutely delicious. The second time I had two for one absolut peppar bloody Marys and the blackened shrimp salad. The bloody Marys were weak and the salad was very disappointing; it was predominantly iceberg stems which I feel is not acceptable for a $14 salad. There was, however, quite a bit of shrimp and feta on it.
(4)Jessica L.
I have lunch here with my coworkers a few times a year, always on a business day at lunch time. While they are not overly busy for lunch, the service is always verrryyy slow, and we've never been able to get out in under 1 hour and 45 minutes for a party of 6. The food here simply isn't anything special. I enjoy cooking and I regularly make similar things that I enjoy more. It's not bad by any means, just that when I go out I expect a little more than what I could make at home. Also, and I know this comes with the territory of this style of food, but I feel like everyone's plate always looks like some form of sloshy brown soup. If the presentation were improved maybe psychology would kick in to make it more appetizing. All in all, I'm not impressed. I've never had anything I've disliked here, but I also have not found anything I've cared to order on a future visit and have definitely never been "wow"ed.
(2)Scott E.
Overpriced for the so so food . nice atmosphere.
(2)Casey H.
This place was great for the few days we were in the city. I had the tuna salad and it was awesome! I was surprised to see how fresh the tuna was on the salad. If you are staying at the Hampton then you get a free appetizer.
(4)Jonathan W.
This weekend, I was in Gainesville for a work related Conference. I heard that this North Florida college town had a flourishing restaurant & gourmet scene, so I was kind of excited. As I like to explore and promote restaurants that capture the essence of the city, I was the guy chosen to pick a place where staff, Board members and conference attendees should go. After calling and texting friends who lived in the area for a day, it was agreed that I ought to try out "Harry's Seafood Bar and Grille." In addition to being a place for doing business and entertaining clients, they are known to take the best of Cajun, Creole and Southern flavors and infuse them with current day twists to create popular Louisiana dishes. When I called to make reservations, I was told that they didn't take them. This was unfortunate as it was on my checklist to secure a restaurant. However, upon talking to their manager on the phone, they were willing to be flexible and work with me. So that was nice. When I walked in, the atmosphere was pretty nice for a casual chain. It was very cozy with primarily booths and soft lighting... both of which are attractive. Upon looking at the menu, I saw that they also donated $1 for every Po'boy purchased in February. The money is donated to the Florida Association of Food Banks, which is a partnership of 14 food banks that serve all of Florida. It is nice to see a restaurant that gives back to the community. For appetizers, my table ordered the Mussels Saint Charles. These mussels were mixed with sun dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers and white wine sauce. I usually like simple skillet roasted mussels with kosher sea salt and olive oil. This variation, however, had a pleasant Creole touch. We also ordered the Fried Green Tomatoes which were crusted with corn flakes, covered in both chipotle aioli and crumbled feta cheese. For my meal, I ordered the Jambalaya. This is their signature dish and it is mixed with shrimp, chicken & sausage. Ideally, I wanted brown rice. However, all they had to accompany it was enriched white rice or pasta. The dish was HUGE, but it wasn't abounding with any complex flavor and it didn't taste as fresh as real New Orleans seafood. In fact, I had a suspicious feeling that much of it came from a tin can. I had to even add hot sauce. My table was very diverse. Seated was a group of people with Chinese, Cuban, and Puerto Rican backgrounds. In spite of this diversity, EVERYbody was happy. The menu catered to this diversity with an extensive menu of fish, crab cakes, scallops, shrimp, ribeyes and tenderloins. Indeed, I was happy to have chosen a restaurant where nobody complained. Usually, there is always somebody that complains. Nobody did this time. The waiter was attentive, pleasant and also kind of cute. He had this "Portandia" look to him. Overall, it was not a bad experience; it was not a great one either. If I considered going back to this downtown restaurant and give them another try, I would like to try their Bayou Grilled Shrimp. "When the taste changes with every bite and the last bite is as good as the first, that's Cajun." - Paul Prudhomme
(3)Todd W.
Absolutely wonderful food and a joyful dining experience. Food here is tremendous! She-crab soup is to die for! Highly recommended! Wonderful flavors bursting with every wonderful spoonful! A true delight with every bite! Ocala location appears to be the same.
(5)Antonia P.
I had the op boy and it was so yummy and big. They put a lot of shrimp on and they services is really good. Lay back place. I will be coming back
(5)Justin L.
I admit I'm obsessed with the Chicken Jolie Blonde. I had a chance to revisit my undergrad days at UF when I flew in on business. I stayed at the Hampton Inn right across from Harry's and craved the chicken. It was every bit as good as I remembered. I came near closing, but received great service. The chicken was cooked perfectly and the sauce hit the spot. I had cheddar grits as my side and it was a great decision that made my trip (besides winning in court).
(5)Laura Terese H.
Labor day, the day when all local places you usually go to are closed. (Okay ...its also a day to celebrate the workers of the world) We found ourselves downtown and hungry, and we both hadnt been into Harrys for awhile, so we decided to give it a go. The place was not that busy, perhaps because it was raining, or maybe because people were home watching the MDA Telethon. We were greeted by a Hostess (a blonde) that mumbled, wouldnt look us in the eye and grabbed the menus and just started walking. No "follow me to your table" we just followed her out of instinct. Sat by the windows, at a 4 top. Our waitress came by and again, Mumbly McMumblepants. Gave her our drink orders. Looked at the menu, I had forgotten what exactly Harry's offered, I know its "new orleans" style food, and I take that with a wink and a smile, I dont expect New Orleans level food in Gainesville, or from a chain. The lunch menu has very reasonable prices, there are appetizers (crab cakes, wings, calamari) They have lunch salads with seafood. There are the Jambalayas the Etoufees, the creole, the cajuns, the PoBoys and the Remoulades. I chose to go for the Fried Oyster Po Boy(8.99), with fries (it comes with one side dish and you can choose from Fries, sweet cream corn grits, coleslaw, NOLA rice, Red beans and rice, seasonal veg,and smashed potato, and grit cakes) It comes with a ketchup and mayo mixture on the side, lettuce and tomato only. I was craving oysters and it satisfied, was it a "po boy" no, but it was a damn good oyster sandwich. The fries were a touch too underdone but still good. My man got the Jambalaya (9.99) with the orecchiette shaped pasta instead of rice, think "open shells". It comes with the regular jambalaya sauce, but also she offered the "mushroom cream sauce" that goes with the chicken Louisianne as an option, He asked for it on the side to try it (and when our server came out he said it was soup because it was in this giant bowl!) Im glad he got it on the side, it wasnt what jambalaya should taste like ...think mushroom alfredo sauce..,It was delicious though i dipped my fries in it, and sandwich,,,,and fingers... The food was really good, satisfying, properly priced. The service however was lacking. I know its the big easy, but she took that as being her cue to take it easy on being a good waitress. It took her forever to take our order, to fill drinks, to refill drinks, and she also forgot to bring out the complimentary bread until the last second when our lunches were being served. We would absolutely come back again....for lunch. Dinner prices are far more than I like to spend on such a casual place. (The Jambalaya at dinner is 14.99 and the Po Boy is 9.99)
(4)Gwanda P.
This is a must visit!!! The price is right! The service is excellent! Parking garage across the street which is reasonably priced! FOOD: red fish with crab meat on top with your choice of sides. The recommend sizes that actually go with the dish will be included but you can choose alternative sides! Yum! Grits are so smooth and tasty they will melt in your mouth! Tuesdays half off on ALL drinks! Wednesday there is a similar deal! Cajun shrimp and rice a must try. Mahi Mahi a must try!!! You get a huge plate of food for a reasonable price! YUM-me!
(5)Phuong V.
I fell in love with their crawfish etouffee. Absolutely delicious and savory, with a kick of spice. They're also very generous with the amount of crawfish on the dish. This review is based solely on this dish. Some of their other dishes are subpar.
(5)Asa D.
Could not identify pork medallions. Overcooked and flavorless. Maybe Harry's just couldn't handle the holiday crowd?
(1)Dawn R.
Stopped in for a business lunch with a couple of colleagues, not knowing what to expect. I was pretty excited when I saw they were a New Orleans/Cajun style restaurant and our server Diane assured us that we'd think we were on Bourbon St (obviously, she's never been to Bourbon St, because there aren't that many actual resataurants on that particular street, but I digress...) My two colleagues ordered the jambalaya and I got the red beans & rice with sausage. I ended up splitting my dish with one of my colleagues in exchange for some of his jambalaya, and have to say that of the two dishes, the red beans wins by a landslide. The jambalaya was bland at best.....the addition of some hot sauce helped, but it still wasn't great. The red beans & rice were actually pretty good, and the sausage was delicious! Service was relatively fast, although it did take a long time to get refills on our drinks. Prices were reasonable, and they give you a 10% discount if you're staying at the Hampton Inn across the street, so that was nice (you do have to show your room key to prove it...they don't just take your word for it). Overall, not a bad experience, but not a great one. I may consider going back to give them another try with something else from the menu.
(3)Adam G.
I'd like to give a 3 1/2 stars, but I guess I'll round up based on today alone. On the drink side, it's over priced. Approximately $3.50 for a domestic pint? Eh. But they have Abita amber on tap and even at $4.25 a pint, it's so damn good. Not a place I'd go to drink though. I've only dined in a couple times and the service was fair, so no strikes there. I typically get the food to go and take it back to work. As far as burgers and po' boys go, they're simply average. That's where I want to remove a half star. Their entrees vary between good and great (I'm not a fan of their grouper or mahimahi). I love their shrimp and scallop orleans though. These grit cakes are amazing. The red beans and rice are pretty good. The portions are adequate for a lunch menu. I'll go back on occasion.
(4)Coleen T.
Had the shrimp and grits... I was just blown away. I haven't actually been in the restaurant since we just grabbed a pick up order, but it was delicious!!
(5)Mallory B.
This place was much better than I expected. I actually had never gone in because I couldn't really tell what kind of place it would be - seemed like just a casual chain - but a few people had recommended it, so when my in-laws were in town, we took them to Harry's. I was getting over the flu when we were there, so I doubled up with ice water and hot tea while the others had white wine or beer. They have some really interesting and local beers on tap, which Gainesville-ians seem to like. My husband and his dad both started off with the she-crab soup (4.99), which was kind of chunky and kind of a bisque, but really, really good! His dad's girlfriend and I shared the fried green tomatoes (7.99) for starters, and they were the best I've had (including at Flying Biscuit, another local favorite). Crispy and served with feta and a chipotle aioli. For dinner, my husband had the bourbon street salmon (16.99), which he enjoyed. I had the pecan-crusted trout (15.99) with their corn grits - I probably wouldn't have it again, since the pecans were a little much for me, but it was a huge portion and I took half of the plate home to have for lunch the next day! DH's dad had the shrimp creole (13.99) - also a huge portion - and his girlfriend had the grilled jumbo shrimp (14.99). It was kind of weird how much the portions varied among the dinner plates. The salmon and shrimp dishes were both pretty small, while my father-in-law and I couldn't finish half of ours. For dessert, my father-in-law and his gf had the bananas foster (4.99) - the only dessert made on site - while my husband and I shared the chocolate bread pudding (5.99), which is pretty much chocolate pound cake layered with vanilla ice cream, and NOT bread pudding. It was still good, though! I would have tried the bananas foster, but I'm inconveniently allergic to bananas. We actually had a great waiter who kept coming by to refill my hot and cold water equally. If he failed to check in (it was a busy Saturday night), it was pretty easy to flag him down, as all his tables were clearly nearby. The dinner was expensive, although probably pretty reasonable for seafood, but as such I'd probably only come on special occasions. The decor is casual and the food is fancy! My father-in-law and his girlfriend kept commenting on how this was the best dinner they'd had since they got to the southeast, which included a stay on Hilton Head Island and a few excursions into Georgia. Plus, they're Canadian, so they know seafood :)
(5)Andrew M.
Went relatively early on a Saturday evening. Party of five. Our server came around before the final person arrived - we asked him to come back once we were all there. It was a while before we saw him again, although at no time was the place even remotely close to busy. We never got water, nor were we asked if we wanted any. Took a while for drinks to arrive after we ordered them. Mussel appetizer was nicely done, but we had to ask for bread. He seemed put out that we did. Entrees took a while, and were good, but not great.We had been done for quite a while before our server returned to ask if we were interested in anything else. Not wanting to be there for another hour, we declined. Long wait for check. Long wait for check to be picked up. Left about half of the 20% one would normally tip for adequate service. Then, as we were waiting by the door for one of our party to return from the restroom, the guy walks by and gives us a dirty look! Never going there again.
(3)Tessa M.
Can you say large portions! The food was good not as good as the real new Orleans food but it's the best in Gainesville that I've had so far. I ordered the red beans & rice with smoked sausage, it was good. My husband had the Jambalaya I wish I would of gotten that, it was real good. To drink I had the pomegranate martini don't worry it was sweet not like a normal martini at all. Next time I'll try the Harry's Hurricane...maybe. What do you think? Mathew was my waiter. Young looking kid and too my surprise the best waiter I've had in Gainesville in years and I eat out a lot. ;-) The next time I have 60 dollars to spend for two on dinner I will come back again for the Jambalaya and ask for Mathew.
(4)Jocelyn R.
Good food and very moderately priced. Definitely a great option if you are downtown. Disclaimer, I am not a fan of seafood, so I can't say anything about that. But they have some really good chicken dishes and omg love their grits. Also, They have half-price martinis all day Wednesday (my fave is the passion fruit) and a pretty good happy hour all other weekdays (2-7 I think, drinks are 2 for 1). I have always had pretty good service here. We often go with a big group from work, so I know its kind of hard to keep everything straight and make sure everyone has everything they need, but they have always done a great job and been very attentive. Great place overall!
(4)Dorian B.
Tried the shrimp and scallops Orleans and the ahi tuna salad- both were delicious, happy hour every Tuesday all day- dined in January
(4)Mike N.
Great Cajun food, great service, and atmosphere. I always order seafood gumbo and fried oyster PO boy. This time they made me a fried crawfish PO boy. My wife loves the crawfish ettoffe (sp?)
(5)Richard W.
I love the seafood here! This place has great food. Their crawfish etouffee is what I usually order here. It's well spiced and has plenty of crawfish. There's no skimping on seafood in this place. Their gumbo really stands out too. I've never seen a line here and the service is always attentive. the only downside here is that I would have to say it's a little overpriced. I would come back alot more, but it's just a little too much on my wallet.
(4)David F.
I went with a group of three couples on a Friday night. Upon checking in, we were told that there would be a thirty minute wait. Surprisingly, we only had to wait ten minutes. Yeah!! I wish I could remember his name but the waiter was excellent and really took great care of us. The six of us got six different dishes and all claimed their orders were great and cooked as asked. I ordered the shrimp and grits with a side of red beans a rice. The food was perfect and I really enjoyed it. The food and service should be commended!!
(5)Dennis D.
This place isn't bad for a chain. In fact, I wouldn't have guessed it was a chain if I didn't have to look them online before hand. I was disappointed that they don't take reservations, but we came here for a friend's birthday and everyone enjoyed themselves. Our server was a little slow with his game, but since others seemed happy, I can't fault the entire place for that. The beer selection, the wine selection, and the rest of the items that come from the bar were great. The food was delicious. The only thing I can't speak to is how authentically "new orleans" the food is. I can't really say any more. You should try it out. I plan to return to try a po-boy.
(3)