Gators Riverside Grille image

Gators Riverside Grille

Restaurant Family restaurant

Outdoor, pet-friendly family restaurant serving fish, alligator & burgers with a seafarer theme. People often mention good, time, service, river, server, friendly, staff, Great, great, stars,


Address

4255 Peninsula Point, Sanford, FL 32771

Contact

(407) 688-9700

Price rating

$$ $$

Rating on Google Maps

4.10 (1.6K reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Sunday: 11 AM to 8 PM
  • Monday: 11 AM to 8 PM
  • Tuesday: 11 AM to 8 PM
  • Wednesday: 11 AM to 8 PM
  • Thursday: 11 AM to 8 PM
  • Friday: 11 AM to 9 PM
  • Saturday: 11 AM to 9 PM

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: good (14) time (11) service (11) river (8) server (8) friendly (7) staff (7) Great (6) great (6) stars (6)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 5/5 Vy 2 years ago on Google
    Great food and great atmosphere. Highly recommend having the 1lb shrimp boil and wings. Wait time is a little long but that's all good - enjoy your time and take in the atmosphere
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 MR. R. 1 year ago on Google
    The gator bites were disappointing, buffalo wings were OK... And they were a decent size... But the gator bites seem like they was under a flood light they were dried and hard overcooked this was 1,pound of Gator bit, I only got to eat 4or5 out of a Pound 😵‍💫 $75.00. All ways check your food before you leave the restaurant, I took it for granted to head good food ??? Ooop's 😵‍💫
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Ronald R. 1 year ago on Google
    Beautiful location on the river. Quick service & delicious food. 2nd time visiting. Beautiful servers & peaceful. Will continue to return. 5stars👍
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Ben J. 1 year ago on Google
    Awesome down to earth place right on the river with excellent burgers! Very good service. Ashley was very friendly and was great at keeping everyone happy. Will be coming back here for sure.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Jenine S. 2 years ago on Google
    First time and the staff was welcoming and helpful. Food was hot and fresh.. very good and big portions. Beer and wine only was slightly disappointing but I'd come back
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 M 2 years ago on Google
    Delicious food and friendly service. We arrived by boat, but there is a large parking lot for vehicles, as well. Good deal of buckets of beer. Great view of the water. Highly recommended!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Leland G. 9 months ago on Google
    Nice atmosphere, I'm sure it's a cool place to hang out with your buds and grab a beer. FYI, there's no A/C as it's mostly outside. Went there to eat lunch, there were maybe 4 other tables occupied. Took 20 minutes and nothing, so we bounced.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Michele J. 9 months ago on Google
    Waited over an hour for food... turkey club and BLT. Dirty. Little kids walking in and out of the kitchen. 2 tables beside us were asked to move bc the high tops they were at are highly recommended this was a table of ladies and elderly people. But they never used the group of men to move. This place needs to be shut down. Absolutely horrible
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Cody 6 months ago on Google
    Great little place along the water. Food we decent. The fried shrimp was the best!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Erik M. 1 year ago on Google
    What an amazing restaurant and location. The staff were wonderful, the food was absolutely outstanding and A+ quality. Our server was really nice and treated us like family. Though I live in Palm Coast, I will gladly make the drive just to eat here again!!!!!!!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Kimberley B. 8 months ago on Google
    Great River side Southern hospitality! Max served it up, hot food cold beer at a reasonable price. Enjoyed the sampler, fried catfish, gator bites and butterfly shrimp, side of slaw and FF, assortment of dipping sauce. Cooked just right by Russo! Definated stop in and enjoy!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 2/5 Brantly C. 7 months ago on Google
    Preface: I have eaten here a few times before and had an acceptable meal. I know not to expect more than what any normal person may. This time I ordered catfish. Two pretty and large fillets came out. Fish quality was average, but they were quite soggy and a little undercooked in addition. And soggy catfish I may feed to a stray cat, but never my dog. Coleslaw and fries were blah as well. Did not feel compelled to eat them. So i sent that back and asked for a dozen wings since they have a 75cent/piece special. Wings were mid to low grade but definitely hot and crunchy. The celery looked like the dog had been chewing on it and was slimy and soggy. Cold bottles of miller lite and friendly waitress saved the day.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 2/5 K D. 6 months ago on Google
    The good: I loved sitting on the river and just enjoyed the scenery so much. That's the only reason I'm giving this any stars. The food was bland! No seasoning at all! My mom got a sandwich which she didn't eat becauseit was nasty and the bread was stale! and the server only gave her a 10% discount... If someone doesn't eat the food it should be taken off the check not $1 off... My food was swimming in sauce even though I asked for very light sauce so I couldn't eat my food either. The server even told us people keep bringing food back...The only reason I'll go back is for the river. I couldn't see myself eating here again .

  • 2/5 Paula F. 5 months ago on Google
    I really wanted to love this place because it's so close to my job but the burger was not good at all and the bun was stale and falling apart. Our waitress was nice though and it's a very pretty view of the river.

  • 5/5 Jim G. 6 months ago on Google
    Very relaxing dining experience waiting to be had. The sun was out. The breeze was breezing. The service was fantastic. The burger I ordered was spot on. The root beer was ice cold. The river was moving along little patches of Lily pads. Do it. Get your best friend to join. You won't regret it.

  • 4/5 Debbie H. 11 months ago on Google
    Been going here for decades, and it's nice to sit back and take in the water, the animals, and the people. Honestly, if you dont have at least an hour+, you might want to call your order in. We have always gone for lunch, so maybe it's just the way lunch rolls now. Service can be slow and turn around for ordered food can be the same way. The new cook came out and introduced himself. That was nice, and maybe things are quicker now. All in all, I give a 4 and would recommend to people.

  • 1/5 Lynette S. 1 year ago on Google
    The food was horrible and the service was worse. Our server looked at us several times and never greeted us until someone else did. She never checked on us and didn’t even look at us when she took our credit card for the check. My father even joked that the server was giving me dirty looks because…well that would require her to look at me or even near me. The food took over an hour to come out and not once did she speak to us “food will be right out. Can I refill your soda…”etc. I had to stop her and ask for a refill more than once. Once the food arrived I thought it was joke-my sister’s burger was so well done it almost crunched. I ordered garlic parmesan sauced wings-they were quite literally fried chicken with heaps and heaps of jarred garlic on top. It was so dry and so covered in raw cooking garlic I couldn’t even eat it, but the server never stopped to question the entire plate of wings pushed to the side. The hush puppies we ordered were also covered in powder sugar-how disgusting. Our bill totaled to around $70 for 4 people. For that brand of service, the unwanted feeling our server ensured to give us, and the mediocre at best food with the 1 hour+ wait for said food-save your money and just eat 5 mins up the street at Waffle House-cause even that is better than this.

  • 5/5 Lea Anne N. 1 year ago on Google
    Great location, always stop by on my way to the airport in Sanford. Pub Chips are a must! Open air bar so dress accordingly.

  • 3/5 Walt 1 year ago on Google
    We were early for our flight so decided to stop for lunch. Gator bites were like chewing on a piece of rubber, service was below average. Honestly haven't been to a place with the food and service was so poor. Hey at least the live music was good. It's such a cool place hopefully they can make some adjustments. The place could be a diamond in the rough! Also pet friendly...

  • 3/5 Roman 1 year ago on Google
    This is a tale of two reviews. First, the good: Love the spot on the River. Relaxing views from both the covered and un covered seating. Entertainment was great. Professor Messer…he is 5 stars on his own. Talented musician playing a wide array of music, and instruments. Food was solid. My burger was perfect and wife’s Grouper Ruben was outstanding. Beers were $4 each and had good options. They also serve huge cups of wine if you like that. Staff was friendly and attentive, when they had a moment. More on that… The bad: Service: 2 stars. They were busy when we were seated, so we expected a delay. After ordering it took 70 minutes to get our food. At no time were we told about a possible delay or issues they were having. During our time waiting, 2 tables of guests just walked out. We understand things happen. However to offer no explanations or even an apology for the delay…there really is no excuse. Will we be back? Not sure. But if we do, we would ask, and recommend all others as well, about the estimated service time.

  • 4/5 Cheryl D. 1 year ago on Google
    About an hr and 20 min wait at 1 pm. We weren't checked on and had to ask for refills. But the food was good. I got Onion rings and gator bites. Would go back but definitely want better service.

  • 3/5 Gary E. 1 year ago on Google
    Nice location, friendly staff but... The meals take a noticably long time to be delivered. When asked, the wait staff said it was due to a cook quitting. Here's to hoping the head count increases and the issue to prompt a staff member are resolved ASAP. Otherwise like most places on the water a fresh coat of paint is recommended.

  • 4/5 Douglas C. 2 years ago on Google
    Let me tell you, I have been in this place one time and if food and service were all I would have to rate this place by, five stars would be what I would give. The day we were there, they were slammed with a baseball team and had problems with their new kitchen. The wait staff was great at trying their best to keep us happy and they did. LONG wait but great food. Had it been a little more timely, no problem giving this place five stars.

  • 5/5 David S. 2 years ago on Google
    Great off the path place to eat! Right alo g the river. The were friendly and have a great assortment of beers to enjoy while sitting in the open air :) The food was good, first time having gator and it was pretty good!

  • 5/5 Louise “Tootsie” W. 2 years ago on Google
    Very nice server name Caitlin had a smile as big as they come. We went out to eat my daughter three grandkids and my mother and myself. Mom got this turkey club looked amazing with french fries. Me and my daughter shared the fried sampler everything was good on it except for the Gator Gator was either way overcooked or just cut wrong cuz it was hard and chewy. Fish was amazing shrimp was amazing corn fritter was absolutely to die for when she got more than just one they were very very good. The kids enjoyed a Philly cheese steak with nothing on it and some garlic honey wings. And the youngest of the grandkids the baby she munched on everything french fries fish a little turkey a little steak a little bit of everything she had some french fries she enjoyed herself.

  • 5/5 Amirah E. 1 year ago on Google
    Food was delicious and the staff were awesome too!! What a better way than to eat your meal and have a few cold ones by the river.


Call (407) 688-9700 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Parking
    • ✓️ Free parking lot
    • ✓️ Plenty of parking
  • Payments
    • ✓️ Debit cards
    • ✓️ Credit cards
    • ✓️ NFC mobile payments
  • Offerings
    • ✓️ Beer
    • ✓️ Wine
    • ✓️ Coffee
    • ✓️ Alcohol
    • ✓️ Cocktails
    • ✓️ Quick bite
    • ✓️ Hard liquor
    • ✓️ Comfort food
    • ✓️ Small plates
    • ✓️ Happy hour food
    • ✓️ Happy hour drinks
  • Popular for
    • ✓️ Lunch
    • ✓️ Dinner
    • ✓️ Solo dining
  • Accessibility
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible seating
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible entrance
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible restroom
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible parking lot
  • Dining options
    • ✓️ Lunch
    • ✓️ Dinner
    • ✓️ Seating
  • Service options
    • ✓️ Dine-in
    • ✓️ Takeout
    • ✗ Delivery
    • ✓️ Outdoor seating

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