Gator Joe's Beach Bar & Grill — Restaurant in Belleview

We had lunch at Gator Joe’s on a weekend during the summer of 2025. We arrived shortly after opening (approximately 11AM). Our quick lunch turned into a two and a half hour marathon lunch. They were pretty quiet at first, but the customer crowd grew somewhat rapidly as the time went on. Our server quickly became less and less available. Although there were other servers around, it seemed like our server was very quickly overwhelmed with other tables. We were seated and ordered beverages before we ordered. Our drinks came, but then we had to wait to order. For some reason, it took about another half hour before we were able to order. I attribute that to the other tables that came in after us. Our server even admitted that the influx of additional tables overwhelmed them. Once we ordered, it did not take long for another person to drop off our order. Our order consisted of one shrimp basket, one chicken finger basket, one soft drink and one water with lemon. I cannot comment on the food as a whole, as we only had fried food. But the fried baskets were pretty good. Not the best we’ve ever had, but good. I will point out that the chicken fingers kind of tasted like fish. I figure that there is probably a good amount of fish type orders fried in the grease. So it’s not out of the realm of possibility that the fish taste was induced from frying in the grease. But I want to point out, that I personally thought it tasted good. Some may be less enthusiastic. Anyway, we did find the food decent. The building itself is kind of the large room food shack one would expect with the name “Gator Joe’s Beach Bar & Grill”. You have your choice of inside or outside on the deck. It was a hot day and full sun when we visited, so we opted for inside. The room had a fitting and fun decor. It seems like there is little to no insulation with a fairly high ceiling in the center. So there is a very loud echo. Yes it is pretty loud. It also doesn’t help that there does not seem to be any AC. So the many fans also contributed to the noise.They did make the very warm room seem a little cooler, but also cooled my food quickly as well. So it was either hot food to join the hot “me”. But I opted for the quickly cooled food, to have a cooler “me”. I would not want to eat inside without the fans. Our server only visited once shortly after our food came out. Thankfully the person delivering the food refilled our drinks that had been empty for quite a while. Then it took for ever to get our check. When it came, it was wrong with beer added on. Probably a innocent mistake. But then it took forever to get the server to come back so it could be corrected. Once our bill was corrected, we decided to pay with cash as we didn’t want to waste more time paying with credit. All in all, we walked in at approximately 11AM. When we walked out, it was after 1:30PM. And this was for a quick shrimp basket lunch. We then altered the rest of our day, since we lost too much time for our quick lunch. All in all, Gator Joe’s had nice views for a nice lunch. The prices didn’t seem overly expensive. But like most places anymore, not inexpensive either. Peoples opinions will vary on this. Although we will probably avoid visiting on the...

Today, my son and I decided to revisit a local spot we’ve enjoyed many times before. We ordered a shrimp basket and let him play in the water while we waited—something we do weekly every summer and occasionally during the school year.

It was a very slow day, likely due to the cloudy weather and forecasted rain. The bartender was pleasant and served us quickly. At first, everything felt like our usual visits—but unfortunately, this one ended very differently.

About 20–30 minutes after our arrival, while I was knee-deep in the water talking with another guest, I was abruptly interrupted by a staff member who told me I needed to pay a fee to be on the beach. There were no greetings, no “excuse me”—just a blunt, disruptive command from above.

I responded that I was unaware of any such fee, especially since I’ve never been charged before. I had even ordered my food while still half-wet and wasn’t informed about this policy. Instead of explaining or showing understanding, she repeated herself in a rude tone. I told her I would get my food and gladly leave—with no intention of returning.

She walked off without another word, even as I politely suggested she could have handled the situation with more courtesy. I haven’t visited in about a month, but in all my previous experiences, I’ve never been asked to pay to be on the beach—especially as a paying customer.

Had I known there was a $5-per-person fee in addition to my $19.75 shrimp basket (which included just 12 shrimp and a side of fries), I would have turned around before even entering the restroom. Charging a fee to paying customers is simply absurd.

I’ve spent a lot of money here over the years. I’ve even worked here and used to be a weekly regular. I had hoped this would be a summer full of great memories at GJ, but after today’s experience, I won’t be returning.

GJ, I strongly encourage you to train your host staff in better customer service. I’m specifically referring to the blonde host in the pink shirt working on 6/4 around 1 PM. Guests—especially those who are paying and have been loyal for years—deserve respectful, professional interactions.

I share this not only as a guest but also as a fellow hospitality industry worker. I would never approach a customer in the manner I was approached today, nor would I walk away mid-conversation. I remained polite and calm, and even the other guest present commented, “Wow, that was rude.”

I hope this feedback serves as an opportunity for growth...

Gator Joe's claims to be world famous. Maybe they are, and maybe they aren't, but I can tell you they are a terrific local gem of a bar & grill. Walking up, they have a colorful and inviting approach. Inside you find a clean and well-worn bar, with well-spaced tables and plenty alligator decor. The bar is named for a local-hero gator who "helped" bring down the Ma Barker gang back in the day. One foot (as in body part) of the local hero is on display for your enjoyment. There is plentiful seating inside, but we chose to sit on the ample deck that stretches out over the lake.

The employees we encountered during our visit were friendly and attentive, adding to the welcoming atmosphere of this local watering hole. The menu offers plenty of selections, and prices are reasonable. I found the blackened chicken Caesar wrap to be tasty, and my wife will definitely order the fried pollack again. During our visit, we found plenty of entertainment in the birds who frequent the deck in larger numbers than the customers, content to scavenge what they can from vacated tables that had not yet been cleared. One was so bold as to steal a fry right out of my wife's hand!

In short, I can see why the locals frequent Gator Joe's, and why others will make the stop as well. The food was flavorful and satisfying, for a reasonable price, in an environment that was relaxing and enjoyable. You'll catch us...