Corky Bell's Seafood at Gator Landing — Restaurant in Palatka

My friend and I decided to go here cause I've never been. Upon us entering, no one greeted us. We got looks all around until my friend went up to the podium of one of the hosts and said table for 2. So we follow her to our booth. Then our server comes and she seems like she's tweaken but we deal with it anyway. We order our foods and my friend didn't get her salad with her order until she reminded the server. Usually, salad always comes out first, as previous server ourselves, we kind of know the ways. Not to mention, we ordered out alcoholic drinks and apparently the bartender couldn't make a martini. It was about 8pm when we went there so I was confused as to why the bar can't make martinis. I asked first if it would be possible and the server said yes, cause what bar can't make martinis? Right? Well, apparently this one. So then the server says she has to wash a cup somewhere for me to get my drink. So now, I'm thinking the bartender didn't wanna make the martini because they didn't have a clean cup. Never have I ever been to such an unprofessional establishment lol I literally had to laugh this off. So somehow, I get my martini. And it taste watered down, it actually tasted like a lemonade. So this is just going so well isn't it? Lol but then we get our food and like I said, my friend got her salad late. The food was fine, the fried pickles were soggy and the fried bluecrab legs were super salty. But the rest were fine. Let's just say, I was not happy with my experience, my first time there was horrible so I don't think I'll ever come back. People hype this place up but apparently they're going down the drain. I would have fought for a better review but I mean, the unprofessionalism was through the roof so yeah. As an experienced server, it seems like Corkys needs to educate their staff on professionalism and how to make their...

Our table spent over $200 on food. We were sat in a backroom that was so hot they had a little fan on the ground trying to cool the room. Management should have never even had that part of the restaurant open. We had to get to go boxes to take our food with us because it was so hot inside we couldn't even enjoy our meal. The room had a stale/pee smell as well and the chairs we were sitting in were very stained which would explain the smell for sure.

An appetizer of fried squash was $10 and it may have been one squash if we were lucky. Our appetizer of gator tail had a worm on the plate. Of course they repeatedly said "oh we wash the kale real good". If I was management though no plates would have went to that table with kale on it but all of our dinner plates had it on them so of course we were all inspecting our food to make sure.

To add a side salad to meal that's already $20-25 is $2.75.

Within 10 mins of sitting one person had a nat buzzing on them and another had a little spider on them.

Veggie of the day is broccoli casserole and it was gone by 530 when we ordered. Waitress said it's usually gone by 4. Again if I was management that would be a sign to make more.

This place used to be a decent ish place to eat at in Palatka but over the last couple of years it has went downhill extremely bad. The manager didn't even come out and say anything and she was there and aware of the situation because our waitress said something to the manager and told us she did. You could clearly tell you had people back there that was hot and complaining. Close to the end of us being there another table asked to put the fan directly on them and the waitress did. I completely understand though because it was so hot we all...

We (4 people) went for dinner on 4/13/25. It took an incredibly long time before our drink order was taken and took even longer for those drinks to come. I actually went to the bar myself to get drinks. It was only then that our drink order was fulfilled by our waitress. We placed our order, and it took well over 1 hour and 45 minutes for our dinner to come...all the while, watching other people who were seated after us eat their dinner and leave. I was served coleslaw long before our dinner arrived and did not get eating utensils. It sat for approximately 45 minutes, getting warm...I had to send it back. We were not given eating utensils until AFTER our dinner was served, and had to ask for them before getting them. I asked to speak with a manager, and it appeared that another waitress was who answered that call. She was very dismissive and confrontational. We watched her slam the serving tray stand against the wall and proceed to clearly talk smack about us to our waitress. I do not believe she was the manager at all...and if she was, she lacks leadership and customer service skills. NEVER should a "manager" treat customers that way. I wasn't going to post anything, but the experience has been troubling me. I do not think we will go back...which is a shame, because we love the atmosphere. Update: after speaking with a manager, she said she would send gift certificates to "make it right"...this was not my intent! Well, the gift certificates never came...which kind of shows me that they aren't really concerned about just a few customers. After all, us not going back won't break the bank...and we know that. It's just disappointing that this is the culture of this...