Sandbar Jax Bch — Restaurant in Jacksonville Beach

We had some family in town and saw the views from this place and thought it would be a great place to go. I really want to like the place but the service left so much to be desired. We ended up here around 8:30 pm. We were told it was open seating and to choose any table we liked. We sat down and even with the sun setting, all the doors were closed. While this didn’t exactly make sense to us since it seemed like such a great feature of the place, it wouldn’t have been so bad if the windows weren’t completely filthy. We asked if they could be opened and the team did eventually open them up which was wonderful. It took the server about 15 minutes to come to the table even though there were only 3-4 tables. We ordered drinks and an appetizer (chips and salsa). It took a long time for that to come out and we ordered entrees - Cajun pasta, wings, burger, mahi sandwich. It took about another 40 minutes or so for the food to even come out. During this time, we asked for refills on water and opted not to get any other alcoholic drinks. At $15-ish each with hardly any alcohol, we didn’t want to keep ordering anymore of them. Server said he’d be right back to top off waters, never came back. The manager came by and we told him we asked for more water but hadn’t gotten any yet. He apologized and said he’d get some more right away. Never came back. We finally went to talk to the manager again as he and the server were standing up near the host stand to inform him we’d been there almost an hour and no food yet. He mentioned a big ticket should only take 15 minutes. Suddenly, we had food about 10 minutes after that. The food was pretty good but not worth the wait. Nothing was comped, not even the chips and salsa. It was disappointing and incidentally, the Forbes article came out this week naming Jax the worst city in the US to travel to and that quickly became the running joke of the night with our out of town guests. Sorry to say this will probably be the first and only time coming here. Location is so great but not sure how they could make it with...

I recently had dinner at Sandbar Jax Beach, and let me tell you, the location is absolutely A+.

You seriously can’t beat it—sitting there, looking out at the water while you eat, is just perfect!

The setting is super convenient and scenic, making it an ideal spot for a meal with a view.

Pros:

Location & Beach View: Definitely 5 stars for the location. The beach view is breathtaking, and it’s hard to beat the atmosphere. Whether you're there for sunset or just enjoying the ocean breeze, it’s such a great place to relax and take in the beauty around you.

Sweet Potato Fries: These were a standout! Crispy, flavorful, and just the right amount of seasoning. 5 stars for sure.

Sweet Plantains: Also a win! They were cooked perfectly, sweet and savory, and made for a delicious side. 5 stars again!

Cons:

Salsa: Sadly, I wouldn’t recommend the salsa. It didn’t quite hit the mark for me, and I really wish I had opted for the guacamole instead.

Blackened Shrimp Tacos: These were a bit of a letdown. They were overly seasoned and very salty—definitely not my favorite dish.

Maybe I just ordered the wrong things off the menu, or perhaps the chef wasn’t on point that day, but I ordered what was recommended, and it didn’t quite live up to expectations.

Overall: Personally speaking, Sandbar Jax Beach is a beautiful restaurant with breathtaking views and a great atmosphere. While the food wasn’t perfect for me, the location and experience make it worth visiting. If you're looking for a place to enjoy the ocean while dining, this is definitely the spot. Just maybe skip the salsa and blackened shrimp tacos and try something else on the menu—perhaps I just picked the wrong...

We came to Sandbar for a late Father's Day for him/early birthday dinner for me date night. I want to address the service first, because I saw some reviews criticizing the service. It was maybe not the friendliest, warmest customer service I've ever had. But our server was polite and professional. He didn't come to the table for kind of a long time at one point during our meal, however the runners that brought our food refilled our drinks so we didn't mind. When he came back over he was very personable and apologized for his extended absence. Our food came out quickly and was hot, dishes were cleared in a timely manner, and our waters stayed full so 5 star service in my opinion.

Now on to the food, we got the calamari appetizer. It was cooked well, the calamari was not overcooked and the fried pepperoncini complimented it perfectly. The lemon aoli could have been a touch more lemony in my opinion, but the dish is served with a lemon wedge so not a big deal.

He and I both got the Cajun shrimp pasta with blackened shrimp and holy cow it was sooooo good!! The pasta was al dente, and the cheesy Cajun Alfredo sauce had a nice peppery kick to it without being too spicy. And my god the shrimp!! Well seasoned, nice and large, SUPER fresh, and cooked to perfection. Just a really good meaty bite of shrimp! And they put a decent amount in the pasta! As an added bonus, the crostini that comes with it was a delectable little crunchy, melt in your mouth, garlicky treat.

The vibe and decor were super cute too, great views of the beach and pier, and a soft, modern, and bright white and tan theme.

Thank you for a great evening, Sandbar! We'll...