Gator's Dockside Oakleaf — Restaurant in Jacksonville

3 different reviews: read to the end. Great place to watch the games for this side of town. It is a family restaurant so kids everywhere. You don't get the same enjoyment while watching some football games with all those kids around. But it's still a good place to hang out with friends. Food is pricey. 10 wings for $13.99, I don't think I've ever seen 10 wings for that high of a price anywhere. I ordered the gator tail and also the gyro. Gator tail (I think $10.99) was scrumptious but everyone has to remember it will be chewy. The gyro (I think $9.99) was good. Didn't taste much of the tzatziki sauce. I had the gyro with onion petals on the side, and those were really good. Bathroom was stocked and clean. I keep forgetting taking pictures of the food while I'm hungry. Minus one star just because the prices are way too high. Update August 27th, 2020: prices still high if not gotten higher. I don't understand why their options on wings are 5, 8, 10, 15. And for 10 wings over $15. I think not. Today the gyro had a good sauce flavor, but my stomach didn't think so. I haven't eaten since last night, and my stomach about 30 mins from eating at 3 pm is acting up on me. Be aware. Update 12-14-2022: prices too high still, and restaurant was empty it was 9pm on a Wednesday night. I don't bother with the food anymore. I came to visit friends and watch NCAA bball game. They ordered boneless wings (Wednesday is 99c wing night) and the wings looked super dry and over breaded. They said it wasn't great. Update 03-12-2023 didn't bother with food. Hostess was ok, and tried to accommodate. They were closing the high top area early, (we got there about 915pm, yet they didn't close till 12am.) Like I said in previous reviews, I don't bother with the food here anymore. It would and could be a great place of food was better, happier people working, and maybe dim the light a bit. It's a bar. And if they tell you it's a family restaurant, tell them why they close the high top area and why they have a pool table out back near the bar. Lol. I wish they...

Tonight I patronized this establishment and sat at table #53 and my transaction number was 13512. My experience here is really perplexing. The server was really inexperienced which I was more than understanding about. My table smelled of beer and I asked her if she could clean it. She proceeded to take one of wet naps and wiped the table off. I was really taken aback by that. She also could never seemed to remember what we wanted had to keep coming back and asking. Again, I understood because she was obviously new. My lady friend had to wait a good ten minutes just to ask for silverware for the salad she ordered. Then it took an additional five minutes to get it. I also waited a long time to get my second beverage because it took so long and I was finished with my meal I told her that wanted to cancel the beverage and that I would like desert instead. This again took an usually long time. The server came out and explained that she was told that she wasn’t making it right and that someone else would be bringing it out. That someone else brought it out and said that we wouldn’t be charged for it. I assumed that this was the manager. I said thank you and the person left. It was time to settle up on the bill I asked if they gave a military discount. The server said yes we do let me get the manager to take care of that. She came back and explained that now I would be charged for the desert because we liked it. We never complained to the staff or management about the service at any point during the visit. But don’t say you’re not going to charge me for something then charge me because I exercise a discount offer on my bill for being a retired veteran. Lastly, don’t send the server to do the dirty work with a weak excuse as to why I have to pay for the desert now. Again, I never at any point complained even when I got charged for the desert. The service was not timely or customer friendly at any point but I did tip and was very respectful...

I’ve given this location 4 different tries now and 3/4 the bartenders have been absolutely terrible. As someone who used to frequent this establishment at their previous location just down the road, it seems both their relocation and management have allowed the service to severely deteriorate. My first visit was with my mom and we had to get the attention of a manager to even get acknowledged at the bar before we finally moved to a table because the female bartender’s service - or lack their of - continued to be less than desirable. Mind you both, the manager and our server were completely unsurprised by our complaint about this particular bartender and they said, “she normally is on mornings and not afternoons.” She should have stayed home.

I have sat “outside” at the bar twice now with the same bartender. My first experience with her was not great but not terrible. I returned today and sat for a bit before she finally noticed me and I received barely a smile in acknowledgement. When she finally came over and took my drink order, she proceeded to ask the gentlemen next to me what they want and then served them all their drinks including shots and beer without ever even pouring mine. I politely told her never mind mam and left.

Going to other restaurants, I run into people who used to work there who also came to the same conclusion that this particular Gators Dockside has deteriorated in many factors and they pretty much live off their regulars - I’d of liked to have become a regular, has the bartenders themselves even remotely tried to do their job. It’s unfortunate because this is very close to where I just moved and I had a much better image of it from years ago. Their wings are good and I like that they have a turkey burger - their burgers themselves are dry. The servers at the tables so far have been 10/10. It’s really just the bartenders bringing this place down. Unless my nephew wants to visit or my BIL, I won’t...