the blue fish restaurant

a group of us dined at the bluefish this past saturday night...we had a fantastic experience even though the restaurant was extremely busy. we were made to feel very welcome by our hostesses and seated promptly. the food was delicious and the service impeccable. it is obvious why this restaurant is such a success ...everyone who works at this establishment works as if they own it. very impressive!!! will be back...the bluefish will be a regular for us!!! thank you!!!!

i have dined at the blue fish 5 times in the last month with party's varying in size from two to eight. we always dine in the courtyard or out front. each and every time our service and meals were outstanding. blue fish has become the best upscale fishhouse in jax.

a nice change in avondale. in place of sterlings in avondale is blue fish, a new trendy restaurant that offers lunch and dinner where seafood is the main fare. however, they do offer non-seafood options (as my non-seafood eating foodie friend, cathy is most grateful). prices for dinner are a bit high so i went for lunch there on monday this week to recover from an extended trip to dallas, texas for a cousin's wedding.

first, the decor is very blue and green, and i loved it. upscale casual best describes the atmosphere; the same ladies-who-lunch crowd is ever present in avondale. a gorgeous breezy sunny day, we sat outside and took time perusing the menu as there is a plethora of choices. i settled on the crab, cheddar, and broccoli quiche and seafood gumbo for $10.00. i wanted the crab bisque, but the waiter suggested that would be possibly too much crab. (is there such a thing?) okay, i said, and while it was not the best quiche i've ever had, i enjoyed my meal. the gumbo was flavorful, rich, and chock full of seafood; the quiche was nicely brown on top, crispy crust, and buttery and loaded inside with crab, cheese, and broccoli, very satisfying.

cathy, ever the mac-n-cheese fanatic, ordered the blackened chicken and mac-n-cheese for $10. she thought the chicken was juicy and tasty; the mac-n-cheese was more of a corkscrew pasta with an alfredo type sauce, but she did not mind. a very rich and dense chocolate peanut butter pie rounded out the meal for $4.95 which was so rich, we could not finish it. overall, it was a pleasant experience, and it's worth a try!

disappointed - what's with the waiters?. i've had 3 meals at blue fish - first with a ladies group in the private dining room: i think everyone was pleased, and i was anxious to return. second - lunch with a friend: our pompano with capers and lemon was just terrific, but the service was very iffy - salad came after the fish, and the bread after that, but we enjoyed it anyway. third - my husband and i came with another couple for dinner: i ordered the cold seafood plate and had to request a small fork and a nut cracker, no finger bowl was ever offered; my friend's fish tacos were mediocre; my husband's soft shell crab was tasty, but had no sauce to enhance - impression? boring dish. i don't think i'll get any of them to come back. too bad.

pre-mother's day dinner. with reservations made via open table, we were set to enjoy another meal at blue fish restaurant.

note to self: avondale is a very popular hangout now. take extra time to find a parking spot.

we arrived in avondale to find nearly every parking spot taken. luckily the old gas station provides a few places to park.

as we walked past the brick, which was very crowded and headed toward our destination, we were engulfed in the pungent smell of bar-b-que eminating from a new offering, mojo's. not sure how the residence of this snobby part of town allowed this to happen, but it will definitely not be a positive move.

upon entering the blue fish, we we greeted by avelee, the co-owner. the weather was perfect so we decided to sit outside in the courtyard. unfortunately, we didn't realize smoking was allowed so we asked to be moved inside. we were seated at a large table with a strategic view of the elclectic paintings and the front of the house.

our waiter was amazing, made suggestions for wine pairings and was well versed on the fresh fish of the day - 7 different fish selections. by the way, the fish is prepared fresh each day by avalee's husband.

one of the interesting menu features is the half portion option. for about half the price you can get a half portion of protein with a full portion of vegetable and starch. just enough if you order a side salad and consume several baskets of their unique and nicely warmed bread.

what i like about this restaurant is that the menu caters to all tastes. even picky eaters like my teenager who order blackened chicken over home made mac n' cheese. not the orange-yellow velvetta looking cheese. this was the real deal. i had to move the dish from my daughter or i think she would have eaten that as well!

they also cater to large parties with a full banquet room next to the courtyard and a smaller semi-private area upstairs with a bar nearby.

will definitely return again soon..

great seafood. the blue fish has tasty seafood especially its shrimp. it has a great appetizer menu that is available from 5-7pm. best appetizer deal near avondale.

laughable....... ....the negative comments, that is. i have been there twice(so far and will be going back). the only complaint i have is my bloody mary wasn't salty enough. oh well, i still drank it. the food has been flavor full, my husband and i went nuts over the seared scallops and shrimp on mac and cheese. three words.... white truffle oil. holy yum! for the people who think its a bit pricey, get the light plate instead of the entree, its still plenty of food. it seems to me this city loves nothing more than the chain restaurant. give me local any day.

what a brunch! wow! fabulous cold bar with plentiful options—potato salad, cinnamon rolls, salad, assorted breads and cheeses (that brie was to die for!!). you really can’t go wrong with the menu. quirky scratch made foods leave no one hungry here. drinks specials only further sweeten the pot!

my wife and i love to go to blue fish for happy hour. their happy hour menu is amazing. the oysters are some of the best in town. their fish bites from their happy hour menu are amazing! also from their regular menu, their shrimp and grits are the best in town. if you like shrimp and grits, you will love these. they are the best i have ever had. great place to go with friends and socialize. they have valet parking right next door. definitely one of my favorite restaurants in jacksonville. i have never been disappointed with anything on their menu. the service is also great.

blue fish has the best happy hour. a dozen oysters are only $7. osso bucco is cooked for hours and is only $6. they offer around 20 items of food. drinks are between $3-5. you can easily have a great night for under $20. i am a huge fan and the atmosphere is nice. can't beat it, everything is fresh and delicious!

the girls headed off to brunch last sunday, to one of our long time favorite spots.  it has been a while since i have been here so i was glad to be getting back.  one of the first things we all noticed the place was packed as usual, this is a very popular spot, but it would appear the restaurant has added additional tables.  this is certainly a plus for the business, perhaps not so much for the diner.  we had to squeeze past tables, and sadly bump into people, just to navigate our way.  our particular table two large rounds stuck in a corner, so once you were in  the only way out was for a least two people in the party moving.  the space was quite cramped, but we were not alone, the entire room looked cramped.

visited for our son's 20th birthday. excellent across the board. waiter was great and helpful. two fish dishes were fresh and flavorful with excellent portion size. ribeye was wonderful and cooked to perfection. desserts were the perfect final act of a great epicurean experience. well worth the $$$$.

fresh delicious seafood! polite staff, nice outdoor area, great location & good wine selection. one of my favorite local dinner spots. chef specials daily and always amazing! great folks in that kitchen !

open table lost our reservation. the girls @ the front desk couldn't find our reservation that we had made through open table a week earlier,and we ended up being seated in the loud bar area upstairs @ happy hour. food was ok service marginal. probably won't go back.

amazing time...... the absolute best happy hour you will find anywhere in jacksonville. the owner (jim) is always friendly and comes out and hugs the guests, adam and shannon are the best bartenders anywhere and always make you feel like family, the people at the bar are always really friendly and welcoming to everyone and the menu is absolutely fantastic chef scott has put together. highly highly recommended!!!!!