Embers Wood Grill

One of the best restaurants in Gainesville! Everything you choose here is delicious… Blue crab bisque, steaks, seafood, desserts, salads, it’s all good!

This has become my favorite restaurant in Gainesville. FAVE! Birthday, Valentines day, anniversaries, business meetings, girls dinner out, any occasion or excuse! I vote Embers.
I have tried everything on the menu and my favorites are: crab bisque (very rich & decadent), filet mignon flatbread (= yum), orange & blue salad, Duck breast (perfectly done for duck lovers), Chilean Sea Bass (sweet buttery heaven), surf & turf (can never go wrong), fire roasted beefsteak tomato (topped with blue cheese & balsamic), wild mushrooms, and of course mac and 4 cheeses with truffle oil. They come around offering a slice of 3 different types of yummy fresh bread & I usually request on of each! The staff are courteous, kind, and professional. It is pricey, especially if you go for the 5 course meal, but rest assure the food, atmosphere, & service are worth the indulgence! I’ll see ya there.

Ember Grill is a great place for special occasions and business meetings. I would say that it’s one of the most expensive restaurants in Gainesville. I’ve only been there twice. This time I went for the Valentine’s special with a valentine. I would recommend the lamb if it wasn’t from America. The steaks are on point. Then Gulf of Mexico crab bisque is a huge favorite and delicious. The desserts I are are only served on Valentine’s Day, but they were delicious! I even had a few bites of salad which I normally do not do. The ambiance is great and fancy lol. Oh and great selection of wines

Excellent service, the cappuccino is not good as other reviews but the flaming crème brûlée is really tasty! Recommend duck breast and tuna!

Carol and I celebrated our 35^th wedding anniversary at Embers Wood Grill. It was our first visit. We started with bread offered table-​side: cheese, salt or garlic, along with a cup of a thick, enjoyable spread. Carol had a cup of Gulf of Mexico blue crab bisque, and a filet mignon steak with sides of grilled local zucchini and squash, and sauteed wild mushrooms. I had a fire-​grilled caesar salad, and a New York strip steak with sides of spicy prosciutto and cheddar grits, and mac and four cheeses with truffle oil. We split a Belgian chocolate torte for desert. The steaks were cooked exactly as we asked, and each item was excellent. Couples were offered a side room that was quieter than the main dining room. A nicely set table for two suited the occasion well. The room had medium lighting and unobtrusive-​but-​appropriate music centered around jazz. Our server, Randy, was pleasant, helpful and prompt. His service and that of all others was top-​notch. Everything about our anniversary dinner was just right.

had 8oz Steak and Coconut Shrimp Everything was Excellent. Would have liked a less central table Something More out of the way.

Embers is like Outback Steakhouse running an «exotic» special but in a pompous atmosphere. Ohh, Diver scallops, Red King Crab, Chilean Seabass? For the price they charge the food should be cooked to perfection. When Chilean Seabass was on the «Take a Pass» list (meaning they’re overfished don’t eat it) a few years back they overcooked it. My god, what a waste. Now the populations are more stable so they can nuke and waste as much as they want. They overcook scallops too. The steak is average. Don’t forget to choose wisely on your bread rations you’ll only get one slice. Ask for 2 and they glare at you. Your sides are doused in butter and heavy cream and not in a good way. So in summary, go to Outback Steakhouse, where you get unlimited bread and the same quality food for less than half the price.

We have been here several times and honestly the food and the service here is beyond nice and professional. The menu variety of meats and seafood is beyond spectacular. Truly a five star

Would love to write a great review, but… Tried repeatedly to get a return phone call or email about setting up our annual Christmas party. 16 days later, still no response. Amazing!
The good news is, I’m glad to hear that a local business is SO BUSY they can afford to turn away parties of 30+ people. Congrats!

Among several high end restaurant in town, Embers wood grill is one of best dinner spot for couples.
Their crab bisque is amazingly delicious, Sometimes they offer lobster bisque, which is also terrific. Every time I go, I will try their bisque. Their Foie Gras is also very tasty, melted in your mouth.
Main courses are not as impressive as the appetizer. I’ve had steak, lamb, ribs, They are all decent but not superb.
The atmosphere are great for couples. Overall, four star.

On the outside of this restaurant is very deceiving. You don’t expect much driving by but once you go inside the atmosphere is very sophisticated and classy. Definitely a great place to go to for anniversaries or a celebration of any kind.
The filet mignon flat bread is amazing! They give you at least 3 pieces of filet mignon on every square and the flavors are savory and just full of flavor. The scallops entrée is to die for. They are cooked to perfection, soft with this amazing sauce and that I kept dipping my bread in! They have 3 bread options that are complimentary as you wait for your food. I always just get all 3 bc well, I love bread and I want to try them all.
The lobster mashed potatoes is one of my favorites, along with the mac and cheese. Overall, this restaurant provides you with that atmosphere of going to a fancy dinner with food that is very worth the price.

Incredible experience! Highly recommend the gator bites, filet mignon, truffle mac n’ cheese, and (my personal favorite side) the vanilla whipped sweet potatoes! My date and I had the best waiter (Eugene) and he was as much a part of the experience as my actual date. He was involved, funny, and gave us thorough explanations of everything on the menu down to his personal recommendations. For dessert we had the lemon cake and it was just the thing you should get if you’re looking for something you can’t find elsewhere. It was very moist and just enough for two! My date and I are not people to repeat restaurants, but this will definitely have to be an exception. Thank you Embers and Eugene!

Perfect experience!
Great service, great food, great menu, elegant atmosphere yet casual as well, and great prices for quality.
From the moment we walked in the hostess was very friendly and very welcoming.
I can not say enough about the menu. If your a seafood fan. There are at least 5 types of fresh fish. For the steak fans a lot of different cuts as well. The crab bisque was amazing. Unlike a lot of other higher end steak houses, Embers gives you 2 sides with your meals. The sides are all great and so hard to choose from.
Our server was very knowledgeable of the menu and helped with suggestions as well. He was very attentive and very friendly. On our way out he walked us to the door and opened it for us. Such class!
If your looking for a nice place for a really great dinner and experience or a special occasion, then come to Embers!
They also have a private room with a single table that seats about 20 people.
I recommend Embers! I will be back.
Enjoy!

Wow! Their Filet Mignon is the 2^nd best I have ever had. Though it is pricy, their food is amazing! Great appetizers, main dishes, wine, and desserts. Mmmm their crème brûlée is to die for.
This is a lovely restaurant to take your significant other for an anniversary, birthday, or as a «just because I love you.» Just make sure you call in advance to make a reservation.

Bests: wine, burgers, mac and cheese, tomatoes and blue cheese, blue crab bisque, grilled caesar, crab cakes, filets and on and one and on. Price is on point with the great service and refreshing quality of food.
Worsts: Their superior quality basically ruins me for any other restaurant.

Embers is, hands down, the best restaurant in Gainesville. The food is amazing and the service is impeccable. My favorites: gator tail appetizer, orange & blue salad, Atlantic grouper, vanilla whipped sweet potatoes, and the truffle mac & cheese. The banana foster cheesecake and beignets are the perfect desserts after a delicious meal.
Embers also throws amazing special events. My husband and I were married there almost six years ago. We had our ceremony in the courtyard, and celebrated inside with dinner and dancing. Ryan and Briton handled every detail of the event, and we couldn’t have asked for a more perfect day. People still tell us how amazing the food and service were at our wedding!

We celebrated our anniversary last night with a fabulous meal at Embers. We had reservations and were promptly seated. It took a few minutes for our waiter to appear, but I don’t think it was his fault. It seems like the wait staff may be slightly understaffed. The grilled caesar salad and crab soup was great. I would like to see them put the salad on a larger plate. It was challenging keeping it on the plate while cutting into the romaine wedge. The smoked flavor was a great touch to the salad. I ordered the grilled grouper, lobster mashed potatoes and asparagus. The fish was grilled to perfection and the potatoes were delicious. My husband had the ribeye, cheese grits and asparagus. He was pleased that his steak was cooked exactly as he ordered. For dessert we split a piece of the lemon cake. Wow, so glad we split it because it is a huge portion! We couldn’t even finish it. The portions are good and both of us brought home half of our entrees. The one thing I do find odd is the bread offering. One of the hostesses walked around offering a slice of bread at a weird time. It would have been nice to have the bread offered at the beginning of the meal as we were sipping our drinks. Instead she came by after we were finished with our salad and soup. We really enjoyed our meal and would recommend it to anyone.

My boyfriend and I actually went here twice in one weekend because we loved it so much. The meat is delicious and the sides are great.
Unlike at most upscale steakhouses which are ‘à la carte,’ each main course here comes with two delicious sides and unlimited delicious bread of three different types. It was awesome. I do recommend getting a reservation.

Absolutely amazing! We had the most incredible dining experience last night at Embers. When we first showed for our reservation, I have to admit I was nervous because I counted at least 3 large dinner parties so I anticipated a slow night. I could not have been more wrong. Our waiter, Tim, was amazing he was prompt to greet us and had perfect timing all night whether taking orders for drinks, appetizers or entrees or serving it all up. Best waiter we have had in a very long time, anywhere.
The cocktails and food were just fantastic. I ordered the Elderberry Collins and my husband and son both had Moscow Mules. All very delicious. Then we had incredible calamari & the crab and lobster cake for appetizers. We followed up with some great grilled Caesar salads and the blue crab bisque that you see all of the raving reviews over. They do not lie, it is exceptional!
For entrees we ordered the filets with scallop skewers as well as the duck. All cooked to perfection and they melted in our mouths. Wow! Do not pass on the lobster mashed potatoes. I thought it sounded a little odd but one taste and I had to order extra to take home
It was just an all around perfect dining experience. Everything is so professionally done and the service is second to none. I recommend Embers to anyone looking for a top notch dining experience. Thank you to everyone at Embers for making our celebration night exceptional.
(Just a side note for all of you Ruth Chris, Morten’s Steakhouse lovers). I consider Ember’s even better than these places, not as pretentious but every bit as elegant and everything isn’t a la carte. You actually get side dishes included with you entrée. Thank you!

This was my fourth dining experience at Embers and as usual, I was very happy with my dining experience. Although the bar was closed for a private party and the staff was overwhelmed with dinner guests on a busy pre-​holiday night, the service was excellent, our appetizers and drinks were timely, and dinner was excellent as always.
I don’t give out many 5 star reviews. Embers certainly has earned it. The wait staff is superb. The chef’s menu retains excellent house specialties and the chef does a great job of adding or changing items that continue to please the palate.
Treat yourself and make sure you add Embers to your dining out list.
My faves are the grilled caesar salad, atlantic grouper, lobster mashed potatoes, and grilled asparagus with béarnaise. The spicy prosciutto with cheddar grits is also amazing. The mac and cheese with truffle oil is absolutely off the charts and not for the faint of heart. Good luck and thanks for checking out my review.