Leonardo’s 706

Just ordered seafood pasta for delivery… my 2 shrimp tasted like chemicals…2 scallops and 2 mussels… were not good either… very expensive for the amount of seafood and quality of food.

First of all, don’t come here if you can’t afford the meal today, that will hang over your head and you won’t be happy — that goes for any place. This is a «night out» kind of place. Having said that, my husband and I agree that this is our favourite restaurant in Gainesville. The drinks are great, the food is great, the Jazz is wonderful — there are grown adults eating here, and we can HEAR one another talk. We actually enjoy talking to one another, so if the food isn’t out in «5 minutes or it’s free,» so what? We came here to relax, unwind, and reconnect — the same reasons I’ve been coming here with family and friends since I moved to Gainesville, almost 20 years ago. I love to cook at home with fresh ingredients etc., so when we go out we don’t mind paying extra, as long as it’s at least as good as home — and the atmosphere, plus the excellent food and drinks, along with the leisurely pace absolutely make it worth it for us.
Oh, and I might add for the majority of people who complained that their food came out when their dining partner’s was already cold — I don’t know how people have missed that etiquette dictates it is proper to encourage your table mates to eat their food when it is warm. It’s not that it’s polite to wait — it’s that it’s rude not to encourage the others to eat.

Very fancy little place! We were a large group of people who were in town for a workshop, and the workshop organizers brought us here for dinner one night. We all fit in one big room that they reserved for us, which was impressive. The lighting and décor in there were very pleasant. We had 3 options for food: fish, chicken, or tofu. I had the fish and was very happy with the dish. They also had an appetizer table with little pizzas, and 2 dessert options (chocolate mousse or cheese cake). It’s safe to say we were beyond stuffed by the time dinner was over. They also had many beer and wine options. The servers were very professional and managed to deal with serving our entire group with no mishaps. I have to mention that this place is definitely pricy. My glass of red wine cost $ 11. So this might be a place to hit up for special occasions and not if you’re in town on a budget or if you’re a broke college student.

Four of us ordered desserts to go. Great desserts. Five stars for the chocolate mousse pie, raspberry white chocolate tart/​torte and sky high chocolate cake. Four stars for the peanut butter chocolate pie!

As far as my wife and I are concerned, this is our favorite place in town, hands down. It boggles our minds how this place has less than 5 stars. I don’t intend to give an exhaustive list of all the great dishes and drinks on menu, and I won’t even try to describe how well 706 Sunday Brunch does Sunday brunch. I’ll just put it this way: if you are a prospective first-​timer, read whatever negative reviews are posted here, duly note them, and then give 706 a try. I’m telling ya, you won’t regret it. Perhaps the homey and chic interior will come to house fond memories of friends and family and celebrations, as it has for us. The rolls, organic salad, and New York Pizza are perennial favorites of ours, but this menu is ripe for exploring. Happy eating!

Wow. Food was good but service was horrible. Can’t seem to get a drink and waiting forever for a check. Can’t get out of here quick enough. Excuses for everything but not doing anything to make up for shortcomings.

Came here with my husband to celebrate our 1^st year anniversary and decided on a Sunday brunch for the occasion. We were delighted by the food and the service here. Definitely will com back.

I ordered the Steak and Eggs and had the smallest filet I’ve ever seen come out. When I inquired if this was correct I was told, in a pretty passive aggressive tone, that this was «as small as it is supposed to be» and that it is only 2 – 4 oz… I wish that had been listed on the menu.

I have dined at Leo’s 706 few times and have ultimately concluded that it isn’t worth my time or money. My biggest issue has been the service. In my experience, the service has been slow, inattentive, and, at times, unpleasant. I can recall two separate dinners where the servers were just rude.
There are some highlights. The food is pretty good, as is their jazz night shows. But the displeasures I have had with the servers makes us stay away.

I’ve driven past this place for years and finally my husband and I checked it out a few weeks ago and we really enjoyed it. I had the chicken Gorgonzola pasta which the waiter said was the most popular on the menu, it was very tasty. Maybe a bit to much butter, but overall flavor was great and I loved the pecans it added a great earthy flavor to the dish. My husband had the seafood pasta which he really enjoyed and both were very big portions. We also order the raspberry white chocolate tart which was mediocre.

Great spot for date night. The rolls and agave pasta with grilled shrimp are my favorite! Not as impressed with their brunch, somewhat pricey and limited menu plus they have been out of the «brunch punch» on the 3 occasions I’ve been:(

Just pure happiness, we had our large group dinner and the food was bliss service was divine and all around great!

About three months ago my family and I had a pretty bad dining experience here, but I am happy to announce that this evening’s experience was much better. I am updating my previous review and thankfully, adding more stars.
Once again, my husband and I were dining with our daughter and dog. We were quickly greeted by our server, Jordan. He was great! He brought our drinks out quickly, brought a cup with a lid on it for our 4 year old and brought a bowl of water for the dog. Our rolls came out in a timely manner and were piping hot (and delicious).
Our entrees were really good. I went for the tofu stir fry and my husband had the tenderloin stir fry, which was one of the specials. Both were great. The tenderloin was cooked perfectly at medium rare and my tofu stir fry was very flavorful. Our daughter had the kids cheese pizza and of course she loved it, what kid wouldn’t love a pizza?! They have options for kids, they just aren’t listed on the main menu.
Tonight was a great dining experience. It was what we once remembered a 706 experience to be. Here’s to hoping our next visit will be just as great!

I took my daughter to brunch for her 21^st birthday along with 8 other of my favorite people for mimosas! ⁷⁄₉ had the brunch buffet which in my opinion was amazing! Such a wide assortment of dishes from around the world of flavors! Beautiful breads, cobblers, multiple fruit dishes from figs to watermelon salad, veggies galore! Vegan options, tofu scramble and roasted beets or garlic, mushroom sauté… So much variety, all so tasty! The lunch was completed with a personalized slice of cake (7 layer chocolate!!) the service was very personable and timely:)
I can wait to go back again.

Great garlic rolls. Waitress was friendly & service was awesome (continuous water refills). Big Leo pizza & Botticelli were super! A little pricey but well worth it!

The brunch buffet was delicious. A good selection of dishes.
However, the setup of the buffet really needs to be revamped. The buffet line was set up at the back of the room with only one possible pass through, causing a very crowded situation. It’s unpleasant for the diners waiting for food and I can only imagine what it’s like for people with tables right next to the buffet. I’m sure it’s not a very relaxing or pleasant situation.

This review is solely for the brunch, as I haven’t had a dinner at 706 in over 10 years. Anyway…
This place is fab-​u-​lous. 706 has been around for a long time and I remember enjoying the brunch when I was a college student. I must say, I enjoy it even more as an adult! It has super cute décor in here, which makes for a nice dining experience.
Our waitress was very prompt and brought us a big carafe of mimosas upon order. I went for the brunch buffet and was very impressed with the spread. Everything from french toast to smoked salmon, to curried vegetables, to mac n cheese, the blueberry cobbler. They had a great spread and everything I tasted was great.
I also wanted to give special kudos to the chef. He truly has a passion for his work and every time he would bring out a plate of food for the buffet, he would joyously announce what he was bringing out. He also walked around and dropped off potato pancakes for everyone in the restaurant. It is great to see someone so happy to be doing what they love.
All in all, 706 is awesome. For $ 18.95 all you can eat, the breakfast buffet cannot be beat. Please, do yourself a favor and check it out!

For me, this is a sentimental favorite. I used to come here ~30 years ago for their weekly specials when I was looking for a deal. If I recall correctly, we could get a calzone with every single possible filling for $ 2.99, and then order a pitcher of beer for a few bucks and get six free garlic rolls. It was a very effective way to eat for a week in one sitting and get a slight buzz at the same time!
Over the years, this local favorite transformed in to one of the top restaurants in Gainesville. They have a full bar, plenty of seating in multiple tastefully decorated rooms, and a broad menu of modern italian-​influenced cuisine. Our favorite is the unique item that has survived on the menu for multiple decades. We just had it again a few days ago and it remains as delicious as ever. It’s the Salmon Lover Pizza with salmon, caviar, capers, red onions, cream cheese, and fresh dill. Different is good and in this particular case, different is delicious! Try it! You might like it!
To the owners, if you ever consider taking this item off the menu, please send us a message so I can order it one last delicious time!

I’ve been here twice, once for dinner and once for brunch. For this reason, I’ll rate my cumulative experience at this venue.
This place is the upscale version of a UF staple, Leonardo’s Pizza. My food has been nothing but delicious– I recommend any of the pastas for dinner, and the raspberry-​drenched French toast for brunch. Alternatively they offer a substantial brunch buffet that also looks promising and fresh.
The feel of the restaurant is refreshing, comfortable, and eclectic. Prepare to be tempted by the dessert case as you head toward your seat. One dining room has dark red walls, gothic mirrors juxtaposed with fresh colorful paintings reminiscent of the 1920s flapper scene.
My only negative is that sometimes when they are busy, it will take awhile for the waiter/​waitress to address any needs. With that said, the food I’ve enjoyed was definitely worth a small wait. Besides the aforementioned, the waitstaff is consistently polite and friendly.
Do stop by Leonardo’s 706 for a calm and relaxing meal out. It’s a nice respite from the usual chain restaurant fare.

So, we came here on a recommendation from friends. Have to say that the garlic rolls were my favorite part of this meal, cuz I can’t wait to go back and get more! We had the Blackened Grouper and Grouper Madagascar. Both were excellent, and we had enough to take home. We thought the Caesar salad was tasty, but too heavily covered in dressing (we asked for no anchovies, which was happily accommodated). The Lemon Tartini that we spied in the dessert case on the way in (wasn’t on the menu) tasted like a mix between key lime and lemon meringue — very yummy!
Going back this weekend for pizza — and those freakin garlic rolls that have been in my dreams all week … :-(
*Minus one star for slower service than we would have liked, but there was a large group near us, so …