Square 1 Burgers & Bar

Had the buffalo burger with Cole slaw as a side. Both were very good. I’m somewhat of a slaw snob and was very impressed. Burger was very flavorful. I tried to only eat the bottom bun but the top was grilled and buttery and I ended up eating it too. My only somewhat negative comment is that the cheese sauce on the burger seemed a little overwhelming to me and I’m not sure that I care for the flavor. I will ask for it on the side next time. I will definitely come again when I’m in Gainesville again.

We were in Gainesville to take our dog to the University Animal Hospital. Our appointment was delayed, so we asked for a recommendation for a lunch spot that would allow us to bring our dog, and this is the one that they mentioned.
The patio area is where pups are allowed, and it had outdoor heaters and nice thick plastic walls, so thank goodness it wasn’t too chilly. Although the heater near us was not lit, and we asked three times, but never did get someone to light it for us.
Dogs have a menu as well as people, so that was cute. My daughter ordered one of the lunch menu specials, Little Piggies, which was two pork sliders, with a side (she choose broccoli). I ordered one of the specials of the day, Chicken Baja Sandwich, which also came with a side (onion rings). The Piggies were very good, with just the right amount of BBQ sauce. She said the broccoli was well-​seasoned, but overcooked.
My sandwich was okay, not great. Ground chicken patty, with bacon, avocado (supposedly, although I don’t recall tasting nor seeing any); lettuce; tomato, & their S1 sauce. The overwhelming taste of the sandwich was HOT. Nothing else stood a chance. The jalapenos along with the sauce just overwhelmed any other flavor. The onion rings were nice & crispy, and I enjoyed them quite a bit.
Our server appeared to be both waiting on tables inside and out, as well as seating guests as they arrived. So she was very busy. We tried to cut her some slack for that reason, but I must say service was a bit of an issue during our meal. We didn’t see her except once to bring our check after our food had been served. It took at least 3 requests to get the promised water for the dog, and she seemed to be a bit overwhelmed. I’m not blaming her, I’m blaming management for not seeing that they needed more help, especially with the tables sitting outside.
Will we return on our next trip to GV? Probably not. Too many other spots on our list to go back to a so-​so spot.

I ordered the sesame salmon and was served a Samurai Salmon. Apparently our waitress wasn’t listening and I didn’t get her to repeat it back to me. I was in a group so did not complain and tried to eat what they brought.
I ordered the beer cheese soup for an appetizer and it was cold when it was served with my entrée. It tasted like crab bisque with beer (and extra salt) added to it. A lot of beer. The beer taste was overwhelming.
The Samurai Salmon is like a crab cake on a bun. I managed about two bites of this gastric nightmare before I gave up. Among other things, I despise mayo and prefer my cucumbers in a salad.
The quinoa I paid an extra $ 2 for was average, nothing to make it worth the extra money. The entrée I wanted is supposed to come with quinoa, but I wound up paying extra for quinoa that wasn’t bad.
I gave it two stars. One for great service, another for the attempt at a decent menu. Their menu isn’t horrible, but I won’t be back. This was my second time to try their menu, and I spent a lot of money and left hungry both times. There are so many great places in Gainesville I am sure I can do better.

We had the sliders, fries and chocolate shakes. All were excellent! Be careful not to overeat… It’s pretty easy to do here! Too bad the décor is not as good as the food. The red chandeliers, red tufted booths as well as the cow hide booths made you feel like Matt Dillon and Kitty would be walking by your table. Still… A good place to eat!

Everything I had heard about Square 1 sounded so exciting especially the ads with the delicious looking burgers with premium sounding names. Then I walked into Square 1, saw all the red and the cow signage and thought «this is so cute». Looking around a bit more I saw the cow fur love booth in the back and quickly became unmooooved. It’s just not necessary.
Still hungry though I decided on the Chickadee sliders. Two juicy ground chicken patties with an amazing sun dried tomato mayo on a large brioche bun. The best part of the meal though was the rosemary roasted red potato wedges covered in shredded parm. I could of eaten these all week! This happened to be a weekday lunch special which runs 11 – 3. Compared to the rest f the menu these are quite decently priced.
I enjoyed their choice of music and found myself rocking to the tunes. Service was good and the trainee that was shadowing the server did an acceptable job. Manager Mike was complimentary in telling me happy birthday when visiting my table. I think I’ll come back soon and have more chicken, turkey or salmon. Definitely no cow.

How have I never reviewed this place? I feel like I have. Anyway, been here lots of times. Great food. I come for lunch typically with co-​workers.
Servers have always been friendly and helpful. Some new servers aren’t as efficient but the food is usually above average. The choice of protein range from vegetarian tofu, bean, mushroom, to all the meats from turkey, chicken, Kobe beef, lamb and more. So far I have not had any issues with the food. I often get the chop salad with soup at lunch, but have also opted for burgers and portobello «burgers». Their French onion soup is rich and flavorful. Their chop salad is served with just the right mix of greens and bacon. The burgers are tall, juicy, and loaded with flavor.
However, once a co-​worker ordered «very rare» beef burger and it was almost well done. Another time I didn’t get my side dish after repeated requests. Another time the waitress messed up our tickets and we were overcharged. Yet another time there was a screw in my co-​workers burger & she chipped a tooth. Each time management came to the rescue, but what this says to me is that there may be some training issues with staff.
I still give 4 stars because the menu options are expansive, the servers are friendly, the place is clean, they make drinks correctly, and the lunch menu prices are competitive. I will continue to crave their menu, so Square1 is on my list.

First off, I have to say that Spouse claims his All American Cheeseburger was the best burger he’s ever eaten — and the fact that right on the menu they offer the choice of having it come in a bed of greens, has left him a Square 1 fan. By now we all know I’m the pickier of the two of us, so I’ll just say that when I tried his burger, I found it too salty and am glad he was the one who was eating it. I ordered the chicken slider duo — managed to eat one, but could not deal with the other, again because of the huge amount of salt. I mentioned it to the manager, who said, «Yes our food is highly seasoned. Next time ask us to hold the salt.» Umm. .. Oh yes, I also had onion rings, and was disappointed because each time I tried to pick one up, the onion slid out, leaving me with the coating in hand and the onion on the plate. Very odd. But I didn’t need the extra calories anyway.
I should add that Square 1 is super clean, everything super shiny and attractive, and the staff goes out of their way to make it seem like they really care whether you have a good experience (except for the salt comment). The large space is divided into smaller areas so you feel like you’re in a more intimate environment. When we were there for lunch they weren’t busy, so I can’t comment on the noise level, but I’d think all the dividers should keep everything to a reasonable roar even at peak times.

I had a really good burger for lunch here. I ordered the veggie burger with a side of quinoa. The burger was artfully prepared and very tasty. The size of the burger was perfect. The quality of the lettuce and tomato was very good. The quinoa was excellent and the portion was large. I also ordered a side of fried jalepenos. They had a nice light breading and were fried just under golden. They were also very good. They came with a ranch dip. Yummy.
My lunch guest had the sliders with a side of cole slaw. He reported that he really enjoyed the burgers. Not overcooked, juicy, flavorful, and a nice portion appropriate for lunch.
The hostess was quick to greet us with a smile and get a seated. The restaurant has a unique decorating scheme and has a good vibe to it. Lots of seating in a comfy casual atmosphere.
Our waitress was kind and soft spoken. She was quick to take our order, make sure everything tasted good, and got the bill turned around in short time. Important for those on a time schedule.
The bar appears well stocked and a good place to tip a few back. The menu has some really cool adult beverage listings that I definitely want to come back to try. They have some interesting happy hour specials too.
Parking was fine for lunch but I bet that it can get tight on a busy Friday or Saturday night. There is adjacent parking at a nearby strip mall just in case.
Since everyone knows I’m a bathroom snob — here goes. Is there a friggin’ bathroom in Gainesville that somebody hasn’t flicked a booger on the wall above the urinal? PLEASE STOP THE FLICK! Aside from the sole booger clinging to life in the center of a gleaming 4″ white tile, the bathroom was clean, well kept, and tidy. You really need to check the bathroom out just to see the sink. Its very cool. It invites you to wash your hands. Seriously — check the sink out.
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Very friendly staff. The food was very good. I had the Juicy Lucy burger w/​onion rings and my husband had the crab cake burger/​w sweet potato fries. Both were delicious and flavorful. If we lived in beautiful Gainesville we would definitely make this place one of our go-​to places.