River City Brewing Company

Fish and Chips was great but slow service and smokers on outside deck did not make for a good combination. View is nice of river

3÷12÷2016 — LUNCH (and a few beers)
We sat in the deck area and we were a table of 15 and a baby. Our waitress did the best she could. The service took a little long, don’t know if it was because of the kitchen. She was taking care of us and a couple of other tables. She looked a little overwhelmed.
I ordered the Red Rooster Ale. Others had the Jackson Pale Ale, angry orchard, whisky, waters, etc… After all drinks came out, our waitress took our orders in 2 waves. We had the coconut shrimp (5 shrimp $ 9.95) and the sweet sauce wings. The shrimp was hot but the wings came out cold. We told the waiter to heat them up a bit, when they came back, they had a different sauce. Now, I’m eating mild sauce with sweet sauce… not a good combo.
For entrees my friend and a few others ordered the fish tacos, nothing special. I had the French Dip ($ 11.95) it was a big sandwich with lots of tender beef on a ciabatta bread. The au jus was a little salty. We were stuffed.
It’s a nice location.

Came here on a Friday night and it was pretty empty. One thing this place has going for it are the awesome views. Food was OK.
Beef ribs: ribs were tender and sauce was flavorful, but it was almost all fat.
Shrimp and grits: This was actually quite good, having never had shrimp and grits before. I would recommend

Food was not good at all. Chicken tenders were dry. Burgers were over seasoned and my sons burger was too hard to bite. And with the cost McDonald’s would have been a better choice

Pretty view. IPA double dark beer good. Very limited wine list. Smell of the smokers from the outside bar is awful (even on the restaurant side). This place is tired and needs a facelift. Fish tank full of algae is just a hint of the lack of attention this place needs. Outside tables are pvc and some are damaged– chucks
Missing. Why not wrought iron? Bar area is tired — worn carpet, etc. Staff was friendly and attentive. We came for the view. Not for the food This place could be so great. But it’s not.

Imported from another site:
Another sales meeting, another dinner at a brewery/​brewpub. I love the company I work for. This place, however, was a huge «swing and a miss».
We had a large group of people, but we started out in different factions. I was with a group of about 6 to start with. We made our way by water taxi to the waterfront brewery location. Getting off the taxi, the place is easy to find, but actually getting in the place is quite cumbersome. One entrance to the left, another to the right, about 50 yards away. You miss the initial entrance because all of the outdoor seating and action are in the middle. So, you see the place to your left, and you are force to walk passed the place and circle back. Inconvenient at best.
Once in the establishmetn, more confusion ensues. They have two upstairs area, but the two are not connected from the outside. So walking up one set of stairs, under the belief you can get to both upstairs area, was again, inconvenient. There is a central staircase that leads upstairs, but that staircase is part and parcel to the outdoor brew pub part of the operation. There is a completely seperate restaurant area. Neither seem to be accesible to the other except at the side entrance.
The beer: In a word, horrible. They had a pale ale, porter, red ale, wheat, and light beer on draft. I ordered a pale ale, a buddy ordered a red, and another buddy ordered the porter. I swear to you, the pale and red were identical in color, and the porter was only 2 or 3 SRM darker than the pale and red. The waitress even said «I know, it doesnt look like a pale ale. We get that a lot». What? What kind of self respecting brewery knowingly puts out a subpar product? The beers tasted close to the same and they all tasted horrible. Sour, pithy, green apple, etc.
Here is the real kicker. We had a group of 90 people in our party, which was in one of the reserved upstairs dining room. They didnt even serve their own beer!!! It was all bottled stuff like Yuengling and Corona and Heineken. Again, what self respecting brewery has a party, and doesnt even serve their own beer?
The food was actually decent, but nothing outstanding. Some co-​workers ate the fried gator and they were almost unanimously having stomach problems later that night. Luckily, I didnt get any of those, so I was «safe». I am not even going to waste my time reviewing the beers because they are all horrible.
I would never come back here. Even when everything was free, I was miserable. This place needs an ass-​kicking. They are taking up very valuable real estate and giving beer a bad name. This place and Hilton Head Brewery are tied for the two worst in the country. 1.5 stars.

A rather confusing dining experience. RCBC is a pretty popular spot as it is one of the few riverfront restaurants in Jacksonville, but the location is the primary draw. I was there with my girlfriend and parents on a very nice day, close to opening. First impression — why does this place smell so bad?
The beer was very disappointing. RCBC is similar to restaurants like BJ’s; where they are technically breweries but it is an after thought. 2 in our party got the sampler so I tried them all, and they were mostly pretty bad. I had a pint of the pale ale, which was acceptable and the best of the group in my opinion.
The service deserves mention because it was kind of bizarre. Our server was very nice, but there was something off about the overall experience. Looking at the menu, whoever makes most of the decisions realizes that it should be a casual gathering place for friends to grab a meal and a brew while enjoying the view. Whoever manages the servers feels that it should be a fine dining atmosphere, complete with a never ending list of specials the servers attempt to memorize and a dessert menu that is not a menu but a tray presentation a la a fine steakhouse. Both are fine and have their place, but it feels awkward when they are mixed.
Anyway, the saving grace is that the food was actually really good. Looking at prior reviews and pictures on Unilocal our expectations were low, but it is obvious they have attempted to step up the ingredient quality. My chicken sandwich was delicious with hand cut fries, and everybody else enjoyed their meal also.
I could see myself coming back because the views are hard to beat and the food was actually pretty great, but I would recommend sticking to cocktails and not asking about desserts. And definitely sit outside to avoid the funky smell inside.

Service is good, of course craft in house beer good!
Seafood risotto was ok, too thick
Husband had steak & lobster– not good quality steak
Grits– good flavor but too thin.

A-​OK is pretty fitting for this place…
This used to be he spot! It was where you went to prom and hung out during the summers with drinks on the patio.
The problem is, it’s just the same from 15 years ago, nothing’s changed, the wood panel everywhere look dated and tired, even the staff seemed tired (it was Sunday morn brunch tho)
We went for Sunday’s brunch… It’s around $ 23 per person for an ayce bunch and this is the only option on Sunday’s (no regular menu)
The brunch was plentiful probably 4 – 5 different tables set up with all kinds of goodies.
Eggs, bacon, potatoes, Gouda grits (those grits were awesome!), Mac and cheese, a carving chef– roast beef and turkey, omlet station, salad bar, and 2! dessert tables! It was not lacking in selection but in quality it was all just ok… Nothing really wowed you
I had a half off voucher that brought us in, if not it would have just been ehhh for a $ 50 brunch

Excellent craft beers brewed here. The selection ranges from pales, to red ales, brown ale, a porter, and my favorite: the bourbon ale! It’s a sweet but slightly hoppy ale reminiscent of an English ale, with a kick.
The food was delicious. The shrimp and grits are actually the best I have ever had. Anywhere. They are smoked Gouda grits with fried green tomatoes and lightly breaded shrimp. They are not a heavy sauce, gravy type of shrimp and grits. Tangy and shockingly flavorful.
The port braised short ribs are also tender and flavorful, with comfort food mashed potatoes and steamed veggies.
The house made key lime tart was excellent.
There are some quirks. The warm rolls were tasty but I’m not sure they were made in-​house. The wait staff is very friendly but their high-​end service skills are definitely not there. Don’t expect to be waited on as if you’re in a major metropolitan area at a five-​star restaurant.
The view is great. The tables are right on the water with huge Windows.
Go there.

When you first walk inside of the restaurant, you may be appalled by the outdated décor and funky smell. However, I recommend overlooking this or sitting outside. This may sound weird, but the service is great and the food was very good. I think the building might just be old.
I definitely recommend getting the shrimp and grits! These are the best shrimp and grits that I have tried in Jacksonville. They even come with bacon and fried green tomatoes! It doesn’t get better then this.
I also recommend checking in on Unilocal so you can get a free desert. Just as a note, the options are chocolate cake, cheesecake and key lime pie. Not all of the deserts are available.

Yeah, just don’t do it.
The service is great but the Sunday brunch buffet was not great.
The scrambled eggs were dis colored– I was scared to eat them. Even the server admitted that she didn’t like them (and I appreciate her honesty). The potatoes were most likely made from frozen, and the waffles were hard.
They need a major interior redesign. The tables, booths, and chairs belong in a cheap banquet hall, and don’t get me started on the carpet.
With a location on the water and prices where they are, the typical customer expects food, décor, and prices to match the service. Currently they do not meet these expectations.
At least they have friendly, hard working employees, but still have a few more improvements to make before I recommend or go back.

Recommend this for someone who is in Jacksonville for a visit. Key lime fritters appetizer was absolutely amazing– order them well done The beer flight is an excellent value. While none of these was exceptional, each of the varieties had their own merit. The jambalaya was delicious a good portion, but could use a little more sauce so that the rice had something to absorb.
The catch of the day was a delicious blackened Seabass. Their catch for the day comes with a pineapple or tomato salsa that comes over it. There is an upgrade option to order butter crab over your fish, and although I ordered that, they informed me as the plate came out that that was not available. They brought out the pineapple salsa on the side, which was a great coincidence because the fish with the sauce on it was already fantastic, and the pineapple salsa would have ruined it.
Dessert was a great chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream. Fantastic finish for the meal.
We would recommend this to anyone passing through. Not a gourmet meal, but well above average for a brewery with an amazing view of the river with intimate ambiance.

This review is dated, sorry. We visited here for lunch in July during a visit to the museum, with our almost 2 year old twins. Being beer lovers, we thought «what the heck, let’s try it out». It was only a quick walk across the parking lot to the restaurant from the museum, so we could pause our visit and then go back after lunch. We were surprised by how fancy looking the inside dining area was, and we were in summer gear for museum visiting, so we sat outside on the deck. It was not overly crowded for being lunch time in the summer. The outside seating was entertaining; sitting on the river gave the kids some entertainment as well. The waitress gave them crayons and a coloring mat, so they were thrilled.
As far as food, we were pleasantly surprised by the quality and taste of the food. I had the turkey wrap and my husband had the rustic club. Both were really tasty for what we thought would just be pub food. I don’t recall what the kids ate but I remember thinking it was going on the «kid approved» list. It’s tough to find a place we all love and can peacefully enjoy, so thank you for that! Our waitress was very nice for dealing with a table with kids on a hot summer day.

I attended a party at their upstairs venue. I found the servers were attentive and of course the view breathtaking. The fish was light and fresh with no fishy aftertaste. The desserts were impeccable. I found the restaurant and bar to be very empty for a Friday though I do believe a makeover would help them achieve greater success running up against so many great restaurants that are now in JAX.

The River City Brewing Company (RCBC) never fails. The service is outstanding and the menu is eclectic. I had the Asian Tuna Salad today and it did not disappoint. RCBC is also know for it desserts and since I’m laying off the sweets I didn’t get to use my «Free Dessert» after I checked in on Unilocal.I’ll save it for another day. Therefore yes, I’ll Be Back.

Most of the beers were not so good, but the Kentucky Bourbon beer was the best. The clam chowder was amazing; the key lime pie not so much. Had to tell waiter 3 times I wanted key lime pie; he even brought cheesecake. Good value over all; fish of the day was very good.

This location was recommended by someone from the area.
First, let me say the location is not clearly called out when driving up to the area. It’s near a museum and shares a parking area with them. The parking entrance needs some work. I will go ahead and say the entire property is dated.
The group I was with included six and we sat outside on the deck looking at the river and the city lights. Nice area and great place for our group to chat.
One thing about the deck was the furniture option. PVC chairs. I tried two chairs to find one the wasn’t creaky and the mesh seat wasn’t wore out. Updated furniture needed.
The menu had a great deal of selections and the shrimp and grits caught my eye. And when it did arrive, the food was awesome. I mentioned when it arrived, because it was considerably late and thats with two times asking the ETA. The waitress did apologize and her manager did take care of one round of drinks.
The reason for the tardiness of the food was one of my table mates ordered a soup dish that was long in preparing and two others complained to the table only that their food was slightly cold.
This may have been a great place years ago, but my opinion it’s needs a remodel and better attention with the prep kitchen manager on the flow of dishes.

Easily the worst brewery in Jacksonville. I’m not sure how they are still in business. Must be from its great riverfront location and perhaps the work crowd?
The establishment is your run-​of-​the-​mill gimmicky microbrewery that makes 4 – 5 of their own beers just to say they do. Outdated interior… drab and sort of nautical themed inside a pecular large hexagon shape. Brewing equipment is old and unkept, the beer is served flat with no head formation, and every single beer on tap (I tried all of them) was unintentionally sour. This might have improved them for all I know. Food is overpriced and pretty poor with an outdated menu. If you have the unfortunate experience of needing to eat in downtown Jacksonville, go somewhere else.

I try not to review places after only one visit but I don’t get to Jacksonville much, so first impressions will have to do this time I guess.
Straight off, the view/​location is spectacular; couldn’t be better. We went at Christmas time and the sparkling lights and tasteful decorations made everything even prettier. We enjoyed a table by the huge windows overlooking the water, boats and downtown view.
The service was very good. Attentive, relaxed, and friendly without being intrusive.
The food was a little pricey, yes, but it was very good. Lots of fish and seafood offerings on the menu, but you could get a burger or chicken if you wanted. I had the Golden Beet Salad which I loved. B had Flounder and a side of the Smoked Gouda Grits, which were absolutely to die for if you are a cheese fanatic like I am.