Sbraga & Company

I loved this restaurant. The inside was beautiful, the food was fabulous and the wait staff could not have been more efficient or polite. I will definitely be back.

Nice restaurant. I went on Sunday, booked a reservation through the Open Table app. A few things to consider, there’s no lunch service. Their bottomless mimosas for $ 15 seemed like a great deal, except our server had too many tables to properly wait on us. There was a long wait to order, long wait to get your order/​drink. I’ve been a server before so I totally understand if reply wasn’t the server’s fault, they just need more coverage on the floor. Maybe you’ll have a better experience.

Great dinner tonight at Sbraga! Watermelon ceviche and grilled chicken were the faves. It’s not often that I would rave about chicken, but chef was on point tonight!

The food is excellent. Small plates, thus the price adds up.

This was a fantastic place we wouldn’t know if it weren’t for Unilocal!We were stuck in a rain storm downtown on a Sunday and grabbed a cocktail at the Hyatt. Whilst sipping our cocktails, we found this place on Unilocal.Located under a condo building, it seems nondescript, but it is beautiful, modern and has excellent food and service! Highlight was the quail on top of a jalapeño cheddar corn cake with bacon marmalade. To die for! Our dessert was a starter… Deviled eggs on homemade bread with jalapeños. So ridiculously good!

I have been wanting to come here for awhile and finally were able to come for brunch on a Sunday morning.
It is located in a new area of Jax (Brooklyn) and when we got there we could see it but how do you get there?! You kinda go down a little side road and park in a dirt lot behind the building. Ok.
On walking in it is very pretty and new, I was thinking it would be more modern style but I would say it’s more country chic.
We were one of only 3 or 4 tables so we got fast service, she was friendly and gave some great suggestions!
Now the food!
We got the bread board: 4 different pastries, 2 savory, 2 sweet… I actually liked the savory ones better they were interesting and full flavor… Cheddar jalapeño, almond croissant, a rasp doughnut, and chocolate muffin (?) …carb overload, delish carbs! :)
Hubby got an omlet I think and he liked it and ate it fast, I got the shrimp roll with fries… first the fries were dang tasty hand cut and cooked perfect, then the shrimp roll was fresh and buttery good, I loved the fresh dill inside and sprinkled on top.
We were going to do dessert but we were stuffed and couldn’t do anymore!
Can’t wait to come back and try dinner, great addition to Jax dining scene!

We tried Sbraga & Company recently to celebrate a birthday and overall really enjoyed the experience. We considered taking advantage of happy hour at the bar, but the selection was really limited so we opted for a table and we were glad we did because we ordered so many items to share, we would not have had room at the bar. We started with drinks, I opted for a very nice pinor noir and my birthday guest tried the mango in the «shrub» category. The cocktail was not our favorite because the balsamic vinegar was a prominent flavor and it was a bit too unusual. Some of the food items were better than others, so in all it was a learning experience. Ranked in order what we liked most to least, we tried the smoked pork, the grilled salad, egg toast, hogs and hominy, and the grilled octopus. The smoked pork was amazing, with such incredible smoky flavor in the meat it did not even need the sauce. Even so, the vinegar based sauce was so good, we used it anyway on a few different items. The pork was the largest plate that we ordered so we actually brought a little bit home. It was served with a small amount of fresh cole slaw, three pull apart rolls, and a few delicious pickles. We would highly recommend ordering this dish. The grilled salad was two small hearts of romaine, grilled with a delicate cesar dressing and some house made sourdough croutons and the grilled flavor made this item worthy of putting on my definitely order again list. Our server recommended getting something from the raw bar in addition to the 4 other small plates we were sharing, but we are not really raw bar diners, so the salad was a happy substitute. Actually, four dishes to share would have been plenty. Next on our list of favorites was the egg toast which was like a deconstructed deviled egg on a hearty slice of toast. The word“Toast” does not hardly do the bread here justice, since breads are baked in house and are simply delicious. While I am a big bread fan, I am not really fond of egg salad or deviled eggs so I tried one slice and let my birthday guest have the other two. The toppings made this really interesting, fried hominy and fresh, hot jalapenos. Maybe next time I would try a different type of toast if it is available. The highly recommended hog & hominy was just okay. The hog part was a small portion of the same smoked pork and was delicious and the hominy was the same yummy fried pieces of hominy that were on the toast, but the grits they were served on were a bit lumpy and bland. Sitting in last place on our favorites list is the grilled octopus, but only because, though we wanted to try it, we know we are not really fond of octopus. It was tender and grilled perfectly, just not our style. We were thankful the server told us the okra was spicy hot and to taste them with the field pea salad it was served on because it really was incredibly hot. The dessert selection is small and since nothing appealed to us and we both were full from the meal we did not sample anything sweet. Overall I recommend Sbragas for special occassions and choose wisely.

Dined hear for the first time since they have opened and will be back. The food and drinks were delicious and the atmosphere is beautiful. The interior has a country modern feel and the Unity Plaza setting outside is really pretty, it makes you feel like you are on vacation. This area will be really hoppin once the third restaurant on the corner is open.
As for the taste of the food:
We enjoyed: Drinks: Satsuma Shrub, Strawberry shrub, and a couple house margaritas. They were all really good and strong. Lots of flavor and fresh juices used.
Food: we did a Bread Board (OMG the pretzels and onion relish soo. delish), NY strip steak (perfectly cooked), salmon with pea purée, a sweet sauce and squid ink crumbs (this was awesome and unusual), Ricotta Gnocchi (not my favorite, a tad bit salty for me), Sweet Potatoes with crispy onions and cheese (really good combo of flavors), and a grilled ceaser salad (smokey and delicious), dessert was a vanilla buttermilk pie with coconut ice cream and bananas (so good) This was a lot of food for 2 people, we had leftovers.
Service was excellent and not hurried, Prices were right on par for quality and portion.
I’m baffled by the negative reviews some people wrote, this is one of the best restaurants in Jax for food and especially atmosphere.

This was a huge let down. The restaurant itself is a great looking place and a nice setup. Service was friendly and attentive.
My wife and I had drinks to start and they were ok. That, I can’t hold against the establishment, they weren’t just for us.
The food was out very quick. Both our meals were very salt heavy. I get that portion sizes don’t need to be a lot but the pork, mashed potatoes, and zucchini dishes were a joke. The gnocchi was salty but it was the best dish on the table. The price doesn’t equal the experience. I will spend a little more and be way more satisfied at many more places.

This was my first time eating here I’ve been wanting to try it for some time but couldn’t make it work. The format is small plate family style where you get to taste a variety of dishes vs having a standard appetizer, salad, dinner format. This could have been a challenging feat eating with 3 co-​workers but we managed with a variety of palate’s. I would recommend dining with folks that have similar tastes.
The food was awesome the 4 of us ordered 2 charcuterie boards, 4 small plates, 2 provisions, 3 crops and 2 desserts. What a mouthful! Lol. Our waiter was spot on in his recommendation that 3 – 4 plates per person would leave you at a comfortable level between leaving hungry vs leaving overly full.
Absolute musts to order would be the smoked pork, New York strip, hog and hominy and the gnocchi. The buttermilk pie was awesome. While the pricing seems reasonable the small plates add up as you order 3 – 4 per person. The small plates are served with 3 items each so dining with 4 will force you to order 2, split one of the 3, or someone misses out on a taste.
Atmosphere was very modern and sleek — would be a great place for date night or reminiscing with friends. 3 out of 4 stars for the food and 1 star for the service (adopting a personal rating system with the help of my fellow diners)!

SBRAGA!!! So glad you’re here!
There’s a contemporary-​chic atmosphere that makes you forget you’re in Jacksonville, and I love that about this place! Perfectly mixed, sophisticated cocktails from Seth– love him! Try the «Stormy Morning». The hubs and I visited for the first time on on Valentine’s Day and sat at the chef’s table! What an experience! The food is great and Sbraga easily earned the title of best in JAX from the husband once he tried the steak and the Captain’s Chicken. I love how their small plates allow you to order multiple things and the price is also conducive! This «gem of a restaurant» is the perfect date night spot for all to behold!

I was really looking forward to trying this place, especially because of the top chef connection, but I feel like it’s just hyped up cause there’s nothing like it in jacksonville. My friend and I got the carrot ceviche, hummus, grilled octopus, pulled pork, and hog and hominy. The carrot ceviche was decent and the hummus was pretty good, but nothing to be wowed about. The grilled octopus was probably our favorite dish of the night. The hog and hominy was good too, but nothing I’m going to remember or crave. The eggplants in the octopus dish were definitely a stand out. The pulled pork was pretty dry and salty…
The décor and ambience is nice and the staff is attentive, but the food was so disappointing. I don’t mind paying more for better quality food, but this just missed the mark.

High prices, small plates and bland, so-​so food. In a city with many excellent dining options, this is one place you don’t need to visit.
Embracing the fad of small plates, this place has managed to put a high price on the small plate. Even bread carries an eight dollar pricetag! The service, while attentive, seems to lack attention to detail. Our server, while describing the evening’s menu raved about the whole fish, and talked my partner into ordering it. Then, when the small plates came rolling out, he brought her the bad news, «no fish for you.»
The food matches what you would expect from a TV chef. It looks good; but it is tasteless, bland and unimaginative.
The room is flawed. The idea of the exposed work areas is a nice one, but, the space is far too loud. Conversation at the table is impossible. At least the bakers, behind their glass wall, can hear each other talk, certainly the waiters had difficulties hearing the repeated bellows for, «service.» With the tiny portions on the small plates, the price of a meal swiftly becomes excessive, and the quality of the dishes served is far less than the price. A meal here is one of Jacksonville’s most expensive, it is far from one of the best.

I am absolutely in love with the ambiance and décor of the restaurant! Every detail of the restaurant is noteworthy (from the plates to the different chairs to the lighting). I definitely enjoyed the atmosphere very much. As for food, I only visited during lunch and it is very good. Nonetheless, I must warn that the portions are very small. For instance, if you order soup, I recommend ordering a main dish as well.
At lunch, I tried the following dishes –
Hogs and hominy: delicious! I would definitely order again!
Tomato soup: good as a starter but not as a full meal. It is a deconstructed soup that is very creamy. I would get it on every visit!
Deviled egg toast– small portion but very good! The bread is very fresh. I wouldn’t order it every time because it is quite expensive.
BLT — the pork belly was very good! The meat is fantastic, however you can hardly taste or see the fried green tomatoes. The sandwich comes with fries, but they can be replaced with a side salad.
As for parking, you park in the front or in the back of the 220 building

A couple of friends and I had been anticipating the opening of Chef Sbraga’s Jacksonville location. After work, a few colleagues and I met there for a mid-​week dinner. Between the five of us, we ordered a nice sampling of the menu, which was reasonably priced.
Bread board (4/​5, $ 8): The biscuit was heavenly, the cornbread and pretzel bread were a little heavy but still good enough that I ate more than my share. And that jam? It was so good that I put it on everything!
Fried pickles (5/​5, $ 9): Yummy! We expected fried pickles — which were sweet! — but the fried onions were a welcomed surprise.
Grilled octopus (3/​5, $ 12): This just didn’t come together very well for me. The okra and mint didn’t really seem to fit in well with the octopus.
Beets (5/​5, $ 6): We only ordered one vegetable and we chose well. The beets were cold and fresh, done very well.
Pappardelle (3/​5, $ 11): It was served al dente with veggies and goat cheese. Very good. Unfortunately, it was cold.
Hog and hominy (4/​5, $ 9): This was quite creative. I’m not a grits lover, but the pairing of pork with anything is a winner and even I found the cheese grits to be tasty.
Ricotta gnocchi (4/​5, $ 13): I am not a fan of gnocchi but with that said, this version had a good consistency and the addition of ham, peas, and collard greens gave it an unmistakably southern twist.
Smoked meat (5/​5, $ 26): This was the highlight of our meal. The brisket was mouth watering good and the chicken was so flavorful! The pulled pork and the rolls also held their own. Great bbq sauces too!
Banana pudding (2/​5, $ 6): The taste was more of ¹⁄₅ for me but I added an extra star for creativity. Our server explained that the unique addition of peanut butter in this banana pudding really made it outstanding. So, I tried it. I quickly decided that peanut butter should never be added to banana pudding. The light, fresh, smooth texture that I love about banana pudding was ruined by the heavy addition of dollops of peanut butter. That really threw it off. Well that, as well as the fact that it was deconstructed.
The ambiance in Sbraga & Co was trendy. I loved the wood décor. The furnishings and table settings created an upscale, rustic atmosphere that didn’t feel pretentious. The restaurant is large, with a small private dining area, an impressive bar, and cute decorations — such as light bulbs strewn around a wooden beam — that make the space inviting. Service was good, as expected.
It was pretty empty on the night that I went but I doubt it’ll be like that for long. I’ll definitely be back.

Its New! Its Hot! Its Trending! and a bit slow as my girlfriends and I stopped by for some Holiday Cocktails. We had to search down a server but once we finally did the party started and we found their HaPpY HoUr is fabulously priced. They brought us a sample of their appetizer which was very on point for a restaurant of their class. We must of been early because the place was empty when we got there about 4 PM. We do look forward to going back to happy hour where they serve top shelf cocktails for a great price. Next time it will be for dinner also and than I will review again.

What a cool, and unique place! We waited for a bit, for things to settle down before we made our reservations for a celebratory Thank You dinner, and when we walked up, we were seated right away.
I’d urge you to read and go with Jerry T’s recommendation on getting a lot of small plates and one large one to share… we came in hungry and ended up trying and sharing quite a few things.
And before you read on: If it’s two of you, you can probably get out of here without spending a ton. But if there are more, and your super hungry: expect to drop some cash. And it will be delicious and worth it.
I’m not much of a liquor drinker, unless the drinks are mixed well, and I’m not overwhelmed by the strength. (Sneaky little cocktails!) I tried the Bramble: (gin, basil, blueberry) and the OT Gin: strawberry, rhubarb, demerara, white balsamic vinegar. Both were perfectly balanced and delicious, but I did order another OT Gin… not to sweet or tart, just perfect.
We wanted to order «ALL THE SNACKS» but decided on: the deviled egg toast and the grilled octopus. The deviled egg toast was perfect… the slice of red onion and jalapeño was a perfect touch. And I didn’t think I’d be a fan of the octopus, but it was excellent: crispy and flavorful!
We also had the pickled shrimp cocktail, (IMHO, let the pickled shrimp shine on their own, I could do without the cocktail), the oysters, (they were ok).
The Hog and Hominy was killer: mmmmmmm cheesy grits and those super crispy bites of pork? Amazing. Adam ordered the fried chicken and in the darker lighting, it appeared a little over done, but the skin still was seasoned well, and the chicken inside was juicy.
Pretty sure we had dessert but by that point, I was full, the cocktails had kicked in, and let’s just say yay for Über, because we rolled out of there full, tipsy and stuffed.
I can’t wait to go back, whether it’s drinks on the amazing patio, or for more grub (or brunch!)

We checked out Sbraga and Company for a recent girls’ night dinner. We had a 7pm reservation and I was surprised to see that the place wasn’t too busy (though it got busier as the evening went on). Our waitress came over and explained the menu to us (the small plates/​large plates labels on the menu don’t easily explain themselves but she gave us numbers to give us an idea of the serving sizes). I started with the watermelon cocktail and really enjoyed it. Very light and refreshing with a slight spice to it.
Our table shared the bread board and loved it. The little pretzel pieces were great (and still warm) but we LOVED the biscuit. There was just one to split 4 ways but we actually ended up ordering more (2 each) to take home for the next morning. They were fantastic.
I decided to try the pickled shrimp cocktail and the oyster stew. The shrimp came out first and I really enjoyed the mix of flavors. Very tasty. The oyster stew was also great. I went with the sugar cake for dessert and that was the only dish that was a little meh. The kiwi sorbet was great, as was the meringue but I just didn’t love the cake itself.
The service was a little spotty overall. Our waitress was very friendly and great at explaining the menu but as the restaurant got busier, service slowed considerably, then there was an issue splitting the bill. If they’d been open longer than a week, I would have been much more bothered by it but I’m willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.
Overall, the experience was really enjoyable. The restaurant is really pretty (loved the open kitchen) and the food and drinks tasted great. Based on the taste of those biscuits, I’d be willing to bet that they have a great brunch.

A friend had asked me if I wanted to join a group going on opening night here. WHAT!!! Of course!!! I’d love to.
Sbraga is located in Unity Plaza as we all found out. Some of us ended up going to Fresh Market looking for it or driving past it all together. There’s parking behind 220 Riverside for Unity Plaza. Just look for the signs. Right now it’s a dirt lot but it’s fairly close to the restaurant. On a side note, Unity Plaza is gorgeous. What a view. It’s a little odd because the restaurant is under apartments at 220. You can look at all the balconies belonging to the residents.
Walking inside, the place is amazing. The décor reminded me of other local restaurants all rolled into one. I really like the modern rocking chairs in the lounge area. The raw bar is in the center of the place, the actual bar is off to the right and the cooking area is in the back. This area is open so you can see them preparing your food. On this night we could see Mr. Kevin Sbraga overseeing everything and socializing. Things were going good so far. We had to wait until our entire party arrived before they sat us, restaurant policy. So I ordered a Planters cocktail while we waited. It’s basically Jamaican Rum, Pineapple juice, and Lime. A perfect way to start the evening. Once everyone was there, they walked us over to the corner and sat us at a table for 8.
I already knew that I wanted the grilled octopus but I didn’t know what else to order. Our waiter was very friendly but he couldn’t answer some of our questions clearly about the menu items, like what is diplomat cream that’s included in the banana pudding. He explained to us that the larger plates on the menu were considered «family-​style», big enough for sharing but by the end of the evening we didn’t agree with that. He also explained that once the food is ready to be served it is served immediately. That’s a plus.
I went ahead and ordered the octopus and split the smoked meat platter. The octopus snack was just that, a snack. Four pieces of tentacle, hot okra (they’re aren’t kidding about that! I ate one and immediately grabbed some water hahaha), min and field pea salad. The snack as a whole was good but I’d expected more octopus than what was there. Someone else ordered the bread board, which was fantastic with the fennel jam provided (#thatfenneljamtho). The oyster stew and fennel and tomato soup were also a hit with us. I also able to try the fried pickle snack. Not only was it pickles, it was also okra, cukes, cauliflower, and padrons. I liked this. Everything was fried lightly and perfectly.
When the smoked meat platter came out, myself and my sharing partner were not impressed. We could have gotten this at any BBQ place. Platter consists of pork shoulder, beef brisket, and chicken wings with three different sauces. There were also rolls and coleslaw too. Everything tasted good but we expected more. I was able to taste the Hogs and Hominy dish, which is pulled pork, cheese grits, and baby corn. The menu says crispy pork but there wasn’t any crispiness to it. Someone near me ordered the Whole Striped Bass and it was beautiful. She said it was very good. She had also ordered the Turnips which were not put in by our server, but after reminding him he apologized, a manager apologized, and when he came back with it be apologized again. Wow. I ordered their Sangria as I was done with my first drink. Their sangria has apple brandy, wine syrup and fruit (apples, lemons, limes, and oranges). Very good.
We had seen photos of the Banana Pudding dessert on Instagram and knew we were gonna order that. We still weren’t sure what diplomat cream was but it didn’t matter at this point. There’s also bananas, nilla wafers, and peanut butter in it. That was very good. I’d order that again with the sugar cake dessert.
There were mixed feelings around the table about returning but I can’t judge them too much since it was opening night. I’ll give them some time to adjust and return. I’d definitely come back for brunch or dinner.

Hmmmm, this is a nice addition to the overall Jax scene and very fitting for the area. Walked in and felt like I was in a Dallas or Charlotte. Everything is very open/​airy. Although an upgrade to Jax, the place is pretty common to other cities.
New/​fusion take on southern food. Ample seating, inside and out, with pretty décor. Open kitchen, prep station and bakery.
The food is ok and I’ll return (casual dinner w/​friends or a quick lunch), but I won’t drive out of my way to visit. Nothing spectacular or signature. I really enjoyed the black-​eyed pea fritters. I enjoyed my Stormy Morning cocktail, but I kept thinking about Mitchell’s (town center). They also have an elderflower cocktail (martini maybe).
Ben (manages all of Sbraga’s restaurants) was present and friendly. Sean, Chris and Ian (center prep area where I was seated) were absolutely delightful.
Wait staff and kitchen are on a learning curve, but still provided a home-​like feel to their service. Nice! Everyone seems young in age. Not a bad thing. I would suggest someone speak to them about their interactions with one another, in front of guests. Because the restaurant is so open, I was able to hear/​observe what was going on w/​staff (wrong order, something not keyed in, etc).
More like a 3.75 star rating for now. Dinner could make it a full 4 (maybe 5). Shrug.