RJ Gator's of Bradenton

Reviews

• RV

  Renee Van-Derpoel

  5 days ago
  4.0
  Food was good. Mahi was a little bland however well cooked. Grouper platter was good, fried tenders were well seasoned and not greasy. Trivia was a blast!
• RF

  Richard Fedewa

  Oct 10, 2025
  3.0
  Terrible... the rice was not normal, had zero flavor. They put 4lbs of salt on the shrimp, so much it wasn't edible, ordered fried grouper and got unfried salmon. The only thing actually edible were scallops because they missed the scallops when dumping tons of salt on everything. Never be back. The waitress was a smart ass and had something stupid to say everytime she came by. Not good.
• NN

  Nadia

  Sep 27, 2025
  4.0
  Friendly neighborhood. Hospitality was on point! We had a chicken Philly and it was not the best, but the gator bites were really good. Came to this town for work. This seems like a nice spot to grab a bite and play some bingo with the others in the neighborhood. I would have given more stars if their was more flavor and mixture of music.
• TJ

  T J

  Sep 19, 2025
  1.0
  I really wanted to like this place, but unfortunately, it was a letdown. Nothing about the food stood out in a good way. The calamari was way over-seasoned and unbearably salty. My salad had a very strange taste, almost as if something in it was starting to spoil. Overall, the food came across like cafeteria-style meals, clearly not fresh, more like something that had just been reheated. Service didn’t make up for it either. We never got refills, and the staff seemed inattentive throughout the meal. For a restaurant, those basics matter just as much as the food. To be fair, the space itself is clean and has a nice vibe, but that’s where the positives end. At the end of the day, if you can’t deliver on fresh food and decent service, the atmosphere doesn’t matter. Not impressed, and I wouldn’t recommend it.
• AA

  Amy Ashburn-Forest

  Sep 13, 2025
  5.0
  This was our first time visiting RJ Gators. I would like to start with entering. With the old Florida vibe, rustic but clean, and welcoming hostess, we were seated quickly. Next, we were approached by our sweet server Emma. Not only is she so professional, she is polite, friendly and funny. I have allergies and a chronic illness, and she happily accommodated my dietary needs for the Bay platter. When the food came out, it was perfect. All allergens and intolerances were removed, and the food was DELICIOUS! The mahi, scallops and shrimp were seasoned so well, and the mahi was very flavorful and fresh. For those who don’t eat a lot of fish (I do) mahi is a bit more like crab in the flavor, but you can also get salmon on the Bay Platter. Hubby got the gator bites, which is under appetizers, with a side of sweet potato fries. The gator bites are a great deal! So many of them, hubby had to get a box. The sweet potato fries were cooked to perfection. If you are a fan of sweet potato fries, you know some can just lead to disappointment-soggy, limp and underwhelming. These were the opposite. I didn’t see that it said they were hand cut, but they certainly appeared to be. Not greasy with great integrity and a firm bite. The prices are also very reasonable. With all of this being said, I can’t wait to go back. The food was great, but the overall shining star of our evening was Emma. As a mom of three daughters, I connected with her. She is a true treasure of a server. Her exceptional attention to detail never made me question that my food would be safe. She knew the ingredients in sauces without having to defer to the kitchen. She also notes my allergies, just to ensure no cross contamination. This young lady is such an asset to RJ Gators. One additional detail. They had every college football game on tonight. I could hear the games, but at no point was I yelling over a TV. The balance was perfect! I enjoyed conversation with my husband and Emma while the games were on. They have a lot of games and tvs with a lot of angles. We look forward to our next dinner out here!