Best Food in Town

[JFman00]

Perfect timing:
Making sure that this doesn't get lost in the shuffle....
Restaurant guide Zagat launches Jacksonville survey
Quote
In what cold be a first, Zagat has launched one of its "featured surveys" for Jacksonville-area restaurants

http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/423471/gary-mills/2012-03-27/restaurant-guide-zagat-launches-jacksonville-survey
http://www.zagat.com/vote

Bistro Aix, Taverna, bb's, Indochine, Sumo Sushi. I also positively rated 13 Gypsies, Blue Fish and Beach Road Chicken Dinners. Mixed review on Brick. Bad review for Orsay.

[mtraininjax]

Sounds like someone didn't have a good time at Bistro... wah.  There food is very good and the atmosphere is great.  I've also never had a problem with service there.

No real restaurant stacks tables, cleaning supplies and chairs in their restroom hallway. None. One of the first lessons taught in culinary school is to go into a restaurants bathroom and if it isn't clean there, odds are the kitchen is not either. Waiting 2 hours for appetizers and never having a manager check on you, is really piss poor service.

[ben says]

So many options in Jax - if you want bland to go Orlando, that's darden-topia. Nothing but national chians.

The Fox - Best weekday breakfast in Avondale, and Ian is a hoot!

What Ian is doing at Chomp Chomp is quite special in my opinion, really like what they are doing there.

I love Chomp Chomp. Such a fun little spot, inexpensive, and delicious. Love the people working there, too. While I love the location and vibe and personality of The Fox, honestly, I could care less for their food. Don't serve "yogurt and granola" and then bring me a Yoplait and a box of Kelloggs granola. I mean, common, at least try!

[02roadking]

My kid lives in Brooklyn, NY (hipster ground zero).  I get up there at least 5-6 times per year and one of the hardest things I have to do while there is to decide where to eat, so many choices, and not all expensive.  For example, there are at least 5 great Neapolitan style pizza joints (Paulie Gee's, Roberta's, etc) close by.  Not to mention great cheese shops, butcher shops and the like for dining in.   We don't need to compare ourselves to something that's not like us, we just need to celebrate and patronise what we have!
JaxJerry

Funny...We just got back from 4 day stay in a Brownestone in Carroll Gardens area. I love Brooklyn. We tried http://www.yelp.com/biz/enoteca-on-court-brooklyn-2 and had the free baby pizzas with our adult beverages. Entrees were very good too.

[BigHache]

We have a plethora of chicken wing options. So there's that.

Yeah, The Chicken Koop!

I haven't been in a time, but I have enjoyed Pataya Thai on every occasion I've been.

Chomp Chomp is a great little place.

Good list, but yeah we're def not NYC.

[Jax_Osprey]

Your professor clearly needs to get out more. We'll never be NY but we still have good food and tremendous variety. There are tons of amazing spots, all over town...you just have to be willing to try them.

Great call on Restaurant Orsay and French Pantry...two of Jacksonville's best. I'd also add Culhane's Irish Pub (Atlantic) and Palm Valley Fish Camp (Ponte Vedra), two other great area spots. Don't forget the lunch buffet at Soul Food Bistro for soul food and the $7 and under lunches at Chomp Chomp downtown. Uptown Market and City Kidz Cafe (they have a nationally known Viva Vanilla ice cream that is soon to be stocked in Sam's Clubs locations) in Springfield are both winners.

Vietnamese: Bowl of Pho (Baymeadows). There's also PK Noodles on Beach Boulevard. Great bahn mi sandwich and spring rolls.

Italian: Enza's in Mandarin, in the Whole Foods shopping center. Mama Lucia's on St. Johns Bluff is decent as well.

Soup/salad/sandwich: Olio Market (Downtown). <---YES! Also: Pinegrove Deli in Riverside (amazing cuban sandwich), Chamblin's Uptown (near the Downtown library. Homemade soups, delicious wraps and bagels sandwiches. Bagels are made locally.), Whiteway Delicatessan in Riverside, Delicomb (Jax Beach).

Middle Eastern: Noura Cafe (San Jose and University). Also add: Mandaloun (Southside and Baymeadows) - delicious lunch buffet, best hummus in town, Karam (Beach/Hodges and University), Hala (University), Taverna Yamas (Tinseltown/Southside), Wafaa 'n Mike's (Springfield).

Breweries: Intuition Ale Works (Riverside), Bold City Brewery (Riverside), Green Room Brewery (Beaches), Engine 15 (Beaches), Seven Bridges (Southside), Brewer's Pizza (Orange Park). And while we're on the topic of beer, the selection at Kickbacks (Riverside), any of the European Street locations and Pele's Wood Fire (Riverside).

Cuban: Mambo's at the beach. Great ropa vieja.

Breakfast spots: Metro Diner (hello!), Cool Moose Cafe (Riverside), Chamblin's Uptown, Bagel Love (Avondale), The Fox (Avondale), Biscotti's (Avondale).

Love Bold Bean for coffee but don't forget Three Layers a Coffeehouse in Springfield. Good eats and desserts (I'm  looking at you oversized peanut butter cookie and Jeff's square)...

[JaxJerry]

And, Puerto Plata on Blanding Blvd.  If you haven't already, you need to try the chicharrines de pollo (fried chicken), chivi (goat stew), and all of the shrimp dishes.

[BridgeTroll]

I think Bluefish is underrated... They have been serving a cioppino that makes me think of San Francisco.  Orsay is one of the best places in town... not sure I would classify it as french though...  Both places have pretty damn good happy hours too!

[KenFSU]

Cuban: Mambo's at the beach. Great ropa vieja.

I'm not a big fan of Mambo's food, but there's a fantastic Cuban place on Dunn Avenue near 95. The name escapes me at this second, but they've got the best ropa vieja in town.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

Cuban: Mambo's at the beach. Great ropa vieja.

I'm not a big fan of Mambo's food, but there's a fantastic Cuban place on Dunn Avenue near 95. The name escapes me at this second, but they've got the best ropa vieja in town.

Del Sol - I tried calling them the other day for some togo food and they didn't pick up - I haven't driven by in a while, so I don't know if they're still open.

Edit:  Also El Mofongo (sic) in the little shopping center complex at Wesconnet and Timuquana.  Very good.

[KenFSU]

Del Sol - I tried calling them the other day for some togo food and they didn't pick up - I haven't driven by in a while, so I don't know if they're still open.

Yelp says they're closed

http://www.yelp.com/biz/sol-cuban-cafe-jacksonville

[copperfiend]

I am ashamed to admit I have never eaten at Potter's House but everytime I read about, it sounds so damn good. I might have to make a trip over there this weekend.

[Seihaku]

Wanna thank everyone for the recommendations in here, have a lot of food to try out 

I have to say though I've been here for about 4 years and still haven't really gotten out to try some of the bigger restaurants in town.  I agree with the guy whose son lives in Brooklyn that there is no comparison, but I never feel I have to struggle if I want something different. Sure we don't exactly have restaurants with Molecular Gastronomy tasting menus but who cares, molecular gastronomy is more fun to make than it is to eat.

The only place I really miss is Meyer's Latin Flair that was located down on Southside for about a year (which then became Baba something and is now Istanbul), used to live right next to it and their Lomo Saltado was always great (as low end as it gets, but that's a pretty common craving). I will be the one that says I like Kickbacks for the food almost more than I like the selection of beer.

[cline]

The only place I really miss is Meyer's Latin Flair that was located down on Southside for about a year (which then became Baba something and is now Istanbul)

I think that location might be cursed.  It has been many different things but none seem to last.  Maybe Istanbul Grill will be the exception.

[Seihaku]

Istanbul has a shot, if only because it was preexisting prior to moving to that location whereas the others were upstarts.  I agree though, everything closes in that shopping center (feel kind of bad since I know the owner of the dentistry office), for a while it seemed like Meyer's and Larry's Subs could survive, but Meyer's closed and Larry's wound up leaving the franchise and changing to LaNair's Subs for all of 6 months before closing their doors as well.