YellowFin

Located in the quaint downtown of Gainesville this charming restaurant offered many tasty choices. I was there with three co-​worker and we all had different things. Everything was wonderful. They offer a full bar and and what looked like wonderful desserts. We were all too full to try one.
I had the seared tuna and it was perfect. It was served with tempura asparagus with a wonderful chili sauce.
If you are looking for great seafood I would highly recommend giving them a try.

Grouper sandwich was perfecr. I haven’t had oysters or custard in years and they were both better than I’ve ever had before. I’ll be back here again soon

Excellent. I had the tuna and a wedge salad. Very good service and food. Highly recommend it.

We have been here many times. I still do not understand why they do not provide simple cocktail sauce with the raw oysters and horseradish on the side so that you can mix it to your own taste. The cocktail sauce that is served with the raw oysters is really hot. Other than that, have nothing but favorable things to say about the restaurant. Service is usually very good. Food is as advertised and very good. It is a really good restaurant just off the Square in Gainesville. We recently introduced friends to this restaurant and they were favorably impressed and said they would be back.

Food is great! Service is average. Good little date night spot! Seating is strange. We sat in a weird spot with a table/​booth and and another table was on top of us. Also, I wanted Brussels sprouts as my side and they would t let me order it because it was a part of the special.

I don’t know why from the picture I assumed they had more sushi. I actually searched sushi on Unilocal and this is what came up.
My food was great. I had a sampler with shrimp and fish. I had «hoppin johns» which is apparently black eyed peas in rice — just another strange southern thing I learned in GA. It was all really good.
Oh — for appetizers I had the half of the oysters rocafeller. SOOOOO good. Lathered with cheese just how I like it.
Great place in the square to have seafood and enjoy some southern charm. Very nice ambience and a more calm crowd then most of the other restaurants nearby.
I approve.

They used to have great food and service but the last time I was there just before Christmas we waited 40 minuted for our food. I ordered a filet with lobster. The meat came first, it was Luke warm and minus the lobster and the cooked veggie was cold. I sent it back because I wanted it warm and served with the lobster, what I got back it was barley warm with cold under cooked lobster the size of a crawdad, I was flabbergasted. At first I sucked it up and started to eat it anyway but felt they were screwing with me because I sent my plate back the first time. So I ate the cold meat called the waiter back and complained that I felt I shouldn’t have to pay for the lobster and to take it back and give me the deduct.
A moment later I heard screaming and braking dishes back in the kitchen. Obviously they were having a bad night. Whatever I will give them the benefit of doubt. Some day i’ll come back and give it another try.

Brandon is great at the bar, as usual. The Tuna Poke is the way to go every time. There is an eclectic mix of land and sea, so you should be able to find something that is good. The appetizer selection is exceptional with oysters not ridiculously priced like most everywhere else.
My only complaint is with the crab cakes. For the type of restaurant and price, I expected to see lump crab meat.

When you present yourself as a seafood restaurant, you should know how to do certain dishes. I ordered the oysters on the half shell, they were very good. The peel and eat shrimp were tasty as well. The seafood combo was a disappointment. I hail from the Chesapeake Bay area and we take our love of crab seriously. And we know our crab cakes. What they presented as a crab cake was hardly even close to what I would consider as a respectable example. It wasn’t even a matter of too much filler. It just tasted fake. The lump crab meat was obviously canned and not fresh, so serving it on the side added nothing to the dish. The side of rice and black eyed peas was new and I enjoyed it immensely. My advice would be for the head chef to take a trip to the bay area and get a real feel for a lump crab meat and how that translates into a crab cake. I would give it another shot but I wouldn’t order the crab cakes again.

This was my 3^rd visit to YellowFin. I found this place in the nice town of Gainesville on a prior trip to the area. Once before I had the Ahi tuna steak (they were out today) and tonight I had the scallops. The later were very tasty but a bit pricey. Everyone seemed to enjoy their meals.
But it was service that was quite bad that causes me to reduce the rating.
The waiter was very disengaged. Twice I was about to ask for something during a visit to the table when he just walked away. The salads were delivered and before barely began to enjoy them, the entrees arrived. One of the folks at my table was still eating and he was asking about dessert. When we declined, the check arrived while someone was still eating. And he bugged for the credit card. It wasn’t like there were people waiting.
And what was with all of the noise and shattered dishes in the kitchen?

Came here for a late dinner and everything was delicious! My husband had the Fish Tacos and said they were the best he’d ever tasted. I had the Crab Cakes, which were equally delicious and the mashed potatoes were so creamy! I’m embarrassed to admit I ate half the bowl, they were so good. Cassie, our server was friendly, knowledgeable and provided impeccable service. We will definitely be back! Oh and the Peanut Butter Pie was amazing!

The worst meal I’ve gotten here. Chips were stale, dip fishy, «roasted chicken breast with collard greens and potatoes» ordered came as a roasted thigh and broccoli. When I pointed pointed out the menu said collard greens I was served collard greens boiled in vinegar. By the way the broccoli was old and tasteless.

As a visitor to town, was very please with this find! Fish items were good, and fish of the day (swordfish, risotto, asparagus) sounded excellent. Ordered the seafood sampler, which includes half portion of fish of the day, and received simple grilled mahi instead. Mahi was great, however. For the prices, a very good option in Gainesville.

The roasted chicken was to die for and the mash pitied were delicious!!! Oh and I can’t forget about the Strawberry Lemon Drop Martini ! Try it out it’s great!

Giving this 5 stars for the food and service alone. Could have had a couple of tweaks on atmosphere but spot on for what we were craving.
First note, this is not cheap– but well with it. It’s a bit of a dive at first glance, kind of loud but people having fun. So my son and I checked on Unilocal first and drive up.
Started with 2 doz oysters — and I got a cold beer. Casi was or server and met us within a minute of sitting! Spiced up our sauce with tons of horse radish and tobacco — NEVER have crackers– a dash on each oyster– gone in 2 min. Very good.
Then followed with Ahi tuna appetizer and the Tuna poki– this was the test. We are sushi guys. Very impressed. Fresh, tasty and enough for us to share and enjoy. The tuna was seared perfect and we had to fight over the last bite then started on the Poki. Had fresh wontons– huge– to snack on but dove into the bowl of raw tuna sesame oil, and some scallions I think. My dream meal! it was perfect and more than it looks– deep bowl. Fought over it too.
So with seafood in our bellies I went for the Filet Oscar — son opted for Duck special.
Filet was perfect lots of crab on the steak and in the mashed taters. What a great flavor. Perfect Rare to MR steak (the only way to eat a fillet and fresh asparagus. Very very good.
The duck was in a blood red sauce– a lot more meat than expected — same taters and very good. This was not a brown or blood sauce– but sweet vinegar– raspberry or red wine. A bit too much vinegar but adjusted to our taste and it was fantastic. Thought it would be $ 35– only $ 20! I’ve had 3 bites of duck for $ 30 so was happy. The meal was fantastic.
Ended with a crème brûlée and Cordial and we were stuffed. So for a $ 130 for 2– with all we had — this would have easily been $ 200 plus in Atlanta. Loved it. Didn’t get the escargot or stuffed mushrooms– next time– but saw them and will be back. Great night out with my son and thanks Casi for a great night and PERFECT service!!! can’t wait to go back.

Yellowfin is a solid dining spot. The first time I was there I had the iceberg and bacon wedge salad. I was surprised that the bacon was not freshly cooked, but instead was bacon crumbles that clearly were cooked earlier that day. I’ve also had their stuffed mushrooms with crabmeat. They are my favorite! They will do a half order of the pasta dishes which is great. However I wouldn’t recommend the shrimp scampi. It was dripping in butter, nearly soup. I mentioned it to my waitress but she did not offer to correct it though she already had asked the chef for half an order for me. They offer a dollar off house wine and liquors during happy hour. The place attracts local regulars and families. Other diners next to me had a shrimp tempura which looked fabulous exclamation the fish and chips also seems to be a local favorite. Put this on your list if you are in the area and want to avoid the typical chains.

Giving this 5 stars for the food and service. Could have had a couple of tweaks on atmosphere but spot on for what we were craving.
First note, this is not cheap– but well worth it. It’s a bit of a dive at first glance, kind of loud but people having fun. So my son and I checked on Unilocal first and drive up.
Started with 2 doz oysters — and I got a cold beer. Casi was or server and met us within a minute of sitting! Spiced up our sauce with tons of horse radish and tobacco — NEVER have crackers– a dash on each oyster– gone in 2 min. Very good.
Then followed with Ahi tuna appetizer and the Tuna poki– this was the test. We are sushi guys. Very impressed. Fresh, tasty and enough for us to share and enjoy. The tuna was seared perfect and we had to fight over the last bite then started on the Poki. Had fresh wontons– huge– to snack on but dove into the bowl of raw tuna sesame oil, and some scallions I think. My dream meal! it was perfect and more than it looks– deep bowl. Fought over it too.
So with seafood in our bellies I went for the Filet Oscar — son opted for Duck special.
Filet was perfect lots of crab on the steak and in the mashed taters. What a great flavor. Perfect Rare to MR steak (the only way to eat a fillet and fresh asparagus. Very very good.
The duck was in a blood red sauce– a lot more meat than expected — same taters and very good. This was not a brown or blood sauce– but sweet vinegar– raspberry or red wine. A bit too much vinegar but adjusted to our taste and it was fantastic. Thought it would be $ 35– only $ 20! I’ve had 3 bites of duck for $ 30 so was happy. The meal was fantastic.
Ended with a crème brûlée and Cordial and we were stuffed. So for a $ 130 for 2– with all we had — this would have easily been $ 200 plus in Atlanta. Loved it. Didn’t get the escargot or stuffed mushrooms– next time– but saw them and will be back. Great night out with my son and thanks Casi for a great night and PERFECT service!!! can’t wait to go back.

We love to come here on Fridays and hang out at the Bar. Brandon the bartender is just amazing. We love their raw oysters, mussels and fish tacos.

I ordered the fried shrimp, fries, cold slaw, and hush puppies. What I got was a plastic basket with the aforementioned items. All were so greasy I could barely hold a fry as it would slip out of my fingers! Capt D’s much better! I also ordered the Oysters Rockefeller which wasn’t quite as bad. They were served on a cloth napkin, not hot rock salt, the traditional way. There could have been more cheese topping, more spinach and the pieces of bacon were way too big. So overall on that menu item out of 1 to 10 I would give it a 4.5.

Yellow Fin in Gainesville is a trendy little fish house near the square. It is owned by the same folks that own the restaurant next door, and so you have a couple of offerings from one centralized approach, but with totally different menus.
As far as the restaurant goes, it is clean and feels airy and modern. The food is excellently done, but tends to come out sporadically, rather than everything hitting the table at the same time (we were a group of 8). The portions were smallish, but then again, when I eat seafood … I really want to eat some seafood! I supplemented by ordering three appetizers (two to share, and one just for me! Raw oysters!) We also had a couple of drinks here with dinner, and they seem to have a dab hand behind the bar. Good drinks, high quality.
Would I recommend it? Absolutely. But I would go with an understanding that I shouldn’t go while feeling very hungry and hope to survive on an entrée alone. And since this is a $$$ rated place, supplementing with apps and sides can raise the end cost. My last trip, three adults, the damage was $ 180 plus tip. OK, but not an every week type of thing.
I will be back.

I love everything about this place! The food AND service are outstanding. We found this spot on a whim and have never regretted a moment there. The service is top-​notch and the food is amazing! It can be a little pricey but well worth it. We often just go in for a couple of beers and some apps but when we test drive the kitchen they deliver everytime. Fresh food expertly prepared and served up in a place you won’t want to leave.

Just simply outstanding! Amazing food and great service. We came initially based on passed reviews. Just walking in, we knew the place was going to be nice. So quaint and intimate.
We ordered ½ dozen oysters which happen to be part of their Happy Hour ($ 0.75 each). They were gorgeous and huge. So delicious. Get them for sure!
Our main meal was the Seared scallops and Fillet Oscar. Both were fantastic. We kicked out plates clean. Such fun Flavors and crisp veggies. The scallops were perfectly seared over a thick rice with asparagus and mushrooms. The salad on top was different but still tasty. Of what I had of jimmys Fillet Oscar was lovely. Great medium cook and the mashed potatoes were amazing. Out and mixing In the lumped crap meat was a bonus. n

First time at Yellow Fin. Exceeded expectations! Perfect service… perfect food! We will be back for sure!

OUTSTANDING! My wife and I just came here for the first time. Nice atmosphere, clean, good service and GREAT food. If you’re near please do yourself a favor and stop in for dinner.

Surf and turf was crazy, oysters were fresh, and a great salad. Service was great too will be back!!!

We went here on a nite when Georgia was playing, so I am assuming that is why it was empty. The food was pretty good the service was very good. My wife had the filet with mashed potato’ s and broccoli, It was very good, I had the fish tacos and they are above average my son ate the fish sandwich which he seemed to devour like Cookie Monster. My daughter is vegan and the menu did not have anything to offer for her, so we asked our waiter to see if the chef could do a separate dish which he did and it was delicious! Good job to the chef and waiter for going out of their way!

I should probably remind myself that this restaurant is in Gainesville, GA, not in DC, and to lower my expectations.
But the other reviews were so good! And yes, if you’re in Gainesville, go here. I just convinced myself to give them four stars. But this is a non-​foodie four stars. It’s four stars to help people make the decision to support a local place, instead of going over to the Olive Garden or whatever.
Anyway, if this was DC, it would be two or three stars. And here’s why:
Service was a bit strange. It wasn’t very busy when we got there, and at the beginning we actually got TOO MUCH attention from the server, but by the end of our meal he had basically forgotten about us. His overall demeanor was a bit… forced? He was so busy flirting with me (much to the chagrin of my boyfriend who was sitting next to me) that he didn’t even take drink orders from the other side of the table. He also scoffed when I suggested the sister restaurant was a «Gastropub» (which I only said because THAT’S WHAT IT SAYS ON THEIR SIGN OUT FRONT). Basically he was just kinda weird… Too much talking, not enough order taking and serving.
And before you think I’m just judging for the sake of it, please know that with my years of experience waiting tables, I know there’s a fine line. And dude was way on the other side of it.
The prices were decent. Probably higher than other places in Gainesville, but I was distinctly under the impression that the food was fresh (not frozen) and I’m happy to pay for that.
The oysters were good. The wedge salad was GREAT. I would have ordered a whole head of lettuce (four wedges?) if I had known how underwhelming the fish tacos would be. So yeah, the fish tacos were underwhelming. The boyfriend had the fish sandwich which was too salty and otherwise underwhelming. My mom had the shrimp and crab dish, and her shrimp were ludicrously overcooked. She couldn’t even get the meat out of the tails because they were so rubbery.
I didn’t taste my aunt and uncle’s meals but they looked… okay.
Bottom line: Great find in Gainesville, but if you have high food expectations, lower them and be okay with it.

I’ve been a big fan of the place since it opened. As a Gainesville native it’s great to finally have a local seafood place with fresh fish, and a nice bar. I almost always have the fresh catch chef special, or the tuna done med-​rare. Great draft beer selection with a lot of local brewers, and a good happy hour. Nice wine and liquor selection too. One of the only places in town I trust to make an old fashion.

Visited as result of Unilocal reviews. Excellent experience. Wife enjoyed trout dinner and I enjoyed fried shrimp. Telling all our friends about our experience.

Had the filet oscar. Steak was done perfectly… but that aside, the rest was just average. The waiter seemed a little frazzled and the place was empty. (Monday evening). Atmosphere is ok. Nothing special. My steamed broccoli was hard. Asparagus was done correctly. All in all, I’d call it average. I wouldn’t be opposed to going there again but I also wouldn’t be excited.