Harry’s Seafood Bar & Grille brings Southern, Cajun and Creole cooking to 110 SE 1st St in downtown Gainesville, a short walk from Bo Diddley Plaza. The Florida-born chain has been cooking New Orleans-inspired food since 1987, and locals come here for hearty jambalaya, seafood and a full bar.
Start with the jambalaya, a spicy, rice-heavy bowl of andouille sausage, chicken and shrimp that anchors the menu. Seafood fans can order crab cakes, fish tacos or a blackened mahi sandwich, and burgers, soups and salads cover the rest of the table. The bar pours beer, wine and liquor, plus house cocktail creations that pair well with the kitchen’s heat. Downtown foot traffic makes outdoor seating popular for people-watching on mild evenings, and the bar draws a pre-show and post-work crowd.
Visitor Highlights & Practical Info
Expect long waits on University of Florida home football weekends, graduation weekends and Friday and Saturday nights. Weekday lunches and early dinners are calmer. Bring a group for shareable plates, and confirm current hours on the official locations page before you go. Downtown parking garages and street parking sit within a few blocks. Afterward, walk to Bo Diddley Plaza for concerts, the Hippodrome Theatre for a show, or the bars along University Avenue.
