Flying Fish Taphouse

Yesterday was our first visit here. This restaurant doesn't deserve 5 stars, they deserve 10!!! My family and I were blown away with the taste of the food, atmosphere, friendly staff, and cleanliness. Our family member from out of state said, "The food was off the chain". We will definitely be eating here again and again. Don't visit or come through Jacksonville without eating here!

First time being there. Went on a Sunday around 1:00pm. Very modern First Coast feel. Very clean. Very good ambiance. Hostess was very friendly. Server very friendly and attentive. We sat outside on the lanai. Weather was great.
For this day, the person performing music was very good. Felt like we were on Broadway in Nashville, but in a First Coast way.
Menu is not very extensive and don’t expect blow your mind Michelin star level but It was pretty good for local food.
Drinks were very good. Wife had margaritas and I had bloody marries.
Many lounging areas is a plus. We will be going back.

I visited twice within the same week. I definitely had a better food experience the second time.

The first time we ordered gator bites, and though the breading was crispy and light,it was fried in old oil. So didn't eat much of it. The elk burger was good, The fried artichokes were the best thing I had there. I wish I would have done a double order they were just that good. The drinks were good. The wings were not covered in sauce. Several were plain, but the ones that did get the garlic parmesian on them were good.

Overall I'm not sure if I would go again, but I wouldn't rule it out.

I hope this place stays good and gets better. It's really what we were missing moving here from the Midwest.
Biggest complaint would be the early 2000s blasting outside while we're trying to enjoy our meal, my personal opinion, just not in the mood for the backstreet boys at 4pm on a wed. Then hearing country in the dining room felt like a bit of vibe whiplash. My suggestion would be to pick a neutral genre, one that reflects the guests you hope to attract, and play it everywhere at a lower volume. Minneapolis restaurants would play hip instrumental stuff for example.
The drinks were so good though! I could tell the bartender was experienced! Didn't try much of the beer. They offer other taps if you don't like their house.
Food was very good, hoping they strive for a standard rather than fall by the wayside with too many options like BJs. Maybe slim down the specials for now since stuff like my burger can get undercooked (and it was, despite ordering it well done) it can overwhelm/distract new kitchen staff. The burger was so dang good though I didn't care about the cooked level although I will mention it if it happens again.
Server Alexis was charming and honest! She did her best with a new menu and lots of questions coming from us. She was a bit busy though, despite a bunch of staff talking at the bar inside. I did not get a refill on water and we waited for our check for a while.
Overall really grateful for somewhere that feels clean, and somewhere we can eat outside. This is pretty much unheard of in the river city area.
Thank you for having us, and for opening in general, we will be back again!

Edit:
We visited again already. Music was much better, and the food was amazing. We had the ceasar salad and the flounder sandwich. Yum! Allison was a wonderful server! Thanks for having us again. I think this is our new go-to.

Great Experience! The restaurant itself is VERY nice! Great indoor and outdoor space. The food was all very tasty. Did not need to ask for our add salt or pepper too anything. My margarita was one of the best I’ve had in a long time! Our waitress Jade was phenomenal!! We ordered the calamari, risotto (added shrimp) and the coulotte steak. Will definitely be back.