The Top

I just discovered that the mushroom ravioli is now a special, not an every-day Pasta menu item, so I highly recommend it to you if it is available when you go to eat here. It’s fire. Had a really good meal on a Sunday afternoon with local beers and shade. It’s really nice that the outdoor area is dog friendly and they provide bowls of water to keep cool.

We went to The Top around 6:30pm on a Sunday during March Madness. I only mention this because it is not a big sports bar and half of the people could have cared less.

We sat at the bar which is all the way to the left as you walk into the establishment. From there you have a good view of the place. There was conversation level music in the background and most people at the bar and at the tables were not occupied by their phones which seemed to create a nice social buzz in the atmosphere.

There were couples of varying ages from thirty-five or so and up. I wanted to show my friend from overseas a good, clean place with nice atmosphere on St Patty’s Day weekend and this was the place that he thought was the best.

If there was a disappointment, it was less on The Top and more on what restaurants in the area are charging and that prices are not what they used to be. Their $12 classic burger (chicken not beef, w/o Tomato, onion & pickle) seemed over-prices and a little small. Again, maybe not their fault but start getting used to what appears to be the new standard. That said, it was tasted good and came out in a timely manner based on the crowd.

It you are looking for a place to relax on a Sunday evening with some friends and a little bit of responsible adult atmosphere, you should put this on the list.

Parking might get a little tricky if you don’t get lucky, but you can find a place not too far in a couple of minutes.

Fun interior! Cool food menu! STRONG drinks! I loved the ambiance of the place and the staff member was super helpful with menu recs since it was my first time here. The burger was cooked perfectly. Downtown parking is usually street parking, best to park and walk to the location.

Love this place! Terrific outside bar area. Inside really nice decor. The food was great! Our party of five each got something different. But all enjoyed! And the prices! Amazingly reasonable! Definitely would appeal to a family as well as to a college student! We will definitely revisit this restaurant the next time we're in Gainesville! Highly recommended!

Had a table of 10+ and was able to get a spot. Did not really have to wait too long for the drinks and food to get out. The sweet potato fries were alright but not great. The sandwich was to die for and will definitely be back here again and again. The servers were super friendly and clean restaurant

Love that this place has vegan options! The Buffalo tempeh sandwich is by far the best choice! Hubby tried the vegan Philly and was disappointed, the texture is way off compared to others we’ve tried and it’s super oily. They did the right thing and removed it from the bill. My mom is not a vegan and really enjoyed their Buffalo chicken sandwich. The atmosphere outside is just what we were looking for 😃 it was a gorgeous evening for it! Be prepared to wait it is a busy place! Staff is super sweet! ❤️ Oh and they allow pups 😆

Went for dinner with a friend and have been here several times for either food or drinks. The food was great (cannot recommend the pesto gnocchi enough, pillowy clouds of pasta perfection!!). Really want to try the gnocchi carbonara at a future visit as well. The salad was nice and fresh. Cocktails are good but fairly standard overall. Service can be slower at times (especially during the weekend evening hours). Definitely will come back for the salad/gnocchi and will bring out of town friends/family here for the food and atmosphere.

TLDR: Felt like I was eating food at Chili’s.

I am sad to say that I had high hopes for this place. My dad was very excited to try The Top because of its funky ambiance and great reviews. After waiting, we were seated at a fun inside table. Starting with the goat cheese appetizer, I enjoyed the sundried tomatoes and the hot olive oil. I was a little disappointed with the small amounts of cheese but I was hungry so I ate it all anyway. Things started going downhill with the entrees. I ordered the southwest pasta with a “chipotle cream sauce” and my dad settled on the san diego chicken (don’t know if that’s the correct name). One, the entrees come with two sides. However, there’s only two sides that are actually included, the french fries and the mashed potatoes. The other list of sides cost extra. Just say it includes one side and make them all included! Don’t fool me like that. So my dad ordered the mashed potatoes and the three dollar side caesar that he asked to come out ahead of time (it didn’t).
Here comes the food. My dad receives a very pitifully plated piece of chicken with a small cafeteria scoop of mashed potatoes. It was just downright boring. I received a delicious looking pasta with blackened tofu and a little bit of parmesan cheese on top. But it tricked me. It was the most underwhelming pasta I have ever eaten in my life. There was no cream in the “cream sauce.” It felt like it was coated with the oil that adobo peppers sit in. I LOVE spicy food but this was unbearably uncomfortable. I ate three bites and packed it up and hopefully I can make a cream sauce to balance it out and make it taste good.

I would love to come back and give this place one more chance.

We went out as a group for my birthday and I loved the experience. We had a table out in the back reserved for us and it was so cute under the string lights. The ambiance was nice outside with good weather. It was a little busy for a weekday dinner, our waiter took their time with our food. We really enjoyed the nachos and entrees we ordered. We did a bring a cake to enjoy but there was a fee for a cake cutting. That was fine since we brought it home.

Fantastic Scratch Kitchen! The Sausage and Penne and the Smoked Meatloaf special were very good. Service was perfect. Love the Vibe on the new outdoor patio.