Beautiful decor Great food Amazing presentation Lovely live jazz Happy hour Clean Great service Friendly staff iPad menu Valet Lounge area for music and drinks Very intimate and sexy vibe Great for a date or anniversary Lovely assortments of desserts and cocktails Rocking bartender, everything fresh and made to order ! Muddling action Check it out ! Hidden gem
(4)
Nella R.
Ambiance. Classy. Romantic. Delicious. While prices are higher, you are getting fine dining at its best, service is impeccable, and the wine list is top of the line for the local area. Patrick Kelly is an amazing server.
(5)
T M.
The ambiance was beautiful. The service was impeccable. The food was very good. But the music coming out of the speakers ruined what could have been a great experience for me. It would have been perfect with jazz or blues. Anything but what was playing. I don't even know what it was. Tribal music?? All in all, a beautiful restaurant here on the Island. Marc was an excellent waiter.
(4)
Jerry B.
Had a wonderful dinner last night, could not have asked for a better evening with my family. Food and wine selection was awesome everything from ambiance to staff contributed to this great dinner. Would highly recommend this restaurant
(5)
Patrick H.
This was a great experience. We booked the restaurant for dinner Christmas night and had a late seating. We arrived over an hour early and the manager and hosts offered us a great seating immediately in a packed house. Our server was very friendly, she was knowledgable about menu and was very excited to help my partner design a cocktail. Her timing was on point, working perfectly in to our dinning experience. We opted for the specials and they were lovely. We started with the lump crab cakes, so good!! The Lamb Shank was prepared perfectly as well the sea scallops. Truly good food, right size on portioning. The ambience was great, could easily hear each other talk, and the place was well lit and open. Others in the house for dinner were very happy.
(5)
Jason E.
Such great service. I even remembered the server's name- Michael. Although everyone was nice. Very good Ribeye, good bisque and some very nice touches from the chef made this a real nice experience. Lot's of good options in the area and David's was no exception.
(4)
Heather K.
What could have been a really nice dining experience turned into an altogether different evening than we were expecting. The lounge area is really nice, quiet and the atmosphere is great. We were really excited to find a place on the island that does happy hours as we generally go out two or three times a week. Unfortunately, the service was horrific. It started out bad and only got worse. We understand the bartender was very busy, but that isn't our fault and it shouldn't affect our meal to the point where I was actually regretting coming out. We waited almost 20 minutes before we got our first drinks ORDERED and then another 10 before we got them. We finally snagged a waiter down beceause the original had never come back to order our food. We ended up having to go to the bar 55 minutes later because we wanted a second round. Our waiter never came back to see how our food was, or if we wanted another round. We didn't get bread until we asked. Finally, our check came, and it came wrong. The kicker is that the table behind us was getting fervent attention from our errant bartender/waiter, to the point where the diner commented on how he wouldn't leave them alone. They were three middle aged men in suits, and yes we look young, but we tip great. It's a shame when we are treated poorly and we feel the need to tip poorly, thus fulfilling their original judgement. It completely ruined our view of David's and I've told several couples in our neighborhood how disappointed we were. That being said, the food was really good. It's a real shame we won't be coming back. (On a side note, there was a young brown haired waiter that we could hear that seemed absolutely awesome. He was gregarious, engaging and seemed very attentive. We commented several times that we wished we had him.)
(1)
Denise D.
We went to David's with my parents, expecting an exceptional dinner. Their past experience had been very good. The crab bisque we ordered was exquisite, and I highly recommend it. My risotto with seafood was good- the scallops being outstanding. Unfortunately, my father's veal was tough and poorly prepared- as if there had been an attempt to remedy the problem with an overuse of tenderizer. Although my husband and mother both seemed to enjoy their meals, a shadow was cast on the evening because of my father's disappointing dinner. He was not charged for the dinner, but felt it was too late to order anything else and make us wait. I have been in more modest restaurants where there was a greater attempt at satisfying the customer after such an incident. We will not be going back anytime soon.
(3)
Richard N.
This may be the best restaurant in Fernandino. I was really concerned that this was going to be just one more over-priced resort place. I couldn't have been more wrong. Everything was done correctly. I had the seafood risotto and it was great. The dish was topped by a huge piece of grouper. The scallops and shrimp were nice and firm. My wife had the scrimp scampi. There was only a light touch of garlic - which meant the shrimp were fresh. Too often garlic is used to cover up the taste of frozen shrimp. We'll go back on our next visit. btw- The building was erected in the 50's by Bell Telephone. Bell built thousands of these buildings all over the United States. That's why it might look familiar to you.
(5)
Sheella M.
David's Restaurant is a expensive place that is all i can say. The music wasn't that great since it wasnt really my style. Bar was lacking in the sense that it was poorly designed and needed to be more accessible to the patrons. watch out for the lack of space you'll be next to everyone.
(4)
Jim W.
We went to celebrate my wife's birthday and the experience was wonderful. We were seated on time and the food and service was outstanding. One of the best restaurants on the Island.
(5)
Jerry N.
I loved this place! Everything I ordered was perfect, the service was excellent, and the food was great! Make sure you leave room for the bananas foster...
(5)
Christine S.
Just ate at David's. Not convinced. We had a party of six. We purchased cocktails, appetizers, salads, full entrees, sides, bottles of wine etc...needless to say we spent a pretty penny. They rushed us every step of the way!!! The food was delicious but the service was frustrating and annoying. Needs improvement. Management should contact me.
Stayed in Amelia island one weekend and tried this place. As soon as you walk in the door they let you know this a swanky place! We ate dinner in the lounge and enjoyed the live saxophonist . The food really was great (should be for the price)but the service was slow. Ours drinks were empty most of the time and we had to ask for silverware after our food was brought out. Waiter really didn't seem to know what he was doing which was surprising since he said he had been there since they opened!?
(3)
Paige H.
Great menu, great service and wonderful food! We brought a very special bottle of wine to enjoy (there is a cork fee...FYI) and the food was a great pairing. Please save room for the dessert! We had the chocolate torte and will definitely be back for the other options! Great for a special occasion.
(5)
Mark J.
great atmosphere and service was excellant
(5)
Becky J.
Absolutely wonderful. Vacationing in Amelia Island to celebrate my birthday. Hubby asked me to pick any restaurant I wanted.....after researching, I picked David's. Boy, was I right!!! Jennifer, our server, was a doll! She knew all the dishes and the wines. We couldn't ask for better service. The atmosphere was perfect. Quiet, romantic and comfortable! The food - delicious....everything Jennifer recommended was spot on! We are thinking we are going back before we head home - it was that good!
(5)
Elaine H.
We are residents on Amelia Island and found this new restaurant to be a breath of fresh air! Very well done inside and out, valet parking, a great lounge with an amazing acoustic saxophonist, and a great bar tender, Tristan. Although the island has a few nice restaurants this one really paid attention to detail in design, ambience, menu and several nice surprises through the meal service, palate cleanser and strawberries with the bill! Only at the Ritz here on the island do you see that!! Bravo! Off to a great start! Don't want to leave out Nolan, our server, very nice and attentive.
(5)
Carol A.
My husband and I went to Amelia Island for our anniversary. I originally had reservations on that day for Le Clos and changed it to David's. What a mistake! It is very over priced, pretentious and a very stuffy atmosphere. The waitress was snobby and very slow. The food was just ok. I would never eat there again.
(1)
Christopher C.
Sophisticated decor. courteous and attentive staff. steaks cooked to absolute perfection. sauces were inspired. the crab bisque is a must try! cocktails are 1/2 off before 7pm in the lounge. wine list is mostly commodity brands and could use a little inspiration. all in all very enjoyable!
(4)
Derek S.
I was definitely surprised by this place. I am used to having good food that is a little upscale but was not expecting it in Amelia Island. Decor - Great. They definitely spent a pretty penny here and it sets the perfect mood for a romantic dinner. Ambience - They had a live saxophonist playing when we arrived in the lounge area. The drinks at the bar were very good and helped start the night off in the right fashion. Service - We were very happy with the entire staff during our visit. From the front door to valet we never were left wondering were people were and what they were doing for us. Food - We both liked our meals and thought they were well prepared. The risotto may have been a tiny bit underdone but still thought it was very good. The fish was well prepared as was the steak. We both liked the meals we had and would definitely return.
(5)
Rhett H.
My wife and I dined there twice in the last two weeks. Lovely building that was beautifully re-tasked with comfortable quiet contemporary elegant dining room. The menu is imaginative with something for just about any adult who is a food lover. Servers are professionals who make the evening a relaxing experience. Highly recommend for fine dining in Fernandina Beach.
(5)
Heather N.
Was excited to try this new spot but severely disappointed once there. I give the design and atmosphere a four but it's very clear that the over priced food is paying for just that. Decent size portions but that doesn't make up for the $40 Sole which was dry and just so so. My husband got the filet and it was another expensive unimpressive dish. I'm not sure how this place scored so high; maybe it's just a new type of venue for Fernandina. Maybe if you choose less expensive dishes you may not be so disappointed. With that said, the service was good and the staff were friendly. The rating reflects the quality of food respective to its price.
(2)
Cheryl S.
On vacation from Seattle and picked this place because of all the good reviews (Nov 12). Nice atmosphere both in bar and dining area. Easy parking in the lot in the back/side. Didn't start out well. My wine glass was dirty. It was replaced. The water that was poured had a very light chemical aroma that was prevalent in the water supply to the island. Is this tap water or is it filtered? The wine by the glass program was very weak in comparison to the food. No Napa red wines on the by the glass program? Plus only one Pinot and that from the challenging 2011 vintage (King Estate which I had). Plus what I think is a ridiculous mark up on the bottle program. One of our go to wines at home is Mondavi Oakville Cab(of course we are only drinking the 06 and 07 now). They had the 2010 for $120. A bottle that is at retail for under $40. I don't mind paying for great food or a deep treasure wine....but come on 3X for a current release wine. I don't get it when the by the glass program doesn't meet the demands of what the chef is trying to create. How can a couple have a glass of red and a glass of white each in a meal?? These entrees are 30 dollars plus and wine should compliment the meal and today the by the glass list was poor and overpriced. I had the crab cake appetizer. Two nice appetizer size cakes ($14) that were just OK (small garnish greens and sauce was good). Nothing like a Fegleys crab cake from Baltimore or even my wife's crab cakes. I had the seafood risotto. Two shrimp, chunk of grouper and two scallops on a bed of risotto. All was perfectly cooked and delicious.... but that's was my expectations being fresh and I think $34.... but nothing memorable if you eat fresh seafood a lot as we do. I had a 2011 French Macon village white for $12 that was OK but again nothing you would seek out. Now the bad part. My wife had two appetizers and a salad for her meal. She had the Carpaccio which was good but the salad with it was over salted. Just took away from the dish. She also had an oyster Rockefeller type of dish(forgot the name). It was poor. The watery spinach and bacon conglomeration overpowered the oysters. She had the Caprese salad, which was very visually appealing, but again it was over salted. Nice intermezzo service of a cucumber a salmon mouse as well as a palate cleanser sorbet and two chocolate covered strawberries at the end (kudos for that). Very good fresh baked bread hot from the oven. Overall a nice atmosphere with fair service but nothing that makes me want to come back when you consider the price . We ate at the Collage restaurant in St Augustine that was a standout of our Florida trip that had food that would be difficult to create at home....plus a wine list that was maybe a 2x markup and fair by the glass program. (I thought I would comment on a similar restaurant for comparisons sake).
(3)
Charles P.
My wife and I had dinner at David's while visiting Fernandina Beach for a few days. What a wonderful experience. The restaurant has wonderful ambiance which was only second to the food. We would definitely recommend this restaurant and will definitely be back when we are in the area again.
(5)
Kristin H.
I hate being the first one to review this restaurant and give it only 3 stars because it's a lovely place. It has enormous potential. The service was incredible. The ambience is wonderful and the decor is beautiful. We loved everything about the setting, the tables, the formality and it set a standard that we didn't feel was quite met by the food. But I digress: the only thing we did not love about the ambience was that there was a live saxophone player in the room next to ours that we could clearly hear while there was recorded, light jazz saxophone playing in the dining room. Surprised me that no one thought of this. It was unpleasant to hear dueling saxophones clashing all through dinner. The dinner started off with a wonderful amuse bouche. Sweet potato puree with prosciutto and a few other elements. Lovely start to the meal. It set our expectations high. My appetizer was portobello mushrooms with lump crap and a red pepper hollandaise. It was....fine. Nothing special but good. I just felt like it mostly needed more salt, which ended up being a theme throughout the meal for us. We ordered two salads: spinach with bacon, vinaigrette and a poached egg and a caesar. The caesar was fine (again, could have used salt) and same for the spinach salad. My egg was under cooked. The whites were still runny and the egg itself was barely tepid. I don't know if they pre-poached and forgot to do the rest or what. I ate around the egg. I also felt like the vinaigrette was good but sparse and unevenly dressed. Between courses our server brought a really great peach sorbet to cleanse our palate. Nice touch. My husband loved his main dish: two petit filets with risotto and carrots. I thought, oddly, the risotto was a bit too salty but the filets were perfect and the reduction on the side had a good flavor but was slightly over reduced (a little gelatinous). My main was a boneless ribeye with truffle butter, blue cheese mashed potatoes and creamed spinach. The mashed potatoes were great. The steak was cooked well but clearly wasn't allowed to rest long enough because on the first cut, all the juice ran out onto my plate. The flavor was fine (But again, salt and also pepper needed). For dessert my husband ordered the cheese plate and I got the trio with creme brulee, an orange curd and pot de creme. The cheese plate was HUGE for one person. A lot of cheese. It also had crackers on it that we thought was odd. The fruit and nuts made sense but a bunch of crackers AFTER an entire meal seemed odd to us. The trio was good. The flavors were all nice. The curd and the pot de creme were both a bit grainy but the flavor was good. Another nice touch as we were given the bill was two lovely and juicy dark chocolate covered strawberries. Overall, we really were rooting for the place and would love to come back when we're in town again in hopes they've made a few tweaks to bring the food up to the level of the great service and ambience and general sense of greatness!
(3)
Binky M.
Spent a week at the nearby RC, and made reservations here one night. So glad we did. My wife and I both thought it was, hands down, the best meal we had on AI. Food was great. Service was attentive, punctual and unobtrusive. The room is very attractive and has a pleasant vibe. This was a good enough experience that we very nearly came back the next night to dine again. We decided to try another new venue instead. In hindsight, that was probably a mistake. ;)
(5)
Adam W.
I'm sorry to say that David's was disappointing. Short summary, service was good, atmosphere was pleasing, but the food fell short. My parents and I went while vacationing on Amelia Island, having loved LuLu's and 29 South the previous few nights. It started off well with friendly and accommodating staff which was much appreciated since my mom is in a wheelchair. As another reviewer noted, the menu's division into the four elements seemed... well, lame, for lack of a better word (plus a fifth, which I suppose would be love if we're going by the Bruce Willis movie The Fifth Element). My spinach salad would have been good but was overdressed and thus oversalted. I'd eaten a lot of fish at earlier meals and so was looking for a meat dish, but the selection in the Fire section was one chicken/veal and one lamb amongst six or seven steaks, so more of a distribution would have been nice. My KC strip steak ended up being kind of meh - the steak was overwhelmed by its blue cheese butter, and the steak itself wasn't as tender as it should have been; the green beans were cooked nicely, but the carrots verged on mushy and both were completely unseasoned; the mashed potatoes were good though. I was even somewhat underwhelmed by the espresso - I expected good coffee down here, so this was especially surprising. This probably comes off as a lambasting, but it wasn't an out-and-out bad meal. For the price though, it shouldn't have been so flawed.
(3)
Tom W.
We were very surprised with this place. after a few failed attempts at reservations at some of the other popular restaurants we decide to try here. Even though it had high ratings, we had missed it on our list of must try places. So glad we went here. It turned out to be the best meal all week. the inside will surprise you. it has more of an upscale look and feel and less of an island restaurant. the staff was top notch, very attentive and not hovering. I suggest going a little early before you want to eat so you can listen to the music playing in the bar. It is a nice touch. Enough on the great decor and atmosphere, the food was top notch. I got the steak and scallop dish. The scallops were the best I have ever had. My steak was cooked perfect with a nice crust on outside while inside was red and tender and full of flavor. The scallops were also some of the biggest I have seen. My wife got a bowl of the crab bisque. It was the best bisque we had all week. It was light and full of flavor. Do all you can to save room for dessert, you will not be disappointed. The bananas foster was unique and very tasty. My daughter had the hazelnut brownie dessert and it was delicious!
(5)
Tim F.
Food, service, atmosphere, this place has it all. Expected a lot from this Resturant after reading reviews. They delivered beyond my expectations. What more can I say.
Called and indicated it was my Dad's birthday. They indicated they do something a little special for those celebrating special occasions. As it turned out even after making several subtle hints to the server she still didn't catch on. Service started out great but as the evening progressed it became less so. The food presentation was excellent, but the overall quality and taste was only average to good. The server make a very good suggestion regarding wines. The decor is modern and fresh. The lounge is excellent with live saxophonist. Everything is a la carte. Expensive (4.5) in contrast to the quality of the food (3.0-3.5). It is a different experience for Amelia Island.
(3)
Ryan B.
Superb dining experience. The service was above and beyond. Our servers name was Michael and he is with out a doubt a master of his craft. Food was pricey but was excellent. Our table ordered all of the chef specials and were each incredibly flavorful. Also highly recommend the fondu dessert with French press coffee. Don't let the outside appearance full you, you will not find a better meal on the island.
(5)
Tim E.
I'm writing this review only for the lounge area, we didn't have a full dinner. First off the ambience is very subdued and a bit romantic even. We had already eaten dinner, but I couldn't pass up trying the lamb chops. They were above average, nothing over the top. My FIVE stars are for the Chocolate Cake. This thing was mind blowing. My wife said I was enjoying it a bit too much. It is flourless, very rich with a cookie crust. I couldn't finish it all because it was so big. We will come back for dessert again this trip. It's hard to find a flourless chocolate cake this amazing.
(5)
Scott G.
The 2 stars are for the entire evening. If based on food alone I think 3 or 4 stars would be reasonable. First the good - our food was generally very good here. Wife had the Sea Bass - very good. Seafood Ravioli appetizer was tasty, though she wanted the Brie but they had run out (at 8pm??). I had the house special ribeye - again, tasty and well prepared. The Iceberg Wedge salad was fine as well. No complaints about the kitchen; they seemed to have their act together, although it did take forever to get it served. Now that not so good - For the price range of the menu and tasteful decor, I expected an atmosphere more than a TGI Friday's. And yet, that is what we got. I think in general, the place is extremely noisy. It was difficult to speak across the table that night. The walls are slate (or limestone? - it looks like Frank Lloyd Wright's Cascada on the inside with a Hobbiton door off the entrance!) and they reflect sound like a champ. The waiter at the next table was a loud-talker. Probably because that's the only way he could be heard or he was conditioned to yell because of the noise-level. It was really grating. The service was generally just ok. Our wait staff seemed genuinely eager but inexperienced and somewhat slow. This person disappeared for long stretches just when we needed something. A booth across the room of 5 people was, I kid you not, playing "Head's Up" on their iPhone like it was game night at the corner sports bar - raucous, excessive cursing, laughing like hyenas - the noise from the table overran the place. It was impossible to ignore. Yes - it wasn't the restaurant's fault that they had a table of 40-something's behaving like 15 year olds at a sleep-over. But, it WAS their fault that they didn't put a stop to it and continued to let the evening be ruined for half the restaurant. The wait-staff acted helpless when we mentioned it to them. They either did nothing or advised the management and THAT person did nothing. Either way - no good. We complained again, more eye-rolling. Our food was taking forever. We decided to call it quits and told our waiter to ring up what we had consumed and we said we're 'out of here', but food came 30 seconds later for them and for us, so we decided to carry on but the mood was ruined and certainly not what we had expected out of the evening. Perhaps we'll give it another go some other night; the food may be worth a return trip. But adjust your expectations - this is not a romantic dinner out. The decor and food (and prices) say it is, but the atmosphere and service/management is strictly Longhorn Steakhouse.
(2)
edward k.
Excellent restaurant, but a bit overpriced for the quality. Do not be fooled by the outside of the place (looks like an old funeral home!), as the interior is extremely well decorated and comfortable. It does get noisy, but that is fine. No biggie there. The service was very good and the food was excellent. No complaints with anything, except....dinner for 2 (with drinks and tip) was about $200. In my opinion, too much money for what we got in return. However, I do recommend this place and would absolutely go again (I am fortunate to be able to afford to eat here), but for those who are looking for a nice night for $100 to $125 or so, you are going to be upset walking out the door, a little lighter in the wallet.
(4)
Rob C.
Recommended by the concierge and was awesome! Great service, food, atmosphere, everything! Beautiful decor and intimate setting paired with delicious food made for a great evening. We celebrated the upcoming birth of our second child here and it's a great place for a romantic evening. After dinner we did the ghost tour which starts at Fred's which is right across the street. Valet parking attendant aaron was very nice as well. Highly recommend.
(5)
Rose R.
David's was amazing! We went for Valentine's Day and appreciated the fact that there wasn't just a set menu to select from. The crab soup was the best I've had with every bite containing chunks of crab. I had the filet Oscar for dinner which was delicious. The 2 sauces it came with werent overpowering and went well together. The chocolate fondue was more of a dark chocolate vs milk chocolate which I wasn't expecting but it was still very good. Even though I was stuffed I was able to fit in 4 s'mores! The ambiance is romantic and modern....definitely very different than the outside appearance. Would definitely recommend!
(5)
Melinda D.
Phenomenal! We stumbled upon Amelia Island to extend our honeymoon another night and dinner at David's was incredible- best dining experience we have had! Seafood caprese salad was scrumptious. Steak was cooked perfectly. Live music in the lounge prior to dinner was beautiful. Seafood risotto was delicious! And the David's banana foster was to die for. Subtle touches such as the amuse-gueule from the chef, raspberry sorbet to cleanse the palate, and chocolate covered strawberry while paying the bill made this a very memorable experience. When we are craving an amazing fine dining experience, we will drive 4 hours back to Amelia, eat at David's, and stay in a hotel for the night!
(5)
James H.
Went there for a friend's Birthday. Food was great! And the service from Michael was exceptional! I would highly recommend.
(5)
Tracy T.
Excellent! Luckily made reservations for Christmas dinner and I'm so happy we did! Everything from the service through dessert was perfect. We tried the escargot (a first for my kids and I) and they were amazing. Can't wait to go back to Amelia Island and David!
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Specialities
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : No Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Valet Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Dressy Ambience : Romantic Noise Level : Quiet Music : Live Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Coat Check : Yes Smoking : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Shera B.
Beautiful decor Great food Amazing presentation Lovely live jazz Happy hour Clean Great service Friendly staff iPad menu Valet Lounge area for music and drinks Very intimate and sexy vibe Great for a date or anniversary Lovely assortments of desserts and cocktails Rocking bartender, everything fresh and made to order ! Muddling action Check it out ! Hidden gem
(4)Nella R.
Ambiance. Classy. Romantic. Delicious. While prices are higher, you are getting fine dining at its best, service is impeccable, and the wine list is top of the line for the local area. Patrick Kelly is an amazing server.
(5)T M.
The ambiance was beautiful. The service was impeccable. The food was very good. But the music coming out of the speakers ruined what could have been a great experience for me. It would have been perfect with jazz or blues. Anything but what was playing. I don't even know what it was. Tribal music?? All in all, a beautiful restaurant here on the Island. Marc was an excellent waiter.
(4)Jerry B.
Had a wonderful dinner last night, could not have asked for a better evening with my family. Food and wine selection was awesome everything from ambiance to staff contributed to this great dinner. Would highly recommend this restaurant
(5)Patrick H.
This was a great experience. We booked the restaurant for dinner Christmas night and had a late seating. We arrived over an hour early and the manager and hosts offered us a great seating immediately in a packed house. Our server was very friendly, she was knowledgable about menu and was very excited to help my partner design a cocktail. Her timing was on point, working perfectly in to our dinning experience. We opted for the specials and they were lovely. We started with the lump crab cakes, so good!! The Lamb Shank was prepared perfectly as well the sea scallops. Truly good food, right size on portioning. The ambience was great, could easily hear each other talk, and the place was well lit and open. Others in the house for dinner were very happy.
(5)Jason E.
Such great service. I even remembered the server's name- Michael. Although everyone was nice. Very good Ribeye, good bisque and some very nice touches from the chef made this a real nice experience. Lot's of good options in the area and David's was no exception.
(4)Heather K.
What could have been a really nice dining experience turned into an altogether different evening than we were expecting. The lounge area is really nice, quiet and the atmosphere is great. We were really excited to find a place on the island that does happy hours as we generally go out two or three times a week. Unfortunately, the service was horrific. It started out bad and only got worse. We understand the bartender was very busy, but that isn't our fault and it shouldn't affect our meal to the point where I was actually regretting coming out. We waited almost 20 minutes before we got our first drinks ORDERED and then another 10 before we got them. We finally snagged a waiter down beceause the original had never come back to order our food. We ended up having to go to the bar 55 minutes later because we wanted a second round. Our waiter never came back to see how our food was, or if we wanted another round. We didn't get bread until we asked. Finally, our check came, and it came wrong. The kicker is that the table behind us was getting fervent attention from our errant bartender/waiter, to the point where the diner commented on how he wouldn't leave them alone. They were three middle aged men in suits, and yes we look young, but we tip great. It's a shame when we are treated poorly and we feel the need to tip poorly, thus fulfilling their original judgement. It completely ruined our view of David's and I've told several couples in our neighborhood how disappointed we were. That being said, the food was really good. It's a real shame we won't be coming back. (On a side note, there was a young brown haired waiter that we could hear that seemed absolutely awesome. He was gregarious, engaging and seemed very attentive. We commented several times that we wished we had him.)
(1)Denise D.
We went to David's with my parents, expecting an exceptional dinner. Their past experience had been very good. The crab bisque we ordered was exquisite, and I highly recommend it. My risotto with seafood was good- the scallops being outstanding. Unfortunately, my father's veal was tough and poorly prepared- as if there had been an attempt to remedy the problem with an overuse of tenderizer. Although my husband and mother both seemed to enjoy their meals, a shadow was cast on the evening because of my father's disappointing dinner. He was not charged for the dinner, but felt it was too late to order anything else and make us wait. I have been in more modest restaurants where there was a greater attempt at satisfying the customer after such an incident. We will not be going back anytime soon.
(3)Richard N.
This may be the best restaurant in Fernandino. I was really concerned that this was going to be just one more over-priced resort place. I couldn't have been more wrong. Everything was done correctly. I had the seafood risotto and it was great. The dish was topped by a huge piece of grouper. The scallops and shrimp were nice and firm. My wife had the scrimp scampi. There was only a light touch of garlic - which meant the shrimp were fresh. Too often garlic is used to cover up the taste of frozen shrimp. We'll go back on our next visit. btw- The building was erected in the 50's by Bell Telephone. Bell built thousands of these buildings all over the United States. That's why it might look familiar to you.
(5)Sheella M.
David's Restaurant is a expensive place that is all i can say. The music wasn't that great since it wasnt really my style. Bar was lacking in the sense that it was poorly designed and needed to be more accessible to the patrons. watch out for the lack of space you'll be next to everyone.
(4)Jim W.
We went to celebrate my wife's birthday and the experience was wonderful. We were seated on time and the food and service was outstanding. One of the best restaurants on the Island.
(5)Jerry N.
I loved this place! Everything I ordered was perfect, the service was excellent, and the food was great! Make sure you leave room for the bananas foster...
(5)Christine S.
Just ate at David's. Not convinced. We had a party of six. We purchased cocktails, appetizers, salads, full entrees, sides, bottles of wine etc...needless to say we spent a pretty penny. They rushed us every step of the way!!! The food was delicious but the service was frustrating and annoying. Needs improvement. Management should contact me.
(2)Ann V.
My husband and I decided to spend a nice quite weekend on Amelia Island. We booked a room at a great B&B called Addison's. We were looking for a nice place for dinner within walking distance from our place and came across David's. From the outside it looked like just your ordinary brick building. We later found out that this building used to house the phone company! But once inside we were pleasantly surprised by the interior décor. Very upscale and modern, yet comfortable. We were greeted by a smiling staff as soon as we walked in and seated in a quiet room near the back. Now, I have to admit that when I saw the menus I thought this place just might be a bit pretentious as it was separated into sections such as Water (for seafood), Fire (for steaks, chicken and anything else grilled), etc. They even had a section called The Fifth Element for sides. So I began to worry what might await us. After we placed our orders, they brought out our bread in what I can only describe as a wooden treasure box. OK...getting more worried. BUT! The bread was delicious, as was the herbed butter that accompanied it. My husband ordered the Ribeye and oh...my...gosh...He said it was hands-down the best steak he has ever had in his life. He couldn't stop talking about it (we ate this meal over a month ago and he still remembers it). He said that the fat was perfectly cooked around the meat to complement it and add just the right amount of flavor. I ordered the salmon and it was wonderful. We ate and ate and in between bites we talked about how GOOD it all was. Pretentious menu and bread box aside, this was truly one the most memorable meals we've ever had. And the wine (which was recommended) was perfect, too. (a nice red called Enemigo - ha!). Both our plates were completely empty - happily so. We really didn't have any room for dessert yet how could we resist when the food was so good? We ordered a flourless chocolate torte to share that was to die for. We were stuffed to the gills and almost had to roll back to our B&B. What a great meal and a great evening.
(5)Brian R.
Stayed in Amelia island one weekend and tried this place. As soon as you walk in the door they let you know this a swanky place! We ate dinner in the lounge and enjoyed the live saxophonist . The food really was great (should be for the price)but the service was slow. Ours drinks were empty most of the time and we had to ask for silverware after our food was brought out. Waiter really didn't seem to know what he was doing which was surprising since he said he had been there since they opened!?
(3)Paige H.
Great menu, great service and wonderful food! We brought a very special bottle of wine to enjoy (there is a cork fee...FYI) and the food was a great pairing. Please save room for the dessert! We had the chocolate torte and will definitely be back for the other options! Great for a special occasion.
(5)Mark J.
great atmosphere and service was excellant
(5)Becky J.
Absolutely wonderful. Vacationing in Amelia Island to celebrate my birthday. Hubby asked me to pick any restaurant I wanted.....after researching, I picked David's. Boy, was I right!!! Jennifer, our server, was a doll! She knew all the dishes and the wines. We couldn't ask for better service. The atmosphere was perfect. Quiet, romantic and comfortable! The food - delicious....everything Jennifer recommended was spot on! We are thinking we are going back before we head home - it was that good!
(5)Elaine H.
We are residents on Amelia Island and found this new restaurant to be a breath of fresh air! Very well done inside and out, valet parking, a great lounge with an amazing acoustic saxophonist, and a great bar tender, Tristan. Although the island has a few nice restaurants this one really paid attention to detail in design, ambience, menu and several nice surprises through the meal service, palate cleanser and strawberries with the bill! Only at the Ritz here on the island do you see that!! Bravo! Off to a great start! Don't want to leave out Nolan, our server, very nice and attentive.
(5)Carol A.
My husband and I went to Amelia Island for our anniversary. I originally had reservations on that day for Le Clos and changed it to David's. What a mistake! It is very over priced, pretentious and a very stuffy atmosphere. The waitress was snobby and very slow. The food was just ok. I would never eat there again.
(1)Christopher C.
Sophisticated decor. courteous and attentive staff. steaks cooked to absolute perfection. sauces were inspired. the crab bisque is a must try! cocktails are 1/2 off before 7pm in the lounge. wine list is mostly commodity brands and could use a little inspiration. all in all very enjoyable!
(4)Derek S.
I was definitely surprised by this place. I am used to having good food that is a little upscale but was not expecting it in Amelia Island. Decor - Great. They definitely spent a pretty penny here and it sets the perfect mood for a romantic dinner. Ambience - They had a live saxophonist playing when we arrived in the lounge area. The drinks at the bar were very good and helped start the night off in the right fashion. Service - We were very happy with the entire staff during our visit. From the front door to valet we never were left wondering were people were and what they were doing for us. Food - We both liked our meals and thought they were well prepared. The risotto may have been a tiny bit underdone but still thought it was very good. The fish was well prepared as was the steak. We both liked the meals we had and would definitely return.
(5)Rhett H.
My wife and I dined there twice in the last two weeks. Lovely building that was beautifully re-tasked with comfortable quiet contemporary elegant dining room. The menu is imaginative with something for just about any adult who is a food lover. Servers are professionals who make the evening a relaxing experience. Highly recommend for fine dining in Fernandina Beach.
(5)Heather N.
Was excited to try this new spot but severely disappointed once there. I give the design and atmosphere a four but it's very clear that the over priced food is paying for just that. Decent size portions but that doesn't make up for the $40 Sole which was dry and just so so. My husband got the filet and it was another expensive unimpressive dish. I'm not sure how this place scored so high; maybe it's just a new type of venue for Fernandina. Maybe if you choose less expensive dishes you may not be so disappointed. With that said, the service was good and the staff were friendly. The rating reflects the quality of food respective to its price.
(2)Cheryl S.
On vacation from Seattle and picked this place because of all the good reviews (Nov 12). Nice atmosphere both in bar and dining area. Easy parking in the lot in the back/side. Didn't start out well. My wine glass was dirty. It was replaced. The water that was poured had a very light chemical aroma that was prevalent in the water supply to the island. Is this tap water or is it filtered? The wine by the glass program was very weak in comparison to the food. No Napa red wines on the by the glass program? Plus only one Pinot and that from the challenging 2011 vintage (King Estate which I had). Plus what I think is a ridiculous mark up on the bottle program. One of our go to wines at home is Mondavi Oakville Cab(of course we are only drinking the 06 and 07 now). They had the 2010 for $120. A bottle that is at retail for under $40. I don't mind paying for great food or a deep treasure wine....but come on 3X for a current release wine. I don't get it when the by the glass program doesn't meet the demands of what the chef is trying to create. How can a couple have a glass of red and a glass of white each in a meal?? These entrees are 30 dollars plus and wine should compliment the meal and today the by the glass list was poor and overpriced. I had the crab cake appetizer. Two nice appetizer size cakes ($14) that were just OK (small garnish greens and sauce was good). Nothing like a Fegleys crab cake from Baltimore or even my wife's crab cakes. I had the seafood risotto. Two shrimp, chunk of grouper and two scallops on a bed of risotto. All was perfectly cooked and delicious.... but that's was my expectations being fresh and I think $34.... but nothing memorable if you eat fresh seafood a lot as we do. I had a 2011 French Macon village white for $12 that was OK but again nothing you would seek out. Now the bad part. My wife had two appetizers and a salad for her meal. She had the Carpaccio which was good but the salad with it was over salted. Just took away from the dish. She also had an oyster Rockefeller type of dish(forgot the name). It was poor. The watery spinach and bacon conglomeration overpowered the oysters. She had the Caprese salad, which was very visually appealing, but again it was over salted. Nice intermezzo service of a cucumber a salmon mouse as well as a palate cleanser sorbet and two chocolate covered strawberries at the end (kudos for that). Very good fresh baked bread hot from the oven. Overall a nice atmosphere with fair service but nothing that makes me want to come back when you consider the price . We ate at the Collage restaurant in St Augustine that was a standout of our Florida trip that had food that would be difficult to create at home....plus a wine list that was maybe a 2x markup and fair by the glass program. (I thought I would comment on a similar restaurant for comparisons sake).
(3)Charles P.
My wife and I had dinner at David's while visiting Fernandina Beach for a few days. What a wonderful experience. The restaurant has wonderful ambiance which was only second to the food. We would definitely recommend this restaurant and will definitely be back when we are in the area again.
(5)Kristin H.
I hate being the first one to review this restaurant and give it only 3 stars because it's a lovely place. It has enormous potential. The service was incredible. The ambience is wonderful and the decor is beautiful. We loved everything about the setting, the tables, the formality and it set a standard that we didn't feel was quite met by the food. But I digress: the only thing we did not love about the ambience was that there was a live saxophone player in the room next to ours that we could clearly hear while there was recorded, light jazz saxophone playing in the dining room. Surprised me that no one thought of this. It was unpleasant to hear dueling saxophones clashing all through dinner. The dinner started off with a wonderful amuse bouche. Sweet potato puree with prosciutto and a few other elements. Lovely start to the meal. It set our expectations high. My appetizer was portobello mushrooms with lump crap and a red pepper hollandaise. It was....fine. Nothing special but good. I just felt like it mostly needed more salt, which ended up being a theme throughout the meal for us. We ordered two salads: spinach with bacon, vinaigrette and a poached egg and a caesar. The caesar was fine (again, could have used salt) and same for the spinach salad. My egg was under cooked. The whites were still runny and the egg itself was barely tepid. I don't know if they pre-poached and forgot to do the rest or what. I ate around the egg. I also felt like the vinaigrette was good but sparse and unevenly dressed. Between courses our server brought a really great peach sorbet to cleanse our palate. Nice touch. My husband loved his main dish: two petit filets with risotto and carrots. I thought, oddly, the risotto was a bit too salty but the filets were perfect and the reduction on the side had a good flavor but was slightly over reduced (a little gelatinous). My main was a boneless ribeye with truffle butter, blue cheese mashed potatoes and creamed spinach. The mashed potatoes were great. The steak was cooked well but clearly wasn't allowed to rest long enough because on the first cut, all the juice ran out onto my plate. The flavor was fine (But again, salt and also pepper needed). For dessert my husband ordered the cheese plate and I got the trio with creme brulee, an orange curd and pot de creme. The cheese plate was HUGE for one person. A lot of cheese. It also had crackers on it that we thought was odd. The fruit and nuts made sense but a bunch of crackers AFTER an entire meal seemed odd to us. The trio was good. The flavors were all nice. The curd and the pot de creme were both a bit grainy but the flavor was good. Another nice touch as we were given the bill was two lovely and juicy dark chocolate covered strawberries. Overall, we really were rooting for the place and would love to come back when we're in town again in hopes they've made a few tweaks to bring the food up to the level of the great service and ambience and general sense of greatness!
(3)Binky M.
Spent a week at the nearby RC, and made reservations here one night. So glad we did. My wife and I both thought it was, hands down, the best meal we had on AI. Food was great. Service was attentive, punctual and unobtrusive. The room is very attractive and has a pleasant vibe. This was a good enough experience that we very nearly came back the next night to dine again. We decided to try another new venue instead. In hindsight, that was probably a mistake. ;)
(5)Adam W.
I'm sorry to say that David's was disappointing. Short summary, service was good, atmosphere was pleasing, but the food fell short. My parents and I went while vacationing on Amelia Island, having loved LuLu's and 29 South the previous few nights. It started off well with friendly and accommodating staff which was much appreciated since my mom is in a wheelchair. As another reviewer noted, the menu's division into the four elements seemed... well, lame, for lack of a better word (plus a fifth, which I suppose would be love if we're going by the Bruce Willis movie The Fifth Element). My spinach salad would have been good but was overdressed and thus oversalted. I'd eaten a lot of fish at earlier meals and so was looking for a meat dish, but the selection in the Fire section was one chicken/veal and one lamb amongst six or seven steaks, so more of a distribution would have been nice. My KC strip steak ended up being kind of meh - the steak was overwhelmed by its blue cheese butter, and the steak itself wasn't as tender as it should have been; the green beans were cooked nicely, but the carrots verged on mushy and both were completely unseasoned; the mashed potatoes were good though. I was even somewhat underwhelmed by the espresso - I expected good coffee down here, so this was especially surprising. This probably comes off as a lambasting, but it wasn't an out-and-out bad meal. For the price though, it shouldn't have been so flawed.
(3)Tom W.
We were very surprised with this place. after a few failed attempts at reservations at some of the other popular restaurants we decide to try here. Even though it had high ratings, we had missed it on our list of must try places. So glad we went here. It turned out to be the best meal all week. the inside will surprise you. it has more of an upscale look and feel and less of an island restaurant. the staff was top notch, very attentive and not hovering. I suggest going a little early before you want to eat so you can listen to the music playing in the bar. It is a nice touch. Enough on the great decor and atmosphere, the food was top notch. I got the steak and scallop dish. The scallops were the best I have ever had. My steak was cooked perfect with a nice crust on outside while inside was red and tender and full of flavor. The scallops were also some of the biggest I have seen. My wife got a bowl of the crab bisque. It was the best bisque we had all week. It was light and full of flavor. Do all you can to save room for dessert, you will not be disappointed. The bananas foster was unique and very tasty. My daughter had the hazelnut brownie dessert and it was delicious!
(5)Tim F.
Food, service, atmosphere, this place has it all. Expected a lot from this Resturant after reading reviews. They delivered beyond my expectations. What more can I say.
(5)Upfront B.
We gave this a try - and were disappointed with the pace of the meal. It took forever to get the appetizer; and then the entrée was cold....we tried again and the quality was average although the pacing had improved. Try Merge - it's much better!
(1)Ben L.
Called and indicated it was my Dad's birthday. They indicated they do something a little special for those celebrating special occasions. As it turned out even after making several subtle hints to the server she still didn't catch on. Service started out great but as the evening progressed it became less so. The food presentation was excellent, but the overall quality and taste was only average to good. The server make a very good suggestion regarding wines. The decor is modern and fresh. The lounge is excellent with live saxophonist. Everything is a la carte. Expensive (4.5) in contrast to the quality of the food (3.0-3.5). It is a different experience for Amelia Island.
(3)Ryan B.
Superb dining experience. The service was above and beyond. Our servers name was Michael and he is with out a doubt a master of his craft. Food was pricey but was excellent. Our table ordered all of the chef specials and were each incredibly flavorful. Also highly recommend the fondu dessert with French press coffee. Don't let the outside appearance full you, you will not find a better meal on the island.
(5)Tim E.
I'm writing this review only for the lounge area, we didn't have a full dinner. First off the ambience is very subdued and a bit romantic even. We had already eaten dinner, but I couldn't pass up trying the lamb chops. They were above average, nothing over the top. My FIVE stars are for the Chocolate Cake. This thing was mind blowing. My wife said I was enjoying it a bit too much. It is flourless, very rich with a cookie crust. I couldn't finish it all because it was so big. We will come back for dessert again this trip. It's hard to find a flourless chocolate cake this amazing.
(5)Scott G.
The 2 stars are for the entire evening. If based on food alone I think 3 or 4 stars would be reasonable. First the good - our food was generally very good here. Wife had the Sea Bass - very good. Seafood Ravioli appetizer was tasty, though she wanted the Brie but they had run out (at 8pm??). I had the house special ribeye - again, tasty and well prepared. The Iceberg Wedge salad was fine as well. No complaints about the kitchen; they seemed to have their act together, although it did take forever to get it served. Now that not so good - For the price range of the menu and tasteful decor, I expected an atmosphere more than a TGI Friday's. And yet, that is what we got. I think in general, the place is extremely noisy. It was difficult to speak across the table that night. The walls are slate (or limestone? - it looks like Frank Lloyd Wright's Cascada on the inside with a Hobbiton door off the entrance!) and they reflect sound like a champ. The waiter at the next table was a loud-talker. Probably because that's the only way he could be heard or he was conditioned to yell because of the noise-level. It was really grating. The service was generally just ok. Our wait staff seemed genuinely eager but inexperienced and somewhat slow. This person disappeared for long stretches just when we needed something. A booth across the room of 5 people was, I kid you not, playing "Head's Up" on their iPhone like it was game night at the corner sports bar - raucous, excessive cursing, laughing like hyenas - the noise from the table overran the place. It was impossible to ignore. Yes - it wasn't the restaurant's fault that they had a table of 40-something's behaving like 15 year olds at a sleep-over. But, it WAS their fault that they didn't put a stop to it and continued to let the evening be ruined for half the restaurant. The wait-staff acted helpless when we mentioned it to them. They either did nothing or advised the management and THAT person did nothing. Either way - no good. We complained again, more eye-rolling. Our food was taking forever. We decided to call it quits and told our waiter to ring up what we had consumed and we said we're 'out of here', but food came 30 seconds later for them and for us, so we decided to carry on but the mood was ruined and certainly not what we had expected out of the evening. Perhaps we'll give it another go some other night; the food may be worth a return trip. But adjust your expectations - this is not a romantic dinner out. The decor and food (and prices) say it is, but the atmosphere and service/management is strictly Longhorn Steakhouse.
(2)edward k.
Excellent restaurant, but a bit overpriced for the quality. Do not be fooled by the outside of the place (looks like an old funeral home!), as the interior is extremely well decorated and comfortable. It does get noisy, but that is fine. No biggie there. The service was very good and the food was excellent. No complaints with anything, except....dinner for 2 (with drinks and tip) was about $200. In my opinion, too much money for what we got in return. However, I do recommend this place and would absolutely go again (I am fortunate to be able to afford to eat here), but for those who are looking for a nice night for $100 to $125 or so, you are going to be upset walking out the door, a little lighter in the wallet.
(4)Rob C.
Recommended by the concierge and was awesome! Great service, food, atmosphere, everything! Beautiful decor and intimate setting paired with delicious food made for a great evening. We celebrated the upcoming birth of our second child here and it's a great place for a romantic evening. After dinner we did the ghost tour which starts at Fred's which is right across the street. Valet parking attendant aaron was very nice as well. Highly recommend.
(5)Rose R.
David's was amazing! We went for Valentine's Day and appreciated the fact that there wasn't just a set menu to select from. The crab soup was the best I've had with every bite containing chunks of crab. I had the filet Oscar for dinner which was delicious. The 2 sauces it came with werent overpowering and went well together. The chocolate fondue was more of a dark chocolate vs milk chocolate which I wasn't expecting but it was still very good. Even though I was stuffed I was able to fit in 4 s'mores! The ambiance is romantic and modern....definitely very different than the outside appearance. Would definitely recommend!
(5)Melinda D.
Phenomenal! We stumbled upon Amelia Island to extend our honeymoon another night and dinner at David's was incredible- best dining experience we have had! Seafood caprese salad was scrumptious. Steak was cooked perfectly. Live music in the lounge prior to dinner was beautiful. Seafood risotto was delicious! And the David's banana foster was to die for. Subtle touches such as the amuse-gueule from the chef, raspberry sorbet to cleanse the palate, and chocolate covered strawberry while paying the bill made this a very memorable experience. When we are craving an amazing fine dining experience, we will drive 4 hours back to Amelia, eat at David's, and stay in a hotel for the night!
(5)James H.
Went there for a friend's Birthday. Food was great! And the service from Michael was exceptional! I would highly recommend.
(5)Tracy T.
Excellent! Luckily made reservations for Christmas dinner and I'm so happy we did! Everything from the service through dessert was perfect. We tried the escargot (a first for my kids and I) and they were amazing. Can't wait to go back to Amelia Island and David!
(5)