Round 3 of my semi-annual Marker 32 review goes back up to 4 stars, and honestly borders right on 5. The food was such a step up from my last visit (about a year ago) that I actually asked the server if there was a new head chef in charge. There isn't, but boy, they've upped their game dramatically. I can't even make snide comments about their (formerly signature) bacon-cheese-oyster appetizer thing, because it's GONE, replaced by far better stuff: our group ordered raw oysters, crispy octopus, and tuna poke. The oysters were fresh and sweet - very possibly the best I've had in Jacksonville. The octopus and tuna were both also very fresh, and served in a minimal way that really accentuated the freshness (this is notable because drowning iffy tuna in soy sauce seems to be a favorite serving technique of Jax Beach restaurants). Really impressed overall by the appetizers. A year or so ago, I had a pork chop at Marker 32 that was covered in (I believe) pear butter - the chop was tasty, but the sauce was pretty heavyhanded and unnecessary. I ordered their new pork chop dish this time, and it was entirely different: the sauce on the chop was an excellent molasses BBQ glaze with chunks of bacon - the sauce was rich and strong, but didn't overpower the chop. The chop itself was served on collard greens and alongside garlic & herb grits - the grits were nice and rich, and the collards were fresh (if a little bland), but overall, the dish was delicious and tastefully composed. Marker 32 seems to have changed their philosophy in a pretty significant way, and like I said to the server: whatever they're doing back there in the kitchen these days, keep it up.
(4)
Brian C.
Dinner Feb 11 First time here and boy was I impressed. Wasn't expecting such good food from a place that looked from the street to be a bar on the water. Boy, was I wrong! This is now my favorite restaurant in Jacksonville. Wait staff was awesome and very accommodating. The Trigger Fish and Grouper Fish specials were INCREDIBLE! cooked perfectly and they were so fresh! The accompaniments to both dishes were perfect as well! Fresh bread, baked in house was awesome The fried Green Tomato appetizer was very unique for a Florida restaurant - adding the bacon jam on top was very Southern and extremely tasty (although the tomatoes could have been fried a bit crispier) The Deviled Egg appetizer was very different as well - and very good - if you like deviled eggs and or fried oysters, give it a try! You can tell that this restaurant and the kitchen staff take great pride in their work and it shows on the plates! The only "opportunity areas" was in the Calamari appetizer, which didn't have much of the described extras (Vietnamese ginger cilantro dress/mint/chopped peanut) - I think I saw 3 peanuts in there and little to no dressing. Additionally, I thought the salads were a bit "under-whelming" based on how awesome the appetizers were- the salads were standard fare and pretty normal (but still tasted very good - just expected a better presentation based on all else that was served). If you live in the Jacksonville area or up there on business - this place will not disappoint!
(4)
Debbi C.
I love the location; we have far too few places to enjoy on the intracoastal. The place is nice with friendly servers(although it's a little slow so if you are in a hurry tell them.), good bartenders and good food. It's small do there's not much in the matter of quietness but it's good.The tuna was fresh and tasty and although it was not hubby's favorite in town, it was good. I have to admit we both love the warm spinach salad. I'm not sure what they do but it has always been amazing. The grouper was really good. They have the perfect chef for seafood. If you want good good and a good location check it out. Be sure to call for reservations if you want to sit by a window.
(4)
Sharee Q.
They go above and beyond for birthdays and highly recommend the bourbon raisin bread pudding
(5)
Mark W.
Very very pleasurable experience, outstanding service great food quality & the prices aren't bad. the atmosphere is very nice ...highly recommended
(4)
Virginia M.
Wonderful seafood and service here! I love their tuna. Everything is fresh and the wait staff is very knowledgeable about the seafood and wine. I would return.
(5)
David S.
Exceptional food, service and value. Had the oysters, warm spinach salad and fresh Atlantic salmon. Guests had the kale salad, scallops and pork chop. Our waitress Kate was warm, attentive and every one of her recommendations was "spot-on." Would highly recommend...
(5)
LD M.
"If you're headed to Mayo Clinic - Treat yourself to dinner here!!!" Marker 32 is awesome! We live 90 minutes away and this is a favorite restaurant. I want to say that when visiting Mayo Clinic from out of town - this is a delightful 'break'. Located less than 4 min. (at most) from Mayo - literally 'down the street' - its just 'right there', and yet feels far from a 'hospital' setting. We found the restaurant when we came from Georgia & had dinner the night before my husband's hip surgery. We were a bit tense - I thought a really good evening in a good restaurant might give us a relaxing night before...... Sure enough - post surgery and a few weeks of recovery - we were still talking about the meal at Marker 32.. 6 months later we drove down from home & took family to Marker 32 when they traveled from S Florida - also for appointments at Mayo. Again, a memorable evening & a great 'get-away' for them. Then later - when they traveled up for their follow-up appointment - they invited us to come down and meet them for dinner at Marker 32....- & again (this time with my dad included) we had a wonderful reunion over dinner. A perfect evening. Food was fantastic - every time. AND when my uncle accidentally left his credit card behind in the receipt book - as I'd made the reservation through Open Table - the manager used my Open Table info to call my cell within 2 minutes of our departure ! Mayo was so close - it was a quick and easy return to pick up the card. I've enjoyed several dishes there - and every one has been delicious - and raves from others I was with - - so rather than give you specific recommendations - I'll say - - just go for it. (Trust the waiters - I've found them to be honest and very helpful on making selections. Thank you to everyone at Marker 32 - And What GREAT service!
(5)
Caron S.
Solid 4 stars. Borderline 4.5, for Jacksonville. First time to Marker 32 (sister spot Palm Valley Fish Camp is in my top 5 favorites) and it didn't disappoint. We had a reservation on Friday night and were promptly seated in a quiet corner upon arrival. Our server was exceptionally knowledgeable, friendly and attentive. Kudos. The atmosphere is quiet and intimate but still open. I enjoyed the space and while it's not fancy it's still nice, and we dressed up so it felt like a special occasion spot. The food was spectacular! I'm sad we didn't save room for dessert. We started with pork belly and kim chi. The Korean style pork belly was perfectly seasoned and melted in my mouth. Everyone raves about the warm spinach salad so that was a must. Luckily our server explained that it's available as a half portion so I ordered that and was blown away. The way the swiss melts over the top sends it over the top. The honey tarragon dressing is light but flavorful. We also had the beignets which were spicy and savory. The smoked tomato sauce underneath them was delicious but we sopped it up quickly and could have used more. My boyfriend ordered a dish with seared scallops, a spicy shrimp broth, corn, creamy grits and collard greens. I ordered the gnocchi with pork, butternut squash and blue crab and clams. Both were delicious. The five scallops were huge and cooked properly. A beer for him and a creative gin and cucumber drink for me. A great experience -- we'll definitely be back!
(4)
Anna M.
Great food and the atmosphere is very nice. One of the more upscale local restaurants in Jax Beach. They have happy hour Monday- Saturday which is an additional perk!
(5)
Sarah Alice L.
People, pay attention to what I'm about to say. If you like great tasting food.. If you like servers who can tell you each and every individual experience you'll get from your wine selection.. If you like sitting next to the window looking out over the beautiful inter coastal.. If you like food that tastes as wonderful as it was described... YOU MUST COME EAT HERE! I am not much of a fish eater, but my parents came up for the weekend and lets say they like finer things, and I wouldn't hear a shriek when the bill came. We made a reservation and this was such a great idea because this place fills up around sunset on a friday night ( oh yeah, I'm telling you everything was perfect about this experience). Our server was Chad. You must have Chad. Make sure you get Chad. He works every night but Thursdays. So don't go on Thursdays. There are six other days, so go on one of those so you can get Chad. Chad was like servers you encounter in Italy; they take their job seriously, they are experts on meat and fish selections and the wines that go best with each, they can compare flavor experiences about any individual wine, and my favorite.. quite frankly tell you NOT to get this particular wine because it's crap, "I don't even know why it's even on the menu." Chad was fantastic. 5 stars for Chad, alone. We tried the fried okra for an appetizer. Dad loved it, then again he's the one that ordered the weird stuff. I just picked at the blue cheese on top of it. Chad (oh Chad) sold us on the warm spinach salad and it was soooo gooooood. Dad ordered one as a "small salad" and my mother and I split the regular sized one, and oh man was that plenty. If you're thinking "oh salad, that's a light start." There aint nothing light about it. ENTREES: Father: got the Fresh Catch option that was trigger for the day. He'd never had trigger but when I started explaining to him that it was a milder fish, he decided "Well if Sarah likes it, it must be good because she never eats fish!" This is a true story, I NEVER eat fish. My Mother: got the caramelized scallops on a bed of the creamiest most tasty grits you'll ever eat. Amazing. So delicious. MYSELF: I got the Beef tenderloin because Chad wouldn't shut up about it and now everyone at the table knows why; BECAUSE IT IS SO PERFECTLY PREPARED AND MELT IN YOUR MOUTH GOOD. This restaurant is my new favorite in Jacksonville. I loved it. I cannot wait to come back here. I especially look forward to recommending it to high end individuals who come here for business and don't want to hear the same 3 boring recommendations. This place... oh yeah this is the one.
(5)
Kim M.
Wow! The seafood is so fresh and delicious! The ambiance and view are so perfect for a nice evening out. Marker 32 was recommended to us. Located right on the water. The exterior is ok, but from the moment you walk in, casual elegance - you just want to sit down and have a drink. Nice bar - charming layout. The raw oysters and crab claws were our starters. Wow! The best crab I have EVER had. Delicious oysters. My husband had the blackened shrimp ( not on the menu, but they made at request) and I had the catch of the day. Everything was mouth watering. We all raved about the food. I only give 4 stars because the service was a little off - took too long to get drinks, food sometimes came out on top of each other instead of courses. Not sure what the issue was, but the table next to us had similar issue. I heard our waiter use the excuse that they were slammed since it was Saturday night - not acceptable to say, much less tell a customer. Just fall all over yourself to please the customer and apologize. I would go back because the menu is so amazing.
(4)
Mike L.
I really wanted to like marker 32, but food quality is everything and this place just doesn't have it. This place is dressed up to make you think you'll be getting a marina front fine-dining experience. Unfortunately, what's been done is closer to an attempt at upscaling a southern comfort food style to fit in a fine dining restaurant. The problem is that the two concepts are not married well at all. Heavy handed sauces absolutely destroy some of the delicate flavors that should be brought out instead of covered up. I'm always concerned when I see overflowing reviews on yelp hyping a place up to have the "best seafood in town" or the "best dining experience around." Nothing could be farther from the truth. I wish I could give this place a better review. The atmosphere is warm and the joint is clean and full of white yuppies eager to throw away their not so hard earned cash. As you walk in you begin to anticipate that this is going to be a good meal. Sadly unless all you care about is large portions you'll probably be disappointed. The tuna was covered in a mushroom Carmelized onion sauce that absolutely buried any flavor of the meat, which may have been a good thing as the singular bite not covered in sauce that I was able to try was so overlooked that no flavor even remained. The crispy octopus was relatively well cooked. It's just too bad that the lemon sauce it was covered in was soooo lemony that I had to take a sip of water after every bite to avoid puckering up. Onion and artichoke Soup had a similar problem of tasting like burnt Carmelized onions. The Crab cakes were extremely chewy and again the flavors were not well balanced. The salmon was dry. That's all I have to say. How hard is it to not let the salmon dry out. Large portions of the sides seem to accompany every dish that I watched come out. Sadly my little 12 year old cousin makes better whipped potatoes. I could go on about the other dishes but the theme is recurrent. Drowned in sauce. Overcooked. Flavors are completely unbalanced Best seafood in town? Fish camp and the fish company have much much more delicious dishes just to name two. If at the end of your meal here you look down at your check and sigh, "Ahhh that was worth it," then I'm sorry my friend but you have never had good seafood.
(2)
Trang D.
Got here on Tuesday night about 8pm. Got seated right away without a reservation. Started with caramelized scallops with house bacon appetizer. It was very well prepared and had wonderful flavor. Sadly there were only 3 scallops. I ordered the dinner special of pan seared trigger fish (similar to mahi mahi) served over jasmine rice with split pea and the hubby ordered cast iron seared yellowfin tuna with side of spinach. Both were very good. Would definitely return.
(5)
Ali P.
I would not go back here. Had recs from friends to go here. Couple things that were annoying and not enjoyable off the bay were that the service is slow slow slow slow!!! If you want a fast meal don't pick this place for that. Takes forever to get your drink order, food order etc and then once they take it even longer to get those items to your table. My dad loved his meal so that is good but honestly not worth the wait. There is some great coconut scrub in the ladies bathroom that you should def use it you go here. Also ordered my burger well done and it didn't come out that way sent it back and then they said since it took so long they would bring over dessert / no thanks... Not worth the wait and menu is boring too.
My drink preference doesn't include anything fancy. I stick with beer, scotch, or whisky. At a celebratory dinner a few weeks ago I tried the "New" Flower Sour Tini. It was sweet goodness. The drink should come with a warning label for diabetics. With dinner we had a bottle of Bogle Petit Syrah. Try it, if they still have it. The Caesar salad was typical of high end establishments--meaning they use real anchovies in the dressing. I like the pungent taste, but it is too strong for some. The best salad at our table was the warm spinach salad. It was absolutely fantastic. The least favorite dish was the braised lamb shank. I'm sure meat & potato types would enjoy it, but I thought it was too heavy. Two best dishes were the pork tacos and ricotta zeppelins.
(4)
Samuel J.
The wait staff and bar tenders were knowledgeable efficient and very capable. The food is excellent and inventive. It was quite a pleasurable experience overall.
(4)
Scott P.
We were here in early August, just passing through Jacksonville, and found this place on the " find me gluten free " app. Excellent selections for gf, very accommodating and nice. Food was fantastic and our server equally as good, I believe it was Jesica! If we're ever back in Jacksonville, this will definitely be a repeat spot for us!!
(5)
Stewart W.
Overall, marker 32 is a very good restaurant. Very sadly, I am allergic to shellfish so I cannot fully appreciate what this restaurant has to offer. To start, they bring out very good and interesting bread. Additionally, they have 3 or 4 local beers on tap. For my entree I had the tuna which was outstanding. It was cooked perfectly and the soy Demi glaze was good though a little too sweet. Their horseradish mashed potatoes sound better than they taste FYI though they are not bad. One thing I would have liked to see was more of a focus on sustainable fishing. Tuna is completely unsustainable and so were most of their fish based on my knowledge. Overall, a great experience!
This is the spot my husband and I choose for special occasions as it is on the pricey side- with that, the food never disappoints and we have never had less than stellar service. Save room for dessert and make sure you have a reservation!
(4)
Jennifer S.
honestly i do not know what the 'hype' is all about. the oysters on a half shell here is great. otherwise, the rest of their menu is average. not to mention, the last 3 times we went, we had one waiter by the name of "Chris" asking us to "F-off" curing under his breath and then profusely apologizing that he had a bad day and that he doesn't want to be fired. We also went again last week, and another male waiter was clear upset that our party of 8 was actually a party of 5. He was rude the whole time. I would have given the place a 4/5 stars since Jacksonville doesn't have great restaurants to start off with, but the service here totally sucks.
(3)
Patrick H.
Food is great. Some of the best in Jacksonville. Staff is great and have always treated us very well. This is where we go for a great dining experience in Jacksonville. Do yourself a favor and try it.
This is 5 stars, and it was so good I wish I could change all of my other 5 star reviews to 3 stars, because this place knocked it out of the park. Salmon mousse on potato pancakes with caviar, fresh dill and chorizo for an appetizer. It was $10. $10!!! Get out! I can't believe they don't sell that dish for $15, and that's basically indicative of their entire menu. You get a Michelin star meal at beyond reasonable pricing. The experience didn't stop there, because from hostess to bartender to server, this place treated us with great care. We showed up half an hour early for our reservation, expecting to grab a drink at the bar while we waited, and three different people apologized to us for our wait (we were seated right on time, by the way). The server was well versed in the menu and the specials, they have their own bakery that makes absurdly delicious bread, the bartenders can make a real drink...I just can't say enough about this place. And after all of that, I sent my compliments to the chef (having been one for 5 years) and he came out, low key, gracious and so appreciative of our visit. I've seriously been floored by the people at Marker 32. You need to get there. Now. Enjoy my last great post, because anywhere else I eat will be because it wasn't my choice. P.S. - It's on the water too. P.S.S. - Why are you still reading this?! Get in your car and go!!! Right now! Seriously, you'll regret any other option.
(5)
Ccwriter V.
An 8 pm reservation didn't fly on a busy Sat. Night. Lots of excuses and once we were seated, clearly, between the hostess and wait staff no one was on the same page. Took a long time to get drinks once seated. Appetizer and bread basket were very good. After placing our order the waiter disappeared and we waited, and waited for our dinners. We flagged him down, he was apologetic, but it was now 9:30 pm. After such frustration up to this point our expectations were dwindling. When our dinners finally arrived at 9:40 pm, crab cakes, flounder special, yellowfin tuna and lamb osso buco were surprisingly good. In fact, they were delicious. I had ordered a salad which I never received. Again, waiter was apologetic but said someone ? Was supposed to deliver--which never happened. This was our first visit and doubt we would return in the future. Reservations aren't handled well and the delay was inexcusable. Not sure it's worth waiting for.
(2)
John K.
Service was spotty. Food was great, but pricey. We had an awkward end to our meal with a loud large "private party" that was only separated from all other diners by some folding privacy screen that did nothing. The couple next to us got furious and made a scene. We didn't enjoy the noise either, but could've dealt with it and without the scene caused by the other couple. I'll take Palm Valley Fish Camp over this place any day.
(3)
Ryan D.
I love this place! Great service, and great food. Make sure you make a reservation when coming here, it does get packed at times and wait time can be very long. Only complaint I have is the way the tables are set up, its way too close to each other!
(4)
Clair T.
I have been going to Marker 32 for years. Tonight service was awful and my togo order was the worst I have ever gotten. What happen to the management and staff? I do not think I will be back for that much money I expect service and quality!
(1)
Pablo W.
The food was exquisite, a complete delight. I sat at the bar and had a glass of Prosecco, the tomato salad and the grilled salmon (the asparagus never arrived). I didn't care much for the ambiance since I was on the phone most of the time. I was cordially greeted by the hostess upon my arrival and proceeded to sit at the bar where my minus two stars come into place: the bartender was inattentive and borderline dismissive. I asked for water three times and since it never arrived I had to ask to another passerby waiter for it, only then was promptly brought to me. Most of my time there, the bar was cluttered with plates and the such from prior patrons, it was not until after I ate half my meal that the place was cleared. The asparagus I ordered? well, it never was served. When I asked for the check, it took another century to be brought to me. It is noteworthy to mention that the place wasn't even that busy! However, to be fair to the other staff, they all seemed competent. By the way, I did spoke to the bartender/waiter and gave him this very same feedback.
(3)
Dennis M.
As always Marker 32 delivers. Service, food and wine were all outstanding. In my opinion "a real sleeper". Too many people don't know about it!
(5)
Anu J.
Been here once while on a business trip to Jacksonville. The place is really nice, the ambience et al. The food is delicious. Everything on the menu that we ordered for appetizers and main course were delicious. The service is not bad either. Our waiter didnt write the order and forgot one of the appetizer items that we ordered and served something else instead. Then he brought us what we originally ordered on the house. The wine list is good. Really recommend this place - although it is a bit pricey
(4)
Morgan H.
Best ribeye steak in town! Extremely high drink prices though. You're paying more for the atmosphere than anything else but oh man the steak!
(4)
Jennifer U.
LOVE this restaurant! What a cool spot with great food, ambiance and service. Ryan was an outstanding server, he went above and beyond and it came natural to him. The staff is happy by nature and welcoming. Had the grilled octopus for an app and the fried oysters with grits and collard greens for an entree. Nothing disappointed!! And to top it off the complimentary pecan pralines at the end sealed the deal at this must visit restaurant in jax beach.
(5)
Craig B.
As always Marker 32 never disappoints. This was our third time dining here and the food just seems to get better each time. We had a reservation for 8pm, but had to wait about 15 minutes before being seated as they were incredibly busy (Saturday night). Our waitress was friendly, courteous and very knowledgeable. We both enjoyed entrees from the specials menu and they were excellent. I enjoyed a couple well made Old-Fashioneds - a staple drink that seems tough to have prepared properly, but they were tasty here. Dessert was the Milk Chocolate Tiramisu was amazing albeit a little bit over the top, but we shared it so it was manageable. Definitely not something most would take down on their own without a shotgun full of insulin nearby. As others have mentioned, the decor could certainly use some modernizing, but it is nothing that could distract from the delicious food. My only other caveat is that they can and will get busy, and this can mean that you may wait a little longer for your food. Reservations are a must if you go on the weekends. We look forward to bringing our family here for a social meal the next time they visit. We don't splurge too often, but thus far I'd say that Marker 32 is our favorite Jacksonville choice for when its time to "go nuts".
(4)
Carol F.
We chose Marker 32 because of the Yelp reviews and they were spot on. Our waitress was very knowledgeable about the menu and shared with us about food preparation and local fresh fish. The gazpacho was delicious as was the grilled octopus and flounder. The bar was filled with a happy hour party so the restaurant was noisy, but the owner and waitress both apologized and that eased our discomfort. Service was attentive without being intrusive. Great meal with good prices.
(4)
Myra N.
The menu is all over the place and it is very confusing. The combinations and descriptions left me laughing. This place is all dressed up and trying to be haute cuisine, and leaves much to be desired. My husband started with the baked oysters -- they were decent, but what is with pink flavorless chopped tomatoes on top? When you pay these prices you expect the chef to go for the highest quality of each ingredient. Our food was pretentious and all dressed up and fell flat. I ordered the house salad. It was downright weird: peanuts, raisins and those pink tasteless tomatoes. It was fitting to get a five year old to eat their greens. I got the appetizer mussels as my entree and they were delicious. The tomatoes sauce was rich and flavorful. It came with focaccia which tasted like pizza dough, disappointing. Service was great and staff knowledgeable about the menu. View was worth the price. Drinks were well prepared (but the "special" drink of the night was also strange - blueberry muffin martini?? Just the sound left me thinking weird!). Great wine selection. Go, but hang on to your wallet and if something described sounds strange-- go for simpler described choices. The mark of a quality restaurant is not how many cool culinary words they can use to present their food, but in taste and execution. Marker 32 will keep in business because underneath the strange combinations are actually decent prepared seafood, good service and a great location.
(3)
Chelly S.
This restaurant has a great water view but the interior ambience could be I improved, especially since the prices are high. It has a strange handicapped elevator that should also be upgraded. There are stairs leading to the restaurant that are not easy for older people, the ones who can afford to dine here, to negotiate, We found the base menu to be quite good but the special that one of our party of four ordered was just plain weird. It was a fish dish with some collard green and tomato comfit sauces that propeled what was intended to be a culinary tour de force into a panoply of cognitive dissonance. This attempt at haute cuisine was actually slightly nauseating. The martinis were perfectly prepared and the service was better than adequate. We would return but our guest who ordered the special would not. We do suggest that folks who dine here stick to the menu and hold on to their wallets. Overall Marker 32 is not a particularly good value for money. Try it for lunch when you can actually see the view.
(3)
John B.
Cannot go wrong with Marker 32. Fantastic yellowfin tuna fresh from he Atlantic. Cooked to perfection. The energy in the restaurant was unbeatable. Get here fast and enjoy.
(4)
Kenton S.
Sumer helped me celebrate my birthday tonight. She is an excellent host for a casual evening at the bar. Tonight I tried the fried shrimp which I have seen on my many visits. OMG it was outstanding and the fries were so beast! What a great birthday treat. Oh and I forgot to mention the Oreo cake! Incredible.
(5)
Leilani G.
The chef is AMAZING. We just can't say enough about the dishes we tried, all were simply superb. There's a very good reason you don't have salt or pepper at the table, this chef knows her seasonings. BTW, if you're lucky enough to try the Poblano Pepper Bread, you're blessed for sure. The filet and fried oysters were perfection, sitting on top of grits with a Truffle Hollandaise sauce all amidst perfectly sauteed greens. My husband had the Pompano grilled fish over rice. As with the other dishes, the seasoning were spot on, just enough spice to make you smile, however, the fish was slightly overcooked. Only complaint that night and that's minimal complaining at best. Our appetizer, pulled pork tacos [trust me, it's so much more than just 'pulled pork' tacos] - should have a menu all to themselves. They truly are their own food group. Per our waiter, Chris, the menu does change, as does the delightful basket of breads served early on. I really do try to avoid bread, as a norm, but one look at the variety we were served changed that thought, immediately. I will NEVER avoid them here, ever. More, more, more...
(4)
Scott D.
We had a 6:30 res, and were promptly seated a few minutes early at a great table overlooking the marina. The inside a little dated? Yes, but the food & service were excellent. Nice cocktail selection, but tonight I having iced tea. Our wonderful server was knowledgeable & friendly. I had the scallops over the creamy grits and it was fantastic. A multitude of flavors, that to me, blended well. My companions fish special was very good also. The creme brulee was our choice for dessert. It was quite good also. My only peeve was the bus person wanting to clear the table a little too often. I mean it became kinda comical because I really want that bread with my meal. All in all a great meal & great service. I recommend.
(4)
Paula A.
We had out of town guest and were looking for a seafood place with good food and some ambiance. The restuarant is attractive, limited parking . We were seated within 10 minutes of our 7:30 reservation. Unfortunately the restaurant had taken a reservation for a private party of 38 for near the same time we arrived. Our entire section which was there when we arrived sat for hour and 30 minutes waiting for food. The worst part- we had to send back two items that had spices that I made a clear point to say- please- we can't eat anything spicy. Leave these ingrediants off. I would think if we couldn't get our food for an hour and a half they would make sure that when it came it was the right thing. The manager was helping deliver deserts to the table at the end of the night and only when we mentioned the length of time did she offer up a lame excuse- not even an apology or an offer to get our deserts. You can bet I will be warning all the people at my local company of 500 employees not to bother to book their vendor dinners here anymore. You might have pleased the party of 38 in the back but you alienated everyone out front.
(1)
Megan G.
My guy and I came here last month for date night. It did not disappoint. He is super picky, and I love trying new places. We had oysters, fried green tomatoes, and the pan seared tuna. Amazing service, and the food was incredible. I can't wait to come back!
(5)
Brenda S.
"We recently moved from NYC and finally had a "date night" in Jacksonville. Our server was attentive and very knowledgeable about the menu. You could tell that she had actuallly tasted the items vs memorizing the apps, entrees and desserts. We went with all of her recomendations and enjoyed everything from appetizers to the bread pudding (highly recommend the bread pudding)! The food was very light yet we were full! We had a window seat overlooking the marina at sunset! The next day we were chatting about a couple of our favorite dining experiences in Manhattan... And agreed that Marker 32 was right up there with the big city. I think the prices are reasonable and only rated the 3 $'s due to including a couple of drinks with the meal, We had a wonderful date night! Cheers to the Chef and server!"
(5)
Maryann T.
Wow! Hubby and I went to celebrate a late Valentine's Day and were blown away. The server was attentive, well versed in the menu and offered great suggestions. I had to try the warm spinach salad and as everyone else has said....it was great and a very large portion. The seared scallops were divine with just the right amount of carmelization. He had the tuna special which was also very good. We ate early at 6:00 and by the time we were finished the place was packed! On a Monday night! Go figure. Well deserved. We will be back.
(5)
Mary B.
We love eating at the Marker 32. Service is excellent and we always get a fresh seafood dish and they are always out of this world.
(5)
Vetey D.
My husband and I are so glad we found this restaurant. We love fine seafood and we don't mean the fried kind. We've always had a good experience there with the customer service and food except for the last time. Our waiter was a little slow and lacking on the customer service department with us. It wasn't too busy since we came at an odd time. He didn't refill our water or brought us bread. We sat there for half an hour with a plate of butter, just staring at it. Everytime we tried to get him, he was all over the place. We had to tell another guy who came to refill our water about the bread and finally got it after our dinner. Kinda' pointless now. Other than that experience, we still enjoy the atmosphere and food... the atmosphere, to a certain extent. There tends to be a few loud rich old men there who thinks they own the place over talking everyone's conversation. I think it makes you speak louder when you own a yacht.
(4)
A D.
Marker 32 Oyster appetizer was outstanding! Pleasantly suprised to find salt scrub in the bathroom...now my hands are silky smooth! Amazing view! Highly recommend this place.
(5)
Daniel A.
I've been to Marker 32 several times with mixed results. I've never had bad food until my last visit on Jan 5. For the most part the food tasted fine and the wait staff was attentive. The problem came towards the end of the meal. I started feeling really hot. I thought it was the coffee so I quit drinking it. By the time I got home my skin was red head to toe and having some stomach issues. I thought maybe I discovered I had a food allergy. The next day I talked to three others in our party who had also been sick after dinner. One of which had the exact same reaction I did. Needless to say, I won't be back again.
(1)
Toni M.
Generally very good but the pesto sauce was over salted. Fish was cooked well (not over cooked). Tuna appetizer was excellent.
(4)
Joseph G.
Marker 32 is an excellent local establishment. Have only been a few times, but highly recommend the place. Great options, very different, very fresh. Excellent service. Not anything like any typical chain restaurant, which is good. I know one of the chefs so I can honestly say how quality the place truly is and that they have passion in what they do. Hard to pinpoint the " exact type of food" but its good, unique American with great seafood, chicken and beef options
(5)
Randall F.
Very nice place. Service and food were excellent. Ambiance great mix of dressy and casuall.
(4)
Valarie G.
Food, drinks, and service were excellent. Would give 5 stars if it wasn't for the long wait when we arrived on time despite having reservations.
(4)
Jeremy S.
3.5 Stars We went on a Friday night with a group of eight. This made for a great opportunity to try a lot of the menu. I loved the fact that their menu has locally produced meats, seafood and veggies. The prices were very reasonable. You can get as dressed up and as dressed down as you like. Also, this restaurant is locally owned and I love supporting NON-Chain restaurants. So make a point to get out and visit this little gem. The food was an easy 3.5 on my scale. I ordered the pompano and it was very tasty. I had collard greens and mixed veggies as my side. The collard greens were very good and I wish I would have gotten a double order. The mixed veggies had a great flavor as well. As an appetizer we had Calamari, Oyster Rockefeller and Raw Oysters. A+++ on all of these. The calamari is a steal for $5! Dessert, we ordered Mascarpone Cheesecake, Banana Bread Pudding, Doughnut Delight and Triple chocolate truffle cake. There were mixed reviews but a consensus that the Cheesecake is a must order! Wow, light fluffy with a perfect crust! Cheesecake factory has nothing on this slice of joy. The bread pudding had peanuts which I think masked the flavor of the banana. The Doughnut was a must order with a nice scoop of ice cream that makes every bite a burst of flavor in your mouth. The Triple Chocolate truffle was chocolate overload. So much so that a zit formed on my forehead before I completed my first bite.
(4)
Liz K.
Food was excellent - service was great - no complaints there. Only complaint is that we wanted to sit by the water/window, and asked ahead of time for those table when making the reservation, but were told upon arrival that it would be another 2 hour wait if we wanted to not have the table we were given. Yeah, no. Plus our table was in a crap location - right next to the bar and right were the servers exit the kitchen. Very heavy traffic. So the 'ambiance' for us was crap. But my friends are awesome and we had a good time. Not as good a time as the drunk group of septuagenarians sitting at a table by the window/water hootin & hollerin in this nice establishment... Checked off my list, so won't be back unless someone wants to go there - and makes sure we have a water-view table :)
(4)
Kathy A.
I can't say enough good about this restaurant. My husband and I went there for our anniversary this past year. It was the best anniversary dinner we've ever had. Not only was the food excellent, but our waiter was so pleasant and knowledgeable. It's a bit pricey but worth every penny!! We will definitely go back again this year!
(5)
Sean G.
Would have probably dressed a little nicer, but having been from out-of-town, I didn't stress to much. From the outside first impression is that it is going to be some fried fish house, but the menu was upscale with nice variety. Hostess was a bit snobbish, but rest of the staff was great; very conversational and helpful. Had the pompano over jasmine rice with sage-pine nut butter. Was well done. The house wine white paired well.
(4)
Lindsay L.
A friend of mine wanted to celebrate getting a raise and we thought Marker 32 would be a great choice. Based on the outside of the building, we didn't think to dress up. This is, after all, Jacksonville. Can you say jean cutoffs? But, regardless, I didn't really appreciate the look from the hostess when we walked in. Additionally, she said, "If you don't have a reservation you'll be forced to eat in the bar." Ok, so force me. In the end, I was glad I let her force me to stay and help her make tips. My server was over-the-moon-helpful and happy to answer any questions we had about the menu. My companion order the ahi tuna and I ordered the daily special (can't recall, but it was definitely fish). Both meals were served timely and definitely worth a rave. The decor needs updating but the food speaks for itself. If they could get rid of one bitchy hostess, this would be a 5 star review! (This makes the "Hidden Gems of the ICW" list because it is JUST BEFORE the ditch (the Intracoastal Waterway). It has a Jax Beach address, however, it's just past San Pablo before the bridge.)
(4)
Robby D.
Have never had a bad time. Service is always friendly. Maybe a little slow but well worth it. Cant wait to go back
(5)
Are M.
Heard really good things about this place and was excited to try it. We got there an hour earlier then our reservation and the place was packed. We sneaked our way into a spot at the bar and enjoyed the scene along with a drink. We were seated 10 minutes earlier then planned so that was nice. Our waiter was extremely friendly and also very helpful to a new wino. If he didn't actually know what he was talking about, he certainly convinced us otherwise! As for the food...also amazing. Now granted I think salt is an actual flavor, someone else may disagree. I got the black peppered tuna steak medium rare as suggested by the chef. It came with their mashed potatoes and green beans which had a smokey flavor to them and both sides were delicious. The accompanied sauce drizzled on the plate was an excellent match. I think that was the source of the salt though. Oh yea! We also got the sweet and sour rock shrimp which was good but there were only a couple and we could have probably done without it but we were so hungry from waiting and didnt want to wait for the entree. Good thing we ordered it because the food did take a little longer to come out then one would have liked, but we found out as the waiter told us, they overcooked my tuna and wanted to redo it. At the end of the meal, we opted out of desserts but they still bring you these little pieces of pralines. For those none foodies, its like a little piece of pecan pie. YUM! So a bit on the pricey side but well worth it. It was one of the best meals I have had in a long time. I'd go on the later side (like 9:30) if you want to just walk in and get seated immediately. They place started to clear out around then.
(5)
Linda R.
Notice that this place is consistently at 4 stars! Don't hesitate, this place is the real deal, the kitchen is consistently good, the bar is great and when they tell you you really need reservations...even on a Tuesday night, they aren't putting you on, make a reservation and enjoy.
(4)
Dave L.
Quaint, slightly upper end classy bar and restaurant. Old style trendy inside, bar at center of dining area. Great veiws of the intracoastal waterway. Had crabcakes with dill aioli and they were very good. Still serves cold raw appalachacola oysters on the half shell,...salty with lots of hot horseradish!!! Great date spot for a romantic dinner,..i on the otherhand was on business and it works to that end as well. Staff was knowledgeable and attentive. Will go back, bring the wife next time!!
(4)
Lauren K.
We have tried to get a reservation here twice and have been unsucessful so we decided we would use our Groupon and go eat at the bar last Saturday night. My boyfriend and I were unimpressed with this place. The service was not very friendly, food was mediocre and place was very stuffy and loud. My grouper special was over cooked making it tough and dry in the tortilla soup broth. My boyfriend's salmon entree was a very small portion of salmon that was actually under cooked and he said was too salty. The bacon, corn goat cheese beignets were just ok. They didn't blow me away with flavor! The fried calamari was probably the best thing we tried with mint/peanuts/cilantro Asian sauce. I do not think I will give this place a second chance.
(2)
Ellen S.
When I go to the beach, I usually opt for restaurants that serve fresh fish/shrimp in simple preparations, so it is rare for me to go to a restaurant that is more into novel seafood preparations. Marker 32 manages to retain the fresh, delicate flavor of the fish while creating interesting dishes that are worthy of the best haute cuisine restaurants in New York. My daughter and I agreed that the meal was one of the best we've had anywhere for any price. Prices are very reasonable, service is great, and the food is truly exceptional.
(5)
Abby M.
My boyfriend came home from deployment, and chose Marker 32 as his first meal home. We had never eaten there, but thought the location would be lovely as it is right on the water. I called ahead to make reservations, and ended up telling the woman who answered (Brenda) all about my boyfriend and how long he had been gone. She said she would make it a special night, and she was completely correct! First of all, we had a wonderful view of the water, and once we were all seated, many members of the waitstaff came to thank Jack for his service and welcome him home- something I thought went well above and beyond their job description. Then, our waiter Steve came over. He must be the most knowledgeable waiter I've ever had. He told us all about each dish and which he would recommend. We finally made our picks, and each dish was INCREDIBLE. Most of us got the tuna (as Steve described it- we absolutely HAD to have it!) but some others got steaks and halibut. We each licked our plates clean. When we thought we could eat no more, we ordered dessert, which could have been the best desserts I've ever tasted. At the end of the night, we decided it was one of the most special, best tasting meals we've ever had. I cannot wait to venture back there again!
(5)
Margaret M.
Dined there Saturday night 11/13/10. This is the fourth time we've been and it is consistently good. In our party of 6, 4 of us had triggerfish and loved it. They allow splitting salads which is nice, several of us did so. We had a wonderful bottle of ZD Chardonnay with our meal, yum. All in all a very nice experience with good friends in a nice atmosphere with good service and good food.
(4)
Maria C.
I was in town on busiess and the hotel suggested this restaurant. It was wonderful. The food and service were both spot on. My steak was perfectly cooked and my guest loved their fish. The make all their own breads and desserts and they were heavenly. There was a cheddar bacon bread I just couldn't get enough of.
(5)
Steve M.
The wife and I took our families here for one of those potentially painful get-togethers. We'd heard great things about M32, but had never been, so figured we would experiment on our folks' dime. Turns out, it was a fine idea. The restaurant itself is crap -- the building is so dated, I kept expecting Herb Tarlek and Dr. Johnny Fever to come traipsing out of the bathroom. It also overlooks a low-grade marina -- 32 foot Bayliners as far as the eye can see. Get past all of that, though, and you're in for a decent time. The waitstaff was duly attentive to my need for social lubricant and kept the drinks flowing. The food -- heavy on seafood -- was all well prepared, fresh and tasty. In balance, go here with people you know, are not trying to impress and who can appreciate good food whereever it is found. Ahoy, matey.
(4)
Erikka N.
This is an intimate restaurant with great views. We went for our Anniversary and wasn't disappointed. We started with the broiled oysters and Asian ribs. Both were excellent! I had the scallops and the were the best scallops I've ever had. The scallops were served with creamy grits and collard greens. These greens were so good, I almost demanded to meet the 70 year old black woman that surely cooked them. I will definitely be back.
(5)
James Y.
What a pleasant dinner. Nice decor, great view, and fantastic food. Enjoyed the filet with mushroom risotto. The risotto was fantastic. Unfortunately a friend snagged a bite before I could take the pic. Will defiantly return.
(5)
Jessica B.
My expectations of restaurants when we go out of town are never quite as high as they are in Nashville, but this place exceeded all my expectations! It can compete with any meal I've had back home. We began the meal with some excellent cocktails! I had the Caribbean Mule and it was the perfect combination of blackberry and ginger! My husband had the manhattan with High West and also raved about his cocktail. Also, I loved the bread basket because it had several delicious breads cut in small bite size portions, so I had two pieces but didn't fill up too much on bread. I am not a seafood fan (I know, I know), so I did not expect my entree to be as good as some of the other menu options. But I am confident that my beef tenderloin with mushroom risotto and asparagus was as good as any dish on the menu! It was delicious!! The sauce on the dish and the risotto were my favorite! My husband had the scallops and also greatly enjoyed his meal, although he even agreed that my beef took the cake! I loved the atmosphere at Marker 32! It was elegant and romantic, yet still casual enough to not feel too stuffy or formal. The view on the water was perfect for a date night on the beach. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone looking to celebrate a special night out in Jacksonville!
(5)
Wes M.
This was my first visit to Marker 32 and it will be my last. I've been a Jacksonville resident for several years and there are much better restaurants at the beaches with the same ambiance even at the same price point. Try 619 Ocean View Restaurant, Eleven South Bistro, or Azurea at One Ocean. The entire dining room was so noisy, that I could not have a conservation without asking my guest sitting next to me to repeat themselves. I was told soundproofing was recently installed, so obviously the owner(s) and management are aware of this issue. Even though I asked about the excessive noise more than once to others besides our server, management never stopped by to discuss it or apologize for it. The food presentation and customer service was good, however, the noise completely ruined the entire evening.
(2)
Sylvia G.
Very disappointing :( Heard so many great things bout the place so I decided to finally give it a try for my and my husband first anniversary . Atmosphere was great but we waited very long time for any food to come out . Also our meals werent just prepared and expedited right . Who serves crab cakes with red potatoes ? Or pasta with a chicken leg instead of shrimp ?? I hope next time will be better .
(2)
Maya C.
Been wanting some good seafood for a while and since it was time for me and my foodie bestie to go out, we both agreed to come here. Neither of us knew what to expect but in looking at the menu beforehand we did know exactly what we wanted. The location is a little odd though as it's not that visible from Beach Blvd and having to do a U-turn from traveling east on Beach Blvd. There is a sign there that could be easily missed. Pulling in I finally put two and two together why the building was so far back off the road as it sits pretty close to the dock where you could park your yacht. Parking lot's half pavement, half gravel. No matter. We both parked and walked up the steps to the entrance. Thank god we made reservations. There was a line at the door and while the place wasn't that busy. I had a feeling it would be later on that night. We sat down by a window and ordered drinks. Like I said, we already knew what we wanted and decided to split each dish. We started off with the Deviled Eggs & Fried Oysters. I don't particularly care for fried oysters but these were lightly battered and tasted great. The deviled eggs tasted like the filling had a bit of Old Bay in them to get it that seafood vibe and I wished that we had more than three, but they were awesome. The sriracha aioli was the icing on the cake so to speak. Next was the Chilled Platter consisting of king crab, raw oysters, and shrimp cocktail. We were concerned about the price because the menu online said that it was $90. Forreal??? It had better be a HUGE portion for that price. But when we looked at the menu at the restaurant the price was $48. Wow, someone should fix that. Since we were splitting it we had no problems. Everything tasted fresh and delicious. I do like my oysters a little briny and these tasted like they've been on ice for awhile but they were still fantastic. Huge crab legs with the shells soft enough that the meat slides out fairly easily and in one piece. The shrimp was deveined and peeled. I joked with my friend that they should feed it to us too. After polishing that off, we got the Seared New Bedford Scallops, served on top of some awesome grits, collards, roasted corn and a basil shrimp broth. The presentation was everything and they were kind enough to separate the dish in the back into 2 separate plates. My eyes rolled when I tasted the grits in the broth. There are no words to describe that taste, it was just that good. The scallops unfortunately were over-seasoned and my friend said that they had a little bit of a "soapy" taste. I tried the inside of mine and I tasted what she was talking about. The combo of the broth, the collards, and the scallops made the dish as a whole really salty. I ate half and boxed up the rest, to water down somehow later. Still thinking about dem oysters and still having room, I ordered a dozen raw. My friend looked at me like I was nuts but when they came out she ate 1 or 2 hahaha. Now, time for dessert. As much as we were full by this point, we decided to soldier on and being the foodies that we were we agreed on and ordered the Bourbon and Pecan Bread Pudding. While we were waiting, our server brings us samples of their pecan praline pie bites. Dang, those were so good. The bread pudding was fantastic and served with strawberries and butter pecan ice cream. Holy moly. We couldn't finish it. Even then, our server came by and brought us more pecan praline bites. I had no more room and neither did my friend but I still ate them all. The experience was great and I would definitely return.
(4)
Monique H.
My husband took me here a few years back for my birthday dinner. We like to make new memories dining in places we've never been together to kind of make it "our new spot" for date night. Ever since, we frequent this place and the other Medure restaurants as well. The food is always fresh and unbelievably well made every time! Marker 32 never disappoints!
(5)
Dan K.
Excellent food, excellent service excellent view and a great wine list. Really enjoyed our dinner here with a customer. Looks like the upper crust dine here. Lots of blue jackets and shoes with no socks. Kinda reminds of a couple Dc hang out. I had the catch of the day which was snapper which was some of the best I have had. If in the area will be back!!
(5)
Meghan S.
This use to be one of my favorite restaurants, but it's seemed to have gone downhill. The staff is still excellent, but the previously exquisite dishes, have been covered in sauce, way to much Schmutz. Bread is still fresh baked, and the oysters are still great.
(3)
Rich C.
Christopher, our server, took such good care of our entire team. We showed up with no reservations and were accommodated without question.The food descriptions were spot on and had us looking forward to its arrival. When it came, we were not disappointed. I had the scallops and grits and recommend it. Finally the banana creme cheesecake capped off this excellent evening. Thanks for a great experience Marker 32!!!
(5)
David C.
I agree that the restaurant looks like it is circa 1970. We ate in the banquet room, probably 20 of us. I really enjoyed the baked oyster platter, the tortilla soup, and the fresh catch of the day. This place does seafood right, even if they don't do decor particularly well.
(5)
Paco d.
Lively atmosphere, on the water, beautiful big square bar dominates the elegant space. Delicious oysters baked with cream & black pepper. Grilled octopus salad not as good because they cut the octopus too small and it was too dry. But don't let that stop you - this is a very nice place, with attentive service.
(4)
Andy L.
Marker 32..... I'm not sure how many stars to give it. It's more like a 3.5 on my rating system. It has one of the best views in town, and the food is really good, too. You definitely need to make a reservation and ask for a table by the window.
(3)
Ryan H.
We recently went to Marker 32 with a group of 12 friends. The atmosphere was great. Very sophisticated without being pretentious. Our server was extremely friendly, humorous, and knowledgable. The food was great. No one in our group was disappointed, which is a tough task with twelve people. And when the night was finished our server was nice enough to split up the checks for us even though she easily could have complained. Overall a great evening.
(4)
Gary S.
While the marina may not be stacked with yachts, the seafood here is the best in the area. The service was phenomenal - almost as if the waitress had a premonition of the timing of my next drink. The only thing I flaw of Marker 32 is their poorly designed menu.
(5)
Joanna A.
We had dinner there last night and it was excellent. Our waiter was Steve and not only did he have a great personality, but he was very knowledgeable about the entire menu including the wines. He encouraged us to try the weekly specials and his advice was spot on. The Royal Red Shrimp appetizer was fantastic, as well as, our entrees of pompano and grouper. We will definitely be back and will ask for Steve.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : No Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Romantic Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Cameron D.
Round 3 of my semi-annual Marker 32 review goes back up to 4 stars, and honestly borders right on 5. The food was such a step up from my last visit (about a year ago) that I actually asked the server if there was a new head chef in charge. There isn't, but boy, they've upped their game dramatically. I can't even make snide comments about their (formerly signature) bacon-cheese-oyster appetizer thing, because it's GONE, replaced by far better stuff: our group ordered raw oysters, crispy octopus, and tuna poke. The oysters were fresh and sweet - very possibly the best I've had in Jacksonville. The octopus and tuna were both also very fresh, and served in a minimal way that really accentuated the freshness (this is notable because drowning iffy tuna in soy sauce seems to be a favorite serving technique of Jax Beach restaurants). Really impressed overall by the appetizers. A year or so ago, I had a pork chop at Marker 32 that was covered in (I believe) pear butter - the chop was tasty, but the sauce was pretty heavyhanded and unnecessary. I ordered their new pork chop dish this time, and it was entirely different: the sauce on the chop was an excellent molasses BBQ glaze with chunks of bacon - the sauce was rich and strong, but didn't overpower the chop. The chop itself was served on collard greens and alongside garlic & herb grits - the grits were nice and rich, and the collards were fresh (if a little bland), but overall, the dish was delicious and tastefully composed. Marker 32 seems to have changed their philosophy in a pretty significant way, and like I said to the server: whatever they're doing back there in the kitchen these days, keep it up.
(4)Brian C.
Dinner Feb 11 First time here and boy was I impressed. Wasn't expecting such good food from a place that looked from the street to be a bar on the water. Boy, was I wrong! This is now my favorite restaurant in Jacksonville. Wait staff was awesome and very accommodating. The Trigger Fish and Grouper Fish specials were INCREDIBLE! cooked perfectly and they were so fresh! The accompaniments to both dishes were perfect as well! Fresh bread, baked in house was awesome The fried Green Tomato appetizer was very unique for a Florida restaurant - adding the bacon jam on top was very Southern and extremely tasty (although the tomatoes could have been fried a bit crispier) The Deviled Egg appetizer was very different as well - and very good - if you like deviled eggs and or fried oysters, give it a try! You can tell that this restaurant and the kitchen staff take great pride in their work and it shows on the plates! The only "opportunity areas" was in the Calamari appetizer, which didn't have much of the described extras (Vietnamese ginger cilantro dress/mint/chopped peanut) - I think I saw 3 peanuts in there and little to no dressing. Additionally, I thought the salads were a bit "under-whelming" based on how awesome the appetizers were- the salads were standard fare and pretty normal (but still tasted very good - just expected a better presentation based on all else that was served). If you live in the Jacksonville area or up there on business - this place will not disappoint!
(4)Debbi C.
I love the location; we have far too few places to enjoy on the intracoastal. The place is nice with friendly servers(although it's a little slow so if you are in a hurry tell them.), good bartenders and good food. It's small do there's not much in the matter of quietness but it's good.The tuna was fresh and tasty and although it was not hubby's favorite in town, it was good. I have to admit we both love the warm spinach salad. I'm not sure what they do but it has always been amazing. The grouper was really good. They have the perfect chef for seafood. If you want good good and a good location check it out. Be sure to call for reservations if you want to sit by a window.
(4)Sharee Q.
They go above and beyond for birthdays and highly recommend the bourbon raisin bread pudding
(5)Mark W.
Very very pleasurable experience, outstanding service great food quality & the prices aren't bad. the atmosphere is very nice ...highly recommended
(4)Virginia M.
Wonderful seafood and service here! I love their tuna. Everything is fresh and the wait staff is very knowledgeable about the seafood and wine. I would return.
(5)David S.
Exceptional food, service and value. Had the oysters, warm spinach salad and fresh Atlantic salmon. Guests had the kale salad, scallops and pork chop. Our waitress Kate was warm, attentive and every one of her recommendations was "spot-on." Would highly recommend...
(5)LD M.
"If you're headed to Mayo Clinic - Treat yourself to dinner here!!!" Marker 32 is awesome! We live 90 minutes away and this is a favorite restaurant. I want to say that when visiting Mayo Clinic from out of town - this is a delightful 'break'. Located less than 4 min. (at most) from Mayo - literally 'down the street' - its just 'right there', and yet feels far from a 'hospital' setting. We found the restaurant when we came from Georgia & had dinner the night before my husband's hip surgery. We were a bit tense - I thought a really good evening in a good restaurant might give us a relaxing night before...... Sure enough - post surgery and a few weeks of recovery - we were still talking about the meal at Marker 32.. 6 months later we drove down from home & took family to Marker 32 when they traveled from S Florida - also for appointments at Mayo. Again, a memorable evening & a great 'get-away' for them. Then later - when they traveled up for their follow-up appointment - they invited us to come down and meet them for dinner at Marker 32....- & again (this time with my dad included) we had a wonderful reunion over dinner. A perfect evening. Food was fantastic - every time. AND when my uncle accidentally left his credit card behind in the receipt book - as I'd made the reservation through Open Table - the manager used my Open Table info to call my cell within 2 minutes of our departure ! Mayo was so close - it was a quick and easy return to pick up the card. I've enjoyed several dishes there - and every one has been delicious - and raves from others I was with - - so rather than give you specific recommendations - I'll say - - just go for it. (Trust the waiters - I've found them to be honest and very helpful on making selections. Thank you to everyone at Marker 32 - And What GREAT service!
(5)Caron S.
Solid 4 stars. Borderline 4.5, for Jacksonville. First time to Marker 32 (sister spot Palm Valley Fish Camp is in my top 5 favorites) and it didn't disappoint. We had a reservation on Friday night and were promptly seated in a quiet corner upon arrival. Our server was exceptionally knowledgeable, friendly and attentive. Kudos. The atmosphere is quiet and intimate but still open. I enjoyed the space and while it's not fancy it's still nice, and we dressed up so it felt like a special occasion spot. The food was spectacular! I'm sad we didn't save room for dessert. We started with pork belly and kim chi. The Korean style pork belly was perfectly seasoned and melted in my mouth. Everyone raves about the warm spinach salad so that was a must. Luckily our server explained that it's available as a half portion so I ordered that and was blown away. The way the swiss melts over the top sends it over the top. The honey tarragon dressing is light but flavorful. We also had the beignets which were spicy and savory. The smoked tomato sauce underneath them was delicious but we sopped it up quickly and could have used more. My boyfriend ordered a dish with seared scallops, a spicy shrimp broth, corn, creamy grits and collard greens. I ordered the gnocchi with pork, butternut squash and blue crab and clams. Both were delicious. The five scallops were huge and cooked properly. A beer for him and a creative gin and cucumber drink for me. A great experience -- we'll definitely be back!
(4)Anna M.
Great food and the atmosphere is very nice. One of the more upscale local restaurants in Jax Beach. They have happy hour Monday- Saturday which is an additional perk!
(5)Sarah Alice L.
People, pay attention to what I'm about to say. If you like great tasting food.. If you like servers who can tell you each and every individual experience you'll get from your wine selection.. If you like sitting next to the window looking out over the beautiful inter coastal.. If you like food that tastes as wonderful as it was described... YOU MUST COME EAT HERE! I am not much of a fish eater, but my parents came up for the weekend and lets say they like finer things, and I wouldn't hear a shriek when the bill came. We made a reservation and this was such a great idea because this place fills up around sunset on a friday night ( oh yeah, I'm telling you everything was perfect about this experience). Our server was Chad. You must have Chad. Make sure you get Chad. He works every night but Thursdays. So don't go on Thursdays. There are six other days, so go on one of those so you can get Chad. Chad was like servers you encounter in Italy; they take their job seriously, they are experts on meat and fish selections and the wines that go best with each, they can compare flavor experiences about any individual wine, and my favorite.. quite frankly tell you NOT to get this particular wine because it's crap, "I don't even know why it's even on the menu." Chad was fantastic. 5 stars for Chad, alone. We tried the fried okra for an appetizer. Dad loved it, then again he's the one that ordered the weird stuff. I just picked at the blue cheese on top of it. Chad (oh Chad) sold us on the warm spinach salad and it was soooo gooooood. Dad ordered one as a "small salad" and my mother and I split the regular sized one, and oh man was that plenty. If you're thinking "oh salad, that's a light start." There aint nothing light about it. ENTREES: Father: got the Fresh Catch option that was trigger for the day. He'd never had trigger but when I started explaining to him that it was a milder fish, he decided "Well if Sarah likes it, it must be good because she never eats fish!" This is a true story, I NEVER eat fish. My Mother: got the caramelized scallops on a bed of the creamiest most tasty grits you'll ever eat. Amazing. So delicious. MYSELF: I got the Beef tenderloin because Chad wouldn't shut up about it and now everyone at the table knows why; BECAUSE IT IS SO PERFECTLY PREPARED AND MELT IN YOUR MOUTH GOOD. This restaurant is my new favorite in Jacksonville. I loved it. I cannot wait to come back here. I especially look forward to recommending it to high end individuals who come here for business and don't want to hear the same 3 boring recommendations. This place... oh yeah this is the one.
(5)Kim M.
Wow! The seafood is so fresh and delicious! The ambiance and view are so perfect for a nice evening out. Marker 32 was recommended to us. Located right on the water. The exterior is ok, but from the moment you walk in, casual elegance - you just want to sit down and have a drink. Nice bar - charming layout. The raw oysters and crab claws were our starters. Wow! The best crab I have EVER had. Delicious oysters. My husband had the blackened shrimp ( not on the menu, but they made at request) and I had the catch of the day. Everything was mouth watering. We all raved about the food. I only give 4 stars because the service was a little off - took too long to get drinks, food sometimes came out on top of each other instead of courses. Not sure what the issue was, but the table next to us had similar issue. I heard our waiter use the excuse that they were slammed since it was Saturday night - not acceptable to say, much less tell a customer. Just fall all over yourself to please the customer and apologize. I would go back because the menu is so amazing.
(4)Mike L.
I really wanted to like marker 32, but food quality is everything and this place just doesn't have it. This place is dressed up to make you think you'll be getting a marina front fine-dining experience. Unfortunately, what's been done is closer to an attempt at upscaling a southern comfort food style to fit in a fine dining restaurant. The problem is that the two concepts are not married well at all. Heavy handed sauces absolutely destroy some of the delicate flavors that should be brought out instead of covered up. I'm always concerned when I see overflowing reviews on yelp hyping a place up to have the "best seafood in town" or the "best dining experience around." Nothing could be farther from the truth. I wish I could give this place a better review. The atmosphere is warm and the joint is clean and full of white yuppies eager to throw away their not so hard earned cash. As you walk in you begin to anticipate that this is going to be a good meal. Sadly unless all you care about is large portions you'll probably be disappointed. The tuna was covered in a mushroom Carmelized onion sauce that absolutely buried any flavor of the meat, which may have been a good thing as the singular bite not covered in sauce that I was able to try was so overlooked that no flavor even remained. The crispy octopus was relatively well cooked. It's just too bad that the lemon sauce it was covered in was soooo lemony that I had to take a sip of water after every bite to avoid puckering up. Onion and artichoke Soup had a similar problem of tasting like burnt Carmelized onions. The Crab cakes were extremely chewy and again the flavors were not well balanced. The salmon was dry. That's all I have to say. How hard is it to not let the salmon dry out. Large portions of the sides seem to accompany every dish that I watched come out. Sadly my little 12 year old cousin makes better whipped potatoes. I could go on about the other dishes but the theme is recurrent. Drowned in sauce. Overcooked. Flavors are completely unbalanced Best seafood in town? Fish camp and the fish company have much much more delicious dishes just to name two. If at the end of your meal here you look down at your check and sigh, "Ahhh that was worth it," then I'm sorry my friend but you have never had good seafood.
(2)Trang D.
Got here on Tuesday night about 8pm. Got seated right away without a reservation. Started with caramelized scallops with house bacon appetizer. It was very well prepared and had wonderful flavor. Sadly there were only 3 scallops. I ordered the dinner special of pan seared trigger fish (similar to mahi mahi) served over jasmine rice with split pea and the hubby ordered cast iron seared yellowfin tuna with side of spinach. Both were very good. Would definitely return.
(5)Ali P.
I would not go back here. Had recs from friends to go here. Couple things that were annoying and not enjoyable off the bay were that the service is slow slow slow slow!!! If you want a fast meal don't pick this place for that. Takes forever to get your drink order, food order etc and then once they take it even longer to get those items to your table. My dad loved his meal so that is good but honestly not worth the wait. There is some great coconut scrub in the ladies bathroom that you should def use it you go here. Also ordered my burger well done and it didn't come out that way sent it back and then they said since it took so long they would bring over dessert / no thanks... Not worth the wait and menu is boring too.
(2)Christine I.
Holy MOLY! I have been to every classic, new, swanky, fancy, foodie restaurant in this town and I can honestly say this was the best experience I've ever had. This might have been the first time in my life I looked at the bill at an expensive restaurant and thought, yep, totally worth it. The food was orgasmic, the service was impeccable and the pricing is very honest. We arrived 30 minutes before our reservation, with the intention of enjoying some drinks at the bar first. At our reservation time, the hostess apologized for the wait...that we created by showing up early!! That's class. Our waiter was very pleasant and personable. We decided to start out with the salmon mousse for an appetizer and it was the best thing ive ever tasted (at least until that point in my life). The mousse was served on top of potato pancakes with chorizo, dill and caviar as accents. These rich flavors combined so well with the salmon and came together for a delectable dish. Then came the bread basket. Yes, I'm writing about the bread basket. A mixture of honey wheat, sundried tomato and spinach foccacia breads, they easily could have charged for this delightful app! And now, for the entree. I decided to go with the tuna special, not like it was much of a choice, served with kumquat and olive chutney, kale and bread pudding. Normally when you go to an upstanding restaurant, you can expect your entree to be no bigger than the side of your fist. Sometimes, you're still hungry. Not here. This entree was huge. The chutney was a perfect accompaniment to the seared tuna and the sautéed kale was so flavorful, I couldnt believe I was eating kale! Oh, remember those breads I mentioned before? The ones that were infused with amazing flavors like sundried tomato? Yeah, those are the same breads that were used in the bread pudding. With gruyere cheese. I'm still thinking about this dish. The entire experience was amazing, we even got a visit from the chef himself. And even though we didn't order dessert, we received two bites from one of their desserts with the check. What a nice finishing touch to a lovely meal.
(5)John S.
My drink preference doesn't include anything fancy. I stick with beer, scotch, or whisky. At a celebratory dinner a few weeks ago I tried the "New" Flower Sour Tini. It was sweet goodness. The drink should come with a warning label for diabetics. With dinner we had a bottle of Bogle Petit Syrah. Try it, if they still have it. The Caesar salad was typical of high end establishments--meaning they use real anchovies in the dressing. I like the pungent taste, but it is too strong for some. The best salad at our table was the warm spinach salad. It was absolutely fantastic. The least favorite dish was the braised lamb shank. I'm sure meat & potato types would enjoy it, but I thought it was too heavy. Two best dishes were the pork tacos and ricotta zeppelins.
(4)Samuel J.
The wait staff and bar tenders were knowledgeable efficient and very capable. The food is excellent and inventive. It was quite a pleasurable experience overall.
(4)Scott P.
We were here in early August, just passing through Jacksonville, and found this place on the " find me gluten free " app. Excellent selections for gf, very accommodating and nice. Food was fantastic and our server equally as good, I believe it was Jesica! If we're ever back in Jacksonville, this will definitely be a repeat spot for us!!
(5)Stewart W.
Overall, marker 32 is a very good restaurant. Very sadly, I am allergic to shellfish so I cannot fully appreciate what this restaurant has to offer. To start, they bring out very good and interesting bread. Additionally, they have 3 or 4 local beers on tap. For my entree I had the tuna which was outstanding. It was cooked perfectly and the soy Demi glaze was good though a little too sweet. Their horseradish mashed potatoes sound better than they taste FYI though they are not bad. One thing I would have liked to see was more of a focus on sustainable fishing. Tuna is completely unsustainable and so were most of their fish based on my knowledge. Overall, a great experience!
(4)Carol S.
Went here this past Tuesday night and had a wonderful meal. Have been here several times over the past few years, but this time, we were smart enough to make a reservation and got a window table overlooking the water to watch the sunset. We started off with a malbec that the waitress suggested and an appetizer that was a deviled egg/fried oyster creation. It sounds odd, but it was divine. Their bread is also amazing (spinach, tomato/basil, etc). I normally get the scalllop entree, but decided to go with the grouper special that came with sautéed spinach and scallop-infused risotto. It was delicious and the risotto even had small pieces of scallops in it. I wish I could remember our waitress's name (she was awesome and kinda looked like Cecily Strong from SNL). We had a very large/loud table next to us and a table with a small, rambunctious child behind us (which is odd for this place) but the food makes it worth the nuisances. I read some of the reviews about "slow service." This restaurant is definitely the type of place you go when you are not in a hurry and want to sit back, relax and enjoy a nice meal.
(4)Lindsay S.
This is the spot my husband and I choose for special occasions as it is on the pricey side- with that, the food never disappoints and we have never had less than stellar service. Save room for dessert and make sure you have a reservation!
(4)Jennifer S.
honestly i do not know what the 'hype' is all about. the oysters on a half shell here is great. otherwise, the rest of their menu is average. not to mention, the last 3 times we went, we had one waiter by the name of "Chris" asking us to "F-off" curing under his breath and then profusely apologizing that he had a bad day and that he doesn't want to be fired. We also went again last week, and another male waiter was clear upset that our party of 8 was actually a party of 5. He was rude the whole time. I would have given the place a 4/5 stars since Jacksonville doesn't have great restaurants to start off with, but the service here totally sucks.
(3)Patrick H.
Food is great. Some of the best in Jacksonville. Staff is great and have always treated us very well. This is where we go for a great dining experience in Jacksonville. Do yourself a favor and try it.
(5)Liz M.
Last night we celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary! Marker 32 delivered the experience we were looking for - awesome food matched with a relaxed yet upscale atmosphere. The only change I would have made was to have a table by the window - over looking the marina. we enjoyed: - Grilled Octopus appetizer: perfectly balanced with the saltiness of the octopus...the savory of the dill/sage...and the sweetness from the onion! A must try; especially if you've never eaten octopus. - Cantaloupe Gazpacho: soup of the day - perfect after a day in the sun! - Warm Spinach Salad: definitely worth the hype!! Melted cheese with spinach, who knew it could taste so yumm!! - Seafood Bowl: huge shrimp, large scallops, hearty muscles and a broth which left me wishing I had a loaf of bread to soak it up! ...best way to eat it is remove clams/muscles/shrimp from shells mix around in large bowl - like a jubilee! - Beef Tender Loin: probably my favorite dish of the night! Melt in your mouth - flavor I'm not sure how to describe! Just yumm!! - Key Lime Brûlée: it was okay. This was the most interesting desert on the menu. Their desert menu could use a little imagination to match the rest of their menu. Bar service was excellent - I like a very specific extra dry martini and they delivered! Well worth the price paid!
(5)Alex S.
This is 5 stars, and it was so good I wish I could change all of my other 5 star reviews to 3 stars, because this place knocked it out of the park. Salmon mousse on potato pancakes with caviar, fresh dill and chorizo for an appetizer. It was $10. $10!!! Get out! I can't believe they don't sell that dish for $15, and that's basically indicative of their entire menu. You get a Michelin star meal at beyond reasonable pricing. The experience didn't stop there, because from hostess to bartender to server, this place treated us with great care. We showed up half an hour early for our reservation, expecting to grab a drink at the bar while we waited, and three different people apologized to us for our wait (we were seated right on time, by the way). The server was well versed in the menu and the specials, they have their own bakery that makes absurdly delicious bread, the bartenders can make a real drink...I just can't say enough about this place. And after all of that, I sent my compliments to the chef (having been one for 5 years) and he came out, low key, gracious and so appreciative of our visit. I've seriously been floored by the people at Marker 32. You need to get there. Now. Enjoy my last great post, because anywhere else I eat will be because it wasn't my choice. P.S. - It's on the water too. P.S.S. - Why are you still reading this?! Get in your car and go!!! Right now! Seriously, you'll regret any other option.
(5)Ccwriter V.
An 8 pm reservation didn't fly on a busy Sat. Night. Lots of excuses and once we were seated, clearly, between the hostess and wait staff no one was on the same page. Took a long time to get drinks once seated. Appetizer and bread basket were very good. After placing our order the waiter disappeared and we waited, and waited for our dinners. We flagged him down, he was apologetic, but it was now 9:30 pm. After such frustration up to this point our expectations were dwindling. When our dinners finally arrived at 9:40 pm, crab cakes, flounder special, yellowfin tuna and lamb osso buco were surprisingly good. In fact, they were delicious. I had ordered a salad which I never received. Again, waiter was apologetic but said someone ? Was supposed to deliver--which never happened. This was our first visit and doubt we would return in the future. Reservations aren't handled well and the delay was inexcusable. Not sure it's worth waiting for.
(2)John K.
Service was spotty. Food was great, but pricey. We had an awkward end to our meal with a loud large "private party" that was only separated from all other diners by some folding privacy screen that did nothing. The couple next to us got furious and made a scene. We didn't enjoy the noise either, but could've dealt with it and without the scene caused by the other couple. I'll take Palm Valley Fish Camp over this place any day.
(3)Ryan D.
I love this place! Great service, and great food. Make sure you make a reservation when coming here, it does get packed at times and wait time can be very long. Only complaint I have is the way the tables are set up, its way too close to each other!
(4)Clair T.
I have been going to Marker 32 for years. Tonight service was awful and my togo order was the worst I have ever gotten. What happen to the management and staff? I do not think I will be back for that much money I expect service and quality!
(1)Pablo W.
The food was exquisite, a complete delight. I sat at the bar and had a glass of Prosecco, the tomato salad and the grilled salmon (the asparagus never arrived). I didn't care much for the ambiance since I was on the phone most of the time. I was cordially greeted by the hostess upon my arrival and proceeded to sit at the bar where my minus two stars come into place: the bartender was inattentive and borderline dismissive. I asked for water three times and since it never arrived I had to ask to another passerby waiter for it, only then was promptly brought to me. Most of my time there, the bar was cluttered with plates and the such from prior patrons, it was not until after I ate half my meal that the place was cleared. The asparagus I ordered? well, it never was served. When I asked for the check, it took another century to be brought to me. It is noteworthy to mention that the place wasn't even that busy! However, to be fair to the other staff, they all seemed competent. By the way, I did spoke to the bartender/waiter and gave him this very same feedback.
(3)Dennis M.
As always Marker 32 delivers. Service, food and wine were all outstanding. In my opinion "a real sleeper". Too many people don't know about it!
(5)Anu J.
Been here once while on a business trip to Jacksonville. The place is really nice, the ambience et al. The food is delicious. Everything on the menu that we ordered for appetizers and main course were delicious. The service is not bad either. Our waiter didnt write the order and forgot one of the appetizer items that we ordered and served something else instead. Then he brought us what we originally ordered on the house. The wine list is good. Really recommend this place - although it is a bit pricey
(4)Morgan H.
Best ribeye steak in town! Extremely high drink prices though. You're paying more for the atmosphere than anything else but oh man the steak!
(4)Jennifer U.
LOVE this restaurant! What a cool spot with great food, ambiance and service. Ryan was an outstanding server, he went above and beyond and it came natural to him. The staff is happy by nature and welcoming. Had the grilled octopus for an app and the fried oysters with grits and collard greens for an entree. Nothing disappointed!! And to top it off the complimentary pecan pralines at the end sealed the deal at this must visit restaurant in jax beach.
(5)Craig B.
As always Marker 32 never disappoints. This was our third time dining here and the food just seems to get better each time. We had a reservation for 8pm, but had to wait about 15 minutes before being seated as they were incredibly busy (Saturday night). Our waitress was friendly, courteous and very knowledgeable. We both enjoyed entrees from the specials menu and they were excellent. I enjoyed a couple well made Old-Fashioneds - a staple drink that seems tough to have prepared properly, but they were tasty here. Dessert was the Milk Chocolate Tiramisu was amazing albeit a little bit over the top, but we shared it so it was manageable. Definitely not something most would take down on their own without a shotgun full of insulin nearby. As others have mentioned, the decor could certainly use some modernizing, but it is nothing that could distract from the delicious food. My only other caveat is that they can and will get busy, and this can mean that you may wait a little longer for your food. Reservations are a must if you go on the weekends. We look forward to bringing our family here for a social meal the next time they visit. We don't splurge too often, but thus far I'd say that Marker 32 is our favorite Jacksonville choice for when its time to "go nuts".
(4)Carol F.
We chose Marker 32 because of the Yelp reviews and they were spot on. Our waitress was very knowledgeable about the menu and shared with us about food preparation and local fresh fish. The gazpacho was delicious as was the grilled octopus and flounder. The bar was filled with a happy hour party so the restaurant was noisy, but the owner and waitress both apologized and that eased our discomfort. Service was attentive without being intrusive. Great meal with good prices.
(4)Myra N.
The menu is all over the place and it is very confusing. The combinations and descriptions left me laughing. This place is all dressed up and trying to be haute cuisine, and leaves much to be desired. My husband started with the baked oysters -- they were decent, but what is with pink flavorless chopped tomatoes on top? When you pay these prices you expect the chef to go for the highest quality of each ingredient. Our food was pretentious and all dressed up and fell flat. I ordered the house salad. It was downright weird: peanuts, raisins and those pink tasteless tomatoes. It was fitting to get a five year old to eat their greens. I got the appetizer mussels as my entree and they were delicious. The tomatoes sauce was rich and flavorful. It came with focaccia which tasted like pizza dough, disappointing. Service was great and staff knowledgeable about the menu. View was worth the price. Drinks were well prepared (but the "special" drink of the night was also strange - blueberry muffin martini?? Just the sound left me thinking weird!). Great wine selection. Go, but hang on to your wallet and if something described sounds strange-- go for simpler described choices. The mark of a quality restaurant is not how many cool culinary words they can use to present their food, but in taste and execution. Marker 32 will keep in business because underneath the strange combinations are actually decent prepared seafood, good service and a great location.
(3)Chelly S.
This restaurant has a great water view but the interior ambience could be I improved, especially since the prices are high. It has a strange handicapped elevator that should also be upgraded. There are stairs leading to the restaurant that are not easy for older people, the ones who can afford to dine here, to negotiate, We found the base menu to be quite good but the special that one of our party of four ordered was just plain weird. It was a fish dish with some collard green and tomato comfit sauces that propeled what was intended to be a culinary tour de force into a panoply of cognitive dissonance. This attempt at haute cuisine was actually slightly nauseating. The martinis were perfectly prepared and the service was better than adequate. We would return but our guest who ordered the special would not. We do suggest that folks who dine here stick to the menu and hold on to their wallets. Overall Marker 32 is not a particularly good value for money. Try it for lunch when you can actually see the view.
(3)John B.
Cannot go wrong with Marker 32. Fantastic yellowfin tuna fresh from he Atlantic. Cooked to perfection. The energy in the restaurant was unbeatable. Get here fast and enjoy.
(4)Kenton S.
Sumer helped me celebrate my birthday tonight. She is an excellent host for a casual evening at the bar. Tonight I tried the fried shrimp which I have seen on my many visits. OMG it was outstanding and the fries were so beast! What a great birthday treat. Oh and I forgot to mention the Oreo cake! Incredible.
(5)Leilani G.
The chef is AMAZING. We just can't say enough about the dishes we tried, all were simply superb. There's a very good reason you don't have salt or pepper at the table, this chef knows her seasonings. BTW, if you're lucky enough to try the Poblano Pepper Bread, you're blessed for sure. The filet and fried oysters were perfection, sitting on top of grits with a Truffle Hollandaise sauce all amidst perfectly sauteed greens. My husband had the Pompano grilled fish over rice. As with the other dishes, the seasoning were spot on, just enough spice to make you smile, however, the fish was slightly overcooked. Only complaint that night and that's minimal complaining at best. Our appetizer, pulled pork tacos [trust me, it's so much more than just 'pulled pork' tacos] - should have a menu all to themselves. They truly are their own food group. Per our waiter, Chris, the menu does change, as does the delightful basket of breads served early on. I really do try to avoid bread, as a norm, but one look at the variety we were served changed that thought, immediately. I will NEVER avoid them here, ever. More, more, more...
(4)Scott D.
We had a 6:30 res, and were promptly seated a few minutes early at a great table overlooking the marina. The inside a little dated? Yes, but the food & service were excellent. Nice cocktail selection, but tonight I having iced tea. Our wonderful server was knowledgeable & friendly. I had the scallops over the creamy grits and it was fantastic. A multitude of flavors, that to me, blended well. My companions fish special was very good also. The creme brulee was our choice for dessert. It was quite good also. My only peeve was the bus person wanting to clear the table a little too often. I mean it became kinda comical because I really want that bread with my meal. All in all a great meal & great service. I recommend.
(4)Paula A.
We had out of town guest and were looking for a seafood place with good food and some ambiance. The restuarant is attractive, limited parking . We were seated within 10 minutes of our 7:30 reservation. Unfortunately the restaurant had taken a reservation for a private party of 38 for near the same time we arrived. Our entire section which was there when we arrived sat for hour and 30 minutes waiting for food. The worst part- we had to send back two items that had spices that I made a clear point to say- please- we can't eat anything spicy. Leave these ingrediants off. I would think if we couldn't get our food for an hour and a half they would make sure that when it came it was the right thing. The manager was helping deliver deserts to the table at the end of the night and only when we mentioned the length of time did she offer up a lame excuse- not even an apology or an offer to get our deserts. You can bet I will be warning all the people at my local company of 500 employees not to bother to book their vendor dinners here anymore. You might have pleased the party of 38 in the back but you alienated everyone out front.
(1)Megan G.
My guy and I came here last month for date night. It did not disappoint. He is super picky, and I love trying new places. We had oysters, fried green tomatoes, and the pan seared tuna. Amazing service, and the food was incredible. I can't wait to come back!
(5)Brenda S.
"We recently moved from NYC and finally had a "date night" in Jacksonville. Our server was attentive and very knowledgeable about the menu. You could tell that she had actuallly tasted the items vs memorizing the apps, entrees and desserts. We went with all of her recomendations and enjoyed everything from appetizers to the bread pudding (highly recommend the bread pudding)! The food was very light yet we were full! We had a window seat overlooking the marina at sunset! The next day we were chatting about a couple of our favorite dining experiences in Manhattan... And agreed that Marker 32 was right up there with the big city. I think the prices are reasonable and only rated the 3 $'s due to including a couple of drinks with the meal, We had a wonderful date night! Cheers to the Chef and server!"
(5)Maryann T.
Wow! Hubby and I went to celebrate a late Valentine's Day and were blown away. The server was attentive, well versed in the menu and offered great suggestions. I had to try the warm spinach salad and as everyone else has said....it was great and a very large portion. The seared scallops were divine with just the right amount of carmelization. He had the tuna special which was also very good. We ate early at 6:00 and by the time we were finished the place was packed! On a Monday night! Go figure. Well deserved. We will be back.
(5)Mary B.
We love eating at the Marker 32. Service is excellent and we always get a fresh seafood dish and they are always out of this world.
(5)Vetey D.
My husband and I are so glad we found this restaurant. We love fine seafood and we don't mean the fried kind. We've always had a good experience there with the customer service and food except for the last time. Our waiter was a little slow and lacking on the customer service department with us. It wasn't too busy since we came at an odd time. He didn't refill our water or brought us bread. We sat there for half an hour with a plate of butter, just staring at it. Everytime we tried to get him, he was all over the place. We had to tell another guy who came to refill our water about the bread and finally got it after our dinner. Kinda' pointless now. Other than that experience, we still enjoy the atmosphere and food... the atmosphere, to a certain extent. There tends to be a few loud rich old men there who thinks they own the place over talking everyone's conversation. I think it makes you speak louder when you own a yacht.
(4)A D.
Marker 32 Oyster appetizer was outstanding! Pleasantly suprised to find salt scrub in the bathroom...now my hands are silky smooth! Amazing view! Highly recommend this place.
(5)Daniel A.
I've been to Marker 32 several times with mixed results. I've never had bad food until my last visit on Jan 5. For the most part the food tasted fine and the wait staff was attentive. The problem came towards the end of the meal. I started feeling really hot. I thought it was the coffee so I quit drinking it. By the time I got home my skin was red head to toe and having some stomach issues. I thought maybe I discovered I had a food allergy. The next day I talked to three others in our party who had also been sick after dinner. One of which had the exact same reaction I did. Needless to say, I won't be back again.
(1)Toni M.
Generally very good but the pesto sauce was over salted. Fish was cooked well (not over cooked). Tuna appetizer was excellent.
(4)Joseph G.
Marker 32 is an excellent local establishment. Have only been a few times, but highly recommend the place. Great options, very different, very fresh. Excellent service. Not anything like any typical chain restaurant, which is good. I know one of the chefs so I can honestly say how quality the place truly is and that they have passion in what they do. Hard to pinpoint the " exact type of food" but its good, unique American with great seafood, chicken and beef options
(5)Randall F.
Very nice place. Service and food were excellent. Ambiance great mix of dressy and casuall.
(4)Valarie G.
Food, drinks, and service were excellent. Would give 5 stars if it wasn't for the long wait when we arrived on time despite having reservations.
(4)Jeremy S.
3.5 Stars We went on a Friday night with a group of eight. This made for a great opportunity to try a lot of the menu. I loved the fact that their menu has locally produced meats, seafood and veggies. The prices were very reasonable. You can get as dressed up and as dressed down as you like. Also, this restaurant is locally owned and I love supporting NON-Chain restaurants. So make a point to get out and visit this little gem. The food was an easy 3.5 on my scale. I ordered the pompano and it was very tasty. I had collard greens and mixed veggies as my side. The collard greens were very good and I wish I would have gotten a double order. The mixed veggies had a great flavor as well. As an appetizer we had Calamari, Oyster Rockefeller and Raw Oysters. A+++ on all of these. The calamari is a steal for $5! Dessert, we ordered Mascarpone Cheesecake, Banana Bread Pudding, Doughnut Delight and Triple chocolate truffle cake. There were mixed reviews but a consensus that the Cheesecake is a must order! Wow, light fluffy with a perfect crust! Cheesecake factory has nothing on this slice of joy. The bread pudding had peanuts which I think masked the flavor of the banana. The Doughnut was a must order with a nice scoop of ice cream that makes every bite a burst of flavor in your mouth. The Triple Chocolate truffle was chocolate overload. So much so that a zit formed on my forehead before I completed my first bite.
(4)Liz K.
Food was excellent - service was great - no complaints there. Only complaint is that we wanted to sit by the water/window, and asked ahead of time for those table when making the reservation, but were told upon arrival that it would be another 2 hour wait if we wanted to not have the table we were given. Yeah, no. Plus our table was in a crap location - right next to the bar and right were the servers exit the kitchen. Very heavy traffic. So the 'ambiance' for us was crap. But my friends are awesome and we had a good time. Not as good a time as the drunk group of septuagenarians sitting at a table by the window/water hootin & hollerin in this nice establishment... Checked off my list, so won't be back unless someone wants to go there - and makes sure we have a water-view table :)
(4)Kathy A.
I can't say enough good about this restaurant. My husband and I went there for our anniversary this past year. It was the best anniversary dinner we've ever had. Not only was the food excellent, but our waiter was so pleasant and knowledgeable. It's a bit pricey but worth every penny!! We will definitely go back again this year!
(5)Sean G.
Would have probably dressed a little nicer, but having been from out-of-town, I didn't stress to much. From the outside first impression is that it is going to be some fried fish house, but the menu was upscale with nice variety. Hostess was a bit snobbish, but rest of the staff was great; very conversational and helpful. Had the pompano over jasmine rice with sage-pine nut butter. Was well done. The house wine white paired well.
(4)Lindsay L.
A friend of mine wanted to celebrate getting a raise and we thought Marker 32 would be a great choice. Based on the outside of the building, we didn't think to dress up. This is, after all, Jacksonville. Can you say jean cutoffs? But, regardless, I didn't really appreciate the look from the hostess when we walked in. Additionally, she said, "If you don't have a reservation you'll be forced to eat in the bar." Ok, so force me. In the end, I was glad I let her force me to stay and help her make tips. My server was over-the-moon-helpful and happy to answer any questions we had about the menu. My companion order the ahi tuna and I ordered the daily special (can't recall, but it was definitely fish). Both meals were served timely and definitely worth a rave. The decor needs updating but the food speaks for itself. If they could get rid of one bitchy hostess, this would be a 5 star review! (This makes the "Hidden Gems of the ICW" list because it is JUST BEFORE the ditch (the Intracoastal Waterway). It has a Jax Beach address, however, it's just past San Pablo before the bridge.)
(4)Robby D.
Have never had a bad time. Service is always friendly. Maybe a little slow but well worth it. Cant wait to go back
(5)Are M.
Heard really good things about this place and was excited to try it. We got there an hour earlier then our reservation and the place was packed. We sneaked our way into a spot at the bar and enjoyed the scene along with a drink. We were seated 10 minutes earlier then planned so that was nice. Our waiter was extremely friendly and also very helpful to a new wino. If he didn't actually know what he was talking about, he certainly convinced us otherwise! As for the food...also amazing. Now granted I think salt is an actual flavor, someone else may disagree. I got the black peppered tuna steak medium rare as suggested by the chef. It came with their mashed potatoes and green beans which had a smokey flavor to them and both sides were delicious. The accompanied sauce drizzled on the plate was an excellent match. I think that was the source of the salt though. Oh yea! We also got the sweet and sour rock shrimp which was good but there were only a couple and we could have probably done without it but we were so hungry from waiting and didnt want to wait for the entree. Good thing we ordered it because the food did take a little longer to come out then one would have liked, but we found out as the waiter told us, they overcooked my tuna and wanted to redo it. At the end of the meal, we opted out of desserts but they still bring you these little pieces of pralines. For those none foodies, its like a little piece of pecan pie. YUM! So a bit on the pricey side but well worth it. It was one of the best meals I have had in a long time. I'd go on the later side (like 9:30) if you want to just walk in and get seated immediately. They place started to clear out around then.
(5)Linda R.
Notice that this place is consistently at 4 stars! Don't hesitate, this place is the real deal, the kitchen is consistently good, the bar is great and when they tell you you really need reservations...even on a Tuesday night, they aren't putting you on, make a reservation and enjoy.
(4)Dave L.
Quaint, slightly upper end classy bar and restaurant. Old style trendy inside, bar at center of dining area. Great veiws of the intracoastal waterway. Had crabcakes with dill aioli and they were very good. Still serves cold raw appalachacola oysters on the half shell,...salty with lots of hot horseradish!!! Great date spot for a romantic dinner,..i on the otherhand was on business and it works to that end as well. Staff was knowledgeable and attentive. Will go back, bring the wife next time!!
(4)Lauren K.
We have tried to get a reservation here twice and have been unsucessful so we decided we would use our Groupon and go eat at the bar last Saturday night. My boyfriend and I were unimpressed with this place. The service was not very friendly, food was mediocre and place was very stuffy and loud. My grouper special was over cooked making it tough and dry in the tortilla soup broth. My boyfriend's salmon entree was a very small portion of salmon that was actually under cooked and he said was too salty. The bacon, corn goat cheese beignets were just ok. They didn't blow me away with flavor! The fried calamari was probably the best thing we tried with mint/peanuts/cilantro Asian sauce. I do not think I will give this place a second chance.
(2)Ellen S.
When I go to the beach, I usually opt for restaurants that serve fresh fish/shrimp in simple preparations, so it is rare for me to go to a restaurant that is more into novel seafood preparations. Marker 32 manages to retain the fresh, delicate flavor of the fish while creating interesting dishes that are worthy of the best haute cuisine restaurants in New York. My daughter and I agreed that the meal was one of the best we've had anywhere for any price. Prices are very reasonable, service is great, and the food is truly exceptional.
(5)Abby M.
My boyfriend came home from deployment, and chose Marker 32 as his first meal home. We had never eaten there, but thought the location would be lovely as it is right on the water. I called ahead to make reservations, and ended up telling the woman who answered (Brenda) all about my boyfriend and how long he had been gone. She said she would make it a special night, and she was completely correct! First of all, we had a wonderful view of the water, and once we were all seated, many members of the waitstaff came to thank Jack for his service and welcome him home- something I thought went well above and beyond their job description. Then, our waiter Steve came over. He must be the most knowledgeable waiter I've ever had. He told us all about each dish and which he would recommend. We finally made our picks, and each dish was INCREDIBLE. Most of us got the tuna (as Steve described it- we absolutely HAD to have it!) but some others got steaks and halibut. We each licked our plates clean. When we thought we could eat no more, we ordered dessert, which could have been the best desserts I've ever tasted. At the end of the night, we decided it was one of the most special, best tasting meals we've ever had. I cannot wait to venture back there again!
(5)Margaret M.
Dined there Saturday night 11/13/10. This is the fourth time we've been and it is consistently good. In our party of 6, 4 of us had triggerfish and loved it. They allow splitting salads which is nice, several of us did so. We had a wonderful bottle of ZD Chardonnay with our meal, yum. All in all a very nice experience with good friends in a nice atmosphere with good service and good food.
(4)Maria C.
I was in town on busiess and the hotel suggested this restaurant. It was wonderful. The food and service were both spot on. My steak was perfectly cooked and my guest loved their fish. The make all their own breads and desserts and they were heavenly. There was a cheddar bacon bread I just couldn't get enough of.
(5)Steve M.
The wife and I took our families here for one of those potentially painful get-togethers. We'd heard great things about M32, but had never been, so figured we would experiment on our folks' dime. Turns out, it was a fine idea. The restaurant itself is crap -- the building is so dated, I kept expecting Herb Tarlek and Dr. Johnny Fever to come traipsing out of the bathroom. It also overlooks a low-grade marina -- 32 foot Bayliners as far as the eye can see. Get past all of that, though, and you're in for a decent time. The waitstaff was duly attentive to my need for social lubricant and kept the drinks flowing. The food -- heavy on seafood -- was all well prepared, fresh and tasty. In balance, go here with people you know, are not trying to impress and who can appreciate good food whereever it is found. Ahoy, matey.
(4)Erikka N.
This is an intimate restaurant with great views. We went for our Anniversary and wasn't disappointed. We started with the broiled oysters and Asian ribs. Both were excellent! I had the scallops and the were the best scallops I've ever had. The scallops were served with creamy grits and collard greens. These greens were so good, I almost demanded to meet the 70 year old black woman that surely cooked them. I will definitely be back.
(5)James Y.
What a pleasant dinner. Nice decor, great view, and fantastic food. Enjoyed the filet with mushroom risotto. The risotto was fantastic. Unfortunately a friend snagged a bite before I could take the pic. Will defiantly return.
(5)Jessica B.
My expectations of restaurants when we go out of town are never quite as high as they are in Nashville, but this place exceeded all my expectations! It can compete with any meal I've had back home. We began the meal with some excellent cocktails! I had the Caribbean Mule and it was the perfect combination of blackberry and ginger! My husband had the manhattan with High West and also raved about his cocktail. Also, I loved the bread basket because it had several delicious breads cut in small bite size portions, so I had two pieces but didn't fill up too much on bread. I am not a seafood fan (I know, I know), so I did not expect my entree to be as good as some of the other menu options. But I am confident that my beef tenderloin with mushroom risotto and asparagus was as good as any dish on the menu! It was delicious!! The sauce on the dish and the risotto were my favorite! My husband had the scallops and also greatly enjoyed his meal, although he even agreed that my beef took the cake! I loved the atmosphere at Marker 32! It was elegant and romantic, yet still casual enough to not feel too stuffy or formal. The view on the water was perfect for a date night on the beach. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone looking to celebrate a special night out in Jacksonville!
(5)Wes M.
This was my first visit to Marker 32 and it will be my last. I've been a Jacksonville resident for several years and there are much better restaurants at the beaches with the same ambiance even at the same price point. Try 619 Ocean View Restaurant, Eleven South Bistro, or Azurea at One Ocean. The entire dining room was so noisy, that I could not have a conservation without asking my guest sitting next to me to repeat themselves. I was told soundproofing was recently installed, so obviously the owner(s) and management are aware of this issue. Even though I asked about the excessive noise more than once to others besides our server, management never stopped by to discuss it or apologize for it. The food presentation and customer service was good, however, the noise completely ruined the entire evening.
(2)Sylvia G.
Very disappointing :( Heard so many great things bout the place so I decided to finally give it a try for my and my husband first anniversary . Atmosphere was great but we waited very long time for any food to come out . Also our meals werent just prepared and expedited right . Who serves crab cakes with red potatoes ? Or pasta with a chicken leg instead of shrimp ?? I hope next time will be better .
(2)Maya C.
Been wanting some good seafood for a while and since it was time for me and my foodie bestie to go out, we both agreed to come here. Neither of us knew what to expect but in looking at the menu beforehand we did know exactly what we wanted. The location is a little odd though as it's not that visible from Beach Blvd and having to do a U-turn from traveling east on Beach Blvd. There is a sign there that could be easily missed. Pulling in I finally put two and two together why the building was so far back off the road as it sits pretty close to the dock where you could park your yacht. Parking lot's half pavement, half gravel. No matter. We both parked and walked up the steps to the entrance. Thank god we made reservations. There was a line at the door and while the place wasn't that busy. I had a feeling it would be later on that night. We sat down by a window and ordered drinks. Like I said, we already knew what we wanted and decided to split each dish. We started off with the Deviled Eggs & Fried Oysters. I don't particularly care for fried oysters but these were lightly battered and tasted great. The deviled eggs tasted like the filling had a bit of Old Bay in them to get it that seafood vibe and I wished that we had more than three, but they were awesome. The sriracha aioli was the icing on the cake so to speak. Next was the Chilled Platter consisting of king crab, raw oysters, and shrimp cocktail. We were concerned about the price because the menu online said that it was $90. Forreal??? It had better be a HUGE portion for that price. But when we looked at the menu at the restaurant the price was $48. Wow, someone should fix that. Since we were splitting it we had no problems. Everything tasted fresh and delicious. I do like my oysters a little briny and these tasted like they've been on ice for awhile but they were still fantastic. Huge crab legs with the shells soft enough that the meat slides out fairly easily and in one piece. The shrimp was deveined and peeled. I joked with my friend that they should feed it to us too. After polishing that off, we got the Seared New Bedford Scallops, served on top of some awesome grits, collards, roasted corn and a basil shrimp broth. The presentation was everything and they were kind enough to separate the dish in the back into 2 separate plates. My eyes rolled when I tasted the grits in the broth. There are no words to describe that taste, it was just that good. The scallops unfortunately were over-seasoned and my friend said that they had a little bit of a "soapy" taste. I tried the inside of mine and I tasted what she was talking about. The combo of the broth, the collards, and the scallops made the dish as a whole really salty. I ate half and boxed up the rest, to water down somehow later. Still thinking about dem oysters and still having room, I ordered a dozen raw. My friend looked at me like I was nuts but when they came out she ate 1 or 2 hahaha. Now, time for dessert. As much as we were full by this point, we decided to soldier on and being the foodies that we were we agreed on and ordered the Bourbon and Pecan Bread Pudding. While we were waiting, our server brings us samples of their pecan praline pie bites. Dang, those were so good. The bread pudding was fantastic and served with strawberries and butter pecan ice cream. Holy moly. We couldn't finish it. Even then, our server came by and brought us more pecan praline bites. I had no more room and neither did my friend but I still ate them all. The experience was great and I would definitely return.
(4)Monique H.
My husband took me here a few years back for my birthday dinner. We like to make new memories dining in places we've never been together to kind of make it "our new spot" for date night. Ever since, we frequent this place and the other Medure restaurants as well. The food is always fresh and unbelievably well made every time! Marker 32 never disappoints!
(5)Dan K.
Excellent food, excellent service excellent view and a great wine list. Really enjoyed our dinner here with a customer. Looks like the upper crust dine here. Lots of blue jackets and shoes with no socks. Kinda reminds of a couple Dc hang out. I had the catch of the day which was snapper which was some of the best I have had. If in the area will be back!!
(5)Meghan S.
This use to be one of my favorite restaurants, but it's seemed to have gone downhill. The staff is still excellent, but the previously exquisite dishes, have been covered in sauce, way to much Schmutz. Bread is still fresh baked, and the oysters are still great.
(3)Rich C.
Christopher, our server, took such good care of our entire team. We showed up with no reservations and were accommodated without question.The food descriptions were spot on and had us looking forward to its arrival. When it came, we were not disappointed. I had the scallops and grits and recommend it. Finally the banana creme cheesecake capped off this excellent evening. Thanks for a great experience Marker 32!!!
(5)David C.
I agree that the restaurant looks like it is circa 1970. We ate in the banquet room, probably 20 of us. I really enjoyed the baked oyster platter, the tortilla soup, and the fresh catch of the day. This place does seafood right, even if they don't do decor particularly well.
(5)Paco d.
Lively atmosphere, on the water, beautiful big square bar dominates the elegant space. Delicious oysters baked with cream & black pepper. Grilled octopus salad not as good because they cut the octopus too small and it was too dry. But don't let that stop you - this is a very nice place, with attentive service.
(4)Andy L.
Marker 32..... I'm not sure how many stars to give it. It's more like a 3.5 on my rating system. It has one of the best views in town, and the food is really good, too. You definitely need to make a reservation and ask for a table by the window.
(3)Ryan H.
We recently went to Marker 32 with a group of 12 friends. The atmosphere was great. Very sophisticated without being pretentious. Our server was extremely friendly, humorous, and knowledgable. The food was great. No one in our group was disappointed, which is a tough task with twelve people. And when the night was finished our server was nice enough to split up the checks for us even though she easily could have complained. Overall a great evening.
(4)Gary S.
While the marina may not be stacked with yachts, the seafood here is the best in the area. The service was phenomenal - almost as if the waitress had a premonition of the timing of my next drink. The only thing I flaw of Marker 32 is their poorly designed menu.
(5)Joanna A.
We had dinner there last night and it was excellent. Our waiter was Steve and not only did he have a great personality, but he was very knowledgeable about the entire menu including the wines. He encouraged us to try the weekly specials and his advice was spot on. The Royal Red Shrimp appetizer was fantastic, as well as, our entrees of pompano and grouper. We will definitely be back and will ask for Steve.
(5)