Swampy's Bar & Grille

Lots to like here. Plenty of seating both indoors and outdoors. Right next to the river so some people came by boats. We arrived at about 3pm on a Wednesday so late for lunch and early for dinner. I was surprised that I had to wait about 20 minutes for a table. There were tables available. I guess they didn't have enough servers. After we were seated, it took a long time to get our order. I was just getting antsy when our food arrived. I had the shrimp po boy and while it tasted just fine the bread they put it on fell apart as soon as I touched it. They need to find a sturdier hoagie roll. My wife had fish tacos and they were a very generous portion and put together well. We had fries and Mac and cheese for sides and both were good. One other small complaint I have is that they had a happy hour from 2-6 while we were there and nobody made us aware of the discounted items and the menu does not list any prices at all for drinks. But overall we were happy with the food and I wouldn't hesitate to go back again.

Date of visit: Feb. 8,2025Today is the day I am going to visit Don Garlits Museum in Ocala and afterwards either hit the food truck court or Swampy's in Dunnellon. The drive up I75 was not bad and got to the museum before I knew it.I finished going through both buildings and it was just before noon. I took hwy 484 west and saw the food trucks and there were many but I decided to keep going to Dunnellon.Arrived at Swampy's and the parking area was really looking full and I did see a spot in the overflow lot, hmmm. You know where I'm going...As I walked up to the entrance I could see a line at the hostess stand, I walked by and headed to the bar and hoping they have one. They do and I found an empty seat. I could see it was a mob screen on the patio.However it didn't take long for the bartender to get my order, though she busy every second till my food arrived. I ordered the blackened fish sandwich with fries. I can agree with other reviews in that they are under staffed for this kind of turnout. Food arrived and looked good, but this was not blackened fish. It may have had the seasoning but it was not blackened cooked. The fish or chicken done blackened will have a dark crust, this did not. I did not question it just took it how it came. It was good tasting fish and could have been done a bit more and I agree with another viewer that the roll was not up to the task. The fries that came with it were of a Checkers type, they were okay as well.I think if it were better staffed it could be a relaxing chill spot. Several times I saw people ask others at the bar to move down cause they didn't want to wait for a table, I was asked once as well.My only advise would be visit when the over-flow lot isn't full...Peace.

Horrible horrible first clue I asked about gumbo soup red or white waitress said okra basedWTF is okra based food was tasteless Forget bout check if u pay by credit card 3% service charge where on the menu was that Avoid Avoid Avoid never again

The name is actually very perfect in describing the ambiance and menu. You come knowing what to expect and you're not disappointed.I was nervous coming here as I have some food sensitivities, but it was a "must see" spot my husband wanted to bring myself and our kids to so off we went. The patio is large and the seating is actually spacious. With a large party we weren't able to sit lake-side but we could still view portions of it from where we sat. The fans did little to cool the sweltering heat or stop the sweat from streaming down my head and back, but it was something to behold. The table started with Gator Bites, and true to their word "it tastes like chicken". It was fun for my kids to say they have now eaten alligator .I saw tacos on the menu and was delighted as most fish tacos can be tailored for most food sensitivities. I ordered the Mahi Mahi Fish Tacos (on corn tortillas, no cheese & sauce on the side). Turns out the rémoulade sauce is mayo based, not cream based so I could have some. The mahi was cooked to perfection and the tacos were huge! I was incredibly full when I left. Our waiter was incredible. He kept our party of 13 happy and drinks full. He kept a smile when I altered my food and acted as it was no trouble at all. He was very attentive and I could see other wait-staff doing the same for their tables. We sat close enough to the bar I could hear and see how hard they worked as well.

We stopped by Swampy's Bar and Grille on our way to Rainbow Springs State Park. The rustic vibes of this place are perfect before or after a day at the springs. It was lovely to sit outside and watch boats float down the river. Some people tubing even made a pit stop at the restaurant, very fun! There was a bit of a wait to be seated, but it wasn't too bad. Unfortunately, the actual wait for the food was very long. However, our mahi sandwich and Swampys Etouffee were both served hot and fresh. I loved the grilled flavor on the mahi mahi. The Cajun Mac and cheese was delicious, though there honestly wasn't much Cajun flavor. The etouffee was flavorful but I probably wouldn't recommend it on a super hot day. They were generous with the portion of shrimp served.Would definitely come back here during another trip to the springs.

Fun and beautiful, right on the river ambience. Friendly service the food was delicious too. The fish sandwich was huge and very fresh. My sweet potato fries were perfect, and the cinnamon honey butter took them over the top.

Been here several times over the course of several years. This was one of my favorite places when I come down to see my parents. This was most likely my last time here today. The hostess was not friendly but more abrasive in telling us that we would need to wait 40 minutes due to them being short staffed. When my mom inquired about the empty tables on the water and why we couldn't be seated there, she replied because there is a wait. She wasn't well versed in what to say and how to be kind to people even though there is a wait. We left and went to Blue gator which the service was absolutely 5 stars!

We Yelped this place and saw positive reviews. So, we made the 1 hour drive to get lunch. The area is a starting point for tubers going into the Rainbow river. To say the place was swamped, is an understatement. We searched for a parking spot, then found out, we'd have a 25 minute wait. That turned into a 50 minute wait. Inside, a bustling restaurant greeted us. Our server seemed rushed. Our food took 40 minutes to arrive. My fish tacos consisted of a 2 inch by 3 inch chunk of meat, centered in a soft shell with tasty sauce, cheese and lettuce. I tried to spread the fish to get some in every bite. My wife's Jambalaya was a tomato-mess. Like tomato soup with rice. No flavor at all. A bar tender refreshed our drinks. Our server vanished for most of our meal. The place looks inviting, but don't be fooled. Swampy's is drowning in mediocrity.

This has always been my place. Years ago when I was younger we would get off under the bridge from KP Hole and I would always admire this restaurant sitting off the edge of the river with live music and the smell of good food. Used to come here back in 2017/18 for my first time and I enjoyed it every time. I would stop here and have a bite to eat right after and then head home. I've always loved the food but unfortunately the past few times of coming out here I find it just looking dirty. Service is just unbelievably slow and they have a major ant problem. But call it what you want yes this restaurant is on water and yes there will be bugs but all I see is ants. That means we need to do some major spring cleaning. Other than that the wings are crispy and fries were super good. I enjoy being outside eating off the river it is nice.

World's best shrimp n grits. Nice service and great food. We all had a wonderful meal