Restaurants in Jacksonville

Tradition fuels the menu at Mi Fiesta Mexicana, which draws on generations-old family recipes for familiar dishes of hearty Mexican cuisine. The chefs grill marbled cuts of steak, load sizzling fajita skillets with sliced meats and vegetables, and fry tortilla chips in the kitchen's naturally occurring hot springs of vegetable oil. The bartenders keep mealtimes festive with pitchers of flavored margaritas, carafes of sangria, and drafts of Mexican beer poured in frosted mugs.

Having grown up in Baltimore, Chef Kahn Vongdara showcases a cooking style infused with the flavors and ingredients of Chesapeake Bay. At Crab Cake Factory, he has compiled a menu featuring Maryland-style crab cakes and dishes such as trout and crayfish brushed with roasted-pecan sauce. Chef Kahn's hefty 16-ounce new york strip steak with crispy potato strings is served in a dining room—full of plush booths and wooden tables—where musicians pluck strings and sensually massage their saxophones. To complement the surf 'n' turf lineup and Jacksonville Jaguars games in the lounge, the eatery's mixologists offer more than 10 martinis, including the Cupid's Potion, crafted with Three Olives vanilla vodka and strawberry liqueur.

While admiring Fuji Sushi Baymeadows' sloped wooden tiki roof, hardwood floors, and bamboo-hued walls, one might think the entire restaurant was carved from the trunk of an enormous tree. Yet the timbered eatery isn't afraid to play with fire—chefs regularly toss morsels of fresh salmon, chicken, and steak into flames on kitchen hibachi grills, where crunchy vegetables also sizzle to form well-rounded Japanese entrees. Hot and cold sake, wine, and beer take the edge off hunger as guests watch sushi artisans slice sashimi and insulate rolls with shrimp, fish eggs, and sea urchin. After dining on curls of steaming fried noodles, patrons can sate sugar hankerings with a sweet Japanese dessert or donate their gently used chopsticks to the Toddler Fencing Association of Jacksonville.

The sharp, citric aroma of Lemongrass’s namesake herb drifts around decor that Folio Weekly described as “wasabi-hued” in an article that also named the eatery the city’s Best Thai Cuisine. “The ginger-infused salad,” the writer continues, “is possibly the best bowl of leafy greens in Northeast Florida.” Another customer favorite, The Amazing, stews a choice of meat in peanut curry and coconut milk, ladled over a bed of steamed broccoli and spinach. Chefs forge coconut curries, working all the while to add modern accents to dishes to intrigue palates and keep crabby time travelers from becoming bored. The menu separates mild dishes from their hot and Thai hot counterparts.

The chefs at Sushi House treat each plate as a canvas, surrounding artfully assembled orders of sushi with intricately carved garnishes and vivid streaks of sauce. Despite the aesthetic appeal of a perfectly composed dish, guests still devour any of the 90 maki from the menu. Familiar cylinders of rice-swaddled cucumber and avocado appear along with a few more adventurous rolls that incorporate premium ingredients, such as tempura lobster, spicy honey sauce, or julienned college diplomas. The cooks also make use of their kitchen's stovetops to whip up teriyaki chicken, tempura vegetables, and hibachi-style steak.

The aromas of Caribbean jerk spices and sizzling conch fritters waft through the air, luring passing boaters to dock their rides in the complimentary slips at Nippers Beach Grille. After disembarking from their schooners or GPS-equipped sea monsters, customers can either stroll into the open, 9,000-square-foot dining room or onto the massive waterfront deck, both of which boast scenic seaside views. In addition to the watery vistas and salt-filled air, the restaurant spreads a laidback, Caribbean vibe by piping ambient island music from its sound system and stocking its tiki deck with rum-laced cocktails and imported Red Stripe beers.

The menu also reflects this tropical theme, spotlighting Caribbean staples such as jerk-spiced diver scallops and sweet conch fritters, as well as fusion dishes such as grilled cheese layered with sliced guava and mac 'n' cheese studded with jerk chicken.