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The Reef of St. Augustine Reviews List
The Reef of St. Augustine
As General Manager, it is my pleasure to welcome you and to share a little of our philosophy. It has been my vision to create an experience inside the restaurant to match the fabulous view outside; no small feat, since we are up against Mother Nature at Her finest.
The answer was to keep things as uncomplicated as possible. Well-cooked food from fresh ingredients are excellently prepared, simply presented, and well served. The beachfront building is elegant; there are tablecloths, yet it's not stuffy. Clean, bright decor is designed to enhance the view. Most important of all, the staff is talented, knowledgeable, pleasant, and friendly. There are very few truly oceanfront restaurants left in Northeast Florida. We work very hard on all aspects of our business so that you, our customers, can continue to enjoy us and the great location we occupy. Thank you. I am looking forward to the pleasureof meeting you.
Jeremy Ticehurst
General Manager
The Reef Restaurant
See more The Reef of St. Augustine details
50 Current Reviews
Summary of Diner Ratings & Reviews
Overall
(Outstanding)
4.1
/
5
Rating Breakdown 50 reviews
5 stars
(20)
4 stars
(19)
3 stars
(8)
2 stars
(2)
1 star
(1)
Food
(Outstanding)
4.1
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
4.2
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
4.3
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
Filter Reviews By:
Diners classify this restaurant as:
- scenic view(37)
- great for outdoor dining(16)
- fit for foodies(14)
- great for brunch(14)
- special occasion(14)
- great for lunch(11)
The Reef of St. Augustine Reviews List
Review 1 for The Reef of St. Augustine
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Best Sunday Brunch in St. Augustine
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Fair)
2
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"We have been here for special occasion brunches several times before and this last Mothers' Day was as good as ever. The food selections, the ocean views, the guitar music were all outstanding and are the main reasons why we keep coming back again and again. I have said it before and I'll say it again - this is the best Sunday brunch in the St. Augustine area."
Dined on 5/12/2013
Special Features: great for outdoor dining, great for brunch, scenic view, special occasion
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Review 2 for The Reef of St. Augustine
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"The area where we were seated was way to noisy to fully enjoy our dining experience. We had a hard time hearing the waitress or each other during dinner due to the large groups of people seated nearby.
Otherwise our visit to The Reef was excellent."
Otherwise our visit to The Reef was excellent."
Dined on 5/11/2013
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, great for outdoor dining, romantic, scenic view, neighborhood gem, special occasion
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Review 3 for The Reef of St. Augustine
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
The BEST Crabcakes ever
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"Eight friends on the way to The Players Championship dined overlooking the Atlantic ocean and what a treat! From the minute that we walked through the front door to the time that we exited as pretty much the last guests the friendliness and efficiency was incredibly welcoming. Sarah, our server, was charming, efficient, helpful and a terrific representative of the restaurant. We had a range of dishes and everyone raved about the freshness and taste of each dinner. My husband and I shared the Crab cake and it was one of the two best that I have ever had, and I can't remember where the other was. Perfectly seasoned, moist with large chunks of crab and the right size to share as an appetizer. We will definitely be back!"
Dined on 5/08/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for brunch, scenic view
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Review 4 for The Reef of St. Augustine
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Great food, great service
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"Great food, great service and great ocean view"
Dined on 04/20/2013
2012
Special Features: fit for foodies, notable wine list
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Review 5 for The Reef of St. Augustine
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Great ocean view
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Great ocean view! Great food and wonderful service."
Dined on 04/11/2013
2010
Special Features: scenic view
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Review 6 for The Reef of St. Augustine
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
The Reef
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"The food was great, the view was wonderful, it's priced right, we had the Citrus Salmon and the Zarzuela. The Zarzuela was packed with steamed clams and mussels, large shrimp and fish, great dish. We also have the Fried Green Tomatoes and Calamari for starters. My wife is not a fan of calamari but here at the Reef, she will eat half the dish.
We will be back"
We will be back"
Dined on 04/08/2013
2005
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem, notable wine list, romantic, special occasion, scenic view
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Review 7 for The Reef of St. Augustine
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
Maybe next time (if there is one)
Food
(Fair)
2
/
5
Service
(Fair)
2
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"I have been to The Reef on numerous occasions and have like it very much which was why I chose to take my wife there for her birthday with two other couples. It was a Saturday night at 7:30 but was not too busy. This time we were pretty disappointed. Our fish was overcooked. My Irish coffee was tepid at best. The server did bring my wife a "Happy Birthday" key lime pie dessert which was very nice but didn't even offer the rest of us dessert menus until one of the ladies flagged him down. Then she was served a cold brownie on a plate (not what I would expect from a nice restaurant). I hope things improve as The Reef has been really good in the past and the location is phenomenal. But at this point if you are going for the view."
Dined on 04/06/2013
2013
Special Features: scenic view
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Review 8 for The Reef of St. Augustine
Overall rating
(Poor)
1
/
5
Worst service/experience EVER!
Food
(Poor)
1
/
5
Service
(Poor)
1
/
5
Ambiance
(Poor)
1
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"After being seated, a busboy came around and gave us some tap water and said someone would be right with us. We sat there for about 15-20 mins (we really did!) and I would say at least 4-5 different waiters walked right past us and never even noticed us. Each of the waiters made it a point to not even make eye contact with us. We got to the table around 8:45 (we were late due to a mix up in directions), so I guess no one wanted the table and wanted to leave early on a Saturday night. After trying to flag down a waiter to help us and having no one even look our direction (even though we were in the middle of the restaurant and hard to miss), we got up and left. Save your time and money and go somewhere else. Worst service/experience EVER!"
Dined on 04/06/2013
2012
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Review 9 for The Reef of St. Augustine
Overall rating
(Fair)
2
/
5
Don't Go
Food
(Fair)
2
/
5
Service
(Poor)
1
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"The food was so so, the service was deplorable!"
Dined on 04/06/2013
2011
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Review 10 for The Reef of St. Augustine
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
The location of The Reef,
Food
(Fair)
2
/
5
Service
(Good)
3
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"The location of The Reef, right on the ocean, north of St. Augustine, made this experience worth while. Most tables have an excellent view. The best we can say about the food is that it is OK; they try very hard but are just not at the top of their game. Service is good, wait staff is very pleasant. We so much wanted this to be a good dining experience, I am sure we will be back to give them another try."
Dined on 03/27/2013
2012
Special Features: scenic view
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Review 11 for The Reef of St. Augustine
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
As usual, the Reef was a pleasant
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Good)
3
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"As usual, the Reef was a pleasant experience. The bar was a bit short staffed with only one bartender to serve all the tables and make drinks. The appetizers were excellent and the ocean view is perfect."
Dined on 03/25/2013
2011
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for brunch, kid-friendly, neighborhood gem, romantic
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Review 12 for The Reef of St. Augustine
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
WOW! Sunday Brunch is a Must!
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"The Reef offers an outstanding selection of food for Sunday brunch right on the ocean. There is something for everyone, presented in a beautiful array.The view of the Atlantic is spectacular from any table. We were especially impressed with the friendliness and attention of the wait staff and those on the line ready to help at the made to order section.The live guitar music was fantastic. We came away extremely impressed with the overall experience and look forward to returning for lunch or dinner. This is very popular with seasonals and locals as well so you have to book well in advance."
Dined on 03/24/2013
2012
Special Features: great for brunch, great for outdoor dining, special occasion, scenic view
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Review 13 for The Reef of St. Augustine
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Beautiful View - Great food!
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"The conch fritters and classic shrimp were excellent. We will definitely eat here again."
Special Features: scenic view
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Review 14 for The Reef of St. Augustine
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
Special Features: good for groups, great for outdoor dining, great for brunch
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Review 15 for The Reef of St. Augustine
Overall rating
(Fair)
2
/
5
Great view with awful food
Food
(Poor)
1
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"First impressions count & that being said, we probably won't return. At least not for the food!
The waitress told us the steaks were 'amazing'. So...I ordered filet mingon.
I ordered it medium rare. The steak arrived fully cooked & no pink. Medium well to well. Ok, I'll eat it anyway. I didn't want to have my guests waiting while I sent it back. I'm addition, it was full of grisel & had no flavor.
The green beans did not have the ends removed & were undercooked. Dessert was supposed to be a "warm" brownie that was cold & flavorless. My husband had fish they he said tasted like they heated it up from frozen.
Too bad the food was awful because the view is fantastic! Service was good from a tattooed waitress. Not what you'd expect for $150."
The waitress told us the steaks were 'amazing'. So...I ordered filet mingon.
I ordered it medium rare. The steak arrived fully cooked & no pink. Medium well to well. Ok, I'll eat it anyway. I didn't want to have my guests waiting while I sent it back. I'm addition, it was full of grisel & had no flavor.
The green beans did not have the ends removed & were undercooked. Dessert was supposed to be a "warm" brownie that was cold & flavorless. My husband had fish they he said tasted like they heated it up from frozen.
Too bad the food was awful because the view is fantastic! Service was good from a tattooed waitress. Not what you'd expect for $150."
Special Features: scenic view
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Review 16 for The Reef of St. Augustine
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Great view, food and service!
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"Food was great and the service was outstanding! We will be returning next we are in the area. Try the conch fritters - awesome!"
Dined on 03/14/2013
2010
Special Features: neighborhood gem
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Review 17 for The Reef of St. Augustine
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
A first class experience.
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"A first class experience. Food, wine list, service, view all excellent. Highly recommended."
Dined on 03/15/2013
2009
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, fit for foodies, great for brunch, great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem, notable wine list, romantic, special occasion, scenic view
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Review 18 for The Reef of St. Augustine
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Delightful meal and excellent
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"Delightful meal and excellent service"
Dined on 03/07/2013
2008
Special Features: fit for foodies, special occasion, scenic view
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Review 19 for The Reef of St. Augustine
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
Greeting and hostess not welcoming,
Food
(Good)
3
/
5
Service
(Good)
3
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"Greeting and hostess not welcoming, detracting from overall experience. Requested table was not provided even though that type table was available at the time."
Dined on 03/02/2013
2007
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Review 20 for The Reef of St. Augustine
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
The food at the reef has been
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"The food at the reef has been of high quality. Our server was friendly and knowledgeable. I was initially sceptical of how our dinner would be since there was a large wedding reception occuring at the same time as our reservation. The food was served hot and on time. Good job!"
Dined on 03/02/2013
2012
Special Features: neighborhood gem, special occasion, scenic view
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Review 21 for The Reef of St. Augustine
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
The Sunday Brunch was everything
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"The Sunday Brunch was everything you look for in a brunch. The waiters and waitresses were informed, helpful and answered all of our questions. The food was fantastic and the view sensational (on the water)."
Dined on 02/10/2013
2008
Special Features: great for brunch, special occasion, scenic view, great for lunch
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Review 22 for The Reef of St. Augustine
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
Not the best brunch buffet.
Food
(Good)
3
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"Not the best brunch buffet. Specialty item eggs benedict were below par with inconsistent egg cooking, nontoasted muffin, and too thin sauce. Buffet items were not replaced quickly enough when depleted. Overall, food was OK, but would not win any prizes. Waitress was friendly and seemed dismayed to hear our concerns, even though she asked for them. Of course, the view was terrific and exceeded the food for the high end price."
Dined on 02/10/2013
2007
Special Features: great for outdoor dining, kid-friendly, scenic view, great for lunch
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Review 23 for The Reef of St. Augustine
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
The Reef was overall excellent.
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"The Reef was overall excellent. Very good food and our waiter was excellent."
Dined on 02/09/2013
2012
Special Features: fit for foodies, notable wine list
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Review 24 for The Reef of St. Augustine
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Twice in one week.
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Second time this week. Excellent both time."
Dined on 02/02/2013
2009
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, fit for foodies, good for groups, neighborhood gem, romantic, scenic view
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Review 25 for The Reef of St. Augustine
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
Mixed results
Food
(Fair)
2
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"Excellent friendly service. Food was a disappointment overall, relative to its menu description. Smallish portions and no comp bread at lunch."
Dined on 01/30/2013
2007
Special Features: good for groups, great for brunch, great for outdoor dining, scenic view, great for lunch
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Review 26 for The Reef of St. Augustine
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Back again
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"The entire experience was excellent. Food was great - well prepared and presented. We are returning for dinner tonight before we leave town."
Dined on 01/29/2013
2009
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, romantic, scenic view
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Review 27 for The Reef of St. Augustine
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Nice dinner here. Conch fritters
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Nice dinner here. Conch fritters were over fried and very crisp and dry. Coconut shrimp were fair and not enough coconut on them. Entrees were very good, sea food trio very good with root veg. side. Service efficient and friendly."
Dined on 01/25/2013
2005
Special Features: scenic view
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Review 28 for The Reef of St. Augustine
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
Service was prompt and friendly.
Food
(Good)
3
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"Service was prompt and friendly. Food was only average and so a bit of a disappointment, but we will try it again. Limited children's menu. Great view, but it was night and so not much to see."
Dined on 01/24/2013
2007
Special Features: kid-friendly, scenic view
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Ratings-Only Reviews for The Reef of St. Augustine
Based on the average of (22) ratings-only reviews
Overall
(Outstanding)
4.3
/
5
3 out of 3 recommend this product
Food
(Outstanding)
4.3
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
4.3
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
4.2
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic