Really enjoyed dining here. Very laidback, as expected at the beach, and great outdoor seating for all the ocean ambience one can handle.
Hushpuppies are a tasty start and the shrimp and grits are highly recommended. The fish platter jerked/grilled is really good too.
Eating there a couple of nights while visiting is a good decision.
Pretty disappointing and I didn't even make it through the door. Â Tried to make a reservation for 10 people and they told me "We [re] booked up on Friday night because we have 3 other parties of 10 coming in between 6-8 and we close at 9:00." Â While I appreciate the fact that they don't want to overbook the restaurant, I think it's bizarre that they can't seat more than 30 people at a time. Â Hey,...if you want to pass on 10 drinking, eating adults at between $400-$500, that's fine with me...there are other restaurants on the island who will accommodate us and who have much better reviews on Yelp.
Since they don't have a website, I went to their Facebook page and posted a comment along these lines. Â They responded to my comment (which was good) and told me that they were sorry but that "it's a busy time on the island and that they hope I enjoy the rest of my trip to Jekyll," BUT THEN THEY REMOVED MY COMMENT.
What a massive swing and miss at turning a negative situation into a positive one.
Based on the other comments posted recently, management has given up on training, on customer service, on marketing, and on making Fins successful. Â
Sorry that I wasn't able to try the food, but I have a feeling it wouldn't have taken the already bad taste out of my mouth.
I was flabbergasted at how ridiculous this restaurant is operated. Â We arrived with a party of 5 after just arriving to the island around 7 on friday night. Â I expected a long wait considering the circumstances. Â We waited an hour and half. Â Once we got a table, 10 minutes passed before our server stopped by to say he would be back. Â Forget asking anyone for anything - this staff is so beat down and digusted with themselves that they come out of the kitchen avoiding eye contact automatically. Â They know how pathetic the service is and they tell everyone about it. Â I was embarrassed to hear the unprofessional behavior. Â I believe management is working for a visit from Chef Irvine from Restaurant Impossible or something... Â The chowder was pretty good, but the rest of the food was pitiful. Â Fish tacos were bland. Â My wife's salmon was dry as firewood. Â I would not wish this dining experience on anyone. Â Really....words just can not express how bad this place is.
Review Source:Management is clearly going to kill this jewel. Absolutely no excuse for waiting 15 minutes for a basic acknowledgement. Got up and left 5 minutes after asking the hostess for a server.
This place could be a gold mine. Ocean front dining on the 4th of July should have packed tables, live music and drinks flowin, not help who clearly aren't motivated.
Hope this review helps get things back on track.
Typical tourist trap restaurant. Big on prices and small on taste and execution.
Service - Young staff is overwhelmed and isn't very attentive.
Fried Shrimp - The sweet taste of the local shrimp comes out. But the breading lacks seasoning and is soggy.
Caesar salad - Served on a warm, almost hot plate. Pretty sad looking salad.
Red beans and rice - Actually pretty good. Deep flavors, smokey. Would have liked it if it was an entree to itself.
Hush puppies - Cooked well to golden brown. Generous helping before dinner. Lacked flavor though.
This restaurant typifies the general poor state of Jekyll's restaurant scene. I would avoid.
Still an example of a tourist restaurant (it is, after all, one of a few located on Jekyll Island) in that the food is overpriced for the quality and the taste is fair to average. The presentation is what you would expect at a fast food place, not one where the entrée prices ranged from $18 - $27. The ribeye was good, the salad was bad, the drinks were small (thank goodness, since they were not made well). The most distressing thing was the floor. It was slimy and dangerous slippery. A young boy fell on it and the the waiter almost went down. I suggested they attend to it and off he went, only to return in a few minutes to announce that he had discovered the problem. He said they mopped the floors the week before (this was on a Thursday). At that point I was ready to go.
Review Source:We enjoyed a great lunch here last year on Spring Break. We ate outside overlooking the water and enjoyed the atmosphere. Our service was ok, but eating outside is always a risk if you ask me.
The hush puppies were free and very good. We both had the fish tacos for a lighter lunch. They were good, not great, but we have had fish tacos in CA.
We would come back.
So all those other reviewers that wrote about this place being nothing special... They were right. Â After a long day of driving and beach walking my husband and I were crazy thirsty - gulped our (weak) sweet tea in a New York minute and there our empty glasses sat... And sat... Â Our cheese stick appetizer had to be sent back - not so much cheese as ice block under the breading. Â My burger (ordered well) came out medium-ish. Â Oh, and our drink glasses? Â Still empty. Â Two stars for the staff - slow as they come but smiling the whole time.
Review Source:This place is awesome! Great free hush puppies, I had the fried fish platter. Very light and flakey. The kids had a hamburger and a hot dog. They were good. My daughter loved the mixed veggies. The kids meals are served on a Frisbee  that you can keep. Fish tacos are awesome!  The gumbo was great, the red beans and rice were the best, Shocktop and Fat tire on tap among others. Very friendly staff and a beautiful atmosphere. It was off-season so the patio was closed but I highly recommend.  Very reasonable prices.
Review Source:Fins on the Beach has new management, a new decor inside, and a new huge outdoor patio by the beach which has done much to improve the state of the building. The food is a bit spotty however as any app is frozen bulk items, and anything fried is battered so heavy that you can't tell calamari from a clam strip from a shrimp! Stick to grilled or blackened dishes and you should be alright.
The biggest hit with the family was the lil'basket of hush puppies they brought out after seating you. You can get as many of these lil'buggers as you want so if you order light to try a dish you can always fill up on these lil'delicious gems.
The staff was friendly and local, which is a surprise as most staff comes in from off the island. Fast and thoughtful as we had two kids under 3 who were primed to be atomic messes after a long day at the beach.
Living on the coast I have high expectations of my seafood. This was pretty good with a few items that I am picky about. I ordered the fried shrimp platter and at the price they charge I would expect the shrimp to be fully deveined and ready for consumption. I know some people don't mind but I can't stand the grittiness. Also, the french fries were "handcut" but they meant handcut and frozen. Â My husband had the fish tacos and they were perfect. The fish was fresh and nicely seasoned. The server was attentive but the kitchen was slow getting our food out. The atmosphere was a cool beach chic. I'd probably come back if I had a coupon.
Review Source:A lot of people don't like this restaurant, for various reasons. Â My group wandered in about 30 minutes before closing, and we were treated very well and provided with great food. Â I was expecting to be ignored, abused, and fed poorly....luckily, none of those things happened.
I highly recommend the shrimp and grits. Â It is truly excellent. Â The fried shrimp and fries basket was good, too--nothing special, mind you, but still good. Â The hush puppies were also a nice refillable treat, and our server didn't neglect us (even though we were in so close to closing).
The prices aren't crazy high, and the food was acceptable. Â Stick to the shrimp and grits, and I think you'll be impressed.
We were thirsty. We were tired. We were hot. And ready for a tall glass of something. Luckily we walked into Fins during happy hour and took care of all of those dire issues quickly! The place was all but deserted and although we were overheated and didn't want to sit on the patio we were seated at a table with a great view of the sand dunes and eastern coastline. The pitcher of tropical drink (Bahama Mama, perhaps? My memory tells me "fruit-punch-with-a-kick") for eight bucks did the trick and the real, honest to goodness hush puppies they serve in lieu of chips and salsa or bread to start off your meal were fantastic (I KNEW Captain D was doing it wrong!).
The rest of the meal was pub grub with more surf than turf - my husband enjoyed his fish and chips, my shrimp po'boy was tasty if average. This place is not going to make a culinary magazine anytime soon but it was completely worth what we paid. And a walk down the beach to clear a fuzzy head after a pitcher of fruit-punch-with-a-kick was an unexpected bonus at the end of the meal. I'll go back.
Wonderful fish! My husband got the fish platter blackened and it was some of the best fish we ever tasted. I got the salmon and it was good as well. Â The complimentary hush puppies were awesome.
Only negative was I ordered a drink with guava juice, rum and peach. When I got it, it tasted like plain orange juice. I asked to send it back bc it was nothing like described and she told me no she'd just get me an extra shot. Not what I wanted at all. I wouldnt let that keep me from going back though. My husband got the frozen lemonade and it was really good. What really got us was the view though. We sat outside and the view of the beach was captivating!
The wait for outside seating was about fifteen minutes. The hushpuppies were hot and perfectly cooked, crispy on the outside but moist and dense inside. The rest of the meal was mediocre, however. My fish taco was bland, the fries were fast food quality. My dinner companions ordered an oyster po'boy- Â good; Â fish sandwich-just okay; shrimp po'boy-average; Â kids shrimp-too much breading. They were out of Land Shark beer so I had a Corona instead. For dessert, I ordered key lime pie-it was disappointing. The flavors were unpleasantly jumbled and the crust was gummy instead of flaky.
The waitress was pleasant and friendly but service was a little slow. She did, however, stop by our table to update us on the progress of our order.
There was a band playing-loudly and badly. It was a relief when they stopped to play shark trivia in between songs.
The view of the sunset from the deck was incredible! The outdoor seating is right on the beach. I will return for the view and for drinks...and have a tin pail of those hushpuppies while I watch the sun go down.
The owners of this restaurant know they have a captive audience and that people will eat anything after a long day at the beach, which is why I assume the food here is so bad. The restaurant looks gorgeous and the view is spectacular but oh the food, absolute dreck. Well, I take that back, the complimentary hush puppies are fantastic which is a good thing because that is all I could eat. I ordered the Island Salad and received a tiny little salad with a few pieces of veggies and some shrimp that had a smell so awful I didn't dare eat them. My salad was the size of a side salad which at $11.91 just served to piss me off. Seriously, how can you mess up a salad with shrimp? I remember when this restaurant was called Blackbeards and I thought a name change meant new owners. Man, what a disappointment.
Review Source:This may now be called Blackbeards but all the signs show Fins. Fins is right on the beach with a nice view. We sat on the deck and there was lots of room, not in the high season yet. I had the cripy flounder in a white basil sauce which was just fried fish with a bland sauce. It was OK. My wife had shrimp & grits and she does eat grits, go figure, she loved it and it was quite large. I would have liked to have coconut fired shrimp but it wasn't on the menu.
FYI _The island is a bit confusing for a 1st time vistor, it cost 5 buck to get on it but they give you a map at the toll booth. Lots of places you can not take a car.
We would like to come back to Jekyll Island when more is happening.
I had lunch here the day I arrived. Â I was alone an wanted to dine on the patio and look at the ocean. Â The hostess was really sweet and put me on the waiting list for a table outside. I went to the bar to have a drink an wait and the bartender was very friendly and suggested some places for me to see. Â I ended up waiting for quite a while because people kept seating themselves on the patio when tables were cleared so I didn't get the high top I was waiting for. Â I was still outside but could not see the water because I was so close I the building. Â The food was tasty, but just know that unless you want to spend $15 on an entrees you will be getting something fried. Â I had the local shrimp basket with a side salad. Â The shrimp were super large and tasty ! Â The salad was big for a side salad so I found that a pleasant surprise. The service was slow but I was on vacation so I didn't mind. Â Overall it was ok, if I go back I will just sit at the bar and not fight for a outside table unless they get more organized.
Review Source:We had a great meal -- had the shrimp salad, really fresh shrimp. Hubby had the fish tacos which he said were better than his local San Diego fish tacos. Prices are very reasonable. They had a $7.95 pork chop grilled or fried entree on New Year's Day. Overall a wonderful lunch and we are going back tonight for dinner!
Review Source:We ventured to Jekyll on a Sunday night during the off season looking to satisfy a seafood craving at a reasonable price. Fins did the trick. This place used to be Blackbeard's. It changed over in April. The state owns the building (as Jekyll is technically a giant state park) and the restaurant is run by a management company.
Because we came during the off season, the back patio was not being used. During the summer this place has a fantastic beach view and a great deck. We had to wait about 5 minutes for a table to be cleared, but we were seated quickly. We each had the shrimp basket for $11 each. We were both impressed with the amount of shrimp served for a basket-style meal. The meal was served with complimentary (and refillable) hush puppies. All of it was delicious. Two of us ate for $30 including tip. They offer a good range of seafood and American-style so anyone should be a find something to eat.
Service was fast and friendly. Our waitress refilled my drink three times without me having to ask. This place is definitely worth the trip over the bridge to Jekyll or a stop on your vacation.
By far the best Ocean-view restaurant on the Georgia Coast. They have an outside patio dining are with about 12 tables with great views of the Atlantic Ocean. I had the hamburger with grilled onions, mushrooms and cheddar cheese. The fries were also very good. Â It was very good and cooked just right. The patio was packed but the service was very good and fast. Â Our waitress keep refilling our tea and cokes every ten minutes or so. Next time I make a visit to Jekyll Island, I will give their seafood a try. Â Had some very interesting salads dishes I would like to try.
Review Source:Read the other reviews and wanted to add my two cents. Â No one mentioned the salads...you cannot leave out the salads. Â Grilled salmon on mixed greens with nuts and cheese and with a sweet mango dressing. Â Seafood salad (crabmeat and shrimp) for savory. Â There are other choices but I stay with one those choices. Â Both served in a crispy fried shell. Â I know you don't get slim on crispy shells, but individual diners decide how much shell to eat.
Hushpuppies mentioned by other reviewers are very good. Â Crabmeat and spinach appetizer is a small serving but tasty.
Their drinks look good but I've never been there for drinking situation.
I have never had anything but excellent service in Fins. Â I've ordered take out, dined in small groups and large groups...service was consistently good for me.
Views walking in and out are beach perfect, ocean seen over natural dunes and beach.  The  rising moon reflecting over the water has to look amazing. Â
I don't like summer heat so it will be pretty cool before I will consider dining outside. Â
Very convenient for biking up to dine.
Fins was a pretty decent stop for an air conditioned lunch.
They started out right by giving us a bucket of complimentary hush puppies. I would ask that Fins consider an even amount of hush puppies for the table. Hubby D and I nearly had a fight to the death for the last one (I won of course.).
The drinks were strong and affordable. I got the Blue-fin-tini, which was the perfect sweet beach drink. And only $6.
Hubby D had a burger and I had the fish sandwich and both were perfectly acceptable beach lounge food, no complaints.
Service was fine, but the food did come out just a little slow.
Next time we'll not go in July so we can sit out on the patio that overlooks the beach. It's not that the views from inside aren't just fine, but I do love that ocean breeze.
If you go to Fins, go for the great ocean views. It is conveniently located near many beach access points and has a lovely outdoor patio that is shaded by sails.
The food is pleasant enough. I had a shrimp poboy with fries. The shrimp were large and fried to perfection but the dish overall lacked flavor. I doused it in some sort of sauce (it wasn't labeled) and enjoyed it that way.
Fins would receive a higher rating from me if it weren't for our server. The host was kind, the passing wait staff seemed friendly, and everyone else seemed to be enjoying their day with the exception of our waiter. When he brought us anything, he sort of tossed it on the table and silently stalked away when we said, "thank you." He didn't bother smiling. Maybe all that is fine for those cold NYC restaurants where people are too busy to be nice but goodness, it's the BEACH. Cheer up.
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