Very disappointed with Ragtime Tavern. Â Service was good but the quality of food was not worth the (in my opinion) high price. Â For dinner, I ordered the caesar side salad and shrimp & grits. Â The salad was very small and over dressed. Â I know I can get dressing on the side but if I pay for professional food preparation I expect perfection. Â The shrimp & grits sounded like a can't miss I mean shrimp, bacon, grits, and cheese what could go wrong? Â Grist were under cooked and the shrimp were over done, rubbery, and did not taste fresh. Â The dish was lacking flavor and was a disappointment. Â I would NOT recommend this restaurant to anyone who likes southern food or seafood.
Review Source:Went here for lunch when my parents were in town visiting. Â They have a wide variety of options, so you could go here with a group. Â My mom got the lobster tacos, and I got a grouper wrap. Â The grouper was a little fishy, but everything else we got was fantastic. Â Wasn't too expensive, and the service was good. Would recommend.
Review Source:New review (3/30/13):
So we went back and this time took a table, being very excited about trying the food in full scope! After all, we loved the appetizers at the bar. Unfortunately, we were in for a huge disappointment. Salads were blah. Then I got appetizer that duck pastry thing for almost $11 and was shocked to see it - one tiny little fillo pastry bite, hardly any duck in it, mushy, on a bed of jam. It tasted nice (can't go wrong with fillo pastry and jam) but was barely worth $1. Luckily, we had an awesome waitress who removed it from the bill. My husband had chicken wings and loved them - hence the 2 stars!!
Then we shared a po-boy, wary of the quality. Thank goodness we shared - that was the most boring po-boy ever. The bread was lukewarm - definitely not toasted. There was a very regular piece of boring chicken - and fries. That was a fast-food join worthy chicken sandwich. We didn't say anything - finished it, paid and left. Definitely not going back...wow..very big disappointment.
Original review:
The bar area is great and they have a pretty cool menu - great selection of delicious cocktails (try the pomegranate ones..yum!), tasty gumbos and a bunch of other things I would love to try. I have had snacks and drinks at the bar quite a few times and have only good things to say!
Having been only to the bar area, we tried to actually go for a sit down dinner. The hostesses were so kind and so patient with us as we declined the first table (it was tiny, squashed too close to others and overall..not cool!). I picked a booth that was being cleaned and even though it was for a large party, they sat us there. As perfect as the booth seemed, the seats were terribly uncomfortable and you were just pressed against the table. Unfortunately, it wasn't the kind of comfort that would make me want to drop $100+ on a dinner..so we went to do that elsewhere. Each and every one of the employees was kind, patient and understanding. If you aren't as particular and as high maintenance as I am regarding seating..definitely a great place to go!
Ragtime is my go to place when I just can't decide what I want. They have a little bit of everything & it is all spot on for the most part. My personal favorite is the seafood trio app. You get a crab cake, seared tuna, and shrimp cocktail. They have great in house brewed beers, try a Redfish it won't disappoint. Â The atmosphere is great and you can usually catch some live music at night in the the front bar area. The staff is always helpful & on point with suggestions.
Review Source:I really enjoy this restaurant as well as their sister in St. Augustine, A1A. Its not a "chain" but its still pretty predictable. It looses a star based on the prices. Everything is just a few dollars more than its worth. I go there for three reasons: A) its close and by the beach so I can walk to the water after dinner B) I'm in the mood for a fantastic fried grouper sandwich C) In the mood to be healthy and have the seafood salad with lump crab and shrimp etc. I've entertained family and clients at this restaurant because of the location and atmosphere and all are always impressed!
Review Source:Despite the average reviews, my friend and I went to visit this place on a Friday night and I'm glad we did.  I really enjoyed this place!  I had the cedar plank pecan crusted salmon, which was very tasty with the perfect amount of sweetness and crunch.  It came with red beans and rice as well as mixed vegetables  They accidentally gave me mashed potatoes and veggies, but they were quick to bring a side of red beans and rice.  Thank goodness because they were perfectly seasoned and really on point!  But, with that said, I may have written the mashed potatoes off too quickly because when I tasted them, they were soooo good - red skin, nicely flavored potatoes.  Yum!  For dessert, we indulged in the triple chocolate brownie with chocolate and caramel sauce and a topping of vanilla ice cream, as well as the beignets with fresh pineapples.  Both were decadent and absolutely delicious!  We were so pleased with our meal at Ragtime!
Review Source:My colleagues and I were here for dinner and the experience was just alright. The starter of Bruschetta with goat chees was good and the chips with blue cheese was good. Our waitress got the chips with bacon when we had specifically asked for no bacon on chips.
For the entree, all of us were disappointed in the food. I had asked for vegetarian pasta and mine came with this huge portion of pasta with beans and mushroom in cajun sauce. It was alright. Nothing I would have for $20.
the waitress had recommended cheese grits fr my colleague and she said it was tasteless and blah.. the chicken ordered by other colleague was chewy and again tasteless.
The drinks were watered down and not impressive.The only redeeming part was the dessert.
Overall, we didnot have a great time for the price we paid. Service was slow.
The short and not so sweet of it is yes, I have had better.  I'm not sure what has happened since my last visit in June of 2011, but this time around I was disappointed.  My cocktail, the Patron Margarita was all Margarita mixer, and no Patron.  My app, the "Crab Cakes", I don't even know how they can get away with calling them crab CAKES.  They were more like crab CRACKERS.  Plus they were over cooked, and served with remoulade sauce poured on top, and not on the side as it is implied.  As for my entree, the Lobster & Shrimp tacos with red beans and rice, that wasn't too bad.  The problem with them was that they come prepared in both a flour and corn tortilla.  And to be honest, with all of that  flour and corn tortilla, it just over powered the shrimp and lobster.  Not to mention the that the red beans were half cooked.
Review Source:I am not from the area, was in JAX for work and we were told to come to this area for lunch and to be close to the water.
We decided to go to Ragtime and check it out. Â Â I really really liked the decor, it was kind of neat, all the dark wood and cool lay out. Â The service was good.
We had some brie for an appetizer- it was sooo good. Â Â I had shrimp/crab tacos... and my friend had some kind of crusted chicken dish. Â Â The tacos were pretty ok, no super duper great.. but still did the job. Â I tried a bite of my friends chicken... the chicken itself was good, but the crusted part was a little bland. Â I would expect it to be more flavorful.... Â
They have free Wi-Fi, which is always a plus.... the tables are good sized, so I was able to plug in and do a little work. Â Â You have to create an account in order to use the free Wi-Fi, which to some may or may not be a pain.
Nice area, nice place, ok- not bad- food.
Enjoyed the beer and the food was decent. I ordered the Shrimp & Lobster Tacos which were fine. The tacos were served with white rice and black beans and were way too salty for my taste. Â Atmosphere was decent, server was friendly and efficient. Â
Prices are a little on the high end considering the fare...would return for the beer and to hear the band...food not so much.
Great atmosphere and ambience - I loved the old brick interior. Food was mostly very good, but the crab cakes and crab-stuffed shrimp were both very bland. My wife ordered pasta and she got it about half way through everyone else's (three other diners) meals - they said it came "from the other kitchen". I thought they should have coordinated the meals a little better, but overall a good experience. If you go, make sure to try dessert - the bread pudding and the key lime cheesecake were fantastic.
Review Source:I stopped in Ragtime with a buddy to check it out and possibly eat dinner. Â The place is huge with 3 different sections each having their own slightly different feel. Â We grabbed a seat at the bar in the far back section. Â It's a neat place with a cool atmosphere.
We each ordered a beer and looked over the menu. Â They brew their own beer and it was pretty decent. Â The menu had a lot of seafood items and I'm not a fan of seafood. Â They prices were a little on the high side also.
The bartender was very nice. Â He talked to us about different dining options in the area since we were visiting from out of town. Â We decided to find a different restaurant and left after one beer.
It's a pretty cool place just not what we were looking for at the moment. Â I wouldn't hesitate to go back if invited. Â It's nice, clean, the service was awesome, and the beer was good.
After an unfortunate experience at a nearby joint we came into Ragtime hungry with a vengeance. Between the two of us we ordered an appetizer, seafood gumbo, clam chowder, the mahi special, a burger, an extra side of fries, a beer, mojito, coffees and two desserts. It was time and money well spent. Paula was our server, and she was magnificent. Â I'm convinced she's one of the beautiful people in the world who doesn't realize it. She's quirky, genuinely sweet and we bonded over our love of snack food.
Our happy dining experience was found. All was right with the world again.
Bottom line: with good service, tasty food, and wide beverage selection anybody living within striking distance of this tavern would be lucky to have it. Will definitely be back. Thank you.
First of all, they were condescending and rude. They also denied 2 of our ID's....I'm 24!!! and the other guy is 30!! He said they were FAKE. How do you even come up with that conclusion!! So i made a stink and we said we would take our business elsewhere other than that over priced dump. Oh wait, its not over. We went across the street(we were starving at this point just having waited an hour at the other place) and they KICKED US OUT because RAGTIME went over there and said we were TROUBLE. I have never been kicked out of a place in my life, nor have I ever had a fake ID. The nerve of some people! negative 5 stars for me, but since i can only put one, here it is.
Review Source:I was really disappointed with this place. I got the Beer sampler since I love trying out micro-brew's, but they were all horrible! To make it worse all the samplers seemed flat, there were NO bubbles in them at all. I asked for replacements and they were the same, flat and very bad taste.
My friends ordered the shrimp gumbo and flounder sandwich and I ordered the lobster and shrimp taco's. The food was just ok, nothing special and very bland. My total bill came out to 50 bucks, and I left a 10 buck tip since my server was good. Overall the price wasn't bad when you think about it (50 bucks for three entree's and a drink sampler) but the food was just so bland that I don't see myself coming back here.
I'm not rich so I can't eat out all the time, why eat here for a bland meal you can cook better yourself when there are plenty of places in Jacksonville that serve much better food.
Diverse dance crowd, great music.
I stopped in here after dinner for live music and dancing. There was an 80s cover band that was GREAT. They kept the floor moving with irresistible dance tunes.
The crowd was even better than the band. Most of them were also in here in the 80s when these tunes hit the top 40. There was some frost on the roof of this crowd but serious fire in the furnace. Man alive, those gals really age after 30 years on the beach. Scattered among them was a good number of 20 somethings with daddy issues. There was also a very tall woman with broad shoulders and a husky voice that kept smiling at me. They were all infected with dance fever on a tiny dance floor.
The bartenders were quick and drinks were cheap.
This is a winner for a good time in beach nightlife.
The staff was very friendly and helpful. The interior was nice and clean. My only complaint was that the food was just sub par. Not to mention the portion sizes were small and that is okay IF the price reflects that which in this case they don't. I got the Ragtime shrimp, because i figured a dish that would have the restaurant's namesake would be a good bet! The shrimp were just bland. There was barely any hint of coconut there and there was no salt or even much seasoning at all present in the french fries or even the summer squash zucchini disaster that was a side dish. My wife had the Pineapple Chicken Po-Boy and it was dry, flavorless, and just really bland. All in all, I think this place means well, but I think they should really try show some passion in their cooking. Who knows? Maybe it was an "off day".
Review Source:May be OK for drinks. Food wasn't good. Our stomachs hurt all day. Â We sat in the step down area - carpet was sticky and dirty. We could smell the stinky carpet as we ate. Only a few people in the restaurant. Poe's down the block was packed. We should have left. My last time at Ragtime.
Review Source:We have visited Jacksonville Beach twice in the past 3 months and we have dined at Ragtime during both visits. Â The restaurant has great energy and the decor if lovely, but also quite fun. Â On our most recent visit, we also had (2) 13 yo boys with us and they loved it, too. Â I had the Cedar Plank Salmon and it was outstanding. Â My husband had the Pecan Crusted Chicken and he liked it, but the sauce was a bit sweet. Â One of the boys had Shrimp and Lobster pasta and he loved it. Â My son had a cheeseburger and was a bit disappointed because it was overdone. Â He sent it back and asked for medium (again), but it still came back a bit overdone for his preference. Â He still ate it, but didn't love it. Â That was the only negative of our meal.
They have some great brews on tap and their martinis are excellent!
My friend and I randomly dined at this restaurant and I thought it was an excellent decision!!
Food:
1) Pasta Jambalaya: I LOVED this dish! The pasta was soaked in the jambalaya spices which made it really tasty! The dish was slightly spicy and was super flavorful! I really enjoyed this dish! Southern food rocks!! YUM!!!
2) Gumbo: This was really good too! I thought it was well made! It wasn't as good as the jambalaya but it went really well with the rice and the bread that came with the meal!
3) Coconut fried shrimp: This was the epitome of FRIED FOOD! I don't even like fried food but this was DELICIOUS!!! It came with an equally delicious honey mustard dip! OMG! AMAZING! My mouth is drooling just thinking about this dish!
4) Bread pudding: SO SWEET it'll instantly give you diabetes! But it's totally worth it!
Ambiance:
Really rustic looking with red brick walls. It was really loud, so a good place to come hang out with a big group and make a ton of noise!
Service:
Our waitress is sooooo nice I didn't mind giving her 20% tip! She seemed genuinely nice and friendly!
Price:
The meal came out to be around $50. Pretty good for how delicious the meal was! Â
Overall:
I'm from out of town, but I would TOTALLY come back!!!
Wait staff and management were wonderful. Boyfriend had ahi tuna sandwich which was very good -- The "Tavern Slaw" made it. The first dish I ordered was Shrimp and Grits. The shrimp portion was miserly and the grits undercooked to the point of being inedible. The manager was very accommodating in replacing it with my second choice: the Shrimp & Lobster tacos. After removing the overwrap of flour tortilla from the blue corn tortilla and stealing some of my boyfriends' Tavern Slaw, the dish was fair.
Overall, the restaurant has a great atmosphere and the wait staff and management were good but if you are looking for exceptional food, this isn't the spot.
We were in town for a quick weekend away and stopped in for a quick lunch while we were exploring the area. I got the Shrimp Po' Boy and my husband got the Seafood Cobb Salad. Both were really good. I loved the sauce on the Po'Boy and the shrimp were fried beautifully. I nabbed a few bites of my husbands Salad and it was well made, lots of toppings, which is my favorite part of a salad. LOL
I thought the decor was great. There are multiple levels and next time I think I will try and sit by the aquarium.
Great food, fantastic staff!
I would highly recommend the seafood trio as an app (seared tuna with wasabi, and pickled cucumber (YUM), shrimp cocktail, and an awesome crab cake. Also, get a half order of the shrimp nachos ~ It's fresh & enough for two. Last, they have the best hot wings. I order them extra crispy & extra hot. And of course, the Ragtime shrimp with red beans and rice!! Enjoy!
Ask about the Passport card!
They have  plenty of fish on the menu. I was promised fresh fish if I order a special of the day. The swordfish was delivered as promised. I'm not a big swordfish fan and I loved it.
The best part though, was the beer. The stout was my favorite. I could just skip dinner and drink that all night.
So I was wondering if this is a 4 or 4.5 star...especially with the big parking problem.
Well, parking is more than just a big problem. It's awful. Today (2 days later), I circled the 6 block radius 10 times and got nothing.
The good news though is that I got an answer to my question. Apparently it's not good enough to make me waiting longer for parking. So, 4 stars would be perfect.
Look out, this is going to get pretty mean. Please note that my complaints are firmly situated in the realm of reality, and that I am not writing this just to get a rise out of anyone. And so:
Maybe Ragtime has been around since the War of 1812, but I'm new to the area and that doesn't mean all that much to me when I am handed a bowl of "Gumbo" that smells like 2-day-old fish (and has tiny, semi-hazardous pieces of crab claw in it) and a dish of "Red Beans and Rice" that is no more Cajun than a Double Decker Taco is Mexican.
Look, man. My family is from Louisiana and I know what that stuff is supposed to taste like, and this is the farthest from it that I have ever experienced in a restaurant.
Actually, I'm doing the Double Decker a disservice because it is delicious. Ragtime's red beans and rice is virtually unseasoned, and the "Deluxe" version (because that's a thing) comes covered in cheddar cheese and little chicken cubes that are labeled in the menu as "Chicken Chorizo Sausage". What? Why? Even actual chorizo would have been tasty, though still totally bizarre to have served on red beans & rice.
There's also something called a "Semi-Caesar Salad" on the menu (I ordered the gumbo, salad, and red beans special, in case that wasn't apparent) that is just an Average Restaurant Caesar Salad (romaine, creamy caesar dressing, parmesan) with slightly cajun-seasoned croutons.
In conclusion, this is not my favorite restaurant of all time. Thank you and goodnight.
Like most Jacksonville natives, I've been to Ragtime many, many times. Â Its one of those almost inescapable places. Â Spend much time at all in Atlantic Beach and you'll end up there a time or two. Â
I've had some really good times here and some good meals. There are a lot of different areas to dine in, including the multiple bars dispersed through [three in total]. One of the bars has a stage for live music and some funky high top tables. Another is full of light woods and brightly lit and open, a great place to stand around and chat [loudly, amongst the masses]. The last bar is tucked into the back of the restaurant, full of dark woods and exposed brick, much more rustic and romantic. With all of these different options, Its probably one of the best place in the area for large groups.
The food is pretty straight forward and leans towards seafood themed bar and grill food. Â While not amazing, it is pretty reliable if a little on the pricey side. Â Take care when ordering during the late night rushes on weekends, I had one of the worst calamari experiences imaginable here.
They are a brewery and have half a dozen or so beers on tap at all times. Â I somehow get the feeling that their beer isn't really brewed on site, maybe because the beer isn't really that great. Â Its almost hard to believe its micro-brewed at all. Â
But that's really not the point of Ragtime [hand done chalk signs not withstanding]. Â This is the kind of place you go to have a fast paced good time on weekends, the kind of place you run into friends and make new ones. Â The kind of place everyone in Atlantic Beach ends up at sooner or later.
I have been a fan of Ragtime since it first opened and was just the corner bar and restaurant by the windows. Â I have watched it grow, one section at a time, over the years. Â Was one of the first to try out the new onsite brewery. Â Many a great memories come from there and as I told my daughter on our first visit together. Â I do believe I have sat at every booth and table in the place.
Ragtime seems to be tired. Â She needs a vacation, maybe to revive and reminisce on days of glory. Â And, maybe search for some fish to put in the fish tanks! Â Don't get me wrong. Â I will still go and enjoy every bite, probably just not as often :(
When the Beanster and I went, she fell in love immediately! Â We ordered the Seafood Trio. Â Lump crab cake with cajun remoulade, jumbo shrimp with caper cocktail sauce and spiced seared tuna with
wasabi aioli. For $13.95 I felt a little jipped. Â The food was delicious, but all you got was a taste. Â Don't think you are going to order from the appetizer menu and walk away full.
We then decided to split a salad. Â Got to love a kid that will order and eat a salad!
The Seafood Cobb Salad, Â topped with seasoned shrimp, lump crabmeat, bacon, avocado, tomato, egg, cucumber, pepper
jack and cheddar cheeses was good and they were willing to split it in the kitchen.  No split charge or extra plate fee was added, so that was nice.  It cost  $12.95 and was worth it for the most part.  They could have been a little more generous with the ingredients.
I am a fan of Ragtime so I will be back. Â Would like to see her in her former glory though.
I have only been to Jacksonville 4 times since 2000 and every visit, my Mother in law takes me to Ragtime. It never stood out as anything special or horrible. Â It was good the first 3 times I had been.
On my visit this past week, July 28th, I must say that it was not good at all.
Service was fine. Â The server was honest about things he thought sucked on the menu. Â Things that he wouldn't order, what wasn't worth it. Â
He suggested the Cajun Crawfish Points for an appetizer, highly recommended. Â When it came to the table, there was a very small ramikin of salmon paste with 6 sad little slices of a baguette.
My husband said, "wait, don't eat it until the crawfish come." Â I replied, "I think the crawfish is in that ramikin...", he said, "OH!?" Â So, it was basically like a spread and everyone got one slice, almost like an amuse-bouche. Â It was okay.
Per the servers suggestion, I went with the scallops over chickpea stew. Â When the dish was placed in front of me, I got a wiff of something that smelled off. Â I have a sensitive nose, I can smell everything, and something smelled like it was close to spoiling or it was spoiled.
When I tasted it, it had that taste of spoiled vegetables. Â There was something that looked like cabbage. Â Everyone said, oh, "If your dish seems sour, it might be the sauerkraut." Â I thought, that was odd, I didn't recall the dish having sauerkraut in it. Â So, we called the server over to ask if it was kraut and he said no. Â
I tried to eat it because I felt bad...but my husband said, "stop, don't do it, if you feel it is off, don't eat it." Â So, I gave it back...ugh.
The server took it back and since we were seated right next to the kitchen, I got a look at all the servers and cooks looking at the dish and making a face like, "What dumbass is sending back her food and why?" Â ugh.
The server returned and said, "I'll admit it, I tasted your food, and it tasted and smelled fine to me." Â ugh.
So, he suggested other dishes and I just couldn't order anything else. Â I was done with Ragtime. Â But my Mother in Law looked concerned so I ordered side dishes. Â Red beans and rice and cheese grits.
I was afraid to eat them for fear of loogies. Â ugh.
I tasted the edges of the cheese grits as did the rest of the group and everyone thought it was bland. Â But I was not going to say a word.
My hubby and Mom in law had their fave, the gumbo, which they always get when they go. Â Years...apparently. Â And even they were disappointed. Â Although, they did not say anything until the next day that their gumbo was cold and flavorless.
I hope that we never go there again when I visit. Â ugh.
I've driven by Ragtime numerous times but it never piqued my interest enough to stop by. However when trying to pick a mutually agreeable place to go to dinner with my co-workers, it seemed to fit the bill. First off, Ragtime is own by the Gordon Biersch people. Not necessarily a BAD thing, but certainly I do think it takes a little away from it being a locally owned neighborhood joint. However it was a pleasant enough place for dinner. The beer was tasty and cold. My grouper sandwich came with a delicious chipotle tartar sauce. The service was good. It will not be my first choice in Atlantic Beach but it is still a solid choice in the area.
Review Source:Ragtime seems to have lost it's soul. I was a customer for over a decade! This used to be THE place locals congregated and enjoyed a cold beer. Since the Morton's sold out to a corporation it has gone down hill.
When they let go my favorite bartender  that was the last straw. I used to frequent this place a couple times a week, not now.  Hopefully new local owners will step in a get new quality management. Until then I'm going to Sun Dog, Sliders and other LOCAL resturants.
Been here a few times over the last couple of years. Â I find it a confusing layout with three different bars, bad flow, Â and bartenders are not great to say the least. Â Same company that owns 7 Bridges, & A1A in St. Aug.; but no where as well run/managed.
Food is just OK, parking sucks, people are strange. Â Good brewed beer, and close walk to ocean.
is sixty sexy? Â you'll find out here.
crowd is older (but isn't everything in "old" AB these days?)... Â the food has slowly and sadly declined over the years, although I still will wander in for the shrimp and grits, which still manages to hold on (loosely). Â sunday brunch is great if you're on a liquid diet. Â otherwise, hold onto your hunger and go across the street around lunchtime.
Don't miss it, it's a beaches area staple and has been for years: good bar, good food, good home-brewed beer, and professional service. Ask Eric the bartender about his latest surf trip?
My dad once Fedex'd Ragtime Shrimp to me at school (Indiana). It's that good.
Two suggestions for the management: PLEASE, add crab legs, and cappuccino.
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