Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant - Jacksonville (FL)

2 /5 Matthew Hall: I had mixed feelings about our visit to Cooper’s Hawk at the Town Center in Jacksonville. Unfortunately, the service really took away from what could have been a better experience. We sat for about 15 minutes before anyone came to ask for our drink order. Our waitress was slow throughout the meal, forgot parts of our order, and didn’t seem very welcoming. While she did apologize multiple times for the lack of service, the issues continued. The people seated next to us also commented on the poor service they were receiving, so it clearly wasn’t an isolated issue. The lemonade was overly sweet, and the fries that came with my sandwich were room temperature at best. On the positive side, the atmosphere was nice and enjoyable. The food also had some strong highlights—the salmon dishes were really good, and the lobster, shrimp, and crab bisque was excellent, with very flavorful broth and generous, premium pieces of seafood. Overall, the kitchen and ambiance show a lot of promise, but the service and attention to detail need significant improvement to match the restaurant’s reputation.

3 /5 Kyra Stewart: Our RSVP was at 5pm and our table wasn’t ready, even though the RSVP was made days in advance and updated earlier that day and it was said to not be a problem at all. Service was very subpar. Not sure what was going on with our waiter, Kyle (who was very kind, just slow and inattentive), but it took us about 45+ min for us all to get the drinks we ordered, to include 2 basic cokes which came out last because we had to remind him that we were still waiting for them. Two of the spirit beverages we ordered didn’t have the alcohol available and that information was relayed back to us within that 45+ min wait time for our drinks. Also, our table had 6 people and only 3 waters were brought initially within the first 15min and it took about another 10 min just to get the rest of the waters. We didn’t get to order, even thought we all were ready, until about 30 minutes after being seated. Everyone said their food was good which I’m happy because that was maybe the best part of the experience. I personally had the vegetarian butternut squash gnocchi and it was just ok. I didn’t love it. Didn’t see too many other vegetarian friendly options but I knew that before booking so that’s not the complaint. I expected the options to taste a lot better than it did tho. Others ordered the mahi sandwich, cheese burger, jambalaya, a flat bread, potstickers, and bruschetta. All of those items were said to be delicious. Overall, I’m not sure if I’d visit this location again. Service and wait times were very disappointing and it wasn’t even busy when we arrived for our reservation. I’d give a different location a try maybe. I do, however, hope this was just a one off for the waiter and location. We all have bad/slow days but this was the worse service I’ve experienced in a long while in terms of timeliness. Didn’t help that we were on our way to an event which started at 730. 2 hours was more than enough time in advance for this but it was cut very close due to service. Couldn’t even enjoy dessert there.

4 /5 Melia A: Here’s the updated version with that added in naturally: Coopers is such a fun spot for a girls’ day lunch. I’ve been several times and always enjoy sitting in the bar or hightop area—great vibe, yummy appetizers, and especially fun if you’re with wine club members. The Blanc de Blanc sparkling wine was also super tasty! I did sit in the dining room once, and I personally wouldn’t recommend it because the service was slow and a few of our dishes/cups weren’t clean. I’ve never had a bad experience in the bar area though, so that’s definitely where I’d suggest sitting for lunch.

3 /5 Bridgett Jones: The food is always good. The waitresses are always nice but the speed of service is hit or miss at this location. Weve been and had a perfectly good time. Other times it takes a very long time for everything (to order food, to get the food, to get the check, and to get your card back). I got the Gnocchi with Butternut squash, it was really good.

5 /5 Heather J Owens-Knox: My husband and I visited Cooper’s Hawk for the second time, and it was just as amazing as the first! From start to finish, everything was top-notch. We started with the wine tasting, and the hostess was so kind, she even offered to hold our dinner reservation so we could finish our tasting first. The wines were spectacular, and it set the tone for a fantastic evening. Our waiter was incredibly attentive and went out of his way to accommodate our dietary restrictions, which we truly appreciated. The food was absolutely fabulous, perfectly cooked, flavorful, and beautifully presented. Every detail, from service to atmosphere, made for a wonderful night out. If you’re considering Cooper’s Hawk, don’t hesitate, go for it! We loved our experience and will definitely be returning again soon.