The Dunbar - Gainesville (FL)

5 /5 Brittney Freeman: What an amazing little gem! The Dunbar hits it out of the park with food, service, and ambiance. We ordered almost everything on the menu and were not disappointed. EVERY appetizer is delicious but the ricotta toast and olives were standouts. The short rib and oxtail ragu were table favorites. The potatoes are amazing. The cornbread pudding made me dance. I can’t recommend this place enough. The Dunbar is easily the best restaurant in Gainesville.

5 /5 Big Frank: The Dunbar was honestly incredible. There are no other restaurants like it in Gainesville. The vibes were immaculate, the food was incredible, and the service was superb. We loved everything we got, the ricotta toast, Mac and cheese, Caesar salad, and the short rib. We will absolutely be coming back to try the rest of the menu ASAP! We went on a weekend and had live music which added to the ambiance.

5 /5 Nicholas Lutz: I had waited for the soft opening for this restaurant for months when it was announced. The photos in order are ricotta toast, Ceasar salad, oxtail ragu, pork chop, and cornbread pudding. The ricotta toast is a delicious goat cheese on a confiture. It was a tad messy to eat but manageable. The caesar salad was fantastic, the lettuce was crisp and fresh with no wilting. The dressing was well balanced and not overwhelming with a freshly cracked pepper on top. The oxtail ragu was new to me as I have not had oxtail but I had seen reviews praising the dish so why not? It was so tender and savory. Also very filling. The porkchop was very tender and well cooked. It came cut off the bone which was very convenient. The lima beans were well cooked and tender. To round it off, the Cornbread pudding was great. The cornbread was moist and held together well without any crumbling but was easy to cut. The ice cream was a generous serving, soft but not melted and went delightfully with the cornbread. I highly recommend this restaurant as well as applaud this team of restoring this historical building back to a community cornerstone. I cant wait to come try the half-chicken or miso cabbage as both looked great at other tables.

5 /5 Hailey Moses: We had a 10/10 experience tonight at The Dunbar. I said to my husband multiple times, “I’m in heaven.” Everything was superb from start to finish. We ordered the caesar salad (best I’ve ever had), the half chicken, the miso cabbage, and the berry doobie cookie. Every single dish was absolutely incredible. The space is beautiful, and there was lovely live music in the dining room. We felt as though we were transported to another time and place. I’m also so thrilled that a piece of Black history is being resurrected in Gainesville and for the opportunity to learn more about the city that I love. The Dunbar is exceptional, and we can’t wait to come back soon. Don’t miss this gem!

5 /5 Yanira Sanchez: Everything about this place was well thought out & executed with so much attention to detail making it feel so cozy and refreshing. In a world of copy and paste establishments, The Dunbar is so different & interesting, each room having different elements but it all comes together so harmoniously. When you walk in you feel like you’re coming over to a close Friends place and enjoying great vibes and surrounded by a great staff and even better food. It was 3 of us for Dinner, we were sat in a cozy table & the whole staff was very attentive of us the whole time. We had a little bit of everything from the menu & everything just kept getting better. We started with the Cesar salad & lamb chops, great start, the lamb chops were fried which I’ve never had before and they were so flavorful. For the main course we all shared The short rib, chicken & the Oxtail ragu with a side of Mac and cheese. The Short Rib was the absolute star of the night, so tender and flavorful the gravy that came with the short rib made it the best short rib we ever had. The chicken was the 2nd runner up, the skin was perfectly crunchy and the chicken juicy and memorable, and Oxtail ragu was also very good and a huge serving. And please don’t skip indulging in both desserts the cookie and the bread pudding because both were amazing and a great way to end an amazing dinner. Also the drink menu was also great even if you’re not a drinker they had a great Haitian Lemonade and Hibiscus juice. I drive up from Miami to try this place and I’m already planning my next trip soon because that short rib alone is worth the 5 hour drive.