MacDinton's GNV

I absolutely hate this place. You need to do better. There are very few people there that show they actually care about your business. And I can understand why. You don't respect your employees so of course they don't respect you and your business. There are a few. You'd better figure out which ones they are and hang on to them. Treat them right. I'm hearing about lot of great things about your bathroom attendant. Just letting you know.

Title: Delicious Food, But Beware of In-House Dining Fee Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ I recently visited the social with my son and wife, and overall, we had a satisfying dining experience. The highlight of our meal was undoubtedly the mouthwatering Tender Mountain with Swamp Sauce. The flavors were fantastic, and the portion size was quite generous, leaving us feeling satisfied and content. My wife opted for the Buffalo Mac and Cheese Bowl, which she said was ok, but was a much smaller portion for nearly the same price. The food quality was commendable. The flavors were well-balanced, and the dishes were prepared with care and attention to detail. However, my enthusiasm dampened when I realized the in-house dining fee. Paying over $7 just to dine within the restaurant seemed exorbitant and left a sour taste in my mouth. This unexpected cost was disappointing and took away from an otherwise enjoyable experience. It's important for restaurants to be transparent about additional charges, as it can significantly impact a customer's perception. While the food deserves praise, I must admit that the in-house dining fee has made me hesitant about returning. It's disheartening when a hidden charge leaves you questioning the value of the overall dining experience. I hope the management takes into consideration the impact such fees can have on customer satisfaction. Without this fee I would recommend the social to others solely for the delicious food and impressive flavors. However, I would advise potential diners to be aware of the additional cost associated with dining in-house. If you're not bothered by such fees, then this restaurant might still be worth a visit for its delectable offerings.

If I could give this business zero stars, I would. It's dirty and the service sucks. My husband agrees and says the only part he likes about this joint is the bathroom attendant that plays good music. At least you're doing something right.

I miss when this used to be the Social. Prices were much better for everything, food, drinks and entry. Macdinton’s is a fun environment but if you come on a busy night you’ll be paying $10, $15, or $20 just to get in. From there, drinks are way overpriced for general drink offerings. This used to be a good place to watch a game but not really anymore. If you come on football Sunday it’ll be mostly dead and you’ll be hanging out with the bartenders primarily. TV’s are often poorly managed. Last year they scheduled Battle of the Bands on the same night as our basketball championship game and they were performing warmups during the best part of the game.

My wife and I were there recently and we are both unhappy with this place. The service was terrible. The singular aspect of this whole place that I enjoyed was the bathroom attendant who plays awesome music. That's it. The owner should give that guy a raise.

My first time here, it was a double date with one of my friends. Honestly, overall it's a vibe and I enjoyed the aycd, and I've revisited with friends maybe once or twice after. However, at my first visit (back in October 2024) when we were going through entry, the bouncer started a conversation with me which was chill, but he had opened with asking me about my ethnicity. I tried not to jump to any conclusions, but he proceeded to say something along the lines of only dating filipino women and then called me beautiful. At the time, I tried to take it pretty lightly, but I knew there was an underlying discomfort in this interaction. That's really the only issue I had, like outside of this Macdinton's in general is a vibe.

Service was excellent! The food was tasty! I really enjoyed the salad but a didn’t like the small bowels they serve in. It makes a mess when you try to dress your salad. The decor was industrial comfort. The space was open and the bar was huge! I would go again!

This place used to be amazing. I looked forward to visiting to watch games. The atmosphere was friendly and the servers/bartenders were great. In the past 5 years it has taken a steady decline. They now do not have servers. They have a quick service window that took 30 minutes or more to get food. The draft beer I ordered tasted weird. I’m not sure why they changed their business/service model, but it is definitely not the same place it was 5 years ago. Oh and now they charge an automatic gratuity of 18%.

This place across UF campus in University Dr is very popular and always crowded by local and not so locals I lived aceros the street on the apartments and was a frequent customer there. The food is consistently good and a lot of items to try. The full bar also carries a good selection of local beers (very good) and please try the classic cocktails. My party ordered a little of everything and got to share: nachos, burger, loaded fries, wings and salad, i tried the fish tacos on past visits All recommended of you visit Gainesville Opens late (Wednesday is very crowded when upper terrace opens)

Love social especially on thursdays they have aycd and the vibe there is so chill. They also have karaoke on Wednesdays. On Fridays and Saturdays they often have special events and you can purchase tickets on Posh. It is also a really good spot on game days. They usually always have something going on which is why it's a really popular spot in Gainesville. I really like that they have both an upstairs and downstairs because it's more space and different vibes. Also I've only had the food once I had the Buffalo mac and cheese it was soooo good like one of the best dishes ever. One complaint I have about social is that sometimes they sell tickets cheaper at the door then they do for their preorder sales online. I got upset one time when this happened because I felt like I had been cheated by paying the higher price online which was advertised to be a better deal than paying out the door.

I love this place. The bartenders, the management, the security, the different specials they have been running have been insane + no where else in Gainesville that does anything near similar. I went the other day and they had an event where all drinks were either free or $4.01 I don't order often at the bar but Peyton was able to suggest a round of shots for me and my several girl friends. Sitting at the bar either inside or outside the bartenders always make it feel like a second home or somewhere we can go and enjoy our drinks safely. Plus the security team is so funny Love this bar

This was the absolute worst experience as a Gainesville patron. We attend every game and were invited to eat at a private event/ birthday, My brother in law was accosted by an employee and told that he wasn't supposed to partake. Without verification she took it upon herself to exert herself on a grown professional man, and caused harm with force. Our party has no reason to need free food or drinks and will most definitely share this experience. I would appreciate a manager following up with our family but not one single person took an effort to assist.

A bit bizarre about such low reviews. The happy hour prices are fantastic here of course that's compared to places that aren't next to a college. Bartenders were very friendly with good service. Food not bad in great deals at happy hour. A good place for the older crowd to hang out in the earlier hours that is convenient to see a football or basketball game at the university.

Barry is a G. Best bartender ever. Will recommend to any friend or family. Love this joint.

As a restaurant, the food is not good. Every time I've been it has been bad. As a bar, the bouncers and staff are extremely arrogant and disrespectful. The only thing this place has going is the atmosphere, the downstairs and upstairs areas are both cool, but at what cost.

Went here this evening to catch the UF baseball game. Were seated w/two other people at the front of the restaurant. No service, had to order our food at the kitchen in the middle of the restaurant. Food was either cold or over-cooked. In the 7th inning, the manager came to us and told us we had to move. We explained we were finished eating but simply wanted to finish watching the game at our table for the last 3 innings. He told us we had to move to another part of the restaurant for "liability reasons". Music was at insane levels of noise in the rest of the restaurant and we didn't want to deal with that. However, he forcibly moved us out of the area so we reluctantly left. We spent more than $80 and were treated like shit. Long time resident of Gainesville, but will never darken the door of this restaurant, again. Realize that students and out-of-towners are probably their target audience. Guess they're okay w/being treated like this, but I'm not. Plenty of locally owned businesses that treat locals w/respect so I don't have to be treated this way.

Overview: 4/5 We have been wanting to go try this place for years. So the kids were doing an escape room and it gave us the perfect opportunity to try it. Ambiance : 4/5 It a big place but quite busy. They can handle large and small crowds. It has a "sports" bar / collage hang out feel to it. Food/Drink 5/5 Food was great I had a burger that was done to perfection. I paired it with a local IPA (First Magnitude 72). Service : 3/5 A bit lacking and long waits in between to re order drinks and get out bill. The waiter though was nice but quite busy. Conclusion : I'd come back.

Be careful with your debit/credit card here. My son had his overcharged by about $100, and The Social has not been helpful.

This restaurant is MASSIVE and located downtown directly across the street from the University of Florida. I came with a group of work friends on a weekend day in July, so with most of the campus gone for the summer, it was easier to find parking downtown. We initially came so that my friend could compete in their Fire In The Hole Challenge but we were informed that they were out of their fiery hot sauce. I ordered the Sweet & Meaty Poutine, which was a large pile of waffle cut sweet potato fries that were smothered with filet tips and gravy, then topped with mozzarella and fried cheese curds. It was a salty, sweet mess that tasted great. The Social has a full bar and a surprisingly-extensive cocktail list. There's plenty of seating both upstairs and downstairs and The Social appears like a place that would be a big hit with the local college crowd. I look forward to trying it out again when it's more live.

This place just can't figure it out. They were great when they first opened but every year they've gotten progressively worse. 7:00 PM on a Saturday night with a huge UF game on tv. Apparently, they stopped letting you order at the bar. You have to go to a window to place an order now. after waiting 10 minutes in line to order, they stopped taking all orders for 25 minutes! Why are you NOT TAKING ORDERS? They decided to wait until their entire food queue was cleared to start taking new orders, and this is with 4 cash registers available to take orders.

If you just want to drink, fine. But the food here is absolute garbage. Some of the worst in Gainesville. Fries soggy. Chicken always dry and unpleasant. Sandwiches are barely sandwiches, no skill behind them at all. Burger is...ok. If you are looking for an actual meal, avoid!!

Should be 4 stars: FUN place with good food and convenient when we go to UF events. Unfortunately, they have stopped table service in the back so it is not as good an experience as before. AND they charged us a "dine in fee"....not sure about this place now.

We had the most awful experience with an employee of this establishment. We were leaving as the bar closed after using the restroom and he felt it necessary to hurl incredible insults to an adult woman on the way out. He called her old, washed up, over aged, and he insulted her about a physical disability. I asked why he had to be so awful and mean and the insults continued asking why she would be so old at a college bar. I have never, in my adult life, experienced an employee so unbelievably and inappropriately insulting to an innocent patron. I cannot understand how this employee in the hospitality industry can be an asset to any business. He was overweight, dark haired, bearded with leg tattoos. Truly disgusting and I've never witnessed anything like his behavior.

I've been to The Social multiple times for drinks with friends, so this review is re: my food/restaurant experience with them. I went to get food with friends after a gymnastics meet. Atmosphere: 5/5 The Social is a great place to meet up with friends for drinks and dancing, but they also serve food, too! There are two indoor floors and a rooftop bar area. My favorite area is the rooftop so you can see the campus and the stadium across the street. Service: 4/5 Please note after a certain time (I think 9-10pm), they will start IDing you even if you're eating food. 21+ is free and $5 under 21. I randomly sat somewhere to meet my friends and a server was nice enough to inform me that I needed to go to the hostess to be seated and that was a quick process. Once seated, our server was patient and friendly, who was happy to give her personal favorite menu items. Price: 4/5 prices vary $10-20 for entrees, which isn't bad, but the portion sizes were small. Food: 3/5 I ordered a The Tuscan chicken sandwich with French fries -- this tasted pretty bland and the size of the chicken breast patty reminded me like I was a McDonald's (aka thin af). I had to use extra sauce for my sandwich, which was an extra 60 cents. Overall, it's not a bad place to go after a game, but I think I would just stick to getting drinks with friends here.

Social has easily become a well-known bar in midtown shortly after opening, especially for its nice interior and restaurant to bar transformation. As for the food, I would say that it's pretty expensive for what you get, but they do have daily specials. A popular special is their $5 Mac 'n Cheese Wednesdays, which is only available at certain hours. I haven't had much food here, but they have a loaded nachos appetizer that feeds many people! These daily specials also apply to the bar, and these specials differ daily. The workers are pretty attentive - I've never had issues with refills or ordering. As for the night scene, Social is relatively empty on weekdays, but pretty busy on weekends. However, they have an all-you-can-drink special on the rooftop on Thursdays until midnight. Sometimes this can be super chaotic, especially if only one bar on the rooftop is open. The rooftop is more of a chill drinking scene; people lounge on chairs and talk. Downstairs, tables are removed and a dance floor is created, but I would say that the music is generic and mediocre. During busy nights, I have heard many horror stories about the security here. I have had friends get kicked out for "being too drunk," even though they were walking and talking fine. Occasionally, the workers will check the bathroom and remove customers that may be throwing up. If they catch you sharing a drink with someone overage, your entire party may be removed.

I love the vibe here. They are the nicest people. Friendly bartenders and the manager was so nice about me bringing my dog to the rooftop. Great drink specials. I haven't tried the food but I love the drag brunch. Definitely recommend. I've always had a great time.

We went on a Sunday game day so the place was packed. This was the excuse we heard all the time during our terrible experience. We had to wait 15 minutes to be "visited" by our server, 20 minutes for 2 sodas and 2 waters, and ONE hour for 2 orders of wings and 2 salads. Wings and fries were super-cold, the server never showed up again to check on us, bring refills, napkins, or clean silverware (all our silverware was simply disgusting). When we asked for the manager we were told that she was "busy". When she finally was "not busy" we were given the classic excuse for a busy place on game day. If you run a place that relies on Gators games, prepare your staff and your kitchen for those events instead of making excuses. Bottom line: Don't go on game day, you will have a terrible experience, even if the Gators win.

Me and 15 of my other teammates came for lunch on a Saturday in between two volleyball games. 15 of us ate and paid before one of our teammates had even gotten her food. When asked for the meal comped because we had waited over an hour already the manager was extremely rude and singled out or teammate for not asking for the refund herself when one of the others asked for her. He was continually rude and proceeded to ask us to leave our teammate there to wait for her food alone after some of us stood up for her. He made sly comments like "wow you don't like confrontation, are you this shy on the field" to my teammate after he called her over to talk to him alone. Definitely won't be going back after I have already heard questionable reviews about the place. It's embarrassing when the waitress is trying to continually apologize for her bosses actions. I believe the managers name was cory.

If you are in Gainesville for a football game, this is one of the two spots you need to go to. Is the food great, no. It is pretty decent though. What you're there for is the atmosphere. Especially on the rooftop. There is no atmosphere in the area that equals the top of The Social. You haven't been to a Gator game if you haven't been to the social.

UPDATE: I have finally ordered a real meal at The Social. I got the Tuscan Sandwich with Sweet Potato Fries. I was FAMISHED, so quickly devoured the sandwich - it was decent, the chicken was dry and they smacked two palm sized pieces of chicken in between two buns, so it wasn't the best set up for a handheld sandwich. I ended up just ditching the buns and dipping the chicken/tomato into honey mustard. The sandwich had potential, but listen Social put more tomato on that bad boy and more than a dollop of the balsamic reduction. The sweet potato fries were floppy. Can't a girl just get a nice crisp sweet potato waffle fry without the kitchen rushing it? I obviously still ate most of them, and in the future I'll be sure to request them crispy. My friend got their Chicken & Waffles though and really enjoyed them - he expressed that the powdered sugar and maple butter that was provided were KEY. Originally, we had to ask if we could get a server on a slower Tuesday night. BUT, once we did Paul was our guy and demonstrated some grade A service - refilling our waters, checking in on us, etc. Besides him I typically don't have quality service here. Lastly, they just put out a new pineapple sage gimlet drink just that day, and it was excellent. Best drink I have gotten there. It was a little baby guy, but it was happy hour so half off! Overall, still love the vibes here, I just don't go in with crazy expectations as it is a Gainesville Sports Restaurant/Bar.

My first question was 'when did Gainesville get a Midtown?' There was a downtown, but no midtown. Lol. This area, located on W. University within proximity of the football stadium first caught my eye during Homecoming. It's massive compared to previous tenants which were probably half the size and not two levels. Fast forward to last Friday - arrived in G'ville for leadership meetings and the Social was the designated reception spot. Was able to exit Archer Road, cut through campus per Waze GPS and get a spot at a packed gymnastics meet. Welcome to Gainesville! Walked the block to Social and was greeted by ladies at front desk. Informed them that I was here for a UFAA event and was directed to table set up for check-in and then upstairs to patio for private event. Very spacious area with ample seating and full bar. Bartenders were personable and great service! Retreated to lower level post reception and secured a table in rear by pool tables. Ordered the fish and grits, which were tasty. Atmosphere was vibrant and overall good for a Friday night. Would return again for happy hour, which I think ends @ 7 and dinner.

The worst night I have ever have. I walked in, getting check at the door, and then I walked around just a bit. I decided to make a lap around the bar, and then I saw that there was a bar of food that was open to whomever wanted to take them. So, I took a chicken nugget, started eating it..... and then all hella turned loose. A guy from security of Social came to me and immediately pushed me back. I started asking "why, why, why???" Regardless this guy kept pushing me downstairs until we were all the way downstairs and he pushed me into a booth and started choke holding me into the booth. At this point, I exclaimed "what did I even do," and they still never told me what the issue that I did was. Regardless of that, he continued to push and pin me down and wouldn't let go until he held me off of the property and kept cussing me out to not go to Social. Everyone working there surrounding him told me names against them, even though they were equals to me and didn't know anything of what was happening. I then spoke to a cop, and he said there was nothing to do because those who kicked me out were apart of the bar, and there is nothing I can do. I hate this bar so much, because I still don't know what I did. I think I genuinely took a chicken nuggets that wasn't supposed to be mine and then I got treated Loretta inhuman.

I want to like this place. Came months ago and food was good but something is really really wrong w the way it's managed. Arrived at 7:45 last night ordered husband daughter and I. Had a couple drinks and waited forever for dinner. At 8:30 we're told it would be right out 8:45 so sorry there was a mixup here's some cold nachos while you wait 9:00 pm sorry food won't be out for a while We left starving Everyone who came in 30-40 min after us were eating no manager ever came over to apologize DO NOT waste your time here.

My experience was absolutely shit here . All of there workers are rude and unprofessional to say the least . They hired a bouncer with ptsd and anger issues who physically picked me up ,dragged me out and threw my 105 lbs self on the curb in a dress and heels because get this , I walked through the wrong door . I walked in the exit door and had ignored him when he said don't do that. So instead of being a normal human and asking me again ( or letting it go because I was already inside and almost to my section ) he chased me down to the 2 thousand dollar section my friends and I rented that night and physically abused his power and me. Yanked me by my arm and drug me down the side bathroom hallway whispering "you think you can disrespect me" like he was God or something. After I threatened to get lawyers involved they pretended like they were going to fire him but instead Gave him 3 weeks off. The management is an absolute joke . They think they are invincible because they are the biggest / newest bar in Gainesville. Not only is management trash and they hire psychos for bouncers , the food is incompetent as well. Whatever you don't order any kinda Mac in cheese... it always come out cold .

I went here last night for drinks with some girl friends and had a great time. I do have some minor suggestions... I am in my late twenties, so probably not the normal clientele going to this bar, but if you are a bit older than the college crew usually navigating the Social I do recommend going on the earlier side (I was there from 6:30-8:30pm). Also, I would suggest going on a weekday. I went on Thursday night so it was pretty dead and very easy to get a drink and sit at the bar. They are very nice and accommodating and drinks are super cheap! We went and there was a Truly rep there so we got samples and Trulys were $3 a can after 7pm! Give it a shot, or take one

DO NOT GO, EXTREMELY RUDE STAFF Been going to this place for almost a year. As a college student the deals offered on thursdays and the rooftop environment are great. However the new bouncer hired recently is extremely rude and turned a fun night out into a horrible time for all parties. I am insulted and feel hurt. Social has lost my business as well as my friends'!

We waited over an hour behind the hostess to get a table, while 10+ smaller parties were sat. Meanwhile, a large table remained unoccupied for close to 30 minutes. Once seated, our waitress told us there would be a wait for food and estimated an hour for our order. We decided to stay after she told us at least our appetizers would be out quicker. We have now been waiting an hour and a half and have not seen a single appetizer or any food. Our waitress only checked in once with the us after over an hour and while apologizing had no information on our order. The restaurant lacks any leadership (I asked to to talk to the manager and no one even came to the table). I strongly recommend you avoid this restaurant. There are other places in town that care about their customers

I was a victim of the extremely unlady like, and honestly just beyond unprofessional, punching bartenders oh, and women bartenders. I admit, I do drink, and it does get the best of me, but as a bartender myself, I would never in my life punch, a customer, risking my job and jail after charging a customer for somebody else's bill. Basically I was charged almost 200 after I bought just two drinks. The fat guy that everybody is talking about on this comment section is also another version of how things are in there because before I got assaulted, I was already uncomfortable as the bartender I had ordered drinks on told me I didn't look old enough to be there like I'm confused why they even believe that if they don't trust the people at the front to be checking IDs who are they trusting? Honestly, I was very ready to scan my ID along with that situation, but that request was also ignored to get battered on the floor is humbling, but definitely not worth two drinks. This place is going to go to shit sooner than later, and the amount of stories of waitresses and waiters basically beating up human beings that are paying their electric and housing bills is such a joke to the facility honestly , not only should every staff member go to bartending school, but they should also go to etiquette school as they don't love themselves enough to respect the people they're working for. and the woman that did this to me also threaten my life after beating me up and honestly I'm not a pu$$y but finding out her private information was too easy!! I'll be posting the pictures of the damage. To give you guys a better understanding I would sell my left t1t to have captured a video and wide blasted the scenario

Love the themed nights. Fat dark haired bartender female doesn't know how to read an ID. Ripped my band off even though I have a real ID and am 21. Got in with it but she ripped my band off. Killed the Taylor Swift vibe. TS would never

Am I the only one who kinda misses Gator City??? This place seems almost too posh for a college bar within walking distance of the stadium. I'm all for improvement but I don't really want to pay for the fancy décor with ridiculous drink prices. The Social at Midtown reminds me of Madison Social in Tallahassee. It has the same modern/industrial look, similar drink options, and appeals to the same crowd. I keep picturing the type of student who could afford to come here on a regular basis. I picture some spoiled brat whose parents provide an ungodly amount of money into their checking accounts on a monthly basis to buy stupid designer clothes for their Greek functions and to pay their tab at "The Social." I know, I'm a jerk who is stereotyping but come on. Maybe they should call it "Alumni Social" because those are the people who are willing to pay more for this type of experience. I thought the drinks were tasty and I really liked the buffalo chicken wontons. The service was iffy. I liked our server but the hostess could use some work. We stood in line to get into this place right before they opened and told the young lady we were expecting a group of about 6 people. She said we had to have the whole party present and I totally understood because there was a crowd and they don't want to eat up a large table for only a couple of guests. So, I offered to order food and drinks for 6 right away to make up for the lack of bodies currently present but she still said "no." Who does that??? I'm willing to buy 6 apps or meals and drinks and you say no?? Bollocks. I'm guessing she wasn't a student at UF....

Place was not crowded on NFL opening weekend. They refused to change the TV's in front of us to the game we wanted to watch. The food was took forever and was mediocre.

These people want to take your money and treat you like shit. A group of 10 of my friends and I came here as we always do for Thursday night. They let in 6 of us then decided they were at capacity and would not let the rest of our group in. The bouncer was extremely disrespectful and the manager refused to refund those who go in. So we were not allowed out, our friends were not allowed in. Our friends remained downstairs and we went back and forth between each floor since our group had been separated. At exactly 12am, the same bouncer who was nasty with us multiple times decided to drag me out by my neck. The police were called and while waiting for the police, the manager told our group of 10 witnesses plus witnesses who didn't even know me, to get off his property immediately. They then refused to hand over footage of the incident to the police. These people will treat you like trash and take your money. Don't go here

Arrived at 12:45 and there was one other party there eating and the rest (5-7) were at the bar. We ordered our food right at 1:00pm. We had a party of 6 and while waiting for our food no other parties came in. Our sever was okay but disappeared after about 30 minutes of waiting for our food. We received our food at 1:45 which was unacceptable. The food was good but will not be back due to the service.

I was at rooftop for a function and I had an underage band on. I asked the bartender for a Shirley temple (not dirty) and he gave it to me. I drank about half of it and one of the guys ( short with glasses) came up to me grabbed my cup and when I tried to explain to his the misconception he put his hand in my face and said "get out of my face I don't even wanna hear it from you" this experience and the poor mannered employee has changed my view of social and I will never be going here again. I told him he can talk to the bartender that he really did give me a nonalcoholic beverage and he could even smell it or taste it to make sure but he was ignorant and short tempered

Ahhhhh what an excellent edition to Midtown. As a grad student, I stopped coming to Mid because it made me feel old and grimey. Mid is the place for dirt cheap drinks from hole in the wall bars, yes, but Social really changes the game. First of all, it is HUGE! There is a back bar with pool tables for those yearning for a more chill night out. The front bar boasts a dance floor with great music and a giant oval shaped bar, making it pretty easy to get drinks, even on busy nights. The rooftop (a floor up, but hello it's Gainesville) is open sometimes and gives you splendid views of W. University Ave. Social has more upscale vibes than anything in Midtown. Nothing really compares. The exposed brick walls, leather chairs, and metallic accents really make you feel like you are downtown. The prices of the drinks however, make you feel like you are in Midtown. I don't know when the specials are, but I do know that I have never spent more than $4 for a drink here. Friday night, I had $3 (delicious) margs and on a sunday once, I had $4 (delicious) jalapeno moscow mules. If you are hungry, Social also has a full kitchen. I have only had fries from here, but they sure were tasty. Whether you're going to watch the game or just for a fun night on the town, Social is the place!

In all candor, it is what it is. It's clear from even walking by the Social its aim is to provide a large, spacious, bar atmosphere right across from campus that will gain some of the lucrative Midtown college business. Having a simple and rather conventional food menu is a certain plus, but not the real focus. Having multiple bars inside, a rear seating area, and large televisions all over to watch the game also is very smart. Apparently, there is also an upstairs area which is not yet open, but presumably will be more bars. The interior is sleek, modern, and yet spartan in its furnishing--they seem to have learned something many owners of large college bars don't know: having open room to stand or move around in a space apt to getting crowded is wise. There are some booths, including a few large circular ones for bigger parties and also long tables for even larger groups. That's something I really appreciate about the Social: if you come here on a date, you're accommodated. If you're here with five friends to see a game, you're fine, too. If you wanted to stop in with a colleague from UF around five in the afternoon and talk business, it would be possible. If you come out with twenty of your friends, no problem with parties larger than ten deep. I had their fried chicken salad. It was a large enough portion and the salad itself was in no way innovative but the quality of ingredients were on par and the price was reasonable. They have a good beer selection and can make mixed drinks. Obviously--once again--they have the typical UF bar trade in mind: you're not going to come in and seek out an 18-year-old Scotch here. There are bars in town for that, there are restaurants with alcohol and ambitious menus like The Top as well. They are wise to not make their menu too far-reaching, because it's going to get busy here at peak hours and better to have a simple menu than one prone to causing mistakes or backlogs when busy. The service was fine: all the staff but especially Ethan and Kevin are superb. They're friendly and outgoing in the quintessential UF manner and were quickly getting to every patron and filling orders. My food came out quickly and I saw mixed drinks being made and dispatched to customers with equal speed. The Social gives UF a quality sports bar right across from campus. I foresee it doing very well for itself.

If I could leave zero stars I would. I came in with a group of cheerleaders over the weekend and I've never experienced such unprofessional service from management staff. We did have a larger group, so we were very understanding and patient when our food came out very slowly and one at a time. No big deal. Waitress was nice and did her best to accommodate us. After we had all received our checks and paid for our food, one member of our party had still not received her any of her order after being there for 1 hour and 10 minutes, AND she had already paid for it. When the general manager, Cory, was approached nicely by a member of our party to address the situation, we were met with a terrible attitude and phrases like "well is she like this on the field when she cheers?" aimed at a team member for being quiet and unconfrontational (Which obviously has nothing to do with our restaurant experience) and also told one member of the party to get out of the restaurant just for speaking up for not receiving part of our order. You know it's bad when the staff apologizes for their managers behavior. We will never be back.

Amazing place. Service is great and they have a Happy Hour that can't be beat. I like the rooftop bar the best. They have a happy hour 7 days a week. Social has more upscale class than anything Midtown. Nothing really compares. The exposed brick walls, leather chairs, and metallic accents really stand out. I have never spent more than $4 for a drink here. Friday night, I had $3 (delicious) margaritas and on a sunday once, I had $4 (delicious) jalapeno moscow mules. If you are hungry, Social also has a full kitchen that's open late. I've had burgers and other libations here. The portions are huge and you won't leave hungry. This is one of the best spots in Gainesville period. There is also a DJ that starts spinning once the sun goes down and don't be surprised to see the dance floor slam packed on a weekend night.

That one time of the year it's acceptable to return back to college and attend bars with no judgement! Yes you guess it's graduation ‍ To be a graduation weekend, this place handles themselves well, even though my sororities table was not ready so we sat at the bar. I had a few different things that I'll give my opinion on. Happy Hour's Strawberry Margarita was very good. Even though it's very hard to mess that up so I guess a good marg is expected. BBQ Pull Pork Sliders.....it was ok, I ate it....well cause I paid for it. BBQ Pork Nachoes ..great...,it's a lot and when it gets cold it's eh. So eat fast And saving the best for last...the Buffalo Wontons.....Mannn that was everything and more. Definitely recommend - Tempting Taste

5 star service! Stephanie was a great help and hooked it up. Great place to take your parents for upscale bar food. Drinks are very inexpensive. My dads grey goose martini was $7. The manager Cory was a pleasure and was so welcoming.

The BBQ Pulled Pork Mac N' Cheese was very tasty. I really enjoyed it. The BBQ pulled pork and Social Mac N' Cheese really complemented each other nicely. I was very pleased. Definitely worth it! This was perhaps the best thing that I've gotten off their menu thus far. The other item that I really enjoy is the Mojo Pork Tacos. The fried plantains, sweet onion, and guacamole complement the pork very nicely. These tacos were great. The other items that I have ordered from here in the past ranged from 3 stars to 4 stars.

I really like going to The Social at Midtown a lot here in Gainesville. The main reason I like it is because of the rooftop bar and hanging out with friends on a casual night out. I also attended the New Years Eve party here at The Social and it was hands down one of the best New Years Eve Parties I have ever been to in my life. When you walk in they have a large open setting. You can sit inside, but how they open this place it almost feels like you are sitting outside as well. The waitresses are usually pretty good. I think they get busy because of having to many tables, but I always usually get their attention. During my most recent visit it was not very busy so the waitress was pretty attentive. I have only had a few appetizers here but have had Chicken Wings which were pretty good. They had a fair amount of meat on the wings and the sauce was pretty good. I also love their sweet potato fries. I would say the portions are not that big but I was okay with it. The beer on tap is pretty good and I had a friend who enjoyed her cocktails! I would for sure recommend trying this place. I think they did a great job in making this a fun place for all to go!

Just another sportsbar type joint. Food was decent. I has wings and tater tots. Service was friendly and quick. It wasn't a busy night. Plenty of seating and multiple bars with plenty of screens to watch games.

We miss this bar so much and it is incredibly under-rated. For some reason, the college students love to go to bars that smell like wet dog and you can't breathe or move-- so luckily for all of us that like clean places, this spot normally isn't too crowded and there is a lot of room. They have a very large downstairs with 2 rooms, and an upstairs. There are also 2 nice pool tables in the back. The bars both upstairs and downstairs are large and you don't have to wait long to be served. Drinks are CHEAP! $6 for a double. On some nights, they have events where you can buy a $5 wristband and drink all night. This is a great college bar and very fun!

Beautiful environment on the inside, everything is brand new. New furniture, new staff, New floors, new walls, everything is new new new! Over 50 beers on draft. Laid back feel, but fun place to hang. Buffalo Chicken Mac n Cheese was delicious. Soon to be a mid town staple for sure!

I have only been to The Social at night when this location turns into a club, so I have not tried their food (although I hear that they have pretty decent food for lunch). As for the nightlife here, I actually really like this place! Before The Social opened up, it was two different bars/clubs. Both Gator City and Envy were purchased and remodeled to create this huge space that has booths in the front, an enormous bar, a dance floor, a separate section with pool tables and games, an outdoor bar AND a rooftop bar. All of Midtown is filled with bars and clubs but they are all so small. When those places get packed, you can barely move! I have noticed that The Social is so big that it hardly seems like there are tons of people because you can be with the crowd on the dance floor or step away and sit at a booth! There is really something for everyone at this location. Cover really depends on the day and the crowd. I have been when there is no cover for 21+ or if there is cover, it's around $5. For under 21, the cover is usually $5-7 depending on the previous factors mentioned. The DJ plays all types of music. I have heard 80's, 90's, Hip-Hop, R&B, etc. There are songs for everyone! The rooftop is more quiet with two bars and not really any music - a lot of times it can be closed due to groups that rent that space. I do want to try the food here, but am a little skeptical because I see what happens there at night and how sometimes people stand on booths (but get kicked out), spill things and even throw up. I hope they clean everything down very thoroughly because I'm not sure how sanitary it can be after being a club every night! However, from the couple people I have talked to who have had a meal here, they say it's pretty good!

We took my daughter to UF to visit and met up with her girlfriends at this restaurant/bar. The two bartenders were very helpful. Let me try all 5 of the IPAs before I decided to go with the beer Pernicious. Food was typical bar food and was very high in calories but I knew what I was getting myself in too. My wife got a salad and was able to keep the caloric level down. I'd like to see this place when it is booming!