Blue Gator Tiki Bar & Restaurant in Dunnellon
Gator bites, fried and steamed seafood, po'boys and burgers at 12189 S Williams St, Dunnellon, FL 34432, next to the river. Open daily from 11 AM or 11:30 AM until 8 or 9 PM.
By Darrin DeTorres, Only In Ocala · Updated October 29, 2026 · Checked against the restaurant's website and menu and its Google Business Profile
Where Is the Blue Gator Tiki Bar & Restaurant?
The Blue Gator Tiki Bar & Restaurant is at 12189 S Williams St, Dunnellon, FL 34432, in western Marion County. It is a Dunnellon restaurant rather than one inside Ocala city limits, which is worth knowing before putting the address into a GPS. Google Maps lists it under bars and describes a beachy spot with Southern-style seafood, river views and live entertainment; the phone number on both Google and the restaurant's website is (352) 465-1635.
The restaurant sits on the water. A customer testimonial on its website describes sitting outside next to the river, and Captain Bob's Airboat Tours, which lists the same 12189 S Williams St address, carries a customer testimonial describing the Blue Gator as on the river next to Captain Bob's. For the rest of the area, see our guides to things to do in Dunnellon and Dunnellon, Florida.
On Oct. 29, 2026, the restaurant's Google Business Profile showed a 4.4-star average from 5,023 reviews. The review topics Google surfaces most often are the river view, gator bites, outdoor seating and hush puppies.
Address, Phone & Hours
Hours
| Monday | 11:30 AM - 8:00 PM |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | 11:30 AM - 8:00 PM |
| Wednesday | 11:30 AM - 8:00 PM |
| Thursday | 11:30 AM - 8:00 PM |
| Friday | 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM |
| Saturday | 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM |
| Sunday | 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM |
Hours as posted on Google as of Oct. 29, 2026, matching the printed menu. The restaurant's homepage lists Monday through Friday as 11:30 AM to 8 PM, so call ahead on Fridays.
Blue Gator Menu and Prices
The menu leans on fried and steamed seafood with Southern bar food alongside it. Appetizers run from $8 for fried okra to $15 for gator bites, and the seafood section includes grouper fingers, fried shrimp, frog legs, clam strips, steamed shrimp and fish and chips. These are selected items and prices as printed on the menu posted on the restaurant's website on Oct. 29, 2026; prices can change, and the menu notes a 3.5% processing fee on all card payments.
| Item | What it is | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Gator Bites | Crispy, hand-breaded gator bites served with house-made ranch or spicy ranch | $15 |
| Bang Bang Shrimp | Crispy shrimp over a bed of lettuce or rice, drizzled in bang bang sauce | $13 |
| Fried Calamari | Tender calamari rings and tentacles, hand-breaded | $13 |
| Fish Tacos (4) | Flour or corn tortillas, served with slaw and hush puppies | $14 |
| Grouper Fingers | Served with slaw, hush puppies and a choice of side | $21 |
| 10 Fried Shrimp | Served with slaw, hush puppies and a choice of side | $17 |
| 1 lb. Steamed Shrimp | Old Bay seasoned, peel and eat | $19 |
| Frog Legs | Served with slaw, hush puppies and a choice of side | $19 |
| Fish & Chips | A half order is also listed at $13 | $17 |
| Grouper Platter | Served with a side salad and a choice of sides | $26 |
| Salmon Platter | Served with a side salad and a choice of sides | $29 |
| Super Grouper Sandwich | Fried, grilled or blackened on a brioche bun with shredded lettuce and tomato | $22 |
| Gator Po'Boy | Fried gator, shredded lettuce and tomato served on a hoagie | $17 |
| Shrimp Po'Boy | Fried shrimp, shredded lettuce and tomato served on a hoagie | $15 |
| Black & Bleu Burger | Blackened seasoning and bleu cheese crumbles | $16 |
| Clam Chowder / Spicy Gumbo | Soups | $9 / $11 |
| Key Lime Pie / Chocolate Mousse | Desserts | $7 each |
Other sections of the menu cover sandwiches (Cuban, Reuben, chicken and slider options at $14 to $15), burgers starting at $14, a chicken tender basket and wings in sauces that include garlic parmesan, Jamaican jerk, mango habanero and sweet teriyaki. Sides include fries, hush puppies, slaw, onion rings and mac n' cheese. Appetizers also include fried mushrooms, corn nuggets, cheese sticks and fried green beans.
For more seafood around the county, see our guides to the best seafood in Ocala and Stumpknockers on the River, another Dunnellon spot on the Withlacoochee.
What to Know Before Visiting the Blue Gator
A casual riverside stop in Dunnellon with a full menu, takeout and a kids menu.
On the River, Next to the Airboats
A customer testimonial on the restaurant's website describes outdoor seating next to the river, and outdoor seating and river view are among the topics Google reviewers mention most. The site's navigation also links to Captain Bob's Airboat Tours and boat rentals, and Captain Bob's says its pontoon boat rentals head down the Withlacoochee and Rainbow rivers. Whether boats can tie up at the restaurant is not stated, so a call to (352) 465-1635 is the way to find out. See also airboat rides near Ocala.
Live Entertainment
Google describes the Blue Gator as offering live entertainment, and the restaurant keeps an event calendar on its website. As of Oct. 29, 2026 the calendar showed nothing posted for October, so the restaurant's Facebook page or a phone call is the better check for a specific night. Music listings across the county are in our live music in Ocala guide.
Pickup Orders
The restaurant's website links to an online pickup ordering page and lists the kitchen as serving lunch and dinner. The printed menu adds a 3.5% processing fee on card payments.
Kids Menu
The kids menu lists a hot dog ($7), chicken tenders ($9), grilled cheese ($7) and two sliders ($10), each with one side. Shared plates carry a $3 charge per the menu.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Blue Gator Tiki Bar & Restaurant
Where is the Blue Gator Tiki Bar & Restaurant?
The Blue Gator Tiki Bar & Restaurant is at 12189 S Williams St, Dunnellon, FL 34432, in western Marion County, not in the city of Ocala. The restaurant's website and its Google Business Profile both list that address and the phone number (352) 465-1635. Captain Bob's Airboat Tours lists the same street address, and a customer testimonial on its website describes the Blue Gator as on the river next to Captain Bob's.
What are the Blue Gator's hours?
Google lists the Blue Gator as open Monday through Thursday from 11:30 AM to 8 PM, Friday and Saturday from 11 AM to 9 PM, and Sunday from 11 AM to 8 PM; the printed menu shows the same hours. The restaurant's homepage lists Monday through Friday as 11:30 AM to 8 PM, so call (352) 465-1635 before a Friday visit.
What food does the Blue Gator serve?
The menu is built around fried and steamed seafood and Southern bar food: gator bites ($15), fish tacos ($14), grouper fingers ($21), fried shrimp, frog legs, fish and chips, salmon and grouper platters, po'boys, burgers, wings and soups such as clam chowder and spicy gumbo. Prices were read from the menu posted on the restaurant's website on Oct. 29, 2026 and can change.
Does the Blue Gator have live music?
Google describes the Blue Gator as offering live entertainment, and the restaurant's website has an event calendar. As of Oct. 29, 2026 that calendar showed no events posted for October, so the restaurant or its Facebook page (linked from its website) should be checked for a current lineup before planning a visit around music.
Can customers order takeout from the Blue Gator?
Yes. The restaurant's website links to an online pickup ordering page, and the phone number is (352) 465-1635. The printed menu also states that a 3.5% processing fee is applied to all card payments.
Does the Blue Gator have a kids menu?
Yes. The printed menu lists a kids menu with a hot dog ($7), chicken tenders ($9), grilled cheese ($7) and two sliders ($10), each served with one side of the child's choice.
Can customers arrive by boat or take a boat ride from the Blue Gator?
The restaurant's website does not say whether boats can dock at the Blue Gator, so that should be confirmed by phone. Its site links to Captain Bob's Airboat Tours and boat rentals, which list the same 12189 S Williams St address; Captain Bob's says its pontoon rentals go down the Withlacoochee and Rainbow rivers.
How We Checked This Page
The address, phone number, hours, ordering link and event calendar come from the Blue Gator website; menu items and prices from the two menu pages posted there. The address, phone, hours, rating and review count were checked against the restaurant's Google Business Profile, and the neighboring address and river description against Captain Bob's Airboat Tours. All were checked on Oct. 29, 2026.
AI tools helped gather the sources and draft this page; each fact was checked against those sources before publishing. Questions or corrections? Contact our team or read our editorial guidelines.
More Riverside Dining and Dunnellon Guides
Blue Gator Tiki Bar & Restaurant en Dunnellon: dirección, horario y menú
Blue Gator Tiki Bar & Restaurant es un restaurante y bar junto al río, ubicado en 12189 S Williams St, Dunnellon, FL 34432, en el Condado de Marion; su teléfono es (352) 465-1635. El menú incluye bocados de caimán ($15), tacos de pescado ($14), dedos de mero ($21), camarones fritos y al vapor, ancas de rana, sándwiches y hamburguesas. Según Google, el horario es de lunes a jueves de 11:30 a.m. a 8 p.m., viernes y sábado de 11 a.m. a 9 p.m., y domingo de 11 a.m. a 8 p.m. El sitio web del restaurante ofrece pedidos para recoger, y el menú impreso indica un cargo del 3.5% por procesamiento en pagos con tarjeta.