Ocean Blue Brunch Sophistication

After a disappointing visit to Casa Marina Hotel for brunch, I decided to give brunch a try at another popular Jacksonville Beach restaurant.  This time I was headed to Refinery.  This upscale restaurant features an ocean bar, pub, entertainment lounge, and an elegant upstairs dining room.  They serve Euro-American fare.  The ocean bar is their outdoor option giving direct access to the ocean air and view of the beach dunes.  The First Street Pub offers a surprising touch of class in its indoor décor and outside patio.  Definitely not your typical pub atmosphere.  The entertainment lounge is where the liveliness happens.  They host live music and special events on the weekends.  The upstairs dining area may possibly be the best oceanfront view in all of Jax Beach.  With a 170-degree view through extra-large windows looking out at the sandy beach, rolling waves and the Jacksonville Pier, it is quite breathtaking your first time entering the dining room.  The décor definitely has a classy upscale sophistication with hues of greys and blues.  The lower walls have a beautiful wood trim that adds a touch of rustic to the elegant vibe.  While the white table linens were to be expected, the ornate flatware was not.  It solidified the upscale experience.  The full pub and “refined” menu are available in all areas of the restaurant.  The Sunday Brunch Buffet is served in the upstairs dining room.  While many may say that $28.95 for a brunch meal is expensive, I would say that the price point is fair for the value.  The menu selection was extensive.  I was unable to sample everything, even with taking just bite size portions.  On the day I visited, the buffet included Philly cheesesteak sliders, biscuits and sausage gravy, hash browns, grits, French toast, Belgian waffles, pork sausage and bacon, turkey sausage, various fruits, House and Caesar salad, pasta salad, potato salad, chicken salad, various pastries (i.e., mini cheesecakes/muffins/beignets), a chocolate fountain, an omelette station, and a prime rib carving station.  Between the oceanfront view, elegant ambiance, vast menu selection, and quality service, it is hard to argue with the amount they charge for a buffet brunch.  As far as taste is concerned, here was where I was surprised.  With the overall elevated experience in every other aspect of this dining opportunity, I would have expected the food to be outstanding, and it was not.  While nothing tasted bad, nothing also tasted “refined” in my opinion.  The top tasting items of the meal for me was the French toast, Belgian waffles and maybe the Prime Rib.  I suspect the made-to-order omelettes would have also tasted good, but I was too full to make it back to the buffet one last time to try the omelette station.  So, if you have a huge appetite and desire a sophisticated ambiance with an outstanding oceanfront view dining experience, Refinery in Jacksonville Beach may be the perfect place to be for brunch.  However, it is becoming quite evident why Jacksonville Beach is not known for its fine cuisine.  In all fairness, lunch or dinner service at Refinery may produce a different result.  Sometimes restaurants need to just focus on their area of specialty when it comes to food and not attempt to do it all.  With that being said, I thought the variety and separation of different styles of dining at Refinery was a unique and clever concept.  I look forward to going back on another occasion to see what they have to offer for a lunch experience at the First Street Pub.

Summary

Restaurant Name: Refinery

Address: 831 1^st Street North, Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250

Service –Good

Food – Average

Portion Size – Buffet

Menu Selection – Extensive

Dietary Options – Gluten Free, Vegetarian, Approximately 95% Biblically Clean for Brunch Buffet

Cost/Value – Expensive

Ambiance – Classy Sophistication in Upstairs Dining Room, Party Atmosphere in Lounge, Beachy Casual at Ocean Bar, A Touch of Unexpected Class in the Pub

Parking – Free Valet. Limited.

Reservations/Waitlist – Reservations

Suited Type of Patron – Upscale Adults for Upstairs Dining, Casual Diners for Lounge, Pub and Ocean Bar

Signature Dishes – Not identified

Special Features – Oceanfront views, Live entertainment, Special Event Hosting or Catering