Check out the top 5 spots in Jacksonville's Mandarin neighborhood

Check out the top 5 spots in Jacksonville's Mandarin neighborhoodPhoto: Metro Diner/Yelp
Hoodline
Published on July 05, 2019

Looking to uncover all that Mandarin has to offer? Get to know this Jacksonville neighborhood by browsing its most popular local businesses, from a traditional American diner to a Thai noodle house.

Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top places to visit in Mandarin, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of neighborhood businesses. Read on for the results.

1. Metro Diner

Photo: metro diner/Yelp

Topping the list is diner, breakfast and brunch and traditional American spot Metro Diner. Located at 12807 San Jose Blvd., it's the highest-rated business in the neighborhood, boasting 4.5 stars out of 312 reviews on Yelp.

Metro Diner was famous in Jacksonville long before Guy Fieri raved about its meatloaf on "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives." According to Forbes, the meatloaf is still a top seller, along with Metro Diner's chicken and waffles and braised beef tips. Other classics on its menu include shrimp and grits, a hot turkey plate, burgers and salads.

2. V Pizza

Photo: DAVID C./Yelp

Next up is pizza spot V Pizza, situated at 12601 San Jose Blvd. With 4.5 stars out of 226 reviews on Yelp, it's proven to be a local favorite.

V Pizza offers authentic Neapolitan-style pizza, with imported, dry-aged Italian meats, mozzarella di bufala, San Marzano tomatoes and flour. Food Network recognized it as offering one of the best pizzas in America's biggest cities. Also on the menu are calzones, sandwiches, salads, wood-roasted chicken wings and an array of Italian-style desserts.

3. Don Juan's

photo: trevor d./yelp

Mexican spot Don Juan's is another top choice. Yelpers give the business, located at 12373 San Jose Blvd., four stars out of 145 reviews.

The labor of a Salvadoran-born aircraft mechanic with a passion for restaurants, according to its website, Don Juan's specializes in fajitas and also offers Mexican-style steaks, chicken, seafood, burritos and tacos.

4. Thai Cuisine & Noodle House

Photo: renda h./Yelp

Thai Cuisine & Noodle House, a Thai spot that offers noodles, salads and more, is another neighborhood go-to, with four stars out of 115 Yelp reviews. Head over to 11701 San Jose Blvd., Suite 28, to see for yourself.

Thai Cuisine & Noodle House offers an array of Thai dishes, including ye-sean grilled short ribs with northeast-style Thai barbecue sauce, Bangkok cashew nuts with green onion, bell peppers, onion and a choice of chicken, pork, tofu or seafood. 

5. Bruster's Real Ice Cream

Photo: fuarosa a./Yelp

Check out Bruster's Real Ice Cream, which has earned four stars out of 31 reviews on Yelp. You can find the ice cream and frozen yogurt spot at 11701 San Jose Blvd., Suite 60.

The nearly ubiquitous national ice cream chain just turned 30, and according to its website, it's celebrating with a new offering: sea salt caramel ice cream. More than 100 other flavors, from almond chocolate coconut to winter wonder, are available in sundaes, shakes, splits and Bruster's signature waffle cones.


This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.