Eating Out in Florida

Apopka: Argos Diner, 3346 E. Semoran Blvd. Phone (407) 788-1888 A small restaurant with a friendly staff. We ate breakfast there and although our eggs were more brown than we liked them, the food was hot and good. And the biscuits were fresh. Reasonable (2/2008)

Clermont:  China Star, 668 E. Hwy 50, Phone (352) 242-0878  Right off the bat this eat-in/carry out Chinese restaurant lost points with me because the hot and sour soup and the entrees were served in carry out containers.  I HATE eating off styrofoam if I'm eating in at a restaurant.  2) the food was not terribly spicy. 3) there was very little sauce on our dishes, only enough to coat the shrimp and chicken and vegetables but not enough to soak or moisten the rice.  We wouldn't go back. (12/2010)

China Town, 781 E Hwy 50, Phone (352) 394-5000  The hot and sour soup was excellent, the food nicely spiced but our chicken was cooked bone dry which ruined the entire meal.  Too bad. (12/2010)

D'amato's Italian Restaurant, 151 W. Hwy 50, Phone (352) 242-2422  Denny and I stopped here because we wanted pizza which we ordered.  However, there were many wonderful looking dishes that passed our table that makes us want to come back and try some of the pasta dishes here.  Our pizza was a bit light on the tomato sauce, but the thin crust was crispy, the toppings were good, the side salads were fresh and the tiramisu that we took home to eat later was very good.  Recommended. (12/2010)

Oakwood Smokehouse , 1529 Sunrise Plaza (fronts Hwy 27) Phone (352) 394-0036 One of four restaurants in the Lake County area, Oakwood Smokehouse features a special of a full rack of ribs for $10.99 on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. And oh, are those ribs wonderful! I had the pork sandwich and the meat was a bit dry. Go for the rack of ribs and you won't regret it. The cheddar broccoli soup is pretty good, too. (3/2008)  Edited 12/2010; we returned this year and the ribs are still good and the prices are reasonable so we still recommend this restaurant.

Randy's Grill, 1213 US Hwy 27, (352) 243-6005 Breakfast was hot and delicious. The Western omelette was perfect and Denny said the chicken fried steak was tasty. Reasonably priced. (3/2008)

Santino's Pizzeria and Italian Restaurant, 1529 Sunrise Plaza Dr. (fronts US 27 next to Advance Auto Parts) Hands down, the best meals we've had in weeks. We ate there three times; first, we had the pizza, which is served with free garlic knots (I could make a meal of these) and an order of fried mushrooms. Absolutely delicious. Second trip, veal parmesan for me, penne with Italian sausage and meatballs for Denny. The veal was pounded meat, not ground up and formed into patties and then delicately breaded and fried and doused with marinara sauce and mozarella. Denny moaned over his penne. Our third trip at lunch time we went for the soup and 1/2 sub special which included a salad, a large bowl (not a cup) of soup, and then our subs appeared with a large serving of french fries on the side. So much food and it was so good we had to try to eat it all. I could have eaten here every night of the week. Highly recomended and try to sit at one of Brenda's tables--she's a sweetie. (3/2008)  Edited 12/2010:  Santino's is gone--run out by high rents.  

 

Flagler Beach:  By the Sea Cafe, 1536 S Oceanshore Blvd, Phone (386) 439-6428.  A funky little beach house turned cafe decorated with a mish-mash of china, tables and chairs and operated by the owner/chef.  Tasty sandwiches at lunch time and free bite sized blueberry muffins on the tables.  The front door was left open to the ocean breeze so I had a wonderful view of the Atlantic from where I sat.  There is also seating in the back on a trellis covered patio.  However, the macaroni salad was little more than boiled macaroni (no taste of mayo or pickle relish).  The sandwiches were yummy, making the experience a little uneven.  Pricey.  (11/2010)

China Cafe,  426 Beach Village Dr. Phone (386) 439-3388  Good hot and sour soup, large glasses of iced tea, food where the spice sneaks up on you a bit.  Good sized portions, good flavor, tender shrimp, freshly cooked.  While it wasn't the best Chinese we've had, we would go back. (11/2010)

Martin's Restaurant, 2000 S Oceanshore Blvd. Phone (386) 439-5830  We had eaten here with friends a long time ago, driving all the way down from St. Augustine.  We had a wonderful meal at that time, so when we realized how close we were to the restaurant this visit, we had to go back.  What a mistake.  Our meals were so hot it was pretty obvious they were microzapped and our prime rib was so seared on the outside that it looked and tasted like pot roast, although the inner section was tasty.  The bleu cheese dressing looked and tasted like straight Miracle Whip out of the jar.  The baked potatoes were tender and hot, the dinner rolls were fresh and tasty but they couldn't make up for the ruined prime rib and nasty salad dressing.  The shrimp and lobster on other diners' plates looked very good however.  Great view of the ocean from the window seating. (11/2010)

Homasassa: New China Restaurant, 3770 Suncoast Blvd. Phone (352) 628-1122 Three strikes for serving your eat-in meal in styrofoam take-out containers and plastic utensils. The fourth strike is hot and sour soup that has only bamboo shoots in it. Chicken in garlic sauce and shrimp in garlic sauce lunch entrees were hot, plentiful and good. I just hate eating on styrofoam. Reasonable. (1/2008)

Yanni's Restaurant, 7431 S. Suncoast Blvd. Phone (352) 621-4551 Family-style, family owned and operated. Moderate prices, early bird specials, good food, excellent tiramisu (2/1999) Edited 1/13/2008: Yanni's is no more. The restaurant is now called Patrick's and according to a newly transplanted Floridian the food is quite good. The address and the telephone number are the same.

Hudson: China King, 12035 Little Rd. Phone (727) 868-0888 Great hot and sour soup, mediocre kung pao and chicken in garlic sauce. Served on styrofoam take out boxes with plastic forks. I HATE that. Not recommended. (1/2008)

Sam's Hudson Beach Restaurant, 6325 Clark St. Phone (727) 868-1971 Good burgers and fries, good fish, great view of the water. Very, very, very expensive. 2 burger platters and 2 fish sandwich platters and four iced teas cost over $60 with tip. Are you blanching yet? We did, because we picked up the check. We won't be back (2/2008)

Kissimmee: Houlihan's, 8520 West Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy (Hwy 192) Phone (407) 809-0900  Lured by the roadside billboards near our campground in Clermont we drove and drove ("just ahead on the right" we were promised by a series of about five billboards) to eat breakast at what turned out to be a breakfast buffet.  The food was decent, there was an omelet grill to get freshly prepared omelets or eggs how you wanted them.  The buffet was $6.99 per person, ice tea was $2.50 and a cup of coffee was $2.50.  The waitress never refilled my coffee or Denny's iced tea although she did bring more plates when ours were empty after our first trip to the buffet.  A good place to pig out if you are into that sort of thing and you are given a receipt for 10% off your next visit. (12/2010)

Live Oak: Dixie Grill, 101 Dowling St. Phone (386) 364-2810 Where the locals go to eat. We ate Sunday breakfast there early and beat the crowd. I had a Western Omelette that was stuffed with good ham and large chunks of onion and green peppers. Denny raved about his link sausage. The biscuits were large and fresh from the oven, not the microwave. Yum. Under $15.00 including the tip. (1/2008)  Edited 1/2011; we were back this year and it's still good.

Big Daddy's BBQ and Steakhouse, 314 NW 72nd Trace, Phone (386) 362-7427.  Sits off of US 129 and worth looking for.  Great BBQ sandwiches, fresh hot fries and onion rings and strong iced tea.  Dead animals looking down at you but the pleasant wood interior makes up for it. Reasonable and good. (1/2011)

Moore Haven area: Seminole Casino Brighton--Joshua Lounge, Hwy 721 between SR 78 & SR 70 Inside the casino, allows smoking in the restaurant. More of a cafe, very expensive. The food was decent, but it's inside of the casino so it is smoky and noisy. It's a place to eat in an area where there's not many choices. (2/2008)

Okeechobee: Clock Restaurant, 1111 S. Parrott Ave. Phone (863) 467-2224 Friends took us here for the breakfast buffet. It was not exciting. A lot of the locals seem to eat here, especially the seniors. A buffet, go figure. (5/2006)

All-Star Steak & Ale, 3415 St. Rd. 441, Phone (863) 467-8191 Our friends said they had some of the best food in town. I'd hate to have the worst. The BBQ ribs were pressure cooked with a ladle of bland sauce that was little more than ketchup. One of the worst meals we've had in a long time. Plus the "smoking" section was the pool hall side and our table was 3 feet from the juke box which the pool players decided to play after we'd been sitting and talking for about 15 minutes-and the very considerate guy even turned the volume up to full blast for our dining pleasure. Don't bother with this place. (5/2006)

Port Richey: Breakfast Station, 10039 US Hwy 19 Phone (727) 861-3814 Breakfast and lunch served only. Excellent western omelette, great country fried steak and eggs, good service, cheap price. Our kind of place. (1/2008)

Jeannie's Diner and Restaurant III, US Hwy 19 and Jasmine Blvd (NE corner) Phone (727) 862-9916 We had breakfast here twice and it was the least expensive breakfast we've had in months and it was good. For Sunday breakfast, arrive between 8 and 8:15 to get a table--it gets busy after that. Breakfast, lunch and dinner plus a bar. (2/2008)

Mickey's Diner, 7015 Division Ave Phone (727) 862-6425 They were out of grouper, so we ordered a pollock sandwich and the special Mickey burger. Both were tasteless. The french fries were hard. Not recommended. (1/2008)

Sam Seltzer's Steakhouse , 9409 US Hwy 19 Phone (727)844-7267 We normally don't hit the chain restaurants for dinner, but this place was recommended by friends. We had the happy hour prime rib, which while thin cut, was tender and flavorful. I enjoyed the creamed spinach and Denny went for the baked sweet potato. Our friends raved about the ribs. Alcoholic beverages are expensive--next time we'll have our cocktails at home, then come here to eat. (1/2008)

Sarasota:  Barnacle Bill's, 5050 N. Tamiami Trail, Phone (941) 355-7700  Recommended by a staff member at the Ringling Museum, we were very disappointed in their fish sandwiches.  The two tiny pieces of fish only covered about 2/3 of our buns.  The French fries were fresh and good, the bread was excellent but a seafood restaurant shouldn't serve a pathetic sandwich like that.  Overpriced to boot. No recommendation from us.  (12/2010)

St. Augustine: The Oasis, 4000 A1A South, Phone (904) 471-3424. An obvious favorite with the locals. The portions are small and the prices are high, although the food is good. The wait staff is very friendly. We had breakfast here. (11/2006)

A1A Ale Works,1 King St., Phone (904) 829-2977 There are a lot of restaurants in old St. Augustine and they will all be expensive. However, dining on the balcony of this former mercantile building while people and boat-watching was very pleasant and our meal was very good. The chefs here are allowed free hand with the menu and they change the specials daily. The wait staff taste-tests them all so they are able to recommend their favorites of the group. Do not leave without trying the white chocolate dried cherry bread pudding. Yum! We rolled out of this restaurant, wonderfully stuffed. (11/2006)

Borrillo's Pizza and Subs, 88 San Marco, Phone (904) 829-1133 Cash Only!  New York-style slices of pizza or whole pies, Buffalo wings, spaghetti and more. We went for the whole pie and an order of wings and took most of the pizza home. The locals know to buy a slice and leave it at that. Good pizza and great wings. (11/2006)

Cafe Eleven, 501 A1A Beach Blvd., Phone (904) 460-931 Sunday is buffet-style breakfast only, which was only mediocre and expensive. There are a couple of small tables outside but no real view of the beach due to the condos across the street. (12/2006)

Raintree Restaurant, 102 San Marco Ave. Phone (904) 824-7211. This 2-story yellow frame former home with enclosed front porch decorated for Christmas is the personal favorite of one of our trolley tour drivers. He recommends the dessert bar even if you dine elsewhere. It looks like a wonderful place for an intimate dinner for two, especially on the front porch. We'll try it the next time we're in town. (11/2006)

Barnacle Bill's, 14 W. Castillo Dr. Phone (904) 824-3663. This seafood restaurant is supposed to be quite popular with locals and tourists both, per another tour guide. A short walk from the trolley stop.(11/2006)

St. Pete Beach: Sea Porch Cafe at the Don CeSar Hotel, 3400 Gulf Blvd. Phone (727) 360-1881 Elegant dining, excellent presentation, great food. Expensive. Due to the wind, we ate inside by the choice of the servers. Our preference would have been the outdoor tables with a bit of a view of the beach and the hotel. Recommended as a special treat. (2/2008)

Wauchula:  Nicholas' Family Restaurant, 615 N. 6th Ave. Phone (843) 773-2333  While their fresh bread was chewy as if heated in the microwave, that was our ony complaint with our meal.  My fried shrimp was tender with a very light, crispy breading and Denny's chicken fried steak was fork tender.  Both meals were served steaming hot, there were plenty of desserts and the split pea soup suffered only from a lack of ham chunks.  But then, I prefer my own homemade split pea soup over anyone else's.  Recommended.  (12/2010)

Paul's Kitchen, 116 N. 4th Ave. Phone (863) 773-0292  Housed in a small former Cape Cod style residence, Paul's serves its coffee in mismatched mugs and its breakfasts on mismatched Corelle and ironstone plates but the food they serve is really, really good.  And where else can you get two slices of French toast, two slices of bacon and two eggs for $3.50?  Each time we went (and we had breakfast there four times over a two week period) our bill was less expensive.  Recommended. (12/2010)

Pioneer Restaurant, 2902 US Hwy 17S Phone (863)735-0726 Four of us agreed our dinners here were good; liver and onions, BBQ sandwich and chili and country fried steak. Denny and I went back for breakfast and the eggs were way overcooked both as scrambled eggs and as an omelet, which also came back as nothing like what I had ordered. Eat dinner there, not breakfast. Cash only.(1/2008)

The Bread Board, 902 S. 6th Ave., Phone (863) 733-2337  Try the smothered chicken; recommended by the staff who work there and they were right.  Denny filled up on their salad bar which was basic but plentiful.  Their chicken noodle, their gumbo and their cream of broccoli soups were all good.  The Sunday night special of prime rib was thin but surprisingly tender, their mushroom swiss burger was huge and their prices are reasonable. (12/2010)

Wildwood: Ole Coffee House, 610 N. Main St. Phone (352) 748-4300 A little beat-up, a bullet hole in one of the picture windows, but the locals like to gather here for some tall tales (we heard the one about the two-legged dog in Alabama keeping up with a truck driving 25-30 mph down a country road.) A two-egg omelette was filled with so much tender ham, green peppers and onions that I had to take half of it home. Their biscuits had been reheated in a microwave, unfortunately. The sausage gravy was good, per Denny. Reasonable.(1/2008)