Chop House at Lake Sumter is Open

[champion6]

Did you eat there? Lunch? Dinner?

[hvacgolfer]

Today was day 1 and things went smoothly all things considered. Sat at the inside bar, had a pork tenderloin and it was juicy and flavorful. Service was very good. Pricey.... a bit so, but well worth it! Highly recommend this. Fred made it a point to visit all of his customers and listened closely to everyone's comments.

[dewilson58]

Hope it's Iowa corn fed Beef.


:popcorn:

[Chatbrat]

The beef comes from Nebraska, grain fed, again look up Halpern-Grand Isle Nebraska--check out their video very informative and look for the names of the restaurants they service--on the warehouse shelves

[champion6]

I think I read that the outside seating, near the water, has a simpler menu. Has anyone compared the inside and outside menus?

[mulligan]

Simple menu ? What's that ? Pictures of offerings you point to ?

[Chatbrat]

Both menus are on their website--totally different--apples vs oranges

[skip0358]

Going tonight for our Anniversary will post something tomorrow. Can't be bad or the trashers would have doomed the place already.

[CWGUY]

Going tonight for our Anniversary will post something tomorrow. Can't be bad or the trashers would have doomed the place already.

:) Look forward to your review. Happy Anniversary! :ho:

[skip0358]

Ok went to Chop House tonight. They did a great job on the place,decor we thought was nice. About a 15 minute wait for us. Comfortable seats at the bar, nice seating at our table. Waitress was very efficient, explained everything. The Nebraska steak $48 for the Delmonico at today’s price. Our Steaks were delicious, as were the sides. Desert was very good cocktails were well made. As for the prices it’s not your typical quick meal price for sure but the quality of tonight’s meal was very good. If your looking for a cheap meal this is not the place. If your looking for a Special occasion or a step above then come here. Would like to see in a month how the crowds are when everyone gets a chance to check it out for themselves.

[CWGUY]

Ok went to Chop House tonight. They did a great job on the place,decor we thought was nice. About a 15 minute wait for us. Comfortable seats at the bar, nice seating at our table. Waitress was very efficient, explained everything. The Nebraska steak $48 for the Delmonico at today’s price. Our Steaks were delicious, as were the sides. Desert was very good cocktails were well made. As for the prices it’s not your typical quick meal price for sure but the quality of tonight’s meal was very good. If your looking for a cheap meal this is not the place. If your looking for a Special occasion or a step above then come here. Would like to see in a month how the crowds are when everyone gets a chance to check it out for themselves.

:ho: Thank you

[Velvet]

Sounds good!

[Carla B]

Went last night with another couple. It is rare for us to eat out at night but decided to do so impromptu. Got there at 7:30 pm and had a 20 minute wait. The decor is lovely. There has been an effort to dampen the noise of the space by using carpet and soft, comfortable upholstery. We all had filets and all were cooked perfectly to order (rare). The sides that came with the entree were delicious, as well. Our server was very well versed and efficient.

It was hard to believe they'd only been open three days by then.

[Villageswimmer]

Thanks for the good reviews!

[dewilson58]

Ok went to Chop House tonight. They did a great job on the place,decor we thought was nice. About a 15 minute wait for us. Comfortable seats at the bar, nice seating at our table. Waitress was very efficient, explained everything. The Nebraska steak $48 for the Delmonico at today’s price. Our Steaks were delicious, as were the sides. Desert was very good cocktails were well made. As for the prices it’s not your typical quick meal price for sure but the quality of tonight’s meal was very good. If your looking for a cheap meal this is not the place. If your looking for a Special occasion or a step above then come here. Would like to see in a month how the crowds are when everyone gets a chance to check it out for themselves.




Thanks!!


Happy Anniversary.

[Chatbrat]

I am not knocking the description of steak that a previous poster had, but I can not find an accurate description of a Delmonico steak besides being a proprietary cut of a famed NYC restaurant-- when I go to a steak house I expect to see a steak described as a porterhouse , T-bone, rib-eye--personally my favorite is a ribeye

[Bill32]

Was that a steak for two?

[Skip]

I saw a good review on The Villages Gourmet Club website (http://thevillagesgourmetclub.com/page1.html#C) today.
Someone gave them 14 out of 15 Stars.

Hooray for good food. :clap2:

Skip

[tophcfa]

Went there last night about 6:30 and they had approximately a 40 minute wait for a table for two. Went just down the road and had a great sushi dinner with no wait. Restaurants that don't take reservations and have long waits won't get my business, and apparently they don't care.

[Marathon Man]

Went there last night about 6:30 and they had approximately a 40 minute wait for a table for two. Went just down the road and had a great sushi dinner with no wait. Restaurants that don't take reservations and have long waits won't get my business, and apparently they don't care.

The orange is because of the blue.

[Skip]

BTW, the Delmonico Steak originated in New York City at Delmonico's Restaurant.
Originally it was a cut of Rib-Eye. Today it can be any boneless filet cut, like from the tenderloin.
Ed Sullivan lived at the Hotel Delmonico and had Delmonico Steaks there often.
It's a wonder they didn't call it the Sullivan Steak. :coolsmiley:

Skip

[Bob2H-in-1]

Gotta try it for yourself. Go there and evaluate it on your own. Like beauty, it's in the eye (or the stomach) of the beholder. Wife and I did our 55th anniversary dinner last night and we were mostly impressed. Great staff; great food. We'll return.

[Velvet]

Can’t wait! First place we are going to when we get back to TV.

[Chi-Town]

Went there last night about 6:30 and they had approximately a 40 minute wait for a table for two. Went just down the road and had a great sushi dinner with no wait. Restaurants that don't take reservations and have long waits won't get my business, and apparently they don't care.Sounds like a successful opening week. Glad to hear that.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

[bilcon]

I took a quick tour of the inside, and they have done a beautiful job on the decor. I heard the food is also excellent. I checked out the menu and did not feel it was that expensive for a good restaurant. If it is as good as Blue Fin, I can't wait to eat there.

"I have never made a mistake in my life. I thought I did once, but I was wrong."

[bkck0812]

“A very nice restaurant, excellent service, high quality food” A very classy nice restaurant. A warm welcoming, followed by an excellent service, with a lot of attention to details on order to please you. I have had lunch and was @ soft opening ! The steak is fabulous! So glad we finally got a Real Steak House !
Great job Fred & staff
Charlie & Bev

[family]

Did you eat there? Lunch? Dinner?

Birthday dinner last night and it was awesome! Food, service and atmosphere excellent. Will definitely go back.

[ron32162]

From what I have seen if a restaurant in The Villages does not have a coupon or a two for 1 deal most people complain that its too pricey.

[JSR22]

I had dinner at Chop House last evening and it was excellent. The restaurant was entirely redone and it is beautiful. The place was completely full and it was not noisy. Service was excellent. I had a veal porterhouse, mashed potatoes and mushrooms. The best entree' I have eaten since I moved to FL. Returning very soon.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Went there last night about 6:30 and they had approximately a 40 minute wait for a table for two. Went just down the road and had a great sushi dinner with no wait. Restaurants that don't take reservations and have long waits won't get my business, and apparently they don't care.

You went to a high-end restaurant that is brand spanking new, has just recently had its grand opening and is therefore still a HUGE novelty because everyone wants to be one of the first to try it. You not only did that, but you did it on a Friday night, at the height of dinnertime.

Next time, try going at 3:30 in the middle of a Tuesday afternoon.

Or wait until the novelty wears off and people start only going there because it's a place they already know they enjoy.

So when that sushi place fills up again because the ChopHouse customers have already tried it, and will now be staggering their future visits (if they have any), and are returning to their usual less expensive sushi place, you'll be waiting in line. And the Chophouse will have a table available for you, no wait.

Retail customer lesson #473: "the other line is always shorter."

[billethkid]

No wait after 7:30 PM.....half TV is in bed by then!
:duck:

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

no wait after 7:30 pm.....half tv is in bed by then!
:duck:

but mah earlay burd speshul!!!!

[OlifOlif]

I want to eat there because they serve REAL MEAT! No phony meat, or meat made our of bushes and grass clippings. It's meat all the way, the way it should be eaten!

And if anyone won't eat meat, then get to one of those new age places where everything is made from plants!

Bah!

[Blessed2BNTV]

Had lunch today at Chop House....food and service was wonderful! Our new go-to restaurant!

[billethkid]

We had dinner there last night. Went at 7 PM and were seated within 10 minutes.

Decor was so-so (to me). Open ceiling still reverberates too much noise, but able to converse.

Food was very good. I had the lamb shank and it was great. Oters had steaks all done as ordered.

The staff seems to be in a little more hectic mode than one desires for a better dining experience. Our waiter had three tables and he was moving just to fast. As a result things just took longer....to get drinks....he forgot the bread....he was in too much of a hurry to get the order in (we like to talk and drink before ordering without someone hovering....he had to go get silverware to go with the entre'.

They would get a 'B' for trying.
I will chalk it up to opening week jitters.
The place is better that the average around TV.

We will go back without hesitation. With a couple of drinks before dinner and a glass of wine with dinner tab was about $60 per person.

And for you happy hour folks....they have it after 8 PM which worked out perfectly for us.

Not a bad experience!!!!

[coffeebean]

Went there last night about 6:30 and they had approximately a 40 minute wait for a table for two. Went just down the road and had a great sushi dinner with no wait. Restaurants that don't take reservations and have long waits won't get my business, and apparently they don't care.

When I called to make a reservation, I was told they weren't taking reservations for the first couple of months. Sounds to me that once they "get their feet wet", they will take reservations.

[coffeebean]

I had dinner at Chop House last evening and it was excellent. The restaurant was entirely redone and it is beautiful. The place was completely full and it was not noisy. Service was excellent. I had a veal porterhouse, mashed potatoes and mushrooms. The best entree' I have eaten since I moved to FL. Returning very soon.

The high backed banquets is what keeps the noise down. The restaurant has a wonderful atmosphere. Very well done. It feels special just to enter. The lighting is lovely.

Only one complaint from me.....We arrived at 8:00 for dinner and our party of four did not realize the restaurant closes at 9:00. I honestly think they should stay open at least until 10:00. After our dinner, two of us ordered decaf coffee with desert. The coffee had to be the very bottom of the pot. Coffee drinkers know what I mean. It was mentioned to our waiter that the coffee wasn't fresh. He immediately took the coffees off the bill rather than offering to make a fresh pot. That is a bit of a sore spot with me because I love a good cup of coffee with desert.

We will be back. Now I know to make sure the coffee is fresh before I order it.

[coffeebean]

No wait after 7:30 PM.....half TV is in bed by then!
:duck:

Our party of four went on a Tuesday evening. We arrived at 8:00 and were told there was a 20 minute wait,; however we were seated ten minutes later.

[walterray1]

I will say up front that we don't drink coffee after dinner. However, wouldn't realistically expect that a new pot of coffee be made at end of the night when the restaurant is closing. Taking cost off the bill seems like a reasonable alternative.

[Carla B]

I will say up front that we don't drink coffee after dinner. However, wouldn't realistically expect that a new pot of coffee be made at end of the night when the restaurant is closing. Taking cost off the bill seems like a reasonable alternative.

Maybe they should get a Keurig for late coffee.

[daddymac1127]

That would mean they were thinking of customer service. In this day and age that would be a first.

[thelegges]

I will say up front that we don't drink coffee after dinner. However, wouldn't realistically expect that a new pot of coffee be made at end of the night when the restaurant is closing. Taking cost off the bill seems like a reasonable alternative.

Commercial cost of pot of fresh coffee $1.64. Time to make 4.37 minutes ( if you are grinding fresh beans, less time if packet grounds).
Customers spending easily $200 for 4, deserves fresh coffee, it’s standard procedure for restaurants serving alcohol. It’s first week, timing is still in the works

[Aloha1]

Simple solution to fresh coffee: Offer Irish Coffee as a dessert option. Problem solved!

[coffeebean]

I will say up front that we don't drink coffee after dinner. However, wouldn't realistically expect that a new pot of coffee be made at end of the night when the restaurant is closing. Taking cost off the bill seems like a reasonable alternative.

The server should have let us know the coffee wasn't fresh or told us there was no coffee at the late hour which was after their closing time. The waiter should not have served us mud. I would have understood if we were told there is no coffee at that late hour.

[coffeebean]

Simple solution to fresh coffee: Offer Irish Coffee as a dessert option. Problem solved!

Nice solution!

[coffeebean]

Maybe they should get a Keurig for late coffee.

This is an excellent solution for coffee drinkers at the late hour.

[Navy (SSBN 633)]

Better yet Nespresso machine

[600th Photo Sq]

My advice ( Free )....Buy Two ( 2 ) Super " KEURIG " Coffee Machines a supply of Coffee Pods and Walla problem solved.

In Advance " Your Welcome ".

[Chi-Town]

High end steakhouses offer the choice of a cup of coffee at the end of a meal. It is usually of excellent quality and a nice way to top off the evening. There is no substitute or reason not to have it available. Perhaps part of the learning curve.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

[pacjag]

Good coffee takes only 5-10 minutes to brew and should be available from open to close at any nice restaurant. I’ve had Keurig coffee a number of times and in my opinion is not good coffee and should not be served in any nice restaurant. :shocked:

[Bay Kid]

Coffee? But what about their steaks? Do they have great burgers?

[Jess1980]

Had burger there Friday. $13.70. Added cheese, .50 and grilled onions .50 so $14.70.

Good burger but nothing special. Can get same quality at multiple other establishments for half the price.

Friend had their "French dip". Not impressed. Not much meat and not comparable to France dip at City Fire.

[walterray1]

We ate there last week. Sat at the bar. The atmosphere in the restaurant is very nice. I had the filet with béarnaise sauce. It was cooked perfectly and was excellent. My wife had the lamb shank and she said it was the best she ever had. We really enjoyed the entire experience and will certainly return.

[coffeebean]

Coffee? But what about their steaks? Do they have great burgers?

We all had the 5 ounce Filet Mignon and they were delicious. Two out of the four were cooked as ordered which was mine any my husband's. As for our friends, theirs were under cooked. Only one was sent back because it was not edible as it was.

Drawn butter was not brought for one of the surf (lobster tail) and turf meals. My husband's meal was served without the lobster meat (on the menu as Filet Mignon and lobster meat) and he did order it correctly. In fact, the waiter verified that my husband was not ordering the lobster tail but just the lobster meat. To make up for not bringing the lobster meat, they brought him a lobster tail with drawn butter after a wait of about 10 minutes. That is when we realized our friend's meal of surf and turf should have been served with drawn butter.

Things weren't perfect with the meals or the service but I chalk this up to restaurant and staff growing pains. As I said in my previous post, we will be back but we will give them some time to get their act together.

[coffeebean]

Forgot to mention, hubby and I had the Bearnaise sauce with our Filet Mignon. The sauce was very good but not the best I have tasted. I tasted the Gorgonzola butter that my friend ordered and that is what I'm going to order next time when I have Filet Mignon. That butter was scrumptious!

[vinricci]

“Four of us were looking forward to eating there especially since they advertise “prime” cuts of beef. All of us ordered the Delmonico rib eye. When a place charges $48 for a steak you'd expect to be able to cut it with a fork, however, even the knives had a hard time. The only thing hot was the baked potato. One person had the green beans which were cold and tasteless. Another paid extra for the brussel sprouts and they were barely warm. I would have brought my concerns to the manager but I didn’t want to embarrass my dining companions. However, after we left they brought up the same concerns. Bottom line if you’re going to charge premium prices, your food better be of premium quality. A couple of positive things; the mini artichoke appetizer was very good and they serve Pepsi products.
By the way Longhorn's ribeyes were much better, served warmer and half the price.”

[KEP721]

I’m a snowbird...did I just lose points😂...like most people in TV my husband and I eat out quite often. I appreciate the many choices of restaurants; but look forward to an upscale experience only an short drive from my home.

[Chatbrat]

Do a little price comparison with Mark's Prime, a Delmonico is a style of cut it doesn't have to come from a ribeye, but it can--to those who had the Delmonico a the Chophouse, how thick was the steak--if it was under 2" , its tough to get it tender

[walterray1]

You all paid 48 dollars for Delmonico and were embarrassed to bring up a concern to management? Pepsi products? Sounds like Longhorn has a customer for life.