Eating out more or less since you moved to TV

[Chatbrat]

We're down to eating out approx once every two weeks since we moved to TV 9 1/2 yrs ago

Decided its too boring what most of the restaurants have as their menu items--all the same cookie cutter items

Made Veal Milanese @ home the other evening--we looked @ each other & said best Italian food we had since we moved here, better cocktails & wine too !

Sealed the deal --Admiral doesn't eat fish-we're no down to two places to eat out Bamboo Bistro & Blufin

Wondering if others are eating out less & less after the a few years here ?

[karostay]

:popcorn::popcorn::popcorn:

[Bjeanj]

We rarely ate out while we were working. We probably average eating out 2x/ week now. When we do, I’m not looking for gourmet food, just food that a) I don’t have to fix, and b) food that tastes as good or better than I can cook. My needs are simple.

I’m thinking 3x/ week would be just about right for me.

[asianthree]

When we arrive from the north, we eat out 3 or 4 times a week, until we get house in order. That takes about a week. After that we may eat out once or twice a month.

We make all of our meals, it’s not about cost of eating out. It’s quality, never a disappointment at home. Plus enjoying a great bottle of wine for a fraction of the cost

Well there was the one time, my beef Wellington was good, but not perfect.

[ColdNoMore]

Eating out less.

Particularly since I found out that even in this "gated" community...food delivery is pretty easy. :D

[JSR22]

We eat dinner out 3 to 4 times a week and the same for lunch. Neither of us eat breakfast. Same amount as when we moved here 7 years ago.

[Velvet]

We tried eating out while visiting over the years. But since we moved in, the only time we eat out is if we are shopping and have no time to go home.

[Madelaine Amee]

Eat out less. Usually only when we have company and they want to visit the Squares. But, I do like to go out for Mexican for late lunch.

[Nucky]

We went berserk when we got here and continued that way for about 2 years. Eating out constantly lost it’s thrill.

I would say Twice a week is average now for Eating on The Road! Eating at home or bringing a meal to someone who would enjoy some company and a meal they don’t have to struggle to cook is way better than poke and hope for a good meal.

We Prefer Bluefin or Any Mexican Restaurant.

[Topspinmo]

We're down to eating out approx once every two weeks since we moved to TV 9 1/2 yrs ago

Decided its too boring what most of the restaurants have as their menu items--all the same cookie cutter items

Made Veal Milanese @ home the other evening--we looked @ each other & said best Italian food we had since we moved here, better cocktails & wine too !

Sealed the deal --Admiral doesn't eat fish-we're no down to two places to eat out Bamboo Bistro & Blufin

Wondering if others are eating out less & less after the a few years here ?

Yes, find very few restaurants worth returning to.

[valuemkt]

Way more

[JudyLife]

It’s hit & miss for us. The last 4 years that we’ve been coming here we found the cost rising for sure. I love to cook so we tend to eat home more but do enjoy a big breakfast out. We like Meza Luna for Italian, and it’s very close to us, Mallory CC when I can’t be bothered to cook. Simple food but very nice & friendly service & again very near to us.

[GOLFER54]

Between the long waiting times to be seated at the restaurant, the slow service at times, the small portions, the ridiculous prices,the reports of unsanitary conditions of some restaurants, in some places the noise, the price of drinks, eating home takes some organization and work, cleaning up etc.... but there is nothing better than a home cooked meal. My wife and I go out to eat approximately every 2 months and order some dinners that we don’t normally cook at home. We usually go out for lunch when the prices at restaurants are lower. Some folks eat out three times a day... my mom used to say, “ To each its own.”

[IUFAN]

Nope We have been here going on 8 years and eat out five to six times a week, especially breakfast.

[rjn5656]

We eat out a lot, usually associated with our social scheule, golf , neighborhood get togethers, friends, etc. Would like to cook more but don't have the time.

[Cheapbas]

About the same, home M-Th, take out or out for the w/e. You could try some of the meals at home services, haven’t myself but friends rave about them, HelloFresh, Fresh and Easy.

[xhippee]

I thought my wife and I were the only ones who didn't enjoy dining out here. Boring is the right word for our local restaurants. Love creating meals at home, better wine and drinks, too.

[ChicagoNative]

A couple times weekly. We also eat our “big” meal between 3-4 pm so we avoid most of the long waits. We have a light snack in the evening if we get a munchy.

I agree with others that the restaurants here are mostly forgettable. We’ve found a few we like:

Francescos, Japanese Steakhouse, Nancy Lopez, Naldo, Los Mayagues for “nicer”
dining.

Eatons and Gator Joes for beachy-tiki pub grub.

Artmans for BBQ

Keke, Darrells, Metro for breakfast.

Culver’s for fast food.

We also like Great Chicago Fire for Italian beef and gyros. Their pizza is just OK. We’re still searching for good Chicago tavern-style thin closer than Spring Hill and St. Pete! Any suggestions?

[theruizs]

We dine out together maybe 2 or 3 times a month. I’m not too picky about where she wants to go because I am vegetarian and can usually find something to eat just about anywhere. She dines out a lot more with her quilting club friends, 3 times a week at least for lunch or dinner and sometimes both. But I prefer to eat at home and prepare meals for myself. My wife will prepare a few dishes for me that she is good at, like vegetarian goulash or vegetarian Texas hash (I know, vegetarian and Texas in the same sentence is an oxymoron).

[Joyce952]

We only eat out about once a week, we did that before coming here. I do like to cook for us and yes the food is better at home usually, but we did find those new food trucks in Marsh woods with the nice walking trail. We have only tried the Mexican truck and they are very accommodating to your food needs. We are plant based so that makes it even harder to eat out.

[Guitarman1951]

Eating out during the season is a tough prospect. Long waits, spotty service, mediocre food at most so we are more prone to eat out during warm weather when waits are short, service is better and you don't feel so rushed.

[meridian5850]

We go for a late lunch 2-4 times a week, 1 or 2 of them with friends. Occasionally eat breakfast out and very occasionally, dinner. We also go to Culver's for custard several times a month for the daily special flavor.

[Bethwill]

Very Rarely. Usually a few times a year. Restaurant food is rarely as good as if I make it myself, and always not worth the price. Makes it worth the price to buy GOOD meat, and fresh fish from good sourses, for special meals.

[genobambino]

We were eating out about 3 times a week until the snow birds came back, now maybe 3 times a month. I'm not standing in line for an hour at a restaurant, plus all the traffic headaches

[mp.scanland]

Go to The Villages Gourmet Club website and take a look at the data base of over 900 restaurants of all types of food and styles of dining.

[dewilson58]

We don't dine out much...................lots of time to cook at home. We enjoy the process of cooking. With the addition of an Insta Pot, it's a new adventure.


I would guess we eat out once per week, usually with a group.

[PennBF]

We get take out a couple of times a month and have noticed a couple of questionable practices. First, if you pay with a credit card on Take Outs it will not except your credit
card unless you check off a tip amount they recommend or check other and put something on it. Second, they do not list the prices on the item's purchased but rather just show a total amount and last you will most likely miss something on the order so be sure to review it before you leave. The sad part is that the food is good but their practices and management leaves a lot to be improved. These observation's are not from singular experiences but rather a pattern we have observed over time. What has been an annoying practice is to get the meal home only to find out that something is missing and it it a pain to take it back for correction. There are other annoying problems and their problems are really associated with management as opposed to food which is usually good.:ohdear:

[ApplePir2]

I heartily agree! When my husband and I dine out we look for a relaxing experience where we can get well-prepared food that I don't usually make at home. I found most of the restaurants we encountered to be mediocre at best and found we dined out much less than we did when up north, maybe once a week. Red Sauce, Sakura, Gianni's and Oakwood Grill were our best bets. As far eating fish, I bought fresh fish and seafood at Lighthouse on rte. 466 and prepared it at home.

[bassfish]

We've lived here 3 years and the restaurant food is getting much worse. Tried Evans Prairie the other night, awful.

We go to Ocala for cajun food at Harry's, Inverness for shrimp and catfish at Stumpknockers and drive down to Wesley Chapel for mexican food at Cantina Laredo or try Cheddars also in Wesley Chapel.

Get out and drive a few miles and you'll find good decent food at good prices, just get out of The Villages.

[John_W]

Nothing has changed since we moved back to Florida in 2011. Our big meal is lunch, has always been my main meal and same for my wife. We eat lunch out about 6 days a week. Sunday we'll have a nice lunch (meal) at home. Today it's spaghetti with salad. Dinner we eat at home all the time. I think the only two times I had dinner out was when I was in a club, a monthly gathering. I really felt out of place eating out so late. At home, I'll have something casual for dinner, could be a sandwich, soup, tuna Fish, whatever, nothing major since my lunch was the big meal. Breakfast is just milk and a muffin. My weight has been the same since 1972.

[mp.scanland]

Take a look at the data base of The Villages Gourmet Club. Listing/description of over 900 restsyrants. Find a new one and try it

[Lynndise]

My husband did all the cooking. Always smiling and never got upset. A perfect gentleman who also dressed very neatly.We had a terrific life. Unfortunately God needed him up there too.
I eat out whenever I want.

[HappyRetired]

We ate out more when we first got here 3 1/2 years ago. We usually go for lunch which has turned into out main meal and is less expensive out. But we've cut way back on eating out because the food has way too much salt. Some places everything has pepper--even French fries. So we eat more simply at home. Save eating out for special occasions or when I have a busy schedule and forget to have something "at the ready".

[Silver Streak]

We eat out once or twice a month but order in once or twice a week. (Hubby picks it up--the dog loves the car rides, LOL!) Cheaper, more relaxed, no worries about driving after a bottle of wine that's way better for the price than any restaurant offers. When we do eat out, we'll go dance on the square for a bit, then hit a restaurant close to 8pm by which time we have the place almost to ourselves even in high season. We're not the earlybirds most in TV seem to be, so that works well for us. :)

[Sensei]

The Villages' restaurants are adequate but not more. Have found Turners in Leesburg exceptional each and every time.

[Aloha1]

Never eat breakfast out and rarely lunch. Dinner out 2-3 times a month. Mrs. Aloha says I'm a better chef than most restaurants and I love to cook. Penne Bolognese last night. San Marzano tomatoes, carrot, celery, onion, basil, oregano, salt. pepper, red wine, parmesana reggiano, ground sirloin. Simmered slowly for 3 hours. Mangia!

[Chatbrat]

Most of the restaurants out of the 900 listed are corp. chains--& after looking @ the top rated restaurants of the 900--we're not on the same wave length--take $$ out of the equation & ask yourself what's the real difference between most of TV restaurants--nothing

[OhioBuckeye]

We're down to eating out approx once every two weeks since we moved to TV 9 1/2 yrs ago

Decided its too boring what most of the restaurants have as their menu items--all the same cookie cutter items

Made Veal Milanese @ home the other evening--we looked @ each other & said best Italian food we had since we moved here, better cocktails & wine too !

Sealed the deal --Admiral doesn't eat fish-we're no down to two places to eat out Bamboo Bistro & Blufin

Wondering if others are eating out less & less after the a few years here ?
I know everyone has their reasons why they eat out a lot or like you, once or twice every 2 weeks. Just my opinion but we eat out a lot but go outside the bubble because there’s cheaper places to eat than TV. I do like Red Sauce, Cody’s & 2 or 3 country clubs & once in while the Lighthouse!

[leftyf]

Less when the snowbirds are here

[Chatbrat]

We like to have a cocktail or two, some wine with dinner--this limits our traveling distance--again look @ all the menu's of the CC's, notice item similarities & prices--eat @ one , you have basically eaten @ all of them--

[TerryElzin]

We eat out 5 times a week and cook Home Chef for the other two. Favorites Blue Fin, Chop House, Ricciardi's, Cody's (Brownwood location) and the Lighthouse for their delicious chowder and cornbread!! Evan's Prairie and Bonifay Country Clubs because they are close.

[Villageswimmer]

The Villages' restaurants are adequate but not more. Have found Turners in Leesburg exceptional each and every time.

We agree. Food is freshly prepared and delicious...And it’s quiet.

[Villageswimmer]

Sorry. Question was more often or less. Less. For sure.

[ALadysMom]

I agree about the exceptional quality of home-cooked foods but I like getting out with friends in a different decor while not having to plan, shop, store, cook and clean up. Many of the restaurants are chains so the food is the same in TV as it is at any other location. I love local eateries so the recommendations are appreciated!

So, would you eat out more if Uber or (eventually) anautonomous taxi would do the driving? Whenever I want to let loose & not worry, I hire a driver. Not to over-indulge, just to not worry.

[xkeowner]

When I retired, my homemaker wife retired also! We eat out together 3-4 evenings and 2-3 lunches per week. Generally have 1-2 home prepared meals per week which either one of us will prepare. Leftovers or fix your own for the remainder of the meals.

We have eaten in approximately 400 different restaurants in the 9.5 years we have lived here which includes approximately 80 which are now either under new ownership or closed. We obviously get out of the bubble frequently with the average distance of the restaurants at approximately 30 miles.

[Topspinmo]

It’s hit & miss for us. The last 4 years that we’ve been coming here we found the cost rising for sure. I love to cook so we tend to eat home more but do enjoy a big breakfast out. We like Meza Luna for Italian, and it’s very close to us, Mallory CC when I can’t be bothered to cook. Simple food but very nice & friendly service & again very near to us.

I Amit hard to screw up breakfast, but some manage to do it. I don’t like eating out breakfast cause I seem to rack up the calories.

[JoMar]

Interesting to note the number of posts....seems the new folks are responding more to this post. Wonder how many share the cooking at home. Wife and I eat out a couple times a week but we both cook so one person doesn't bear the burden alone.

[vintageogauge]

Interesting to note the number of posts....seems the new folks are responding more to this post. Wonder how many share the cooking at home. Wife and I eat out a couple times a week but we both cook so one person doesn't bear the burden alone.

We both cook also and aim to go out once a week. More in the summer when it's not so crowded.

[Chatbrat]

Most of the times its a joint process, whether prepping the grill, setting up all spices needed and their portions--opening wine to allow enough time to properly breath--cutting the parchment paper for our pizza stone
weekly routine--Mon. chicken & salad Tues grilled steak & salad Wed. lamb shanks Thurs stuffed peppers Fri-Pizza--Sat --go out to eat Sun Pasta

When its cold its time for stews and soups

[pauld315]

We go out a lot more except for the winter. We leave the craziness to the renters during the winter

[Deseylou]

I’m a real witch when it comes to eating out. I look at an entree and when it’s $15 and up drives me nuts,
I think how far that $15 would get me at the grocery store.
I’m a pretty decent cook and I get to eat in my jammies.
So we go out about once a month