Best “Value” restaurant within the Villages

[tophcfa]

As an offshoot to the “Great Restaurant” thread, I would be interested in people’s opinions on what are the best value restaurants that are golf cart accessible within the Villages. I’m not looking for great restaurants, or the most expensive places, but rather restaurants where one can get a consistently decent quality meal at a reasonable price relative to the quality. Take out availability is always a plus because we prefer to eat in our birdcage, sitting by the pool, and watching the sunset over the wildlife preserve. My top choice is biased by my food preference, which would be take out sushi from Sakura.

[asianthree]

If we eat fast food, (quick service) take out, it’s PDQ. Tenders or chicken breast can be grilled or fried if one needs that.
Side options waffle fries, zucchini fries, or better choice broccoli

Can have any sandwich as a lettuce bun, or brioche. Salads made with special requests.

Have zero calorie and caffeine free drinks or Milk shakes with real ingredients (peanut butter, not fake morels)

Food made when you order, since you can customize.

Also have great family and party packages

Bonus….employees are great.

[Pondboy]

I’d recommend TooJays for good value. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. An extensive menu, takeout available and in the villages.

[asianthree]

I’d recommend TooJays for good value. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. An extensive menu, takeout available and in the villages.

I will add the LSL TooJays has never been a disappointment, we stop once a week when coming back from golf in the Northern areas.

Brownwood TooJays has been very hit or miss. Last 3 visits with 4-6 people, food was lukewarm, scrambled eggs, still uncooked on the bottom, bagel a little burnt. Above all service has been a very unhappy employee. Yes we have spoken to management, that’s why we gave them 3 chances. Off our list for breakfast for a few months.

[dewilson58]

Fiesta Grande Mexican Grill

[dewilson58]

Bonefish.

[charlie1]

I will add the LSL TooJays has never been a disappointment, we stop once a week when coming back from golf in the Northern areas.

Brownwood TooJays has been very hit or miss. Last 3 visits with 4-6 people, food was lukewarm, scrambled eggs, still uncooked on the bottom, bagel a little burnt. Above all service has been a very unhappy employee. Yes we have spoken to management, that’s why we gave them 3 chances. Off our list for breakfast for a few months.

Maybe I need to try the LSL location of TooJays. Have tried the Brownwood twice and extremely disappointed both times!

[ohioshooter]

Cody’s, Brownwood only.

[tophcfa]

Fiesta Grande Mexican Grill

Will have to give that place a try. Ay Jalisco also has great Mexican food and is high on my list for value. Island Fin Poke in Brownwood is another place high on my value list. Also, I agree with you about Bonefish.

[twoplanekid]

If we eat fast food, (quick service) take out, it’s PDQ. Tenders or chicken breast can be grilled or fried if one needs that.
Side options waffle fries, zucchini fries, or better choice broccoli

Can have any sandwich as a lettuce bun, or brioche. Salads made with special requests.

Have zero calorie and caffeine free drinks or Milk shakes with real ingredients (peanut butter, not fake morels)

Food made when you order, since you can customize.

Also have great family and party packages

Bonus….employees are great.

What a deal veterans have on the first and third Monday of every month with 50% off everything even milk shakes and cookies:) I haven't found a better deal yet and Tyler helps VVA Chapter 1036 with a meal for our Christmas party!

[jebartle]

As an offshoot to the “Great Restaurant” thread, I would be interested in people’s opinions on what are the best value restaurants that are golf cart accessible within the Villages. I’m not looking for great restaurants, or the most expensive places, but rather restaurants where one can get a consistently decent quality meal at a reasonable price relative to the quality. Take out availability is always a plus because we prefer to eat in our birdcage, sitting by the pool, and watching the sunset over the wildlife preserve. My top choice is biased by my food preference, which would be take out sushi from Sakura.
If you like asian, KOYAME, on 441, near hospital, without a doubt best value, 1 lunch menu EASILY FEEDS two and maybe 3, love their orange chicken and sesame chicken, with soup or spring roll, with white or brown rice, under $10, plus fried noodles and sauce if you eat there, we always get to-go! You won't be disappointed, BUT DONT TELL ANYBODY, ITS OUR SECRET, LOL.

[BrianL99]

If you decide to try TooJays, trust me ... you'll disappointed. Worst managed restaurant I've ever been in.

TOOJAY’S DELI * BAKERY * RESTAURANT - 91 Photos & 132 Reviews - 1129 Canal St, The Villages, Florida - American - Restaurant Reviews - Phone Number - Menu - Yelp (https://www.yelp.com/biz/toojay-s-deli-bakery-restaurant-the-villages)

[Catalina36]

I Second Toojay's, great food, fair prices never disappointed.

[ohioshooter]

If you decide to try TooJays, trust me ... you'll disappointed. Worst managed restaurant I've ever been in.

TOOJAY’S DELI * BAKERY * RESTAURANT - 91 Photos & 132 Reviews - 1129 Canal St, The Villages, Florida - American - Restaurant Reviews - Phone Number - Menu - Yelp (https://www.yelp.com/biz/toojay-s-deli-bakery-restaurant-the-villages)

I Second Toojay's, great food, fair prices never disappointed.

?? OP, I guess you’ll just have to try for yourself.

[mrrmauu]

As an offshoot to the “Great Restaurant” thread, I would be interested in people’s opinions on what are the best value restaurants that are golf cart accessible within the Villages. I’m not looking for great restaurants, or the most expensive places, but rather restaurants where one can get a consistently decent quality meal at a reasonable price relative to the quality. Take out availability is always a plus because we prefer to eat in our birdcage, sitting by the pool, and watching the sunset over the wildlife preserve. My top choice is biased by my food preference, which would be take out sushi from Sakura.

The Lighthouse Point at LSL has the best lunch value around. Look at their basket specials. Combine that with happy hour drink prices and the value can’t be beat. Good food and service as well.

[ROCKETMAN]

And if you’re a veteran the first and third mondays no matter what you get is half price. I have been goung since it opened and this past Monday line was out the door onto the patio.

[Dotneko]

Our TooJays experience is a bit different. The one in LSL is terrible! Loaded latkes weren't good. Burger sent back twice for medium cooking.
The one in Brownwood is better imo.
Bonefish and value shouldn't be in the same sentence lol.
We like prima at lunch. They have a pick two selection that is pretty good and filling.

[Elixir34]

Fiesta Grande Mexican Grill

Yes if you want to pay $17 or $18 for enchiladas or other entree’ since their big price jump last spring. I don’t !!

But their “casa” beef nachos feeds two for $11. Extra charge for sour crème and even for onions.

[hosegooseman]

As an offshoot to the “Great Restaurant” thread, I would be interested in people’s opinions on what are the best value restaurants that are golf cart accessible within the Villages. I’m not looking for great restaurants, or the most expensive places, but rather restaurants where one can get a consistently decent quality meal at a reasonable price relative to the quality. Take out availability is always a plus because we prefer to eat in our birdcage, sitting by the pool, and watching the sunset over the wildlife preserve. My top choice is biased by my food preference, which would be take out sushi from Sakura.

Bravos Pizza, Piesanos, Culver’s, Fiesta Grande, Tequila (formerly Naldos)

[Doro22]

Cody’s, Brownwood only.
Yes…very good. I enjoy the blackened haddock with black beans & rice, along with the house salad. The rolls and flavored butter is delicious!

[RICH1]

KOYAME…. fantastic food and plenty of it!

[jacqueline larsen]

Chicken Salad Chicks for taste, value and cleanliness!

[garykoca427@gmail.com]

Personally, I prefer McAllisters in Brownwood over Toojays. The Japanese restaurant in Colony Cottage is pretty good, as are the Italian and Mexican places also in Colony Cottage. PDQ is pretty good for a sandwich, I like the honey butter chicken sandwich.

[ChicagoNative]

For fast food we like Culver’s. Great salads, burger baskets, and of course, frozen desserts.

Lopez for a little nicer to dine-in. Love the patty melt, mushroom Brie soup, and salads. Happy hour pricing for cocktails too.

Cody’s in LSL. Fish-n-chips, steak salad, chicken dishes, good sandwiches….or “handhelds” as they’re being called these days. 2-4-1 drinks.

Outback has good ribs, OK steaks, and good sandwiches.

[NoMo50]

I know what my fave would be, but I'm reluctant to share. Don't want to fall victim to what Yogi Berra said about his favorite restaurant..."Nobody goes there anymore, it's too crowded."

[MandoMan]

I will add the LSL TooJays has never been a disappointment, we stop once a week when coming back from golf in the Northern areas.

Brownwood TooJays has been very hit or miss. Last 3 visits with 4-6 people, food was lukewarm, scrambled eggs, still uncooked on the bottom, bagel a little burnt. Above all service has been a very unhappy employee. Yes we have spoken to management, that’s why we gave them 3 chances. Off our list for breakfast for a few months.

For me, a good deli means a great hot pastrami on rye and great onion rings. My favorite was the Carnegie Deli across from Carnegie Hall in NYC. Last month I took a friend whose favorite is Katz’s Deli in NYC to TooJays in Lake Sumter Landing. The description of the hot pastrami sandwich says “piled sky high.” No. It was a small roll of dry, fat-free, barely-flavored pastrami on small slices of rye. NOT “sky high.” I guess the sky is falling. We were both disappointed. The waitress said the pastrami was weighed before heating, so they were all the same. That was her first time, but it was the third lousy hot pastrami I’ve had there. I’m done with TooJays. Last time I had the onion rings, the onions were too juicy with water in them and had little onion flavor. No more. I’m crossing it off the list. The latkes were good, though.

[Schmitth]

Try Sammy Joe’s (Mulberry Grove Plaza) pizza special on Sunday. One large pizza with two toppings for $9.99. Also, the best pizza in The Villages.

[Keefelane66]

Try Sammy Joe’s (Mulberry Grove Plaza) pizza special on Sunday. One large pizza with two toppings for $9.99. Also, the best pizza in The Villages.
Oh yeah. the inspector also visited Sammy Joe’s restaurant at Mulberry Grove Plaza.

The inspector issued a “stop sale” order after finding a “meatball sitting directly on soiled shelf in reach in cooler in cookline,” according to the report. An employee discarded the meatball.

Flying insects were found in the kitchen and were traced to a back door which was open due to a delivery. The presence of insects was noted to a be a repeat violation.

There was French toast egg mix at 60 degrees rather than the required 41 degrees. The inspector found packages of pork thawing in a bucket in a mop sink.


Sammy Joe’s is located at Mulberry Grove Plaza.
The inspector also watched as a female employee touched her apron, wiped her face and continued cooking eggs without washing her hands. Meanwhile a male employee touched his pants and continued cooking while wearing gloves that had not been changed.

The exterior of a pizza oven was oversoiled with grease buildup and a shelf under a pizza-making table was soiled with debris. There were also cutting boards soiled with debris.

The violations at Sammy Joe’s were also serious enough to require a followup inspection

[midiwiz]

As an offshoot to the “Great Restaurant” thread, I would be interested in people’s opinions on what are the best value restaurants that are golf cart accessible within the Villages. I’m not looking for great restaurants, or the most expensive places, but rather restaurants where one can get a consistently decent quality meal at a reasonable price relative to the quality. Take out availability is always a plus because we prefer to eat in our birdcage, sitting by the pool, and watching the sunset over the wildlife preserve. My top choice is biased by my food preference, which would be take out sushi from Sakura.

Aside from disagree about Sakura, as they fail in the technique department in a huge way. The best value in my mind is where your dinner becomes a 2fer, as in 1 meal 2 days. If that is what you are looking for then it will not be the main restaurants in TV. I'd hardly call most of them "best deal", which I'm sorry but that does include many that have been listed.

The golf cart stipulation cuts off some potential winners also. So with that said your ability to achieve the goal is handicapped. Also not knowing how you eat, how much you eat, etc... handicaps the answer. I'll just throw out there VKI and MezzaLuna. VKI because the sit downs aka hibachi and plated are good enough for 2 meals and the quality is rather excellent. Mezza for the same reason.

[ThirdOfFive]

Coastal Del Mar, Spanish Springs. Maybe a step or two up from "budget" restaurant pricing but great food and excellent service as well as value for money. When there for dinner I've ordered their "seafood platter" (I think that is what it is called) and the waiter warns you in advance that it is "big". Well-prepared, hot and tasty.

[asianthree]

For me, a good deli means a great hot pastrami on rye and great onion rings. My favorite was the Carnegie Deli across from Carnegie Hall in NYC. Last month I took a friend whose favorite is Katz’s Deli in NYC to TooJays in Lake Sumter Landing. The description of the hot pastrami sandwich says “piled sky high.” No. It was a small roll of dry, fat-free, barely-flavored pastrami on small slices of rye. NOT “sky high.” I guess the sky is falling. We were both disappointed. The waitress said the pastrami was weighed before heating, so they were all the same. That was her first time, but it was the third lousy hot pastrami I’ve had there. I’m done with TooJays. Last time I had the onion rings, the onions were too juicy with water in them and had little onion flavor. No more. I’m crossing it off the list. The latkes were good, though.

My old boss traveled to NYC twice a month. Every trip one special suitcase for food from Carnegie or Katz, everything from bagels, pastrami, corned beef, bread, and all the fixings. One really can’t replace really good deli once you have had some of the best.

[Rich42]

For consistently good food, excellent service and all at a reasonable price, you can’t beat Olive Garden! Been eating there for 10 years and never a single problem!

[retiredguy123]

Chipotle. Good for takeout.

[pablo cruze]

As an offshoot to the “Great Restaurant” thread, I would be interested in people’s opinions on what are the best value restaurants that are golf cart accessible within the Villages. I’m not looking for great restaurants, or the most expensive places, but rather restaurants where one can get a consistently decent quality meal at a reasonable price relative to the quality. Take out availability is always a plus because we prefer to eat in our birdcage, sitting by the pool, and watching the sunset over the wildlife preserve. My top choice is biased by my food preference, which would be take out sushi from Sakura.
I like the biggie bag at Wendy's in Spanish Springs.
Wendy's fries are better than McD.
The location at Spanish has better staff than many Wendy's

[New Englander]

I like the biggie bag at Wendy's in Spanish Springs.
Wendy's fries are better than McD.
The location at Spanish has better staff than many Wendy's

Culvers fries are better than Wendy's, McD, and BK.

[tophcfa]

Chipotle. Good for takeout.

We like Chipotle, but weren’t aware there is one that is golf cart accessible. Where is it?

[fdpaq0580]

Culvers fries are better than Wendy's, McD, and BK.

Wife likes Culver's. I prefer Wendy's.
Once at Culver's drive-thru, I ordered a shake. CUSTARD! Can't stand custard. There should be a warning sign, " BEWARE! WE SERVE CUSTARD!

[mikeycereal]

For fast food I do Culver's or Huey Magoo's.

I order kid's menu from Culvers and @ $7 it's just enough food for me.

At Huey's the 7 piece chicken is $13 but I save half for the next day. Oven reheat @ 350 for 7-8 min is just right.

[mikeycereal]

Wife likes Culver's. I prefer Wendy's.
Once at Culver's drive-thru, I ordered a shake. CUSTARD! Can't stand custard. There should be a warning sign, " BEWARE! WE SERVE CUSTARD!

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

[Arletti]

Toojays!

[sdeikenberry]

The Lighthouse Point at LSL has the best lunch value around. Look at their basket specials. Combine that with happy hour drink prices and the value can’t be beat. Good food and service as well.

The LIGHTHOUSE is OK if you are outside. Inside is NOISY...so much so you cannot carry on a conversation at your table.

[coleprice]

My wife and I love to go to "Moe's" on 441/27, near Rolling Acres Road. We order the "Homewrecker Bowl" with steak and split it. They will build your burrito using all of the items that you select, plus they have a salsa bar, so you can top it any way you want. It's a great value for a very large and healthy meal. Plus they will serve you all of the fresh chips that you want.

[Pairadocs]

Bonefish.

Another vote for Bonefish for a nice reasonably priced "sit down". Had a few disappointments over the years, but very few. We prefer P.D.Q. and Chi-Fl-A if faced with having "fast food" Tried the independent restaurant Alfie's in the tiny plaza on 441/27 just past Oakwood (opposite side of the highway from Oakwood grill). Not a great lover of my seafood deep-fried, but I did try it there due to so many "raves" we've heard. Loved our meals. Sparkling clean, VERY plain, no decor or "atmosphere" but some of, if not, the best deep fried food I've had (they do also fix items grilled, blackened, etc.). Don't do much carryout as no matter how carefully packaged, it is just never as hot and not big fans of "micro-waving", so our one choice if doing full meal carryout would be the Oakwood BBQ. baked potato steaming hot even taking it out, etc. Looking forward to Portillo's as another acceptable "middle of the road" for sit down or take out at very reasonable prices. That's my run down...LOL !

[Pairadocs]

Yes if you want to pay $17 or $18 for enchiladas or other entree’ since their big price jump last spring. I don’t !!

But their “casa” beef nachos feeds two for $11. Extra charge for sour crème and even for onions.

Onions, lol, ONIONS, lol, I wonder if there is anything untouched by the "pandemic", it even increased the price of growing onions so much they now come as an extra charge...LOL ! When I reflect on that, wouldn't it seem as if the number of people who reject onions on their burgers, pizzas, salads, and nachos "even out" the number who want them, making it possible to add this condiment with out an extra charge ? Just a little analytical thinking on my part, perhaps onions are a very expensive crop to grow commercially !

[juddfl]

My friend and I go to Legacy by the pool area on Sundays. Sunday, they have BOGO hamburgers with a side. Pay for one and you both get a really good burger. Also, the mixed drinks are $3.50 which is also a great deal. They have other BOGO days, but I don't know what they are. They have large fans, so it doesn't get hot and also have heaters for the colder nights.

[retiredguy123]

We like Chipotle, but weren’t aware there is one that is golf cart accessible. Where is it?
It's near Best Buy, so it may not be golf cart accessible. But, I understand that some people will park near T.J. Maxx and walk across Rolling Acres.

[GRACEALLEMAN]

If we eat fast food, (quick service) take out, it’s PDQ. Tenders or chicken breast can be grilled or fried if one needs that.
Side options waffle fries, zucchini fries, or better choice broccoli

Can have any sandwich as a lettuce bun, or brioche. Salads made with special requests.

Have zero calorie and caffeine free drinks or Milk shakes with real ingredients (peanut butter, not fake morels)

Food made when you order, since you can customize.

Also have great family and party packages

Bonus….employees are great.

Most unhealthy "food" for morbidly obese people who don't care about their health or what they open to eat.
Complete junk crap.
Zero nourishment.

[Lottoguy]

I'd vote for Bob Evans. Always a good meal that won't break the bank.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

The Lighthouse Point at LSL has the best lunch value around. Look at their basket specials. Combine that with happy hour drink prices and the value can’t be beat. Good food and service as well.

Lighthouse has mixed reviews, but when we went there we were very happy with our choices. My only real criticism was the issue with tartar sauce. They don't make their own, you get a little Kraft brand package of it and if you want another one you have to pay $1.00 for extra. It's not a cheap lunch there, so at the prices they charge, they really should just add a second "on request" and not charge for it. Or they can save money and make their own. They can even make it to order, it only takes a few seconds and costs less than 5 cents per serving.

Their food was terrific, the atmosphere was also great, lakeside dining.

For Mexican I'm an Ay Jalisco fan. They are a -western- Mexican restaurant, not a Tex-Mex. Similar menu to any other Mexican place but the flavors and consistencies are slightly different. A shredded beef taco is basically beef stew in a taco shell. Sometimes you'll get little pieces of potato. It's delicious. Their salsa is never the same from one visit to the next, but it's always thin, almost a thinned out ketchup-based sauce with bits of peppers and tomatoes, onions and cilantro, which is typical of western Mexican salsa.

We've discovered that NYPD Pizza is pretty good if you don't try to get any fancy toppings. The more topping-centric you get, the less New York style the result. Cheese, cheese with bacon, cheese with shrooms, margherita style with sliced tomatoes and sliced buffalo mozzarella with fresh basil and olive oil instead of shredded cheese...

All of those are good at NYPD.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

It's near Best Buy, so it may not be golf cart accessible. But, I understand that some people will park near T.J. Maxx and walk across Rolling Acres.

Yup. If you come to where Staples and Target are, go past that plaza to the back drive behind the strip-mall where the delivery trucks go. Watch out for the speed bumps, they're brutal. But that avoids ALL the stopping and going you have to do, just to get past the pedestrians with shopping carts. Then take a left at the end of the building and park right on the side of PetSmart.

You can walk across the street, there's a traffic island which means you only have to deal with one side of traffic at a time. People turning into that driveway from the opposite direction do so before they get to you. The same on the return walk. You just have to be very patient.

From there it's around 1/2 a new york block down the driveway to your left.

[tophcfa]

It's near Best Buy, so it may not be golf cart accessible. But, I understand that some people will park near T.J. Maxx and walk across Rolling Acres.

Got you, that’s why we have never come across Chipotle. The pet store next to T J Max is as far as we have gone in the golf cart. We will have to park there and walk across Rolling Acres. Thanks.

[Topspinmo]

If you want get you money worth and you are hungry plus select what you want? then Golden Corral best choice. But I understand how that’s beneath some.:shocked:

[Topspinmo]

Yup. If you come to where Staples and Target are, go past that plaza to the back drive behind the strip-mall where the delivery trucks go. Watch out for the speed bumps, they're brutal. But that avoids ALL the stopping and going you have to do, just to get past the pedestrians with shopping carts. Then take a left at the end of the building and park right on the side of PetSmart.

You can walk across the street, there's a traffic island which means you only have to deal with one side of traffic at a time. People turning into that driveway from the opposite direction do so before they get to you. The same on the return walk. You just have to be very patient.

From there it's around 1/2 a new york block down the driveway to your left.


I wouldn’t recommend “ golden years” to cross rolling acres road. Squirrel’s can’t even making it across there.

[Northstar]

If you want get you money worth and you are hungry plus select what you want? then Golden Corral best choice. But I understand how that’s beneath some.:shocked:
I agree, Golden Corral is a great value for the money.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

I wouldn’t recommend “ golden years” to cross rolling acres road. Squirrel’s can’t even making it across there.

I walk it every week. If you're paying attention and don't need assistance to walk, it's not a big deal at all.

I know people who walk across 441 at the walk lights - now THAT is something I wouldn't risk doing. But Rolling Acres in that spot is just such a nothingburger. IF you're paying attention AND you don't need assistance to walk.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

If you want get you money worth and you are hungry plus select what you want? then Golden Corral best choice. But I understand how that’s beneath some.:shocked:

All buffets are "beneath" me. We got comped at the casino last time we were in Vegas and I wouldn't eat at their buffet for free.