R j gators

[village dreamer]

went to R J gators up in lake sumter today for lunch. walk in and waited for about 10 minutes at the counter, 2 employees walk by,not a word out of them. i walk out , that was the second time in 10 years, never again.

[tophcfa]

Also, no more 2 for 1 all day every day.

[Stu from NYC]

Went there for first time in a few years a month ago and it was ok.

Going with a group next week hope it will be better than ok.

[Taltarzac725]

I really liked the musician who was singing outside RJ Gator's during the 2025 St. Patrick's Day market day. I only went on the first day. Family visiting.

I have not been to RJ Gator's for quite some time. Probably before COVID hit us here in the Villages.

They had messed up on an order so gave us a huge alligator shaped ice cream tower. Alligator with closed jaws to the sky. Took all four of us to eat it.

[Snakster66]

Went there for first time in a few years a month ago and it was ok.

Going with a group next week hope it will be better than ok.

SPOILER ALERT


It will not.

[Bassdeer]

Also, no more 2 for 1 all day every day.

What?? the whole reason we are moving there.

[Rwirish]

Oh no, how terrible!

[Chamo]

That place is horrible IMO.

[ndf888]

They have some amazing musicians like the BigBad on Sunday after 2 pm. We keep going just to hear them perform.

[JerseyGurl]

Sorry you’ve had a bad experience. I’ve been to RJ Gators twice in the last month and can only say good things about total experience.

[gorillarick]

Seems to me that every restaurant that has failed in TV, has committed suicide.

First comes lousy service (watching wait-people bus tables instead of providing service), then lousy cold food, empty tables full of dirty dishes, then raise prices (like dropping 2-4-1).
Then empty, then gone.

and how any restaurant can get to this point boggles my mind also. There are thousands here wandering around looking for places to blow money.

[bonbonn]

stopped going years ago

[ROCKETMAN]

My granddaughter was visiting and it was her 20th birthday and every time she visits she has to have the gator bites. So we went there and service and food were good. Ordered the shepherds pie, came with 3 mounds of mashed potatoes with ground beef, corn, and scallions mixed in. We always share and that worked out fine and no extra charge for sharing. Yes no more 2 for 1.

[paqdkq]

ONLY 2 times in 10 years. How many times did you go there and get good service? If you would be a tracer I’d hate to have you. I get above averages grades on all my tests but fail two. The result, you fail me for the year!!!!

[tedquick]

How interesting. I've eaten there many times. Never been super impressed nor have I ever been really disappointed. They are an OK place with an outstanding location, which is worth a lot just by itself. I may actually go there today. My suggestion is to give it another try and give us another report.

[coleprice]

I went there ONCE . . . Ordered rotisserie chicken, which was served Dry and Stringy. Expensive, poor food, with so-so service, so we never went back.

[RoseyRed]

went to R J gators up in lake sumter today for lunch. walk in and waited for about 10 minutes at the counter, 2 employees walk by,not a word out of them. i walk out , that was the second time in 10 years, never again.

We visited RJ Gators last weekend for the first time. We had previously seen a crowd there thinking it must be good, not realizing the crowd was for the live entertainment not the food nor service. We opted for indoor seating and it took an extended period of time for waitress to come initially. We ordered drinks and when they finally made it to the table, we immediately ordered our food. It was a straightforward order with no questions hoping to help waitress out. The whole experience was SLOW! Considering there were hardly any customers on the inside it was hard to understand the slowness. The waitress was always out of sight, so when we were ready for the check, we slid our plates to the edge of the table hoping she would get the hint! We had to go up to the hostess desk for the check and the waitress had the nerve to ask "No Tip"?? Nope not for that slow of service! The food was hot but not good enough for $68. There were 2 alcoholic beverages in that price and one of those had to be sent back!
I even tried to send an email to let management know (again to help). The email was blocked, so I called with no answer and no voicemail. The google review was successful! :) One and DONE for sure!

[Jayhawk]

The waitress was always out of sight, so when we were ready for the check, we slid our plates to the edge of the table hoping she would get the hint! We had to go up to the hostess desk for the check and the waitress had the nerve to ask "No Tip"??

I thought the waitress was "out of sight".

[DrHitch]

RJ Gators is not much different than any other restaurant in the service industry .. not enough staff, period!

Why are there no young (or old) people working in this industry? Getting enough living expenses somehow else?

[coconutmama]

We go a few times a year. Usually sit inside at the bar. Good service, enjoy the view of the “lake”. Food is about average for the villages but we like their burgers & Philly cheese steak especially. Didn’t know the 2/1 was gone but that’s OK as long as the price per drink is good.

[Stu from NYC]

RJ Gators is not much different than any other restaurant in the service industry .. not enough staff, period!

Why are there no young (or old) people working in this industry? Getting enough living expenses somehow else?

Only difference is sometimes the staff has little or no interest in giving service.

[Bwanajim]

I like the one in Brownwood. Good service and good chicken wings.

[JMintzer]

How interesting. I've eaten there many times. Never been super impressed nor have I ever been really disappointed. They are an OK place with an outstanding location, which is worth a lot just by itself. I may actually go there today. My suggestion is to give it another try and give us another report.

Why would anyone do that, when it's more fun to bash a place for a bad experience you had, years ago?

[shut the front door]

We go a few times a year. Usually sit inside at the bar. Good service, enjoy the view of the “lake”. Food is about average for the villages but we like their burgers & Philly cheese steak especially. Didn’t know the 2/1 was gone but that’s OK as long as the price per drink is good.

It's not.

[shut the front door]

I like the one in Brownwood. Good service and good chicken wings.

Totally different restaurant. Brownwood is GATORS DOCKSIDE.
Sumter is RJ GATORS. Dockside is a chain. RJ is locally owned and operated by Dan, the owner.

[mtdjed]

What?? the whole reason we are moving there.

Also, no more 2 for 1 all day every day.

What was the old price if you just wanted one drink?

Actually, I prefer ordering by the drink.

[RoseyRed]

What I meant by "Out of Sight" was when we needed her she was nowhere around not even waiting on other tables.

I thought the waitress was "out of sight".

[Stu from NYC]

What I meant by "Out of Sight" was when we needed her she was nowhere around not even waiting on other tables.

Thought that was the case.

[gorillarick]

From best to mediocre, I don't understand why servers are required to bus tables in addition to providing service.

Recently went to a much nicer and more expensive restaurant in TV. First we sat for over ten minutes before we were acknowledged by a server nor the hostess that walked by at least five times during that period.

Watched as server after server walked by carrying dirty dishes every trip they made from the dining room.

Finally our server came with dirty dishes in her hand to take our drink order.
Another long wait as we watched her make two more trips to the dining room before bringing drinks or taking our dinner order.

Pathetic. Except for bringing our drinks or meal, she never came to our table without dirty dishes, even handed us the check with dirty dishes in the other hand.
Long period of no service, I watched her on all fours clean up a mess on the floor.

I wonder why there are no young bus-people working in restaurants any more?
Society gone wrong.

[Snakster66]

I wonder why there are no young bus-people working in restaurants any more?
Society gone wrong.

Just spitballing here, but maybe it's NOT 'Society" to blame on this one. MAYBE, it's restaurants figuring out they can save money by not hiring 'bus-people' because they can make their servers pull double duty for one low price.