List of Lists - Top 10 Village Restaurants

[Yorio]

VILLAGE RESTAURANTS. Always like to play around with Top 10 Lists. Thought I'd give this a try with TV restaurants. Top 1. Bonefish 2. Thai Ruby 3. Urban Flats 4. R.j. Gators 5. Lighthouse 6. Urban Curray 7. Panera Bread 8. Johnny Rockets 9. Too jay 10. Bamboo Bistro. You may have your preferred sequence. Would be interesting to find out what the top 10 would be for country club restaurants. Guess can't have Top 10 until Bonifay opens.

[l2ridehd]

1. Bonefish
2. Thai Ruby
3. Bamboo Bistro
4. Oakwood BBQ
5. Too Jays
6. Cane Garden
7. Cotillion Cafe
8. ?
9. ?
10, ?

[ceejay]

Can I do top five? :kiss:

1. Bonefish :mmmm:

2. Little Joey's (pizza) :mmmm:

3. Carraba's :mmmm:

4. Oakwood :mmmm:

5. Lighthouse :mmmm:

Can you tell I haven't had dinner yet????

[Bosoxfan]

Cane Garden

Bomefish

Cotillion

Lopez

Japanese Restaurant. In Colony Plaza (great sushi)

Ay Jalipso (Mexican in Spanish Springs)

Thai Ruby

Palmer

Urban Flats

Red Sauce

Mallory CC (only decent pizza we've. found)

[Barefoot]

Definitely Bonefish Grill for #1. My pick for #2 would be Giovanni's. My favourite restaurant in previous years was "Up The Creek" but it closed, so I guess I was in a minority.

It is always interesting when we return from our six-month sabbatical, to see what restaurants have closed and what new ones have opened.

[jackz]

VILLAGE RESTAURANTS. Always like to play around with Top 10 Lists. Thought I'd give this a try with TV restaurants. Top 1. Bonefish 2. Thai Ruby 3. Urban Flats 4. R.j. Gators 5. Lighthouse 6. Urban Curray 7. Panera Bread 8. Johnny Rockets 9. Too jay 10. Bamboo Bistro. You may have your preferred sequence. Would be interesting to find out what the top 10 would be for country club restaurants. Guess can't have Top 10 until Bonifay opens.

I thought Johnny Rockets would be in the bottom 10 for restaurants in The Villages?

[Skip2MySue]

I thought Johnny Rockets would be in the bottom 10 for restaurants in The Villages?

Jack,
I'm not so sure it should be rated that high:highfive::D
Skip 2

[Barefoot]

VILLAGE RESTAURANTS. Always like to play around with Top 10 Lists. Thought I'd give this a try with TV restaurants. Top 1. Bonefish 2. Thai Ruby 3. Urban Flats 4. R.j. Gators 5. Lighthouse 6. Urban Curray 7. Panera Bread 8. Johnny Rockets 9. Too jay 10. Bamboo Bistro. You may have your preferred sequence. Would be interesting to find out what the top 10 would be for country club restaurants. Guess can't have Top 10 until Bonifay opens.

I haven't heard of Urban Curray .. is it new?

Johnny Rockets would be in my bottom ten, but it's great (I think) for visiting grandkids?

[rubicon]

Let me see top ten......let me see top ten.......let me see top ten....what was the question again?:D

[Yorio]

Thank you for trying to come up with your lists. How difficult to come up with 10 best in TV. I love everything about TV except I'll miss all the good restaurants of the north. I hope all the foodies of TV will do the best they can so selection of Best 10 will become easier. Urban Curray is near Showcase Direct and rather new. I had to put Johnny Rockets because I couldn't think of any other restaurant and I like there slider?(it's 3 combo miniature bun of burger, hot dog, and chili dog).

[Yorio]

Jackz. Noticed that you are currently living in Italy and moving to TV in 2012. I think your stomach will revolt. Any dish in Italy is so.... Good that my mouth will water just thinking about it. I still remember a simple pasta with sea urchin in the Isle of Elba. What a delight with a glass of Vermentino. Then, if i can get a cup of gelato on the way back to the harbor, that will be heaven. Hope by the time you come, we can get a good Italian restaurant.

[Russ_Boston]

Don't need a top 10. We go to Oakwood 7 days a week!

OK, not quite, but in no particular order:

Oakwood, Bonefish, Cane, Mallory, mexican place in SS, the other mexican place on the Hitoric side, Too Jays, Urban Flats (going to miss them), Kate's husband's pizza and Peachwave (ok that's for dessert).

[gongoozler]

1. Bonefish
2. Lopez
3. Giovanni's
4. Tai Ruby
5. Glenview
6. Cain Garden
7. Lighthouse
8. Olive Garden
9. Palmer
10. Mallory



p.s. Oakwood and Little Joey's are NOT VILLAGE restaurants . . . if you cannot ge there by golf cart you are not a Village restaurant . . .
off The Villages the Harry's is near the top of the list! :BigApplause:

[Russ_Boston]

Yes Oakwood is off campus but I go there so often I forgot it's not part of TV. Sorry.

[chuckinca]

Sonic
McDonald's
Chili's
Denny's
Burger King
KFC
Subway
Dominick's Pizza
Blimpie
Arby's

Why change now?


.

[Bill-n-Brillo]

Sonic
McDonald's
Chili's
Denny's
Burger King
KFC
Subway
Dominick's Pizza
Blimpie
Arby's

Why change now?


:1rotfl:

Bill :)

[raynan]

Urban Flats isn't really going just changing the name to City Fire. Most of menu will stay and they will be expanding the menu to include more substantial meals. Same mgt. same people.

[gary42651]

Sakura
Legacy
Palmer
Glenview
Cane Garden
VKI Japanese Steak House
Bonefish
Olive Garden
Waterfront Inn
TGI Fridays

[Russ_Boston]

Urban Flats isn't really going just changing the name to City Fire. Most of menu will stay and they will be expanding the menu to include more substantial meals. Same mgt. same people.

I know the mgt is the same but the concept is one already in place in Orlando according to another thread.

The menu provided is similar but not really the same. I liked some of the basic flatbreads at Urban and this menu of flatbreads looks much different. But I'll gladly give it a chance or two.

[eweissenbach]

1. Bonefish
2. Cane Garden
3. Mallory Hill
4. Legacy
5. TooJays (Bkfst, Lnch)
6. Palmer
7. Glenview
8. Redsauce
9. Ay Jalisco
10. Lighthouse

Haven't been to Thai Ruby yet - must go! First Watch will make a lot of lists when it opens for awhile.

[jackz]

Jackz. Noticed that you are currently living in Italy and moving to TV in 2012. I think your stomach will revolt. Any dish in Italy is so.... Good that my mouth will water just thinking about it. I still remember a simple pasta with sea urchin in the Isle of Elba. What a delight with a glass of Vermentino. Then, if i can get a cup of gelato on the way back to the harbor, that will be heaven. Hope by the time you come, we can get a good Italian restaurant.

You are correct, the food of Italy will be missed when we settle in The Villages which is why I am attempting to learn to cook as many dishes as possible and will try them once in TV. TV has other great dining choices so I am sure we will more than manage. Looking forward to being a part of any wine tasting groups, gourmet clubs and cooking groups.

[Tom Hannon]

Definitely Bonefish Grill for #1. My pick for #2 would be Giovanni's. My favourite restaurant in previous years was "Up The Creek" but it closed, so I guess I was in a minority.

It is always interesting when we return from our six-month sabbatical, to see what restaurants have closed and what new ones have opened.

To BoSox fan - (from a Yankee fan) Barefoot suggestion of Giovanni'a is excellent. The best Italian food I've tasted down south. We are going to eat there this weekend. Check it out.

[Yorio]

If you recall my initial posting, I purposely mentioned country club venue as separate list. Now you'll have a chance to agree or disagree. Top 1. Palmer. 2. Lopez. 3. Glenview 4. Cane 5. Havana 6. Mallory. 7.......have't been to the rest yet.

Thanks for letting me know about Giovanni's. Will try out.

[Barefoot]

First Watch will make a lot of lists when it opens for awhile.

Is "First Watch" the name of a new Villages SS or LSL restaurant?


Barefoot suggestion of Giovanni'a is excellent. The best Italian food I've tasted down south. We are going to eat there this weekend. Check it out.

I love Giovanni's. The only negative is that it is very small and very popular, so there are usually people lined up on the sidewalk. But that can also be a positive because you get a chance to meet new friends while waiting!

[Bill-n-Brillo]

Is "First Watch" the name of a new Villages SS or LSL restaurant? ......

Here's a recent thread re: First Watch. See post #11 for specifics on the location -

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40766

Bill :)

[chuckinca]

If you recall my initial posting, I purposely mentioned country club venue as separate list. Now you'll have a chance to agree or disagree. Top 1. Palmer. 2. Lopez. 3. Glenview 4. Cane 5. Havana 6. Mallory. 7.......have't been to the rest yet.

Thanks for letting me know about Giovanni's. Will try out.


1. Cane Garden
2. Glenview
3. Lopez
4. Mallory
5. Havana
6 - 8. Haven't been to the others in five years or so.
9. Tierra Del Sol
.

[Yorio]

TOP 10 MOST USED CLUBS TO LEAST USED outside of putters. 1. PW 2. 3-wood 4. Driver 5. 7-wood 6. 5-hybrid 7. 9-iron 8. SW 9. 8-iron 10. 6-iron. My clutch club is 7 wood and I use PW most of the time around the green as I am a high handicapper. Can't use SW around the green as Nickolas would suggest. What clubs do you use most to least?

[Bonny]

Codys
Fridays
Red Lobster
Olive Garden
City Fire (Urban Flats) - Love the mussels !!
Mallory
Cane Garden
Longhorn
Ruby Tuesday
Golden Corral
Pizza Hut
Okay, now I'm hungry !!

[Yorio]

Bonny mentioned MUSSELS are great at City Fire(Urban Flat). I heard that Giovanni's is a great Italian restaurant. Any particular dishes you'll go for? For FISH & CHIPS, I still don't know whether Bonefish, R.J Gator or Lighthouse will be No. 1

[Tall Terri]

If you're up for New York style Italian, try Toscani's. In the Publix Shopping center at the VA. They make their own sausage there, they make their own Mozzarella.....VERY good food - and I am persnickety.:mmmm:

[chuckinca]

Top 40 From the Villages Gourmet Club (in 2010):

Name Location Stars Type

Sakura Japanese Resturant Colony Plaza 14 1/2 Asian
Bonefish Grill Buffalo Ridge Plaza 13 1/2 Seafood
Cane Garden Country Club Cane Garden CC 13 1/2 Country Club
Legacy Restaurant Nancy Lopez CC 13 1/2 Country Club
Outback Steakhouse Rolling Acres Plaza 13 1/2 Steakhouse
Cheng's Chinese & Sushi Southern Trace Plaza 13 Asian
Cody's Original Roadhouse Land Sumter Landing Square 12 1/2 Steakhouse
Lighthouse Point Bar & Grill Lake Sumter Landing Square 12 1/2 Seafood
Thai Ruby Lake Sumter Landing Square 12 1/2 Asian
Urban Flats Lake Sumter Landing Square 12 1/2 Italian
Ay Jalisco Spanish Springs Square 12 Mexican
CiCi's Pizza Buffet Colony Plaza 12 Italian
Gator's Dockside Spanish Springs Square 12 Grill & Bar
Glenview Champions Country Club Glenview CC 12 Country Club
Olive Garden Italian Resturant Palm Ridge Plaza (466) 12 Italian
Panera Bread Bakery & Café Spanish Springs Square 12 Sandwiches, Soup & Salad
Red Lobster Palm Ridge Plaza (466) 12 Seafood
Redsauce Lake Sumter Landing Square 12 Italian
Ruby Tuesday Restaurant Spanish Springs Square 12 Burgers
Seafood Galley La Plaza Grande 12 Seafood
SonRise Café Southern Trace Plaza 12 Breakfast thru Dinner
Too Jay's Gourmet Deli Spanish Springs Square 12 Deli Sandwiches
Carraba's Rolling Acres Plaza 11 1/2 Italian
El Santiago Club El Santiago Rec Center 11 1/2 Club Resturant
Havana Country Club Havana CC 11 1/2 Country Club
Tea Plantation & Flower Boutique Lake Sumter Landing Square 11 1/2 British
Too Jay's Gourmet Deli Lake Sumter Landing Square 11 1/2 Deli Sandwiches
VKI Japanese Steakhouse Lake Sumter Landing Square 11 1/2 Asian
Bob Evans 466 Near Southern Trace Plaza 11 Breakfast thru Dinner chain
Cattle Baron Club Spanish Springs Square 11 Fine Dining
Giovanni's Ristorante & Pizza Southern Trace Plaza 11 Italian
Golden Corral Buffet & Grill Buffalo Ridge Plaza 11 Buffet
Sonny's Real Pit Bar-B-Que Lake Sumter Landing Square 11 Bar-B-Que
Tierra Del Sol Club Tierra Del Sol CC 11 Country Club
Katie Belle's Dining & Music Hall Spanish Springs Square 10 1/2 Grill & Bar
Li'l Bits Café Palm Ridge Plaza (466) 10 1/2 Breakfast & Sandwiches
Applebee's La Plaza Grande 10 Grill & Bar
El Ranchito Mexican Restaurant La Plaza Grande 10 Mexican


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[angiefox10]

I had no idea there were so many!!! :22yikes:

[chuckinca]

According to The Villages Gourmet Club there are currently 75 restaurants in TV.


http://home.comcast.net/~thevillagesgourmetclub/page1.html


.

[chuckinca]

For Info - Village of Virginia Trace Website with links to everything you ever might want to know about TV:

http://www.virginiatrace.com/


(You're Welcome)


.

[Yorio]

Tall Terri. I am too so will try Toscani though it's not on gourmet clubs' list.

[Yorio]

Chuckinca How active is your Gourmet Club? It seems the places go all over the map with the lists you posted. Now, am trying to find out what kind of dishes are good and popular at the Top 10 of both country clubs and other restaurants. I liked El Santiago listed on your lists but I was told from a friend that it closed recently. That would definitely have been on my list. Also, there was a great fish place near the Catholic Church which opened recently but again was told that closed down. Too bad.

[katezbox]

Don't need a top 10. We go to Oakwood 7 days a week!

OK, not quite, but in no particular order:

Oakwood, Bonefish, Cane, Mallory, mexican place in SS, the other mexican place on the Hitoric side, Too Jays, Urban Flats (going to miss them), Kate's husband's pizza and Peachwave (ok that's for dessert).

LMAO - Next pizza party is likely in October when Mike and Maggie arrive!

[Bosoxfan]

To BoSox fan - (from a Yankee fan) Barefoot suggestion of Giovanni'a is excellent. The best Italian food I've tasted down south. We are going to eat there this weekend. Check it out.

Thanks Tom .....I've been there once and had their pizza.Not bad in fact it was one of the better pizzas we've had since moving south.Why is it that pizza & Italian food isn't that good here.Maybe I'm spoiled living in Massachusetts where these foods are outstanding!

[Bosoxfan]

ite!UOTE=katezbox;378197]LMAO - Next pizza party is likely in October when Mike and Maggie arrive![/QUOTE]u

:mmmm:

[Bosoxfan]

LMAO - Next pizza party is likely in October when Mike and Maggie arrive!

Mrs Bosox & I will be watching for our invite! If we don't receive one we WILL be crashing your party. Not much we won't do for a good pizza!:mmmm::a20::piray:

[chuckinca]

Chuckinca How active is your Gourmet Club? It seems the places go all over the map with the lists you posted. Now, am trying to find out what kind of dishes are good and popular at the Top 10 of both country clubs and other restaurants. I liked El Santiago listed on your lists but I was told from a friend that it closed recently. That would definitely have been on my list. Also, there was a great fish place near the Catholic Church which opened recently but again was told that closed down. Too bad.


It's "The Villages Gourmet Club", one of the hundreds of clubs in TV. I think the list is updated on a regular basis.

There are a few Catholic Churches in and around TV. St Timothy's (in TV) on 441/27 is south of the hospital; north of the hospital is (was?) a fish place that replaced a Thai place that replaced a burger place. We liked the Thai place and used to go there frequently when we were in TV.

I don't understand your comment "It seems the places go all over the map with the lists you posted." I believe those places are all in TV - somewhere but could be all over the map (some in SS, some in LSL, some off 42, some off 466, etc).


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[Schaumburger]

Chuckinca How active is your Gourmet Club? It seems the places go all over the map with the lists you posted. Now, am trying to find out what kind of dishes are good and popular at the Top 10 of both country clubs and other restaurants. I liked El Santiago listed on your lists but I was told from a friend that it closed recently. That would definitely have been on my list. Also, there was a great fish place near the Catholic Church which opened recently but again was told that closed down. Too bad.

A fish place closed near a Catholic Church? Those places usually do quite well on Fridays during Lent.

[chuckinca]

They haven't been doing so well since the Catholic Church changed the rule that prohibited meat on every Friday.


.

[Schaumburger]

They haven't been doing so well since the Catholic Church changed the rule that prohibited meat on every Friday.


.

That rule was changed when I was a child...I remember up to about age 8 or 9 no meat on any Friday regardless if it was Lent or not. I still try to avoid eating meat on Fridays during Lent even though I switched to a different denomination 15 yrs. ago.

Totally off topic, but once Catholics reach a certain age -- 75? are Catholics no longer bound by the "no meat on Fridays during Lent" rule? I told my Dad about that a few months ago and he looked at me like I had grown a third eye (he's a very observant Catholic).

[champion6]

LMAO - Next pizza party is likely in October when Mike and Maggie arrive!Sounds like a plan! When it comes to pizza, I always know when it's time to stop eating... when it's gone.

[chuckcantrell]

1. Bonefish
2. Thai Ruby
3. Bamboo Bistro
4. Oakwood BBQ
5. Too Jays
6. Cane Garden
7. Cotillion Cafe
8. ?
9. ?
10, ?

I would love to start up a restaurant here in TV soon. Not so closed in and more of an open feeling. Any suggestions on that?

[chuckinca]

That rule was changed when I was a child...I remember up to about age 8 or 9 no meat on any Friday regardless if it was Lent or not. I still try to avoid eating meat on Fridays during Lent even though I switched to a different denomination 15 yrs. ago.

Totally off topic, but once Catholics reach a certain age -- 75? are Catholics no longer bound by the "no meat on Fridays during Lent" rule? I told my Dad about that a few months ago and he looked at me like I had grown a third eye (he's a very observant Catholic).


The TV Catholics that I know of that age (Polish-Americans from the Chgo North Side) all observe the no meat on Friday in Lent rule. However, that doesn't mean that they are not exempt because of their age; it's just what they do.


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[Bosoxfan]

Red. Lobster? Golden Corral?Olive Garden ? Really? Why? I'm guessing but it sounds like y'all don't get out much! If you did you'd realize franchised restaurants are OK at best. Definitely not deserving of a spot on any top ten list!

[chuckinca]

To each his own.


.

[Skip]

A fish place closed near a Catholic Church? Those places usually do quite well on Fridays during Lent.

Was called The Seafood Galley and not the same owner as when it was in La Plaza Grande. It closed in June.

The Villages Gourmet Club does a great job on their website (http://home.comcast.net/~thevillagesgourmetclub/) with listings all the way up into Ocala, Gainesville and even many in Orlando too. (We're there once a month for various reasons.)

We print individual pages from the site and keep them in the car when we want to go someplace different. Ocala has some great restaurants only 20 minutes away. We make reservations on our cell phone as we drive up and by the time we arrive, our table is waiting.

I love the club's new treatment of saluting restaurant chefs. :BigApplause:

Skip

[Yorio]

Skip. Yes, it was indeed called The Seafood Galley near the Catholic Church. It had such a short life. Too bad. If it's Ocala, then I like Harry's there. It has a branch in St. Augustine. I believe there Fish & Chips was good.

[debbielaff68]

Nobody hasn't mentioned any good BBQ.....Does it exsist anywhere or would there be a good chance for a new one to survive?:mmmm::mmmm:

[chuckinca]

Many have Oakwood Grill BBQ in their top ten list.


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[Yorio]

Where would one go for a great hamburger where one can have it medium rare and meat is juicy? Or fried caramari where they are lightly fried and meat is not chewey but succulent. I know there are no Morton's or Ruth steakhouse around in TV but less expensive places then those but still good value for money place for a great steak?

[jblum315]

1.Cane Garden
2. Cotillion
3. Lighthouse
4. Oakwood
5. Japanese restaurant in Colony Plaza
6.Crispers
7. ?
8. ?
9. ?
10. ?
Minus 10. Johnny Rockets

[Skip]

Heard Johnny Rockets is closing. No loss.

Skip

[ashworma]

...like many of you, Bonefish is great. But, if you don't want a long wait for a table, avoid Wed. night. They have a whole $2 discount on their Bang Bang Shrimp. It's great, but really, wait for over an hour for a $2 sqvings?! Almost forgot, I'm in TV.

Red Sauce is wonderful. Split their antapasto salad, and a pizza with your significant other, and you will get out of there for a low price. Even though they recently upped their happy hour pricing by a buck a glass, it still comes in at #2.

[ashworma]

Where would one go for a great hamburger where one can have it medium rare and meat is juicy? Or fried caramari where they are lightly fried and meat is not chewey but succulent. I know there are no Morton's or Ruth steakhouse around in TV but less expensive places then those but still good value for money place for a great steak?

Five Guys has great burgers...but, alas, not much in TV for good calamari.

[chloe52]

Went to gator dockside last night,wings where great. For four of us the bill was kinda high. Where is a good place to get great wings and cold beer that wont empty my pocket book.

[SALYBOW]

1. Ay Jalisco
2. Oakwood
3. City Fire (formerly Urban Flats)
4. Little Joeys
5. Sweet Tomatoes
6. Cane Garden
7. Bravo Pizza
8. Sweet Tomatoes
9. Palmer
10. Taverna Red

I guess it is a good thing for the restaurants that we are so different. I also like Panera, Red Sauce, Sonnys, and the good Old TVR Hospital cafeteria, which is really quite good.

[skeeziks]

Finally someone mentioned Sweet Tomatos..... I'm in Ocala and we want to try ST this week but I don't know where it is. I've done a bunch of searches but they all insist there is no Villages location.

I would like to have the physical address to put in my GPS. ~ can anyone please help?

[JohnM]

Try 508 US 27/441 in Lady Lake ... it's on their website ... Good Luck!

[skeeziks]

Thanks, JohnM. ~