Whiskey Creek at Sumter Landing

[LovinItAtTheVillages]

>:( We decided to try out Whiskey Creek Wood Fired Grill today, before company comes into town
Well I can tell you we wont be going back there with or without company!
YUK...we wanted a nice burger and figured great....wood fired has to be delicious
WELL..maybe it would have been if the beef had a shred of flavor in the first place
BUT it didnt...it was horrible...strings of fat in it..and dry as a bone, no flavor whatsoever
not even the flavor of a grill never mind remotely tasting of beef
If someone blindfolded me I couldnt tell what I was eating
The roll was a store bought Kaiser type...cheese looked like a square out of a pre-wrapped kraft package
I asked for raw onion, and two thin shreds of onion arrived ...had they spared a few more scraps MAYBE that could have added some flavor...
and then the side....oh myyyy was supposed to be a cheddar mashed potato...again horrible
Hubby ordered a slow roasted all night pot roast....and he sent back almost a full dish of fat scraps, and his carrots were totally raw.........the waitress explained...if you want them cooked more YOU need to tell them
oh ok...sorryyy we just assumed they were going to be cooked along with the roast...silly of us
anyway..........Thats OUR opinion of the place :'(

[eremite06]

We were looking forward to having a restaurant in Sumter Landing that was going to be a Steak House, so we were very excited about dining at the Grand Opening of Whiskey Grill Steakhouse. We call some friends of ours to meet us there to check it out, only to be sooo!!! disappointed with the food, service and the manager. We asked out waitress which steaks were the best and she told us the flat iron steak was great so our friends, my husband and I ordered the steak. When our server brought our food out he was confused as to who got what and thought he had the wrong table so I thought I'd help him out, only to have the server turn his back to me ignoring me altogether and then turning around with an attitude and put his hand in front of my face and proceeded to tell me to relax when all I was trying to do was tell him the food was ours. We then started to try and enjoy our meal. My steak and baked potato were cold and the steak was dry and over cooked with no flavor. My husband's steak was undercooked and bland. Our friends had the steak and the twice baked potatoes and vegetables. Their twice baked potato was cold and dry with no flavor at all so they asked to exchange it for a sweet potato, which they did exchange but then when we received our bill they had charged them for the twice baked potato when it was suppose to come with the meal. Their vegetables tasted old and over cooked. We then asked to speak to the manager, Scott whom the waitress said was the floor manager or assistant because the regular manager wasn't there which surprised me since this was their "Grand Opening". The manager finally arrived after keeping us waiting for awhile and we begin telling him what our experience had been like and voicing our concerns, to our surprise him seemed very unconcerned, as a matter of fact he disputed that the vegetables weren't fresh and just nodded his head and then said he was sorry and that was that. Needless to say we'll never go back to this restaurant ever!! We felt as though that the manager didn't appreciate our business and didn't care if we returned or not, so we won't.

[LovinItAtTheVillages]

>:( Oh yes I didnt mention in my post that the management acted like they didnt care...but since you mentioned it, i thot Id reply back and add that,...he offered us a dessert but we declined ...and only after i meantioned that I will be telling everyone how horrible it was...did he offer to remove the beef dinner from the bill
not to mention, their prices are not cheap...but the quality of food is no better than a fast food joint

[sparky]

This place sounds terrible! I will wait a month,(if they are still in business,) and see if they have learned anything. Their write ups before opening claimed they were going all out for The Villages. Special managers, etc. Maybe it was all talk?? :dontknow:

[Talk Host]

I am so glad you folks posted this information here. I hope that somebody will tell the managment of the restaurant that Talk of The Villages members are discussing their store.

[bargee]

Perhaps Whiskey Creek should send their employees over to Bob Evans(CR466) for a lesson in good service and standing behind their product.We were dining there with friends and my wife ordered stir fry.When our meals were brought out my wife commented to our server that the vegetables were in short supply and her dinner was mostly rice.Within a few minutes our server returned with a bowl of steamed veggies.Within a very short time afterwards an Asst. Manager came to our table and asked if she wanted more vegetables,when she returned with the second order she also delivered our bill on which she had deducted my wifes meal and beverage and then proceeded to apologize at great length for the problem with our order.By the way everyone elses meal was very good.If Whiskey Creek keeps up this type of an operation they won't be around long.There are too many good places like Bob Evens that appreciate our business.

[gingersmom]

Thanks for the info. Being from Texas and missing really good beef, I was looking forward to the new resturant. Then my next door neighbor said he went and the steaks and the sides were tiny. That'll never work in The Villages. I hope the place gets its act together, but I think I'll wait for the snowbirds to go home to try it.

[Kitria]

Ahh.. yes..to read reviews before wasting time, money, and a lovely evening. We too were looking forward to good steaks at a reasonable price. Openings are for letting it all hang out.. not all dried out!!! I do hope someone gets to talk to a person in management who cares.

[rlight]

We went there on the second day of their opening and noted that the burgers were very overcooked. The waitress also was trying to figure out how to do her job. It takes time to get everything together. The owners are anxious to get some money rolling in to pay the high rent. This means they wind up alienating some folks while doing their on the job training.

Bargee: They messed up one meal but did try very hard to make up for their mistake. Thats worth something. :)

[Dillon]

My husband and I visited Whiskey Creek for dinner the other night. And I must say "hats off to them" for delicous food, friendly staff, and a fun atmosphere. We both ordered the Flat Iron Steak and it was the best, most flavorful, and tender steak I have ever eaten in my life. And they have grilled veggies that are absolutly amazing. Our entire meal was prepared perfectly, with generous portions and great flavor. The Villages was in desperate need of a restaurant like Whiskey Creek, and for only being opened for a short period of time, I think they are doing a great job. We will continue to recommend this restaurant to everyone as it was a great experience for us. :) :)

[REDCART]

Since the opening of Whiskey Creek in late February, I've read only horror stories on the Internet. So when my sister said she was going to Whiskey Creek last evening with friends, I was quick to say "Don't expect much." However, the four of them thoroughly enjoyed their meal, and raved about their server. Their friends who have lived in the Villages for a couple of years say it's the norm rather than the exception for a restaurant to experience a shaky startup which can run for more than a month. Good to hear that Whiskey Creek may be learning from their early missteps.

[sparky]

Sounds like they are getting it together. Maybe it's time for me to give them a try. ;D

[snowbirdgator]

I have been to the new Whiskey Creek Steakhouse several times since they have opened and I have not had any bad complaints about the food or service. Each time going there, I have tried new items and each time I continue to be impressed. For all the have had a bad experience, I would have to say that you are all entitled to your opinions, but I would strongly urge you to give the place another try. I heard that they are starting to serve food on the patio and everything is going alot smoother. Like any new business, they are not going to be able to be perfect, like many of the people expect. I am very glad that Whiskey Creek is here and I am sure it will be here for a long time. Keep up the the good work Whiskey Creek staff.

[dandt]

My wife and I had eaten at Whiskey Creek once before I saw any of these comments. We had been quite unimpressed, especially with the twice-baked potatoes which seemed to have been baked a day or two earlier. At the end of our meal we were given the bill be someone other than our server and then a few minutes later our server came with our bill and seemed confused that we'd already been billed. Oh well, they had just opened.

Well, after reading all the comments, and with the passage of time, today we gave it a second go. There will NOT be a third time. Our server was okay. The beer we ordered was no longer available. (Hey, it was noon!) Our burgers, ordered as medium, were quite well done as to be dry and basically without flavor. One of the burgers had a single tomato slice that was about the size of a 50-cent piece.

It was not a horrible experience. It just wasn't a good experience and there are enough places to choose from that one doesn't need to be disappointed.

[Sandy222]

We went to Whiskey Creek tonight. We were pleasantly surprised at how good it was as we have heard so many negative things. The wait time was only 20 minutes. Once seated our waiter Michael was right there with drinks and order taking. Dinners came out fast....the veg. were barely warm but very tasty. One whole rack of ribs came out as a half rack but when we mentioned it to our waiter he got the manager and quickly brought us another half rack.

We will definitely go back again.

[amityk]

Some of our neighbors and friends have been there several times and have been happy every time. I would hope others would give it a try and a chance. The magic formula of opening a new restaurant is just that! Skill, luck, talent, all of the above??

[GERALDINE]

The 1st time we went to Whiskey Creek, which was about a month ago, I ordered a combo of St. Louis style ribs and chicken. The ribs were ohhhh sooooo delicious. They were meaty and tender (falling off the bone) and absolutely delicious!!! My husband had ordered a steak and said it was just OK. I let him taste my ribs and he agreed they were delicious. The chicken was OK...but I've not found good chicken down south yet!! (The color and consistency of all the chicken I've had since moving to FL leaves MUCH to be desired...but THAT is another story!!!) Anyhow, we could hardly wait to go back because I was going to order just the ribs to get more of the good stuff and my husband wanted the ribs as well. We went back with neighbors and 3 of us ordered the St. Louis Style Ribs. 2 of us had good ribs but 1 of us...ME...got the worse order of ribs imaginable. I looked across the table at our neighbor's and next to me at my husband's order and realized I had been cheated!!!! >:( It was the end cut with little bones, tons of grizzle and no meat to speak of and what meat there was had been burned crisp because of the small size of the ribs. Anyhow, I told our server who asked if I wanted to see the manager. I said, "no", but she insisted on telling him. He was immediatel at our table and when I showed him what I had, he said, "I am so sorry...that piece of meat should never have been served...it should have been tossed" He said he was VERY sorry and immediately authorized our server to take the price of my entire dinner (even though I ate the sides) off our bill. I was very impressed with their attentiveness to my situation when they became aware of it. We'll definitely give them ONE more chance and go with the best 2 out of 3 decision on future visits is. I think you need to be assertive and TELL them what you want and what you don't want.

[GERALDINE]

Had a GREAT dinner at Whiskey Creek tonight. 2 out of 3 ain't too shabby!! :bigthumbsup:

[snowbirdgator]

I took a group of friends to Whiskey Creek for dinner the other night and we had a enjoyable expereince again. They were on about a 15-20 minute wait, which was fine. We all sat outside and chatted away. When we got our table it, our server took our drinks and appetizer order and had them out very quickly. When it came to our food, most of us had steaks and they were very good, except for one in our group who had prime and they said it was the best they have ever had. I think this new Whiskey Creek is doing a good job. So far they have been meet our expectations when we have visited them. 3 for 3. Great Job! We will definetly go back again.

[Laura]

Whiskey Creek can be summed up in one word: NIGHTMARE !!!!

[gingersmom]

Laura, do you work for Little Joey's?

[eremite06]

Gave Whiskey Creek a second try after our 1st bad experience 4 months ago. We got there at 9:30 PM, was ushered to a table that needed to be cleaned. Decided to sit at an adjacent clean table. The hostess tells us "I don't know if we have a server assigned to this table, I'll go check." We wait for a good 20 minutes, hostess never comes back, no one comes to our table or even looks in our direction. We get fed up and leave. We'll NEVER go back!!

[Villages Kahuna]

We had a similar experience. We were there on opening night so it was crowded. But calling our food "ordinary" would be pressing it. We won't purposely not return. But there are a whole lot of other restaurant choices to try before we'd feel that Whiskey Creek is a place we should return to.

[Duffer]

Went there yesterday for the first time. We decided to wait untill the "birthing pains" that ALL new resturaunts seem to have when they first open. Had lunch service was great and speedy, it should have been as there were only 3 tables being used at the time. The meat was very good the real big downer was the sauces that we were given for the brisket. The hot was hot but had no flavor, the others had no flavor or anything else. Ieven mixed the hot and the "Legend" which didn't come out too bad. Return plans: none in the works but would not rule it out
Thanks for the forum to pass out opinions :)

[snowbirdgator]

Went to Whiskey Creek Wendesday night with family that was in from out of town and took them to Whiskey Creek. We had a great time and good food. It is becoming a regular weekly place for my wife and I. They have a special going right now that is a great deal. Everyone should go check it out.

[jidisi]

We went there a couple of weeks ago for lunch and were VERY DISAPPOINTED. Tasteless food, slow service and dirty restrooms.

[lovelywoman]

My husband and I have gone to Whiskey Creek about 5 times now. We simply loved it. We had a waiter named Randy, and he just added to the great time we had. The ribs are excellent, drinks are two for one all the time and the service just can't be beat. No restaurant is perfect. We dine out often and see people become demanding and critical the minute they walk in. Keep a positive attitude, keep your comments positive and perhaps you life will improve along the way.

[REDCART]

Will a positive attitude overcome "tasteless food" and "dirty restrooms" or is this just another form of denial? But I agree with you, most life experiences are tempered by our feelings or attitude at the time. If you're dining with negative people (and we all probably know at least one,) the odds are that it will be less than a perfect night.

I've never seen a restaurant in TV generate such inconsistent opinions.

[JohnZ]

Yeah gr....the inconsistency with regard to Whiskey Creek is rather strange.

[LG]

The 1st time we went to Whiskey Creek, which was about a month ago, I ordered a combo of St. Louis style ribs and chicken. The ribs were ohhhh sooooo delicious. They were meaty and tender (falling off the bone) and absolutely delicious!!! My husband had ordered a steak and said it was just OK. I let him taste my ribs and he agreed they were delicious. The chicken was OK...but I've not found good chicken down south yet!! (The color and consistency of all the chicken I've had since moving to FL leaves MUCH to be desired...but THAT is another story!!!) Anyhow, we could hardly wait to go back because I was going to order just the ribs to get more of the good stuff and my husband wanted the ribs as well. We went back with neighbors and 3 of us ordered the St. Louis Style Ribs. 2 of us had good ribs but 1 of us...ME...got the worse order of ribs imaginable. I looked across the table at our neighbor's and next to me at my husband's order and realized I had been cheated!!!! >:( It was the end cut with little bones, tons of grizzle and no meat to speak of and what meat there was had been burned crisp because of the small size of the ribs. Anyhow, I told our server who asked if I wanted to see the manager. I said, "no", but she insisted on telling him. He was immediatel at our table and when I showed him what I had, he said, "I am so sorry...that piece of meat should never have been served...it should have been tossed" He said he was VERY sorry and immediately authorized our server to take the price of my entire dinner (even though I ate the sides) off our bill. I was very impressed with their attentiveness to my situation when they became aware of it. We'll definitely give them ONE more chance and go with the best 2 out of 3 decision on future visits is. I think you need to be assertive and TELL them what you want and what you don't want.


YOU MUST WOK THERE

[Hancle704]

We tried it shortly after their big opening and they were having "problems" in the kitchen. There were plenty of empty tables and no shortage of wait staff yet they would not seat folks waiting at the door. We left and waited 2 months until they had time to work out problems. Tried again recently and with 4 in our party we had mixed reviews. While cooked as ordered, one RibEye was great. second Ribeye was all grizzle. FlatIron Steak was so-so but had enough hot spicey seasoning to hide the flavor of beef. Pulled Pork dinner was okay, but not anything worth asking for on next visit.

I guess some folks rush to open and with a large employee turnover don't get things fixed in time to avoid getting a bad name via TV senior telegraph system. As they are planning to open, they sometimes overlook the fact that many seniors are unwilling to pay for poor quaility. We eat out often and rush to try out the newest restaurants or shops, but we don't enjoy being treated as if we should accept sub par meals and service.We just tell our friends and don't go back.

[Talk Host]

Every time I drive by the restaurant, it looks full.

[JGP0318]

I would certainly hope before anyone is spreading rumors of Whiskey Creek closing they would give the restaurant a call and speak to someone in management. Not only can I assure you that Whiskey Creek is NOT closing but we are doing very well. You can expect an excellent meal, in a friendly atmosphere, with great service. Perhaps everyone should reconsider giving Whiskey Creek another try. The General Manager is helpful and attentive to guest needs as is the rest of his management team as well as everyone else that is working for Whiskey Creek. I would encourage anyone to give Whiskey Creek another try or a first try. We will go above and beyond your expectations!

Thank You

[Hancle704]

I would certainly hope before anyone is spreading rumors of Whiskey Creek closing they would give the restaurant a call and speak to someone in management. Thank You



Interesting, I looked for their telephone number in The Villages latest telephone directory and could not find Whiskey Creek listing under restaurants. Was able to find it listed at The Villages Gourmet website. They are open , but not in the local telphone directory.

[swrinfla]

704:
Not listed probably because they only opened in the mid- to late-spring, and the existing phone book was published about the same time, or earlier! tHE WAY WE GROW HERE, IT CAN BE FRUSTRATING TO FIND A NUMBER IN THE BOOK! ::)