Finally went to Burke's
 

Great barbecue great fries great prices. Rustic atmosphere, but the food is the attraction.

We did a carryout of ribs and smoked turkey with sweet potato casserole and mac and cheese. Very pleased!

We've been wondering, but never many cars there.

Burke's must have improved since the first few weeks of opening because we found the food dry, small quantities, and a high price. May need to try it again but was so unhappy with the food that it's hard to give it a second chance.

I really like Burke's. I think you get good food for the price. It is much busier during the lunch hour than in the evenings.

We like Burke's too. Good, home cooked food, good prices. Nothing fancy, just good food.

Where is this restaurant?

466A towards Fruitland Park before the Micro Race Track turnoff. Impossible to miss.

Good food and friendly service!

We like it too. Really good food!

After you eat, be sure to visit the thrift store behind the resturant.

That was my thought also. But circumstances (wife out of town :o) made me hunt down some food the other day. When I pulled in, I realized there is another parking area BEHIND the building and that's where all the cars were.

So in I went, ordered the Messy Pig, and it was great. This place is now on the restaurant rotation for us for sure.

:wave::wave::wave:

Yep have to agree great home cooked food at great prices. Definitely on our go to list of places to eat! Nothing fancy just good food!

I agree the ribs were so dry I could not get meat off of them.

When was your visit?

We went to Burke's three times and were disappointed. They had an awful grand opening---ran out of food and got checks all messed up, etc. You can review previous Threads to verify this. But gave it another try a couple months later---it was still as if they had never operated/managed a restaurant before.

Will give them another try in the next week or two. No baby back ribs last year---any now?

It's a great location----best thing about Burke's so far.

We have been to Burke's a dozen times with only positive experiences.

Everybody needs to keep in mind that opening a restaurant in The Villages is the exact opposite experience for the owners of which you would have expected. This is the WORST place in the world to be the owner of a new restaurant, particularly a mom n pop operation. This is no place for the weak entrepreneur with a shallow pocketbook.

The Villages is the largest concentration of senior foodies from the most diverse backgrounds in the United States. It is harder than hell to satisfy a largely impatient, often curiously cranky crowd of people wholly convinced that nothing is ever as good as "their" place up North.

This is the only place in the country where you can try to have a slow and easy secret opening to accommodate training only to be bombarded by a throng of "starving" septuagenarians demanding the smooth efficiency of high-end dining at an "all you can eat" discount prices.

We need the Burke's, Mezza Lunas, Ricciardis, Rae Raes, Woodys and Dam Diners of this world! Please be patient and do not be shy to communicate your suggestions to the owners (without the red face, bulging eyes and swinging canes). It is much more fun to help than to trash.

No baby backs the two times we have gone, but the spareribs are meaty, flavorful, and fall off the bone tender. The French fries are hand cut and the Mac and cheese and baked beans outstanding.

Pretty accurate summary Steve!

Indydealmaker---I agree with you we need the "mom & Pop" entrepreneur's of the world. I'm pulling for them in an era of company chains and franchise restaurants that are slowly putting all the independents out of business.

However, independent's have to do their homework and find what works and what doesn't work----especially with the senior population we have here in TV.

For example, most seniors eat babyback ribs but Burke's didn't have them on their menu or apparently not on their radar......... I hope they make it as an independent restaurant-----we plan to give them another chance.

How right you are!
 

I tire of the reminiscing about everything "back home" being better than here. This is my home, my only home, and I like it just fine. Love it or leave it, or at least be civil and quiet. It may not be as great "back home" as you remember. One thing I know, it's not where you wanted to be when you moved here.

Stop there often, never was disappointed ................

Weekend BabyBacks
 

We stopped in yesterday for an early supper. The pulled pork was tasty and tender. They are now having babybacks on weekends after 5:30. We were a bit early, but they let us steal an early order...great flavor!

We went there Friday night, when everything in TV was mobbed and folks were standing around with beepers for an hour to get a table! We walked right in, got two baby back rib dinners and a whole bottle of wine for under $40. The food was good, everything was home made and the people are very nice. We sat outside and enjoyed the fresh air and flowers. Love this place. Maybe I shouldn't tell everybody. Once they find out, we won't be able to get in there either, lol.

Not like K.C. Ribs from the midwest. It was warmed up in a microwave...YUK!

Unfortunately, you are not in the midwest.

Shouldn't that be: "Fortunately, you are not in the midwest."?

You're funny, Red...LOL

Maybe not, but that's one of the trade-offs for living in the paradise called The Villages. They are decent for what they are. And to balance the world, KC and the midwest doesn't have very good seafood.

:pepper2::pepper2::pepper2::pepper2::pepper2:

You say potato I say...........................:bowdown:

They serve a fair portion. (not overflowing) Prices are reasonable but what we like is the feeling afterward. Not over salted or over done with sauce. My wife calls it healthy barbeque. I agree.
My celebration place (who cares how I feel afterward) is Oakwood.
Great great place.
Neal G

Glad to hear good reviews on Burkes. (Yes. I read the negative ones also)

We stopped by there when we closed on our house. It was 7:00 PM on a Saturday night and there was not a single car in the parking lot. That scared us off.

We will try it when we are in town next time. It's a convenient location and I do love the idea of having a local family owned restaurant that does not have an hour wait on a weekend night.

We should have given it a try. Instead we drove to Oakwood. Which was packed. Not wanting to wait an hour we called from the parking lot and placed a take out order. Sat and chatted for 15 minutes and gladly left all the hungry folks with beepers and dined in our new home.

Yep, next time we will give Burkes a try!

Oh also, there are as many different styles of "bar b que" as there are states. Doesn't hurt to try something new, even if it is different than your "favorite" style. I feel bad for those who refuse to try something new and only eat at chains. That's missing the local flavor of an area, IMHO.

Been there twice - will not go back.