Eaton's Beach Sandbar & Grill (on Lake Weir)

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  #46  
Old 03-29-2014, 08:12 AM
NECHFalcon68 NECHFalcon68 is offline
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Was there last Friday. Party of 10, we called ahead. Got there at 5, seated at 6, orders taken at 625, food was served at 740. We are thinking that the kitchen can't handle the load. On our way out (about 830-ish), I overheard someone remark "how can there be a 45 minute wait when they have open tables?"

We sat upstairs with a great view of the lake and beach. The setting and view is the big selling point.

IMO the food was OK and flavorful, I had the salmon. One of our group had the shrimp and grits, which he said was overly creamy and somewhat cold. I took his word, I'm not a grits person....

Our opinions may be tainted due to how long it took to be served....
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  #47  
Old 03-29-2014, 08:52 AM
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maybe will settle down in spring, with less wait time..its worth a try
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  #48  
Old 03-29-2014, 02:50 PM
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Originally Posted by Laura View Post
This is a fairly new restaurant where the food is excellent.
Just to be accurate, Eaton's Beach is not a new restaurant. It has been there for years since the early 1900's at that same spot. It has just been modernized over the last year.
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  #49  
Old 03-29-2014, 03:23 PM
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Went there for dinner Wednesday night. Got there around 5:30 and the place was packed inside and outside. Tried to call earlier to make a reservation and they were not taking any. We, party of 6, waited outside and finally had to go inside as the weather cooled down. Packed inside also with people waiting. We were finally seated 2 hours later, around 7:30. Main problem was there were large parties of 12 or 18 that were seated, so serving time and the lack of tables for smaller groups were used up.
Once seated though waitress was right there to take food and drink orders, and our dinners were served in a short amount of time.
It seems as thought the restaurant is going to have to limit the number of large parties to be seated at the prime time of the dinner hour. We did see a number of people leave when given the waiting time.
Food was very good with a varied and unique choices.
They don't take reservations...................call ahead and ask to be put on their list.
Doubt they will be limiting any parties.
Those people that left, had that choice, wait or leave. This is not the fault of the restaurant.
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Old 03-29-2014, 03:41 PM
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Its a brand new building the business has been there
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Old 03-29-2014, 03:42 PM
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We've been twice to Eaton's Beach. Both visits were on busy weekends, once in December, and again in March. We go in mid afternoon to avoid the crowds, but of course the place is so popular it's always crowded. However we got a table overlooking the beach with a minimal wait time.

The venue has great views and you can feel the energy radiating as you approach. Good food, professional servers, it's a really great spot!
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  #52  
Old 03-29-2014, 04:04 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NECHFalcon68 View Post
Was there last Friday. Party of 10, we called ahead. Got there at 5, seated at 6, orders taken at 625, food was served at 740. We are thinking that the kitchen can't handle the load. On our way out (about 830-ish), I overheard someone remark "how can there be a 45 minute wait when they have open tables?"

We sat upstairs with a great view of the lake and beach. The setting and view is the big selling point.

IMO the food was OK and flavorful, I had the salmon. One of our group had the shrimp and grits, which he said was overly creamy and somewhat cold. I took his word, I'm not a grits person....

Our opinions may be tainted due to how long it took to be served....
When a good restaurant is understaffed, they will leave tables open rather than subjecting their customers to poor service.
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  #53  
Old 03-29-2014, 04:07 PM
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Originally Posted by bonrich View Post
Went there for dinner Wednesday night. Got there around 5:30 and the place was packed inside and outside. Tried to call earlier to make a reservation and they were not taking any. We, party of 6, waited outside and finally had to go inside as the weather cooled down. Packed inside also with people waiting. We were finally seated 2 hours later, around 7:30. Main problem was there were large parties of 12 or 18 that were seated, so serving time and the lack of tables for smaller groups were used up.
Once seated though waitress was right there to take food and drink orders, and our dinners were served in a short amount of time.
It seems as thought the restaurant is going to have to limit the number of large parties to be seated at the prime time of the dinner hour. We did see a number of people leave when given the waiting time.
Food was very good with a varied and unique choices.
I have never been able to figure out why anybody would want to go out to eat in a group larger than two or three couples. There is no way to converse with most everyone at the table without shouting. Also, it is harder to get seated and a burden on the kitchen and your servers to get everyone served at the same time. Quality absolutely has to suffer.
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  #54  
Old 03-29-2014, 04:12 PM
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Originally Posted by Indydealmaker View Post
I have never been able to figure out why anybody would want to go out to eat in a group larger than two or three couples. There is no way to converse with most everyone at the table without shouting. Also, it is harder to get seated and a burden on the kitchen and your servers to get everyone served at the same time. Quality absolutely has to suffer.
You are absolutely right about the size of the group. In my above post our party of nine experiences that when we go out to dinner. Several mentioned the enjoyable evening we had at Eaton's Beach................one of the reasons; during our wait we had a lot of time to talk over a couple drinks.
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Last edited by Bogie Shooter; 04-01-2014 at 07:38 AM.
  #55  
Old 04-01-2014, 07:14 AM
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Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter View Post
They don't take reservations...................call ahead and ask to be put on their list.
Doubt they will be limiting any parties.
Those people that left, had that choice, wait or leave. This is not the fault of the restaurant.
Well, they are at fault to a degree. Assume the large party of 18 took up 5 tables for at least 2 1/2 hours. I believe a restaurant wants to turn a table every 1 1/4 hour. So 5 tables seating 4 (20 total) and a possible turn of 1 1/2 to 2 turns in that time period vs serving 18 and one turn, can add up to a substantial loss. Add to that coffee and dessert for some means more time lost. Also more than one waiter is going to be needed, cutting the availability of staff waiting on the other tables that are seated. Then, the time that the kitchen staff is taking to plate and serve so most of the large table can eat at the same time. Then the kitchen staff has to get back up and going to take care of all the other tables waiting for their dinner which is now back logged all the way to the patrons waiting to be seated.

Kind of like a whirlpool.
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Old 04-01-2014, 07:40 AM
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Originally Posted by bonrich View Post
Well, they are at fault to a degree. Assume the large party of 18 took up 5 tables for at least 2 1/2 hours. I believe a restaurant wants to turn a table every 1 1/4 hour. So 5 tables seating 4 (20 total) and a possible turn of 1 1/2 to 2 turns in that time period vs serving 18 and one turn, can add up to a substantial loss. Add to that coffee and dessert for some means more time lost. Also more than one waiter is going to be needed, cutting the availability of staff waiting on the other tables that are seated. Then, the time that the kitchen staff is taking to plate and serve so most of the large table can eat at the same time. Then the kitchen staff has to get back up and going to take care of all the other tables waiting for their dinner which is now back logged all the way to the patrons waiting to be seated.

Kind of like a whirlpool.
So? Its their game and they set the rules. And there does not appear to be a lack of customers.
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Last edited by Bogie Shooter; 04-02-2014 at 11:05 AM.
  #57  
Old 04-01-2014, 09:44 AM
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Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter View Post
So? Its there game and they set the rules. And there does not appear to be a lack of customers.
True for now. Because think about the potential patrons that left because of the long wait, and told their friends about it and they told their friends also. Plus the 29 posts on TOTV and all the readers checking in on the posts. What may happen is potential customers will not take a chance on driving out there and not being able to be seated in a reasonable time, or leaving after a long wait and looking for another place for dinner much later than the wanted.
It may be their game for now, with a long wait, but the upside will be when less people go there for dinner, ergo, shorter wait time!!
  #58  
Old 04-02-2014, 12:58 AM
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Everyone I know in The Villages is planning to try Eaton's Beach. After two successful visits, we will certainly go back again. It's a hugely popular place right now, and deservedly so! Good food, good service, amazing ambiance = success!
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  #59  
Old 04-02-2014, 03:55 AM
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We had lunch their yesterday. Second time for us and very enjoyable again.
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Old 04-02-2014, 04:54 AM
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Sunday afternoon at 4:00 there were 14 of us that were picked up by the bus for Eatons Beach.After we arrived we were seated right away outside on the upper deck.We sat for maybe 10 minutes looking over menus and talking when the manager came over and apologized for seating us and not having a server come over and take our drink orders.None of us had complained,the manager did this on her own.She said she was bringing to our table 3 different kinds of appetizers at no charge.And not just 3 plates,it was 6 plates so we all could share. The manager and staff are wonderful.
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