I grew up going to areas of Florida along the gulf coast where even decent bars would bring in fresh gulf shrimp, snapper and grouper almost daily.

It seems to me like FMK and their competitors here are content to just use whatever they can get from Sysco and Cheney Bros instead of dealing with whatever logistics are required to get an abundance of fresh "local" seafood from another source. It's a very poor sign with all of the delicious fish available in Florida that some places are serving poor quality frozen fish from Asia like Basa or Tilapia to cut down on costs. I would be thrilled if I could go to a restaurant in one of the squares and order fresh bass or catfish caught from Lake Harris, but I doubt that will ever happen.

When one decides to move to TV, dining to not on their priority. However there are plenty of restaurants outside that has menus that are far superior to the bubble.

During high season every restaurant in TV could serve exactly the same menu and still be packed, food driven by proximity. If we choose bar type food then it’s tap house or Boosters.
We can eat at home with better quality, perfectly prepared cuisine. If we choose to dine, then it’s not in TV. We travel off campus 1-2 times a week.
Then again the Best Sports bar on your list is closed, so they must have had the right food, but not the clientele to sustain a business.

Disagree a bit.

For some, dining out is a priority, it's just their expectations are not "fine dining" as defined by a few. Their lifestyle is not cooking at home and enjoy the food selections in TV.

We dine out couple times per month............we enjoy cooking together.

:beer3:

For those looking for “fine dining” near us - I am a fan of a fairly new restaurant in Ocala - Three Six Bistro - it’s in an unassuming building on the edge of town, with under a dozen tables, so reservations are a must, with a fresh, innovative menu. Great wine list, superior, upscale service, with many dishes finished table side. Chef will come out to talk to each diner midway through your meal to see if you are pleased with his preparation. Currently holds a 4.9 rating on Yelp, which is almost unheard of. Worth checking out if you’re a foodie. The owner/chef by the way is a Villager.

Why does nobody ever talk about Anglers club? Are there no members on this site?

Eating out is description we use for TV restaurants. Food that definitely would be prepared better at home, but for some reason many seek the convenience of eating out.

Dining out (restaurant that uses in house prepared fresh, not commercial bulk chain food) is at a restaurant usually not within TV. Since 2007 food in TV has never evolved into “better” just mediocre at best.
Sadly TV doesn’t have the individual chef run restaurants that some travel to. So our dining $$$ are 3 miles to TP and great dining beyond, taking overnight trips every 3 weeks or less. I agree with M61 three/6 is excellent and well worth the experience

The first rule of Anglers is .....

Odds are there are a few on here who are members but probably not many. If I were a member I still would not put it in my signature, just as I don't put any of my associations or memberships in my signature.

Have had the pleasure couple of times, great staff, good food, and ambience.
Currently open for applications for memberships available at this time. However you have a better chance if a current member recommends you.

I have recently applied for membership at Angler’s (fingers crossed I am accepted). Looks like a restaurant that I would probably patronize multiple times each month.

Not a bad buy in $1,000. And monthly $200. dining dollar amount is lower than our CC up north. The whiskey pairing is well worth $150.

Agree - thank you

We are not foodies but do get out to dinner 2-3x per month. Mostly for socialization. Food is ok but not as good as what we found before moving here.

Yeah - I try not to complain too much about the quality of food inside the bubble. I did my homework, and knew I would have to compromise in that area, so that came as no surprise to me. My first year here, I ate out breakfast almost every morning, and dinner 5-6 times per week. I’ve been to every restaurant in the bubble (except Anglers) and most in Leesburg, Wildwood, Lady Lake, Tavares, Summerfield, Inverness , along with a good chunk of Ocala multiple times. I’m down now to eating out for dinner 2-3 times per week - and have vastly narrowed down the bubble restaurants to a small handful. Dining out in the bubble is more for convenience sake as well as to socialize with friends. The best meals are those I cook at home.

Am I getting this right? $1,000 fee to join and $200 a month. Is there a membership renewal every year?
Edit: And you have to pay for the food you eat and the alcoholic beverages you drink.

Sounds like the $200/month is the minimum you must spend on food, or, if you don't go, you still get charged $200...

Much like the "food minimum" at most private country clubs...

The $1000 fee seems to be a one time initiation fee, not a yearly charge...

You get by that minimum pretty quickly in one night. From a recent menu:
Elk Meatloaf: $62.
Veal Chop: $79.
Lobster Tail: $90.
Surf and Turf: $125.
Tomahawk Steak: $145.

It was good.

Skip

Thanks Skip, but we’ll gladly Skip that.

I plan on Skipping that too.

Not counting our CC membership $$$ buy in up north our bar/restaurant fee was $400. Eat drink or not either way thats the monthly fee. Our kids, grands can use the account so it’s not a problem, when we are away.

Yes Anglers monthly fee is $200. Membership fee and food minimum, very clear before you apply for membership, which doesn’t guarantee your acceptance. Anglers has specialty events usually monthly between $80-175 for multi course experience per person.

Average entrée in TV restaurants is $24-60 plus drinks.

In all honesty we easily spend $100-150 every time we go to Disney on food and drink.

For those prices one better love it

Those prices are in-line with what one would pay for fine dining in large metro cities in 2025 - so as long as the experience and food is comparable, I’m OK with that price point - nice to have something a little different here in The Villages.

Elk meatloaf? With catsup on it who could tell?
Veal chop? Baby cow, and only one?
Lobster tail? Better be a 20lb tail!
Surf and turf. Can of sardines and alfalfa sprouts fits that description.
Tomahawk steak? What part of the horse is the tomahawk? Or is it just that tough?

Well, apparently you enjoyed it, and that is really all that matters.
I love coming out of a restaurant and smiling because I would have loved my meal at twice the cost. I hate coming out of a restaurant feeling the meal would have been disappointing at 1/2 the cost.

Good chef.
Paying for better service, clean glasses, etc.
Paying for nicer surroundings.
Paying for the lack of crowds.

Here lies the reason, many don’t post if one chooses better service, unique menu pairing, reserved dining experience. It’s ok to enjoy a nice dinner, even if some don’t understand.

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

I don't think it's costing FMK much to "buy up all these restaurants". The restaurants they take over, are already failing, but equipped to operate. FMK is just taking over the leases of existing restaurants (in many cases).

Costs them just about nothing, as they already have the physical & operational infrastructure in place.

Obviously a very smart bunch of people running their business

True, and have eaten at the very high end restaurants at business,
but I would rather spend high end money traveling or a new activity. . . .

its all down to personal preferences, which we on the board disagree with day in and day out. . .

cheers to those who enjoy their meals out!

off to everglades for a national park traveling reviews. .

We travel to different parts of the world not only for the history, but most importantly the local culture and cuisine.
December Quick trip to NOLA for best gumbo, shrimp/grits and beignets. So same travel idea, but food is what ties it together for us. Heading to Miami then Keys for a week or two, for warmer temps, turquoise water and fresh local food. So not far from your ENP destination.

Have All That
 

Yet I have all that if I make myself a fried Bologna sandwich and eat it in my kitchen.

From FB.

🎉We're thrilled to announce that our menu is now available ONLINE! 🙌

No need to wait or wonder — check out our delicious offerings from the comfort of your home! Whether you're craving Celtic classics, a juicy burger, fresh seafood, or something on the lighter side, we've got you covered.

👉 Click the link below to discover what's at Sawgrass Tavern:
LUNCH - Lunch Menu | Sawgrass Tavern
DINNER - Dinner Menu | Sawgrass Tavern
DRINK - Drink Menu | Sawgrass Tavern

#SawgrassTavern #MenuNowOnline #TastyEats #thevillages #LocalFavorites

Looks good! Thank you

What are my options for my McGradys gift card I got for the holidays are am I SOL?

Strongly recommend you ask the management after the reopening. Unless they are online here and care to out themselves, you aren't going to get a good answer.

McGrady’s gift cards will be honored by Sawgrass Tavern.

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/fo...93-post75.html