I’m a restaurant manager on vacation in The Villages. Went to the Marguerita Republic for late night dancing. Ordered a gin and tonic. Watched the bartender short the pour as the gin bottle ran empty. Rather than open another bottle, she filled the cup with tonic and served it. I kindly asked for a splash more gin. She refused. I then refused to accept a watered-down drink. The bartender became irate and told us to leave. My wife and I didn’t want to. We were having fun making friends and dancing. A discussion with upper management followed. Thought the issue was resolved. However, minutes later security asked us to leave. We complied. A fun night was cut short by a bar tender with a bad attitude.
Jamie Zegar
DO NOT EAT HERE THE FOOD IS TERRIBLE. I am here in Florida with six other friends and we were looking for a margarita. Stumbled upon this restaurant It's right across from one of the villages squares which had entertainment so it seemed like a good option.WRONG!!! Number one We thought it was Mexican because of the name of the restaurant, it is not!! Secondly your margaritas were not your traditional in the margarita glasses and even the waitress did not recommend the house Margarita but instead the strawberry. We wanted queso dip guacamole and chips and they did not have any white queso dip or guacamole on the menu so we opted for the nachos... MISTAKE!!! They used orange cheese that look similar to cheese whiz a few sprinkled olives some tiny diced tomatoes and the chicken and the beef on top were absolutely disgusting. The chips were stale, there was nothing we could eat on the nachos besides the lettuce. We told her waitress the chips were stale and she said she'd be back in a minute, instead of coming back and letting us either choose something else or leave without paying because this meal was so disgusting, she had the kitchen make new nachos which was worse... She then told us that if he didn't take the nachos home because we weren't eating them she would get in trouble. Kind of a scam move... Long story short do not eat here. The food is terrible. I've since asked some locals we are to go and they said bluefin was very good which is in the same square. Hope this helps somebody that starving and looking for a good margarita to avoid the mistake that we made : )
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 2
Dixie Leslie
We ordered the nachos some of us ordered the beef some of us ordered the chicken. The chips were stale the hamburger didn't taste like hamburger and the chicken was void of any flavor. The nachos did not even have real cheese, but some type of liquid mess. Absolutely the worst nachos I've ever had.I would not recommend this place to anyone.It almost ruined our afternoon.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 3
Kay Kings
Horrible service and horrible food. We will give it another trial but it was so disappointing! We do not like to compare but this establishment is by far not to the standard of the Villages! We will give it another chance sometime in the future.
Howard Buchanan
Very few customers and slowest service of both drinks and food. Margaritas were terrible. Taco bowl meat was cold. Will never return here. I guess I know why a village restaurant was almost empty
Lynnette Potts
Enjoy going on Fridays and Saturdays. Love the different styles of DJs. The food is great. The staff is friendly; the facility is clean.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Julie Calareso
This was the worst meal we’ve had - not just at the Villages - but ever. Zero flavor, completely bland. One person in our party ordered the chicken teriyaki bowl. The chicken was clearly frozen and then microwaved and covered in a bland sauce. The “sautéed veggies” that were supposed to be in the bowl consisted of a few slices of zucchini and red onions. Another ordered the shrimp fajitas. A few tiny frozen shrimp, barely any veggies, and zero flavor. No seasonings or spices or flavor in anything. Both meals were terrible and inedible. And overpriced. When we told the waitress, who made no mention of our still-full plates, she insisted the chicken was grilled and made no attempt at all to remedy the situation. Basically just shrugged us off and took the credit card. We left the food on the plates and walked away hungry. There are SO MANY wonderful places to eat in the Villages - so avoid this one! Cross it off your list. Would give zero stars if it was an option.
Sarah Hullender
Absolutely love the waitresses and staff. But the kitchen and food need an immediate overhaul. We attempted to eat the meatloaf, the first dish my husband's meatloaf was raw in the middle. The second plate had an overwhelming fish taste, we made it to the parking lot of Publix before my husband began to vomit uncontrollably. The girls are always so sweet, the drinks are great, the food is to be avoided at all costs!
Carla Taylor
I ordered the Santa fe bowl, chicken was unrecognizable and nothing tasted fresh, quesedilla was cold, appetizers never arrived and we had to ask to remove from the bill. Service was poor. Will never be back!
Drinks-2 stars. Food-3 stars. Experience- 3 stars. I came on a Saturday. I thought it was really cool that they were open late and had a dj. The area is heavily populated with retired folks so it was nice to have something that closed later. It’s a bit expensive for what it is(drinks 7-10 each) however I wasn’t charged an entrance fee/cover so I can’t complain too much. Here’s the thing it’s a great place to hang out in the area. The drinks are overpriced for what they are. The drinks tasted great. It’s just that I didn’t taste any alcohol in it what-so ever nor did I feel any affects. It was like drinking a smoothie instead of a margarita.The food was fair and be aware that there is a late night fee for eating which I though was strange but it’s is what it is. It wasn’t bad by any means, but it’s bar food. This isn’t a bad place to go but you need to manage your expectations. It’s more of a party atmosphere to dance and play pool. It’s not super clean but I had a decent time. The drinks will not give you any sort of “buzz” so know that going there. Your paying more for live entertainment, competitive hours and enjoyable ambiance. If you don’t like loud-busy bars with average food and drinks then this isn’t the place for you. My recommendation would be to put a tad more alcohol in your drinks and provide a menu for drinks so pricing is more transparent.
Vanessa McCarthy-Johnson
This place is fun. I did not get food but went for drinks. There were people of all ages dancing and drinking with no issues. The DJ was good and played a variety of music. I went there twice, once on a Friday and once on a Saturday.
Atmosphere: 4
Service: 4
Kelly Wach
I had read reviews of bad service but our server actually saved this review. Place was quiet when our party of 6 arrived for dinner. We wanted to sit outside but there were no tables for 6 even though we had reservations. No drink prices on menu was the first thing I noticed. The atmosphere was ok we sat across a covered pool table.I had the open Roast Beef with mashed potatoes and gravy. Serving was small at best barely any roast beef or potatoes. My husband had the tacos and he loved them. My inlaws had fajitas and again big portions.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 5
CosmonotKramer
If it wasn’t for trivia nights, this place would close down. Drinks are weak. They “lost” our order. Most places would cook I right away, but not here. After one hour fifteen minutes dinner came, 2 others in our party got there 45 minutes after us but were served first, bartenders stood around, not checking on customers or cleaning their area. The poor service is every week. If it wasn’t for trivia we would never go there.
T A (Monkey)
Jon Taffer needs to shut this place down. Stood in the front waiting unknowing if it was seat yourself or not. Finally chased a server down to ask,it was seat yourself.Ordered a cherry limeade which was supposed to be Titos. It was wells. Ordered rice bowls. The zucchini was old and microwaved to death, rice was rice a roni from a cup no flavor. Watched a server grab her drinks from the bar, but her hands in the fruit container with her long nails. Dropped the fruit on the bar matt and picked up and stick it in the drink ? I had to wipe my seat from some sticky matter. The bathroom is clean on the surface but if you look it's all dusty. The restaurant is supposed to be carribean food. NOTHING is carribean. It's bad bar food. The menu's online from 3 years ago actually had carribean food. Definitely will never be back.
Fun awesome, great food, clean. Friendly staff.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I’m a restaurant manager on vacation in The Villages. Went to the Marguerita Republic for late night dancing. Ordered a gin and tonic. Watched the bartender short the pour as the gin bottle ran empty. Rather than open another bottle, she filled the cup with tonic and served it. I kindly asked for a splash more gin. She refused. I then refused to accept a watered-down drink. The bartender became irate and told us to leave. My wife and I didn’t want to. We were having fun making friends and dancing. A discussion with upper management followed. Thought the issue was resolved. However, minutes later security asked us to leave. We complied. A fun night was cut short by a bar tender with a bad attitude.
DO NOT EAT HERE THE FOOD IS TERRIBLE. I am here in Florida with six other friends and we were looking for a margarita. Stumbled upon this restaurant It's right across from one of the villages squares which had entertainment so it seemed like a good option.WRONG!!! Number one We thought it was Mexican because of the name of the restaurant, it is not!! Secondly your margaritas were not your traditional in the margarita glasses and even the waitress did not recommend the house Margarita but instead the strawberry. We wanted queso dip guacamole and chips and they did not have any white queso dip or guacamole on the menu so we opted for the nachos... MISTAKE!!! They used orange cheese that look similar to cheese whiz a few sprinkled olives some tiny diced tomatoes and the chicken and the beef on top were absolutely disgusting. The chips were stale, there was nothing we could eat on the nachos besides the lettuce. We told her waitress the chips were stale and she said she'd be back in a minute, instead of coming back and letting us either choose something else or leave without paying because this meal was so disgusting, she had the kitchen make new nachos which was worse... She then told us that if he didn't take the nachos home because we weren't eating them she would get in trouble. Kind of a scam move... Long story short do not eat here. The food is terrible. I've since asked some locals we are to go and they said bluefin was very good which is in the same square. Hope this helps somebody that starving and looking for a good margarita to avoid the mistake that we made : )
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 2
We ordered the nachos some of us ordered the beef some of us ordered the chicken. The chips were stale the hamburger didn't taste like hamburger and the chicken was void of any flavor. The nachos did not even have real cheese, but some type of liquid mess. Absolutely the worst nachos I've ever had.I would not recommend this place to anyone.It almost ruined our afternoon.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 3
Horrible service and horrible food. We will give it another trial but it was so disappointing! We do not like to compare but this establishment is by far not to the standard of the Villages! We will give it another chance sometime in the future.
Very few customers and slowest service of both drinks and food. Margaritas were terrible. Taco bowl meat was cold. Will never return here. I guess I know why a village restaurant was almost empty
Enjoy going on Fridays and Saturdays. Love the different styles of DJs. The food is great. The staff is friendly; the facility is clean.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This was the worst meal we’ve had - not just at the Villages - but ever. Zero flavor, completely bland. One person in our party ordered the chicken teriyaki bowl. The chicken was clearly frozen and then microwaved and covered in a bland sauce. The “sautéed veggies” that were supposed to be in the bowl consisted of a few slices of zucchini and red onions. Another ordered the shrimp fajitas. A few tiny frozen shrimp, barely any veggies, and zero flavor. No seasonings or spices or flavor in anything. Both meals were terrible and inedible. And overpriced. When we told the waitress, who made no mention of our still-full plates, she insisted the chicken was grilled and made no attempt at all to remedy the situation. Basically just shrugged us off and took the credit card. We left the food on the plates and walked away hungry. There are SO MANY wonderful places to eat in the Villages - so avoid this one! Cross it off your list. Would give zero stars if it was an option.
Absolutely love the waitresses and staff. But the kitchen and food need an immediate overhaul. We attempted to eat the meatloaf, the first dish my husband's meatloaf was raw in the middle. The second plate had an overwhelming fish taste, we made it to the parking lot of Publix before my husband began to vomit uncontrollably. The girls are always so sweet, the drinks are great, the food is to be avoided at all costs!
I ordered the Santa fe bowl, chicken was unrecognizable and nothing tasted fresh, quesedilla was cold, appetizers never arrived and we had to ask to remove from the bill. Service was poor. Will never be back!
Restaurantji Recommends
Drinks-2 stars. Food-3 stars. Experience- 3 stars. I came on a Saturday. I thought it was really cool that they were open late and had a dj. The area is heavily populated with retired folks so it was nice to have something that closed later. It’s a bit expensive for what it is(drinks 7-10 each) however I wasn’t charged an entrance fee/cover so I can’t complain too much. Here’s the thing it’s a great place to hang out in the area. The drinks are overpriced for what they are. The drinks tasted great. It’s just that I didn’t taste any alcohol in it what-so ever nor did I feel any affects. It was like drinking a smoothie instead of a margarita.The food was fair and be aware that there is a late night fee for eating which I though was strange but it’s is what it is. It wasn’t bad by any means, but it’s bar food. This isn’t a bad place to go but you need to manage your expectations. It’s more of a party atmosphere to dance and play pool. It’s not super clean but I had a decent time. The drinks will not give you any sort of “buzz” so know that going there. Your paying more for live entertainment, competitive hours and enjoyable ambiance. If you don’t like loud-busy bars with average food and drinks then this isn’t the place for you. My recommendation would be to put a tad more alcohol in your drinks and provide a menu for drinks so pricing is more transparent.
This place is fun. I did not get food but went for drinks. There were people of all ages dancing and drinking with no issues. The DJ was good and played a variety of music. I went there twice, once on a Friday and once on a Saturday.
Atmosphere: 4
Service: 4
I had read reviews of bad service but our server actually saved this review. Place was quiet when our party of 6 arrived for dinner. We wanted to sit outside but there were no tables for 6 even though we had reservations. No drink prices on menu was the first thing I noticed. The atmosphere was ok we sat across a covered pool table.I had the open Roast Beef with mashed potatoes and gravy. Serving was small at best barely any roast beef or potatoes. My husband had the tacos and he loved them. My inlaws had fajitas and again big portions.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 5
If it wasn’t for trivia nights, this place would close down. Drinks are weak. They “lost” our order. Most places would cook I right away, but not here. After one hour fifteen minutes dinner came, 2 others in our party got there 45 minutes after us but were served first, bartenders stood around, not checking on customers or cleaning their area. The poor service is every week. If it wasn’t for trivia we would never go there.
Jon Taffer needs to shut this place down. Stood in the front waiting unknowing if it was seat yourself or not. Finally chased a server down to ask,it was seat yourself.Ordered a cherry limeade which was supposed to be Titos. It was wells. Ordered rice bowls. The zucchini was old and microwaved to death, rice was rice a roni from a cup no flavor. Watched a server grab her drinks from the bar, but her hands in the fruit container with her long nails. Dropped the fruit on the bar matt and picked up and stick it in the drink ? I had to wipe my seat from some sticky matter. The bathroom is clean on the surface but if you look it's all dusty. The restaurant is supposed to be carribean food. NOTHING is carribean. It's bad bar food. The menu's online from 3 years ago actually had carribean food. Definitely will never be back.