Tastes Of The Everglades

I stopped by Everglades City to check on its recovery after Hurricane Irma and decided to have lunch at Tastes of the Everglades. The staff was friendly, and we were seated promptly. We ordered the chicken sandwich plate and the gator tail bites. The chicken sandwich was well-prepared and very tasty. As for the gator, it had a distinct flavor—definitely gator. Some might say it tastes like chicken, but I found it to be moister with a slightly chewier texture. It was definitely worth trying. Both dishes came with fries, and we’ll definitely be back.

The restaurant is in a beautiful spot on Collier, providing a great view of Lake Placid, with comfortable outdoor seating and available parking. We ordered the grouper and redfish tacos, which were both delicious. Since they’ve just opened, the service was a bit slow in terms of seating and getting waited on, but everything eventually fell into place. The menu offers a variety of options at very reasonable prices. It's definitely worth a visit!

The roast beef sandwich comes served with a zesty horseradish sauce.

We traveled from Miami to Everglades City with a group of 15, and the restaurant was surprisingly empty. However, we experienced a long wait for service. When our server finally arrived, we were informed that there was no salad and no chowder available, further limiting an already small menu. I ordered the fried shrimp basket while my wife chose the coconut shrimp basket. Both baskets contained a meager amount of shrimp and were quite plain for their prices ($15.99 and $16.99), offering little value. The food was below average, and the service was disappointing. The only highlight was a woman who was busy filling glasses and distributing silverware. To make matters worse, there was a dead possum in a hava-heart trap inside the building. There are much better dining options out there. I certainly won’t be returning.

Had lunch good service, gumbo was excellent, salad bar was more than expected.