We expect to pay higher prices for better food and service but this was not the case. Me and my husband split the medium rare porterhouse steak and my mom ordered the filet mignon. We cut into Porterhouse and was raw. Instead of just taking the meat off our plate, they took our whole plate. So we watched my mom eat almost all her food. Then our steak came back with the manager, asking to cut into it to see if it's cooked. It was. For the prices you're paying for steak, sides, and drinks I would expect way better service than we got. read more

Great ambiance and an interesting menu. Definitely a good date spot if you're looking for somewhere new. This is the old Boca location and they didn't change too much inside. Still warm lighting and an open kitchen. My friends and I stopped by for Happy Hour recently and stayed for dinner as well (note: Happy Hour is from 3-5pm and they do not serve anything other than that food menu for that duration). I made a reservation for 6 and it probably wasn't even necessary on a Monday, but I'd still recommend it. The hostess was really nice about having both indoor and outdoor options for our group. During happy hour we ordered basically everything to share. The oysters were absolutely amazing for $8!!! GET THEM BOTH. They were big, beautiful and an amazing value. The tallow candle was interesting and worth a try. We also had the country ham board and the BBQ chicken flatbread which were nice to share. After all of that happy hour food I wasn't super hungry for a big meal so I bought the sides for our table (meat is a la carte) and I got to try my friend's wedge salad. This salad was phenomenal and large for $9! Everyone's steak was cooked exactly as ordered. Drinks were tasty, staff was super attentive and they supported our large group while also social distancing. It's a bit pricey when considering heading here for dinner, but certainly a great option for a special occasion. read more

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What better place to meet friends than at a Meatery? That's where our story ends.... Here's the beginning This trip to Brandon was laid back. Laid back in the exam chair at my favorite gentle 'dental'men! After a wonderful checkup, I left with that squeaky clean Ahhhhhh! feeling. I was feeling so good that I even Checked In on Social Media. I guess that would be true 'Word of Mouth' advertising??? It was now Lunch-Thirty and I was ready to sink my teeth into something more palatable than a bitewing xray. It was then that my phone pulled in the matching frequency of a friend's device. I got a text. They'd seen my location notification and knew I was now in their locale. The text read 'What are you doing for lunch?' I'd just done my online seek for something to eat and had decided to try out a Donovan's seat to which my friends agreed to meet. I arrived first, giving me time to soak up the ambiance. I sensed a bit of that bons temp feeling of New Orleans mixed with a casual upscale cool. The decor was amazing and amusing. Clean, bright and cheery. Sitting for just a minute I was introduced to our server-to-be Duyen, when my friends walked in. Duyen greeted us with that 'you know you're in good hands' spirit. She took fabulous care of us, ensuring our visit was as unique as her beautiful name. Decisions. Decisions. Decisions to be made. Soup is a such a hearty start to a meal. I was faced with deciding between a Lobster Bisque or a French Onion soup. To ease my burden, I chose the French Onion and one friend chose the Lobster Bisque. Both soups were very flavorful and well deserving of consideration. Ultimately, after getting a teaser taste of the Lobster Bisque, I would choose it by a small ocean notion over the French Onion. Perusing the menu, my eyes were drawn to the patty portion. The burgers. Something about the Brasstown Grass-Fed Beef Burger really moo-ved me. And that is what I ordered. You'd think a burger is NOT a fair indicator of a restaurant's culinary prowess. But when you consider the many variables of meat blends, buns, spices, cooking & toppings? Then it's game on! The Brasstown Burger was absolutely delicious! A perfectly cooked hunk o' patty with that squeeze pleasing juicy drippy moisten the challah bun yum! I'm a trumpet player and that thing hit a High note for me! It was plain to see my friends were enjoying their food and the delightful flavors as much as our fun and camaraderie! And THAT, my internet friends, is what makes life so magical. Cheers! Tell them John, Butch and Cindy sent ya! read more

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I wish I remembered our waitresses name but she was fantastic! Between explaining the menu, providing her favorite options, making me the perfect "surprise me" drink and offering to take photos of us, she made our date night very special! The food was great, the ambiance was perfect and we can't wait to come back! read more

Donovan's Meatery - Steakhouses Near Me - Riverview, Florida

Just ate there this evening and the food we ordered 2 40oz porterhouse steaks were outstanding. Service was top notch and the ambiance was great! This is my second time there and I highly recommend it. read more

I was really excited to try this place with my girlfriends because their menu looked very promising. Sadly, I was very disappointed with the food. I ordered filet mignon and it came out almost cold and the green peppers were literally just freshly cut and placed on top without being sautéed or any flavor. I can't remember the name of the appetizer but that was delicious, think it was the burrata cheese. The oysters were also good but the bread that came with them was old and impossible to chew. The server was nice, but he was not very helpful especially after we advised him that it was our first time there. The potato was over cooked and many of the other items just lacked flavor. This place has a great potential but the food needs improvement. I will not be back anytime soon, but I hope in the near future that I can return. read more

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This is a perfect lunch spot and if you can hack it, I would say go around 2:30 pm/2;45 PM so you can then transition to the happy hour menu too. So the best of both worlds. What makes it even better, you can even have an option of three menus. They would also give you the dinner menu. From the lunch menu, We ordered the steak sandwich, burger with smoked Gouda and mushroom with wedge potatoes. From the happy hour menu, at 3 pm I ordered the broiled oysters. Everything was AMAZING! We loved everything about our order. My most fave were the broiled oysters. The potatoes are huge. If you don't want potatoes the other option is a Caesar salad. I'm glad I got the potatoes because Id prob fight my hubby for some bites of the potatoes lol. The steak sandwich and burger were great and I liked the burger more and my hubby liked the steak sandwich more. But it was perfect because we split both. Our server Meranda was awesome and helpful and patient and we really appreciated her. We were the only one in our section while the other outdoor section had a group. She would go back and forth to us and was the best. So happy we tried this restaurant and had such a perfect lunch on a perfect day to sit outside. It's definitely a great experience and the fact we had so many options with their menus made it even more wonderful. I'd definitely recommend this restaurant and say to come for a late lunch to take advantage of their great options. read more

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Atmosphere - Excellent! I had been looking forward to dining here for months. The reviews are mostly positive and I was excited about funding a steakhouse that is relatively close to our home. The place has a great steakhouse feel and the tables are spaced apart nicely. There also are tables set up outside along the sidewalk, which is nice for days that are pleasant. Service - Poor. Despite arriving early in the dinner hour and finding the restaurant to be barely over 50% occupied, we waited at least 15 minutes for a simple drink order and our server, although pleasant, was never to be found. I have to flag her down twice to obtain assistance with needs and issues. Once my entree was presented our server never came by to ask if everything was satisfactory. It was even a process to obtain our check after waiting a very long time. Food - Disappointing. I was undecided between the Rib-Eye and the Laquered Delmonico. Our server recommended the latter, saying that it is her favorite. I ordered the Delmonico, ask that it be cooked to a temperature slightly over Medium. What was delivered was a well done steak that had so much fat that nearly one half of the steak was inedible. I will say that the portion of steak that was edible, was delicious. We were dining with friends and I did not want to make this an issue. As it turned out, as I noted above, our server never stopped by to check with me to see if I was satisfied, so I never had an opportunity to say anything. The asparagus that I ordered arrived well before my steak and it was barely warm. I flagged down a staff person and pointed this out to him. As you will note in the picture taken of the asparagus that replaced the first side dish, the new asparagus was burnt to a crisp! Overall Value - I wonder, how would you describe the value of my dining experience given what I described above, which resulted in a bill of $150 for 2? read more

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Visiting Florida from Virginia! Honestly, haven't had the best service around here but this place takes the cake!!! Thank you Carissa! read more

Our favorite local date night spot! My husband and I have been coming to Donovan's for years, and we are loving the variety the updated menu offers. The chicken parmesan is a new favorite - it's huge and so delicious. Not pictured is their steak, which is always superb, and we also love the half chicken dinner. We almost always take a dessert to go - usually the chocolate cake, but their seasonal specials are usually a great choice. Their craft cocktails are also never lacking, and the espresso martinis are top 3 in the Tampa Bay Area, in my opinion. Lastly, their service is always consistent, even through the new ownership. Highly recommend! read more

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Food was cooked to order, seasoned deliciously and service was excellent! Prices were a little high, but you get what you pay for. Oh, and the chocolate cake was amazing. read more

This was my first time at Donovan's and I very much enjoyed it! I always passed by this place since it's in a cute plaza- Winthrop Town Centre, with other restaurants and stores and I thought it was too fancy for me to just pop in. I had the perfect occasion where I was able to go and I took it. We were seated outside and our server was very nice, very professional and friendly. He got our drink order quickly - I got wine which was good and a friend got the queen of hearts which she says was strong but good. I also ordered the sirloin steak with grilled vegetables, truffle Mac and cheese, French onion soup and corn fritters. French onion soup - 10/10 So good and would definitely get it again! Steak - 10/10 Mine was done the perfect medium and the herb butter was delicious Grilled veggies- 9/10 you can't go wrong with vegetables Truffle Mac n cheese - 11/10 this one is a must get! I was even thinking about ordering some to go! Corn fritters -10/10 really good. I would get this again for an appetizer Overall I had a good time at Donovan's and enjoyed my experience. This place is not an eat out every week restaurant because of the price but when I am feeling fancy, this is the place to go. read more

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Why 4 stars? Because this is a great addition to Riverview. --- --- --- I don't get out to Riverview very often, but I saw Donovan's pop up on the Hot & New Businesses search and bookmarked it for a future trip out that direction. As luck would have it, only a couple of weeks later I was visiting a friend in the area and called in for a reservation. After only being open for a couple of weeks, this is certainly a hot spot in Riverview as only a few reservations were available when I called, but we got a table for the time we were hoping for. I'll work in reverse order and save the best for last: The not good: -We ordered a lobster tail add on to one of our steaks. I know lobster is expensive, but it was $17 and it was literally two bites. $8.50 per bite wasn't a great value. -I love horseradish so I requested some to be brought out with my wife's prime rib. This was the most bizarre horse radish I've ever tasted. I'm not sure what was in it, but I'd definitely recommend tweaking that recipe. The pretty good: -Prime New York Strip, Lobster Mac-n-Cheese and the Cauliflower Alfredo. All of these were enjoyable parts of our meal. The very good: -The Laquered Delmonico. I tried a bite of this and preferred it over my New York Strip. I'd definitely order this steak on visit #2. -The Prime Rib. Outside of the horseradish fiasco, the quality of the meat was great! -Potatoes Au Gratin - I could eat this every day and never get tired of it. -Our server, Jessica G. She was so friendly, personal and prompt. We had a couple of kids at our table that were not the easiest to deal with, but she made us feel at home. Huge kudos to her! And honestly, all of the food runners here were great. -The atmosphere. The moment you walk in, it smells like what dreams are made of. It's a beautiful building and I can't imagine a better special occasion restaurant in the greater Brandon area. Or, you can be like us, and take your kids for an early dinner because Florida is casual like that. Overall, I will be rooting for Donovan's and am excited for the people of Riverview whose city just got a lot cooler. read more

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New owners . Enough said . Sarah the waitress was EXCELLENT. Extremely disappointed. We were there last year and it was amazing. My husband talked about it for a year. We were so excited to go again ..... last time unfortunately. read more

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We came for an 8pm reservation on a Friday night for 6people. We ended up having to wait our to our table to open up, it was late enough that some spots opened up at the bar and we were able to get a drink while we waited. We received it after 830, and a dinner and soon! We ordered the 6 ounce filet each, medium rare which was prepared beautifully, no fat, nicely trimmed & we ate every bite. I ordered a side of béarnaise. I didn't find it anything particularly great, the steak probably would've been perfect on its own. We also ordered the baked potato and the Brussels, as well as the creamed spinach. The superstars were easily the creamed spinach and baked potato! Holy hell, some really delicious sides that no one should miss. Overall, it was a quality meal with good service. I'd do it again! read more

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I love love loved donovan's !!!! - I don't want to take the whole experience away from the restaurant because the place is stunning and the food is phenomenal. The only reason I went with a 3 star was because I have had for sometime a 7:30pm reservation for my spouse bday on 12/11. I called prior to mention I would like to have him surprised with a happy birthday something... I was told about the robot and thought it was awesome. At arrival I say Hi to the host at the door who didn't greet us or respond to my Hello. My waitress was awesome but she asked if we were celebrating an occasion , we mentioned bday , she mentioned they had on the house cakes , which is amazing but it took it all away from what was suppose to be the surprise. I was told the robot was broken which is obviously fine but I notice that the couple nearby was also celebrating a birthday and he received the cake and candle lite from their servicer and I would have loved to have had that as well. My spouse and I enjoyed the meal for sure , I just wish the bday part would have went as planned since I did all I could to set it up in advance but the place is great !!! read more

Donovan's Meatery - Steakhouses Near Me - Riverview, Florida

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Such a great place! The ambiance lends itself to many dinner occasions and party size... It's perfect for dinner for 2 and a group of 6 or 8! The Service has always been spot on. Not too in your face... just respectfully observant and gracious. And we've never experienced a disappointment in the food. We love the diverse menu and the steaks are our favorites. A gem in our town for sure!! read more

My first time at Donovans and it was happy hour! We had some wine and we ordered chargrilled oysters and the honey bbq wings (not part of the happy hour) and everything was delicious. I will definitely be back to try some of their steaks for sure. Best part of the visit was Quentin, our bartender, he was so friendly, made great drinks, and I will come back just to see him! read more

Donovan's Meatery - Happy hour menu - Steakhouses Near Me - Riverview, Florida

The NY Strips were terrible fatty and chewy The water tasted like sewer water The waiter was inattentive and hovered over me while making the purchase making sure I left a tip (I guess) Expected much better food and service read more

Overall a nice dinner since we couldn't cook at home due to kitchen renovations. Wife is a vegetarian so probably not the greatest place to take her, but they had some side options she had. Baked potato was a little cold, and the onion ring tower made a grease puddle on the table which wasn't the most appetizing. Service was great. The chicken I had was delicious, but the piece de resistance was dessert. Italian rainbow cookie cake was legit. I've loved those cookies since I was a little kid and I happened to see the table next to us order it and had to have a piece (only two left, but our server claimed one for us thankfully!). It was a tiiiiny bit dry but the flavors were on point and I'd definitely order it again. Great spot for a special night out, want to go back and hit happy hour. read more

Donovan's Meatery - Rainbow cake - Steakhouses Near Me - Riverview, Florida

The atmosphere was very nice and relaxing lighting is subdued and calm! We ordered a draft red blend wine and skipped over the appetizers tonight. All entrees are all carte. I ordered the he 14 ounce prime New York strip. It came out cold, so cold that the added butter wouldn't melt. I sent it back. They barely warmed it up. It the butter was melted. The steak was so full of grizzle that it was hard to chew. Plenty of it was chewed and put on the side of the plate. The server never checked back to see if our food was read more

Food amazing! the Best Salad ever! and the Lamb Chops were cook perfect! Service was impeccable! Love the place! what a wonderful Steak House! read more

This is a perfect place. The food is very very good. The wedge was what you would expect from a fine dining establishment, chicken dip was highly recommended and was truly incredible (sounds not believable but it was unexpectedly amazing). The steak was solid. I generally prefer to cook my own but it was definitely good and I would definitely come back. The peanut butter pie was genuinely the best one I've ever had. The service behind the bar (Quinton and Jess) was excellent. Q was very helpful with the menu and very friendly. Jess was also generally pleasant and very attentive and helpful. Lastly, the atmosphere is upscale but casual - perfect spot for any occasion. read more

Honestly, and it pains me to say it, this was a 3.5 star meal and I have to round down. Although most of what I ate was good and I love everything Datz related, I can't call this a 4 star meal. Came here New Year's Eve without a reservation, but thanks probably to COVID, there were spots at the bar. Ordered a Manhattan, which was good but not great, and a cheese board. Cheese board was mostly "eh." A few small crumbles of Gouda, Parmesan, and another cheese but nothing overly tasty and a few accoutrements. Honestly, there are many more interesting things on the menu for an appetizer, but I was feeling cheese. Unfortunately, this was weak and disappointing. For dinner, I ordered the Queen of Hearts for a drink-which was definitely a highlight (an amazing drink)-the 14oz grass fed strip steak, brussel sprouts and a baked potato. The steak and potato came out in iron skillets, and although the steak was cooked perfectly, it was room temperature at best. Probably should point out that it was a good 15 minutes between finishing the cheese board and getting the steak, so it probably sat in the window too long. The steak was good-no doubt about that-and for the price it was a good option, but it shouldn't have been luke warm The baked potato was also good but it came out covered in cream. The menu says something about brûléed marshmallow, but honestly, it tasted like a mountain of sour cream. I'm probably wrong about what it was, but it was too much, whatever it was. Maybe you like that, but I was scooping it off. Minus the cream, it was very good. The Brussels were amazing. Hands down. Cooked in beef tallow and bacon, I loved em. Service was, okay. Bartenders left me alone, which I appreciated since I was reading, but when I finished my cheese board and dinner, it was a good 5-10 minutes before they took away dishes and asked me if I needed anything. All in all, a mixed affair. Food was good, but experience was less than stellar. Steak was cooked right, but came out room temperature. Cheese board was a miss. As this is Riverview and I live in St. Petersburg, I doubt I'd have many opportunities to come back anyway. I'll stick with Datz, which is one of the best restaurants in Tampa and St Pete, and stick with Charley's, ocean prime, Flemmings or Eddie Vs if I want a steak. That said, maybe I'll come back and try something else, but I won't be in any rush. Sorry Datz people-I still love you and Datz and dough and Dr BBQ will always be go-to's for me, and roux will always be a fond memory. However, I guess no one is perfect and this place needs improvement. read more

Great food, great service! Menu has a nice variety and filled with a little of everything! read more

Donovan's Meatery - Lobster tail - Steakhouses Near Me - Riverview, Florida

This is the second restaurant to be in this location, they didn't change the interior. Still rustic barn doors and iron fixtures. Not sure it goes with the concept as much as it did before, but still a nice setting. Taller booths for a more intimate experience and comfortable outdoor seating. The food and cocktails were good, but I cannot stress enough how delicious the chocolate cake is. This cake will be the reason we return. The steaks were ok, but the sauces were heavy and unnecessary. The butternut squash ravioli and charred Brussels sprouts were a hit. read more

My friend and I came for happy hour and sat at the bar. The happy hour menu is great. We both ordered wine and the prime rib flatbread. Both were very good. The inside is adorable as well. Our bartender was very nice. I would love to come back for dinner in the dining room! read more

Donovan's Meatery - Prime Rib Flatbread - Steakhouses Near Me - Riverview, Florida

Made a reservation for our Anniversary dinner tonight (nowhere on the reservation does it ask about special occasions). Checked out the menu online (donovansmeatery.com) beforehand since I have specific dietary requirements. We arrived shortly before our reservation time and were promptly seated - in front of the kitchen, not my favorite spot but oh well. Pre dinner cocktails were delicious (Aperol spritz and old fashioned). Shrimp cocktail - 4 jumbo shrimp - also delish and nice presentation. I asked about the custom seafood tower from the menu I saw online and was told with a chuckle "we haven't had that for over a year". I asked about ordering the add on lobster tail with my husbands dinner instead and was told "I will get you permission this once but don't try to order it again". Not really a great start to our celebration dinner. Husband ordered filet medium rare with baby Bella mushrooms. I ordered the grilled lobster tail with grilled vegetables (didn't want to ask for special permission). Presentation of the filet was lacking - it came in a skillet looking dry with a few grilled peppers pushed to the side. Serving on top of the peppers with a little butter on top would've looked way more appetizing. Fortunately the filet was cooked to perfection - not dry at all - and the mushrooms were tasty. My lobster tail and vegetables were fantastic - cooked to perfection and flavorful. Presentation and taste were spot on. I brought home leftovers. We did ask for the dessert menu and the server at that point asked if we were celebrating an occasion. We had decided to pass on dessert but when our server returned, she brought a generous slice of the bourbon chocolate cake on the house as a happy anniversary. Cake was to die for!! Overall good experience. They need to update their online menu. Some food presentation could be improved. But food was delicious and prices were reasonable. Service was adequate. Ambience ok - a little bright for a steakhouse, kitchen was loud. read more

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I can't believe I have not reviewed this place yet ‍. I have been here a few times and I have never been disappointed. This time was no different! My husband and I had our Friday night date night here (it's also close to our house). The weather was perfect for sitting outside under the kerosene heater (yes I know, I know .. heater but for Florida it is our winter and we take full advantage ). They were so patient with us in trying to get just the right setting on the heater too. We like to take our time, usually taking at least 2 hours for dinner. Don't worry we tip very well and Ryan our server was very patient. He didn't try to rush us at all!! We started out with the perfect dirty martini, charbroiled oysters (me) and Stella, lobster "escargot"(hubby). Oysters were fresh and seasoned with butter and parmesan. I could have eaten a dozen they were that good. And come on you can't wrong with lobster, cheese and butter cooked in a cast iron skillet!! Next we split the wedge salad ... it was good and what my husband wanted (I wanted to split the truffle mac&cheese .. but I was good lol) For dinner and on the recommendation from Ryan, I had the Seared Duck Breast & Leg Confit with honey teriyaki and a berry compote on top of charred Brussels which I paired with a nice Pinot Noir (recommended by Ryan). I was in HEAVEN!! The Duck was cooked to perfection and just melted in my mouth. My husband decided on the Smoked Prime Rib Flatbread it was also delicious. We ended our already fabulous meal with dessert. For my husband he ordered the peanut butter pie, he loved it. But be prepared it is very thick and very rich. I prefer my dessert in the form of an espresso martini We know that we will always have a great time when coming here with amazing cocktails, delicious food, warm atmosphere and friendly people!! And I promise you will too! read more

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Finally got to try this place out. It was a hike for me but im glad we went. It was a stormy Florida night and the ambiance inside was nice. We had a big party so we sat in the back room. I was surprised how empty it was inside on a Thursday night. Unfortunately the seats are pleather and peeling. I wore a short dress and by the end of the night when I went to the bathroom I was like why is it all over me. Still had flaked pieces all the way home too! Food was good. We tried a bit of everything and the portion and price were good. We would come back again. I'd just wear pants the next time. read more

Hmmmm.... This was a tough review to write. The reviews were great, the atmosphere was nice. Appetizers were really good... But once the main course came out... it wasn't worth the tab. Not cooked the way ordered, SOAKED in butter and just not what we were expecting. Unsure I would go back. read more

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I've eaten here to many times to count. I recommend taking my father here for his 72nd birthday on Labor Day. The disappointment started when I asked for Oysters and was told they didn't have any, which I was advised several weeks ago if it's on the menu it's available, well I guess Labor Day is the exception. Then when ordering our second round of drinks the table noticed the waiter was over whelmed. The restaurant was understaffed. We didn't receive our second round of drinks or the bottle of wine we ordered until after we finished most of our meals. While glad they didn't charge for my second drink I didn't want by then or the bottle of wine. Charging 20% gratuity for a non existent waiter and not getting my drinks on time wasn't worth the price. Could have went to Charlie's for the same price had exceptional service and better quality food. Going to be a while before I return, especially if you can't rely on oysters being available or receiving drinks in a timely manner. To many quality options in the area! read more

Donovan's Meatery - Prime rib flatbread - Steakhouses Near Me - Riverview, Florida

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Really wan to like this place but it just had too many disappointing experiences here whether it was picking up or eating there - we've probably picked up from here about four or five times and eaten here once in person. Everything is very overpriced for what ends up coming out like one of the other review said you can probably go somewhere else for about half the money or go someplace like Charlie's or Berns for the same amount and get way better quality. One of the most ridiculous evenings we had there in person was for my 34th birthday. My husband thought this would be great. We got there at a reasonable time half the restaurant was completely clean and empty, and he had stated and called in and made a reservation and instead of putting us anywhere that was slightly comfortable. They jammed us at a table between two other two seater tables with people so large that we could not even get into our seats. They threw menus down and walked away- I ended up chasing down one of the waiters. The hostess walked away so quickly, and asked if we could be seated somewhere where we could actually sit down and fit (my A were both actually pretty slim people I'm tiny about 105 and my husband six and 190 so... we can fit most places we can't fit in a chair where you can't open the chair... they seem a little bit irritated and move us over to another table- got over there took forever for anyone to take our order and it was going so slow. We actually flagged someone down and just put in our entire order.- steaks came out overcooked and I ended up getting one of the Wagyu steaks and funny enough. I can't remember remember last time I ordered Wagyu where you couldn't cut through it.... It was like it had been glued together with other pieces of meat. we ended up just laughing and eating what we could of our meal and decided to try and wrap up since it was so underwhelming. We got to the end and decided just to get our check and they did not ask for dessert or bring us out anything to make it special. It wasn't actually acknowledged at any point that it was my birthday, even though that it was clear before and during that it was. I think the only thing that went well was the wine but I think it's pretty much impossible to mess up a new bottle that you know you like.... This place has so much potential they just need to have people who give a shit. read more

The food here is incredibile. The service is outstanding. Overall, this is a top notch establishment. I would take my wife here every night if I could. Check out the pictures. This place knows how to do the meats. Cocktails are delicious too. read more

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Great Food and Amazing Service. Kelly was a great server and Patrick was great. We had filets and the Donovan Steak. it was all great!! read more

Unfortunately our experience was poor. Both steak entrees were over cooked, and my filet was completely dried out for a "medium rare" (2 out of 5 star). Service was sparse (2 out of 5) and took a long time to get attention although we were there around 5:45 on a Sunday; barely any patrons yet. Ambiance was nice, but sadly lacking our server which we hardly saw on a non busy night. The sides of Mexican corn and red mashed potatoes were spot on (5 out of 5) and as I mentioned the manager was apologetic and professional (5 out of 5) about the incorrect and overcooked entrees. Although the staff and manager were friendly (3 out of 5 stars) and tried to make it up to us, we cannot return. No magic here folks, overall a 2 star rating is a sad thing for a steakhouse. Hoping they improve as the area could really use a decent steakhouse. read more

This place was pretty fantastic the day I visited for an early lunch on a Friday. It was my day off and I wanted to treat myself. I had my pick of any table I wanted out on the patio. It was another cool and breezy Florida day. I chose a bench table near the fireplace. It was perfect. Joshua and Chelsea answered my questions and had great suggestions. They worked well as a team. I started off with the Big Guava cocktail and asked that it be light on the rum. It was delicious and tropical, although I didn't really taste any guava. I'm sure it was there but it was very faint. It was still super refreshing. I also got the charbroiled oysters as an appetizer instead of getting a side item. I couldn't help but think of mom when I was savoring each and every bite. Mom loved oysters and I know she would have loved this preparation. I used to spend my days off with mom so it was kind of a tribute to her in a way. The oysters were lightly breaded which gave it a very nice crunch. I could taste the butter and lemon that was provided with the oysters. It comes with course horseradish and as well a horseradish sauce. I didn't use any of it on the oysters, but I did save it for the steak. The sourdough bread was buttered and seasoned very well. I liked the bits of sea salt on it. For the main entrée I got the 12 oz. Donovan's house steak which is a flat iron steak that arrived to the table already sliced. It was cooked perfectly at medium rare. The grilled onions and peppers were lightly seasoned and comes with the meal. It was very lean, tender, and juicy. Usually I wouldn't get this cut of steak because I like to have more marbling but it was surprisingly tender without the fat. Oh and that horseradish sauce that I saved for later went so well with that steak. I'd get this again. I'm glad I didn't get a side dish because it would have been too much for me to eat. It was a pricey lunch, although I must say the steak does cost the same at lunch as it does at dinner. They do have sandwiches at lunch that are less expensive but I wanted to try the steak and I'm glad I did. If I had to say anything negative it would be that they don't have any specials during lunch. The daily fish specials are only in the evening. I will have to go back at dinner to try them as I've seen some wonderful pictures of other fish dishes other than salmon. The service was fantastic and the quality of the meat was also great. The value actually was pretty good considering the quality, but I also love that it's casual dining here. You don't have to dress up fancy which is great. It's a more relaxed setting with upscale service. It's also part of the Datz Restaurant Group just like Dough and Dr. BBQ. Give it a try if you happen to be in the Brandon/Riverview area. read more

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My wife took me to Donovan's on my birthday (Mar 18) for dinner and I was pretty excited to try a new place (as I usually am about trying new things) and couldn't wait to see what they had to offer. We had a 6:30 reservation and were sat as soon as we arrived. After a few moments our server introduced herself and took our drink orders. We both ordered the vodka martini (dirty) which was perfect and charbroiled oysters. The oysters were tasty, but after eating the charbroiled oysters in New Orleans, I think it will be difficult for any other oysters to compare. I ordered the American Style Wagyu - New York Strip medium (see pic) and my wife ordered the Salmon that came with four Asparagus spears. You have to order side dishes separately, so we got the Mac and cheese and mashed potatoes. My steak was cooked as requested but was lacking something. I guess when I hear Wagyu I think tender, juicy and flavorful. I will just say the New York strip at Texas Roadhouse was better (in my opinion) and a lower price point. I just expected more. My wife told me her Salmon had a salty taste vs a well seasoned taste. The sides were good especially the mashed potatoes. The restaurant overall had a chill vibe (any where people can wear shorts to dinner) and the ambiance was nice even with the sometimes exuberant chatter from the bar area that we were pretty close to. It was a good experience, but for the price point, they should really push for great or excellent if they want five stars. read more

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Food was delicious everything was exceptionally seasoned and the atmosphere was perfect read more

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Made the trek to Brandon to give this spot a try. It did not disappoint. Everything we ordered was delicious! Beet salad (salad with beets), French onion soup, all steak options were cooked perfectly and not too salty! Looking forward to another reason to come back! Our server Heather Rose Bush (really, that's her name) was fantastic. She was great with my 95 year old grandfather. Great experience all around. read more