I can't rave enough about our experience here!! Best restaurant we've tried in Fort Myers so far! AMBIANCE The vibe in here is great - fun lighting and decor, with plenty of seating and great AC. There are some patio seats outside as well. SERVICE The best part of our visit! Our server was awesome - giving us real-time feedback on what to order and what we should try. He gave us awesome recommendations that didn't lead us astray. He was attentive, friendly, and personable. Even though they were slammed and packed, he checked in on us often and food came out in a timely manner. DRINKS Delicious and great variety! My dad got a marg with tajin rim, my brother got a coconut mojito, and I got a fun frozen drink. All delish! They have aguas frescas, mocktails and more too. FOOD This brought me back to Puerto Rico! Such authentic and fun flavors here. We got: Sampler appetizer - highly recommend! Tons of food, great for sharing, and a great way to try things like fried plantains and mofongo balls. Concha meal with gandules side - unreal! I forgot how good concha can be. And our server recommended the gandules - Puerto Rican rice that is the national dish - and it was amazing. I wish we'd had room for dessert - it all looked amazing! We will be back for SURE. read more

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Arrived promptly around 2:40 pm, I've had my eye on this restaurant for months, and never seemed to make it. Luckily for us, it was on our route going back home. We entered the establishment, we noticed a couple of people eating and the server was walking us to the table with the menus and I noticed she didn't grab the lunch menu, luckily I did grab it and took it to our table. We ordered two lunch specials both with arroz guandules, salad, I got fried chicken chunks, with tostones and my boyfriend got fried pork chunks with sweet plantains. The food arrived promptly. They served us large portions. I especially liked the rice and the fried chicken chunks. The tostones were a little on the hard side. My boyfriend was a little upset with the fried pork chunks. He said the meat was cold and hard. (Ouch) The restaurant was a little empty, but what you expect on a Monday afternoon. The restaurant seems like it could be a vibe on the weekends. I love Puerto Rican food and I see they offer an extensive menu and might give it another try if come through the area again one day. read more

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Everything about this place is amazing and the service is amazing and the food is so delicious i love it best I ever had!

I have lived on this planet for 51 years and tonight I had the best salmon fillet I've ever had. I also had a side of trifungo which is a mixture of sweet plantains, green plantains, and yucca. It was sublime. The server was very attentive, and the only bit of constructive criticism that I could offer would be the wait time. The food came a little bit later than I was expecting, but it was worth the wait. It's clear to me why this restaurant has so many reviews and as of the time of this review, had a 4.5 rating. Don't pass by this restaurant! read more

Gandules Grill - Salmon filet with trifungo. - Puerto Rican Near Me - Lehigh Acres, Florida

Found this place on Yelp while on a business trip. I also got a heads up from someone at the airport. I arrived and was immediately seated. The menu looked amazing. So many great choices. I ordered the fried chicken chunks and rice and beans and another side. The meal arrived and it looked so good. The taste was as expected. Just like i remember and maybe better. The food was very good. The service was exceptional. The place was inviting. Music was nice. Felt like home. I will be back. i recommend this place. read more

The food is very good and you are really Puerto Rican. The atmosphere is very familiar and with excellent music. read more

Gandules Grill - Shrimp mofongo wow. - Puerto Rican Near Me - Lehigh Acres, Florida

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Food is delicious. Portions are nice and large and the service is friendly and helpful. read more

Gandules Grill - Crazy frappe tres leche - Puerto Rican Near Me - Lehigh Acres, Florida

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Woahhhhh what happened to Gandules?? New Chef? This used to be one of the best spots in Lehigh, now it's mediocre... the pink sauce used to be out of this world, now it tastes like Walmart pink sauce.. the sweet dufongo wasn't even sweet?? Also it didn't seem the same texture as in the past. The crazy trifongo didn't even come with chives like it use too, just sad. WHAT HAPPENED!!! So disappointed.. read more

Excellent. We had pork chunks and plantains as appetizers. The can can pork chop and churrasco as entrees. All were great. Presentation was beautiful. Prices are low and portions are huge. I could have just eaten the rice and pigeon peas as a meal. Our server was phenomenal. It was a great experience from start to finish. Only knock on the place is it's a bit loud. It doesn't really bother me but if you normally complain about such things I'd suggest getting takeout from here. read more

I ordered the grouper fillet and shrimp meal arroz con gandules as my side, to go. I paid $32 for this meal. First, I must say that the arroz con gandules was delicious and flavorful. But the rest, was short of delicious and flavorful. I was disappointed to see the salad wasn't put in a separate container as it's cold and the rest of the food is warm. By the time I got home 10 mins later, the salad was wilted. I had to put salt and pepper on it to eat it. Nothing special. The size of the grouper was good, but flavorless. I had to add salt and pepper to add some type of seasoning to it. I was told there was a garlic sauce that would be on top of the fish and shrimp, I tasted none. And the 5 shrimp that came along were good size, but again flavorless. This was my first time trying this restaurant. Unfortunately, I will not be returning. The $32 wasn't worth a flavorless meal excluding the rice with pigeon peas. That was the only thing that was truly enjoyable. Thus earned 2 stars. read more

Gandules Grill - Puerto Rican Near Me - Lehigh Acres, Florida

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The food and service were awesome, and the prices was decent.the place had a good ambience, will definitely come back!

The food was delicious! The service was perfect. The setup is a little tight, but well worth it!

Food was okay. Lack of seasoning on most things we ordered. Drinks were good though im sure my margarita had 0 alcohol. Tables are extremely close to others so it's a bit uncomfortable. Not to mention the chairs are uncomfortable as well. Music is way too loud so everyone is yelling in there. Tip was included in the check and a big party service fee even though we were a table of 6. Table itself was small as well so we were tight. Server was nice and attentive. Though im almost 100% sure the shrimp my in laws dropped on the floor was brought back to them. Server took the shrimp and brought back new ones about 15 seconds later. Definitely not going back here with the experience i had yesterday. read more

Gandules Grill - Mango "margarita" - Puerto Rican Near Me - Lehigh Acres, Florida

Amazing food and atmosphere. The peas and rice are just like my families! So good!!! Highly recommend.

$4.50 for this not to be filled up all the way. This place has gone down hill since they changed owners you can feel that the atmosphere is off! The fact that I asked why they didn't fill it up all the way and the person responded with we're not allowed is crazy. Also I requested for my pork chunks not to be cooked too much since they love to do that and dry out their meat. They're overpriced and when ordering online for pickup they still expect a tip on top of that. Save your money and go somewhere else. This is a slap in the face to your loyal customers, but I assure you that GANDULES WILL NEVER GET A DIME OUT OF ME AGAIN!! That's why y'all business is slow because of your guy's customer service, bland and over cooked food. read more

Gandules Grill - Puerto Rican Near Me - Lehigh Acres, Florida

Well-executed dish from presentation to flavor. Fresh seafood, great texture, and a good balance of seasoning. Highly recommend read more

Gandules Grill - Puerto Rican Near Me - Lehigh Acres, Florida

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The food, ambiance, and service is excellent! The waiters and staff were nice and the atmosphere was very pleasant. The food was delicious. read more

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The food was amazing. First time I went there. The service was great. She explained what was on the menu. Very professional definitely will go back again when I travel back to Fort Myers. read more

The best Puerto Rican food in Fort Myers. My boyfriend and I went here for his birthday this year, and all of the food was fantastic. Excellent service, the food came out quickly, and it was pretty busy. We will definitely be back! read more

My dental hygienist recommended this place and since it was close by and the rating was high, we gave it a try. So very, very glad we did! The ambiance, service, drinks and food were all great. The grouper filet was lightly breaded and covered in sautéed peppers and onions, very flavorful. It came with a tomato lettuce salad and one additional side. I chose the white rice and beans, also quite flavorful. The spicy pork chop and shrimp was 1/2 great and 1/2 wonderful. Both were seasoned to perfection, but the pork chop was dry. The Puerto Rican rice was very flavorful. The mango pina colada was yummy as was the tropical sangria. And tip... the sangria is both a drink AND a fruit dessert! Really good. I was so stuffed when I left. Highly recommend! read more

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Food is amazing the atmosphere was very vibrant and high energy.we sat right by the bathroom and kitchen so there was a lot of traffic and the server was great but after we got our food I had to ask the bartender for to go plates and for a refill and for our check so we was there a little longer then we wanted to because of the wait but I would come back again for the food it was fresh and hot and seasoned well. read more

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Absolutely off the chain authentic Puertorican food, even better than in PR itself!! The chef is absolutely incredible!! The staff are friendly, the ambience is fun with Latin music playing on the background, birthday songs with " tambores" and the restaurant is clean! The bathrooms are spotless, so you know the kitchen is the same. Also the kitchen is open so you can see it's sanitary. Beyond impressed with this restaurant in the middle of Leigh Acres, we drove far to get here but it's worth the drive and we will do it again! Thank you Gandules for an explosion of flavors in our mouths!! The best part is the food is affordable!! 5 stars all around!! read more

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Food was great!! Tasty, fresh and a great selection. We were a party of 9 and they went over to accommodate us. Service was amazing. Will definitely come back. read more

What a really fun and happening place. It was packed on a Saturday night. We were a party of six so we were quoted a wait time of 45 minutes. It was a very cold evening so many people were wanting to eat inside. After about 20 minutes we were told our table was ready. We walked in and the aromas of garlic , various spices & Lively Puerto Rican music filled the air. There is no phone number to call and they do not take reservations so just go and wait if necessary. It is worth the wait. It was someone's birthday at the table next to us so the servers came out singing , clapping and the bongo made it really fun. The place is rather small inside so the seating is pretty tight. The menu had a variety of delicacies. They are known for the gorgeous tropical drinks along with beautiful dishes. Their portions are big so make sure to come with either a huge appetite or be prepared to bring some of it home with you. Since I was driving , I got the virgin Pina Colada while my friend got their Fruity Sangria. The drinks were so very exquisite & very tasty. I got their 6 inch liner and garlic shrimp with White rice & red beans. I added their sweet plantains. So very worth it. Expect to pay $$ but oh so worth it. Our server was amazing and we will come back again. read more

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The food is amazing. The service and ambiance is great. We tried it one Wednesday early afternoon and the attention we received was spot on. Food didn't take long and the flavors were delicious and traditionally Puerto Rican. Presentation of my sister's mofongo was amazing. We were in town for a funeral (which was 2 days later) and decided to take the family. The gentleman who we spoke to said they didn't take reservations, but he quickly let the staff know via a blast WhatsApp message of our plan. Got there and while there was another large gathering, we waited less than 10 minutes for the team to put the tables together and accommodate 17 of us. Food again was top grade. While it was a somber get together, the smiles on the staff were just what we needed. Will be back when we're back in Lehigh. read more

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yum!!!! Recently dined here with a party of 9. As someone who visits PR quite a bit, the food here tastes like it's from the island! Everybody had a great time. The music was great, everybody was sweet and very accommodating, and the drinks and food were beyond excellent. read more

Gandules Grill - Salmon, Trifongo - Puerto Rican Near Me - Lehigh Acres, Florida

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Puertorican food at its best!!! Fresh alcapurrias, medalla beer and a great grilled fish with rice and gandules. The place was packed but they made a table available outside and great service. read more

I stopped by to pick up some dinner to go. I was disappointed that the arrow con gandulez did not have the usual soffit flavor. There were five gandules in my rice in total. What was once a very delicious authentic Puert Rican rice, has been reduced to a shadow of what it once was. The staff is still on point. The music is lowered and now you can hear yourself talk without bursting your eardrums, so that's a plus. They need to bring back their A game with the Puerto Rican arroz con gandules. That was the only reason I went there. read more

Real good food highly recommended to anyone in Lehigh acres. Will visit again and again

After coming at least a half a dozen times, it was time for a review. From the our very first eating experience, including today's, Gandules continues to be THE BEST Puerto Rican food in SWFL. I've traveled to PR many times to visit family and this is just like eating in their homes or any great local restaurant in PR. Pork chunks, crispy outside and tender and juicy inside. Add garlic mojo for dipping; perfection. Garlic chicken or garlic chicken and shrimp; huge portion and cooked excellent. Skirt steak with shrimp, excellent; not chewy! Mofongo's, amazing and you will bring some home! Let's talk rice and beans: amazing sticky white rice but those red beans are to die for! Super tasty and spiced just right! Feeling hungry? Try the Kan Kan pork chop: it's amazing AND 3 people could eat this monstrous pork delight. Fried yucca and tostones are always fresh, hot and crisp. If you're new to Puerto Rican food, try the appetizers of : chicken cracklings and pork cracklings. Trust me, it's plenty for two (you'll bring some home) and pair it with sangria or a mojito, you won't be disappointed. This is not a huge restaurant and the wait can be a little long but the food is worth it. Staff is always friendly and efficient. My only complaint: NO cafe con leche. Especially since they have a beautiful dessert menu. read more

Food is good, but the service sucks When you show up, the places is empty, but yet you still have to make a reservation to sit down in an empty place read more

The food was excellent. Huge portions. Our waitress was wonderful. The ambiance was too loud for me. Too many speakers overhead including guest noise. read more

This Restaurant is amazing, authentic Puertorrican food. Friendly service and great staff and ambiance. A vast selection of delicious food. The dessert is a must have. Súper Rico Thank you Asthur for the outstanding service. read more

Gandules Grill - Ensalada de Carrucho Y Pulpo - Puerto Rican Near Me - Lehigh Acres, Florida

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We got into town late and found this gem just before closing. They were happy to seat us and we enjoyed an amazing dinner and cocktails after a long travel day. The service was exceptional, food delicious and welcoming atmosphere. We're going back before we leave for sure. read more

Gandules Grill - Shrimp and octopus and a perfect mojito. - Puerto Rican Near Me - Lehigh Acres, Florida

First time visit, met with some colleagues. This is a very authentic restaurant with regard to the food. The space is modern, yet relaxed and clean. I ordered the shrimp and pork chunks platter. The shrimp was great, but the pork was not, and that's where I need to knock off two stars. The pork was so over cooked that I could barely cut it with a knife and would not doubt that it was reheated because the breading was not warm or fresh. Needless to say, I did not eat but one chunk. The side salad was good, especially with the mayo, ketchup dressing (which is also the continent of choice for the fried plantains and/or yucca). The pigeon peas and rice was awesome and you get a huge serving of this. Service was fast and efficient. I would definitely give them another try, even though there was a bad mess on the pork chunks this time. read more

Gandules Grill - Menu - Puerto Rican Near Me - Lehigh Acres, Florida

Colorful, delicious and fun! My friends and I enjoyed a night out to try something new. We hit the jackpot for sure. Everything was wonderful and tasty. Conveniently located with free parking. read more

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Amazing food and service. First and only restaurant in Lehigh worth of going back to eat.

First timer ;) Large tasty portions! Our server was excellent and even let me sample some fresh juices because I was indecisive. We were able to be seated right away which was a plus. I definitely took food home because it was delicious and I was full fast. The arroz con gondules was so good! I've never had rice that goood. I know it's just rice but it was seasoned to perfection. I also had the fried snapper, salad, and fried plantains. I'll definitely be back to try more items off the menu! read more

Gandules Grill - Plantain - Puerto Rican Near Me - Lehigh Acres, Florida

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Gandules... so much to say.... Most importantly the food is DELICIOUS. However there are some things you need to know. DINING IN- if you dine inside on a weekend at night be prepared for a wait. Not unbearable but can be over an hour. Also, don't expect to speak to your other party members because the music is so loud you can barely hear your waitress. Not sure why they have it so loud as there's no space for dancing anyways, and it is not live music. The lighting is also very dark, but Nothing you haven't seen at other restaurants. The food takes a long time to arrive (over 45min) but like I said before, it's is DELICIOUS. We have not tried anything we have not liked. TAKE OUT- we have done take out a few times.... However, more caveats. Their phone does not work. It's is a pointless number as no one has ever picked up and you cannot place a phone order. Online orders are accepted SOMETIMES. They close orders often so do not be surprised if you can't place one. Then the only sad and negative thing... portions for take out are CONSIDERABLY smaller. Like a dish that my husband and I split in the restaurant cannot be split when ordered as take out (but you are definitely charged the same). They have forgotten some important things and packaging wasn't the sturdiest but we like the food enough to return. read more

Food and ambience is great. The service was excellent inside and out. We will be back. read more