DH & I have heard about Linger Lodge for months since moving to the area. We finally gave them try. We got a kick out of the taxidermy animals that surround the interior of the restaurant. Part of the appeal. For starters we had Alligator Chowder. We were disappointed as the bowl seemed to only have 1 piece of alligator. Yet it was flavorful and delicious. DH ordered the brisket with nachos. A hit, but too many nachos for him. I had the Linger Burger. Fantastic. I can see why folks love it. The side of fries were delicious too. Looking forward to coming back & trying other menu items. read more

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So this was an interesting adventure... The place does have a southern - middle Florida charm about it. The porch was cozy and the views were nice. Our server was direct and prompt but not giving the southern slow down and enjoy your time kind of vibes to match the place. The taxidermy was fun and interesting. The kids did an enjoy the taxidermy scavenger hunt and getting a little treat out of the treasure box. Even with novelty factor, the food was just ok. Maybe I should have steered away from all the fried stuff... The Sunday bloody Mary special is a whole meal on its own! Next time, I'll just order that. read more

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Linger Lodge is truly a hidden gem in Bradenton, Florida. The rustic camp-like feel and the smokey scent of campfire cooking was like going back in time to our days of summer camping retreats. But instead of a taxidermy of an elk or moose greeting us as we entered the restaurant, a huge alligator hanging on the wall in the main foyer continued to set the retro tone of old Florida, wild and fun. The hostess then seated us on a patio overlooking a private small lake surrounded by a green jungle of lush palms and native foliage. The ambiance was perfect for the cuisine we were about to eat, Cajun and creole. Luckily, as first time guests at the lodge, we were graced with an awesome waitress named Faye. I love it when a server is not afraid to make menu suggestions to new customers. For an appetizer, we started with a favorite dish from my childhood, fried green tomatoes, yum! Fay then recommended that we try the Braden River Platter to experience the flavors and textures of catfish, frog legs, and alligator. The platter was paired with a selection of sauces of which the roasted red pepper sauce added just the spice I was looking for. In addition, I ordered a crab salad, and Linger's homemade lemon mango dressing was excellent! When it was time to go, I felt as if we were leaving an old friend as Faye treated us with such hospitality. She loaded us up with our leftovers to go, and she even refilled our drinks to take along. As for my husband, a connoisseur of coleslaw, he wasn't leaving without ordering a second helping of the side dish for lunch the next day. It was truly the best he ever tasted. Discovering Linger Lodge at the "end" of our snowbird vacation is my only regret. However, you can be sure it will be at the top of our list for dining destinations next year when we return. read more

Linger Lodge Restaurant & Campground - The dining room patio view at Linger Lodge - Campgrounds Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

I had not been to this place since before Covid, but went to have lunch with friends who had been kayaking on the river behind the restaurant . There is a very convenient ramp there for boaters to tie up and dine. The place looks much cleaner than it was, and of course the taxidermy features everywhere. We had a very large elk head looming over our table . We all had something different, from fried shrimp to BLT. The food was okay, not exceptional , and the prices were the same. There is a modern campground right beside the restaurant. All in all I'd say it looks much more modern than it used to and has lost some of its charm. read more

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I had heard of this place but went for the first time. It's a cool spot, def a lodge feel. I really went just to check out mainly how the place was decorated and see what all the talk was about. I was pleasantly surprised at the menu and the quality of the food. I ended up getting the smoked ribs which were very very good. BBQ smoked sliders were also good. Had a piece of peanut butter pie for dessert. It was great but was taken back by the $10 price. We had 2 meals , 2 beers, an appetizer and the pie and the bill was about $80. It surprised me a bit. Will we be back ? Yes Service was great and the folks were very friendly read more

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Perfect funky Florida place with taxidermy decor. Get a table on the "swamp" and enjoy the wildlife. Food is good vintage florida fare.... Gator bites included. Enjoy the "roadkill menu". Kareoke night was memorable (not in a good way). read more

AMAZING Florida Cracker style food! You can't find many restaurants carrying on traditional old school Florida country style food but this place is Historic in its food and decor! Everyone is like family and treats customers the same. The Gumbo & Jambalaya is the ABSOLUTE BEST I've ever tasted and I have eaten in Louisiana for decades! All the Fried food is sinfully delicious! Fantastic, Friendly Service! Browse the pictures and make your plans to visit Old Florida and this hidden gem! Highly Recommended!! read more

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Food is good service is great. The ambiance cant be beat. You could walk around and look at the taxidermy for hours. read more

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Loved everything! Went kayaking right at the launch and then had lunch here. The hush puppies were the best I've ever had - light, flavorful and a nice crunch on the outside. We shared the fried sampler - alligator, FG tomatoes and the frog legs. Yummy. We also got the sampler meal grilled - the garlic lemon sauce fantastic! This came with catfish instead of tomatoes and two sides. Wow! I've never had collard greens so good. And the spiced apples - perfect. The ambience was just as good as the meal - forgot to add I had two beers it was all so perfect (I normally have one, if any). We ate on the screen in deck overlooking the water - lovely. It was neat to look at all the stuffed animals and I love my souvenir t-shirt! read more

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Wasn't busy at all when my cousin and I went. The initial greeting from the host wasn't very welcoming, the old Florida charm and decor was stellar and really the only reason for going there. The food was bland and over priced, most flavorful thing we had were the hush puppies and I got a Ruben so do with that what you want to lol my cousin and I were just happy to get food in our stomach. The thing I do think the establishment and customers should note is about the server (Mark) and the aggressiveness when it came to the tip. I had him split the bill equally, and tipped. Mark looked at the bill at the table and started getting confrontational, suggested tip for my cousin and I was $6, we put down $3 each. We low balled and I even told mark it was my fault sorry, and placed a $5 on the bill which covered the suggested tip, he was still being confrontational and aggressive a little bit of threatening behavior, which left an obviously negative impression of the business. I have never been treated or seen that kind of practice in a restaurant and I've worked in restaurants, I would never treat anyone the way mark did to us even if it was an initial 10% tip. Won't be going back anytime soon, should've took back my $5 also. read more

It's old Florida and kitschy. The service we had was very friendly and attentive I had the gumbo and the boss had the mac and cheese with lobster. The mac and cheese used lobster claw for the protein. It was relatively sparse on the protein, but the mac and cheese itself was decent. The gumbo was okay. It wasn't thick enough for me - it was pretty soupy for gumbo. The rice that j ordered with was way over cooked (I do know rice). Food was average. The vibe is quirky and is a big reason why people come. read more

Yes it's at a campground. And yes its just rated 3.5 stars....but also yes it's one of a kind and worth a little bit of your time some day! I was a bit skeptical myself, but was pleasantly surprised. The perfect-temperature evening out on the porch was so relaxing. There was live music that turned out to be quite loud (really good, but loud) but it didn't deter from the great, friendly service we received from Catherine and the surprisingly decent food. AND I was blown that they had a separate FULL gluten free menu. This caught me off guard in such a good way. I actually learned that the owner has to eat gluten free. My smoked pulled pork came out labeled gluten free. I felt very confident that I wasn't risking any gluten contamination, and this is certainly something I can't say for many restaurants. I'd give my meal 3 stars. It was good, not great. Nothing was wrong with it, I just don't think it will be memorable. Other meals at the table were the etouffee, rated 5 stars and loaded with meat, and the Florida grouper, rated 3.5 stars. Averaging out the meals, the funky old Florida ambiance, views of the river, and the attention to the gluten free meals, this is a solid 4 star experience. read more

We had fun at the Linger Lounge. Dinner was okay, good drinks, great service and a cool place. Lots and lots of taxidermy! It's an odd bird this place, but definitely has some old Florida charm. Next time I'll go during the day so you can see the river. read more

I was here Thursday night for dinner with 2 friends We all had the gator bites. All of us thought they had no flavor and were tough and chewy. The service was good but not the food. read more

I've lived in Florida for a little over three years, and I have never experienced a worse restaurant visit than this one. The family I dined with had been loyal customers for more than 30 years, yet even they said this would be their last time--and it's definitely mine. From the start, service was a mess. It took over 15 minutes just to get our drinks. Our appetizers arrived with no plates. When we asked our server, Catherine, for recommendations on seafood preparation, she flat‑out said "no," then tried to justify it by saying people "hold it against her" when she offers suggestions. Customers shouldn't have to beg for basic guidance on the menu. Things only got worse. Our food was dropped off by someone else, and the girls fries were stone cold. The staff was clearly overwhelmed and couldn't handle the number of tables they were assigned. As it got dark, our table became so poorly lit we could barely see our food. When one of us politely asked the manager for any kind of additional lighting, he literally told us to "deal with it." From a manager. The food may have come out correctly, but with service this dismissive and unprofessional, it hardly mattered. I genuinely hope no one else has to go through what we did. If you're considering this place for dinner, do yourself a favor--go somewhere else! read more

Sunday Bloody Mary at Linger Lodge Restaurant with jalapeño poppers, grilled shrimp salad, soft beef, and cheese tacos along with all the regular fixings! Plus some delicious calamari. read more

Linger Lodge Restaurant & Campground - Campgrounds Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

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If you are looking for an exotic food to try, you should check this place out. You can try snake, snake, squirrel, gator, raccoon, sparrow, tortoise, etc. (See the menu in picture). I tried the special that day, Gator Ribs and I wished I ordered some things else. The meat is fishy and like a tough fish texture. I take the left over and put lot of chili, still can't eat it. The side dishes also not that good. But my friend ordered their burger and enjoyed it. They didn't allowed us to sit outside at first since we didn't make reservations but there were few tables open so when we asked the second time, they moved us. I'm glad we got to sit outside! The have lot of preserved animals inside, it's a bit depressing to see all the snakes around. They have live music outside and we're glad we could see the river as well. We went for lunch on Sunday and arrived at 12.15pm they weren't that busy but after we got our food, looks like almost all tables are full. read more

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This was the second year we held our Veritas-Manatee GLOCK Challenge Volunteer Appreciation Dinner here. We reserved seating for 40 and actually had about 45 people join us. Staff accommodated with additional chairs while servers were friendly and informative. We sat on the porch by the scenic Bradenton River appreciating a lovely breeze and live entertainment, and everyone enjoyed relaxed comradery and stories from the day. Linger Lodge has the 'Old Florida' feel that makes you want to return, and we hope to return next year. Thank you for making dinner a success. read more

Sat out on the patio. The view of the river with the Spanish moss hanging in the trees really sets the tone. Gives old Florida vibes for sure. Lots of taxidermy animals inside the main restaurant area. Pretty cool looking critters. Our server was prompt, kept our drinks filled and had some great menu recommendations. I ordered the shrimp sizzler sautéed in their famous garlic herb butter sauce, with a side of the wasabi mashed potatoes and baked beans. The food had good flavor and was nice and warm when it came to the table. Definitely will be back. read more

Linger Lodge Restaurant & Campground - Shrimp sizzler platter with wasabi mashed potatoes and baked beans. - Campgrounds Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

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Food mediocre. Service non existent. There were maybe 4 tables used and we had to beg for drinks and ask to borrow ketchup from someone else. When you pay good money to go out you expect a bare minimum of a decent experience. Basically threw $40 in the trash. For the record I told her read more

This is a cute restaurant by the Braden River, with a nice porch you can eat on with great views of the outdoors. The service was friendly and helpful, even adjusted a menu item for our group. The food was also decent, really enjoyed the burger and fried green tomatoes for sure. They also had live music, which was also a nice touch. Would definitely go back! read more

Linger Lodge Restaurant & Campground - Campgrounds Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

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First visit....a group luncheon....the perfect day for sitting outside ...so we did...( outdoors / covered ) big menu ...lots of variety. Appeared to have lots of fried food on the menu and interesting cocktails...check out the "specialty" bloody Mary! The service and vibe is informal ...attentive,..and helpful. The food was good not great. Medium priced and something for everyone. The decor is lined with reminders of alligators and area critters native to the area. Check it out...BTW. it also has a nice RV Park if you are traveling. Check it out. read more

Linger Lodge is an enjoyable setting for great food. I was with a group of 10 adults and everyone liked their meal. The view of the surrounding area is beautiful. The staff welcomes everyone upon arrival. The service from the bar as well as the waitresses is prompt and friendly. It is suitable for families also. read more

Food was good, and priced as expected. The atmosphere is unique and has an "Old Florida" vibe. Our server was attentive but not that friendly. She needs to realize attitude influences tip percentage. I would visit again. read more

Sadly, this was the worst meal I have had in years. The place is absolutely adorable, kitschy, quirky tons of fun atmosphere. The walls are adorned and many dead animals, including an alligator, which the original owner killed himself. Our server didn't tell us a story but two of our guests had been before and they told us a story. Super cute. We were nine in total and had called ahead for a table to be ready. The restaurant was 1/3 full and the table was ready when we arrived on time however, it was such a small table that our legs would not fit under the table with the nine of us there. So, we asked for another table which begrudgingly they did. Live saxophone music on the patio still audible from inside the restaurant. That's where the good part ends . Our server was perhaps having a bad day or she was just tired . She took our orders and got most of them wrong. Of course, she was able to get her strength back as she sat right behind us eating her meal . Two of our party ordered chicken strips and one ordered fish and chips, those are the wrong names for them, but that's what the dishes were. They were frozen fish, sticks and flat, frozen chicken, kids meals. Two ordered spaghetti Alfredo with chicken, there's a man in Italy named Alfredo right now and he wants you to take his name off of your menu. My teenage granddaughter, ordered the whole rack of ribs. lol my hubby ordered etoufee and I had questions on the gluten-free menu. Gumbo was on the gluten-free menu and I wanted to know how they did a gumbo without starting a roux so I wanted to know what flour they had used? My server said, "oh it's just tomatoes." I promptly ordered something else. Figuring they could not mess up blackened grouper in the state of Florida, I put in my request. The food took a long time to come, but we were enjoying each other's company. When the food did arrive one order that was supposed to fish was chicken, the etoufee, I have no words to describe. Just save yourself don't do it. You can mess up blackened grouper in Florida. It was a chunk of frozen grouper that had been placed in a sauté pan, a Little water added, stuck in the convection oven to steam it into oblivion. No blackening seasoning, some smoked paprika, possibly salt? The teenager loved the ribs . Everyone else hated their food. Some of our party were more vocal than others, and told the server very plainly that the food was horrible. There were no concessions made, no food eaten and a $300+ combined bill. I would've taken more pictures, but I forgot until the table was mostly cleared. I would not in any circumstance go back there . read more

Linger Lodge Restaurant & Campground - Chicken Alfredo- sorry, Alfredo. - Campgrounds Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

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Took my daughter here for their Sunday Bloody Mary's and let me tell you, they didn't disappoint! Between the alligators lounging by the bar and the crazy animals on the wall, it was like we stepped into a swampy paradise. The decor was absolutely wild (in the best way possible) and our server was so great, I almost asked her if they'd consider moving in with us. Highly recommend for anyone who wants to sip on a Bloody Mary and feel like they're living on the edge of a Florida swamp! read more

Linger Lodge Restaurant & Campground - Bloody Mary - Campgrounds Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

Ambiance wins here - cool little place with an Old Florida feel. Big back porch area is not air conditioned, but backs up to a natural wooded area. Inside is chock full of taxidermy. Giant gator on the back wall is fun. Partner had the crab cake sandwich - tasty for sure. I had high hopes for their spin on a BLT - made with fried green tomatoes - and it was decent. Coleslaw wasn't for me, made with mayo and honey. Hush puppies were good ($11??) but they have tiny pieces of jalapeños in them. Bloody Mary was good, smallish for $10. The service was friendly, casual, helpful. Menu prices were a little high. Off the beaten path, fun to bring out-of-towners. read more

Linger Lodge Restaurant & Campground - BLT made with fried green tomato - Campgrounds Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

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Great local hidden gem! Pictures don't do it justice. Very, eclectic and FLORIDA place. View of the river and woods and perfect from the porch read more

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Service was fantastic! Ordered the Huge Bloody Mary Sunday Special ! We ordered 4 of them ! Best Ever! We brought 3 extra friends with us and they enjoyed everything and really liked the place ! We All will be back ! Thank you ! read more

Took a road trip from Dunedin with the hubby today to the Linger Lodge Restaurant. He had seen this on social media and as we love old Florida spots we decided to give it a try. The location didn't disappoint. Old oak trees surround this property that's on the river. We were seated quickly outside and a sweet young lady greeted us for our drink orders. Iced tea for me and a draft beer for him. So far so good. We asked her on her return what she would redo and her answer was she didn't know, started a few days ago and hadn't tried anything from the menu yet. Oh my! That's truly a management problem. Someone should have at least explained the menu to this sweet girl and let her taste a few items. Oh well. There was a couple of ladies next to us who overheard and recommended the fried greens tomatoes which we promptly ordered. They came out quickly and were probably the best we've ever had. I love lightly fried seafood so I ordered the fried flounder, my husband fried frogs legs as well as hush puppies. His food was great, my flounder, which I gave him a piece of was fishy and pungent. Needless to say I couldn't eat it. He mentioned it to the server and she seemed confused as to what to do so since I didn't want to make a fuss, I told her don't worry about it. My appetite was done, couldn't eat anything else so I left an almost wholly uneaten plate of food. Not sure if I'll be back, unfortunately they should never have served that piece of fish. read more

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Weird, yes! Fun, sure.... Good service? NO. Good food, Maybe... We had a large group come in and we sat at different tables. Some enjoyed the food. Some got okay service. But our table got very little of either. Two waitresses came to our table. The younger one admonished the older one across our table. She said 'this is my table!' But I do t know if she understood what they meant. Although she did take our order, we had to go to the bar to get our drinks (after 30 mins), had to go to the hostess to ask for water (after 45 mins) and even had to get our own silverware. She did send folks to clear our plates. And we ordered desserts from the kitchen. Slow, frustrating and mediocre. So my overall rating is a solid -- maybe--- just like we got for service. And just like the service person, I'm not coming back to the table. read more

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Linger Lodge offers seafood and regular entrees and sandwiches in a beautiful old Florida atmosphere. My son-in-law said the alligator chowder was the best he ever ate. The coffee is the best. They have a full bar and lots of interesting Florida critters on display to look at while you wait for your order. Outdoor dining available overlooking the Braden River. read more

We met the owner and Christine our server was phenomenal! Took great care of us and I had the infamous Bloody Mary!!! read more

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We went for lunch on Sunday. Service was sooo slow. We ordered meals and good was so slow coming out of the kitchen. One of our party didn't get what they asked for but no one asked how things were. It was hyped up for the Sunday Bloody Mary special but the too came out super slow. Meals were just okay. Not hot either. Too many other options to pay for bad food and service. Won't be back read more

Best gumbo I have ever had! Good hush puppies. Fried shrimp was excellent! It's a little hard to find but well worth the effort

Bloody Mary was excellent and the gal who was the bartender was very busy but still attentive. Gumbo was excellent... friendly atmosphere and everyone there (customers) seemed to be enjoying themselves!!! Liked this place a lot!!! Will definitely go back. read more

The food, the service, and the view are amazing! My daughter loves the gatorbites! The chicken kabobs are my favorite!

Definitely a unique and "wild" restaurant. Loved it. Went with a large group of friends. Food and service was excellent. Our server was Faye and she did a fantastic job. She served about 15 of us and was amazing! I ordered blackened grouper platter with jasmine rice and broccoli. Everything was served quickly, hot and delicious! The atmosphere is definitely unique as if you're at a hunting lodge. Definitely worth checking out if you want to try something "wildly" different! Highly recommend! Btw menu on this post is not the real menu ..just for laughs. read more

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Linger Lodge is certainly a unique Old FL setting, but what surprised us the most was the excellent food prep and value. The service was also exceptional. Although we were not there with our young grandchildren, it seemed like a very kid friendly restaurant. read more

Not up to my acceptable standards Our server was good. My crab cake sandwich had several shell pieces in the patty. The cup oif gumbo was the smallest cup of soup I have had, I believe. No shrimp, scallops nor andouille sauage as advertised. It was a very thin spicy potato soup priced at $10. A big disappointment . read more