We made an impulse visit to the Fork & Hen for dinner. We were able to get in without a…read morereservation and opted to sit inside, they also have outdoor seating. Interesting décor of stuff. I was seated facing a wall so I didn't get a good long look at my surroundings but between what I did see and looking at photos posted on Yelp the theme seems to be chickens. Our server was friendly and available to answer any questions as we spent time looking over the menu. I settled on The Hitman, a double patty smashed burger with American cheese, hen sauce, fried mozzarella, Nueske's bacon, with a side of garlic parm fries. It isn't listed on the online menu but there is a note the menu changes frequently so it may not match the day's offering. Let me start by saying that two of the people at my table got salads and were disappointed that there was too much lettuce and too little other stuff. With that out of the way, let me talk about The Hitman, which I loved. What is Nueske bacon? This is a special smoked flavorful bacon made by the Nueske family. Fork & Hen uses thick cut, and there were two slices on my burger. My burger towered so high there was no hope of picking it up, so I attacked it with knife and fork. Being made with Focaccia bread certainly added to the height, but so did a thick block of mozzzrella cheese. The cheese, melted on the inside and crispy on the outside, was substantial. I would be careful biting into a hot block of melted cheese, think pizza mouth. In my photo I broke into one corner to show that is cheese, so much cheese. The burger patty part topped with American cheese was by itself great, like you might find at a home cookout or Smashburgers. Other toppings were there but for me this was meat and a lot of cheese. And as much bread as you want. I loved my surprising good cheeseburger.

A disappointing experience. Walked in around 7pm and the restaurant was completely empty. That…read moreshould have been our first indication. Our table ordered a couple of dishes: chicken and waffles, southern fried chicken, shrimp fried rice, and the hitman. The water tasted like it came straight from the water fountain outside the restaurant. Chicken was overly breaded and salty, and the corn cake was sour. I also don't know how they managed to dry out dark meat. The waffle was semi burnt. The shrimp "fried rice" was soggy, vinegary, almost sushi rice like texture, and shrimp was heavily salted. The hitman smashed burger... the hitman probably killed people with the insane amount of salt on the plate. See the theme? Lighten up on the salt unless you're trying to give your customers clogged arteries. Extremely disappointing considering all the great reviews we saw before going.

This was an interesting restaurant. It was literally in a neighborhood and we thought we were in…read morethe wrong area, but no, the correct spot. We ordered the fried green tomatoes, fried chicken, a vegetable medley that included collards, black eye peas, Gabon beans, and boiled peanuts, and corn bread, which was delicious. However, the crab cakes were nothing but fried, seasoned bread and a half baked mac and cheese where the cheese was not even melted! I think what took the cake, was the waitress who was obviously having a bad day. We overheard a customer asking how much the cornbread, and she told him, "free because you don't like it!" Oh and when we tried to pay for the food, their credit machine could not read our numbers, so we had to give them three different cards and then received no receipt!! The ambiance reminded me of being at one of my friend's row houses in DC back in the day, so use your imagination. I think this is a place a lot of locals hang out and get better service. For first timers, good luck in getting a waitstaff with a better attitude.

What a delightful surprise to find a unique mouth watering taste of the south in 'Bradenton. Tucked…read moreaway in a quiet neighborhood setting we had the best sautéed shrimp and manchego cheese grits meal that is to die for. This ranks in my top two favorite dishes rivaling Owen's Fish Camp. Worth the drive from Sarasota, and meet the wonderful owner and staff. I'll be back! We discovered this wonderful restaurant while on the "Original Culinary Tour" from the www.eatlikealocal.com

Had the catfish po boy and it was so flavorful with the blackened spices and then a great remoulade…read morewith a slight kick to it as well. I would definitely get it again! LOVED the fries - they are flat and wide, never had them like that before, but boy, were they great! The red beans and rice were also amazing - deep flavor to it and everything cooked great. The corn cake was a little mushier than we expected (thought it would be like a crab cake, but it was more like a corn pudding). It was perfect mixed into the beans and rice, but on its own, it was lacking. The 6-year-old with us is super picky, and they were gracious enough to make her a grilled cheese sandwich, which was a big hit! We ate at the Bradenton Truck Yard - and thankfully there were seating options, even with some umbrellas to keep us out of the sun.

Before embarking on a shopping expedition, we fortified ourselves at Sage. Locals all know it and…read moregreet one another as they sit down. We opted for counter service. Ashley was welcoming and took our orders. Being a creature of habit, I ordered a spinach, feta and tomato omelette. My wife chose the Mediterranean skillet breakfast; both with hash browns and a biscuit. We both polished off our meals and loved the seasoned potatoes. Fortified, mission accomplished.

Sage Biscuits was absolutely fantastic! From the moment we walked in, Mildred made us feel so…read morewelcome. They were incredibly friendly, attentive, and genuinely kind -- you can tell they care about their customers. The food came out hot, fresh, and tasted amazing -- everything was on point. We were in a bit of a rush heading to the airport, and Skyla and Mildred went above and beyond to help get our food out quickly without sacrificing quality. That kind of service really stands out. Highly recommend stopping in if you're anywhere nearby -- we'll definitely be back!

Finally found an old school diner with super reasonable prices, great service and quick service!…read more This diner is in a strip mall with a few tables outside and a good number inside. There's even a few barstools towards the kitchen. Upon entering the waitress said I could sit wherever I wished, and brought menus for breakfast and lunch. Breakfast served all day. After looking things over - opted for a meat omelette. The omelette comes with hash browns, home fries or grits and toast. Just a very few minutes after ordering the food arrived. Food was well cooked, and tasted great with a little hot sauce. There's nothing fancy about the food but it's really good and you can't beat the price and service. Definitely will be a go-to if I'm anywhere close!

Pleasant staff. The owner is outgoing and helps all his servers. Food is excellent for the price.read more

The Toasted Yolk Cafe knocked it out of the park with the Southern Fried Arnold--hands down one of…read morethe best breakfast dishes I've ever had! This creative twist on eggs Benedict is pure Southern comfort food heaven. It starts with two fluffy, perfectly split biscuit halves as the base (way better than the usual English muffin for this vibe), topped with crispy, hand-breaded chicken tenders that are golden, juicy, and seasoned just right. Then come two impeccably poached eggs with those runny yolks that ooze out beautifully when you cut in. The whole thing gets smothered in rich, creamy country sausage gravy that's loaded with flavorful sausage bits and has that perfect peppery kick without being overwhelming. Every bite is an explosion of textures and flavors: the buttery biscuit, the crunchy-yet-tender fried chicken, the silky eggs, and that savory gravy tying it all together. It's indulgent, hearty, and ridiculously satisfying--exactly what you want when you're craving something over-the-top for breakfast or brunch. Served with their hashbrown casserole (which was cheesy, crispy-edged perfection) on the side, I left stuffed, happy, and already planning my next visit. The atmosphere is bright and welcoming, service was friendly and quick, and the portions are generous without feeling excessive. If you're anywhere near a Toasted Yolk location, do yourself a favor and order the Southern Fried Arnold. It's not just breakfast--it's a mood-lifting masterpiece. 10/10, will crave forever!

Beautifully appointed, clean, tidy, super friendly staff, the breakfast choices were great , food…read morecame out at a good pace, plenty of good coffee, awesome experience all around Look this one up if you are in the area looking for a great breakfast!

DH & I have heard about Linger Lodge for months since moving to the area. We finally gave them try…read more 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.

So this was an interesting adventure... The place does…read morehave 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.

It's been a while. Sat outside which was lovely. Originally considered indoors, but AC was way too…read morecold! Kayleigh was our server, and very personable. Hubby's lobster bisque was very good, and we shared the coconut rum scallops--sooooo good. He was happy with his lobster pot pie, and the crust was amazing!!! I had the seared ahi bowl, excellent and fresh, but quickly got full. Our friend really liked her salmon bowl too. Always a good place to eat at, but it can get pretty busy when the snow birds are around.

I'd read mixed reviews but why pass up a casual dining place on the water?…read more I found a parking spot close by and opted to walk instead of taking the xl golf cart that they offer rides to the restaurant. It's hot out and there's a breeze and the restaurant is at a marina so lots of boats to look at while walking. When I entered the restaurant I told the desk I had a reservation and I was immediately seated. The waiter asked if I wanted a drink as he dropped off the menu and I said I'd like a minute - a place like this you really need to soak up the view. When he returned with water I ordered a draft and a couple half size happy hour appetizers to start. The oysters were good - decent size, not briny and they came with lemon, horseradish cocktail sauce and a tiny bottle of Tabasco. The conch fritters were very good, I especially liked the sauce they came with. They were crispy on the outside and soft and pretty good flavor on the inside. Decided on the fish bites appetizer for the rest of today's meal - the fish came out quick and was hot and tasted fresh. Service was great, food good.... If there's any negative it's that maybe the fryer oil is not at temp or needs changing as all the fried food seemed a little darker than I expected....still tasted good though. I'll definitely be back - had a couple good suggestions from the waiter that I can't wait to try.