When visiting my boyfriend's family in Florida, his dad and stepmom came to visit with their foster dog that needed a restaurant with a patio. This location was suggested as they have an enclosed patio to avoid bugs, and it worked out great! The staff were remarkable and even brought an iced water for the dog without even asking! Appreciate that extra touch. What We Ordered: ~ Dockside Scallops (Appetizer): cooked beautifully, and paired with a sauce that complimented the scallops. Loved the citrus for acidity, while having the sweet chili for some spice. I can see this being delicious with rice and a vegetable for an entree, which they also offer. ~ The Big Cheese Burger (sub Cheddar versus American Cheese): Very delicious and a great price point for $15! Definitely left us satisfied as we cut in half to share the scallops as well. ~ Jumper Juice: only $5 all day, every day? Why not try! Though, I'm a vodka fan so this was not my liquor of choice. Still a very refreshing drink that I'm sure many would enjoy. ~ Coke: A classic for a burger, and tasted great on a hot, humid Florida day. Definitely a place I'd return when visiting in the area, and I can see trying the scallop entree or even getting a burger again. Great food, friendly service, and spacious location. read more

See all

First time trying this restaurant. We sat outside for a minute but it was too hot so we moved inside. The waitress was terrific but when it came to the food, we both agreed we would not go back. Fish and Chips were ordered and it was mentioned that they tasted Frozen Long John from a box and the 2 fish pieces were small. We paid $1 extra for onion rings which looked good but needed seasoning aka salt. My patty melt was ok and I ordered it with fries which didn't come out with my meal. When the fries came they were fresh which I was happy about that but I needed to salt them for flavor. Went to use the ladies room before leaving and a 1 stall caused a traffic jam on a Saturday afternoon. Can't imagine what it would be like on a busy night. It was busy in there so if you are in the area, try it just don't order fish and chips. read more

Puddle Jumpers - Patty melt on Texas toast. They forgot my fries but they brought them out when I mentioned it - New American Near Me - Tavares, Florida

See all

Our first time here as we live 60 miles away. Puddle jumpers has a very nice menu to choose from and in today's case we had the fried mahi finger bites, which were very good. They were tender. They appeared to be fresh and they were not overly breaded. We also had their onion rings which we found to be very delicious as well. You could actually bite into them and not have the onion come pulling out, which was a plus and once again, not heavily breaded, but a good taste to the breading they did use. We also tried their fresh pork rinds, and they were excellent if this is your type of food we've only been to a couple places that actually know how to properly make them and puddle jumpers is one of them. The other place was in North Carolina, which went out of business and then one in South Carolina near Charleston, which was a barbecue joint. Our guest had other items as they come here on a regular basis and I know they all enjoyed their food, but I didn't ask to get information for this posting As for ambience, it was a very nice place. Stand at it set alongside the lake with of course the sea planes out front although we didn't see any land we did see some. All the staff was friendly, and our server was Bianca T who all I can say is she was very good and I stayed on top of our table I honestly can't think of anything negative to say about the place other than the ink pen ran out of ink when it came to signing the bill lol read more

See all

We did an early dinner mid week and the food and service were great! We were able to set inside in the AC and still have a view of the lake Anne the sea planes. Our appetizers were Crab cake and Lobster Bisque. The Bisque was good and creamy but the star was the crab cake. It was so good I want to go back and have the Crab Cake plater . I had the Steak and mash potatoes for main course and my partner had the Airline Chicken which was like a chicken masala. Both were good but for me the crab cake was the greatest. read more

Puddle Jumpers - Steak, mash potatoes and broccoli - New American Near Me - Tavares, Florida

Came in with a large group, and I can't remember the servers name, but he did an amazing job taking care of a large table, that was on the second level and taking the stairs to deliver the food. I can appreciate an establishment that has many options to choose from, whether it be a salad, sandwich, or entrée. I went with some wings as they were a popular item. They were good overall, and the sauce was sweeter than it has spice. I have to give props to the blue cheese, as it tasted housemade. The parking for this place is horrendous, as it's shared with other nearby restaurants, and the view of the lake is a nice touch. If I were passing by, I'd stop by again. read more

Puddle Jumpers - Wings with PJ's Secret Sweet & Spicy wings - New American Near Me - Tavares, Florida

I love bringing my family here. The service and food are amazing. Live entertainment today too - out on the patio. The view of the lake with the seaplanes are incredible read more

See all

I had the Nauti Nachos tonight and they were pretty good! I love their kettle chips! My friend ordered the mushroom Swiss burger and mild wings. I would've liked a good homemade lemonade with my food but I just had water. They do have coke products and the am waiter recommended the margarita but I didn't try it... read more

Puddle Jumpers - Nauti Nachos, fries, muchroom swiss burger and mild wings (sauce on the side) - New American Near Me - Tavares, Florida

Cutely decorated place The food was really good, gigantic, generous portions, and some healthy options but a lot of fried food We had the pitas which is a quesadilla with a pita, which was very good and the bees knees burger, which has a jam and brie, and that was delicious The sweet potato tots were good as well Our server was very sweet and attentive overall a good experience read more

Great location on the water with a nice view. Plenty of space inside and out to entertain a crowd. Menu had local fare reasonably priced.

Nothing about dining here was good. Not the food. Not the atmosphere. Not the unsanitary environment. Not the server Courtney P who was rude when we asked for the $4 discount that was on our receipt but not deducted from our bill. While using the restroom I heard her badmouthing us to the wait staff to include the manager. She complained about our tip in front of other restaurant patrons. Nasty experience! read more

Good location next to Lake Dora and downtown Tavares. The food is OK. Our server Jennifer is the best, she knows how to take care of her customers. There is inside and outside seating which is gives you the option of a nice view and ambiance. Now when the bill came is when things fell apart. They added a Non-Tipped Service Charge of 1% to your total bill. When asked what the additional charge was for, it was explained that its a tip for everyone other than the servers. If you don't pay the fee, the server has to pay it. That is a terrible way to treat your servers and why do the customers have to subsidized the other employees wages that provided no direct service. No more meals will be had at this restaurant for us and we will advise others of this issue. TERRIBLE FOR EMPLOYEES AND BAD POLICY FOR BUSINESS. That is way the rating is only 2 Stars, it would be 1 star if not for Jennifer. read more

Fun place, located right on Lake Dora in Tavares. You will find fresh seafood and friendly service. Offering a full bar, you might catch a sea plane coming in for a landing. Offering inside and outside lake view dining, Puddle jumpers is a fun place with good food. The crab cakes are packed full of crab meat, and the house made kettle chips with French onion dip is great start to your meal. Go and enjoy! read more

Valentines lunch with hubby, niece and nephew. Server was attentive, friendly and helpful. We ordered mimosas, beer and Bloody Mary along with fried pickles and coconut shrimp for appetizers. Ordered fish and chips , blackened chicken ceasar salad , cheeseburger and jalapeño burger. Everyone enjoyed their meal. Definitely recommend !! read more

See all

Stopped here after going boating with Freedom Boat Club. Our waitress Emma was very thoughtful and brought water out from my dog Roxy, which I really appreciate. We had half an order of peel and eat shrimp which were cooked very well and had a late seasoning to them. We also had the fish and chips and substituted the pork rinds and a side salad for the chips and coleslaw, which I think was a good decision. The pork rinds came out crackling and hot. They were a little bit over seasoned, the side salad was fresh crisp and I really liked the ranch dressing. The fish was OK not my favorite but definitely fresh just had too much better for me. Next time I would order something different. The location is perfect overlooking the lake and you could see the sea Plains coming in and parking, which was also a nice added benefit read more

See all

I think I'm adding a star from our last visit because of excellent service from David. We sat inside due to the heat but would have enjoyed the music outdoors. There were six of us and we started with a huge order of fried pickles and ranch. Entrees were an Asian chicken salad which seemed improved with more chicken, coconut shrimp (6 huge shrimp but needed more coconut), salmon, mahi bites (delicious), and a kids burger. We had leftovers in hand when we left. As before, it is a pleasant view of the lake from any seat and the specialty drink are, in a word, special. read more

Puddle Jumpers - Cheers! - New American Near Me - Tavares, Florida

I don't usually leave mixed bag reviews bit this visit needs one. We started with 8 mild wings - great sauce, good crisp. Partner had the mahi sammie and was very happy with it, good fish flavor and bake, fries tasty and crunchy. It went wrong with my blackened chicken caesar (you're right - salad at a seafood place, what was I thinking). I would bet decent money that the 'blackened chicken' was poured out of a bag of pressed chicken (you know the stuff I mean) - it had zero seasoning, zero heat and was more minced than sliced. At a restaurant. Nay nay. Jennifer was very pleasant as our server and food was quick (as it should be for lunch). We will be back and I will NOT have a salad. read more

We walked into this place wanting to enjoy being on the water and watching the sea planes come in and it was perfect place for that! We went directly outside and only had 1 round of drinks because they were unable to put college football on , but I would like to go back to this place sometime and eat outside while the planes come in . Eustis is a really cute city and their downtown area is small but they have a ton of little bars and restaurants that's worth checking out. We came from Orlando and wanted something different so we were happy that we stopped by this place for sure! read more

Puddle Jumpers - New American Near Me - Tavares, Florida

The service was poor. The portions were small. The silverware was dirty, and the waitress was unattentive! It was a very disappointing experience. I will never return again. read more

Friday night, place is busy. Food and service is good. The patty melt was cooked med-rare the way I asked for it , along with the homemade chips and 2-4-1 beer hit the spot. The fresh turkey sandwich was also good. Prices reasonable,I will return. read more

See all

To start with the food is 5 stars across the board. The Macho Nachos were stacked with chips,chicken, sour cream, salsa and easily could feed a family of six. The Mahi was exceptional and cooked perfect. They aren't kidding when they say the wings are huge. The Nashville hot were hot, the Asian spicy were spicy, and the teriyaki had lots of sauce. The boiled and fried shrimp were excellent as well. The only disappointment was our server. She got our order right and disappeared. A kitchen helper brought out our food. Our drinks never got refilled and the hostess brought to go boxes. She eventually showed up with the bill but by then it was too late. We still gave her a decent tip. They also had live entertainment on the deck which was very good. read more

See all

I've door dash these guys twice! Their burgers are amazing! I can't wait till I can sit down inside their location and eat it fresh and enjoy watching the sea planes! read more

Good "bar food", great service, nice outdoor ambiance. The only caveat is don't ask for tap water, it's undrinkable.

Well, welcome to Fl it was real hot out and the mosquitos were doing some hatch thing so there were zillions. So we ate inside. Had a couple of beers and my wife had coconut shrimp , fries and slaw. The wait staff was awesome and very friendly and efficient. The shrimp were perfect, the fries close to but not hot enough the slaw well..... that was bad. A bit of vinegar or salt would have solved that. The beer was cold. It was nice watching the sea planes take off from the dock. The only issue was the windows looking out on the lake were dirty. Real dirty. Would I go back ? For sure. So only 4cstars due to the windows and the bathrooms were questionable. read more

1 Star for location, on the lake with beautiful sunset view & indoor/outdoor seating options. It cost me $86 / dinner for two. NOT WORTH IT! 2 sodas Mozzarella pontoon appetizer with raspberry adobo sauce. YUK it was SO sweet. They didn't have any tomato sauce so I asked for hot sauce. The waitress brought hot sauce & ranch as an alternative but didn't mention She was charging $1 for each. Burgers are sold a la carte. Mine tasted like charcoal & my onion rings tasted fishy. I was in the bathroom as soon as I got home. My daughter ordered the roasted chicken dinner & said it was ok but the sauce was very salty. The waitress only offered 1 drink refill on drinks. After our dinner arrived she disappeared . She didn't print the check so I had no idea of the charges until after payment was made. It was my daughter's birthday so she wanted dessert but after the dinner experience I told her we'd go elsewhere for that. 1st time there & we will NOT be going back. read more

Been a couple of times and it was ok. Went last night, server took our order & literally NEVER came back to the table. I had to asked other servers twice just to get our bill. Finally another server brought the bill and I expressed my frustration that the girl never came back which he actually tried to defend the service saying uh well she was busy working the bar, and got extremely rude and stormed away. Absolutely the worse experience. read more

Nice place to catch a meal with a friendly ambiance added! Thumbs up! The views at this establishment are worth it as well.

The atmosphere is really great. I was there for a work lunch and I think th food was good but don't really recall what I had.

Good food and drinks. We did have to wait a while for a waiter to come to our table. However, overall the staff was very pleasant.

We brought my 94-year-old Uncle for lunch on May 7th. Sandy was so friendly, welcoming and accommodating. Thanks for being so awesome Sandy! Hope we see you next time! read more

A very cool spot in Tavares near the dock. I had a great blue cheese burger and she had a chicken Caesar wrap. We sat outside with a view of the seaplanes as we enjoyed the meal. Service was quick and efficient! Definitely stop by here when in Tavares! read more

Worse experience with a server that we have ever had. We have family from out of town took them for the beautiful view and sea planes. Our waiter Jake introduced himself very nicely. As soon as he saw we were only getting drinks and appetizers he never came by our table to refill drinks etc... we had to ask for the check. On our way out he asked others in our party if they were full from the appetizer and as upsetting as that was a comment was made back to him and he proceed to tell our guest if they wanted to take it outside. Unfortunately as I was speaking to the manager I was not aware of what had transpired. Very disappointed. Hoping someone at Puddle Jumpers see this. read more

Food was great our server was outstanding and from NY. And the music was on point. Differently will be back

Came here after a sea plane ride. Short wait they have a text system to notify you table is ready. Food offerings are mediocre, considering the place is on the water you would think they would have more seafood options. The views are fantastic. I can see the water as well as the sea planes coming in and out. Food mediocre, service was fine. When we got the bill, I was surprised by this un tipped service charge. I don't even know what that means. read more

Puddle Jumpers - Non-tipped service charge I don't even know what that means. - New American Near Me - Tavares, Florida

I've visited this restaurant a few times and, each time, the food was good and the wings are great! They have daily deals on tacos, wings, etc. and $5 mimosas everyday. Our waitress was attentive and kind, and service was quick. Great place to grab lunch with friends, by the water. Or, stop by for a quick working lunch. read more

Puddle Jumpers - New American Near Me - Tavares, Florida

See all

Pleasant staff. Good seating. Great view. Seating both indoors and outside. Water views available. Recommend the Turkey Brie and raspberry sandwich!! read more

Puddle Jumpers - New American Near Me - Tavares, Florida

We enjoyed our lunches and the service. The interior is decorated with airplane propellers and old pictures. Our server was fast and efficient. My shrimp tacos were great. Wife enjoyed her burger. Using my Yelp app, I saved 10%. Nice. I think I will return when the half-priced Fish and chips are available. read more

Puddle Jumpers - Dining room. - New American Near Me - Tavares, Florida

The best thing about this place is the outdoor patio over the lake. Go there, have some beers. You'll be happy. Want entrees? Not so much. We had a party of four and none of us were particularly happy. The chicken entree was overcooked, the medium rare burger was solidly well done. The soup was cold, and the crackers stale. The Pino Grigio was actually Moscato. We didn't try any of the appetizers. Perhaps they go well with the beer. read more

I loved the atmosphere, drinks and food at Puddle Jumpers. Sitting on the outside patio is the way to go. The lake view is tranquil and the sea planes are fun to watch. Our waitress was friendly, quick and knowledgeable. I ordered a the "Gosh Jam It" burger. It's a seasoned burger with caramelized onion and bacon jam that the top with goat cheese. This burger a a big juicy..delicious...treat. It is a must order. read more

Puddle Jumpers - Mai tai - New American Near Me - Tavares, Florida

We loved everything about this restaurant. We had our dog so we sat outside. It was cold so they turned on the propane heater for us. The view was beautiful overlooking the lake & sea planes. Also palm trees with Christmas lights were beautiful. Our waitress Courtney was so helpful and kept a check on everything. We met the manager Brandi & enjoyed visiting with her. The appetizers (fried pickles, onion rings & pretzels) were delicious. We ordered the platter & split it. A lot of food! Also the live music (I think his name was Greg) was excellent. A very enjoyable evening. read more

We had a 64 person event at Puddle Jumpers on February 18, 2026. Our servers were Tyra, Lauren and Jen. Their service was remarkable! We had the back room as we had some games and socializing to do. Our food came out quickly and was perfect. Kudos to Puddle Jumpers and our 3 servers. We all could not have been more pleased. read more