Great food - got the meat platter for two that could easily feed 4 or 5 people. Great location -…read moresat on the balcony upstairs for some good people watching. Need to come back to try the rest of the food. Our server was great and the drinks were on point.

I am writing to formally express my deep dissatisfaction with the experience my family and I had at…read moreyour St. George Street location. What should have been a pleasant dining experience turned into an extremely stressful and disappointing situation due to the unprofessional conduct of the manager on duty, Ms. Kale. Upon arrival, my family and I were instructed to wait outside, which we did patiently for nearly an hour. Despite this long wait, we were then seated in an extremely crowded area with no regard for comfort, space, or safety. This lack of organization created significant stress for us, especially given my current recovery from a broken femur and hip. Additionally, my elderly mother, who flew from another country to visit us, and my four children -- including one with special needs -- were placed in an environment that was unnecessarily overwhelming and preventable with proper management. What made the situation far worse, however, was the behavior of Ms. Kale. When we voiced our concerns politely, she responded with unacceptable rudeness. Instead of offering a professional apology or attempting to correct the situation, she dismissed our concerns and even laughed in our faces. This reaction was not only unprofessional but deeply disrespectful. It reflected a complete lack of leadership, empathy, and customer-care standards. It is clear that this location is focused on bringing in as many guests as possible for profit, yet management is failing to properly coordinate seating, resulting in overcrowding and poor guest experiences. A manager's role is to ensure smooth operations and address issues respectfully -- something that was clearly lacking under Ms. Kale's supervision. I hope that this complaint is taken seriously, as no family should be treated in this manner. I request that appropriate action be taken to address the behavior of the manager and to improve the overall management practices at this location. Thank you for your attention. I look forward to you seeing seeing to help improvements implemented so that other guests do not experience what we did.

Service was fantastic for being fairly packed midday! Our server made sure waters/drinks were…read morereplenished and food came out quick. The shrimp and grits was some of the best I've had in Historic St. Augustine! Not sure if the added sausage is necessary to make it such a memorable dish, but definitely added to the flavor. Great vibe inside!

This place has such a warm-but-upscale vibe when you walk in the door. Having both an upstairs and…read morea downstairs is very cool; we wanted to simply have a drink on the balcony. Bethany was our bartender; she was fantastic. Very fun to chat with, gave us some great local recommendations, and created some delicious drinks for us to enjoy. Give that girl a raise, she knows how to make visitors feel welcome.

Weekend nights are the busiest here so had to wait thirty minutes but got a great table with a…read moreperfect view of the live band "Thelonious Crunk" playing classic cover songs. The male server was attentive and competent but my craft beer was poured as a low abv sour and not my Swamphead IPA hazy request, which was switched out quickly. My Prohibition Burger & Egg was seasoned perfectly and the boiled cajun peanuts had a nice unexpected spicy kick. Aside from the tasty eats, the beautiful 1920's themed bar is notably a mixologists dream. Maybe add a true Speak Easy to the place which would be a cool addition. There was a walk thru to a pricey steakhouse, but not hidden so not really a Speak Easy concept if that was the intent.

To me the food was as you expected it to me. They are right in the middle of downtown historic St…read moreAugustine. I loved the interior of the restaurant and thought the decoration fit the theme. The server was nice but definitely it seemed a little overwhelmed with how busy that place seemed to operate. It is a tourist area so they definitely didn't seem fully prepared for the volume they were going to have that day.

Outstanding dinner tonight. Made reservations at 4:45 for the five of us. Seated right away. Plenty…read moreof parking. Our kids had drinks which they enjoyed. For starters their fried green tomatoes- outstanding taste perfectly cooked. I had shrimp and grits. Wife had pork chow chow. Others had fish tonight it was flounder. Everything was delicious. Trevor took excellent care of us. For dessert we shared a slice of key lime cheesecake really good. Love their new location here on the island.

I was hoping to love this place, and while I did love the food and the beautiful outdoor patio…read morelooks great, they have some work to do. We stopped by for dinner on a Friday night, reservations were hard to get at standard dinner time, so we made a 4:30 p.m. reservation. When we arrived, the restaurant was less crowded - when we did leave about an hour later, it was much busier. The setting itself is plain inside - with such a beautiful outdoor setting, the inside looks more like a hospital cafeteria, with very bad acoustics. I don't know who designed the inside, but it's a very un-Floridian setting. The parking lot will also be interesting over time...when we arrived at 4:30 p.m., the lot was close to full, infringing upon the business next door, and by the time we left people were searching for spaces. This is definitely a place to make a reservation and arrive early. Our check-in process was a bit confusing, there's a check-in stand outside where nobody was hosting, and we assumed that was for the patio. We went inside where there's another check-in stand where we were told to go back outside to wait for the hostess so that she could check us in and bring us back inside. If you have to read that a few times, it's as confusing a process as it sounds. We were then seated at a table where we sat for 15 minutes (I started a timer after about 5 minutes) with no server, no drinks, just the two of us wondering at what point one of the many employees was going to pay attention to our table. After 15 minutes, we were approached by Rebecca who brought us drinks, and took our order. By that time, I was just hoping to get a decent meal and get out, since I really didn't expect much. Once dinner did arrive, the food was wonderful! I ordered a creative meal they have which is pulled pork barbecue and waffles, a creative play on Chicken and waffles (which they also offer). I have to give the chef a lot of credit - the meal was tasty and flavorful. Based upon the food, this restaurant would be a five star experience - regrettably with the service snafu and a very sterile environment, it's a four-star overall. Perhaps we'll return when the weather cools down a bit and we can enjoy the patio, as I don't look forward to returning to the dining room anytime soon.

My wife and I have visited The Ice Plant several times over the years, and it remains one of our…read morefavorite dining destinations in St. Augustine. The combination of imaginative cocktails, exceptional food, and a unique atmosphere makes every visit memorable. The cocktail program is outstanding. We enjoy trying a variety of their exotic and inventive drinks, and they never disappoint. The flavors are bold, creative, and unlike anything you'll find at a typical restaurant bar. The Yellow Submarine cocktail is quite possibly the best drink I have ever consumed. Made with curry-infused Bermuda black rum, lime, ginger, and Asian five-spice brown sugar syrup, it sounded unusual on paper but came together beautifully. I enjoyed it so much that I ordered four of them that evening, something I rarely do. That was three years ago, and despite returning several times since then, I have never seen it on the menu again. The food is equally impressive. Two years ago, I ordered the Skillet Roasted New York Strip served with Yukon Gold potato-anna, roasted asparagus and spring onions, watercress, and black truffle hollandaise. To this day, it remains one of the top five restaurant meals I have ever eaten. Every component on the plate was exceptional. The steak was perfectly prepared, the crispy potato galette was irresistible, and the black truffle hollandaise elevated the entire dish to another level. It was the kind of meal that stays with you long after the plate is cleared. I would gladly drive 300 miles just to eat it again. Most recently, I had the wild mushroom bisque, and it was the best soup I have ever consumed. Rich, creamy, buttery, intensely mushroomy, and perfectly balanced, it was everything a mushroom soup should be. The addition of crispy pickled onions and crème fraîche added texture and contrast that made an already outstanding soup even better. My wife and I enjoyed it so much that we returned the very next day hoping to order it again, only to discover it had already rotated off the menu. My only complaint about The Ice Plant is that some of their greatest creations seem to disappear as quickly as they arrive. While I appreciate the constantly evolving menu and understand that seasonal changes are part of what makes the restaurant special, there are certain items that deserve a permanent home. The Yellow Submarine cocktail, the wild mushroom bisque, and the Skillet Roasted New York Strip with black truffle hollandaise are three of the finest things I have experienced there. The fact that I can vividly remember one of these items from three years ago and another from two years ago says everything. Great restaurants serve good food. Truly special restaurants create dishes and drinks that stay with you for years. The Ice Plant has done that for me more than once, and that is why we continue to return whenever we visit St. Augustine.

The Ice Plant is one of those places where the experience starts before you ever take a bite of…read morefood. The decor fits St. Augustine perfectly. Antique, rustic, comfortable, and full of enough character that you almost feel like you've stepped 200 years back in time. Then the drinks arrive, and suddenly you realize you've been transported into the future of cocktails. I wish I could remember the name of the drink I ordered because it was spectacular. Whiskey, a little sweetness, mint, and crushed ice. That's about all I can tell you. What I can tell you is that I could have happily consumed about 30 of them, tumbled down the stairs, and been perfectly happy about the whole experience. My wife went with the Mojito, and it was brilliantly constructed. The crushed ice and layered mint made it look almost too good to drink. Almost. The drinks absolutely deserve five stars. Then came the blue crab beignets, and they were spectacular. That's the kind of appetizer that makes you stop talking for a minute because everyone at the table is too busy enjoying what's happening. Unfortunately, the rest of the food didn't quite live up to the cocktails. The fish dip was very average and lacked much flavor, and the menu itself felt pretty limited. So here's the deal: if you're coming to The Ice Plant for drinks, I would have no problem giving it five stars. The cocktails are that good. This is a highly recommended stop for a drink in St. Augustine. But I have to review the entire experience, and the limited menu and average fish dip bring the overall experience down a notch. Four stars. Come for the drinks. Stay for the atmosphere. Definitely order the blue crab beignets. And if you happen to find yourself three cocktails deep, admiring the antique decor while contemplating the stairs, maybe just take your time.

If you're a cocktail enthusiast you have to check this out when you're in the area! We went in the…read moreafternoon and had a caipirhina, one of Anthony Bourdain's favorite cocktails. The hummus plate was insanely good. The burrata sandwich with prosciutto was a perfect summertime lunch, and the steak sandwich was also great even though my boyfriend only let me have one bite. The highlight was the Caesar salad because it was PERFECTLY briny and satisfying, and they're not skimpy with the anchovies. 10/10!

I wanted to love Forgotten Tonic because the menu looked unique, but unfortunately this was one of…read morethe most disappointing dining experiences we've had in St. Augustine. First, the seating. The tables are unusually tall, making us feel like little kids trying to sit at the adults' table. It wasn't comfortable for anyone in our group. Then there were the lights. They continuously blinked above our table, and it was so distracting that we asked to move. Unfortunately, the second table had the same issue. I know St. Augustine is famous for its ghosts, but I wasn't expecting them to be playing with the lights at 7:00 p.m. while the sun was still shining! The biggest frustration was ordering. We were told menu items could be modified, but after placing our order the server kept returning one item at a time to tell us they actually couldn't make the requested changes. It would have been much better to know that before ordering. The pickle appetizer was another disappointment. Based on the description, I expected a pickle-forward appetizer. Instead, it was mostly kimchi, pickled onions, and other pickled vegetables with only five slices of actual pickles. I honestly don't have the words to describe how disappointing that dish was. I was also excited to try the tzatziki green beans, but the crisp pickled green beans tasted more like fermented green sticks than an enjoyable side dish. The baked Brie arrived with what I initially thought was melted cheese inside the croissant, but it turned out to be undercooked raw dough. Imagine my surprise when I realized I had just taken a bite of raw dough. I actually started feeling sick before we even left the restaurant. My younger son ordered the house root beer, which tasted extremely watered down. He also had the pasta with added grilled chicken, but the chicken was dark meat, overly shiny, and completely unappetizing to him. I ordered the non-alcoholic Velvet Slippers mocktail. One sip was enough--I honestly can't find the words to describe how unpleasant it tasted. My friend ordered the steak sandwich and requested the peppers be left off. After ordering, she was told they couldn't accommodate that request, so she had to pick the peppers off herself and still didn't enjoy the sandwich. My older son ordered the lamb sirloin. Even though lamb is often served medium-rare, this was so rare it looked like it was still bleating. We paid our bill before dessert because my stomach was already upset. I ended up making one last stop in the restroom before catching up with my family, who were already halfway down the street, ready to forget Forgotten Tonic. Sadly, this was one of the most disappointing restaurant experiences we've had. Between the uncomfortable seating, blinking lights, inability to accommodate simple modifications, disappointing food, and getting sick before leaving the restaurant, we won't be returning.

We can't believe we stumbled upon La Nouvelle during a random getaway. This place blows some of the…read moremost incredible restaurants from around the world ..away! The history, ambiance, food, and hospitality were all exceptional. Renee, our server, made the evening feel so personal. She was warm, genuine, and incredibly knowledgeable. We talked throughout dinner, and not once did she make us feel rushed. She helped curate our meal, and her service will be remembered just as much as the incredible food. Panos, the manager, also stopped by our table and was so friendly and welcoming; everyone genuinely cared about creating a great experience. Every dish was outstanding. The escargot was perfectly cooked (not rubbery at all) with the ideal balance of garlic butter, paired with an incredible fresh-baked baguette. The foie gras was excellent, the steak au poivre was cooked beautifully, and the duck confit was probably the best I've ever had. The red wine-marinated grapes were such a delightful, unexpected touch. For dessert, the lavender crème brûlée was such a unique and incredible flavor profile, very light and delicate, beautifully executed, and the chocolate mousse was just as good. After I left, I checked a few photos out online and only wish I had a chance to try the burger and the peach dessert thing. Also the oysters - couple next to us had them at the end and I wish I had saved room for a few. It's rare to find a restaurant where every part of the experience, from the food to the people, feels this special. We only wish we lived closer. Such an incredible place. This will definitely be our first choice if we ever make it back to St. Augustine.

We visited this establishment for a Father's Day brunch. Quite often, in Saint Augustine, it is…read moredifficult to find parking close to a great restaurant, but lucky for us, La Nouvelle has its own parking lot! (This is exciting for someone who is all this stressed out about parking, lol) We made reservations the morning of the branch and we were able to be accommodated. We were promptly seated when we arrived. Our server, Nina, was polite, attentive and patient with all our questions. She even gave us advice when we asked about some local areas to go check out after the meal. We sat indoors, though they were available outdoor options for seating. The decor was well done and seems pretty classy. The food was fantastic! We tried the deviled eggs, raw oysters with datil hot sauce, and escargot. I tried one of the off menu omelette selections, which was expertly made. We also tried the bouillabaisse and Branzino. Everything was cooked to perfection. We also tried the lavender crème brûlée, pot de creme and Paris -Brest. We thoroughly enjoyed those desserts! I will highly recommend this restaurant for a date night or special occasion. The quality of the food was excellent, and as such, I will return.

Blackfly The Restaurant delivers an experience that feels lively from the moment you walk in. The…read morespace has a high-energy vibe with bold decor and an upscale-casual feel that instantly sets the tone for a great night out. We started with the Chili-Lime Shrimp, and that dish alone set the bar high. The shrimp were perfectly cooked and coated in a spicy chili-lime garlic sauce that had just the right kick. The miso butter emulsion and sweet soy tied everything together with a rich, slightly sweet finish. The Poke Tuna was fresh and vibrant--sashimi-grade ahi tossed in a cashew-citrus ponzu with red onion, cucumber, and seaweed salad. The fried wontons added a nice crunch that balanced the dish beautifully. The Mediterranean Pizza was a pleasant surprise. The combination of green olives, spinach, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, goat cheese, and garlic worked really well together on a crisp crust, giving you a savory bite with a hint of tang. The Surf & Turf Fried Rice brought bold flavors to the table. Tender beef tips and shrimp sauteed in a spicy chili glaze over vegetable fried rice, finished with fried garlic, chili oil, miso butter, and sweet soy--it was rich, flavorful, and very satisfying. The Beef Tenderloin was cooked just right--tender and juicy--paired with creamy mashed potatoes, seasonal vegetables, and a decadent truffle sauce that elevated the whole dish. Beyond the food, the service truly stands out--warm, friendly, and genuinely welcoming, making you feel taken care of throughout the entire meal. They also offer an excellent selection of wines, beers, and spirits, along with a solid dessert lineup that's worth saving room for. To top it all off, there's plenty of parking available, which is always a bonus in a busy dining area. Overall, this place nails the balance between great food, inviting service, and a fun, energetic atmosphere. Definitely a spot you'll want to revisit.

Good, creative food. Lively atmosphere! Looking forward to the reopening!…read more The new premises (the old pizza joint) should be amazing