Angelino's and Great Southern Cafe

ALL the restaurants? There are a few world class restaurants on 30-A, there are a few very good ones and a few stinkers. I have never heard anyone rave about Angelinas and the Great Southern reviews are mixed. Surely you ate more than twice while here, where else did you go and what were the issues?

We visit Seagrove Beach twice a year. We have been coming here for ten years. We cannot get over the high prices, poor service, and average food at most of the restaurants on 30-A. The restaurant owners have come to believe that people visiting this area are wealthy and will eat out regardless. We went to Angelino's this week. We were charged for iced tea refills--even got charged for one we didn't get. I have never in my life been charged for a tea refill in the USA. We also ate at the Great Southern Cafe. The waiter never once offered to refill our tea. It costs 2.50 per glass--no sugar--not one refill was offered. You can go to Burger King and spend two or three dollars for a meal and get all the refills of coke or tea that you want. We read all the restaurant reviews that rave about this place and that. But, let me tell you the real truth about ALL the restaurants in this area--and we have eaten at most all of them--in our opinion, they all have very AVERAGE food, average or below average service, and very high prices. We love 30-A and plan to keep coming back whenever we can. The beaches are just beautiful, and we love all the quaint small towns. But, we will start dining in our own beach house.

OMG ...Nope I aint gonna do it! I will wait until next year to get wrapped up in a thread LOL.. This Dinning and Food category is going to be my favorite I see. :floor:

I don't eat often at Great Southern, but I've probably been to Angelina's twice a month for the last 3 or so years. It's handy for a good spaghetti or pizza dinner - no pretense of fine dining. The staff there are always nice and the quality of the food is dependable. No, it's not Borago or Cafe 30A or Fire, but then it doesn't pretend to be. So I'm a happy customer and I'll be back.

But I've never, ever, been charged for a tea refill. A mistake on the tab? I'd bet they would have taken it off the tab if you'd spoken up.

We visit Seagrove Beach twice a year. We have been coming here for ten years. We cannot get over the high prices, poor service, and average food at most of the restaurants on 30-A. The restaurant owners have come to believe that people visiting this area are wealthy and will eat out regardless. We went to Angelino's this week. We were charged for iced tea refills--even got charged for one we didn't get. I have never in my life been charged for a tea refill in the USA. We also ate at the Great Southern Cafe. The waiter never once offered to refill our tea. It costs 2.50 per glass--no sugar--not one refill was offered. You can go to Burger King and spend two or three dollars for a meal and get all the refills of coke or tea that you want. We read all the restaurant reviews that rave about this place and that. But, let me tell you the real truth about ALL the restaurants in this area--and we have eaten at most all of them--in our opinion, they all have very AVERAGE food, average or below average service, and very high prices. We love 30-A and plan to keep coming back whenever we can. The beaches are just beautiful, and we love all the quaint small towns. But, we will start dining in our own beach house.

Well- you certainly ate at the WRONG places! (I haven't been a fan of Angelina's ever - it used to be the only place to eat at on Sunday night and Great Southern- I keep hearing mixed reveiws). Those are not two places I would recommend! Did you try Stinky's? Did you try Borago? Did you try Amore? D&K? Breakfast at Hibiscus? Those are all great choices and quite a mix of price points, too! I highly recommend all of these. Also- buy some seafood at Goatfeathers and grill at home- you can't go wrong. We make some killer fish tacos with grouper we buy there.

Sorry you didn't enjoy more of the dining. Hope you can try some new places on your next visit! For me, 30-A isn't all about the food. It is the beach, beach and more beach. I also love the local restaurants and not seeing fast food joints up and down the road. It is a wonderful break for us!

:rolling:

(and yes, I do think charging for a tea refill is absurd...)

I would strongly encourage you to speak up next time to a manager or owner. I have eaten at Angelina's on many an occasion and have never been charged for a refill. I have never heard of this before. This COULD be a mistake or, hopefully not, some sort of theft.

We visit But, let me tell you the real truth about ALL the restaurants in this area--and we have eaten at most all of them--in our opinion, they all have very AVERAGE food, average or below average service, and very high prices. We love 30-A and plan to keep coming back whenever we can. The beaches are just beautiful, and we love all the quaint small towns. But, we will start dining in our own beach house.

Hi BG
After reading the reply's I get the feeling they want to spank you for telling the truth. I agree about high prices for average food at a few 30-A restaurants. I agree some 30-A restaurants are worth the price, but many are not. These restauants need to clean up their menu for the budget dinner's or they will be out of business in the long term.
BTW: My favorite restaurant is D&K's:wub: I really like that place.

Tom
You vote with your wallet.

I am another happy customer of Angelinas. I've been going there for 5 years - always have had great service and food.

I'm another who likes Angelina's. No, its not haute cusine, but it doesn't pretend to be. A good veal parmigiana and a gorgonzola salad for under ten bucks - whats not to like? 😀

The restaurants on 30-A run the gamut on quality, service, and prices, just as they do in any other area. If you don't like the food or service, don't eat there and the restaurant will not last long! :roll:

I have a couple favorites (Amore, FIRE, Vintij) where I am guaranteed great food and service, which is why I eat there on a regular basis. :wub:

Had a great dinner at Amore last night, with a great group of people.

Angelina's lunch is where it's at.

Forgot to mention Flip Flops Grill which is in Seagrove and will give some of the long time local places a run for there money.

Had a great dinner at Amore last night, with a great group of people.

Angelina's lunch is where it's at.

Or takeout- why stand outside on that front porch like a bunch of cattle in the feed lot? It's pasta. Get it to go.

You know, I'm sympathetic to our visitors who find restaurant prices high on 30A. I find them high, too. The price of an "upscale" dinner on 30A will buy you top-shelf "fine dining" in most cities.

But our restaurant owners face some challenges, which reflect in the prices they are forced to charge:

-Property prices on 30A are extraordinarily high. That leads to high rents, which drops through to the meal prices.
-Restaurants on 30A are largely locally owned. They don't enjoy the economies of scale that the big chain restaurants have.
-The business here is seasonal, but certain costs of operating a good restaurant don't go away while it's locals-only in early December or mid-February and they serve 3 dinners on a Tusday night.

Thanks to our friends at Angelina's, Fire, Cafe 30A, Borago, D&K, Red Bar, Shades at the Loop, Amore, Smiling Fish, Bud & Alley's and the Taco Bar, Rendezvous, Summer Kitchen, Courtyard Wine and Cheese, Flip Flops Grill, Stinky's, Blue Orleans, Great Southern, Cafe Tango, Seagrove Village Market, Pizza by the Sea, Enzo's, Hurricane Oyster Bar, The Terrace, Hibiscus, Criolla's, Onano, Basmati, Cowgirl Kitchen, Wild Olives, Cocoon's, Old Florida, and anyone else I've forgotten. You're the best.

I think high prices are very much in the eye of the beholder (except for all the 30-A cheeseburgers - those are all WAY overpriced IMO and it's just chintzy to charge extra for cheese or standard toppings when you're already charging more than $10 for a burger).

You are paying more for quality of ingredients, environment, and service. If prices are so bad, stop eating there, don't drink $ alcohol, or COOK YOUR OWN FOOD!

There are some restaurants whose prices do NOT reflect their level of quality or service, so I leave those to the tourists or folks w/ different palates to support.

There ARE a bunch of great restaurants in the area where you can have great food and based on my dining experiences in other cities/countries, they are quite competitively priced.

For $8 at Amore I get a lunch of a drink, half a large pizza w/ my choice of 2 toppings, and a small salad made w/ the good lettuce, fresh mozzarella, kalamata olives, tomatoes, and artichoke hearts. As that feeds me for 2 meals, I don't find $4 for a healthy meal prepared fresh to my specifications to be "high." Dinner w/ wine, a shared pizza, and appetizer costs less than $20. :wub:

For $20-30 at FIRE I can have a wonderful brunch that lasts for several hours with 3-5 glasses of champagne and dessert. :wub:

For $20 at Hurricane Oyster Bar I can have a great dinner of beer and raw oysters.

A Red Bar crab cake dinner (the best in the area IMO, though Shrimpers is close) w/ drinks is less than $30.

Dinner at what I would consider a fine dining establishment w/ wine and dessert runs $40-60. I don't find that excessive at all.

Scooterbug where are you buying cheese burgers? Try Flip Flops (first) or Yianni's (if flip-flops is closed).

I'm another who likes Angelina's. No, its not haute cusine, but it doesn't pretend to be. A good veal parmigiana and a gorgonzola salad for under ten bucks - whats not to like? 😀

I'm with you, my BR buddy. One of the first things I always do when arriving in Seagrove Beach is order a pizza and gargonzola salad from Angelina's. The only place I avoid anymore is The Old Fish House.

Go Tigers!

I'm with you, my BR buddy. One of the first things I always do when arriving in Seagrove Beach is order a pizza and gargonzola salad from Angelina's. The only place I avoid anymore is The Old Fish House.

Go Tigers!

Amen!

I stopped going to Angelina's after their poor response to serving a salad with a toothpick in it. As for Great Southern, I've been a few times and was not impressed. I agree that prices of restaurants in SoWal are typically high. Some are worth it, and some are not. Yes, rents, insurance, and increasing food/delivery costs, run up the price of menu items. Service at many places leaves much to be desired, but there is a good number of restaurants which retain good servers. Everything in SoWal is more expensive. Ever pay $6 per pound for chicken at the grocery store? You will in SoWal. It's too bad that you chose Angelina's and Great Southern to base your opinion of all restaurants in SoWal.

I have eaten at most every restaurant in SoWal, too, and cannot say that most are average to poor. I'm curious to know exactly which restaurants you think stink. Personally, I love to cook, and can cook many dishes as well as most any restaurant around here, and at 1/5 the price. When I eat out, I go to the restaurants where I know the servers and/or owners, and can rest assured that I will enjoy the experience.

I have only been to Great Southern one time, food was very good, service was outstanding. I have read mixed reviews of Great Southern on here, but to say that all the places on 30A are Average, I would have to disagree with you. IMHO