We went here for a very early dinner when I had just returned from a trip and was famished. Loved it. Everything we had was great. There was even a man playing classical guitar while he ate. He was very good and I heard the people at the next table remarking the same. Now to describe the food. I had the duck with homemade cranberry-raspberry sauce. It was excellent - crispy skin on the outside, nicely cooked. For my sides I got cheese grits and the vegetable of the day which was stewed okra and tomatoes. Both sides were excellent - nice clean delicate flavor in the veggies and the cheese grits were scrumptious and reminded me of some of the best I had in Savannah. Husband had the red fish grilled and gave me a bite. It was also good. For dessert we split a piece of the sour orange pie which was absolutely killer. In Florida you often get sort of iffy key lime pie with fake whipped cream. This was nothing like that - truly delicious, cream flavored whipped cream, nice thin orange sauce poured over it, crust that was not dry and nasty. To drink I had the house merlot, which was completely passable, and a "Washington Apple" cocktail that I really enjoyed. Finally, this is definitely a quirky place as far as the decor. I enjoyed that too and it gave the place a unique feel.
(5)
Robin N.
The Yearling is more than just the food -- it's experiencing a piece of Florida history. I was invited on an annual visit to The Yearling by a group of friends, so we were part of a large party. We had a short wait at the bar -- which was rustic and nice -- and then we were seated. The blues guitar player performing in the dining room was worth the trip in and of himself. We started off enjoying the appetizers. Be forewarned that most of the appetizers are fried -- and ours were served hot, tasty, well-breaded -- not at all greasy. For the main meal, I had the duck, which was good, but I probably would have enjoyed it more if it were crispier on the outside. I had a taste of the venison, and it was excellent -- well seasoned. I'd order that next time. My husband enjoyed his quail (fried). The collards had a nice smokey flavor -- really tasty and everyone in my family commented on how good they were. Portion sizes were fine, not skimpy. My daughter also raved about the key lime pie. Overall, a nice experience. We'd visit The Yearling again.
(4)
Joe M.
We stopped here on the way to North Florida and really enjoyed ourselves. I was most impressed that at 3pm there was a "real" blues player who did see good guitar ... The food was good I had gator, frogs legs and duck with a good salad. It's not a "great" place but with the music and the "old time" feel of the place I enjoyed it. -- not cheap either
(3)
Doug D.
Am a young recent college grad living in downtown Gainesville. I was born and raised southern- and this places epitomizes southern food! Really not too far and a great drive from Gville. Robert the owner is a cool as they come. Willie jams on guitar, Stacey is a sweetheart and Harold is the kindest guy you'll meet. It's a nice escape from the traffic of town and the froglegs and gator tail are the best you will find. And even better, the atmosphere of the place, it's like stepping back to the way Florida used to be in the good ol days! I like their bar a lot, as well. If yall like good people, GREAT food and ICE COLD beer then check out The Yearling! The place rules, Go Gators!
(5)
Alyssa N.
We dined here over the last Thanksgiving weekend. My son had been here before so he encouraged me to try some of the more unusual items. We started with an appetizer that included fried green tomatoes, frogs legs, alligator and deep fried portabello mushroom strips. This appetizer plate is huge, especially for two people. I enjoyed the alligator. My son and I polished those pieces off first. This was my first time eating fried green tomatoes and I like those as well. For entrees we went more traditional with prime rib and grilled shrimp. Everything was hearty and more than enough to eat. What really impressed me about this restaurant was the location and atmosphere. I loved the drive along a country road and the building itself is so rustic. We were also entertained by an extremely talented blues musician/singer named Willie Green. Make sure you buy one of his CD's. I gave it to my husband as a gift and he loved it! I plan to bring other family members to The Yearling. It is a treasure.
(4)
Brea G.
Don't know why I've never written a review about this place ... but it really deserves one. I've been here 3 times, which I think is enough to weed out the odd night experiences and form a real opinion. I now know without a doubt that there's absolutely no good reason for me to ever go back to this place. The first time I went here was shortly after I got to Gainesville. I had read that sour orange pie was a local dish and that the Yearling was authentic old style Florida food. The place did have that rustic Florida interior .. but that could just as easily be called "dirty" "unsanitary" or "dismal". The service was barely passable but the food was decent ... not good but decent. The sour orange pie was different. A slice tasted like it had 2 cups of sugar in it. The fried green tomatoes were .. well ... greasy fried food. The only real flavor was that of the batter and grease. I wasn't happy enough to want to rush back but also wasn't angry enough to refuse to go back. The next time I went was maybe 8 months later. The service was really pretty bad - bad enough that in conjunction with my first experience I should have written them off entirely. I'd say we waited 15 minutes after we were seated but before they took our order and another 40 minutes before our food came. The third (and final) time I went here was maybe 12 months later and an absolute night mare. I had family visiting who had never been on this side of the country and we took them there for that "authentic Fl flavor". ie: sour orange pie, fried green tomatoes, and fried gator. We arrived just after 6pm on a Saturday. We waited 45 minutes for a table .. the whole while able to see that there were 4 or 5 empty tables. There was a line backing up so they had us wait in the bar ... which had no seats (but did have "quaint" redneck decorations on the wall like the confederate battle flag in case there was any doubt that the place was run by Neanderthals) To make things worse they seated 2 parties that arrived *after us before we got seated. 1 of the parties was in line right behind us and I know they didn't have reservations (and we were the same size party). Once we did finally get seated it was another 45 minutes before they took our order. After that the waitress came back every 20 minutes or so to tell us our order would be out in a couple of minutes... and there were *still empty tables. We saw people seated after us get their food, finish it, and leave - and we talked to another party who got seated about the same time as us and was having roughly the same experience. I don't know if it was random or it was people they "knew" but it's no way to run a business. At 8:45 - almost *3 hours* after we arrived - there was still no food on our table. We got up and left. We stopped at La Tienda on the way back into town and were eating our food 10 minutes after we walked in the door. And it was *better food for a fraction of the price. As far as I'm concerned the Yearling *deserves* to go out of business.
(1)
Jay V.
Ann wanted to take me somewhere "special" for my birthday dinner - and she really succeeded! The Yearling Restaurant opened in 1952 - operated for 40 years and then re-opening in 2002. Home of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, Author of the Yearling and Cross Creek. Now on to my review . . . I took a couple pictures and will be attaching. We started with the Cracker Sampler: Frog legs, fried green tomatoes, gator bites and fried Portobella mushrooms. We cleaned our plates . . . Both our dinners were to "die for". Ann had the Venison ($19.95 and worth every penny). I had the Duck Breast searved with homemade cranberry-raspberry sauce. Probably the best I have every had. During dinner - an "old Alabama Man" sang the blues - really added to the atmosphere. As a birthday treat, the restaurant offered a piece of any of the pies. We choose a home-made pie that was really rich and tasted very much like an orange cream cycle. We both had coffee and relaxed by walking down to the creek and smelling a camp fire or two. We then got back on the Harley and headed home. What a wonderful dinner and memory. (thank you, Ann).
(5)
Andrew V.
Wow! By the name, the look of the outside, or the location of the restaurant you would never expect it to be as amazing as it was. Prepare to spend a bit more than you would anywhere else nearby, but you will NOT leave disappointed! Every course was delicious. I had the vennison. First time I've ever had it, and I expected it to be gamey, but in fact it was BETTER than the best steak I can remember having it. Try the sour orange pie for dessert. Again, not at all cheap, but worth every bite. There are two dining areas each with a different live band/musician. Not sure if this is always or just on weekends. Both were great. The blues musician is a local legend as well. Worth the trip for dinner and an interesting night out.
(5)
Johnson L.
This is more of a 2.5, but I'm being generous today. haha. Anyways, this place really isn't that great, but it has some "redeeming" qualities. On the weekends, there is live music, and even though I'm not a bluesy or country guy, I will admit that it was nice to actually hear a live guy singing; and he's actually very good too. The service is very nice also; my waitress had manners and periodically checked on us to make sure we were doing fine. The setting of the restaurant is dim and soothing; it does remind you of "wild Florida." But all these little aspects does not contribute to the food (which is the main part of a restaurant...) The food was nothing special, and for the prices given, they are not worth it, even if you go for the lunch or dinner specials. The fries aren't that great, and the soft shell crab sandwich was just a turn-off. Too much garlic and butter on the bread. They do have unique foods like deer, gator, and cotter (turtle). Apparently cotter is a special item, so if you want to try it, make sure you call ahead of time to make sure they have it since they don't always have it available.
(3)
Kimberly D.
My husband and I have eaten here, but it was awhile ago. Needless to say, we were so UNimpressed, we never went back. I was born and raised in Florida, and this is not the best "Old Florida" has to offer. I've had better...much better. We drove a long way to get here, based upon the raves we heard about the food. Not worth the trip. Stumpknockers is more "Old Florida", and the food much better, so save your money and go there instead.
(2)
Lydia L.
This place invites you to "Please stop by and sample old Florida, as it was where you can enjoy the sights and cuisine today just as they were, in the early 1900's." I guess that means old Florida was also overpriced and underdelivered, but I don't think the US felt that way about it in 1819 when they bought it, or since. The short of it is, if you want a taste of old Florida, it doesn't exist anymore. If you want to enjoy a taste of old south, go to a family reunion in the summer or fry some catfish with some friends. If you want a taste of an interpretation of old Florida the way Marjorie Kinan-Rawlings portrayed it, go to the Yearling and take your gold card, (just not AmEx--they don't accept that). What they do well: seasoning and cooking meat, and providing the initial impression that you're experiencing something really special. The hushpuppies are good, too. What they don't do well: portion sizes of side dishes and alcoholic beverages are small. WAY overprice the menu and don't deliver enough value or class to justify the prices. Despite being surrounded by two large lakes known for good fishing, none of the main dishes are wild-caught, all are farm-raised. (This includes the salmon, catfish, alligator, venison, and scallops). The taste reflects this. One must be prepared for the ambience--they don't fail there in making you feel like you are really experiencing something old. Very old. They are only open Thursday-Sunday, with very limited hours. Still, if you must, go at a busy time and with a large group; a restaurant full of people makes the place seem a little more lively. My first experience there was great, but I was with a great group of people and we could have been anywhere. The magic was not so much in the restaurant. I leave this unfavorable review now because of my bad experience there recently. After being told I could not have asparagus because it was being reserved for the daily special, I ordered a sweet potato for a side dish. Rather than informing me in advance that they had no more sweet potatoes (!!?!?), she brought me out a regular potato and announced the change. A potato is a potato, right? Wrong. Considering asparagus is currently in season and very cheap, I would think they could spare five small stalks, which is exactly what you'd get as a side, soaked in butter. There are some nice people there. They will try to make you feel like you are their neighbor and they're glad you're there. Willie Green, the "undiscovered great bluegrass talent" is indeed welcome entertainment. (They ought to start paying him so he doesn't rely on tips from the restaurant patrons. I have a hard time believing they don't pay him but that's what they say). But when you are paying at least $25/pp (before apps), you ought to get a little more for your money (and so should Willie). I'm pretty sure the mortgage for the property is paid off by now, it doesn't seem there would be any decorating costs, and overhead for 4 evenings a week can't be that high, so take a cut on the profit and provide a little more. At least keep enough sweet potatoes in stock.
(2)
April B.
We went there about 2:30 on Saturday March 20th,2010. We walked in and the entrance is so dark that one of my party thought a person in front of them was a statue. We went to the area where the counter is that you would expect a hostess. No hostess and we ( along with several other people) waited and waited and not one person acknowledged any of us. We finally stopped a waitress and she curtly told us that we needed to "write our name down". We found a notepad and wrote our name and got another waitress to give us a menu. We went out on the porch and asked someone who was leaving how their food was and he told us "so-so" and with that and the rude staff , expensive prices .... we were out of there.
(1)
Catherine S.
The food is a bit pricey, but is good. Service is slow, even when it's early and there are few customers. The gentleman playing the guitar and singing tries hard, but the music is loud enough to make it hard to hear your dining partner and it's so garbled that the words, if they are English, are not understandable. Customers should be able to be placed far enough away that they can chat without having to shout over the music. The sea scallops were excellent. I won't do back while the music is being played though.
(3)
Xiao C.
Some nice food you don't see everywhere like venison, quail, alligator. But they usually run out of venison and gator on Sunday because they have new stock very Thursday. I tried the duck breast, which is cooked to perfection. My wife had fried quail, which is also very tender and flavorful. The side dish, however, is just so so. Call before you want to check out the legendary Willie Green. He was not there when I visited the restaurant. Some nice decoration remind you the 60+ years history of this restaurant. They even got a whole piece of real gator skin on the wall from the local orange lake, which is really cool. Overall, decent food, awesome dinning atmosphere. Wish they have better WIFI(no 4G signal in the restaurant).
(4)
M C.
After a nice long ride on the motorcycle - We started with a big glass of sweet tea (southern style). For apps we tried the "Cracker Sampler" which had frog legs, fried green tomatoes, mushrooms, and gator bites. The app was "ok" but I was expecting outstanding. The tomatoes seemed over ripe to me. The gator bites were a little too chewy but not bad .. "For GATOR", said "The Nole". The Portabellow mushrooms were actually good. For one main the "Combo Platter" of catfish and scallops, with veggies and a baked sweet potato. The catfish and scallops were very well prepared. Our other main was "Game Sampler" of venison and duck. The venison was perfect! The was good as well, but the venison stole the show. Advice, skip the app and go right for the main so you have room for desert as we did not. Tammy our server was very cordial and provided us good service.
(4)
Richard W.
This restaurant gives you an authentic Southren experience, and it's straight out of the Pulitzer price winning book "the yearling". Make sure you visit Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings orange grove home, just down the street. The restaurant has a nice swamp dank feel to it, and has a fantastic menu. We had the Gator for starters, which is very good. Prime rib and seafood platter are great Cross Creek traditions. All in all it's an awesome experience.
(4)
Katie W.
The Yearling Restaurant has a fantastic atmosphere that encapsulates "Old Florida." Visiting for the afternoon to explore the restaurant's historic photos & books is well worth the 5 miles off 301. The southern-style cuisine boasts an adventurous "game-focused" menu but lacks attention to the classics. The cheese grits & greens were descent, maybe my hopes were too high with the live blues music & southern charm surrounding the restaurant. I definitely recommend the Snapping Gator appetizer.
(3)
Linda R.
Come for the atmosphere. Come for the history. Stick to burgers or fried fish. Food is mediocre.
(3)
Alex G.
I wish I could rate this place higher. The history is cool, the niche is unique, the venison was good, salad dressings are made in house, and it has the makings of being a decent restaurant. That said, we have given this place 2 tries and this is the second time the whole group of us ended up with diarrhea very quickly after eating there.
I spent Christmas with family in Melrose, and they decided to take me to The Yearling for real Florida food. I tried gator, frog legs, fried green tomatoes, catfish sandwich, and the sour orange pie. Everything was delicious. Even if the appetizers and entrees had been awful, the sour orange pie would have made it worth it. The service was also really good. Wendi was a sweetheart and took really good care of us.
(5)
Linda P.
We enjoyed the food! Service was friendly & outgoing- catfish & clams were great however the buttermilk pie is a treat to share
(4)
Marcy G.
Taking a trip back in time. From listening to the Blues Man performing live to the fried Gator tail. ( which is the proper way it is suppose to be prepared ) Try the Deer or Shrimp. Its all good. This is a perfect place to bring the family.
(5)
Douglas B.
Don't know how their food is because we never received it after waiting for an hour. Seven wait staff on hand and a manager and no one came to offer something to tide us over. We left without paying a cent. Place is very tacky looking and kind of over priced. The lot was pretty much empty when we left. Don't go here.
(1)
Scott T.
Really neat spot. The food was okay - had the venison and alligator tail - but not much flavor in either. The decor is old dark pine wood and the place has plenty of seating. The prices were NOT inexpensive .. 2 dinners 1 app plus 2 desserts + $90. Obviously, the BEST part of the place was the music best - a 80 something singing the blues made the place, but not the food. i noticed a sign behind the hostess station (for them to see) saying "all our meat is PRIME". Quite honestly, less upscale thing and more Southern Cooking at a cheaper price would bring me back - not $25.00 steaks! If you are driving at night, be careful about the deer running across the road(s). The wait staff are VERY casual and somewhat loud - nothing fancy, but pricey! They are certainly taking advantage of Rawlings.... Quote from Wikipedia: The Yearling is a 1938 novel written by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. It was published in March 1938.[1] It was the main selection of the Book of the Month Club in April 1938. It was the number one best seller for twenty-three consecutive weeks in 1938.[2] As well as being the best-selling novel in America in 1938 it was the seventh best in 1939. It sold over 250,000 copies in 1938.[3] It has been translated into Spanish, Chinese, French, Japanese, German, Italian, Russian and twenty-two other languages.[4][5] It won the Pulitzer Prize for the Novel in 1939. Oh, sour orange pie - like key line, but very sweet and NOT very tart ... fail!
(3)
Adam W.
I came here with my vietnamese extended family to try old Florida cuisine. the location is beautiful right now with lots of water in Cross Creek and Orange Lake. Even when its dry out there, the location is beautiful old florida with big live oaks and spanish moss and such. it is a ways out of GNV so it takes a bit of motivation to go out there as it is a bit in the sticks. we came on a Thursday evening in the summer and had no wait for a table to seat 6. the atmosphere is interesting, the place is very big and comfortable. we got a large variety of appetizers and dinners to try as much as we could. we liked the duck and gator, i have to admit the rest of the food was not memorable. it is expensive for what you are getting. the live entertainment was AMAZING! the guy sounded just like Bo Diddly, i should have bought a CD. He was the highlight of the night.
(4)
Lori F.
Love, love, love this hidden gem! Food is very good, the live blues is fantastic and stepping back in time when you enter - Priceless! The sour orange pie is amazing and MUST be ordered on each visit!
(4)
Johnny L.
Driving to this place from Gainesville had all the makings of a horror movie. We were on a dark lonely road with not a single car around us. Creepy ole houses and trees everywhere you looked. No cell phone reception (You even drive past a river called the River Styx - River of Death) At this point, if I had seen a pale little girl standing on the side of the road, I would have driven right through. But on to the restaurant....Once you get here, it looks like a tiny old shack. But when you walk in, it's got all the makings of a fine place to eat. They've got a lounge area and a guitar man by the name of Willie Green. (He's pretty good) The food wasn't too bad, but the prices aren't cheap. The service was great. Our server Patty was awesome and was real friendly. I went with some friends and we ordered platters to try most of what they had. We had venison, frog legs, catfish, gator tail, and soft-shelled crab (didnt get to try the cooter - they ran out). Everything was good, not great. Everything but the venison was deep-fried. The reason this place only got 3 stars was because the portions are measly for the prices you pay. (We are probably looking at around $16 per entree) You should probably come for lunch which last til about 5 and prices are around $10. We also had the key lime pie and sour orange pie. They were great! The sour orange pie tastes like orange creamsicle if I had to describe it. Overall, I would say this place is worth at least one visit. I may come back for lunch to try their prime rib sandwich (they have seafood, steaks, duck, quail, etc.)
(3)
Coty S.
We ate here because it thought it would be funny and entertaining. It was more like tragic! Chalk this up with another one of those famous roadkill theme cafes. It would be nice to see one of these places take it up a notch and provide food that is grilled with a delicious sauce, braised, or roasted- rather than just deep fried. Maybe even served with some authentic side dishes that are not canned. I walked in to see the word "Cooter" on the black board as the special, and I have never heard of that word being used in a deep fried food sense before. So, I was traumatized from the start. Then, I started wondering, "Who kills their food for them?" They will deep fry anything here that you would normally find at the Florida Museum, Florida Aquarium, your back yard, the swamps of Millhopper, or along side the road. I tried the Quail, Gator (like shrimp), and I think what was fried catfish. Everything was covered in the same batter and fried, so it was hard to tell what kind of protein you were eating. The only thing that was not fried at the time was the iceberg lettuce covered in Ranch dressing or the applesauce.
A real estate agent recommended this restaurant to us when we were dealing with family business in Citra. We were looking for a pleasant distraction from our work, so we made our way to The Yearling. Who could resist a restaurant named after a wonderful book written by a brilliant author? We loved the drive and were surprised that it took us only ten minutes to get there. I'd done my research, so I read the good and bad reviews, and viewed photos of the place. Upon arrival, the restaurant looked like a backwoods, simple, local eatery with random mementos of a time gone by. We were greeted by Stacey, our server, and given a table by the window, which allowed for a beautiful view of the greenery outside, where a gentle rain fell rhythmically on the tin roof. The stained pine interior allowed for cool darkness. We were waited on in a timely manner, and the server was very helpful by providing samples of the gator bites with various sauces. I wanted to be brave, but I was a bit nervous about eating unfamiliar meats. We started with the Cracker Sampler Plate, and there was plenty of food for my husband and I. Although I would not eat the frog legs, I thoroughly enjoyed the gator bites, green tomatoes and portobello mushrooms---all fried with a thin, crispy coating. My husband found the frog legs to be good as well. We kept it simple, and since we were already fairly full, we chose to share a hamburger with cole slaw and fries. Fries were, well, fries. Can anyone screw up fries? Slaw was sweet and creamy. Burger was juicy and roll was fresh and soft. We are saving the sour orange pie for next visit! We listened to the blues in the background, which were very nicely done by a local musician. One drink, one hamburger, a sampler plate, and a side of coleslaw---under $30. This place is really out of the way, which may explain the prices. It's not a Cracker Barrel on the side of the interstate, drawing in hundreds of people. All in all, we walked away having enjoyed ourselves. We'd like to take more time exploring the interior of the restaurant which has lots of Yearling/Rawlings memorabilia, and old books on tall shelves towards the rear of the building. We finished our pleasant distraction by visiting the Rawlings' homestead and learning about all things Marjorie Kinnan-Rawlings. Perfectly beautiful day!
(4)
Devin H.
Ram shackled on the outside, nice antique decor on the inside. Woo wee this place is so long. Nice waitstaff and live blues during the afternoon. But my tummy just can't handle this much fried frogs. Extra star for bringing us a pitcher of soda a la Pizza Hut 1989. It was kinda expensive.
(4)
Jon S.
If I could give no stars I would. My grandma's labor day lunch with my family was spent in a loud room with little to no service. The food to 2 hours just for appetizers and then another hour for food. Honestly, it was the worst food experience of our life. Please don't eat here.
(1)
Linda W.
We went here for late lunch today - loved the building, the interior and the atmosphere, properly old Florida shabby. Service was ok, the lunch menu was limited to mainly dinner entrees, but we decided to go for the grouper sandwich with cole slaw and the "Creek Boy" with fried gator and french fries. The grouper was wonderful, delicate, perfectly seasoned and fried in a light crispy batter. Not fishy or greasy at all. The portion of grouper was large, more than enough to fill me up. The coleslaw was definitely homemade, creamy and not too sweet. The creek boy (po boy) was very very good, the gator was some of the best we've ever had... not at all tough and the flavor was very very nice and fresh. Not buried in hot spices and salt like many places cook gator. Fries were fine, nothing special but good enough. The only downside was the appetizer... we ordered conch fritters and apparently the waitress forgot (?) to get that on the order so they never arrived. I would have loved to try them but the food portions were so large that I was almost glad we didn't get the fritters. Good live blues, nice and quiet in the bar... we were the only people in there. We'll go back, it's a great drive down from Jacksonville and I LOVE the area, especially the road to the restaurant and Cross Creek.
(5)
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Address :14531 E County Rd 325
Hawthorne, FL, 32640
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Loud Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes
Laura B.
We went here for a very early dinner when I had just returned from a trip and was famished. Loved it. Everything we had was great. There was even a man playing classical guitar while he ate. He was very good and I heard the people at the next table remarking the same. Now to describe the food. I had the duck with homemade cranberry-raspberry sauce. It was excellent - crispy skin on the outside, nicely cooked. For my sides I got cheese grits and the vegetable of the day which was stewed okra and tomatoes. Both sides were excellent - nice clean delicate flavor in the veggies and the cheese grits were scrumptious and reminded me of some of the best I had in Savannah. Husband had the red fish grilled and gave me a bite. It was also good. For dessert we split a piece of the sour orange pie which was absolutely killer. In Florida you often get sort of iffy key lime pie with fake whipped cream. This was nothing like that - truly delicious, cream flavored whipped cream, nice thin orange sauce poured over it, crust that was not dry and nasty. To drink I had the house merlot, which was completely passable, and a "Washington Apple" cocktail that I really enjoyed. Finally, this is definitely a quirky place as far as the decor. I enjoyed that too and it gave the place a unique feel.
(5)Robin N.
The Yearling is more than just the food -- it's experiencing a piece of Florida history. I was invited on an annual visit to The Yearling by a group of friends, so we were part of a large party. We had a short wait at the bar -- which was rustic and nice -- and then we were seated. The blues guitar player performing in the dining room was worth the trip in and of himself. We started off enjoying the appetizers. Be forewarned that most of the appetizers are fried -- and ours were served hot, tasty, well-breaded -- not at all greasy. For the main meal, I had the duck, which was good, but I probably would have enjoyed it more if it were crispier on the outside. I had a taste of the venison, and it was excellent -- well seasoned. I'd order that next time. My husband enjoyed his quail (fried). The collards had a nice smokey flavor -- really tasty and everyone in my family commented on how good they were. Portion sizes were fine, not skimpy. My daughter also raved about the key lime pie. Overall, a nice experience. We'd visit The Yearling again.
(4)Joe M.
We stopped here on the way to North Florida and really enjoyed ourselves. I was most impressed that at 3pm there was a "real" blues player who did see good guitar ... The food was good I had gator, frogs legs and duck with a good salad. It's not a "great" place but with the music and the "old time" feel of the place I enjoyed it. -- not cheap either
(3)Doug D.
Am a young recent college grad living in downtown Gainesville. I was born and raised southern- and this places epitomizes southern food! Really not too far and a great drive from Gville. Robert the owner is a cool as they come. Willie jams on guitar, Stacey is a sweetheart and Harold is the kindest guy you'll meet. It's a nice escape from the traffic of town and the froglegs and gator tail are the best you will find. And even better, the atmosphere of the place, it's like stepping back to the way Florida used to be in the good ol days! I like their bar a lot, as well. If yall like good people, GREAT food and ICE COLD beer then check out The Yearling! The place rules, Go Gators!
(5)Alyssa N.
We dined here over the last Thanksgiving weekend. My son had been here before so he encouraged me to try some of the more unusual items. We started with an appetizer that included fried green tomatoes, frogs legs, alligator and deep fried portabello mushroom strips. This appetizer plate is huge, especially for two people. I enjoyed the alligator. My son and I polished those pieces off first. This was my first time eating fried green tomatoes and I like those as well. For entrees we went more traditional with prime rib and grilled shrimp. Everything was hearty and more than enough to eat. What really impressed me about this restaurant was the location and atmosphere. I loved the drive along a country road and the building itself is so rustic. We were also entertained by an extremely talented blues musician/singer named Willie Green. Make sure you buy one of his CD's. I gave it to my husband as a gift and he loved it! I plan to bring other family members to The Yearling. It is a treasure.
(4)Brea G.
Don't know why I've never written a review about this place ... but it really deserves one. I've been here 3 times, which I think is enough to weed out the odd night experiences and form a real opinion. I now know without a doubt that there's absolutely no good reason for me to ever go back to this place. The first time I went here was shortly after I got to Gainesville. I had read that sour orange pie was a local dish and that the Yearling was authentic old style Florida food. The place did have that rustic Florida interior .. but that could just as easily be called "dirty" "unsanitary" or "dismal". The service was barely passable but the food was decent ... not good but decent. The sour orange pie was different. A slice tasted like it had 2 cups of sugar in it. The fried green tomatoes were .. well ... greasy fried food. The only real flavor was that of the batter and grease. I wasn't happy enough to want to rush back but also wasn't angry enough to refuse to go back. The next time I went was maybe 8 months later. The service was really pretty bad - bad enough that in conjunction with my first experience I should have written them off entirely. I'd say we waited 15 minutes after we were seated but before they took our order and another 40 minutes before our food came. The third (and final) time I went here was maybe 12 months later and an absolute night mare. I had family visiting who had never been on this side of the country and we took them there for that "authentic Fl flavor". ie: sour orange pie, fried green tomatoes, and fried gator. We arrived just after 6pm on a Saturday. We waited 45 minutes for a table .. the whole while able to see that there were 4 or 5 empty tables. There was a line backing up so they had us wait in the bar ... which had no seats (but did have "quaint" redneck decorations on the wall like the confederate battle flag in case there was any doubt that the place was run by Neanderthals) To make things worse they seated 2 parties that arrived *after us before we got seated. 1 of the parties was in line right behind us and I know they didn't have reservations (and we were the same size party). Once we did finally get seated it was another 45 minutes before they took our order. After that the waitress came back every 20 minutes or so to tell us our order would be out in a couple of minutes... and there were *still empty tables. We saw people seated after us get their food, finish it, and leave - and we talked to another party who got seated about the same time as us and was having roughly the same experience. I don't know if it was random or it was people they "knew" but it's no way to run a business. At 8:45 - almost *3 hours* after we arrived - there was still no food on our table. We got up and left. We stopped at La Tienda on the way back into town and were eating our food 10 minutes after we walked in the door. And it was *better food for a fraction of the price. As far as I'm concerned the Yearling *deserves* to go out of business.
(1)Jay V.
Ann wanted to take me somewhere "special" for my birthday dinner - and she really succeeded! The Yearling Restaurant opened in 1952 - operated for 40 years and then re-opening in 2002. Home of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, Author of the Yearling and Cross Creek. Now on to my review . . . I took a couple pictures and will be attaching. We started with the Cracker Sampler: Frog legs, fried green tomatoes, gator bites and fried Portobella mushrooms. We cleaned our plates . . . Both our dinners were to "die for". Ann had the Venison ($19.95 and worth every penny). I had the Duck Breast searved with homemade cranberry-raspberry sauce. Probably the best I have every had. During dinner - an "old Alabama Man" sang the blues - really added to the atmosphere. As a birthday treat, the restaurant offered a piece of any of the pies. We choose a home-made pie that was really rich and tasted very much like an orange cream cycle. We both had coffee and relaxed by walking down to the creek and smelling a camp fire or two. We then got back on the Harley and headed home. What a wonderful dinner and memory. (thank you, Ann).
(5)Andrew V.
Wow! By the name, the look of the outside, or the location of the restaurant you would never expect it to be as amazing as it was. Prepare to spend a bit more than you would anywhere else nearby, but you will NOT leave disappointed! Every course was delicious. I had the vennison. First time I've ever had it, and I expected it to be gamey, but in fact it was BETTER than the best steak I can remember having it. Try the sour orange pie for dessert. Again, not at all cheap, but worth every bite. There are two dining areas each with a different live band/musician. Not sure if this is always or just on weekends. Both were great. The blues musician is a local legend as well. Worth the trip for dinner and an interesting night out.
(5)Johnson L.
This is more of a 2.5, but I'm being generous today. haha. Anyways, this place really isn't that great, but it has some "redeeming" qualities. On the weekends, there is live music, and even though I'm not a bluesy or country guy, I will admit that it was nice to actually hear a live guy singing; and he's actually very good too. The service is very nice also; my waitress had manners and periodically checked on us to make sure we were doing fine. The setting of the restaurant is dim and soothing; it does remind you of "wild Florida." But all these little aspects does not contribute to the food (which is the main part of a restaurant...) The food was nothing special, and for the prices given, they are not worth it, even if you go for the lunch or dinner specials. The fries aren't that great, and the soft shell crab sandwich was just a turn-off. Too much garlic and butter on the bread. They do have unique foods like deer, gator, and cotter (turtle). Apparently cotter is a special item, so if you want to try it, make sure you call ahead of time to make sure they have it since they don't always have it available.
(3)Kimberly D.
My husband and I have eaten here, but it was awhile ago. Needless to say, we were so UNimpressed, we never went back. I was born and raised in Florida, and this is not the best "Old Florida" has to offer. I've had better...much better. We drove a long way to get here, based upon the raves we heard about the food. Not worth the trip. Stumpknockers is more "Old Florida", and the food much better, so save your money and go there instead.
(2)Lydia L.
This place invites you to "Please stop by and sample old Florida, as it was where you can enjoy the sights and cuisine today just as they were, in the early 1900's." I guess that means old Florida was also overpriced and underdelivered, but I don't think the US felt that way about it in 1819 when they bought it, or since. The short of it is, if you want a taste of old Florida, it doesn't exist anymore. If you want to enjoy a taste of old south, go to a family reunion in the summer or fry some catfish with some friends. If you want a taste of an interpretation of old Florida the way Marjorie Kinan-Rawlings portrayed it, go to the Yearling and take your gold card, (just not AmEx--they don't accept that). What they do well: seasoning and cooking meat, and providing the initial impression that you're experiencing something really special. The hushpuppies are good, too. What they don't do well: portion sizes of side dishes and alcoholic beverages are small. WAY overprice the menu and don't deliver enough value or class to justify the prices. Despite being surrounded by two large lakes known for good fishing, none of the main dishes are wild-caught, all are farm-raised. (This includes the salmon, catfish, alligator, venison, and scallops). The taste reflects this. One must be prepared for the ambience--they don't fail there in making you feel like you are really experiencing something old. Very old. They are only open Thursday-Sunday, with very limited hours. Still, if you must, go at a busy time and with a large group; a restaurant full of people makes the place seem a little more lively. My first experience there was great, but I was with a great group of people and we could have been anywhere. The magic was not so much in the restaurant. I leave this unfavorable review now because of my bad experience there recently. After being told I could not have asparagus because it was being reserved for the daily special, I ordered a sweet potato for a side dish. Rather than informing me in advance that they had no more sweet potatoes (!!?!?), she brought me out a regular potato and announced the change. A potato is a potato, right? Wrong. Considering asparagus is currently in season and very cheap, I would think they could spare five small stalks, which is exactly what you'd get as a side, soaked in butter. There are some nice people there. They will try to make you feel like you are their neighbor and they're glad you're there. Willie Green, the "undiscovered great bluegrass talent" is indeed welcome entertainment. (They ought to start paying him so he doesn't rely on tips from the restaurant patrons. I have a hard time believing they don't pay him but that's what they say). But when you are paying at least $25/pp (before apps), you ought to get a little more for your money (and so should Willie). I'm pretty sure the mortgage for the property is paid off by now, it doesn't seem there would be any decorating costs, and overhead for 4 evenings a week can't be that high, so take a cut on the profit and provide a little more. At least keep enough sweet potatoes in stock.
(2)April B.
We went there about 2:30 on Saturday March 20th,2010. We walked in and the entrance is so dark that one of my party thought a person in front of them was a statue. We went to the area where the counter is that you would expect a hostess. No hostess and we ( along with several other people) waited and waited and not one person acknowledged any of us. We finally stopped a waitress and she curtly told us that we needed to "write our name down". We found a notepad and wrote our name and got another waitress to give us a menu. We went out on the porch and asked someone who was leaving how their food was and he told us "so-so" and with that and the rude staff , expensive prices .... we were out of there.
(1)Catherine S.
The food is a bit pricey, but is good. Service is slow, even when it's early and there are few customers. The gentleman playing the guitar and singing tries hard, but the music is loud enough to make it hard to hear your dining partner and it's so garbled that the words, if they are English, are not understandable. Customers should be able to be placed far enough away that they can chat without having to shout over the music. The sea scallops were excellent. I won't do back while the music is being played though.
(3)Xiao C.
Some nice food you don't see everywhere like venison, quail, alligator. But they usually run out of venison and gator on Sunday because they have new stock very Thursday. I tried the duck breast, which is cooked to perfection. My wife had fried quail, which is also very tender and flavorful. The side dish, however, is just so so. Call before you want to check out the legendary Willie Green. He was not there when I visited the restaurant. Some nice decoration remind you the 60+ years history of this restaurant. They even got a whole piece of real gator skin on the wall from the local orange lake, which is really cool. Overall, decent food, awesome dinning atmosphere. Wish they have better WIFI(no 4G signal in the restaurant).
(4)M C.
After a nice long ride on the motorcycle - We started with a big glass of sweet tea (southern style). For apps we tried the "Cracker Sampler" which had frog legs, fried green tomatoes, mushrooms, and gator bites. The app was "ok" but I was expecting outstanding. The tomatoes seemed over ripe to me. The gator bites were a little too chewy but not bad .. "For GATOR", said "The Nole". The Portabellow mushrooms were actually good. For one main the "Combo Platter" of catfish and scallops, with veggies and a baked sweet potato. The catfish and scallops were very well prepared. Our other main was "Game Sampler" of venison and duck. The venison was perfect! The was good as well, but the venison stole the show. Advice, skip the app and go right for the main so you have room for desert as we did not. Tammy our server was very cordial and provided us good service.
(4)Richard W.
This restaurant gives you an authentic Southren experience, and it's straight out of the Pulitzer price winning book "the yearling". Make sure you visit Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings orange grove home, just down the street. The restaurant has a nice swamp dank feel to it, and has a fantastic menu. We had the Gator for starters, which is very good. Prime rib and seafood platter are great Cross Creek traditions. All in all it's an awesome experience.
(4)Katie W.
The Yearling Restaurant has a fantastic atmosphere that encapsulates "Old Florida." Visiting for the afternoon to explore the restaurant's historic photos & books is well worth the 5 miles off 301. The southern-style cuisine boasts an adventurous "game-focused" menu but lacks attention to the classics. The cheese grits & greens were descent, maybe my hopes were too high with the live blues music & southern charm surrounding the restaurant. I definitely recommend the Snapping Gator appetizer.
(3)Linda R.
Come for the atmosphere. Come for the history. Stick to burgers or fried fish. Food is mediocre.
(3)Alex G.
I wish I could rate this place higher. The history is cool, the niche is unique, the venison was good, salad dressings are made in house, and it has the makings of being a decent restaurant. That said, we have given this place 2 tries and this is the second time the whole group of us ended up with diarrhea very quickly after eating there.
(2)Sonia A.
Aside from the historical part of it, the Yearling is a very unique place where you can enjoy some good 'ol "Cracker Cuisine" as they advertise on their business cards. Which I took a picture of, just to prove that! I tried the gator bites which were my favorite! Very tasty, almost tasted like chicken but to me they were better than chicken. I also tried the frog legs which surprisingly, were very meaty! They were good but nothing so exotic about their taste, you can most certainly see the shape of the frog when you get them on your plate. I had a few bites off of my friend's plate of Venison and duck, both very tasty! My friend Ivette had the Red Fish and she or I weren't too impressed with it. I guess we were expecting something different. The live band was very cool and kept inviting our kids to go sing with them and they did! The décor is filled with old artifacts like old motor boats, old registers, old coke machines, etc... It's a staple in the area so visit while you're in Ocala!
(4)Meghan A.
I spent Christmas with family in Melrose, and they decided to take me to The Yearling for real Florida food. I tried gator, frog legs, fried green tomatoes, catfish sandwich, and the sour orange pie. Everything was delicious. Even if the appetizers and entrees had been awful, the sour orange pie would have made it worth it. The service was also really good. Wendi was a sweetheart and took really good care of us.
(5)Linda P.
We enjoyed the food! Service was friendly & outgoing- catfish & clams were great however the buttermilk pie is a treat to share
(4)Marcy G.
Taking a trip back in time. From listening to the Blues Man performing live to the fried Gator tail. ( which is the proper way it is suppose to be prepared ) Try the Deer or Shrimp. Its all good. This is a perfect place to bring the family.
(5)Douglas B.
Don't know how their food is because we never received it after waiting for an hour. Seven wait staff on hand and a manager and no one came to offer something to tide us over. We left without paying a cent. Place is very tacky looking and kind of over priced. The lot was pretty much empty when we left. Don't go here.
(1)Scott T.
Really neat spot. The food was okay - had the venison and alligator tail - but not much flavor in either. The decor is old dark pine wood and the place has plenty of seating. The prices were NOT inexpensive .. 2 dinners 1 app plus 2 desserts + $90. Obviously, the BEST part of the place was the music best - a 80 something singing the blues made the place, but not the food. i noticed a sign behind the hostess station (for them to see) saying "all our meat is PRIME". Quite honestly, less upscale thing and more Southern Cooking at a cheaper price would bring me back - not $25.00 steaks! If you are driving at night, be careful about the deer running across the road(s). The wait staff are VERY casual and somewhat loud - nothing fancy, but pricey! They are certainly taking advantage of Rawlings.... Quote from Wikipedia: The Yearling is a 1938 novel written by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. It was published in March 1938.[1] It was the main selection of the Book of the Month Club in April 1938. It was the number one best seller for twenty-three consecutive weeks in 1938.[2] As well as being the best-selling novel in America in 1938 it was the seventh best in 1939. It sold over 250,000 copies in 1938.[3] It has been translated into Spanish, Chinese, French, Japanese, German, Italian, Russian and twenty-two other languages.[4][5] It won the Pulitzer Prize for the Novel in 1939. Oh, sour orange pie - like key line, but very sweet and NOT very tart ... fail!
(3)Adam W.
I came here with my vietnamese extended family to try old Florida cuisine. the location is beautiful right now with lots of water in Cross Creek and Orange Lake. Even when its dry out there, the location is beautiful old florida with big live oaks and spanish moss and such. it is a ways out of GNV so it takes a bit of motivation to go out there as it is a bit in the sticks. we came on a Thursday evening in the summer and had no wait for a table to seat 6. the atmosphere is interesting, the place is very big and comfortable. we got a large variety of appetizers and dinners to try as much as we could. we liked the duck and gator, i have to admit the rest of the food was not memorable. it is expensive for what you are getting. the live entertainment was AMAZING! the guy sounded just like Bo Diddly, i should have bought a CD. He was the highlight of the night.
(4)Lori F.
Love, love, love this hidden gem! Food is very good, the live blues is fantastic and stepping back in time when you enter - Priceless! The sour orange pie is amazing and MUST be ordered on each visit!
(4)Johnny L.
Driving to this place from Gainesville had all the makings of a horror movie. We were on a dark lonely road with not a single car around us. Creepy ole houses and trees everywhere you looked. No cell phone reception (You even drive past a river called the River Styx - River of Death) At this point, if I had seen a pale little girl standing on the side of the road, I would have driven right through. But on to the restaurant....Once you get here, it looks like a tiny old shack. But when you walk in, it's got all the makings of a fine place to eat. They've got a lounge area and a guitar man by the name of Willie Green. (He's pretty good) The food wasn't too bad, but the prices aren't cheap. The service was great. Our server Patty was awesome and was real friendly. I went with some friends and we ordered platters to try most of what they had. We had venison, frog legs, catfish, gator tail, and soft-shelled crab (didnt get to try the cooter - they ran out). Everything was good, not great. Everything but the venison was deep-fried. The reason this place only got 3 stars was because the portions are measly for the prices you pay. (We are probably looking at around $16 per entree) You should probably come for lunch which last til about 5 and prices are around $10. We also had the key lime pie and sour orange pie. They were great! The sour orange pie tastes like orange creamsicle if I had to describe it. Overall, I would say this place is worth at least one visit. I may come back for lunch to try their prime rib sandwich (they have seafood, steaks, duck, quail, etc.)
(3)Coty S.
We ate here because it thought it would be funny and entertaining. It was more like tragic! Chalk this up with another one of those famous roadkill theme cafes. It would be nice to see one of these places take it up a notch and provide food that is grilled with a delicious sauce, braised, or roasted- rather than just deep fried. Maybe even served with some authentic side dishes that are not canned. I walked in to see the word "Cooter" on the black board as the special, and I have never heard of that word being used in a deep fried food sense before. So, I was traumatized from the start. Then, I started wondering, "Who kills their food for them?" They will deep fry anything here that you would normally find at the Florida Museum, Florida Aquarium, your back yard, the swamps of Millhopper, or along side the road. I tried the Quail, Gator (like shrimp), and I think what was fried catfish. Everything was covered in the same batter and fried, so it was hard to tell what kind of protein you were eating. The only thing that was not fried at the time was the iceberg lettuce covered in Ranch dressing or the applesauce.
(2)Keith S.
Started with Sampler plate 12.95 Gator tail, frog legs, fried green tomatoes, and mushrooms. Gator was the best of the three. Frog legs were good, but small. Mushrooms were good, tomatoes were fair, have had better. Game Platter for entrée 24.95 Went with Venison and Duck. Grits and collard greens for side items were good. Both Venison and Duck were good, small portions for the price though. Pecan Pie for dessert was real good. Real southern classic. Sat in the bar for dinner instead of waiting on table on Sat. night. Plenty of locals having a good time, but not rowdy. Wait staff was good and friendly. You will need a GPS to find it and no cell coverage when you are there, almost ran out of gas before I made it back to a gas station. Not a place you want that to happen in middle of the night.
(4)Sandra W.
A real estate agent recommended this restaurant to us when we were dealing with family business in Citra. We were looking for a pleasant distraction from our work, so we made our way to The Yearling. Who could resist a restaurant named after a wonderful book written by a brilliant author? We loved the drive and were surprised that it took us only ten minutes to get there. I'd done my research, so I read the good and bad reviews, and viewed photos of the place. Upon arrival, the restaurant looked like a backwoods, simple, local eatery with random mementos of a time gone by. We were greeted by Stacey, our server, and given a table by the window, which allowed for a beautiful view of the greenery outside, where a gentle rain fell rhythmically on the tin roof. The stained pine interior allowed for cool darkness. We were waited on in a timely manner, and the server was very helpful by providing samples of the gator bites with various sauces. I wanted to be brave, but I was a bit nervous about eating unfamiliar meats. We started with the Cracker Sampler Plate, and there was plenty of food for my husband and I. Although I would not eat the frog legs, I thoroughly enjoyed the gator bites, green tomatoes and portobello mushrooms---all fried with a thin, crispy coating. My husband found the frog legs to be good as well. We kept it simple, and since we were already fairly full, we chose to share a hamburger with cole slaw and fries. Fries were, well, fries. Can anyone screw up fries? Slaw was sweet and creamy. Burger was juicy and roll was fresh and soft. We are saving the sour orange pie for next visit! We listened to the blues in the background, which were very nicely done by a local musician. One drink, one hamburger, a sampler plate, and a side of coleslaw---under $30. This place is really out of the way, which may explain the prices. It's not a Cracker Barrel on the side of the interstate, drawing in hundreds of people. All in all, we walked away having enjoyed ourselves. We'd like to take more time exploring the interior of the restaurant which has lots of Yearling/Rawlings memorabilia, and old books on tall shelves towards the rear of the building. We finished our pleasant distraction by visiting the Rawlings' homestead and learning about all things Marjorie Kinnan-Rawlings. Perfectly beautiful day!
(4)Devin H.
Ram shackled on the outside, nice antique decor on the inside. Woo wee this place is so long. Nice waitstaff and live blues during the afternoon. But my tummy just can't handle this much fried frogs. Extra star for bringing us a pitcher of soda a la Pizza Hut 1989. It was kinda expensive.
(4)Jon S.
If I could give no stars I would. My grandma's labor day lunch with my family was spent in a loud room with little to no service. The food to 2 hours just for appetizers and then another hour for food. Honestly, it was the worst food experience of our life. Please don't eat here.
(1)Linda W.
We went here for late lunch today - loved the building, the interior and the atmosphere, properly old Florida shabby. Service was ok, the lunch menu was limited to mainly dinner entrees, but we decided to go for the grouper sandwich with cole slaw and the "Creek Boy" with fried gator and french fries. The grouper was wonderful, delicate, perfectly seasoned and fried in a light crispy batter. Not fishy or greasy at all. The portion of grouper was large, more than enough to fill me up. The coleslaw was definitely homemade, creamy and not too sweet. The creek boy (po boy) was very very good, the gator was some of the best we've ever had... not at all tough and the flavor was very very nice and fresh. Not buried in hot spices and salt like many places cook gator. Fries were fine, nothing special but good enough. The only downside was the appetizer... we ordered conch fritters and apparently the waitress forgot (?) to get that on the order so they never arrived. I would have loved to try them but the food portions were so large that I was almost glad we didn't get the fritters. Good live blues, nice and quiet in the bar... we were the only people in there. We'll go back, it's a great drive down from Jacksonville and I LOVE the area, especially the road to the restaurant and Cross Creek.
(5)