The place is clean and spacious, with friendly and efficient service. We had a late lunch of mussels with crusty bread. It came with generous portions and the mussels were perfectly cooked with a delicious white wine and garlic broth. We were here 2 years ago and now make it our regular stop on the way to the Keys. Parking was easy, on the street. We always eat a bit later-after 1pm so I can’t speak for issues with a lunch crowd.
Our experience at F.M. Don’s was lovely. The staff were friendly and attentive. The food tasted great (although the presentation was something to be desired) and didn’t take long to arrive at the table. The atmosphere was bright, open, and relaxing.We went for brunch and very much enjoyed our food. The crab benedict contained a ton of crab, and the poached egg was cooked perfectly. The brioche french toast wasn’t too sweet and the thick cut bacon was a perfect, savory compliment.The kids fish and chips was by far the tastiest. The breaded Mahi Mahi was super juicy and flavorful, and the portion was huge - easily 6oz+. The fish did not require any additions like lemon or sauce.Again, the only minor criticism was that the presentation of most of the dishes was a bit plain. However, we would definitely come back.
Great local neighborhood restaurant in Punta Gorda.Friendly Bartendars and owners. Super good food and drinks.
We have found this hidden gem during our visits to Punta Gorda. The food is always spot on, service is outstanding. We have the pleasure of having a server name Rich who works at FM Dons seasonally, what an amazing experience.We have met the owner/chef Keith, when Rich introduced us to him.We visit 2or more times during our visits.Great Job!
Wanted to sit outside because it was a beautiful day and looked like a good spot downtown Punta Gorda with outdoor seating. We were just about to finish our brunch and this inconsiderate lady who lives on the 3rd floor above the outside seating started to water her plants with a hose and drenched three of the tables. We yelled at her to stop and she said I’m watering my plants. Got the shift manager and she said sorry there is nothing we can do about that she lives up there. I suggested they not put tables under someone’s balcony or they extend the awnings to cover the sitting area. Lord I hope a plant never falls off onto someone. We were covered with water and the manager said it’s not her problem. Well my lunch experience was ruined and felt she was poorly trained and asked for the owner and apparently the owner was not available so they brought me the check for the full amount. 1 star for poorly handling the situation. The food was actually good so I moved it up to 2 stars when it finally arrived but the menu was very limited. Overall evaluation was not impressed and I’m uncomfortable going back there and will caution others.
We went here for my birthday. Went early and it was practically empty. The food and service were excellent except for the host. We waited only a couple of minutes which was fine, but didn't expect her insincere and snarky attitude when she did appear. The swordfish was recommended by a friend and was excellent. We also had the scallops which were delicious. We tried to make reservations for a later time, but the phone went unanswered. Would definitely go again. The entrees and 2 drinks each were $100 plus tip so not an everyday place for us, but nice for a special occasion.
We walked in through the Marion Street entrance to the desk they have set up and waited about 15 minutes for someone to even acknowledge we were there. He was taking a check to a table and said he would be right back. About 10 minutes later when we questioned him, he was really rude. I will never go back there again! He blatantly just didn’t care how to run a business like that. It wasn’t even that busy. There were plenty of tables open too. I guess it’s just a new generation. If you value your integrity I strongly suggest you don’t go there
Drove up from Ft. Myers to get the fried goat cheese cause my wife and I were talking about it from last time we went there and the only thing that disappointed us was the service. (Blame it on Covid I guess) Sat at a round table by the bar but the bar tenders concentrated only on the inside and outside bars. We had to flag down the bar tender to order anything. A different server brought our food and silverware to eat with. Bartender never came back once to see how we were doing. Neither did management or any other servers. Had to flag down the same bartender to get our check. Lucky she got $5 from us. We'll be back for the food but we'll expect bad service again. 3 star could be 5 with a litlle more awareness. How unfortunate in such the small beautiful town of Punta Gorda. Or, maybe we'll just walk by and say "damn, we use to like their food, guess we'll spend our money elsewhere.
First, this is a great place~ great ambiance and a great vibe~Second, the food is usually very good~ but....That being said, my Pappardelle pasta came out just warm and our waiter, Douglas, well, that's another story~The wine I ordered was not available so he suggested an alternative which was excellent~My husband had to flag him down several times to get his attention to order a cocktail. When the dirty martini he ordered came out, it was warm. We asked several times for sparkling water and when it finally showed up after several requests, only 1 glass was brought to the table. He was very un-attentive and we felt like we were inconveniencing him. He dashed in and dashed out, not removing any of the dirty dishes or waters we asked him to remove from the table. Once we finally were able to get his attention long enough to tell him we wanted to order an app, we felt like we were rushed and he wanted our dinner order right away, and dinner was brought out within 15 minutes of ordering. The pappardelle was barely warm, though very tasty. The ribeye my husband ordered was excellent though.My recommendation would be to try it, BUT eat in the bar or at the bar if possible. The server that was waiting on the table directly beside us was extremely loud and obnoxious and seemed to be inebriated and we would NOT be happy if he was waiting on us.So I would advise against dining at a table, but opt for a table in the bar or AT the bar ~
It’s “The Season” in Florida when all the snowbirds flock here during the winter. Many restaurants don’t take reservations or they’re already booked solid months in advance. We were able to finally reserve a table for our party of 4 couples on a busy Friday evening. What a wonderful dining experience we had mostly because of Alex our personable and attentive server. 6 of our group had the pork chop which is about 2” thick, tasty & tender. The seventh had the chicken which she said was scrumptious. I had the bison meatloaf and it was out of this world with flavor. We all ordered our choices of assorted veggies to accompany our entrées - asparagus, green beans, Brussels sprouts, carrots, mashed potatoes. And, the to-die-for desserts - coconut cake, kahlua nut roll, carrot cake were our selections. Not a morsel was left! The icing on the cake was a visit to our table by the Chef & his lovely wife! What an enjoyable meal with wonderful friends!