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.

Vegan review: Things…read moreare clearly labeled, there are a few options, environment is lovely. I had maybe the most bibimbap of my life here, and that includes contenders from a number of restaurants in the Atlanta area. It was truly perfect. $8 for adding tofu (maybe 1/4 block lmao) is one of the funniest things I've ever seen financially, but hey it's a tourist area and it was absolutely made with skill & care, so I wasn't even mad. Seriously, I wanted to hug whoever cooked it. It is so worth it. Everyone else at my table was thrilled with what they got - burrata sandwiches and a fish sandwich. Not a good beer selection, it's very cocktail focused. Not my thing but yeah I will absolutely be back anytime I am in this wonderful city. This is not one to skip

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.

This place is pretty amazing, from the laid back atmosphere to the friendly and welcoming staff…read morethis place will not disappoint. We dropped in late afternoon and grabbed a few seats at the indoor bar. The bar staff here works the entire bar I'm sure we were greeted by all of them during our visit and each provided exceptional service. The drinks here are very creative and all come with very generous pours, if you like rum this is a place you'll fall in love with after your first sip - we decided to just go down the drink menu and try as many as we could responsibly and immediately knew this would be a favorite when in the area. I'd be hard pressed to pick a favorite drink and it would be just as tough to pick a favorite off their small bite menu. We decided to try a few of the specials, it's a relatively simple menu but everything is filled with flavors that are incredible - the char-grilled oysters are plumb, fresh and unique in every way, the fried black grouper bites were crispy served with a delicious remoulade and a spicy jalapeño chimichurri that will light up your tastebuds, we also tried the jerk chicken thighs skewers and amazing crab empanadas filled with a curry concoction like no others. The portions are large enough to share and really balance out the cocktails, this was a really nice experience and one I plan to repeat in the near future, with all the options in St. Augustine this one is at the very top of the list in my opinion and with parking at a premium in the area they have plenty, definitely worth a try...

I really hate leaving negative reviews, especially for a local spot I want to see succeed, but I…read morefeel management needs to hear this feedback. The renovations are a massive improvement over the previous bar, and the atmosphere is genuinely lovely. The Good: The food is generally solid. The fish dip and salads are nice, and I've had the smash burger a few times--it's amazing. The fish sandwich I ordered was very bad and I couldn't get a member of staff's attention so left it uneaten. The Bad: Unfortunately, my most recent visit was entirely derailed by the service. We sat at the bar and the experience was frustrating. The female bartender (dark hair, glasses) repeatedly interrupted me while I was trying to order, and then got my drink wrong. When I tried to correct it, she literally walked away. My friend tried to order for me, but three bartenders were huddled together chatting and completely ignoring the patrons. We spent a lot that night, and leaving a fish sandwich I didn't enjoy (and couldn't send back due to lack of service) just added to the disappointment. I sincerely hope management addresses the bar staff's lack of attentiveness, because if this continues, this cute place won't last. I'd be happy to speak with the manager directly about this, as we are locals who want to keep coming back.

Awesome good & service. Ambiance is spectacular…read more Downtown St Augustine is a fun place to mill around!

The service was wonderful. Our waiter checked in with us multiple times and took the liberty to…read moreeven have a conversation with us. The view was also stunning as my girlfriend and I sat in the upper balcony that also overlooked the water. The shrimp here was delicious. It came with 4 shrimps and they were seasoned deliciously. I absolutely killed my gnocchi and my girlfriend throughly enjoyed the pasta sauce and noodles. It came with a hefty portion that lasted enough for leftovers. My girlfriend also enjoyed how the tiramisu came with lady fingers on the inside. The bread service was huge! So many different options, so many spreads, all with so much flavor. It definitely fills you up but also has a lot of bread that can last for your main meal. Definitely worth the visit but I will share that the only con is that all of the red pasta sauce items include pork

Can't say enough about this hidden gem in St Augustine. Just a short walk off of St George Street,…read moreyou can get the best priced food I got my entire trip. The wings were amazing, burgers were good, and the Nacho Fries were so good they were gone before I could take a picture. Waiter was an absolute beast, constant supply of Ice Cold Michelob's. The atmosphere was also really good, not like the trailer parks back home.

Like the adventurous take on some food items. Maybe we just ordered wrong things…read more The apple pie chicken sandwich was ok. Different but wouldn't order it again. The cheese steak egg roll was good. The mini hot dogs the kids didn't like cause bread was too hard. The fries are fries. Fried Oreos were over cooked and not enough batter. Nothing impressed.

Today, I tried to enjoy Martinis with my husband but was met with a loud table with a drunk woman…read morewho felt the need to elevate her self esteem via the use of the word "fuck" over and over. I asked nicely to please, please watch her language and she doubled down with help from others in her party. I quietly talked wita magement and was met with a "free speech" stance. He asked if movingy table would be acceptable. I said okay, finished my drink, and then paidy check. At what point does someone else's free speech infringe on my right to enjoy a peaceful martini? This is a high-end bar; not cheap! You decide... I left.

We had such a good time when we visited. It was pretty cold out on the day and we sat outside so be…read moremindful of the weather and your attire. St Augustine can get pretty busy, especially around the holidays. There was a bit of a line for us but not too bad, especially if you don't have anywhere to be soon. The service was good as well as the food. The drinks are obviously the main attraction and they did not disappoint. They were very strong and I love that they leave the shaker at the table for you to finish your full drink. This is a must-try spot in the area and we'll be back!

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.

My daughter, granddaughter and I had afternoon tea at Chatsworth as a belated Mother's Day gift for…read moreme! We had such a wonderful experience, and enjoyed every part of it. It was our first time there and the first time as a preteen experiencing a tea! They were so accommodating, since preteens can be a bit picky. We all loved the tea assortment, and they were delicious! We chose the turkey cranberry sandwiches, which were amazing. The second tier had blueberry scones and the third were desserts. The macaroons were the best! It was an enjoyable experience for all of us and we were treated like royalty!

Last Sunday, July 12, my friends and I celebrated a birthday with afternoon tea at Chatsworth, a…read morewonderful experience from start to finish. The tea and sandwiches were beautifully presented, and we loved all the fresh baked goods and spreads. The bottomless mimosas were a hit with everyone in our group. Our server, Lynn, was fantastic. She was attentive, friendly, and had a great sense of humor. Even though she was managing the bar area, tea room reservations, and multiple tables at the same time, she always made sure we had everything we needed. I'd highly recommend Chatsworth to anyone, locals and visitors alike, looking for a great afternoon tea experience in St. Augustine.