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F M DON'S

4.1 (511 reviews)
Open • 11:30 am - 9:00 pm
Updated a few days ago

F M DON'S Reservations

F M DON'S Photos

Business Info

F M DON'S ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Trendy
Moderate noise
Happy hour specials

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Recommended Reviews - F M DON'S

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Reviews With Photos

Bison meatloaf
Flo V.

Hadn't been in a while.... glad we did. Every time we stop in for cocktails or a dinner, the consistency of our meals are always the same. Delicious. We sat at the bar and the service was quick and friendly. This time, my husband ordered the Bison meatloaf. Served over perfectly season mashed potato's and carrots. The Bison meatloaf was moist and full of flavor. I ordered the salmon with the French green beans. It comes with grilled Brussel spouts (which I don't care for) but they easily traded out the vegetables for another. No problem. The salmon just melted in my mouth and had a nice seared crisp on top. Add in a nice glass of Merlot..... and voila' ...... perfection. !!!!! The outside patio door was closed due to the cold wind, which was very nice. Our only concern was the noise level. The table behind was had a group of 6, and their talking & laughter carried quite far & loud. Sometimes annoying. Would love to see something done to address the noise. Love the food and the friendly staff !! Definitely will be back.

Irene E.

Will return. Passing by this cute little town of nearly 20,000 residents, on our way to the opera. We stopped by for a drink or two. It's at the intersection: patrons get to watch the comings and goings of the town, ha ha. Maybe my taste buds are still lingering from the dark vinegar at the Dumpling King earlier: is there a sour aftertaste in my Irish coffee?

Chix and waffles.
Mike K.

A cold January Florida day brought us into Punta Gorda for some grub. Wasn't planning on stopping at FN Don's but they had heaters going and open tables so hey! What the heck? I was with a group of 7. I ordered the chicken with waffles. It looked amazing. The chicken was hot, crisp and perfectly seasoned. The waffle was a bit on the sweet side with more added sugar that I would have preferred. Definitely taste prior to dumping the syrup on it. Also, need to dump the cheap, fake syrup....if you're going to offer quality food serve it with real maple syrup. Next to me. Adam ordered to bacon cheeseburger. Unfortunately I don't recall what everyone else ordered but I can tell you we all enjoyed our food. Bloody Marys were great and the service was with a smile. Go Check it out.

Salmon Caesar Salad
D A.

Lunch at FM Don's with friends. Decided to give this restaurant a second chance. Food last time not up to par but this time the food was great. Hopefully the chef will stay consistent. Glad we tried it again.

Caesar Salad, fresh made bread, and a bud light
Joe T.

Another exceptional meal at FM Dons! Always consistently excellent, and world class service too. Order was taken immediately and delivered to the table in a few minutes. Delicious Caesar salad with just the right amount of cheese and dressing added, perfect! The jambalaya like dish was also incredible! Every bite was a delight! And the dessert of chocolate cake made it another perfect meal at FM Dons. If you're in the area, you owe it to yourself to go to FM Dons, it is exceptional!

January 2026 - Bison Meatloaf w/veggies & mashed potatoes - my husband loved it!
Margaret M.

January 2026 The food was so delicious, from start to finish - see photos. Service - The check in was a bit chaotic but we got a great table .. and our server was super nice. Ambiance - Loved our table by the window - it is quite loud inside due to the floors and no insulation to absorb the bigger noisy tables. But we still had a lovely dinner :)

Healthy bowl with salmon and wontons.
Roxanne W.

We had a lovely relaxing lunch with a most attentive waitress! The heathy bowls we each chose were perfection. Just enough dressing, salmon cooked medium and perfectly, and the salad greens, quinoa, and farro were very filling. We both took half home! Parking was no issue at all, on the street at 12p. Took me 40 mins from Venice but traffic was light. I am very pleased we decided to meet there. She came from N Fort Myers and her drive was shorter. I highly recommend FM Don's to all who ask.

Street view
Amanda F.

Had dinner here without a reservation. Was easy to get a table. Service was prompt but not warm. The paper menu is always an interesting thing. Is it a germs thing? Or they'd rather toss them then clean a leather menu? Or they change the menu so often? I dunno, but it was clean and easy to read. We shared a salad. I thought it nice that the kitchen split it for us in the back, so we did not make a mess. It was a good portion. Lots of tomatoes and maybe too many dried cranberries. Dressing was perfect- not soggy. I had the meatloaf. It's nothing to write home about. Bison is a lean meat. The gravy was not very good but lucky there was not much of it. I just smothered the meatloaf in the delicious mashed potatoes. The green beans were plain- but cooked perfectly, same with the carrots. I added salt and enjoyed. My husband's dish was the star. He had the Faroe island salmon. It had such a nice crust on it. It was cooked medium to his preference. The corn succotash underneath was delicious. I'm not sure how the Brussels and shiitake mushrooms fit in, but we ate it all it was great. For dessert, we had the cheesecake. It was pretty standard. The crust was thin and soggy. There was some fruit drizzle on it and some whip. We ate it all. It was a pretty typical cheesecake, nothing to write home about. Prob won't get that again. The restaurant itself was busy. The bus boy was really keeping it clean. I was impressed that he checked the chairs and the floor underneath the tables. They make regular rounds on the bathrooms. I know because I was in it when they came around! Oops! They had a little space heater by the door which was good for the table there to not feel that cold rush of air every time the door opened. We were not given any cocktail menus nor did we see any QR code, but it looks like they have a full bar. We usually drink but we just had water. I could've been persuaded if I had seen something interesting. We were in and out in an hour. We appreciated that since we had a long day. We will prob com back and sit at the bar. Seems like they have some tasty small plates and they have a happy hour. Sitting outside will be nice in the summer time.

Escargot
Dan M.

This was an upscale-casual eatery with an outdoor bar. The menu was not big but had plenty of interesting choices. The service was inconsistent throughout the night, but not a big deal. For starters, the tuna avocado tower and escargot were ordered. The tower consisted of ahi tuna, crispy wontons, spring mix, and a sweet chili sauce. The tuna was melt in your mouth good and the sweet chili sauce along with the wasabi enhanced the overall dish. The escargot was with lemon and butter along with a baguette. This was solid. There was a good amount of snail, but more bread could have been given as the bread that was given to the table came after the appetizers were done. For an entrée, I split two. The first was the grilled swordfish with a Mediterranean ratatouille, crispy polenta, and a roasted pepper harissa. This was not bad. The swordfish was cooked appropriately and seasoned well. It was a well portioned piece too. The roasted pepper harissa was really good too. The polenta was very dry and not seasoned. The ratatouille was alright. It was a nice mix of vegetables and olives. The other entrée was a tripletail special. It came with a tomato, onion, and garlic risotto. Again, this was alright. This was another good piece of fish and cooked ideally, but it just seemed to be missing something. The risotto was alright, a little liquidity. I also tried the beef tenderloin. It was the best item tried of the night. The beef was cooked to perfection and was so tender as well as flavorful. The potatoes and vegetables were tasty too. Will I go back? Possibly.

Bison Meatloaf!!
Jeff J.

Stopped in on a weeknight for the $29 salad, entree and dessert trio. Wow!! Cheyenne was our server and her recommendations were top shelf. Tried the pomegranate martini and the Mrs. had a glass of Pinot G. She had the seafood bouillabaisse and really enjoyed it. I'm a meatloaf "ho", so I had the bison meatloaf. Mine was equally awesome! For dessert we had the recommended key lime pie and layered chocolate cake. Cheyenne really did her job well as our server and was spot on for decision-making choices and then provided top level service. She rocked!! The restaurant has outdoor and inside seating. Both are inviting. Yelpers, don't let this little gem get lost in your search. Thanks to Cheyenne for an awesome experience. Ask for her! Thanks to Maurice Cossairt from Edgewater Real Estate - Napels, for the restaurant recommendation. He's a great realtor if you are looking for one!

Yana S.

Great local place for food and drinks as well as live music. The service is always consistent, I have come here numerous times and the last time was for my birthday dinner. I like the modern vibe, and it's fairly priced. Reliable.

Mahi special - elegant and simply delightful!

We love FM Don's. Super consistent food and service. Always a great place to bring out of town guests because everybody can find something they love on this well rounded menu. Kyle is our #1 server and I get hugs with his great service This past Friday they had a great fish special with couscous. Delicious!!! Put that on the menu please - truly, put it on there, it was amazing!!

Fresh bread served

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3 years ago

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3 months ago

Everything was great, food, atmosphere, and staff. We usually sit at the bar, the bartender is very efficient and friendly.

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1 year ago

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9 months ago

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8 months ago

Everything is perfect at F.M. Dons. Service excellent, food so good. Love the decor and decorations for every holiday!! Kay Boxer

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4 months ago

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9 months ago

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10 months ago

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5 months ago

Really good food at decent prices, and our server was friendly and fun. I'll be back!

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2 years ago

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1 year ago

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6 months ago

Everything! From the bartender Diane to the yummy pate, not to mention the perfectly cooked filet,!

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2 years ago

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6 months ago

On Thanksgiving dinner, the food and service were wonderful. The atmosphere was open and airy, but could use more foliage for decoration.

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1 year ago

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4 years ago

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1 year ago

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6 months ago

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1 year ago

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7 months ago

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7 months ago

Food was tremendous, staff was friendly, definitely be back. Great happy hour. Ambiance very nice, can sit inside or out

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7 months ago

Always a pleasure the best of Punta Gorda.. The specials are special. The staples are always consistently fabulous. The service is terrific.

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1 year ago

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4 months ago

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3 years ago

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1 year ago

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1 year ago

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9 months ago

Consistently excellent service, creative dishes, and superb wine list. The entire experience is delivered at outstanding value for money.

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8 months ago

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2 years ago

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10 months ago

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5 years ago

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1 year ago

Friendly service, great atmosphere. The beef short rib entrée was exceptional...highly recommend!

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1 year ago

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2 years ago

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1 year ago

Muscles and martini's are "over the top"! You are really missing out if you don't try 'em

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Page 2 of 13

Ask the Community - F M DON'S

Open on thanksgiving?

Yes, FM Don's, downtown Punta Gorda, will be open from 12 PM to 7 PM, on Thursday Thanksgiving day 2025.

View All 4 Questions

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3.4(353 reviews)
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A MUST when I'm in Punta Gorda!…read more My friend moved to Punta Gorda a couple of years ago. I've visited her 3 times, and we make sure to come here every time I'm in town. The bar/restaurant is located right on the water with great views! The parking lot is also the same lot used by the adjacent hotel, so it can sometimes be hard to find a park, depending on the day and time. It's a mixture of great outdoor spaces as well as covered spaces. There's also a private event space that's really nice as well. I've been at night as well as during the day and have enjoyed every experience. The staff is friendly and great! I even fell, I mean face-planted, one evening, and the staff made sure to check on me and see if I needed medical attention. The menu is pretty straightforward, and the bar is your basic bar. They have a drink menu, but a full bar as well. Everything is also well-priced. I haven't ordered food, so I can't give a review of the food. I will definitely be back on my next visit to PG!

3/12/26, 12 of us went for dinner and drinks. Started at the bar, great. Bartender was very…read moreattentive and alert. Sat down to eat and the young waitress handled this group exceptionally. Her bubbling personality and fun demeanor was terrific! Went to the restrooms to prepare for dinner. DISGUSTING! Paper all over the floor, sinks were a mess, and no paper towels. Brought to the attention of the staff. Came back 40 minutes later, same, nothing changed. Dinner came. I've never been to an establishment where everyone's food was mediocre at best. From wings, wraps, grouper sandwich to fish platter. Tasted terrible. Advise everyone, don't waste your time!

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Ortigia Cucina & Bar

Ortigia Cucina & Bar

4.1(47 reviews)
0.0 mi

We went to mass in Punt Gorda on a Saturday late afternoon and stopped in to see if a table was…read moreavailable, and we lucked out. The outdoor atmosphere was perfect, as well as the food and service. We will definitely return here again!

Ate at the Ortigia Cucina & Bar last night with my son and daughter-in-law and we were so…read morepleasantly surprised. The food was absolutely delicious, although all our meals did not come out at the same time and we had a wait a few minutes till my daughter-in-law got her meal, it was hot and cooked to perfection tho. I had the best arugula salad ever, perfectly balanced with the tomatoes, red roasted peppers, blue cheese, and balsamic dressing, and also the beef tenderloin skewers, which were cooked, medium rare and served with crispy potatoes that were seasoned spot on, just enough to make it a delightful dinner! My daughter-in-law had the swordfish which she said was very tasty, my son-in-law had the chicken Christina, which he devoured, and my husband had the cheese raviolis and meatballs, which were on the children's menu, but they said they could give him the adult size portion, which he also enjoyed. I tasted his meatballs and sometimes they are not the best everywhere, these were very good. I normally do take pictures of the food, but I forgot because we were so hungry and dug in as soon as we got our meals, but the presentation was very satisfying. The only negatives were, the music was very loud, and we could barely have a conversation, only when the band took a break, and our waitress didn't put much effort into being friendly or going the extra mile. Had to tell her to get my husband, ice, lemons for our water, and remind her about my daughter-in-law's meal that we were waiting for a couple times. Overall, would definitely go back there and recommend!

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This is the second oldest building in the area. They can tell you the whole story on the shanty…read morethat is the oldest. This stands as a bar and restaurant, an old ice house. It's pretty good! It's always packed. I've been a couple times for drinks, never for food. The food looks amazing though; standard pub fare. They have a short cocktail list and I've discovered that it doesn't change. The bartenders can typically make what you want even if it's fancy. Plenty of seats at the bar, in the bar area, or in their dart hall. They have dart leagues throughout the week. Lately they started this new trivia thing, which is fun. Service is good. Drinks are great. Check it out if you're in the area. Nice people. Always good conversation.

First time here, and I've got to tell you it was not a good experience. My poor spouse went home…read morehungry due to very poor food and service. Drinks (Iced tea and water) took over 20 minutes to arrive, food took over 45 minutes to arrive and when it finally did my dish (Cod) was served cold because waitress (Brittany) was too busy inside with her tables to bring our food to our table. My spouses Chicken soup was served cold and clumpy and not soup consistency at all. Now we know why this place had so many mixed reviews. We may try again in future however this put literally a bad taste in our mouths. Positive: Ambiance was cute Negative: Food and drinks took too long to be delivered Negative: Food cold, not edible Negative: Overworked and Unfriendly waitress

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Unwined Wine & Beer Bar - Outside view

Unwined Wine & Beer Bar

4.6(40 reviews)
0.1 mi

Great replacement for the Orange House and the house is still Orange. The menu has more of a…read morePortuguese or Spanish feel and, of course, small plates, tapas. Music later in the week. Family owned and operated. Service is great with family members serving and in the kitchen. I like that they offer a discount for cash.

This was our first visit to UnWINEd, and we were excited after reading great reviews of the hidden…read morelocal spot. The food delivered on every expectation - and then some. We ordered the scallops, key lime chipotle shrimp flatbread, hog wings, tuna tartare, and the montaditos (basically creative little bruschetta). Everything was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. The scallops were perfectly cooked on a bed of risotto, the tuna had a surprising but delicious hit of jalapeño, and each montadito - from prosciutto and manchego to a creamy goat cheese and fig combo - was spot on. The wine list is thoughtfully curated, although they were out of several bottles we tried to order, which was a bit disappointing. Our friends struck out on two bottles of red before they found one they actually had available. It's a little surprising to be that unprepared for a Saturday night. The vibe of the place is casual but stylish, with a fun mix of tables, sofas, and mismatched furniture that gives it a relaxed neighborhood feel. The main downside? The service. Our server started out attentive, but then basically disappeared - empty water glasses, no check-ins, and we ended up having to hunt her down for the bill after waiting 15 minutes. Most tapas are around $20 and larger plates like the skirt steak are closer to $40. For two couples, we spent about $160 per couple with tip - a reasonable price for two bottles of wine and food this darn good. Did I mention the scallops? Bottom line: the food is phenomenal and the vibe is great . The wine inventory and service are weak spots - which is too bad, because UnWINEd could have become a favorite.

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F M DON'S - bars - Updated May 2026

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