I've been a customer at Gaff's for years, but my recent pre-order experience has unfortunately…read moreended that relationship. I ordered 5 lbs of bone-in short ribs weeks in advance for Thanksgiving--at the staff's own suggestion when I inquired about availability. I provided my pickup date and time as requested, and received two confirmation calls leading up to the holiday. Despite all this preparation, the actual pickup was frustrating and disorganized. When I arrived at my scheduled time on the day before Thanksgiving, the shop was using the standard take-a-number system that completely ignored appointment times. The chaos was predictable--dozens of customers were there for pre-orders--but the system failed at multiple points. Numbers were called too quietly in a loud, crowded shop, and the LED display wasn't consistently updated. Staff gave customers mere seconds to respond before moving to the next number, causing people to be skipped repeatedly. I waited 40 minutes past my scheduled pickup time. When I finally reached the counter, my order wasn't prepared. After weeks of advance notice and multiple confirmations, they had a 3 lb package and a 12 lb package available--neither matching my 5 lb order. I settled for 6 lbs (half of the larger package), which required additional cutting and another 10-minute wait. What's most disappointing is that this was entirely preventable. The day before Thanksgiving is obviously their busiest day of the year, but it's also completely predictable. Pre-orders were advertised in-store for over a month. Simple measures--dedicated staff for pre-orders, a separate pickup area, orders prepared ahead of time--would have prevented this chaos. Instead, the staff seemed dismissive when confronted with their lack of preparation. I understand holiday rushes can overwhelm any business, but this wasn't a rush--it was a failure to plan for a workload they actively solicited and had weeks to prepare for. For a business that asks customers to plan ahead with pre-orders, I expected them to do the same. I won't be returning.

This is one of two locations of Gaff's Quality Meats and Specialty Foods. I believe the original…read moreone is in Port Orange, Florida and this location is a bit east in DeLand. Since I heard such great things about this butcher and since I would be driving by (well, actually I was driving down Interstate 4 and it was only about four miles off the highway), today would be the day I would check this place out. By the way, I have not been this way for quite some time and it certainly has changed and grown. Anyway, I pulled into the parking lot of Gaff's and found it to be an attractive stand alone building. Parking was good and the exterior was clean and inviting. Walking into the establishment, I found it to equally clean and the store was well situated and again, very inviting. The staff was nothing short of incredible and customer service was definitely a high priority with the management here. I was continuously greeted by the team and they were extremely attentive without being overly so. There is a deli counter, a seafood counter, the shelves were filled with great specialty items and the meat counter, where the emphasis of this business lies, was filled with some great looking beef, pork and chicken. I am a huge fan of sausage, so I gravitated towards there. The friendly young man behind the counter recommended the hot Italian sausage, so I got four of them (which was well over a pound). Since I like spicy food, I also opted for their bratwurst with serrano and cheese. I should have also gotten some of their lean ground sirloin, it looked great. I had the spicy bratwurst today. I had it with thinly sliced cooked onions and a quality mustard and while I have had better, it was definitely very good. I would definitely recommend here and will return here. Great service and very good quality food make this place a winning combination. Check it out. I am sure that you will be a fan of this establishment.

Small local butcher in Lake Helen. They make their own Bratts, sausage, old world style. Pork,…read moreLamb, Beef, etc. mostly a restaurant supplier, but they have a small counter open to the public. Just ask for what you want and they'll get it for you - boned, stuffed with garlic and herbs, even cooked if you want.

A friend told me about Brecht's Meats in Lake Helen about a year ago. My husband and I went there…read moreone Saturday morning and we were delighted to find a real butcher shop, like I had not seen since the early 70's, It is family owned and operated. Monica is a third generation butcher. The shop has the best boneless, skinless chicken breasts I have ever eaten. The shop makes all of their own hot dogs and bratwursts. You need to call ahead to see if she has them in stock. Lake Helen is a lovely small town, so take the time to make the trip to visit a historic Florida town and stop at Brecht's to sample her meats.

Ray's Quality Meats has been serving this community for fifty years, which is an accomplishment for…read moreany business, but with the quality of the food and the friendly, attentive and professional service this staff offers its customers, it is easy to see why Ray's has succeeded and makes you wish them success for another fifty years. It is a small shop and gives a cluttered feel. The one cash register just adds to the claustrophobic feel, kind of thrown in the center of a small room. Prices are either competitive or high, but to be fair, the quality of the meat is definitely there and they make their own sausages and grind their own ground beef in house. In a corner, kind of obscured by shadows is their deli where you can get your cold cuts or have a sandwich made for you. They also have pre-made dinners for you to bring home. They also offer sauces and spices. Some of the spices also bear the name of Ray's Quality Meats. They either make them themselves (or just private label them). I also commend them on their longevity especially considering they ate on Route 1 in a part of Ormond Beach where many of the businesses stay closed with the exception of Bike Week and Biketoberfest. The rest of the year it is more akin to a ghost town than a community. Fifty years is a long time to be in business. But with a quality product served in a friendly and professional manner, it is not only easy to see why Ray's Quality Meats has been around so long, but you find yourself cheering for them to last another fifty years or better.

The food is absolutely amazing,delicious, fresh, hand Made sausage,100-% certified angus beef…read more NEVER FROZEN from the packing house straight to them, when I walk in there it's kind of hard to make a decision on just one thing and the butcher Tom tied me a bone in rib-eye roast in about 30 seconds. As we all watched in amazement this 6"2 ish New Yorker cut a fresh whole chicken into quarters in no time . The service was second to none and the one employee I never saw there b4 walked from behind the counter and personally handed me my whole order and thanked me !!!!!! Rays is the place to go for high quality food, service, and a great addition to my top 10

It's always nice to find a local meat market that stocks a large selection and provides exceptional…read morecustomer service. This shop is very clean and organized which is a compliment to the staff, all the meats are beautifully displayed and trimmed nicely and it's always nice when you can hand pick the cuts you want. We picked up some beautiful New York Strips after being given a fresh cooked sample before making the purchase, we also picked up some baby back ribs and a fresh cut skin-on chicken breast which cooked up so moist and tender. It's always nice to shop at locally owned businesses where their success relies on their reputation of quality and customer service, fair and competitive prices and they stand behind what they sell, this is definitely a meat shop you'll want to checkout...

Upon arriving for the first time I was informed on where they source their meats and the quality…read more As someone who is conscious of what I put into my body, knowing that their meat is hormone and antibiotic free makes my heart so happy! One of the best interactions and customer service experiences I've EVER had. I could not recommend Gary's enough even if I tried!

We stopped by Magical Meat Boutique incidentally. We had breakfast plans with friends and went to…read morethe original restaurant we had planned on visiting. Although we were at the wrong location and did not eat, we do interact with the staff. They were friendly and welcoming.

The food was OK. I can't really speak upon the service as the server was super dry. I came on a…read moreSunday morning. There was only two other patrons. They are sitting at the bar. It was freezing and we ordered several things. The corn beef hash breakfast was OK. The half order of biscuits and gravy was OK as well but the biscuit was cold and the gravy was barely warm so I didn't eat much of it but you see in the picture is as much as I could tolerate which was half of a half because I thought it was just strange that it was not warm for the kind of meal it was. Now the kicker of all of it is that when I went to the bathroom, it wasn't the cleanliest bathroom overall but afterwards I realized there was no soap in either of the dispensers and this is also the same bathroom that the employees use. I won't be back and a local told me not to go, but I didn't listen so....

Gabriel is the best in the business. Thank you for the amazing service and high quality product.read more

Palm Beach Meats is such an experience!From the fully stocked meat case up front, and the modern…read moreyet welcoming decor, to the decadent and creative menu by Chef BJ - I truly enjoyed it all. Highly recommend the Pastrami Breakfast Sandwich, Filet Sando and Fries with the dip flight. Also check out their bevy case, I tried the prickly pear soda and the Sprecher orange dream soda. I enjoyed my meal at the bar, the service Thanks for making a great spot for SODO

This is a tiny sandwich shop on the main drag in downtown Deland. There are only a few tables, so…read moreit is more of a takeout place. This is a counter service place. The sandwiches come out fast. The real hero here is the bread. The bread takes the sandwiches to the next level. It is a little pricey, but everything is these days.

This was my first time here and it was absolutely outstanding. They do have odd hours though so if…read moreyou go, make sure you call to see if they're open. This location easily has the best sandwiches. You will find anywhere in this part of Florida as far as I'm concerned.

We stopped in Deland on our way over to New Smyrna Beach to…read morevisit friends, the Deland Eatery is located inside The Deland Hotel (super cute). Also had a Retro Clothing Thrift Shop in Hotel, which had great prices and cool clothes! We enjoyed our lunch and drinks from their full service bar. I had the steak sandwich with fries and my husband had the chicken sandwich. Both were very delicious! We will definitely come back again.

I swear I always forget to take pictures because I'm too busy living in the moment... and this…read morevisit was no exception. I came here to celebrate my friend's birthday and we decided to hang out in the cocktail/bar area. The ambiance was really nice. Cozy, relaxed, and exactly the kind of vibe we were looking for to catch up, laugh, and celebrate. I ordered an Old Fashioned. It was decent. Not the best I've ever had, but it definitely did the job while we enjoyed the night. For food, I had the Caesar salad and it was actually really good. The chicken was juicy with a nice crisp to it, which made the whole dish come together perfectly. Overall, it was a great spot for a casual night out with friends. Good vibes, good food, and a comfortable atmosphere to just enjoy the moment. I'd definitely come back.

Visited Porkies on inWednesday night. I had the two meat platter - pulled pork and "killer ribs"…read moreand Rick had a half slab of baby back ribs. The pulled pork was excellent - smoky flavor permeated the meat. My portion had some burnt ends along with the tender shreds. The "killer ribs" are meaty with a dry rub. Rick's baby back ribs were moist and flavorful. He opted for Cole Slaw and baked beans for his sides. Cole slaw was fresh, crisp and with a vinegary dressing. Baked beans tasted like Bushes straight out of the can. I had the mac and cheese - hard to go wrong there - and the dirty taters. Delicious.

Best barbecue place in deland. We got a couple turkey sandwiches, pulled chicken sandwiches, dirty…read moretaters, sweet potato casserole, and Q salad. It was amazing. The meat in the turkey sandwiches was tender and juicy, the slices were about 1/2" thick, and it was a lot of meat on each sandwich. Pulled chicken sandwich and Q salad were great as well. The dirty taters will be a side we will order from now on, and the sweet potato casserole was so good, it was like dessert. Thank you guys for an amazing meal made right before you close on a Sunday night! We will be back

Been coming here for forever and the food has always been good! Came here for the first time for…read moreThanksgiving and it was delicious as well. Service is good, can be sometimes a little slow but otherwise good and friendly. The ambiance eclectic but comfortable and home like. They have inside seats and outdoor seating, usually every Friday they have live music as well. I strongly recommend this place!!!!!

Man oh man…read more Valentine's Day early dinner extremely overpriced So we entered and we gave our name to be set. She told us 15 minutes it took 35 minutes, which can be understandable because you can't really put an exact guest on how long somebody's gonna take to eat. They were not busy however it seemed like maybe they were short short staffed. That a preset menu most of every meal was 39.96 We started with the boom boom shrimp, which you can tell was cooked in the same fryer as a fried pickles because it tasted