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The Ivy House Restaurant

4.0 (197 reviews)
Open • 11:00 am - 8:00 pm

The Ivy House Restaurant Photos

THE IVY HOUSE RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Romantic
Dogs allowed

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Recommended Reviews - The Ivy House Restaurant

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the front entrance
Hayli Z.

This place was so cute! Definitely that old, southern style. They didn't have a big menu/a lot of options and not many vegetarian options but I made a meal out of the fried green tomatoes. What really surprised me were the cheese fritters. These aren't your typical Mozzarella sticks you see on appetizers, no. These were pimento cheese balls with a crispy, textured coating that were so good I could've just eaten those. The dining area was adorable and very cozy and the service was attentive even though they were busy. The only thing I wouldn't recommend is the raspberry lemonade, it had a weird aftertaste I'm not sure if it was the lemonade or the raspberry syrup so wouldn't get that again. I feel like this would be a really cute spot for weekend brunch but they only offer lunch and dinner. But definitely seems like a great location to have brunch in.

Fried shrimps with salad and loaded baked potato
Josh K.

We found ourselves in the quaint Florida town of Williston one Saturday and wanted to stop in for a quick lunch. We had been here multiple times before, but this is the first time writing a review. The separate dining rooms are charming and are decorated from a past time and surround the four or five tables per room. In my opinion, the star of the menu is the fried chicken, but there are so many wonderful items to choose from. We had the fried shrimp plate as well as the chicken salad croissant. Don't forget to start with the fried green tomatoes and end your meal with a slice of chocolate cake! Definitely a must stop if you are in Williston!

Prime Rib, corn bread, carrots, green beans, baked potato and roll.
Ray H.

Very neat venue with tasty food and good service. We had three kids and four adults. Everyone was happy and full. Stop in and try it. If planning ahead, they take reservations. Worth writing home about.

Fried Green Tomates - best I've ever had!
Tony M.

Wonderful place & incredible food! We felt right at home! Best fried green tomatoes I've ever had! Pecan crusted chicken was delicious. Fresh, flavorful coffee like from my grandma's kitchen decades ago.

Half order of Fried Green Tomatoes(5)
Alayna J.

Going to the Ivy House is a rare treat that we indulge in a couple times a year. If we lived closer I'm sure we would go more frequently, and when they had the location in Alachua it seems we went at least once a month. The food is very yummy and a great price. It is worth it to get either the fried green tomato or the Mac and cheese ball appetizer. My favorite entree is the Krispy Chicken but I've also had their pork chops and fish basket which were both great. They don't hold back on the butter for the veggies and both the cornbread and yeast rolls are out of this world. Now I must admit, I have been off and on with their mac and cheese. This last visit (lunch if maybe that plays a factor) it was perfect. Every now and again it is just no good, completely different consistency and quality of cheese. One of the things they are known for is their raspberry syrup. I find their raspberry tea to be a little too much for me, but it is perfect when mixed half and half with their plain sweet tea. The raspberry salad dressing is wonderful if you like sweet salad dressings. Finally, dessert. Over the years I think I have had every dessert they offer. They include- milk cake (tres leches), coconut cake, chocolate cake, peanut butter pie, and buttermilk walnut pie. For me, the two that really stand out are their milk cake and the buttermilk walnut pie. They are out of the way if you're in Gainesville. However, a nice weekend lunch spent in their cute themed rooms or if you're lucky, the back porch, is a great way to spend some quality time eating.

Fish & shrimp plate
Sam E.

My husband and I took a drive to Williston today, 2/9, from Ocala and we both were ready for a bite. I looked on Yelp to see what all was around the area and The Ivy House Restaurant was listed. The time was after 2 so if any rush they had was gone. My husband ordered the fish and butterflied shrimp plate with fries, salad, cornbread and a roll. I tried the fried pork chop sandwich with salad. We were both very pleased with what we had and we definitely will be back and have plans on bringing family here the end of next month while they're here visiting. So glad we stopped by and tried this place out. Very decorative and staff so friendly. We even got to go drinks which our waitress suggested.

Daily menu in front porch.
Janette R.

What a terrific place to stop in at! Home cooking, great service along with an eclectic victorian style place. Try their shrimp, corn casserole, sweet tea and without a doubt their crispy fried chicken on ANYTHING will be the way to go!

Barbecue shrimp
Joanna H.

It's like eating at grandmas house!! Literally. Looks like you just went in her house full of stuff and old things. Lots of little rooms with tables for dining. Southern menu. You will not leave hungry. Soooo much food. Good value for the money. We both enjoyed our meal. Quick, friendly service.

Buttermilk walnut pie. Delicious
Kimberly R.

Have been wanting to have lunch here for quite some time. Today was the day. Beautiful old style home turned restaurant. It was like taking a step back in time. We were seated right away and our waitress took our order. Our waitress was very attentive and helpful. After the lunch feast we walked upstairs to tour the boutique and to get an appreciation of how it must've been to live in such a home. We are looking forward to many return visits.

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5 months ago

Good food and friendly service. My husband liked their baked fish. I like their vegetables. Looking forward to their reopening.

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9 months ago

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3 years ago

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7 years ago

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6 years ago

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2 years ago

Can't wait for this restaurant to reopen. Food and service are awesome. They have wonderful choices and good drinks.

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5 years ago

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3 years ago

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3 years ago

We came to the devils den and stopped in here for lunch. Awesome food service was great.

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8 years ago

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3 years ago

It was fantastic. The service, the food, and the ambiance are great. It seems they have a new menu, but the same pleasant faces helping....

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Stumpknockers On The River - Alligator appetizer

Stumpknockers On The River

3.8(323 reviews)
28.2 mi
•$$

Do not be fooled by the outside of the building. We stopped just because it was close. Portions are…read morebig and the food is pretty good. My wife and I got the seafood platter. The crab cake is one of the best I've ever had. The fried shrimp tasted so fresh. I don't like oysters but I ate 7. The perch left something to be desired however. Not much flavor at all. Also, tartar sauce just tasted like mayo. Cocktail sauce however was amazing. We got cheese sticks for the kids....completely over priced. Only got 5 sticks and they were tiny and obviously from a box however the fried mushrooms were some of the best I've had and it was a huge basket. Kids had the chicken tenders and they were very good and definitely homemade. Overall a good experience and would recommend.

I went with my daughter on a Friday night. Very friendly people and family environment. There is…read moreindoor and outdoor seating. We sat outdoors this restaurant is by the river. You feel the peace that the waters and surrounded by oaks and nature. And there is a full bar outdoors as well The food was ok. We had clam chowder soup wasn't my favorite but had worse. And we ordered two appetizers escargot which I don't recommend it included 5 snails on top of a lot of small mushrooms and it wasn't seasoned well!! Hard to match my previous escargot plates in other restaurants. The other appetizer was gator bites. I liked that! For our main entree we shared a seafood combo but you had to choose from fried, boiled or blackened and we chose fried they couldn't accommodate having half the plate cooked a different way so was just too much fried seafood. The platter brings shrimp, white fish, scallops, à crab cake, and oysters. The shrimp were big and tasty, and the white fish was delicious scallops were also good but the rest not so much. It's hard to eat all fried and all seasoned the same except the crab cake ( a lot of veggies in it and not enough crab so you don't really eating à crab cake) I hope this helps

Photos
Stumpknockers On The River - Bud lattes

Bud lattes

Stumpknockers On The River - Surf and turf

Surf and turf

Stumpknockers On The River - Outside

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Outside

Front Porch Restaurant & Pie Shop - Chocolate meringue and not chocolate coconut meringue pie

Front Porch Restaurant & Pie Shop

4.0(292 reviews)
24.2 mi
•$

The foos is excellent comfort food. The staff was very helpful, although we weren't able to bring…read moreour purse dog in to dine with us. We did get it to go and enjoyed the meal. The mini pie was delicious!

Great place for some southern staples. We were a party of 6 and we couldn't resist ordering fried…read morechicken and catfish. Fried chicken was really tasty with a perfect crunch and juicy chicken. The fried catfish was breaded with cornmeal, perfectly crispy, also well seasoned and very moist and tender inside. The tartar sauce was homemade and very good but they also have a good peppered vinegar. Between us all we had an opportunity to try a lot of sides. Hush puppies which one of our hush puppy lovers said was the best she ever had (I'm not a fan of these overall so I can't really say). The potato salad was very good, creamy, with just a hint of onion and relish. Baked potatoes and sweet potatoes were enjoyed by all. Loved the crispy okra and green beans. Collard greens were also good. Of course, we couldn't leave without trying the pies. Caramel apple walnut was a little too nutty for me but it was still good. They key lime was my personal fave -- the crust was a good crumbly graham cracker that was definitely home made. We also had a lemon meringue and the chocolate coconut cream pie, which was essentially a half and half with chocolate cream and the bottom and coconut cream on the top. Both had beautiful, moist meringues with nicely toasted tops. On top of good food, we had a great waitress who was super attentive and very patient and friendly. Definitely worth a stop if you're in the area and looking for some nostalgic, good southern comfort food.

Photos
Front Porch Restaurant & Pie Shop - Cute outhouse painted bathroom

Cute outhouse painted bathroom

Front Porch Restaurant & Pie Shop - Catfish and shrimp plate with green beans and fruit plate

Catfish and shrimp plate with green beans and fruit plate

Front Porch Restaurant & Pie Shop

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Ivy on the Square - Birthday dessert

Ivy on the Square

4.0(403 reviews)
23.4 mi
•$$

Just passing through and decided to check out a local restaurant in downtown Ocala. Waking in it's…read moreall rather shabby chic with over stuff chairs, crystal chandeliers and white washed tables. Very southern I actually thought I might be in Georgia. Menu isn't too complicated and we were trying to keep this simple so here's what we ordered: Grilled chicken caprese. Just what it says. Layers of mozzarella and sliced tomatoes with grilled chicken on top drizzled with a balsamic reduction. If you want greens there's two pieces for decoration. I enjoyed this dish. Chicken was moist and had great flavor. I do wish there were a few more pieces on it for the price point. I felt I got about a third of the breast. Ivy Caesar Salad: my husband loves Caesar Salads and he said this was just ok. He didn't like that some of the pieces looked old. This salad was fine and not anything special. Raspberry Tea: very sweet with a weird tang. Didn't really seem like tea at all. Wouldn't get it again. Overall this place has great ambience even if it is rather pretentious and over the top. Staff is friendly and food came out at a reasonable amount of time. Not sure if I'd go there again. Lunch is pricey. Without tip this was a $40 meal and that included only one NA drink.

I went here the other night with some friends from Sarasota. They had suggested it and I was…read morecurious since I had never been. It was early evening and when I walked in I thought the decor was so adorable. Quaint and just really lovely. I was getting a good feeling and wondering why I never had stopped in here before since I love coming downtown and going to different places down here. The whole vibe to me is just very comfortable even though it can get busy there is something that makes you feel calm in this area. We were seated and I looked at the menu wanting steak and even though it was early they didn't have any ( rib eye ) Yes it was on the menu but that was ok, instead I chose a Wam burger and fries. To be honest I wasn't impressed. I asked for medium rare and my burger came out well done. It was a bit flavorless to me and the fries weren't even hot nor crispy. The service was just ok and when we had gone the restaurant hadn't even been very busy. I may give Ivy on the Square another try if I have a good reason. We will see. I wonder what you think. Phone: (352)622-5550 Address: 53 S Magnolia Avenue Ocala, Florida 34471 Hours: Sunday Closed Monday Closed Tuesday 11AM-9PM Wednesday 11AM-9PM Thursday 11AM-9PM Friday 11AM-9PM Saturday 11AM-9PM Wheelchair accessible

Photos
Ivy on the Square - Dining room

Dining room

Ivy on the Square - Crème Brûlée

Crème Brûlée

Ivy on the Square - Bar

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Bar

The Yearling Restaurant

The Yearling Restaurant

3.7(207 reviews)
18.4 mi
•$$

We went to this restaurant on recommendation from our airboat driver, and they did not disappoint…read more We were seated right away and the hostess and the waitress were fabulous. They really took care of us. My husband got a Caesar salad with blackened chicken and I got the combo plate with gator, frog legs and catfish and it was so amazing. I have to say probably one of my first favorite things were the collard greens with bits of ham in it superduper delicious. They make a great drink. My husband liked their sweet tea, and I had a gin and tonic, which was really full of gin! We had no room for dessert, but the ones that walked past the table looked amazing. I really recommend this restaurant.

Walking in was like stepping back in time. What an eclectic restaurant. It's broken out in 3…read moresections. The far left is where all the taxidermy and books are but it's also quiet with no music playing during the day. We sat on the right side when you enter and there was music and felt more homey. I do think that made a difference in our experience. We did not have any cell service or WiFi when in the restaurant so look up pics of what you want before you get there. We ordered venison app, catfish dinner, and Gator dinner and shared all the things. I've have plenty of Gator bites in my life and this was by far the best. The venison was surprisingly not as gamey as I was expecting and their dipping sauce for it is fantastic. The catfish was fried and the batter was so light and crunchy. You get 2 huge pieces! The collards were very good! Sometimes they are too bitter or too sweet but theirs are perfectly balanced similar to how I make them. Two times a year they get in Sour Orange Pie from a local and they had it they day we visited. It's similar to key lime pie. It was so unique and delicious. Definitely get it if it's on the menu. We will definitely be back when passing through. It's definitely worth the short drive off of 75. Be sure to visit Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings historical house and pick oranges off the trees.

Photos
The Yearling Restaurant - Where the band plays. No one was playing when we went.

Where the band plays. No one was playing when we went.

The Yearling Restaurant - Blackened catfish

Blackened catfish

The Yearling Restaurant

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Colt Country Cafe & Buffet

Colt Country Cafe & Buffet

4.1(14 reviews)
15.1 mi

Whenever I wanted grilled, fried or broiled COLT, I go to the COLT CAFE!…read moreThey will serve 'em up with succotash, greens, raw (sushi style) or any way you want 'em!! The colts are all local, grain fed and free range. Do yourself a HUGE FAVOR, HOSS and go into the Colt Country Cafe. Tell 'em "SLAPPY" sent ya'. They also have all you can drink Natty Light on Friday night for only $4.99. Food, service, hospitality and AMBIANCE!!! :) :) :)

Colt Country Cafe & Buffett in Reddick is a small-town look and feel place with some big down-home…read moreflavor! Only open until 2pm everyday, they have quite the salad bar and buffet table: homemade meatloaf, fried chicken, sausage (links and patties), eggs, home fries, biscuits, gravy, rice & sausage, ham, roast beef, chicken and dumplings and on and on. My wife and I stopped in this morning and what a great, little-known treasure. It's worth the drive if you are looking for some solid, down home southern cooking. Such flavors! I've had to edit this review three times because I keep going up and trying other stuff from the buffet! The mac & cheese! The green beans, complete with pieces of bacon! So good! Peach cobbler, banana pudding with chucks of banana in it and chocolate pudding with pieces of chocolate chip cookies in it! The prospects of what this place could do with a dinner menu make my mouth water. However, don't everyone rush up there at once, I almost want to keep this little piece of heaven to myself.

Photos
Colt Country Cafe & Buffet
Colt Country Cafe & Buffet
Colt Country Cafe & Buffet

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The Ivy House Restaurant - southern - Updated October 2026

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