Well, it appears that the Citrus Grill is now permanently closed.This is a cautionary tale if there ever were one. This restaurant was immensely popular and successful for years, but within six months or so of being sold to a new owner, it's closed.Restaurants are not only about the food. People return to a restaurant because of the way it makes them feel. The Citrus Grill, under the former owners, who founded the restaurant, was always a place that made you feel welcome. The food was excellent, but that's not the only reason I ate there around 200 times. The food wasn't the reason my brother chose to meet me there for lunch, even when his cancer treatments left him unable to eat. We went there because the former owners CARED about the customers, and it showed. At least one of the owners was always there. I mentioned this once to one of them and she said, "No one is going to take care of your business like you." A restaurant is most definitely not a hands-off type of business.During a visit a short time after the restaurant changed ownership, I asked the server if any pie was available. I was told that the pies were now store-bought and no longer homemade. I asked, "Didn't the new owner buy the recipes, too?" I was told the pie recipes were indeed sold with the business, but the owner said he was "too busy" to bake the pies and had decided to buy them instead.The new owners almost immediately changed the decor. They removed all of the photographs, knick-knacks, etc., and replaced them with different things. Problem is, that changes the way the restaurant feels. The owner saw fit to hang a college diploma behind the counter for all to see. (Pro tip: keep your ego wall in your office.)The menus were changed a while back. Gone was the personal message from the owners. Gone was the folksy style.The last time I visited the Grill was about three weeks ago. It was lunchtime and only one other table was occupied. I mentioned this to the server, who admitted that business was very slow. I asked if the owner was there and she said, "He comes in about once a week."Why would someone buy a successful restaurant and proceed to change so much about it? Some change is expected, of course, and I went back to the Grill several times after it changed ownership. Unfortunately, even though the staff was the same, and the food was the same, the soul had already left the body. Leadership begins at the top and you can't lead when you're not there.RIP Cindy.
TAT C
Reason I gave it a three star is because I had a long worm in my food after I had ate some I noticed it. Didn't bother to bring attention to server as at that point asked for check to leave as felt sick thinking I just ate food with worm in it. My husband got sick when we returned home and he had a different dish which you could tell a lot of butter was used as it was floating in the dish. When you make a white sauce yes you use butter, but not so as it's overpowering the rest of the dish.The service however was great and very friendly and inviting. It was rather loud as they were busy and parking is limited. Would we go back probably not due to our experience, but that's just us. Go and try them out as your experience may be different then ours as never judge by someone else's experience until you've tried yourself!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 5
Deb Mayhew
Great little diner in Dunnellon. I had the Large Garden Salad. It was fresh and satisfying. My companion had the Super BLT, which they made as a wrap at his request and was perfect. Friendly service, easy parking. Will visit again.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 5
jtorcello
Delicious breakfast! We will definitely be back! Staff was friendly and attentive. Large portion sizes for the price. Highly recommend!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ginny Harrison
Citrus Grill is an excellent restaurant. We had the meatloaf, mashed potatoes and gravy with green beans. The entire meal was fantastic and the service was spot on. Very friendly atmosphere. You could tell it is a place where locals frequent.It’s a mom & pop business working hard in the community to give their very best. This place is a “must go” when visiting the city of Dunnellon. We WILL be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Scott K
Pizza and Calzones on Thursdays!Yes please!!!Had the mama meatza pizza. This pizza was loaded with toppings! Cooked perfectly with a crispy crust.The price was much lower than I expected and much lower than the local chain pizza joints.Highly recommend trying the pizzas.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Wendy King
Was hoping with the new ownership things would have changed. I guessed the positive reviews or just because there’s nowhere else to eat much and Dunnellon because this place is really not good at all the food not good this is the third or fourth chance we have given this place, and every time end up very disappointed, we definitely need a good place to eat around town but this is definitely not yet way too expensive for what you get and the quality of the food
Daveo Breeze
Ordered food to go n got the Philly, grouper Ruben, and the chicken wrap. Food was good for the most part will definitely give it a try again. Customer service wasn't bad either which nowadays is kind of hard to come by...if you haven't tried citrus grill yet give em a try ?
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Carol Santos
We actually ate there like 4 times in a row it is absolutely phenomenal, amazing, from the staff to the service & everything in between best place ever.. And I mean ever.. If I lived in Florida I would probably eat there every day. Unfortunately we're in Connecticut ??♀️ Keep up the good work guys and God-bless you all. ?????
Kid-friendliness: Southern hospitality here was OUTSTANDING ????
Donald Kennedy
My group of 9 had just finished performing military honors for a deceased veteran and decided to stop for a late lunch on Saturday. We came in about 15 minutes before closing time. The management and staff generously seated us and provided a much needed meal. There was a wide selection of offerings, our group trying at least six different options. The wait staff was very friendly. It made for a very enjoyable afternoon. Again, all thanks to the manager and the staff!!!
Maybe under new management, so it's the gossip. Food was excellent. Definitely advise you check them out. Servers are a bit lost but they might just be getting w the flow. Small town w excellent food and menu.
Dan n Lisa
Surprisingly friendly locals seem to know this is the place to go for good food and generous portions at a decent price! There was a mix of everyone, young singles, families, couples, and the older social crowd. Casual little place that beats a chain restaurant hands down. There were a lot of choices on the menu. Seated quickly by the adorable little hostess. The wait staff members were welcoming and accommodating, creating a cozy atmosphere. I had the fish and chips and it was really good…they even remembered the tartar sauce and malt vinegar. There are nightly specials, like prime rib Friday, in which tables fill up fast because word gets around when it’s good. I noticed they also do a solid take out business. Definitely going back!
Kid-friendliness: Kids’ menu, family friendly.
Parking: Ample parking and easy access if you have difficulty walking.
Dietary restrictions: Had a vast menu with multiple options for those who don’t eat meat.
Eliza Sullivan
Great food, good service and good prices
Kari Hudson
Diner food done well. I was in town for a photography class and stopped in for lunch. I had the Philly, which was huge! Way too much for one person. My friends and I had to go boxes to bring all our delicious food home. Leftover lunch was easily dinner too?
Parking: Not a huge lot, but adequate. My friends and I traveled in 3 vehicles and we all found a parking spot at lunch time.
PurpleLady2
Stopped in for late breakfast based on reviews I had seen. I was not disappointed. The place doesn't look like much but the food is very good. The menu here is also very large for both breakfast and lunch & dinner options. I had the Garden Omelette with home fries and my husband had the Southwest Wrap with hash browns. We loved everything, the home fries were good. The hash browns were excellent and my favorite between the home fries and hash browns. My husbands wrap was also very good and my omelette was huge and I took half to go. Portions here are big and can easily be shared.
Well, it appears that the Citrus Grill is now permanently closed.This is a cautionary tale if there ever were one. This restaurant was immensely popular and successful for years, but within six months or so of being sold to a new owner, it's closed.Restaurants are not only about the food. People return to a restaurant because of the way it makes them feel. The Citrus Grill, under the former owners, who founded the restaurant, was always a place that made you feel welcome. The food was excellent, but that's not the only reason I ate there around 200 times. The food wasn't the reason my brother chose to meet me there for lunch, even when his cancer treatments left him unable to eat. We went there because the former owners CARED about the customers, and it showed. At least one of the owners was always there. I mentioned this once to one of them and she said, "No one is going to take care of your business like you." A restaurant is most definitely not a hands-off type of business.During a visit a short time after the restaurant changed ownership, I asked the server if any pie was available. I was told that the pies were now store-bought and no longer homemade. I asked, "Didn't the new owner buy the recipes, too?" I was told the pie recipes were indeed sold with the business, but the owner said he was "too busy" to bake the pies and had decided to buy them instead.The new owners almost immediately changed the decor. They removed all of the photographs, knick-knacks, etc., and replaced them with different things. Problem is, that changes the way the restaurant feels. The owner saw fit to hang a college diploma behind the counter for all to see. (Pro tip: keep your ego wall in your office.)The menus were changed a while back. Gone was the personal message from the owners. Gone was the folksy style.The last time I visited the Grill was about three weeks ago. It was lunchtime and only one other table was occupied. I mentioned this to the server, who admitted that business was very slow. I asked if the owner was there and she said, "He comes in about once a week."Why would someone buy a successful restaurant and proceed to change so much about it? Some change is expected, of course, and I went back to the Grill several times after it changed ownership. Unfortunately, even though the staff was the same, and the food was the same, the soul had already left the body. Leadership begins at the top and you can't lead when you're not there.RIP Cindy.
Reason I gave it a three star is because I had a long worm in my food after I had ate some I noticed it. Didn't bother to bring attention to server as at that point asked for check to leave as felt sick thinking I just ate food with worm in it. My husband got sick when we returned home and he had a different dish which you could tell a lot of butter was used as it was floating in the dish. When you make a white sauce yes you use butter, but not so as it's overpowering the rest of the dish.The service however was great and very friendly and inviting. It was rather loud as they were busy and parking is limited. Would we go back probably not due to our experience, but that's just us. Go and try them out as your experience may be different then ours as never judge by someone else's experience until you've tried yourself!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 5
Great little diner in Dunnellon. I had the Large Garden Salad. It was fresh and satisfying. My companion had the Super BLT, which they made as a wrap at his request and was perfect. Friendly service, easy parking. Will visit again.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 5
Delicious breakfast! We will definitely be back! Staff was friendly and attentive. Large portion sizes for the price. Highly recommend!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Citrus Grill is an excellent restaurant. We had the meatloaf, mashed potatoes and gravy with green beans. The entire meal was fantastic and the service was spot on. Very friendly atmosphere. You could tell it is a place where locals frequent.It’s a mom & pop business working hard in the community to give their very best. This place is a “must go” when visiting the city of Dunnellon. We WILL be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Pizza and Calzones on Thursdays!Yes please!!!Had the mama meatza pizza. This pizza was loaded with toppings! Cooked perfectly with a crispy crust.The price was much lower than I expected and much lower than the local chain pizza joints.Highly recommend trying the pizzas.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Was hoping with the new ownership things would have changed. I guessed the positive reviews or just because there’s nowhere else to eat much and Dunnellon because this place is really not good at all the food not good this is the third or fourth chance we have given this place, and every time end up very disappointed, we definitely need a good place to eat around town but this is definitely not yet way too expensive for what you get and the quality of the food
Ordered food to go n got the Philly, grouper Ruben, and the chicken wrap. Food was good for the most part will definitely give it a try again. Customer service wasn't bad either which nowadays is kind of hard to come by...if you haven't tried citrus grill yet give em a try ?
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
We actually ate there like 4 times in a row it is absolutely phenomenal, amazing, from the staff to the service & everything in between best place ever.. And I mean ever.. If I lived in Florida I would probably eat there every day. Unfortunately we're in Connecticut ??♀️ Keep up the good work guys and God-bless you all. ?????
Kid-friendliness: Southern hospitality here was OUTSTANDING ????
My group of 9 had just finished performing military honors for a deceased veteran and decided to stop for a late lunch on Saturday. We came in about 15 minutes before closing time. The management and staff generously seated us and provided a much needed meal. There was a wide selection of offerings, our group trying at least six different options. The wait staff was very friendly. It made for a very enjoyable afternoon. Again, all thanks to the manager and the staff!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Maybe under new management, so it's the gossip. Food was excellent. Definitely advise you check them out. Servers are a bit lost but they might just be getting w the flow. Small town w excellent food and menu.
Surprisingly friendly locals seem to know this is the place to go for good food and generous portions at a decent price! There was a mix of everyone, young singles, families, couples, and the older social crowd. Casual little place that beats a chain restaurant hands down. There were a lot of choices on the menu. Seated quickly by the adorable little hostess. The wait staff members were welcoming and accommodating, creating a cozy atmosphere. I had the fish and chips and it was really good…they even remembered the tartar sauce and malt vinegar. There are nightly specials, like prime rib Friday, in which tables fill up fast because word gets around when it’s good. I noticed they also do a solid take out business. Definitely going back!
Kid-friendliness: Kids’ menu, family friendly.
Parking: Ample parking and easy access if you have difficulty walking.
Dietary restrictions: Had a vast menu with multiple options for those who don’t eat meat.
Great food, good service and good prices
Diner food done well. I was in town for a photography class and stopped in for lunch. I had the Philly, which was huge! Way too much for one person. My friends and I had to go boxes to bring all our delicious food home. Leftover lunch was easily dinner too?
Parking: Not a huge lot, but adequate. My friends and I traveled in 3 vehicles and we all found a parking spot at lunch time.
Stopped in for late breakfast based on reviews I had seen. I was not disappointed. The place doesn't look like much but the food is very good. The menu here is also very large for both breakfast and lunch & dinner options. I had the Garden Omelette with home fries and my husband had the Southwest Wrap with hash browns. We loved everything, the home fries were good. The hash browns were excellent and my favorite between the home fries and hash browns. My husbands wrap was also very good and my omelette was huge and I took half to go. Portions here are big and can easily be shared.
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