Flying Boat Tap Room LLC — Restaurant in Florida

I write reviews because I like to read them. I also like to cook and eat at restaurants. I travel a lot and have been everywhere. I’m honest and I’m not connected to the ownership, so 100% genuine. I won’t be gaslit by ownership for a crappy experience deserving of the negative attention.

I’ll summarize and then go into detail. The pizza was 5/10. Beer 7/10. Service 2/10. Atmosphere 8/10. Hospitality 7/10. It wasn't a good value for what it was. The beer was okay, but the Big Hammock downtown has beers I liked better for flavor. Of the three beers I had here and at Hammock the same day, the ones there were just better selected for flavor. The person in charge of food and beverage at Flying Boat is either not a chef or could really use some travel to a good pizza place charging the same amount and compare their product to others. It is very reminiscent of good old bar pizza and nothing more, yet at a higher price and for the more sophisticated styling and ingredient choices on the menu, I expected more. I was really disappointed with my food. I didn’t try the other food, but anyone giving me those tiny cubed chunks of ham on my pizza and charging $17 for a small pie is not making me a happy customer. The bbq sauce was too much and too sweet. No balance.

Additionally there were several other issues here that I would consider seriously unprofessional, at the very least.

For food: Tiny cubes of tasteless ham that appeared to be very machine cut, likely canned pineapple (while I can’t prove that, it sure appeared really uniform and had that soaked dark appearance and texture having been cut by a machine.

I usually love tap rooms, but I couldn’t find a great beer worth returning for, service, or like what I had to eat. So I just can’t say it was a good experience at all.

All in all, it was very mediocre.

The ambiance outdoors was the only positive aspect, but it was odd to have outdoor entertainment that wasn't accessible by the inside meaning if you sat inside and want AC in the summer (most do as not many were outside), you couldn’t hear it (so no inside speakers).

The parking on the side by the entrance was extremely difficult to get in and out of.

I wanted to reiterate that they really mess up pizza that could be great if using better quality ingredients. It was so disappointing!

While the service began great at the bar, the main server was no where to be found, and walked right past me multiple times, dropped off a menu, never to ever return or ask if I’d like another drink. An annoying male customer came up and asked to sit with me and I said no. He informed me that the staff was talking about me. I said “oh really?” He said yes I said why? I gave them a full tip. I’ve been quiet enjoying my beer waiting for a server. He said cuz I leaned down on the wooden bench after waiting 20+ minutes without service just quiet enjoying music. The average customer in Ocala is well Over 55+. They need more comfortable outdoor seating. When your customers are of age, it’s something to think about. I’m not even over 40!

I know quality because I’ve had a lot of quality food. While I can’t prove the pineapple is canned, the pizza wasn’t up to par for $17. If you want to do a comparison, go ahead and do so with a real wood oven pizza place that can get away with charging that for quality as expected.

This is a beer bar with bar food. That’s all. It has ambiance outdoors, and there isn’t a lot of similar competition in the area, but someone could do a lot better.

As Ocala expands, the tastes and preferences of customers does too, like it or not.

It’s fair to write an honest review when you feel that you had a bad experience, and I did.

It is equally important to write good ones for good experiences.

If you leave feeling scammed, it isn’t entitled, it’s a way to communicate to warn others not to get the same things at least and beware they may feel the same. I’ll pay for quality. That isn’t the issue, it was the lack of quality and unprofessional waitress and gossiping in front of guests about...

Today after playing we had lunch at Flying Boat Tap Room in Ocala. I’ve never been there but friends that have said that I would really like their food. So, four of us that played golf opted to go there instead of our favorite Chinese restaurant in Ocala.

When I walked in, I was pleasantly surprised at the murals on the walls. They are pictures of the Howard Hughes’ Spruce Goose. I moved to Florida from Long Beach, CA and that was where the Spruce Goose was originally placed as a museum before moving it to Oregon. The murals were beautiful and the cat in each picture of the plane was cute.

Our server Simara came by to take our drink orders and gave us the menu. My goodness such an extensive menu from Tapas to handhelds. It was a hard decision in selecting what I was going to eat. I originally asked about the Italian Beef sandwich then, I change my mind and thought maybe I can make my own pizza. No, maybe a smashed burger. While deciding what to eat for my main entrée, our friends ordered not the norm tots and banging n banging shrimp. These are listed under Tapas in the menu. It did not take long before the tapas came. I was a little reluctant to trying the shrimp but went ahead and dove in. There were five pieces of panko fried shrimp on a bed of greens with their house bang-bang sauce. You have to try this dish. The other were tater tots tossed in fresh garlic and Parmesan served with peppadew aioli.

Simara took the orders for our main entrée. I decided on the Flying Boat which is Smashed Burger, cheddar, bacon with fried egg. No cheddar cheese for me. I swear after she took the order all she did was turn then the dishes came. It was fast. Simara was always coming around to ensure that we did not need anything. Always asking everyone if they needed a refill.

I must say it was a pleasant experience which was the complete opposite of our experience from another restaurant the day before. It is always nice when a restaurant can exceed my expectations and then make me want to come back again.

If you’ve never been to the Flying Boat Tap Room in Ocala, FL you have to try it. I don’t think you will be...

Ocala, how have you hidden this from me? We were in town on a camping trip when we ventured out originally for breakfast at Todd and Shelly’s Diner. But thanks to their horrible service we left hungry and by now thirsty for a real drink. Yelpers pointed us in this direction and I am glad we listened. A bountiful 20ish draft beer selection supported by a hefty 15ish can beer option is impressive for a bar this size. If you don’t find a beer you like then go to McDonalds because you don’t deserve to be here. Wife had a cute named turkey/ham/bacon sandwich with a side of potato salad and an additional side of mac n cheese to support my wings. The wings are a hefty size and are smoked which give them a flavor different than traditional bar wings. So, if you don’t like smoked flavored meat skip these….however, i have had smoked wings in other restaurants and i now know they failed. THESE wings were spot on delicious. A cook ventured out to get water and as a smart patron i picked his brain about a good wing flavor; he recommended his personal recipe of garlic parm married with thai chili. That young man has forever changed my relationship with wings 💕 Some hungry table ordered the chef’s charcuterie board and it was in that moment when the waiter walked it by i knew i had ordered wrong. It is a FEAST well under priced!!! I could not have enjoyed this place more if it wasn’t for the staff who have reinforced my love and faith in local eateries that aren’t chained!! Fly you beautiful not airplane/boat establishment! I count down the days until our next camping trip this summer brings me back...