Taberna Burntwood — Restaurant in Florida

It was slammed the night we went in, and the hostess found us a booth in the back. She said she had hoped it wouldn't be too loud. . .it was the one that backs up to their servers station and the kitchen. Well, that was loud, but there were two realllly big parties next to us. We watched as the timing of their food did not come out for one of the groups, and a woman named Caitlyn was busting her butt all over the place to get it right. She was taking care of running food out herself, trying to match the food with the person without auctioning it off. We saw her get called to the front, to the back, and all over the place. So I'm taking a leap here and saying Caitlin keeps this place humming along. Service was knowledgeable and friendly, although we did have to sometimes flag down our server for refills. Son ordered the Sicilian flatbread, which he was surprised was spicy. It does have pepperoncinis sliced (with the seeds), so he wasn't used to that. Husband had a salmon sandwich. I thought it would come on anything other than what looked like wheat bread. He said it was good but he would probably try something else if we came back. I had the tavern chips off the appetizer menu. They aren't kidding when they say they have garlic on them . . .they mean whole cloves that have been roasted to a mild flavor. I am a fan of anything with whole garlic! They even use the flavorful part of the scallion when they top these babies, so someone's paying attention back there. We'd probably be back, especially in the summer when it's not likely to be as...

Visited the Naples location for the first time last weekend, 3 in our party. Arrived around 4:50 pm, happy hour just starting. The outside patio had two tables left which were scooped up by people in front of us and the inside bar area was at its max! According to the staff, Burntwood had reserved the entire inside bar for a party, which we were told should NOT have happened. So we were seated at one of the few tables they have. NO air conditioning! Not working! No fans brought in for employees working in the heat and short staffed! Extremely HOT! We were told they only honor happy hour at the bst and patio…. So no drink specials for us! Bad BAD start! Then told we could not go get a drink at the bar and bring it to our table….getting worse! Told we could not order the Nashville hot chicken & waffles without the hot sauce???? It was literally hot sauce just poured in the chicken…why could it not be put on? Tortalini was spicey… no mention of that on the menu… two people could barely eat their meal! Third order was fish… only tartar sauce available was with jalapeños! Really? Ketchup & maple syrup for waffles were ration portions! Waitress didn’t check back with us…. She was too busy chatting up a co-worker and ducking behind the register to eat her meal…. And YES that’s truth… she told us she was eating! While we sat… waiting for ketchup, lemon and water refills! AWFUL! ...

5 Stars – A hidden gem in Mercato!

We had such a cool experience at Taberna Burnt Wood Tavern in downtown Naples. It’s right in Mercato, and the vibe is exactly what you’d hope for—trendy yet warm, with a rustic charm that makes you want to linger. They offer both indoor and outdoor seating, and while we sat inside this time, I wish we had grabbed one of the cozy outdoor tables!

The atmosphere inside was fantastic—dim lighting, warm wood accents, and music playing at the perfect volume. (I love when restaurants get that right—enough to set the mood, but not so loud you have to shout over your wine.)

We were seated quickly in a comfy booth and had a super sweet waitress who made us feel well taken care of. Speaking of wine—the wine list was impressive, and the glass I ordered was excellent.

Now let’s talk food. We started with the short rib poutine, and wow. Crispy fries, melty cheese curds, rich gravy, and that tender short rib… it was indulgent and absolutely worth it. (Check out the photo—it tasted even better than it looks!)

For my entrée, I had the half chicken with purple mashed cauliflower potatoes and roasted veggies. The chicken was juicy and perfectly seasoned, and the presentation was just beautiful—vibrant colors and an elegant plate that made the meal feel extra special.

All in all, this is one of my favorite meals I’ve had in Mercato. Highly recommend if you’re...