The Hangry Bison - Lake Mary — Restaurant in Sanford

My husband and I ate here for the first time last Monday and I'd like to share an honest review of the good and the bad with hopes management will read this and tweak a few things that could make the restaurant better. First the good! The Bourbon Wings were EXCELLENT! I'd even say these are my new favorite wings. Also the sweet potato fries were great, I love the basket presentation and that they are cut big and fried and seasoned perfectly. So A+ on those 2. Now the bad....on the opposite side of coin, the classic fries were a serious let down. In comparison to the sweet potato fries they sucked..they were TINY. Were talking 1 inch, or 1/2 inch in size. Like we had been given the broken leftovers at the bottom of a bag. For a second I thought maybe we had just gotten a bad batch, but I looked around and noticed another table of 2 send back both of their fries, and another table munching on the same sad teenie tiny fry bits as well. I mean these fries were just SAD. If you would cut them larger this would solve most of the problem. It's a burger place so the classic fry must stand up to the burgers! I love me some sweet potato fries but classics need to be represented better than these were. And lastly the burgers.. #1 there was no seasoning on the Bison Burger, they need some salt! #2 the hangry sauce was almost non existent so the burger was very dry, #3 toppings were almost too big and made it a mess to eat, and #4 and most importantly, the bottom of my Brioche Bun was totally sogged out and a flat mushy mess by my 2nd bite. Probably a combo of the sauce they put onto the bottom half of the bun, and maybe the juice from the patty, but either way, I expect better fries and a better bun when I'm at a burger joint that is trying to mix fine dining with classic eats. They were not cheap! Fix these few things and you will increase the food experience and some of your client returns I promise you. Lastly, because I think it deserves mentioning, advise the servers that when the customers have a mouth full of food, maybe that's not the best time to ask if they are ready to order. I had a full wing in my mouth and had to literally lick the sauce off my fingers as the waiter was standing there waiting. Gotta read the room servers, lol. Do not rush your customers.

Overall, I think I will give the Hangry Bison a 2nd try. Primarily for the delicious wings and to try an amazing looking smokey Old Fashioned we saw, although I do think more wing flavors should be added, and more steak options, maybe some pork chops, and ribs. And how about some nachos??? Beer cheese bison nachos...

We were excited to try the new Hangry Bison in Lake Mary, but unfortunately, our visit was a disappointment from start to finish.

Atmosphere: When we walked in, the vibe wasn’t warm or welcoming. It felt more like a school cafeteria than a restaurant. The corner where we were seated had dirty, scuffed walls, through overall the place looked clean. The bar in the middle of the restaurant looked promising, so we were looking forward to good drinks - sadly, that didn’t happen.

Drinks: The cocktails were flat, watered down, and piled high with crushed ice. For. Place with such an extensive bar, this was a huge letdown.

Service: Our waitress was the bright spot of the hour. She was kind, attentive, and quick to apologize when she forgot our appetizer. She had it out within 5 minutes, and she did everything she could to make up for it.

Food: Fried Green Tomatoes: These were the biggest disappointment. They were completely unseasoned, coated in a thick layer of breadcrumbs, and then deep fried until soggy. Wet, bland, and flavorless - nothing like what fried green tomatoes should be.

Bison Burger (ordered well-done): Came out medium-well, with no seasoning and no flavor.

Turkey Burger: Just as bad - dry bland, and forgettable, like ingredients stacked on a bun without effort. Had to believe these are $16-$18 each.

Mac & Cheese (off-menu): Highly recommended, but it was literally pasta drowned in a heavy Velveeta sauce.

Value: Our bill came to $75 for two burgers, an appetizer, drinks and a side. For food this bland and an atmosphere that misses the mark, it simply wasn’t worth it.

Management: The manager stopped y to check on us. When were shared feedback, she admitted she heard the same feedback from others. She kindly offered a discount, but we declined - we believe the staff still deserved to be paid, and our server was great.

Bottom Line: Great services, but terrible food and drinks. $75 for soggy fried green tomatoes, bland burgers, Velveeta Mac, and watered-down cocktails in a cafeteria-like setting is not something we’d do again. Sadly, we wont’...

We stopped in at The Hungry Bison recently, and while there were a few rough edges to our visit, there were also several highlights that made it a place we’d consider returning to—especially for happy hour or future events.

Let’s start with the positives: our server Arvid was absolutely fantastic—attentive, friendly, and clearly knew the menu well. He checked in regularly without being intrusive and made us feel genuinely welcome. The food itself was another strong point: high-quality ingredients, well-prepared, and the portion sizes were generous for the price. You really get solid value here. Our meals arrived surprisingly quickly too, which made the dining experience all the more enjoyable.

That said, the experience started on a slightly awkward note. We arrived just before opening and were told by the manager to wait six minutes until they were officially open—not a huge deal on its own, but it felt unnecessarily rigid, especially considering there were already staff inside. Once the doors were open, we were seated, but the manager remained at the front table the entire time and didn’t once walk the floor or check on guests. It felt like a missed opportunity, especially for a place that’s only been open just over a week and should be building strong first impressions.

One noticeable issue was the floor—it was quite slick, as if it had been mopped with a greasy solution or not enough degreaser. I actually felt myself sliding a bit as I walked, and another guest nearby even made a similar comment. It’s something we would have mentioned had the manager made rounds or shown any engagement beyond seating guests.

Despite the hiccups, the service from Arvid and the food quality made a strong enough impression that we’d give it another shot—particularly to check out their happy hour or attend one of their events. With a little more attention to front-of-house leadership and basic maintenance details, The Hungry Bison has...