Ovation Bistro & Bar, Winter Haven — Restaurant in Winter Haven

I normally try to avoid providing bad reviews cause I blame it on myself to pick the wrong place, rather than blaming businesses for their bad practices, cause there is a client/vendor dynamic for every taste in this world. But this one is an exception. First: Service was one of the worst ever. Got to admit we showed there with half a soccer team without reservations and they still accommodated us quicky, But that was the only good experience we had. From there on, our server had an attitude like didn't want to hear or understand or accommodate our questions, pointing to the menu all the time and repeating the same like a recording. Did not help at all with the menu and side orders and was so rushed that we felt like in a fast food chain, like if our money was not worth their time. She might have been tired, overworked or just did not like us, But none of that is justification to mistreat customers. All of that got really frustrating when we noticed the almost $ 200 tip the was automatically added to our bill. We asked for just one bill to make things easier for her. We would be ok to pay that and even more if treated fairly. But this was not the case. Second: Food was good, but not to par with it's pricing: the brisket had no flavour at all and looked more like microwave oven food than anything from a decent restaurant. I can compare cause I've been in Texas and know what brisket is, tastes like and should look like. All other dishes we tried were not horrible but we all felt it was overpriced for what we were getting. The pork ribs were the only consensus to be the best meal and very good cooked and flavoured. Third: While in the private room, our meals were interrupted a couple of times because other patrons were annoyed cause we were being loud. Well, if you let in half a soccer team, all teenagers and after wining a tournament, can't expect them not to be excited, especially in the private room. I am Ok if that is the restaurant rule, but don't wait to mention it AFTER we ordered. Should have said so at the beginning (not allowed to celebrate in the private room) and we would gladly take our kids to any other place. In short: Will never go again, do not recommend and hope they can change things around. Might be that we were just unlucky, but sometimes one bad experience is all it takes. Hope the owners take note and don't take this review wrong. Just trying to help them correct real issues we experienced...

I think they must toss out negative reviews because there is no way this place lives up to a 4.7 overall. The restaurant doesn't have a good look, and makes you wonder about the cleanliness. I decided it was likely clean, but just poorly decorated and lit. Our server was very attentive, so that was not really an issue. I think the restaurant just makes poor choices about almost everything. We were brought bread while waited for our salads and it was a good tasting pumpernickel. The whipped butter was so cold that instead of spreading it kind of just crumbled apart. The salad was fine, nothing special just fine. Bleu Cheese dressing tasted store bought. I would expect better than that for this type of restaurant.

Then the entrees came. This is where it gets really bad. I ordered the Steak (medium rare) and Ribs Combo. My companion ordered the Acclaim Chicken. As soon as I went to check the temp of my steak I noticed it was super soft to the touch, no give. Cutting it open and seeing purple confirmed that it was sub-rare. I sent that back to be cooked and started on the ribs. The ribs were extremely tough and chewy, and this is when my companion asked me to try her chicken. It was also tough and chewy. She had ordered this in the past and enjoyed it. I was dining at Ovation for the first time, so I had no point of reference. It just seemed like they had re-warmed food that been cooked earlier in the day and not sold. When the steak returned the temp was medium rare as ordered, but once again it was so tough that it was just not good. Beyond that, the meat had an off-putting smell, and was seasoned terribly. Apparently they use a rub that consists of black pepper, white peeper, cayenne pepper, and God knows what else. All you can taste is pepper, that is all I know. Who would do this to a steak I ask? No salt, no garlic, just pepper on pepper on pepper. The manager tried to make it right by offering to redo everything. How is that supposed to work when all of the meat was tough? My combo was comped, and we left hungry. Her baked potato and my mashed potatoes were fine. The rest was probably the worst chicken, steak, and ribs that either of us have had in the...

I recently visited Ovation Bistro with high expectations, hoping for a memorable dining experience. However, I must say that my visit left much to be desired. While the restaurant had its redeeming qualities, I encountered several issues that were hard to overlook.

First and foremost, the service was disappointing. The staff appeared inattentive and disengaged, leading to prolonged waiting times for both seating and orders. Their lack of attentiveness made it challenging to get their attention when we needed assistance. This poor service significantly impacted the overall dining experience and left me feeling unattended to and undervalued as a customer.

Additionally, the overhead lighting in the restaurant was noticeably dusty, which cast an unfortunate shadow on an otherwise inviting ambiance. It was disheartening to see such a lack of attention to detail, as it gave the impression of negligence in maintaining a clean and comfortable dining environment. The dusty lighting took away from the overall atmosphere and detracted from the enjoyment of the meal.

Another disappointment was the pricing of the food. While I understand that quality comes at a price, the dishes at Ovation Bistro were simply overpriced for what they offered. The portions were smaller than expected, and the taste did not justify the hefty price tags. It was disheartening to pay a premium and leave feeling underwhelmed with the overall culinary experience.

Despite these shortcomings, I must acknowledge that Ovation Bistro did have a few positives. The restaurant’s decor was stylish and aesthetically pleasing, and the menu boasted a variety of options that could have been promising if executed better. Nevertheless, these positives were overshadowed by the issues of poor service, dusty lighting, and overpriced food.

In conclusion, my experience at Ovation Bistro was marked by disappointment. The subpar service, dusty overhead lighting, and overpriced food detracted from what could have been a pleasant dining experience. Regrettably, I would not recommend Ovation Bistro based on my visit, as there are other establishments that offer better value and more...