The Hangry Bison - Winter Park — Restaurant in Winter Park

My daughter and I met two friends for an early dinner. I have to eat gluten-free and I let the server know upfront of my dietary restrictions. I also don’t eat red meat.I ordered the herbivore and he told me that they had a gluten-free bun and he would make sure to take care of that for me. I had to substitute a salad for the fries because all the breaded fried items are also fried in the same fryer as the fries ( fellow gluten free eaters take note). Everyone’s food was delivered except mine. He said it would be out shortly. I waited and waited. In fact, everyone else was about half way through their meal when my plate finally arrived. He put it down, apologized for the wait and left. I went to cut it in half only to discover that this was a beef burger. As we were eating outside, it took a while to get his attention. When the server finally made it back to the table I showed him that this was not the herbivore. His response was, but you ordered the “. “ (Substitute name of a meat burger.) I reminded him that I wouldn’t do that because I don’t eat red meat. He apologized and then said that he had opened up the restaurant this morning and the double shift was getting to him. When my herbivore arrived, ( just as everyone else was finishing up their meals) he apologized again and told me that they would be taking care of this. I’m happy to report that my food was really good. I’m not happy to report that when I got the bill they had indeed “comped” the burger that I DIDNT order, but still charged me for the meal I did order but didn’t get until everyone else was almost finished eating. For all of that inconvenience, and especially since the server said to me, they’d take care of it, I believe any manager who truly cares about the experience of their customers would have comped my meal, but this manager did not. I sat there with no food watching everyone else eat for a very long time - until they were almost finished with theirs. I was very disappointed. I would be happy to eat again at the Hangry, Bison as the food was good but just not...

Being that I've been craving a hearty burger, it seemed a perfect time to finally try the Hangry Bison! Upon arriving at the restaurant and reading the menu, I was immediately struck by something they called, "The Hangover" which they described as, "So big, it hangs over the edges. A shareable pork rinds plate topped with beer cheese, bacon, olives, jalapeños, onions, tomatoes and shredded lettuce." Though seemingly exactly what I was craving, my immediate thought was that it sounded gimmicky, kind of like something that would have been in the appetizer section of an Applebee's menu circa 1986, but it absolutely was NOT! The plate of hot, fresh fried pork rinds literally popped and crackled as the server placed the plate on the table, the delicious beer cheese topping was homemade and heavenly, and all of the vegetable toppings were beyond fresh, crisp and delicious (even the cherry tomatoes). With or without the hangover, this was a truly spectacular appetizer and one I'll be ordering again! Next up was the entre and the purpose of my visit; a fat bison burger! The restaurant gives you a marker and the diner must mark the literal plethora of protein choices, toppings, and sides. Personally, I LOVE bison and I tried carefully not to overwhelm this spectacular protein with so many toppings that it would drown out its delicious natural flavor. I selected the brioche bun, lettuce, tomato, Chipotle mayo, smoked gouda, and topped with a fried egg. This is absolutely the new king of burgers in Central Florida as it was, without question, the absolute BEST burger I've ever had in my life! The burger was perfectly prepared, the toppings delicious, and, again, the vegetables were extremely fresh and crisp. The restaurant being located on Plant Street in downtown Winter Garden is a fantastic location and its a beautiful and quaint restaurant with great service. I'll absolutely be returning as soon as possible and I highly recommend it, especially if you're starving and craving meat! Enjoy your meat...

Was craving for a hamburger and been wanting to try this place out. While the winter garden was closer to home, the winter park branch has better reviews and had availability on a Saturday night. I called to make a reservation and immediately got a confirmation email from Resy to my Google account. I arrived almost a half hour early, but still was seated within 5 minutes near the entrance. I decided to try the sweet and salty for my drink (12 dollars). It was a bit on the floral side with the lavender, but quite a strong drink. Well worth the cost. I wanted to avoid beef, so decided with the salmon burger with a side of salad (14 dollars). It came at a reasonable time and was very delicious. The salmon pattie was thick and tasty with the melted cheese on top, and the veggie topping was fresh. The salad was a nice addition with the requested ranch dressing. While the tomatoes were chopped, it was still fresh. Definitely one of the better burger restaurants in the Orlando area.

The restaurant is a bit small, but has a nice bar area. There is outdoor seating, but I didn't see many people there as it was raining. The vibe can be loud when it gets busy, but it gets quieter such that you can hear the inoffensive rock music after 830pm. The service was friendly and helpful such that they lent a guest their umbrella when it was raining outside. This restaurant is close to the movie theater in the winter park village, so it can be a little difficult to find parking during the busy weekend. Pack some patience and expect to walk a little bit from the parking area to the restaurant.

As mentioned, this is indeed one of the top burger restaurants in the Orlando area. If the salmon burger was delicious, I can imagine how nice the beef and bison burgers would be. Next time, I might also shell out the 17 dollars to try the smoked bison drink, which is smoked tableside. Will definitely come back when I have another...