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Hours
Tue
11:30 AM - 9:00 PM
Wed
11:30 AM - 9:00 PM
Thu
11:30 AM - 9:00 PM
Fri
11:30 AM - 9:00 PM
Sat
11:30 AM - 9:00 PM
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What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Ratings and reviews
4.5
Travelers' Choice 2024
RATINGS
Food
Service
Value
Atmosphere
Details
Someone from this business manages this listing.
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CUISINES
Steakhouse, Cajun & Creole, Contemporary
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options
Meals
Dinner, Drinks
features
Does this restaurant have private dining rooms?
Details
About
The Grill At 1951 is the hidden Gem of Restaurants in Port Charlotte also serving Punta Gorda and Charlotte County. Winners of the 13th Annual Taste of Punta Gorda. We are focused on using top grade ingredients to create the best food in the County, great service, upscale ambiance and LIVE ENTERTAINMENT 6 NIGHTS PER WEEK with emphasis on Jazz. The menu: fresh seafood, rich Italian dishes, top grade steaks & chops. The ambiance is casual fine dining Lunch and dinner with small plate options. Check website for Special events like Tapas Mondays on the 1st Monday of each month, Wine Pairings or Special Live Music Events. Extensive & creative wine menu. Private dining in back room. The Grill At 1951 may very well become your new Favorite Restaurant.
CUISINES
Steakhouse, Cajun & Creole, Contemporary
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options
Meals
Dinner, Drinks
FEATURES
Takeout, Reservations, Private Dining, Seating, Parking Available, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Wine and Beer, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Live Music, Jazz Bar, Gift Cards Available
Contribute
4.5
201 reviews
Excellent
163
Very good
10
Average
11
Poor
8
Terrible
9
Matthew
2 contributions
Sep 2020 • none
The Grill At 1951 is maybe the best all around restaurant I've ever eaten in and I've eaten in a lot of restaurants. I typically prefer the seafood and pasta with seafood, but the steaks are also incredible. Service is great and the live music is a great addition making this my all around favorite restaurant in Charlotte County. Be sure to check it out. You won't be disappointed!!
Written September 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
John P
1 contribution
Jun 2021 • none
A business associate recommended the Grill while in the area last week. The staff was friendly and courteous. The drink, wine and food menus were quite extensive. The food was absolutely delicious and the recommended wine complimented the food perfectly. The atmosphere was comfortable with live jazz, the service was most professional, the patrons friendly, It was a most pleasurable experience that inspires a return visit.
Written June 8, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David Eger
Wow.... what a nice review. Very much appreciated. Thank you and please do come back. We'll try to make every visit pleasurable, and if it's not just what you want, we want to know. Our Chefs Todd and Keyvus do a super job and we're lucky to have them.
Written September 9, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Steven D
1 contribution
May 2020 • solo
I had the fish sandwich and it was phenomenal. It was perfectly cooked. Crisp batter, flaky white fish served on a toasted roll with a tangy tartar sauce. The fries and coleslaw on the side were delicious as well. My server Candice was excellent, she made sure my drink was always full as well as making a few recommendations for what to try next time. Over all a great place to eat, I'll be back.
Written May 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DLT
4 contributions
Nov 2020 • none
Love this place, the reason only gave 3 stars is: We have eaten at this restaurant multiple times. In September we had roasted duck which was delicious, however, when we had the same dish tonight, the sauce was different but not in a good way. The duck itself was not at all what we remembered, it was dry. Perhaps they have changed the chef? If so, hope they continue looking. My husband ordered a cappuccino to finish the meal which tasted very off. When he inquired with the waitress, he was told that they had run out of milk and so they made the cappuccino with half-and-half. The ambience/live music is great.. We will go back, however, if the food doesn’t improve .....
Written November 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marilyn K
Punta Gorda191 contributions
Jun 2020 • none
Went for dinner tonight. Went early because we were meeting friends later in the evening. So I ordered a specialty cocktail that included mulled cucumber. When my drink arrived, there was no cucumber or even the taste of cucumber in my drink! I questioned our server and he stated that they were out of cucumber and the bartender improvised! But that wasn’t what I ordered! And if you are out of cucumbers go across the street to Walmart!!?He still charged me for the drink and never offered me a replacement since I did not like what I got. And my drink was 7.50 !My hubby ordered a vodka and grapefruit..... they did not have grapefruit juice!!? Walmart is still there! We were not pleased I also ordered lobster bisque. Usually it’s thick with chunks of lobster in it. This not so much. It was watery with no taste and no lobster that I could see. My husbands steak was decent but the shrimp did not taste fresh and my grouper was dry as paper. The only thing we can really say was off the charts was the coffee and the calamari app. It’s expensive too and if you want a salad it’s extra. One and done
Written June 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tomas Worm
Cape Coral24 contributions
Feb 2021 • none
Went to the restaurant to celebrate our friends birthday. Arrived a little before 6 o'clock. ordered cocktails, two of us ordered double scotchs received singles, sent back. Ordered appetizers, shrimp burchette and mussels they were great, only good thing of the evening Ordered soup and salad, soup was cold had to send back. Ordered entrees at 7:15, received entrees at 8:15 all entress (sea bass, scallops and pasta, and two rib eye steaks) were cold. Sent back steaks and fish they were microwaved when returned and all demi glaze was dried, fish and scallops were also micro waved which destroyed the fish and the scallops. Finished dinner after 9.
Written February 3, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David Eger
Hello Tiesman:
It sounds like you had a very bad experience. This is not a typical experience and I'm wondering what happened. I didn't realize I had unanswered reviews because we have been very busy.
I hope you'll try us again sometime and I think you'll find a different situation.
Written June 12, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Mrs B
Port Charlotte5 contributions
Jan 2021 • none
This restaurant is a mixture of a sports bar and a fine dining which does not work. We were expecting to pay a hefty price for good service and great food !
We started out with lobster bisque which my husband enjoyed and I not so much. Entree was surf and turf- he had the lobster and I had the shrimp. There was no drawn butter with the lobster and I asked for a slightly pink filet. They killed it.. it was so dried out. No flavor, no spice on my shrimp or potatoes.
Server was doing his best but twice put my husbands drink and plate down and reached across the table to hand me mine...totally unacceptable.
I returned my plate and they took it off but left hungry.
Written January 10, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sharon P
Port Charlotte129 contributions
Jun 2022 • none
My husband and I ordered the Ahi Tuna "Martini" (served in a martini glass), which was very tasty, but the accompanying wonton chips were stale. Crusty bread with seasoned oil/vinegar for dipping was delicious. We then split a ribeye special and ordered it medium rare. It was seasoned nicely, but was delivered well-done. The friendly bartender of course offered to have another steak prepared (we declined and took the majority home for our dog). The custard in our creme brulee was overly sweet and the eggs were extremely overcooked. For the price we paid (tuna was over $17 and steak was over $50), we would have expected something a bit closer to awesome.
The live jazz was lovely, and the atmosphere was very nice (except for the three bored waitstaff standing behind us for our first 20 minutes chatting away as if they were at a party).
We may give this restaurant another try in the future, but it will probably be awhile before we take the chance again.
Written June 24, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David Eger
Hello Sharon
I really wish you had accepted the new steak cooked correctly.
Your review is fair and I apologize. We had a temporary chef on the grill due to kitchen personnel not showing up. We have replaced key positions and for the better.
This will not happen again. Thank you for your patience ce and understanding I hope you'll let me know next ti.e you are coming.
Thank you,
David Eger
Written June 27, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Gordon E
5 contributions
Apr 2020 • couples
While this is my Dad, I’m writing a very honest review of his restaurant. The Grill at 1951 is hands-down one of the best restaurants I have eaten at…. ever! You’ve outdone yourself Dad. Food, atmosphere, and everything was great. While I normally listen to a different type of music, it was a wonderful experience to listen to the jazzier music with piano, guitar and bass…. Tony Boffa as I recall was fantastic and had a great on-stage personality to boot. Everyone in the restaurant was having a blast. Keep up the great work and I can’t wait to get back to Florida for another great ‘supper club’ experience. I’m super proud of my Dad. I highly recommend to try it out!
Written May 22, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Indy500Pix
Indianapolis26 contributions
Sep 2021 • none
The Grill at 1951 was an impulse stop as we visited friends in Port Charlotte. We wanted seafood and most reviews were very positive, though the Grill at 1951 was more of an experience in dining than just a quick meal on the way home. The ambiance was wonderful – a definite local crowd there to take in some great entertainment and excellent cuisine. JoeyG started us off with the shrimp cocktail – six good sized shrimp served with a pleasing sauce that was not as spicy as some but still had excellent flavor (we were used to St Elmo’s cocktail sauce in Indianapolis). The accompanying Tribeca bread, which is finished at the restaurant, was warm and very tasty. The Olive oil and garlic confit which accompanied the bread was nice but I preferred the whipped butter instead. The wife had Shrimp and Lobster Fra Diablo, which was more than she could finish but very flavorful. The lobster tail was a bit on the small side (6-7 god sized bites) but quite tasty in the spicy tomato sauce. I tried the Surf and Turf – a petite filet and lobster tail. The same was the same size as the wife’s meal, again tasty with the drawn butter. The filet was prepared medium rare to my liking and was finished with grilled asparagus and French fries (which were crisp on the outside and fluffy inside). We finished with dessert of key lime pie (excellent) and lemon sorbet that was as tart as any I can remember. The ad says “dine in finesse” and that was certainly true. The entertainment followed as we finished our desserts. Since we had not expected live music, the piano of Mickey Basil was a very nice finish to the evening. Very enjoyable and certainly a return visit would be in order, though I believe we should check the menu and entertainment ahead of time instead of just dropping in.
Written September 3, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David Eger
Thank you so much. We've tried to make all our customer feel like we're the best and they are special. Please hurry back. We love your review.....
Written September 9, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Marilyn
DeKalb1 contribution
Feb 2023 • couples
We were looking forward to dining at this restaurant, but left totally disappointed. We did our part as guests, we made reservations for Valentines Day several weeks prior, we spent time getting dressed up and drove for half an hour, we appeared at the hostess podium 5 minutes before our reservations and that’s where the dismay began. The hostess, who showed zero hospitality, not even the slightest smile, announced that they were double booked and someone else was at the table, like that was a normal occurrence and she added nothing more. When we asked how long we could expect to wait, her answer was a curt “I don’t know “. Even though we remained in front of the hostess podium, we were never updated on status of our table. After 35 minutes we asked again how much longer and she said they were setting the table and it would be a few more minutes. We were shown to a high top table jammed into a corner behind the entertainer. At that point we turned around and walked out. At the price point of this restaurant we didn’t expect to get shown to a table better suited for burgers and beer in a bar.
Even given that this was going to be a busy night for a restaurant the apparent policy of double booking reservations and jamming diners into tight spots shows zero customer service or appreciation, but a lot about greed. The restaurant was packed with people waiting outside and in the parking lot so I’m sure they quickly found someone willing to pay premium prices for substandard customer service.
Written February 15, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David Eger
Hello Wander50972905831:
I am very sorry for your inconvenience. You deserve and have every right to be upset. This is not a common occurance at the Grill as you know by our reputation. We had a malfunction in our booking software and never realized it until just before the event when assigning tables. Our reservations are cancelled when we reach capacity except for a waiting list when we call you back. We don't overbook and I don't know about a trend. As it turned out, a party of 8 and a party of 6 never showed up that night and it's a shame that you didn't wait just a little longer. I feel terrible and would like to do something to try to smooth out the terrible experience you had. If you would like to try us again, please write us at assistanceforthegrill1951@gmail.com and we'll see what we can do.
Again, very sorry.
Written February 17, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Neal S
Johns Creek23 contributions
Feb 2022 • friends
Disappointing Dinner
We had a reservation and even though it was very busy, we were seated in 5 minutes. That’s about the best part of the entire meal. Our server Mariah came over fairly quickly and I asked if there were any specials. She told us the specials, we ordered a bottle of wine, chicken liver pate and a Caesar salad. The wine came in about in ten minutes then the pate. Mariah brought us bread after 30 minutes. Still my salad did not arrive. After one hour of waiting with no salad or entrees, I asked Mariah if our food was coming any time soon. She said they were short staff and the kitchen was backed up. Finally after ONE HOUR and 15 minutes my salad appeared. Salad needs no cooking and why would it take 75 minutes to compose a salad? Is it the fault of the kitchen not making the salad or was it made and the server did not pick it up? I had time to take two bites of my salad and then the entrees appeared. I had to choose eating my salad and letting my entree get cold and it was served luke warm to start. If I sent lobster and shrimp back to be reheated the seafood would be over cooked. I spoke to Mariah and asked why did the entree basically come out with the salad? She knew this was not right but she didnt know what do or say or she just didnt see the problem.She apologized and then walked away. She should have done more. Either the salad or the entree should have been comped. Another of our entrees came out cold and had to be sent back and when it returned it was still not hot. The plate was hot but not the food. If the kitchen is short staffed then management should not fill every table to insure that service is prompt and food is delivered in courses, not all at once and the food should be hot. We spent over $230.00 for this dinner and it was not worth the cost. Management never came by our table the entire evening to ask if everything was all right.
Written February 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David Eger
I hate to admit it, but your review is spot on. We were slammed with personnel not showing up and that is our problem to resolve.
We are (more or less) suffering from a reputation of excellence, and at this point very popular. Each night brings us new challenges.
We are taking your just complaints as constructive criticism and we are hiring new new staff for the bar, server(s) and kitchen.
We're back to normal tonight, but we will insure good service.
We will not be able to hire everyone overnight as labor is at a premium for right now, but we will not have a reoccurrence of last night
Thank you for your review and making us better.
David Eger
Written February 12, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Kirstin
3 contributions
May 2020 • none
What a great experience! I went here with my boyfriend for dinner last weekend and we had an amazing time. This restaurant is a smart blend of traditional and contemporary. The staff was very friendly and professional. As live music played on the The Grill's stage, we ordered drinks with our Salt & Pepper Calamari appetizer (delicious) before our entrees arrived. I ate up my salmon dish and snuck a few bites of my boyfriend's large plate of shrimp & scallop linguine. Our food was soo good and filling that we took two lava cake desserts home to munch on later. Overall, sincerely well-done and I am eager to head back to the West Coast of Florida to try more items off the menu!
Written May 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MaMaFee
Punta Gorda186 contributions
Jun 2021 • couples
We were one of 3 couples & had a most enjoyable evening dining here. Every appetizer and entrée was cooked and prepared to perfection! The menu is so extensive and the descriptions of each item sounded so appealing that we all wanted to order everything! Our server, Raffy, was exquisitely attentive and the staff worked as a team in delivering our food & adult beverages. I had the ahi tuna which melted in my mouth. My husband had the salmon which he’s been raving about since we went there! Everyone else was quite pleased.
We were quite entertained by Joey & Wayne who were the headliners that evening!
We shall return!
Written June 8, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David Eger
Thank you and I apologize for the slow response time.
Of course, we'd love to see you back, and aside from the food, we have a great line up of musicians this month for entertainment. We have plenty of the salmon left and if you like 4 legged creatures, we're adding a Sirloin (it's just great) to the menu soon which we have been running as a Special. While the cost of some menu items just keeps escalating out of the reach of a lot of people, we are coming up with some great replacement items to substitute in place of, that are just as good or better. Please come back....
Written September 9, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
webbdrw1972
Cape Coral20 contributions
May 2020 • none
We have been to the old JD’s and the new and improved Grill at 1951. The new and improved version really is a class experience. We come for the music which is always great, but occasionally will do a date night meal. Calamari appetizer, lobster bisque, harvest salad, lamb comps were all 5 star quality. Service is amazing, and like I said couple that with amazing live jazz from top notch musicians and you simply can’t top this experience in Port Charlotte. Highly recommended.
Written May 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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