Vernon's - Ponte Vedra Beach

We wanted to go out for dinner for Mother’s Day because my wife doesn’t like brunch. When we arrived, we learned that it was just a continuation of the brunch started several hours earlier. We were given no warning to this when making our reservation. Let’s just say the buffet was tired. Most of the meats were cold. It wasn’t the Mother’s Day dining experience I hoped to give my wife and daughter, also a mother.

We took my mother and in-laws out for dinner. I had checked out the menu beforehand to make sure there was something each of them would like. After we were seated, we were informed that dinner is a buffet. My husband and I do not care for buffets. Our parents are in their 90’s and have trouble walking. They use assistive devices, so they can not fill a plate and walk with it. The waitress did not fully comprehend the difficulties we faced. She started telling them the choices on the buffet, but I stopped her. No way could they remember more than one or two items at a time. My husband and I went to the buffet and chose items for our mothers. We then went back for our own food. We had trouble communicating with some of the staff serving food. They couldn’t understand us. The food was a disappointment. It was cold and not the best quality. Servers were more interested in talking with each other, rather than the customers. When the bill came, we were in shock. $70 per person was outrageous…Especially when our mothers eat the same amount as a toddler. For $70 each, I would expect amazing HOT food, friendly staff, outstanding service and more than just cookies as a dessert choice. 100% disappointment all around. We would not recommend this restaurant and we most certainly will not return.

Mother’s Day buffet for $70 a head was not worth half that.

I am a local to Ponte Vedra Beach. We have attended brunches in various places like Valley smoke the Palm Valley Fish Camp, The Seahorse over at PonteVedra and inn Club Horsay over in downtown Jacksonville among others. My point in this preface is to set the tone that I have no issue with paying for high end dining. Furthermore if I am going to eat out, I prefer a more Foodie Chef based restaurant so my bill tends to land on a higher spectrum. For a brunch of this dor I would expect to not pay any more than $18-$25 this is not the Breakers! And if they would’ve been true to form of what is stated on their website which is $23 for an all American buffet style breakfast; Then I wouldn’t even be writing this review right now. That being said we were seated by the hostess shortly after greeted by our server who asked us if we had ever been there before and as she proceeded to explain the breakdown I could barely hear myself think let alone the words that are coming out of her mouth because of the musician blasting music to the height of what you would experience at a club. I am not in my 20s anymore I don’t enjoy obscenely loud music and I like to enjoy the company that I am with and be able to hold a comfortable conversation without feeling that I am yelling. From my understanding because I read and researched the restaurant prior to attending when she described the breakdown of the $15 additional for unlimited mimosas it would’ve been correct in regards to the extent of the charge on my card but we were with our daughter and not drinking so I said no to the mimosas and expected to get a $23 charge for my husband and I. I gave her my card at the end as my daughter was a bit fussy and also very much annoyed with the obscenely loud music that my husband and her went for a walk prior to us wrapping up breakfast. So it wasn’t until I had paid and concluded my brunch that I noticed an $85 bill for pancakes omelettes and bacon. So for anyone who does their due diligence and researches pricing and style of restaurant prior to attending buyers beware the pricing that is stated online is incorrect! Expect to get over charge for a sub par meal.

The waitress, who was actually in charge of the others and a senior worker, did not give me a receipt for my breakfast, so I requested a copy of the bill. The bill she provided had an 18% service fee stamped on it, which was not on the original bill given to me. This situation was disappointing and unsettling, as I always tip generously. They had already received a generous tip upfront, but when faced with the prospect of providing a receipt with an 18% service fee, their true intentions were revealed. Remember, honesty is always the best policy. Character, honesty, and integrity will always prevail in the end.