Iron Works

I always try and rate a restaurant for what it's trying to achieve, I never judge a diner against The French Laundry, and I always try to center my reviews around for what the restaurant is aiming at. All that being said, I had wanted to try this place for a long time, there are not too many higher-end restaurants in The Tavares area, so this was worth a shot. I immediately really like the decor, and figured steampunk was definitely an interesting choice, but everything in the plaza seems to be themed in some kind of steam punk vision.We were seated rapidly, and our server was very quick, friendly, and attentiveI ordered the the bacon appetizer, prybar old fashioned, as well as their signature New York strip with a caesar salad and carrot cake. I tried to get everything they considered to be their signature dish to get the best feel for the place.The cocktail was excellent, mostly just an old fashioned but very well done with a large steel ball instead of ice to avoid watering it down. The main issue I had was the level of pretentiousness, and corresponding price, for many of the dishes. Their signature NY strip under a smoke cloche was good and well seasoned, but also slightly overcooked; their grilled Caesar was really fresh, but probably didn't need the grilling, the bacon and Maple appetizer was also extremely good but a messy and a pain to eat when it's hanging from a laundry line with an old pair of scissors. (Seriously, the bacon was really good and different and worth the try even with the mess). Even the bread we ordered to the table had a "butter candle" which seemed wholly unnecessary and more of an excuse to charge more for bread. It screams of recently graduated culinary student trying way too hard.Overall the food was quite good, if a little overpriced. If a little more care was placed on actually making the food rather than unnecessary bells and whistles it would probably be a little bit better experience overall. I do plan on stopping in again to try their tomahawk and hopefully get slightly better result.If you're already in the area, it's probably worth the stop if you're looking for a solid steakhouse.

We were a group of 10. Very cool place, much smaller than expected though. First, we waited probably 10 minutes to be asked about drinks, then 20+ minutes to get them. I had heard it was way overpriced...and they were right. $11 for bread and butter 'appetizer'. NOT worth it. $16 for a Tito's cocktail. HmmmmAfter looking at the expensive menu, my husband and I decided on the '2 for $89' dinner. He got the porterhouse and I got the sirloin. It came with a salad and one side. The salads were excellent, thus the 3 stars. As for the rest, the sirloin was good and cooked properly. My husband's porterhouse was as thin as a 2 pancakes and overcooked. His baked potato was undercooked and my garlic mashed were nothing to write home about. Dessert...I don't know if I have ever been served a cake that dry. Save yourself the time and money.

Fantastic experience tonight in a very cool place with pretty awesome ambiance. Had a steak burger that was pretty delicious and huge with the portion of beef. Rachel provided excellent service and we will come back soon. Excellent place for steak as my buddies both had rib eyes and enjoyed

Food was really good. Chef came to say hello.Service was outstanding. Waitress Lauren was exceptional and the bar tender was on point. Ambiance was perfect. Architecture was really thought out. This place is a hidden jam. Prices are a little high but you get what you pay for. The appetizer was really good and the presentation was very creative and the taste was superb. Definitely will be back.

WOW!! Best restaurant in Tavares! I came here for my birthday. It was surprisingly slow on a Wednesday. Walking into the restaurant , you can tell someone put their passion into this place! The decor is awesome, like nothing I've ever seen before. We grabbed 2 seats at the bar. We started with drinks, they were tasty and strong. The bartender is a mixologist who was working on a new concoction in front of us. It was cool to see what he was making and we got a small sample. Our appetizer was bread with a cute butter. It had a lit wick like a candle! Next I had the French onion soup, It was large and cheesy, just Delicious! For the entree we split the perfectly cooked (rare) tomahawk! The presentation alone was jaw dropping. I devoured the lobsters tail, it was juicy and flavorful. With little room left in my belly, I decided to order a slice of chocolate cake. I do not regret it. Very delicious! Even had edible glitter. They have an eye for detail in every aspect, from the decor to food presentation and drinks. I love this place it's very special. Can't forget the staff! They were friendly and tentative. We enjoyed talking with all of them who served us.

Had the NY Strip. never had a NY strip 1/4 of an inch thick. 45 dollars. long horn is much better and half the price. the bride had a fillet 55 dollars. she enjoyed it. bread and butter 11 bucks. not worth it. we both has a salad to start. brought hers. by the time I got the waitress she was done seems they forgot mine. It was ok. but I don't think it's worth the price.

Arguably one of the best steakhouses in the area. Between the table we had 3 different steaks and all were delicious and melted in your mouth, even for my friend who likes it well done lol. I do like a steak sauce with my steaks and though it didn't need any the chef made a sauce for me so delicious I started eating it from the bowl by the time I was finished. I really liked the variety of side options however I wish the creamed spinach was more spinach and less cream, but it was good. My main complaint was having to pay for the bread that, in comparison to other restaurants, should've been complimentary. Aside from those two things, my experience was rather enjoyable. I will be returning and I'm hoping to become a regular.

Went here due to the positive reviews. The decor was really cool. I kept looking at the fireplace that was way up the wall. The bartender was attentive and I ordered the signature old fashioned. Was very good and had a steel ball to keep it cold. Cool...I ordered the NY Strip, loaded baked potato and a house salad. I asked for the salad first. Well, the salad came out first but within 2 minutes of getting my salad the steak came out to me. The steak was thin and overcooked. I like it medium and it was more medium well and hard. It was bland and had some type of greens on top of it. It was less comparable to Longhorns and way more expensive. The steak with two sides came to 50 dollars, with the 13 dollar drink and tax it was 75 dollars then a tip, it came to 95 dollars for mediocracy. The menu said it was USDA Choice but in my opinion it was USDA Select. Only worth 3 stars due to the steak. Won't be going back anytime soon.

The restaurant is clean and nicely decorated. The service was attentive and friendly. But I found the food was nothing really special and way over priced!

Great food and great unique ambiance. Tomahawk was the best I've ever had. Definitely worth the try.