Stirrups at World Equestrian Center

The food was so good! Gaby and Terra (sorry if I got your names wrong!) were absolutely amazing — super sweet, friendly, and really made us feel welcome. We’ll definitely be back! 💛

We have been customers of stirrups for years but our Christmas Eve experience this year took the cake our server Daniel was absolutely hands down the most professional and personable server we’ve ever had, the meal was absolutely wonderful couldn’t recommend enough

After a less-than-stellar first visit, I was invited back to Stirrups by Rafael Frederick, the Director of Food & Beverage at the World Equestrian Center, who personally committed to delivering a better experience, and he delivered far beyond expectations. From the moment I arrived, the difference was clear. The service was attentive without being intrusive, professional yet warm. Our primary server, Lyndsey, and her support, Jackie, were both exceptional, knowledgeable, precise, and genuinely invested in making the evening special. The meal? Outstanding. I started with the crab cakes, which were perfectly seasoned and tender. My main course was a custom “surf and turf”: a beautifully cooked red snapper paired with a 6 oz. filet mignon, served with crisp Brussels sprouts and creamy mashed potatoes. Every bite was balanced, flavorful, and flawlessly executed. And to top it all off? A surprise dessert, elegantly presented and delicious, the perfect close to a stellar dining experience. This wasn’t just a good meal. It was a full-circle moment, proof that leadership, accountability, and care can completely transform a guest experience. Thank you to Rafael and the entire Stirrups team. You’ve more than earned my confidence back.

Visited Stirrups restaurant for breakfast after staying at the hotel the night before. The restaurant is aligned directly outside one of the outside arenas with minimal competitions going on. It was great food and service. My mother-in-law's law kept saying it was really fancy. I thought it was elegant and nice. We ordered the Equestrian Breakfast, French toast, BLET, and Cappaccino. The food was great and had a good experience.

An absolute 5 Star dining experience! This was our second time dining at Stirrups, the first time being a pre fixed meal for my birthday on New Years Eve. This time we ordered from the menu with a dozen oysters and a tomahawk steak cooked to perfection of medium rare. One of the best tomahawks I tasted and perfectly seasoned. Our server was so attentive and checked on us often and provided great recommendations including the wine where we were stuck between two options. They made a great recommendation for the Stag’s Leap Artemis which paired perfectly with the steak. We were staying at their neighbor property, the Riding Academy, which is a short <5 minute drive to Stirrups. We cant wait to return really soon!

This is our first time visiting and it was fantastic. We ordered salmon, char, tenderloin, fried chicken, chicken Alfredo and several sides. All amazing! The staff was very friendly and knew the menu backwards and forwards. They were able to answer even the most obscure questions with fine detail. Highly recommended. Update: we visited again for Sunday brunch and it was again very good. I only got a picture of my food which was an amazing salmon bagel.

My husband and I celebrated our 2 year wedding anniversary at Stirrups with my grandparents. The staff made it such a special experience with complimentary champagne and dessert. They went above and beyond in every single way. Our waitress assistant (Alexis) literally made handmade lemonade from scratch for my grandfather. Laura was our main waitress and delivered menu information so effortlessly. She sold us on most of the meals we chose! The food itself was outstanding. My grandfather had the best sea bass of his life. My short ribs were incredible and I felt great after eating despite being SO full haha. We all had the best time and would go back in a heartbeat. Laura and Alexis, we love you! Thank you for making our anniversary & our time with our grandparents so wonderful.

Fine dining with fabulous service every time at Stirrups. The perfectly seasoned filet melts in your mouth. Pair it with the succulent lobster tail dipped in melted butter. It was a match made in heaven, or at least on my plate. Save room for a sweet treat from the dessert menu. It wasn't just a meal; it was a divine dining experience.

From the amuse-bouche to the dessert, everything during our meal was amazing. Our server Tarlton guided us through the evening and set a good pace for our expectations, which were exceeded. For our anniversary they brought us sparkling wine to toast and dessert. We split the lamb and the wagyu steak, which were both the best we've ever had. The smoked cocktails were excellent. We hope to return again.

I planned my husband's 50th birthday here. I worked with Alejandra in event planning. This was so much more than I expected when it comes to experience. We were treated like royalty! I was blown away. Our whole party was blown away. The service was the best we've ever had. The food... oh my word... I'm still dreaming of the pasta and the steak. It was our first time there and many of us got lost (I'm so sorry to the staff) but they were great and understanding when we arrived late. We were out on the patio and it was wonderful. Everyone should have the experience we had at least once in their life. It was magnificent.

My boyfriend and I celebrated our anniversary here last night 6/12 and everything was spectacular!! To start, the hostess was so sweet. We were sat promptly, she wished us a happy anniversary and told us we looked great! I knew we were in for a great night. If I remember correctly our waitress’s name was Cassidy(sorry if that’s wrong!!!) but oh my gosh she was the best!! So sweet, helpful and knowledgeable about the menu. She even offered to take pictures for us. The manager Ernesto stopped by our table to say hello and welcome us in with a conversation about where we’re from and how our experience had been so far. There was also a gentleman who kept our waters topped off and our table clean all night who was very sweet and funny as well!! As for food, we got a side of brussel sprouts as an appetizer (a staff favorite and for good reason) they were delicious! My boyfriend had the catch of the day which was red snapper, I had the truffle pasta with chicken and we had a side of truffle fries to split. Everything was cooked perfectly and plated beautifully!! At the end of the meal they took our plates to the back and packed our leftovers up for us to take home which is a nice touch. THEN! As a nice surprise for our anniversary they offered us a choice of complimentary sparkling wine or sparkling lemonade and they also brought out a complimentary dessert! Cassidy mentioned that she picked out the dessert specifically because she knew we liked chocolate based on the other dessert we got which we found very thoughtful of her!! Absolute 10/10 experience we cannot wait to return!! Thank you to the Stirrups staff for an incredible night!

Incredible experience. The hotel is beautiful. Everything is very grand and lush while retaining the strong, rough and masculine feeling of a horse baron's property. It's truly amazing to see...make sure to take a drive around the property in the daylight. The food was really good. I dine regularly at "high-end" restaurants and I know that price does NOT mean quality. Stirrups is the definition of the phrase-you get what you pay for. This was a special treat for my daughter and me to share a meal here for my birthday. I eat steak regularly and I wanted something different so I had the venison. It was cooked perfectly and pictured in my review. Delicious! The service was impeccable. Thank you so much Sarah! Our service team of two made sure our glasses were always full...even the water. Sarah was highly knowledgable about the menu and my gluten allergy, even down to the possibilities of cross-contamination and house sauce ingredients. She truly enhanced our dining experience while keeping us safe. The prices aren't terrible. The a la carte menu can get pricey if you're on a budget. The entree's are very reasonably priced. Alcohol adds and you can easily spend double the money on appetizers. Forget the budget and enjoy tho..this place is worth it! Do not visit Ocala, FL and miss this experience. Make reservations well in advance.

I had my birthday dinner here, everything was 10/10, jersey and Dylan helped to make it a great experience :)

The Food was exquisite, and the service went above and beyond! The decor and ambiance were superb (especially as a dog obsessed person! I paint and photograph dogs as my full time job) All of the staff members were incredibly kind and attentive without being overbearing. My food was cooked and seasoned to perfection, and I am extremely picky. It is obvious the staff actually enjoy working here, take their jobs seriously, that the owners treat their staff well, which is MOST important to me. I only wish we had this in my state, but I will most CERTAINLY have to visit again when I return to Florida. Every aspect of my visit here was extremely pleasant and my experience here will plague the forefront of my mind until I can finally return. Also final note: the dining chairs having wheels is a nice touch that i adore. There are few sounds more irritating than chairs scrapping against a floor Sarah was our server and she was absolutely spectacular In Every way!

Took my wife for our 42 wedding anniversary. From the moment we walked in, their service was exceptional. Friendly staff, magnificent ambiance, great menu options, wine selections, and beautiful décor. The waiting staff was exemplary and tended to all our requests. The restaurant faces the equestrian arena where you can watch equine competitions. The interior is unusually decorated with pure breed dog pictures that resembles the interior of an English castle. Our table was perfectly set and we had a wonderful time savoring their delicious food. The Pictures speak for themselves, needless to say it was an unforgettable evening.

We celebrated our 10 year anniversary here and our waiters River & Terra made it so lovely!! River gave us super honest recommendations and surprised us with complimentary cheesecake and truffles. We had the grilled romaine salad, the short rib and truffle pasta with jumbo shrimp. Everything was cooked to perfection and the portions were actually huge. Will be back next time we’re in Ocala!

We enjoyed our dinner at Stirrups. Service was excellent, very attentive and friendly. Wait time for food was not long. Steak was 10/10. The soup was phenomenal! Key lime dessert is a must. Highly recommend.

Amazing food with an even better experience, everything that we tried was amazing and we thought it couldn’t be topping what we had before and been proven wrong, Daniel was an amazing server and made us here so comfortable and celebrated on our 6 year anniversary

We had an exceptional evening celebrating my wife’s 46th birthday at Stirrups. The food was excellent — I enjoyed the 22 oz Ribeye with Brussel Sprouts and Pommes Purée, and every bite was cooked to perfection. River and Teriel were amazing — attentive, personable, and made the entire evening feel special. To top it off, we were surprised with a delicious cheesecake to celebrate my wife’s birthday, compliments of the house. Stirrups delivered first-class food and service from start to finish. Highly recommend!

We visited for the first time this weekend. What an amazing experience! The restaurant is beautiful and the food was cooked to perfection. River and Teriel were our servers and they were nothing short of excellent - absolutely top notch! The best service we’ve had in a long time. We will certainly be returning. Thank you!!

We chose Stirrups to celebrate our wedding anniversary and they did NOT disappoint!! It was our first dining with them and from the moment we walked in, we were treated like celebrities! Our server, Gabby, was phenomenal! Kind, courteous and professional, offering great suggestions from the menu. Our meal was fantastic!! The waygu beef used for the filet mignon was the MOST tender, melt in your mouth filet mignon we've ever had! The accompanied sides were excellent as well! Dessert was chocolate bread pudding served ala-mode with vanilla bean ice cream; fantastic! And they even provided with a complimentary glass of champagne to toast our anniversary! We had an AMAZING time and dinner at Stirrups! Thank you for making our anniversary memorable!! We will definitely be back!!

My husband and I came here for our anniversary dinner. The service was impeccable. Our server was so kind. The food was amazing - I recommend the truffle pasta. We enjoyed walking the hotel to look at all of the framed dog paintings before and after our delicious meal. I would absolutely visit again. Parking was easy - but to be fair we went on a Sunday evening when there were no events.

Our first time at Stirrups and it was a great experience! The food was amazing! But what was better than the food, was the service! Our Waitress Lindsey and her partner Mimi were absolutely incredible! Mimi made our kids special drinks and was the friendliest waitress we have ever met. She definitely needs to be a lead server! Our Server, Lindsey, made our whole experience the most enjoyable! Thank you both for the experience and for the service. Bless both of you! Thank you! ❤️

We had an outstanding experience at Stirrups. Michelle and Dylan were phenomenal servers—attentive, knowledgeable, and truly focused on making sure every detail of our meal was perfect. They catered to all of our needs seamlessly and made us feel genuinely welcome. It was our first time trying venison, and it was absolutely amazing—perfectly prepared and incredibly flavorful. From service to food, everything exceeded our expectations. We will definitely be back.

Stirrups is an exceptional restaurant. The service is always impeccable, and the menu is very varied and regularly updated. Everything is incredibly refined and bursting with flavor. It's always an amazing experience, not to mention the beautiful decor. The attention we received on the occasion of my wife's birthday particularly impressed us. It wasn't an easy task, as my wife has significant food intolerances. I would especially like to thank Daniel, Mimi, and Craig for their kindness and professionalism, which made this evening truly magical.

We recently dined at Stirrups and had an amazing experience. They have a wonderful wine selection and their menu is very impressive. I have a gluten allergy and was very grateful to see gluten free items on the menu. I felt very comfortable eating here. Ashley, our server, took such great care of us and made sure my order was GF and safe for me. Mimi was very attentive to all of our requests. Ashley and Mimi were so sweet and kind, thank you for creating wonderful memories for us! Thank you Chef Josh for a wonderful and delicious dinner and the coconut sorbet that was to die for!! Thank you Stirrups, we’ll see you again soon! ❤️

My husband and I celebrated our 1-month anniversary last night, using WEC gift cards received as wedding gifts. I had filet mignon, and Paul had scallops. We also enjoyed a salad and twice-baked potatoes. The food was excellent, the service provided by Daniel and Dylan was top notch and made the dinner even more enjoyable. The atmosphere was perfect--seated near a window and the fireplace. The complimentary champagne (or lemon fizz) and dessert for our anniversary were a delightful surprise. This will definitely be our go-to place for our 1 -year anniversary!

We dined at Stirrups for my wife’s birthday. To say it was such a welcomed surprise would be an understatement! From the moment we arrived we were treated like royalty by the staff. The food was absolutely delicious the atmosphere was amazing and the Christmas decorations were delightful. It was truly a special and beautiful experience!

All around great place. Mostly during the holidays for the beautiful atmosphere and the wonderful decorations I will say the menu is a little limited or a steakhouse regarding items other than steak but the bone in ribeye is outstanding. Each one of the sides we ordered was was excellent

The best eggs Benedict ever. Sauce was so smooth and seasoned perfectly. Do not miss the house made croissants: Chocolate not to missed but the Almond is Queen. Gorgeous atmosphere and all compliments to the Bakers and Chef’s

This was my first time at Stirrups. A friend of mine and I restaurant hop to new locations monthly and this was our current place. Daniel, our waiter, was entertaining and informative. The location is stunning and the experience, over all, was really beautiful. The food was good. Nothing to write home about. I've had better and I have had worse. We had 2 appetizers, bread board, our entrees and 2 desserts. It was a BEAUTIFUL presentation! Top tier for my eyes to take in. I loved the sparkling lemonade the most. Spent around $400 for 2 people.

The food here is amazing! The meats are tender and flavorful. Fish (scallops and grouper) we're also great. Service is another story. We waited forever for our orders. We ordered sides but they came way after the mains. In fact they started taking our dinner plates before the sides arrived!

My wife and I decided to have Friday brunch. We've never dined at Stirrups so I was very eager to try it since Ocala's restaurants are not up to par with those in major cities. I ordered my usual breakfast, Eggs Benedict. Stirrups recipe was a bit different. The English muffin was replaced by a large biscuit & the canadian bacon with thick cut bacon. The dish included cooked whole potatoes not home fries as served in many of the morning restaurants in town. While I was waiting for breakfast to be served I ordered a Mimosa. The drink was expertly prepared with the correct ration of champagne & oj.It was garnished with a whole strawberry on the rim which my wife immediately took advantage of. Our meal arrived in a timely manner and all of the food was expertly prepared and delicious. I was so impressed that we will soon return to Stirrups and try their dinner menu. Highly recommended!

The good: Service is exceptional with choice of lemon, lime, or cucumber for your water. Servers refer to you by name If you are not sure about wine, they provide taste glasses to try before you commit. The roasted vegetables are amazing without any sauces. The twice baked potatoes are humongous and good. The dining room was exceptional. Not So Good: The $95 rib eye ordered well done had parts that were rare. Minimal charring made the meat have a greasy mouth feel. The filet Mignon was also lacking any char. Flavor was just blah. Part was well done, part was medium well. I ordered medium. So cooking to order is lacking here.

We visited Stirrups with 4 other friends. I did not find much on the menu that I preferred so I opted for the Southern Fried chicken ($49) plus a side of Brussels sprouts ($20). With the first bite I could tell it was very over salted. Even the brussel sprouts were salty. But the chicken was really inedible. I also found a hair in my biscuit. YUK. I reported the excessive salt issue to the server but heard nothing back. The rest of the people were satisfied with their meals. Personally, not impressed with my meal, especially at that price. No need to return.

Stirrups is located in The Equestrian Hotel. The decor and atmosphere doesn’t disappoint. We started with the shrimp cocktail, which was a disappointment.The shrimp was definitely frozen, not fresh. We were charged $5 to split the wedge salad, but it came on one plate cut into four pieces, instead of being plated 3 ways as expected when you are being charged a plate fee. It was excellent, definitely recommend. Two people in our party got the 6 oz filet. Again, I would bet that it was frozen because the flavor was lacking, just like the service. No steak knives were provided. We asked to see dessert menus, which we ended up retrieving for ourselves. Overall, I would recommend skipping this restaurant and visit a tack store for a new bridle instead.

When selecting my reservation options, I requested a table with a view. Upon arrival, they gave me table near the walkway to the kitchen and to the doors to the outside tables. I asked for a better table but they just sat us at the table anyway. (There were only 7 patrons in the entire restaurant so there were plenty of tables.) When my husband ordered an old fashion, it must have had 1/4 cup of liquid and a piece of ice that took the entire room of the glass. We commented to our waiter of how little the drink contained and once again, ignored our concern. The appetizers were very small. The Hearts of Romaine salad was not very tasty. We had the Beet and Apple salad that had "foam" on top of the salad that was very strange and it must have had 5 pieces of beets. Why call it a beet salad then? We ordered mushrooms, mac and cheese, twice baked potato, and brussel sprouts. All the side were just okay. My filet was good. But I must tell you, Stirrups is not very impressive overall, especially when the prices are comparable to high end steak establishments I frequent: Capital Grille, Kres Chophouse, Council Oak, etc. This is my second time to Stirrups so I did gave it another try to change my mind.

***EDIT*** Not sure why you encourage emailing the manager. I’ve emailed twice, and zero follow up ***EDIT*** Disappointing Anniversary Dinner at Stirrups: Far from Elegant. Our 30th anniversary dinner at Stirrups in Ocala, Florida, left much to be desired. Despite the restaurant's claim to be Ocala's premier, elegant southern steakhouse, our experience fell short of expectations. From the moment we entered, the ambiance was lacking in refinement. The dining room lacked the elegance promised, with scratched glass tables and clunky, unbalanced silverware that seemed to plague both guests and servers alike. My wife and I actually amused ourselves by creating a game with a points system for the number of dropped silverware. It was easy to keep score because of the CLANG from the heavy silverware dropping on the glass top tables. While the menu boasted prime steaks, sustainable seafood, and seasonal specialties, the prices seemed unjustifiably inflated. The pricing strategy felt like a series of opportunistic upcharges, from the bourbon pours to the additional fees for cocktail enhancements. Furthermore, the dress code, supposedly business casual, was not enforced. We arrived dressed for a special evening, only to find ourselves surrounded by college students in riding gear straight from the paddock, leggings, shorts, college T-shirts. The lack of consistency in attire among diners detracted from the supposed upscale atmosphere. Other diners were in tattered jeans, T-shirts and flip flops. Though the meal itself was satisfactory, it was far from exceptional. The filet my wife ordered was well-prepared, but the overall experience did not justify the steep price tag. In comparison to other renowned steakhouses across the country, Stirrups failed to measure up. In conclusion, dining at Stirrups felt more like a status symbol than a culinary experience worth savoring. While the food may satisfy a craving for steak, the lack of elegance, inconsistent dress code enforcement, and inflated prices left us feeling underwhelmed. Save your money and seek out a dining experience that truly lives up to its promises.

I took my mom here for her birthday on 12/14 with a 10am reservation. Unfortunately, we had to wait over an hour for our meals, and several other patrons were also waiting and voiced complaints to the manager. No explanation was given for the delay, which was disappointing. On the positive side, our waitress was very nice and attentive, and the food itself was good once it finally arrived. We ended up finishing our meal around noon. Overall, while the service from our server was pleasant, the long wait and lack of communication from the kitchen made this visit less enjoyable than expected.

I do not like being seated in an expensive restaurant and being ignored while staff is hanging around chatting with each other and doing nothing out in the dining room. Not looking for butler service or fawning , but to be seated in an almost empty dining room with no attention at all upon being seated for a long, awkward while, is not up to the standards they charge for. Went next door to Yellow Pony and was immediately taken care of in a very busy pub with a friendly and professional staff. Grew up working in the biz. Cheers