SOG restaurants...any comments?

[hildarumpole]

The SOG restaurants are not open to the general public.

ConnieB: SOG had an offer in September, and I believe again in January 2008, that allows ANY veteran to stay at SOG, not just current military and retirees. Was your dh discharged with a 100% service-connected disability? If so, then your family would be entitled to enjoy the benefits of the resort. If you're interested, go to the website and it explains eligibility requirements. www.shadesofgreen.org

Sleepy: When we ate at Mangino's in June, the chef was not from Italy. He seemed somewhat tempermental. We witnessed a hissy fit in the open kitchen when a customer requested a pasta substitute. The chef explained that the type of pasta used is integral to the dish. The poor waitress was caught in the middle, but the chef reluctantly obliged and said he didn't want to hear any complaints if the guy didn't like the dish. You could call ahead and ask if he'll prepare something special. The menu on allears doesn't look accurate. I remember more pasta dishes. What you're looking for just might be on the menu.

 

[ntsammy5]

The SOG restaurants are not open to the general public.

Hmmmmm... my sister and her husband live about 20 minutes from WDW and go to the World every week. They like the food at SoG and eat there a couple of times a year. Neither one of them has any connection to the military.

One other thing to add, and not many people know about this.

Last year a friend's son got married at WDW and they held the rehearsal dinner at the SoG. Except for me, no one else has any military affiliation at all. Other than getting the phone number I didn't have to sponsor them or anything. They could have had the reception there too, but opted for Epcot. It was a good deal and lots of people ended up at Evergreen after the dinner.

 

[hildarumpole]

Hmmmmm... my sister and her husband live about 20 minutes from WDW and go to the World every week. They like the food at SoG and eat there a couple of times a year. Neither one of them has any connection to the military.

The official position, according to the SOG website, is that a military id is needed to access the property to eat at the restaurants. We saw golfers at Evergreen's who were not resort guests or military. Golf courses surround the property and one of the course's parking lots is accessed through the SOG entrance gate. The only meal options availble to golfers on the Magnolia course are a CS near the SOG quiet pool and Evergreen's, so it makes sense to allow non-military to eat there. So yes, strictly speaking, the general public is allowed to eat at Evergreen's since it's the only TS on that golf course. Various contractors and service people who have business at the resort can gain access. Our town car driver presented an access pass to the gate guard when he dropped us off. I don't know if he's ever claimed to be there on official business to be able to eat at one of the restaurants, but that's possible. SOG rents out space to the general public for receptions and meetings to help offset the resort costs and keep rates down for miltary families. They aren't going to strong arm those guests and prevent them from going to Evergreen's. SOG is for the primary benefit of military families. I suppose if an ineligible person is bound and determined to eat the buffet or at Mangino's, they could circumvent the system and get on the property. Where there's a will, there's a way. But, if it becomes an obvious problem (restaurants so busy, guests can't get in or a security issue), SOG may be forced to get stricter with id checks of the guests. Military families go through enough day to day nonsense. Hopefully, most people are respectful of SOG and the military families by not creating unneccessary problems just for a meal they could easily get at any of the hundreds of similar restaurants in the area.

 

[ntsammy5]

I suppose if an ineligible person is bound and determined to eat the buffet or at Mangino's, they could circumvent the system and get on the property.

Just want to be clear on one point. My sister always tells them at the gate she's there to eat and has never been refused entrance. There's no circumvention there.

 

[Sleepy]

Sleepy: When we ate at Mangino's in June, the chef was not from Italy. He seemed somewhat tempermental. We witnessed a hissy fit in the open kitchen when a customer requested a pasta substitute. The chef explained that the type of pasta used is integral to the dish. The poor waitress was caught in the middle, but the chef reluctantly obliged and said he didn't want to hear any complaints if the guy didn't like the dish. You could call ahead and ask if he'll prepare something special. The menu on allears doesn't look accurate. I remember more pasta dishes. What you're looking for just might be on the menu.

I think I could have some fun with this guy

 

[EPCOTDUDE]

The food and drink at SOG are very good and the price is right. The problem for me was the slow service.