Vince Carter's Restaurant

Vince Carter's
2150 LPGA Blvd.
Daytona Beach, FL 32117
(386)274-0015

Vince Carter's Restaurant opened today and I decided to go by to check it out. While I was not hungry, I did plan on going by for happy hour just to check the location out. Not wanting to go alone, I called my friend Kelly and she decided to meet me.

As I walk to the doors, I can tell this is going to be better than any other Daytona Beach experience I have had to date. I was pleasantly surprised to find my hunch was correct. This restaurant is BEAUTIFUL!

When you first enter you will notice the piano bar to the right, which is in its own room. You'll also see the restaurant's wines in the cooler embedded in the wall on the right. As you move further down the hall, you'll encounter the sports grill on your left, which is also behind glass in its own room. The main dining room is across from the sports grill past the waterfall on the wall. I also noticed the main dining room has a patio overlooking the pond out front and there are also outdoor tables with flat screens outside the sports grill.

Since I was only planning on having a drink, I opted for the sports grill and was escorted there by the young lady working the front door. I promptly found a seat and was amazed at the layout of this room. There are flat screens in here all over the place with the showcase being a 105" screen above the bar. Happy hour specials are from 2:00-6:00 each day with two for one specials on well drinks and a dollar off on draft beer. I ordered a bottle of Budweiser and asked for a menu just to check it out.

Kelly arrived shortly after me and ordered a Jack and Coke. After perusing the menu, Kelly decided she was going to get something to eat. She ordered the Carolina Shrimp and Grits. About that time I get a call from my wife Julynn asking me where I was. I told her I was checking out Vince Carter's and urged her and my daughter Kennedy to come join us. They did and Kennedy kept talking about how beautiful it was inside. Because Julynn is doing a special fast, she ordered the hummus and grilled vegetables, while Kennedy opted for the fried shrimp with french fries. Kelly's shrimp and grits came with a salad and one side and she chose the sweet potato fries. Everybody loved their meals, which excited me about coming back for my first meal. Hopefully, I'll get there for lunch sometime soon.

The menu has most of the typical fare one would expect from an American restaurant. You'll find burgers, sandwiches, steaks and chicken dishes. I was also impressed with the extensive wine list and the appetizers. Every diner should be able to find something to their liking.

The cool thing about the entire evening is that Vince Carter was actually there tonight. He spent the evening going to each table taking pictures with patrons, signing autographs and just thanking everyone for coming and asking how their meals were. It was a pleasant surprise. When he came to our table I congratulated him on the opening and the various rooms. He took the time to tell us that he had chosen the best of the many restaurants he had seen during his travels as an NBA player. He said his mother was a big part of the piano bar since she plays the piano and that he styled the sports grill after the sports book locations in Vegas. If you have ever been to a nice sports book in Vegas, you can see that he is dead on as his sports grill is just like many I have ever visited in Sin City.

I am so excited to have such a wonderful restaurant option to close to my house. I wish Vince Carter well and urge all to check this place out as soon as possible. It is going to be very busy and crazy there over the next couple of months as we go through Speedweeks, the Super Bowl and Bike Week, so get there soon.

While I did not eat there tonight, I have to give Vince Carter's four Stiffy's based upon the decor, ambiance and the satisfaction expressed for their meals by my companions. Trust me, I think you will really like dining at Vince Carter's. Watch this blog soon for my own review of the food.

Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry