Officially licensed by Ford Motor Company, Ford’s Garage is a 1920’s service station/prohibition bar themed burger and beer joint. This restaurant is part of a small chain that began in 2012 in Fort Myers, Florida and after one meal you’ll understand why they’re expanding. The food is great – outstanding, in fact. And the same can be said about the beer selection.
The Food
It’s all about the hamburgers! They have an amazing burger menu that includes:
- The Model “A” – Black Angus with Aged Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Applewood Smoked Bacon, Pico de Gallo, Arugula, Tomato, Red Onion, and a Fried Egg on a Brioche Bun
- High-Octane Burger – Black Angus with Pepper Jack Cheese, Guacamole, Red Onion, Tomato, Homemade Chipotle Ketchup, Lettuce, and Fresh Jalapeño Peppers on a Brioche Bun
- The Jiffy Burger – Black Angus with American Cheese, Applewood Smoked Bacon, Lettuce, and Creamy Peanut Butter on a Brioche Bun
To our knowledge, this is the only Polk County restaurant with a peanut butter burger on the menu. We highly recommend this combination.
Burgers for Everyone
If someone in your dining party is vegetarian or vegan, have no fear. All burgers at Ford’s Garage can be prepared with a grilled, whole Portobello mushroom or Impossible Burger. They have Gluten-Free options as well.
If you’re not into hamburgers, no problem. Ford’s Garage offers plenty of hearty salad options, four types of Mac N’ Cheese, chicken entrees, salmon entrees and more.
Unforgettable Desserts
Save room for dessert because the Warm Brownie Sundae is worth every calorie! The chefs at Ford’s Garage have created the perfect brownie – not too sweet, not too chewy and not too much like cake.
Other ways to send yourself in to a food coma include the Chocolate Peanut Butter Thunder Cake, Mom’s “Secret Recipe” Rum Cake, Funnel Cake Fries, Key Lime Pie or a variety of milk shakes.
The Bar
Ford’s Garage hosts Happy Hour Monday – Friday from 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. Drink specials include $1.00 off draft beers, $4.00 house wines, $4.00 margarita pints and $4.00 sangria pints.
The restaurant’s beer selection is most impressive. You will find their current selection of beers on the TapHunter app or at fordsgarageusa.com. The restaurant has 40 rotating taps that include classics like Budweiser, Miller Lite, Angry Orchard Cider, Goose Island IPA and Guinness. Ford’s Garage also caters to those who prefer brews from small breweries like Coppertail Brewing Company (Tampa), Cigar City (Tampa) Elysian Brewing Company (Seattle), 21st Amendment Brewery (San Francisco), M.I.A. Brewing (Miami), Orange Blossom Brewing Company (Orlando), Brew Hub (Lakeland) and Motorworks Brewing (Bradenton).
Take your phone/camera because you’ll want to take a lot of pictures for social media. The restaurant’s vibe includes vintage Ford vehicles, gas pumps, and fixtures. The bar area features prohibition-style elements of old brick, rich wood, and a hand-hammered copper bar top. The tap wall was made with more than 15,000 pennies mounted behind a thick layer of polyurethane.
