Photo Illustration by Stacker // Canva
Highest-rated restaurants in Ocala by diners
Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to stick to our morning routines, rewatch movies we’ve seen time and time again, and hit up the same tried-and-true restaurants when going out for a meal. In fact, 35% of Americans said they rarely, if ever, try a new restaurant they haven’t been to before, and 5% say they never do, according to a survey of more than 2,600 diners from TouchBistro.
But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—56% of Gen Zers and 47% of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on online reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google or from social media. The TouchBistro survey found that 71% of Gen Zers and 72% of millennials have opted to try a new restaurant solely because of favorable reviews online.
Some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established spots that customers have been visiting for decades, but some may be brand new. More than 10,000 new restaurants opened in 2023, up 5.7% from 2022, according to a report from BentoBox. The states that saw the most new restaurants open up in 2023 were Florida, Texas, California, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, but new locales are popping up all over the U.S.
To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Ocala, according to Yelp reviews from diners as of January 2024. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.
Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily reflect each restaurant listed.
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#30. Amrit Palace
– Rating: 4.5/5 (530 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 3415 Southwest College Road Ocala, Florida
– Categories: Indian
– Read more on Yelp
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#29. Graffiti Seafood and More
– Rating: 4.5/5 (34 reviews)
– Address: 1532 South Pine Ave. Ocala, Florida
– Categories: Seafood, Salad, Sandwiches
– Read more on Yelp
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#28. KPOT Korean BBQ & Hot Pot
– Rating: 4.5/5 (23 reviews)
– Address: 2621 Southwest 19th Ave. Road Ocala, Florida
– Categories: Korean, Barbeque, Hot Pot
– Read more on Yelp
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#27. Great Wall Chinese Restaurant
– Rating: 4.5/5 (38 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 4901 East Silver Springs Blvd. Ste 702 Ocala, Florida
– Categories: Chinese
– Read more on Yelp
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#26. La Hacienda
– Rating: 4.5/5 (424 reviews)
– Price level: $
– Address: 4185 West Hwy 40 Ocala, Florida
– Categories: Mexican, Grocery
– Read more on Yelp
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#25. Tokyo Sushi
– Rating: 4.5/5 (31 reviews)
– Address: 2785 Northwest 49th Ave. Unit 106 Ocala, Florida
– Categories: Sushi Bars
– Read more on Yelp
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#24. Ocala’s Downtown Diner
– Rating: 4.5/5 (183 reviews)
– Price level: $
– Address: 816 South Magnolia Ave. Ocala, Florida
– Categories: Diners, Burgers, Breakfast & Brunch
– Read more on Yelp
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#23. Ninja Sushi & Thai
– Rating: 4.5/5 (74 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 2575 Southwest 42nd St. Ste 109 Ocala, Florida
– Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese, Thai
– Read more on Yelp
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#22. Gyro Grill Middle-Eastern Cuisine
– Rating: 4.5/5 (88 reviews)
– Price level: $
– Address: 6160 Southwest Hwy 200 Ste 103 Ocala, Florida
– Categories: Middle Eastern
– Read more on Yelp
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#21. Old San Juan Restaurant
– Rating: 4.5/5 (50 reviews)
– Price level: $
– Address: 184 Marion Oaks Blvd. Ocala, Florida
– Categories: Puerto Rican
– Read more on Yelp
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#20. J Rocks – Ocala
– Rating: 4.5/5 (68 reviews)
– Address: 2606 Southwest 19th Ave. Road Ste 103 Ocala, Florida
– Categories: Pizza, Seafood, Chicken Wings
– Read more on Yelp
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#19. Mesa de Notte
– Rating: 4.5/5 (271 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 2436 East Silver Springs Blvd. Ocala, Florida
– Categories: Italian
– Read more on Yelp
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#18. Breakfast Station
– Rating: 4.5/5 (77 reviews)
– Address: 8585 Southwest 200th Ocala, Florida
– Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Diners, American
– Read more on Yelp
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#17. Bagelicious Deli & Bakery
– Rating: 4.5/5 (94 reviews)
– Price level: $
– Address: 2459 Southwest 27th Ave. Ocala, Florida
– Categories: Bagels, Delis, Sandwiches
– Read more on Yelp
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#16. AK Pho
– Rating: 4.5/5 (66 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 2635 Southwest College Road Ste 200 Ocala, Florida
– Categories: Vietnamese
– Read more on Yelp
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#15. Akbar Indian Cuisine
– Rating: 4.5/5 (46 reviews)
– Address: 618 South Pine Ave. Ocala, Florida
– Categories: Indian
– Read more on Yelp
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#14. Big Man’s Cafe
– Rating: 4.5/5 (53 reviews)
– Address: 1011 Northeast 14th St. Ocala, Florida
– Categories: Southern, Breakfast & Brunch, American
– Read more on Yelp
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#13. District Bar & Kitchen
– Rating: 4.5/5 (37 reviews)
– Address: 110 Southwest Broadway St. Ocala, Florida
– Categories: Bars, Burgers, Sandwiches
– Read more on Yelp
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#12. Stella’s Modern Pantry
– Rating: 4.5/5 (63 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 20 Southwest Broadway Ocala, Florida
– Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Modern European, Wine Bars
– Read more on Yelp
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#11. Flying Boat Tap Room
– Rating: 4.5/5 (106 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 9672 Southeast 58th Ave. Ocala, Florida
– Categories: Pizza, Beer Bar, Tapas Bars
– Read more on Yelp
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#10. Cristina’s Subs & Suds
– Rating: 4.5/5 (32 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 9562 Southeast Maricamp Road Ocala, Florida
– Categories: Delis, Italian, Sandwiches
– Read more on Yelp
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#9. Rice And Noodles Thai Cuisine
– Rating: 4.5/5 (55 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 11175 Southwest 93rd Court Road Ocala, Florida
– Categories: Thai, Tapas/Small Plates, Noodles
– Read more on Yelp
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#8. Thai To Go
– Rating: 4.5/5 (37 reviews)
– Price level: $
– Address: 9020 Southwest 27th Ave. Ste B Ocala, Florida
– Categories: Thai
– Read more on Yelp
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#7. Sans Pizzeria
– Rating: 4.5/5 (36 reviews)
– Address: 4953 Northwest Blitchton Road Ocala, Florida
– Categories: Italian, Pizza
– Read more on Yelp
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#6. The Gathering Cafe Ocala
– Rating: 4.5/5 (113 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 306 Southwest Broadway St. Ocala, Florida
– Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Coffee & Tea, Juice Bars & Smoothies
– Read more on Yelp
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#5. Bombay Cafe
– Rating: 4.5/5 (59 reviews)
– Address: 4120 Southwest 38th Court Ste 106 Ocala, Florida
– Categories: Indian, Cafes
– Read more on Yelp
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#4. Latin American Cafe
– Rating: 4.5/5 (60 reviews)
– Price level: $
– Address: 2714 Northeast 14th St. Ocala, Florida
– Categories: Cuban, Latin American, Sandwiches
– Read more on Yelp
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#3. Cafe Havana
– Rating: 4.5/5 (157 reviews)
– Price level: $
– Address: 923 North Magnolia Ave. Ste 300 Ocala, Florida
– Categories: Cuban, Latin American, Spanish
– Read more on Yelp
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#2. Mission BBQ – Ocala
– Rating: 5.0/5 (25 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 2505 Southwest College Road Ste 200 Ocala, Florida
– Categories: Barbeque, Smokehouse, Seafood
– Read more on Yelp
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#1. Haeorum Foods
– Rating: 5.0/5 (276 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 3045A Southeast 3rd Ave. Ocala, Florida
– Categories: Korean, Asian Fusion
– Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 331 metros.