This is a nice new Gators with a very friendly staff. I love the way that Gator’s menu has gotten so creative lately, with lots of temporary specials. This is a great venue for watching sports, but also just a good place for traditional bar food plus some creative variations on same.
**** (4 stars)
This fairly large sports bar in Dellagio offers decent food and lots of screens. The last time I went here there was a very noisy basketball game. I’m pleased to say the place has been rearranged and is much more conducive to an enjoyable meal now.Craig Miller’s Field House Best Sports Bar & Restaurant
7958 Via Dellagio WaySte 100
Orlando, FL
32819
(407) 248-3474
https://www.yelp.com/biz/craig-millers-field-house-best-sports-bar-and-restaurant-orlando-2
*** (3 stars)
I really like the interior decor at Applebee’s. It’s a lot more like an intimate bar and grill than a coffee shop. The food is good (if typical) sports bar food, and the service is decent. I’d rank it as one of the better chains of this type, at least at this location.
Applebee’s Grill + Bar
2503 S Kirkman Rd
Orlando, FL
32811
(407) 704-6750
https://www.yelp.com/biz/applebees-grill-bar-orlando-2
Bar
***** (5 stars)
Whirly Ball is the world’s most fun sport for people who don’t like sports, a group of which I’m a proud member. It requires absolutely no skill to have fun, and consuming alcohol before play makes it even better.
But let’s talk about the bar. They actually have a very nice collection of beers, and can whip up a mean cocktail. The house margarita was only four bucks and was one of the best I’ve had.
There is also bar food. We had a company event here and they put out quite a nice buffet.
I’ve been here three times, which is probably more times than I’ve ever been to a sports venue in my life, and it’s always great fun.
Whirly Dome
6464 International Dr
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 212-3030
https://www.yelp.com/biz/whirly-dome-orlando
Caesar salad
Interior
*** (3 stars)
This is a classic pub with good food located conveniently to the Lyric Theatre. If you don’t want to get into the mad crush in the food court before the show, eat hear and then walk two blocks to the theatre.
The salads we had were fresh, with tasty ingredients and excellent dressing. Service was friendly and efficient.
Pyrmont Bridge Hotel
96 Union St
Pyrmont, New South Wales 2009
+61 2 9660 6996
https://www.yelp.com/biz/pyrmont-bridge-hotel-pyrmont-2
Sign
Bacon cheeseburger
Fries
Interior
***** (5 stars)
For at least 20 years Johnny’s has been acclaimed for having the best burger in Orlando (they even have the 1998 plaque on the wall to prove it), and it still is. The secret is a thick, meaty patty perfectly cooked to order served on a bun with some substance. And the bun is grilled on the insides to make sure it doesn’t get soggy as you make your way through the burger. The bacon cheeseburger is the way to go. And it comes with all the fixin’s you’d expect of a fillin’ station.
The fries that come with the burger could be better, as they are steak fries rather than something skinnier, but if you order them crispy they will do.
The atmosphere is also unchanged in at least twenty years: quintessential dive bar. It’s a real dive bar that has earned its designation, not some artificially decorated pretender. The junk on the walls is all there for historical reasons.
Service is not what you’d call attentive, but it is pleasant.
Johnny’s Fillin’ Station
2631 S Fern Creek Ave
Orlando, FL 32806
(407) 894-6900
http://www.yelp.com/biz/johnnys-fillin-station-orlando-2
Chilequiles
Chili replenish and quesadilla
Exterior
Interior
*** (3 stars)
While the rave reviews got me excited about La Fiesta, we didn’t find anything particularly remarkable about the place. The best thing we had by far was the sangria, which wasn’t too sweet and has lots of fruit chunks.
Cheese nachos were pretty bland, consisting of good chips covered with a liquid white cheese and nothing else, no jalapenos.
The relleno was pretty weird, although the waiter did warn us that it was stuffed with mashed potatoes. We should have followed his suggestion to substitute some kind of meat. The quesadilla was nicely grilled, and filled with cheese and chicken. It was okay, not great, as were the fairly bland rice and beans.
The best entree was the chilaquiles, which seems to be available only at lunch. The green sauce had a lot of flavor, and the shredded chicken and fried egg were good. The chips didn’t really stand up to the sauce, though, and quickly dissolved.
The decor of the restaurant is nice, but overhead fluorescent light aren’t in keeping with the restaurant ambiance.
Service was excellent.
La Fiesta Mexican Grill
3000 Curry Ford Rd
Orlando, FL 32806
(407) 985-4340
https://www.yelp.com/biz/la-fiesta-mexican-grill-orlando
***** (5 stars)
What an array of options this place offers! Regardless of the style of beer you like best, they’re likely to offer a very well-made version of it at Crooked Can. The menu is on the wall behind the bar, and offers great explanations of what’s on offer, and how it is made.
Aside from the beers, though, it’s the environment that makes this place special. The concept they had for a new building to house their showcase brewery and synergistic businesses has been perfectly executed. The long counter lets you sip and enjoy your brew while admiring the stainless steel complexity behind the glass was. Or, if you prefer a table inside or out, that’s available, too.
A variety of tasty noshes are available just down the hall, from burgers to pizzas and all sorts of sweet treats. The whole of Plant Street Market is a great place to stop in after work, or enjoy after visiting the nearby Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings.
Crooked Can is a great addition to the town of Winter Garden.
Crooked Can Brewing Company
426 W Plant St
Winter Garden, FL 34787
(407) 395-9520
http://www.yelp.com/biz/crooked-can-brewing-company-winter-garden
*** (3 stars)
This tiny bar next to the voodoo shop has just about any type of booze you could want, and a garden in the back. If you take a tour next door there is a two for one hurricane offer redeemable here, and it was quite tasty.
Finnegan’s Easy
717 St Peter St
New Orleans, LA 70116
(504) 599-9898
http://www.yelp.com/biz/finnegans-easy-new-orleans
**** (4 stars)
This is the third Graffiti Junktion location I’ve been to, and it is nicer than Thornton or College Park. There’s a large outside dining area that is well covered and gets a breeze.
The menu is the same as other locations, The attraction, of course, is the burgers, which are a reasonable size and available with lots of toppings. I like the Lone Star burger, which comes with bacon, cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickle and a tasty barbecue sauce.
I’d say the burgers are as good or better than most of the gourmet burger places in town such as Burger 21 and Burger Fi, but not as good as at Dubsdread. The burgers and fries are both definitely better than Five Guys.
Service is friendly, and prices are reasonable for a non-counter-service restaurant.
Graffiti Junktion
7625 Turkey Lake Rd
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 270-8846
http://www.yelp.com/biz/graffiti-junktion-orlando-5