This is an authentic diner in the time-honored tradition of roadside eateries. While it may not have the nostalgic decor of a movie-set diner, the menu has all the right items, and the staff is friendly and welcoming, which keeps the regulars coming back.
Breakfast offerings are diverse, with a special focus on omelets. I had the farmer’s omelet, which combined veggies and ham, and a very creamy cheese. It was delicious. Hash browns were crispy, as requested, and the coffee was regularly refilled.
A great place for an old-fashioned dining experience.
This is the third and best iteration of Mexican restaurant in this space. The concept is a bit odd in that it is both a restaurant and a juice and ice cream bar, but it works.
Complimentary chips and salsa were good, and the margarita was excellent. Nacho are to be avoided, as they involve liquid cheese.
Street tacos on soft corn tortillas with pastor were authentic and excellent. The cheese and mushroom quesadilla was very savory.
Service was odd, probably the result of a language barrier, but it will presumably improve with experience.
There aren’t many genuine delis in Orlando, for whatever reason, so it’s nice to have this Toojay’s as an option. I’ve never been a fan of the other location, but they seem a lot friendlier here.
You’ll find all the deli standards here. My favorite is the hot pastrami on toasted rye. The pastrami is particularly lean and flavorful. I also like their cole slaw and dill pickles.
The Nova Lox, served on very crispy latkes, was a good appetizer.
Shrimp and scallops with spicy garlic butterShrimp and scallops with spicy garlic butterExteriorInterior
***** (5 stars)
I’ve been to a few of these crawfish-in-a-bag type places, and never been very impressed. They tend to be messy but not all that flavorful. But this place is different.
You can tell you’re going to have a good experience here from the moment you walk in the door. The staff is obviously really into what they are doing, and proud of the results. Our server, Wynona, was terrific, and it was apparent everyone else was enjoying themselves, too.
I ordered the shrimp (heads off) and scallops, because I felt they would be the least messy to eat. That was certainly true of the scallops, although the shrimp still need to be peeled, so you’ll want that bib and gloves they bring you! Both the shrimp and scallops were tender and flavorful. The corn on the cob was also particularly good. I chose the spicy garlic butter as my sauce, and it was fantastic.
This was really a tasty meal, and I’ll be back soon.
This is a spectacularly set decorated multi-level space where The Adventurer’s Club used to be. Old machinery forms the decor, and old movies play on flat panels and projectors. At night there are even aerial acrobatics, but it’s much more relaxing during the day.
This is the sort of place that almost demands you have a cocktail–preferably a classic cocktail–to match the decor. And the drinks are good, although pricey.
Unfortunately the food doesn’t live up to the surroundings. The menu is pretty much basic sports bar, but not particularly well prepared. Chicken wings were particularly flaccid, with a soggy, loose skin that was quite unappealing. The buffalo chicken sandwich was better, although the accompanying fries were also limp.
Mango habanero wingsPepperoni and basil pizzaExteriorInterior
**** (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.
The nachos were served on half round tostada shells, but were otherwise fine, more about beans than cheese.
Chicken wings are sold by the pound. The wings are large, and nicely flash fried. The mango habanero sauce I had was more sweet than spicy, but some tabasco fixed it up.
The pepperoni and fresh basil pizza was very good, with a rich, slightly spicy tomato sauce.
This is a great neighborhood place, with artisinal food and live music. Sunday Brunch is definitely bustling, and is not a place for intimate conversation!
The cheese plate offers a nice selection with appropriate accompaniments. Deviled eggs were also nicely done, with some exotic spices.
Hot chicken and waffles relied on a spicy barbeque sauce rather than a Nashville preparation.
Restaurants in tourist areas don’t need to be all that great, because there is a constant supply of new patrons. But I’m a big fan of Gibson’s restaurants in Chicago, so I decided to give The Boathouse a try, and I’m glad I did.
As you would expect for a restaurant at Disney Springs, the decor and theming are spectacular. But the food is even better. I had the chopped salad with a couple of shrimp added. The salad was huge, very fresh, and the shrimp were perhaps the freshest I’ve had anywhere. I will definitely explore their raw bar when I return.
My wife had a selection of raw oysters, and also commented on how fresh they were.
The place was packed at lunchtime on a Monday, but the servers did a good job of keeping up, and the noise levels were quite reasonable.
The Boathouse is definitely my new favorite restaurant at Disney Springs.
Baby squidInteriorPeppersRib eyeBread that comes with the porkPorkShrimpShrimpConch frittersHamOlivesHamViewInterior
**** (4 stars)
This is a nice repurposing of the old Wolfgang Puck space. They’ve opened it up, and it still has great lake views and some nice outdoor seating for smaller parties.
The food isn’t exactly my idea of tapas, since the plates are sized for sharing among three or four people. To me, a tapas meal involves a dozen little saucers filled with different interesting bites.
I found a lot of the food to be very heavily salted. This was particularly true of the squid ink and some of the other sauces.
Highlights included the olives, and the Iberico ham carved tableside. By far the best dish was the pork shoulder, which was amazingly tender and flavorful, and turned out more like wagyu beef than pork.
Service was good, but don’t go in a hurry, because the kitchen seems to get backed up when the restaurant is busy.
The wine list is, of course, all about Spanish wines, which are not necessarily my favorites, but your mileage may vary.
Orlando lacks variety in the high-end dining scene, with only a few top-notch restaurants that aren’t steakhouses. That makes the competition for best steakhouse even tougher, because there are so many to choose from. It doesn’t get much better than The Bull and Bear.
You won’t find much on this menu that isn’t on every other steakhouse menu in town, but the execution here is superb.
The wedge salad, really more of a stacked dome, is a good starter, with a choice of dressing, and delicious bacon crumbles.
The steaks, of course, are top-notch. But the real standout for me was the short rib, which was easily the best I’ve ever had. Served on one not-so-short rib, the meat was succulent without being overcooked, and the rich, complex reductive sauce was stellar.
The usual sides are here. Particularly good is the creamed corn.
Wine prices are average, and there is an adequate selection, although no vintage depth.
The electronic menu used for both food and wine actually works really well, and the pictures linked to the menu items looked exactly like the dishes we were served.
Our wine group used to meet here regularly, but over time it slipped off my radar, so I hadn’t been here in years. The food is a top-notch as it ever was, although the prices have certainly increased!
