Where do you eat offsite while at wdw?

[disynut]

Our first evening at ssr we're going to venture out to Publix and the outlets and thought we might eat a nice dinner out(nothing fancy). We usually stick to the parks and resorts for food except for the occasional McDonalds or Papa John's pizza fixes. Any suggestions for a good meal out?

Thanks,
Jennifer

[deej696]

There is an outback next door to the publix. We eat there usually when we go to the outlets, etc. but otherwise we tend to stay on property....

[jdvm]

Hey Jennifer,
Fellow Kentuckian living in Orlando. (Celebration, actually). I'd be more than happy to help. Can you give me a bit of guidance? Type of food; whether kids are along; expensive or not so expensive?
John

[DisDaydreamer]

Acutally, when we are on site we really like the ABC Commissary. Great choices and small lines. It is pretty hidden in MGM, but worth the find.

[disynut]

Thanks everybody!

Hi John! Glad to see another Kentuckian. We love Celebration--they had just started building there when I got my teaching license, actually had the applications....just didn't go through with it! Yes, the kiddos(7 and 2 1/2) will be with us, so something along the lines of Outback would be great....but I'm open for more suggestions!

And, we may have to try ABC Commissary on our MGM day....

[DisDaydreamer]

And, we may have to try ABC Commissary on our MGM day....

I promise... you will be happy campers.....

[TinkRN]

In celebration there is a great restaurant called Columbia Restaurant. It is Spanish food. The kids loved it. It is a little nicer, but still very casual. It is mostly Tapas. Not something we usually find at home. Plus downtown Celebration is nice to walk around.
Have fun.
TinkRN

[jdvm]

Well, then, I'd suggest Celebration. The Market Street Café is like a 1950's diner with good food and lots of kids. I also like Celebration Town Tavern--the local version of Cheers; and D'Antonio's for fantastic pizza and really good Italian food. They're more than happy to take care of kids.
Hope this helps.
John

[JimC]

If you want something a bit more upscale in the casual restaurant category with seasonally rotating menus, try Seasons 52 (http://www.seasons52.com/) on Sand Lake Road just west of I-4.

Another favorite is Bahama Breeze (http://www.bahamabreeze.com/) on Vineland Ave just east of I-4. Great Caribbean menu and a nice atmosphere.

[JoEllen]

Second the vote for Bahama Breeze! We really like that place. We also go to Macaroni Grill just down from the Bahama Breeze on Vineland. Chevy's is just across from DD Disney and always good food. And we don't have Steak and Shake here in Seattle so we always go there.

[goofy4dvc]

Tony Roma's (great BBQ ribs) on Vineland. Steak and Shake for great burgers and shakes (also on Vineland). Fishbone Grill for great wood-fired grilled seafood. McCormick & Schmick's for great seafood or Cheesecake Factory (both at Mall at Millenia). Chevy's (Mexican restaurant with great Margaritas) on Vineland.

[donaldbuzz&minnie]

Third vote for Bahama Breeze. My husband and I usually split a house salad, the paella and a piece of key lime pie. Not too expensive that way, and we enjoy the food and atmosphere.

[shellbelle1971]

We're Cheesecake Factory addicts on a continuing quest to eat at each and every CF in the world...it wouldn't be a trip to Orlando without a trip to the Millenia Mall for that! (Maybe someday they'll build one close to where we live, but until then...alas!)

[bwvBound]

Any suggestions for a good meal out?If we have a car, our arrival night dinner is always Bahama Breeze ... and we schedule a visit to Emeril's (at Universal's City Walk) for sometime near the end.

[cdmickey]

We sometimes like breakfast for lunch or dinner. The Perkins, just outside of Hotel Plaza Blvd on hwy 535 (exit 68, Interstate 4) is one of our favorite haunts.

[Cee]

Of course I can't remember the name of it:headache: , but it's directly across
the highway from the Doubletree(The brightly colored one with the huge
pineapple, not the suites that's actually on property). We ate there once and
it was :thumbsup2

[JimMIA]

Thanks to Disynut for this thread! With the expected changes to DDP, we've been planning to eat almost all our meals offsite, and this thread is a big help.

Couple of comments:

The correct name of the seafood restaurant mentioned above is Bonefish Grill. If you dine there, try the Bang-Bang Shrimp appetizer. Very spicy, but very good!

The Columbia is a famous, old-line Spanish restaurant based in Ybor City in Tampa. I've occasionally posted that our post-DDP plans might include a dining trip to Tampa because of the fine restaurants there, and Columbia is one of the ones I was talking about. I didn't know there was a Columbia in Celebration! Try the legendary 1905 Salad, and an Ybor Gold beer.

Columbia and Bonefish Grill are both better restaurants than any one TS restaurant at Disney...including our favorite, Le Cellier.

[Judique]

Last trip we ate at Cafe Tu Tu Tango on International Dr near the Doubletree Castle. It is a tapas type place and was very good. There was also some entertainment - dancers. We went with friends who go all the time. I would recommend it. The portions are fairly large so start out slow ordering.

[deerh]

A cool place to go is called "RACE ROCK". It is on I-Drive, and you can see it from I-4. It is a neat place for kids/teens/adults to go. Lots of good food, good milkshakes, fun video games, great racing/wreck videos to watch.

We always go there at least 1 night while we are there...

DeerH

[JimMIA]

In celebration there is a great restaurant called Columbia Restaurant....It is mostly Tapas... Columbia serves great tapas, but it is not primarily a tapas restaurant. They have a full and extensive menu.

Here's a link to their menu, which of course starts with tapas: http://www.columbiarestaurant.com/menu.asp

ETA - And here's the menu for Bonefish Grill: http://www.bonefishgrill.com/tastybites.asp

[BCV23]

My son and his wife who live in the area recommend Seasons 52 but haven't managed to get us that far off property yet.

We love Cafe d'Antonio and finally tried Columbia on our last trip. At lunch you can order 1/2 of the Cuban sandwich and 1/2 1905 salad...so good. My husband can't stop talking about that salad. Both are favorites of our son and DIL.

[DisnutDave]

When DW and I visit Orlando, we always try to fit in a visit to Charley's Steakhouse (there's one on International Drive, and another in Kissimmee). Hands down, some of the best steaks anywhere.

[loribell]

A cool place to go is called "RACE ROCK". It is on I-Drive, and you can see it from I-4. It is a neat place for kids/teens/adults to go. Lots of good food, good milkshakes, fun video games, great racing/wreck videos to watch.

We always go there at least 1 night while we are there...

DeerH

I just read on the Orlando Attractions board that Race Rock has closed. I had always wanted to try it but never did.

Now as for places to eat offsite:

We like to go to the Outback or Lone Star Steakhouse. The Lone Star actually has coupons for a free kids meal on Tuesdays.

There is a Chili's that we like to go too, turn to the left when you come to the stop light in front of Crossroads.

Then there are the many choices at City Walk at Universal. We love Margarittaville, the Hard Rock Cafe is really good, & this year I want to try the Nascar Cafe & mostly Bubba Gump's!

I-drive has a lot of places to choose from. My sister and I were at a convention Mexican restaurant there. Unfortunately I don't remember the name of it.

[Princess Tink]

Another favorite is Bahama Breeze (http://www.bahamabreeze.com/) on Vineland Ave just east of I-4. Great Caribbean menu and a nice atmosphere.

Another Bahama Breeze fan....we love this place

[kitsch4]

We like to take the kids to Jungle Jim's. And we always like to have Giordano's Chicago Style pizza. When we are on vacation we try not to eat at any restaurant that we could go to at home, ie McDonald's, Chili's, Outback.

We've also eaten at Margaritaville (great nachos!) and Nascar Cafe at the Universal City Walk. They were both good.

I'm reading for more suggestions! Thanks.

[disynut]

Wow! Thanks for all the great suggestions! I think I may have seen a Bahama Breeze over there near the outlets/Publix....we don't have one of those near home, but Celebration would be super cool as well. We drove through there a few times and it was so neat! I think we would enjoy a meal down there!

I've wanted to try Bonefish Grill, but am always afraid the kids won't find anything they like on the menu....

DH and DS would have lovedRace Rock. We've seen it from the road a few times and they always comment on it. Too bad it's closed.

Oooh. Emerils and all the offerings on City Walk. We did the NASCAR Cafe once, dh enjoyed it and the food was pretty good, too.

Now wemay have to eat off property more than once!

[deerh]

Bummer about Race Rock, I liked that place, and it was almost always packed!!

Oh, well, guess we will find another place to eat, I will read this thread!!

DeerH

Bummed about Race Rock....:sad1:

[DVCconvert]

We have always enjoyed Chevy's at crossroads for tex-mex, and Ming Court for asian :)

[Traveliz]

We like to take the kids to Jungle Jim's. And we always like to have Giordano's Chicago Style pizza. When we are on vacation we try not to eat at any restaurant that we could go to at home, ie McDonald's, Chili's, Outback.

We've also eaten at Margaritaville (great nachos!) and Nascar Cafe at the Universal City Walk. They were both good.

I'm reading for more suggestions! Thanks.


Pretty sure Jungle Jims has also closed.

Liz

[goofy4dvc]

There is a Bonefish Grill and a Fishbone Grill. We have a Bonefish Grill where we live and have eaten there several times, but a relative told us about Fishbone Grill, so we tried it and liked it better. It's further. If it remember correctly, up toward Universal Studios and then east. I'm sure if you google it you can find it.

[JimMIA]

There is a Bonefish Grill and a Fishbone Grill. We have a Bonefish Grill where we live and have eaten there several times, but a relative told us about Fishbone Grill, so we tried it and liked it better. It's further. If it remember correctly, up toward Universal Studios and then east. I'm sure if you google it you can find it.
Wow! You're right of course. There's even one here in Miami, right downtown, but I'd never heard of it. I'll be following the copyright infringment suit closely. Bonefish Grill is owned by one of the big restaurant chains (not sure which one), and I'll bet they'll be all over that. Unless they stole the name...but bonefish is a real fish, one of our prime sportfishing species.

[La2kw]

You can find most every chain nearby. We enjoy Romano's Macaroni Grill, Chili's, Outback, Bahama Breeze, and Qdoba Mexican. There's also a Red Lobster and an Olive Garden in the Lake Buena Vista area we have eaten at.

[Treacle44]

WE love Bahama Breeze and Oliver Garden. :)

[macman752]

Wow! You're right of course. There's even one here in Miami, right downtown, but I'd never heard of it. I'll be following the copyright infringment suit closely. Bonefish Grill is owned by one of the big restaurant chains (not sure which one), and I'll bet they'll be all over that. Unless they stole the name...but bonefish is a real fish, one of our prime sportfishing species.

Bonefish is a concept of Outback Steakhouse. As is Carrabbas's, Fred Fleming's, Lee Roy Selmon's, Cheeseburger in Paradise, Roy's and Blue Coral.

[jdg345]

Subscribing ... ;)

[JimC]

For those who are interested in restaurant parentage of some of the recommendations in this thread.

Darden Restaurants, Inc., headquartered here in Orlando, owns and operates Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Bahama Breeze, Smokey Bones and Seasons 52 restaurants.

We like and recommend them all, but have found inconsistent service and product quality among the Red Lobster restaurants.

Olive Garden is the largest and most important component of Darden's portfolio. They are going to concentrate on adding more OG restaurants over the next year.

Unfortunately they closed many Smokey Bones restaurants and the rest are up for sale.

Seasons 52 is the new entry. It is a really smart choice.

[Island Mouse]

My DF got me hooked on the Buffalo Wild Wings place at the Crossroads shopping center. Their wing selection is pretty good, and they are open pretty late (until at least midnight). So on many a night after we leave the parks at closing, we head over there to get a post-park snack to take back to our room. :thumbsup2