Offsite restaurants

crmscotland

crmscotland

DIS Veteran
Joined
Dec 30, 2005
For our trip this summer l'm making a list of possible restaurants for dining out during the offsite part of our holiday. From the list below what would be your 5 or 6 top choices?
Any here you would avoid?
Any not listed you'd recommend?
Thanks for any input

IHOP
Cracker Barrell
Applebees
Outback Steakhouse
Longhorn Steakhouse
Manny's Chophouse
Bubba Gump
Tony Roma's
Ruby Tuesday
Bahama Breeze
Olive Garden
Giordanos
Cici's pizza
Flippers pizza
Texas Roadhouse
Steak n Shake
Ponderosa
 
I would recommend adding CHEESECAKE FACTORY to your list. Also burger places like In and Out, Jack In The Box, KFC and McDonalds. I know KFC and Mcdonalds we have in UK/ Ireland but they are different in America, the menus are different :)
 
BadPinkTink said:
I would recommend adding CHEESECAKE FACTORY to your list. Also burger places like In and Out, Jack In The Box, KFC and McDonalds. I know KFC and Mcdonalds we have in UK/ Ireland but they are different in America, the menus are different :)
Click to expand...
Thanks. Forgot about Cheesecake Factory. Will also add In & Out and Jack In The Box to my list - hadn't heard of those 2. I think my family (especially my 12 y o son) will be wanting a couple of trips to McDs & KFC. I will also make a couple of trips to Publix for their deli counter, salads, chicken, other groceries etc.
 


As a southerner, Cracker Barrel is close to my heart :lovestruc Giordano's is pretty good, but I've only been there once. I didn't even know they had one in Orlando. I agree with Cheesecake Factory! Major yum there with huge portions and LOTS of options. Also, given the choice, I like Longhorn a tad better than Outback. But that's just personal preference.

I'm curious, are you just specifically wanting to stick to chain restaurants? Or are you open to suggestions for local places? I know some amazing Orlando restaurants, but they are not chains.
 
dashofsunshine said:
As a southerner, Cracker Barrel is close to my heart :lovestruc Giordano's is pretty good, but I've only been there once. I didn't even know they had one in Orlando. I agree with Cheesecake Factory! Major yum there with huge portions and LOTS of options. Also, given the choice, I like Longhorn a tad better than Outback. But that's just personal preference.

I'm curious, are you just specifically wanting to stick to chain restaurants? Or are you open to suggestions for local places? I know some amazing Orlando restaurants, but they are not chains.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Not specifically wanting to stick to chain restaurants, the ones on the lists are just ones l've been looking up menus for. We are definitely open to suggestions for local individual/privately owned places, that would be great. :)
 


crmscotland said:
For our trip this summer l'm making a list of possible restaurants for dining out during the offsite part of our holiday. From the list below what would be your 5 or 6 top choices?
Any here you would avoid?
Any not listed you'd recommend?
Thanks for any input

IHOP
Cracker Barrell
Applebees
Outback Steakhouse
Longhorn Steakhouse
Manny's Chophouse
Bubba Gump
Tony Roma's
Ruby Tuesday
Bahama Breeze
Olive Garden
Giordanos
Cici's pizza
Flippers pizza
Texas Roadhouse
Steak n Shake
Ponderosa
Click to expand...

Definitely Longhorns. Love it there, always go atleast three times and always on my sons birthday. Arriving the day before this time so will be our first proper evening meal. We found Steak and Shake last year and excellent value, great shakes.

and I would recommend these

Toojays - Deli type restaurant. Especially great for Breakfast and Lunch. Always full of locals
Cheesecake Factory - Fantastic, always too full for cheesecake as starters and mains so nice. We always buy the cheesecake selection from Target and have a slice for dessert when we are back at Bonnet Creek.
LoneStar - Never had a bad meal there, nearly as good as Longhorns
Carrabba's - Went for first time last year and excellent. Especially Monday night special.
 
crmscotland said:
IHOP
Cracker Barrell
Applebees
Outback Steakhouse
Longhorn Steakhouse
Manny's Chophouse
Bubba Gump
Tony Roma's
Ruby Tuesday
Bahama Breeze
Olive Garden
Giordanos
Cici's pizza
Flippers pizza
Texas Roadhouse
Steak n Shake
Ponderosa
Click to expand...

I would take Ponderosa off the list to start unless the ones in Florida are any better than else where.

But for Breakfast you can't beat IHOP and Cracker Barrel. IHOP for the selection of pancakes and Cracker Barrel for Southern Style breakfasts with (American) Biscuits and Gravy.

For Pizza I would pick CiCi's as there are very few Pizza buffets around. We lost all of ours a few years ago. I now want me some Mac n Cheese Pizza. :)

Steak and Shake gives you inexpensive food with an old Drive In style vibe.

All the rest are mostly what kind of food you want and how much you want to spend.
 
Last edited:
Biscuits are a gift from God. They are not sweet like scones, softer, and a bit more...pillowy. If they're made correctly, that is! Kind of flaky. Grits are basically ground up corn - like a grainier oatmeal, kind of like porridge, but not sweet.

My favorites in the area for local food are Hash House A Go Go (very American, huge portions, lots of flavor - chicken and waffles!), Pom Pom's Teahouse & Sandwicheria (very unique options, so good!), and Nick's Family Diner (classic American diner, great food!).
 
crmscotland said:
What are biscuits, are they like British scones?
Click to expand...

yes very like British scones. I was in New Orleans last year and had biscuits and gravy for breakfast. The gravy is not the brown roast meat gravy we have for Sunday lunch. Its a gloppy white sauce, similar to a bechamel we would use in lasagne. It sounds odd but when you dip the biscuits in it , its actually ok. I was going to put butter on the biscuits and eat them like scones but my server advised me to try them with the gravy
 
Whenever I come over to your neck of the woods, I always want places that are not like what I can find at home - that's why I was suggesting mostly "American food" places :thumbsup2
 
Biscuits are light light, slightly salty plain scones. Grits are like a savoury porridge.......not my cup of tea........

I would take Ponderosa off the list, but if you want buffet food, Golden Corral is better quality. Sweet Tomatoes is another good one if you like salad, baked potatoes and the like.
Panera Bread is a nice place for sandwiches and cakes. Definitely recommend Cheesecake Factory, but only one in the area I think at Mall at Millennia......if you go mid afternoon (3:30ish) they will still serve you from the lunch menu......still large portions but cheaper than the main menu.
 
I knew bringing up biscuits and gravy would get some odd inquires. I have heard some Brits think its like Oreos with brown beef gravy on them. :)

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&rlz=1C1CHFX_enUS586US586&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=biscuits and gravy

Yes British scones and american biscuits are made pretty much the same way but good American Southern style ones use a Soft Winter wheat. But they are mostly Vegetable Shortening (lard would be better) cut into Flour like for a pie crust, salt, Leavening and Buttermilk. Cut into rounds and baked. The best gravy is made from sausage drippings flour and milk with some pepper with the browned sausage mixed back in.

I've seen some people at Bob Evan's , another good breakfast place, get an entire plate of biscuits, around 9 or so, and then pour a cup or so of gravy on top and then just dive in.

Grits are similar to polenta but only using the white of the corn so its white. I like it with butter and a pinch of salt.

https://www.google.com/search?q=pal...id=chrome&es_sm=122&ie=UTF-8#safe=off&q=grits

Perkins is also good for breakfast.

If you couldn't tell I'm a big breakfast person.
 
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Chicken and waffles is kind of a salty/sweet combination. If you like that kind of thing (like chocolate covered pretzels or trail mix with peanuts and raisins, anything that mixes something salty with something sweet), and you like fried chicken and you like fluffy waffles, you will probably love it! They have lots of other options at Hash House A Go Go, too - they have an eggs Benedict that is made with fried chicken, haha. One dish there can give me like 3-4 meals, it's amazing!! :yay:
 
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