AMAZING Places to eat in the area?

[princessfan]

our family will be leaving in 5 days ( Thurday Feb 16/06) to go to WDW and US.....we have NEVER been down that way and was hoping to get some suggestion for GREAT resturants to visit when we are down there( cheap, and you get LOTS of food)........our family consists of myself, husband, 3 1/2 yr old and a 6 year old.......any suggestion would be appreciated......thanks...........PS I know that we will most likely be going to the Nascar resturant one night-as our entire family are fans- but that is only 1 out of 10 nights.......thanks

 

[Jenny]

i'm not sure how to link you but I usually look for good recommendations for restaurants under "Orlando Hotels & Attractions" on this website then do a search for Best Restaurants...there's a thread that lists many great area restaurants.

we tried Houlihan's on I-drive & the steak house at Westgate Lakes & enjoyed both.

 

[stwyatt]

we were in orlando in november--our 2nd time as we go once every 5yrs. our 2 most memorable places to eat were 1. dixie crossroads, and 2. texas de brazil. both are on int'l drive on the very north end about 1mi. from usf. dixie crossroads is really good seafood, they "specialize" in rock shrimp which tastes a whole lot like lobster. there other shrimp is excellent as well. we don't live near a coast so some fresh seafood was always on our list. prices aren't cheap 10-25/entree. they have as much as you could want to eat. just across the street from dixie crossroads is texas de brazil. it is on the very expensive side(40pp, 20pchild) but it is a buffet if you will like no other i have experienced. if you are a meat lover, they bring every type of grilled meat you can imagine to your table--beef,steak,pork,lamb,sausages,chicken--and they keep bringing it until you say stop. there are some other posts about both of these restaurants. we also tried bubbas bodacious bbq based on reviews on the web and in a couple travel books. it is very reasonable in price, has no ambience--it's in a strip center, and is pretty good--but it can't compare to the bbq you can get in the midwest(at least not here in okla.) others who have been more often can give more ideas. one last thing, we never considered going to any of the national chains as we could eat at them any time

 

[macraven]

someone posted before flippers was the best.

or was it that flippers was the only one that delivered to hotels.

heck with it, i want gyros at fire eaters not pizza on my vacation.

 

[Sylvester McBean]

my daughter's school offers CICI's pizza at lunchtime.

don't get sucked into the tourist ads you'll see around the O-town area. cheap, good food isn't readily abound. you'll see an advertised price and then find it doesn't come with drinks, etc. Orlando is the chain restaurant capital of the US. when we go to Seaworld, we usually eat at the Steak and Ale. after a day at UO we'll eat at Citywalk or the TGI Friday's across the street. we're creatures of habit.

 

[robvia]

Here's a tour of I-Drive and the restaurants to the north.
http://www.nogodforme.com/touridrive.htm
http://www.nogodforme.com/directionstopublix.htm

Flippers is located 1 mile north of IOA, and there is another location at the south end of I-drive where Steak N' Ale is. Here's my flippers page, scroll to the middle.
http://www.nogodforme.com/IOA072905.htm

 

[S.S.Oceanlover]

I vote for Sonnys BBQ Pit. I have to visit at least once when I'm down that way. It's nothing fancy but good food, and cheap.

Bill

 

[cigar95]

I can second the vote for Texas De Brazil, but it's very expensive. For adults, you'll pay about $60 out the door, even with no alcohol.

The meat there is incredible, and the service was superb. The "salad bar" is outstanding as well, but you're not going to want to fill up on salads and pastas at a place like this.

Check out their site at (surprise!) www.texasdebrazil.com

 

[MsDisney]

I have always heard good things about Sweet Tomatoes but have yet to get to try it yet...from what I can tell, their menu changes each day and they have a selection of salads, soups, pastas and muffins or something that they make fresh daily...it's all you can eat. They have a website to check the menu for a particular day and I've heard that if there is anything you would want on your salad, then they would have it! They are on Kirkman, I believe, but again, the website would tell you!

There is a thread on the Disney restaurants board that where people name all of their favorite off-site places to eat...so you might get some good ideas there!

Karen / MsDis / MrsMIB999999

 

[Jason71]

Jungle Jims, in Crossroads across from Disney. Your kids will love it. Reasonably priced.

You have to go to either Bahama Breeze location at least once. It's like a rule for visiting Orlando. A bit of a splurge, but not ridiclously expensive.

And I'm one of the ones who says Flippers is the best chain pizza in the area.

 

[Snoopymom]

We like Chevy's and Babbalous. The kids get icecream with their meals at Chevy's and Babbalous is picnic table casual. Have fun!

 

[ChrisFL]

Bahama Breeze is a must, as mentioned...awesome place with great food and nearly 100 different kinds of frozen drinks (alcoholic and non)

Luckily I have Bahama Breeze in Tampa also

Also, for a classy buffet, Bill Wong's has chinese food that's the best anywhere, corner of Kirkman and I-Drive...I try to eat there whenever I'm back in Orlando.

 

[Sylvester McBean]

sweet tomatoes is excellent, but I always overdo it and won't go near a salad for a week. bahama breeze is always a favorite. I'm going to have to check out bill wong's now.

 

[robvia]

Bahama Breeze is nice, a splurge, but worth it. The food is out of this world, mostly island themed with coconut flakes. The onion rings come with a bunch of sauces to dip into. Order a large draft beer while waiting for the food to come, makes the waiting go by fast.

Sweet Tomatoes is a buffet type place. You get a tray, and build a salad as you walk in. You pay for your meal, then go sit down. After that, you go back for pizza, pasta, breads, soup, and then desert from a soft serve machine. You'll come out of there stuffed. It's hard to stop eating with so many different things to try. Kids love the place because of the soft serve machine. First you put the ice cream in a bowl. Then you get to put toppings on it, like hot chocolate, fudge, nuts, and sprinkles.

 

[MsDisney]

The big guy's posts sure disappear quickly, don't they!!!

Yeah, what IS UP with that???

Karen / MsDis / MrsMIB999999

 

[Amyrlin]

For a low cost meal Sweet Tomatoes, for an amazing meal, Texas de Brazil.