Any Orlando area Restaurant recommendations/warnings?

[ElaineHN]

Has anyone used Restaurant.com for dinning off-site while visiting Disney?

I use Restuarant.com certificates locally almost every time we dine out ... so I'm comfortable with them ... but I'm not familiar with any of the restuarants that they have listed in Orlando.

Does anyone have any recommendations or warnings for restaurants in the Orlando area? You can see what they have listed at
http://www.restaurant.com/listings....15&src=&rn=&ct=&cs=0&ne=0&al=&nv=1&pg=1&bsp=1

We'll be driving through some part of Orlando at some time on four different days. I'm not planning to leave the park just for a meal, but on the days that we are in Orlando anyway, we will probably eat a meal while we are there.

Some that look interesting to me are listed below but I'd love to hear about any of the restaurants being offered ... (we aren't looking for fancy ... just a casual place with decent food for 4 adults and 3 kids)

Blackwater BBQ
Detroit Joe's
Italian Garden
Jalapeno's
Johnny's Fillin Station Cafe
Nagoya Sushi
Paradise Island Cafe
QuisQueya
San Jose's Original Mexican
Rhino Hot Subs
Victoriany's Pizza


For anyone not familiar with Restaurant.com, it is a site where you can purchase 'gift certificates' for discounts at restaurants all across the USA. Most of the certificates that I buy for our local restaurants are $25 certificates, they cost $10 but there is almost always a discount code available to get them for 40-50% off (current code: 93530 exp. 1/28/05) ... meaning I can buy a $25 certificate for $5 ... thus saving $20 on the meal. Restrictions will vary from retaurant to restaurant, but most around here say $25 off $35+ purchase excluding alcohol, tip is not included. (but again, there are different values and different guidelines for different restaurants.) Another common certificate in some areas is 50% off total bill. Some will specify a maximum party.

Again, any recommendations would be greatly appreciated ... I know nothing about the local restaurants in Orlando.

Elaine

 

[elvis loves disney]

I live in Orlando and have all of my life and to be honest out of your whole list I have only heard of 1 of those and that was Johnny's Filling Station. I am not sure if you have children going or not but my dh has been there to eat and I understand it is more of a bar atmosphere. It does have the best burger in Orlando. It is in a very residential part of town and is pretty far away from Disney.I hope this helps.If you would like some good sugestions I will be glad to help.Just let me know what types of places you like.

 

[FirstTimertoDiz]

Hi, I just wanted to add a great place that dh and I tried on our last trip. It's called "Cafe Tu Tu Tango." Very cool atmosphere- it's decorated in artwork from local artists, and everything is for sale. So, you can walk around while you are waiting for your food if you want to shop! I liked this place a lot, because everything on the menu is appetizer size portions, so you are encouraged to get a few different things and share with each other. It was great food, and it was neat because we ordered a couple things that we might not normally try, just because even if we didn't like it, there were other things to eat!

HTH,
Lisa

 

[ElaineHN]

Thank you both! Goodness ... I may just have to skip the Restaurant.com deals if no one has even heard of most of these restaurants! *lol*

We will be a party of either 6 or 7 ... 3 (or possibly 4) adults and 3 children (13, 7,6) I don't mind taking the kids into a restaurant that also has a bar ... or is a brewhouse/pub type atmosphere but that is mainly a restaurant and caters to families (if that makes any sense) but I don't want to take them somewhere that truly is mainly a bar that just happens to serve food ... or anywhere that the other patrons/staff would feel we were out of place bringing our family.

We're not looking for anything fancy ... just good food at a decent price. I'd love to find a German restaurant. But almost anything (except Thai & Vietmanese) would be fine... pizza/subs one day ... something nicer another. It doesn't have to be super cheap ... but no $150 sushi meals either. My hubby and his friend are both in the restaurant business, so we tend to like to try new places and go to 'local' places as opposed to going to the same 'ole chain restaurants that we can go to at home. On the otherhand, chains are usually pretty reliable and predictable ... and some are very good.

Elaine
Feb 11-15

 

[sweet maxine]

I have a few of the ones for restaurants that you mentioned, but I haven't used them yet. I was interested in the Blackwater BBQ, as the menu sounded great! I'm hoping to use up the ones I have on our next trip before they expire.


We have eaten at the Club Car---lunch for 3 of us cost me all of about $1.60, not including what I paid for the certificate. Of course that didn't include the tip, but what a deal!

I don't know of any warnings about any of these restaurants per se, and you could always check the website for Orlando reviews (sorry, can't remember what it's called). Probably most of the restaurants selling certificates are just trying to increase business by offering a discount like this. You can try a new place to eat for a fraction of what it normally costs, and they in turn (hopefully) gain a happy, return customer. Seems like it would work well for both sides.

I look at it this way---on the cheap, I can try a new and different place to eat while I'm on vacation, and we may even end up adding it to our favorites list. At most you're out very little money, and truthfully, I've never had really awful pizza or bbq.

 

[swilshire]

I think it was Jalapenos that we tried. Is that on Oakridge Rd? We had looked through all the offerings and only found two that I thought we would use. The other certificate is still in my travel bag.

The food was fine and it was certainly a bargain, but it was more out of the way than it looked on mapquest. I thought it would be relatively close to the Belz Mall, and I guess it was really, but it always seems longer when you aren't sure where you're going. We almost missed it because it is very small and in a strip mall.

The neighborhood made my husband a bit nervous, but we went for lunch and I didn't feel threatened by it. Not sure I would feel the same way at night.

It was definitely authentic food. My two youngest sons refused to eat anything on the menu, but the waitress was very nice to them, keeping them supplied with chips. The tip was about the same size as the check.

Sheila

 

[JoEllen]

We haven't tried any of the restaurants on your iist but would recommend The Macaroni Grill. Very good Italian food that's a notch better than an Olive Garden. Just down the street from Downtown Disney and better than Disney prices. Also a nice place for a large group.

They also own Chili's restaurants so if they are on your list, Macaroni Grill would take their gift certificates.

 

[Chesire]

Just wanted to add another to your list, the Orlando ale house. DH and I loved this restaurant
Not expensive, saw a few families there as well.
Hope that helps a bit!

 

[cherylp3]

I ate at blackwater bar b q the other night. It was good.

Cheryl

 

[sweet maxine]

Can you help with the directions to the Blackwater BBQ? I would like to know a little more about where it's actually located.

Thanks!

 

[ElaineHN]

I don't know directions (maybe someone else can help) but here is the contact info ...

Blackwater BBQ
4718 A. Orange Ave
Orlando, FL
32806

(407) 888-2033 phone
(407) 888-9142 fax

Send an Email to:
kingsofq@bellsouth.net

Their certificate is for 50% off ... it regularly costs $3 but with the code it will only cost $1.50 ... I think I'll buy one just incase we do go there. If we don't, I'm only out $1.50 and who knows, maybe I can sell it to someone else who can use it.

And, Thank You to everyone who's added a suggestion or tip or recommendation!

Elaine

 

[matdamom]

We haven't tried any of the restaurants on your iist but would recommend The Macaroni Grill. Very good Italian food that's a notch better than an Olive Garden. Just down the street from Downtown Disney and better than Disney prices. Also a nice place for a large group.

They also own Chili's restaurants so if they are on your list, Macaroni Grill would take their gift certificates.

We ate at Macaroni Grill during our stay. It was convienent and about half the price as eating in the parks. The food was really good and the portions were huge - thank goodness for the kitchen in our condo, because we had doggie bags.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I have eaten at Nagoya Sushi as it is only a few miles from where I live. I would place it at about six miles NORTH of Universal Studios, or more than 20 miles from WDW. I have not heard of any of the others.

I have measured the distance from where I live to the Epcot parking lot. You would have to get to your car and then get to I-4. Exit at Kirkman Road (NORTH) and in three miles pass my house (you have now taken about 40 minutes), continue North about another four miles and two miles West. Total time 50-55 minutes. Same timing to get back. Also, Nagoya tends to be crowded with a wait, especially for a table for 7.

I think that travelling all over to save money on meals is a false savings. I would figure out the total number of hours that you will be in the Orlando area, subract out your expected sleep time, and divide the remainder into your anticipated total cost of the trip. That will give you an approximate "cost per hour". A result of $30 to $40 per hour is not unusual. You are talking a "time cost" of $60 to $80 to save how much money?

You may be better off making Lunch your big meal of the day with counter sefvice at dinner. Note that many of the WDW meal portions are so large that sharing is not a problem. Often if I go to the Kona Cafe I will make the Sticky Wings Appetizer (which has over a dozen wings plus salad) into my entire meal (and I'm 6/2"/285).

 

[Kaa]

Here's another vote for Orlando Ale House. Their menu is varied, so you can please everyone!

 

[ElaineHN]

I think that travelling all over to save money on meals is a false savings.

I agree with you, but as I've stated (perhaps it was on another thread and not this one?) , we will be driving in to Disney on the first day of our visit thru Orlando (around supper time) and driving home on the last day of our trip thru Orlando (possibly around supper time). I will also be traveling roundtrip thru some part of Orlando on two days of our trip going to and from the UCF Campus. (One day I'll be driving to UCF around lunchtime, and coming back around supper time and the other day I'll be driving over around breakfast time and driving back around lunchtime.) This is not strictly a 'family vacation' in which we'll spend every waking moment in Disney ... this is a work related trip to which I've also tacked on a couple of days at Disney.

I haven't yet MapQuested our route to see which restaurant possibilities are on our route, but there will be 6 times (on 4 different days) that I will drive thru some part of Orlando at some point. I am not talking about leaving the theme park in the middle of the day to drive and hour each way to eat a meal. I am talking about finding places to stop on the days/times that I am already driving thru the general area. On the days that we are strictly 'in the parks' we will eat 'in the parks' ... I don't plan to waste 3 hours of our days in the park driving way off for a meal.

Thank you for the Kona Cafe information ... I'll keep it in mind. And since you mentioned Sushi ... any specific 'in park' recommendations? Hubby loves it (I think he could eat it three meals a day every day) .. and the rest of us like it ... so it'd be nice to know more. I'll search the board, but feel free to add any specific suggestions you have.

Elaine

 

[allforpooh]

I'll second FirstTimeToDiz on "Cafe Tu Tu Tango", we were there several years ago and thought it was excellent.

Denise

 

[sweet maxine]

I think most of the restaurants that you mentioned trying are in the Entertainment book also. I would love to hear if you do try any of the places on your list. Would you please post a review when you return of any restaurants you visited?

I agree with your plan. I think it's a good idea to try some place that will be in the vicinity of where you might be at any particular day. You won't be losing much moneywise if you're already close by to the restaurant in question.

Not a sushi restaurant per se, but the NY China Buffet on Apopka-Vineland Rd. has a great buffet, and they make fresh sushi too.

 

[fsufandis]

I'll second FirstTimeToDiz on "Cafe Tu Tu Tango", we were there several years ago and thought it was excellent.

Denise

The wife and I love Tu-Tu Tango. It is an "appetizer" restaurant. You each order 2-4 menu items and then share them around the table. The food pops with flavor.

 

[ElaineHN]

Cafe Tu Tu Tango ... I've read several recommendations for this place and I love the idea of trying lots of different dishes and sharing. Would it be appropriate to take kids (13, 7, 6) or is it more of a 'couples' kind of place? Our kids are all pretty well behaved and aren't little monsters, but I'd hate to ruin someone else's 'romantic night out' if kids aren't really expected there.

And yes ...if we eat at any of the off-site restaurants, i'll definitely report back. Our trip isn't till Feb 11th ... but I'll be sure to post something afterwards.

Elaine

 

[PneumaticTransit]

My husband went to Macaroni Grill for lunch one afternoon. The food was good until DH noticed a dead fly in the sauce over his pasta. Ew... They comp'd us that entree, but it still ruined any chance of us going back there. I guess that can happen anywhere though.

I've always enjoyed Chevy's Tex Mex. They have a good selection and good prices.